#injustice 2 tips

[mostlysignssomeportents]

American education has all the downsides of standardization, none of the upsides

Catch me in Miami! I'll be at Books and Books in Coral Gables on Jan 22 at 8PM.

We moved to America in 2015, in time for my kid to start third grade. Now she's a year away from graduating high school (!) and I've had a front-row seat for the US K-12 system in a district rated as one of the best in the country. There were ups and downs, but high school has been a monster.

We're a decade and a half into the "common core" experiment in educational standardization. The majority of the country has now signed up to a standardized and rigid curriculum that treats overworked teachers as untrustworthy slackers who need to be disciplined by measuring their output through standard lessons and evaluations:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Core

This system is rigid enough, but it gets even worse at the secondary level, especially when combined with the Advanced Placement (AP) courses, which adds another layer of inflexible benchmarks to the highest-stakes, most anxiety-provoking classes in the system:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advanced_Placement

It is a system singularly lacking in grace. Ironically, this unforgiving system was sold as a way of correcting the injustice at the heart of the US public education system, which funds schools based on local taxation. That means that rich neighborhoods have better funded schools. Rather than equalizing public educational funding, the standardizers promised to ensure the quality of instruction at the worst-funded schools by measuring the educational outcomes with standard tools.

But the joke's on the middle-class families who backed standardized instruction over standardized funding. Their own kids need slack as much as anyone's, and a system that promises to put the nation's kids through the same benchmarks on the same timetable is bad for everyone:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/11/28/give-me-slack-2/

Undoing this is above my pay-grade. I've already got more causes to crusade on than I have time for. But there is a piece of tantalyzingly low-hanging fruit that is dangling right there, and even though I'm not gonna pick it, I can't get it out of my head, so I figured I'd write about it and hope I can lazyweb it into existence.

The thing is, there's a reason that standardization takes hold in so many domains. Agreeing on a common standard enables collaboration by many entities without any need for explicit agreements or coordination. The existence of the ANSI/SAE J563 standard automobile auxiliary power outlet (AKA "car cigarette lighter") didn't just allow many manufacturers to make replacement lighter plugs. The existence of a standardized receptacle delivering standardized voltage to standardized contacts let all kinds of gadgets be designed to fit in that socket.

Standards crystallize the space of all possible ways of solving a problem into a range of solutions. This inevitably has a downside, because the standardized range might not be optimal for all applications. Think of the EU's requirement for USB-C charger tips on all devices. There's a lot of reasons that manufacturers prefer different charger tips for different gadgets. Some of those reasons are bad (gouging you on replacement chargers), but some are good (unique form-factor, specific smart-charging needs). USB-C is a very flexible standard (indeed, it's so flexible that some people complain that it's not a standard at all!) but there are some applications where the optimal solution is outside its parameters.

And still, I think that the standardization on USB-C is a force for good. I have drawers full of gadgets that need proprietary charger tips, and other drawers full of chargers with proprietary tips, and damned if I can make half of them match up. We've continued our pandemic lockdown tradition of my wife cutting my hair in the back yard, and just tracking the three different charger tips for the three clippers she uses is an ongoing source of frustration. I'd happily trade slightly sub-optimal charging for just being able to plug any of those clippers into the same cable I charge my headphones, phone, tablet and laptop on.

The standardization of American education has produced all the downsides of standardization – a rigid, often suboptimal, one-size-fits-all system – without the benefits. With teachers across America teaching in lockstep, often from the same set texts (especially in the AP courses), there's a massive opportunity for a commons to go with the common core.

For example, the AP English and History classes my kid takes use standard texts that are often centuries old and hard to puzzle out. I watched my kid struggle with texts for learning about "persuasive rhetoric" like 17th century pamphlets that inspired anti-indigenous pogroms with fictional accounts of "Indian atrocities."

It's good for American schoolkids to learn about the use of these blood libels to excuse genocide, but these pamphlets are a slog. Even with glossaries in the textbooks, it's a slow, word-by-word matter to parse these out. I can't imagine anyone learning a single thing about how speech persuades people just by reading that text.

But there's nothing in the standardized curriculum that prevents teachers from adding more texts to the unit. We live in an unfortunate golden age for persuasive texts that inspire terrible deeds – for example, kids could also read core Pizzagate texts and connect the guy who shot up the pizza parlor to the racists who formed a 17th century lynchmob.

But teachers are incredibly time-constrained. For one thing, at least a third of the AP classroom time seems to be taken up with detailed instructions for writing stilted, stylized "essays" for the AP tests (these are terrible writing, but they're easy to grade in a standardized way).

That's where standardization could actually deliver some benefits. If just one teacher could produce some supplemental materials and accompanying curriculum, the existence of standards means that every other teacher could use it. What's more, any adaptations that teachers make to that unit to make them suited to their kids would also work for the other teachers in the USA. And because the instruction is so rigidly standardized, all of these materials could be keyed to metadata that precisely identified the units they belonged to.

The closest thing we have to this are "marketplaces" where teachers can sell each other their supplementary materials. As far as I can tell, the only people making real money from these marketplaces are the grifters who built them and convinced teachers to paywall the instructional materials that could otherwise form a commons.

Like I said, I've got a completely overfull plate, but if I found myself at loose ends, trying to find a project to devote the rest of my life to, I'd be pitching funders on building a national, open access portal to build an educational commons.

It may be a lot to expect teachers to master the intricacies of peer-based co-production tools like Git, but there's already a system like this that K-8 teachers across the country have mastered: Scratch. Scratch is a graphic programming environment for kids, and starting with 2019's Scratch 3.0, the primary way to access it is via an in-browser version that's hosted at scratch.mit.edu.

Scratch's online version is basically a kid- (and teacher-)friendly version of Github. Find a project you like, make a copy in your own workspace, and then mod it to suit your own needs. The system keeps track of the lineage of different projects and makes it easy for Scratch users to find, adapt, and share their own projects. The wild popularity of this system tells us that this model for a managed digital commons for an educational audience is eminently achievable.

So when students are being asked to study the rhythm of text by counting the numbers of words in the sentences of important speeches, they could supplement that very boring exercise by listening to and analyzing contemporary election speeches, or rap lyrics, or viral influencer videos. Different teachers could fork these units to swap in locally appropriate comparitors – and so could students!

Students could be given extra credit for identifying additional materials that slot into existing curricular projects – Tiktok videos, new chart-topping songs, passages from hot YA novels. These, too, could go into the commons.

This would enlist students in developing and thinking critically about their curriculum, whereas today, these activities are often off-limits to students. For example, my kid's math teachers don't hand back their quizzes after they're graded. The teachers only have one set of quizzes per unit, and letting the kids hold onto them would leak an answer-key for the next batch of test-takers.

I can't imagine learning math this way. "You got three questions wrong but I won't let you see them" is no way to help a student focus on the right areas to improve their understanding.

But there's no reason that math teachers in a commons built around the (unfortunately) rigid procession of concepts and testing couldn't generate procedural quizzes, specified with a simple programming language. These tests could even be automatically graded, and produce classroom stats on which concepts the whole class is struggling with. Each quiz would be different, but cover the same ground.

When I help my kid with her homework, we often find disorganized and scattered elements of this system – a teacher might post extensive notes on teaching a specific unit. A publisher might produce a classroom guide that connects a book to specific parts of the common core. But these are scattered across the web, and they aren't keyed to the specific, standard components of common core and AP.

This is a standardized system that is all costs, no benefits. It has no "architecture of participation" that lets teachers, students, parents, practitioners and even commercial publishers collaborate to produce a commons that all may share and improve upon.

In an ideal world, we'd get rid of standardization in education, pay teachers well, give them the additional time they needed to prepare exciting and relevant curriculum, and fund all our schools based on need, not parents' income.

But in the meanwhile, we could be making lemonade of out lemons. If we're going to have standardization, we should at least have the collaboration standards enable.

I'm Kickstarting the audiobook for The Bezzle, the sequel to Red Team Blues, narrated by @wilwheaton! You can pre-order the audiobook and ebook, DRM free, as well as the hardcover, signed or unsigned. There's also bundles with Red Team Blues in ebook, audio or paperback.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/01/16/flexibility-in-the-margins/#a-commons

[brookesophelias]

thg & nine little things

1. there is something so fucked up about writing Mature-rated fanfiction featuring sexual acts with Coriolanus Snow but never understanding he is the fictional version of Hitler, Stalin, Zedong, & Mussolini, Franco & Il-sung

2. there is something so fucked up about knowing that Finnick was prostituted by thousands & still Mature-rated fanfiction featuring sexual acts with Finnick Odair & yourselves.

3. there is something so fucked up about writing YA Fanfictions that are Submit-Your-Own-Tribute Games to this day.

4. there is something so fucked up in knowing people hated The Hunger Games, even in the Capitol—in the early days, too—& writing our own FanFictions of the gore & deaths because we want more

5. there is something so fucked up in knowing how barely-alive these 10th Games Tributes were while they were expected to perform & treated inhumanly, except not understanding that Black Lives Matter & Gazans deserve to live without genocide.

6. there is something so fucked up about saying Peeta & Katniss deserve a happy ending & then when the author gives you what you asked for, you have a long list of reasons why it shouldn’t be canon

7. there is something so fucked up about knowing servers get sexually harassed by customers or get more tips when they change their hairstyle/makeup & Mature-rated fanfiction featuring sexual acts between Glimmer & Seneca Crane.

8. there is something so fucked up about protesting Avoxes but telling people to never complain about an opportunity or their employers.

9. there is something so fucked about hating the injustices in daily life while consuming The Hunger Games Novels, only to reduce its importance by avoiding messages other than the ‘shipping.

[shorthaltsjester]

once again, begging, BEGGING everyone in the cr fandom to stop making posts critiquing how the fandom is being weird about one cast member by saying "if it was x, the fandom would love this/hate this even more." it turns out the cr fandom contains Multitudes of weird ass people and just because you haven't seen those reactions (or, even funnier if you are making claims about what the fandom does/does not do to other cast members, were not in the fandom during c1/c2) does not mean they do not exist. like there are certainly different social dynamics and injustices at play in some of the reactions the audience has to cast members, but almost always it is less a case of misogyny/queerphobia and more a case of people forgetting that storytelling is about understanding choices you would not yourself make and watching characters develop through conflict/struggle.

like, you can have the most salient point to make in the world about how shitty the reaction of the fandom to a certain cast member's (not their character, but the cast member as a person) choices but you immediately undo that if you make a claim like "if liam did this, the fandom would love it." perhaps the part of the fandom you are in, but certainly not the fandom that wanted to persecute him for having vax choose keyelth over gilmore, certainly not the fandom that consistently manufactured actual dislike between him and marisha throughout campaign 2 because of character choices.

likewise you might be absolutely right in criticizing the choices of the character that one of the cast members is playing, but if then in turn you say, "if this was a female cast member, everyone would hate it." my brother in christ, You are already the person who hates that character choice and it Wasn't a female cast member, so what is the truth? unless you have the statistics on the opinions every person who engages with the cr fandom has, truly just. you can make your point without appealing to a sense of misogyny/queerphobia/favouritism or whatever that you have no actual grounds for believing exists except for the fact that misogyny in general exists.

this isn't to say that things like misogyny don't influence how people react to things, all of our opinions are mediated through the social and material conditions in which we live. obviously, misogyny exists. however, truly, truly, the bigger problem in the cr fandom (at least on twitter/tumblr, idk about reddit and that is a choice I've intentionally made) is the consistent expectation that the cast adheres to what so many fans call 'comfort media' and a requirement that one's own opinions be validated by what the majority of the fandom believes (which aside from the obvious, is also an absurd expectation because trying to gauge the 'majority' of the cr fandom would be truly so much data). the cast have made it explicit many times that they value things like high stakes and big risks in their storytelling, and sometimes that means stupid character choices, character deaths, or interparty conflict. so much of the fandom has decided to engage with cr regardless of this and then gets upset when the liveplay of a ttrpg built around conflict contains conflict. similarly, people who claim to enjoy this conflict then get pissed off when other people in the fandom disagree with them and give away the ghost that what they want is validation by arguing that it is somehow problematic for the other side to have their opinions. it is much easier to blame any lack of satisfaction on how, actually, your section of the fandom has the right opinion and, actually, if everyone else wasn't queerphobic/misogynistic then they would see the proverbial light.

anyway, this is just me ranting out of both literal and metaphorical exhaustion with the "persuasive" (heavy quotes) tactics that some people in this fandom use. please look up some tips on like, how to avoid logical fallacies or formal critical thinking or just like. state your opinions and say you dislike the other options without thinking you need to provide some (often blatantly and horribly incorrect) rationale for how you're right. accept the pretentious bastard within yourself and stop seeking validation for your opinions in the fandom around you, your opinions are already correct if you assume them to be.

[codenamesazanka]

Is there a certain point you think is the "tipping point" so to speak for bnha's story becoming worse?

Definitely when Act 3 began. And speaking with full with Villain fan bias, My Villain Academia was the best arc, and after that, things never reached that level. You can see the big cracks starting appear during the Jaku war, but at the time, it felt like it was still fixable depending on the later writing.

Of course, the story was never perfect even before that - Overhaul arc was real messy - and that's okay. There were parts I really liked, parts I did not care about, parts that were just fine. But Act 3 was when the story started to get rushed - iirc, Horikoshi thought he could finish everything in 5 volumes after Act 2 ended (end result is 12 volumes and was still rushed) - and I think the scope of the things it introduced got too big and hard to tackle, and there was just a lot of characters and story and themes and other stuff to juggle to tie it all up for an ending that can satisfy everyone.

But I do want to say that's all imo. I was always in it for the Villains. There's lots of people who found the story totally great all the way through. They found the Old Lady Redemption part of Chapter 429 absolutely touching. Obviously they're getting something out of it that I didn't.

For a story about superpowers societal injustice, it ended up being very lacking. Act 3 was when none of that was addressed. For a story about heroes always being cool and beating up antagonists, maybe it's very satisfying, and Act 3 was just the low point before everything is brought back.

Maybe I'm being too generous towards Horikoshi, but in any case. I'm not gonna call bnha absolute trash, but neither am I going to think it was the pinnacle of storytelling. And that's fine.

Thanks for the ask!

[blackknight-100]

Hi dear. Thank you for your lovely answers. May you please write something really angsty on Uttarkand about Sita and Ram along with a short resolution. Thanks again.

Hello! Thank you for the ask, here you go! I hope you like reading this:

1.

He learns it in the morning. It is bare five minutes past breakfast, five minutes since Sita put her arms around his neck and offered him pieces of chopped areca, five minutes of missing the sweetest woman in all the three worlds. Five minutes till his life is uprooted once more, like that fateful day so many years ago.

“Forgive me, My King,” says the messenger. He bows low, shoulders bent close to his hip. He is also quivering, for who would not when given the unenviable task of speaking to the king of the dishonor of a wife so dearly loved?

Rama turns away from the man. He is a god, even unawares, his Queen divine and divine-born. What should the complaints of mortal men mean to them? And yet so it does, as it did to his father, and their fathers before him. And so Rama, well-read in Dharma and the duties of Kings, bends his godly head to the whims of a washerman.

“So be it,” he says.

 

By the end of the night, Ayodhya’s royal family is in tatters. The most loyal of brothers spends his night howling at the king, deeming his orders an injustice. The most virtuous of wives sees the morning sun through the eaves of the forest, and the childing mother weeps.

 

2.

Koushalya has never been anything less than selflessly kind – and Rama has never shied away from making use of it. So he did when Dasharatha sent her only son away, so he did when Sita left her bereft of a daughter in her old age, and so he did when he refused to go with Bharata and dashed her hopes of a loving reunion. And Koushalya, who has never sought any joy for herself, Koushalya, daughter of Kosala – the greed for which kingdom is the root of all ills – bent her head to wills of her son and her daughter and her king, and asked no more.

Perhaps that is why Rama is so surprised when she insists on him remarrying. Why does she not understand that he cannot love another woman the same way she could never love any man other than Dasharatha?

“That is not true,” his mother says. “I learned to love your father out of duty, as he did as well. So too will you.”

“That is a terrible thing to say.”

“It is not, Rama. Not every man has beheld his bride in a fragrant garden, not every woman has walked the length and breadth of Aryavarta for her exiled groom. Most of us wedded in duty, for the king and kingdom that fed us and named us daughter and queen. It makes our love and loss no less. Such is the nature of things. So I have stood beside your late father with two sister-wives, and so I have held my Kosala close and dear, and loved her as I have loved you all. And so you shall now as well, for the kingdom that names you King.”

Rama hears this long speech and hears her interspersed sighs. He is King – by virtue of his birth and his mother’s as well – and a hundred thousand men in Ayodhya alone send him tribute for it. His raiment is ever sparkling and yellow-gold, his table groans under food. All men exalt him, from the foot of the mountains to the tip of seas, more than they even do Indra, King of Gods – is his loss of love not meagre payment?

And Rama, god-king, turns away and bows. “So be it,” he says and bends his head.

By noon, a sculptor is summoned, a hundred ingots of gold collected, and a thousand golden coins offered. By the time the fires of the Ashwamedha Yajna is lit, the Queen’s empty place at Rama’s side is filled by a golden mockery of the greatest woman on Aryavart.

 

3.

Sita of the forest is much changed, and yet she is still the same. Before her hermit’s attire Rama and his silks appear cheap; her garlands of flowers make mockery of his gold and jewels. Even Surya, father of Ikshvaku’s Clan, bends his rays around her curves, shamed by the light in her eyes.

Come back, he wants to say, please, come back with me.

And yet Rama is King where Sita is no longer queen, and will never be unless every man in Ayodhya knows of her innocence. Lanka knew, as did Kishkinda, for Rama would not allow any tarnish upon the name of Raghu’s scions. From his own people he had sought more trust, to his own folly.

She looks at him quietly, clutching at wild children who should have known palaces, with tears in eyes that should have never seen such sorrow.

But Rama has bowed his head to the will of his people, has heard their charges and said, “So be it.”

 

And thus under the eaves of a forest sister to Dandaka, Sita’s chastity is questioned again. And thus, the King strikes the innocent once more, punishing where he should have shielded, being the judge where he should have been the guard, and the ransom for a Queen’s return is named.

 

+1.

Gentle is the land of Mithila, sweet are her songs. Wise is her sagely King, and blessed are her people. And so she has passed these virtues unto her daughter, as all good mothers do, for the land has borne Sita long before any man could lay claim upon her.

To scorn her is to scorn the loyal, the hapless and the earthbound; to forsake her is to forsake the daughter and the mother and the wife. Kosala, the kingdom that called itself Dasharatha’s for all that Koushalya was its child, has done just that – a land of raving men that seeks to destroy those who have borne and raised them.

Sita has been wife for nigh two decades, is even now a mother. And yet she is woman, and her kin are those with curved hips and gentle hands – beautiful features that would be sought and lusted after like leopards lust for calves. And as the farmer bemoans the trembling calf that strayed from the herd, so too would the world bemoan the women who fall into the jaws of men, would say: why did she not run away, why did she not fight; why did she not slay herself, that now one must doubt her husband’s might?

So, Sita lifts her head where it had been bowed, blinks tears away from her eyes.

“That cannot be,” she tells the King, for no longer is Rama husband and lover, and shakes her head.

“Mother!” she calls. Divine she is, and divine-born, and the earth, her mother, rends apart for her. Her children scream, her once-husband howls. But Sita is no longer mother and wife. It is time for her to be a daughter.

(By noon, Lav-Kusha are motherless where they once had no father, and Kosala is orphaned again. The kingdom laments and wails, but Sita is gone. Forgiveness, even from a goddess lasts only so far. And yet centuries later her tale is still told, for it is a woman’s fate to be bloody, but may she ever be unbowed.)

[nanowrimo]

Three Ways to Pull from Within to be Authentic and Real in Your Writing

Writers are often told to write what they know, but what does that actually mean? NaNo participant Najla gives tips on how to to be authentic in your writing. I used pull in the title of this post because that’s what it felt like for me as a new writer to reach inside, yank out my pulsating heart, trudge up deep memories and conversations that I packed away, and be real in my writing.

What is being “real” in writing?

It can mean a lot of things to different people but for me, it means finding those raw, honest moments in my life that only I know and immersing those hidden things in my writing.

For many writers, we invite readers into our world to tell untold and interesting stories. We explore themes like hardships, struggle,inequality, conflict, misunderstandings, heartache, injustice, despair, growth, success, failure, and much more.

To add more depth to your stories and characters, consider leaning into your own experiences and past.

So, how can you use your personal life to be more real in your writing?

Start by asking yourself the following questions:

1. Have you ever felt or experienced hardship, struggle, misunderstanding, or failure? Of course, you have. Pick a life experience and reflect on what led up to that event. What did you feel during it? How did you or someone else change because of it? Write that down.

2. What conversations were a part of these experiences? Were they calm discussions, heated arguments, sobbing ugly cries, uncomfortable admissions, inconsiderate digs, or relentless back and forth comments? Write those down.

3. What were other people’s responses? Did they face the challenge, endure, run away, make excuses, lie, betray themselves or others, move to another place, do something drastic, or go silent? Write all that down.

If you’re having trouble coming up with something, pause and reflect on the some of following relationships and people that may have come into your life:

A classmate in school who had it out for you or competed with you

A teacher, coach, or mentor or adult who offered tough love

A friend or coworker or boss you parted ways with

A distant or close sibling or cousin you disagreed with

A disapproving family member

A person or relationship you grieved

Someone you relied on or who relied on you

A couple things to keep in mind:

1. Your characters don’t have to be anything like you to use this approach. The goal is to make your writing more real, honest, and authentic. Most people, no matter what they believe or think, have had an unfulfilled relationship, a disappointing experience, or a major disagreement with someone in their lives.

2. You don’t have to apply the experience or conversation you had to the same situation for your character. For example, your character may need to have a terrible argument with a sibling but you may draw from one that you had with a partner or spouse. But maybe a similar impetus can be used to start the argument. Perhaps the dialogue can draw from real words or phrases used. Or the resolution or lack of resolution may look and feel similar to what you experienced.

3. Your characters don’t have to have similar personalities or responses to you, but can be bothered by the things that get under your skin or bug you. As an example, think about how you handle it when someone cuts you off in traffic or steps in front of you in a line. Do you sneer or curse or let the person glide in?

Literary agent, Kat Kerr, once said that common vernacular is not so common.

Vernacular is a reflection of your own background and experiences, use your life as a way to draw out some real intense and emotional moments in your writing.

Oh and don’t forget to share what you write with me!

Manager of projects by day: Lyrical bandit by night;

Mom of Two Cool Kids and a Corgi named Cookie.

Najla writes historical fiction about fascinating people in history because real life makes for the best fiction! Her current search history is filled with questions like “When was Chanel No. 5 invented?” and “When did the newsboys stop?” Follow Najla on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok  Header Photo by Tran Le Tuan from Pexels

[writerfarzanatutul]

Islamic teachings that can offer strength and direction during challenging times:

Life can often feel overwhelming with its difficulties, injustices, and sufferings. However, the Qur'an and Sunnah provide practical guidance to help us navigate through these hardships. Here are some key tips rooted in Islamic teachings that can offer strength and direction during challenging times:

1. Patience (Sabr)

Patience is emphasized throughout the Qur'an, especially during times of hardship. Allah reminds us that He is with those who are patient:

"And seek help through patience and prayer, and indeed, it is difficult except for the humbly submissive [to Allah]." (Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:45)

When people hurt you, practicing patience means controlling your immediate emotional reactions and trusting that Allah is aware of your struggles. Sabr doesn't mean you suppress your feelings, but you manage them with the awareness that your patience will be rewarded.

2. Forgiveness and Letting Go

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was known for his ability to forgive, even those who wronged him terribly. Holding onto hurt or grudges weighs you down emotionally. Allah encourages us to forgive:

"The repayment of a bad action is one equivalent to it. But whoever pardons and makes reconciliation, his reward is [due] from Allah..." (Surah Ash-Shura, 42:40)

Forgiving doesn’t mean you condone their behavior, but it releases you from the emotional burden. It allows you to heal.

3. Controlling Anger

The Prophet (peace be upon him) taught that true strength lies in controlling anger. He said:

“The strong man is not the one who can overpower others, but the one who controls himself when angry.” (Sahih al-Bukhari)

When you feel anger building, remember this teaching. Try to step away, take a deep breath, and recite “A'udhu billahi min ash-shaytan ir-rajim" (I seek refuge with Allah from the accursed Satan). This simple act helps calm the mind and refocus.

4. Turn to Prayer and Du’a

When you feel overwhelmed, make prayer your refuge. Salah is a direct connection to Allah, and it brings peace to the heart:

"Verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest." (Surah Ar-Ra'd, 13:28)

Du’a (supplication) is another powerful tool. When you’re feeling hurt or wronged, ask Allah for help in healing your heart and guiding your actions. You can pray for ease, guidance, and even for those who hurt you. This doesn’t mean you excuse their behavior, but it softens your own heart.

5. Seek Refuge in Allah’s Justice

It’s natural to feel hurt when others wrong you, but Allah assures us that He is the Most Just. Trust in His divine justice:

"And do not think that Allah is unaware of what the wrongdoers do. He only delays them for a Day when eyes will stare [in horror]." (Surah Ibrahim, 14:42)

This reminder can help release some of the anger or desire for revenge, knowing that justice ultimately rests with Allah.

6. Keeping Good Company

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) advised surrounding ourselves with good company. If you're frequently hurt by others, try to find supportive, compassionate people who will uplift you:

“A person is upon the religion of his close friend, so let one of you look at whom he befriends.” (Tirmidhi)

Good friends can help lighten your emotional load and provide comfort and advice in difficult times.

7. Practicing Gratitude (Shukr)

When hurt by others, it’s easy to focus on the negative, but Islam teaches us to practice gratitude:

“If you are grateful, I will surely increase you [in favor]...” (Surah Ibrahim, 14:7)

Gratitude shifts your focus from the pain to the blessings you still have. It can be as simple as thanking Allah for your health, family, or even the strength to handle challenges.

[objecthusbandry]

keeping objects as pets #2: lanterns!

hi there! in this series, i’ll be going over basic descriptions of commonly-kept object species (and some rare ones too!), facts about them, why you might want one as a pet, their basic needs and necessities provided you want to house one, and things you should NEVER do. for the second sheet in this series, we'll be talking about lanterns!

description

lanterns are a personal favorite of mine! they come in many shapes and sizes, in many different colors, but there are a few things that remain the same in each individual. lanterns are typically classified by scientists as being under the object group Lucerna, which consists of many light-emanating objects, including things such as lightbulbs, lamps, and even chandeliers and candles, but to be specific, i'm covering "standard" lanterns here ('oil'-powered metal and glass lanterns).

the limbs of lanterns are covered in plating, not unlike an exoskeleton found in things such as beetles. this plating is mainly composed of similar material to the metal of the object itself. the color of the limbs can vary, but is typically the same color as the rest of the object, albeit darker in tone. they have three toes on each foot, four-fingered hands, and no pawpads. they have no claws on their feet, but each finger is tipped with small, metallic claws, evolved to pick off the shells of nuts and fruits when necessary.

the 'oil' found in lantern objects isn't really oil as we know it! it's a unique substance produced by specialized glands within the body, used to create flames. this substance is highly prized in the scientific community and is often extracted painfully from objects, which (obviously) is absolutely disgusting. if you suspect your lantern was subjected to this practice, CALL THE AUTHORITIES and be ready to give over the proper paperwork. this injustice cannot continue.

facts about lanterns

contrary to popular belief by laypersons, these objects are frugivores. they derive their energy by consuming fruits, seeds, nuts, grain, etc., only occasionally supplementing their diet with insects, though this is uncommon to observe, especially in domestic species. their highly-specialized bodies are a result of millions of years of evolution; they are nocturnal, and evolved bioluminescence through flame to accommodate this schedule, as their eyesight tends to be poorer than many other nocturnal species. they do not stay lit during the day, and in fact, many domestic lanterns don't light themselves at all, unless their owners are encouraging them in exchange for treats. no lantern species stay lit all the time. overlighting can indicate stress and overstimulation. interestingly, their natural habitats are typically cold, so producing this extra heat might serve more benefits than first thought by scientists!

due to their fragile glass segments, these creatures are extremely skittish in the wild, and only through selective breeding have they become companions to us humans. they are rarely-seen during the night, and nearly nonexistent during the day. if you see a lantern in the wild during the day, please report it to your local object specialists; this is not a normal behavior and can be indicative of brain injury or emotional trauma. these objects are very solitary and do not trust others, even their own kind, easily if at all.

why as a pet?

lanterns, as their name implies, are great companions for people who work outdoors during twilight or night. they can be trained to emit light at specific times or under command, which can make them extremely helpful during the night or in dark buildings. they can also be wonderful support objects if properly socialized, though this is less common. due to their ability to produce flame, they commonly feel warm to the touch, which can be comforting to their owners.

basic needs + do’s and dont’s

as a nocturnal species, it's best to only adopt a lantern if you are willing to adapt to their schedule. i cannot stress this enough, you should not expect an object to adapt to your schedule, you should do the opposite and adapt to theirs. never yell at a lantern, they are extremely sensitive to loud noises and this is nearly guaranteed to break their trust, especially if you haven't had one for long. they aren't a very curious species, and prefer to not be overwhelmed with a multitude of toys - just a few will suffice. they will have a clear favorite, which can be quite amusing to first-time lantern owners.

housing

lanterns are mostly content in homes of average or smaller size. they don't need as much space as many other species, and in fact can be overwhelmed with too much open space. they like cozy spaces!

that’s all! hopefully this helps educate anyone who is considering this species!

[mangoshorthand]

Arrow of Time- [Five Hargreeves x F Reader]. Chapter 1 (Hard Feelings Part 5)

SUMMARY: When the mother of all teenage tantrums causes time itself to fracture, Five has to travel back to 1831 to repair the damage. But will he be able to cope with what he finds there? Chapter 2 >> << Back to prologue

You've had a shit day at work, Aoife has a secret and Five has a panic attack.

We're looking at a big ol' time jump friends.

Chapter One: My Bambina

“Now look: p(𝑥) is a polynomial and k is an integer. So we gotta put the 𝑥-2 on the outside and then what do we put on the inside….?” When she stares blankly, he prompts her, “We start with 𝑥 cubed…and what then?”

Aoife sits at the desk, looking up at him with his own eyes. The same expression of panicked frustration is still there, writ large.

“ Cosa non capisci, cara?” 

“ Tutto!” she exclaims, throwing her arms in the air and a whine entering her voice, “I still don’t get it, Dad.”

He sighs, running his fingers down his face before turning from the dry erase and placing the lid on his pen.

“This important stuff, tesoro. We have to grasp this to understand limit cycles.”

“Why won’t you let me just try?!”

He lets out an angry sigh, praying to a deity he doesn’t believe in to give him strength. Five is not a patient man by nature, but the last thirteen years of fatherhood had expanded his capacity tenfold…but everyone has their limit.

“You know why,” he grinds out, teeth gritted tightly together, “because you’re averaging a D+ in math and if you try to time travel without even basic understanding-”

From the entrance hall, the grandfather clock chimes, just audible up the attic stairs. Immediately, her head whips to face him, throwing down her pencil.

“You said we’d stop at seven.”

“Aoife- you have to get this.”

“You promised,” s he says, looking for all the world as if he’d been applying thumbscrews rather than teaching her rudimentary polynomial division, “that’s so unfair!”

He stifles a groan. God help him- he loves this girl more than life itself but her overly-developed teenage sense of injustice is infuriating, especially when she puts on that goddamn ‘woe is me’ voice. 

Suddenly, he finds himself smiling; it’s pretty cute, now he thinks on it. His little girl, all anger and injured entitlement.  

“Okay,” he says, softening, “just humor me for five more minutes and then I promise I’ll let you go. Come with me to the study.”

With a huffed-out sigh expressing that she is the most unfairly treated child in the world, Aoife follows his blink with her own, alighting from her portal sat atop Reginald’s desk.

“Smooth landing,” Five says, approvingly. “One tip though: never blink somewhere so specific unless you can see it or you know damn well that the space is empty: you’re sitting on a fountain pen.”

Aoife hops off the desk immediately, letting out a noise of shocked dismay as she turns to see the ink-spot spreading on the butt cheek of her favorite white jeans.

“Don’t worry, it will come out in the wash,” he murmurs, sitting down casually behind the desk and reaching into the lowest drawer.

Aoife takes her own seat across from him, looking around the study with interest. Dad had never exactly forbidden her from coming in here without him, but he made his disapproval obvious if he ever caught her in here alone. If he thought that would stop her finding the room fascinating, then he’s even more of a dumbass than Aoife was quickly coming to suspect he is…that she's been coming to suspect both her parents are, actually.

“Take a look at this. I call it a temporal ambimeter: I built it around ten years ago.”

Onto the desktop, he carefully places a small instrument: Attached to a three-footed metal plinth is what looks like a full circle protractor marked with incomprehensible measurements. It drifts, turning a sedate three hundred and sixty degrees clockwise. On top of the circle, seeming to float, is a spindly metal needle, held at a perfect horizontal along the protractor’s diameter by invisible forces. Even from this distance, Aoife can feel a tingle in the ends of her fingers.

“This is time,” he says, simply, ghosting his finger along the line of the needle, static crackling there as he does so: “This is  an absolute line of polarity. Can you feel it?”

Aoife nods, fascinated in spite of herself.

“Go on,” he said, smiling slightly, “feel it like I did.”

Stretching out her fingers Aoife, imitates her Dad- sparks flying as she runs her fingers along it like a tiny theremin. The sensation is like blood rushing back to fill dead fingers. Mentally, it’s more complex than that.

“There’s something…it feels.”

Five helps, though he’s barely able to put it into words himself, “Like putting the last jigsaw piece in?”

“Yeah,” she breathes, “it feels…right.”

“That’s because it is. Come here.”

She stands on slightly numb legs and walks around the desk to where Five waits for her with an arm outstretched. Though she resists slightly, (ever more often shying away from cripplingly uncool parental affection), he puts his arm around her anyway.

“Watch.”

For this demonstration, he only needs to reverse time five seconds or so, but it’s always an effort, especially when taking somebody else. At least he doesn’t need to physically move their bodies.

Aoife felt time contract around her under her Dad’s power, holding onto his arm for dear life: he’d never done this with her before.

“Watch,” he says, voice cracking with the strain.

She looks down at the instrument: the protractor shudders to a halt and turns anti-clockwise along with the physical sensation of time reversing, speeding up as Five really gets hold and reverses the seconds.

“The…needle stays in place though.” he says, still straining “S-still feels like the last jigsaw piece, right?”

He’s right: though the rest of the instrument wavers in the current of Five’s power, the needle stays perfectly still.

He grunts and relinquishes his hold on the seconds, taking a deep breath and stretching out his neck. The protractor begins to turn slowly clockwise again.

“See,” he says, grinning at Aoife, “that’s a constant. No matter the timeline, no matter the paradox, that’s what stays in place. It’s what I access when I manipulate time, and you will too, one day. But cara, this stuff is fragile. That’s why you need to have a sound theoretical understanding before you try, okay? You know I don’t say this just to be a tight-ass, right?”

He pulls her closer as he says it, planting a kiss just above her ear.

“ Capisco papà. Posso partire adesso?”

“Sì, he sighs, “I need to go for a bike ride anyway. But not before I get a hug, right?”

She hugs him, laying her head on his shoulder momentarily before throwing off the childish impulse.

“You’re still my bambina whether you like it or not,” he says, raising his voice as she leaves, laughing at her little ‘uggh’ of disgust. Had he been like this when he was thirteen?

No: he’d been like this by the time he was nine. When he was thirteen, he was far, far worse.

Dad had cycled for as long as she could remember. It was only recently she’d noticed just how embarrassing his bike shorts and helmet were, but at least she didn’t have to be seen with him when he was out on the bike.

When she’d heard the door close and could be sure her mom was busy in another part of the house, Aoife blinked from her bedroom back into her father’s study, concealing the notebook under her sweatshirt.

This room had once been her grandfather’s but  in the years since his death Five had worked his way so naturally into using it regularly that it was now informally acknowledged as his. Until it became firmly her father’s domain, Aoife had never dared step foot in here. Even now, his bedroom,  (all but untouched since his death) is the one room in the house Aoife has never dared to go.

The oil-paintings of him still hanging around the house held a curious fascination for her, and this one above the study fireplace was no exception. He stood tall, hand domineeringly over a walking cane. She and her cousin Santi both agreed: Reginald hung like a spectre around the house along with those of the tortured children the Umbrella Academy once were. He was cruel, exacting…and had been her personal bogeyman ever since she could remember. The portrait always started with cold eyes, so unlike those of her young father hanging in the living room. Five’s portrait always made her smile; Reginald’s always made her feel like she was being watched.

The journals are kept in a locked, glass-fronted cabinet and it had only taken her an hour of searching the study to find the key. They’re ordered from 1-6 and each number has several volumes.  She started from  01, I and has just finished 05, VII. Reading these journals has been spookier than Aoife had even imagined. Reading about her Uncle Klaus being locked in a mausoleum in 04, XII had given her nightmares for a week.

Quite why Reginald has this hold on her imagination, she doesn’t know, but keeping it a secret is electrifying. Perhaps if she told Mom and Dad about her pre-bedtime reading, the spell would be broken. The journals concerning her Dad have been generally less interesting: he seemed to have been the perfect student and Reginald had only positive things to say about his skills (although was less impressed by his ‘‘impudence’). Nevertheless Aoife placed 05, VII back beside 05, VI and reached to pull the next journal out of line.

Reading roman numbers did not come naturally to Aoife, yet after a quick look at the previous journals, she realized something was wrong: 05, VII was followed immediately by 05 IX … there was one missing from when her father was eight.

For now, she took 05 IX and blinked back into her room…this was a mystery for another day.

Work is…not great right now. You’ve always been ambitious, (something Five regularly teases you for) and you worked hard over your twenty-year career. You’ve been at your new firm for three years now and you’ve got the fancy private office and a team of thirty subordinates. It’s busy and exhausting but it would be fine if the bullshit ended when you got to a certain rung on the ladder…but it actually seems to get worse. 

For one thing, it turned out that the VP of sales position you had just lost out on went to an old coworker of yours: a guy called Charlie. He had been a smug chauvinist when you knew him and didn’t seem to have changed. He’d acted surprised when he bumped into you, but something about his shit-eating attitude had made it clear how much he was loving this. It was clear he hadn’t forgotten the time Five broke his nose in the parking lot of your joint workplace. You’d noted with satisfaction that surgery had still been unable to correct the damage: his nose was permanently misshapen.

Also, you’d recently raised eyebrows by turning down a huge FMCG contract; no matter how much they were willing to pay, there was no way you were going to be involved  with it after you found out that it was the same people behind JUICED, trying to get back into the market after the poisoning scandal you and Five had uncovered. It was a cockroach of a company: surviving anything, no matter how severe.

So now, mentally drained, you lounge in the main living room, having dumped your stuff unceremoniously on the floor. You were absurdly grateful when Lila, unasked, had poured you both a glass of wine. Now, she lies at the other end of the sofa, trying to take your mind off it with talk about her son: the nephew you’d known since he was seven.

“He seems okay…” her mouth pulls downwards, “but I don’t think things are going well at the lab.”

You sigh, “why?”

“It’s your fault, really,” she says, giving you a slightly stern look, “I knew those researchers wouldn’t have a chance, but it’s you that got it into Santi’s head that he’s under some kind of moral obligation to all mankind or something.”

You look down…she’s not wrong. You were definitely very vocal in encouraging Santi’s attempts to ensure his healing powers could be harnessed by medical science.  

“He’s not obligated,” you say, guiltily, “but it is important to at least try.”

“Yeah, and now he’s put his entire life on hold to be some kind of bleeding-heart lab rat.”

There’s no real anger in her voice: Santi was always a sensitive boy and now he’s grown into a principled young man. Though Lila doesn’t share his ideals, she’s proud of him for having them.

A static buzz; a crash from the atrium and the sound of labored male breathing. Five.

You’re off the sofa almost before Lila’s registered something’s wrong. Five half kneels and half lies on the tiles, covered in sweat, gasping for breath and clutching his chest. His bike lies on top of him, his ankle caught in the chain. His eyes are wide, terrified: his breath comes in desperate, vocalized “hahs” low in his chest.

Immediately, you kneel behind him and place your body between his and the floor.You recognise the symptoms immediately.

“H-help,” another of those pained grunts of breath, “my heart.”

“It’s okay. It’s just a panic attack,” you say, holding your arms around his chest as Lila appears in the living room doorway, “you’ll be okay.”

“N-no!” beneath your arms, his heart kicks like a rabbit in a snare.

“It’s okay. It’s okay,” you soothe…but it’s worrying. He’s not had a panic attack like this in over ten years.

With another <ffssht>, Aoife appears, she looks from her Dad to you in panic.

“He’s okay; he’s just having a little turn. Can you get the bike off him, honey?”

“I-I-‘m fine,” he wheezes, trying to reassure his daughter without much success.

“Shh. Don’t try to talk. Just breathe. Count the seconds.”

As Aoife manages to remove the bike, you smile gratefully up at her.

“Good girl.”

She sits beside you both and takes Five’s sweat-slippy hand. As he slows his breath and tries to ride out the feeling of doom, he squeezes Aoife’s hand.

“You okay shitface?” says Lila, catching Five’s eye.

He nods, eyes still wide and heart still skittering.

“Shame,” she quips.

“When you’re ready, tell me what happened,” you whisper soothingly into his ear.

“Later,” he breathes.

When his breath is almost steady again and some part of the all-consuming fear recedes, he stands up shakily, holding one of your hands each. His spandex cycling gear whispers as his limbs unfold from one another.

“I’m fine,” he says, sounding more like himself, “I just had a little freakout.”

“Did you take your pills, papà?” Aoife hangs off his arm now, resting her head against his bicep.

“ Si cara, non preoccuparti. Starò bene. Ho bisogno di sdraiarmi.” he kisses the top of her head before translating for you and Lila, “I’ll be fine. I just need to lie down.”

“Do you want me to blink you?”

The bike shorts don’t have pockets, but he puts his hands to his hips as if they did, his body leaning forward in his characteristic swagger. Still breathing a little harder than normal, he gives her his cheeky, almost grimace of a smile and vanishes is a buzz of static.

His voice echos down the stairs from the 2nd flight,

“I’m not that broken down, sweetie!”

She laughs, grins farewell to Lila and blinks away herself. The sound of quiet drumming issuing down the stairs lets you know she’s back in her room. 

You turn to Lila, holding up a single hand in farewell.

“I should check on him. I probably won’t be down again tonight- I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?.”

“Night chicken

“Night”

You follow them to the attic. Apparently you’re the only one who uses the stairs these days. 

In the last five years, the attic has been completely renovated for your family’s exclusive use. Although you prefer to sit and be sociable downstairs, you have a family living space for when you want some privacy. It’s cosy: the sloping ceilings only add to the feeling of being pleasantly enclosed.

Aoife’s old bedroom has been turned into a space to do her homework and learn the theory of time travel while her new room, (another of the old storage rooms), is devoted to sleep and her drum kit. This had been a gift purchased by Lila. While it had clearly been designed to torture Five (in which you were collateral damage), Aoife had really excelled under Lila’s tutoring. This had delighted you all, (although Five pretended to Lila that he didn’t care), and now the parts of Aoife’s bedroom walls that weren’t covered with a psychedelic jungle, (courtesy of Uncle Klaus) were covered in posters of Cindy Blackman and Meg White with the White Stripes 

Before heading to your room, you drop in on Aoife.

“Hey. Sweetie?”

She scowls immediately. It irks you and not even how much she looks like Five when she pulls that face can soften it. 

“What?” she says, annoyed, “can’t you knock?”

“Excuse me young lady” you say, hearing yourself use the ‘mom’ voice that makes you feel a million years old, “I’m happy to knock in future and I should have done it this time, but I expect you to ask nicely .”

“I shouldn’t have to ask.” she snaps, “I’m thirteen, Mom. I deserve my privacy!”

She’s always been a daddy’s girl, but recently things have gotten worse between you and her. Five’s a brilliant Dad and he doesn’t shy away from discipline when needed, but you’ve had to play bad-cop with Aoife more often than him. You never exactly disagree on parenting but your moral standards for Aoife are higher than his. Last year, when she punched Whitaker Crane in the face for making fun of her sweatshirt, Five had given only a brief show of disapproval before asking whether she’d used her right or left hook. He’d left it down to you to lecture and ground her. 

Partially as a result of his attitude, Aoife is always on the offensive when it comes to you. Arguing with her is not what you came in here for so you take a slow, deep breath. 

“Are you okay, after all that?”

“Yeah. Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Because that wasn’t nice to see.”

“It’s okay Mom.” she says, rolling her eyes, “I’m not a kid , I can deal with it.”

“It doesn’t matter what age you are, he’s your dad. That could still be scary.”

She rolls her eyes and pouts (something Five says she got from you) as she throws off your hand.

“I’m fine.”

“Okay sweetie,” you sigh, “but stop with the drumming please.”

“Mom,” (she draws out the word so it sounds like: ‘MoOoom’) “it’s like nine PM.”

“Yes, and your dad needs quiet!” you say, feeling the stern look on your face. “Don’t you have a math test you need to study for?”

She huffs out air like an angry horse and throws her drumsticks onto the bed in a slight show of temper.

“ Fine .” she says.

“Thank you.” you reply, eyebrows raised at the little display of temper, “now: goodnight, love you.”

She grunts. 

“Aoife?”

“Goodnight.” she says, grudgingly.

Aoife watches you sigh and withdraw before leaving the drumkit and crossing to her bed where Reginald’s notebook lies hidden between the sheets. Before her Dad appeared dramatically in the atrium, she’s been reading Reginald’s notes on him from when he was nine. They were strange: when he was seven, Reginald had still been writing about Five’s budding ‘chronokinetic’ abilities, but this edition of his journal had so far only mentioned his blink-accuracy. 

She knew that her Dad (like her) had been forbidden to time travel when he was young and the disastrous results when, at her age, he had travelled decades into the future and couldn’t return.  It seemed that something when her father was eight had put Reginald off developing this aspect of his power and made him institute this new rule.

For her part, Aoife has another pre-bedtime secret which developed a couple of months ago: almost as soon as she started reading 05, III. 

Grabbing the old Wonder Woman alarm clock still beside her bed, she pulls her covers up over her head and checks the time. It’s 21:09. She closes her eyes and tries to feel for it, reaching for that sensation for which she now has the words to describe: the polarity…the final jigsaw piece, searching for that sense of perfection.

There: the needle. The… polarity . And somewhere underneath (or maybe within?) the drifting dial that reminded her of a protractor. She wills it to reverse.

Is it happening? She opens her eyes a crack.

21:10…so no.

Taking a deep breath, she closes her eyes again and accesses that intuitive sense of perfection. There it is… there . Back inside or back underneath, she visualizes herself grabbing and pulling: molding time like clay…and then it happens. She feels it again, like when Dad took her with him. The air around her becomes thicker: her entire body fills with static, like stepping through a waterfall of cool electricity. Somehow, she knows when to stop.

As the feeling dissipates, she opens her eyes again, heart beating madly.

It’s 21:05.

Tag list: (please comment to be added or removed.) @dilfjohhny , @sunsunhe, @w4stedtr4sh, @nevbrooke-555, @theredvelvetbitch, @td-miley01, @five-hxrgreeves, @rorygi1more, @jamiebower88 (sorry for clogging up your notifs with my double post, taglist pals!)

Chapter 2 >>

Masterpost

Alternatively, join me on A03.  Here is a link to the whole series

[asma-al-husna]

Allah calls Himself Al-Baseer— The All-Seeing, The All-Perceiving, The All-Comprehending — on 42 occasions in the Quran. He is the One whose perfect sight encompasses the whole creation. Al-Baseer has insight into all things and Who perceives every detail, every state of existence, and every circumstance!

The All-and-Ever-Seeing, The Comprehending

Baseer comes from the root baa-saad-raa, which points to four main meanings. The first main meaning is to see or notice, and the second to understand. The third main meaning is to have insight or to perceive, and the fourth is to be precisely aware.

This root appears 148 times in the Quran in 10 derived forms. Examples of these forms are al-absaaru (the eyes), al-basaru (the vision), mubsiratan (visible) and absara (sees).

Linguistically, baseer is on the structure of intensification. Al-Baseer refers to the perfection and the totality of Allah’s seeing, which cannot be compared with the seeing of any other created being.

Al-Baseer Himself says: Indeed, He is the Hearing, the Seeing. [Quran, 17:1] . . . There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the Hearing, the Seeing [Quran, 42:11] . . . And Allah judges with truth, while those they invoke besides Him judge not with anything. Indeed, Allah— He is the Hearing, the Seeing. [Quran, 40:20]

Supervision in worship and worldly affairs

An employee will most likely work harder when his manager is watching him; how much stronger is the effect when we know we are being watched by our creator? When we engage in our worldly affairs, like our job or our interactions with others, we should be aware that there is much more at stake than just the supervision of our boss or even our parents. Al-Baseer loves for the believer to do the best in every work we do, and He will recompense us in the Hereafter far beyond whatever worldly profit we might earn.

This is why the Prophet told us about the formula to live by: Allah loves that when you engage in some work, you do so with proficiency. [al-Bayhaqee] This inspires us to engage in our work with honesty and integrity and this is the best quality assurance for everything a believer does in this world.

How Can You Live by This Name?

1. Watch your deeds!

How many times have you watched your deeds when certain people were around? As a Muslim one of your tasks is to mind the acts of your limbs and your heart anytime, anywhere, and in any company. A practical tip is to imagine yourself being watched by a camera which follows you 24/7, whether you are with people or all alone. The sight of Al-Baseer cannot be topped by a hundred million cameras.

2. Trust in Al-Baseer at all times.

He sees every obstacle and sorrow you face and everything others do to you, He is the Only One Who only gives you what is good for you at all times. Therefore submit and put all your trust in Him only. Al-Baseer says: And put your trust in the Mighty, the Merciful, who sees you when you stand up (to pray) and your bowing in prostration with those who bow down. [Quran 26: 217-219]

3. Strive for quality.

Knowing that Allah sees everything you do encourages you to be more devoted in your worship, more righteous in your deeds, and kinder to others. This is why Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: Excellence in faith is to worship your Lord as if you see Him, and though You do not see Him, know that He sees you. [Al-Bukharee, Muslim] Strive for ehsaan (excellence) in every act you do.

4. Persevere.

Al-Baseer reassured the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and says: So wait patiently for your Lord’s decree, for surely you are in Our sight. [Quran, 52: 48] Isn’t it the most comfortable and reassuring feeling for your heart knowing as a believer Your Lord is so close to you and sees and hears everything you go through? When others do injustice to you and no one seems to notice, take strength from the fact that Al-Baseer is seeing them and will recompense them.

5. Believe in the decree of Al-Baseer.

Whenever Allah creates something, grants something, gives life, causes death, guides someone, or allows someone to stray, it is in accordance with His wisdom, His perfect knowledge, and His complete vision that nothing can escape.

Jihaad is ordained for you (Muslims) though you dislike it, and it may be that you dislike a thing which is good for you and that you like a thing which is bad for you. Allah knows but you do not know. [Quran, 2:216] Al-Baseer observes how you respond to His ayaat. Believe that everything Al-Baseer does is a complete tailor-made test for you and only for your own good, even though you might not like it.

6. Seek refuge in Al-Baseer.

Knowing that Allah is the All-Seeing protects the believer from committing sins. Since Allah ‘azza wa jall is taking account of everything we do, there is no escape from Him except to seek refuge with Him. Use the isti’aadhah (saying: a’oodhu billaahi minash-shaytaanir rajeem) a lot in your daily life, in times of anger, fear, and despair.

7. Ask Al-Baseer to bless your sight.

Allah Al-Baseer loves those who use the abilities He gave them for His sake. Did Allah give you eyes to look at forbidden things or to work in unpermitted business? Did He give you the blessing of understanding and having insight, like when you study, for you to be lazy and not care? Ask Him to help you to use your sight and insight only for things pleasing to Him.

8. Make dua to Al-Baseer abundantly.

Al-Baseer sees every hardship you face, so invoke Him and supplicate to Him. Remember at all times; the fact that you are able to make sujood and even say Yaa Allah is a blessing that surpasses all others.

O Allah, Al-Baseer, we know You see every move we make. Aid us to watch our deeds and use our sight and insight for Your sake only, and make us grateful for the blessings of our senses. Protect us from bad deeds, and support us in doing everything we do, in worship and worldly affairs, with excellence, ameen!

And Allah knows best.

[aikoiya]

LoZ Wild Masterlist

Lore:

The Dragons

My Thoughts on Napsack Koroks

Happy Sidona Marriage

International Relations

Lynel Question

Missing Ordona Province - Original Post

Missing Ordona Province - Convo 1

Missing Ordona Province - Convo 2

The Wild Series is an Inevitable Event at the End of All 3 Timelines

Greater Hyrule & the Hyrule Alliance

The Symbolism Behind Link's Rings & Sage Handshakes

Link's Personal Diary

Sailing Around the World

Light Spirit Springs in TotK

The Secret Stones

The Gerudo Feel Responsible For Ganondorf

Wild Might Have Alexithymia

Figuring Out the Depths Script

The Depths Are A Liminal Space - Plus Depths Map

The Seven Heroines Symbol Analysis

Mabe! (Not Mine)

Shrines of Light & the Origins of Monsters

Blacksmithing:

Blacksmiths

Zora Weaponry & Zoridium Steel

Namikaze no Odori Katana

Zora Weapons - Blood Warrior?

BotW VS TotK Weaponry

The Elemental Weapons

Zonai Mysteries:

Zonai Tech

Where TF is Rauru & Sonia's Child!?!?

Rito in the Sky With Constructs

Divided Sky Ruins

The Zonai Are Remlits

Ancient TotK Map

Food:

Goron Spice

Sky Island Fruits

Sundelion Oddity

Dragonsbane Flower

More Meat Variety

New Ingredient Ideas

Fashion:

Thoughts on the Cece Hat

Cece Brand Fungal Pirate Set

No Cece-Brand Wedding Gown?

My Thoughts on the Gerudo Vai Set

Desert Merchant Set

Random Fashion Thoughts - Gerudo Maternity Wear

My Opinions:

Link With Sheikah Tech Automail

More On Link With Sheikah Tech Automail

Discussing Zelda Hate

Link & Sidon as Bros

Reincarnated Goddess

Why There's No Vai Set in TotK

How is Hyrule Imperialistic??

PLEASE, Don't Sexualize the Gorons, Ya'll

Why I Think Zelda Couldn't Unlock Her Magic

Yiga!Link is a Riot

The Issue With Sheikah Tech

Injustice - Too few GanondorfxFem posts!

Rhoam Mischaracterization

More Depths Art, Please

Rhoam the Outdoorsman

Gameplay:

Things I'd Change

Wandering Merchants Map

Hyrule Settlement Restoration Map

Glitch in Hebra

Remnants of a Shrine in Hebra

Shitty Horse Wanted

Ideas for Future Wild Games

The Magic Rods

Master Beds & Hyrule's Possibly Declining Population

Beastiary Expansion

Rahdo the Endurance Master of Mount Granajh

Other Stuff:

Urbosa the Matchmaker

A Sorcerer in Hyrule

Thoughts On Link 1/2

Multi-Xover - Glutton Gang

Other People's Thoughts:

Spirit Wolves AU by @mmmn-thirsty-for-vinegar

Dark Link in the Depths by @vioshortforviolence

Zora Domain Lore

Distance Between Hyrule Castle & Hateno

Link's Hand PTSD

Ganon Fucked With The Weapons!!!

Other Zelda Masterlists:

LoZ General Masterlist

LoZ Wild Masterlist

LoZ Cultural Masterlists: 1 & 2

LoZ Scenario Help Masterlists: 1 & 2

LoZ My Fanfic Masterlist

LoZ Great Fics Masterlist

LoZ Linked Universe Masterlist

Other Useful Masterlists:

Aikoiya's Writing Tips Masterlist - Also has a list of links to all my other masterlists.

[little-guy--made--of--clay]

cisnpd guy talks about his personal experience with npd that could technically be taken as tips for transnpd'rs. sooo have fun :3

[careful this can. be harmful 2 your mind. transition with caution + remember you dont have 2 transition 2 be valid!! ily & stay safe <3]

> a thing i run into a lot is just jokingly insinuating im better or that i deserve things. its easy to slip into just sayinh things like "why cant i do [thing] i think i deserve it ngl" and starting to truly believe that hey i do deserve that. am being delt an Injustice.

> or just thinking you deserve something in general. even something small, like if someone has something and you think you should have it too or even start thinking about stealing it

> paranoia about what people think of you. public perseption n stuff. ESPECIALLY people you respect. its easy to discard someone who doesnt "matter" to your npd mind, but someone you respect saying anything negative of you? DESTROYING. utterly fucking shattering.

> they say your being annoying? go to the spiral boy \silly (aaaaaaaA

>specifically obsessing over a specific person's opinion of you n trying to get their approval is a thing that happens to me VERY often. especially to people who are usually cooler than me and dont care :'3

delusions of grandeur ohhh god babeyyy

> thinking things like "im literally the best and im awesome + basically immortal" ect when something distressing happens is a big habbit of mine. it makes sense in the moment (and youre just comforting yourself anyways, right? so who caress, really? <- guy whos pretending this is normal voice)

> comforting the prev brought up point of the person you care about the opinion of thinkinh bad of you by deciding that its okay because theyre just being silly its probably not ACTUALLY that bad, right? (remember to have healthy conversations in these scenarios too :'3)

> justifying that the person you care about rhe opinion of probably does like you when you get nervous about it because youre so cool and basically on their level anyways

ego crasshesss ugh

> when you get into the mindset that caused all this (for me anyways) that youre below everyone else and that youll never be able to make it

> (personally i think this is the reason for my other symptom, to try and pretend that im better then everyone else to cope because i feel so much worse)

[juliannepepper]

What to do if you don't have ideas:

Do you not have any ideas for NaNoWriMo? Do you not know jackshit about what you want to write? Well, as a professional thinker (don't search that up), I got some tips that can help you kickstart an idea for a story:

1. Mix and Match:

This is one I read from "Save the Cat" by Blake Snyder (I know it talks about screenwriting, but, it's still very much applicable to all fiction writers. If you haven't read it, I would suggest you to give it a try). Try thinking of an elevator pitch, or a proposal that is one to two sentences long. If your proposal is good enough to hook yourself in, you got yourself a story worth writing. For Nanowrimo, you're pretty much writing for yourself. If you aren't hooked to the premise, don't even bother.

One of the best ways to do it is to mix and match. But, Julianne? What do you mix and match? You can mix genres, what if statements, pre-existing books, anything that can hook a reader (and yourself) in one to two sentences. For example, looking at popular stories:

Cinder by Marissa Meyer: Cinderella and cyborgs

City of Bones by Cassandra Claire: Harry Potter and angels

Lucifer (Netflix): Biblical figures in an LA cop story

Foul Lady Fortune: Shakespeare's "As you like it" set in 1931's Shanghai

West Side Story: Romeo and Juliet with New York City gangs

And the list goes on and on. You might be thinking that it's plagiarism to take two already existing ideas and mix it together. Well, let me tell you--as long as you aren't blatantly copying a pre-existing story and you're putting your own spin to it, you're fine. Of course, you can always put a disclaimer that says it's inspired by the pre-existing story.

2. Random Word Generators:

I did this for my personal NaNoWriMo in February of 2021, and it makes the planning stage a lot of fun. Go to a random word generator (there's a ton online), generate ten random words (I did 30, and it was too much for a single month to finish a book), and make an outline.

I took a typical plot outline mountain (I would suggest doing the same. It's the simplest outline), and assigned the words to the different beats. For example, if one of my words was "Dog" I can put dog in the exposition part of the plot outline mountain, at the very bottom. Maybe my character has a motivation for a dog. Maybe the character is a dog. Maybe there's a pre-established world-building element that has to do with a dog. The list can go on and on.

Once I put all my randomly generated words in their places, I expanded upon them. If my words in the exposition were "Dog, Feather, Jump," I would try to make a connection between the three words and think about how that would fit into the exposition of the story (maybe the character is the 'Guard Dog' to the queen and they're known for being as light as a feather and just as stealthy. They jumped at this opportunity the moment they saw it, to get out of their thieving ways). You can always change the words and exchange them for different words, as long as it sparks ideas.

3. Writing what you love:

Even if you don't have any ideas for a story, the best writers are also the best readers. Think about what you love in a story? What do you look for? What tropes stand out to you? What makes you care about a story? For me, I love fantasy books, a slow burn, a sarcastic main lead, action scenes. Write everything you love to put in a story in a list. Then, write down the things inspire you or are important to you. It can be a T.V show, a hobby, an already existing story, a person you look up to--anything that doesn't have to do with what you want to see in a book, but what inspires you to be creative.

After that, think of a theme. What is the main theme of what you want to write about? Maybe you love the theme of "love at first sight" or "being true to yourself." Maybe you're much more political and is interested in the theme "injustice in the current justice system" or "political parties driving people apart." But, think of a central theme.

Finally, outline the story. Use a pre-existing plot outline (though you are more than welcome to deviate. Remember, you have to finish a manuscript in a month). Write down where the story begins and how you want it to end based on your theme (ex: if the theme is about letting go, the beginning main character could be a hoarder and the story can end with the main character starting from scratch, maybe even giving their stuff to charity). Then, write how they get to that ending based on your inspirations. With the example of the hoarder, I love fantasy and slow burn romances. The setting would obviously be in a fantasy setting, and maybe their love interest helps them get over their hoarding ways. I'm inspired by Avatar: The Last Airbender, so I'm interested in incorporating martial arts in their magic system, or have the setting inspired by East-Asian cultures/Inuit cultures. Maybe the main character is the "Chosen one" in a sense and doesn't want to be. Maybe the main character is reincarnated. The list can go on and on, it's all up to how you want the story to go.

This option is the most vague, I think, but, it can really help you think of an idea of a story that you want to care about.

[doubleyeww]

people who complain about "tipping culture" and then extend that to servers as if tipping us is also a recent phenomenon make me homicidal. like the answer is to go to mcdonald's or a restaurant where you aren't being served and can just grab your food yourself and sit down, or you can actually look at the prices listed on the menu right next to everything you ordered so that you're not offended when the check comes. don't complain to the person you just ran around like a personal servant for 2 hours who has zero say in how the prices are set or how they get paid and then begrudgingly leave $5-10 (if anything) on the $100+ bill your entitled ass sat down and racked up. and if you're really that pressed and perceive being expected to bring an extra $20 with you when you go out to eat at an expensive restaurant as a grave injustice then you can write to your local representative, congressman, and the president about your state's labor laws because no one on the clock serving you gives a fuck

[pin-crusher2000]

Earth-66: Mortal Kombat (intros, outros, fatalities)

FireWing (Jake Grayson)

Intro: runs towards camera & does a cartwheel, when his hand is on the floor, he pushes off the floor & goes into the air & does a superhero landing. He pulls out his custom made escrima sticks & twirls it.

Pre-fight (shown in MK1 2023): after being hit back by an opponent, he does a backflip & lands like Spider-Man & whips out his escrima sticks & light it up with his starbolts.

Outro: he charges his sticks with starbolt energy & puts the tips against each other & unleashed it creating a blue Nightwing logo.

Fatalities:

Star Slicer: Jake powers up his escrima sticks to create energy blades, he first chop off his opponents hands & then their stomachs, having their intestines fall out, & then chop off their head sending it into the air. When the head is falling down closer to the body, Jake then downward slashes the head & the body in half.

StarStinker: Jake powers up his escrima sticks with starbolts, turns around butt first towards the opponent, puts the sticks near his behind & creates a flamethrower using his farts setting the opponent on fire. He then smiles, fans the air around his nose & says: ewww! Who cut the cheese?

NightStar (Mar’i Grayson)

Intro: two starbolts are shot onto the ground & mar’i appears twirling into view with hair on fire. (Starfire’s intro from injustice 2)

Pre-fight: she powers up with a purple aura with her hair glowing purple & creates two starbolts & then pounds her fists together to create a small shockwave.

Outro: mar’i walks like a supermodel down a runway, twirls, & flies into the air with a smile on her face.

Fatalities:

Star Barrage: mar’i charges her starbolts in her hand & blasts the opponent; both arms & chest revealing their heart beating. The opponent falls to their knees & mar’i blasts their head off.

The Flying Grayson: using her starbolts, mar’i launches herself high into the air, & while coming down, she does a quadruple somersault & lands on the opponent shoulders (powerbomb wrestling position) & stabs the opponents face with a starbolt energy blade. Then she does a hurricanrana, ripping the head off with the spine attached.

ThunderHeart (Irey West)

Intro: she appears onto the screen using her super speed & takes off her hood. She then says: “can’t catch me!” And spits a raspberry. (The flash intro from injustice)

Prefight: she vibrates & gets into a battle position.

Outro: she gets into a running position & runs towards the camera, an electric heart appears behind her.

Fatalities:

Spin around: Irey appears behind the opponent using the speed force (how flash appears as an opponent in injustice 2) & kicks the opponent between the legs causing them to fall onto their knees. She then holds onto the opponent’s head & using her super speed, runs a circle around them twisting their head 360 degrees.

Around the world: Irey appears behind the opponent & gives them a wedgie, dropping them to their knees. She then runs around the world & infinite mass punches her opponent in the face causing it to fly. (The flash’s special move in injustice 1)

Surge (Jai West)

Intro: runs into frame, create lightning between his hands & shoots it short range.

Prematch: rubs hands together using super speed to create lightning & claps his hands together to create a thunderclap; causing a shockwave.

Outro: creates an electric ball in one of his hand & dashes towards the camera hands pointing out. (Think of chidori from naruto)

Fatalities:

Power Clap: Jai rubs his hands together to create lighting & shoots it towards the opponents chest creating a hole. The opponent falls to their knees & Jai then does a thunderclap between the opponent’s head, causing it to explode. Jai says: “and you get a thunderclap!”

Surge Shock: Jai appears behind the opponent & put his electric hands on his opponent’s butt & shocks them; burning the opponent. Jai then fans the area near his nose & says: something stinks.

Red Cat (Lian Harper)

Intro: Lian zip lines down towards the camera & does a roll with her arrow onto her bow ready to fire. (Green arrows intro from injustice 1)

Prefight: Lian spins her bow while reaching for an arrow, & gets ready to use it. (Putting arrow next to bow to launch it.)

Outro: throws an apple into the air & shoots an arrow into it.

Fatalities:

Nuke Arrow: Lian shoots a boxing glove arrow into the opponent’s crotch, causing them to fall onto their knees. She then shoots two regular arrows into the opponent’s eyes & shoots an arrow with a nuke symbol at them; a far away view shows a nuclear explosion.

Choke-and-arrow: Lian shoots two arrows at the opponent’s feet, causing them to be stuck, she then flips over them with the bow & breaks their neck with it. (The string)

WonderBoy (Robert Long)

Intro: comes into view dragging his sword onto the ground creating sparks, he then raises the sword in front of him.

Prefight: he stops himself with the sword & then swings it a few times. After the second swing, the sword catches fire & Robert slams it onto the ground, causing a burst of fire to come out.

Outro: runs at the camera & leaps towards it ready to downward slash it.

Fatalities:

Lasso of Death: Robert throws & wraps the opponent with rope & jumps into the air, he then spins the opponent in a circle & slams the opponent into the ground causing them to explode. (Wonder Woman fatality from the MK vs DC game)

Power of the gods: Robert gains red bright hair & uppercuts the opponent into the air with fire hands (god of war mode) & then gains light blue hair & slams his opponent into the ground with water “whips” around their legs (god of Sea) finally he gains dark blue hair & shocks the opponent to death. (god of thunder)

Kid Tempest (Cerdian)

Intro: jumps out of a “puddle” & superhero lands with trident in hand.

Prefight: uses the trident to stop himself, spins the trident around in a circle & slams the tip (not the sharp ends) onto the ground.

Outro: shoots out purple lasers from his eyes to the ground & at the camera, after a “blink” it shows Cerdian holding the trident with both hands with it sideways & purple flames around him.

Fatalities:

Shark Bait: Cerdian stabs the opponent in the stomach & lifts him up, a shark comes out of nowhere & starts eating the opponent. (Aquaman’s special move from injustice 1)

Arts of Atlantis: Cerdian shoots a beam of water at the opponents face, causing the skin to rip off showing the skull. He then creates an energy blast made of fire & punches through the opponent & lifts them up. Finally, he shoots purple lasers from his eyes at the head causing it to explode.

SunSlinger (Jon Kent)

Intro: superhero lands on the ground, adjust his cowboy hat, & gets into a battle stance.

Prefight: twists his revolvers in a circle & stops with the barrels pointed at his opponent.

Outro: puts guns in gun holster & fly’s towards the camera with a smile on his face.

Fatalities:

Solar Bullet: Jon fires two non-lethal solar rounds into the opponent’s knees causing them to fall, Jon transforms into his Super Solar mode & charges a heat vision laser from his eyes & blasted the opponents head off.

Super Pound: Jon pounds his opponent into the ground & super kicks his opponents head off. (Superman’s heroic brutality from MKvsDC)

Robin V (Damian Wayne)

Intro: runs into view, does an upside down front flip & lands unleashing his sword. (Intro from injustice 2)

Prefight: uses his sword to stop himself & then put the blade in front of him. (Finishing intro from injustice 2)

Outro: his sword glows green & a flaming green demon head floats behind him as he poses.

Fatalities:

Demonized Assassin: his sword slashes from his injustice 2 special move but with a green glow but he chops the opponent’s head off.

Demon Goal: Damian chops off his opponents hands & kicks them in the crotch, causing them to fall to their knees, he then slices the head off, put the head in his hands & kicks it like a soccer ball with a whistle noise in the background.

WonderLad (Hunter Trevor)

Intro: walk towards the camera bashing his sword against his shield. (Wonder Woman intro from injustice 2)

Prefight: stops himself with his sword & raises it towards opponent.

Outro: takes out lasso, twirls it around his head & throws it towards the camera.

Fatalities:

Lasso Of Snap: Hunter wraps his opponent with his lasso around their body, he then wraps it around his opponent’s neck & pulls snapping their neck.

Ares Wrath’s: Hunter gains red aura, hair, & eyes & shoots a fireball at the opponent, knocking them flat on their back. Hunter then raises his hand to have hundreds of arrows rain down onto the opponent.

AquaBoy (Arthur Curry Jr.)

Intro: walks into frame picking up a trident that has electricity around it when it got picked up & does a battle pose.

Prefight: raises trident in the air, & lightning comes down to strike it, & gets into a battle position.

Outro: Arthur spins a water ball around him & throws it towards the camera.

Fatalities:

Thunder Trident: Arthur stabs the opponent in the chest with his trident & shoots out electricity causing the opponent to explode.

Reverse Waterboard: Arthur, using his water powers, takes water out of the opponent’s mouth until blood starts coming out & then the opponent’s intestines comes out of their mouth. (A more “kid friendly” version of what Mera did to Steppenwolf in Zack Snyder’s Justice League)

HawkBoy (Hector Hall)

Intro: flys on screen & slides to stop, he then whips out his mace & spins it.

Prefight: swings mace a few times & puts it over his shoulders with a smirk.

Outro: flys into the air & towards the camera with his mace above him ready to downward smash the camera with an angry look on his face.

Fatalities:

Savage Beast: Hector kicks his opponent in the crotch, causing them to fall to their knees, & then starts smashing the opponent that covers the screen/camera in blood. ( kinda like jokers x-ray move in MK11)

Hawk God: the area goes black & the camera shows the opponent, a giant hawk appears behind them & starts eating the opponent.

Green Canary (Connor Lance Queen)

Intro: runs towards the camera & then slides plus does a 360 spin.

Prefight: Canary Cries into the air & gets into a battle pose.

Outro: Shrieks a canary cry at the camera.

Fatalities:

Loud Death: Connor shoots two arrows into his opponent’s feet & then canary cries at the opponent; slowing losing their skin, organs, & body parts.

Boxing Glove Arrow: Connor shoots two arrows at the opponent’s knees, causing them to fall forwards, he then shoots a boxing glove arrow at the opponent’s face causing it to fly & fall backwards.

PhantomWing (Chris Kent)

Intro: glides into frame with dark wings & aura surrounding him.

Prefight: charges up a blue & black (dark) aura around him & does a “pump up” move setting it “flying” (think of the pump up moves in the dbz budokai tenkaichi games)

Outro: a dark aura surrounds Chris, he flys into the air & unleashes it with glowing blue eyes & a dark blue dragon behind him.

Fatalities:

Dark Shadows: Chris creates two “shadow-whips”from his hands & rips his opponent’s arms off & then their head.

Nightwing: Chris summons the Nightwing entity (a blue & black dragon with deep glowing blue eyes) & have it eats the opponent. (Liu kangs fatality from MK2 & MK9)

StarChild (Otho-Ra)

Intro: walks intro frame dragging a blue energy sword on the ground & thusts it towards the camera.

Prefight: swings the sword a few times & holds it with both hands.

Outro: shoots blue heat vision on the ground & slowly towards the camera creating a white flash, it then goes to show Otho & the background surround by blue fire & shows her holding her blue sword (holds it in a similar pose when she saw a future of herself where she stays at Warworld in the annual action comic 2023)

Fatalities:

Star-Protector: Otho slashes the opponent’s midsection & then summons a blue S shield made of blue energy & flys towards the opponent splitting them in half & set the organs flying.

Star-Slash: Otho kicks the opponent in the crotch, causing them to fall to their knees & then chops the head leaving the energy sword stuck in the skull.

Red Son (Osul-Ra)

Intro: a red energy battle axe is slammed into the ground, & Osul walks into frame, picks it up, & places it on his shoulders.

Prefight: he spins it & slams it into the ground causing rocks & dust to fly in the air, he raises it up & gets into a battle position.

Outro: Osul walks a few steps, he raises the axe in the air (the camera shifts facing him) & shouts: “Fight Master!” With a grin & giggles.

Fatalities:

Look out below!: Osul kicks the opponent in the gut, sending them on their back, & jumps & throws the battle axe at the opponent, he lands & scapes the opponent with the axe cutting them down. (Shao Khan’s fatality from MK2023)

Crimson Axe: Osul fires a red energy beam from his hand into the opponent’s chest & stomach area, the heart appears & the opponent drops to their knees, & then Osul slams his axe into the opponent’s skull leaving it there.

Red Bird (Mara Al Ghul)

Intro: walks into frame, takes out dagger & gets into a battle position.

Prefight: unleashes a dark red aura around her.

Outro: walks towards camera with a dark red aura around her, a dark red energy demon face appears behind her.

Fatalities:

Demon Fist: Mara charges an energy fist & punches through an opponent’s chest ripping out their heart & squeezes it.

Demon Slicer: Mara takes out her dagger, covered in dark red energy & slashes at the opponent; arms, legs, head & body.

Animal Girl (Maxine Baker)

Intro: walks into frame with a red panther walking besides her.

Prefight: stops herself with giant energy claws & roars at the opponent. (There is a panther roar “overlapping”)

Outro: Maxine creates red wings & floats in the air.

Fatalities:

Avatar of The Red: Maxine rhino charges at the opponent sending them on their back & she summons a panther to maul the opponent.

Into the Red: the “entrance” to the red itself appears & swallows the opponent whole, & the terrifying creatures there starts attacking the opponent.

Beacon (Kathy Branden)

Intro: floats into frame with purple forcefields in her hands.

Prefight: surrounds herself in a purple force field & unleashed it causing a shockwave.

Outro: she turns around butt facing the camera, kisses her hand & pats her butt. XD I’m kidding: she floats up in the air with a twirl & unleashed a purple shockwave.

Fatalities:

Sonic Boom: Kathy lifts up the opponent using telekinesis & shoots out a telekinetic blast from her hand causing the opponent’s spine & organs come out their back.

Purple-field: she creates a purple forcefield around her opponent & crushes them.

AnimalLad (Clifford Baker)

Intro: walks into frame with a red wolf besides him.

Prefight: roars at the opponent with a wolf bark overlapping.

Outro: screams into the air, the camera flies into the air & it shows a red wolf howling at the moon. (Nightwolf’s Outro from MK11)

Fatalities:

Hunting Wolf: Cliff summons a red energy wolf & mauls the opponent.

Savage Red: Cliff transforms into his Savage Red mode & starts tearing up the opponent, ripping out their organs & crushing their head.

Valor (Conner Kent)

Intro: arrives vile skateboard & does a heel flip & stops.

Prefight: his sunglasses break after being pushed back, he shouts either: Shit! or fuck! He eyes then gets red with heat vision.

Outro: he reaches behind him & grabs another pair of glasses & puts it on using his middle finger.

Fatalities:

Tactile telekinesis: Connor puts his hands on the ground, setting off a shockwave underneath the opponent setting them flying in the air. Conner then jumps towards the opponent & puts his hands on them & does a shockwave attack sending the opponent towards the ground exploding in pieces.

Super Radical: Conner takes a skateboard & beats the opponent to death with it. A camera cut shows Conner doing a kick flip over the opponent (right above the opponent , he lifts his pink & index fingers to the camera) & lands.

Crowly (Colin Wilkes)

Intro: a wall is seen when suddenly, somebody leaves a brass knuckle mark into it revealing the name abuse or a Batman symbol in it. The camera cuts to Colin turning to the opponent.

Prefight: Colin grows big & roars into the air, & then shrinks back down.

Outro: Colin grows big, walks towards the camera & fists bumps himself before posing to punch the camera.

Fatalities:

Bane of my existence: Colin grows big & grabs the opponent & raises them over his head, & then slams them over his knee twice, the second time breaks them completely & their intestines comes out. Colin then throws them to the floor.

Boxer Bird: Colin (small with muscles) tackles the opponent & sits on top of them. He then rapidly punches them causing blood to cover him & the screen.

FlameBird (Suren Darga)

Intro: flys in frame with fire wings.

Prefight: surrounds himself with a fire aura & summons a fireball to blow out with his breath.

Outro: surrounds himself with fire & then creates a massive energy avatar made out of fire. (Think of susanno from naruto or the blue Superman avatar from recent action comics with metallo).

Fatalities:

FlameBird: summons a giant bird made of fire & it pecks at the opponent.

Fire Fist Suren: Suren charges a fist made with fire & punches through the opponent, he then sets the opponent ablaze.

[annika-thelostlove]

The second time, you chose right - part 1 // Edward nashton x fem!reader

Word count // 3816

Summary // In an Alternate timeline Edward Nashton quits his job as a forensic accountant in Gotham city to become an IT support for a lawfirm. You notice the new guy at your work, eddie. He's chubby and quiet and shy, and you think it might just be love at first sight.

Authors note // I got waaaaay into building your character, I'm sorry. You're kinda a crazy person and have a dark past. But you're perfect for Edward

Warnings // mature fic, twisted fluff and angst, dark past from both of them, past muĺrder and crimes, morally grey, sexual themes, attempted sexual assult, stalking, but mostly being in love with Edward ❤

Can be read as a oneshot

Part 2

Eddie's gained some more weight, he's noticed it because he's had to use the next larger belt hole when he puts on his pants now. It should be the least of his problems, but it's another hit on his self esteem that he's very carefully been trying to build since quitting his forensics job.

He focuses on the positives, seeing a therapist in the last few years changed the direction of his life and for the better. He could be in worse mental and emotional conditions by now if he kept discovering more horrible things about Gotham crimes. He was glad for that day in the ally, meeting Batman, the hope incarnate. Finally there was someone to bring light in this city. Edward passed all burdens of duty, of making the city better to the Batman, and left the life of vengeance and violence behind.

He gathered as much evidence he could, and did his best not to become obsessed with the injustice of it all, and then anonymously tipped off evidence to batman. That was more than a year ago. Hes in a much better place now. If he wants to help the city, he has to do it with a clear mind. He's accepted that he's a genius after all, as many others have complimented him in the past. He knows his worth. Now in a good stable job, a new career in IT at a small law firm, he has a nice boss, and the people at work are decent enough to send him little gifts on public holidays.

And then at night he becomes the online hacker vigilante 'nigma', stealing money from the rich, and giving to the poor.

But sometimes things like this make his days hard. Eddie slowly grabs at his love handles, and grips it hard. He sighs. He doesn't know when he's ever felt attractive. But I guess his life has never felt privileged enough for him to care about his appearance till now. He guesses it's a testament to a better quality of life. He read that somewhere, he thinks. Edward is not quite sure he believes it. He throws on his raincoat and gets to work.

< 💚 >

You have been peeking over from your reception desk over to the cubicles for the last year hoping to get glimpses of him when you can. You love the shape of his cheek, and his round shoulder that peeks out from his cubicle wall. He's so beautiful, you think. But he's never once looked in your direction since that first time you met. Edward nashton, he was the new guy. And you think that maybe that feeling you had the first time you saw him last year might be love at first sight.

All the men and at times the ladies in the office have all made a pass at you at some point. You think it's because since you work in reception, you have to be friendly with everyone at the front desk. Still, some part of you feels you were somewhere above average attractive, you've turned down a couple of people in the past. So maybe you're hotter than you give yourself credit for.

But Edward, he updated your computer twice since working here, and one of those times you were on a sick day. No real conversation has happened between you since you met apart from the occasional sounds of agreement from Ed.

'How has your day been?' - 'good'

'I heard you worked in forensics before!' - 'yes'

'I'm in love with your little succulent!' - 'thank you'

He has a little pump bottle sanitizer on his desk that you watch him rub into his dainty hands occasionally, a tiny little cactus plant, a funny favourite mug that's in the shape of a pill bottle that always makes you laugh, and a row of little notebooks in the corner you think are full of his thoughts and musings perhaps even poems. (They are actually great little collection of his own riddles) and alot more the little things around him that just make you fall deep into him even more. You are doomed, and hopeless, and desperately in love with Edward.

Today you will try to get his attention again. Walking by his desk you compliment him on his shirt. It's a pink button down.

"Uh, thank you." He says barely acknowledging you.

He's so uncomfortable, but not as much as he had been last Friday after he turned you down for drinks. You're sure he smiles often at the others, just not at you. You long for it.

You can't help yourself, despite getting hurt last Friday, and endless signs that he has no interest in spending time with you. You put yourself out there anyway.

What you didn't know though, was that Edward came home last Friday crying into his pillow after comming in his hand thinking about how you must have wanted to humiliate him. He thinks that of course your interest is just some sick joke that you're pursuing for a laugh.

"Well, Eddie, I know it's Monday, but- um, I'm going to a late night diner tonight, and- not the bar from last week. And I was thinking coffee was more your style- maybe, if you were free to check it out…with me."

He releases a shaky breath, and looks up at you. "I haven't…changed my mind. S-sorry."

Your palms tingle and tears prickle in your eye, he really really really doesn't want you. You put on a smile.

"Okay, okay, that's okay. Well, see ya tomorrow then!"

You rush to your desk, not knowing that Edward actually saw the genuine hurt in your eyes. He was shocked, maybe you were genuine about spending time with him. He sees you hide at your desk furiously wiping at your eyes. He feels his stomach drop, he really didn't know that it mattered to you so much. You work at reception, you're friendly with everyone. You couldn't actually be interested in him?

< 💚 >

The walk down to the club next door to the dinner was a no-brainer for you. You need to get drunk and get rid of this horrible feeling of rejection fast.

Edward follows you after work, and worriedly watches you from afar as you enter a club. you've been in there for a good hour. He's worried, maybe you've looked for a quick hook up. A horrible feeling burns in his stomach, jealousy, maybe regret, and a twist of anger. Did you only see Edward as a means to fill your own needs? Sighing, that is not possible you could want that with him of all people when he feels so, ugly. Horrible feelings are stirring within him, he fights them. Clenching his fists he takes deep breaths, he's trying to be good. He needs to be.

You finally emerged from the club, looking sad and only partly drunk. You angrily fix your jacket and begin your walk home. A few moments later a rough looking man also comes out looking around, agitated and begins to follow you. Edward quickly jumps out of his hiding spot and pursues. His nerves are up. This dosent look good. What could this man want? He tries his best to hide in the shadows.

< 💚 >

An asshole at the club wouldn't get the hint, you're not interested. So you had to leave that shithole club early.

You notice that there seems to be some footsteps behind you, following for a few minutes now. So you walk faster. You hold on to your sharp blade on your keychain inside your pocket tighter.

But before you could pull it out, someone comes out of nowhere and throws you into an alleyway. Your shoulder collides with the concrete wall and your whole arm is in pain. You are violently grabbed and held tightly with two arms around you then a small knife pushes at your throat. You try not to scream.

"Shush, it's okay it's just me from the bar, be quiet alright." That sleezy voice you heard from the club murmurs behind you.

You beg him to let you go, but he hurriedly starts to shuffle his and your clothing, tugging at yours and his pants to open unsuccessfully. You gasp and yell no, and realise exactly what the asshole wants.

In your struggle you manage to pull your arm free with your small sharp weapon in your hand and thrust it as hard as you could into the body of flesh behind you. He grunts in pain.

But before you could stab him again, you hear a high pitch yell and another series of heavy thuds against the body that's holding you captive. The wet sound of his body being stabbed with a sharp weapon. And not yours. Someone else is here in the ally way with you.

You scream once in confusion and fall forward onto the wall, you turn to see your attacker's body fall to the ground. And another person was on him, stabbing him with a knife. You gasp in shock. You have a hero. At first you think it must be Batman. But he was not cloaked or in a mask, this man's appearance was familiar. Your heart skipped violently in your chest when you realised who it really was.

It's Edward!! He's rescuing you!

"Edward!" You say excitedly

The sound of you calling him stopped him in his trance, with a gasp he drops his weapon. As if he didn't realise what he just did. He's stabbed a man five times with his pocket knife. Frozen in shock he falls backwards on the ground.

What has he done? He looks at his hands, they are shaking and red. His glasses splattered with blood, he shakily wipes at them but it gets worse. It smudges everywhere.

You see that he's scared now. He looks lost, oh sweet Edward. But you notice the man on the ground is still breathing, and Edward is not in the condition to make a choice right now. So you make up your mind.

It's us or them. Your thoughts click into place, yes you are meant to help him, eachother, its destiny. So you hurriedly pick up his knife from the ground and finish what he started. You slice the man's neck, taking the nameless perv out of his misery.

It goes quiet, the silence was deafening between you. You look at one another in suspense. Both covered in the man's blood. You crawl over to Edward then grab his trembling hand.

"We have to go Edward. We have to hide."

He comes back for a second and sees you with those green eyes "Oh, Yes yes we should go. My apartment is just up the street."

"Okay, let's go"

The two of you hold hands dodging all street lights to stay in the dark. Despite your situation, it felt like an epic romance. Getting to run away with him in the dead of the night. The two of you make it to his door. He brings you inside, but still no words are exchanged.

He's standing very still in his apartment now, his face you can see he's thinking a mile a second even though he faces you. He seemed to finally remember your presence after noticing a little heart shaped blood splatter on your cheek.

"Oh, golly." He runs his hand through his hair and says your name in the most endearing way. "I-I ill let you use the bathroom first. It's, it's over this way" He points over to a door to his left. He doesn't look so well. But you can't help but think of how handsome he is, his face full of gentle worry. Despite the blood.

You close the bathroom door behind you, and without a second thought stripped down and used his shower.

You didn't know though that Edward out in the living room was spiralling. His head in his hands, this was the kind of thing he's been trying to fight, the person hes trying not to become. He stabbed someone tonight. Without a second thought. And planned to complete it if it wasn't for you. You. You finished it off. How, how were you going to get away with it? It's was his fault, he made you murder a man. They're gonna take you away. Somewhere, somewhere-

You step out of the bathroom forgetting that you didn't ask for spare clothes, you're glad he had a massive towel to wrap yourself in. But Edward doesn't even notice you standing there practically naked in his living room.

"Edward, honey are you alright?" No response

"Lets get you cleaned up now alright?"

You pull him along by this arm to the bathroom. His eyes distant, hes not really with you now. So you let him sit on the toilet seat and while you just fill up his bath with steamy water waiting for him.

"Eddie can I clean your clothes honey?" You test the endearment on your tongue and begin with removing his stylish glasses, he seems fine with that. Next his bloodied jacket and shoes and socks. Feeling encouraged by his calm response you try to remove his shirt, unbuttoning him. Then he grabs your arms, stopping you.

Now he finally looks shaken. His lips tremble, like there is something he just can't say. You wait for him to say them. But he's breaking apart quickly.

"Okay, it's alright, just let me hold you." You reassure him. He releases you and you take his head into your chest. "It's okay sweetheart, I want to make you feel better, make you feel clean" you repeat these words to him until it was the only thing on your mind. Same words you have used on yourself many times in the past.

Something in him finally breaks, and you feel him begin to sob into you. It's heartbreaking, he wails loudly in his own towel that you're wearing at your chest. Holding you tightly against him.

You wonder if it was his first time, seeing death, it certainly was not yours.

But you were wrong, it was not the death. His tears were from something else. It's you. He's never felt someone's affection like this. Being held, and told words of reassurance. Feeling like a treasure in your arms. In the trouble you both were in now 'how could he let this go once it's taken from him?'

Edward was inconsolable for a little while, but you love him, it was a privilege to have his tears against your chest. You soothed his back and head. He had such lovely brown hair. Giving his hairline a kiss, he calmed down enough for you to continue undressing him. You recognize this behaviour, he's dissociated for a little while. He needs some rest.

You have him naked in his tub in just a few minutes. He's only a little shy now. Trying to cover his privates while you soap him clean. It feels like a test, temptation on a silver platter. You control yourself from touching the most beautiful body you have seen. He blushes so prettily, the pink runs down his chest, and your eyes roam down to his round belly and thighs, desire heats up between your legs. But it's not the time to think about yourself, he deserves to be loved and respected.

When you're done, you try to dry him off, but he grows shy and quickly takes over wiping himself. When you two enter his bedroom he dresses himself in cotton shorts and a thin sweater, and he gives you some of his clothes to wear. You settle on a long pajama shirt, the pant were too long to wear.

"We can, talk tomorrow..about what to…do.." He quietly says and hesitates.

"We can…share the bed" his whole face turns tomato red at his own suggestion. After all what's happened tonight he feels confident that you want to be near him.

You give him a sweet hopeful grin and you both climb into bed. With your head on his chest, you smile and inhale his scent deep, and think that this is how it should always be before falling fast asleep.

______________

< One year ago >

Three new people will be added to the company. The welcome party was quite nice so far, nice little finger food, you've already put a few in your bag.

They did the same thing for you few years ago when you got this job. No one questioned how you got it. And you're so grateful for Mr. Wayne.

Six years ago you were just a teenager working at one of Salvatore Maroni's drops factory. When the drug finally killed both your brothers, you started adding undetectable poison into your own mix of drops in an attempt to get back at the dealers who sold them to kids. You killed some successfully, but not without getting innocent deaths. Whole families died from your drug mix. Fueled by hate and obsessed with cleansing the city, dozens of people died by your doing, many unnoticed and only marked off at drops overdoses, and even unfortunate bystanders had to go. Many of the deaths of mafia big names made the news, dubing you as The Pusher Killer. But after years, you couldn't carry on living with the hate in your heart and the guilt. You were suffering from the darkness of your life.

Then one day a masked man approached you and asked for locations of the drops factories in exchange for the start of a new life. The man looked alarmingly similar to the young bruce wayne you see on the news. But with the scarf and hood you couldn't confirm it. You took the deal. And here you are now with a new name and a clean start. Though what you've done, will always haunt you. The guilt follows you like a ghost, a prison you have not escaped.

The three men that have been added to your IT department, they all look a little similar to eachother. One of them has stylish translucent glasses on, maybe you should introduce yourself. He was unassuming though he was tall, and simply stood off to the side of the snacks table offering anyone who came by him a little smile. Cute.

You introduce yourself "hey I work in reception, what's your name?"

"Edward"

"Welcome to the team! But the IT and reception departments don't overlap much." He blinked a few times, trying to get a baring of things perhaps. "So I'm glad to have a chance to talk you you." He blushes and is thinking of saying something, but it's a few moments till he says it.

"What happens again, but different both times?"

"..what..?"

"It- its a riddle. What can happen again, but is different both times?"

"I..uh. um."

"Nevermind-"

"No, no, let me think for a moment"

"Kay" He waits patiently with his lips pursed together. You go through a few options first. He shakes his head, all wrong.

What can happen again, but is different both times?

Then it hits you, like opening your eyes for the first time. The answer hits home so closely, you almost feel like a child again in wonder with the wide world.

"Is it..a second chance?"

His smile blinds you, Edward shines like you've never seen anyone before. "Yes!!" He giggles. "Yes, and we will have the chance to see each other again!" He revels in both of your victories, unaware of what had just happened to you. As if he had no idea that your world just got a little brighter, because he's made you remember where you are, in the middle of your second chance. The look in his eyes, they are like yours somehow. And he knows it too. You look at him I awe, laughing along with him. While all at once you are falling.

Is this it?

"Do you- well, I know it sounds lame, but- do you believe in that?" You ask him and look past those spectacles he wears and see his big green eyes magnified and blinking down at you.

"In- in second chances?" He doesn't really think for even a second when he says. "Of course I do." And he smiles till it reaches his eyes. Oh. Of course, its him. He's the one for me. Your heart just soars.

But in the first week working there, Edward began to ignore you, you were not sure why. Edward is ashamed to say, but at that welcome party he felt special after you talked to him. But it turns out you're quite friendly with practically everyone else. He won't get his hopes up if he doesn't talk to you as often, so he just won't.

___________

< Present >

You awoke when it was still dark, checking your phone time, it says 2:33 am.

Sometime in the night Edward pulled away from you and curled up in a little ball. You look over and try to get a look at him. He's fast asleep, the way he sleeps seems a little tense. But cute nonetheless. You slowly curled over him, becoming the big spoon. He relaxes a little.

After a few minutes he begins to shiver. But not from cold. You think it's a dream. He suddenly gasps and wakes up, opening his eyes which have become glassy.

You hold him tighter, letting you know that you're there. "I'm here with you"

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, it's just me. What- what did you dream about?"

"Hmn, the same things really. From the orphanage that I was raised in. Just how…cold it was… how lonely."

"Oh eddie." You rub his skin gently. "Im sorry, but I'm glad, that it's in the past. You're here now, with me. Together. Im happy."

"You're happy with me?"

"Yes, I am"

You roll him over to face you. You see the sadness of his brow, he worries just like you. Where will all the pieces fall? The two of you will have to face whatever consequences come through from the events of Tonight. Maybe Gotham detectives will only find the body in the morning. Find you and lock you away. Maybe they don't suspect you at all. Maybe you will be together with Edward from this point on and never be found out. Maybe in a few moments they will break into Eddie's apartment and take him too.

It was a long tense pause before he responded to your bold implication about the two of you. "Well. I'm not so sure how long we have till it's all taken away."

"I won't waste time then." Your hand holds the apple of his cheek, and he closes his eyes from the feeling. Once they opened you close the distance between you and kiss him the way you've always dreamed of.

Part 2