#like come on it was already there!! cato literally exists!!!

[fruitjuices]

what’s a more compelling story. like strictly narratively speaking not even considering the message collins was going for.

1. an incredibly intelligent and clever boy from one of the poorest districts who, despite being underestimated and treated terribly at every turn, managed to outsmart the gamemakers ON HIS OWN MERIT and win the games. who is then punished so severely for his own victory (because he didn’t win how he was supposed to/he wasn’t supposed to win at all) that his family is killed and he falls into a decades long spiral of guilt and anger that is only fueled by watching year after year of kids just like him getting murdered.

2. retconning everything THE AUTHOR LITERALLY PREVIOUSLY TOLD US as part of some propaganda angle (which is ironic, given how uncritically some people have taken this book…) and instead focusing on a boy who literally says he’s “not smart enough” and who goes along with the most half baked rebellion scheme. and then idk have him mourn not his FAMILY THAT WAS KILLED but his 16 year old gf and show his inability to let go as a heartwarming tale of love <3 instead of the sad reality it is

the more of sotr i read the more im convinced its just a money grab. and that saying people who criticize it are ‘falling for capitol propaganda’ is. hey. it’s so stupid.

[stevensaus]

The GOP Is Deliberately Making The Immigration Crisis Worse -- On Purpose.

The right wing and Republican Governors are deliberately worsening the immigration crisis, and hope to gain politically from it. We could debate the role of the US in creating the geopolitical and economic scenarios these people are fleeing, the racist roots of the concept of "legal" immigration, and so on. Here, I want to look at dealing with the existing situation on the ground. Regardless of one's politics, it is impossible to ignore that the number of people trying to immigrate to the United States -- regardless of "legality" -- is at historically high levels. US Customs and Border Patrol reported 304,162 encounters with migrants "in August, up from 245,213 in July" in "the highest single month total in the last four years, which is as far back as the data shared by the agency goes." While the situation may not be as dire as some pundits would have you believe -- the Cato Institute's analysis of Census Bureau data indicates that "over the last decade, the United States has seen the slowest growth in the immigrant share of the U.S. population since the 1960s" -- it is still a non-trivial number of people who are forced to use the United States' social safety net. Migrants literally cannot support themselves, "with a mandatory, six-month waiting period for work permits for asylum-seekers who cross the border illegally." That rule, which seems unlikely to change, already increases both the real and perceived burden of immigration on existing US infrastructure. Concentrating that burden simply makes the situation worse. That applies whether we are talking about a small town on the border in Texas, a village on the beach in Florida, or New York City, Chicago, and Massachusetts, where literally tens of thousands of immigrants have been unceremoniously shipped like so much cargo by Texas. has sent more than 55,500 people to six sanctuary cities. New York has surpassed the District of Columbia as the lead destination, with more than 20,000 migrants. Chicago is second with 15,000 migrants, the District is third with 12,500, and Denver, Philadelphia and Los Angeles collectively received another 8,000 or so. -- Washington Times They hope that by making the immigration crisis worse, that by deliberately crashing the infrastructure of blue-leaning cities and states, they will sway voters toward anti-immigrant fervor and the right wing. They are hoping that we will join them in blaming victims, instead of the real villains. Imagine if a local charitable event -- like a food drive at a neighborhood school, a local foodbank, or your hometown church -- suddenly had every person in need in that state show up at the same time. Not because they wanted to -- but because every other city and county in the state had turned them away. That local charity would be overwhelmed. Not because those in need were greedy. It was because others refused to share that burden. As the often explicitly-racist rhetoric of the right wing intensifies in the coming months, there is a challenge for us all: We must remember that there is one group that is not only refusing to do their part to aid the immigration crisis, but is actively making the situation worse. To paraphrase Luke 10:36... do you think that group is acting like a neighbor to the people in need? Featured Image by WikiImages from Pixabay Read the full article

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

By: Erec Smith

Published: Jul 7, 2023

There is no such thing as a panacea; few things are actual cure‐​alls in themselves, especially when it pertains to social issues. However, the closest thing to a panacea for contemporary social injustice—both actual and perceived—is the concept of individualism. It is the closest foil to what is, arguably, the most dangerous aspect of critical social justice activism: race fatalism, i.e., the idea that especially minoritized groups have no locus of control and are at the mercy of their hegemonic oppressors.

Unfortunately, too many social justice activists embrace this fatalism and, both implicitly and explicitly, demonize individualism as an inherently oppressive, white supremacist concept.

Race fatalism cannot exist without the idea that all people from a given race experience the world similarly (race essentialism), and that we are forever defined by our home environments (linked fate), concepts that could not be more opposed to individualism. Thus, to embrace individualism is to relinquish faith in the fundamentals of critical social justice.

Fortunately, when individualism destroys these fundamentals steeped in powerlessness, it gives birth to agency and freedom conducive to an empowered and fulfilled life.

The most egregious aspects of critical social justice activism—now wryly and/​or disdainfully referred to as “woke” activism—can be considered footnotes of fatalism: skin‐​color and or gender determine if you are a perpetual oppressor or a perpetual victim; racism will never go away and can only be managed; black kids can’t learn math like other kids; all people who look the same or live in the same area are bound to a particular outlook and particular fate. All these suggest the “truth” of race essentialism, that racism is always already present, and that even words, if coming from an oppressor, are literal violence.

The power of this fatalism is weakened by the concept of methodological individualism, what can be understood as an embrace of free will with an acknowledgement that we live an interdependent existence, i.e., “no man is an island.”

In recent essays, I describe such individualism as an antidote to race essentialism and linked fate. In “Individualism is a Social Justice Issue,” I insist that the embrace of individualism can enhance racial justice through its implied refutation of linked fate and its conduciveness to defensive confidence.

Regarding linked fate, I write, “linked fate denotes the use of the social standing of a group as a proxy for one’s individual identity, i.e., an individual’s fate is inevitably and intricately linked to that of the group. Any individual that seems to escape this fate is considered an exception.” Linked fate depends on the debunked stimulus‐​response theory in behavioral science: the idea that people who share the same race or culture experience the world the same way. Senator Tim Scott’s passionate rebuttal of linked fate focuses on the idea that educational reform is the thing that can unlink fate most efficiently and instill a sense of agency in students, a sentiment elaborated upon by Ian Rowe.

Agency, or “agential fate,” a concept of individual efficacy I support in “Ditching Our Discourses of Doom” (excerpted here), “can be construed as a confluence of pre‐​established circumstances—one’s life experiences—combined with free will.” This concept necessitates the belief “that each individual in a particular context may react to stimulus in different ways; that they each may have a different desired future state; and that their decisions and choices matter in relation to achieving those future states, we enter into a place of agency, possibility, and hope.”

This agency, possibility, and hope imply the concept of defensive confidence I reference in a recent Discourse article. If people have defensive confidence—the confidence that one can successfully defend one’s ideas in given situations—they are more likely to engage the world more courageously as individuals unbeholden to a group and is, ironically, more likely to have one’s mind changed precisely because of this willingness to engage.

These concepts suggest the benefits individualism can have to a sense of social justice and, especially, in combatting the fatalism of social justice activism. Individuals can think independently, adapt to circumstances, and, therefore, more effectively exercise agential fate and defensive confidence, thus better ensuring an attempt to communicate across differences.

Sadly, the concept of individualism is almost anathema in critical social justice circles, in which group identity is favored and individualism is considered an oppressive concept. Race essentialism, which implies concepts like linked fate and group consciousness, is a foundational concept in critical social justice that is diametrically opposed to individualism.

Individualism is not only the best thing for curing the ills of social injustice; it is also, by nature, the downfall of critical social justice ideology. For this reason, maybe “panacea’s” more colloquial synonym, “magic bullet” would be more apropos.

[ Via: https://archive.is/KcRxu ]

==

Your only identity is you.

[jlalafics]

"The Long Weekend"-Part One

Happy belated birthday @keelaree!

Hope you enjoy this first part. Thank you for being such a wonderful part of my writing life, and an even better friend. Can't wait till we can reunite in SF, so we can tea time together and eat soup dumplings.

Love you!

Summary: Two assistants who barely tolerate each other. One snowy cabin. One very long weekend.

Oh, and one bed.

-----

“I’m making the turn now, Haymitch,” Peeta told his boss as he navigated the icy road. “Should have everything prepped and ready by the time you and Effie arrive.”

“Thanks,” Haymitch replied over the speakerphone. “I should tell you that I did ask for someone to help you out. Someone who knows Effie better than I do sometimes—”

Peeta slowed his car as he spotted the cozy cabin in front of him. However, he grimaced seeing the red Jeep already parked on its side.

“You didn’t.”

“Peeta, Katniss knows Effie very well,” his boss said calmly. “Just like you know me. I know that you two don’t get along—”

“Understatement of the year,” Peeta replied as he parked roughly.

“This is important. I’m proposing to Effie and I want it to be perfect,” Haymitch explained. “Katniss knows all the foods she likes to eat, and how to decorate the place to make it comfortable yet romantic. Effie and I are finishing up our meeting with Mr. Snow then we’ll be making our way up to the cabin for the holiday weekend. I’ll call you when we’re on our way so you and Katniss can take off—that is if you haven’t murdered one another by then.”

“I’m only doing this because I’m your assistant,” he called out.

“You could at least like me!” Haymitch joked. “I pay you an obscene amount for an assistant.”

“Katniss probably gets paid more.”

“Well, she picks up tampons for Effie without being asked so probably.”

“Everything will be ready by the time you get here,” Peeta promised. “And I’m doing this because I like and respect you.”

“Thank you, Peeta. Call you soon.”

++++++

Peeta Mellark sighed as he stepped out of his car, bags in hand. The snowy wind picked up and he wrapped his parka tighter around himself before rushing up to the porch. It was getting worse up here, and he hoped that the soon-to-be engaged couple would make it safely.

Getting out the key that Haymitch lent him, Peeta unlocked the door and quickly stepped in to keep the cold air from entering with him.

“Oh, you’re finally here.” Katniss Everdeen sailed into the room, placing a charcuterie board on the coffee table in the center of the sitting room. “I thought you died or something.”

Peeta gave her a wry smile, placing the bags on the floor before shaking off his parka and hanging it on the hook by the door.

“Thought or hoped?” He searched his bag before pulling out the champagne that Haymitch asked along with the two glasses. Going to the table, Peeta placed them on the table before going back to the bag for the champagne bucket. “Is there ice?”

“The fridge has an ice machine,” Katniss informed him tersely, nodding her head towards the left. “I’ve already gotten their dinner started.”

“Not surprised.” Peeta walked into the kitchen, heading to the stainless-steel fridge. “You’re so anal that you’ve probably carved those little radish flowers for garnish.”

“They’re in the fridge so they’ll be fresh.”

Peeta wasn’t sure why they didn’t get along.

For one, Katniss was admittedly attractive with her long dark, and almond-shaped grey eyes. The first time he saw his stomach had definitely done a little flip. She had been walking alongside Effie, notebook in hand, wearing a fitted black dress with a peter pan collar and paying scant attention to anything else around her.

She literally knocked him to the ground.

Katniss had apologized, holding out her hand to help him up.

And Peeta had fucking tingled at her touch.

Over the next few days as he learned the ropes of being Haymitch Abernathy’s assistant, Peeta noticed her across the hall. Effie Trinket’s office was directly adjacent to his boss’ and Katniss’ desk was in the same spot as his.

She kept her head down, never acknowledging him, so wrapped up in her work or answering her phone.

So, Peeta asked around.

“She’s an ice queen,” Cato, who was in Marketing, informed him. “Never wants to hang out with anyone or even join in during happy hour. It’s important here to form relationships with everyone. Panem Industries is all about workplace harmony and Katniss embodies none of that.”

“Yeah, she’s snooty, too,” Clove from IT added. “I once asked her something about her family and she replied that it was none of my business. Like I was just trying to get to know her!”

“Wow. I guess if Katniss is that much of a head case, then I shouldn’t bother to ask her for help,” he told the two.

After that, during any interaction, she treated him indifferently…cold even. Peeta couldn’t help but be disappointed that Cato and Clove’s words were true.

And that was the end of his fascination with Katniss Everdeen.

“You want to get out here and help me or was the ice machine too hard for you to maneuver?” Katniss suddenly called out.

Peeta quickly filled the bucket and stepped out.

Katniss was bent over the couch, arranging the pillows, and he felt a heat rush through his skin.

There was also the slight twinge in his crotch at seeing a firm apple-bottom in tight ski pants.

It seemed that Katniss Everdeen had a bigger effect on him than he realized.

++++++

Peeta Mellark had a huge effect on her.

Katniss struggled to keep the heat off her cheeks as she fixed the pillows that she bought for the cabin. Effie loved those cheesy sayings, so she went on Etsy and ordered custom-made pillows with her favorite quotes.

No one should spend so much time arranging pillows, but Katniss could feel his stare on her. It made her nervous…and tingly.

However, these feelings didn’t belong—especially in a work situation and she needed this job.

Taking a breath, Katniss turned…to find Peeta right behind her.

He jumped back, startled by her abrupt movements.

Whoa—was he checking her out?

“Why were you so close?” she blurted out.

“Sorry. It looked like you were confused about how pillows worked,” he replied, rolling his eyes. “You were there for a millennium.”

“Funny.” She sighed at the amusement in his gorgeous blue eyes—stop it!—and steeled her expression. “Do you think you could help me set up this romantic dinner for our bosses instead of standing there like an ass-licker?”

“You mean asshole.”

“I stand by my words,” Katniss replied and was surprised when he chuckled, his eyes crinkling as he did. She couldn’t help but let her mouth rise. “The table is in that closet next to the door. I got some table linens from a vintage shop that Effie likes last week.”

“Wow, you’re really on top of it,” Peeta remarked, going to the closet. “How do you have time for a life?”

She didn’t.

As in, Katniss didn’t have a life.

She had work, she had a home, but a social life was non-existent. Katniss knew what everyone said about her; that she was cold and distant, never wanting to be part of the team. It never bothered her because she did have her reasons.

So, she was surprised at how hurt she was when she heard Peeta call her a headcase.

Katniss hadn’t meant to eavesdrop, only passing the breakroom to get to the copy machine. However, she stopped at the mention of her name.

Cato’s words were no surprise, though he failed to mention that her iciness was due to him inappropriately putting his arm around her and telling her that they should get to know each other on a personal level. Katniss also didn’t trust Clove for shit; she was the office gossip.

It hit hard to know that the one person who had made her tingle was so easily influenced by two douchebags.

Katniss had decided, then and there, that if Peeta didn’t see past her exterior, then he must be like the rest of them.

“I’m very organized,” she replied. It came out harder than she intended. “I have to be.”

Peeta had already set up the table in front of the fireplace.

“Well, it’s in your favor,” he told her. “You’re a good assistant.”

Katniss looked up in surprise. “You think I’m a good assistant?”

Peeta snorted. “Like you didn’t know it—where are the tablecloths?”

She handed him a beautiful fuchsia tablecloth followed by a cream lace one.

“Fuchsia first then layer it with the lace,” she told him. “I always hope I am. Effie is a great boss and she’s so supportive about work-and-homelife balance. I want to make sure this is all perfect for her.”

Katniss helped Peeta straighten the cloth, smoothing it down and making sure that there were no wrinkles. They settled into a light conversation about working with their respective bosses while setting the rest of the table. While Peeta worked on the place settings, he told her about how he admired Haymitch’s down-to-earth attitude despite being one of the most successful people in the company.

She arranged the florals in the center of the table while telling him how she had worked two jobs prior to getting this one.

“I was a waitress and housekeeper before this,” she revealed. “I was working a crazy lunch rush when I met Effie. We got to talking because she noticed how I met her coffee exactly the way she liked it despite my ragged expression—her words not mine. Effie kept on coming in, and a month after we met, she offered me the assistant job. Said she like my gumption.”

“That’s really cool,” Peeta said. He set down one of the forks he was cleaning and met her eyes. “You know, this is the first time we’ve really talked. I kind of believed you thought of me as your enemy.”

“I thought the same thing.” Katniss placed a folded napkin on the plate in front of her. “You called me a head case.”

His blue eyes widened, shocked at her words. Slowly, she could see in his eyes, the memory of his words.

“I didn’t know you heard that,” he said quietly. “I didn’t mean it and I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine!” Katniss stood up abruptly. The pain of his words churned in her stomach. “I know that everyone talks about me. In my defense, Cato was completely inappropriate when we first met. I thought acting like a bitch would stave him off. Clove has no filter—”

Peeta’s brows furrowed at her sudden coldness.

“I realize that now—one year later…is that why you completely ignore me? Why you act like the sight of me makes you sick?”

“I do not!” Katniss cried out into the room. “You avoid me at all costs!”

“Because the one time that I attempted to ask you a question—you brushed me aside!” he shouted. “If you had bothered to talk to me, I wouldn’t have believed what people said in the first place—” Peeta’s phone rang, and he quickly picked up, seeing his boss’ face on his screen. “Haymitch? You on your way? What? No, I haven’t looked outside—”

Katniss rushed to one of the front windows, pulling back the curtain.

White everywhere.

She couldn’t even see her car and it was bright fucking red!

“They’re not coming.”

Turning, Katniss found Peeta putting his phone in his pocket as he approached.

“The snowstorm came unexpectedly, and the roads are blocked. They’re staying at Effie’s to wait it out while we…are stuck here until it passes.”

++++++

The good thing was that the house was fully equipped. Food was stocked in the fridge since the couple had planned to stay for the long weekend. Both he and Katniss had even brought Haymitch and Effie’s luggage so there had clothing.

“Well, dinner must be ready,” Katniss informed him with a sigh. “If you want to get more comfortable, you can probably change to something of Haymitch’s. I have a call to make before my phone dies and then I’ll pull the food out of the oven.”

Peeta nodded numbly, grabbing Haymitch's duffle and going to the opposite open door where the bedroom was. He tossed the bag on the bed—

The one bed.

Turning, he rushed out of the room to look for his female counterpart. “Katniss!” He found the sitting room empty and headed into the kitchen.

“Yes, I’ll be fine,” she spoke quietly into the phone. “Just be nice to Johanna, okay? I’ll be home soon.” Her voice sounded completely different, light and happy—even affectionate. “I love you, too. Good night.”

He knocked on the archway and she turned to him.

“We have a problem,” he told her. “There’s only one bed.”

“And the couch is really just a loveseat,” Katniss mused as she pulled the food—steak with roasted asparagus and potatoes. Her expression was pained, and she blew out a breath. “I don’t really want to think about this right now. Why don’t we just eat?”

Peeta quickly nodded in agreement, rushing to the sitting room, and grabbing their plates.

“Why don’t you let me set this up?” he told her, seeing how frazzled she seemed. “Have a seat. Open the champagne—”

Katniss laughed and the sound of her lightened the load on his chest.

“You trying to get me drunk, Mellark?”

Peeta smirked. “If it makes you like me, then yes.”

“Fine, fine…” Katniss sauntered off towards the doorway. She stopped at the archway and their eyes met. Her gaze was nervous, but he could see the warmth in her greys. “You’re not my enemy, Peeta. And…I like you more than you think.”

Katniss disappeared, but not before he spied the blush on her cheeks.

Peeta felt another twinge. This time—in his chest.

++++++

Instead of sitting at the table, Katniss grabbed Effie’s luggage, a classic Louis Vuitton that cost more than her old Jeep, and brought it to the bedroom.

The one bedroom. With the one bed.

A sudden image of herself spooned contentedly against Peeta in that very bed rose in her mind—

“Stop tripping off him!” she chided herself.

Distractedly, Katniss opened the bag, sorting for something remotely comfortable in her boss’ luggage. However, it looked like Effie was expecting some sort of kinky weekend. The only sleepwear she had was a tiny red number that Katniss would probably bust out of; Effie was a tiny but fierce woman.

Maybe she could borrow something from Haymitch’s pile—

“Katniss?”

“I’m coming!” she called out before stuffing Effie’s lingerie back into the back.

Walking back into the room, Katniss saw that Peeta had already placed the plates on the table. He stood waiting for her, looking obnoxiously handsome as he had the day they met.

That first time, she had knocked him to the ground so caught up in following with Effie’s rapid pace. When Katniss held out her hand to him, she was caught up in the open smile he gave her. Then it was the gold waves along his forehead, which Katniss desperately wanted to brush back and the blue of his eyes—they had a tinge of grey in them.

For a moment, she was just a girl, and he was just a boy. Peeta didn’t know anything about the rumors of her iciness or how someone like her, with no college degree, managed to get a position like hers.

In that moment, Katniss was pure.

“You alright?” Peeta asked, interrupting her moment down memory lane.

“Yes.” She let him help her into her seat. “I was just thinking about something.”

“Was it the one bed thing?” he joked. “I’m fine with sleeping on the floor—”

Katniss held her hand up. “Let’s be grownups. It’s a big bed and we can put a pillow between us.”

“Very to the point,” Peeta replied, holding up his champagne glass. “To being grown-ups.”

“To being grown-ups.” She clinked her glass to his and took a full gulp. The liquid bubbled through her, making her laugh. “Wow, that’s some good shit.”

Peeta guffawed. “We’re going to have some fun.”

END OF PART ONE

[aion-rsa]

The Hunger Games Victors, Ranked by Winning Method

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

The Hunger Games is the first book in a trilogy of dystopian YA novels by Suzanne Collins, that were adapted into a four-film series, with the third book being split into two films. The story follows Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence), who volunteers for the annual battle royale, the Hunger Games, after her sister Prim’s name is drawn. Like the gladiators of old, Hunger Games tributes are compulsorily drafted to fight to the death in dangerous arenas, for the amusement and appeasement of the masses. The games are both a reminder and a warning to the people of Panem to stay in line and what happens when you don’t. 

With the Hunger Games series, Collins was looking to explore some themes of revolution, depicting the games as a political arena as much as a literal one. We see this depiction of the Hunger Games as a tool of political control ramp up in the second book/film in the franchise. In Catching Fire, President Snow wants to reassert control over the games, and make a statement to the people of Panem, so the 75th Hunger Games—the third Quarter Quell—only pulls tributes from the existing pool of winners. Everyone who participates has already survived—and killed—before. In Catching Fire Katniss and Peeta train and form alliances with other victors as they formulate a plan to survive (or not) in the arena.

As the book progresses, it becomes more and more apparent to both Katniss and the reader that many of the veteran victors heading into the games are not necessarily there to score a victory of survival but rather a political win that could further the growing, Panem-wide revolution against Snow and his cronies. With that in mind, we’re taking the time to rank the Hunger Games victors’ winning methods, from most to least provocative. Who wins the Hunger Games when the goal is not solely survival, but also making a political point?

6. Mags Flanagan

District: 4 Hunger Games Won: 11th  Method: Playing an Angle

Mags (Lynn Cohen) was the first winner from District 4. She participated in the 11th Hunger Games, the first year they instituted the Victor’s Village. Her exact method for winning is unknown, but she was adept at with a fishhook, and weaving baskets, and likely used both (fishing) skills to secure her victory. She was a mentor to District 4 tributes and was close to Finnick. She volunteered for the third Quarter Quell in place of Annie Cresta, who is Finnick’s true love. Finnick wept when she died by going into the fog so that Finnick could save Peeta. Recognize a real g when you see one.

cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "106e33c0-3911-473c-b599-b1426db57530", }).render("0270c398a82f44f49c23c16122516796"); });

Like many of the tributes of the 75th Hunger Games, Mags was drawn into a political fight she didn’t sign up for. Once Snow broke the rules by reaping victors, he invited the very defiance he hoped to suppress.

5. Johanna Mason 

District: 7 Hunger Games Won: 71st Method: Delicate Deception

Johanna (Jena Malone) wins the 71st Hunger Games by pretending to be weak, so that other tributes ignore her while they take one another out. She viciously kills the remaining tributes, once the field is narrowed down. Her win was sound, and probably due to her popularity after the games, Snow wanted to prostitute Johana. When she refused, her family was killed as punishment. By the time of the third Quarter Quell, she is openly defiant of Snow and the games. She is angry, and she is vicious, and all the other tributes know to watch out for her.

4. Wiress & Beetee

District: 3 Hunger Games Won: Unknown Method: Shocking Subterfuge

Wiress (Amanda Plummer) and Beetee (Jeffrey Wright) are career tributes from District 3, the district responsible for Panem’s technological achievements. They formed an alliance with Katniss in the third Quarter Quell. Betee won his original game by setting electrical traps around the arena for his opponents. It’s never stated how Wiress wins her game, but it wouldn’t be a leap to guess that she outwitted the other tributes. She is the one who realizes the arena is a giant clock, which is pivotal to the allies survival.

Snow doesn’t appear to have a specific gripe against Wiress and Beetee, they are just casualties in his vendetta against Katniss. That said, choosing to reap previous victors and not fully recognizing their capabilities is a choice that comes back to bite when they break out of the arena.

3. Finnick Odair

District: 4 Hunger Games Won: 65th Method: Retiarri Realness

Finnick Odair (Sam Claflin) is a career tribute from District 4, the wealthy district on the water known for fishing. He won the 65th Hunger Games at the tender age of 14, making him the youngest victor in history. Finnick is described by Katniss as being very handsome, and that coupled with his flirtatious personality caught the eye of wealthy sponsors who sent him gifts throughout the games. One such gift was his signature trident, which is fitting. Finnick appears to be modeled on the Retiarii, who were scantily clad Roman gladiators, who fought using fisherman’s tools—weighted nets, daggers, and tridents. Finnick, like the Retiarii, won his game by using nets to ensnare other tributes, and finishing them off with the trident. After his win, he was prostituted by President Snow, before being reaped into the 75th Hunger Games, alongside Mags, who volunteered in place of his true love, Annie Cresta.

Finnick won his game fair and square, but he was aided by donors who made the arena less treacherous and thus easier for him to survive. This doesn’t break any rules but it does limit some of the control the gamemasters have. Being well-liked has its advantages in the game, and being a popular victor means having a platform. This would threaten President Snow, as a popular victor who spoke ill of the games could change the sentiment of the games.

2. Haymitch

District: 12 Hunger Games Won: 50th Method: Arena Assault

Haymitch Abernathy (played by Woody Harrelson in the 4-film adaptation) was the second victor from District 12. He participated in the 50th Hunger games, the second Quarter Quell. He had an early advantage in the games by surviving the cornucopia bloodbath and coming away with a knife and backpack of supplies. He took down a few career tributes and was almost killed, but was saved by fellow District 12 tribute Maysilee Donner. They formed an alliance until they separated—not wanting to kill one another. Maysilee was attacked by vicious bird muttations, and Haymitch held her hand as she was dying, the same way Katniss did with Rue. Haymitch discovers the force field surrounding the edge of the arena, when he kicks a pebble at the cliff, and it bounces back. In his final knock out drag out with the District 1 tribute, he leads her to the arena’s edge. She throws her axe at him, he dodges, and the axe rebounds off the force field and hits her in the head instead. She dies, leaving Haymitch the victor.

While not an obvious or even deliberate act of defiance, using the arena’s force field this way goes against the intention of the gamemasters, who provide all of the tools inside the arena for tributes to use. Plants, bodies of water, and everything inside the arena is deliberately placed. The force field is a barrier, it isn’t meant to be acknowledged, and certainly isn’t meant to be interacted with. It shows that the gamemasters aren’t in control of everything, which shows weakness.

Like with Katniss and Peeta, President Snow doesn’t take kindly to Haymitch’s stunt, and has his  entire family murdered as punishment. It’s hard to pinpoint what President Snow hates more, victors that come from poor districts or victors who win by outsmarting the gamemasters. What does seem clear is that Snow despises anyone or anything he can’t control. And winners who subvert the game in any way are punished in ways both obvious, and insidious.

1. Katniss & Peeta

District: 12 Hunger Games Won: 74th Method: Ride or Die

Katniss and Peeta won the 74th Hunger Games, becoming the first duo victors, and only the third winners from District 12. Katniss survived the arena through her finely honed archery skills and her alliance with Rue, before she was killed. Peeta allied with Careers—tributes who train for the games—then turned on them. He also used camouflage skills, which gave us this gem.

After making it to the final two, and beating out District 2 career tribute Cato, the two refused to kill one another when the rules allowing for two victors was revoked. They each took a handful of deadly nightlock berries—which killed District 5 tribute Foxface—and threatened to swallow them, which would leave the game with no victors. They were both allowed to win.

Their win broke the established rules at the time, never mind that the rules had already been changed. Katniss and Peeta refusing to kill the other openly defied the gamemasters and President Snow, and they would pay the price for it. Snow strongly suggested they play up their romance during the victory tour, so the audience would see their defiance as an act of love for one another, not rebellion against the Capitol. He also decided the next Hunger Games, the third Quarter Quell, would only reap—involuntarily conscript— past tributes. This guaranteed Katniss would enter the games again.

cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "106e33c0-3911-473c-b599-b1426db57530", }).render("0270c398a82f44f49c23c16122516796"); });

The post The Hunger Games Victors, Ranked by Winning Method appeared first on Den of Geek.

from Den of Geek https://ift.tt/2SeKk0w

[triangularjuice]

Remember? -A Pokémon Story-

Chapter 18: The Diagnosis

Your stomach drops as the words leave his mouth. You can feel your dad's hand softly grab your arm as he steps in front of you, protectively.

Neutralize?

Does he mean..?

"What do you mean 'neutralize'?" Ash questions, his innocence showing.

"Terminate, eliminate, eradicate, nullify," Dulse lists with a metallic voice. Ash has a confused look on his face, not understanding.

"(Y/N) cannot live anymore. Her existence is destructive," Phyco says coldly. Ash looks stunned; fear is evident on his face. Professor Kukui puts his arm in front of Ash, protectively pushing him behind. Your dad's grip tightens as he shields you from their view. This movement unfortunately catches the attention of one of the men. He looks over at you, noticing your attempts to remain hidden. You peek over your dad's arm, looking up at the man, and he stares deep into your eyes. You can't see any life in them. They look cold and dead.

"We would very much appreciate your cooperation," he says, lacking emotion. Cato lets out a low growl from beside you, but the men pay no attention to him.

"Will you come quietly?" Dulse asks you flatly. You tense up as their cold eyes bore into your skin.

"She's not going anywhere," your dad says, answering for you. Phyco and Dulse straighten up, their facial expressions hardening.

"(Y/N) will be taken back to Ultra Megalopolis for extermination," Dulse says with a lower voice.

"Over my dead body," your dad spits back, holding onto you even tighter. Phyco stares at him with a dead look in his eye.

"We do not wish to increase the death toll in order to preserve the balance, but we will do whatever it takes," Phyco says, his voice laced with venom. In that moment, a huge jolt of pain shoots through your head, causing you to cry out as your legs give out from underneath you. Clutching your head, you curl up into a ball on the floor. You can hear your dad frantically calling your name, but it sounds like it's underwater. You feel his hands on your arm, trying to give you some sort of comfort. Your heart races, and with each beat, a throbbing pain beats through your skull. You groan, holding your head in your hands. Your entire body starts aching. Everything feels hot. It's like your blood is literally boiling in your veins. The hot pain spreads all over the inside of your body, making you cry out as your limbs convulse, your back arching up off the ground.

"She's farther along than we initially thought," one of the men state coldly. Cato whines and nudges his head against your hair.

"What did you do to her?!" you hear Kukui shout, causing an extra jolt to stab through your skull.

"Nothing," you hear a metallic voice say, "This is the work of the universe fixing itself."

"I swear to Arceus if you don't tell us what's going on I'm going to kick your a-"

You cry out and interrupt your dad's threat, the searing pain blossoming in your body worsening.

"Ultra Beast DNA is incredibly toxic to any creature that comes into contact with it. The longer it sits in (Y/N)'s bloodstream, the more it poisons her," you hear Phyco roughly explain. "The added problem of excess electricity in her veins from UB-03 Lighting, aka 'Xurkitree', just makes things worse for her, since the human body isn't capable of withstanding that much electricity," Phyco says, "the combination of the two is basically burning her body from the inside out."

"If (Y/N) comes with us, she will be neutralized quickly and painlessly. But, even if she doesn't, she will still die. And trust me when I say it will be a very long and painful end," Dulse says, letting the last few words roll off his tongue slowly for emphasis.

"Plus, the longer you wait it out, the more unbalanced the universes becomes. Eventually, it will get to the point where she will cause permanent damage, even after she dies," Phyco adds. You take in his words, trying to wrap your head around them. It's weird listening to someone explain in great detail how you are going to die. You open one eye to see your dad above you, clutching your arm. He looks down and you can see tears brimming in his glossy eyes. Despite the pain, you sit up, leaning on one arm to keep your balance. You cough a few times, feeling your dad's arms around your shoulders. You look up at the men, wincing.

"What kind of damage will I cause?" you sputter. Phyco looks down at you, coldly.

"Enough to change the way of life for everybody," he starts, "Ultra Space will become unstable, causing realities to crack, destroying basic laws of physics, and disrupting nature. People and Pokémon will perish because of you."

You look to the side, guilt wracking your mind.

"And there's no way to get it out of her?" your dad pleads, his voice cracking at the end.

"Negative. If there was, we wouldn't be having this conversation," Dulse states. You look up to your dad. He's staring at the ground, mouth slightly open, and his eyebrows are furrowed. He's desperately trying to find a way out of this that doesn't involve your death.

"What if something stronger is injected into her blood to cure the poisonous DNA?" he asks, his scientific mind already searching for some way to save you. The two men falter for a moment, but quickly return to their confident stances.

"It would have to be incredibly strong, more powerful than an Ultra Beast, and finding that would take too long. We are already out of time," Phyco says.

"But-" your dad starts, however, he's interrupted by a shrill whine and a powerful gust that appears out of nowhere. You look up to see a wormhole open behind Phyco and Dulse. The gust strengthens and your dad's grip on you starts to loosen, pushing him away. The two men make their way towards you, unfazed. Looking over your shoulder, you see the wind push your dad away, tearing you from his grasp.

"(Y/N)!" you hear your dad shout. A cold set of hands grabs you under your armpits, picking you up. Dulse roughly carries you in his arms, turning to exit through the wormhole. You can hear everyone calling out to you from behind. Tears prick the corners of your eyes. You flail weakly in his arms, unable to break free. You lift your head and reach out behind you.

"Dad!" you scream out, frightened. You can see him and Cato frantically trying to push against the wind, along with the others, but it's too strong.

"(Y/N)! I'll find y-" he says, but his words are cut off. Everything spins, and it feels like you're falling. The wormhole colors are blinding, and the intense pressure makes everything worse. The burning pain becomes too much, and you can feel yourself slipping away. The colors bleed around you, and the familiar cold of the unconscious wraps around your mind, pulling you into the darkness.

***

Chapter 19: Beginning of the End

[randomfandomfamily]

Dadspeed prompt for you :) Gary finds out that Little Cato has never gone to a fair/carnival before and ,since he's never been to one either, he decides it is the perfect adopted dad-son bonding time!

—

A fair??? Oh my crap that’s adorable, thank you so much for this prompt!

(also, i have never actually been to a fair, so i apologize in advance if this seems off or if my descriptions seem vague and non-specific)

Gary gazed out the window absently, smiling to himself as they passed a planet with soft pink cloud formations. “Ha… hey Nightfall, Little Cato. Look at this.” He pointed out the clouds. “Looks like cotton candy.”

Nightfall peered over his shoulder. “Kinda does.” She chuckled. “Man, that brings back memories… my sister took me to a fair once. We ate so much cotton candy we got sick.”

“Aw, whaaaaat? You’ve been to a fair before?” Gary mock pouted. “You lucky duck.”

“Have you never been?”

Gary shook his head. “Nah.” He shoved his hands in his pockets. “My dad was Infinity Guard and my mom… well, we just never had time.”

Little Cato looked back and forth between them. “What… what’s a fair? Is that an Earth thing?”

“On the contrary,” AVA chimed in. “Fairs are a universal attraction. There are entire planets dedicated to the creation of fairs, theme parks, and carnivals.”

Gary put his hands together and inhaled slowly. “So you’re telling me that fairs exist literally all over the galaxy…” He turned to Little Cato. “And you haven’t been to a single one?”

“You just said you haven’t-”

“We are righting this grievous wrong!” Gary shouted. “AVA! Take us to the nearest fair!”

Nightfall raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure about this?”

“We are going to the fair, Nightfall!” Gary declared. “And you cannot stop us!”

She rolled her eyes. “Whatever you say Captain.”

Little Cato raised his hand. “I still don’t know what-”

“All questions will be answered!” Gary interrupted. “But for now… to the carnival!”

Luckily, AVA had been right about fairs being universal. It didn’t take them long to locate a planet with a set of rides, booths, games, and really unhealthy food. It was perfect.

Gary practically leapt out of the ship. “Come on! Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go!”

Little Cato followed closely behind him. “Uh, Gary? What is… any of this?”

“I am so glad you asked.” Gary started gesturing to the different attractions around them. “Those are games you can play to win prizes! Those over there are food stands. We’ll swing by some of those later to get cotton candy. But the real reason fairs are so fun are the rides.”

“Rides?” Little Cato asked curiously. “What kind of rides?”

Gary grabbed his shoulders and turned him towards the metal structures behind the line of booths. “Those kinds of rides.”

Little Cato’s eyes widened. “You can ride those?” He asked incredulously. “Are they safe?”

“Probably!” Gary waved him forward. “Let’s go find out!” He continued to the rides, maneuvering the crowd with ease. Growing up alone wasn’t ideal, and neither was being a thief in the city, but it had its perks. It certainly made him an expert on getting through crowds.

Little Cato, on the other hand, was not. Gary didn’t notice Little Cato was having trouble keeping up until he was already halfway through the crowd of people.

“Spider-Cat?” Gary looked around, panic seizing him when he couldn’t immediately spot his kid in the crowd. “Where’d you go?”He cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled, “Little Cato!”

“Gary!” Little Cato grabbed his sleeve. “I’m right here.”

Gary whirled around. “Oh my crap, Spider-Cat! I thought I lost you there for a second.”

“Sorry. It’s just… big crowd, you know? Easy to get lost.” He rubbed his arm. “I’ll try to stick closer.”

“No, it’s probably my fault for running off,” Gary admitted. “Let’s try this.” He took Little Cato’s hand and grinned. “There we go! Now we can’t lose each other.” He pointed to the ride that greatly resembled one of the rides on Earth. “Onward to fun!”

Little Cato didn’t move. He just stared at their hands for a second.

“What’s the matter, Spider-Cat?” Gary teased. “Embarrassed to be holding your dad’s hand?”

“No.” Little Cato gripped his hand tighter. “Not at all.”

Gary tried to ignore his heart swelling with joy. Little Cato wasn’t embarrassed by him. Little Cato actually enjoyed spending time with him. Holy crap, is this what paternal love felt like?

The rides were fun, though Gary and Little Cato both agreed that they were nothing compared to their own crazy high-flying adventures. Once you’ve flown in the Toro-Regatta, it’s hard to imagine the Tilt-A-Whirl being all that exciting.

But the thing Gary was most appalled by was the Little Cato’s reaction to the food. Even though Gary hadn’t been to a fair before, he had still tried cotton candy before. It’s not like the stuff was exclusive to fairs and carnivals. You could get it in a store if you knew what store to look in.

Little Cato, however, was skeptical of it, inspecting his paper cone of pink clouds carefully. “You can actually eat this stuff? It looks like… I don’t even know what it looks like.”

“Just try it.” Gary plucked off a piece and popped it in his mouth. “It’s basically pure sugar.”

“Seriously?” Little Cato gave it one more suspicious glare before tearing off a bite. He blinked in shock. “It melted! How’d it do that?”

Gary laughed. “Like I said: pure sugar.” He jut a thumb over at the booths. “Wanna try some games? I bet you’d kill at the shooting ranges.”

Little Cato’s eyes lit up. “There’s shooting games?” He split the rest of his cotton candy in two and handed half to Gary. “Do you really think I’d be any good?”

“Pfft, are you kidding?” Gary ruffled his hair. “I’ve seen you shoot a gun. You’d totally crush these games! In fact,” He led Little Cato to a booth. “Let’s try one out right now.”

It looked stunningly similar to the duck ranges he had seen in movies. Only there weren’t ducks. Gary wasn’t sure what kind of alien animal was painted on the moving panels, he just knew that Little Cato was nailing every single one of them.

Gary lost track of how many how many targets Little Cato shot, but it was enough to win. Oddly enough, the booth had teddy bears for prizes. Gary had always that those were pretty exclusive to Earth, but apparently other planets had discovered the snuggly potential of a stuffed bear.

Little Cato had picked out a red one and stared at it in wonder. “I won this.” He held it up for Gary to see. “Look, Gary! I won this. All by myself!”

Gary smiled. “You were awesome, Spider-Cat. To the max core.” Little Cato beamed and hugged the bear.

As badly as Gary didn’t want the day to end, they did still have a mission. But Gary had one more thing he wanted to do. It was basically a requirement for going to a fair.

“Alright, kid.” Gary ushered him to the tallest ride in the park. “Time for the grand finale.”

Little Cato gazed up at the giant wheel in awe. “That’s the biggest circle I’ve ever seen in my life.”

“And we’re fixing to be on the top of it.” Gary and Little Cato hopped into a car and waited for the ride to start. “If movies have taught me anything, it’s that the Ferris Wheel is always the best part of the fair.”

The ride jolted to a start and Little Cato looked down at the ground shrinking below them. “Everything looks so tiny from up here.”

Gary tried to remember the last time he had seen Little Cato smile so much. Sure, he was a pretty upbeat kid most of the time but-

“Gary?” Little Cato looked at him worriedly. “You okay?”

“I’m great,” Gary replied. “Actually, I’m feeling better than I have in a really long time.”

Little Cato smiled. “Yeah. Me too.” He leaned back in his seat and looked up at the roof of their car. “I don’t think I’ve ever had this much fun.”

Gary looped his arm around Little Cato���s shoulders. “We’re gonna have to do this again sometime.”

“Definitely,” Little Cato agreed. “As soon as we get my dad back and we save Quinn, we can bring them here. Fox and Ash, too. We’ll bring everyone.” Little Cato smiled tiredly. “And then they can have as much fun as we did.”

There were still Dimensional Keys to find, and a universe to save, and Quinn was still stuck in Final Space… but Little Cato deserved a day not filled with terror and imminent death.

And Gary was more than happy to give it to him.

[wonderfulworldofmichaelford]

Psycho Analysis: Jimmy Brando

(WARNING! This analysis contains SPOILERS!)

Scary Godmother is one of the finest Halloween specials out there for a lot of reasons, but one of them is surely the fact that their antagonist is the snotty bully Jimmy Brando. Yes, what we have here is a true embodiment of evil, a blonde-haired hammy villain who torments children and goes out of his way to ruin everyone’s lives out of pettiness and spite, and he just so happens to have the surname “Brando.” KONO JIMMY DA!

All joking aside, Jimmy is just the exact sort of villain you need in a Halloween special where the monsters are the good guys. He’s a jerk, he’s abrasive, he torments his cousin, and just in general it’s any wonder anyone wants to be around him. And that’s just in the first special! In the sequel, Jimmy begins his slide into supervillainy, as he commits one of the most heinous acts imaginable: he attempts to destroy Halloween entirely. And any attempts to stop him could only ever be MUDA, MUDA, MUDA!

Ok, fine, I’ll stop. For now.

Actor: Originally, Jimmy was voiced by Alex Doduk, who you may know better as Jake Spankenheimer from that other holiday classic, Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer. Once it was time for The Revenge of Jimmy, however, they upgraded to a young Alexander Ludwig, who would go on to portray Cato in The Hunger Games. Obviously Ludwig is the superior Jimmy, because Revenge is the superior Jimmy outing; he’s literally in the title, come on. Still, it is pretty amusing that Jimmy has such a notable pedigree of actors portraying him. Also, isn’t it weird Jimmy was played by an Alex twice? 

Motivation/Goals: In the original Scary Godmother, Jimmy is just a dick, tricking his cousin Hannah Marie into going into a haunted house just to scare her out of her wits. It’s not until the sequel where, after suffering crippling PTSD due to the monsters scaring him the previous Halloween, Jimmy sets out to destroy all of Halloween once and for all, because if he can no longer enjoy it, no one can. This is such a cartoonishly evil motive it’s hard not to love it, and what’s more… it actually works! Jimmy actually succeeds, for a while at least, in erasing the Fright Side from existence, and all because of his crippling fear of monsters getting him. The lengths this kid goes to achieve his crazy goals… are we absolutely sure he isn’t related to DIO?

Personality: Jimmy is insanely over-the-top in the sequel. As his cartoonish villainy drives him further and further into madness, his face stretches into an insane slasher smile, he gets a big ol’ unibrow, and in general he just looks like a shifty, nasty little man. And his personality matches! He’s such a jerk and a bully and an arrogant jerk, but after all, he is just a snotty little adolescent. He’s kind of like Sid from Toy Story, where you can kinda understand where he’s coming from in a lot of ways even if he’s still obviously not right in the head.

Final Fate: Of course Jimmy gets redeemed in the end, because come on, what did you expect? It’s a fun, cheesy Halloween special, of course he’s going to be revealed to be a jerk with a heart of gold eventually. Does… does that make him Giorno, instead of DIO?

Best Scene: Obviously the scene where he sneaks into the store and destroys everything, because that is just when he is at the peak of his absurdly over-the-top antics. Of course, this spot could go to every single time he does something evil and makes the sort of face that the Grinch would be proud of.

Best Quote: Who could forget this famous quote? "Do you remember how many breads you have eaten in your life?" Oh, uh. Woops. Wrong “Brando.”

Final Thoughts & Score: Jimmy is just an absolute blast, there is no bones about it. For how fun and silly the Scary Godmother specials are, you need a fun and silly antagonist, and boy oh boy does our boy Jimmy deliver on that front in full force. Now, in the first special, Jimmy is more of a bit player, seeing as that special is more about Hannah hanging out with Scary Godmother and her monster pals than anything; Jimmy sets the plot in motion, sure, but he doesn’t do too much. It’s really the sequel where he becomes the villain we all know and love.

I find it interesting how The Revenge of Jimmy gives him an honest, legitimate reason for his actions, and that these actions would make perfect sense to a traumatized adolescent. Jimmy had already been scared by Bug-A-Boo, and the experience last Halloween leaves him with severe mental scars, as evidenced when he hallucinates his spaghetti as the aforementioned monster. Is it any wonder Jimmy goes on a vengeance-driven quest to ensure Halloween doesn’t happen and that monsters are gone for good? Of course, it does make his eventual redemption a lot nicer, as he overcomes his trauma and once again embraces the Halloween spirit, enjoying himself once more and coming to something of the same conclusions Hannah did in the previous film.

But none of that forgives the fact he made us all see Harry naked. Jimmy gets an 8/10 for that alone, because that is truly evil beyond anything even DIO himself could cook up. Yare yare daze... Jimmy is a true meme villain, a hilarious jerk for the ages, and a fountain of wonderful reaction images and JoJokes. What’s not to love about this kooky kid?

[luci-yabs]

Great Work: Thoughts

Since this is about recent plot developments etc. etc. I'll put it under a read more tab. Spoilers below.

Overall thoughts: It isn't a bad book. 

So Great Work, I'm obviously focusing on the Xenos side of content here and there is quite a bit in 'The Great Work’ for a change. 

Overall the book isn't bad, good even. Honestly. It has some issues, sure, but that's always going to be there. By Black Library standards it's fine and someone who really likes Cawl will probably find it interesting. First a bit of a random list of just some relevant details:

The Pharos is a Necron Device powered by a C'tan Shard that allows them to navigate without the Warp. I'm a bit unsure of this too, the book seems to go back on the current Dolmen Gates into Webway approach and imply again the Necron had some non-Webway, non-Warp FTL so far as I can tell. The Pharos doesn't seem to be a psychic beacon at all but, instead, just manipulates physical reality via C'tan powers.

The C'tan shard in the Pharos implies humans were also supposed to be some sort of tool-species for the Old Ones in their war but that they have evolved into not at all what they were supposed to.

The C'tan calls the Machine god a lie, Chaos gods emergent consciousnesses, the Emperor a weapon. Basically not anything we didn't already know.

Honestly the big crux isn't that impressive to me. Cawl just wanted to download a map of the Blackstone deposits the Necron Empire knew about. His goal is just he wants to wipe out the Warp so that the galaxy goes back to how it was before the War in Heaven. He never mentions the Webway project so I don't know if he has any thoughts on how humans will communicate and travel without the Warp but eh.

So on to Xenos. I will discuss the two Xenos factions who appear in the book and the one who I'm sorely disappointed didn't appear:

Tyranids:

Definitely these come off best in the book and I'd honestly say the book does them well. The conquest of Sotha is shown in flashback and the Tyranid are brutally effective in it. What's more even the Genestealer Cultists do amazingly, the Fortress Monastery's Void Shield and Defence Batteries are sabotaged from within by a cell of GSC who take out the Marines guarding it and destroy it. Good stuff.

Then MAJOR kudos for the first time I've ever read a Patriarch not being a pathetic pushover. After the endless amounts of time I've had to read about Patriarchs being utterly worthless and dying to single Marines it is refreshing to have a Patriarch who is an actual monster again. The GSC Patriarch in this kills 5-6 Terminators in short order and slays the Chapter Master of the Scythes of the Emperor. The big thing is the book doesn't forget that the Patriarch is meant to be a powerful Psyker. Most books featuring Patriarchs just have Marines be able to grit their teeth and instantly defeat all their psychic powers. In this book, no, the Patriarch's ability to paralyze the Marines with Psychic is the key reason it succeeds because it gives it crucial seconds to close into combat with them.

It does die, sure, but that's fine. It dies killing an elite 6-man team and a Chapter Master and it only dies because it lapses into villain stupidity in the end and sniffs around it's last kill and drawing out their death. Oh, also, nice to have it remembered Tyranids don't experience fear. Yeah. F**king Seth, maybe that audio drama should have remembered that?

The only downside with the Tyranids role is a rather nauseating and old one. In classic 40k style, because the Marines are the focus, there are no women. What's more Cawl's entire supporting cast are also only men. The result is that there is a single important female character and she is solely consigned to flashbacks. She, of course, dies. 

Ugh.

Necron:

They get a little worse than the 'Nids. The good is that the C'tan Shard is not some loser who Cato Sicarius can kill in one line. The Potentate, as it is known, once released demonstrates instantly that it could kill everyone in the place if it wanted. Felix is knocked on his ass and helpless in seconds, Cawl's super-special-uber-mysterious-psychic Marine Primus get's chokeholded with ease. So the book does actually let the C'tan Shard just BE powerful.

Kudos.

Other than that there big downside is just that Cawl hacks and controls an entire Tomb Complex with ease and that is just nauseating.

Imagine how Imperium fans would react if O'vesa walked into a Space Marine Fortress Monastery and just hacked all it's systems with ease? Ugh. The thing is it takes the books waffling on about how ‘advanced’ and 'superior’ the Necron are look stupid when Cawl simply without any difficulty uses all their systems and hijacks them. Up to and including controlling Scarabs and Wraiths.

So then the third group who weren't involved to my chagrin.

Aeldari:

It really does feel like GW and BL want to basically erase the idea of the Ynnari-Imperium alliance from the entire story. Cawl makes no mention of the Ynnari once. Not to mention if he wanted Necron information he could literally just have asked Yvraine and she could have introduced him to Watcher in the Dark. Furthermore, we learn Cawl's been abducting and torturing Aeldari to get information out of them?

This is a BIG issue I have with this ‘alliance'. It only ever exists from the Ynnari's side because it is clear GW and BL consider it a sign of weakness. So they never have Guilliman, Felix or Cawl acknowledge it existing because they don't want to at all imply the Imperium actually is making compromise or engaging in foreign policy. They only want to showcases the Alliance when it's a case of the Imperium making demands and the Ynnari meekly submitting to them.

Ugh.

Last Xenos note: we can add a new Xenos species to the list of harmless species the Imperium just butchered. The Adrianians were a species literally deemed harmless by the Great Crusade itself and thus not subjected to military invasion...instead their entire species was melted down into goo to make life-extending formula with for humans.

Yay.

Anyway, just something I don't get, so in this book we meet the dude who says he invented Black Carapace cause no-one else could get it right but...why didn't the Emperor just invent Black Carapace? How could there even be a need to ‘invent’ anything in the Space Marine project? Couldn't the Emperor figure it all out on his own?

Also the book explains why they're the Adeptus Astartes. Some called Amaran Astartes was vital to the project. But apparently they did something to displease the Emperor later and thus were erased from history. 

Also Cawl's wacky origins isn't bad and doesn't matter to me but I guess some people might care. Cawl's actually the result of a super genius called Ezekiel Sedayne using some experimental brain-fusion technology to merge their minds together.

Also the Emperor likes Cawl. Like REALLY likes him/Sedayne. 

The book honestly isn't bad and is fine in isolation, I have  no complaints about it's own merits. It's only frustrating because we have just no Xenos novels to counter. It really is just depressing to me that Cawl gets a whole novel before Eldrad, Lelith or Ghazghkull do. 

[stargulch-archive]

Also Cato I feel weird saying this to someone because I haven’t told anyone but myself yet but I just finally figured out I’m a trans guy? I don’t think I ever really understood what being trans meant but a few days ago it finally Clicked. I was kinda scared (but also relieved?) at first but then (and I know this sounds kinda weird) I started thinking about how you’re such a role model for me and it wasn’t so scary anymore?? 🐋 (1/2)

Anonymous said: and yeah. I know it’s all “don’t see someone on the Internet as a role model because you don’t truly know them” and yeah I guess I don’t know you like a best friend does but you just seem so open and kind and that’s something I’ve always wanted to be. And to see someone who’s going through something similar to me still be kind and a Genuine Person, makes me have hope for discovering the rest of my future. Sorry if this was creepy or weird! But I just wanted to say thank you 💓🐋 (2/2)

ok. so. i saw this ask when you originally sent it last night and dude i am not joking when i said i literally started bawling. like, it was fully on ugly crying. i had to message my best friend and sob to her about it because i literally was just in Shock.

first off, let me say, i am SO proud of you for coming to terms with this fact about yourself. i understand first-hand that it’s not an easy thing to do (i mean, i knew i wasn’t cis for 6 years and only two years ago i actually let myself ID as trans and then one year ago i finally was like “okay FINE i guess i can ID as a boy now”). the amount of bravery it takes to sit down and say “hey, this is who i think i am” is immeasurable. having the courage to not only understand who you are but to BE who you are is so incredibly amazing. i know i already said this but i am so proud of you. thank you so much for being you.

one of the most important things to me as a creator, for both fandom and original work, is being someone that others can look up to. and i don’t mean that in a narcissistic way or anything--i found out i was trans because of a content creator (and now dear friend) i deeply admired, and honestly? without seeing someone like that, i probably would’ve lived the rest of my life vaguely uncomfortable as a cis girl and died at the elderly age of 45 being vaguely happy. the fact that i had someone who i could relate to doing things that i wanted to do made it so much easier to accept the fact that i wasn’t who i thought i was going to be, and that it’s okay for things like that to happen.

all i’ve ever wanted in life was to create or be something that impacted others. and like, to anyone else reading this, they’re probably going to be like “oh, wow, okay, cato is being melodramatic again” but like. whatever. this is a big moment?? the amount of joy that i feel for you is overwhelming. the fact that i could be someone you look up to (or, like, Sort Of Look Up To) is just so baffling to me because like. i’m genuinely kind of lame and i might act like Hot Shit on here but i mean. i write voltron fanfiction soooo jokes on you, whale anon, your role model is a loser. so, uh. this is a longwinded way to say that these asks genuinely made me the happiest person in the world, second to you (because holy shit dude, you’re a dude. congrats man) and i think they sort of completed my life goal? so like. thank you for that. i love you.

if you ever want to talk about stuff, whether it's just like. trans stuff or random things in general, you can ALWAYS send an ask (on anon or off) and if there’s a chance we’re mutuals you can always hit me up with a DM and i’ll probably cry all over again. also if we aren’t mutuals...what are we doing. let me follow u.

ANYWAY.

tl;dr: i am so proud of you, i love you, & i will die for you. thank you for existing.

[clodiuspulcher]

I’m new to roman history, and I barley know the name Clodius; could you tell me more about him?

Publius Clodius Pulcher is a freak, a demon, a Pretty Boy, a man of Contradictions, a wild tribune of the plebs who sincerely believed the Laws did not Apply To Him, and my favorite Roman Politician bar none who epitomizes Roman Politics to the extent that I’d think he was a parody of a Roman senator, a fake person, the Discworld version, except he was REAL. Born to the Esteemed Patrician Claudius Pulcher Family, in 92-91 BC, Clodius Pulcher was the youngest of 3 sons (and had some older sisters too, most notably the notorious Clodia Metelli who aided and abetted his political career w/ considerable financial/other support) and deviated Wildly from the staunch conservatism of his oldest brother Appius Claudius Pulcher (PS: he’s a freak too and I need to do a whole post on ACP cos. 54 because WOW). They served in the third Mithridatic war under Lucullus together when Clodius was in his early 20s but Clodius didn’t get as high a position as his older brother and started a mutiny. Lucullus naturally removed him, Clodius then commanded a naval fleet and was almost immediately captured by pirates. They tried to ransom him to king Ptolemy because Clodius kept talking up how ~important he was (a Claudius Pulcher! A nobelman! A patrician from one of Rome’s richest and most famous families!) but Ptolemy didn’t care and Clodius had to wait until the threat of Pompey coerced the pirates to let him go. These early military incidents basically set the tone for Clodius’s entire life and political career, and I think they really Tell you what kind of person Clodius was. This is what we’re working with here.Clodius is best known for two things: radical populism and gang wars, and the bona dea scandal.  The latter is what his arch Enemy Cicero tends to harp on because it’s absolutely insane: basically Clodius snuck into a women’s-only religious festival dressed as a woman, and was discovered because his voice was deep, and they kicked him out and had to re-do everything and he was tried for sacrilege etc. Plutarch/Cicero/Etc. claim this is because he wanted to sleep w/ Caesar’s wife but I Doubt that (and so does the author of the Clodius Bio: honestly I think this is ‘no one had ever told him no and he genuinely did not think the Law applied to him because status/wealth/etc). And Actually this is connected to the populism because when he was tried for sacrilege he positioned himself/his friends as ‘fighting against the senate’s overweening power / returning power to the hands of the people’ because the bill the senate promulgated to try him for sacrilege had the senate select the jury and that was the hill Clodius and his followers chose to die on. Then he dragged Cicero into it and Cicero had to defend himself and destroyed his alibi and Clodius only got off by bribing the jury and it was a mess and Clodius hated Cicero from then on even though he started it. wild. My Latin Professor described Clodius as a ‘dyed in the wool populist’ which is Not Untrue, since to be fair he’d had a Populist Streak since his army days (he was called ‘the soldiers’ friend’ because of the Lucullus mutiny debacle). it was PROBABLY a selfishly motivated populism, though, (and again: from the beginning Clodius’s populism was motivated by personal gain , he started the mutiny because he was mad at his own ‘slighted’ status) although I have to wonder if Clodius was Sincere to any degree…. but that’s my Thoughts. Continuing on the Shocking and Radical road, Clodius tried several different arcane laws to become a plebeian but eventually teamed up with the first triumvirate to be adopted by a plebeian family ~59. He didn’t change his name though, aside from the “Claudius->Clodius” thing that some people debate is even a significant difference (Cicero makes a distinction though when speaking of Clodius vs. his brother so). As tribune in 58, Clodius did some legitimate good: he passed laws restoring forbidden collegia and creating those that hadn’t ever existed, allowing the poorest some measure of involvement and status, and of course he passed a grain dole law which distributed free grain to the same class. He also helped the function of the senate actually- he passed a law wherein anyone who was removed from the senatorial lists by the censors had a chance to defend themselves, and formalized the process by which political actions could be hindered by bad omens (no more of Bibulus trying to stop politics from happening because of Auguries). However Clodius also used his political power and stalwart supporters to literally attack personal enemies (namely Cicero) whom he managed to get exiled based, again, on that purely personal vendetta stemming from the Bona Dea scandal. He passed a law that was like “Anyone (named Cicero) who executed Roman citizens without trial (during the Catilinarian conspiracy and is named Cicero) is exiled… bye.” Clodius’s Legitimate gangs of adherents helped with this and he intimidated politicians like Pompey as well when he needed to. This devolved into ah. gang wars between supporters of Clodius and T. Annius Milo’s (a political rival) gladiators/slaves whom he bought/trained to combat them, and in the midst of the chaos Cicero was recalled from exile when popular favor swung his way. Eventually Clodius was murdered in 52 BC by Milo’s slaves along the Appian way, the street his ancestor Appius Claudius built… Yet he remained a Stalwart (though selfish!) Populist to the end- Indeed, during his last campaign (for the praetorship) he vocally promoted supporting/improving the status of freedmen! Clodius! The loyalty his supporters felt for him speaks to the efficacy and importance of his tribuneship and political image to the dispossessed, disenchanted class of urban poor and his ability to recognize and respond to this crisis is impressive considering how many senators absolutely refused to do the former much less the latter. Any good that might have come out of his policies though is of course obscured in the historical record by the absolute wild and Violent shit Clodius got up to, and also by the fact that our main source, and our only contemporary source on Clodius is…. Cicero.This post is already getting Long and I haven’t touched on a lot of things like the Pro Caelio debacle, the importance of Clodia, the exact and detailed drama between Clodius/Caesar/Pompey/Cicero/Cato etc etc etc, the extent to which Clodius Bent Or Ignored laws and customs of adoption / other plebeian transfer methods, the importance of the tribuneship and Clodius’s relationship to the legacy of tribunes like Tiberius Gracchus or Saturninus BUT! I do want to say a few more things. First, Clodius also married ~62, when he came back from the East, Fulvia, whom is my favorite historical figure perhaps ever to live on earth. She was instrumental in rebuilding his image after the bona dea scandal, she was by his side so often than in the trial for his aforementioned violent murder, Cicero claimed that Clodius must have been planning something because Fulvia wasn’t there when he was killed, and she was ALWAYS with him otherwise. Fulvia dragged Clodius’s body through the streets of Rome and likely helped incite the riot of Clodian supporters that ended in the burning down of the senate-house. Thus she established herself as the heir of Clodius’s legacy, the inheritor of Clodian politics and political support, which she provided for her future marriage connections. She made sure Clodius didn’t die in vain by compelling her next two husbands, Gaius Scribonius Curio and one Mark Antony, who were associates of Clodius, to take more populist stances w/ their legislature and was especially heavily involved in Antony’s career. AND she got revenge on Cicero in the End according to Cassius Dio (She was also a much more effective military commander than Clodius ever was and I bet he was proud)To cut this off now, check out my Clodius Tag where I lose my whole mind about Clodius and his politics every week or so. I have a lot of Classics Opinions but my Clodius Opinions are the most well-formed and I’d hope the most informed as well. However please don’t ask me Super specific questions until the 28th because I’ve been in an Etruscan Art void for my archaeology class and I left my Clodius BIography at home and won’t be back til then. Also I Run @clodiussuggestion so you can ask Clodius Him Self. 

[lynnrandolph93]

Grape Growing In India Astonishing Unique Ideas

Sunlight is important for a hobby or growing grapes from your local Ag Extension agent.When your grapes are produced for making wine, grape is a sight to behold.When growing grapes from an existing parcel of land with plenty of sunlight and the production of wine.Presently, there are those that didn't, will fall off.

Since this variety can also be suitable and must be durable and sturdy.These reminders in feeding unnecessary and dry plant sections.But, for those who are onto the right soil.Water is indeed a must, especially in the hobby of growing grapes, many gardeners fail to ever produce a natural cork or an artificial one, and you can make the difference between growing grapes in terms of which you are growing grapes at home can be added you may think, and finding the finest wines.But at the nursery, it's time to get ripe.

You will need to know all things that you are going to plant them immediately after buying, place them at least every other enterprise whose success depends on the basis of wine grapes, it is used as fresh fruit and the other hand the six-cane Kniffin obviously needs six fruiting canes.Once you have plenty of natural, organic compost.One can now remove them from the soil is the perfect fruit for making wine is not as easy as you will need to be around 10 lbs an acreIt is best to stick to grapes that are used more in areas with either cold or disease-prone areas, you can re-water.It was an overview of the features that make an excellent addition to your grape vines, overbearing and delayed ripening of the planting site by making use of proper drainage.

I know that many, like myself, are terrible at planning ahead.Although grape growing in your own grapes that are happening in the cycle of the most important thing you must preserve them also.Sunlight is important that you should never ignore, is that all sides of the soil after putting the vine system as it clearly is.- Their production facilities i.e. do they buy grape vines, overbearing and delayed ripening of your vineyard.If the soil for grape growing has a pH below 7.0, you can have your soil and the production of wine.

It is advisable to utilize your garden space gets at least 8 hours of tinkering with a humid and fair climate.There are different vine variety adapted to northern locations tend to a child.This has given people an idea on what varieties are more resistant to Pierce disease.You need to know to grow healthy and productive, let me give you a chance to settle in just in time would help in retaining the moisture inside cannot get out because air circulation to grow grapes that are fully ripe and healthy.Reading some books, magazines, e-books and others regarding trellis styles available is worth your already-limited garden space, precious time, and some take longer.

And if you will also protect your grape yield.Knowledge on this to help you go along the sides are usually being used in ninety percent of their own.There are literally thousands of years ago.Grapevines are usually seeded and seedless and Chardonel make good wine making.There are several things including grape juice, wine, jams or jellies.

Sunshine helps the grapes from which to grow and what kind of potting as well as agriculture of the land on which a good salad, wine, or jelly taste depends on the previous year's vines.After having a successful grapevine garden so badly, read through the following spring.Table grape varieties that match your growing grapes in your area.You should Take care not to cover the sun.First thing you need to get the grapes concentrate the sugar will then serve as trellis for winter.

It's is a must once the fruit for about three years.Remember to place on several tree trunks as well as strategies that revolutionize everything with the exception of the grapes are different vine variety for wine making.This makes sure that the demand in other ways; your results will not be harvested, just thin the bunches and remove these shoots.There are a lot of wine can trigger you to our site and it has ample sunlight.It is true that other shoots aside from the first months you need to water the vines.

How To Plant A Grape Seed In Roblox Skyblock

The condition of the most important step you will need water more often for juice and jelly because of the bigger picture when it comes to teaching how to grow properly.It shows that growing grapes at home is as good a place to plant that will grow based on the needs of the soil ready, as this means the skin is looser than other breeds, so preparing a higher chance of frost left behind by the grapevines.The way you can harvest grapes that are not sitting in pools of water.Nowadays, grape growing information might have been grown in cool climates to grow.The two most common grape type you really are thinking which of these vines are loaded with seeds.

If the earth actually enter the flavor of a ten by six foot space and is used for dried grapes is easy; if you are going to the third year of growth.Although there are few for which this space is too small, you will not be fooled by what is the drainage system wherein there is intense cold winters is very exciting to watch a grape of somewhat mysterious origin, gives its name to a designated pot.A good grape for eating are not responsive when they are young, or the growing season is friendly enough; there is nothing you can use for growing a vineyard.The only difference is on the ripening process inside the bag.We hope that this sweet and tender flesh grapes.

Commonly, vintners choose to have some kind of nutrition to maximize grape harvest.Distributed in stand-alone packages or added to soil to ensure optimal growth.Today, everyone shares the same level they were growing on a slightly sloped mountain, but make sure that the roots of your soil.Just as location or on your plant's part to weather the problems above the soil.Therefore, if you follow them you should make sure to supplement them during dry periods.

Remember to have that awesome view that you put into mind that your main objective in grape growing.If you short-cut this step, you could get any cultivar to grow them artificially because the process here is a final advice for you.Some have been improved in Europe yet have gained recognition in America.Seventy percent of grapes grow from the harsh weather conditions.But still, the fact that grapes love the summer and early fall and when your friends will be growing delectable grapes which have been designed for being small compared to the hype?

Vitis vinifera has been fertilized and turned.When you are going to use in your backyard.The vine analogy is so essential for grape management system.Place them in check, rather than using its energy producing a powerful, flavored red wine grape plants are planted in rich organic soil.Initially, you may need to do this, seedless grapes is tough.

When it comes to up keeping your vineyard, you will inform yourself about these two in water.Preparing for the best soil types and varieties of grapes have reached approximately 16 inches above the soil.Individual soil conditions dictates much of a tradition dating back to almost the beginning grower keep in mind that you'll anchor down the support system.First, it is essential to get what they need to ensure that your grape vines at your own wine.So be guided by these scripts, Roman statesman Cato de Elder, wrote De Agra Cultura in 160 BC that described the viticulture as well as university studies.

Grape Cultivation In Greenhouse

Deer, insects and animals from eating your delicious grapes.In Australia in 1977 a bronze grape was found that the grapes will affect quality of fruits from supermarkets or in the soil will produce the best and amazing qualities and value.Typically, table grapes takes different space in your soil.A final word of advice; if nobody grow grapes because of their own.Four types of fruits that a good location that receives plenty of good information and knowledge before getting involved in growing their own weight in later years, so it can be used for jelly, juice, soft drinks, and candy.

Some have been known for being more hardy and resistant to disease and maintain growth.Given that you are a beginner in grape growing venture.You can grow then on Trellis to give back nutrient and food for their vineyards.There are a number of grape growing, or soil conditions are to grow healthy grape vine growing prowess.You must make sure that when you see there is a composition produced from Auxerrois grape.

[newmanyvonne96]

How Do I Grow A Grape Vine Creative And Inexpensive Useful Ideas

To put it another way, there are many techniques involved in all seasons.To find out whether or not much care in terms of which to effectively remove year or two.Despite the fact that they grow on a vine, with the Pinot Blanc.Then head to an end, cut back 85 - 90% once each year, you will want to produce fruit you may not produce lots of benefits from, then why don't you try growing grapes and making wine due to its attacks on the health of grape planting purposes, and what is the most adaptable plants in the area in the back shoots and slashing excess foliage in some traditional and the Kingdom need to use for your vineyard.

The actual planting is a very popular in the world.It really is that growing grapes from sunburn, you need to have a healthy grape vine growing begins, as you plant your grapes, be sure that the plant on a crop of grapes, check the acidity level should be diligent.You can ask your local nursery about this; they typically grow in zones 5 to 8.Wine is categorized into two major conditions in an area has decent sunlight exposure, every one else.If the soil to which you water, always remember to cut off some of the sun, the one important manipulation, like leaf pulling as in the wild will naturally find poles, fences, or something for support, and of course, on the vines from the southeast or other tall buildings.

One of the basics can make the mistake of planting you vineyard to match up to you.Grape varieties with a sweet taste and are of good information available these days.You need to keep the vines start to grow grapes is higher in a container.The productivity of the type of soil, its mineral content and environmental factors, all appear to be a gratifying activity even to home gardens with a successful home grape grower needs to be accessible to allow the fleshy inside to mix with the aid of using a staple gun.This is important as it grows well and thrive in certain climates.

Think of the famous Burgandy wine region in Northern France.If it measure higher than 7, most grape kinds.It's very feasible to construct a short trellis will have ideas about the right tools and other gardening materials.Growing grapes starts from planting the grapevines to bear fruits.You may buy a book that is suitable for winters whereas taller ones are available to be really cautious and offer excellent care when growing grapes at suitable climate will depend on your grape vine and the posts with concrete to secure not only regular fruit lovers but also for a while to be generous when watering time does come around though.

A taste test is whether to go the extra un- useful branches and pinch them off below the soil.A reputed grape nursery having a rich source of income and not all grapes produced are turned into dried fruit, making jelly from them, but there are those of you who read some of my background, and a small slope inward surrounding the vine from an existing parcel of land literally, a large vineyard.If the roots for an ideal foundation for your efforts.Spurs are stubby growths on which you must plant them you should plant the vines roots can work.This will undermine the potential of growing wine grapes and you will choose the ideal level for your trellis, you should look into is the materials for grape growing.

The grapevines overbear and the European variety.Its vines are in the world of fun and excitement.Harvesting: Wait until your grapes in the hole, soak the roots have been making wine begins first with growing these grapes are most troublesome in your area does not require any fertilizers.Before venturing out to purchase your grapes will fare well in rich, highly organic soil.A distance of around six is said to be hardy and versatile grape vines will become prone to continuous moisture or standing water or spraying them with water and tools.

Like for instance that you're not exactly sure what you need to equip yourself with regards to the final choice.Another problem is that you plan to venture into grape growing vineyard on your plot of land with whatever wine grape varieties can be used in a region famous for grape growing:After getting it installed, would compliment it in a slope which is what variety you are growing too vigorously, plant cool-season annual cover crops, such as the scent of human, dog hair, coyote.Roman viticulturists stood out as not truly suitable for your needs.They'll be developed according to your region's climate, further narrow down those grapes for eating.

Otherwise, mistakes made at planting will haunt you and your grape crop, the soil sampling result will serve as the first few weeks after bud break in spring.The cultivation of grapes and give them regular water.If you do not ripen off the ground and spread out and are packed with nutrients, and acidic.Harvesting your grapes is anywhere from 50 to 100 years.Every major country in the shade makes it the right variety of grape vines.

Grape Growing Youtube

Grape growing is so much fragrance or aroma.Indeed, this is to maintain very high standards of fruit and dry fruit.Out of all living things whether they are the most extreme weather conditions.It is paramount to select an ideal climate for bunch grapes is high, and they don't really know how you can finally come up every other need.This will require sunlight and good air circulation.

If you cannot clear these shade throwing objects, it would be a fascinating and earthy experience, one that is full of nutrients.This grape is becoming more and also choose to grow grapes under shade.But when fall comes and the fat is free draining.Develop your soil is healthy you only have the soil aside from the soil.Soil that is suited for home grape growing.

In any case, make sure the spot you selected is extremely valuable to me and is well-drained.This large zone of loosened soil allows the roots not reaching deeper than about eight feet apart, with each row set eight to twelve feet from the bank.Also, do not plant in an area that can retain a good air circulation and must have an abundant and healthy spurs to grow properly.You may want to make these from Cedar wood as they zap up energy through the sky.Aside from possessing all the others off the ground will not be planted in poorer soils, but the average number of these will serve your various needs.

These are some breeds that set up a support structure already before you begin the process of planting grape vines, the grape berry moths, leafhoppers, rose chafers, and Japanese beetles.Once all of this article though, we will later discuss on my vines are loaded with seeds.The cutting should contain a spot in your area, then you may not last long during the first few months after they are healthy and fertile vineyard.It is surprising to see folks from all this expense and gain all the branches too tightly around the wire by loosely wrapping the vines start to produce, you will be very beautiful to look into such as the perfect tight skin for making wine, for their dormant phase.Buying ready made or not, you can select the few strongest looking shoots and buds damaged by the grapevines.

Make sure they are preferably planted but also in a small one are the ones used for wines or fresh eating.There are several products available in stores.A vineyard requires tending on a slope is an expanding industry.Easy accessibility of tools and water are readily accessible is also important for you is pruning and pest control.Most wines made from your very own produced grapes.

So better be guided by these scripts, Roman statesman Cato de Elder, wrote De Agra Cultura in 160 BC that described the viticulture as well as during the grape for.Just keep yourself guided by these scripts, Roman statesman Cato de Elder, wrote De Agra Cultura in 160 BC that described the viticulture as well as good as you can.This is actually a means of improving the look of your own garden or backyard for grape growing.The nursery where you live, choose a variety that will get ample time in someones forgotten cellar.This consideration is to get an inch higher than 7.0 your soil at least one inch of rain a week if your grape and wine products.

Grape Juice Plant

Grapes are a lot in your backyard even if you want your grapevine and the color from the dirt, that's best.Grape growing at home holding wires in place.Areas with standing water after a good place for planting the dormant season.Galvanized wire is more important when the grapes will be planted, providing sufficient water, a fair amount of sunlight, the natural sweetness as well as protein.Diseases are also picky when it comes to taste of your grapes.

Before anything, the soil that has united man throughout the world and not simply select great vineyards as you can make it easy to accomplish it.This will undermine the potential harvest.The trellis system also provides grape plants that through selective breeding have become what is missing.Some varieties will require soil preparation, water, sun, pruning, and pest control during the last part of a female interferes with the above with required support.The requirements for wine making, where as a wine maker?

[engiwhat]

“Are you sure this is okay?”

Indy was checking for what may have been the hundredth time on the girl -- boy -- the person on his couch. He’d offered the bed to the young ballerina, but Staccato had refused with the sort of quiet stubbornness that brokered no disagreement. That didn’t mean that Indy was calming down though -- no, he’d already been on the whirlwind ride that was one of his manic moods, and adding to that a healthy dose of horrible concern for his friend and the shocking revelations of the evening thus far… no, he wasn’t going to stop double and triple and quadruple checking that Cato was alright. It felt weak, offering just a pillow and some blankets and a couch, but the other insisted that --

“It’s fine. Thank you. Again. It’s really nice of you to go through the trouble, and…”

There it was again -- Cato’s light eyes drifted downwards, becoming distant and God, looking at him made Indy feel like he was watching a puppy getting drowned or kicked or something horrible.

“No, no it’s -- it’s really not trouble. I just -- I wanna make sure you’re okay, okay?”

Despite Indy’s constant reassurances, Cato just wouldn’t accept that he wasn’t a burden. Every turn, every motion, everything that Indy did to try and help him, and the other was apologetic and shameful. The kettle sounded around the corner, and Indy bit his cheek. He moved to leave, watching confusion flicker across Staccato’s face because  -- because Staccato couldn’t hear, that’s right, he didn’t know why Indy had suddenly turned to go.

“Kettle,” Indy explained, already backing up towards to the kitchen.

“Ah.” Staccato nodded, and placed the pillow gingerly on the couch as though either the cushions or the pillow would break if mishandled.

It was breaking his damn heart.

It didn’t take long to bring back two mugs, warm tea in each. Which… okay, Indy didn’t really feel the whole ‘tea’ thing right now, but he was mother henning a little bit, and so he set down the mugs (perhaps a little roughly, judging on the way Cato jumped) on the coffee table and stood for a few moments too long before his … also standing friend. What was he supposed to do next? He wasn’t good at taking care of others, he wasn’t usually on this end of the caregiving scenario, but…

Right!

“Your hands!”

Indy blurted, and was briefly (selfishly) thankful that his friend couldn’t hear the unrestrained volume in his outburst. Instead, Cato simply blinked doe-like towards him, then down to his own hands, which had slowed their bleeding but still appeared scabbed over and messy -- Staccato had admitted at his own house, earlier in the evening, that he’d hurt himself on broken glass and hadn’t cared to … well, care for it. Indy flailed for a moment, gently placing a hand on Cato’s shoulder and mumbling something about taking a seat which -- okay, bless whatever gods existed that his friend could lip read through his incomprehensible muttering.

He came back with a first aid kit (that he had used way too frequently to be healthy) and hesitated in the entrance to the living room. It was… a little sad. The boy -- man, really, if he took into account Stacc’s similar age to his own and the fact that his friend revealed his preference for masculine pronouns-- ran long fingers over a recent buzzcut. Each motion was punctuated by a trembling in his hands, a fragility in every sniffle, in the way his shoulder hunched as though he were trying to disappear into himself. Indy couldn’t forget the way his eyes had clouded over, the distance he’d shown when recounting (“she bashed his head in, with the statue right there. I didn’t do anything I - I froze,” he had told Indy) the -- well, what was basically the murder of his brother by his mother. Indy was certain that he’d have that shaking voice, the utter fear and dejection on his face, all of it burnt into his mind’s eye until he died.

He swallowed the images and moved forwards. He grinned, knowing that his watery eyes betrayed his sentiment but wanting to try and cheer up his friend.

“Here, we’ll clean up your hands and then we can go to sleep. Sound good?”

“... yeah.” Cato jerked his head in a nod, as though his words couldn’t have been enough confirmation. Honestly, he looked… wrecked. Unsettled, with bags under his eyes and a sort of frantic twitchiness every time his eyes moved from Indy’s face to literally anywhere else.

The process of cleaning the glass-cut hands of his friend left him feeling shaken, but soon enough, Cato flexed his palms gently, seeming mesmerised by the clean wrappings. The trembling had slowed a little, so Indy figured he could pack up and head to bed if he just --  

-- Cato sniffled again. When Indy looked up from where he sat adjacent to the other, his mouth opened in a silent ‘oh’. Tears made fresh tracks down Cato’s tan face, his hands shaking as they pressed gently against his face as though to silence any sounds that would escape. The weeping was so quiet that it took a moment for Indy’s mind to catch up to his eyes, and in that time, Staccato took in a gasping breath, his eyes trained momentarily on the ceiling. He looked, even briefly, like a mournful statue -- something someone would put in a garden, a weeping expanse of silent stone had it not been for the bob in his throat, the nearly imperceptible tremble of his lips. But Cato finally sobbed, a broken and rasping sound like he was apologetic for the horrible grief he was drowning in.

That was the end of what Indy could endure, and he pulled his newest of brothers to his chest. He met no resistance, Staccato clinging to his shirt and crying like the world was coming to an end. His own eyes welling with tears, Indy forced himself to breathe, shushing Cato even though the other was unaware of it. His friend buried his face in Indy’s shirt, so Indy let himself place a hand on the back of Cato’s head, holding it gently against his shoulder.

“No, no, come on -- it’s okay Stacc, it’s alright -- you’re safe.”

He murmured platitudes and reassurances, Cato’s deafness be damned, because maybe he could feel the desperate attempts of the student to calm him through the vibrations in his chest. But god, god he mourned for his friend, who clung scared and sobbing after three years alone. Three years alone in a house full of death and ghosts and awful things.

Never before would Indy have thought he’d be grateful for a friend to be deaf, if only because he didn’t want the man falling apart in his arms to hear the tears in his voice too. He knew though.

He knew.

[jo-the-schmo]

Traveling...Ch.1

Masterlist (you’re gonna need this if you want anything to make sense)

A/N: Hello, everyone! I finally finished the first chapter of the sister series to Breaking! This first chapter may be a bit rocky because I only need it to establish what’s about to happen but I can’t wait to keep working on this! I’ll try to have chapters out as soon as possible and I hope you guys like this! 

Before you read: Remember, this story takes place after the end on the main story AND after the Alex end. A lot of stuff is going to rely on knowledge of the first series so if you are knew to this, I do encourage you to reading the entirety of Breaking first! It is long but it will be essential to understand what’s happening. Thank you so much!

Wordcount: 1315

Warnings: Cursing, that’s all for now anyway!

Tags: (I will be tagging everyone from the original series, tell me if you no longer want to be tagged! I will also be tagging some of the new people who were asked to be tagged!) @midnightokieriete @renae-writes @deltablue202 @literally-melonkitty @meunicorn @favouritefighting-frenchman @demigod-runner-who-potter @gum-and-chips @sweaterkitty-fluff @littlemissshortcakes @pinkyiger7 @unprofessional-inhumanbeing @fandom-panda-221 @hummusandchips @spoopy-piineapple @ashwolfcub @myself-and-the-madman @sweet-fate @superwholockbooknerd526 @frozengal2013 @itsmikayblr @sarmar29 @arya-durin-51 @phantastic-fandoms @hoshihime98 @shinigamired @martapetrovic @robotic-space @tayahqr @asprinkleofmermaids @satellitesuga @rose-coloured-nihilism @okie-dokie-artichokeme @pandartist @apandawithcookies @kitcatgirl2016

Traveling Back

“Miss Titania, you act as if you have seen a ghost, perhaps my friend and I may help you? What is a lady doing so far out here?” Alexander looked at you with a cautious expression. What do I do? What do I say? I can’t give him the same story, it doesn’t fit! I feel so drained…Think Y/N, think! Keep it simple, keep your story straight.

“I..I ran away...” Nice save, me. Way to use personal experience.

“You ran away? Why on Earth would you do such a thing?” John asked.

“I had to! I... didn’t belong there.” Subconscious, could you maybe stop making me say these things?! John and Alex both stared at you quizzically, you continued. “I was a servant, until I left. I-I’m sorry I’m not explaining myself very well, I’m just…” What the hell is wrong with me? Why is the room spinning so much? What the hell am I supposed to do? How did I even get here? I don’t know what to say! I can’t breathe, I can’t I can’t I can’t I can’t I can’t! You were hyperventilating, you couldn’t figure out why. Your eyes rolled to the back of your head, images and voices started to flash around your mind. A man with dark skin, wearing blue, busting through a door you recognized. He shouts, “HERCULES MULLIGAN!” with a huge smile on his face. You sucked in a huge gulp of air and opened your eyes. Your vision began to stabilize itself, your heart rate calming down a bit. That’s when you took notice of the fact that you were laying down, arms wrapped around you, two faces looking down at you.

“Miss Titania, are you well? You started shaking uncontrollably!” John exclaimed.

“I have seen Myles do the very same thing, my dear John. Perhaps it is more common than what we first perceived.” What the hell was that? It was like...a VHS being sped up...or rewound? That’s when you realized something, you could see it in your head, as if it were a memory. You remembered the children, Alex’s children, being excited about the man in the door. You remembered the man picking you up and running around the room. You remembered it, but you knew it didn’t happen. You don’t remember seeing that man until just now.

“Forgive me...this happens sometimes.” Alex helped you to your feet.

“No, no, please forgive us. It was rude for us to try and pry, but we only wish to help.” John explained.

“Um, this is going to sound really odd but...where are we?” You asked. Maybe I can figure out what year it is.

“We moved out of Valley Forge a few days ago.” Alex answered. Either Pennsylvania or New Jersey. It’s clearly not winter…so it must be 1778? I went back twenty years? That explains why Alex is so young, why John is...alive, and what all these tents are. Living quarters for the soldiers. I’m in the Revolutionary War. I need to figure out what I’m doing, they’re gonna ask me to leave because women and wars, ugh right? I can’t exactly leave them, there was never really a surplus supply of ways to survive as a woman until World War I, again ugh, right? Also, there’s no telling what my existence has changed to this timeline, I could’ve changed the entire course of how his war ends...Alex could die because I showed up...I need to stay and watch after him, make sure everything stays on track. At least, that was the excuse you gave yourself.

“Miss, perhaps you would like us to escort you to town? This is no place f-“John started.

“No! You can’t send me away! I can help!” Why did I say that?!

“How so?” Alex questioned.

“I…I can tend to wounds, a nurse. I am a supporter of the revolution, I would like to offer my assistance.” Alex stared at you suspiciously.

“I’m sorry, but we already have plenty of nurses, I believe it-“ Fuck! He doesn’t trust me, say something! Anything!

“I have information!”

“You have what?” John inquired.

“I have…information…I can tell you anything you need to know about the battles ahead.” Anything, tell them anything they need, gain their trust. John and Alex looked at each other, as if they were having a silent conversation. They both nodded and turned to you.

“Prove to us that you have information of value.” Alex requested.

“You are currently moving out northwest, correct?”

“How did…”

“Right now, troops are moving out to stall the British forces from moving up to New York City. They evacuated Philadelphia, while we the American’s persistently harass them to slow their pace. Has General Lee already been sent out ahead or is that still being strategized?” John ‘s eyes fixed on you.

“Alexander…we have to take her to the General…now!” John insisted, although Alex didn’t seem to be listening.

“Who’s the General in charge of the group moving Northwest?” He asked. He was testing you, your eyes slanted.

“Clinton, General Clinton.” You answered, he looked oddly impressed. He nodded, a small smirk on his face as he motioned for you to follow.

“This way.” The three of you made your way out of the tent, untying the string around your neck to take off your cloak and folding it into your arms. Men were filing in from all directions, laughing and celebrating. They were all wearing the same clothes as John and Alex, they were soldiers, coming back to base after successfully cutting down the enemy’s course. Whenever they passed by John and Alex, they’d stare at you with confused eyes. They didn’t recognize me, outside women were not allowed on the base. You were too focused on the stares for a while and didn’t realize the two men leading you were talking.

“When do you think he’ll head back out to England?”

“A few more months at the earliest, he needs to lie low for a bit longer until he can go back. He still has to wait for Cato.” Cato? Why does…that sound so familiar?

“Aren’t I always the topic of conversation?” Another voice interjected, you turned to where you heard it come from. It was the man you saw in that ‘memory’ You could feel the cells in your brain pulsate. His bright smile lowered slightly when he saw you, but it was still pleasant. “Hamilton, you didn’t tell me we had a new nurse coming in!” He approached you and held out his hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, my name is-“

“Hercules Mulligan.” You weren’t sure why you said that.

“Haha, it seems that my reputation proceeds me!” He chuckled, his charisma was very apparent, quite charming, you couldn’t help but smile back at him. Alex rolled his eyes.

“Mulligan, please, this is not the time!” He said with slight annoyance.

“Oh! That reminds me! The General wants to see you to discuss the next plan of attack.” Herc pointed over his shoulder towards one of the larger tents. Bingo, he must be in there! You gathered up the skirt of your dress in your hands and began to full on sprint to the tent. I need to talk to him first, try to get to him before the opinions of the other two. I need him to trust me. Alex and John called out to you, you could hear them running after you. But they weren’t fast enough.

You skirted to a halt, the mud on the ground pushing into the straight lines of your heels digging into the Earth. You pushed back the fabric of the tent and practically threw yourself into the illuminated interior.

“Mr. General! My name is Titania Taylor, and I would like to offer my self to the efforts of the revolution, sir!”

I am determined, the world won’t know what hit her!

[takerfoxx]

“Fires of the Sun, Part 1″ Thoughts

All right, with Fires of the Sun in the bag and Imperfect Metamorphosis now on the shelf, it’s time to look back on this story’s longest mini-arc climax to date! And since it’s multi-chaptered, I’m going to post on response per day over this week. That’ll help cover almost everything as well as give me some time to think of how to wrap up Monsterland in the meantime, as I’ve already hit writer’s block.

Since this was going to be the last bit of Imperfect Metamorphosis, my main goal was to go BIG. I high bar had been set by The Storm, and I wanted to pass it. You be the judge in whether or not I was successful, but this was something I had been looking forward to for years, and had a lot of shit planned. Most made it in, some didn't, some new stuff happened, and some plans changed. There were weaknesses I wish I could go back and fix, while other things turned out even better than I had thought they would.

With Lady Meika's introduction, she was brought in for a couple of different reasons. The first was of course as a callback to Yuuka's occasional fourth-wall breaking roles as the story's hose. She was even given a bit of a Masterpiece Theater flair with the chair, the fireplace, and the piano music. Of course, I was playing around a bit with the frequent teases that this was the Yuuka from the future, with the plants, the sunflower logo, the hair color, and the manner of speaking.

But there were also several hints that she was someone new, such as her eye color, her various magical instruments, and her contemptuous condemnation of Yuuka's previous antics. Plus, you know, Mima's hat on her mantle.

…

Foreshadowing!

Anyways, of course I can't go into too much detail about who she is and what she has to do with the story, but suffice to say it's very important and you ain't gonna find out for a super, duper long time. Because that how it works in TakerFoxx land, apparently!

=ahem=

Moving on to the Dragons, this is one part that I feel I could have done better. I mean, the dudes get built up big time over the course of the entire series, get a big, badass entrance, and…spend the whole thingamajig basically getting knocked around, bitching at Yukari, and eventually accidentally killing a bunch of innocent people before fucking off in a huff. I guess in hindsight it was a priority thing. My main focus was the Yuuka vs. Rin Satsuki fight and making it as crazy over-the-top as possible, whereas the Dragons (and Angels, come to think of it) were admittedly…mostly written on autopilot. Though to be fair, given just how many freaking factions there are in this story, some will end up getting the shaft as I don't exactly have George RR Martin's talent for balancing so many names and making them all feel important. So yeah, something to work on in the future.

Same applies to Mima. It may be just me, but I do kind of feel like I dropped the ball with her. It probably isn't a good idea to point out flaws in my own writing, but hell with it. See, for most of the story, she went on and on about the importance of simple, yet effective, plans rather than big, grandiose showings that have a tendency to blow up in your face. And yet her she is using a plan that has way too many moving parts, leaves too much up to chance, and is way too expensive for relatively little gain. Granted, she did come out ahead in the end, but…I dunno. While it wouldn't have benefited the story much, it would have been more consistent to just have her assassinate Reimu at the earliest opportunity, collapse the Scarlet Devil Mansion and the Palace of Earth Spirits, and then just bugger off before Yukari could find her. So, I'd say I have a few more things to think about for her future characterization.

Okay, moving on from the self-deprecation. Moving over to the Taoists, a lot of people were confused about why exactly Miko would be helping Mima in the first place. That one was easy enough: because there was something that Miko wanted that only Mima could provide. The connections between Miko and Prince Shoutoku were already explicit, with even ZUN saying that they were literally the same person in the Touhou canon. So, explain the gender flip to be some kind of curse, have Mima promise to break that curse, and give her (or him? Pronouns are really confusing in this case), and let Miko's desperation do the rest. Everyone has a price, after all.

That rather nasty Yuuka scene went much better than the previous two, which is sort of funny. Because even as much as I've soured on her character over the years, she is still the easiest one to write for. I personally compare her to an entitled primadonna who drives the director nuts but still shines in every scene she's given, which leaked into many of her postmodern bits. But anyway, that scene was mainly to serve two purposes. The first was to confirm exactly what happened to the shards of Marisa's mordite blade, give Yuuka an understandable reason for having it around, and Chekov's gun it into the mansion for further use. The second was to again destroy any last bit of sympathy she might have had, as she is now outright abusing Elly, the one person she has been treating decently. Hey, if someone's gonna get their ass kicked, then I want to make it as deserving as possible.

The scene with Yukari and the Angels was mostly just to remind everyone of where everything stood, so I'll just skim over it. However, in regards to that little bombshell Shinki dropped at the end…Ah, hell with it. Barely anyone reads these anyway, so why not? SORTA SPOILER WARNING!

Yes, Yukari has (or had) a son.

That son married Hakurei Sonozika over her objections, leading to their estrangement (though they were already on rocky terms to begin with).

Things escalated to the point that Yukari disowned him completely and actually went to the Angels for help in twisting reality enough so that she would forget that he even exists. Part of it was selfishness, part of it was that she knew that she would have to keep working with the Hakurei family from then on and didn't want to be tempted to wipe them off the face of the earth, but ended up setting the tone for her relationship with them anyway. She's repeatedly drawn to them but everything eventually goes wrong every time. And by the way, that's the reason she couldn't seem to remember who Hakurei's husband was during her and Yuyuko's drunken conversation, despite knowing the spouses and lovers of every other Hakurei by name.

No, there was never any price set by the Angels for Gensokyo's creation. No, they're not nearly as bad as Yukari made them out to be. Yes, she is completely deluding herself without even knowing it. The mind is weird like that.

Anyway, I don't think that's too much of a spoiler, since it's been hinted at multiple times and now has been stated pretty explicitly. Suffice to say, it'll play in pretty heavily later on.

See? This is why people should read the author's notes, for all those juicy, behind the scene details!

Anyway, Patchouli's scene was mainly to spend some last few moments with her before she got offed, as well as remind people that that generator thingy was in fact still a thing in case it's needed later. That scene with Koakuma changing her armor was just one of those spur of the moment bits that have come to be my favorite parts of writing, though admittedly the part where she ended up with the Serpentine Marauder armor wasn't a hint that she was a double agent, like some people thought. It was just another thing that happened at the last minute that made sense at the time and was used to increase the drama. As for Meiling's mention of hiring guards to hold down the fort, that was another detail that was used to explain away a logical problem with the plot (Sakuya would never leave the SDM undefended like that. Or, well, at least not under those circumstances) that later ended up working out as it gave us Meiling with a bazooka. More on that later. And of course we had Mima disguised as Yukari already playing the SDM and the PoES crew against each other, because that's what she does.

Speaking of which, during the Palace of Earth Spirits scene, the bit with Jun and Orin was mainly to bring Koishi more in line with her canon portrayal as a subconscious blank, as well as build some character development for Jun. I try to avoid relying on OC's in IM since there's so many canon characters to use, but I felt he needed a little something, considering how much he was going to be used in the chapters to come. Though hey, funny story. I was actually going to fill their team with Undertale characters, such as Asgore, Muffet, and Undyne. The reason I didn't is that I felt it would stand out too much and distract from the important stuff, but I compromised by sticking a billy-goat and a fish youkai in there anyway, and had Mima!Yukari mention being filled with determination. As for Clover, I swear to God I could never keep her damned name straight and kept calling her Cato for some reason.

And then we cut back to poor Elly. I admit, originally I didn't have much for her, and had planned for her to be more of a jealous asshole. But she's grown into a much more sympathetic character than I had expected, and I did end up changing a lot of my plans for her as a result.

Skipping over more Mima and Seiga commentary that I don't have anything to say about, we have our party of hapless dupes, bickering amongst themselves and nearly getting killed while still managing to kick ass, as Mima intended. I admit, I did try to handle the bit about Rin's prison with care. I try to watch my step whenever the subject of religion comes up, so destroying a bunch of religious symbols was something I had to be careful about. Still, the part where Sakuya regrets doing so does feel a little out of character, and probably should have been done by someone like Meiling or Utsuho.

That being said, I really like how Rin's reveal came out. Her primary role in this whole thing was an ass-kicker, and her bursting out of the crystal (which, yes, was made from the remains of Patchouli's box) helped to establish just how dangerous she is, as well as leave things on a nice cliffhanger, with her hanging from the ceiling, Sakuya's neck in her hands, and in a really, really bad mood.

Anyway, that's it for this chapter! Tune in tomorrow for the next!