#energy star qualified

[tanadrin]

I've been using a spreadsheet to do sanity checks on Pr's astrophysics--it doesn't have to be exact (I'm not going to try to solve equations of state for neutron stars or anything like that), but I want to be at least in the right ballpark. And that means not fudging the intensity of a magnetar's magnetic field by 10 orders of magnitude, which is so far out of the ballpark we've started playing a different game altogether

If the magnetic field around Ast isn't produced by the star itself, or is only partially produced by the star itself--if it is produced in, say, an accretion disk close to the star (in this case extending out to about 150,000 km or more)--then the magnetic field doesn't need to be nearly as intense; it could actually be quite moderate. You'd need a hell of a lot of current moving through the accretion disk, but only the disk as a whole, and the exact mechanics of this would depend on the magnetohydrodynamics of an accretion disk around a neutron star.

Which I am comfortable saying that--at least in the configuration Ast presents--is not likely to be a natural phenomenon. But Pr is, of course, artificial; my concern isn't whether such a system could form in the first place, but whether it could remain stable for ten million years or so, and I think it could.

Accretion disk lifetime depends on the luminosity of the disk and its mass; the approximation I'm using here is from a physics stackexchange answer about accretion disks around black holes, and I'm assuming that they hold roughly for accretion disks around neutron stars; the neutron star's magnetic field would distort the inner part of the disk as it fell onto the star's surface; the real question is whether the gravity of the neutron star would be enough to keep the disk from being evaporated by its radiation, and the answer here seems clearly to be yes: after all, planets are known around neutron stars, and they take quite some time to form.

Ast also has to remain quite hot throughout its lifetime, but this is actually not something I'm too worried about--for Plot reasons, it's actually getting hotter over time, which, yes, neutron stars generally shouldn't be able to do.

[carelessflower]

On Testing and Qualifying Magnus Lightwood-Bane's Sugar Daddy Behaviors - An Analysis

Multiple arguments have been made against the current High Warlock of Brooklyn, superficially regarding whether this gentleman's reputation as the current Consul of the Clave's sugar daddy is underappreciated or exaggerated. This study aims to dissect the argument with the support of textual evidence throughout the couple's appearances in the series

Paying for their first date

Taking care of the bill like a gentleman. From this instance, one can assume he takes his gentlemanly courting ritual very seriously, as he also reached for the meal cheques in other occassions

Conjuring and pelping to pick fine clothes for Alec

On their famous Europe vacation, it is shown Magnus has a habit of magicking tuxedoes, suits, and well-made sweaters for Alec. Now, if he could upgrade that GAP scarf to a Burberry one, it would be much appreciated

Gentleman behavior

Even though his boyfriend is supernaturally strong with biceps to bite for days and hunts bloodthirsty demons for a living, Magnus would still rather pay someone to carry the heavy luggage than his darling

Luxurious accommodation only

There has been a previously published study on the expenses for all these places here, so this article will be repeating the same key points:

one night at Istanbul Grand Suite on the Orient Express: $26,000

suite in Belmond Hotel Cipriani: $1,056

suite in Palazzo Manfredi, Rome: $729

It is understandably relatable when one pulls Alec Lightwood and wants to do everything in their power to woo him. For Magnus, it apparently includes never letting Alec stay in any place less than five stars

Letting Alec drive the Maserati

It costs around $10,860 to rent a red Maserati 3500 GT Vignale Spider for one day. Therefore, it speaks volumes to Magnus's affection for his boyfriend that Alec almost crashes them and the expensive car off a cliff is just a "tiny accident". It is also very likely he buys this type of car later, seeing his husband's fascination with them

Living together in Brooklyn

Months into the relationship Alec has already possessed a literal key to Magnus's home and proceeds to move in after weeks of getting back together. For other poor souls who are looking for a 3-bedroom brownstone in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, the rent would be estimated at around $5000 per month. For the Consul, it certainly would involve a different type of payment method

Alec's magically money-full pocket

The consul carrying energy bars in his duffle bag instead of using the 15000$ in his pocket guarantees the funniest mental images one could possibly imagine

Enchanting Izzy's whip for Alec's birthday

Knowing Alec's top wish is to keep his family safe, Magnus chooses to tip his boyfriend's sister's whip in a prized potion to help her on the battlefield. Loving someone to the point you want to protect what else they love

Assisting shadowhunter without payment

This element may prove to be the strongest supporter of Magnus's claim as THE sugar daddy of the shadowhunter chronicles universe title, seeing how he used to overcharge shadowhunter on their business (deservingly so), and now he is willing to do all kinds of crazy shenanigans without an ounce of money. Whoever's in charge of the Clave's budget better send Alec the biggest, freshest, most expensive fruit basket

Final note

In conclusion, this research paper does not provide a definitive answer to the argument but encourages readers to draw their own perspectives. Nevertheless, it is a great possibility that in his report, the consul stated he used 10-20 dollars each week while he was traveling across the world, going to Japan when he craved sushi and staying in the finest places, all thanks to his generous husband

tag list: @magnus-the-maqnificent @literallytypogod @hoezier-than-thou @sociallyineptbibliophile @queenlilith43

@khaleesiofalicante @wandererbyheart @raziyekroos @onetimetwotimesthreetimess @alexandergideonslightwood @andrwminward

@noah-herondale-lightwood @elettralightwood @dustandducks @deliciousdetectivestranger @delightfullyterrible

@letsgofortacos

@kita-no @thelightofthebane @secrettryst @goldendreams3 @cityofdownwardspirals

@stupidfuckindinosaur

@i-have-not-slept @rinadragomir @potato-jem @kasper-tag @cam-ryt

@banesapothecary

[thesirencult]

PICK A CARD : FIRST NIGHT WITH YOUR FUTURE SPOUSE

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Disclaimer : Α tarot reading should never be used in place of professional counselling. Your reading cannot offer legal, medical, business, or financial advice nor does any portion of your reading herein purport to. You should not rely on a tarot reading to make any decision that would affect your legal, financial, or medical condition. If your inquiry involves the law, finance, or medicine, then you should seek the advice of a licensed or qualified legal, financial, or medical professional. Also, tarot reading cannot replace qualified mental health care. A tarot reading can only facilitate how you cope spiritually with a given situation.

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Pile 1

This person is very masculine in nature. They will want to penetrate your heart and soul until you reach your climax. This is a satisfier AND provider.

I'm getting that your ACTUAL first time may happen during the day and this is the first night that you spend at their house.

You will be teasing them all day long and it will drive them crazy.

There might be some chasing around the house and when they finish with you it will be apparent that you will need some support to get around *wink,wink*.

Your FS will tire you out ! I would work on my stamina if I was in your shoes as this person can last for a VERY long time !

They will be honest and sincere with you, so believe whatever they say during the act. They may have a hard time expressing themselves in general but during doing the deed they will express their love and adoration to you.

Pile 2

Your FS is very tender. They have been wishing for someone like you. As soon as they see you everything will fall into place. Their fantasies now have a face.

They don't need words, your eyes are enough. They want to kiss you until your lips are ble*ding. They are is a sense of breaking you down and guiding you towards your limit. They want you to do the same to them. Very fluid energy. They might be a switch.

Sleeping with them will be dangerous. Both of you will feel like playing with fire whenever you touch. Your love making will be awfully raw. You will not be able to escape their energy and I get the feeling there will be "reminders" of the night on your bodies the next morning.

This person is obsessive. They will feel you are tempting them and that they have fallen hopeless under your spell.

Pile 3

You have been waiting a very long time for this. The first night with your future spouse is going to come after a period of celibacy.

The masculine will be staring into the feminines eyes and he will feel like he has known her for an eternity. Your first night will seal your fate as a couple. Your union will also help both of you "manifest" a better future through the power of the big O.

Everything will feel like it was written in the stars and supposed to happen this way. Very emotional and dreamy. Your FS will make love to you while staring deep into your eyes. This person will be fascinated by you and they won't be able to look away from your face.

Things will be boiling under the surface for a while. Passion can not be contained that long and there will be some "spillage".

You will crave each other's touch so much before your first night together, that the release will be powerful. Like an itch you desperately need to scratch and they definitely know which buttons to press.

[thehufflepuffavenger1]

The Grid Angel (1/?) M.V. x reader

Y/N L/N Is Max Verstappen's new race engineer but the rest of the grid likes her too. The grids angel.

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The sun dipped low on the horizon, casting a warm glow over the paddock as the Formula 1 season kicked off in spectacular fashion. Qualifying Saturday brought an air of anticipation, not only for the teams and drivers but also for you, the race engineer for Max Verstappen. The Red Bull garage buzzed with activity, and the echoes of engines revving filled the air.

As the pit crew fine-tuned the Red Bull machine, you were engrossed in a conversation with Oscar Piastri, the rising star from the McLaren team. The two of you exchanged technical insights and shared a few laughs, completely absorbed in the world of racing strategy. Unbeknownst to you, Max Verstappen observed from a distance, his eyes narrowing ever so slightly.

Max, with his competitive spirit not limited to the track, couldn't shake the subtle twinge of jealousy. He had become accustomed to your undivided attention during race weekends, and the sight of you engrossed in conversation with Oscar stirred an unfamiliar feeling within him. The pit crew noticed Max's shifting demeanor, sensing the tension building beneath the surface.

Lando Norris, with his keen sense of humor, picked up on the atmosphere and decided to playfully fan the flames. He sidled up to Max, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Mate, looks like someone's got a bit of competition off the track," Lando teased, nodding towards you and Oscar engaged in animated discussion.

Max shot Lando a mock glare, his attempt to brush off the comment. However, the seed of doubt had been planted. The friendly banter between drivers on the grid was nothing new, but this time, it seemed like a rivalry was brewing in more ways than one.

As the sun dipped lower, casting long shadows across the paddock, the qualifying session drew near. The tension in the air was palpable, not just from the impending on-track battle but from the unspoken dynamics playing out among the drivers and their teams.

The qualifying session unfolded with its usual mix of intensity and drama. Max, fueled by a desire to prove himself both on and off the track, pushed the Red Bull to its limits. The pit crew executed flawlessly, but the lingering undercurrent of emotions added an extra layer of complexity to the proceedings.

As the day transitioned into night, the atmosphere in the paddock shifted. The pit crew, always attuned to the dynamics of the team, could sense the unspoken tension. Max, after securing a respectable qualifying position, found a moment alone with you amid the hustle and bustle.

"Everything good, Max?" you inquired, your attention shifting from the race strategies to the emotions written on Max's face."Yeah, yeah," he replied, a hint of vulnerability beneath the confident exterior. "Just focused on the race, you know?"

Little did Max know that your connection with him went beyond the technical intricacies of the race. The season had just begun, and the off-track drama promised to be as thrilling as the battles on the circuit, setting the stage for a tale that would unfold with every twist and turn of the Grand Prix calender.

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The next race weekend dawned, and the paddock came alive once again with the roar of engines and the bustling energy of the Formula 1 circus. Max Verstappen, carrying the remnants of his jealousy from the previous qualifying, couldn't help but keep a watchful eye on your interactions with other drivers.

During the drivers' parade, Lando Norris pulled alongside Max, a sly grin playing on his lips. "Mate, you better step up your off-track game. I saw Y/N chatting with Carlos, and it looked like they were having a blast.

"Max shot Lando a half-amused, half-exasperated look. "I'm here to race, not to compete for attention off the track."As the weekend progressed, the competitive camaraderie between drivers extended beyond the racing realm. Carlos Sainz, always charismatic, engaged you in a lively conversation about race strategies and shared anecdotes from his experiences. Max, observing from a distance, found himself gritting his teeth in frustration.

Sergio Perez, known for his ability to read the subtle nuances of the paddock, sensed Max's unease. "Max, my friend, are you feeling a bit left out?" Sergio teased, a knowing glint in his eye.

Max scoffed, attempting to downplay his emotions. "I'm just focused on the race, like always."However, the tension simmered beneath the surface. The pit crew, attuned to the dynamics within the team, exchanged knowing glances as they continued their preparations. The upcoming race promised not only high-speed drama on the track but a behind-the-scenes storyline that captivated the entire paddock.

During a multi-team event, the charismatic charm of Charles Leclerc drew you into a conversation about the nuances of driving styles. The two of you exchanged insights, laughter, and even a few friendly challenges. Max, watching from across the room, clenched his jaw, a cocktail of emotions swirling within him.

Fernando Alonso, with his seasoned wisdom, approached Max with a pat on the back. "Max, my friend, in racing, you have to be fast on and off the track. Maybe it's time to show a different side of yourself."

The advice lingered in Max's mind as the race day arrived. The grid was charged with anticipation, not only for the thrilling battle on the circuit but for the undercurrents of emotions that had become an integral part of the season narrative.

As the lights dimmed, engines roared to life, and the cars thundered down the straight, the drama unfolded on multiple fronts. Max, focused on reclaiming his spotlight, pushed the Red Bull to its limits. The pit crew executed seamless strategies, but it was the emotional dynamics that added an extra layer of complexity to the race.

The checkered flag waved, and Max crossed the finish line with a triumphant roar. The pit crew erupted in celebration, but Max's eyes sought you out amidst the chaos. The unspoken tension reached a turning point as you locked eyes with him, a shared understanding passing between you.

The paddock, having witnessed the emotional rollercoaster of the race, anticipated that the off-track dynamics would continue to evolve. The Grand Prix season had just begun, and with each race, the interwoven threads of competition and connection promised a narrative that transcended the mere pursuit of victory on the track.

Next Chapter (don't know how to make a link if you do let me know):

[lokideservesahug]

Bordering Professional

Pairing: Charles Leclerc x Ferrari/ Future Team Principal!reader

Notes: For some reason, my thoughts are consumed by Charles Leclerc and Ferrari/ Future team principal!reader (+a moodboard)

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Charles Leclerc meeting his future team principal... Or so the rumours say. Fred Vasseur is good but this rising star is better. You're not only extremely talented and overwhelmingly intelligent, but you're also incredibly captivating. Cameras have caught drivers stopping to catch glimpses multiple times. From Lewis readily talking to you whenever you visit the paddock (in what he claims is getting to know his future team better) to the time Max faltered for a moment in his post qualifying interviews as he caught sight of you in that outfit that accentuated your features all to well. You're captivating and everyone knows it.

You know the effect you have on many. And if it isn't your brains or beauty turning heads, your family name certainly is. Being one of the last to carry the Ferrari name is certainly a burden but you pay it no mind. People can't even complain about nepotism when you help the team so much and half of the paddock follows you around like lost puppies. Making life much easier for all.

Charles finds it quite professionalism quote infuriating (when it doesn't get him going, not that he'll admit that). Your sheer refusal to blur any lines with him or anyone else in the paddock is infuriating but keeps a small part of him happy, knowing that he doesn't have any competition or at the very least it's all equal.

You're there in Monaco when he gets the win. All bright smiles and Italian praises thrown at him. But they all blur into insignificance when you kiss him on the cheek. It's a quick peck. Nothing more. But gosh does it send him reeling. Charles wants nothing more in that moment than to swoop you into his arms and kiss you senseless. He's brought back to reality by the feeling of Fred engulfing him in a hug and he tries to rationalise his thoughts. "It's just the adrenaline" he tells himself.

He never thought a moment could top that. And whilst he doesn't want to compare two of the most joyous moments in his life, Monza 2024 is certainly up there with Monaco.

He wins. In front of what many would call his second home crowd. He wins in front of the Italians, the Tifosi but most importantly, you. Your professionalism bleeds into all aspects of your life. You don't show much emotion unless you need to, most people can count the times they've seen you smile even the slightest on one hand. Yet he's met by another one of your big grins. And as he realises two of the happiest moments of his life also being you a lot of joy, Charles can't help but fall more and more in love with you. You give him a tight hug and whisper "Well done Charlie." To which he just grins. He takes in your feautures, trying his hardest to commit this moment to memory. He almost swears he can see tears in your eyes as well but he's pulled away before he can come to a definite conclusion.

That night he stays a bit later, wanting to soak up the last bits of energy at the track before he hits the streets of Monza. He finds you and does something that he'd only dreamed off. He kisses you in an adrenaline filled haze, desperate to show his appreciation and affection for you. Charles didn't think far ahead, but as the kiss goes on, he's surprised that you didn't pull away and hit him. After a few more moments you both pull away. He expects to be lectured about how unprofessional it was, about how it ruins the both of your careers and images. But instead he's just met with a quick peck (the same type as the one you gave him at Monza) but this time on the lips. His eyes widen as you chuckle slightly and turn on your heel. "Well done Il Predestinato. See you in Baku."

And as he watches you walk off, Charles' suspicions are confirmed. He knows he shouldn't, you're probably his future boss and at the very least you're his co-worker. Heck your family surname is surrounding him, his suit is brandishing the logo of the company you'll one day inherit.... But Charles doesn't care. He just knows that he's completely and irrevocably in love with you.

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Sorry for how random this was... Also I tries my hardest to make it gender neutral. Idk where this came from or why but I hope you like it...

And please send any asks if you want to, or want me to elaborate on this...

Taglist: @nikfigueiredo @mysoulispainted @leclercings @d3kstar @hiireadstuff @a-beaverhausen @nichmeddar @lozzamez3 @stinkyjax @marymustdie @littlesatanicassholebitch @mehrmonga @insanedeathwish @ems-alexandra @a-disturbing-self-reflection @cherry-piee @thatgirlmj

[dathomirdumpsterfire]

Something is hunting Darth Maul across the stars.

A presence he cannot touch, whispers that chase him from sleep. Answers seem to lay in a place he cannot go... at least, not alone. Before the Jedi and the Sith, before the Republic or the Empire, before the ancient Je'daii even, there were force users building temples and communing with the cosmic energies.

Somehow, even back then, there was a rule of two.

For Ben Kenobi, getting up each day is difficult enough, nevermind facing the past. He has one singular goal left to him: to be a guardian. A very distant guardian. Between the echoing emptiness of his cave and the war-torn memories that haunt him, he really just wants to be left alone.

Too bad for him that sleep-deprived sith lords aren't likely to take no for an answer.

[The long awaited sequel to Desertification is here!]

🔥🔥🔥 Read chapter 1 on Ao3, or scroll below the cut! Updates on Tuesdays.🔥🔥🔥

Bridges are a beautiful weakness. 

This one is massive. Natural stone that reaches across a wide span between stronghold and barren cliff. The architecture is sharp, angular, and modern, with little in the way of ornamentation. It is simply a functional pathway, the sole point of access for a utilitarian facility. The forces garrisoned here would have little trouble defending this chokepoint, under typical circumstances. 

A zygerrian guard rises off the ground, clawing at their neck, while the next shoots wildly, hollering for backup. Blaster bolts curve off unnaturally into empty air. The first alien loses consciousness and slumps, still airborne. Their rifle clatters to the stone. The second turns and manages to flee two steps before they are swept sideways off the bridge like a leaf in a storm. They plummet, screaming, twenty stories down and into the lava below. With a lazy gesture, Darth Maul sends their strangulated comrade tumbling after them. 

Lords of the Sith truly cannot qualify as ‘typical circumstances.’ 

He begins forward again as the next defenders rise to stop him. The formation they take is practiced, but he can see their quaking knees, feel their fear in the air. 

If these fools truly wished to challenge him, they would be far better served by calling their forces back and turning the compound’s anti-ship cannons on its own infrastructure. Burying him alive might actually slow him down… but the cannons remain fixed on the sky, and figures in golden armor pour out onto the wide, windy bridge. 

The price of such short sighted arrogance will be their lives. 

Maul finishes churning through the first of the stronghold’s defense forces. He scatters a forward line of pikemen, shielding himself from blaster fire using stones torn from the structure itself. The occasional bolt slips past these rocks, but he simply bats those away with his saber. 

The slaughter of their frontline gives the next group time to prepare. He is met with a more cohesive unit, backed by snipers. The cover fire does them little good. Maul ruins their formation by blitzing carelessly into the middle of it. His red blades lay into the panicking bodies around him and parry the long range shots back to their origins with impeccable soresu. 

While he picks off the remaining snipers in their nests with a few force-propelled rocks, a new line of troops with energy bows come forward, firing in rapid sequence. It is… quaint, he thinks. Few have the dedication to make such a weapon into a formidable challenge, and these guards could not have matched the skill or power of a dathomirian archer on their worst day. Perhaps it is because these soldiers lack an edge of desperation -for food or survival- whenever they practice their aim?

Regardless, their skill or lack thereof is ultimately irrelevant against a man who can predict where they will fire.

Maul reaches the halfway point unimpeded, and the zygerrians finally switch tactics to something more innovative. The remaining guards part, and a set of twins emerge to close with him instead.

Each wields a halberd tipped by shining blue energy blades. They fight together, resplendent in fanged grins and fine armor. Their movements, obfuscated by swirls of shimmering gold cloth, complement each other with the skill born of what must have been decades spent training in tandem. 

Facing such talent is the highlight of his efforts thus far, but even these warriors cannot match a sith. He tears their blades from them, and stabs each twin through the chest with their siblings' match. They die propped up on the hafts, slouching toward each other. 

Blaster fire starts back up, and Maul returns to working through the rest of the chaff. The air begins to reek of desperation so strong it can be smelt over the sulfur. Acetone-bright and cloyingly sweet. 

Quick as a lightning strike, an electro-whip cracks near his head with a sharp snap-fizz . A waft of ozone fills his nose, and the sith's forward momentum stutters to a halt. Resentful yellow eyes lock on the offender and he bares sharp, iron-stained teeth at them. The tall zygerrian only snarls in return.

Hatred rolls off Maul’s shoulders like heat waves in the force. That energy coalesces, and entropy descends on the whip-wielder. Their fur begins to dissolve as if they were being nibbled on by acid that simply does not stop, and the muscular form falls to the ground, writhing and screaming. They melt into naught but blackened ash under Maul’s baneful stare.

He turns to continue on, sunk too deep in the flow and lust of combat to examine the demise any further. 

Slaves are thrown at him next, driven out onto the bridge as his assault nears the stronghold's three-story double doors. An effort he hesitates to call a 'tactic'. Half of the scrawny chattel fall to their bellies before he has even reached them, quivering and silent as they choose the potential wrath of their masters over certain death upon his blades. 

Those who fight he kills as quickly as they come. Living and dead alike are left on the ground behind him, forgotten as soon as they pass out of sight. 

More guards, with flashier armor and even finer weapons are next. Insignia and marks of esteem decorate their shoulders; the royal guard, here to die for their liege. 

A sai cha strike with his saberstaff, and a head hits the ground before the body knows it is dead. Cho mok and cho mai, double-disarmed at the wrist. Their owner stumbles and falls off the bridge in shock, fixated on the remaining stumps. An angled shiak, down through the ribs just far enough to boil the blood in their lungs. Mou kei to the left leg, and another trips off the side to join the rest in immolation. Maul spins in a flourish of beautiful juyo at the gate.

Sai cha. Sai cha. Sai cha. 

Then there are no more guards. 

He pushes the double doors open with the force, and smiles to behold the reason he came here.

"Prince Trifenra," his croon echoes in the silence of the throne room, "I warned you not to cross me."

The lone zygerrian slams a button on the podium beside them, and the floor falls away with them on it. Maul gets to the edge in time to be stymied by a bulkhead closing the hole over. He sneers at it in annoyance, and starts cutting through with his lightsaber. 

Twenty seconds, and he completes a circle of molten metal. A kick with his cybernetic foot sends the cutout falling, revealing a web of catwalks over a field of lava. He jumps. 

The sith searches the platforms as he freefalls, but Trifenra is nowhere to be seen. 

Maul lands on a catwalk with a heave of force to lessen the impact. His eyes drift closed, chest expanding as he breathes in, swaying in whichever direction feels right, focusing… focusing…

The force whispers to him that his prey is that way .

Maul jumps the rail and bounces between causeways, reaching the correct one and pelting down it. The feeling ends at an arch built into the rough stone walls. Thick metal doors, locked tight.

He snarls and starts cutting again, a small circle just large enough to admit him. The sith punches this cutout, and somersaults through without touching the cherry-red edges. 

On the other side are holding cells. Row after row, multiple levels of hexagonal doors stretch out from the entry, each sealed by lambent red. Some are empty, some not. All the prisoners are exotic in some way. 

Maul glances over the occupants as he passes, walking deeper into the facility. Trifenra is here, he can sense it.

The chamber widens into a large, multilevel room around a center platform. A dead end. The prince's possible hiding places have multiplied yet become limited at the same time. Maul's mouth quirks at the corner.

"Come out, come out. Wherever you are~," he sings in a sardonic drawl, like this is a game of hunter and prey between younglings.

The airscrubbers hum through the walls, creating a deep resonance just on the edge of hearing. Despite what must be a robust air recycling system, this room remains steeped in the scents of the enslaved; bitterness and despondency, melancholia and hate. A multispecies cacophony of emotions that make his sinuses itch. 

He hears wheezing laughter, like the rattle of dry grass. 

"Ssssweet, ssssweet, ssssinger…" calls a hoarse voice from one of the cells. The force twinges, a plucked string.

The source is… across the room, on a higher level. Maul can sense the force warping in on itself somewhere nearby. Curious, he leaps closer to it, up a story and over.

The cell on the left is marked as 214, and it contains a nautolan in a rare carmine color. She is heavily pregnant, and pressed as far to the left side of her cage as she can be. 

The cell on the right is marked as 216. It holds a crab-like species he does not know, with a shell that looks like molten, living gold. It is quivering in the back of its container, in the rightmost corner.

In the center cell is a woman with wide pink eyes and an abundance of platinum hair. Her skin is white, like a palliduvan, but with an oily, iridescent sheen. She sits in the center of the room, naked, hugging her knees and shaking with that dry, rattling laugh. 

Her pink gaze zeroes in on him, and her smile grows…and grows… and- 

Lips spread like split meat as she grins from ear to ear, her teeth needle sharp. Conversely, her eyes are kind above the unnatural-looking maw. 

"Blesssssed sssssinger~" she croons sweetly, "the lit-tle king plays a trick  on you. Deceitful. Rude. Give him t-to me and I will blesss your path!" 

She shouldn’t be able to move her jaw like she is, with those facial muscles severed. The force perhaps, magic or alchemy of some sort. He considers her, and the offer, mildly. "I am not easily tricked.” 

She smiles still, and says nothing. Her presence feels like a tangle of razorwire, writhing and clingy. 

"Hm.”

Maul walks away, stalking the metal floors and surveying the open room with thoughtful eyes. The prince is here somewhere, but there are enough strange projections from the prison's myriad occupants that it feels… cloudy.

A mirialan glares at him as he walks past their cage. The man floats a foot above his bed, rail-thin and cross legged.

A dry-looking quarren ignores him in turn, crying weakly into their hands.

He laps the room, and finds himself at the center of this fusion of zygerrian and modern architecture. A control panel sits on a dias, with a map of the cell block and various monitoring systems running. 

"Hm!" he comments, "How convenient." 

He taps the icon for cell 216 and tells it to open. 

The sound of a ray shield powering down is shortly followed by more dry, wheezing laughter. He turns to see the woman step into freedom and launch herself across the room, trailing yards of platinum hair. 

She lands in front of 107, and presses herself as close to the ray shield as one could be without burning. 

"Knoc-kk knnnock!" she croaks. 

The cell's occupant shrieks, falling back in their terror, but then scrambles to the shield again to yell up at him. They appear to be a salenga, but something… something is off. Maul squints, trying to pinpoint-

"I will pay you whatever you want! Anything!"

He cocks his head. Curious. How would a slave pay- 

Oh. Interesting. 

"Put her back in her cell and I will make you royalty! I swear it!"

The unnaturally white creature hisses, no longer laughing.

It is Maul who chuckles, walking to the edge of the center platform and clasping his hands behind his back. "A marriage proposal is it, Prince Trifenra? Now that is a… curious bribe."

He waits for the hope to glimmer in their eyes, then waves a hand in a grand gesture. The console registers a command from a finger press that is not there, and obeys it.

All of the cells open. 

The salenga shrieks again, and melts into a clawdite changeling as they zip out and go streaking away. They make it all of three strides before disappearing under shimmering hair and vengeful pink eyes. 

The next few minutes involve teeth, tearing, and unhinged sobbing. Maul watches for a moment as dozens of aliens flee on either side of him for the exit, then grows bored and turns to his comm. Dryden's secretary answers for him, a softly spoken pantoran with a penchant for ancient art. 

"Hello sir. My apologies, Mr. Vos is in a meeting at the moment. Should I get him for you, or can I take a message?" Sochu asks.

Maul waves off the first. "Simply inform him that the treachery has been dealt with, and he has my permission to begin renegotiating with the other offer."

"Very good, sir. Anything else I can do for you?" 

"Mmno," Maul says and hangs up.

His timing is good. The room has cleared and the strange woman is levitating up to the central platform, slathered in blood all down her front. Something wet and purple is cupped in her palms. She lands daintily, and he raises a brow. 

"Ssssinger, c-c-clever son~ You figurrrred out the trick-k, denied the trick-ksster. Gave him to us ," she smiles sweetly, too many teeth in her mouth. 

Maul hums, watchful.

"A gift!" she declares, and holds out… it’s a liver, or part of one. 

He accepts it, amused, with the smallest of bows. “My thanks.” 

The woman giggles like rotten wind chimes and turns to leap off the platform. She lands below and goes padding toward the lava flows, leaving a trail of red footprints smeared by passing hair in her wake. 

Maul considers the slick bulk of the organ in his hand. Dense, warm, and evenly toned purple. He holds it up and gives it a sniff. It smells healthy- clean blooded and rich, and the fight did have him feeling peckish.

"Mm… waste not, I suppose.”

He chooses a corner and slides his teeth in. The woman’s sharp, clinging darkness in the force gives a final twist and melts away. Maul chews thoughtfully on his way out of the compound, disregarding the blood that drips off his chin. His robes are already too stained for a bit more to matter. 

[gaslysgirl]

In the vein of younger reader x Carlos, I’m dead set on older reader x Lando (not, like, mom age, Carlos age lol September 94 unite)

you can’t tell me my boy wouldn’t be on his absolute A-game to be a real grown ass man for an older girl (and I volunteer to test this theory)

He'd want to impress you all the time and it's working

His mouth still tasted like champagne when his tongue slipped past your lips and invaded yours. His hair was sticky and sweaty when your fingers curled into his curls, tugging on the roots. After an amazing race, you briefly went back to the hotel to get showered and ready for an after party, but Lando's adrenaline had gone through the roof and his energy levels were raised as if he had never driven two hours on the toughest circuit of the calendar. "I have some catching up to do," he mutters against your neck as he kisses down your skin, hands groping at your tits through your dress, eager to move the material out of the way.

He referred to your 29th birthday yesterday, but you didn't want to celebrate as he needed to concentrate on qualifying. Lando promised you he'd give you an extra special reason to celebrate, and he had been right. The half empty bottle of champagne was left on the nightstand, hand slick with spit dancing under the hem of your dress and rubbing at your pussy. Lando sat back a little, looking at you beneath him on the bed, your cheeks a little red, hair messy. You wiggled out of your dress, making him curse under his breath as your perky tits jiggled a little after they were freed. Lando's fingers circled around your nipples before pulling on them playfully, his lips kissing the swell of your cleavage before his mouth descended further down your body.

Your back arched as soon as his mouth was on your pussy, his soft tongue lapping at your hole before it moved up and he sucked your clit into his mouth. He didn't wait before adding his fingers to the play, two of his digits slipping into your sopping wet cunt and starting a slow, teasing pace that had your toes curling. It was embarrassing how fast your orgasm was approaching, but you didn't care how loud you got as he groaned into your pussy, the gentle stubble on his face burning the inside of your thighs. No other man had ever made you cum so fast and easily in your life, and the orgasm nearly knocked you out as your slick dripped down his fingers. "We're gonna be late," you hummed against his mouth as his lips slammed on yours again, your words ending with a gasp as his hard cock ground against your cunt. "I don't care," Lando replied, a little breathless, before making you see stars again.

[l8tof1]

Lewis gave an interview in 2020 with a Chilean publication, “El Mercurio” where he was directly asked about his faith. He’s not Christian anymore, definitely more of a deist or a “believer in energy” as he put it.

Interviewer: Senna was very religious, are you as well? What do you believe in?

Lewis: I was raised Catholic. I used to go to church every weekend with my family until I started racing, then I started to do it less frequently. I studied in a Catholic school as well. I'd say I was very close to God during my twenties. I've experienced some divine illumination sensations and I start to ask myself some things. For example, I ask myself why I am the only black driver here, why me? Or after a qualifying lap, I question myself where does the strength to achieve that come from, how did I do that? I really do think there's a force bigger than us somewhere in the universe, not sure though if anyone will ever actually know. I feel more spiritual than before, I'm reading a lot on what happens to the planets. I'm extremely curious about space, one of my favorite things: watching the stars, study the gravity...I'd say I'm more of a man of energy. I believe in the energy given by the fans and I try to use it.”

thank you for sharing, i didn’t know he’d been asked about this as recently as 2020!

this makes me want to talk to him about it all so badly

[punkeropercyjackson]

Tim Drake is genuinely such a good character.He's such a positive role model for traumatized teenage boys because he's not idealized or a power fantasy.Tim's dad is rich,sure,but he's neither cartoonishly abusive nor the perfect angel,he's just kinda........there.I firmly believe Jack Drake was a bad parent but that was out of stupidity,not active malice although he was definitely hostile and neglectful often enough that he qualifies as abusive at least passively.Tim's part of the dead moms club and he loves and misses Janet so much.He's got ego problems and no manners or class and is downright mean but he also has so much boundless kindness and optimism and hope and extends his hand and everything he can offer to everyone,everybody,anyone who needs it and he gets so upset when he thinks he could've done more no matter the circumstances.He has troubled taking care of himself to the point he developed narcolepsy and he's skapunk because he's a skateboarder and a Green Day fan and mouths off to authority figures and even commits crimes all the time both heroic and mudane and respects women contrary to what fanon tells you and his favorite food is pizza with canadian bacon and he's a lifelong Nightwing fanboy and he's undiagnosed audhd anxious/teen trans boy-coded and he's bisexual and has pulled so many people without even trying most of the time and was just being a dumbass kid with no idea how to do date but has insane rizz too and he has goth energy without even dressing it and his best friends are a punk trans girl named Wendy with grooming trauma who chose her name after a 90s girl power show protagonist but also after Wendy from Peter Pan,a short kiddy chaos weirdboygirl who's her boyfriend and has a complex family situation and a greek bruh butch dating an ex-child star femme lesbian in their friend group who kissed Tim once out of nowhere back in her comphet phase and he's been sa'd multiple times in ways that're so normilzed they're not recognized as sa so he dosen't even know he's a survivor.He's not flawless by any means but it's not his fault because so many adults in his life screwed him over and treated him like shit and didn't give him what he needed and he's not toxic or abusive or a fuckboy,he's just a normal traumatized 17 year old trying his best and that makes him inherently lovable.Tim Drake you mean so much to me little dude and triffling ass Jaybird uwu fuckers could never make hate you.'Nobody cares about Tim Drake!!!'I CARE ABOUT TIM DRAKE BITCH,I CARE!!!!!HE'S MY LITTLE BROTHER

[just--space]

Nearby Spiral Galaxy NGC 4945 : Large spiral galaxy NGC 4945 is seen nearly edge-on in this cosmic galaxy close-up. It's almost the size of our Milky Way Galaxy. NGC 4945's own dusty disk, young blue star clusters, and pink star forming regions stand out in the colorful telescopic frame. About 13 million light-years distant toward the expansive southern constellation Centaurus, NGC 4945 is only about six times farther away than Andromeda, the nearest large spiral galaxy to the Milky Way. Though this galaxy's central region is largely hidden from view for optical telescopes, X-ray and infrared observations indicate significant high energy emission and star formation in the core of NGC 4945. Its obscured but active nucleus qualifies the gorgeous island universe as a Seyfert galaxy and home to a central supermassive black hole. via NASA

[leodette]

Take Your Shot | OB38

fandom: Formula 1 / Formula 2

pairing: Ollie Bearman x OC (not named)

names/faceclaims: -

summary: she likes younger men... so what?

warning: age difference (older woman / younger man)

requested: yes / no

**********

She could've been his mom. And if not mom, then at least older sister. Him freshly 19, her for a few years already closer to 30 than to 20. She should be ashamed, should feel dirty. But surprise motherfuckers, she felt none of those emotions when he slipped in her hotel room later that evening, shoulders slumped and dark circles under his eyes.

Barcelona wasn't treting him well. Fucked up qualifying, then penalty in sprint, and in the final he had to take penultimate position, only managing to keep Roman behind him. Add in pressure from the big league aka F1 about his potential upcoming season in Haas... and one wouldn't be even surprised with the state young Ollie Bearman found himself in. Tired, and in desperate need to let the steam out. And if letting the steam out meant going behind his girlfriend's back and taking a refuge in the arms of older woman? He was tired to even care.

They started earlier that year. After Saudi. She was there as one of the minor sport journalists, although her face wasn't unknown in the paddock, given that that was her job for a better part of a decade. And he was the surprise, the shining star, the future champion. That's what everyone called him. She still remembered those eyes full of excitement that looked at her during post-race interviews in media pen. He was so excited, so alive, the energy bursting out of him so much that everyone in his perimeter found themselves smiling.

They ran into each other that evening after race, in the bar of the hotel where they stayed. He collided with her on his way to the bathroom, managing to caught her so she didn't fall, his look falling in the deep v of her neckline, not being able to keep his eyes away. She was tall, almost matching his height, probably thanks to the heels she was wearing that particular evening. Ollie felt like hypnotized, his eyes moving from her clevage to her lips, slightly opened, adorned with a deep maroon lipstick.

In one moment, the energy between them shifted. Something very primal rumbled deep in Ollie's chest, his instincts yelling at him to pull her back inside the bathroom she just left. And a blink of an eye later, she snapped out of that delirium, shaking her head and quickly apologizing before shaking his hands off of her arms and almost running away from him. She was the sensible one back then.

Their roles reversed in Monaco. Although Ollie wasn't in a cockpit of F1, he managed to do a great job during Sunday in feature race of F2, finishing only a second away from podium. They met, once again, in a bar. She celebrated her birthday that collided with Monaco GP, he was there with his friends and colleagues. She was sitting at the bar, waiting for her Cosmo to be made, when he slipped behind her, motioning to the barman for two drinks. His hand slipped on her back, only as a precaution so she wouldn't fall from her chair, since the place was packed and he was pushed at her by the crowd. And her, already a few drinks deep, turned and looked up at him through her lashes.

If anyone asked him later what they were talking about, he wouldn't be able to say. What he would remember though would be the pendant of her necklace, falling in the valley between her breasts, the glittery body oil making her tanned skin shimmer, her lips caught in between her teeth. But when she put her hand on his stomach, her siren eyes looking in his, he felt like he woke up from a dream, suddenly remembering where they were, who they were, how many pair of eyes were probably looking at him. So despite wanting nothing more than take her away, he pulled himself away, allowing himself a discreet brush of her hip before taking his drinks and returning to his group.

The next morning, she felt ashamed for her behavior, especially when tiptoeing around an unfamiliar hotel room, a sleeping man in bed whose name she already forgot spotting a mop of dark curly hair.

And so came Barcelona.

Did she put on a dark red dress with deep neckline? Affirmative. Did she choose it with him in mind? Affirmative. Did she intentionally ask for covering F2 instead of F1? Also affirmative.

He looked so sad after the sprint, his eyes filled with tension and stress. She later caught him in the paddock, walking towards Ferarri hospitality. For a moment he was alone, people mingling around turning their attention towards Lando Norris who was passing by, on his way to qualifying.

She recognized the emotion on his face. Sadness turned into anger. And with anger came frustration. She had his phone number. Had a lot of them since she was sometimes covering F2 as well.

[hotel; room number], 9pm. delete

She watched as two grey check marks turned blue, and smirked to herself. She was playing a dangerous game. If he decided to show it to someone? She could very easily loose her job. But she has decided to play the gamble.

And so she ate dinner, showered, put on a sheer bralette and simple white panties, and thrown an off-white linen shirt over, keeping only two buttons in the middle. It was now or never. To see what the tension between them could bring.

Her phone beeped. 9pm. A knock on the door, followed by a tall figure in a dark t-shirt and jogger slipping in.

Ollie stopped on the spot, watching her. Her lips between her teeth. Again. She was playing with him, knowing damn well what it did to him.

"Wanna let the steam out?" she murmured, lifting one of her eyebrows, leaning her hip against the table.

Ollie shook his head, quickly turning away from her and back towards the door. Her heart dropped to her stomach, but then she heard it. The click of the lock.

Her feet suddenly felt like made out of concrete, she was unable to move. Ollie walked past her to the window overlooking Barcelona, took the curtains and drawn them shut. The room was only illuminated by a lonely lamp on her side of the bed.

In a second, Ollie was standing in front of her, their breathings raged, the tension pallable. He slowly unbuttoned her shirt, letting it slip from her shoulders.

He gently grabbed her chin in his hand.

"On your knees," he whispered.

[whimsicalpoet44]

Hey! The way you have make a astrology observations: Lucky Edition will you please make a post on Astrology observations: Career Edition??

Thank youuuu 🌻

Absolutely!! 💫🌸💚

Astrology Observations: Career Edition

**Please remember this is from my own observation from reading charts and interacting with others. If this doesn't apply to you, that's okay!**

Sun in the 10th/11th House tend have famous career paths in the arts. (singers, actors, artists, musicians, etc) Could indicate any career in the limelight as well.

6th house Geminis may struggle with focusing on one career path. (This amplifies if Gemini is your North Node). They need variety. 6th house Geminis may freelance, own their own business, do photography, or have multiple part time jobs. They're hard workers, but they get bored easily. They need to be intellectually stimulated at all times.

Capricorn anything can aid you in career success. Especially Capricorn risings. You have the drive and the patience to see your goals through. Though, it wouldn't hurt for you to take a break once in a while.

Charts with prominent Capricorn and Sagittarius placements together can help one reach their career goals. Sagittarius gives you the charisma, knowledge, and luck you need while Capricorn gives you the patience, discipline, and determination needed.

Taurus/Libra placements (especially MC or NN): Aesthetic is everything. You may have a job in fashion/interior design/graphic design. Anything that involves aesthetics.

Prominent Cancer placements: You would do best in any conflict resolution field. Anything that allows you to use your natural nurturing nature. Be careful, though. Make sure to set clear boundaries to avoid burnout! (Especially MC, NN, Stelliums in Cancer)

Fire signs in the Sun, Mars, Jupiter, or Saturn are natural leaders and could gravitate toward management or leadership positions. Others may misperceive you as bossy, know-it-all, or rude. Ignore them. You're meant to lead.

Pluto in the 6th House individuals make good doctors/nurses/anything in the medical field. You probably have natural healing abilities.

Mutable signs or charts with heavy mutable placements can struggle following through with career goals. It's not because they're bad at it, but because they have trouble setting firm goals. They can get overwhelmed and take on too many projects at once. Their go with the flow energy can inhibit them here. Make tangible and attainable goals and take them one step at a time. Try to avoid getting sidetracked.

Alternatively, fixed/cardinal signs have way more luck with drafting their plan for their career goals. They know what they want and they'll go after it.

Mercury Conjunct Midheaven: You're more likely to work with siblings in your career or your siblings could have influence over your career in some capacity.

Virgo placements....please find a healthy work/life balance. Just because you can work yourself into the ground doesn't mean you should. Burnout can present physically in more prominent ways with Virgo. IBS/stomach problems are common with work related stress.

People with prominent placements in Scorpio/8th House/Pisces/12th house are more likely to have a career in the arts, spirituality, occult, or psychology.

Scorpio placements are well known for being great therapists, but I've also noticed they have the mind for conducting academic research. They're very analytical and do great at dissecting data. Downside? Many Scorpio placements have low self-esteem and hold themselves back from their fullest potential. If this is you, remember, there's someone out there doing what you want to be doing with waaaaaaay less skill than you. You're qualified. Aim for the stars.

Aquarius/Gemini/Libra/11th House placements may have success as a social media influencer.

North Node Trine Saturn: Good news? Saturn's influence is not as severe with this placement. You'll find less obstacles with restrictions and limitations in your career. Could point to an elder mentor or loved one that can aid you in career advice. Saturn will probably test you for self-sufficiency and patience. Remember that this is just preparing you to step into your purpose. Once you pass the lesson, career success comes easier.

Ascendant Square Mars: You may gravitate towards career paths centered around fighting injustice. You could be an advocate, social worker, politician, or work a career in policy.

MC conjunct Sun: You can rise above almost any challenge to achieve success in your career. .

Libra risings/Mercury/NN/MC get a lot of opportunities from networking. These can lead their career to big places. This is due to their natural talent for connection.

North Node Square Venus: You could have talents that present in childhood that you're really good at. No one may have taught them to you, you could just know how to do it. This can be indicative of a talent from a past life. This could influence your potential career path.

Moon in the 6th House can cause distress related to career. Job hopping may be prevalent for you and the stress from work can affect your health. Take care of yourself!

Jupiter in the 6th house is FANTASTIC for your career. Look to the house and sign to determine what areas may be best for you to pursue. Travel related to job is prevalent here.

I'll do another post that goes into the best career choices for each sign/ascendant/NN/MC as well in the future!

[thesirencult]

Pick A Card : Soul Connection

An intuitive reading about a soul meant to find yours. In epic tales there is a literally mechanism called "recognition". The hero and his counterpart recognize eachother even after years of estrangement. Like Penelope and Odysseus. A love so deep not even multiple lifetimes can erase. A soul kindred to yours you would recognize in a sea of people.

"I could recognize him by touch alone, by smell; I would know him blind, by the way his breaths came and his feet struck the earth. I would know him in death, at the end of the world."

disclaimer : a tarot reading should never be used in place of professional counselling. Your reading cannot offer legal, medical, business, or financial advice nor does any portion of your reading herein purport to. You should not rely on a tarot reading to make any decision that would affect your legal, financial, or medical condition. If your inquiry involves the law, finance, or medicine, then you should seek the advice of a licensed or qualified legal, financial, or medical professional. Also, tarot reading cannot replace qualified mental health care. A tarot reading can only facilitate how you cope spiritually with a given situation.

PILE 1

The soul meant to find yours is a gentle one. Themes that come up here remind me of couples like Queen Victoria and Albert. I t will be love at first sight. Whatever your genders are, the "supposed" feminine will be the dominant one.

Your person will take the backseat as you run things. You may come from a wealthier background or simply seem "high value". Lady and the trump vibes.

This person will fight for those who didn't get the same opportunities to grow. They cheer for the underdog. This person will love your firey nature and how "bossy" you are. One thing you have to be careful with in this relationship is to keep things balanced as sometimes they might feel like you do not respect them or you don't spend enough time with them.

They could be an INFJ. Sympathetic, compassionate and protective. Practical and detail oriented, this is the safe place you need to come back to after your long trips towards the stars.

PILE 2

The love of your life will be able to see you. The real you. They won't overlook the greyness in your face. "You're Losing Me" by Taylor Swift is a song that can talk about your past.

No one stopped hurting you even though they knew they wouldn't be able to bring you back. They didn't care.

This person is everything that you deserve. They will help you heal. No sad songs with this one. Your happily ever after. This person is a soldier. They would die for love.

Your people pleasing tendencies won't go unnoticed with this one. They care about YOU, not what you can do about THEM.

Give them a chance when they come around. Sweet energy. Safe. Boy-Girl-They next door energy. A sweetheart with a great smile and a kind glint in their eyes. My heart feels warm writing about them. Hallmark movies ain't got nothing on them. Their love is simple and "perfect". No questions and worries. Your safe place.

Your energy reminds me of those wedding photos you see on Instagram of couples in small American towns posing with their golden retriever and smiling at each other. Don't let your past wounds f*ck this up. Sincerely, from one people pleaser to another. If you picked this pile we would have been besties in real life. Lots of love and hugs your way.

P.S. They will always choose you. You are not the first, but the ONLY choice.

PILE 3

Your whole life you have felt alone and isolated. Like life is a party you have not been invited. I wouldn't say you are a "pick me", you are far from that. You just feel like there is no one there for you to keep your hands warm. You have always longed for someone that will look behind the mirror and realize there is someone is behind it. You struggle with finding your inner voice.

The catch here is that you have the ability to choose anyone behind the mirror. You have the ability to show who you truly are. Be wild and crazy. Unstoppable. You didn't come here to do pretty and quiet. You are here to awake others and break the glass.

The person meant for you, your other half is very different from you. They are way more hedonistic and may find solace is the material realm. They will do everything to make you feel wanted and beautiful. This person will see you for who you truly are and they won't feel intimidated. Your "black cat energy" won't drive them away. They have some skeletons in the closet themselves. Disturbing and compelling, this one would make a great "50 Shades Of Grey" type of movie. lol. They could listen a lot to the Weeknd or they used to live a very "rough" lifestyle in the past. Love at first sight. Intense. You slap them and they will kiss you. They will buffle you. "Why doe sthis mfer stick around somehow?".

In all honesty, in this lifetime, your other half will be overbearing. They won't back down until they take you down with them. Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem come to mind in Jamon Jamon. This person may also come from money or have a lot of money and they want you to be their dark princess/prince. It will feel like taking a panther or feral cat and trying to domesticate it. Good try. You are still dangerous though, but they don't mind a few scratches.

[talonabraxas]

Taurus

"I see and when the eye is opened, all is illumined."

Introduction to Our 12 Zodiacal Deities

We live in a swirling sea of magnetic forces, smaller fields contained within even greater fields, expanding throughout infinity. As our understanding increases, a new picture of the universe emerges ~ one of vast cosmic interdependence and connectedness. From first cosmic dawning to the last electron's feeble light, the whole universe is a complex of coils within coils, spirals within spirals, magnetic fields within magnetic fields.

The stars are interconnected with each other, exchanging particles and gases constantly, all flowing along magnetic field lines which are the arteries of the galactic body. The galaxy's coiled field lines diverge into intergalactic space where they ultimately connect to other galaxies. Do these tendrils of energy act as the nervous system of the universe, relaying information from star to star, galaxy to galaxy, on and on? One can only wonder.

Zodiacal Deities examines the conditioning effects upon humanity by the specialized and quite unique energies of the star groups comprising the Zodiac. We hold these star groups to be conscious, living entities in whose greater bodies we reside.

Traditionally the zodiac is described as the imaginary path of the sun through the heavens. This path "exists" only from our earth's perspective. If you were observing the path of our sun from another planet or body in space our sun would appear to "be traveling through" different constellations at different times of the year, to be on an entirely different path through the heavens. This path is largely an illusion but at the same time the 12 zodiacal constellations do exist as great beings, and the streams of energy which pass and repass, intermingle and interlock throughout space are by no means illusions. They express eternal cosmic relationships.

The science of astrology is a study of the interlocking forces of all the 12 constellations as they pour into and through all the kingdoms in nature, carrying with them also their own individual qualities as well as those of the seven rays, focussed through the sacred and non-sacred planets of our solar system ~ the discovered and undiscovered planetary Lives. The vision of these powers and their many weaving lines, seen as rivers and streams of light, is given to the initiate from the mountaintop of Capricorn, once that summit is reached.

As the various energies and forces circulate throughout the etheric body of our solar system ~ itself a Great Being ~ their effects depend on the state of the planetary centers, and upon the point of unfoldment of the centres within the individual planets themselves. Those great zodiacal entities who qualify life as we know it imprint their frequencies or harmonic resonance on the various vehicles that comprise a human being.

Taurus

In the constellation Taurus, we find the most materialistic impulses and desires ultimately transcend into the light of illumination and revelation. The enlightened mind is the gift aquired when one transforms desire into spiritual aspiration. In the early lives of Taurus expression, desire rules the thought life, coupled with the bold determination and strong will needed to acquire that which is desired.

The most fixed or stable of the earth signs, Taurus has the ability to stay fixed and steady upon a goal ~ undoubtedly this is a strength of Taurus yet can also be a weakness, demonstrating as stubbornness and the inability to let go. The Taurus individual can also be very willful and strong-minded as their personality is on the first ray. In fact, the star Aldebaran, the "eye of the bull" in Taurus, is known as the place where the will of God is known. The evolved Taurean has an enormous capacity to visualize and manifest, powered up by their sun placement’s alignment with this stellar point of force.

A potent blend of energies renders the Taurus individual capable of accomplishing much ... unfortunately, for many it is the acquisition of things that is the goal. The love of comfort and a sense of security through the possession of things are quite prevalent in many Taureans, and represent a major challenge.

All types of desire including sexual are associated with the sex center or second chakra of the human energy system, and many Taureans are labeled sensual and sexually potent. This can be the downfall of many a well-intentioned Taurus individual. Over-identification with the form life and with the comforts of life are real distractions for these personalities, as is giving sex too much emphasis in life. Only when the bull of desire is mastered and sexual forces controlled can the disciple progress towards initiation. Eons of time and many incarnations are needed to raise the Taurean frequencies to this level ~ the lure of the lower nature (animal self), particularly of sexual attraction, is very great.

In advanced humanity incarnating in Taurus, desire is ultimately transmuted into aspiration eventually leading to light and illumination. When the eye of the bull is opened (the spiritual third eye), "thy whole body shall be full of light," as Christ stated in the New Testament (Matthew 6:22). This single eye takes the place of the two eyes of the personal self, as the attention becomes focussed upon spiritual attainment. When the soul acts as the controlling factor, and not the desiring personality, then the whole body becomes full of light.

The historical Buddha was born, achieved enlightenment, and died during Taurus. A cornerstone of his teaching, the 4 Noble Truths, reveals how to gain liberation from the suffering caused by desire. A mantram for Taurus is "give it up to the universe," in order to surrender to the greater Will of Spirit, giving up control of the little personal will. In Taurus is also found a burning desire to know and to gain knowledge through experience. Again, there is a connection to the Buddha's teaching through his example of developing mind as a means to attain enlightenment.

Aries, Taurus, and Capricorn are the great transformers under the great creative plan, and act as catalysts. Each of them opens a door into one of the three divine centers of expression which are the symbols in the body of the planetary logos of the three higher centers in man: the head, the heart and the throat. Taurus, representing the Soul, opens the door into the Hierarchy and guards the secret of light and confers illumination upon the initiate.

Fertility and creativity are also keynotes of Taurus, and light, illumination and sound as expressions of this creative force are connected with this constellation. The "interpreter of the divine voice," as Taurus was called in ancient Egypt, can be paraphrased into Christian terminology and called the "Word made flesh." The end result of the work undertaken in Taurus, and the result of its influence, is the glorification of matter: the transmuting of the less than perfect parts of ourselves into material that in no way hinders the light of the soul pouring through.

When the vehicles have been purified completely, then the light does indeed shine through. This is why the moon is traditionally exalted in Taurus ... the lesser luminary represents the form or matter. The Taurean process ultimately produces the purified being, who radiates the light perfectly. Through the influence of Venus, the ruler of this sign and ever the symbol of earthly and heavenly love, and both spiritual aspiration and carnal desire, the evolved disciple born in Taurus ultimately embodies only the love aspect. No longer ruled by desire of any kind, they manifest love and create beauty through the arts or the quality of their lives. Because of this Venusian influence, Taurus embodies the second ray energy of Love and Wisdom.

The power of attraction is connected with second ray energy, and again this fits Taurus ~ as the star group the Pleiades, among them Alcyone, found in the shoulder of the Bull, is called the central sun of our universe. It is said our solar system with many others revolve around this star, clearly demonstrating astronomically its attractive powers. The Pleiades are the symbol of the soul around which the wheel of life revolves. Perhaps this helps explain the association of the Bull with "light." Taurus is literally plugged in to the enormous light of the seven hotly burning blue-white stars of the Pleiades, acting as a channel or gateway to the light of this tremendous center.

In the Labors of Hercules, the second great test, that which pertained to Taurus, took place in the maze in which the Minotaur lived on the island of Crete. The maze has always been the symbol of the great illusion or the state of separation that bewilders and confuses unevolved humanity. The bull represented animal desire, and Hercules’s task was to capture and deliver it to the mainland. From the disciple's point of view, the bull of desire has to be caught and mastered and chased from one point to another in the life of the separated self, until the time comes when the aspirant can do what Hercules succeeded in doing: ride the bull. To ride an animal, in the ancient myths, signifies control. The bull is not slaughtered, it is ridden and guided, and under the disciple’s mastery.

Ride, control and master the bull reflects the phase when the disciple lives with group awareness and begins to consider the question, "What is best for the group with which I am associated?" It is by doing this that the bull is ridden to the mainland, and destructive desire, with its million distractions, conquered.

Finally, the major task for this sign is to master the Law of Attraction and not be a slave to the lower desires of possessions and sexuality ... in this way Taurus controls and uses matter correctly, with spiritual values motivating. In this fashion matter is "raised up into heaven," and free at last of the hold of maya and illusion.

[duhragonball]

Dragon Ball Super Movie 2: Super Hero (2/5)

This line might just encapsulate the entire movie. "Yeah, sorry, folks. They made me the star of the movie this time, so it probably won't be as good. Why are you all cheering? Did Goku walk by or something?"

Last time, we set up the main villains of the story. Now, it's six months later, and we find Piccolo sparring with Pan near his house. Yeah, Piccolo has a house now. I remember when they revealed the house in an early promotion for the movie, and everyone was nuts about it. Piccolo has a house! What's inside? Look, he has a mailbox! What kind of mail does he get? What a time to be alive.

So Pan is three years old, according to this movie, so I think the idea here is that this is set just before the 25th Budokai and the finale of Dragon Ball Z. So Super Hero represents a turning point for the franchise. Up to now, every story told under the Dragon Ball Super brand has been set during the ten-year-gap between DBZ Episodes 288 and 289. But now we're at the end, which means the next movie, anime, or manga arc has to make a big decision:

A) Set the story after the 25th Budokai, and work around Goku's decision to train Uub at his home village.

B) Ignore the "End of Z" continuity altogether and just keep trucking along like it doesn't matter.

C) Just keep telling stories in the small time interval between Super Hero and the 25th Budokai and hope no one calls attention to it.

D) Jump back to the beginning of the ten-year-gap and tell stories out of chronological order.

I think A or B is the most likely option, since they wouldn't have jumped this far forward in time for Super Hero if they were worried about staying inside the ten-year-gap. I also suspect that they'll try to respect the "End of Z" lore, if only because they've mentioned Uub a few times in the DBS anime, and Uub actually had a cameo appearance in the manga.

But no matter what happens, Things Are Going To Be Very Different. In theory, Toei/Shueisha can do just about anything with the franchise now. They could kill Bulma, or give Majin Buu a whole new transformation. I guess they could try to steer the storyline towards the events depicted in Dragon Ball GT, but I'm pretty sure that ship sailed when they turned the Pilaf Gang into children. The point is that anything is on the table.

But back to the matter at hand. Pan's whole deal now is that she trains with Piccolo at his house every morning, then runs off to attend preschool until 1pm. Piccolo thinks she's showing great promise as a martial artist, even more than Gohan did when Piccolo first trained him, and Gohan was a year older back then. Pan thinks that qualifies her to learn how to shoot energy blasts like Goten and Trunks, but Piccolo says she has to master the fundamentals first, which means Pan has to learn how to fly, among other things.

This is Pan's character arc for the movie. She's not a major player in this story, but she still has an obstacle to overcome, and by the end of the movie, she succeeds. This is a big leap forward from the Pan we saw in GT, who remained static through the entire series. I guess she sort of learned a life lesson in the TV Special, but she was 110 in that story, so I think the implication is that GT Pan was a bossy twerp for a full century, which isn't exactly satisfying.

The weird thing is that we saw Pan fly all the time when she was a baby. In the DBS anime Baby Pan flew out into space, and she'd float around the house and such. I guess she forgot how to do it, or it got harder as she grew up and gained some weight.

Pan asks if it's true that her dad (Gohan) could be even stronger than her grandfather (Goku) if he tried. Piccolo says that used to be true but he isn't so sure anymore. Pan says she's never seen Gohan in action, and Piccolo explains that he hasn't had to fight, but if the need arises, Gohan will fight when necessary. Then he sends her off to preschool. A short time later, he gets a phone call from Pan's mom, Videl.

Okay, so let's unpack all of this. Piccolo has a cell phone, but he just leaves it in his house while he's training outside, because his Namekian hearing can pick up the ringtone from hundreds of yards away. Also, he holds it like a weirdo, dangling it from his fingers like he found it at a crime scene. Also, the case looks like a cartoon character. This is Penenko, an in-world fictional character that seems to be very popular. Its like a cross between a penguin and a cat, and it has a green tie like Yogi Bear, which I think is a classy touch.

As for Videl, she needs Piccolo to swing by the preschool this afternoon to pick up Pan. This is because Videl teaches a combat sports class, and they're having a tournament today, so she can't make it. As for Gohan, he's too busy working on a scientific presentation, and he hasn't come out of his study in days. Piccolo is annoyed with this, but he agrees to pick Pan up. Videl offers to buy him lunch, but he reminds her he doesn't eat food, so Videl considers buying him a Penenko plushie instead. Piccolo doesn't want one, though, because he already has a pile of them in his house. Presumably those plushies represent a whole bunch of past favors he's done for Gohan and Videl.

Okay, more importantly, let's talk about Videl. This is her only appearance in the movie, save for a still image in the closing credits where she comes home to find the house has been damaged. Still, this conversation tells us a lot about what Videl's been doing ever since she and Gohan got out of school. She's teaching a "combat sports class". This makes sense to me, as she must have given up the vigilante work around the time she was pregnant with Pan. But teaching students how to fight would be easier for her, since she could set her own schedule and arrange for the students to train independently when she's not available. It's the perfect career for the new mom with a talent for whippin' ass.

The thing is, Videl's not just any martial artist. She knows basic ki techniques, but besides that, she's the daughter of a world famous celebrity buttkicker, and she earned a reputation of her own as a crimefighter. So this can't just be any old "combat sports" class. I mean, they're participating in a tournament for goodness sakes.

So this is my Videl headcanon: She's teaching people to fight crime. And not just any crime, but the rocket-launcher-weilding maniacs she used to fight when she was in high school. Videl stepped away from that life to focus on her family, but she's still got one foot in that world. It started as a self-defense class for women, and then she decided she could show them more advanced techniques, until eventually she had a cool stable of badasses.

The tournament she's talking about isn't some fun little romp, although to her it would be, and it's barely beneath Piccolo's notice. But to everyone else, it's some kind of hardcore mixed-martial-arts event. Videl brings her students in and they're all wearing kick-ass uniforms to represent their school. What kind of uniforms? Here's a hint:

GTH. That's the name of Videl's dojo. The Go To Hell Combat Club, so-named because you have to go to hell to learn the combat style of Mr. Satan's daughter. Imagine going to some indy wrestling show and instead of wrestlers out comes a bunch of MMA guys all dressed like Pan from this movie. It probably looks cooler on grown adults, which is why Pan likes to wear it.

So what's Videl wearing when she leads her squad to the competition? Oh, we already know the answer to that question, because we saw her return home from the tournament.

I mean, it makes so much sense when you think about it. remember, we saw Videl wearing regular clothes when she called Piccolo. She must have changed into her Battle of Gods red-devil dress specifically for the tournament. She might have a different outfit for fighting, but this is what she wears when she's in the corner for her students. She's like a sexy ECW manager, which explains the red leather dress, black tights and white go-go boots. She's so over-the-top with this thing that it makes the Great Saiyawoman outfit look dull by comparison, because she's trying to get over this image of smash-mouth combat supremacy. It's the same reason Mr. Satan wears the cape.

This is a weird tangent, I know, but for so many years I've heard fans lament the way Videl was depicted in Dragon Ball Super, and they're absolutely right, but I'm a "yes and" kind of guy when it comes to this stuff. There's nothing wrong with having Videl be a housewife as long as it doesn't preclude some other, cooler lore from happening off-screen. And Super Hero seems to be holding out an olive branch to the fans. Yes, Videl has a life outside the home. She teaches martial arts, so she clearly hasn't given up fighting altogether. How and how much she fights is left to the viewers imagination, and I can imagine a lot.

Anyway, I need to commission some art of the GTH school looking cool. Videl's in the center of the group with a riding crop or something. Gohan's in the background with a snack tray. He made Chex Mix for the whole class because he's a sweetie.

Back to business, Piccolo decides to head for Gohan's house and confront him over this. He knows Gohan won't answer the door, so he just flies to the window of his study and scrapes the glass with his fingernail to get his attention. This fucking rules.

Gohan's working on a study of a newly discovered ant species that glows yellow when threatened, like a Super Saiyan. Piccolo isn't even a little impressed, but he agrees to pick Pan up from preschool anyway. He asks why Gohan never trains anymore, and Gohan gives the stock answer about how nothing bad will happen, and even if it does, Goku and Vegeta will surely deal with it. I mean, that is what happened in the last movie, but they cut it pretty close in Resurrection F. Piccolo uses his clothes-altering powers to make Gohan wear his old training outfit, but that's about all he does.

I don't really understand this constant back-and-forth about whether or not Gohan trains enough in DBS. Obviously, Gohan let himself go in Res F, and then Gohan asked Piccolo to train him again to get him back in fighting shape. Then they made it look like he'd slacked off again leading up to the Tournament of Power, except he did really, really well in that arc. And now it's like he's slacking off a third time.

I mean, there's time for that. We're talking about a five or six year period here. It just seems odd to me that no one mentions we've been through this cycle before. I think the disconnect is that Gohan trains, just not often enough to satisfy the likes of Piccolo or Vegeta. He'll stop training for months or years at a time, so that he can concentrate on his biology career, and then he whips himself into shape when he has the time. This movie pretty much confirms that pattern, but each time it comes up, the characters always act like we haven't been here before.

Gohan offers him another Penenko plushie as thanks for picking up Pan, and Piccolo insists that he never liked them. I think it is very likely that Gohan and Videl do this to him on purpose. I mean, Videl knew this tournament was coming up, and she could have made other arrangements, but this way Piccolo feels obligated to be involved with their family. If they just invited him over to things, he'd probably decline, but this way he feels like they need him and he can act all put-upon, but he still gets to spend more time with Pan and such. Also they might be trying to fix Piccolo up with Pan's teacher, but we'll get to that later.

So now Piccolo just has to get in as much training as he can until 1pm, right? Wrong, because as soon as he sits down to meditate, some new guy shows up and attacks him. He refuses to identify himself, but the Red Ribbon pack on his uniform pretty much gives it away. Plus, this guy has no ki signature, so he must be an android or cyborg like Gero's creations.

So they fight, and it doesn't go well for Piccolo. At one point he asks why he can see words appear whenever he gets his. I thought this was a cute fourth-wall-breaking joke, but in fact this new guy has a holographic projector that makes the comic book sound effects appear behind him.

The mysterious attacker only refers to himself as a super hero, and after he blows up the butte Piccolo is on, he flies back to his base, thinking Piccolo is vaporized. But Piccolo escaped unseen, and he decides to trail this guy and find out who he's working for.

This leads Piccolo to a secret base inside what I believe is a crater. It looks like the crater is full of lakewater, but it's actually a holographic illusion. Piccolo finds a goon in his size and swipes his uniform.

Inside, he finds the bad guy command center, where the new android reports to Magenta and Hedo. Piccolo learns that his name is Gamma, and there's actually two of them. Hedo already watched Gamma 2's attack on Piccolo via a remote feed from 2's eyes, and his only feedback is that 2 should have done a cool pose after killing Piccolo. Gamma 1 is more concerned that Piccolo might have survived because 2 was too sloppy to check for a body.

Sure enough, 1 reviews the footage and discovers evidence that Piccolo escaped. And since Magenta insisted that the Gamma's wear RR patches on their costumes, there's a real risk that Gamma 2 tipped their hand to the enemy. Gamma 2 isn't worried, though, because he still overpowered Piccolo, and the end goal is to defeat Dragon Team, so if this escalates the conflict, then so much the better.

And that pretty much sums up the Gammas' characters. They both play the superhero role they were designed to resemble, but 1 is more cautious and responsible, while 2 is more carefree and funloving. Earlier in the film, we see pictures of Hedo at some sort of autograph signing, and there's a character who looks almost exactly like the Gammas there, so I assume he designed his androids to look just like that character. Hedo doesn't seem too concerned with originality.

Carmine agrees with Gamma 1's concern. Their enemies have the combined power of Goku, Vegeta and Majin Buu, not to mention Mr. Satan. Apparently, the Red Ribbon Army still isn't clear on how powerful he is. If they find out about the Red Ribbon too soon, it could jeopardize everything, no matter how powerful the Gammas might be.

Hedo disagrees. Once he collects enough combat data from 1 and 2, he can simply upgrade them and create even more Gammas until they have enough power to tip the scales.

Apparently, Hedo doesn't think it would take very long to get more Gamma's manufactured, which is why they have these two booths already set up. This makes me wonder if Gamma 3 and 4 are already in there, just waiting for Hedo to activate them.

As for Magenta, all he wants to talk about is Hedo's other project-- Cell Max. This leads to a heated discussion over the value of the project.

Basically, Magenta considers Cell to be Gero's greatest creation, and while the RPC has Gero's notes on how to make Cell, they were too complex for anyone to reproduce the experiement. This isn't much of a surprise, since Gero never finished Cell the first time. When Gero learned that it would take decades to complete the work, he turned it over to his computer and moved on to working on his other plans. That computer never finished, because Krillin and Trunks destroyed it and the embryonic Cell back in DBZ Episode 145. However Magenta got the data on Cell, it must have been sent to him before then, but it would have only represented the earliest stages of the project. No wonder his own scientists couldn't get very far with it.

The only reason Magenta even considers it worth pursuing is because a completed Cell showed up to menace the world. Magenta thinks that Gero must have pulled it off somehow. What he doesn't know is that this Cell came from an alternate future where Gero's computer had time to complete the project. So Magenta knows what the finished Cell is capable of, but he doesn't have a complete recipe to make a new one.

But Dr. Hedo is even smarter than Gero, which is why Magneta hired him. The Gammas are fine machines and all, but what Magenta was really hoping for was that Hedo could take the notes on Cell and figure out how to build a new and improved model. And to his credit, Hedo was able to do that, but not completely. He created Cell Max's body and made him far more powerful than the original Cell, but he's still not done because his brain takes a long time to develop. I don't know if this is like a programming thing or Cell Max needs time for his brain matter to grow complex enough to support his mission.

At any rate, Magenta just wants to turn Cell Max loose right now, because he's so high on the prospect of unleashing such a powerful weapon. But Hedo warns him that they won't be able to control Cell Max the way he is now. If they activate him now, Cell Max might easily run wild and destroy the world, which defeats the purpose of using him in the first place.

Hedo's argument is that they don't even need Cell Max, so instead of wasting time on him, they should focus on the Gammas, who are more than powerful enough to carry out Magenta's plans. They can defeat Dragon Team, then the rest of the world will fall to the Red Ribbon Army, and then Magenta can reveal Cell Max to show off his power to the world. Magneta seems to buy into that idea, at least for now.

The thing is, we really don't know how long it would take for Hedo to finish Cell Max. It took Gero's computer decades to finish the original Cell, so maybe most of that time was spent developing his brain, and yet that Cell never did follow his programming completely. So maybe Cell Max would be uncontrollable too, no matter how much Hedo tinkered with him.

Then again, Hedo built the Gammas in just six months, so he's demonstrably smarter than Gero ever was. It's possible that he could finish Cell Max's brain in a matter of weeks and make him fully obedient. He just doesn't want to spend the time because it's busy work and Max doesn't look like a super hero, so he's not very motivated to complete the project. It kind of makes you wonder what Hedo could have accomplished if he'd given it his full attention.

Needless to say, all of this freaks Piccolo out, so he excuses himself and finds a quiet spot to make a phone call to Bulma. She tells him Vegeta has been away for three weeks now, training on Beerus' planet. And Goku went along with him, so they're both unavailable. Piccolo asks her if she can use that device Whis gave her to call him, and she says she'll see if she can reach them that way.

I just want to pause here to admire Bulma's yellow jumpsuit. This is definitely one of her hottest looks, perhaps because it's so workmanlike and unsexy. She just makes it look cool because she's Bulma. She just got done welding a quantum computer to a ham radio or something.

In the meantime, Piccolo leaves the RR base to go to Korin's Tower and get some senzu beans. He's still in the mindset that Goku and Vegeta will be the ones to take care of things, but he has to do as much as he can in the meantime to improve their chances.

As he flies through the holographic lake, we get a nice exterior shot of the base. So yeah, it does look like a couple of craters, although I'm not sure what the use was in disguising the inside when you can see all this stuff built up around the outside. I guess they have some sort of phony mining operation set up if anyone snoops around.

And that'll about do it for now. I've still got a couple of image spots for this post, so let's show off the photos on Gohan's desk. Pretty cool.

And here's a cool shot of Cell, since he came up in conversation.

[thelordofgifs]

20 questions for fic writers

Thank you @sallysavestheday and @grey-gazania! I was eyeing this one and hoping for a tag, some great questions here.

1. How many works do you have on AO3? 51, although one's a podfic.

2. What’s your total AO3 word count? 250,683. More than half of which is from last year alone!

3. What fandoms do you write for? Currently exclusively the Silmarillion, with the occasional little LoTR ficlet.

4. What are your top five fics by kudos? the fairest stars, Inflection, an ancient song, all those that follow, Ilimbë. I'm always surprised by an ancient song's popularity – it was a pretty low-effort ficlet – but a solid list nonetheless!

5. Do you respond to comments? Yes, always! (Glances nervously at the pile I've accumulated in the last couple of weeks of travelling). I love replying to comments, though. It's so nice to be able to engage with all my lovely thoughtful readers and their excellent thoughts!

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending? ever an anguish that pursued is pretty bleak. before the black gale is also a tragedy of sorts, though I'm not sure that makes it qualify as angsty as such.

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending? Ilimbë ends quite joyfully, although while writing the final scene I did have the shadow of their unhappy future in mind! I think the cleaving's ending is also quite happy, or at the very least cathartic.

8. Do you get hate on fics? No, thankfully! All my readers have been very kind and appreciative <3

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind? Three fics so far! All of which were gifts for friends, and made me push my boundaries a little. I'm proud of all of them, though! Smut is less scary than I used to think :)

10. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written? No, never! If I did, it would probably be more of a retelling/AU than straight-up having characters from different fandoms meet.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated? Not to my knowledge!

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before? No – I fear I am rather too much of a control freak for this, and would rather not inflict myself and my pedantry on an unsuspecting co-writer.

14. What’s your all time favorite ship? Russingon... it's the forbidden romance and the doomed nature of it all and the fact that love wasn't enough to save them :( also the murders, of course.

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will? boats against the current, the "Maedhros doesn't swear the Oath" AU I blithely started back in 2022, is simply not going anywhere at any sort of speed. Perhaps this is the year! Let's see.

16. What are your writing strengths? Dialogue and characterisation! I'm good at emotional beats, I think.

17. What are your writing weaknesses? Description... I tend to write VERY minimally and then have to go back on edits and add in some descriptive language so that the entire story isn't just two talking heads in an empty room. Always very pleased when people compliment my descriptions for that reason – they take conscious effort!

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic? Fine if it's footnoted, I think. I tend to avoid it on the basis that all the dialogue I write has been "translated" from one of Tolkien's languages anyway; and I don't know any real languages well enough to write fic in them.

19. First fandom you wrote for? Harry Potter, although I've soured on the fandom now for obvious reasons :/ For a while I used to think that I could still enjoy the books I loved so much growing up while separating them from the author, but she's so continually hateful and bigoted that I just... can't gain any enjoyment from the franchise anymore. Which is painful, but I'm glad I have the silm fandom to absorb all my creative energy now!

20. Favourite fic you’ve written? the fairest stars! My weird gremlin baby, I love it so. I never expected to care about this fic as much as I did, but I've poured so much thought and heart into it that it was perhaps inevitable. And it's taught me so much about writing cliffhangers :)

No-pressure tags for @eilinelsghost, @searchingforserendipity25, @welcomingdisaster, @that-angry-noldo, @swanmaids, @echo-bleu, @jouissants, @tanoraqui and anyone else who, like me, was eyeing this one hoping to be tagged – @ me and say I tagged you!