#and this is where you see the foundations of it

[daretoassume]

this is how you build your OWN beliefs from scratch

beliefs are the foundation of creating the life you desire, along with your inner conversations and emotions. this is why it is important to examine all the beliefs you have in every area of your life, especially those about people and yourself, to see if they align with your natural self, which is your divine self.

i said "own" because we picked up beliefs from the people we were surrounded by as children, having no choice at that time but to accept them. however, the idea is that you always have a choice to choose or create your own beliefs that align with your true self and will shape a whole new reality. if you want to build your beliefs from scratch, you need to:

identify the old beliefs – you cannot change something you are not aware of.

unlearn the old beliefs – ask yourself if they are true for you or if they align with your truth.

list the "new" beliefs – form beliefs that are true for you, true to your divine self.

act on the "new" beliefs – behave in a way that is more aligned with those beliefs.

persist – continue to choose the new beliefs you created moment to moment, even if the situation remains the same.

i definitely recommend having a journal when practicing unlearning beliefs that don't serve you, as it makes you more aware of them, making it easier to remove or replace those beliefs. doing shadow work is one way to deeply investigate what is happening inside you, why you believed the old beliefs, where they came from, how to make peace with them, and how to let them go.

once you have chosen those new beliefs, you must perpetuate them every day, especially when a situation challenges you—particularly your emotions—to choose that new belief for you to experience a new reality. because you cannot just list them and then forget about them. your behavior should match these new beliefs until it becomes natural for you to think and act in that way.

"..because in the next moment it is a whole new reality. you actually have to keep choosing the belief every single nanosecond in order to actually have an experience of ongoing perpetuation." ♱ bashar (darryl anka)

to truly experience this whole new reality you desire, persist in your new ideas, new beliefs, and the thoughts and behaviors aligned with those ideas and beliefs. it may be uncomfortable at first, but that is also just a belief. if you find it hard to attain, as i said, doing shadow work will really help you. this is just a reminder that you always have a choice. always choose what is aligned with your natural self.

[paper-mario-wiki]

I feel like I've ended up in the same spot as so transmasc before me: I have a lovely cis boyfriend who loves my tits which I love for him, but I am getting dysphoric to the point I wanna lift my lips and show a lil teeth when I see his hands coming towards them. Feels bad because they are his favorite and we haven't been fucking as much because as soon as he starts touching me I am out of it™ and get all in my head and freeze up. Any advice?

good god, brother. i am utterly baffled at why you have elected me as the strategist for this problem, and i'm even more confused as to why you have chosen to go into as much detail as you have.

but.

if i were to give you some advice on this

i'd say that you should consider a conversation with your partner about the long-term plan for the relationship. a "relationship" is two lives that are connected, right? and your life is not one where you're gonna have boobs for the rest of it (or at least based on what you've told me i would assume, should you have your way, those bad boys are gettin lopped off at some point), therefore it's pertinent that it be brought up, because it concerns your life, therefore it concerns the relationship, therefore it concerns him, yes?

now, the first and most obvious thing to start with out the gate is the boundary, made clear and concise: the hills are now closed, off limits to tourists. all discussions regarding this come next. make it clear that it's about something quite core to your identity, and something that does in fact cause physical pain (a panic response from the nervous system is pain homie).

this brings some followup questions (and remember, this isn't an interrogation, it's a dialogue to share): how does he feel about this? if he's against, why? for that matter, how much does it bother him? is there something he doesn't understand about your discomfort? is there some concern he has about your financial or bodily well-being with regards to the procedure? is it because it's vital to his attraction to you as a partner? if that's the case, would their removal be a deal-breaker?

now keep in mind, these question can be brought up whether or not you've got immediate plans to engage in the aforementioned lopping-off of your aforementioned Bad Boys, because the actual point of this dialectical exercise is to create a simple, easy to navigate, easy to understand conversation, which will set a foundation for further negotiations-- should you learn something new about each other, or yourselves, or the relationship as a whole.

either way, i do not think that letting it keep happening and keeping it to yourself is a good idea. i can understand feeling guilty about withholding some physical and emotional gratification you could give "easily" to this person you care dearly for, but trust me when i say that it's not the way to let it be. not just because it's unfair to your partner to secretly grow to resent them for a reason you don't want to vocalize, but to yourself as well.

you may not know it, but by keeping it to yourself you're slowly building up a resentment. that frustration actually shows up pretty clearly in your message. and even if what you're frustrated about is only that particular activity, that activity is irrevocably tied to another person. specifically, a person that you consider to be a pretty central pillar in your life. if that resentment grows, it can evolve into anger, hatred, fear, paranoia, and all sorts of nasty things. and even aside from the emotional and psychological damage that can do, it can grow into a physiological issue, where your brain wears out more and more due to the growing emotional distress ripping through your neurons with all sorts of "emergency" chemicals. like i said, the panic response is a physical pain, even if your body doesn't feel like it "hurts".

so. to summarize.

ABSOLUTELY bring it up. if you don't, it could become damaging to your relationship, and also your actual real life physical brain.

when you do bring it up, remember that the goals are to set a boundary, and to reach an understanding through mutual conversation. it's a dialogue, not a lecture.

when you reach an understanding, figure out if the relationship needs to be renegotiated in some way. that usually means new boundaries, or expectations. or maybe nothing! though surely your boyfriend can find more things to love about you.

that's as best as i can muster. you don't have to follow it, but hopefully it'll at least give you some ideas you can use.

[saltnsugarbear]

you're the only one who makes me- every time we- (18+)

summary: just some foundational building for this au (headcanons)

title from: "Wildflower" by 5 Seconds of Summer

word count: 1.4k

content warnings: MDNI!!! talks of cam work, allusions to a break-in, casual affection between friends, allusions to sexual fantasies

side note: everyone go kiss aw-live for giving me more filthy ideas on this au <3

- I think we've decided Lip hosts his cam streams in the top floor of the Alibi Room (we being me and Olive)

- it's simply the place where he would have the most privacy and Veronica would probably be chill about it and be like get your bag (she ran cam shows??? so she's like fuck yeah okay king)

- I've just remembered she did cam shows, hell yeah actually she's like get your bag king here are some tips and shit.

- V probably helps set him up with a nice camera, gives him a set of keys to get into the bar and upstairs, helps him spruce the place up, make it look nice for the streams

- this takes place during when he works at Patsy's, and is 100% diverging from canon

- I don't think he's entirely obnoxious about how attractive he is but he has some sort of inkling? like he's the smallest bit cocky about his appearance around his partners just because they're kind of like,,,, they short circuit sometimes

- so he has the idea that he's attractive enough so he's like fuck it why not try?

- and I mean he's got a mouth on him so he can definitely say some shit that'll get people hot and bothered

- so he figures doing cam shows is worth a shot and will help bring in some money on the side

- you work at Patsy's Pies as a waiter, dressed in the white tank top and shorts that have become your uniforms

- you're one of Fiona's most trusted and therefore are very close with her

- one day Fi asks you to go out but day of she asks if you can swing by her place, asking you to bring an item of clothing with you because she has the perfect outfit planned

- so you take the L to the nearest station to her and make it to her house in no time

- you're a little surprised the Gallaghers have an unlocked door policy given they live in Southside Chicago but oh well, Fiona assures you they're prepped for anything (she even shows you The Bat)

"It's unlocked!!" You hear from behind the door. The voice sounds much farther than just a door between the both of you. True to the statement, the door gives way when you turn the doorknob.

The mudroom your greeted with is cramped, boots and shoes littering the floor and coats crammed onto different hooks.

"Kitchen!" You can hear Fiona's voice clearer now. You duck out of the mudroom, taking in the cluttered living room that leads to the dining room.

Fiona pops her head out from the doorframe and gives you a bright smile. "You made it!"

"I said I would, didn't I?" You adjust the strap of your bag on your shoulder. Fiona shrugs as you walk into the kitchen. Her hair is up, and she's got a steaming mug in her hands.

"You brought it, right?" Her eyes are bright as she looks at you. You nod, opening the bag to pull out the corseted top she asked you to bring. It was something you had been gifted and never planned on wearing yourself, so you offered it to Fiona happily.

Her eyes light up when she sees it. Fiona sets her mug down before she walks over to you, taking the top out of your hands. You watch as she fingers the material, taking it in.

"Thank you," Fiona is quick to wrap her arms around your shoulders, bringing you into a fierce hug.

"'S no problem." You tell her, squeezing her tight before she let's go.

"Gonna go change, and then we can get ready together!" Fiona gives you a soft kiss to your cheek as she departs. You've become used to Fiona's casual affections, watching how she gave the same affection to her siblings in the restaurant. "Help yourself to some coffee."

You watch as Fiona goes up the stairs, disappearing behind the wall. You listen to her walking upstairs before you set your bag on the counter and search for a mug.

The sound of footsteps on the stairs comes sooner than you anticipated Fiona would be.

"Hey Fi," You call over your shoulder. "Where uh- where do you keep the clean mugs?"

The footsteps stop short, and you turn around to look at Fiona. "Left cabinet."

It is not Fiona who speaks, and you think you might break your neck with how quickly you finish your turn. Lip stands on the third step.

Shirtless.

The sight makes your brain pause. Your eyes widen slightly, taking in every detail you can process. What jumps out at you the most is the outline of a triangle on his left pec.

"I- Um-" You're struggling to find any words.

"Sorry, didn't think anyone else would be here other than Fiona." Lip takes the last few steps down and walks to the laundry basket on top of the washing machine. Your eyes follow him as he crosses the room and grabs the first shirt he can get his hands on.

You watch silently as his muscles move when he lifts the shirt over his head. You quickly avert your gaze when he tugs it over his chest.

"Which, uh- which cabinet did you say?" The image of the ink triangle has thoroughly derailed any thoughts you might have had.

"Far left." Lip's voice is curt.

You make your way to the counter, leaning against it to open the far left cabinet door. True to his word, there sit mix-matched coffee mugs.

"Pass me one?" Lip's voice is closer and you can feel his shoulder against yours as you grab the first mug. You softly place the first mug on the counter, exchanging it to your other hand to pass it to Lip. His fingers are warm where they graze over yours when he takes the cup. You're quick to grab your own, turning to push yourself against the counter behind you.

After he's filled the first mug, he passes it to you on the counter and holds his hand out for the empty when you've got grasped between both your hands. You're almost too quick to pass him the mug, nearly pushing it into his hands.

You take the first one, bringing it close to your chest. Being this close to Lip makes your brain go blank like an etch-a-sketch.

"Cream, sugar?" Lip asks as he places the pot back against the machine.

"Uh, both." You say, setting your cup on the counter.

Lip nods as he opens the fridge, grabbing the gallon of milk from the fridge.

"Sugar's behind you.." Lip mutters coming up beside you and reaching around you. You can't help but freeze, holding your breath until Lip is out of your space.

He grabs two spoons from the drying rack on one side of the sink, offering you one of them.

You take it from his hand, your fingertips brushing against his knuckles

You can feel his eyes on you as you start taking spoonfuls out of the container. The huff he lets out through his nose makes you glance at him, watching as he rubs softly at the knick on his cheek.

"Make your coffee.." You mutter, bumping your shoulder into his.

Lip huffs, turning back to his cup. He takes the sugar from your hand, trading you the milk for it.

As you mix the milk and sugar into your coffee, you can't help but zone out.

The inked triangle you saw on Lip's chest makes an appearance in you fantasies that night. And the few nights after that, when you try to get yourself off.

Of course, such a simple thing was to haunt your mind.

It was Lip Gallagher, after all.

- Lip is not the soft and sweet camboy no no

- he is the mean, condescending camboy

- the camboy who talks you through it, degrades you while fucking himself into his own fleshlight in his hand

- the camboy who teases you and coaxes you and says if you cum before he tells you to he won't let you cum again for a week

- safe to say he builds quite the desperate fan base. men, women, and people alike clock in to watch his streams, showering him in tips easily, giving him enough money in one stream to pay rent

- sometimes he's an extra tease on stream, using his third one for the week to just talk you through it, not even thinking about his own pleasure as he coaxes you through your own release

- that's all for now

- gotta wait for the big show for more thoughts!!!

[frodo-with-glasses]

Where have you been?

Uhhh, France?

(That’s a Hamilton reference, btw. I have never been to France.)

So! Another Hobbit Day is upon us. On this day last year, I’d promised you all that we would take another trek through LotR, with all new drawings and poems and fanfics. I fully expected to be finished with Book One by now, at least halfway through FotR. What actually happened is that the blog struggled through the first five and a half chapters of the book before suddenly going radio silent.

So what happened?

Well, as you might expect, real life happened. I won't go into the details here—since it has nothing to do with LotR—but I can explain in DMs if anyone is interested.

Basically, a change in my family led to a reexamination of what I thought I knew about my family, which led to a reexamination of what I thought I knew about myself, which kicked off an intense period of self-improvement.

Over the course of this past year, I began to unpack my family's abuse; I learned about boundaries; I started to unlearn my old people-pleasing tendencies; I reconnected relationships that were broken, reevaluated ones that were in the wrong place, and cut off ones that weren't good for me. I discovered there was a little kid in my head who's been waiting years and years for an adult to love her, and to take her needs seriously, and I finally have the chance to be that adult. And I'm happy to say that I've come to a place where I feel safer in my own head than I have ever been.

Probably very little of that is going to show through on this blog. It's all inward stuff; foundational stuff. But one thing that might affect you guys is that I left my (dreadfully overstimulating and stressful) part-time job, and I'm now working full time somewhere else. As much as I love what I do for a living now, working 40 hours a week does mean that I am become Boring Adult who does not have as much time for interneting. With my current schedule, there is no way I'd be able to sustain the intense schedule of "must post one drawing a day" that I had in the early days of this blog; and I don't expect myself to.

But! I would like to—slowly—get this train rolling again.

I find it hilariously apropos that the last piece of art I posted on this blog was of Frodo suddenly disappearing. From Merry's perspective, he completely vanished without explanation or warning. From your perspective, so did I.

But I find myself here again, on another September 22nd, and once again I'm beginning to feel that pull; that pull to read, and draw, and create, and share, and laugh with all of you. Life has calmed down enough for me that I once again have the mental space to think about pursuing my hobbies. There are so many things I want to do—so much to do with the time that is given to me. And I want this blog to be on that list.

My current goal is to post some new book art every other day. If that's too much, I'll adjust it. But if I find my groove and really get into it, who knows? We might return to your regularly scheduled Daily Dose of Frodo-With-Glasses. We shall have to see.

Anyway. If you've read this far, thank you! If you've stuck with this blog since the early days, thank you. And if you are one of that lovely core Fellowship that has had my back and prayed for me all along, I cannot thank you enough.

This past year has been an absolute ride. Not as difficult as a trek to Mordor, maybe, but not easy either. But no matter where I walked, I knew I didn't have to take the journey alone.

Anyway! Enough sappiness. Happy Hobbit Day! I'm excited to see what the next year has in store for us. 💚

[merwgue]

Cassian and Mor’s relationship is one of the more baffling dynamics in the ACOTAR series. The emotional and psychological complexity, combined with their outright failure to establish boundaries, creates a toxic cycle that affects not only them but those around them, especially Nesta and Azriel. Let’s break down the layers of dysfunction and toxicity in their relationship:

Cassian’s Conflicting Feelings for Mor

1. Cassian’s Obsession with Mor: Despite claiming to see Mor as a "sister," Cassian’s actions contradict this on multiple levels. He constantly defers to her, listens to her, and essentially worships her, giving her power over him that goes beyond a normal sibling-like relationship. This level of deference to Mor is particularly troubling when you consider his supposed bond with Nesta.

The Issue with Nesta: In 800 pages of A Court of Silver Flames, Cassian doesn’t tell Nesta that he ever had feelings for Mor or that there was a confusing dynamic there. Hiding this from Nesta, who’s supposed to be his mate, creates a deep foundation of dishonesty. If Cassian really saw Nesta as his equal and mate, why wouldn’t he be more forthcoming about his past with Mor? It’s a massive breach of trust.

2. Not Defending His Mate: When Mor suggested that Nesta be sent to Hewn City, a place she knows is hell for women, Cassian just agrees with her. The fact that he doesn’t defend Nesta, his mate, from such a terrible fate says a lot about his priorities and loyalty. If he truly cared for Nesta, he would have stood up for her against Mor, but instead, he goes along with Mor’s suggestion. This is not just a minor oversight; it speaks to his lack of respect and protection for Nesta, the woman he’s supposed to be bonded to.

Mor’s Manipulative Behavior

1. Using Cassian to Deter Azriel: Mor’s sexuality is complex, and while it’s understandable that she doesn’t want to hurt Azriel with the truth of her bisexuality, her continued use of Cassian as a shield is incredibly damaging.

Leading Azriel On: Mor knows full well that Azriel has feelings for her, yet she doesn’t put a stop to it. Instead, she uses Cassian as a way to keep Azriel at bay without having to address the real issue. This is manipulative and shows a lack of emotional maturity on Mor’s part. By leading Azriel on, she’s effectively psychologically torturing him, allowing him to believe there’s hope when she knows there isn’t.

2. Impact on Friendships: Mor’s behavior has ruined the dynamic between Azriel and Cassian. By constantly using Cassian to divert Azriel’s attention, she’s driving a wedge between the two friends. Azriel is left heartbroken and confused, while Cassian is complicit in the manipulation. The emotional toll this takes on all of them is enormous, and it’s a huge part of why this relationship dynamic is so toxic.

The Destructive Power Dynamic

1. Mor’s Control Over Cassian: Mor’s influence over Cassian is clear—he constantly defers to her, even over his mate, and prioritizes her feelings and opinions. This gives Mor an uncomfortable amount of control over Cassian’s actions, even when it’s to the detriment of his relationship with Nesta. This imbalance in power leads to further dysfunction, where Cassian is torn between loyalty to Mor and his bond with Nesta.

2. Lack of Boundaries: The fact that there are no clear boundaries between Mor and Cassian’s relationship is what makes it so volatile. Mor continues to use Cassian when it suits her, and Cassian is unable (or unwilling) to set boundaries that would protect his relationship with Nesta or his friendship with Azriel. Without these boundaries, the entire inner circle becomes entangled in a toxic web of unspoken feelings and unresolved tensions.

Emotional Fallout

Nesta’s Marginalization: Cassian’s inability to prioritize Nesta over Mor, or even stand up for her, marginalizes Nesta in the worst way. She’s left feeling unsupported and dismissed, while Mor continues to hold an elevated status in Cassian’s life. This is not the foundation of a healthy mate bond.

Azriel’s Pain: Mor’s manipulation of Azriel is nothing short of emotional torture. Azriel is left in limbo, constantly yearning for something that will never happen, and instead of addressing the issue head-on, Mor keeps him at arm’s length, leaving him emotionally fractured.

---

Conclusion: A Relationship Built on Dysfunction

Cassian and Mor’s relationship is rife with manipulation, dishonesty, and a lack of boundaries, creating an environment that’s toxic for everyone involved. Cassian’s failure to defend Nesta, coupled with Mor’s manipulation of both Cassian and Azriel, has created a destructive cycle that harms everyone around them. Rather than being a relationship built on trust or loyalty, it’s one marked by emotional confusion, power imbalances, and psychological damage. This dynamic ultimately undermines Cassian’s supposed bond with Nesta and Mor’s friendships, creating an ever-present cloud of dysfunction within the inner circle.

Ty @litnerdwrites for letting me use your post as inspo❤️❤️❤️

[hazeltongzhi]

Hi Hazel! I'm back for my bi-weekly questions 🥹

I have been seeing the word "leftcom" thrown around, and I'm not particularly sure what it means? This is alongside the assertion that Maoists are more similar to Trotskyists than Stalinists. My question is where Stalin and Mao's ideologies and practices generally diverged? I'm not as well read on their individual practices as I'd like to be, and was hoping you might be able to suggest a source that would be helpful to learn more? I dared to google it and the top results were just comparing them to Hitler, so not particularly helpful😀👍

As always, thank you for your time! 🙏

As usual, google is basically useless for anything other than an imperialist, bourgeois perspective.

Leftcoms (left-communists, as Lenin put it originally) generally refer to the tendency of certain leftists who criticize actually existing communist/socialist movements from a left-wing angle. This tendency are very dogmatic as a defining trait, preferring to stick to written theory than to adapting theory to the concrete conditions facing a movement. In Lenin's original pamphlet talking about leftcoms, he discusses how theory ran into the concrete conditions in russia and how the Bolsheviks had to then make compromises to survive and ultimately win. The main two contentions he talks about were the Bolsheviks' participation in the parliament, and the brest-litovsk treaty. I think the biggest point to take away from it, other than the utilization of parliaments as a tactic of many, is that "there are compromises and compromises".

As for how Stalin and Mao's theory and practice differed, I can't say entirely for certain, but differences between how Stalin and the comintern wanted the Chinese communists to unite with the KMT versus Mao recognizing that there was no compromise with the KMT (something trotsky happened to agree with) could be a start. Another difference could be Stalin's focus on industrialization versus Mao's focus on the rural peasantry, which is more of a benign difference and reflects each respective nations material conditions rather than a definitive ideological split. For what to look into, new democracy and mass line, and for Stalin, "Foundations of Leninism" might be a good look.

I don't have much to say about whether maoists are more like troskyists or not. I suppose, the only similarity is that every maoist I've talked to IRL has had something different to say about what maoism is. My own differences with maoists can more or less be summarized as "there are compromises and there are compromises".

At least they're more scientific than the anarchists.

[aihoshiino]

Chp 160 was so??????? that I am straight up unable to form an opinion on it.

Like I can see the story going one of two ways. 'Kamiki is the evil mastermind actually he faked his reaction to the dvd' or 'Kamiki is playing the villian but is actually not the culprit'

And like both directions have massive problems.

The former would mean that the movie (which we spent nearly 40 chapters on) amounted to fucking nothing. Other characters ominous talking about Aqua trying to kill his father with it? Ruby's so called revenge arc? Nah, that meant nothing, the movie didn't do a damn thing.

And while I prefer the latter interpretation as it's the tonally and thematically consistent way, it would also mean that Akasaka has been circle-jerking us with the 'Kamiki is an evil serial killer.' -> 'No wait actually he isn't.' -> 'SIKE, HE IS EVIL.' -> 'Nvm he isn't.' for some inconceivable reason.

It's a mess no matter how you slice it, honestly I am so tired of oshi no ko and I just want it to be over already.

YEAH. THAT'S BASICALLY WHERE I'M AT.

In general, I just don't know why we're having a second confrontation with Kamiki. Narratively and emotionally, it's redundant - having him come back into the story and get his final resolution would be fine but playing out Yet Another Big Dramatic Showdown between him and Aqua just falls so flat for a number of reasons. We've already had the huge release of tension that was Aqua and Kamiki facing off like nearly an entire volume ago and everything that was emotionally riding on that confrontation was emotionally resolved. I know some people are still mad that Aqua didn't hit Kamiki with an orbital laser or something, but the absolute fucking gutpunch that was 153-154 was so incredibly effective and also just more interesting than this much more generic standoff. Not only is it kind of mid on its own merits but I feel like it retroactively makes that first confrontation weaker because like... it ends up not really mattering and we get a take 2 where Kamiki is acting like an entirely different character.

@yuseirra made an excellent point in their discussion of ch159 which is that (thematically speaking) the movie has to be the method by which Aqua achieves his revenge because Ai's tragedy was the result of the public's perception of her. If it isn't able to do that then not only was that arc just kind of a waste of everyone's time, reader and character alike, but it means the movie itself as an object in the narrative loses what little shaky thematic ground it has.

An issue the Movie Arc always had that it never really engaged with to my satisfaction is the underlying discomfort of watching Ai's life being turned into a movie. I said this over and over as the arc was ongoing, but there's something almost repulsive about taking this character whose life was warped and eventually ended up the exploitation of the entertainment industry and the voyeristic gaze of the public and indulging in that voyerism by creating fiction out of her life, chopping it up and outright making shit up to invent a version of her that the public can devour. It claims to be a movie about 'Ai Hoshino' but literally and explicitly fictionalizes the most pivotal events and relationships in her life - the 'Ai' of 15 Year Lie is just as fake as 'Ai of B-Komachi', just sold with an even more insidious lie to make her go down a little sweeter.

If the manga actually engaged with this idea or was even the slightest bit aware of this underlying discomfort, the Movie Arc as a whole would've been much better off for it and so would all the resolutions in the arcs following that rely on it as foundation. But as it stands, the movie is thematically dead on arrival and the fantastic emotional resolutions we got out of it, in spite of everything, have been seemingly retconned into irrelevance.

[yuurei20]

I might be dumb but what happens to 4th year students? They’re mentioned but we don’t see them on campus(?) and they can’t play spelldrive? Is it like they go to another campus or??

Hello hello! Thank you for this question! 🏫

We get some information about the fourth-year students in Book 5, where Crewel explains, "At Night Raven, students spend their senior year at internships and research placements related to their magical professions."

Both Crewel and Riddle mention the fourth-year students being on-campus for the culture fair, but we never meet anyone!

Both Ace and Grim comment on never seeing them at the school, and Trey explains that "The typical M.O. for four-year magical academies is that seniors go off-campus for hands-on learning."

Riddle provides more detail:

"Some people apply to shadow a certain special team in an administrative organization, while others leave to excavate or explore ruins, or to decipher ancient texts. Still others accept internships with magic related businesses."

We learn a bit more in Book 7, and the orientation for off-campus internships is the catalyst for the entire Book 7 story! 🥳

Crowley explains:

"The internship program is 100 percent mandatory...Each stint is three months, or one quarter. You can choose up to three internships over the course of the year. It's perfectly valid to devote all three quarters to a single, in-depth internship, as is choosing a different internship each quarter to gain a wider breadth of experience. The internships are at businesses, research institutes, and foundations that cooperate with our school...Be aware that your options will differ based on your electives, class credits, and grades. And in addition to interviews, some internships have special exams you must pass to be eligible. Each quarter, you must receive an evaluation of a B or higher at your internship and submit a report. You will not get credit without those two things. If you receive credit for two of the three quarters, then you'll qualify to take the graduation exam."

Concerning Spelldrive: you are very much correct!

While both game- and novel-Leona say that he intends to participate in the Spelldrive tournament the following year, novel-Jack points out that he isn't going to be on campus to do so:

"Both Malleus-senpai and Leona-senpai are gonna move up next year, so they won’t be here for the tournament anyway. We’re lucky we only had to compete with that monster athlete for one year.'

-Twisted Wonderland the second novel (fan translation)

So it seems that presentations at the cultural festival are tied into the internships themselves, so they are allowed (and maybe mandatory?) but Spelldrive tournaments are not? 🧐 Possibly!

[elysiansparadise]

Do you know any placements in the composite or synastry that indicate extreme loyalty/devotion to one another :)?

Loyalty and Devotion

Taking a look at Saturn...

♄ One of the crucial planets when it comes to loyalty and devotion is Saturn, since it is the planet to which we attribute responsibility, consistency, reliability and the willingness to dedicate ourselves to something constantly.

🖤When it comes to synastry, Saturn making a conjunction, trine or sextile with the other person's personal planets can tell us that the Saturn person feels that they want to do things well, that they want to be constant and supportive. 

🩶Some of these aspects with the Sun/Rising make Saturn person feel a strong loyalty towards the other, a deep respect and take them really seriously. It shows us a strong desire to be constant and righteous with the other. The Sun/Rising person, on the other hand, feels that they can trust the other and that they both got each other's back.

🩶When there are favorable aspects between Saturn-Mercury, it tells us about a relationship in which they will never betray the trust that the other places by talking about private things. There is a strong respect for each other's privacy, a lot of prudence and this quality of confidentiality since they will not tell each other's secrets.

🩶The aspects between Saturn and Venus show us that they both focus on building a relationship based on trust and love. The Saturn person shows the Venus person what it is like to have a supportive, stable relationship and above all one in which they will be respected and constantly cared for. Venus person will teach Saturn person to be valued, to accept love and how it feels to have their efforts recognized.

🖤In the composite chart, Saturn tells us about the way in which the couple commits or the aspects of the relationship that they take seriously. A well-positioned Saturn can show us a fairly strong and constant relationship.

🩶The Sun/Moon/Rising-Saturn aspects help the relationship to be characterized and focused on being something solid where both do the right thing in it. This relationship is one in which there is mutual support, both know that they can rely on each other and face any adversity with ease.

🩶Saturn falling in the 2nd house can be a great indicator as well. This is because beyond talking about material values, the 2nd house shows us all kinds of values, making the composite chart’s show something that this couple genuinely appreciates or considers of high value, this being the Saturnian qualities, that is, perseverance, reliability, loyalty, trust and security. This duo seeks to create a relationship with strong foundations and both seek to constantly reaffirm and demonstrate that they are focused on the relationship.

🩶Saturn falling in the 4th house also reflects this, since indicates not only constant emotions, but about mutual and unwavering emotional support. There is a strong respect for the emotional world of the other, a genuine desire to build a safe place in the relationship and for this union to be full of affection, acceptance and understanding.

🩶Saturn whether in the 1st or 7th house can show a lot of loyalty, as it is something the couple aspires to. They want to defend and love each other, never turn their backs on each other and be together whatever the moment they are going through. They do not give up easily and can be very confident in the idea that the other is the one they want to be with.

🩶When Saturn is in the 10th or 11th house, we can see that both have a strong conviction to always be loyal and constant in the relationship. Loyalty can be everything for this couple, and not only respecting the relationship and not being with others, but also feeling that they can be blunt, honest and direct with each other. Precisely because they see each other in the long term, they focus on showing through actions that they seek the same thing and work with the same dedication in the relationship.

The Moon can be a great significator too… 

☾ It's something I've seen frequently in relationships of all kinds that stand out for loyalty. This is more linked to emotions than reason, since a safe place and a deep emotional connection can foster loyalty.

🖤In synastry, aspects with the Moon indicate that Moon Person has managed to connect on a very deep emotional level. Their appreciation for the other person is such that in addition to adoration and affection, they feel that they never want to do things that hurt them.

🩶When Moon is making harmonious aspects with Rising or the Chart ruler of the other person, it spoke to us of a strong inclination to be protective of them. An emotionally deep connection that makes you naturally caring for each other's needs and emotions, as well as awakening the desire to be a strong support throughout your journey together.

🩶The aspects between Moon-Neptune not only help the couple feel a strong emotional and spiritual connection to the other, but also a desire for total dedication to the other. They easily reach each other's core, providing warmth and understanding, sensations that both deeply value and do not take for granted.

🩶The aspects between Moon-North/South Node make both parties feel this affection and appreciation towards the other from the beginning or at least without expecting it. They show affection and appreciation constantly and teach each other what it means to have a nice, helpful bond in which you can share yourself without fear of getting hurt. A strong emotional connection and a lot of devotion.

🖤Likewise, you can analyze the position of the Moon in the Composite Chart and obtain insights about the strong emotional bond and how both show their dedication to it.

🩶With the Moon in the 2nd house, both parties focus on creating a stable and secure foundation, in this case due to the nature of the Moon, emotionally. It strengthens the sense of loyalty, since both seek security and stability in the bond. There is a deep desire to maintain this bond because of how connected and comfortable they feel around each other.

🩶The Moon in the 4th house is very favorable for security and a sense of belonging within the relationship, things just feel good being next to each other. The couple feels emotionally connected, creating an environment of protection, mutual care and loyalty, as they both find refuge in their relationship.

🩶While the Moon in the 8th house shows us an emotionally intense relationship, it can lead to a connection based on trust and loyalty. Here, the couple commits deeply through vulnerability and emotional union and they can feel this deep devotion and loyalty to each other.

🩶The aspects between Moon-Jupiter favor a positive, loving and optimistic emotional connection, where both support and trust each other. The sense of honesty and loyalty is strengthened, and both parties have a generous and trusting attitude in the relationship.

🩶When there are aspects between Venus and Moon, this couple is focused on ensuring that the other is comfortable in the relationship. They have a strong disposition to love and understand each other's needs and make sure that the other does not lack anything.

Pluto’s loyalty needs to be highlighted

♇ When it comes to Pluto, we are talking about intense devotion, powerful attraction, and a deep desire to be close to the other person. Their loyalty is powerful because they don't connect with just anyone. When they find someone with whom there is depth, they don't leave them alone for anything.

🖤In terms of synastry, Pluto in contact with other planets creates a deep connection and can awaken the strongest of dedication and devotion. A union based on the intensity they provoke in the other and that unique way of connecting.

🩶The aspects between Pluto-Moon make them feel deeply drawn towards each other, they love to get to know each other more and keep each other safe and healthy. They awaken a protective instinct towards others and feel a deep devotion to caring for, understanding and loving others intensely.

🩶Venus-Pluto aspects increase their dedication and desire to keep the relationship strong, while also exploring the deeper aspects of your emotional connection. No matter what changes they go through individually or possible ups and downs in their personal lives, they are always willing to be there for each other.

🩶The favorable aspects between Ceres and Pluto tell us about a relationship in which both empower, care for and look after each other in every way. Both parties feel extremely supported and protected by the other, knowing that there is a deeply loyal and secure connection.

🖤Now, as far as Composite Chart is concerned, Pluto can tell us about a really intense connection, things become all or nothing, a deep sense of belonging that makes them greatly value the bond formed, because they know that no other connection can equal it.

🩶Of course we start with Pluto in the 1st house, where dedication and loyalty are not only highlighted, but prominent in all aspects of the relationship. This couple can be so emotionally committed that they become inseparable, a duo who together can do everything and wouldn't give it up for anything in the world.

🩶The presence of Pluto in the 7th house makes both parties feel a deep devotion to the relationship and their partner, since they have the strong certainty that the other is exactly what they want. Not only is there an emotional and physical loyalty, but there can also be this complicity between the two, together, ride or die, ready to face anything together.

🩶When Pluto falls in the 8th house there is a strong devotion, an instinctive loyalty to the other, a strong conviction not to fail the other and on the contrary to continue giving each other reasons to be together and aspire to something in the long term.

🩶In general, having a highly aspected Pluto, especially through trines or conjunctions, can lead to a relationship in which there is a deep connection. It is very common in relationships where both do not let go easily and regardless of the problems that arise, the couple will emerge together, moving towards a better future for both in which they hold each other's hand. Strong support, unbreakable company that leads them to know a lot about themselves and the certainty that no matter what happens, they will count on each other.

🩶The harmonious aspects between Pluto-North Node make them feel that the relationship is destined, that they were meant to be together, which drives this loyalty and dedication to each other and the relationship. Both are willing and driven to work on their challenges and remain faithful to their growth as a couple.

Juno, the asteroid of commitment

⚵ We often attribute to it the meaning of our future spouse or the traits we would like our future spouse to have, yet Juno is an asteroid that has deep-rooted loyalty and immovable devotion. When you decide to be with someone, you will hardly change your mind, because it is more stable.

🖤This asteroid in synastry shows the potential for a serious commitment or at least a formal and lasting relationship. If there are harmonious aspects between Juno and each other's personal planets, it is an indication that both may desire a committed and balanced relationship.

🩶When there are aspects between Juno-Sun they will feel that they are the right one for the other, there will be a strong commitment from the beginning, a strong dedication to the other. They see each other as someone they would like to formalize with, there is an attraction and admiration for each other's personality and attitude.

🩶Juno-Venus aspects make both of you have a more committed view of love when it comes to a relationship with each other. A loving and giving dynamic in which both have the stable, constant and devoted love of the other. Their ideals of long-term relationships make them realize that they have similar ways of seeing them.

🩶The aspects between Juno-Jupiter, more specifically the conjunction, can make both of them completely surrender to each other and the relationship they form. They see the other as a husband/wife material and show a natural commitment and loyalty to the other. They both benefit from this relationship due to the natural satisfaction they feel with the other in all the possible ways. 

🖤In the composite chart, Juno shows how both parties approach commitment and how the relationship works. Above all, it tells us the exclusivity they give each other and how much they give themselves to each other.

🩶Juno in the 7th house indicates that both parties have a strong focus on maintaining a balanced, lasting and supportive commitment. The relationship is serious and marriage or a formal commitment is a pretty big possibility. There is exclusivity, romanticism and commitment in this relationship, which makes them strongly consider spending their lives next to each other.

🩶Juno in the 10th house shows us a relationship in which both work together for a long-term commitment. They take the relationship seriously, it is not something they play with, and they see the other as someone worth building something with. This couple can be recognized for being very close and devoted to each other and it is likely that their relationship stands out a lot for this. 

🩶Sun-Juno aspects, especially conjunction, trine or sextile indicates that this relationship is deeply committed. They both see the relationship as central to their lives, and there is a strong sense of loyalty and respect for each other.

🩶The aspects between Juno-Saturn make the couple plan to be together in the long term and act to make a future together possible. They are willing to make modifications, to understand each other no matter how different they are and to give a lot of themselves, because the love and commitment they feel with each other is decisive. This duo can be together for a long time and feel a lot of devotion and honesty towards each other and their relationship.

🩶Neptune-Juno aspects make the union of both deeper and more spiritual, it is a good indicator of marriage as well as an extreme and total devotion to the other. Willing to sacrifice a lot for each other and the relationship. Loving and gentle attitude towards each other and a lot of respect for mutual well-being.

Vesta, the asteroid of devotion

⚶ This asteroid shows pure and total devotion. It is that total dedication that you give once you find what ignites your soul, and, in this case, when you find a person who is very worthwhile, someone who you don't mind giving your time and energy to.

🖤Vesta in synastry shows the willingness to be dedicated and committed to the other. They may feel a commitment to each other that helps them work toward a shared purpose.

🩶When Vesta is aspecting another person's Sun or Rising, there is a strong sense of loyalty to the other person. Both awaken in the other a mix of tenderness, love and intensity, they are very clear that they never want to fail the other. They feel that it is easy to trust the other, to give them their all, plus they feel delighted with the other person.

🩶When Vesta aspects the Moon, there is a strong emotional dedication to the other, a desire to care for and care for the other's emotions. They feel that emotionally there is no one who can understand them better than the other. A beautiful devotion that makes them always consider the other person and have them as a priority. There is usually a very strong connection on a subconscious and emotional level.

🩶With the aspects between Vesta-Jupiter, both have this inclination to give their all in the relationship, they enjoy the presence of the other person and it can give them an emotional, mental and spiritual peace that is not equal to that of past relationships. Devotion and loyalty arise naturally, they do not have to ask for anything from the other, they are born to be this giving and dedicated to the other and their relationship.

🩶With the aspects between Vesta-Saturn, both parties have the disposition to give a lot to the other equally, to put the relationship at the top of their priorities, they take this union quite seriously and they have this desire to strengthen the relationship more and more through actions, fulfilled promises and the fulfillment of future plans side by side.

🖤While in the composite chart, Vesta indicates the area of ​​the relationship where you both focus or where you share a sense of purpose and devotion. A very strong Vesta can indicate a very strong and united relationship.

🩶When we have Vesta in the 1st house it indicates that this couple is constantly seeking to work on themselves and improve the quality of the relationship. Mutual commitment and dedication to the relationship itself are essential for the couple. They strive to maintain it for the long term, with a focus on improving their bond.

🩶When Vesta falls in the 5th house, both feel committed to keeping the romantic spark alive and finding pleasure in being together, dedicating time to activities that help them connect better in every way. This couple enjoys a deep and giving yet loving and warm relationship.

🩶Vesta in the 6th house is a great position due to the nature of both Vesta and this house. These people have no problem sacrificing things in order to spend time with each other, there is firm and constant support in both, a strong sense of dedication and commitment and a genuine desire to want all the best for the other. Both help each other in times of need or tension and work together to form a connection that lasts over time.

🩶When we see Vesta in the 8th house, the couple may feel a strong devotion and dedication to creating an intense and meaningful emotional and sexual connection. There is a desire to explore the deeper aspects of the relationship and themselves through shared intimacy. There is a willingness to confront the deepest and most vulnerable emotions, and work together on growth.

🩶Vesta aspecting harmoniously Moon or Venus tells us that in addition to constantly wanting to be romantic and expressive with each other, this couple is monogamous and gives themselves completely to each other. There is a desire to cherish this connection because of how meaningful it is for both parties.

[i-will-physically-fight-you]

I think something that's fascinating in the AI discussion is how non-creatives perceive AI versus how many creatives perceive AI.

For example, years before AI was a thing--I spoke with someone about my creative writing projects and they expressed to me how they found it unfathomable that I could just make up entire worlds far removed from our reality of existence. To them, it was like magic.

To me, it was the culmination of countless hours spent playing with words until they flowed into semi-coherent lines of thought and emotion. I remember being ten years old and laboring away on my "biggest" novel project ever--it was 5k words full of singular sentence-long paragraphs and garbled heaps of grammar atrocities to the English language.

If I hadn't written it, I wouldn't have come to learn how to create the basic foundations of a story.

But I do get the "it's magic" sentiment a bit--I'm that way with music. Theoretically, I understand the components of a music composition but it feels like magic to see a musician that can listen to a tune for the first time and play it perfectly due to years of honing in their craft.

That's the premise of that quote from Arthur C. Clarke: "Magic's just science we don't understand yet."

When it comes to anything we don't have countless hours of experience with, it feels like magic. It feels like something that's outside of our feeble human capabilities. It's not until we start to put in the time to learn a skill that it becomes more attainable inside our heads.

Generative AI presents a proposition to the non-creative: "What if you could skip past the 'learning process' and immediately create whatever art of your choosing?"

It's instant dopamine. In a world that preys upon our ever-decreasing attention spans and ways of farming short spikes of dopamine, was it ever a surprise that generative ai would be capitalized in this fashion?

So for the non-creative, when they use generative AI and see something resembling their prompt, it feels good. They are "writing" stories, they are "making" art in ways they could never do with their lack of skills.

(It is, in fact, really cool that we have technology that can do this. It's just incredibly shitty that it's exploitative of the human artists whose works were taken without permission as well as its existence threatening their livelihoods.)

What I think is equally concerning as the data scraping of generative ai is the threat that AI imposes on the education of the arts. More and more, you see an idea being pushed that you don't need knowledge/experience in how to create art, all you need to do is feed prompts into generative ai and let it do the "work" for you.

Generative AI pushes the idea that all art should be pristine, sleek and ready for capitalism consumption. There is no room for amateur artists struggling like foals to take their first steps in their creative journeys. We live in a world where time is money and why "waste" time learning when you can have instant success?

It's a dangerous concept because presents a potential loss in true understanding of how art works. It obscures it and makes it seem "impossible" to the average person, when art is one of the freest forms of expressions out there.

It's already happening--Nanowrimo, the writing challenge where the entire point was writing 50k original words in a single month regardless of how pretty it looked--coming out and saying that it is ableist and classist to be opposed to AI is the canary in the coalmine of what's to come.

For the non-creatives who enjoy the generative ai, it feels like a power fantasy come to life. But for creatives concerned about generative ai?

We're living in a horror movie.

[darkmaga-retard]

By Christopher Garbacz

Haiti is a very poor country—the poorest by far in the Western Hemisphere. The US has provided Haiti with large doses of foreign aid. In fact, the Clintons were given control of large amounts of aid money to improve Haiti through their foundation. That didn’t work out very well as funds were siphoned off to who knows where but not much to the benefit of the ordinary Haitians.

Development economists have concluded that a poor country cannot be saved by foreign aid. They must want to develop their country themselves. At this point, Haiti has no prospects for significant change. Arbitrarily admitting large numbers of Haitians into America will have no effect on Haiti and a chaotic effect on America, especially if small-town resources are overwhelmed.

Image: A cat eater from Haiti. X screen grab.

So, what’s for dinner?

Haitians living are known to eat cats for dinner in Haiti. (See, e.g., here, here, and here.) Ohio Governor DeWine is oblivious to this, as well as the overall impact of illegals in Ohio. Meat is meat when you are hungry, but over time, you develop a taste for certain types of meat. One of the major gang leaders in Haiti has the nickname “Barbecue”—and this wasn’t because of his taste for livestock or even cats. Once Haitians arrive in the USA, we should not expect them to change their dining habits. Pets are not available at the grocery store.

[dcdreamblog]

A few decades ago while I was visiting Coast City, I found an interesting partial poster in a head shop. It was advertising an archery exhibition by "the Green Arrows of the World" in Star City at the Civic Auditorium.

The painted illustration has a fellow in what looks to be the pre-beard Green Arrow costume, and several men in "ethnic" variations of that costume in various bow-drawing poses.

The bottom of the poster where presumably the date and time of this event would have been printed was missing. I purchased the poster at a very reasonable price, the owner of the shop disclaiming any knowledge of how he'd acquired it, though he was quite voluble on the Rolling Stones concert one I also picked up.

I've often wondered since if there was ever a Green Arrows of the World event since I've never heard of non-USAn GAs otherwise, or if it was someone's fun fantasy project they got printed. Any thoughts or insights?

THIS poster? (Side note, this poster was done by truly legendary pop artist Jack Kirby who was probably most famous for his work at Marvel Comics but he also did a ton of miscellaneous work related to real life superheroes too) This exhibition was done during the early days of GA's career as you can see by the age of Speedy (Now Arsenal/Red Arrow) in the artwork. In short it IS the genuine article and the Green Arrows of the World was not only real but is STILL an extant organization. It consists of...well what it says on the tin. Green Arrow-esque heroes from around the world. There's been a lot of ink used about the prominence of archery in the heroic tradition (The book "Brave and the Bowmen" by Andy Diggle comes most easily to mind) with GA being its most obvious standard bearer in the modern day. Its membership has been fairly steady since inception including: Green Arrow and Speedy, naturally (USA)

Ace Archer (Japan)

Phantom (France)

Bush Bowman (Kenya)

Arabian Archer (Saudi Arabia)

Britannia Bowman (UK)

Troubadour (Spain)

Shark Sharpshooter (Samoa) Verde Flecha (Mexico) Archer of the Alps (Switzerland)

Emerald Bowman (India)

and Alba Archer (Scotland)

Now even those of you reasonably familiar are scratching your heads at most of these names but I promise this comes directly from the minutes of their only recorded meeting stored at the Moira Queen Memorial Library at Star City U. It's just that most of these heroes were fairly low key. Archer heroes and the urban vigilante type that they're usually part of tend toward low prominence and quiet careers because they're usually limited to action in singular cities or even neighborhoods. Most of them either did their time as small time protectors and then retired or are still fighting the good fight on a smaller scale. The Green Arrows of the World is a collective resource and support organization, sort of like Batman Inc in miniature. No one is quite sure who runs the organization's modest budget but lines have been drawn between it and Star City billionaire Oliver Queen whose philanthropy and focus on community organization projects is well known. They check up on one another, support one another where they can. There's only ever been one in person meeting of the organization, which this poster is from the public facing portion of, a charity drive run through the Queen Foundation for support of the then recent Boxing Day Tsunami. They're not open to public donation and are a rather private organization but spreading the word like this is part of my job. If the poster you have is different I highly, HIGHLY encourage you to turn it in at the museum of your choice. You may be holding an artifact of a much forgotten organization of heroes who really deserve the spotlight.

[difeisheng]

duel meta

i think a good aspect of the conflict present in the donghai fight is the fact that li xiangyi and di feisheng are each seeing the other as representing incompatible things, and this isn't something that began with the duel but it was part of what doomed them by the end of it.

it has to do with how both of them view their places in the jianghu, in general. li xiangyi by this point has become the symbol of sigumen. he embodies everything it stands for, and by extension of sigumen's prestige, he embodies what those in the jianghu striving for righteousness should look like. he's the legend of both this generation and the next, and when he snaps at shan gudao, li xiangyi literally considers himself the beating heart of sigumen. without him, it can't exist. he has become one with every person he represents while still apart from them, embedded in this fame across the jianghu and all its eyes on him. it's a burden, but while he's placed on the pedestal, li xiangyi still attempts to do good by all who put him on it. so here he stands, trying to shoulder it all.

di feisheng, on the other hand, has always seen his position on an individual level. he's associated with jinyuanmeng and he built it, yes, but that power is not something he's thrown himself into as its leader. he wouldn't say that jinyuanmeng wouldn't exist if he was gone; once di feisheng is reinstated as mengzhu in the present day, the first thing he does is to hand it over to jiao liqiao. his actions throughout the story after that are largely separate from those of jinyuanmeng, and he makes little effort to involve his subordinates except for a few specific people. to di feisheng, his achievements and strength ultimately rest on himself as a swordsman, and his skill compared to other distinguished people at the top of the jianghu. we see that on the night he frees jiao liqiao. he's not here to take over forces or resources, he's just here for one man and the rank he holds.

(i would argue that the power di feisheng did accumulate through jinyuanmeng is for two reasons. one, so that he had enough people behind him to apparently rival li xiangyi, and two, to keep him safe from the di mansion. but that's a different topic.)

so when the war between sigumen and jinyuanmeng breaks out, its final act on the donghai ship is a standoff between two people: one who views himself as representing a collective, and another who considers himself in that moment a swordsman on his own. and this greatly influences how both of them treat that fight.

to li xiangyi, this is a duel contextualized by leadership. because he will take the responsibility for sigumen and his side of the fight, he's focusing all that grief over shan gudao, all that anger and blame on di feisheng alone, as the opposing head of the forces he's been clashing with. since the name of li xiangyi cannot be separated from sigumen (and by now i don't think li xiangyi could define himself as person from image even if he tried), now he attaches di feisheng to jinyuanmeng in his attempt to force him to take accountability. in li xiangyi's eyes, they're really not people in this duel. they're the faces of hundreds more warriors, and every move they make has the lives of those people hanging onto them.

to di feisheng, the fact that they stand alone on that ship means they are alone, cut loose from everyone and everything else in an isolated space. this is a fight in its purest form now. just two men and their blades, relying on their own physical/spiritual strength and nothing else. it's what di feisheng has been waiting for, this chance to challenge li xiangyi where both of them stand on truly equal ground. there is no sigumen or jinyuanmeng dragging them down. they've cut through all the noise of the jianghu that he doesn't care for, and they're just di feisheng and li xiangyi, two highly skilled people who get to see who's stronger in an environment no one else can influence.

(it's worth noting, i think, that di feisheng chose the location of the duel by situating himself and therefore li xiangyi who would find him out at sea, even though the majority of their forces were fighting on land. his men on the ship complained about how horrid a decision it was to be at sea in that weather (it's the first dialogue of the show), but this ensured that any outside/not predetermined interference during their head-to-head would be much more difficult.)

these views or motivations are so terribly at odds with each other. li xiangyi is fighting out of desperate rage and the need for retribution, weighed down more than ever by all the people who look up to him and depend on him to seek justice. di feisheng is fighting for fairly-won status and glory, and in his eyes, for the first time they have been granted the freedom to go against one another where nothing else needs to matter.

it shows in the moves both of them choose to make. namely, that di feisheng fights with more restraint, while li xiangyi fights quite viciously. i'm going to focus a bit more on di feisheng's role here, because i think this contrast on his part is interesting and works to subvert his initial reputation/image, something significant to his character throughout the show (or at least more than it is for li xiangyi).

i would argue that di feisheng is on the defensive for the majority of this fight, as his side has been this entire war. in the duel choreography he's blocking, dodging, or backing up a significant amount more than li xiangyi, who keeps pressing, launching new offenses wherever possible to search for an answer and revenge. there's a clear give and take between them as the fight progresses. and thanks to how this dynamic plays out, and with the background of these characters' motivations, there are three key pauses in the duel that stand out to me. they're all points where di feisheng could have moved on or killed li xiangyi, even as he was the one being attacked, but chose not to.

the first is when li xiangyi is pressed up against the ship wall, di feisheng's sword against li xiangyi's cheek, enough to cut but not enough to lethally wound. they're locked in this position for a good few seconds before either of them react. di feisheng could press forward and cleave his skull, since li xiangyi can't parry him. i couldn't get a good screenshot, but shaoshi is buried in di feisheng's shoulder here. for that di feisheng could also back up and away, given his injury. but he does neither. instead he freezes in place, doing nothing until li xiangyi draws his blade out of di feisheng, and makes the next move.

the second is when there's a lull in the action on the roof of the ship cabin. we get di feisheng's line “一个剑客不该有弱点” ("a swordsman shouldn't have weaknesses") and li xiangyi pausing as the bicha poison begins to take effect. this is another very long break where di feisheng could've taken advantage of li xiangyi being distracted, but he stands still. we learn later that he didn't even know li xiangyi had been poisoned then, so this isn't him dramatically pausing to revel in li xiangyi's pain. his opponent wasn't immersed in the fight, so di feisheng waited until he was. he only moves forward to meet him when li xiangyi chooses to.

these breaks turn the duel into a dance, almost, where di feisheng is letting li xiangyi lead and only moving with him (when they're both in the physical state to). he's fighting with too much respect and leniency to be out for blood the way li xiangyi is, with everyone else on that ship already dead. they're fighting the duel through vastly different lenses and neither of them have realized it yet.

that point of realization is this last pause, di feisheng's blade stabbed into li xiangyi while he stands over him in the rain. the fact that di feisheng isn't actively trying to kill is apparent in two different details here. the first is that di feisheng's blade missed li xiangyi's heart, even though his accuracy as a swordsman is incredible. the second is that, once again, he waits until li xiangyi can move again before attempting to do anything further— except this time he yells that he's won.

this is the moment it genuinely struck for me that their perspectives on this duel are so different. di feisheng dealt li xiangyi a wound that is serious in the moment, but for someone of li xiangyi's strength, he'll be fine in the end. it only takes him out in the short term, and within that time, what di feisheng is waiting for after calling his victory is for li xiangyi to concede the duel. to say it's over, and give over his name as the top swordsman. that's what di feisheng was after.

to him, when it came to li xiangyi, defeating the man and killing him were two different things.

but this isn't where it all stops, because li xiangyi didn't know this (how could he?) and he's fighting for more than ensuring his name remains above anyone else's. di feisheng is fighting cold, but li xiangyi still has so much anger, so much left to do. so much at stake and on his shoulders and 'defeat' and 'giving up' are luxuries he doesn't have.

when the blade in him and the poison taking greater hold pushes li xiangyi into needing a last stand, he refuses to hold anything back. he's an opportunist now, and di feisheng has given him an opening. so out comes wenjing in a surprise attack, there goes di feisheng impaled against the mast, and it all goes to hell. di feisheng can't fight honourably because li xiangyi is coming for his life, and for the first time after a pause like this, he's the one who attacks first.

their last skirmish is because now there's nowhere else for either of them to go. all other motivations have been shattered. either one of them must break, or they must fall together. and the latter is exactly what they do.

perhaps, in a thousand other worlds, the duel went differently. but in this one, li xiangyi fought because he thought they both represented everyone, and di feisheng fought because he believed they represented nothing more than themselves, and neither man could understand that the other didn't share their perspective. signalled though it was throughout the fight, and evenly matched though they were, they were fighting two separate battles on that ship. it wasn't anything they could help, only the result of contrasting lives in the jianghu and what it had shaped them both into. and so there was nothing that could come of that duel except for both of them to lose.

[saltnsugarbear]

I'm forever black-eyed, a product of a broken home

summary: boxer!lip gallagher headcanons and foundation building <3

title from: "Black-Eyed" by Placebo

word count: 1.4k

content warnings: I mean, like boxing is an aggressive sport so, she gets dirty at the end so MDNI!!!, choking kink mention, cumplay mentioned

side note: was originally soft and world building and doing research for boxing but,,,,, olive politely ruined all those thoughts

just some simple thoughts to begin! to test the waters!

-a middleweight boxer, just to begin. on a good week he could qualify for light heavyweight but he's properly enrolled in the middeweight division

-which just, is no commentary on JAW, however doing some looking into and looking for the general weight of a healthy 5'7" man puts him somewhere in the middleweight/barely light heavyweight division. but if we consider the Gallagher household income and diet they probably have, Lip is 100% in the middleweight division

-Lip is most well known for his jabs and uppercuts, his style is very agressive

-he's also known for taking a heavy beating in just about every fight he has.

-carl was big into Rambo, constantly playing First Blood when he could. so he naturally tried to see if any of Stallone's movies where similar. Lip was somehow enamored with Rocky when they borrowed it from the library.

-Carl didn't love Rocky like at all lmao, he wanted more fighting in there. Debbie loved Rocky and Adrian's relationship, she thinks they're adorable and romantic.

-This idea hinges on Lip being more aggressive in high school, getting into a lot more fights. This might be due to bullying or just being an overall aggressive kid with little dog syndrome

-At a certain point he's threatened with juvie and or foster care or he can put his anger into something more productive. Lip chose the latter.

-Kevin suggests boxing and even offers to help teach him if he wanted

-he does that thing that boys do where he thinks he can do it all by himself because he watched a movie about it a few times (he's seen every Rocky movie he can get his hands on)

-however jumping right into boxing is much harder than he thought it would be (surprise!) (dummy /affectionate)

-Lip is out of shape, has smokers lungs, and just,,,,, does not know how to throw a proper punch lmao

-so the first day at the gym he's dying

-soooo he goes to Kevin with his tail between his legs and begs him to teach him how to box

-now Kevin is FIT like

-like FIT.

-and Kevin is more than happy to help train Lip

-so through out high-school he spends his free time at the gym after he's done his homework and the work of kids who have paid him

-he gets fit, builds some muscle, adopts a slightly healthier diet

-once he's in college he gets a slightly less regimented schedule due to being out of the house

-he gets a little out of shape, doesn't do as many workouts and sparing matches as he should

-so when he drops out of college he goes back starts getting back into shape to actually start fighting!!

-sigh not to bring back Patsy's reader but like you probably work at Patsy's or maybe the Alibi Room??? some where he and his family frequent a lot!

-and he's just kind of like,,,, a little punk who wants your attention so bad lowkey cause like

-you mind your business! nice, respectful, keeps to themselves

-what he doesn't know is you're so drawn to him cause you've been watching the muscled guy dote on his baby brother and his sister and his other brother

-but also he's a punkass!!

-so you eventually entertain him and go on dates with him and he's

-yeah he's cocky about his stats but he's also just so sweet

-he starts doing fights for money a little before you guys start dating

-uses half his fighting earnings for his family, the other half he's got his own squirrel fund going

-when you guys are dating, he uses that other half to spoil you <3

-this next one is from Maggie's brain but I love it

-watching him during training, when he doesn't really need to wear his gloves, and seeing him send people flat to the ground is,,,,

-mind boggling, as his partner

-because you know that those hands are soft and loving

-just that morning, he was holding your face softly and memorizing each detail he could get his fingers on

-the night before, his hands were firm but soft on your thighs

-so seeing him knock grown men flat is mind boggling anddddd I mean you can guess right?

-turns you on a little bit that's what I'm getting at

-whenever olive comes in it becomes a whore house 🙄 (SO AFFECTIONATE I LOVE YOU OLIVE AND YOUR DIRTY MIND THANK YOU THANK YOU)

-olive thinks boxer lip has a choking kink and she would be correct

-which feeds into her bicep kink whatever whatever we love her

-fucking him in the locker room after good fight and he's not super busted up (you guys seen what Rocky looks like? busted eyelids and shit) (not lip, he's gonna have a bruise and a little cut be he's okay <3)

-he's very sweaty and very pent up and running off the adrenaline of the fight and winning

-also wearing his boxing shorts around!! just comfy clothes

-but we was talking about him fucking you in his robe which is very KVE of him *I've not seen Iron Claw I'm just saying what I've seen from the girlies

-I just think he kind of loves seeing Gallagher painted across your shoulders (or even your ass if he's got it on his shorts)

-but also he would have like a fun stage name guys what do we think his stage name would be

-like The Italian Stallion fucks like Rocky Balboa ate with that

-but he could also just be Lip

-Lip 🥰 in the blue corner <3

-whereas 🥵The Italian Stallion🥵 in the red corner?

-idk help guys

-anyways boxer lip has some CRAZY stamina

-like

-like CRAZY stamina

-you think you're ready to conk out after two rounds? yeah well Lips not so

-but he's soso sweet about it

-I'm back I've done some research and my idea works, walk with me

-this man is horny, we all know that like

-like he's HORNY

-anyways he goes like

-like crazy

-he's got one of your legs up over his shoulder, the other pressed up against his side where it's wrapped around his middle

-he has already made you come twice and your thirds on the way

-the squelching as he fucks you is pornographic, and he fucking loves it

-you simply cannot think, he's kept you teetering on the edge of overstimulation but all you can focus on is the feeling of him fucking into you, his shoulder flexing under your leg

-and he's being soso sweet cooing in your ear, telling you how good you feel, how he's going to fill you up so nice and you just need to go one more round with him after cause he wants to make sure you remember him before he fights later

-your third orgasm is what draws out Lip's first orgasm

-he's really gentle about how he rolls his hips into you, you can feel the mixture of both your release slipping out of you

-he's pressing soft, soft kisses to your face, telling you how good you are and how you feel just sooo good

-you can feel his cock twitch inside of you and the slow beginnings of him getting hard again

-and he's just being so

-"Come on baby, just need one more from ya" "Gonna let me fill you one more time?" "gotta make sure it sticks baby" "Wanna make sure you remember me when I'm up in the ring"

-and who are you to deny his soft pleas

-HELP WAIT GUYS GUYS

-so like after he reaches his second orgasm inside of you and he pulls out, he cannot stop looking at where the mix of you release slips out of you

-and he's hard again this punk

-but, you're just so sleepy and so floaty

-so Lip gets himself off above you, fucking himself into his hand using both of your guys cum as a lubricant

-anyways blah blah, he paints your tummy in his cum, it reaches just under your chest and this feeds into the marking thing he's got

-someone stop this man he's tooooo horny

-anyways he cleans you up (collects the cum he can and slips it into you, pushing it softly into you with his fingers, trying to keep the rest of your release from slipping out even more)

-but as you're drifting off, he makes sure to clean you up, dress you back in some cozy sleep clothes

-boxer lip the beloved

[mothcpu]

protect me from what I want

[bibxrbie]

It is so difficult loving Luke Skywalker and being Jedi positive.