#story: ebb and flow

[forabeatofadrum]

Klaine 3-2-1 Prompt Bang Fic: Ebb & Flow

Author: @forabeatofadrum

Artist: @catb0ycore

Prompt Provided by: @quizasvivamos

Pairing(s): Kurt Hummel/Blaine Anderson

Rating: G

Word Count: 29.513 

Characters: Kurt Hummel, Blaine Anderson, Wes Montgomery, Thad Hardwood, David Thompson, Avalon Chanthara (OC), Cooper Anderson, Mr. Anderson

Summary: Blaine Anderson is yet another anonymous New Yorker who's trying to get a job in the entertainment industry. His days are filled with auditions, bleak subway rides, piano lessons, and complaining about his annoying next-door-neighbour. But Blaine has a secret that he cannot share with his other friends: he dreams of playing competitive Splatoon 2. He already has a hard time justifying this music degree, so he doesn't need to add an interest in eSports to that. That's why the only person who knows about this, is yet another stranger on the internet named Kurt. The two met in an LGBT Splatoon 2 Discord and became fast friends. Little do they know that they also know each other offline.

Genre/Tropes: Enemies to Lovers, Hidden Identities, Mutual Pining, Video Games

Warnings: Past character death, grief (slightly)

Author’s Notes: Welcome to Ebb & Flow, my fic for @the-lima-bean‘s Klaine 3-2-1 Prompt Bang Fest, my first ever fest. It was quite an experience but in the end I am happy with how it turned out, especially with the amazing art by Judas @catb0ycore​. The moment I saw the original prompt, I was inspired to use a very niche interest of mine for a Klaine fic and here we are, so thank you Beth @quizasvivamos for the inspiration. 

If you are reading this and you’re thinking “huh, what is this Splatoon gibberish even about?” then here is a handy spoiler-free Glossary of Splatoon 2.

Enjoy.

Read on AO3 | Read on S&C | Read on Tumblr

Additional artwork under cut and in the respective chapter.

#klaine #glee #klaine 321 prompt bang #Klaine321promptbang2022 #k321pb2022 #multichaptered #2022 #holy fuck I wrote #story: ebb and flow #masterpost #sorta #i mean the only extra is the glossary

[wildmelon]

isn't it interesting which characters/ocs you fixate on based on what you're going through...

#spent the past month obsessed with daphne + persephone #if u couldn't tell lmfao #but yeah with IF the brainrot ebbs and flows for me #so when i become re-fixated it's usually for some reason... #with persephone i'm really interested in the way she balances extreme emotions with joy #she's sensitive and in tune with her emotions but obviously starts the story in painful/angering circumstances #so the way she allows herself to feel the full range of her emotions without shame has been on my mind #+ springtime being a balance of storm and sun etc etc #and w daphne it's the way she's constantly deflecting #she's so so vulnerable all the time #like mentally vulnerable and she can't control it #and so like what do you do when being vulnerable has to be part of life but it's so uncomfortable #anyway rambling now #just like how we find different things interesting ab chars and ocs depending on what we're thinking about #lush.talk

[mattastr0phic]

Could you explain tally? I was under the assumption he was dead and brain can’t compute the file 😔

There's a lot more information about Tally in the Like Clockwork series! In extremely short summary, it follows Talloran as they're engulfed in 3999's torture, forcing them to spiral through the events of their own life and process themself as a person, eventually escaping(?) the entity.

It's not the best summary, because it's 4 something am and my night's been rough, but if you're fine with the content warnings I absolutely recommend giving it a read.

#It's so pretty in the same sort of fluid understanding way you can appreciate the ebb and flow of growth and decay in nature #and I absolutely love those depictions of self discovery and gender #because there can be so much pain and confusion in that #but that's what the story is #processing it all #tally is nonbinary btw #and transfem iirc #inbox #scp inbox #researcher talloran #scp #scp foundation

[cats-of-eden-valley]

so I'm actually going the full nine yards and including info about who mentored who and im coming out with even more interesting dynamics from it

#it might seem like overkill but man i just want the relationships at play #to be as well developed as i can #because i just feel like its key to the sorta insular culture the story takes place in #EVERYONE has a motive. everyone has a voice. because there's very few members within the factions #(like the population of the valley and the surrounding area is something like. 500 ish individuals) #(with a constant ebb and flow of immigrating and emigrating individuals to somewhat refresh the pop.) #So a single person has so much more power and effect in the setting

[dallonwrites]

did not write as much as i liked today but i made the playlist for the nanowrimo 2023 project that has a specific order to reflect the tones of the story and that's the closest i get to outlining before a draft so

#idk how to explain this from a I Dont Actually Outline Before Drafting Usually POV but #making playlists with a specific order feels like the first layer to understanding a narrative bc its like i can hear the tone of it unfold #i dont need to know what it will look like on page but i can look at a playlists body #and it feels like i can see the ebbs and flows of the narrative's tone/vibes/etc. the emotional movement #which for the type of stories i write that helps a lot LOL #making playlists that way kind of feels like ive put the story into a heart monitor. its not showing me all the vitals but its showing me #the movement of the story's core #OKAY WAITTT i think the best way to explain it is #i'm a very vibe driven writer but also vibes are very sensory to me #when i make a playlist its not just songs that remind me of the wip its songs that SOUND like the wip to me #i have a very deep sensory relationship to stories + sensory things connect me to the Vibes #and the more familiar i am with the Vibes of a story the easier it is for me to enter the story and then figure out what actually happens #which is why i prefer to discovery write most of the time bc being deep in the story like that #feels like a similar level of immersion that i get from things like playlists #PERSONALLY! #so when i make playlists in a specific order the songs usually group themselves together and it feels like i can hear how the story moves #through those groups without knowing what the events look like yet #playlists and moodboards etc are literally integral to me because stories usually start very abstract/vibey in my brain #rather than a clear idea and i need something more tangible/sensory to flesh it out

[empty-blog-for-lurking]

Me again! I'm curious, does Kuron ever change his name?

Yes!!! In fact if this au were to be a story a big part of Kuron's arc would have been him trying to find his own name. At first he would have started calling himself as "Kuron" cause 1) It is similar to Kuro which is opposite to Shiro. 2) Kuron is rather protective of his status as a clone. Like had he got this revealed to him without the entire possession + merger thing then yeah he would have certainly had issues with it, but Kuron of this au has this weird relationship with it where he loathes being a clone and what it had done to him but also this is His, he didnt deserve to be treated like this just because he is a clone and anyone who has problem with it can suck it

Eventually however he would realize that he is still letting others influence and thus define him. After like idk a mental breakdown, some more self reflection and conversations and some other shit, he would choose a different name, his own name that defines him, for himself and is for himself. A name i havent decided on yet but one day i will

#If this au were a story Kuron's arc would be like- #'anger as a cathartic emotion' #'anger as a symbol of self love' #''Anger as this all consuming force that exhaust you to your core' #'Anger as an armour that protected you from the worst but now that you are safe it lies heavy on your shoulders' #'Anger as a coping mechanism but now it is ok to let go and heal' #'Anger that still ebbs and flows in you but there is also so much more to you' #And just hpufiyd8tsitcho #kuron voltron #vld kuron #kuron #voltron legendary defender #Thank you so much for the ask!!!! I really loved it #empty thoughts #empty answers

[bombontheevilcat]

ok ik fire emblem plots ain't a masterclass in any sort of writing but some people really be out here pulling the wool over their eyes to convince people that "umm actually the stories were always bad", when in fact most are just solid fun?? like going in with no expectations I've enjoyed most of the fe plots i've played through.

though of course some (actually really just one) of them are informed by nostalgia; i.e sacred stones, still a super great villain though but like they and their relationship with the protags are the only thing carrying the plot. i'm talking moreso pre-3ds era (not because "that's when the stories got bad") but those pre-titles are the ones going under scrutiny this time.

and i don't have anything against Engage (no i do actually) cuz they still have some great supports that remind me of the GBA games; having a good balance between comedy/sincerity most of the time (though a few characters do suffer from heavier* flanderization than others, really do need to shave down some of the retainers i'm just saying). BUT BUT the story is actually a TURD

-----ok hyperbolic but it's less interesting than staring at water running from a faucet at times. maybe that's my maladaptive daydreaming speaking.

i can take simple, non-serious or basic stories but uhh even hearing about some of the endgame lore, HAHA you thought. it was not what i would have expected from the dev interview where they wanted the story to take a backseat to forward the gameplay. nah this has clearly been rewritten to some degree of care to take up your time <i'd say waste honestly cuz damn these character DON*T know how to be poignant with their post-chapter dialogue half of the time, they REALLY like talking; the switch going into sleep mode ain't a joke in the later stages :sob: > HECK it's even working against the game at times, the mid chapters where you had to fight the same two people from the bad dragons like, I KID YOU NOT, 4 TIMES in a row 😭😭😭, that ain't interesting it doesn't build character just shove some midbosses in there already.

honestly if it just had a more campy and self aware pizazz (and cut back on some dialogue length) i would have eaten up the talk no jutsu of every dang hq cutscene. that would have been fine (if a bit rude maybe?) for a celebration title and that's the bare minimum honestly. it was such an opportunity as well i mean come on this is the series that as recycled its plot for like over half of its titles with some sort of bad dragon(s) and a dark (insane) sorcerer ⚰️⚰️⚰️ YMMV

i didn't even get to the emblems and my big thoughts on those and their integration. but honestly it's just the engage core represented in a smaller package. Emblem Gameplay=Good, Emblem Story=Meh/Bad (especially in the context of it being a celebration title) (why are my favorites done so dirty!!! Micaiah ;;; Eirika and Ephraim ;;;, Ike is great tho, he's just a dood, a goober, and he deserves it)

#fire emblem #fire emblem engage #fire emblem engage spoilers #my favorite moment is the one where diamant explains to sigurd that fire magic scares him cuz he burned himself badly as a child #and sigurd just goes “haha same i watched all my allies and family die by fire magic in a betrayal by my bfff” #like babygirl that trauma ain't needed now dont upstage ya' boy in with ur fe4 levels of traumatic #and also ur mom talking for 5 minutes as she lie dying and literally not saying anything but vague nonsense #and it's just like mostly inaccurate you find out JUST the scene after--- or its hinting at later plot twists #that arent really plot twists--- babe you cant really execute it like that and take yourself seriously the ebb and flow is all off #i tried taking a camp approach to it but everything was just too DRY at that point for me to enjoy it as camp which is so ironic #my final score is : take or leave the supports and ignore the story at least after you lose your rings #ok but literally why is eirika/ephraim not a dual ring like chrobin??? it just makes sense but for some reason we only see butchered eirika #bombonwastherereadytocry

[psalmsofpsychosis]

hello i love Cal's duel with his master in Kujet' Tomb as much as the next person, it's his moment of reliving his trauma so he can once again stand to make choices, his own choices this time, maybe sightly different ones, BUT. My fav scene out of the entire sequence has got to be when he stumbles out of the palace completely disoriented and bumps right into Malicos. It's got to be one of the smartest narratives in the game, because you see, the story tells you "here is grief. and here is what can happen." First comes Cal, who is utterly lost and aimless at this moment, disconnected from his past and his future. Then comes Malicos; who in face of grief and pain chose rage and violence.

And then appears Merrin, who in the face of grief, chose overattachment and stagnance. There's no answer between the three of these characters at this point of narrative, dissociation does not offer true relief from pain, but neither does resorting to rage, or rotting alongside your past in stagnance. But Cal has to see this, has to see all the faces of grief crumbling at his feet, so he can actually be ready for the fourth way Cere offers him: acceptance.

And he can only take this lesson from the guiltiest of them all, no less; it wouldn't do to have anyone other than Cere to tell Cal that the only way through grief is acknowledgement and acceptance. It has to be Cere who tells Cal "This also. But this grief is not all there is; there's more to your story but you have to make your own way."

#today in God I Love Jedi Fallen Order So Damn Much #for real Cere was THE ONLY trustworthy person to deliver this and it's p r e c i s e l y because she's not a pure dainty character #like the very experience that made her a fucked up woman is what makes her reliable and knowledgeable #i love how much of Cere's journey we can intrepret solely through how she mentors Cal #like you truly see the ebbs and flows of her characterization when she's there for Cal and carries him #and in a way she carries herself #anyway love and adoration on planet earth #jfo is such sturdy good story #star wars jedi: fallen order #jedi: fallen order #jfo

[formless-entity]

the most consistent character ive drawn ever

#traditional art #Ace #with that said you probably wont see these reoccuring characters for a long while #back to drawing random ideas/things with no context or story #gotta go with the ebb n flow #they might show up again but they wont be the focus anymore #theyve overstayed their welcome for my interest and attention span #CurrentDay-Ace

[forabeatofadrum]

Splatoon 2 Basic Glossary

So, you just started reading Ebb & Flow and you have no idea what the fuck Splatoon 2 is? Well, you’re in luck, because here is a handy rundown of basic Splatoon 2 knowledge!

Thank you for reading Ebb & Flow! Enjoy!

What is Splatoon 2?

Splatoon 2 is the sequel to the Wii U game Splatoon. Yes, a creative title, but we can forgive Nintendo for it, since the quality of the game makes up for it. The game got released on July 21st 2017 for the Nintendo Switch family (as in Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch Lite and Nintendo Switch OLED). It’s Nintendo’s version of a 3rd person post-apocalyptic shooter game, but without the gruesomeness of a usual post-apocalyptic shooter. After all, Nintendo needs to retain its family friendly brand!

So instead of a war-like shooting game, this game is all about ink! Squid ink, to be more specific. You play as a squid-like character (called Inklings) and you use several weapons to shoot/distribute colourful ink. You are bound to the colour of the ink. You can shoot and store your colour and also swim in it to make speed or to refill your ink tank. If you are in the enemy’s colour ink, you get hurt and if an enemy shoots you with the other colour, you get “splatted” and you need to respawn.

(Fun fact, the initial concept was tofu characters instead of sea creatures!)

Basically, there are different ways to play it. Most of them get mentioned in the fic, but you don’t actually need to know a lot about it. I do namedrop things, hence this glossary, but I don’t go super in-depth about the gameplay. (Or so I think.)

There is a single player story mode. This is a classic RPG where you traverse through levels and beat bosses. This one does not get mentioned in the fic, since it’s a solo thing.

Salmon Run. Here you pair up with 3 other people to defeat a bunch of rouge Salmon-like enemies (Salmonids) who want to steal Golden Eggs. It’s basically Splatoon 2′s version of an shoot out where you have to defeat zombies or something. This doesn’t get mentioned either, which is a shame, since this is my favourite mode.

Turf Wars. Two teams of 4 vs. 4 have to cover as much ink of a stage as possible. The team that inks the most, wins. Kurt and Blaine play this for Splatfests (we’ll get to those).

Tower Control / Clam Blitz / Rainmaker / Splat Zones. These are four game modes where two teams of 4 vs. 4 have to fight against each other in a certain mini game. Tower Control needs you to ride a tower to the enemy’s base. Clam Blitz is, I suppose, some sort of basketball. Rainmaker needs you to transport a weapon to the enemy’s base. Splat Zones need you to cover a specific zone with ink for the longest time. You can play these as Ranked Battles and League Battles. Kurt and Blaine play a lot of League Battles, since you can choose your team or duo. These game modes alternate each other. There’s always one in Ranked and one in League and it changes every 2 hours.

Octo Expansion. Another extra single player mode. Only gets mentioned once in passing.

What is Splatoon 2 even about?

I redirect you to this nice video. 

You don’t really need the storyline of the game for the fic, since that’s in the single player story mode and Kurt and Blaine don’t play that in the fic, but if you’re interested, you should give it a watch. Beware of spoilers, though!

Splatfests

A Splatfest is a special event that happened every month. Players can choose between two choices in a category (Chicken vs. Egg, Ketchup vs. Mayo, Dog vs. Cat etc.) and then those two groups battle in Turf Wars to see which side has won. A special stage is made for each Splatfest and you get extra gear. The two Off the Hook hosts (we’ll get there) represent a side. It is always seen as a big in-game party with the Off the Hook hosts giving a concert wearing specific outfits. Player characters dance around and wave banners with player-made art etc. It’s honestly pretty fun.

The Splatfests mentioned in Ebb & Flow were real, and I used them to keep track of the timeline. You can see an overview of all Splatfests here.

Weapons, gear, stages

Don’t worry about these! I name dropped them for fun. I did put some thought in what weapons they’d use for each game mode (i.e. Kurt’s Carbon Roller is definitely for Turf Wars only), but it doesn’t really impact the story. 

Each weapon has a main weapon, a sub weapon and a special weapon. The main weapon is what it says on the tin, a sub weapon is an extra thing like bombs, and a special is a big game changer that needs to be charged during the game. So when the fic mentions things like the Baller or Tenta Missles etc., those are special weapons. That’s all you gotta know, I guess.

I put zero (0) thought in what gear Kurt and Blaine wear. Gear is, in gamer language, the armour. It brings extra stats and abilities, but I stopped myself from losing myself into the world of Splatoon 2 gear, especially since I am like Kurt and I use the gear for aesthetics only. I have no clue what abilities etc. are out there. I did a bit of research for this fic, but that’s it and I didn’t really put it in the story anyway. All you need to know is that in the Splatoon series, there are a lot of in-universe brands and Kurt, as a fashion lover, likes this extra layer to gear.

Stages are where the games take place. I often picked the stages that were actually happening at the time of writing. All you need to know is that stages change periodically, which is why Kurt and Blaine sometimes wait for a certain stage. Current stages with its accompanying game mode always get announced when you start the game, which leads to...

Off the Hook

An unskippable intro! It happens every time you start the game. It’s a TV show format and the two hosts Pearl and Marina announce the stages, whether Grizzco is open for Salmon Run, and extra news like patches or upcoming Splatfests. Kurt loves reading the news every time (as do I). Blaine wishes he could do without. Boo, Blaine, boo!

Competitive Splatoon 2

It is quite funny that so much about this fic is about Competitive Splatoon 2, since it is actually quite difficult to learn about it if you’re not part of this world. And I am not part of this world. Kurt’s probably a better player than I am. 

Basically, like other Nintendo games, it is possible to play Splatoon 2 as an eSport. You create a team and start to train. Like I said, I don’t know enough on how you can get to a competition, but there are big and small tournaments, with the biggest one being hosted by Nintendo itself: the World Championship. There, teams from Asia, Europe, North-America and Oceania are fighting for the title of World Champion.

If you are reading this right at the beginning of Ebb & Flow, then here is a small spoiler for you. I know I said it was going to be spoiler-free, but alas, have this. Blaine has tickets for the World Championship of 2018. This too was a real event. The semi-finale and finale are on YouTube. The finale is here:

You can watch this if you want to know what a game looks like. When you do, skip to 29:09 to see one of the best plays ever!!! I did actually write some plays from competitions into the fic.

The music

Yeah, so, the music of this game is amazing on its own and one of the reasons it works so well is because there is an in-universe explanation for why the music is like this. There are multiple styles, because there are multiple in-universe bands. Ink Theory does experimental jazz, Diss-Pair loves adding EDM and metal elements to their songs, Chirpy Chips live up to their name with chiptune music, Bottom Feeders mix pop rock with sea shanties, ω-3 does whatever the fuck they’re doing, and so on, and so on.

And yes, I will point this out in the actual fic, because I don’t even know much about music, but Blaine does, and I assume he has an absolute field day with all this information.

Anyway, my favourite band is Wet Floor. Stan Wet Floor.

Oh and remember Off the Hook? They are also a girl group. One of their songs, Ebb and Flow, is the inspiration behind the title.

I listened a lot to the soundtrack while writing it. It’s really upbeat and if there’s some singing, it’s in a made-up squid language. Nintendo is aware of the music’s popularity. As a result it even hosts hologram concerts for Off the Hook and the Squid Sisters (the hosts from the first Splatoon game).

This particular concert even has K.K. Slider from Animal Crossing as an opening act!

Why Splatoon 2?

Why indeed. All I can say is that I love this game a lot and I saw reasons for Kurt and Blaine to like it. It’s a fun game and I think a lot of people will enjoy it. The music and gear felt like an added bonus. And to be honest, should there be a reason? I just thought to myself “what if Kurt and Blaine meet through Splatoon 2?” and here we are.

I didn’t pick the first Splatoon since I never played it, and Splatoon 3 only got announced last year and it’ll be released in September 2022. Oh, and like I mentioned, all the events mentioned are real, so Splatoon 2 also made the most sense for a fic set in 2018. Splatoon 2 got updated a lot in its 5 year lifespan, so I did have to let go of some game things that weren’t out yet in the time the fic takes place (one day, Kurt will get a Kensa Splatterscope), but again, you don’t need to know that for the fic.

So why Splatoon 2?

Why not.

I hope you enjoy!

#story extras #klaine 321 prompt bang #Klaine321promptbang2022 #k321pb2022 #story: ebb and flow #INKOMING!

[definegirlfriends]

.

#saw mp for the second time tonight #overall my thoughts didn’t change much from the first watch #I think it is a wonderfully done film #it is simplistically beautiful #the characters especially patrick feel wonderfully complex while still feeling attainable #they tell the story differently in the book but I love the way the movie tells it as well #especially the cut back scenes so you see the patrick and tom angle after seeing the tom and marion angle for the first portion #the cinematography is absolutely beautiful and the color grading is superb #the way marion and tom are always in cooler light or an almost chilly ambiance versus patrick and tom even sometimes with marion it’s all #warm light and flushed cheeky and comfort #and the score ! is unreal #the way the music ebbs and flows with conflict or cuts out entirely in moments of pure vulnerability so all you’re left with is #a puff of breath or a scratch of fabric #it’s beautiful #I obviously think harry is wonderful but david and emma are phenomenal in their roles #and linus plays a fabulous older tom to the way he speaks to the mannerisms it’s just beyond #I think this movie is important in its simplicity #it comments on the time period while not making it feel like a period piece or some huge statement #I genuinely genuinely think it’s a perfect comfort film #rainy day slightly sad feeling lost needing hope whatever it is you’re searching for I think you can find a piece of it in this film #next bit i’m gonna talk a little spoilery so don’t read if you don’t want but ! #I really found myself appreciating marion’s final scene so much more the second time where earlier in the movie when they’re singing in the #car and she sticks her hand out the window and the end is a continuation of that as she’s racing away from the sea is really beautiful #donttttt even get me started on patrick and toms last scene my theatre tonight was even quieter than the first time I saw it but the #collective gasp half sob half sigh of relief of hope of sadness of happiness that filled the room #makes me so so so glad I saw it in theatres as much as an audience can sometimes be more annoying than great I think that moment made it #it’s not a blow your mind holy hell type of movie but it’s an important film I think #and most importantly I can see it withstanding the ultimate test of time #I think everyone should see it and better yet in a theater if you’re able but it’s a movie I will definitely find myself watching again #and again in the future 🤍

[finalxfayth]

     Hihihihi, sorry I haven’t been around here to start threads-- I mean, you all know where I’ve been...

Even though this blog is low activity, Id still really like to plot some things with people, so feel free to shoot me a message or IM here, or place an ask in the box. I’ll get to them!

#+ OOC #my jecht muse ebbs and flows like the ocean he lives in #he also goes quiet when @lxminality is out of commission #@lxminality's auron is really important to my jechts story and background #we made up so much dumb lore its great #so thats also why ive been absent : )

[katmasteryoda]

Cosmic bombardment

Gentle music

feeds on algae

strong forefins

took millions of years

The last galapagos turtle

lumbers up the shoreline

towards camera

like Norma Desmond

clamoring for another

close-up before she's washed

upon the shore

We love our land

as we crawl from

the infinite sea

camouflaged as leaves

in the wind,

eyes full circle,

three-dimensional distance

to their prey

and she kept

laughing

-invisible

by chartres nostrawl

#musebunker #dark energy #doom'd #creative #ebb and flow #gravity #my comicbook story #the matrix #comic book story #narrative blank #readingthewater #intelligent design #truth commission

[deadsetobsessions]

Tim Drake, Danny’s human identity in this universe, is a boy trapped in an empty manor with absentee parents a low socialization.

Danny Phantom, on the other hand, is Gotham City himself. He could fly, he could interact, he could be the heart of his city like he needs to be. From the lowest of the lows to the highest of the highs, Danny loved the people that were his. Well, most of them. Child molesters often found themselves crossing paths with a vengeful, mostly recovered Robin.

He is the city, he is Gotham. And with his status came more changes, ones he welcomes more readily that the changes that came with his title of Ghost King.

Being a city couldn’t change him as much as it would have, had he gained the title before becoming King. But now, his shadows are dark, curling around his shoulders and curling away what little light he allowed into his city. His skin, having once glittered green with stars and galaxies and black holes, clouds over just a bit. It gives him a misty quality. His hands become sharper, stronger. Gargoyle-like. He wonders what he looked like to Batman, holding his broken son cradled safely to himself. He’s crueler, now, but that’s easily balanced by his years of being a vigilante himself.

He loves these changes. They are loved in a way changing into Dead Danny Phantom and Ghost King Danny Phantom will never be loved. And even though his human features are different in a way he never had to deal with as Danny Fenton, because it was his body that he died in, Danny finds himself enjoying the distinction. And he enjoys when they combine, because in the end, they’re just facets of who he is, now.

Gotham flies through his city, and enjoys it as a whole. A bigger picture.

Tim Drake walks through his city, and enjoys it as an individual. The smaller picture.

Being Gotham reminds him of what he had to protect as a whole. A duty he gladly bears.

Being Tim reminds him of the people he’s meant to help, the stories he doesn’t get as Danny. A connection he gladly encouraged.

Gotham is power. He is duty, he is fierce love. But for the good of the whole.

Tim is kindness. He is choice, he is gentle devotion. But for the good of the individual.

He’s both.

Danny. Danny Phantom.

Phantom glides through the smog.

The ebb and flow of people is his life blood, the thrumming of life and death and fear and hate and love and everything the city is sung through him and Danny sung back with everything he had. Danny is the gargoyles perched high, watching everything. He’s the stone curves of the sewers, sheltering his rats and mutant murderous crocodile man. The is no love comparable to a city’s mutant rats and their sewers. Ancients, he loves his city.

It would be nice, Danny thinks wryly, if they’d love me enough to stop blowing up buildings.

The sting of destruction to his city would hurt much more, had he not also been King. Regardless, every time there’s an explosion or general large scale property damage, he feels a stab of mild pain. Catching sight of his Bats, Danny stays invisible while following them. He wills the shadows to cradle them, to hide them further. He softens the stone, the mortar, the steel, just a hint. Their footsteps, silent and aided by the city himself. The wind steal away the noise of the grappling guns, so when Danny’s favorite vigilante duo (a fascination he shared with original text!Tim) broke into the building, not a single soul aside them are aware of the intrusion.

Batman skulks across the support beams, Robin following with an anticipatory grin. Danny floats, invisible, undetectable, besides them.

“C’mon!” A goon grunts beneath them. Danny tilts his head. A… Dresden Aberthy. Wow. That’s one hell of a name.

“Hurry it up! Boss said Batman’s going to get here soon!” Another goon- Robbert- said, waving around a gun like a moron at the terrified hostages. Danny could tell half of them were part of a tour bus, mostly because the other half were his Gothamites, bored and unfairly used to this kind of thing. The tourists… He’s fond of them, having kept track of their progress through his city. He doesn’t care for intruders on his haunt, but tourists like to appreciate his city and its doubtlessly Sam-approved architecture. Most of them. Rude tourists get pigeon shit on their heads and food stolen by his lovely rats.

He’ll have to make sure none of the bullets hit the tourists. He likes this group, even if he has enough awareness to question their sanity in choosing his city to sightsee. He knows it’s a mess. It’s Danny’s mess though, so whatever.

——

All said and done, Batman whoops ass and Robin rescues the hostages just fine. Danny grins proudly as Robin knees a guy in the crotch and punches a lady’s throat in order to incapacitate them.

After they tied the goons up, and interrogated them for Two Face’s plans- explode a quarter of Gotham to distract the Bats from his diabolical plan to murder half of Gotham’s judges and lawyers that have been going after him and his people- the duo retreats to the rooftop.

“Didja think Gotham saw that?”

Batman goes to reply, but Danny beats him to it, coming back to visibility with a wind touched laugh.

“I did, little Robin.” Danny smiles, fangs and shadows on display as his vigilantes startles and whips around to face him. “You did well.”

Robin- Jason!- gapes at him.

“I see you’ve recovered, little bird.”

“Gotham! Oh. Wow. People always said Gotham was a lady, but you’re a guy!”

“It was a Lady,” Danny confirmed. “It’s complicated, little bird.”

“So, you’re really… you’re really Gotham? The city?”

Danny looks at Robin with the weight of the city behind his gaze.

“I think you know the answer to that. But yes, I am your city.”

“Constantine,” Batman starts. “He said that city spirits only appear in times of grave danger.”

There is deference in his words. Batman is Batman for Gotham, after all. Danny just wishes he could… well, be friendlier with his knights. May this is a good place to start.

Are you in danger? What threats do we need to handle? How can I help? How can I protect? Please, let me help.

His Knight always felt more than he ever says. Danny smiles.

“Was Robin’s wellbeing not in grave danger?” Danny floats closer. “I am your city. You protect me, it is only right that I protect you, no?”

“Thank you for saving me, Gotham!” Robin’s grin is a touch more sincere than usual.

“Of course, Robin. You are loved.”

“Is there… a reason you’ve shown yourself today? Gotham.”

Danny chuckles, understanding the awkwardness that was Batman addressing someone with deference.

“I wanted to tell you that you did well tonight. Those tourists weren’t harmed in the slightest. Well done.” Danny gave Robin a playful but sincere thumbs up.

“They weren’t a match for us!”

“No, they weren’t.” Danny ruffles Robin’s hair, noticing how still he grew at it. “Robin was too fast for them. That maneuver at the end was masterfully executed.”

Batman clears his throat and Danny resists the urge to laugh at him. It would be mean.

“Thank you, for the… praise.”

Fuck it. He’s played well behaved for too long.

“Yes. I read in child rearing books that positive reinforcement is necessary for healthy development. You did well, Batman.”

Despite trolling Batman- and somehow holding a straight (and hopefully wise face)- he meant every word.

Allowing a small smile to slip at Robin’s chortles and Batman’s quiet sputtering, Danny moves on.

“Where is Nightwing, Batman?”

“He’s still on a mission...”

“If it is awkward to refer to me as Gotham, Phantom will do.”

Batman dips his head once. “In space, with the Teen Titans.”

“I see. Please tell him I request his presence,” Danny barely waits for Batman’s oddly acquiescing agreement before summoning a pigeon.

“Follow her,” Danny instructs the duo. “She’ll lead you to the places with explosives. I will guide you through her, to Harvey Dent.”

Danny winces as another explosion rings out.

“Your face is cracking!” Robin exclaimed, worried. He surged forward to stare at the hairline cracks appearing on Danny’s jaw.

“That would be the explosives. Any damage to the city will be shown on me.”

“Well take care of it.” Batman growled, shoulders straightening once more into an imposing symbol.

“Yeah!”

“I know you will. Stay safe.” Danny disappears, spreading his awareness and directing his Birds to the explosives that will go off the fastest.

Batman and Robin share a glance and leaps off the roof, ready to save their city once more.

——

Tim Drake wanders around Crime Alley, and meets a blonde nine year old trying to throw hands at her absentee Riddler knockoff of a dad. He dodges the brick en route to his face and kicks the guy’s knees out.

“You okay?”

The girl blinks. She stares at her dad, groaning on the dirty street of crime alley, and flicks her gaze back up to Tim, who waits casually.

“Yep. I’m Stephanie. We’re gonna be friends now!”

She grins at him, a baby tooth missing, and Danny melts.

“Heck yeah. Tim!” He introduces himself for the first time in a long time.

Maybe with Stephanie around, he’ll finally use the name Tim? Maybe he’ll get used to it, finally!

#Danny Phantom #danny is Gotham #gotham bay is a corpse dumping ground #gotham #batman #DCxDP #dpxdc #Bruce Wayne #Danny is a menace #he sets Gotham city pests upon rude tourists #that’s right respect the city or get shat on #Batman: no outsider heros unless with my express permission #Danny: literally fuck everyone else but my own city #also Danny: I’m a hero I gotta help people everywhere #batman: this is my city and he deserves all the respect and reverence #also Batman: that is a child asking me to save them I will do whatever #nightwing is still in place #tim drake is a menace #tim drake is a little shit #but in a slightly more eldritch way #instead of the sleep deprived unhinged badass that is original Tim

[kcggggg]

We passed it a couple of days ago, but it has been 10 years since the strip "On Fire" which became the meme "This is Fine" was posted originally on my webcomic Gunshow.

My thoughts on the meme come and go, ebb and flow, and change on a dime depending on how annoyed I am that day. I should be so lucky to get to do all this for a living thanks to what it has become and helped me do, but it's hard to see the forest through the trees and it feels like I'm constantly lost in the woods anyway.

Still. It's relatable! You might use it in your office job if you have one! A lot of people do. It has kind of lost a bit of luster for me when I am still a working cartoonist trying to make something bigger and better and people just like this thing you dashed off for a comic on a Wednesday. Other artists might know that feeling. It's what we all as creators often deal with.

This strip has made me comprehend the idea of one's perception of art. I am bored more often than not, of my own art. I try to make something that excites me, makes me laugh, but sometimes you have a schedule and just need to pop something out now. That has helped me get quicker and let go of precious ideas, but it has also proven to be a double edged sword when the world at large has access to your work.

When a work gets as big as this has, is it still yours? Not talking about copyright and legal stuff. It says something larger that everyone can feel and relate to. I did not go through what Matt Furie has, but there is a similar level of control you just Don't Have anymore when your work becomes a meme on this level. I got lucky being able to ride it out a little. But it's not perfectly in my grasp. There's plenty of bootleggers and grifters who just use memes as freely as the air they breath.

But I've always tried to move forward. I rarely think about my older work or care if it's even easily available online. I'm no historian, I'm just the jester who's makin' up a story or tellin' a joke. But I've been forced time and time again with these 6 panels, to be the party pooper, gate-keeper, girlboss, etc and just to get people to recognize there are artists behind these drawings online. These memes we share.

And it feels like it's only getting harder. The best I can ask for is for people to simply forget, but the dog persists. So I do what I can and try to keep in good humor and be thankful that I can still do what I do for a living.

so anyway buy some merch. bye

#this is fine #cw: gore #cw: body horror

[coffeebeanwriting]

Writing Fight Scenes

Here are a handful of tips on how to write intriguing and strong *no pun intended* fight scenes! 1. Give your character a meaning behind their actions. Are they fighting to survive? Are they the aggressor or the victim? Are they defending someone they love or hunting down someone who hurt them? Makes sure the audience knows why this action scene is important to your character. Unimportant and nonmeaningful actions can be boring!

2. Short sentences. Generally speaking, longer more detailed scenes slow the pace of your novel down. This is because the reader has to take more time to read and absorb all the details. Quicker, brief sentences make the pace move faster because there is less for the audience to read. Most fighting happens quickly and instinctively— without too much thought or anticipation. When things are happening fast, we have less time to take in details.

🏃‍♀️ Fast-paced with minimal details: "He punched me in the cheek, my back molars ripping open my fleshy skin. By the time the next punch came, I was already choking on a mouthful of blood."

🐌 Too many details/thoughts that slow down the action: "His large fist hurled towards me with insane speed. I could hardly believe it. He punched my cheek so hard that my sharp, back molars ripped open my fleshy skin. It hurt so bad, but I couldn't stop the next punch from coming. Blood filled my mouth, the irony taste causing me to choke and for my face to wilt."

3. Use all five senses. When adrenaline is pumping, the body can become hyperaware! Touch and sight are the senses that most people focus on... but don't forget about smell, hearing and, taste. Does your protagonist hear dogs approaching? Do they taste the blood from their busted lip?

4. Don't' slow down the pace by adding too much detail. Try to keep an ebb and flow in your action scene. When the action is happening, keep the details quick and short— no one has time to think about their next move when in the heat of danger. However, you can balance the scene out by giving your character a chance to breathe and think and observe

5. Research/study. Watch famous fight scenes in movies or anime to see what is realistic and what is exaggerated. Pay attention to the pacing or what keeps you on edge. When does the character get a chance to think or come up with a plan? What makes this action scene so enthralling?

6. Consider what is at stake. Stakes always make a scene more tense. What does your character have to lose and how does this affect their mental state? Does it aid in their energy, or does it distract them from the fight?

7. Develop characters/the plot. Consider how this action scene will either further your character in the plot or set them back. Does this scene give them a lasting injury that follows them throughout the story, or do they lose an ally that they desperately loved? How does this affect them moving forward?

Instagram: coffeebeanwriting

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