#high-value crossover

[savageonwheels]

2024 Toyota Corolla Cross XSE Hybrid

Need a reliable crossover for a reasonable price, and want hybrid efficiency and AWD? Look no further than Toyota's new Corolla Cross!

Crossover touts reliability, fuel efficiency (38 mpg tested) with hybrid … Smart marketing in the auto world begins by nurturing the image and reputation of key models to ensure they survive and thrive, thereby delivering a steady stream of profits. Perfect example, Toyota’s Corolla, which has been a stalwart entry-level sedan for Toyota since I was first buying cars. That’s been awhile. When…

[decolonize-the-everything]

Article from July 27, 2022

Party representatives have claimed it’s because they want to highlight the extremism of today’s GOP, knowing that even candidates who are running as “moderates” will feel pressure to appeal to voters on their right flank. They have denied that it’s with the intent of making extremist candidates more appealing to a Republican primary base and because they think it will be easier to beat those kinds of opponents in November.

But that’s what it looks like to some Democratic operatives, who have mixed reviews of that strategy. Some think it’s too dangerous and that it could lead to some of those extremist candidates actually getting elected. Democratic strategist Howard Wolfson told Politico that the strategy of “putting people into positions where they may actually get elected and have control over the election system in this country — people who don’t believe in democracy — is a very, very risky strategy.”

Article from May 31, 2022

Diane Murray struggled with her decision all the way up to Election Day. But when the time came, the 54-year-old Georgia Democrat cast a ballot in last week’s Republican primary for Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. While state law allowed her to participate in either party’s primary, she said it felt like a violation of her core values to vote for the Republican. But it had to be done, she decided, to prevent a Donald Trump -backed “election denier” from becoming the battleground state’s election chief. “I feel strongly that our democracy is at risk, and that people who are holding up the big lie, as we call it, and holding onto the former president are dangerous to democracy,” said Murray, who works at the University of Georgia. “I don’t know I’ll do it again because of how I felt afterward. I just felt icky.”

Raffensperger, a conservative who refused to support the former president’s direct calls to overturn the 2020 election, probably would not have won the May 24 Republican primary without people like Murray. An Associated Press analysis of early voting records from data firm L2 found that more than 37,000 people who voted in Georgia’s Democratic primary two years ago cast ballots in last week’s Republican primary, an unusually high number of so-called crossover voters

Article from August 28, 2024

The lawsuit, filed before a state judge in Atlanta, argues the rules violate a state law that makes certification a mandatory duty. The suit asks the judge to find the rules are invalid because the State Election Board, now dominated by allies of former President Donald Trump, is exceeding its legal authority.

The actions of the board alarm Democrats and voting rights activists, playing out against Georgia's background of partisan struggles over voting procedures that predates even the 2020 presidential election. It's a battle in yet another state over what had long been an administrative afterthought: state and local boards certifying results.

Just another day of totally healthy and fair elections and their outcomes thanks to Democrat's inability to stop literally sponsoring and platforming Trump supporters with their party's funds.

Yeah, that $81 million Kamala raised in a day?

This is most definitely what she's using it for.

And they think our rights are worth the win. The house fucking speaker said it herself in 2022

But hey at least democrats are doing this to us right

At least Trump didn't say he wanted us to have the most lethal military on earth, right? If HE said it'd be bad. But with Kamala it's fine.

Four years later, the DNC sounds a lot different, reflecting how public opinion toward immigration in general has soured as concerns over how secure the border is have risen. Gone are the heartfelt testimonies from undocumented immigrants, the repudiation of Trump-era policies, and the calls for better treatment of migrants and expansion of asylum protections. Instead, Wednesday evening’s speakers embraced tougher policies for asylum seekers, praised President Joe Biden’s attempts to negotiate a bipartisan border security bill, and conceded the changed reality of immigration politics since the pandemic’s dawn. In other words, Democrats’ speeches on immigration and the border were drastically different than the ones at the conventions of 2012, 2016, or 2020 — because reality and the public’s feelings have changed drastically too.

[hwadam-stories]

⊹ PHANTOM PAINS ⊹ PILOT EPISODE

(black!fem!) mea harper!reader x ceo boss!dhan tae-oh

ᴍɪɴᴏʀꜱ ᴅᴏ ɴᴏᴛ ɪɴᴛᴇʀᴀᴄᴛ

I do not consent to my work being reposted, — stolen or translated anywhere else.

⊹ CW: long post, emotional cheating, unrequited love, depression, fluff, drama, etc.

⊹ SYNOPSIS: Celebrating his niece's birthday at a restaurant, Dhan recognizes you from across the room as his past lover from five hundred years ago and is determined to stop at nothing to be with you again.

⊹ A/N: this is my first serious fanfic, feedback on this pilot (comments, messages & reblogs only!) will help me consider continuing it with motivation. Canon divergent / somewhat canon compliant to the MEA CULPA (2024) film by Tyler Perry with some crossover aspects thrown in. I hope you enjoy!

⊹ ⊹ ⊹ ⊹ ⊹ ⊹ ⊹

"Does Your Majesty wish to meet again in our next lives?" You asked, wrapping your arms around him.

"Of course, were you considering abandoning me?" Dhan replied, chuckling.

"Okay then, when the time comes, I'll be your master once more." You promised. "Your love. Your pain. Even your very last breath, please give them all to me."

"They are all yours, y/n."

⊹ ⊹ ⊹ ⊹ ⊹ ⊹ ⊹

There was a time when those words meant everything to him.

A time when finding you meant everything to him.

But after his fifth life, Dhan had given up on his search and the phantom pains have haunted him ever since.

It was a pain that wasn't his, a pain that never faltered in reminding him of his failure despite the many times you two were reincarnated throughout the last five hundred years.

Your souls were connected after all and even though this pain has brought him a great deal of misery, part of him hoped you weren't feeling anything.

Presumably, because he was always reincarnated as a man, he assumed you would be reincarnated as a woman but other than that, he never really had any concrete way of finding you. It was safe to assume that since his ethnicity changed, yours did too.

Not that he particularly cared what race you were now, all that mattered was that he was reunited with you. But that promise has become nothing but a fleeting dream. A delusion Dhan couldn't completely let go of because this pain meant that you were alive, somewhere out there. Hopefully looking for him too.

In every lifetime after the first one, he always accumulated a great deal of wealth somewhere in his mid to late twenties under the name of Dan.

In this era, he was Dhan Tae-Oh, the boss of a CEO corporation in Korea and came from a long line of gangsters that reinforced the values of family and business to a rather high degree.

⊹ ⊹ ⊹ ⊹ ⊹ ⊹ ⊹

Tonight, he was celebrating his niece's 9th birthday and his sister-in-law's most recent promotion in the fashion industry.

His younger brother, Charles Kang, arranged everything at the finest Italian restaurant in all of Chicago, Illinois, called up Dhan three days before and here they all were.

"You know, we got lucky tonight." Charles set aside his fork and knife for a sip of wine.

"I initially planned to invite more people for Abby's dinner party but a larger group had already reserved a bigger table and I snagged us the only one they had left."

Now that Dhan gave it a second thought, Piccolo Sogno was unusually packed tonight and much busier than he had initially anticipated.

Even looking over his shoulder he could still see the glimpse of the same crowd he passed through, still waiting in line outside.

His assistant, Seon-woo, mentioned something about a on the rise celebrity artist being one of its more known customers over the last couple of years. No one Dhan had really heard of or cared to for that matter.

"Their celebrating their mum's birthday, I heard." Susan remarked, her posh accent gleaming through. She looked past her husband and over her shoulder, seeing the large the table behind them.

There were about five people and that one particular redheaded woman must've been the birthday mom. "Surely Abby won't mind sharing her special day when two cakes come out." Susan teased.

"You got me a cake?!" Abby gasped, beaming with a smile. "Is it a big one?"

"You can only have two slices, young lady." Susan tenderly pinched her daughter's cheek. "The last thing we need is you bouncin' off the walls at 2 o'clock in the mornin' on a school night."

Abby pouted and brought those puppy eyes straight to her uncle.

Dhan stifled a laugh, hiding that cheeky smile behind a half closed fist. "I'm sorry Abby, not even that can convince me to break your parents rules but I'll make it up to you when dessert arrives, I promise."

⊹ ⊹ ⊹ ⊹ ⊹ ⊹ ⊹

Dessert was served in the form of a double stacked white and pink frosted cake decorated with strawberries and red icing for the words "Happy 9th birthday, Abigail!"

Candles were blown and nine year old Abigail Kang became tonight's birthday girl that the staff (and some nearby tables) sang to. Pictures were taken and there were smiles all around.

The gift that Dhan purchased was a reasonably expensive one but not something he would ever think to showboat about. He simply had some connections here and there and thought to put them to good use for the short time he was going to be in Chicago.

"All fourteen of Taylor Swift's albums!?" Abby squealed, wrapping her arms around her Uncle Dhan and squeezing him tight. "I love it! I love it! I love it!"

Dhan laughed nervously, patting her head and squeezing her shoulder tenderly. "Your arms squishing my insides make that explicitly clear."

Everything was going great. Dhan was feeling great.

That is, until things weren't great anymore.

⊹ ⊹ ⊹ ⊹ ⊹ ⊹ ⊹

Dhan suddenly gripped the edge of the table to stop himself from keeling over on the floor of the restaurant.

His chest became uncomfortably tight and his head began throbbed with a splitting sensation.

The phantom pain had returned.

For the sake not wanting to make a scene or ruin what was already a perfect night, Dhan got his breathing under control, keeping some stoicism to his face to not alarm anyone.

The tightness in his chest seemed to lessen but the throbbing in his head wasn't going anywhere.

"Pumpkin, why don't me and you freshen up in the girls' room and leave the boys here, yeah?" As if on cue, Susan took her daughter by the hand and headed straight for the bathroom.

"Dhan." Charles sighed, addressing him in a somber tone of their birth language. Entirely oblivious to what his brother suffering with. "I know we haven't always seen eye to eye but I'm really glad you could make it tonight."

He listened to his brother -- or at least tried to.

The words were being drowned out by a sudden ringing in his ears, leaving him momentarily stunned that it almost felt like the world around him was going to spin.

But he wasn't feeling nauseous from the alcohol or a sudden fever. It felt more like ... resentment.

It put a bitter taste in his mouth and made him clench his fist at the end of the table until his knuckles went white.

His brother hadn't done anything wrong and yet Dhan was being swallowed whole by the sensation, not knowing where to place it.

It's just ... if his brother wasn't the problem, then who?

"Oh look! Her Majesty, The Queen has finally arrived." A woman's voice cackled in the air.

She was an older looking caucasian woman with red curly hair and wine red lipstick, belonging to the group that booked a table for a total of nine and judging by what the already opened and nearly empty wine bottle, she must've had a bit too much to drink.

That's when he saw you approach the table.

It was you. It was really you.

His soulmate.

⊹ ⊹ ⊹ ⊹ ⊹ ⊹ ⊹

"Don't worry son, your second wife will be on time." Azalia, your mother-in-law cackled, caressing the cheek of Kal, your husband.

His awkward shuffle of a smile made it crystal clear that whatever came out of her mouth tonight, he wasn't going to come to your defense anytime soon.

What can you expect from a man that holds his disrespectful mother over your marriage of three years?

What's worse is that Azalia had the nerve to invite the one woman she favored more.

Your husband's childhood friend, Jenna.

The same childhood friend that had become the topic of your marriage counseling session that your husband Kal had ditched midway through for this dinner party.

A session that you had to finish by yourself, making you the one who arrived late.

Jenna was a tall, light skinned woman with dark curly hair and a bright red dress with a V neck to show off a window of cleavage and a shortened skirt to show off her toned and slender legs.

And to add salt to fucking wound -- Azalia made sure Jenna sat next to your husband while you sat at the end of the table with your only friend and sister-in-law, Charlise.

"I'm sure you won't mind, y/n. You and Charlise probably wanna talk anyway."'

You looked at Kal, searching his gaze for something, any sign of him speaking up to his mother but to your utter disappointment he just let it happen.

You can only push down the intense feeling of resentment and agitation with a passive aggressive smile, taking your seat at the far end with Charlise.

This was going to be a long dinner to get through.

⊹ ⊹ ⊹ ⊹ ⊹ ⊹ ⊹

Apart from a brief exchange of words from your brother-in-law, Ray Hawthorne, and the couple sitting across from you, Charlise was the only saving grace at this table and frankly the only reason you kept it together as long as you did.

As much as you wanted to tear off that terrible red wig and burn it, you tuned out your mother-in-law whenever she made any more chide remarks about you.

Not much of a point in ignoring your husband, he was too focused on Jenna and giving Azalia one of the most expensive birthday gifts you had ever seen.

A silver and gold watch that you knew your unemployed husband didn't have the money for.

"Happy birthday mom, from me and y/n."

You scoffed in utter disbelief and stood up from your seat, grabbing your purse. "If you'll excuse me, I think I need some fresh air."

"Oh, well you take your time. We're doing fine here." Azalia insisted, smiling from ear to ear.

Kal was on the verge of getting out of his seat, expressing concern. "I can come with you babe--"

"No." You snapped coldly, barely sparing him a glance as you waved him off dismissively. "I'll be fine on my own, thank you."

Kal frowned, lowering himself back down with a defeated expression. "A-Alright, just don't stay out there too long."

You sighed into the night air, hands pressed against the metal railing while the people behind you carried on with their evening under the lit up patio roof. Glasses clanking, people laughing, wine pouring and plates clinking.

All of it was just background noise to drown out one particular thought that you couldn't run away from.

Maybe it's time to put this relationship on permanent leave.

It's not a pleasant thought. It never was. You and Kal had known each other for eight years and had been married for the last three of them. You've had your ups and downs like any other couple and got through it but this? This was too much. His mother was too much.

But that's probably what SHE wants. The sooner you're gone. The happier she'll be.

You only stuck it out this long because you genuinely loved Kal and Charlise was the anchor keeping you grounded.

As one of Chicago's most successful defense attorney's alongside your brother-in-law, you had everything and yet nothing at all with how your marriage was starting to fall apart, on top of shouldering the numerous bills since Kal lost his job as an anesthesiologist.

God, where did it all go wrong?

"Having a rough night?"

You were snapped out of your thoughts by the deep and smooth voice of a man walking up beside you. The cool night's breeze washing over you both.

He was a tall and handsome man of Korean decent. The darkness of his long hair making the crimson color of his eyes seem as though he were some beast straight out of a fairytale.

Alluring eyes that stared into you with a hint of sincerity and invitation.

You can barely hold in a chuckle, crossing one arm over the other to let your wedding ring glint in the moonlight. "That would be the understatement of tonight."

He sees this and can't hide the smirk on his face. "I don't blame you. In-laws can be infuriating like that sometimes. Especially mother-in-law's."

The restaurant wasn't exactly that big in terms of table arrangements so it makes sense one's antics would be overheard when they're standing around the biggest table in the room.

You chuckle again. The tightness in your chest starting to lighten but your smart enough to keep up you guard to shut down any potential flirting, even the harmless kind. "Can you expect anyone to act cordial on their birthday? I've been here all night without a single drink of my own and tolerating her has been exhausting."

You certainly weren't the type to open up like this to a stranger of all people but it felt good. Yes, you had your friend, Charlise, but there was something different about this man. Something oddly familiar.

"Because she's acting like a cunt towards you and only you and you feel that if you didn't step out when you did you would've tore her a new one right infront of her favorite son and the entire restaurant?" He guessed your exact feelings with a cheeky smile.

You exhale a baffled laugh.

It's like he knew exactly what you were feeling.

"Oh, so you're a mind reader now?"

He raises his right hand, jokingly. "Guilty as charged, your honor."

The both of you laugh.

"Dhan."

"Y/n."

Dhan smiled, staring longingly into your eyes. "A pleasure to meet you, y/n."

⊹ ⊹ ⊹ ⊹ ⊹ ⊹ ⊹

Eventually, you were back inside the restaurant. Sitting comfortably beside Charlise and ignoring another passive aggressive comment from Azalia.

You had been gone for a solid eight, maybe ten minutes tops.

The dinner eventually ended and everyone was putting aside their plates and gathering up their coats and belongings while Ray generously secured the bill.

That's when the waiter approached with an expensive looking bottle of wine.

Ray dismissively waved his hand. "No need to send over anymore wine, sir. You can take that back, the dinner party is over."

The waiter shook his head. "I'm sorry sir this isn't for the table. I'm looking for a y/n, is there a y/n here?"

You raise your hand slightly to get the waiter's attention. "I'm y/n."

The waiter smiled at you, presenting the bottle. "Piccolo Sogno would like to formally gift you our most exclusive wine to enjoy right at home. On behalf of a generous courtesy from Mr. Tae-Oh, ma'am who wishes you a fine night. Thank you for you dining with us."

A bit stunned, you still accepted the bottle. That name alone already clued you in to who this was from.

Unaware of your husband's jealous gaze, you can't hide the smile on your lips as you read the note on the bottle.

A drink to wash away all your frustrations - Dhan.

[fenrislorsrai]

Fandom Trumps Hate- Good Omens Offerings

this is a non-exhaustive list because there are so many Good Omens offerings. These are just Discord pals that were go "aaaaaaaaaaa what if nobody bids on me!?!?!?!"

well, then what if I give you the opposite problem and EVERYONE bids on you. AHAHAHAHAHA. Chaos for a good cause! my favorite!

Read the full offering for details. I've just given a super quick summary and additional fandoms they do if you're going "I hunger for CROSSOVER" plus said nice things about them. HAHAHAHA. YOU HAVE TO ACCEPT MY COMPLIMENTS NOW!

Get art or words as a gift for your favorite fandom for a charity donation! Fandom Trumps FAQ on how it all works. @fandomtrumpshate

Dorli-+ Legend of Zelda, Avatar The Last Airbender- illustration, banner, or book cover -- up to M rating - does trans/nb characters, f/f ships - absolutely the softest, squishiest looking character work. get the most huggable version of characters. (or squishy AND hot. ohohohoho)

SassishMoon- illustration up to E rating- does trans/nb characters, f/f ships -special note, I got art for Moon last year and it was fabulous. also have a collab coming out in a zine and it is HOT HOT HOT.

WarGoddess- + FullMetal Alchemist- Illustration up to E rating- interested in angst, unhappy endings, genderbending- lovely textures. beautiful skins tones and absolutely fabulous wings.

Sightkeeper- illustration up to E rating- option for comic page if bid goes high enough!- interested in trans & nonbinary characters- Delicious line work and delightful facial expressions. also: monsters

TheRavenMuse - 5-10K fic up to E rating- make it dark, make it weird! and by weird, has done Bentley/Bookshop smut. TIME FOR CRACK.

contritecactite- + Final Fantasy: VII, XII, XV, Ace Attorney 5-10K fic up to E OR 5K podfic of your work up to M rating- interested in trans & nonbinary character, F/F, polyships, and canon compliant/fill in the gap in canon type fics- go get you some RADIO omens. and Book Omens. writes very caring stuff... and sometimes caring is a good healing fuck.

accidentaldemon- under 5k up to E rating- interested in polyships, trans & nonbinary characters, and humans AUs- do you need some Crowley & Young Shadwell fic? AccidentalDemon has you covered.

TawnyOwl- 5-10K up to E rating- loves AUs where they meet and find they're perfect for each other in a new and special way.

SeedsofWinter +Our Flag Means Death + Venture Brothers- Fan Labor for up to E rating. (length depends on final bid value) Deep content editor. Goes way beyond the basic spelling and grammar check. This is a draft editor to help fill in missing scenes and fix pacing. Has run several zines as the editor! Interested in trans /nb characters, polyships, f/f, reader insert, unhappy endings, and RARE PAIRS.

Ngk_is_cool - under 5K up to T- TV or Book Omens! time for all those secondary character to shine! anything but a/c. especially interested in ace and queerplatonic relationships. do you want a fic with some footnotes like the book?

Shaninal- under 5K up to M rating- A/C in some canon complaint fluff and humor. OR beta read for 5-10K up to E rating for Good Omens, Percy Jackson, or Miraculous Lady Bug

EdosianOrchids- 3 options! 2 soft & fluffy up to 5K and one 5-10K hurt/comfort. TV or Book Omens. especially known for chronic pain, disability, and PTSD focused fics. Come and get some HEALING and comfort for the chronic issues. also does aspc fics.

HKBlack- 10-20K up to E rating. Interested in trans/nb characters. Love AUs with a happy ending. THERE WILL BE PUNS. SO MANY PUNS

This is only a partial sampling go see the whole Good Omens tag

and if you are have a gomens offering not listed here, feel free to add in reblogs! Let's give some charities some money!

[deconstructthesoup]

Thoughts on a Hatchetfield/Fantasy High crossover

So, I know the odds are good that I'm sending this into a very niche void, but I also know that these fandoms overlap, so... yeah. Basically, this is a world where the Bad Kids (and I guess pretty much every character in the world of Spyre, but the Bad Kids are who we're focusing on) are seemingly normal humans living in Hatchetfield, with all the weirdness and danger it entails.

Let's get into it.

Fabian: He's a rich kid living in Pinebrook, the star quarterback of the Nighthawks, and is one of the most popular kids in school due to being rich, good at sports, and surprisingly nice---and he's dating Ragh, though that's something that's a bit on the down-low due to them worrying they'll get kicked off the team and Ragh not being quite ready to come out. Honestly, Fabian really shouldn't be tied up into the spookiness, if you take him at face value... except for the fact that both of his parents are very much tied into it. Haleriel's family has been in Hatchetfield since the beginning, and while they're not tied with the Church of the Starry Children or the Hatchetmen, they do have some serious occult connections. And Bill... well, as far as everyone knows, he's an Irish fencer who got into the big leagues, retired, and took up pirate LARPing in his spare time. All of that is true, except for the fact that he is, in fact, an actual seventeenth-century pirate who got on Tinky's bad side and wound up in 2000s Hatchetfield. Fabian doesn't know about this yet, but he will.

Gorgug: The result of a secret relationship between two Abstinence Camp junior counselors, Gorgug was originally raised in secret in Witchwood Forest until he was three, when he was found and promptly put up for adoption. By then, he was already unusually large, strong, and angry for his age, but he still found a loving home with the proprietors of Thistlespring Mechanics. Gorgug thankfully never got to the monstrous level of Lil' Gerry, and he can pass for a normal kid if you ignore his height... however, he has been homeschooled for a good portion of his life due to constantly having manic outbursts that took years to learn how to keep under control. When he finally goes to Hatchetfield High, Fabian and Ragh take him under their wing---if only because they took one look at him and realized that he'd be perfect for the Nighthawks---and Gorgug definitely begins to shine due to having friends. Still, though... you can never really get rid of how Witchwood Forest changes you.

Riz: Now, he is very much aware of all the crazy, scary, and inexplicable things that go around in Hatchetfield, to the point of becoming a paranormal investigator---YouTube channel and all. His mom isn't really sure what to make of this, but she's a cop, she's busy, and it mostly keeps Riz out of trouble. As far as he knows, his dad worked for the military, and he assumes that he died in combat (in reality, though, Pok was a PIEP agent who got killed by Blinky). Riz has a part of his paranormal investigator business that's open to him taking on cases for others, but people don't tend to take him up on the offer, and he's usually investigating strange happenings by himself. That is, until...

Fig: Unlike in canon, Fig has always known that Gilear was her stepdad, not her real dad, but she still considers him her dad---mostly because that for a good deal of her life, she grew up thinking that her real dad was a deadbeat who left her. After Gilear and Sandra Lynn get divorced, however, Fig decides to finally start looking into her biological dad... and she discovers that he didn't skip town as she initially believed, but he went missing shortly before she was born. The case went cold, and all that's known is that he was attempting to stop the Honey Festival---specifically, the pageant---before he disappeared. Fig, who's recently developed an interest in the occult, realizes that there's something sinister going on there, and she hires Riz to help her find out the truth. (Vague spoilers: Gorthalax---or, well, Gordon T. Ax---is alive, but he's been trapped by Nibbly as punishment for successfully interfering and saving the Honey Queen)

Kristen: She's essentially the Grace Chastity of this universe, just without the crazy---church girl, teacher's pet, yet actually a nice person who doesn't really realize just how messed up her parents' beliefs are. Though she doesn't know the details about the Black & White, her parents are part of a group that are descended from the original Hatchetmen, and they've taught her that anybody who has The Gift is inherently evil. Of course, Kristen has always had the power to magically heal others, and she's kept this hidden from her parents her whole life---which becomes harder as her powers start getting stronger. And then she starts having a sexuality crisis and a crisis of faith, triggered when she befriends the niece of Hatchetfield High's new guidance counselor. So, yeah, Kristen's not having a good time.

Adaine: Her family recently moved to Hatchetfield from London, supposedly because her dad's job changed. In reality, her parents are devout followers of Wiggly and the other LiB, and they know that Hatchetfield is the focal point of their power (and no, Alewyn doesn't know about this, but she does know more about the spooky stuff than she's letting on). For her part, Adaine has psychic powers similar to Hannah, right down to having Webby as an imaginary friend, but she keeps this secret from her parents... mostly due to the time when she was little and told them about Webby, and the reaction was pretty negative. On top of her powers, she's also struggling with her anxiety disorder, her gifted kid complex, and the general stress of going to a new school in a new country... so, it helps when she gets adopted by Kristen and Fig at the same time, and Webby immediately takes a liking to them both. Through Fig, she meets Riz, and then she meets Fabian at one of her parents' awful functions, and he introduces her and everyone else to Gorgug... and the Bad Kids can begin.

I've got a lot more ideas about this---mostly involving Ayda, Arthur Aguefort, the O'Shaughnesseys, and some fleeting concepts about The Seven---but that's for another post, so... yeah.

[snapmite1998]

As far as crossover pairings are concerned, Hiccup Haddock from "How to train your Dragon" and Rapunzel from "Tangled" are one of my top crossover pairings of all time. They have so much in common and would make a fantastic couple. In truth, Hiccup would be a far better partner for Rapunzel than Flynn Rider for many reasons:

Hiccup stands out as a significantly better partner for Rapunzel for several compelling reasons that align closely with her character and qualities. Here are some key points that highlight their compatibility:

1. Emotional Intelligence: Hiccup demonstrates a high level of emotional intelligence. He is empathetic, understanding, and capable of communicating his feelings effectively. This emotional depth fosters a safe space for Rapunzel to express herself, creating a strong foundation for a supportive relationship.

2. Shared Values: Hiccup and Rapunzel both prioritize values like kindness, loyalty, and the importance of family. Their commitment to doing what is right, facing challenges together, and the importance of nurturing connections aligns them on a fundamental level, creating a deeper bond.

3. Mutual Growth: Both characters have personal journeys centered around self-discovery and growth. Hiccup's evolution from a misunderstood boy to a confident leader parallels Rapunzel's quest for identity and freedom. Their shared experiences in overcoming obstacles can contribute to a strong partnership that encourages growth in each other.

4. Adventurous Spirit: Hiccup’s adventurous nature aligns beautifully with Rapunzel's curiosity and desire to explore the world outside her tower. Together, they would embark on exciting journeys and shared experiences, fueling their connection and creating lasting memories.

5. Strong Friendship Foundation: Hiccup's relationship with Rapunzel would likely begin as a genuine friendship, allowing them to develop a deep understanding of one another. This friendship can lead to a more meaningful and sustainable romantic relationship, based on trust and respect.

6. Complementary Strengths: Hiccup and Rapunzel each bring unique strengths to their partnership. Hiccup’s practicality and problem-solving skills, combined with Rapunzel’s creativity and optimism, create a balanced dynamic. They can support one another by leveraging their respective strengths to face challenges together.

7. Ability to Navigate Conflict: Hiccup’s experiences dealing with family pressures and external conflicts have equipped him with tools for conflict resolution. He understands the importance of communication and compromise, which are vital for maintaining harmony in any relationship.

8. Respect for Individuality: Hiccup has a deep respect for the individuality of others, which aligns with Rapunzel's desire for self-expression and independence. He would encourage her to be her authentic self while also being supportive of her dreams and aspirations.

9. Adventure with a Purpose: Hiccup approaches adventure with a sense of responsibility and purpose, seeking to make the world a better place by forming connections rather than just pursuing personal gain. Rapunzel would appreciate this sense of responsibility and shared aspiration towards positive change.

10. Trust and Loyalty: Hiccup is fiercely loyal to his friends and loved ones. This loyalty would translate into a strong commitment to Rapunzel, ensuring she feels secure and valued in their relationship, providing the love and support she deserves.

In summary, Hiccup’s emotional depth, shared values with Rapunzel, complementary strengths, and ability to foster growth and adventure create a partnership that is rich, fulfilling, and deeply supportive. This makes him a significantly better match for Rapunzel compared to other potential partners, as their relationship is built on a solid foundation of friendship, understanding, and mutual respect. This friendship would ultimately lead to a romantic relationship that would continue to bloom.

While Flynn Rider may have charm and charisma, there are several reasons why he's not the best partner for Rapunzel compared to someone like Hiccup. He's selfish, duplicitous, lacking emotional connections, and condescending. I remember the first time I watched this movie and was like "how did this cocky idiot get a girl like Rapunzel?" To make a long story short, I hate Flynn Rider, and here's why he's a terrible match for Rapunzel:

1. Lack of Emotional Depth: Flynn starts as somewhat of a self-centered rogue, focused on his own goals and desires. Although he experiences growth throughout "Tangled," his initial motivations and character arc suggest a reliance on surface-level charm rather than emotional maturity. This may not resonate as deeply with Rapunzel, who seeks a meaningful and heartfelt connection.

2. Short-Term Relationship: Flynn and Rapunzel's relationship develops quickly during the events of "Tangled," leading to a whirlwind romance. This fast-paced relationship may lack the foundational friendship and trust that are crucial for a lasting partnership, leaving room for uncertainty in the long term.

3. Incompatibility of Values: At the beginning of their journey, Flynn is primarily motivated by selfish desires—his quest for treasure and freedom. In contrast, Rapunzel values love, connection, and self-discovery. This difference in priorities could lead to conflicts in their relationship, especially once the initial excitement fades.

4. Initial Deception: Flynn's introduction to Rapunzel involves deception, as he initially presents himself as someone he isn’t. This dishonesty could create trust issues in their relationship, which may manifest difficulties later on when they face challenges together.

5. Lack of Support for Growth: While Flynn evolves throughout the film, his character starts with a more reckless approach to life. Rapunzel, on the other hand, longs for personal growth and self-discovery. Hiccup, who is no stranger to overcoming personal challenges, may be more suited to support Rapunzel’s journey of growth and exploration.

6. Adventurous Spirit: Flynn has moments of adventure, but his motivations are often tied to personal gain. Hiccup, however, is characterized by a genuine love for adventure and exploration—qualities that align more closely with Rapunzel’s own desires. This shared adventurous spirit would create a deeper connection between them.

7. Communication Styles: Flynn’s humor and bravado often mask deeper feelings, which can hinder effective communication. Rapunzel needs a partner who can be emotionally available and communicate openly, like Hiccup, who demonstrates vulnerability and understanding.

8. Potential Instability: Flynn’s past as a thief and his frequent desire for freedom over responsibility might introduce instability into a partnership. Rapunzel, who craves a sense of security and belonging, may find it challenging to reconcile Flynn’s more chaotic lifestyle with her own dreams of a loving home.

9. Limited Shared Values: While Flynn is charming and likable, his values are initially more superficial. In contrast, Rapunzel seeks meaningful relationships filled with love, trust, and mutual respect, which may not fully resonate with Flynn’s way of life.

10. Character Growth: Although Flynn does grow through the events of the story—learning to care for others and open himself up to love—his growth may not be as profound or compatible with Rapunzel's journey compared to Hiccup, who has already developed resilience and maturity through his own trials.

In conclusion, while Flynn Rider brings excitement and charm to Rapunzel's story, his initial motivations, lack of emotional depth, and differences in values may make him less suitable as a long-term partner compared to someone like Hiccup, who shares a deeper emotional connection and a more supportive understanding of personal growth.

[sk-lumen]

Being a HVW is about having a set of principles, values, standards. Your education, your poise and manners, your empathy and self-respect. Not about being a docile stay at home wife that has no hobbies, no inner life of her own, who will do everything to please her high-earning partner - those are personal choices, not HVW qualities. Furthermore they are not a healthy mindset to have because it's the setup for people-pleasing and some very unhealthy & unbalanced power dynamics in a relationship.

Dark feminine is not about manipulating men, seducing them, getting them obsessed with you or any of those things. That's the focus of the wounded feminine, which is anchored in its pain and stuck in trying to control others, it feels the need to get revenge or "balance the scales" to get back at the male figure(s) in her life that have wounded her. It's about being stuck in that energy of feeling insecure, needing exernal validation, anger at the wounding, and wanting to transform in a way that will make another person regret hurting you. The dark feminine is both the dark aesthetic (think black clothes, smoky eyes, red lips and nails, etc) and the more taboo, wild or unconvential qualities of a woman in her power. Crystal-clear boundaries, a hard "No. I said what I said." but still having integrated self-love and empathy, it's just knowing where, and with whom, to selectively share it with. It's about learning to embrace your darkness, your wildness, not being afraid of it, doing shadow work like journaling about your fears, traumas, triggers etc. The dark feminine is also the one most associated with the Wild Woman / Enchantress female archetype. Meanwhile, the light feminine aesthetic/energy is more associated with Maiden archetype (innocent, pure, maidenlike, luminous, angelic). That's why I mean the dark feminine & wounded feminine are not the same, they simply have a crossover.

Hypergamy, in its essence, is about having a high vision for yourself and your life, working on achieving the best life for yourself, and that also includes selecting a partner that is of equally high value and financial prosperity as well. It's not about making your entire life's purpose to find a high-earning husband. That by itself won't give you a secure life, and a smart high value woman will know that. What if he falls out of love and leaves you with nothing to show for 10-20 years wasted by his side, when you were so preoccupied with pleasing his every whim, that you forgot to have some income sources of your own, to invest in your education, to nurture your spirit, hobbies, etc?

Glowing up is about becoming your best self. As long as you still base your highest self as being defined in relation with a guy, you'll never find true fulfillment or happiness, because you're not honoring your authentic self... and that is, to become your own dreamgirl.

[thursdaygirlmp3]

big day for media business girlies now that watcher is trying to go the dropout route - some thoughts below the cut

>big L on the fact that they don't have first mover advantage as a lot of their audience already has crossover with other paid subscriptions for independent productions (eg. Dropout, Nebula etc) and they still have a fairly young audience who don't have enough purchase power to subscribe to multiple services past a certain point. my sense is that the average viewer will put watcher on the chopping block - their output unfortunately simply isn't high enough to justify it as a good deal for most folks

>I do understand why they would make this move given how high their production quality is. one only has to assume that their 11k patreon supporters were not enough to meet their P&L. i'm assuming an 80% conversion of patreon subscribers to watcher subscribers will probably happen

>they've had 2 rounds of funding from what I remember, I'm sure there was some push from the investors also to meet their profit line so they could see returns. if they drop a few business focused interviews (hoping for a colin and samir episode, they're one of the best in the YouTube business news space) I'll have a little more to work with in terms of understanding why they did the damn thing

>bigger L on putting their back catalogue behind a 50$ paywall - a bad move both in a business and viewer satisfaction sense

>the value for subscription looks? okay? it's not tooo bad. but if I had to make a choice, i probably wouldn't want to dish out the money for this singular service. superfans probably won't mind but as someone who has become a moderate-to-casual fan, it's just not worth it for me, even to access a few comfort episodes of their back catalogue. it's YouTube, someone will have it backed up on a drive link somewhere.

>i'm hoping for the best for them because more independent creators being able to properly fund the work they'd like to do is ultimately a good thing, but media and entertainment is very much an economies of scale business - you need be certain you have a very high and dedicated viewership to undertake large projects which cost a lot of money. if they don't have enough supporters immediately they'll be unable to launch at the scale at which they want to, which also means it'll take longer and harder for new viewers to pour in. it's not company-ending stuff, but it's a tough journey and i wish them the best

will probably reblog this with more thoughts as more details come out

[regina-bithyniae]

Productivity and Inequality Thought Experiment

The year is 1900, and you are the Finance Minister of Argentea, a mid-sized country in the Americas. You care deeply about the standards of living of the poor. You can choose one of two economic growth paradigms:

Leave incomes of The Poor at their present $1000, and focus on economic growth. Incomes to increase at by 3% per year.

Intervene in the economy to heavily redistribute and protect working-class jobs. This will triple The Poors' incomes to $3000 immediately, but GDP growth will be slower, and only increase their incomes by 1% per year.

In both cases, growth is a normal variable with given mean and SD 3%. Which spherical cow do you choose?

Your Data Genius runs a simulation and you get the following:

Near-catchup at 40 years, permanent crossover from the high-growth regime around 50, and then it leaves the other in the dust.

---

Growth rate parameters and the value of redistribution are arbitrary, as is probability seed, but these are largely favorable to the redistribution case. Growth rates are low for a 1900s poorish country on some track of development, and probably high for one going on a redistribution spree.

The point of the exercise is that the long-run gap between different economic growth rates is massive, even for small rates. If you accept GDP/Capita as a dominant proxy for standards of living (which I do, and think everyone should), and value long-run human wellbeing, then mental effort and advocacy should go towards growth rate boosting policies rather than mere (*scoffs*) redistribution.

[rxttenfish]

Asking because I’m extremely curious about this, how did MonProm’s writing get different over time? I remember you saying that the lore and characters feel different, and that it's missing sincere character interactions, too. I know almost nothing about the lore and I’ve only seen a few people mention the characters, so I’d be interested in a rundown of what aspects you think got worse in the series

I wouldn’t mind a very long response since I’m not that active in the fandom, I need to catch up on what happened

sorry for taking so long to answer this! i kinda waffled on it for a long bit, mainly because i started doubting myself again, and whether or not this was me simply overreacting or being tinted by nostalgia or simply being extremely picky and choosy in what i like (the last of which is true, i seldom get into fandoms at all for this reason and stay away from most popular media, but i wasn't sure if it applied here). i've posted about it already, but i'm in the middle of a psychotic episode where i can't feel a lot of pleasure to begin with + most things i do experience ending up solidly in the "very bad" category, so as you can imagine, i really didn't want to mislead and check that i was actually in objective reality.

as it is, this is also when a lot more screenshots started to be posted in the monster prom tag, and that helped me bridge the gap back into returning to the games themselves and feel like i was making a more accurate judgement. if you're one of those people who have been posting screenshots, i sincerely thank you, and i appreciated seeing you in the tag greatly.

for those not in the know — i've been in the monster prom fandom since it first released, prior to even the first additional ending to be added (the "Punch the sun" ending, and i recall the minor fandom drama that happened at that time due to it). my impression of monster prom is very much influenced by this, as what got me into the first game was the fact that the characters genuinely seemed to care for each other and were friends with each other (not merely tolerating each other's presences nor dressing it up, they sincerely thought of each other as friends and were open about that fact), on top of the wide variety of small details and statements that, if taken at face value, could create compounding complexity in the lives of each and every character and had wider implications for their lives.

no, they were not necessarily explored nor even necessarily "real", with so many conflicting events and statements, but i liked this too, because it meant a wider flexibility in what you could imagine, helping to create a more tailored experience for everyone who thought about these characters. this was what i liked about the early fandom too. what was baseline "canon" was so vague and minimal that you could have wildly different interpretations of the same characters' histories and relationships with each other. you would have radically different perspectives on what the world itself looked like, what it was like, that there wasn't really any wrong answers so long as their personalities remained the same. this is where you got the old headcanon of polly and liam being childhood friends who knew each other as humans, or that the world of monster prom was post-apocalypse where humanity itself had gone extinct or only existed in tiny pockets, or my personal headcanon that both monster and human society existed right next to each other and had minimal crossover for petty cultural reasons. this was also prior zoe-as-ro, and there were wildly different interpretations of zoe's personality, with most going for a far more disquieting creepy-cute than the deep nerd we got.

this is why you get stuff like the timeloop theory, where everyone is repeating the same weeks leading up to prom over and over, and are perhaps vaguely aware of it but broadly unconcerned. this is also why it felt like the joke that, the characters were still in high school but were all fully legal adults with most in their 20's, best landed, because it was absurd and strange and didn't quite make sense, but the world itself was inherently absurd and semi-malleable to begin with. realistically, i felt like everyone understood it was making fun of the trope of having adults play teenagers in american sitcoms and wildly casting outside the age range, but for more in-universe explanations it wasn't any different from the way that you would have a large, dramatic ending in which everything changed, but then you'd restart and everyone would be right back at the beginning with nothing different, or even having conflicting events in the same run. it was a dream-logic that fit with the tropes and, thus, diagetically made sense.

to be clear, i don't mind canon having a set, well, canon on which it refers back to itself. i don't mind expanding that or including more things which are set in stone. but there was a perceivable shift in how the games handled this over time, becoming a lot more... bitter, it felt, towards all of these different branching ideas and concepts that, yeah, the people making them knew wouldn't necessarily be "canon" because "canon" already liked to contradict itself so much. most people weren't even sold on any one idea, and there was a much greater sense of enjoying and appreciating all the varying ideas people would come up with even if you personally didn't share them. making the characters be out of character was the real crime, because then it didn't diagetically make sense in the same way, didn't wholly fit.

(again, this is not to say fanon didn't happen and characters weren't smoothed down into a simplified personality that fit these varying fan-interpretations instead of the game itself. certainly damien love/lust was just as bad as it had ever been, and everyone loved to mangle his character into a more stereotypical "bad boy with a heart of hold" all the time. but it certainly felt less set-in-stone about it than it does now, with any deviation from the norm being considered strange and odd and even broadly shunned from the wider fandom.)

all of this is setup for establishing what the writing, lore, and characters felt like in the earlier days. the characters were the strongest part, with their relationships to each other being equally as important. the lore played it fast and loose and was far less interested in setting anything in concrete because that wasn't the important part. the lore wasn't the important part, which was what made it all the more intoxicating to think about, all the more fun to play with.

montrip is easily the biggest offender when it comes to setting everything in all-or-nothing terms and demanding absolutism from the world. broadly i blame the hitchhiker conversations for the worst of it, but i think ultimately the way they handled the entire premise of the game is where this problem stems from. it's not really an exploration in the same sense that you might explore the first game, discovering different perspectives and different people with different relationships to each other. it's an exploration in the sense of a sequel that over-explains the monster, that takes the most boring option out of all those that were possible and floating around and settles on something that was blatant, obvious, typically rejected not because of how novel it is but how trite and par for the course it is in the rest of the genre.

yeah, okay. humans know nothing about monsters and there's a "monster dimension" that exists separately from the human dimension. there's no crossover between the two of them. of course there's a big grand-scale fight between the eldritch powers that zoe used to be a part of, from which not only are slayers the main organization against them, but also the merkingdom has some horse in this race too. it's an urge to make things so universal in explaining them, in revealing connecting threads which unite everything that's ever happened in here, that makes the worldbuilding and lore immediately much more boring than it ever was before.

and it didn't have to be this way! nothing in the first game contradicts any of this too explicitly (see the above, the first game loves to contradict itself), and i would even be happy if this was basically canon but never stated or confirmed to be the big overarching everything going on underneath it all. i believe you should probably know these things about any world that you create and have them in the back of your mind. the difference is that you can know these things and keep them in mind, even focusing on things where its very relevant, and still not reveal them. this is why you have lore bibles, after all. every horror writer knows exactly how their monster works and the full underlying reason for everything that happens, but that doesn't mean the audience will see it or possess this same information too, and leaving it intentionally obscure will make far better stories.

which, this is bad enough, but it wouldn't be the breaking point for me if this was all there was.

but the worst thing of all has to be the slow decay of the very same characters that sold me on this world, this lore, this game in the first place. monster prom is nothing without the characters in it. it's a dating sim, it has nothing but characters to get you to play, and liking these characters are the entire reason anyone would pick up monster prom in the first place.

and the first game pulls this off extremely well. it's all in the tagline: be your worst self. they are, indeed, all terrible people. yes, even that character that you just thought of right now. they all have points in the game where they commit atrocities, where they kill or hurt people, where they do inexcusable things that could not be ignored in a more serious setting.

but that's the point. i think there's something very powerful in creating a character who not only do you love and love their personality and the way they interact with the world, but who also are inapologetically terrible, and to have the humor and the charisma be so good that you don't get bogged down in the "this is awful". likewise, it never feels the urge to really go out of its way to justify what's going on. this is not to say theres no discussion of if someone "deserved it", but usually there's still the sense that the joke is on them, that this is still an extreme reaction specifically for comedy and not necessarily something that can be justified. you can have damien set leonard on fire and have it feel earned, without prompting the needed reaction of what it's actually like to watch someone burn to death.

this is what sets the prank masterz ending apart from the rest of the game, and really establishes it as the first real "bad ending". because nothing that you do or happens in the prank masterz ending is any different from anything else that happens in any other run. you summon evil beings from other dimensions as a throwaway gag on how visiting one location raises your stats. you kill other people and damn them to terrible fates. you watch as body horror happens. the only difference is that, in the prank masterz ending, the laugh track doesn't play.

the rest of the game and the writing echoes this philosophy, this careful interplay of tropes that keeps everything tongue in cheek and yet sincere enough to make sure emotional beats still land when they're needed. the characters feel true to themselves and their own emotions, even when the world is extreme and excessive, when everything else runs on comedy logic.

this is also what i noticed failing first as time went on.

like i said, fanon has always existed and there's always been very specific ideas as to what characters are like in the same way fanon always flattens down characters into the same tropes over and over. scott is stupid and innocent and doesn't know what sex is. damien is violent and hot and too cool for anyone else. miranda is the idiot girl character. repeat over and over and over until you get sick of it.

but it's been an issue as time has crept on that canon has started to approach fanon and began to merge with it. now, scott is so innocent that he can't even curse. polly starts being mean to her friends and saying things that would be very hurtful to hear. the merkingdom isn't really super evil and fucked up, it's just miranda that's like that. they become simpler, easier to digest, streamlined for social media posts and mass-sharing. they become less and less subversions of existing tropes and moreso just another example of them, something else to add to the collection, not their own individual stories.

even further from this, what more complex traits they had are now stated and not shown. polly is stated to be smart and clever in a way that her party girl persona doesn't imply and to be sincerely rather down to earth with the people she cares about, but we seldom ever see this anymore unless its the game specifically trying to make a point about it, in which case it won't let her do anything that implies cleverness and moreso will just outline it in the narration. vera is stated to care for people in a very genuine and heartfelt way, but seldom will get a chance to do so, and every opportunity for her to do so to their faces is missed while she will just outright state it later. it does not feel consistent, it does not feel like any of these are intended reads of their actions. it feels like the devs have something they want to do but no idea on how to actually do so. and forget it if you want these traits to manifest in small ways that show up in unrelated moments and scenes.

the dialogue becomes harder and harder to tell between each speaker, if you are just looking at what's said and not at the pictures attached to it. the characters' distinct voices have been eroded away, so that they speak more and more like each other, relaying the same terms and ideas in the same words. perspective becomes a suggestion, instead of a must.

this is something that started back in monster camp too, as all of the endings in that game felt ultimately the same as every other ending. it's very hard to place or define the full reason why, why there feels like there's no emotional stakes nor investment, why everything feels moreso like selecting different coats of paint and trying to find all the different ending pictures rather than being interested in exploring the characters as characters.

stranger yet, the series that started with the tagline of "be your worst self" has experienced a kind of... softening, for lack of a better word? what i mentioned about being able to handle the balance between terrible people who do terrible things and the light tone of the game starts to change, as abruptly the same characters who were down with violent murder in the first game start to lose their nerve, acting more and more on more typical morality. it's one of those things that feels like it's starting to damage the tone, as abruptly it's not as absurd as it used to be, demands less suspension of disbelief which could buffer and support the rest of the setting on it. there's even a part in one of the endings in montrip which involves current-polly and current-scott looking back on their monprom selves and reacting in horror at how violent and careless their pranks are, in a way that fundamentally felt like it was undercutting and disparaging all the things that felt fun and made monprom what it was.

which is odd, really, because more and more i feel like the characters in these games like each other less and less. the friendships and genuine enjoyment of each others company that brought me to this game in the first place has gone. now they don't mention each other as much, don't care for each other's feelings and reactions as much, aren't as willing to support each other. they are more and more found on their own, relied on their own, seem to seek out contact and interaction with their own friends less and less. it feels like they're all separating out into their own worlds, but also feels like they wouldn't willingly want to interact with each other if they weren't already forced together by some other outside contrivance.

if anything, i'd compare it to every other dating sim out there, where you, the player, are the most important person in these characters' lives, and they only feel ambivalent or antagonistic towards every other character. which, again, is not why i picked up monster prom or why i liked it so much in the first place.

and it's because of this that it feels like the current state of the series has to focus on its increasingly weak worldbuilding and lore, trying to form a more serious foundation without character relationships being so tightly bound together, without the characters themselves being more developed and rich, without an aspect of absurd humor to rely on.

more and more i've noticed monprom has to rely on referencing other series to make itself funny and create humor, which, again, it's always done. it was just easier to ignore back then, if you didn't know what was being referenced, because there was always more going on in the exact same scene to bolster it and give context clues as to the setup and punchline at play. it feels like the current games are much more dependent on you knowing pop culture references in order to have any fun with it, and i'm someone who, again, is very picky in what i like or what i'll seek out. i'm not interested in a stream of references about other things that i would much rather be doing than playing through a game that feels like it hates that i like it at all, when i could, again, just be engaging with the thing that takes itself seriously and knows what it wants.

[wenalena]

I'm going to create a little HC thread on which Witcher school best matches of the Bad Batch members ! I totally base this of my HC with the lore of the game, not the book or the series. (and because the Witcher 3 is one of my favorite licence and because I want to do a crossover The Witcher x The Bad Batch.

Hunter belong to the Wolf school. The disciples of this school are versatile and above all have the reputation of being reliable and professional. Although there is no code of conduct forcing them to do so, they are inclined to do what is right. They hate conflicts and prefer to stay away from it.

Crosshair belong to the Viper school. (I have hesitate with Cat school). The members of the Viper school are convinced that the end justifies the means. They are disciplined, cold and ruthless. They prefer to remain neutral, but have no hesitation in killing in cold blood.

Wrecker is the one I had the most difficulty placing. I see him to the Bear and Griffin school ! The Bear school place little value on camaraderie and brotherhood, But it could be interesting to have a Witcher with a totally different mentality in this school. They don't have a strict code and do not serve their own interests. But Wrecker can totally belong with Wolf school too. Very hard to choose for him :').

The most obvious for Echo to me is the Griffin school. They maintained their neutrality in any circonstance. They have great respect for habits and customs and place a high value on morality. People of this school maintain close ties between them.

That was not easy for Tech too, BUT, I think he belong for the Manticor school. Accustomed to facing monsters and venomous creatures, they have an unpredictable fighting style. They must learn to spot and hit their opponents' weak points. They must also develop greater resistance to the poison of the creatures they fight.

And for Omega, well. For me, she's totally belong to the wolf school with Hunter. Impossible to dissociate both.

And I will not lie, I think the relation between Hunter and Omega are very close to Geralt and Ciri. Two men who live only for their vocation but find themselves overnight with a child they didn't want but with whom they can no longer imagine their life without them. And who teach them everything they know so they can defend themselves and fend for themselves.

[lokilokilolki]

Hob/Morpheus Fic Rec

With smut warnings (on a scale of low-high, none, or chapter warnings)

Contents:

Mixed

Hob Saves Dream

Jelouse/Possesive Morpheus

Hob and Endless family

Hob/Morphues + Aziriphale/Crowley Crossover Fics

Alternate Universe

One-Shots

Hob Whump

Take Me in Your Loving Ropes  23k 

Aetheltrythh 

Smut: Yes-High 

Hob invites Morpheus to attend his shibari performance, to show him what it is about. Morpheus finds it a little too much to his liking :D. 

: This one was so amazing, a nice slow burn with a sprinkle of jealous Dream and soft Hob 

If you would have me  19k  

HanaSheralHaminail 

Smut: None (Making out fanart at the end) 

“Hanging from a chain around my familiar’s neck is the key to my chambers.” 

In his cat form, Dream stretched out his body and yawned languidly. The key shimmered into existence, pulled from the dream of a young writer who fashioned stories of fae queens and mortal sailors, of treasure chests and friendship forged through hardship. 

“The person who first takes the key from him shall become my spouse.” 

: I LOVE this one, based on that one popular prompt post, and a good slow-burn with soft!dream. 

Hob saves Dream  

For Want of Caution 20k 

Mayanpaw 

Smut: None 

Hob Gadling was not by nature a cautious man but even he knew the value of keeping track of those who would be too… intrigued by his condition. In 1926, a chance conversation in a bar alerts Hob to the fact that Roderick Burgess has captured another immortal, one that sounds eerily like his friend. 

This one is just pure feels with some Hob whump and besotted Dream thrown in. 

little by little, and in great leaps  21k  

she_who_loves_dreamling (all_fandoms_reader) 

In one world, Jessamy and Death depart for the Sunless lands, and it will be long years before Dream is free. 

This is not that world. 

 : Hob saves Dream and they both pine after each other like idiots I love them 

~ 

Hob is eating breakfast on Tuesday, August 10th, in the year of our Lord 1926, when Death comes knocking. 

Sing Me To Sleep  3k  

BisforBread 

Smut: Light 

Dream’s hands were cold as they cupped Hob’s face, desperate to hold on to this reality. 

“I’m here, I’m real,” Hob said, wrapping the coat around Morpheus’ shoulders, drawing it around his thin frame. 

: Jessamy goating out and getting Hob 

(THIS IS A SEQUEL FIC AND CAN BE READ ALONE BUT THE FIRST ONE IS REALLY GOOD TOO) 

Body and Soul, Always and Forever  50k  

SigniorBenedickofPadua 

Smut: None 

In 1916, Hob is summoned by Roderick Burgess. One hundred and six years later, he is rescued by Dream. Soon after that, he finds himself in love and engaged to the King of Dreams and Nightmares, and now it's just happy days for the rest of their Endless existence, right? 

Well, it turns out that when you get engaged to a king, it comes with baggage, such as being given titles, being knighted, and entertaining delegations from Faerie. And when the king is captured by a mysterious Order, suddenly you're standing there as Lord Protector of the Dreaming, having to balance saving a magical realm with saving your fiancé. Easy peasy. 

: BAMF regent Hob saving Dream, Desire being just a silly little brother, and very unorganized cults. 

Jealous/Possessive Morpheus  

What in wanting is freely given and in madness is taken away  7k 

Imnotcryingipromise 

Smut: None 

: I love this one! Hob saving Calliope, and Dream getting insanely jealous and possessive 

warning sign 8k 

Issylra 

Smut: None 

“He does not wish your friendship, Hob Gadling. He wishes to bed you." 

: Dream is emotionally constipated and gets jealous and possessive over Hob 

Turning Blue  3k 

LaurytheLatrator 

Smut: None 

It had not occurred to Dream that Hob would not be at the first place he looked. It’s this feeling of a strange, thwarted serendipity that sets Dream on edge. 

: This one is just pure angst all the way through; Protective Dream and Hob whump 

Jealousy Does Not Become Him  3k  

Aria_Lerendeair 

Smut: Light 

Dream was not jealous. 

Dream did not get jealous. 

Yet he watched Hob Gadling laugh, his face lit up, the joy obvious in his heart, and felt the desperate, clawing creature within him snarl its fury. 

But he wasn't jealous. He couldn't be. 

: Dream not being sad and jealoue and Hob storming the realm cause he’s being an idiot. 

Trying to Recognize Myself (When I Feel I've Been Replaced)  13k  

Purplesauris 

Smut:  High (second chapter) 

"You'll regret saying no," they say suddenly, snapping Hob back onto the mortal plane, their glamor falling back into place as they scowl. "You could have helped me— and you refused." 

"Hospitality doesn't beget I give up pieces of my body," Hob replies. "And you've officially worn out your welcome." 

: A wondering supernatural entity pulls a lover body swap on Hob not knowing his husband is a possessive eldritch horror. 

“Defiling the Sublime: emerging technologies and their methodological implications”, by Hob Gadling, PhD  2k  

notallsandmen (notallmaenads) 

Smut: Yes-High 

Dream surprises Hob during a Zoom conference and blows him under his desk. Exactly what it says on the tin. 

: Dream being a brat and Hob trying to hang onto the last thread of sanity 

Watching You Dance  347 words 

Aquilathefighter 

Smut: Suggestive Content 

Hob has a side job as a stripper. He invites Dream to come watch him, knowing that his boyfriend's possessive streak will be activated when he's surrounded by the lustful daydreams of the patrons. 

: Dream can sense daydreams, which is unfortunate when all anybody is thinking about is your boyfriend currently on a pole.

 

Hob & Endless Family 

Look for the girl with the sun in her eyes  5k 

Imaginationisrainbowcoloured 

Smut: None 

Wanings: Drug Use 

Hob has always been the kind of person to try anything once. Unfortunately, that applies to literal anything and that is exactly the reason he finds himself in this situation. 

: Hobb and Deliriums interactions throughout the years + Protective Dream 

Misery Loves Company  5k 

icarus_chained 

Smut: None 

Warning: Depression 

Over the course of his life, Hob has been more than well acquainted with despair. Comes with the territory, a bit. Not even immortals have infinite strength. It took some centuries, though, before he became acquainted with Despair. In the flesh, as it were. Is it strange to find a degree of comfort in the personification of abject misery? Probably. But there've been times when she's been there, and that made all the difference. 

: Hobb's interactions with Despair over the years + Protective Dream 

Endless Family Values  1k 

TheCosmicMushroom 

Smut: None 

“Now, now,” Hob intercedes with a grin that’s only slightly forced. “Can we save the in-fighting for the actual dinner part of this family dinner?” 

: Hob finally meets the family. 

A Study in Impressing the In-Laws  2k 

Purplesauris 

Smut: None 

The next time that Hob meets one of Dream's siblings, he almost expects it. 

A Touch of Bitterness  2k 

Darci 

Smut: Light-Suggestive 

Warning: Homophobia 

Hob has not been led to have high expectations regarding Morpheus' family. Somehow, they're worse than he expected. Poor Morpheus never stood a chance of being normal. 

: Hob meets the fam and there weird as shit, but it’s his weird of shit now 

Fuckboi Hob vs The Endless Family Dinner  41k 

Dancinbutterfly 

Smut: Yes (Chapters 5 and 6 only) 

It was supposed to be a joke listing. Bring a line cook parolee covered in body art in active recovery as your plus one to a family dys-function as revenge, haha, very funny. Only the posh stranger who reaches out to take Hob up on the ludicrous offer turns out to be wound so tight over his upcoming New Year's Eve dinner that Hob decides to make himself everyone's fucking problem. Dream's family won't know what hit them. 

: Hob is a boyfriend for hire and then immediately falls in love. Love this fic, nails the family dynamic and has a lot of wholesome moments between everyone. 

Family Jewels 10k 

MissAlrauna 

Smut: Light 

The Endless family is made up of seven siblings, no parents, just children. It's difficult between them, sometimes hostile, sometimes loving, but never boring / One Shot Collection, very Delirium and Dream centric 

: These are all one-shots and can be read independently, they focus on the the endless as humans and their family dynamics (centered more heavily on Dream and Delirium) Very well characterized and heart-warming. 

The worst family gathering in history  4k 

Ihatepants 

Smut: Light-Implied 

Basically, Dream is forced to spend time with his siblings every now and then. Just them in a room, with a lot of alcohol. 

How long does it take until they find out he’s been shagging? 

: A lot of endless family dinner crack  

Life Couldn't Get Much Sweeter  17k  

DrAdrianMilk 

Smut: Yes (Chapters 4 and 5 centric) 

Dream and Hob finally have their wedding ten months after getting married (eleven months after meeting). Hob is determined to make the day perfect for Dream and if he has to fight both of Dream's parents to do it? So be it. 

: Hob and Dream get married (alt universe humans) and its Hob’s job to help with Dreams fucked up family. Fr I really love this fic especially how they integrated destruction into it.  

Whatever You Desire  9k 

MintyEcco 

Smut: None 

Messing with their older brother Dream is a perfectly entertaining past time for Desire, though after the incident with Unity Kincaid and Rose Walker they're looking for something a little more low-key. And then they stumble upon Hob Gadling. 

: Desire is a coniving little shit and Dream is possessive

 

Sandman & Good Omens Crossover Fics 

Heaven is a good book, or several hundred good books... 5k 

Summertime_Queen 

Smut: None 

Hob stumbles across a strange little bookshop wandering down the streets of Soho which seems to be as long-lived as he... 

: Hob and his interesting interactions with the strange man who never ages in a bookshop in Soho. With some Dream fluff of course.  

dreaming of a miracle 2k 

Lifelights 

Smut: None 

Aziraphale has never been summoned before. He feels a bit honored. More put out, though. He’d been in the middle of organizing the shop, and he’d been planning to get dinner at a new little place by the Thames. Maybe if he hurries, he can still make his reservation. 

“Um, hello,” he says, following the words with a little wave. “May I help you?” 

: Rodrick Burgess accidentally summons Aziraphale after Dream and must face a not-so-happy demon. 

A Tavern Tale  19k 

for_storys_sake 

Smut: None 

Dream is not the only encounter Hob has in a tavern (or around one). 

: Hob meets Agnus Nutter in the 1600’s and gives him three prophecies, some of which may include a certain angel, demon, duck, raven, and anthropomorphic personification of dreams.  

Park Morning Meeting  1k  

obaewankenope (rexthranduil) 

Smut: None 

“Anthony J Crowley,” Dream of the Endless intoned in that strangely deep, yet still somehow soft voice of his. The kind of voice that, written down, the dialogue would be bold and italicized for emphasis. 

“Uh, yep, that’s me!” Crowley, in a decidedly less imposing and cosmically empowered tone of voice, acknowledged the Endless in front of him. 

; Dream and Crowley have a little chat 

strange friends in strange places  11k 

multifandom_fanfic_writer 

Smut: None 

Hob makes a friend at the Classic Car Convention and stumbles upon a strange bookshop. When his Stranger asks him for help to find a certain grimoire, things get even more confusing. 

: Hob and Crowley are car besties whose husbands have a pension for misunderstandings. 

The Beating of Will Shaxberg  1k  

DianOfTheCity_County 

Smut: Implied 

Hob and Crowley are drinking buddies (insert we cry together about our unrequired *requiered* love life's) they both hate Shakespeare who has the entire intellectual attention of their beloveds. Wouldn't it be great to punch the bastard? Wait! Destiny is a cunning bitch. ENTER SHAKESPEARE. 

: Exactly what it sounds like just a lot of crack 

Alternate Universe 

Do I really have to tell you how he brought me back to life?  2k 

SadRumiHours 

Smut: Yes-High 

Lord Morpheus Burgess, tired of his cheating husband and his lonely existence, seeks out comfort in the form of a famous actor; Robert Gadling. 

: Dream is Princess Diana basically, short but sweet. I would totally recommend you read the second part of this two-part series first. 

It's Only Forever, Not Long At All  25k  

BeholdingTheGaytimes 

Smut: Yes-High 

Hob should know by now not to go along with Death’s schemes, but here he is at a masquerade ball for her baby brother. He’s never met him, but Death's told Hob that he was indeed that pale lord that left the White Horse in a stink just before Death sauntered up and gave Hob immortality. 

Surrounded by impossible creatures and otherworldly beings, one specific person catches his attention: an inhumanly beautiful dark-haired man in a raven mask. Hob loses track of him and the night spirals out in mayhem as Hob gets himself into trouble. Fey trouble to be exact. 

: Vampire!Dream meets his sister's immortal friend Hob Gadling who accidently got themselves in an ownership battle with the fae.  

One-Shots  

'cause every Dreamlord's crazy 'bout a sharp-dressed man  4k  

hardly_an_escape 

Smut: Suggestive-Light 

Hob and Dream attend a university fundraising gala 

: Dream is probed into attending Professor Hob’s fundraising gala 

Impractical Design  1k  

Anonymous 

Smut: None 

Hob reread the instructions carefully, read them again, and then checked that he had all the right parts for what felt like the thousandth time. He ignored the steadily rising tide of confusion, the sheer incomprehension he felt—Hob had lived for hundreds of years and he knew how to build things—projecting what he hoped was a convincing aura of calm. 

: just the fluffiest IKEA furniture struggle fic 

Summer Rain  4k  

Aria_Lerendeair 

Smut: None 

Hob is mourning the decline of scent marking as a habit in society, and Dream steps in to remind him that not everyone has forgotten it, and is willing to forgo it. 

: Best of mutual pining and adorable Dream 

Make My Lullaby a Fairytale  4k  

Purplesauris 

Smut: None 

Hob has a penchant for helping others, and when that means taking care of a baby, he isn't quite ready for the way his eldtritch partner reacts. (Much better than he expected) 

: Dream + Hob + Tiny baby, the fluffiest of fluffs Dream is so soft and parental here 

The Things Dreams and Lies Share in Common  4k  

crowgee 

Smut: Yes-Mild 

Recently heart broken, Dream finds his little sister, Delirium, at his door step wishing for him to come with her to find their brother. She even wrote a list - a list of people they must meet people who can help. On that list the name 'Hob Gadling' catches on the glints of stars that flicker and burn in Dream's eye. 

; Dream having no concept of communicating feelings properly and having to fix it  

It's Raining, It's Pouring  2k  

TheLibraryoftheForest 

Smut: None 

Dream has always loved the rain, just as much, if not more than the sunlight. He knows it's not a shared opinion amongst everyone, but when it starts affecting his creations, what Dream loves starts to become the problem rather than the solution. Enter: Hob Gadling. 

; Hob being a literal ray of sunshine 

Which Betokeneth Concorde 1k   

Dira Sudis (dsudis) 

Smut: None-Suggestive 

Dream had been dimly aware that one of the many things he would have to face, as the price of courting Hob Gadling, was his own refusal to dance. 

: Dream doesn’t dance but he likes to watch his idiot dance 

Minute Affections  2k  

Wwhand 

Smut: None 

The simple joy of having a person you're fond of, who is also a cat. 

: Adorable fluffy Cat!Dream and Hob 

If we have each other, then we'll both be fine  3k   

Altair2714 

Smut: Suggestive Content 

Hob relocates to the Appalachian Mountains and Dream meets him at a bar there. The two philosophize about change, death, the unknown, and companionship. They come to an understanding. 

: Hob and Dream philosophize about the world and there growing relationship 

The reason we have hands (holding) 

Karalyn 

Smut: None 

Morpheus watches Hob casually touch the other humans in his life. He thinks that, just maybe, his friend will extend that same gesture to him. 

: Technically a two-shot but one-shot is more of an atmosphere than anything, very fluffy very cute features Dream having very serious conversations with kittens + Jealous Dream 

sometime of the night  2k  

scienceblues 

Smut:  None 

He doesn’t realize that this is one of those times where Dream has decided they’ll be spending time together, no matter what Hob might have to say to the contrary, until a large black cat leaps onto his desk. 

: Dream being a bitchy cat and Hob loving it (sort of) 

Tropetember 2022 - Dreamling Edition  30 one shots 

Geekygirl24 

Smut: None 

A series of Dream/Hob Gadling one shots, all focusing on the daily prompts of Tropetember 2022 

: Just a bunch of minds soothing Dreamling domestic one-shots for the soul 

In Sickness and In Health  7k 

littledreamling (k_crow) 

Smut: None 

“Will you help me?” 

“Of course,” Dream replied easily. Hob made a vague noise, deep in his throat, and let his forehead fall forward to bonk gently against Dream’s shoulder as if the mere whisper of effort was overwhelming. Dream had to admit, he had never succumbed to human illness—maybe it truly was overwhelming. The sight of his love, trembling and miserable, made his entire chest ache and he gave in to the impulse to press a gentle kiss into Hob’s hair. 

: The king of dreams and nightmares trying to make soup for his sick boyfriend 

A Different Kind of Hold  4k  

FluidMimikyu 

Smut: Mild-Implied  

"Though Hob Gadling was only human, he caught the attention of most everyone everywhere he went." 

A one-shot not only based other fanfics on here and posts elsewhere stating Dream is possessive of those he loves, but also on the Wiki stating, "Despite his cold exterior, Dream is often passionate and infatuated with his lovers." 

: Dream collars Hob, very cute and domestic 

Hob Whump 

A sweet dream  1k  

Starsniper 

Smut: None 

Hob is captured instead of Dream. But when Dream finally finds him, he may be too late. 

: One of those Fics that make your heart physically clench a little 

My Stranger, My Dream  67k   

SigniorBenedickofPadua 

Smut: Yes (Chapter 24 only) 

Hob has been around death. Living in London throughout multiple plague outbreaks and fires, as well as making a living soldiering and dabbling in banditry, will do that to you. What he doesn't know is that Death has been around Hob as well. He has no idea that when his Stranger left him that night in 1389 after their first meeting, the woman who came up to him, laid a hand on his shoulder and said, “Good luck, friend,” was Death incarnate. 

Hob doesn’t know that he is one of few things in this world that has been Touched by Death and lived. Had he known this, he might not have been as confused as he is when his body slams into the floor of a dim, candle-lit cellar and he finds himself surrounded by hooded figures and a gold circle on the floor. That is all he manages to perceive before everything goes blurry and consciousness slips away from him again. 

 - 

Roderick Burgess' spell does not summon Death, but someone who has been touched by Death. Hob Gadling ends up in his cellar instead of Dream. 

: This one was a GREAT fic, a total slowburn between Hob and Dream, and nice plot and relationship progression featuring traumatized Hob and Smitten Dream. The author graciously made a SEQUEL, which is every bit as fantastic as this one 

SEQUEL TO “My Stranger, My Dream”  (Categorized under “Hob saves Dream” as well) 

Body and Soul, Always and Forever  50k  

SigniorBenedickofPadua 

Smut: None 

In 1916, Hob is summoned by Roderick Burgess. One hundred and six years later, he is rescued by Dream. Soon after that, he finds himself in love and engaged to the King of Dreams and Nightmares, and now it's just happy days for the rest of their Endless existence, right? 

Well, it turns out that when you get engaged to a king, it comes with baggage, such as being given titles, being knighted, and entertaining delegations from Faerie. And when the king is captured by a mysterious Order, suddenly you're standing there as Lord Protector of the Dreaming, having to balance saving a magical realm with saving your fiancé. Easy peasy. 

: BAMF regent Hob saving Dream, Desire being just a silly little brother, and very unorganized cults. 

Limbo  (ART comic, VERY well done; check out the artist they are AMAZING) 

NathanWonderwolf 

Smut: None 

AU, in which Robert sacrifices himself for Morpheus, does not die in the usual sense, but falls into Limbo. A place where people's consciousness is in a coma. The dream wants to return its knight but does not expect to find him. 

: I adore this interpretation of how Hob might meet his demise. 

When the end of the world came, I sat there and sipped my Early Grey  1k  

for_storys_sake 

Smut: None 

He looks back down at the book he is reading. Only twenty words left. He wants to know how the story finishes and it won’t do to wait to read it before he goes to sleep, because he doesn’t plan to go to sleep again. 

His eyes glide off the last sentences and he smiles at it. A happy ending. At the bottom of the page, the last word. Fin. 

: Death puts up the chairs to the universe and brings Hob Gadling with her at last.  

Who will save you when you fall?  1k 

Daviesroyal 

Smut: None 

Dream has escaped his prison and recovered his tools. The Dreaming is recovering. All that is left for him to do is settle things with Hob Gadling, the way he should have done in 1889. 

: Pure angst and absolutely no comfort 

Prometheus, Bound.  18k  

LeotheLionathefootofOrion 

Smut: None 

In the year 1916, Roderick Burgess attempts to summon and capture Death. He misses his mark in quite a way, but he’s never been one to waste an opportunity. 

: Hob gets violently tortured, and the Corinthian is the Corinthian 

[sauntervaguelydown]

to me the tipping point on Marvel movies going from "fun action films telling mythic stories" to "bloated corporate bread and circuses" is around Civil War. We all loved going out to see the first several of the mcu films, they were fun high production value accessible scifi. But Civil War was really... like, none of us were excited for it, the arc it was based on was one of the worst received Event Crossovers of its decade, and on top of that, the movie itself was starting to show the bare walls in the MCU formula to even normal audiences.

Marvel movies have always been corporate money schemes and they've also always been action stories with mythic scale, but that was for me anyway the place where I started getting more annoyed with the former and less interested in the latter

[f-abulas]

:Contract of Zirconia’s:

“To be a gem is to be valued and wanted. To be a Zirconia? You are a manufactured fake. Pretty to the naked eye, seemingly of high value… but once the light is shone and the ‘heart’ of the zirconia is revealed… you are exposed as a phony. To be a Zirconia, you are nothing but a pretty fake… who must willingly give your life for the gems who own you.”

“all for the Amber Lord?…. No… All for the Stonehearts.”

the zirconia contract. Or the Zirconia hearts is a little… thing I’ve come up with for my HSR crossover character au. Kaveh and Rover are ‘Zirconia’ stones. Pretty fakes. In my AU Diamond and Jade came up with the idea to protect the Cornerstones, especially after Aventurine had his shattered but then rebuilt.

zirconia stones are made by Diamond, but unlike the 10 Stonehearts these Zirconias are NOT powered by him. No, they’ll get power from the Stone heart they are given too. The people who are chosen for this role are basically fodder. “You have a plan that will put your stone on the line? Take theirs -points to the Zirconia- their life is not as valuable as yours.”

The ideal person that Diamond and Jade look for has to have one thing in common ‘self sacrificial hearts’, or wanting to sacrifice themselves for a greater good/another person.

the Zirconia hearts are

Kaveh Yousefi (emerald zirconia) his heart is empty, and he is willing to sacrifice himself for others and their benefit. He is one of the orphans Jade saw potential in, the fact he was overcome with survivors guilt was a bonus. She gave him to Aventurine after the Penecony incident.

Rover (Peridot zirconia) his heart is specifically self sacrificing for Diamond. The man is the one who picked him off the streets as an orphaned child, so he is Diamond’s personal zirconia.

Wise (pink Zirconia), is currently in the information gathering department and was given to Opal.

(Why I named it Zirconia is cause the are not real gems. They are man made, to LOOK like a real gem but under close inspection they don’t have the same substance. )

[elitehanitje]

NJPW President, Hiroshi Tanahashi, addressed the ten-point plan for the future of NJPW:

Hiroshi Tanahashi’s 10-Point Plan

1. Talent discovery and development - Young talent should wrestle in more high-level spots - Wrestlers still need to earn their spots in tournaments like the G1. - NJPW wants the best wrestlers in their early 20s in Japan

2. Elevating the value of title belts - It is important to clarify the role and concept of each title - STRONG titles will be defended on USA shows only going forward - The company acknowledges that the tag titles are about to be combined at Dominion… “the process may take time.” - The company acknowledges that 13 titles may be challenging to follow. - This process may take time, 12-18 months.

3. Reducing/eliminating outside interference - They haven’t determined concrete penalties, but interference will be limited - A lot of talk and questions about whether House of Torture is the reason for this goal - The company acknowledges the fans' frustrations regarding House of Torture - The company concedes that pro wrestling is unique when it comes to wrestlers turning things in their favor any way they can.

4. Increasing the prominence and status of NJPW Hontai - Tanahashi wants Hontai to be a desired unit for young wrestlers or wrestlers returning from excursions.

5. Strengthening ties with STARDOM - STARDOM will be owned by NJPW as of the end of June. - Look for improved operational efficiency, scheduling, crossover events, and STARDOM on NJPW events soon.

6. Strengthening ties with AEW - NJPW is happy with its relationship with AEW. - “There is the perception that NJPW is treated as a sub-brand or is looked down on by AEW. Some of that perception of NJPW being behind comes from the current economics. But the truth of the matter is AEW’s strengths and NJPW’s strengths are different. From the development of talent from scratch to a historical and traditional perspective, there’s a lot NJPW can offer that AEW cannot. So there’s a lot that we can do together and while much of it isn’t something we can discuss right now, there’s a lot we will do. However, the idea that NJPW is the inferior partner is not correct. We are absolutely on an even footing, and that’s something we’ll prove soon.”

7. Improving the live fan experience - Ideas: different prices, different pricing tiers, female-only seating sections, special food menus, and number of people in a box.

8. Improving NJPW World - Apologies for the clunky transition - Archives should be complete by the end of the year - Live viewing has been fixed/improved

9. Improved treatment of personal information - Apologies for getting that USB drive stolen/lost - Plans are in place to keep data safe going forward

10. NJPW sponsorships - Thank you to sponsors. The full English language recap can be found at njpw1972.com

via Chris Samsa

[free-for-all-fics]

Joy Ride and House of Wax crossover prompt! This started as a silly little idea shared with my bestie @tinalbion but it just hit me hard and I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Pls tag me if you’re inspired by any of these ideas and I’d love to read it! 🛻💙

You were forced to take a detour and accidentally ended up in Ambrose while on a road trip with your friends after you got lost. What the hell is this town? It wasn’t even on the map. Bo sabotaged your car and broke your fan belt while you were all asleep and camping out in the woods. He also destroyed your CB radio so you couldn’t call anyone for help since there’s no cell reception out here. Bo was so confused as to why you even had that anyway, since you don’t drive a truck. The friends you’re with are so naive and gullible. They soak up every word Bo says as he tells stories of Trudy and Victor, their boys, and what this town once was. Your idiot friends take it all at face value, honest to God believing he’ll help them. You’re the only person who doesn’t buy his friendly mechanic shtick for a second. You try to catch him in a lie or call out his bluff. He does look handsome in his mechanic outfit and he does know a thing or two about cars, but he’s so full of shit.

He and his brother, Vincent, chase after your friends and kill them one by one. Vincent then takes them to his workshop to be made into wax. But Bo has a very hard time with overpowering and subduing you. You’re feisty and strong with a high endurance. You know how to fight back and use your surroundings to your advantage. You get the drop on him and Bo is lowkey impressed. Damn, baby! Are you a professional survivalist or something? You fuck him up good and barely flinch when he lands some kicks or punches. You must have a very high pain tolerance - that could be kinda kinky 😏. Bo thinks you’re hot, even if you make him bleed. But what really shocks him is when you kill your own friend before he can. Wait, what?

You tell Bo they weren’t really your friends. Just a bunch of randos you met that day or the day before. You offered them a ride and played nice so that their guard would be down. You boast that your daddy taught you everything you know about huntin’ and killin’. You also warn Bo that he fucked up big time when he wrecked your CB radio. Your daddy gave you that CB and made a strict rule to always call him at least twice a day, once in the morning/afternoon and once at night. He’s gonna assume the worst if you miss a call: That something bad must’ve happened to you, his only child and baby girl. He’s gonna come looking for you and will do unspeakable things to anyone who may have hurt you. If Bo thinks his truck is big, he ain’t seen nothin’ yet.

Despite the unusual circumstances, you really like Bo. His brothers, Vincent and Lester, are also really nice and have their own interests and hobbies which they’re eager to share with you. You spend time with each of them. Vince has made a cozy spot for you to sit and relax in his workshop so you can watch him while he’s making new mannequins or sculpting new objects for the museum. You and Les find animals to hunt and skin, or pick up animal remains to throw in the pit after you collect cool bones and teeth, etc. And Jonesy is an absolute sweetheart! She is best girl and can do no wrong in your eyes. You love this dog to pieces and spoil her.

You admire what Bo and his brothers have done here, how they’ve made their kills into art for their wax museum. You’re not even mad he tried to kill you. Instead you praise him for the valiant effort and feel flattered he finds you pretty enough to be made into wax and put on display. Damn, Bo thought that you were smoking hot when you were fighting him and kicking his ass, but now that he knows you have a murderous side, he finds you irresistibly sexy.

You start dating and when your dad finally shows up in Ambrose to find you, Bo nearly pisses himself at the size of your dad’s truck. Holy fucking shit that’s the biggest, scariest looking rig he’s ever seen in his life. You leave Bo’s side and run to your daddy’s arms to give him a big bear hug. Meanwhile, poor Bo is frozen in sheer terror. He’s never been afraid of another man before, not even his own father. Hell, he killed Victor himself. But your father is Rusty Nail, and he’s a mountain of a man. A behemoth. He makes Bo feel small when he blows a puff of smoke from his cigarette and looks him up and down before offering a firm handshake. Bo can’t tell if his hand is sweaty from the southern heat or his nerves, but he knows Rusty could’ve broken his hand just from that handshake if he wanted to. Rusty stays in Ambrose with you and the Sinclairs so he can get to know them all, especially the boy that stole his darling daughter’s heart.

When he and Bo have one-on-one time, Rusty shows his true colors. He shows Bo the goods that he’s hauling in his trailer: Weapons, torture devices, death contraptions, trophies from his past murders, etc. (There might even be photos of you and Rusty from when you were growing up decorating the interior of the trailer. Y’know, just cute family photos of daddy and daughter celebrating her first kill, etc. Normal stuff.) When more people come into Ambrose, Rusty introduces Bo to his dice game. He ties up two victims and explains the rules, then makes Bo watch as he forces them to roll. Or maybe Rusty intimidates Bo into participating and dealing out the torture himself. But Rusty is firm in that the snake eyes kill is all his. Bo may not have much of an issue with doing as Rusty says; he’s no stranger to blood, gore, or violence.

But Jesus Fucking Christ when one of the poor sons of bitches rolls snake eyes. Watching Rusty murder is unlike any death Bo’s ever seen. Your father is the most sadistic and petty man he’s ever met, but he’ll still laugh nervously at Rusty’s dad jokes and puns while he’s torturing victims or after he completes a kill. The damage you laid on Bo when you first met is nothing compared to what your dad could do to him. Rusty could absolutely fuck him up six ways from Sunday. Bo isn’t suicidal, so he would rather not get on his bad side.

Rusty actually really likes Bo and thinks he’s perfect for you. He’s shared cigarettes and beers with him, played card games with him, etc. He’s had lots of time to sit down with Bo and bond with him. He’s gotten to know what kind of man he is through long talks on the porch, etc. He already knows the eldest Sinclair will treat you right and make you happy, so he approves of your boyfriend. When the time comes, he’ll give Bo his blessing to marry you - He just might play some “practical jokes” on him first whenever he finally works up the courage to formally ask for your hand. Rusty thinks it’s hilarious to see Bo so scared of him and nearly shit himself. Bo asked him what his real first name was once and his reaction when he thought he crossed a line was comedy gold. Even if you ask your dad to go easy on Bo, he can’t help but fuck around with him a little bit and keep him on his toes! It’s just his love language!

Bo @ Rusty Nail like: