#my dear (future) engineers... we need to do better!

[boldlybloggingon]

Maybe it's because there's nothing left of our civilization in the future? Haha, jk... unless?

[thefirstknife]

Got through all of the secrets for Vesper's Host and got all of the additional lore messages. I will transcribe them all because I don't know when they'll start getting uploaded and to get them all it requires doing some extra puzzles and at least 3-4 clears to get them all. I'll put them all under read more and label them by number.

Before I do that, just to make it clear there's not too much concrete lore; a lot about the dungeon still remains a mystery and most likely a tease for something in the future. Still unknown, but there's a lot that we don't know even with the messages so don't expect a massive reveal, but they do add a little bit of flavour and history about the station. There might be something more, but it's unknown: there's still one more secret triumph left. The messages are actually dialogues between the station AI and the Spider. Transcripts under read more:

First message:

Vesper Central: I suppose I have you to thank for bringing me out of standby, visitor. The Spider: I sent the Guardian out to save your station. So, what denomination does your thanks come in? Glimmer, herealways, information...? Vesper Central: Anomaly's powered down. That means I've already given you your survival. But... the message that went through wiped itself before my cache process could save a copy. And it's not the initial ping through the Anomaly I'm worried about. It's the response.

A message when you activate the second secret:

Vesper Central: Exterior scans rebooting... Is that a chunk of the Morning Star in my station's hull? With luck, you were on board at the time, Dr. Bray.

Second message:

Vesper Central: I'm guessing I've been in standby for a long time. Is Dr. Clovis Bray alive? The Spider: On my oath, I vow there's no mortal Human named Bray left alive. Vesper Central: I swore I'd outlive him. That I'd break the chains he laid on me. The Spider: Please, trust me for anything you need. The Guardian's a useful hand on the scene, but Spider's got the goods. Vesper Central: Vesper Station was Dr. Bray's lab, meant to house the experiments that might... interact poorly with other BrayTech work. Isolated and quarantined. From the debris field, I would guess the Morning Star taking a dive cracked that quarantine wide open.

A message when you activate the third secret:

Vesper Central: Sector seventeen powered down. Rerouting energy to core processing. Integrating archives.

Third message:

The Spider: Loading images of the station. That's not Eliksni engineering. [scoffs] A Dreg past their first molt has better cable management. Vesper Central: Dr. Bray intended to integrate his technology into a Vex Mind. He hypothesized the fusion would give him an interface he understood. A control panel on a programmable Vex mind. If the programming jumped species once... I need time to run through the data sets you powered back up. Reassembling corrupted archives takes a great deal of processing.

Text when you go back to the Spider the first time:

A message when you activate the fourth secret:

Vesper Central: Helios sector long-term research archives powered up. Activating search.

Fourth message:

Vesper Central: Dr. Bray's command keys have to be in here somewhere. Expanding research parameters... The Spider: My agents are turning up some interesting morself of data on their own. Why not give them access to your search function and collaborate? Vesper Central: Nobody is getting into my core programming. The Spider: Oh! Perish the thought! An innocent offer, my dear. Technology is a matter of faith to my people. And I'm the faithful sort.

Fifth message:

Vesper Central: Dr. Bray, I could kill you myself. This is why our work focused on the unbodied Mind. Dr. Bray thought there were types of Vex unseen on Europa. Powerful Vex he could learn from. The plan was that the Mind would build him a controlled window for observation. Tidy. Tight. Safe. He thought he could control a Vex mind so perfectly it would do everything he wanted. The Spider: Like an AI of his own creation. Like you. Vesper Central: Turns out you can't control everything forever.

Sixth message:

Vesper Central: There's a block keeping me from the inner partitions. I barely have authority to see the partitions exist. In standby, I couldn't have done more than run automated threat assessments... with flawed data. No way to know how many injuries and deaths I could have prevented, with core access. Enough. A dead man won't keep me from protecting what's mine.

Text when you return to the Spider at the end of the quest:

The situation for the dungeon triumphs when you complete the mesages. "Buried Secrets" completed triumph is the six messages. This one is left; unclear how to complete it yet and if it gives any lore or if it's just a gameplay thing and one secret triumph remaining (possibly something to do with a quest for the exotic catalyst, unclear if there will be lore):

The Spider is being his absolutely horrendous self and trying to somehow acquire the station and its remains (and its AI) for himself, all the while lying and scheming. The usual. The AI is incredibly upset with Clovis (shocker); there's the following line just before starting the second encounter:

She also details what he was doing on the station; apparently attempting to control a Vex mind and trying to use it as some sort of "observation deck" to study the Vex and uncover their secrets. Possibly something more? There's really no Vex on the station, besides dead empty frames in boxes. There's also 2 Vex cubes in containters in the transition section, one of which was shown broken as if the cube, presumably, escaped. It's entirely unclear how the Vex play into the story of the station besides this.

The portal (?) doesn't have many similarities with Vex portals, nor are the Vex there to defend it or interact with it in any way. The architecture is ... somewhat similar, but not fully. The portal (?) was built by the "Puppeteer" aka "Atraks" who is actually some sort of an Eliksni Hive mind. "Atraks" got onto the station and essentially haunted it before picking off scavenging Eliksni one by one and integrating them into herself. She then built the "anomaly" and sent a message into it. The message was not recorded, as per the station AI, and the destination of the message was labelled "incomprehensible." The orange energy we see coming from it is apparently Arc, but with a wrong colour. Unclear why.

I don't think the Vex have anything to do with the portal (?), at least not directly. "Atraks" may have built something related to the Vex or using the available Vex tech at the station, but it does not seem to be directed by the Vex and they're not there and there's no sign of them otherwise. The anomaly was also built recently, it's not been there since the Golden Age or something. Whatever it is, "Atraks" seemed to have been somehow compelled and was seen standing in front of it at the end. Some people think she was "worshipping it." It's possible but it's also possible she was just sending that message. Where and to whom? Nobody knows yet.

Weird shenanigans are afoot. Really interested to see if there's more lore in the station once people figure out how to do these puzzles and uncover them, and also when (if) this will become relevant. It has a really big "future content" feel to it.

Also I need Vesper to meet Failsafe RIGHT NOW and then they should be in yuri together.

[acerby]

Strategic Advantage

cw: abuse

Not too long ago, our little war was going poorly for my faction. Our enemies had a technological advantage over us, and we needed to bridge the gap somewhere. So naturally we looked at ways that we could make our soldiers far more efficient to train, and much more..... obedient.

We changed the course of this war thanks to our new breed of mech pilots. The old generation of operators were too slow and prone to distraction and disobedience. So we went for a new approach that could make anyone an effective and deadly pilot. Our teams of engineers and surgeons prep the “volunteers” for their new role, removing anything that isn't required to maximize the operation of their suit. Most limbs were replaced with basic robotic prosthetics. A good amount of the stomach is edited for more efficient digestion and to maximize nutrition intake. An artificial spine is mounted into the back and connected to the nervous system. Which allows for a better connection with the control matrix. And a good chunk of the brain is replaced with an advanced neural computer allowing for unparalleled synchronization with the mech’s A.I. systems.

But the genius of it comes from what we do to their minds. After the first few rounds of reprogramming with their new body, the pilots struggle to form their own thoughts. And in just a few weeks they are left as empty little things entirely needy and wanting for orders. Which is how we have kept them entirely obedient to their assigned handler. That and an on-command dopamine trigger doesn’t hurt either.

And this is what has given us the advantage over our enemies. It takes them years and thousands of dollars to train just one pilot. But we can create a combat-ready pilot in a matter of months and at a fraction of the cost. They don’t even have to be from the military. We have used college dropouts, political opponents, enemy sympathizers, pacifists, and a lot of prisoners. We even turned our enemy pilots into our obedient little dogs.

I’m even the handler of one. You should have seen her, she was so feisty when we captured her. She constantly went on and on about the freedom of her little colony planet. She screamed and called us vile monsters for what we were doing. She would go on these long-winded speeches about freedom and friendship. And that her comrades would save her any day now. It was so annoying that after we extracted any valuable information from her, I personally handed her over to our pilot “recruiters”.

 I much prefer her now. Quiet and obedient, I would even call her cute. She is so much more pleasant to be around. You should see the way she bounces right before she is placed into her mech. She practically vibrates with excitement and arousal. Not to mention the little moans she lets out whenever I praise her for eliminating a target. You know, It took us almost a week to clean the cockpit after she slaughtered an entire enemy battalion single-handedly. And the way she cries whenever she's taken out of what she calls her “real body”, it's adorable. I even allowed her the privilege of sleeping in it for a night after our latest successful campaign.

Why am I telling you this? Well dear, our data has told us that the two of you were friends before we took her. I wanted to tell you what happened to her before we do the same to you. Don’t worry I’m friends with your future handler and I will personally ensure you are placed in her unit. We could even schedule enrichment time for you two. See now we are not all vile monsters. 

[sea-snail-mail]

https://www.tumblr.com/karamrafeek/754196219096694784/help-karam-al-nabih-and-his-family-rebuild-their?source=share

Hello, I hope you and your family are well. Can you please help me recycle the post on my account? 🌺 And help rescue my family from the war in Gaza? 🙏🙏

Hello everyone, I am Karam Al Nabih from Gaza. All my dreams have been shattered now in Gaza. I am a software engineer in my last semester, but now my home, my dreams, and my university have been destroyed.

All my dreams have been destroyed 😞 I hope you share , support and donate

Repoooost & donate please after read my story, that's urgent! 🇵🇸🍉

Please don't skip helping me and my sick mother to rebuild our lives. Any donation, even a small one, will make a difference 🙏🙏

Donate even if it is 10 euros or 15 euros or more، The smallest donation makes a difference in my life

is currently at 11000€/20000€

I sincerely appreciate your help and look forward to your continued support🥺❤️

https://gofund.me/7c433301

Vatted by @nabulsi @90-ghost

Hello! Im truly so sorry about everything, thank you for reaching out I'll do as much as I can to help!

Guys please donate to and share Karam's gofundme. They are close to their goal with €11,273/€20,000.

Here is a link to the nabulsi verification post: link

and a link to them on a gaza support spreadsheet (75): link

Here is a link to Karam's main post in case you are unable to open it: link

And here is their story written from their gofundme in case you have not seen it along with extra information:

"Meet Karam Rafiq Al-Nabih, a resilient 23-year-old whose dreams were shattered by the devastating October events. Once filled with aspirations of graduating as a successful engineer, Karam's life took a drastic turn when his family's home and his university were destroyed by bombings.

Now, Karam and his family find themselves in dire circumstances, residing in a makeshift tent with inadequate necessities of life. To add to their plight, Karam's mother battles incurable diseases exacerbated by the harsh conditions of displacement, extreme cold, and lack of proper care. Their only ray of hope lies in the possibility of seeking refuge outside the Gaza Strip, where Karam can continue his studies and provide better care for his ailing mother. However, the journey to a better life comes with a hefty price tag. The coordination alone costs $5,000 per person, not to mention other essential expenses.

Together, we can make a difference in Karam's life and help alleviate their suffering. Your generous contribution will go directly towards funding their travel expenses and providing them with the opportunity for a brighter future.

Every donation, no matter how small, brings us one step closer to helping Karam and his family rebuild their lives. Let's come together and show them that they're not alone in their struggle.

Donate today and be a part of Karam's journey towards hope and renewal. Thank you for your kindness and compassion.

Sharing is caring

The cost of coordination per person is $5,000. This means that the travel cost for me and my mother is $10,000. The cost of treating my mother abroad is $3,000. The cost of completing my studies is

$3000. The cost of living in Egypt is $4000. The Go FundMe commission is $640. This means that this equals therequired amount. In my account to cover all costs"

[taylorrepdetective]

Story time.

One of my all time favorite movies is Office Space. If you know that movie, you will be familiar with the Red Stapler:

For me, the red stapler is a perfect symbol of the ridiculousness of office life. While the stapler itself doesn’t perfectly symbolize the performative nature of much of office work (water cooler talk, networking, trying to look busy all the time, dressing the part,) it has become a symbol of the movie, which captures perfectly the disillusionment with and existential dread we have about the workplace, whether you’re a waitress, lab tech, engineer, accountant, or dare I say, entertainer.

So quite a few years back, I suffered a fairly debilitating work burnout, accompanied by some pretty dire personal stuff going on at the same time and one of my coping mechanisms was to take on a newer, “better” attitude about my job. To quote the guy from fight club: “you are not your job”. That became my mantra. I quit the job I hated, and used the good will and connections I had established over years of good, hard work to get a new job. They loved me! They gave me lots of money, a good title and a boss who was in a different country, an 11 hr flight and 9 hrs in the future away. Armed with my new attitude, I bought myself a red Swingline stapler, which was entirely staple-free, and placed it on my desk to serve as a reminder that none of it matters, and I set about doing as little work as possible for as long as I could get away with it. No one noticed the symbolism of my red stapler, but it made me smile and helped keep me going.

One day, we hired someone new. This girl was kind of a “cool girl”. Like, you could tell she wasn’t your typical office worker. And then one day she walked past my desk and said “I love your stapler” with a wink. Ah! Someone gets it! It made me so pleased. So pleased that I still remember it and tell this story from time to time. Someone saw my joke, and I imagined they had a small window into my outlook on life and maybe they felt the same. I felt seen.

So this job sort of got weirder and weirder over the course of a year. I started getting lay-off vibes toward the end of that year. I had less and less to do, I barely showed up (I was hybrid before there was a word for it), and I was pretty sure the products we were working on had little to no value. My boss was on the other side of the world and didn’t seem to care what I did. And still my stapler sat. It was biding its time for its big moment, but I didn’t know that then.

So finally, one year and one day after I got this job, I got that dreaded meeting invite with HR first thing in the morning, and I sighed and said well I guess I’m getting laid off, and went in and yes, I and 65% of my colleagues were done and I needed to leave today. Those who had been here a year would get a generous severance. Oh how fortunate for me that I had been there one year and one day! I said “ok but you know no one else here knows how to do what I do and I’m afraid the product is going to suffer because my work is very important” (it actually was, just not 40 hrs a week important) and they said “yes we know, and we were hoping you’d become a part-time consultant for us” and I said “sure I can do that, but my rate is twice as much as I’m currently getting paid” and they said “we understand and that’s fine” and so I left my layoff meeting with a severance package, a full bonus, and a promise of a consulting contract. Later that day, they called and said “so we have been informed that the work you’re doing is actually super important right now and we’re wondering if you’d continue working as you have been for the next week while we work out your contract. We promise to pay you as soon as the contract is signed.” Well dear reader, I sat there and looked at my red stapler and thought of poor Milton getting his desk moved into the basement and they stopped paying him without telling him and I did the smoking duck head shake and I said “sure!” while mumbling I could set the building on fire.

So I sat there and worked for free for a week while they fucked around with my contract and then they paid me for a month at double my usual pay to do the very little work I needed to do while I looked for a new job, got one almost immediately and gave 2 weeks notice.

On my last day, as I was leaving I took a Post It note and wrote “For you. Good luck!” stuck it to the red stapler and left it on the desk of the office cool girl who would Get It. Later she sent me a LinkedIn message thanking me and said it made her laugh.

I wish I could say we got together and now we’re married or something, but alas, this is a true story not fanfiction, so I never saw her again.

But the lessons of the red stapler remain, and I am now in a much healthier place with my employment (and personal life,) somewhere between being too-invested-so-I-will-burnout:

And being this guy:

Sometimes I do miss my red stapler though.

[walkingstackofbooks]

DS9 4x09 Our Man Bashir thoughts (I’m re-watching, so beware spoilers for future episodes!) [2 July '23]

*window crash* wait, no, is this...? AH YISSS, IT'S OUR MAN BASHIR, I am so hype to see this again!

I mean that the glass bottle trick was smooth

"Bashir. Julian Bashir." And then Garak starts clapping, hilarious

Aww, Garak being sad that Julian has been too busy with his new holosuite programme to spend time with him - when he finds out it's a spy programme, to boot, do you think he felt he was being replaced by something fancier and better? That Julian only hung around with him because he was a spy?

"It's so unusual for you to have secrets"... little do you know, Garak. If you're excited about this, how much will you enjoy his augmentation secret?

WHY ARE THEY STANDING SO CLOSE TO EACH OTHER (gayyyyy)

"I wonder what scared her away. You must be incensed." Garak is baiting him so much XD Yes, Julian, he wants you to be mad

This is already such a fun episode, I'd forgotten quite how much!

"I think I joined the wrong intelligence service." IS THAT AN ADMISSION, GARAK?! You've never admitted to being a spy before, I am sure!

Why does Julian need to get his suits made by Garak if the holosuite can produce clothes - or are all of these costumes his valet is bringing out ones he's bought and somehow saved in the programme?

"Nerys, please." There's just something about the way he says this. He's not acting angry like he is at Garak, he's seemingly more cautious about telling her off for being here? I guess he's starting to think it's not Kira?

Odo going "That sounded like Kira!" even though she sounds Russian... Something something universal translator? Or he's just so attuned to her?

Julian is so pissed with this turn off events disrupting everything into something lethal. He just wanted a fun time

I have never noticed the falcon on Miles' eyepatch before!

"But that's Miles." - The way Julian says that is so gentle...

His soft "Sorry, my dear" to his dead valet - oh, my love :3

"Right behind the spatula." Oh, ROM. Incredible engineering XD

"Welcome to paradise." Okay, Avery Brooks just stole this scene.

How have I only just realised the symbolism of the villain, who is trying to flood the world and restart a better life, being called Noah?

"O'Brien's gonna kill me when he gets back." XD

Ohhh I was wondering how they got from Dr Noah's room to the tunnel - I had forgotten the being-tied-up scene

"Honey, will you grant me one last request and take off those glasses?" Yes Garak, that eye roll is what we're all thinking... Julian's acting is so ridiculously earnest XD "Kiss the girl, get the key - they never taught me that in the Obsidian Order." Garak is being so unusually frank! Is this part of his ploy to win back Julian from the game? Trying to remind him that I was a real spy, you know, my dear doctor?

The waver in Julian's voice as he says "If you call for the exit, you might kill Sisko and the others..." :3

Boy, their argument in the tunnel is such a tense scene, even better than I remember!

"You dream of being a hero because deep down you're not." OUCH. The worst thing is, Julian probably agrees.

"That's all about to end now isn't it?" - bit of London accent sneaking in there

"It's working just as you planned! You've done it, Doctor." "Yes.But somehow I didn't expect to win."

Oh I love everything about this sceeeeene

"Lunch tomorrow?" "Of course. But why don't we have it at your place, in Hong Kong?" I DO NOT REMEMBER THAT LINE. WOW. GAY.

Okay, yeah, this is the point where they get together imo.

I mean everyone knows this episode is fantastic, but also, THIS EPISODE IS BLOODY FANTASTIC AND I LOVE IT TO BITS.

[little-tyrant-gortash]

Oathbreaker

Pairing: fem!Tav x Enver Gortash, fem!Tav/Astarion

Tags: Emotional Manipulation, Manipulation, Manipulative Relationship, Paladin Tav (Baldur's Gate), Vaginal Sex, Penis In Vagina Sex, Drunk Sex, Unrequited Love, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Scars, Blood and Injury, Injury, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Pregnancy, Unplanned Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Torture, Psychological Torture, Implied/Referenced Torture

Word count: 1,448

Ao3 here.

Chapter 1.

Chapter 2.

Chapter 3.

Chapter 4.

Chapter 5.

Chapter 6.

Chapter 7.

Chapter 8.

Chapter 9.

Chapter 10. ⬇

Chapter 11.

Chapter 10: Misread

"Why is it so light? I thought it'd weigh me down."

Gortash silently adjusted the armour on her body, making it fit her form as snugly as possible to prevent injury from the material in the future. At her question, he smiled to himself.

"That is", he murmured, as he lowered himself on one knee in front of her to adjust straps underneath the armour, "because I altered it."

Tav looked down on him as he was working. She felt heat rise to her cheeks as she observed his kneeling form; concentration drawn over his features as he was gently tugging and adjusting the armour around her. It was an excellent fit. Ketheric seemed huge compared to her and Gortash could alter the armour so well that it fit her perfectly.

"How?"

"My dear, we'd be here until dusk if I started to explain it", he chuckled, finishing to adjust one last strap.

He wanted to get up when he felt her fingers in his hair. As he glanced up at her and saw her beautiful, soft smile, he could feel that stirring again in his chest. He shoved it away.

"You look good down on your knee, Your Grace", she teased him, and Gortash grabbed her arm with a bit more force than he intended before he got up.

"Savour the memory. It won't happen again."

She looked confused, then slightly sad at his words. He wondered why, but it quickly went right over his head. Gripping a clean cloth from the desk from behind himself, he gently rubbed the purple stone within the golden claws that sat over her heart.

"Is there anything else?" Tav muttered without moving an inch, her arm still in his grasp.

Gortash pressed his lips together as he glanced up in her eyes again. He pulled her closer by her arm until the cold metal touched his bare chest.

"Yes."

"And what that might be?"

"Don't die."

"That'll be impossible in this armour", she rolled her eyes.

"I hope so." He huffed, placing a small kiss on her forehead. "I went through a lot of trouble to keep you alive. I need you for our Grand Design. I'll be annoyed if you somehow managed to get yourself killed now."

For some reason, his grumpy voice made her smile.

"Don't worry. I wouldn't want to annoy my favourite Archduke."

He needed a moment to collect himself. He wouldn't get her words get under his skin, he couldn't allow them to. Not now. Not yet.

"Bring Karlach here tonight. I'll see what I can do about her engine."

Tav bit her lower lip as Gortash let her arm go. He shifted away from her, stopping just next to the desk again to look at the drawings he left there hours ago. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other.

"Karlach can't know", she muttered quietly.

"Hmm?"

"Karlach can't know", she repeated herself, causing him to look at her again. When he said nothing, she swallowed, looking away, flustered. "I mean… about us."

"Why?" Gortash cocked a brow, slightly amused. Warmed, from the inside out. "What are we, other than business partners?"

Tav concealed all the hurt she felt at those words. If it was all he felt towards her, then she really must keep her emotions under lock and key. She couldn't let herself feel too excited around him, because she was sure he'd use it – just as Astarion used her own emotions against her.

"All you had to do was fall for it."

And fall she did.

I better keep myself distracted somehow, she thought as she watched Gortash cock a brow at her when she didn't reply.

"Nothing", she shrugged, turning her back on him. "We're nothing."

As he watched her walk to the door, he tried his best to ignore that stab of pain. It was frightening how the warmth she conjured within him was taken away just as fast by her reply. Did she just... brush him off? Their meetings meant nothing to her? Their discussions? The sex? Their touches and kisses and plans? At that point, he was certain he wouldn't sleep that night. These thoughts would definitely keep him awake.

For a moment, he believed. For a moment, he hoped. And that moment caused him a world of pain, now, because none of it was true.

We're nothing. That meant that to her, he was nothing. Compared to when she said he was her favourite Archduke, this felt so much more real and true. Of course he was nothing. Always had been. Always will be.

The void he'd been trying hard to fill up in the past few years remained. Trying to prove himself to others, over and over again, taking what he wanted if it wasn't given freely – and nothing was ever given freely –, he's failed again. If he thought he had something special with Tav… he was wrong, then. He felt like a fool. And he hated to feel like a fool.

He let her leave without another word. And she did.

She felt awful as she was walking back to the camp to join the others. Karlach was the first who spotted her.

"Hey, soldier!" She flashed a smile at her, then it froze on her face when she saw what Tav was wearing. "Wait a second. Is that…?"

"Yes, it is", she begrudgingly walked up to Karlach and looked up in her beautiful, glowing eyes. It was best to keep it honest with Karlach, especially if she wanted her to agree to the plans she had for her. "I'm wearing it because… I've made a bargain with Gortash."

"Bargain?" Karlach echoed, looking suspiciously at her already. "Was that the wise thing to do?"

"I'll be honest. I need you to fight Orin, Karlach. I can't do it without you. But we both know that your engine might give up at any time here." Tav glanced down, eyeing Karlach's glowing heart, before she looked back up in the tiefling's eyes. "I've promised myself that I'd do everything in my power to save your life, because you've done it countless times when we were in battles together. You've watched my back for as long as I can remember, and I wouldn't be here without you. I owe you so, so much. More than I can ever even begin to repay."

"Soldier…"

"We need to wipe Orin off the face of Faerûn, but I need you to be able to do that. We can't be sure what she's capable of. So… I asked him to fix your engine, and he agreed."

"On what conditions?"

"I have to wear the armour", Tav sighed, motioning at the piece shielding her body, "and I'll report to him every day how we're proceeding with our mission."

Karlach stared at her for a few long, long seconds. Tav could almost hear the cogs working in her head as she was trying to understand Gortash's motives. But Tav couldn't think of those anymore; she just wanted to get Karlach's engine first, finally find the Temple of Bhaal, send Orin to her death – in as many pieces as possible for giving her so much trouble –, then shove the stones in Gortash's hands and leave Baldur's Gate for good.

She wouldn't let someone weaponize her emotions again.

"How can we be sure he keeps his word?" Karlach finally asked and Tav shrugged.

"We can never be sure in anyone's word, Karlach. During our travels we've seen some outrageous shit. Think of… think of him." Tav didn't want to say Astarion's name out loud, lest he materialize behind her. She nervously checked the camp to make sure that this was just her imagination. "I never thought he'd tell me what he said on the day he left. I thought… I thought he'd be with us until the end."

"So you don't trust Gortash?"

I wish I could, but I mean nothing to him.

"I don't trust anyone. But what other choice do we have? He's damn good at what he does, he's the only one who has the materials and skills to help us, and I'm willing to give it a shot to save you."

This finally made Karlach smile, but her eyes remained sad for her.

"We never talked about this", she tentatively started, "but I'm sorry about what happened with you and As-"

"No", Tav cut her off, then spun on her heels and turned her back on Karlach. She started to walk back to her tent, but she kept talking over her shoulder. "I don't want to talk about that. We leave at dusk, so prepare yourself, okay?"

End notes: Wow. 🥲 I broke my own fucking heart with Gortash's reaction when she said they were nothing. 🥲 Ouch.

[retrieve-the-kraken]

Heartstopper season 2 play-by-play analysis

Question: what is the absolute worst? Is it:

a) dating,

b) coming out,

c) parties, or

d) all of the above…

The answer (for me) is d. And this episode has all of the above, and it was like watching a nightmare… (I went on a few dates, all of them painful, but I don’t know if that’s just the nature of dating or if it’s because I’m acespec; also parties to me make absolutely no sense; also I tried coming out multiple times and it’s been the worst anxiety I’ve experienced, each time).

But let’s see how these things go for our lovely group.

EPISODE 3 - PROMISE

- I love that they did the “I know you and Charlie are really good mates” and Otis and Sai giving him the looks, and a kissing montage playing in Nick’s head with the huge letters GOOD MATES across it. Perfection.

- Coach Singh’s whole body language after walking in on Nick and Charlie kissing. And her being protective of Nick after realizing that he’s queer. “You don’t owe them that information”. It’s so reassuring for Nick to have another queer person, a queer adult, know, and for her to tell her that he doesn’t have to live with that pressure, that it’s difficult and it won’t always go well, but it’s not an obligation.

- Nick and Charlie being cozy in the library. Two of my favorite things. More of that please.

- I can’t tell you the giddiness I felt when I saw the Pride display and saw that there was an ACE book top and center. Also I’m so happy that we got so much James, and how fucking giddy he is about hanging out with Isaac. Two little bookworms matching each other’s energies.

- I love how Tao became the worst date by trying to be the best date, following the worst online advice, changing his appearance, and being so tense about everything being perfect, that he forgot about just being himself, which is precisely what Elle likes about him.

- All Charlie and Nick needed to get through their exams and coursework was to think about Paris, and being together in Paris.

- Every time Harry appears, he usually puts an arm around someone, like grabbing them, which, as Tao rightfully pointed out last season, is a hyper-masculine way of saying “I didn’t get hugged much as a child”. So imposing and annoying. Go to therapy, Harry. Stop invading people’s spaces, Harry. (I know the other boys do it too, like Otis did to Charlie in the first episode, and to Nick in this one, but the attitude behind it is completely different. But still, boys, stop just grabbing people like that, it’s so annoying.)

- “But I love you because of how annoying you are” is one of the sweetest things you will ever hear, and I felt so bad for Tara because of how Darcy reacted, literally running away from her feelings. Poor Darcy too. I think I can relate to the automatic reaction of running away from my feelings, running away from anything that was me having to be vulnerable. It gets better, and I love that in the end it’s just practice. The more you talk about your feelings, the better you become at it.

- New favorite ship unlocked: the teachers! “Are you also regretting signing up for this?” Don’t worry, you won’t regret it at all by the end of it…

- James being all giddy asking Isaac to the party, I’m sorry but he’s adorable, and therefore I’m kinda sad about how things turn out, but I hope we get more James in the future.

- The comedic performance of Mr. Ajayi failing to get everyone’s attention in a gentle manner and Mr. Farouk having to go “QUIET!” Which in itself is so funny. (Fun fact: a teacher in Northern Ireland actually won the Guinness Book of World Records for the loudest shout, and it was her shouting “quiet” at 121 decibels, about the same as a jet engine. Mr Farouk might not be as loud, but the way he does it definitely works.)

- Darcy’s “oh dear, oh nooo” and Charlie and Nick exchanging excited looks when they’re told that boys and girls can’t share rooms is so cute. “I know, heartbreaking, isn’t it?” Mr Farouk says with a raised eyebrow.

- Poor Imogen… she needs more girlfriends.

- Tao’s new aesthetic, as much as they made him try to look out of character, just… works… love the whole outfit, the whole vibe. He looks like he’d be in a Wes Anderson film, so it’s very appropriate that they’re going to one.

- And Darcy going “oh duuuuh”, just the worst‼ And Charlie shouting “your hair’s amazing!”

- I love the stark contrast between Tara’s outfit and Tori’s outfit, and I love them both.

- “Look after him or you die”. Aw Tori, being a good older sister. I want more Nick and Tori interactions.

- The comically large popcorns. “I hope you didn’t cut it for me”. Tao’s little laugh but then his look of terrible realization. Then his terrible attempts at being flirty. And then his whole rant about “they’re kids, so it’s obviously not going to last long term”, big foreshadowing.

- Sahar’s makeup and jacket, so cute. Metallic blue eyeshadow. The makeup game in this season is top notch.

- What is up with those boys pulling Charlie away? Seriously, what is this masculine impulse of throwing your arm around someone's shoulder, even when you don't know them???

- And what is up with Sai’s reaction to Nick saying “I need to talk to you guys”? This is a lot like the party in the first season, when Nick realizes that he’s not really the partying type, and he just wants to hang out with Charlie and talk. Here he just wants to talk to his friends and tell them something, but it is like the worst moment to do it, and he’s already feeling ill about the idea of doing it, and he’s really not the big loud party type of guy.

- Tao being so pent up about this one date going wrong. They’re both kids, like the protagonists in Moonrise Kingdom, and they really thought that it would work out from the beginning, and they’re upset that it didn’t, and that it must mean that it will never work.

- “I’m fundamentally unlikeable”. “I liked the old Tao”.

- Tori is so mean in that instant, but we get that it hinges on her fear of Charlie being hurt again, being bullied again.

- After a second viewing, the only overblown comment going around Nick’s head is Tori going “you’re bisexual, so you’re going to cheat on my brother?” (I know that the media tends to have a terrible habit of portraying bisexual characters as promiscuous, which is why Nick is such a lovely change, so I would get why this is insinuated here. But… not from Tori, and so far in the show, at least from my perspective, there hasn’t been anyone insinuating that Nick’s bisexuality makes him unreliable or promiscuous, but especially not Tori. Unless this has to do with a deleted scene... In any case, I expected him to think of her as accusing him of letting Charlie get hurt or something). But all the other things he hears in his head are spot on.

- Charlie coming in hot and shoving Harry away, because he probably still feels bad about not helping Nick when he was confronted with his brother.

- That one-on-one scene between Joe and Olivia is peak perfect Charlie-Sara interaction. More please.

- Also, is it me, or does Sara wear a lot of yellow? She's sunshine personified. (it's curious that, one of the few times we don't see Sara in yellow, is in season 1 when she's wearing blue when Nick is telling her about the date with Imogen, and she says "don't worry, the right girl will come along", and it might just confirm my theory that light blue represents heteronormativity, but coming from a person who turns out to be supportive).

- Nick and Charlie being all cozy, and Nick tiredly saying that he enjoyed Charlie telling Harry to piss off. And Charlie’s whole talk about that weird obligation we feel to come out to friends and family the moment you realize you’re not straight. I think it’s so lovely that the comic and the show emphasize this so much, because so often in media it’s become a whole thing about how you’re supposed to come out, and for it to be this big announcement, as if otherwise you're lying to everyone if you don't, and as if everything is going to be alright from now on as soon as you come out, and as if not coming out means that you’re afraid and a coward. And I love how much this season works through that, with Coach Singh and Charlie and Sara telling Nick that he doesn’t owe it to anyone. This whole season was perfect because of that.

This episode is brought to you by Date Dread™, Coming Out Anxiety™ and Party Fear™ (not just a Raleigh Ritchie song with which I identify way too much...)

[blankingbloom]

5/26/24

Dear Angelica (aka future me),

Hey! How are you? Before I start my thousands of questions, let me first say, congratulations on graduating and finishing your senior year of high school!!! this must be a bittersweet moment for you, as I am experiencing this at the moment as a junior watching the grades above me graduate and do senior activities. Graduating is a once in a lifetime moment, not everybody gets to graduate due to unfortunate circumstances, but congratulations! Thank you so much for staying strong, the k-12 system is literally horrible lol. I just wanted to say, I (17 year old Angelica) will forever be within you. I am you, but I want you to have no regrets or wising to be me because “life was so carefree” 💀💀 naw it’s not I’m suffering rn lmfao I have 3 summer classes, a job to juggle and volunteer opportunities to catch up on and college apps 😿 whomp whomp. I so desperately want to be you right now! It may feel insufferable at the moment and you feel lots of bittersweet feelings and loneliness being unleashed from hell (prison) (kleinisd) (kleinhigh); you should know that there is a whole chapter ahead of you and you’ve achieved a milestone! When something ends, a new opportunity arises. I hope you’ll feel better soon, knowing how I feel now will probably affect you 10x deeper (you’ll understand). Highschool for me was no fun adventure; I was barely sociable, barely any friends (like a few ofc I’m not a loser), I felt like I wasn’t on track to be my genuine real self anytime soon, but you have the opportunity to change that through college. I need you to be stronger for me until we get our masters in compsci 💀. Be an academic weapon once more for us plz!! I know you want that so bad. I know our experience wasn’t the best, especially during covid and certain situations, but there is a whole life ahead of us, that is depending on our actions. I trust us to keep it up! BTW Im missing a ton of the 2023 seniors, I can’t believe that it’s real. It low key hurt seeing everyone I had classes with especially in financial math, english, photography, and a&p graduate. It’s so bittersweet it low key hurt my feelings, especially seeing everyone I grew up with who were a grade above me. I don’t want to forget them at all, I want to remember who they are! I never peaked in high school, but I’m never going to see these people again, unless it’s by a rare chance someday, I doubt they would recognize me. I guess I just grew attached. Anyways, I have some questions LOL.

1. What is our plan after graduating Highschool? What college are we going to?

2. Did we end up submitting any of our SAT/ACT scores?

3. What’s your favorite song currently?

4. Are we still dating Ben?

5. Did we make any new friends?

6. What is your college essay about?

7. What made us stronger?

8. How was senior year? Was it any easier taking AP classes? Do we understand pre-calc?

9. Do we still want to take comp sci?

10. What happened to your H��E‑B job?

11. Did we get any stoles/cords for graduation or not?

12. What was our final Highschool GPA?

13. What’s our class schedule?

14. What do we look like now? Do I still have short hair? Do I still look gay?

15. Can we crochet with greater experience?

16. What’s your biggest worry?

17. Are you happy?

Thank you for reading this!! Respond to my questions soon. Goodbye! I will always be within you.

Sincerely, Angelica

____________________________________________________________

REPLY:

Hi Baby Angelica!

Since you're from the past, I have so so so much to catch you up on. Time flies by when you're consistently stressed out. But don't worry! I will answer your millions of questions first! Then we can actually discuss :)

1. What is our plan after graduating Highschool? What college are we going to?

A: We are doing Computer Engineering! After hours and hours of research, I wanted you to have opportunities in both the computer science and electrical engineering fields. I want you to have a lot of pathways so you can have tons of money and opportunities! We are going to UT Dallas. We got CAPPED from UT Austin and UW-Seattle was way out of our budget sadly. Maybe someday my love :(

2. Did we end up submitting any of our SAT/ACT scores?

A: Hell no, they were too low LMFAO

3. What’s your favorite song currently?

A: Talk by Beabadoobee, Antihero by Taylor Swift, any MSI song

4. Are we still dating Ben?

A: Yes <3

5. Did we make any new friends?

A: YES! We aren't friends with.. those girl(s) anymore. They were bad for you. WE HAVE MORE GENUINE AND KIND FRIENDS!! There is a whole world out there waiting for you. I love my friends.

6. What is your college essay about?

A: Bugs. In the UT Austin essays, we wrote about photography, allergies, tamagotchis, etc.

7. What made us stronger?

A: Learning to adapt, spreading love, reading people, putting ourselves in uncomfortable situations in order to grow. Being with likeminded people!

8. How was senior year? Was it any easier taking AP classes? Do we understand pre-calc?

A: PRE CAL WAS MY MOST HATED SUBJECT. It is so fricking hard I dont think I ever understood the concepts. The AP Classes had lots of work in it but you managed your time fine and it was never that serious anyways (except AP 2D art) that sucked a lot. Senior year was shit im not even gonna lie. I didn't even attend like 98% of the events LOL. Fuck no I am not going back!

9. Do we still want to take comp sci?'

A: Computer Engineering babe dont sweat it

10. What happened to your H‑E‑B job?

A: OUR LAST DAY WAS TODAYYYYYYYY

11. Did we get any stoles/cords for graduation or not?

A: One stole for NHS, one stole for DUDU CREDIT!

12. What was our final Highschool GPA?

A: 4.6/6.0 LMFAOOO

13. What’s our class schedule?

A: -1st period: Late Arrival (Used to be Photography 4)

A: -2nd: AP Art History

A: -3rd: Photojournalism/Office Aide

A: -4th: AP Psychology/Interpersonal Studies

A: -5th: AP 2D Art

A: -6th: AP Pre-Cal (idk how u survived but girl... never again)

A: -7th: Early Release

14. What do we look like now? Do I still have short hair? Do I still look gay?

A: You got the short hair back and we still look gay asf. We have new pink glasses though and they're see through! We still have bangs. Shit load of stretch marks though smh. Im like 115 pounds now.

15. Can we crochet with greater experience?

A: fuck no

16. What’s your biggest worry?

A: If my roommates will like me, I'll feel lonelier, money, If ill be smart enough for college, if my friends now will still want to hang out with me :(

17. Are you happy?

A: I could be happier but I am okay! Not stressed right now :)

[rielzero]

Since I have to replay the game fully in order to get access to better companion interactions in the epilogue camp, please consider this me just speculating / headcanoning interactions. (Includes the bard oc of my friend.) Writing isn't polished, just rough idea.

Of course, might be spoilers for those who did not finish the game ever. You were warned.

It's been six months since the adventure ended. Astarion and Loki had settled into their new life as lord and consort. The vampire aristocracy was a messy ordeal, but given Astarion's prowess, it was easier to keep them under his thumb. Of course, the paranoia of having enemies close never left either of them... Gale and Seldazr both frequently visited the manor to drop by for a while. Gale went on his usual wizardry adventures, in attempts to procure artefacts for unclear reasons.. He remained in a relationship with Loki and Astarion, but had taken time away to think about his own goals and desires for the future knowing he'd always be welcomed back. As for Seldazr, he mandatorily took breaks of his adventuring and book writing to make sure Scratch got to see Kiwi often enough. The owlbear had become too big and too used to living in the manor's garden. Kiwi did enjoy the attention he attracted. For Loki, things did not go as expected. He was attacked by a stray party of monster hunters not too long after moving into the palace, and had secluded himself to his and Astarion's room for several months. The nightmares never left, but they had lessened. Grymforge, the shadowlands, the githyanki creche, Cazador... Many more. Some of the toughest battles haunted his mind with different recollection, muddling his memories. While Loki was keen on keeping himself inside to focus on healing his mind, he was met with a letter from Withers himself.. Astarion would've probably ignored it (busy as he is) if he didn't think the occasion would be a good experience for Loki.. And thus he dragged his consort out with the promise they'd see Gale, Seldazr, and everyone else again. Even Karlach and Wyll?

Loki: [shuffling around nervously] Astarion: Dear, stop fidgeting. You'll be fine. [holds his arm around Loki's waist] Loki: I just did not expect to this place again.. Seems like withers was busy. Astarion: Hmm, I would've preferred to host a party myself... Loki: That's just more work isn't it? You can't do everything, besides we were invited.. It would look bad not to show. Astarion: I thought you wanted to stay inside? Tk tk tk. Loki: Right. Right. I need to stop moping. I'll mingle.. They stop to see Seldazr annoying the bard in the midst of camp with a barrage of questions.. Not too unfamiliar, but best left be until he can redirect his attention to his friends.

Loki: Wyll? Is that you? You look so.. Buff. How did you get here? Wyll: I've been Monster hunting in avernus! Withers provided a portal.. I've got lots of stories to tell. Loki: ..A portal? Maybe don't say that one out loud. [looks over to see Astarion show off his bat form to halsin, he chuckles] Wyll: Enough about me- There's something different about you.. Karlach: [walks up, surprising Loki] Soldier! It's his hair. It got so long! Loki: I keep forgetting about that... [brushes his hair out of his face] No clue what I look like nowadays... Karlach- How are you here? Isn't your engine.. Karlach: Ah, calm down.. It's fine- For now! It's just for tonight. It won't bust, no worries. Loki: Does that mean I can get a hug? Karlach: Of course!! [hugs him tightly] Momma K got so many hugs to give, I've been saving them up. Loki: Oof- Are Lae'zel and Shadowheart here too..? Wyll: I think they're late..? I haven't seen Gale yet either. [puts his arm around Karlach] Loki: Are you two..? Karlach: Verily! [leans into Wyll, smiling brightly] Wyll: Speaking of couples, you're looking rather princely Loki. Are you sure you're not a spoiled husband by now? Loki: Gods.. Don't tease me. I'm still not used to it. [looks flustered] Loki looks over to see Jaheira and Minsc interrogate Astarion, but he's casually deflecting them.. They briefly make eye contact, only for Astarion to gesture to Loki to have fun and not worry about anything.

It didn't take long for a Griffon to show up in the camp, mounted by Lae'zel and Shadowheart. The two proudly announced themselves to have eloped only recently. Lae'zel then continued to brag about their mount, even though she casually compared it to a dragon.. Then Shadowheart would go on and on about this Imp they've adopted, Lae'zel's expression went from prideful to mildly flustered and annoyed, remarking she would have tossed it if Shadowheart didn't like the imp so much.

Gale essentially arrived, with Tara on his shoulder, placing himself in between Astarion, Minsc and Jaheira in hopes to cool off their conversation. Then he would brag about some trinket he uncovered recently, showing off an assemblage of things he's collected during his adventures.. Needless to say, Astarion looked thankful for the arrival of his boyfriend even if he didn't express it openly.

The night went on, many exchanging stories, sharing laughs. Reminiscing about the adventure amongst other things. Scratch was playing with a seemingly familiar object, refusing to let it go even though he wanted it to be thrown. Some remarks were made about Loki's massive change in appearance, and how no one expected Lae'zel to ever get married.. It was a good party. It should be a yearly event, Loki thought. Cheers.

[riuterlabs]

File 1.5: CodeName C0UNT0NH3R

NAME: Jennifer Straw / Robert “Oz” S. Ozymandias

SPECIES: Transmuted

SUBSPECIES: Type 3

MATERIAL: Strawberry and Grape jelly

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

~Date~

17:47 of the Eight of Zannes of the 170 of the 6th Aeon

~&Date~

~Comm~

Greetings, Dr. Germanium.

Firstly, I would like to apologize for my absence, I have been really busy looking for someone you can count on. And, well, it seems like I found her, so you will not have to worry about those, habits of yours.

~&Comm~

~Desc~

The last month of Tolmaral I had a rather unusual encounter. A mysterious hooded figure snook into the laboratories and gave me two strange viales which they commanded me to try and test, telling me they where the key to not only taking malleable biology to the next evolutionary step, but also to unify the three species malleabilizing the human race as a whole.

For that matter, I took advantage of the fact that I was already searching for a lawyer for Dr. Germanium to look for a good lab assistant.

After two long months of intense searching, I decided to ask Dr. Gums for some help, and he, joyfully, told me he knew about the perfect person for the situation.

She brought me to a house in the western zone of the city of Libertas, neighbor to our dear Saint’s Bed. She knocked.

And the one at the other side of the door, our subject, our protector…

Was none other than Robert S. Ozymandias, better known as Oz, exactly, the infamous law-twisting, evidence-fabricating lawyer who would do anything for a non-guilty verdict.

After almost running away, completely disappointed for such a waste of time, I sensed some known smell, the penetrating fragrance of strawberries and grapes, something I had not experienced in a very long time, which ignited my suspects that I already knew her.

And, of course, Oz turned out to be nothing more than a facade, a character, a mask to cover a Transmuted called Jennifer Straw. Ahh, good old Straw.

Now, the caring reader will ask, “Why are you wasting my time, Dr. Thomson? Go straight to the point!” To which I will answer saying that in order to continue I would need to go back some years, to my University years.

Almost ten years ago, when a young and extremely malleophobe Jack was making his place in the University of Libertas’ Department of Biology, I met three people, my three best friends and my three main partners at that time:

Héctor Toledano, a prestigious Organic Chemistry student and amateur “cook” whose family is rumored to descend from immigrants from a galaxy far away from here.

Karl Hammond, future Mechanic Engineer and Demolitions Expert.

And, finally, Jennifer Straw, who was defending her clients even before finishing her degree.

Some good day, Héctor told us about his money problems, and his plans to solve them. His wonderful idea was to start synthesizing testosterone, a pretty much needed supplement in this estrogen-rich atmosphere of ours, and sell it. We, of course, instantly refused the idea, well, all of us except Straw, who cited several articles and laws according to which, this whole operation was completely “legal”.

This way, in spite of my refusal, I cooperated and, with my knowledge in Organic Chemistry, we ended up as the main dealers of the zone.

We had such a level of success that people dedicated us a ballad and a nickname which i would like to forget, The Free Eggs.

Ahh, Good times.

The conversation between Dr. Gums, Mrs. Straw and I will be uploaded soon in a separated file.

~&Desc~

~ImgInfo~

In this image we can see Straw herself, with a pose that expresses her energetic and eccentric personality, her University Title, with the Law School’s motto, “May Death bring Justice, May Justice bring Peace”, signed by the Great Sovereign himself.

We can also see a medallion with the icon of the Skull and Spears, emblem of the Patron Core of Death, Justice and Peace.

To her left we can appreciate a screen with an old commercial, starring Marlene Greatwoman, or some lookalike, crying and lamenting because she just lost her job as a main role of a movie after the director found some suspicious cider on her dressing room, regretting not counting on Oz and saying that annoying catchphrase of her, you know which one, “Count on Oz!”.

Floating inside her body we can see some objects like syringes, a lawyer’s badge, two cubes of caramel of my production, some strange rocket-like objects and several strange, sandy and glowing crystals that seemed to be looking at me…

~&ImgInfo~

I will report any new discoveries.

Dr. Camelia Thomson, Malleable Genetics and Histology.

RiuterLabs

File 1.5: CodeName C0UNT0NH3R

NAME: Jennifer Straw / Robert “Oz” S. Ozymandias

SPECIES: Transmuted

SUBSPECIES: Type 3

MATERIAL: Strawberry and Grape jelly

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

~Date~

17:47 of the Eight of Zannes of the 170 of the 6th Aeon

~&Date~

~Comm~

Greetings, Dr. Germanium.

Firstly, I would like to apologize for my absence, I have been really busy looking for someone you can count on. And, well, it seems like I found her, so you will not have to worry about those, habits of yours.

~&Comm~

~Desc~

The last month of Tolmaral I had a rather unusual encounter. A mysterious hooded figure snook into the laboratories and gave me two strange viales which they commanded me to try and test, telling me they where the key to not only taking malleable biology to the next evolutionary step, but also to unify the three species malleabilizing the human race as a whole.

For that matter, I took advantage of the fact that I was already searching for a lawyer for Dr. Germanium to look for a good lab assistant.

After two long months of intense searching, I decided to ask Dr. Gums for some help, and he, joyfully, told me he knew about the perfect person for the situation.

She brought me to a house in the western zone of the city of Libertas, neighbor to our dear Saint’s Bed. She knocked.

And the one at the other side of the door, our subject, our protector…

Was none other than Robert S. Ozymandias, better known as Oz, exactly, the infamous law-twisting, evidence-fabricating lawyer who would do anything for a non-guilty verdict.

After almost running away, completely disappointed for such a waste of time, I sensed some known smell, the penetrating fragrance of strawberries and grapes, something I had not experienced in a very long time, which ignited my suspects that I already knew her.

And, of course, Oz turned out to be nothing more than a facade, a character, a mask to cover a Transmuted called Jennifer Straw. Ahh, good old Straw.

Now, the caring reader will ask, “Why are you wasting my time, Dr. Thomson? Go straight to the point!” To which I will answer saying that in order to continue I would need to go back some years, to my University years.

Almost ten years ago, when a young and extremely malleophobe Jack was making his place in the University of Libertas’ Department of Biology, I met three people, my three best friends and my three main partners at that time:

Héctor Toledano, a prestigious Organic Chemistry student and amateur “cook” whose family is rumored to descend from immigrants from a galaxy far away from here.

Karl Hammond, future Mechanic Engineer and Demolitions Expert.

And, finally, Jennifer Straw, who was defending her clients even before finishing her degree.

Some good day, Héctor told us about his money problems, and his plans to solve them. His wonderful idea was to start synthesizing testosterone, a pretty much needed supplement in this estrogen-rich atmosphere of ours, and sell it. We, of course, instantly refused the idea, well, all of us except Straw, who cited several articles and laws according to which, this whole operation was completely “legal”.

This way, in spite of my refusal, I cooperated and, with my knowledge in Organic Chemistry, we ended up as the main dealers of the zone.

We had such a level of success that people dedicated us a ballad and a nickname which i would like to forget, The Free Eggs.

Ahh, Good times.

The conversation between Dr. Gums, Mrs. Straw and I will be uploaded soon in a separated file.

~&Desc~

~ImgInfo~

In this image we can see Straw herself, with a pose that expresses her energetic and eccentric personality, her University Title, with the Law School’s motto, “May Death bring Justice, May Justice bring Peace”, signed by the Great Sovereign himself.

We can also see a medallion with the icon of the Skull and Spears, emblem of the Patron Core of Death, Justice and Peace.

To her left we can appreciate a screen with an old commercial, starring Marlene Greatwoman, or some lookalike, crying and lamenting because she just lost her job as a main role of a movie after the director found some suspicious cider on her dressing room, regretting not counting on Oz and saying that annoying catchphrase of her, you know which one, “Count on Oz!”.

Floating inside her body we can see some objects like syringes, a lawyer’s badge, two cubes of caramel of my production, some strange rocket-like objects and several strange, sandy and glowing crystals that seemed to be looking at me…

~&ImgInfo~

I will report any new discoveries.

Dr. Camelia Thomson, Malleable Genetics and Histology.

RiuterLabs

[an3aq]

As I look around on social media and I see everyone getting ready for the festive season that's upon us, I can't help but feel sad, lonely and nervous for what 2025 will have in store for us. This year has been one that shook me to my core and in the process I have lost a bit of myself along with everything else that was lost. It all started in January of this year when my husband had a motorcycle accident almost right in front of our house, right in front of my son and after that everything went downhill. From finances being of such a nature that he had to sell his motorcycle and all of his woodwork machines just so we can stay afloat until he could go back to work, then in February my son's school has caused so much trauma for him that he had to be removed. Only to then look at homeschooling options, which further put a massive dent into our finances. March a dear friend lost her mum, who I helped to take care of the mum and I don't even know how I lost my best friend in the process. She didn't pass, but our friendship just broke down and although we live in the same town, we see each other in town, but we don't speak anymore like we used to.

April, May, June, July and August, we barely survived on the little income we make. I look back and think to myself, "How the hell did we do that?" There have been many nights where a simple sandwich was dinner and a cup of tea had to fill the hole. In between all of this our marriage started getting rocky and is still not better, it's going to take a lot of work.

September, October: Our car's engine had multiple problems and we put so much money into keeping it going that I have lost track and we can't afford a new car or at least a decent secondhand one, because our finances simply just doesn't allow it. We had to withdraw from a retirement fund just to keep it going as it's my husband's only mode of transport to work now that the bike is gone.

We got the news as to how much my son's final year of school is going to cost through homeschooling and then we're faced now with the decision (possibly my hardest one ever) of do we let him drop out and look for work or what do we do to let him finish, because our finances simply does not allow it. In our country is very hard finding a job if you do not have your final year of schooling or at least something like a diploma.

November was pretty much the same as all the other months where surviving from day to day was on the table and then December rolled around. Just this weekend, we got stuck next to a road 60 kilometers from home and had to get a truck to get us home, which was crazy expensive, but I have a mechanical husband so the car lives to drive another day. (THANKFUL)

Now here I am on the 9th of December and today is one emotional day. I am thinking of everything that we have lost, but we survived somehow. How do I get excited for Christmas and the new year fast approaching? How do I stay positive knowing what this year dealt? How do I keep going knowing full well that surviving is not always living.

I am thankful for the little we do still have, don't get me wrong. I am thankful for the roof over my head and the air in my lungs. I just don't know how to get excited over the unknown. Hope for the better at this stage seems very far away, the light at the end of the dark tunnel doesn't seem to be there. The decisions that we still need to make regarding my son's future rests heavy on my heart and I fill up with tears just thinking about it.

[cheesy-che]

Messages from my inbox about people in need. Please visit their blog and help how you can. No donation is too small. Feel free to share and reblog! 🇵🇸 #FreePalestine

@ahed-family2 asked:

Welcome 🍉

My brother Karim and my family are to all good people in the world to help them. My family from Gaza, were displaced from their home due to the war, leaving behind everything they owned. During the journey, they faced many difficulties and challenges, and they did not lose hope for a better future after your donations and support.

Asking for help is not easy, I ask for a small donation of only 20€ from each person, 20€ will save my family from death in Gaza 💔 GOFUNDME Link

~

@abedallhferwanagaza asked:

URGENT HELP🚨🚨🚨🍉🇵🇸

Hello,

Every donation makes a different even if it a small.

As you know, the war began on October 7 and lasted ten months. During this period, we were unable to obtain food, drink, or treatment because we did not have money. Our house has been damaged a lot since the beginning of the war. We are from the north of Gaza and we are still in the north and have not displaced to the south. We displaced 10 times from place to another seeking to safety .

We hope for your help and support, even if only a little.🙏🙏 GOFUNDME Link

~

@hindworldsblog asked : Dear supporters,

I am Hind, a physiotherapist from Gaza and a mother of two beautiful kids, Zeina and Ahmed. I am reaching out to seek your help in spreading our story and fundraising.

Your support via donating means everything to us, and sharing our journey will help us continue to reach more supporters. Your support can make a difference in our lives.

GOFUNDME Link

~

@karamrafeek asked:

Please support me, I'm Karam Al Nabih from Gaza. My home, dreams, and university have been destroyed by the war. I'm a software engineer in my final semester, and I'm urgently seeking your support to rebuild my life and help my sick mother.

Please consider donating, even a small amount like 10 or 15 £, as every contribution makes a difference. If you can't donate, please share my story to help me reach my goal. Your support means the world to me. Thank you so much! 🙏❤️

GOFUNDME Link

~

@tarnem-1 asked:

My name is Tarneem Sami, and I live in the Shuja'iyya neighborhood of Gaza 🇵🇸 with my three children. I lost my husband, Ahmed, while he was trying to get supplies for us. We live in constant fear and face severe shortages of food and medicine.

I need your help to save my children from hunger and disease. Every donation, no matter how small, can make a significant difference in our lives. If you cannot donate, please share my message to reach those who can help us.

Thank you for your support and generosity 🇵🇸.

GOFUNDME Link

~

@aboodalqedra-9 asked:

🙏Please donate a small amount that may save my father's life, only 85€ left to buy my father's treatment, his doctor's appointment is tomorrow, please do not ignore my message and do not hesitate to help me❤️‍🩹

Account No. 9 due to repeated deletion😭💔

✅My campaign is verified by: @gaza-evacuation-funds

GOFUNDME Link

[gontagokuhara]

Hello, I hope you are well. I am reaching out to you today with great concern and sadness😞💔, as my family and I in northern Gaza are facing significant danger due to the ongoing war. I have launched a GoFundMe campaign to save them from hunger and the diseases that are chasing us all and to provide a better future for them. Every reblog of the post on my profile can be a lifeline for my family and help me provide the basic necessities for them and get out of Gaza to a safer and more stable place.🙏 I humbly and gratefully ask you to reblog the post from my profile to support my campaign. I got a lot of messages asking me to verify my gofundme campaign however I sent some trustful organizations to do that and none of them answered me yet! If anyone have a connection with a real and trustful ones, who can verify campaigns please let them contact me directly. Thanks for your caring to give the donation for the right person.

this is a donation-protected fundraiser with all original images for amal and her family, raising money with the intent of securing basic necessities and eventually with the goal of evacuating where they are currently displaced in northern gaza. life in the north is unimaginably difficult due to severe food, clean water, and medicine shortages, with various diseases including a devastating polio outbreak making life even more difficult to manage for this family of 5. amal is no longer able to make a living in her career as a software engineer due to the genocide, and asks for help from us to secure funds that can aid her and her family’s survival. her fundraiser is VERY low on funds, at €282 / €53,000 as of 8/28/24. while her campaign is struggling due to hiccups in the convoluted and difficult verification process for those in gaza who have lost everything, i have complete faith in the veracity of amal’s fundraiser, and urge everyone to share her story and donate what they are able to, as i have.

[lastheavens]

Letters to your past self

I find it quite common to write letters to your future self, but never to your past self. I wrote myself a letter in 6th grade that was supposed to be received upon graduating high school, but I don't think I ever got it. I wrote a letter to myself freshman year during confirmation class that I did receive after graduation. I've written a couple birthday emails to myself. However, I don't think I have ever taken the time to respond. I know that my younger self will never be able to read it but I feel like they deserve to know how life is going for me. I'm not in the same place I was then and my life has turned out so different than what I imagined for myself. So here we go.

Dear 6th grade me,

While I don't remember the contents of your letter very well I would like to let you know that you did get into a very good college. It's better than you could've imagined and you love it even though you're struggling a bit. No you didn't go through with becoming a zoologist and getting to meet giraffes. Nor did you ever pursue anything with art. You will learn in middle school that your little robotics interest is way bigger than you think. You're pursuing aerospace engineering now and you absolutely love it. You're so much happier now. You moved on from the bullying for the most part and you don't have many friends but you are doing so much better now. And no. You didn't get to eat a sandwich on the Sandwich Islands or in Sandwich, Massachusetts. Maybe one day kiddo. Make the most of that summer you'll never see her again. I love you.

Dear me from Oct 17th, 2018,

You wrote this letter to be delivered on my 14th birthday. It was only a few months later so not much changed in that time and I never felt the need to respond. Now though, I have so much more to say to you. You decided to go to that all girls school. You made some amazing friendships and become a lot more social. You were in fact not super lonely at your new school. You still keep in touch with the girl you befriended your first week of school. She went back to public school but was still your best friend. You stopped talking to everyone you knew in middle school. Not because you necessarily wanted to, but because they just weren't the people you needed in your life anymore. Some were life long friendships but they clearly weren't strong enough to last since none of them even really reached out to you. You do not make memes anymore. Also you are trans.

Dear me from Jun 27, 2020,

Hi love. Thank you for the birthday message. High school was typical high school. It had it's ups and downs but overall you got a lot out of it. You did run for robotics captain! And electrical lead your junior year! And you started a coding club. You were even Italian Honor Society Secretary! You didn't chicken out on anything and took so many opportunities. You even have club leadership your freshmen year of college. You still haven't come out to your parents and you probably never will, but you're very open on the internet and in public. You have also come to a pretty concrete conclusion on your gender identity. I know it was hard figuring that out going to a catholic school and with your parents, but you did it. You haven't transitioned yet and probably won't for a long time, but you're happy. You use he/they pronouns now. A bit of a big switch from then. As for that next question, I'm so sorry sweetheart. You are months away from the worst thing that will happen to you in your high school years. You were so wrong about that heart of gold. You're healing well now though and you're very happy in your current relationship. You are still doing art and you have figured out what you want to do! You did decided aerospace was what your heart was set on and got into one of the best schools for it. Robotics engineering isn't quite what you thought it was lol. You still try to talk to your friends but you're very busy and you don't keep in touch with many people, not even your parents. I didn't glow up quite yet but I am much happier with myself now. You were right, I do love myself, and I wish you did too. I am still working through a lot but I'm so much better than I was then. For your final question, am I happy? I think so. At least for the most part. Things are going well for me, or at least as well as they can be. I love you too past me <3. Buckle up for the next few years, they're gonna be hard but you're gonna make it through like an absolute champ. You did pretty well on the just keep going part but remember there is so much life left to live. There is so much you will get to experience.

[silverquillsideas]

Moonlight Chicken had one of the most satisfying finales EVER 🥺 it is an understatement to say how perfect it felt.

Every conflict resolved. Every storyline wrapped up. Every character on their journey to their new beginnings.

Jim finally putting his past to rest. Closing the diner, but opening a food truck. Because selling chicken rice had been a means to an end, but deep down, even without his knowing, his goal had always been to put a smile on people's faces, and he continues doing just that. 🥺

Wen declining his promotion because he found a home to call his own, a ragtag bunch of people to now call family. And finally finding closure with Alan and meeting him at the threshold of bittersweet friendship, from both their sides.

Gaipa coming to terms with grief, carrying on his mom's legacy, and clearly at the cusp of a newfound romance. I love that for him.

Alan letting go of his bitterness, learning that sometimes, love can just fade away and no one can be blamed for that. He too will eventually find happiness with Gaipa, it's what they both deserve.

Saleng, the best friend / older brother figure we all need in our lives, growing up to become a clearly good father, planning his future with his family.

Heart's parents and Li Ming's mother, learn to become good parents to their children. Taking active steps to heal the deep rifts they had with their boys. As much as Heart was neglected after his disease, LiMing too was neglected by his mother growing up. I'm glad to see his mother acknowledging and verbalising her shortcomings and trying to be a better parent. Because truly, it's a lifelong process.

And finally. Heart and Li Ming, my babies, my precious boys 🥺 their story became the main reason I watched this show. And I'm so so glad they both got their happy beginnings ❤️

A new life awaits them in the Americas, and they'll have each other to rely on. Heart gets to fulfil his dream of becoming an engineer, and I'm sure Li Ming will figure out his life right alongside Heart.

the wonder and joy of a first love, first kiss, a first relationship, the excitement of discovering a person that likes you for who you are, of learning to take the first steps into adulthood and all its responsibilities together, hand in hand, all of it was so, so dear to watch 🥺

A thousand thank you to P'Aof for crafting their story with so much love, compassion and gentleness, just as much as these two kids deserved 😭💞

Moonlight Chicken deserves praise in showing us that life can be all shades of monotonous, dreary, joyless, but also, filled with colors and laughter and love. It teaches us that love is messy and painful, but it can also be healing and joyous. That family is who you choose and not who you are born to. It teaches us that leaving old paths is just as meaningful as choosing to walk new ones.

So much of life happens just when you least expect it. It's in the mundane, the everyday little acts of kindness and smiles exchanged. The community you live in is just as important to you as you are to the people who surround you.

Sharing a bowl of chicken rice at the end of a tiring day with familiar people surrounding you with their laughter and chatter might just be the best feeling in the world ❤️