#Contingency clauses

[unitedstatesrei]

The Importance of Contingencies in Real Estate Deals

Key TakeawaysContingencies in real estate deals serve as legal safety nets, safeguarding investments and minimizing risks.They provide the flexibility to renegotiate or exit a deal without losing earnest money if unexpected issues arise.Mastering contingencies enhances negotiation power in competitive markets. The Role of Contingencies in Real Estate TransactionsYou need contingencies in your real estate deals to act as legal safety nets—protecting your investment, reducing risk, and keeping you in the driver’s seat if things shift unexpectedly.Imagine discovering major repairs or a financing hiccup mid-deal; with well-placed contingencies, you can renegotiate or walk away without losing your earnest money. In a cutthroat market, mastering the art of structuring or waiving contingencies transforms negotiation power.Want to see how the pros use these tools to their advantage?Understanding Contingencies and Their Role in Real Estate ContractsIn every real estate transaction, contingencies act as your legal safety net, shielding both buyers and sellers from unnecessary risk. When you engage in effective contingency planning, you introduce contract flexibility that guarantees your interests aren’t jeopardized if conditions change. For example, buyers navigating uncertainty may want to understand the financial consequences of scenarios such as short sales versus foreclosures, which can directly impact future borrowing ability.Imagine discovering a crucial repair during inspection or struggling to secure financing. Contingencies offer a valuable “escape hatch”—you can walk away and reclaim your earnest money without penalties. If a contingency isn’t met, the contract becomes null and void, letting both sides pursue other opportunities. Earnest money acts as a good faith deposit that is protected by contingencies, so you typically receive a refund if you withdraw for a valid reason.This flexibility empowers you to negotiate, reevaluate, or extend deadlines as needed. Smart real estate professionals rely on contingencies to streamline transactions, reduce disputes, and maintain control, especially when navigating market uncertainties or complex investments.Key Types of Contingencies Every Buyer Should KnowWhether you’re steering your first home purchase or structuring an investment deal, understanding the array of contingencies available is essential for protecting your interests and keeping your options open.Ever wondered what happens if the home inspection uncovers mold, or financing falls through? That’s where contingency clauses step in. Key examples include the home inspection, appraisal, and financing contingencies—each giving you the right to walk away or renegotiate if specific conditions aren’t met. Increasingly, buyers and investors must also consider how construction costs and availability may impact negotiations and contract structuring, especially as recent policy changes have driven up the price of building materials.Pay close attention to contingency timing: inspection and financing windows are typically short but decisive, so missing a deadline can mean forfeiting vital protections. Including contingencies in your offer can sometimes make your bid less attractive to sellers in a competitive market, so weigh the trade-offs carefully.Beyond basics, consider title, HOA, insurance, and zoning contingencies—tools that let you investigate property use and compliance.Each clause—when leveraged wisely—ensures you stay in control of your real estate journey.How Contingencies Protect Buyers From Financial and Legal RisksAlthough today’s real estate market demands swift decisions, savvy buyers know that skipping contingencies can invite serious legal and financial headaches. When you use effective contingency planning and risk assessment, you strengthen your contract’s defenses, reducing the chance of costly surprises. Contingencies give you legal recourse if conditions aren’t met and let you back out without penalty if things go wrong downstream.

Imagine you’re trying to balance your investment—these safeguards help you manage unpredictability, rather than gamble. As buyers become more diligent, reduced waiver rates show that people are prioritizing protection and awareness during the home-buying process.Picture gaining critical time for thorough inspections that could uncover costly repairs.Visualize confidently negotiating better terms because your financing needs are documented.See yourself exiting the transaction unscathed if your current home doesn’t sell.Envision legal and financial security, even if the appraisal doesn’t meet expectations.With sharp regional rent disparities, the current market climate makes contingencies even more crucial to safeguard buyers from price shocks and supply-driven volatility.Choosing contingencies isn’t hesitation, it’s smart business.The Effect of Contingencies on the Real Estate Transaction ProcessEven a well-negotiated real estate deal can unravel if contingency clauses aren’t front and center. You’ll quickly realize that contingencies shape every step, from offer to closing. Each is tied to strict contingency deadlines that both parties must monitor. If you miss a deadline—say, for a home inspection or securing a mortgage—the entire transaction is at risk. Effective seller contingency strategies often revolve around minimizing delays while ensuring a committed buyer. In fact, aligning contingency dates with the overall closing timeline is critical, since financing or inspection setbacks can cause cascading delays that threaten the completion of the deal. Leveraging succession planning can help guarantee smoother transitions and financial stability when transactions become uncertain due to missed deadlines. Here’s how key contingencies impact the process:Contingency TypeTypical DeadlineImpact on TransactionInspection10-17 daysUncovers repairs, re-opens negotiationsAppraisal17-21 daysMay affect price/loan termsMortgage21-30 daysCertifies buyer’s financingTitle10-20 daysConfirms ownership/legalitiesSale of Current Home30-60 daysAdds significant delayAligning your expectations with these timelines guarantees a smoother transaction.Strategies for Using or Waiving Contingencies in a Competitive MarketWith tight deadlines and high stakes, strategies around contingencies can make or break your position in a competitive market. You’ve likely noticed that successful buyers sharpen their contingency timing and negotiation strategies to stand out. When selecting properties, thoughtful choices—including color psychology in the presentation—can subtly influence both perception and desirability.In today’s environment, waiving contingencies amplifies your offer’s appeal, but it can also increase legal and financial risk. Savvy investors know when to hold firm or give ground by adapting their tactics for each deal. Limiting or waiving inspection contingencies can make your offer stand out, but buyers must be keenly aware of the risks of missing hidden defects.Consider these approaches:Waive financing or appraisal contingencies to signal strength—ideal for cash buyers or those comfortable with potential gaps.Offer a rent-back to meet the seller’s timeline, outmaneuvering rivals who can’t provide flexibility.Use inspection and HOA contingencies judiciously to maintain leverage but reduce deal-killing surprises.Time your contingencies carefully to avoid inflexible deadlines or missed opportunities.AssessmentThink of contingencies as your ship's lifeboats—essential when navigating the unpredictable seas of real estate. Would you embark on a journey without them? With carefully crafted clauses, you can protect your investment from hidden obstacles and unexpected challenges.Savvy investors equip themselves with these safeguards, knowing exactly when to use or set them aside. So, as you guide your next deal, ensure your strategy is grounded in legal clarity and smart contingencies.Remember, calm waters never made a skilled sailor, or a smart buyer. Ready

to set sail on your next real estate venture? Make sure you're prepared, and consider adding these protective measures to your toolkit.

[radiantresume]

“Implementing Risk-Based Thinking in ISO 9001 – Strengthening Your Quality Management System”

1. Introduction Risk management is now a core part of the ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System (QMS) standard. With the introduction of Risk-Based Thinking (RBT), ISO 9001 now requires organizations to identify and address risks that can affect product quality, customer satisfaction, and overall operational effectiveness. Rather than reacting to problems as they arise, RBT is about being…

[karvokr]

unscripted

it was all for show– until it wasn’t. now the lines are blurred, the feelings are real, and no one remembers who’s cast in what role.

pairings: actor!gojo x actress!reader x actor!geto content warnings: mdni, smut and angst, unprotected piv sex, fingering, oral (m and f receiving), infidelity/cheating themes, love triangle, fake dating/pr relationship, secret relationship, they did NOT rehearse their lines series masterlist • episode 2 >>

S1, E1: casting call

You sign the contract on a Wednesday.

It arrives in your inbox under the subject line: “CONFIDENTIAL.”

A PDF. Nine pages long. Paragraphs of stipulations, contingencies, and conditions dressed up in PR language so pristine you almost laugh. Coordinated appearances. Joint interviews with dates staggered across press cycles. Exclusivity clauses for red carpet events. “Spontaneous” candid moments approved in advance. At least four public outings a month. A shared stylist to align aesthetics without making it too obvious. No real intimacy, but enough illusion to stir the right kind of attention.

At the bottom: “Duration: Minimum 6 months. Option to renew through awards season.”

Your name is already typed in the signature line, blank and waiting.

It’s ridiculous. A fake relationship designed to sell a real story– two beautiful leads, off-screen romance bleeding into on-screen chemistry, timed just right to catch the eye of the Academy. It feels like theater. Like marketing dressed in Dior and Versace.

Your publicist says it’s “industry standard,” and your agent reminds you that an Oscar doesn’t just happen. It’s built.

And Suguru Geto is a very good brick.

So you nod. Sign. Smile.

The next morning, you wake to two calendar invites and a wardrobe fitting already on the books. Friday is a blur of meetings– PowerPoints, color swatches, talking points, binders stacked with everyone else’s expectations. You’re poked, pinned, and polished into someone just glossy enough to photograph well. Saturday is quieter, technically free, but your nerves don’t get the memo. You feel it in your chest, in your skin– the stillness before something begins.

By Sunday, Suguru Geto is your boyfriend– on paper.

It’s not like he’s a stranger. You met him once– briefly– at a film festival in Toronto. It was years ago, before your first major role, before the PR teams and stylists and publicists started forming a protective wall between you and the world. You were still wide-eyed, still watching everything like it was a dream you’d wake up from. The kind of version of yourself that lingered too long at open bars and felt guilty for answering questions during panel Q&As.

Suguru was already someone then. Not yet a household name, but he was well on his way– fresh off a Cannes nomination and a string of indie shoots that made critics go quiet in their chairs. You knew him the way everyone in that circle did: respected, rumored, slightly haunted. He carried himself like someone older than his age, like the world had already tried to take something from him and failed.

You ended up in the same green room by accident. He was tucked into the corner of a velvet couch, thumbing through a paperback that looked older than both of you. Everyone else was networking, talking too loudly, smiling too hard. He wasn’t. He barely looked up when you walked in, but when he did, he blinked like he recognized you– from the festival lineup, probably– and offered the barest, quietest nod.

You’d been introduced by someone else– your manager at the time– and it was awkward. His handshake was warm but brief. He said your name like he didn’t want to forget it. And he was polite, thoughtful, soft-spoken.

But mostly, he seemed tired. Not rude. Just spent. A little hollow around the edges. Like he was doing his best to stay upright in a space that wanted too much from him.

You remember liking that about him. Not the weariness, exactly, but the honesty of it. There was no fake smile. No attempt to charm you. Just a quiet man in a crowded room who didn’t pretend he wasn’t drowning in it.

You’d watched him from across the room later that night at a private party. He leaned against the balcony railing, lit cigarette forgotten between two fingers, eyes unfocused like he was somewhere far away. When he laughed at something someone said, it was sudden. Soft. Real. You’d only heard it once, and it had stuck with you.

The festival ended. You moved on.

You didn’t think you’d ever get close to him– not because he wasn’t interesting, but because men like Suguru Geto didn’t orbit close to people like you. He existed on a different rung. Quiet, unreachable, curated by some invisible machinery you hadn’t yet learned to navigate.

And besides, you didn’t think you’d want to. At the time, you still believed in real chemistry. In relationships built on off-camera glances and unspoken moments. You thought PR couples were hollow. Manufactured. Maybe even sad.

That version of you didn’t know anything yet. She didn’t understand how useful illusion could be.

So when they first floated Suguru’s name– your team, the studio, the awards consultants already plotting headlines and camera pairings– it felt surreal. Distant. Like a ghost reaching back from a past life.

You were already flipping through moodboards and shoot schedules when they said it. “We’ve spoken with Geto’s team. He’s open to it.”

Open to you.

The version of him you remembered didn’t do this kind of thing. He didn’t fake romance for the press. He didn’t post birthday selfies or tweet cryptic captions about breakups. He was… reserved. Controlled. Private.

And yet here he was. Signing the same contract you were. Ready to stand beside you in softly blurred photos, his hand on your waist like it belonged there. Willing to laugh at your red carpet jokes, low and close enough that the cameras could catch it– but not close enough to be real.

The first staged outing is in West Hollywood. Lunch. Alone. Private– but not private enough to escape the paparazzi’s watchful lenses, peeking through bushes and around street signs. But it’s shaded, the espresso is good, and Suguru is already waiting when you arrive.

He stands when he sees you.

He doesn’t rush. Doesn’t overact. Just offers a gentle smile, takes off his sunglasses, and says: “Hey. You look… perfect for the role.”

There’s a pause. He lets you laugh.

You press your cheek to his in greeting. A soft brush. His palm grazes your waist. You smell cologne– cedar, bergamot, maybe vetiver. It lingers on your dress after you sit.

The cameras click in the background, but it’s easy to ignore. For a little while, it feels like lunch.

You talk more than you thought you would. He asks about your last film– not the big one, the little indie one that barely got distribution. You’re surprised he’s seen it.

“It stayed with me,” he says, stirring sugar into his coffee. “The way you didn’t say anything in that scene by the river. That kind of stillness is hard to find.”

You blink. Most people missed that scene entirely.

When you compliment his recent performance in a war drama, he winces a little. “Too loud,” he says. “Too much grit, not enough meaning. But thank you.”

It’s rare, you think, to meet someone so deliberate. He listens. Really listens. He’s not trying to impress you. He’s not trying at all.

And that makes it easier to relax.

The lunch ends. He walks you to your car, lingering just long enough to let his hand graze your arm– not for the cameras, not to garner buzz for the movie. Just to steady you in heels. A small gesture. Unremarkable, maybe, to anyone else. But it feels intentional.

You think maybe it’s just how he is. Quietly thoughtful. Present without pressing. Almost caring, but in a way that never risks anything.

You don’t hear from him the rest of the day. Not the next morning, either.

But late the following night, just as you’re settling into the kind of silence that feels too big for the room, your phone lights up.

Suguru [11:12 PM]: Are you awake? Suguru [11:12 PM]: If not, don’t worry.

You stare at the screen for a moment– thumb hovering, heartbeat heavier than it should be.

Then you call him. It rings twice.

Then his voice, low and unguarded: “Hey.”

You sit back in bed, tuck the phone against your shoulder. “Hey. Sorry, I just saw your text.”

“No, it’s okay. I wasn’t sure if I should bother you. It’s late.”

“I’m glad you did.”

Silence stretches– not awkward, not tense. Just quiet.

You hear a door shut on his end. Something rustling. Maybe a blanket. Maybe a cigarette box. You imagine him in some hotel suite somewhere– dim light, half-buttoned shirt, bare feet on cold tile.

“Rough day?” you ask.

Suguru breathes out. “Long. Not bad. Just… hollow.”

You nod, even though he can’t see it. “I get that.”

Another silence. This one more personal.

You don’t know why it’s easier to talk to him like this– through a line, without his eyes on you. Maybe it’s because there’s no script here. Just the two of you, drifting closer in the dark.

“I didn’t think I’d enjoy this,” he says eventually.

You blink. “The… PR thing?”

“Mhm.” You hear the faint creak of a mattress. “Figured it’d be fake. Cold. But you’re… not.”

A soft smile tugs at your lips. You tuck your knees up under the blanket. “You’re not what I expected either.”

“Oh?” There’s a teasing lilt in his voice, just a hint.

“I thought you’d be more–”

“Arrogant?”

“I was going to say distant.”

He hums. “Maybe I still am.”

“You’re here, though,” you say. Quiet. Honest. “Talking to me at midnight.”

“That’s true.”

You listen to each other breathe for a few seconds. It’s strange how comforting it is– the intimacy of being heard without having to perform.

“You don’t have to be anything with me, you know,” you say softly. “Off-camera, I mean.”

There’s a pause.

Then, quietly, “that’s the hard part. You make me want to get to know you.”

Your chest aches a little at the way he says it. Not fragile, but resigned. Like someone who’s used to being alone in rooms full of people. Beautiful, adored, unreachable.

“I don’t mind you,” you say, teasing just slightly.

He laughs, just barely. You wish you could see it.

“You’re easy to like,” he murmurs.

You feel warmth creep into your throat, your chest. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

And for a moment, it’s just that. The softness. The space. The two of you suspended between pretending and something that might not be.

“I’ll see you soon,” you say eventually.

“Looking forward to it.”

You hesitate. “Suguru?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m glad you texted.”

Another pause. This one full. 

“Me too.”

You hang up a minute later. Your phone lights up again after a few minutes. A photo– from him. A blurry one. Just your feet next to his on a sidewalk after lunch. You hadn’t even noticed a camera had caught it.

Suguru [11:46 PM]: This one feels real.

You stare at your phone longer than you mean to. Then you type: “Maybe it was.”

You don’t send it. You just watch the words sit there– half-formed, unfinished– like a secret only you know.

The next day, you're both scheduled for a surprise sighting at a bookstore in Silver Lake. The type of place where the press just happens to catch you with your fingers brushing over the same dog-eared copy of some retro novel no one’s actually read.

But Suguru gets there early. You spot him near the poetry section, tucked into a quiet corner chair like he was born to inhabit silence. There’s a book in his hands and a pair of wire-framed glasses balanced on his nose. He doesn’t look up when you walk in.

He looks up when he feels you.

You crouch beside his chair, the hem of your coat brushing his shin, and he smiles at you like he knows something you don’t.

“Tell me that’s not just for the cameras,” you say, eyeing the book.

“It isn’t,” he replies, closing it gently. “But I wouldn’t blame you for assuming.”

You end up sitting across from him on the floor, backs leaned against the same bookcase. No photographers yet. Just you and him and the faint smell of old paper and something woodsy lingering on his coat.

He reads you a line from the book– something Rilke, something sad– and doesn’t flinch when you look at him too long after. Neither of you says anything about how close your knees are. Or the way he looks down at your hand like he’s memorizing the shape of it.

Another night, it’s a low-profile dinner. Outdoor patio, dim lighting, no press invited this time– just a couple of phones in the hands of distant patrons who might or might not realize who you are.

Suguru orders for both of you without asking. You let him.

You talk about dumb things. Favorite comfort foods. Least favorite roles. He tells you about a movie he almost did, then didn’t. You tell him about the one you regret turning down. When dessert comes, you end up sharing it.

He doesn’t touch you. Not once.

But his knee brushes yours beneath the tablecloth, and he doesn’t pull away.

You wonder if he notices how close your breath gets when you laugh.

There’s a photoshoot the day after. Joint promotional spread. All silk and soft light and posing like your arms fit naturally around each other’s waists.

At one point, you’re positioned facing him, chests almost touching, eyes locked.

“Closer,” the photographer says. “Tilt your face toward him, not the lens.”

You do.

Suguru’s breath is steady. So is yours. But something in the air between your mouths feels like a wire strung too tight.

The shutter clicks.

Later, he shows you a shot on his phone. One no one else has seen yet. Your face is turned toward him. His eyes are on you, not the camera.

He doesn’t say anything. He just looks at you for a second longer than he should, and then locks his phone.

You text more than you mean to.

Mostly in the late hours. He sends you half-thoughts. You send him blurry photos of your takeout. He sends you voice notes when he's tired– one of them is just him humming something you don’t recognize.

You listen to it three times before you place it– Erik Satie, maybe. One of those pieces that feels like a memory you forgot you had.

You [12:03 AM]: you always sound like you're somewhere else when you talk at night Suguru [2:14 AM]: Maybe that’s the only time I’m anywhere at all.

There’s one afternoon where it rains unexpectedly and you're both caught leaving a meeting in Midtown. No umbrella. Just the two of you ducking into a covered alley behind a hotel entrance, laughing like you’ve been running through puddles your whole life.

He’s soaked. You’re worse. Makeup smudged, hair plastered to your cheeks.

He takes off his coat and gives it to you without thinking.

“No cameras,” you whisper, curling into the warmth of it. “You don’t have to play the part.”

He glances at you, a drop of rain sliding from his temple to his jaw. “Maybe I want to.”

You don’t answer. Not out loud.

But when the valet pulls up and you climb into separate cars, you realize the smell of his cologne has already settled into the lining of your sleeves.

A few days later, you’re on the rooftop of a downtown hotel for a fashion house pre-party. Your heels are too high. Your dress is too sheer. And the wind is just aggressive enough to ruin every shot the team set up.

You step aside to fix your hair and find him standing by the railing, holding a glass of whiskey and watching the skyline like he’s trying to memorize it.

When he sees you, he doesn’t say anything. Just lifts the glass in a lazy toast. You walk over.

“Cold?” he asks.

“A little.”

He shrugs off his jacket. Drapes it around your shoulders.

You both stay there a while– saying nothing, not moving. And for the first time, it doesn’t feel like pretending.

Then comes the gala, and it’s all polished surfaces and curated light– a sleek event for the casting reveal of the film you’re starring in with Suguru and the opportunity to go officially public as Hollywood’s latest co-star couple.

You stand beside him for photos, and his hand settles against your back like it belongs there. Warm. Steady. Measured down to the inch.

He leans in between flashes, voice low and careful, whispering little things to keep you calm. 

“You’re doing great.” 

“Don’t lock your jaw– just breathe.” 

“You’re a natural, stop stressing.”

It doesn’t sound rehearsed. It sounds like he means it. And for a moment, you let yourself believe he does.

And then, like a needle skipping over a record, the elevator dings. The air changes. A new energy enters the room like a shift in temperature. Like a spotlight without a switch.

Satoru Gojo walks in– late, unbothered, and dressed to be looked at. White tux. Shirt slightly unbuttoned. Sunglasses dangling from the bridge of his nose like he forgot they were there. He’s in the movie too, but everyone knows he’s better suited for chaos: tabloid rumors, non-committal nights out– the kind of press you can’t plan for.

You? Tied to someone like that? No one would’ve bought it for a second.

He looks at Suguru first. Smiles like there’s history in it. Something private. Sharp-edged.

Then he turns to you.

And suddenly, the room feels too small. Too loud. You’re hyper-aware of everything– how your body holds itself, how Suguru’s hand rests on your waist, how close you are, how visible it all is.

Like just standing there, being touched by someone else, is enough to offend Gojo. Like your posture alone is a challenge he’s already accepted.

But you don’t realize what’s shifting– not yet.

Not until he starts walking your way. Not until he says your name like it tastes good. Not until the weight of his gaze makes you feel like the scene has already started– and you missed your cue.

thank you for reading! <3 ily

comment to be added to the taglist: @twilightsumu

[himasgod]

King Deshret x Reader III

Where, with your marriage clause, you manipulate Deshret into having to decide between his humiliation and his home, or Nabu Malikata.

SCENARIO: your marriage papers with Deshret include infidelity clauses that say that if one party is unfaithful, he will have to leave the premises, so legally, you forbid him from entering his own home. So, he searches for a way to return home, humiliated, under your manipulative fingers.

XII.

The desert dunes seemed endless, reflecting the last rays of the sun with an almost blinding brightness. After two months in the company of the Goddess of Flowers, Nabu Malikata, King Deshret had finally decided to return to his palace. As he approached his home, his mind was still filled with the sweet scent of the exotic flower gardens he had shared with the goddess, ignoring the growing unease that nestled in the back of his consciousness.

When he reached the golden gates of the palace, he found them closed, guarded by a contingent of guards who normally would have bowed to him instantly. But on this occasion, none made the slightest move.

“Open the gates!” Deshret ordered in his authoritative voice that echoed like thunder.

Hermanubis, who was there, with his face serious and his voice firm, looked up to meet the imposing figure of his sovereign.

“I am sorry, my lord,” he replied with a respectful bow, “but we have direct orders from the Queen not to allow you passage.”

A flash of fury lit Deshret’s eyes. He, a god among mortals, was being defied by his own subjects.

“Orders from the Queen?” he repeated, his voice low and dangerous. “Who dares disobey me in my domain?”

Before he could make a move to force his way in, a soft but firm voice echoed from the top of the steps.

XIII.

You stood there, your figure illuminated by the golden glow of the sunset, the wind blowing your dress with an almost ethereal elegance. In your hands you held a rolled scroll, your face calm but your eyes flashing with cold, calculated fury. Each step you took echoed with authority as you descended the steps towards your husband.

Deshret froze at the sight of you, his words dying in his throat as he noticed the unwavering expression on your face. For centuries, he had ruled with absolute power, and never before had he seen in you such a glint of determination that challenged his authority.

“Welcome back, Deshret,” you said with a smile that didn’t reach your eyes. The tone of your voice was sharp as a well-tempered blade. “I regret to inform you that your return is not welcome.”

Deshret’s gaze shifted from you to the scroll you held so firmly. His expression hardened.

“What is this, woman?” he asked, his voice filled with disdain and a hint of nervousness.

You unrolled the scroll in a calculated motion, letting the echo of the paper resonate in the air.

“This, dear husband, is our marriage contract,” you announced, your eyes boring into his with an intensity that made him take a step back. "According to this clause here,” you pointed with a perfectly still finger, “if either party takes another lover, the offender must leave the palace with nothing but the clothes on their backs.”

A deathly silence fell among those present. The guards around you lowered their gaze, knowing that the situation was about to become even more tense. Deshret, for his part, attempted a laugh, but the sound died in his throat at the seriousness in your eyes.

“Do you think you can throw me out of my own kingdom?” Deshret growled, his voice shaking with disbelief. “You are nothing but a resentful woman, blinded by jealousy.”

But you did not flinch. Stepping forward, you raised the scroll in front of his face, as if you wanted the words written on it to burn him.

“You can leave on your own, Deshret, or I can order my guards to drag you out like the traitor you are,” you said in an icy voice. “The choice is yours.”

XIV.

Deshret’s eyes, normally filled with unrelenting confidence, darkened. He would never have imagined that you, his wife, whom he had underestimated so many times, would be the one to bring him to his knees. For a long moment, he stood there, rooted to the spot, before he turned abruptly and walked away with his head held high, as if he were still the king he once was.

He walked under the silent gaze of his own guards, shame and rage bubbling up inside him. But he had no time for regrets. If you had turned your back on him, then he would seek refuge in the arms of Nabu Malikata, the goddess for whom he had sacrificed everything.

However, upon reaching the shrine of the goddess, he was greeted by servants who barred his way with compassionate but firm looks.

“I am sorry, Deshret,” Nabu Malikata said, appearing behind his followers with a sad expression, “but I cannot receive you here. Your wife has made it clear that any ties with you will make me her enemy. And I cannot afford to lose her favor.”

Deshret’s pride shattered in that instant. Humiliated, he had only one last resort: to turn to the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata.

XV.

The Dendro Archon greeted him with her characteristic calm and grace, but her gaze reflected the disappointment of a mother who sees her son go astray.

“Deshret, what do you hope to achieve by coming here?” Rukkhadevata asked, her green eyes piercing him. “You have betrayed your wife, and now you seek in me the solution that you yourself ruined.”

Deshret fell to his knees before her, an image that would have been unthinkable to anyone who had met him before.

“Please, Greater Lord, intercede for me,” he pleaded, his voice breaking. “Talk to her. Convince her to allow me to return.”

Rukkhadevata sighed and, after a long silence, agreed to carry your message. She presented herself before you in your private chamber, where you received her with a cold and serene expression.

“I beg you, by the bonds you once shared, give him one last chance,” the Archon implored. “He is willing to right his wrongs.”

You listened silently, your fingers drumming on the table. After a moment that seemed like an eternity, you finally spoke.

“If Deshret wishes to return, he must break all ties with Nabu Malikata,” you declared in a firm voice. “If he betrays me again, it will be the last time he sees me. And I promise you, Rukkhadevata, my dearest friend, that if that happens, I will not need a contract to make him pay the price.”

When Rukkhadevata relayed your terms to the king, he agreed, but he knew in that moment that the price of his betrayal had left him with scars that would never fade.

XVI.

Deshret returned to the palace with the weight of your words hanging over him like a sharp sword. When he saw you, his knees shook, and for the first time, submission replaced his arrogance.

“I accept your terms, my queen,” he murmured, his voice barely a whisper. “I have failed you, but if you allow me, I will do whatever it takes to earn your forgiveness.”

Your eyes, cold and calculating, examined him for a long moment before you answered,

“Remember, Deshret, this is your last chance. If you stray again, this time you will have no kingdom to return to.”

And so, the king who once defied the heavens found himself at your feet, knowing that true strength came not from divinity, but from the betrayed love he himself had shattered.

Here is my masterlist, in case you are interested in any more of my work or want to send me a request <3

[nelkcats]

Paranormal Department

Something strange was happening in the world, something that even the League would not have prevented. It seemed that the United States government had been fighting things they didn't stand a chance with, and this almost ended in disaster if it wasn't for the kindness of what they were dealing with. The details were highly classified and encrypted so Batman didn't know the details and it was frustrating him.

All that trouble resulted in Justice League Dark working steadily with the "Paranormal Department", there wasn't much information on their members and they worked in the shadows (Bruce wasn't amused, he needed contingency plans) but Zatara claimed they were excellent allies, despite their strange use of modern technology.

Bruce didn't know what they were about, or what agreement the president had made, but he didn't trust this "new department". They could betray them at any second. That's why when Constantine informed him that they would take over the "Lazarus pits" he flatly refused. Apparently his refusal didn't matter at the end since the "Department" got jurisdiction over the case.

Team Phantom, which was now headquartered in downtown Amity Park (and had many new members like Paulina and Dash) was having fun pissing off the Bat. While Danny had made an agreement with the government to deal with threats from the Realms, one of the clauses was not to tell the heroes they existed (After years of living with the Fenton's Danny was not amused that anyone knew ways to eliminate him, Clockwork was backup enough). Sam thought it was childish but didn't stop him.

Sam handled all the legal stuff, but it seemed like they had jurisdiction over all the cases that interested them (more than JL, since they were an elite team in that field), and no one could reveal their identities, which relieved Danny greatly.

Their main job was to send the ghosts home and close the rifts, plus deal with demons, or creatures that came out of said rifts. Easy enough for them, but probably extremely risky if you were inexperienced. Honestly, since they dealt with the GIW themselves, Danny didn't trust the heroes, however JLD was fine.

[lilghostiequinni]

Never Always Enough

Main Masterlist Max Masterlist

Pairing: Girlfriend!female reader x Max Verstappen

Warnings: Fluffy,

Summary: You always know what to say.

Requested: NO / yes

Max continuously says what he does is never enough, whether it's first place or fourth.

You always tell him that he is enough, more than enough.

That no matter what he thinks, he's more than and is always enough.

It isn't only when everyone is happy that he's enough, but all the time, even if everyone hates him.

That even if everyone hates him, you never will.

You love him and his quirks, the ones the world knows and the ones he keeps hidden from cameras.

You pull him from the depths of his mind, even in the darkest hours of the night.

Because of you, he knows what it is like to be truly loved with no strings attached, with no contingencies or clauses.

Though you know that he knows what you think about him being deserving, you always tell him when you see that the littlest bit of doubt starts to creep into his mind.

You were always there, even on his bad days, telling him he did good and amazing on the track.

You were the only thing that stood between Max and his bad thoughts, but you did a wonderful job.

You were like Max's own personal ray of sunshine.

A/N: From this poll, it was tied for first. Is this incredibly shot? Yes. Was it made that way? Also yes.

Tags: @llando4norris @mcmuppet @issi-loves-dannyric @ellen3101 @barcelonaloverf1life

If you want to be removed from a tag list, let me know so I don't keep tagging you. If you are striked through, I don't know if you want to be tagged, but just let me know if you want me to continue or stop

[lastflowerofyourhouse]

something we don't talk about enough is that the sixth house motto is six for the truth over solace in lies. that motto is most of the reason i wasn't remotely surprised by the fact that casseopeia was a traitor. like. she was a highly intelligent person who woke up in a world with no history. and she founded the school of sixth house psychometry. tracing the history of objects. and she made her house a monument to truth. To, specifically, refusing to simply believe what you're told. palamedes describes a few of the tests he had to go through to become master warden, and those tests always seem to come back to question everything, especially the things you're supposed to trust.

like. fucking obviously cassie was a traitor. fucking obviously the sixth house had a break clause specifically for if the emperor ever became more trouble than he was worth. fucking obviously the unthreateneing nerd house is difficult questions on top of doubts on top of rediculously comprehensive contingency plans. six for the truth over solace in lies, and they've always, always been prepared for john to be a liar.

[play-now-my-lord]

LRT is really significant because what constitutes "being a good conversation partner" or even "being a good audience" is really, really culturally contingent. A white American preacher holding an audience silent for five minutes is doing a good job, a black American preacher holding an audience silent for five minutes is dying on his ass. In the monoculture interrupting during someone's train of thought is considered rude, there are many cultures where this is the case, but by contrast the Jewish conversational mode is "respond to the train of thought with your own to show engagement" and not responding indicates indifference or even hostility, and on the opposite extreme in Japan it's apparently normal to respond to basically every clause of a conversation partner's speech with some kind of noise - grunts, echoed phrases, words of agreement, etc - to show that you're paying attention and understand what they're saying

[patriottruth]

Dumb donald Chump crossed all my lines, so I told his crimes to the FBI. 'Cause Kamala needed cold hard proof, so I gave her some. Now she's got the envelope, where you think she got it from?

To report donald j. trump and all of his potential allies to the FBI for the federal crimes of 2024 election fraud:

https://tips.fbi.gov/home Choice 1: Federal Election Crime

Choice 2: Voter/Ballot Fraud/Corrupt Election Official

For the "Subject" information, choose "This subject is a business" Business Name: Electors and governors attempting to elect insurrectionist Donald J. Trump in violation of Sec3/14A

When did the crime occur? 11/05/2024

Where did the crime occur? Specific location: AL, AK, AZ, AR, FL, GA, ID, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MI, MS, MO, MT, NE, NV, NC, ND, OH, OK, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, WV, WI, WY

How did you discover the election fraud? Donald J. Trump is an impeached, congressionally investigated, criminally indicted and prosecuted insurrectionist attempting to hold federal office in violation of Section 3 of the 14th Amendment.

What false information was provided? The lies that a U.S. national popular vote, or a ruling of the U.S. Supreme Court, could clear Donald J. Trump's insurrectionist disqualification, instead of a two-thirds vote of the House and Senate.

Did the individual receive something in exchange for their illegal voting activity? Unknown

Did the subject vote multiple times or vote when ineligible to vote? Yes

Did an election official violate a voting law? Yes

Were ballots from the election destroyed? Unknown

Were vote tallies falsified? Unknown

Was there a voting machine/tabulation/software malfunction? Unknown

Please provide a brief description of the incident: On December 17th, 2024, state electors and governors from Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming will be faced with the choices of engaging in fraud by an elections official or other individual, conspiracy against the United States, corruptly obstructing, influencing, and impeding an official proceeding, and conspiracy against rights by giving aid and comfort to disqualified insurrectionist Donald J. Trump in violation of Section 3 of the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. State electors and governors attempting to vote for and create certificates of ascertainment to elect Donald J. Trump would be instantly disqualified from holding office per Sec3/14A, thereby rendering all their actions unlawful.

Are you reporting on behalf of yourself or someone else? Someone else

Victim Information: First Name: Kamala Middle Name: Devi Last Name: Harris Date of Birth: 10/20/1964 Phone Number: Business: (202) 456-1111 Email: vice.president@whitehouse.gov Address: 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20500

Complainant Information: Please uncheck any fields you would prefer not to answer. You don't have to enter your personal information here if you don't want to.

Reported To Law Enforcement: Have you reported this information to another law enforcement or government agency (local, state, or federal)? No

At this point, you can click "Show All" to review your tip. Once you're satisfied with it, just click "Submit Tip" and you're good to go.

For anyone suggesting this is inaccurate, here you go (compiled from Wikipedia):

Article 2: Clause 3: Electoral College See also: Twelfth Amendment to the United States Constitution, Twentieth Amendment to the United States Constitution, Contingent election, Electoral College abolition amendment, Efforts to reform the United States Electoral College, and National Popular Vote Interstate Compact The Electors shall meet in their respective States, and vote by Ballot for two Persons, of whom one at least shall not be an Inhabitant of the same State with themselves. And they shall make a List of all the Persons voted for, and of the Number of Votes for each; which List they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the Seat of the Government of the United States, directed to the President of the Senate. The President of the Senate shall, in the Presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the Certificates, and the Votes shall then be counted. The Person having the greatest Number of Votes shall be the President, if such Number be a Majority of the whole Number of Electors appointed; and if there be more than one who have such Majority, and have an equal Number of Votes, then the House of Representatives shall immediately chuse [sic] by Ballot one of them for President; and if no Person have a Majority, then from the five highest on the List the said House shall in like Manner chuse [sic] the President. But in chusing [sic] the President, the Votes shall be taken by States, the Representation from each State having one Vote; A quorum for this Purpose shall consist of a Member or Members from two thirds of the States, and a Majority of all the States shall be necessary to a Choice. In every Case, after the Choice of the President, the Person having the greatest Number of Votes of the Electors shall be the Vice President. But if there should remain two or more who have equal Votes, the Senate shall chuse [sic] from them by Ballot the Vice President.

Electoral College Elector Selection Process Article II, Section 1, Clause 2 of the Constitution requires each state legislature to determine how electors for the state are to be chosen, but it disqualifies any person holding an Office of Trust or Profit under the United States, from being an elector. Under Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment, any person who has sworn an oath to support the United States Constitution in order to hold either a state or federal office, and later rebelled against the United States directly or by giving assistance to those doing so, is disqualified from being an elector. Congress may remove this disqualification by a two-thirds vote in each house. (Wikipedia)

Conspiracy against the United States, or conspiracy to defraud the United States, is a federal offense in the United States of America under 18 U.S.C. § 371. The statute originated under a federal law enacted in 1867 that was codified in the Revised Statutes of the United States in 1874, in a subsequent codification of federal penal statutes in 1909, and ultimately in the United States Code in 1948. The crime is that of two or more persons who conspire to commit an offense against the United States, or to defraud the United States.

Statute 18 U.S.C. § 371 provides that:

If two or more persons conspire either to commit any offense against the United States, or to defraud the United States, or any agency thereof in any manner or for any purpose, and one or more of such persons do any act to effect the object of the conspiracy, each shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.

Corruptly obstructing, influencing, or impeding an official proceeding is a felony under U.S. federal law. It was enacted as part of the Sarbanes–Oxley Act of 2002 in reaction to the Enron scandal, and closed a legal loophole on who could be charged with evidence tampering by defining the new crime very broadly.

This part of the Act later became known as a charge against defendants associated with the 2021 U.S. Capitol attack for attempting to obstruct that year's Electoral College vote count, as well as former President Donald Trump for broader alleged activities to obstruct the election. In June 2024, the Supreme Court ruled in Fischer v. United States that the statute could only be applied when the defendant impaired a physical document or object used in an official proceeding or attempted to do so, a higher bar for conviction than had been used in trials to that point.

Legal basis The crime is codified as 18 U.S.C. § 1512(c)(2). The relevant subsection reads:

(c) Whoever corruptly—

(1) alters, destroys, mutilates, or conceals a record, document, or other object, or attempts to do so, with the intent to impair the object's integrity or availability for use in an official proceeding; or (2) otherwise obstructs, influences, or impedes any official proceeding, or attempts to do so, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 20 years, or both.

The term "official proceeding" is defined in 18 U.S.C. § 1515(a)(1) to include proceedings before federal judges, Congress, federal government agencies, and regulators of insurance businesses.

Conspiracy against rights is a federal offense in the United States of America under 18 U.S.C. § 241:

If two or more persons conspire to injure, oppress, threaten, or intimidate any person […] in the free exercise or enjoyment of any right or privilege secured to him by the Constitution or laws of the United States, or because of his having so exercised the same;…

They shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both; and if death results from the acts committed in violation of this section or if such acts include kidnapping or an attempt to kidnap, aggravated sexual abuse or an attempt to commit aggravated sexual abuse, or an attempt to kill, they shall be fined under this title or imprisoned for any term of years or for life, or both, or may be sentenced to death.

Charges of conspiracy against rights concerning federal election offenses cover activities subverting the integrity of federal elections and do not require direct action towards an individual voter. Election conspiracies prosecuted under conspiracy against rights can be classified as either public schemes (where public officials commit a §241 violation under color of law) or private schemes (where conspirators impinge on the ability for voters to vote).

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced on July 18, 2023, that she had charged sixteen individuals with eight felony counts each, including forgery and conspiracy, alleging they had knowingly signed certificates of ascertainment falsely claiming they were "duly elected and qualified electors" for Michigan. One defendant entered into a cooperation agreement with prosecutors in October 2023 in exchange for charges against him being dropped. Nessel's office disclosed during an April 2024 court hearing that Trump, Meadows, Giuliani and Ellis were unindicted co-conspirators.

On August 1, 2023, at the request of Jack Smith and the Justice Department, a federal grand jury indicted Trump on charges of conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy against rights, obstructing an official proceeding and conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding. The indictment accused Trump of orchestrating a criminal conspiracy to subvert the 2020 election, and identified the fake electors scheme as part of the conspiracy.

On August 15, 2023, Trump and eighteen others were indicted in Georgia. The defendants, who included Trump, Giuliani, Eastman, Meadows, Chesebro, Sidney Powell, David Shafer and Shawn Still among others, were charged with a variety of offenses, many of which related to involvement in the fake electors plot. On October 20, Chesebro pleaded guilty to conspiring to file a false document and was sentenced to five years of probation; he also agreed to testify against the other defendants. Three other defendants (including Powell) also pleaded guilty to charges.

On December 6, 2023, a Clark County, Nevada, grand jury indicted six Republican party officials, including the chair of the Nevada Republican Party, on two felony charges each of submitting fraudulent documents to state and local officials.

By December 2023, 24 fake electors had been criminally charged in three states, and Chesebro was "a witness in all of the cases". However, in January 2024, the Attorney General of New Mexico stated that the fake electors couldn't be prosecuted given the laws of that state.

An Arizona grand jury named eleven alleged fake electors in an April 2024 indictment. Among those named were former Arizona Republican Party chair Kelli Ward and Tyler Bowyer, chief operating officer of Turning Point USA. Names of seven others charged were redacted from the indictment, and Trump was listed as "Unindicted Coconspirator 1". The Washington Post reported the redacted individuals were Mark Meadows, Rudy Giuliani, Jenna Ellis, John Eastman, Christina Bobb, Boris Epshteyn and Mike Roman. The Post reported that names of those indicted who were not in Arizona were redacted until they could be served with their indictments.

[necrotic-nephilim]

in my mind brudick marriage happens almost byaccident: after bruce “dies” dick is left alone and without access to damian or the manor or funds as he was never adopted and is only a former ward, so in dicks grieving mind the clearest way forward is to forge a secret but technically legal marriage, bruce doesn’t find out for years after he comes back, damian knew why he was in custody with richard and assumed it was common knowledge that no one ever brought up, alfred just lets this all play out even knowing that bruce did have a clause in his will to protect dick incase of death (plans upon plans), bruce was upset in all the ways bruce would deny his feelings

this is SUCH a good thought oh my god-

first of all, i am kissing you on the mouth for adding morally fucked up Alfred who just *lets* this play out. he could easily intervene and he *should*, but the idea that he doesn't because for some reason he thinks this is for the best is *such* good food. i love the thought that Alfred knows about unresolved BruDick feelings and feels in Bruce's death, Bruce at least deserves the one thing he never allowed himself to have in life: Dick's hand in marriage. and Dick is so deep in denial and just trying to legally keep hold of Damian and Wayne Enterprises. it's such a stupid last ditch effort and he doesn't even expect it to *work* but it does. Dick is able to keep it under wraps with only a few lawyers and WE higher ups knowing, the public assumes Bruce naturally left everything to Dick bc why wouldn't he? Dick is his eldest ward, after all. Damian knows bc he sees all the papers concerning Dick having his legal guardianship and he just shrugs it off because really, his father's relationship with Dick is none of his business.

and of course, when Bruce comes up there are so many *other* things to handle that Dick just doesn't think to mention it. he's not willingly withholding the information and Bruce assumes Dick *knew* about the contingencies Bruce set up for his death so he doesn't question Dick having all this control. it's not until years later when one of his WE lawyers passingly mentions "oh you might need your husband to sign off on this too" and Bruce is like. i'm sorry my *what*. because he knows the Batfam got up to some chaotic things trying to keep his death a secret, but no one mentioned a *husband*. so Bruce checks the paperwork and is going through every single stage of grief because *did no one think to tell him he's legally married to Dick.* Bruce demands answers and Dick has to awkwardly explain the whole thing to a baffled Bruce who just asks why Dick didn't *check Bruce's files* for this. (maybe Dick didn't think to, maybe Alfred deleted them, who's to say) Bruce wants to be mad at Dick, mostly for not telling Bruce. but all his unspoken feelings make it *very* difficult to figure out what to do. especially when Dick offers to quietly get a divorce since enow the marriage isn't needed and Bruce's *gut* reaction is to blurt out no, no no let's not do that. and he can't explain why he's so against it without admitting how badly he wants to be married to Dick even amidst the worst of his feelings.

it takes them months to actually *talk* about it, and tbh it's probably Damian's assumptions about their relationship that make them face it. bc to Damian the mutual feelings are obvious and the marriage is known so yes of course, Bruce and Dick are in love and together what's so difficult to understand about this, it's no one's business but their own. (i especially love the idea of Damian chastises other characters like Tim for trying to ask questions because doesn't Tim know romance for Bruce is a very private affair and it's *wildly* disrespectful of Tim to think he has the right to know these things.) and so when Damian makes a passing comment about their relationship and Bruce and Dick share a mortified look, they realize they have to talk about it. and instead of ending on clearing the air, they accidentally confess feelings for one another. it's stilted and painful, but they manage to agree maybe they can keep the marriage going. and maybe they don't have to correct Damian.

(also, this is a side thought but: i think a lot about how Tommy Elliot was made to pretend to be Bruce while Bruce was dead and all that fun, and i think it's fun if Tommy knows about the marriage bc he helped Dick sign off on it. and Tommy tries to force Dick into a relationship with him to "maintain the facade" and Dick rejects the advances, maybe Tommy even forces himself on Dick once or twice. it doesn't go too far and they get Tommy back under control, but it's clear Tommy's annoyed when Bruce comes back and he doesn't get to "have his fun" anymore. also fun if Bruce finds out about this and is *furious* bc not only did he not know he's married to Dick, but it was *Tommy* who got to have Dick as a husband before Bruce did and now he's jealous and pissed about the whole thing. just a fun little aside thought bc i wish the fandom had more fun with Tommy's era of pretending to be Bruce.)

[felixcloud6288]

Dungeon Meshi Chapter 91 Extra

I had a few people argue that Laios intentionally put the "Can eat and digest Desires" clause in his monster notes as a backup plan to defeat the lion.

I went back through a few things to see if that could have been the case, but ultimately the only conclusion I could come up with was that Laios added that on a whim and his victory was ultimately a happy accident.

When did he write it?

First question I wanted to answer was "What are the most likely windows Laios could have written that note?" The most extreme early and end points are chapter 76 (when Kabru tells Laios that demons eat desires) and chapter 88 (when he gives Marcille the book).

Now for a quick summary of what Laios was doing each chapter:

Chapter 76: Flees from Lycion and falls into the water

Chapter 77: Drowning

Chapter 78: Drowning

Chapter 79: Recovers his gear from Walking mushrooms. Gets eaten by a giant bird and giant snake

Chapter 80: Gets pooped out of the snake. Takes a bath. Talks to Marcille. Gets locked in the kitchen

Chapter 81: Learns about Marcille's past. Shares a meal with everyone. Defeats a doppelganger

Chapter 82: Unknown

Chapter 83: Unknown

Chapter 84: Saves Lycion. Learns about the demons and the lion's goal. Enter's Marcille's tower

Chapter 85: Climbs Marcille's tower. Convinces her to stop.

Chapter 86: Seals the demon in a book. Discusses with the Canaries about how to defeat it. Promises he can beat the lion. Gets eaten by the lion

Chapter 87: Flashback

Chapter 88: Talks with the party about his plan. Gives Marcille the gourmet guide

In all that time, the only moments we can be sure Laios had time to pause and actually write that note is somewhere between chapters 81 and 84. He may have written it while taking a bath, but I'd say he probably wrote it after they fought the doppelganger.

Everyone was in their casual attire at the end of chapter 81 so they had to take a moment to get dressed. While at it, they had to come up with a way to sneak into the battlefield without Marcille noticing. And the party, or at least Laios, were likely also considering what to do about the lion. Laios didn't know it's not actually a monster until chapter 84. I imagine Laios was considering everything he knew, recalled Kabru mentioning the eating desires thing, and then he got curious about it and decided to write that into his monster notes because he thought it was cool that there's a monster that can do that.

I also considered if he might have added that after learning what demons truly are after chapter 84, but saw it's not possible because during all that time, Kensuke was forcibly connected to Laios's right hand. Laios wouldn't be able to write anything down even if he had the time.

What did Laios expect to happen?

The lion first approached Laios with the offer to make a kingdom of monsters. When everyone discusses the plan in chapter 88, Laios brings that up again.

Laios's contingency plan was under the assumption that he'd wish for that. He wanted Marcille to seal the lion ASAP, have Chilchuck force him to stay focused on the goal, have Senshi remind him of who he is, and have Izutsumi kill him if all else fails.

And the lion immediately separates Laios from the others which causes the plan to fail.

And when the lion was alone with Laios, it flooded him with memories of his youth and his interest in monsters to steer Laios into wishing to turn into a monster. Laios did not expect this to be the outcome at all when he became a dungeon lord.

What Laios understands

Prior to chapter 84, Laios thought the demon was a monster and has all the general weaknesses a monster has. The demon had told him they all share memories with each other, and Kabru told him about them eating desires.

After learning everything from Lycion, Laios understood that defeating the demon wasn't a simple matter like killing a monster.

After the lion told Laios its plan, he understood that the lion's appetite was its weakness. When he suggested defeating the demon, Laios said "I think I can return it to something that's more like air or water, though." Laios's original plan hinged on the lion being compelled to fulfill its masters desires. And he thought that if he had a strong enough desire for it, the lion would take the bait and put itself in a situation where it can no longer meddle with humans.

But the extent of Laios's plan was to see if that works and bail if it doesn't.

Final Remarks

When the lion asked why Laios was eating its desires, Laios simply said "I got curious." He wanted to know what would obsess an unknowable entity.

Monster Laios only began eating the lion's desires as he lay dying. I'd guess that Laios thought that he might as well find out what desires taste like before he dies.

Laios is smart, but he's not one for deception. He is horrible at lying and keeping secrets. He can hide his personal motivations behind a professional persona like when he first decided they were going to eat monsters in chapter 1, but he still gets too chatty about it. If he had a plan to turn into a monster and eat the lion's desires, he would have told the party. There's no way he would have kept that a secret; he would have excitedly blurted out the possibility at some point if he was actually considering it.

And when he was alone with the lion, he tried to fight against the lion's temptations. The lion gave Laios the chance to turn into a monster, and Laios refused.

So no, I don't think any of this was intentional. He wrote that note because he thought it was interesting, he did not expect he'd wish to turn into a monster when he approached the lion, and he decided to eat the lion's desires out of curiosity without knowing that would defeat it.

It's the most appropriate way this fight could have ended. The lion feeds on desires and tries to strip its master of all impulse control to get more out of them. And then it loses to someone because they indulged in several impulsive whims.

back

[overdressedcarp]

“You might want to review your contract,” Aventurine said, with an easy smugness that evoked pure Schadenfreude. “Funny little thing called a spontaneous travel contingency clause. Up to 80 hours of on-site consulting—paid, of course—if the asset liquidation specialist deems it economically valuable.”

Now that this blog is active again: hey, I have an Aventio fic on AO3! (In progress, updates on a semi-weekly basis.)

Ratio POV; slow-burn enemies to colleagues to perhaps a secret third thing, featuring political intrigue and a side of in-depth Ratio character study because I am perpetually compelled to put that man in a jar and examine him like a bug.

Link to read from the beginning is above; latest chapter is here.

[darkmaga-returns]

Vice President-Elect JD Vance has warned the European Union that any further attempts at censoring social media will result in the U.S. completely defunding NATO.

This warning was made during an interview with podcaster Shawn Ryan, where Vance relayed an incident involving a top EU official who threatened Elon Musk for allowing former President Donald Trump back on the platform.

Infowars.com reports: Vance highlighted the stark contrast between European and American values, particularly on the issue of free speech. “The leader, I forget exactly which official it was within the European Union, but sent Elon this threatening letter that basically said, ‘We’re going to arrest you if you platform Donald Trump,’ who, by the way, is the likely next president of the United States,” he reported.

Vance is likely referring to Thierry Breton, a pro-censorship crusader who was, at the time, European Commissioner for Internal Market. Bretton has since resigned.

In response to Breton, Musk promised a “very public battle in court,” and revealed, “The European Commission offered X an illegal secret deal: if we quietly censored speech without telling anyone, they would not fine us. The other platforms accepted that deal. X did not.”

The Vice President-Elect argues that America’s participation in NATO should be contingent on the alliance’s respect for free speech, a core American value. “So what America should be saying is, if NATO wants us to continue supporting them and NATO wants us to continue to be a good participant in this military alliance, why don’t you respect American values and respect free speech?” Vance questioned. He criticized the notion of supporting a military alliance that does not uphold free speech as “insane,” insisting that American support comes with prerequisites, such as respecting free speech, particularly among European allies.

President-Elect Trump, Vance’s running mate, has been critical of some aspects of NATO, having expressed a desire to pull out from the alliance and disregard the Article 5 collective defense clause.

[jakubdobes]

There's No You Without Me Chapter One - And I Will Hold You Hostage severance au | 6k words | Ch. 1/?

After fourteen years with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Martin St. Louis is considered one of the oldest and most successful severed hockey players in the history of the NHL. He and his innie are brought back to the league to coach the Montreal Canadiens in the Lumon-sponsored launch of the first fully severed rebuild in sports history, but he makes his acceptance contingent on one critical factor: this time around, he wants to be able to communicate directly with his innie. This clause sets off a chain of events that radically changes his life and turns the entire league on its head.

i've finally put together the first chapter of my habs severance au! i've got the next three chapters outlined and a lot of the overarching story beats figured out as well, so I should be updating with some regularity now that we're approaching post-season. lemme know what y'all think :)

[vickyvicarious]

There were even such books of reference as the London Directory, the "Red" and "Blue" books, Whitaker's Almanac, the Army and Navy Lists, and—it somehow gladdened my heart to see it—the Law List.

Me at first: I am getting cute aggression stop!

Me now: Wait, what if Dracula is studying the Law List in order to find ways around the system like what legal strings must be pulled to enter an inhabited house uninvited.

Well, he is still deeply adorable. Baby Solicitor comforted to see Law in the wild. I love it just as much now.

But yeah, also that's an alarming idea, and something I 100% would believe. Something I don't think Dracula often gets enough credit for is how innovative he is about the rules of vampirism in this book. He absolutely does some rules-lawyering of his own, and in fact his entire plan is dependent on a pretty clever move with the whole if I surround myself in my native soil then I'll be fine to cross running water trick. And he also is pretty good at thinking of backup plans and contingencies. He eventually has a bunch of those here in the castle with Jonathan, such as:

Jonathan is locked in so he can't get out

He doesn't know the exact way back even if he did

While he's lost in the wood wolves could hunt him down before he found friendly people, if he did escape

Dracula's impersonation of him turns the locals against him if he did get to them, past the wolves, lost in the woods, through the locked doors

Also no one at home will know what happened to him because of his dictated letters and Dracula's impersonation, suggesting an entirely different timeline/location for him vanishing

And all of this layers well with other goals, such as isolating and emotionally torturing Jonathan. Stuff like his multiple lawyers/homes for his multiple dirt boxes to be stashed are also really clever. Dracula can make a good plan... given enough time/control over a situation. But he consistently underestimates his opponents, because he believes he is so innately superior to them. In doing so, he leaves gaps, opportunities they can take advantage of without him even realizing (sticking to the Jonathan example: his diary, some of his more extreme snooping, the final escape. Or later on, a fantastic example is Mina turning his attack on her against him, both choosing to spy back on him, and figuring things out from his triumphant evil monologue).

He also gets impatient and stubborn. I've mentioned before how he could have played the entire Lucy situation much smarter had he been more patient/less outraged at people here figuring out a way to temporarily hold him off. And when things go wrong, he's not great at pivoting in any kind of subtle/clever way. He defaults to anger, force, shows of power. And again, that can be used against him.

Sorry, I got totally away from your point. Yes, I agree, he'd try. And it would be completely in-character for him to overlook that actual lawyers might be able to out-maneuver him in such an area, and he'd get stupid-mad should they mess up some plan by doing so. That could be a fun thing to incorporate into some kind of AU (where Lucy survives: imagine if Mrs. Westenra's lawyer insisted on putting in some kind of clause that she kept the house at least until her marriage was finalized) (preventing Mina's attacks/saving Renfield: if the lawyer characters put together the stuff with Lucy and looked into the legal documents for the asylum, maybe putting some document together that changed the wording to restrict his access unless only Seward invited him in, or Renfield's invitation only went for the main asylum, not Jack's private rooms, or whatever).

[deliciouskeys]

Finally I largely agree with personality-database’s voting for Boys’ characters. It took people so long to realize that Billy Butcher is extroverted for some reason. I still think he’s more ENTP than ESTP but it’s possible I just consider any character I ever write as iNtuitive and not Sensing. I think people just kept voting for exact opposites for every element for Homelander and Billy Butcher, which is dumb. Why yes, this is very important to me. Anyway, Sage and Victoria are spot on.

ENTP (the debater)

Quick-witted and audacious, people with the ENTP personality type (Debaters) aren’t afraid to disagree with the status quo. In fact, they’re not afraid to disagree with pretty much anything or anyone. Few things light up these personalities more than a bit of verbal sparring – and if the conversation veers into controversial terrain, so much the better.

It would be a mistake, though, to think of ENTPs as disagreeable or mean-spirited. Instead, people with this personality type are knowledgeable and curious with a playful sense of humor, and they can be incredibly entertaining. They simply have an offbeat, contrarian idea of fun – one that usually involves a healthy dose of spirited debate.

ESTP (the entrepreneur)

People with the ESTP personality type (Entrepreneurs) are vibrant individuals brimming with an enthusiastic and spontaneous energy. They tend to be on the competitive side, often assuming that a competitive mindset is a necessity in order to achieve success in life. With their driven, action-oriented attitudes, they rarely waste time thinking about the past. In fact, they excel at keeping their attention rooted in their present – so much so that they rarely find themselves fixated on the time throughout the day.

Theory, abstract concepts, and plodding discussions about global issues and their implications don’t keep ESTP personalities interested for long. They keep their conversations energetic, with a good dose of intelligence, but they like to talk about what is – or better yet, to just go out and do it. They often leap before they look, fixing their mistakes as they go rather than sitting idle and preparing contingencies and escape clauses.

I feel like, with Billy’s fixation on the past and his philosophy against all supes, he’s much more ENTP than ESTP. 🤷‍♀️