#identity proofing solutions

[haileysmith193]

Enhancing Trust in Digital Transactions: How to Verify Customer Identity

In a digital-first world, the ability to verify customer identity has evolved from a security checkpoint into a core business strategy. As organizations scale and engage with users across global platforms, ensuring the legitimacy of user identities becomes critical—not just for compliance, but for customer trust and seamless experiences. 

At the center of this process lies a powerful engine: identity proofing solutions. These technologies form the backbone of a secure identity verification framework, offering robust, real-time methods to authenticate and onboard users without friction. 

Why Verifying Customer Identity Matters 

The surge in online interactions—from banking to e-commerce to telehealth—has dramatically raised the stakes for identity fraud. As data breaches and account takeovers climb, businesses are expected to implement tighter security protocols to protect users. 

Verifying customer identity helps in: 

Preventing fraud and unauthorized access 

Complying with legal and regulatory standards (e.g., KYC, AML) 

Enhancing customer onboarding experiences 

Protecting brand integrity and consumer trust 

Without this layer of assurance, companies expose themselves to regulatory fines, loss of reputation, and degraded user confidence. 

The Rise of Identity Proofing Solutions 

To address these needs, businesses are turning to identity proofing solutions that combine artificial intelligence, biometrics, machine learning, and data validation. These tools not only streamline the verification process but also make it more accurate and scalable. 

Key components of modern identity proofing solutions include: 

Document verification: Scanning official IDs to check for authenticity 

Biometric matching: Using facial recognition or fingerprint scans to confirm identity 

Liveness detection: Ensuring the user is physically present and not a spoof 

Database checks: Validating information against government or third-party databases 

These systems are designed to reduce friction while maintaining high security standards, giving both users and businesses peace of mind. 

Challenges in Customer Identity Verification 

While digital identity verification offers many benefits, it’s not without challenges. Global companies often face a patchwork of regulatory requirements depending on their region, and not all users have access to the same type of identity documentation. 

There’s also the matter of balancing user experience with stringent verification measures. Customers want speed and convenience, while businesses require thoroughness and accuracy. Overly complex processes may deter customers or increase abandonment rates. 

This is where sophisticated identity proofing solutions shine—they can calibrate verification steps based on risk profiles, helping to streamline low-risk user onboarding while flagging potentially fraudulent behavior for deeper scrutiny. 

Industry Applications 

The need to verify customer identity spans across industries: 

Financial services: Preventing money laundering, fraud, and ensuring compliance with KYC regulations. 

E-commerce: Avoiding chargebacks and ensuring valid user transactions. 

Healthcare: Protecting patient records and preventing insurance fraud. 

Telecommunications: Securing SIM card registrations and preventing identity swaps. 

In each of these sectors, implementing scalable identity proofing solutions has become essential to staying competitive and compliant. 

Future of Identity Verification 

As digital ecosystems grow more complex, identity verification will evolve to become even more adaptive and intelligent. The integration of decentralized identity systems and blockchain technology could soon redefine how individuals verify themselves across platforms. 

In addition, behavioral biometrics—analyzing how users interact with devices—may become a supplementary layer to traditional methods, offering passive and continuous identity assurance. 

Companies that invest now in advanced identity proofing solutions are not only future-proofing their operations but also laying a foundation of trust that modern consumers demand. 

Conclusion 

To verify customer identity in a seamless, secure, and scalable way is no longer optional—it's a strategic necessity. Identity proofing solutions offer the innovation and intelligence required to build trusted digital experiences across industries. By leveraging these technologies, businesses can reduce fraud, comply with regulations, and foster long-lasting relationships rooted in confidence. 

[digisuraksha]

The One Mistake Schools Can’t Afford: A Wake-Up Call on Student Security

During a DigiSuraksha demo at a well-known school in Maharashtra in April 2025, the principal shared a situation that no school wants to experience—but one many schools unknowingly risk each day.

“There were two separate occasions,” the principal shared,

“When students left the premises without being picked up by their parents.

It created confusion and panic until we could track them down.”

Fortunately, both children were found safe. But the incidents caused a wave of distress among staff and parents. It was a moment of realization: even one mistake is one too many when it comes to student safety.

A Common but Critical Gap in School Security

Most schools still rely on:

Manual gate checks

ID cards that are easy to fake or misuse

A human memory of faces and names

But these traditional methods fail in real-time, high-pressure situations. All it takes is one moment of distraction for a student to leave with someone they shouldn’t—or walk out unnoticed altogether.

The Real Problem Isn’t a Lack of Concern—It’s Outdated Systems

Schools take safety seriously. But many are using 1995 tools to handle 2025 risks.

Today, the challenge isn’t just about physical barriers like gates or guards. It’s about real-time verification, authorization, and accountability. In many schools, the only thing separating a student from the outside world is human judgment—made in seconds, under pressure.

We trust that judgment. But should we rely on it alone?

Rethinking School Security: Not Just Locking Doors- But Knowing Who’s at Them

School safety doesn’t just mean keeping bad actors out. It means ensuring every child leaves only with someone who is verified to take them. It means replacing guesswork with a system. This is where identity verification steps in—not as a flashy tool, but as a fundamental layer of trust. Imagine this:

Every parent or guardian has a secure, tamper-proof, school-issued ID.

The ID is verified in real time at the gate—using facial biometrics or secure QR

No internet? No problem. The system works offline.

If someone else tries to pick up the child? The school knows immediately.

“This isn’t about branding—it’s about eliminating uncertainty at the most vulnerable moment of the school day.”

Schools Don’t Need Bigger Security Budgets—They Need Smarter Systems

Let’s be honest: most schools don’t have the luxury of deploying guards or facial cameras at every entrance. Nor should they.

What they need is:

A system that’s affordable and easy to adopt

One that fits into the existing daily routine

A process that reduces pressure on staff instead of adding to it

Technology should assist, not overwhelm.

What This Means for Your School

If your school has ever:

Faced confusion during pickup

Had to make a difficult call to a parent about who collected their child

Seen security as important but impossible to scale

…it’s time to ask different questions.

Instead of “How do we check faster?”

Ask: “How do we verify better?”

Instead of “How do we stop every possible threat?”

Ask: “How do we ensure only the right people get through?”

Final Thought: Security Shouldn’t Start After Something Goes Wrong

What happened in Maharashtra is not an outlier. It’s a warning sign. A subtle one.

But one schools across India must start listening to.

Because in school security, prevention isn’t just better than cure—it’s the only cure that works.

Want to see how other schools are building smarter gate systems?

Book a 15-minute walkthrough to see how Digi Suraksha helps schools verify, not just check. It’s free, fast, and might change how you look at pickup security. No jargon. No pressure. Just a conversation worth having.

[communistkenobi]

re: this post but also slightly off topic, this is also why the SOGIESC (sexual orientation, gender identity & expression, and sexual characteristics) framework developed in the Global South as a legal framework to deal with sexual minority rights, stands in some ways in direct opposition to the LGBTQ+ framework of the West, which asserts that rights for minority groups flow from identity/inclusion within the minority group, forcing the obvious question of how the law determines identity (this is part of how transmedicalism emerges as an answer to the question “who is really transgender?” and also likely informs community fights over who ‘really counts’ as lgbtq). the framework of SOGIESC gets around this problem by resolving it entirely, instead insisting that because everyone has a gender identity and sexual orientation, everyone has a right to their given gender identity and sexual orientation, and any obstacle to realising these rights must be challenged and dismantled. empirically this bears out as well, given that global south countries, especially in Latin America, have some of the most progressive legislation on trans rights worldwide, with Argentina being the first country in the world to allow for legal gender transition without requiring medical documentation or proof of medical transition. We can see how different theories of state and legal power between LGBTQ+ vs SOGIESC emerge: a series of legal concessions granted to a narrowly-defined minority by a hegemonic, cis-heterosexual majority (LGBTQ+), versus the universal vision of sexual minorities whose rights are the rights of all people (SOGIESC).

and like obviously this is not a solution without problems (the +ESC was only added ten years after the original conception of SOGI, for example, an obvious oversight that was corrected - we may never escape the acronym wars), and as a framework that is fundamentally legal in both scope and design there is the obvious question of how law fits into a truly just socialist society (a historical and ongoing debate within various socialist states that I know much less about; I’m also thinking about the ‘mission drift’ and mangling that ‘intersectionality’ has dealt with over the years, also a concept that comes out of legal scholarship). but as an international legal standard it seems like an obvious critical response to the various problems of the LGBTQ+ framework, especially re: how the law determines who “actually counts” as gay trans queer etc

[gremlinmodetweeker]

Tiptoe Through the Tulips-Tiny Tim

Okay so after the prologue yesterday, I figured I'd post the first chapter and see what you guys think. Do you want to see more of this story? Do you like it? Please let me know!

TWs: slavery, ABO

Wordcount:

Art from This Post

Story below the cut

Tiptoe Through the Tulips-Tiny Tim

The crisp autumn wind whistled through the tunnels, howling out a wretched cry of despair before leaping onto the platform to stalk a wrought iron bench. On said bench sat a shivering woman carrying nothing but a briefcase and a sign. The sign was furled around the edges, and there was a stain of coffee on the upper corner that someone had obviously tried to get rid of but had decidedly given up upon, focussing more on keeping their fingers warmed up against their sides.

You sneezed and checked the overhead clock to see if the delayed train was on its way anytime soon. Your fingers were bright red, knuckles white from gripping on the sign firmly enough to crumple it. You gulped, the ticker’s orange lights above indicating that the train would indeed be another fifteen minutes before arrival. It seemed that there had been some sort of incident on the tracks. You wouldn’t have been surprised, really. Despite the fencing and the guards in the station, it was hard to prevent someone from slipping through the cracks. One would have thought a more effective solution would have been put in place by now, but it seemed such was not the case. In a way, you envied that ghost of your mind, freed from the world of shackles and hierarchies. And yet, you shuddered to think of all the bones that had been left behind on the rails.

You looked down to the briefcase and fiddled with the locks. There, inside the briefcase, were all the papers needed to ensure the entire arrangement went smoothly. There were your identification cards, the legal documents (already signed, you triple-checked), even the personal papers that your father had painstakingly wrote out to ensure that the guards would be sure of your identity, as if the chip in your bite collar wasn't enough proof. You thumbed the collar, mindlessly. You had your other ID card in your wallet, but most people liked to use the collar. You just wished you had an arm bracelet like the alphas and betas around you, but they said that the collar was more convenient. You just considered it an insult every time you had to present your neck just to buy some groceries.

The autumn air was brumous, doing nothing to really comfort you as you shuffled on the cold wooden bench. You checked over your shoulder, and saw naught but the staircase leading to the rest of the station. Behind you on your right was a cafe where a young beta B woman was sweeping some fallen leaves to the side. She didn’t seem tall, but you worried about how quick she might be. She certainly had long legs. It wouldn’t take much to come over and take you out from behind. It wouldn’t take much to collapse your trachea as she choked you out, and she could easily hide the body in the dumpsters. Damn the security cameras, when had those stopped anyone? Not when it was a crime against an omega, at least. You had been raised on warnings from your parents to be on guard. You needed to be on guard, you were an omega. Omegas were weak, omegas were pathetic, omegas were dead meat-

You slapped your leg, relishing in the pain that followed. You needed pain to focus. Pain was clear, simple. Pain had a cause and an effect. Easy to take, easy to understand. If you could still feel, it meant you were here, in the present. You were breathing, you were alive. And if pain meant you were alive, then by that logic, it meant that you could breathe, which was what you settled on doing.

You didn’t really understand why your father had to be so busy on that particular day. Normally, he would have been perfectly fine to go out and handle the legal proceedings himself. It would have been fine! Why was it that the cafe had been busy that day? Why did your father decide that his daughter, his omega O daughter,  needed to take responsibility and do something on your own? It was far too much pressure, and frankly, it was really not the brightest of ideas. After all, why were you here? You didn’t understand the legal logistics of all of this nonsense. You didn’t understand much of anything about this whole situation, if he was to be perfectly honest.

And yet, you sat on the bench regardless. You sat on that blasted bench with nothing but a sign and a briefcase. It would have been nice to have a coffee, but it wasn’t like you had the money to buy one anymore. Your father had always been tight on money, meaning he didn’t have much to spend paying his daughter. You had long since accepted that you’d work at the cafe for free until you inherited, if you inherited anything at all. After all, family helped family for free, didn’t they?

You sneezed. There wasn’t much around to really keep your mind off of the whole situation. Now that you noticed it, the train station was oddly quiet. It was midday on a Wednesday, certainly, but it still had your skin crawling. Save for you, the cafe worker, and the ticket taker, there really wasn’t anyone else there to take your mind off of why you were there.

Mind you, you supposed your grandmother wouldn’t have wanted you to be so anxious. She was always telling you that the only thing to fear was fear itself. There was no reason to be upset about someone sneaking up on you in a back alley. Why be worried when there is so much to do? Your grandmother probably would have been ashamed of her you for being so afraid… Oh, if she was here right now, she’d certainly hang her head in shame at what a wreck you were!

You slapped your leg again and let out a long shuddery breath. She wasn’t here right now. She would never be here now. No, Grandma was long gone. She had left this world with not much save a few precious belongings, which had been divided amongst the dwindling remaining family. She had always been a fair woman, if a bit harsh, and had seen to it that everything she owned went to the relative that had needed it most.

Jeremy, the eldest of your father’s family, was left her library. She had books collected from all around the world, in all sorts of languages in all states of being. In her collection was a series of bibles that had been out on display for all to see. Of course, her personal copy of the King James was by her bedside, but the display of bibles had been left to the eldest to learn from. Having been a man of God, Jeremy had been grateful about what had been left to him.

Amanda had been left in charge of the manor. The manor was truly an incredible estate, sprawling with unkempt wild gardens and a weird mish-mash of architectural styles to come together into a rickety castle of windows, arches and spires. It hadn’t seen much care in the final years of Grandma’s life, but it was still nothing to scoff at. Having struggled with obtaining a divorce from her overbearing husband, Amanda had been glad to finally have a place to call her own, to start a new life.

The youngest, your father, had been left with one allotment. A lump sum of money, the only remnant of the wealth the family once held onto. Years of the late Grandpa’s cunning business ventures and bold moves in the stock markets had led to quite a bounty to be had. However, once Grandpa had passed, much of his money was donated to local charities, with the grim remainders that were smuggled away left to his late wife for a safe life without him. Your father was glad for any money that could be had to support his coffee business.

The final recipient was a surprise for everyone. It had been none other than her youngest grandaughter, you. You were given the charge of your grandmother’s slave and closest companion, König. He’d been there as long as you could remember. Caring for Grandma in her twilight years, diligent and powerful, König had been her beloved slave. You had always found the gigantic man to be incredibly intimidating, what with his broad and deadly muscles wrapped around his tall, sturdy frame. Intimidating and always hidden behind an exectuioner’s hood. If one had thought to question the power in such a form, any doubt would have been quelled by the firm resolve held in those tired eyes. One had to question what lay beyond those eyes, what thoughts he had, what history lay behind him, who the slave really was. If there was one thing König was, though, it was loyal. Despite his biological tendency towards violence and the battered scars of past battles decorating his arms like medals on a soldier's chest, he was the gentlest and most caring man towards Grandma. You were absolutely terrified of him.

König, as he had been officially named, had done everything for Grandma Tweak without a single bat of his eyelids. He had been there to get her groceries, prepare her food, feed her and go so far as to wash her in the final years of her life. He had taken these burdens with pride and held his head high. He followed your fiery grandmother everywhere she went, taking care of personal matters and ensuring the elder was safe at all times. Grandma had supposedly died in his arms as he was reading her passages of the bible before bed.

However König, for all his care towards your grandmother, had not been one to extend any of his hospitality towards anyone else he came across, family member or otherwise. In fact, on your last visit to your grandmother’s home (roughly five years ago, if you counted correctly), you had been slammed against a wall for daring to disturb her during an afternoon nap. You had been seconds away from being torn to shreds when a small bell had pulled König away to stand behind your grandmother, who scolded you softly for making such a ruckus. You had wanted to argue that calling her for tea was not a reason to be thrown into a wall, but had simply stayed quiet, and accepted your punishment.

For the rest of the visit, you had been (understandably) nervous around König, who snarled if you so much as took a step out of place. Your grandmother had let it happen, and waived off your  father’s urges to call off her dog. He tried explaining that you were family. She had giggled, and replied, “Family means nothing in the eyes of vultures.”

You had been desperate to get your father to sell on the slave when you learned of your grandmother’s will, but your father had been keen on the extra pair of helping hands around the shop. Indeed, it also helped to deal with an ongoing issue within the cafe, which had led to many conflicts with the customers.

You knew that you couldn’t control who you were, or who you turned out to be, but you still couldn’t help but feel overwhelmingly guilty about how you had turned out. After you had started presenting as an omega omega, customers had been eager to see what they could get away with. Some had taken to mocking you, others turned to flirting with you, encouraging you to run away with them. Others had taken to scenting the cafe, becoming violent towards other customers, and on one occasion attempting to pin you down to mark you. After that incident, you had been forced to work alongside your father, who had been less than pleased to be at the front counter. Your father was much more inclined to work in the back-end of the cafe than to be forced to work with customers, and had made sure that you knew of his displeasure at every waking moment.

Indeed, life had started to become a sort of living hell for you now. You were constantly on edge around customers, barely had enough money and time to go to the pharmacy to get scent represent medications, and you were forced to endure the wrath of your father whenever you so much as clinked a glass. The one light in your life also had suffered, as your mother had fallen ill with a disease that your father couldn’t cure with over-the-counter pain medications.

You knew that if your father had more time in the back and away from you and customers, he would surely have more time to help your mother. So thus, if an extra pair of (unpaid) hands was what it took to ease up on the workload, your father was glad to jump at it. In the end you had little say when you were forced to inherit the bodyguard that had once looked over your frail grandmother.

Thus, this led to you being sat where you were, where you prepared to hand over documents to ensure that König was taken into your care. This entire exchange was what brought you to be sat out on a wooden bench, freezing and sneezing away while you waited for a delayed train to arrive and deliver the one person you’d hoped you’d never had to see again. And because your father refused to leave the cafe, he’d sent you in his stead. So there you sat, waiting and praying the train never arrived.

In the end, the wait for the train had proven to be far less painful than you’d expected. Being lost in thought, you’d shot nearly five feet in the air when you heard a loud tolling of a bell, then the low roar of an incoming train. The heavy clunking and chuffing of the wheels grinding on the tracks groaned to a painful halt in front of you. The doors of the carriage opened like a can to let out a stream of passengers fluttering by. You winced from the sound, stiffened up as the small throng of people piled out of the train and onto the platform, buzzing around you like blackflies, shooting you stinging glares as they passed you by.

In the end, you were left with three people standing in front of him. Two men dressed in grey suits were situated on either side of a tall, looming beast of a man. His face was encased in a ferocious mask, and he’d been stripped down to only a pair of dirty canvas pants held up by a hemp rope. One of the men in suits stepped forward, calling your name.

You nodded, trying but failing to suppress a particularly violent tic in your neck.

“Good afternoon, ma’am. We offer our condolences upon the death of your grandmother, Andrea Bower. However, we are glad to announce that you are now a proud owner of one König. Please understand that there are some papers for you to sign before we can let you go. And, of course, we do believe there are some payments to be made,” the first man said and stood back.

You handed them the briefcase. They opened it to examine the contents, and after a cursory glance they nodded and shut it with a click. They looked back to you with twin barren expressions. If you weren’t so nervous, you might have been able to strain yourself to describe their faces as smiling, but as it was you couldn’t read anything past their dark sunglasses. They passed you a leash that had been fastened to the muzzle of the slave, and the other patted his back.

“Please understand that as Andrea did not leave much to König, so we had to take back many of the items that König once ‘owned’. The only objects legally listed under König’s name are a mask, his personal files, and your grandmother’s diaries and paperwork. These will be brought to your home by tomorrow evening.”

The other man handed you a card, “If you have any further questions or concerns, please call your local Slave Department Headquarters for advice.”

You nodded. The man waved over his shoulder as he turned to walk out the door.

Left there on the station, alone again (aside from the other aforementioned staff), you were left holding König’s leash. With nothing left to do, you figured you needed to go home. You expected some resistance from König, but the man simply followed behind you like a dark shadow. You tried to ignore what you presumed to be König’s glare, and fished out your wallet. You had a little bit of cash, the remnants of your birthday money, then looked back to König’s (lack of) shoes. There was no way he could be comfortable walking home with just a mask and pants. No, you couldn’t let that happen.

You made your way onto the street when a sudden breeze had you shuddering. You turned back to look at your new slave. 

At that moment, with you looking at König shivering in the autumn  breeze and you tucking your jacket around you, you saw a man discarded by society. Maybe he was taken off the streets after being unable to pay for his identity card, maybe he was sold into slavery. Maybe, you shivered, he was born into this life. All you really knew was that this man had suffered enough. You couldn’t hurt him.

So thus, instead of listening to your father, you decided that you would do your best to take care of König. You turned to him shyly.

“So, you’re probably really cold. I’m cold at least. So… I’m going to get you clothes, okay?” you said as confidently as you could manage. Your father had always told you that you had to be strong in front of your slaves. Had to show them their place.

König didn’t respond, and you were left awkwardly holding the leash and shuffling from side to side in the cold. You tried to stand still, but quickly broke from the glare when a car horn startled you. You sighed and accepted defeat. This wasn’t a great start, but it was the start you got. You huffed and spun on your heel to lead König out into the small town.

Once you both were on your way, you got a chance to take a good look at König. This new mask on his face was somehow worse than the one he usually wore. He looked like an insect now. The eyes were a cavernous black, not even the blues of his eyes being able to find light in there. The rusted metal tube from his mouth was covered in a fine grate, looking almost like some crusted proboscis. When he moved, his bones twitched and stretched under his thin paper skin

He was your grandmother’s shadow, now yours. You could feel him following behind you as you walked through the streets. He haunted you as he moved. You felt like if you let go of the leash, you’d fly somewhere far away. Maybe somewhere nice and warm. Maybe somewhere where slaves were outlawed. You could fly away and never deal with König or your father or mother or anyone. You would be free.

The thrift store came up sooner than you expected. Had you really been so lost in thought? It’s a wonder you even made it. A part of you wondered if König had guided you here, but that was impossible. König had never been here before. Hell, had he ever left your grandmother’s side? You didn’t think so. It didn’t seem right.

The bell twinkled as you walked inside with a sneeze and a shiver. This was not a safe place. Only a thin layer of glass covered the antique knife set on display, and there were rows upon rows of clothes to get lost in. You had to be on your guard here. With that in mind, you grabbed the nearest basket and brought König over to the largest size of clothing you could find.

“You can’t go out in fall like that,” you muttered. You shook your head and dropped your hands to your side, limp and vapid. You took in a deep breath before turning to König.

“Let’s get you some clothes,” you offered, “it’ll be safer for you that way.”

König stood still. You felt so terribly small compared to this giant man, but you had to be brave. You had to be strong. So thus, you threw a few large shirts into the plastic basket, followed by a couple of pairs of pants, a jacket or two, and some socks and boxers. It was hard to find things in König’s size, but you were happy when you looked at your basket. But it wasn’t enough. You looked at König’s feet and frowned. You’d need to do something about that. How his feet weren’t already frostbitten was a wonder. 

You guided König over to the shoe section and glared at the unimpressive selection of footwear. The best you could find was either a pair of  red crocs, pink wellingtons, or a very heavy set of workboots. Crocs and wellingtons wouldn’t be enough to insulate König’s feet in the cold, nor would they look professional in a cafe. With a sigh, you bought the roughened work boots. You could imagine König taking these massive boots and using them to smash your head in. Shuddering, you came to the checkout and placed the clothing items on the counter. The cashier looked at you, and then followed the leash in your hand all the way up to König. She silently nodded and scanned the meagre selection you’d been able to gather. The steady beeping of items passing the scanner and being tucked into a bag was the last thing you cared about. You were far more worried about how König stood over you so hungrily.

You gulped and grabbed the bag quickly before hurrying out of the store, accidentally tugging on König’s leash along the way. You didn’t even notice how you were gasping for air once you burst out of the store. You sheepishly looked up at König. You grimaced and whispered a small apology before you turned ahead for the long walk home. You were careful to not tug on the leash anymore, or at least as much as you could be. König seemed like he was still adjusting to the new boots. You tried your best to hurry home, occasionally glancing up and startling whenever you’d lock eyes (or so you supposed, it was a bit hard to see his eyes under the muzzle).

You carefully led the man through the corridor of streets and houses. You’d lived her your entire life but you felt like you could ever really relax. You would jump at every car horn, you’d shudder when someone talked too loudly around you. You were terrified that your scent would attract someone wicked to your front door. You tried to move quickly to not let your scent really linger in any one area, but there was only so much you could do when you were forced into a coffee shop. As you neared the store, you tried to contain your urge to just book it and leave König behind in the dust.

It took ages to get to the cafe. The sun was about to duck beneath the horizon by the time you walked through the front door of your home. This small little coffee shop was probably the only place in the whole city that you could come close to calling home.You were here more than you were in your own room. If nothing else, at least you liked the coffee shop. Day and night, soothing music played through crackling speakers in the corners of the room. It was a nice, cozy cafe. This little shop had become your own little slice of paradise, and hell.

You were able to take in a deep breath, taking in the warm smell of spices and baked goods. Everything was quiet. All was right in the world.

You turned to König with a smile.

“Well, welcome home I guess,” your smile faltered as you looked at his blank mask.

You looked around the room and took it all in. Now that you had König, everything seemed different, but just the same. Now that König was here, you could have someone dust the rafters after work. Your dad was always harping on you to get it done, but even with a ladder you couldn’t possibly reach. You tried to explain that you were an omega, and omega O at that, but your father wouldn’t have it. He swore up and down about it, but there was nothing he could do to change your biology.

You were looking at the rafters when you heard a series of thuds coming from behind you. You could feel the hairs on the back of your neck raise as you turned to face the opening door.

Your father looked König up and down with a frown. He ran one hand through his full beard and looked at you.

“What’s this?” he asked gruffly.

“I got König from the train station sir,” you offered hopefully.

Your father glared at the bags in your hands.

“I got him some clothes,” you explained nervously, “I just thought he needed to look presentable for the cafe.

Your father narrowed his beady eyes, but he gave you a curt nod.

“Good thinking,” he grumbled, “but still, the money comes out of your paycheck. König’s your responsibility, not mine.”

You nodded shakily as your father made his was across the floor to stand in front of König. He glared at the mask before turning to you.

“What’s with this?” he raised a meaty hand to König’s mask.

“I didn’t put it on,” you furrowed your eyebrows as you looked at König, “I think they put it on him when they were transporting him.”

Your father slipped a hand into his back pocket and gave König a once-over.

“Whelp, he’d better do his job,” your father shrugged, “I’ve had it up to here with those sick fucks coming into the cafe.”

You nodded along. For once, you couldn’t agree more with your dad. Ever since you’d presented your tertiary gender, you hadn’t had a day of peace. Everyone seemed like they wanted a piece of a newly presented omega O. It was just unfortunate that you were on the receiving end of it all.

Your dad reached up and grabbed König’s chin, turning him side to side before plucking at hsi shirt with a grunt.

“Is something wrong?” you asked as you watched your father unclip König’s leash.

“He just seems… Different,” your dad muttered, “smaller. Did they do something to him? He looks like a scrawny wimp now. You sure he can manage to take care of you?”

“I mean, I think he must’ve lost a little weight after grandma died,” you offered, “König was always really close to her.”

“Too close, if you ask me,” your father added as he stepped back. He put his fists on his hips with a frown. “You’d better go get him settled in. You’re both up early tomorrow. And König,” your father’s eyes narrowed to mean slits, “don’t fuck this up.”

König gave him the slightest nod, but it was enough to satisfy your father.

“You go get your room ready, alright?” your father started up the stairs as you squeaked.

“My room? Isn’t König getting his own room?” you asked.

“What?” your father cast you a glare over your shoulder, “and put him where? There’s no more space.”

“But don’t we have the spare-”

“No.”

You watched silently as your father plodded back up the stairs. He slowly trudged up and out of view, leaving you alone with the buz of the heater and the smell of burnt coffee beans.

“So, that’s my dad,” you said, shuddering and turning around to look at König, “I guess he hasn’t really changed much since you last saw him.”

You looked up at König and frowned. You couldn’t really see much in this lighting. Maybe tomorrow you’d get König to change a couple of the lightbulbs. With the thought in mind, you fumbled around in the dark to follow your father up the stairs, only stopping briefly to flick the lights off once you reached the top.

You slowly made your way past your father’s room and to the kitchen. You looked at König and then at the fridge.

“Do you want something to eat?” you asked.

König stared at you blankly.

You nodded and turned ahead to your room, “I’ll get us something later then.”

You made your way to your bedroom without another word. Once inside, you glanced around the cramped room before looking back at König.

“Do you want to sit down?” you asked softly. “It’s okay to sit. I know you’ve been on your feet all day.”

König didn’t look at you. You didn’t think he even heard you until he lowered himself to lightly perch on the very end of your tiny bed. You glanced at your bed, and then at König. 

Without another word, you carefully pulled out a file from under your jacket and flipped it open. The first pages seemed to be detailed notes of König’s body. From the looks of it, König was only about five years older than you. With the way he looked, you’d thought he was at least a decade older than that. You glanced at the next set of stats. At the very top it listed König’s height, a startling six foot ten that completely dwarfed you’s meager frame. You looked down at your twin size mattress again. It wasn’t like König could sleep on the floor. You could, but you didn’t want to do any more damage to your already aching back. This room was crammed as tightly as it could be. The wardrobe at the foot of your bed only had just enough room to open enough to squeeze into the drawers and the table and chair to the left of your bed served a dual purpose of being both a desk and a nightstand. It was so packed in that you couldn’t imagine where König could possibly fit in.

You looked around and bit your lip. The ground was cold and hard. You internally cursed your father for not just setting up a cot in the stockroom at the very least, but it was of no use. You figured you’d just have to get used to König very, very, quickly.

You turned to said man, and stared at his heavy mask. “Hey, um, I’m going to take that off, ok?” you said and stood to face König.

You leaned in and tried to undo the fiddly clasps. There were so many hooks and rings and clasps and buckles; it was ridiculous. How did they even put this on in the first place? Why did they put it on? König had never been muzzled by your grandmother, even though he was an alpha. You never understood how brave she was, but you admired it anyways. If König could be good with your grandmother, then maybe you could trust him without a muzzle too. You let out a little harrumph and crawled onto the bed behind König to continue. God, it was complicated even from this angle! You shook your head and continued using your nimble fingers to undo the straps, wincing as you saw the red imprints they left behind. You finally managed to make a breakthrough and returned back to standing in front of König.

“Nearly there!” you chirped and continued to fiddle away. You cursed under your breath when you accidentally made a strap tighter and hurriedly undid it with a muttered apology. You had no idea why they would have this on so tight. Something wasn’t right about this.

You gave a final yank and winced when the final buckle was undone. The mask was now splayed open like a pair of perverse butterfly wings, still was held firmly in place. Your face slowly dropped in horror. There’s no way… That would just be too much…

“Did they… Did they glue this on?” you whispered, but König shook his head ever so slightly. He hesitantly raised a weathered hand and gestured at his jaw underneath the mask.

You were a bit confused and looked under his jaw. You could really barely see what you were doing in this light. You gingerly traced your fingers along his neck but didn’t feel much besides a greasy beard and tough skin. You pulled back and hummed. You were so confused. What was König trying to tell you? You gripped the mask firmly and pulled hard. König was wrenched forwards but pulled back on the post beside him. You put a foot up on the bed to pull back harder, and grunted with effort. Why was this mask on so fucking tight?

You let out another grunt but stopped when König let out a low, growling moan. “Shit, right. Sorry König,” you whispered and stepped back. You put a finger on your chin and hummed again. “What the fuck is keeping that thing on if it isn’t glue?” you paled, “Oh my God do they stitch it in place?”

König shook his head, again gesturing to his jaw. You clucked your tongue and checked König’s jaw again. You looked closer, closer and closer until you gasped. You saw a small set of straps firmly embedded in König’s jaw. A thin line of blood was flowing out from when you’d pulled on the mask.

“Your jaw… You can’t even open your mouth with this on, can you,” you whispered and König bobbed his head, jabbing the straps in further.

You turned to rummage through your shelves for a bit. You grinned when you came across a pair of scissors and turned back to König. 

“I’m gonna be as gentle as I can be here,” you whispered and carefully moved the scissors under the strap.

König tensed, but he held still as you managed to snip the strap off. You carefully tugged the barb out of König’s jaw, hissing as it kept coming out. In total, you estimated the barb to be at least an inch long. You shuddered at the sight.

König shuffled and leaned his face to the other side so that you could get a good view in the yellow-orange light. It was easier the second time, but you still winced as you pulled the barb out of his jaw. You’d have to get the medicine kit in the bathroom after this for sure. 

Despite the resistance, the straps in König’s jaw were now off and the barbs were out. Evidently, this was some primitive way to force König’s jaw tightly shut. yYu supposed König wasn’t meant to have the barbs so deeply buried in, but you had a stronger feeling that König didn’t give a damn. The fact that he hadn’t even winced once through the entire walk home blew your mind.

With König’s jaw now able to open up, you were finally able to pull the mask free. You pulled it down, and stared in horror at what was inside the mask. Right where König’s mouth would be was a short metal pipe. The inside was caked with what looked like mouldy food. Even from at arm’s reach you gagged at the smell. You rushed to the bathroom and rinsed it out, feeling more than a bit sick as you pushed your fingers down the pipe to get all the gunk out

You held the mask in your hands and shook your head. After a minute, you looked up in the bathroom mirror. Your eyes looked puffy. When you touched them, they felt wet and sore. At some point you must’ve been crying. When did you do that? You looked down at the mask in your hands. Slowly, ever so slowly, you raised the mask up until it covered your face. In the mirror, you looked like a monster. You looked so frightening that it was hard to remember that there was a human under all of it. You stared in the mirror, debating if there really was a person under the mask after all.

Konig Dump

Konig Alternative Universes

A/B/O Sci-Fi Slavery

[abstractpenny]

Okay, real fast (maybe). So. Cole. He's super gay, I think we can all agree. But why? Why did they make Cole gay?

We always talk about the 'proof' that he's gay, like his true potential episode back in season 1 (about 12 years ago), his lack of true interest in women romantically, and his super homo ass relationship with Geo, but we never talk about the reason he is written as queer.

One argument I see repeated on the 'save my boy cole' side of the internet is the idea that the writers should have written a whole new character to be gay.

And guess what.

They did.

Who? Geo. He's the newly written gay character. He's the new representation.

The problem, though, with making only one new character (or even making a couple or a few) is that we don't have a connection with said character(s). They're reduced to 'the gay character'.

This harms the queer community more than helping sometimes because it reduces queer people to a single type of person. It makes queerness their entire identity when it's only part of it.

So, what's the solution? Write this new queer character into a romance with an old character that could totally be queer.

Cole has kind of always had queer undertones. That's seen most prominently in his season 1 true potential episode. (I won't get too into it here, if you need more information, you can find the episode free on multiple platforms or you can watch/read someone else analyze it.) He's always been able to be queer.

I don't know if Cole was initially written with the intention of being gay or queer. I don't know if he's always been written through that lense or how long he's been written with that idea in mind. But it's there and it's always had potential. It makes sense for his character and doesn't really introduce many plot holes, if any at all.

Him being written with Geo romantically and gay makes their relationship more human and appealing to a lot of people, including queer people.

We're familiar with a whole half of the couple. Many if us have known him for over a decade. He's a lovable character with good morals. He's a hero. Making Cole gay is honestly a wonderful choice for queer representation, especially for queer kids.

Making Cole and Geo a romantic couple makes sense. It would be such a big win for the LGBTQ+ community if they become a thing.

[maddy-k-reads-all-day]

I don't trust Joanne at all.

I don't get why people use Joanne's words and motives as part of trying to figure out Amanda, Wooly, and Hameln.

Now let me clear this up now: I do not think Joanne is a bad person. She is willing to do anything to save her brother. And I think we need to understand that that anything is not within our best interests.

First off, I'm probably a bit biased considering I didn't trust Joanne from the very beginning. We meet this masked stranger who is somehow in our aunt's house. (Seriously, how did she get in there? Kate may have given her the keys but... why didn't she tell us about Joanne at all? If Joanne is helping Kate, shouldn't she have said that Joanne might help us too?)

I mean, I think it was a bad idea for Riley to just go into Joanne's car (and sleep in it no less) considering Joanne hadn't yet given us any real proof of her identity or even her name. Like Riley, stranger danger?!

Like if she had turned out to be someone from Hameln coming to kidnap Kate and/or Riley then this would've been really bad. I know she isn't, but at that point Joanne could've been anybody. And we just... went with her without question.

Then we break into the library with her. Like... even if she had Kate's keys she's not an employee there... so that's breaking and entering.

Then let's talk about Joanne's speech. Kate died because of her. Because she was willing to do anything to get her brother back... because she pushed Kate too far. Joanne admitted that this was mostly- if not all her fault. Now, I think she could be blaming herself a bit too much... it's probably not all her fault. But she also admitted that she used us. For her own gain. Not for Kate or our best interests.

But I think the interesting thing about this is that even though Joanne admits that she did all this... it doesn't stop her from doing it again.

In that Cassette tape, Kate was telling us what she wanted... she wanted us to stop. She wanted us to escape and never deal with Hameln's wrath. But instead of respecting Kate's wishes, Joanne goes directly against them, telling us to fight Hameln.

Once again, I'm not saying Joanne is evil or a terrible person. Just that she's working purely for her own goals... our safety and best interests are not on their radar like they were on Kates.

The whole scene of the Wooly monster killing her could mean anything, not just that it's siding with Hameln. I mean, it could definitely be siding with destroying the tapes... it could also be protecting Riley and Kate from a person who clearly dangerous to them specifically.

That night she screamed at Kate to give her those tapes... and I imagine she was probably pushing Kate really hard to find a solution. Kate and Riley are the only two known characters working in Amanda (and to some extent Wooly's) interests of escaping the tapes and ending the show so it can't hurt anyone anymore.

In the "Do you feel safe tape" Amanda warns us about strangers, and also seems to stop trusting us when she hears Joanne's voice. Remember, Joanne is not working in Amanda's best interests which seem to be our best interests as well. She doesn't want to save Rebecca, she wants to save Jordan. Kate probably knew that destroying the tapes would hurt Amanda and Wooly, she probably would have told Joanne this, but Joanne doesn't care. Amanda doesn't trust Joanne. She has every reason not to. We have every reason not to. For she is someone who is willing to sacrifice anything to save someone she loves... and as noble as that is... that includes us. Kate, Riley, Amanda, and Wooly. If it meant saving her brother... she probably wouldn't think twice about doing something that would bring them harm.

What I'm saying is, both demons recognized Joanne as a threat. Now does this mean they are both working to protect us? I have no idea. But Joanne being a threat to Riley and Kate is an interesting piece of the puzzle to consider.

I don't trust Joanne because she is only in it for her goals and not ours. Not that she's a bad person for doing so, plenty of people could probably imagine being willing to do almost anything to save someone they love. But with a person like that... you just can't trust everything they do and say.

Wooly warned us about strangers. Amanda warned us about trusting people. They were probably warning us... about Joanne.

[taryn40k]

White Drakes in deployment

Ok. So. Belisarius Cawl, right? Charged by Guilliman to try to make better Marines. Then left without supervision, right? Ok. Not EVERYTHING he had to have tried panned out, right? And sometimes, you experiment, and try to solve issues that aren't actually issues, and something sticks. Consider, if you will. Where did the MK 9 power armor go? Do we even know what it looked like? (Maybe we do, but I don't, and so I run with the idea : ) Maybe the reason why it was never deployed, with the MK 10 in development for Primaris marines, is because... That bitch hot. Anything mechanical that you run is BOUND to heat up. And the more you slap cool things in, the more it WILL heat up. So, how do you make it work without cooking alive any Astartes inside? ...What if the Astartes had a new organ that would just lower their body temperature? If we push it, we can even have them hook up to their armor, and cool it off themselves! The warmth of the armor running keeps them from freezing, and they keep the armor from overheating! :D Of course, we have to adjust the aspirants bodies, let's just have a test group, see what we can do.... Alright, well, that's not actually a real issue, and not actually a viable solution, so let's go back to researching something with a less dramatic death rate for the Primaris project- What do you mean one of the aspirants survived? Because she had a naturally low body temperature to start with? ......You know what, side projects boost creativity, so... let's keep an eye on that. Let's see if we can actually make it work!

The White Drakes would be a very new chapter, with under two century under their belt, not even part of any specific founding since it is purely a Cawl special. A pet project of sorts. They have additional organs that produce coolant continuously, and if not removed from their system, it is a genuine danger of freezing them to death. It would look like their armor is cold, given the amount of frost and the cold clouds around them... but actually, their armor is incredibly hot and keeps them alive by regulating their temperature. The coolant they produce can be stored in the powerpack and used to flash-freeze targets, or diffused to create a cold cloud cover that messes with auspexes. In big enough numbers, they can create a full storm front.

Officially, Cawl tells anyone that their geneseed is a modified version of Vulkan's... but there is definitely a bit of chimeric shenaniganery going on. Some would say Leman Russ... Some would note their preference for stratagems and support over open conflict, and look at a couple of bald guys switching identities faster than Cawl switches personalities. Given the youth of the Chapter, every member is a Primaris, and they have a deep respect for Firstborns because their Chapter has none. They work best when deployed alongside another Chapter, to support them ; because of their fragility and the delicate balance between their bodies and their armor, they can't really take a hit as well as they should. If anything gets damaged, the risk to their lives is very real, and finding proper recruits to survive not only the ascension to Primaris but the inversion of their body heat is difficult.

However, a good point remains : this procedure actually bring the chances of success from female aspirants to be on par with male aspirants. An unexpected side effect of this little proof of concept, that unfortunately didn't carry over to the wider Primaris project. Still, this trait alone justifies a casual monitoring from Cawl, and a certain support to the chapter from the adepts loyal to him. However, on a wider scale, the Mechanicus doesn't see them favorably : too new, too... inventive. Yes, technically, they could find all of the blueprints separately, that could make this project work but.. the way it has been assembled borders on tech-heresy. So, considering all of this, and numbers that struggle to pick up, the White Drakes are rarely seen outside of their own system, quietly out of the way. Still, they are a welcoming chapter ready to work and adapt to anyone, without seeking glory more than knowledge. They know they are not yet ready to walk out of the shadow of the other, more storied chapters, and so they learn from them as they find their footing as a new Chapter. :) Also, ice weaponry. So much ice weaponry. The Space Wolves would be proud. XD Their armor is white with light blue accents so they can blend into the blizzard they bring, until all you can see are black heads fading in and out before a strike. So yeah, here is my idea for a homebrew chapter in the modern 40K! :D

[unfamiliaris]

the thing about hickey is that he's not just prideful. nearly every man aboard both those ships is prideful - but they didn't do the things hickey did. what the terror tells us about characters like hickey and franklin is that a fear of inadequacy leads to fatal hubris. franklins example is obvious, as demonstrated in the show (but much clearer in the book), he fears the inadequacy of not being let into the Boys Club of polar explorers, and due to this he overlooks safety measures and kills not only his men but himself. in hickeys case, he so strongly fears inadequacy, of not being allowed into the royal navy, of being rejected, that he would rather kill a man and steal his identity than even begin to have to grapple with it. cornelius hickey is a thin layer of man built around the most tightly compacted self loathing you can fit under someone's skin. his solution to inadequacy isn't to better himself but to make himself the only man left alive. to make himself exceptional.

this is, I think, what makes his accidental murder at carnivale so interesting. because we can see him hesitate, we can see him grapple with what he's done for a moment. but we know by now that hickey has killed before and will do it again, remorselessly, so why does he hesitate here?

well. killing people for hickey is a symbol. he has exemplified his worth and his ability, and therefore proved that his victim is lesser than himself, by taking their life from them. but at carnivale... there is no such proof. he hasn't vindictively sought out a lesser being than himself and snuffed them out, he's accidentally proven to himself that killing doesn't make someone exceptional. by doing it unintentionally, he's debunked his own mythos. it doesn't take someone exceptional to kill someone if I can do it by accident.

I could go on about this a lot more but I really just wanted to highlight this one moment and talk about what it meant to me in particular. hopefully it makes sense ....

[miraculouslbcnreactions]

Hello! Hope not to bother with this ask but I read most of your analysis and I really love them. While I don't always feel the same about some things, I really like how you take the situation and look into aspects that may not be easy for everyone to see.

I also wholly agree with the "it's the writing and execution, not the concept or the characters' fault" point. I hope it doesn't come off as rude, but I really enjoy comparing views and points and while reading your post about the ladynoir conflict in season 4, I had some thoughts sparkling so I wanted to see your view on them. I also hope it makes sense how I present these points, since English is not my motherlanguage. You mention how Ladybug doesn't know that she's doing wrong and that there are various instances of her caring about Chat Noir and trying to make him feel more important. I see the point you were making and I honestly also see that Chat Noir's writing played a huge part in Ladybug acting like she did on certain situations, however I also often think about Season 4 ending. Ladybug is having a break down and she says that she distanced Chat Noir on purpose. I honestly think this is one more proof the writers didn't know what they were doing with the plotline, especially since Ladybug herself in Kuro Neko says she never realized. But as she is saying she was aware, instead, wouldn't it go against her not being aware? I guess probably my ask is more like a reinforcement of the writers having no idea about how to handle the plotline, and not a real comparison of views since we really see the series saying opposite things at the same time. But I kinda wanted to see what you thought about the idea of Ladybug/Marinette being written instead as aware of the distance she put and the lack of guilt in this circumstance. (At least, I didn't see any if this was what the writers were going for)

Like, taking Hack-san. She did a very long list for Alya on how to do stuff and collaborate to Chat Noir, even laugh at his jokes, and maybe it was shown to prove she does care, but at the same time she... never warned him she was leaving? I get she was in a rush but going to the bathroom for a 1 second call would show her consideration over the topic. At the end of the episode, she apologizes for revealing her identity but not for never warning him, not showing up to patrols without telling him... and when he opens up about his fear of losing her without having the chance to know something happened, there isn't some sort of solution offered? I know that the show's writing never really wanted to portray Chat Noir on an equal basis, but maybe it would be the right chance for her to show him she does trust and considers him an equal. Maybe telling him he can say the truth to someone so they both have someone to warn the other if something happens, or so that they're not surprised by new holders if one didn't tell about needing to step away from action. Sorry the rambling! I just think that the writers really made a mess in trying to show she cares but never in the actual things she could really show it, like by simply including him in crucial info like Rena Furtive. Like, we get confirmation she doesn't sees him as equal anymore in the first part of the season 4 finale, but he was once his supposed equal? Or was meant to? So does she effectively put a willing distance between them? I also think often about Ephemeral, because I get that they want to write quirky Ladybug that exaggerates in her plans but making Chat Noir reveal his identity to someone else without his knowledge by aknowledging also his crush as a way to get him to reveal... feels like a huge manipulation that I think wouldn't be necessary if they wanted to show she cares genuinely? Like, she could just ask him and explain the situation? Like, for the purpose of creating the drama, the writers forgot that at that point their bond should be solid enough for something at least as basic as communication? I guess my point after all this, is that while I get where you come from when saying she wasn't aware of how Chat was feeling and some stuff she has done, I feel like she definitely should have in certain situations? Especially because in many instances it feels that the writers were indeed holding true to her putting willingly distance and excluding him, and never really feeling guilty. I don't know, maybe I'm casually rambling nonsense, but I really would like to hear your view about this!

I completely understand where you're coming from. My seasons four rant was about the way canon chose to portray Marinette's awareness of the situation, not about how valid her obliviousness was for her character. I think some of it makes sense, but there are also a lot of moments that feel like poor characterization. Hack-San is a perfect example. The season literally opens with Chat Noir leaving Ladybug messages on her bug phone, establishing that this is a thing that they can do:

Scene: Ladybug yoyos to Montparnasse Tower. She sees Mr. Pigeon and checks her voicemail. Cat Noir: (on voicemail) Hey you, Bugaboo! Well, here I am, your faithful companion at our rendezvous point just like always. It's time for our daily patrol, I hope you haven't forgotten! 

I don't think we'd ever seen this before. It feels like an element they're adding to set up for something later. And yet, when the time comes to use it, we get nothing. Marinette just leaves town without even thinking about warning Chat Noir. Which makes no sense when you remember that this is all happening after the New York special where Marinette took time to tell Chat Noir that she was going out of town:

Cat Noir: You're going away?! Ladybug: Only for a few days. It's nothing important, kitty-cat! But I can't tell you anymore, in- Cat Noir: In order to protect our secret identities. I know the drill, M'Lady. Ladybug: But in case, anything happens in Paris, an akumatized villain, a Sentimonster, anything... All you have to do is click here and I'll come back as fast as I can. For emergencies only, of course! (Cat Noir presses the remote button several times in excitement, making the toy in Ladybug's hand squeak)

The New York special also saw Chat Noir fail to tell Ladybug that he was leaving town, leading to Paris being defenseless during a sentimonster attack!

Everything about the New York special should logically lead to the heroes having a hard rule about informing each other when they're leaving town. And yet, that rule apparently doesn't exist. Why not?

The only logical reason is that the writers wanted to have Chat Noir attack Scarabella when he sees her for the first time, so Marinette had to keep him in the dark otherwise that scene wouldn't work. Her bad behavior was done for the gag, not because it made sense for her character.

This is why I can get so defensive of the characters. It is, as always, not a matter of defending their specific actions. It's more about looking at the broad story and getting upset at how inconsistently they've been portrayed. The writers don't seem to care about honoring personality traits they've established, honoring past events, or even just logically setting up their supposed plots! The characters will do or say whatever is needed to make a given episode work regardless of how out of character those actions are or how little sense it all makes.

The season four ending rant is another great example:

Ladybug: Why don't you just give up on me? I've lost ALL the Miraculous! I'm the worst Guardian EVER! I wanted to control everything, I didn't listen to you, I lied to you, I kept you at a distance! Every time you offered me a helping hand, I never took it! I really made a mess of EVERYTHING! (continues sobbing)

This rant backs up a lot of people's feelings about the season four conflict, but it doesn't back up the way the season four conflict was actually written. Let's ignore the stuff that focuses on Ladybug's actions for a moment and instead focus on this line about Chat Noir's actions

Every time you offered me a helping hand, I never took it!

When exactly did he do this? Might I remind you, season four opened with this:

Ladybug: Will you cut it out with the practical jokes? I could have really hurt you! Cat Noir:(answering while hanging by the yo-yo) M'lady, the only thing that really hurts me is when you make me go on patrol by myself. (sighs, relaxing his posture) I even missed your little angry pout. Ladybug: Sorry, Kitty Cat, I'm a bit over my head at the moment. (pulling him up) Cat Noir: I bet! "Guardian of the Miraculous", big name, big responsibility! Ladybug:(helping him up) I promise, I won't ever forget our patrols again. (Cat Noir winks at her, both head to defeat the villain) Cat Noir: Woohoo!

And this:

Truth: Cat Noir, tell me what- (interrupted by Ladybug throwing a present at Truth) Ladybug: (covering her parasol with foil) ...do you think about my new role as guardian! Cat Noir: If it doesn't change things between us, then I'm good with it!

Ah, yes, he's really stepping up here and offering to help her! What a wonderful partner! If only Ladybug had taken the help he offered here, then things would have been so much better!

To be clear, I'm not actually mad at Chat Noir for these moments, they just really highlight how bad the writing is. The opening episodes of a season should be the setup for the season conflict. In this example, Chat Noir should have been constantly asking to take on more responsibility. Instead, the season opens with him telling Ladybug to maintain their status quo, which she then does, and yet that's somehow a problem?

Since season two, the status quo has been that Ladybug knows everything while Chat Noir is kept in the dark and just shows up for fights. I think that was a terrible choice, but it's still what canon went with! The Chat-Noir-feels-left-out conflict isn't even new. It was already addressed back in Syren:

Cat Noir: This is so dumb! (stands up) Claws in. (detransforms) Plagg: (groans) What's taking her so long? (Adrien holds up his hands to Plagg, and starts to pull off his ring a little bit) Whoa, easy! W-What are you doing?! Adrien: (grimly) If you don't tell me what Ladybug is hiding from me, I'm done! Plagg: You can't do that! Adrien: (bitterly) Why not? No one'll know if I quit. No one'll care! Plagg: I will! Adrien: Why? (cynically) Because you won't have anyone to give you Camembert? Plagg: Oh, I'm sure there'll be another Cat Noir to give me cheese... (pauses, and turns to Adrien) ...but he won't be you. (Adrien's expression softens) Master Fu: (suddenly appears next to Adrien) Hello, Cat Noir. (Adrien turns and gasps in shock) Adrien: You! You're the man who— Master Fu: (holds up a vial of bright green potion) I'll explain everything, I promise. But right now, you must go and help Ladybug! (He gives the vial to Adrien and he takes it)

This episode ends with Master Fu visiting Adrien and, after that, this conflict seems to go away in favor of Chat Noir wanting a romantic relationship. Bringing the Chat-Noir-feels-left-out conflict back in season four is extra annoying to me because what even was the point of Syren then? What did Adrien and Master Fu even talk about? Why wasn't it enough? And if Chat Noir has always wanted more responsibility, then why didn't he take Ladybug's guardian promotion as an opportunity to ask for more responsibility? Why wasn't season four filled with instances of Chat Noir trying to step up only to have Ladybug reject him? Why are the writers completely failing to write the conflict they claim to be writing?

You can find lots of little moments to back up the idea that Ladybug should have done better in season four. The issue isn't that they're not there. The issue is that the writing completely fails to make them feel like informed choices. Things Marinette did knowing that this was a bad call or even just a good call that would also hurt Chat Noir. Instead, she's always portrayed as oblivious to the problems her actions might cause which makes it real hard for me to get mad at her.

For example, I personally think it was asinine that Marinette told Alya everything. Not because I don't like Alya, but because Alya's identity had just been revealed to the supervillain! In my book, that's an instant disqualification for being given privileged information. Logically speaking, that is the identity reveal that should have lead to bad things. Instead, for some reason, Alya telling Nino was the problem.

To add an extra layer of annoyance, when Chat Noir learns that Ladybug has told someone her identity, he isn't even mad about it! He doesn't ask for a similar free pass or ask why not him. We get nothing to paint this as Marinette making a wrong move or as her "pushing him away" like she'll claim she did in the final. Instead, we just get Chat Noir saying that he's sad that Ladybug could quit and he'd never see her again:

Ladybug: I'm really sorry, Cat Noir. I should've told you. I mean, if I found out that you told someone about your secret identity, I'd... probably be upset, too. I'm really sorry I hurt your feelings. Cat Noir: You didn't hurt my feelings. You did everything right. Paris will always need a Ladybug superhero to watch over her. It's just... I realized that if one day that hero wasn't you, m'lady, since we don't know each other's identities, that means... I'd never see you again. Ever. And now, I just don't know if I can bear it. Ladybug: I'll never abandon you, kitty cat. (smiles)

The writers of Miraculous ask you to please forget about this exchange while watching the Kwamis Choice two-part episode in which both Chat Noir and Ladybug quit without saying goodbye to each other and where they also never feel guilty about or apologize for that choice. Heck, don't even think about this during Kuro Neko which comes a mere seven episodes later and features Chat Noir quitting without saying goodbye or finding a replacement. Rules for thee and not for me, my Lady?

Once again, I'm not actually mad at Adrien for that, it's just a wild choice to have him make when he claims that never seeing Ladybug again would be something he couldn't bear. That's not a good setup for him quitting and the seven episodes between these two don't tell a story that makes his change in attitude work. Kuro Neko is episode 23 and episode 21 - Dearest Family - has this as its ending, showing Ladynoir having no problems:

Cat Noir: (grabs a golden paper crown on the coffee table) Since I'm the king, would you be my queen, Ladybug? Ladybug: With pleasure, kitty cat! Tradition is tradition! (Cat Noir puts on the paper crown lucky charm on Ladybug.) Ladybug and Cat Noir: Pound it!

And episode 22 - Ephemeral - has Adrien thinking that missing a battle is a big deal:

Adrien: I hope Ladybug didn't need me. Plagg, claws out! (transforms into Cat Noir) (He opens his cat phone.) Cat Noir: Fourteen messages? She must be furious. (calls Ladybug) Ladybug: (on the phone) Finally! Cat Noir: I know what you're about to say, Ladybug, but— Ladybug: (on the phone) Nevermind! We got through it. That's all that matters. But we do need to talk. Meet me at the top of the Eiffel Tower.

Making it really weird when he goes on to purposely skip battles in Kuro Neko. That might have worked if he was hurt when Ladybug wasn't upset in Ephemeral, but he's not. If anything, he's relieved making it really weird when he's upset about the team in the next freaking episodes!

Cat Noir: (upon landing on top of the Eiffel Tower) I'm sorry, but I really couldn't make it earlier. Ladybug: (waves) Hey, no big deal! That's the good thing about a team. It's not the two of us anymore! Cat Noir: Oh, yeah! So then, why did you need me exactly?

There's also the fact that neither of these two episodes see Chat Noir try to take on a bigger role in the team. He seems fine with his lot so it's once again really weird when Kuro Neko has him quitting after Ladybug doesn't immediately give him more responsibility. In fact, I think Kuro Neko might actually be the only episode in the season where he asks for more responsibility, meaning that he quits after being turned down once. (If there are other times, let me know in the comments or a reblog! Everything I could think of was him complaining to Plagg, but telling Ladybug nothing which is not how you write a good conflict. It's how you write Marinette being held to a totally unreasonable standard.)

I could go on for days listing examples like this. Nino, Adrien, Marinette, Alya, Gabriel, Sabine, and many others have moments I can do this with. Moments where I pull up an episode that establishes A only to follow it with a later episode that completely ignores A without any real logic to back the change. It's infuriating and is, once again, why I defend the characters so much. Your annoyance is totally valid, I just ask you to look at the big picture and see that this is a systemic issue that effects everyone, making it really hard for me to hold any character accountable for their worst actions because then if have to do it for all of them and that's just not fun. I often hate the same things that the character-specific salters hate and understand the resulting salt, I just can't get in on the salt because it's so obviously a writing issue and not an carefully crafted character beat.

As an example, I recently saw someone get mad at Marinette for not planning around someone getting her yo-yo even though she took the time to plan around the Kwamis getting lost and it's just like, my dear, that is what we call a plot hole or poor characterization. She is a fictional character. This was not an actual planning failure. This was the writers needing her to lose so they warped the rules and her character to make her fail. She is not allowed to make logical plans if the writers need her to lose just like Alya can only be observant when the writers want the plot to progress. Get a little perspective.

(Note I'm using "you" as a general term and not speaking directly to anyone)

[suzukiblu]

WIP excerpt for ZepysGirl; the wet nurse omegaverse.

“We don’t even know if this will be enough,” Clark says softly, so unfortunately he’s apparently on a similar line of thought right now. Unsurprisingly, but unfortunately. “Chris is a toddler. He doesn’t know anything but that he smelled milk on someone who would–who could nurse him. But human milk might not be enough.” 

“It was enough for you,” Bruce reminds him. 

“I was at least a year older, and still wound up malnourished,” Clark reminds him in turn. Which, admittedly, is not actually something he’d forgotten. “And Ma was my mother. My pack. Both my primary and my family pack, on top of that. I can’t give Chris that. I can’t give him anything she gave me.” 

“You’re giving him everything she gave you, Clark,” Bruce says evenly. 

“I’m really, really not,” Clark says, and puts a hand over his chest . . . purposelessly, as far as Bruce can tell. Just . . . there. “I couldn’t even–I couldn’t even try. Couldn’t even let him latch to try and get my milk to come in. Couldn’t even take my shirt off. It might–if I try, it might come in. We could–test it, maybe. I could pump, or . . . I could at least try.” 

“You did try,” Bruce says, since “giving yourself a panic attack trying to force it would not have been a helpful form of 'trying’” would come off a little more insensitive and Clark’s already not in the best place at the moment. And Clark did in fact do everything short of taking lactation stimulants, which they already know Lor wouldn’t have tolerated even if they had managed to synthesize Kryptonian-effective ones. The Fortress’s AI didn’t have any more tolerable stimulant formulas that they could reproduce, and even if it had, those stimulants certainly weren’t designed to function on a Kryptonian living on a yellow-sun planet. 

Clark tried, and nothing happened. 

The issue is undeniably psychological, but unless Clark can retroactively go to six years of extremely intensive therapy that would’ve both compromised his identity and might not even have helped at all, much less actually worked, and that he never knew he’d need to have worked for anything like this–

Clark did everything that he could’ve reasonably been expected to, and more than he should’ve had to. 

Sometimes that just isn’t enough, Bruce knows. Jason is proof enough of that, if nothing else is. 

And they have chances, still. There’s hope, still. 

There is. 

Bruce is just very, very tired, and at this point even Clark is tired, and they're both worrying about things that aren't currently helpful. Directionless worry isn't a solution or a plan; it's just wasted energy. 

Honestly, at this point Bruce just wants to go take a damn nap. 

Unfortunately, one of the most singularly powerful people on the planet still needs emotional support, and Bruce is still terrible at emotional support.

[digisuraksha]

DigiSuraksha offers school security solutions focused on identity theft prevention. Ensure student safety with tamper-proof trusted ID cards, enhancing data protection and campus security with advanced, reliable identification systems.

[my-castles-crumbling]

hey, ik people are always asking you for advice and i'm so grateful for that and i appreciate you so much

i think someone mightve already asked this but are YOU okay? how are you dealing with the election results? vent, whatever you need.

Honestly I’m mad and sad. I’m scared because there’s a republican majority in the senate and it looks like there will be in the house, too. I’m trying to tell myself that I am safe in a blue state but that doesn’t help me not worry about everyone who isn’t, and I also wonder how much power the states truly have.

I know that we will get through this. I know that the best thing to do is to keep fighting and speaking out. But it’s absolutely devastating to see that more than half of my country thinks that a man who has actively tried to take my rights away is the best leader for our country. It makes me feel about three inches tall. It makes me wonder if my identity is even valid.

I know I’m worthy and I know my identity and my life is worthy. But it’s disheartening and I think we need to acknowledge that. But we also have to recognize that we can’t give up. We can let these people be the reason we give in. And I know there are a lot of people out there considering very negative permanent solutions right now and I want to remind those people that 8 years ago, the first time he was elected, I was considering those same permanent solutions. And I’m so glad I didn’t do that because if I had I never would have met my wife or ended up where I am now.

Things suck now and there’s no use ignoring that but somehow, they’ll get better again, because asks like this are proof that there is good in the world and people care. And eventually that will win.

[solacescastleglow]

How to Make an EDC that Actually Works for You

So often, I look at people's EDCs (everyday carries) and think 'OK, but there's no way you're gonna use all of that'. Because, to be honest, I wouldn't use 3/4 of the stuff that's in these videos. But I do prefer to go out knowing I won't need need anything I don't have, so there's a happy medium. Here's how I worked out mine, and how you can too!

1. Data collection

First, go out with only what you absolutely need (clothes, shoes) and a pen and paper. If it would be dangerous or impossibly impractical for you to go without something, that's a need and will definitely be in your EDC. Note that something that feels necessary and something that is necessary are two separate things. Anyway, every time you need something or use any extras you've taken with you, write down the need (i.e. instead of 'phone' write 'entertainment'/ 'communication', instead of 'taser'/'knife' write 'safety'). If it's already on your list, write it again. Do this for a week, going about things the way you always do.

2. Data analysis

Look at your list. The things you wrote down the most often are the things you really need to prioritise in terms of quality and convenience. Highlight or put a circle around those. Then, for each need, list out all the different ways to meet that need, and the pros and cons of each. For example:

ENTERTAINMENT (EARS) • phone - pros: has lots of other uses, spotify / cons: distracting, yet another screen (ick), uses up data • walkman - pros: not as distracting, old timey charm, no internet or data usage / cons: requires cassettes, can only play one at a time • mp3 player - pros: not as distracting, can put anything on there, no internet or data usage / cons: i have to put songs on beforehand

In this instance, an MP3 player seems like the best option for me. Your list might be different. Do this for every need you had. Make sure everything you list out is something you either already have or can get easily, and that every option is legal where you live.

3. Data analysis pt. 2

You should have a bunch of lists now. Are there any that can be combined? Let's say I have a need for music and communication and the internet. That MP3 player's not looking as good as the phone right now, is it? But just because it can be combined, doesn't mean it should be. If I really wanted to save on data and the Spotify subscription, I could have a phone with the internet and the MP3 player. I can't make that kind of decision for you, just go based on what feels right.

4. Filling in the gaps

Now, I want you to think of scenarios that you have found yourself in at least 3 times, but not during your data collection week. Maybe you've unexpectedly gotten your period, or someone threatened you in some way, or you got someone's number and had no way to write it down. Think of solutions for those things too. Again: legal, practical, acquirable solutions.

5. Assembly

This is the fun part: time to get your EDC together! You can have multiple depending on the situation, but your core EDC should remain the same. This is made up of the solutions to your highlighted or circled needs, plus anything that's small enough that it's worth taking with you.

My circled problems: recording information and ideas, telling the time, entertainment (ears), entertainment (eyes/brain), payment, proof of identity, physical support, vision, getting into the house, hydration, cooling down, COVID safety, extra storage, peace of mind

My core EDC: notebook and pen/cil, watch, MP3 player and in-ear headphones, small book or e reader, wallet, forearm crutch, glasses, keys, small water bottle, hand fan, mask, hand sanitiser, a foldable shopping bag, small emergency kit*, a keychain torch (with a strobe setting for self defence)

If you've noticed that I didn't mention my phone, that's because my SIM card is broken so it's useless outside of playing downloaded music. It's also just nice, you know? I only bring it if I'm going somewhere further away than I usually go, and when it's fixed I'll probably still do that.

*lip balm, liquid IV and a werther's original, 3 each of the meds I need need, a bit of money, a band aid, 2 pimple patches.

6. Storage

Every outfit (including bags) you wear outside the house should be able to hold, at the very least, your core EDC and anything else you need for that particular outing. Since I carry a lot in my pockets, I store everything in a set place when I'm at home so I don't lose things. I keep them in my bedroom, where I get dressed, but you can put them by the front door if you live alone. If you use the same bag every time, don't bother.

---

You might do all of that just to realise you don't actually need to change anything about what you carry. If so, sorry! But if not, you'll either get stuck in bad situations way less often or have more space for what actually matters. Happy travelling!

[princess-of-the-corner]

Thinking about Chester Fester and Lila again because they're my favorites.

I like to think that they both make each other worse and make each other better. Neither of them really has a functional moral compass, so I think they're likely to encourage each other into illegal activity and into choosing the solution that screws other people over. But they're also the first/only stable relationship one another has, so they also get better with certain things.

For the first time in their life, they have someone to vent to if their day goes bad, someone to take care of them if they're sick, and someone who can just be generally relied upon to stick around even after they majorly screw up. So I picture Princess Bee Lila being *more* emotionally stable than she was in the intervening 20 years (and probably in canon too if we're being honest), but she's definitely gotten used to seeking vengeance as a default solution to unfinished business and doesn't really think twice about the magical terrorism too hard.

I think there are actually two possible end routes to defeating her here: the first and less viable option is getting Chester to talk her down. They'd have to convince him that this route is completely unhealthy for Lila, which is difficult to believe because the scheming and the dramatics are something she LIVES for, and this is the most fun he's seen her have since they met. And yeah, the rage episodes whenever the previous ladybug comes up are mildly concerning, but when he's akumatized as monsieur rat and either of them gets to villain monologue at the kids? They're both having the time of their lives.

The second option, and the one that probably actually happens is, once the group figures out her identity, making her realize that this isn't what she wants, and that she's allowed to have a purpose in life beyond screwing people over. Basically one really long combat therapy session.

I think it would be fun if the adults try to help her when they first figure out her ID, but it's the kids that really get through to her. There's less bad blood with them, and they're all living proof that the mistakes of the past don't have to mean the future is hopeless.

Honestly both work but yeah that's them!!!

[callsignfate]

Valeria Garza Fluff One Shot - sleep.

(Wrote this at the same time as the Laswell, I just didn't edit this one last night because I was exhausted. This can be read as GN!reader x Valeria, I think.)

♤~♤~♤~♤~♤~♤~♤~♤~♤~♤~♤~♤~♤~♤

Valeria sat in her dimly lit office, the soft glow of the computer screen casting eerie shadows across her face. The room was filled with the faint scent of Cuban cigars and the lingering tension of countless decisions she had made as El Sin Nombre, the mysterious and powerful leader of the cartel. Her mind was a chaotic whirlwind of thoughts, each one a problem with seemingly no solution.

The endless problems had been piling up, like a never-ending stack of unpaid debts. The rival cartels were encroaching on her territory, vying for control of the lucrative drug trade routes. The police and DEA were closing in, conducting relentless investigations that threatened to expose her true identity. Within her own organization, there were whispers of betrayal and power struggles among her higher-ups.

Valeria had given herself countless responsibilities, believing that she could handle the pressure, that she could outsmart her enemies at every turn. But now, it felt like an insurmountable burden. The cartel had become a profitable empire, but it was also an endless headache.

Valeria's frustration boiled over as she slammed her fist on her desk, the sharp crack echoing in the small, dimly lit room. The stress that had been gnawing at her mind for so long had finally pushed her to the edge. Her men, once loyal and dependable, were now causing more problems than they solved. Their mistakes and carelessness had become a constant source of irritation.

She wanted to scream, to yell at them for hours on end. It was as if she were playing the role of a mother, taking care of unruly children who weren't even hers. They had become a liability, a burden that threatened to bring down everything she had worked so hard to build.

Valeria took a deep breath, trying to regain her composure. She knew that losing her temper wouldn't solve anything, and it could even make matters worse. She had to find a way to handle this situation calmly and strategically.

Valeria's frustration continued to mount as she sat at her desk, her hand tangled in her short, black hair. She clenched and unclenched her fist, her fingers gripping the strands of hair tightly in an attempt to relieve the headache her men had seemingly given her.

The pain in her temples throbbed with each passing moment, a physical proof of the stress and aggravation that had built up over time. She closed her eyes briefly, trying to collect her thoughts and calm the storm of emotions raging within her.

As Valeria left her office, her mind still weighed down by the countless problems and frustrations of her role as El Sin Nombre, she sought solace in the presence of the person who had become her anchor. You, the one she craved to be near, provided a sense of calm and stability in her chaotic world.

She made her way down the dimly lit corridor, the soft sounds of her footsteps echoing in the silence of the cartel's headquarters. Her thoughts gradually shifted from the troubles of the day to the anticipation of seeing you.

Valeria approached the door to her room, where you were usually found. With a gentle push, she entered and was met by the sight of you, focused on something she couldn't quite discern. Your presence alone brought a sense of relief, and she couldn't help but feel a slight smile tug at the corners of her lips.

Without saying a word, Valeria moved closer to you, drawn by the quiet, calming energy you exuded. She appreciated the way you didn't demand her attention, allowing her to simply be in your presence. It was a rare respite from the constant demands of her position.

Valeria's observations were always astute, and she couldn't help but smile as she entered the room and found you on the bed, engrossed in something on your phone. Your eyes briefly met hers before returning to the screen, but it didn't take long for you to shut off the device.

The quiet and cozy atmosphere enveloped the room as both you and Valeria settled in with your respective devices. Despite her initial scoff and eye roll, Valeria's frustration seemed to ebb away in the presence of your shared space.

For hours, you both delved into your work, navigating files, emails, calls, and texts on your phones. The occasional rustling of papers and the soft tapping of keys were the only sounds that filled the room.

As time passed, Valeria glanced down the length of the bed, noticing your legs hanging over the edge and your arms folded, serving as an improvised pillow. A faint smile played at the corners of her lips as she watched you in this unguarded moment.

The room was now filled with the soothing rhythm of your soft breathing, your chest rising and falling in a gentle, steady pattern. Valeria couldn't help but be drawn to the peaceful image you presented as you lay there with your eyes closed.

With a sense of contentment and serenity washing over her, Valeria set her phone aside on the side table. She moved closer to you, mirroring your position with her head facing you, just as you had done for her. The proximity brought a sense of closeness and comfort, and she found herself mesmerized by the tranquil expression on your face.

As she listened to your soft breathing, Valeria felt a wave of calmness wash over her. The stresses and headaches that had plagued her seemed to melt away in the presence of your peaceful sleep.

With a whisper that only she could hear, Valeria expressed her gratitude and vulnerability. "My soft spot, my weakness, thank you," she murmured, her words filled with tenderness and appreciation. She let out a long, deep breath, a sigh of relief she hadn't even realized she had been holding.

Slowly, Valeria drifted off to sleep, her body and mind finally finding rest and solace in the tranquil company of the one person who had the power to ease her burdens and bring her peace.

♤~♤~♤~♤~♤~♤~♤~♤~♤~♤~♤~♤~♤~♤