#i get really grouchy when i have no positive interactions with people

[wwwyzzerdd420]

Maybe I AM an extrovert

[aloeverawyvren]

A Plague On Necromancy Review

( I was supposed to get it a few days from now, but it came early! This is surprising considering mail delivery services like to pretend I don't exist . Amazon Isn't letting me leave a review rn, I'll try again though) Tldr: I liked it alot and recommend you read it.

Spoilers? Maybe? I talk about Bucklers secrets, but not what exactly they are, just my vague thoughts on them. Also this is super long so buck-ler up we're going on a road trip ( See what I did there? Haha, why are you booing me off stage?)

Oh boy, where should I start?

The concepts of necromancy and plague doctors are interesting on there own to begin with, but the way this book joins them together is really cool.

The setting is London,in the 1700's. From what I can tell its pretty historically accurate, even if it wasn't I would still enjoy it, I'm chill with historic inaccuracies. I just think its neat when stories that take place in the past go that extra mile. The magic system was really neat, it was cool- sometimes literally haha- but not to overpowered, making it more ... Is 'believable' the right word? Like it never takes you out of the story is what I'm saying, it interacts seamlessly with the world in a way that isn't clunky, if that makes sense.

Barty ( who my auto correct keeps calling Barry lol ) is our protagonist, he's a little confused but he's got the spirit. Oh, poor Barty. The author is so mean to him :( /j . Not only did his bioparents die in a fire, his adopted brother also dies, his adopted parents basically shun him, the doctor he was working with gets the plague and dies. I could go on but spoilers ya know.

Tragedy aside, Barty is relatable at least for me, blushing /embarrass easily, wanting to help people but not knowing how, crying alot and choking on food. ( no seriously he chokes like two distinct times that I can remember. Its hilarious) he's human. He has faults, failures, and troubles along side his positive traits. Its how he deals with them though that's so great I think, I liked hearing his reasoning/train of thought. his dynamics with other characters are fun too. he's also new to the whole doctoring thing, (and magic) making him a good tool for exposition.

I think I'll talk about Buckler now, I had a feeling he was gonna be a favorite of mine and I was right. James Buckler is stern but not altogether unkind, he obviously cares and like Barty he's doing his best really. His dynamic with Barty and other characters was something I liked alot. (When he first met Barty he was a little grouchy for a bit, but Barty was being nosy so it was warranted lol)

I had only heard he had one big secret, I missed the memo that there was another one. I had guessed one of them off the bat, the other one however bitch slapped me as I was only expecting one secret. (I think he should've told Jessica sooner, like I know why but still)

I think its Fabian time, there's so much to unpack with Fabian. Complicated, smart, and very cool. My thoughts when he explained the plan where "ok, what's the catch though?" But there wasn't really a catch was there? he was set up to be the villain by others and ended up being not so much a villain but more of an anti-hero? (At least in this book, he does have the (REDACTED) now doesn't he? Who knows what could happen)

AND OH MY GOD, THE TRUE LOVES KISS THING CAUGHT ME SO OFF GUARD! I WAS LIKE ?!??! it just came out of left fucking field, like "wait, he do can that?" I questioned everything I thought I knew about his powers.

Oh my god , I wanna mention some side characters! I never see anyone mention them and its sad because they are cool too!

Jack the rat catcher is great, I enjoyed all her appearances and her dog (even if Barty didn't lol) .

Agnes, also gets a shout out from me for being a good person.

The zombie rats where oddly adorable too.

Fabian 's gang is extremely interesting aswell, I'm curious about them.

Three particular people are on my shitlist however for reasons. Plot reasons.

this post is getting very long isn't it? If you've read this far, here's a cookie 🍪.

I'm not entirely done though, let's talk about the book as a whole. Its pretty short, but the pacing is good it doesn't feel too rushed or too slow. I'm a fast reader though and finished it in like two-three hours, in one and a half sittings ( I got up to get coffee and my cat sat on the book until she got the required amount of attention and pets before she deemed I could continue, I call it the Cat Tax)

There was one punctuation error I found, a quotation mark was missing after Fabian was talking ( I forgot the specific page), it wasn't to big a deal though and other than it was all good. I also liked the writing style! I'm glad i 've finally read it, it gives the ask blogs lots of context.

I can easily see this as something I would get from a bookstore or library, I think it could get pretty popular if more word got around about it honestly.

(I actually don't have a tiktok, I learned about it through Tumblr)

I enjoyed reading it!

if your reading this and have not read the book, I recommend it! All encounters I've had with the author has been positive, there's also another book about Barty meeting a dragon.

You can find links to both books on Barty's ask blog, @drbarty. Fabian has one to: @lordfabian

(Was Fabian really the one who was assassinated or me? I almost died laughing at 'shite fish' , my favorite bit . I'm still giggling)

(Also I'm going to start using 'shite fish' out of context now, )

if I remember any other notes I'll put them here.

(Readers: How much trauma do your characters have?

The author: yES/j)

(the Author: *slaps roof of characters* this bad boy can fit so many horrible backstories/j)

(Are you even a creator if you don't torture your ocs tho? I dump my ocs in a blender and put them in the microwave on high for two hours and burn the house down then refrigerate for two days, so I'm not actually judging lmao)

[hugh-lauries-bald-spot]

🔥 whatever topic you're looking to opine on

Unpopular Opinion

I Despise Star Trek AOS

let me preface this by saying that its completely valid to like this series and that i respect the people who do, i respect those who love the characters, who love the cast, who love the pairings, these are just the critiques i have for it and that most of them are fuelled by loyalty to the original series, so if you havent seen that it makes perfect sense to enjoy the new series, its shiny and full of hot people who wouldnt

I WILL elaborate

#1 - little to no body positivity, everyone turns into a slimmer or more toned version of themselves, they dont embrace being stockier, shorter or chubbier at ALL

nichelle nichols is a beautiful woman, but she also isnt the "perfect standard for female beauty", she's shorter, she has thicker thighs and some curves, whereas zoe saldana, also beautiful, is pretty much the EXACT female body standard, shes tall and quite slender, and so it feels like something of a step back for good body representation

now i know that thisll get hate, so ill show that its really not just uhura's casting that demonstrates this

stocky-> slender

stocky -> slender and toned

#2 - Uhura as a whole, i feel like they fucked up BIG TIME on her character, she goes from a super badass "99% of the crews efficiency" independent woman to spocks pining girlfriend, and thats basically her whole character (she has her moments, but most of them revolve around spock in some way) even a google search brings up a lot of spock/uhura stuff, shes just overall a pretty weak character without him which is a DRASTIC change from barely interacting with him

#3 - Casting Khan

need i say more?

#4 - chekov, they didnt even TRY to make them the same character, they just went "ehh theyre both russian, same thing" the resemblance stops there, in the original series, chekov is pretty grouchy and sarcastic, "oh ill live, but i wont enjoy it", whereas aos chekov, who is admittedly Baby, isnt even a little bit like his predecessor, hes bubbly, energetic, eager to help out and caring

#5 - spock, in the original series, spock is the voice of reason, hes calm, rational except for the occasional outburst of still relatively calm emotions, such as during pon farr, in aos, he just snaps into an angry and violent mess very quickly, going so far as to injure someone (which i highly doubt the original spock would do unless said person posed a real threat to the enterprise and it's crew, and when he does encounter a menace, he usually nerve pinches them, a faily painless way to knock someone unconscious, he doesnt just start strangling people) also i do know that jim was being a huge asshole, but he was still way out of line for his character

#6 - kirk, look at how theyve massacred my boy, my sweet jim was a tender and sensitive man in the original series, he was full of love and he was a nerd, he spent his academy years reading (and maybe horseback riding), hes super empathetic, caring, and the polar opposite of self-centered, whereas aos kirk is just a sleazy guy who seems mostly interested in sex and will just borderline harass people in bars (or full harass), which is pretty egregious compared to my hopeless romantic TOS kirk, whom i love, hes kind of a jerk, he insults spock's grieving process about his deceased mother right after his entire planet has been destroyed!! which is an insane thing for him to do!!! and super unbecoming of the original, compassionate kirk, who insulted spock like once in total. overall bad characterization

#7 - what in the fucking hell is this

now you might be saying "but mac, its cause they didnt have the tech back then to make it shiny and futuristic" which, hey, is true, but at least it looks fucking livable, it looks cosy and habitable for a supposed "5 year mission", could you live in the veritable "kardashian-west mansion" hell that is the aos entreprise? its so reflective, its too artificial. calm your tits jj, we get it, its the future. if they had blended the feel of the original and the clean cuttedness of the new series, maybe kept just some of the original palette, it couldve had a really cool look to in in my opinion

#8 - the bond between jim and spock,  shipping aside, the mental gymnastics of saying that they have a weak bond is fucking insane. brothers, lovers, besties, soulmates whatever the fuck you wanna call em, theres a strong connection and 100% a love of some kind. that didnt translate like at all into the movies, they were friends, yes, but like they seemed like the kind of friends who text like once every 2 weeks, there wasnt the same closeness and trust that they have in the original series. there is that scene in (i believe it was) the third movie when jim is stuck behind the glass and slowly dying, ans spock just screams his heart out. while thats a poignant scene, it seems... a bit fake... since they did very little over the course of the three movies to build an actual valid bond since they were so focused on erasing even the notion that they were more than friends, they barely let them be friends at all.

 anyways, thats all for now, if you have any questions or youd like me to elaborate on something, feel free to ask or message me

[prof-peach]

Hey Prof, I need your advice.

My sister recently decided she didn't wanted her bulbasaur anymore (she got him on a whim about a month ago) and gave him to me, he is quite violent and tends to attack when I try to get close to him.

Now, that wouldn't be a huge problem, but my Purrloin has gotten hurt trying to befriend him, she's quite outgoing and never really liked fighting (we enjoy contests so she knows a few more flashy attacks), so she couldn't even defend herself properly.

I don't want to give up on him and my local rescue center is filled with Bunearies (you know, after Easter kids don't want their Bunny anymore) so they can't take him in right now, any advice in how I can go about this situation?

Sounds to me like you have a tricky little dude on your hands. So you're not battle orientated which will make this harder, Bulbasaur in the wild are actually quite combat minded to defend their families and territory, and a lot of their herds consist of strict hierarchy based on power and skill, often led by older, fully evolved members of their group. 

Before you take any actions to befriend them, its worth noting that any pokemon who comes into your care showing aggression is usually doing so for one or two reasons that are pretty universal for any species. Fear being the main issue with pokemon who have been ditched, if a pokemon is unwell, if it feels exposed, if it is unsure of you or your home, your partners, it may lash out because it is afraid. Even what looks like pure anger can stem from a fear. Of course some individuals are just full of rage, its not unheard of, but for the most part it comes from somewhere else. 

For a moment, take the time to put yourself in this pokemons shoes. It was chosen, with hopes and ambitions of its own, by your sister, a stranger to them, and for whatever reason they were cast aside. This reason may be unclear to the pokemon, it may be unfair, unkind, or even without malice just out of pure indifference. No matter the reason, this pokemon has been left behind by a trainer it at one point probably wanted to try to get along with. I don’t know what your sister may or may not have done, or provided for the bulbasaur, but it will help you understand how its feeling, if you were to ask her about their relationship prior to you receiving the pokemon. If it has always been aggressive and angry, i’d seriously consider talking to it about release, not rehome. 

We humans have a preconceived notion that pokemon are pets and things to keep with us. This may be true for some sure, but not every pokemon wishes to be a captive to a human, they may want more for themselves, and wish for a free life with their own kind. We cannot put our wants and desires above that of the pokemons, so you two need to have a talk, at a respectful distance for safeties sake, to see what the Bulbasaur feels they may want. These are herd pokemon, born and bred to be with their own kind, if not a larger group, if its lonely, if it wants to go home, to start a family, or simply to not be held in a ball as some creature to be owned, then you as its current carer must give it what you can. You can always find another pokemon who wants to be your partner, but you cannot give back lost years to a pokemon who has lived a life its unhappy with. Treat them with respect, and be open and honest. At the end of the day we have a chance to help pokemon, and forcing what we want onto them is a hinderance, and will lead to them feeling unsatisfied and bitter in the long run. 

Some pokemon lash out due to the process of being handed off to someone else, trust is earnt, not always just simply given to whoever holds the pokeball. Remember this as you move forward, and try to keep your other pokemon away from them, Bulbasaur are territorial species, and have to accept pokemon into their families before simply allowing them to come and go freely into their personal space. Despite their grouchy natures at times they usually do have a morally positive compass, and defend with ferocity when they love something. Perhaps in you showing genuine concern for their welfare and future, offering them not what you want, but instead what they want, they may give you a chance to get closer, but take baby steps, and try to be their friend above all else. I bet they're feeling pretty lonely right now. 

Its worth sharing interests with the pokemon, talk about contests, see if they're interested, some pokemon have a predisposition for this, others have no interest and prefer more battle based lives, or even peaceful non-competitive existences. no amount of pressure will change a pokemon’s nature, and some just aren't cut out for the fine art of showmanship that contests require. You can however use powerful attacks in showy ways, so theres always hope that they could enjoy it, if you can work with them to their strengths. 

If possible, work to getting them outdoors, cooping grass types up can lead to stroppy, testing personalities, many thrive in the outdoors, he may need some serious outside time to compensate for the lack of exercise and natural stimulation they may have not been getting prior to your ownership. There are plenty of areas in public that are much like tennis courts, areas of space you can book for a set amount of time too exercise difficult pokemon, these locations are often secure facilities, both outdoors and indoors, to suit a range of species. find one that has outdoor facilities and book a few hours per week to go there, increasing the time whenever possible. This exercise and time with you may help to find common ground, and topics that you and the bulbasaur can bond over. This can be anything from battles, to sun bathing, playing sports, games, swimming, running or digging, and everything in between. Bulbasaur naturally are great foragers and tend to like to snaffle about in long grass and shrubland, hiding treats like berry slices in a secure environment is good enrichment and can tire the pokemon out. a tired pokemon is usually a little less aggressive, having lower energy levels and less want to expend attacks. this process also associated you with something fun, and your scent will be on the treats too, so they'll know you were the one to provide this activity for them.   

I’d also take plenty of time to observe the bulbasaur, as your sister got them on a whim, they probably had no prior knowledge of the species, or how to correctly care for them. In a month, a health complaint could have begun to show, so observe their colouration, feet, walking gait, sleeping patterns, feeding habits, and general behaviour. Excess scratching, heavy breathing, or unusual shaking or moving can suggest a health condition is starting to take form. Most can be helped if caught early, but some illnesses give the pokemon discomfort, and can lead to snappy tempers and irritability. It could be that this individual is in pain, or finding life difficult due to its health, which can cause a lot of hostility as i’m sure anyone would agree. It can suck to be sick!

This species can be won over if you can prove you have a skill of worth to them. This is the case with a lot of pokemon, having respect for something they cannot do, and learning that they need things from you can lead to them at least tolerating us humans. Its a foot in the door. A trick i like t use with particularly difficult bulbasaur is to give them their fav food, whatever it is, then put it in a clear container the pokemon cannot open. They have no thumbs, and their vines though dexterous, aren't able to open every kind of container. The pokemon will want whats inside, and be unable to access it. they will eventually give up out of frustration. this is where you come in. enter the space, don’t let your pokemon approach as this can be threatening, and open the container. leave it on the floor open, making sure they've watched you get the thing open. They can then approach and enjoy their fav food, all thanks to you and those wondrous thumbs you have. repeating this process yields good results, and starts a mutual relationship of tolerance and acceptance between you and a bulbasaur. Most will accept they want the food more than they want you gone, and you provide something they can’t get to. whatever you do, don’t let them see that you were the one to lock the food up in the container. Get a friend to do it, or do it in the room, and leave it in place on the floor, before allowing the bulbasaur to enter and investigate the item. If they see you're the one doing it, the trick is foiled, and your back to square one. Eventually this does tend to lead to the pokemon becoming less stressed with you around them, and eventually it leads to trust, and even friendship. This trick is good to use to get them use to you, once they're ok with you being around them because of your use to them, they may start to take food from you directly, engage in play, or even just sit and tolerate company for short periods of time. Do not expect this to be quick, but it does usually do the trick. 

Regardless, i do have concern that the pokemon may want to be with its own, should you discuss this and find they're not interested in being housebound and a pet, feel free to send them our way, we had exactly this situation in mind when setting up the islands facilities, and have extensive locations designed with grass pokemosn needs at the forefront. Theres a small herd of about 12 bulbasaur evolutions that live north of our labs, no people see them, they are happy as a unit, and are left alone to go about their lives, with the only interactions between humans being us giving them their yearly health check, or should we spot them with an issue, we may intervene. They live away from others and pretty much free, in a poacher safe environment. Its not ideal, we like to keep pokemon in areas they come from, with people who love them, and you show great concern for the pokemon so it would be a shame to have to let them go, BUT sometimes thats just life, and theres nothing to be done about it other than accepting that the pokemons wants come first. They may just be mistrusting so try everything else first, and see how you go. hopefully you’ll yield some results from this all. Good luck out there trainer. 

[paragonrobits]

i honestly find it difficult to believe that Ozai felt threatened by Azula’s talent and skill, or that he saw her as a potential threat to his life or position, and I think a lot of the reason WHY I feel like that amounts to a fairly integral couple of facts about Ozai:

First, he is as self-centered as a gyroscope, never thinking about anything but himself. And two, that he never really seems to think about anyone else at all if they are not of immediate use.

The implication we get from Zuko’s flashbacks (and he is the only source for what we might think of as the most relatively peaceful period of life in the royal family, in his youth before his mother disappeared and Azulon died) is that Ozai spent most of his time ignoring his children. We see very little of Ozai ever interacting with Zuko or even directly acknowledging that he exists, until Zuko’s relative lack of skill compared to Azula looks a bit embarassing to Azulon. We don’t get much of a sense that Azulon was bothered by this (at worst, a little impatient), but Ozai immediately frowns. Apart from that, he gives no response or remark to Zuko, even after Ursa vanishes.

No cutting remarks, no impatient remarks to shut up or to stop what he was doing; Ozai just ignores Zuko until he does something to irritate him, and he stays quiet about it until he has an opportunity to explode at him.

Conversely, while Azula deeply loves her father and has his approval and endorsement, to the degree that her losing it by being cast aside during his big gambit as the Phoenix King, is the last straw that sends her plummeting into paranoia and all the pillars of her identity collapsing, the thing is that we very rarely see Ozai interacting with her. In some sense this may be a limitation of the fact that Zuko is our primary FN character and we see the things that he does, so if Ozai is off praising Azula or at least making a token attempt to be a father to her, Zuko wouldn’t see it because Zuko being excluded from that kind of thing is an important aspect. But we also don’t get much of an impression that its happening at all. Given that Iroh grieving for Lu Ten’s death is played off (by Azula, who given her age is probably just imitating Ozai’s general demeanor, assuming that’s not the normal attitude for the Fire Nation royal court and high military, implying that it still not specific to her but a broader problem across the military culture) as being weak and embarassing, its probable that this kind of attitude is normal, or they believe it is.

But whatever else the surrounding culture might for, for Ozai himself, we do get a solid hint of his character through his interactions, especially in Day of Black Sun and his battle with Aang; in both, he is a vicious and rather smug bully who relishes bloodlust and hurting people emotionally, and when people dismiss this attitude or don’t rise to his bait, he’s visibly uncertain of how to react, and he’s the type of person who gets grouchy when people don’t play to script. So Ozai ultimately comes off as a mean-spirited manchild, who honestly DOESN’T think about other people at all unless they are of immediate use to him. And even then, he barely thinks about them anyway; he commands them to do something to serve his goals, or to make him look better, and then when they do it, he mentally puts them back into a toybox and ignores them until they are of further use. Otherwise at best, he ignores them, and gets irritable when they try to engage him outside that.

I don’t see Ozai as being threatened by Azula, either in her political ambitions or talent (she doesn’t even seem to have much of the former, and fights for her father’s love and a sense of duty rather than her own advancement), mostly because he’s not aware enough to even think of the possibility that she might have wants and needs outside of what HE wants. He doesn’t think about anyone else unless he wants them to do something, or he’s annoyed at them.

There’s also the point that Azula and Zuko, longing for his love and approval, misinterpret a lack of active hostility and malice from him as love, when he’s too emotionally shallow to care about anything other than how they make him look better by association, but that’s another topic altogether.

[whumperooni]

I'd love to be mutuals with you but now really sure how to approach you off-anon.

I've been holding off on answering this one because I'm not quite sure how to respond without coming off as rude or bitchy or grouchy or stuck up or just straight up ridiculous

So pretty please take this as a general answer for everyone wanting to be moots and not just you, okay? I promise it's nothing personal (specially since you're a nonny and idk who you are anyways)

tldr; I'm a bad moot and if you wanna be a moot it has to happen naturally

But

I'm a terrible mutual, tbh. My online presence is flaky at best and I rarely look at my dash. I'm happy to chat with my moots if they reach out and I'm happy to interact with them...but I don't really approach them and I go through long periods of time where I miss their content because a) I'm too busy to be on tumblr, b) my fixations have shifted and I don't wanna interact with stuff that's not centered on them, c) I'm feeling particularly tired and/or angry and I'm off tumblr because I know I'm going to lose my temper and lash out at someone.

I try to be nice to people and I try to keep an open mind and I really try to let people do their own thing even if it bothers me. But the thing is?

I'm not a super nice person. I have a minimal tolerance for bullshit and I have a problem with general fandom fuckery. (Like across all fandoms- not just here)

I get angry at fandom and I get angry at my dash and I get angry at myself and, honestly, my presence in fandom is more like a stray cat that wanders in when they're bored or hungry and leaves when I grow bored or irritated by whatever drama is going on that day. I'm selfish and standoffish and, honestly, jealous of a lot of things and people too.

They're not awesome qualities to have in a moot. They're not awesome qualities to have as a person. I try my best to maintain a more positive vibe but, really, it's not always strictly genuine.

And the thing is? It gets tiring trying to pretend that I'm not rolling my eyes at every post on my dash. I'm too old and tired to pretend to like people that get on my nerves. I don't follow those people. I try not to interact with them. I blacklist their tags and I'll block them if they really get under my skin.

I monitor my circle and I do it in a way that's strictly selfish. I refuse to follow someone who sends me into a rant every other day and I'll absolutely dump a mutual if seeing their posts starts to get under my skin. I've done that before and, honestly, it hurt to do that because I did enjoy their content a lot and I thought that we could actually be good friends....I just didn't enjoy them or entertain those daydreams anymore once they decided to dump me like a hot potato.

I've been on all the sides of being a moot- bestie moots, enemies to friends to moots and back to enemies, casual headcanon exchanging moots, the moot that's been dropped because the other found more popular friends + more clout, and the moot that's dropped the other because they started shit talking about things that are Extremely Personal to me and I wasn't about to deal with that.

It sucks being a moot with someone only to find out they've dumped you. And, honestly? That's a veryyyyyyyyy likely possibility when it comes to being moots with me? Which I hate because people don't deserve that and hurt feelings suck and I don't want to upset anyone if I don't have to. But the thing is? I have to monitor my experience on tumblr or I will spiral and become miserable and nuke my chances of being welcome in fandom during an inevitable, public meltdown.

And that means....well that means that things just have to happen naturally?

(God, I'm so sorry I'm rambling but I'm trying so hard to explain myself)

Like. If you come to me and you're like "I wanna be mutuals with you. I wanna be friends" then I'm going to recoil- especially if we've never interacted before. For one, something like that is supremely uncomfortable to me. How can I say no without coming off as a bitch? It feels like a trap- even if it isn't, even if it's purely just enthusiastic and sincere- and I'm a prickly, hermetic person by nature who literally talks to one person irl on a daily basis...who also happens to live with me and is my boyfriend.

I don't seek out friends. I don't seek out relationships. I don't try to make something happen when it comes to people? It just...idk man I have to let it happen naturally or eventually it's gonna blow up in my face because I will feel restless and trapped and resentful. (Even if you literally do nothing wrong. Please understand that I'm a kinda shitty person, I work two jobs and I'm always stressed, and I'm bipolar and unmedicated. Please understand that I try and I'm not using these as excuses but just stating facts- my mental and emotional state are often shit and I lash out at people once my stress becomes too much...which is often these days. That this has happened to me before and I know myself and I'm trying to be truthful and not set up any rosy expectations just to disappoint anyone)

Like...if you still wanna be a moot, all I can say is to just...interact with me? Maybe I'll check out your blog and vibe with what I see????

But there are layers and layers of why I'm Not a good moot and there are layers and layers of reasons I'm not going to follow just anybody just because I'm asked.

I...I don't know. I don't know how to end this and I don't know if this makes any sense at all or if it's too much explanation or not but...

Just...don't have any expectations when it comes to me. I'm making no promises to anyone and I'm trying to be transparent.

I won't be mutuals with someone just because they want me to be. It's gotta happen naturally or it won't happen at all.

And I am sincerely sorry if it causes hurt feelings or if it comes off as rude or mean or bitchy or something. Rejection fucking sucks, you know?

But I have to look out for my mental and emotional health and, unfortunately, that means setting boundaries and limits and monitoring my experience very carefully.

So...yeah.

I'm sorry. I know this is probably super unsatisfying and I'm deeply apologetic over it.

But...yeah. That's that and I'm going to shut up now.

(Sorry)

[deadmomjokes]

I don’t know how many US-based teens I have following me, but this is something that’s been on my mind a lot lately, so I figured I’d go ahead and say it. It’s long, but bear with me, because I kind of feel like this is one of the more Important things I end up saying on this garbage site. Sit back and buckle up, we’re about to get real here for a minute.

We all know our country is a dumpster fire. So I see about a 90% chance that most, if not all, of the public schools in the US are going to be forced either explicitly or implicitly to open for in-person instruction this Fall, despite the pandemic. All for the sake of potential profit. Which of course is despicable. You’re mad. I’m mad. We’re all mad. We’re scared. You’re scared. But I need y’all to listen to me for a minute.

Your teachers are terrified, too, and they NEED y’all in their corner.

They’re used to being scared. They’re scared they’re going to have to watch y’all get shot and not be able to save you. They’re scared they won’t be able to help when they know someone in their class is being abused at home. They’re scared they won’t have the money to fill in all the supply gaps. They’re always scared and stressed and taking on too much.

Now I’m not saying there aren’t garbage teachers out there, because I remember having several. But for the most part, people who sign up for the craptastic pay and horrible hours and unrelenting oversight and tedium and abuse that is teaching in a public school are doing it because they care about y’all more than they care about themselves. My mom was disabled and unable to work for years, but as soon as she heard that my high school was having to resort to distance learning for all their foreign language instruction, she told our superintendent right then and there at the dang open house that she was the new Spanish teacher and she would go redo her TB test the next day. All the physical demands of teaching (and yes, it is a physically intensive job) absolutely contributed to the pulmonary embolism that killed her over Christmas break that year, I have no doubt. She really wasn’t up to it, but she did it anyway. That’s the kind of person she was, and that’s who the vast majority of your teachers are. They care about you guys more than they care about themselves.

I’m telling you this because your teachers are about to be on the front lines, at even more risk than you if that’s possible. They’re about to be in charge of disinfecting the rooms, enforcing mask wearing, adapting lesson plans and schedules, all while being incredibly stressed and staying up late just like normal, which already puts them at high risk for getting sick. They won’t have subs to fill in if they start feeling a bit run down or under the weather. They’re at risk not just of losing their job if they protest or refuse this ridiculousness, they are leaving you all behind. They just can’t do it.

I personally know teachers who are freaking out over this, but they’re not worried about themselves. They’re worried about being the source of infection for their students, as well as the people at home. They’re worried that if they quit, someone is going to get put in their place who won’t care enough to take all the precautions they can. They’re worried about leaving their vulnerable students in a terrible situation without the support they know they can give. But they’re terrified of being responsible for you getting sick. They’re terrified and stuck in an impossible position.

So I know that, at least when I was your age, it was the “cool” thing to be mean to your teachers, to give them crap, to fight them every step of the way and just make their day horrible. The kids in the class below me made it a point of pride to see how many teachers they could run off before Christmas. But this is not the time for that.

Get behind your teachers. If y’all are getting forced into this, don’t add more struggle to it. Get together to get it done. Don’t make them nag you about your masks. Don’t make them have to come separate you from your friends. Follow the guidelines and get in it for the long haul. This is not the time to “but I don’t waaaaaaaanna.” I know how bad it sucks to not be able to see your friends and then not be able to hug them or shake hands or fist bump or anything. I know how uncomfortable the masks are. I know how dumb this all is and how the people in charge aren’t caring at all for your safety and it hurts and it’s scary and it makes you mad.

But your teachers are right there with you. They’re the ones trying to keep you all safe. There isn’t a teacher out there that wants to open for in person instruction until this is over. They’re willing to do what they have to in order to make online and remote and self-guided learning work, but that’s not their call. And teachers who are speaking out are under threat of getting fired. My best friend (who is pregnant and working at a charter school) and her colleagues got word anonymously from another district that teachers there who spoke out and were vocally against the decision to open again were explicitly threatened with termination. And the fear my friend has isn’t for her paycheck, it’s for you guys, and for her family at home. Not even for herself.

It’s hard to see your teachers as people sometimes, especially when their tempers run short or they give you too much homework. But underneath the stress is a person who cares so dang much they’re willing to now risk their own lives just to give you all the best chance of getting through this. You will probably never see how much work they’re having to do just to lessen your risk a little bit. Again, there are some crappy teachers out there who don’t care, but I can almost guarantee you that they’ve all jumped ship now. Unfortunately a lot of the good ones are being forced overboard, too. Some are immunocompromised and can’t do it. How do you choose between your own life and the kids you’ve dedicated your life to serving?

Just please, I’m begging you, the only way the risk is lessened is if y’all work with your teachers as a team. Do what they ask, follow the ridiculous rules, don’t make them come in and bust up a fight, stick with it, and BE PATIENT. They’re trying so hard, y’all. They don’t want this for you guys. They’re just as scared as you; moreso, honestly. And they’re at more risk than you just by virtue of how many of you guys they have to interact with (some schools are planning to have teachers rotate instead of students, to minimize the number of exposures kids have, but this increases the number of exposures the teachers get).

All y’all are getting totally thrown under the bus by government mandates and people who don’t care and aren’t going to be involved in the risk. Don’t make it worse by treating each other like the enemy. Your teachers care so dang much, and they want to help you, but now they need your help. Get in their corner, even if they’re grouchy and have a short fuse. They’re trying to do the impossible under threat of death just so y’all have the best chance of being okay.

[taylortruther]

My biggest concerns regarding Taylor are Scottish Folds and 50 Shades.

Scottish Folds look like that because their cartilage is so weak their ears fold over. Guess what cushions your bones? Guess what happens when your bone cartilage is so fragile that it can't hold up under its own weight?

I've tried to @ Taylor before, back when she was pretty active here, and either she didn't see it (likely) or she didn't want to hear it.

I'm glad she got a different cat this time because I'm really concerned. Thanks Brendon. Of course it's nice to have a cat that's not disabled from birth for once. Of course that cat likes cuddles more and isn't as grouchy.

...also she needs to learn more about cat behavior. Your cats don't hate you, you don't respect their space so they think they have to flee or act antagonistic to get it.

I don't find jokes about cat behavior funny anymore in that regard.

The 50 Shades callouts were not subtle or confined to one platform. Like I know it's kink, but people were pretty clear that it violates the rules of consensual stuff. And no, I don't think people are bad for consuming stuff like that, but she advertised that her song was in the movie to her fan base.

I don't find it cute for a baby to enjoy a song about drinking and having sex. I understand why my parents had restrictions now. They're not ready for that, you'll spark feelings too early. It's not the worst thing ever they're usually going to have the rest of their entire lives to enjoy this stuff. It's fine. They can wait.

It's not bad that Taylor's coming into her own and embracing her sexuality, but she's openly expressed delight when small children sing and dance along to her songs about alcohol and stuff. I know a lot of people think it's not that deep, but everything you hear has an affect on your psyche in some way.

If I were in her position I would be like, "My stuff isn't for kids! I'll be happy to welcome you when you're older!" But no apparently it's fine for kids to be small adults now I fuckin guess /s

I'm wordy because I'm thinking of every counterargument to my concerns that I've ever heard of 😝

Anyway part of the reason that's relevant is that I KNOW she led impressionable young women directly to a movie that unapologetically portrays an abusive, controlling relationship with dubious consent, and told them they should watch it.

So that's why if I were only able to discuss two things with her then it would be Scottish Folds and 50 Shades.

i think taylor is definitely of the mind that her music is consumed by different people in different ways and she shouldn't tell anyone HOW to interact with it. generally speaking, her song for 50 shades wasn't about BDSM or unsafe sex practices, so the song itself doesn't bother me... it did bother me that it was a blatant money grab though. but, idk, i'm conflicted about taylor's responsibility for how people consume her art. i totally agree that 50 shades was a shitty series, so i'm disappointed she's part of it, but i don't think a celebrity can, in any way, replace proper guidance in someone's personal life, you know?

as for the cats... yeah. i'm against designer breeds in general so i hear you on that.

this is a good thought though. if i could discuss 2 things with taylor, no holds barred, i'd probably ask her what she thinks about kaylor. i'm curious! and i'd want to know why she really quit tumblr.

like, there are more serious questions i'd want to ask but i don't think she'd be truthful, so... lol

[constantlytiredghost]

For the smooch promts. 4 for Martin Gerry or 15 for Daisy and Basira. Your choice. ;)

Here we go one (1) GerryMartin (technically JonGerryMartin but shhh)

with 4:   An accidental brush of lips followed by a pause and going back for another, on purpose I mean at this point it's the prompt rather loosely interpreted and split into an accidental 'kiss' and brushing lips against each other before diving in for another kiss BUT I hope you like it nonetheless :'D (and as you already know Daisira also happened and is already up on ao3 lel)

Having a crush on your boss was already bad enough, but also having a crush on the childhood friend of your boss was worse. But here was Martin, crushing on both, the small grouchy head archivist who happened to be his boss and the tall, buff goth that occasionally appeared in the archives to bother aforementioned grouchy head archivist.

And they were dating. Probably. They hadn’t announced it or anything, but it seemed pretty obvious from an outsider perspective that there was something between them, that went beyond a normal friendship. Simply watching the way they interacted with each other showed that.

Not that Martin watched them interact or anything. Not a lot at least. Sometimes he simply saw them. Like that time when he had seen them walk down the stairs of the institute, Gerry’s arm slung across Jon’s shoulder pulling him close, or the time when he had found them in the breakroom with Jon nearly sitting in Gerry’s lap. So they didn’t need to announce anything for Martin to be convinced that they indeed were a thing, which was fine really. He was happy for them, but it wasn’t exactly making things easy.

Martin had tried to stomp those pesky feelings, but that hadn’t worked so far. He tried to keep his distance, he really did, but there was only so much he could do to avoid his boss and Gerry had a knack for finding him. Because even when he hid away in a storage room, putting old statements away, he couldn’t escape.

“Do you need help?”

Martin nearly let the box with the files drop. Speaking of the devil.

“Gerry! Geez… ah, well no, I’m good I think. Thanks for asking though.” he replied, trying to calm his racing heart. “Did Jon kick you out again?”, he asked then.

Gerry huffed amused. 

“Yep. It’s statement time, no interruptions allowed for the next mhhh 20 minutes? Unless I want to get threatened with a tape recorder. So I thought I’d check if I can be of help elsewhere.”

Martin chuckled softly before he shook his head lightly.

“Well, as I said, I’m good. Maybe ask Sasha? Or Tim?”, he suggested.

Gerry gave him a long and piercing look that Martin couldn’t quite interpret.

“Sure.”, he said then. “Are y…”

Before he could finish that sentence, the light above them flickered and went out.

“...shit.” Gerry said instead, and Martin had to agree.

 “I think they got a new piece from the Dark in the Artifact Storage today.”, he mumbled, feeling around for the shelves, bumping into Gerry in the process.

“Sorry.”

“No worries, I’m fine.”

“That’s uh great, uhm well I’ll go look for the fuse box in case it’s just, well, normal stuff instead of the Dark.” Martin said, making his way along the shelves into the direction of the fuse box.

“I’ll come with you.”

“You don’t need too.”

“But I want too, and in case something tries to jump either of us it’s better not to be alone.”

That was sadly a pretty solid argument that Martin could hardly say no to, so he sighed.

“Oh, and I have a flashlight.”

A dim light flickered to life, making Martin squint his eyes when it danced over his face.

“Fine.” he relented.

“Great, lead the way.”

The light of Gerry’s torch was weak and flickered, but it didn’t die, so Martin had hopes that maybe, maybe they wouldn’t have to deal with some sort of darkness monster and could just fix some fuses and be done with. He doubted that they were that lucky, but he still liked to hope.

.

The fuse box for this area was in a small room in the back and calling it a room was maybe too much. It was a glorified closet with enough space for the fuse box, a few supplies and two people if you squeezed as it turned out.

Gerry’s side was squeezed against his, and maybe Martin was panicking a little bit. 

The only reason for Gerry being in the closet with him being that they were both stubborn. Gerry refused to give him the flashlight while Martin was blind without it, but refused to move, so Gerry had simply squeezed in next to him so he could shine at the fuses.

“Well, this, unfortunately, looks fine,” Martin muttered after he couldn’t find anything out of place. “Guess it really is something down in the Art…”

The door behind them slammed shut, making the small space seem even smaller.

“Well, this on the other hand, certainly isn’t fine.” Gerry commented, making Martin snort against his better judgement.

He could feel Gerry shift around next to him and then heard him rattle at the door.

“It’s locked.”

“What?”

“Yeah, I don’t know, definitely doesn’t open.”

Martin also pushed against the door, but just as Gerry had said. It didn’t budge.

“Guess we’re stuck then.”

Gerry snorted. “Apparently. At least it’s only the two of us and no shadow monster in sight.” he said, leaning back against the door, seemingly trying to find a comfortable position.

Martin smiled weakly, while he tried to move around, also looking for a remotely comfortable position, who knew how long they were stuck.

“Suppose we’ll just have to wait until the others find us.”, he said after more or less leaning against the wall.

Gerry hummed in agreement.

“Yeah we could just wait, or we could...talk.”

“Talk?” Martin questioned.

“Mhhh, talk, like about why you’re avoiding me, for example.”

“I’m not avoiding you,” Martin said defensively. Gerry only raised an eyebrow and gave him a disbelieving look.

“Fine.” Martin relented with a sigh when Gerry kept on staring at him. “I’m avoiding you.”

“Oh, I know that you’re avoiding me.” Gerry chuckled softly. “But that doesn’t answer why.” He paused. “Listen, it’s okay if you don’t want to be around me, but I’d rather know, then have you run away from me, alright?”

“I...It’s not that I don’t want to be around you.” Martin said with another sigh, rubbing over his face. ”It’s just…”

“Is it because of your crush on Jon?”

“Wha…? How do you know about that?” Martin could feel his cheeks burn and just hoped that it wasn’t too visible in the dim light.

Gerry looked at him and then started laughing, but it wasn’t mean or anything and just resulted in Martin’s heart doing funny things inside of his chest.

“You’re not exactly subtle. I’m pretty sure everyone knows...okay, everyone except Jon. He probably just thinks you’re nice.”

“Jon thinks I’m nice?”

“You constantly bring him tea and biscuits, and you care for him, what else is he supposed to think? You’re literally one of the nicest people I know Martin. Even though….Now that I think about it, you’ve been avoiding him too, so this clearly is about him.”

Martin buried his face in his hands and groaned.

“Listen, if you’re here to tell me off or something, just do it.”, he muttered.

“Tell you off? Why would I tell you off?” Gerry sounded truly confused, and Martin slowly lowered his hands.

“Because I have a crush? On your boyfriend?”

Gerry stared at him. Martin stared at Gerry until Gerry’s snicker interrupted the silence that had settled between them.

“Stop laughing! I’m serious.” Martin complained, kicking lightly against Gerry’s shin to shut him up.

“Sorry, sorry, it’s just…”  Gerry started laughing again. “This is ridiculous.”

“Excuse you?!”

“Okay, shit that came out wrong, sorry. What I mean is that it’s pretty hilarious how blind people can be when it comes to themselves."

“And you’re trying to tell me what exactly?” Martin asked.

Gerry gave him a lopsided grin.

“Jon likes you too.”

Martin blinked, then he opened his mouth only to close it again, before pinching himself. It hurt, so not a dream.

“I...Jon...but aren’t you dating?”

Gerry shrugged, pushing himself from his position against the door so he could turn to face Martin, knocking a few supplies over in the process of doing so.

“Yeah, we are.”

“Why...how are you so chill about this?”

Gerry gave him a wry smile in return.

“I like you too, I guess,” he shrugged again. “heteronormative relationships were never my jam, so maybe that’s why. I know you like Jon and not me, but if you’re willing, I’m sure we can work something out. I honestly just want to see both of you happy.”

Gerry was rambling, and Martin could only gape. His heart ached for this beautiful man, who had decided that he was okay to put his own wishes last if it meant that the people he loves were happy.

“...and I hope I didn’t make you uncomfortable or anything. I swear this sounded better in my head, but…”

“Gerry.”

“Yes?”

“Shut up.”

Gerry’s mouth closed with an audible click. He looked nervous, and now it was Martin’s turn to smile.

“You know, you call me and Jon blind when it comes to ourselves, but I don’t think we’re the only ones. Jon is not the only person I have a crush on, Gerry.” he said softly and watched how Gerry nervous face turned from nervous to confusion, to surprise and then into a wide grin after the realisation hit him.

Then Gerry squinted his eyes at him. “It’s Tim, isn’t it?” he asked, but Gerry’s shit-eating grin and the twinkling in his eyes told Martin that he wasn’t serious.

“Obviously.”, he replied dryly. They looked at each other and started laughing. Gerry leaned forward, to place his forehead against Martin’s shoulder, snickering. Martin wrapped his arms around him, cheeks hurting from smiling so much.

“God, we’re all so blind.” Gerry mumbled against Martin’s sweater, his arms wrapping around Martin’s middle.

“Yeah.” Martin agreed with a snort and as if on command, the light of Gerry’s torch flickered out, leaving them in pitch black darkness.

“....I didn’t mean literally.” Gerry muttered and pulled back, and Martin couldn’t stop snickering.

“I think I got spare batteries, wait.”

Martin could feel Gerry shifting and moving around.

“Careful.”

“Yeah, surahhh…. FUCK.”

Martin could feel Gerry tripping and tried to grab him, but the supplies that had fallen earlier made him topple over too, and they both crashed.

Martin hit his head against the door, and Gerry somehow landed half on top of him, knee ramming into his thigh while their lips smacked against each other, their teeth clacking together painfully.

Martin groaned that had hurt.

“Shit, sorry,” Gerry muttered, trying to get up before he just gave up and simply straddled Martin’s legs instead. “Are you okay?”

“Yes, I think,” he answered, rubbing his head. “That was a pretty shitty first kiss though, dunno why movies think this works.”, he added lightly, sitting up, only to bump his head against Gerry’s in the process. “Did you at least find the batteries.”

“Yeah, and I’m very willing to make it up to you as soon as I put them in.”

Martin could hear something getting unscrewed, and a few clacking sounds. It didn’t take long until the torch flickered back on, illuminating the closet once more.

“So, Mr. Blackwood, will you let me prove that I’m capable of more than smashing our heads together and probably giving you a few bruises in the process?” 

Gerry looked at him with open eyes and an adorably, impish smile. Martin still couldn’t quite believe it, so he just nodded, unable to trust his own voice.

Gerry leant forward again, slowly to give Martin all the time he wanted should he decide that he wanted to pull back. 

Martin didn’t and leant forward instead, meeting Gerry halfway. When Gerry’s lips brushed over his, it was barely a touch, soft and sweet and Martin wanted more, chasing after them when Gerry pulled back, to tug him into another kiss.

He vaguely registered that the torch clinked against the ground next to them, to busy burying his hands in Gerry’s hair to pull him even closer and Gerry followed, nipping at his lips, with a playful bite.

Movement could be heard in front of the closet, and they broke apart just in time to look up at Jon, who looked back down at them with raised eyebrows.

“What’s going on in here?” he asked, and Martin could feel a blush creeping up, on his cheeks.

“I got us a boyfriend, that’s what’s going on,” Gerry replied cheerfully, scrambling up on his feet, before holding out a hand for Martin, to help him up.

“Unless you don’t want too?”

Two searching gazes were directed at him, and Martin shook his head.

“No, I mean, yes? I mean, I’d love too.”

Gerry seemed relieved, a tension that Martin hadn’t noticed before left his body and on Jon’s lips formed a smile.

“You need to fill me in on what exactly happened in there. I think I’m missing a few pieces." 

Gerry and Martin looked at each other and then at Jon.

“Yeah, let’s talk. Guess we should do that anyway.” Martin said, and the two of them followed Jon into his office.

.

They told Jon what had happened and in turn, Jon also told them a few things. Like that the Dark didn’t have anything to do with the entire situation. The lightbulb simply had burned out, and the door hadn’t opened because of a book stack that had toppled over, slamming the door shut and in the process lodging themselves so that it was impossible to open the door from the inside without violence.

Hearing it all like that Martin felt a bit like he had ended up in a ridiculous cheesy romcom, but he also certainly couldn’t complain.

He also learned that day that kissing Jon while Gerry was nipping at his neck was a special form of bliss, that he couldn’t have imagined in his wildest dreams. And that being sandwiched between those two men was exactly where he wanted to be.

[midnightactual]

Hello hello! I wanted to let you know I love your writing of Yoruichi! I been shy to interact but, I am happy you follow me and I love reading your writing about her. When you post and I see it on my dash it brings me joy! I really love your writing and reading your interactions with everyone! < 333 It makes me smile and I hope your day becomes brigther!!

Awww! Thank you so very much for sending this in! It's always lovely to get positive feedback and to see people being supportive of others in the community! I really appreciate you taking the time to write me! ^^ I love seeing you on the dash too and missed seeing Hikari around during your absence! It's okay to feel shy, but don't be afraid to just reach out if you like. Yoruichi may be grouchy sometimes but she can probably use more wholesome characters in her day-to-day. You definitely put a smile on my face and I hope you have a good day too~!

[morston-trash]

The Last Sunrise

I honestly can’t remember if I have ever posted this on here. This is the work that I am the proudest of. It also tore me apart to write it. 

Spoiler warning to anyone that hasn’t finished the game; it contains end of game spoilers. 

Proceed with caution. 

--------------------------------------

The gunshots faded into the distance but didn't cease altogether. The hunt was still on, just for someone else that had decided to leave while they had the chance. Whether they would actually escape or not, that was another matter. The men that were in the, once glorious Van Der Linde gang, were very persistent. The remaining men were more than likely in pursuit on horseback.

John could almost hear the whoops and hollers of the men as he fled. His heart slammed against his chest, adrenaline coursing through his veins. All he could do was keep running, even though his legs threatened to give out. He finally collapsed, falling against a nearby tree. There he lay, working frantically to catch his breath.

"Go to your family," Arthur struggled before starting the climb upwards.

"Arthur!" John hissed.

"Go on, get out of here and be a god damn man," Arthur wheezed.

"Y-you're my brother..." John hesitated, reluctant to leave the man.

"I know..." the older man said before climbing up.

That interaction was burned into his skull, playing over and over again in his mind. He couldn't believe that he had left him. He hated himself more than he could ever express. Arthur had always been there for him. He had always been there to help him, to bail him out of the mess he always got himself into. He had just left him there to die. Hot tears threatened to fall, but he refused to let them fall.

"Be a god damned man..." John choked back sobs.

He stood, his legs threatening to give out once again. Without thinking, he ran back in the direction in which he had left his savior. He ran as hard as he could. Just hoping and praying, for the first time in his life, that he would make it there in time. He could barely breathe but he was willing to endure it. John was determined. He was going to get back to Arthur, one way or another.

The dark-haired man approached where he had left Arthur. He swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat. Arthur. Was he still alive? He climbed up the ledge, dread rising inside of him. He didn't know if he could do this. John pushed on, he was going to do this. His eyes scanned the area, searching for the man.

"A-Arthur?" He somehow managed to call out, sounding like a scared child.

He heard an angry groan in response, it had to be him. Only Arthur could make a simple sound seem so grouchy. He followed the noise to the source. The sight that greeted him shattered what was left of his stone heart. There sat Arthur leaning against the stone wall behind him, bloody and bruised from the fight that must have occurred after he left. The older man shot him a look of pure disbelief and annoyance.

"I... I told you to get out of here... Go to your family..." The dying man muttered, barely able to take a breath.

"I can't leave you, Arthur. You're my family too..." John cried, unable to keep the tears from falling.

"Y-you're... A mess... Marston," Arthur coughed.

"Don't I know it?" John laughed in an attempt to control his tears.

Arthur struggled to sit up just a little more. These were his last moments and the pair both knew it. John wished that he could stop time, that he could save his oldest friend. But he couldn't. Instead, he just sat there beside the other man, enjoying the silence. Before this moment, he had never understood what Arthur enjoyed about it so much, but now he completely understood. He understood everything now. It was as if the other man had opened himself up without saying a word. There they sat, Artur's final moments being spent in silence as they watched the sunrise together this one last time. John was painfully aware that he could no longer hear the struggling wheezes coming from Arthur trying to catch a breath. He had passed. John couldn't bring himself to look at the shell of one he had cared for so deeply. Instead, he sat there beside him. Watching the sun climb into the morning sky.

John thought of all the times they shared, just like how Arthur wanted to spend his last moments. It hurt like hell, but it brought the man some comfort. When Arthur saved him from the wolves, drinking around the campfire, all of the many times they had ridden together, their ride to get Jack back. That reminded him of something Arthur had once said.

"We can't change what's done, we can only move on," The now dead man's voice echoed in his ears as if he was talking.

He couldn't help but smile despite the tears that ran down his scarred face. That man had truly been the most selfless person he had ever known. Beyond that rough, sarcastic, intimidating exterior he was really just another hurt soul that loved helping people. Even if it took him until the end of his life to realize it. John forced himself to get up to face reality. Arthur was gone, all that left of him was his corpse and the memories that everyone had of him. His eyes dropped to the shell of the man, his chest feeling like a bear had torn into it. His dull eyes were still open, looking at the rising sun. He brought his hands to the face of his trusted friend, closing his eyes. John dropped to his knees, unable to hold up the facade of being strong. The tears flowed freely, unable to be contained or controlled any longer. His head dropped. He stayed there, unable to move. Without any prompting from him, a pained scream came forth from his throat. He didn't care if the gang heard him, if the Pinkertons heard him, he just didn't care in that moment. He couldn't bring himself to care.

The man heard the sound of pebbles being kicked behind him, someone was coming upon him. He stumbled into a standing position before drawing his gun and turning to face the source. His vision blurry, he could barely make out the image of Charles, the man Arthur trusted most out of the gang. That was still alive anyway. He sniffled and lowered his gun, trying to compose himself. It was fitting, he was feeling and acting just like the child he was when he met the man that now sat dead beside him. Both of the men nodded in agreement, no words needed to be exchanged. They already knew what needed to be done. Charles lifted the body of his trusted friend. John followed as the dark-skinned man carried him away from the place that he took his last breath. The pair walked in silence, both feeling more comfortable that way. They had never really talked much, the only things they had in common being small bits and pieces of the past few months and Arthur. They were both sad about the other man's death, but John was taking it the hardest of the two. Charles had a more private way of mourning, as well as a more considerate way of showing appreciation for the lives of those around him.

Charles led the way, placing Arthur on the back of Taima. He grabbed the reins and started to lead the horse. John followed, reluctant to stray away from the body. They walked away, the rays of the sun chasing away the cold of the hilly region. The walk was quiet, tranquil. This morning was the calm after the storm, and yet they couldn't wait for it to be over. They arrived a short distance from where the heroic man had spent his final moments. They were on a cliff, basking in the sunlight. It was a beautiful spot.

"This spot, it's beautiful..." John mumbled.

"Arthur would have wanted to be buried somewhere like this. Facing west. So that he could look at the sun and remember everything," Charles barely more than whispered.

The pale man had hardly heard the other, but he knew what had been sad. He was right, their fallen friend would have loved a spot like this. It was a beautiful spot, surrounded by a stunning view of the landscape. Had Arthur been alive, he likely would have been taking in the jaw-dropping sight with his journal in his hands. Tears threatened to fall, but he fought the now-familiar sensation. John didn't think that he could cry anymore but he didn't want to risk it. Charles pulled out his small, collapsable shovel from his saddlebag. The darker man removed his friend from the back of his horse before placing the body in the shade of a nearby tree. John couldn't help but watch, noticing the expression of pain that crossed his face. It was unusual, he had never seen him show this much emotion. Arthur had touched all of their hearts, he had saved them. There was no greater man, in their eyes anyway. He may have been a criminal, a murderer, a thief, but he had done it all to help the entire gang. But the bastards had turned on him, on all of those that saw how crazy Dutch really was.

"You should get out of here, get back to your family. I'll take care of him," the other man motioned to the body of their lost friend.

The grieving man could only nod numbly. He didn't want to leave, but Arthur trusted Charles in life and he was sure that this would have been what the man wanted. John turned away and began to walk away reluctantly. He walked back the way they had come, each step taking him a little further from the man who had saved his life countless times. The raven-haired man just wanted to throw himself on the ground, to scream out curse after curse, but it wouldn't change anything. It wouldn't bring Arthur back. Instead, he kept forcing himself to take step after step. Towards where Sadie had taken his family to safety. Another person that Arthur had trusted a lot, despite her having only been with them for a few months. But Arthur's judgment was not misplaced. The two had been more alike than anyone other than themselves could notice. John could see that now. It's funny, you only really start to notice and pay attention to things when they are no longer there. John cracked a sad smile at the thought. He felt so stupid, but at the same time, he felt partly to blame for Arthur's death. If he hadn't left him, maybe he would have still been alive. He could have fought off the one that killed him. They could have gotten him out of there. They could have tried to help him get better. The invasive thoughts swirled through his mind like a tornado.

"We can't change what's done, we can only move on,"

The man looked around for the source of the voice. It was like a whisper in the wind. Even beyond the grave, the man was looking out for him. Those words brought some comfort to the man, but not enough to prevent even more tears from falling. He struggled to not fall down onto his knees.

"D-damn you, Morgan. You selfless bastard..." the man sniffled.

He moved onwards despite the pull he felt to return to the corpse of the man he called brother. Each step made it harder to fight the urge. The urge to be there with Arthur. The sound of voices brought him out of his thoughts.

"We can't leave yet! They are still coming!" a woman yelled shrilly.

"We don't know that, they might have caught them." another woman reasoned.

"Momma, where's papa?" A young child asked.

"He's coming sweetie, he'll be here," the first woman soothed.

John recognized those voices, they were the voices of his family and Ms. Sadie Adler. He followed the voices out of the bushes. Sadie had her gun drawn, pointing at John. Once she recognized him, she lowered her weapon. Abigail ran towards him, wrapping her arms around him tightly. He hugged her back, realizing just how much he had missed her. Jack came running over and clung to him tightly.

"Papa! Papa!" the boy yelled joyously.

"I'm here, I'm here..." He reached a hand down to grasp the boy as well as his lover.

"Where's Arthur?" Sadie asked, knowing the answer but needing confirmation.

Arthur had told her about the tuberculosis. She knew that he was going to die. Seeing John walk over wearing his hat confirmed it. But she needed to hear it.

"He, uh... He didn't make it. Charles is burying him on a ridge not too far from where he..." John swallowed hard, unable to finish the sentence.

Sadie nodded, a dull pain searing through her interior. Arthur had been one of the best men she had ever met, seconded only by her late husband. She was going to miss him dearly. She turned her attention to the reunited family. She had fulfilled her promise to the man, she had helped them get out. They could go on living their life free from all of the madness that had just ensued. Sadie, on the other hand, didn't quite know what to do. She was more of a ghost than a person.

The Marston family loaded onto the wagon that was waiting for them, to take them to their new future. One hopefully free of bounties, robbing, murder, and Pinkertons. John was in the driver's seat with Jack between him and the woman. John turned to look at her as if asking if she was to be joining them. She just shook her head, waving them off. The man nodded, before signaling for the horses to start moving. There the family went, onwards towards their new life, their second chance. All thanks to a man named Arthur Morgan.

[landslide-1]

WHAT IS SMOKING CIGARETTES?

A cigarette is a narrow cylinder containing burnable material, typically tobacco, that is rolled into thin paper for smoking. Across all forms of tobacco consumption both smoking and nonsmoking cigarettes are the most purchased and consumed tobacco item, creating a multibillion-dollar industry.

Addiction Nicotine is the main addictive substance in cigarettes and other forms of tobacco. Nicotine is a drug that affects many parts of your body, including your brain. Over time, your body and brain get used to having nicotine in them. About 80–90% of people who smoke regularly are addicted to nicotine. Nicotine reaches your brain within 10 seconds of when it enters your body. It causes the brain to release adrenaline, and that creates a buzz of pleasure and energy. The buzz quickly fades, though. Then you may feel tired or a little down—and you may want that buzz again. Your body is able to build up a high tolerance to nicotine, so you’ll need to smoke more cigarettes to get that same buzz. This up and down cycle happens over and over. That’s what leads to addiction. When people don’t smoke, they may have withdrawal symptoms. That’s because their bodies have to get used to not having nicotine. Withdrawal symptoms may include: *Feeling down or sad *Having trouble sleeping *Feeling irritable‚ on edge‚ grouchy *Having trouble thinking clearly and concentrating *Feeling restless and jumpy *Slower heart rate *Feeling more hungry or gaining weight *Medication called nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) can help reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms. *Learn more about NRT and how it can help you stop smoking with our interactive NRT explorer. Your VA health care provider can give you a prescription for NRT. It’s also available without a prescription from your local pharmacy. Addiction is the main reason people smoke, but it’s not the only reason.

10 Tips to Prevent smoking Cigarettes

1.Think positive You might have tried to quit smoking before and not managed it, but don't let that put you off. Look back at the things your experience has taught you and think about how you're really going to do it this time. 2.Make a plan to quit smoking

Make a promise, set a date and stick to it. Sticking to the "not a drag" rule can really help.Whenever you find yourself in difficulty, say to yourself, "I won't even have a single drag", and stick with this until the cravings pass. Think ahead to times where it might be difficult (a party, for instance), and plan your actions and escape routes in advance. 3.Consider your diet

Is your after-dinner cigarette your favourite? A US study revealed that some foods, including meat, make cigarettes more satisfying. Others, including cheese, fruit and vegetables, make cigarettes taste terrible. So swap your usual steak or burger for a veggie pizza instead. You may also want to change your routine at or after mealtimes. Getting up and doing the dishes straight away or settling down in a room where you don't smoke may help. 4.Change your drink

The same US study as above also looked at drinks. Fizzy drinks, alcohol, cola, tea and coffee all make cigarettes taste better. So when you're out, drink more water and juice. Some people find simply changing their drink (for example, switching from wine to a vodka and tomato juice) affects their need to reach for a cigarette. 5.Identify when you crave cigarettes

A craving can last 5 minutes. Before you give up, make a list of 5-minute strategies.For example, you could leave the party for a minute, dance or go to the bar.And think about this: the combination of smoking and drinking raises your risk of mouth cancer by 38 times. 6.Get some stop smoking support

If friends or family members want to give up, too, suggest to them that you give up together.There's also support available from your local stop smoking service. Did you know that you're up to 4 times more likely to quit successfully with their expert help and advice?

If friends or family members want to give up, too, suggest to them that you give up together.There's also support available from your local stop smoking service. Did you know that you're up to 4 times more likely to quit successfully with their expert help and advice? up to 4 times more likely to quit successfully with their expert help and advice? You can also call the NHS Smokefree helpline on 0300 123 1044, open Monday to Friday, 9am to 8pm and Saturday to Sunday, 11am to 4pm. 7.Get moving

A review of scientific studies has proved exercise, even a 5-minute walk or stretch, cuts cravings and may help your brain produce anti-craving chemicals. 8.Make non-smoking friends

When you're at a party, stick with the non-smokers. "When you look at the smokers, don't envy them," says Louise, 52, an ex-smoker. "Think of what they're doing as a bit strange – lighting a small white tube and breathing in smoke." 9.Keep your hands and mouth busy

Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) can double your chances of success.As well as patches, there are tablets, lozenges, gum and a nasal spray. And if you like holding a cigarette, there are handheld products like the inhalator or e-cigarettes.When you're out, try putting your drink in the hand that usually holds a cigarette, or drink from a straw to keep your mouth busy. 10.Make a list of reasons to quit Keep reminding yourself why you made the decision to give up. Make a list of the reasons and read it when you need support.

EFFECTS OF SMOKING CIGARETTES

Smoking causes cancer, heart disease, stroke, lung diseases, diabetes, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Smoking also increases risk for tuberculosis, certain eye diseases, and problems of the immune system, including rheumatoid arthritis.

The Effects of Secondhand Smoke Being around tobacco smoke is bad for you, even if it's someone else's smoke.When someone smokes a cigarette, most of the smoke doesn't go into their lungs. It goes into the air, where anyone nearby can breathe it.Smoking is banned in many public places. But many people are still exposed to secondhand smoke, especially children who live with parents who smoke. Even people who try to be careful about where they light up may not protect those around them.

What Is Secondhand Smoke? It can come from a cigarette, cigar, or pipe. Tobacco smoke has more than 4,000 chemical compounds, at least 250 are known to cause disease.Exposure to secondhand smoke raises the risk -- by as much as 30 percent -- that others will get lung cancer and many other types of cancer, it can lead to emphysema, and it is bad for your heart. Smoke makes your blood stickier, raises your "bad" LDL cholesterol, and damages the lining of your blood vessels. Eventually, these changes can make you more likely to have a heart attack or stroke.

[heliotrope-r]

"Missing women” and The Mandalorian

Ever since the first episode of The Mandalorian aired I’ve been hearing female (and some male) fans expressing disappointment that it doesn’t feature more speaking roles for women. In fact, we’re three episodes and nearly 90 minutes into the series now, and the only woman we’ve heard speak is The Armourer. 

Is this evidence that Star Wars is walking back on its attempts to be more inclusive, and giving in to the loudmouthed trolls who called The Last Jedi “SJW propaganda” and can’t hear Rey’s name mentioned without sneeringly dismissing her as a Mary Sue? Is The Mandalorian trying to please a certain subset of male fans who feel threatened by female characters unless they’re damsels in distress, mother figures, sexy props, or otherwise incidental to a male hero’s story?

I get why people are worried about this, I really do. I care a lot about seeing interesting, well-rounded female characters on screen, and stories that not only include but show genuine respect for women’s points of view. I’m tired of seeing the importance -- and even the existence -- of women minimized in action-adventure franchises that take place in far-off fantasy realms or other made-up universes that could theoretically be anything the writers want, but depressingly often just end up catering to a male gaze and ignorant sexist attitudes. If I thought The Mandalorian was going to be one of those stories, I’d be upset too.

But frankly, I’ve seen no evidence that this show holds women in contempt, or has any lasting intention of preventing them from taking a central and indeed crucial role in the unfolding story. In fact, given the slant of the show so far, I’ll be highly surprised if well-drawn female characters don’t turn out to be extremely important to The Mandalorian’s plot and its hero’s character arc later on.

It’s been said that there’s no reason that all the speaking roles but one in the first three episodes had to go to men, and that so many of the background characters are male as well. But consider the nature of those roles. We start the show on a barren ice planet in a bar full of callous, profiteering, highly unpleasant-looking aliens, at least three of whom Mando ends up killing to retrieve his bounty. Would any of those be positive roles for women? How about the craven, chattering, rather annoying fish man he’s been sent to capture, or the grouchy but talkative speeder driver who takes them to Mando’s ship? Would we be happy to see our female speeder driver abruptly devoured by a hideous monster, or watching Mando ruthlessly shove our female bounty into a carbonite chamber and freeze her solid? How would that change our feelings about the show’s attitude to women, and our perception of The Mandalorian as a hero?

After that point, nearly every human or humanoid character Mando interacts with except Kuiil is involved in criminal activity or some other kind of bad behaviour, and many of those people end up getting threatened or violently killed. Would we want those roles to go to women? Admittedly, Kuiil could have been a woman (and interestingly enough he’s physically played by one, albeit with Nick Nolte’s voice) but he’s also an alien living alone on a desert planet, and a female Kuiil’s scenes wouldn’t even pass the Bechdel Test. It’s representation of a sort, but not one that says a lot about women.

The one speaking female character we do have is The Armourer played by Emily Swallow, an Athena-like figure in distinctive armour who is a skilled blacksmith and clearly a leader (if not the leader) of our hero’s Mandalorian clan. Her voice makes plain she’s female, but she’s not sexualized in any way, and her role is one of dignity, wisdom and power. So whatever the show is up to by keeping female characters to a minimum, treating them as incompetent or merely decorative is not part of that plan.

So what is the plan, you ask? What makes you think the writers and directors of The Mandalorian actually care about women and want to make the female perspective a significant part of the story, and that The Armourer isn’t just a token role to keep their misogyny from being too blatantly obvious?

First, as I’ve already said, the show so far has been full of brutality and death, but not one of the characters committing or suffering that violence so far has been a humanoid female. If the showrunners considered women disposable or casually interchangeable with men, there’d be no reason not to have visibly (or audibly) female bounty hunters, ex-Stormtroopers, or other characters getting killed by Mando in the course of the story. But that hasn’t happened. And I don’t think it’s because the showrunners were so stupid it never occurred to them that they could include female extras, either. It’s because they knew that seeing the Mandalorian committing multiple acts of casual violence against women, even women who are heavily armed and coded as evil, would make it hard for viewers to see him as a hero.

Second, we have women behind the scenes of this production in ways we normally don’t expect to see. The most recent, much-praised third episode “The Sin” was directed by Deborah Chow -- the first woman ever to direct a live-action Star Wars story. And as I mentioned above, Kuiil’s body movements were all performed by a woman, Misty Rosas. Was this accidental? Hardly. It’s evidence that the showrunners are looking to include women, and not just default to male crew and performers out of laziness.

Third, look at all the planets The Mandalorian has taken us to so far. What do they all have in common? They’re completely barren. No greenery, no beauty, and the few creatures we see are monstrous and even murderous. With that in mind, doesn’t it seem like the absence of significant female characters might be saying something about Mando’s life and experience at the start of his journey? Could it be that we’re meant to notice that something important is missing, that the present state of his universe is unhealthy, unfruitful, and out of balance? And because we’ve noticed that, we’re going to also notice the introduction of female characters to the story, and appreciate the difference they make, all the more when they finally show up?

And they are going to show up. We already know that Gina Carano, Ming Na-Wen, and Julia Jones -- all women, and none of them white -- will be playing significant, speaking, recurring roles in the upcoming episodes. We’ve also seen a promo pic that shows Mando with both Julia Jones and Gina Carano beside him and no other male characters in frame, gazing peaceably out together at a green, living, healthy landscape. That’s not an accident. Mando’s life without women is barren and brutal; his life accompanied by women is peaceful and pastoral. What does that say about the showrunners’ attitude to women?

Okay, you say, but they didn’t have to write the story that way. They could have written a different story that included women in positive, speaking roles from the beginning. You’re right, they could have -- but it would also have been a totally different story. And not necessarily, in the long run, one that does a better job of portraying and representing women than The Mandalorian is planning to do.

The tl;dr of all this is that after watching the first three episodes, even as someone who cares deeply about the portrayal of women in Star Wars and wants to see as many complex, interesting female characters on my screen as possible, I don’t feel any reason to despair or jump to negative conclusions about The Mandalorian's treatment of women. 

In fact, I see plenty of reasons to believe that the show is sneakily working to undermine the prejudices of the same crusty-white-male demographic that many are accusing it of trying to indulge. It’s reeling fandudes in with a setup that looks like a macho power fantasy only to subvert that perception at every turn, as our Mandalorian hero sets out to put another few notches on his blaster and win a cool new set of armour only to end up having to negotiate peacefully for what he wants, learning to parent the cutest baby in the universe, working in community instead of trying to be a lone wolf, and forming the most meaningful working partnerships, relationships and rivalries of his life with women.

[unordinary-analysis]

EPISODE 157

I know I said I would be right back, but I literally forgot about this the second I typed that and then i literally got so exhausted I couldn’t concentrate on anything so sorry for literally wasting a bunch of time, but here it is lol

This isn’t proofread either bc its three in the morning and im pretty tired of reading words

Honorable mentions:

I really want to see Remi with her hair down. Like, without the bow, strands of hair in her face kind of down…

Every once in a while I have to say this somewhere: I need Claire to be returned to UnOrdinary, thank you, it’s been a while since I said that, i had to again

Not really gonna metion John worrying about Seraphina because that’s to be expected plus he doesn’t really know anything about why she was acting weird to it doesn’t matter

I think I’m going to go through all four of the characters in this chapter and talk about each of their stances because that’s the only thing i can think to do

Arlo:

God, it seems like I say this anytime the other royals questions his decisions. Arlo is the best leader that I’ve seen in UnOrdinary. His ability to see the bigger picture most of the time paired with his ability to command others and have them listen: he’s unique in this sense from all of the others characters in UnOrdinary.

And that’s why it infuriates me so much when the others question him, god. I’ve said this shit too many times, that I don’t want to repeat myself, but if you search up #episode 152, and maybe one other that I can’t seem to find, on my page, I rant about this there. Arlo is just the best leader ever and I want everyone to know that.

Anyway, so Arlo comes in all sulky and stuff. Sulky is far from the right word, but I can’t think at the moment i guess so yeah. Anyway, this is understandable. All Arlo’s been saying for forever is that everyone just needs to leave John alone. At one point in time, he was the only person who really knew about John that was of consequence (Meili and Ventus don’t really count. I wonder where they are right now lmao). He knew from, when was that, around episode 80? Anyway, ever since the other royals have become involved with Tuesday, Arlo always warns them against it. You would think that one of them would have listened to him, but I don’t think anyone did. Not even when they knew that Arlo had already fought him, that he knew so much about him. Still, nobody heeded Arlo’s advice, which he was only giving because he didn’t want to see any of them hurt. But the royals, especially Remi, ignored all of his warnings and now they’re in the hospital, so, yeah, it’s understandable that Arlo is kind of grouchy when he comes in. He doesn’t lash out though, because he’s a great leader and knows that will accomplish nothing except for lowering morale (i will NOT stop saying this lol).

Everything I said here is basically pointed out by Remi. Which is great. I appreciate that she doesn't look past her mistakes in an attempt to hide from her emotions like she did when she was fighting EMBER. Remi tends to ignore her own emotions by acting and while I get it, at the same time, it’s wildly irresponsible.

Anyway, back to Arlo because this is his section: his advice for what to do about John is that should just let him be, which the advice he gives every time that Remi has asked that smh, but at least she doesn’t really argue with this. She does try to shut that idea down though… but ill talk about that in Remi’s section. There’s too much of her in this one. I don’t like it. Anyway, back to what Arlo was thinking. Arlo, as always, has the right idea. He knows that there is literally no other choice other than to sit back and watch things happen because a. John is the rightful king and can do whatever he wants and it is not against the rules because b. John publicity defeated every single royal in combat. Some at the same time. It really isn’t an option for the former royals to try to fight back against him again because for gods sake, have of them are in the hospital…

Anyway, there’s not actually that much for me to say about Arlo in this one other than the fact that his leadership goes under appreciated and they always regret not listening to him.

Blyke:

Blyke is in sad boi hours right now. He hasn’t spoken a lot when Arlo and Isen arrive, but he’s probably lost in thought. Not good thoughts, bad thoughts. Blyke… he has really just lived out one of his worst nightmares, he’s given in to one of his biggest insecurities. Blyke failed by a.) not recognizing John as Tuesday even though they share the same down and b.) losing so horrifically to Tuesday. We all know Blyke is worried if he’ll be a good enough king when the time comes and Arlo has to leave. This incident didn’t help that worry. Blyke even talks about it out loud. I’m actually really worried for Blyke. He’s been hit really hard recently and it’s like he’s falling down this pit of self-hate and anxiety. My man was even bringing up like EMBER, talking about how he ‘failed’ then too, even though he clearly was the hero in that situation. He says, “So much has happened… with all that EMBER stuff… and now John becoming Joker… We couldn’t handle any of it,” which is what I just explained, but then he continues and goes, “I was already having doubts about my capabilities… But this last fight really opened my eyes. I’m weak.” This is Blyke’s really insecurity. The root of all of his other anxiety is the feeling that he isn’t good enough, that he’s going to let everyone down.

Also, Blyke doesn’t have anywhere to really go because, yeah, he shares a dorm with John, but that’s not that big of a deal right now because he’s in the hospital and he’s got Isen to go to like he has before. Still pretty sad though. The constant reminder of his ‘failure.’ Tuesday was his roommate that he treated like trash this whole time and now anytime Blyke thinks of his home, he’ll remember that. :(. I’m sad. I really like Blyke actually.

Remi:

Okay so I’ve already talked about Remi a bit in Arlo’s section. I’ll try to elaborate on some of that (barely) because this is the proper section.

First of all, Remi apologizing. I was happy about this because, it’s been too many times that Remi or some other royal doesn’t listen to Arlo. It’ about time someone apologized. I’m mostly happy, however, because Remi is finally acknowledging that she knows how naive she generally is, which always used to get on my nerves. I’ve called her a bad queen for this, and I stand by that still, but now it’s nice to see Remi herself recognizing that, even if it’s a bit of a sad thing to see.

But then literally the next thing that comes out of her mouth is that they have to go and stop John and I literally facepalm, I’m so sorry I’m probably being really biased here by my opinions on Remi, but really. Not much more to say on this other than I agree with Arlo.

I do have something else to comments on briefly, though

After Blyke spills his problems, his worries, after he says that he is too weak to even take care of himself, Remi says nothing. She just… sits there. This is probably one of the only instances in this chapter of Remi’s growth, but maybe I’m being a bit too harsh on her, but seriously…? I was expecting her to step in soon after Blyke started talking. I was definitely expecting to see her talk after Blyke says, “-this last fight really opened up my eyes. I’m weak.” Remi has always been close to Blyke. She’s also always been so positive and reassuring to others. I’m not sure if the absence of this in this scene is distance from Blyke (lost in her own thoughts), or agreement with what he’s saying about them. I don’t know. I just,,, thought this was something I should point out. She really left Blyke like that. But honestly, with how she was acting before, though, I think she’s feeling really similar to Blyke, herself. Both of them have been pretty self-deprecating this episode.

Isen:

After saying hi, Isen literally says one thing the whole episode and it’s that Blyke can stay with him, so there’s not really anything there oof. Would’ve been pretty cool to see him interact with Remi more, but I always appreciate Isen whenever, so it’s no big deal.

———————————————————-

Gavin and Tuesday: (two completely different ideas here. First one is right below this and second one is further below)

Now we’re moving to that scene of Tuesday and Gavin and like..??? What the fuck was that

Is John just going to go after anyone who’s ever hurt him before now? I’m not going to lie, it doesn’t make sense. John literally spent such a long time without using his powers and never really came close to using them until Arlo interfered. If he is truly going after the people that hurt him in the past, that’s a very impulsive thing to do, and John’s control over his own power and the restraint he possesses makes me believe that he isn’t an impulsive person. Maybe at New Bostin, but he’s changed since then. I know know he’s being forced into a similar position to that he held at New Bostin, but after all this time, and the horrendous experience that John’s already lived through concerning his old school, I still believe that John would try to avoid the same thing happening here at all costs. Even when he snapped and went after all of the royals, he only did it to take down the hierarchy, which gave power to the powerful and took from the already weak. It just doesn’t make sense that John’s going after Gavin now, someone that’s only real connection that I believe we know of to John is that they fought in like episode two or something. Gavin is barely a mid-tier. If John really was trying to stay away from being the monster he used to be, I don’t think he would purposely hunt this one kid thats much weaker than him and literally barely interacted with him. It’s clear that John would win that fight, so what’s the point.

And obvious argument is that maybe, John is slowly turning back into the person he was at New Bostin. Maybe even after all of those readjustment classes and reflecting and repressing of his powers, John still can’t run from who he is, what he is. Maybe the monster that surfaced at New Bostin, maybe he can’t escape that.

And as much as I love that, which I admit, I would (do you know how interesting that would be?), I’m not sure if the evidence supports that..? I don’t know, it might, but the fact that all of (all of them right?) the times John has fought someone has either been as revenge for hurting Seraphina or because he was trying to take down the hierarchy, which I’ve already said doesn’t support John returning to the person he was. For all of his attacks, John has had something for each: a motive. This isn’t that special, though because John had motives even back when he was at New Bostin because literally that was the entire plot of that history lol. I don’t know. So basically, this fight with Gavin is very reminiscent of whenever Tuesday would fight those people that hurt Seraphina.The royals were the result of a feeling of injustice, but everything else stemmed from the motive of revenge. John has always used his revenge as an acceptable motive when deciding whether or not to act on something. Whether he realizes it or not, it’s the real connection between him and the old John. Their need for revenge ruined everything for them. John couldn’t handle when Claire betrayed him so he beat her up as a consequence. Hunting down Sera’s assaulters and absolutely demolishing her kidnappers show this too. And so does this scene. John is hunting down Gavin over revenge, and as long as John fuels his need for revenge, he’ll never be able to truly escape his past. So maybe the evidence does support John slowly regressing back into the person he was, despite his wishes. He’s changed so much since Now Bostin, but sadly, he hasn’t been able to shake his tendency to hold grudges until he literally cannot contain them any longer and he lashes out.

It was kind of weird how hesitant John acted at the end of this encounter, though, because he just let Gavin go, but I’ve decided to ignore this because the fact that the character this happens with is Gavin, I refuse to believe that this whole thing is insignificant (wrong word but words are hard.)

Second idea:

Okay so apparently the person appeared as Tuesday at the like middle of this episode, apparently there’s a chance that it wasn’t actually John. This has been brought to my attention in the comments of this post so this little bit has been added a day after I initially posted this.

The argument is that because the person presented as Tuesday in this week’s episode has yellower eyes than John does, it could be some person only pretending to be Tuesday, which is obviously a possibility because Tuesday has already been established as the most powerful student at Wellston, but nobody know who he is. So any random mid-tier or something could just put a mask on and use a bit of their powers to scare anyone off (anyone would be too scared to fight Tuesday) and they’ll basically control the school cus people would take the imposter for the king. Anyway, before I get more into this, here are the pictures comparing John’s Tuesday and this episode’s Tuesday:

It’s pretty clear that the eyes of these two characters are a different color, but not too different that it’s that noticeable, which is why I didn’t notice this at first until it was pointed put to me. I wonder if this was even intentional... I feel like, if uru-Chan even ever meant for people to notice that Tuesday looks different, she would’ve used a much more different color. Or maybe one of the people that help her with coloring forgot what color eyes Joker had because John when his powers aren’t being used: they’re yellow. So, I’m not even completely sure that this Tuesday in this episode isnt John.

But at the same time... there’s some things I can’t help considering that make me think it’s more and more likely that this is someone different. First of all, this is honestly something really big to miss. Uru-Chan is a professional... it’s hard to believe she could’ve let this slide when her work has always been so meticulous. Also: with the way things went down this episode... it was kind of suspicious. I already talked about it a bunch above in the first part of this section that I posted first. But I didn’t really touch on why Tuesday just let Gavin walk because... well, I’ll be honest, I didn’t really know what to make of it. I even said that I’d elected to ignore it because it confused me... But if the Tuesday from this episode really isn’t John, then it all makes sense again. Like I said earlier in this half of the section, someone impersonating Joker wouldn’t really have to fight anyone to benefit from his power because everyone knows that Joker could kick their ass anyway, so it’s pointless to pick a fight. If this episode’s joker had decided to pursue Gavin, it could’ve lead them to a fight they would’ve been unprepared for.

Obviously, there’s more to talk about for this theory, like what this could possibly mean for John, for Wellston, or who it could possibly be, but because I’ve already posted this as a separarte episode analysis, I would rather save that for either a separate post this week, or as part of the next episode’s analysis. Thanks for reading and sticking with me and thanks @sunshines-and-tatertots alerting me to this lol.

Cecile and John:

So, Cecile’s understandably pissed at John because he isn’t claiming his power and that’s literally the only reason she’s siding with him. Because she wants him to be the king. I makes sense that she’s upset that he’s literally doing nothing instead of becoming king which would be the natural thing to do.

John’s response is literally that she needs to calm down, and while I get that he doesn’t feel the need to shove himself into the spotlight especially considering how he wants to keep his secret from Sera, that’s just going to piss off Cecile more. Or at least is would if she wasn’t so terrified of John, which she obviously is. I think John is more than Cecile can handle, and she wasn’t excepting that. Hell, it probably takes a lot to get to that level...

This has me thinking though… what could this kind of turmoil cause…? I’m hoping that maybe (pretty pretty please), Cecile will try to leave John’s side and join Arlo and the other royals the money i would pay to see that ugh… that potential…

[mingi-bubu]

A Subpar Guide To Unine

I was inspired by this video, their new album coming out on May 6, 2020, and also yanjuniverse saying something about not knowing them and wondering if there was a guide or something so yeah!

anyway please enjoy my nonsense it’s fun and there are a lot of songs and performances that I recommend looking at!

if anything is unclear, send me a message or something!  i just want everyone to love Unine

Unine is the second nine member group to be created by Idol Producer/Youth With You/QCYN/whatever you want to call the competition show.  The group is made up of Li Wenhan, Li Zhenning, Yao Mingming, Guanyue or Guan Yue, Jiayi, Hu Chunyang, Xia Hanyu, Chen Youwei, and He Changxi.

The official fandom name is Nano.  Unine debuted with their EP 《UNLOCK》 on May 6, 2019.  Their album 《U-Night Flight》 will be coming out on their one year anniversary May 6, 2020.

As someone commented on YouTube under one of their videos, I can’t remember which one please don’t ask, they are a more vocal line leaning group whereas Nine Percent was more rap line leaning.  I think it’s neat to see the contrast between what people want to see in any given year and how different their music styles are.

Some members have been in or are currently in other groups as well, so you may see some familiar names if you don’t know Unine (yet ;})

Members:

Li Wenhan

Final Rank: 1

Leader, Center, Main Vocalist, Lead Dancer, Sub Rapper, Face of the Group

‘94 Liner

A Cancer with his birthday being July 22

Yuehua Entertainment boy

Representative Animal: Shiba Inu

A member of the Sino-Korean boygroup Uniq

There his position is Vocalist

He is fluent in Chinese, Korean, and English

His nickname is Hanhan

He is also an actor and owns 2 cats and a corgi

He says that every time he’s working on a new project he adopts another cat or dog

He is very caring towards his younger trainees and is always looking out for them

Neighboring Tarzan was a good performance of his and it also contains 5/9 Unine members so that’s pretty frickin cool tbh

His audition stage was Uniq’s “Monster” and it was a great performance like Minghao and Jolin were jamming along to it

also the flower petals at the end that they then had to clean up killed me it was a beautiful effect but ill planned with the consequences

“gui-ze” meme stemmed from this performance

please let this tired man rest

He studied in the US but then left to focus on his music career

He has a great singing voice and is always ready to help his members and he is just a good leader wow

Li Zhenning

Final Rank: 2

Lead Dancer, Lead Vocalist, Lead Rapper, Face of the Group

‘95 Liner

He is a Scorpio (like me!!) with his birthday being November 5

BG Project boy

Representative Animal: Koala

Nicknames include Shenshen and Black Pearl due to his tanned skin

He has a cat named Aoao who is a little over a year old now I think maybe?

He didn’t get noticed until his Retreat performance where he pulls his tie

He used to be one of those people who was like “this person is actually quite good; nothing’s wrong with him, but I can’t remember him” and like he considered himself like that and him debuting at the no. 2 spot was really well deserved and i am so proud

This is also the performance where he rapped and he spent so much time practicing for it and it was successful and I am just really proud of him bc he leans more as a vocal and was really struggling and wanted to make sure he did it right and i’m jsut really proud i love himso mcuh

His dancing in this stage was unmatched by anyone else there (and this sounds biased because i am)

Li Zhenning vs Li Shenshen

on stage mans is focused and completely undaunted and carries sexier concepts well

off stage mans is baby boy. baby.  he’s goofy and adorable and i love hiim so much

compares himself to a koala because “especially [his] nose shape is similar…and [his] eyes look blurred…[and he’s] sleepy all the time”

we stan a short king (he’s 5′9 which yeah, is taller than me, but still)

He dances so well and just owns any stage he is on

Rebuild is one of my favorite stages hes done and coincidentally has 5/9 members of Unine in it, though they didn’t know at the time of course

He was incredible during this stage like ugh i didn’t have a bias bc he was there, Mingming was there, Changxi was there, i had no way of surviving

Hair Color King

He had a blue-lavender color during Rebuilt, in Unine’s Set It Off mv he had blue, he’s had black and blond and he’s rocked all of them

Yao Mingming

Final Rank: 3

Main Dancer, Lead Vocalist, Sub Rapper

‘97 Liner

He is a Capricorn with his birthday being January 5

One Cool Jasco Entertainment boy

Representative Animal: Cat

He had been a trainee for six, almost 7 years, when he debuted with Unine

He had several near debuts including with Seventeen

Speaks Chinese and Korean

Because of this, he was very closed off at first with the other trainees and eventually had to have a talk with Zhang Yixing PD

The gist of the conversation was that Mingming was sort of…doubting, I guess you could say, his talents and Yixing told him to treat the show as if he were a new trainee

This led to Mingming becoming more open with the other trainees and more confident in his talents and skills and it really showed and I was really happy he was able to debut bc he deffo deserved it

Mingming’s gray and floral suit in the Rebuild stage is something i think about on a weekly basis at least it’s a really good look for him guys

also just the confidence and cockiness he has during this stage i love to see it

He also has an opportunity to really show off his dancing skills and i loved it for him

He can do imitations really well and likes to imitate Hanyu a lot

think Yesungie and Eunhyuk except accurate

He has very feline features

this has nothing to do with anything he’s just really really pretty

is it because i am biased?  perhaps

Guan Yue

Final Rank: 4

Lead Dancer, Lead Vocalist, Sub Rapper

‘94 Liner

He’s a Capricorn with his birthday being January 16

Cast Planet Entertainment boy

Representative Animal: Rabbit

The leader of XII Constellations as a whole and the subunit The Wind

12C is a CPE group with a concept of having four 3-member units, each focusing on a different music style

The Wind focuses on bright and upbeat music and was the first to debut in 2017

Currently there are only six members of 12C

He knows sign language as both of his parents are deaf and when the trainees are allowed to call home, we see him talking with his mother

He has a lot of love and respect for his mother and it shows

His goal in life is to make enough money to support his family so they don’t have to work

I love Guan Yue’s “Turn Up” stage like the cockyness and confidence he has is fantastic i love to see it

his costume is also pretty good esp considering what the trainees sometimes have to wear

also Shenshen and Mingming are in it as well

His performance in Ugly Beauty was incredible also

I loved his Neighboring Tarzan performance bc he was able to include his dialect in his rap part and I love when trainees are able to bring more of themselves into a performance

I want him and Chen Linong to collab bc he was essentially idp2′s Nongnong with the infectious smile and incredible stage presence

the cutie, sweetie, angel, sweetheart, etc. of the group and of the show’s run

Jiayi

Final Rank: 5

Lead Dancer, Lead Rapper, Lead Vocalist, Visual

‘98 Liner

He’s a Cancer with his birthday being July 14

Star Master Entertainment boy

Representative Animal: Bear

Is a member of Mr. Tyger

There he held the roles of Visual, Lead Vocalist, Sub Rapper, and Youngest

One of his nicknames is Little Star

He can play the saxophone

His favorite part of his body are his eyebrows, which, valid

Jolin Tsai’s Xukun

So like y’kno how Yixing was a fan of Xukun the moment he saw him?  Jolin was a fan of Jiayi the minute she saw him

The “Ugly Beauty” performance was certainly something to witness

Jiayi as a blond was a fantastic look and i miss it.  a lot.

like Neighboring Tarzan was very good look for him even tho the stage costumes were a little a lot extra

his dance was great and bitch got them body rolls on lock

Jiayi vs Huang Jiaxin

on stage focused, determined, owns it

off stage he’s a giant goofball and i love him so much

hes like unfairly handsome but thankfully likes to make dumb faces

somehow he still stays pretty its upsetting at times

Hu Chunyang

Final Rank: 6

Main Raper, Sub Vocalist, Youngest

‘99 Liner (like me!!)

He’s an Aquarius with his birthday being February 5

Yuehua boy

Representative Animal: Golden Retriever

Nickname is Yangyang

Was one of those nerds who would rather stay behind in class and finish their work than go and eat or whatever

Mad respect tho bc i am too when i am at campus dkfja;lsdk

At his audition stage, he covered Wang Yibo’s rap in Uniq’s “Monster” and honestly who is doing it better than him?

I want to see him and Justin interact so bad they had to have they’re both YH boys

@ YueHua let me please have this

Yangyang in the Neighboring Tarzan performance really emphasized how great he is at rapping

he seems at first like a shy and introverted guy but is a mean and grouchy little man when you get to know him

i love to see it

older trainees were always looking out for him

he has a really stable rap voice

Xia Hanyu

Final Rank: 7

Main Vocalist, Sub Rapper

‘97 Liner

Gemini as his birthday is June 11

Show City Times boy

Representative Animal: Wolf

He can play the piano incredibly well and also plays the guitar

His first impression was that of “the big bad wolf

However when he gets more comfortable with the group, he becomes a big softie and his smile compels me to smile

Still uses his dark looks to his advantage thoooo

he was being dramatic and mean once and then like after saying his ‘insult’ immediately cracked and started laughing and hiding his face

HIGH NOTE KING

shenshen in response to a performance said he immediately got goosebumps

Neighboring Tarzan was a great way for him to show off his high notes imo

He had red hair one time and I miss it a lot bc it looked good

Chen Youwei

Final Rank: 8

Lead Rapper, Visual, Sub Vocalist

‘98 Liner

He is a Cancer with his birthday being July 7

Ciwen Media boy

Representative Animal: Pig

Attended Zhejiang Sci-Tech University and majored in fashion

He can play the guitar

He modeled and is also an actor, having been in several cdramas

The most notable of these is “Story of Yanxi Palace” where he played 5th Prince

He was greeted as such by the other trainees when he walked into the room

He’s also a scholar and this was shown in a rap he had created during the show

mans is the donghae of unine

in that they’re teased for how they speak

his mandarin is bad and donghae’s korean is bad

his rapping is good and he seems like a real sweetheart

mans also likes to munch, saying he can eat 5 meals a day

He Changxi

Final Rank: 9

Main Dancer, Lead Vocalist

‘97 Liner

He is a Sagittarius with his birthday being November 24

OACA Entertainment boy

Representative Animal: Lesser, or Red, Panda

His English name is Jerry and I deeply hate how much it fits him

His nicknames include Xixi and Yong Ri Didi

He loves a good ginger foot bath

Like it was such a well known fact that Yixing even asked him about it once

He wasn’t really noticed until his performance in Fire which is especially impressive considering that his performance wasn’t filmed in front of an audience but instead one of the practice rooms

there was a competition between two teams for each song and the winning team would get to perform on stage in front of the youth producers

Xixi really looked so fierce and confident in the Rebuild stage I was so proud

He also did a dance cover of EXO’s “Love Shot” and if you’ve been following me for a minute you know that i love EXO’s music and it was great to see

his killing part was also a reoccuring meme

Mingming loves teasing him and it’s so funny

Suggested Videos of their IDP Days: (flashing lights warning)

Wenhan and Chunyang’s Audition Stage

Wenhan + Mingming React to “gui-ze” Trainee Compilation

《后退 Retreat》  – Zhenning Focus

《后退 Retreat》  – Stage Performance  

《重塑 Rebuild》  – Zhenning Focus

《重塑 Rebuild》  – Concept Evaluation

《重塑 Rebuild》 – Mingming Focus

Mingming + Yixing’s Talk

Mingming + Impressions

《 青春有你 Turn Up》 – Guan Yue Focus

《 青春有你 Turn Up》 – Stage Performance

Jolin Tsai + Her Favorite Trainee

《怪美的 Ugly Beauty》 – Mentor Stage

《隔壁泰山 Neighboring Tarzan》 – Stage Performance

Hanyu’s Audition Stage

Hanyu’s Introduction Video

Hanyu Playing Guitar + Singing

《一笑倾城 One Alluring Smile》 – Stage Performance

EXO “Love Shot” Dance Cover – Changxi

《 骑士精神 Chivalry》 – Changxi Focus

《火 Fire》 – Changxi Focus

UNINE Videos: (flashing lights warning)

《春日記憶 Memories of Spring》 – My favorite song by them, this is the lyrics video in Chi/Pinyin/Eng

《春日記憶 Memories of Spring》 – This is the performance from their fan meeting I believe.  The choreo is so beautiful and I want an MV like last week.

《春日記憶 Memories of Spring》 – This is their performance from the Reedit Stage.

《SET IT OFF》 – official MV.  There’s a lot of jumping out of windows, Guan Yue has purple hair, Shenshen has blue hair, and Jiayi and Xixi look great.  The song is a bop, there’s a nautical theme, what more could you ask for?  A coherent plot for an MV???  Overrated.  It’s essentially Unine’s 《RULE BREAKER》.  It’s from their second mini album “Unusual”.

《SET IT OFF》 – This is a live performance at the Mnet Asian Music Awards.  I have a bone or two to pick with the sound editor of the video  but they deliver a fantastic performance.  I like their choreo a lot and it’s more clearly able to be seen on the live stage.

《BOMBA》 – official MV.  Their first single I believe.  Very colorful and fun, the song matches the vibe of the MV.  Mingming’s iconic holding a geometric hanging light like a pear is from this MV.  Hanyu also spends half the MV wrecking my bias.  If I had more braincells I would do an analysis of the MV but alas.

《BOMBA》 – From the Reedit Stage.

《官方直拍 Like A Gentleman》  – Live performance from their fan meeting.  I really like this song and the costumes for stage are stripey and I love stripes.  The lights and screen in the background are in neons and it kind of gives the performance a nostalgic feeling and it’s just a really cute song.

《官方直拍 Like A Gentleman》 – The lyrics video in Chi/Pinyin/English.  The song is really cute you guys and Changxi and Mingming are great in it.

Videos From the Other Groups the Members Are In:

《 爱的就是你 Love Is You》 – XII Constellations: The Wind ft. Liu Jia

《 燃烧吧，拳头 Burn, Fists》 – XII Constellations: The Fire [flashing lights warning]

Note: this doesn’t have Guan Yue but I decided to put it in here to really exemplify the concept that 12C is about.  Also the song lowkey pops off and reminds me of my emo phase

《Monster》 – Uniq (Chinese version)

《EOEO》 – Uniq (Chinese version) [flashing lights warning]

《 钛戈 》 – Mr. Tyger [flashing lights warning]

《夜空悬浮》 – Mr. Tyger [flashing lights warning]

Sources: KProfiles, [Eng Sub] Intro to UNINE Members, various performances, and the show itself.  If I have given any incorrect information, please let me know and I will rectify it immediately.

[blacknpurplewarpster]

[IDW Skywarp Headcanon]

More about his awful comments/attitude towards others

I know I’ve written about this before but I cant seem to find it anywhere on my blog. I was rereading the original comic series and thought I’d elaborate a little bit more than what I had previously wrote. I was going to include a snippet from Unicron #2 

Skywarp: “Among others. Could you try bumbling into trouble a little closer to the mainland next time? This was decidedly inconvenient.”  Helix: “I think he means ‘Glad you guys are okay. Sorry it took so long to reach you.’ Isn’t that right, Skywarp?” Skywarp: “I suppose. I would have been more annoyed if we had come all this way and they were already dead.” Helix: “Do you actually know when you’re being awful?” Skywarp: “Almost always. Fortunately, showing up and being remarkable are more important to being a G.I. Joe than unnecessary human pleasantries.” 

Skywarp mentions that he knows when he is being awful with his comments and just overall to others when Helix calls him out on it after just saving part of his team. This team he has been with for a few years and is close to them, even Rock. Going through the comments, he makes snarky ass comments towards Rock and doesn’t give a shit about what his friend thinks either. I’ll come back to Rock in a bit here. Some of his comments towards Rock are rather hilarious in the way Skywarp is portrayed doing them. Not to say Rock deserves his shitty attitude. But later on, they become better and closer friends. 

Even though he is no longer a Decepticon, he still puts duty above everything else, even if it means stepping on others toes or hurting others feelings. Thing is, Skywarp doesn’t care. He feels being blunt is better than beating around the bush or sugarcoating things. He will tell others straight up what he feels and doesn’t give a shit about what it might do. 

Another example is he even says this to Thundercracker, whom he hasn’t seen in a decade or more. 

Thundercracker: “Last time I saw you, you shot me in the face.” Skywarp: “Eh, you deserved it.” 

Like jeezus straight to his face. I think it was like the second sentence he said to Thundercracker after not seeing him for YEARS. Like harsh much? 

So pretty much no one can hide from this. The one thing I have noticed, his snarky comments seem to back off once there’s a tighter bond between himself and whomever else. This happens once Skywarp has a change of heart once he realized how Rock and himself are a lot more similar than he thought. Rock repeatedly tells Skywarp about being alone but he finally realizes this at one important moment. Rock decides to own up to his mistakes of paralyzing Grand Slam and wants to sacrifice his life to blow up the Fatal Fluffies in hopes to get rid of his guilt but its also a sense of pride from him. Skywarp decides to stay back with Rock and decides to stay even when the detonator goes off--surprise surprise, he saves Rock and their bond grows close. 

Here’s some of their conversations between one another just to show you: You can skip all the way down to see my final thoughts. 

---------------------------------------------------------------- GI Joe #1: Rock: Hey, uhh, Skywarp… I was wondering… seeing as we’re teammates… you think I could ride back with you? Skywarp: Are you asking me…to open up my cockpit… and allow you to climb inside of me? Rock: Umm.. yes? Skywarp: Jets off Rock: Looks like I’m with you again.

GI Joe #4

Skywarp: “Look at them. Squabbling in the dirt like… like insects! They can’t do anything. They can accomplish nothing… without me!” Rock: “Hey Skywarp… Instead of waiting for transpo, I was thinking that if you don’t mind, maybe we could.. you know.” Skywarp: Squints hard and jets off Rock: “Jerk.”

Gi Joe #5 Skywarp: “Tell me… you geeks got your data…?” Skywarp: “This isn’t working! I’m tired of you insects leaning on me! Why am I the only one— GAAAH!” Covergirl: “Don’t worry, Skywarp…the calvary’s arrived!” Skywarp: “Now you cowards show up, after sending me ahead.” Rock: “Hey now… I offered to ride with you.” Skywarp: “You know my feelings on that.” Skywarp: “Are you even helping at all?!” Rock: “Honestly? Not really. But if you’d let me ride with—ooofh-!” Skywarp: “Gahhh!” Covergirl: “Skywarp! Come in! Do you read us?!” Skywarp: Khhkkthhhkkt Rock: “Skywarp! Are… are you ok?” Skywarp: “kkhkt No…But I will be there once we will that thing. Were you getting emotional, you sentimental insect?” Rock: “What? I was… No…”

GI Joe #6 Skywarp: “Hrmph. I’ll be the judge of that. Crude ugly thing. If this is the best you can do, no wonder you can’t fix me.” Roadblock: “Four Joes. Skywarp counts.” 

Rock: Turns into this monster from the Fatal Fluffies Skywarp: “I know what this is really about...” Rock: “Hunh?” Skywarp: “...You’re sad I wouldn’t give you a ride. But don’t worry, you’ll get what you want...When i carry you out in pieces.”

GI Joe #7 Skywarp: Is fighting mega-Rock and knows to be gentle and junk. “You are as arrogant as the rest of them! Even enlarged! even with horns and claws! You are nothing but an insec--Urlkh--!” Is being choked out.

Skywarp: “Hey! You watch your mouth!”

Rock: “I know. That’s why I’m volunteering. I’ve done enough damage more than enough. Let me redeem myself please.” Skywarp: “Sure but you aren’t going alone. Someone needs to defend your position while you set up the bomb.” Rock: “But I.. I threw you into the mole pod. the explosion was..” Skywarp: “Yeah, so another one doesn’t scare me much, besides...as soon as the bombs in place, before you hit the button... I”m getting out of here.” 

GI Joe #8 Rock: “Almost read! You gotta jet!” Skywarp: “You’ll be overrun before you can hit it! Besides...It’s an honor to stand by your side. You are a true warrior.” Rock: “No...I’m a Joe. We both are.”  Skywarp saves Rock by letting him ride inside of his cockpit in order to get away from the blast.

Gi Joe #9 Rock: “He wouldn’t let me use the radio.” Skywarp: “You haven’t earned the privilege!” Rock: “Whatever. You ready for the blast beat?”  Skywarp: “Do we have to call it that?”  Skywarp and Rock: “Yoooooooo Joooooooe!”  Rock: “Thanks to Skywarp! Hes letting me ride with him!” Skywarp: “Once! Only once!” 

GI Joe First Strike #1

Skywarp: “You need to get him his own jet!”

Scarletts Strike Force 1 Rock: Skywarp, I”m serious! Seriously! Doc: You know he’s the only one who can put up with your grouchy metal butt.. Skywarp: I thought you liked-- Doc: Nope Skywarp: .... Fine Rock: Hey! Piggyback ride! Skywarp: Start using that shotgun or I’m doing barrel rolls!

---- This is where Skywarps attitude really changes. -------

Rock: And they were chanting this name...glub? golob..goolub? Hey! Are you even listening to me? Skywarp: Its a boring story about something that didn’t actually happen! Why would I listen to it?! Rock: Because it’s stressing me out, man. It felt...different.. Skywarp: Different from your other dreams? Rock: Yeah dude Skywarp: Different from your Jem dreams? Rock: Come on man.. Skywarp: A holograms fan. You’re not metal. Rock: They have some serious riffs, alright!?

Scarletts Strike Force #2

Skywarp: Can you fix my teleportation? Or are you techgeeks just as worthless as everyone else in the Lemuria? Rock: Dude, I’m standing right here. Hey man can I help? Grand Slam: I’ve got it Rock. You only ruined the bottom half of me. Skywarp: Getting m teleportation fixed is the only reason I threw in with you insects! why havent you fixed it yet? You’ve been trying and failing since the EDC!  Grand Slam: Like I told you: We don’t have the tech, or the knowledge. or the materials.

Scarletts Strike Force #3 Skywarp: Yeah. Me. And you’re welcome. Don’t act so shocked. you insects think a giant robot doesn’t know his way around a rudimentary geothermal generator? You’ve been recruited. We’ll rendezvous in DC. You have three minutes to find yourselves a ride before surveillance is back up. Helix: Aren’t you letting people ride inside of you now? Skywarp: Only Rock ‘n Roll! 

Unicron #2 The first set of quotes goes right here in events wise. 

----------------------------------------------------------------

This is the end of their interactions. I know I didn’t show everything but it shows a huge chunk of how you can see how Skywarp is only “nice” to Rock really because in his optics, he isn’t respected by some of the others, especially Grand Slam. So in his mindset, why does he have to be nice if he doesn’t have the respect? 

He figures he lost his respect towards Thundercracker (or rather TC lost respect for Skywarp) because of what he’d done to him so he resets back to being an ass. He thinks their history doesn’t matter anymore, so he resorts to just tell him straight-up. Perhaps he was always straight up before their meeting with Starscream and he’s resorting back to his normal or preset attitude/maturity. That all of what has gone on from him shooting TC out of the sky onwards, smacked him so hard it woke him up from this “fantasy.” If that makes sense?? I’m tired and rambling. 

Deep down, I truly believe he cares but he isn’t going to show that side. He needs to put duty before anything else because that’s the motto Skywarp lives by. You can see a lot of this change in him throughout the entire series but it really sets out from AHM series onwards. His whole attitude flips and starts to really develop his character and we see this. I have a feeling he didn’t used to be like this but what he’s done in his life has shaped him to act in this way. Perhaps its a way of not letting others get close to him. It might very well be a defense mechanism. Who knows, we truly won’t know canon wise since the series ended. 

THANKS FOR BEING HERE FOR MY HEADCANON AND RAMBLE OF THOUGHTS.