#Common Image Defects

[richardtheteacher]

How to Clean Up an Image for Your Dissertation

Dissertation images are unlike other images included in content writing. They do not serve decorative purposes. Instead, they are critical to explaining the content of the work. In this blog I give some top tips for including images in your dissertation:

An article by Richard James Rogers (Award-Winning Author of The Quick Guide to Classroom Management and The Power of Praise: Empowering Students Through Positive Feedback). This blog post has been beautifully illustrated by Pop Sutthiya Lertyongphati A dissertation is a paper that graduate students must write as part of their academic requirements to earn their Master’s or PhD. Some high school…

[fantasy-anatomy-analyst]

Centaur Worldbuilding

this one has been in the works for a really long time! but here it is at last: the details about how I personally have chosen to worldbuild with centaurs.

My centaurs are based on chalicotheres, popularly referred to as "gorilla horses". I thought they were a perfect base to start from when making people that resemble a horse combined with a human. Though my centaurs lean way more into the chalicothere look and don't resemble humans much at all.

here are a few variations on color/pattern for centaur coats, based mostly on paleoart of chalicotheres.

(image description: six illustrations of centaurs with different coloration. The two main colors are a red-brown and a duller tan color. the three main patterns are soft gradients, stripes, and spots. end description.)

and it is a really really long post so the rest is under a cut for convenience.

The reason centaurs have six limbs is because somewhere back in their ancient ancestry, chimeric twins became more and more common and then became the default. There was most certainly some meddling from a Life entity in order to make this happen (the immortal beings who channel the world's natural magic energy to mess with living things as they please, though they can only use a limited amount of power before they fade into that vast well of energy and disappear). This does mean that the front "legs" of a centaur are actually a pair of arms. The main differences between the upper arms and the front legs are the placement of the shoulder, the amount of muscle, and how the centaurs trim their hooves for dexterity or support.

(image description: two drawings of a centaur standing while bending down to touch the ground with their hands. the second image shows an overlay of their skeleton, illustrating the chimeric twin anatomy with its split ribcage and two pairs of forelimbs, or arms. They have three hooved digits on each hand/foot on all six limbs. visually, their face is a bit horse-like and their whole body is colored reddish-brown with a pale belly. end description.)

and yes, they can use use their front legs as a pair of secondary arms when needed. They're not as dextrous a pair of arms, but they do make a lot of tasks easier, such as being able to buckle a bag strap around one's own belly, or catching hold of a rambunctious foal before they run face first into your knees.

(any inconsistencies in these proportions from here onward is entirely down to my own artistic flaws, as keeping character/creature designs perfectly consistent is not easy)

Because they are chimeric twins, it is far more common for centaurs to be born with congenital defects than it is for any other group. The second pair of forelimbs and the added height of the upper torso may be extremely useful for leaf-browsing creatures like centaurs, but the messy nature of their gestation often causes problems. Much of the time, this leads to stillbirths and miscarriage. but some defects are survivable and every herd has a good number of disabled members.

(image description: simple sketches of three visibly disabled centaurs using mobility aids. The first one has underdeveloped forelegs, and is using a combination of crutches and a wheeled platform under their lower torso. the second one was born without the chimeric twin, resembling a chalicothere. they have a folding support stand strapped to their belly to support their weight when they need to use their hands. the last one has a ribcage that failed to split, resulting in a short torso like the twinless centaur, as well as a pair of underdeveloped forelegs. they are using a wheeled platform under their chest, which they can push with their upper pair of arms. end description.)

These are just a few of the more visible and survivable disabilities common to centaurs. wheels are a very important invention for centaur life, not only for their disabled population, but also because pulling carts is a much more effective way to carry a lot of items at once, which is very useful.

Centaurs are also enormous. twelve feet, or roughly 3.5 meters, tall from the base of their front toes to the top of their head when standing upright. They tower over pretty much every other people species, as they are basically just a remnant ice age megafauna that became sapient.

(image description: flat colored drawings of an orc, an elf, and a centaur all standing next to each other. the orc comes roughly to the centaur's upper ribs, and the elf is roughly as tall as the orc's armpit. end description)

it would be extremely rude, but anyone the size of an average elf or smaller could easily play limbo under a centaur's belly. it's a really bad idea though.

Orcs are also remnant megafauna, and it's not by coincidence. Their ancestors were the main predator of ancient centaurs. (this also means the ancestors of gnomes were the main predator of centaurs, but this fact is often overlooked since gnomes are so much smaller than their cousins). even into the modern day (of my stories) centaurs mostly live in their own isolated territories, actively keeping other people out. Especially the orcs. The journey from natural predator and prey, to sapient peoples who did not recognize each other as people, to enemies, and then to tensely peaceful separated populations, was a long and difficult journey, fraught with violence on all sides.

Where the line falls between animal and people is murky and difficult to define. When exactly did the natural behavior of hunting prey become grounds for warfare? No one is really sure. Even if the line is drawn, what would it change? nothing. the past already happened. their people already have an enormous divide between them; a chasm of blood that can't be forgotten.

(image description: a vividly colored digital painting of an ancient centaur trying to escape three ancient pig-like predators as they pounce and bite in their attempt to bring it down. end description.)

many orcish artifacts still remain in centaur territory as the result of many clashes and hurried retreats. The orcs conceded, in the end. they returned all their belongings that were made from the bodies of centaurs, allowed the centaurs to draw the territorial lines, and then kept themselves far away and avoided those areas for centuries.

Centaurs are a migrational species, so orcs were too. Orcish culture used to focus on centaurs as a sacred animal, and then they had to toss it all aside and build their culture back up from whatever they had left. and in the meantime, the centaurs who had spent so many generations fleeing predation, watching their most frail herd members be picked off, and fighting back at last to defend themselves, were free to rest and build their culture far beyond their prior means. they became master weavers, using a wide variety of plant fibers to create clothing and art and useful items they didn't have time for when they were more in danger of being hunted. Though most centaurs still choose to go around with very little clothing, if any, because it feels more practical.

(image description: three different centaur outfits. the first is minimal, all jewelry and simple gloves. the note on it says "small accessories and jewelry are often more practical for an active centaur." the second one is wearing bark cloth around both of their waists to act as a barrier between their body and the straps of large bags on their back. They are also wearing gloves and cloth wraps around their hands and feet. the note here says "centaurs are largely nomadic and have developed many durable weaving techniques to create high quality travel bags." and lastly is a ceremonial outfit, featuring a cape and gloves all dyed in vivid shades of green with leafy patterns in the cloth. the cape is decorated with a fringe of thin cedar strips, matching a headdress of the same material. behind their head, the centaur wears a skull. the note here says "Religious garb often uses centaur skulls to reflect the nature of their conjoined deities. The Withered Twins are more commonly represented because they are a healer and gentle guide." end description)

and one very common piece of clothing for all adult centaurs is the "I'm not your mom" blanket; a weighted cloth laid over the flank to deter nosy newborns during peak baby season.

(image description: a striped adult centaur wearing a cropped shirt with beaded straps and a fancy looking leaf-pattern blanket strapped around their lower waist shoos off a speckled foal who looks a bit confused. end description.)

nosy newborns very easily forget who their mom is and need to be redirected quite often. though some lactating centaurs are more than willing to share the burden of keeping all the babies fed, and their culture does involve a lot of communal child rearing. monogamous couples and exclusive marital bonds are uncommon in centaur herds.

Most herds are led by a council of elders, who are trusted to make wise decisions as they follow their ancestral migration paths and constantly assess the needs of the herd. Some of the most important elders are those who act as religious leaders, representing the conjoined deities. Centaurs generally have two main deities. The Perfected Twins, a warrior deity, and The Withered Twins, a deity representing both death and healing.

(image description: two vibrant illustrations of centaur deities, both with a long braid of hair, their heads framed by shining circular designs like halos.

in shades of red, the warrior deity, the perfected twins, is noted to represent defense, fury, power, and hope. they have two active heads, joined at an angle in the middle so they look in different directions, two pairs of upper arms holding a shield, a spear, and a bow and arrow, and four legs. They are wearing armor on their upper waist and all of their arms. They are rearing up and look to be charging into battle.

in shades of blue, the death deity, the withered twins, noted to represent protection, healing, love, and grief. they have one active head and a smaller, partly decayed head attached to the back of their skull. Their forelegs are also underdeveloped and scrawny. their whole body is overlayed with a skeletal design. They are curled into a protective pose, holding a twinless infant with their whole torso and front limbs depicted as bones with no flesh. the deity is also wearing a translucent cape attached to upper arm bracelets.

end description)

centaurs have been fully aware of their chimeric twin biology for centuries, though they did not have the means to study it in detail or understand exactly what was happening during gestation. it's not hard though, to notice that your species is made of fused twin bodies when so many of your people are born with their bodies fused wrong, especially those who are stillborn. They believe they also have twin souls, and that the twin who is sacrificed in the womb gets to be the dominant twin in their next life. those who are born twinless usually undergo a lot of spiritual meditation to connect with their lost twin so they can meet up again in death. the stillborn foals with more obvious conjoined anatomy are said to be twins who had a fight about which of them would be dominant this time, and so they came out wrong and had to try again.

the infant held by the Withered Twins represents the sacrificed twin who waits as a spirit for their turn in the next life while the living twin uses their arms and ribs. The Withered Twins are the most commonly worshipped deity, prayed to for comfort and healing and guidance, acting as a conduit for living centaurs to stay in touch with their twin's soul. but the Perfected Twins also play an important role in centaur culture, even though their fierce warrior nature is no longer needed since the centaurs were able to separate themselves from the orcs.

the Perfected Twins represent the idealize form; the possibility of both twins sharing a body, neither being sacrificed while the other remains alive and dominant. they represent community action, partnership, cooperation. when needed, they are prayed to for strength. their image guards the borders of centaur territories, a signal to all outsiders that the centaurs have not grown docile even in isolation. at a moment's notice, they will take up arms again to keep themselves safe.

in the canon of my main stories, there was a very important historical event involving centaurs. some centuries after the Goblin Revolution shook the world and put everyone through some rough patches as various populations turned to isolation and self-imposed segregation to prevent any other interspecies troubles, while other populations embraced interspecies cooperation, there was an orc in one country who took the lead of a large clan and decided to end their tradition of isolation and reach out to the other people species in the local area. his name was He-esh and he was the first orc in that part of the world to strike an alliance with the nearby dwarf clans. he did a lot of other notable things, acting as a diplomat and repairing the broken relationship his people had with their gnomish cousins.

most notable of all, however, was his bold decision to contact the centaurs and lay his life on the line to carry an apology for the actions of his ancestors and plea for alliance between their peoples, hoping it would someday turn into friendship.

(image description: a grayscale illustration with gold accents, showing an orc kneeling in front of an armored centaur while they hold a spear to his chest. both figures have a golden halo drawn around their heads. the orc is wearing simple but elegant looking clothes, including a fringe of black feathers on the hem of his coat, and a pair of long straight tusks in his hair. his own tusks are curled with the points facing backwards. end description.)

He-esh's plea to the centaurs was received with apprehension, quite reasonably. but he never asked forgiveness, only a chance to let the future be forged anew. eventually, the centaurs accepted his plea and he was able to strike an alliance with them, gradually opening trade between them and other people species in their area. though he was never allowed very far in, He-esh got to walk into the centaur territory once to meet with their elders. at the end of He-esh's life, a centaur diplomat made history again by being the first to enter orc territory in a peaceful manner, as far as any records could tell.

this event marks the beginning of my most central story project, so I won't give away all the details yet.

as a final note on my centaurs: they don't have genders. their pronouns are based on age (child and adult) and social hierarchy (important adults).

ila/ las (child pronoun) hul/ hes (adult pronoun) ma-hul/ ma-hes (important adult pronoun)

I haven't been using the correct fantasy pronouns for all my characters very consistently, because it is a little tricky to keep track of them all and I have yet again made changes due to dissatisfaction with a few of them lol. but when I eventually have completed stories, I'll be using all those pronouns to enhance immersion.

this post has been a long time in the making, so i'm glad to finally have it done!! thanks for being patient!

[sisterdivinium]

It’s tempting to think of Jillian as an atheist given her connexion to science, her confrontation with the church in s1 and simply as a counterpoint to all the religious characters around her. I’ve used the word for her myself in fic before, but I did it fully knowing that Jillian is perhaps the character who most wants to believe.

There’s an implication that she speaks from experience when she tells Kristian one doesn’t ever really leave the church…

… And her firm principle of proving faith and science can coexist shows she has no intention of dismantling faith in itself or the value people find in spirituality.

When Luther supposedly nailed his objections to that fateful church door, he didn't intend to shake the core of what faith actually is—quite the contrary, one could argue.

Neither is Jillian trying to destabilise faith in itself... The difference is that she just decided to build her own door instead.

The church might stand in her way, yes, but one could could make a case about how it is more due to their keeping of divinium than to the criticism she directs at Vincent on the subject of Hell and the subjugation of women. She might well believe it—or any part of her performance during most of season one, really—but her conflict with the institution lies less in the way of ideology than in matters of practical consequences.

Were it not so, wouldn’t she have been a little more resistant to her son’s visions of an angel? Why believe in a child’s prophetic drawings otherwise? Even if she by any chance didn’t consider the giver of those visions an angel, the very fact of taking a vision seriously would suggest some degree of fidelity to the very idea of there being something more, something else than the life we know in this plane of existence.

If she doesn’t admit the existence of a god outright, she at least lends credence to the idea that there is something. We might not be able to take her fully at her word in the scenes where she’s playing her part as a seeker of knowledge maligned by the Vatican, but there is some amount of truth to what she says. She might not have truly found Heaven, she might not be able to prove her portal actually leads there...

… But she most certainly wants to be right. For Michael’s sake, there must be something else, even if not precisely what has been foreseen by scripture.

And, even so, she finds worth in that very scripture she doubts.

Perhaps she’s being honest when she tells Vincent she likes the stories—there’s a lot of knowledge to be found in even the simplest of them to she who knows how to seek it.

Perhaps there’s an underlying attachment of hers to the Bible, a past she cannot really abandon. It’s not all that common for people with absolutely no ties to Catholicism to have something like the image of a saint as decoration hanging in the background.

Sure, there are other religious elements scattered in her workplace including a Buddha, but it’s a man who used to be an archivist at the Vatican she hires, not a defected monk or rabbi.

Yes, she will work with anyone who is equally willing to work with her. It’s not from the goodness of her heart as there is a component of selfishness in such cooperation—one to which she admits herself—but her attitude is also a testament to the openness she has concerning the results she might obtain. Maybe the OCS is right, maybe there’s a God and saints and Heaven and Hell…

It doesn’t really matter as long as there is something, something to work towards, something to seek.

Or it didn’t matter—while Michael was alive.

She has had her proof of there being more... And she has paid a high price for learning of it.

It’s a pity we don’t know what she would have done with this information. How do we react when what we believe is confirmed to be true but not in the way we expected or desired?

Whatever shock the nuns have experienced to their faith in this business with Adriel, the perversion of the power of prayer and all else they've survived during season two, Jillian is likely to have felt the very same blow right alongside them.

[mychlapci]

bit of a set of weirder headcanons but i think the autobots are fucking freaks when it comes to sex. like the cons are all rough and tough with each other but kinky interfacing comes with a level of trust in your partner that only the autobots have with each other

i feel like public interfacing is relatively accepted among autobots. you go to get your morning fuel in the canteen and sunstreaker has bluestreak pinned against the bulkhead. average fucking tuesday. oh the medibay is having a slow day with few patients, ratchet has first aid warming his spike as he's going through datapads, keeping one servo firmly wrapped around aid's waist as he squirms helplessly. command meetings have like, a 50% chance to get derailed by prowl's chestplate accidentally popping open to reveal his fat tits and jazz just starts sucking on them and then ironhide smacks optimus' panels and oh god there's an orgy now

kink nights just being a common thing among the autobots. mechs can sign up to do scenes with certain partners or just sit on the sidelines and watch it all go down.

a few of the decepticons end up defecting and they get a weird sense of culture shock with how common it is to see interfacing since in con culture that's stupid slag that only softies participate in. actually i think the decepticons would have a completely separate culture regarding interfacing. i think they would be kinky, but they wouldn't consider the bonding/emotional effects of interfacing unless they're real sappy. like interfacing is to blow off steam after a battle, not for having fun with your comrades

drift joins the wreckers and hot rod gives him the best head of his life and then when they cuddle up next to each other drift just has to fucking sit there wondering why no one in the cons cuddled after fucking because this is actually really nice. he gets bent over a table the next morning by blurr and then kup shoves his spike into drift's intake and oh primus drift is having a religious experience now with how well he's getting pounded

i'm going to beam the image of ratchet walking around the ark with his tits fully out and a pair of pretty golden chains pierced through his nozzles and a few particularly handsy bots reach over and tug on them as he passes.

-burnt ice anon

YES. i've seen some instances of “public sex normalized in cybertronian society” and i am LIVING for it. I like the culture shock aspect of it being only autobots who are so open-minded.

A recently defected decepticon just trying to fit in and adapt to the new way of living and they were wholly unprepared to just walk in on people fucking all the time. They walk in on Prowl in his office chair with Jazz slowly grinding against his spike, the sound of his valve gushing is so loud and yet Prowl just keeps on typing away on his data-pad, only occasionally wincing in pleasure. They go to the med-bay next instead but Ratchet's got First Aid sitting on his spike, and it's still weird. They're sitting in the canteen and someone just starts melting right next to them, overloading silly around a remote control vibrator while their partner watches from across the table. Optimus regularly getting jerked off under the desk during high-command meetings, he's pretty sure his side of the desk is completely stained with transfluid from below. Also thank you so much for the image of Ratchet walking around with his titties out. I bet you everyone's sick that day, and absolutely need to be admitted to the medbay and see the doctor right now. He spends the day smacking away wandering hands, though he's only playing hard to get.

hrghhh kink nights with different themes. They get to vote on them weekly. Sometimes a volunteer gets chained and strung up and used repeatedly throughout the night, repeatedly checked up so they're sure he's alright. Sometimes there's pet-play, bots on leashes being told to “go play” with the other pets (i really want to see Sunstreaker for pet-play night… Sunny letting Bluestreak put a leash on him, gritting his teeth the entire time because he's being treated like a domesticated turbofox and it's humiliating and yet it feels so damn good… Sunstreaker rubbing his valve against someone else's, while his owner coos encouragement at him). Or you have simple orgy nights, where people can just blow off steam having sex with anyone. Glory holes in the bathroom that are frequented regularly. Wrecker orgies that shock Drift to the very core but they're fun and he can't complain. And the aftercare is peculiar. They never had anything like that back in the decepticon order. 

[that-ari-blogger]

A Look In The Mirror

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power exists in cycles and spirals, that's part of why I call it an tragedy trying desperately to happen. A ton of the tension is driven by the question of whether or not the characters will break out of the cycle. In other words, the story is about agency vs fate (a bit like Romeo and Juliet, I wonder what else the two have in common).

There are many ways to get across this theme, perhaps with carefully laid parallels and nuanced storytelling, both of which She-Ra does. But Signals takes a different, far less subtle approach. The episode tells the audience overtly what the series as a whole is about, and what exactly can subvert it.

Let me explain.

SPOILERS AHEAD: (She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, God Of War: 2018, God Of War: Ragnarök)

Signals opens after Entrapta's loyalties become general knowledge, and I would like to start with Bow's story in this episode, because it is a microcosm of how the story works as a whole. A vacancy is opened in a hierarchy and the new appointee tries to do things the way that their predecessor did. People become caricatures of those they see as powerful in their designated area and have to learn that being themself is just as useful, if not more so.

Bow, for example, seems convinced that failure is to be avoided or hidden. He has to be perfect, and able to fix anything. But, as Entrapta herself explains:

"There’s no reason to get huffy because an experiment fails.  Failure is a vital part of scientific endeavor."

For all of her eccentricities, Entrapta is one of the wisest characters in the series, with only Razz outdoing her in that regard. (Swiftwind comes close). To that end, this is rather decent life advice, sometimes the best way to learn is to get something wrong and experience the consequences for that, instead of being either protected from consequence, or being punished for trying.

Hold on to this thought.

In essence, Bow is a relatively simple character by nature, he is necessary to balance out the entirety of the rest of the cast. But the word "relatively" is doing a lot of heavy lifting there, because Bow is nuanced, specifically in his relationship with obstacles.

Bow begins with a very simple worldview, but Entrapta single handedly complicates this time and time again. With her death, her allegiance, and her legacy. Bow realises that his worldview needs nuance when his top down perspective gets someone "killed", then he realises that his idea of binary morality is skewed when Entrapta defects, and here he learns about failure and tactics by trying to live up to her image.

Bow remains simple, in contrast with the theme park character development of Catra, Adora, and Glimmer, but he does learn and adapt.

So, Bow sets the baseline, to break from the cycle, you need to change. You need to stop trying to be someone else, and instead focus on being the best you that you can possibly be.

God Of War: 2018 and its sequel use the analogy of fate to describe this principle. Thor becomes an absent father because of his own father's abuse, which then leads to Magni and Modi being schmucks as the cycle continures. Odin explicitly gets to see what his future holds and ends up inadvertently causing it to come true in his attempts to subvert his fate.

Fatbrett on YouTube has a video titled Odin - A Deconstruction of Villainy that delves into the character as a whole, but I would like to zero in on Odin's core flaw and the message of the game as a whole. To change your fate is to change your nature. Odin is incapable of change, so the prophecy comes true.

But Kratos and Atreus do change, but their journey is towards learning to not avoid being themselves. Kratos' journey in God of War: 2018 is directly caused by not telling his son about his past, and Atreus spends the entirety of God of War: Ragnarök trying to be either his father, or Odin. The message of the story is this:

"Don't be sorry, be better"

Learn from your mistakes.

Adora takes this in an interesting direction, because it's genuinely difficult to see her as having much meaningful character development in series one at all, and I actually think this is a good thing. Because on a surface level, Adora goes from bad guy to good guy and escapes from an abusive relationship. But does she? The only thing that happens to the parental relationship is a pallet swap.

All Adora does in season one is change her surroundings, but the key part of that is her foundation. Adora spends season one surrounding herself with people who will enable that character development to flourish and not be broken down... and Light Hope. In season two, Adora starts making strides towards actual agency, and that is all because of the setup she has been doing.

I have gone into Depth as to how Light Hope is a bad influence in other posts, but this episode hammers home just how easily Adora internalises things. She keeps Shadow Weaver's tales of the Weeping, Headless, and Undead Princesses in her mind, for example, absorbed uncritically.

But Adora also keeps the obsessive blaming. She sees a problem and immediately attributes the cause of it to the Horde, a holdover from her time there, where she had the same attitude towards Princesses. In this instance, she's wrong, and the problem is more nuanced, and her assumptions get the better of her.

Speaking of assumptions, the first ones make an appearance in this episode, kind of. The messages that they leave behind give a glimpse into their lives that we haven't come close to getting before.

"I’ve been thinking of them as these big epic figures. But they’re regular people, sending messages to their loved ones."

The theme of cycles and living up to legacies continues with the worldbuilding of this story. Modern Etheria tends to visualise the First Ones as great and powerful and perfect, but they were just as human as the rest of the characters. Once again, those trying to mimic their predecessors exactly come up short.

Over on the Horde side, Catra is going through a similar situation, she is trying to become Shadow Weaver, but coming up short because there was more the story than she realised. Shadow Weaver had to do paperwork, for example.

There's also the fact that she is still in the abusive environment. She still regularly visits Shadow Weaver, so the psychological bullying still happens, but she's also around Hordak, now. I said that Adora has just pallet swapped her situation, and I think Catra has done the same.

When Hordak takes the atmosphere out of the room, it is awful, and it's the moment in which Catra should realise that it doesn't matter how high up in the chain of command she goes, she will still be suffering. She should realise that she needs to get out of there for her own safety and sanity.

But she doesn't realise that. Instead, she applies what she has learned in her upbringing. She is convinced that all she has to do is succeed, and she will get that attention and fairness. Conditional acceptance is what she is used to, so she doesn't see anything out of the ordinary here.

"Failure is when something ceases to serve a purpose. When that happens, it becomes worthless to me."

This is Hordak's worldview, and I hate to argue with a villain, but I think he's wrong there. If success is usefulness, and everything will eventually stop being useful to you, then you have a pretty sad life. If you judge everything by utility and don't care for relationships or things that just look and feel nice, then you are alone.

But on a broader, purely utilitarian perspective, this idea is bunk by that standard too. Failure as worthlessness is an objectively false idea, because mistakes are things to learn from. If something doesn't work, try again differently.

In other words:

"Failure is a vital part of scientific endeavor."

Entrapta is back, and this episode actually gives a glimpse into how to subvert the cycles, specifically through Entrapta and Hordak.

Firstly, Hordak has evidently been trying the experiment over and over again without learning anything. So Entrapta, by nature of her ability to adapt, makes the experiment work. It's a tiny metaphor for what I've been saying so far.

But Entrapta breaks through Hordak's barriers because of her sense of freedom. The best way to break free of a downward spiral is to start moving in a different direction, and Entrapta does that easily. The reason she so easily switches sides is because she isn't tied down by anything (not even morality). She can't even be imprisoned because she is impossible to contain. Entrapta is a free spirit, and I think that that is what the series is about, personal agency.

Catra and Adora are repeating the same story over and over again because they think they have no choice, that's what the tragedy of the series is, the two main characters are on a road to destruction and can't change direction. But the story isn't a tragedy, it avoids being one at the last possible moment when the characters finally realise that they have agency, and that thematic is foreshadowed right here, in Signals.

Final Thoughts

In my plan for this post, I wanted to bring up the Darksouls series, of all things, but I think I will save that idea for a later episode.

In any case, this episode manages to discuss some overarching philosophy, as well as explicitly state that this has happened before, this is a story about repetition, learn from your mistakes.

Also, the cinematography in this episode is really cool. It flies under the radar a lot, but the camera placement and movement really heighten the tension and vibe of this episode.

Next week, I will be talking about Roll With It, an episode that is near and dear to my heart for completely unbiased reasons. Definitely unbiased. Not bias there at all. So, stick around if that interests you.

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[here-there-were-dragons]

just read the new hatchling skin rules and am having Some Type Of Initial Emotional Reaction and am now writing down said Initial Emotional Reaction uncensored as i currently Strongly Feel A Type Of Way and Require Venting. i cannot word this more politely. i do not have the capability to render this rage into polite borderline corporate-speak for the sake of the damn rules that act like anything short of apologizing for being alive to make up for having even the most constructive understanding friendly criticism or even personal mild non-critical dislike of something like a color or a breed is tantamount to personal targeted hatemail. i cannot wait until i cool into calm bitterness later because if i think about this enough to write about it again i will just go right back to being furious and the fact that everyone ielse who's complaining is focusing entirely on the lolita fashion thing and not on in my opinion the far more significant and offensive part is pissing me off even more. extremely angry unedited ranting ahead

fr having it's own "female presenting nipples" moment right now, not that i'm particularly surprised, they've been a prime example of "conservative protestantism in a lefty-language veneer" for a long while now.

"don't adultify" is such a fucking vague and easily selectively interpreted rule, not to mention insulting for a number of reasons,

but putting that part aside the whole idea of "nothing that suggests that the dragon is an adult in a young body" is. look, i'm not exactly fond of the "adult who looks like an anime schoolgirl" trope myself, but i fail to see how in the absolute FUCK having it be canon in-universe that it is both possible and legal for someone to be forced to stay as a child permanently, is somehow LESS creepy than just saying eternal youth dragons have dwarfism. also, fuck you to anyone with dwarfism apparently i guess?

and "no zombie baby dragons" is just stupid. even fucking minecraft has baby zombies, and microsoft has steadily butchered that game into one of the most t for toddler babymode things on earth this side of cocomelon.

and "no scars on hatchlings" so fuck you to any kids with scars too apparently, even though that's way more common than anyone seems to realize. you hear that, kids? if you're under 18 and have scars your very existence is too obscene for public view. 13+ year olds will be irreparably traumatized if they have to know you exist at all! fuck you disabled kids and fuck you amputee kids and fuck you any kids that have suffered anything ever at all for not appearing as a perfect unspoiled image of conservative christian child-doll innocent purity. flight rising staff says your body and existence is inherently too nsfw to even be acknowledged as existing much less visually seen. everyone knows REAL children don't get damaged at all, and if they do then they're too horrifying and defective at their job of Being A Child Properly to exist in public spaces! how dare ugly things that might make us uncomfortable with their existence by contradicting out ideals about aesthetic moral purity be allowed where good respectable normal people can see them!

i don't say any of these words lightly, and i'm very much not the type to go around calling people whatever-ists and in fact find that kind of thing extremely annoying, useless, reductive, and more or less only ever see it used as a blunt cudgel to shame people into line so they don't question you, and have historically found it especially annoying when people pull out the accusations-of-ism card on fr staff over things that are far more likely just completely understandable (if dubiously competent) issues of certain things simply not occurring to someone on code and design level due to lack of sufficient exposure to the idea, and have always been of the belief of giving them the benefit of doubt (even if often that just means i think they either most likely made an understandable mistake that i would likely also make, or, when i'm feeling less kind, that they're simply not particularly competent rather than actively hostile) so understand how much it means coming from me when i say- flight rising staff, sincerely, from the bottom of my heart, fuck you, you ableist batch of pricks, so far up your own asses with your performative veneer of vaguely lefty-flavored language that you don't realize how fundamentally extremely conservative all of your actual beliefs underlying them are. for every update you make that i approve of there's another that does twice as much damage as the good update fixed (and i'm starting to wonder if you maybe know what you're doing with that too-always batching the fucked up shit on the tail end of some big thing you know people will be excited about, always hiding these controversial moderation changes under something shiny and new, to the point that now i dread any new good update that genuinely seems a step in the right direction and/or is something we've been wanting for awhile because i'm just constantly expecting the knife hidden behind the footnotes afterwards, the fucking "ban tiktok/gay marriage/strip rights from this population/end net neutrality/whatever/ect" clause stapled onto the end of a bill about something entirely unrelated functionally holding a change people want hostage until they allow the fucked up part through. i've been here most of the site's 10+ years and i've seen this sort of thing happen far, far too often.) and every year the shit that gets pulled on the management and moderation end of things makes me more and more almost glad i've never had an income to spend on this, and the fact that apparently the moderation behind every single other petsite in existence is somehow significantly worse fucking astounds me. the only reason i stay around here is because It's Free Dragon Pictures, because it's literally the only actually good petsite game i've ever played and not gotten sick of within a week or so (and really the only good low-energy game i've ever played in general, which i'm increasingly convinced is in spite of it's management), and because somehow, despite all of this shit, i still genuinely love the game itself, because unfortunately by some accident of creation it seems they apparently stumbled purely by coincidence into making an actually good game idea no one else quite has. and after all the fuckery that gets constantly pulled, i refuse to believe the game being good is anything other than, much like many of the of the incidents i think they're unfairly accused of malice and -ism over, an accident.

Disabled children too obscene to fucking exist. fuck you. good to know half the child population's existence requires a trigger warning to even be allowed to be acknowledged as existing to you. good to know if the heart surgery i had when i was 11 had left any visible external scars i would be considered inherently too obscene to exist to you. good to know if the overhealed and benignly potentially cancerous scar on my back from whatever actually happened when i was a toddler (i don't trust either of my parents to ever be accurate about something like that) was in a more visible spot you would demand i have a trigger warning to post selfies online. good to know if any of the shit that's broken me emotionally left visible physical marks you would think it was good and right for me to be forcibly hidden from good normal people's view and considered too taboo for even the slightest discussion without hiding it with makeup and lies, just so i don't make good, lucky, undamaged, normal people uncomfortable, god fucking forbid. should we hide the gays too, since they also make so many people uncomfy? i imagine it won't be long before disabled adults are too obscene for your polite societytm sensibilities too. i've had the feeling for a long time that amputee and disabled skins were living on borrowed time with your rules, kept technically not explicitly dissalowed where all other forms of injury and ""body horror"" are banned simply out of fear of the backlash it would cause to include them, and well. the doomsday clock on that one just got a little bit closer to midnight, huh?

the only reason i wasn't a (physically, visibly, externally) scarred kid was pure sheer fucking luck. the only reason you weren't a physically scarred kid too is pure sheer fucking luck. the only reason you're not some type of disfigured or ugly or amputated or visibly injured or whatnot is pure sheer fucking luck. you're lucky. nothing more. if having to contend with that fact-the fact of how easily it could have gone a different way and there is nothing they would be able to do about it- makes good normal tm people uncomfortable, then well, get the fuck used to it, other people children very much fucking included don't exist to cater to the aesthetic sensibilities of a lucky perfect few. the only thing that separates you from the damaged ones you find too obscene is a bad day and an unlucky hand. and one day, even if you were lucky enough to escape being damaged when you were young, you and i will both be just like them too.

more festival skin winners slots is good. elemental swords sound fun.

[francis-writes]

Request: "I love your work <3 could you write about how Claude Frollo and fem reader met? I would like arranged marriage. And like how he reacted when he first saw her :)"

Judge Claude Frollo never intented to get married. Or, perhaps, if he ever did, it was in his early youth and these times passed long ago.

It was absolutely normal and well seen for man of his wealth and position to marry young pretty girls from good families, however for many years Claude was too busy with building his political status to even think about getting married. Moreover it was against his personal beliefs about himself - he liked to look as a righteous, holy man, free from carnal desires and needs of common people. For some time he planned to become a priest but he decided this career had too many restrictions.

What encouraged him to change his decision, and to find himself a spouse, remains a mystery to everybody but Frollo himself. But whatever the reason was, he was now waiting in house of people whose daughter he was supposed to marry.

You weren't sure why minister of justice choose you for his fiance, considering that your family weren't extremely wealthy nor powerful. Neither you were the most adored maiden of Paris and some people already gossiped that you must have some hidden defect because in your twenties you still didn't have a husband nor a group of children.

You felt stressed before meeting your future husband. You only saw him from afar before, during public events. He was definitely older than you, though still handsome and somehow alluring with his stern, cold demeanor. Actually what worried you was what you heard about his character. People claimed Judge Claude Frollo was merciless, cruel and strict. You wondered whether it was true and if he would treat his wife in more affectionate way.

You entered the room while your parents were busy conversating with their guest. Judge immediately looked at you when you appeared in the door and you shuddered under his piercing gaze.

Claude would like to think he was immovable and free of human emotions; yet your sight awakened something in him. He avoided paying attention to maidens, afraid what his reaction to their beauty may be. Still, you were going to be his wife, rightfully claimed in eyes of God. He wanted to know how do you look (well, it was a bit late to find out, considering the fact he already startes organizing the wedding) and he was struck by the answer.

You were pretty, with your smile and the shine in your eyes. He had to hold himself back but Frollo wished he could hold you now and kiss your soft lips, discover how your skin tastes. It didn't happen often but in that moment he didn't know what to say. His thoughts were racing but forming a proper sentence was out of his reach. Nothing seemed to be a good way to greet you so he simply stood up, stepped closer and, holding back other urges, he kissed your hand, trying not to stare at your exposes cleveage. You blushed and to his own surprise, judge found this endearing.

"So..." he finally gained strenght to speak "I suppose you're my future"

"Uh, yes, my lord" you said, a bit too quiet, still intimidated.

You were looking at each other in silence for

a moment before your parents told you to sit down and finish planning details of the wedding.

Judge Claude Frollo didn't pay attention to the rest of conversation. He answered automatically, uninterested in the list of guests. Whenever he could, he threw a quick glance at you, wondering how long will he suffer before you two will be able to spend some time alone.

There was nothing stopping his thoughts now. In fantasy he trailed his hands along your body, he tried to make an image of what was hidden under your dress. He wondered how would sound your sighs and moans and if he would be able to get these sounds from you.

[the-entire-cast-needs-therapy]

The Galactic Horde Gender Post

So, for reasons (the reasons are this post), I got thinking about whether or not clones have a concept of transphobia, or gender at all for that matter. So, I’m gonna do a whole lot of rampant speculation and headcanon in the blanks to try to answer these questions. First off:

How do clones think about gender?

Honestly, I have no idea. But as far as I can tell, Horde Prime is a man. And his clones, made in his image, are also men- or at least intended to be. All the clones we meet use he/him and refer to each other as brothers. Of course, Wrong Hordak also refers to the people on Darla as “brothers”, even though almost all of them are women. But Catra’s “little sister” moniker indicates that Prime does understand that there are other genders, and that certain terminology indicates gender. 

I would guess that the clones call people what Prime tells them to call people, and if given no instruction from the top, just use “brother”. Basically, the answer to “how do clones think about gender” is “they don’t”. They just do what they’re told.

Clone transphobia

So, to be clear, This Is Not The Transphobia You Know. Clones are operating with a different framework. As far as they’re concerned, outsiders can do whatever they want with their gender because outsiders are sinful freaks regardless. Inside the hive mind is a different story.

All this to say, I think yes, they would think any clone that turned out to be trans would be evil and sinful and disgusting, but not for the reasons people hold those beliefs on Earth.

So, as mentioned above, clones are made in Prime’s image. And they’re punished when they deviate from that image- conformity is the name of the game. If a clone was like “hey, I’m a girl, actually”, that is a punishable sin- not because men can’t be women, but because clones can’t be anything other than what Prime wants them to be. Prime made them all identical for a reason, he does not want variety among the clones. A clone that stands out is sinful, defective. A change in pronouns or presentation is a threat, not because of gender role bullshit, but because Prime hates individuality and all of those things are an expression of identity.

Oh, and another common trans thing, giving yourself a name? We all know how Prime feels about that. This is another thing that would differ from good old fashioned Earth Transphobia- clones wouldn’t be called the name they want, but they also wouldn’t get deadnamed, because they do not have given names. The clone equivalent to deadnaming someone would be to just continue acting as if they don’t have a name.

It’s less that the Galactic Horde hates trans people specifically and more that it hates any kind of nonconformity. But that hatred of nonconformity would manifest in behavior recognizable as transphobic.

[jokerlennon]

chess the musical through (vaguely) the lens of mass media and fame and the mismatch and unclear lines between image and real life person. im listening to the concept album but referencing other versions bc #whatever

the citizens of merano trying to sell their little town, delighted by the publicity

the American shows up - already he is referred to without name in the concept album, his identity as a person irrelevant compared to his nationality, his role in the great game - to an adoring crowd.

even when he is not in front of the eyes of the world, he is concerned with his image above all: the first time we see him in private, he reads news about himself. the ego is not an act.

he gives an interview. we learn about his negative press, his tactic of being controversial to stay relevant. how much of it is real? can he even tell?

like the rest of the world, molokov thinks he's mad. the Russian does not. he calls it "third-rate propaganda". he is anxious to reinforce himself as a person and not a symbol of a country, singing about his personal experiences and struggles with being famous. ("times have been good, fast, entertaining. but what's the point if i'm concealing not only love, all other feeling?")

the opening ceremony is our next look at chess through mass media: a long, creative history of cheating, as well as the reinforcement of the idea that this is a match for the ages: the men are no longer merely players, but the two sides on a small-scale proxy war. "we don't want the whole world saying they can't even win a game" etcetera. another opportunity for merchandising cannot be passed up, consumerism swallowing up even the most ancient and intellectual of sports. finally, another feeble insistence that this is just a game.

finally, the game! accusations of cheating fly around from the American - who, as we later find out in some versions, was faking outrage to give himself time to think, playing on the preconceived notions at play that a) chess players cheat b) he is prone to drama (c) the ussr is less trustworthy than the usa?)

in "quartet", even the Russian refers to the American as a nut/fruit, realising that perhaps the media was right for once. as they attempt to calm the tensions the characters all lament that such a game has become a "battleground for rival ideologies to slug it out with glee", all but abandoning the pretenses they keep up in front of the cameras in the name of international cooperation.

"mountain duet" is about Florence and the Russian realising that the other is more than what the media and their preconceptions have made them out to be, that they have more in common than they thought.

"florence quits" shows that the American hasn't always been quite this awful.

when the Russian defects, he is swarmed by reporters. Walter laughs and says "Welcome to the West." anthem shows his complex feelings about his country, which cannot simply be summed up by "defector". the embassy workers think it "boring".

apart from playing into contemporary western perceptions of the city, "one night in bangkok" showcases the American's new image: unaffected, cool, and defected to the side of the many-headed media monster.

i need to put this here somewhere i think. walter as the reporter who is secretly a cia agent

"the interview": the American is well and truly a reporter now, asking similar barbed questions as the unnamed reporters asked him early in the show, but with a more personalised flair. this interview is, too, a spectacle: former opponents on camera together again for the first time in a year. a bizarre reunion, indeed, but one that will draw crowds to Global TV's broadcast. "what's your true motivation?" the American has always been in control of his own narrative more than the Russian, but now he is exerting control over the Russian's image as well. "I won't discuss my private life in public," the Russian says, but as we will soon see, "it's the lead on the news".

Florence and the Russian's relationship is publicised entirely, and while Florence desperately wants him to acknowledge it, his tactic is to ignore it until he's secured the win - an unbreachable rift starts to open between them. he suggests she "watch TV, read the paper, have the miserable time of [her] life" - showcasing how important mass communication has become in the daily life of an average person by the 1980s.

labels get thrown around - communist, democrat, refugee, total shit, silly boy, woman he should have not have let walk out. partner. the truth in any of these varies - they aren't complete hogwash, but they are the same simplifications that have appeared in the media.

"pity the child" gives us some insight into the American's character, and how he came to be like this - a lonely childhood turning into desperate thirst for approval and fame. and yet he doesn't dare seek his mother's approval even now, when he lives his life on television.

miscellaneous highlights of endgame: "prostituting themselves chasing a spurious starlight" "[the sirens of fame and possessions] will destroy you, not rivals, not age, not success" "they all think they see a man [...] whose private life caused his decline, wrecked his grand design"

i don't even know what else to add to this one. just

[ziperacethesentimentpuppet]

FairlyOddParents: New Wish OC

A Fanfiction that I'll never Make including more Art 🎨 of these Lovely Characters.

Here's the Size Different Between a Grown Up Fairy and the Kids all together ❤️

WARNING ⚠️ INFO DUMP!

Know here's the Random Info Dump of Each Character you see here 👀

Species

Fairies - Has inherent their notoriously fast healing & free-spirited and whimsical Personality including the abilities to touch Clouds.

[Left Round Fairy Wing]

Pixies - Has inherent their Square-Shaped Wings & Good with hiding their Emotions by talking in a dry, boring, and monotone voice.

[Right Square Pixie Wing]

Genies - Has Unlimited Wishes with Rule Free Magic & has inherent their Flight Abilities without needing Wings.

[Has No Legs unless she Transforms]

Elves - Got their Round Head & Short Stature while inherent their Knack for Building or Creating Anything including Fixing.

[Smaller than other Kids]

Leprechauns - Inherent their Pointed Ears & Dangerous Strength & their Extremely Protective of their Stuff & Territory including People.

[Sharp Ears]

CONDITION

• Autism - A developmental disorder of variable severity that is characterized by difficulty in social interaction and communication and by restricted or repetitive patterns of thought and behavior.

• Alexithymia - Lack of emotional awareness or, more specifically, difficulty in identifying and describing feelings and in distinguishing feelings from the bodily sensations of emotional arousal.

• Insomnia - People with autism tend to have insomnia: It takes them an average of 11 minutes longer (Or didn't get any sleep at all) than typical people to fall asleep, and many wake up frequently during the night. 

Some people with the condition have sleep apnea, a condition that causes them to stop breathing several times during the night.

Sleep in people with autism may also be less restorative than it is for people in the general population. They spend about 15 percent of their sleeping time in the rapid eye movement.

• Mild Germaphobe - (It depends on the situation and what type of Germs she does not like. For example, a Classmate coughed into their hands instead of in their Arms and she offered hand sanitizer to them but they said no thank you. And now I they don't feel safe and gross out at the same time including being worried.

• Memory Difficulty - Autistic people experience specific difficulties with memory and memory strengths. While memory difficulty is not part of the diagnostic criteria for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), it is a common symptom experienced by many autistic people.

• Birth Defects - Basically structural changes present at birth that can affect almost any part or parts of the Body (Heart, Brain, Foot). They may affect how the Body looks, Works, or Both. Birth defects can vary from Mild to Severe Depending who has it.

• Speech Impairment - Has Fluency Disorder & does Stammer Occasionally.

• Trypophobia - Trypophobia is mainly visual. If you have this phobia, you might feel anxiety, disgust, and discomfort when looking at things. goosebumps, chills, or the sensation of your skin crawling. a strong desire to get away from the image or object.

OCCUPATION

• Merchandise Creator

• Street Vendor

• Mailer

• Influencer (YouTube)

• Owner Of An Entertainment Business & Hygiene Products.

(Video Games/Bored Games/Comics/Manga/Cartoon/Anime/etc. Shampoo, Hand Sanitizer, Conditioner, Lotion, etc.)

POWERS/SKILLS

• Shape Shifting - Can Transform to any Objects or Animals.

• Reality-Bending Magic - Basically Brake Physics & Logic with this type of Magic.

• Teleportation - Basically can Transport anywhere in the World or Universe.

• Accelerated Healing - Their Body heal themselves very Fast but they still can die.

[Good Thing she has Plot Armor.]

• Flight: Can defy gravity and float in the air.

• Space Survivability: Can evidently survive in the vacuum of space without any sort of protective equipment.

• Rainbow 🌈 Magic - Instead of Farting Rainbows like Leprechauns, they use it to make Magic Runes or Marks.

• Extream Luck Magic - Use this Magic to be extremely Lucky or to Protect themselves from Danger & turn bad days into good days.

• Supper Strength & Good Stamina - Extremely Strength & Run or Fly Very Fast.

• Choas Magic - Since their Bloodline is from 5 Magical Being, their Magic is Very Strong, but also it can Easily Kill themselves as well.

[She have to be Very Carful when using Magic.]

• Crafts & Builds - Their really Good at Creating or Fixing Stuff.

• Acting - Their Very Skillful of Acting so their very good at Manipulating & Tricking People, they mostly use this skill for Good & their Shows & Games they are creating.

• Immune to Magic Influence - Yup, Don't have to worry about getting mind controlled or etc.

Weaknesses

• Armadillos: The armor of an armadillo is immune to magic.

• Sensitivity - Blake's body reacts to the environment they are in Including drugs, chemicals, or other substances. For example, a person who is sensitive to the sun may have skin that burns easily or get a rash when exposed to the sun.

• Magical Build-up - Blake will explode & turns into Magic Dust if they don't use there Magic for 3 Months of Time depending on what they do, since Blake use their Magic Offten they don't have to worry plus. If they Explode that Leftover Magic could Knock Magical Being Out or make them Dizzy or a state of Confusion which is not a good idea.

(Since they don't want to get Captured or People Finding Out about their Existence & try to use them. Also the Part that they don't want to go to Magic School since the School System in their Past Life is SMOOF UP!)

Hot 🔥 & Cold 🥶 - Blake gets Extremely Weak & Tried in the Heat while the Cold they are very Active & Strong depending on what they do & the temperature in the environment.

Laziness - Blake is Extremely Lazy & Does not want to Work Hard 😑 so they usually Hire People to do it for her unless it's something she wants to do & Enjoy or Motivated.

HOBBYS

• Reading 📚 Fanfiction or Manga & Comics

• Creating Fanmade Food

• Story Telling & Cosplaying

• Creating or Listening 🎶 to Music 🎵

• Creating Video Games & Acting

• Creating Shows & Movies 🎬

• Creating Educational Shows & Video Games

• Role-playing

• Eating Snacks From Different Countries & Shows that Exist in The Fairly OddParents Universe including Plants.

• Helping Characters to have a Happier Life & Character Development to be a Better Person In The Future.

• Doesn't care what people think of them, she just loves to be themselves, & Hopefully survive from any Toxic Stereotypes.

• Having Multiple Identity & Creating New Invention With Magic.

(Made Sure That their the Only Once, who has access to their Invention including their most Trusted Friends who is their Counterpart.)

GOALS

• To Have Good Security on Everything.

• To Live a Happy & Confortable Life.

• An Extremely Clean & Safe Environment.

• Healthy Body With Good Hygiene.

• Make a Safe Workplace for Staff.

• Destroy Gender Stereotypes.

• Create Badass Female Characters & Feminine Male, characters can relate to while slowly Influenced the new Generation of Kids not not make the same mistakes from the old Generation.

• Secretly Be Extremely Rich while Having All My Money Safe 💰 In a High Quality Bank 🏦

• Make Friends While Creating My Fake PERMANENT RECORD for my Backstory.

• Change The Past & Future for the Better.

• Make Sure any Wish Timmy or other Kids make won't Effect themselves and their Friends at all just to be Safe.

DESCRIPTION

No Magical Being or None-Magical Beings knows about their Existence and only a few select people knows. ✨️ Florian Blake Harper lives in their Fanmade Country that became Reality once she got Reincarnated into their Merge AU Universe they wanted to Live in.

Blake's Home Country is called "GenvesFepre"

It kinda works Similar like "Hogwarts" we're Magical Beings are allowed to know their Existence while Muggles are ignorant.

But in this Reality, Magical Being who are Born in that Country are not allowed 🚫 to tell people outside of their Home Country. Only a Few Select People are allowed to know and can visit this Place 🏡 and Experience their Culture.

It's a Country we're Magical and None-Magical Beings are Living Together in Harmony like Humans, Fairies, Pixies, Genies, Elves, Leprechauns and Surprisingly Anti-Fairly live Among them Perfectly Fine without Causing Trouble and Living their own Lives.

If a Foreigner somehow got Accepted into "GenvesFepre" is literally a Utopia to these people because how Perfect it seems, but the problem is... it is Perfect! Since the System in Place is Flawless. NO WONDER why these people who are Born in GenvesFepre are Perfectly Happy and Content with their Lives.

Of course there's a Few Bad Apples and People who are not Content with their Lives, but Lucky the System deals with these type of People Perfectly Fine, after all "GenvesFepre" made sure the that these People who are Born in their Country are Unaware of their Perfect and Flawless System in Place, to help them Grow and Learn and Find their Purpose in Life.

But it really depends on the Person because the System can't Reform every Bad Apple or Save People who doesn't want to get Saved, since it's there Lives and Actions they Decide to make. And they have to Deal with the Karma Bitting them Back or be Sented to Death.

INVENTORY

Blake made their own Magical Phone 📱 since they don't want to pay any Bills or have anyone tracking them down, please they can change their phone to Camera Mode to take better Pictures 📸 while being able to print 🖨 Stuff Out.

It also Works like a Magic Wand, even though she doesn't need a Wand in the First Place to make Wishes come Ture, but she can use her Phone as a Wand if she wants to.

Sapphire is Lively, Vivacious, Intelligent, and Affectionate. They can make for great service dogs with adequate training and are best suited for mental and intellectual disabilities rather than physical ones.

Blake legit Befriended Star Stial because it's Cool to find another Hybrid other than themselves.

Flake's Help Deal with Yugopotamia Customers since Blake is too Germaphobe to Deal with them.

[bpod-bpod]

Observing Fate Accomplished

Live imaging tracks mouse progenitor cells as they migrate during embryo development, destined to become the heart

Read the published research article here

Clip of video by Shayma Abukar and colleagues

Developmental Biology of Birth Defects, Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK

Video originally published with a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Published in bioRxiv, December 2023 (not peer reviewed)

You can also follow BPoD on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook

[darkstarofchaos]

For the character ask game, I'm not sure how many numbers you're willing to do for a single ask, so you can just do as much as you want from this. For Prowl - 2, 3, 7, 8, 12, 15, 16, 23, 25

I don't mind a bunch of numbers! Gives me an excuse to ramble, lol. And to rant, because Prowl deserves better.

2: Favorite canon thing about this character?

His willingness to look Optimus in the face and tell him he's being stupid, and to do his own thing to mitigate the stupidity if he has to. Mostly applicable to IDW, but Optimus needs a foil so badly in G1 that I've pretty much transplanted it into G1 Prowl when I write him. Not in its entirety, because G1 Prowl isn't IDW Prowl, but I like that he has his own opinions on tactics and morality and doesn't just go with the Autobot collective. His job is not to be a yes-mech; it's to keep people alive and win battles. If his commander is making stupid decisions, what benefit is there in standing back and letting it happen?

3. Least favorite canon thing about this character?

Making the police car an actual cop was the most boring decision anyone could have made. In stories where the Cybertronians choose their alts, especially, there are so many more interesting things you could say about his character by giving him a pre-war job that's completely unrelated to his Earth alt. For example, I like to think he chose it for tactical reasons: it's a common black and white vehicle, thus perfect as a disguise, and the sirens let him "legally" break Earth traffic laws in an emergency. It's far more interesting if his alt is a result of strategy and reasoning instead of, "I guess I'll take the one that matches my old job description."

7. What's something the fandom does when it comes to this character that you like?

I like that people took the little tidbit about Prowl having trouble with the unexpected that has exclusively appeared in two bios (that I'm aware of) and made it reasonably common. Would be really nice if they treated it seriously instead of making it comic relief, but maybe it does get treated more seriously these days. I don't read a lot of Prowl fic.

Let's talk about why.

8. What's something the fandom does when it comes to this character that you despise?

The image compilations of Prowl getting punched. The prick jokes that litter every TF Wiki page for every G1-based Prowl. The fanfics where Prowl is an uncompromising jerk or straight-up hate sink because the author needed a mean Autobot. The conversations and hypotheticals that make Prowl the source of any amoral action the Autobots take. The people who distill him down into Essence of Asshole and strip out every positive or sympathetic quality he has.

"Prowl gets villainized for being sensible" is one of my most hated fanfic tropes. Grab just about any fic where a Decepticon defects or earns the Autobots' sympathy in some way, and Prowl will be the only one who's unhappy with the situation. Which is perfectly reasonable because that is an enemy and he has no reason to trust them, let alone like them. But because we're supposed to sympathize with the Decepticon, that makes Prowl the villain. The other Autobots aren't naive and unreasonably forgiving, Prowl is just a bad person.

And it's not just IDW fics. G1 Prowl didn't get a whole lot of screen time, and thus no chance to develop his own personality, so he gets slapped with the same portrayal. Never mind the fact that when he does show up, he's one of the nicest characters - sure, he gets in on trash talking the Decepticons (though far less than some of the Autobots), but he's always helping out around base, shows concern for others, and pretty much stays out of interpersonal conflict. And yet, in stories based on a cartoon that has Powerglide, Gears, Cliffjumper, and Optimus Prime himself, I am expected to believe Prowl is the Autobots' resident jerk. Not gonna happen.

12. What's a headcanon you have for this character?

As I mentioned earlier, it's kind of quasi-canon that Prowl has trouble dealing with the unexpected. It's never appeared in any actual media, but it does come from official sources, so I wouldn't call it a headcanon. But I do headcanon that he has some pretty severe anxiety in dealing with people because of it. Things like math and physics are reliable; if something doesn't do what you expect it to, it's because you lacked information, and you can remedy that. You can update your calculations based on the results you actually got, or try to find out what you were missing the first time. Given enough data, you can predict just about anything as long as the results are consistent.

People are not consistent. You can make some sweeping generalizations about them based on categories - social groups, behaviors, readily obvious personality traits - but you can never say with certainty that someone will react in a specific way to something. Once you've known them for a while, you start to understand them and can anticipate them with a reasonable degree of accuracy, but that's assuming their behavior is genuine and consistent. If they're messing with you or pretending to be something they aren't, your data is inaccurate, and you can't correct it unless you know it's inaccurate.

People are the only things in the natural world that can deliberately give you false data about what to expect from them. So yes, I think Prowl has social anxiety. And probably some form of people-centric agoraphobia or anthropophobia.

(I also headcanon him as biromantic asexual. It has nothing to do with the above, and actually predates the anxiety headcanon).

15. What's your favorite ship for this character? (Doesn't matter if it's canon or not.)

If I had to pick just one pairing, I guess I would say Jazz/Prowl. Which is ironic, because for a long time, it was one of my least favorite Prowl pairings. Not because it was particularly objectionable; it was just everywhere, and I couldn't see it working. I think of Prowl as the kind of person who needs a steady, reliable partner who will let him have his routines and respect his desire to plan things before doing them, and Jazz's thing is more spontaneity and flexibility. He seemed like one of the worst partners for Prowl, especially with how I developed Prowl's disorders over the years.

In the end, though, that spontaneity is what brought them full circle to a pairing I can support. Because I do think Jazz would be willing to compromise and accommodate for Prowl's needs, and that Prowl could eventually trust that he's not going to suddenly change how he acts around him. It's a rather tenuous case of opposites attract, and requires patience from both parties, but I can see it working now.

16. What's your least favorite ship for this character?

First, an honorable mention goes to my immediate impulse, which was Constructicons/Prowl. I get why people want IDW Prowl to have someone on his side, and I don't think the Constructicons meant any harm. But Prowl was forced into the team through a series of traumatic events, the Constructicons like him for things he hates about himself, and being a part of Devastator seems to have contributed to his psychological decline. It wasn't a good or healthy situation for him, and I feel like the Constructicons having romantic feelings for him actually makes it more uncomfortable for me.

That being said, I'm going to have to go with Optimus/Prowl as my absolute least favorite ship. Optimus is very strongly motivated by morality and will generally take what he perceives to be the most moral action in a given situation. Pair that with someone like Prowl, who is willing to cross lines when he feels he has to, and you already have a relationship on rough ground. The only way things can work between them is either for Optimus to accept Prowl's "moral failings", or for Prowl to change a fundamental part of himself. There is literally no option that doesn't require one of them to compromise their principles or change who they are. And since Optimus isn't the kind of person who will do that, the only hope for a relationship is to "fix" Prowl. And that gets into abusive territory, because Optimus has power over Prowl in both the physical sense and in their professional relationship. He also has social power, because because Prowl is unpopular and Optimus is exactly the kind of person you wouldn't expect to be capable of abuse.

And yes. For the sake of argument, it could be toxic from Prowl's side too. He could try to hurt Optimus by throwing his mistakes in his face, or by blaming him for everything that goes wrong. But Optimus has a great deal of confidence in himself and the support of pretty much everyone, while Prowl is isolated and already isn't proud of things he's done. He is far more vulnerable to abuse than Optimus is, socially and psychologically, and he just doesn't deserve that.

23. Favorite picture of this character?

Mmm. I guess I would have to say this one, since it inspired an entire story that I'm still working on. There's actually another one that I like better (which also spawned an in-progress story), but I'd have to do more digging to find the link for that one. Might do it later.

25. What was your first impression of this character? How about now?

When I started watching G1, the Autobots were just a conglomerate of near-identical personalities to me. Prowl was just one of the generic background bots who got a few minutes of screentime in one episode and was otherwise relegated to a support role. I was mildly interested by some of the fanfic portrayals I saw, but I definitely preferred the Decepticons, so I didn't read much where he was a main character unless there were Decepticon MCs too. And most of those fics were written by a couple authors whose endings were consistently disappointing, so after I stopped reading their stuff, Prowl just dropped off my radar.

Nowadays, Prowl is my favorite Autobot (well, second favorite after Skyfire). Thanks to IDW, I kind of see him as the Autobot version of Starscream (narratively if not in personality), but he's also a fascinating character in his own right. I love that he doesn't conform to the Autobots as a whole, he's fun to write and analyze, and he was the one good thing I got out of the IDW comics. 10/10 character, deserves better.

[fantasy-anatomy-analyst]

Well, with all the interest in the boob post bringing up a lot of discussion on centaurs, I guess I had better go pick up and finish my post on how I personally worldbuild with centaurs! I put it off for other things.

My centaurs are based on chalicotheres and their weird anatomy is the result of a very oddly specific genetic quirk in which every centaur is actually a chimeric twin! Don't ask me how their genetics managed to work that out, I'm not actually a biologist. I just enjoy a little taste of believability in my fantasy anatomy.

(Image description: a centaur sitting on their hindquarters in a lounging pose, with a foreleg up on their knee. They look a little pompous, as if talking to someone in a condescending manner. They're wearing a few pieces of fancy draped cloth and jewelry in their hair, on their neck, and on their wrists. Like a chalicothere, their head has a similar shape to a horse's head and their hands and feet all have three hooved digits. End description)

My centaur worldbuilding post will also include a few examples of common congenital defects for centaurs.

[serial-designation-n-xp]

Heres a chunk of my Hcs for disassembly drones

Tails wave to low while hunting

fluffy tails (i draw this one a lot)

chirps and meows for semi-verbal communication

Beans and claws of course ✨

mild orange cat energy

If they eat too much regardless of gender they just "pop out" a mini-them (I don't know how to explain this one specifically)

Can get aggressive and territorially to any drone be it other disassembly drones or WDs

the coding defects are more common (ill go more about this in an image post)

females can be larger then males tho its uncommon, but not unheard of

I'll edit with new ones eventually that's all i could remember that's quite a lot of what you'd see in my art/comics(?)

[virgocathaunted]

NEYTIRI KILLS SPIDER

Quaritch don't even have to close his eyes to hear, feel, or smell it. He could hear his breathing slowing by the second. He could feel his body losing heat and blood spurting out. He could smell death coming to claim him.

While he was looking through the window of the ship the spectacular views that Pandora had.

They are supposed to watch Pandora together. They would discover all the ecosystems that the planet had, its forests, mountains, beaches, deserts and tundras. They would have all the time for themselves and a whole planet to explore. The day he died, his team had opened up to him before dawn, they wanted to defect. They wanted to live outside the RDA

. Living as Spider was teaching them. They did not want to destroy towns. The Colonel did not accept it. But Miles Quaritch, yes. He wanted to live in peace with his son, as it always should have been.

But they needed equipment for Spider, they would leave in 3 days. First they would gather information, they knew that there were small outposts all over Pandora from 15 years ago if they were lucky they could use it so the boy wouldn't have to wear the mask all the time.

It hadn't been 2 days when everything collapsed.

His mind reproduced the image of his son dying in his arms. Six months they had been together and it only took 6 minutes for him to see how brave, kind, intelligent and loyal he was. It took six hours to get him out of the human facilities to put the greatest distance between the child and the General. And six weeks to love him completely. His baby, the only good thing that "I"human left behind.

And in six hours he lost it. DEAD

HE will bring hell to Pandora. Not all Pandora, his son loved this planet and showed her a lot about it.

But the Na'vis would meet a true demon.

What he did to Home Tree 15 years ago will be nothing to what he would do. Neytiri, Sully's Wild Wife,is an indomitable hurricane when she gets angry. It was with that strength that he took away his team in minutes. Quaritch will be an earthquake accompanied by a tsunami, destruction that only escalates from bad to worse. A force that did not warn, and that destroyed everything in its path.

This planet should be theirs, both of them and their team. All flying in their Ikrans. With Spider.

Their son's death will be avenged, the planet will be theirs but not for humans. For Spider.

Silence, only the exo packs of Norm and Max could be heard along with the slow steps of their captors and the ship's engines. It took him a year to find it, the new Home Tree, but he did it. And now Norm had in front the being that plagued the nightmares of many Na'vi and humans alike, Colonel Miles Quaritch, but now in a Na'vi body. Like a specter that refuses to leave them alone. More dangerous.

That day had started like any other, many scientists outside studying the fauna, others in the common areas discussing their findings.Na'vi going hunting, children playing here and there. It was a quiet day. They did not wait for the ambush, they did not know how the RDA had found them.

Bombs, arrows, smoke... everything was confusing. The number of human scientists dropped rapidly. The Omotekiya did not have more luck. Warriors fell like a leaf. Moat gave instructions, with the body of the new Olo'eyktan in her hands dying.

The new Home Tree was destroid.

They are in the cargo bay, the three hostages kneeling and tied up. Seeing how the demon walked while seeing something in his hand, two other recoms in front of them. Lyle and Mansk.

Mo'at, had too many feelings. Her first dead grandson, the curious human child that always helped dead too. And a dead demon not so dead in body Na vi. JakeSully had told them that Neteyam and Spider had been killed in the battle. It remains to mention that it was her daughter's dagger that ended the life of the human child.

No one could believe what he told them, Neytiri would never hurt a child, not even if he was the son of this demon. Mo'at knows his daughter, she knows. But she doesn't want to believe it, children are sacred. The Spider boy was calm, respectful, loved Pandora. Sometimes she would look at him and see him as a Navi in the heart, she would see him. Next to her Max was crying and Norm was insulting, They didn't want to believe him. They had mourned the kidnapping and later the death of the child they all raised. HE was lying. But the video of Quaritch's vest was the proof.

They didn't know how to feel. They knew of Neytiri's antipathy towards Spider, but from that to her killing him it seemed almost like a fantasy. But the video playing again freaked them out. Not even in war did she have that unleashed anger in her eyes. Not an iota of guilt.

In the demon's gaze there was only truth, pain, and revenge.

Quaritch kept looking at his hand, some plates that he had made. Reaching out, grabbing the canvas and letting it fall. In the bay, nothing was heard except silence. Seconds later the piercing cry of Mo'at.

Two Toruk.

Dead.

Killing the Toruk was not easy, but between the three of them and various weapons they did it. This is the reason why the clans came together. The reason why he lost the battle 15 years ago and did not see his son grow up. But also the one who gave him a second life. The call of the Toruk Makto.

It is a symbol, and symbols are destroyed.

He approached Norm and put the plates around his neck, the man looked at him with hatred."Tell...tell Sully what's coming."

On the plates it had written

MILES "SPIDER" SOCORRO QUARITCH.

2154 - 2170

Seeing the General's last name with Spider's name made him sick. That he killed both Toruk made him sick.

Mansk opens the hangar doors, When you stretched out his arm, Norm could see a tattoo, 8 adults viperwolfe adult and one young.

8 recoms dead.

1 child dead.

Only the 3 of them knew what that tattoo meant. Viperwolves were Mansk's favorite animals, he and Spider spent hours talking about them and observing them during mission breaks.

Lyle drops a chain that drags the dead Toruk down, then shoots at Max, Norm, and Mo'at in the abdomen. They're not dead, but they won't be long.

🔹️I'm still writing it, but I wanted to post what I have so far. Maybe and give it a touch up and divide it into part 2 so the Sully's reaction would be 3.English is not my first language, so that Google translator.🔹️

[mrsreginagold]

Fic: My Appetite You Feed

Fandom: Nikita 

Pairing: Ari Tasarov x Nikita Mears (Nikari)

Rating: R

Spoilers: Canon Divergent AU, set after “The Life We’ve Chosen.” A companion piece to Stay Here In Your Arms Forever.

Summary: Nikita and Ari have been experiencing intense dreams about each other. It’s time to figure out what to do about it. 

Author's Note: Ordinarily I keep all my one shots separate, but this is a direct sequel to a previous work. However: it's not required to read the first story. Like all my Nikari pieces, this can be viewed as a stand-alone. Once again my romantic tendencies got the better of me, but I somehow doubt that the muses minded.

On AO3

My Appetite You Feed

                  She woke with the sharp cry of his name, clutching the bedsheets tightly enough to rip them. 

                  Nikita Mears panted harshly, her entire body tingling with want thanks to the dream she had just experienced.

                  She wished she knew exactly what was causing them, as they had begun not long after her return from the successful mission in South Ossetia. Returning with an alive, grateful Ari Tasarov had resulted in him fully defecting and becoming a member of Division.

  He had also become her partner both professionally and romantically and was the main subject of the intensely erotic imaginings that plagued her. 

                  With an exasperated sigh, the pretty, dark-haired agent flung back the covers and then rapidly removed her sleepwear. After a few steadying breaths, she trailed one hand down along her overly sensitized skin. With some precise touches – she could relieve the tension that had built up. 

                  It never took long. All that was required was to focus on picturing his elegant, handsome features and lean, nicely toned body. She had gotten a decent view of how he looked without his shirt thanks to his determination to take care of a bullet wound that she’d received, as he had removed the garment in order to make bandages. 

                  It was simple enough to create a clear image in her mind, her current dilemma abating with each deliberate ministration. 

                  In her imagination, Ari loomed close, those stunning blue eyes boring into her own while she thought of his hands brushing along her exposed form. It was the finer details that she latched onto – that playful sparkle in the cobalt-colored depths, the way his resonant baritone sounded when he murmured her name, and the dimple that flashed when his soft lips curved into a knowing smile. 

                  She recalled just how good that mouth felt when it was preoccupied with hers. How she wished he would explore the rest of her with such skill. 

                  Not long after she found a much-needed release, the guilt began to swim. 

                  Things were in a really great place with her love, and the last thing they needed as a new couple was this odd complication. 

                  After all: wasn’t it more common to fantasize about the object of one’s affection before they became an item?

                  Initially, she had suspected that the bullet itself had been laced with some kind of toxin. She certainly would not have been surprised if Amanda Collins had done such a thing, however: all the tests on it and her blood had come back entirely normal. 

                  With little in the way of answers, it left her at a loss. The last thing she wanted was to derail her relationship – but she also suspected that while Ari wouldn’t mind if she just jumped him in a Division corridor, he would wonder what the reason was. 

                  She needed to have a talk with her lover. 

                  Another sigh — this one beleaguered – emerged from the lovely former assassin when she rolled out of the confines of her bed and made her way to the bathroom. 

                  After a shower to both clean up and relax, Nikita emerged from the steam and wrapped herself in a fluffy, white towel. 

                  The irony of such a virginal color after what she had engaged in that morning was not lost on her and she shook her head before wandering into the walk-in closet to pick out something to wear. 

                  She pulled on some black lace lingerie first, and then settled on a sweater dress in a shade of cerulean that she knew complimented Ari’s eyes, which she paired with dark grey leggings. 

                  She tied her hair back in a low ponytail, and then applied her makeup, opting for neutral shades for her eyes and a soft pink for her lips. 

                  Satisfied with her appearance, she tugged on her favorite black boots and an overcoat to battle the winter air, and then finally exited her apartment, purse shouldered securely. 

                  As she made her way up the hall, the door to another apartment only a couple of doors down opened. 

                  Ari Tasarov, impeccable in a finely tailored suit, fell into step beside her. “Good morning.”

                  His alluring voice washed over her, immediately causing warmth to pool at her core.

                  She swallowed and did her best to remain steady on her feet. “Morning. Sleep well?”

                  “Quite.” The smile that crossed his lips was mildly secretive, which made her curiosity pique, but she didn’t question him further.

                  They continued towards the elevators at the end of the hallway, chatting quietly. 

                  It was once they were safely inside and descending to the lobby that the mood finally shifted.

                  Without warning, Nikita found herself trapped between the guard rail and her lover’s taller form, his lips seeking hers in a passion-filled kiss to properly greet her. 

                  She melted in Ari’s embrace, curling her arms around his neck and returning the affection as eagerly as he gave it. 

                  One hand swept over the small of her back, tugging her further into him as they nipped and teased at one another. 

                  She parted for air first, certain her features were flushed and that she’d have to redo her lip color before they went into the office. “What was that for?”

                  “For visiting my dreams last night,” he caressed lightly over the curve of her jaw. 

                  She lifted a finely groomed eyebrow. Was it possible that he was experiencing the same strange phenomenon? 

                  “And what was I doing, exactly?”

                  He chuckled, daring a brief nuzzle. “Nothing unpleasant, my love. You just happened to be there.”

                  “Well now I need to know,” she drew him close into the circle of her arms.

                  He grinned then, which was outright criminal. 

                  She was about to prod him further when the doors to the elevator opened. 

                  She narrowed her eyes. “We’re continuing this conversation later.”

                  “Of course,” he drew her hand up to his lips and pressed a feathery kiss to her knuckles, and then escorted her out into the day. 

                  

Unfortunately, various meetings kept Nikita busy well into the afternoon. 

                  When she was finally able to take a break for lunch, she immediately headed for what served as Division’s library, where Ari often spent his free time researching. 

                  The operative hurried along the corridor, utterly consumed with the urge to see the man that she loved. She was so unaware of her surroundings that it nearly caused her to collide with her good friend, Alexandra Udinov.

                  “Whoa, Nikita, where’s the fire?” her former protégé joked, catching her arm with one hand to keep her from stumbling.

                  “Sorry, Alex, I wasn’t really watching where I was going. You haven’t happened to see if Ari’s around?”

                  “I believe he’s finishing up a meeting with Ryan.”

                  “Oh. I guess I’ll go wait.”

                  The dejected look that crossed Nikita’s face caused Alex to tilt her head curiously. “Is everything all right?”

                  “Everything’s fine, I just, you know, need to talk to him.”

                  “About?”

                  “…stuff.”

                  Her friend folded her arms over her chest, arching her eyebrows skeptically. “Job stuff or relationship stuff?”

                  Nikita shuffled from one foot to the other, her features coloring considerably, which gave her companion the answer. 

                  “Nik, I might be crossing a boundary here but, I have to ask. Is everything okay with the two of you?”

                  “Of course everything’s okay. Why wouldn’t it be okay?  It’s not like I’m having sexual dreams about him every night that result in bringing myself to orgasm on my own in the morning instead of going to him instead, I mean that would be ridiculous.” She clamped one hand over her mouth, her face aflame. The words had just come tumbling out before she could stop them. 

                  “That’s both graphic and oddly specific,” Alex bit back a chuckle. “So, dreams?”

                  “Intense, erotic dreams that I don’t want to wake up from,” now that the truth was revealed, Nikita slumped against the nearest surface, which happened to be a wall. 

                  “You should tell him. He’ll be flattered and will probably want to cater to your every whim.”

                  “That’s just it, Alex! I love Ari so much, and I don’t want to wreck the good thing we have going. We’ve been taking it slow, waiting for the right moment to take things to the next level.  The last thing I need is him thinking that I’m some kind of sex maniac because I’m not. But every time I close my eyes, all I see and feel and want is him. And what if…” she trailed off, her expression downcast. “What if after we finally consummate, he’s no longer interested?”

                  “Again, you should be telling him this, but one thing has been painfully clear since the two of you got together. Ari adores you. If all he wanted was something physical, it would have happened already.”

                  “You think so?”

                  “I don’t think. I know. Nikita: every time I see you lately, you’re glowing, and it’s because of that man. No one, not even Michael, has gotten this kind of reaction from you. And what’s more, I’m sure Ari’s aware of this too.”

                  “So you’re basically saying I should talk to my boyfriend and then drag him to bed to get all this sorted?”

                  Alex snorted in laughter. “Yes to the first part, but I think that second bit is your own frustration at work.”

                  “Fair point,” Nikita took a gulp of air and then straightened her posture. “Well then; wish me luck.”

                  “Good luck.” Her fellow agent patted her on the arm and then headed down the hall in the opposite direction. 

                  Nikita inhaled once more, this time to steel herself, and took the path that led to her boss’s office. 

                  The object of her affection stepped out into the hallway just as she arrived, which saved her the trouble of having to wait for him.

                  Her heart flipped happily upon seeing him. “Hey. I was looking for you. Alex said you were in a meeting?”

                  “I was just on my way to you, actually. There’s been some news,” Ari linked their arms together and began to escort her down the corridor. 

                  “Good news or bad?”

                  “A mix of both,” he admitted, which explained the partially solemn expression on his attractive features. “Mr. Fletcher is sending me out on a solo assignment. The fact that he’s doing so means that I’ve earned some trust around here, that’s the good part.”

                  “And the bad?” she pressed gently. She knew how hard her partner had been working to become a reliable member of the team, and she was glad for him in that respect.

                  “The bad is that I’ll be leaving next Monday, and I don’t fully know how long I’ll be away,” he confessed, turning so that they were facing each other. “I know it’s not the greatest timing, but I asked for a long weekend for the two of us. I figured there’s some things we need to discuss.”

                  She adjusted his tie. “You figured correctly. How long of a weekend are we talking about?”

                  “We can head out now, actually.” He curled his arms around her waist and touched their foreheads together.

                  “It’s Tuesday afternoon.”

                  “Yes. Almost six whole days where it’ll be just the two of us.” He promised, ducking his head to press a light kiss to her lips. 

                  “Mmm. I can think of plenty of things to keep us occupied. And to be fair: we do deserve a break, don’t you think? It’s been hectic since we returned, and we’ve never really had a chance to…connect properly. There’s something important I need to talk to you about as it is.”

                  “I have something important to tell you too,” he reached around her to twist the knob of the door that was directly behind them and then backed her inside. 

                  “Ari this is a supply closet.”

                  “Well aware,” she could detect a hint of gravel in the already low register of his tone, which sent a pleasant shiver coursing up her spine. “But I couldn’t wait any longer to do this.”

                  Ordinarily, he was careful when he kissed her, preferring to hold her against him as if she was something delicate that could shatter in his grasp. 

                  This time, however, it was as if something primal had been unleashed. 

                  Nikita gasped against Ari’s mouth when he lifted her effortlessly to shove her between the nearest surface and his solid body. 

                  Something dug into her shoulder, but she paid it little mind, circling her legs around his waist to anchor them together and give in to the wild embrace that escalated. 

                  With one arm draped securely over his neck, she daringly moved her free hand slowly down his chest while he bit insistently at her lips, pausing right over his heart to gauge just how rapidly it was beating. 

                  She was certain her own was a hurried staccato that matched and dug her fingers into the soft fabric of his shirt, her head tilting back when his mouth strayed to traverse along her neck. 

                  Molten heat gathered right below her stomach as his tongue darted out and laved at the hollow of her throat, a strangled cry emerging when he veered to the left and sunk his teeth into her shoulder hard enough to leave a mark. 

                  “Did you just –

                  He didn’t let her finish the sentence, his mouth seeking and practically devouring hers this time. 

                  The embrace continued to grow in passion while they pressed close together, causing absolutely delicious friction in spite of being fully clothed. 

                  She could tell how affected he was by her, which made her grateful for the privacy because she was seconds away from bypassing layers and having her way with him right there. 

                  He seemed to sense this, and abruptly pinned both of her hands over her head, tugging away reluctantly from the kiss. “Don’t get upset, but we’re going to have to wait a little longer. I know I instigated it, but I want to take my time somewhere more comfortable.”

                  “Why did you think I’d be upset?” she stared up at him, breathing heavily.

                  Ari eyed her seriously and let go of her hands. “Why wouldn’t you be when we got so worked up?”

                  “That’s true, but in this instance I happen to agree with you,” she traced a pattern over the slope of his shoulder. “And this isn’t exactly the most romantic spot in the world.”

                  He chuckled. “It isn’t. But I simply couldn’t wait to kiss you. In fact: I’ve been craving it since this morning.”

                  “You too?” she joked, nuzzling against him. 

                  “Can you blame me? It was a great kiss in that elevator.” He laughed earnestly and nuzzled back, content to hold her as they both caught their breath properly. 

                  “So was the one we just had,” she murmured, touching her lips to the freckle on his nose. She wanted to spend hours exploring him and revel in the simple intimacy that quiet moments alone gave the two of them. 

                  He sighed, his eyes fluttering shut, and allowed her to express her devotion for a few seconds more. “We should get going. I don’t want any of our free time wasted.”

                  “Then take me home,” she whispered, daring a nibble at his earlobe. 

He caught her mouth in a relatively chaste kiss so that they could finally make their exit mere moments after. 

                  As Nikita didn’t specify what she had meant by “home,” it was a toss of a coin to decide which apartment they would begin their mini vacation at.

                  Ari won, so the couple headed to his place, and she was quick to notice that he was in very bright spirits. “Why do I get the feeling that you have something planned?”

                  “Whatever gave you that idea?” He smirked, startling her further when he scooped her up so he could bridal carry her. 

                  Though she yelped in surprise, she didn’t hesitate to hook her arms around his neck. “You didn’t answer the question.”

                  “I don’t have to. See for yourself,” he gave the front door a kick once it was unlocked and carted her inside. 

                  She stared, entirely in awe of the scene in front of her. 

                  Somehow, he had created the perfect romantic space for the two of them. 

                  Plentiful rose petals in shades of crimson, pale pink, and white formed a path towards the bedroom. Sheer curtains covered the large windows, allowing the natural light that poured in to generate a warm glow. The couch that took up a corner now had several comfortable-looking throw pillows of various sizes, and a huge plush blanket was draped over the back. 

                  There was a vase containing more roses set upon the coffee table across from the television, and an open record player, already prepped with a vinyl. 

                  “Ari…when did you have time to do this?”

                  “I’ve been working on it here and there,” he admitted, setting her on her feet and then removing her overcoat. He took that and her purse to hang up while she removed her boots. 

                  Cautiously, Nikita stepped forward, not wanting to disrupt all his handiwork. She bypassed the rose petal trail and instead tip-toed to inspect what record they would be listening to. 

                  Soft footfalls alerted her to Ari’s presence right before his arms passed around her waist. He pulled her back against his chest and nuzzled at her shoulder. “Does it meet your expectations?”

                  “It exceeds them,” she sighed quietly and turned her head so they could share a sweet kiss, her hand sliding up his neck to toy with his hair. In the time since he had joined Division he had begun to grow it out, and she enjoyed messing with the longer strands at the base of his nape. 

                  Like clockwork, when her fingers brushed over the sensitive skin there, a low moan emerged from her beloved. Ever since the removal of his kill chip, that area was especially reactive, and she grinned when he automatically dragged her closer. 

                  They continued their embrace for a few more moments, until Nikita twisted around so that she was facing Ari, and he could draw her flush against him, the pair teasing at each other’s mouths until they had to part for air. 

                  “You’re making it quite difficult to have a discussion,” he muttered. 

                  “Sorry,” she grinned, not remotely meaning it. “Am I a distraction?”

                  “You know exactly what you are doing, Nikita,” he punctuated the syllables of her name lightheartedly, dropping a kiss to her forehead before moving away briefly so he could start up the record. 

                  A romantic ballad began, and he offered her a bow. “Will you join me in a dance, my love?”

                  “You know you never have to ask,” she gladly accepted his hand when he held it out. 

                  They swayed with the music. While she had been trained in the basics of dance, he was more accomplished and naturally graceful. Yet – he never once had made her feel inferior about it. As a result, she loved it when he would twirl her around, whether it was at a fancy gathering or merely through her kitchen. 

                  With a content sound, she rested her head on his chest while they created a winding path through the rose petals on the floor. “What was it you wanted to talk about?”

                  “My dreams, actually. Specifically: the ones I’ve been having about you.”

                  Her eyes flew open, color blossoming on her cheeks. “In the interest of transparency, I need to tell you that I’ve also been dreaming about you. Constantly.”

                  He cupped her chin and tipped it up, so they were gazing into each other’s eyes. “I have a feeling these dreams may be connected.”

                  “I’m not sure about that, unless yours have been as sexual as mine.” She mumbled.

                  “Darling, I’m pretty sure we’re projecting.”

                  “What do you mean?”

                  He sighed, his shoulders dropping. “When you traded me for Alex, Amanda had me rendered unconscious for a short time. After we came back to Division and I had that kill chip removed, I had them draw my blood to check for anything that she might have had me injected with.”

                  “I had my blood checked too, because of that bullet. It all came back clean.”

                  “As did mine, but there was an elevation in pheromones. I wasn’t even aware she’d been experimenting with them.”

                  “I wouldn’t put anything past that woman, but that doesn’t explain why either of us would start having those kind of dreams.”

                  “I’m fairly sure that it’s my fault.”

                  “What? Why?”

                  “Because I couldn’t resist kissing you that night in the truck. Once I had a taste it was like I wanted to drown in you,” The guilt on his attractive face made her heart drop. “Nikita, I’m so sorry. I never wanted to rush you –”

                  She shushed him by placing her hand over his mouth. “Ari, what makes you think you have anything to be sorry for? You didn’t know what she had done, and you sure as hell had no idea what it would result in.”

                  He twined their fingers together, his eyes flashing defiantly. “If there’s one thing I’m certain of, it’s my feelings for you. Nothing about that was a result of what she did to me, and they began long before things changed between us, but it’s also why I’ve delayed us being intimate. I keep on worrying that once we give in…”

                  “That we’ll grow tired of each other?” she finished.

                  He nodded. 

                  “It’s crossed my mind too,” she squeezed at his hands reassuringly. “But Alex reminded me of something today.”

                  His brow furrowed in confusion. “You talked to Alex about this?”

                  “More like blurted it out. It wasn’t on purpose,” she shook her head. “Anyway – it reminded me that we needed to face this together, and keeping the dreams a secret wasn’t going to accomplish a thing. So: maybe we just jump in, see where this leads, and stop overthinking.”

                  “Is that what you want? Truly?” 

                  She grasped at his sleeves and yanked him towards her, so they could nuzzle each other. “Yes. Make love to me.”

                  No further coaxing was needed. He gathered her against him, captured her mouth in a fervent kiss, and then steered her towards his bedroom. 

                  Her dress and leggings formed a quick pile on the floor, followed by his suit coat, button-down shirt, and slacks. 

                  She pulled away to catch her breath and toy with the hem to thin tee he still had on, prompting him to raise his arms so she could peel it over his head. 

                  She raked her gaze slowly across his exposed torso, appreciating the lean, yet perfectly sculpted tone now bared to her. 

                  It certainly didn’t hurt matters that his broad chest was rising and falling steadily with each breath that he took, painting a sensual picture that she tucked away in the back of her mind. 

                  She took a step forward, dragging her nails tantalizingly through the hair that dusted his skin, before drifting her hand down to trace around the waistline to his boxers.

                  Their gazes met, her eyes begging permission that he willingly gave and within seconds she had him completely naked. 

                  Before she could even the odds, however, he stopped her. “Wait.”

                  “Why?”

She merely received a mysterious smile. 

                  Without another word, Ari dipped his head and kissed her chest through the lace still covering her, her heart racing when his attentions turned zealous. 

                  Nikita hissed sharply, her body arcing directly into his touch as searing warmth flooded her core.

                  Reaching back, she blindly unhooked her bra and hastily freed herself so she could guide him back to her uncovered breasts. 

                  He took his time, devoting attention first to one, then the other, with what became almost agonizing pleasure. 

                  Another provocative bite was bestowed which caused her knees to buckle, though he caught her immediately after.

                  She was fully nude before they crashed back on the bed and his hungry kisses moved down along her body, only increasing the liquid heat that had rushed to her center.

                  He peered up at her, his eyes glinting dangerously with a promise of what was about to occur. 

                  “I swear Ari if you don’t –

                  Her head fell back when her words were cut off and a strangled gasp emerged instead. She was entirely at his mercy while he worked utter magic with his hands and tongue. 

                  The dreams had nothing on the real thing. She became lost to sensation, her vision swimming while he continued in his task, his name falling from her lips as a repeated mantra. 

                  She had never imagined that he would be quite so attentive, and if his goal was to ruin her for all others – he had accomplished that in spades. 

                  Only after she had reached completion twice over did he let up. She fell back against the nest of blankets, breathing heavily and flinging her arms up over her head. 

She watched him as he crawled back over her, a content smile crossing her lips when he started pressing firefly kisses all over her skin. He paused in his trek to devote particular attention to the bite mark he’d made earlier that day, and then settled comfortably against her. 

                  Silently, she traced a pattern over his shoulder, grateful for a chance to regain some of her composure and bask in the familiarity of them simply lying together. 

                  His mouth grazed lightly along hers before he stole her breath yet again. 

Nikita draped her arms around Ari’s neck and returned the embrace, sliding one long leg against his and hooking it over his waist. With a deft movement, she turned the tides so she could be the one on top. 

There was a low, rumbling chuckle from her bed mate. “Eager, are we?”

                  “Hey, you started this,” she reminded him, taking a moment to admire what lay before her properly. 

                  And what a work of art he was, all elegant lines and chiseled tone in just the right places. 

                  The truth was: she had never wanted another as much as she did currently. Letting him know this was her next course of action. 

Determined, she leaned in to kiss him lovingly before setting to task. 

                  She bit suggestively at his earlobe, tracking nonsensical patterns wherever she could reach, which elicited a low, almost inhuman growl from the man in her grasp when she lingered at his abdomen.

                  She smirked, satisfied at the reaction, and resumed the journey with her mouth, drifting along his clavicle before coasting lower. 

                   His hands threaded into her hair to keep her steady while she explored, uttering partially coherent phrases in his native tongue the more avid her attentions grew.

                  Nikita grinned, enjoying the rush of power.

Ari gripped tightly at the pillow, his head tipping back to expose the elegant column of his throat and his pulse turning erratic the further she wore on – until he eventually let go entirely. 

It was understandable that he needed a short break to recover, and she didn’t mind in the slightest as it resulted in them cuddling together under the sheets. 

Nikita curled as close as possible, drawing a heart right over Ari’s before stroking absentmindedly at his skin. 

She felt her lover shift, the motion languid and belying his exhaustion, his lips ghosting over her temple right before he murmured: “Just a few more minutes, I promise.”

                  “Take your time,” she insisted, kissing his throat, and going back to trailing patterns through his chest hair. 

                  One hand moved up to clasp around hers, halting the motion. “I will, but only if you stop that.”

                  She blinked as a realization hit. Of all the possibilities she had entertained about him, being ticklish had not been on the list. 

                  His expression turned alarmed when he saw a very mischievous smirk cross her face. “Oh no. Nikita–

                  She pounced, not allowing him a chance to protest further, attacking right under his ribs. 

                  The rich, warm laughter that emerged was worth making him squirm, and she rewarded him not long after with an affectionate embrace to make up for it. 

                  “I hope you realize that there’s going to be payback for that later,” he turned, trapping her under him and surging forward for another kiss, which she happily gave. 

                  “I expect no less,” she caressed along his shoulder blades and hooked one leg over his, sufficiently tangling the blankets around them further in the process. 

                  Truthfully, she didn’t think it was possible for him to look more alluring than at that moment – with his hair tousled to perfection and the vast sea of his gaze glittering with tender emotions that were directly solely at her.

                  It certainly didn’t hurt that he was naked and in her arms either, but that was beside the point. What mattered was the fact that, for all intent and purpose: this gorgeous man was hers and hers alone.

                  It was clear that the feeling was very much mutual when his mouth became preoccupied with hers and limbs entwined naturally. Finally – their time had arrived. 

                  Still, she could feel him hesitate, and it caused her to part with him long enough to ask if all was well. 

                  “Everything’s fine. It’s just that after this, there’s no going back.” He sighed, rubbing at her arms soothingly in reassurance, though whether that was more for him or for her was the question. 

                  “If it helps, I’m a little scared too,” she admitted. “I mean, I’ve dreamt of this exact moment for a while now.”

                  He rested his forehead against hers. “I only hope I can meet whatever expectations you’ve set.”

                  “I think you’ve done a pretty great job so far,” she knew she needed to give him that extra push, so she rotated her hips invitingly. 

                  The effect was instantaneous, those stunning eyes meeting her own in silent question, which was answered by him joining them moments later. 

                  She gasped, her grip on his back tightening a fraction. It felt so right to be one with him, their bodies molding together as though they’d been made for such a thing. 

                  He started them off with an even pace, allowing her time to adjust to the sensation of being connected. 

                  Touched by his consideration, she reached up to sweep loose strands of hair away from his eyes, murmuring encouragement so he would go faster. 

                  Their lovemaking transformed into an intricate dance – Nikita meeting Ari’s precise movements with her own, the pair meeting repeatedly in feverish kisses that mirrored the tangle of their bodies. 

                  She cried out when he shifted and changed his angle, their motions losing grace and giving way to raw, unadulterated passion. Her nails dug into his skin hard enough to leave marks, and the next thing either one of them knew: they reached their pinnacle in unison. After that, all that was left was to fall. 

                  “What I really want to know is: what the hell was Amanda trying to do?” Nikita muttered, thoroughly wiped out, hours later after she and Ari had engaged in multiple rounds. “Clearly if she was attempting to pull us apart, she failed spectacularly.”

                  “I don’t think she anticipated that my feelings for you would be reciprocated,” he trailed one hand gradually across her hip, content for the moment to just lie there and exist. 

                  She peered up at him from where her head was pillowed comfortably on his chest. “It still doesn’t explain it.”

                  “Nikita…”

                  “What? Like you don’t want answers?”

                  “Of course I do, but not right this second,” he chuckled, continuing to stroke lazily at her skin. “Besides, that’s part of why I’m going on this mission. To find answers about what kind of experiments she was doing.”

                  She exhaled quietly and let her fingers dance along his torso. “I should be going with you. What if you run into her? You really think she wouldn’t take the chance to finish the job and kill you properly?”

                  The despair in her tone was enough for him to twist and pin her beneath him, his mouth coaxing at hers and his hands creating paths that she hoped he would discover with his lips later. “You’d just distract me from getting any work done, and you know it. That’s why we’re taking this weekend – to get all of this out of our systems. But if it stops you worrying, I’m not planning on going alone. Mr. Elliot is accompanying me.”

                  “Owen is? When did the two of you stop wanting to kill each other?”

                  “Turns out that we share a fondness for the same woman.”

                  “Oh.”

                  He simply smiled and kissed her lovingly. “In the meantime, I think we could do with some food.”

                  “Ari Tasarov, if you dare leave this bed –

                  “I’ll order take-out.”

                  “…that’s fine.” 

The End