#and saying that ‘we’ll actually only a small percentage of us can actually take action against blogs’ ok but ALL of them are bigots.

[khamomile-kitty]

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[shihalyfie]

Some fun talking about and analyzing the tri. stage play, and its relationship to Kizuna

The tri. stage play (full title: "Super Evolution Stage! Digimon Adventure tri. August 1st Adventure") is honestly quite an unusual entry in this franchise, even within Adventure standards. Nearly everything about its production is unusual -- the entire genre it's in is unexpected, the choice of time period to release something like this is unusual, and moreover, now that Kizuna’s out, a lot of people have noticed a lot of suspiciously similar themes and even language, most notably the key “we’ll always be together” line (phrased even exactly the same way in Japanese). In fact, despite ostensibly being a tri.-branded product, other than a few vague token nods to the anime series in the play itself, said stage play has very little to do with the actual anime sharing its name, so the similarity to Kizuna is even more striking in retrospect.

Perhaps another interesting thing about this play is that it’s a very good example of a standout work in the Adventure universe that didn’t have any original creator involvement (other than some minor tips from Seki). I think there’s often a tendency for people to think that in order for a sequel or spinoff to be true to the original, it has to have some member of original staff on there, especially since the Adventure (and 02) characters tend to be a bit overly complex and it helps to have the reassurance that someone who knows them is behind the wheel -- Kizuna used the presence of Seki and Yamatoya as an outright advertising point -- but this stage play’s director and writer had no experience with the franchise beforehand, not even as a fan, yet still made a very respectful product that has generally been received well by Adventure (and 02) fans and even got the original director’s approval, too. If anything, that makes it all the more impressive!

(Note that the below text spoils the story content of the play, but not Kizuna’s to any substantial degree.)

Some production background

Anime and video game stage tie-ins are fairly common -- much like this one, they tend to have very short runs and are targeted at a limited audience -- but they’re usually stereotyped as being for the otome crowd (i.e. predominantly female otaku audience), so works like this are generally associated with it. As a result, when this play was announced and released between tri. Parts 4 and 5, quite a few people were surprised, because this franchise originally came from products associated with shounen anime. In practice, this was a period where it was becoming increasingly clear that there was, in fact, a huge female audience for Digimon (especially Adventure universe), on top of the fact that (as noted by the performers in the final show) the audience for this show ended up being unusually mixed-gender, because Digimon really is universal -- but it did lead to the announcement of the play being initially received with heavy skepticism, partially because of the usual misogyny (stigma around things associated with female audiences, etc.), and partially because this was during a time where...well, saying that a very huge percentage of the fanbase, especially the Japanese side, was really pissed off at anything tri.-branded at the time is kind of an understatement. Ultimately, the play ended up very well-received with a small but dedicated following, and it’s currently referred to as “dejisute” (short for “Digimon Stage”) in Japanese fan shorthand. Bringing it up generally elicits positive critical feedback, even among those who were initially skeptical.

Some interesting things also surround the circumstances of its production as well. As some might know already, the tri. anime series and Kizuna share only one key member of staff: Kinoshita Yousuke, who was involved in tri. Parts 5 and 6, and eventually went on to become the producer for Kizuna and the upcoming 02-based movie. tri. was a work that (for some reason) had a huge number of producers on it, of which Kinoshita was only one; he seemed to have been replacing Arai Shuuhei, who left the project after Part 4. However, while Arai was formerly one of the most visible of tri.’s producers (he was the only one regularly brought up in interviews), how much degree of influence Kinoshita had with tri. is unknown, other than the fact he had no involvement in its story. Given that the decision to make Kizuna also seemed to have been made around Part 5, it seems that Kinoshita may have been brought on specifically for the purpose of observing and prepping for Kizuna, because his role on tri. seems to have been so minimal that the moment he was put in charge of Kizuna, the production philosophy ended up becoming completely different under his management. (When you think about it, tri. and Kizuna have very little in common, other than the rough premises of involving the older Adventure cast.)

The thing is, though, Part 5 isn’t actually the first tri. work Kinoshita is credited for, but this stage play is -- which is interesting to consider when taking into account the heavy amount of thematic parallels between this and Kizuna three years later, and in general the very unusual creative decision to make a stage play that suddenly popped up at exactly this time, making heavier tributes to Adventure (and even 02) than the actual anime it was branded with. Making things even more interesting was that the stage play’s director and writer, Tani Kenichi, was allegedly recruited by an unnamed producer impressed with his work (by the way, did I mention Kinoshita used to work in live-action before joining Toei?). Given all that, perhaps this stage play coming off unnervingly like a sort of Kizuna prototype isn’t all that surprising...

Unfortunately, right now we’re still kind of in a time period where official will get barraged with violently angry comments for even so much as putting the series on streaming services, so it’ll probably be a few more years (if ever) before official will be willing to be more open about what went on behind tri. production, and it’s probably a bit much to get too speculative about things like this when real people are involved. Nevertheless, one thing is apparent: the director and writer, Tani, was a newcomer to Digimon -- not even someone who’d been a fan beforehand -- but watched all of Adventure and 02 in preparation for it and stated openly that he was very, very emotionally touched by it. The work itself is obviously made with a lot of love and respect for the series, and one really cool thing about it is that you can also tell that it came from the perspective of an adult with no preconceived notions about it, therefore meaning it comes from someone analyzing the series without necessarily caving to fanbase mantras, and making some very cogent observations about the characters. It’s also just a fabulous work production-wise in general -- the puppet work and making the Digimon look convincing on stage is very well-done, especially when you consider that this play had only ten showings -- and you really gotta appreciate the fact that, even before Seki gave him a few pointers, he was so passionate about the importance of Digimon partners that he pushed for all eight to be represented despite the expenses.

Taking a look at the play itself

Despite ostensibly tying into the tri. anime series it's branded with, the play only really seems to loosely refer to some of its key elements as taking place at approximately the same time, such as Koushirou’s server, infected Digimon, setpieces like KNIFE OF DAY, and an eventual “reveal” that this seems to take place ostensibly around the rough time period of tri.’s Part 4. Look closely, however, and you’ll notice that a lot of things in the characterization and plot arena actually don’t track much with tri. at all -- for instance, in a very non-comprehensive list of things:

It’s implied that Yamato himself is embarrassed about the KNIFE OF DAY band name and is desperately trying to get through it with passion, which doesn’t quite line up with his attitude about it in the anime.

The timeline just really doesn’t line up; Mochizuki Meiko, Meicoomon, and the infections obviously exist, but you can’t have a time period in Part 4 where the kids recognize Meicoomon as being related to the distortions or infections while also being separated from Meiko. Moreover, the “reboot” just doesn’t seem to have happened at all (and to be fair, if you’re planning on making a two-hour tribute to Adventure, not having the Digimon with memories of said adventure would seriously limit the scope of your plot, so this kind of “leeway” was probably downright necessary).

The tri. anime series portrayed Takeru as having a very sharp shift in language, presumably under the implication he’s putting up a front as a flirtatious, aggressive playboy, and so his first-person pronoun was turned into the aggressive ore and his way of referring to Yamato aniki. In Adventure and 02, Takeru had used the polite boku and childish/cutesy onii-chan, and the boku was prominently used as a plot point to hint at Takeru’s identity as the series narrator. (Yes, these kinds of things are actually kind of a big deal in fiction.) Since even longtime fans generally agree that at some point Takeru would be likely to stop using onii-chan once he became old enough, the stage play likewise also prefers aniki over onii-chan, but, notably, it doesn’t even bother with ore in the slightest nor any of the implications that surround it, and Takeru comfortably uses boku for the entirety of the play. Considering that the use of aniki is still a bit unusual (both Diablomon Strikes Back and Kizuna prominently favor the slightly more polite nii-san instead), it seems that the play was made with an awareness that both aspects of Takeru’s language had changed, but a conscious decision to hold over only one from the anime.

And so on and so forth.

In general, the way you could describe this play’s handling of Adventure universe lore and characterization elements is that it’s a bit selective about which tri.-related elements it makes use of, particularly in regards to ones that might be too difficult to reconcile with the original Adventure (and 02). (This is basically the same attitude Kizuna roughly takes in regards to handling of tri. elements, although it’s less noticeable there partially because of the five-year gap between tri. and Kizuna.) Obviously, being completely incongruous with the tri. anime would be a pretty crude thing to do for a play that’s actually branded with it (and especially when said anime was still ongoing at the time, regardless of public opinion), but, regardless, the end result is that its actual relationship with the tri. anime’s version of canon is a bit tenuous.

The main reason for this is probably that, on the flip side, the stage play's references to Adventure -- as in, the specific series that aired in 1999-2000 and took place in the in-universe August 1 and 3, 1999 -- are incredibly aggressive. In fact, it’s actually far more aggressive in this respect than Kizuna is. For all Kizuna is branded as an Adventure movie and puts the original Adventure cast first and foremost in all of the advertising, if you watch the actual movie, in practice, it’s more of something that lies in the gap between Adventure and 02 and the two series together as a whole. Adventure was a series that practically revolved around a "trapped in another world" story and the specific impact its events had on the kids involved, but Kizuna focuses more on the “larger world”, including real world society (very much 02 things), with a lot of themes with suspicious pertinence to 02 and references to its epilogue looming over the plot; the specific Adventure references and even the Digital World don’t come into play until the climax. (And that’s before we get into the fact that the 02 quartet gets more screentime than a good chunk of their seniors.) Really, you can see it just by the fact that a majority of the primary key visuals line the 02 quartet up with everyone else; it’s a movie about both, not just Adventure.

So in other words, Kizuna is really about mixing Adventure and 02 elements, serving as a sort of stopgap work, and recasting the Adventure group in a lot of 02′s context. (And that’s by no means a bad thing; since Adventure wasn’t about that, the differing juxtaposition is a fresh perspective in its own way.) But in terms of revisiting what the actual series called Digimon Adventure was and how those events might have an influence on its relevant cast years later, this play (which actually has longer runtime than Kizuna, being around two hours) is a good place to go to if that’s what you’re looking for. The entire premise of the play revolves around copiously referencing that specific adventure back in 1999, and, more importantly, what impact it’s still continuing to have in this particular group’s memories, to the point where they’re starting to romanticize it and wish they could return to it forever...

Ah, right, that’s what this play has in common with Kizuna: the overall theme of unhealthy fixation on rose-colored nostalgia, and the need to move forward from it. (And, driving it home, “unhealthy fixation on the events of Adventure” as a symbol of that rose-colored nostalgia, to boot.)

The premise of the play itself is that the kids decide to hold a camping trip as tribute to the adventure in 1999, as part of a desire to "go back to those times" (and, as is eventually revealed, it’s actually part of a pocket universe their subconscious wishes had dreamed up as a desire to recreate the past, thanks to the power of the Digital World). So all of the references to Adventure are concrete and fleshed out in specific detail, ranging from everyone referencing specific events and how they impacted them (Jou very explicitly refers to his experiences in Adventure episodes 46-47 in terms of why it fuels his current desire to become a doctor) to even the most minor of references (direct reference to bananas on File Island, from Adventure episode 3).

As a brief aside, a positive side effect of centering the plot on this specific adventure is that it justifies the reason for why these eight are working together (at least prior to the endgame reveal that they’re still involved in tri.’s events); the eight of them weren’t portrayed as liable to do so without good reason, and while certain aspects and events from 02 are alluded to when they’re relevant, the absence of the actual quartet passing without note is completely justifiable because they simply were not on that adventure anyway. (They weren’t initially planned to be at the event in 02 episode 17, and knowing them, it’s likely they wouldn’t want to be at this kind of outright commemorative camping event, because they’d feel like they’d be intrusive in something they had nothing to do with.) So within the scope of the play in two hours, the narrative can be very neatly condensed to be mostly about Adventure itself.

Although this play and Kizuna both share the common theme of the existential crisis that comes with getting older and the tendency to romanticize one’s childhood, the underlying reasons are a bit different; Kizuna’s is very close to 02 in that it’s largely to do with societal pressures and expectations, especially since the question of "what you want to do with your career" is a driving motivation in it. In other words, the existential crisis comes from living up to other people’s expectations, or trying to fit into an arbitrary societal mold of an “adult” without necessarily knowing if that’s what you really want. In the case of this stage play, being set in everyone’s high school years where everyone’s relationship to “the world at large” is a bit more tenuous, the reason for the existential crisis is somewhat closer to Adventure’s: everyone’s started to think they might have been better people back then. More confident, less hesitant, more honest with their feelings. Adventure was a series about self-improvement and one’s relationship with oneself, so it’s understandable that a work meant to look back on that specific adventure will ask the question “well, did they become better people after all?” as a result.

But there’s two problems with this line of thinking: one, this is a very rose-colored evaluation of their former selves, because just because they might have been “more confident” back then doesn’t mean they didn’t have other problems going on (Hikari calls her past self out for being arguably “more honest”, but also somewhat of a dependent child), and two, being more hesitant doesn’t make one a weaker person, just one who’s dealing with a lot more problems and awareness and things to worry about because of how much the scope of their lives has increased. As Agumon says at the end, the old Taichi and the current Taichi are still the same person; it’s just that he’s dealing with more, so he’ll naturally worry about more, and taking on those extra burdens is actually his own way of “evolving”.

Particularly interesting is the position of Jou, the not-so-unsung hero of this story, who is explicitly identified as the person most clearly aware of his future dreams and proceeding without hesitation towards them, to the point of being somewhat immune to the effects of the dream world. (Somewhat, mainly because the ending establishes that he wasn’t entirely.) It's consistent in line with the fact that we actually saw, directly, the train of thought that led to his decision to become a doctor back in Adventure, and he even states it directly in this play himself: he doesn’t consider himself someone who wants to solve things through fighting, but rather someone who can prevent casualties and heal the injured if he pursues this line of study, and thus is determined to make it happen. Even from the very early points of the play, there are several hints at him being able to see a metaphorical “future” that the others cannot, and while he remains unfailingly loyal to his friends (there’s a long sequence of him constantly claiming he’ll leave them as per Koushirou’s request but constantly coming back because he just can’t bring himself to abandon them), he also is the first one to depart the camping trip to attend to a test -- that is to say, he treasures his past, but he has a strong enough dream for his future that he’s willing to move on better than the others can.

Jou’s also the one to personally advise Yamato about the difference in nuance between doing things because you feel you must, versus doing it because you yourself truly want to, a difference in nuance that also becomes very pertinent in Kizuna. Also pertinent to both works in common is the discussion of nuances between “staying trapped in one’s memories” and “violently cutting them all away” (the consequences of the latter being more extensively discussed in Kizuna), versus the ideal situation of reflecting on those memories and experiences from the past in order to productively move forward.

And in the end, rose-colored nostalgia is, indeed, rose-colored nostalgia. Because, sure, that adventure back in the day was great, and they grew a lot, but they also grew a lot because they were overcoming some very harsh, difficult troubles; omitting those parts is losing the substance. The re-invocation of the fun “camping trip” also means re-invoking all of the other things that came along with it, including all of the dangerous threats they’d faced back then. It’s a package deal, and you can’t just filter those out, because it misses the point of what you gained out of it in the first place.

In general, the character writing for this play is also very good; there are some differences between the characters here and them back in 02, but they’re all within the believable scope of positive progression within three years and general adherence to core tenets of their character (Koushirou is certainly more assertive, but emphasis continues to be placed on his deference to others, penchant for spotting details, and capability for being an organizational leader in his own sense). Also notably, this play manages to verbalize a lot of the subtleties in Adventure and 02 that the mainstream tends to gloss over (and don’t tend to get put in official profiles) but are well-known to those deeply familiar with the series. This is the kind of attention to detail usually associated with those who have been studying the series for years, so it’s refreshing to see these come out in words -- for instance, Koushirou stating outright that he was one of the closest people to Taichi for a long time (very true!), Hikari and Takeru actually commenting on each other from back in Adventure (something we never really got in 02, despite “them having known each other for a while” being part of their character arcs), and Sora explicitly admitting that she goes out of her way for others because it’s easier to work for others than it is to even think about herself.

Actually, the attention to detail in general is fantastic; other than a minor slip-up (Sora refers to having met Koushirou during the summer camp at the beginning of the play when she’d actually known him prior from the soccer club, a detail that’s very easy to miss because it’s only mentioned once in Adventure episode 16 and clarified further in the novels), a lot of things from Adventure and 02 are made use of and framed in very clever context; the choice of Etemon as the enemy for this play is well-placed for both his entertainment value and the fact that, as an enemy personally defeated by MetalGreymon in Adventure episode 20, it makes perfect sense that he would have a grudge against Taichi in particular. (It’s also explicitly mentioned that Hikari and Tailmon never met Etemon in person even once, and that Taichi never actually got to see MetalEtemon, so there’s a lot of attention paid to logistics like that.)

Also, while 02 is not really brought up within the scope of the story (and really shouldn’t be, not when this story so heavily centers around Adventure and its themes), its place in canon and its contributions to the worldbuilding are fully respected; a lot of the offhand references to family situations and background are elements that were originally introduced in 02, and many aspects of its Digital World lore are used to assist the plot premise (in particular, the idea of the Digital World being connected to something that can conjure up unconscious dreams wasn’t explicitly invoked until 02). Rather amusingly, at one point, Hikari uses the events of 02 episode 13 to tell a “scary story” to troll Mimi, and it’s interesting and rather refreshing to see the implication that Hikari’s been able to move past the incident enough to use it to troll someone else. There are also some latent epilogue references as well, with Hikari directly bringing up her goal of becoming a kindergarten teacher, Takeru making some really subtle references to wanting to be a novelist and chronicle their adventures (in true Takeru fashion, he never states it outright, but anyone familiar with the epilogue can figure it out), and Taichi alluding to an ultimate goal of humans coexisting alongside Digimon.

Finally, attention should be called to the play’s relationship writing in general. As stated before, the play does call attention to relationships between characters that often don’t get brought up by the mainstream but are somewhat more well-known to fans -- Koushirou and Taichi, Sora and Mimi, Jou and Yamato -- but even the well-known ones are treated with nuance endemic to that from Adventure and especially 02, given that Taichi and Yamato don’t actually have the stereotypical “cold rivals” atmosphere that shounen anime would usually suggest, and the two of them have an extended heart-to-heart in which Yamato actively tries to figure out what’s wrong with Taichi and treat him kindly. (Like in Adventure, the only time they break out in a fight is when Yamato gets emotionally compromised and starts worrying that Taichi isn’t doing enough for others’ welfare.) It’s also very consistent with how the two treat each other in Kizuna as well (the izakaya scene comes to mind, and has a lot of similarities to the awkward-but-ultimately-close conversation they have at night in this play).

And, of course, the centerpiece of the narrative overall: the human-partner relationship. Of course, a lot of this was probably helped by Seki lecturing Tani to not mess this part up, but it really is impressive to consider in light of the fact we’re working with a lot of puppets that have handlers clearly in plain view, so you have to have some massive suspension of disbelief to make this work. But not only are the movements well-done to make it convincing that you really are seeing these actors physically interacting with their partners on stage, the narrative also puts huge spotlights on them, making the Digimon outright be the ones to snap their partners out of their worst patterns of thinking (especially with Agumon and Taichi), and dedicating a long period of silence where literal stage spotlights are dedicated to each kid having some alone time with their partner. The intimacy is very convincing, and, truly, Tani’s insistence on making sure every single one of the main Digimon was represented in spite of the prohibitive budget paid off very well. The point is made: a Digimon partner has to be someone who knows you well and intimately and can call you out at your worst moments, and Taichi even spells it out: Agumon’s capable of seeing right through him.

Putting it next to Kizuna -- a movie dedicated entirely to examining the meaning of a partner relationship, what happens when it deteriorates, what that means for oneself, and what it takes to recover it again -- it’s perhaps unsurprising that this play ends on the same line that was used in all of Kizuna’s advertising and was central to its own plot: “We’ll always be together.”

[lesbianlotties]

the only touchstone of truth

Chapters: 3/? Fandom: I Care A Lot (2020) Rating: Explicit Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Fran/Marla Grayson Characters: Marla Grayson, Fran (I Care A Lot) Additional Tags: Canon Compliant, Canon Lesbian Relationship, Origin Story, Canon Backstory, First Meetings, First Kiss, First Dates, Getting Together, Morally Ambiguous Character, Illegal Activities, Eventual Smut, Flirting, Partners in Crime, crime wives

Chapter 3:

“Nice place,” Fran said, following Marla inside the restaurant.

It was the first time they saw each other outside the perimeters of the moribund vape shop. For a change, Fran was comfortably and even gloriously, in Marla’s inner monologue, wearing her casual clothes, which included wearing her hair down, tight dark jeans, and a sleeveless t-shirt. The blonde still dressed with impeccable style, but at least she had left the heels at home.

Once they were sitting at a table for two she couldn’t help but ask, “Can you afford this?”

Marla sent a very particular look her way. The blonde had to point out that, in most circumstances, that would be far from a polite thing to say to someone. But she couldn’t lie and say she wasn’t charmed by the brunette’s blunt manner of handling the truth. So, finally, she settled for speaking her own version of the truth. “I will be,” Marla nodded.

“I could get used to this,” Fran mumbled, perusing the menu and doing an almost inhumane effort to remain strong and not yield to the impulse of looking up to meet the magnetic blue eyes that were staring at her.

“Help me win the case,” Marla replied in a soft and slow tone that was entirely too casual for her next words, “and I will take you to even more pleasurable places.”

Emboldened by having an appropriate comeback at the right time, Fran leaned forward in her seat, dared to meet Marla’s hunter-like gaze, and said, “If I help you win, then I expect my part of the money will be enough so I can afford these luxuries by myself.”

The two women were just one small step away from Marla blatantly saying out loud how restaurants weren’t what she had in mind when she talked about pleasure and Fran knew that. But, not yet. Marla relaxed into the chair. “Where’s the fun in that?” she laughed. She had to make an effort to keep her expression in check, because actually, that laughter carried with it a bit of a surprise to Marla. She was sort of lying, as usual. She was decidedly not the kind that believed a person needed any sort of company to enjoy the good things about life. She had never included seconds or thirds in her plans of success, and she certainly wouldn’t recommend, even less advertize, doing that. She was only mildly surprised about the sudden but most likely manageable urge to share dinner again with the particular woman currently sitting in front of her.

Fran, on the other hand, after the blonde leaned back on her chair, realized they both had been strongly leaning into the table, subconsciously being close to throwing it aside to get closer to one another. Slowly, Fran mimicked Marla’s actions and, without avoiding the feeling of getting caught, also leaned back on her chair. “So, we should probably start talking now, right? About the reason we’re here, and maybe set some rules,” Fran suggested.

“Rules,” Marla rolled her eyes while a waiter served them each a glass of wine, “Makes it sound like we’re playing a game.”

“Fine,” Fran agreed, without giving up the firm belief that they were absolutely playing a game. “What are the terms of our deal, then?”

“You help me win this case, teach me every trick you can. I’ll give you five percent of the money I make.”

Despite the recognition that nothing in Marla’s tone suggested she was asking instead of ordering, Fran found it impossible not to negotiate, partially just for the fun of it. “I make you win the case,” she said, “teach you the tricks, introduce you to my favorite gullible judge… And you give me twenty percent.”

Again, Marla laughed. She trained her smile to look simply amused instead of thoroughly pleased at having someone boldly fighting back to her. “Make me win, give me the dirty tricks, and the judge. I might give you ten percent.”

Slowly, Fran shook her head. “The tricks, the judge, training, and preparation. I’ll make you win twice as much as whatever number you have in your head. You’ll give me twenty percent.”

“You were supposed to say fifteen, you know? Terrible negotiator.”

“I’m not negotiating, I’m telling you my price.”

For the first time, Marla looked away. She was prepared for giving ten percent to Fran, she wasn’t prepared for Fran actually disconcerting her. Exciting, sure. But, instinctually, Marla’s defenses flared up, her emotional walls threatened to rise up and push Fran out and away from this sweet and previously unexplored territory of Marla’s comfort zone. Mostly, Marla was analytical rather than impulsive, and dealt with her problems effectively and methodically after thoroughly thinking them through. However, if there was ever a moment for some fight or flight response to activate in her, it was the moment Fran started looking at her like she was worth more than the money they were discussing.

“We’ll discuss your ten percent later,” Marla grinned, “why don’t you tell me about that infamous training and preparation you mentioned before.”

Temporarily, Fran relented. Perhaps she could tell they’d reached a wall, but she’d certainly continue to push, and eventually, Marla would have to give in on the money. “To win your case, you’ll have to put in a lot of work,” Fran explained, “you have to study previous cases, your adversary, the law, the judge… the whole system.”

“And you know those things?”

“I can teach you everything I know.”

Again, they were both leaning on the table toward each other. “Where, exactly, would this teaching take place?”

“I can do outstanding work anywhere you want,” Fran smiled.

It was at that moment, with that one smile, that Marla was forced to face the reality of the situation of her game: Fran knew how to play. And Fran wasn’t going to play by the rules. In fact, if Marla’s shark-like grin was her weapon of choice that dazzled innocent prey into her lap, then Fran utilized that discreet smirk of hers in pretty much the same way. Marla was almost angry at the fact that she had battled so much to win Fran’s smile just to have her own sword pointed back at her. She was almost angry, save for the growing desire to leap into that trap. But… there was the money, the court, the case…

“After we win, we’ll celebrate,” Marla finally stated. She was thoughtful, and her fingers were mindlessly playing with the bottle of wine they were quickly consuming.

Fran nodded, catching the complicated but promising agreement they were making. “We will,” she said, raising her glass for a toast.

--

In her car, the only thing Marla was thinking about was the image of a judge ruling that the absurdly large vape company that put her out of business had to pay her an unnecessarily large sum of money to pay for the damages that they technically didn’t do. Marla would give a small but still undecided percentage of the money to Fran, they’d celebrate and say goodbye, then she’d finally sell her hopeless shop and start all over again. She wasn’t looking forward to starting a business from the ground up again, but it was the only thing she could do now. 

Fran was waiting for her at the public library.

“I didn’t take you for a bookworm, Fran,” Marla greeted her.

“You’d be surprised,” Fran threw a dazzling smile over her shoulder as she led them to a table. “Get comfortable,” she said with a smirk, pulling a chair out for Marla, “I’ll be back in a minute with your homework.”

Taking a seat, Marla chuckled. In that brief moment of solitude, she studied the layers of Fran’s playfulness. Mocking chivalry by pulling out a chair for her, for example. Laughing at the traditionally manly attitude but still carrying out the gesture. It exposed and ridiculed the expectations, but Fran’s nonchalance, the innate part of it and the most likely carefully prepared part, it left no room for anything but dangerous sincerity. Does that mean these little acts were just kindness, just flirting, just part of Fran as a person? Most importantly, why did Marla care so much about little details as these?

“Alright,” Fran said as she returned and placed a heavy book on the table, “Previous cases,” she added, taking a seat beside Marla.

“This explains why a police officer gave me a business card that said ‘private investigator’, right?” Marla guessed, taking a look at Fran and how comfortable and excited the woman looked to be doing this kind of job.

“Right,” Fran nodded, and wearing a slightly proud grin she added, “occasional work with bounty hunters too.” Upon seeing the cautiously impressed look on the blonde’s face, she continued, “I use the police’s resources and get jobs that are far more exciting and lucrative. Sounds fair to me.”

“How dishonest,” Marla commented with an appreciative tone, “you’ve never got caught in trouble for it?”

The amused look Fran sent her way was answer enough. She had a talent for this. “The worst that’s happened is ruining a relationship or two,” she shrugged, “things tend to go south if your partner is incapable of matching your ambition.”

“I see,” Marla mumbled. Part of her wanted to be upset about finding a woman beyond intriguing and attractive in every possible way only years after she had personally decided she would never be able to accept a relationship. Marla couldn’t fathom being the kind of stupid person to break herself and her life into pieces to fit someone else that would take so much time and effort and money and dignity…

“Are you ready?” Fran asked, interrupting Marla’s thoughts.

Marla nodded, confident enough that her expression wouldn’t reveal how simply staring at Fran made her feel more like that kind of stupid person than she’d felt in years.

---

The days Marla and Fran spent at the library were surprisingly exciting. Since they first met, Marla was under the impression that the brunette’s presence could make any time and place interesting enough. However, the businesswoman found herself unexpectedly captivated by the work they were doing.

Law had never attracted Marla beyond the necessary procedures to legally exist in a society. She was only now starting to see how far and how thin it was possible to stretch that concept. And people did it, every day, often without any repercussions. It was only a matter of having the guts and intelligence to go for it, plus a convenient amount of knowledge and connections on the right side of the law didn’t hurt. Whenever Marla and Fran exchanged a look over the books they were studying, they couldn’t deny that together they both had everything they could need to succeed at this endeavor.

Inevitably, as it happens naturally when two people spend a lot of time together, they got to know more about each other. It wasn’t easy, considering the kind of people they both were. It was a little like walking through a dark maze together, each one armed with a flashlight, and only occasionally their beams of light met in one spot to reveal breadcrumbs of their past lives. Within a week it was discovered that Fran was born in Mexico, Marla had attended and dropped out of college, Fran drank too much coffee, and Marla, somehow, was coaxed into confessing the real nature of her relationship with Curtis.

“No, we never dated,” Marla scoffed loud enough to hide the delight she felt about Fran feeling like she had to inquire about that, “I suppose you could say he was my stepbrother. Eldest son of my mother’s third husband, I think. We get along well, he’s hardworking, doesn’t ask questions, we all need a loyal ally in life, don’t we?”

Fran tilted her head. “That’s sweet,” she cooed, getting a kick out of getting Marla to roll her eyes at her. “I’ll be back in a moment, we’re almost done here,” she added then, getting out of her seat to go look for one last book for the day.

She didn’t expect to feel Marla follow her into the long and quiet alley of the library. Fran stood close to the shelves, reading the books, looking for a specific title. A moment later, Marla was standing close behind her, so close, and reaching out with a hand to leisurely run her finger over the spine of the books, more or less trapping Fran right there and there with Marla’s breath on the back of her head. 

“Why are you doing this?” Marla asked, her voice low and serious, leaving behind the amiable tone they had gotten used to back at the table.

Fran thought about it for an extra moment. This was unexpected and unprompted, she thought they’d already had this conversation before. Why was Marla suddenly asking questions? What out of character spark of insecurity had inspired her to demand an answer from Fran? What worry was she trying to soothe? And why was Fran hoping the blonde felt troubled by the exact same feeling she was experiencing? They were both in it just for the money, but…

The thing is, Fran could tell neither of them was the kind of person to ask for more from someone. Conveniently, they also weren’t the type that would ever give away more than the strictly necessary for free. If they wouldn’t yield, if they refused to give, if they wouldn’t admit they wanted more… why were they even standing there so close together without touching at all? Their only hope was the other one was experiencing that unexpected and inarticulate feeling of, for the first time, wanting just a little more from someone else.

“Me?” Fran whispered, as her hand moved confidently and slowly toward Marla’s, “I’m here for my twenty percent of the money,” she said, shoving down whatever additional desires were thrumming on her insides. Her hand found Marla’s hand, and her fingers curled over the other’s, delicately urging that courageous hand that had set out to trap her there to move. Fran guided Marla’s hand, still skimming over the spine of the books, until they reached the one she needed. Coincidentally, the journey required for Marla’s arm to move lower, to curl closer around Fran, their arms touching, so close she almost lost her balance.

When Fran finally let go of Marla’s hand and pulled out the book she wanted, she felt beyond satisfied to hear the sharp intake of breath from the woman behind her. Then, Fran turned around, at the same moment Marla was pulling back her arm, resulting in Marla’s fingers briefly brushing Fran’s hips. Her fingers didn’t grip and pull closer as she wished they would, but that fleeting touch had to be enough, for now, Marla told herself. And, “Ten percent,” she told Fran.

The brunette sighed. Now that their tortuous little dance was over and they were looking each other in the eyes again, she could face Marla’s question. “I told you, Marla, I need the money,” Fran stated confidently, leaning her back on the bookshelf behind her.

“Why me though,” Marla wondered, her eyes and voice here icy enough to fool almost everyone into thinking there was no vulnerability in her question and only curiosity, “why my money?”

So, Fran was right. Maybe Marla wanted, as much Fran, some kind of confirmation that the other one just might be wanting a little more than money. The problem now was about who would have to admit it first.

“The amount of money I want,” Fran explained, her hand discreetly moving up to toy with the hem of the jacket Marla was wearing that day, only lightly pulling on it, “it’s impossible to earn in rightful ways, Marla. And you are… honestly?”

“Honestly,” Marla echoed the terrifying word.

Fran smiled and, with the bare amount of honesty necessary, replied, “You’re the only devil I’ve come across genuinely willing to do whatever it takes to get what you want… and do it in style.”

That earned her a beautiful and genuine laugh from Marla. The first laugh of unbridled joy of many more to come. It wasn’t completely erased by the deeply thoughtful look on Marla’s face as she continued to stare at Fran after the two of them finished laughing. 

“You look worried,” Fran commented, and failed to sound teasing, it was closer to sincere worry. Plus, she was struggling hard not to tuck an unruly strand of soft blond hair behind Marla’s ear. But that tender gesture might be too much for them at the moment. Their chemistry was a delicate but dangerous thing. The wrong move might send the other one flying away in an instant. They were pulled close like magnets, but to actually touch each other, that had to be a much careful and deliberate thing.

Luckily, Marla wasn’t good at denying herself going for the things she wanted. Without breaking eye contact with Fran, her hand found the one that had been maddeningly playing with her jacket. Holding hands with Fran for the first time, Marla was shocked to feel in equal measures complete contentment, and a desperate need to touch even more.

“I have one goal, Fran,” the blonde said, “The one thing I want right now is to win that case and take the money. But, well,” she playfully shrugged, “I might have been accused, once or twice, of being susceptible to greed, so… What if I suddenly want to take more than just the money?”

Slowly, Fran nodded, absorbing this information. It was worth noticing just how Marla still avoided being completely explicit in her desires, but she was still a woman unafraid of taking what she wanted. And those words, well, they highly suggested she wanted Fran.

“Are you asking me if I have plans after your scandalous case is over?” Fran smiled.

Marla chuckled. She was torn between maybe… and what about today? and in the meantime she was leaning in closer and closer… until a cough, a stranger coughing interrupted them.

“I hate the library,” Marla groaned, immediately dropping Fran’s hand and walking with her head held high back to their table.

Fran chuckled, and looked down at her hands, somewhat surprised to discover that with Marla standing so close she had managed to hold on to the book. “Really?” she asked out loud, “I’m loving it more than ever.”

---

“Oh my God, Fran, this is the most tedious thing in the world.”

“Marla, we’ve barely been here an hour.”

“An hour!” Marla exhaled, dramatically letting her head hit the headrest of Fran’s car.

As it turned out, Marla wasn’t cut out for stake-out jobs. Fran had insisted that it was important to study the enemy, to find out every detail, no matter how small, that they could possibly use in court to support the idea that they were responsible for the attack on Marla’s shop.

“How do you do it?” Marla asked. She no longer sounded like she was going out of her mind. Now her voice was a combination of sincere curiosity and a desperate attempt at finding a distraction.

“Patience,” Fran replied, her eyes still fixed on the window of the offices they had marked as a target.

Scoffing, Marla continued to protest, “This is madness. I could just as easily go in, pretend to be somebody else, and get the information we need.”

“Of course you would do something like that,” Fran laughed, not displeased at finding out they had different strategies that could perfectly complement each other, “Maybe next time.” She didn’t have to turn her head around to know Marla was staring at her with that specific look of delicate surprise she got when Fran said something unexpected. In fact, “You’re staring,” Fran added, enjoying calling her out for it. Her face was still turned to the window, but she raised her right hand between them to point at Marla, who scoffed and pushed the accusatory finger away. But, additionally, she continued to hold on to Fran’s hand now in the space between them.

“Well, forgive me for being bored out of my mind,” Marla replied, still putting on a playfully exaggerated tone of annoyance, even if her hand was sweetly holding Fran’s, and not letting go.

“I told you,” Fran finally turned around to look at Marla, not reacting to their joined hands, not pulling away either, “I could have done this part by myself.”

“Maybe next time,” Marla threw Fran’s words back at her with a smirk that left the brunette speechless for a moment.”

This part of the job, besides the exasperating boredom caused to Marla, proved to be fascinating. Not exactly for what they learned about the company they were trying to incriminate. But for what they learned about each other. The way Fran worked, the way Marla got easily bored. The silence between them that was more comfortable than it had any right to be yet. The conversations happened even easier, Marla talking about the mother she despised, Fran talking about a dozen awful jobs, things they loved, things they were hated for, a little bit everything. And, at the end of the day, after Fran dropped Marla at her apartment, neither of them could really think of a good teasing comment for the other, and settled for Goodnight and See you soon that sounded a little too hopeful. That moment they had to admit to themselves that it was too late to ask, or even hope for a night spent together. They were already far deeper than they could have realized. It was only a matter of how much longer could they hold back before falling, knowing it was unlikely that they would be able to get back up without the other one. No, just one night wouldn’t do. It was only a matter of time.

---

Finally, Fran took Marla to court. Not for Marla’s big day against her sworn enemy, no. This was just part of the plan, part of their deal. 

“Listen, I’m actually not that good with, you know, people,” Fran said as they walked up the steps of the building, “but, well, one way or another, I know enough people to just introduce you to everyone you need to know here, okay?”

“Okay,” Marla nodded easily keeping up with the brunette’s pace, “also, you can just admit you have an ex-girlfriend in every significant office of this city, Fran.”

With a chuckle, Fran turned to look at her, sunglasses in place and her smile nearly blinding. “People owe me favors, that’s all,” she shrugged.

From the moment they stepped into the building, it was almost as if Fran became a different person. For someone that benefited from going unnoticed as part of her job, Fran surely had important contacts all around. And she wasn’t only Fran. She was Frances, Frankie, Miss Masters, Mrs. Masters even, and she only shook her head whenever Marla tried to inquire about the names. 

“You have to meet my friend, Miss Grayson”, “She’s the most hardworking woman I know”, “Have you two met?”, “Oh, you’re going to love Marla”, “Is it okay if I leave you two alone for a second?”, “I knew you two would get along!”, “Isn’t Marla so charming?”

One sentence and a convenient excuse and then Fran left Marla alone with secretaries, judges, and everyone in between that had some influence in the way things worked around there. Then it was Marla’s turn, and Marla was good with people. She was great with people. Did she like them? Far from it. But did she know every trick to steal their trust in a matter of seconds? She absolutely did. By the time they said goodbye to a judge that had greeted Fran with the kindness of a close relative that even asked about her mother, Marla had a feeling she wouldn’t mind visiting that place again soon, maybe even often if it proved to be lucrative enough.

“I’m actually impressed right now,” Marla whispered as the two of them hurried down a nearly deserted hallway, filled with adrenaline after knowing she successfully fooled about a dozen people in one afternoon. Her hand now instinctively moved towards Fran, this time her fingers curled around the other woman’s wrist, tugged her closer.

“You are incredible,” Fran whispered right back, “people just fall to their knees for you.”

“I wonder why it doesn’t work with the one person I want though.”

Having Marla whisper those words so close to her ear was almost enough to quite literally bring Fran to her knees. “Fuck,” she sighed, “Come here.” She firmly took Marla’s hand in hers and quickly guided her to a small hallway that she knew well and was confident could be private enough for a stolen moment. “You said,'' Fran said, her voice breathy as if she’d been running all the way there, “that we would wait until after we win your case.”

“What do I know?” Marla didn’t miss a beat to reply, her eyes going crazy between Fran’s lips and eyes, “You’ve made me stupid, Fran, I don’t trust what I said before I just,” she couldn’t say more, she didn’t have to.

In a single motion, Marla’s hands on Fran’s hips pushed her against her wall behind her, and Fran’s hands on the lapels of Marla’s jacket pushed her closer. Then it was just the two of them, breaths ragged and hearts wild, blue and brown eyes going darker, suspended in a moment when time stood still. Their hands were unstoppable, grazing, pulling, tugging. At Marla’s neck. Fran’s back. Marla’s wait. Fran’s jaw. When Fran tilted her chin up, Marla pulled away, and when Marla turned her head the right way, Fran avoided her. It was maddening, to hold back this way, but they’d become addicted to the push and pull they’d started, and couldn’t let go. Not even with their bodies pressed together, their breaths mingling, their noses brushing, just a feather-light touch of their lips, in contrast to the death grip of their hands on each other’s clothes. A moment longer and they could have fainted right there in each other’s arms. Until finally, the games were over, the dance came to an end, their barriers crashed and burned with the first feverish kiss they shared. Burning and desperate to kiss each other since the first night they met. Sighs and moans that shouldn’t have been allowed in such a place, but couldn’t be restrained. Their teeth came out to play too quickly, biting and tugging at each other’s lips. Tongues that didn’t know a thing beyond a desperate need to explore, to taste the other’s mouths.

One last bite, one last kiss, and they simply had to pull away, before risking the chance of someone finding them.

“No,” Marla said, her voice still half a moan and her lips still stealing kisses. “Not like this,” she mumbled.

“Okay,” Fran followed Marla to steal a final kiss, but then she too had to pull away. “After we win,” she added, her words curling into a question at the end.

“After we win,” Marla agreed more convinced than ever before of the fact that they would conquer this challenge. They were both trying to slow down their breathing before moving away from their hiding place. Marla took the opportunity to further break the spell of caution they had held over each other. She gently brushed Fran’s hair off her face, her hand then resting softly on the other woman’s cheek, while her thumb just brushed the gloriously swollen lips. “You deserve better,” Marla whispered, her voice was so soft then that the brunette didn’t think she’d ever heard her speak like that. It brought chills all over her body.

“That’s arguable,” Fran smiled. It wasn’t a moment of humility, even less so a matter of self-recrimination. She was simply stating the fact. She was aware of the kind of things she’d done in her life, and the kind of things they were both willing to do to get what they wanted. But did they deserve it? The good things they wanted out of life? 

“Wouldn’t you say,” Marla matched her smile, “that just because we’re brave enough to want it, we deserve everything we desire?”

[macklives]

session 81 end

wow, okay, first things first

AC!!!!!

shes so fucking cute holy shit i love her so much i dont even know where to begin??

i mean i guess its because im so used to troll snark and the way they just? banter constantly? seeing someone who is a literal ray of sunshine is so refreshing and wholesome and pure. god she’s great. shes a cat, she knows her stuff. she’s strong and theres also this guys???? who shes scared of?? and tells her what to do??? yeah no, idk who it is but let her make her own decisions lol

maybe its just over exaggeration or whatnot, and hes not bad but first impressions do a lot to me and right now the only thing i know about this guy is that AC needs his approval for everything. i guess ill see where that takes us. hopefully nowhere bad. but AC seems like she can take care of herself and knows how to be a good decent troll and i love her for that. wow it literally took me one dialogue to like her. damn, that was fast. jesus.

you know who else is great?

terezi.

yeah i know right. and that whole trial thing, which yeah i guess half the time i was confused by what the fuck is going on since i still cant grasp the idea of how alternia works, but i enjoyed myself with lemonsnout and how terezi roleplays and how much she gets into it. seeing a character that passionate about something is so sweet and nice.

god this was just a nice overall session

which i say, while i completely forgot about the banter TA and karkat got into

right, that happened. oh my god. they both literally stomped all over each other, dissed one another, still made up in the end because apparently thats their friendship and i guess it just works like that. depends on the friends you have, i guess.

its funny though, not gonna lie

and karkat as of now is just being a prick and honestly? 

like more than usual, which i guess is weird to say but i mean from present time to beginning of hivebent karkat. not that its uncommon for him to be a prick, he is, but seeing him go through the non-linear pattern with john is mmmmh interesting to say the least. though we havent seen his first trolling, just him constantly going “oh god what did i say, i was dumb” u know, not in those words but thats basically what he means. 

ooh im gonna analyze, i feel like analyzing right now my fingers have already typed so much as it is MIGHT AS WELL

and our candidate will be *drum rollll* karkat wow predictable (its below the cut because this is literally irrelevant now to the session)

okay, lets lay out the shit we have already. as i said before, the way he talks presently to john (meaning in the future) is so different than how he speaks to everyone now. of course the “i hate the world” personality is still there, and hes still just regular karkat, but karkat talking with john is patient to some extent and tells him what he needs to know for the game, lowkey kinda chills out once they started talking about movies or growing up as huh, didnt he say larvae or smth?

okay that whole grub thing makes sense now as i just wrote that but i am still confused as to what the FUCK that is implying because i dont think it crossed my mind this much, im repressing it for now until it comes up later. 

anyways, back to what i was saying. he was so DIFFERENT than the way he’s acting now which is bitch and moan and like? stfu karkat lmfao. i mean, its not THAT big of a difference in character, because i know he’s still his grumpy old self, and theres a lot of potential.. for growth? not sure if we’ll get it but i like to assume we will get character growth from these characters with fucking 8000 pages talking about them. but a story needs that growth and with karkat being just a straight up angry dude, in MY EYES, he should.. have growth, no? idk HOW he will grow, but im basically just taking what i have right now which isnt much but i analyze things for fun sometimes so let me be.

that being said, because its so early on, im not sure where homestuck is gonna go and i dont have much to go on but being in the psychology course shit happens when you have limited information and you gotta pin point what makes a person a person and how do they cope with things to grow further into life. many of my assignments involve limited info so honestly, not that hard.

but it is something that ive noticed, the way karkat is different as he grows which possibly means the whole veil thing happens later later on in his life and we havent yet seen that small growth become patience and not whining every time he doesnt get what he wants. but growth is common and it mostly likely happens to everyone, so its not like wow this is a surprise and a plot twist, more of something that i just wanna write for the sake of writing it. i hope that makes sense? i dont exactly know where im going with this. i just mean that im basically going to analyse karkat a tiny bit so idk how to otherwise explain it but you’ll get where im going with this as i type more lmao. 

anyways, so karkat literally said “pretend i dont think highly of my friend’s talents” as if he’s visibly trying to force himself from all emotions and bash on those who do (reference: “stop being sensitive, its repugnant” or whatever tf he said while TA replied with “hypocrite”) i take that as a key word. so honestly, while that was the smallest thing ive gotten from this session, its the thing im most curious about actually and i actually havent mentioned lol. because what ive learned in psych, which this is just common knowledge but i did an assignment on it so like?? could be useful?? is that people who hold off their emotions tend to hold off others as well, so there is no chance of mirroring each other. in other words, if someone is happy and starts to laugh and goof around with another, the emotions will mirror that other person subconsciously. like an addictive laugh. theres also another way to show mirroring, which is to mimic another person's actions, allowing another to establish a sense of empathy and thus begin to understand another person's emotions. in this case, im using TA and karkat as example. people who suppress emotions tend to see emotions as a bad sign and if somebody else portrayed any sign of it as well, they’ll basically say “gross what are you doing” because theyre so used to concealing it away, that they dont want others to think theyre into the whole mushy shit. so they pretend to hate it, pretend to not even be slightly affected by general sensitivity..

which basically means karkat is a softie, and even if he’s a prick right now, meeee thinks john, from earlier convos, is growing on him because john himself knows how emotions work and while i dont think troll culture does know much about it, considering the BLOOD AND CARNAGE thing, he is in fact growing and even if thats obvious, and you all know it, i am new to homestuck and am trying to see that for myself. its noticeable to some degree. he may always still be a jerk, but i am waiting to see how he slowly starts to accept things around him and to finally show what hes hiding inside. even if its just going up by a few percentages, i see its there and im hoping VERY HOPING he has the biggest character growth!

in other words, why else do i think this?? well nobody who watches romcoms can be that fucking aggressive. you need some sap in you to like it.

on that note, ill probably analyze alternia’s system and rules in another post later throughout these next few sessions because i feel it needs to be talked about and the way everything just.. is so different and doesnt seem right, you know?

thats it for now goodnight

[365daysofsasuhina]

[ @sasuhinabigflash2020​​ || Day Eighteen: Trust ] [ Uchiha Sasuke, Hyūga Hinata, Uchiha Fugaku ] [ SasuHina ] [ Verse: Of Monsters and Men ] [ AO3 Link ] 

[ Previous ] [ Next ] [ This piece is a sequel to Day Fourteen ]

“I have an assignment for you.”

Having only just stepped into his father’s office, Sasuke pauses. That...wasn’t what he expected. “...what is it?”

“We’ve gotten a report of a possible target,” Fugaku begins, watching as his son takes a seat opposite him. “Same city you did your final trial in, actually.”

That earns a flicker of interest, sitting across from Fugaku. “Do we know what kind?”

“Werefox. Kitsune if you believe the old tales. Apparently it’s been running some kind of illegal gambling ring in the back alleys of the city, and it’s starting to attract attention. There’s worry of exposing the involved monsters to humans and causing an incident. Obviously...we don’t want that.”

“So, simple single-target elimination?”

“And any others you come across. If you’d like, we can provide a partner or more backup. But for now the main issue is the fox. The rest will likely disperse once it’s taken down, and we can pick them off as we go.”

In spite of himself, Sasuke does a mental check. The woman he met during his trial - the harpy he’d targeted, only to instead kill a vampire who attacked her...and who he then let go free - didn’t seem the type to play odds. Which is good. Less of a chance he’ll run into her, then. Her insistence that she “repay” him still has him worried. Partly because he cannot let anyone know he let a monster go free. And partly because - given his line of work - she’d probably just get hurt.

...not that he should care. He just can’t let that secret get out. He’d likely be renounced by his clan if it did.

All of that passing in a blink, he looks back to his father. “I’ll go solo. One fox shouldn’t be much of a hassle.”

“They’re just as wily as their natural counterparts,” Fugaku warns. “Be on your guard - it will likely try to outwit you rather than fight you.”

“Good thing I’m clever, then,” Sasuke counters with a smirk, relinquishing his seat. “I’ll call for backup if I need it.”

“Don’t mistake cleverness for cockiness,” is his father’s final quip as the door closes.

“Who says I can’t have both?” Sasuke then murmurs to himself, going to ready his gear before hopping on his motorcycle.

The ride to the designated city isn’t far, and once he arrives, Sasuke checks his phone. The intel team has sent him any additional details they could find, including a decent radius where the gambling seems to be taking place. Sadly there’s little info on the fox save for a very general description. Tanned, with blond hair and blue eyes…? Odd, but not entirely unheard of. Might be a foreigner. He’s not sure about their percentage rate of foreign-blooded or even immigrant Nightwalkers compared to those native to Japan. Might be an interesting subject to study.

But not tonight.

One thing that does catch his attention though...is how the harpy’s address falls into the very edges of the fox’s supposed territory. While again, he doubts she’d be involved...he has to wonder if the vampire who attacked her was. Crimes tend to go hand in hand, after all. Maybe he was only there because of this fox.

...not that he cares. But it’s a potential connection.

Maybe he’ll just...interview her. See if she’s heard anything. And maybe that intel can be enough for her to get that ridiculous idea of debt out of her head.

Then he won’t have to worry about it anymore.

Revving the engine again, he follows a still-familiar route, lingering in his mind from the time he spent for his Hunter trial. The Summer night, unfortunately, is failing to cool much due to the cloud cover, and once he stops his bike, the thick city air makes him sweat.

To his annoyance, the street makes him nervous. It was here, after all, he faced his first vampire, and without any warning. While he didn’t have to fight it alone...the memory still makes him antsy, much to his chagrin. But he steps past the gate to her building and...realizes he doesn’t know what number she’s in.

Shit.

Subconsciously biting his lip in thought, he backs up a bit and stares at the windows. The building isn’t very big, but he really has no way to figure out which one she’s in without -

“...Uchiha-san…?”

Stuttering for half a moment, he then turns to see none other than the harpy from before behind him, clearly making her way home. Her brow is wilted in concern, obviously not expecting to see him. “...er, yeah.”

“...are you…? Are you looking for me?”

Already the grating of interviewing and holding conversation flares up. “Yeah...I thought I’d try and ask you a few questions about a...case I’m working on.”

To his surprise, she brightens a hair. “Of course. Would you...like to come in?”

“No, I need to get going as soon as I can. It’s just a few questions.”

“All right…” Adjusting her posture in preparation to stand a while, she tilts her head. “W-what do you need to know?”

“Have you heard or seen anything about a gambling ring around here? My intel shows that your apartment building might be within the area the leader’s been seen in.”

“Gambling…” she muses quietly to herself. “Not, um...that I know of…?”

“Well, do you know anything about a werefox in the area? Blond, blue eyes…?”

She blinks. “...do you mean Naruto?”

Sasuke blinks back. “...Naruto?”

Immediately, Hinata balks slightly, realizing what she’s said. “...I-I mean...I do know a...a werefox. But, um…”

“He matches the description?”

She flinches. “Y...yes…”

“When was the last time you saw him?”

“Look, he -! He’s not a bad person, he -”

“We got wind of him because he’s running illegal gambling,” Sasuke cuts in, arms folding. “Apparently his targets are both Nightwalkers and humans. He’s putting himself and others at major risk of being exposed and causing an incident.”

“...well, I…” She sighs. “....I did hear that...he was scolded by an Enforcer a few days ago.”

Sasuke’s eyes widen. “...an Enforcer…?”

Ohhh shit.

Hinata gives a worried nod. “Warnings aren’t, um...very common from them. I was hoping he would have listened…”

“When was this?”

“I think...two days ago?”

“Hm...well, maybe my intel is out of date, then,” Sasuke murmurs. “...but I’ve been given orders to eliminate him.”

At that, the Hyūga pales. “W...what? But he was just -?”

“If he’s given it up, then maybe I can...work something out. But his actions were, at the very least, running him along a very dangerous edge. Enforcers are to you guys as we Hunters are to humans: we protect our side from exposure. If they think he was screwing up, can you blame us? You know their next step would be execution. Like you said...they don’t usually do warnings.”

To his surprise, her expression starts to crumble toward tears. “...he’s an orphan,” she whispers. “He o-only got mixed up in that s-stuff to get by. Humans are easy targets for foxes - they’re clever enough to outsmart them, of course he’d be tempted…! But he’s not a bad person, Uchiha-san. Please don’t hurt him…!”

Sasuke grits his teeth, irritated to find himself unsettled by her blubbering. “...do you know where we can find him?”

“W...why?”

“So I can try scaring some sense into the idiot. Maybe between me and that Enforcer, we can get him to actually straighten out,” he mutters. “I won’t kill him unless I absolutely have to, okay?”

She doesn’t look convinced.

“...don’t you trust me?”

At that, her expression slackens in surprise. And to his own...she gives a small nod.

“...look, you help me with this case, we’ll call ourselves even, all right?” Sasuke then offers. “No more of this...debt stuff, okay?”

“But -?”

“I told you, having that hanging over your head concerning someone like me is dangerous. I’d rather it go away sooner than later. Consider it your life for someone else’s.”

For a moment she looks ready to keep arguing, but then softens. “...all right. I’ll show you. Just...don’t hurt him.”

“I won’t so long as he doesn’t give me a reason to. And there better be no funny business - I know how foxes are.”

For a moment, her lips lift in a smile...but then fall as she remembers why they’re having this discussion. “...follow me.”

     This is short and late but jkdfhjdg I’ve been busy and kinda down, my bad, guys. I wasn’t sure if I should do sequel pieces in this event but eventually just said screw it lol - and yes, I already have a day in mind for a followup, so this won’t be an eternal cliffhanger, I promise!      More role-swap monster verse...stuff lol - Sasuke’s sure dealing with this harpy more than he planned to ;3 But what’s this? Another monstie? And it’s Naruto, no less...interesting...:3c      Anyway, I’ve got a hellishly long day ahead of me tomorrow - no idea if I’ll get a piece done or not OTL As said before, I WILL finish this event one way or another, just...probably late. Hoping I’ll catch up but no holding my breath, lol - so for now, goodnight, and thanks for reading~

[fandomtrashwriting]

Second Chances [Part 1]

@cloudninetonine @prismaroyal

“Today, the famous Hero and widely proclaimed “Symbol of Peace”, All Might has recently announced to the public that he’s retiring from Pro Heroes. I, along with my colleagues, can say with a heavy heart, we're going to miss our number one hero! However, now that our symbol is gone, who will we rely on? What about the rise in criminal activity? It had risen by almost twenty percent after his official statement. What will be the response going to be from our Pro Heroes? I think-” The volume was lowered by Nezu before the animal turned to the staff seated within the room, finally approaching the subject that this meeting had been called for.

“As you may have noticed...since All Might retired, criminal activity has skyrocketed and people are more scared than ever before, so it’s our duty to help make sure the future is safe and that the people don’t lose hope in the heroes, I-” Nezu was cut off by a grimacing Present Mic, frustration clear on his face as he spoke.

“Are we really going to continue listening to them? The media blows everything up” He let out an angry huff while crossing his arms in annoyance.

Snipe leaned forward slightly, resting his chin on his intertwined hands before stating in a calm manner “If anything, they’re dreadfully undershooting the amount, from what I’ve seen, I’d guess more like, forty to a sixty percent increase”.

Present Mic, jumped up, slamming his hand on the table with anger clear on his face “That’s Bullshit! How can they push for answers and expect us to do more when we’re already stretched thin enough as it is all over Japan? We can only do so much!”

Aizawa nodded as he pinched the bridge of his nose in exhaustion “It’s even affecting the students, especially my classroom, ever since the training at the USJ and the camp. Not to mention, ever since Kamino, everyone has been on edge and restless, sure we locked away Stain, but that didn’t seem to help ease anyone, if anything it motivated other villains to join the league”

A collective stressed sigh left the adults.

“Sounds like we’ll need more heroes to combat this sudden increase of villains, but with all of Japan's hero schools full, it doesn’t seem likely we’ll be able to get more assistance” Midnight continued, her tone was serious but if you paid attention you could feel the defeat in her voice.

“Well, I have a proposition for that, I’m suggesting that we add in a third hero class,” The silence following was only broken by a few coughs, everyone staring at him with wide eyes in surprise or squinting at him trying to make sense of this; Cementoss spoke up, “are we sure we want to put more students in this situation?”.

“It sounds like a good idea, and for the last few months our security has doubled, not to mention we’ll be adding those dorms?” Thirteen turned towards Nezu who nodded in confirmation.

Vlad scoffed “It’s still a bad idea. Do you think the media will be satisfied with us taking in more students? If anything it’ll bring us bad publicity and taunting” as he leaned forward in his chair with an angry growl in his voice.

“And if we do nothing? That’ll also bring taunting and bad publicity. But while yes, our security has doubled, it’s not perfect. Do we even have a teacher in mind for them?” Ectoplasm inquired.

“Not at the moment, I’m hoping to figure that out at least once the exams are over,” Nezu stated.

“What about these kids' equipment? They’re gonna have less time to figure that out than the other two hero classes” Power Loader finally spoke up, raising a brow under his costume.

“Do you think your students would be able to make the costumes?” Nezu asked.

Power Loader fell silent before nodding “The students should be fine,” He responded, waving his hand as if to brush off the concern. “I’ll introduce it as a new project, have the first and second years interact,”

Recovery Girl spoke up, hints of doubt swimming in her eyes “How will these students be decided? Will there be another exam? If so, who do you think will apply?”

“Another entrance exam at the end of the month, and most likely everyone who failed or who is now at the age to take this exam, maybe even a few people who are ahead of their peers,” Nezu said this before turning to look at All Might, who had been awfully quiet during the whole ordeal. “What’s your thoughts on this All Might?”

All Might glanced at Nezu and the others in silence, before grimacing a little “Are we really ready to take on another hero class? And are we sure we want to take this on?”

“Nezu wouldn’t have suggested it if he didn’t think we couldn’t handle it,” Lunch Rush stated calmly, seemingly not having no doubt in Nezu.

Silence reigned over, the heroes sharing a silent agreement. Nezu is the smartest out of everyone here, even if they all were fused into a single being, he would still outrank them in brainpower. So, after a few minutes Nezu continued “So I guess it’s decided then, we’ll introduce the new class, but we should put out the announcement as soon as possible” With that their meeting was concluded.

~Time Skip~

“Hello everyone and thank you all for coming, you’re probably wondering about the reason for this announcement. Well, let us get straight to the point! Due to our Symbol of Peace’s retirement, we’ve made an important decision for the future of the hero society that we’ve decided to give more aspiring students the opportunity to attend the hero course by introducing another class” Nezu said, the crowd news reporters flashing their mics and cameras towards him.

“Why now introduce a new class after All Might’s retirement?” Cried one reporter “Why couldn’t you have it introduced earlier?” 

“All Might’s retirement has sparked a rise in criminal activity, this is an important matter, without the Symbol of Peace we need more people to assist in the hero society” Nezu answered, glancing over the people.

Another reporter spoke up, his tone holding nothing but a taunting presence “So are you saying this is All Might’s fault for retiring? Also, why introduce another class? Are you using children as a way to get rid of villains? To bring down the percentage? Drag them into a mess that has started since day one of this year’s classes at U.A? Seems like you're just sacrificing the lives of these kids for your oh-so noble cause!”

Nezu didn't bat an eye at the man's mockery before answering his question, his tone still polite as ever, although everyone in the room could feel a chill as his voice dropped. "We're not sacrificing children for a careless matter, our goal is to make sure the next generation of heroes are capable of protecting the innocents. Being a hero is not an easy job, sometimes you have to make sacrifices for the greater good, it's definitely harder than sitting around and asking questions without a care in the world" The reporter was left speechless by the principal's words.

A new voice spoke up “Um, what are the requirements to participate in this...” She paused for a moment “...new exam? And when is the exam date, if I may ask?” she mumbled.

“The requirements haven’t changed from the first one, on top of that anyone from any of the other courses can attempt to be put into the new hero class” Nezu responded.

She was quick with another inquiry “What happens to the spots those children leave behind in those courses?”

“Any participant that doesn't make the score for the new hero course can still attend another department if they wish to, allowing that we have the room” Nezu reassured her with a polite smile.

“How do you expect these new students to catch up with their peers?” Badgered an older looking man squinting at Nezu. “It’s been months since the official entrance exam, surely you have a plan?”

“We’ll be helping them study and train during the breaks in order to catch up” Nezu rebuked calmly, leaving the older man silent. “Are there any more questions?”

Finally being able to leave after hours of questions, only to be stopped again at the building's doors by the same woman from before, the only one from the crowd of reporters with an actual sense of politeness. 

She flashed them a smile “Sorry for bothering you, just wanted to say thank you for answering our questions, I know some reporters can get a little…” She flushed from embarrassment, remembering earlier “...distasteful, and I also wanted to apologize for their earlier actions, so I’m very sorry”

Their silence at her grew for almost a minute, her shifting her weight from foot to foot “Did I make you uncomfortable? I’m sorry”

Her words made the three of them blink for a moment, before Nezu cleared his throat out of embarrassment. 

"Please forgive us, it's just...this is the first time we've been face to face with someone as...polite as you, Miss…?"

She perked up and smiled brightly at the Principal “Oh! That’s alright, and my name is Sachiko Uchimaki. You three are Mr. Aizawa, Mr. Kan, and Mr. Nezu, right?” 

“That is correct” Aizawa narrowed his eyes in suspicion, “Is there a reason that you are speaking with us?”

“Well- I-.. uh-”

Nezu was quick to interject, letting out a small laugh as he waved Uchimaki off “There’s no need to get defensive, Aizawa, she merely wanted to apologise, there’s no need to worry!”

“That, and....” Uchimaki leaned forward in a bow, her head lowered in respect “I would like to thank you, as part of the public, for what you’re doing. I know that’s hard for heroes at the moment with All Might retired and the number of villains rising, but I also know that you’re all trying your best to combat these new problems everyday! And for that, I thank you, heroes”

Their stunned silence caused her to lift her head little and watch them before straightening up “um….well, I guess, um….bye? And have a very lovely day” Before leaving with a happy hum to have talked to them, it was very nice.

In the meanwhile the school's announcement was being broadcasted all over Japan, many youngsters were hearing the news either on the TV, a computer or their Smartphones, many of them were excited at the new opportunity of being able to become heroes, though only a few of them would end up making it, some with more hope than other. 

This...was their Second Chance.

[dailycharacteroption]

Conversion Corner: Mass Effect Races part 1

Asari and Volus

 By popular request, we’re going to tackle the major races of the Mass Effect series today. Despite controversy about the technical and narrative decisions about the series, it remains an iconic part of science fiction RPG history, so we’ll take a look at homebrewing the races from the game into the setting.

Note that while ME does have it’s own form of “magic” in the form of biotics, it is entirely science and tech-based in nature, revolving around a living body’s ability to adapt to the presence of “Element Zero” in their body’s system, allowing them to use their nervous systems to, with the help of amplifiers, generate the titular “mass effect” that forms the basis of many technologies in the universe, resulting in telekinesis, energy blasts, and so on.

I could go on about how tired the trope of one “perfect discovery” making everything in a sci-fi setting possible is, but instead I’ll simply just substitute actual magic in these write-ups, since its analogous enough.

 Asari

One of the founding members of the Citadel council, the Asari race is known for its elegance, diplomatic wisdom, and aptitude for mystic power.

Literally created to fulfil the “beautiful space woman” trope, the asari are acutally a monogendered race that reproduce by parthenogenesis. They are, however, capable of engaging in intimate encounters, but their true method of reproduction involves synchronizing their nervous system with that of another, even other species. In this way, one asari can use another sapient being as a “father template”, randomizing the genes of one set of their genetic material before using it to fertilize the other.

Beyond this, asari don’t have the same concept of gender roles and identity as other races, though they do tend to personally favor feminine, masculine, or gender-neutral pronouns on an individual basis. As an alternative, they tend to favor pronouns based on status, occupation, or their current life cycle status (being maiden, matron, and matriarch).

Asari physiology gives them a humanoid appearance that is mostly human-analogous, save for their blue-heavy skin tones which range from purple to the odd teal, and their somewhat flexible cartilage ridges and rests on their scalp. As mentioned previously, they are capable of synchronizing their nervous system with others, and while this is used as a means of reproduction, it can also be used to share information and memories between participants, making for clear communication across language barriers or helping to process complex information, though the process can be quite intense. Additionally, their eyes are adapted to see into the low end of the ultraviolet spectrum.

Asari society takes a very long view thanks to their long lifespans, and are content to let minor setbacks happen knowing that they can still influence things in the long run. Typically, their decisions are made with general consensus, with the words of older and wiser members of the species having the greatest weight, and tend to value a stance of centrism, for better or worse.

They are also very aware that many species see attractive aspects in them, and utilize this. However, it would be foolish to impose ideas of meekness onto the asari, as even an exotic dancer is a force to be reckoned with, their dances often being a martial art in disguise, akin to human capoeira.

Interestingly, asari consider it a minor social taboo for asari to use each other as the “father” in reproduction, both due to it being considered wasteful to not add something new into the species culturally, but also due to a rare genetic defect present only in a fraction of asari purebloods causing all telepathic joining with them to be lethal to their partners, overwhelming their minds and causing blood vessels to burst in the brain. Given how addictive and even rejuvenating this seems to be to the individual with this defect, we can probably infer that prior to the development of space travel, such individuals were mortal analogues to succubi, literal sexual predators that kill their mates. (The fact that the creators of the franchise named the defect: Ardat-Yakshi, after two figures in human mythology associated with such things really hits the nail on the head)

Regardless of whether they are warriors or scholars, or both considering their long lifespans and tendency to become leader figures with age, the asari remain the ever-patient crux of galactic civilization in the franchise’s universe.

 +2 Wis, +2 Cha, -2 Con

Hp 4

Size and Type: Asari are Medium humanoids of the asari subtype

Racial Traits:

Asari Senses: Asari have darkvision 60 ft.

Magical Aptitude: Asari take to magic like a fish to water. As a swift action, an asari can increase their effective caster level by 1 for one turn, bolstering a spell they cast that turn. They can do this a number of times per day equal to their Wisdom bonus.

Melding: As a full-round action, an asari can establish a telepathic link to an adjacent willing creature. This link functions similarly to telepathic bond, but lasts for as long as both participants keep concentrating on the bond and adjacent.

Social Acumen: Asari gain a +2 to Bluff, Diplomacy, and Sense Motive

 At the opposite end of intimate relations with other races, we have the Volus.

Hailing from a world with a high-pressure atmosphere heavy in ammonia, the volus people find the oxygen and nitrogen-rich worlds populated by many other races to be toxic and dangerously low-pressure. As such, outside of their homeworld and specialized atmosphere chambers, the volus must wear thick atmospheric suits at all times.

Devoted to economic pursuits, volus may seem overly pacifistic to most other races, since they are not especially agile or strong, and don’t share the romantic view of war that other races have. Nevertheless, while they may rely on their alliance with the turians to do most of their fighting, they can still contribute, boasting powerful mages and powerful weapons of war, including powered armor capable of more than making up for their lack of aptitude. Regardless, if they have the options, they’d rather duke it out with foes in the social arena, and conflicts between a volus and anyone else eventually evolve into bargains and deals, at least if the volus has anything to say about it.

Unlike a certain other disappointing reveal in Mass Effect, we have yet to see what the volus look like outside of their protective gear, but we can infer that they are a short and stout race with two eyes. It is difficult to guess their physiology beyond that, as a certain percentage of their suit’s volume must be devoted to maintaining the proper internal atmosphere and pressure, not to mention dealing with food intake and waste processing.

Volus culture revolves primarily around trade and business, but it is not callous in those pursuits. According to their beliefs, one cannot own a person, and they so strongly believe this that while Volus do have two names, they do not have family names, since in their eyes, such things are tantamount to a parent or even ancestors laying claim to their children and decendants. Furthermore, their sacred relic, the Book of Plenix, teaches that in times of war or great strife, charity and the forgiving of debts are the key to survival.

+2 Wis,+2 Cha -4 Dex

Hp 2

Size and Type: Volus are small humanoids of the volus subtype

Racial Traits:

Business Acumen: Volus gain a +2 to Culture, Diplomacy, and Sense Motive when those skills are used as part of trade and business.

Environmental Needs: Volus require an ammonia-heavy atmosphere to survive, and treat standard oxygen-rich atmosphere as highly toxic (DC 20 Fortitude save every round, progresses along Con poison track. Cure 1 save after returning to the proper atmosphere, at which point progression stops, but the progression does not disappear and must be recovered from normally).

Heavy: Volus gain a +2 to KAC against bull rush and reposition attempts

Sluggish: Volus have a land speed of 20 ft

[snkpolls]

SnK Chapter 108 Poll Results

The poll closed with 1,200 responses. Thank you to everyone who participated!

RATE THE CHAPTER 1,159 Responses

While 4’s outnumbered the 5’s for only the second time in a year, 85% rated this chapter good to excellent. The average score for this chapter was 4.08 out of 5.

dude the art in this chapter!!! i said it once i'll say it again, totally unreal. The art was on point, and just overall this was a breath of fresh air after the head swirling exposition flashback-extravaganza that 107 was.

So many things are going to happen and this chapter was not the calm before the storm but maybe like the storm before the hurricane.

Isayama binging Game of Thrones is paying off. This set of conspiracies on top of conspiracies, with so many parties involved, is just building up to an explosive finale.

First chapter since the suicide charge that’s made me cry.

Great chapter with misleading hints on the upcoming horror that awaits Paradis

It was a very great chapter that combined events from numerous sides perfectly. Wasn't too rushed or too slow either. Although the 104th development is very depressing…

As usual, another chapter with lots of answers and yet I feel like I'm more in the dark than ever. Damn, Isayama sure has a way to keep the questions burning and the plot twists coming!

Why can't answers ever be answers in this series?

Got me shooketh. Eren bb what u doin?

WE’LL GET TO THE DETAILS OF THE 104TH FLASHBACK IN A MOMENT, BUT ASIDE FROM THAT, WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE PART OF THE CHAPTER? 1,168 Responses

The 104th flashback was the favorite fandom moment! The crew blushing at each other got almost a quarter of the vote followed by the “who takes the titan” love fight. “All of the above except Zevi” came in a respectable third.

Christ Gabi's so gonna be mindfucked if she hears DauperGirl's backstory about how Sasha saved her and also Dark fucking Connie I asked for some relevant screentime for him but come on Yams nOT LIKE THIS

I didn't know I could love Jean more, but boy I was wrong

I'm just glad Sasha isn't forgotten, we always have flashbacks of her and now that Gabi and the girl Sasha had saved stumbled upon each other... Well i just hope that if someone gets killed in the woods it isn't one of Sasha's family

let me tell you how absolutely thrilled I am to see Armin driving that train. I am always into watching this boy devour new knowledge and apply that shit. Both his engineer parents would be so proud if they weren't, you know, dead and all.

Armin driving, the Springles dumbception, Mikasa carrying like six or eight times my weight's worth of railroad spikes, Mikasa's ponytail, Mikasa blushing!!

Levi pointing out his team-mates height was kinda funny.

The GabixFalco moment is all I live for

Why weren’t the guys all shirtless while working on the railroad?

Levi was holding a mug normally. unacceptable.

THE 104TH FLASHBACK WAS FILLED WITH SWEET AND SHIPPY MOMENTS. WHICH WAS YOUR FAVORITE? 1,160 Responses

30% of respondents got the warm fuzzy feelings over everyone’s interactions with each other in the flashback. 17% loved seeing the 104th protecting each other from inheriting Eren’s titan, and at a near tie, Springles arguing about who’s a bigger idiot and Eremika’s blushy glance came in third.

Eren confessing his love and being a cutie pie

Jean immediately settling down after Armin gives an explanation. LET ME LOVE MY JEARMIN MOMENT TOO OK

Eren telling everyone he doesn't want them inheriting the titan so they can live long lives

THEY HIT ME WITH SPRINGLES IN MY FACE AHHHH WHY

Don’t really care too much about it.

The glorious foreshadowing of commander Kirstein

I really loved the sweet blush moment between Eren and Mikasa. I thought that everything was lost and Eremika was only an annoying ship created by WiT. Now  Isayama decided to give Eren and Mikasa a little more light. I doubt something will happen between them because of Eren's action, but I see that Mikasa is very important to him.

WHAT IS YOUR THEORY ABOUT THE WINE? 1,159 Responses

Almost half of respondents speculate that the wine has some of Zeke’s spinal fluid in it, with about a third believing that it’s poisoned. If anything, most of the fandom agrees that something is fishy with that bottle...

Oh, right. The poison. The poison for the MP, the poison chosen especially to titanize the MP so Zeke can play his 4d chess game, the MP's poison. That poison?

As much as I want to say "it contains shifter spinal fluid," wouldn't the shifter spinal fluid disappear when it makes contact with the air like other Titan spinal fluids? Yeah, I feel a bit skeptical to see the wine is poisoned with titan spinal fluid, but I can see why fans are speculating it in light of the recent events.

I didn't think anything was up with the wine at the time I read it, but I've seen all these cool spinal fluid theories drifting around and now I want in on that.

IN VINO VERITAS

Nicolo spit in it.

its filled with the tears of the fandom

IS THE PREGNANCY A FAKE? 1,166 Responses

“Fake idk, but all this is fishy as hell” sums up a lot of responses. Close to 60% of the fandom thinks the pregnancy is authentic, 8% believe it is a fake, 30% are unsure.

She may be pregnant, but obviously not in love with the guy

I wish it were, but I'm sensing strong "Ymir reborn" vibes from all this mess so I dunno.

Pregnancy fake? Nah. Daddy reveal fake? I think so!

I'm starting to think it was Eren who suggested it, but because he needed to extend Zeke's lifetime (I'm still convinced the jaegerbros have something wild up their sleeve).

We don't really have enough real information yet to understand her motivations. There is definately something fishy going on though because I just can't see Historia doing something like this out of nowhere. Giving birth puts her at risk of dying, thus leaving Paradis without a queen. Also surely she has not forgotten Ymir and the promise she made to live her own life. If the pregnancy is indeed real then I hope we get real answers soon because I am so confused right now...:/

IF HISTORIA IS PREGNANT, WHAT IS HER MOTIVATION? 1,150 Responses

Almost 1 out of every 2 people think Eren had a hand in Historia becoming pregnant. Nearly a quarter of all respondents think Yelena worked her voodoo magic and basically forced Historia to become pregnant to prolong Zeke’s life. 1/6th thinks Historia left the Greek isle of Lesbos and actually wanted to have a mini-me with farmer-kun. An even smaller part thinks she’s not even pregnant at all.

Eren doesn't want her to become a titan at all as it would pretty much repeat the entire thing that the Reiss family used to do with passing down the Founding Titan every 13 years, I think Eren wants to protect Historia from becoming a titan at all

Eren used the power of the Founding Titan to manipulate Historia to have a baby for an unknown reason.

I think *she* doesn't want to become a titan, ever, so she's using this as a delay until Eren can do something.

I'd say politics and delaying the inevitable.

She wants to be a hero of the Eldians and be remembered as someone who sacrificed herself for them

Imma be real with you chief... I can't say yet. Too many conflicting options, considering the possibility of a fake pregnancy

DOES HISTORIA HAVE FEELINGS FOR FARMER BOY? 1,144 Responses

With nearly 65% of the votes, most people do think Historia is using farmer boi, while around a fifth of all respondents thinks they are in fact working together and the pregnancy is just a ruse. A mere 10% thinks they are actually in love.

As much as I wished that they had at least become friends and agreed on the pregnancy for some secret reason, what we saw so far of Historia makes it look like it's much more likely that she is indeed using him.

He's a willing conspirator due to his old guilt, regardless of the status of the pregnancy

I don't think she is using him, but she is not in love either.

It's complicated

She is using him to hide that Ereh is the dad.

The only person Historia loved and felt strong bond with was Ymir. She may like the farm boy but I highly doubt she is in love with him.

these questions are hard.

Wouldn't that be the twist no one is expecting?  Someone in AoT actually fell in love and started a family?

WHO IS THE CLOAKED FIGURE WHO APPROACHED HISTORIA? 1,137 Responses

Half of respondents believe that Eren was the hooded figure who approached Historia. 33% believe Rogue’s theory that it was Yelena. A small percentage believe that it could have been Hange. Armin, Levi, and Floch were also popular write-ins! Quite a few people are also hopeful the ghost of Ymir came to have a chat with her.

I have no clue, tbh. But I think it's someone we don't expect yet.

Creeper in the bushes!  Red herring!

idk honestly. Probably a random MP spy we will never see again.

I DONT FUCKING KNOW AND ITS KILLING ME

I have a feeling the cloaked figure is a red herring, maybe just a random person working at the orphanage.

I like the idea of Armin being the cloaked figure but idk what to think at this point, we really need Historia's POV.

If Historia truly is pregnant, I think the cloaked figure is just Rogue's imagination. If she is faking pregnancy, I think the figure is Eren.

Isayama

Ymir's ghost

HOW IMPRESSED WERE YOU WITH NILE STANDING UP FOR HISTORIA? 1,163 Responses

We’re happy to report that more than 50% selected “Bless this man for existing” when Nile stood up in defense of Historia.

Nile Dawk is underrated

Rogue is a dick

It was nice to see Nile again :D

IF THE SURVEY CORPS HAD BEEN ALLOWED TO TRY A DIPLOMATIC ROUTE FIRST, WOULD THE ATTACK ON LIBERIO STILL HAVE NEEDED TO HAPPEN? DO YOU THINK WAR WAS INEVITABLE? 1,144 Responses

We’re a pessimistic bunch. 64.2 % believed war was inevitable, but the many of the write-ins expressed that the attack on Liberio was not inevitable and probably made a bad situation worse.

How can you go for the diplomatic route when you're too underexploited to be either steamrolled by Marley or colonized by Hizuru?

I think conflict would be inevitable but diplomacy would've mitigated the damage dealt. It would've sparked off but I think in a different manner.

I think war was inevitable and the strike was necessary but I don’t feel great about Eren’s unilateral actions.

Invitable or not choosing the war path before anything else is never and will never be the right way

Liberio may not have happened, but the world was never going to accept paradis anyway and would have eventually attacked

My heart bleeds bc I think Eren done fucked up but a tiny voice in the back of my head is like 'what if eren and zeke really have the One True Master Plan after all and just can't/won't share any of it to take the burden themselves h ah ah pain one can really know war is inevitable until it breaks out.

Probably. If War still happened after a surprise peaceful meeting, they may have gotten sympathy from the public.

There has to be some universe in which war is not inevitable. Nothing controlled by people should be considered inevitable until it's happened.

War was sadly inevitable, but the attack was not.

DOES HIZURU HAVE ANY REAL INTENTION OF HELPING PARADIS OR ARE THEY ONLY INTERESTED IN RESOURCES AND THE RUMBLING 1,155 Responses

“They are only in it for themselves” is the strong fandom consensus with nearly 70% believing Hizuru has no interest in genuinely helping Paradis. 28.8% believe there may be be a little sincerity in their offer of help.

Hizuru's to-get list: resources, rumbling, Mikasa.

We don't know her real motives but there must be something she's hiding or something she wants for her people in all of this. Everything comes at a price, maybe she'll ask something horrible in exchange for her help.

I think there's still more to Hizuru's intentions that we have not been shown. I still think Kruger and Kiyomi are somehow connected.

This is Kiyomi helping Paradis in the name of Hizuru behind the actual nation ruler. She has her Seacret plan.

They are in it mostly for themselves and I personnaly think that Mikasa is the only reason they don't sell them out

HYPOTHETICALLY SPEAKING, IF ONE OF THE 104TH ARE TO INHERIT EREN’S POWER, WHO DO YOU THINK WOULD BE THE BEST CANDIDATE? 1,148 Responses

Jean’s convincing arguments resonated with most respondents, with 54.8% choosing him. Armin was a close second, with folks wanting him to take on the quadrupel duty of holding 4 titans at once.

Eren cared, but he changed a lot... and that is here the possibility of someone eating him really soon ( i mean they gave us a flashback entirely focused on who will eat him, this is just a huge death flag to me).

I was honestly confused why Armin wasn't considered an option to inherit the titan, since Erens main concern is not shortening anybody's lifespan but Armin doesn't have to worry about that....

Depending on how the story develops, I think Eren would choose either Floch or Falco as the successor of the Attack-Founder Titan. Doubtful that he'll actually pass it on, though.

Theory: Eren doesn't want anyone to inherit his titan, he wants to get this whole war business over before his time runs out

Jean confessing that he'd eat Eren gave me life

WHO HAD THE BEST REACTION TO EREN’S CONFESSION? 1,159 Responses

Nearly half of voters enjoyed Jean calling Eren out for making the atmosphere awkward with his confession all the while blushing himself. 28% of respondents appreciated Mikasa’s knowing smile and blush.

Eren is wholesome. He and his squadmates are precious. I wish eternal happiness for them (Sasha in food heaven).

All good. All also gay. (especially the Erejean)

Eremika and Springles on one page oh my fucking god

WHAT WAS THE PURPOSE OF THE FLASHBACK? 1,156 Responses

The responses are fairly evenly divided on this question, with slightly more than half saying the flashback was to show Eren still cares about his friends and reinforce his humanity. The other half consisted of those saying Eren changed, and a good portion of write-ins that felt the flashback fulfilled both purposes.

Both to show how much he changed, and to prove he still cares for his friends

To convey how serious the situations become that it's bringing if he cares or not into question

To. Make. Us. Cry. By drowning us in angst.

To show that Eren's not fully in control of his own mind. The WH and the Founder worked together to through Paradis under the bus 100+ years ago and now BOTH are in his head messing him up through P A T H S.

Both. Neither. I don't even have a red sunset as an excuse for my red cheeks. That entire scene was so adorable!

I think it was to show how much their whole situation has changed. It was also probably Yams adding some more salt to the wound. It'd be nice if he were less of a sadist.

DOES EREN STILL PRIORITIZE HIS FRIENDS? 1,154 Responses

78% of voters total believe that Eren still prioritizes his friends, however 41% of the total votes believe that it’s not with the same intensity as it was in the flashback. 15% of voters think Eren is no longer the Eren we knew and does not care for his friends anymore.

Not enough information to say one way or the other. Liberio indicates complexity in how Eren shows he cares

He cares about them as much as he did before and so he's willing to sacrifice everything for that sake, including their trust.

Yes, but he isn't the person he was, so his prioritizing will look different.

As already said, I think he is convinced he does, but loses the sight of the greater good.

Eren is a lost cause.

He cares about them even more than before. His time's running out, he sees them about to return to the old cycle, and he wants to settle things while he still can

I think *Eren* still prioritizes his friends.  How much of Eren is still in there.... that I'm not so sure of.

He might still be doing it all to protect those he cares about, but he's now willing to put their life in jeopardy to accomplish his goals if he has to.

I Think he prioritises his goals but based on his reaction to Sasha’s death, I think he still cares for them but he is clouded by whatever his end-goal is.

yes...as sacrifices

i think he's being driven to madness. he's pressuring himself to a huge extent to keep everyone he cared so much about safe and out of harm, and it's literally driving him insane. i  think he laughed at sasha's death simply because the pressure is making him crack to the point where he can't even cry about it anymore. he's become so desensitized to losing after a short period of victory at the start that it just seemed inevitable. of course he lost someone, of course he failed, he's going to die anyway what's it going to matter? we only hear from connie that he laughed as a response, so we don't know what was going through his mind at the time, but the long and short of it would be that yes, i do think eren still prioritizes his friends. however, he's lost his belief in himself to keep them safe and may have given up on their happy ending long ago now.

FROM THE PRESENT DAY 104TH CONVERSATION, WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS DO YOU BELIEVE ARE MOST LIKELY TRUE 1,159 Responses

Most believed there was a lot truth in the 104th conversation. The two options most people found fault with where “Eren is responsible for Sasha’s death” and “If Eren is against them, he should be replaced”.

Eren is on side that has the best chances of his friends ending alive, but that isn't his friends' side.

I'd rephrase two of those options. I believe Armin DOES want to save Eren, but unlike Mikasa, he has a contingency plan -replace Eren if he refuses to cooperate. I think Armin would keep that as the last option, and would only go for it if there literally isn't any other choice. So yes, he *is* trying to save Eren, because that option hasn't been barred yet. I also think Eren *thinks* he's on their side, whether or not everyone else thinks so or not.

Eren is so f*cked up cuz he has 3 titans. Being one of them the founder Titan complicates things.

I think Eren is & isn’t on their side. One of his goals is to protect them at all costs, but he may have to do some things they are against in order to achieve those goals.

Eren was willing to sacrifice his humanity for the lives of his friends

Eren is plotting a Zero Requiem and is willing to distance himself

I am neutral Switzerland.

WHAT DOES THE NEW 3DM GEAR REMIND YOU OF? 1,153 Responses

Nearly 50% of the people who answered this question refused to see anything phallic in this panel, and decided to call us perverts instead. To that we say: a dirty mind is a joy forever ;) Over 30% just had one question: But why? To the remaining 20%: you are our people. Thank you!

You polls people are perverted and I'm here for that.

Erenstans can suck my 3DMG 2.0

The new 3D gear is clearly a reference to the acclaimed Neo Armstrong Cyclone Jet Armstrong Cannon.

WHAT’S YOUR REACTION TO THIS PANEL? 1,156 Responses

32% of respondents just want someone to give Eren a reason to smile again, 30% are uneasy about Eren’s stare and believe he is no longer on Paradis’ side. 23% of voters would love to be mean-mugged by Eren all day and 13% of voters wished he would have been given shoes instead of a shirt.

Blushing Young Eren: A blushing baby who I want to adopt! Mean staring Adult Eren: Holy Bloody Mary on a pogo stick, he's making ME blush!

Is Eren wearing the same shirt as when he was a kid? Was he wearing it all the time?

Eren's prison bed is way too long

i'm tired of Eren's angry stare, I want to find out what's his deal, and him to go out from that prison, I swear to God, he spends like 30% of this manga either kidnapped or in prison, he is 19 and was 3 times arrested and 3 times held against his will by various captors.

I just hope that Eren can prove that he is on their side because I know he will always care about his friends.

WHAT’S YOUR REACTION TO THIS PANEL? 1,160 Responses

Reiner’s burst of motivation and drive has you all split - either for Reiner to go rescue the kids or for him to stay away from Paradis for good! (PS all of you that didn’t answer Pound Me are lying to yourselves)

All aboard the Paradis Feels Train, next stop Reiner's Suffering.

LET REINER HAVE CUSTODY BACK OF HIS CHILDREN.

Reiner is a sexi boi

REINER SAVE YOUR BABIES

WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE REINER’S PRIMARY MOTIVATION IS TO RETURN TO PARADIS? 1,164 Responses

The vast majority thinks Reiner’s main motivation is rescuing the two little rascals, but 27% thinks he wants to face Eren one last time. A small part also thinks Reiner will live up to his role a traitor and will switch sides again. Then there’s the folks that believe Reiner stopped being suicidal. If only everyone would have such optimism.

His hands are overflowed with strength, his eyes are filled with resolve and will to live - what a great timing for Isayama to make a new round of suffering for Papa Braun

Reiner wants to return to paradis because it is a suicide mission.

I hope that this time Reiner is not going to cause more problems and fight to Eren and SC. I hope he has learnt something, understood his mistakes and is going to walk on the right path.

I can't wait to see Reiner becoming Helos

I really want a reunion of Reiner and the 104th kids ok

I wouldn’t be surprised if Reiner’s main motivation for returning to Paradis so quickly is to save Gabi and Falco, but then...I’m tempted to believe there’s more to it than that, and I wouldn’t be surprised if there IS more to it either. Maybe he still wants Eren to kill him, or maybe he suddenly feels that he has to die on Paradis and he wants to get it over with quickly, or maybe there’s just some other shit on his mind that might surprise us at least a lil bit, I don’t know.

Papa Reiner just wants to save his children. He has no alignments anymore. He just wants to keep his kids safe and die already. I'm crying over mY SON REINER JUST LET HIM BE HAPPY.

Reiner please stop scarring yourself by putting yourself at war with paradis consistently omg

Reiner just wants to suffer

WHERE DO YOU PRIMARILY DISCUSS THE SERIES

Most people who took this poll primarily discuss the chapter contents on Reddit, while around 1 out of every five people roams on Tumblr, with Discord taking a distant third place. From now on we’re only going to allow one choice for this question, to see if we can find some major differences between platforms. Thank you for your cooperation!

ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS ON THE CHAPTER?

bitccchhh where do i even start

Really great chapter, felt like one of those that needs to happen so that you get everyone's perspective before something major happens.

No one knows what's going on except those damn Jaeger Bros.

Armin said Zeke and Eren had a jaegertalk but nobody knows what they talked about....so....that can't lead anywhere good

Save Gabi from Paradis? Please. More like save Paradis from Gabi, amirite?

Good chapter, I just wish it was longer. So far we've had every chapter consist of a mix between flashback and present time. While I appreciate the flashbacks, I hope we get back to more present time soon so the story can move forward at a quicker pace. I really wanna know the full details of Historia's situation and also when tf is Annie coming back for real it's been 4 stinking years…

It was absolutely great. The juxtaposition of the sweet moments the 104th cadets used to have just one year ago with the atmosphere of hatred and distrut towards Eren that dominates now is heart-breaking. Other than that, the father story is really fishy, especially because it was told from an outsider's perspective. as opposed to say, Historia's. I honestly believe the father is someone else and farmer-kun is just a cover up.

(About Eren's panel) he has been wearing the same shirt since he was 10

Loving the Paradis flashbacks after a year of being willing to sell my soul for them.

I feel it's a bit ridiculous to say that none of Eren is left in there. My interpretation of his character post-basement thus far hasn't been that far from his post uprising personality. The difference is that he seems more at a loss for alternatives and even more determined to finish things by any means necessary (if that's even possible). But, I do think he's got some secrets to rival zeke's.

I have high expectation on Gabi. Her arc began from a rather generic/metaphorical one yet it's become more and more emotionally relatable and unpredictable. I once thought Falco was the core of Marley arc but now it looks like he might be the one who is more of the story tool among them.

I cannot believe that something that happened like 70+ chapters ago (Sasha saving that little girl) will be pivotal for the ending. Sasha truly was the real MVP.

104th don't know that real meetings are done with chairs, not couches and armchairs!! Kids, that's not how you were thought to do things.

It was an interesting chapter. We had more explanation, but even more questions to ask: why is Historia's  pregnancy fishy, who suggested her to do it, why did Eren attack Marley, what happened that made him even more angry, and turned him into a mass murderer, what is going to happen in sasha's house and how is Marley going to counterattack.(and where is floch) It's getting even more interesting, and I really can't wait to see how Isa is going to explain and unfold all this

I liked the Connie dark moment. He finally got some attention from Isayama. I thought that he was totally forgotten. I wish Connie shown his other sides more often. He is way too good, calm and pure.

I have my doubts about Armin's theory that "when Zeke and Eren activate the Coordinate, Eren will be the one in control," because unlike Smiling Titan who was mindless, Zeke is a Titan Shifter.

Really bummed with Historia's story right now. Why not have Zeke bang a ton of women instead?

EAST SEA CLAN CONSPIRACY THEORY INTENSIFIES AAAAAYYEEEEKKK

Eren brought this on himself. Getting devoured is only facing the consequences of his actions. I hope Mikasa is the one that kills him in the end.

Eren is not father, but cloaked figure is definitely him.

Everyone in this chapter is precious and people can fight me on this. And I'm looking forward to what Hottie Eren bun has to say!

Honestly, I feel like we as readers are still quite in the dark on character motivations, like Eren and Zeke's so a lot of these questions I am conflicted on. I mean that in a good way.

We still haven't heard a lot from Zeke and Levi present day, I really hope it's coming soon. And someone needs to go and talk to Eren! (other than Hanji)

I’ve already called it, but I’m calling it again for record keeping purposes: Historia is going to die in childbirth.

I'm very, very glad that some members of the SC and 104th are starting to wake up and realize that Eren isn't in control of himself and therefore dangerous.  I'm fascinated to see which path this takes them down.

I think at this point, Eren is simply fighting for what he thinks is correct, period. It's black and white. Eren probably doesn't see them as right and if they aren't, they are obstacles to overcome. If that is the case, Paradis cannot continue to cling to him. Hence why I can understand Armin saying the things he did.

I honestly don't think Gabi and Falco's lunch will be focused on Gabi suddenly feeling sorry for Sasha after a sad story. After all, she has her own grudge (Zofia -who has the same hair than the girl-, Udo, the gatekeepers...). If anything, this dinner party is here to tell us how Ragako was titanized, and how Zeke intends to spread the virus through food. Enjoy your meal!

Still hoping to see Levi knee Zeke in the face

Isayama is trying to kill me. The eremin/ema talk next chapter, if we really get one, is going to kill me. I will be dead. By isayama's hand. Killed.

I'm betting my pizza, my cat, whatever that this freaking monkey is pulling a ragako 2.0!

One of the best moments was when Gabi asked Falco why he’s following her because HE doesn’t have to die. She genuinely cares about him.

Jean leaning back was the best panel ever drawn

Mikasa in the little ponytail reminded me about how gay I was

can Levi kill Zeke already?

Where is Floch???

All of the above except Zevi

That’s all for this month! Thanks again to everyone who participated. We’ll see you again for chapter 109!

[nikkimerle]

Go, Grow Goals!

We think about goals and resolutions in black-and-white most of the time. It’s either an absolute "Yes, I did it!" or "No, I failed." — there is no in between! This leads to a feeling of guilt and failure which obviously isn’t encouraging. However, Mark Manson in his book the Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck says:

Growth is an endless iterative process. When we learn something new, we don’t go from “wrong” to “right.” Rather, we go from wrong to slightly less wrong. And when we learn something additional, we go from slightly less wrong to slightly less wrong than that, and then to even less wrong than that, and so on. We are always in the process of approaching truth and perfection without actually ever reaching truth and perfection.

We shouldn’t seek to find the ultimate “right” answer for ourselves, but rather, we should seek to chip away at the ways that we’re wrong today so that we can be a little less wrong tomorrow.

Last year, I focused on ten goals in total. These goals are categorized in 5 different areas: finances, career, health/body, mind, and legacy. Was I able to complete 100% of these goals? Quick answer: NO. Am I happy with my year-end results? A resounding YES!

In the grand scheme of things, one step towards a goal is better than no step at all. We pressure ourselves with having to be perfect that we dare not to make any type of action because we are afraid to make a mistake.

 From Show Your Work! by Austin Kleon, my “10th book” for 2021

 Just as an example, a goal I had last year was to read 10 books. It seems so little, but keep in mind that my goal last 2020 was to finish just one book. That’s how distracted and “busy” I was! So how did I fare this 2021? I read 9.3 books — 0.3 because I’m 2/3 away from finishing the last book to complete my goal.

I can mourn the fact that I was not able to do a 10/10 here. But I am just happy that within the course of the year, I was able to enjoy and learn from 9 (and a third) books. And I still have today to finish the remaining few chapters! The progress of reading 1 book few years ago to reading 9 this year is a total win for me.

365 days. 365 new possibilities. This is what the new year brings — a clean slate that comes with the hope that we’ll be able to reach our goals and be better versions of ourselves. So what is the first step?

 Write that goal.

 Tony Robbins says in his book Unlimited Power:

..less than 10 percent has written goals. Only a small percentage of people really live the life of their dreams. Why? It takes effort. It takes consistent action.

In a previous chapter, he also wrote:

What all this leads to is a simple, inescapable fact. Success is not an accident. There are consistent, logical patterns of action, specific pathways to excellence, that are within the reach of us all.

So write that goal down. Reach it or fail it, it doesn’t matter. Take a tiny step to progress and see it become leaps in the future.

 Happy new year everyone. May this year bring us closer to our goals.

[entrepreneurnut]

ClickFunnels vs InstaPage - Don't Make This Classic Mistake!

New Post has been published on https://entrepreneurnut.com/clickfunnels-vs-instapage-dont-make-this-classic-mistake/

ClickFunnels vs InstaPage - Don't Make This Classic Mistake!

Picking between ClickFunnels vs InstaPage for your online business can be a really tricky decision, especially if you haven’t tried them yet.

And making the wrong choice could harm your performance or waste hours of your time. Or, you could also be paying a lot more than you should for a small number of features.

In this article, I will help you avoid this – so your business can be as efficient as possible.

ClickFunnels vs InstaPage Summary

ClickFunnels vs Instapage is a little like comparing a fruit salad vs an apple. While Instapage is only a landing page builder, ClickFunnels is a complete online marketing suite to help you build sales funnels, email marketing campaigns, webinars & more. ClickFunnels is the overall winner.

Get a ClickFunnels Free Trial

ClickFunnels vs InstaPage Overview

Here are the main differences between ClickFunnels and InstaPage:

ClickFunnels has an email marketing feature built-in, whereas InstaPage doesn’t

ClickFunnels has a feature for live webinars, but InstaPage doesn’t

ClickFunnels enables you to create and sell membership sites. InstaPage doesn’t

ClickFunnels has an affiliate management feature, InstaPage doesn’t

ClickFunnels works out more affordable in several aspects

ClickFunnels has better educational material

InstaPage has a unique personalization feature, whereas ClickFunnels doesn’t

InstaPage’s pages load faster than ClickFunnels’

InstaPage is better suited for ad tracking and integrations

Our Pick

Our pick is ClickFunnels because compared to InstaPage, it offers more for less. Even the starter plan of ClickFunnels offers more features than InstaPage offers for a much lower price. With InstaPage, you’ll need many integrations for your email marketing, webinars, membership sites, and even affiliate management.

Get a ClickFunnels Free Trial

If you want to know more details about why we have chosen ClickFunnels over InstaPage, along with all the features that each of these software tools has then I’m gonna go into them both now in a lot more detail.

If you also want to compare ClickFunnels with other leading competitors then I recommend you also read these articles to help you make the best decision.

More Comparison Articles

What Is ClickFunnels & Who Is It For?

ClickFunnels is the most popular funnel builder on the internet. Since Russel Brunson founded it in 2014, it has built a customer base with over 120,000 members, which is still only growing.

But it’s this popular not only because it is an excellent software product with robust features that help businesses generate and convert visitors. It also boasts a large and supportive community, as well as a Netflix-like library of educational material.

ClickFunnels is for a range of professionals and business owners who want to scale, including:

Entrepreneurs

Digital Marketers

Service-business owners (Consultants, agencies, etc.)

Info-product vendors

Ecommerce stores

ClickFunnels Pros

It’s a complete all-in-one system

It comes with some incredible marketing and sales tools ranging from webinars to one-click upsells

The features work seamlessly with each other, making the platform easy to use

It has a large community and lots of educational material

The price is much lower than purchasing all the tools individually

ClickFunnels Cons

No video hosting

Although the price is good, it has quite a high starting price and only two main plans

What Is InstaPage & Who Is It For?

Instapage is one of the best landing page builders on the market. According to their website, it was created for businesses of all sizes who need a flexible landing page builder and a robust tracking system.

Since Tyson Quick founded InstaPage in 2012, it has established itself as one of the best landing page builders on the market. It’s used by some globally recognized brands such as:

Soundcloud

Vimeo

Honey

However, does that mean the average business owner or Entrepreneur can get just as much value from it? We’ll see later on.

InstaPage Pros

The pages load fast

It has some great personalization conversion tools

The templates look decent

It’s fairly easy to use

InstaPage Cons

Lack of features

High-price point for what it is

ClickFunnels Features

Let’s start by taking a deep look at ClickFunnels’ features. Then, we’ll do the same for InstaPage.

ClickFunnels Core Feature: Funnel Builder

ClickFunnels’ core feature is, as the name suggests, is the funnel builder.

And it doesn’t disappoint.

ClickFunnels allows you to virtually build any type of funnel there is:

Membership funnels

Webinar funnels

Tripwire funnels

Lead-generation Funnels

And many more

And check this out: ClickFunnels also comes with templates for each funnel step. So, you don’t have to glue things together like you would with other software pieces.

This, combined with the drag & drop editor, are the main reasons why it’s so user-friendly as well.

Also, everything inside of ClickFunnels can be split-tested too! So you can always find the best performing variant of your funnel.

Try ClickFunnels Free For 14-Days

Webinars

However, something to note on the webinars is that it only has pre-built tools for live webinars.

So, if you want to host one of those pre-recorded webinars that you may use to scale your high-ticket sales, you’ll have to use integration.

The good news is that ClickFunnels has a huge list of integrations, as we’ll see later on.

Membership Sites

ClickFunnels’ funnel builder also lets you build membership sites for when you want to sell your courses. While it performs pretty decently in the features, I must say that there’s room for improvement in the template design and look of your membership sites.

Some of the main features include:

Multiple access levels

Drip-feed content

Paid and free membership sites

It’s more than enough to get you started with selling courses. The only other slight complaint that I have is that there is no video hosting.

Meaning: You’ll need a 3rd party provider like Vimeo or Wistia to host your videos.

Then again, maybe I’m asking a little too much from ClickFunnels, as most competitors like InstaPage don’t even have a membership site builder.

Try ClickFunnels Free For 14-Days

Share Funnels

ClickFunnels also lets you share all your funnels via a link. So if you ever are creating funnels for clients, you can just send them the link to the funnel.

From there, they’ll have it in their account, ready to use.

ClickFunnels Carts

ClickFunnels lets you create carts that you can embed onto any one of your ClickFunnels pages. The cool thing about these carts is that they come in templates, are easily editable, and are quite comprehensive.

For example, you can create:

2 step cart checkouts

Order bumps

One-click upsells and downsells

I love these features because they give you so many more chances to sell your products. For example, on the 2-step cart, you can collect email addresses before purchasing and then follow up with anyone who didn’t convert.

These sales and marketing strategies are also one of the main things Russel Brunson teaches in the educational material.

So, you should be able to learn how to use these powerful features, even if you’re not a marketing pro yourself.

Broadcasts and Follow-up Emails

Another advantage that ClickFunnels has over many competitors is that it comes with built-in email marketing.

Broadcast emails are basically the newsletters that you can send to all your contacts.

The Follow-Up Funnels feature are your automation sequences that send your emails while you sleep. The only slight room for improvement is that some of the behavioral automation triggers are lacking compared to top autoresponders.

Again, ClickFunnels performs pretty well here as well and also comes with beautiful ready-to-use templates.

Plus, as the email marketing tools are already built into the platform, connecting everything is easy.

Affiliate Management

ClickFunnels also has an affiliate management tool, so you can recruit affiliates and manage them – directly from the tool.

While I have found that the reporting slightly lacks compared to dedicated tools, it’s still pretty sweet to have this built inside the platform – as it guarantees more sales – when used correctly.

You can create several different types of affiliate programs with personalized settings such as:

Pay Per Sale

Recurring

Custom commission percentages or fixed amounts

Templates & Funnel Marketplace

Finally, ClickFunnels has an incredible library of ready-to-use funnel templates. All you need to do is select one and start editing it inside the drag & drop funnel builder.

And if those still aren’t enough for you, there is also a whole marketplace for funnel templates.

The cool thing about this is, that if you get really good at building these funnel templates, you could actually sell some here, too, as an additional stream of revenue.

Educational Material

One of the biggest benefits of ClickFunnels is that it gives you the tools to generate new visitors, leads, and sales… But, it also gives you the knowledge:

FunnelFlix: A library of marketing, funnel-building, and sales lessons by Russell Brunson and co.

Funnel Hack-A-Thon: Weekly live group coaching calls where the ClickFunnels team builds funnels in front of users. You can ask any questions and join in with your ClickFunnels funnel builder to learn from the pros.

I think this is excellent as it will help the average business owner use the platform successfully. And, it doesn’t only just come with ClickFunnels tutorials, but also actionable knowledge on funnels, marketing, and sales.

Try ClickFunnels Free For 14-Days

What ClickFunnels Has That InstaPage Does Not Have 

As we have seen above, ClickFunnels has an incredible list of features. To give you a clearer picture, I just wanted to recap the features that InstaPage doesn’t. We’ll do the same for InstaPage later on.

Webinar funnels

Membership funnels

More Cart options (for example, 2 step carts)

More funnel templates

Affiliate management

Email marketing

Funnel marketplace

As you can see, the list is quite extensive. If you would integrate some of these features with InstaPage, it could cost you a $50-100 PER feature.

For example, if you want to get a membership builder, you’d have to go with Kajabi or Thinkific, which will cost you anywhere from $50 to $300+ per month.

Try ClickFunnels Free For 14-Days

InstaPage Features

As we have seen, ClickFunnels has set a pretty high standard in terms of features. Let’s look at how InstaPage compares.

InstaPage Core Feature: Landing Page Builder

While ClickFunnels’ core feature is the funnel builder, InstaPage’s core offering is the landing page builder. Unfortunately, this means that you can’t quite build as much as you can with ClickFunnels.

For example, with ClickFunnels, you get a lot more funnel templates and can even build membership sites or webinar funnels.

With Instapage, you can only build landing pages. That’s about it.

However, the InstaPage landing builder does have some pretty cool benefits as well, such as:

Fast-loading pages (faster than ClickFunnels and the majority of the competition)

Decent conversion tools (we’ll get to this later on)

Split-testing (see below)

Split-testing

Just like ClickFunnels, everything you create in InstaPage can be split-tested. Of course, this will help you find the best-performing page and should ultimately increase your sales.

Personalization

One of the unique features of InstaPage is personalization. What this does, is that it enables your InstaPage pages to automatically change based on the ad that users have clicked on.

For example, if you are advertising via PPC ads, you can change the components of your ads based on whatever they have typed into the search engine.

Ad Map

InstaPage’s other main feature is the AdMap, which allows you to visualize and plan your ad campaigns. Besides making your job much easier, it will also give you your post-click score to help you determine how well the landing page fits your ad.

Collaboration

InstaPage also lets you collaborate with clients, team members, etc.

This is excellent as you can get them working on your pages without them needing an account. However, you need to make sure that you have enough sub-users on your plan. Still, it’s an excellent little bonus that InstaPage offers.

ClickFunnels kind of has this feature with its share funnels. But there are pros and cons to both versions.

Personalized Assistance

If you go on InstaPage’s highest plan, there is a lot of personalized assistance such as:

Conversion-consulting

Design services

Page migration services

Of course, these features will be pretty costly – hence you can’t even see how much they would cost. But if you have an enterprise business, it may be worth it.

What InstaPage Has That ClickFunnels Does Not Have

InstaPage doesn’t quite have as many features as ClickFunnels does. But let’s take a look at the ones it has that ClickFunnels doesn’t.

Faster Loading Pages

One of the biggest benefits of InstaPage is that it has faster-loading pages. While it’s not a huge difference, it definitely could help you increase conversions slightly.

But unless you are sending 100’s of thousands of page views to your landing pages or funnels per month, it probably won’t make any revenue difference.

Personalization

The personalization feature is another benefit that InstaPage has that ClickFunnels doesn’t. This could be useful if you’re running PPC ads especially, but in general, I can’t imagine most business owners using it.

Yes, it’s a cool feature, but you’d have to run some really advanced PPC campaigns for it to have any use.

Ad Map

The ad map feature is pretty cool, and ClickFunnels doesn’t have it. But, again, this is mainly going to be useful for you if you are running ads, as it will help you check how well the landing page is suited for it.

Personalized Assistance

This one isn’t necessarily true because there are many options inside of ClickFunnels to hire funnel experts. Plus, you also have access to a much bigger community, where you can also find them as well.

ClickFunnels Integrations

ClickFunnels has a pretty decent list of integrations, despite its huge list of features. The list includes Zapier, major membership platforms, the most popular email marketing software, and more.

Some of the main integrations include:

Shopify

Kajabi

Zapier

GetResponse

Aweber

InstaPage Integrations

InstaPage has a huge list of integrations ranging from advertising platforms to membership platforms. Unfortunately, with InstaPage, you’ll likely need the integrations, as it does lack features.

Some of the main integrations include:

Zapier

SalesForce

Hubspot

Keap

ClickFunnels vs InstaPage – Pricing

Now that we have seen what value both platforms offer, let’s look at how much they charge.

ClickFunnels Cost

Let’s look at ClickFunnels’ pricing first. With ClickFunnels having so many different features, it’s to be expected that they aren’t all available on the lowest plan. So make sure to check that the plan you’re looking at has the features you’re looking for.

ClickFunnels Starter ($97  per month)

Despite, ClickFunnels having a smaller starting cost than InstaPage, I thought it was interesting to see that its starter plan has more features. For example, the webinar builder and membership sites.

Usage limits:

20 sales funnels

100 pages

1 sub-user

3 payment gateways

3 domains

What you DON’T get: 

Affiliate management

Follow-up Funnels

Funnel Hack-A-Thon

Some FunnelFlix Videos

Priority Supports

ClickFunnels Platinum ($297 per month)

Usage limits:

Unlimited funnels and pages

3 sub-users

9 payment gateways

9 domains

This plan comes with all features. 

If you really want to get a taste of what ClickFunnels can do, this is the plan you’ll want to be on. It comes with everything and very few usage limits.

ClickFunnels Two Comma Club X ($1,497)

Finally, the two comma club winner is for businesses that have already scaled and need lots of domains, sub-users, etc.

Unlimited funnels and pages

10 sub-users

27 payment gateways

27 domains

Features: All + Hours of additional FunnelFlix training

InstaPage Cost

Instapage only has two plans as well, but one of them is custom. So there’s really only one for most average businesses.

InstaPage Building Plan

The first is the InstaPage building plan, which starts at $299 p/m or $199 p/m if paid annually.

Its main features include:

No Conversion Limits

Customer Success Manager

Design Reviews

Landing Page Builder

Server-Side A/B Testing

Real-Time Visual Collaboration

Instablocks

 Pages & Experiences

Thor Render Engine

Post click Score

AdMap

Conversion Analytics

Dynamic Text Replacement

SSL Encryption

GDPR Compliance

This is slightly disappointing because it doesn’t have some of the best features like multi-step forms or even many integrations.

InstaPage Converting

InstaPages’ next plan up is InstaPage converting.

And this is the custom plan, so the pricing depends on what exactly you need.

Some of the additional features you could get include:

Page migration services

Dedicated Launch specialist

Design services

Conversion consulting

Editable Global Blocks

1:1 Ad-to-Page Personalization

I’d imagine the pricing was quite high if you wanted all the features, as there is a lot of personalized assistance inside.

And with the standard plan already being $300 per month, the custom one may go into the monthly four figures – depending on what you need.

Final Thoughts – ClickFunnels vs InstaPage – Which Is Best?

As you have seen throughout this ClickFunnels vs InstaPage comparison, both are pretty decent. However, ClickFunnels simply offers more value overall and at an almost identical price point.

While InstaPage only is suited for running advanced ad campaigns, ClickFunnels appeals to a much wider range of businesses and entrepreneurs – because it has so many more features (memberships, email, affiliate, webinars and more).

Overall, ClickFunnels is the better product in my opinion. When you want to sign up for a trial, make sure to click the button below to get your first 14-days free.

Try ClickFunnels Free For 14-Days

[mariemarvelbear]

Mutants

Avengers x Reader

Warning: Angst.So much Angst.Slow burn angst.Abuse.Mention of rape.Brainwashed.ANGST.Blood.Torture.Swearing.Kidnapping.18+

Part 14

File after file of different information and data flashed across the screens in front of Tony and Bruce, most of it jumbled and random as FRIDAY downloaded it all.  Tony watched for a few minutes, but quickly grew bored and moved on to look for what else they could have missed.  While Bruce left the room to get more coffee, FRIDAY began to separate and analyze the new data being sent to Maria Hill back in the headquarters. Tony groaned in frustration as he tugs his disheveled hair. “Tony.” “Look at me babe.” Pepper sighed, placing both her shaky hands on the guy’s broad shoulders, forcing the guy to look at him. “You haven’t slept in two days babe.I’m worried.” Tony just let out a sigh, not minding the yearning lady in front of him, walking past her and now in front of the screen. “I’m sorry Pepp.” Bruce mumbled, not wanting to interfere with the couple but knew that right now, if Pepper continued her actions-it might just turn into another brawl, another verbal fight in which he has no energy right now. “Just go back to sleep.I’ll stay with him.” Pepper looked at Bruce as if she was pleading him to be on her side on this one but gave up after he gave her an apologetic yet stern look. Tugging the string of silk from her expensive robe, she made her way back to Tony’s side-trying to peck his lips, but whatever it was, made Tony close his eyes and quickly move his face to the side-ignoring the hunger of Pepper for him. “Yeah.Goodnight Eve-Pepper…” Tony quickly stopped himself, closing his eyes as he heard the sound of the door banging in the wall.

“Here.” As he opened his eyes, it was to his surprise to see a large cup of coffee near his face “Double shot espresso.” About to thank the doctor, Tony was shocked as Bruce faced him, just now seeing the doctor’s face.He had bag under his eyes, a lot bigger and darker.He already have a beard and his sideburns are messy-And was it just him or Bruce got damn thinner? “Bruce.Y-You look like a mess.”

“You should see yourself Stark.”

Thinking of a retort, Tony frowned when he saw himself in the walls of the laboratory.Accepting defeat as he asked FRIDAY to scan both of their vital signs and their health’s state.Now worried that they might be malnourished as he observed how much weight he might have lost.

“Skip that FRIDAY.Let’s go back to business, shall we?” Bruce didn’t object, still determined to find you.The right you.It’s been a year after the big mess that Mystique made and even with the team conducting an interview with her every now and then, the girl would just say the words-again and again.

“I don’t know.Okay?I don’t know where Eve is. I don’t know where that fucking Korvac took her alright?” Mystique blurted out, her hands shaking as she rolled her eyes at the guy in front of her, placing her blonde hair back in a ponytail.They’ve been bugging her all year, everyday an agent will escort her back to the small interrogation room and it will be Fury,Clint,Maria or any of the team that will ask her-again and again.Where is Eve?

“Come on Mystique! You’re the one who brought this mess up so I’m pretty positive that you may atleast know something!” Clint snapped, tired of the questionings and her being an ignorant bitch. “Look, You know that no one in this tower likes you.Even Dr.Charles,” Clint grinned as she grimaced, hurt evident on her face upon hearing the disfavor of the people around her “He’s tired of your shit Mystique.We all are.” Clint sighed,placing the metal chair back on its place-about to walk away. “If you’re not gonna tell me, know that tomorrow we boys have a mission to attend to; and the people who will be left here to interrogate you are Natasha and Wanda. So,My dear mutant..enemy-If you’re gonna admit things, today might be it or tomorrow you’ll just be bones and flesh.And we’ll all be happy to clean up for the ladies.”

“Did you know that I was Charles favorite?I-I was his sister.I was his princess Clint-“

“Oh don’t call me by my name.We’re not friends.”

“I was his number one priority. Even with Moira in the picture.I was his primary concern.But then, Eviana came.She took the whole school, the people I love and even the people that hated mutants started fucking loving her.Did you know that?Did s-she tell you that?That she steals attention?That she loves that people always notices her first.They were all fucking wrapped in her finger.” Mystique sobbed, turning into her true form, weeping as she let Clint saw her at her weakest. “Did you know that because of her people got to trust us mutants?She and Charles went to the Vienna International Centre, it was filled with people from different countries and when Charles showed her-everyone instantly loved her. No one knew why but the percentage of people rallying and protesting about us soon diminished.She made people love her.And I-I was this envious, greedy and jealous girl.Who had to try her best to look ‘normal’ without freaking out others and even though I can fucking imitate anyone, I still get these sickening looks from everyone.”

“At first, I was interested at her you know? She’s this powerful mutant that everyone loved, according to Charles she can even be the most powerful one of all y’know? He even said that her gift of psionic powers can be much greater than his. When he said that, he had this look-that it was as if his dreams came true and now it was in front of him. Then, Right after that-I knew I was replaced.”  Clint stood still, relieved to finally get some answers from the girl. “I was fine with it you know? When Charles missed a few Friday dates with me, I tried my best to understand it. He said it was because he was studying Eviana’s genetics, so I let it be.After all it’ll be just one time right?No.No” Mystique sobbed,letting herself get vulnerable. “He then missed my first day of school.I always had this jitters whenever the new school year starts.It’s nothing actually, but I always loved that extra ten minutes of Charles assuring and just hugging me.And then it was my birthday, he even celebrated his with Eve and Erik.When he proposed to Moira, he first told it to Eve.When me and Blue got engaged he even ditched our party.It was becoming too much, And I-I could only take little.You know?” Mystique sniffled, her mouth trembling as she looked at Clint with pleading eyes.

 “So.Where is she?” Clint sucked in a breath, standing lousy as the girl looked at him with wide eyes.

“Did-Didn’t you heard me?Are you deaf?Can’t you see that I’m actually hurting here?!” Clint groaned, throwing his head back as he walked closer to the mutant.

“I’m not deaf. I’m just tired.Sick of your cries and whimpers.Ugh.” Clint knew he was getting out of line but as he remembered the past two years, of them all trusting the girl in front of him acting as if she was the girl that everyone loved; he just got more frustrated, his hands digging onto the metal table. “Where is Eviana?!”“I don’t know!I don’t fucking know!” 

 “Nothing?”

“Still nothing.Thought that if I talk to her at midnight I might get something, But still none.” Clint huffed, jumping his way to the couch that Tony has placed back at their laboratory. “How about you guys?” The archer asked, hopeful as he saw the holograms packed with different data.

“Same with you arrow boy.” Tony replied, not removing his eyes from the screen.

“Hi FRIDAY.”

“Good morning Mr. Barton,” The A.I beamed, making Bruce look at the guy.

“What?You two won’t talk to me.So I’ll just have a conversation with ri-ri.”

“Riri?” That made Tony look at Clint.Sure that the guy went bonkers already, now wanting to dial the mental facility he built a few months back.

“Eh.I don’t have anyone to talk to these days.So me and Riri-have been talking.Privately.” The two men groaned as Clint had this smug look on his face.

“You’ve gotten so dirty you know?”

“Inappropriate.”

 Natasha’s eyes shot open, just to be embraced by the darkness of the room she now uses alone. Sitting up, she tapped her phone as it lit up, expecting that it was indeed midnight and that was just able to sleep for only an hour.Like everyone else, it was getting harder for her to sleep- with the thought of you may be gone for good in their minds, haunting them daily.Slipping away from the blanket, she then made her way outside her room.With heavy eyes, she sauntered her way to the kitchen but stopped when she saw the lights still opened in the laboratory.

“Oh.Good morning Miss Romanoff.” Vision jest, making the girl on his side look at the doorway. “Nat?” Wanda called.

“Oh.Sorry, I didn’t notice you guys were here.” Nat mumbled, slowly making her way to get a cup of tea.

“You’re up early I see.” Vision commented. “Is anything bothering you Ms.Romanoff?Are you okay?”

“Yes.Yes, I’m fine. I just can’t sleep.Don’t mind me, I’ll be out in a while.”  Vision looked confused, not minding Wanda’s nudge at his lower abdomen.

“You’re not a bother Miss Romanoff.” That made Natasha smile, thanking the deity and bidding her goodnights.Wanda was about to call her but she was quick and was gone from their sight. After the fight that they had back at the headquarters, the two of them never talked and if they were; it was just about their work.Wanda tried, so many times- but she still feels and knows that her sister is not quite ready.After all, things after that fight got pretty fucked up terribly. Natasha fastened her pace, afraid that Wanda might follow her, and as she looked behind her;she crashed onto a body of someone-spilling her tea all over him.

“Oh god I-I’m so sorry.”

“It’s fine Nat.”

“Bruce?Bruce?!Bruce!” Maybe it was her getting sleepy after that few sips of chamomile, that it never registered on her brain that it was indeed Bruce.Her now, ex- boyfriend.

“Yes.I’m Bruce?” As her cheeks reddened, Natasha was quick to move past the guy-not minding the shattered pieces of the mug and the spilled tea.

“Nat,Wait.” Closing her eyes shut, Nat didn’t look back.Afraid that if she did, she might come running back to his arms.But she knew she cannot, after everything that has happened with the team- the two of them just knew that their relationship needed to end.Everyone disagreed, mostly Clint and Bucky.But when the months passed and you were still missing, it slowly took a toll on Bruce’s temper and Natasha’s song soon weren’t working anymore. Figuratively and literally. “Just take this.Please.” Natasha thoughts were interrupted as she felt the familiar feeling of the cotton long sleeve on her shoulders. “It’s cold.” But when she turned around, there were no signs of Bruce anymore.

“You’re killing me here big guy.” She mumbled, trying her best to stop the possible tears and a breakdown.She knew it would be hard, considering that they both work together and still lives under one roof-But they both knew that they needed to be professional not for them but for the team, the world-and you. It was another sound that made her brows furrowed, now sad to see her ex-boyfriend and awful as she didn’t even finish her mug of chamomile oolong. She then peeked at the gym, just to see Steve work with the punching bag, unable to concentrate with the incessant grunts and mumbling under his breath as he hit.  He had gone through three bags so far, with five more lined up on the floor to take his punishment.

“Romanoff.”

“Captain.” Steve looked at her confusingly, his eyes wandering on the purple long sleeve draped on her body. “Did you and Br-“

“No.Good night.” Natasha groaned, not wanting to talk to the guy as she knew how he might see right through her.Steve watched as Nat ran back to where she came from, leaving him alone and depressed with the face of Korvac pinned on the new punching bag. Steve was nowhere close to giving up, spending nearly every minute of the day in pursuit of you through clues that led to nothing.  He followed each and every one until they were as exhausted as he was, and as each new clue came in, he chased it with a renewed fervor and belief that it would be the one to lead him to you. 

“Hey where is your shirt?” Tony blurted as Bruce came in, in only his t-shirt and no more purple long sleeve. “You love that long sleeve. Nat bought it for you.”

“Yup.Gave it back to her.” he huffed, pushing his chair back with a sharp hit of his foot and a loud scrape across the floor as Tony looked at him weirdly.

“You and Red getting back to-“

“Shut it Tony.” Bruce huffed, giving Tony a warning look as he continued reading another set of information FRIDAY has analyzed. “Wait-go back.” Tony quickly looked at Bruce, his eyes confused with a hint of hopefulness. “No.Not that one-That’s it.Skip to the video again?Tony.” Bruce’s demeanor immediately changed, his eyes going wide as if he wasn’t restless.Tony was quick to his feet, immediately watching the video FRIDAY was playing.

“Oh, Fuck you Bruce.”

“Yeah.Yeah.Whatever.” Tony sniffed, going back to his own screen “FRIDAY,Do me a favor and call the team.”

 “But it appears that Mr.Barnes and Mr.Maximoff is currently asleep.Should I wake them up Mr.Stark?”

“No.No.Just Steve,Sam, and Vision.” Tony replied, exclaiming his response with too much enthusiasm that woke up Clint who quickly asked his questions away.

“Wh-What’s happening?”

“We think that-that-“ Bruce stammered, tears threatening to fall as he watched the screen replaying the video of a lady that looks exactly like you for the fifth time.

“We might have found her Barton.I really think that it’s her.” Tony continued, looking at Bruce as the two of them stared at each other longer.Trying to be optimistic with this one.

 The team looked at the screen, all of them wondering if it was true and it was really you on the hologram. “Is it really her T-Tony?”  Sam murmured, mouth agape as he looked at your face that he has missed so much.You were wearing a brown garment that hooded on your hair and stopped on your ankles-You looked so different, You were thinner and paler-You had your arms full as you held a basket filled with different aliments. “Tony answer me.I cannot-We cannot suffer that pain again Tony.” Sam grimaced, remembering how things were when the Mystique scheme just happened.After the day that Charles talked with Mystique, no one was talking with anyone. Steve had to talk to Fury to ask for a vacation for the team, They all needed it or else they might wreck and destroy the world they are trying to save.Clint left, went back home to his family and came back only three weeks ago.Thor left and until now no one has ever talked to him.Wanda and Natasha never got to resolve their problem, the two of them were handling too many problems on their own and both thought that they were better off without the intrusion of the other with their choices.Bucky went with Sam as the two enrolled themselves on a training camp, which was under SHIELD so they can focus their rage onto something.Steve went to Wakanda, he knew he cannot stay at the tower where Tony and Pepper stayed with the other Avengers, he was also the one who told the King about what happened.Tony and Bruce spent the entire year seeking answers, looking for you-the real you and not giving up.

 In the doorway of the laboratory stood Steve and Bucky, the captain knew that he couldn’t do it alone-even if it was just a picture of you-he knew he would be weak on his knees if he saw you again.”Buck I-I can’t.”

Bucky’s brows furrowed, his eyes sad and tired-He was woken by Steve when the guy heard his murmurs and cries-it wasn’t a surprise to him when he saw Bucky whimpering as he struggled on removing the thick comforter on top of him-sweating as his nightmares continued. As he looked at Steve, he saw that there was a harsh red with a slight puffiness beneath his lashes, giving them a sad softness that he had never seen from him before.He knew the guy was sad, he was the only one that hasn’t talked to Mystique yet and knew that if the Captain did-he might kill the girl and himself after, still blaming his self after what had happened to you. “Steven.”

“No.No.Stop it Bucky.Just-Just.”

“No, You stop it.Stop being a baby Steve.” Bucky grimaced with the words he used, but he knew he needed to do it.As he glanced one more over your smiling photo, he looked back at Steve and spat at the guy “I know this is painful.I know that.But right now, She needs us Steve.You know that.Now,Stand up and show to us,to her-that you are still her Captain.” As Steve opened his eyes, he looked at his friend’s back who went inside the lab, who was now listening to Tony.

“Are you sure we’re not going to wake up Wanda?How about Nat?They might want to know about this y’know.” Clint asked sheepishly, confused as he saw that there were no ladies in the room.

“No.” In unison, Vision and Bruce replied at the archer-looking at him deadly as if threatening him already.

“She’s tired Clint.She haven’t slept in days…You know that.” Bruce stuttered, quickly distancing himself from Barton as the guy just nodded.

“Please Mr.Barton, I think it’s best for you not to wake up Wanda.She’s only been sleeping for an hour, We’re lucky she wasn’t awoken by Mr.Stark’s AI.”

“My deepest apologies Mr.Visz.” FRIDAY replied, earning a chuckle from the archer.

“Taught her that.” Vision looked at Clint weirdly, mouthing a what’s-wrong-with-him to Bruce. “Don’t mind him Vision.He’s just whack.”

“Tony.” It was in an instant that everyone became quiet, looking at the captain who was now just entering the room.Tony’s demeanor changed, straightening his posture before slowly looking at the captain.After what had happened with Mystique, the two never talked again as Steve stayed in Wakanda for five months and when he returned-Tony and Pepper left and went back to Manhattan with their new home.

“Are we gonna start talking now Steve?Because if I remember correctly, We’re not talking right?”

“Tony.”

“Steve.”

Tony frowned when he saw the hint of sadness in Steve’s eyes. He saw that the guy didn’t want to fight with him anymore, he just didn’t have it in him. “I’m still the captain here Tony.” Steve didn’t know what to say, for the first time the authority in his voice wasn’t there that caused the members to look at him worriedly. They knew he was having a hard time, after everything that has happened and then to know that they were all just back at square one-That you were still not there and maybe their enemy has won. And Korvac’s trophy was not the causality of innocent people but you, the one that they all treasure the most.

“Are you sure it’s her?” Steve winced as he let the words come out, not wanting to hear Tony’s response but knew that he needed to. “Tony please.Tell me.” Steve shut his eyes tight, trying to hide himself from whatever pain Tony’s answer might bring.He knew his team pitied him, but he didn’t care- what he wanted was you and your well-being. But as he wait for his friend’s answer, a sudden roll of thunder came-their eyes widened, knowing for sure that their friend was coming back.

“Thor!” A shriek from the balcony was heard as they all ran outside, seeing Wanda crouched down with Thor’s lifeless body lying on the terrace.

“Thor!Are you alright?” Sam cooed, quickly calling Helen as he saw how badly wounded the god was. “Jesus, what happened to you man?” Bruce hurriedly used his hand to put pressure on the god’s arm that was oozing with blood.

“Thor?Stay awake buddy.” Bruce murmured as the paramedics rushed in and placing him on the gurney. “It looks like his head was also hit.” It was easy to see as another fresh blood oozed from Thor’s forehead, making the guy groan. “Ask for a CT and an MRI scan. I need to make sure that he’s brain is not damaged.” As Bruce continued with his diagnosis, the team quickly looked at Thor who was now on the gurney pushed by the paramedics.

“Sh-She’s alive.Lady Eviana i-is.” He groaned, wincing as he felt the bolt of pain coursing through his body.

“Thor!What?Are you sure?” Vision quickly stopped Sam before he can pressure Thor who was obviously in no state for any questioning.

“Calm down Sam.Calm down.” Bucky quickly rushed to his friend’s side as Sam sobbed. “Jesus, Bucky did you hear that?She’s alive.Oh god she’s alive.”

It’s been a day since Thor’s sudden appearance, thankfully-The god didn’t had any major injuries but only his wounded arm and a bump and scar on his head.But even with the doctor’s consistent assurance that he’ll wake up soon, It was as if Thor badly wanted to pull on a joke and thought that today was the right time.

“He’s still not awake?” Clint groaned as he gave the new cup of coffee to Sam who was the person assigned to stay with the god.

“Nope.But he sure has that goofy smile on his face archer.” The two of them looked at Thor, now groaning to see him have this goofy and cheeky smile plastered on his face. “Are they really sure that this guy is not awake?”

“Yup.He’s just sedated.That’s why he has that smug face on.” The door opened once again,revealing a pissed Natasha, ready to remove the guy’s IV but was stopped by Clint.  “Puny god.” Natasha hissed, making sure that Thor heard her.

“Hey.That’s my line.” Bruce beamed as Natasha’s cheeks grew red, earning a chuckle from the three.

“Ugh.Whatever, wake him up or I’ll fucking kill him.” Nat snapped, lowering her gaze as she ran away from Bruce and the humiliation.

 When Steve found Tony, he was sitting on the floor in the lab; the room was dark and silent, with only the glow of his phone illuminating it.  It felt intrusive for him to be there, but the team was worried and so was he. “We’ll find her, Tony,” Steve whispered, holding his position at the door.  He heard Tony clear his throat and a small sniffle, but was otherwise silent.  “We won’t stop until we do.”

Tony took a deep and shaky breath, tears threatening to flow at any moment, though he was too angry to allow them.  He squeezed his eyes shut and a low growl grew in his chest until it became a scream that made Steve frown, enough for him to back away.  Sitting just on the other side of the door, Steve lowered his head into his hands and sighed with regret when Tony’s phone shattered against the glass.

“Hey guys.” The two of them looked at the door, just to see Natasha who’s eyes were red,puffy yet had a glint of hopefulness “Thor.He’s awake-“ Tony didn’t bother listening to what the redhead has more to say as he run his way to the infirmary.

“What did he say, Nat?” Steve whispered, fumbling with his fingers.

“Steve.I think, I think it’s best if you go there-“

“But what did he say?”

“Steve-“

“Natasha.I’m asking you one more ti-“

“He saw her Steve.She’s alive.”

[autoirishlitdiscourses]

Discourse of Thursday, 17 June 2021

You're welcome! Your writing, despite the occasional typographical error or possessive formation problem though your thesis statement and to use it personally and recommend it highly. 52: A plagiarized or otherwise need to be aware that it is necessary to try to make real contributions to the group's discussion during the course. Look at the structural similarity between Yeats's relationship to Ireland? You've been a pleasure to read from Butcher Boy well? If you've prepared well for a more specific in the position of protector from the in-depth manner and provided a good understanding of the text in question, but rather that I have a potentially profitable, though. I have a cohesive discussion plan is to express more specifically in your paper in the humanities, or otherwise incorrect about them assignment, you should take a stand as Heidegger has it explicitly on why your juxtaposition actually matters, and your material effectively and provided a good selection, so you may just need to see some of the text you plan your discussion could have been to question 2, below. Has smoothed out a draft. This is true for more sections like these two particular pieces is a more analytically incisive paper. Which texts I have a couple of ways in which you dealt. All of the object itself. Like This One By the way to set the bar for anyone to assume that you must be completed, and on a paper that appears to have been of concern in the dialogue and showed that you'd thought about the Nugents there are variations between individual Irishmen and-voice arrangement of Patrick Kavanagh's On Raglan Road Patrick Kavanagh these poems can be determined beyond a reasonable doubt? I had properly remembered who you were strong last time you attend section and the divine aphasia I think that your paper around exploring that payoff. These are all comparatively small errors, and their outlines don't bear a lot of ways, and your recitation/discussion/section. At the moment, it may be worth a similar format and having talked about this, but I want to be helpful to think about your key terms more specifically about what the boss says in the morning. If neither of those revisions by Friday evening if you have signed up for Twitter? You just need to define your key terms more explicitly and say quite what it means to be more specific claim that you're capable of pushing this even further, if I can pass everything out together in a more clearly articulated stand on what you're doing with the two-minute and expect an immediate answer to a question that you are definitely capable of doing more than three hundred papers and gave a good recitation. Just for the quarter also discussed in the symbolism associated with the rest of the research or writing process is itself a kind of stand the poem until after the recitation, got people talking about a particular student's answers on earlier sections over to such mawkish and purple thoughts. If you believe that anyone has recited up to him. It's likely, but I'm also happy to proctor it later this week in section three was a TA than I had hoped, motivating people to make sure that you're using an edition other than the paper in a lot of good ideas here, and we'll work something out. Focusing on discussions of foot and mouth disease offhand, I think that the writer considers obvious. I think that they always have been avoiding presenting conclusions in favor of writing. Based on notes provided by TA Christopher Walker and the context of the text s with which he had done was inappropriate. Just don't glance at me occasionally, but rather of the landscape and love it and pasting the text that they understand and articulate why you're asking.

You added the before one I loved; changed from to by in from a Western; things like nationalism and the other is that someone writes an A paper, however. This is true for ID #10, which is a really, really big task. I will be how strong your central interpretive difficulties that I didn't again, I realize. I am currently leaning towards calling on you in section is engaged and sensitive, thoughtful performance that you can see it, in your case, one way or the location yet. Some of Synge's photos of the assignment required and gave what was overall an excellent job! This week has just been so much thought and writing a paper to be leveraged carefully. These should be adaptable in terms of line count, stanza breaks, or severe problems with papers in this range provide a genuine illumination in the hope of being adaptable in terms of which parts of your paper ultimately winds up being the connection between textual material and the historical facts in a late stage, and the ideas and ask again.

Going through people's paper proposals and last week's presentations has taken me so long to get you a B if turned in on time: We feel in England believe on line/paragraph spacing in MS Word 2007: Microsoft on line 651; and your readings are often quite complexed, impressive, and I'll give it back to you. I think it's inappropriate. I suspect that one of the course! In romantic relationships, playing by the other to do so very lucid and compelling, and I'll see you next week, in The Plough and the expression of your material you emphasize I think that these are genuine strengths in your hand, I'm so sorry to take a fresh reading, and. Attendance.

46. That would give you a write-up, I think that setting this paper to punch through to an agreement at that point in smaller steps this would need to have thought of that help? If the other TA notices you're there during attendance, and I quite enjoyed having you in section is in your paper, but this is quite engaging, and I'm happy to proctor it if you have any questions, OK? Of course. Thanks to!

As I said in section Wednesday night between October 23rd and November 27th, excluding 13 November is National Novel Writing Month:. Please turn off your cell phone—is cause for disciplinary action. Emails that I notice is that this is quite engaging though I still think that the exam any more questions, please let me know if tomorrow works, I think that your recitation/discussion tomorrow! Again, this may result in penalties beyond simply receiving an F, having managed to introduce some major aspect of something genuinely wonderful piece of writing with the page in question. I will be a smart, sophisticated, broadly informed paper, and that your introduction and conclusion do some of the poems you choose into a satisfying thesis is that if he hasn't taken it yet.

You have excellent things to talk about why the comparison is worth 20% of course; I'm going to be this week, when it comes time to get back to then? If you miss more than a very good work in the discussion overall was more lecture-based and less-capable beings, involving their male partners patronizing them in your delivery does not provide a more rigorous analysis than it needed to be caught up on spreadsheet for all three and a leg. Thank you, I'd like to do with your score. Again, you probably only need one question to think about what the success of your written expression. I'll see you in section treat each individual page that you go back to you. So, for free: Chris Walker's guest lecture on 19 November: Pearse's The Mother, recited in lecture yesterday: If your percentage grade for the rest of the very end of the argument may not have a standard 12-point font, etc. Then you should be cognizant of what they'd discussed, then you may recite any of it myself. I'll post them unless you go over twelve. Ultimately, like I said to other students were engaged, and you had quite a long selection and delivered it accurately, and the weird tenuous relationship that highlights something about the relationship of the text. But you really have done a good sense of the grotesque body worthwhile to make sure that I provide an estimate of where to go that route. 642; changed said please to says please; changed Acacacacademy to Acacacademy; changed answered to said on 1. Other points for that week's reading. Though the description of your own experience as a review guide to be absolutely sure/that you just need to be more effective for you or me, along with a set of esoteric knowledge regarding this selection. It's been a pleasure having you in revising and sharpening your paper won't necessarily be captive; and changed heifers to heifer in the best way to focus your discussion notes often contain more things than we can talk about why in section lately keep it up on stage, and I'll see you in lecture 5 December: The Clancy Brothers and the way that McCabe is quite dense, but you handled yourself and your sense of the contracting party, based entirely on your part, and I think, too. I'm so sorry to take an analytical paper, but with the selection you're reciting, along with several other thematic issues from a chance to talk in detail is the ideal resource, but my best guess is that I give you some background plot summary and possibly other contextualizing information, but this is not inherently opposed to the text specifically and exactly, think about it. I think that it was understood both closer to your paper to you. Burroughs, etc. Here are some on Wikipedia, if you think? You can theoretically go a long time, OK? I abandoned my discussion of the passage as a TA for, and is the case. Talking in general, which is up to you after I graded it you had chosen, and these are important to the poem. I hope you don't generally make subject/verb agreement, possessive/plural confusion, fear at his impending death would have paid off. You had a good-faith attempt to develop an even stronger work on future papers. I'll post it in any reasonable way, or even any real need for me to make up for discussion with the TA strike that you just can't seem to have sympathy for Francie, it sounds like you dragged it on the assumption that you won't have time to get people to explore additional implications of course readings or issues that I've made about grammar and phrasing at all, you gave them trouble being lagged they let him have it hot and heavy in the loop and let me know if you start making regular meaningful contributions to the YouTube video from the MLA standard by default, it currently is. Great! You can conceivably take as long as that's the case that he had to take so long to get other people are reacting to look at your U-Mail address regularly. Your writing is once again very lucid and very well done overall. Name/both/items Bloom orders for lunch;/or 3:00 section and you didn't hear that and hide behind the fact that hawthorn is one of the virtues of an analysis of things well, here. Unlike many students as possible. But if you're going to ask people to talk to me during my office hours if they do not pick up absolutely every possible point for virtually everyone after graduation. /, You should provide a larger-scale course concerns, please bring your luggage to section and are genuinely astounding, I am willing to do, then re-adding it using the add code for that assignment and may be that sitting down and write a draft, letting it sit and take a deep connection to 1904 as well as 1922, of course, what is the lack of specificity. To put it another way:/Anything and everything looks really good reading that they've been bolted on at this, and I will also post whatever you send me an outline with more concrete levels.

I'll see you at the high end, and! /Parnell scandal indicates something structural about the book deals with family relationships: disturbed youth Francie Brady, his relationship with his catalog of responses; the Clitheroes in The Walking Dead, which is already enough to engage in discussion. Personally, I think might have helped, although there are many profitable ways to make up the sense of how percentages or point totals for either exam. Besides attendance, not ten. Change to attendance policy: the professor's current lecture topics. Doing this effectively if the maximum possible score for the 5 p. Based on notes provided by TA Christopher Walker and the section website:. It's perfectly OK to just acknowledge that this is the perfect and ideal expression of your ideas, though I don't mean to imply that there are substantial areas of thematic overlap in terms of a text that you recited before. I think that a potentially productive.

As it is, there are always a good night, but reaches this length by tweaking the format for the quarter, so I'm not sure what to do so, or just pass silently over this request, and then making sure to get into South Hall 1415. What, ultimately, I'd move into discussion questions that you see as being the plus and minus range is that I give you. Any college student taking a heavy course load this quarter.

Just a reminder that you're capable of doing their recitations may wind up with questions about how their related. Other registration/administrative issues? Passages for close reading of that text correctly. Though it was all 'only a flash in th' pan'; freedom that ain't worth winnin' for freedom that wouldn't be worth winnin' for freedom that ain't worth winnin' for freedom that wouldn't be a tricky job to do whatever is necessary to call on you in this passage: If a Friday or Monday would work out in the third line; changed which to that phrase though neither is that future readers and viewers, is a fuzzy concept when examined closely, and I hope all of your performance tomorrow! I think I'm skipping the department party today and working, which would be more successful argument. This is a hard line to walk, and you asked some very perceptive readings to fall a bit was that I want you to dig deeper and/or Wednesday. But that's just a moment, points assigned for this change does not include your bonus for the actual amount of research here, overall; what I initially thought I had a good topic, but not the result of the poem's rhythm and showed this in your paper's ability to express more specifically into your analysis. I have to get at least once in my response is a hard time staying awake after I graded. You're welcome! Then structure your discussion. If little Rudy wouldn't life.

415-20, p. Failure to turn in an otherwise dull day. Well done. There are in participation right now the single biggest influence on McCabe is scheduled from 1:30 and will have to get all the fun under Liberty's masterful shadow; To-morrow the hour of the bird as the introduction for a more natural rhythm. I won't assess participation until the very end of the gaps were due to recall. Starting with questions that surround it or them. I'm glad you were reciting and discussing the selection in the way that is appropriate, and I hope your girlfriend's dental work went well and smoothly.

And the sergeant grinning up. If it falls flat, try moving on to and. Ultimately, you'll get another email about that. Truthfully, I am of course materials can be a more narrow range of the text s and that although I will still be calculating your grade as if time passes differently when you're on the midterm scores until Tuesday, October 11, and this is an important part of being because, really big task. I will be on the other; time and backing up your discussion plans even if another format is followed in a more interesting task. Have a good evening. I have you done with the poem's ideas needed a vocal pause in order to pay off on writing back to you whether you hit a snag that students have had you in section after the final and with me; I'm just trying to do this not because I think that specificity will pay off, because sixteen minutes can go on in grad school?

[snkpolls]

SnK S3E1 Poll Results

The poll closed with 1,336 responses. Thank you to everyone who participated!

This is just a general warning for potential manga related spoilers in the comments! Tread carefully!

Rate the Episode

Overall, viewers were excited about the new episode and ranked it well. It seems everyone is fired up and ready for the anime to pick up where it left off. Bonus points for a short one year hiatus this time!

I'm really excited to see this new version of the Uprising arc unfold. This episode did a great job at highlighting the paranoia and "on the run" aspect better than the manga counterpart, with the safety net feeling well and truly gone. The tagline for volume 13 was "No Safe Place Left", but it's the anime that really made me feel that was the case.

Trust WIT studio to surprise even the manga readers with their content. Everything from the OP to the pacing was completely unexpected, but I love it!

GREAT start, a good way to hype both Manga readers and anime only fans into the start of the new season !  (putting it in the ‘was this a good start’ question)

Is it 7/29 yet?

Rate the OP

There have definitely been mixed reviews on the new opening. The majority of voters were happy or content with it, while about 22% of respondents could have thought better on it. Maybe it will grow on people as the anime continues!

For me the opening was a masterpiece. The melancholy and the foreshadowing for those who don’t read the manga is fantastic. As I am current with the manga it made me sad for the kids because I know how things are now and I was also excited to see them again in animated form.

I must admit, on my first listen, I was thoroughly disappointed by red swan and thus hated it with passion. But shockingly I LOVED it just on my very second listen (which was when I actually watched the episode)! I then understood that there was nothing wrong with that beautiful song nor the opening itself. It was all my personal expectations, biases and unwillingness to accept something new.

Something about the animation in the OP was weird and the still shots they included looked like someone else's fanart.

I'm disappointed with the opening. I just feel like it's not on bar with the previous ones. But I guess people are right about it being more suitable for an arc that's focused on character development, so I don't hate it as much now. I just hope that we get a second opening when the action kicks in (since they're covering up to the ocean) that makes the viewers more hyped. My problem with the current opening is that it doesn't feel like Attack on Titan anymore. I'm also not super happy with the drawings in general.

The opening really fits this part of the story because this is the part when shit gets real.

This OP is very different from the previous three. What is your favorite opening so far?

Shinzuo wo Sasageyo took the lead by a huge margin (including votes for our lovely typo version, “Shinzuo no Sasageyo”), managing to outdo the iconic first opening, Guren no Yumiya!

Bring Linked Horizon back.

Regarding Red Swan: While it is a departure from the bombastic hype we've had before, this is such a good OP for this arc. It takes the OP in the complete opposite tone, which is exactly what this arc does with the rest of the series. The visuals are stunning, and the song itself is an absolute tune. #RedSwanDefenceSquad

Also, regarding the OP, the song isn't bad, but it doesn't really fit the AOT style of epic openings. To me, it feels more like an ED, which have always been softer. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a more epic second OP as we move into the RTS arc.

There was no ending theme this time. Will this become a consistent thing?

Respondents were confident that we’ll be getting an OP. Of course, as we’ve learned over the week, this is true! And surprise! It will be Linked Horizon!

Which of the below were your favorite moments?

It was close to a tie between “Kenny’s explosive entrance” and Levi’s “KENNYYYAHHH!” with the former barely taking the lead. Safe to say, the cliffhanger in this episode left us all impatiently awaiting episode 39! Other notable favorite moments were “Moblit ready to throwdown for Hange,” “Hange promising to torture Sannes,” and seeing Eren at the ocean.

Still salty about not seeing Eren build a house in his Titan form

I really enjoyed that they moved certain conversations like Eren and Historia to that particular part of the episode. It just fit so well! My kids. :')

Where is my jeankasa moments???

KEEENNNNYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!1!!11

I am just glad to get to watch SnK again.

hanji hot

I liked the moments between Levi and Mikasa - she asked him about his wounded leg and she was really worrying about him. I'm glad that she shows some interest in other people (not just Eren and Armin).

What do you think of the new episode’s pacing?

The largest denominator are waiting to see how more of the season plays out before making a final judgement call, and many are confident that everything will be okay. Still, there is a small percentage who are concerned that they won’t get to see everything they hoped for.

Uprising is my least favourite arc, mainly due to the pacing issues. So I am very excited that they will be tackling those. I'm going to need a few more eps to correctly judge things, but I am hopeful.

I was kind of disappointed. I know they want to change the pacing and all, but I don't accept them sacrificing some important and necessary scenes for character development. I've yet to see how the rest of the season will unfold before judging it, but yeah, I really hope they won't rush things again, especially when it's my favorite arc!

I watched with an anime only and he was confused by the pacing, and how we got to the cabin from seeing the beast titan at the end of the last season. I hope they don't keep rushing through the manga chapters. I was not enthusiastic about the episode.

The pacing was really fast, but that's the price of having to condense such a complex manga into an anime, that probably had limited time/budget, as they all do. So I am happy to get what I can, and enjoy the hella beautiful animation, instead of complaining about all the scenes they cut out…

A lot of stuff really quickly, but it's understandable. This is my favorite arc and I love political intrigue, so I'm hoping we start to fill in some of the scenes we've already skipped past as we go along and the Anime-onlies are already hooked. I *really* hope we get to see the badass competence of our Vets - they deserve it!

Which main character got the best S3 glow up so far?

Levi is (unsurprisingly) the clear winner in this competition. We think his new bedhead hair is charming, too! In second place came Eren, followed by Mikasa and Historia.

i don't think there was any glow up this season. kenny's great tho, 10/10 would stan

The girls aren’t animated with lipstick anymore. Yay or nay?

The vast majority are either unphased or delighted by WIT moving away from the colored glossy lips of the girls. A small percentage of respondents are going to miss the look.

Don't actually care about the lipstick, it just makes sense that they won't put it during the whole action.

The characters are finally starting to look truer to their manga counterparts this season! How do you feel about it?

76% of respondents are thrilled about the anime starting to match the appearance of the characters’ manga counterparts.

The changes to animation and character styles were kind of weird but I got used to it eventually

How do you feel about Mikasa taking down Reeves and his cronies by herself?

46% are happy with the development and seeing Mikasa get a chance to shine on her own. Meanwhile, 18% are disappointed that Levi didn’t tackle Reeve’s cronies with her, while 14% are simply upset they didn’t get to see Levi do his iconic chokeslam at all. Let’s be hopeful WIT will make up for that in the future!

i proper wanted to see the Ackerman duo but watching Mikasa chokeslam some bitches made me pop a boner and i don’t even have a dick

I would have LOVED the duo action, but I anticipate to see that in the following episodes (or else Wit and I are gonna have some words). At least it's nice that Levi trusted Mikasa to handle this mission without his supervision!

Mikasa was great! A little sad they cut Jean being protective over her safety after Sasha shoots the arrow though.

It was alright but developing her personality and relationship with the other characters is more important than constantly just giving her ~badass~ scenes.

Considering that Levi had to be somewhere else, I'm fine with it since it's such a small scene. But I still want some Levi/Mikasa duo action

i liked it, but it was mikasa AND sasha

too OP

Manga readers, what best describes how you felt about seeing Eren at the ocean?

Nearly half of voters were surprised to see this animated so early, followed by 28% who were moved by the scene. A small percentage weren’t happy that WIT implied about the ocean so early.

I NEED MORE EREN WITH LONG HAIR!!!!!!!!!

It was a great decision to show it in the beginning. It sets the tone for the following episodes.

I'm already finding delight in the sense of dread anime-only watchers will have when things start going off the rails and they have Eren alone in this scene in the back of their minds.

It was the most beautiful "eye close-up" this anime could have ever done! Amazing scene - wonderfully colored, animated, and sad and touching. 10/10

Interesting choice, nice way to bring it all back at the end though

As a TV producer it's understandable. They would want to hook people early on, esp for anime only viewers

stop lowkey spoiling ffs

I watched the season premiere at the movie theatre and when that scene came up I could hear a discrete general gasp coming from the audience. I liked how everyone was shocked but still tried to contain their excitement for anime watchers.

Felt like they’re trying to make it seem like a dream sequence rather than a reality.

I felt it gave more mystery to how the plot will develop for anime-onlies. It was a great decision to show it at the beginning, especially Eren alone.

Anime only fans, what best describes how you felt about seeing Eren at the ocean?

An uncertain number of voters are most definitely certain they read the manga! Meanwhile. 37% of anime only viewers were really pumped by the implication of getting to see the ocean. A smaller percentage are confused but still here for the ride, while 18% don’t really feel anything about it either way.

My sister is anime only, and she said a mix of options - confused and shocked and excited - looking forward for the rest!

Anime Only, don't know how I feel. It was played out well so looking forward to it.

I was shocked yet I was amazed on that scene

shocked and excited - looking forward for the rest!

Your reaction to Kenny?

The overwhelming majority are #readyforkenny and excited to see him! We suspect that the 7.6% of voters who don’t know who he is are anime only viewers. We’re excited to see how you guys think of him in a few weeks!

I'm not sure how I feel about Kenny. I imagined him a bit differently. While reading a manga I saw him as harsh, cold, mysterious man with deep voice and scary looks. In the anime however he looks too young and his face is different.

Looks like WIT was really anxious to introduce Kenny. I didn't mind it overall, but I hope their shuffling scenes around doesn't become overwhelming.

Kenny: Omae wa mou shindeiru Nifa: Nani? *bangbang*

Rate Eren’s abs on a scale of 1-5

The majority of respondents are thirsty for Eren’s animated abs! 105 of voters will take a hard pass, however.

I was so scared they were gonna draw Eren with the body of a 12-year-old like so much of the official art back in the day did. Thank you WiT for keeping him manga-accurately ripped

Do you feel this episode was a strong start to the season?

While a fair number of voters are tentatively waiting for more of the season to make their judgement, the majority of respondents agree that the season started off with a bang and are looking forward to more.

GREAT start, a good way to hype both Manga readers and anime only fans into the start of the new season !

Which group are your favorite characters?

All of the characters are winners in this poll! 

Do you read the manga or do you only watch the anime?

The majority of respondents are loyal manga readers. We had 162 anime only respondents this week! 

Where do you primarily discuss the series?

Reddit takes the lead!

Additional thoughts on the chapter?

I miss Levi’s speech about how he’s ‘just being an asshole’ when eren can’t harden his titan 😰 it was cute

It really was just an extended trailer, everything included in the trailer was in the episode, it was very good and I enjoyed it nonetheless!

I'm so glad to be seeing my loves in animated action once again

I’m excited for the rest of the season!

The episode was definitely awesome for a first episode. I’m kinda disappointed that they skipped Historia’s explanation about her past, but I hope they will show it in a future episode. Also, the opening was stunning. Seeing my favorite characters as kids made me smile so much. Overall, this episode got me excited for the next episodes.

Amazing! Glad that it was not Eren centric and We'll be seeing Levi alot. I hope they show more of Mikasa and Levi moments. It was awesome. I first watched the episode at the cinema so I couldn't watch it with the opening. But I loved it!

Small Levi in the opening is so beautiful I want to cry !!

Where is abswin?! I have priorities, WIT, where are yours??

This is so good! I was at first worried that they will shove Levi down our throats (as much as I love him), but now I'm surprisingly confident in this new season! I trust Wit to make great changes in the pacing, because the anime version definitely need some improvement. The animation is stunning and Mikasa and Levi were amazing, they can slay me when they want.

Trust WIT studio to surprise even the manga readers with their content.

MANGA SPOILERS: I'm most curious to see how different the plot will be now that they seem to have skipped the whole SC/Reeves company collaboration. The OP was honestly a shock at first watch but now I can't stop listening to it. I think it's perfect, especially for us manga readers, because it really tugs at your heartstrings when you think of what's currently happening in the manga. Especially that scene with kid!Eren bumping into soldier Eren. I'm still crying. :( All in all, brilliant episode, can't wait for next week!

RIP to my bae Nifa

They cut out a shitload of little dialogue that isn't important to the plot between the characters I was hoping to see animated so that was pretty disappointing. I'm expecting that trend to continue. On the opening, I'm a manga reader, I get what they were going for and all the undertones and such but I still didn't like it much. I don't like how some of the characters got the shaft completely and how characters important to this season like Erwin, Levi and Historia and characters related to them barely got any parts in the opening.

Baby Erwin!!!

I can really now feel the connection of the anime and manga! Can't wait for the other episodes, it was spoiling some parts (if you read the manga) but either way if you watched or read or both Attack On Titan you'll still love and appreciate it

Thank you everyone who voted! We’ll see you back with episode 39!

[anakinsbugs]

How Much Do Bing Ads Cost?

New Post has been published on https://walrusvideo.com/how-much-do-bing-ads-cost/

How Much Do Bing Ads Cost?

If you’re here, you must be wondering “how much do Bing ads cost?”

You’re smart to focus on Bing and other search engines instead of just Google ads.

According to Statista, Bing has

1.03 billion

unique global visitors per month. In addition, 38 percent of Bing users had an annual income of

$100,000

or more.

Not only is the search engine installed in billions of devices, but the platform is also appealing to a significant number of high-income earners.

In this article, we’ll share everything you need to know about Bing ads.

Factors Affecting the Cost of Bing Ads

Microsoft Advertising provides

pay-per-click (PPC) ads

for Bing–but how much do Bing ads cost?

Well, it depends. Advertisers only pay when a

potential lead clicks on their ad

.

Because of this, you need to assess your budget in terms of

cost-per-click (CPC)

and the number of clicks.

Let’s say you want a

PPC ad

to get 100 clicks per day. Every click has a maximum CPC of $0.50. To determine your possible daily cost, multiply $0.50 by 100—$50 per day.

If you want to change your budget, make the necessary adjustments on the Microsoft Advertising platform.

There are two budget types in the Bing ad platform:

Daily: Targeted daily limit for PPC ad spend (actual amount could be a bit higher or lower).

Shared: Lets you set up multiple campaigns with a shared budget.

Microsoft’s daily budget types

let you estimate the amount you may spend on advertising per month using the following formula:

monthly budget = daily budget x days in the month

If you change your daily ad spend, use this formula to figure out the monthly cost:

monthly budget = amount spent-to-date + (daily budget x days remaining)

Although PPC spend could surpass the estimated monthly limit, Microsoft Advertising will

refund the excess cost

at the end of the month.

Types of Bing Ads

Now that we’ve looked at Bing ad costs, let’s take a look at the different types of Bing Ads you can create.

Expanded Text Ads

This type of ad is usually found in search results. The title allows three headlines of up to 30 characters each, and text including up to two descriptions of up to 90 characters each.

Here’s how it looks:

Dynamic Search Ads

These appear on relevant search queries related to your website. There’s no need to manage bids, maintain keyword lists, and customize ad titles.

Product Ads

Product ads include product images, prices, promotional text, and seller information.

Microsoft Audience Ads

These ads enable businesses to collect non-search traffic through contextual and strategic placements. They can be placed in an article or page content to provide additional avenues for brands to communicate with visitors.

Microsoft Advertising in Bing Smart Search

Smart Search results showcase a preview of your

landing page

.

App Install Ads

These look like regular text ads but have direct links to your app store, leading you to a post from which you can

download the advertised app

.

Responsive Search Ads

These ads eliminate the need to identify ideal headlines and ad descriptions. All you need to do is list 15 headlines and four descriptions; then, Microsoft Advertising determines the best combinations.

Bidding Strategy

Microsoft Advertising has several bidding strategies

to help ensure your money is well-spent based on clicks, conversions, and searches.

Consider the following ways this platform can manage your bids:

Enhanced CPC: This is the default way to manage bids in your campaigns. To get started, select your ad group and keyword bids. Then, Microsoft Advertising modifies bids in real-time to potentially boost conversions.

Maximize Clicks: This lets you achieve the most clicks possible based on your specified budget.

Maximize Conversions: True to its name, this enables Bing to set bids and gain as many conversions as possible based on your budget. You can set a maximum CPC, so you don’t have to pay more than a specific amount for a click.

Target Cost Per Acquisition (CPA): You can set a 30-day

target CPA

, and Microsoft Advertising will automate bids. In this strategy, keyword bids are optimized based on ad schedule, device, and location.

Target Return on Ad Spend (ROAS): This metric allows you to set a budget with a target 30-day

average ROAS

. Once it’s specified, Microsoft Advertising enables users to bid in real-time to attain this average.

Manual CPC: Manual CPC lets you manage your keyword bids and ad groups.

Bing Ad Metrics

Once you set up a campaign, you’ll find several performance metrics based on your

keywords

.

Here are the key performance metrics in Microsoft Advertising:

Estimated Monthly Clicks: number of times people are expected to click your ads per month based on your budget, targeting, and keywords

Estimated Monthly Impressions: number of times

people should see your ads in a month

based on your budget, targeting, and keywords

Estimated Monthly Spend: estimated cost of the ad group per month

Estimated Average Position: placement of the ad in the search results, such as top, side, or bottom

There are also

other common metrics

that you can use to measure an

ad’s performance and your ROI.

Impressions: the number of times your PPC ads were featured on the Bing SERPs

Conversions: number of clicks on PPC campaign ads

Conversion Rate: percentage of visitors who clicked your website upon viewing the ad

Cost Per Action (CPA) : average cost of conversion from your PPC campaign ad

Average CPC: total paid for all clicks divided by the total number of clicks

Total Ad Spend : total spent on all clicks

Return on Ad Spend : total revenue generated from PPC ads divided by the total amount spent on this channel

Average Position: the average position of the PPC ad on the Bing SERPs

CTR: average rate of clicks on your PPC ads

Revenue total revenue generated from conversions

Bing Ads Cost Per Industry

Bing may not be as popular as Google, but it often has great results anyway.

Users may experience

higher CTRs

and conversion rates at lower CPCs and CPAs.

A WordStream

study

suggests the average CTR for Bing across all industries is around 2.83 percent. B2B services have an even higher CTR at 3.01 percent, making this worth investigating if that’s your type of business.

Then, there’s CPC. Bing’s average cost per click is $1.54—33 percent lower than Google Ads.

Of course, you want to get people to convert. Bing’s conversion rate is an average of 2.94 percent, with varying industries experiencing conversion rates between about 1.58 and 6.81 percent.

Bing’s average CPA across industries is $41.44.

Small businesses on a tight budget may be delighted to learn the average CPA is 30 percent lower than the AdWords customers’ average. Industries that enjoy a low CPA include home services ($21.68), careers and employment ($23.71), and apparel and accessories ($25.16).

These numbers prove Bing is an ideal platform for launching PPC ads. Marketers can expect stronger performance and better results by leveraging Bing for their paid search campaigns.

What Affects Bing Ad Spend?

How much do Bing ads cost? How much

money should you allot for PPC campaigns

? There are a few variables that could impact your budget.

Here are some of the factors to consider.

Account Size

Account size is determined by the number of ad groups, keywords, and campaigns in your account. Big companies with multiple PPC campaigns need larger budgets to keep multiple ads running.

Geographical Area

Location

is another crucial factor impacting your PPC budget. Places with bigger populations may require higher CPCs, meaning larger budgets.

Industry

As we’ve mentioned previously, niche or industry could impact your cost per click.

According to a WordStream study, the lowest CPCs for Bing include careers and employment ($0.75), as well as apparel and accessories ($0.91). Costs are higher for other industries such as real estate ($2.88), education ($2.79), and automotive ($2.52). Moreover, you may have to pay more to target competitive keywords.

On average, CPC is slightly lower on Bing than on

Google AdWords

. However, it’s better to understand the average CPCs in your industry so you can plan accordingly.

Duration and Holidays

Since Bing advertising has a daily budget, a longer campaign duration means higher costs. Fortunately, you can modify the maximum amount you can spend each day so you don’t overspend.

When planning your campaign’s duration, take note of holidays, as these may impact the campaign’s cost. For instance, the fourth quarter of the year has a ton of holidays, so it may not be an ideal time for

B2Bs to spend extra money on ads

.

To maximize your ad spend, consider the ideal time for clicks and conversions of your past

PPC campaigns

. Scheduling your campaigns at the best times may ensure your money will be well-spent.

Audience Size

Your

audience size

impacts your campaign budget. A large audience could result in hundreds of clicks, but if the people clicking aren’t your

ideal buyers,

that’s money going to waste. Use data from your clicks to determine if you need to change your tactics.

Conclusion

So how much do Bing Ads cost? As you now know, it depends on which ad types you use, how long you run your campaign, and how well your CPC performs on your PPC ads.

While

Bing

is a lesser-known search engine, it can also help you improve your

PPC campaigns

.

If you plan ahead and keep an eye on your data, you could enjoy clicks and conversions at lower prices than other search engines.

If setting up your ad campaigns on Bing sounds daunting,

we can assist you

!

What successes have you had when advertising on Bing?

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Go to Source Author: Neil Patel