#also feel free to tell me which kind of third person if it matters to you (omniscient vs limited)

[the-finch-address]

Please reblog for a wider range of answers! etc etc

[darkestspring]

to have and to hold

a/n: my first request! im honored. this was requested by @gulnarsultan​ for aegon I, maegor, viserys I, baelon, aerys II, rickard stark, eddard stark as yandere spouses. thank you for all your support and love. (i did leave some out that i just wasn’t feeling like i could write)

 Aegon I “The Conquerer” Targaryen

He is the definition of devoted husband. Despite you being his third wife, he adores you just the same. he spends most of his free time with you. Even if you express your distaste or concern, he showers you with endless affection and gifts. Hair pins, books, jewels. Anything your heart desires, he’ll acquire it for you.

Of course, there’s also the fact that you’re not allowed anywhere without him, Visenya, or Rhaenys. Or five guards. It’s better to pretend you aren’t aware that they’re trying to isolate you with only them to keep you company. It’s better to smile and kiss whichever spouse is accompanying you for the day and thank them.

“My heart.” He coo at you, kisses being pressed all over your face and neck. He’s as soft as a targaryen can be when he’s with you. You’re his wife, one of his loves. “I’ll burn all of westeros down if you ask it of me.” he’ll tell you late at night as you hold you in his arms. “I’ll do anything, you need only ask it.” He’ll insist and he will. He’ll give you anything you want. But don’t ask to be free. He’s your husband. You belong with him.

Maegor I “The Cruel” Targaryen

despite the fact that he already had multiple wives, he grew an instant infatuation with you and refused to accept any other outcome than to marry you. after all, what choice did they have? who would refuse a dragon?

he most likely wouldn’t wait for approval or care what anyone else thinks. he’ll marry you in the tradition of valyria with his mother as witness. what you want doesn’t necessarily matter to him. you will be his wife. you will carry his children. he’ll make it so even if he has to spend all day in bed with you.

he’s softer with you than his other wives that’s for sure. he’ll cup his face with his hands and whsiper “My wife.” before kissing you so deeply you feel like you’re drowning. You’ll always be his wife, even after his death you’ll still be his.

Viserys I “The Peaceful” Targaryen

It’s your kindness that makes him keep seeking you out. Your kindness and care towards him makes him want to be around you constantly. He’ll gift you books and scrolls on subjects you both like. He’ll gift you flowers and little trinkets. He’ll sometimes create scenarios in which you seek him out because he wishes to be around you constantly.

He’s always holding your hand, always looking at you with this lovestruck and soft look on his face. He’s not one to isolate you. You’re his wife already. His beloved queen. But in the instance that this person talks badly about you or threatens you, he’ll get rid of them with no hesitation.

When you become pregnant, he’s overjoyed. Proof of the love you both share. “My love.” He’ll let out, his hand gripping onto yours gently as you both smile. “What wonderful news. The happiest news, my darling.” Even if you die before he does, if he is forced to take another wife, he’ll always love you. He’ll consider you his only wife. His only love. The children you have together, his only children. He’ll love you even in death.

Baelon “The Brave” Targaryen

Even before he was your husband and even after, he has a tendency to not leave your side. if someone wants to find baelon, they need only to find you first. whether you’re his first or second wife, he’ll be just as devoted. He basically worships the ground you walk on and doesn’t take kindly to other talking badly about you.

He loves to lay his head in your lap and have you run his hand through his hair, it comforts him greatly. Baelon is mischievous and regarded as brave but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have his own mean streak. he’s capable of great cruelty to those who are a threat to you and your safety. You mean a great deal to him so he won’t allow anyone to ruin the life you both have together or your safety.

“Other half of my soul.” He’ll whisper softly as he kisses your forehead. He can’t help but want to give you the entire world. He’ll acquire things that remind him of you to gift you. the moment you’re with child, he’ll devote all of his free time to you. he’s overcome with joy. A baby! a piece of both of you. He’ll place his hand on your growing stomach and be overcome with fondness. He’ll kiss you with all the gentleness in the world. A gentleness reserved only for you.

Aerys II “The Mad King” Targaryen

In the beginning he’s very charismatic, it’s easy to forget that he refuses to let others see you. people who hold conversations with you, that get to hear your voice and see your smile, die at his hand. they don’t deserve you, he’ll tell you. you’re his wife. everything you have, everything you are, is solely his.

If you’re still alive by time he starts to go crazy, you’re the only person he’ll allow to touch him. he’ll cling to you the entire time and refuse to let go. You’re his beloved wife, the only person he’ll trust.

“please love me, don’t leave me. I beg of you.” He’ll whisper into your shoulder as he clings to you. It’s hard to remember that you’re his captive wife. That anyone who even looks at you, he’ll order dead. You don’t say an ything in return as you hold him gently.

Rickard Stark

Rickard is the definition of dutiful husband. He loves you so dearly and wants to have a peaceful life with you. He’ll have warm coats made for you so that you’ll never go cold in Winterfell. Anything you wish for, he’ll acquire. You are his wife.

Rickard’s last thought is of you, whether you are dead or alive, he thinks of you. He’s already failed you, failed his children. He just hopes justice and honor will come. He wishes to see you once more. He’ll thinks about all of the moments you have shared.

“My wolf.” Is his favorite petname, he would cup your flushed cheeks his hands and press his forehead against yours. “I’ll do anything for you. My wife. Wait for me.” It’s easy to forget that rickard’s jealousy of other men leads him to sentence them to death for smiling at you.

Eddard Stark

Eddard is a dedicated husband, he brings the definition of fuck around and find out to life. He outright won’t kill people for simply holding a conversation with his wife but if he believes they’re a threat to his wife, to her safety or to their marriage, he won’t hesitate to do what he has to, to keep his wife safe, his family safe, the north safe. You’re his wife, the only one he wants.

Eddard will show you around the north and tell you about the area, the danger, the places he likes to see. He wants to be happy there, with him. With all the children you’ll eventually have. Once jon comes into both your and his life, you comfort him, you agree to care for him. You feel slightly bad but you vow to care for him as you do your other children.

It’s devastating when he’s executed, your children try their hardest to shield you from the truth. From the schemes and manipulations of others. You try your hardest to think of what he would want in times like these. Of how he would deal with those who threaten the safety of his family. You’ll do what you must. The north always remembers.

[coyoteprince]

Hi! If I may, this is not about Widderwood, but the way you talked about witchcraft in a recent answer, "Real world witchcraft is literally just moving with intention and cause & effect" and "it helps with being delibreate with my life": seems quite interesting, but would you care to elaborate, if you wish and have time? Or is there a previous post here or somewhere else where you already talked about your view on witch spirituality? Sorry if I bother, obviously you're free to not answer and ignore this message if it's too personal or annoying. Thank you for sharing your art and world!

Yeah I'll try to explain. Unfortunately when people hear magic or witchcraft they of the media fantasy version of witchcraft or whatever when that's not what it is at all. It's just like any religion in that it focuses on cultivating life morals, cause & effect (praying to a God for blessings is similar!), and can be utilized by less than great people for power and control over others.

Witchcraft varies greatly by culture and even the person, but I can only speak from European centric stuff and my own practice. For background, I've followed my own path since I was around 12 with no guidance from others.

Spells work by focusing intention. You want x, so you create a small ritual that helps to focus on the task and what you really want and how to get to that point, like any goal setting. Often rituals are repeated for greater power to achieve a result- just like a habit. Spiritually speaking, the reasoning is often considered that everything has an energy, and this energy can be manipulated, or that there are God(s) at work. Psychology speaking, these rituals simply help you realize what you actually want to work toward and give you the gumption to go for it. For both, it's commonly believed that spells won't work unless you put in the actual, real effort to work toward a goal- and that is part of the magic. It is the act of creation. And failure is just as likely, especially if you don't plan for it or are unrealistic. You can't make someone love you or win 1 mil, but you do have the power to be kind to others and better your finances by education or similar opportunities... and even if you fail anyway, there is always something you learn from it. You just have to be intentional.

I fully believe you don't have to believe in God's or ghosts or anything to do witchcraft. The fact it works to better our lives- even if it really is just in our brains at the end of the day- is enough. And just like how people has historically leaned on a Christian God to get through times of hardship- that's what I use it for. To better myself, to realize what I want to work toward in life, and to make a conscious effort toward it. It isn't a replacement for professional help, but the addition of witchcraft has significantly helped me in my own mental health, continued betterment as a person, and appreciate living.

Tarot cards are similar. They assume fortune telling = fate, which imo is wrong. Some people think theyre demonic, some think theyre "stupid" because of the connection to spirituality, and some people consider them too serious and scary, but like all tools you have to use them right, and by God do they work when you do! Tarot cards are absolutely amazing as prompts. Ask a reasonable question, get a card, and notice what emotions and thoughts come to mind immediately- you have all the answers within you, you just might not be paying attention... and Tarot works as a surrogate third party to reflect and help you pay attention to what you really feel. Witchcraft rituals all work essentially the same way.

There's also more woo-woo centric things like ghosts and fae and such. I personally am on the fence on it all but "believe just in case" lol. I've experienced many paranormal things but also know it could be caused by my autism, trauma, or whatever else. But it isn't hurting me or anyone else.. so it doesn't matter!

This is all a ramble and probably hard to understand if you aren't already very familiar with these kind of eccentric things. I work with a lot of chemistry so I've personally noticed how close witchcraft things are to science and even therapy- and likewise how a lot of past beliefs of magic were actually just yet unexplained science & medicine.

At the end of the day, I know everything may be an illusion from my various ailments and perspective. But that's perfectly okay, because it has done nothing but make me happier, more emotionally strong, and helped me focus to better my life and relationships. It's made me a much better, intelligent person and is the perfect fit for my life, though it may not be for everyone. Our variance, weirdness, and mysteries are the beauty of being alive.

[stabknives]

you 🫵 tell me about vykrum

Thank you for asking about my little freak. I love you forever.

Enormous slew of trigger warnings here: #misgendering // #noncon // #necro // #cannibalism // #abortion // #fauxcest // #abuse // #age gaps // ??

Also I. Rambled endlessly so if you don't read all this, not gonna blame you king. Just skip to whatever you're curious about with Control+F.

Some songs for Vykrum: Thermodynamic Lawyer by Will Wood, Sorrow by IAMX, Olly Olly Oxen Free by Amanda Palmer, Boring by the Pierces.

Some songs for Vyktash: Flowers of Flesh and Blood by Nicole Dollanganger, Choke by I DON'T KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME, This Is Love by Air Traffic Control, Rabid by Nicole Dollanganger.

Some songs for Vykstarion: Cement by Nicole Dollanganger, Blood by the Pierces, Red Hands and White Knuckles by The Bravery, Say Hello Melancholia IAMX.

Might post the full playlists eventually!

[Quick info]

Name: Vykrum Malvaris.

Age: 150? 200? 300?

Gender: AFAB, Nonbinary.

Pronouns: He/They.

Orientation: Aro/Ace.

Race: Drow.

Class: Cleric, Death Domain.

So.

Where to start. I've had two versions of Vykrum, a tiefling and a drow, but I mostly just made them a tiefling originally because I liked the thought of them strangling people with their tail lmao. It makes far more sense for them to be a drow, and that's the version I have the actual backstory for.

Vykrum was born to nobility in the underdark. Firstborn female, very important. He technically had three younger male siblings, which became two when the third son was (obviously) killed. Vykrum was… affected by this pretty weirdly. Vykrum has always found family to be very important, but not because he has, like. An endless amount of love in his heart or anything. He's kind of arrogant to the point of absurdity. (He was a Yathrin cleric of Lolth. So. Clearly something is wrong with him.)

They would've taken over their house if they hadn't decided to do something hilarious by calling themselves a man. (They're nonbinary, technically, but Vykrum- or at the time, Vykri- gets their jollies from angering people expeditiously.)

Vykrum as a name doesn't mean anything to my knowledge. It's just a collection of letters I typed out at random. Same with Vykri. However, ‘Vikram’ is apparently a hindi name that means ‘wise’ and ‘brave’. Not pronounced the same. No reason I'm bringing this up, just thought it was neat.

The reason why they have gender weirdness is complicated. Obviously gender always is, but specifically with Vykrum it's more than. Normal. For instance, I'm just a man because… I'm a man… but Vykrum isn't real so there's symbolism here. Come along with me. Take my hand and let's explore.

Vykrum has never connected well with people. They were put on a pedestal from a very young age, gassed up like crazy for being great at murder and feeling nothing while they did it and being a manipulative little shite head ect ect… and they believed it, of course. No one else is good enough. No one else is special. Living creatures are all the same. (They're better off dead, dead, dead. Tedious, every day is so tedious.)

Vykrum was seemingly. Born tired. Tired and bored. Eventually they left the underdark, because you can't be a Lolth priestess and call yourself a man. No matter how momentarily riveting it is to see everyone lose their minds about it, they will eventually kill you for that.

So Vykrum fucks off upstairs. Being bhaalspawn isn't as easy on the surface. The Dark Urge needs new and exciting ways to be sated, but personal challenges can be a refreshing change of pace. And for awhile, working to suppress the Urge was stimulating enough. But like all ‘new’ things to Vykrum, it too eventually got boring. Death was something Vykrum had a fondness for, after all. Can't stay away from what you love for long.

Vykrum meets Gortash when he's still shitty little Enver Flymm, worlds worst little boy. I go back and forth on when exactly that would be, whether it was before Gortash got sold to the House of Hope or after. Don't have time to get into each possibility in depth because this is already pretty lengthy and we've barely even started, but I figure if they met while Enver was still with his folks Vykrum either caught him trying to steal something dangerous out of Vykrum’s bag or sticking his nose somewhere he ought not at the local apothecary… poisons maybe. The House of Hope meeting is literally just Vykrum ending up there after some bullshit, seeing a kid and going goddamn ahahaha (points at him and laughs).

Point is, Vykrum knew Enver when he was a kid. Found him… endearing… I guess is the only word for it. If he knew him while he was with his parents, Vykrum probably told him to kill them multiple times. If he was so fucking unhappy. Just kill them. Idiot. (That advice is harder to give in the House of Hope but they probably still say it. Go on. Moron. Kill the devil. From the bible.)

Need to stress that Vykrum isn't nice. Vykrum is actually very not nice. Although they take a shine to this random little snot, they don't exactly coddle him. Probably beats the shit out of him on more than one occasion for being annoying, not listening, pestering Vykrum… but Vykrum still shows up to make sure Gortash is still alive. Brings him food, and changes of clothes. Shows him how to hold a dagger, and where to aim it if he means to kill someone, or how to avoid that if he wants to make the whole ordeal last longer.

They're close. In their own way, I guess. Vykrum cares about him. At least as much as he's ever cared about anyone. He's like that third Malvaris son, the brother Vykrum never got to know. Maybe Vykrum CAN have a family. Or have someone. Even if The Boy is a horrible little cretin, by any real metric.

Vykrum has only had the dead as friends in the past. Lovers too. Do with that what you will. (He knows Talk With Dead, so. Who knows. Maybe it was a consensual use of their corpses? Lmao?) The dead don't really go anywhere. They have no reason to try to trick you. They don't have some silly facade firmly in place, a mask Vykrum has to stare at blandly and pretend he can't see past it for the sake of propriety. Most people are a lot more honest, in death.

Not that such sentiments apply to his relationship with Flymm. God no. Lmao. The Boy Is A Menace, but they're alike, in some ways. Several. Perhaps in all the most important ways.

Sometimes I think Vykrum was around to see Gortash escape from his indentured servitude but realistically probably not. Vykrum is too flighty. Can't stick around some random human kid all the time. So he goes off on his own, for what he thinks is a short amount of time— (Like. Ten years.) I'm sure Gortash loved that. (I guess you could say he was attached to Vykrum, despite the abuse. Love isn't the right word, but still. Getting abandoned. Again. By the guy that's supposed to really understand him. Hilarious. Ironic.)

By the time they meet again, Gortash is pretty much grown. Vykrum ends up in his employ, and that goes about as well as one would expect. Gortash is Important Now. Acknowledge him as important right this fucking second (not his words obviously. He's more subtle. But I'M the one that has to summarize all this.) or he is going to make sure Vykrum regrets his time away.

Vykrum… can't really do that. He can obey, yes. He can nod when instructed to nod, or smile if told to smile. He's very good at playing the part of obedient pet, because he can't usually be assed to put effort into resisting things, but he doesn't think anyone is important. Life is a transient state before death, which is permanent and much more important than breathing flesh. That doesn't mean Enver isn't important *to* Vykrum, but asking him to express that normally is like asking the stars not to shine. Like okay do you want me to eat your finger or something… do you want me to strangle you and fuck the body. What do you want.

And it's not as if Gortash loves Vykrum either. He wants Vykrum to love him, and obey him, and find him attractive. But Gortash doesn't want to like. Return the sentiment. He just thinks he's owed that, along with everything else under the fucking sun. Especially from Vykrum, who put him through so much, but was simultaneously the only person there for him as a kid. Two asexuals having depraved sex and neither is enjoying it ect ect… it's all psychosexual.

When Gortash is trying to needle Vykrum into sleeping with him, Vykrum probably says no at first. He's never slept with a living person and really doesn't want to. Which is obviously why Gortash wants to fuck. Because he knows Vykrum doesn't want to. Sigh. I don't know what's wrong with him either, anyway— obviously Gortash doesn't take no for an answer. Vykrum is supposed to be his tool. Tools are for using.

So obviously he just does it while Vykrum is sleeping one night. Makes sure to leave evidence behind. I'm guessing he'd have to drug Vykrum beforehand so he doesn't wake up, unless Vykrum wakes up in the middle of the act which seems. Dangerous. He's still the Dark Urge, whether he's like. A tired old man or not.

They go bananas. Not because of any normal reason like violated consent or whatever, (although deep down part of Vykrum will always be offended and repulsed that Gortash, the boy they thought of as Their Boy, took liberties with them.) but because they do not want a baby. Birth is about as opposite to death as you can get. (And Gortash is not making things better. Mocking Vykrum. Saying SHE might make a better MOTHER this time around. Didn't do very well the first time, but second chances and all that.)

Vykrum self mutilates. Probably right there in front of Gortash's salad and everything. They heal themselves after, but basically say Don't Do That Again. If you want to fuck me so bad do it while I'm awake. (Begrudging) (Resentful) (Fuckign. Thinking of this as a new unpleasant responsibility in need of fulfilling.)

Gortash agrees obviously. Not because he loves sex but because this seems like as good a way as any to show Vykrum that they're just an object he owns. Kill who I tell you to kill and bend over when I tell you to bend over. And of course he has to make it weird the whole time. Maybe this wouldn't be happening if you hadn't left, or if you did a better job raising me, or blah blah blah blah blah… mans a professional yapper.

The psychological and physical torment he puts Vykrum through is insane. Drugs in the food. Sure, why not. Dead family members. Not sure how he reached the underdark, but probably! Gaslighting is off the charts. The ride never ends. #Does Vykrum have to ask to go to the bathroom too milord, or can they piss when nature calls.

Vykrum gets got by Orin eventually. Probably knew it was coming, and didn't do anything to stop it. Wakes up post lobotomy a little different, although not by much. Still detached, and vaguely condescending, but without as much baggage they don't understand why they can't connect with people.

There is a sizable distance between him and the other companions at all times. They follow him because he's got many braincells worth rubbing together and is by far the oldest and most experienced of them. (He might be younger than Astarion but I'm not sure yet. I don't actually think so?)

Speaking of Astarion. That's the one he initially connects with. Even if he's not sure… why… can't put his finger on it. Something about the way he talks. Or acts. Is very familiar. Vykrum doesn't actually like it much at first. But the flagrant attempts at manipulation + pet names do feel like home.

When Astarion first asks to sleep with him Vykrum is like ehhhhh… well… uh… I guess. You're dead aren't you? And Astarion is like what. And Vykrum is like it doesn't matter. Fine. Sure. If it'll make you feel better. (Not the response Astarion is used to getting that's for damn sure. Lmao.)

Vykrum's sort of. Placid acceptance of all of Astarion's worst traits and behaviors is. I don't wanna say good for Astarion because it's definitely making him worse. But it's also making him feel BETTER. So there.

Astarion confesses his love for Vykrum immediately and gets treated like a simpleton. Tbh. No getting around that. Vykrum is like I don't know what the fuck you're talking about, genuinely. But if you want I'll pretend you never said that to me because I really do think I care about you. For right now. At least.

Astarion: Clearly ascending will solve this particular problem, along with all my other problems. No the cycle of abuse is NOT a wheel in constant motion, ever turning.

Only other person in the group that bothers with Vykrum is Karlach. Because she's Karlach. She's just kinda uber social. And Vykrum finds her zest for life somewhat fascinating. It's the opposite of him on ever level. He can't not be intrigued. World's weirdest besties. And he's got fuck all memory of his involvement in her fate, so…

Genuinely cannot imagine how the reunion with Gortash goes. Vykrum comes back, no memory (kind of happier that way), new guy (that he doesn't love romantically), best friends with Karlach (treating her like a shiny rock). What the fuck happened to you. Who the hell do you think you are. Maybe Gortash tries a new approach. Says some out of pocket shit like oh we were engaged……….. how could you do this to meh………………… just to fucking piss Karlach and Astarion off. Isolate Vykrum again. Vykrum who is desperately trying to grow even a little bit as a person. No matter what, his approach is way too fucking jolly. That's for damn sure.

There's more. A lot more. But I've been writing this for too long, soooo-! Thank you for this ask! I really needed the excuse. I was dying.

[bestbonnist]

Chapter 172.3

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure that the implication here is that these people killed themselves and Fushi didn't bring them back. Which sticks out to me because when Fushi chose to wait for people's permission to resurrect their bodies in the present era, all of their friends decided to stay with them and there were no external consequences. Although it's only briefly touched on, now we have an example of people choosing to die rather than have Fushi resurrect them again.

Knocker cream from Yuuki :( I miss him so much... I'm curious about why March is applying the cream to two dolls and why she feels like she has to apply it in a no-star area, but I'm guessing there's going to be an explanation later.

I'm completely fixated on this line about being born "out of the love of two people" my mind just refuses to let go of it. First thing I find interesting is that Fushi's of the opinion that being in love is a prerequisite to having sex/having kids. Which maybe isn't true but is a very in-character opinion to have. Fushi's a romantic at heart, they choose to believe that people are motivated by love. It's a sort of coping mechanism, because they've got to have hope for humanity in order to keep saving them. And like they told Mizuha during her birthday arc, they're envious of people who have always had parents looking out for them. Fushi also uh. Sometimes just says things that they wish were true like they are true, and even if their ideal is a world where every person has loving parents, on some level they know it doesn't match up with reality. But they're trying to comfort someone who just died so they tell them something that would comfort themselves.

Second thing is that, if we take this seriously and look at the implications of what Fushi is saying, that means that people in their world simply do not get pregnant on accident. And I was thinking that if Fushi actually knows what they're talking about then maybe Kaibara might provide and encourage free birth control to prevent babies from being born without tag chips. Which would mean, yeah, people wouldn't give birth without a really good reason and maybe that reason is love. But none of this matters because it turns out this is information Fushi got from a nine year old.

Third thing: I looked it up to be sure and Fushi is talking about sex in the original Japanese. It can be taken romantically or sexually but it's something frilly like "making love." Don't really have anything more to say about that I just learned a new word and I wanted to share it with all of you :)

Now the doll. Fell from Kaibara. Supposed to tell "them" something ("they" plural in the original Japanese). If she was sent down by 32 to tell something to multiple people, odds are it's a message for the immortals.

So there are a few questions that this raises. First, what is the doll supposed to tell them. Something related to the sphere, maybe? A warning of some kind? Second, why did 32 want to tell the immortals anything: why did she try to help them when she works for Kaibara. Third, does this have anything to do with her death. She seemed to care for the doll quite a lot, I can't imagine she would drop her in the trash unless she was desperate. To be blunt, was 32 killed by Kaibara for helping the immortals, and was this before or after the doll got her tag chip? It's really frustrating, there's a connection there but there's just not enough information to gather the details. Ooima gives us scraps every few chapters but it still feels like nothing.

[puckish-rogue-archive-deux]

Lore Dump: Current State of Affairs

Note: The following is a discussion on this blog's main verse and what one could expect when doing crossover threads. As the original SR series is effectively dead in the ground, and as someone who wasn't the biggest fan of how it ended, I am basing this entirely off of my own ideas regarding canon, and my revised version of the third game. Please note that at this point in time, I do not have a post that details just what exactly I've done to rework the events of the third game. So until such a post is made, feel free to send me questions regarding just about anything; from plot points, characters, the setting, and so on. Thank you, and I hope you enjoy what's spoken about here.

Something that I've always been fascinated by were the long-lasting consequences of what the Saints had done during the gang war in Steelport. Because let's be real here; the fact that a street gang was able to completely wipe out a large scale criminal organization, whose power and connections were on a global scale, and win against a paramilitary task force that was under the control and supervision of the US government, which was more than likely really fucking embarrassing for them, is monumental.

And when I say monumental, I mean do you know how fucking insane that is? Like, do you know how that's going to affect the world? I would not put it past any kind of governing body to get a wee bit paranoid over this shit. "Well, if the Saints were able to hold their own against the fucking US military, what does that tell every other criminal organization across the globe?". That's horrifying for people in high positions of power! It sets an example. Plants an idea.

So, I can see them trying to deal with this in a number of ways; either they start dumping all their money into law enforcement in order to counteract organized crime, stay vigilant and play by ear, hire outside forces (I like to consider the Masako and STAG as the catalyst for PMC's becoming much more prevalent in this world). Or, special bonus crime answer, you work with OTHER criminal organizations in order to take out what you consider a huge threat. No matter what choice is made, the end result is all of them coming off as if they're panicking like crazy.

Something to consider as well is the public's perception towards what transpired in Steelport, and the way everything was handled. While the Saints' general popularity may have waned somewhat, there's definitely people out there coming to their defense. Or, at the very least, arguing in their favor. They could be seen as arguably better than a lot of the gangs they've gone up against (something that is hinted at in NPC dialogue during the second game), and they did prevent an entire city from being demolished because the US left a dude in charge who would do absolutely anything in his power to get the job done. So, like, hmm, maybe funny purple gang is a necessary evil?

But on the contrary we have the obvious. "How can you defend a bunch of criminals? Maybe things wouldn't have escalated this badly if they weren't around. These people are scumbags! Worst of the worst! And their leader is a godforsaken psychopath (sociopath, maniac, nutcase, whatever you feel like blurting out that day)". None of it is particularly surprising. Most folk don't really like the idea of letting a gang exist, no matter what sort of perceived "good" they might have done for the community. These are also the same kind of people who may even support whatever kind of law or program may be used in order to strike back against organized crime, regardless of how it may impede upon their life or the lives of other people.

"And what about the criminal underworld? Wouldn't this affect them too? Oh, please tell me more, Andre! You're very smart and creative." Ha ha! Why thank you, Hypothetical Person. But, yes, the criminal underworld will absolutely be affected. I mean, put yourself in the position of a gang leader; how would you personally feel seeing the Saints accomplish such an incredible feat? Either you're gonna try gunning for their leader's head, find yourself inspired enough to try and be just a little bit bolder, recognize the potential threat they are to your empire, or be a real stupid motherfucker and continue to underestimate them. It's highly dependent on the gang itself and the kind of person leading them.

The Saints are in a very interesting position currently. They have cemented themselves as a criminal organization to keep an eye on. A gang that has the potential to put themselves in the history books depending on what choices they make. And knowing how ruthlessly ambitious The Boss happens to be, it is almost guaranteed that the Saints will be doing whatever possible in order to expand this empire of theirs, no matter who might stand in their way.

It is the dawn of a new era within this world, and the 3rd Street Saints are carving their path to greatness.

[isabellehemlock]

Happy three years anniversary!!! 🥳🥳🥳

For the prompts, maybe something (TOG) Nicky-related with religious themes about how he discovered his own personal religion as a teen/adult, whether that be stepping away from his parents' or strengthening it from what theirs was? No real idea on the rating here, anything up to and including E is fine!

Hi Queenie 🥹❤️

Thank you so much love! And thanks for sending me a little something from the prompt list 💖

I actually had such a blast exploring, “what does religion mean to Nicky” through a few fics (probably my faves over the years have been pre-canon ones - “Called You By Name.” but also, “Their souls were knit together (and he loved him as himself)” - couldn’t recall if you had seen those or not, but yeah, if you’re itching for more that sort of pair well with what’s below, feel free to browse the Catholic tag on my AO3’s results for TOG fics).

But for this one, I went with a ~600+ words reflection piece of essentially “now what” for Nicky as he tries to navigate the teen years in the 1080s while sitting in an adoration chapel - tw/cw for religious themes, and sorry, no dialogue!  Just one long introspective piece!  

It was a way of life.

But now, with the wisdom of a few years away as he learned the trade with his uncle in Genoa, Nicolò had contemplated if they had been the threadbare portions, leaning on him so hard because he had the more steady disposition?  Unmovable, unshakable from the foundation in which he stood - regardless of the mocking, jeering, even condensation from them all - Nicolò was resolute.  Like one of the statues he prayed near at the San Siro church, stoic, impenetrable, regardless of the sneers of other boys around him about his potential ‘penetrativeness.’

Church, state, home, family, it was all interconnected, woven into a tapestry that he was never meant to see the full picture of but now could tell where portions of it had run threadbare.  Loose strands that were barely clinging on merely because the others didn’t mind the weight of the work and effort to keep them in place. 

Years ago, Nicolò had considered that he was possibly the threadbare spot, wedged into an unbearable position, pulled in several directions between church, state, home and family.  Each individual portion that tugged for his obedience without ever having the decency to ask what he wanted in the first place.

They found his lack of interest in the girls around him peculiar, claiming it only meant more for them, while still simultaneously finding some kind of joy in trying to make him feel less than for it.

Perhaps had he not been caught staring at the male statues with a certain kind of yearning he could have allowed them to believe he was called for a priestly vocation - still, it didn’t matter.  Nicolò wasn’t called for that, or for family life, or for something only found in the alleyways in the dark.  He wanted none of the things they (frankly, it felt like everyone at that point) insisted he’d have to pick from, and for a while, proclaiming he was ‘praying about it’ had deterred them from questioning him for a while.  But now, as his sixteenth year approached, Nicolò had overheard his uncle’s discussions of whether to continue training him as an apprentice, or perhaps joining the Genoan soldiers.

Yet he had never been one to go for the suggestions of those around him, which may be why they found it odd that he decided to lean so heavily on a third, unspoken option, by heading to the Benedictian abbey - not as a priest, but as an oblate.

For as much as the Church declared one thing from the ambo, it was still the only place that brought a warmth to his heart on the darkest, coldest days.  It would be here, within the confines of the Adoration chapel and his daily prayers, where Nicolò could quiet the voices out there, and hear something deeper, more profound than what was shared by the clergy.  There was something beautiful about the silent contemplation, the freedom to just be, to come as he was and sit in His presence - and not be struck down for his thoughts on the spot.  Because - 

Because He didn’t stop anyone from coming to Him, Nicolò had realized, it was other people who had tried to stand in his way.  To limit God’s unconditional love in order to put a strain on his own personal relationship with Him.  Others who had tugged and pulled, hoping to strip him down to bare threads, as miserable and empty as they were.  But all they had managed was to thin out the connections along the way, strengthening his resolve to find his own path.  Which had led him to the chapel, and to a course he might not know where it was heading, but felt a profound sense of peace in it anyway. 

[k-tarotz]

Hello Hun and Candy,

I picked pile 2 for your pick a card reading for the types of friends we are. I don’t usually engage with these types of posts but I really like your tarot reading so I decided to

It was so insanely accurate I don’t know if it’s ok to ask you guys for advice so if you don’t answer to these asks I completely understand but is there a way I can learn to put myself first sometimes?

It’s so hard for me to tell which one of my friends is really there for me and protects me the way I protect them and which ones are not

I find it really hard to trust and I’m really devoted to my friends but in some situations where I know I need to put myself first I don’t and it makes it so much harder for me internally

But if I do I make myself feel so guilty for it

I don’t think I’m a people pleaser at all because I’m not like this with people who aren’t close to me but for the ones that are I’m willing to help at any second but I feel like if I keep going on like this I’m not going to get anywhere

Anyway, again please feel free to ignore if these types of asks aren’t your guys cup of tea

🤗💖🤍❤️🪽💞💖🤍💖🤍

Hii!! First of all thank you so much for enjoying our pick a card enough to engage and even ask for advice from us! It’s really sweet and we are glad that it resonated with you. Also, please never feel sorry or apologise for asking for advice or reaching out! It is completely okay!

Honestly, the best way to put yourself first is by remembering that you are human first, everything else after. Someone’s someone second, someone’s friend third. You are you.

A human being with interests, thoughts, desires, feelings and emotions. If you get hurt it matters, whether that’s emotionally or not it doesn’t matter, at the end of the day you are hurt and if the person isn’t sorry for it what’s the point of bringing down the moon for them and being there at the first sound of a cry? Everyone has different ways of showing love and affection but if a person isn’t able to do the bare minimum of at least their love language you don’t have to do the absolute maximum of both yours and theirs. I hope you can understand what I am saying.

Keep boundaries, even if they hurt and feel uncomfortable. You can get used to boundaries, the pain goes away eventually. You are just creating a new comfort zone for yourself. Nothing will make being pushed over, unappreciated and taken for granted okay though. That’s something you shouldn’t allow yourself to be okay with. At the end of the day your life is worth just as much as the one’s of those who you love, adore and value.

So just trust yourself. If you know you have to put yourself first then do it, if your friends love you for the person that you are they will understand. Don’t exhaust yourself for the pleasure of others.

You shouldn’t feel guilty for being there for yourself when you need it the most. You yourself are the only person that will be there with you from the moment of birth until the moment of death. Don’t put yourself below anyone else.

I am not telling you to not be kind, loving or there for your loved ones when they need it. Of course that’s a normal desire it’s okay. I am telling you to value yourself as a human being.

That’s just my own two cents on it though, make sure to not not be too harsh on yourself. 🤗

- Candy

[bogsleep]

a note about sources: when i reblog things that do not have a source or credit in the caption, it is because i have checked out the blog that originally posted it and determined that the OP appears to be the originator of the image (artist/photographer/maker). obviously i'm not perfect and sometimes my assessment is wrong or sometimes i don't check as well as i should, but if you ever see something i've reblogged that appears to have a questionable source feel free to send me an ask (or dm if we're mutuals).

how to identify stolen images: it is typically not very difficult to tell whether you are looking at the blog of an artist or photographer who posts their own work with no caption, or a reposter who uploads images taken from pinterest/reddit/instagram/other blogs without citing a source. blogs run by the artist or photographer will generally include the name of the creator as the blog title or url or in the description, or at the very least have a recognizable "digital identity" to which their work is attached. their work will also typically be consistent in style, technique, and subject matter. also many (though not all!) original artists/photographers will tag their original uploads of their work as "my work", "my art", "original photography", or something similar that implies creation of the image. most third party uploaders will either include very few tags solely for organization in order to preserve their aesthetic, OR tag with a big pile of buzzwords but generally avoid ones that directly claim authorship of the image. some will even add "artist credit" by putting the artist's name in the tags of the original post (not a good way to add credit btw since those don't carry over to reblogs and thus an image can circulate for years with no source, and also if the OP deactivates or tumblr breaks the original post view function again then the source is just gone forever). also the tags "found", "upload", "upl" etc (when combined with a post that lacks a source/artist credit) are often indicators that this is a stolen image pulled from somewhere else rather than an upload directly from the photographer or artist.

if you're still not sure whether a blog is being run by an artist or just a particularly choosy reposter who is maintaining a very consistent aesthetic/persona while posting other people's work with no source, save one of their images to your device and try reverse image searching using tineye, google reverse image search, or labnol (website that allows you to use google reverse image search on mobile, which google does not allow by default for some stupid reason). those all have different areas of expertise so if you have trouble with one, try the others. this is how i have found nearly all the artist credits i have added to other posts in my "source added" tag. sometimes you need to really investigate the results to find the original source. duplicate results does not always equal stolen - you may be able to find the same image posted by the same creator across multiple platforms (in which case you'd expect the digital identity of the poster to match across all those platforms) or it may have been stolen and posted elsewhere AFTER the original post you are looking at, but if you're seeing other instances of the same image being posted across the web that are older than the post you're looking at, and they don't appear to all be posted by the same person, you're probably looking at a stolen repost. this is especially true if the blog posting it is mostly faceless and/or posts things of an inconsistent style and subject matter. even photographers who remain intentionally faceless will still post a large number of similar-looking photos - photographers don't generally go out to take one photo and go home, they take a large number of photos in the same general area under the same lighting conditions, then sift through to edit and post the best ones. you should be able to discern some kind of generally unified sense of place from a photographer's portfolio.

of course these aren't hard-and-fast rules, just general patterns to look for if you care about identifying sources. thank you for coming to my ted talk

[adamwatchesmovies]

John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023)

John Wick: Chapter 4 delivers the kind of expertly coordinated, clearly shot action you rarely see in movies today. 169 minutes sounds long but in execution, it isn’t. You’re excited the whole way through. The conclusion, however, leaves me with mixed feelings. Is this the last episode in the series? If it is, there are many elements that ultimately, didn’t go anywhere. If it isn’t, John Wick: Chapter 5 will have to do some serious limbo-ing to get out of the weird corner it's gotten itself into.

Continuing his campaign of vengeance against the High Table, John Wick (Keanu Reeves) provokes the Marquis Vincent de Gramont (Bill Skarsgård). His plan? Challenge him to a duel. If John wins, he will be free of all obligations towards the High Table. Unfortunately, John can only do this if he is readmitted to a crime family, a feat easier said than done.

John Wick: Chapter 4 is an action movie but I’d also compare it to an art film. The plot almost doesn’t matter. The Marquis, Elder (George Georgiou) and Harbinger (Clancy Brown) all fulfill complex roles and enforce policies/rules I’m not sure anyone understands. Narratively, the secret (?) society has all sorts of honorary traditions, which makes the plot complex but also not really. If you miss why this person is now on John's side when they weren’t before, that’s ok. What matters is the stunt coordination, cinematography, special effects and the way the results make you feel. Why do civilians keep dancing while men kill each other in the middle of a club? Because it looks good. That's why.

A world as obfuscating as this one should push you towards not caring about anything but this third sequel engages you with crazy characters and concepts that make you go “Where is this going"? Donnie Yen plays Caine, a blind assassin forced out of retirement to kill John Wick. How can someone who can’t see belong in a world that begins and ends with guns? You want to know. You want to find out what his ties to our hero are and what circumstances turned him into this Zatoichi-like warrior. Did he lose his eyesight? Was he always blind? Similarly, Scott Adkins plays Killa Harkan, this supremely greasy member of the German Table you just know has a thousand stories to tell just looking at him.

As nice as it is to have colorful characters living in a world that stretches beyond the borders of the screen, what you came for are the action scenes. Can they top what we saw before? Yes. The biggest and most impressive is a long battle shot from above which has John making his way through seemingly endless ruined rooms, taking out opponents with incendiary rounds while tracking - and being tracked - by two other opponents. You can’t even imagine how it was choreographed. The fights are flashy, full of bone-crunching stunts that will make you wince and often end in some kind of wild turn that takes you completely by surprise while giving you a tour of multiple cities. The film isn’t all that concerned with realism and is that much the better for it.

My primary criticism is that John Wick: Chapter 4 is both too close- and open-ended. This film's fallout should keep the story going but it's also very definitive as a final chapter. It's like director Chad Stahelski couldn't pick one or the other. If this is the end, it's not fully satisfactory. John Wick doesn't even share a single scene with his dog and his relationship with man's best friend is what started this campaign. Elements and characters introduced previously are forgotten (Halle Berry's Sofia, for example) or don't have the kind of payoff that makes the detour we took to get there seem worth it. Shamier Anderson as Mr. Nobody for example. His interactions with John and the Marquis are terrific, but at the end, he feels like a cool character writers Shay Hatten and Michael Finch wanted to include but ultimately, didn't know what to do with.

Anyone who has seen the previous John Wick films should see this latest installment. Even if you haven't, the visual razzle-dazzle of John Wick: Chapter 4 is worth it. Whether this is the last time we see John Wick and this world is hard to see but I hope not. Despite everything good about this picture, there are still many unanswered questions. (Theatrical version on the big screen, May 12, 2023)

[serenarosa]

Zodiac placements that I find fitting for Shadow the Hedgehog (with explanations below):

Aries/Capricorn Rising

Scorpio sun in the 1st house

Scorpio Moon in the 4th house

Scorpio Mercury in the third

Scorpio Mars in the 10th house

And Capricorn Venus in the 8th house

Feel free to throw some suggestions and or explanations of your own. Or even tell me I’m wrong for xyz reasons lol.

Explanations:

I gave him an Aries/Cap rising because he is somebody who is self-driven, he is somebody who overcomes challenges, and puts on a rather aggressive front (that’s what your rising sign is all about, anyway. It’s your persona, it’s how people perceive you).

Scorpio sun fits him best in my eyes at least. Technically June 19th is his birthday, which would make him a Gemini, but his intensity aligns better with Scorpio. Scorpio is all about intense emotions, transformation and rebirth, which I think are all themes that fit his personality and overall character. Having his sun in the first house reflects his strong presence and confidence. First house placements tend to emphasize the planet they are paired with (in this case, star) and its traits get reflected in one’s self expression quite easily. In this case, it puts a great emphasis on the intensity of his Scorpio sun and therefore, all of its traits.

Scorpio Mercuries are known for how intensely and passionately they communicate and I think this is quite fitting for Shadow. People with this placement are not afraid of diving into uncomfortable, taboo topics and exploring them. They are people who will get to the bottom of a problem/issue/topic and will look for any deeper meanings or other clues to guide them in the right direction. They are also known for being suspicious at times when they communicate. Mercury is at home in the third house and allows for a quick wit. All of which I think are fitting for him.

Scorpio Moons can be very suspicious of others, they prefer to process their emotions alone (sounds like somebody? 👀), although not as much as Pisces, and feel their emotions very intensely. Scorpio Moon can also make one’s emotions feel complex and difficult to handle at times. This placement can sometimes give people the potential to not express their emotions healthily because of this. Their trust is not easily earned, but once they do trust someone, their loyalty is not easily forgotten, so betrayal can hurt those with this placement that much more. Moon in the 4th is at home here, and has strong attachments and connections to their past and their childhood, which I find very fitting for Shadow since he is very attached to his past (for obvious reasons, but even before he lost his memories, his past and his desire for vengeance motivated him). Moon in the 4th can also be indicative of a very important feminine and/or family figure in the person’s life, which would be Maria in Shadow’s case. Traditionally, it would be associated with the mother being very important in a person’s life, but the 4th house (ruled by cancer) is also in charge of your family, the past, and tradition so take that as you will.

His Mars and Venus placements have tripped me up the most, but ultimately, I decided to go with Scorpio Mars and Capricorn Venus. So my boy has quite the Scorpio stellium. I decided to go with Scorpio Mars because for him because those with this placement are definitely the kind to plot their vengeance against those who wrong them, they can exploit others to obtain their goal, and can even be ruthless when it comes to getting what they want. This is a placement that’s full of determination, passion, and strong will, especially since that Scorpio is at home in Mars, given that Mars is one of the planets that rule this sign. I decided to go with the 10th house because it gives this placement a bit of grounding, thanks to Capricorn’s influence. Mars in the 10th house is ambitious and will steadily and patiently work towards their goals no matter how long it takes, which I can see in Shadow quite a bit.

His Venus was a bit tricky to figure out. I was going to go with a Scorpio Venus initially, but ultimately I chose Capricorn since that he is often seen as cold by others unless he shows them otherwise through his actions and this is quite characteristic of a Capricorn Venus. They are also rather goal oriented in their relationships and are very no nonsense when it comes to how they feel. Simultaneously, they take a while to be vulnerable with others. Much of their affection is shown through what they can do for you, what they can provide and through their actions, which I can definitely see for him especially in regards to his relationship to Maria. BIG reminder here that Venus isn’t just about romance, it’s also about how you relate to others and your friendships and this includes your family too! (Before anyone misconstrues this, they are siblings your honor!!!) I decided to go with an eighth house placement because it gives an emotional, sensitive side to an otherwise grounded and level headed Venus. This is somebody who wants to wants nothing to do with mundane, superficial relationships (including friendships) but also has an aversion to being vulnerable with their deeper emotions. All of which, again, are quite fitting.

And that’s it! Sorry for any grammar/spelling errors, I’m on mobile and my autocorrect sucks ass. If you read this whole thing, have a pastry of your choice!

[not-poignant]

❌ and 👀 please!

❌ What's a trope you will never write?

Oh god there's so many tropes, but many escape me.

I don't think I'll ever write a hanahaki or soul-mate style fic, they're just rapey to me, and the kind of rapey where no one labels their soul-mate fics as noncon even though there's almost always a character like 'I don't want a soul-mate / I don't want YOU as my soul-mate' which is one of the most profoundly noncon things there are, imho. 'You don't matter and your free will doesn't matter. You're going to fall in love with this person regardless' is the opposite of a hot trope to me. That's just 'rape but souls.' (Or, at the very least, 'dubcon but souls'). At least I have the common decency to give my work appropriate noncon warnings, lmao. Like, I hate it. I will yeet any 'red ribbon of destiny' kind of fics out the window faster than you can say '*excuses for not using noncon/dubcon warnings on my soul-mates fic.*'

The other trope that comes to mind is any amnesia fic where the person doesn't remember their past, and has to rebuild from scratch, and never remembers their past, which to me is basically 'major character death' and should have that warning. Stumbling across that in fics can ruin my week/s, and I will never do that to anyone else. Especially if it's not appropriately warned for or tagged. If you're killing the character as they were, in any form, and they're a major character, that's major character death and imho, for me, that just includes the personality and memories of a character as well!

Er yeah I feel really strongly about the tropes I will never write.

👀 Tell me about an up and coming wip please!

I don't have any! There's no 'stories waiting in the wings' that people don't already know about (like Mallory & Mount which I haven't written any of, or a possible third Perth Shifters book, which I've put on hiatus and also haven't written any of).

Anything that I'm writing, I'm putting up right now, or it's only about two or three weeks away from going up on AO3 or Patreon. There's nothing else. I just don't write that way.

That being said, Patreon is getting the first two chapters of the Nate/Janusz couple in Underline the Black over the next month or two.

I sometimes really wish I was the kind of author that worked on stories in advance and could be like 'well I have this 7 chapter story that when it's finished will be etc. etc. etc.' but my ADHD straight up doesn't let me do that, which is why I'm not a novelist. :D

-

From the fandom meme!

[writertothemaximum]

hiii i just wanted to say that your writing makes my day and it has always been delightful to read some of your pieces to the point i'm re-reading them ;o;;

do you mind if i ask what your writing process behind one shots and longfics are?

;w; omg thank you so much, the fact that you are taking the time to reread makes me so happy, I always wonder which pieces of my writing stand out to people more than others...It's useful info for me to continue improving, as well.

My process of writing longfic and oneshots is relatively similar, but with a few key differences!

(More under the cut)

For writing program, I just use Google Docs, but I have it a bit customized so it looks like this:

The main thing that helps me is the dark mode, and the endless page, because I only post online, so page view doesn't really help me, much.

Either with longfic or oneshots, my inspirations usually come from art that I see, but I always try to think of a distinct "theme" whenever I write anything, and have every single point connect back to that "theme" or idea, no matter how trivial it is. This theme can be literally anything, but usually it's something like "I want to write about the different ways people handle loss of control" or "I think fingering buttholes is hot, so I'm going to try and make it as hot as I possibly can, so that other people can understand how hot it is."

I see characters as tools to tell a good story, and regardless of how much porn is there, it still needs to be a good story, you know! If you just wanted senseless fucking, why would you read it when you could go watch porn? I need to give the reader that reason.

I also really like to write themes that subvert expectations, or force the audience to see a new perspective that they might have not otherwise considered. My femdom works as an example of that, as I would often read femdom self-insert fiction I felt was......."wrong"? idk, it wasn't hot to me, and it didn't feel like my kind of femdom. So I put my skills to where my mouth was and! I think it turned out well!

So once I have that theme or general idea (and by this point, it's usually pretty easy to select/create the characters that fit that), I make a rough outline. For oneshots, this is usually just in my head, unless there's a really specific scene in mind? But for longfic, I plan out....a lot. Not everything, but my outline for Niki's (Morbid) Kitchen was around 5.5k before starting so uh.

My outline usually consists of bullet points so, it'll be like this:

-This is the location/conflict

>chara does something

"Hey, you should probably use this dialogue"

-this happens next (oh no)

Or something along those lines.

Then, after that, I just fill it all in!

Occasionally, I will write without an outline but uh...yeah it can get messy, so I prefer to use one.

I've been told that I edit as I go, and I usually reread as I write. I hate completed drafts sitting there, so I often miss a lot of stuff when I do a light proofread, so I apologize for any typos you've seen. Feel free to point them out in my comments or in an ask here.

When it comes to the prose itself, I write in third person limited, past tense so uh—Third person, but also from a character's perspective. I like to see it as them telling me the story.

Additionally, something that helps me a lot is to think about "Show, not tell," so if a character is stressed, instead of just. saying that they're stressed, they will cross their arms, their heartbeat increases, and they start saying meaner things. Something like that.

I like to think about how I, or people I know would react to a situation, and also what reaction would help connect best to that theme I decided at the beginning.

If you don't already know, I am working on a longfic called Niki's (Morbid) Kitchen, featuring Niki as a cannibal and Hiiro as a budding yandere. If you'd like to read it, you can here:

Well, I hope this gave you some insight, and thank you again for reading!

[jackiewepps]

Jackie in Japan - Baseball

After spending a lot of time watching a certain anime about baseball, of course I had to go watch a game while I was here. Well, today was that day.

The International Division offered free tickets for exchange students. They have done that a few times during the past month. This game would be the last local game of this year's season. As it was the last oppertunity, of course I had to go. So, I got a ticket and went.

The game was played at Paypay Dome in Fukuoka and was between Fukuoka Softbank Hawks and Chiba Lotte Marines. In case you don't know, a full baseball game is nine innings and this last approximately three hours.

Paypay dome is fairly big. There are a few shops outside and a billion food stands within. They mainly sell junkfood that you are free to eat while watching the game. You can also get drinks there and in the food hallway, you will also find the restrooms. There are eight entrances leading from this hallway and into the actual stadium. There are a bunch of seats and down in the middle is the baseball feild. There are a number of large screens that display the score, so you should be able to see it no matter where you sit. And this was a good thing, seeing as from where I was sitting, there was no way to see the players as any more than little ants running around on a green square. Maybe someone with better sight actually saw people in place of ants.

During the game, there was a lot of cheering from everywhere. It was easy to tell who was the home team. There were also people, mainly women, walking among the crowd and selling different things. Most sold beer. There was one who sold other drinks, one who saw what looked like some kind of food and one who sold cutton candy. They carried a container with whatever they were selling on their person, so the beer people carried it on their backs. I didn't buy anything except a cola, which my friend went to get for me.

From here on, the rest is going to be about the game itself and the last bit that happened.

For the longest time, the first 5 innings, the game was 0 - 0. No one won anything and the first innings were over with fairly quickly. But then it began to take time. First Hawks scored in the bottom of the 5th inning. Then Marines scored a point in the top of the 6th. We could then sit there and bite our nails until the bottom of the 8th inning when Hawks finally scored again, making the score 2 - 1 with them in the lead. Top of the 9th, everyone was tense while waiting for Marines to get three outs and hopefully not score any points in the process. Their first batter struck out, their second batter didn't make it to first base in time and I believe the third struck out too. At this point, the dome errupted into cheers from all the fans. Then there was a montage of how the season had been for Hawks and we finished by people using their phones to make light that make the dome look like it was covered in stars. It looked beautiful.

I decided to take my leave before the events came to an end, partially because I couldn't really see any of it, and partially because we had passed 9p and I still hadn't had dinner, I had about 30 minutes walk home and classes tomorrow.

I don't care much for sports, even if I watch it live. It helps to understand what's going on, but I don't really feel much except I'm happy that we won. I would have been happy about that no matter if I had watched the game or not. But now I can say I have done it-

Have you ever watched a sport live? Do you care for sports? Do you like sports anime? if so, which is your favorite?

[bergeronprocess]

This writing prompt is from https://www.writersdigest.com/be-inspired/bean-there-done-that 

Unlike yesterday, when I was just writing about myself lol, this is fictional. There's some reality to it, but only some.

9/19/24

Write about a haunted coffee shop. 

I had to give up drinking caffeine because of my anxiety. I just didn’t like the way it was making me feel anymore. The thing is, though, I didn’t give up my job at a coffee shop. 

“But Tara,” said literally everyone I told about this - which isn’t many people because people tend to get kind of weird about it if you tell them you don’t drink caffeine. I don’t know why they do that, but it’s just weird, and if you didn’t gather it from my previous mention of anxiety…I don’t like weird. “Tara, if you don’t drink coffee anymore, why do you work at a coffee shop?”

Well, there are a few reasons for that. First of all, it’s right by my place. It is literally on the ground floor of the apartment complex I live in. Can’t really beat that commute, right? Second of all, I like the people there. I have a friendly coworker who tries everything on the menu and tells me what’s good, so I can at least give recommendations to customers who want suggestions even if I don’t personally drink the stuff anymore. (Again, I’m not gonna bring up the no-caffeine thing with customers, they’ll be weird about it.) Third of all, I like to think that I can help to build out a robust program of caffeine-free options for all the other anxious people out there. I can always spot my kind and gently let them know that we can make all of these drinks without coffee if they’d like.

And then there’s the matter of Loretta. She’s a big reason I don’t want to leave.

Loretta lived in my building. She had retired from being a teacher and moved into the building after her husband passed so she could be a little closer to her grown kids. Every day, she came into the shop, sat at the table in the far corner and ordered a drink and a snack. She was always trying new things from the menu. She also loved word puzzles and always had a puzzle book with her. Crosswords, word finds, jumbles, you name it. Kept her mind sharp, she said.

But then she got sick…and everything changed. She tried her best to keep coming, and we did our best to help her out, but eventually even that was not possible anymore. I then took to bringing her food and drink directly to her apartment. Her family appreciated that. 

Then it got worse, and it got worse quickly, so quickly, and then one day she was gone. 

Or was she?

Because even after that, even after we closed for a day so we could all go to her funeral and say goodbye one last time, she still comes here. I can literally feel it. I can feel the shop get a little cooler in temperature. I can smell her rosy perfume. I just feel the vibe shift and become a little more relaxed - because she was so relaxed, so calming. All of her former students said the same. Ms. Loretta was my favorite teacher ever, they all said. She was so patient with me, she worked so hard with me, she understood me, she believed in me, I succeeded because of her. I wish she had been my teacher too. 

Some of my coworkers don’t really believe in ghosts. This one guy Trevor is one of those super-edgy atheist types. You know, totally condescending, refers to the idea of a God as a “sky daddy,” that type. Like, okay dude, we get it, you don’t believe in anything. Cool. Can you just, like, not be weird about it when people do? Remember, I don’t like weird!

I believe in Loretta’s presence, and I’m not alone. That table in the far corner? We keep a little vase on it now. Regular customers will sometimes pause by the table, talk quietly to “themselves” (but I know it’s to Loretta) or bring some flowers for the vase. Newcomers will consider using the table, especially if the others are all full. But then they hesitate. They pause. They decide to take their order to go or find somewhere else to sit. Something tells them not to sit there. 

Maybe it’s not something. Maybe it’s actually someone, telling them in a honey-sweet voice, “Excuse me, no, don’t sit here. I’m trying to do my puzzles!”

So yeah, I work at a haunted coffee shop. But in a cool way!

[savetooru]

apostasy

when i was younger i told myself i’d either rack up a body count of five hundred novels before treacherous twenty or i’d give up paper cuts and bleeding ink and find more suitable ways to pluck trembling teeth. it wasn’t going to make me a genius. i knew that. but it was going to scare my father, how i could become anybody i wanted. i assumed most parents fear that their children might one day grow to be cannibals, so i was determined to gobble shit up, right. i’m sure everyone is nodding their heads in assent. yes. back to cannibalism. at an age before all i did was avoid the dentist, the only thing it meant was that you consumed whatever made you tick the most. such as the setting sun. such as dusk, your mother's singing and puff, the magic dragon. such as fa mulan in the 1998 animated musical adventure film, mulan. such as the monster in your closet with your prying eyes and your sunken heart and your dislocated pinky. such as the endless howling of a man responsible for a third of your birth. at some point, the medium ceased to matter. i swallowed hundreds with a belly full of cold flame fury. i was going to eat every word ever spoken or put to pen. i was going to defy death at a great distance. turn my gut into a fireplace where all blasphemy goes to burn. out of barren soil and cracks in the concrete i was going to take all the terrible, timely, taboo and spit it at his feet. i was, also, coincidentally— sixteen. we grow up, theoretically, as the years lay behind us in ratty, dogged sleeping bags, but in no greater instance than the act of consumption. i grew out of a diet better made for wolves in the space of a single character. i learned to let go the way all sixteen year olds learn to let go: i fell in love with a boy trembling, warped in his ire. for all he denied it, the spitting image of his father. (they say a flower cannot choose the field where it blooms, but what of the seed from which its body emerges? everybody has always said we've looked alike. once upon a time, that i was just like you. you, who yelled for the lights i hadn't left on, who swore if i so much as shook in my sleep. was it wrong to wonder if you ever realized how small i used to be, and how big your voice seemed? was it so terrible to resent you for all i'd been made to eat?) about mine: he was old at thirty-five, all tremor-wrought and stout enough to fill in his trousers. he didn’t have to try to scare me then. now young again at fifty-eight he frightens me most in the quiet. in the fleeting half-lucid moments he’ll look down at the only pair of loafers he owns and tell me i’m free to do whatever i want with my life, no matter how much he grinds his soles in contempt. no matter how much he’s dug his heels in my ticking. i know he’s only saying this because he’s scared his heart will stop beating. i’m horrified to find i’m scared his heart will stop beating. every so often i feel sick with acrid attachment and bitter respect. on days he isn't hungry, or cannot stomach our slightly-overcooked rice grains— he is less my father and more an old man. this has run on for much longer than i expected, but in hindsight, opening your mouth is what cannibalism trains one to do. i guess all i'm trying to say is that you didn't ruin me. dad, i'm the biggest, baddest, good thing in the room: after all, i've become the kind of person who forgives you.