#process book year 2 term 2

[voidhope]

The Other Woman

(Part 2 FINALE)

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Synopsis: Miguel had left Y/N for another version of his old wife in hopes of getting his old life back. To only realize the mistakes he’s made.

Link to Part 1

Pair: Miguel O’Hara x Spider!reader

Warnings: very heavy mental health, ANGST LIKE A LOT OF ANGST, ALL OF THIS IS ANGST, mentions of death/almost dying, long term establish relationship, cheating, swearing, therapy, physical fight, blood, feral protective miguel?

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A/N: hello again! this one is more heartbreaking and longer than the first part oof… Very low dialog up until closer towards the end! wanted to just get through telling the story itself and the emotions. It’s just a very heavy storyline!! I want to say thank you so so much for showing so much support for part 1 i had no idea it would receive that much attention :O !! i wrote this out kinda fast as i didn’t want to loose the momentum of the idea. so apologies for any mistakes! all feedback is greatly appreciated ~

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You used to make Miguel coffee everyday, with one cream two sugars, and he would nag about how he hated the taste. It was to your liking, not his. As you would sneakily take sips out of his mug while working next to him. Why didn’t you just get your own coffee? You claimed you could never finish it and just wanted a taste out of his. Miguel would roll his eyes at you every time he caught you but he adored it. He had secretly grown to love the way you made it and had become his only way of making coffee after meeting you.

Now as this version of his older wife made it the way he is suppose to like coffee, bland and straight, he found himself bothered by it. Going as far to correct her even though this was what he had been claiming to have missed so much. He was now seeing himself teaching someone else how to love him like you did…

He was only a shell of the man he was when he had Gabriella. Even though the copy of his old wife has her same personality, the relationship couldn’t be exactly how it was before because he had changed so much. You had helped him become whole again. His tastes and likings had all switched to everything about you. The charm he found in his old wife doesn’t hold a light to you now and he was getting frustrated. He had wanted this so badly. He felt like those babies who whine and cry wanting to eat a lemon and once they get their way they realize the sour truth.

Miguel never truly realized what it was like to loose you until three weeks after he told you the truth. Over the years the idea of losing you terrified him but he only ever thought of it being in death. He never considered separation when everything was perfect for both of you then. There were times he believed that you were made just for him and he treated you like his queen. Which you truly were to him in his spider society. Why would he ever throw that away? Look at what he did.

He gave himself every excuse in the book before you knew he was cheating on you. ‘This is only for research.’ he would think every time he found himself back in that universe. As everyone knew he was so serious about his work, obviously this is just him getting to know more about certain universes and canons. Lyla was the only one seeing straight through him knowing where he was actually going. Things kept tumbling and the more he found out about the place and spent time with her the more his grief and yearning returned. It was all just there, so reachable.

There was a time his mind tried to snap him back out of it while cheating on you and made him realize the guilt. The first time he kissed this woman you were there in his mind. He came home right after and held you without saying a word. You never questioned him, just showed him comfort as much as you could. Lightly stroking his back, you never over stepped or pushed him when he was vulnerable with you. He only closed his eyes and held onto you tighter processing how you were always too good for him. He was converting to living two different lives; his old self during the day and then coming home to you. He didn’t want to let go of either at the time.

Once he found out he could safely have Gabriella again was when he became distant with you. The shame of using you for research made him become stoic. He didn’t want to admit how wrong he was treating you. All while you were always being so loyal and trusting towards him. Things were slowly slipping through the cracks and he knew he couldn’t up keep it. He wished he could have had that conversation with you so much differently but it was over. Now he had his old life back, a dream he had his mind set on.

He ignored the shakiness in his hands when he returned to her after letting you go. ‘It’s all for the best.’ is what he would repeat in his mind as a mantra. His new girlfriend truly had no idea who he really was or what his background was. Miguel continued to feed her lies to the point where he even started believing them himself getting too lost in avoiding what he’s done. He believed he was happy as he spent time with her.

When she got too close to finding the truth after finding his wedding ring in one of his pockets, he set her off course from it by revealing his spider identity and taking her to HQ. This was the day that everything felt like it was crashing around him. Being reminded of his marriage, having to face his friends with his new lover, sharing his personal spider life, his work with someone who wasn’t you. He excused himself rushing to an unused office room while his chest was tightening. Pupils dilating as he realized it was his first time having a panic attack.

Nevertheless he continued to push it all aside and act completely normal with his girlfriend. He was feeling your absence the most while working. You had became an extension of him. He had trained you from scratch and you helped him build this society he has now. You knew the ins and outs of everything and fought perfectly alongside him. Now that he was on his own he let his girlfriend be there for him when he got stressed, but there always was a knot in his stomach he never could get rid of.

The more his mental health ate at him late at night the more he considered searching out for you. There was no closure between both of you and he never got to listen to how you feel. What was your opinion on all that happened? Do you hate him?

He wanted to speak with someone so badly but he dug himself in a hole too deep. You were gone, he was lying through his teeth to this poor woman he’s kept for some fantasy, he felt too ashamed to say anything to his friends, he would rather die if all his workers found out how big of a piece of shit he is. Anytime Lyla tried peeping a word that wasn’t work related he would snap. He had pushed everyone away and now he just felt alone.

Regardless he would wake up in the morning and swallow all his dark feelings. He would remember his grief of when he lost his family and it would put him back in the moment. He has another chance. He was happy with the direction he was going in now.

Right?

—

The day he found out you were at HQ he felt his heart stop. He was mid mission trying to call for Lyla but she wouldn’t answer. Frustrated he tried looking into what was happening only to see her busy having a conversation with you. It felt like something took over him when he opened a portal in less than a second. Without thinking nor wasting a heartbeat he rushed back. Just a glimpse of you, maybe just to hear a word out of your mouth. The feeling of having you back in HQ was making him ignore all his insecurities. How he would coward at the thought of trying to reach out to you before. You were in his home, your home, and the thought drove him wild.

You were already long gone though. Lyla stared at him not saying a word. The quietness in the room making his ears ring but his thoughts were screaming in his head. He stood there frozen still trying to recollect himself. He was the one that left you, what is wrong with him?

Again he went back and forth in his own head trying to convince himself ‘You wanted this.’ but if he did why is he feeling like someone just killed a puppy in front of him? Why is he here fighting with his self if this is really his dream? Why did he try chasing after you? The wounds of his past grief were too deep. He never took the time to properly heal and now look at what he’s become.

“Miguel, what’s this?” He was startled turning around seeing his girlfriend holidng your watch and skimming through the divorce paperwork addressed to him.

There was no more hiding, no more lying. He swallowed hard even though his throat was dry. He let everything he had kept away rise to surface. It hurt him to see the beautiful face his old wife shared contort into such anger and pain while finding the truth.

She didn’t stay, but for some reason he wasn’t upset. Though he longed for his daughter, he knew it would have never been the same now. He finally closed the door on his past. His heart had made the choice this time but it’s too late. Now grasping onto the divorce papers left by you, emptiness spread through his soul.

—

You on the other hand did not find yourself crying by yourself on a rooftop for long. The shift in the air from your arrival alerted the local spider-man immediately.

“It didn’t work out, did it?” He crouched down next to you as he noticed your watch gone and your missing wedding band.

Peter Parker knew both you and Miguel. Your husband had come to do many rounds of research in this universe when he took you. Eventually offering this Peter a spot in the society, which he politely declined due to just being busy enough here. You both never spoke much but always had an appreciation for each other.

“Do you need a place to crash at?” He continued while trying to get you to look at him. Reaching his hand towards you.

You had absolutely no one and you had been gone so long you couldn’t even go back to the little you had. When you met Miguel you didn’t hesitate to never look back and now it filled you with regret. How naive were you to put all your trust and reliance on him.

You took Peter’s hand. You were ready to start your own life and be your own person now.

—

Peter Parker was nice enough to let you stay with him as long as you needed it. You both had became ‘besties!’ as he would love to poke at you. The first month with him you were a disaster really but he showed you how he liked to cope using his spider abilities.

The first thing he helped you with was getting a new suit. Your old one resembled too much to Miguel’s and you felt suffocated every time you put it on. Peter had taught you to use your current emotional pain on whichever sad little villain was making trouble out in Brooklyn that night.

“Come on, we got multiverse spider-woman helping me keep these streets clean now!” He would taunt at the men while watching you easily take them out a little bit too aggressively. His feet kicking up and down while he sat on the side of a building watching you. The crime rate did go down a bit once word got around how strong your punch was. Peter’s just happy he can now spend some nights to himself.

You got yourself a job at the mart on the corner to help cover bills for Peter and save up. You were grateful enough the owners never batted an eye when you would disappear during a shift to either suddenly go cry uncontrollably or beat the shit out of someone at a nearby robbery. Next thing you were enrolling yourself back in university, wanting to finish that degree you never did.

It wasn’t too long that some of your older spider friends would stop by to check in on you. Seeing them was difficult sometimes, you were internally itching to ask about Miguel. Things were going okay for you on a very slow path of breathing step by step. You never wanted to feel that hurt again and so you very well pretend like Miguel didn’t exist if you could.

You couldn’t ignore the hurt resurfacing when you passed couples on the street. Or when you found yourself going to fidget with your wedding ring just to remember it’s gone. You can’t just move on from a relationship that was so deeply apart of you and lasted so long. You gave everything to him and it will take you much time to get yourself to build trust again.

After two semesters, you finally had your graduation. All the things you learned while in Earth-928 paid off as you barley had to study. Passing top of the class, you immediately got an offer for an internship opportunity with Alchemax and was able to get an introduction tour of the building beforehand.

What you hadn’t realized was that Alchemax had been looking for that girl who snuck into their offices a couple years ago. Who made another dimension’s spider appear and then went missing herself soon after. They had kept as close tabs on you as they could and how foolish you were to think your little break in wouldn’t come back to bite you. The moment you stepped foot back in their building, it was over for you.

—

Miguel had spent a whole year in much deserving therapy. Nothing could stop the embarrassment he felt when Peter B signed him up with HQ’s best spider-therapist after 3 months of constant out bursts. No one could come near the man when he felt like he had lost everything. Those first initial months were difficult for everyone around him.

Therapy did help, he hates to admit it, but it was a very rough ride. He finally was able to understand his deep inner term oil and heal his issues but moving on from you? No, he could never.

You were the only one who had sincerely stood by his side, always rooting for him. He never fell out of love with you despite of everything that he did. He just pushed everything down too deep and was blinded by obsession. Till now he could never deny that he still loves you. Maybe if he just would have went to therapy years ago instead of acting out on unsolved grief none of this would have happened. The guilt always making him toss and turn at night.

He would have big temper tantrums when he would find his coworkers going to visit you time to time and not sharing any details. He needed to know if you’re okay. Did you already move on? He longed to find you and speak with you but he knew he wasn’t ready yet. He was so self destructive and this was what he deserved.

Everyone avoided him completely when he overheard someone saying you were living with Peter Parker. Fighting crime with him and having a cute little home life. Peter followed you around now like a puppy. Miguel did not take the news well at all. Let’s just say, the large bill replacement for his monitor screens was what snapped him out of that rage.

He also wanted to strangle Hobie Brown every time he saw a glint in his eye when your name was mentioned around. Yet Miguel couldn’t hate the kid either, as Hobie was one of the people to try help repair the damage he did to you. How badly he just wanted to hold you and shield you in his arms from any other people taking you from him as if he wasn’t the idiot to let you go in the first place.

Everyone’s big, powerful, scary boss was really just a grumpy, wallowing-in-self-pity, sensitive, lonely man now. Mention your name too much to him and watch him start crying or take it out on whatever he could find nearest to him. He would some nights scroll through your wedding photos while listening to your last tracked log with Lyla. Your words cutting through him deep like long sharp knives. How he urged to go tell you it was all wrong and how guilty he was for making you feel like this.

Despite it all, he still believed in being the best of the best. He used his work to distract himself from his sorrows, to become numb. Even though his divorce paperwork were set next to him on his desk to remind him the pain. He never signed it.

—

“We can’t tell him!” Jessica gritted through her teeth. Small group of spider-people were hovered around Lyla taking in the new found information.

“Her canon events have always been uncertain, we can’t just stop and fix this one?” Gwen Stacy suggested in hopes.

“We have never prevented a canon event of hers or the people involved in it. It could be even more dangerous than a regular canon.” Peter B spoke grimly.

“When ‘as danger ever stopped us?” Hobie spoke up.

“Everyone get your gear.” Lyla added to the stress of the situation.

—

You couldn’t open your eyes properly with a strong blinding light being held above you. Arms and legs secured on top of a metal surgical table. You could feel the warmth of blood scattered on certain parts of your body, slowly starting to dry. It was a mix of yours and the people you had tried fighting through to get out of here when you realize the trap you were reeled into. Different people in lab coats poked and pried all around you while you were tied. Your mask was thrown on another table and your suit had large gashes across it.

Soon you also could feel the presence of Peter Parker being brought to the room, thrown slumped in the corner breathing heavily. They had gotten you too good. They knew everything and had planned this so detailed.

“Now you’re going to help me open the multiverse.” Kingpin loomed around you. All you could feel was searing pain as a laser aimed right at your chest.

—

Miguel was already staring out the window to the glowing night lights of Nueva York when he saw a big hole appear in sight of the skyline. His eyebrows furrowed while he was trying to process what he was looking at. It wasn’t a second later when all alarms started going off in his office.

“Qué carajos?” He exclaimed seeing the alerts of a possible universe collapse. “Lyla! Why wasn’t this being taken care of already?”

“I already sent people.”

“Then what are they doing?” He yelled. His confusion and anger only furthered when he saw a red alarm for a canon event.

“Canon event?” He whispered to himself. He always knew when these were happening, there were none scheduled for today. There was no way he would let one passed him, it’s not like this could magically appear? His jaw dropped in realization… a new canon event.

“Lyla, tell me the truth. Why wasn’t this reported to me?” He made the atmosphere turn cold. She knew he already figured it out.

“A new canon event was received this morning being given to Peter Parker. Of Y/N L/N’s death.” The words from Lyla made Miguel’s body go still. His eyes raced side to side while he processed it.

“No!” He roared, a fist slamming into the nearby desk. His massive strength breaking it in half.

“Boss, you can’t go on this mission only using your emotions.” Lyla warned. However Miguel was already half way stepping through a portal to find you.

He appeared, watching his team struggle to shut down the machine causing the collapse. Outnumbered by the amount of Alchemax puppets. A different kind of rage filled him as he saw you, for the first time in a year, suffering. Miguel was never one to act reckless while on missions but he had no plan here and just ran off the pure adrenaline the fight or flight had hit him with.

His claws tore into the backs of his enemies as he jumped beast-like across the room. Not hesitating spilling blood across the wall while he took everyone down as fast as he could. His team could only watch wide eye with an unsettling fear as they saw Miguel lose himself to his spider sense. While he fought they took the opportunity to take apart the machine.

Miguel was panting heavily, pupils blown wide glowing red, and fangs dripping with venom as the room slowly silenced. Kingpin laid on the floor slowly trying to drag himself after being beaten to a pulp. It was over. Peter B stopped him from doing anything further. Knowing Miguel would kill the man, Peter B let the team finish up to give Kingpin to authorities. Miguel turned frantically to look at you seeing the other spiders step away. Peter Parker was hunched over you in tears. Miguel fought the urge to snap at Peter and grab his hands off of you.

Your vision was too blurry and everything felt like it was burning. A shape that seemed too familiar came into your peripheral vision and you tried to push yourself up.

“Miguel?” Was the last thing you croaked before slumping back passing out. Miguel catching you in his arms before you could hurt yourself further.

“It’s her time.” Jessica spoke behind him. Yet he was refusing to let go. He had never defied the way the timeline worked since he created his society. He would never break the rules and you both had promised each other before not to. If there was a situation like this you both agreed to save the universe first. How stupid was he to think he would listen to that now facing it in-front of him.

He never got to tell you what happened. He never got to apologize. He never got to tell you one more time that he loved you. Even if you in result just spat in his face, at least he was able to talk to you one more time. You were never a placeholder or someone to fill a hole in his heart. His whole heart belonged to you and he couldn’t let you go thinking you didn’t mean anything to him. No matter the consequences, he needed to tell you.

“Call all the teams to control the damage of a possible universe collapse.” He turned to Jess with Y/N tightly in his arms. The spider-people watched speechless as he opened a portal and disappeared.

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Two weeks you laid motionless in the HQ’s medbay.

The clean up after breaking the canon was a little intense. They were able to get it under control as the event started to fade from your timeline once you were returned and starting to heal in Earth-928.

The spider society would remain silent near the medbay. The lights always being dimmed and hushed whispers between staff to not bother the distressed O’Hara. He refused to leave.

Your Peter Parker had now joined the team, much to Miguel’s dismay. Everyday your friends would come in and check to see how you were. Some telling stories about their day or any gossip updates you missed, in hopes that it would get you to wake up. They would ignore the gloomy Miguel who was basically glued to the seat next to you not saying a word to anyone.

At night Miguel would play with your fingers and softly stroke your hair all while pleading “Please don’t leave me, please don’t leave me. Por favor mi alma.” He knew it wasn’t his place to beg this after what he did, but he didn’t mind the words falling on deaf ears.

Miguel hadn’t eaten in days, he felt too nauseous from anxiety to even try anything. Pavitr had done the favor to bring you and Miguel’s favorite empanadas from a small street vendor downtown. Hoping to get Miguel to at least try the food before he ended up in a hospital bed next to you due to starvation.

You started to blink open your eyes, spots surrounding your vision. You could hear a soft breathing to your right side and you slowly felt your sense come back one by one. It felt like you just had a really rough nap.

“Oh my god that smells so good.” You moaned, sitting yourself up to try to look at where the smell of food was coming from.

You were met with a wide eyed Miguel holding a box of empanadas. His jaw slacked open acting as if he’s seen a ghost looking at you. Confusion hit you first for a second and then you start to panic.

Why was he here? Why was your ex-husband sitting right here? You started to push away from him and Miguel caught on to your panic.

“No, no, no mi amor stop.” He tried calming you. “You’re hurt, you’re going to open your stitches.”

You suddenly remembered everything that happened right before you blacked out. At that moment you forgot the hurt you had towards your ex-lover. Gathering yourself you just stared at him. “I’m suppose to be dead.”

Tears rimmed your eyes. Why did it feel like life just hated you so much?

Miguel engulfed you in his arms as you started to cry. You didn’t care right now. You had ached for this feeling again, so alone, with the comfort Miguel used to bring you. Just for a moment you could pretend like how it was before.

“We can’t do this Miguel.”

He knew what you were thinking. He didn’t want to let you leave his arms yet, as he let his self hold harder and push your head closer into his the crook of his shoulder. The tickle of your breath on his neck, he just wanted this forever.

“She left. Almost a year ago.” He let out to you. A big weight coming off of his chest. You pulled back from him and looked up into his eyes while you watched him avoid your gaze. You felt bad to say you could feel a bit of satisfaction bubbling in you.

“Good, she deserved better.”

“So did you.” Miguel sighed playing with his hands. Your eyes widened when you saw the ring still on his finger. He let you stare. “I-I could never. I couldn’t.” The emotions struggle to come out of his mouth. You understood him though. You always did. Placing your hand on top of his you just nodded.

“Please stay here.” He whispered.

Miguel had broken you in so many ways. Yet he almost ruined another universe just to keep you alive. You both needed time to talk and coming out a coma right now isn’t good timing.

“I finally became my own person when I went back in my universe. I enjoyed my independence.” The words pelleted at him. He could only hold his breath as he waited for you to continue. “I’ll stay… but not for you.”

It wounded him deeply; but he deserved it. This place will always be a home for you even if he wasn’t apart of it. Before he can tear his gaze and turn away, you reached out to hold his face close to yours. Your fingers gently rubbing on his cheeks as you slowly look at him properly after so long. You let your thumb smooth over his frown lines and he leaned into your touch closing his eyes.

“Let’s give us time.” Was the words you blessed that opened every door of hope he could find. He would take it, he would absolutely take it. He has to fight for you, he has to prove to you. He would do anything but for now he’ll be on his best patiently waiting for you.

Both of you sat comfortably without speaking, only the faint background beeps of the hospital monitor making up for the silence, while passing small glances. For once both of you felt a missing warmth you didn’t realize you needed. Sharing empanadas with each other, just maybe it will be alright…

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The end!!! Thank you so so much for your time in reading my story. i really really was so happy with all the comments and feedback on pt 1 it really meant a lot!!!

i hope this was ok ~ i apologize for how long it was i was thinking of doing another part but just wanted to finish this up. I was in such a conflict how to end this. i hope it wasn’t too cliche or anything i’m just a sucker for very wanty needy dramatic stories. It’s a hopeful ending tho~ i couldn’t pick with just happy or sad.

So many of you had tons of amazing suggestions which I appreciated so much. I was such a mess trying to figure it all out. Many of you wanted to see Y/N move on with another person but I ended up going this route. I used Peter Parker as an obv character in y/n’s universe but it’s not tied to any specific one and you guy can think of him more to your liking if you want to!

If any of you would like a small drabble or imagine of another route of this story or just anything angsty/possessive and rarwrarwbarkbark miguel. I’d be glad to help lol!! My request box is wide open~ i had so much fun writing this!

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[the-joy-of-knowledge]

Becoming an Intelligent Woman

My Dears,

There is no greater goal than being a fine woman who is intelligent, kind, and elegant. As much as we all want to be described with these adjectives, it takes a great amount of discipline to get there. It is very doable only if you are ready to put in the work.

Here are steps you can add to your routine in the next 4 weeks that will make you 1% more intelligent than you were before. This is a process that should become a habit not a goal. It is long term, however, I want you to devote just 4 weeks into doing these steps first and recognize the changes that follow.

Watch documentaries: This is the easiest step, we all have access to Youtube. Youtube has a great number of content on art, history, technology, food, science etc that will increase your knowledge and pique your curiosity. I really did not know much about world history especially from the perspective of World war 1 & 2, the roaring 20s, Age of Enlightenment, Jazz era, monarchies etc but with several channels dedicated to breaking down history into easily digestible forms. I have in the last 4 weeks immersed myself into these documentaries. Here are a few I watched:

The fall of monarchies

The Entire History of United Kingdom

The Eight Ages of Greece

World War 1

World War 2

The Roaring '20s

The Cuisine of the Enlightenment

2. Read Classics: I recommend starting with short classics so that you do not get easily discouraged. Try to make reading easy and interesting especially if you struggle with finishing a book. Why classics? You see, if you never went to an exclusive private school in Europe or America with well crafted syllabus that emphasized philosophy, history, art, and literary classics, you might want to know what is felt like and for me this was a strong reason. Asides that, there is so much wisdom and knowledge available in these books. In these books, you gain insights to the authors mind, the historical context of the era, the ingenuity of the author, the hidden messages, and the cultural impact of these books. Most importantly, you develop your personal philosophy from the stories and lessons you have accumulated from the lives of the characters in the books you read. Here are classics to get you started:

Animal Farm by George Orwell

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald

Candide by Voltaire

Paradise lost by John Milton

3. Study the lives of people who inspire you: I dedicate one month to each person that fascinates me. I read their biography (date of birth, background, death, influences, work, style, education, personal life) For this month, I decided to study Frank Lloyd Wright because I was fascinated by the Guggenheim Museum in New York. I began to read about his influence in American Architecture (Organic architecture, Prairie School, Usonian style), his tumultuous personal life, his difficult relationship with his mentor (Louis Sullivan), his most iconic works etc. By the end of the year I would have learned the ins and outs of people I am inspired by through books and documentaries. Here are other people I plan to learn more about:

Winston Churchill

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis

Ada Lovelace

Benjamin Franklin

Helen Keller

John Nash

Isabella Stewart Gardner

Caroline Herrera

Ernest Hemingway

Catherine the Great

Ann Lowe

My dears, I hope you enjoyed this read. I cannot wait to write more on my journey to becoming a fine woman. I urge you to do this for four weeks and see what changes you notice. Make sure to write as well, it is important to document your progress.

Cheers to a very prosperous 2024!

#fine woman #growth #self love #self development #mindfulness #education #classy #beauty #self help #self care #interiors #self discipline #self worth #emotional intelligence #intellectual #intelligent #interesting #booklover #bookworm #booklr #educateyourself #get motivated #self improvement

[ivesambrose]

𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒 𝐌𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬 🥂

1. 2. 3.

Do I dare ask how 2023 has been for y'all?

Pick the image you feel the most pull towards or have been seeing around you a lot, if you feel drawn towards multiple, so be it. 🤍

To book a personal reading with me DM or email me at [email protected]

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𝓟𝓲𝓬𝓽𝓾𝓻𝓮 1

Your central theme is rising from the ashes. You're in the process of the most intense metamorphosis yet. A new dawn, a new day, a new life.

You'll feel empowered, passionate and obsessive about your pursuits. You'll allow the old skin to be ripped off of you and you'll no longer be scared to be you.

This year brings you connections, admires, collaborations, unions both in personal and proffesional life.

There's a certain duality in you that you haven't explored yet, but you will in the coming months.

You'll have good health for the most part compared to the previous year. Your family will be taken care of. The hope and assurance you may have lacked from them will come through. It will feel warm and refreshing. (Goes for chosen family too)

Romantically, you may be focused on your career or just living your life a lot. But someone might want to build a legacy or long term relationship with you.

If you're already coupled, the focus goes to building what you have and looking after domestic affairs and see things bloom.

Proffesionally, you will have your most successful and blessed year. Money shouldn't be a problem and even if it seems like it, your needs will always be met and you'll still have more.

Some of you might enjoy ghe fruits of your labour extensively. This goes for the ones who work solo or run their own business etc

Academically, you might feel a bit disinterested. Might move out from your home or change subjects. Take up something completely new. Might face your fears and push through but make it a point to follow your inner calling for the most part.

Themes centered around relationships and partnerships are significant this year as well opportunities coming out of the blue that call you to heed your intuition and step out of your comfort zone or limiting mindsets, that will inevitably lead to travel, progress and new experiences.

Make the best of this year, it'll feel like you're finally on the journey you've been preparing yourself for all this time.

𝓟𝓲𝓬𝓽𝓾𝓻𝓮 2

Your central theme is using your emotions as your guiding force, using it as fuel and not seeing it as weakness. Quieting your mind so you can listen to your instincts more. Healing from things you don't speak of, that you've felt have persistently held you back from your potential and finally taking the lead. You'll feel like the main character in your life finally, instead of seeing everything through the lens of a side character no one remembers.

You'll feel motivated to follow what makes your heart happy. You may be faced with choices a lot this year, a lot of this or that in several aspects of your life. Trust yourself to make the right decisions.

You'll be learning about your mind and body this year, so incase you go through ups and downs in your health you'll be able to manage it but also guide others too.

Romantically, you might as well get your happy ending. I see that you're mostly focused on the complete picture. Not bothered with what is going on in between too much. So you'll get what you're manifesting eitherway.

Proffesionally, a rebirth or evolution will take place. Something new that will grow overtime. You'll be driven about it. So success will be imminent.

Success in academics as well, feeling proud of your achievements.

Themes around revolution, personal development, healing generational trauma, humanitarism, technology as well being open to the unknown will also be prevalent this year.

Learn to make amends and embrace the breakthroughs this year has to offer you.

𝓟𝓲𝓬𝓽𝓾𝓻𝓮 3

Your central theme is related to wealth, inheritance, change of lifestyle, receiving help, building a legacy and feeling more secure. Some of you will see a success or change they did not see coming, it was hidden for the longest time.

Some of you may even be leaving poverty behind for a more financially secure life.

You'll find yourself blooming, physically especially. A glow up in your looks and quality of being is going to be imminent. Focus on health, beauty, food, routine etc as well. A lot of you will be experiencing vivid dreams, strange synchronicities etc too will be learning about esoteric subjects, occult or the subconscious mind a lot. You'll also be receiving success and recognition or you might be building your steps towards it that will eventually pay off in the long run.

You'll feel like this old self or image of you has died. You may even mourn it for some time but will feel more powerful, confident and self assured once you're past that.

Romantically, you'll be feeling desirable and might attract a lot of suitors. Your self concept will improve exponentially, so will your standards. So nothing less than what you want. Your intuition will be at all time high. Fear no one and nothing. Some of you might also be moving to a new house too or might end up owning something in your name.

Proffesionally, although you might deal with competition you won't be too worried. You know your skills, you'll have your resources, your work will speak for it self and you will stand out.

Friendship, community, discoveries and gains are also some of the themes surrounding you this year.

Let your imagination create for you. You'll soon realize there's so much power in allowing yourself to receive what you desire by simply being instead of doing too much.

#free readings #tarot community #divination community #pick a card #pac #pick a pile #pick a picture #2024 messages #2024 pick a card #psychic readings

[xo-indulgence]

How To Build Small Habits In 2024~

Building small habits can lead to significant changes over time. Here's a plan to help you establish and maintain small habits in 2024:

1. Start Ridiculously Small:

Begin with tiny habits that are easy to integrate into your routine. For instance, if you want to start exercising, commit to just five minutes a day initially.

2. Focus on Consistency:

Consistency is key. Aim to do your chosen habit every day, even if it's in a small capacity. This helps in creating a routine and makes it easier to build on the habit.

3. Link Habits to Existing Triggers:

Associate your new habits with existing activities. For example, if you want to meditate, do it right after brushing your teeth in the morning.

4. Track Your Progress:

Keep a habit tracker. It can be a physical journal, an app, or a simple calendar where you mark each day you complete your habit. This visual representation can be motivating.

5. Celebrate Small Wins:

Acknowledge and celebrate every success, no matter how small. This reinforces the habit loop and motivates you to continue.

6. Stay Accountable:

Share your goals and progress with a friend or family member who can support and hold you accountable.

7. Stack Habits Together:

Build a routine by stacking habits. After you've established one habit, add another related one. For instance, after exercising, have a healthy breakfast.

8. Be Patient and Flexible:

Rome wasn't built in a day, and habits take time. Don't be discouraged by setbacks. Be flexible and adjust your approach if needed.

9. Reflect and Adjust:

Regularly assess your habits. Are they working for you? Are there any adjustments needed? Adapt as necessary to fit your lifestyle and goals better.

10. Mindset Shift:

Embrace the process. Focus on the journey of habit-building rather than just the end result. Understand that each small step contributes to long-term change.

Remember, the key to success with small habits is their cumulative effect over time. Over the course of a year, consistent small habits can lead to significant improvements in your life.

Great Book Recommendation: Atomic Habits by James Clear

*Kisses*

#2024 #goals for 2024 #building small habits #hypergamy #luxury #fashion #my post #glamour #black woman luxury #beauty

[hellodarling1357]

Tiny Toes: Part 3 - Cassian x Reader

And now we have Cassian and reader telling Ottie about their relationship!!

I know absolutely nothing about child speech development, so if Ottie seems to be talking too much for a 2.5 year old, let’s just say it’s a fae thing 🤷‍♀️

Here's part 1 and part 2 if you need to catch up! And please let me know if you want to be added to the tag list, or if I have accidentally left you off of it!

If you have any requests for this series, send them in! Writing Tiny Toes is bringing me so much joy 😍

A/N: they wanted to wait a little while before telling Ottie to see if they would actually work as a couple

Word Count: 2.7k

“I want to tell her.”

Looking up from your book, you quirked your head at Cassian, noting his continuous pacing across the length of your bedroom and his hand tousled hair.

“Okay, we’ll tell her,” Sitting up from your spot against the soft pillows, you put your book down and curled your knees to your chest.

Cassian let out an exasperated noise as he ran a hand through his hair for the umpteenth time, looking at you intensely for a moment before continuing his pacing.

“Or we can wait.” You counted, this was entirely up to him, however, and whenever, you ended up telling Ottie, it would be on his terms. Another frustrated noise had you fighting back a giggle before letting out a small sigh as Cassian fully collapsed onto the bed beside you. You watched in amusement as he rolled onto his side, smushing his face against the skin of your thigh. You moved your hand down to trail your fingers through his hair, giving him the space and silence to process his thoughts.

“I don’t know what to do.” His voice was muffled against your skin, but he leant into your touch, eyes closing at the feel of the soft tugs at his scalp.

After a few minutes of silence, Cassian let out a sigh then pressed a trail of kisses along your thigh before shifting his head to look up at you.

“Hi,” You whispered, a small smile gracing your features as you pushed the stray pieces of hair out of his face.

“Hi,” He whispered back, pressing another kiss to your soft skin before hauling himself up to lean against the headboard and tugging you towards him until you were cuddled against his side, his head now burrowed into your neck as he trailed patterns along your hip.

“Cassian, we don’t have to do anything yet.”

“I know, but I want to. I want more than this for us, for you –”

“It’s fine, Cass. I don’t mind waiting.”

“Sure, but it’s not fair to ask this of you, and don’t try to tell me otherwise,” He pressed a kiss to your shoulder before wrapping his arms tighter around you. “I don’t like that the only time we can be together is when Ottie isn’t around. I want her to be a part of this, and I want you to be a part of us.”

You remained silent, turning your head slightly to slant your lips over his in a soft kiss before leaning your head on his shoulder and inhaling his scent that you had grown so accustomed to over the past few months. You weren’t going to offer an opinion on the matter, content in letting Cassian work through this in whatever way he thought was best for Ottie.

“She’s been asking about you, you know? Doesn’t get why you’re no longer looking after her.”

“You know I don’t mind, if you need me to –”

“No. Thank you, but no. I think it’ll be easier for her to process, adapt, if she no longer sees you as her babysitter, but as someone who is properly a part of our lives.”

“Okay,” You let a comfortable silence fall before adding, “Whatever you decide, Cass, you know I’ll support you.”

“I know, sweetheart.”

*****

Doing your best to ignore the pattering of butterflies in your stomach, you hurried up the steps leading to the front door of Cassian’s house. Letting out a breath, you quickly knocked on the door, taking a step back as you fiddled with the small bunch of pink flowers you had purchased on your way over.

The soft pitter-patter of footsteps that you could picture running across the entrance way had a smile tugging at your lips.

“She’s here. Daddy, hurry up. I can’t open the door,” Ottie’s little voice filtered out to you, and you could just make out a small jump as though she was reaching for the door handle. “Daddy.”

“I’m coming, I’m coming.” Now Cassian’s heavy footsteps sounded on the other side of the door. “Ottie, I can’t open the door if you’re in the way.” You laughed at the exasperated sigh she let out before moving out of the way, finally allowing the door to swing open.

“Hey, you–” But Cassian was cut off by a squeal of excitement as Ottie leapt forward, wrapping her arms around your leg.

“Y/N, Y/N, Y/N,” Her little hands were now reaching up to you so with a grin you bent down and scooped her into your arms.

“Well, hello Miss Ottie. I’ve missed you too,” You smothered her chubby cheeks in kisses, laughing along with Cassian at the hysterical fit of giggles it sent her into.

“Hi,” You greeted Cassian, heart faltering as you found him already staring at you, a look of adoration shining in his eyes.

“Hey,”

You raised your eyebrows at him as if to say, “you ready for this?” The grin he gave you in return had the butterflies returning to your stomach for a whole different reason as your own features softened in response.

The moment was quickly interrupted by Ottie grabbing your face and demanding in her little voice, “Where have you been?” Somewhat startled, you looked back at Cassian, but he simply rolled his eyes as if to say that her sudden attitude was now the norm.

“Ottie, we spoke about this…” Cassian’s voice was laced with parental warning that you had so rarely heard. She let out a huff before turning as much as she could whilst still in your arms so that her back was to him.

In an attempt to diffuse the tension, you poked Ottie’s cheek, grinning when her pout made way to a cheeky smile. “Do these make up for it?” You showed her the flowers, laughing as her mouth fell open in awe and surprise before looking at you in confirmation.

“Are they for me?”

“If you’ve been a good girl for you dad they are,” Your voice had a teasing tone to it, fully aware of how much of a handful she had been for Cassian recently. Ottie gave you a smile, a picture of pure innocence before nodding her head and reaching for the flowers.

A playful scoff came from Cassian as he watched on in amusement, his heart thundering in his chest at the sight of the two of you together.

“Really, Ottie? You’ve been a good girl, have you?” Her wide eyes turned to you, her innocent expression quickly switching to guilt as she wiggled in your arms in an attempt to escape Cassian as he tickled her sides. Placing Ottie back on her feet, you handed her the flowers, and she grinned up happily at both you and Cassian, all her previous attitude long gone.

Letting out a sigh, Cassian turned to you with an exasperated expression before saying, “Come on, let’s get these in some water then we can go, alright?” ushering both you and Ottie inside.

With Ottie running ahead, focus purely on her flowers, Cassian slowed his walk and linked his fingers with yours, giving your hand a soft squeeze.

“You ready?”

“Are you?”

“Daddy, I can’t reach the flower glass.” Throwing his hands up in mock frustration you giggle to yourself as you walk towards the kitchen.

“It’s called a vase, Ottie. Do you want me to fill it with water so you can put the flowers in it?”

Ottie nodded enthusiastically, walking over to you, she leant against your legs as you watched Cassian reach up for the vase; you didn’t miss the rise of his shirt and the exposed skin it left in its wake. Cassian, apparently, didn’t miss the way your eyes lingered, shooting you a suggestive smirk and wiggle of his eyebrows as he turned to fill the vase.

“Up?” He asked Ottie before swooping her into his arms and helping her place the flowers into the vase. “Now what do we say?” He prompted her, placing a kiss to her cheek as he turned to face you.

“Thank you for my flowers, Y/N.”

“You’re very welcome, Ottie.”

Ottie shifted slightly and wrapped her arms around Cassian’s neck, loudly whispering, “Daddy, can we please get some ice cream now?”

That had been the plan you and Cassian had come up with; take Ottie out for something fun and then gently tell her in a setting where she could be easily distracted if you didn’t think it was going to end well.

“I think that sounds like a perfect idea, princess.”

With one arm holding Ottie to his side, Cassian placed his free hand on the small of your back, gently guiding you all to the front door, his hand falling to his side so that his fingers could gently brush against yours as you headed into the city centre of Velaris.

*****

Ottie looked like the happiest person alive with her mega-three scoop ice cream cone, covered in sprinkles and chocolate syrup. Cassian had quickly handed you both your own and his ice cream cones so that you could get Ottie out of the store before she could spill any of the sticky mess that was already leaking down her arms as he paid.

“Enjoying yourself there, Otts?” You asked, watching as she sat on the bench, swinging her feet back and forth with a happy little smile as she ate her ice cream and watched the fae walking around the square.

“Mhm,” was her satisfied reply. “Y/N, can I please try some of your ice cream?”

“You don’t think you have enough there?” You questioned, already extending the cone to her so that she could try some.

“Nope,” She made a delighted noise at the taste, “Now some of daddy’s ice cream?”

“Quick, before he catches you.” You grinned at Cassian as you passed Ottie his ice cream, fully aware that he was watching the scene play out as he walked over to you.

Cassian sat on Ottie’s other side, sneakily trying some of her ice cream while she was focused on his. She looked at him in complete, utter indignation.

“That’s mine,” Her pout had you both laughing, and Cassian was quick to point out, “Well you tried some of Y/N’s and some of mine, so it’s only fair to share yours too.”

You and Cassian fell into a comfortable silence as you enjoyed the feel of the sun across your skin, content in listening to Ottie ramble on about whatever thought popped into her head.

Leaning back against the bench, Cassian stretched one arm over Ottie, pulling her into his side, and then extended it over to you, nudging you closer as well, before he started to absentmindedly twirl strands of your hair throughout his fingers.

“Hey, Otts? Do you remember asking me the other day why Y/N hadn’t been over in a while?”

“Mhm,” Ottie replied, continuing to swing her feet back and forth as she leant her head against Cassian’s side, one of her hands reaching for yours to hold in her lap. Cassian’s eyes found yours before he said anything else, you gave him a small smile and a reassuring nod, watching as he took in a deep breath.

“Well, when you first met Y/N, she was coming over to look after you because daddy had to go back to work for Uncle Rhys,” Ottie tilted her head up, giving him a look as if to say duh, I already knew that, which had you fighting a smile at the thought of what she would be like as a teenager. Cassian gave her nose a soft flick before continuing, “But after spending so much time together, Y/N and I decided we wanted to be friends, but that means she can’t work–”

Ottie turned to you, a look of complete betrayal on her face that had you and Cassian tensing, “But you’re my friend. Does this mean you’re not going to play with me anymore?” The slight quiver of her lower lip had you grasping both her hands and pressing a kiss to the tip of her nose.

“Of course not, sweetheart. I love spending time with you,” You looked up at Cassian for confirmation that he still wanted to go ahead with this before continuing, “But now we will just be playing when you dad is home as well.”

“Oh. Okay.” Then she went back to swinging her feet as though nothing had happened.

“So, Ottie,” Cassian prompted again, trying to get the conversation back on track. “You’re okay if Y/N and I start spending more time together?”

“Yep. She’s your friend, like Auntie Feyre and Auntie MorMor.”

“Well, Y/N is a special friend, so it is a bit different from when daddy is spending time with Auntie Feyre and Auntie MorMor.”

“A special friend?”

Cassian looked at you for help, unsure how to explain any further; all you could offer was a slight grimace and a shrug.

“Erm, yeah, a special friend. So… so Y/N might start having dinner with us… and sometimes she might have a sleepover and then have breakfast with us the next day” He gave you a look as though asking if what he was saying was the right thing. You, however, were too focused on the fact that he was telling Ottie that you might start sleeping the night to give him much in terms of a response – you didn’t expect him to be comfortable with you staying overnight for a long time.

“Oh,” Ottie’s voice peaked in excitement, “you can stay in my room.” The grin she gave you was dazzling and reminded you so much of Cassian. You could sense his slight frustration, not knowing how to get the point across to a two-and-a-half-year-old.

“Well, at these sleepovers, Y/N could tuck you into bed and we could read you a story, but then once you’ve fallen asleep, she would be sleeping in daddy’s room, right Y/N?”

Giving her a reassuring smile, you nodded at Ottie, not knowing what else to say in this situation.

“Oh. Okay.”

You shared a look with Cassian, neither of you sure how to take her reaction. The slight tilt of Ottie’s head had you noting her look of contemplation, eyebrows furrowed in thought, again reminding you of the male you had very quickly fallen for. Then she let out a little gasp, turning on the spot so that she was now kneeling on the bench and facing both you and Cassian, a cheeky grin on her face.

“Daddy? If you and Y/N are special friends, does that mean you hold hands?”

Cassian turned to you with wide eyes to which you responded with a shrug and an amused smile.

“Um, yes, we do hold hands. Is that…okay?” His voice was laced with hesitancy as he closely watched his daughter for her reaction.

Her mouth gaped open before making way for a conspiratorial smile then she was climbing into Cassian’s lap. “Go on.”

Cassian looked to you again, “Ottie?”

She gave you a quick look then leant up to whisper in Cassian’s ear, “Hold her hand, daddy.”

Cassian, eyes still fixed on you, broke into a smile which you were quick to return, taking in the obvious release of tension as he scooted down the bench and laced your hand in his.

“How’s that?” He whispered to Ottie, eyes still on you.

“Good.” Then she was happily swaying in Cassian’s lap, leaning her head back against his chest as she went back to watching everything that was happening in the small square.

You looked back at Cassian, a grin gracing your features at the relief and love that sparkled in his eyes. He shifted slightly, using one arm to wrap around Ottie, keeping her snug against him whilst still being able to hold your hand, the other was draped over your shoulders. You moved with him as he pulled you in closer, pressing a kiss to his cheek and then to Ottie’s before resting your head on his shoulder. Cassian leant his head down, placing a kiss of his own against the top of your head, a quiet “I love you,” whispered into your ear.

*****

Part 3.5

Tag List: @mis-lil-red @sarawritestories @beardburnsupersoldiers @eve175 @blushingfawnsposts @turtleshavesoulmates @slytherinindisguise @sleepylunarwolf

#cassian x reader #cassian acotar #cassian x y/n #rhysand acotar #azriel acotar #marley writes #cassian x you #cassian imagine #dad!cassian

[goodfish-bowl]

Check Your Sources

DP Side Hoes Week 2024 Master Post

Day 2: Jazz Fenton - university times

Summary: Jazz has a misunderstanding with a professor over her selected topic for her paper.

Word Count: 1271

AO3 Link

Jazz Fenton had remembered turning in her psychology paper on ecto-psychology, particularly the role of obsessions in the mental state of Ecto-entities, with utmost confidence. She had meant it as a draft for the final paper she intended to published after the completion of her degree. She had already sent in her paper on Ghost Envy for her application to the college, and it was currently in the process of being peer-reviewed, so she needed something new for her current psychology paper. She had compiled the information for it during her last trip to Amity Park, and organized it into this assignment, including multiple citations both within the ecto-science fields and otherwise, to make sure her paper was well-rounded. She had quadruple-checked everything, from her grammar, to her formatting, to the way she cited each of her sources. 

For these reasons, Jazz was absolutely confounded by the red ink and stark zero written at the top of her returned paper. There was a sticky note attached, telling her to talk to the professor after class.

Jazz glanced between her paper, and the professor in horror. During the course of the term, Jazz had developed a deep respect for Dr. Kaplan, and her work on the psychology of people with PTSD. She must have a good reason for giving her such a poor grade, but the fact she received it at all filled her with mortification. She had never gotten a grade so low in her entire education. Jazz needed to know why, but she couldn’t even figure out what she had done wrong in the first place. In the corner of her mind, she had a sinking suspicion, but hoped with everything she was wrong. 

Jazz spent the entire class in a tizzy. Constantly flipping back and forth between the day’s class-work and her paper. Outside of the first page, the rest of the paper was completely unmarked. Frustration began to simmer underneath Jazz’s skin. How was she supposed to fix this if the professor never even told her what she did wrong?! But it would be fine… she was meeting with the teacher after class anyways. 

From that point forward, class moved forward at a crawl. Jazz still couldn’t pay much attention, and found her notes were much less organized than she would prefer. But when the professor dismissed them, Jazz practically darted to Dr. Kaplan’s podium. 

The professor was a thin, wiry woman, dressed professionally, and looked down upon Jazz from behind equally wiry glasses. She gave Jazz a hard-look, almost one of disdain, and it was only the years of facing the nightmares of Amity Park that kept her from physically recoiling. She removed her eyes from Jazz and gazed around the still-emptying classroom. 

“It might be better to have this conversation in my office,” Dr. Kaplan stated, leaving the room, with Jazz practically at her heels. 

Dr. Kaplan’s office was a fair reflection of the woman herself. Neutral colors, her degree on display, and psychology books lining her singular bookshelf. Her desk was dark wood, and chairs cushions a beige leather. The plant sitting by the window was fake. It was all very professional, and at the same time very impersonal and lifeless. Despite the light colors and the sunlight streaming in through the window blinds, the atmosphere was near stifling. 

The professor took her seat behind the desk, and Jazz hesitated, waiting until Dr. Kaplan gestured for her to take a seat. The seats were more stylish than they were comfortable. She gingerly set her paper on the edge of the desk, sitting board-straight in the chair. 

“Ms. Fenton,” Dr. Kaplan practically sighed, “is there a reason you’re not taking my class seriously?”

The question came completely unexpected. “What are you talking about, Dr. Kaplan? I’ve been giving this class my best efforts,” Jazz pleaded. 

Dr. Kaplan frowned, tapping her carefully manicured, neutrally colored nails against her paper. “This assignment says otherwise.”

Jazz frowned, mentally skimming over the paper. “I… I don’t understand. I’ve followed the assignment criteria almost exactly, I’ve even collected first-hand observations.”

Dr. Kaplan looked like she had sucked a lemon. “Ah, yes,” she said flatly. “Ms. Fenton, while you’ve followed the semblance of the rubric for this assignment to a near exceptional degree, a paper on the theoretical psychology of fictional beings is hardly an acceptable paper topic.” 

 Ah, there it was. Jazz had suspected as much, but it still didn’t calm the simmering frustration, boiling into anger under her skin. 

“Honestly,” Dr. Kaplan continued, “for such a brilliant girl, I can only see the submission of a paper like this as a lack of care, and simply unprofessional to boot. To go as far as to make up sources, as properly cited as they are, is simply-”

It was taking everything within Jazz not to blow up in her professor’s face. Her nails were starting to bite into her palms, and her teeth felt sharp in her mouth as she grit them. Had Dr. Kaplan stopped at the whole ‘ghosts aren’t real’ bit, it wouldn’t have been anything she hadn’t heard before. But to accuse her of lying, and making up sources, that was getting a bit too close to unforgivable. She was losing any respect she had for this professor with every word out of her mouth. 

“Those are real sources and I have recordings of the data I collected myself,” Jazz had to keep herself from hissing. “You’re welcome to check my sources. Of course, due to the analog nature of the recordings, they will require a tape player to view. As for the other second and third hand sources, they are all from qualified journals.” 

“I admire the lengths you’ve gone to make your work of fiction as realistic as possible however-”

“Have you heard of Amity Park before?” Jazz could not stop herself from growling out the question, shooting to her feet, unable to take this sitting down any longer. “Have you done any research to support your claim over mine?”

Dr. Kaplan had a deer-in-headlights expression as Jazz towered over her desk, while also simultaneously adding the only color to her entire office through the reddening of her face. “Are you delusional? Ghosts aren’t real.”

Jazz felt what little ectoplasm that lived under her skin hum in tune with her rage as she slammed a hand down onto the desk, crinkling her paper underneath her wrath. This wasn’t about the grade anymore.

 “Ecto-science is a pseudo-science at worst. It is young and mostly unexplored, but it is hardly fictional. Psychology used to occupy the very same space not too long ago. If you had done any research to check your biases, you would have found this out.” 

Something was burning. 

Jazz quickly snatched her paper back into her hands, gritting her teeth, and reigning in her anger as fast as she could. She cleared her throat hard enough for it to sound like a snarl. 

“It appears your classroom will no longer be a conductive learning environment for me,” Jazz spoke evenly, tone carefully measured. “It would do you well to actually look into the topics your students write about.”

Jazz collected her things, already mentally filing out the required paperwork and emails to the Registar’s Office to have her transferred to a different class. She moved to the doorway and gave her professor a polite nod, ignoring the gobsmacked look on Dr. Kalplan’s face. 

“Have a nice afternoon, Professor.”

Jazz fled the room, dead set in ignoring the hand-shaped burn she had left on her professor’s desk and the smoldering paper in her hands.

#danny phantom #goodfish writes #dp side hoes week 2024 #day 2 #jazz fenton #sometimes there are professors who aren't suitable to be teachers too #thinking about that class with the 100% fail rate...

[lttawnymadison]

TGCF Revised Version Afterword by MXTX

Since I kept seeing snippets of this, I wanted to read the whole thing for myself. I'd already bought the book on JJWXC and did an MTL for this. It's so wonderful that she's back and sharing new things and that the revised is finally done! - Tawny --------------------------------------------- The author has something to say:

Seeing the small red clay stove again.

———— Afterword of "Heaven Official's Blessing" 2022

■ Finally done!

Long time no see! It's another afterword starting with "finally." Without further ado, seasoned readers would know that I make substantial revisions. For instance, scenes like the Bai Feng Mountain Hunt and the ending recognition of Sizhui in the serial version of "Mo Dao Zu Shi" were not originally there.

The revisions in "Heaven Official's Blessing" are the most extensive of all my works. It was a huge project, as it is also the longest in terms of length, serialized over eight months. Due to poor health and other reasons, the revision process was interrupted for a long time before I picked it up again, and it sporadically took about five to six months over several years.

In the era of web novels, there are endless new entertainments, and honestly, not many people re-read a story. Plus, some problems in the serialized version are structural and can't be changed, but I still tried my best to address my regrets. After all, when I was serializing it, I was almost always in a feverish and sick state, barely pushing through. Additionally, I often enjoy comparing different versions of my favorite authors' works back and forth, finding pleasure in the process. So, for readers, discovering "Wow, this part has changed!" is like starting a new journey with Easter eggs in a second round.

■ The new revised version includes about 100,000 words of new content!

These 100k words are mainly concentrated in the latter half of Volume 1 and Volume 3, but there are plenty scattered throughout the text. For example, I fulfilled a promise to A-Hua, giving him several new outfits. Seeing A-Hua dressed beautifully in a new hairstyle to meet his gege made me happy.

In terms of the intensity of revisions, personally, I feel it goes like this:

Volume 1 and Volume 2 > Volume 3 > Volume 5 > Volume 4.

Additionally, the new version cuts some redundant words and plots that weren't very meaningful. However, I tried to keep all the original interactions between Hua Lian as complete as possible. If some minor interactions are missing, they weren't deleted but moved around.

■ One day, I suddenly dug out something.

An antique from 2017, a folder called "Heaven Official's Blessing Setting Collection."

Curiously, I opened it and read with interest.

● Comparing the original setting outline and the main text, the highest fidelity is in the main storyline between Hua Cheng and Xie Lian.

A-Hua, restored at a ratio of 1:100.

Hua's character setting is the most detailed, and virtually every point made it into the main text, including details like "ghosts don't like the sun, so Hua Cheng sometimes drapes a red cloth over his head"...

Points not used, listed a few:

As a child:

· After being saved from falling off a city wall, he foolishly followed a parade over and over again, grabbing people to ask, "Who is that? Who is that person?" People told him, "That's the royal son, the future Celestial God, the most outstanding Crown Prince of Xianle Nation ever!"

(This point couldn't be used because in the text A-Hua was held in the Crown Prince's arms after being saved)

· At home, he was often punished to stand or kneel, not given food, and wore old clothes, accused of stealing money. Whenever he argued with his family, he would stubbornly sleep in the Prince's temple overnight.

· Went to Mount Tai Cang to volunteer sweeping red leaves at Huangji Observatory, just to sneak peeks at his future wife happily swinging.

After becoming the ghost king:

· One of his hobbies is buying and building houses everywhere.

· Very protective of his leather boots, would (badly) polish them until they shone.

· To other devout followers of Xie Lian, he said: "You have good taste."

· Secretly prepared many betrothal gifts for his beloved god, wanting to marry him!

The character setting of Xie Lian as a teacher in the serialized version compared to the initial draft, the serialized text subtly differs. The initial draft was more... exquisite and elegant, very serious. The serialized text is more... humorous. I think perhaps because some plot points were tragic, Xie Lian thought he should be happier to make the readers more relaxed, so he drove me to adjust his mental state! But due to the spiritual oppression at that time, the character's depth was not enough, while in the new revised version, I hope he can show a more self-content state on the same core basis.

Excerpts from the unused original setting:

· Super easy-going. Easy-going means: if given fifty bucks, he would happily dress in drag and dance. Accepts haggling. Thirty bucks works. Twenty bucks too!

· The observatory is small, the house is broken, wants to grow flowers. Leaks during rain, so he uses a bucket to catch rainwater.

· Because he can't afford a caretaker, he cleans himself, and also feeds chickens. Chickens eat flowers. Keeps a cat.

· Completely engrossed in discussing serious matters, he unknowingly finished all the broken sweet dumplings!

● Water, Earth, Wind original setting:

The highest fidelity is the main line between Hua Cheng and Xie Lian, followed by the Water, Earth, Wind subplot.

The main conflict hasn't changed. Just... how could the original setting of Water, Earth, Wind be so dark and terrifying!

The character morals in the main text improved a lot, otherwise, the original Black Water would be sheer scheming + murderous! The ending for the Wind Master would have been more tragic.

The Venerable of Empty Words suddenly became an improvised character. It seemed like an ancient fable-like monster, making the main text more interesting than the original setting.

Overall, the formal version is a bit better written than the original draft.

● The unfortunate life of Lang Ying:

Lang Ying? Is there such a character? I don't remember!

Ah? It seems there was such a person, but I don't remember any of his plotlines.

This is most people's feeling towards the character of Lang Ying. It's not a delusion because he barely had any significant plot. In fact, any valuable scenes could have been replaced equivalently, so in the new revised version, I deleted this character.

But, in the 2017 setting collection, I suddenly found that I had actually opened a separate document for Lang Ying, and his role was defined as a "growing-type BOSS!"

I was silent.

And immediately opened the document, curious about my initial setting. A "growing-type BOSS," how did he become someone whose deletion went unnoticed...? (I even don't know how to address him!)

Who knows, perhaps out of excitement, I accidentally pressed the wrong shortcut, and somehow it became irreversible, leaving only an empty document for me to stare in disbelief. The once "growing-type BOSS" has now forever become a mystery!

This is the unfortunate life of the deleted Lang Ying.

· There was another document in the setting collection called "Swordsmith." I opened the document and read it with interest.

I was shocked. Because I completely forgot I had conceived this story. Why didn't I write it?!

Darn.

I know why I didn't write it. This story... it had no ending!

——————— Thus, the magical glimpse into the "Heaven Official's Blessing Setting Collection" concludes!

■ I like men with stories!

Maybe because I watched an outstanding work as a child. It was a memoir, the protagonist in the biography was gentle and affable, and the protagonist in the memories was cold and ruthless. The story was scattered with the poignant fragrance of white plum blossoms amidst bloody and stormy circumstances.

This almost perfect work deeply influenced my aesthetics, leading me to be most interested in the memory parts of characters in various works. Although many viewers prefer the present scenes, often asking when the memories will end, I actually find these intense and painful memories to be the most fascinating!

A story is the history of a character, as well as the key to their personality. A person with a story stands before me like a puzzle. The way to solve this puzzle is to understand their story. Because the biography makes one curious to know more about a character they like, loving them more now because of their past. When serializing "Heaven Official," my greatest pain initially was telling myself, "This time I don't want to write a memory slaughter," deliberately trying to avoid a structure similar to previous works, yet I still hadn't found a better way to express it, resulting in my deep dissatisfaction with the later part of Volume 1. I was also hesitant to fully commit to the memory scenes in Volume 2, and with the heavy mental burden, this part was very painful to write. When revising, looking at Volume 2 was almost unbearable, because I'm the type of person who, as a child, would immediately switch channels when a TV show's protagonist was about to be wrongfully accused or embarrassed. I couldn't help but knock on a friend's door and ask:

Me: Was the author suffering some kind of mental trauma at the time? This negative energy is too horrifying, the protagonist is so pitiful, I really admire anyone who could read through Volume 2 completely.

Friend: Do you even have the right to say that?

But the memory slaughter in Volume 4 was much freer, written in one breath, so the revisions for this volume were also the least.

So, will you still write large segments of memory slaughter?

Um, well, we'll see, haha, hehe...

■ Closing Remarks:

Lastly, I'll address the question some asked me, "Will the new revised 'Heaven Official's Blessing' be more torturous?"

Me: You're talking nonsense. 'Heaven Official's Blessing' is a sweet pampering story, thank you!

Acknowledgments:

Shi Nai'an wrote in the preface to "Water Margin": "On snowy nights, about five or six people listen to my storytelling; on rainy days, about seven or eight; on bright and sunny days, about ten. I read, everyone listens, and we are all happy, with no other thoughts." When I read this as a young person, I was delighted. What divine days! Writing first to entertain oneself, then to entertain others. Self-expression and self-acceptance are certainly primary, but the affection of others is also a significant positive feedback. Thus, first, I thank the steadfast readers who have accompanied me all this time. I've thought about just walking away amidst the noisy disputes; abandoning the account amidst the tumultuous world! It seems not bad. But looking back, I can't bear to leave some truly sincere readers.

I've had authors I liked disappear from the internet, and I always feel like a part of my youth has vanished, a feeling quite distressing, reminiscent of overly grand and harsh things like the tears of the era or the torrent of history. So, I want to accompany my readers as long as possible, hoping that the day of parting comes later. Perhaps I'm not good enough now, but I will strive to be better in the future. Or perhaps you've never truly understood what kind of person I am, or even completely misunderstood me, but as long as you genuinely like my stories, we can sit down and chat.

And, I must mention my friends, who can be described as having the courage of a hero. Long time no see, Teacher Changyang's illustrations are still as beautiful as those of a celestial being, I hope Teacher CAS can go to bed earlier and worry less, and Teacher Kuohao, who despite a heavy workload, still fully honored our agreement. The "Heaven Official's Blessing" radio drama is really fantastic! It reminded me of the original intention of writing this story, and I was very moved. If it weren't for the silent companionship and efforts of these old friends, Mo Xiang Tong Xiu might have stopped writing back in 2016, disappearing from the world of martial arts, and thus, "Heaven Official's Blessing" would not have been born. I look forward to retracing the paths we once walked together when gathering ideas. And many friends who reached out to help and encourage me, thank you for accompanying me through the snowy nights.

#tgcf #tian guan ci fu #hob #heaven official's blessing #mxtx #mo xiang tong xiu #天官赐福 #tgcf revised version #lttawnymadison post

[becausegoodheroesdeservekidneys]

Odd question but - I'm looking to study in the UK this fall, and I'm trying to get to grips with the grading system. Could you explain the grading boundaries to me please? It's different from the US, as far as I can see!

I found this handy table which you might find useful - I don't really understand the US system either lol.

Here's what I will say though - I have many times before seen Americans online seeing the percentages for the UK grade boundaries and immediately wax lyrical about how EASY and SIMPLE it must be to do well in the UK because OH MY GOD I could tooootally get 70%!!! In the US that's barely a C!!! Wow education must be soooo simple in the UK -

And uh. I have seen very few Americans in those discussions stop and ask themselves how much harder it might be to hit 70% in the UK. Which, as the international academic office in every university will tell you, is the crucial question you absolutely should be asking. Does an American 70% look the same as a UK 70%?

(It Does Not.)

So don't be fooled by that! Over here, at undergrad the pass mark is 40%. 40-49% gets you a third; 50-59% gets you what's varyingly known as a lower second (formally), a 2:2 (most commonly), or a Desmond (by sad people. It's a reference to Desmond Tutu - two two). A 2:2 is also the most commonly awarded degree classification over here.

60-69% is a 2:1, or upper second class honours. And then the top level is the first - 70% and up. The vast majority of firsts are earned by students who got 70-79%. Exceptional work pushes into the 80s. It is incredibly rare that you ever see a mark in the 90s, and when you do, it's almost always on maths papers where there are right or wrong answers and that's it.

I can't remember how the US's summa cum laude etc stuff maps onto that, though you could probably find that on Google as well. But as a rule of thumb, think first = excellent, 2:1 = good, 2:2 = fair, and third = you need to be careful and see what you can do to improve (although that is still a pass at university and that is not to be sniffed at).

Ooh, as a final point, though, there's also how assessment works, which again, I know is very different over here (again I don't really understand it in the US). Your lecturer cannot set random work here and there to count as summative assessment. Every module is different in how it's set up, but let's give an example:

Module: Coastal and Marine Conservation Two assessments, each worth 50% of the final grade. Assessment 1: A report on the biodiversity of Ramsey Island in the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. Explore the cause of the lower biodiversity there than nearby Skomer/Skokholm; how was this challenged/rectified? How have species recovered since? What should be done into the future? Assessment 2: A two-hour closed book exam. Half of this exam (50 marks) will be a mix of short and medium length questions; things like "Define these five terms (two marks each)", or "Describe the process of longshore drift and its impact on sedimentation patterns (15 marks)" or what have you. The second half is a 50 mark essay - pick one of three essay questions offered, and off you go. (Essay questions are a staple feature of exams over here, and multiple choice questions are extremely rare and generally frowned on as being Not Sufficiently Academic.)

Now, in the case of this module, these are the only two assessment points. Both the report brief and the exam paper are registered with the academic office in the summer before the academic year even starts, and both are triple verified - by the lecturer who writes/sets them, by an internal verifier in the department, and an external verifier from another university. This is part of quality control.

If, for some reason, you fail one of these, or cannot submit them by their due date, or what have you, you still have to do them. If you claim for Extenuating Circumstances (e.g. "I was made homeless and my cat blew up, so I couldn't do it in time") then you get an extension on it; as long as you submit by the end of the academic period, you're fine. If you don't, you need to resit it. This normally means over the summer after the main term ends.

But, in the UK system what we can't do is go "Okay never mind, how about you submit a write-up of the volunteering you're currently doing with SeaLife instead and we'll count that?" The reason being, under the UK system that is not a quality-controlled solution. That has not been checked and verified as an equivalent assessment to what the rest of the class has done; so if you do that and get a 2:1, there is no assurance that you are actually of the same academic quality as one of your peers who got a 2:1 for that research report on Ramsey's biodiversity.

Which... don't let it scare you! As I say, there are a LOT of systems that can help you if things start going wrong (always, always, always keep Student Support and your lecturers in the loop). But that is a different system from what I understand you might be used to, so heads up on that.

(I am not arguing that one is better than the other, by the way. Last time I explained a difference in the UK university system I got a very hostile and aggressive American in the notes throwing a right strop over how terrible the UK system clearly is because XYZ, right up until I had to actually say "I am literally just describing how it's different, not claiming superiority," and then they went mysteriously quiet and stopped replying. So to forestall that, I am only describing the differences. There are advantages and disadvantages to each.

The UK system is certainly more inflexible. But it does, incidentally, at least free you from the tyranny I see reported so often by US students of the dreaded Tenured Professor who deliberately as a matter of pride sets impossible exams that everyone fails. Over here, that shit Does Not Fly. So there's that.)

Anyway - hopefully that answers your question! Any others, hit me up. Good luck, and enjoy your studies!

#asks #the professional world of careers and tasks

[wishesofeternity]

“You toil still in service to men. Your father, your husband, your son. You desire not to be free, but to make a window in the wall of your prison. Have you never imagined yourself on the Iron Throne?”

A couple of things:

1)  Alicent is a queen consort and is a Hightower by birth, so no, she cannot imagine herself on the Iron Throne, because Targaryen succession does not work like that. This is basic knowledge that 5-year-olds would presumably be expected to know, and I am astounded and embarrassed that Rhaenys, with her age and experience, lacks this fundamental bit of common sense.

2) Alicent has been the functional regent of Westeros for the past six years. In the previous episode, we see her actively governing the realm and overseeing all royal matters (while Rhaenyra sits on her ass with her loser husband in Dragonstone). We also literally hear Vaemond tell Rhaenys “It’s not a king who sits the Iron Throne these days, good sister. It’s the queen”, so I can assure you, Rhaenys, that Alicent has physically sat on the Iron Throne just fine. She lacks authority, obviously, as she is the consort and not the king, but she certainly did not and does not lack power, to say nothing about influence. This ridiculous show, however, does not seem to be able to differentiate these terms.

3) Does this show not understand that Alicent installing her son as King is not just beneficial to him (which the show acknowledges) but also directly beneficial to her? This is a patriarchal and patrimony-inclined world; Alicent’s son being King would not only mean immense prestige for her family; it would also mean the ultimate peak of power and influence for her (which we see her unapologetically wield in the books). In Westeros, we see Visenya Targaryen supporting her brother and her son’s kingship rather than angling for the throne in her own right, and wielding absolute power and authority in their reigns. Historically, Empress Matilda (the female claimant to the throne in the Anarchy, the war this story is based off) relinquished her claim in favor of her son, Henry II, presumably because she recognized he stood a better chance at gaining the throne (which he did) and continuing her legacy. Joanna of Flanders, who literally wore armor and led troops into battle, did it to support the cause of her husband in direct opposition to the claim of his niece. Yet according to this show’s logic, every single woman who has fought for their fathers and brothers and husbands and sons subscribes to internalized misogyny rather than, idk, supporting their families and gaining power, security and status in the process. Not to mention, Alicent relinquishing her children’s claim and stepping aside would not only be utterly humiliating and degrading for her from a political and personal standpoint, but also legitimately life-threatening for her children and her family. More competent writers would understand that she did not have much of a choice.

4) “You desire not to be free but make a window in the wall of your prison” is the MOST SICKENING PIECE OF VICTIM-BLAMING BULLSHIT I have ever heard in a long, long time. Alicent was a teenager when she had to marry the much-older King (her best friend’s own father) because of his desire for her. He repeatedly raped her and forced at least four pregnancies on her that she did not want. She was utterly isolated at court after her marriage, lacking comfort and friends (including Rhaenyra, who abandoned Alicent for three years after learning that she was being made to marry her father and, based on the comments she made, did not even stop to consider the awfulness of Alicent’s predicament). She had to endure the humiliation of her father being fired and made to leave court, leaving her even more alone than she previously was. She had to endure her husband constantly favoring his firstborn and his grandchildren by his firstborn rather than Alicent’s children who were a direct result of her rape by him. Her son was maimed and bleeding and her husband chose to defend his firstborn’s moronic decisions rather than bring him justice.  She is not a Targaryen, she does not and cannot ride a dragon. WHAT WAS ALICENT SUPPOSED TO EXCEPT TRY AND SURVIVE? HOW ON EARTH IS SHE BEING JUDGED FOR IT?

(And this ridiculously condescending comment is coming from Rhaenys of all people, lmao. A dragon-riding Targaryen who was an actual claimant to the Iron Throne, unlike Alicent. So, what was stopping HER from seizing power, pray tell? After all, she even has the Velaryon forces to back her claim. Instead, in her own words, she made peace with her sidelining. She constantly disagreed with her husband’s ambition regarding her claim and her family’s power. She volunteered her 12-year-old daughter as a child bride for her own aging cousin. The hypocrisy and double standards here is pathetic, and the lack of self-awareness on the part of the show is even worse)

Alicent was legitimately terrified for her children and her family’s lives, and she was entirely justified in doing so: if Rhaenyra ascended the throne, Alicent’s children would inevitably become threats to her whether or not they directly opposed her. This is unavoidable. Look up any historical usurpation, and that’s the inescapable result - and that’s not even going into the fact that Rhaenyra and Daemon are people who are reckless, cruel and indifferent to violence, and would not hesitate to kill any opposition to their reign. The show’s so-called claim that Alicent is upholding the patriarchy falls apart when you consider the fact that this is the only solution that guarantees the security of her children and herself. How is Alicent’s perfectly understandable motivation written as internalized misogyny? 

And moreover, from a writing perspective ... why give her this arc at all? Fire & Blood was badly written, but it doesn’t change the fact that they looked at an ambitious woman who wanted to enhance her power and improve her family’s standing, who directly defied her husband’s wishes in terms of succession in favor of her own, and rewrote this choice into one borne from internalized misogyny. They wrote her as a child bride, a rape victim, an abuse victim and a teen mother and then used this backstory to say that she was conditioned to become the so-called agent of patriarchy (which they do not support with believable evidence) who opposes their so-called feminist protagonist (whose primary enabler is Alicent’s rapist and abuser, btw, not that his abuse is acknowledged nearly enough by the narrative considering how heavily he was romanticized in the last few episodes) It’s a heinous, disrespectful, absolutely terrible writing choice, and I cannot emphasize this nearly enough.

(Oh, and speaking of Rhaenyra, let’s talk about how her queenship solidifies Viserys’s claim over Rhaenys’s. Let’s talk about if she truly cared about women inheriting the Iron Throne - as opposed to just herself - she would have considered this. Let’s talk about how she disregarded the claims of Baela and Rhaena in favour of her son when it came to Driftmark. Rhaenyra is not challenging the patriarchy, her ascension to the Iron Throne will not change anything for anyone except for herself, do not make me laugh by claiming otherwise)

ON TOP OF THIS, the show can’t even decide on a consistent motivation or characterization for Alicent. They repeatedly show us her visceral and justified fear for her children’s lives, which is somehow forgotten in episode eight in favor of her saying that Rhaenyra will be a good queen. Her desire to see her son crowned and thus ensure her children’s safety is disregarded in favor of her actually wanting to fulfil Viserys’s half-baked wishes on his deathbed. They have her say that everyone knows Aegon will be king, and then act surprised when the Green council plots to install him as King. They do not care about Alicent’s personhood and individual character; what they care about is her position as a foil and antagonist to Rhaenyra.

In conclusion: this show sucks. It shows absolutely no understanding regarding the politics of its own world and our medieval history and is a parody and a travesty of respectful storytelling. It has inconsistent and baffling character motivations and downright misogynistic writing, and this is not acknowledged nearly enough by the fandom.

#hotd #anti hotd #alicent hightower #team green #anti rhaenys targaryen #anti rhaenyra targaryen #not really but kinda #hotd critical #anti viserys i targaryen #does anyone even care about that shitshow anymore? idk and idc. i've wanted to rant about this for a long long time #mine

[alex-bartlett-viscom]

all the writing in process

Writing that's been down through the term

The brief for the CHS project was to create a brand identity for a fake company that sells growable produce that pretty much does it by itself to busy people living in cities to show them it's not hard to be environmentally friendly and doesn't take much time.This was set by a design company (CHS). This project is about teamwork , time management and being consistent between multiple people to create a cohesive brand.

Getting started

Creating our band and research

We all went off and did research for the next day after the brief to come up with ideas as well as look at companies we'd like to draw from.

I was really invested into the idea of making the product look like something else that it isn’t. Here we see it in a literal sense in this advert from Ikea. I like how it's bright and playful but also doesn't obscure the product to the point you can't tell what it is. it also gives it  more freedom in the design choices that can be made as it now doesn't have to conform to the normal furniture advertisement conventions. I don’t think Ikea conforms much to normal furniture advertisement conventions, however their bright colours and way of advertising is becoming the norm and I think this is an interesting way to keep standing out.

I also had a look at the Ikea website and wasn’t blown away. However, I thought it was laid out well; however it was the pictures that I focused on. I thought that it was interesting that all the furniture was shown in context that helped you imagine the size and how it would look in your own home which I think is very clever and useful for the consumer. I also think that having it surrounded buy other things that complement the piece will make it look better and get people to want to buy it even more, which is something I would like to incorporate to the website me and my group want to make / showcase what it could look like.

After looking at Ikea adverts I wanted to make the crops more of a piece of furniture then this plant that you have to look after. The reason for this is that furniture is very low maintenance most of the time and I want that to be very obvious. I looked at a fashion website I use and then looked at one I don’t use but know is popular from talking to other young people.

This site (the one I normally use) urban outfitters isn’t all that interesting and didn’t show off what the company is about, which is something that this brief requires. Urban outfitters has a recycling part of there shop that resells clothes and this is a great thing as it helps cut down waste generated by the fashion industry however they don’t advertise this view on recycling.Which would be a great thing to say on the home page instead of jumping straight into buying clothes that may or may not be recycled which doesn’t really push the more sustainable option. I think that this questions how much they actually care about the topic.I also think that beyond the front page with the bander I think its very boring and doesn't really feel inspired. Yes it does its job but I think it could be more like the banner / somehow work the cut and stick element into it.

However, with the shopify website ( the site people told me they used ) I was met with a message about their goals that wasn't too long and helped me understand what I'm getting into look at this site. Which for me was nice to see as it's not something you have to go searching for unlike the urban outfitters website. I also enjoyed the short sentences that they used to easily expand what they stood for. As well as this I really enjoyed the compassion of this site and I think it has more life to it and character then the urban outfitters which I think a brand needs to make itself stand out against other websites.  

I also looked at a website that sold plants just to see what a competitor's websites would look like and the site I looked out on didn't have much character and felt empty.This is something I would like to try and avoid in our designs.  

Idea collection

Gathering ideas

Gathering ideas for a call with an employee of CHS

After our research we came together and started to discuss ideas, colours,names and overall theme we want to go with.

We narrowed the names we had down to two

Feedback from the call with CHS

We were told we had some good ideas going for us with both of the briefs. They said that they liked the idea of the mouth of the hippos mouth being the gage on how big the plant will be however they thought that it would be hard to work the mascot ( the hippo) into the story of the brand as yes it plays of the hungry hippos but it can't be explicitly said and this creates some issues from the get go. They seemed to like the compact crops idea and enjoyed the idea of having plants overgrowing the tube and also the idea of plants in the busy city. They said that it might be difficult to do as we'd have to photoshop it but it could be done and it doesn't have to be perfect for this powerpoint.  

Getting to work.

We split the work up between us and we all started on our own separate things. The two of us worked on separate websites and after that we would decide which one was best. I was one of these people and Neve was the other. George was doing illustrations for instagram and georgia was doing the other instagram assets and stories. Another task I had was to make posters.

Getting to work and delegation

Once we had both websites to show we all decided on which one we would use. My downfall was not using Adobe Xd as her website was pretty much working and I thought it looked more professional. So then I moved on to the posters.

I had a lot of trouble with the posters as they required lots of photoshop skills. I had to try and make the plants look like they were actually there which I looked up tutorials to do as well as tried myself but it wasn't working. George had a better understanding of how to do that as he’d done something similar before so I told him what I would like it to look like but also told him to change it if need be. I made some compositions with the royalty free images from unsplash and sent them over to him.

I started to feel like a spare wheel and wanted to contribute something sound towards the project as I felt useless.

I asked if I should make an advertisement for our company on instagram. They said that would be a good addition to our work so I got to work trying to brush up on my Adobe After effects work as I wanted to get into motion graphics.  

This was the final outcome as this was done close to the deadline and I didn't have to do much else to the advert.

Our final presentation

Putting all our final work into one cohesive presentation

How we could improve our presentation and our work  

For this presentation we wanted to put the video on the PDF but it wouldn’t work no matter what we did which was our first downfall that we already knew going into the presentation. We were told that the name worked well and made them think of produce instead of flowers which is a distinction they wanted to see as it's a very important part of the product. They also said they enjoyed the colour palette and said it fit well with the product.However they thought over all the designs worked well but some pieces they said didn't fit with the rest of the project and that we should have been more cut throat with the pieces we showed. I agreed with this as I thought that some of the illustrations didn't work with the style of the rest of the project. They also thought that we should have shown them the video of the social media that Georgia made before we showed the illustration to sell them on the idea and showing it in practice before zooming in and having a closer look.

Reflection  

I think overall the work we produced as a whole was cohesive. I agree with all the criticisms and that some work could have been cut. I think they were talking about the illustrations. One of them was done by george which I think worked with the theme and the idea we were going for however the other two not done by george didn't fit what we where doing with the social media and I also think that it was a fair criticism about the placement of things in our powerpoint as I agree that showing things in context first the zooming in so they have the whole picture first. I will be taking this criticism into the rest of my projects.  

D&AD

Brief

For this project we got to choose which one we wanted to do as there were a multitude of briefs given to us. I decided to go with the google brief. The final outcome for this brief was to make a type based campaign for google as last year I really enjoyed the type based project last term.

This is all on tumblr

Idea generation  

notes and decisions

I started by writing down ideas for both of these projects. I started on the google brief and wrote  out what things I care about and could make the campaign about. At first I wanted to make a project about back pain but in our first tutorial they said that I should look at more options as it sounds like something that doesn't have much behind it so I did.

Out of all the ideas I thought the sea life idea would be the best to do as it's an issue that I'm genuinely concerned about and I think is something people still need to be aware of. Before I went on to develope the idea I wanted to look at the imax brief as the brief intrigued me as I would like to get into motion graphics and its the perfect opacity to make some more motion graphic work to put in a portfolio.

I even wrote out clips from movies that I would use, however I didn't read the brief properly and I couldn’t use videos from already existing properties so I had to scrap that idea. This was a shame as I thought that it had more potential and would have been a great way of adding to my portfolio. So then I moved on to developing the google brief.

So then I moved on to developing the google brief. I didn't know where to start so I looked at other environmental activism campaigns .

looking for inspiration

So then I moved on to developing the google brief. I didn’t know where to start so I looked at other environmental activism campaigns and also looked into facts and figures that back up the point I'm trying to make, which is littering ends up in the ocean  .

Typography has the power to make words matter, to facilitate change, create awareness and a call to action. Choose an issue that compels you and makes you care deeply. Bring this issue to life in a way that is engaging for your audience. Create a typographically-led campaign  as well as an unconventional touch point that is a call to action or raises awareness of your subject.

I think it is quite a strong message and I think that putting the timespan of something in front of people is different from seeing things written. It is very different to seeing it and I think that it changes perspective. This could be a good point of sale for the unconventional out of home touch point as this is one of the key things we have to create for this brief.

I thought that this was also a very start image and yes it's a type based campaign but I wanted to maybe create an image using type. This horrific image shows very clearly the reality of the situation in a blunt way and I like putting the situation in blunt terms as it's too late to sugar coat things as it's reaching the point of no return. However I think that it's not accessible to all as children don't want to see something like this and parents would have an issue with their children seeing this kind of image. Which is an important part of the brief as it explicitly states it needs to be accessible.

I like how this poster uses type to create an image making it a type based design that incorporates the image into the type. One of the things this poster does well is legibility. They type isn't so warped that it can't be read and but it's not so jagged that the shapes can’t be made out. This also helps with a problem I thought I might face if I tried to do this style. The problem was showing off the google fonts in their normal state as well as to make an image. As we can see in this poster it uses a hand-drawn style for the main image and then a normal digital typeface for the title / header which is a good solution to the problem.

Writing done today

I think that the approach made to the type in this poster is very interesting and I like the manipulation of the type. It's not made an image of something but the type has still made some kind of image that is very interesting to look at and is eye catching. Some of the words are very hard to see and I think this brings the poster down as they've gone for style and not substance which I think needs to be balanced not too far one way which is something I'm going to have to battle with and think about whilst making my works.  

The idea and execution

starting the google brief

The idea I’m going for is sea life eating words. This was inspired by the image of the bird carcass with all the rubbish inside. I want to take a more friendly approach even though I like the blunt nature but I feel to make it more accessible to all ages I need to take a step back a little bit and make it a little less gruesome and make it more hopeful in a way.

As this is a google brief and they want me to use some of these typefaces I started by gathering type that I thought was interesting and easy to look at.

These were the typefaces I thought were easy to read and more accessible to everyone. Seeing them all together I thought that prompt and IBM Plex were the most legible from far away as well as easy to read for everyone. I think that the IBM type has too many connotations of computers and code which would be a strange contrast of topic so I decided to use prompt.  

Colour palette I put together that I thought would go well with the themes and the more light hearted approach.

I started by drawing out a seagull vector and visualising the very first draft I did in the notebook. I used the brown colour pallet to show that the letters are the litter and then wanted to fill the bird up with the letters to show the littoral effect this has on the animals ingesting the waste meaning they have no space for actual food they can eat.  

I wanted to try a different composition and I enjoyed the look so I decided to experiment with the colour palettes in this composition. The reason I liked this composition was that the type would be more visible as it could be bigger on the poster making it more legible. I also wanted to try different variations of this idea of having the bird on  the right hand side of the poster

I decided to stick with the original colour palette and start to make a new poster in the same vein with different sea animals.

However I felt that this project was going nowhere and it wasn't inspiring me as the work was slowing down significantly and felt i needed to switch brief to be able to get this project done in time and have something to hand in which I’m happy with and meets the L.O’s

A new brief

I had a read through the briefs again and decided to move to giff gaff as it asks for an animation or illustrations. As I want to do more animated projects as its something i would like to continue doing in future i decided to move on to this brief  

Animation

I started by looking at the giff gaff brand book that tells me everything that I need to stick to and gives me a good understanding of the tools I have around me and the box I can work in. This is something that will help me as the google brief was too open and didn't give much direction however the giff gaff brief has a clear tone of voice as well as style which was the two things I was having the most issues with in the last brief.

I had a look through the giff gaff brand book and picked out the points that I thought I needed to home in on for the animation. The main points were how to use the digital noise as well as add photos. Other things in the document I pulled out were tone of voice and values.

After this I started to make the animation.

This was the first thing that I made and I decided to move forward with this style of the letters moving around and wanted to have wipes to move from scene to scene as in the very very rough storyboard as that wasn't taken into account.

I kept to this style and moved on until the first critique we had.  

This was where I was up to with my animation up until our first crit Mark Seften a D&AD win. Whilst I was making the animation I also started on my out of home touch points which I decided would be billboards.

This billboard didn't go through many changes as I thought it looked very giff gaff from the off set and looked like it fit with the brand as I followed the brand book very closely.

This billboard didn't get off to the best of starts as I was still stuck to the brand book. However, I chose from the three gradients  they have on their brand book but it didn't feel giff gaff so I changed the gradient. The text was from the website so I thought that it fit the tone of voice and I did the same for the poster beforehand.

I think that this billboard sticks closer to the giff gaff brand and overall I think it looks like  a giff gaff billboard that what I would see out in the street.

The tutors set up a day to give a presentation to mark Sephton to present our ideas in a professional manner so I started on the presentation.

After this session with Mark he gave some pointers on how I should approach the brief next. He said he liked the billboards but they needed to be less ‘wordy’ which I 100% agree with. Looking back at the billboards they definitely were too text heavy. I was also told to make them a little bit more exciting. He liked the billboard with the heart on it but the recycling billboard I was told could be a lot more interesting and that I should experiment with this one more but before I do that create the last billboard in the series to make sure this is how I'll tackle all the billboards.

I was told the animation was good and that it obviously could do with tightening up in places but he understood that it wasn't done and said the idea of the for the second half was strong but said don’t fall into the trap that I have with the billboards by making it too ‘wordy’.

After the presentations I went on to finish the video and make the last billboard.

I started off with the animation and made it a little bit more exciting by adding colour to the world spinning section to make sure it fit with the billboards better. I also added the last part which is the section I call ‘this and this’. This section was the part that Mark liked. The idea is to put images of things on the screen and say that giff gaff have to care about it other wise they wouldn't have the B crop approval.

I thought this animation went well however i think it dragged in places especially at the start and definitely does before the end. I think it needed a consistent speed and tempo for this advert to work which is something this animation is lacking. I also think the ‘this and this’ section was rushed but I didn't have much time between these two tutorials and wanted the end to be done so I can get feedback on the whole advert. However I was happy with the earth as I fixed the problem of it just being images and made the earth move smoothly which I was proud of.

This was the last billboard I did before the tutorial and I think it's the most giff gaff . I think that this billboard sticks to the brand book as well as I can and the doodles add an element I think the others are missing and adds an extra playfulness to the billboard. However I think it maybe still be too ‘wordy’ / text heavy but I will ask this in the tutorial if on this specific billboard it needs to be changed but the other two I know I need too.

I decided to make improvements on my presentation and use that as my slideshow of work for the tutorial with the tutors.  

Improvements

Listening to feedback and improving

I started looking into Imax videos and what they had done before so I wouldn’t tread on any toes and rehash ideas.

A lot of these openings are all very futuristic and make heavy use of CGI. not any of them really explain / show how the image is better and the sound is better  which is the main selling point. For me they are all very plain and don’t show a story which they could really have made use off as being shown in a movie theatre which is the prime place to tell a story and for me. I think its a shame that they are wasting this opportunity to tell a story as from the very first Imax opening it was always very effects based however the newer Imax are leaning more towards the story aspects it only leads more towards the tropes in movies and not everything that's involved in the filmmaking process.

I then wrote out clips from movies that I would use, however I didn’t read the brief properly and I couldn’t use videos from already existing properties so I had to scrap that idea. This was a shame as I thought that it had more potential then the google brief and would have been a great way of adding to my portfolio.

I was told to change the key points part of my slides and write them out instead of having screen shots as it makes it look neater and but aside from this they thought that the slides worked. When it came to the billboard they liked the newest one the most and wanted me to run this theme throughout the rest of the work I was doing. They also suggested jumping almost straight to the ‘this and this’ section of the animation and making the doodle elements jump out or explode from the things they care about which I thought was a strong suggestion. As well as this I agreed with running the doodles through the billboards suggestion as it would bring all the work together and make it more cohesive and consistent .    

I moved onto the billboards as they would require less time making then the animation as I would have to restart in order to do what they suggested. I did this so once the billboards were done I would have nothing  else to worry about and could focus on the animation.  

I looked at previous giff gaff ad campaigns and the most recent ones lean heavily into the gradient style and the cleaner illustrations however sometimes they use the illustration style in very specific places.

After this I started to make animations for instagram. This would take up the most work and is the line of work I would like to go into so I wanted to spend as much time as I can on it in the beginning so I have the groundwork in place to be able to easily change and move things around later on.

I decided to keep this billboard the same as it was the most successful and I'm going to use it as a guide for the other two billboards as I think I need them changed before I start changing the most successful piece of the project so far.  

I decided to change the refurbished phone billboard to have the same concept but with more going on to make it more exciting and eye-catching. Keeping with the same theme as the yellow billboard I added the doodle elements but was conscious of the amount as I didn’t want it to be too distracting from the text telling people what good things giff gaff is doing. The reason for this is this is what they’ve done to achieve the B corp status and is something they would want to flaunt as it a sustainable practice and its something they pride themselves on. I also shortened the type to not mention sales as it sounded to corporate for giff gaff and sound more like things that would be said at a board meeting and not on a giff gaff ad.

For this billboard I did the same as before stuck to the same style not trying to distract from the text and changed the idea of this billboard as it was originally about recycled plastic but the B corp standards also take into account employees as well as the general public which I haven't mentioned yet in the billboards which I think should be celebrated as it's a good thing and is crucial to getting the B corp certification.

For this billboard I decided to us a AI to make the text as everything I was coming up with sounded boring and corporate however when I asked the AI to create lines to do with giff gaff and customer service as well as the customer it also gave very robotic answers which I (obviously) wasn't surprised about. It gave me better lines however but I feel this is definitely something that will be brought up in the final criti.

After this I restarted the animation but reused sections from the last one to help me get straight to the ‘that and that’ section. I needed to follow the rules set out by the billboards and link the animation to the billboards by using the same imagery and have the same tone of voice keeping with the giff gaff tone of speaking to the consumer as if they were a friend.  

I think this animation is a lot more on brand and completes the campaign with a consistent and well rounded design that sticks to giff gaffs rules but also has its own identity as a different campaign to the others which i'm happy with. The animation is longer than I was before but 2 seconds making it 20 seconds which was the longest I would let it be. However when watching it it doesn't feel that long which I'm happy with as it has a much faster pace. Visual it's more interesting, eye-catching and engaging, making people stay for the full ad. I may be asked to cut it down as some of the frames are just things moving and no information is being given but overall I'm happy with where I am for the next tutorial.  

I then added the new things to my presentation which remind mostly the same but parts were written up to make it look more professional.

I was told that the animation is fine but it might benefit from having the slogan ‘this is why we have this’ in the animation to add another point that ties the billboards and the animation together. The was told the billboards are very giff gaff and fit with the brand well. I was told to maybe turn the box that the slogan sits in into an arrow or something that points to the B corp logo. I was also told that I could maybe circle teh B corp logo with the same paint brush effect to make people really notice it as it's being buried under the rest of the design.I was also told that maybe I could add a headset to one of the people in the customer service billboard to show that its not just about the people giff gaff sell to but also the workers.

Like I predicted they also mention the wording in the service billboard and said it needs to be less corporate and more friendly to fit into the giff gaff brand as at the moment it sounds like i'm trying to sell an idea which I am but I need to make it sound like I’m telling and do this in the same way you would with a friend.

Billboard reflection

These are the final designs for the billboards. I played around with some of the ideas that were put forward too me and only one stuck for me as I think it looked out of place and for some of the billboards it would have gone over the digital noise asset which is something the brand book tells me not to do and as I’d like the billboards to be consistent if it doesn't fit on one it can't be on the others. I think the headset on billboard was a good suggestion and helps me show it's not just about the people that shop there it's the people that also work there. The other two posters benefited from the arrow to point out the b corp logo as it draws the eye to it quicker and I think it brings it out of the design more. I think if I had more time I would have played with the possessions that's why we have this slogan but when I tried it looked strange and due to time I wasn't able to experiment with it more.In full I think these billboards work well and fit into the giff gaff brand well as the rules set out have been followed very closely and as a set they work well.

Insta story reflection

I’m really happy with this outcome as it really fits with the billboards and it also links more to the billboards now with the inclusion of the slogan at the end to round of the whole campaign and have a consistent message throughout. I think its really helped me with developing my after effects skills as its helping me push towards my goal of being a motion graphic designer. I think that some parts could be made a little bit shorter however and this is why we have this on screen a little longer. I also think that the start might be a little bit disconnected to the rest of the animation but overall I’m happy with the final outcome and think its a well rounded part of the animation.  

Presentation reflection

Final presentation outcome

The feedback I was given about my presentation was to remove the key slide as giff gaff will know its own look and feel of the brand. So I removed that as I completely understood where they were coming from and made the powerpoint a bit more straightforward. I was also told to make it make sense on its own so I added text to the pages I spoke over to say the same thing as I would if I was there so then the idea can be put across without me there. I think the power point is still a bit clunky around areas and I would have liked to have the video on it, however everything I tried didn't work. This is a shame as I think it looks more professional with the video on the powerpoint. However I think it does its job of showing off the work and showing how I got to this position. I think it does a good job of letting the work do the talking when it needs to.I think powerpoints will something I work on in the future as I think it could have been polished a little bit more.  

Outcome

I think overall the work I have created for this brief is consistent and fits the company I have made the work for. I think there are definitely areas that could be brushed up on mostly the presentation side of the brief and the animation timing could be cut a little bit shorter even though I like it and it works well as a package it could do with some refinement. I think the billboards also work well in this packaging and all look like they're all for the same campaign. I think the pink billboard could have done with some more refinement especially with the working of it as yes in the final product it’s better however I think it could still be better. In full i think all the work works well in a package as well as separate and is on brand with giff gaffs branding and tone. I also think this project has really helped with the development of my motion graphic skill but has also opened my eyes to the rest of the things I can do in motion graphics which is something I want to explore in the future.  

Project 3

Personal branding

The brief for this project was to create a brand for ourselves as designers. We had to do this and then put it into practice on a website on wordpress. We had to focus on what we want to specialise in and think about what we want to do in the future.

What I want to do

I found when looking at my work I did a lot of motion graphics and the D&AD project was heavily motion graphics based which I enjoyed a lot so I decided to lean into the motion graphics element but also trying to give a hint of graphic design.

I started out by looking at a website called damn. This website was made by a hot damn design.

When looking at this website I was really interested in the style and it had a very striking image at the start. The further you scroll it animates which is very interesting and a fun way to present style and work. However sometimes I get confused about where to click as I don't think it was made clear as it might have been over designed but I think this is just nandos style.

Jon Frickey  

The website of Jon Freickley is really interesting as it's a simple way of showing his work with thumbnails  to get an overview of the project before looking at it. His style is shown and it's a very achievable goal. I think the moving thumbnails work best and help with drawing the eye to different projects making the page more interesting. This is probably the direction I want to take.

I have found that Hannah Jacobs does the same thing and I think that it's a very simple but effective style in showcasing work. I think the way that the description of the work is layed out is very easy to read unlike Nandos and looks very minimal letting the work do the talking which is what a portfolio is all about

Making my visual identity

Styling myself

Once I had a look at these websites I made logos for myself for a pin up crit.

This was the first design and I think it didn't scale well so I made a version that was just the first letters of the three parts. I was told that it isn't giving much of a specific specialism.

This was the logo that Mark (the tutor that took the pin up crit) liked the most as he liked the shape of the letters and thought that it represented my work well. However I thought that yes this gives off the vibe of being an animator but I wanted an animated logo and I didn’t think this would be easy to animate. Also there was one more design that I preferred out of all of them. Also I didn't realise that it was spelt wrong.

This was the logo that I liked the most and I could imagine from lines at the bottom the letters appear / raised up from the ground. I thought it needed to be designed a little bit more to make the animation make more scenes however I think I'm on the right track for the visual identity.  

This is the final design I went with as it works well animated as well as when it's scaled down it looks legible. Also I think it gives off a clean feel and a streamlined design.

I then moved onto the website itself. We did a workshop with one of our lecturers and after this we were told to go away and improve on what we had done in class. I took inspiration from Hannah Jacobs and Jon Freickley and displayed my work in a tight boxed grid  system.

I decided that the about me page needed another animation that went on for longer and didn’t just stop and not loop as I thought it looked unfinished so I created a second animation for the about me page.

I created this animation to make the about me page more interesting. I think that is a good addition. I think that it shows my skills up until this point and I also think it pushes the aspect of motion graphics more as I'm trying to sneak it into everything I do on the website which is true but also helps me develop my skills further.  

Because I was happy with the giff gaff outcomes I decided to add it last minute to my website however I feel like this has dragged the website down as it's not as thought out as the other pages due to how close it was to the deadline.

I decided to remove this from the website as I was having issues with the gif for the thumbnail and the page isn't as considered as I wanted it to be for the final submission.  

Portfolio page for competition brief

Stills from my instagram story

D&AD giff gaff brief

This was a brief that was set out by giff gaff for the D&AD competition to create a set of out of home touch points and an animated or illustrated instagram story telling the story of how giff gaff became a B corp.

I also had to make a portfolio page for print. I used the same grid system as last time to keep consistency between the two pages and dried to put my work at the forefront of the page and have minimal text to let the work breath and it not be encased in text.

Overall I think my personal branding shows what I want it to show and lets people know my skills straight away from looking at my website. I think the logo fits the style of the website and the creation of this has not only helped me with my logo creation but also my aftereffects skills. I want to go into motion graphics and this is a very good learning curve and jumping off point too. I think my skills are shown clearly and my interests are laid out to see. I think that the website could have done with another project there so I could make the layout I really wanted, however I think with just the two I think it still works and shows off what I want people to see of my work.

References  

Contents page

#process book year 2 term 2

[cluelessrebel1988]

If I Ran The Zoo (or how I would plot out an Animorphs TV/streaming series if I had the time/ability/resources)

So this is something I've been kicking around in my head on-again, off-again for a couple years now, and I thought I'd put it out there, just for the lols (do people still say that?)

My thought process is for a 5 season arc, with each season being somewhere in the neighborhood of 13-15 episodes long, give or take. There would be a few changes with the order of things, and a few minor characters would play a bigger role. I'm not going to go episode by episode, but just sort of outline the big arcs for each season. I'm not in any way suggesting that this is the best way to do it, just that this is how I would do it.

Season 1

This season obviously would start the events of The Invasion and would primarily incorporate events/plot points from the first 10 books, including finding Ax in his crashed ship (though I would move that to either take place in the first episode, or in the second half of the two-part premiere), Tobais getting stuck in his hawk form (and getting an episode or two dedicated to him coming to terms with that), and introducing Erik and the Chee (Erik would be introduced as a friend of Marco's early in the season, with his identity as a Chee being revealed in the second half of the season).

The only major plot point from that run of the series I wouldn't put into play just yet is the reveal of Marco's mother as Visser One (although I would be very much establishing her through flashbacks, dreams, etc., so people will recognize her when Visser One does show up).

The main arc of the season would involve the Kandrona Ray and the events of The Stranger, with the team meeting the Ellimist and learning about the ray and its significance and plotting to take it down to try to end/expose the invasion. Erik and Ax tagteam providing info about the ray and its use, but it's the vision from the Ellimist that gives Rachel the final clue, again, as in the book, with that occuring at the end of the penultimate episode. The season finale is solely focused on devising and executing the plan to destroy the ray. The plan would succeed, which would prompt Visser One's return, revealing her host to be Marco's mother as the cliffhanger for the season.

Obviously, we would be exploring the kid's home lives more, with the relationship with their families and friends and the whole 'work-life balance' thing that comes with fighting a guerilla war against an alien invasion. Not to the point where they're having to fake illnesses to skip school every episode, but enough to show that it's putting a strain on their relationships. I would also explore Rachel's relationship with Melissa Chapman more and have Melissa be a bigger supporting character in the show. We'd also introduce Karen and Aftran in this season, revealing her to be a controller early on, but something that Cassie doesn't find out until the end of the season

Season 2

Season 2 would pick up a few weeks after season 1, as The Alien did with The Stranger. The kids learn that their hope that the invasion would reveal itself with the Kandrona ray destroyed were in vain and that Ax knew that. The premiere would largely follow the plot of that book, with the Animorphs attempting to integrate Ax into society and attempting to take the fight to Visser Three with the help of a Yeerk traitor, and Ax telling the others about the Law of Seerow's Kindness. Ax would get a lot of development this season, with the events of The Deception coming into play.

Tobias would help free the Hork-Bajir as in The Change and get his human form back as a morph, and the reveal that he is Elfangor's son would be included in this season as well (Obviously we're tapping into the Andalite Chronicles for flashbacks in at least one episode this season to help set that up).

Marco's main character arc would revolve around learning that his mother is Visser One, keeping it a secret, only to have the others find out later, thus incorporating The Predator and The Escape. Also Visser One is the big bad for the season, delving more into her conflict with Visser Three. The season would end with her supposed death following the Animorphs' thwarting of her plans

For Cassie, we cover the utilize adapted versions of The Departure and set up for The Sickness, with Karen/Aftran and Cassie perhaps getting trapped somewhere and forced to work together to get out of it, laying the groundwork for Aftran to be captured by Visser Three. The season finale would also center around the efforts to rescue Aftran.

Jake and Rachel will have arcs and roles to play in each of these stories as they each start to fall into their respective roles as leader and fighter, respectively. If they get their own arc, it would be around trying to save Tom specifically.

Additionally, Melissa is still around in her expanded role, but with a new friend: David, who would be introduced fairly early in the season in a recurring role (Melissa is also recurring at this point). She and David will have a B-plot where they become friends and are together when David finds the morphing cube, the discovery of which also occurs in the finale.

Season 3

Obviously, the primary source for the main arc of season 3 is the David Trilogy, with The Discovery in particular serving as the source for the season premiere. It plays out mostly the same, with the Animorphs learning that David and Melissa have the cube and plans to sell it online. They try to retrieve the cube before the two of them can attract the attention of the Yeerks, but ultimately fail, leading to the battle at David's house. They manage to get Melissa and David out of the house before they can be captured, and are forced to reveal themselves and tell them what's happening, essentially recruiting them into the Animorphs.

The events of the rest of the trilogy, with the threat to the UN summit or some similar event involving world leaders as a target that they have to keep the Yeerks from taking advantage of -- as well as with David and Melissa's reactions to being Animorphs -- would take up the majority of the plot this season. Obviously Melissa becoming an Animorph opens up some new potential for her arc, especially around her relationship with her dad and trying to come to terms with him being a controller (and the fact that Rachel has been keeping this a secret all along). She and David would have similar arcs around their parents being controllers, but while David ultimately turns against the Animorphs, Melissa does not (although David tries to convince her to). The season ends with the gang trapping David in a rat morph, as the books do.

One of Melissa's major character traits is her interest in technology, something she used to bond with her father over (working together to take things apart and then put them back together before be became a Controller to try to keep her safe) and I imagine her and Ax developing something of an awkward friendship as she tries to ask him about the morphing technology and other Andalite technology, with him being reluctant to share due to the Law of Seerow's Kindness. But, as he's grown closer with the Animorphs, he would eventually acquiesce and they would begin to bond. The two big relationships (Rachel and Tobias, and Cassie and Jake) also take major steps this season

The other major arc for the season involves other Andalites, incorporating The Arrival and The Other, with the reveal that other Andalites are on earth and some are there to help...or are they? The season would also end with Tobias getting captured by the Yeerks to begin the laying of the groundwork for the discovery that the Animorphs are not, in fact, Andalite bandits.

Season 4

The events of The Illusion and The Test would be adapted for the season premiere, including the introduction of the Yeerk resistance (led in this series by Karen/Aftran) and Tobias's capture and torture, with the main difference being that it is Tom (who has largely been a secondary or tertiary villain thus far) being the one who conducts the torture. During the interrogation, Tobias lets something slip that most of the controllers in the room don't pick up on, but Tom does, leading him to investigate and setting up for the finale, which would be largely and adaptation of The Diversion, with the race against time to save their families taking up the majority of the episode. Melissa is able to save her parents, her father proving to be an asset in the final season with his knowledge of how Yeerk technology works.

This season as a whole would focus on escalating the war between the Animorphs and the Yeerks. The stakes become higher, as are tensions following David's betrayal. Visser One returns, learning that Marco is one of the Animorphs and we incorporate the events of Visser, seeing the Animorphs rescue her.

Following Tobias's capture and torture, Rachel becomes more angry and vengeful, setting up for her arc over the final season (we've seen hints of her violent streak over the series up to this point, but it gets more intense this season).

Season 5

With their secret out, the Animorphs regroup in the Hork-Bajir valley and try to figure out their next move. The final arc of the series would play out largely how it does over the course of the final books, with the team recruiting more Animorphs to help them with their mission, and even trying to recruit government and military officials to aid in the fight. Tom gets the morphing cube, adding controllers with the ability to morph (other than the newly appointed Visser One) to the threat against the Animorphs. The final battle would be a multi-pronged attack, with the bombing of the Yeerk Pool being part of the final assault and not a separate battle.

Rachel gets aboard the blade ship and kills Tom before being killed herself. In an effort to make up for the harm he caused, Hedrick Chapman sacrifices himself to both ensure the Yeerk Pool bomb goes off and to save Melissa one final time (the pair of them were in charge of building/detonating it, along with Ax), and Jake orders the flushing of the Yeerk Pool on the the Pool ship, alienating Erek and the rest of the Chee going forward. All of this is in the penultimate episode.

The series finale follows the aftermath of the war in The Beginning, and, as the books did, the series would end with Jake, Tobias, and Marco (and probably Melissa) being recruited to help save Ax from an as-yet unknown threat.

And there you have it, my outline for how an Animorphs series could/should play out. As I said at the start, this is just my idea and others might have different thoughts about what order the arcs should go in and what significant changes (if any) would be made. Please be kind with any criticisms, and if you'd like to share your thoughts with me, my inbox is open. I also did a fancast for the series a few years ago if anyone's curious about who would play who

#animorphs #series outline #just my ramblings #Jake Berenson #Rachel Berenson #Marco #Tobias #aximili esgarrouth isthill #Ax #Cassie #Melissa Chapman #David

[dduane]

...Noodling around with some tests of lighting profiles in Daz Studio, while background-considering the gonna-happen-soon business of recovering the Tale of the Five trilogy for both Ebooks Direct and Amazon. ...This project's been hanging fire for a while, but there's no point in putting it off any longer, even though it'll be a lot of work. Cover styles have changed a lot in the last few years, so it's time these had covers that'll reflect that.

What this means for me is producing four sets of covers, all in different styles, so I can do A/B testing on them at the 'Zon. (Meaning that for four different week-long periods, you publish the books in each of the separate formats and see which two get the best results in terms of sales. Then you give each of the two winners another two-week period and see how those results behave.)

The guide to the various currently-popular cover styles I've been using is this one. (Which isn't a bad one at all; but since the people publishing this page want you to hire them for this kind of work, that's sort of to be expected). Numbers 1, 4 and 9 on their list are the ones that appeal to me or are appropriate. The others either strike me as bad choices for these books, or just annoy me. (#2 in particular. I've seen it well executed, but I've started getting kind of sick of seeing it.)

Meanwhile, for your amusement, here are my current sketches... just to disabuse you of any ideas that they look in any way professional at this point. :) Two versions of the minimalist/object oriented style, and one each of the 3D modeling and the double exposure/burnthrough variant. We'll see what comes out the other end of the process in a month or so. (In fact I may put up a poll here with one book in four versions, and see what the local readership thinks.)

...Meanwhile as regards the topmost image (currently titled "This Is Not A Good Time"): I live in hope that someday I'll get Héalhra's damn mane under control. Daz's dForce utility is very good at handling some material textures and making them respond more like gravity had some actual effect on them. But in this case it's been like fighting ineffectively with a bad perm. (eyeroll) (Also, who here was it that put a pink Hello Kitty bow on him last time I posted an image of him fluffed up like this? It left me giggling for days and now I can't find it...) :)

#Middle Kingdoms meta #cover design #and problems with demigod hair #Freelorn #Héalhra Whitemane

[mysticmonkie]

To start off this place I wanted to share a little summary of my Possessed/Samadhi Fire AU where Macaque gets possessed instead of the host girl and Wukong gains the Samadhi Fire. Please read on below if you're interested!

Note: The art in this may appear inconsistent as it goes back and forth over a year of art and thus my style has fluctuated greatly. At the end of Season 1, Lady Bone Demon still heads down the alleyway, but instead of finding the host girl she slips into the theater, catching Macaque and possessing him as originally planned. Season 2 then has Macaque meeting the spiders in his theater disguise, him still tricking them into gathering powerful artifacts for LBD.

Season 3 is still a hunt for the Rings of Samadhi, but LBD instead creates Rumble and Savage through Macaque to hunt down Wukong and MK. Concepts made for their possessed appearance below:

Wukong soon succeeds in gaining the Samadhi Fire in order to stop a powered up LBD possessed Macaque, but once he ignites the fire within himself he is overwhelmed by nearly 1500 years worth of repressed feelings and trauma, he struggles to control himself. Mixed with deep-rooted Pyrophobia from his time in the Trigram Furnace? He barely has a hold of the S.Fire.

In a panic he begs MK to put him back in the Book of Death to stop himself from burning up reality, letting the S.Fire consume both himself and LBD in the process, thus hoping the S.Fire disappears with his body.

Not too long after Wukong's supposed passing, MK decides to visit Flower-Fruit Mountain, as if to solidify the fact that the Monkey King was indeed gone. He soon becomes surprised to find a panicked Macaque locked in his demon form lying hidden, in wait. In this state Macaque becomes overly protective of MK, not allowing him to leave the safety of Flower-Fruit Mountain or his sight. He does not seem able to talk in this state, only performing various chirps and calls natural to the average macaque monkey. MK quickly learns that he's having a mental breakdown, of sorts, and is mourning the loss of his brother.

Sometime later, after Macaque regains his senses, he and MK manage to travel into the Region of Darkness (Underworld) to get Wukong back. Now Wukong must learn to come to terms with his once hidden inner struggles and accept the fire.

____

...And that's it!

Feel free to ask questions if you have any!

This is my first AU and the feedback would be greatly appreciated!

The AU also has a playlist, for anyone interested!

#lego monkie kid #lmk au #sun wukong #six eared macaque #lmk mk #lady bone demon #monkie kid au #monkey king #lego monkey kid fanart #Kat Kreates #My Art

[hellomynameisbisexual]

"We are challenging people to face their own external and internal biphobia. We are demanding attention. We are redefining 'anything that moves' on our own terms."

So declares the introduction to Anything That Movies, a bisexual zine that ran from 1991 to 2001. Founded by editor and photographer Karla Rossi, Anything That Moves got its name from the stereotype that bisexual people will sleep with "anything that moves," and it sought to redefine these and other assumptions about bi people in its decade-long run. Rossi didn't respond to Mashable's request for comment.

All 22 issues of Anything That Moves are now archived by a group of young bisexual people and allies. Not only does the archive introduce a new generation to a rare instance of bi-focused writing, but it's also shockingly relevant to issues bi people face today.

Discovering the bisexual zine

Snippets of the introduction have circulated the internet in recent years, and they're referred to as the ATM "manifesto" on its website. The words caught the attention of bi writer Kravitz Marshall, but he had never seen other material from the zine.

In 2020, Marshall found the Anything That Moves website, a relic of the early 2000s with an incomplete archive. He then bought issue #16 from Bolerium Books, a source for out-of-print books and material related to social movements. Marshall scanned each page of the issue and uploaded it online for free; he had planned on doing this for all issues of Anything That Moves, but acquaintances on a bisexual Discord server expressed interest in helping. The discussion grew so much that they created a separate server.

"It was the first time I became aware such a thing existed and I became very excited at the thought of finding and reading more copies," said Jo, a bi femme activist who became involved in the project and now helms the archive email.

The group found issue #2 via Reddit, but believed finding all the issues would be a difficult process — until a member of the now-inactive archive server was able to gather PDFs of every issue through her university library.

"It was thrilling and such a relief," Marshall told Mashable, "because had this not happened, we might've had to do it the hard and expensive way."

"It happened so fast," Jo recalled. "I just remember about seven bisexuals, including Krav and myself, putting our heads together to figure out the best way to get our hands on all these copies and how to share them with the rest of the LGBTQ community."

Now, the work of Marshall, Jo, and a group of bi people and allies is gathered in the archive.

Joy and heartbreak of Anything That Moves

Reading through the archive is, personally, an ambivalent experience. Anything That Moves began before I was even born, and I feel kindred reading this decades-old work; it's like reading discussions I've had with bi friends back to me. The articles, reviews, fiction, and poetry in discusses visibility, (non)monogamy, the inclusion of trans people in bisexuality — to name merely a few topics still pertinent today.

Despite the joy of reading this bi-centric work, however, it's telling how little has changed since 1991.

Jo, who grew up in a conservative area, found the zine refreshing and comforting. "Even when you discover/read/watch anything regarding LGBTQ history, it’s very rare for any specific focus to be given to the bisexual community," they said. "Finding Anything That Moves was a shock to my system."

Marshall was touched by the "unfiltered life" within its pages. "There's urgency, there's knowledge, there's joy, there's righteous rage, there's lust," Marshall said, "and you don't have to go searching between the lines for it — it grabs your shoulders and shakes you until you reach the back cover."

Despite the joy of reading this bi-centric work, however, it's telling how little has changed since 1991.

For Jo, the experience of reading Anything That Moves has been both special and heartbreaking. "A lot of the subject matter is stuff that the bi community has been dealing with forever," they said. "The same stereotypes and heterosexism that bisexuals faced nearly thirty years ago are still very prevalent today."

"It really hits you that virtually nothing has changed about the outside perception of bisexuality and bisexuals," Marshall agreed. "Almost every single issue we grapple with now is a hand-me-down."

He pointed to a piece in the inaugural issue called "This Poem Can Be Put Off No Longer" to display his point. Here are the first few stanzas:

The first several stanzas of "This Poem Can Be Put Off No Longer" by Susan Carlton, featured in the first issue of 'Anything That Moves.' Credit: Anything That Moves / Susan Carlton

The poem continues, but the point is clear from the start: Bisexual people aren't believed for who they are. They're belittled and told to "choose a side," that they're bisexual for attention. It's difficult to think that this poem is over 30 years old.

The poem "truly could've been written yesterday... or 50 years ago," said Marshall. "How long do we have to keep screaming the same things to the world over and over until people stop pretending we're speaking another galaxy's language?"

Stigma against bisexuality still persists today, and impacts people's lives: Bisexual people are more likely to be anxious and depressed; they're also more likely to experience intimate partner violence.

The stagnancy of the world's perception of bisexual people infuriates Marshall, he said, but it's imperative to still talk about these issues. "You can't just stop talking about these issues, so you just say the same things, because the world that needs to listen to you refuses to move on. And I'm not a fan of repeating myself," he said. "You just feel like you're going crazy."

The solace of Anything That Moves, however, is that even though progress has been slow, fellow bisexual people can relate to the shared experience detailed in its pages.

"How long do we have to keep screaming the same things to the world over and over until people stop pretending we're speaking another galaxy's language?"

After Jo came out, for example, they internalized that being bi made them "second-rate." They didn't feel welcome in cisheterosexual circles nor LGBTQ circles, a common feeling for bisexual people who feel like they're straddling both. Searching for issues of Anything That Moves, part of bisexual history, helped Jo connect with other bi people. Being able to meet others facing the same issues, and sharing this historical information and searching for more, has made the biggest impact on them and their identity.

"I don't feel as alone as I once did because bisexuals of today wanted to learn more about their bisexual elders," they said.

Those who have found the archive have also felt that connection. The archive team has received waves of emails, messages, and followers — some wanting to help, others thanking them.

"For the most part, people are just delighted to finally get to read the magazine," Marshall said.

Even this positive feedback echoes the sentiment of the time. Readers wrote to Anything That Moves, and some of those letters are published in subsequent issues. "You can see so clearly how life-changing these publications were to some people," Marshall said, "so thank God it was brought to the world."

"It's something I definitely needed when I was a closeted, bisexual teenager."

The archive has helped current bi readers ground in their bisexuality, Jo said. The archivists even connected with some former Anything That Moves editors, who discovered them through the project. "I'm just happy we got a chance to say thank you for everything they left for us to discover," Jo said.

There's still work to be done for the archive, like transcriptions for easier reading and sharing. Some people involved even planned on making an original virtual bi zine, Marshall said, but due to personal commitments, the idea fizzled out within months.

"I still hope it'll exist one day," Marshall said. "If by some miracle the future grants me that wish, I won't reveal its title, but I find it pleasantly cheeky."

For now, of course, there's nearly two-dozen issues of Anything That Moves. Jo believes the zine is a gift.

"I want to be able to share this gift with anyone else who may need it," they said. "It's something I definitely needed when I was a closeted, bisexual teenager."

#bisexuality #bisexual community #lgbtq community #lgbtq #bi #support bisexuality #lgbtq pride #pride #bi tumblr #bisexuality is valid #bisexual #bi pride #bisexual nation #bisexual pride #bisexual education #bisexual youth #support bisexual people #bisexual men #respect bisexual people #bisexual rights #magazine #bisexual woman #bisexual people

[nanowrimo]

10 Tips for Developing a Daily Writing Practice

Every year, we’re lucky to have great sponsors for our nonprofit events. Scrivener, a 2023 Camp NaNoWriMo sponsor, is an award-winning writing app designed to help you get writing and keep writing. Here, Scrivener user and first time Camper, Bookstagrammer, aspiring author, and visual storyteller Yeldah Yousfi shares her tips on how to write consistently:

Writing consistently is one of the most important habits to cultivate if you want to become a better writer and reach your Camp NaNoWriMo target. However, while developing a habit of daily writing practice is useful for exercising your writing skills, it can be difficult to maintain.

Here are ten tips that I personally use for developing a habit of writing consistently every day:

1. Set a schedule. 

One of the most important steps to developing a consistent writing habit is to set a schedule. Set aside a specific time every day that you can dedicate to writing—even if you just try this during Camp. This will help you to make writing a routine part of your day, and it will also make it easier to stay motivated and avoid procrastination.

2. Create a writing space.

It’s important to have a designated space that is comfortable and conducive to writing. This could be a home office, a library, or even a cafe. Whatever you choose, make sure it is comfortable and free of distractions so that you can focus on your writing.

3. Track your progress.

Keeping track of your writing progress can help keep you motivated and on track. This could be as simple as making a checklist of goals for each day or tracking your word count so you can see how much you’ve written each day. 

4. Set achievable goals.

Having realistic goals is essential for staying motivated. It’s best to set smaller goals that are achievable in the short-term, such as writing 500 words a day, rather than trying to tackle a huge project all at once.

5. Take breaks.

Taking breaks (no matter how short) can help you stay focused, energized, and allows for the mind to rest and to process the material that was just written. Taking a short break every two hours or so will help you to stay productive and prevent burnout. Walking outside always makes me feel better, and I find it helps generate more ideas.

6. Read, read, read.

One of the best ways to become a better writer is to read, especially reading books in the genre you are writing in. Reading helps to open the mind to new ideas, concepts, and possibilities. You can also use the work of other authors to learn more about the craft of writing and to help you come up with ideas for your own work.

7. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes.

Making mistakes is a part of the writing process. When you start writing, keep writing, even if it’s only for ten minutes. It probably won’t be perfect (or even good if it’s your first-time writing), but that’s okay—the more you write, the better you will become. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes and learn from them as you go.

8. Have a support system and a writing partner.

Having a support system that you can reply on can be a great help in staying motivated and on track with your daily writing goals. This could be a friend or family member, or pick a Camp Counselor or writing group from the Camp forums. They can provide encouragement and help to keep you accountable. Additionally, having someone who is willing to read and give feedback on pieces of writing can be invaluable. 

9. Reward yourself.

Celebrate your successes and reward yourself for your progress. Whether it’s a special treat or just a pat on the back, make sure to recognize your achievements and reward yourself for reaching your goals.

10. Take it one step at a time.

Writing is a process, and it takes time to develop a consistent writing habit. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t make progress right away. Just keep going and take it one step at a time.

Developing a consistent writing habit is essential for improving your writing skills and becoming a better writer. By following these ten tips, you can develop a habit of writing every day and make it a routine part of your life. Try it through July and see!

Yeldah Yousfi is a reader, aspiring author and visual storyteller. Check out Yeldah’s Instagram.

Top photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on Unsplash.  

#nanowrimo #camp nanowrimo #writing #writing tips #writer's life #by nano sponsor #scrivener #yeldah yousfi

[prince-kallisto]

NRC Trial Admission

WHAT WHAT WHAT?!?!?! ANXJZJSBXHDJDJ did anyone else know about the “Trial Admission” on the Twisted Wonderland website?? 😭😭😭 it’s essentially a random sorting into a dorm (no quiz no nothing, just purely randomized), with voicelines from Crowley and the 7 dorm leaders. (Here is also a video recording if for some reason you cannot access the TWST website yourself!)

First of all- CROWLEY VOICELINES I DIDNT KNOW ABOUT 😭 This Trial Admission was released 2 years ago on the Twst EN website, which likely implies that this Trial Admission has also been available on the JP side for 4 years since the beginning of the game’s release- or perhaps even before that as an interactive feature to stir up hype. The 7 dorm leaders introduce themselves, and their live 2D models and poses are on full display.

But the clip above that I selected SHOCKED ME HELPP 😭😭😭 Okay, let me break down the parts I wanted to talk about one by one.

Crowley says to “hold it [the invitation] up to the light.” Crowley…this is a pit of darkness. Yet he says to hold it UP to the LIGHT. ITS A PIT OF DARKNESS??? Crowley, how do you see the world, exactly if this is what light is to you?? Also, I brightened up the background as much as I could, but does anyone know what this actually is? My first though was that is resembles crumbling rocks, which I associate with the Phantom!Grim in the Prologue. But it also looks like broken glass shards, and we are looking into what’s left of the mirror inside? The green fire looks A LOT like both the Dark Mirror fire and Draconian fire. The fire looks like it’s leaking out from the remnants inside the mirror…is this foreshadowing?? Was whoever inside the mirror let out?

The invitation itself is also in pure black and white, to the point it’s even glowing. I wonder if this was a reference to the countdown art with Crowley, where he is the only character in the countdown series to be shown in glowing monochrome black and white.

BUT THEN!! When the invitation is “held up to the light,” there is ripples like there’s water inside- which honestly resembles blot. The ripples also look a bit like the start to Yuu’s dreams. And then the center of the invitation, which is NRCs logo AND a symbol heavily associated with Crowley in regards to the raven and keys, glows a bright blue. This shade of blue seems a bit random, doesn’t it? But to me, it heavily resembles the blue from Ignihyde and Styx….especially within the Lechesis System.

AHXIZJDHCJDB BUT I WAS SHOOK AT THIS?? THE INVITATION GLITCHES, ENTIRELY IN GREEN…in the recent Book 7 update, Malleus had a sudden “glitch” where the screen had a slight overlay in green, and Ortho describes it like a frozen CPU stuck in processing. This heavily resembles Yuu’s dreams/flashbacks, especially when these flashbacks happen when they’re awake. WHY THE GLITCH?? CROWLEY???

Crowley can also use his own magic to assign you to a dorm,,,I want to talk more about that later but the invitation is my focus right now. Also, many apologies I couldn’t include it in the above video (tumblr dislikes it when I try to upload longer video lmao) but the invitation then shows an image of a keyhole that connects to the gates of Night Raven College. It’s very Alice in Wonderland, with a keyhole literally leading to the entire Wonderland (also very Kingdom Hearts with the keyhole being the “heart” of the world), but…in the invitation, the keyhole is right where the hand in mirror would be in that art. Whoever’s hand is in that mirror is being suggested to be like a keyhole to this world…or even the “heart” of the world in KH terms.

It’s really uncertain of how far in story development Twisted Wonderland actually was when the game released. There’s some rumors that Book 2 for example, was originally a Book 6 and switched around last minute. But the bright blue color, the green *glitching*? In the first three books of the game, which was what TWST first dropped with, there was no glitching effect. The glitching in Yuu’s dreams are a much later thing I think, such as in Book 7, or at the very least, *not* an effect shown in the first three books. Crowley’s role in the story and the hand in the mirror do seem to have their roles cemented from the beginning though, considering how purposefully mysterious they are. So what is the purpose of the green glitch exactly? 👀

The Lechesis System and Malleus’s powers…a keyhole to a world. They are all both heavily associated with the creation of their own worlds. I feel very unsettled by this Trial Admission- I had no idea it existed until now but there’s a lot in it now looking back after four years of this game existing! (*ﾟ▽ﾟ*)

#it is midnight and I’m not mentally ready to process what is happening here BAHXJSJD #twst analysis #twisted wonderland #twst #dire crowley #twst dire crowley #twst malleus #kallistopost #long post