I'm just a person here who loves to RP and have fun. If you need any advice, feel free to go to the ask box. I'm also open to RP openings at anytime, so have fun! ^^ other then that, just come over and talk.
Your cats are not "manipulating" you they are communicating with you. They do not understand why you're limiting their food supply or keeping them indoors or preventing them from ruining your furniture or whatever.
When they meyowl pathetically for more food, it's not because they're trying to "trick" you into feeding them again. They just want to be fed, and they're smart enough to notice the correlation between certain sounds they make and the responses they get from you.
They've figured out that if they want to communicate to you that they want more food, if they make those pathetic sounds, you're more likely to behave as if you've understood what they're trying to communicate.
When your cat waits for you to look away then yoinks food off of your plate, it's not because they love crime. It's because they're social colony creatures who instinctively share food with each other and they don't understand why you're not sharing the best foods with them.
Your cats are very intelligent, social creatures who see you as their Very Strange sibling.
They've learned how to make intricate sounds just to communicate with their humans. When the sounds they make elicit the responses they want, they learn that those sounds are the most effective way to communicate their desires.
Not because they're scheming about how to control you, but because they don't know how to communicate with you any other way.
Got massively inspired by a moment I had in CRK and wanted to write this while I still had the bag of inspiration! Hope you all Enjoy!
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The games Shadow Milk liked to play when in your company were always wild cards. You never expected the same one twice, but there were always his favorites. Some were mere mischeif on his end, it's what endeared him to you to begin after all, but some were downright frustrating and he enjoyed every minute of your stubborn nature getting the best of you, especially if he offered a prize upon your less then likely victory.
More often times then not it also got you into more trouble then you'd care to admit. At least it wasn't dealing with Eternal Sugar at any capacity, especially after her cookie-napping stunt and using you like a mannequin.
The gleeful grin on his face didn't help matters as you looked over the Tarot Cards and the sizeable amount of gambling gems he had on his side of the table. You had your own modest sized pile of gems, but you lost more often then you won in this game. The clicking of your tongue against the roof of your mouth could be heard as you took a card facing down and flipped it before cursing under your breath.
"Moon." Twenty gems back over to his end of the table.
"You know you can always call it quits, right?" The smugness of the Beast's voice grated your nerves. There had to be something that'd put him in his place, right?
"I'm going to get something out of this, you sadistic prick!" You tried to make your voice sound like a growl, but the laughter from Shadow Milk only followed.
"Oh, that's a new one! I'll need to use that against that red oaf!" He grins, the enjoyment of your frustration well clear as the tarot cards were reshuffled and laid out.
"Hmph! Alright, since it's your turn to flip." You folded your arms and leaned back. "The Reversed Hermit."
"My my taking the risks I see!" He leans against the table. "You know that means that if I flip a Card that isn't it you lose this round again, right?"
"And I'll be owing you another prize of your choice." You leaned against the arm your chair.
The Rules of the game were as such. Shadow Milk would take a deck of Tarot Cards and either one of you two had to guess which ten cards were going to be flipped once they were laid out. The top row were "pure" cards, and the bottom row were reversed cards. Each Tarot Card also had a set amount of points. If one player called a card that wasn't in play or not selected, it was considered a loss to the caller. If a player called a card and it was in play, the called card's points were rewarded to the caller. Each card had different point values, running out of gems meant losing the round. Most of the time, called cards weren't picked, but it kept the game on equal standing when the gems of the cards were still given.
You watched with held breath as Shadow Milk looked over the ten cards closely, head resting on his hands. Witches, why was it this one? It was equally frustrating to you that this was the Cookie you fell so hard for. And you knew how many times you and him had these back and forths, starting with his performances and lies to try and switch you to his side or at least start the fall into Deceit. All in effort to tear you away from your Teacher, Pure Vanilla himself.
Well, he definitely started something. Looks not withstanding, there was just something about the Beast that drew you to him, akin to a sugar moth and the flame. He was dangerous, inmeasurably so. You knew deep down ever getting involved with him was a bad idea. But your teacher's words always seemed to change your judgments.
"He's a lonely Cookie at heart, Disciple, and he's terrified at any turn of being vulnerable with anyone."
Witches, that was an understatement. On more then one occassion it felt like you were trying to strangle the Beast into letting you understand him. How desperate-
"Wait. Shit." His voice snapped you back into reality as he had flipped his card. Reversed Hermit. You couldn't stop the corners of your mouth turn into a smile even if you tried.
"FUCK!" Fifty gems from Shadow Milk's pile, his smugness gone now that you had the more sizable amount of gems from your gambit.
"Wanna call it quits~?" The tone in your voice was laced with a mocking sing-song tone as you leaned in with your head on your hands. Oh the eye twitch was delicious.
"Absolutely FUCKING not!" He growled. "But, touche on that."
His arms would fold after flicking his wrist to reshuffle the cards as they were laid out for the both of you again.
"Alright then, little Disciple." Shadow Milk's grin returned. "Let's see if the Devil wants to come out and play~"
The Devil Card. A most fitting one for him indeed, giving it's notations of addiction and materialistic wealth, and he was most certainly playful when he wanted to be. You looked at the cards laid out with careful thought. The Devil Card was a low-point card, he was playing it safe with the little amount of gems he now had. But it made getting it still important, points were points. You were close to Winning this round at least, it meant you were going to get something, whether or not you got to choose didn't matter.
You took a deep breath and finally chose the card.
Reversed Devil. A Card that was in play but in the opposite position meant halved points. Five gems to the pile.
"Dammit." He suddenly looked thoughtful at his predicament, before letting the cards be reshuffled. A face of contemplation meant one of many things. You suddenly sat up at his expression, more alert that he might be planning something to turn this around for himself. Shadow Milk was playing fair so far, but the ability to cheat was not something you'd put past him. It was time for you to play it safe in hopes to not losing too many gems.
"Wheel of Fortune." You chose. Shadow Milk's brow raised at your choice, before his face turning into another grin.
"Oh now you're on the defensive, hmmmm~?"
"I said I was going to get something out of this." The counter was quick as the corners of his mouth raised higher in response. It could only ever raise your suspicion.
"You juuuuust might~" He looks over the cards, his hand tapping against the table for a moment as his head rested on the other. It was a fun game to be fair, if for the witty banters and bouts of frustration you were getting from him. This was a game where conversation was a part of the fun. He finally raises his hand to take a card.
The Emperor. You blew out a small raspberry as ten gems went back over to Shadow Milk's side for the loss. But playing small now wasn't going to get either of you anywhere, you were sure he also knew this. Then again, him dragging out a game wasn't out of the possibility either before he flipped the cards to see if it was in play before reshuffling them.
"Let's liven things up before they get boring~" It was as if he was reading your thoughts. "Every Emperor needs an Empress, right~?"
You felt your cheeks redden suddenly at the statement, looking away hurriedly regardless if he was taking notice or not. That was the card, the Empress. But…..the tone in his voice….
"Kings and Queens, Sultans and Sultanas~" Shadow Milk was suddenly at your side, your little cookie heart beating rapidly in your chest at him being so close. Dammit, dammit dammit dammit!
"Same concept, different titles~" His voice was low, almost a mur in your ears as your breath quickened and failing miserably to try and tampen down your reaction to whatever the hell this was! It was working to say the least!
"Isn't that what makes the fairytale complete? Doesn't the throne feel less Empty….." His voice was practically in your ear.
".…When there's someone to share it with?"
SLAM!
Your hand suddenly moved on it's own, taking a random card and flipping it in your fervent effort to make it end while Shadow's Milk eyes went wide.
The Empress.
"Wait…What the fuck!?" Shadow Milk's gaze settled on his pile of gems as the rest of them went over to your side, other words caught in his throat realizing his on the spot set up was thwarted by random chance.
But any satisfaction to be had over your victory was not there, not with your heartbeat in your ears and your face feeling like it was on fire. Who cares if he was doing that so he'd pull a last-ditch win? You certainly didn't. Much less caring if you actually won or not, in a way, you still lost after that stunt, didn't you?
The next few moments were a long silence as Shadow Milk's own mind was catching up to him, and your own mind playing the moment over and over again. The low, sensual tone in his voice, how close he was to you….Beast of Deceit or not, getting your heart to race the way it was could only really happen with him. After all…
He was the Cookie you were at your happiest with, isn't he?
"Well shit." Shadow Milk's arms cross when he finally said something, rather pouty. "So much for that gambit. Well, it is what it is!"
His grin finally returns, seemingly accepting the loss as he was close to you again, arms behind his back.
"So….What's your prize?"
You couldn't even make a sound in response. You couldn't feel angry about his stunt.
'Doesn't the throne feel less empty…
When there's someone to share it with?'
What sentimental words. Yet….one can't help but cling to them.
"Hellooooo, Earthbread to the Discipleee~" You felt a friendly poke at your cheek as Shadow Milk's voice snapped you back into reality.
"C'mon cmon, what's your prize? You know, you could ask me for anythiiing~ Only fair, given the prizes I've gotten from you~"
Prize….? You weren't sure anymore. Originally you wanted a new staff, the one Pure Vanilla gave you when you first started under his mentoring wasn't enough for the bigger spells he was going to teach you. But…..one made from Shadow Milk would still suffice, wouldn't it?
"Mmmmmm…I need a new staff for my Magic." You finally answered, settling on your original desire. "One I can use for more powerful spells."
"Hmmmm….." There was a light to the Beast of Deceit's eyes at your Prize claim.
"Oh this is gonna be fun~ Until then!" He poked your forehead in playful teasing. "Tell that pest of your teacher to start teaching you more useful stuff!"
You couldn't help but sigh with a small smile. The audacity of this Cookie was something else.
i DO believe that a good writer can make mischaracterization work. oh there's a character who doesn't normally cry? figure it out!! disect the character. make the situation cryable for them. make that character cry ugly tears even if it goes against their very nature. YOU CAN MAKE IT WORK!!!
A great piece of advice I've seen is "Don't fixate about what the character would never do. Think about the circumstances that would drive them to do this, even if they wouldn't normally."
@insertsaddict the Disciple!Y/N x Shadow Milk gave me some ideas, so I wrote a thing about it. Hope you enjoy!
"I know I'm asking a lot." You sat down. "But it's better then simply pretending that nothing happened. Everyone has a story as to how they became what they are. I can't force you to share that story. But…despite the very rough start, you're still someone who became important to me."
Shadow Milk huffed at your words, one cheek puffed up in his irritance at your own persistance.
"You…you're damn impossible, you know." He turned away with his arms folded. "You're just as bad as that pest that's your teacher!"
It solicited a small laugh from you as you looked up at him.
"Probably an insult, but I'm gonna choose to take that as a compliment." You stood up once more, arms behind your back.
"I just want to leave the door open as an option, Shadow Milk. Every Cookie deserves to have their story told and heard by someone. If I'm the only Cookie who ever gets to hear your's, that's okay. I'd just be happy that I'm trusted enough for that to happen."
There was a pause to him as he looked over to you, his eyes squinted to the point they were almost closed, looking like he was almost trying to read your intentions.
"The only one, huh? And you'd actually keep to that word?"
"It's none of my business unless you want to make it my business." You countered. "Sure, I want to know, but once again I can't make you tell me. That's on your terms. And if you don't want me to tell anyone else, I won't. Simple as that."
"….What are you up to?" Shadow Milk's suspicions rose, you could tell by the look on his face, but his guarded walls and heart could be seen so distantly at the same time.
"Good question." You answered. "Frankly, I wish I knew most of the time. Make things easier on my life."
"….Pffffffffffft….." Shadow Milk finally broke, laughing at your words. "Witch-dammit, you really are a piece of work, aren't you? I can't find SHIT to pick you apart with! Every damn turn of this conversation has been a left!" He sighs, letting his arms down at long last as he floats up to look down at you.
"Tell ya what. You win this round." He finally relented. "But mark my words, if I ever find that you went behind your words and tell that thief ANYTHING, our next act will be much, much less pleasant!" His own power would flare up as you simply smiled.
"Hey, I said it before." You stepped closer. "If I'm the only Cookie who gets to know, that's okay. Teacher won't get anything from me. I promise."
"I'm holding you to that." Shadow Milk's arms folded once more as his legs crossed in the air. "Alright, let's start at the beginning then…."
It's part of a package called the KIDS Act, filled with digital ID and age verification and censorship!
MAKE THOSE PHONES RING!! CALL YOUR HOUSE REPRESENTATIVES ALL WEEK
202-224-3121
i HIGHLY encourage everyone to read the bills in the KIDS Act, because you will be doing more than 95% of people who read and introduce these bills
you've heard of the spanish siesta now get ready for places like Vietnam where it's commonplace to see workers pull out a mattress & take an afternoon nap on the office/store floor. very powerful way to roll. give kindergarten-style naptime BACK to the people ✊
The thing about radical kindness (or any kindness, for that matter) is that there are going to be times when someone or something makes you regret it. There are going to be times when you show someone empathy and grace that they don't "deserve". There are going to be times when someone takes that kindness and uses it against you. The world doesn't magically transform into a perfect place when you decide to choose kindness and people will take advantage of it. People will continue to be shitty.
But the thing is...that's not a flaw of kindness. That's not a you problem. That's a them problem. People who are happy with themselves and their lives don't go out of their way to misuse someone's kindness or grace. The "normal" response to kindness or empathy is not to find a way to exploit it. People who are happy with themselves don't look for ways to hurt people for no reason. Kindness will never be the problem. No matter what some shitty person decides to do with it. It should go without saying not to be a doormat, yes. Don't allow people to treat you badly just for the sake of being kind. But also don't let shitty people make you bitter because of how they treated you when you were kind.
we don't credit rebecca sugar enough for making the episode with the first gay wedding in a kids show extremely plot relevant so it could not be skipped or cut.
#rebecca sugar has gone on record saying that they knew from the beginning they wanted ruby and sapphire and they put every inch of planning#in to make sure that the studio could not take them out. sugar has said they’d compromised on hundreds of things they’d wanted for steven#so that they had the bargaining power specifically to keep ruby and sapphire’s relationship#and a number of ‘filler’ episodes were created just to establish counter-arguments that might come up when they pitched the wedding episode#the one that comes to mind is the episode about steven and connie getting lost in rose’s room steven’s central conflict about liking their#fave book series’ romantic ending was later weaponised when producer’s were like ‘oh but steven’s a boy he won’t be too interested in them#getting married’ sugar was able to be like ‘no. in this episode it’s established he loves romance and specifically weddings. and in these#episodes it’s shown how much steven cares about ruby and sapphire and their relationship and happiness. you cannot convince me this is not#good and necessary plot development#and they wrapped it up in the season finale and the big climactic point of the diamonds finally coming to attack earth to make the#episode integral to the series no skipping it without confusion. and had ruby wear a wedding dress because international censors took#advantage of her design to give her a masculine va#and sugar made certain that everybody knew This was a queer love story that an entire town supported and admired and that any child watchin#it at home would know they are not alone and that that support is waiting for them out there somewhere#sugar sacrificed the wider story they wanted to tell for that and it was a horrible decision to be given but they made the right choice
I LOVE COLLABORATIVE SOTRYTELLING I LOVE CREATING THINGS TOGETHER I LOVE "YES AND"ING WITH OTHERS I LOVE "NO BUT WHAT ABOUT-"S I LOVE HEARIJG MY FRIENDS' IDEAS I LOVE BOUNDING OFF OF THEM I LOVE ART I LOVE STORIES I LOVE ALL THE DIFFERENT PASSIONS AND SKILLS REQUIRED I LOVE ALL THE DIFFERENT MEDIA IT TAKES I LOVE I LOVE I LOVE
In all my years in this website, and I've been here a long time, I can't recall a single instance of a callout post leading to actual restitution for the victims of the alleged harm the person was accused of. Even in cases where the accusations were true. Even in cases where there was legitimate harm done to another person.
Remember the sixpencee child slave thing? What happened there, exactly? Was the kid freed? No? They were just run off the website? OK so what good exactly did that do?
Remember the bone stealing witch? What exactly did that witchhunt accomplish? The person got arrested, oh that's great, the american justice system surely rectified the situation
And again, those are instances where the accusations were true and involved real substantive harm to another person. We used to joke on here how callout posts were shit like "receipts below: [several paragraphs of petty fandom drama] [three paragraphs of petty interpersonal drama involving cheating on partners or stealing food out of the fridge or something] [fabricated evidence that the person is responsible for the murder of JonBenét Ramsey]"
And that was back in the 2010s. The meta has changed. Callouts used to be a tool people used to point out actual harm a person had done, rarely, and more commonly were used as a means of bullying somebody over petty drama. Nowadays they're used to manufacture outrage and harassment against marginalized populations. They are a weapon bigots use to turn us against each other. A few manufactured accusations here, some out of context or clipped screenshots there, and people who should be standing in solidarity with each other against white supremacy, patriarchy, cisheteronormativity, are instead devouring each other.
It's sinister as shit, dude, and people will still share these accusations without a second thought. So, why? What is the point? What's the best case scenario here? Raising "awareness?" what the fuck is that supposed to accomplish? Will we get the oh-so-trustworthy authorities involved? Are we hoping for an arrest? A conviction? Throwing a queer or poc person in prison so they can be abused and assaulted and humiliated behind bars? Is that who we are?
Callouts and the like don't serve any real good in the world. At a macro scale they divide us when we should be standing together, and at a micro scale they result in deeply traumatic never-ending harassment and threats and doxxing and worse to a person who almost definitely does not deserve it. And again, for what? A sense of "justice?" this is not justice. This is retribution. It is punishment.
It's fucking cop behavior, and I'm not gonna participate in it.
The AMA: "Harlequin was always more suspicious and took a while to calm down around Pierrot"
My suspiciously autistic braincell: So like a nervous flea
