#and i caught up on some big finish audios

[expelliarmus]

#mine #doctor who #dwedit #peter capaldi #michelle gomez #jenna louise coleman #i'm so excited for the ten and missy and paternoster gang audio to come out!!! #so i decided it was time to remake this bit!!!! #hi friends sorry it's been a bit since i've made some gifs #i was at sdcc and went to disneyland #very good time #i got fourteen's new sonic!!!! and got buttons of dt and ct's faces!!!!! #and posters of fourteen fifteen donna and ruby!!!!!! very exciting #and i caught up on some big finish audios #and i saw barbie and haunted mansion this week #hope you've all been well :')))

[likedovesinthewindd]

Hey mate

I was wondering if I could get a Hobie brown x reader where Hobie decided to visit his s/o at their apartment and finds them sing/dancing along to one of his band's songs

Everything else is up to you

Thanks mate

this is so cute

hobie brown x reader

Hobie wasn't the type of guy to announce his arrival. He enjoyed the impromptu visits to your apartment after he had finished his patrol, plus he loved scaring the shit out of you every now and then as well.

He used your fire escape to slip into your bedroom quietly. He was a little suprised to not find you there, considering you're already in bed this time of the night. He could hear you moving around in the kitchen, the open and shut of various cupboards and drawers and the sizzle of a pan.

He could smell it too, all the divine spices' aroma filling his nose and making his mouth water. He followed the smell, nose in the air like cartoon, till he found you in the kitchen, chopping up a bell pepper.

You hadn't noticed him yet, your back facing him as he quietly stood in the small hallway observing you. You were singing along to a song playing softly on your phone, belting along to some parts and then humming where you didn't know the words. He let out a quiet snicker at your singing, and at the way your body absent-mindedly moved along with the music.

The audio sounded awful though, scratchy and filled with a cacophony of background noise, like it was recorded on video rather than playing from whatever app. It was then that he realized what song it was; his band's song. It was a video you had taken at one of their performances, one of many you've attended.

At some point you peered at your phone, watching on the wobbly image of Hobie and his bandmates on stage. You couldn't help the smile appearing on your face, still singing along passionately. Towards the end of the video, when they finish their performance, you could be heard cheering loudly, screaming your lungs out excitedly.

Hobie couldn't help but laugh at your enthusiasm, and the sound prompted you to turn around quickly, the knife in a death grip and ready to swing if necessary. You calmed down considerably once you realized it was just Hobie, placing the knife on the tabletop and giving him a stern look.

"Why don't you ever use the door like a normal person?" you asked, not realizing how mean you really sounded. He only smirked, moving closer to you. "Nothing normal 'bout me," he said, as he wrapped his arms around you, engulfing you in his warmth and comforting scent. You hummed in agreement before pulling away.

"Why were you spying on me, bee?" you asked returning to the half cut bell pepper. "Couldn't interrupt your little performance now could I?" he replied smugly, his back against the table's edge as he watched you intently. "Didn't know you were such a big fan, babe," he continued, and you had to stop yourself from rolling your eyes, although you felt a bit embarrassed being caught.

"They're my favorite band," you said nodding your head to where your phone still displayed the paused video. "The guitarist is a real jerk though," you added, your snark being deflated with the small smile that appeared on your face. "I dunno," he shrugged, "I've heard he's pretty cool, quite a looker too." You hummed sarcastically, taking the chopped peppers and throwing them into the pan.

"Are you hungry?" you asked and he gave you a slow nod, moving over to the small living area and throwing himself onto the couch, his long legs having over the edge of the armrest.

"Food'll be ready in about half an hour," you said and his head rose from the couch pillow as you moved to pick up the extra pillows he dropped onto the floor. "More than enough time to give me another performance, yeah?" He barely got the sentence out before you threw the pillow at his stupidly smug and pretty face.

#hobie brown x reader #hobie brown x you #hobie brown fluff #hobie brown #spiderman atsv #likedovesinthewindd

[likebreadandwine]

I've caught you in the latest in a string of bad moments when you're struggling to allow yourself to eat.

this audio contains reassurance for someone recovering from a restrictive ED, including encouragement to gain more. based on this prompt.

transcript under the cut:

hey. you haven't finished. don't tell me you're not hungry, I know you are. would it help if I made something different? or are you just…it's another bad day, huh? babe, you can't keep doing this. you're not eating enough. you're not giving your body what it needs. you need to eat. I know—hey, I know that's the opposite of what your brain is telling you. your brain is telling you you don't need it, and things would be better if you were smaller. but they weren't better. you were sick. I don't want you to make yourself sick again. it feels like you're holding onto this tiny piece of it, like a backup plan, like maybe it would be okay to restrict, just a little, until you lost some weight, then you'd stop, but that's not how this works. you can't go back. because the truth is, going back would be so much worse than just being as you are. and you know what? the way you are is pretty incredible. you've been doing so well, and I'm really proud of you. I know today's a bad day. but you're totally fine. we're fine. nothing bad is going to happen if you eat when you're hungry. your body knows what it needs. it needs nutrients. it needs energy to heal and recover. it needs freedom to just exist the way it exists. seeing you get bigger has been this miraculous transformation, you have this…sparkle. I don't know if you notice it, but you're just happier. you smile more and laugh more and you have this ease about you. this grace. it's like, as you've gained weight, you're at home in your body in a way you never were before. and I love that—it is your home, it's your being and…god, you're so pretty. I know that's not the point, but like…you're soft, you're more curves than edges, it feels good to hold you. I am, entirely selfishly, a big fan of this body. and I'm really not gonna let you stand around and mistreat it, okay? you don't have to feel totally okay about it. but you're going to let me take care of you. we're going to keep you well fed, we're going to keep your weight up—because you need it, and you're feeling better, and I think you'd feel even better if you put on a little more weight. so. I am going to sit with you, and you are going to eat. if not for yourself, for me. eat.

#for you dear anon #alice encourages

[the--highlanders]

I hope you don't mind me asking but what are your favourite Jamie EU stories?

oh my god not at all, I never mind being asked about my favourite little guy <33

I'm gonna break this down by media type, but there's some parts of the eu like comics that I'm not super familiar with, so if anyone wants to add some of those on (or any other eu stories) then go ahead!!

putting this under a cut because it got LONG rip

big finish

the jigsaw war

jamie is trapped inside a puzzle, experiencing events out of order, and has to figure out how to escape. this is THE audio for me in terms of like. recognising that jamie isn't stupid just because he comes from the eighteenth century. he really gets to shine on his own rather than being relegated to 'dumb exposition prompter' (which I feel like some audios can be kinda guilty of.....) also the fact that two and jamie canonically have a strong enough connection to form a psychic link over long distances makes me chew through glass. this audio GETS it in a way some others just don't.

the glorious revolution

two, jamie, and zoe travel back to the time of the glorious revolution, the event that set the jacobite cause in motion, and jamie grapples with not being able to change the past. if you saw that audio snippet going around a couple days ago you'll have an idea of why I'm reccing this one. it has been a while since I've listened to it & I do really want to relisten and check it out for historical accuracy. but regardless it's another one that gives jamie some of the depth he deserves, this time in terms of emotional depth and his feelings about his backstory.

the selachian gambit

two, jamie, ben, and polly get caught in the middle of an alien bank heist. this one is pretty focused on ben, polly, and jamie as a trio - they're largely taking on the action while two keeps the detective work of the plot chugging along. jamie doesn't hugely stand out here in terms of the audio really adding something to his character, but it does show his dynamic with ben and polly pretty well. in particular there's some great scenes with him and ben working together, and I love their friendship a lot so that's always a good time.

honourable mentions: helicon prime (I do feel this one underutilises jamie a bit and undersells him in some weird ways, but if you're looking for two/jamie content you can't get much gayer than this. plus it's the origin of the whole 'jamie and kirsty get married' thing which I hate on principle & am obsessed with in practice), the phantom piper (it's got so much more potential than it gives imo but the tidbits that we get are so good. jamie's relationship with his grandparents.... his best friend taking a bullet for him and dying in his arms...... I just wish I could explain to the author that there's no such thing as a bedroom door in a blackhouse)

novels

the roundheads

two, jamie, ben, and polly travel back to the 1600s, and get largely split up by events unfolding around them. this is a pure historical and it delights in that. if you're after ben and polly content, the roundheads delivers on that too - but it really is some great early twojamie content. (whatever way you choose to read them - it's definitely a shippable book if you're into that). they spend the majority of the book together, both for plot reasons and just hanging out (they go to a frost fair!! two buys jamie treats and then makes himself a flower crown!!) and you get a great sense of jamie figuring two out early into his travels, and how he's far more interested in the doctor as a person than some other companions - he's the only one to show interest in susan when the doctor namedrops her, for instance. this is the best two-era book to me.

the wheel of ice

two, jamie, and zoe visit a space station built a little before zoe's time, and find that not everything is as it seems. again, this is a great one for zoe content as well as anything else, and for some very sweet moments with zoe and two. I don't necessarily feel this one always nails two and jamie's dynamic, but they don't spend a massive amount of time together here, so it's not too jarring. really I'm reccing this because of the scenes where jamie falls in with a bunch of teenagers from the space station, and finds himself kind of responsible for them. it's just nicely done and gives a good sense of jamie as a caretaker character and someone who feels a drive to be responsible for other people.

honourable mention: the episode novelisations (these are a lot of fun, especially if you have particular episodes you enjoy. they often add in extra details, background for side characters, or just little things from the episodes that were cut from the script. I really like them for adding a bit more depth and life to existing stories, and just little things that make you go 'yeah I'll add that to my belief system').

short stories

the time eater/across silent seas

two and jamie give a massive time-eating creature a funeral, and save a space whale from being turned into a weapon. both from the compilation destination prague. literally nobody gets me like the destination prague stories get me I'm not even kidding. these are THE eu two stories to me. both of these are arguably 6b, and they really work in that position - both in showing two and jamie with a very settled, devoted dynamic and in their themes and subject matter. the time eater is a story with no villain, and even the incidental threat of the dying creature causing havoc in time is secondary to the emotional keystone of jamie helping two accept death rather than running away. across silent seas has jamie nearly being aged to death and two absolutely losing it. they're both really about age and death and loss, which hits hard for 6b, with jamie's determination to stay with two forever and two's growing realisation that even if jamie doesn't choose to leave or survives their adventures, his lifespan is still going to be far shorter.

the age of ambition

two, jamie, and victoria land at the house of one of victoria's father's friends, only to find he has been trying to reanimate the dead. from the compilation life sciences. this is really a victoria story, probably the defining victoria story for me. it's got backstory, it's got gothic horror/victorian scientific ambition vibes in a similar way to evil of the daleks, it's got victoria character moments. but it's also a really crucial story for jamie, to me. as a character, I don't think jamie never quite forms into the brawny action man stereotype he was originally drafted as - and that's one of the things I love most about him. again he's too much of a caretaker, he's a piper rather than a soldier. he's rarely truly angry, even when he fights he never seems out to cause much actual harm, and you get the sense his protectiveness over his friends wars with this almost inability to do harm. the age of ambition GETS that and pushes it to the extreme, with jamie being unable to fire a killing shot to save his friends, to the point where victoria has to do it herself. it's such a compelling character moment for both of them and their dynamic.

on a pedestal

two, jamie, and victoria travel back to meet william wallace, who jamie idolises. from the compilation the quality of leadership. this is another one that really gets and hones in on a particular nuance of jamie's character - in this case, the strength and rigidity of his morals and sense of responsibility, and his dislike of people who fall short of that. he's faced with the fact that someone he admires was once careless, lax about taking responsibility for their actions even when other people are at risk, and just a bit childish. it shakes him, and he spends much of the story grappling with that. it's such a good look into the qualities that jamie admires versus the ones that he can't stand. but that's balanced out with some very sweet moments (the whole scene with two, jamie, and william wallace going fishing is very fun and again gives a nice little snapshot of two and jamie having this very settled, secure dynamic). AND jamie gets recognised as a basically supernaturally gifted piper which. love to see jamie actually getting to be a musician, love to see him piping without it being the butt of a 'bagpipes suck and everyone hates them' joke.

honourable mentions: that which went away (this is the 'jamie turns into a bear' story I'm always talking about. I do think it has some major issues in terms of weird primitivism, both in terms of the side characters and how it treats jamie, but also. jamie turns into a bear. and two begging him to come back to him is just *chefs kiss*), undercurrents (two vanishes from the tardis and another man mysteriously appears. jamie believes this newcomer has done something to harm two, and very nearly kills him for it. this is one of the few moments where jamie gets really, properly angry and is willing to actually cause harm and I LOVE to see him pushed past the breaking point of his usual moral code), the slave war (two, jamie, ben, and polly in the roman empire. also really good for ben and polly content, but there's some interesting stuff with jamie grappling with the idea of becoming involved in another rebellion, but ending up getting involved anyway)

#replies #anonymous #the tl;dr of this is that there's a lot out there! #but not all of it uses jamie's character well or understands that he's nuanced and not just stupid/the brawn of the team/etc etc etc #anything that DOES understand he's an interesting character in his own right is probably going to pique my interest #& as you can tell the short stories are my favourite bit of eu media gkjfd. probably because they're so character-focused #and many of them do give jamie the interest and dimension he deserves

[astoundingbeyondbelief]

Kaiju Week in Review (October 29-November 4, 2023)

Like me, you probably haven't seen Godzilla Minus One yet, making Fest Godzilla 4: Operation Jet Jaguar last week's most spectacular new watch. Kazuhiro Nakagawa's ambitions grow with each entry in this series; this time, he was helped by veteran Rider/Sentai suit actor Kenya Saito inside the great new Jet Jaguar suit. The ending wasn't quite what I predicted, but still set up what should be a spectacular showdown last year.

I wish these shorts weren't effectively the last vestiges of tokusatsu in the Godzilla series; I wish even more that Toho would allow them to stay on YouTube. This one, along with its associated behind-the-scenes videos, will stay around until the end of the year, as an apology for the Godzilla Day VOD having such awful audio as to be unsalvageable. But that still means its discoverability will take a serious hit, and it's unclear what Toho actually gets out of this artificial scarcity. Maybe they're plotting to release all the shorts on Blu-ray in a few years. In any case, download this one post-haste.

While he didn't get a new suit, Megalon still made a triumphant return in the other short film released on Godzilla Day, Godzilla vs. Megalon. A sequel to Godzilla vs. Gigan Rex, it's also directed by Takuya Uenishi. The live-action footage in this one helps ground the over-the-top monster mayhem, and a weakened Godzilla displays some cool new tricks, although I found his finisher unsatisfying. As for Megalon, well, he finally shows the world just how terrifying he can be when he takes himself more seriously.

After a mercifully brief marketing campaign, the 37th Godzilla movie, Godzilla Minus One, is in Japanese theaters (and it's making bank). I'm trying to go in relatively unspoiled (always difficult as a Wikizilla admin), but what little I have read has been promising. The basic premise, which the early promos have largely masked, sounds like a kaiju story I wrote in college, which I couldn't be more thrilled by. If you're feeling daring, there's a second trailer out.

We'll get the first episodes of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters even sooner than Godzilla Minus One. Accordingly, Apple has ramped up promotion, releasing a behind-the-scenes video (above), the opening title sequence, and the first scene of the series. We also have names for a couple of the new monsters (the new Skull Island beastie is a Mantleclaw and the critters hatching from eggs are Endoswarmers) and better looks at a couple others.

I joked after the Godzilla Day livestream that it was such a technical fiasco because Toho had put all its skill points into releasing Godzilla Minus One. Similar could be said for the Fathom Events release of Godzilla 2000: Millennium. The showing I caught was fine technically (one brief frame rate hiccup aside), just... uninspired. The preshow was the same brief behind-the-scenes footage of G2K included on the American DVD and Blu-ray; the film used the same translation as the Blu-ray. And now that the novelty of actually being able to watch it has worn off, I've soured considerably on the Japanese version of this movie. The languid score and sound design are especially glaring in a theater.

Godzilla Voxel Wars, available on Steam and Epic Games, probably should have been released in a week less packed with more attention-grabbing Godzilla news. Still zero reviews on Metacritic! Haven't played it myself, but fellow Wikizilla admin Les is enjoying it.

Godzilla: Here There Be Dragons #5 also added to the Godzilla onslaught. Still impressed at how big a role the Giant Octopus had in this (and what a brutal ending for it and Ebirah), but the miniseries wrapped up a little too neatly.

Despite backing it on Kickstarter, I had nearly forgotten about Godzilla & Kong: The Cinematic Storyboard Art of Richard Bennett. Turns out the reason the book has taken so long to be published (the campaign ended last May) is the page count jumping from "around 200" to 424! It's off to the printer now, so the wait is nearly over.

Worth posting again: the third BOSS Coffee ad featuring the new ShodaiGoji suit. Very little original footage in this one, but some first-class editing.

And a few other happenings I'll keep to bullet points so you can finally stop scrolling:

I forgot to post about Viz publishing volume 7 of Asadora! Huge props for introducing a kyodai hero without derailing the story (I won't say how, but it's quite clever).

After its brief Japanese theatrical run, the black-and-white version of Shin Godzilla is "under consideration for further development." Home video next?

The newest Godzilla Battle Line units are Super Mechagodzilla and a second version of Godzilla '54 who strafes his atomic breath and ignores most status effects. I've had virtually no time to play since the new season started (this post was typed entirely in a Georgia hotel room, put it that way), but I hear they're both stellar.

Godzilla trading card update: disappointment and confusion! The Godzilla Minus One promo cards were only available for a very limited time as add-ons to a $75+ TCGPlayer order. Meanwhile, nobody can find the packs of Surreal Entertainment cards that were supposed to arrive at Five Below on Godzilla Day.

Naturally, lots of toys revealed on and around Godzilla Day. Highlights include a Super7 Godzilla figure with an Imperial-inspired paint job, a Super7 SpaceGodzilla repaint blatantly based on Super Godzilla which sold out instantly, an S.H. MonsterArts Jet Jaguar '73, and Movie Monster Series figures for *inhales* Godzilla '55, Anguirus '55, Flying Stage Hedorah, Godzilla '64, and Minilla '67. The Godzilla Raids Again figures are both getting variants inspired by a Toy Dreams set from 2006. Bandai also started up another Movie Monster Series fans-pick-the-figure poll, but what's the point? They'll have every single Godzilla kaiju represented before the decade's half over. (And maybe by the end of the decade I'll be able to afford all the ones I want!)

#godzilla #the 69th #godzilla minus one #godzilla vs. megalon #fest godzilla 4 operation jet jaguar #monarch legacy of monsters #kaiju week in review #kaiju

[yuurivoice]

Hi yv! I just wanted to send a message saying how much I love your content and I have for years. It's been amazing to see your channel grow and I'm one of your biggest fans!! I used to sub to the patreon but life goes hard and I haven't been able to for a while. The latest auron video has been practically on repeat for me and I really just wanted to say I hope you have a wonderful day and happy holidays!!! Give all the kitties a kiss on the forehead for me pls!

Thank you for the kind words! No worries about whether or not you're a Patreon sub, I certainly appreciate the support but always want people to put themselves first so don't sweat that and I hope you kick life's ass! Also, sending me a kind message is a pretty great way to support in its own right, so I'm genuinely appreciative!

The cats will most definitely be smooched, and I'll pass along a note that it's from a kind Anon!

It's been a wild few years, huh? Making the leap from the Tumblr days to the YouTube era was a big one, but the past 4 years were where I really started to find my footing and I think there's been a lot of growth creatively and personally.

Things have been moving in the right direction despite some personal road bumps and detours. Looking back, there's a lot of things I wish I could have accomplished and kept afloat while working through everything. Still dealing with the guilt of BitterSweet and Shattered not being a thing this year, particularly for all the ride or die Alphonse and Seth fans who have been starving for content while I've been hesitant to push out content for them because the big series wasn't coming.

Thankfully, most people have been supportive, kind, and understanding. That being said, I'm not ignorant to the nature of my content (growing roster of characters = someone's fave isn't getting posted for a while) and I'm doubly thankful to those who have been chill as other characters get established and have their time in the sun.

I'm really hopeful that in the coming year, balance and scheduling and planning are all finely tuned and help me avoid content traffic jams like we've run into such as the recent Charlie Era (lol) which wasn't exactly the plan, but with October AU series + Plushie + Lost & Found all aligning it sorta just worked out that way. Also, it bears mentioning that it's not every day that a side character who was not guaranteed to catch on as A Thing (TM) actually finds an audience and has significant demand. Sometimes you gotta roll with how things play out, and that's just the nature of creating content on social media.

I'm optimistic that things will be at least a LITTLE bit more balanced thanks to ADHD treatment and seeing huge improvements with my mental health. Which can't be understated, because holy shit, the amount of things I'm just able to do without feeling like I'm holding myself at gunpoint or making a million deals with myself to convince myself to do a single task is amazing.

Not only is it easier to get to work, it's easier to do more of the work. That Auron audio you referenced is a great example. I was worried with the script I had and the premise, I wouldn't be able to get much more than 9/10 minutes out of it. The length of my general audios is something I've been conscious of forever, so I was shocked and thrilled when I finished up with the recording and it was 24 minutes of some of my favorite Auron content ever. I'm getting more comfortable improvising, or creating more as I go vs. write, record, post. I'm able to do a little more, add things that I would normally omit or not bother with, and just try harder without feeling like I'm trying harder and purely because I'm enjoying it and I want to.

I am SO sorry that this turned into a rant in response to what was a fairly straightforward question, you caught me while I was feeling introspective.

tldr: Thanks for fuckin' with me. Folks like you make me want to work hard and deliver the goods. The kindness goes a long way, and I don't take that for granted!

#yuurivoice

[pers-books]

Christopher Eccleston, Nicola Walker and more join Doctor Who audio story

The Ninth Doctor star paid tribute to the late David Warner.

By David Craig

Published: Friday, 25 August 2023 at 4:00 pm

Christopher Eccleston, Nicola Walker and the late David Warner are among the Doctor Who icons set to star in the next episode of Big Finish's Once and Future storyline.

The 60th anniversary event finds The Doctor in a Time Lord field hospital during the catastrophic Time War, where his body glows with a powerful energy – but it's no regeneration.

Instead, The Doctor's past faces begin to haphazardly appear with no clear pattern, prompting him to go on a journey to uncover who or what could have caused this overwhelming degeneration.

The next chapter – titled Time Lord Immemorial – is written by Lisa McMullin and has the following synopsis:

"Slipping between bodies, the Ninth Doctor finds his TARDIS caught between universes as the cosmos starts to break down. A Doctor from another reality arrives and they join forces with Liv Chenka and the Lumiat to find the cause.

"Someone has desecrated the mythical Hall of the Time Lord Immemorial, where the sands of time from the multiverse are held. And those sands are running out…"

Legendary actor David Warner, who passed away in July 2022, gives his final Big Finish performance as the Unbound Doctor in this episode, with co-star Eccleston hailing his incredible talent.

"It was quite emotional for me to work with David Warner, an actor I grew up as a child watching and admiring," he said. "To share the Doctor with him was special. If ever there was an actor who should have played the Doctor, it was David Warner."

Producer David Richardson added: "Bringing the Ninth Doctor and the Unbound Doctor together was inspired by the friendship between Chris and David.

"They have known each other well for some years and it was a treat to bring them together in the studio. To benefit from these two greats acting opposite each other was irresistible."

Robert Powell, who features as the eponymous Time Lord Immemorial, also paid tribute to Warner.

He said: "David Warner and I first met in 1978 when we did The 39 Steps, when I was playing Richard Hannay and he was playing the villain. It was great fun.

"A few years later, I played Frankenstein [for Showtime in the USA] and he played the creature. We haven't worked together since. It was really nice to catch up with him."

Eccleston's former Our Friends in the North co-star Gina McKee also features in Time Lord Immemorial as The Lumiat; an exciting new addition to the Doctor Who universe.

Script editor Matt Fitton explained: "The Lumiat is writer Lisa McMullin’s creation who is, in a way, the Master’s version of the Valeyard - in that she’s the opposite of everything the Master stands for. The Lumiat is an insufferably good version of the Master or Missy!"

#Big Finish #Doctor Who: Once and Future #Nicola Walker #Liv Chenka #Christopher Ecclston #Ninth Doctor #David Warner #Robert Powell #Audio Drama

[miyakuli]

Triangle Strategy

My obsession since a month. I finished all the routes and played so many hours, I'm finally ready to present it to you and I hope my review will pique your interest and that you'll join me in this then xD (because I LOVE IT TOO MUCH).

Triangle Strategy is a tactical rpg that also flirts with the narrative genre, in which you juggle between fights, cut scenes and choice phases that will influence the fate of Lord Serenor and the future of the continent of Norzelia. Let's say it right away, I devoured the game; I haven't enjoyed a tactical game this much since Fire Emblem 3H! The game has a lot going for it, both in terms of gameplay and narrative, but there are a few disappointing points that could have been better executed by Square Enix.

❤ The story is excellent, very well written and very engaging. The geopolitical conflict is coherent, and we don't just see everything through the eyes of the MC, there are also side moments to follow the plot from other points of view. It's easy to see that the game isn't at all Manichean; each character has their own vision of the continent's prosperity, and as a result, nobody really embodies evil or good. There's a real maturity of writing here, making TS not at all predictable or cliché. ❤ This feeling is reinforced by the choice system, since in wartime, no choice is fair to all, and concessions have to be made. This makes it almost heartbreaking to decide. The game offers us 2 forms of choice. First, dialogue choices to reinforce your character's convictions, revolving around 3 main themes: Morality, Liberty, and Utility. Then, scenario choices that will influence your game, based on a debate with your group; in fact, the convictions you've strengthened will help you win debates. It's an essential part of the story, and adds a lot of spice, if I may say so, as well as replayability (4 endings, including a "true end"). ❤ Let's talk about combat. The tactical aspect is fairly basic and easy to learn. On the other hand, it offers real diversity in terms of combinations. Each recruit has their own combat specialities (2 archers will not have the same attack and defense characteristics, and will have very different skills too). As a result, you really get caught up in studying the field, weather and enemies to come up with the best possible strategy. What's more, the game offers a fair amount of challenge in certain battles, so you'll sometimes have to start them all over again, which really pushes you to persevere and find the best possible combinations; it was extremely addictive for me. ❤ In terms of artistic direction, the 2d-hd pixel art is really beautiful, with superb lighting effects and depth of field. ❤ For the audio, the game is already fully dubbed (Japanese or English), which greatly strengthens our attachment to the characters and our immersion in the story. I played it in Japanese and recognized some big names in dubbing, so it really is a top-quality cast. Now I'd like to turn to the thing that most amazed me about this game: the music. Composed by Akira Senju, whose music for FMA Brotherhood I already greatly admire, he created here an absolutely incredible soundtrack! All the themes are memorable and effectively accompany the atmosphere of every moment in the game. I can say without hesitation that this soundtrack has immediately become one of my must-haves <3

+/- The group's main characters are very likeable and pretty well developed over the course of the game. It's a pity that this is not the case for the other units in our group. Their recruitment is done in a very expeditious way (the characters are accessible as soon as you've increased your convictions enough) based on a short scene like, "Hi, I've come to fight by your side". And then you unlock 2 extra stages if you raise their stats enough, and that's it…at least in Fire Emblem, the appearance of secondary units was done through combat, which allowed us to learn and test their skills, it was much more useful. +/- NG+ is really cool if you want to keep playing and unlock new characters or scenarios. On the other hand, why doesn't the option just appear in the menu, it's pretty confusing to launch (because yes, I relaunched another day and had forgotten about the little explanatory window, but come on!).

✖ Some combat animations are quite slow, and you can't really get past them even when speeding up. ✖ The exploration phases are not very interesting (only 2 phases have a real impact on the scenario, otherwise it's just to recover items). ✖ The game's OST is neither sold on Steam, nor accessible on Spotify or anything else, I want to tear my hair out in frustration. PLEASE SQUARE ENIX, LET ME OWN THIS MUSIC!!!! (;;)

As you can see, after 80 hours of play, Triangle Strategy is for me an excellent game in its genre, thanks to its narrative and strategic qualities, and I can say that I felt a great sadness to have finished it x') However, I'd recommend it to those who like to read, because yes, the dialogues are rich and abundant, and I think that might put off a lot of people expecting more combat and less blah-blah.

As far as I'm concerned, it's this balance between narrative and combat that gives this game its charm and strength, and which I'm sure will convince other lovers of the genre. I'm convinced of it.

➡ My Steam page

#triangle strategy #I knew this review was going to be SO LONG x'))) #thank you to those who took the time to read it (and congrats XD) #I MISSED THE CHARACTERS SO MUCH ALREADY #what to do now.....jk I have plenty of games to try lol #personal #Lola plays games

[cozmicclown]

Welcome Home Secret Audio Tapes Transcribed (Accurately): Tape #4 Frank & Barnaby

Still posting these because the secret invisible transcripts under the audio tapes aren’t 100% accurate, and I like things to be exact. I may be motivated to post more of these if I spent less time doing them up nice. I’d also be WAY more motivated if I could find that special specific American typewriter font with the rounded Tuscan serifs used in the real WH script pieced together on that secret page. I’m beginning to suspect that’s a CUSTOM font.

Yes I know the last one I posted was audio tape #2, I’ve got #3 written out but not done up/aged, but I had this one finished and if I didn’t post it now it would be harder for me to get to it later.

Full Written Transcription Under Cut

Page 1

EXT. FRANKS FRONT GARDEN - DAY

SCENE FADES IN, AS FRANK FRANKLY, HOMES MOST STUDIOUS AND DETAIL-ORIENTED NEIGHBOUR, IS CAUGHT MID SENTENCE EXPLAINING SOME FINE DETAIL OF HIS METICULOUS GARDEN.

FRANK

“Blue, don't actually have any blue pigmentation. They have to grow in soil that is basic as well, so the pine straw should be left for the other beds-“

BARNABY B. BEAGLE, LARGE, BLUE, STAND-UP COMEDIAN CANINE (WHO GETS AROUND A LOT FOR A SUPPOSED LAY ABOUT), INTERRUPTS FRANK AS HE STROLLS UP THE PATH TO FRANKS FRONT GARDEN.

BARNABY

“You're tellin' me that these flowers are liars, Franky?”

FRANK

(Exasperated sigh as he notices Barnaby approaching.)

“Urgh, I'm not telling you that these flowers are liars, Barnaby. I'm talking about how these flowers are specially selected to look this way.”

FRANK GESTURES TO HIS CORNFLOWERS IN THEIR POTS.

BARNABY

“Eh, bein' blue isn't anything special, pal. Don't ya know that blue is all the rage nowadays?”

FRANK

“I don't think people are painting themselves blue, frankly. Are you saying your fur color isn't natural?”

FRANK SUGGESTS THIS WITH A SLIGHT CHUCKLE.

BARNABY

(Feigning insult.)

“I beg your pardon!? I'm a natural beauty, as far as you know.”

Page 2

FRANK

“Heh. I doubt you're any sort of beagle. I've never seen any blue dog before in my life! Now, if you don't mind, we'd like to continue tending to my flowers in peace.”

BARNABY

“You're gonna have to do more than tend to 'em if you want 'em to grow up nice and big. You know what they say: you gotta entertain your plants to make 'em happy.”

FRANK

“Heh, That's true... but I'm not going to let your snappy patter poison my petunias

I'd hardly call your material entertaining, much less fertilizer.”

BARNABY

(Subtle standup tone.)

“Oh, don't you worry, Frank. The last thing I'll do is overwhelm your orchid. Your plants all seem clover it.”

FRANK

(Annoyed groan before taking a deep breath.)

“Uuurrggggh. Not with these puns again. You're going to make all of my hard work wilt! Your humor is too dry for my impatiens.”

BARNABY

“Hey, hey! Not a daisy goes by where you don't get impatient... but hey, I'm just pollen your leg.”

FRANK

(Another deep breath and annoyed groan.)

“Uuurgggg. Will. You. Just. Get. Out of here!? My plants don't need your ridiculous jokes to grow; go find an audience for your silly gags somewhere else.”

Page 3

BARNABY

(Starting walking away backwards.)

“Alright, alright, I'll grow... But every dogwood has his day! I'll still poppy in from time to time, even if you're still a little rough around the hedges!”

FRANK GROANS AND FUMES AT EACH PUN AS BARNABY GETS FURTHER AND FURTHER AWAY.

FRANK

“Hrrrrr, hm. Urgh, honestly with him! I don't know how you can stand to be around him, Wa//=Y.”

End Scene

#Funnily enough #that pine needle trick is a wives tale #It doesn’t actually change the acidity of the soil #Also I know Frank was probably talking about his blue hydrangeas #But those require acidic soil #NOT basic #So CornFlowers it is #You’d think Frank would know the difference #BUT OH MY GOD #I HYPER FOCUSED ON THE TOPIC OF BLUE ROSES #AND BLUE FLOWERS ARE LIKE #A SOCIAL BOOBY TRAP CAUSE I WILL GUSH ABOUT #WHAT A PAIN THEY ARE TO CREATE #SO TO SEE IT IN A FANDOM IM IN #AND TOO SEE THAT FRANK GETS IT TOO #WAS AN ABSOLUTE DELIGHT #Welcome home Wally #Wally Darling #Wally #Wh Wally #welcome home Frank #welcome home arg #welcome home script #welcome home fanart #welcome home #welcome home puppet show #welcome home transcribed #welcome home project #welcome home Barnaby #wh Frank Frankly

[agentplutonium]

listen i know i don’t get enough traction anymore for more than like one person to see this but hear me out:

Milo/Sweetheart racing AU

kinda like. listen. i’m delirious a bit of this might be a bit nonsensical at times. I want the wolf boys to have their own track that they host races at. There might be another track that Will owns that he also hosts at, but that’s later development that i don’t have rn cause i am just focused on Milo/Sweetheart.

ANYWAY the plot has two different ways of going in my head right:

1. Milo/Sweetheart enemies to lovers. in this version both of them are racers, and both want the top. they are at each other’s throats for AGES until one night after a big race where Milo crashes and we get a parallel of their first healing audio. Neither finish that race. Milo can understand that he fucked up and is glad to be alive but he can’t forgive sweetheart for throwing that win away. there’s some intense arguing that ends with a kiss because i’m such a sap like that. ever since then the audience sees the two of them getting chummy and such and thinks they’re best friends, but really they’re dating. the truth doesn’t really come out until a few years later at a repeat of the same big event where Sweetheart wins with Milo close second and they end up kissing on the track. crowd goes wild. bombarded with paparazzi. bet wins being exchanged. the works. paparazzi asks if this means they’ll retire from racing. both are appalled, cause “why would i give up the chance to show them up in the next cup?” “as if, greer, i beat you this time it’ll happen again.” and they go back to bickering with the goofiest grins on their faces. they would go down in history

OR

2. mechanic sweetheart that sees LOTS of Milo and his car. Mostly Milo. the boy has a habit of just hanging around their shop while they’re working. and a habit of blowing things in his car cause he pushed it too far. david would cal them after a race and they half the time could guess who it’s about. through these soliciting moments Milo has he tries to get Sweethearts story out of them. cause, like, you can’t be that good with cars and not have a history. but Sweetheart won’t tell him. until he comes across an old box of their memorials. old trophy’s, photos, news clippings, and cassette tapes. he wouldn’t snoop anymore, and he got caught and Sweetheart was pissed, but his interest was peaked. he wouldn’t get the story out of them until him, Sweetheart, and the other two with their mates were winding down after a party celebrating another win. Angel asked if Sweetheart had any ties to racing, or if they were like them and Baabe. Sweetheart would glance at Milo and sigh, saying they’d be right back. they brought out the same box that Milo had found, letting it fall to the table with a thud saying to knock themselves out. Turns out Sweetheart was a pretty big name before they started working under david in the shop. They were a promising rookie that rose the ranks quickly in their seven years of racing, starting at 18. it was revealed to Milo later that night the reason that they stopped was because of a fatal car crash that took them out for a few seasons. that was just a little bit before their current gig, and they haven’t raced since. David had offered, but they felt like their time was up. racing was a lot of natural selection after all, if you don’t have it you don’t have it. they weren’t mad about it at all. but Milo wasn’t having it. he challenged them to a one on one, just so they could get behind the wheel again. they did, completely smoking Milo in the process, and they got begged to return to racing. they were hesitant, eventually snapping at Milo to let it drop. he did, but he got into Sweethearts head a little bit. they talked with David, and they were signed up for the next race. they don’t tell anyone they’re competing, training by themselves each night, and on the day people were curious at the new car that rolled in before the race started. it’s been a while since they had a rookie. however, that mood shifted when it was revealed it was Sweetheart behind the wheel. people were excited to see them back on the track, racers from their time welcoming them back with open arms. Milo would place a bet that he’d win this race (saying if he won, Sweetheart had to go on a date with him), which Sweetheart happily challenged. Sweetheart would win, and when Milo asked what they wanted, since they didn’t make it clear in the beginning, Sweetheart said “oh, no, we’re still going on that date. the only difference is I’m in charge. Be ready for Friday at 8.” they winked and that’s the last thing they said to him before turning in for the night. Milo got teased for that one, but he couldn’t deny the giddy grin that he had in his face or the butterflies in his stomach.

it’s kinda clear which one i’m favouring, clearly. this might turn into something. or not. we’ll see. anyway until this either consumes me or i have a new idea for y’all ✌️

#would you guys believe me if i told you that these thoughts came on because of a binge of all 3 Cars movies #cause they did #anyway #redacted audio #plutonium_rambles #redacted audio milo #redacted audio sweetheart #redacted milo #redacted sweetheart #redacted headcanons #redactedverse

[kolbisneat]

MONTHLY MEDIA: November 2023

Ooooooh it's getting cold and snowy out here in Ontario! Perfect weather to stay in, curl up, and read/watch/play something.

……….FILM……….

Bottoms (2023) The heightened reality could've been made apparent a little sooner but other than that, no notes. Weird and fun in a way I haven't seen in a while. Big fan.

How The West Was Fun (1994) It took me about 1 hour and 10 minutes to get into this but it finishes strong. And so many great jackets! Ugh I love a good belt buckle.

……….TELEVISION……….

The Crown (Episode 6.01 to 6.02) Okay this is my first dip into the series but having lived (just barely) through a lot of this, I feel like I got caught up fairly quickly. Really feels like the focus is on Diana instead of the Queen, yeah?

Scott Pilgrim Takes Off (Episode 1.01 to 1.06) Not what I was expecting and really refreshing for it! The animation varies wildly from episode to episode and I assume it's intentional buuuut sometimes it doesn't quite work for me. If I finish it and enjoy it enough to warrant a rewatch, I'll definitely try it with the Japanese dub.

……….YOUTUBE……….

Mosa Lina by Caleb Gamman This looks like a fun game and, more importantly, the video is a thoughtful divergence into the topic of "genre". Gonna be thinking about the ideas in here for a while. VIDEO

This Woman Deconstructs 100-Year-Old Books To Restore Them | Obsessed | WIRED by WIRED I could watch book restoration all day and I hope this becomes an ongoing series or she starts her own channel. VIDEO

7 Deadly Art Sins by CJ the X Vital watching for any creative type. Don't compare yourself to others (different from learning from others), don't hesitate starting that project you have in mind, and don't be afraid to create stuff you don't like cause it's an opportunity to reflect and grow and move towards making something you do like. Also promise me you won't call it content. VIDEO

Chicago Doesn’t Own Its Own Streets | Climate Town by Climate Town If you ever hear a city councilor mention selling public infrastructure to a private company, send them this link or vote them out. VIDEO

……….READING……….

A Few Fiends To Tea by Virginia Coffman (Complete) Picked this up secondhand for the cover (obviously) and the promise of a dying man using his remaining time to enact some vigilante justice on serial killers. Pulpy fun, right? Well it mostly reads like a mid century romance with a few interesting exchanges peppered throughout. Oh well.

Silver Surfer by Slott & Allred Omnibus by Dan Slott and Michael Allred (Complete) This is what comics can be. Funny, sad, silly, and sincere, all while telling superhero stories that don't exclusively rely on punching to solve conflict. This reads like the best of Doctor Who and I love it all the more.

Delicious in Dungeon Volume 1 by Ryoko Kui (Complete) It seeeeeeeeems like the series is wrapping up so while I wait for the final volume's release I figured I'd start a reread. Knowing where it's going it's fun to see how established the setting and characters are right out of the gate. Just so great and I can't recommend it enough.

……….AUDIO……….

Wag the Doug (Podcast) This is for a very specific audience (folks living in Ontario, Canada that are invested in provincial politics) but if you're a part of that demographic then it's a great way to loosely keep up with what's going on.

……….GAMING……….

Oz: A Fantasy Role-Playing Setting (Andrews McMeel Publishing) The Mof1 Crew is infiltrating a funeral where they know Princess Ozma will be attending. I think their plan is still stuff from the coat check but maybe they'll change course along the way. Never know what I'm going to get with this crew.

Wonderland: A Fantasy Role-Playing Setting (Andrews McMeel Publishing) Got to run this quite a bit this month and testing is going well! Similar tone but very different sort of play from Oz and Neverland and I feel like that's a good thing.

And that’s it. See you in December!

#Monthly Media #Kolbisneat #Andrew Kolb

[myceliumbean]

Cars 2 Agents AU How did Rod survive 2.5 I Waking Siddeley Up

Featuring: The actual debut of Boris (with Boris completely losing his temper)

Summary: the agents were on a mission, and everything went wrong soon after they entered Russian airspace

The quotation marks are a bit different cuz I'm using app tp post this while finished writing it on PC, but still, ' ' stands for talking through radio/speaker, and " " stands for talking directly

Warm was the first thought when some really loud noise woke him up. Siddeley winced behind his visor. He couldn’t see anything, was it already this dark?

He then tried his NVD, but it still didn’t give him any visual input.

Something was wrong. Siddeley suppressed a creepy feeling of something icy cold, and tried to reached out to his fellow agents.

He couldn’t activate his built-in speakers.

Siddeley was almost sure that he’d got caught by some unknown enemies, but a voice deep in his mind, though weakly, was screaming about waking up and starting his engine and Siddeley had no idea about what was going on-

“-WAKE UP!”

The Gulfstream V gasped at the sudden loud voice, his eyes wild, and for a moment Siddeley thought he’d got full awareness of his surrounding. But the next thing he noticed was that loud voice beside him again, almost cracking his audio sensors. “Stay conscious, kid, you will not let yourself drift back into your dreams anymore to escape the cold! You hear me! I know you’re awake!”

But drifting back sounded so appealing, and what was that voice talking about co-

He couldn’t focus on the surroundings through his visor. He couldn’t even see through it.

Was that... ice?

As that realization hit him, a wave of memories of what the past six hours swallowed him. Siddeley fought to stay awake, but he was so tired. Maybe he can take a nap now, ‘cuz that loud voice stop shouting, a short nap...

‘You’d better not give up by now, old boy, after keeping us all alive for so long.’

The familiar tone and that particular nickname woke Siddeley up a little. ‘...Finn?’

‘Stay with me, Sid, the help was already here, we’ll get you to safety in no time.’ Even opening his eyes an inch more took all of his strength, Siddeley tried his best to cling to his friend’s voice. ‘You can do it, just try your best and get your engines start.’

My engines... Siddeley could feel the numbness of his tail and his wings, but his engines were, surprisingly, somehow de-iced and ready for takeoff. He tried, and was satisfied when the turbines started to spin under his will.

“Nice work kid.” That voice again, not so loud for this time, was beside Siddeley and gently pushing him to try harder. “Keep them spinning, now try to open your eyes. You need to look at the runway for takeoff.”

As his pushed his engines to gain more power, Siddeley could feel his entire frame warming up. Wings, tails, and even his landing gears- the backups, they had fixed his flat tires!

He tired to speak, to open his mouth, but at last he could only talk through the radio. ‘I really can’t gain the strength to open my eyes.’

‘Well then, do you trust me?’

Siddeley could feel a gentle touch on his wing tip, and a smoothening caress along his starboard wing. Some deep humming sounds were coming from that direction. That plane must be a big one. ‘I trust you.’

‘Don’t give away your trust so easy, kid, you’re lucky I’m on your side.’ There’s a pulse, and the voice was back, with more demanding in it. ‘counterclockwise ten degrees.’

That meant two and a half circles of his front tires.

‘Good. Now lower the flaps into normal takeoff angle. I’m gonna go first to make sure the sky is clear, could you wait?’

‘Yes.’

‘Tough kid.’ Siddeley thought that he might heard the plane chuckled if it weren’t through the radio. ‘Good luck, I’ll be waiting in the sky.’

The Gulfstream V could hear the sound of powerful engines, much more powerful than his, warming up next to him. The ground trembled slightly when the plane took off, and Siddeley could feel his own wings shaken by the wind caused by the sheer size of the plane and the roar of those turbine engines. It went quiet for a few minutes before the radio cracked to live. ‘All clear, prepare for takeoff.’

‘Roger.’ Siddeley took a deep breath, trying to ease his own sickening feeling of taking off nearly blind, and started to put power into his engines.

‘Keep going. You can do this.’

Turbines speeding up. Engines giving out high-pitched screams. Siddeley could feel the reassuring force that tried to push him forward.

More. Need More for takeoff.

Fuel burned through his lines, Siddeley finally punched through the maze of cold and got a clear look of what was in front of him.

He was in a forest- the one he had merely dodged at the last moment during his landing. But now the trees in his way were removed and the sky was clearer than it was back when he passed out.

Siddeley focused on the field in front of him.

To Safety. The voice through the radio was up in the sky, scouting and waiting. Siddeley couldn’t see the plane now, but if he could takeoff...

There’s the familiar push when he reached the requiring starting power, and Siddeley released his tires and ran through the forest. Trees bended and got chopped when hit by his left wing, Siddeley easily got to the speed he needed to takeoff. First the nose, then his entire frame, the Gulfstream V finally made it and flew straight into the sky.

He could now take a proper look at the plane who saved his life. An Ilyushin Il-76, one of the cargo planes of the Russian, with remarkable bright red sprips along his military-grey frame and three yellow lines decorating his black tail.

‘Glad you made it, kid.’ The Il-76 said, clearly sounding relieved. ‘Let’s get you all back before those fuel burned out.’

‘Sure do. Name’s Siddeley, thanks for saving me and my friends.’

‘Don’t say it too early, kid. Save the talk for your welcoming party.’

Thanks @longjiaojiao for beta and all the discussion that created the other stories of this series!

Boris is totally old enough to call Siddeley "kid", and he does it even before thinking about it- he won't allow himself to lose any life he had a chance to catch.

So the Il-76 just went completely overprotective when he saw Siddeley alone and unconscious in the storm.

#my own post #lj cars2 agents story #boris ilyushin chkalovsky #siddeley #finn mcmissile

[bluephoenixdruidicprincess]

So some of you might remember I had gotten into Zodiac Academy. I was making my way through the series but knew I would need to slow down so I wouldn't get stuck having to wait for Book 9 to come out. Well, I ended up having to stop for a while in book 5 because the dreaded moment finally came where everyone found out about about Orion and Darcy's relationship. This is one of the things I dislike about teacher/student relationships (besides the whole power play and predator aspects that gives me the ick). I decided to check out with the series for the time being as I wasnt super interested in seeing how that plotline went. So a few months went by and I'm back in it.

Spoilers below so dont continue reading if you dont want to be spoiled.

Some thoughts about the Orion and Darcy thing. Overall I find them cute and I do find myself rooting for them even though I dont necessarily like all aspects of their relationship. Again, power dynamics are a huge reason I dont go for these types of relationship tropes. But, I will say they are super cute together and I've caught myself smiling in their interactions. But I was not looking forward to when all of Solaria found out about them. It was rough getting through the first few chapters after the big reveal. And honestly I have very mixed emotions on the whole execution of this. For one thing, I fucking knew they would be found out because Darcy left her damn phone or tablet or whatever the atlas is supposed to resemble around. Everytime she forgot it, I'm just like, "girl, you're having an illicit affair with a teacher and that device has all the proof on it, stop leaving it around!" I generally like Tori and Darcy as characters, but they maybe super powerful, but they dumb af for real. Actually, the heirs are pretty dumb too, Solaria essentially is just fucked all around regardless of who gets the crown, not a single brain cell shared among any of the contenders for the crown really. But back to the whole Darcy thing, I honestly have a hard time believing Kylie was the one who turned Darcy in. I totally buy she would find out about the relationship via Darcy's atlas but using that info to turn Darcy in? Kylie's not smart enough nor brave enough for that, and also just doesnt seem like Kylie, lets be honest, shes a simpering idiot (I fully wouldve expected her to go the Seth route and make Darcy do things for her like Seth did to keep her mouth shut about it). Also, it's like really short sighted of her because now she has no ammunition to use against Darcy to keep Darcy away from her man. And if Darcy was a petty bitch, Kylie should really have been worried about Darcy going to Seth and doing all the things with him shes been afraid of out of pure spite. Kylie essentially gained absolutely nothing from this. Before the Vegas and the Heirs acted, her social status didnt even really change, it didnt help her relationship with Seth. It's like you got 10 minutes of fame and that was it. And how did she think the heirs were going to react about that. The leader of the Heirs is Darius who has a known bonded relationship with Orion. And the love of Kylie's life is Seth who is Darius's best friend and Seth is a wolf so he's a touchy feely guy who gets uber protective with those he loves, Darius is hurting from this, no way Seth would just let that lie. How did she think this was going to go? But anyway, Kylie's an idiot, it makes sense and doesnt make sense at the same time.

I havent finished book 5 but I am back to being invested in it. Despite the audio book being over 20 hours long, way longer than it probably really needs to be, I do enjoy the fact that it does take so long for the plot to go anywhere. Like did we really need to see the heirs have a stint in the mortal world and beat up Tori's boyfriend and see how the twins lived before they found out they were princesses? No, but it was still pretty fun. So I'm back in the Zodiac Academy game and by the time I finally get through Book 8, Book 9 will already be out so yay! No suffering for months from an abrupt cliffhanger for me!

Also, I dont think I've mentioned this in previous posts, but Darcy and Tori's face names are Roxanya and Gwendolyna (its like word vomit but in name form). I really hate these names and I cringe so bad whenever they're used. It's also super weird they have names like these. When everyone else has basic ass names. (Just my opinion, please no one hate me for this).

#zodiac academy #orion and blue #orion #darcy

[impish-crow]

[TRANSLATION] AKANE BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION SHORT STORY(SS)🎉🎂

【7:30 AM】

I opened my eyes.

"Ugh, what's this? On a day like today, I could have slept a bit longer..."

As I mumbled my complaints, drowsiness quickly caught up, and I let out a big yawn. Today is December 6th, my birthday that comes once a year. Mashiro, anticipating this, showed up the day before with some alcohol, and we spent the night drinking while crossing over the date, engaging in pointless conversations. Though I intentionally avoided looking at the clock, it must have been close to dawn when I finally went to sleep. Despite being completely sleep-deprived, my eyes felt strangely alert, and I couldn't bring myself to go back to sleep.

(I guess oversleeping isn't a habit of mine.)

Rubbing my sleepy eyes, I changed into sportswear and headed to the gym within the apartment building.

【8:55 AM】

After breaking a sweat at the gym, taking a shower, and returning—it's almost nine o'clock. As I entered the living room, Kurono's voice greeted me.

"Good morning."

"Morning... huh?"

On the table, there was a neatly sliced shortcake and a cup of black coffee.

"Since it's Akane-san’s birthday today."

"Oh, right."

Suppressing a strange ticklish feeling, I took a seat at the table. After midnight, Mashiro enthusiastically cut the cake and we had it with champagne. This was the remaining portion.

"When did we start having cake for breakfast?"

"I believe... it was the year after I moved in."

"Ugh, I don't want to count."

Because it's my birthday, cake for breakfast is a tradition—originating from a childish whim I expressed long ago. It was decided that the morning after cutting the birthday cake, the leftovers become breakfast. It's easy to say I'm not a child anymore, but stopping something I've done every year since childhood feels somewhat nostalgic.

(Well, it's only once a year.)

With a big bite, I see Kurono squinting happily. This happens every year.

"I said it last night, but again. Happy birthday."

"Thanks... by the way, where's Mashiro?"

"The bastard is passed out in the guest room."

Kurono's expression slightly turns stern.

"How late were you two up?"

"Oh... I don't remember."

"I should've kicked him out before the date changed."

"Well, let's enjoy cake without saying that."

【11:30 AM】

After soothing Kurono and finishing breakfast, I tackled the accumulated trivial tasks—checking audio files and documents, making calls, organizing mail, and other miscellaneous chores. Just as I was contemplating taking a break and stretching, my phone conveniently rang. The name on the screen was Haiji.

"What's up, Haiji?"

"Akane-san, happy birthday!"

"Oh, thanks."

"Did you drink with Mashiro-san yesterday?"

He’s quick to catch on—I thought. But yeah, that's probably it. Knowing Mashiro, he most likely posted about it on social media.

"We had a few drinks with the stuff he brought."

"Oh, unfair. I told him I couldn't make it."

"Are you coming today?"

"Yes. I'll come by in the evening."

"Once the meeting's done, I'll let you know. I'll pick you up, so be ready."

"Thank you!"

【4:00 PM】

In the afternoon, I headed to DigPro. Accompanied by Iwahara manager, we greeted the promoter and discussed concepts for next year's live performance. The enthusiasm on the other side was unexpectedly high, leading to an unplanned lengthy conversation.

"Oh, by the way. I saw BLAST."

"The energy is incredible, right? Not just RUBIA Leopard, but Impish Crow too. DigPro's newcomers are doing great."

"DigPro, led by RUBIA Leopard, has everyone with fantastic momentum."

"This was my first time on the scene, and I was surprised by the number of men more than I thought."

"There was that CM for the instrumental-only album a while back. It sparked quite a discussion even among hardcore rock fans."

"Oh yeah! That was amazing too!"

"I think there'll be more instrumentals on the next album. Looking forward to it."

I nodded in gratitude, suppressing the urge to say, "Did you finally realize we're not just a face for tie-ins?" I couldn't say it, not even if my life depended on it.

(What's his deal, holding a grudge against me?)

I stifled a laugh that was about to burst.

"So, here's the thing. We're thinking of expanding the venue a bit more next time. We're confident about the audience turnout."

"Please, consider it positively."

I glanced at the manager with a smile before interjecting, "Regarding the size of the venue in relation to the fanbase, it's my request."

I wanted to avoid blindly enlarging the scale, risking the diminished sense of delivering songs to each individual. Letting the surrounding enthusiasm accelerate on its own, rolling into areas I couldn't perceive, and collapsing at the last minute—I didn't want that again.

(I won't make the same mistake as with RUBIA.)

Consciously and unconsciously, I had been thinking about that for the past three years.

"But, I think it's about time to take a step forward."

"Thank you for considering it," I said, bowing my head. Iwahara next to me let out a small sigh of relief. He, who had been aware of everything, might have been the most anxious over the past three years. Otherwise, I couldn't find a reason for him to present the song of Impish Crow at that particular moment.

"So, as a trade-off, I have a suggestion. We've been relatively low-key so far, separate from the tour, throwing a bit of a curveball might be interesting."

"Oh, that sounds good!"

"Please allow me to assist with that as well."

【6:50 PM】

Once the meeting concluded, Iwahara promptly gestured for me to follow him to the manager's office.

"What's up, Iwahara-san? Nagging me?"

"Do you have any idea why?"

"Too many, I can't keep track."

"Ugh... let's just get this over with."

"... Alcohol?"

"Happy birthday."

"Seriously?"

"Just say 'thank you.'"

"Thanks. But, a birthday present from you that doesn't fit your character?"

"You're sharp. This is a joint gift with my housemate."

"What a hassle. A pack of cigarettes would've sufficed."

"If I gave you a present that would harm your throat and health, Haiji would scold me."

"Is it okay for me to be drinking all night?"

"Haiji is going to your place today, right?"

"A set of chaperones and a present. I see.”

【7:05 PM】

After convincing Iwahara to take a break for a smoke, I contacted Haiji and got into the car. Haiji and Iwahara's apartment was just a stone's throw away from the office. We'd be there in about five minutes.

(Everywhere is already in full Christmas mode.)

Navigating through the main street, I parked the car in a random alley and took a moment to catch my breath. I wasn't particularly fond of December. The city was lively and festive, and it felt like I was the only one standing still.

(So, that's why the shortcake.)

When I was a child, I lacked the ability to bridge the gap between the bustling city and the quiet home. When I realized that our home and others were somehow different, the most I could do was express small whims. Kurono was the only one who indulged those whims.

(But, it was okay back then.)

As I grew taller, my desires grew too, and I had more capabilities. Music filled the gaps and spaces.

(Still, enjoying it just within the confines of home wasn't enough for me.)

As my thoughts wandered off, the phone suddenly rang.

"Akaneeeee! Happy birthday, my little brother!!!"

The volume on the speaker seemed ten times louder than usual, and my brother, Mikado, continued.

"You must be happy, right? Of course! And why am I calling at this hour? Because, my dear brother, I'm in New York right now!"

"Oh, really?"

"Mikado, you have to go running soon or you’ll be late for the morning meeting."

"Oh, right, Kaede. Well then, I'm going for a run in Central Park! Kaede, I'm counting on you! That's all!"

As I was about to hang up, Kaede's voice came through the speaker.

"Wait, Akane."

"What?"

"Did you have cake this morning?"

"...Yeah, I did."

"I see. My breakfast was shortcake too. Well then, take care of Sora for me."

He said what he wanted to say and hung up. Immediately after, a message arrived—it was from our parents.

"A-chan, happy birthday. We'll send you something surprising again this year. From Mom and Dad."

"No, don't send anything."

I couldn't help but speak aloud.

(Man, my family, seriously, none of them have any sense of delicacy.)

Yet, their eagerness to make me happy came across 120%. It was quite annoying. But if I twisted about it, I'd just be a fool. I convinced myself of that, and it saw me through the sensitive teenage years. Or so it feels.

(Really.)

Throughout my life, there have been various thoughts. I've been hurt in trivial matters, but they never turned into significant pain or obstacles to moving forward because I've been incredibly fortunate. Now and then.

【7:10 PM】

"Akane-san."

The sound of tapping on the side window accompanied the call of my name. I hurriedly opened the door.

"Haiji, sorry. I was lost in thought and didn't notice."

"No, not at all. I just arrived!"

【7:30 PM】

I set off in the car with Haiji. By now, Kurono would probably be preparing some extravagant meal. While hurrying home, I received a call from Mashiro.

"Good morning, both of you."

"Huh, Mashiro-san, were you sleeping until now?"

"More importantly, where are you now?"

"I'll be home in about five minutes."

"Then, is it not snowing there?"

"Snow?"

"Oh, right!"

Haiji joyfully pointed to the sky. Snow in Tokyo at this time of year would likely stop in no time.

"I haven't seen snow in a while."

"This is such a rare sight for Tokyo in this season; it'll probably stop soon."

On my birthday this year, the events that unfolded, and the snowfall at this moment. I'm sure I'll never forget this different day.

#digrock #dig-rock #digpro #dig rock #rubialeopard #rubia leopard #higurashi mikado #higurashi kaede #higurashi akane #tokito kurono #fuyuki mashiro #sumizome haiji #iwahara shiki #short story #translation

[wixhing0nastar]

Reactor Recommendations: The Owl House

I’ve decided to make a running list of my favorite reactors for some of my favorite shows so I can actually find them when I’m in the mood to watch share them with everyone! Gonna be a mix of the Big Ones (NSAF, Morgan, Bill, Etc) and some of the smaller ones I really like! List below the cut. 😃

Not-So-Average-Fangirl

A classic and one of the better known Owl House reactors on YouTube. Is particularly known for being a gay disaster and have some of the most visceral reactions to the show, very entertaining to watch. Unfortunately she doesn’t have reactions for episodes prior to 117.

Rebecca Rose

Another classic, known for her in depth video essays and keen mind, was most people’s source for finding the codes in the episodes. Unfortunately she didn’t start reacting to episodes until 111, and she didn’t react to Season 2B because she was actually hired to work on the show at that point! She did tons of promo on Twitter for Season 2B though.

IAmZamber

Maybe it’ll be easier to just say these first four were like my bread and butter for TOH reactors. Zamber has fun reactions to watch and started watching shortly after I did.

Morgan Terry

Also know for having extremely entertaining and visceral reactions, has accidentally given herself a nosebleed on camera from crying about the Gay before.

Director Nat

One of my favorite reactors in general, he’s somehow ended up on a role watching sapphic cartoons and doing fun, in depth show analysis while also being a huge fanboy whenever cool stuff happens.

thethirdbill

Has fun and engaging reactions with a decent amount of analysis/theory work at times. Slightly hard to follow if you aren’t already pretty familiar with the episode since he only uses audio and some stills to clarify where he’s at in the episode, so I normally have his for later once I know the plot beats better.

Krystology Reacts

One of the newer reactors I’ve started watching. Just recently finished Season 2 and was really good at picking up details and doing analysis while also having an entertaining reaction. Is the only reactor I know of that ships Raeda more than Lumity (though she ships both).

Wee Lass Reacts

Has only just finished Season 1 and is moving onto Season 2 but holy hell 1. The Editing, 2. The ability to predict where the plot’s going. She’s called sooo much stuff in advance it’s hilarious PLUS in order to avoid spoilers she asks people to comment fake spoilers so she doesn’t know if they’re real which is a fun way to interact with a reactor.

Also Scottish.

Update: is caught up and has managed to snag the spot as my favorite reactor for TOH

alyciadweeb

Solid, enjoyable reactions. Is very freaked out by the Boiling Isles’ weirdness while having strong feelings about the character journeys, both of which make for fun content.

#The Owl House #Raeda #Lumity

[nehswritesstuffs]

TTOU Big Finish Snippet: Workplace Security

GREETINGS AND SALUTATIONS, THE THICK OF UNIT FANS

A lot’s been going on since I last updated this series. For posterity’s context, I posted chapter fifty-seven almost twenty-one(!) months ago. Since then (while not suffering a relapse in manga brainrot) I’ve been trying to light a fire under the ass of my beta reader to actually get caught up to date so I can start throwing things around. We’re a little over halfway right now. PLUS, there is a certain individual, @fajrbismuth who has been writing me fic, and since I need to get back to writing this anyhow, I feel like gifting some fic is a great way to do it.

1878 words; another audio-only script fic like Inspections and Prototypes was, because I don’t write enough scripts; let us all pretend I would ever know what the inside of the Mecca Wishaw looks like, which will likely never happen even if I lived in Wishaw (oh and there is a bit about how shit of a name it is so yeah); oops sorry new OC just dropped; takes place in some nebulous time in 2016, around chapter 51/52; just kinda ends like the other one does, which is why it’s a snippet lol

-_-_-_-_-_-_-

Footsteps in an office building—it’s the general ringing of phones and shuffling of papers and indistinct chatter that only middle-management and pencil-pushers can accurately replicate. A door opens up and SAM chuckles.

SAM: Now what do we have here?

JAMIE: Don’t you say it, Sammy—don’t you fucking say it.

SAM: It’s good to see you haven’t changed.

JAMIE: You wound me… and after I got you in here, gave your lad an opportunity to grow up in a fucking sane environment?

SAM: There are worse places than Aylsham.

JAMIE: You had the commute of a bloody American.

SAM: My uncle’s had worse.

JAMIE: My point proven.

A knock on the door.

JAMIE: Fuck in or fuck off!

The door opens.

JAMIE: Oh, Bismuth, great timing! Nothing in this bloody place is fucking set up right.

BISMUTH: That is… sort of why I’m here. At least you know what Wi-Fi is.

JAMIE: You sound troubled, pet. Who do I need to have a fucking shout at?

A beat.

BISMUTH: I’m… not a… pet…? What…?

SAM sighs, exasperated.

SAM: You don’t have someone like Jamie in your department, do you?

BISMUTH: I’ve been told it’s a blessing.

JAMIE: Ha! I’m sure Malc’s been talking me up like I’m the Third Coming, with him as the Second.

BISMUTH: Actually, no. We are here to secure your new offices, as well as your homes. You are going to be allotted two members of Security and one member of IT. Until we can get your permanent setup, some of us from the Mainframe shall be here to configure everything.

JAMIE: Huh. Sounds like a lot of fucking trouble to go through. Can’t the shits you hire for this joint set it all up?

BISMUTH: You require what I understand to be a “litany” of upgrades that need to be done, and none of them should be done by new hires. It’s no different than needing to inspect Kernow when they integrate new technology.

JAMIE: …and yeh can’t just, I dunno, delegate? Just inspect the job later?

BISMUTH: Protocol is protocol and this is what happens when we set up a new office branch, due to expansion or renovation.

A mobile pings. Keys on the screen are tapped.

SAM: That’s not a good look.

BISMUTH: What’s not a good look?

JAMIE: Your face, pet. Human expressions give away a lot, you know.

BISMUTH sighs.

BISMUTH: What is a Mecca Bingo?

JAMIE: M’neighbor’s only real reason for not offing herself once her husband kicked it. They don’t open for three more hours… though I don’t think you’re gonna get a game in with fancy lads until later in the evening…

BISMUTH: We still have to go there. Now.

JAMIE: And why’s that?

BISMUTH: This is why.

There is a pause, during which both JAMIE and SAM audibly cringe.

JAMIE: Thought I told Malc I had enough of playing Scotsomer Shitesteries for the rest of the decade.

BISMUTH: We don’t get to decide that. Now are you the one in charge here or are you going to let what I’ve heard described as a “circus” occur?

JAMIE groans.

JAMIE (grumbling): Ah, feck.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-

The soft rumbling sound of being in a moving car now can be heard. There is also the shuffling around of clutter.

SAM: Don’t worry; it’s not that far now.

BISMUTH: Thank you again for the lift.

SAM: Any time.

She pauses.

SAM: You alright back there?

JAMIE: Why is this your bairn’s fecking garbage dump? I feel like we’re going to get there and I’ll pop out the Toxic Avenger.

SAM: You’re just a big baby. (She puts the turn signal on.) I’ve seen your office, you know.

JAMIE: That’s organized! It makes sense!

SAM: Mmmhmm… oh… shit…

SAM puts the car in park and kills the engine. Soon as the doors open, there is a large commotion of sirens idly warning people to stay back and said people talking. The three shut the doors and make their way through the crowd.

JAMIE: Oi, we need to get through!

OLD WOMAN 1: Keep your fucking shirt on, lad. Not like we can get through.

JAMIE: Except that’s our job. We need to get through.

OLD WOMAN 2: Well, so’s that for us, but it’s not like we’re getting in any time soon.

JAMIE: Aye, you’ll get there; now just let us pass.

BISMUTH: Ma’am, the sooner we can get our jobs done, the sooner you can get to yours.

OLD WOMAN 2: Mmm, right, but you’re not going to get told off because the toilet’s not cleaned.

OLD WOMAN 1: At this rate, we won’t get in there until half-twelve, and…

SAM: Don’t worry! We’ll have it all under control! Our colleagues are taking care of things as we speak!

OLD WOMAN 1: They better!

The three make their way through the crowd. A siren whoops and there is plenty of murmuring.

BISMUTH: Ketja! Think we can get through?

There is now a new voice, deep and masculine and vaguely Slavic.

KETJA: Oh! A pleasant surprise, Director! Oi, look alive; we’ve got Mainframe brass!

The crowd gets fainter as KETJA brings them towards the building.

KETJA: What brings you up this way, ma’am?

BISMUTH: I’m here to set up the new communications hub, but when I got a text from Arwell about the situation…

KETJA: Understood. Are you the new local Communications Director?

SAM: I’m flattered, but…

JAMIE: That’s me; now who are you and what sort of fucking mess am I explaining away?

KETJA: I’m Major Ketja, the military liaison for the Glasburgh Auxiliary. That must mean you are Jamie and you are Sam. Apologies, but I’ve been a bit busy to hang around the base and meet people.

BISMUTH: Ketja has taken over a series of cases from the local authorities, which is why UNIT has responded to the scene.

JAMIE: …and why I gotta be here if all I need is some photos and details passed my way? So that there’s someone on-site to handle the fucking cunts that come sniffing about?

KETJA: It would be nice.

They go through an automatic door, the noise from outside fully being left behind them as they enter the casino. Idle slot machines on the far side of the room chirp cheerfully their wee slogans while UNIT members mill about.

JAMIE: Sweet Mary, what the fuck is that?!

KETJA: It used to be a Silurian who worked on the machines and cleaned overnight. As you can see, can’t really say its such anymore.

JAMIE: That wasn’t the photo you fucking showed me!

BISMUTH: I needed to make sure you’d come.

JAMIE growls in irritation.

SAM: …and you said this is the latest in a series?

KETJA: Correct. Arwell’s been doing a decent job of keeping it under wraps for us, but this is the most public one to-date. I believe you were there at the first one, were you not?

JAMIE: That time Malc stole m’car and took off to fucking Sterling with me still inside? Thought that was a Zygon, not a Silurian.

A beat.

JAMIE: Should that bit be that color?

BISMUTH (deadpan): Yes.

JAMIE: Fuck. I gave up smoking for this?

KETJA clears his throat.

KETJA: Victims have all been non-Human Tripartite, all who were occupying spaces they normally would alone, all having been viciously and repeatedly stabbed and mutilated. Ma’am, I’m going to need you to assist with authorizing and initiating security protocols, as this might require getting the Tripartite fully involved.

BISMUTH: All while MacDonald runs damage control?

KETJA: Precisely.

JAMIE: I’m on it, pet.

BISMUTH: You willingly let him recruit you, knowing he’s like this?

SAM: Pays well and doesn’t treat me like garbage. What can I say?

BISMUTH sighs and we hear her and KETJA walk away, their footfalls heavy with their boots on tile. JAMIE harrumphs.

JAMIE: I thought His Malcness said she was one of the more normal ones. Oh… yeah… that’s right… we can grab a wee bite here when the place opens…

SAM: Focus… we need to figure out what we’re going to tell the paps outside, as well as the Mecca corporates.

JAMIE: As far as they’re concerned, any publicity is good publicity, especially since the poor bloke didn’t die during business hours.

He hums thoughtfully.

JAMIE (shouts): Oi! Was this a bloke?

FORENSICS YUTZ (far off, bored): Signs point to “yes”.

JAMIE: Okay, so, the bloke wasn’t vivisected during business hours, so they won’t give a fuck in the end. They probably wouldn’t even give a fuck if he was, since he looks like he was the overnight caretaker, despite the fact those are some of the ones they need to give a fuck about the most…

SAM: Do you think we can spin this as an anti-immigrant attack if the paperwork’s right? Make it look like some arse got a bit carried away?

JAMIE: For now… bloody fucking Tories wouldn’t blink twice calling it an isolated incident. We can run with that as the prevailing theory. Oi, you; yeah, I’m talking to you, Brown Eyes. You got a report for me to run off?

BROWN EYES: Uh… yeah…

JAMIE: Thanks—you’re a peach.

Papers rustle.

JAMIE: Oh, good; Kate’s lot had him down as being a recent immigrant from Hyderabad with no family. This makes my life a piece of fucking cake. Might even be able to get this out of the news cycle by teatime AND not terrorize the Desis, since they have enough to fucking deal with.

SAM: Shit… yeah… anything else we can pull instead?

JAMIE: That’s what we got—might not be completely ethical, but it’s the best we got to work with. The fact he worked here might keep any nosy fucks from poking around too much.

A pause.

SAM: Okay, you actually lost me this time.

JAMIE: When was the last time you saw a headscarf in a Mecca?

A much longer pause.

SAM: Do we need to go over how many layers of stupid that was?

JAMIE: Well, do yeh?

SAM: It’s got it’s own orogeny named for it, Jamie! There’s striations! Should I go on?

JAMIE: Well, it’s not my fucking fault that the cunts couldn’t name the business for the life of them!

SAM groans loudly.

SAM (quietly): I gave up Broadland for this for fuck’s sake…

JAMIE: You’re playing Motherwell Rules now, mate.

SAM: I bet if we looked up “Motherwell Rules”, there’d be nothing about acting like a knob.

JAMIE: Look at me, Samantha… I’m a wee fucking cunt. If I don’t play the part, then I’ll be considered to be scheming, and that’s at-best. You really think I want to put ideas in their fucking heads?

SAM: Well, what would worst-case be?

JAMIE: That I’ve gone fucking soft. I plan on making this gig where I turn into the fucking bogeyman, and what sort of bogeyman’s softer than a geriatric tit?

SAM: Still, I want you to be careful, because you have the ability to insult hijabi and Irish grans who protect their permanents at the same fucking time. Jesus Christ.

JAMIE (smugly): I’m just that talented—you know that.

SAM (groaning): I guess.

She pats his shoulder.

SAM (strained): Go get ‘em. Yeah.

#fajrbismuth #The Thick of UNIT #The Thick of It #Doctor Who #fan fiction #Jamie MacDonald #Sam Cassidy #Fajr Bismuth #it still blows my mind that someone's using one of my OCs as a username lol #Major Ketja #I literally know nothing about him yet congrats #I also only know Mecca Bingo thanks to a Soothouse bit so congrats on that too #Jamie means well but he's also a feral wee gremlin