#i think the different medium would make it land better

[eidetictelekinetic]

I liked where the specials left us. The implication I got is that Fourteen (the Earth Doctor, to me, now) split off basically to give Fifteen a fresh start, less weighed down? And I like that, it's interesting, I love Fifteen already (and admittedly, I think it's also an interesting variation that bi-regeneration is possible bc to me it helps reiterate that Tentoo was also one, just artificially induced).

As for the Earth Doctor... still full Time Lord as far as I could tell? So, capable of standard regeneration. I think it might one day be interesting for both Doctors to be involved in something - their relationship would be more sibling-esque than anything else, imo - but... only after the Earth Doctor has a new face.

I've loved seeing David and Catherine again, I like the Earth Doctor as part of Donna's family (it has echoes of Tentoo/Rose for me that I don't mind, David's Doctor[s] continue to be that part of the Doctor who wants a family and eventually gets it) but I think... I think if we see either of them again, especially David as the Earth Doctor, then I think it would become cheapened? Right now, I can see how it may not be everyone's cup of tea even if I like it, but it has to end here or it won't work at all in the long run.

[maximumkillshot]

I Can't Lose You-Chapter 13

Warnings: Non really! Just some A quality fluff, there is some references to hard times, other than that, nothing.

Pairing: Changbin x Reader???

Characters: All boys minus Chan

A/N: Okay this is super fluffy dare I say brush your teeth after. Enjoy!

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It was the soft light of dawn that stirred Changbin from sleep. He felt a warm weight on his bicep, his hand aching from the bruises on it. He made sure not to flex it as he turned his head to see the owner of that warm weight. He smiled to himself, looking at you, your body angled towards him, your angel plush koala’ed with your head on his bicep. 

He fought the yawn trying to escape him as he looked at you. You always rested so beautifully. He could watch you for hours, if he was any good at art he would have a studio full of different mediums of the same subject, you. The walls would be covered with photos, paintings, and drawings of when you’re resting, awake, laughing… That was his favorite, it would look like someone turned on a light in a dark room. You always looked like that, too. 

He almost giggled to himself when he thought about how much of an opposite to you he was. He never slept gracefully. Mostly landing on the opposite side of the bed where he started from and limbs either starfished or belly down smothering himself in the pillow. He was wondering if there was anyone else that he knows that looks as pretty as you do sleeping. Jisung looks cute but not pretty. Hyunjin looks almost angry as he sleeps, Minho can sleep with his eyes open which is just unsettling at times, I.N. sleeps in a ball (fox fits him perfectly), Chan looks catatonic, Minnie looks peaceful, but also slightly angry, Lixie however. He slept pretty. Sometimes Bin would love it when Lix would choose him as a pillow, especially during touring. Lix was always so nervous, so much so that sometimes Bin would get a call from his sunshine twin for help. Felix couldn’t sleep without cuddling him. So most days Bin would Tell I.N. goodnight after a shower and head to Lix’s room. He remembered just after day 2 of a Los Angeles show Felix showed up to his room. One minute they were talking, the next Bin woke up to Lix flattened like a pancake between the wall and himself. He remembers trying to move away from Lix’ and hearing Felix groaning and saying, “Hyung… no come back,” with grabby hands. He remembered looking down at him and saying, “You need to breathe Yongbok-ah” as he chuckled. Felix looked up and smirked as he said, “I’m breathing, now come back…” as Felix locked onto him. There Changbin was stuck for the better half of an hour as Felix went back to sleep. 

Also like Felix, you would sleep like a rock next to Changbin, but when Changbin would wake up or even shift, your eyes would open, making sure he wasn’t leaving. If he was, he would need to either bargain or say where he was going. Changbin, now that he thinks about it, recognizes that you and Felix have a very unique relationship. It’s not just because you have a unique relationship with each one of the members either. You and Felix have been through a lot, him being the first you called a friend. There was a lot of culture shock when you moved from New York to Seoul. Felix stood up with you through all of the jetlag and, although you could speak Korean in a limited capacity before you moved, it was nowhere near what you needed to speak to survive. 

Felix rented an apartment with you until you could get on your feet, so you didn’t feel so alone in a foreign country. He also did exercises with you in Korean, so you could learn the language better. He helped you form shortcuts for memorizing the Hangul and even helped you with the more advanced speaking by watching K-dramas with you. He’d pause it every few seconds to teach you about what you just heard. It’s because of Felix that you speak fluently after five years. Bin remembered those moments, coming over the apartment to help teach you. He knew there was nothing else expected behind Felix’s kindness aside from, “I understand that it’s hard, let me take some pressure off, yeah?” He could practically hear the thick Aussie accent as he reminisced. 

Changbin looked at your hands, he could see the signs of anxiety healing on them. He knew all too well how your anxiety slams into you. You pick at your nails at times and your nails are short because of it, it’s something you’ve been trying to work on since you had teeth. However, now they seem to be healing. That made him feel good. They were a representation of your mood, your healing process. It was not often that he looked at you without a pang of guilt, however. Lately, it’s still touch and go. He always felt a slight worry at the fact that you were married to Chris and not himself, now it’s full blown panic, rightfully so. If he was married to you he would be able to be closer to you, make sure you’re happy; now that line was blocking him. He knew the line was there, he felt it in the earth between the both of you. That line that used to be so defined, now blurring. That guilt shifting focus, instead of guilt for looking at you fondly, now morphing into guilt about this entire situation. If he would’ve spoken up, you wouldn’t be like this. If he would’ve said what Minho, Felix, Han, and himself were thinking; you wouldn’t be here. 

There were so many times that he’s found you in the midst of a panic attack, on edge thinking Chris would come home, just to have the rug snatched from under you. Sometimes he’d see you choking back tears as you are doing dishes, seeing no sign of Chan’s favorite mug, meaning he never came home. Smelling his cologne in the morning was the worst. Bin would find you curled on Chan’s side of the bed, asking why he left without saying anything. Questioning your worth. There was no stability for you, no peace. He wanted to tell you to get a divorce so many times. It was something that everyone who spent time with you wanted to scream. Seeing you suffer was and still is torture. Bin never knew how to bring it up though. He knows that you said that you’d leave Chan… But would you?

The press, the company, the fans, all of them would tear you apart. It’d be a massacre, if anything. The company made a show of it. The first public K-Pop couple, going public willingly. “The king and queen of K-Pop”, Chan from the Stray Kids falls in love with one of the best photographers in the business… The headlines made Bin choke at first. It shouldn’t have been that title, this situation, that circumstance. Chan’s hand should’ve never been in yours. Chan’s knee should’ve never touched the Earth, his hand should’ve never reached in his pocket to fish out a tiny black box. More than anything, the press should’ve never known anything. The backlash wasn’t terrible, with Chan protecting you for once. But now? That made his heart rate pick up. 

He wanted to keep you here. Safe and content, sleeping on his arm in the dawn of the morning in the middle of a living room floor. Hair tousled, surrounded by plushies, cradling you as you rest. No, not here, he refused to think about it. He refused to believe that anything bad would happen to you, not in his arms, in the safe space he made for you the same moment he met you. The past three days have been from Hell, yet you and him found strength in each other. He goes back to the second episode, the way you clung onto him, your hand barely able to fit half of his forearm. You stood here for him. You breathed for him. All because he asked you to. You fell fully expecting no one to catch you, since Chan never did. Instead, just like the plushies, his boys, your boys, caught you. Bin lunged for you, grabbed your hand and didn’t let go. He refused to, not after what he saw. What you went through. Not with how much he loves you.

Love is a strong word, now that Bin thinks about it. It’s unconditional. When you truly love someone, you don’t care about the ‘what’s’in life. What if someone found out, what if something happens, what are the risks? None of them matter. What matters is that person. He can’t remember a day after he met you where his needs ever superseded your own. It was natural to him. Do you need help carrying something? He’ll carry it all! Do you need an opinion on this photo? He drops all of his responsibilities for you. Chan never loved you. That pang in Bin’s chest came back. He had to face it. Yes, Chan never loved you. Yes, Chan used you as a tool, a tactic. Yes, he broke you. If anything, Chan was shitty at acting like he cared, but everyone didn’t want to see it, yourself included. Not anymore. 

You have gone through too much to be treated like an afterthought. Bin will chase any monster away, he’ll fight anyone who tries to come near you with any other motive other than to help you. You shifted a little in your sleep and your hair fell from your now messy bun. He smiled seeing the scrunch of your nose as a strand of hair tickled you. He laid on his side to completely face you. He gently moved the offending strand out of the way, drinking in your presence. You sighed happily and your nostrils flared, chasing Bin’s hand slightly. Bin knew what you wanted, he cupped your face gently as you smirked, still in sleep. It’s these little things that melt Changbin. The fact that even when sleeping you miss the people you love, even if they’re right next to you. You do the same thing to Hannie and Lixie as well. Mere seconds later you shivered. You blindly turned around, angel in hand and got closer to Changbin, making yourself the little spoon. Changbin used two plushies as stacked pillows so he could rest his head as he cuddled you.

“Warmer?” Bin asked as he looped his hand over your body and the angel, his arm resting in the dip of your waist. He had a smile creeping on his face, he was like Chan in the right circumstances, a literal furnace. So resting with him was the best. Like a heated pillow and blanket draped over you. He knew that when you’re cold you seek warmth, especially when drowsy so he was waiting for you to start to migrate closer to him.

Soon your shivers stopped as you said, “mhm thanks Binnie” and you kissed his bicep, your version of a “thank you” as you melted into Bin’s chest. That interaction, once again, isn’t new. You kiss everyone, in appropriate places of course. It’s just how you are. If you’re cuddling with Hannie you peck him on the palm of his hands, if it’s Lixie or Minho, it's the cheeks all day every day. For Bin you peck his chest and arms. Bin as well as the others communicate the same way with you, Bin’s favorite places are the crown of your head and your forehead. Most of the boys follow suit with that tight parameter, except for Innah who will peck your hands, your fingers, whatever is accessible, even on the shoulder if you are cooking or something. 

Bin caught him pecking your shoulder once as a thanks and he yelled, “Yah! What makes you so special??”, just to hear you say, “Aye! Don’t yell at my baby! Lookathim, he’s just a baby,” you cooed as you squished his cheeks and scratched his scalp. I.N. just had a shit eating grin as he said, “Hyung, why are you mad at me? I’m just a baby…” Bin just said, “yeah tell that to your browser history.” You immediately went into a fit of laughter as Innah said, “How do you know about that??” Bin just looked at him and yelled, “get off the group email, you degenerate!” Bin, when he couldn’t get to your head, like that night, he’ll kiss your hands as he holds them. He remembered and held onto the memories between you and the boys, smiling as he watched you in your sleep. 

Eventually Minho got up and took a picture of course, Bin didn’t care though, as long as you weren’t disturbed. A little after Minho came and went, Hannie popped out of Lix’s room, he had an intent to his movements.

 See, there is this thing Hannie does. As soon as he gets up he is very cuddly, not to anyone else except you. He always saw you as his sister, the one he never had. It’s because of that he has this need to make sure you’re okay and he does that by early morning cuddles. That all started after you asked if you could sleep in one of the boy’s beds at night, missing the feeling of a body next to you. Han noticed that whenever you were either in your bed or Bin’s he would wake up with anxiety, his hands searching for you before his eyes even opened. It only dawned on him recently that for the first two weeks of asking, every night you approached Hannie. When he asked you why you hadn't asked Bin or Jinnie, you had said that you didn’t know how to ask Bin. Eventually, you did get around to asking Bin and he was fine with it. Hannie always knew mornings were the worst for you. He walked in many times, just like Bin did, when you’d be crying on Chan’s pillow. He noticed you didn’t do that when there was a body next to you. It didn’t matter how disheveled either of them looked, you would cuddle up and fall right back to sleep peacefully. 

The first time Han did this, he found you in your morning ritual of crying, then you felt the bed behind you dip, knowing it wasn’t Chris but one of the boys. You could even tell which one, it was Han. He always stepped lighter around you, especially when you were crying or sad. He knew that you would get startled otherwise. His heart only cracked further when you didn’t flinch or question who it was. Han didn’t say anything, he just delicately dug his hands into the ball you made of your body and he dragged you to himself.  He covered the both of you with the blankets and he whispered, “You don’t need that Anya, let that go for me. Come here, hold on to me… there you go... Good job Anya”. You let go of your husband’s pillow and grabbed on to Hannie, digging into his chest as you cried. His deep rumble soothing you as he said, “I’m so sorry, my heart breaks Anya. You don’t deserve this. Worth so much more. I got you, breathe.” Ever since then, Han always searched you out in the mornings. 

Hannie looked at Bin and yourself and laid down on the makeshift bed as he made himself known. At this point it’s so routine that you don’t even get startled. Hannie just turned you so you were now facing Bin, and Hannie dragged you to himself, gently of course.

“Hannie?” You groaned. You were so warm and all you could register was the feeling of being moved. You knew it was Hannie, you smirked to yourself as you waited for him to announce himself. Bin looked at the pair of you and couldn’t help but smile. This ritual that you and Hannie had was probably the cutest thing he has seen. The fact that it’s now routine is something that makes him so happy. The fact that all of the boys love you so much, it makes him not only proud of the boys, but it makes him happy to know that you will always have someone in your corner.

Han just whispers, “Mhm it’s me Anya, get some sleep, just holding you, that okay?” Forever the gentleman asking permission. You nodded and he pulled you in, the last thing you remembered was the momentary cold of the comforter as you were being pulled.  All that you registered after that was the rumble of the warm chest behind you as he spoke softly to Bin. After that you passed back out instantaneously. 

“How did she sleep?” Han asked. He was worried about how the first night went. He didn’t want you to feel crowded, which is why he slept on Lix’s floor, no comforter but he packed his sleeping bag in his overnight bag so he had no problem sleeping there.

“Good, I think.” Bin responded. Luckily Bin slept a little better, but he wouldn’t tell anyone about the sudden episodes, waking with a need to feel you close to him. The last thing he remembers of the nightmares being images of Chris trying to get to you. Some being of you unmoving, or of you willingly letting go of him. Those times he was so grateful that you wanted him to be in the bed with you. He’d immediately feel you close and he'd pass back out, not needing to open his eyes. 

“That’s good.” Han said. He could see it in Bin’s eyes. He’s been friends with him for almost a decade, in a lot of ways they grew up together, Bin may be good at hiding, but not good enough to hide from Han. “So are you going to tell me what is going on in your head now, hyung?” Han looked down, petting your hair back as he waited for the answer. 

“Just trust me when I say you don’t want any of the ideas implanted in your head, Han. I know I am not okay right now. As soon as she starts therapy, I’m going right after her,” Bin’s face was hard as he looked at Han, if he didn’t have that scowl on his face, he knew he’d collapse. “I’m sorry I scared you earlier… I should have more composure than I did.” Han knew exactly what he was talking about. Han was terrified in that waiting room, seeing Bin’s entire demeanor shift. His happy, funny, go lucky brother… just gone, replaced with anger, pain, suffering incarnate. 

Han looked at him, “I’m not going to lie, it did terrify me, you meant every word of what you said.” He saw Bin’s eyebrows drop, his lips went from tight to relaxed, almost downturned as his jaw clenched momentarily, his mouth opened in a tiny breath. Han continued, “But you also need to know that your reaction is justified. You had and still have every right to be enraged. It’s not your fault that all of this happened. Chris is a manipulator, he had this show well rehearsed. We didn’t see it. We all didn’t see it Bin. So please don’t blame yourself, because it’s just like what Y/N told Minho, we aren’t responsible for another man’s actions.”

“I don’t know why he did it. I keep on racking my brain. She did everything possible to make him happy. She tore herself apart for him.” Changbin always had that in the back of his head whenever he had time to himself. Even if he was just using the restroom, he couldn’t fathom why. That was when Changbin realized, anything you did, wasn't going to be enough. You already gave him so much yet he just didn't care. He wanted more, like a black hole in your life. You can never fill a glass with a hole in the bottom.

Han said, “The why doesn’t matter. What matters is her.” He tilted his head to you, “I got a call from management, they’re giving us two months off. Apparently Chris let them know what happened.” Bin’s jaw opened and Han cut him off before a syllable could be uttered, “I asked them specifically what he said, they told me. The story he gave checked out. He told them the truth. Which honestly scares me more, Bin.” Changbin’s heart dropped once he heard that. ���Oh God. Okay. I’ll talk to PR and see what the plan is.” He responded. “I’ll do it later though. I… we just need peace right now. I need to go out. Get her some sanitary items and I’m going to grab more medicine, a heating pad, all of that.” This isn’t Bin’s first rodeo, he has an older sister who basically taught him everything about the reproductive system. Bin has also shared a bathroom with you for years so he already knows your size, your flow throughout it, all of it. 

Since you were now cuddling Han, Changbin is now free. Knowing he had a few things to do he grabbed his overnight bag and opened it. Grabbing his shower gel, toothbrush, change of clothes and his razor. Bin hasn’t ever been more excited to shower and shave. He hasn’t done things like that since the morning of when it happened.  

He headed to the shower and set up. As he undressed his mind was blank. He was focused on getting you what you need and coming back as quickly as possible. Bin was in the shower for a while, letting it seep into his bones. He could feel the sensation start in his throat. The recognizable tightness in his throat, his heart heavier than the previous time he had this urge. His breathing ragged, he wondered what he could’ve done differently, he didn’t want to lose you. Logically, he knew he wouldn't. But would you hold it against him for not saying anything about what he was feeling about the marriage? Would you hate him? He could hear you laugh and see your smile as his chest tightened. He saw all of the looks on your face that night and the pain that he tried to quell. He tried to remind himself that this isn’t his fault. He couldn’t hold it in anymore as he let the sobs rack his body silently. He focused on the sound of the water hitting all around him in the shower.

After letting some of it out. He looked up, letting the water rain down on him. It allowed him to breathe. He felt better after he finished his shower. As soon as he looked in the mirror on the wall just above the sink he realized something. Changbin hasn’t looked in a mirror in days. His eyes always focused on you. He wiped the steam away as he saw himself. His face dusted with the beginnings of a 5 o’clock shadow, his hair wet and already looking a little curly. He also noticed the slightest bags under his eyes, which didn’t surprise him. He reminisced at how obsessed you were over his curls. 

You yourself helped him with his hair routine when you noticed how crunchy the curls were. You ran to the store to get all the necessary hair products and you taught him how to relax the curls and not fight them. He looked at the products laid out in front of him smiling. After he styled his hair he headed out.

It was maybe an hour later that the house came back to life, well relatively. Han wanted you to sleep as much as possible so he scolded whoever came in and made too much noise. It was only so long Minho could hold out though, so he decided to make Hotteok, a close to American pancake filled with sugar, walnuts, and cinnamon. For yours he put in extra things like dark chocolate, berries, and mango, for your iron count. Everyone else got the basic version. Which Han grumbled about but Minho just ignored him. As Han went to the restroom you stirred at the sounds and smells in the kitchen. You felt behind you for Han and you didn’t find him, so you reached in front of you, knowing Binnie was there, but he wasn’t. 

You opened your eyes reluctantly as you got your bearings. You couldn’t really grasp that Bin could possibly be out but all you know is that your nose is still a little sensitive. For some reason you are craving Changbin’s scent. It happened a few times when you were carrying, but the urge was never this bad. You needed to smell his fresh scented cologne and the slight hint of him, the perfect combo you’d always get when you’d nestle into his neck. 

You tried smelling his pillow, the scent too faint to quench your craving. You smelled the comforter and it wasn’t near enough for you. Then you saw him. You grabbed the plush and buried your face in it. It was exactly what you needed, taking a deep breath in and relaxing. You got up slowly, your body still sore. You grunted as you finally made it to your feet. You heard Minho humming in the kitchen and decided on going there. 

Minho could hear the pattering of bare feet behind him. Then your sleepy voice spoke out, “MinMin?” Minho turned around and smiled softly at you, then he noticed what was in your hands.

“Beautiful? Why are you holding Gyu?” he asked as he worked on filling the pancakes.

You replied in the smallest voice, “Smells like him. Where’s Binnie?” Minho’s face softened hearing you say that. All of the boys knew that your cravings were still ongoing but it was something new that you craved smells too,well, to Minho at least. You had this problem even when you were still carrying, you would enlist Seungmin’s help. Seungmin’s scent was something you were obsessed with in the first month. Seungmin, of course being the friend he is, researched why you needed to smell him, finding that yes scents are a part of pregnancy cravings. Some days you would just ask to smell him and he had no problem coming over just for you to cuddle up to him on the couch for a few hours, unintentionally rolling around in his grip like a cat rolls in catnip.  Whenever Seungmin caught you doing that he would poke fun at you, but in all honesty it was the cutest thing he’s seen.

“Changbin went out to get you some things. He should be back soon.”

“Ok… what are you making?” You asked as you tried to see what he was up to.

“Breakfast, I’m making yours with mango, berries, and dark chocolate.” He said as you smiled excitedly. You heard Han’s voice behind you, “I told you not to wake her, hyung.” 

As soon as you turned around Han’s heart melted as he said, “Wh-What are you doing with Gyu, Anya??” You could tell Han was three seconds away from squealing and waking up the house officially. 

You answered in a tiny voice, realizing that you probably look very cute, hugging Gyu to your chest and still in pajamas. “Gyu smells like him… Waiting for my Binnie to come home.” You buried your face into Gyu as you looked up at Hannie. 

“How are you this CUTE?!” Han squealed.

Minho immediately said, “YAH keep it DOWN!” 

That made you giggle uncontrollably as you sniffed Gyu. Han ran out of the kitchen and came back with his phone, “Can I take a picture? You are too cute right now.”

You nodded, and just like that the picture was taken as you rubbed your eyes with one hand, making Hannie coo at the picture. He went into the group chat (Obviously without Chris in it.) 

[howtofightwrite]

in a lot of zombie stories like The Walking Dead, the only way to kill a zombie is to destroy the brain. Given that the skull is designed to protect one of our most important organs, how hard would this be on average? Would it be easier with bladed weapons like a hatchet vs blunt weapons like a baseball bat? And while killing anything is easier with a gun, I’ve heard headshots can be quite hard to nail. Is this something that can get better with practice, or will it always be something of a crapshoot?

Honestly? Thinking about it, destroying the brain to put down the zombie doesn't make that much sense. The first problem is the brain itself. The skull is pretty good at protecting the brain most of the time, but that's more impressive when you consider just how fragile the brain is. It's very soft tissue, suspended in fluid. It's also one of the first organs to really suffer from decomposition.

Particularly, the brain is the organ you have to really worry about when someone flatlines. It will start suffering serious damage within 30 seconds of being deprived of oxygen. Within minutes of death, it undergoes irreversible chemical changes and starts to break down, so, it follows that, the brain isn't going to be in a usable state by the time the zombie virus tries to claw its way back to the living.

This is a different kind of problem with living “zombies,” such as the 28 Days series or REC. Though, in those cases, the zombies would have a very limited shelf life, as the strain of the virus would kill them long before the second film rolled around. But, in those cases, massive trauma should still kill the zombie, so you don't really need headshots, when a shotgun, center mass, will get the job done.

For clarity, you know there's no way to answer that comment about headshots without sounding like a psychopath, right? The short answer is that, yeah, if you' know what you're doing, and you know your gun, you can hit a small, semi-mobile target at medium range. A sapient being? That's harder, people don't tend to present their head for a convenient bullet, like a video game shooting gallery, but, with practice, you can reliably hit a head sized target at about 30m. Landing that shot against a live person running for cover or shooting back might be a bit tricky, but against a shambling, reanimated, corpse, it should be pretty doable. Obviously, I don't have a lot of first hand experience shooting reanimated corpses, so I'm having to make some educated guesses here.

However, having just said that, I'm immediately reminded of something the Resident Evil 2 remake pointed out: Shooting someone in the head doesn't mean you destroyed their brain. Surprisingly, shooting someone in the head will only kill them about 98% of the time, so I can see some logic in the thought process.

That said, shooting zombies tends to run up against a problem, that doesn't make a lot of sense when you step back and think about it. Generally you don't want to shoot zombies because the sound will attract more zombies, and there are inevitably more zombies than you have bullets. This the exact scenario that The Walking Dead works with. So, I have one small question: How did we get here?

Before we go any further, and spoilers for a comic book that published 15 years ago, but The Walking Dead did answer that. (The TV series and comic have different answers. In the TV series it's a virus from space that reanimates corpses, in the comic book it was a presumably supernatural force reanimating the dead. Though, it might have become a space virus now. I stopped reading the comic when it just got too goddamn depressing.)

When you're looking at a city like Atlanta (from The Walking Dead), and you're facing something north of six million zombies, yeah, that's a serious problem. You can't headshot six million zombies. But how did you get six million zombies? Six million zombies is a problem that can't be solved with brute force. Six-hundred-thousand zombies is a problem that can't be solved with brute force. But, sixty-thousand zombies? That can be contained. Six thousand zombies is an orderly riot. Six hundred zombies can be locked in a building and disposed of. Sixty zombies can be easily contained and neutralized. Six zombies? You can send out animal control and nip that problem in bud before there's an outbreak. And without higher brain function, there's basically no chance of patient zero avoiding detection.

But, I know the answer to this one, “well, they sent cops to catch patient zero, and the cops got bitten, then they turned in the hospital, and...” this would be a lot more plausible if rabies didn't exist. Actually, with the reputation of American police, there's basically no chance a zombie gets within biting distance.  But, even if they did get closer, you know what else likes to bite cops? Meth heads. You know who has more higher brain function than a zombie? Meth heads.

Is there zero chance of a first responder getting bitten by a zombie? No, there's a chance. There's basically zero chance of that zombie biting anyone else, and on the slim possibility that the infected first responder turns and manages to chomp on one of their coworkers, there is no chance that the infection daisy chains out from there.

There's also a real likelihood that any growing outbreak will suffer, “a negative biomass shift,” as it tries to expand. That is to say, if someone sends twenty soldiers to contain 100 zombies, and those soldiers are overrun and infected, you're not going to have 120 zombies. You probably won't have 100 zombies, after they're infected and turned. So long as those soldiers drop more than two zombies, the horde will experience negative population growth. Incidentally, it doesn't matter if this is a modern or medical fantasy setting, in either case, the zombies aren't going to be able to put up much of a fight against armed and armored troops. Militaries train to fight against sapient foes, while zombies are going to be little more than training dummies. Even if they are eventually overwhelmed by the hoard, the hoard only gets a few corpses to replace all the zombies it lost. (Note: This doesn't apply if you have necromancers raising undead forces, in those cases, the actual loss of zombies will be minimal, as they reanimate zombies that were damaged enough to break their previous reanimation, but could still be used on the battlefield, so in this specific case, the goal would need to be more egregious destruction of the corpses.)

So how did we get to six million zombies? Any zombie outbreak will be at its most vulnerable when there are only a handful of infected. This even applies, to some extent, when you're looking at non-traditional zombie scenarios, such as fungal infections. Zombies are generally not very stealthy. (Ignoring The Walking Dead (TV)'s ninja zombies for the moment.) So, if you have a biohazard situation like that, unless there's a very long incubation period (which most zombies don't exhibit), then  the danger of them going undetected and reaching critical mass is pretty limited.

Also, once you start looking at urban environments, that's not a great space for zombies to navigate. Things like storm drains and security barriers can effectively stop zombie advancement through an urban environment. Sure, zombies might be a threat to massive glass windows on the ground floor, but how are they going to operate the elevators, or the keycard reader to get into the stairs? Much less climb multiple flights of stairs to find the survivors? They might be able to chase them up the stairs, but getting there under their own initiative? Not so much. Same problem with any structure that puts steel bars on the windows. Zombies can't get in, or out.

After that, there's still the problem of decomposition. Dead bodies don't typically hold up particularly well. Maybe there's an embalmed zombie out there somewhere, shambling around, years after the outbreak, but most of the corpses will, quite literally, fall apart in a couple weeks. (Probably less, if they're chasing after survivors and slamming into walls.)

Having said all of that, I don't hate zombie fiction. Zombies can be a fantastic metaphor. You can even come up with compelling and interesting zombie scenarios. I know I just said it was implausible, but I don't hate The Last of Us's scenario, even if I do have some issues with some of the writing (specifically in the last few levels of the first game, before anyone asks.)

So, would it be hard to kill a zombie? Usually no. You might have some exceptions, such as magically reanimated corpses that really don't need to be intact to continue trying to kill you. Dead Space's necromorphs come to mind as an excellent example of creative zombie assembly.

The issue is usually the volume of zombies, just the sheer number threatening to pour out onto the street at any moment. Which requires that things went exceptionally wrong in ways that don't really make a lot of sense when you step back and think about it.

The issue wasn't shooting one zombie in the head, it was the next ten, and the next hundred, and the next thousand. Because, in those numbers, it doesn't really matter if they're easy to kill, there will always be more.

-Starke

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[2012aura]

free treats !

summary : passing a cafe everyday does no one any good, just step in once!

warning : fluffy and simpy ellie.

paring : college!ellie williams x black!reader

the early sunday wind blew in ellie's hair, and she was taking a short walk around her campus. not like she was new around here, she had been here for a couple months now. but her days after classes were usually spent with dina, getting high, or just sleeping.

dina mentioned this little cafe on campus that sold the best coffee, as dina said. ellie knew she had to try this place, as a coffee drinker she had to judge. she expected it so be some mediocre coffee and some over-decorated basic cafe but in reality, it was different. just as ellie walked in, she saw the semi-long line, which in most cases would mean this place HAS to be the best, right? but even then ellie doubted, a long line doesn't mean good, i mean have you seen mcdonald's lines on a tuseday afternoon? exactly, but the smell of freshly baked pastries also hit her nose, okay maybe this place was good she thought. as she got closer she caught a glimpse of a blonde head of curly hair. it radiated from the light that came from the window out front. as she looked around the cafe she saw little tables with a max of two seats per table and a couple long booth seats towards the back. there was so much greenery around, and it seemed to be real.

it was now her turn in line and she finally saw the employee and she was so beautiful. she had this brown skin that glowed when the sun hit it, it almost shimmered. this bleached hair going that started at her hair, and eventually ended with bleached brows. her curls were also beautiful, they landed so beautifully on her, making her look better than anyone ellie had ever seen. "hello, welcome to bushes, how can i make your day wonderful?" a small smile on her face, showcasing her braces. heat rose to ellie's cheeks, she was so enamored by this girl in front of her. "um, ill have a coffee, with one french vanilla, and two sugar please." ellie said with a slight smile as well. she couldn't help but smile, the girls' smile was contagious. "are you a new customer, we have a free pasty for our new customers! feel free to pick one out! i recommend our fruit tart, especially the mixed berry one! or if you are looking for something savory i'd say our ham and cheese croissants, they are to die for!" she spoke while starting on your coffee. a free pastry, who could say no to that? "the croissant sounds good, thank you" ellie said and she took out her cash to pay.

"wonderful, and your name? just so we could have you step to the side and wait at our wait station, she pointed to it with her medium-length nails. they were a pretty shade, it sort of looked like a toned-down honey color. "ellie, my name is ellie" you grabbed the cardboard cup and swiftly wrote down her name. it was a pretty name you thought, and it came with an even prettier girl attached to it. "alright ellie, your order should be done soon, just hold your receipt until they call you then place it into the yellow basket, not the blue one though, those were hit and run orders." you said with air quotations, obviously, they weren't literal hit and runs. more in the sense of they ordered didn't pay and just left. which happened more often than one would think. "alright sounds good," ellie said as she walked away toward the wait station. the little wait sign decorated in cute bubble letters and soft pastels, this cafe itself was so cute.

her order soon came out and she was on her way, not without waving to the cute barista that served her today. as she walked out she still heard that sweet voice of yours to every customer that came after her. gosh, was she developing a crush already, on a girl she barely knew? this was classic ellie.

"dina, why in your right mind didn't you tell me about this place sooner!" ellie yelled as she stumbled into her and dina's shared dorm. "ellie, it's been there since be before we even came here, AND we pass it everyday! its not my fault you don't pay attention to me!" dina jokingly yelled back. not paying attention to ellie's antics. "and the pretty girl who works there! you didn't even warn me dina!" ellie exclaimed as she fell flat-faced into her bed. "ellie ... she is in most of our classes, she usually just looks different! she wears glasses during class and dresses like 2010 mac miller! plus she is really quiet and only has four friends, including myself!" that sentence came out of dina's lips proudly, to be able to call herself a friend of yours. you were a very reserved girl in the real world, but the bakery uniform came you a new form of confidence. "YOU ARE HER FRIEND?" ellie yelled even louder, in a whiny tone. "els, if you viewed my Instagram dumps you'd see us in some photos, also shes a MAJOR pothead." dina said as she pulled up her personal Instagram to show ellie. throwing the phone to ellie and letting her view on her own, you were even more beautiful in these photos.

"what's her insta-" dina knew that was the next question so she cut you off, "she only has a finsta but she'll probably let you in! she only has around twelve followers, and her posts are super cute and funny." dina boasted. ellie threw the phone back to dina, and it landed softly by her feet. dina picked up her phone and shared your Instagram with ellie, and ellie instantly touched the notification. she requested quickly, your profile picture appeared to be you sitting on a ledge, with some baggy pants on. ellie was excited to see you instantly accepted her request, this definitely was gonna get you both somewhere!

-

do you guys want a part 2 maybe?

[thatstonedwriter]

⋆｡˚ 「 Zoo Trip! 」 ⋆｡˚

◉ Sinopsis; going to the zoo with their s/o

◉ feat; fizz, Loona, Blitz, Millie

◉ A/n- apologies for the wait- these ones are a bit shorter, but I tried to make them just as good <3

── ˙•˚∘✮🌙ᯓ🪐˙•˚∘ ──

The Zoo; a place of adventure, expensive novelty cups and weird smells. If you're looking to learn, take aesthetic photos, and see amazing animals, a zoo date is perfect for you and your partner(s)

Fizzarolli is obsessed with all the cute, weird animals he can find. I think he'd be especially fond of Lemurs. Idk, something about the their big bug-eyes makes Fizz giggle every time. Fizzarolli is not allowed to be in charge of the map, no matter how many times he asks- y'all will get lost- I repeat, do not let him have the map. Luckily, he's more than happy to let someone else take charge while he takes a bunch of aesthetic photos. Unlike aquariums, the lighting is better, so you know Fizz is doing the most when it comes to photo ops. Don't think you're exempt from that. He wants a new home screen.

┊┊┊✧ ⁺ ⁺ 　°

Loona isn't particularly interested in learning fun facts or spending money on novelty items. She is however interested in seeing your face light up as you run around the different enclosures. While I don't think Loona would be interested in much, I do think she'd love Tasmanian Devils. If there's any animal she wants to get a picture with, its those lil guys. Loona would probably refuse to eat the food at a zoo. she won't judge you if you want to get anything, though. The most she'll do is share a sweet treat like ice cream or a fruit smoothie it- definitely not bc she wants to live out the "sharing a drink with two straws" trope At the end of the day, she attempts to sneakily buy a few pictures of the two of you so she can frame them on her wall.

┊┊┊✧ ⁺ ⁺ 　°

Blitzø is, once again, disappointed by the lack of horses. The Zebras are the closest he gets, so naturally, they're his favorite. Refuses to buy novelty junk- unless he sees it makes you really happy- but in that case he'll probably try to steal it (so be prepared to book it if he gets caught). While Blitzø isn't one for romance, you should try taking him to the koi ponds. At first, he'll be antsy and just wanna keep going- but make him sit down, shut up, and appreciate the moment, and he'll soften up. Absolutely drags you into those photo booth areas and spends way too much on literally every picture (the only thing he pays for)

┊┊┊✧ ⁺ ⁺ 　°

Millie has a soft spot for the reptiles and medium/larger-sized felines, especially Komodo Dragons and Servals. I also think she'd fucking adore going into the topiaries and butterfly rooms with her partner(s). A place where you can sit surrounded by plants and have butterflies land in your hair? She's so in love. Please, I'm begging you, take photos with her in the butterfly rooms. It's such an aesthetic. Know what else is an aesthetic? Getting food and sitting in those open plazas where you can people watch and have a good view of the animals. No matter what you're up to, Millie just has a fucking blast.

── ˙•˚∘✮ 🔭๋࣭ᯓ🌙˙•˚∘ ──

[stay-midnight]

Maple Syrup

Synopsis: Changbin takes you out on a second date on a picnic of an old childhood zone type thing. Well, tension fills the air and escalates a bit faster than you expected but no regrets of it one bit.

Seo Changbin x Male Reader

• Requested by Anon √

• Word #: 2.7K

• Warnings/Kinks: Top Seo Changbin, Bot Male Reader, Porn Without Plot, Degradation, Praises, Kissing, Fingering, Safe Sex, Petnames, Second Date Sex, First Time w/ Changbin (Not in a virgin-type way), Neck Kissing, Smol Aftercare (Not Really Overshown), Love Showering, , Make-out, Tongue in Mouth, Disgustingly Loads of Fluff, To Boyfriends Development, Picnic Date, Picnic Sex, Open Field Sex, Gentle and Fluff Sex, Love is in the Air, 0 to 100 real quick, Pancakes and Syrup, Changbin praises reader just a lot

• A/N: My second fic after 10 months! Changbin fic at that! So the request was just "gentle smut with changbin" so I hope it delivered ey, it took a bit longer than expected, I approached this fic with a different writing style than the Seungmin fic so I hope it's alright! I'm experimenting a bit huehue but still trying to improve what I can right now! But I think im more satisfied with this than the Seungmin fic (maybe?)

The crops rustles around you, the soft blanket laid upon the cornfield was soft underneath your knees and legs, the man—your date grins as he take things out of the picnic basket that he brought— the aroma of sweetness hit the atmosphere as your eyes turn into little saucers at the sight of filling, soft and fluffy pancakes.

“I didn't take you for such a cook, Binnie. Don't even get me started on the romantic place you chose, what's the occasion?” Tone filled with astonishment.

Changbin laughs toothly, quirking his eyebrow at you.

“Nothing, every day is an occasion with you anyway, Y/N” he says, as he tops the pancake with blueberries he took out from the medium-sized basket.

A gentle laugh flows out of you, settling down in a bit as he places a plate in front of you—bringing flowers out of the basket which you saw while strolling earlier.

“Where did you find this place anyway?” You ask with curiosity, taking your phone out of your pocket and noticing the weak signal as soon as the screen light up. Changbin soon sits down from his kneeling position as he finishes making the place seem more picnic-y with the flowers, decorations and of course the food—pancakes, bananas and a bottle of syrup.

“Been here when I was young, there's actually a farm and a river that passes this meadow.” He explains with a hum, as he moves closer to you — taking a forkful from the stack of pancakes.

“Hmm... Childhood core memory picnic on the second date, you really are something Binnie~” you tease, fist bumping the man on his toned chest.

He chuckles, “Uh huh.. Would that make for a better boyfriend or worse one?” He teases back, his shoulder slumping down as he pokes your side sneakily.

“Ah!” You tut at Changbin at his action, “Guess...?” you respond, finally taking a bite out of the pancakes he brought — the blueberry taste feeling delectable on your tastebuds. Though it could use a bit of sweetness so you grab for the bottle of maple syrup on Changbin's side.

“I think—” he starts, before you suddenly land your head on his lap when you try to get the sweetening liquid. Changbin's eyes raised at that before letting out a small laugh and handed you over the maple syrup as you tried to fix yourself up.

You look at him in embarrassment and his grin worsened the feeling.

“Sorry,” you simply said, as you took the object off his hands. Changbin laughs to clear the air — “It's fine, no worries—my clumsy caterpillar.” He jokes, the way you rolled your eyes at him cleared the tension as you popped the cap open.

Slowly, the syrup pours on top of the filling blueberry-topped hotcakes — watching as it flows down the sides like a fountain.

“The pancakes look so fluffy, did you make them?” You take a bite of the sweet goodness, cheeks full of the food and your tongue being blessed with the taste of maple leaves, blueberries and the texture of the pancake.

“Mhmm, A friend taught me.” He says, as he joins in on consuming the mouthwatering dessert.

“Cooking, producing and date-planning, what else you've got hidden under that buff sleeve, Binnie?” A whistle came out of your mouth at that, grinning at the man — pointing your fork at him accusingly.

“Well, that's for me to hide and for you to find out.” He responds with a dopey smile, scrunching his face at you as he flexes his muscles as a tease.

“Oh wow, don't worry, being a serial killer that brought me here to kill me while savoring sweet blueberry pancakes isn't checked off the list.” You said as Changbin grins — swinging his arm in a stabbing motion that causes you to stick your tongue out at him playfully—“I have 911 at speed dial.”

“Just so you know, little—lonely, scared Y/N that this place has no bars.” He refers to the signal, opening his phone and tapping his screen as he says the line in the creepiest way as his voice allows too.

“You look like a little goofball. Pfft.”

Changbin huffs at your comment, placing the pancakes on the fork and lifting it towards your mouth.

“Airplane's coming~” He teases with a large smirk, as he watches you flinch from disgust at that.

“Oh my god, eww...” You tut, with a roll of your eyes — you gladly accepted more of that goodness.

Changbin snickers and stares at you with fond dew eyes. His breath hitching on his throat at the sight of the sun shining on your skin as it angled perfectly—the way it kissed, every little feature and the way it reflected on your upturned eyes.

So ethereal and pretty.

He thought, as the atmosphere fell silent—his thumb reaching out to remove the blob of syrup on the corner of your lips, watching as you smiled at his action as a sign of gratitude.

Changbin can't help but stare.

“Take a picture, Binnie, it'll last longer..~” You poke fun at his fixed gaze with a laugh. Changbin reached into his basket, grabbing the instax camera he brought with him that totally went out of his mind.

“That was a joke but—” Snap.

Changbin is in awe as the film prints out slowly, “God, Y/N– You're just so dang... pretty.”

Changbin never misses that way you fluster and you couldn't help but close your eyes as the heat covered your face.

“Don't do that...” You breathe out.

“Do what? Speak my truth?” He says, grinning from ear to ear.

“No, make my heart explode like that—I may die before you kill me in this secluded area.” You remark, sighing before adding the lighthearted joke causing Changbin to forward and squish your cheek. You puff up your mouth in annoyance as you stare eye to eye with this adorable and incredibly good-looking man.

“Bin...” You breathe out, reaching out to lay your palm on the side of his face. The atmosphere changed once Changbin leaned a little bit closer, wary in his movement.

Changbin is about to kiss me.. you thought, haywires flashing in your mind — the man who you didn't believe would even ask you on a date is about to kiss you.

Pillowy, soft lips met your own as you can't help but feel abliss at the feeling of Changbin's mouth against yours.

Changbin's.

You move your hand to the front of his chest, letting it stay there as you return his kiss eagerly, the rustling of the field comes to a halt and the wind feels bare against your body.

Flames erupt from the pit of your stomach as Changbin moves his hand to your waist while his other one clumsily clattering the plates — the food short forgotten as pulls you into his lap with your gasp echoing in the breezy air and your own eyes closed shut tightly.

God.

His tongue asks for entry, delicately pushing against your lips for permission, parting it slowly as the taste of the maple syrup once again hits your taste buds at the feeling of Changbin exploring your mouth slowly.

This was a feeling you would cherish, as Changbin's hand trailed to your chest, near your racing heart — beating rapidly against the man as you couldn't help but relax your rigid shut eyes.

The strong taste of the syrup didn't leave your mouth one bit as Changbin's tongue trailed deeper into your mouth as you tilted your head as your date led the kiss.

Then, you felt a bump on your ass — a shudder passing through your body while your mind is overloading at this point.

Are we gonna fuck in this place? Is what was in ponder, but soon got lost as Changbin's hand wondered to cup one of your butt cheeks — a soft moan going through your own to his mouth at the action.

Fuck it.

Your hand shakily grabs into Changbin's biceps as you tried to deepen the kiss impossibly further as you wrapped your leg around him.

Changbin felt relieved at the passionate return as if a rock on his heart was shattered free, he felt a little bit more sure and confident.

He leads you on, settling you down the picnic mat — moving the food a bit further so as to not create a mess.

Changbin ruffles something from his basket again.

Just what—

He pulls out a condom and a strawberry-flavored lube much to your surprise. “Do you just bring that around or?” you asked, eyeing him suspiciously.

He laughs, “Emergencies.”

“What else is in that basket, oh my god.”

He grins, winking at you and ignoring your question as he sets down the much needed things to the side as he pulls off his shirt — revealing his chest, your breath hitching on your throat at the sight of his buff and toned muscles.

“Fuck...” You breathe out silently.

Changbin reconnected both your lips as soon as possible, the feeling of you against him was a compelling need.

His thighs went between your legs as Changbin's mouth ravaged your own — his fingers crawling up your shirt and radiated delicate warmth.

More gasps and breaths came out of your lips at the clash of tongues against the man above you.

Changbin's lips slowly trailed down your jaw, leaving peppers of kisses against every inch he moved. His hands settled on the hem of your shirt — pulling it off while you grabbed into his waist for support.

“Y/N... You're so pretty, so kind and so perfect.” The compliments pour out of his lips like swallowed candy — ever sweet and collective as he noses at your collarbone.

Deep inside, those words bubbled feelings of awe and adoration — it's the first time someone said something like that to you in such a sweet way as well.

His hand ghosted over the belt of your jeans, barely touching the leather strap. In hesitancy, he pulls away before scanning your expression for consent.

“Are you okay with this?” he asks meekly, a soft tinge of red covering his cheeks at his own question.

You nod once.

“Words, please... Y/N-ah I have to be—”

“Yes, Bin—Fu– yes...” You were okay with it, with this — in a way, thrilled and ecstatic but is it really alright to be doing this in the middle of nowhere — as a second as well. You questioned your thoughts for a bit, but immediately vanished as you saw Changbin's eyes — glinting of admiration and awestruck.

Changbin's lips reattach to your supple skin, smiling from ear to ear against your neck — his mind floating in the clouds as glee coursed through his body.

This time, his hand followed through with his wants — unbuckling your belt, the sound of the metal ringing in your ears along with your frantically beating heart. “Bin... Could you go a bit faster?” You sigh as Changbin left pecks against your unmarked skin as he unzipped your denim per your request.

“Patience, baby... I wanna take my time with you.” He pushes his hand inside your zipper, feeling at the small bulge that had formed from his actions.

You breath out heavily as his fingers caressed your clothed dick, tightening your hold on his bicep as he pressed down. He played with your covered tip while he pressed down your naked chests against each other — the action sending a shudder through you as the feeling of his muscles against your skin burned hotly reflected by sunlight gazing down upon the fields and tingling sensation went to your core as Changbin snaked his hand inside your underwear — finally touching skin.

He reaches down and plays with your balls as his suckling on your neck got stronger. Your hands didn't know where to go but tightened on the picnic blanket, crumpling the cloth as soft moans left your lips at Changbin's advances.

.

Soon enough, the shirt and pants of both you and Changbin pile up on the side of the picnic blanket – both naked as the day you were born and the sun gazing down upon your bodies like a spotlight in a theater casting down on actors. It felt surreal.

Changbin's fingers easing in your hole with the scent of strawberry lubed lingering in the air, drawing out a bunch of moans while your words were lost to the wind.

“Y/N-ah, you look so gorgeous like this.” He says, despite his fingers inches deep into your ass.

You look away from the man's gaze, mumbling a small “shut up.” from under your breath.

He responds with sultry laughter, ringing in your ears like chimes as he thoroughly prepares you. His fingers wiggle and parts inside you, slightly curving it upward to hit your prostate as a loud moan passes through your mouth.

Changbin grins as he hits that spot again, the pleasure coursing through your body once again as you throw your head back at the feeling. “Yeah, fuck—right there, Bin-! So good, so fucking good.”

Changbin smiles warmly at your praises, hands rubbing gently over your sweet spot as he peers down on your form, eyes so full of warm light as he can't help but love every inch of you despite knowing each other not so long ago. He pulls his digits out your hole with a squelch —and tearing open a condom before putting it on his cock, his lips reconnected with your own again as he lines his tip against your clenching rim.

Changbin grips your chin as he slowly sinks into the tight pleasure, your pleas against his mouth reverberating through the field like a delectable symphony. Your hot breaths mingle with one another as his cock reaches deeper and deeper, hiking your leg up his shoulder.

Then his tip hit your prostate, the euphoric feeling enough to send a shock through your body especially your own cock.

Changbin's pace got faster as you clawed at his back desperately — wanting his cock to go impossibly further as your eyes rolled back in your head.

“God, y–you look so good fucked out, baby.” He drawls in your ear as he pulls away from your lips, rubbing your thighs sensually as he fucks you.

His hand thumbs at your nipple softly, hitting your pleasure spot with his dick over and over again as all you could do was writhe under him on the blanket — the food set aside forgotten.

His hand trailed down to your core, jerking your already-hard dick as his hips hastened. “Close, baby.”

“Bin– You are so good, yeah... yeah, fuck..” You cursed out, gripping his shoulders as you felt pressure building on your abdomen as Changbin connected your lips, his thrusts pointed towards your prostate as he fucks you languidly. His tongue dancing with your own in the moment and affection pouring out of his every touch while your hips didn't know where to rut to — against his hand tight around your cock or against his dick reaching deep inside of you.

As you tried to do both, your eyes shut tight and teeth clench as you spilled strings over Changbin's hand, your abdomen and Changbin's toned abs while he fucks you through your high with breathless grunts.

Beads of sweat pour down the side of his forehead as his hips still at the last second, his cum spilling inside the wrapper as he almost collapsed into you but caught it with his hand at the last second.

He pulled out with lidded eyes, the loud squelch of the lube was audible as he nestled on your side. “Good, Y/N?” he asks, his fingers ghosting around your own but hesitant to wrap it.

You grin with a cloudy mind, fully holding Changbin's hand before bringing it up to your cheek. “Yeah... though– fucking in a outside field isn't on my bucket list.”

He hums amusingly, pulling your hand towards his lips as he kisses the back of your hand. “Sorry bout' that... Heh, too carried away?”

“S' Alright.” you giggle.

“Boyfriends?” You asked, with a raised eyebrow as you stare at his eyes for a second, the red dusting his cheeks perfectly as if he was resembling a shy hare.

Changbin felt ecstatic at the question, nodding with a toothy grin as he pulled you into his embrace.

“Boyfriends.” he says, the warm sun coating the meadow in spring — trees singing out the lullabies and requiems of the moans and grunts from earlier as well as the maple syrup's scent on the leftover plate was enough to set the mood as you both bathe in the afterglow gently.

[mrghostrat]

ok gamers lets Interact

(answering asks) (bc i get self conscious abt spamming the dash)

@goblin-named-sam: oh my goddd that would be SO RAD!!! i would love to see this, you have my full permission! (and same re: reading everything out loud omg i do that too htphfpt)

also my bestie is the same with human AUs so i completely get it, and am so pleased & proud my work can be considered so in character to bypass that worry. i agree that the 6,000 years of pining, as well as their separation from the rest of humanity, is a massively integral part of what makes aziraphale and crowley. but imo their lil everyday interactions are just as important, like their flow of conversation and all the temptation vs resistance.

so as long as human AUs recreate that dynamic in some way, they can be sooo fun to read. and then you unlock a whole new range of stories for when you get tired of the same/similar End Of The World narrative. it's hard to get it right, especially when writing a completely different medium like twitch chats and discord messages, but soooo rewarding when it lands 😭🙏 thank you again.

@froggyliciouz: thank you so much holy shit!!

Anonymous: i live for this. ur sustaining me. every time i open my inbox and look at this message, more of my age lines disappear

Anonymous: thank you for telling me so! 🥹

Anonymous: dying over all the ppl rereading it even when it's just come out!!!! so freaking flattering i can't even describe <3

Anonymous: it's lil messages like these that i worry im gonna be annoying if i publish them all to my dash but they bring me SO MUCH LFIE i love every single one kiss kiss thank you for messaging me 🥺

Anonymous: oh how naive i was to think that all this positive reinforcement wouldn't make me keep writing at such a desperate speed 😂

Anonymous: I SWEAR I REPLIED TO THIS ONE... well i hope the cards turned out well! i am 100% here for dangling my fic like carrot and string to get you through chores and tasks >B) phase 2 of the plan is getting us all on a healthy sleep schedule

Anonymous: all hail the stream worm 🙇🪱🙇 and you can thank all the tasty comments people are leaving (and asks like this!!) for making me doubly feral about getting new updates out. must--please--the worms--

Anonymous: AYYY THERE YOU ARE I'M SO PROUD OF YOU 🎉 thank you so much for comin on back and sharing such lovely thoughts about my work 😭💛

Anonymous: ty for reading!! so many fics have done the students' reaction to their relationship better than i ever could 💛 but i love it when they're in total shock and maybe don't even believe it at first 😂 adam would definitely think crowley is pranking them at first (but it would also be so sweet if they all started being a little more personable with aziraphale — i imagine that after the trip, they already would, since they got to see this fun snarky side of him. but even moreso once they realise he's their favourite teacher's husband)

@quinnie28: thank you soooo muchhh for recommending it!! some of my favourite all time fics were sent to me by my bestie. very honoured to be read by someone who doesn't usually read wips <333

Anonymous: he'll always be our lil meow meow

Anonymous: I'm so happy i could bring you a lil joy 🥹 lots of love to you

[dokidokitsuna]

Knight Quartet Rebellion! So for a while now I’ve been thinking about a potential sequel series to Magical Friends (as all overly-ambitious artists do…) and recently I thought it might be fun to follow a completely different cast of characters and work with the Knight Quartet. ^^

Basically: while Morpho is busy managing the aftermath of MF’s finale, Galacta Knight somehow comes back from the ‘dead’ and plots his revenge…in his own silly, airheaded way. :9 He recruits Dark Meta Knight first, thinking he’s MK (did he go to the wrong planet…?) and then the two of them arrive in Dream Land to seek out the OG Meta Knight as a third ally (i.e. wreak so much havoc that he’s forced to join up with them just to put a stop to the destruction). Meta Knight is the primary POV, along for the ride on GK’s adventure, and over the course of the story he gets to know him better and starts to befriend him (kind of like Gryll vis-a-vis Magolor in MF).

Of course, this idea is a long way away from production. ^^; I haven’t even drafted a script yet, and I feel like I need more time to get used to drawing the knights and to work out their body language…just drawing these scenes was a lot harder than I thought it would be. For one thing, it feels like I may need to play around with different eye shapes to make them emote clearly…

Something you actually ARE likely to see in the nearer future is a series of test animations with these boys. ^^ Like, I envision KQR as a very battle-heavy series (honestly, it kind of has to be) and it’s about time I started practicing choreography. And designing movesets for these guys is gonna be a trip…in case you haven’t noticed, because they lack articulate arms and legs, a lot of the poses and graceful movements you usually use for swordsmen don’t actually work for them… 9w9 In the games, a lot of their maneuvers are either very silly (like the common ‘swish sword around super fast’ move) or very unrealistic (like how Morpho kinda just summons their swords repeatedly rather than actually manipulating them…the ‘double giant sword summon’ in particular is hardly swordplay; it functions more like a hammer swing)

All of ^that works for the type of series that Kirby is-- cute, goofy, abstract-- but personally I’d like for their movements to be either more grounded or more stylized, so you can actually take the fights seriously in a non-interactive medium. So I think I’ll start by studying their in-game movesets and re-interpreting them, and every time I get up to ~20 seconds of test animation I’ll upload it as a video. ^^ If nothing else it’ll be something to keep me animating on a regular basis, as per my New Years’ resolution~

[magiefish]

Honestly the process of getting tattoos has always made me feel kind of icky, and I hate the thought of being filmed or having my body modified without my consent, so I was bracing myself for things to get *much worse* for all of episode 2. It never quite hit the crescendo for me, and honestly I’m kind of relieved about that, but I still enjoyed the video chat. The eye-vagueing in episode 1 was also pretty rough.

‘The Magnus Protocol’ is off to a pretty firmly body horror stance and, as much as I liked the dream-logic stuff of season 5, it’s good to have some good old fashioned grounded gore again.

The new theme song is also just so? *Menacing*? I love the ‘wub-wub-wub’ noise, it’s like ominous dubstep.

Not sure about the cast yet. Collin and Gwen seem pretty interesting (praying for brutal pipe murder 2: job advancement boogaloo), Lena’s okay, Sam’s alright I’ll probably like them more when we learn more about them, and Alice is…ehhhhh??? They can be funny sometimes but some of their jokes just land kind of flat and i don’t know if that’s intentional or not. Also *a lot* of them sound very similar to me so it’s kind of hard to tell who’s talking sometimes but I imagine I’ll adjust.

The entities are definitely around: meeting a bunch of new avatars and hearing their statements was always one of my favourite parts of tma. I just love hearing someone describing their relationship to a concept as vast and complex as fear and all the ways their psychology attracts them to a specific one. I always found them very compellingly written, you kind of almost wanted to get in on it too whenever you heard them. They all made their own macabre kind of sense. We’ve already met one in Ink5oul I think, and I can’t think of a better horror to begin with than an obnoxious Instagram personality with a number in their name.

As a big fan of ‘Control’ and weird categorisation systems in general I’m really liking the index the office has. I wonder what hyper-specific terms they’ll pull out. Personally I hope they’ve got one for the ‘fear of being watched by a duck - trauma’. The different mediums being explored using statements are also great. The mounting dread and suspense the repetition of names and times during the chat post one created was fantastic.

All this said, I really hope Norris and Chester aren’t just Martin and Jon stuffed into a Windows 19. Not because it wouldn’t be funny, I just liked the mystery of the original ending. If I had to make a theory, I would say that someone either supernaturally synthesised their voices from the tapes or it’s just a fragment of their beings trapped in there, not the entirety of them. Like, in order to escape the fears to another dimension they lost a part of themselves in the process kind of thing. Also interesting that employees can canonically quit the job. I wonder what mental gymnastics Sam is going to pull to stay at their job when The Horrors begin.

Overall, pretty good two first episodes! Looking forward to next Thursday.

Except for not mentioning Jekyll and Hyde when doing pop-culture-fear-indexing, rule of three and you are also LITERALLY the addiction metaphor horror podcast at least pay my man a LITTLE respe-

[prettyboykatsuki]

Do you have any advice for someone who wants to write fanfiction but they’ve never written a story before? Like ever. I’m a complete beginner and don’t know where to start it’s overwhelming :/

i thought about this ask a lot trying to give you good advice and kept coming up empty handed kjdssjkj because it feels out of my area of expertise

there is not really a right way to write a story. story writing is like any creative medium where there are rules and regulations but those conventions don't really dictate anything so i don't want to just generically give u that advice.

ALSO IM NOT AN EXPERT!!! JUST A GUY!!!! i have no formal experience in writing... just an insane hobbyist.

im going to try to explain each step in like an approachable way so i dont sound like im giving u an english lesson but just walking u through the thought process of my fic writing.

i think ultimately there r few elements to writing a story that you should think about before starting. and that will help you as try your hand at writing one seriously.

main event, perspective, events leading up and tone.

a lot of people will talk about the 3-act structure for fiction and while it's a good thing to use if you're in need of guidance, not all stories follow that structure. it's a framework limited 2 western media!! eastern media like anime follows a different framework that tends be broken into 4 acts!! and on a personal level i don't really follow any structure when i write sdjkhdskj

the first thing i'd suggest to identify is whats happening. what thing do you want to write about and set as the main event of the story. is it a first kiss? is it a date? is it an argument? what is the Scene you want to write about. there is always a Thing you have in mind. as you get better at writing that Thing can be more vague and conceptual. but for now you will want to pick a concrete Event as the main event of your story.

right now im writing a story about razor and reader. the Event of the story is them having sex from the first time. when you have that event, you want to know what eyes you're seeing that Event from. in my case, i'm writing it from readers point of view. knowing the perspective the story is being told in lets you establish a clearer timeline and the relationship between other characters.

characterization comes in here. it's best to choose a character u feel comfortable writing. if that means writing yourself as reader then do that!! lets say your event isn't sex but a first kiss. you're writing from readers perspective.

this is where u establish exposition. what has led your character to the place we start the story. they want to have their first kiss, but why? is it their first relationship? are they frustrated or embarrassed by the fact they haven't? have they ever gotten close to having it? have their friends brought it up? how do they deal with their feelings and how do they approach this first kiss? all of that makes up like. ur exposition. it leads ur readers into the story u want to tell.

you've written the exposition and now we know the characters perspective. we know what they're thinking, how they're feeling, what has happened to them so far. now we want to know what is going to lead to that kiss. this is the events leading up the Main Event.

again where characterization comes in. is your character the meek type? or are they someone who would be bold? maybe theyre the kind of person to scheme their way into a kiss.

if your character is the meek type, then the events following up to that kiss might require you to write some kind of divine intervention. this is where suspension of disbelief becomes your friend. maybe your character and their partner get locked in a closet together and the tension leads to them kissing. maybe they end up playing a game of spin the bottle with friends and it lands on their partner. maybe they end up under the mistletoe or for some reason one character starts working at a kiss booth. the point is that to get to the kiss, you will have to write some lead-up and that lead up will change based on your characterization.

if your character is the bold type - then maybe they'd just go up to their lover and ask. you could of course stop the story there, but that kind of thing can also be a good place to include conflict. lets say your character asks to kiss and their partner says no. you can write about that mystery. maybe they have to get to the bottom of why they said now and u can write the lead up about that.

or if your character is the kind of person to scheme - how do they try to scheme their way into a kiss? maybe they're the ones who set up the mistle toe, or the kiss booth trying to get their partner to kiss them.

during this process and as you establish these events - you'll also want to make sure your writing is tonally consistent. first kisses are a naturally light-hearted trope. you can make the tone sweet and fluffy by describing the warm butterflies they get with each other. it can also be comedic. you can lean into dramatic irony or humor to make the fic something you can giggle at.

but it doesn't have to be either of these things. you can subvert the trope completely by writing it as angst. maybe your character feels deeply insecure about the lack of intimacy and they have their first kiss in the midst of a terrible argument. you'll want to establish a sort of somber and melancholy mood for the story to be tonally consistent etc.

i know this is A Lot. like a wall of a text. and i know it seems like a lot of things to keep up with - but the most important thing is truly not to overthink it. i gave you a break down of my writing process just to give you somewhere to begin, but writing is a subjective artform and there is no correct way to do it. these things i mentioned can be overwhelming at the start, but they will come naturally to you as you continue to just try at it. the best thing you can do for yourself is just give it a good college try and see what happens

sorry there is so much text but i hope this helps you write your story!!!!

[highladyluck]

top 5 minor characters in WoT? :p

or, if that's too easy, top 5 show details?

You all know my top 5 minor characters in WoT, so I’m going with the show details.

5. GROLM. ^^^

4. TITS OUT FOR GRAENDAL (also Asmodean’s guitar & everything about the Forsaken votives and the practice of bribing them to leave you alone. Incredibly fun and logical extrapolation, plus it is a neat visual intro to the Forsaken.)

3. The older women having a fantastic time getting shitfaced in the Winespring Inn. It was so natural and so shocking, at the same time. In literally any other live-action fantasy show I can think of, there would only be a table of old men getting shitfaced, joyously, without a care in the world. The fact that it’s older women feeling safe enough to let loose? And you’re showing this to me in an establishing shot? It immediately says “This world is different. Women feel safer here.” And like… damn, I didn’t know what I was missing till I saw they had it, but I’m so jealous of them now. That scene changed me.

2. Mat starts ‘Sing for Manetheren’ after looking around at how depressed everyone is, clearly to cheer them up and help them feel connected to each other and home. This establishes again that Mat is hypersensitive to the vibes & looking out for everyone. And the line the camera focuses on each character singing says so much about them!

Mat: “We walk the footsteps of our fathers”; he’s afraid he’s going to be his father (although you get the sense he’s most scared of being his mother, and out of the shitty examples available he picked the one he thinks is going to serve him better.)

Perrin gets ‘the trail blazed by our mothers’ which makes more sense with the og show backstory that had his mom teaching him blacksmithing (and him, uh, axing his mom on Winternight.)

Egwene gets “they bought the land with their blood” which emphasizes her connection to Eldrene of Manetheren & other similar events *cough*

And Rand chimes in only at the end with “long ago” which… oh ouch, baby. He hasn’t been singing till then because he was so upset about being adopted & not belonging to the Two Rivers in the same ways as the others- he can only choke out the “long ago”, which is, um, rather relevant to being a specific reincarnation of a dude who died 3,000 years ago.

Also the song is beautiful and haunting and I’m so glad we got it.

1. The fucking. NOOSE!!! swinging behind Mat’s head as he talks to Padan Fain. I just… HOW DARE??? It was so brilliant and somehow really subtle, a nice Easter egg for book readers. That’s how you do foreshadowing in a visual medium!

[lemonhemlock]

Rhaenys Storming Through the Dragonpit

One of the most controversial scenes in Season 1, this was an addition from the part of the show-runners. It has received quite a lot of criticism already for being bombastic (in a bad way), useless and illogical. Personally speaking, I was torn, so this is an attempt to make (some) sense of it.

Spoilers for upcoming events.

Context

I intend to analyse this scene by giving as much grace and benefit-of-the-doubt to the writers and producers as I can - it's only fair.

Adapting any book series is not easy. There will always be changes performed to the written text, even when trying as hardly as possible to stick to the source material. Sometimes what reads well translates badly on screen. Different mediums require different storytelling techniques. It's not necessarily a bad thing, just different.

Sets, CGI and dragons are expensive. It's not just about money, but about time as well. Graphic artists need to be given enough time to do their jobs properly. You can't just decide to drop 10 dragons out of thin air and expect them to meet your deadlines, unless you plan on making them work in sweatshop conditions.

Logistically speaking, sometimes the scripts need to be changed because there is no time left to film them with their original (maybe better?) ideas. Things can easily get cut or simplified. So I will try to keep my suggestions down to earth and achievable.

Remember we only have 10 episodes. Of course, if we had twice as many, the discussion would be completely different, but that is not feasible. While I feel like the season would have benefited greatly from an additional 2-3 episodes, I do not have access to HBO's cost-benefit analysis and their finances.

Bear in mind that this is the first ASOIAF show to premiere after the disastrous and critically-panned final Game of Thrones season, so perhaps they really did not want to stray from the tried-and-true successful format of 10 episodes per season, with episode 9 the usual stand-out.

Pros

It provides an unexpected, shocking, show-stopping moment. It looks cool on screen; that's undeniable. It gives Rhaenys a girlboss moment that the casual viewer will love (again, casual viewers are the ones who bring the big bucks in). It swiftly communicates the following information about Rhaenys: she is resourceful and brave enough to face the dragonkeepers on her own (probably unarmed), she has a temper (she doesn't appreciate having been locked in her room), she is careless about ordinary people's lives, she has excellent control of her dragon (pointed comparison to Aemond & Vhagar) and she can control her temper tantrum enough to think a little before she acts.

It provides a character-defining situation for both Alicent and Aegon. IMO this was one of the most powerful moments of the season, so I understand why they prioritized it over basically anything else.

I think these are two very strong points and, in all honesty, opportunities too irresistible to pass over.

Cons

Rhaenys commits a terrorist act and her murders are swept under the rug by the narrative.

How do Rhaenys and Meleys manage to fly through the floor of the Dragonpit without either of them getting hurt? Considering the later Storming of the Dragonpit, this is illogical and defies the laws of physics.

It is not immediately apparent why Rhaenys doesn't burn the Greens and be done with it. A common complaint was that her actions didn't make any sense.

No Sunfyre. The most beautiful dragon in the known world and his relationship with Aegon is unparalleled. In the texts, after his coronation, Aegon flies around King's Landing, giving him an opportunity to show off his splendid dragon. Leaving Sunfyre out diminishes Aegon's character when he is in desperate need of rehabilitation.

Changes I agree with

I would argue that con#2 is the most egregious. If I would have been in the writers' / producers' shoes, I would strive to change that. The rest I would keep. IMO it's good visual storytelling.

Rhaenys will probably be the first to die next season. Developing her character is imperative, otherwise her death will feel hollow. Rhaenys is a proper dragonrider in her own right - one of the best. I do insist that showing the viewers that is very important. Rhaenys is played by a middle-aged woman and she gets a cool action scene in a medium where actresses are valued for youth and attractiveness. As viewers, we expect the 9th episode of a Game of Thrones season to be bonkers in some way. Putting her in THE prime-time spot of the season gives her the opportunity to become a memorable character. Yes, I would totally keep Rhaenys in this scene.

Sunfyre is a good boy and his absence has been felt, but he will have many an occasion to stand out before the end of the series. Meanwhile, Meleys will die soon and there hasn't been a proper opportunity to show her off. If her first scene next season is the same as her death scene, I don't think the impact would be as big. Yes, Arrax only got one segment as well, but he was a small dragon, whereas Meleys is one of the important ones. I can, therefore, understand and accept the prioritization of Meleys over Sunfyre in this scenario.

If possible, would I also have included Sunfyre in this scene? I am going to be controversial and answer no. Sunfyre's presence turns this event into a weird showdown between Rhaenys and Aegon (since Aegon is the only one who can control Sunfyre).

What beef would Rhaenys even have with Aegon at this point? She is pissed that the Greens were holding her hostage and forcing her to pick a side. I have already criticized the scene between her and Alicent and, while I believe the show could have done a better job at highlighting Rhaenys' hypocrisy and projection, I think it makes sense for Alicent to try to woo Rhaenys to the green side by appealing to her in some way. It also provides Rhaenys with an opportunity to appraise Alicent's character, so it makes more sense for this last scene of the episode to be a rehashing of that earlier appeal.

In similar vein, I also understand why the crowning of Helaena was cut. It is a sweet mother-daughter moment in the text, but had she been standing next to Aegon, Alicent would have had to protect them both by placing herself in front. We already know Alicent loves Helaena; this is not new information for the viewer. Alicent and Helaena will have their own gut-wrenching scenes together soon enough.

No, the question for the audience (and for Aegon) is whether Alicent loves Aegon. By performing this one act of bravery, we finally have our answer and cannot dispute whether or not Alicent took this stand just because Helaena was near her as well. When faced with the possibility of death, she carries out this one last act of care, even if its only consequence would be that Aegon won't have to spend his last moments on this earth alone.

So, yes, the focus of this scene should remain on Alicent and Aegon and Alicent's silent plea to Rhaenys. We begin the Dance with Alicent & Aegon and we should finish it with them as well. "My first son and my last" etc. It's too meaty of a concept to give up.

Why doesn't Rhaenys just burn the Greens and be done with it?

If I had executive power, I would have Rhaenys explain her reasoning to Daemon in more depth next episode. She kind of does, but the fandom at large was left unsatisfied, whereas I really do feel that burning everyone on the podium would have been a catastrophic decision, for the following reasons:

Kinslaying is a terrible crime in-universe, literally considered one of the worst things you could possibly do. People tend to be generally horrified by it. Rhaenys would be reducing Aegon, Aemond and Helaena to ash. It is really not highlighted how much of a big deal this would be. Of course, they will all end up killing each other later, but at least that would be during the course of the war, whereas this would be an unprovoked attack against defenseless non-combatants. In addition, it's not just that Rhaenys would be judged by society, but it's so taboo that it's very likely she just couldn't bring herself to do it, at least not at this particular stage. It's a very heavy decision!

Apart from killing three (3!) family members, Rhaenys would also be killing other state officials like the Dowager Queen, the Hand of the King, the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard and other members of the government like Tyland Lannister. All important people, generally coming from important and powerful noble families. That's a lot of potential allies to piss off.

Rhaenys would be killing the High Septon, literally the Westerosi equivalent to the Pope, thus ensuring an uprising of the Faith against Rhaenyra.

This would not end the succession crisis in any way. Aegon's children are in the Red Keep. His son Jaehaerys would become the next king. Alicent and Otto definitely have her own loyalists that could smuggle the children away to Oldtown, if necessary.

Even without the children, Daeron is still in Oldtown. Lord Ormund Hightower could simply crown him and wage war against Rhaenyra, who, by no will of her own, now has the Faith against her and a population outraged by this incredible act of cruelty.

Ultimately, what Rhaenys said was right: the decision to start the war wasn't hers to make, nor was the decision to escalate hostilities to such an appalling level. She was never willing to do that for her own claim. She never tried to take the throne by conquest after the decision of the Great Council in 101. So why would she possibly do something like this for Rhaenyra?

It's not even fair to Rhaenyra. She isn't consulted at all in this matter. Perhaps she doesn't want to kill her own family members. However, the consequences of this act would be pinned on her no matter what. She'd have to execute Rhaenys or something drastic like that to punish her for the heinous crime she committed.

Yes, you could still keep the mother-to-mother bond element between Rhaenys and Alicent. Rhaenys can still be moved by Alicent's determination to stand by and do the best for her children.

Fix-It

These are the tweaks I would perform to preserve the impactful quality of the scene without sacrificing logic:

First of all, I will point out that Rhaenys stayed overnight in order for Vaemond's body be prepared for the journey back to Driftmark. Rhaenyra leaving KL so soon after dinner was an impromptu decision; even she probably intended to stay a little longer in the capital. I'd give Baela a line mentioning how she wants to spend a little time with Rhaena or something, so as to explain her separation from Rhaenys.

I would highlight Rhaenys' dissatisfaction. Rightly or wrongly, she is insulted at having been locked inside her room. She is a proud woman and wants to be in charge of her own destiny, instead of being forced (yet again) down a path against her will. She wants to leave and make up her own mind. And, most importantly, she wants to get back to her granddaughters ASAP. She can tell Ser Erryk all this when he comes to free her. Throw them a couple more lines of dialogue to emphasize their motivations.

Rhaenys' goal should therefore be to get out of King's Landing. She gets separated from Ser Erryk and witnesses the coronation. She can sneak through the tunnels like in the show.

However, I cannot have Rhaenys bursting through the floor like in Looney Tunes, that part needs to GO. This means I will have to change the trajectory of Rhaenys' flight.

Now, the coronation takes place in the Dragonpit, like in the source material. In the show, it looked similar to the Colosseum, but with a dome on top, at least the part that we saw. It's supposed the be this immense structure with plenty of caverns to house the dragons.

The characters stand on some sort of podium at the far end of the ground floor. I can't tell if it has been especially erected for the coronation, but it looks too elaborate for it to be some makeshift structure. There is a sort of canopy (?) above, from which they hung Aegon's banners: a golden dragon on black. I'm not sure what Jaehaerys I's chair is doing there, though, so perhaps I would get rid of it. Aegon won't get to sit on it and it's kind of in my way.

Behind the banners, I would simply invent an entryway to some tunnel deeper inside caverns and have Rhaenys enter from that side. The doors should be opposite.

It can begin with the ground trembling a little, following by ominous sounds getting closer until Meleys rips Aegon's banners up and Rhaenys is revealed. Perhaps destroy the pillar holding up the canopy so that there is nothing else to serve as cover. In this scenario, Rhaenys has no choice but to face the Greens, because they are literally standing in her way.

Everything else mostly proceeds as usual. The characters were facing the smallfolk. At Rhaenys' approach, everyone turns towards her. The camera moves to face the characters on the podium, with the smallfolk (and the exit) now behind them.

Alicent redirects Ser Criston to Helaena and puts herself in front of Aegon. They have their last stand.

Meleys roars and Rhaenys stops to think.

She decides not to commit mass murder, sees the exist and takes flight. She's had her little outburst, she's given her warning and now she returns to her objective, which is to get the hell out of King's Landing.

The crowd actually witnesses the Queen stepping in front of a dragon for her son. Perfect propaganda material.

Smallfolk don't matter

Obviously that was a disappointing consideration from the part of the show-runners. If anyone were to get killed during Rhaenys' escape, I would emphasize it and use it later and as an anti-Black argument to fan the flames when Rhaenyra gets kicked out of King's Landing. But by having Rhaenys enter the scene from the back, the number of possible victims would be much lower.

If it is imperative to have someone killed, perhaps it can be implied in season 2 that Meleys burnt some dragonkeepers while Rhaenys was trying to mount her. This should be shown as a great loss, as dragonkeepers are brave, smart and valuable individuals, who perform an essential job for the safety of the entire city.

Potential for future scenes

Maybe have Aegon and/or Helaena forced to come to the Dragonpit themselves to feed Sunfyre and Dreamfyre because the workforce has taken a literal hit and they are still working on training new "employees". This could allow Aegon and Helaena to interact over a shared interest and would give Helaena screen time with Dreamfyre.

I'm not including Vhagar because she is too big for the Dragonpit and probably makes her lair somewhere outside King's Landing. Maybe show Aemond involving himself with selecting and training new dragonkeepers. This way you give all three siblings something to do and show them collaborating towards a shared goal.

Aegon shoveling Sunfyre's droppings during the opening episode would provide comedic relief and a great opportunity to showcase the bond between dragon and rider, as well an unusual way to introduce Sunfyre and put Aegon to work. :)

All things considered, I think this was a symbolically-charged moment that was ruined by some shoddy scenery placement, a careless disregard for the systemic violence against the general populace and a lack of properly laying out character motivations. Adding several more minutes of dialogue and re-imagining the geography of the Dragonpit a litle could have integrated this moment better within the larger narrative.

[kodiacast]

Timing: Not too long ago in the far off land of… 2022 Location: The Wormhole Feat: @alteyed & @kodiacast Warnings: Gun use (describing wound on ghost), alcoholism (the hunter) Summary: So a hunter walks into a bar…

Between the fingers tapping along the polished wood and the pen tapping on the journal, the large man at the bar was making a hell of a lot more noise than he usually did. Otis was reserved, to put it mildly. A mountain of stoicism, or at least that’s how he appeared. Generally, the bear was barely used to being around so many people. His moms and the ranch workers were just about the only social interaction he’d gotten before moving up north. He knew there would be a culture shock but this was… distracting. 

Otis came to Wicked’s Rest looking for a new perspective, but found himself a bit too much of a shy violet to properly interact with the locals. But he was trying to get better. Hence the bar. The Journal. And the Writing, but in public. This wasn’t his first time in the Wormhole. It was close to home, and cheap enough that he could afford to keep a tab open long enough to get some work done. Only, it was getting pretty hard to think. So many eyes all around, so many ears. It was a little unnerving. A strange feeling for the apex predator, one he wasn’t too sure he’d come to terms with. 

“Ah– hey–” The bear sighed, attention shifting from the lack of words on the page to the bartender. “Could I– Another?” You’d think with a profession built around talking he’d at least be good at it, but Otis had never been a real conversationalist. Words never seemed to fit in the right order when he had to make them up on the spot. Always mixing up, switching around. Like his mouth was a blender and speech was a smoothie. Well, maybe not a smoothie, everything always came out pretty rough. 

— 

Being back in Wicked’s Rest meant a lot of things, but mostly it meant that with every whisper, she was left to guess whether it was a spirit, or somebody trying to figure out why, under their breath, Rue Kincaid was back in town. She’d gotten used to the voices; had gotten even better at ignoring them– pretending she couldn’t hear their requests. In Seattle, the population of ghosts that swarmed her were typically of the familial variety with a few stragglers here and there, all aware that she could see them even when she tried to pretend she couldn’t. 

Her old hometown was entirely different. With its high death toll, it was bound to be filled to the brim with ghostly entities, all looking for their medium to latch onto. But this was just visiting, and while she had the option of working out of her dad’s ski loft for the summer, she figured there’d be more money to me made in town at the tried and true Wormhole. It wasn’t the cleanest of establishments, but the tips were typically good, and it was hard to say no to easy money, even if she had some funds coming in from her over the phone business. The underwriting job had proven to be boring, and while she didn’t anticipate straying from Seattle for too long, a summer couldn’t hurt. 

Rue finished off the glass that she’d been polishing, putting it down onto the counter when her attention diverted to the customer sitting adjacent from where she sat. He’d been quiet, for the most part– an easy customer, and a face she saw a few times since returning to Wicked’s Rest. Her gaze flickered to the now empty glass and she gave him a curt nod, grabbing the glass before pouring more of the brew in, cutting off the head by pouring some to the side before filling it up the remainder of the way. “This all you want?” It was why people came to bars, wasn’t it? He had a notebook in front of him, and a pen poised between his fingers. She had to wonder what he was writing, and she wasn’t typically the kind of person to beat around the bush. “What’s going down in there? Grocery list? Are you a food critic, here to review the beer? Just know I’m not in charge. I only work here, just for the summer at least.” She gave him a wink before grabbing an additional glass to begin shining. 

—

You had to get alcohol at a bar, right? It was like the law or something. Truthfully, the bear didn’t care for the stuff. Didn’t really like the way it reminded him of the air outside a dumpster in the thick of summer. But it’s what you were supposed to do, and Otis wanted a place to be social, so. Beer. An IPA, or something. Locally made with so many hops it could put a bunny to shame. The label seemed nice. That’s why he picked it. All scrolls and swirls like an Alphonse Mucha portrait. Got his brain lost in the ways he followed the lines. He found himself staring at it long after the drink was poured. Long after he was asked a question, or was it a series of questions? 

Otis blinked back to the bartender, ideas swirling behind his dark eyes. Something about a label that drew people into a trap, ensnaring them in a trance far deeper than any stupor the alcohol behind it could cause. Something about spiders spinning webs in fanciful patterns. Swirls rather than sharp angles, pleasant faces instead of the gnashing mandibles that so many feared. His first good idea in weeks. 

He smiled. A soft thing, hardly different from his neutral expression at all. “No judgin’ here, ma’am.” Otis’ gaze drifted back to the journal where he made a few notes, and half of a sketch. “...got any… bottles of that there brew? Tap’s fine but–” But he wanted to take it home. Wanted to keep the inspiration nearby. “S’nice is all.” 

— 

With a raised brow, she presses her hand to her chest with the rag in it, aghast by the manners he provides. “Ma’am? You know, I’m only twenty-five.” She’d heard it before, plenty of times here and there, but never while she was tending bar. Maybe it was because The Wormhole’s clientele fell all over the place. Rue looked from his glass, then to the tap that she had poured it from. 

“Mm, I’ll see what I can dig up for you, sir.” With a begrudging smile, Rue retreated to the back fridge where she began to look and see if they had any bottles of the brew, the rabbit staring up at her from its label, tucked just behind a box of oranges. She grabbed the bottle and returned to him, setting it down just next to the freshly poured glass. “Might taste different, coming from the bottle.” She leaned against the wooden bartop, ducking her head low to grab another glass that was tucked away in the corner beneath the overhang. “You a beer connoisseur?” She avoided looking at the notebook he wrote into, not wanting to invade his privacy. 

— 

“Ah sorry, meant no disrespect.” Sheepishly, Otis shuffled in his seat. A thin blush reddening his cheeks. The last thing he wanted to do was offend someone, but the north was so much different than his hometown. Either of his moms would have whupped him upside the head for not calling someone in service by their due titles. But Ah– northern attitudes, right? “Just didn’t know yer name is all.” He added, before realizing that might also sound wrong. Shoot. “Not that you gotta give it or nothin’ I just–”

Before any other misunderstandings escaped his traitor of a mouth, Otis hung his head. Hunched himself into his shoulders and went back to writing, but not before paying for the drink, with a little extra tip for the confusion. But she came back, and she was asking things again. Small talk. The kind he never knew what to do with. Felt too heavy in his hands, too small to shape into something worthwhile. “Truly don’t know much about beer.” He responded, candid, shy. “Sorta just like the branding…” 

— 

“If I’m being honest, I don’t know much about beer either.” Not necessarily the truth– her dad had tried his hand at running his own brewery before failing miserably, and instead bought IPAs from the only other active brewery in town to cycle through the small bar within the lodge. Rue looked over the wrapper and gave a short nod. “The art is good, yeah. I can see why you like it.” She gave him a small smile before returning to shining the glass. 

“You can call me Rue, by the way.” She didn’t look up from the glass she was shining as she spoke, “or Prudence, but Rue is better.” Rue set the glass down, planting both hands firmly on the bar top as she looked up, leaning slightly forward. “Should I call you man who likes bunny, or do you have a name? You don’t need to tell me it, if you want. We can go by codenames.” She paused, a short laugh pulling from her chest. “Or, I guess, you can have the codename. I already told you mine.” It was easier to focus on conversations like these– to ignore the woman behind him, the way her throat was slit– an accident, she thought– something about a linen wire. She’d heard the story before, could hear it now as the woman droned on and on, but she focused on the clientele, leaning backwards to tick up the volume of the song by a few notches. “Love this song.” She grinned at him. 

— 

A notch twitched at Otis’ brow. For sure, he thought, he’d ruined the conversation before it ever really started. A messy mix of misunderstanding and miscommunication. More monstrous than the words he wove through the old microphone at home. This was what he should write his next episode about. The horrors of trying to get to know people. 

Rue came back, Well she sort of had to, it was her job. But it wasn’t necessarily part of the description to entertain surly bears that sulked around the edges of the bar. There was a warmth to her, a brightness. Made him wanna open up more. “Rue is...nice. It’s a nice name.” Otis repeated, accent heavy on his tongue. Committed to memory. She’d already painted a picture in his mind, now it had a proper title. “Fittin’.” Cause she was nice too. Nice enough to keep up with his… lack of expertise in this area. 

“Otis.” The bear took a second to reply as the warbling torrent of his mind tried to come up with something better, something about codenames, something clever. Nothing came, just a whisper of half formed ideas clogging up his thoughts. “That’s– That’s me. You can– I’m Otis.” He raised his glass, tilted his head and nodded. “It’s good, yeah. Good song. Don’t think I’ve– heard it before.” 

— 

“Thanks, I sorta picked it myself.” Not untrue, since her dad had tried calling her Prue as a nickname instead. She went by it sometimes, but only for him, due to his insistence.

“Well, I’m Otis, I think you have good taste in beer and music.” It was an old man's name, or at least she thought it might be. But Otis didn’t look old, not in the slightest. Maybe slightly older than her, but not by decades or anything. The woman behind him finally had enough, disappearing through a wall. At least that was over with. Lucky enough for her, most of her family knew not to bother her when at the bar, but there were a few– her great uncle in the chair by the door, being one of them, that never got the memo. 

“It’s by Imminence, it’s called Paralyzed.” She leaned over and grabbed her phone, showing him the screen. “We get to plug our own playlists, so guess I’m sorta… biased?” Rue offered with a laugh. “Might be… a bit sad for a bar, though.” Whatever, she thought. It was just the two of them, anyway. It was uncharacteristic of the bar, but… 

Her thoughts flew out the moment the door slammed open. A man with a woman behind him– translucent, eyes wide with terror, a bullet between the eyes, followed after him. He’s going to kill more, he’s going to kill more. The woman repeated this continuously, rising in pitch as the man spoke, “drink, want a–” His focus shifted as his gaze leveled on Otis, or Rue thought. The drunken expression he wore moments before transformed into something else– determination, maybe. 

— 

Otis’ brow quirked again, before settling into a confused smile. A joke, that was a joke. That meant this was going… well? The bear couldn’t get out of their mind to just talk, everything had to be predated with a mini meditation on the right choice of words. Only to lose them all in translation between thought and speech. He nodded, thankful for the compliment and then again for the song title. Even wrote it down so he could find it on the youtube later on. 

“Somethin’ nice about sad songs though. Feels… more like a comfort when you’re down too. Happy feels broken when you ain’t. Commiseration, like a hand to hold, is better, y’know?” Probably more words in a row than he’d said face to face with someone since he moved to this town. Another sign things were improving. Good, very good. 

He didn’t pay much mind to the sudden slam. Didn’t even turn to look at the stranger who waltzed in already half cocked and clearly looking to add even more to his blood alcohol content. Otis was far and away too preoccupied with Rue, and with the brewing story inspired by the bunny brew. Far more content with sharing his attention to what deserved it, rather than what was demanded. “To be truthful with you–” He started, musing aloud as he wrote a few things down, fully ignoring the newcomer. “Rather have somethin’ sweeter. Like… What's that one soda drink, real red, with the cherries? Summ’n real nice about it. Smooth-like. Perfect for sippin’.” There was no attention given to the rowdy customer, no notice to the way he slinked in close, far too close. 

His breath bounced off the back of Otis’ arm, and the bear barely budged. Didn’t like that much. “Oi. Shitheel. Look at me when I’m–” A hiccup. “–when I’m lookin’ at you.” The man was giving a masterclass in articulation, clearly Otis should have been taking notes. “What’s a beast like you doin’ in a place like this?”  Slurred and mumbled, half the words weren’t really audible. But the man tried to twirl the bear around in his seat. Giving a full attentive audience to his belligerence. 

“...Can I…. help you?” 

— 

Rue would have much rather spoken to Otis about songs and what they meant– maybe not so much how they made her feel, because nobody needed to know that, but this asshole had other plans. He was piss drunk and she could smell alcohol on him as he neared– bourbon, she thought. She wrinkled her nose, gaze passing over his shoulder to the woman who was still repeating the same thing over and over. The blood that dribbled down her forehead, though translucent, was a stark reminder that she had been killed, and it was apparent that the man ahead of her had done it. 

But Otis was still speaking, seemingly unperturbed by the addition to their company. Maybe he couldn’t see him? Was the man dead, too? Spirits could force doors open, could do a whole lot more than just that, but he didn’t look dead, not in the way the woman behind him did. Was this something else? 

She tried to level her focus on Otis, to respond to him. Shirley Temple, she wanted to shout at him, it’s called a shirley temple. Maraschino. Syrup. Sweet. Seedless. 

The man was antagonizing Otis now, and it still didn’t seem as though he noticed him. Rue’s hand tucked beneath the bartop, grabbing the baseball bat that was clipped to the underside. There was another one just behind her, but this would be less inconspicuous. 

“Hey, fuck off– what the fuck do you think you’re doing?” She raised the bat above her head, swatting it towards the man’s head, easily missing Otis in her aim. “Get the fuck out, NOW.” The man looked surprised by her sudden outburst, but his hand was still firmly planted on Otis’s chair. 

“Youa–h gonna make me?” Before he could get the rest of the words out, Rue was climbing over the bar top, kicking over a glass in her attempt to make it towards him. “I said get the fuck out!” The man’s eyes widened slightly as he stumbled back, and the spirits behind him– both the woman and her great uncle, stared at her with equal parts amusement and disbelief. “Get-the-fuck OUT!” Rue swung the bat at his head as she slipped off of the counter, kicking the chair next to Otis forward so that it caught the man’s legs. “I said now!” She swung again, and it whistled through the air just above the man’s head as he sloppily ducked, stumbling back towards the door. 

Otis was lost to her now, all she could see was the way the man had put his hands on him, on the way he commanded attention. Rue hated it– hated the way that he looked at Otis, the way he looked at her. She didn’t like the way that the spirit looked at him either, mouth hanging in a perpetual scream that never came, blood dried to her forehead. 

—

A sudden shift had the bear stepping back. The stranger insisted, getting a little more handsy, and Rue came in like a bat outta hell. Something about the scene sent Otis right back to the ranch. To the ways his moms would run a coyote out of the chicken coop, or how Lila or one of the other ranch hands would scare off a bobcat getting too close to the cattle. A fierce protective bolt of lightning. Snapped at the second the air got too excited. Sensed something, maybe. The intent Otis had missed behind the stranger’s wild expression and drunken slurs. A heat that had somehow been insulated against ever affecting him because the bartender diffused the bomb so quickly. So efficiently. 

The man retreated. The bartender stood there like a guardian. And Otis felt more at home in this town than he ever had since moving there. The bear hadn’t really gone out of his way to make close connections. Hell, wasn’t really anything to say that’s what this was either. Just a hell of a woman protecting the hell out of her bar. Weeding out a wasp before it could sting. 

A low breathy whistle escaped his lips. He pulled the jacket closer around his shoulders. A little stunned, a lot amazed. “...Sent him runnin’ like a rat been caught rummagin’ in the rubbage bin.” Otis’ accent was never thicker than when he felt the need to add a little southern simile to spice up the sentence.

“….You do that often?”  

—

Rue watched as the man disappeared through the door, her own chest heaving. Her head buzzed with electricity– adrenaline fused together with the hatred she felt. The spirit that had followed him inside followed him out, and Rue was left to witness it, the lack of accountability. 

For a moment, she forgot where she was, and she turned to look a Otis. “Only when some piece of shit comes in trying to act all tough.” It wasn’t the first time she’d run somebody out of the bar, and she knew it wouldn’t be the last. If she got loud and aggressive, shrieking like some banshee, then people often cut their losses. People didn’t like when things got loud. She couldn’t blame them. Rue tucked the bat to her chest and turned the corner to go back behind the bar. “Are you good?” 

She repositioned the things that’d been knocked by her eagerness to cross the distance to the man, putting the bat back to where it’d come from. “He didn’t bruise you or anything, did he?” Her skin was still warm and her chest still swarmed with a smattering of different anxieties– what if he came back? What had he done to that woman? 

—

Not knowing the context was a blessing that coupled with the security Otis carried himself with. He hadn’t gone to pieces at the aggressive display. Hadn’t flinched even when the man’s touch spun him around in a way that maybe he shouldn’t have been able to. The bear was of the mind that if he ignored the problem, it would usually sort itself out. Generally, things tended to. A stalwart confidence in his own ability to withstand whatever the world had to throw at him. 

“Yeah, sure ‘m fine.” Otis assured her. An apologetic smile crept in, as if he’d somehow caused the trouble by being in the wrong place at the wrong time. As if the drunk wasn’t going to cause issues no matter who was on either side of the bar. Maybe the man was having a hard time, Otis thought to himself, staring out towards the door where the stranger had made his exit. Maybe he’d been through something and was dealing with the grief it caused him. It never even occurred to the bear that maybe the man was predisposed to hate someone like him, something like him.  

“Wish some fellas wuddin’t make their sorry hearts a problem for other folk.” A huff of air filtered through Otis’ nose, noting how this was something the north and south had in common. People who’d been filled with hurt, hurt other people. Just a fact of life. “My mamas always told me to keep compassion for folks like that. But also to pay them no mind.” Easy for the one who didn’t have to see the specter of a woman with a hole in her head. “How ‘bout you, Miss Rue? How’s the ticker feelin’ after a fright like that?”  

—

Rue hid her shaking hands on the other side of the bar top, fingers now tangled in a rag. She checked behind Otis, towards the door, but he didn’t come back through. Her great uncle continued to stare at her, his own gaping wound obvious to her from where he stood. She gave him a look that she was half-sure Otis wouldn’t have noticed. 

“As long as you say so.” Rue offered him a small smile, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes. She pressed her hands into the rag, willing the trembling of her fingers to cease. She’d seen a lot– had done a lot, and no matter the anger that coursed through her for the sake of others– the bullet between the woman’s eyes, the dried blood– all of it, it made her feel ill. 

The lack of urgency that Otis showed had upset her in a way she didn’t want to address. It wasn’t her responsibility. Her gaze lifted up to meet his as he spoke and she let out a breath that matched his. “It’d be easy to do that, right? Pretend it doesn’t exist, the hurt that they cause.” It’s said before she can stop it, but she shakes her head as if to dislodge the thoughts that continue on as her words fall into the air. “Oh, I’m fine. I’ve thrown a bat around a time or two.” Another smile, and it still doesn’t reach her eyes. It’s an odd thing, knowing how each family member has died– of being able to trace them back, accident or not. To have this capability, of being stuck with this capability, it’s a responsibility she wouldn’t wish on anyone else, certainly not Otis. “But uh, yeah, I’m good.” Another breath, before Rue is balling the rag up and tossing it to the side. “How about that shirley temple?” 

—

There was a clear tension tightening between the woman’s chest and the empty door frame. A palpable string, struck out from a chorus of ethereal violins. Her words were comforting, her demeanor less so. Haunted. If Otis had to put a word to it, that’s what it would be. The pools of her irises held depth that her age betrayed. She’d seen things. Seen the could-have-beens maybe. The ending of stories that didn’t stop at the end of a bat, quelled by a thread of threats. 

Otis stared, held his gaze a beat longer than maybe he should have. Trying to convince himself that he was embellishing again. Treating life like it was a story. Like everything was a play that just needed a narrator's touch. Maybe Rue was just tired. It’d been a long shift. He’d been there for a good majority of it. Nursing half-enjoyed beers, and wishing for the sweet little drink he couldn’t recall the name of. 

But she knew. Of course she knew. Otis knew fear, Rue knew drinks. The presence of the stranger hadn’t riled up that undefinable essence that the bear had always needed. He hadn’t gotten sick from accidentally drinking it in. Probably wouldn’t mix too well with whatever made it into his stomach so far. Sort of a relief, honestly. Meant he could stick around for a little while longer. Maybe figure out what kind of life made a person so steely. Meant he could enjoy that fruity little drink. 

“Yeah– sounds–” Otis nodded, wanting to say more but instead he choked up again. Back to square one. Quietly settling into the chair, hunched as he had been. One hand pouring over the notebook, the other playing with the ring he kept around his pointer finger. “Sounds good.” 

[goldenpinof]

I'd love to chime in on the wad talk if I may!

I think you saying that you're generally not a big fan of theatre makes a lot of sense as to why for you it didn't necessarily have to be a stage show. I work in live events and I absolutely adore theatre and such so to me it made a huge difference that it was a live show rather than a video. Which is why I think the blanket statement of 'it could have been a video' doesn't work, because the experience of the show is so subjective, especially with the topics Dan talks about. It might not be the most innovative show but I def think the emotional aspect for me and many others was the way it was because it was live and you could experience the energy of the room. That's not something that can be translated to video, simply because it's not the same medium and a certain layer of what the show's about get's lost if you change it! I think it will be interesting to see how different the experience will be now that we will have the recording of it tomorrow, I can imagine for some it might be the same as it was in person, but I also think for other people it might not be the same and both are totally valid! I think Dan choosing the live stage show over a video does deserve to be noted tho, because there is a level of vulnerability and honest that comes with speaking to people directly and in person that gets lost when you have a video and that was a very deliberate choice. He's always done his work with the security layer of the camera and youtube and him choosing not do this, when sharing so much with us in wad I think matters.

just my little thoughts from someone who adores theatre and live comedy and everything else that's 'in person'!

"the energy of the room" aka people around you, not only Dan. Dan likes getting live feedback, so i get why we went on tour. i still think that his show can be easily adapted into a video based on what i remember.

i think there's a difference between working with the audience and getting a reaction from the audience. and since wad is so heavily scripted it was the latter. he wasn't working with us, he was getting a reaction and moving on to the next bit. which is fine, it's not a stand-up. but a lot depended on how the audience was perceiving jokes and audience's ability to include itself in the show. Warsaw, for example, was very loud, and since the venue was small, people could hear each other and it made the whole experience a bit crazy. like, the fun was coming from both sides, so it was never boring. we were responding as a union to the things Dan was saying (e.g. communism and later putin), but also some people were yelling relevant jokes in response to Dan, thus making everyone laugh. in Berlin, i had a completely different experience audience-wise. the venue was much bigger, we couldn't really hear each other, thus no jokes coming from the seats that could bounce off of what Dan was saying. he was interacting only with the first 5-ish rows, and everyone else was just watching. we could still scream shit for the bit, but it didn't really matter. god, big venues were such a miss during wad, imo. BUT the show itself was better in Berlin because some things were improvised and the stage was bigger so he could move more. i'll try to explain what i mean by "the show could be a video". adjust the bits where we "choose" something by screaming and it's a video. it's him showing us shots and talking. and no matter what we scream or if we scream at all, the show would go on. no matter if the joke lands or not. he has a script and he follows it. sometimes he removes parts of it depending on the venue (aka the cubes, asking people to twist his hand and use the gavel), he also can remove parts if something goes wrong aka the bubbles. a lot of audience participation can be removed. and without it he would still have a lot to show and say. and this could be a video because the script doesn't heavily depend on the audience participation. if the show was more improvised that would be a different conversation. if you think that this show couldn't be a video because of the audience then it's your experience with the audience more than with the show. have a mid audience and remove some bits and that's a video. it's not a bad thing, idk why people are mad at me. the show is not bad, it's just not for everyone. i'm also curious how people will see the filmed version of wad. both those who saw it live and those who never saw it. people who weren't at the venues aren't gonna participate, so it's a different experience. some things will depend on the editing, but i would love to hear people's opinions on the show itself. we all love Dan and wish him success. i'm a dannie through and through ffs, he shines on stage, i'm not arguing with that. seeing him live is better because of how he enjoys being there. and seeing so many phannies in one place making each other giggle worth buying a ticket. but i'm interested to see reviews on the show.

[gerardwaygirlmoments]

How or why should a 23 minute comedy show go into religious details about a random character?

This show deserves a lot more credit than “23 minute comedy”. They’ve been building a fascinating and sophisticated urban fantasy world throughout these 5 seasons and I just want that development to continue. And it’s not the religion I care about so much as the culture and history. The Ottoman Empire was a predominantly Muslim empire that ruled over some formerly Jewish land and had Jewish citizens as, IIRC, both protected and second-class (I believe they were called “dhimmis”, but that might be a different Muslim empire or I might be mixing some stuff up). The Ottoman Empire was also a refuge for Jewish refugees at times, primarily following the Spanish Inquisition. But with Nandor being a brutal warlord in life, I would doubt he was great to Jews, as he wasn’t to really anyone who stood even vaguely in his way. Pillaging everyone and all that. But with Nandor more mellow now, I think it would be really interesting to see him befriend a modern Jew if they let it fit within the historical context. It makes perfect sense Alexander would be presumably Ashkenazi, as this is New York City, but it would be cool if he was Sephardic or Mizrahi instead, so he might have ancestry in the Ottoman Empire or even Iran. There could be something like that bit where Nadja realized Nandor burned down her village 200 years before she was born, where maybe Alexander mentions his ancestors had to escape a tyrant and Nandor awkwardly realized that was him and his past actions haven’t, for lack of better words, aged too well.

On the topic of religion though, the only religious stuff they’ve shown harming vampires has been Catholic. I would like to see more religions represented in this Mythos. Besides Judaism, Nandor likely would have been Muslim in life, so I would like to see how Muslim, for lack of better words, iconography might effect him now and how his beliefs have changed over time. I’m also curious how he came to believe his whole turtle thing. And heck, maybe Nadja was Orthodox Christian when she was a medieval Greek peasant? Idk all the details there, but from what little I know that could be possible and I’d be interested to see something with that. And Lazlo would have been around during the first or so century of the Church of England, so something could be done there too.

I just love history of cultures and I love vampires as a medium to explore them. Perhaps I’m taking this show too seriously and I need to find a different fiction that has this serious tone and complexity. I just think this show has been smart before and I think it could continue to be if it gave itself the chance.

[rahiwatching]

Thought Process of the Great Beings Regarding the Design of the Great Spirit Robot

This post is going to be a long one, so buckle up. Hopefully my ramblings below make sense to you all.

I’ve been thinking lately of the design of the GSR and how at first glance it doesn’t seem to make any sense. The Great Beings had two problems that they built the GSR to deal with:

Fixing the Shattering of their home planet into 3 pieces

Figuring out how to avoid the cataclysmic war that led to the shattering of the planet in the first place.

So, they build the GSR, a giant mechanical system that had the power to fix the planet (once the pieces stabilized and with the help of another mechanical) and could go out into space to observe other cultures to see how they deal with war. However, beyond that, the questions about why they made the GSR the way they did keep building up:

Why make it a giant humanoid robot? Wouldn’t other shapes be more efficient for the completion of the task?

If the nano-machines inside the robot that kept it running (the Matoran) were never meant to be sentient, why give them a universe inside the robot with diverse islands, seas, skies and wildlife for them to inhabit? Wouldn’t it have been simpler to just build the sections required to keep the robot running and then place service corridors etc. for the Matoran to travel between areas?

Why are there species inside the robot other than the Matoran when it appears that it’s only the Matoran that are essential to the functioning of the robot?

Why are the Toa needed at all? They are there to protect the Matoran and ensure they can keep working, but the Matoran Universe is a closed system, so why create a universe that would have dangers that the Matoran would need protecting from in the first place?

Why, when observing alien cultures, does the robot land in their world’s oceans and disguise itself with an island over its face? Surely observing them from space would be more efficient. Also, if you are wanting to observe their culture as it is, why introduce to their planet a very noticeable new landmass basically overnight? Wouldn’t that cause a massive disruption to the very culture you were trying to observe?

However, I think there is actually a very sound logic to all of this, and its all linked in with the secondary mission of the GSR – observing and documenting other alien cultures.

I think that nearly every non-Matoran / Non-Rahi species within the Matoran Universe (with notable exceptions such as the Makuta) are a biomechanical representation of one of the alien species that the GSR encountered along its 100,000-year journey through space, created within the Matoran Universe to act as a physical storage medium for the data gathered, as well as acting as a way of simulating that species and its culture for further study and experimentation once the GSR leaves their planet. This would explain why there are so many different species within the Matoran Universe, each one is a different alien observed by the GSR (I know canonically that the different species were all pre-programmed into the GSR by the Great Beings to be created later, but this could have easily just been the Great Beings loading the already known information about these species into the GSR for it to build upon later with actual observations). This would mean that the Vortixx, Skakdi etc., all exist in some form out there in the wider galactic universe, with biomechanical copies now also existing within the GSR.

If this were the case, it explains why the Matoran Universe needed to be an actual universe – it was not for the benefit of the Matoran at all, but instead so that the GSR could create a better simulation of the natural habitat of the copied species for their biomechanical representations to inhabit and thereby enabling further study to be as accurate to the real thing as possible. Mata-Nui can manipulate the universe inside the GSR to have any landscape or conditions that he wished, which means that each island can be shaped perfectly to match the conditions of the planet that species was copied from, allowing for a better simulation of the species going forwards. This can also explain why there was such a preference for islands within the Matoran Universe – each island in its own dome, linked by the silver sea, was analogous to planets in space. Each species (other than the Matoran and the other exceptions) was largely restricted to one island, but the potential for travel and mixing between the species was possible via sailing the silver sea, representing the possibility of these cultures developing space travel and going to each other’s planets. That way, Mata-Nui could simulate what would happen if these alien cultures were ever to meet and interact, something that would provide further valuable insight: would they go to war with one another? How would those wars be resolved?

This, by extension, explains the need of both the Rahi and the Toa. Rahi were created to better the simulations, filling these recreated worlds with wildlife and therefore making them more realistic and making the simulations more accurate. Toa were needed to make sure that the Rahi and the newly simulated species did not interfere with the work of the Matoran in keeping the whole GSR and Matoran Universe running. Though, the other species were still allowed non-disruptive interactions with the Matoran as this allowed for some simulation on how these other species might interact with the Agori society that the Matoran were based off of.

This mission to observe other cultures I think also explains why the GSR landed on planets and created an island above itself. The island didn’t just act as a way to disguise the face of the robot, but it also allowed for an extremely valuable research tool that wouldn’t have been available from other observation methods: a controlled environment. The sudden appearance of a large new island practically overnight would entice the populace of the planet being observed to travel to it to investigate it. They would likely also settle it as new land to expand into due to it being a new source of resources they could use. We already know from the canon that the island created by the GSR’s camouflage system can be fully manipulated as we saw Makuta Teridax do just that during the ’01-’03 storyline to create storms, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions etc. to challenge the Toa Mata with. So, Mata-Nui could use the exact same system to create situations for the newly settled alien cultures on the island to deal with and observe how they handle them, with all this feeding into the data gathered and being used to create their simulations within the Matoran Universe buried beneath them.

Because the island can be manipulated as Mata-Nui see’s fit, it can also be used to generate a situation that would allow him to re-create the starting conditions of the Core War, minus the Energized Protodermis. For example, if Mata-Nui observed that this planet/culture was lacking in a particular substance, he could manipulate his systems so that the island had an abundance of it. Once this was discovered, he could observe how the natives reacted – would they go to war? If so, how was the war resolved? If not, how was it avoided? By using the island as a controlled space from which he could manipulate certain aspects, Mata-Nui could experiment on the native population to gain insights into the answers he required, rather than just passively observing them and hoping the situation would come up (this is rather morally questionable of course, purposely starting wars and all, but hey, the Great Beings aren’t exactly known for their ethics).

All in all, while it may seem strange at first glance, a logic as to why the Great Beings made the GSR the way they did can be seen if you dig deeper. Did the story team intend for all of this to be the underlying in story reason for why things were they way they are? Almost certainly not. But its still fun to think about nonetheless.

And as for why the Great Beings built the GSR as a giant humanoid robot? Well, I think that the answer to that one is far simpler.

It’s rad as hell.

That’s why.