Wherein I discuss every story I wrote in 2025, my life, and everything I loved.
Hello.
2025 was one of the worst years of my life.
I am a deeply personal person and dislike sharing hardships with others. I view sharing what I am going through as an inconvenience to others and almost insultingly forcing them to enter a sort of coddling headspace as they navigate my emotions and seek the platitudes to reassure me. I don’t want them to fix my problems because I don’t believe in that. That said, I was still deeply dependent on other people who offered true support and kept my head above water. More than ever, I have depended on my online friends. Thank you for that, all of you.
Difficulties at work and in my familial life both reached new lows I never thought possible. Still, despite it all I am still here and can comfortably say I am entering 2026 stronger and more accomplished than I have ever been. I am deeply proud of the person I am. Since I do not want to discuss the bad things that much, let’s talk about the good things and then do a quick review of my creative output this year as the creator known as Salty Tea.
Personal Accomplishments
Over the course of 2025 I have adjusted my diet and my gym routine and successfully lost 45 pounds. I am very proud of this and it’s the closest I’ve been to goal weight since 2019. While I don’t care too much about the muscles, it is nice to look in the mirror and go “oh damn” as well as manage to do various physical things with less issue.
I have found a new job that pays significantly more than my previous one. In the IT world, there is a concept known as Help Desk Hell where it is VERY difficult to get out of the Help Desk positions because Help Desk generally doesn’t let you develop specialized skills and thus obtain jobs that are above grunt work. (No shame on Help Desk at all, loved my time doing it, and if you work as a MSP, GET OUT NOW HURRRY!!!!) My new position is effectively an admin and integration and I spent a lot of time everyday building essential stuff. This new position is very healthy for my future career and I’m grateful for this opportunity I’ve fought for. I initially interviewed for it in the summer and didn’t get my second interview until fall and then started in October. The job market is hell right now.
Music remains one of my highest passions. I am very close to finishing an actual album of music. I will not be sharing it on my Salty Tea socials, unfortunately, and I wish to keep these identities separate. It is important to the canon of the songs that the listener is entirely unaware of how badly I want horse girls to blow fat loads from their cocks over their faces and each other.
And I have also started streaming. As a fucking VTuber. Not a PNG Tuber, but one of those dorks with a very expensive model. The model is absolutely gorgeous and I do not deserve it. I haven’t streamed in a bit mostly because I am emphasizing my job and mental health right now, but I would like to get back to it soon. I am very humbled that people actually want to watch me play games and encourage me to get out of my shell. Remember when I didn’t want anyone at all ever to hear my voice? Life changes.
Writing
This year I was not sure how much writing would get done. My personal goal was to open commissions again. I have completely and utterly failed this goal. Despite this, I have written several works I am very happy with and have even started up two series I see myself continuing into the near future. I would like to talk briefly about each fic I wrote this year. I will be avoiding discussing commissions that I wrote in the previous year and posted this year because I don’t have as much insight into them as I might have before.
Desda Impregnates The World was a commission I received last year and posted this year. In it, Desda impregnates a cute OC of a friend’s named Kindle. I truly believe you should commission me to write a story about Desda impregnating your OC so that she might find a foothold to then spread her gift to the world.
TFCC 01 – “The New Girl” was the first entry in my Transformation Control Center work. TFCC was an idea that came to me suddenly, shamelessly ripping off Home Safety Hotline in an attempt to create a story series that is sort of my love letter to the transformation fetish community. We are a strange hodge podge of weirdos who get off to such insanely disparate things that it is almost naïve we can all be identified under one banner. Some people just want to turn into wolves, other people want cock fingers, another sect would be pleased to be a couch, and a stranger group yet lingers beneath it all. TFCC is my attempt to sort of use more relatable, long term characters to explore transformation and what it means to people in the space. Whilst 01 is mostly set up, I held back on releasing any of the chapters until the first 3 were written. 01 honestly just feels like one of those proof of concept pilots.
02 – “Dolls Don’t Always Obey” was a hell of a story to write next. My initial goal with it was to create a story about a guy turning into a doll girl and sort of just let it be weird and dark and other adjectives. But, as I explored the characters and kept adding on space between the transformation starting and the TFCC getting called, it became a more complicated exploration on gender and identity and a lot of things I usually claim I don’t care much to explore. This story ended up meaning a lot more to the point the porn aspects felt tacked on. I am very grateful for how many people this story resonated with and was surprised how strongly it did.
The Loamy Lea was the next story you’d have seen posted according to my website. This was a commission from Sabrith for Easter and my goal with this one was to write something that felt like pre-2020 Salty Tea. Cecille using her magic to control some dumb cats and force them into a corruptive, transformative scenario from which there is no escape. I am pretty happy with this one! By design it isn’t overly complicated, so don’t be surprised when the previous TFCC entry and the next TFCC entry both have longer paragraph piles.
03 – “Moshpit Kaiju” saw me try and capture a lot about myself. Moshpit was also inspired by Monstrifex’s sequences, though my characters are a lot less confident about their transformations and so on. I also wanted to capture the feeling from my Aska and Blaire setting and introduce a sort of Scott Pilgrim friend group, albeit more supportive of each other. A supportive friendgroup was on the top of my todo list after the abysmal friends depicted in 02. 03 is my personal favorite of the series so far, though that is cheating since it is three times the length. 03 taught me I’ll need to be very, very careful to not let these things get too long.
Pearl of Duplication is a strange story in that it feels distant from the sort of thing I usually write. Transformation isn’t a star feature here and the characters are sort of just soaking in self-indulgence. I appreciated getting to just write about my OCs for a bit without any pressure to do this or that or come to so and so conclusion or make sure I am depicting a friend’s character correctly. I also frankly thing this one is pretty hot. Selfcest is so hot.
Stallion Unlocked… holy shit is this a fanfic?! Yeah, I used to write ONLY fanfic. I used to make it a point to write long running series wherein every girl in a franchise of my chose gets corrupted into a horny monster of some sort. It was fun, capturing the downfalls and documenting the slow burn corruption as everyone slowly succumbs further and further to new lows, dragging everyone else down to their level. I always looooved writing these larger in scale corruption stories. However, they sort of fell out of fashion. Trying to force myself to write Salty Fates back in the day burnt me out and the financial incentive of commissions meant not writing as much fanfiction, avoiding longer series to keep myself open for comms, and that whenever I did have free time I’d want to write something more personal such as another Aska and Blair story.
So, longform fanfic vanished and when I did return to fanfic it was either a commission or a very punchy, kinkier, shorter thing like Unearthed Corruption, Sagittarius Rising (oh when did this one hit 67 kudos? Hell yeah this one was underrated as hell imo), or Unstable Addon, or honestly The New Sister and Drunken Dragon.
What the hell happened?!?… I liked Uma Musume. The game was fun. And there was this fucking ART that was going around. I saw people were drawing the Uma Musume TALL, and HUNG, and struggling to focus on training because their TIT TOUCHING HORSECOCKS were so fucking PENT. And I realized that there was a fandom developing that was ripe for me. I am very good at capturing characters and their vibes and managing to sew and honest portrayal of the character into VERY kinky situations that scare the normies, and the Uma Musume fandom very obviously had an appetite for it. But more than that, I really really liked Agnes Tachyon and Manhattan Café and wanted to write a fic about them growing cocks.
This has been my most successful story this year by far. People have really vibed with it and come out to support it. My HORSE CRAZED BRAIN wouldn’t let me stop so I wrote two more chapters out of pure passion covering Gold Ship and McQueen’s own transformations and further descent into degeneracy. I have loved writing this series and have already started on Chapter 4 and a little bit of 5. I hope people don’t mind the wait for this, I just want to make sure every time I sit down to continue it I have the exact same passion and obsession I did when I wrote the first chapter.
TFCC 04 – “Dice” saw me return to my roots of writing kobold TF. Kobold TF used to be my favorite thing. And then one day the mood entirely passed and I do not think of it very much anymore. That said, this fic is dedicated to shortstack transformation, dumbing down of a stress out protag, and the kind of writer I used to be. I enjoyed writing 4 and am pleased I was able to keep the length down to what I personally feel every entry should be aiming for. I also appreciate how many fans enjoyed the Marvel style “after credits teaser” I put at the end as people have genuinely reached out to me asking where it was going and when the next entry was coming out.
That said, 04 unfortunately has the baggage of being the least read entry in a series that is already some of the least read stuff I’ve ever put out. I know you are supposed to write for yourself first and foremost, but it is disheartening how much the original stuff you put your soul into just simply doesn’t compare to broader stuff. TFCC is basically made in a lab to discourage people to read it. A long running episodic series with a wide kink pallet meaning odds are by the time the series gets to a kink you personally have you will simply lack a good on-ramp to get invested in the characters and care. When I wrote TFCC I was aiming for an episodic series that felt sort of like House, where there was a patient each week and a central cast of characters that was slowly evolving. I think critically and personally TFCC has been a massive success and the work that has made me the happiest. But, I won’t lie, it’s very hard to look past low engagement numbers. Like all authors, I like for my stuff to be read. That is why those who have read it and left encouragement; I am in your debt. Please draw fanart of Hazel. Mwuah.
BURNING FOR YOU is the exact kind of story I like to write. I was so fucking in the mood for Burnice TF when I wrote this, and I always wanted to do a Zenless Zone Zero fic! Burning For You did VERY poorly and not many people read it or left a comment. Except for SexTheHex, he left a sweet comment which was nice of him. Thank you SexTheHex. I’m probably never going to get around to playing Fire Emblem Engage, but thanks to you I know the one girl lactates Colgate.
Everyone Should Be A Gengar was… can I be honest? This was a cash grab. I was starved for validation. Pokemon TF is like… so safe. Pokemon TF is always good, and people always read it. That said, I don’t believe in doing pure cash grab. So if I’m going to write a story about a dude turning into a Gengar, I’m going to make it WEIRD. And put WEIRD kinks in it. Like possession and incest! I was very happy with how this story came out and the numbers and critical response were extremely encouraging. I see you, people asking for a sequel, and reply here: “I have no idea where this would go, and this was already the hottest Gengar scenario I could physically think of.”
TFCC 05 – Reindeer Games was the last story I wrote this year. Umamusume Chapter 4 will definitely be early next year at my current rate, so this is how we ended the year. Originally, the next TFCC entry was either going to be a story about a panda TF contagion inspired by this fantastic sequence: ( https://www.furaffinity.net/view/27381010/ ) or a probably kaiju-length side entry introducing a character who violently will not leave my head and has potential to be the hottest character I’ve ever made. Instead, it dawned on me that I needed to write my yearly Reindeer TF story and that also it would be fun to set it inside an office party as irl Christmas Office Parties are awkward as hell. I realized I had a long running series about an office where transformation happens and thought it would be interesting to introduce a transformation that happens to the employees instead of the people they try to help as a way to up the stakes.
I was torn on where to take the story at first. Ultimately, I decided to be self indulgent and make it a TFCC story for sure, and then go even further and make this one of my weirder, kinkier stories. Since last year I wrote the much more normal Mall Reindeer, this year’s Christmas entry had to be very out there I felt. So I wrote about inflatable reindeer with permagrins and holly jolly cheer in their jingling heads and also I turned the main character of my story into a huge horny buck who loves his he/him stud cock and squeaking it into the other toys. TFCC 05, needless to say, is dedicated to some of the new spaces in transformation I’ve been getting into. By its nature, it is isn’t as explorative of humanity and all that stuff, but that’s good. I wanted 05 to hold less punches, be a little more bad-end-ish, and feel unrestrained and wild.
In general, my works have lately been combatting two spheres of influence: Consensual TF and darker TF. Both have their appeal and cohorts and peers I respect deeply, and there are times when I want to write one or the either. That said, what holds me back often is a fear of being judged or alienating friends. In a way, Everyone Wants to be A Gengar, Reindeer Games, and even last year’s Ribbit Ribbit and Vertigo Union felt very freeing and I want to continue to push in this direction, wherever it may lead.
Other Works
I was asked by Monstrifex to provide a few short tracks of ambience to score their next work with Jillthesuccubus. For some reason I instead gave them an even longer soundtrack than the previous one. It has been on my bucketlist to provide a soundtrack to a game and I’m glad to say I am very proud of the work I put together for this one. I always felt my horror ambience was pretty good so I was thrilled to get to lean in to that direction a bit. You can still get it here by the way: https://wechange.me/monstrifex/talesfromthefacility
Or just listen to my soundtrack, freed from the burden of excellent artwork and narrative:
I am dreading the next time I am asked to create a soundtrack as it may finally push me over the edge and force me to subscribe for a pro account on soundcloud.
I feel like I did more but can’t remember at this time.
So, thank you for your support!
A quick list of media I’ve enjoyed
Music
MY GOD HAS GOT A GUN – VUKOVI (Biting baritone guitar riffs, gym masterpiece, inspired 03 Kaiju)
The New Sound – Geordie Greep (Latin inspired prog rock, jazzy and wild)
Alive in The Catacombs – Queens of The Stone Age (Haunting arrangements of catalog classics)
The Downward Spiral – Nine Inch Nails (The best thing Tron Ares did was get me into NIN)
Humdrum – Home Counties (These guys fuck.)
Books
House of Leaves – Mark Z. Danielewski (I never read a book that hates me the reader so much)
The Cipher – Kathe Koja (Haunting body horror with beautiful, bleak, poetic prose)
What The Hell Did I Just Read – Jason Pargin (It is mandatory John ramps over something once per entry)
Between Two Fires – Christopher Buehlman (Last of Us in France during the plague. This would be a secret. Little Moon)
Anime
DanDaDan Season 2 – (It is so fucking good)
Umamusume: Beginning of a New Era – (Agnes Tachyon. The movie for people who don’t like Umamusume)
Apocalypse Hotel – (Cerebral yet cute yet bleak yet hopeful)
CITY: The Animation – (I never wanted to live somewhere from an anime more. All timer.)
Evangelion – (Classics are classic for a reason. The finale movie will haunt me forever.)
Video Games
Chants of Sennaar – (A beautiful puzzle game about language and culture.)
ENA: Dream BBQ – (Surreal adventure game that takes me back to LEGO Island. I love you, ENA)
Everhood 2 – (The slime girl’s hips move real nice. Streaming this game was a pleasure)
Space Station 14 – (I’ve been playing it less recently, but I wish there was more games like this)
Dispatch – (God Invisigirl had me)
Balatro – (I only mention it this year because I played it when I was having panic attacks and it helped keep me sane)
Kirby Air Riders – (A sequel to one of my top 10 games of all time. It wounds me I can’t put Prime 4 here)
TV Shows
Dexter: Resurrection – (It’s so good to be back. This and the Umamusume memes made me rewatch the entire series.)
Severance – (I fucking love this show. I clicked off a video game review video because he said season 2 was bad)
Ha Ha You Clowns – (I love having shows I have no idea how to explain why I like them. But he sure did a fine job raising those boys)
Chair Company – (Close enough, welcome back Twin Peaks)
The Rehersal Season 2 – (What starts as a strange hyper fixation on airplane crashes turns into a deep examination on mental health, autism, and Evanescence)
Common Side Effects – (Profound and bizarre yet so fucking real)
Smiling Friends Season 3 – (The best season yet)
Pluribus – (Bravo Vince)
Goals for The Future
I would like to see myself continue to evolve as a creator. Right now my focus has been VERY heavily into music. This album is the longest I’ve spent with just a few songs. I would like to keep improving in music and even open my commissions to people who need music. It’d be amazing to write big songs for vtubers or more soundtracks for projects.
I would like to stream more. Right now I am on a hiatus while my focus is elsewhere and I continue to get used to my new work. I’m not completely sure what sorts of things I’d like to stream more. As long as people are watching me and having fun that’s reason enough to keep going.
While I have lost weight, I am still not quite where I want to be. I wish to continue my weight loss journey.
I’d like to do more things that are gender. I’m not sure what that means yet.
Writing wise I plan to continue my two ongoing series and several original ideas. I am hoping to open my commissions as well, but I see myself remaining selective of what I write. I have now been writing for a very, very long time. That means it takes more and more to motivate and excite me to write. I’d also like to increase the quality of my writing again as I feel in the last half of this year my style has begun to grow very stale again. Umamusume will at least get a 4th and 5th chapter, hopefully a 6th as well. TFCC has enough ideas to go until around entry 10. Ideally, TFCC won’t go on forever. I hope TFCC, despite this, encourages people to write their own things or experiment more with what they make.
I would like to start producing art. I have been practicing my drawing lately. I am not sure how far my efforts will go as I already have SO MANY HOBBIES. However, I’d at least like to push my art style which has been stagnant since High School juuuust a bit more forward. Thank you everyone who has encouraged me and shared tutorials and advice.
This concludes this year’s State of The Salty Union. Your empress remains, my Empire. 2026 is not going to be easy. Spaces for people like us are shrinking and every institution in the world regards us with open contempt. AI gurgles our efforts into a frothy spit as platforms confirm they only ever tolerated artists and just wanted content, politicians spend their every waking moment keeping us angry and protecting powerful terrible people while spending every effort to hurt LGBTQ+ folk and basically just anyone who isn’t a rich white dude (oh my gosh, more like WOKELYfangs,) and being who we are… it feels like the world is building a brick wall around what little space we have left to seal us away and forget us.
I’ll never forget you.
Protect everyone in arm’s length. Don’t sacrifice everything because you are who the world was supposed to protect. Stay weird. Make degenerate shit. And if you like something a small creator made on Bluesky, tell them how much you love it.
Thank you.