#help to take care of the objects and exhibit them

[demonic0angel]

Ma'am, I need more of Dan/Wraith in Arkham 😭 and maybe him managing to get out and meeting Dick again. Pretty please with strawberry cream on top 🥹🥹

(I’m lowkey surprised by how many people like this AU XD It got rather long lmao)

Part 1, part 2, part 4

Selina stared at the man that was sitting in her living room alongside her best friends. Harley was happily chattering his ear off, with Ivy interjecting now and then. The man, Wraith, patiently listened to Harley’s ranting, with only a little objecting whenever she went off-topic too much. He did not breathe and he rarely blinked, similar to a statue.

Or she supposed he was more like a phantom, with his abilities that he had used to help them all escape Arkham when they had attracted too many guards’ attentions.

Although he was creepy and he made the temperature of her living room drop several times, he had helped them all and he was very polite. She couldn’t find any real fault in him except the way her instincts wanted her to not look at him directly, like a haunted painting.

“So now that we’re free, what do you wanna do?” Harley asked. Selina focused back on the conversation, as Wraith hummed and Ivy and Harley turned to look at her with various levels of eagerness.

“There’s a new jewelry exhibit opening up tomorrow. Want to take some diamonds?” Selina asked, speaking up as she glanced at Wraith.

Wraith hummed. “Thank you, but I think I’ll decline. If any of you need help, I am willing to offer my services, but—”

“Is Nightwing still in Gotham?” Harley asked, interrupting Wraith, who glared at her.

Selina raised an eyebrow. “Yeah. He’s still visiting.”

“Actually, I would love to assist you three in any way. My powers are at your service. What time are we going to the exhibit tomorrow?” Wraith suddenly said, looking very eager. Selina blinked at the whiplash before looking at Harley and Ivy, who both looked amused.

It was Ivy who mouthed the words, ‘He likes Nightwing,’ to her, which made her hold back a laugh.

She could remember that little Robin that used to cheerfully break someone’s face with a flying somersault, and that same little boy had grown up into a vigilante with almost flying abilities with the way he moved and fought. Wraith was a criminal, since he was in Arkham, but he didn’t seem too bad. In a way, it reminded her of her and Bruce.

“Well. I think Ivy and Harley can take the other vigilantes, right? I can take Batman and you’ll take Nightwing?” Selina said. Wraith perked up and nodded happily.

How cute. She was so not telling Bruce about this beforehand, so she could laugh about his expression later.

A day passed, and the four of them traveled to the museum when it was night. By now, news of Harley and Ivy being broken out was already known, so security had gotten a little more strict. Still, it was nothing with all of their expertise and Wraith’s unexplained meta abilities. They snuck in easily and looted all of the gold, gems, jewelry, and antiques they saw.

“Where’s your bag?” Selina asked, as she eyed Wraith holding some pearls and gems without a bag to contain it. He was dressed in a dark leather suit that had been originally Bruce’s cat suit— it was nice to hope that he would join her one day— but was now repurposed for Wraith. Her question was answered with a small smile from Wraith as he shoved his hand into his chest, making the gems disappear. Her eyebrows rose but she just gave a nod and moved on.

After that, the bigger and heavier items were given to Wraith to keep. Selina was almost a little worried by how much they trusted him, but Harley didn’t seem to notice and only she and Ivy had some anxiety about it. However, Wraith didn’t seem to care either, and listened to their expertise without any hesitation. It was probably because he was younger than them by at least a decade, she realized.

He was extremely fascinating, and Selina suddenly understood why Harley was so interested in him like a scientist towards a petri dish.

The Gotham heroes finally arrived, just as they loaded up everything in the car. Wraith perked up when he saw Nightwing amongst the vigilantes coming towards them.

Selina couldn’t help but laugh at the sudden cheer on his usually bored or blank expression.

“Okay, Harley, Ivy, you two go back to the hideout. Wraith, you can take me away if we need to, right?” Selina asked, smiling as she recalled Wraith’s intangibility and invisibility abilities yesterday.

Wraith nodded and the other two drove off without hesitation, leaving Selina and Wraith facing the Gotham vigilantes. Wraith wagged his clawed fingers in a greeting at Nightwing, smirking broadly.

“Hello, Nightwing. It’s good to see you again,” he purred. Selina was watching the spectacle gleefully, occasionally glancing at Batman’s covered expression, wondering if she was going to see a good show today.

Nightwing faltered in his steps before he shook his head as if to clear his thoughts. However, he answered pleasantly, “Hello, Wraith. I see you’ve befriended the Sirens.”

“Mhm. They helped me a lot so I could see you again.”

Nightwing’s cheeks darkened but through the shadows, Selina felt like she could see a bit of red on his face. “I see. Well, I’ll have to ask you guys to give up the jewelry you stole. We can do this the hard way or the easy way.”

“Please do the hard way,” Wraith purred again, even throatier than before. Selina had to choke on her giggles as Batman stiffened in horror, staring between his oldest son and the criminal.

Nightwing coughed and took out his escrima sticks. “Well, you’re under arrest, Wraith. Surrender and we won’t have to—”

“Oh my god, just fight him! Stop flirting!” Spoiler screamed and then they all flew into action. Selina took out her whip, but before she could make a move, Wraith darted at her, wrapped his arms around her, and then turned invisible before they flew off through the walls.

Selina blinked rapidly as she watched the museum grow smaller and smaller into the distance. “… you could fly the entire time?”

“Hmm? Oh yes, I’m very strong.” There was a touch of deep arrogance in Wraith’s voice. Then he sighed, “But I was told not to make too much trouble. So it’s better to make an early escape than stick around.”

“I would’ve thought that you would’ve stayed to flirt with Nightwing some more,” Selina teased.

“It’s weird to flirt in front of his siblings,” Wraith said in distaste as they flew over the building roofs and past the clouds to Selina’s hideout. “I’ll find another day to fight him without voyeurs around.”

Selina burst into laughter. Yeah, she could completely understand why Ivy and Harley wanted to take him in now. He really was quite interesting.

[washingtonmarvel]

Since my first post about Charmion only scratched the surface, I thought I'd give some more info about a few different aspects of her story here. I hope everyone finds it worth reading.

First, Charmion was a marketing genius. She was one of the most photographed people in show business, her flexed arms ubiquitous in the newspapers of the era, and she gave out free pinback buttons with her image on them at each show. Charmion herself reported in 1905 that she’d given out a quarter of a million buttons over the previous year. I don't know how accurate that number is, but there was definitely a huge number produced and you can often find them for pretty affordable prices on eBay to this day. Charmion would also sometimes give away chocolates, clothes, and other souvenirs to the women in the audience.

Second, during her travels, Charmion made time to personally advise women who needed help with their fitness goals. During her time in New Orleans in 1902, for example, she let it be known that the hours of 5 to 7 would be set aside for any woman wanting a “conference” with her to discuss matters relating to “physical culture.”

Third, Charmion could be considered one of the first female bodybuilders. Through rigorous workouts (including curling fifty-to-seventy-pound dumbbells and one-hour bag-punching sessions), Charmion intentionally tried to build her muscles as large as possible, which was incredibly rare for a woman in that era. Even circus strongwomen, who showed off their strength publicly, often downplayed their muscularity, but Charmion was eager to show off her muscles and actively tried to grow them. Apparently, it worked. By her own account, when she began her career the (already very fit) Charmion weighed 98 pounds at a height of 5’1”. She afterward gained enough muscle that by 1902, she was a solid 130 pounds. Charmion would’ve also felt at home with modern bodybuilders in the sense that on-stage posing was a major part of her performances. After she had finished disrobing on the trapeze, she would conclude her show by standing onstage and flexing her biceps before turning around and displaying her back muscles. The audiences were as flabbergasted as you’d expect. “When she hunches her back,” said one newspaper, “it looks like a cage of boa-constrictors interlaced in a snake-fight”; “her shoulders and arms appear a knotted mass of muscles,” said another.

The less pleasant aspects of Charmion's story are the misogyny and prudishness that Charmion dealt with with throughout her career. There were attempts (some successful, some not) to ban her act in New York, New Orleans, London, and Berlin, and she had to contend with right-wing attacks throughout her career. Here are a few newspaper quotations to show the kind of opposition she encountered:

Times Herald (Washington, D. C.), May 10, 1898: “Her performance is a simple attempt to provoke all the lower passions of which mankind is capable, without passing the limit the law has placed on such an exhibition. It is for this reason that Charmion is revoltingly disgusting, coarse and disagreeable. It is because of this that no man, who realizes what he is doing, or respects himself, will care to take his mother or sister to the National Theater this week.”

Sioux City Journal, May 15, 1898: “Charmion’s object in her trapeze act is indecency.”

The Times (Washington, D. C.), May 15, 1898: “It seems revolting to think that men would go to a place of amusement with the sole idea of witnessing such a performance, but that women should willingly accompany them is nothing less than disgusting.”

The Courier and Argus (Dundee, Scotland), Aug. 5, 1898: “…it is scarcely possible to conceal the fact that Charmion’s performance takes us very much nearer to the frank indecencies of the Parisian variety theatres than we have hitherto strayed.”

Daily Gleaner (Fredericton, New Brunswick), Oct. 26, 1898: “we hail with gratification the drastic criticism by a section of the New York press of such debasing performances as those first given by a woman called Charmion…Charmion’s act had grace and beauty to recommend it, and except that it was performed by a woman it was no worse than the undressing act of the equestriam [sic] acrobat in the circus; but it was the natural forerunner of the others, and so should never have been permitted in a theatre making pretence to decency.”

The Times, January 1, 1899: “Charmion’s ‘turn’ was revolting.”

Toronto Saturday Night, January 18, 1902 [speaking about Charmion disrobing on the trapeze] “There is an unpleasant suggestiveness inseparable from such an act.”

The Kansas City Star, September 19, 1904: “Her turn is offensive to modesty.”

As infuriating as these comments are, the happy irony of the conservative attacks on Charmion is that they only made her more powerful. As even her critics sometimes admitted, the controversy stirred up by those critics served to make her act more intriguing and helped increase her popularity. For a woman devoted to liberating women from the constraints placed on them by the society, her message must have been even more meaningful because so many men tried to constrain her and she overcame that adversity. You can see how little success her critics had by the fact she was one of the most popular vaudeville stars in the world, sometimes earning the equivalent of almost $20,000 per week in today’s money.

Of course, not all men disapproved of Charmion’s act, and she had her fair share of male fans. But almost all her critics were men. And though there must have been lesser-known female critics, there’s only one example I can find of a woman (at least initially) disapproving of her. That woman was Elizabeth Grannis, president of the Purity League, an organization that supported the kind of repression and prudishness that Charmion fought against her whole career. Grannis, with a committee of Purity League members, attended a performance one day in 1901 to “judge for themselves” whether the act was as “impure" as alleged. After the performance (during which Charmion daringly threw a garter into Grannis’s box), a local newspaper said, surprisingly, that Grannis “was pleased by the things done and undone by the actress” and “was delighted with the actress’ control of her muscular system.” Charmion, likely not a fan of the Purity League, was not mollified by the praise. Asked about Grannis later, she bluntly said, “I scarcely approve of her.”

If you all are still interested, I’ll share more posts about Charmion. I’m mildly obsessed with her and there’s loads more fun facts and stories about her. Thanks for reading.

EDIT: Here's a photo gallery for anyone who's still interested in Charmion:

[wildeoscars]

Excerpts from 20 Questions: Eric Bogosian

Playboy, July 1991

The raging monologist who gave us “talk radio” raps about street life, horny guys and the redemptive joys of gardening.

Playboy: Your characters plead, cajole, threaten, offer skewed insights, and exhibit paranoia. Is your stage act a cry for help?

Bogosian: I need to solve my own personal problems. I know nowhere to look other than to myself, so I look at my own questionable traits. And then I personify them in a character. Early in my career, I spent a lot of time on things that had to do with sex, because I wanted to have better relationships with women. FunHouse was about pure, unadulterated fear, because at that point, I was just freaked out. My wife, Joann, and I were impoverished; we lived in this tiny apartment. Drinking in America, written when I became more successful, was about a hunger for power and success. Sex, Drugs, Rock & Roll asks, How do you live when all you know how to do is party?

Playboy: You honed your performance style in New York’s downtown art scene. Was it easier and cheaper than enrolling in drama school?

Bogosian: The downtown scene allowed me to walk out on stage every night and say and do whatever I wanted. I would go out and insult the shit out of the audience. There were nights when I took all my clothes off. I had fights with the audience. The best thing about the scene was that we were making our work and having a good time entertaining one another. I would perform in front of audiences that were guaranteed smart and hip. They didn’t care whether or not I was doing something right, like some acting teacher had taught me. They would tell me whether or not they got it. I was performing loud, nasty, insulting stuff.

Playboy: Does The Stud, your monolog about one man’s extraordinary endowment, reflect your own desire for a larger penis?

Bogosian: I was taking a pee one day and I looked down and wished I had an eight-inch dick. You’re going to quote me on that. Don’t quote me on that. It’s part of men’s fascination with themselves. I wanted to take something out of the back room of male mentality and stick it right out in front of everybody. The Stud is one of my oldest pieces. Doing things about giant dicks is not that far out at the moment. There are probably twenty comics out there doing dick things. But when I started ten years ago, it was extremely embarrassing for men in the audience; they’d sit there with their hands folded over their crotches, not laughing, and the women would be laughing their guts out and the men would be getting angry. I thought it was great stuff going on between people in the theater.

Playboy: Horny guys populate your monologs. Do you claim special knowledge of America’s testosterone level?

Bogosian: I’m very average in what I want. And my desires point me towards centerfold models as the ultimate, the ultimate, the ultimate. The ultimate accomplishment in my sexual life would be to ball a centerfold model. For a pretty girl with large breasts to be the object of delight to millions of red-blooded American men is perfectly normal. Nothing wrong with that. Guys get horny and need to focus on something. Large breasts are great. A large breast is a lovely thing at a particular moment. But as I become old and wise, I think the really important thing is being oriented towards something and understanding that you don’t necessarily have to have the thing to enjoy the thing. I happen to be in love with a woman who has medium-sized breasts.

Playboy: You are synonymous with the downtown New York scene. Do you dream crossover dreams?

Bogosian: At this time, I don’t think I’m going to show up as some kind of box office attraction. But you never know. I’d like to be a star. There’s always the challenge, especially when you’re surrounded by agents and producers, to see if you can really catch the gold ring. Can I fill Madison Square Garden? Can I go on Johnny and do a killer five minutes? I can’t imagine getting on Letterman, people would watch and say they knew what I was doing: This guy plays thugs from New Jersey and subway panhandlers. They wouldn’t see the irony; it would be like I’m just making cruel fun on these guys. I need an audience to be with me for a little while.

Playboy: You’ve bought a house in New Jersey. Will crab grass begin to crop up in your monologs?

Bogosian: It has already. I did a monolog called Normal Guy. I like gardening a lot. Gardening gets me real mellow. I grow twenty-five kinds of vegetables, and when I’m lucky, like last summer, a lot of things come up very nicely. I grow lettuce and beets and carrots and different varieties of cucumbers. I grow different varieties of corn and tomatoes and squash and pumpkins and peppers and okra and all kinds of neat stuff. And early in August, you get to a point where everything you’re eating that night at dinner was grown in your own garden. That’s nice. However, when you garden, you find out that in order to get your vegetables to look good, you have to kill everything within a hundred yards: animals, plants, and little insects. And you realize that after you do all that, you still end up with this gnarled little carrot. Then you go to the supermarket and you get this perfect carrot and you wonder, What are they killing to make these?

Playboy: One of your characters defines being civilized as sitting on a couch with a babe, watching TV, eating clam dip on a ripple potato chip, smoking joints, snorting coke–and swilling bourbon, beer and champagne. What’s your vision of the civilized life?

Bogosian: In New Jersey, we have a fireplace and we’re very, very civilized. I’m sitting on the couch and the fire is going and snow is falling outside and I’m reading a pulp novel by Stephen King. Being over thirty-five, there’s no question that there is a vibe in me that’s moving toward a Stratolounger with a bowl of potato chips and a cable TV with a channel selector. I will fight that tooth and nail. It scares me. I like middle-class life. I don’t think it’s a sin to be middle class. I don’t have to be mainstream to be comfortable. I’ve spent time with Frank Zappa, and he has a very normal, middle-class existence. He’s a daddy and has a whole family and they have pizza for lunch and they have pets and it’s a very normal life. But he’s not mainstream and never will be.

[temis-de-leon]

Gn!MC with super long hair

Characters: Lucifer, Leviathan, Satan, Beel and Diavolo (x reader, separately; written as romantic, but could be read as platonic)

Main Masterlist

Anon request: ¡Buenas! I was wondering if you could do a gender neutral mc with lucifer,beel, Levi, satan n dia with head cannons about a mc with suppeerrr long hair? :D take care of yourself n remember to take breaks :)

A/N: I'm killing so many birds with this stone. This one has Lucifer and Satan, who are long overdue, and I'm posting a months-old request, which is way long overdue. Also, I want to thank Beyonce for giving me the motivation necessary to do this.

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Lucifer

He can’t help but be impressed at first, even though his unbelievable age has allowed him to meet all sorts of living beings and see their diverse features first-hand.

Hair helps express oneself and represents different cultures, so he wonders what motivates you to keep yours so lengthy. Of course, at first, it stays at that, wondering and imagining, since it isn’t something that keeps him awake at night.

Plus, your impressively long hair only proves to be bothersome as days pass.

It’s on the furniture, the floors, the rugs, the laundry, the food… It. Clogs. The. Shower.

He’ll make you clean everything whether you like it or not and will absolutely throw that sadistic smile of his if you dare complain, sitting in a chair and reading the newspaper while you’re on your knees fishing clumps of hair out of the drains.

Legit him.

But in all seriousness, his attitude towards you will improve drastically the moment you start to clean your messes; and if you already do that from the start, then he holds you on a much higher level of respect.

You are cleaner and more responsible than his brothers, who would’ve thought?

He will feel beyond honoured if you ask him for help brushing or styling it; a bonding moment he’ll cherish very much.

Levi

He is fangirling hard and is not even embarrassed about it.

There are multiple fictional characters with hair as long as yours, both male and female and everything in between, and he wastes no time in comparing you to all of them regardless of your gender.

He’ll be considerably disappointed if you haven’t watched or read any of the anime, manga or novels he’s referencing, but if you’re willing to learn or if you’re already experienced in the matter, then prepare to never know peace again.

There are marathons, online shopping, gaming sessions, plot debates and, of course, his absolute favourite, cosplay.

You don’t need to dress up if it isn’t up your alley, although you should consider it. Levi is an excellent tailor and, as shy as he is, he has observation skills good enough to know what character resonates with you the most, both appearance and personality-wise.

Villains or heroes, leaders or sidekicks… It doesn’t matter. He would implode with excitement if he ever saw you dressed in armour, sparky or leathery clothes (or even all of them at once) with your hair styled in an intricate design that would normally have to be achieved with a wig.

If you want to watch him passed out on the floor with a worryingly deep blush on his face, you should try making a harness with your braided hair. His nerves won’t allow him to help, but he’ll make up in enthusiasm and admiration.

Satan

As far as he knows, hair holds great symbolism and, according to some, memories as well.

He is one curious demon with an extensive academic background and room to spare for more knowledge, so he’s very interested in knowing whether the length of your hair is determined by personal preference, culture, religion or something else.

Sure, you’re close and cherish each other for the way you are, but he has seen a feature of yours in his books, in history museums and even fashion exhibits. There’s something about seeing an object of interest in real life that makes him pay more attention than he would otherwise.

Even if the reason why your hair is so long is purely aesthetical, he’ll still be interested.

That just means he can tell you everything he knows instead.

Of course, your hair won’t be present in every single one of your conversations; Satan doesn’t want to be exhausting and, after all, it being part of you doesn’t make it you.

However, you will be aware of all the times he thinks of it.

“MC, hypothetically, if you were trapped in a tower, could your hair support the weight of another person? No, right? That’s what I thought! Of course!”

He isn’t fooling anyone.

Beel

Using a scented shampoo is considered a sacrifice in the House of Lamentation and everyone expects you to be aware of that.

He will eat it.

Legitimately.

It’s unavoidable.

Not directly, mostly, but it will happen as you grow closer.

It’s more noticeable when it’s your turn to cook. The brothers feel the visceral need to implement a new rule where you are obligated to wear a hairnet whenever you’re in the kitchen. Obviously, accidents still happen and threads of hair still fall to the simmering pots and pans in the stove while you’re distracted.

And Beel will be the only one to not realise. Thinking it’s just a really long and thin noodle, he will slurp that strand and enjoy it while everyone stares at him in horror.

His sin is a blessing in disguise.

Another example takes place when you’re close enough to share a bed; a situation you need to be careful with.

It improves if you braid your hair or if you use a bonnet at night, keeping it guarded and safe from the tossing and the fraction with the bedsheets, but the risk of it being mistaken for some weird-shaped food still exists.

On the other hand, if your hair is loose while you sleep for whatever reason, you can kiss it goodbye; since Beel will probably want to cuddle you and your impressive mane will inevitably directly be in his face.

He nibbles in his sleep, what can we do about it?

Diavolo

He is amazed by the beauty of it; it’s mesmerizing.

Of course, he has seen plenty of demons and witches with hair as long as yours, a symbol of beauty alone and power in the hierarchy of nobility; although that last one is tied to old customs, since the longer the hair the more time and servants you had to take care of it.

And you attend to it on your own? That’s impressive!

He wants to know everything, hence the huge amount of questions in so little time, almost like an eager child on a school trip to the zoo; shining bright eyes focused entirely on you and fingers twitching to grab a lock and softly stretch it until the very end.

If you let him do just that, he will treat it like a delicate treasure, never pulling harshly and observing with care. He doesn’t bother hiding the blush on his cheeks or the warmth in his gaze, mainly because he wants you to know how much affection he guards for you and how much he loves being able to be so close.

It’s a true pity you don’t have horns. Some demons use theirs as support for their hair, coiling it around them and making interesting designs.

He could give you a crown, though.

Show him what you can do with it.

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Taglist: @ilovecandys2010 @ollieoven @kingofspadesdelusion @whimsybloom

[coldgoldlazarus]

I think one shortcoming of the Bohrok-Kal arc was how the Toa were handled. I don't actually object to the basic premise of "their recent victories, the subsequent post-Bohrok peace period, and their Nuva upgrade have given the Toa big heads and put them on a bit of a power trip, here's the Kal to slap them with some perspective again", it's a pretty reasonable direction for the arc.

Giving the Nuva powers only to take them away again is a bit of a silly choice, feels like there should have been something softball-ish as another arc first, to let them show off their new power and further contribute to the bigheadedness. But I can still excuse it for like, toy release story year structure reasons.

But I think what could have been better is the way the power trip exhibited - mainly in that it was pretty uniform for all of them. "I am all-powerful now, I am awesome, let's have a contest over it! Also I don't need you losers anymore, I can protect my Matoran and my Matoran alone, on my own. Go me!" There's lots of good to be said for the OOC Is Serious Business of even Gali going "eh, maybe Unity's run it's course and we can split up fine", sure, but all the same it does feel kinda... flat, for lack of a better word, coming from all of them.

I think it would be fun if that like, ego trip showed itself a bit differently for all of them, based on who they are as characters, you know? Bringing out their worse sides or even twisting their positive traits into something negative.

Onua becoming an overprotective mother hen, smothering the Onu-Matoran in his efforts to help out wherever and whenever possible, trying to find an outlet for his new strength while also failing to let his Matoran live their own lives. Not meaning to be condescending or downplay the Matoran's capabilities, but definitely coming off that way because his instinct to help is getting curdled into assuming he knows better.

Lewa, always the most free-spirited, becoming an absolute cryptid who nobody can find when they actually need or just want him around, but always shows up with badly-considered "pranks" on the Le-Matoran when least expected or convenient. The "pranks" being surprise tornadoes. (What do you mean you were in the middle of a delicate crafting project, wasn't it awesome and funny to be flung a half-mile in the air out of the blue?)

Pohatu's happy to just sit back and celebrate the assumption they've won for good; and in the meantime keeps trying to drag the Po-Matoran into very lopsided Kohlii games or other contests, misjudging his strength and accidentally thrashing them around or kicking them halfway across the desert, and then being confused when nobody wants to play with him anymore. :(

Meanwhile, Nuju finds himself in the surreal position of needing to tell someone to relax and not worry about the future so much, just live in the present for a bit. Kopaka's the only one who doesn't trust the peace at all, knowing Makuta's still out there and up to something - but getting so paranoid and workaholic that he's jumping at shadows, refusing to rest despite running himself ragged trying to get to the bottom of a nonexistent crisis, and then being in no condition to notice or respond properly when the Kal do finally arrive and show their hand. Obviously he knows better than everyone else, and obviously he's too powerful to need to worry about stupid things like 'self-care'.

Gali's finally content to leave the others to their own devices, but instead starts micromanaging and harassing the Ga-Matoran, making mountains out of molehills with minor arguments in her attempts to solve them. Generally being well-meaning but stressful to be around, especially when she starts resorting to intimidating shows of power to get the Matoran to listen to her.

And Tahu having the most straightforward power trip - ironically his usual issues with his temper are mostly in the background for a change, because he's feeling great! But lowkey having a whole "Worship me mortals!" moment and thinking he's so badass he's practically as good as Mata-Nui, better even because he's actually awake and can do badass things like the badass chad he is. And only Jaller's practiced people-management skills and politely firm refusal to put up with this nonsense, is standing in the way of Ta-Koro becoming festooned with an obnoxious amount of overly-top-heavy flexing statues of Omega Tahu commissioned from Po-Koro.

Meanwhile, I've talked previously about how I'd want the Kal to have more diverse personalities and be an early indicator at the hidden depths to the Bohrok, but also thinking it would be funny to also make them more like, demonstrably effective at good teamwork than the Toa are (with the Kaita-on-Kaita battle being a culmination of that) when they are in the same place, despite being split up most of the time. Similarly, picturing a scene of Nuhvok-Kal accidentally imparting genuinely good leadership advice to Tahu while berating him, after wiping out Tahu's attempted Tahnok-Swarm plan.

So there's both the thematic angle of power, popping the Toa's ballooning egos with the reminder there's bigger dangers out there, while also succumbing to that power fallacy themselves in the end; but also not just the usual "we have to work together" but a good wake-up-call via demonstration of what that should look like.

[dieletztepanzerhexe]

The most recent culture of the Upper Palaeolithic (the Late Upper Palaeolithic) in western and Central Europe is the Magdalenian, 20,000 - 12,500 years ago.

A man of the Moravian Magdalenian. He holds a spear-thrower using the principle of leverage, and a spear with a bone projectil point with saw-like razor-sharp microlites. The horses on his clothing are depicted according to a decorated object found in the Pekárna Cave (the Moravian Karst).

In front of the tent in the Pekárna in Moravian Karst cave. The large cave didn´t espace notice of the Magdalenian hunters, which were tracking the cariboos herds around the karst areas. In the cave of Pekárna, the rank of fireplaces was discovered across the corridor, which was probably the standing place of the tents. The cave climate was convenient for fabrication of the cariboo meat. The karst area enabled the hunters to use the terrain for building perfect traps.

Fascinating artefacts found in the Pekárna cave: tiny bone needles, Silicit tools, embedded into boned or horn handgrip, harpoons, blade-liked, decorated artefacts and fascinating portrayals of the scenes of the wildlife on the horse ribs (grazing horses, fighting bisons).

A camp of reindeer hunters of Petersfels

The picture takes us to southwest Germany, the well-known site of Petersfels by Engen. The narrow valley became a trap for hunted reindeer. Reindeer were killed there on a large scale, as the remains of their bones witness. The peculiarity of this picture is that the photographic studies were not created artificially, but were made just on the site, where well-versed fans displayed their home-made clothes, tents and Magdalenian weapons

Notice the antler heads of the throwing weapons, which were made so well that they can be compared with the artistic level of carving in butts of the recent firearms. 

One of the most beautiful and imaginative engravings on the thrower represents two fighting Capricorns. The Trois Frères cave in France. The image reconstruction represents the artefact in it´s original form (the heads of the Capricorns are not preserved).

A Magdalenian bone points with microlites A bone point from the Drátenická Cave in the Moravian karst. This artefact is now in the Institute Anthropos, which is a part of the Moravian Museum (Moravské zemské muzeum) in Brno. You can see (the lower part to the right) an impression of the former careful and fine binding. The reconstruction depicts the procedure of its piecing together.

The convenient terrain helps during the hunting. The Northern societies often hadn´t have enough members for driving the gregarious animals. Therefore, they built stone pillars, which the hunted cariboos were not able to distinguish from the hunter.

The bone needles found in abundance both in Petersfels and the Moravian Karst are different from those of the Gravettian. The woman in the picture is sewing a piece of clothing using an awl and a needle. The man is repairing the bone point of a weapon. He easily replaces individual broken segments of the cutting edge with new ones. To the left from him, there is his equipment, such as throwing weapons, lamps, a chieftain’s baton, a flute and bone points.

The reconstructional imitations of clothes dating back to the era of the Magdalenian reindeer and horse hunters. The first clothing is exhibited in the Museum of Engen. You can see decorative patterns made according to an ornamented shovel-like object found in the Moravian Karst on the right clothing.

A spear-thrower  was ideal for hunting animals living in herds, such as horses and reindeer. It was capable of shooting a maximum amount of projectiles within a minimal period of time. The accuracy of shots at a mass of running bodies was unimportant, the work was completed by sharp points. Most likely massive stone pillars were used when driving reindeer. Reindeer avoided them in the same way as they avoided people. That is why the Magdalenians preferred such environment where limestone screes, of which they erected the pillars, were available, e.g. outcrops of limestone, which are characteristic of the karst areas. The whole life of these people was closely connected with animals living in herds, and it formed their culture. The Magdalenian settlements came to Central Europe, namely to Poland, 16,000 years ago and to Moravia about 13,000 years ago

The representation of women, the unmistakable Magdalenian Venuses, was quite curious. Women’s figurines hardly bore any detail, they were often just outlined, and their bottoms were always stuck out. Some small figurines had holes for hanging.

One of the few Magdalenian Venuses that provided at least some information about her hairdo.

[cybertron-after-dark]

I was gonna ask a question but i honestly forgot it 😅 so just tell me something you want to rant about

If you do happen to remember what you were gonna ask feel free to do so, do not worry about spamming my inbox bc I live for that shit.

As for the rant

Transformers Rescue Bots had some of the best, kindest, and most respectful representation of neurodivergence I have ever seen in media and I'm tired of pretending it didn't.

While there are obvious complaints to be made about neurodivergent traits (especially autistic traits) usually being portrayed in media by inhuman characters like aliens or robots, this being a case of both, I feel like thats a pretty negligible sin given just how human the show makes the robots feel. (Also it was like 2011 and we were STRUGGLING for any scraps of rep anyway)

But like. The behaviors all these robots exhibit are all shit that I do that was always deemed unacceptable when I was a kid and seeing it portrayed with the level of kindness and gentleness they do in that show has me fuckin crying a little man. I wish I had actually watched it when I was younger and it was first airing because maybe if I did I would've had an easier time explaining what the hell was going on with my brain a LOT sooner.

Blades being anxious, overly sensitive, and WHOLEHEARTEDLY queer (which they had the absolute unparalleled balls to just casually confirm by having him swoon over "hunky vampires" in one episode and NOBODY commented on it. Fucking iconic) and getting so so deeply invested in the shows and movies he loves that he acts out the roles with enough passion to steel his nerves and completely flourish.

Boulder getting really confused at concepts that are basic and intuitive for most people, but still being so fucking intelligent, and never being made to feel stupid for the mix-ups, as well as just being so wholely, unabashedly in love with the planet he's found himself on, even if he doesn't understand all of it (Also apologizing to inanimate objects when he knocks them over 😭)

Chase being obsessed with rules and law because he NEEDS the structure to not fall apart at the seams, even feeling the need to fabricate a minor crime to justify using the emergency line to get a hold of the firehouse when he can't find the other bots. As well as just fully not understanding comedy (BUT TRYING HIS DAMNEDEST), taking things super literally, and having a lot of trouble with tone and expressions (even though you know just how deeply he feels All The Time).

Heatwave being desperate for attention and recognition, but completely allergic to asking for it. And honestly allergic to showing any genuine emotional responses other than aggression. The constant sarcasm and sass and defensiveness that he POORLY maintains because everyone knows that underneath that tough guy front is the loneliest robot on earth that wants to be loved SO bad but would rather jump into unicron's mouth than voice it because if he lets his guard down who knows what will happen to him or the people he cares about.

Just. All of it man. Seeing them exhibiting all these behaviors and quirks that all too often get met with poor reactions from people who don't want to deal with what they don't really get, but here they're met with patience and understanding?? It's got me fucked up. They get to be functional adults that struggle with what they have going on but still push through. They get to have unconditionally loving relationships with people that treat them with respect. And that's the kind of shit that gives me a lot of hope for folks like me because maybe some neurotypical kids that watched it picked up on what's helpful when their friend who acts like one of the bots is going through it. And maybe some neurodivergent kids watched it too and for the first time they just felt SEEN.

Okay rant over, I'm gonna go cry over some plastic robots 👍

[bucketkicked-m]

a new muse has joined the ranks: yū fujimoto ! *

❝ just admit it, you love me 'cause i'm a rascal ~ ! ♡ ❞

* Yu is pretty much an original interpretation of the character Lup.in t.he Thi.rd. I absolutely recommend the series and movies (both of which there are several!) ♡

BASICS:

Name: Yū Fujimoto, (Fujimoto Yū, 藤本 悠 )

Alias / Nickname: Arsene Lupin the Third, Lupin, Lupin III

Age / Birthday: Somewhere between 25 and 35 (per police reports), August 10th

Height:  5'10"

Gender: Female, she/her

Orientation:  Bisexual, strong female lean

Occupation: Master thief

ABILITIES / SKILLS:

Thievery skills, such as: lock picking, stealth, glass cutting, sleight of hand, climbing, persuasion/acting, etc.

Racecar driving (a hobby of hers!), piloting a boat and other vehicles

Acrobatics / flexibility

Strategizing (a girl loves planning!)

Sharp shooting (mostly to disarm or injure)

Master of disguise (incredibly good at makeup and costuming, not to mention voice impressions/imitations)

Escape artist

Multilingual (Japanese, English, Spanish, French, Italian, Mandarin)

PERSONALITY:

Lupin is extremely goofy and doesn't take much seriously. She likes cracking jokes, even to the police! She thinks taunting them is funny but takes any arrests like a champ (mostly because she manages to get out!). She enjoys leaving notes and doodles behind at the sites of her heists. Humor, however, tends to be a huge defense mechanism for her and has a habit of pretending things are fine when they really aren't.

However, Lupin is an incredibly soft-hearted person. She's a hopeless romantic times ten and tends to get crushes easily. That being said, she does like to woo people and flirt. She'd never cheat, though, that'd just break her heart.

Does thievery for, well, the obvious reasons, but also because she loves a good challenge and chase. If it's not obvious, she's a thrill seeker. Despite her devil-may-care attitude, she's really a brilliant mind with a strong imagination.

Even if she's a thief, she has a strong sense of justice and fights injustice. She's even gone so far to foil the crimes of worse criminals. Lupin never steals from those in poverty, only seeming to target the wealthy and well-off. They can take the loss! She'd never harm a woman or child, however, even if the object in her sights is something really special. She stays away from murder and even helps those who are less fortunate.

Besides racing, she enjoys fishing, nightclubbing, gambling, playing pool, watching TV, and travelling. She really enjoys eating international cuisine and wine but also enjoys tea and coffee. She smokes on occasion, and she prefers the French brand of cigarettes Gitanes.

HISTORY:

Currently known as one of the world's most notable and notorious thieves, Lupin III is under the watch of the likes of Interpol and other government agencies. Likened to a Carmen Sandiego figure, her heists are big and bold, going from banks to museums to mansions alike. If she can steal it, she'll sure try!

Known for her use of gadgetry (some of which she invented/built herself!), she's quite a hard catch. However, she's not perfect, having been imprisoned many times. The real catch? She's hard to stay caught! She's escaped as many times as she's arrested.

Despite some witnesses stating she's died at least twice; Lupin is still somehow kicking. This is due to a mysterious amulet she'd plundered from a museum one day, giving her nine lives. Maybe the love Egyptians had for cats ruled in her favor! The amulet ended up back in the exhibit, but Lupin was alive and well despite losing her steal. She's on life number 3, lending itself to her name: Lupin the Third. She thinks third time's a charm, and maybe it is!

Unfortunately, with such infamy comes copycats. Lupin's been framed for grievous crimes, those of which she'd had to track down the perpetrators for. She prefers to clear her name herself, 'cause the legal system sure won't!

MISCELLANEOUS FACTS:

Lupin took her alias from the great fictional thief Arsene Lupin! She doesn't tend to use her real name unless she knows she can trust you. It also makes her harder to track! Good luck catching an Arsene Lupin the Third, suckers!

For when she has to do some serious undercover work, Lupin has a feminine persona named Ayumi. She often wears red and has short, blonde, and curly hair.

Lupin has a very notable laugh, ehehe!

Three is Lupin's lucky number! Things that happen in threes is a good omen to her.

She seems to have a lot of strengths? SO WHAT'S HER WEAKNESSES? Women, mischief, and extreme curiosity.

[rambyol]

You know what doesn't sit right with me? The fact that in E4C4 [<-spoilers:] when Bruce finds John in Harley's old room there's the option to Slap John (while he has a Bruise and Tears around his eyes) or Yell at him, but never an option to actually COMFORT (hug) the guy? What kind of conclusions are we meant to draw from that? (Are we meant to believe Bruce is just... more likely to be insensitive or cruel... towards John?... ;-;)

I completely agree with that sentiment. There really should have been an option to comfort John more, however I understand why there wasn’t and what we can dissect from that scene. So let’s jump in!

Now I like a healthy balance between canon, subtextual, and subjective interpretation. So I think it’s important to start with the context behind that scene. Here’s what we know; The Interrogation with John takes place Post-Bodhi Spa/Lab scene. The stakes are very high because Harley has the virus, Riddler’s body has been ruined and is no longer preserved meaning there’s no chance to get a cure, and Avesta and Bruce noticed makeshift bombs around the hideout.

So their main objective is to find Harley. And they were anticipating that the person inside Harley’s office would be Harley. They weren’t expecting John, since he’d disappeared after the agency raided the Lab.

John is the closest and only chance they have to find and stop Harley, so everything that Bruce did in that scene was done under stress and a sense of urgency. And if you play Bruce as a good person in that scene he exhibits a reasonable balance of empathy and compassion whilst also keeping grounded in their situation;

Joker: “There’s no point. It’s over. The Pact. The dream. Us.”

Bruce: “Not yet it’s not she’s still out there. With a deadly virus in a city full of innocent people.”

Without the luxury of time, Bruce comforts John in the only ways he could’ve. Remember, John is supposedly drunk, being erratic, and at times wielding a gun whilst stating he doesn’t care about the deadly situation they’re in. So it’s not extreme to suggest that Bruce, or anyone in such a situation would act cautiously. I mean Avesta is on guard that entire scene because of how erratically John acts.

The alternative to the slap option is the hand on the shoulder gesture that Bruce does, in a way it’s the closest physically intimate act he did which was a step or two removed from a hug. In my ‘The Stab’ post, I mention how physical contact between John and Bruce is gradually built up throughout the narrative, so I guess since John hugs Bruce in the Carnival Bro’s scene, we could interpret Bruce’s touch to John’s shoulder as a moment that anticipates a bigger act of physical intimacy.

There’s definitely something to be said about the lack of acknowledgment towards John’s black eye. He’s just told them that he was physically hit by Harley and there’s no attempt to console him or show concern. Now again, this could be due to the high stakes at play, but of course there’s a broader discussion to be had about male victims of abuse not being treated/taken seriously. (I’m saving my thoughts on this for a future post)

Lastly, I wanted to bring your attention to this moment.

(and I don’t want this to discredit the point about male victims of abuse but rather relate to John’s character and his dynamic with Bruce)

No matter what choice we pick for Bruce, John has the exact same response. I think that, John may have been dragging out this time with Bruce.

He has Bruce’s complete attention and spends the majority of the scene venting about how Harley and Bruce let him down whilst also ignoring Bruce and Avesta’s pleas for help only to suddenly change his mind at the end. I think that moment serves as a reminder that John’s intentions and emotions are ambiguous.

And Bruce understands this which is why he doesn’t tolerate any of John’s ambiguity when you select the harsher/objective choices, which can come off as cruel.

I hope that gives you some new ideas or reaffirm ones you had! I’ve been meaning to analyse that scene more but I think all my ideas come under separate topics so we’ll see if I get around to that sometime!

[greenerteacups]

i humbly write to beseech you to pummel me with your thoughts on rhaenicent

I loooove Rhaenicent conceptually it's so much better than the estranged stepdaughter arc in the books. I also think they have some of the best dialogue in the show because the writers love them so so much. Does the dialogue make sense in the context of the plot happening immediately before and after the scenes they have together? No! Does the bitterly-tender-lesbian-divorcées plotline seem to be taking place in a different show from the rest of HOTD, which is about their two families actively trying to kill each other and often succeeding — deaths that they should technically be attributing to each other by dent of the way war works? Yeah! Do I care? Not that much! And even if I did, would I let it get in the way of a nice nasty friends-to-lovers-to-enemies arc? Like, I've read fic where Hermione Granger and Tom Riddle fuck. Who am I to harp on whether the characters on the R-rated Dragon Tales show are exhibiting literary realism?

Anyway I can't waaaaaaaait for S3 to go whole hog on the "Rhaenyra the Cruel" storyline so that she can complete her evolution into Fantasy Paul Atreides and Alicent can have a total crisis about which of the two tyrants that she's brought into the world — both of whom she loves dearly — she has to kill. The whole story is centrally about mothers sacrificing their children, with the idea that political leadership and parenthood are intrinsically incompatible (Viserys is trying to be a good father but fails in his pursuit of being a good king, Alicent tries to be a good mother but fails in her pursuit of being a good queen, Rhaenyra tries to — you see where I'm going. Ironically the only one who doesn't seem subject to this is Daemon, whose daughters have 0 scenes with him and hence can't object one way or another to his parenting style, but who seems to have escaped the dynastic curse by not trying to be a dad OR a king. Failhusbands #FTW.) And I think it would be the coup de grace on Alicent's storyline if she did betray Aegon for Rhaenyra, in an effort to escape the machinations of politics, only for it to backfire catastrophically. Because:

(1) Rhaenyra is no longer the girl who would have helped Alicent run away from all this. She was lost to Alicent and Cole (who is Alicent's foil and their affair is so obviously an awful wonderful voyeuristic attempt for them both to fuck Past Rhaenyra) the moment Viserys told her she was fucking Dragon Paul Atreides. That's it, game over. You can't love a Messiah without ending up on the altar or the stake. And:

(2) Alicent and Rhaenyra are both arrogant and entitled women, but they're arrogant in different ways; Rhaenyra thinks she's entitled to rule a continent because of her noble parentage and quasi-magic bloodline, and Alicent thinks that she's entitled to rule a continent because she's morally superior to everyone else at court. They are both wrong about this, but they can't let go of that idea without dissolving what's been the basis of their identity for the past 20 years. These girls were raised by the Red Keep. Even when Alicent goes on her spiritual journey to realize that Politics Is Bad, she has staggering gall to talk about being "free," as if it isn't slightly fucked-up that she can just start a war that kills thousands of peasants and fuck off to Essos once she's not having fun anymore. Like. Sorry? Aemond is successfully executing a war that started the moment you crowned Aegon, knowing damn well Rhaenyra (and Daemon, moreover) were not going quietly, and you're blaming Aemond for the fact that people are dying? Baby girl, you did not give a stone cold shit that Aemond was a bit of a maniac until he removed you from the small council (which I honestly didn't think you cared about, since you haven't made a political move all season). And then you wrote him off to Gwayne as like "bro :( look at my horrible awful bloodthirsty son," but BABY YOUUUUUU STARTED THE WAR!!

(Also: youuuuuuu went full Cersei and demanded to carve one of the Velaryons' eyes out when they hurt Aemond by accident, plus also tried to carve out Rhaenyra's eye with a knife in full view of the court when that didn't work, so like — maybe we can think about where Aemond might have learned to use violence as a first resort?)

All this to say that both of them have been poisoned by the Red Keep and I don't think they would know how to interact with each other outside of that circumstance. They've been doing politics since they were teenagers, and their identities have been built around that fact. And even when Alicent realizes this, it still isn't enough to change her into someone different! She is Alicent Targaryen, née Hightower, and Targaryen women do not fucking let go. They are doomed to fight each other forever until one or both of them die. Which is sexy and awesome and I personally look forward to watching.

[cosmicjoke]

Of course Levi has a selfless and compassionate side, but objectively speaking, I don't think the manga/anime emphasizes these qualities as much as some people are exaggerated. For example, in the manga, the garrison soldier they captured during the uprising arc says that he even killed people he shouldn't have killed (I think those people were servants idk)

Or like in the trost arc when he doesn't react to the deaths of all those people who died in the chase for the female titan. There's a scene in the uprising arc where Hitch talks about this genocide and sort of berates him and his corps, but Levi doesn't react to it. He values human life, but not enough to talk about it or to go on about it.

He characterizes people who are inferior to him, who are not of equal status, as weak. In the Shiganshina arc he says he hates weak people.

I think his role in the anime is more of a supporting weapon character than these actions. He's more of someone who stands out in battles and with his strength. And he can play a supporting role in some characters, including the main character.

This may sound like slander, but that's not my point. My point is that in some fandoms, people tend to exaggerate one aspect of their favorites and either don't acknowledge or ignore their flaws or make excuses for them. In the anime and in interviews, we see Levi touch upon his compassionate and selfless aspects. But he also sometimes exhibits cruel, reckless actions on some issues.

No, the manga and anime makes it expressly clear how much Levi cares.

Levi didn't kill anyone during the Uprising arc outside of Kenny's squad, who were first trying to kill him and his squad. Purely self-defense and purely justifiable. He only hurt the people at the military base where they captured the soldier from. They didn't kill anyone there. These are Levi's exact words:

"Unfortunately for you, they won't be coming to your rescue. Killing them would've been a bother, so they'll just be off their feet for the time being."

This, accompanied by panels showing Levi's squad taking the soldiers out, only injuring, not killing, them.

Levi reacted during Trost. What are you talking about? We see a close up of Levi when the shit hits the fan, his expression clearly troubled and his fists clenched at his sides. His fists clenching is plainly highlighted because the reader is meant to understand that he's upset. A clear expression of anxiety and frustration at not being able to help.

Hitch is talking about the people that died during the incident in Trost, not a "genocide", and Levi takes full responsibility for it, making no excuses for what happened. Hitch is shocked because she thought Levi would try to make excuses and deny any responsibility, because she thought he was heartless, but he didn't, because he cares and he's just as upset as she is. She didn't expect that.

Just because he doesn't blubber and cry outwardly doesn't mean he isn't feeling anything. He knows it's messed up and that it went sideways when it wasn't ever meant to, just like so many of the missions the SC conducts.

When he says he "hates weak people", he means he hates the situation. He's frustrated and upset. He hates that these people who have no experience fighting titans are on this mission with them, because their ranks have been so thinned out, and because of that, they're likely to get killed. You have to pay attention to Levi's actions, not his words. Levi is known for not being good at expressing what he means when he speaks. His actions are what's important. He works himself to the point of exhaustion trying to save those people you say he "hates" for being weak. Does that seem like something someone would do who doesn't care about their lives?

The problem is, you just aren't paying enough attention to Levi's character, and further, you don't understand his character. You seem to need it said and spelled out in literal terms in order to pick up on what's going on, which, if that's the case, this isn't the story for you. Levi's emotion isn't blaring and in your face. It's subtle, but still obvious if you simply pay attention. You see it in his actions and expressions. We aren't exaggerating Levi's compassion and kindness, you just don't want to or aren't able to acknowledge it because it isn't spoon fed to you and it doesn't fit with your preconceived notion of who Levi is. You need to pay more attention in order to understand Levi, because he's a complex character, not the one-note "weapon" that you want to define him as.

You talk about bias and not being able to see clearly as a result, but your own bias is pretty evident on this topic. You get basic facts wrong and then present them as "evidence" for your claim that Levi is reckless and cruel. It's just that you don't understand him as a character.

[aishangotome]

Elbert Greetia: Chapter 4

Chapter 3

♡———♡

Alfons: While it is tempting to deceive an innocent girl with my abilities and create a temporary salvation...

Alfons: Might there be a blue poppy in Elbert's room?

Kate: Huh?

Alfons: I seem to recall seeing a framed pressed flower before. If my memory serves me correctly.

Alfons: Why don't you search that junk room tomorrow?

Hearing Alfons' suggestion, Elbert placed his hand on his chin as if in thought.

Elbert: ... If Al says so, it might be there.

Kate: Really...!?

Elbert: ... Shall we look for it?

Kate: Yes, please...!

(If I can give her the real one, Daisy will surely be happy.)

If there's a possibility, it's worth searching.

Alfons: To think the day would come when Elbert would look back on the things he threw into that room... It's quite baffling.

(Elbert's room...)

*flashback*

Alfons: The things that don't meet El's standards are left in his room like junk.

Alfons: I sell them off without his permission.

Kate: C-Can you really sell them without permission?

Elbert: ...Yeah, it's fine.

Elbert: I have no interest in things that aren't beautiful.

*flashback over*

(A room where "things that weren't beautiful" are stored, huh?)

(... I wonder what kind of room it is.)

Alfons: Hehe. Feel free to search to your heart's content.

Elbert: Al, won't you help us?

Alfons: No way! You know, right?

Alfons: I hate unpleasant physical labor.

––And the next morning.

-

Elbert: Please... come in.

Kate: Yes, excuse me...

Stepping into Elbert's room, I was stunned for a moment.

(His words about having no interest were true...)

Beautiful butterfly specimens, exquisite bird taxidermy, oil paintings and pottery, jewelry...

First-class items that wouldn't be out of place in a museum or art gallery were--

Incredibly messily placed, creating a rather unusual sight.

(Even with so many things... It feels a bit lonely.)

The room, filled with numerous objects haphazardly left behind, had an air of emptiness about it.

Elbert: Well then... let's start searching.

Kate: Do you have any idea where it might be...?

Elbert: ... Actually,

Kate: Actually...?

Elbert: I've never looked for anything in this room... I don't know what's where.

Kate: Even though it's your own room...

Elbert: It might take quite a while to search...

(Well... There are a lot of things that catch my eye, but...)

(For now, let's just focus on finding the blue poppy.)

Kate: It's okay. If we search together, it should be much easier to find than searching alone.

Elbert: ...

Kate: Let's do our best!

Elbert: Yeah... Let's do our best.

We started our search, being careful not to bump into the items placed without any consideration for human movement.

Kate: ... Ah, could this be it?

A vivid blue color peeking through the gap in the cover of a frame placed on the floor caught my eye.

Elbert: That's... what was it again...?

Kate: Let me see what's inside.

I lifted the slightly heavy frame and unwrapped the cloth, revealing a beautiful oil painting.

Kate: It's not a poppy or a pressed flower... But it's a really beautiful landscape painting.

Elbert: I think... At some exhibition, everyone was praising it, so I wanted it.

Elbert: They said it wasn't for sale, but I insisted and got it.

Kate: To get a non-sale item, you must have been asked for a considerable price...

Elbert: ... About the price of a townhouse, I think.

Kate: What!?

My hands suddenly stiffened, and I almost dropped it, but I hurriedly supported it.

Elbert: ... Are you alright?

Kate: I-I'm sorry! I didn't drop it, so I think it's okay!

Elbert: Not that... I meant you.

(Huh...?)

Elbert took the oil painting from my hands and casually propped it up nearby.

Elbert: You're not hurt...?

Kate: ... Y-yes, ... I'm fine.

(I'm glad he cares, but...)

My eyes are drawn to the oil painting that was placed haphazardly on the floor again.

(Even though he insisted on getting this expensive item, he's not interested in it anymore.)

(Because it "wasn't beautiful"...)

Kate: Among the things in this room, what is most precious to you, Lord Elbert?

Elbert: ... Precious?

Kate: I wanted to know if there's anything you don't want me to touch.

Elbert: Let's see...

Elbert's gaze wandered vaguely around the room.

Finally turning his deep blue eyes towards me, Elbert smiled faintly.

Elbert: There's nothing in particular like that...

(Nothing...)

I felt like I understood the reason for the emptiness I had been feeling.

(This is... a room where the owner's cherished belongings don't exist.)

It's Elbert's room, but a room without anything for Elbert.

(Then, all these overflowing beautiful things...)

(For whom... For what purpose?)

Elbert: Kate?

Kate: ! ... I'm sorry, I was spacing out.

Elbert: ... It's okay if you break something, just be careful not to get hurt.

Saying that, Elbert started searching elsewhere.

(Focus on the blue poppy for now!)

Trying to change my perspective, I got down on my hands and knees and crawled into a gap.

(...!? )

Suddenly, I made eye contact with hollow black eyes, and my heart skipped a beat.

(Ah... A taxidermized bird. Beautiful, but... a little scary.)

There wasn't a single moving thing in Elbert's room.

The clock hands were frozen in their beautiful shape, and all living creatures were taxidermied or specimens.

(Speaking of which... Where did the cat I brought home from shopping the other day go...?)

While thinking about such things, I was backing up, and because of that--

Kate: Whoa...!?

Elbert: Ugh...?

I bumped into Lord Elbert, who seemed to have been crouching nearby.

Kate: I-I'm so sorry... Ouch!

As I quickly pulled away, I bumped my elbow on a shelf.

(Ugh... How clumsy of me...)

Elbert: ... Are you alright?

Kate: I'm fine. I'm sorry for making you worry all the time.

Elbert: It's because the room is messy, so don't worry about it...

At that moment, something fell from the shelf and hit Elbert's head with a thud.

Elbert: ...? What was that...?

Kate: I wonder what it was...?

We both looked down at our feet, and there was a white rabbit plush toy rolling around.

(Cute...)

Kate: You have such cute things too.

Elbert: Ah... I think the shopkeeper said this one was the most beautiful, so I bought it.

(This one has its ribbon tied vertically.)

In this room full of beautiful things, the slightly crooked ribbon was strangely eye-catching.

Kate: I have to put it back. I wonder where it fell from...

I stood up and let my gaze wander in the direction the plush toy fell from, and then--

(Ah!!)

Kate: Lord Elbert, is that...!?

Hidden behind an object on the shelf, inside a frame attached to the wall, was a poppy with bright blue petals, beautifully pressed and in full bloom.

Elbert: ... It really was there...

Elbert: Al might know more about my room than I do...

Kate: It's real, right?

Elbert: Yes.

We huddled together, staring intently at the frame, then looked at each other almost simultaneously.

Kate: Can I take this to Daisy?

Elbert: Of course... I have time after this, so let's go together.

Kate: Yes!

(I wonder if Daisy will be happy.)

(Even when I can't visit her, if she sees this...)

(I hope it will give her even a little more time to smile.)

Thinking of Daisy's innocent smile, my heart swelled with anticipation.

Elbert: ... I've never seen you smile so happily before.

Kate: Huh...?

I raised my face at the softly uttered voice, and deep, ocean-like eyes were gazing intently at me.

(Lord Elbert...?)

Elbert: ... Show me your smiling face more clearly.

Beautiful, sculpture-like fingertips gently touched my cheek.

Kate: ...

A handsome face drew closer, and I couldn't help but hold my breath.

The dimly lit, moist gaze was very similar to what I felt in the garden on the night of the incident when I first met Daisy – it made my heart flutter.

Elbert: ...

(What should I do?)

(I can't look away.)

– At that moment, a knock broke the silence.

Kate: Y-yes...!?

My reply came out in a squeak.

After a brief pause, the person who peeked through the door was – Alfons.

Alfons: ... Oh my, excuse me. Did I interrupt something?

Alfons: Please think of me as a slightly larger doorstop and continue.

Kate: N-no, it's fine! I'll go get ready to leave.

I left the room as if escaping Elbert's gaze.

Elbert: ...

Alfons: ... Don't glare at me like that. It wasn't intentional.

-

(What was that just now...?)

(Show me your smiling face more clearly...)

It sounded like a pick-up line, but it didn't seem like Elbert had any such intentions.

(More than flirting, it felt like he was trying to confirm something...)

Remembering that gaze, my heart started to flutter again, and I hurriedly shook my head.

Kate: ... Right now, I need to hurry and give the blue poppy to Daisy.

I changed my mindset and ran down the hallway to my room.

-

And as the sun passed its zenith, Elbert and I were walking down the hallway of the clinic.

Elbert: I wonder if she's awake. ... She hasn't been feeling well lately.

Kate: Yes... If she's asleep, shall we wait a little while?

While whispering to each other, we couldn't suppress our excitement and approached the door of the hospital room when...

Daisy: ... Ugh... Sob...

(Huh? That's Daisy's voice...)

(Could she be crying?)

Elbert: ...

Daisy's tearful voice could be heard through the door, as if she was talking to someone.

(I shouldn't eavesdrop.)

I reflexively thought that, but... I couldn't help but listen closely.

Daisy: I... was mean. ... I said I wanted something I could never have...

Daisy: Because... those people are kind...

Daisy: It makes me think I want to... live longer...

Daisy: ... It's painful.

Kate: ...

My heart tightened as if it was being squeezed.

Daisy: S-so... I kind of wanted to make them suffer a little.

Daisy: You don't forget sad things, right? So, if they couldn't find the blue poppy...

Daisy: Those two would remember me forever, right...?

It was a shock, like being hit on the head.

I had intended to visit her to cheer her up.

(I thought that being by her side would lessen her sadness and loneliness, even a little... but)

(Maybe Daisy has been suffering all along.)

And yet, I didn't realize I was hurting her...

Elbert: ...

Elbert stood next to me, saying nothing, quietly staring at the door.

(If we visit her now, will we hurt Daisy again?)

(But... if we don't visit her without saying anything, she'll surely be even sadder.)

(... Then, what about this blue poppy?)

Even though we finally found it, if we give it to her, she might be even sadder.

Kate: ... I'm sorry, Lord Elbert.

Kate: Let's... pretend we couldn't find it.

Elbert: ... Yeah.

Elbert: ... You're right.

Eventually, Daisy's crying subsided, and–

-

After the nurse who had been listening inside left, we visited the hospital room.

The blue poppy frame was hidden outside the room.

Kate: I'm sorry! We couldn't find the blue poppy.

Daisy: ... Oh well, that's disappointing.

I apologized exaggeratedly so that the lie wouldn't be exposed, and Daisy scrunched up her face as if to hide her red and swollen eyes.

Kate: I'll definitely find it tomorrow.

Daisy: Hehe. Make sure you find it before I die, okay?

I returned Daisy's smile with a smile of my own.

Elbert: ...

Elbert just silently watched us.

It was the next day that we learned Daisy's condition had suddenly worsened and she had passed away.

-

The setting sun, signaling the end of the day, dyed the castle corridor crimson.

I was staring out the window, feeling like there was a gaping hole in my chest, when I heard a slow footstep approaching.

Elbert: There you are...

Kate: ... Lord Elbert.

Elbert: ...

Kate: ...

A gentle silence fell, as if sharing the pain in our chests.

Just that – I knew Elbert had also heard the news of Daisy's passing.

Elbert: ... Kate.

Elbert: Won't you give me your time tonight?

.

.

.

.

.

Chapter 4 Premium Story

If you’d like to support my translations, feel free to buy me a coffee here! :)

[sassykattery]

Dollface Pt. 1

In a world where magical objects sometimes end up in places they shouldn't be, sometimes even the most careful end up in precarious situations. This fic is "Dollface," a story about a particular demon falling into one of those very situations.

CW: The main character is afab, uses she/her pronouns. This story is meant to be somewhat curvy/plus-sized reader insert, but the main character is given a physical description, but it's not crucial to the story or mentioned often after Part 1.

Themes: Romance. Magic. Adventure.

Characters: Main Character. Diavolo, mention Barbatos.

Minors and ageless blogs DNI

18+ only

Enjoy.

Masterlist

I suppose this is what I get for opening that cursed text, Diavolo thought. Barbatos is going to be quite cross with me when I get back... Whenever that will be at this rate.

While the Demon Lord, his butler, and the seven brothers were visiting the human world, Diavolo had heard of and found a magical artifact exhibit to see if there were any authentic pieces. Often times, when these exhibits took place, they were full of fakes. However, he still enjoyed looking through them nonetheless. He was intrigued by reading the tall tales that accompanied these items, amused by the stories humans would come up with. On occasion, there would be an authentic item left behind by a witch or careless demon that somehow ended up there, and he would work to bring it back to the Devildom.

However, he was distracted by a commotion down the hall, and when he accidentally touched this cursed book before inspecting it, opening it just slightly, he found himself motionless on the floor, staring up at the lights on the ceiling and unable to move.

Hm, now, how do I get out of this? Surely there's a way to undo it...

The prince then began to cite a spell in his mind but felt the buzzing sensation of being barred from completing it. This curse had locked his magic, leaving him unable to perform anything to help.

Damn, this is a strong curse. I wonder what I am–

"What an adorable doll! I think maybe a child or someone dropped this. We should take it to the front desk," a woman said, hovering over the prince.

A doll?

"Alright, but hurry up. We're going to be late if we don't leave in two minutes," a man said next to her.

The woman picked up Diavolo, her gentle hands holding onto his entire body. He merely watched as he took in her features as she peered down at him. She dropped him back down to her side and began walking away from where he was once standing.

Oh, I'm going to be sick. This is worse than some of the rides at Devil's Coast, he thought. Ah, I suppose I won't actually vomit now. Still, this is dizzying.

"Hi, I found this doll on the ground and wanted to know if a child was looking for it?" The woman said, stopping at the front desk of the exhibit.

"Not yet, but we can hang onto it just in case when the kid realizes it's gone," a man replied.

"Oh good, here," she said, handing the prince to the employee.

Diavolo looked to see a grouchy-looking older gentleman holding him now and was quickly thrown into a dark desk drawer with little decorum.

Well, now what?

---

This is definitely not good, Diavolo thought as he stared ahead at the envelope he was in.

About two weeks ago, he was taken to some adult woman's house, still unsure how he came to her possession, where he was given a tag around his back left leg, sealed in a plastic bag, and sat to wait in what seemed to be an office. He looked around at the other dolls, figures, and toys around him, wondering if they had met the same fate as him. It was unlikely, but at least he could look at a few of them, finding some entertainment in imagining what movies or games they were from.

Then, one day, the woman took him and placed him in what seemed to be a mailing envelope, along with a card he decided to read as entertainment while he spent two weeks being shipped to hell knew where. It was in another language, but some of it he could read, as it essentially said thank you for ordering this product.

Barbatos is going to kill me, he thought to himself at one point. It seems I have been purchased and being sent to someone else.

While he was loaded into airplanes, thrown into trucks, and passed from person to person in this envelope, he was coming up with ways to apologize to his butler and the brothers, no doubt thinking they were absolutely frantic looking for him. Surely, all eight of them will lock him up in his castle for an eternity to work on his paperwork for causing such a fiasco.

Finally, he had come to rest in one place for two days, and that's when he heard her voice for the first time.

"Hi there, I have a package I need to pick up. I'm not sure if you have it or if the postman took it," he heard a youthful feminine voice call out.

"Let me see... Yes, we have it! From out of the country– Japan, I see. How interesting," another older sounding feminine voice replied, picking up his envelope and carrying him a few feet before placing it on a surface.

"Yes! I'm very excited," she replied.

"Just sign here."

After a few moments, Diavolo was moving again as he heard a "Thank you so much!" in a highly cheerful voice.

As he was carried away, he could tell the envelope was being hugged tightly, as he wasn't moving too much and felt pressure around him, though he could tell they were walking. He heard what seemed like a car door unlock, and the two swung inside of it, the door shutting and an engine starting.

Suddenly, he could hear the envelope being torn open, and a hand reached in to carefully pull him in his plastic bag out. He was faced away from the person holding him, looking to see the black interior of the car he had been taken to, taking in the new scenery for the first time in weeks. The clear plastic wrap was peeled open, and he was carefully pulled out of it, seeing an ivory hand with black, sharp nails holding him. He was then turned around, and he saw for the first time who was now holding him, the first new face in weeks.

Oh.

"Hi there. You're so cute..." she murmured a greeting with a sweet smile on her lips. Her thumb ran across his body and hair.

Diavolo took her in as well. She was an adorable blonde with intricate makeup applied to her face. He saw her glittering purple lids with sharp black liner, beautiful lashes batting as she looked at him. He felt that he would be blushing if he actually could with how she inspected him so closely. Her eyes crinkled with adoration lacing her gaze, and he noticed her darling shadow blue eyes sparkling down at him. He also appreciated her full cheeks and round face. Her soft touch wasn't unnoticed either, how she gently caressed his form, even with her claw-like nails. Her lips held a soft shine to them, small in size but with a pouty lower lip and very muted pink in color, now curling into a charming smile.

Well, it could be worse.

"I'm so happy to have you..." she murmured again, holding his body gently in her palm as she continued to thumb over his hair. Her hand was warm, and her touch was careful, as if he was porcelain instead of a plush velvet doll. She turned him over a few times, carefully pulling on his garnet overcoat, before turning him to face her again.

Could be a lot worse. She seems nice, at least.

He was then placed on what seemed to be the seat next to her as she started buckling a seat belt and turning on some music in the car. It sounded like pop music, and from his seat in the car, he could easily see her, watching as she reversed the car and then drove off.

Their car ride lasted for a little while, and Diavolo had the privilege of listening to her sing to the radio and pick up what seemed to be her lunch.

This isn't so bad. She's a good driver, her voice is lovely, she seems sweet. Well, I guess this is better than the alternative while I wait for help.

When they reached their destination and the car stopped, he watched her eat a sandwich, switching radio stations to a orchestral one. After she was done, he saw her reach over to hold him again, and he was face to face with her once more.

"I'll just take you to class with me," she mumbled. "I don't want to leave you in the car."

Class?

After a few minutes, he was placed into what he saw to be a pink backpack, and he looked ahead to see a textbook, calculator, and some other items he didn't quite recognize. The zipper closed, and he felt them starting to walk again, followed by a car door shutting and a beep to lock it.

It was a few hours before she picked him up again. He sat through what sounded to be some physics and chemistry courses, and he was rather impressed with her. She answered questions like a pro, and he was rather curious to know more about her. He also overheard her conversations with others, like her professors and how friendly they were to each other. She was clearly studious and on top of things, sounding like a successful student, but he noticed how she always seemed uncertain, or rather, he realized, how anxious she seemed.

It was finally when they reached what he thought was her car again, that the bag was set down, and she opened it to pull him out. She seemed a little tired, some creases under her eyes now, but he was distracted when she put him in the front pocket of her jacket up high on her chest, facing out to see the world ahead.

Oh, this is lovely, I can finally see where we're going, he thought cheerfully.

She put on her seat belt, reversed out of the parking spot, and off they went again. He took in the scope of her world, watching the soccer fields, parks, buildings, and scenery that passed by. She started singing again, now listening to heavy metal, to his surprise.

An intriguing human. As sweet as she sounds and looks, she listens to music about rage and death, but still in her lilted and soft singing voice right in my ear. Now that I think about this, this is an excellent opportunity to learn more about humans.

After around fifteen minutes, Diavolo watched as they entered a residential neighborhood, small and large houses whirling by as she drove down the street. They pulled into an alley and then a driveway around the back of a house, the garage door opening as she straightened her car to pull in. After putting it in park, she got out and walked back to retrieve her backpack, close the garage door, and then walk inside the house.

He tried to take everything in as she walked inside the house. She walked down a dimly lit hallway, and then she made a turn to open the door. He looked out to see a turquoise room. There were black furnishings throughout, clothes strewn in a couple of places, and what seemed to be a vanity with makeup, lights, and mirrors on it.

The woman set her bag down on the floor near the door and started to take off her shoes and jacket, but not before taking the prince out of the pocket while she hung it up. She held him firmly but gently in her grasp as she walked around, and finally, she plopped down on her bed. Laying him on a pillow next to her head, he watched as she pulled out her phone and began scrolling through it.

Diavolo felt a little bad for looking, but he was at a point where he could easily see her phone, right next to her head, and he observed as she scrolled. He learned her name, figured out her age, a little bit about her interests, that she was a college student and caught a glimpse of what she was studying, and that she loved to write. It took him time to realize what she was doing as she opened an app and began typing quickly. From what he could read, she was a talented writer, clearly knowing how to illustrate feelings and showcase not only interesting but well thought out characters.

She suddenly yawned, clicking off her phone and rolling onto her side, facing him. Her eyes closed, and he looked at her in his peripheral.

She's even cute while she sleeps, he mused fondly. It's lovely to meet you.

After half an hour, she was up again, bringing her backpack over to the bed to pull out a laptop, tablet, and stylus. He watched her with interest as she played music from the laptop and began drawing.

Drawing, too? She has quite a few talents, it seems.

She looked over at the prince, tilting her head as if in thought.

"Maybe I should draw you sometime," she mused, turning back to what she was doing.

I'd like that.

---

Diavolo felt the human woman stir the next morning, and suddenly another light came on for about an hour, and she was out of sight for that long, until she came back and he realized she had put makeup on. He watched as she moved around, and suddenly, he was up in the air too, her small hand taking hold of him to place him in her pink backpack again. And thus began another day.

The prince listened to her music, her singing, the lectures she attended, which seemed vastly more challenging than the previous day with biochemistry and microbiology, and rode home once more. When they arrived home, they laid on her bed again while she scrolled through her phone.

She sure seems to lay in bed a lot.

"Ugh, my back," she groaned, rolling onto her side. From how he was laid up slightly against another pillow, he could fully look at her as she scrolled through her phone.

Well, that would explain it. Poor girl.

"Mm," she giggled wickedly, a naughty smile gracing her lips. Diavolo listened as she scrolled through many different videos over the next hour, her laughs and cackles like music to his ears. He watched her nearly cry with laughter, how her eyes and brows gave away so much of what she was thinking.

This was far better, he thought, than being locked away in some office or drawer, bored out of my mind.

Diavolo came to like this human woman. He enjoyed her company, even if she wasn't always directly talking to him. Her laugh and singing made him smile internally. The way she moved and spoke entranced him. They were somewhat like friends then, at least to him, as much as he was learning about her habits.

A friend. A human friend.

Though, it didn't take much to steer his thoughts away. He had been gone from the Devildom for quite some time, likely longest period yet without a way to contact everyone. Likely, Barbatos and the brothers were frantic to look for him, and here he was, a doll living with an adult woman who treated him like a beloved childhood toy, even after just a couple of days.

But maybe, just maybe, this wasn't so bad. He was learning so much about humans from this experience, and he could just relax while time ticked on. And if he had to spend this time with her until help arrived or the curse broke, then it wouldn't be so bad. She was sweet, good company, and rather loving. She was endearing. He was at the point where he wished he could talk back to her, desperately wanting to interact, to see how she would react to him in his full form.

Then it hit him. Would she like him? Would she be afraid of him? She was rather short, so maybe he would be too intimidating. He knew she was an anxious person, so what if he scared her? What if she wanted nothing to do with him?

Or would she enjoy him too? Would she let him get close? Could they touch? Would she like him gently caressing her as she had done to him? It felt a bit unfair how she could just hold, touch, or carry him as she pleased, when he wanted to do it and more to her as well. Would she want to kiss him? How would her lips feel? How do they taste? Maybe he was just curious about her, and his nature was getting the better of him. Or maybe, he could see himself getting to know her and finding there is more between them.

These thoughts and that many more plagued his mind as time passed, occupying him constantly.

Hear me, denizens of darkness, for this curse shall be broken in parts. First, the demon shall in perpetuity remain in motionlessness and silence until the beloved human shall retain affection for the doll and vice versa. For the love of a doll is to place one's emotions onto the doll. Once affection is reached and matained, may the effected demon be vocal in their returned affection. Second, should the effected demon hold these affections mutually, shall the two get closer. Let there be a forged fondness for one another. Only when the human may voice this fondness shall the doll be set free.

Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed.

Post made by sassykattery. Do not repost. Reblogs and comments appreciated.

Tags: @delphi-dreamin @itsmeninerz @flemmingbamse @attic-club-sandwich @bite-sized-devil @marvelous-maniac @themythicaldisaster

Next

[themculibrary]

New Year's Fluff Masterlist

A Kiss Before Midnight (ao3) - stuckinthepast (theboybarnes) steve/bucky T, 1k

Summary: Steve and Bucky sneak out of the party early so they can be each others first kiss of the year, but can they wait until midnight?

All I Can Taste (ao3) - SailorChibi bucky/steve/tony/t'challa G, 2k

Summary: Tony thought he’d be spending New Year’s Eve alone.

He was wrong.

A New Beginning (ao3) - starksdummy bruce/clint G, 673

Summary: Bruce isn't looking forward to facing another New Year's Eve alone.

A New Start (ao3) - notvegs bucky/clint G, 1k

Summary: Bucky needs a new start for the new year and is surprised in who he finds it.

Fireworks (ao3) - shipskicksandgiggles harley/peter G, 1k

Summary: Spending New Year’s alone was perfectly fine with Peter. That changes when his best friend shows up at his door with a couple of glasses and a bottle of champagne

gonna show him i care (ao3) - allcolorsoftherainbow sam/bucky G, 4k

Summary: Based on the Tumblr prompt: “Character A is stuck working in a coffee shop on Christmas Day and Character B is the lonely soul spending their whole day there.”

i’d say i love you with my final breath (ao3) - wmthackeray druig/makkari N/R, 2k

Summary: He presses his forehead to hers and it’s like hundreds of years of tension simply drips off of her, and she feels lighter than ever. As if she could run through the entire universe – but she won’t, since she’s back in the place she likes best.

On the eve of a new millennium, Makkari decides she’s tired of celebrating alone. So she pays Druig a visit.

I'll Be So Blue Just Thinking About You (ao3) - bloodfest peter/thor T, 15k

Summary: All the lights and the music and the presents from Mantis' Christmas party had been nothing short of amazing, but Peter still found himself feeling like something was missing.

Or, more accurately, someone.

Just Another Day (ao3) - dreamerfound T, 340

Summary: Clint has no desire to celebrate the new year.

Next Year and Forever (ao3) - RiaRose steve/tony T, 9k

Summary: The Nomad Resort, owned by Steve Rogers, has become a home away from home for many of the world's elite. During the winter holidays, it hosts an ice exhibition with Olympic gold medalist Anthony Stark. He's done the show for five years running, despite everyone being confused as to why a world-class figure skater would want to do the same show over and over. Especially when he's invited to perform at bigger and better venues.

It just so happens that he and the resort owner have quite the crush on each other. They just don't realize the other feels the same.

New Year's Dance (ao3) - james clint/phil G, 451

Summary: Just a tiny snippet of Clint on New Year's.

Off the Mark (ao3) - brandnewfashion steve/tony T, 11k

Summary: In which Tony makes assumptions, and Steve disproves every single one of them.

Aka a “five times Steve surprised Tony, and one time Tony surprised Steve” story.

Reason for the Season (ao3) - TheologyDiscography bucky/brock M, 1k

Summary: Brock and Winter getting a peaceful moment together after a mission.

Resolved (ao3) - FestiveFerret steve/tony T, 3k

Summary: Okay. He just had to approach it like a mission. Objective: Kiss Tony Stark at midnight.

Smooth Like Velvet (ao3) - Rubick sam/bucky T, 5k

Summary: Steve hummed, taking a step back. “Sam is not going to know what hit him when he sees you.”

Bucky’s pulse spiked as he frowned at Steve. “What—What are you talking about? Why would I care what Sam thinks?”

Steve chuckled and looked at him the way Bucky had seen him look at Tony way too often—with a mixture of frustration and fondness. “Come on, Buck. You don’t have to hide it with me.”

~~~

It’s the Stark annual NYE bash, Bucky’s in a tux, and he’s not staring at Sam across the dance floor.

He’s totally not.

The Wine Thief (ao3) - LaraWinner darcy/loki G, 1k

Summary: A chance meeting and new beginnings.

Three, Two, One (ao3) - SailorChibi tony/stephen T, 2k

Summary: Tony throws a New Year’s Eve party to help Peter save face, never expecting that he’ll receive a kiss of his own from his crush at midnight.

Traditions (ao3) - JustJill clint/darcy T, 710

Summary: Clint and Darcy spend NYE together.

What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve? (ao3) - PlayItRight yelena/kate T, 8k

Summary: After the craziest Christmas of Kate Bishop’s life, she’s back home and ready to relax for the end of the year. But when Kate receives a text from a mysterious yet familiar unknown number, will New Year’s really be relaxing?

When Christmas Spirit knocks on your door (ao3) - MonsterinaCup peggy/steve G, 11k

Summary: When the spirit of Christmas decides to visit someone, it makes someone's life more interesting. Just ask Peggy, and she'll tell you her story.

When Saturday morning came, December 23, Peggy was ready to keep herself busy reviewing the cases she handled. Given that SHIELD Law firm is closed for the holidays until the 27th, Peggy is left with no choice but to take a break and find something to do for Christmas. Unfortunately, reading cases is the only thing Peggy could think of doing. Or so, she thought.

[starrlitangel]

Cult v.s. Religion. Whats the difference? 🪽💫

The difference between a cult and a religion has been lost over time, and has made it very tricky for religions to exist without being accused of being a cult. So today, we will be discussing, what is the true difference between a cult and a religion. And also, how Starlight Angelism is a religion and not a cult 💗

Before getting started, please note that there is a general trigger warning for this post! As stated in the title and paragraph above, cults are mentioned along in depth information on them and in depth information on specific cults are linked which may have triggering content in them. Please be careful when diving into this kind of info if you are easily triggered or are triggered by these kinds of topics. We do our best to make sure there isn't too much triggering content so it's available for everyone to read, but still, be safe! Taking care of your mental health is extremely important! The post is marked as mature for this reason, but of course I still wanted to make sure that there is a warning. Thank you!

Defintions

Firstly, lets define the words cult and religion.

Cult: A system of religious veneration (great respect; reverence) and devotion (love, loyalty, or enthusiasm for a person, activity, or cause.) directed toward a particular figure or object. It’s a relatively small group of people having religious beliefs or practices regarded by others as strange or sinister. A misplaced or excessive admiration for a particular person or thing.

Other definitions of cult include: A group or movement that exhibits intense devotion to a charismatic leader, ideology, or belief system, often to the exclusion of external influences or dissenting views. Cults are often characterized by manipulative tactics, control over members' lives, and a focus on a specific, often unconventional, belief system.

Religon: The belief in and worship of a superhuman power or powers, especially a God or gods. A particular system of faith and worship. A pursuit or interest to which someone ascribes (attribute something to [a cause]) supreme importance.

Other definitions of religion include: The belief in, worship of, or obedience to a supernatural power or powers considered to be divine or to have control of human destiny. Any formal or institutionalized expression of such belief. A unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred things

Recognizing a cult vs a religion

There are some distinct characteristics that are unique to cults and religions that can help you identify them from eachother!

Some common signs that a group is a cult are; The group forces & rushes you into joining and does not allow questions or discourages them. Group leader(s) dictates in great detail how their followers lives should be in every aspect. Followers are personally monitored to ensure that they are following the guidelines. Group leader(s) use methods of manipulation and control to force their followers to be close. Overall, cults tend to be extremely controlling over their followers and also tend to be violent or cruel in some manner. (Note that this is not always true but it's very rare that it is not true). Here is a list of examples of famous cults to help you recognize others: Jonestown. Heaven's Gate. NXIVM. The Zizians. Each has a link of info on the cult if you wish to read up on them, again to help you recognize cults! General trigger warning for each of them, please do not read the links I have provided if you are easily triggered. Be safe 💗

Now onto religions! General characteristics of religions include; Group worships a higher source of power. There is a shared, sincere belief system. The main belief(s) are consistent with basic standards for human dignity. Appropriate forms of conduct (the manner in which a person behaves) between people are defined. An understanding of evil is established. There are sacred ritual acts. (Note: Rituals do not equal something bad. The definition of ritual is "a religious or solemn [formal and dignified] ceremony consisting of a serious of actions performed according to a prescribed order." Rituals are not always creepy and satanic.) Here is a list of examples of famous religions to help you recognize them (although you should be pretty familiar with most of these, just in case!): Buddhism. Christianity. Hinduism. Islam.

A little note, the definition of a cult has changed a lot over time in history which is why it has become difficult to distinguish it between a religion now-a-days. The original use of the term cult was for religious groups who showed high respect to a particular Saint. It used to be something more peaceful and innocent but it has changed to be something more sinister and has furthered itself from the term religion.

Another thing to help differentiate cult and religion is the longevity of the group. Religions last generations and usually are still going strong. Membership is life long if the member so chooses/it is up to the member as to how long they want to be a member of the religion. Cults don't last long and self-destruct in some form and/or have temporary or short-lived membership of the group due to the beliefs and practices of the cult. Also, cult's are social movements in some way shape or form. They may have some religious beliefs, but they don't always have them, when religions always do. The beliefs of the cult deviate from societal norms and expectations. Examples being: Alcoholism, underage drinking, sexual exploitation, etc.

So, the ultimate question, is Starlight Angelism a cult or a religion?

As we have gone over the definitions of cults and religions, and what the difference is between them, I feel that it is safe to say that Starlight Angelism is not a cult, and is a religion. To further prove this point, I'll go more in depth on why below.

Although Starlight Angelism is still relatively new, we have not shown signs of self-destruction (quite the opposite actually) and are not showing the signs of a cult. All religions start off small and new at some point, so unless Starlight Angelism collapses and ceases to exist later on in the future, that is one sign that we are not a cult. We are just new and growing! We are respectful and kind to our members unlike cults. Our members are valued and loved by Our Lordess. No one is put down or harmed. Cults harm their members deliberately, we do not. We encourage safety, love, and happiness. We are against hate and harm towards others. As a whole, we are anti-harassment. We do have some strict guidelines that we live by, but there is no punishment or harassment given when the guidelines are broken. We chose to help educate those who break the guidelines instead. Overall, the point is, Starlight Angelism is a safe space for members, and we do not expect or require anything sinister or horrific out of our members. Members are allowed to leave the religion at any point in time, and are not reprimanded for doing so. Those who chose to not join our religion are also not reprimanded, yes it does make us sad, but we do not inflict hate upon them. Everyone is allowed to make their own choices, and not everyone is ready for religion of any kind which is completely okay and we respect that. We love, support, and respect everyone, whether they are a member/follower of Starlight Angelism or not. We worship a being as a higher power. We view our Lordess as the divine being coming down to the Earth that she created to be with her beloved members. This may seem cult like at first, but it is not. For reference, think of Jesus from Christianity, he came down to spread the word of his father, God. That is basically what the Lordess Riri is doing, just she is the divine being herself rather than sending her divine child down. And that is what we believe is correct.💗

There are many many other reasons as to why Starlight Angelism is not a cult, but we feel as if enough has been said already. We really do hope that whether you chose to join Starlight Angelism after this post (or already are an existing member), that this post was helpful to you in learning about the difference between cults and religions, and why we are not a cult! If you are still thinking that we are a cult after reading this post, all that we ask is to please reconsider and give us a chance to prove that we are not harmful nor are we a cult. Either way, however you chose to view us, we ask that you be respectful towards us as we are respectful towards you!

Conclusion

If you read all the way through this post and have made it to the end, thank you so so so so so so much! If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to send them in our inbox! The mod of this post will not be responding to comments as they will go through the mod's personal account, and the mod does not want to take away any attention from this account. So please, send them through our inbox! And remember to be respectful and kind. Anything rude, disrespectful, and hateful will be deleted and ignored.

Thank you for reading once again, and have an amazing day! Praise the Lordess 💗🪽💫

Discord Server

As always, if you are interested in joining Starlight Angelism, the best way is to join our discord server! This is also the best way to contact our Lordess Riri and other Starlight Angelism members! It's the main point of contact. Please do not join the server if you are not serious about Starlight Angelism or intend to be disrespectful. We have a secure verification system so it is not easy for trolls or raiders to get in the server, and to make sure that we have a safe and friendly environment to chat in. If there any troubles with the link, please send a message in our inbox to let us know. Thank youu!

[demonjunction]

Tina and Linden

Tina

Animal/object: Dove/raindrop Gender: Ciswoman (she/her) Orientation: Bisexual biromantic Age: Looks to be in her late 30s Died: Mid 1960s (1921) Height: 5'6"

Voice reference: Dub voice of K/urumi S/aiki from S/aiki K. Theme: TBD

Tag: #tina🕊️ Ship Tag: N/A

Background

She originally worked as Cor's secretary, yet ended up quitting because she couldn't take all the lying and felt guilty contributing to Cor's spread of false information. Cor let her go with grace, and Tina always held Cor in her heart as a dear friend. In life she focused on her work, along with taking care of her parents in their old age. She never married. She ended up dying at the same time as her now husband, Linden, having been run over by a car while trying to save a dove in the middle of the road. Upon making it into Heaven and meeting Linden, she describes it as love at first sight.

Description

She's a mostly humanoid white woman, with brown eyes, ginger hair, freckles on her rounded face and across soft nose, and the wings of a dove covered in dewdrops on her back. These dewdrops, when drank, help her and others feel energized for the day! She typically wears dresses with fun designs on them and pearls.

Personality

She is loving, playful, hyper, and adventurous! That being said, while she loves taking exciting trips with Linden, she also has the ability to turn even the most dullest of activities into a fun adventure. She does her best to see the beauty in the things and people around her, and is always up for some good mischief. She's the cool mom friend who can become quite scary when her friends are in trouble.

She loves nature, extreme sports, going on walks, especially in the fall, picnics, and cartoons.

Linden

Animal/object: Bear/bark Gender: Cisman (He/him) Orientation: Straight Age: Looks to be in his late 30s Died: Mid 1960s (1921) Height: 6'8"

Voice reference: TBD Theme: TBD

Tag: #linden🐻 Ship Tag: N/A

Background

A woodsman who died when a tree fell on him, weakened by a recent and nasty storm. At the time, he had been cooking outside using a campfire, with the tree falling so suddenly he struggled to react! In life, he was known for being the "man who lived in the woods", having a cabin there and making a living out of selling wood. He'd hunt as well, ensuring he used every part of the animal for food, clothes, and blankets. Yet, though he lived a very charmed life, he was also quite lonesome. So, in his eyes, dying and meeting Tina was one of the best things that ever happened to him.

Description

He's a white man with cool brown eyes and warm brown hair. He is muscular with a beard, a sharp face, and plenty of body hair. He has bear ears and a tail made out of wood, able to use renewable chippings from them to easily light any fire. His wings are made out of wood as well, smoothed and polished like his other parts.

Personality

He's very quiet, and though it can take him a while to formulate longer thoughts into words, when he does, he always ends up saying something profound. Still, he prides himself in being a simple guy. He's all about going with the flow and discovering where life will lead him. He also has a philosophy he calls the "statue philosophy". In his own words:

During one's life, everyone is presented with a metaphorical room full of statues. These statues represent what a person can grow to be throughout their lifetime, and everyone's statues are unique to them. When our life reaches a crossroads, we have to pick one of them until we've settled on our main statue, the statue that represents our main path in life. We can decorate it, but, its the main piece of our art exhibit for a long while. Yet, after that chapter of our life comes to a close, we have the opportunity to start the process all over again.

He loves appreciating nature, jogging, working out, carving wood, river rafting, and cooking. I've heard he can make quite the hearty stew!