Taking On Water

I can’t remember if I’ve said this before but I think that if you make a Batman 1920s AU then you have to take into account that Bertie Wooster often spent time living in New York and Gotham City is just New York Noir and Bruce Wayne would probably cultivate the acquaintance of Bertie Wooster because Bertie is exactly the sort of person Bruce wants people to think he is, so it’s both birds of a feather camouflage and because he wants to observe Bertie for behavioural ideas.

Bertie, ray of sunshine that he is, thinks Bruce is jolly good fun and really quite barmy, but he already has a friend called Barmy and he can’t manage two Barmies so he affectionately dubs him Batty.

Consequently Bruce exists in a state of nagging uncertainty as to whether Bertie is the golden-hearted silly ass he so transparently appears to be, or is in fact one of his villains, knowing who he is and taunting him.

I cannot properly express my love for the fact that Rincewind is a wizard not because he does magic or is particularly intelligent, which he doesn’t and isn’t, but because that’s who he knows he is, it’s an integral part of himself despite his not fitting any wizardly criteria other than wearing a hat with WIZZARD written on it, and all the other wizards think this is fair and don’t question it.

WHAT LURKS BENEATH Comic

It's the spooky season...! To celebrate, please enjoy this 7-page horror comic featuring Brook that I made for "WHAT LURKS BENEATH", a One Piece horror zine full of incredible talent. After sales are only open until the end of October so please consider checking it out and grabbing a digital copy absolutely PACKED with amazing art & stories, and some of the nicest merch I've seen from a zine!

daily affirmations

Doomfist must have to deal with a lot of shit in Talon between everybody. Like a 7 foot tall HR manager. Could we get sone interractions reflecting this?

I love Beleaguered Manager Doomfist so much you don’t even know. 

-----

Doomfist: I always love hearing about your side projects, Sombra, what are you up to these days?

Sombra: Oh I keep myself busy. You hear about the mysterious disappearance of that Axiom hedge fund manager and all of her assets?

Doomfist: ...I must admit, I have not.

Sombra: Exactly.

----

Doomfist: So... how is your list coming along?

Reaper: *snarling scoff*

Doomfist: I’m not saying there’s a deadline, I’m just wondering about your progress.

----

Moira: I must say, this organization seems put to right now that Vialli isn’t around to obsess over every penny. 

Doomfist: Ideology must always come first, Moira, I know we can agree on that. Though I must ask, does the R&D department really need six different acid tubs?

Moira: Incompetent labtechs must be made example of--er--I mean it’s very important to my research.

----

Sigma: I deeply appreciate my new accommodations, Mr. Ogundimu, and I don’t mean to intrude, but I don’t know who else to ask about this and there seems to be a consistent issue with a lack of coffee stirrers in the break room. I don’t know who keeps using them all, but--

Doomfist: ...you literally can create angular velocity with your gravity powers. You can stir with your mind.

Sigma: Yes, but it’s the principle of it---and I find the gesture calming.

Doomfist: *sigh* I’ll look into it.

@discordantwords tagged me to post a passage I’m especially proud of. Thank you!

I’ve only written once in Mycroft’s voice, but I loved doing it:

“We did not comprehend our agemates. We did not know why. They were loud and physical and contemptuous of theory; their minds were rooted in the immediate. There was a language of childhood between them which we could not speak. I am given to understand child prodigies are often isolated. Lonely, they say. I taught him how to analyze them, observe and catalogue behavior, comprehend their motivations. It was a game, at first, a way for us to try to understand. Then it became a question of survival–if he could predict them, he could escape them–my little brother; emotive, passionate and sensitive; pirate, dancer, lover of fairy tales; consumed with the unusual, the fantastical and eccentric, the romantic and the macabre, with Saint-Saens and Ravel and Stevenson and Baryshnikov and Nicola Tesla. Drawn to men, not women, in time. He does not simply stand, or pace; to this day, he moves when relaxed or absorbed as though still dancing, spins, shifts heels and hips, flutters his hands. His voice was expressive, sibilant and soft, though he has not spoken in his natural tone to me in years, but drops it to the depths he reserves for concealing his emotions and unnerving those he does not trust. Sherlock is explosive in his element. He is brilliant. He could be anything, except ordinary; that was and is impossible. He fit no one’s conception of the well-developed British child. No public school boy’s idea of a friend. They did try, but there was very little our parents could do, I think, to draw us out of the world we made for ourselves. After all, there were two of us.” – The Two of Us

Tagging @watsonshoneybee, @chriscalledmesweetie, @doomsteady,  @educatedinyellow, @blueink3, @artemisastarte, @ggaypilot, @suitesamba, @doctornerdington, @a-different-equation or anyone who wants to!

Snape Fic Recs

@scverussnape, I hope you enjoy these!  

Mentor/Teacher:

Harry Potter and the Enemy Within and Harry Potter and the Chained Souls by Theowyn of HPG - aka the holy grail of fan fiction, the first HP series I ever read and thought “I wish this was canon”.  The characterization is so good, it feels as though I’m reading a different version of the actual books. I re-read this series at least once a year.

A Place for Warriors by owlsaway - the caption for this story does not even begin to do it justice.  I cannot do it justice.  The way the relationship between Snape and Harry grows is just *chef’s kiss*.

Emerald Eyes, Emerald Eyes: Fate’s Hand, and Mindful Eyes by JadeSullivan - Snape takes on a mentor role for Harry during his 2nd year.  This author has an incredible way of describing the feelings in each moment that I find captivating.  She hasn’t updated Mindful Eyes in a couple of years, but I have high hopes for her return!

O Mine Enemy by Kirby Lane - Snape is injured and ends up spending some time with Harry at the Dursley’s house.  Once they are able to leave, Snape reluctantly takes on a mentor role for Harry.  Harry begins having dreams predicting the future, causing him to question just how much he actually trusts Snape.  Not only is this story excellently written - the writer just posted two new chapters for the first time in several years!

Walking the Line by hairballl26 - Snape is badly injured and turns up at the Dursley’s.  He intends to hide from the muggles as best he can until he can recover or until help arrives, but inevitably, there is a terrible confrontation, and both he and Harry go on the run, trying to get to safety at Hogwarts and avoid the agents of the Dark Lord.  ROAD TRIP FIC my favorite.  Hasn’t updated since 2011, but I keep re-reading it anyway because I love it so much.

Behind Doors and Masks by dragonwriter24cmf - Headmaster Snape has decided to personally handle the troublemaker Neville Longbottom, but Neville uncovers his secret agent status.  Now he has to help the boy survive an increasingly hostile Hogwarts, and train him to fight back.  Ooooh boy is this fic all of the things I love.  A close look at Snape during his time as Headmaster, and I love love love how she writes Neville.

Sectumsempra Splits the School by thegoldenfirebolt - Harry faces severe consequences for using the dark spell sectumsempra on Draco Malfoy.  He has to work closely with younger students and the staff as part of his punishment.  I didn’t expect to enjoy this fic as much as I do, but it offers this wonderful peek into the daily lives and relationships between the staff members that I greatly enjoyed.

Kept Behind and Dark Influences by LAXgirl - Harry is killed by a death eater, and only Snape can see his ghost.  Through their connection, they try to find out if there is way to bring Harry back.  I just really love any story that has Snape and Harry having to trust each other and work together, and these are really well written.

Severitus/adoption:

All the World’s a Stage by Alexannah - In a bid to gain control over the Boy Who Lived, Cornelius Fudge serves notice that he intends to adopt Harry Potter.  Snape receives the notice, and since no one else is available, he manages to submit the paperwork just in time to adopt Harry instead.  Now they just have to learn to live together.  I very much want more of this story, and it hasn’t been updated in a couple of years, but it ends at a place that isn’t terrible.

The Unexpected Snape by Imablack - Harry Potter arrives for his first year at Hogwarts, but he doesn’t look like James Potter - he looks like Snape.  It takes some time for them to address this fact.  This has the most lovely slow growth of their relationship, from respect to trust to love.

Reading the Signs by goldencompass - During his first year, Harry is attacked and hurt by some older students holding grudges against the Boy Who Lived.  Snape helps in his recovery, and Harry begins to trust and respect him, leading to a deeper understanding and relationship between them.

General Snape Fics:

The Pawn by ReeraTheRed - a short AU version of Snape’s confession to Dumbledore and the growth of trust between them in their early days working together.  Makes me cry actual tears every time I read it.

The Wendell That Wasn’t by opalish - Snape’s ghost is stuck haunting Harry and Ginny, and they (or really Ginny) get their revenge.  Absolute crack fic, hilariously funny.

The 11th Day of Hogwarts by lyras - This story is on livejournal, and is a short look at Snape’s time as Headmaster.  He is supported by the portraits of the other headmasters, and trying to do what must be done under terrible circumstances.  Very bittersweet.

i always find it interesting when fanfic writes papyrus as very emotionally aware and empathetic and sans as nervous and unable to read others' intentions because canonically, it's the other way around.

sans can literally figure out exactly how many times he's killed you by the look on your face. meanwhile, papyrus mistakes your clear disgust with his spaghetti for passion and projects his own feelings about puzzles and friendship onto you.

the difference is that papyrus is extraordinarily COMPASSIONATE, even if he's not super empathetic. he can't always tell what someone is feeling, but he cares deeply and tries to help as soon as he knows that something is wrong. he is also usually pretty good at figuring out what people need! like, for instance, knowing alphys needs a friend in the true lab, or realizing undyne needs a challenge to motivate her to become friends with you.

meanwhile, sans is so depressed and apathetic that he just... doesn't seem able to muster up enough energy to care for other people in the same way. he understands how other people are feeling, but that doesn't necessarily translate to compassion for him. he cares about his brother, and he cares about toriel, and he eventually comes to care about you in a pacifist run but... other than that it seems like he struggles to care about others.

anyway, i just find it interesting that people mistake papyrus's compassion for empathy, and sans' apathy as a lack of empathy.

First off, disclaimer: This is less theory and more exploration of possible answers to the question of when Sigma’s accident occurred. Specifically, what do they mean for the larger world of overwatch and for Sigma?

The Facts

Sibren De Kuiper is 62 years old

He knows Winston is the creation of Dr Harold Winston. Whether by just knowing the details of Dr Winston’s experiments leading up to his own experiment (and subsequent accident) or by some other means after Dr Harold’s experiment started.

Winston is 29 years old

Gorillas are typically considered adults at about 6, meaning that either genetic modification stunted his growth temporarily (or spread it out?) or the Dr Winston flashbacks take place at least 23 years ago.

Sigma knows Dr Harold Winston is dead. (“Give Dr. Winston my regards.” is his elimination quote against Winston, though it’s unknown if he went into the experiment knowing Dr Winston was dead or if he was informed of this after the fact. Why he would have, I’m not sure? I guess Talon may have used that to throw him off-guard?)

Overwatch was disbanded 7 years ago

Zarya’s gravity well is a creation of or based on the work of “The Tobelsteins'”

Sigma can recognize it as such

Her particle cannon came off a armored vehicle during battle.

Reinhardt’s hero page says the Omnic Crisis happened over 30 years ago

Orisa’s says it was over 20 years ago.

Michael Chu claimed it was 25 years ago, “give or take a few years.”

UPDATE: Zarya’s page says it started “some 30 years ago”

Meaning it’s likely that it just ended 20/25 years ago

Meaning Winston has to have been born sometime during the war, since gorilla gestation takes less than a year and he’s only 29. It’s not impossible that they made giant gorillas first or that the moon gorilla’s where gestated artificially so it would take longer, but that’s way too much biology to be thinking about for a exploration of possible dates for Sigma’s experiment.

Unless the International Space Station changed it’s rules about the heights of crew members or was replaced with a larger version, Sigma is far too tall to be allowed up on it. (This doesn’t necessarily mean it wasn’t a international or government station, but it should be noted.)

The Speculation

Keep reading