#official interview in France

[boybolt]

What are your favorite Naruto and/or Boruto characters to draw?

Kishimoto : My favorite is and will always be Jiraiya.

Ikemoto : For me, I think it's Boruto, I'm very attached to him.

[edwardslvrr]

ADOPTION AND LEGOS 𐙚 oscar piastri

౨ৎ oscar piastri x leclerc!reader

the one where oscar is dating the ferrari driver's younger sister and they have been soft launching for a while until they decide to hard launch when the adoption joke enters f1

taglist if you'd like to be added to my taglist, message me privately or comment on this post

warning this is all fake and just for fun, no hate to any of the people mentioned. Just a reminder that this is pure for entertainment хохо

main masterlist 𐙚 oscar masterlist

౨ৎ yourinstagram paris, france

liked by arthur_leclerc and 308.893 others

yourinstagram lovely day out in my favourite city with my favourite person 💘💐

view all 1.893 comments

username everyday i sigh when i see this is not a hard launch

username just so y’all know when she hard launches i’ve been here since the beginning

username atp never expecting her to hard launch

username don’t you dare manifest that!

yourbestfriend hey dan, i mean bonjour!

yourinstagram you mean au revoir. goodbye humphrey we’re leaving!

username when he takes you to paris >

username hope dude knows he’s the luckiest man ever living

username wish this was my life fr

౨ৎ oscarpiastri twitter

౨ৎ messages oscar/yn

౨ৎ f1 no location

liked by formula2 and 1.482.891 others

f1 A suprise at the top in first practice! 🇲🇨

view all 6.183 comments

oscarpiastri that happened quickly, charles_leclerc

username i just wanna know if you’ve met your brother leo

username u gotta change your name now, what’s done is done

username help the leclerc name on oscar 😭

username “piastri-leclerc” adoption rumours confirmed!!

username this is too funny

username “f1 is a serious sport” than what’s this?

username they’re the definition of unserious

username dude really got adopted

౨ৎ oscarbbg twitter

౨ৎ oscarpiastri monte-carlo, monaco

liked by yourinstagram and 838.793 others

oscarpiastri P2, adoption and legos. I’s say this was a pretty good weekend

view all 4.189 comments

username leclerc 1-2

username still wondering who man’s gf is

username huge day for the leclerc family

username homerace podium 🇲🇨

username oscar jack piastri-leclerc has arrived

౨ৎ oscahnorris twitter

౨ৎ messages charles/yn

౨ৎ yourinstagram no location

liked by oscarpiastri and 398.893 others

yourinstagram just so yk he’s been a leclerc now for 3 years

view all 2.891 comments

username omg- no this is crazy what

landonorris oscyn hard launch before gta6🙏

yourinstagram as we should

username TWO years???

username should’ve known during the prema interview w arthur & oscar ohmygod “who in the room would you kiss” MF WAS SMIRKING😭

username omg yes i forgot abt that!!

arthur_leclerc i’m just great at secret keeping ;)

username arthur whattt

username she’s defo been stressing after the adoption thing😭

username my parents

username I SAID IT AND NO ONE BELIEVED ME

oscarpiastri 3 years down and forever to go😍

landonorris what a simp

yourinstagram landonorris ur just lonely oscarpiastri ily!!

charles_leclerc since when is he lightning mcqueen???

yourinstagram 🙄🙄

౨ৎ oscarpiastri no location

liked by charles_leclerc and 972.781 others

oscarpiastri 3 years of lego dates with you ❤️

view all 4.792 comments

username the hard launch we all have been waiting for

yourinstagram another lego date tonight?

oscarpiastri on my way home immediately

username you two are adorable oml

username this might’ve just been the news of the century

charles_leclerc does that mean i have to officially rip the adoption papers

oscarpiastri yeah sorry mate, it was nice while it lasted

taglist - @louvrepool @italyrryx @buendiabebeta @lightdragonrayne @namgification @sammyam @americanbluebirdrb @poppyflower-22 @c-losur3 @nxrrislando @haikyuen @evie-119 @raevyng @urfavsgf @nikfigueiredo

[eyekonvivi]

The Seventh Star - Chapter 3 - Katseye x 7th member reader

All right reserved

3,1 k

Warnings : cuteness

Notes : That's it for chapter 3 ! I tried to make it as long as possible without making it too long. I must admit that i'm really proud of this one, I hope you liked it ! 

And I wanted to thank you for your comments and vote on both Wattpad and Tumblr :) 

Two days later, We stood side by side on a velvet stage in front of flashing cameras. One of  our first press showcase. Media from South Korea, France, the U.S and beyond had flown in to see the official seven-member debut.

The room was buzzing, the backdrop shimmering with Katseye's logo in platinum foil.

Each girl had taken turns answering questions. Until now, I thought the girls' answers were very well controlled, although the questions were not necessarily very pertinent and sometimes rather embarrassing. I waited silently for my question, reassured by Megan's calm presence beside me.

Then a voice from the crowd cut through the air :

" Y/n, some fans online were surprised by your addition to the group. Some say your vocals don't match the group's overall tone. How do you respond to that?"

Every head turned.

My chest tightened. The mic in my hands suddenly felt like a weight. I opened my mouth, but the words slipped away.  Before I could form a full sentence, Megan leaned toward my mic.

"I don't know who those 'fans' are," she said, cool and confident, "but y/n's tone gives our harmonies depth. Some voices are soft-spoken until you actually listen."

There were murmurs of approval from the room.

I looked at her, stunned. Megan gave me a small, sideways wink.

Then, Sophia added, "Seven voices. Seven strengths. That's Katseye's foundation."

I found my voice again.

"I know I was a surprise to some people. But I'm not here to replace anyone—I'm here to add something. That's what music is, right? Layers."

Flashbulbs popped. The moment passed. But I could feel my hands shaking slightly even after the interview ended.

Megan bumped shoulders with me as we walked offstage.

" Welcome to the spotlight, seventh star."

" Thanks Meg, I really appreciate it " I reply, with a sincere smile.

As I feel an arm clinging to mine, Megan moves towards Daniela and I look away to Lara standing beside me, a teasing smile on her lips.

"So we're saved by her knight in shining armor, are we?" she whispers conspiratorially.

I blush slightly at her words before replying :

" She's not my knight in shining armor! She would have done it for any member of the group..."

"Sure" she replies with a wink, "Let's hurry up and get changed, Son told Yoonchae he was going to treat us to a restaurant after that awful interview."

We then head happily towards the rest of the group, who are talking half-amusedly, half-irritated in the dressing room about the absurd questions we've had to answer.

I watch with a smile on my face as Daniela's antics mimic Manon's hilarious reaction to being asked by a fan which band member she hated most during all the drama surrounding her during Dream Academy.

I change quietly, thinking about Lara's words, feeling at home in the group's chaotic atmosphere, which becomes more pronounced when Lara and Sophia decide to join Daniela in her imitations.

***

 We enter the restaurant with Son and a few members of the production team. The atmosphere is intimate, with soft light emanating from the ceiling. The tables are covered with red-checked tablecloths, and the stereotype is so overdone that it makes me let out a discreet laugh.

At least, that's what I thought, because the whole group turns to me, including Son, who questions me, one eyebrow raised : 

" Y/n ? What's so funny ?" 

" I'm sorry, it's just that this restaurant is really a stereotype of French culture as seen by Americans, I find it quite amusing " I reply shyly.

" Ok, I was thinking that maybe you didn't like the restaurant... Although Megan insisted that we go to a French restaurant to cheer you up".

" It makes me happy Son, thanks a lot "

I then turn to Megan and whisper teasingly :

"So, Meg, you're influencing Son's decisions for me now ?"

"I, I just wanted you to take your mind off the horrible interview questions, well, uh, cheer up the group and, and what better way to do that than with French food? " she tries to justify herself, her cheeks slightly flushed.

" Yes, it's true that French cuisine never fail to comfort me , thank you Meg." I put an end to her misery with a warm smile.

From the corner of my eye, I see Lara struggling to hold back her laughter. I give her a murderous look, which she answers with a wink, before moving to sit next to Manon.

As I look around for somewhere to sit, I notice that the only empty seat is the one opposite Lara between Sophia and Daniela. The latter's animosity towards me seems to have eased somewhat over the last few days, but that's probably more to do with the fact that we're very busy and our interactions are professional and on camera.

So I'm a bit nervous when I sit down.

But no sooner do I get my butt on the chair than the conversations start and the girls, with the exception of Manon, bombard me with questions about French food. I try to describe each dish as best I can, until they all go back to their own menus.

I'm hesitating between the Quiche Lorraine and the Boeuf Bourguignon when I feel a discreet tap on my shoulder, I look up and see Daniela looking at me with an awkward expression.

"Uh, y/n, I just wanted to ask you what you were going to order because I have no idea what to choose..."

"I was hesitating between these two..." I point to my two choices on the menu "but I think I'll go for the Quiche Lorraine, it reminds me too much of my childhood."

At the end of my words, she concentrates on the menu, eyebrows furrowed in a way that I must admit is rather adorable, if you forget her usual temper for a second...

She then raises her head determinedly towards me, and announces, as if it were the biggest decision of her life : 

" Okay, I will order the same thing then." 

I let out a laugh at her behaviour, followed by Manon, who was watching our exchange. Daniela's brows furrow, and she adds with a smirk.

" So if it's not good, I can always blame your lack of taste."

"How generous of you" I add, before focusing my attention on the waitress who has just arrived at our table.

The meal is punctuated by laughter with the girls, Son's improbable annectotes and, above all, Daniela's various comments on the tasting of her Quiche Lorraine and the bits of food she steals from Manon and Lara's plates.

I observe her as, with her glass of white wine in hand, she makes a whole plea to me and Lara about how the egg on the latter's Croque Madame shouldn't be legal, and how awful the mixture is. 

She actually seems to be in her element, surrounded by her friends, sharing her more childlike, fun side with me.

Maybe a friendship between us will finally be possible, or at least a proper professional relationship.

When the dessert menu finally arrives, I'm full of hesitation when I see that there's a Crème Brûlée and Macarons, both of which I really want, but I don't really want to be the only one to choose both.

Seeing my hesitation, Sophia gently suggests:

"We can share the two if you like, so you can eat both and I can discover even more about French gastronomy".

"We have a deal then" I reply with a smile. 

When our two plates arrive, I share my dessert with Sophia while quietly discussing our opinions on the different tastes of macarons.

"You should try the caramel one, I swear it's to die for ! " Sophia tells me enthusiastically.

"Okay"

Just as I was expecting Sophia to place the macaron on my plate, she hands it to me, expecting me to bite it. I do so hesitantly, looking into Sophia's eyes as I take my first bite, her eyes slightly widening, but this moment is broken when I hear Yoonchae whisper to Lara :

" They really act like a married couple."

" Yes, they do", replies Lara.

Manon and Megan laugh in response, although when I meet Megan's eyes, I realize that her smile doesn't quite reach her eyes. As for Daniela, she reacts in a blasé manner, adding:

"You're not going to reduce the amount of fan fiction about girl groups..."

The laughter starts up again, and is maintained by Sophia's particularly humorous laugh, which makes me laugh out loud.

Our meal ends in good spirits with a little speech from Son, who expresses how proud he is of what we've achieved so far. I leave the restaurant with tears of gratitude in my eyes, because even if the beginning wasn't easy, I feel that things can get better with the girls.

***

The next day 

After our warm-up session, I find myself sitting on the floor, exhausted, and as Manon hands me a bottle of water, the music producer clapped her hands once, hard. 

"Okay. I'm pairing people off for the unit stages next week. I want to see chemistry, contrast, vocal risk."

The room tensed. That tone meant challenge.

She read from her clipboard. "Sophia and Lara. Megan, Yoonchae and Manon. And...  Y/n with Daniela."

Daniela's jaw shifted. I went still.

The room reacted quietly : exchanged looks, low whispers.

"Great," the producer said. "You'll be covering 'Bleeding Love' by Leona Lewis. Stripped-down version. Two microphones. One harmony, one lead."

Megan let out a low whistle. "They really said tension and tears." 

Practice was painful.

Daniela barely looked at me. Their first rehearsal was spent in near silence, except for music cues and a few comments like :

" You're late on the downbeat."

" That run's unnecessary."

"Are you even breathing properly ?"

I  tried to stay calm. Tried to focus. But the weight of the song— our lack of connection—made the performance fall flat every time.

By the third day, the producer finally paused the track.

"This isn't working," she said. " Not because your voices clash. But because you're clashing. Figure it out. "

She walked out, leaving us alone in the sound booth.

A long silence.

Finally, I broke it. "Do you hate me?"

Daniela glanced up sharply.

"I don't hate you," she said. "I just don't know how to trust someone who skipped the part where we bled for this."

I stepped forward. "I already told you that I didn't skip it. Mine just wasn't on camera." 

Daniela stared at me  "That's fair."

"Are you angry because I joined the group when I wasn't supposed to?"

"I, I kind of was at first, I was so obsessed with this idea of being a member of six with certain members in mind. But when I saw your name called instead of Emily, who I was so close to and who to me so deserved her place in the group, I don't know, it made me so angry..."

Another pause.

Then, softly :  "You have control on the bridge. It's nice. When you're not second-guessing."

I  blinked. "That almost sounded like a compliment."

Daniela smirked faintly. "Don't get used to it."

They ran the song again. This time, something clicked—not in friendship, not yet. But in rhythm. In breath. In the shared pain the song demanded.

It was a start

***

The next evening, I was in the practice studio late. Everyone else had left, but I had stayed behind to work on her choreography—alone, as usual.

Until the door creaked open.

Lara walked in.

I glanced at her through the mirror. Lara was always hard to read. Soft-spoken, analytical. Her expression was calm, neutral. 

"Couldn't sleep?" I asked, half-joking.

"I sleep fine," Lara replied, sitting by the wall. "I just watch who stays late."

I stopped stretching. "Meaning ?"

"You and I have something in common," Lara said, tilting her head. "We both live just outside the center of the group. Observers."

I raised an eyebrow. "Is that what you think I am ? An outsider?"

Lara shrugged. "You kinda feel like one. But you still show up. That matters."

Silence.

Then, she added, more softly: " You don't perform for approval. That's rare here."

I felt something loosen in my chest. "You're not what I expected."

"Neither are you."

They didn't say much more that night. But Lara stayed for one full run-through of my dance. And when I hit my final move and looked up, Lara nodded once.

A quiet seal of recognition

***

After this late-night training session, we drive home with Lara, music blaring in the vehicle.

When we open the door, we notice voices in the dimly lit living room, bickering.

"No seriously, we've already watched Twilight far too many times for it to be legal. Why not a Disney? Rapunzel, for example. "

"We already watched Rapunzel three weeks ago Soph..."

"Yes, but it's a classic, we never get sick of it!"

"If you say so..."

After depositing our stuff in the entrance hall, we head for the voices and spot Manon and Sophia, on the sofa, bickering in front of a TV that itself seems bored with the argument.

"You're not asleep?" Lara asks.

"No, we wanted to have a movie session, but after watching Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone for the thousandth time, I thought it couldn't hurt to continue the evening on something else" Manon replies, at the peak of desperation.

"I see. Good luck with Sophia then, I'm going up to my room to call my sister. Good night girls!"

Lara gives us each a little hug before heading for the stairs.

"Do you want to join us y/n? So you can choose the movie and save us spending two hours choosing. "Manon suggests.

"Let me just go take a quick shower and I'll be right there, that'll give me time to think about the movie."

"We can make popcorn in the meantime!" says Sophia enthusiastically.

"You know how to talk to me, Sophia! "I reply with the same enthusiasm.

I hurry off to my room, where Yoonchae is fast asleep. Maybe I should go and shower at Lara and Megan's if I don't want to wake her up, she looks so peaceful. I quickly decide on this solution and grab my things as quietly as possible.

Je ferme la porte le plus délicatement possible puis me dirige vers la chambre de Lara et Megan avant de frapper doucement. 

"Lara, are you still in here?"

I hear no reply, but light footsteps approach the door. It's an adorably disheveled Megan, her head half-covered by the hood of her hoodie, who opens the door for me.

"Y/n? What are you doing here?"

" Hey Meg, I just wanted to ask if I can take a quick shower in your bathroom because Yoonchae is sleeping so soundly, I don't want to wake her."

" You're such a cutie " she mumbles, fidgeting with her fingers " Uh it's giving older sister vibe! "

"Thanks, I just try my best. So it's a yes?"

" Uh yes of course. Come in, make yourself confortable, Lara is on the balcony chatting with her sister"

" Merci beaucoup. I shall hurry if I don't want Manon and Sophia to murder me or die of boredom waiting for me, see you soon! "

"Yeah, see ya," Megan replies, heading for her bed.

I then head for the bathroom and take the fastest shower of my existence while trying to think about the film. I get dressed quickly but realize too late that I forgot to take a t-shirt. So I call Megan through the door.

"Meg? Do you have a T-shirt I can borrow? I forgot to pick one up in my hurry earlier".

"Yes, I'm coming," I hear her muffled voice.

After a few seconds, her footsteps approach the bathroom door and she knocks gently, I leave just enough space to let her hand pass through with the T-shirt and close it almost immediately after thanking her.

The T-shirt she has handed me is a large Angel City soccer jersey with Megan's last name on the back. I'm just questioning her choice when I hear Sophia calling me from downstairs.

When I finally emerge from the bathroom, Megan looks me up and down with a slightly satisfied smile. I quickly walk over to her to give her a hug and add when I'm close to her ear in a soft voice:

"Thanks for the jersey sweetie. And good night! "

I barely have time to observe Megan's flushed face before I half-run out of the room to join Manon and Sophia who are already waiting for me, three huge bowls of popcorn in front of them.

"So what did you pick ?" questions Manon.

"Uh I thought we might watch..."

"Is that Megan's t-shirt you're wearing?" asks Sophia, her eyebrows slightly furrowed.

"Yes, I didn't want to wake Yoonchae so I went to their room to shower but as I was rushing I forgot my shirt so Meg let me borrow one."

"Great, great but what movie are we watching ?" insists Manon.

"What do you think of The World of Narnia ?"

"Good idea !"

"Let's do that then."

Manon rushes to grab the telecomand as I settle between her and Sophia on the sofa.

Sophia seems in her thoughts as Manon searches for the film on the TV, concerned at her rare silence, I ask :

"Are you alright Soph ?"

"Yeah don't worry, I'm just tired".

As soon as the film begins, I grab my bowl of popcorn and devour it as avidly as Manon.

However, after about thirty minutes, I feel the effects of the training on my body and end up snuggling up to Sophia, resting my head on her shoulder before sinking into a deep sleep.

***

I wake up on the sofa, with a pillow under my head and a small blanket over my body.

But what worries me most is the smell.

The kitchen smelled like noodles and smoke.

I ran in coughing. "Is something burning ?!"

Yoonchae turned from the stove with a sheepish smile. "I forgot water boils."

I laughed. "You... forgot?"

"I got distracted trying to remix our setlist for fun," she said, waving her phone. "It kind of slaps though."

I looked at her. Yoonchae was chaotic in a way I would usually find exhausting—but somehow, with her, it was oddly comforting.

"You're not worried about all the pressure?"

Yoonchae leaned against the counter. "Pressure is a drumbeat. I just dance over it."

I grinned. " That's poetic."

"I get like that when I'm hungry and slightly choking on smoke."

We cracked the window open and ate instant noodles on the floor.  We chatted about anything and everything, sometimes in a vague English, but it was enough for us in this moment, a morning spent around a quiet laugher.

It wasn't a deep heart-to-heart. But I realized that for Yoonchae, connection didn't come through speeches—it came through shared space, laughter, and not taking the world too seriously.

I was glad that, Yoonchae, my new roomate was in this group,  I needed her young energy to keep me from slipping into the sometimes dark abyss of adulthood, and especially into the sometimes toxic environment of the music industry.

[eurothug4000]

INTERVIEW ON THE MAKING OF THE CANCELLED MMORPG NINELIVES

Ninelives is the most beautiful RPG that was never completed, but can still be experienced as it was left. As part of my video on the game (now up for early access on Nebula), I also interviewed Tota of SmokymonkeyS on its inspirations and development before its suspension in 2016.

What would you say are your main inspirations for the art style in Ninelives? E.g. other artists, film, games, literature, history etc.!

I was a huge fan of Adventure Gamebook when I was a kid. Well, maybe you don't know what that is. Please read the wiki if you need: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamebook. I was reading (playing) translated oversea gamebooks well, and love the inner artwork especially what draw by monochrome. I had never seen pictures like that before, and had a strong impact on me. So, I wanted to make a gamebook by my self. When I started making my own gamebooks, I learned a lot about how games are made. That's because a gamebook is a medium in which the player can see all the source code. At first I started making gamebooks because I was attracted by the artwork, but my interest eventually shifted to making the game itself.

Related to the above, do you take a lot of inspiration from real world cultures and places? Are there any that you particularly gravitate towards?

I like the mixed culture, like Chinoiserie in France at the 17 century. Plus, since I'm Japanese and this country has always been greatly influenced by China. So I'm not limited to any one of these cultures, but trying to create as I am influenced by all of them. Sometimes people say that what I create looks Japanese, Chinese, or Asian, which is neither correct nor incorrect. I try not to be only of a certain culture when I create. That's because I want to create an imaginary world that is somewhat like reality, but slightly different.

Why did you want to make Ninelives?

Ninelives was the first game I ever thought of making, I think when I was about 17.

Do you think Ninelives being in an unfinished state provides a different atmosphere when playing the game and exploring the world?

I don't particularly think so. The atmosphere of the game is still complete. I wanted the game to be a relaxed, free-roamed adventure for players.

I wasn't certain during my research, so I wanted to confirm if Tomomi Sakuba was involved in Ninelives in any way?

Yeah, Sakuba was involved in Ninelives lots of ways. As you said, he did some of the texture pictures for flowers, plants and tree leaves. He also drawn the world map and area maps of the game like below: http://www.smokymonkeys.com/kyrill/index.asp?direct=138 He actually walked around the world by himself to make this. He was one of the most earliest game tester of the game. Oh, and I have to tell you this. He's a voice actor of male Nightbreed and Elf! In addition, his wife did some of creature voices. Her voice is also used on Triglav too!

What are your own personal thoughts on Ninelives? Is there anything you would drastically change looking back on it? Or any big changes you would want to make if you were to continue development at any point?

Ninelives was too much for me in many ways. It was a world I had been thinking about since I was young, but there were too many things to actually create to handle, and in that sense it's exactly the dream a child thinks about. We are a team of two in SmokymonkeyS, but one of us is in charge of programming and system engineering, and the game itself was created completely by myself. I had to create all the pictures, models, terrain, music, and story by myself. Now if I'm going to make something, I don't make it on such a large scale anymore.

Apart from the Switch release for Garage and occasional updates on Triglav that you mentioned before, is there anything that SmokymonkeyS are working on for the future?

Not yet so far.

I noticed your banner on the official website (http://www.smokymonkeys.com/kyrill/index.asp) has a character on a train platform, I wondered if that might be a future game?

Once it was. It was a previous project of Triglav for mobile. But it was going to be on a larger scale again, so we decided to port Triglav before that. There are no plans to make that game now. But I may make another game with that worldview and atmosphere. For example, as a mobile game.

A big thank you to Tota for taking the time to answer my questions! You can find SmokymonkeyS and their games here:

[writerseclipse1]

lucky charm [max v.]

summary: max wins at the us grand prix (2021), and he can't help but insist you were his lucky charm.

warnings: making out, fluff.

word count: 0.7k

“…for the first time, on us soil, max verstappen wins the us grand prix!” cheers erupted from the fans and the redbull crew. you heard your father whoop, fisting the air in celebration.

all you could do was nod proudly, leaning against the wall with your arms crossed in front of your chest. you pushed yourself off of the wall, high fiving the crew and congratulating them on their amazing job during the race.

you all exited the pits a few minutes later, grouping up below the rostrum. checo waved to all the fans and took his place on the third podium step.

next up was lewis who, despite the rivalry between the two teams, he was your friend as well. he was one of the people who taught you how to drive a formula 1 car and actually be good at it.

and last, but certainly not the least to step onto the rostrum was max. you smirked, clapping along to the people beside you. he punched the air, grinning widely as he scanned the crowd, spotting you and winking discreetly. you only rolled your eyes and shook your head but clapped for him nonetheless.

he received his trophy from the one and only shaquille o’neal, the height gap between them despite max’s position on the top podium, making you snort. not long after their presentation of trophies, they started to drink and spray their champagne on each other, soaking their suits and no doubt their fireproofs.

after all the celebrations and the picture taking that led you to change your shirt, it was time for the interviews. max left for the interviews and you went to the red bull building, assessing the information gotten during the race, seeing what you needed to work on even if max drove without error. your typing on the keyboard of your father’s computer and the clicking of the mouse echoed in the room. 

“so this is where you’ve been,” max mused, leaning against the doorframe of your dad’s office. you ignored him with a smirk on your face. you kept checking the data, not even sparing him a glance. you heard his footsteps get closer but you paid it no mind, feeling his arms slither around your waist.

“don’t ignore me, schatje,” you felt his breath on your neck, nudging your neck with his nose. “appreciate me.”

“i swear, verstappen, if my father sees you here,” you whispered, abandoning your work and turning in his arms, wrapping your arms around his neck regardless of your recent words. “you’re gonna get fired, probably die too.”

“i’ll take my chances,” he mumbled, tilting his head and his eyes darting to your lips. “besides, if this makes us official, even if i die in the hands of my boss right after, it would be worth it.”

you chuckle, his lips gently pressing themselves on your own. his mouth was gentle, taking his time with you, his hands slowly roaming your waist and pushing you back into the desk. your hands took his cap off, one hand holding onto it while the other combed his locks.

you detached your lips from his, chuckling when you saw his cheeks all red. you adjusted the cap in your hands, placing it on your own head and he bit his lip, fixing your hair.

“keep it. ‘looks better on you.” he complimented, tilting your head up so he could steal another kiss. you laughed, massaging his cheek as he leaned into your touch.

“you ever notice that whenever you attend my races, i win,” he spoke up, making you hum. “and if you weren’t here, i lose. badly, might i add.”

“huh,” you comment, raising your eyebrows. “you’re right. i wasn’t in silverstone but i was there in italy, i wasn’t in azerbaijan, but i was in france. now, i wasn’t in monza, but i was here. cool.” you add, making him throw his head back, laughing.

“guess you could say that you are my lucky charm, liefje.” he suggested and you agreed, nodding your head. you two were too focused on each other that you didn’t notice a third party wander into the room.

“what the fuck is this?”

you froze and max gulped, his gaze moving to the door, his eyes widening.

“oh shit.”

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾ a/n: fic look familiar? this is an old work from my old account @/theonly1outof-a-billion!

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Dean Obeidallah at The Dean's Report:

“We are at war.” This is a line I’ve written frequently to wake people to the stakes facing our nation. Donald Trump and his MAGA regime have declared war on our freedoms and our Republic. Tragically, too many of my fellow Democrats don’t get that. That is why I so appreciate what Elie Mystal—NY Times Best-selling author and justice correspondent for The Nation-- said Thursday when I interviewed him about the tactics Democratic leaders should be utilizing to fight back. Mystal urged Democrats to look at the resistance movements adopted by other “nations that been overrun by fascists.” He then cited France’s Charles De Gaulle who headed a government in exile after the Nazis occupied France during World War II.

By way of a quick reminder, in June 1940, Nazi tanks rolled in the streets of Paris as Hitler defeated the French military. An armistice was reached where the Nazis established a puppet government headed by France’s Marshal Philippe Pétain. This pro-Nazi regime became known as the Vichy government because the armistice was signed in Vichy, France.

But French General Charles de Gaulle refused to surrender. Instead, he set up in England a shadow government. British PM Winston Churchill recognized de Gaulle as the leader of the “Free French Forces.” On June 18, 1940, de Gaulle famously delivered a radio address to France from London—which became known as the “Appeal of 18 June” --urging the French people to resist the Nazi occupation. This speech is considered by historians as the beginning of the French Resistance. De Gaulle would continue to rally the French to fight the Nazis— even planning an attack in 1941 on the Vichy government which saw some success and boosted morale of the resistance efforts.

It is in that spirit that Mystal cited De Gaulle as an inspirational role model for Democrats to emulate. Mystal explained that “de Gaulle goes to England and acts as if he's the French President despite having absolutely no power to do so.” Yet De Gaulle “continued to put it out there about what France should be doing.” And in doing so, he played a major role in turning French “public opinion against the Vichy government,” Mystal explained.

The best-selling author then connected De Gaulle to today’s politics. “The Democrats should be doing the same thing” adding, “They are a government in exile, and they have to start acting like it.” To that end, Mystal was emphatic “that the Democrats should be running a kind of European style shadow government.” He noted that this shadow cabinet could “do counter programming to address every time Trump says something as well as every time Trump or his administration says or does something.” Democratic shadow cabinet officials would respond with not just fact checking but laying out what Democrats would have done if in power.

This idea of a shadow government has long been part of British politics. In the U.K, “The Shadow Cabinet” is a team of senior spokespeople chosen by the opposition party to mirror the Cabinet in Government. As the UK Parliament’s website explains, “Each member of the shadow cabinet is appointed to lead on a specific policy area for their party and to question and challenge their counterpart in the Cabinet.” For example, there is a shadow Secretary of Defense and Home office. This allows the opposition party to be viewed as an “an alternative government-in-waiting.” It's true we have not formally seen this before in U.S. politics. Although I’d argue that Trump was in effect a “shadow President” for Biden’s term—often grabbing more press than the actual President. But the fact this has not be tried before is why the media would cover it. And of course, the GOP would mock and malign the shadow government---but that would simply mean more press for our shadow leaders.

Elie Mystal is right: The Democrats should take a page out of the United Kingdom and France’s Charles de Gaulle by forming a “shadow government” to form inspiration to fight against the Trump Regime’s onslaught of lies and lawlessness.

From the 06.20.2025 edition of SiriusXM Progress' The Dean Obeidallah Show:

[marimayscarlett]

The untitled album turns 6 today 🎶💿

On this day in 2019, Rammstein released their seventh studio album. What was significant and different compared to previous albums was that this one had no written title on the cover—just an image of a matchstick. As a result, it came to be known as the “untitled” or “matchstick” album.

Richard's recurring statement in past interviews that no new album was planned is widely known. After the LIFAD tour ended in 2013, the band took a year off, and after one more meeting, another year. The general consensus was that they didn’t want to pressure themselves or each other, since the working phase for the LIFAD album had been very exhausting in terms of group dynamics. In an interview in 2015, Till revealed that the band would be meeting in September 2015 for a casual, creative gathering. In October 2015, this photo was published on the official website, showing the band improvising in Schneider’s studio:

It was decided that the band would work between the festival tours of 2016 and 2017, and that rest periods should be respected. Richard worked on his demos together with Till; the final results were presented to the rest of the band during their meetings and discussed.

As the first result of that creative period, the song 'Ramm4' was introduced during the 2016 tour. Flake commented: “We wanted to show the world that we are still together and that we are creating new music.” To this day, the song hasn’t been officially released, although it was used again as the opening song on last year’s tour.

At the end of 2016, work resumed. In March 2017, Richard mentioned in this interview for the Rammstein in Paris film that at that point, 35 almost-finished songs existed, and that the wait would be worth it. Over the course of the year, these drafts were reduced to 28. Sky van Hoff also mentioned that same year that he would be working with Rammstein. Work on the compositions continued until spring 2018, apparently under a rule of four working days per week (Monday through Thursday). The song “Deutschland” in particular weighed heavily on the band - the lyrics prompted them to repeatedly look back on their own past and exchange their views:“Everyone of us expressed his opinion in detail. All of us talked about our experiences and feelings with respect to Deutschland. Some of us even told stories about themselves that I never heard before.” (Deutschland Photobook)

Recording took place in spring 2018 at La Fabrique Studios near Nîmes in southern France, with recordings made for a total of 16 songs.

Jacob Hellner was no longer involved, his role was taken over by Olsen Involtini. In late summer 2018, the orchestral and choir parts were recorded in Minsk. In December of the same year, 11 of the 16 songs were mixed by Rich Costey, Olsen Involtini, and Richard in Santa Monica, California.

As a teaser for the album, a tracklist with placeholders for letters and durations was released in 2019, hinting at the song titles:

DEUTSCHLAND – 05:26

+ADI+ – 03:00

++++ DICH – 03:00

A+S+Ä+D+R – 03:00

++X – 03:00

P+PP+ – 03:00

+AS +CH ++E++ – 03:00

+IA+AN+ – 03:00

WE++ WE+ – 03:00

+A++OO – 03:00

+ALL++ANN – 03:00

Audio snippets, each featuring a short instrumental segment from one of the songs, gave further clues to the tracks.

Starting on the album’s release day, a large truck toured various cities in Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Austria. At each stop, visitors were given a special code they could use to win 2x2 tickets to the sold-out shows of the 2019 Europe Stadium Tour.

The album itself was visually dominated by the colors white and white. A making of video was released showing the photo shoot, which featured photographer Jes Larsen working with the band.

More little facts:

If you ordered the album in Germany from Saturn or MediaMarkt, you received a free promotional T-shirt, which has still never been officially released. Another special promotion took place in Long Beach, California: if you bought the album at the store Fingerprints Music, you had the chance to receive a free Rammstein logo tattoo.

The song “Deutschland” triggered a wave of outrage in Germany, as it was frequently misinterpreted and the music video was considered offensiven - particularly due to its references to the Holocaust.

The music video for “Radio” was projected onto a building wall in Berlin-Mitte on April 25, 2019, at 8:55 p.m., shortly before the album’s release. About 1000 fans attened the presentation:

Olsen Involtini also took on the role of mediator during the creative process. Richard reported the following: “Because of his presence, the energy between Paul and I changed dramatically. I don’t know why. It’s almost like couples therapy. It’s not about going there and getting advice from a therapist. It’s more about if you go to a therapist and you’re sitting in front of another person, you’re listening to what the other person is saying, and while they’re saying something, you’re thinking of strategies on how to fight against it. So, all of a sudden, I was listening to what he was saying and he was listening to what I was going to say. Individually, we are very, very different. Black and white. If he says ‘Yes,’ I say ‘No.’ It’s always the same story. But somehow we need that for the Rammstein universe.” (Revolver)

Sources: rammsteinworld rammwiki affenknecht discogs dw.com kerrang

[marimayscarlett]

'Mutter' turns 24 years old today 🎶💿

Today marks the 24th anniversary of the release of the band's third studio album, Mutter. The album's pre-production took place from September to December 1999 at Haus Weimar in Heiligendamm. Since the house was unfurnished, the band first had to fully equip it with furniture and essentials. A total of 13 songs were worked on at Haus Weimar. To keep track of everything, Till pinned his lyric ideas to a wall, and there was also a board with musical concepts and notes about what was still missing in each song. These brainstorming walls served as a daily meeting point for the band.

In May 2000, the band moved to the Miraval Studios in France, though they didn’t begin recording immediately. Instead, they spent another six weeks refining Till’s lyrics.

In the Galaxy Studios in Sweden, they worked with producer Ronald Prent, but ultimately, they were not satisfied with the results. The final choice fell on producer Stefan Glaumann, with whom the band worked in the MVG Studios in Stockholm in the fall of 2000. According to Flake, Glaumann was a skilled producer, but incredibly slow: mixing one song took him five days, after which he needed a two-day break. Alongside the 11 songs on the album, additional tracks were recorded during this period, including Halleluja, 5/4, Ohne Dich, Ein Lied, and Seid bereit.

Over Christmas 2000, Rammstein made Links 2 3 4 available for download on their website. Officially, Sonne (which had the working title Klitschko, after boxer Vitali Klitschko) was released as the first single on February 12, 2001, followed by Links 2 3 4 on May 14.

As part of the album promotion, the band released a CD where each song faded out after three minutes. They also distributed promo sheets featuring a "Rammstein Alphabet" (which can be read on the RammWiki page) and an interview CD with Oliver and Flake (which you can listen to here with an English translation). In this interview, Flake mentioned that the band was so moved by Spieluhr that they couldn’t bear the idea of leaving the child figuratively buried, so they added a final verse where it is dug up again.

The concept of an interview CD was later used again on a grander scale for the Reise, Reise album.

The album was released as a standard CD and vinyl LP, as well as a double CD in the U.S., which included the Sonne music video and the song Halleluja. In Japan, Halleluja appeared as a hidden track, playing only after two minutes of silence.

Directly after the release, Mutter immediately topped the charts in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, remaining at Nr. 1 in Germany for four weeks.

The iconic album cover features a fetus that had been preserved for about 200 years. The imagery sparked outrage from both the German tabloid press and the Catholic Church, and the album's release shortly before Mother's Day in 2001 only fueled the controversy.

The band photoshoot for the album followed a similar aesthetic and was created by artist couple Daniel & Geo Fuchs. For the shoot, the band members were hooked by their feet to a weight at the bottom of a Plexiglas tank and tethered with a lead belt. According to Flake, the tank began to stink over time - thanks to apparently the band farting in the water.

The Mutter tour ran from May 13, 2001, to July 13, 2002. Staying true to the album’s title, the band staged their entrance by emerging from a uterus and performed in diaper-like loincloths.

Here's the promotional picture of the band for this tour as well as the tour poster:

Some album facts:

It’s unknown which song it was, but there’s an urban legend that Till had to write 24 different lyric versions of one track before the band was satisfied.

Richard’s well-known tendency for control reached new extremes during this album’s production, making collaboration within the band increasingly difficult. This period is often described as a near breaking point for the band, as his behavior led to significant internal conflicts. Schneider commented on this, saying:

“Richard tried to lead the band, and that reached the point where we couldn’t stand it anymore. He was trying to control everything, he didn’t want to have anybody change anything that came from his word, and that was a tricky time.”

On April 16 2000, almost a year before the album’s release, the band performed a fan club concert at the Knaack Club, where they played nine of the eleven Mutter songs.

The Ich will music video was released on September 10, 2001, but was almost entirely overshadowed by the events of the following day.

After shooting the Sonne video, the band immediately boarded a flight to Australia. According to Flake, they had no time to clean themselves up:

"The flight attendants on the plane were a bit surprised by us; they probably never had such dirty passengers on board. The headrests were pitch black because our hair looked like we’d just gotten out of a mine. Fortunately, the flight attendants were forgiving when they found out why. We transferred in Los Angeles and took another flight with an American company, to whom we couldn’t explain so easily how we got our dirty faces.”

Some voices on the musical direction of the Album:

Schneider:

"The main thing about the new album is we didn’t want to make another Sehnsucht. We wanted to get away from the techno style, from the dance-oriented style. We wanted to sound more natural, more like a rock band. So we focused more on live drums, we experimented with acoustic guitars, and also tried to find innovative guitar sounds. And we used an orchestra for the first time.”

Paul:

"On our first and second albums, we were very dependent on samplers and computerized music machinery, even to write the songs. And with Mutter, we really based the songs on the guitar and are only using technology to enhance it, to give it flavor. So we didn’t want to be slaves to the machines anymore.”

Sources: rammwiki | radiobob | loudersound | morecore | affenknecht | kerrang

[meazalykov]

renewal

sydney lohmann x bayern!reader

summary: the latest transfer window was scary for you and your girlfriend

you’re one of the best, if not the best, attacking midfielders for bayern munich. one of the highest valued players in the women's bundesliga, for a player that isn’t german herself. your skills and loyalty for the badge have made you a valuable asset to bayern, but your contract is set to expire in 2024. 

the online rumor, started thanks to soccerdonna, has been buzzing with speculation about your next move—at first some said that you're transferring to lyon in france, while others think you might return to your home in the united states to play for the portland thorns. 

the rumors have caused quite a stir, especially for your girlfriend, sydney, a midfielder who plays for bayern.

after you started at bayern in 2020, sydney and you were friends. not long after, she confessed her feelings for you and you guys have managed to maintain a strong relationship throughout the next three years, making it a point to spend a lot of time together.

 

however, the recent speculation about your future has made sydney anxious. 

little do you know, sydney is going to renew her contract for bayern. you kind of suspected it, sydney is in love with bayern and would never leave anytime soon. 

little did sydney know, bayern is pleased with your performance and eager to extend your contract until 2026, a detail you're not yet allowed to disclose publicly.

during an interview after the game between bayern and freiburg, where you managed to score a goal and two assists, you were asked about your recent rumors. you should’ve known that the elephant in the room needed to be addressed. 

"y/n, there's been a lot of speculation about your future in the last few weeks. can you shed any light on the rumors linking you to lyon or a return to the NWSL with the portland thorns?"

you smile politely, moving your cross your arms as you think about the words you have to say next, 

"well, you know how rumors can be," you begin, trying to keep your tone light. "right now, i’m fully focused on bayern and finishing the season strong with my team. it's been a great journey here, i’m very very happy with this club and i'm committed to giving my best."

the blonde interviewer nods, pressing on gently. "but with your contract expiring in 2024, fans are eager to know if you've made any decisions about your future. can you give us any hints?"

you chuckle softly, as your fingers tangle onto the red zipper on your puffer jacket. the media rooms were a little cold considering you’d played a full 90 minute match. 

"i understand the curiosity, but at this point, there's nothing official to announce. bayern has been a fantastic place for me, and i'm really happy here. when the time comes for an announcement, you'll all be the first to know.”

there were rumors about sydney going to the wsl or the nwsl. you knew you shouldn’t believe them, but transfer windows can shock anyone. sydney was outspoken about “not being afraid to live in new places” too. 

during the days where you guys have the day off to spend with each other— you can feel the tension between you both grow as the rumors persist. 

sitting on the couch in your munich apartment, sydney stared at you intensely as she stood by the couch. she watched your fingers flick on the remote, while your eyes watched the TV flickering in the background with a rerun of your favorite netflix show. you know she's staring at you, but she had a tendency to do that a lot. 

"baby, i need to ask you something," she says, her voice hesitant. you look up at her with worried eyes as she moved to sit beside you on the couch, only giving an inch of space. that was too far for you, though. 

your eyebrows knitted together in curiosity, your look gave her the silent permission to continue with her question. 

"are you really moving back to the states to play with portland?"

you fully turn your body to her, ignoring the tv, and you see the worry in her eyes. before moving to munich in 2020, you played in the nwsl in your home country. starting off with the washington spirit straight out of high school before playing in the 2019 world cup, winning it all at just 17. 

eventually, you moved to orlando pride before wanting to have a full change. you knew that a different league would be the best for your growth.

many european clubs were on your doorstep, wanting to send you offers due to how natural you were with the ball. you chose bayern and have been loyal to the club ever since. 

your heart aches knowing how much the uncertainty has been affecting sydney. one thing you couldn’t stand was seeing your happy and silly girl so upset. 

at this point, you’ve already signed the renewal with bayern, it wouldn’t hurt telling your girlfriend about the news.  

"no, sweet pea," you say gently, taking her hands in yours. "bayern is happy with me and i’m happy with bayern so i'm renewing my contract with bayern until 2026. i’m sorry for not telling you before, i just couldn't say anything until it actually happened."

sydney's eyes widen in surprise before a wave of relief washes over her face. she wraps her strong arms around your shoulders as you, naturally, place your hand on her right knee. 

"you're staying?" she whispers, almost in disbelief. the rumors scared her recently and it was clear. the german girl loves you so much.

you nod, smiling softly. "yes, i'm staying. i love it here in germany, and i love being with you. I can’t leave, this is my home."

tears of happiness well up in sydney's eyes as she pulls you into a tighter embrace, moving your body so you’re sitting on her lap instead. she holds your lower waist as you bury your head into her neck. "you don’t understand how relieved i am," she says, her voice muffled against your shoulder. "i've been so worried."

you hold her tightly, grateful that feeling the tension between you both is gone. "i know, syd. it's been hard not being able to tell you."

syd pulls your body back slightly, looking up into your eyes as her hands move to sit on your thighs. "well, i have something to tell you too," she says, a small smile playing on her lips. 

“what is it?” you say with a surprised look on your face. you hoped it was good news, but due to the look on syd’s face, you can tell it was.

"the rumors about me staying at bayern are true. i wanted to surprise you later but the rumors are starting to get a little crazier."

your heart skips a beat. "you’re staying?" you ask your lover, hardly daring to believe it. especially since you thought sydney wanted a change away from her home. 

she nods, her smile widening. "yes, i wanted to stay close to you and stay in germany. i wouldn't stand the thought of us being apart for so long."

you both laugh, the joy of the moment overwhelming. "this is amazing," you say, kissing her forehead softly.

“i love you.” 

“Ich liebe dich mehr.”

<3

[pro-cycling-primers]

🚴‍♀️🚴‍♂️ So, you're interested in starting watching cycling in 2025 (I hope), but have no idea where to start? 🚴‍♂️🚴‍♀️

Before the start of the road cycling season this year, I thought I'd post some information for people completely new to the sport. You might have seen some Tumblr posts going crazy about men and women in tight lycra, or watched a bit of the Tour de France on TV once, or maybe this post found you some other way! Let's get to it.

When does it happen?

Cycling doesn't have a set timetable nor are races only at weekends. It's mostly the same each year, but there have been some changes over the hundred-plus years professional cycling has been around.

The WorldTour (highest level of pro cycling, more about that in a later post) season lasts officially from January until October, with the full women's calendar for 2025 looking like this:

And the men's like this:

Don't try to watch all of them. Or do, I'm just a Tumblr blogger hoping more people get interested in this great sport 🤷

Okay then, which races should I watch?

The answers to this are many and varied; every list of 'best races to watch' will have at least one cycling fan clamouring 'But HOW could you ignore [x]!?'

In terms of basic introduction to the sport, I think this would give a solid season-wide grounding:

Five one-day races have mostly arbitrarily been declared The Monuments: Milano-Sanremo, Paris-Roubaix, de Ronde van Vlaanderen, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, and Il Lombardia. (A more detailed post about these will be coming later in the season). All but Lombardia have men's and women's versions, with Milano-Sanremo Donne running for the first time in 2025, though Trofeo Alfredo Binda is a more well-established women's race in a similar region at a similar time.

Each has its own quirks, history, and favour different kinds of riders. The big names (except the pure stage racers) will be there.

I'd also recommend one of the early-season one-week stage races, Paris-Nice or Tirreno-Adriatico. They run at the same time, for one week in March, and present the first opportunity for the top stage racers to stretch their legs (another post about different types of riders will come). On the women's side, Itzulia Women or Tour de Suisse.

One of the Grand Tours is in my view, essential: Giro d'Italia, Vuelta a España, or the big one, the Tour de France

If you want, you can disregard this entire section and just watch the Tour. It's the biggest race there is, the most-covered, and teams bring their best riders in their best shape. It's a massive cultural event. If you take nothing from this post other than following a little closer in July, then it has been a success in my book.

How can I watch cycling?

Cycling has a serious lack of easily accessible coverage. Every race organiser has different TV rights arrangements, varying MASSIVELY from country to country, with some having free-to-air coverage of most races on national television but some having no option other than the paid services Discovery+ and Eurosport.

For an international suggestion there is a lovely site: tiz [dash] cycling [dot] io has free (!) livestreams of every race you could feasibly ever want to watch, and a back catalogue covering most of the last decade +

5-15 minute highlight videos from YouTube channels such as Eurosport, FloBikes etc. are also available a few hours after a race finishes! The Tour de France has its own channel with decent highlights and interviews.

See you later in the season!

[jestersprivilegee]

High and Dry | ch. 1

t. jefferson x reader

Warnings: swearing, chronic overuse of italics

Wc: 3.2k

When starting your fourth year of teaching at a new high school, you come face to face with your old friend-turned-enemy: Thomas Jefferson. To make it worse, he’s the other English teacher you’re supposed to work with the whole year.

A/N: the rewritten version of High and Dry And this time I actually have a plan and thought out characters!!! Enjoy lovelies 💕

There’s a certain feeling that comes with a new school year.

Especially when starting your first year as the newest English One teacher to grace Hudson High School. Those distinct, back-to-school jitters that come with the anticipation of a new year were hitting you.

Students shop for new clothes, new notebooks, new backpacks, everything new. Teachers and administrators prepare classrooms, getting everything set up to welcome the newest generation of Freshmen, as well as new staff.

You were one of those newbies. And god, what a feeling of not knowing anyone and having to spend every day here. There’s a thrill that comes with it, something words couldn’t explain.

When you interviewed for the position, George Washington intimidated the fuck out of you. Upon talking to him, he turned out to be a genuine, humble man, but scarily confident. He was the first face you happened to bump into upon entering the school for the first required day over the summer. There were three days before school officially started, and you procrastinated getting your classroom set up and introducing yourself to coworkers.

Next to Washington stood a smaller man. One that had a feistier look to him. There was a stark contrast between the two; Washington was nearly a foot taller than the younger guy, and held himself so calmly while the other was borderline ADHD.

“Ah, Miss L/n. We were just talking about you,” Principal Washington smiled, shaking your hand. He turned to the other man, “this is the new freshman English teacher.”

The young teacher’s eyes lit up, and he grinned widely, sticking his hand out for you to shake. “Alexander Hamilton. Pleasure to meet you,” he introduced.

You nodded, smiling out of politeness and shaking his hand. “Nice to meet you. Would you happen to know which way the G hallway is?”

“I’ll show you. I’m in the same hallway, y’know, with it being the English hall obviously,” he chuckled, ushering you to follow him. You gave Washington a nod in acknowledgment before embarking on the journey to the English Hall.

“Are you the other English one teacher?” You asked, falling into step with the man.

He let out a loud, bitter laugh. “God, no. I teach English four.” He led you upstairs. “The other freshman English is way worse than I.”

You furrowed your eyebrows. He seemed to have noticed the falter in your steps, because he backtracked to reassure you.

“I’m sorry, that came off a little strong. I’ve had some minor…quarrels with Jefferson in the past. But don’t let that scare you, I’m sure you’ll get along fine.” He waved his hands around, then quietly added on, “If you like arrogant, intransigent assholes.”

Jefferson. That name struck so many bad memories. A chill ran up your spine, and you had to reassure yourself that Jefferson was a common last name. Besides, the one you had known was in France last time you checked.

“You describe him so nicely. I’m looking forward to working with Mr. Jefferson,” you smiled, voice laced with sarcasm. Hamilton laughed, sending an amused grin your way.

“You’ll be okay. It’s only me he truly fights with.” Hamilton shrugged. “Enough about me. Tell me about yourself, Miss L/n.”

You shook your head, a smile tugging at your lips. “You can just call me Y/n. And here I was, thinking I was saved from small talk.”

“If you’d prefer to talk about my hatred for your new coworker, or rather listen to me talk about it, it’s always on the table,” he offered. Something about it was so lighthearted. He was really easy to be around, to talk to. “No, but seriously. What got you into teaching?”

“Well, teaching just kind of clicked with me. I subbed once during college, and I loved the atmosphere. I love the idea of helping people grow into who they’re meant to be, giving every student a chance at success. Granted, some of the kids are frustrating, but when handled correctly, they aren’t bad at all. You just have to understand where they come from.” You explained, examining the postures of books strung up on the wall.

You must’ve made it to the English hallway, because where else would there be a giant quote from The Outsiders painted on the wall?

“I understand that completely. It’s so rewarding, watching the younger generations find their passions. Getting to play a part in every individual’s success,” he grinned, showing you to the doorway of a soulless room. “Here we are. Home sweet home.”

You flicked the lights on, scanning the bare white walls. It looked like an asylum, and hell, it felt like one too.

“It looks like Jefferson isn’t here right now,” Alex said, poking his head into the room next door. “You got lucky. For now.”

You chuckled, peeking into Jefferson’s room. The lights were on, so he was around somewhere, but there was no way of knowing where. He had a cozy little setup. Lights were strung on the ceiling, there were multiple posters littered around the room referencing pop culture, a bookshelf was stashed in the corner, and his desk was home to trinkets and useless objects. On the wall next to his desk, there were pages, drawings, and letters from past students thanking him for being such a good teacher. That gave you some hope. Maybe Alexander Hamilton was dramatic, maybe Jefferson wouldn’t be so bad.

“Anyway, I’ll let you get set up. My room is just down the hall, G224, if you ever need anything.” He said, and with that, he disappeared.

—

After making about a million trips to your car and back, bringing in all the decorations, books, and supplies you needed, you could finally start setting up your classroom.

Normally, you would’ve complained about having to make so many trips, but it allowed you to navigate the layout of the place. Hudson High was by far the largest school you’ve ever worked at. And with no connections to it or anyone else, it was a fresh start, a clean slate to make good memories. On your final trip, you glanced into Jefferson’s room again to catch a glimpse of the man you would be spending the rest of the school year with, but he wasn’t there.

You could, however, outdo him in his decorating skills.

It wasn’t like you wanted to make him look bad or anything, you just wanted to show out. Make your presence known, and in the process build the best English classroom anyone has ever seen.

An hour-and-a-half of uninterrupted work was all it took for it to be fully set up. You had fairy lights and warm lamps to replace the fluorescent school lighting, a beanbag in the corner, a bookshelf twice the size of his, organized by color because it was prettier that way (despite all the hate you get for it), and succulents on the windowsill. All that was left was your desk.

Before you could begin, the distinct chime of the announcements rang, disrupting your flow.

“All staff please report to the library for a mandatory opening meeting.”

Groaning, you wiped the sweat beading on your forehead, and trekked to the library. Since you hadn’t been anywhere else in this school other than your classroom, you followed behind other staff members for guidance.

When you arrived, Hamilton called your name, waving you over. You grinned and joined him in the back. He was already sitting with a few other people—two having their hair tied into a man bun, and one wearing a blue beanie.

“Who is this belle femme?” A French accent spoke, the man leaning forward on his hands.

“This is Y/n L/n,” Alex introduced you to the group. You gave a shy smile and waved. “Y/n, this is John Laurens, Hercules Mulligan, and—“

“I am Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette,” the same Frenchman took your hand, planting a charming kiss on it. “But you may call me Lafayette.”

You raised a surprised eyebrow, not at all impressed by his attempt at flattery. The idea of France spiked feelings you didn’t want to think about. Mostly related to your oh-so-fun high school experience, or lack thereof.

“Or call him Marie like we all do,” Mulligan laughed, shoving Lafayette's shoulder. Lafayette—or Marie?—shot him a glare, grumbling something under his breath.

“Ignore him,” Alex snorted, rolling his eyes. “He just got broken up with again, even though we all know they’ll be back together within a week.”

“‘Ey! She said it was serious this time,” Lafayette pouted.

“Sure,” Alex turned to you, lowering his voice, “she said the same thing last time. Don’t be fooled.”

You giggled, eyes lighting up in amusement at the antics of the table. You haven’t been around friends this close in a long, long time. It was almost uncomfortable; you didn’t know what to do, where to put your hands, or if you should speak more. Being a pretty quiet person by nature, it wasn't hard for you to stay quiet and observe. Your eyes shifted to the only person who hadn’t spoken yet—Laurens.

He was sitting closest to Hamilton, slumped in his seat so their shoulders were nearly touching.

“How’s the classroom coming along?” Alex asked, breaking you from your thoughts.

Sitting up straighter, you forced a smile, “pretty good. Haven’t met this Jefferson character yet, so I’m a little anxious.”

“Wait, she hasn’t met Jefferson?” Laurens spoke, eyebrows raised high as he glanced from you to Alexander.

“He wasn’t there when I showed her to her room,” he shrugged. “Guess he hasn’t been around yet.”

A wild, almost sarcastic smirk formed on John’s face. “Well, you’re in for a treat.”

“Oh, c’mon guys, he is not ‘zat bad,” Lafayette jumped in.

“You only say that because he speaks French, too,” Hercules scoffed.

Laf frowned. “Not true. He’s a great friend if you just give ‘im a chance. Hamilton and John speak French, too, but I’m not friends with them just for ‘zat.”

At this point, you didn’t know who to believe. Everyone had told you one thing, then Lafayette entered and now he was telling you another. So was Jefferson an asshole or not? They bickered back and forth on the subject, and at some point it turned into an argument about unrelated topics. You absorbed the conversation, trying to get a feel for what having a normal friend group could be like, envisioning yourself having this kind of dynamic with them. As long as you don’t fuck it up somehow, maybe they’ll accept you as their own.

Alex and John seemed used to it, as they started asking you questions about yourself. Where are you from, where did you used to teach, how are you liking Hudson so far, how’s your relationship with your mom…the works. Well, they didn’t ask the last one.

“You’re much better than Lee,” John commented. “He was a pain.”

“Lee?” You questioned.

“Oh, yeah. He was the English teacher before you, but he quit after a…debate.” He grinned, clearly proud about something. You furrowed your eyebrows, cocking your head to the side in confusion.

“He got into a fight with him because he was denouncing Washington’s name,” Alex chimed in. You couldn’t control the slight widening of your eyes. He had a physical altercation with someone over some words?

“Men never fail to surprise me…” you muttered.

“In my defense, we gave him multiple warnings. But he didn’t listen. And look where that got him?”

“A new job at a different school, I suppose,” Alex smirked, “and a trip to the hospital.”

They shared a laugh, and you couldn’t help the sick twisting of your stomach. Were they seriously bragging about putting a man in the hospital? That should’ve been the first red flag. They sensed your discomfort, calming down and putting a reassuring hand on your shoulder. You tensed at his touch.

“Relax. He was okay. He also started it, too, if that says anything.” Alex said, voice softer than before.

“I promise I won’t fight you,” Laurens joked half-heartedly. A smile cracked on your face, relaxing your shoulders.

“How did you not get fired?” You asked. Hamilton's hand fell back to his lap.

John shrugged. “I got really close to it. Hamilton here is particularly close with Washington, and has a way with words. He vouched for my innocence.”

You hummed, watching Alex flash a toothy, prideful grin. “Good to know.”

“If I could have everyone’s attention, please!” Washington’s voice boomed over the light chatter of the library, effectively silencing everyone. You straightened in your chair and faced forward, glancing from him to the backs of people's heads.

“First and foremost, welcome back everyone! And welcome new teachers. I hope everyone had a great summer break, and this new year is going to be very promising for all. Now, for a brief overview of school policy—“ you only halfway listened from there. All he talked about was basic laws and regulations teachers are required to take, as well as mentioning drills that would be practiced during the first couple months.

Your eyes scanned the crowd of educators. A head of thick, dark curly hair caught your eye. Somewhere at the front, a man wearing a magenta polo sat, his broad shoulders and arms filling out the shirt nicely. You leaned forward in interest, heart fluttering when he turned and you caught a snippet of his nose, as well as a stubble. ‘Please let him be Jefferson. And please let him be hot.’

As quick as the meeting started, it was over. The whole time, your eyes were trained on the man in the magenta polo, silently praying he was the Jefferson you would have to work with all year.

Hamilton nudged you, signaling it was over. You stood and followed the group out, searching for the magenta-polo guy, but he was already gone. Hamilton suggested that you see where the other guys’ classrooms were, so if you needed anything, you knew where to go. It would’ve been rude to say no, so you didn’t protest, and followed them blindly around the premise.

Lafayette was the French teacher and coached track, so he was downstairs in the foreign language hallway. His room was very colorful, very him.

Mulligan was the art teacher and boys’ wrestling coach. Out of everything you expected him to teach, art was not it. Wrestling fit him, but imagining him painting was a curveball.

Laurens taught U.S. government and coached football. His room was filled with posters of both famous football players and different political systems. Having Tom Brady and facism on the same wall was wild, but hey, if that’s what he’s into.

After touring (some) of the campus, Hamilton walked back to the hallway you were beginning to familiarize yourself with, and offered a glimpse into his class.

And wow, he outdid himself.

“Jesus—how long did it take for you to put all this up?” You asked, staring at the tapestries and rows of books that he had. He stood, pride swelling in his chest as he watched you examine the room in awe.

“A while. Don’t worry about it,” he winked. “You’ll get to my level one day.”

You scoffed, shooting him a playful glare. “Okay, I get it. You win the best Pinterest room award; congratulations.”

“Why, thank you,” he bowed dramatically. A grin spread on both your faces, and your heart was giddy with the excitement that comes with making a new friend. Let him last, please.

“I have to finish setting up my desk. But thank you for introducing me to your friends. They were very…”

“Obnoxious?” He interjected. You shook your head, a fondness evident in your voice when you spoke.

“Endearing. I like them,” you finished.

There was a pause in the conversation, and his eyes lingered on you. “I’m glad they didn’t scare you off. You’re always welcome to hang out with us, by the way.”

“Thank you,” you took some steps towards the door—which had a large poster that read ‘BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU’ as well as a pair of eyes drawn to stare into your soul. Ah, the genius that is 1984. “I have to finish setting up my desk. I’ll see you around?”

“See you around.” He confirmed.

On the short walk to your own cell, you stopped to peek into Jefferson’s room, expecting him not to be in there. But surprise surprise! The man, the myth, the legend you’ve heard so many negative things about was in there, hunched over and writing something down.

And to make it better, it was magenta-polo guy.

Your heart fluttered in excitement, and you stepped in. “You must be the infamous Jefferson I’ve heard so much about.”

“That would be me,” he spoke. Even his voice was hot. It was mature, husky, and—familiar. Way too familiar.

He looked up, and your smile instantly dropped. Stomach dropped. Face paled. Time stopped. Everything seemed to have frozen in place, including him, because he stood there, eyes wide with recognition.

“Thomas?” You seethed, taking a defensive step back.

He was seriously who you were ogling? The man who destroyed every friendship you had in high school, the man who broke every ounce of trust you held for him?

“Y/n.” His face twisted to a sour frown. You hated the way your name fell so naturally from his tongue.

“I thought you were in France.” A deep scowl spread overtook your face. He seemed to have reciprocated the same bitter expression.

“I was. Then I came back,” he growled. “I didn’t think I’d ever see you again.”

“Believe me, I’m not exactly thrilled about this either.” You barked out a bitter laugh. He scoffed, shifting his weight so he was crossing his arms.

“Don’t be childish. We can move on from the past, y’know.”

“After you ruined my social life? No thanks,” you retorted. He let out an exhausted groan, dragging a hand over his face.

“We both know there’s more to it than that.” He walked around from behind his desk, taking some steps towards you.

“What? I was ‘jealous’ of you? Is that it?” You snapped, narrowing your eyes. All the rage you built up was manifesting in this very moment. Everything you’ve ever wanted to say to him, you could. Tell him how he was a shitty friend for leaving you, for hurting you the way he did.

“Because you ruined my chance at a scholarship!” He hissed.

“I didn’t ruin shit! You act like I sabotaged your entire fucking career! It was junior year, for crying out loud!” You threw your hands up, pacing around his classroom.

He inhaled sharply, clenching his jaw. The way his demeanor changed from rash and sharp to ice cold horrified you, stopping you dead in your tracks. Thomas took a small, but powerful step closer, causing you to shift back one in response.

“Y/n,” he started, staring down at you with so much calmed rage that you almost started trembling. “Let’s end this conversation here. You can see yourself out.”

Wordlessly, your nostrils flared and you stepped out of his classroom. He shut the door behind you. Disbelief, rage, hatred, resentment coursed through your veins. Thomas Jefferson, the man who abandoned you during a dark time, the man who borderline bullied you during your lowest point, and the man you once considered your ride or die was supposed to be the man you had to work with the rest of the year.

So much for a fresh start.

[furinana]

Two funny Isabeau tidbits

He is clearly a grown-ass gentleman, yet isn't his way of speaking very childish?

Isabeau is a bit naive with language; she's so used to speak in a refined manner that when she tries to say slangs that she heard from people from Tokyo, she ends up clumping both polite and casual words together (probably because she can't tell the level of politeness apart), resulting in she spouting unnatural sentences.

This trait is also shown in an audio from the official website interview

"[...] when the topic turns to manga, she seem to lose her composure and starts to speak passionately about it. Her favorite stories are ones set in 18th century France featuring beautiful women dressed as men, and recently she seems to be into the tanbi kei genre as well."

Before the term "boys' love" was established in the 1990s, tanbi kei was used colloquially for idealized romance fiction between men aimed at female readers. Tanbi kei is combination of "tanbi" (aestheticism), and "kei" (style). It broadly refers to an ideal of male beauty defined by fragility, sensitivity, and delicateness.

This term came with the launch of magazine "Comic Jun" (later June) in 1978, the forerunner of the genre. The magazine dealt with serious and dark themes in male romance, often sexual in nature, that were presented with art that emphasized beautiful features.

Artists such as Keiko Takemiya and Akimi Yoshida contributed to the magazine.

From then on, original works that followed said specifics at doujinshi events were called either OriJune (as in "original June") or tanbi kei.

To this day it's still used as a label for works that depict "beauty that goes against morals and social norms." So you can understand the double entendre of this scene...

[probablyasocialecologist]

More than half of Iran’s weapons were destroyed by U.S. aircraft and missiles before they ever reached Israel. In fact, by commanding a multinational air defense operation and scrambling American fighter jets, this was a U.S. military triumph.   The extent of the U.S. military operation is unbeknownst to the American public, but the Pentagon coordinated a multination, regionwide defense extending from northern Iraq to the southern Persian Gulf on Saturday. During the operation, the U.S., U.K., France, and Jordan all shot down the majority of Iranian drones and missiles. In fact, where U.S. aircraft originated from has not been officially announced, an omission that has been repeated by the mainstream media. Additionally, the role of Saudi Arabia is unclear, both as a base for the United States and in terms of any actions by the Saudi military.

[...]

Israel’s statement that it shot down the majority of Iranian “cruise missiles” is probably an exaggeration. According to U.S. military sources and preliminary reporting, U.S. and allied aircraft shot down the majority of drones and cruise missiles. U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said that the Royal Air Force Typhoons intercepted “a number” of Iranian weapons over Iraqi and Syrian airspace. The Jordanian government has also hinted that its aircraft downed some Iranian weapons. “We will intercept every drone or missile that violates Jordan’s airspace to avert any danger. Anything posing a threat to Jordan and the security of Jordanians, we will confront it with all our capabilities and resources,” Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said during an interview on the Al-Mamlaka news channel. French fighters also shot down some drones and possibly cruise missiles.

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

Hey, so you seem to be the the All Knowing in terms of twst. With Glorious Masquerade getting a rerun soon, I was looking at the cards.

So what the heck is up with Jamil's freaking hat? I'm sorry but I can't look at it without laughing. It looks so stupid. The closest thing I can think of that matches it is the combined crowns of upper and lower Egypt, but this is the equivalent of France so that can't be it.

While I’m flattered that people come to me with their questions, I want to take a moment to remind everyone that I’m just another TWST fan like you are! ^^ It’s stressful to be considered “all knowing” or a fandom authority 💦 That puts a lot of pressure on me to speak on certain subjects or to interact in a certain way (since people might put too much stock into what I say), and then that ends up detracting from my enjoyment. I’d rather not be put on such a high pedestal, please and thank you.

Now, onto the question!

According to Rollo in 1-13 of Glorious Masquerade, the costumes the NRC students were gifted are “patterned after designs that are over 500 years old.”

If we extrapolate this to real life, the implication is that these costumes have roots in Renaissance era (14th century to 17th century) French fashion. Interestingly, Rollo’s own hat is similar to a tricorne, which was primarily worn in the 18th century… so technically, his hat is more “modern” than what the NRC students wear 😂

So I browsed through records of hats from the indicated period and guess what? I couldn’t find an exact match—though I did find a lot of hat designs that I found way sillier than what the NRC boys have. Like… sorry, what is THAT 😭

Some headwear which bears a vague similarity to Jamil’s hat are the Egyptian combined/double crown (the pschent), which Anon has already mentioned, and the French hood, which was worn by women in the 15th century.

The actual closest match I came across was the mitre, a liturgical headdresses worn by Roman Catholic officials. If you look at it from the front, it doesn’t look like much, but it definitely has the height of Jamil’s hat. But then look closer and you’ll realize the mitre does not have one single flap of fabric, but rather two.

If you take the front flap of a mitre and fold it back, you would probably get something very similar to what Jamil wears. (Note that the black part of the hat is NOT his hair, but is fabric that is part of the hat.)

Considering that Noble Bell College is styled like a cathedral and that the Renaissance era from which the Masquerade Dress clothing derives is characterized by the rediscovery of classical literature, art, and philosophy… perhaps it’s not so strange to see a hat borne of religious associations.

… Why did Jamil specifically get this hat? Not sure, I’m not religious myself so don’t ask me to psychoanalyze him from that angle 😂

The golden part securing the front is unusual and does not appear in French fashion of the time (at least not from what I could tell?). It’s styled like pschent but more likely is meant to be turban-like due to Jamil’s inspiration, Jafar, having the same feather sticking up in the middle of a bulbous hat. You’ll notice Jamil had a “feather” too, albeit metal:

To summarize, I think the design of Masquerade Dress Jamil’s hat borrows from multiple inspirations and not just one/old French fashion. Yana has stated before in a March 2023 interview with the Apple App Store that the cultures of Twisted Wonderland are unique and that the clothing that appears in the game are not “reinterpretations of existing costumes”. She seems to incorporate elements from both high fashion and from a variety of cultures to arrive at the final designs. For example, there are elements of many Nordic cultures in the Apple Pom outfits, and the Pomefiore uniform has a Japanese kimono-like silhouette despite the dorm being based on the the Evil Queen (originating from a German tale). I assume something similar happened when designing the Masquerade Dresses; Yana and co. wanted to combine elements and make something of their own.

Final comment I'll make, the shape of Jamil's hat looks like a kind of dumpling... It makes me hungry.

[mariacallous]

When the claims representative, whom I’ll call Steven, sat down at his computer around 7:15 A.M. last week, he had already been awake for an hour and a half. The morning routine for him and his family is best described as “fend for yourself,” he said. That day, he waited for his older son to shower before taking his turn; neither he nor his wife had time for breakfast. He had joined the Social Security Administration two decades ago, and came to specialize in one of its more complex and lesser-known functions: providing a form of welfare called Supplemental Security Income, or S.S.I., to people who are disabled or extremely poor. But the S.S.A. is so understaffed that Steven does a bit of everything. “My job is to be kind of like an octopus,” he said. The agency’s administrative budget had not kept up with its rising workload as more people aged into retirement. Now news outlets were reporting that President Donald Trump and Elon Musk, via Musk’s DOGE outfit, planned to fire up to half of the agency’s sixty-thousand-odd employees. (The S.S.A. later said that its goal was to lose seven thousand.) DOGE had also gained access to S.S.A. databases. “We don’t know how long we’ll be here,” Steven said. “Some people are really pissed. Others are sad and emotional. Others are making plans.” A couple days earlier, Trump had delivered a long self-congratulatory speech to Congress, in which he accused the S.S.A. of “shocking levels of incompetence and probable fraud.”

Steven lives in a Midwestern town near where he was born and raised, which means that he occasionally recognizes a relative or a family friend in a case file and has to recuse himself. Three days a week, he’s at a cubicle in a regional field office, one of twelve hundred across the U.S. The other two days, he works from home, at a plastic folding table in the corner of his bedroom. He was on the early shift. His laptop was propped up on a neon-green bin, the kind typically used to store Legos or crayons. It was flanked by two large monitors, creating a triptych. All around him were piles of kids’ clothes and books. Near his left foot was a tiny metal car; he had taped yellow notecards reading “clock,” “fan,” and “shelf” to a clock, fan, and shelf for the benefit of his youngest child, who was learning to read. Steven’s wife made drop-offs at kindergarten and day care, then came home. She has her own office setup downstairs.

The day officially started when Steven logged on to a dozen software programs. One had a blocky monochrome interface that looked like it was from the late nineties. Another was labelled “Workload Action Center,” in a light-brown, slanted font of a similar vintage. Steven kept a list of his passwords, which he had to routinely update, on a scrap of paper next to his keyboard. He scanned something called a “Tickle List” that highlighted urgent cases. His primary task was to conduct nonmedical “redetermination” interviews (code: “RZ”)—part of the S.S.A.’s process for insuring that current recipients are still eligible to receive benefits. More than seven million Americans of all ages count on S.S.I., and sixty-eight million seniors receive earned retirement payments. Social Security is the largest government program in the country and most recipients’ main source of income. It was envisioned by Frances Perkins during the Great Depression. “Redeterminations are the highest priority,” Steven said. “We should have three to five people on them at every office. Sometimes there’s only one.”

He put on a wireless headset that connected to his laptop and an online phone system. The first redetermination call was with a parent who was receiving S.S.I. on behalf of a disabled child. “Hi, this is Steven, from Social Security Administration,” he said. “I’m just calling to see if you’re able to do the redetermination appointment.” His stomach growled. The bottom-right corner of his center screen flickered with notifications. He stayed with the caller. Date of birth? Marriages? Job placements? He clicked “yes” and “no” bubbles and typed in numbers. He had much of the script memorized. “Any items held for potential value?” he asked. “Promissory notes, real property or business property, or ABLE accounts?” S.S.I. is allocated based on an applicant’s income, assets, family size, and other factors. It often takes a year, and the help of a lawyer, to get a decision. (Earlier in Steven’s career, the time frame had been three to six months.) If an application is rejected, the case can be appealed to an administrative-law judge, and the wait for those hearings is around two years.

“That was the last amount verified,” Steven continued. “Has that changed?” While waiting for the program to advance to the next screen, he glanced at e-mails on his rightmost monitor. There were more from headquarters and human resources and the employees’ union than usual. Since November, three S.S.A. commissioners or acting commissioners had come and gone: Martin O’Malley, Carolyn W. Colvin, and Michelle King. The guy in charge now was Leland Dudek, whom Trump had elevated from a middle-management role for his eagerness to help DOGE access S.S.A. files, a vast library of individual medical, housing, family, and financial records. Dudek announced plans to eliminate six out of ten regional headquarters; several directors left the agency. In an all-staff e-mail, Dudek wrote:

Criticism, contempt, stonewalling, and defensiveness are the four forces that can end any relationship and weaken any institution. . . .

Elections have consequences. . . .

Now, under President Trump, we follow established precedent: we serve at the pleasure and direction of the President. Only the Courts or Congress can intervene.

The latest e-mail from headquarters stated that, “effective today,” employees were prohibited from engaging in “Internet browsing” of “general news” or “sports” on “government-furnished equipment.”

Steven was almost done with the redetermination. Hard cases, like an overpayment that needed to be clawed back, could “make the conversation longer, vulgar.” This one was easy; the payments, of around a thousand dollars per month, would continue. “You will receive a summary statement regarding the information that we discussed,” he said. He moved on to a second call. This one, too, involved a young adult whose caretaker—in this case, a nonprofit organization—was the payee. “Hello. This is Steven from Social Security. How are you?” His cellphone buzzed. Since Trump’s reëlection, he had been in a prolific, darkly humorous group chat with fellow S.S.A. workers in the Midwest. He referred to them as his sisters and brothers. The incoming message was a link to a news story about the imminent closure of S.S.A. field offices in the area. One man in the chat, who voted Republican but had grown skeptical of Trump, wrote, “Fucking unbelievable. . . . This would devastate our agency’s ability to serve the public.”

Meanwhile, the redetermination call was getting tricky. A new source of income seemed to be complicating the calculation of resources. Steven put the nonprofit on hold and logged into Equifax. He walked across the room to grab a plastic bottle of water and took a swig. “I’m trying really not to go off the deep end,” he said. If his office closed, and the neighboring offices closed, many people would have no way of getting benefits. For one thing, applications for Social Security cards and certain forms of S.S.I. had to be submitted in person.

Steven worried about his own well-being, too. His kids were on his health insurance. He and his wife had to take care of his father. S.S.A.’s human-resources division had sent an e-mail titled “Organizational Restructuring—Availability of Voluntary Reassignment, Early Out Retirement, and Separation Incentive Payments to ALL ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEES—No Component or Position Exceptions,” which seemed to pressure workers to leave. “A lot of this stuff is intentionally degrading,” Steven said. “They’re trying to do whatever they can to get people to resign.” Recently, he and other field-office staff were told that their jobs were safe because they were “mission critical.” That was reassuring, but only “a little bit.”

When the Equifax search proved inconclusive, Steven told the nonprofit, “I’ll have to put this on the back burner for a bit until I can get some info.” All three of his screens were noisy. In Microsoft Teams, a supervisor was asking for updates on specific cases. Another window showed the names of people waiting in the lobby of the field office, in real time. He stared at a name in the queue. “This one, I’ve been playing phone tag with her,” Steven said. He opened a chat to alert a colleague at the office.

The work is surprisingly personal. A Social Security file contains a lot of intimate information. From a quick glance, Steven can tell where a recipient was born, what language they speak, whether they’d been involved in the child-welfare system, if they are married, whether that marriage had ended as a result of divorce or death. He has some colleagues whose “attitudes suck to high heaven,” caused by a mix of stress and a suspicion of the poor. “I love helping people,” he said. “You’re the first contact for them.”

Next, Steven had to get “on the phones.” Fielding random calls on the S.S.A. hotline isn’t technically part of his job, but he didn’t question the assignment. For several weeks, everyone had been required to help out. “Good morning. Social Security. This is Steven,” he said. “What is your Social Security number, please? All right, starting with your name and date of birth . . .” He wrapped up his first few calls rather quickly. He sent out a missing tax document, scheduled a father for an in-person appointment to get a Social Security card for his baby, and confirmed bank information for a recipient’s direct deposit. A fourth call, involving a lost check, was more complicated. He rubbed his forehead with his thumbs and forefingers.

Steven later received two mass e-mails. The first reminded all S.S.A. employees to send their “mandatory weekly assignment”—the “What Did You Do Last Week” e-mail, with five bullet points summarizing what they had worked on—directly to the government’s Office of Personnel Management, not to anyone in their actual agency. The second one was yet another plea for workers to quit or take early retirement. It warned that some who opted to remain in “non-mission critical positions” might be reassigned to S.S.A. call centers. No definition of “non-mission critical” was offered.

“I just keep wondering, How long can I be doing this?” Steven said. Many years before Trump and DOGE, there was a period when he could not sleep. “The job would cause me to wake up in the middle of the night,” he said. “You know how your brain can’t shut stuff off, or you’re just dreading going in the next day?” He was troubled by certain cases—a girl who had been abused in foster care, only to end up with a grandmother who stole her S.S.I. checks. He was also haunted by the need to reach case quotas, never explicitly stated but often implied. “Cutting corners happens in this industry, when representatives are trying to just get something off their list,” he said. “So then it’s like, ‘I got that done.’ But did you really help the person?” His latest sources of worry were a news article in which O’Malley, the former S.S.A. commissioner, predicted “system collapse and an interruption of benefits” within “thirty to ninety days” and an affidavit by a former agency official that described DOGE’s violation of privacy protocols and the likelihood of “critical errors that could upend SSA systems.”

Steven has never been a zealot for anything except his favorite football team, but now he believes that he and his co-workers are part of an “underground movement” to prevent the destruction of Social Security. Trump and Musk, and more conventional Republicans, talk obsessively about rooting out fraud at the S.S.A. Mistakes and overpayments do occur, but the agency’s inspector general recently found that less than one per cent of benefits distributed between 2015 and 2022 were improper. Steven believes that mass layoffs will result in vulnerable Americans not getting the money they’re entitled to. “We service people at their best and worst times,” he said. “People heading into retirement, surviving spouses, widows, widowers. It used to be we’d get complaints from the public. We’d start off a call by apologizing. ‘We’re understaffed!’ ” Now, he went on, “people are apologizing to us.” ♦

[borrowingtheborrower]

Blue spirit productions: The Borrowers (Info we have so far 2018-2024)

Many of you may remember this video from a couple years back...

2018

This is a pitch from "Blue Spirit Productions" a french animation studio, you may know their works such as "The Blue Samurai" or "My Life As A Courgette."

The pitch is for a potential animated TV show for "The Borrowers", made for companies and audiences to watch and get an impression on what they're gonna make and if anyone would be interested.

This was shown at the Cartoon Fourm 2018 as a project pitch and uploaded by CartoonBrew online, which is where the video comes from.

CartoonBrew's review here:

We know very little about the pitch for this other than it was shown off a few times at international animation conventions. Due to that we have very little concept art other than a few online.

From what little info we had the plot was simple and already created the groundwork for things such as characters and story.

The official Blue Spirit productions website wrote:

"Whilst out on a foraging mission, Arrietty, a Borrower no taller than an apple, is spotted by Tom, a human! But what should have been a disaster turns out to be the start of a wonderful friendship"

Although there's still a few reviews where a other plot points get mentioned, such as Tom's grandma running a Hotel where the Borrowers currently reside, but this is likely many ideas from the concepts they had.

More about the creation and throught process about this pitch project can be found here in this interview:

2019 - 2021

Little was heard about the project for years despite a positive response online from borrower fans, specifically on Tumblr.

(Fun fact I was originally the first person to post it on Tumblr lol)

The only thing new info we got was in a few new images, Tom's appearance had change except his outfit, while Arrietty remained the same.

Until about 2022 - 2024 where we've gotten more news.

The series was now in development, with a new director David Lopez.

Credit: Offical art from David Lopez' Instagram account (@/el_senior_lopez)

Job listings were put up for new animators, the page about it on Blue Spirit's official website had updated and most importantly we got new images.

For a short while this was the only new official image online, with Tom and arrietty sporting new looks.

Although slowly, Arrietty specifically would be used in advertising for the company for things like new animation positions and for more international conventions.

Speaking of the conventions, a few of them had special talks at booths or even screenings of the show such as at Cartoon Fourm 2023, Annecy 2023 - 2024, Mipsjunior 2023 - 2024 ect ect.

Soon after this it was announced the team up of Blue Spirit Productions and Newen Connect, a french distribution company.

The series as of now is currently in production, on Newen connect's website we even have a new description:

(Translated from french and slighty fixed words.)

"The Borrowers are tiny people who live, unbeknownst to us, inside the walls of our homes. Their number one rule in life is simple: a peaceful existence means never being seen by Humans. Arrietty, 11 years old and 2 inches high, lives with her parents in a small community of Borrowers inside the house of a Human named Marie. Fearless and very curious, one day, Arrietty meets Tom, Marie’s grandson, and against all odds, befriends him. But shhh, its’ a secret... From this day forward, Arrietty divides her time between her daily life as a Borrower and her dream of exploring the world of Humans which takes on a whole new dimension, with her new friend, Tom. Together, Arrietty and Tom will embark on a gigantic adventure!"

Newens official website:

While it's been a long journey I genuinely cannot wait for this show, it's always exciting to see new animated projects especially a new Borrowers animated project as well. Despite The Borrowers having such an interesting idea it's only been animated once, which was about a decade ago with "The Secret World Of Arrietty" created by Studio Ghibli.

With the end of the year coming soon, let's hope to see this in 2025!

If you have more info feel free to add commentary, or if I got any details wrong feel free to message me. Thank you and have a wonderful day! <3