#also still find it hilarious how the annihilation gang is really going all out for Nanook

[artheresy]

O h… Oh god, the Annihilation Gang… Ever Flame Mansion…

Save me Constance… Constance… Constance save me…

Also the puppeteering with Dubra?? Omg.. the Penacony hype is real, the sheer lack of leaks about them makes me think they’ll probably be like after 2.0 which will be an agonizing wait for me to see them in game, but I will survive… can I do it

Myriad Celestia trailers after providing some of the best lore

[queenlua]

Last week you mentioned GPG has really serious problems. Could you tell me more about them? I can't find much of anything online.

first, thanks for your patience with this appallingly late reply! september hit me like a truck :P

second: huh, wow, okay, a cursory google search really failed to turn up much stuff, huh. depressing!

i'm-a talk about the summer 2019 keyserver attack, not because that's the only issue / security vuln / fuck-up the project has ever had, but because it's (1) a hilariously bad fuck-up, and (2) generally reflective of how the project deals with security concerns, and thus demonstrates that the project is fundamentally pretty unserious

so.

this gist, by one of GnuPG's maintainers, does an okay job of summarizing the problem. a brief summary:

* one of the putative purposes of OpenPGP is to provide a "web of trust" via keyservers. i know Jane Doe, i meet her in person, i verify she is who she says she is, and i sign her key; that signature gets reflected in some keyserver, which acts like a big phone book. now, in the future, if you can't personally go verify Jane Doe's trustworthiness, but you do trust me, you can trust communications from Jane Doe, and you looked all this info up in the keyserver

* "what if a malicious actor tried to overload the keyserver?!?!" e.g. what if i spam ~150k signatures on some dude's key just to fuck with the network

* the answer, in the case of GnuPG, is, "this software is shitty and bad and can't deal with that volume so it just grinds to a fucking halt"

* ...and also most the keyservers try to copy their data from each other so you can have a ~web of trust~ throughout the network, which means, these malicious keys quickly perpetuate through the entire nnetwork

* which means anyone who receives the Forbidden Key Data TM, in practical terms, has broken their fucking GnuPG install, and that whole ~web of trust~ thing we built up is now unusable

technically speaking, this is not a security lapse per se! no cryptography has been broken; no secret data has been leaked. it is, however, a fairly straightforward denial of service attack, and is probably kind of disappointing if you wanted your security software to, you know, do software things

and look, anyone can be bitten by a nasty bug. you'll never see me being like "WOW WHAT DUMBFUCKS, HOW COULD ANYONE WRITE SUCH A STUPID BUG," because, y'know, there but for the grace of god i go, and all that. if anyone tells you they're smart enough to never write a bug, they're a fucking liar.  (my full-time job for a while was literally proving those people liars, and i never fucking failed, not because i am brilliant, but because all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of god. [sorry for all the god stuff; my long-abandoned southern baptist heritage comes through when i'm talking security for some reason])

however! the manner in which you respond to such a vulnerability matters:

* let's say i had discovered this bug in GnuPG. the industry standard, if i'm kind and polite, is: i disclose the bug privately to the maintainers, and they have a 90-day window during which to fix it. if they still haven't fixed the problem at the end of the 90 days, that's fine, that's their prerogative, but *i* also get to announce to the world "hey there's this bad bug, here's how i found it, and here's how to exploit it."

this is done to keep The World In General TM safer. see, i'm just some rando. if *i'm* able to find a bug in your shitty software, then it's guaranteed the NSA or Unit 8200 or some-other-super-secret-government-agency absolutely has the resources and wherewithal to find the same bug. and also, some slimy just-in-it-for-the-money hacker gang probably also has the resources to find it. by telling the company "hey, i will go public with this in 90 days," i'm lighting a fire under their ass to actually fix the problem, rather than just letting them pretend security by obscurity will save them, and if they don't fix it by then, then at least users have a prayer of finding out, hey, these dudes do not take security problems seriously, and making informed choices based on that.

there is some wiggle room in this. for instance, the fuck are cloud vendors supposed to do about something like Spectre/Meltdown? there were some shitty, not-100%-effective mitigations that could be done in software, but fundamentally the only real fix was getting new hardware, and tragically, we cannot redesign, manufacture, and ship brand new CPUs to everybody who might be affected within a 90-day timeframe. ergo, Google Project Zero pushed their disclosure deadline way out on that. but, crucially: they still went public at some point, and Intel did not cry "wah" or "no fair" or anything like that. they worked with researchers as best as they could, and once the cat was out of the bag, they offered public resources to help developers understand how their software might be affected. that's the rules of the game.

compare this to, uh, GnuPG's outrageously shitty response (from the previously-linked gist), which can basically be summarized as:

* "wah ocaml is complicated and we don't know how to maintain our own fucking software wah"

* "ten years [?!?!?!] wasn't enough time for us to fix the problem wah"

* "whoever did this attack is a hater :((((("

which. what. what the actual fuck. those are not actual reasons to not fix your sofwtare.

also, the way in which you present your software matters:

* i've thrown up shitty hobby projects on github before. if someone came to me all earnest with a CVE against them, i'd laugh, append the README to say "yo i threw this together on a weekend while i was buzzed, you should absolutely not be relying on this for anything that matters, xoxo lua." that is 100% fine! advertising THIS SOFTWARE IS NOT NECESSARILY SECURE and thus electing not to give a shit about security problems is fine.

* i've been a part of things that are... somewhere between a hobby project and Real Software TM. e.g., research prototypes that you're hoping will be widely used so you can get a better sense of desired use cases and unexpected constraints, but which you hope will be used primarily by "power users" or others who are interested in that project's specific goals.

such a project may not be able to offer the same kinds of security guarantees as Fancy Corporate Software, and that's fine, so long as they're open and honest about stuff like: what the goals of the project are, what we're sure of and what we're less sure of, how we're vetting our stuff, what our policies are when someone does report a security issue, stuff like that. there's plenty of stuff maintained on a volunteer basis that i'd generally trust because, i expect they'll notify me if there is a serious security concern to be worried about, or they have a long track record of excellence in a narrowly-tailored space, etc. that's all good.

* what you cannot, cannot, cannot do, is: claim to offer some kind of robust security solution to people in actually-precarious situations, and then not actually act like a steward of those person's interests. if you're, oh, telling Venezeulan dissidents "our [shitty hobby] software [with gaping, well-known vulnerabilities that haven't been exploited yet ONLY because no major nation-state entity has felt threatened by our code yet, but if they were so threatened, they could trivially wreck the entire project using a well-documented years-old vulnerability we can't be assed to fix because ocaml is hard i guess] is safe and reliable to use!"

...if you're telling political dissidents that? and then you get over-the-top pissed off at someone pointing out the fucking problem you refuse to fix? and somehow make it all about mememe? then fuck you, sincerely. the threat those dissidents face is not someone breaking the fucking key network. the threat is you, you personally, because you are fucking lying to them about what your software is able to do.

GOD. sorry, just. i reread that link and got so pissed again. fuck that attitude entirely. if you let people down, fucking just sit with that for a bit, okay?  sit and think and do better next time.  christ.

anyway.

this is a particularly gratuitous example of GnuPG maintainers being little shits, but in general they've been lackadaisical and dismissive some other times in the past when people have brought them real security problems, and then act all pissy if, y'know, people go public with said security problems. i haven't kept up with their work lately (i think maybe the community got kind of annihilated by this keyserver thing?) & i have other bones to pick with any project of that type (it's kind of taking the wrong tack entirely imho), but like, yeah, in general if a software community's response to security bugs is "oh gosh that's hard maybe we'll get to it someday," you should not be trusting that software lol

[ouidamforeman]

Gallifrey Audios Fic Rec

Since I read a lot more fanfiction than I used to I thought it’d be a good idea to make a rec list of my personal favorites! Heads up though because as anyone who has followed me for a while knows this is mostly Narvin/Leela (But not all! I like gen stuff and friendship shenanigans a lot too) so if you hate the ship or want a larger variety my rec list will be like a minefield, apologies. List is organized by rating, lowest to highest, and includes approximate word counts. Enjoy! Under a read more because it’s kind of long:

Time Lords are Bad at Feelings by @timelordsandkittens (NR) Notes: this is a fic about hugging and it’s the first Gallifrey story I ever bookmarked, years ago)

Reflections/Refractions by a_walking_shadow (G, 2k words) (Summary: It's always interesting, seeing what's different on every world connected to the Axis. Sometimes, the Gallifrey on the other side is so similar to their own it's almost painful. Sometimes, there aren't any similarities at all. Sometimes it's a perfect reflection, sometimes everything is slightly different, refracted. And sometimes, it's just completely bizarre.” aka “Someone posted a suggestion, somewhere, for a story idea: in s4, the Gallifrey gang end up on a version of Gallifrey which is basically what people think the planet is like, when they first get into New Who.)

The Candidate by weakinteraction (G, 4k words) (Summary: Romana's presidential campaign doesn't get off to the smoothest of starts when she is ambushed by an interviewer. Braxiatel is on hand to straighten things out.) Notes: a delightful and unusual mix of Gallifrey lore and canon that makes me very happy

Life Lessons by thetransgirlwhoneverwas (G, 800 words) (Summary: Narvin is facing death, and for the first time in his long life, he is truly afraid of it.) Notes: this is the “What does Brax think about Narvin losing his lives” fic everyone wants

The Hotel of Rassilon by Floptopus (G, 5k words) (Summary: The Gallifrey Gang (Minus that oily toad, Irving Braxiatel) have escaped from the rages of war and are now running a Bed and Breakfast as a family. However, the new guests at their little hotel clearly aren't all they claim to be... Sarah Jane Smith and her young friends are staying at a Bed and Breakfast as they investigate suspected alien activity in the surrounding area. However, most suspicious are the odd family of four that run the hotel…) Notes: Remember the silly self indulgent b&b AU/SJA crossover thing? This is the fic. Listen. Sometimes you just need corny Time War fix-it fic and this is it. It’s not even finished and I don’t care because I want to live here.

day after day (the show must go on) by clockworkouroboros (G, 2k words) (Summary: A post-Time War short story that explores what happens to them. Leela has been found, but Gallifrey is lost. Romana is trying to find out what happened to it.) Notes: @clockworkouroboros writes good things and also she’s my friend and I love her. This story is trippy and cool and angsty and funny!

Half Sick of Shadows by gallifreyburning (G, 14k words) (Summary: Frontline reports said Leela had been killed in battle at the Pillars of Consequence, fighting the Daleks in the Time War. During a chance encounter on a backwater planet, Narvin discovers that this version of events isn't quite accurate.) Notes: Just read everything by @gallifreyburning actually because she’s brilliant

TimeShift by gallifreyburning (G, 9k words) (Summary: After surviving the Time War and finding a happy ending, Leela wakes up in a strange place with an old antagonist, and must figure out how to get home.)

Homesick by mageofmind (renegadeartist) (G, 1k words) (Summary: Home is a complicated subject for Leela. She hopes one day this one won't feel so lonely.)

On Her Lady President's Secret Service by neveralarch (G, 13k words) (Summary: Narvin and Leela tracking down spies in the Citadel. And also fighting with people. And fighting with each other. And having discussions about CIA training methods. But they also track down spies.)

The Ascension of a Celestis by @time-lord-historian (NR) Notes: Time War angst

Fear by SongOfTheBadWolf (G, 1k words) (Summary: Narvin is often resistant to the support he needs the most, but Leela isn't about to give up on him. (set in season 4, after Annihilation.))

Dancing by @iristigerlily (G, 400 words) (Summary: What might have been going through Narvin’s head as Leela performed her fire dance in 1.2 “Square One”.)

until the night fades by President Romana (asoldandtrueasthesky) (G, 2k words) (Summary: Written for the classicwhosecretsanta 2016. Narvin and Leela explore the Axis together, still reeling from the loss of Braxiatel and dealing with a moping President. The Gallifrey they find feels too much like home for Leela to abandon and it's up to Narvin to prevent their group from splintering any further.)

Five Times Narvin Wasn’t Scolded for Showing Emotion, and One Time He Was by JaneTurenne (G, 6k words) (Summary: Time Lords aren’t meant to display their feelings—and, despite the odds, a Time Lord is the only thing Narvin has ever wanted to be. Narvin character study, with a side of shippery.) Notes: This was my favorite Gallifrey fic for a while and it’s probably still in my top three

To Feel the Sun From Both Sides by gallifreyburning (G, 3k words) (Summary: After years of adventures and misadventures and Time Wars, Leela and Narvin are finally getting married. Unfortunately, someone objects to the union, and goes to great lengths to save Leela from making the worst mistake of her life.) Notes: this fic is hilarious please read it

Strangeness and Charm by gallifreyburning (G, 27k words) (Summary: During a delicate treaty negotiation, Leela finds herself on the receiving end of an unwanted marriage proposal. Set during a magical golden hour in the vicinity of Enemy Lines.) Notes: Narvin/Leela fake married AU, warning: wonderful but unfinished so far

this untitled fic by @colinbakerstreet (NR) Notes: it’s kind of a character study thriller but I remember thinking it was fantastic

Error by thebraxiatelcollection (G, 3k words) (Summary: Spoilers for Gallifrey; Time War. Gallifrey. The CIA and the rest of Gallifrey presume Leela is dead or missing after her mission with The Master. Narvin refuses to be alone during times of war. He decides on the next best thing. He builds a copy of her. Narvin/Leela.) Notes: I remember this having a great twist somewhere

A Minor Problem by Irving-Braxiatel (G, 1k words) (Summary: “’The room is bugged.’ The words were scrawled on the note Narvin had slipped into Romana’s hand as they walked past one another.” Narvin has to deliver some bad news to President Romana, which, as it turns out, isn't as easy as it sounds.) Notes: wonderful pre-series Narvin/Romana with telepathy!

Uncharted Territory by stcrmpilot (G, 1k words) (Summary: Narvin has a lot of thinking to do. Leela seems determined to intrude.) Notes: Good good Axis angst. Stcrmpilot (@coordinator-narvin) writes a lot of Gallifrey stuff and they’re my friend so consider this a general rec and check out their stuff

The Tramp Stamp of Rassilon by gallifreyburning (G, 900 words) (Summary: Ace has an unfortunate evening at an off-planet royal wedding.) Notes: I cried when I read this

Nonsense All Compact (The Community Theatre Remix) by neveralarch (T, 12k words) (Summary: Braxiatel directs amateur community theatre in the small village of Gallifrey. Romana is the Council Leader in Gallifrey, and uses theatre as a political distraction. Eventually they hold hands.) Notes: I’m not exaggerating when I say I think this might be my favorite Gallifrey fic ever. You can also read the original non-AU story it’s based on, The Importance of Being On Stage by aralias (G, 3k words), which is also hilarious.

Repercussions by a_walking_shadow (T, 2k words) (Summary: Going after anyone from the tight-knit group at the top of Gallifreyan society is a terrible idea. They're protective of each other. They all possess the capacity to cause absolutely terrifying levels of destruction. And they tend to have loopholes in their moral codes, for whenever anyone threatens their friends.)

A Family Affair by Bagheera (T, 19k words) (Summary: Leela and Narvin have to work together to uncover a conspiracy against President Matthias.) Notes: This is a good Narvin/Leela relationship dynamics fic with a lot of stuff about Narvin’s family, and it was written before we got much canon background on him so it has a lot of interesting headcanons!

Family Ties by Floptopus (T, 4k words) (Summary: In the night, the nightmares come. Leela and Narvin have both lost parts of themselves - parts they'd never expected to live without.) Notes: prequel to The Hotel of Rassilon

Spirit Redux by gallifreyburning (T, 13k words) (Summary: Sometimes even Gallifrey's CIA agents need a little R&R. Who wouldn't enjoy a minibreak on the paradise planet of Davidia?) Notes: Narvin has A Time Of It in this fic and it’s great. It’s also slightly on the M end of T rated towards the end so watch out if spiciness isn’t your thing.

Refinement by oxydised_moron (T, 5k words) Notes: You guys it’s literally just evil!Leela/Narvin from Disassembled, I’m so glad someone wrote this

A Friendly Face by clockworkouroboros (T, 2k words) (Summary: Narvin and Romana have been ousted from Gallifrey after Romana’s latest attempt at treason and they land...in the middle of a war zone. This is set just after that.)

Dreams of Forgotten Lives by BeesOfGallifrey (T, 54k words) (Summary: The Time War is over, and thanks to the skullduggery of Irving Braxiatel, Leela and Narvin have survived it. One small problem: also thanks to the skullduggery of Irving Braxiatel, they have no memory of who they really are, and are both stranded in London in the late 1890s, living entirely separate lives…) Notes: very good Narvin/Leela fobwatched!AU, and I think there’s a sequel in the works with Romana)

Gallifrey: Ruination by Ellimac (T, 11k words) (Summary: In the search for a new Gallifrey, Leela, Narvin, and Romana find themselves on a Gallifrey far too hostile for their liking. When Narvin gets caught in the middle of a dangerous conflict with no way out, it's up to Leela and Romana to get all three of them back to safety before it's too late.) Notes: Great Axis adventure that’s very canon-divergent with injuries, so warning/note for that and a bit more gore and violence than the typical fic

The Shape of Things to Come by gallifreyburning (T, 8k words) (Summary: During the Time War, Leela and Narvin are on a mission to save a young Ace McShane from Daleks meddling in her timeline. Romana's mission briefing didn't remotely prepare them for a night in a punk club in London, 1986.) Notes: Again, just go read everything by gallifreyburning because I’m not listing everything here, but this is the first one by her I read and it’s delightful

Thinking in the Fifth Dimension by Irving-Braxiatel (T, 3k words) Notes: a sort of choose your own adventure story with a really cool format

Orchestral by gallifreyburning (T, 2k words) (Summary: During a CIA mission debrief, Leela and Narvin make a little music.) Notes: gallifreyburning specializes in writing these two arguing and making out but this is the one I’m choosing to rec because it was written for me and also Ace is there

The High School AU of Rassilon by clockworkouroboros (T, 12k words so far) (Summary: Narvin just wants a quiet, easy junior year of high school. Unfortunately, no one else in the school seems to feel the same way.) Notes: Current WIP. AU where they all go to a terrible teen movie high school. A Masterpiece I am proud to have helped with.

Cultural Exchange by JaneTurenne (M, 4k words) (Summary: Narvin knows Leela well enough to track her down after her abrupt departure — and comes to know her a great deal better.) Notes: This is rated T on Ao3 but I’m putting it with the M-rated stuff because it’s kind of spicy for just a T and I wanted to be safe for anyone wary

Superposition by gallifreyburning (M, 3k words) (Summary: At the end of Gallifrey 2.5: Imperiatrix, Narvin is injured while saving President Romana from a bomb, and is carted away for medical treatment just before Pandora takes control of Gallifrey. The next time we see him, in Gallifrey 3.1: Fractures, he's abandoned his post as Coordinator of the CIA and is working as part of Romana's resistance against Pandora. This is a glimpse of what happened in between these two events: the moment Narvin realizes what happened in the Panopticon in his absence, and is forced to choose sides.) Notes: the questionable Pandora/Narvin content I didn’t know I wanted until I had it. It sounds shifty and it is but this fic is so good I believed every second.

Mission Parameters by gallifreyburning (M, 8k words) (Summary: Andred is on a mission to bring down the Celestial Intervention Agency, and he's only just beginning to grasp everything this job entails.) Notes: Have you ever wanted to ship Narvin/Torvald and Narvin/Andred? Have you ever desired to watch a slow motion car wreck? If yes then this is the fic for you.

A Quiet Heart and its 'verse by gallifreyburning (E, but the other fics in the series are G and T, 70k+ words) (Summary: Leela and Narvin's moments between canon, from the Axis until the Time War. This is how a human warrior and her Time Lord came to fall in love. Romana makes occasional appearances, but this is primarily an expansion of the backstory between the Lady President's companions.) Notes: This is probably The Main Narvin/Leela Fic in the fandom at this point so most Gallifrey fans who follow me have probably at least read some of it, but y’all. It’s GoodTM and the smutty parts are pretty easy to skip over if that’s not your thing, so. Highly Recommend.

this Narvin/Leela bodyswap from the sexandpolitics dreamwidth, because sometimes I read silly porn and you all have to deal with that

Also! Note that there’s a lot more in my Gallifrey fic tag, including shorter things and lots of tumblr and askbox fic! Also because the Gallifrey fandom is so little I highly recommend reading everything by any of these authors or anything in any of the Gallifrey fic tags because in general it tends to all be pretty good

[atopearth]

The Legend of Dragoon Part 2 - Platinum Shadow

Since Doel told us to venture to Tiberoa for answers, it's time we got a change of environment! No more Serdio and war~ but crazy princesses! Hmm, was Princess Emille a fake? Hmm, so the Moon that Never Sets is called that because it's not affected by time such as day or night, and when it glows red after 108 years, a Moon Child appears, but I guess so does the Black Monster? Btw, Albert is such a dork that it's so cute lmao, I loved how when they were talking about how Haschel's daughter and Dart's mother are both called Claire, and whilst Rose was saying it was impossible for them to be related considering their appearances, Albert starting going on a rant on an analysis of the possibility and how their skulls were different lmao. And omgg it's kinda crazy, but I never thought about the possibility of a Dragoon Spirit getting stolen by thieves! Sad that I can't level up my Dragoon level now lol. It's kinda crazy to think that such a beautiful green and flowery town like Donau has been taken over by bandits... I guess it's understandable why Lynn (Mayor's son) would go to the Gehrich Gang's Hideout to persuade them to get lost, but seriously, that's so dangerous and highly unlikely to work! Ohh okay, the gang hasn't taken over the city yet, just very hostile and leaving their people there I guess? Meru is such a happy ball of positivity and beauty loll. I used to always think she was super pretty and cute though, she's also really strong! I wasn't too fond of her Additions but I guess her cuteness makes up for it, and she's a pretty hilarious person lol. I see... Princess Lisa knows through astrology that Princess Emille is somehow related to the Gehrich Gang and it even told her to never hand over the moon, probably meaning the Moon Dagger heirloom that will be passed on to Princess Emille soon. Btw, lmao at how well Meru and Haschel get along, they're both like kids getting excited over the royal dinner feast hahaha. It's kinda crazy though, if Lisa can see so many things through astrology, I guess there is a good reason as to why this whole town worships the stars so vehemently.

I honestly didn't expect/completely forgot Gehrich was Haschel's former disciple that got kicked out for not using martial arts with a good heart. It's kinda saddening that he ended up a leader of bandits, but I guess at least in the end, Haschel found him and was able to make him understand that the Rouge School arts weren't to be used for things like this... I didn't realise that Kongol actually followed Emperor Doel for a good reason! Emperor Doel told him that he wanted to make a land where all species could be equal, and Kongol believed in his strength in being able to bring that, but now that he was defeated by Dart, he wants to understand Dart’s strength now. I didn't think that the humans actually killed all the Gigantos aside from Kongol in this place/home of the Gigantos. You would think that since they were oppressed by Winglies before, they would understand the pain of losing people, but no, they killed them... I feel sorry for Kongol, he just wants to fight against bad people like the ones who killed his family and friends... Speaking of Kongol though, him saving the gang by holding that super heavy stone axe/pillar that came from that humongous status was crazy! He even flung it away so easily! I'm not sure how we defeated him before considering he had strength like that lol!

Aww so nice to see Lynn and Kate's wedding! Also really cool to know that whilst Dart and party were gone, the Mayor and all the adults rose up and went against the bandits in town and successfully kicked them out! Nice to know that Dart inspired them to do their best to protect their own town. Shana catching the bouquet was cute. Omggg, I can't remember but dang, you get Kongol's Golden Dragoon Spirit at the rip off market seller in Lohan! It's 1000G which is easy to get by now but wow, apparently you can get to near the end of the game without even realising this is where you get it! Which kinda sucks tbh lol. Apparently there were hints but it must have totally flown off my head because I had no idea lmao. I honestly can't believe King Zior is even allowing these bandit friends of Emille to be knights for the ceremony, like is he crazy or is he a fake? Or does he need to allow all this to save the real princess? Dodging the bandit guards to get to Princess Lisa and the real Princess Emille aren't too hard, but I do admit it's annoying haha. Wow, no wonder it was practically impossible to find the real Princess Emille, she was locked inside a magical dimension within the portrait of herself in her room! Wow, boy am I glad I stocked up on Healing Breeze because Lenus aka fake Princess Emille does crazy damage to all! She has so many turns as well! Maybe it would have been easier if my Albert actually had the SP to turn into a Dragoon though lmao, but still, she's pretty nuts haha. I knew I didn't remember wrong, Meru is a Wingly just like Lenus (since Lenus could tell), but I guess it's understandable of her to hide it from the party for now. Hmm, so after the defeat of the Winglies, the three countries Serdio, Tiberoa and Mille Seseau were formed, and the surviving Winglies sent a divine object of the moon as a proof of peace. Anyway, I guess King Zior was too blinded by his love for his daughter Emille that he didn't care what she was like to realise it was a fake lmao.

Aww it's so cute to run around with Shana on the Queen Fury. Lmao at the chopping vegetables mini game, legit thought it would give me something good after winning but it gives me 1G LOL. All my hard work for a scrap lol. I love how enthusiastic and hardworking everyone on the ship is though! They're so passionate about their work whether it be cleaning or shoving fuel etc, they're really trying their best to catch up to Lenus (and get the Moon Dagger back). Sometimes I feel sorry for how blunt Shana is about her feelings towards Dart but he's just constantly thinking about the Black Monster etc. I guess it's understandable though, he probably thinks that if he starts thinking of stuff like romance, he wouldn't be able to fully focus on the war and everything. I really enjoy talking to all the different sailors with the different characters though! It's so cool how some of the dialogue changes haha! Lmaoo at Meru annoying Dart and Shana to play with her because she's bored, yet when you talk to her with Rose (and she tells Meru they can train together), Meru says she'll behave hahahaha. I wonder what made Rose change if she says that she used to be as innocent as Shana, only caring about her love and hoping that it'll bear fruit? Did Rose's partner die and that's why she tells Shana to never let Dart go? Omg..to think that 25 years ago, Haschel's harsh training caused Claire to accidentally end up killing her training partner since she tried her best to fulfil her father's expectations of her as the heir to the Rouge School... He shouted at her to get out of his sight and lost her forever... It's quite terrible... Lmao at Kongol just ignoring Meru if you talk to her with him hahahah. LOL at Meru throwing a pillow at Albert! Guess he's the easiest to bully even though he’s a king lol. Hahahah I love how everyone sympathises with Dart being the babysitter of Meru when she forces him to run around with him on the ship lol. The Phantom Ship looks really cool but scary at the same time! It's kinda cool how ghost knights protected Shana from skeletons. Okay, that mini game with the chest is so not worth the time lol! It's so hard to guess! Anyway, I checked the rewards and it really only gives you crappy stuff that I don't care about lol, don't need Ultimate Wargod because I can do my Additions just fine anyway lol. So, is the princess of Mille Seseau that this whole ship tried to protect from the Black Monster 18 years ago actually Shana? Rose is probably the Black Monster, but is Zieg the first Red Eyed Dragoon that she supposedly fell in love with but couldn't save for some reason? Was Rose a part of the Dragon Campaign 11,000 years ago? Her and her comrades seemed to be fighting Virages or something? They all died and Zieg turned into stone? I guess you can see why Rose is so attached to Dart if they're so similar. But I wonder, did the Black Monster appear because Rose wasn't able to control the insanity of the Dragoon due to her grief of losing her friends or something?

Lmao when Rose said she'd annihilate all the monsters to protect Pete and his mother (people who saved Dart and Rose after they fell off the Queen Fury when the Phantom Ship sunk). Hahahaha Pete was so funny to say that Rose should confess to Dart because he saw her take care of Dart lovingly in the cave. Hahahah I love how you can go to the hot springs in Fueno and the person soaking in it screams lmaoo. Aww it's so cool and cute how the merchant for the item shop and the weapon shop are the same person! He just goes upstairs to talk to you if want weapons lmao. I love how happy and hyper Meru is to see Dart and Rose alive haha. Aww, it was really sweet of Dart to hug her since she was crying and he felt bad for worrying her. Lmaooo at Meru, Haschel and Albert peeking in on them though lol!!! I think it was really cute how when Dart caught them, they all ran away, but Meru came back to close the door for them lmao. Honestly though, despite how much of a damsel in distress Shana is, I think she really warms up to you as a character. Sure, she's weak and everything, but she's just really sweet and normal, it's hard to not like her. She has that warmth to her that the others lack. Ohh, so Lenus had the Sea Dragoon Spirit! Anyway, she was so much stronger before! Her Dragoon form is so much easier to manage lol, she should have just stayed in her Wingly form. Poor girl though, she gave her life for Lloyd but I honestly doubt he really appreciates it. I think Dart was really touched when Shana ran to protect him when Lenus tried to kill Dart with the last bit of her strength though, it was kinda cute. Lmao at Meru being so happy for truly being a part of the gang as a Dragoon now though haha. Aww it's so cute how Albert was so enamoured with Princess Emille. I can understand though, she's really graceful, beautiful and kind, who wouldn't like her?! But I think the whole family is great! I love how King Zior didn't care about Dart and them not being able to retrieve the Moon Dagger because he believes that it's just a symbol and isn't as important as them being the heroes that saved all the town's from the terror of the Sea Dragon and the fake Emille. Awww, it's so cute how Dart has finally realised his feelings for Shana but he keeps getting interrupted when he wants to tell her lmao. Shana is so brave though, she totally and straightforwardly told him again that she loves him and that it doesn't matter if he views her as a baby sister. I hope they get together soon! Lmao at both Haschel and Meru being kids stealing food from the kitchen hahaha. Albert bonding with Emille in her room was so adorable lmao. Rose chuckling to herself thinking about things was so cuteee, I love how soft she is becoming now. Kongol training in the training centre being happy that he's got friends of different species now was so adorable too. Aww, Princess Emille is willing to wait for Albert to come back from his journey! They're so sweet! Aww he finally got to tell Shana that her wish is the same as his whilst she was wearing a beautiful dress~~ Such a cute and happy banquet!

Overall, this chapter was really nice. I loved the whole Wingly introduction to the story, getting to know more about Rose, but also interacting with Meru and Kongol! I really love how cute everyone is and how different they all are, but how nice they all work together. Btw, I farmed Shana's Dragoon level to 5 to see her skills and dang, White Silver Dragon does damage and heals you to full life! Pretty strong! It was so easy to farm it on the Phantom Ship btw, since you have access to a save point, resting and constant monsters lol. I just wanted to see it before Miranda came along because I remember not liking her lmao. I think the best thing about this chapter is seeing everyone’s growth as a character, mainly Shana and Rose because Shana solidifies her resolve to be beside Dart no matter what, whereas Rose is warming up to everyone (especially Dart) whether she likes it or not. Another cute thing I loved to see was Albert finding his love Princess Emille, they’re both so wonderfully graceful and I find it adorable how Princess Emille loves listening to Albert when everyone else thinks he talks too much in a long-winded way hahaha. I also really liked the Queen Fury part because it really helped to understand everyone’s worries as well as what they’re searching for on this journey, it just made me understand them a bit more individually and I really enjoyed that. Now I feel super bad for hating Kongol as a kid when I was young just because he was ugly LOL, I was such a vain kid! Kongol is like such an innocent, pure and kind guy, I love him lol. Technically though, I love all the characters already haha.

[alexthegamingboy]

Toonami Weekly Recap 10/19/2019

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba EP#02 - Trainer Sakonji Urokodaki: Tanjiro continues to make his way to Mt. Sagiri, carrying Nezuko in a clothed straw basket on his back during the day. That night, they encounter a demon feeding in a temple, who attacks Tanjiro. Tanjiro barely manages to fend him off, but Nezuko manages to decapitate it with a kick. Tanjiro manages to pin the demon's head to the tree using his axe and pushes its still-alive body off a cliff. An old man with a tengu mask approaches the siblings and orders Tanjiro to kill it, but he hesitates until daybreak, where the sunlight burns the demon to ash. The man, revealed to be Urokodaki, worries that Tanjiro's kindness and weak resolve will be his undoing should he become a demon hunter, but nevertheless brings him and Nezuko to Mt. Sagiri. Urokodaki leaves the sleeping Nezuko in his cabin and brings Tanjiro to the peak of the mountain, ordering him to return by daybreak, as a test to see if he is fit to become a demon hunter. However, the test may not be as easy as it seems as the mountain road is filled with booby traps, greatly slowing his progress, coupled with the fact that the air is extremely thin. Tanjiro manages to use his keen sense of smell to detect the scent of the traps and evade most of them, allowing him to return just in time. Urokodaki recalls a letter sent by Giyū requesting that he train the siblings, and acknowledges Tanjiro.

One-Punch Man 2 EP#02 (14) - The Human Monster: During the meeting, Garou insults both the heroes and the villains, saying that he is on the side of monsters and declares everyone as his enemy. He beats up everyone using his martial arts skill except Sitch as a message to spread the word of Garou. Meanwhile, Saitama is at his house playing video games on the PlayStation Portable that he stole from King, while Genos is doing chores when Genos hears a knock on the door. Genos opens the door to see Speed O Sound Sonic trying to find Saitama to fight him. While Genos and Sonic fight someplace else, Fubuki, going by Hellish Blizzard, is the B-Class Rank 1 hero who tries to persuade Saitama to join her faction. Fubuki fails to convince Saitama, and orders her underlings to attack him, but Saitama easily beats them in one punch. Fubuki uses her psychic abilities to seemingly defeat Saitama, but Saitama remains unfazed from her attacks. He then berates her for surrounding herself with underlings, as she thinks that if she's surrounded by underlings she would be stronger. However, he tells her she would eventually face a villain that would be stronger than her and her underlings. Saitama proclaims that factions are useless, and warns the esper to never insult heroes ever again. Fubuki ignores his lecture and tries to attack him again, but Saitama sees Sonic and Genos fighting behind her and an imminent explosion. When the explosion clears, it is shown that Saitama saved Fubuki from the blast while remaining unscathed himself. During the scuffle, it seems that there is no clear winner as Sonic is too fast while Genos is way too durable. Genos tries to create a huge explosion which would knock out Sonic, but Saitama knocks Genos down, reminding him that if he made the explosion, it would have destroyed Saitama's apartment. Saitama then challenges Sonic, and hilariously counters Sonic's shadow clone move with Killer Move: Serious Series Sideway Jumps (by side jumping really fast). Sonic is shocked, and in the moment Sonic passes through the after images, he crashes to the ground, badly bruised and defeated, while Fubuki watches the whole thing in awe of Saitama’s ease of defeating such an obviously powerful opponent. Later in Saitama’s apartment, Fubuki reveals that she is the younger sister of Tatsumaki, S Class Hero Rank 2 known as Tornado of Terror. Due to Tatsumaki being overwhelmingly strong compared to her, Fubuki gathers underlings to be stronger. Genos asks why she doesn’t strive to be Class A Rank 1, but Fubuki says she can't because Amai Mask is Class A Rank 1, and he is too strong. Elsewhere, Amai Mask brutally kills a monster named Suppon, emphasizing her point. Fubuki also says that she would never be Rank Number 1. Fubuki tries to convince Saitama one last time to join her faction, but Saitama refuses. Before Fubuki could insult him, King arrives to retrieve his video game. Fubuki is shocked to be in King’s presence, while Saitama tries to explain that he accidentally destroyed the PSP as well as erased King's saved data. The Hero Association gives Saitama the hero name Caped Baldy because of his appearance, while Genos is named Demon Cyborg due to his aggressive attacks. In the closing scene, Garou defeats Tank Top Vegetarian in an alleyway.

Dr. Stone Kingdom of Science Arc EP#09 - Let There Be the Light of Science: During their ramen patronage, the gang are approached by Gen Asagiri, a magician from Senku's time, who had been sent by Tsukasa to confirm Senku's death but claims he will give a false report instead. Using the successfully completed iron, Senku takes advantage of a sudden thunderstorm to turn it into powerful magnets. While Gen uses his street magic to ward off a violent villager named Magma, the gang use the magnets to build a power generator which they manage to convince Kinro and Ginro to operate, leading to the reinvention of the lightbulb.

Fire Force EP#12 - Eve of Hostilities in Asakusa: The fire fighters, including Company 8, commence reconstruction of Asakusa following the destruction by Benimaru, and relations improve between the two companies. However, the White Hoods dupe Benimaru into believing that Obi and Hinawa are creating Infernals and he attacks them. Obi and Benimaru fight each other to a standstill, and Konro risks his life to stop Benimaru and forces him to listen to reason. As Koro recovers from his injuries, he tells the 8th the story of his injuries. He suffers from tephrosis, permanent damage inflicted his body, after he exceeded the limit of his pyrokenesis when he saved Benimaru from a powerful Infernal.

Food Wars!: Shokugeki no Soma (Training Camp Arc) EP#15 - The Man Called "Carnage”: As the students make their way home, Shinomiya decides to return to France to make his restaurant the best in Paris, while the other alumni explain how the training camp also serves as a recruitment ground to determine potential for future employment. Soma ends up missing his bus and has to hitch a ride back to school with Erina, who explains the next event, the Autumn Festival. Returning to the Polar Star Dormitory, Soma is surprised to see his father, Joichiro, who is revealed to be an alumnus and former member of the Elite Ten who went by the name Jouchirou Saiba. As Joichiro treats the returning residents to a meal, Fumio explains that Joichiro and Dojima were once fellow Polar Star residents who were responsible for many of the luxuries the dorm has. It is also revealed that Erina has fond memories of Joichiro as well. Later that night, Joichiro tells Soma about his campus memories, filling him with more determination. The next morning, Joichiro challenges Soma to a cooking battle.

Lupin the 3rd Part 5 EP#18 - Fujiko's Souvenir: One day, Lupin finds his hotel room's toilet clogged. The resulting sanitary restriction, their need for secrecy, and Goemon's strict preference for Japanese cuisine creates friction among Lupin's gang, which is not helped when Fujiko unexpected appears, apparently let in by a drunk Lupin the previous night. While they wait for the plumber, Fujiko begins to act secretively about the bathroom, and they suspect one of her usual schemes against them. The situation becomes more complicated when a passing Zenigata is attracted by the smell of Goemon's cooking and pays a brief visit. In the end, it transpires that Fujiko had dropped by for a special anniversary between herself and Lupin, complete with a gift which she hid in the toilet's water tank, inadvertently causing the blockage.

Black Clover: Elf Tribe Reincarnation Arc EP#91 - Mereoleona vs. Rhya the Disloyal: Yuno learns from a defeated mage that the Midnight Sun is planning to be reborn into their true forms. Asta encounters a clone of himself causing confusion, until Mereoleona sets them both on fire, exposing Rhya as capable of using Copy magic to recreate the spells of other mages. He attempts to use Yami's Darkness magic but Mereoleona sets his spell on fire then punches him in the face. Elsewhere, Mereoleona's brother, Fuegoleon, appears to almost awaken from his coma. Mereoleona's power proves to be a match for Rhya's multiple magic's, even with his third eye activated. Zora reveals that Mereoleona spends most of her time living in the wilderness and has grown impossibly powerful by absorbing nature's magic. Furious, Rhya summons a copy of Asta's Demon Slayer Sword, but it is easily destroyed by Mereoleona as it was merely a copy of the sword and contained no Anti Magic. Mereoleona reveals she can use a powerful ability, Mana Zone, to completely control all the magic within a defined space, and annihilates Rhya, shocking Asta who knows from experience how powerful members of the Third Eye are. Elsewhere, Yuno's skill leads Mimosa to suspect Yuno is also capable of using Mana Zone. They follow the sound of a powerful heartbeat and find a mage floating within a sphere of light.

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind will premiere its English Dub on Toonami this Saturday at 2:30 AM.

[batwynn]

Stiles listens to his dad ask him the same question that comes up way too often, and gets lost counting the dark flecks that scatter across the white expanse of the all-too-familiar hospital ceiling. Here again, and ‘He’ll be fine,’ the doctor says.

His dad wants to hear it from Stiles’ lips, though. Is he okay?

Is he really okay?

His answer doesn’t come as easily as it used to, no quip or snap back like it’s easy come easy go. The feckless lie sticks in the back of his throat, burning away like a hot coal choking the life out of him.

I’m fine.

He’s said it more than a million times, and no super-hearing anybody has heard his heart skip a single beat. Or maybe they did, but that thought doesn’t make it any easier, because that means they’ve ignored it a million times, too. And it should be easy, he’s brilliant at lying straight to his father’s face these days. Stiles knows how to twist a definition to make it true, how to believe in nothing and make it something.

He’s fine.

Molehills out of mountains. Tip of the iceberg.

Shrink it down until it’s just an ember, a single flicker of pain low in his chest. It burns enough to remind him that it’s there, but cool enough for him to force the words out.

He stops counting the tiny holes in the ceiling, and plasters a bright, brilliant lie across his face.

________________

College is like walking on stage without knowing a single word or what the play even is. Stiles has no idea what the fuck he’s doing here or why he chose to do this alone; but he knows how to rip tattooed skin of a Druid to save the lives of his friends. He knows how to trap and kill a rabid alpha. He knows a spell to turn blood into glass. He knows how to run, and hurt, and grit his teeth through it all. Not exactly stuff he can use in his essays on anthropology, but maybe his psychology professor can diagnose his brand of fucked up.

Still, college is safe, and so what if Stiles doesn’t know what to do with safe. It’s not anyone’s fault but his own. So what if he’s across the country, a secluded hermit in the middle of one of the most crowded cities in America. He calls the pack every single day, he talks and talks and talks until they have to go. Back to class, back to work, back to unsafe and life-saving heroics. Scott will never change, Jesus Christ, he’ll never change.

Do a flip, Scotty. Forget to call me, again. Forget the promises we made. Forget what words set me off. Forget our plans. Forget my voice. Forget me.

It’s no one’s fault but his own.

Stiles doodles on his notes. Okay, so to be more accurate, he notes on his doodles. It might kind of be a problem, if he cared—that’s a whole other problem—but he doesn’t fail any of his classes so obviously there’s a method to his madness. He’s doing really well here, alone.

He’s fine.

__________

New York City is actually not safe. Like, holy shit. Maybe it’s just bad timing on his part, because there’s literally seven different wars going on all the time while the tourists ooh and aaah their way through the busy streets. In the back alleys, the quieter places, five packs and two human gangs are trying to annihilate each other. Each one is almost exactly the fucking same, so much so that it would be totally hilarious if they weren’t killing people. Furious supernatural and humans pulling out the big guns and pissing on everyone else’s trees. It’s dangerous, stupid, bloody stuff.

Stiles dives into headfirst the second classes end.

And for the first time in the past year and a half, he’s numb to the lie burning in the back of his throat.

Of course, it doesn’t last. There’s hunters called in to 'settle’ the 'dispute’. Hunters that maybe vaguely care about peace, but get hard for a good ol’ shoot out. So of course it doesn’t last—Stiles doesn’t last. He gets tired, gets slow. Slips up.

Gets shot.

. . .

A few times.

_________________

Is he really okay?

The coal is back, cooking away his torn up insides. Three bullets later and he’s just so fucking tired.

Maybe that’s why he doesn’t even blink when Derek shows up in his hospital room. He doesn’t even question the fact that Derek is the one who’s here, or that he was the one to call his father, the pack, and Scott. (It turns out, Stiles might have forgotten to call them for a few weeks while he scuttled around a war zone.)

Stiles is also just too tired for Derek’s anger, even if it does come from a place of concern. He’s too tired to do their usual song and dance, and for once—for goddamn once—Derek lets it go.

Stiles tells him, ’I’m fine,’ and Derek Hale just nods, sits down, and exists with him.

______________

When he finds out that Derek has been in New York all along, Stiles is suddenly not tired at all anymore

There’s a lot of WTF’s.

Derek seems really smug about those, though, like that’s what he wanted to hear when he told Stiles he’s been living in the same city this whole time. So much for skipping their song and dance, he’s got Stiles flailing his cast-heavy arm at him and everything is sliding into place until they’re actually laughing.

The coal shrivels. Hello ember.

_________

Stiles has a nice rest of his summer vacation after his little foray into the New York Pack Wars.

'Nice’ means: pleasant, agreeable, satisfactory.

Stiles means: the rest of his summer vacation isn’t as horrible as certain previous summer vacations, and therefor sets a new standard for 'not as terrible as it could be.’

Because healing sucks. It’s slow, painful, mysterious—stitches are weird and fun!—and on its own, healing can be very annoying. Add Derek Hovering Hale to the mix, and Stiles has to use his outside voice more than a few times.

Smotherwolf.

(His stupid heart skips a beat when he says how much he hates it. Fuck, he used to be so good at this.)

But it’s not awful. Because, apparently, now that the wolf is out of the bag about sharing city space, Derek decides it’s time to hang out. And by 'hang out,’ Derek means move in together. And by 'move in together,’ Derek means Stiles has to leave the college housing he had planned to spend the summer in, and live in a new place near the college that Derek SugarDaddy Hale decided to buy.

He says, “just for the summer. Just until I’m done healing.”

Stiles is still there by the start of the new semester, and he’s totally fine with that.

______________

Three days into fall classes he has an attack.

Which, whatever, he’s used to them now. There isn’t always a trigger, but when there is, Stiles goes right off the deep end. Hallucinations, voices, flash backs, shaking, crying, screaming, sometimes puking, sometimes punching things… and people. It’s a medley of unhealthy stuff that typically leaves Stiles curled up on the floor of a bathroom stall somewhere after bolting out of class or lunch before the worst of it strikes.

This time, it’s a picture of a dead man in a trench. Black and white, a blurry nameless man. But Stiles just… he can’t take his eyes off of him. The teacher’s voice turns into static, whatever whatever whatever.

The guy looks a tiniest bit like Scott.

Stiles is already shoving himself in behind a toilet and making himself as small as possible before he even realizes what’s happening. Where’s his bag? Fuck, he forgot his—shit, he’s shaking too much, maybe he dropped it. His nails have blood under them oh god, it’s happening again. It’s happening again. He’s hurt someone. It's—there’s marks on his arms, blood. Good. Okay. Good. Just hold it together, it’s okay. You’re okay.

“You’re okay.”

It takes Stiles way too long to realize that someone else said it, and even longer to notice that it was Derek.

And it’s just Derek being Derek. He doesn’t turn into a fairy godmother to grant all of Stiles’ feverish wishes, he doesn’t become a medical professional and do exactly what one is supposed to do when handling a shit-storm of a panic attack, and he sure as hell doesn’t magically slay all of Stiles’ demons.

He’s just there, sitting on the dirty floor of a public bathroom, one arm loosely wrapped around Stiles’ back, one hand offered to hold or squeeze or bite or whatever Stiles needs. He doesn’t make promises he can’t keep, or tell him what to do. He says, “I’m here,” and, “you’re okay.”

And yeah, maybe he will be. _______________

The day he graduates is mostly forgettable. The stress of finals, the general hyperactivity over the whole ceremony, hotels for the couples of the pack who want romance in NYC, spare room for his dad who wants quiet and to be near his son. It’s mostly a blur until later, when all the 'Congratulations!’ and You did it’s have tapered off into a more quiet affection. When the pack has made itself at home in their home—His and Derek’s home—half of them pleasantly buzzed or crashing from sugar highs, that’s when the memory become solid. Because this—this simple and perfect sort of moment isn’t all he’s ever needed. He still needs to be active, to get out there and shove his foot up some kelpie ass every once in a while. (Derek’s SugarDaddy status has upgraded to buying Stiles new shoes because of this.) Stiles still needs his alone time, space to clean out the spiders in the attic of his brain. And sometimes he still gets forgotten, sometimes Scott isn’t there for him when he reaches out. But he’s not alone, and maybe it’s okay that it’s Derek taking his hand these days, and it’s Derek who never, ever forgets what words trigger Stiles because he has his own triggers. It’s okay because the pack is still here for him.

But these lovingly crowded moments where he can feel the pack bond almost as strongly as the arm Derek has curled around him are a part of that Whole that Stiles needs.

This time, when his dad leans against the couch and asks him the question, Stiles doesn’t choke on a lie.

“Better. I’m doing better.”

Stiles smiles, and snuffs that ember out.