#neglected to remove it elsewhere

[croquettish]

there was a post recently about the beautiful Italian version of Hans' bawdy poetry that invokes Alain de Lille's De planctu Naturae, which establishes that homosexuality is "against nature." The Italian version, of course, then declares that Alain de Lille was wrong, and that there's no more perfect love.

So I got curious and looked at the German and French versions.

The German is very similar to the English, but the French... is unique enough that I think it's worth remarking on... because it's just one sentence.

My tenderness for you is perfect.

[angelpuns]

50au Part 32

Donnie yawned and rolled over onto his plastron, stretching his arms and legs out comfortably. That was the best he'd slept in a while, even if he did have a nightmare.

It wasn't a big deal, just a little one about, you know, his dum dum twin hating him and forgetting them forever and…yeah. 

Donnie groaned and buried his face in his pillow.

Okay, yeah, he wasn't going back to sleep after that. He might as well check on his twin and get some stuff done. He had a to-do list a mile long, most of it stuff he'd been neglecting while chasing Leo all over New York. 

He rolled out of bed and pulled on a hoodie, shivering at the slight chill in the lair.

It was getting colder out, he'd need to do maintenance on the heater and make sure it didn't quit halfway through December like last year. 

He yawned and trailed his way towards Leo's room. He'd removed the cameras after their…fight, and hadn't put them back up. They had only been up for necessity anyway, he didn’t want to invade Leo's privacy when he didn't have to. 

So, physically poking his head into his room to make sure he was safe was the next best thing. 

The lights were off in Leo's room, which was good. He needed to sleep and heal that leg of his, and he hadn't been sleeping well since the invasion. He'd slept better the last two weeks than he had in a long time, and Donnie would know.

 He was usually keeping Leo company, after all, since he usually couldn't sleep either. 

Donnie went to knock on the door,  but thought better of it. He didn't wanna accidentally wake Leo if he was really sleeping. Instead, he slowly opened the door, the metal creaking as it moved. 

Another thing to add to his list: take some wd-40 to the hinges of Leo's door. 

He only opened it far enough to poke his head in, eyes adjusting in the dark. Leo had moved his TV back to its place at the end of his bed, his room a little messier now that everything was somewhat back to normal. 

Donnie stared at the lump on the bed for a moment, waiting to see if it rose and fell with Leo's heavy breathing. 

But it didn't. 

At first, Donnie thought he just couldn't see that well because of the dark, so he inched closer to see if that helped. Still no movement. 

He swallowed back that bad feeling in his throat and moved to shake Leo awake, grabbing his shoulder and jostling him. 

Except, it wasn't Leo. The lump on the bed that he’d been convinced was his brother was just some pillows and blankets piled into a vaguely Leo shape. 

Donnie blinked in surprise at the form. 

Did this…could the curse have not actually been broken? Could it somehow have come back!?

Maybe Leo ran because he'd just been waiting for his opportunity. Maybe he'd been pulling a 50 first dates move and writing in a journal, but instead of him writing about his family he was writing about how they were lying and they'd trapped him here and- 

No. No, that couldn't be it. They'd gotten rid of the curse. And..and Leo just did shit like this sometimes. Especially after he was cleared to leave the med bay. Nights Donnie wasn't knocking on his door were spent elsewhere. Donnie knew cause he watched the tracker bounce around the map before landing on a beach, or in the Hidden City, or on a random rooftop of New York. 

It had bothered him before, sure, but they talked about it. They talked about it and Leo said he'd tell Donnie if he was going anywhere dangerous, or if he needed help or if- but what if he didn't know it was dangerous or couldn't tell them in time and

Donnie groaned in frustration, clenching his fists hard and willing himself not to spiral into worrying about things he wasn't supposed to worry about anymore. 

He needed to be logical about this and not freak out! 

Fact, Leo was gone. 

Fact, Leo had just gotten uncursed and knew who they were.

Fact, Leo did have his swords. But he was injured. 

Donnie took a deep breath, though it did little to actually make him feel better. But he at least could find out where Leo was. 

He hurried to his lab, booting up his computer and navigating to the minimized tracker window. He'd kept it open even after they lifted the curse, just in case something happened. 

Something like his dum-dum twin running away in the middle of the night to go do god-knows-what! 

“ Deep breath, ‘Tello, you can panic after you've found him,” He breathed, eyes focusing on the little blue dot on the map. He was in the Hidden City. 

Donnie zoomed in. 

He was at Run of the Mill. 

Donnie glanced at the top right of the screen, to where every vital he could thinl of was displayed for each of them. He'd even updated it to include Casey Jr, though he had yet to get a tracker on the kid, and he wouldn't be back for another week or so. 

He watched Leo's vitals for a moment. Everything seemed…normal. Heartbeat was steady, and he seemed to be relaxed and content. Which was…that was good. 

Until his pulse began to pick up and his tracker stuttered in place for a moment. 

And then it didn't move again, like he was stuck, like he was…he was trapped somehow and Donnie had to get him out. 

“BECAUSE MY FAMILY WOULDN’T HAVE LET THIS HAPPEN!” 

Leo's voice echoed in his head and Donnie reeled away from the screen, nearly tripping over his chair in his haste. He hurried back to his room, pulse thudding against his plastron. He didn't know what his plan was, exactly, but he knew he couldn't let something like that happen again. 

He grabbed his goggles, his wrist tech and geared up, before heading out as fast as he could towards Run of the Mill. 

He wasn't going to let anything happen to Leo again. 

--

hrmm the next two parts are..hrm. iffy on quality. biut this is really just an outline, so whatever :) I'm kinda starting to lose the thread a little so I am gonna try and wrap this up in a couple more parts. That's always been an issue with me is that I tend to lose stuff like symbolism/what the story is really about when I'm starting to get near the end. So the next few parts might not be super great <3

I hope you all enjoy regardless! Also i am taking name suggestions for when it becomes an actual fic.

Part 1 | Part 31 | Part 33

[prolifeproliberty]

Hi there.

I'm certain you've gotten this question more times than you can count but,

What is the response to people that say "if you care so much about babies in the womb, why don't you help children who are suffering elsewhere/adopt or foster children?"

Sorry I didn’t answer this sooner!

No one person or organization can handle every issue. Organizations specialize, and that doesn’t mean the people who work for them don’t care about people outside the scope of their mission.

Also, most pro-lifers advocate for pro-family policies and support organizations that support struggling families. Part of the solution to the abortion problem is empowering families to care for their children. This should mean less children ending up in foster care, not more.

Often there’s a claim baked into these questions that less abortions means more children in foster care. This is obviously a false claim if you understand how adoption and foster care work.

Most women who were contemplating abortion but ultimately chose life end up raising their own children. When given proper support, most women would prefer to keep their child. In the less common cases where women do choose adoption, arrangements are made during pregnancy so the child goes directly to an adoptive family. The child does not go through foster care.

Foster care is an entirely separate system that is specifically used in situations where children are removed from their home due to safety concerns (such as possible abuse/neglect or the death/hospitalization/incarceration of the parents). Foster care is intended to be temporary and the goal is reunification. These are not children waiting to be adopted - these are children waiting out a lengthy legal process that will determine whether they go home or become eligible for adoption.

Children that become eligible for adoption later in childhood (closer to age 18) are less likely to be adopted before they turn 18. This is tragic, but keeping abortion legal does nothing to alleviate this issue. It’s a separate issue that needs separate solutions.

For babies and young children, they are often adopted quickly after becoming eligible for adoption. There are many couples waiting to adopt, especially those who have been unable to have children of their own (hence the preference toward adopting young children).

Ultimately, the common ground we should be able to find is in promoting policies and nonprofit programs that make it easier for moms to keep their children and care for them - both so they don’t feel pressured into abortion and so they are less likely to have an issue later that brings foster care into the picture.

We should also be encouraging people to wait until marriage to have sex and encouraging fathers to stay in the picture as much as possible, so that more children can be born and raised by both a mother and a father, which is better for them in the long run.

[moonrisecherub]

nestled | wolfstar

🦊 kinktober day 8: cockwarming (ft. spit as lube, bottom!remus, top!sirius, and uni au!)

🥮 other details: nsfw/18+, ~600 words (i'm sick rn so sorry if this is trash lol)

🍁 cross-posted on ao3

It was nearly midnight, and Sirius was still in the office working away at his essay, which he should have started weeks ago.

Remus squirmed in his armchair, book in hand, but attention elsewhere. Between both of them trying to finish their coursework for the semester and Remus picking up extra shifts at the café he’d been working at, the two barely had any time to themselves that week. Yes, they’d managed a quickie earlier in the night, but Remus decided that that just would not do.

He placed his bookmark in his book, putting it on the side table, and made his way into the office.

Sirius was sitting at the desk, scrolls and books strewn haphazardly across it. Remus approached him, coming to his side, a hand finding its way into his partner’s messy locks.

“Siri,” he started, “please, can you take a break?” At that, Sirius looked up, a frown crossing his lips.

“Wish I could, love,” he replied, “but I really need to finish this.” His gaze returned to the page on which he was currently scribbling away.

Remus sighed. He almost left the room in defeat, before an idea crossed his mind.

He spun Sirius around in his office chair, the other not protesting much.

“Rem, what’re you up to?” Sirius questioned, eyebrow quirking up.

“Just trust me, ‘kay?” Remus didn’t fully answer his question, but he had piqued his boyfriend’s interest.

Remus got on his knees, hands finding the other’s waist. Slowly, he removed Sirius’ pyjama bottoms and boxer shorts to find that he was already half hard.

“Guess we’re on the same page then?” Remus asked rhetorically, as he took his partner’s cock into his hand.

“Remus,” Sirius tried to speak sternly, but his voice came out more as a whine, “don’t have time for this.”

“I know,” he replied, “just give me one more minute, yeah?”

Remus continued to stroke Sirius’ cock gently, until he was fully hard under his touch. With that, he stood up and removed his own boxers. He then sat himself in his boyfriend’s lap, hand finding his cock once again as it sat at attention next to his own neglected length. After a few more strokes, Remus held out his hand.

“Spit.” He ordered.

Sirius happily complied, holding Remus’ gaze the entire time. Mischief glimmered in both of their eyes as Remus used his newly wet palm to guide Sirius’ cock to his hole. Thankfully, Remus was still stretched out from their earlier endeavours and was able to sink himself down easily.

Sirius’ hands immediately went to the other’s waist, his own hips bucking up. He was swiftly stopped, however, two hands swatting at his own.

“Ah, ah, ah,” Remus tutted, “no moving.”

“But­–”

“I said ‘no moving,’” Remus continued, “at least until you finish your work.”

So there Remus sat, filled and sated, while his partner now rushed to finish writing the clean copy of his work. Every once in a while, Remus would move slightly, under the guise of ‘getting comfy.’ Sirius grew needier and needier as time went on, cock somehow growing harder within Remus’ tight walls.

After what felt like hours, Sirius finally put down his quill, hands finding their way back to Remus’ waist.

“Done,” he sighed, “happy now?” Remus nodded as he started to move hips, now with more purpose than before.

It was his turn to be stopped this time.

“Wha–”

Before he could finish his question, Sirius removed himself from Remus, earning a whine from the latter. Quickly, Sirius manoeuvred Remus around until he was bent over the desk, slamming himself back in and leaning down so that his lips grazed Remus’ ear.

“I’m just getting started with you.”

*ੈ✩‧₊˚

[klonnieshippersclub]

For Your Eyes Only

Have you been craving a little spice? This is my attempt to bring the heat. It's quite a bit longer than the drabble of yesterday. Klaus' wet dreams are surprising to both of them. Let me know what you think!

Upon entering the Mystic Grill, Klaus shoved a server or two out of the way as he marched toward the Bennett witch. He had enough of her magical tricks. Was it a curse or a hex? He was unable to sleep without her influence overwhelming his senses. It all felt too real, and the disappointment of waking up to reality felt like a punishment. He'd demand Bonnie fix this.

“Where have you been? I've been looking for you everywhere.”

Bonnie looked up from her math textbook and immediately wanted to scream. She felt his presence from the moment he entered the building. She was planning a peaceful evening of studying while munching on fries. The Original just had to show up and ruin things. 

“There are only so many places to be in town,” Bonnie deadpanned. “You couldn't have been looking too hard.”

Klaus removes his jacket and sits in the booth, across from her. “Don't taunt me, witch,” he sneered while reaching for the silverware on the table. “I know what you've been doing, and I never thought you'd be so naughty.”

“Naughty? What are you talking about?”

“Do not play coy with me, witch.”

“I'm not playing anything with you.”

He gripped the steak knife and casually pointed it in her direction. “Admit it. You like to fight dirty.”

She exasperatedly said, “Yes, I am a very dirty fighter.”

Part of her wanted to leap over the table and choke him out. Luckily for Klaus, she was too well-mannered to start a fight in public. This discussion seemed pointless as he neglected to give her a legitimate reason for interrupting her alone time. 

“Cute,” he gibed. “If you wanted to see me, all you had to do was ask.”

“Only in your dreams, Klaus.”

Something in the air shifted, and Klaus froze. His body was as stiff as a board. Her response sounded like a confession to him.  

Klaus scoffed, “I wonder if your classmates know what a tease you are.”

“Excuse me?” Bonnie's gaze sharpened on his smug face as her voice raised

The witch was feigning innocence, but he wouldn't be fooled. She couldn't trick him by pretending she had no involvement in all that had been haunting his dreams. Even awake, his thoughts will wander to the forbidden fantasies. 

“Stop the mind games or there will be consequences,” groaned Klaus. “You wouldn't want every customer here to be decapitated.”

“Calm down,” she commanded. “I'll stop whatever it is you think I'm doing.”

“Your mental warfare was unexpected, but a pleasant surprise and it cannot continue.”

“If you say so. I'm going home to research whatever magic is bothering you.”

“You do that, witch,” sassed Klaus with authority. “You've driven me crazy.”

Once she returned home, Bonnie put aside her aggravation to focus on finding a solution to Klaus’ problems. It was absurd that she was being blamed for a spell she didn't place on him. Technically, Bonnie didn't intentionally spell him in a way that would impact his dreams. It wasn't outside the realm of possibilities that the dreams could be a side effect of one of her spells. Despite her power, Bonnie knew she was a novice witch. She could've made a mistake that caused this, but she doubted it. Some other witch is likely responsible, and now Bonnie must clean up their mess.

After a few hours of searching, Bonnie found the spell she needed in Emily's grimoire. She couldn't end his dreams without seeing the dream. Though this was technically an invasion of privacy, Bonnie didn't care as it was Klaus’ assumption she had sent the dreams to him in the first place. With her psychic abilities, entering his dreams would be easier for Bonnie than any other witch. She dressed in her flannel pajamas before whipping up the potion she needed and whispering the magic words.

Bonnie laid on her bed, closed her eyes, and was instantly transported elsewhere. The trees looked familiar to her and she could hear water rushing nearby. Was this the woods by the falls? Suddenly, there was a groan in the distance. Klaus. The Bennett witch moved towards the sound in a hurry and stopped, in her tracks when she reached him.

Klaus was leaning against a tree. In front of him was a scantily clad version of herself. Bonnie did a double-take at the sight of her doppelganger. Eyes. Nose. Lips. This woman shared her face, but she was nothing like her. Bonnie would never be dancing for Klaus or strut around only wearing flowers

“You are so ravishing and mystifying that it tortures me,” murmured Klaus, looking more dazed than Bonnie had ever seen. 

Bonnie’s sensual copy giggled and twirled her hips as she moved closer to him. “I love you and I always have.”

His hands moved towards her ass and then to his belt buckle as he started to undo his pants.  “You love everything I do to you.”

The duplicate grinned and leaned closer to whisper in his ear. Before she could verbalize an answer, the copy vanished. Klaus was left staring at nothing. 

He could still smell his dream girl, but she was gone. He turned and found the Bennett witch near a bush in clothes far more modest than she normally would wear in his dreams. “What-” 

“Oh god,” breathed Bonnie. He recognized this as the Bonnie he spoke to earlier, not the one in his dreams. His dream girl would not be backing away from him as Bonnie did.

“Where did she go?” he questioned angrily. “What did you do?”

“I don't know. I didn't do anything.”

“Undo it.”

“You asked me to end the dreams,” spat Bonnie as she threw her hands up.

“I didn't ask you to spy on me.”

“I'll have you know, I sense no magic here.”

“Lies, you saw her,” accused Klaus as he stomped towards the witch. “She usually dances till the petals fall.”

“These dreams aren't of my making,” snapped Bonnie. “They're from your own perversion!’

“Hmm, I guess you'll have to take her place then.”

“WHAT?”

Klaus brushed her hair out of her face, admiring her features, and declared, “I never run from what I want, and I can smell your arousal.”

Bonnie’s outfit shifted from her regular pajamas to the flower petal outfit of her copy. The flowers were a mix of oranges, yellows, and reds. It barely covered her breasts, and the bottoms were fitted like a thong. Klaus’ mouth watered at the change. Yes, he loved his dreams with the sexy nymph who would do whatever he wanted, but Bonnie was the real witch. She had curves that the version in his dreams did not. His imagination was unaware of the body Bonnie hid under oversized clothes.

Klaus was sure Bonnie would bestow a spell on him and end his dirty fantasy. Instead, she smirked and laid a kiss on Klaus’ lips. “If you want me, you have to catch me,” then Bonnie had taken off running.

Bonnie did jog frequently and was confident in her stamina. Even before her life as a witch, she wasn’t fearful of the forest and knew there was a cabin nearby. If this dream mimicked Mystic Falls, then there should be no changes in other spaces. She could hear the branches breaking as Klaus chased behind her. Naturally, Bonnie created a diversion by knocking over some trees with her magic. 

With Klaus busy wrestling some trees, Bonnie ran inside the cabin from her memories and locked the doors. The cabin was clean, but she was pissed she couldn’t find a proper change of clothes. Her moment of solitude was short as Klaus slammed open the door, with a ravenous gleam in his eyes. 

“You found me, what a surprise,” Bonnie joked while she watched Klaus make his way over to her. “Now what are you going to do?” 

Klaus lifted Bonnie and carried her to a spare bedroom. He kissed and nibbled on her full thighs. Bonnie squealed and encouraged Klaus to continue fueling her curiosity. 

“Your scent is divine,” Klaus praised while he toyed with the flowers that covered her labia.

He tugged at the thin material, tearing the flowers off Bonnie. She parted her legs, and Klaus kissed her sensitive flesh. Klaus gripped her thighs and tugged her closer to prevent her from moving. While Klaus licked and sucked, Bonnie shifted against his mouth. A proper push and pull. Klaus’ movements weren’t light, at least not with his tongue and fingers working on her. All Bonnie knew was endless moans of Klaus’ name. 

“That’s right, Bonnie, do say my name and remember who did this,” Klaus encouraged, lifting his head for only one moment.

Bonnie’s eyes were shut. Her movements against the hybrid's mouth quickened, as did his sampling of her feminine nectar, and she felt the rush of pleasure leave her body. 

Bonnie blinked too hard, and the dream was over. It was her first orgasm. She never had been touched and had been too shy to explore her own body. The intensity must have shaken her awake. She needed a cold shower. Or a vibrator.

As she tried to catch her breath, she looked at her nightstand where her phone chirped with a text message. She unlocked her phone and sighed upon seeing the sender. Her hybrid wrote, “We’ll continue that later.”

[sleepyistinky]

Many people don't realize this but Bruce never neglected Tim. I love that okay Tim he was a frustrated Robin who went through shit dealing with Batman I might be getting that wrong too though because I don't have access to the comics but I've been reading what I can BUT Tim was never neglected as a Robin. I see how many people heavily mischaracterize the Batfam members, from making Bruce a shitty and abusive dad even though he just isn't that good at communicating, to making Dick a pushover and making his ass his whole personality, and uwu-ifying Tim and making Jason the 'angry' robin even though that mf was a boy scout as a Robin. HOWEVER.

Tim Drake who just fucking gets so sick of everyone's shit. Batfam supporter to the day I die I do not hate any of them however I am not an apologist. I can recognize when a character is wrong because even though they're fictional they're still human. Tim sick of Batman just taking his help for granted. Alfred who sees what's going on despite being a solid rock in the past and not doing anything about it. Jason seemingly hating Tim simply because he is his successor and Damian hating Tim because he is his successor. Dick who is at best lukewarm with him. I'm not going to mention Steph, Cass, Duke, or even Helena because as far as I know they haven't really done enough I'm still pretty new to DCU and was introduced through spider-man crossovers but from what I've seen in some tim-centric fics he has it ROUGH. Tim who just is so fucking tired that he just says fuck it Bruce doesn't need me anymore I'll do my own shit elsewhere and see if I ever do shit for you guys again and watching the Batfam fall apart with Tim because HE was the one who pulled Bruce's head out of his ass when Jason died. HE was the one who basically had to take care of this grown-ass man so that he didn't fucking keel over when he was THIRTEEN. He was the one who had to stop Bruce from using such excessive force against petty criminals. HE was the one who sucked it up when Jason came for his ass in the Titan's Tower because hey he'd be pretty upset if he was forcibly brought back to life to find someone else had taken his spot. and this is his favorite Robin we're talking about! HE was the one who dealt with Jason's bullshit after everything was said and done and was one of the only members of the family to treat him normally. HE was the one who refused to give up on Bruce after he 'died' and went through so much trauma for YEARS and dealt with Ra's bullshit. He literally had his spleen removed leaving him immunocompromised. He ISOLATED himself from the people he cared about for BRUCE. He literally traveled through time for him. And on top of all that, he had his Robin mantle forcibly taken from him and given to this assassin child who hates him. And actively tries to kill him. Plus Dick think he was absolutely crazy all the time, which, yeah, fair enough. I might be wrong but didn't he successfully clone Superboy? That's some crazy person shit DIDN'T HE MAKE OUT WITH SUPERBOY'S EX THINKING ABOUT HIM? that's some crazy homosexual shit that I won't be tapping into today. So, yeah, excuse Tim if he's just finally so done with everything and everyone.

[imthepunchlord]

Miraculous question: So I noticed some people recently seem to have turned on Tom (Marinette's dad) because of the whole thing of him (possibly) being a self-insert of Astruc and Sabine (Marinette's mom) (possibly) being based on an ex-girlfriend of Astruc. What do you think of the matter?

From what I've heard, yes, Marinette is the oc daughter he made and her parents are based on him and his then girlfriend at the time, who I believe was French Chinese.

And chances are good that because she's a now ex-girlfriend, that could be why Sabine does get the treatment that she does. It is brow raising that Tom gets decent amount of attention why Sabine is just... removed. Like, she's really only there to show Marinette is half Chinese otherwise you could believe she's full European. And Sabine didn't really get her own ep until, what, s4? It's almost like there's a dislike/lack of care for this character who should be very important for our lead's life, yet we've gotten more of her father than her actual mother...

I can't say for sure it is that way, but I wouldn't be surprised.

Personally, I more salt Tom (and Sabine) for how they are as parents. For they're incredibly absent from Marinette's life, to a point of being neglectful:

Doing nothing about Marinette being bullied by Chloe. And it's not like Marinette doesn't tell them, she mentions her dread to Sabine about Chloe being in her class again and all she gets is a little chin rub. And it's been confirmed that Chloe has bullied Marinette for years. Why has nothing been done? Why haven't they taken Marinette out of that school and put her elsewhere? She doesn't need to stay in that school, we see in... Queen Wasp, that they were ready to drop everything and move to New York so Marinette can study under Audrey. So does that mean they think Marinette just needs to endure the bullying? That they don't care, that this is her struggle to deal with?

Bubbler reveals Sabine will invade Marinette's privacy as punishment.

Rogorcop, you got Tom putting down Marinette for riling up her classmates, when I'm with her on her want for fairness, cause Chloe is locking onto her and pinning a fault that's not her own onto her, and she just wants fairness, that everyone can be a suspect in this not just her.

Gamer shows a lack of respect for Marinette's boundaries, as she constantly has to tell them to get out of her room.

Animaestro, shows a lack of faith in Marinette's capability and will set her up to fail, specifically with the macarons. She wants to carry more than just one cookie, and they instead give her a tower that she has no way of carrying and of course it falls. It'd be one thing if the show had Marinette insist that she could, but they don't. And this gives the implication that it wasn't solely Chloe who put down Marinette's self-esteem in Origins.

And last I'll mention is Weredad, where Chat rejects Marinette and neither parent go up to check on her. Like, we know that Marinette's not actually crying or upset, but they don't. All they know is that their daughter ran up to her room upset, and neither of them think to go up and check on her. Sabine takes time to comfort Chat. And Tom just proceeds to lock Marinette up in a tower.

Great parenting guys.

And I think the final nail in the coffin for their issues as parents, is just the detail that Marinette will turn to Tikki for advise but we never see her turn to her own parents. Which gives a clear message that Marinette knows she can't turn to them for help and advise, she won't get anything from them.

Tom and Sabine probably are insert OCs, which is nothing new, Nathaniel and Marc both are both based off existing people, but that's not reason enough for me to salt on them. How they are as characters and parents, that I can salt on.

[fragolar]

Quite the manners || Geralt Of Rivia - The Witcher

Hello darlings, Back to this for a second round. Previous part. Summary: Lexa and Geralt have a tense meal, teasing each other over their differing manners and backgrounds. They agree to share their secrets in their own ways. Despite their initial judgments, they find common ground in their burdens and responsibilities, beginning to understand and respect each other. They realize that perhaps they are more similar than they initially seemed.

She was eating rather slowly, enjoying the lunch in peace, utter silence after quite a long day. However, the sounds coming from across the table were making it hard for her to continue her meal.

Geralt was eating quickly, clearly hungry, but his movements, while hurried, were not entirely unrefined.

“It’s not like I’d remove the food I just granted you from your plate, Witcher. Show some manners and respect for those who are feeding you instead of letting you rot in the pearly white snow.” Her voice was gentle, though it slightly betrayed her irritation.

Geralt paused, looking at her with a calm, measured gaze. He wiped his mouth with a napkin and slowed his pace. “Apologies, Princess,” he said, his tone even. “It’s been four days since my last proper meal. This is the best food I’ve had in a long time.”

The princess sighed, still somewhat annoyed but appreciating the change. She put down her napkin and stood up from the table. “If you’ll excuse me, my appetite has been satiated.”

“You’re a terrible liar, Princess,” Geralt muttered in a low, husky voice, causing her to pause. Despite her irritation, she found herself momentarily captivated by his presence. “I meant no offense. The food is excellent, and so is your hospitality. I respect your efforts to keep your people safe.”

“Take a bath afterward. You smell like horse manure.” Lexa shifted her attention elsewhere, making Geralt smirk.

“Do you always change the topic when—”

“Careful, Witcher,” she interrupted, trying to mimic Geralt’s manners. However, it only backfired as his little smile grew wider. He rested his back on the chair, his forearms on the edge of the table. Suddenly, her breath was short. They shouldn’t interact like this. Yet it was exciting. Thrilling.

“How come your father decided to keep you a secret? Aren’t royals supposed to embrace as many connections as they can?”

Lexa stood still, debating whether to sit down and talk or to end this interaction. He was dangerous, and his smirk too.

“Because of monsters like you.”

“Touché,” Geralt hummed, pleased with her words. “But I’m asking you for a more elaborate answer.” He leaned forward slightly, his gaze steady. “Secrets can be burdensome, Princess. Trust is hard to come by. But sometimes, sharing them with the right person can lighten the load.”

“Tell me first why you’re suddenly so interested in the promised child after years of neglecting her.”

Geralt’s gaze softened, his expression betraying a hint of remorse. “I’ve been searching for Ciri for years. She’s like a daughter to me, and I made a promise to protect her. But I’ve failed her before, and I won’t let it happen again. The world is a dangerous place, and she needs me now more than ever. So, despite years of searching and neglecting her, I’ve realized that I can’t abandon her. Not again.”

Lexa sat back down on her chair, staring curiously into his yellow eyes. Did she feel empathy? It was hard to tell. The only certainty was that she trusted his words.

“I wish my own Father asked himself such questions.” Her chuckle echoed in the room. “I’ve been but a mere shadow for decades now.” This time it was Geralt’s turn to listen attentively to her words and observe her expressions. Maybe she wasn’t so spoiled after all. “I never understood why, but it doesn’t matter anymore.” Her eyes greeting his. “Finish the food, and go wash yourself. I wasn’t being disrespectful on purpose, you indeed do emanate horse manure.”

“Speaking of horse…”

“Your horse is alive, worry not. She’s in our gardens alongside other horses.”

“That’s a relief, thank you Princess.”

As Geralt finished his bath, he found amusement in the Princess's provocation of adding all kinds of flowers to the water. He felt rather relieved. Upon exiting the bathroom, clothed in the generous garments provided by Lexa's stylists, he encountered the Princess, her hand midair, about to knock.

“Impatient, Princess? Couldn't wait for me to finish?” Geralt's smirk was unmistakable.

Lexa's cheeks began to color as she cleared her throat. “No, not interested. My lovers are finer than your grotesque mannerisms.” Geralt raised an eyebrow, the smirk growing wider. “I'm not here to discuss such scandalous topics. Rather, to inform you that there's a violent storm coming, which will delay your departure.”

“And here I thought I was welcome,” his voice lowered, husky and pungent.

"Partly."

"Partly?"

Lexa hummed softly, holding his gaze, her mind beginning to wander away from her duties. It was a terrible idea to come after he had showered. She should’ve sent a servant to invite him for tea instead. “Remember, I've got your horse and swords,” Lexa warned.

“And what exactly would that entail?” Provocation after provocation. Why was Lexa letting him have so much fun? Did she enjoy it too?

“There's this recipe that involves a horse head stabbed with a silver sword.”

“Lay a finger on my girl and I'll murder all of your livestock.” His tone became unfriendly, clearly not amused by her words. Who knew a Witcher could be so affectionate towards a horse?

“Then don't ask me stupid questions, Witcher. Nor insult my pride.”

Geralt hummed slowly, his voice vibrating in his throat as he looked away and began to walk down the hallway.

They were like cats, wanting to get to know each other but too cautious. Deep down, they both knew how this would end, but they had too much fun to continuously bicker.

Next part.

[shadowfear-art]

I saw your one piece animated for terror au and it's amazingggg!

But could you maybe tell more about it? Is there gonna be a fic of it? (It there is it'll be awesome-)

Sadly no fic cause I can't write a full story to save my life... Anyway-

Ah ye! If you are new to the Au itself (because I've been using the concept for other fandoms so there are established rules and world building that carry over) I'll give a quickest general background summery then the story itself.

Future me note: This ended up being more than a summary.

There's a ancient eldritch pen that turns anything into a toon/living drawing, usually with the needed help of a human hand to wield it.

Basically pen finds a vulnerable human, tempts them to draw out their woes or wants (whether they want to or not), leaves them with the consequences and fate of creating a living cartoon character with all the chaos that happens in between. There's an abundance of good, bad, ugly, and bitter sweet endings to these "stories".

Toons tend to dissapear sometime after as they have a place to dwell.

Now for Luffy, age 5, modern universe setting, living on Windmill Island (but not for long). Tho this story deviates from the normal formula.

Luffy has always been surrounded by people and his two close 'brothers' for the short 5 years of his life it was perfect. Until it wasn't and does what it always does, life changes. The people around the boy had begun to move on as they were needed elsewhere.

Garp was called over seas, something military? Luffy didn't really pay attention.

Shanks travels the world as an occupation.

Funny enough both of his brothers were involved in a custody battle and were required off the island to attend.

And so on and so forth, all promising to return.

Leaving Luffy alone in the care of Makino, as time went on a large ache began growing in his tiny chest. Taking the notice of something sinister.

"...Follow me... follo... me..."

"... I have... Something to... show you..."

A dark pied piper began singing it's deceitful tune into the childs dreams and eventually lure him out at night.

---

On the other end of this trap is two murder toons Crocodile and Doflamingo, both sent from toon world to take care of a certain annoying goup of intrest.

Toons are chaotic creatures thats no secret but thier existence is due to how crafty and dangerous they can be as a whole (not that humans haven't tried to let the world know about them just always seemingly fail from coincidence) so obviously there's an agency out to take care of these creatures, N.E.T (Neutralization and Extraction of Toons) Is their codename.

The more violent toons are sent out remove the growing annoyance.

And this night was no different, NET agency was taking root on the island so the duo are there to be an effective deterant... And relive some violent needs. Win-win.

Then Luffy walked right in to the situation.

Crocodile knew a trap when he saw one, just was figuring out what type... Or the boy actually wandered into a massacre in the middle of the night, ALONE.

Right.

Needless to say he had the right approach, scare the child and inflict a small "scratch" to cement he's not supposed to be here, if everything goes right the boy will run away bawling his eyes out. A better option than what Doflamingo had in mind.

What he didn't account for was the half dead agent behind his distracted self shooting right through him unable to see the small human due to the toons large size and cloak. It didn't hit Luffy but splattered him with ink, which is essentially the toons blood, new problem for the child.

The black liquid is 99% lethal if it entered a living beings blood system and just having inflicted a wound across the boys cheek Crocodile can now count the minutes before the tiny human collapses.

Unfortunate but perhaps the boy may appreciate the large toon return the favor to another neglectful adult in his short life.

Quick work.

Doflamingo was the first to catch that the kid wasn't dead after.

For the first time in years Crocodile felt his ink run cold, it was a trap.

It was always a trap for him.

The 1%, only if the two are compatible, instead of dying forces beyond understanding would convert living creatures into what they are.

White and black splotches have already begun to appear across the boy's skin, hair, and clothes with increasing speed.

Unsurprisingly both boy and tthon start to show two types of panic, Luffy being the louder soon becoming disoriented with confusion and Crocodile's mind racing to find a option that didn't involve killing a kid... That being said It wasn't off the table.

Before he could come to a conclusion both large toons noticed that their time was up and had to leave immediately.

All three of them.

The last thing heard were echoing wails for those who promised to return to the child's side now gone to a place they could never reach.

End. And the Beginning.

(This au has a B plot)

[aseriesofunfortunatejan]

Akudama Drive Wiki (and more): what happens next

The good news first:

ICYMI, the Akudama Drive Wiki has a brand new desktop theme! While remaining very recognisable, it's a more modern, more practical spin on the Wiki I've been taking care of for now almost 5 years.

As I've mentioned before, this new skin and theme will be easier to keep up with future MediaWiki updates! I'm very glad I was able to get around to it, and I hope you enjoy reading the Wiki even more.

PS: as most visitors are on mobile, while I have less control on the mobile theme - if you ever find a section that looks unreadable, like a mix or both themes or anything weird, please bring it up to me! I'll be able to tell whether that's something I can fix by moving my CSS elsewhere or if that's a MediaWiki problem.

2. The translation of Akudama Drive Comicalize is finally nearing its end.

For now, I'm waiting to see if Shikoku Arc will indeed start on June 15th, or if that's an automatic message Renta! has neglected to remove. From that point on, I'll know whether I need to beg Renta! for that translation, or whether I can move on with my plans.

Because I have plans! As the one person gathering information about Akudama Drive still, you can bet I'm excited to make all that information and Unique Content more available. With this very slow translation finally over, I'll be able to update everyone on the deets!

For now, feel free to browse the Manga-exclusive content Category to know what pages contain info that wasn't in the anime!

Now, the bad news:

Earlier this year, I got caught.

When I moved the Akudama Drive Wiki off Fandom, I knew very well that Fandom does not close Wikis by request. They have an aggressive policy against it, and do everything in their power to make forking difficult. Fandom is a for-profit company and I was an experienced editor when I left, well aware of the reasons why I needed to leave.

Why it was better for everyone for Wikis to be anywhere but on Fandom. Admins, editors, readers - even the future generations who deserve unbiased information. Yes, the topic of today is a Wiki about an anime, but Fandom's control goes way beyond that. Fandom's very existence goes against the principle of Wikis. Fandom makes it clear with its policy that it can afford to be the villain.

...Anyway, I knew all this, and that's why I decided to take a risk and do something that was against Fandom's rules. I used my Bureaucrat power to lock down the Wiki by force and redirect every page to the Miraheze Wiki. I want to emphasise that both Wikis are in large majority my own work, and that the fork was done the right way, meaning other/older contributors are still credited in page Histories, just like they were on Fandom.

For years, I wasn't caught. But it wasn't fool proof. There were still people using that fucking image of Brawler with a red line even though I'd fixed that a long time ago - on the Miraheze Wiki. Why? Because they got it from Google Images and didn't bother to open the link. Fandom's SEO is too good. That's the core of the issue. Miraheze's? Not very good. So lately, I've been putting efforts towards improving its SEO - but I also had to risk it, again, and remove more of the Fandom Wiki's outdated info. I removed Brawler-with-the-red-line, for example.

And some time later, I got caught. Welp. I was fully aware that I was taking a risk. It was worth it to me, as I am confident in my anti-Fandom stance and am fully aware that I'm the only person, as of today, actually updating information, old and new, about Akudama Drive. Like hi, it's me, I'm the Akudama Drive messenger. New OC dropped.

As for how I got caught - I thought at first someone had snitched. It was odd, since no one gives a shit about this Wiki, but it could always have been a kid, since we know who still likes Fandom, and any anime attracts kids. ...But I checked, and found no evidence that anyone had snitched in the normal ways one would snitch, which are public. The most plausible explanation is AI. We know that Fandom is now using AI for moderation, and it was made pretty clear that this is how the Vocaloid Lyrics Wiki was suddenly flagged after many years of a good relationship with Fandom. So yeah, thanks again to AI for coming in the way of real people's real human work and information. (Due to the time it took for my actions to be flagged, it's also likely the case that I would have gotten caught by the brand new AI even if I hadn't removed wrong-image-of-Brawler semi-recently at that point.)

All of that to say - when my ban wore off, I changed strategies. I contacted Fandom the good Christian way and fucking begged.

"I fucking begged" - jadzia von jan (2025)

I was replied to by a Support staff member with a really common name, that for the sake of respect, I'll still change. So let's say I was replied to by "Boss". (Akudama Drive reference. Ha!)

Boss informed me kindly that even though they were personally receptive to my begging, unfortunately, I was a sinner and thus could not be listened to. I insisted that it was for the sake of making the actual information available to, you know, all the other people who are readers and not me, but Boss insisted that it wasn't about punishing me personally, it's just that I didn't do the request the right way at all! "Fandom does not accept such requests"? "That's not true at all!" If I gave it a couple months, my request may be taken into account again - especially since my arguments were so convincing.

I felt like Boss was taking me for a fucking idiot, but beggars can't be choosers. I marked "two months later" down in my calendar and waited. During those two months, I was anxious that people would actually try to edit the Fandom Wiki, confirming to Fandom that its child audience still wants to click the first link they see. I was anxious that any information they wrote... would, very likely, be leeched off my work. Because if you're a kid (or the odd adult just discovering Wikis) and just learning anything about Akudama Drive, the current state of things is that you probably learned it from something I wrote or put together.

(To be extra clear, this isn't cool. Thankfully, I am an experienced Wiki admin who's extremely thorough with sourcing, so you don't have to "just trust me": but that more people haven't been putting in the work isn't cool. It's just how it is.)

Anyway, that didn't happen, because no one gives a shit about that Wiki.

I contacted Fandom again, and apparently, was still met with Boss.

Oh that's so weird. So now my request is irrecevable by Fandom? Stop wasting my time.

On April 14th, Boss had sent me a message including: "though I really do appreciate you taking the time to explain things here - it makes a difference, even if it might not seem like it right now" and "As for next steps, I would say we can definitely review this request after some time. I don't have a specific time frame - but I would suggest at least a couple of months, and then you’re welcome to reach back so we can take another look, especially given what you mentioned about the wiki's topic." This was NEVER true. And I don't know if Boss knew it, but I knew it.

Anyway, to cut a long story short, these are the following and last messages in this exchange.

Boss mistaking an anime for a game is the least of my problems and just served to prove my argument. Anyway - I went in knowing full well that this would happen. My only chance was if I coincidentally ran into a staff member who was just about to quit and thus likely to be on my side. Realistically, that wasn't going to happen.

It mattered to me to at least try. Once again, I am confident that reading the Wiki that's on Miraheze is a better and more informative experience. If in 3 years some new fan takes up the Fandom Wiki and decides to waste their time rebuilding it, I'll have done my best to create a better experience for everyone and it'll be out of my hands. If they decide to do it by copying my work... I'll be powerless about it.

And I do care, but there's a limit to it. I can only accept defeat.

Please trust that I:

am an experienced Wiki admin

have been relaying Akudama Drive information since before it came out (example for proof)

still love Akudama Drive and enjoy doing this work, so I will continue to update the Wiki in any way I can for as long as I can

I am sorry to anyone who misses out on the real Akudama Drive Wiki, since it has so much more, more proofread, and better sourced information. If you don't want to be that person:

Install the IndieWikiBuddy extension to be directed away from Fandom Wikis when an alternative exists

Enjoy reading the Akudama Drive Wiki on Miraheze!

How you can help:

Don't bother reading or editing the AD Fandom Wiki, it has no administration and little readership (source: I was a Bureaucrat until very recently; this is also why I'm telling you with confidence that it full-on moved, this is not a story about a counter-Wiki or an editors' dispute. It was also my Wiki and it's no longer relevant.)

Visit the AD Miraheze Wiki! Just that will help.

Edit that typo or that page that's missing information! If you don't know how to get started, I'm eager to help. It's okay if you don't get it right on the first time, just be ready to fix it when you learn!

Link to the AD Miraheze Wiki on your social media or personal website! This also helps SEO. Like just consider shouting it out whenever relevant!

So what does the future look like?

I'm a serious Wiki editor who's going to continue making information about this specific media accessible. Feel free to reach out to me if you need me. If you don't particularly care to read the information I've made available, good for you!

[harper-sherman]

In honor of Robert Fuller's 90th (!!!) birthday today (July 29, 2023), I'm posting about meeting him last month at the MidSouth Nostalgia Festival. @sportstudfan put me up to this, lol. Hope y'all enjoy it!

The MidSouth Nostalgia Festival was held on June 8-10 in Olive Branch, Mississippi. That's just south of Memphis, Tennessee for anyone like me who had never heard of the place. The festival brought together a bunch of classic actors (and one or two contemporary), who mainly appeared in Westerns but from some other genres as well.

The first morning we were there, we got right in line to schedule a time to see Robert, or Bob as his fans call him. Most guests had tables that you could walk right up to, but such is his popularity that his fan club orchestrates time slots to make sure everyone who attends has time to speak with him and get autographs and photos. It was a pretty good system, I believe we waited less than 2 hours. We were able to get into his first group of the day. When Bob showed up, he walked right by the line and greeted everyone very enthusiastically and gave out hugs to some of the more eager fans. I could only smile as he went by because I was honestly starstruck by this point.

Once our turn came up, we probably got a good five minutes talking to him. I got the impression he would've allowed us to stay even longer, but we tried to be sensitive to the others waiting to see him. We discussed some of his stunts, such as jumping onto Hoot (his horse) in Duel at Alta Mesa. He confirmed that yes, that was actually him and not a stunt actor. He also told us about breaking his leg on Wagon Train. There was a stunt involving a breakaway chair and he wanted to re-shoot it, but he neglected to check the chair beforehand. It had been replaced with an actual chair! We also talked about his quick draw abilities, and he informed us he had been clocked at 28/100ths of a second. Talk about fast! Before we left his table, we got his autograph on a photo from his Emergency! days. If I ever get to meet Randy Mantooth, I plan to point out that Bob's signature went over his forehead, so he can give him Hell about it.

Something that really amused me watching Bob interact with his fans is how much attention he gives everyone. He was more than happy to hand out hugs and kissed many of the women in attendance. He even autographed a woman's chest (upper sternum, lol) so she could get it tattooed. Keep in mind most of the fans were middle-aged or elderly women, who had fallen in love with him during their youth. The guy's still got it!

We also attended a few panels. The photo below is from one of them; from left to right we have Tony Cameron (son of Rod Cameron, one of my favorite Laramie guest actors), Patrick Wayne (2nd son of John Wayne), the panel interviewer, and Bob. All of the guys were really enjoyable to listen to. Tony is dedicated to keeping his dad's legacy alive and is just a lovely person in his own right. Patrick was very funny and used his some of his time on the panel to advocate for the John Wayne Cancer Foundation.

There was also a panel with Bob and his wife Jennifer Savidge that I unfortunately did not take pictures of. Those two are great together, they had everyone laughing and you could really tell how much they love one another. Jennifer is also incredibly gracious about the attention Bob gets from his fans. She's a wonderful actress in her own right, having been on her own medical series St. Elsewhere, JAG, and much more.

The MSNF also had vendor tables where you could purchase comic books, memorabilia, or even original art. One woman rented a vendor table so she could share her miniature Sherman Ranch! She removed the roofs so we could see inside the ranch house and barn. She also told us she has swappable backgrounds for different times of year. We were really impressed with the detail and talent that went into her creation.

On the last day of the festival, we had a photo taken with Bob and Jennifer. We dressed up as Slim and Jess. The first thing Bob said to us was "Wow!", so I think he liked the outfits. ;) On the way out, a few other fans in line stopped us to tell us how much they liked our costumes, which felt really great.

And that was pretty much it! It was honestly one of the more laid-back conventions I've been to. I wasn't used to having a bunch of downtime between the things I wanted to do. It was also a little weird being one of the younger fans there, but everyone was pretty nice and we were all there for the same reason: to meet Bob!

Bonus pic: while in Memphis we visited the largest Bass Pro Shop I've ever seen, known as The Pyramid. The inside looks like outdoors (as is normal with every Bass Pro), but it was lit like nighttime with string lights and stuff. Along with the usual fish tanks, there was a pond with ducks. I unfortunately did not pay to ride the elevator to the observation deck.

[calder]

Although most glowing ones encountered elsewhere in the wastes have become feral, those encountered in New California are generally civil (if not sane).

Until Necropolis was overrun by the super mutants in 2162, glowing ones lived quietly in the remains of Vault 12, separate from the normal ghouls on the surface. Just above ground, several were kept in cages within the Hall of the Dead, apparently as a source of lighting.[1] All glowing ones at Necropolis were kept within the church or the Vault. Those who dwelt within Vault 12 were all capable of articulate speech, and expressed themselves in strange, poetic declarations.[2] Those imprisoned at the church seemed to mumble and drool.[3]

Nearby, a separate population of peaceful ghouls were forced to take refuge in a sewer by the ghoul warlord Set.[4] Despite his brutal ways, he neglected to kill these peaceful ghouls, so they could help defend Necropolis should the need arise.[5] The placid glowing ones of Necropolis may have been kept for similar purposes. They also guarded and maintained the Vault's water processing system, which was still operational.[2]

As they are not feral creatures,[2] the glowing ones of Vault 12 are mentally ill elderly people. They require water, and without the Vault's water processing functionality, they will die.[2] They will not attack the Vault Dweller unless the player assaults them or removes Vault 12's water chip. In both scenarios, the glowing ones act in self-defense against someone who has entered their home and attempted to murder them. There are no other encounters with glowing ones in the original Fallout.

The destruction of Necropolis resulted in the Bakersfield ghoul population scattering to the surrounding areas, such as Los to the east, where they founded the Church of the Lost, a ghoul cult dedicated to the protection of the Secret Vault. Glowing ones are seen among their ranks.

To the north, several glowing ones would go on to find work in the nuclear plant at the metropolitan settlement of Gecko, performing complex labor in the reactor area. The named character Hank is one of these glowing technicians. If the Chosen One fixes the reactor's radiation leak, the ghouls will remark that the plant feels "chilly." Additionally, two glowing ones live at Broken Hills, a settlement where all humans and mutants are invited to live in cooperation.

[...]

One person who ultimately went feral in Appalachia, Freddie Lang, was capable of typing for some time after his skin began to glow.[6]

not givn up gettin hardr to thikn straigt skin glwing so sick i tried feelss good to be dwn in th mine warmer near the radiation just gonna sleep ther wait 4 whtevr — Blackwater Mine terminal entries; Blackwater Bandits terminal, Help

[howwelldoyouknowyourmoon]

"I don't think any other organization has caused such damage" to Japanese society, he said.

Unification Church faces dissolution in Japan

Mar 15, 2025

BY NATSUKO FUKUE AFP-JIJI

The Unification Church has come under intense scrutiny in Japan since a former prime minister was assassinated, but it could soon fall even further from grace.

Authorities said in October 2023 they were seeking to dissolve the influential sect, founded in South Korea and nicknamed the "Moonies" after its late founder, Sun Myung Moon.

The church is accused of pressuring followers into making life-ruining donations, and blamed for child neglect among its members — although it has denied any wrongdoing.

Now a court order is expected to strip the group of legal recognition as early as this month, major Japanese media outlets reported.

The dissolution would remove the church's tax-exempt status while branding the organization a harmful entity.

Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe — Japan's longest-serving leader — was shot dead on the campaign trail in 2022, allegedly by a man who resented the Unification Church.

Investigations after Abe's murder revealed close ties between the sect and many conservative ruling-party lawmakers, leading to the resignation of four ministers.

Even after its dissolution, the Unification Church could continue religious practices, said lawyer Katsuomi Abe.

But "its reputation will decline, and the number of followers will decrease," said Abe, who represents former believers seeking compensation after making huge donations.

The amount donated by Japanese members over the decades has been estimated by some at hundreds of millions of U.S. dollars or more.

Since 2023, nearly 200 people have demanded compensation of ¥5.7 billion ($38.5 million) in total, according to Abe and other lawyers.

"I don't think any other organization has caused such damage" to Japanese society, he said.

It would be the third religious group ordered to disband in Japan — another being the Aum Shinrikyo cult, which released a deadly nerve agent on the Tokyo subway 30 years ago.

Aum eventually declared bankruptcy, but its two successor groups continue to operate in the country. ... Its affiliate groups have secured addresses from Donald Trump and Japan's Abe, who was not a member of the church or its sub-groups but made a video speech at a 2021 event.

The man accused of killing Abe is 44-year-old Tetsuya Yamagami, whose mother is said to have donated ¥100 million ($1 million at the time) to the Unification Church in total.

Yamagami, now in pre-trial detention, could face the death penalty if convicted.

He has reportedly attempted suicide in the past, while his brother took his own life.

Their uncle has described receiving calls for help from Yamagami when his mother left her children alone and without food to attend church.

Since Abe's murder, the church has pledged to prevent "excessive" member donations.

Japan has long been a financial hub for the Unification Church, which tells members they must atone for the wartime occupation of Korea and sells expensive items to grant forgiveness from sins.

A man whose parents are members told a recent lawyers' gathering that his family could not afford school equipment or even sometimes to run a bath.

He was told not to interact with "satanic" nonmembers and felt "lonely and isolated." He said his brother took his own life last year after suffering mental health problems.

It could take up to a year for the dissolution order to be finalized if the church appeals.

Lawyers warn the group could transfer its financial assets elsewhere, partly due to a 2023 bill approved by the ruling party that critics say takes a light touch on financing.

"They've been sending tens of billions of yen every year to their South Korean headquarters," said Abe.

He and other lawyers are calling for stronger legislation so that money can be returned to victims.

Liquidating the church's assets will be a daunting job, Abe warned. "There is a big question as to how many years the liquidation process will take … and whether it will go smoothly," he said.

[tomorrowusa]

On the same week that Ron DeSantis came in a humiliating distant second in the Iowa caucuses AND a Democrat flipped a legislative seat in the Orlando area, Florida Republicans are trying to change the subject by advancing legislation to ban pride flags at Florida schools, universities, and government buildings.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — A bill advanced by Florida Republicans on Wednesday would ban teachers and other government employees from displaying a rainbow flag — even wearing one as a lapel pin for a day — but they could hang the full-size flag of any “recognized nation” as long as they want, according to the bill’s sponsor. Flag displays that depict a “racial, sexual orientation and gender, or political ideology viewpoint” would be banned from any state or local government building, including public schools and universities, under the bill authored by GOP Rep. David Borrero. Opponents say the bill is inspired by hate. Borrero said it protects children and it would ban even lapel pins representing the flags of the LGBTQ+ and Black Lives Matter movements. “Public classrooms should not be the place where our kids go to be radicalized and evangelized into accepting these partisan, radical ideologies,” Borrero said. “It’s wholly inappropriate to be putting those types of flags in front of public school students and in government buildings.”

The only way to effectively fight back against Ron DeSantis and his fellow Republican homophobes is to register and vote Democratic. These people have to be removed from power and elections are the only way to do it.

It's particularly difficult to do so in Florida because of gerrymanding. Liberals have neglected state government in many states for too long. The result has been authoritarian régimes in Florida, Texas, Tennessee, and elsewhere. But if you take the long view, you will see progress. Eight years ago Michigan had a Republican trifecta; it now has a Democratic trifecta and protections for reproductive freedom and against gerrymandering. Patience and persistent determination do pay off.

I personally prefer registering to vote in person at a city or county office. That way you can sort out potential problems immediately. But if you're unable to do that, there's an online voter registration site in Florida.

Florida Online Voter Registration System

If you do register online, make screen copies of every step of your registration. DeSantis and his Republican buddies will look for technical excuses to keep you from voting.

It's not rainbow flags that are bad for students; REPUBLICANS are bad for students – and everybody else who isn't a bigot, a fascist, or a voracious billionaire.

[brambletakato]

Des(cole And/Or mond)

uhh,, ruh oh (prequel spoilers)

To be honest like 50% of my brainrot comes from both my campaign Des and the backstory for such which is VERY far removed from canon, but that doesn't mean I'm NOT insane about this man looking at him from the canon PL angle. Like I don't really know where to start?? Uhh

I think he's literally the perfect guy to analyze psychologically. Leon is a fucking nightmare to try and figure out, meanwhile Des has so many interesting twists and turns and themes to interpret (even if his character slightly gets a bit off-balanced in Eternal Diva)

Descole presents himself as calculative, cunning, smug, mysterious, and strong-willed. Within a presence, he keeps up his persona with an honestly charming dramatic flair that nobody asked for, which is already on the chart for what makes a character a viable blorbo for me

But when you take a look of who he was, who wanted to be, and who he could be, he quickly becomes such a morally complicated character.

Like really quickly I'm going to get this out of the way; I have a MASSIVE pet peeve to those that say Descole did nothing wrong. He did do a lot of fucked up shit, and I'm not excusing any of that. Removing the responsibility of his consequences would make his character bland imo. He's not morally purely black or white, but he's in a dark gray zone where, while he had a strict no-kill rule, he still inflicted harm on the people in his way and the homes they resided in. He isn't afraid to dabble into even human experimentation if it means to get to his goals, even if he has the greater good in interest.

So about the lighter morals of him, he still has a string of humanity in him. He isn't completely lost to corruption unlike Leon, but he isn't completely recovered like Layton. He still sets off on a self-destructive path to revenge, but he only allows himself to get set ablaze (in his pov, not in the outsider's perspective).

A friend said that he's still the little boy that ultimately wants his family back, whether that's his parents or his wife and daughter, and that AAAUGHHRHRA OUUUUGH :((( RGRR :CCCCCC

Speaking of, Desmond. Desmond was never meant to exist.

In his eyes, it would only be Hershel Bronev that died, and whatever comes later would be the host of his vengeance. But Desmond was soon given a meaning, a light elsewhere, tender hands and a fond gaze that said that they loved him. Suddenly he was somebody else. He was somebody else that started putting down books, that started to wish for something other than revenge.

And the fact that, even if once, he was a man that has felt what hope is like fucking KILLS ME... Sometimes I wonder if he even felt fearful of the thought when he realized he was starting to focus less on revenge. Suddenly, there was somebody that he was starting to care about, somebody that was there for him emotionally and physically, somebody that he so dearly wanted to lean on their shoulder and ask if everything will be okay. And the only time he felt that was with his previous family. The ones that were taken away.

He's almost shy to feel that sense of longing again, like a neglected dog feeling a gentle hand brush their head for the first time. It's intoxicating. It's fearful. It's so, so comforting. He wants more. But he is scared of being hurt again. Scared of losing somebody again. He's scared. Scared, fearful. It's all that controlled him. Fear and hate.

But he still tries, despite everything he sees, there's a part of him that still wanted to live, to experience, to love. There's a part of him that wants to break out of such a wretched life and to start anew, to finally lay rest of his woes. And he does, for a little while.

And the worst part was that he was right in the end. They too would be ripped away. And there was no more hope, no more Sycamore.

I'm an extreme advocate that Descole has existed for longer, not right after the death of his wife and daughter. He existed ever since his parents were kidnapped, ever since he lost Theodore. Descole never had a name, but he was there in concept. He was only put at the full front in full blast when he had truly lost everything.

This also means he can never be fully Desmond again by the end of Azran Legacy, if at all. He can never fully be Descole either, because there's nothing he can fuel on. He's just nothing. He's an empty husk. He says that a new adventure awaits, but what is there really? There is no point, no promise. He is aimless from then on. Perhaps his adventure is to find a purpose once more.

This is also why I REALLY want him to return in NWOS one day. Maybe his search for a purpose leads him right back to the person that was there when his life crumbled for the first time; Layton. Maybe despite his fear of loss, he still internally wants something to cling onto, because an aimless life would probably drive him to insanity or extreme biting mental torment. Or maybe he feels indebted to Layton in some way? Perhaps for his betrayal, perhaps for hiding their relation, perhaps for everything he has done.

He still did terrible things. Would Layton even accept him back into his life, especially after all of that? He is deserving to nobody. Eventually the consequences of what he has done will catch up in a terrible mental form. I really think that his self-esteem has been low, but it would ESPECIALLY plummet after everything.

(ahem uhh. side note if flora comes back in nwos, the two should come as a package deal and des should be the cool uncle that unofficially adopted her from layton, i think these two would benefit each-other in both a character and a psychological way COUGH COUGH also we need flora fencing COUGH COUGH)

I can ramble so much about the other little things like his thoughts about his parents (especially his mother), raymond, the brief and scary visit of familiar warmth when he was getting comfortable with the bostonius gang, etc etc but this post would be so god damn long

anyway so he's more-so a special interest than a hyperfixa--//dragged away

[karliahs]

state of the wips

total posted p5 wordcount: 33,940 total written p5 wordcount: 62,193

series continuations:

[seen and not heard 2] - 2.5k words - ren POV - pretty close to done but also so self-indulgent i physically blush when i think about it

promises (seen and not heard 3) - 3.5k - This One Has Other Characters In I Promise - more scenes written than not?

[bargaining chips 2(/2)] - 3.5k - 2/2 in this universe - maybe 2/3 done just in terms of getting words on the page

[bargaining chips 3] - 1.3k - why does this fic idea from less than week ago already have a 2nd sequel. this one's an akechi lives continuation bc the exact flavour of sad this AU provides is apparently really addictive to me and me only - less than 1/2 written

one-offs:

rupture - 2.5k - aka ren's complicated but not evil parents exploration. aftermath of ren arrest no. 1 as him and his parents fai to communicate - maybe 2/3 written, mild-medium likelihood of actually getting finished

[More Parents Stuff I Guess] - 1.5k - ren visits for the summer break post-game and the gang are Concerned. lots of discussion about autonomy and how removing a 17 year old from his functionally acceptable but non-loving parents is Complicated Actually - maybe 1/3 written

[royal h/c that kind of isn't h/c because akechi wouldn't play ball] - 2.5k - the period of royal before the PTs wake up is so fucking sad for ren and i wanted to write something exploring that that is also the closest this particular version of akechi can get to comforting someone - mostly written but idk how i feel about it, may just be a Practicing Voices thing that never gets posted, esp bc it covers some of the same territory as bargaining chips

not very likely to actually get finished so maybe not technically a WIP but they exist:

[post-shido palace thoughts] - 1.5k - the sakura-ren-morgana family clean up leblanc right after shido's palace - just kinda getting my thoughts out after replaying this part of the game, mostly couldn't just figure out who's POV it was so tried to a more broad not right-up in someone's head POV and it just doesn't feel right

solitary - 2k - briefly attempted to write post-3rd arrest solitary confinement recovery hurt/comfort, did some research into that, quickly concluded i do not feel qualified or okay writing about it lmao. did manage to reuse a scene from this for seen and not heard 3 though

uninvited guest - 1.5k - discussed previously, thoughts on ren's place in the sakura house, other things just grabbed me more and also a lot of this got explored in seen and not heard

[No Nuance parental neglect stuff] - 4k - discussed previously, one of the 1st things i wrote and i feel like i've explored these ideas better elsewhere