#Prove Your Resolve (Meme)

[igotanidea]

Cracking: Damian Wayne x reader

part 5 of "Family rules" series.

He was going mad.

For a girl.

Nothing he ever thought would happen to someone like him.

A guy raised by assassins and Batman, who was used to putting his feelings at bay if even having any.

And now he couldn’t stop thinking about her.

It was impossible for someone as perceptive as Robin himself to miss her paleness and sadness. At least whenever he was near. 

And avoiding him at any cost.

And – as it usually happens – the teachers were completely oblivious to the situation and that was about to be the source of a hell of a problem for both Damian and Y/N.

“Pairs? What do you mean we’ll be working in pairs?!” she exclaimed at one history lesson upon hearing the great idea of their tutor.

“Is that such a horror for you, Y/N?” the teacher smiled through the glasses and in any other situation it would be almost benevolent but not this time.

“Yes!”

“Well I am afraid the class has already divided so you just have to comply.”

“But—”  she spun around and groaned both internally and externally upon realizing that her little outburst only left her one person to work with. “Fucking great…” she muttered noticing Damian swinging casually on his seat, not having a single care in the world.

“Miss Y/L/N!”

“I’m not working with him!”

“Getting scared, Y/L/N?” Damian smirked, knowing well how to use the opportunity. He’s been trying to talk to her for the last two weeks since that little beating in the hallway but she was surprisingly skilled in disappearing in thin air. And since he was also a teenage boy, mocking and teasing seemed the only way to reach his goal.

“Pff!” she scoffed, crossing arms over his chest. The need to prove herself superior to him was fighting with an iron resolve to forget his existence.

“Y/N, sit down now and do not make a scene. I do not understand what’s been happening to you lately.” The teacher instructed, clearly losing patience with one of the best students.

“Fine…” she muttered, plumping on the chair as far from Damian as possible, still grumpy, hardly even listening to the teacher’s instructions on the task.

“Fate definitely has a wicked sense of humor huh, Y/L/N?”

“Can you just shut up?”

“You’ve been avoiding me.”

“Yeah, no shit genius.”

“Why?”

“Why do you care?”

“Well I am asking so clearly I do.”

“You don’t really strike me as a caring type, Wayne.”

“Maybe not by your definition. Not my fault you are so conceited you mess up care and selfishness.” He mocked.

“What did you say?” Y/N hissed

Damian smirked. This was the exact reaction he was trying to get out of her.

“You call me selfish, you little prick?” Her eyes flashed with anger. “You piece of shit. You look down on everybody because you are fucking Wayne and you dare reflect all your fucking traits onto me!?”

The girl didn’t even notice how her voice got louder and how she was suddenly standing instead of sitting and quietly working on the task. She missed the fact that she was making a scene for the whole class to see, once again dragging all the attention to herself. And once again the reason for her emotional outburst was Damian Wayne. Who she hated with all her heart. Who made her act like a fool and clearly – bring out the worst of the good girl she always considered herself to be.

“Who do you think you fucking are?!” Her self-control was now completely gone “You think you can just do whatever you fucking want and have zero consequences coming from it!?”

Thank god the phones were not allowed in classes cause at this moment she would definitely end up being a meme on social media.

“Y/N!” the teacher finally woke up from the shock that her transformation brought upon everyone. “Enough! Principal’s office. Now. In fact – “ he looked around, his gaze landing on Damian. “Both of you.”

“I’ve done nothing wrong. There is no basis for me to go –” Damian stated with the most cold voice he could produce.

“I don’t care!” the teacher seemed to finally lose his cool “you two are trouble and I’m not having either in my class. Now off you go. Out!” he pointed to the doors and with exchanged hateful glances Y/N and Damian decided to obey. Part of the reason was also the fact that they both knew they were in full capacity to drive the principal crazy just by showing up on the doorstep to his den.

***

“The hell is wrong with you?” he muttered as soon as they were out the door and on the empty hallway.

“Oh, me? You are the one who seems to be constantly looking for my attention.”

“And why do you think that is?” The sudden change in his tone took her by such a surprise she stopped and dared to do something that did not happen in a few weeks. She looked at him. More precisely, into his eyes. And in them, she saw something she did not like. At all.

Emotions.

Pain.

Confusion.

Embarrassment.

Affection!?

“Damian…” she gulped heavily trying to clear her head and calm her rapidly beating heart.

“You are annoying. Unnerving.” He hissed, his eyes fixed on hers “Messed up. I don’t understand you. You are a mystery I cannot crack. And it’s making me angry.”

If he was a normal person he would probably clench his fists right now.

“Then why don’t you just leave me alone?!”

“Stop yelling.” Damian grabbed her hand and dragged her into the nearest empty classroom so that no one would catch them causing disturbances in the hallway. “How come for years we didn’t care about each other and now we can’t seem to be within five feet distance without fighting?”

“Oh please!” she scoffed leaning on the door “Care? Have you been reading a dictionary and learning new words?”

“You are getting on my nerves here Y/L/N.” Damian took a step closer to her trying to look menacing and as much Robin-like as possible.

“Then let me ask you again – why don’t you fucking leave me alone!?”

“Because I can’t!”

There. The armor cracked and even though he barely said anything it felt awful. He exposed himself. Showed his weak points to the enemy.  Lost on his own wish.

For a moment his words seemed to echo from the empty walls of the classroom, the air filled with tension.

“You’re not even trying are you? Damian?” her voice was surprisingly quiet and soft, even to herself.

“No…” he confessed, unable to fight against those e/c eyes fixed on his face “no… no, I am not trying.”

“Damian…”

“Please…” now he was so low as to stoop to begging. And it was humiliating. Downgrading. Scary. “Please don’t run from me, Y/L/N. You are driving me mad.”

All it took was one more look. One more exchange of glances filled with mixed emotions.

And they were back to that gala night.

The classroom was gone, the school forgotten and all that mattered was holding her close, preventing her from running away and that strange, strange, unknown feeling in his chest.

Everything important in this moment came down to the feeling of his arms around her, hearing his heartbeat against her ear and calming the storm of the emotions neither of them understood.

For some reason, simply holding onto each other felt like a peace amongst the storm. Like a lighthouse guiding them to safe haven amongst the families feud and last-names competition.

“What are we gonna do-?” he was the one to cut the silence, the weight of questions pressing onto his shoulders making him speak before he could think about the consequences of his doubts.

“I don’t know-“ said implications took form of her pulling back from him “I don’t know Damian-“

“Don’t go-“ with the reflex of a vigilante Damian gripped her arm causing her to whimper in pain. “Y/l/n? You good? What happened?” The strength he used was definitely not enough to make her react like this.

“Nothing. Nothing. It’s nothing!” she responded quickly trying to wriggle away. Too quickly. Quickly enough to make him suspicious and ignoring her protest to push him to roll her sleeve a little.

“What--?” the words died in his throat as he noticed the purple bruise on her forearm.

“It’s nothing!” she yanked free “you had no right!”

“I’m –” Damian stuttered. He messed up again.

“You’re a prick!”

“I’m sorry! But if we’re about to do- this-“ it was impossible to use the word concerning possible relationship or anything of sort – “you need to tell me. What happened?”

Y/N hesitated, torn between a lot of mixed things. Could she tell him? Could she not tell him? Every move came with the consequences, almost like she was reduced to a figure on the chessboard, constantly moved by someone else. Without any power to control her own life.

But one thing was certain.

Some things and some feelings were worth protecting.

And that’s why she had only one way of surviving.

“I can’t.” she whispered with a sad, apologetic smile. “I can’t, Damian.” Without missing a beat she leaned forward, kissing him as if trying to sweeten the bitter words. Pulling everything she had into the brief contact of lips on lips, like a silent apology of putting him through the mess.

Before Damian realized what was happening he was kissing her back, pulling her close, caressing her back, in his own way trying to show her he was going to protect her. But what did he know? He was only 17 with zero power to shape reality. And when he felt her slip from his grasp and losing her warmth against him that realization hit him like a ton of bricks.

But it didn’t mean he was going to give up.

Not now. Not ever. Not until she explicitly told him she didn’t want him.

***

 “How was school today?” her father asked her as soon as she stepped over the door to home. There was no denying Mr Y/L/N became very interested in his daughter's progress at school.

“It was normal.” Y/N couldn’t care less about his fake concern, trying to walk past him and get into her room.

“Ah! Not so fast, young lady. Did you do what I asked of you?”

“No.” The girl frowned, putting hands on her hips in a poor attempt at a power pose.

“No?”

“No!”

“Then I suppose we have to have the talk again, don’t we, little girl?”

She was in deep trouble that seemed to have no end….

@6000-fandoms @beyond-your-stars @mikyapixie

@heartz4miz @crookedmakerfury @mariam12344 @celestair

@faimmm @hornyslasher @urdarlingali @emmalove1111 @crookedmakerfury @herondale-lightworm @itzjustj-1000 @ginger24880 @anonymousmuffinbear @adharawitch @jasons-little-princess @sharkybabydoll @cupids-diner @whydoyoucare866 @ladychibirae

[ponchcronch]

Oh Poncho, a deep analysis of the green hedgehog’s psyche is exactly what I’m looking for and I will be thrilled for that day when that’s all unleashed. 

I also wonder, only because I see nobody else talking about this, if you can, are you able to share briefly on what did Zobotnik mean by remolding Scourge into a force of good? 

It’s just the way he phrased that, made me think Scourge was going to be USED as a living weapon of some sorts. This is a version of Eggman after all.

And it’s those choice of words that made me had a thought about…,I know IDW and Archie have two different continuities, but Kit’s line from issue 56 comes up because of those kind of intentions. (And people do compare Surge to Scourge a lot, y’know how it goes.) 

“All that matters is what we can do. How can you change us. So you can prove your way is right.” 

While it can be argued how it’s not exactly true in IDW’s case, I think it was gonna be actually true in Scourge’s case had they succeeded in his rehabilitation. It’s not about him becoming a good person or even resolving his clear mental issues. That therapy was “optional”. He’s always been labeled as the Evil or Anti Sonic. Why actually change him? The Zone cops have been shown to leave certain things the way they are even if detrimental for some universal balance.  *issue 197

We just never get to see what these supposed reformed criminals look like, and Zouge’s therapy seems to rarely stick considering how quickly the inmates seem to resort back to their own ways despite months of “progress”. 

I might be looking too deeply and too literally into the lines myself, but still, the implications.

Oh yeah, thanks for the meme btw. 

Personally, I don’t think Zobotnik was ever molding Scourge to be a force of good; I mean, look at the tactics. He basically encouraged other inmates to beat the crap outta scourge until he was mentally broken. That’s not how you rehabilitate someone; that’s how you make someone a soldier, like you said.

What probably messed me up the most about that arc is how close zobotnik got to basically brainwashing him.

I mean, man’s support system was already trash, and he was pushed far enough to not trust the little support he had. If Fiona wasn’t able to talk him out of it (aka boost his ego), he might have been stuck in a baddd situation.

Scourge is also the perfect candidate for that kind of manipulation; he’s got a fragile ego and he can’t handle the kind of humiliation he was going through.

But considering Zobotnik, I have a neat theory… in that arc, you can see a great bit of tension between Zonic and Zobotnik. Zonic is top zone cop, and Zobotnik is just a warden (dude obviously wants more power). Maybe that’s why zobotnik was ‘rehabilitating’ scourge—he was the first alternate sonic that ended up in zone jail and he wanted to use his power to take over. Idk.

God now I’m imagining this as an au.. my brain… scourge in an enerjak like situation would destroy me bro

[iyamaggies-blog]

Surrender

Ok so I haven’t read the manga but I’ve been seeing all the jokes and memes about repetitive kaisen and it has me cackling so here’s some Sukuna smut about that. Enjoy!

The increasing ache in your stomach finally bursts into an all consuming dread as reality truly sinks in. Each step you take draws you closer to your assumed demise as you prepare to fight the all powerful king of curses.

You never Imagined you’d face the infamous Sukuna. Ever since you heard of his awakening in the teenager Yuji Itadori you couldn’t help but form a rather inappropriate curiosity. Even though Sukuna was a clear and unredeemable villain to jujitsu society you found yourself consuming any and all content pertaining to him. Your inquires soon shifted into intrusive fantasies about being in the presence of such a domineering presence. To be completely at the mercy of his unpredictable chaos. To be consumed by him, dissolving into-

No!

Nope!

No!

These thoughts won’t help you now. This is real life and the reality is you never believed you’d actually ever encounter the King of Curses. You never imagined Sukuna would regain his true form and pick off jujitsu sorcerers until literally everyone and anyone was being sent to slaughter in a meaningless onesided battle to stave off the inevitable.

Your mind goes blank when you encounter Sukuna. His aura is truly all consuming.

In the shadow of Sukuna’s looming presence, your heart races, your palms sweat, and your mind struggles with a flurry of incomplete thoughts. Every instinct screams at you to flee, to escape the clutches of the all-powerful king of curses. Yet, something deep within you stirs—a flicker of resolve.

The on going battles have already proven the victor. The continued masacre of sorcerers sent by a defeated society helps no one and proves nothing.

His voice is almost bored as he adresses you. “Another one already? You sorcerers must be-“

You fall to your knees and lean forward close to the ground with your head bowed, gaze cast downward, an expectant silence hangs in the air and you can feel Sukunas double set of eyes boring into you.

You keep your head downcast as you speak.

“I wish to surrender myself to you Lord Sukuna.”

“Oh? In what way do you wish to surrender?” His tone light with amusement, his face twisting into a dark smile.

“I renounce jujitsu society, I wish to live in service to you Lord Sukuna.”

As the weight of your words hangs heavy in the air, Sukuna’s dark laughter fills the space around you, echoing off the walls of the desolate battlefield. The abruptness makes you flinch, you resist the urge to face him and stay frozen in place, heart pounding loudly in your ears. His amusement is palpable, his gaze piercing through your very soul.

“You wish to live?” The question is condescending, audibly entertained you would try to protect your exsistence. He steps closer to you as he continues. “You would forsake everything to live at my feet?”

You dare not raise your gaze, keeping your head bowed in submission. “I have witnessed the futility of resisting you, Lord Sukuna,” you reply, your voice barely above a whisper. Your aware of his presence towering over but you push yourself to speak. “Jujitsu society is crumbling under your might. I seek to abandon their futile cause and pledge myself to you, to serve you faithfully for as long as you see fit.”

“Raise your head.”

Time slowly to an agonizing crawl. You rise from your bowing position remaining on your knees when your head tilts upwards and your eyes lock with his. You can feel the blush erupt across your face, heat spreading throughout your body. The most powerful being to ever walk this earth is looking directly at you. His sinister grin never leaves his face as leans down to grab a fist full of your hair at the nape of your neck. A shiver runs down your spine both from fear and a strange excitement at having the attentions of such a dangerous entity. “You offer yourself to me so willingly.” His grip tightens, pressing your face into his crotch. He maneuvers your face against the bulge of his clothed cock. You can feel the length of it hardening against your face. “Do you truly understand what it means to serve me mortal? The depths of my depravity, the acts that will be required of you?” He taunts

“I-I’m honored to do whatever it takes lord Sukuna” you stammer, your fear morphing into a twisted eagerness to please. With his unyielding grip in your hair he yanks you slightly upwards to face level with a wide open mouth grin adorning the extra jaws on his abdomen. You watch the large monstrous tounge emerge behind the teeth of his abdomen and sloppily trace along your jaw, you silently gasp at the cold wet feeling of saliva coating your face.

He uses your moment of surprise to bully the appendage past your lips deep into the warmth of your much smaller mouth. You try to relax your jaw to accommodate the dense muscle but the size difference only allows so much to force its way in before you start gagging with surprise. His tounge feels heavy in your mouth, thoroughly tasting every inch of you like he’s preparing to devour you. You look up to see Sukuna leering down at you as you fight to breathe around the thick wet appendage. Tears blurr your vision but you dare not look away from his captivating glare. A mix of saliva pools

In your mouth, your eyes begin to roll back.

“Well?” He questions impatiently. “Show me how you worship your new king. Convince me you deserve your next breathe of air”

Cautiously bring your hand up to palm at his erection, he feels thick and enormous. Feeling him beneath the tenting fabric creates a feeling of desperate anticipation that overwhelms you. Your eyes fall lidded with desire and you squirm. You squeeze your thighs together to try and satiate the increasingly demanding need between your legs. You attempt to wiggle your tounge against the much larger one dominating your mouth in a pathetic display of enthusiasm. Your submission earns an ominous laugh. Sukuna relents his torturous bullying, pulling his tounge from your mouth and releasing his grip in your hair. You gratefully take your first unobstructed breath blinking away the tears in your lashes. “That’s right, try harder! Show me how desperate you are to earn your plac as my concubine!”

My concubine

Property of the curse king, a man who claims possessive ownership over anything he desires.

The thought drives you forward to catch his abdominal tounge in an awkward but feverent kiss, working your smaller and inferior muscle against his in a sloppy performance. At the same time you thread your fingers into the waist band of his pants, pulling downwards to free his monstrous erection and wrapping your hand around his girth to pump him slowly. When you pull away from his mouth you can feel the string of spit connecting you and you watch his tounge retract and lips curve against his stomach into a twisted grin. You turn your attention downwards. Placing the tip of his cock against your lips before enveloping it into the wet warmth of your mouth. You can hear the slight change in his breathing, your whole body ignites with desire but you focus on your work. Each bob of your head you inch slightly more of him into your mouth, your hand working to service the rest of his impressive length. Your desperation peaks as you being to groan around him slipping your free hand down into your waist band to play with your clit.

“Oh? Do you take pleasure from serving me?”

“Yes Lord-“

“Keep my cock in your mouth until I say otherwise.” The harsh grip in your hair returns and he takes complete control of your movements. Forcing his cock deep

Into your throat until you gag ungracefully.

You attempt to distract yourself from the discomfort by slipping two of your fingers inside yourself. As quickly as your fingers enter your sopping hole your arm is yanked away. Using two of his four arms he grabs ahold of your wrists holding them off to the sides in the air above your head. His hand in your hair remains firm. Newly formed tears begin to fall down your cheeks and Sukuna uses his remaining free hand to swipe at your tears before bringing his fingers up to his face to taste the saltiness.

“My pleasure should be your only focus, is that understood?”

You nod weakly, a gargled “mmhhhmm” the only sound you can make in your current predicament.

He rocks his hips slightly, pulling away but never fully removing himself from you.

“Stick your tounge out.” He commands and you comply without hesitation. Sukuna keeps a steady pace, his eyes focused downwards to watch as himself glide over your tounge. You feel his thick length push past the limits of your mouth to occupy space in your throat over and over again. Each press of him in your throat causes a terrible gag that you strain to stifle. Drool that’s been collecting in your mouth begins to drip down your face soaking your chin.

“Oh how pathetic you look.” He muses. “Do you understand how lucky you are? How generous I am to award you this?”

You nod as best as you can, looking up at him through your lashes. You can’t help but bask in the thrill of having his full atttention devoted to you. “If I decide to keep you I will do this and whatever else I’d like to you at my pleasure. Does that excite you whore?” Keeping you in his iron grip he pulls his spit soaked cock from your mouth. There’s an audible wet squelching sound as he strokes himself, clearly expecting a verbal reply.

“Yes p-please Lord Sukuna, use me as you see fit.” You stammer your reply holding your mouth open and tounge out, inviting him back to pleasure himself with your mouth.

He instead keeps stroking himself “Do you think you deserve to taste my seed?” The question feels lethal, your not sure if there’s a correct answer but your certain there is a wrong one. “No lord Sukuna, I am unworthy.” Despite your response you continue to hold out your tounge for him. Seeminly pleased

with your answer he again maneuvers your head back to his cock. This time placing the tip onto the flat of your tounge, working his length faster. “You’re right you are unworthy…” the thick warm saltiness of his cum floods your taste buds, he strokes himself through his orgasm watching to make sure every last drop lands in your mouth and on your tounge. “But you’ll do for now…..swallow it slut.” Finally he releases you from his grip. You do as instructed proudly facing up from your kneeled position, again opening your mouth to show proof of your obedience. Sukuna readjusts himself in his clothing before hoisting you off the ground and over his shoulder. “I’m dropping you off with Uraume, they’ll train you to better service me while I finish up here.”

“Thank you Lord Sukuna.”

Without another word Sukuna carries you off into the unknown. Your old life forever behind you as you prepare to live in servitude to the might King of curses.

[accirax]

initial thoughts on DCAS episode 16

... is Derek really an incel? like, at the very least, shouldn't him being with Kristal prove that he isn't an incel? i have no qualms with Emily insulting Derek, but she should at least be accurate.

ooh, Emily going full villain mode? we stan :D

girl how would you possibly think this would work

so Ally has resorted to playing a fully emotional game, huh? you either get eliminated a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the Jake.

the music in this scene cracked me up. also, i think aleriya is (canonically) dead after this scene, if it hadn't already died beforehand. (i say canonically bc fans can do whatever they want)

d-does he still...? also, obligatory "just because Connor loves Riya doesn't mean she has any obligation to love him back, villain or not."

i really can't tell if this part of Ally's character arc is meant to be viewed as good or bad. like, the show is obviously telling us that Ally's overall trajectory is bad, and being needlessly cruel to other people for the sake of putting your own emotional wellbeing first could certainly be a part of that. but, there's also been a lot of commentary about how hard it is to be under the scrutiny of social media (likely from the crew's own experiences), so Ally learning to stand up for herself and what she needs could also be a form of wish fulfillment. hopefully it'll resolve as a multi-layered predicament in the end, but i'm just trying to figure out how Ally will respond to her edit in All Stars in either the finale or the Loser's Motel episode.

...can't you just wait, like, two more episodes to directly state the point of your character arc, essentially then concluding it? then i could be sure that you'd win.

HELP

lmao of course the nerd can't rock climb. he can carry 120 pounds on his back but he cannot ascend.

Connor is really fucking strong goddamn?

Ally really can't fight this, because this is the exact rationale that she was trying to use on Jake for their entire games.

i want to see people draw buff Grett in the style of the buff Natsuki meme from DDLC. but, also, go Grett!!!

the intense difficulty of a twelve piece jigsaw puzzle. Venus noted that it really sounded like Kristal was describing a slide puzzle, but I understand why that would've been really difficult to storyboard.

Connor you can't be this stupid (/j)

in-universe, i don't really understand how she beat Alec (he was really good at the block puzzle in s1 and it fits his vibes), but yay Grett! i knew she wasn't going home tonight anyway.

what else could it have possibly been, Ally? regardless, we're definitely setting up the pieces for Grett's downfall soon.

can you really count the TikTok challenge as a "Jake immunity win"? literally everyone except Gabby and Grett won immunity in that challenge.

for a moment, i really thought Connor was going to pull the Kim Possible "out there... in here..." thing.

so true Jake

this feels like a fanfic line

you know Jake's having flashbacks to his last final 6 experience.

well, while i certainly thought that it was Riya's time to go in terms of the cut, it does actually make more sense for Alec to go home here, no plot armor involved! (other than arguably the plot armor of not letting Alec win the challenge.) Alec is much more threatening in a final 3 situation because of his greater athleticism and intelligence as compared to Riya, and Grett is closer to Riya than Alec. it sucks to see one of my favorites go, but it's entirely logical.

Riya out here projecting ("little toy")

this was such a good moment. i especially love the storytelling without dialogue going on with Connor's reaction. anyways, if Riya wasn't going to win before, she's definitely not going to win now. you don't get hit with the "look at what a sorry state you're in" three episodes before the final and then snatch the W.

maybe you shouldn't have fired and humiliated your employees live on TV, then.

is this season going to end with Kristal resigning from the show? i thought that might happen to make way for Emily as the new host, but now that she's going more villainous, i don't think that'll be the cast anymore. maybe Derek and Trevor will take the show back over, as (I think) the more popular hosts in the fandom?

anyways. a solid episode! i think a good number of people saw the Connor idol play coming from a mile away, so it wasn't all that surprising that one of the major villains was going down. still, we had interesting strategy and some great character moments, especially for Connor. they're really making the best of his extended time in All Stars. and, hey, there are only two guys left, so maybe he'll make the finale! it doesn't really matter, though, because it's gonna be Jake. i'll keep riding the Jake winner train until he gets eliminated. not that i think that's going to happen ;)

see you next week!

[fervidus]

@storiesfabled asked: ❛ you’re lucky you got away with only a scratch. ❜ from the assorted dialogue meme

nothing upset her more than disappointing her father. not to mention, appearing weak in any regard was something she avoided at all costs. she wanted to show him that she would be ready to keep his legacy shining whenever he wanted to hand the company over to her someday. a strong, quick-minded business woman. that's what she had set out on showing today when she'd went to resolve the problem of thievery at one of the drill sites. her current bodyguard, brock, had warned her against it and threatened to call her father but she had blackmailed convinced him to come along for the ride.

things had went south quickly, but fortunately for her safety her father had caught on to her and shown up just in time to save her and brock both. now she was stuck in the front seat of her worst nightmares of upsetting weston come true while her bodyguard was being carted to the hospital for treatment of a concussion and a broken arm. her words were uncharacteristically quiet as she looked out the window at the scenery flying by. ❝ i'm sorry daddy. i just -- wanted to prove to you i'm not the scared little teenager anymore. i wanted to show you that i'm serious about being more involved in the company -- that it's not a stupid childhood fantasy. but i guess i proved the opposite. i understand if the next words out of your mouth are that i should stop foolin' myself and go to school to be a stupid teacher or something. ❞

[starlightlightning]

≫ canon divergent, headcanon heavy ELESA from POKEMON BW & BW 2 ≫ 20+ ONLY due to dark themes. Please read the CARRD before interacting.

𝄢 a study in: creating ones own justice, finding resolve, fighting for others, losing ones self, proving ones own worth, becoming the monster, singing your heart out, laughing, loving with ones full heart, and wishing on stars

≫LINKS: { MUSE | CREDIT | RULES + MUN | VERSES | INTEREST CHECKER (N/A atm) }

≫other blogs: { volo | leon | piers | adaman }

// written and loved by niko ( 30+ | he/him | cst ) // BANNER TEMPLATE CREDIT BANNER ART CREDIT: spy x family, myself, official

≫ triggering content may be mentioned including, but not limited to, blood, violence, questionable morality, mentions of acts of terrorism, PTSD, criminal activity, police violence.

≫tag list below the cut

≫GEN. TAGS { my art | musings | music | headcanons } { gen ic | asks | ask memes | ooc posts } { dash games | dash commentary }

≫VERSES { main verse | ingo missing }

[poppypopp]

Fic Stats Meme

Rules: Give us the links to your fics with the:

most hits

second most kudos

third most comments

fourth most bookmarks

fifth most words

fic with the least amount of words.

thanks to the fantastic @nyxianthe

Most Hits:

Flame and Shadow (7203 hits)

In which the mask comes off, the conversation goes differently, and Nil once more follows her into the fight, like a shark following the scent of blood. Where she goes, death follows, and he’s powerless to resist the call.

Second Most Kudos:

All the World Aflame (280 kudos)

In which the Red Raids never ended. With Rost gone and the Proving cancelled due to the growing threat of the Carja on their doorstep, Aloy is alone and adrift until she comes across a squad of Red Raiders fighting the Braves in the Embrace. She leaps into the battle to help, and in the chaos, one of the Carja kestrels is captured. With war looming on the horizon and a weakened tribe, Aloy must venture out into the wilds beyond the Sacred Lands to follow rumors of a growing rebellion led by Oseram freebooters. If they can band together, they might just be strong enough to bring down the Carja and end the Red Raids. But to get there, she'll need a guide, and who better than the captive Carja who has nothing to lose? He can't be trusted, but perhaps he values his shot at freedom more than being a soldier in somebody else's war.

Third Most Comments:

Bahaha this is actually Flame and Shadow, which is already linked above

Fourth Most Bookmarks:

Where the Wanderer Goes (42 bookmarks)

A whirlwind romance during the Red Raids between Nil and Fashav is brought to a tragic end at Cinnabar Sands. Both men think the other is dead. Fashav finds happiness with the Tenakth, and with Kotallo. And Aloy burns away the mangled shadows of Nil's past. When they meet in the Forbidden West, four worlds will be shaken. Thrown together by circumstance and necessity, old flames will rekindle as well as new. Fashav and Aloy are soulmates, but, they discover, so are Nil and Kotallo. Now all four of them will have to figure out what they are to each other while helping Aloy save the world.

Fifth Most Words:

Toward the Sun (61,070 words)

AU where they're born with their soulmate's first words on their skin. How do you reconcile misunderstandings amidst war and strife? Nil has always thought his soulmate's first words were a rejection - a belief that's reinforced when he hears them spoken during the heat of battle at Barren Light. He resolves to go through life alone until he meets Aloy, and though he thinks he could be happy with her - she has someone else's words written on her arm. So he lets her go. It seems a cruel twist of fate when he joins her fight in the Forbidden West only to realize that not only has she found her soulmate, but her soulmate is the same Tenakth warrior who rejected him three years ago. Though it pains him to know he's somehow been replaced, he swore to help Aloy fight, and his honor demands he stay. So he hides behind the Red Teeth mask and resolves to keep his distance from them both. But it's only a matter of time before his long shadow is finally brought to light.

Least Amount of Words:

Poppy's Drunk A/N/K Ficlets (all but one have exactly 100 words)

Tagging @wandereringray and @every-raindrop77 again.

[msftsn]

@tragedicn : five times reunited  ( five times they reunited after being apart . ) five times drabble meme : rosalyne & artyom.

I. he still doesn't like the supposed prestige of being a harbinger, simply sees no value in being considered a higher rank than all of the people under them that put in just as much work - if not more given that most of them do not possess visions. that most of them are normal humans; well, technically he was one as well, one could argue. and yet, being one of the newest addition to people with such rank he finds himself less than awestruck. annoyed, to a degree. the few people he considered decent now treated him as if he was some sort of precious noble. right. and even worse, his new colleagues... either they did not acknowledge him or they argued with him as if they were still teenagers. the one they call la signora might be the one he clashes heads with the most. a young woman claimed by the flames that surround her, lucky that her deal with her highness the tsaritsa found a way to counteract the fire with ice.

and ice she seemed to have run through her veins with that cold expression. it annoyed him and yet he can't help but obey to the codex that demanded a respectful welcome to all members that'd been gone for long missions, as well as a briefing of all new events that transpired in their absence. his input is short, professional and focused. his paperwork done with diligence and the drive of a man who has to prove himself. and yet, when after the meeting he finds himself somewhat alone with the woman he can't help the awkward way he clears his throat with. pedrolino, the escape artist, at least according to his rank. and yet he can't find himself escaping any of these tedious moments where he would rather hide himself. it's as if la signora can see right through him, her gaze cold as though she could see past his professional self and knew of the deep-rooted sins that weigh his soul down. that or she just really doesn't like him, it seems. and yet, somehow, she is the one he trusts the most out of all the harbingers that have been named so far. how odd. intriguing.

❛ i've seen your report. good work, la signora. ❜

II. he shouldn't be calm, he should be frantic or angry or vicious and yet he finds himself in some sort of state of mind where all he can do is focus and work. this is no ordinary emergency, he knows. and yet, even when he finds out his own brother - the one he had done everything for - was the one who intended to absorb some sort of strange power of manipulated visions, he can only focus as he gives orders to his underlings. as the only currently present harbinger he had to act fast if he wanted to avoid trouble. by any means was he to detain the issue and resolve it before any other harbinger has to join the fray and aid him. such is his duty, and in the end... after his brother left, after seeing the path his own nation is going in with the delusions and what they do; la signora herself being a prime example of the doctors madness and how much he derailed the purpose of the harbingers, well, duty was all he had. and so when he arrives at the scene he takes any precaution that had to be done. makes sure to avoid unnecessary sacrifices, and that all under his command get out safely. he takes his equipment, takes a deep breath and closes his eyes, focusing and letting all his life flash before his eyes. this is no easy feat, even for one of the highest ranking fatui members. if it were il capitano or pierro than perhaps they could come out alive. but him? no. he knew && despite that all artyom, no, pedrino, can find himself doing is open his eyes and ready for combat. it would come to an end here and with him. this fight, this stupidity, this struggle... and his bloodline. he would go out, but he would go out at his brothers side.

his head snaps back at signora when she calls out his name, asks him about the status and the situation. he gives her a quick briefing before his grip tightens on his sword. he can't help the tremble of his hands at the dreadful realisation that he was about to fight -and kill- his own brother. the one he had fought so hard to protect. the one he gave his all and more for. she looks like she wants to say something, like she wants to intervene and offer her aid but she's just come from whatever mission she was sent on, the effects of the delusion showing on the few stray frostflakes on her skin. his gaze hardens and he gives a small nod at her, voice firm when he speaks again. ❛ calculations show that my survival will be unlikely. no matter what happens, la signora, i need you to get everyone to safety. i will try to avoid complications but i don't know what this madman will cause with his insanity and craving for power. ❜ he gives a thin smile, one of the few rare ones he's given the past few years - oddly enough for her more than for anyone - before he adds one last thing, gaze softening just the tiniest bit.

❛ i'm glad to see you one last time. thank you for everything. ❜

III. the voices tell him to bite, to tear through the people surrounding him even when he can't see their face - that he should kill them even more because he can't see their face. his paws are cold, the endless snow of snezhnaya freezing him to the core and yet he can't even tell where it cools his body. he can't see anything, can't feel his body. all he can do is listen to the voices and smell his surroundings. this isn't his body, it's a monster that he became after his death ... oh, that's right. he's dead, isn't he? the beast moves it's leg, positions itself into readiness so he can attack. he snarls, he bears his teeth. and yet ... the smells disperse, make way for another much stronger scent. it's so familiar, so horribly and tragically familiar that his posture returns to idleness, his growls turning confused, something akin of a whimper leaving the beasts throat. he knows this one. she smells so familiar... he doesn't remember who she is, he doesn't remember most things, but he remembers her smell. the voices tell him to tear through her, too. she seems powerful, if he destroys her he will prove his power. but he hesitates, and then a voice cuts through the sound in his mind. yes... he knows this ones voice. he doesn't understand her words, all he understands is the familiarity of her voice. he feels weak, tired. so the beast drops down, lowers its head to the ground and lays there. if she is to kill him now that's fine, at least he will die surrounded by something that seems like he's known it for a while. it's comforting, amidst all the confusion. as if something that reminds him of home is finally back after a long absence. the smell comes a little closer, wary, he can sense she is on edge and it doesn't matter to him. his head lifts, wet nose pressing against her shoulder as he lets out a soft sound. only to growl as his head snaps to the side, angered by a new smell approaching. he doesn't like any of them, they reek. only the one in front of him brings comfort, quells the voices in his head.

yes ... this one has been away from for long, but the beast will forgive that. as long as this one stays for now he will behave, will control the destructive intent of his own mind if he has to.

IV. it has been a good few years, perhaps a dozen or two. but artyom still hesitates when he knocks on her office door, except his nerves catch up and he forgets to manifest his hand, phasing through the door with his arm as if he's trying to spook her. it had taken a long time before her highness and the doctor deemed it a success to help him control his powers. truth be told, he is not quite sure if he likes it. artyom didn't like being a harbinger, in no way does he enjoy being what the doctor has called a "domovoy". supposedly he named it that after a old snezhnayan tale of an ancestral spirit, the guardian of kins and tribes. oddly befitting, he has to begrudgingly admit. at least if one is to consider that all of snezhnaya has to be seen as the household he guards, then. they told him that for a long time la signora had been the one to oversee his case, that she'd spent quite a significant amount of time ensuring he attacks nobody else because supposedly he'd only calm in her presence. and now that he was mostly back to having a mind of his own rather than all the voices in his head commanding him around he thought it'd be good to thank his former colleague for her help. however awkward it might feel to him. not like it could be any more awkward than a giant shadow monster supposedly acting like a tense dog around her. oh well.

when she permits entry he opens the door, clears his throat as if it will help him find his words and then all of a sudden artyom finds himself stunned, looking at the tiniest of smiles on her face as she welcomes him back. he offers a faint smile himself, offers her a cup of tea he'd brought along and sits down on one of the chairs in her office, his voice soft and uncertain when he speaks.

❛ i was informed of all you've done for me. thank you, signora. ❜

V. the room is dark when the door closes again, the shadows manifesting into a silhouette sitting on the chair next to her desk. despite her long absence the office is tidy, as if she'd only stepped out for a short moment. the tea on her desk is hot, freshly brewed in a cup he's had to clean of old tea for probably the hundreth time today. other than to do what he had to do, other than to visit feliks artyom not once left this office. waiting patiently for rosalyne to return. she'd come back from death before, he knew her highness and the dreaded doctor, would eventually find a way to bring her back again. and if not he would have moved the abyss && celestia to do so himself. he stands up, extends his hand as it shakes, asks silently for permission to embrace her only to have her meet him halfway. whatever replaces his heart feels like it is beating now, a warm and tender feeling finally making his tense body relax as he holds rosalyne close, silent sobs racking his body as if he sheds tears his body can't produce. she's back... she fought valiantly, she died and she's back. the good parts of him think she would have deserved to rest finally. the selfish parts of him are glad she's come back. he doesn't speak, fears that if he opens his mouth all the love he's tried to bite and swallow down would pour out. no, he's selfish enough already, right now this is all about her. all he will do is be there for her like she was for him. at least once he's finally spoken.

❛ thank you for coming back. please don't go where i can't follow, . rosalyne. ❜

voice soft, gentle and full of unspoken emotions he finally relents, lets go of her just enough to look at her. she looks so fragile, tired and exhausted beyond belief, and yet he can see the tiniest smile curling on her lips. his eyes focus, take her in properly now that he has to courage to truly look at her. if his emotions were to pour out of his chest now he wouldn't mind. but he'll let them out once she's rested, when she feels better. he smiles softly, tenderly and his voice matches his expression.

❛ you should rest. i'll stay with you until you send me away. ❜

[jaydove-writes]

Truly, the only way to lose a boss battle is to give up. Take Sans from Undertale for example. (The word from is there because I refuse to call him by his meme surname) His whole deal is breaking the game mechanics to make a fight so difficult that you give up. And he's beaten a fair amount of players this way. But many have also beaten him. Even Sans is not unbeatable. He warns you that you may not like the result of your actions.

By contrast, there are also bosses who want you to beat them. Usually for some kind of practice for an actual enemy, or to show off your skill to a master. A good example of this would be Hornet from Hollow Knight, in her second fight. (In the first fight she still thinks of you as an enemy.) The second fight is a test of resolve, to prove you are worthy of the King's Brand, and capable of defeating the Radiance.

Both of these bosses, despite having different attitudes about losing, are designed to lose their battles.

Y'all ever think about the way video game bosses are designed to lose? How the bombastic soundtracks, the impressive displays of villainy, the teeth-rattling power of their attacks, are at once engineered not just to sell you on how unfathomably strong and vile they are, but also to make the player's inevitable victory all the sweeter?

Viewed this way, a boss battle is more like a choreographed dance - they call, you respond and counter-call. The trick is to learn the steps - once you know where to move, when to strike, when to defend and how to best allocate your resources, victory is not just achievable but actually almost impossible to avoid. You cannot help but recite the winning plays, over and again, because that is what the dance demands of you both - and is there not a savage sort of beauty in such a thing?

Is it any wonder then that we look back on these bosses so fondly, almost as if they were old friends? We danced together once, and oh what fun we had while doing it!

[btcinfonews]

Galaxy Digital Resolves Luna Allegations With $200M Settlement

🚀 **Galaxy Digital Resolves Luna Allegations With $200M Settlement** 🚀

Well, well, well! Looks like Galaxy Digital decided to take a crisp $200 million nap after their tussle with the NY AG over the wildly infamous Luna crypto saga. Talk about pricey pillow talk! 😜 Read the original article on bitcoininfonews.com

What to Know:

Galaxy settles for a whopping $200M over Luna allegations with NY AG 🤑.

This could shake up regulatory compliance expectations like a Polaroid picture! 📸

And yes, calls for stronger crypto market oversight are back—just like those pesky Zoom meetings! 🥳

Galaxy Digital's $200M Finale 🎭

In an attempt to save face—or at least some of that hard-earned cash—Galaxy has agreed to fork out a cool $200 million to settle allegations regarding it misleading unsuspecting investors over their doomed Luna investments. Oops! 😬

This settlement doesn't just carry a hefty price tag; it reflects the *growing regulatory scrutiny* in the crypto kingdom. Buckle up, folks! Compliance is about to become the hottest trend. 💼

🌌 Galaxy Digital's Journey to $200M Settlement Over Luna 🌌

With the ensemble led by the often-controversial Michael Novogratz, the crypto world has been waiting with bated breath to see how Galaxy would navigate these turbulent waters. Spoiler: it involves enhancing compliance and transparency. Who'd have thought? 🤷‍♂️

Market Perception Shifts Post-Settlement 📈

Soon after this dramatic turn of events, we see how the market reacts, proving that perceptions can shift faster than a meme goes viral. Terra (LUNA) has dropped to $0.185 with a market cap of $131.3 million. Someone help this coin get back on its feet! 💔

👮 Regulatory Compliance Under Spotlight 👮

As expected, such settlements are becoming as common as coffee breaks in the digital age. And guess what? This could hint at the wild ride we’re about to have with regulatory frameworks and market dynamics. Hold onto your keyboards! ⌨️

"This settlement reflects our commitment to holding companies accountable for their actions in the cryptocurrency space." - Letitia James, Attorney General of New York 🤔

To wrap it all up, if this kind of drama isn’t your cup of tea, get ready. It looks like the crypto world is just getting started. For more juicy updates and insights, glide over to bitcoininfonews.com. Let the crypto memes run wild! 🎉💸

#CryptoNews #GalaxyDigital #Luna #Settlement #Regulation #InvestSmart #Blockchain #CryptoDrama

[nightclimes]

fic writer meme: 3, 4, 31, 35! or any question that you like if these don't spark interest

thank you for the questions! tbh I may answer more on my journal at some point, they're all very good 🤔

3. Is there a trope you wouldn’t touch with a ten foot pole?

there's probably a lot. the only one I can actively think of is miscommunication - I want characters to resolve and trust and say what they're thinking, and a premise based on not communicating properly does not interest me at all. many others are circumstantial or fair game, depending what a story needs: but it never needs this imo, lol.

4. How many fic ideas are you nurturing right now? Care to share one of them?

There's a few I have as backburner ideas and some that I'm purposefully kindling, but none that are really at a point I can talk about... that and I'm not thinking about them in big detail with posting rarepair fics/working on Ashe site/PEM flare and almost no sleep all week, brain is too small.

31. Do you take liberties with canon or are you very strict about your fic being canon compliant?

I'm generally compliant. Sometimes I'll write something that's a "what if" or a divergence of a particular event, but I like to write something that seamlessly slots into an established timeline and that readers can picture as actually happening. I want it to make sense within canon confines.

However that's for stuff like, FFXIV. Overwatch barely has a narrative in the first place: it's a mess, it's scattered all over the place in tie-in media and things are constantly being retconned or adjusted when previously mentioned events are fully explored, but it's a fascinating blueprint to work with. I like working with established settings and fleshing the characters out for myself. But I base all of what I do on their behaviours in-source, be it voicelines with others and their reactions to things. I'm just building on what's already there.

The biggest compliment to me is when people say they can hear the characters voice. Or when later canon proves a prior read as correct.

35. Would you ever kill off a canon character?

I have, but it wasn't permanent :')

This is an interesting question because I once wrote a prequel novel for a series where one of the characters dies at a specified point - that would be my ending. However, this was not a choice I made for myself, but one made for me. The only time I've ever written a non-canon death for a character is for Ashe during Bloodstains... and that's because it was thematically appropriate and, being an AU seeped in magic and destiny and fate, I could fairytale fake-out it and do thematic soul-searching and self-acceptance with it. And resolve it through true love's kiss, obviously.

I've also written an AU where the wol dies instead of (redacted) during HW, but that's like? A very specific circumstance. See above about divergence: it is not what I would consider "canon". I would be reluctant to remove any canonically named character forever, even in something long form, and even when writing about an assassin and an outlaw who would do these things and Ashe vocalises she wants Cassidy dead (she doesn't mean it, though).

...although I do have one idea for if that did happen, so never say never. Again though it's not what I would consider my own series' canon and deliberately a what-if. Like a thought exercise. I've also thought at length about what Ashe or Amelie would do if they lost the other, but that's mostly idle musing; I'd probably never actually write it because it would ultimately upset me too much.

tl;dr no. but yes if it's strictly a divergence or in a very specific context.

[hmollik]

In the rapidly evolving world of cryptocurrencies, standing out requires more than just a name — it demands vision, determination, and results. At ElonXcat, we are redefining what it means to be a meme coin project, blending humor with purpose and delivering tangible progress that inspires trust and excitement.

A Seat at the Table: ElonXcat Joins Binance’s Exclusive Event

Imagine being invited to one of the most exclusive gatherings in the crypto world — Binance’s year-end celebration. Reserved for top-tier partners and affiliates, this event isn’t accessible to just anyone. And yet, ElonXcat was there.

Represented by one of our team members, we mingled with industry giants, shared our vision, and received enthusiastic feedback. The conversations we had solidified our resolve to one day see ElonXcat listed on Binance, a dream we are steadily working toward.

From insightful discussions to receiving Binance’s commemorative t-shirt, this event was more than a milestone — it was proof that ElonXcat is being noticed in all the right places.

Transparency in a World of Doubt

We understand the skepticism in the crypto space, particularly when it comes to meme coins. Questions like “Why haven’t you posted photos from the Binance event?” or even “Is this project legitimate?” are not uncommon.

Our answer? Actions speak louder than words. We’re not here to chase hype with flashy uploads. Instead, we’re focused on building a project that delivers real value and longevity.

Yes, many meme coin projects turn out to be scams — but ElonXcat is different. Our team is dedicated to transparency and progress, and we’ve made strategic decisions, like modifying our tier plan, to ensure the best possible outcomes for our community.

Evolving for Success: The Tier Plan Redesign

Adapting to change is a hallmark of successful projects. When circumstances evolve, so must the roadmap. Originally, our plan was straightforward: list on a DEX, then a single CEX, and grow incrementally.

But life had other plans.

Unprecedented Growth: Our community has exploded in size, with a promotional video reaching 1 million views in just one week and over 50,000 YouTube subscribers amassed in less than two months.

Global Outreach: With advertising campaigns spanning 60 countries, we’ve achieved a level of visibility that demands a bold new approach.

The feedback we’ve received from our global audience has inspired us to aim higher and adapt our tier plan to meet the needs of our rapidly expanding community.

Why ElonXcat is Worth Your Trust

In a sea of projects vying for attention, ElonXcat is proving its worth through measurable results and a relentless commitment to growth.

Here’s why you should trust us:

Strategic Growth: Every decision we make is calculated to ensure the long-term success of the project.

Unmatched Transparency: We openly communicate changes and challenges, so you’re never left in the dark.

Global Vision: With a presence in 60+ countries and a growing community, we’re creating a project that resonates worldwide.

Doubt is natural, but we urge you to look at the bigger picture. Our focus isn’t on short-term wins; it’s on building something that lasts.

Join the Revolution

Whether you’re new to crypto or a seasoned investor, ElonXcat is a project that offers more than just promises — we offer progress. 

Visit our website at https://elonxcat.com/ to learn more, 

Twitter: @elonxcat

Telegram: @ELONXCAT_PORTAL

and be part of a journey that’s setting a new benchmark in the meme coin space.

Together, let’s build the future of ElonXcat!

[harbingrs]

cw: potential here for OCD contagion around moral themes, so feel free to skip

--

The idea that engaging with your interests with the right emotions determines whether it's ethical makes me think of the "reading warrior cats and shaking my head the whole time so people know I don't agree with outdoor cats" style meme

Except it's like "reading about a train crash and emotionally shaking my head the whole time to prove to the people observing me (myself) that I don't love death and dying"

And as someone with moral OCD I can firmly say that that level of self-surveillance and feeling like you'll slip into being a Bad Person without constant hyperviligence over your own internal experiences is very very unhealthy

Because moral uncertainty is very, very hard to navigate. Straightforward, blanket ethical rules and ways to 'negate' any risk of Badness are both extremely seductive and the building blocks of moral OCD.

Not the same topic, but definitely adjacent is "depicting Bad Things in media is always fetishistic or glorifying or endorsing and therefore unethical" culture. Because straightforward blanket ethical rules on are so, so seductive when we want an easy way to feel secure in our morality

But the reality is that depictions of the same Bad Thing can be exploitative and disgusting OR a powerful, incredible piece of art that will be talked about for centuries OR something else entirely (like a person's own life story, or a fictionalised version of it, even if it's objectively poorly written - because skill or literary merit is not a 'necessary redeeming' feature either). Sometimes a work does 'affect reality' in a harmful way but you cannot gauge this solely with a keyword search for Bad Topics and Bad Words

But it is really, really hard not to have an easy yardstick for morality. It's genuinely hard and scary to live with that uncertainty, knowing you need to weigh up so many other complex factors to gauge the ethics of any situation for yourself and you still might not have certainty about it (and the spectre of unresolved uncertainty is also what moral OCD is made of)

And "performing the right emotions about it" is also an easy way out. Like, the idea that you can resolve ALL the ethical questions around watching a Netflix murder documentary by feeling the morally correct emotions while you watch it (disgust for the alleged murderer, empathy and sadness for the victim, pride and satisfaction when the detective arrests the culprit and the individual is punished and 'justice is done', etc - not even delving into the uncritical acceptance of all those roles & the narrative itself and the harm that can do)

And I'm not saying 'it's bad to feel those emotions' either (especially when my point is opposing the whole concept of thought crimes and self-surveillance in general). But I strongly oppose the idea that feeling (or making sure you feel) the Right Emotions is morally redeeming or the solution to moral uncertainty

In general, I'm opposed to the concept of thought crimes/emotion crimes or hyperviligant monitoring of your own internal landscape for 'correctness'. I'm opposed to the moral yardstick of feeling the 'right' emotions (especially in the sense of empathetic responses) and the subsequent classification of /not/ feeling the 'right' emotions (or feeling anything at all) as immoral or inhuman

And I would be very wary of falling into the trap of surveilling your emotions on moral grounds, or feeling like you have something to prove with how you do/don't feel. Do you want moral compulsions because that's how you get moral compulsions

[erseac]

Let me talk about the second one a bit more, because that was objectively a crazy thing to do, which is why it was so much fun.

These prompt memes are typically fairly simple: The prompt describes a thing, you invent a scenario, you write one scene or sequence where that scenario plays out. That's what the Chlobrina here was, as well as all my fills for the Rare Kink Buffet 2024, 2025 and the Miraculous Ladybug Kink Meme. It's not mandatory, in particular look at the awesome work @echo-has-queries is doing with Give and Take, but it's a natural fit.

In this case, though, I saw some prompts about obsession with a sex worker going too far and comitting crimes to prove your devotion that fit perfectly together, but both felt like they wouldn't fit this format well. Of course you can always just write one scene that is the culmination of these things, but in this case that didn't sit right with me.

Problem: No time. I learned about this event on May 21st, and the story reveal was June 5th, and while there's no requirement to have the story finished by then, I really, really wanted to.

Solution: Go crazy and write really fast (by my standards, there are plenty of people who can write way faster).

Aurore as the main character is an unusual pick, but I really liked her in the last Climatika episode, where she kept trying and failing to be an online influencer, just to get a book about weather patterns. Continually trying to become popular with video content, passionate about something else entirely, and a bit of a perennial loser (sorry), it's a juicy combination.

Chloé was sort of the default choice for toxic customer. I also considered Lila, but you can't really have Lila if she isn't scheming, and this was not a scheme-heavy crime spree here.

Adding in Mireille and her crush then naturally produced a neat little story arc. Not really a perfect one, as Ladybug points out with the Lucky Charm it doesn't really ask or answer any questions other than "how much should you hang out with Chloé", but good enough.

Half-way through writing I realised that I could replace Aurore and Mireille with Marinette and Alya for broader appeal, but honestly, the freedom of these little-known characters was more fun. Also, I got to include weather puns. Speaking of: Yes, those weird chapter titles actually mean something and are related to the plot. Same about the texting codes that come up briefly.

I actually started writing with the last chapter just so I knew I could finish the story. Resolving it with an akuma fight is always appropriate, and keeping the POV in Aurore's head meant I canonically didn't have to write that akuma fight since she won't remember it. Win-win! There were moments where I considered adding some Chloé and Mireille POV sections, but ultimately sticking to Aurore worked best.

I also considered not adding detailed sex scenes and just keeping it M rated, since the sex is really not the point, but in the end I decided it was more fun to keep them in.

The end result is… pure perfection, don't you dare say anything bad about, I'll cry. But also it sucks so bad in so many ways. But I am absolutely proud of it.

It is undeniably the best thing I could have produced in these two weeks. But there are also so many things that could have been better. In particular, the "montage" sections at the start and end, first where Aurore and Chloé have lots of dates, and later Chloé's crime spree, could have benefited from being significantly longer and more detailed (and that also would have included more Mireille character development).

And just in general, another deep editing pass would have helped. I did edit this, and I did rewrite several chapters completely; first writing them as normal conversations between grown-up adults, and then trying again to make them unhinged and confused so it was actually fun. But still, more would always help, especially since I don't have a trusted beta reader who can help me with typos or "this sounds bad/is boring" or similar.

But the thing is, if I didn't have this crazy self-imposed deadline, I don't think I'd have finished this story at all. So all in all, I think this is the best version of the story I could write. Even though I also really want to go back and rewrite and expand parts of it…

Anyway, this was a lot of fun, I can absolutely recommend writing 10k+ multichapter rare pair high concept smut fics in two weeks or less, it's an absolute blast! Won't give you any kudos (or only barely), but, you know, something's got to give, and the fun of it did make up for it in my mind. Thanks for reading this unfocused ramble!

The author's for the Toxic Femslash Convenience Store event are supposed to be revealed now… but they're not. Maybe some bug in Ao3? I dunno. I do want to talk about my works for it now, though, because I had so much fun writing them and I want people to know about them. So I'm just going to do it, and you'll just have to believe me that they're mine even if it still says "Anonymous".

Not Again

Explicit, Chlobrina, 2335 words. A classic event one-shot based on a single prompt.

Sabrina is in the middle of sexy times with her (still secret) girlfriend Chloé, when Chloé drops a bomb shell. She cheated on her. Again. As Chloé continues, Sabrina wonders whether this relationship is really all she can hope for.

Moisture Content

Here I went a little crazy and combined a total of four prompts into an 11,290 word seven-chapter story. Again Explicit, this time featuring Chloé/Aurore and Aurore/Mireille of all people.

Aurore is studying meteorology and has found her online success as an independent adult content creator, selling videos of her undressing and more. When Chloé offers her way too much money for one night of passion, she decides to branch out. Turns out the money is really good and she may have a thing for girls, or lesbian sex at least.

But her best friend and roommate Mireille, who claimed she was fine with it, is acting weird. Meanwhile it becomes clear that Chloé is a difficult customer who doesn't like to hear the word no…

[logicalbookthief]

Christmas Movies Ranked by How Anti-Capitalist They Are

It’s a Wonderful Life

Movies that make you want to pick a fight with the 1% and also weep with joy. Absolutely a classic and anti-capitalist at its very core. Will convince you we need to start oppressing landlords again.

“Just remember this, Mr. Potter, that this rabble you're talking about... they do most of the working and paying and living and dying in this community. Well, is it too much to have them work and pay and live and die in a couple of decent rooms and a bath? Anyway, my father didn't think so. People were human beings to him. But to you, a warped, frustrated old man, they're cattle.”

SAY THAT!!! George Bailey said fuck landlords, all my homies hate landlords, they have NO rights. Local man believes poor people are human, dedicates his life to helping them, and in his time of the need literally the whole town comes together to support him and his family. Class solidarity ftw!

“Remember no man is a failure who has friends.” Bitch I CRY EVERY GODDAMN TIME. 

10/10

Home Alone

Soundtrack goes hard, the wacky hijinks even harder. 

Loses points because the bandits had a prime opportunity to seize and redistribute some of the wealth from this ritzy Chicago neighborhood and instead they focus their energy on trying to kill an 8-year-old who outsmarts them at every turn.

2/10

Elf

A family favorite in our house. Touches on the overworking and mistreatment of employees through Greenway Press – Walter forced to choose between being with his family on Christmas Eve or losing his job, it’s implied Deb has a pet grooming business on the side to makes ends meet despite being a receptionist at a NY publishing company, etc.

Honestly most of the points come from Jonie’s underrated yet highly relatable storyline. She works in retail, exhausted and cynical towards the high-paced Christmas season which gives her little to no relief or reward, since she’s surviving on ramen noodles and using the employee showers because her water was cut off. Not expanded on enough to be considered a true Marxist piece but the effort is appreciated.

5/10

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Although the meme is correct in that Rudolph’s red nose becomes desirable only once it proves to be useful, it does get points for exposing the harmful nature of forced conformity and those alienated by these capitalist ideals -- Rudolph, Hermie, the island of misfit toys -- are given a place to belong despite the perceived “flaws” that before made them undesirable.

Also the elves definitely have a free dental-plan now thanks to Hermie and are hopefully on their way to unionizing. Fucking superb you funky little misfit.

6/10

Klaus (2019)

Turns a member of the bourgeoisie into a man I’d trust to carry my mail. Respect for postal workers this movie contains was ahead of its time.

 No direct takedown of the establishment but a heartwarming message -- “A true selfless act always sparks another” bITCH I may be crying -- that emphasizes the importance of giving to others even when there is no selfish motivation to do so, which is inherently anti-capitalist.  

8/10

The Santa Clause

Scott Calvin starts as a toy executive who takes part in the commercialization of Christmas. He was probably a business major so automatically loses points.

The Santa dynasty itself seems to operate under the cutthroat rules of the business world where you must overthrow (or in this case, throw him off the roof) the former CEO in order to seize power. 

Elves have not unionized or seized the means of production by the end.

0/10

A Christmas Carol 

THE ORIGINAL. Charles Dickens was not even in the neighborhood of fucking around with this one. CREATED the anti-capitalist Christmas genre!!

Rich man treats his employees like shit and gets terrorized by three ghosts on Christmas Eve. Force him to redistribute his wealth by dragging him through a montage of his most epic fails -- oh, hey, remember when your fiancé left you? -- and make him listen as all his employees and relatives complain about his stingy ass. 

They end this slideshow by throwing this dude into his own grave. DIRECT ACTION. 

Like damn, the ghosts really said, “If you hoard your resources and ignore those in need when you could directly improve/save lives with no cost to yourself, you will die ALONE and you WILL pay for your crimes in hell.” Literally watching this movie is a catharsis for anyone who is or has been poor and working class. 

I’m including all versions of this movie but a special shout out to the Muppet version because it fucks the hardest. 

100/10

How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)

Listen I’m not even in realms of joking with this one. This movie is THE anti-capitalist film of the holiday season. 

WhoVille commercializing Christmas and a fixation on consumer culture to the point where anything and anyONE who cannot be commodified -- aka the GRINCH -- is alienated? The Whos rediscovering that people should be cherished over material items once it all is stolen and they must confront how empty the holiday has become??

Cindy Lou becoming disillusioned in Christmas -- at an age that coincides when many children (those who celebrate Christmas at least) lost belief in Santa and had to wrestle with what the holiday means with the magic gone and they’re more aware of the rampant consumerism that taints the season?? Her resolve to find a meaning that goes beyond material consumption because if a holiday founded on goodwill doesn’t extend that goodwill to everyone, even those society deems undesirable, then what’s the point???

The Grinch despising Christmas because he is unable to participate and isolated from the Whos and also the better qualities within himself? His alienation serving to demonize him further as it allows the public to narrow his valid criticisms of the holiday down to him being different and thus inherently predisposed to evil?? And hmm isn’t it interesting that a LOT of this demonization comes via Mayor Augustus “generously paid for by the tax-payers of Whoville” Maywho, Mr. 1% himself.

The upper vs working class divide evident in the light show competition between Martha May and Betty Lou Who?? The opening scene of the shopping frenzy that mirrors our own consumerist culture and overworking of retail/poster workers??? This entire monologue:

“That's what it's all about, isn't it? That's what it's always been about. Gifts, gifts... gifts, gifts, gifts, gifts, gifts! You wanna know what happens to your gifts? They all come to me. In your garbage. You see what I'm saying? In your garbage. I could hang myself with all the bad Christmas neckties I found at the dump. And the avarice... the avarice never ends! ‘I want golf clubs. I want diamonds. I want a pony so I can ride it twice, get bored and sell it to make glue.’" 

MARXIST KING. MENTION IT ALL.

1000/10

[bullshit-in-disguised]

Sorry I looked at your latest meme batch, excellent content by the way, but… SAM’S DOING WHAT?!?!

OH HONEY ITS A FUCKING TRIP-

Ok so I have this interpretation of Allspark Sam being this chaotic netrual cube who’s a fucking menace to society like being an antagonist but not a villain.

I seen headcanons about the idea that Sam is connected to the Allspark and I love that concept as I want to put my own spin on to it.

My take is that when Sam was in contact with the Allspark it imprinted on him, as it seem in RotF that the Allspark was able to pass information on him but we see it drove him a lil nuts by just receiving that info by its shard alone. Sam has a connection with the Allspark as while it seems to be a blessing it actually isn’t. The thing is you get brought back to life by a powerful artifact The matrix) it can have consequences in the future. In my headcanon Sam was killed by Cemetery Wind but instead of dying he got resurrected again something happened….the Allspark rather then letting it’s vessel die it brought them back to life again….but unlike what happened before something went wrong… The Allspark were just shards at this point so the resurrection power can have unpredictable results when it comes to bringing back humans unlike cybertronians. So Sam is not like fully brought back only parts of him like his mind and his sanity is a different story.

The Allspark turns out to be lil sentient and it’s sick and tired being used for War and Shit so in a away room protect itself and the cybertronians. They used Pieces of Sam’s personality and fused his mind with their remaining knowledge to create a defense mechanism to keep itself away from prying hands and now chooses those who have to prove who are worthy.

Even if it means giving that “Personality” a lil bit of chaotic bastard energy. So Cube Sam was born!! It has two forms one Humanoid and Cube but goes as Cube most of the time. And now their quest is to recover pieces of itself and maybe terrorize some old faces for fun. They are an Enigma wondering around the globe watching and learning about what’s going on while hiding from Humans and cybertronians. But only showing himself if he sees potential or want to test to see those who are worthy to even use his power.

They are like a trickster in a sense bringing life to small electronics just to see what happens and to watch the reactions of the poor humans who are terrified of his creations. He also tests people’s resolve to see how they can break down from their guilt and trauma.

But there’s feeling of dread and uncanniness surround Allspark Sam. Especially his relationships with Bee, Mikela, Lennox, Simmons and OP it’s uncomfortable and pretty depressing. Normally they Avoid them. Sam holds no grudge with them especially towards the Autobots, but will mess with them just for fun. But when it comes to the government and the decepticons especially megatron it’s pretty much Sam terrorizes him for his crimes and starting the war that destroyed cybertron. While yes Optimus was no saint, he tried his best to end the war but it escalated and the worst part is that it also set quintessa loose too.

Besides humans and cybertronians are the same to him the difference is their biology.