#and the control vs pivot

[nanamineedstherapy]

Corporate Jester vs. Himbo Accountant: A Love Story

Or Gojo & Nanami Cosplay Each other

F!Pregnant Reader x Gojo Satoru x Nanami Kento

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A/N: When your husbands swap personalities like cursed techniques and you're just trying to read the Wall Street Journal in peace. Enjoy this descent into psychological warfare (ft. Gojo’s accidental competence kink and Nanami’s latent himbo era). No spoilers, but someone does get called 'snickerdoodle' against their will.

It began—like most domestic war crimes—with Gojo talking mid-chew.

“I suffer the most in this marriage.”

Nanami didn’t even look up from his new maternity book. He exhaled through his nose like a man reading GDP collapse stats. “That is the dumbest thing I’ve heard all week.”

Gojo squinted. Powdered sugar clung to his lips. He wiped it off with the sleeve of your hoodie—stretched criminally tight over his shoulders—and pointed at Nanami like a man wronged by both fate and God.

“You don’t understand, Kento. She ignores me for her stupid little video games. She looks at me like I’m a stray dog in heat when I flirt. She sends me TikToks instead of saying, ‘I love you, Toru.’ She doesn’t even call me ‘baby’ unless she’s threatening me.”

Nanami didn’t blink. “That’s because you are a stray dog in heat.”

Gojo gasped. “Take it back.”

“I will not.”

You were curled up on the couch with an English financial newspaper, posture aggressive, eyes fixed. You hadn’t looked up once.

Gojo flailed. “Look at me! I am neglected. Emotionally starved. Withering!”

“I am begging you to never speak again,” Nanami muttered, flipping a page.

Gojo’s voice cracked. “Do you know how many times I’ve tried to cuddle her, only to be met with ‘not now, I’m fighting the final boss.’”

Nanami hummed, unmoved. “You’re exhausting.”

Gojo planted his hands on his hips. “What do you even contribute to this marriage? Huh? Stock tips? Budget spreadsheets? Is that your idea of romance?”

Nanami took a deliberate sip of his nitro brew. “Yes.”

“You monster,” Gojo whispered, clutching his chest like a grief-stricken Victorian widow. “You dismiss my pain. My torment.”

Nanami calmly folded his book and set it aside. “You suffer only from a chronic lack of impulse control.”

Gojo’s eye twitched. “That’s rich. You rage-clean the whole house because your sock drawer isn’t sorted by tax bracket.”

“That’s called being productive.”

“No, that’s called being emotionally constipated.”

Nanami continued to sip his coffee. “And again—what do you contribute, Satoru? Besides decibel levels and credit card debt?”

Gojo threw his arms wide. “Excuse me for bringing excitement! Laughter! Chaos!”

“Oh yes,” Nanami drawled. “A glorified court jester.”

“I AM SO MUCH MORE THAN A JESTER.”

“Are you?”

Gojo narrowed his eyes. Then pivoted to you. “Sweetheart. Who suffers more—me or Nanami?”

You didn’t glance up. Voice flat. “Don’t know. Don’t care. But if you keep talking during market open, you’ll both suffer.”

Gojo turned to Nanami, aghast. “She’s toxic.”

Still sipping, Nanami deadpanned, “that is common knowledge.”

Some time passed.

You eventually got up for coffee and walked into what could only be described as a threat to national security.

Gojo stood in the kitchen. Wearing Nanami’s three-piece suit. The charcoal one. With the tie tied correctly and the glasses perched halfway down his nose like he was about to call HR on someone.

His arms were folded. His spine straight. And his expression—god help you—was blank. Corporate. IRS-core.

“You look… responsible,” you whispered.

“I know,” Gojo replied, voice an octave lower, chest oddly still. “I feel like I should be disappointed in someone named Ethan.”

Then Nanami walked in.

Wearing Gojo’s insufferable bomber jacket. White shirt untucked. Collarbones exposed. Sunglasses pushed up like an exhausted DJ rolling into his 4 p.m. set. His smirk was pure tequila-era.

He leaned in. Whispered in your ear, “I woke up and chose to be your problem today, baby.”

You stepped back like he’d pulled a weapon. “What the actual fuck.”

Gojo adjusted his tie. “I am Nanami Kento.”

“Oh my god.”

“I believe in discipline. Silent judgment. Dying slowly in business casual. My hobbies include complaining about Gojo, making perfect omelets, and pretending I’m not obsessed with my wife.”

“This is offensive,” you muttered.

Gojo-as-Nanami stole your coffee and took a slow sip. “It’s also correct.”

Meanwhile, Nanami dragged out a kitchen chair. Sat in it backwards. Backwards. Like a middle-school PE teacher with a secret past. Smirked. “Morning, sweetheart.”

You choked on air.

Gojo staggered. “No. No, no, no, no—you don’t get to be hot while doing this.”

Nanami tilted his head. “What’s wrong, babe?”

Gojo was close to spiraling. “‘Babe’? Don’t you dare—”

But Nanami was undeterred. “Am I flustering you?”

You sighed, “Kento, I swear to god—”

“My little snickerdoodle.”

You backed away. “Absolutely not.”

“Let me spoil you. Take you out. Buy you a Birkin.”

Gojo was on the floor. Emotionally.

Nanami nudged his sunglasses down. “Let’s be real. I am the superior husband. Ridiculously good-looking. Genius-level talented. And I am so good at sex it’s actually ridiculous."

Gojo whimpered.

You stared, full deadpan. “I have made terrible life decisions.”

Nanami winked. “I know.”

Gojo’s glasses slid down the bridge of his nose. He pushed them up with a single finger. “My love, are you really wearing those pajamas at this hour? Did you eat? When’s the last time you touched grass?”

You rolled your eyes. “I make more in a second than the GDP of three nations. I don’t need to touch grass.”

Gojo straightened his tie. “But as Nanami Kento, I say things like ‘I am a simple man’ while being the most complicated bitch alive.”

“I’m leaving.”

“My love language is passive aggression,” Gojo added.

“I will kill you.”

“And yet you married me.”

“That line doesn’t even land coming from you.”

Gojo sighed. Pinched the bridge of his nose in perfect imitation. “This is my burden, Satoru. Carrying this marriage while my wife refuses to make responsible life choices.”

Nanami pointed at him. “You’re dressed as me and not even whining about lumbar support. Be honest—how’s the herniated disc?”

Gojo squared his shoulders like a TED Talk had just concluded. “My spine is flawless. Unlike your emotional regulation.”

Nanami barked a laugh—full teeth, head thrown back like he wasn’t made of spreadsheets and sex appeal. “You’re standing like a divorced gym teacher in a bar.”

Gojo waved it off. “I am a divorced gym teacher in a bar, except I day-trade.”

Nanami was breaking character because his jaw had already clenched—twice. “Kento,” he said, tone flat. “Answer this honestly.”

“No.”

“Are you capable of admitting I’m your best friend?”

Gojo paused. His hand twitched toward his glasses.

With a funereal solemnity: “I’d rather be shot in the throat by a Nerf gun dipped in cyanide.”

Nanami tilted his head. “Jealous I’m the main character.”

“You’re an emotionally repressed side quest at best.”

Then Nanami kissed your hand.

Gojo straightened his tie. The smirk dropped. “I need to file my taxes or yell at a teenager about not having a 4O1k already. This outfit is cursing me with responsibility.”

Nanami pushed his sunglasses up. “I feel the urge to make an irresponsible purchase and lose IQ points.”

You pulled out your phone. “I need a divorce.”

“No,” they both said. In perfect, synchronized, nightmare harmony.

You stared. “God’s already left. I’m next.”

---

A/N: If you cackled, gasped, or now fear Nanami’s ability to weaponize a backwards chair, yell at me in the comments. (Gojo’s ego needs the engagement. Your wife sanity is already forfeit.)

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All Works Masterlist

Beta - @blackrimmedrose

[laughhardrunfastbekindsblog]

Came across another debate about the "inhibitor chips vs. no chips" storyline for the clones. Saw the usual complaint that the inhibitor chips are a cop out to absolve the clones of any responsibility for their actions.

Thing is...

For a long time, practically none of the clones knew their actions during Order 66 were influenced by programming via implanted brain chips. Omega was the first clone who for sure knew the chips were even a thing; Tech figured it out and Rex finally understood and fully accepted Fives' claims during Order 66; the rest of Clone Force 99 eventually accepts the truth; and I'm sure Rex got through to the clones who became part of his network.

But that's a tiny fraction of the clones who make up the GAR. (We find out over a decade later in Rebels that apparently the story of the inhibitor chips had circulated, but we don't know to what extent the story spread or if it was ever validated to the general public as more than a rumor.)

So, during Order 66 and for years thereafter, the clones thought they were acting of their own accord.

We never see the clones using the chips as an excuse for their behavior, likely because most of the clones don't even know about them.

And frankly, I find it even more tragic that these loyal, honorable men thought they had freely chosen to turn on the Jedi and others who had been their allies, genuinely thought they were stopping a Jedi coup, when they really didn't have much of a choice at all, not even the option to stop and think about what they were doing before they did it.

And even those clones who DO know what's going on are too horrified by their behavior to even entertain the notion of excusing themselves.

Just look at Rex's face when he's about to shoot Ahsoka. He's conflicted, he's terrified. Rex later talks about the chip and tells the Bad Batch it's not something they can control if it activates; but even then he's sharing that to convince them to choose to remove the chips, not to give them an excuse for their behavior.

And can any of us mistake Wrecker's shame over his actions while the inhibitor chip was activated as him justifying himself? He describes what it felt like, and we know as well as he does that he literally had no control over himself, yet he still apologizes for what he did.

AND THEN we have Crosshair, Mr. "Does it really matter when I got my chip removed?" -

Crosshair knows about the chip, knows what it was supposed to do, had it removed, and still insists that he was in full control of himself and his decisions all along. Even later, when he admits to making mistakes and having regrets, he never blames the inhibitor chip for his actions.

Basically - I have no issue whatsoever with the inhibitor chip plotline. I actually prefer it. Not even taking into account the fact that it makes a ton of sense that Palpatine wouldn't leave anything regarding something as pivotal to his plans as Order 66 up to chance, the inhibitor chips add another layer of tragedy and complexity to the clones in that while we the audience know they have more of their autonomy stripped away from them, as far as the clones are aware the chips don't even exist and they are in full control of their own actions; and the clones who DO know about the chips tend to acknowledge their effects while still not using them to justify their behavior or refuse any responsibility.

[terraterrafunki]

FINALLY! The Pink Bot re-design is done!

Meet Circette (pronounced as "Circuit")

Pink Bot "Clones" are common slopling enemies who tend to work for a specific elite. After defeating a bunch, Clukr and Garnold get the idea to rebuild and repurpose one to fight back. Bringing us Circette. Actually made to be a fighter and defender, she has jets in her feet, can fire energy blasts from her hands, and can control the wires on her head and neck like vines (They're retractable!)

(and no she's not some hollow, psycho yandere. Yes she is Fun Bot and Mr. Fun Computer's younger sister)

Yes she's directly lined to the SprunkiGate!AU

Original vs Re-Design

Concept Art. I had huge art block trying to design her and it really de-motivated me for a day or two.

Then I learned about "Bow Tie" antennas and did some pivoting creatively that helped put me back on track. So yes, her "bow" is her antenna!

[crows-king]

I've been thinking a bit about how Galinda and Fiyero work as foils(?), and the contrast between their goals, personality, and their relationship to social influence individually change how they navigate their specific social situations.

And why it puzzles me when people judgmentally compare them and what they'd do in "What-If" scenarios as a gotcha to make one seem better/worst. Because in my mind they are similar but not comparable, because they fundamentally have very different personal stakes.

Primarily because of the difference in how they act in an Active (Galinda) vs Passive (Fiyero) approach to social engineering. And also, because one of them in writing is more developed as an individual than the other.

I'LL MOSTLY BE TALKING ABOUT: WICKED MOVIE - PART 1

Galinda is inherently Active. She has wants and desires that she's driven to achieve, and so actively plays the part of the good socialite because it will help her become more popular and to eventually become "Galinda the GoodSorceress". "It's not about aptitude, it's about the way you're viewed", and so on. It’s the one thing she knows she’s good at.

Of course, she also likes the attention and validation, but her charms doesn't come as naturally as she wants others, and probably herself, to believe. (I love that quote Ariana said somewhere about how "Galinda sees herself as a graceful swan, when she's actually a very stiff, but still beautiful swan", or something of that sort). She's insecure that she’ll lose people's favour and thus her most important asset, so she continually appeals to them. It's an act that she simultaneously enjoys doing for the most part, but also traps her from ever being truly close to anybody for fear of being known and not meeting expectations and losing that adoration. Until Elphaba that is.

Because of her drive to fulfill her dreams and to keep her best asset, and personal desperate need for validation, she has a much more obvious internal conflicts when she has to choose between Elphaba/the moral good vs keeping with the good graces of authority and/or the public. She's more prone to being influenced by others, and many of her choices become a calculated risk. She’s often times selfish and chooses her own desires, but it’s what makes her such an interesting and very human character. The struggle she balances when she’s forced to choose for better or worse.

In contrast

Fiyero is Passive. Dancing Through Life is literally him telling others that being lazy and not thinking is the best way to cope and enjoy life by ignoring problems. He is discontent with his life, but doesn't really acknowledge it until Elphaba reads him. Much like Galinda he is also playing a part, but it's not as tightly controlled as Galinda because he doesn't have an end goal for it.

Of course, while he probably doesn't want to lose his princely privileges. His passive "brainless" approach doesn't really put him in risky situations that would put him in conflict leading to losing things he cares about, because he really doesn't have a lot to lose. (Which is a byproduct of the fact he is primarily written as a love interest side character without much of an arc or motives outside his love triangle relationship to Elphaba and Galinda).

What confounds me is when people compare them and judge what their choices would be in if they were placed in pivotal moments, because we never really see them in situations with similar stakes.

For example, the Lion Cub scene. Most people interpret this scene as an act of braverism and heroics by Fiyero. And in some part it is, he's spurred on to save the cub, and he and Elphaba do. But it's telling that he only does this after everyone is asleep and there are virtually no risks. Any present social or physical conflicts that could arise? POOF! Gone. The worst that could probably be done to them is being punished, or even kicked out, if they’re discovered afterwards. Which Fiyero is not new to and doesn't really care about, and while maybe uncertain for Elphaba, is also unlikely because she's Morrible's irreplaceable pupil.

Some people use this scene as evidence that under his facade, Fiyero is secretly valiant like Elphaba thinks so. But I think in actuality tells the opposite. It reveals that Fiyero does care about the Animals, yes. But, the fact he only acts when prompted and there are no longer any present risks initially makes him seem less brave than Elphaba, and even Galinda. Because it contrasts with the Ozdust dance scene between the girls. Where Galinda had to make an active choice to do the risky and brave thing as an apology for hurting Elphaba, and offer to truly connect with her in front of everyone with the possibility of social out casting. She has an obvious internal conflict and risk assessment where she ends up picking the moral good over her personal comfort and social appeal. I'm genuinely curious on what kind of choices Elphaba, Galinda, and Fiyero might have done in that situation if they weren't given the perfect out by the magic poppies.

Would Galinda have helped in with the lion cub if she were awake? Probably, but who knows? Because in the narrative, Galinda isn't really put in a situation where she could choose good without being watched or without someone breathing down her neck. The prospect of being punished and kicked out from Shiz would also be most plausible and ruinous for Galinda. Morrible would definitely use it as an excuse to kick her out, or at the very least punish her, if she could, and it could throw away her only chance of achieving her dream of becoming a sorceress. She would have probably joined them in the end, though. If only to make sure they were safe. Compared to Fiyero, she has more conflicts of interests because she has personal aspirations and influence based on her reputation, and thus have more fears and consequences to consider in losing it.

Would Fiyero have joined Elphaba on the broom? Maybe, mostly likely. Because narratively, he’s never given a reason why he shouldn’t. He doesn’t see his worth and his skills intrinsically tied to public influence and opinion. He doesn’t have any wants or wishes he would have to abandon. He’ll have to leave his friends and family, but it’s not shown how close they really are to him outside Feldspar, his Horse friend, and he’s probably joining them anyway. He’s definitely more equipped to survive on the run compared to Glinda. Unlike Glinda, who is proven right in the end to being most useful when she can wield her powerful social influence For Good, Fiyero would probably be most useful as a sidekick to Elphaba. He was always written to be Elphaba’s follower, it’s no surprise. It’s also easier to take risks when you don’t have much to lose. But I think most people would agree that would make a less interesting story.

[amirasainz]

OMG LANDO WON THE RACE TODAY. IM SO HAPPY FOR HIM. LITERALLY CAN NOT STOP CRYING. Can you write on where baby!sainz is there supporting him and literally crying as he wins.

HI loves! I'M so sorry but am I the onyl one who found the whole Carlos vs. Oscar thing so funny? Carlos whining was so funny (no hate towards any drivers!!!)

Anyway, hope you guys enjoy reading this and please send me some requests!

-XoXo

The Winner takes it all

Ah, Miami—the sun-kissed jewel in the racing calendar. Amira’s secret favorite, where the vibrant energy of the city blended seamlessly with the adrenaline-fueled atmosphere of the track. Perhaps it was the balmy weather that allowed her to flaunt those pretty summer clothes, or maybe the challenging circuit that kept drivers on their toes. And let’s not forget the food trucks—those mobile havens of culinary delight that dotted the paddock, tempting everyone with their sizzling aromas.

The livery and helmets, custom-crafted for the Miami Grand Prix, added an extra layer of excitement. Each design told a story: sleek curves and bold colors, a canvas for the drivers’ personalities. Amira reveled in the anticipation, her heart dancing to the rhythm of engines and tire screeches.

As tradition dictated, she accepted the invitation from Carlos (and the others). This year, she took her time getting ready. The morning sun painted her room in warm hues, and Amira felt it—an electric current of anticipation. Her abuela’s voice echoed in her mind: Confía en tus instintos, mi niña.

Arriving at the paddock with Carlos, Charles, and Alex, Amira’s smile bloomed. The camaraderie of the racing family enveloped her—the shared laughter, the knowing glances. The other three found her reaction endearing, a testament to her genuine love for this world. Before the engines roared to life, she soaked in the before-race energy—the hum of possibility, the promise of speed.

And then, the ex-president approached. His words hung in the air, but Amira’s instincts flared. She turned away, a subtle pivot that spoke volumes. Stranger danger, indeed. Like c'mon. Can we fault her for that?

The Miami Grand Prix—a sun-drenched spectacle where the roar of engines mingles with the rhythm of salsa beats. Finally it started. Amira stood between Alex and Pirro Ferrari, the latter a seasoned gentleman who’d seen more races than most. The anticipation hung thick in the air, a symphony of tire rubber and adrenaline.

And then it happened—the Oscar vs. Carlos showdown. Amira stifled a laugh. She loved her brother, but who did he think he was, ordering Oscar to yield? The unimpressed behavior from Oscar was priceless. But when Carlos collided with him, Amira’s amusement faded. This wasn’t the Carlos she knew—the calculated racer who danced on the edge but never lost control.

Yet destiny had other plans. As the laps ticked by, Amira’s attention shifted. Lando Norris, the boy with the perpetual grin, surged ahead. Her Lando. The backstory was simple: Lando had a crush on her, and Amira? Well, she was still figuring it out. Just a girl caught in the whirlwind of racing drama.

When Lando finally crossed the checkered flag, Amira’s heart soared. Tears escaped, unbidden. No more Lando Nowins—the boy who’d always been second. She flung herself into Pirro Ferrari’s arms, and he held her gently. “Ahh, young love,” he thought, watching the victory celebration unfold. “La cosa più dolce del mondo.” Indeed, sweetest of all.

As the cheers echoed through the paddock, Amira reveled in the euphoria of victory. Lando Norris, her Lando, had clinched his breakthrough maiden Formula 1 win at the Miami Grand Prix. The sun bathed the track in golden hues, and the air buzzed with celebration.

But then, a familiar voice cut through the noise. “Amira! Come join us, sweetie.” Zac Brown and Andrea Stella stood near the Ferrari box, beckoning her over. She glanced at Mr. Ferrari, who nodded with a smile. The McLaren bosses pulled her towards the fence. They knew better than to put her in the front row; Lando would undoubtedly leap over the barrier in his exuberance.

“Is it alright that I’m here?” Amira asked, her heart racing. “I know this is more of a McLaren celebration, and I don’t want to disturb.”

Zac and Andrea exchanged a knowing look. Andrea rested a hand on her shoulder. “Amira, honey,” he said gently. “I think Lando would flip out if you weren’t here.”

And then, as if summoned by fate, Lando appeared. He leaped into the arms of the mechanics, their cheers lifting him higher. He was their winner—the boy who’d fought for this moment. But there was one more surprise in store.

Zac and Andrea approached Lando. “We have a 1.60m surprise for you,” they said, grinning. Lando’s confusion melted into understanding as he followed their gaze. His eyes locked onto Amira, standing there like a beacon. Without hesitation, he ran to her, lifting her off her feet. She clung to him, like a baby koala seeking refuge.

For an eternity, they held each other—the race winner and the girl who’d captured his heart. And in that moment, amid the cheers and the sun-kissed joy, they found their own victory.

“Lando. My Lando… You finally did it. I’m so proud of you. Mi ganador,” she whispered quietly. In that suspended moment, the world ceased its frantic spin. The crowd froze, their collective breath held. For one perfect moment, everthing stopped.

There existed only the two of them—the victorious racer and the girl who’d cheered him on. Lando leaned his forehead against hers, a shared heartbeat. A tear escaped Amira’s eye, and he wiped it away with gentle urgency. “My Mira. I did it. I finally won,” he confessed, his voice thick with emotion. She couldn’t find words, so she nodded, her heart echoing his triumph. He buried his face in the crook of her neck, inhaling her scent—the sweet mix of adrenaline and possibility.

And then, as if the universe nudged them forward, time resumed its march. Lando was whisked away to the podium, the spotlight now on him. Cameras clicked, capturing moments that would echo through history: Lando’s gaze fixed directly on Amira, her tears as he received the trophy, and Andrea’s proud smile.

Even the commentators—Crofty and Bundl—couldn’t resist. “And here we see Amira Sainz,” they narrated. “The youngest sister of Carlos Sainz and a famous actress. It seems she’s shedding happy tears for her friend Lando Norris, who just won his first GP. And… is she reapplying her lip gloss?” The world watched, and in that snapshot of time, Amira and Lando’s story became legend.

[nico-esoterica]

Your thinking is an investment.

(Long Post): Even if shit doesn't hit the fan right away, you're planning for that story to eventually happen. If you hate your job, your living situation, your life path, whatever it is, the story you're telling about it to others and yourself is always manifesting. You can't turn it off. It's okay to not enjoy it, hate it, etc. But it's important to pivot your mindset and investing in seeing it changing. Whatever you tell yourself consistently will play out.

I'm going to discuss intrusive thoughts and OCD below and how I managed mine while manifesting:

Intrusive thought/OCD wise, it's not any or every thought that pops up in your brain. It's just what you validate. Even if you're afraid or paranoid about xyz, your emotional mind thinks it's real but the rest of you doesn't. Your mental responses you can't control aren't going to manifest. In therapy, you learn that you don't have to give these fleeting thoughts power, even if they're incessant. You still have control. It's also totally okay if you vent about your circumstances btw. That's not going to affect anything if you say it won't.

Everyone is always going through something. And during all this, especially with transitioning from taking full control after a lifetime of thinking you couldn't, it may feel like absolutely nothing is going on and shit can feel frustrating. However, what you don't know is that you're rewriting all of the people and situations you've changed your mind about. You may not see the full changes right away, but please take every single 'coincidence' as a sign of it working, because it is. People are going to start being nicer and more considerate, situations will be less frustrating, money will be more fluid, and your mental health will improve. It's also okay to be emotional, frustrated, and to just not be okay. If your story overall doesn't change, you're fine. Let those emotions flow!

There's going to be a lot of epiphanies and break throughs, especially if you start nurturing your self concept and apply that peace of mind it gives to everything. You're going to start noticing harmful thought patterns you've had, decisions you've made because of conditioning, and you'll see what you need to internally let go of. This is where therapy, therapeutic tools, and different spiritual practices and rituals come in to help this adjustment. There's no one size fits all for everyone so you should ideally find what speaks to you and not what you 'think' you should adopt. Your intuition, imo, will help you out here. This may be a period where you purge out old relationships, habits, and lifestyles which don't align with you anymore. They may even simply fall off on their own. None of this has to happen but is what I see in a lot of people due to my own journey. But nothing bad has to happen nor do you need to sacrifice anything. That's Hollywood-dramatic, lmao. You just may not resonate with a lot of shit anymore. And that's OKAY! It's great tbh. You're going to notice people's limitations they impose on you or themselves immediately too.

The second you say shit's new, then it is. When you continue to choose it or persist, you'll notice the wheels moving. After a week, month, months, or a year or more, your circumstances are going to dramatically change. They can literally happen over night if you like your shit to move fast too. After a while, you're going to understand the mechanics of how YOU personally manifest and what you like to do vs what you don't. There's no one size fits all. It doesn't matter if you've tried a thousand techniques. As long as you say everything you do is working and you are a stubborn motherfucker, your mind's going to get used to it and will stop fighting you on everything, especially if you're neurodivergent. Speaking from experience. When you tell your brain who's boss consistently, it takes you at your word and the trust you have in yourself to choose the best outcomes you develop from your self concept starts running in the background. It'll become easier to self-soothe, reassure yourself, and regulate your nervous system. When you say you're in control, your universe says 'okay, bet' and you'll find those resources easily or you'll start naturally doing them.

You're constantly investing in what works for you or works against you. You're either trusting in things working or working against your favor. That's why it's always good to think great things about yourself regardless of circumstances how things look or seem or how the past played out. All outcomes shift immediately with your awareness of what you think is possible. Your senses are limited and this is why it's crucial to let your imagination do the rest. Because shit always catches up. Your brain can't tell the difference between what you think you're experiencing vs what you actually are irl.

So if you continually tell yourself good things are happening or will, there has to be a confirmation bias for that. Your brain runs off your logic at all times. Therefore, you can rationalize that anything can work and it will. From a nitty gritty pov, you should always make sure to still be reasonable about shit, like to not blow your rent on some bs in one night. But after a while, you'll be able to do that and it won't be a problem. Don't stress your mental bandwidth out like that at first unless you have the inner resources to lock in on a good outcome. Dream big and do all things big, but do so safely without risking your mental health.

Whatever you invest in, positive or negative, will always pay off. Choose them wisely :)

[emblemxeno]

(different anon) re: about the Nohr vs. 3H Edel thing--I'd like to add that at least a part of Nohr's war stem from the fact that they have like, hardly anything in terms of food resources. It's brought up in pretty much every route in Fates at some point or another that all the citizens of Nohr are actively living through a famine, and to the credit of the writers for Fates, this is also never framed as a "good reason to go to war" moreso than it's presented as part of the tragedy of the war, a sort of "these people are starving and their leader--controlled by an outside force hellbent on destroying the entire world--can't/won't negotiate a treaty w/ the bountiful neighbors for food trade, and chooses to wage war instead" which doubles down on the tragic narrative elements presented in Nohr since like, funding a war and feeding an army is only going to make things worse for the average citizens of Nohr, and iirc this aspect of the tragedy is also directly addressed (in the Hoshido route at least bc of Silas and Ryouma's convo in one of the later chapters, but I can't recall if this is addressed in the other routes--and I could be misremembering, been a hot minute since I played Fates--but either way).

Meanwhile, Adrestia seems to be one of the most prosperous and bountiful nations in Fodlan, and food shortages are never an issue for anyone living in Adrestia except it seems the commoners, which is a class issue thing; food/resources are never shown, said, or implied to be tied to Edelgard's desire to conquer Fodlan.

Exactly! You hit the nail on the head with Nohr's situation. Hell, in a fucked up way, the leaders of Nohr have more of a reason to wage war than Edelgard does for Adrestia. Hoshido being so isolationist that they ignore the problems of their neighbors could be constructed into an argument of them hoarding their resources and leaving everyone else to starve, betraying their humanity and worldly responsibility.

But even with that, as you say, Nohr's war is treated as wrong, because war is wrong. There's no reason to fight and kill others when you have the capacity to reason and negotiate. Does that mean to completely obliterate the offending force, though? No! Of course not. Especially when there are people who are trying to undermine or soften the damage that their leaders are doing.

3H's war, meanwhile, is treated with the same sentiments as like... a natural disaster? As if it was always gonna happen as a result of conflicting ideals. And it's gross, because this was a deliberate writing choice. By removing or pivoting away from the consequences of declaring war and conquering others' homes, you write your game into being defensive of and at times, affirming of starting a war in the first place. For example, Edelgard ~feeling bad~ and tugging at your heart for sympathy is unavoidable, while the material consequences of her actions are optional.

On the flip side, Fates story makes sure to include all aspects of war into its plot, for better and for worse.

[sun-marie]

pivoting a little off of that Neve post to say real quick that if you haven't played the Templar route of DAI i highly recommend it. Some highlights:

Calpernia vs Leliana > Samson vs Cullen. Samson, as an antagonist, honestly feels pulled out of thin air, and having an extremely weird rivalry between him and Cullen shines a spotlight on the very strange role Cullen plays in DAI and makes the player wonder why they aren't switched. Calpernia, on the other hand, is a nuanced and complex character with somewhat sympathetic motivations, and watching Leliana get to put her spymaster skills to use to find out more about her is a lot more satisfying imo. Additionally, Samson's maguffin of his Red Lyrium armor being weakened for the unavoidable fight pales in comparison to convincing Calpernia to stand down by telling her the truth about how Corypheus is using her.

DAI's infamous issue with Corypheus's lack of presence in the story? Somewhat alleviated in this route. It's still not great, but we actively see him manipulate Calpernia, multiple times iirc, and at one point we hear his thoughts throughout one of the dungeons. I sincerely believe the reasons Corypheus gained such a reputation for being absent in the story are because most players have only played the mage route

Everything involving Therinfal Redoubt. The Envy demon, the mind prison, Cole's introduction (a far improvement over his intro in the mage route), the slow and natural revelation of the Venatori's ultimate goals (as a opposed to "i accidentally got chucked into the future but some time goo and here's everything i was able to learn for the whole Hour I was there"), Ser Barris my beloved <3

Depending on how you play it obviously, but there's an argument to be made that dissolving the Templars may do more good and result in more lasting change than freeing the Circles, seeing as the idea of the circles, as an academic space for mages to learn to control their powers, was never really the issue and oppression and abuse of the Templars is the true root of the problem. YMMV here though

As mentioned in a previous point, no time magic! this streamlines a lot of the storytelling imo, and makes for an INCREDIBLY CRUNCHY introduction to Dorian, who shows up at Haven and, since he's allowed to talk like a normal person and not a Spirit of Compassion, brings a very intense energy to the scene. Imo this works best if this is your very first time meeting him, as in you never went to Redcliffe and never had to deal with the Headache that is Alexius, the character assassination of Fiona, and the illogic inherent to Time Magic

The Templar route is just better integrated into the rest of the story. Cassandra's personal quest where they mention the Lord Seeker's been replaced by a demon? That no longer feels like it came out of left field, we literally saw that and so this quest feels like payoff. Leliana gets more time to shine doing Spymaster Things so her personal quest about being More Than A Tool feels more impactful. The Inquisition being an organization that scares the Chantry makes more sense because we stole the Chantry's army. The Red Templars no longer feel like a "bad thing made worse for some reason" and instead feel like sad endings for good (or well, i should say "good") people, who could've found a better way with the Inquisition and instead chose to be This. Emprise Du Lion and the Emerald Graves are now completely skippable areas, aside from whatever sidequests you'd like to do there.

Unfortunately, the greatest barrier to entry is justifying the In-Character reasons for your Inquisitor to get help from the Fucking Templars, which is. not ideal. BUT if you can do that, I really truly believe it's the superior route

[blueskittlesart]

I saw the thing at the end of today's Echoes of Wisdom trailer and was hoping you'd have some thoughts about it. I don't want to be more specific so as not to spoil it, but it's interesting that this kind of thing Keeps Happening, no matter who the hero is.

well the good news for you is that i wrote down my thoughts in real time as i watched it!! i am. incredibly excited. that little teaser of a link vs zelda boss fight may have singlehandedly fully sold me on the game. (not that i wasn't gonna buy it, ive had it preordered since the first direct, but i wasn't sure I was gonna like it lol) the implications in terms of story are REALLY exciting to me, because, while this has happened before with puppet zeldas, it's never quite been executed perfectly imo. twilight princess was underwhelming for a multitude of reasons, and while totk's puppet zelda was GOOD i do wish they'd let us fight HER instead of immediately pivoting to phantom ganon for the actual battle. this specifically is really compelling to me BECAUSE of the roleswap--link is not only zelda's friend but her knight, her protector. and it's BECAUSE OF THAT that he's such a force to be reckoned with in combat. this is a case of link and zelda's relationship being used against them in a very calculated, devastating way. it's not just zelda being forced to hurt someone she cares about who is no longer in control of themself, but it's zelda, a girl who doesn't have a lot of combat experience, being forced to fight against an extremely skilled combatant who explicitly only uses that skill for her benefit when he IS in control of himself. when link wakes up, if he wakes up, he's going to HATE what he nearly did to her. it opens up really great avenues to explore the idea of corruption and control and how power is a double-edged sword. tldr i am SO excited for this game now

[glitter-stained]

Starfire: Solar Winds

So at the end of the last arc of Outlaws, Star Collapse (info here) Kory absorbed an amount of transformed solar power she struggled to contain and went to space to try and get a handle of it.

Rough Plot

We follow Kory floating in space as she looks for a way to control or minimise her new powers. At first she's attempting to get rid of it, then she's attempting to repress her emotions. We get the reverse of a training montage, where she practices a lot of skills she already knows (meditation she'd learnt from Raven, stuff that helped her in the past) and goes to all her old teachers, and yet nothing helps and she's spiralling.

Then she decides to say fuck it and throws herself into situations where her anger is righteous and her power can serve her, wrestles with her right to be angry for herself Vs for others, and eventually she learns to accept her terror and her anger and her grief and all her emotions and look for ways for them to serve her, rather than fighting them or putting rules on them because she's been taught that she wasn't allowed, that she needs to be proper and dignified. We also have a reflection on the role Kory's family played into her abuse and how that betrayal shaped the way she viewed herself as a person, with questions like "what did I do to deserve this, is there something inherently wrong with me etc etc." and her sense of duty to her people and her family -and we get mentions/references/ a reflection to what part of these were unlearnt/healed vs what parts were not.

This new power-up is also examined in light of the psion's experimentation on her, as "a violation of her body" VS this choice/sacrifice she made in Star Collapse and how it changed her without her consent, challenging her idea of agency- with, around the moment she gives up on repressing her emotions, this internal dialogue:

"I can fly. I can fight. No matter what I do, things happen to me, always. And then..." *pause to show her unleashing a big, destructive AOE attack, head tilted back eyes closed and mouth agape* "...I happen to the world."

Main cast ideas:

-Raven -> I feel like in her "I need to manage/repress/control my emotions" era she definitely goes to Raven for help. Also the parallels.

-Kara Zor'el -> I need to check if they've had interactions before, but rn I really would love this to be the start of a friendship between them. Whether it's in terms of themes (Kara having been a red lantern and flying into space to not hurt people), power mechanics (a Kara/Starfire team up would work so well) or symbolism (Kara taking off the red ring but surviving she was inside the sun)...

-Donna Troy : idk what to tell you man I just want Donna to be there.

Continuity

=> After the mini is over, she should get her own long running title. I wanted this to be a mini because I wanted the story to be kinda like Like yes it could work just as well as the first arc of a Starfire comic, and if this were real dc I wouldn't take the risk of limiting her to it, but this is my dc where I'm boss and I say she gets a mini and a long solo run. I want the mini to be top high quality start to finish and just contain itself and be a short, intense read that can work as a introduction to Kory and a pivot moment for her. And then she gets a big, big comic, plus presence in certain titans missions, appearances in other people's comics (including Troia 2026 and Supergirl 2027) and of course her presence as an essential member of the team in certain arcs of Outlaws Rebirth.

I haven't thought that much about the Starfire long run comic because as the new head of dc my conversation with the amazing @malfiora about it convinced me that I needed to hire her to write the comic and this is now her baby, but just know that, as malfiora pitched it, the comic would begin with an arc of a group of people deciding Kory is a Goddess and worshipping her as such.

Art and Visuals

Visually, since getting her power-up in Star Collapse, Kory perpetually has a light glowing from inside her ribcage (think like Karlach from Baldur Gate 3).

(karlach from bg3 with the glowing fire inside her chest)

@malfiora also suggested that when unleashing her AOE, Kory's look should be reminiscent of the tamaranean goddess X'Hal.

And finally, here's a bunch of amazing Kory fanarts that inspire me for the mini!

Shout-out to these incredible artists, and thanks to everyone in the poll for helping me choose a title!!

[nizhspo]

wild encounter:

chapter four: lab lights, late night

genre: haikyuu fic, pokemon alola island

pairing: tooru oikawa x fem!reader

links: m.list, next

you’re not supposed to be here this late.

but kiyoko’s over at tanaka’s place, and sugawara’s been passed out on the common room couch since 7:30 — full belly, sunburned arms, one leg kicked up like he’s at a resort.

and someone still had to finish labeling kukui’s raw data imports.

so you stayed.

the lab hums at night. quieter, cooler. the moonlight filters through the slatted blinds and splashes across the clean counters in strips.

your goggles hang from a hook. your lab coat’s off. you’ve got your phone propped up next to the microscope, playing a stupid late-night video, “100 men vs a wailord: could they win?”

under your desk, riolu is curled up in a little ball of slow breathing and occasional twitching, probably dreaming about biting someone.

and then the doors slam open.

hard.

the sound ricochets through the building like a shockwave, rattling the lights, thudding in your chest.

riolu jolts up with a growl sharp enough to startle even you.

your phone hits the desk. you’re already on your feet.

you round the corner and nearly slam into oikawa tooru, wild-eyed and storming, like a hurricane just walked itself inside the lab.

“kukui.” he barks, chest heaving.

you blink at him, half-shielding your face from the sudden chaos. “what the fuck? what happened to hello?”

he’s pacing, running a hand through his hair, visibly stressed. his jacket is half-zipped, his cheeks pink from the rush, and his hands are trembling just enough to notice, flexing at his sides.

despite his rush, his scent hits you first: sweet, clean, something like citrus and coconut shampoo with undertones of orchid and sunblock.

“where’s kukui?” he demands. “i need him. now.”

“he’s not on the island,” you say, still catching up. “what’s going on—?”

“what do you mean, not on the island?”

“i mean he’s at a summit on akala until thursday, what are you—”

he slams a hand against the wall. not hard. just enough to vent. “i need him now,” he says again, voice sharp with frustration. “fuck—”

you fold your arms.

“okay, well, since screaming won’t conjure him out of thin air, you wanna tell me what’s going on?”

he glares. sharp and pointed. then, like he remembers why he came in the first place, he pivots back toward the door.

“come on,” he says. “you said you work here? come help.”

he’s sharp and unfiltered, and you can tell he doesn’t even mean to be a dick this time, he’s just wrecked.

you pause. “…help what?”

he’s already halfway out the door.

his car is parked crooked in the gravel lot, headlights still on. he yanks the passenger door open and steps back, lets you look.

you freeze.

it’s a lycanroc. dusk form.

her fur’s all russet and pale gray, streaked darker with dirt and blood and who-knows-what. her eyes are glassy. her flank’s heaving. there’s a long scrape along one paw, and her tail is limp, like she’s given up.

your heart drops. “oh, no.”

“she collapsed,” oikawa says, fast, voice tightening. “refused water, barely responsive. I called every specialist in radius. they’re all closed ‘til 8am.”

you nod once. step forward.

“okay. we gotta move her inside.”

he immediately moves with you, kneels to grab her hind legs, not even waiting for you to tell him.

you lift together.

she groans, low and soft, but doesn’t fight it.

you settle her on the emergency med mat in the diagnostics wing.

lights flick on. riolu hovers at the doorway, ears pricked and tense.

you set her aside, gently. grab gloves.

you’ve only just touched the control panel when oikawa crowds the table.

“you’re crowding me,” you mutter, shifting to get more space.

he doesn’t back off.

you feel his heat behind you, a half-step too close, and that scent again: fresh skin, sun lotion, something floral, something expensive.

you finally snap.

“can you please back the fuck up and let me do my job?”

he freezes. draws back a few inches. doesn’t apologize.

but he stays nearby. hovers just behind the island counter. paces as you set up the vitals scanner and check her wounds.

it takes over forty minutes of work.

cool packs. healing salve. fluid regulation. a low-power pulse check.

but she stabilizes. her breathing evens out. her eyes flutter in actual sleep.

you pull off your gloves and exhale. “she’ll be okay,” you say. “for tonight.”

you glance at him. “you can go now.”

he doesn’t even flinch.

you sigh. “fine. stay. but if you’re here, you’re cleaning.”

you toss him a sanitizing wipe, and he doesn’t even ask what to do. he just does it.

gloves on. gear tucked. tools lined up for disinfection. disposal bin sorted right. chemical trays rearranged exactly like kukui likes them.

you freeze in the middle of organizing the scanner leads.

slowly turn to watch him align the fluid vials by viscosity and click the oxygen interface back into its charging port.

like he’s done this before.

you don’t even have to say anything, he just glances up and shrugs.

“i used to be here a lot,” he mutters, tossing a bloodied swab into the sealed bin. “freshman and sophomore year. my family’s close with kukui’s.”

you blink.

“he’s the one who found steenee, actually,” oikawa adds, casually. “told me she had an attitude to match mine. i thought he was full of shit. turned out, she was worse.”

you laugh. just a little.

he doesn’t acknowledge it, but he doesn’t bristle, either.

you both clean in silence after that.

at one point, he wipes down the bio shelf and tilts his head at you.

“you’re not from here.”

“sinnoh,” you reply. “north side.”

“cold,” he says.

you sigh. “that’s all you know?”

“no, but you have that look.”

“what look?”

he smirks. “like you used to shovel your own driveway in snowstorms and think it built character.”

you roll your eyes, tossing him a bin lid. “shut up.”

when the cleaning’s done, you check the lycanroc one last time then head toward the desk and start scribbling down notes for sugawara.

“i won’t be in tomorrow,” you say without looking up. “i’m taking the morning trip for terrain scans. koushi will be here. just ask him for an update. he’s better at this than me anyway.”

“that’s probably debatable.”

you glance up.

he shrugs. “i said probably.”

you stare for a beat.

he pulls his jacket tighter and turns toward the exit.

riolu watches from the corner of the room. still coiled. still suspicious. as oikawa walks, he sticks a paw out into the walkway. very deliberate.

thud.

oikawa just barely avoids tripping. stumbles a little, then stops and stares down at the paw like it personally insulted his bloodline.

riolu’s wide-eyed. innocent. tail wagging like, what? me?

oikawa glares. then smirks.

“you’re lucky i’m tired.”

and then he’s gone.

you lock the doors twice. check the vitals screen once more. your shift ended four hours ago.

you brush your teeth and collapse into bed with the scent of orchid and citrus still clinging to the neckline of your shirt.

you don’t think about it. but then again, you kind of do.

[helena-thessa]

I don't know, man. I don't buy it that Isha was a pointless character. I keep seeing her included in a list of characters that served no purpose and/or that she only existed to fuel Jinx's character arc, but that feels like such a disserve. And is probably straight-up ableist and sexist. If we're (rightfully) complaining about the seemingly abandoned class conflict/potential civil war plot by pointing out how the people of Zaun's perspective isn't really explored, especially in regards to understanding why they'd suddenly shift toward idolizing Jinx, then we can't ignore that Isha is our most prominent look into the mindset.

Is it just because she's young? That she didn't speak? That her role model was a teenage girl? Can't help but think that's all tied into it.

We're first introduced to orphaned undercity kids - Violet, Powder and Ekko - who are obviously considered key to the plot and important characters on their own right. They had surrogate father figures in Xander and Benzo, but Isha didn't. Why doesn't she? We meet her when Zaunite goons are chasing her down and we know there's been nothing but police brutality from the topside. Isha is being raised (or not raised) in an even more strife undercity then the one our core characters were raised into (no unity/protection from Xander, and then no control from Silco).

How and why that makes her different contributes to her importance and uniqueness as a character. She is also our look into the next generation's plight. I mean, as a younger millennial, I'm very aware of the different world Gen Z was handed, even when there's less then a ten year age gap between us.

Her commitment to the revolution, even with a juvenile's passion and some naivete, has merit in its own right. Malala was 11 when she first stood up to the Taliban. Mari Copeny was eight when she first wrote to Obama about the water crisis in Flint. Child activists are exceptional. They play a pivotal role in movements and social change.

I'm no Arcane or LOL expert but feels like a swing and a miss to be dissing Isha as a character. I totally stand with the valid criticism on the dismal handling of the Piltover vs. Zaun plot arc (I'm seriously so disappointed that nothing came out of Ekko pointing out the environmental damage that topside's striving for "progress" exacted on him and his people ?? where is the justice ??), I just think there should be more respect for Isha. The little kid was a revolutionary.

[heymeowmao]

2025.05.30 - The Prisoner of Beauty Cast Livestream https://weibo.com/l/wblive/p/show/1022:2321325172030374281298

Most unforgettable scene:

- HHS: DQ & XQ's fight. LYN: I was working when I watched that scene and I had turned to my staff and praised SZE and HHS for their acting. The whole process including how they said their lines- with tears and distressed- really makes you think that both were within reason. Neither of them did anything wrong. I remember that when only the preview had come out, everyone was criticizing DQ for being selfish. But after watching the actual scene, everything made sense. You (DQ) were right. You're only able to love one person. The line that got me was, "No one ever said that we have to do the right thing." It's a reasonable thing to say. It really expressed human nature. I thought it was great, truly. LYN: Also when XQ was outside and leaning by the doorway asking herself, "What am I doing?" That scene was also very good. -- HHS comments that they only lightly rehearsed and shot this scene in a few takes.

- ZLL: BZ vs. WS & DQ's Sacrifice ZLL: It was a turning point for me, after being controlled. Also outside of character, I was very grateful for DQ. It was difficult to get into character, for various reasons, and the more I tried the harder it got. She was tied up and I felt bad because I didn't want her to be uncomfortable. So I'm very thankful for HHS and the director for their help that day.

- SZE: /can't decide/ HHS: Let me decide for you! Your kiss scene! - SZE: In the drama I wasn't able to give a reaction to DQ's death, but I did see a fan-edit of DQ & XQ's last meeting and I felt so emotional. The two of them both had things they wanted to say but didn't, and thought they would be able to say the next time they met. So the edit I saw showed us in the beginning where we said that as long as one of us was happy it would be enough, then to when DQ was playing the qin and XQ walked past her, then to us not being able to meet for the last time. I was so SAD! Some things need to be said the earlier the better, because there might not be another chance.

- LYN: Wei Liang's Death LYN: I went back to watch the scene where WL says goodbye to XT, and all the comments scrolling past were, "WL, don't go." and "Oh no, he's a goner." I think that scene was really great. It showed us a wonderful person and this character was pivotal for a lot of other character's progress/development. XT, too. Xueqin and I are good friends and when we were chatting she told me that guzhuang dramas are really difficult to act in. But she also did really well! I think the WL x XT CP was well received by the viewers. Other than providing some comedic relief, their story was really touching.

-----

Scene/Set/Situation that left the deepest impression:

- SZE: when they all returned to Yanzhou (bc a lot of the cast were present, so there was a lot of downtime and they could play around) & DQ&XQ scene (bc it was shot in a park and it felt like a trip out) LYN: I remember that scene because it was a park, and we walked together under an umbrella and you went to DQ, but I looked to my left and across the river were a ton of paparazzi. To the right, it was DQ and cameras. To the left, it was tens of paparazzi.

- HHS: the same DQ&XQ scene, because SZE's dance was really pretty.; but the paparazzi were shooting the dance from really unflattering angles that made it look like not being able to dance was the least of her problems. XD

-----

Anything to say to the viewers?

- commenting on how the viewers are becoming more sensible (?) and are able to separate the actor from their characters HHS: I'm thankful for the viewers and I accept their opinions and suggestions. LYN: What suggestions did they give you? I'm really curious. HHS: Oh, you know, they hoped DQ would have died sooner. SZE/LYN: !! D: HHS: She's already gone, now!! LYN: You can ignore that fan. We were just complimenting you (fans) for being sensible. Please don't attack actors. She's already sung 跳楼机 for you, so please forgive DQ.

SZE: I think their comments and criticism is a good thing, because that means that they are watching the drama seriously. Sometimes I think that their understanding of these characters is even deeper than our own. LYN: Right. I think that people aren't overly discussing the actors, but the plot. Everyone has their own understanding and even if they fight because of the difference, I think it's a good discussion and proof that they're seriously watching the drama and sincerely care about it. Sometimes you might think it's a bad thing that people are fighting like this, but the next day they look forward to what comes next together. The viewers are cute and precious like that.

-----

LYN: Wang Chengsi just messaged me and said, "Oh no, boss. The plane's about to take off!"

-----

Favorite comedic scene?

- HHS: WS bragging about his (non-existent) heart-protecting mirror - ZLL: WL giving XT his golden dart; and XQ and WS see it with XT - SZE: too many; but the fact that WS was trying to one-up Qiao Ci on everything was hilarious. It's a tactic you can use in everyday life XD - LYN: any of his scenes with Gao Heng (the beefy scholar) [played by Peter Ho]

LYN: Let me see what other prompts there are while SZE pulls herself together. (bc she's laughing uncontrollably)

-----

C: DQ acted her crying scenes very realistically. While acting, did you consider controlling your expressions? HHS: I don't think I was controlling it at all. SZE is good at it. ZE, why don't you tell everyone how you control your expression during crying scenes. LYN: How to cry prettily and enough to touch people? Because you've been crying since you were four, after all. HHS: Again! XD SZE: /laughing herself to tears/ HHS: I still put my emotions first. I'm weak with maintaining a pretty expression. I think I held up pretty well when I jumped, because I jumped many times. 10+ takes. At first I was scared to jump. Normally if you have some skills, you would land on your feet. But I was bound, and the feeling of falling head first was scary. In the end I was not trying to look pretty. LYN: But that's the correct way; it's more immersive. A good actor wouldn't care about if they still look good or pretty. You're supposed to be feeling the fear or heartbrokenness or sadness of the situation. Your expression might not look the prettiest, but your feelings are true.

- SZE mentions that at some point your body just takes over and there's no way to control your expression; thanks the editors for cutting out the scenes where they're messy with tears and snot. LYN: They cut those scenes because it's cruel for the viewer's experience. Some people are watching the drama while having dinner.

- ZLL considers expression control one of his shortcomings. Sometimes he's putting too much force into his lips/mouth, and the directors have to tell him to loosen up. So that's one of the parts he tries to focus on.

LYN: My problem with shooting fight scenes is that I will add my own sound effects. I don't know if you have, also? /ZLL nods/ Because when we're rehearsing we'll count it out. But when I act in the scene- /makes sound effects/. The sound teacher would always tell me to stop making noises, that they will add in the effects for me in editing. SZE: I saw your fight scene last night and it looked so cool! LYN: It wasn't particularly flashy, but it was real. ZLL: What stuck with me was that Liu Yan had used my hand to kill Wei Liang. And, when we were killing him, you had done the same. It as really apt. It had settled my guilt towards WS (for killing WL) and also let WS get his revenge.

-----

What is the line that left the most impression?

LYN: I think something that can prove a drama's popularity is if there is one line that makes everyone think of the drama upon hearing it. What do you think? For example, Ne Zha- "我命由我 不由天!" Is there a line like that for ZY? SZE: "Capture Li Su. Eliminate the Qiao Family." HHS: WS's "Don't think that you can use your beauty to seduce me." ZLL: The accent that changed "-jun" to "-jong" (Shaanxi Dialect) LYN: "Marquis Wei is generous. My heart is devoted to you."

-----

- as soon as the music starts, SZE & HHS starts swaying from side to side. This time, LYN joins in and ZLL is the only one NOT swaying. He says he's inexperienced with livestreams (this is only his 2nd one) so is not quite sure what to do. They assure him that after surviving LYN's livestream, anything he attends after will be a walk in the park. LYN starts the music again and tells ZLL to sway along, and he does. >A<

- /closing remarks/ - HHS, LXQ, KXE, LDD attended an ep of 一见你就笑 (cvariety), and they video-called LYN. [E9 airing 6/10/2025]

-----------

- /putting on an act (they can't end the stream) for the SECOND HALF!!/ - The first half was to promote the drama; the second half is for all the rest of the actors to say goodbye

- JXB enters the stream! SZE: A celebrity!!! C: Wasn't he stabbed to death? LYN: ! What do you mean? The character died, but that doesn't mean any harm was brought to the actor. Our drama crew is very safe.

- [t/n: it gets chaotic with so many people so we'll see how much of this I translate.]

- JXB commented on the fact that he didn't get to see the Wei generals in the end, but felt bad about it. LYN: When you were watching at home, did you feel like slapping yourself? JXB: He (Liu Yan) did do a lot of wrong things. LYN: Do you ever worry about acting as the villain? JXB: I will worry. I worry that the viewers won't like it. But I still think that I have to accomplish this task I was given. I worry that I might not pull it off. - LYH: I don't want to look in the upper right. Ji-laoshi, I don't want to see you. XD (joking!!) LYN: Ji Xiaobing in his daily life is actually a quiet and warm handsome guy.

- Wei Zixin came and promotes the play he's in! WZX: You can call me Lao Yang. No, that doesn't sound good. Then, call me Lao Gong-? LYH: Lao Gong??? (husband) WZX: No, my wife wouldn't like that. LYN: Lao Sun? WZX: That's a monkey!! LYN: Gong-Sun-Yang, we had to try all three. WZX: Then, just call me Jun-shi (military advisor).

- SZE high-fives WZX for being the only two characters to beat the drum

WHC: (the scene where Qiao Ci escaped from Yanzhou and told them abt Wei Liang) I remember I had grabbed tightly on to Ning-ge's hand. I hadn't really looked up at all. But what left an impression on me was that when I was down, Ning-ge had pulled me up. There's a detail the cameras might not have caught- when I was pulling at him, he gripped my hand and held me up, as all of my strength was pulling downwards. I think that's the kind of support not only the characters would have given one another, but the support actors give to one another as well. I think this scene was able to leave a deep impression on the viewers as well. They were able to feel that brotherhood and spirit of loyalty and self-sacrifice. I'm very satisfied. Thank you, everyone. I will take my leave, first.

- Cola & Zijun are having a compliment battle

LYN: We're all actors. I want to thank EVERYONE- even if you don't have many scenes. For example, Duo (CZJ) maybe only had twenty-thirty lines. But even so, none of them have ever disrespected the drama just because their roles were small.

- Wang Chengsi is in the stream! ft. Yu Yang - people kept sending messages to WCS asking about Wei Liang's ending in the drama because they had a bad feeling about it, and he would cry after reading each message because he knew but he couldn't tell them - LYN recommends this song for the WL x XT CP: 没能成为你的白马; "It's a shame I wasn't able to be your white prince; Unable to get down on one knee for you; Unable to see you wear a wedding dress"

- they prepared the stream for all the actors to get together and say thank you and goodbye ;A;

[midnightsslut]

thinking about how the desperate attempt to cling to her childhood with speak now elicited mixed responses (scott telling her she couldn’t have a fairytale-inspired title like enchanted, romantic relationships with older men who took advantage of her inexperience vs the need to be america’s sweetheart), which led to a pivot to try to slowly grow up (hence a noticeable aesthetic change, more mature themes and sounds in her music, etc), only for that to be confronted with even more criticism (sit-downs over leaving the cursive fonts of her early albums behind, constraints to her sonic experimentation, scott generally doubling down on his control of her music because, in her own words, her success in pop with IKYWT/WANEGBT made him see her as a woman which felt threatening, a global slut-shaming campaign, the paula of it all). no wonder it led to the feeling that she had to double down on her maturation arc with 1989 to truly feel in control for the first time, which, in turn, tainted her memory of her previous two albums because they both felt constraining and slightly embarrassing compared to her newfound sense of liberation.

[theanticool]

Finally sitting down to rewatch Usyk-Fury 2. Time to completely gush over Usyk.

One of the things I think most people picked up on in the early rounds was the foot battle. Southpaw (Usyk) vs Orthodox (Fury). Open guard. From the outset, Fury allowed Usyk control of the coveted outside. That is when your lead foot is outside your opponent's lead foot, allowing for easier access with your rear hand. Fury seemed not only cool with allowing Usyk to have the angle, but preferred being on the inside.

The outside angle thing is not a set in stone rule though. There are advantages and things you can do from the inside angle. Most famously, Conor McGregor knocked out Jose Aldo by feeding him the outside angle and then clocking him while angling off deep to his own power side. There are also real benefits to your jab from an inside foot position if you're careful not to over commit with the rear. And you could see what Fury hoped to accomplish almost immediately at the start of the fight.

Fury wanted to use his lead hand to stay active with feints and jabs, eliminate Usyk's jab, frame, and then counter with hooks and uppercuts to the body (which can be really damaging from that inside position). A lot of his success with the uppercut in the first came off him stepping to his power side and firing off a quick right hand (straight or uppercut).

Problem for Fury is that Usyk understood this dynamic well. He took the initiative away from Fury almost instantly. Fury was looking to jab and post in order to keep Usyk at range. Usyk decided to hand fight (lead hand vs lead hand). Using hard level changes and feints, he'd get Fury to commit to extending his lead hand out. That made the arm basically useless.

Fury is basically stuck as Usyk steps deep to the outside to deliver his jab-right hand to the body. This was Usyk's main route to the body early. Getting Fury to commit with the lead hand and either going underneath with jab or cross to the body, or coming over the top with a jab or lead hook.

One of the other reasons the lead foot being on the outside is so desirable in open guard is being trapped inside limits your ability to escape.

Here is Usyk is really applying pressure on the attack and Fury gets duped into crossing his feet while circling. Fury wants to circle out safely but he can't go to his right without going to the ropes. He fires a "safety jab" where he tries to step in and pivot out but ends up crossing his legs. Thankfully for him, Usyk only goes to the body but it lands. Fury ends up getting tripped up trying to escape. Is this the most significant strike? No, but it points to a greater issue Fury has through the fight. Usyk is drawing big reactions out of him, forcing him into bad positions, and frustrating him in places where he is supposed to be safe. When Fury could go first, when he could get his jab going. He had success landing, disrupting, etc. He landed a nice 2 off a double jab at the end of the 2nd. But so much of this fight is him reacting to Usyk so far. This is why I scored it so heavily for Usyk first time around.

Third round, Fury is being far more aggressive with his offensive. Trying to push Usyk back. Throwing out the jab and swinging with the rear hand. Issue is Usyk is landing the overhand left now. A lot. Fury tries pushing Usyk back with the jab, gets countered with a big left hand that lands to the upper chest/chin. Fury tries to foot feint/stomp Usyk so he backs out as Fury circle. Usyk just fires the left hand and hits Fury in the side of the head. And Usyk is still able to manipulate Fury's lead hand for openings. He's now just firing the overhand upstairs as or after he enters. Fury even tries to bait out the overhand left so he can counter.

Fury throws out a throwaway jab and Usyk throws the overhand left to counter. Fury ducks, and turns looking for a body shot with the rear hand (I don't think it landed based on a replay we saw of it). It looks like it might land but Usyk anticipates what is happening and is able to end the sequence with a right hook upstairs.

Through round 4, we haven't got a lot of those rear hand uppercuts that Fury banked on in the 1st fight. He's having to deal with the constant feints and pressure of Usyk. Fury tries switching stances after shifting off a rear hand uppercut counter to the overland left and immediately eats a clean overhand in the corner. Honestly, this feels like Fury's most successful round though. He's breaking up Usyk's rhythm with his jab. He's forcing Usyk on the defensive. Usyk is still hitting him to the body clean though. And a good amount of Fury's real offense is him grabbing at the head and hitting with the free hand, which is illegal. Hell, 4-0 Usyk imo.

[captainsvscaptains]

Round 2 Part 7 Poll 4

Propaganda

Crozier has alcohol problems but stands up when he's needed; he and everyone he answers for are stranded in the coldest place of the Earth after he's warned the previous captain of the expedition to find the north-west passage; yet he /still/ rises up for the occasion eventually for damage control; he has a noble heart; he commands one of the most beautiful warship of the 19th century; he is a little bit cringefail; his love life is a drama; he opens up to his second in command when all is mostly lost; he tries so hard to save the crew; he fails.

what is a captain tournament without ahab tbh? moby dick (whale) bit his leg off in true dick fashion and ahab ditches all efforts of actually whaling to kill him for it. (well not ALL efforts but like. quite a few.) the pettiest bitch ever. had a new leg made out of whale bone SPECIFICALLY. has a hole in the deck where he just. pivots from. loser. has gay tension with his first mate starbuck also i don't know if that matters

(bear in mind i haven't actually finished the book yet ^^ so this may be slightly inaccurate)