#except with more torture

[lamaenthel]

torn between glee at finally getting an action episode and exasperation, because besides what I'm calling the asked-and-answered trope (aka the trope where the writers want something to happen even if it causes a giant plot hole and they "resolve" the conflict by having one character ask the other why X happened and they answer it with a single sentence and never revisit it ["why did i never see you on kamino?" "I was needed elsewhere" {what the fuck}]) my second least favorite trope is "well, that's not exactly true" followed by a character admitting they kept information vital to the plot secret for flimsy ass reasons. Because ykw, even if Cross was deadset about never going back to Tantiss to help the clones still being mercilessly tortured and experimented on by Dr Demagol Space Mengele (and I thought we resolved the reg prejudice during the Mayday arc?? but what do I know I guess) there's no reason to not pass that information onto Rex and Echo??? Bro you want to retire with your baby daughtersis in Space Hawaii then do it, you don't need to hold this information close to your chest. Literally just don't tell Omega if you're worried about her involving herself. She's like 14 it's fine you can lie to teenagers

[carlytayjepsen]

'The Tortured Poets Department' album redesign concept ~

[steviesbicrisis]

No one:

Not a single soul:

Steve:

Steve: *clears throat*

Steve: DO YOU SERIOUSLY BELIEVE

Steve: THAT I WOULD BE STRAIGHT

Steve: *drag Eddie at the center of the stage*

Steve: *points at eddie* IN THIS ECONOMY???

Eddie: *smug as fuck*

Robin: *groans, in the audience* this is the fifth time this week

Dustin: *exhausted, in the audience* can we go home now?

[lycanlovebites]

You know what? Fuck you *hits Father Ardelian with the shoujo filter and babygirlifies your priest*

@stjohnstarling

[videogamelover99]

Something that drives me crazy about the punch scene in the Dead Apple flashback that I finally can put into words:

Before the Dragon Head Conflict, Chuuya and Dazai weren't partners. They became partners during the conflict, and were so good at working together that they became notorious in and outside of the Mafia. And then the bodies kept piling up, and Dazaj got dragged back into nihilism. And that is that made Chuuya pissed. Like, SB Dazai would not have made Chuuya pissed like that, because at that point he expects Dazai to be an asshole. It's only after they became partners, when Chuuya saw the humanity that Dazai was capable of, that seeing the old Dazai, the Dazai he hates, pop back up again made him pissed enough to punch him and say that Dazai does not look human to anyone.

And then Dazai cares so much about Chuuya's opinion of him that he ends the whole conflict. He cares so much. He straight up says "I'm fixing this cause my partner is upset with me" to Shibusawa in that bonus story.

Something happened in DBH before then that made them truly care about each other. To see each other as important. Like, if anything, what I want is a DHC Light Novel because that is when they became partners, and that changed everything.

[glorpusgleebus]

it's fucked up of the Palia devs to give me the option to immediately flirt with a dilf in their game and not even make him romanceable.

[astragatwo]

The new W Corp besties

[suncaptor]

easier than lying // sam winchester

[aerithisms]

rotating the pub scene from 73 yards in my mind i think there is so much being said there about wales and welsh/english tension that is so interesting and is going so under discussed

[shikai-the-storyteller]

I'm not a huge fan of the Tazercraft mental link headcanon (it's just not my cup of tea personally), HOWEVER—

I can't stop thinking about Pac in Alcatraz with his back to the wall as Cell approaches him with a cold smile on his face and a bloody knife in one hand, and Pac completely blocking Mike out because he knows something terrible is about to happen, and if he can't save himself then maybe he can at least spare Mike the graphic gory details.

And even when he’s lying on the cold concrete floor in a pool of his own blood, Pac is still trying to block everything out so he doesn't project his pain to Mike through their mental link. But ultimately, that's what scares Mike the most — the sharp flash of Pac's terror for an instant, and then silence.

[babygirlgiles]

We as a society do not talk enough about Tara enduring Glory‘s torture to protect Dawn! Like Glory crushed Tara’s hand to the point that it bled and she still wouldn’t give up any information that would harm Dawn, despite being terrified that she was going to lose her life and her mind, and like! She did that for Dawn! Because she loves Dawn! Because she would die before she let harm come to her friend Dawn, to her surrogate little sister in their chosen family and! I’m gonna cry!

[atanxdoesstuff]

nejisasu doodle! a universe where the hyuuga's slavery bs doesn't get ignored and Neji and Sasuke are better off for it (and also they're married)

[nerevar-quote-and-star]

Okay, here are my current notes on the Markarth Incident. This is more of an evolution of thought rather than a final product, 'kay? 'kay. XOXO

4E 174 – The Empire recalls all Legions from the far corners of the Empire to participate in the final assault against the Aldmeri-held Imperial City. Every town and city not on the frontlines is left with a skeleton garrison. 

The Reachmen of Western Skyrim chooses to capitalize on this movement. The Reachmen populate an area of Western Skyrim, Eastern High Rock, and Northern Hammerfell. Although they appear similar to the Bretons of High Rock, they are wholly distinct, worshipping gods completely detached from those of Breton culture. During the Second Era, they once ruled Cyrodiil as the Longhouse Emperors; in recent history, they have lived subject to other races, primarily the Nords, who rule much of the Reach. More often than not, Reachmen are second-class citizens, though very rarely have they received decent though not preferential treatment from a Nordic Jarl.

When the Empire recalls their Legions, the capital of the Reach, Markarth, is left functionally undefended. A Reachman leader, Madanach, takes this opportunity to seize the city and install a Reachmen government in place of the Nords. Madanach declares himself King of the Reach and succeeds the Reach from Skyrim. Contemporary Imperial documents show that Madanach sent emissaries to Emperor Titus Mede II in an attempt to have the Reach recognized as its own Imperial Province wholly separate from Skyrim. Titus Mede appeared to have taken this into serious consideration, though he was unable to give it his full attention as the Empire was planning their attack on the Imperial City. 

Conflicting reports on the time frame of the Reachman takeover exist. Reports vary between the takeover beginning in Fourth Era 174 and 177 when the conflict was over. Contemporary Imperial and Forsworn documentation claim that Madanach’s rule was relatively stable, saying he was fair to the Nords, his people ousted from power, and allowed them to remain in the city so long as they recognized his government. It is said that live around Markarth continued in the same way as before, though under the Reachmen rather than the Nords. It may be important to note that Nord landholders who “mistreated” their Reachmen servants were put to death. 

The Nordic perspective (as shared by Jarl Igmund in Fourth Era 201) claims that the Reachmen takeover was violent, leading to a chaotic period in which Nords were heavily discriminated against and no civil cooperation between races. 

[Madanach’s version of events MAY be closer to the truth. N.B: During his rule, he seems willing to help a group of dissident Blades in exchange for a favor.]

The White-Gold Concordat is signed 11th of Sun’s Dusk, Fourth Era 175; Surviving veterans of the Battle of the Red Ring return to their homes, including large populations of Nordic legionnaires. Talos worship is outlawed. Talos temples are closed, though many continue to worship him in private. Ulfric Stormcloak takes offense to the banning of Talos worship, viewing it as a central aspect of Nord culture. His father, Hoag, the Jarl of Windhelm and Bear of Eastmarch, does not legalize Talos worship despite Ulfric’s religiosity. It may be that he wishes to avoid a conflict with the Empire. Jarl Hrolfdir of Markath, in exile by Madanach’s government, promises Ulfric and his supporters religious freedom should they take back the Reach from the Reachmen. This is in blatant disregard of the White-Gold Concordat. 

Ulfric leads a militia across Skyrim to the Reach where they took back Markarth. A few Reachmen leaders were imprisoned, though others were killed, along with most of their warriors, though some were driven off into the surrounding wilds. The survivors in exile began to call themselves the Forsworn. They attack Nords and the Empire indiscriminately due to anger and feelings of betrayal.

Most of the Reachmen leaders are killed. However, allegedly at the request of the Silver-Blood family, Madanach is taken prisoner and held in the depths of Cidhna Mine. The Forsworn claim that the Nords, under Jarl Hrolfdir and Ulfric Stormcloak, took back the city through an excess of unnecessary violence, putting to death or imprisoning anyone who had even spoken to Madanach or said his name. It is also said that the family members of those who were deemed to be against the Nords’ rule were imprisoned or killed, even down to young children. Purported Imperial propaganda puts forth that Ulfric himself killed everyone in Markarth who would not join his cause. 

It is true that there was bloodshed and death of innocents during the retaking of Markarth. The factuality of this claim can be traced to those Reachmen who survived the incident, sharing their experiences twenty-five years afterward. 

Jarl Hrolfdir was assassinated during attempted peace talks with the Forsworn after the retaking of Markarth. It may be that the incident only grew violent after this point due to Nordic retaliation. 

Why would Ulfric and Jarl Hrolfdir use that much unnecessary violence and brutality against the Reachmen if they intended to negotiate with them afterward?

Perhaps Igmund instigates the brunt of the violence against the Reachmen following his father’s death.

Jarl Hrolfdir was marked for death by the Dark Brotherhood. It is unknown who performed the Black Sacrament on the Jarl. It is possible someone from outside the conflict placed the contract on Jarl Hrolfdir’s head as a means of sewing chaos between the opposing sides (it could have been Igmund or Raerek [crack theory; maybe the brother was trying to Lion King his way into power and failed miserably? Or one of them opposed making peace with the Reachmen], or perhaps it was the Aldmeri Dominion?). Regardless, the Jarl’s death is the probable instigator for the deaths of many of the Reachman remaining in Markarth. 

The Imperial Legion shows up not long after the city is retaken. They are seemingly thankful that Ulfric’s militia took back the Reach. When Ulfric lets them into the city, he asks that they recognize the free worship of Talos that Jarl Hrolfdir had legalized in the Reach; otherwise, the Legion would be fought off. The Imperial Legate (or general?) present at the time okays Ulfric’s request, effectively breaking the White-Gold Concordat. Again. Not long after, the Thalmor discovered this and took issue with this breach of treaty. They give the Empire an ultimatum: disband Talos worship in the Reach or prepare for the Great War to be renewed. 

Ulfric and his followers are arrested and imprisoned by the Empire as Talos worship is again banned. The Empire must crack down on cases of Talos worship across the province. In consequence of the incident, the Thalmor gain access to Skyrim for their Justiciars through an Embassy. This is allegedly to enforce the terms of the White-Gold Concordat after it had been broken by the Nords in Fourth Era 176/7, but on an underground level, this allows the Thalmor to hunt, capture, and torture suspected Talos worshippers. The coming of the Thalmor Justiciars to Skyrim is technically a domino effect caused by Ulfric’s demand for free and open Talos worship.

Jarl Hrolfdir’s assassination happens during Ulfric and his supporters imprisonment. It may be possible that it was Ulfric OR one of his men who performed the Black Sacrament (though how could they do this while in an Imperial prison? Ulfric had to smuggle out his eulogy for his father’s funeral – what is the Imperial prison smuggling system like? Could any of them have had access to a dead body? Smuggled in or that of a fellow prisoner?). Whoever performed the Black Sacrament on Jarl Hrolfdir is the root cause for the retribution killings of the Reachmen. (Perhaps it was Thonar Silver-Blood?)

Ulfric is an uncooperative asset to the Thalmor, not because he ever cooperated with them in the first place, but because he is the (unintended) reason they have such a strong foothold in Skyrim now. 

[codenamesazanka]

Maybe a hot take I dunno, but I feel like the way Deku handled Shigaraki could've been "justified" or at least a bit easier to accept if Shigaraki had actually killed Bakugou during the final fight.

That, or if Deku only found out Bakugo survived during the epilogue so he could have a moment of self reflection about giving up on saving Shigaraki because he thought someone he cared about got hurt.

Hm. On an emotional and story level, I get it! At first thought, it makes sense - Bakugou on the Heroes' side gets killed by Shigaraki, so narrative karma means Shigaraki has to die too. Would definitely help 'explain' Deku's cold attitude (tho I argue he was already pretty cold before).

But thinking about it more, I feel like it still wouldn't have worked? Shigaraki had already killed a bunch of other heroes and caused lots of destruction - so singling Bakugou out as the justification/last straw for Deku, him essentially killing Shigaraki as revenge for Bakugou, feels unfitting of him as a Hero - too personal, not him acting as impartial law enforcer. I know readers cared much more for Bakugou than Crust, but for the story, this different valuation of lives would look bad. imo.

Plus, Bakugou was truly dead. Shigaraki did kill him! It just didn't stick because of the greatest and weirdest asspull of story history, but that already happened. Bakugou was mangled and Deku did get really mad at that—for two seconds until Mirio spoke to him and Deku calmed down in order to ask about whether Shigaraki was still inside ShigAFO - to focus on his goal of saving Shigaraki.

Bakugou died, and Deku made the decision to still "not ignore the crying child". Which is a point towards him for sticking to wanting save Shigaraki despite this new evil thing Shigaraki has done! (But I guess it's just that his 'save' has always been reliant on his sympathy for a ghost child? Whose name he didn't know, so he had to have called Shigaraki 'Shigaraki', and I guess that made it seem like he wanted to save all of Shigaraki; but even at the moment, it was clear that Deku was focused on The Crying Child, given the visuals and Mirio speaking of Tenko's outburst.)

So while I get what you're going for, whether your first possibility or the second, it still does damage to the story of Deku being a Hero.

[tacagen]

he evolves

2024 (winter?) // first ever attempt 2020

just chronological-ish

[trensu]

chrissy the vampire slayer

Chrissy screamed. She KNEW taking the shortcut was a bad idea. A cheerleader in the woods after dark by herself? That's the start of at least three different horror movies, she's pretty sure. But Jason had ditched her after winning the game for some victory party with the rest of his basketball buddies and he had been her ride home.

A hulking man pounded after her. Chrissy pushed her legs to run faster, faster. It was a miracle she hadn't tripped over a branch or gotten her foot caught in one of the many hidey-holes the cute little forest critters burrowed into ground. This was a stupid way to die, she berated herself. Jason hadn't even gotten the winning shot in, the dick. It was the upperclassman, Steve Harrington, who did that but Jason was such a suck up that of course he immediately followed Steve to the stupid party like the world's stupidest dog.

How had the man not caught up with her yet? He easily had a foot on her in height. She chanced a look over her shoulder and screamed again as she saw he was still determinedly chasing her.

She broke into a clearing. Except it wasn't a clearing, it was a graveyard because why not make it easier for the creep to hide her body after murdering her? A hysterical giggle got caught in her throat as she quickly came up to a gravestone. Her momentum was not going to allow her to swerve around it without toppling over and then it would be lights out for her forever.

She took a wild leap, closing her eyes in an effort to brace for the inevitable collision, but shockingly she bounded over it like a freaking star track runner. The man behind her crashed into it but before Chrissy could thank her lucky stars for the reprieve, the gravestone instead of tripping up her pursuer freaking broke in half under the force of his impact.

Chrissy sobbed and continued to run blindly through the empty cold graveyard. How was she still running? She was panting for breath but out of sheer fear rather than exhaustion. The man didn't sound out of breath at all as he came after her with the doggedness of an oncoming training. If she didn't know better, she'd say he wasn't breathing at all.

She hastily scrubbed her arm over her eyes to clear the tears away and in that moment of temporary blindness, crashed into the side of the mausoleum with a pained grunt. She scrabbled to stay on her feet. The man, seeing her cornered, slowed to a stop before her and she turned to see him clearly for the first time in the clear full moon light.

Chrissy shrieked when she saw his face. It was...wrong. His brow was deformed, making his sickly yellow eyes look sunken into his face. He grinned at her, revealing disturbingly pointed teeth. He chuckled.

"Poor little girl," he said. "All alone after dark."

He prowled closer and Chrissy felt panic overwhelm her. But then another voice broke the night.

"Hey, cheer queen, catch!"

Chrissy and the man with the deformed face both instinctively turned to look at whoever spoke. Something was thrown at her and Chrissy caught it right out of the air like some kind of major league baseball player. Her hand wrapped around the object and some part of her recognized the feel of it.

It triggered something in her mind and, with no input from any higher thought process, Chrissy twirled the thing in her hand and threw herself forward at the man that had terrorized her. The thing pierced right through the man's rib cage like a hot knife through butter. The man only had enough time to look at her with surprised, widened eyes before he burst into a cloud of dust.

She gasped, accidentally breathed in some of the dust, and devolved into a coughing fit. By the time she was able to catch her breath, the person who had thrown the thing at her, had reached her side.

"So, you're the new slayer."

Chrissy looked up to see Eddie the Freak Munson. Her grip on the thing in her hand tightened as her whole body tensed again. Eddie noticed and hopped back hurriedly with his hands raised up. He smiled benignly at her.

"What is this? What did you call me?" Chrissy asked, gesturing the thing in her hand.

"That," Eddie said in a tone far too chipper for the graveyard and pile of dust nearby, "is a stake, commonly used to fight vampires. And you, cheer queen, are now the slayer. Congrats! Now c'mon, you should talk to my uncle."

Eddie bent down to pick up a black tin lunchbox he must've dropped earlier and then started to saunter off.

"I'm not going anywhere with you," Chrissy squeaked. "Are you kidding me? I just got attacked and I stabbed someone and, and, and what the fuck is a slayer?"

Chrissy was not proud at how her words ended in a shriek, but the last hour had been very very stressful and she thought she was entitled to a little hysteria. Eddie halted and turned around. His face softened for a moment.

"I get it, it's been really scary so far," he said, more kindly than before. "Being a slayer is no joke, I know, but you'll feel better after talking to my uncle. Hopefully."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Chrissy hiccuped. She felt her eyes get teary again. Eddie huffed, his patience clearly wearing thin but trying to keep it under wraps.

"Look, do you want to stay here all alone? In a graveyard? At night?"

"N-no."

"Then let's go."

Eddie stalked off. Chrissy hurried after him, a deathgrip still on the stake he had thrown at her.

"What were you doing here anyway?" she asked. Eddie rattled the lunchbox he held.

"The ambience here is good for business. Jocks keep their transactions short, with minimal threats. Especially after a winning game. Your boytoy do you proud?" Eddie slanted his eyes at her and waggled his eyebrows. Chrissy grimaced at the phrasing but shook her head.

"No, Steve scored the winning shot. I think he's in your grade?"

"Steeeve Harrington," Eddie drawled with derision. "Of course he did. Douchebag's going to be insufferable."

"Hey," Chrissy protested. She liked Steve. He was funny and he treated all the cheerleaders respectfully, unlike some of the other jocks. "Steve's a nice guy. He's sweet."

"Ha! Hate to break it to you, cheer queen, but there's no way a guy that loaded and that pretty is anything but a douchebag," Eddie snorted.

"So you think he's pretty?" Chrissy snarked back, feeling oddly defensive of Steve. True, Steve could get...prickly...sometimes, but she'd also seen him stop to help a middle school kid find his missing lizard or whatever it was, so she knew he wasn't all that bad.

Eddie stumbled and his cheeks pinked.

"I never said that," he spluttered, eye darting at her and away very quickly. "It's, it's just what all the girls say about him. And he's always strutting around everywhere expecting everyone to fawn over him like he's some kind of Prince Charming. It's distracting. Uh, annoying, I mean."

Oh. Chrissy thought of the trumpet girl in the school band and how she always managed to catch Chrissy's attention no matter what she was doing. The way the girl smiled at her bandmates, the way her brow furrowed while playing...Chrissy felt herself flush, too. Well, that was something to tuck away in a mental box to think about later. Much later. Like, maybe in ten years later. She wondered if Eddie the Freak Munson had a mental box like hers too.

The silence stretched awkwardly between them as they exited the graveyard. Eddie opened the door to his van and bowed dramatically at her as she levered herself in. He made his way around the vehicle and clambered into the driver's seat. The old thing started up on the second try. As Eddie jolted them along the empty road and headed towards the trailer park, it occurred to Chrissy she should ask.

"Why would your uncle be able to help me?"

"You mean aside from being the best guy in all of Hawkins? He used to be a Watcher. He knows how all this goes."

That answered absolutely nothing. Chrissy frowned but kept quiet. She had a feeling Eddie wouldn't say any more about it until they'd met with Wayne Munson anyway.