#he has to legit take a moment to recenter and be like (what the fuck is wrong with me?)

[musubiki]

im actually fully convinced now that mochi used to wear the long skirt uniform until coco convinced her to be a normal high school girl and wear short skirts like everyone else, and thats when limes Thing(tm) started

[zu8her]

✧･ﾟ 𝕾𝖙𝖚𝖉𝖊𝖓𝖙 𝕻𝖗𝖔𝖋𝖎𝖑𝖊 | 𝕷𝖆𝖜

✧･ﾟ𝖙𝖆𝖌𝖘 — med-student!law ⋆ drugdealer!law ⋆ campusreporter!reader ⋆ accidental drug ingestion ⋆ aphrodisiac drug ⋆ student profile ⋆ sex under the influence of aphrodisiac ⋆ fucking ⋆ they be fuckin' ⋆ implied black reader ⋆ stretch marks mentioned ⋆ backshots ⋆ semi-public(??) ⋆ bj ⋆ slow sex

✧･ﾟ𝖓𝖔𝖙𝖊𝖘 — it's been a fuckin' while. sorry i've not been confident in my abilities as a writer so i put it off for awhile. like i was legit insecure and thought about deleting my acc lol. but decided not to. hope you enjoy this

✧･ﾟ𝖂𝖔𝖗𝖉 𝕮𝖔𝖚𝖓𝖙 — 1K (𝖘𝖍𝖔𝖗𝖙𝖊𝖘𝖙 𝖋𝖎𝖈 𝕴'𝖛𝖊 𝖜𝖗𝖎𝖙𝖙𝖊𝖓 𝖘𝖔 𝖋𝖆𝖗)

You lightly knocked on his door patiently staring at the room number. Your heart pounding, this may be dangerous. He may be dangerous, yet here you are.

You recently discovered a student on campus has been selling experimental drugs, fairly mild but drugs nonetheless. It had been another taxing day for you. Running around, chasing after a cold case. From dead-end to dead-end. Finally, you got a tip. A med-student was responsible, Trafalgar D. Law.

When you so much as voiced that you had a story you wanted to run, the editor shut you down. “No, you don’t. I tell you what to write,” he spat shoving your camera into your stomach. He then assigned you do a basic student profile. Guess on who? So, you're taking this chance to actually do your job and snoop.

Opening the door, he recognised you immediately. Braids in a neat ponytail, white button up and a preppy lilac skirt. The cute girl always taking pictures for the campus newspaper. “The Editor sent me. He said you owed him a favour.” Sighing, he moves aside to let you in before shutting the door.

While you scan his room, he manoeuvres past you. On a cabinet to your left a small bag of gummy bears catches your eye. With his back turned you swipe one out of the bag, reflexively eating it when he rotated his chair to face you.

“You want to interview me, right?”

“Yes, I’m doing a student profile.”

He shrugged gesturing to the chair in front of him. Taking a seat, you introduce yourself before asking permission to record the interview, placing your phone on his desk and starting.

You’ve gone through half of the questions on your clipboard, when it started to get hot. Heavy breathes, followed. Your chest was tingling. You kept slightly rocking back and forth, subconsciously, squeezing your thighs together. Your nipples started to perk through the shirt.

You couldn’t focus. Your eyes instead settling to dart across his body. From the tattoos on his chest and hands to his well defined forearms. “Excuse me, I just feel a bit hot,” you awkwardly smile unbuttoning your shirt. To get more comfortable on his chair, he laid back spreading his legs. Instinctively, your eyes landed on his crotch. He smiled deviously. “Did you take on of the gummy bears?”

“I took just one. What is it?”

“That batch are aphrodisiacs.”

You watch, dazed as he stands before you, leaning down to cup your chin and twist your face for observation. “Heightened arousal.” You stare down at his crotch before meeting his gaze, salivating. Gently he lets go, staring down at the drugs for a moment before scoffing and popping one in his mouth. "I needed to test these anyway."

Cosily laid on Law’s bed, you whine as he thrusts into you. Hearing him whimper as he looks down at your fucked-out smile and watches your tits bounce along with his thrusts. One of your legs propped over his shoulder as he rams his fat cock into your sensitive pussy. He smirks down at you as you squirm feeling another orgasm tear through you.  He leaned in, his head on your shoulder as he delivered deep strokes to drag out your orgasm. “Fuck,” he whimpered against your ear before he came. You twitch as he slowly humps his cum deeper.

Your face, stuffed against the bed cushions, ass up as he fucks you from behind. Alternating between backshots to sitting on your ass and plunging his overstimulated cock into your creamy hole. His favourite is your muffled moans, the way your eyes roll back with his deep thrusts. Enjoying the way your arse jiggle against him, his hand firmly on your waist his thumb softly caressing darkened stretch marks. Watching your pussy convulse with his cum dripping out, drove him to near insanity. He had to, just had to fuck more of his cum into you. You looked so good like this.

He rolled you over. With your leg trapped under him he wrapped his right arm around your waist and his left to grip your arse holding you steady as he rolled his cock into your dripping cunt. All you could do is grip his hair while he stared you down with faint smirk and blush decorating his cheeks.

You were now propped up over his desk, his cock fucking into you as he buried his head in your neck. Watching through the small opening of the curtains as the rest of Uni goes about their day while your getting ruthlessly fucked. Feeling him grope your tits and whimper as he fucks up into you. “You feel so good, fuck-”

Licking his and your cum off his cock as you humped his pillow. Deep-throating. Taking all of his cock in your mouth, feeling his hairs lightly graze your cheek and his tip at the back of throat, before releasing his cock with deep breathes following, earning a whimper-like groan from him as he sat back on his chair. Hooded, fucked out eyes looking down at you, yearning, aching for more. His whimpers becoming more erratic prompting him to pull out and spurt his cum on your tits and mouth before gently cupping your face and pushing his cock down your throat once more. “Just a little bit more, okay baby? That’s it.” He coos with a hoarse voice.

You’d both grown tired at this point. The only driving force, seemingly being the stimulant. The high was dying down. He laid you comfortably between his sheets on you stomach. With the duvet lazily hanging off his shoulders, he slid his cock back in. “Just relax, okay?” He slow fucked into mouthing curses with his head hung low. When he felt you clench around him, he buried his cock deep as you came around his cock. Pulling out he would deliver his last moan as he rubbed his sensitive cock, spurts of his cum coating your arse and back.

Silently, you sit at your desk listening to the recording. At the 42 minute mark, listening to him drop to his knees then at your moans as he slid down your panties and ate you out. The recording is about 5 hours long. Barely an hour of which is the actual interview and the last few minutes Law moaning as he came.

“Did you interview him?” You look up at the student editor. “Uhh, yes! I did. I’ll send-”

“I want it by Monday.”

“Will do!” On his way out, he stopped by the door, his hand gripping the frame. He tilts his head slightly.

“About your story-”

“Dead end.” You lie and watch as he nods and leave. Looks like Law’s the editors supplier.

[zoe-is-amazingg]

You're just not my type Prt 3

Jock!Ethan Landry X Guitarist!F!Reader

W/C - 1.5 K

Summary - Ethan definitely has an idea about what you think about him

Warnings - just making out.

A/N - I'm so happy i'm trying to finish this rn. im also done wit the flashbacks sooo

Last part * Next part *

Request rules * Taglist request *

You slowly walk into school, your headphones over your ears, it's been a week since you've last seen Bryce and you're living for it. You practically wanted nothing to do with him and recently, someone else was definitely trying to get in with you.

Ethan, that is.

He has been interacting with you all week, talking to you, flirting with you, he even has been asking you about your guitar. You weren't used to all this male attention surrounding you. Ethan's friends were slowly talking to you, finding you interesting and asking things about you too.

But out of all of them, Ethan is the one that you seem to like the most. He seems caring and kind and nice. He was cute as hell, but you really didn't want this to be another Bryce situation where he ends up being a dick to you in five days.

You're walking and just minding your own business when someone pulls off your headphones and you turn around. Of course, it was Ethan.

"Ethan give them back!" You huff as he puts them on his head. You really wanted to go to art early. He nods his head and hums to the tune of the song just a little bit before he takes them off and puts them around your neck.

"Is that...Your own music?" He asks you, looking deeper into your eyes than anyone else ever has before. He had this strong cologne on and on top of how his hair looked it the sun, it was intoxicating to you. You wanted to rip the varsity jacket off and kiss him.

"Uh, yes, actually. It's just something I've been working on for the moment, nothing too special." You state and He nods. He smirks at you and then steps back.

"That's really good," He states, and you blush, what the hell was happening to you. In a minute you'll start giggling like a fucking schoolgirl. "Can I meet you in the music room after this class. I really want to hear you play in person." You shake your head, and he sighs. You look into his eyes for a moment and groan. "Fuck it, sure, I'll see you there."

You slowly walk away and sigh as you put your headphones over your ears. You arrive at art, being a bit over 5 minutes late, you were never late and by the way everyone was looking at you, you could tell their thinking the same. You take your headphones off and take your seat at the back.

"Gentlemen and Gentlewoman, I really want this next piece for your portfolio to really tell me about your emotions." The teacher says. You weren't one for emotions really, but maybe these new feelings for your browned haired friend could bring out some good work. "I want this to reflect what the past month has been like in about three to five paintings, show me your emotions and the journey that your emotions go through."

"What the hell." You mumble. This month for you has been terrible, except for the past week. Your friend, Casey, looks at you. He was a great artist and an even better friend; he calls you constantly.

"I know you're not good with your emotions, but you should really use your feelings for Ethan. Their only blossoming into new for you, Bryce was a shit dude. Ethan seems like he's good for you. You seem happier." That was deep as hell. What the fuck.

You will admit to yourself that you do seem happier ever since Ethan's come into your life. So maybe that party was worth it. "I don't know, he asked me to meet him after this class to get him to watch me play. I don't know if I should go." You mumble.

"Y/N. I swear to god. If you don't go, you'll wish you did because I'll legit kill you." Casey says and you groan. "Fuck you, fuck it. I'll go!" You groan.

"Yessss! Please do! He loves you! It's so obvious." Casey rolls his eyes. You roll your eyes and get up and walk away. You put on your apron and grab 3 paint brushes, a cup of water and some light blue, pastel purple and pink and yellow. That's what you felt like doing at the time anyway

You go back to your desk and sit down. You place all the objects onto the table and slump back down into your seat. You turn around with your chair and grab a canvas and paint palette.

You turn back around to your desk and place the canvas and palette down. You squeeze a little bit of each color onto the palette and wet the smallest paint brush you grabbed. You dip it into the pink paint, someone in the corner of the classroom catches your eye. You slowly take off your headphones and put them into your bag.

"I'm here for Y/N." Ethan says. Your jaw drops. What the fuck is he doing? You don't come to his basketball practice. You were painting, you're not packing up because you just started. "Why does Y/N need to come with you?"

"Something important has come up and I really need her to come with me Mrs Warner." Ethan says. He looks at you and you shake your head. "Sure, go ahead, take Y/N. I'm not fighting with 21-year-old about a girl leaving class early."

"I'll pack up your stuff." Casey smirks at you. You grab your bag and leave with him. You both walk in silence for a moment, you're finding the right words because in your head, everything you wanted to say was mixed together.

"Where are we going?" You ask. He shakes his head at you and chuckles. Fuck. He is not taking you to the studio. "By the way your face expressions are, I think you just realized." He chuckles at you. You didn't want to play for him, you were planning on not showing up. But what's the worst that can happen?

You walk with him for a moment and then you both arrive at the studio. You really weren't keen on playing for him. He opens the door and there's your guitar, in all its beauty. "Y/N. Look, if you don't want to play for me, that's fine, I don't want you to feel like you have to." He says to you, clearly it was obvious that you were nervous to play infront of him.

"No, I want too. I just haven't really played my own music in front of someone before." You mutter, you both go inside the studio, and he closes the door. You pick up the electric guitar and set it up so it can make noise from the speakers. Ethan looks at you and slowly pulls the guitar out of your hands and lightly rests it on the wall.

He grabs your hands and looks at you directly into your eyes. He slowly rubs circles into the back of your hands. He drops onto his knees, and you can't even believe this is happening to you. "Are you okay?" He asks.

"Fine, fine. Don't worry about me." You whimper. He nods, clearly not convinced with your answer. He hands you back the guitar and you turn the volume up on it lightly. "Just pretend I'm not here."

You close your eyes. Fuck why is the this so damn scary. You start playing a little bit to see if it's tuned. It is and now you can't waste any more time. You slowly start with a hammer on and start playing. You play for about two minutes before you stop. Ethan's jaw is wide open and shocked.

"That's really fucking good." He mutters. You didn't know what to say. He did not just say your good. It felt like a praise. It was a praise. God, you wanted him so bad. You hand him the guitar. "Sit down, I'll give you a lesson." You say and his eyes light up. "Really?"

"Yes, now sit down before I change my mind." You sigh. He nods and sits down. The guitar is placed on his lap, and he picks it up the way you did before. He puts the strap over his shoulders. "What next ma'am?" He asks jokingly. You walk over and stand over him. You grab his hands and use your hands lead where his are going.

You let him play a little riff and then stop. He looks up at you and says "Fuck it, I cant pretend anymore." He mutters and you tilt your head.

What is he on about? Your thoughts are cut short when his lips connect with yours. Your lips move and fit perfectly together. He slides the guitar off him and places it onto the floor. You slowly move your body so you're standing basically on top of him. You slowly get pulled onto his lap and you hook your hands around his neck.

Someone opens the door, and you break the kiss to look at the person. It's the one person you did not want to talk too.

Bryce.

Taglist - @idky5

[ginalinettiofficial]

hey what’s up hello okay so i finally just finished s2 e52 of dndads (had a very crazy work week so was listening in bits and pieces) and here’s the thing is that im also currently relistening to the whole season and earlier in this week, the most recent episode i finished, was halt and catch fireball, and before that ya know was mrs. swallows oak garcia’s home for peculiar teens or whatever that one is called where they are just. at normal’s house and we got to actually get to know rebecca a little bit and i have got to say that i don’t know if i could’ve picked a more painful and wild older ep to listen to as a precursor to dood riddance i really don’t!!! literally half of the shit in dood riddance just circles back to that arc in the swallows oak garcia home and it’s CRAZY

like first of all. the red vines, which they called twizzlers the entirety of e52 which was MADDENING as a person who legit just finished e30/31 where the red vines were introduced

but then like. e31 is where taylor gets the anime sword from nick!!! that he loses in e52!!!

there were a few other things that i’ve forgotten in the half an hour since i finished the ep because my brain is a sieve on a good day and i’m just getting home from two back to back 13 hour shifts (with an extra 1hr10/20 each day for the commute) so the brain machine is so fucking broke rn

but mainly. i wasn’t loving e52 esp after dood left i just was not vibing with it, i feel like the vibes were off in the room in a way that translated into the ep for a bit there, but then anthony in those last like three minutes brought it back around and with the roll of rebecca??? after i legit JUST finished listening to the eps that feature her the most prominently and like truly showcase not only normal’s relationship w his mom but also, as is said several times in e30/31 and their teen talks, just how similar normal IS to his mom and how he really clearly is a total momma’s boy and very much so seemed to be a kid who sought solace with his mom more than anyone else in his family and just. having legit JUST reestablished that in my own, made the end of e52 DEVASTATING for me in a way that idk if it was for other ppl??? idk haven’t checked the fandom yet im very disconnected this season but just.

like

i think that okay so we have ten parents it could’ve been, right? and five of those are the kiddads, and none of us want to see them die, so in that moment when anthony was telling us what was gonna happen, obviously my instinct was like “oh god don’t do this don’t do terry jr again but truly permanent” and then my next instinct was that it would be potentially even MORE awful if it was scary’s dad because finally there he is and that’s ALL she wants and for willy to take that moment from her would be INSANE and then (mind you this was my thought process over the course of literally 10 seconds, my brain is ping ponging in my head and has been since the second i got in the car to head home i need to sleep) and THEN my next thought was, oh god, but how fucked up would it be if it were marco??? oh god, how fucked up would it be if it were cassandra?!?!?!?! and then it was time for the roll and truly in those brief seconds basically my brain flicked through every potential victim and said “oh god THAT one would be the WORST”, EXCEPT for veronica and rebecca, and it made the hit of it being rebecca who was low down on my instinctual list to think of but then the second he said her name i was immediately ricocheted back to earlier in the week when i was listening to halt and catch fireball and mrs. swallows oak garcias home and how many emotions i had about normal and his mom just relistening to those episodes and then the fact that i DIDNT think to worry about her just

all of that combined to make that a CRITICAL HIT FOR ME OKAY like i am SO fucked up over this truly that was WILD and i applaud anthony burch for it and now am excited for the finale even though ive spent the last three eps just dreading it for several reasons but now im excited and devastated and i love that

anyways. that was word vomit i just NEEDED to get this out because the connections between those two episodes really will not stop hitting me in the head and i need to impart that onto SOMEONE. if u read this. ur a real one. rip rebecca swallows oak garcia you were a legend and i am so sad about u

[panie-wanie-dean-bean]

“Hey you! Yes you! Do you want money? Do you want stability? Do you want to go to hell? Well boy do I have the job for you! Here at Rosey Posey Cafe it is our pleasure to serve a variety of guests magical drinks that you could only dream of!”

“Any human above the age of 18 may apply!”

“You don’t need any experience!”

“I’ll teach you how to read if I have to!”

“If any of this has interested you please call this number and we’ll schedule your interview for as quick as tomorrow! Hope to hear from you!”

You half expect this to be a scam. A weird, furry based scam due to the talking anthro cat from the commercial, but a scam nonetheless. Still, you do need a job, even if it’s fake there’s no harm in trying, right? Right. The start of the number is weird as, well, hell, but that’s to be expected from a hell run business you guess. You’ve yet to really visit hell since the rifts opened up last year but you’ve heard it’s actually pretty nice

You grab your phone from your bedside table and give the weird cat-lady a ring “HELLO!?” Ow, hi, you’re calling to ask about the job position “Oh, my ad worked?!? Yes! So, when can you come down for an interview?”

And the rest is history, well, recent history you guess, seeing as this is your first day. Turns out the cat-man-demon who runs this place was being super legit. Actually, what is his name? “Oh, I don’t think you could pronounce it, but in english I go by Evelyn or Ms. Rose! It’s so so nice to have you as a part of the team!” You’ve heard, repeatedly, ever since she hired you on the spot “Well it never hurts to say something twice!”

Your new boss is more than a bit odd, the whole human sized tabby cat thing aside she’s just, really friendly? To the point it almost seems like she’s fucking with you but…you don’t wanna be rude but there doesn’t seem to be a lot going on behind those eyes. You ask Ms. Rose if your training will start soon “Yes yes yes! Ok, question before we start. Do you know how to read?”

Yes “Perfect! I have a little booklet on how to make all the drinks we serve here. You don’t have to memorize it by any means though, I want this place to have a nice relaxed vibe so there’s no rush. I mean, don’t make a demon wait 10 years for their drink but aside from that you can take your time. Here’s the booklet! There’s rules at the top and two lists below it. One is alphabetical so you can search drinks by name, and the other is based on flavor profile so if someone wants to spice it up a little you can search by the flavors they like”

“If you have any questions you can let me know, but there are a few things I need to show you” He walks me through how to use the Fizzer, which is just a carbonator, the hot plate and sauce pan used for warming, and the blender, each explanation coming with a long warning about how it could interact with my “frail human body” After Ms. Rose finishes telling me about all the tiny pieces I could wind up as if I could somehow fit my entire body into the blender he takes a moment to think

“I’m pretty sure the rest is self explanatory but I’ll be here to chaperone you your whole first day, and never be afraid to ask me for help!” You thank him and ask when the store will open “Hm? It’s been open this whole time!” …Aren’t those open and closed signs supposed to say the opposite of what you are on the back?

“.”

“.”

“.”

“Fuck” Your boss walks dejectedly to the front door and flips the “we’re open!” side of the sign to face outside “Well, I guess we just opened!” She laughs as she springs back over to stand beside me. While we wait I take a second to really just admire this place, it’s a small cafe but it’s incredibly cozy. There’s a lot of dark wood work and fluffy pillows, even a few blankets in a basket with a “please return after use” sign above an empty one beside it, and the whole place just smells…warm?

You’re knocked out of your thoughts by the front door bell chiming “Hello! How can we-oh, it’s you” Ms. Rose’s voice drops all cheer as she greets…Oh my god, it’s Jean Laurent, why the fuck is your first customer a movie star!?! Jean fucking Laurent saunters up to the counter “Hey Evelyn~” “Laurent” Jean laughs “So cold” his gaze shifts over to you, looking you up and down

“Who’s this?” You feel like a deer in headlights, you were ready to serve weird demons not Whole Ass Human Celebrity Jean Laurent “They’re my new employee, and I’ll thank you not to fuck with them” The venom in your bosses voice snaps you out of your little trance, looking over to him you see that his eyes have strained into small slits and his ears are angled back against his head

Ok! Um, you ask what Mr. Laurent would like, he chuckles “Oh please, there’s no need to be so formal. I’ll have my usual, cutie” You can feel your face betray you as all the blood in your body seems to drain into your cheeks. Ok, focus! He wants his usual? Oh, here we go, Jean’s order. Ew. It doesn’t look good but if that’s what he wants then you guess so

You glance back up at your boss. She really doesn’t seem to like him. Huh, you know you probably shouldn’t but you have a feeling she’d get a kick out of seeing him gag a little bit. You fain a bit of cluelessness as you look through the drinks you could make. A Sucker punch looks like it could get a reaction out of him, it’d probably piss him off though. What should you make him?

[drowninginblox]

Do you think the Straw Hats get touch-starved?

I’ve been getting into One Piece recently and the thought of getting isikaied into the show has been making its rounds in my head. Thinking of what I would do if allowed onboard has become my newest pastime so ima ramble about it.

Ofc I would do manual work and help out with the ship's cosmetics, maybe take on a little bit of everyone else’s work if they let me, but overall, what would be my role? Then I started thinking about how broken everyone is and I thought- what if I just played support?

And then the angst came rushing in-

So this is how touch-starved the straw hats are (in my POV ofc)

Luffy

I don’t think Luffy is a touch person

I mean yes the dude likes hugs and shit but I don’t think he’d die without them.

To me, Luffy comes off as someone who likes gifts or words of affirmation above everything else

Probably cus I see this guy as an aro/ace icon but that's just me

Usopp

Mans is starving but he wouldn’t realize it until literally the moment he gets crumbs

I think it’s made worse by the fact he’s thinking about Kaya almost as much as he is living in the moment (if that makes any sense)

If I were to offer him a cuddle sesh I think he’d legit think about it for a bit before turning me down out of respect for Kaya

But he be longing for physical affection bro I Mf know it

Sanji

Wants but won’t give in

As of right now, this man is a fucking s l a v e to Nami so I think that the same principle for Usopp would follow to Sanji. The only difference being his reaction would be more vocal and immediate.

“Absolutely not!”

That is to say, he definitely struggles with physical touch. I’m sure of it. There is something deep inside this boy that struggles when it comes to self-worth. I can’t place it yet but I can see it-

Zoro

I think he’d call me a whore? Idk why. But my mind is telling me that this man doesn’t need physical touch. What he needs is physical therapy for over-exerting himself.

Fr tho, if Zoro ever got the notion that he wants some hugs or platonic cuddles, I think it would be a struggle to come to terms with that.

Very much “I haven’t wanted/ needed this before, so why do I crave this now?” From that, I’d think he’d internalize that struggle until it’s something he can’t war over anymore.

He’d eventually get over himself and ask for a hug or putting his head on my lap when no one else is around/ when everyone else is asleep except us.

Nami

Oh Nami, my Nami. You do not trust easy.

You lie to yourself and strive in your own but I know that you will take anything you get girl

She’d only take side hugs if someone asked for a hug.

She doesn’t ask for one unless it’s after a life-or-death situation/something stressful. The same can be said for cuddles

I hope this bitch is pampered by someone she loves just as is not more than berries.

Honestly if it wasn't for the fact that he was a pervert, i'd put my money on Sanji but... i highly doubt that

Koby

He so is.

As soon as I offered, he would have his arms out. Always open for. a hug.

I think he'd make cuddling more than it is though.

But once he gets over it, if the free time presents itself, absolutely.

BONUS!!!

Spoilers for season 2 of OPLA or Alabasta for the new anime watchers/ manga readers!

Robin

No.

Physical touch is not on the menu for her

Not now at least.

One day though

Chopper

An adorable little thing like him is always down for a hug I know it

Will ask for hugs and cuddles not for himself but for the person he's asking them from. Mostly from Nami, Zorro, and Robin

Chopper would prob get the same vibe for me lmao

[qqueenofhades]

So, not asking this to be down on Biden or his admin, they have legit done some INCREDIBLE things, but because I know I don't have enough understanding or info to judge for myself. With how much of a threat the current SCOTUS is to... everything, what are the reasons Biden hasn't pushed to expand the number of judges to what it could be based on the precedent of the last time it was expanded and then staffed it with progressives, do you think?

I have written many posts about SCOTUS and SCOTUS expansion, which I can't be arsed to go find right now. In short, it does not require a constitutional amendment to expand the court (which would be impossible since iirc constitutional amendments require 2/3 of the Senate to vote in favor, and you'd have a hard time getting one Republican to vote to expand SCOTUS, let alone 17). In 2021, the Democratic-controlled House Judiciary Committee introduced the Judiciary Act of 2021 to expand SCOTUS (that page explains the rationale and also has a link to the actual text of the legislation, should you be interested in reading it). The plan is to introduce four new justices to expand the court to 13 seats, to match the 13 federal judicial circuits. The last time it was expanded was in 1869, when there were 9 circuits. You can say, uh, that things have changed.

However, obviously, the Republicans have played a long game to hijack and reshape SCOTUS to do exactly what it's now doing, and the last thing they want is anything that makes it more equitable or takes away that automatic and near-absolute power. As far as they are concerned, SCOTUS is now pretty much perfect, and they would howl bloody murder about any attempts to change it, even when McConnell brazenly cheated in plain sight to force Gorsuch and Barrett onto the bench and Kavanaugh's confirmation was also brimful with shady shit. They don't care about fairness, they care about their power, and as you say, SCOTUS in its current incarnation is basically a perfect system for unaccountable right-wing minority autocratic rule, even as the American electorate continues to reject it in actual democratic institutions. So indeed, why hasn't Biden come out more vocally in favor of court reform?

First, as I have said before, SCOTUS reform is still (for better or worse) regarded as political kryptonite for Democrats, especially a student of American politics like Biden. I have mentioned Franklin D. Roosevelt's brief attempt to expand SCOTUS in 1934, to help with getting the New Deal through, but which went down in flames so badly that all of his successors were leery of trying it again. Biden is, as noted, also a fairly orthodox old-school American politician who believes that American institutions can still (mostly) do the job, and is reluctant to drastically reshape them. I do think he's getting there; he started his term full of pointless platitudes about Bipartisanship and Our Republican Friends, whereas his more recent public rhetoric is basically "fuck those guys, we'll do it ourselves if we have to."

I don't agree with his recalcitrance on aggressively pushing for SCOTUS reform, and I think he should take a firmer stand on it. But at the moment, it's pretty much moot. The Republicans are going to take over the House in January, so there goes any chance of starting new legislative efforts in favor of utterly pointless Hunter Biden cosplay investigations. And even with Warnock's seat in the Senate making a 51-49 Democratic majority, there would have to be filibuster reform to ram SCOTUS expansion through (since as I said, not one single Republican would vote for it). With Joe God-King Manchin and Kyrsten The Traitor Sinema still steadfastly refusing to support any filibuster changes, SCOTUS expansion would die the same death as the rest of Biden's thwarted legislative priorities. (Once again, considering the circumstances he is working with, it is ASTONISHING that he has done as much as he has.)

So basically: SCOTUS reform can be achieved with an act of Congress, but in less than a month, Republicans will hold the House and will inflict all their enraging clown nonsense on us. The Democratic Senate majority is still very thin and saddled with the two worst "Democrats" in existence, though we are in fact no longer obliged to pretend that Sinema is a Democrat. For the next two years, what Biden can do is executive orders and confirm judges. He can maybe cut a deal with the House GOP for minor bills here and there, but there's absolutely zero, zip, nada, zilch chance that SCOTUS expansion could go anywhere before 2024 at least.

So should Biden talk about it more obviously and openly? Maybe, especially if SCOTUS inflicts us with more terrible decisions in 2023, as they are almost bound to do. But at the moment, what Biden can actually, practically do about it is very limited, and about to be even more so. So while I wish he would draw attention to it, I also reluctantly understand that there is, at this point, not much use in harping on a problem that cannot be fixed for another two years at the very least. The Democrats in Congress are very, VERY aware of the problem, and they're the ones who, even in a theoretical blue-wave election in 2024, would have to take the initiative in starting it. So that, overall, is probably more important.

[shining-gem34]

2.0 Spoilers Commentary

Okay fuck, I finally finished the main scenario quest for Penacony. I'm still NOT over that ending.

I screamed about it to a few friends already but I adored that tense and horrifying moment where Firefly and Trailblazer are trying to find a way out of the Dreamscape. The part where they're in a constant loop in the TV room: The static as they approached the door, the room growing darker and the TV screens brighter, and the voices becoming desperate/hysterical. Like I was legit getting the chills and ready to bolt (probably didn't helped I had earbuds in and playing it at like 10PM-11PM). THEN DEATH CAME DOWN UPON US LIKE HOLY SHIT I EXPECTED THAT BUT DAMN WHAT AN ENTRANCE.

I really do like Death concept in the game: An ominous creature that hides and attacks indiscriminately, and in a dream world where you're trying to wake up but can't as Death hunts you down. It be worse if it had chains rattling as it approaches you (*points at the Reaper in Persona 3*) if you linger around for too long.

The relief Trailblazer and I felt when they finally woke up in the real world like holy shit.

Then returning to the dreamscape to find out more of the truth, meeting Acheron (I've been very intrigued by the red dialogues) again, and we find out FIREFLY IS THERE. SHE WAS WORKING WITH SAM UNTIL THINGS WENT SOUTH AND FUCKING DEATH CAME DOWN, AND SHE WAS STABBED. HOYOVERSE DIDN'T HOLD BACK ON THAT.

I did get spoiled that Firefly was the character who will die in this patch, but I still got gutted deeply seeing Firefly expression at the last moment; reluctant to accept but still wanted to live as she teared up.

Sam. Fucking Kamen Rider Sam. He gave us a warning to leave and fuck it, he did not hold back trying to fight us (I was like...Blade, Pela, Yukong, and Bailu. I DIDN'T BRING DH IL TO THE FIGHT). Overall impression of Sam including the one Kafka video he was in and some bits in other character stories, he was a very straightforward dude with no mercy after warning us. I still do wonder what happened between him and Firefly before their alliance disbanded.

I'm still wrapping my head around Sam vs. Acheron, and then Black Swan taking us to Aventurine (I'VE WANTED TO PUNCH THIS MF SINCE FIRST MEETING HIM. I STILL DO). It is betrayal, we all agree on that, but Black Swan is genuine in wanting to keep us safe for her own reasons (Memokeeper).

Aventurine, other than an urge to punch his face, is rather...HMMM. He is a thorough gambler, both in the game and out, because it is hard to get a read on him. As a businessman? For some reason, I can trust him (to some extent) that he'll keep his word (somewhat). It don't mean he has his own agendas and loopholes ready at hand. I am super curious about his past since his eyes (and overall appearance? but I feel like it's his eyes) are a sign of his heritage that have been noted so far.

Regarding Aventurine informing us that Acheron is an Emanator of an Aeon...I don't think such information can be taken lightly. He does make some good points of Acheron "timely" appearance after Ifrit "death" but I believe he wants something in return (our help in his goals) for giving away such information. He isn't lying, but he is still keeping a few cards close to his chest.

What Aventurine wanted to show us at the end, I did NOT expect to see Robin! I was hoping I was dreaming when I read that Robin is dead BUT NO- ROBIN FELT LIKE IT CAME OUT OF THE LEFT FIELD UNLESS...Unless you think that Robin and Firefly are the same person(??). Or something happened to Robin that we didn't see, because Sunday seemed to know that Robin was dead (he got a report but WHAT THE FUCK WAS ROBIN DOING---). Ofc Sparkles wanted to fuck with people minds and get Sunday to snap by MASQUERADING AT HIS DECEASED SISTER- RECENTLY DECEASED SISTER. She kind of reminded me of Envy in that regard; disguising a person that other people know, try to get them to lower their guard, and strike them where it hurts knowing they can't fight back. I don't think she has any goals here- She just wants to make a show out of fucking with people heads and getting a good laugh (as she is a Masked Fool).

Anyway, that's all I can think about rn.

[beevean]

What bothers me about how forceful/unbased some neurodivergency/LGBT+ headcanons are is how they give off the vibe only neurodivergent or queer characters are allowed to have anything going for them. Not even anything special! Let's take TMOSTH: Tails feels empathy for many things? Autistic! Espio speedread a book to spoil the ending for Knuckles? Autistic! Or what you pointed out in Archie, with Shadow stating he likes his motorcycle? Autistic! As someone who only recently found out they might not be entirely neurotypical, I recall quite disliking and feeling somewhat hurt that every single thing a character did immediately gets spun around to fit the OP's projecting, with the attached "fuck the straights and the neurotypicals only gay people would ever do this" that tends to come along with it (where the thing "only gay people do" 99% of the time is the most basic thing in the world). It's almost like people don't want to consider that the most normal, down-to-earth, "boring" (used in the way such OPs tend to use it: as an easy jab) neurotypical cishet person can feel empathy for many things, speedread, or like a motorcycle. I feel like there is more behind that due to the state of the world at large, but it's annoying to see have to come across it in fandom all the time, and then have the "proof" be complete nonsense or entirely taken out of context to "support" the statement. Not to mention the "joking" accusations of bigotry if you do not share such headcanons that occasionally get added as well.

Another example I thought of the moment I hit the "ask" button: Surge getting revealed as Sonic's "clone" and the ENTIRETY OF TUMBLR immediately deciding this meant Sonic was trans. The fact they aren't even the same species nor look alike in the slightest and the fact I thus promptly got very worried about the biology knowledge of the entirety of Tumblr aside, thank god that shit died down when it got revealed Surge legit was just some rando Starline plucked from the streets with no relation to Sonic.

You hit the nail on the head.

When autistic headcanons are created from the basis of "X has a passion for Y!", I'm here like... do you think autistic people are the only ones who can feel any sort of love or attachment over something? Do you think neurotypical people can only blandly tolerate things? Isn't hyperfixation something much, much more intense than a passion? Isn't autism much more than "being shy and with something they love", and isn't ADHD much more than being excitable? This shit makes legit harder for people to realize if they're neurodivergent or not because I swear that literal human nature is deemed to be "divergent". If "neurotypicalness" is associated with being an emotionless, insensitive asshole, no wonder no one would want to identify as, or call their favorite character, neurotypical!

Don't get me started on how for some people "straight" is a synonym for boring and "gay" is a synonim for fun and quirky. Shocker: love and fun are not limited to non-cishet people. It's not a "weird", exceptional state of humanity. Cishet people can have a personality too.

lmaooooo I remember that headcanon, good times. Speaking of which, while the headcanon "Sonic is trans because he doesn't have chest fur" is... something, I side-eye people who headcanon Surge as trans. Oh, you think that the nasty, aggressively masculine bully is trans? It doesn't look good in either direction :) (same for the people who headcanon her as a lesbian, despite her having 0 meaningful interactions with female characters, solely because she's "butch". I wouldn't want to do that, but I may be biased lmao)

[gay-salt-amber]

Cheka being raised in Savannaclaw

They already practically raise him because hes there all the time

More recently its been because Leona wants him there instead of his brother just dumping the kid onto them like hes theirs

Ruggie teaches Cheka how to read and Jack is trying his best not to laugh because he knows Cheka is young and learning but oooh boi some of the mistakes are fucking hysterical

Deuce and Epel drop by a lot and Epel makes Cheka lil apple turnovers in the shape of cartoon characters and its Chekas favorite food now

They often find Cheka asleep on Leonas chest and Ruggie cant help but give a loving sigh before leaving the room (after a photo is taken ofc)

They ask Lilia for parenting advice to the point that whenever Leona calls he goes, "What has the child done this time?" And the faes basically on speed-dial

On a more angsty note, I feel like Leonas dad would be the type to slap/hit/do anything physical to their kids as punishment and Leona thinks its fucking stupid cuz it doesnt teach shit but his brother uses it on Cheka alot so that was basically all Ruggie needed to see Leonas brother do to Cheka in public to go, “This is my child now” and walk off with Cheka

Another angsty thing is when Cheka quietly asked, “Uncle Leona? Can I ask something?” And Leona nodded and Cheka went, “Does my dad love me anymore?” This caused Leona to instantly stop whatever he was doing and go, “What makes you think that while at eye-level with Cheka and hte boy goes, “Well he leaves me here whenever he goes to do anything, he never takes me to do anything fun, momma tries to get him to spend time with me but he never does..” Leona pulls the boy into a hug and goes, “If he doesn’t, me, Ruggie, Jack, Epel and Deuce love you. So does everyone else here.”

The moment Cheka started coming to RSA regularly, Crowley instantly added more kids stuff, like a small lil playset outside, kids food at the cafeteria and Sam now carries kids stuff in his stop if he didnt already

Ruggie gets so much baby fever from being around Cheka

Deuce takes Cheka on nice little walks in the morning and he ends up carrying Cheka on his shoulders by the end of it

The other students can swear theyve never seen Leona genuinely smile at a child before Cheka started being at RSA practically 24/7

All of the Epel 5 will sit down and help Cheka with school work if he has it later on, they have to put certain people on specific subjects cuz Epel cant do math to save his life but Deuce can, Leona helps with history and Ruggies helping with LA

One time at school, Cheka was asked what his dads name was, the teacher was expecting an obvious answer and Cheka said, “Leona Kingscholar” (obviously a bit more mistakes then that cuz hes like 5-6 but y’know) and Leona legit got a call during class because of it and hes so happy abt it but keeps his cool (I kinda wanna see a full fic on this 👀)

What are your headcanons?

[anotherghoul666]

HI FRIEND. For the emoji asks:

🥺

🤡

😈

😬

🤲

🧠 (for Swiss please!)

Hiiii dearest!! Thank you for the questionssss ❤️❤️❤️

🥺 Is there a certain type of moment or common interaction between your characters that never fails to put you in your feels? One thing that gives me the Feels while I write is the absolute acceptance and welcoming of differences. Probably because it's not something I had much of in my life before I got to feel it in recent years? So I want to write radical acceptance and a love of differences, be it disability, age, injury, mental health problems, neurodivergence, etc. Stuff like Aether in Loosened Heart being so radically loving and warm towards Dew despite Dew fighting him every step of the way as ferociously as he did. Or all the attention Seestor pays to Nihil's worsening sight in Secret Garden, the small ways in which she helps, readily, without criticizing it or blaming anything on him or on his disability. Or Copia in Loosened Heart being ready to tear down walls and make anything happen to find Dew the care he deserved and needed. Even if it meant being hit by Sister's wrath once he'd be home. He put himself on the line to save his ghoul and never blamed his injury once, nor would he in my brain if I imagine the arguments he'd have with Sister and the Clergy back home. It's never gonna be Dew's fault he got injured. There's a core aspect of a future part of the stripper!AU that's based on that concept too. Hits an emotional note for me.

🤡 What’s a line, scene, or exchange you’ve written that made you laugh? I got this question before, but I can give another example! Ok so from Blood Rush too (man this fic was fun!), the whole intro about the ghouls being cats. This is literally just me taking the "ghouls are just weird cats" shitposts floating around here and making it part of my canon a/b/o verse xD This paragraph especially: Hence the choice of ghouls. What they actually got when they started to pull ghouls of the pits was… Less of a docile animated corpse, and more like if you gave cats a human form and the endless power of free will. So, you know, disasters. Take the broad lines of cats, the sass, the cockiness, the superiority complex, the propensity to make evil plans, the endless appetite but only for that one specific food item that’s perfect in this moment, the braincell pop bubbles, the zoomies, the claws and fangs, the heat cycles. But put that in a human body, with prehensile thumbs, walking on two legs, one of the biggest brains in the animal kingdom, critical thinking and a sense of self. Oh, also mix that with magic. Because of course. Throw in a whole array of elemental powers the ghouls had as a sort of species classification system, which yes, made them more useful, as the Church hoped for, but also made them more destructive. Intelligent cats with magic powers. There was no way this could have gone without a hitch. Fuckingggg xD So fun to write man hahahaha

😈 Has there been a point in a story where you did something just to be playfully mean to your readers? I just answered that one in my previous ask post here :)

😬 Which of your fics would you be most horrified for friends, family or coworkers to stumble upon? Friends: legit none. I have friends who know I write this shit and I have no problem with it. Most of my friends are part of the queer, poly and/or BDSM community, we're all a bunch of freaks. I don't keep company with people who are not open to my talking about kink and stuff, so. I would not care! Family: all of the kinky filthy fics stay away. They know I write fanfic cause I've done it since I was a kid under their roof, it's a constant in my life. And they know my Ghost obsession. They might have connected the dots, they might not have. I wouldn't mind if they came across my fluff or my hurt/comfort, but I'd rather we steer clear of the BDSM convo XD Coworkers: can fuck off as far away from my writing as they can XD My fiction writing stays very separate from my professional life. I guess if I imagine having to explain any of my fics to a family member or a cowowker, the worst one would be Blood Rush because of a/b/o? I'm not sure I want to sit my parents down to explain knots and slick? XD Or Drought, because same thing. Not sure I'd like to explain the appeal of licking someone's boot to my parents. Strippers, they'd get it; licking fingers I think they'd get it; choking might be a rough one too, ah shit yeah, Serotonin would be fucking weird to explain to an older generation eh? I feel like coworkers around my age or younger might get the whole choking thing better. Man I don't know XD

🤲 Would you please share a snippet of a wip? Sure, here's a bit of the lore section from the Aether/Ifrit titties fic I'm currently working on: "They were buddies, immediate good friends. [...] They’d catch their meals together, spend their free time hours together (Ifrit dragged Aether to the gym and training rooms; Aether dragged Ifrit to the library for some quiet time). They didn’t reside in the same dorms because their jobs were in different fields, but they might as well have: typically you’d find one of their beds empty and the other bed very overfilled, with how they had to squeeze both their entangled larger frames on a twin mattress. They made it work. Bros who also cuddled, kind of vibes. One more thing they shared was music."

🧠 Pick a character, and I'll tell you my favorite headcanon for them (for Swiss). Everything Swiss does is about power and control. Who has it, over what, who gives it, to what end, what is there to gain in a situation. Swiss is an incredibly analytic ghoul who calculates actions carefully (words are less careful; man has a damn leaking faucet of a mouth, that's one of his weaknesses), who manipulates the board to serve a purpose. Not always to his advantage, he'll put himself in situations where he's at a disadvantage too if that serves him, but he has to control it, to choose it. To be the one who made the decision. Swiss isn't the one to be influenced by others, he influences. He is peer pressure. Even when it looks like he's going along, it's cause it serves him to and it fits into a narrative. He's observant, he's sharp, he picks up on people's patterns easily. People are books, they're codes to crack, instruments to learn how to play and he wants to be a virtuoso at every instrument he takes a liking to. He's a multi-instrumentalist after all, and people can be read like music. This isn't in an evil way (though he won't shy away from using all this ammunition he's collected during play to satisfy a sadistic streak or get what he fancies), he'll manipulate people into better positions than they had before. He helps people by learning them inside out too. But yeah, power and control are always key. He's the guy that'll drop to his knees and blow someone for the control he has over whoever he's sucking off, you know? For Swiss to loose that control, to give up power for real? Good luck. Would take someone or something extremely special to shut a guy like that out of his schemes, out of his instincts. I wonder who could do that? ;) ;) ;)

[nonclassyparty]

and the san part 😭😭😭 it's all what yn could do for san but what can san do for yn? love sometimes just isn't enough

Well I assume what yn can do for san is love him whatever he does, and what he can do is at least get to know her? give it a go? see what they can be? ofc if he can't then he can't, he doesn't owe her love & can't be forced but he should at least grant her the possibility as all he's been doing is saying no with no explanation. he's been judging her for so long

tho his kinda guys quickly get swallowed by their pride and just bc homegirl is rich they'll have this inferiority complex and make everything a problem. what if her parents disown her or she decides to go make a life of her own, which will make her financially san's equal, what then?

& what can mingi do for yn? what can yunho? what can any guy? a relationship goes both ways and being there is already giving. but legit question bc I'm curious, what in your eyes can the other guys give?

I think I should get a diary instead of making your ask page my brain dump place hahaha

the worst thing you can possibly do for san is love him no matter what he does bc he said it himself in the teaser (and we'll learn so much more about him in the next chapter) he is selfish and he will use that love to his advantage bc he knows she'll always take him back/forgive him. and san is san, he'll fuck up and he'll hurt people and he'll hate himself but he still won't stop doing what he knows is wrong because some cycles are simply too much work to break and hating yourself is easier. this does not make him a bad person (please however reads this do NOT come into my askbox dragging him😭 idk why im so weirdly defensive over him, probably bc im the one who created his character but also bc i usually dont think people like that are bad people just really sad people)

he doesn't dislike that yn is rich, he feels like yn is ungrateful.

and what can mingi and yunho (still cant believe im even counting him in this it rly came out of nowhere) can do for yn is show her what it means to be loved. they dont struggle with the concept of it, i'll use yunho for example bc he's barely mentioned in the story so far but yn already managed to figure out that he's not scared of commitment, dating, even knows the type of girl he usually goes for etc etc (altho the way yn explains it in the first chapter sounds rly bad but thats bc its her perspective of him which isnt exactly good at the moment). and all this sounds like im saying u shouldnt date people with baggage or something and thats not what i mean at all bc yn has a ton of baggage as well so i just keep wondering how can two people with so much baggage and who are confused about love as much as they are know how to love each other and for it to be healthy? who is going to show who what is the right way you should love someone or how they deserve to be treated or that theres no reason to be scared if they're both scared??

like i genuinely keep going back and forth these days bc i had one ending for the series but recently i've been thinking about another one and i keep trying to figure out how to give yn a happy, healthy relationship with any of these three guys and for it to still stay true to all of their characters even after 2-3 years of a time skip and some very much needed growth..

also i totally don't mind these thought dumps in my inbox bc it really got me thinking a lot 😭❤️

[adultswim2021]

Tim and Eric Awesome Show Great Job #17: “Robin” | January 7, 2008 - 12:15AM | S02E07

This could be my least favorite episode of the series so far, which is really too bad. The Robin wraparound, in which Eric buys Tim his own Robin Williams, is funny and quite memorable. Everything else is sorta middling for various reasons. In that wraparound, Robin is played by David Born, who is a noted Robin Williams impersonator. He has a pretty legit career as a character and voice actor. Recently some friends and I spotted him in the Chuck Norris/Jonathan Brandis film Sidekicks, which featured him in a minor role. We all thought he looked familiar and looked him up, shocked to see that he was the titular Robin from this episode. 

Tim and Eric’s comedy is sorta interesting in that it seems like it’s fairly good at not relying on specific cultural references almost at all. But they also love bad celebrity impersonators, which indirectly is a cultural reference in of itself. Some people might be too young to know who Robin Williams is at all. It’s important to know that Robin was often derided by other comics but they’d usually take it all back after meeting him; by all accounts he was one of the nicest guys in the world.

The annoying hyperactive persona on display here is pretty accurate. But the ending (featuring a cameo from Keith Crawford, I think?) where Robin shows up to give Tim & Eric a thumbs up for reuniting and doing their thing on stage is also very accurate; he was indeed a fan of comedy, and sought out things that were cutting-edge. I do believe that he liked Tim & Eric and I vaguely recall Tim talking about meeting him and having a very positive experience.

Going further back, if you watch Bob Odenkirk and David Cross’ sketches on Comic Relief, they are notably a cut above what anyone else was doing on that show. But Billy Crystal and Whoopi Goldberg would furrow their brow and act like what they did was too weird too be funny. I remember Whoopi shaking her head after their sketch and saying “I must be getting old.” Robin was the outlier in being supportive of those guys, and was clearly a fan.

When I saw the Comedians of Comedy Show in San Francisco, I was hanging out in line with some friends. While driving in, I did what my mom always does, which is point to the hillside where Robin Williams house was. “You know Robin Williams lives over there” I said, mocking my mother unnecessarily. Naturally, Robin became a running topic on that trip. For some reason I started reminiscing about a particular ad advertising Burger King toys for the film Jumanji. This involved me imitating the ad, which cried the name of the movie over and over. As I was doing this, Robin fucking Williams speed-walked past me and got in line for the show. He was just there to be a comedy fan, and some dipshit is screaming the name of one his movies, completely gratuitously. A hilarious coincidence, sure. But man, I felt like a schmuck. I ain’t trying to make Robin Williams feel weird about attending the same show I am!

As for the rest of this episode: we got Dressed to Impress, which is a decent Dougpound bit. We got Dunngeon, which features Richard Dunn in a mesh shirt interviewing Dave Navarro. Dave plays his part pretty straight, and you almost wanna believe that when he gets up and leaves in the middle of the sketch that it’s a genuine moment. The outtakes on the DVD show him giggling during the shooting, so I wouldn’t take it too seriously. Tim & Eric play a German goth band. It’s not very strong; in fact I forgot these characters ever existed.

There’s Demons, which is a hidden camera prank thing that sorta devolves to a point where it didn’t really need to be a hidden camera prank. Tim & Eric hold auditions for a fake horror movie and over-laugh at a mild gaffe and then share an awkward group hug with, I believe, Stephanie Courtney, acting as another producer. This bit isn’t very satisfying. I remember promos making use of this footage in a more effective way, featuring footage of the actors acting scary that wasn’t in the actual episode. They end it with a clip of Will Forte from season one gently saying “I’m a demon”, a line I was never super fond of. Brandon please don’t put that on our discord soundboard. Please. 

Noted wad Rainn Wilson appears in a sketch about an Encyclopedia that just lists numbers. Honestly, this is an okay sketch. But my aversion to Rainn Wilson is just too strong. I don’t want misery inflicted on anyone, but I would experience significant schadenfreude if he were to ever be found out to be a despicable human being. I envision white supremacist compound for him, with maybe a smattering of sex trafficking. I’m not saying I’ve heard anything; I’m unfairly profiling him based on finding his personality abrasive in interviews. I remember growing to despise him while listening to The Office DVD commentary tracks. Why the fuck was I listening to The Office DVD commentary tracks, anyway? I believe both Rainn Wilson and the Dunngeon set (I’ll be surer when I see the episode again) gets reused in Tim & Eric Nite Live.

Pound for pound, this might be the weakest episode yet. But it’s far from worthless.

EPHEMERA CORNER

New Year’s First on the First (January 1, 2008)

On January 1st, Adult Swim did a cool marathon where they played the first episode of each of their shows in reverse chronological order of when they aired. This included a rebroadcast of the original Brak Show pilot “Leave It to Brak”, which was later reworked into “Mr. Bawk Ba Gawk”. The pilot version had drawn backgrounds instead of photo-realistic ones. This was the first time they aired this pilot on Adult Swim proper. It’s original airing was a stealth showing on Cartoon Network, before Adult Swim was a thing.

Notably, they sometimes swapped the first-aired episode for the first-produced episode. Also I can pick out a few things where they didn’t seem to always go by strict reverse chronological order, at least not by air date. Here’s the schedule (as always, thank you swimpedia):

11:00 Fat Guy Stuck in Internet: Threshold

11:15 The Drinky Crow Show: Mermaid

11:30 Superjail!: Bunny Love

11:45 That Crook'd 'Sipp: That Tree of Strife

12:00 Xavier: Renegade Angel: What Life D-D-Doth

12:15 Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!: Dads

12:30 Saul of the Mole Men: A New Friend

12:45 Assy McGee: Murder by the Docks

1:00 Frisky Dingo: Meet Killface

1:15 Metalocalypse: The Curse of Dethklok

1:30 Moral Orel: The Lord's Greatest Gift

1:45 Minoriteam: Operation Blackout!

2:00 Lucy, the Daughter of the Devil: He's Not the Messiah, He's a DJ

2:15 12 oz. Mouse: Hired

2:30 Squidbillies: This Show Is Called Squidbillies

2:45 Robot Chicken: The Deep End

3:00 Tom Goes to the Mayor: Bear Traps

3:15 Perfect Hair Forever: Perfect Hair Forever

3:30 Stroker & Hoop: C.A.R.R. Trouble (a.k.a. Feelin' Dirty)

4:00 The Venture Bros.: The Terrible Secret of Turtle Bay (Director's Cut)

4:30 Aqua Teen Hunger Force: Rabbot

4:45 Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law: Bannon Custody Battle

5:00 Sealab 2021: I, Robot

5:15 The Brak Show: Leave It to Brak*

5:30 Space Ghost Coast to Coast: Spanish Translation

5:45 Space Ghost Coast to Coast: Gilligan

[snarkylinda]

Why do you hate JN30? I mean, I hate it too, but I wanted to hear your opinion, if it isn't too much of a bother.

Sure!

Oh JN30....My loathed.

Ok so, ALOT of shit regarding Ash's characterization had changed along the years to fit with the respective season (or just because the writers wanted to. Or the trend of the time like how he became dense when it came to love and shit) XY was more shonen-ish so Ash's action hero side was used more, SM was more slice-of-life/comedy so Ash's bubbly and bright personality (and bad luck- for the slapstick) was amplified (no to mention everyone around him had PSDT so- he needed to be the cheerleader) BW was a pseudo-reboot so Ash was........*sigh* I still liked him there. Occasionally. When he wasn't battling. He was nice.

But even with those changes, there is stuff that should NEVER be messed with (the reason why I hate SM98 too, but not to the degree of JN30 for something I'll add later on) Ash is brave and selfless. Ash is determined and competitive. Ash is naive and trusting to a fault. Ash understands his pokemon better that everyone.

...See the issue? Ok so Ash in this episode....didn't notice his best friend was feeling neglected (and this is stupid too but gimme a sec.) and had to be told by CHLOE of all people, COMPLETELY OFF-SCREEN, what he did.

....You know how I mentioned I hate SM98? I do. I truly do. It's even worse because on WHAT series it's placed. SM is my absolute comfort series as you might have noticed by this blog. And if there is something so nefast as this episode on it, I will destroy it. Torn it into shreds. Out of my sigh. But there is something funny about it....in this ep, there is a scene I really like. It's a little scene where Ash and Lillie have an heart-to-heart. I like it because Ash cheered up Lillie multiple times when she was going through shit and.....putting aside how STUPID the reason why she is cheering Ash up- it's an legit nice scene. Ash REMEMBERS how he is supposed to be characterized for a brief moment and admits he knows he is not entitled to Rotom's existence and she opens up about the remaining hard feelings she has for her mother as the two laugh and promise to be each other besties. It's really touching.

I just wish it was on A FUCKING BETTER EPISODE- but ok, I can watch it individually and burn the rest off. Sadly, I can't say the same for Ash's and Chloe's heart-to-heart because.... IT'S FUCKING OFF-SCREEN-

I have..... a big issue with JNs as a whole. Ash and Chloe's lack of....interactions. I wouldn't mind it so much if they didn't SAY the other was their friend because....lmao when? And as awful as this episode was, at least I could save that scene between them and watch it occasionally. Unlike with Ash and Lillie that their scene was a nice touch to their already established relationship, this is something Ash and Chloe DESESPERATLY needed and it was off-screened....hurray.

Also, Chloe had to lecture Ash about how his Pikachu felt...hurray....

I just love how even when it comes to awful episodes where Ash is completely OOC SM does it better

Now....Pikachu.

My god Pikachu, what the fuck did they yah my lil baby.

Now, just like I listed some core characteristics of Ash up there, I shall do the same for the lil yellow thing. Pikachu is *checks notes* responsible, happy-go-lucky, has a clear sense of justice, is very loyal to Ash.

There, there is the fucking issue. I am not gonna act like Pikachu had never been annoyed at Ash NOT using him at battle- he has:

But these are little scenes, not AN WHOLE EPISODE about Pikachu acting like a spoiled brat because Ash wants to train the newest member of his team (you know, the normal thing to do). He got over it. He knows Ash will use him another time.

But nah, up to Pallet Town we go.

Like take a MOMENT to settle in the fact that Pikachu traveled MILES without once realizing he is tied to Ash's hip and returning.

This Pikachu:

That Pikachu?

Also notice how I only used recent examples? (I mean...besides it being easier for me to get the screencaps agahga) Pokemon is a show that constantly shifts depending on what is trendy in the type of anime it is, so even if I DIDN'T like the episode I could say I lowkey understood-

But the screencaps happened literally less than two years before it, so what the fuck?

Even the "resolution" felt empty AF. Ash apologizing for him and Pikachu getting forcefully separated in SM80 for like 2 hours felt more genuine than that shit.

The only positive I have for it is Delia tbh, that little scene where she tells Pikachu that Ash used to go to her as she sang to him was the most adorable shit I had ever seen and, like the Lillie scene on the cursed rotom episode, I often revisit it as it's own stand-alone thing.

Anyways fuck this episode.

[hongism]

yall know what time it is. ITS BREAKING THE ASKBOX TIME SJJSKALALALKAKSKWLWMNSNDDJKDK

honestly i expect nothing short of a masterpiece the moment i saw the notification. YOU! DO! NOT! DISAPPOINT! EVER! MISS CALY!!!

before getting into the crazier bits of this chapter, i wanna acknowledge how much you’ve grown as a writer during this series 🥹 recently i started re-reading some of the older moc chapters, and not to say that your writing wasn’t great before in any way, but the way you write now is so much more refined and beautiful, and i guess some of that is also attributed to how intense the story line and characters have developed. seriously, i’m so grateful to be able to read something and feel just how much effort and love the author has poured into in. now i can go on and on about praising your talent but i digress for the sake of discussing more… pressing issues that goes on here :)

*SPOILER ALERT FROM THIS PART*

now that jisung, hyunwoo and even hyunjin (sadly) has reached their demise, it finally dawns on me that this really is an end of an era. we spent like the past 1 or 2 maybe even 3 acts going through a gazillion emotional roller coaster rides all caused by jisung, but now is it weird that i’m kinda sad that he’s gone? it’s a perfect ending since jisung will probably never get his redemption even if he lives, but idk, i think it’s kinda depressing how love makes you do crazy shit :/ hyunwoo, on the other hand, BYE YOU ASS LMFAO WELL DESERVED. the only thing that dude has is the fucking audacity until the very last minute.

the action scene was beyond immaculate just as the emotional ones and there’s no doubt about that. im writing this with metaphorical tear streaks down my face and a broken heart after reading the whole chapter. you’ve got a way with words that can make me feel like i’m living and breathing in this fictional world. also, can we talk about this:

“Give me what’s mine first”

“Let her go immediately, you dog, or I’ll put a bullet in your head too.”

WELL GOD DAMN SIR. i’m gonna be fr and say i was SO certain we’re finally gonna get the infamous, long-awaited scene that must not be named between captain and ghost, but that’s on for me for not taking the slow burn warning more seriously lol. BUT there is still hope, i mean our mc would not be our mc if she can resist temptations and mind her own business yk.

"All these pit stops, huh? You sure she's the one trying to save you here, Captain? Because it looks an awful lot like that's what you're trying to do to her instead."

"Nightingale"

“I'm going, I'm going!”

and THIS IS ADORABLE OMG?!/?? i swear this whole part and the next part here is a prophecy that they’re gonna get it.

Yet, what you see before you is a trap, one carefully set by a vulnerable yet volatile man who could easily turn the situation into one that is advantageous to him permanently and you briefly. You imagine he has been in this position before — one where he can take as he pleases without thinking of the consequences of his actions — and where you stand, in a vulnerable spot yourself, you feel that tug to be near someone on equal footing. Wonder persists in your mind as you question where that is how Yunho initially fell into bed with him some time ago, or even further back to the first time Seonghwa was with him.

my girl has got some resolve and dignity alright, but we’ll see how long that lasts hahasksjak. we still probably got around 100 more chapters lol but just so you know, you’re gonna have to expect more than a broken askbox when that happens. everyone here will go so insane we might accidentally report you for emotional damage /hj. this is more than enough rambling but PLEASE I CAN NOT WAIT FOR MORE YOU’RE A LITERAL GODSEND THANK YOU LOVE YOU <3 - 🌊

OMGOMG okay i’ve been trying to answer this ask for like 2-3 weeks now but tumblr kept making it disappear from my inbox i was legit losing my mind?? but god bless today... today it worked... so finally i can respond... 

thank you for waiting for me so sorry tumblr was a bitch and didn't let me respond sooner </3 i was legit so sad it kept disappearing bc i wanted to answer SO BAD LSKDFJFLK thank you thank you first off in this past few days i'e received so much lvoe and compliments on my writing, and i've been told many lovely things and i know you sent this ask a while back but man it still means so much to me i'm still so grateful the words hold just as much meaning to me i really truly appreciate them and you!!!

now onto the spoiley bits... you're spot on! this is the end of an arc in its own regard where we've been in this storyline for such a long while by now that it's a bit like wow! that's over! i've been loving seeing the mixed bag of reactions about jisung, truly, the overwhelming majority are upset over his death even if he was a villain in many regards and that is super fascinating to me and frankly that was my goal i was trying to achieve! switching the perspectives of jisung vs hyunwoo, i wanted to play with that concept and i couldn't be happier with the outcome!

hongjoong and mc have such a fun dynamic and push-and-pull to play with too i adore it and i adore seeing everyone react to that as well, especially with recent chapters ofc.. but she's a strong one! she's resisting well! she's still got her resolve and her dignity both buttttt we'll see how much longer that lasts :3

[unimportant-ramblings]

Ramblings Watches Halo

Episode 7: inheritance (or the family, Madrigal)

Then nothing really changes for you, does it?

Taking a break from the drama surrounding John MasterChief, we reunite with some familiar faces, feel the rain on our skins, and ask the question: hey, is this show getting renewed? Oh and I talk about musical theater and like 3 different disney movies for a lil bit

We started this series with Kwan Ha. Kwan literally gave this show a face, an emotional center for the first episode when both literally and metaphorically our true main character was expressionless.

I wrote in my last recap that I believed we had outgrown the need for Kwan. JMC no longer needs her as a morality pet, he has built stronger bonds within the UNSC. From ruthless spoiling from the MoR, I know that in terms of the show original characters, he has a…… deeper… connection with Makee. Ahem.

So while I like Kwan, it must be admitted that she was created for me to like. Not to overgeneralize, but the target audience for the Halo show that I genuinely enjoy is not me. They knew they needed to get a broader audience to watch this show. As I discussed in my most recent ask, it’s an easier sell for me if there is a female main character (and I can’t speak for POC, but I would imagine there is a similar dynamic).

It’s like how every single person I introduced Hamilton to loved King George the most the first time through. Narratively, you could most easily excise these three songs; none of our main characters even interact with him. But KG serves the invaluable purpose of giving audiences something that they are more familiar with, a song that sounds like a traditional showtune. After having acclimatized to the style and characters of the show, everyone I talked to had since let King George go. I believe that the context for this decision is already being erased by the juggernaut of success that Hamilton was/is, like future generations are going to be like “huh that was odd.” And it kind of was, but it was necessary.

So where do we go from here? This episode, for me, marked a change in Kwan’s narrative function. Sadly, not by making Kwan or Soren for that matter more fully realized characters, but rather they shifted from “general audiences, please watch this show because there is a woman/several people of color in it.” But rather “Paramount Plus, please renew this show because we have a few b and c plots lined up.”

In this episode, we wrap up what could generously be referred to as an arc for Kwan and Soren. Kwan, through dathomir witch vision juice, lets go of her righteous anger, understands her place in her family history and learns why her dad needed to keep Madrigal away from the UNSC, namely because that’s where the artifact was. She kills Vinsher & the guys and by blowing up that big drill thing, there is rain on Madrigal somehow, I’m not totally sure I failed all my sciences.

This moment, this episode, is cathartic and satisfying, but that, to me, has less to do with the writing or the build up and more to do with 1) Yerin Ha’s really wonderful performance and 2) visual cues? Like yeah, I thought it was dope when Kwan drove through the desert (like fury road!) or when she, instead of shooting the big bad, shot something that caused a chain reaction whipping out everyone (like how Mulan does with the avalanche in the 1998 masterpiece Mulan). And boy was it cool when the rain came down on them (legit the first thing I thought of was Hilary Duff’s Cinderella Story… if you know, you know).

Soren meanwhile, has left Madrigal, had a talk with his absurdly dressed wife, feels guilty about leaving Kwan, deals with union disputes within his crew, goes back to Madrigal, immediately finds Kwan, gets shot in the fucking neck, walks it off, plays Maui to Kwan’s Moana, gets his money and bounces. But do not worry friends! They’ll get up to scrapes again.

What have we learned, how have the characters grown? Kwan learns that it’s not just her father’s legacy but her entire family’s, again very Moana! And they play it like that makes her goals more moral? But I never doubted that Kwan was in the right and that the Aryan in the leather duster was wrong?

Meanwhile Soren becomes? Kinder maybe? Learns to care about more people than just his wife and child? What bothers me about this is we now know that the same things that happened to Kai and JMC and all the other Spartans happened to Soren as well, so it would have been easy to have plots tying into that. Soren went through very similar trauma as JMC, while also being monumentally more injured. It only would have taken a line to say “I lost my last family, I was taken from my parents, can I take myself away? Can I let more people into my heart who would be hurt by my absence?” Back in the A plot, Halsey is saying that anything is worth the greater good, meanwhile Soren’s arc is nominally “no, not everything is worth the greater good, but somethings are worth fighting for!” But to me that does not come across in the show as clearly as it could, because it is not about Soren and his struggle to stand up against big injustices, rather Soren and his Lone Wolf and Cub relationship with Kwan which I just don’t think is as strong as they think it is!

I don’t want to be overly harsh on this. I still enjoyed this episode! It had some beautiful visuals and was incredibly well acted! I do like these characters, and I do want this to get renewed! But this feels like set up for next season, that they had to compact into a single episode because we can’t take that much time away from the A plot. We have no guarantee that that guy from Pacific Rim can come back for season 2, so that plot is all tied up now, and Soren is back in play for the next thing he has to do, whatever that will be.

Long live the Halo show baby, but let’s get back to the good stuff. A happy ending. Maybe we need a little death? This is not what I came for. Why is this so hard--- i’m being dragged off of the stage-- remember me--- @sonofcarnelian take up my fight, I'll see you in the episode wherein nothing unusual happens