#or for the black ice op story

[sonicasura]

Kaiju Cores and Relics

I decided to expand more on the Knack x Kaiju No.8 concept from my asks. I'm including some things from Knack 2 alongside a few Species Swap shenanigans. The latter can be found at the bottom! Let's get started!

A good chunk of Knack's new moveset like the Sunstone Shield stems from experimenting with Kafka. Both want to get a better handle on their powers so don't be surprised at the sometimes whacky shit they get into. Lucas and Reno may had to melt Kafka out of a ice block once.

Knack is the first 'kaiju' to be marked for alive capture by the Defense Force. It's pretty clear that someone had created the golem and the higher ups want to know who. Knack barely escaped Vice Captain Soshiro multiple times thanks to his size manipulation alongside usage of the environment.

Lucas often sends letters to Charlotte, Ryder and the Doctor. He does mention his new friends in them but nothing about Kafka's unique condition. Ryder finds out when an group camping trip goes wrong.

Kafka once terrorized a horde of goblins. He gotten separated during a trip in the woods and the goblinfolk thought he would be an easy target. Rumors of a skull faced demon disguising as a human quickly spreads afterwards.

Knack wears a cat costume to walk around in public. Thanks to his small size, people think he's an eccentric mute little kid. Kafka definitely lied that Knack was his son and Lucas being his nephew so the two could get visitor passes for 3rd Division base.

Story time goes a bit wrong when small golem mentions the times he got blown up or poisoned on his first big adventure. Kafka and Reno were definitely sweating to hear Knack had been on the end of a giant teleporting mech. Nevermind the massive doomsday prophecy almost wrought by a billionaire's greed.

Kaiju No.10 vs Vice Captain Soshiro and Knack. Also the time Lucas brought a mech suit to aid the 3rd Division after convincing Charlotte. The officers absolutely didn't expect some peculiar help but takes it.

"How To Keep Your Dad Friend From Killing An Idiotic Man" Or Knack tries to stop Riot No.8 before he kills Isao. High enough friendship with both sides of Kafka, sunstone barriers and the new Relic Stockpiler are his best tools here.

Kaiju No.8 terrorizes High Goblin City. Or how Kafka officially made himself Enemy #2 to Gundahar in a short amount of time. You can't exactly trap his friends in a super hostile environment and expect him to not bust down the gate.

Lucas' gadgets become very invaluable to Kafka's friend group. Especially when Reno and Iharu get attacked by Kaiju No. 9 during their first mission. Or how the Time Dilator plus Freeze Rounds are a perfect match to stall dangerous threats.

Kafka has a built in cult radar and it immediately goes off upon meeting Xander. His golems also seem to agitate Ai so that's another red flag right there. Kafka secretly requests Charlotte to do some spying just in case.

(Special Species Swap: Golem)

Kafka's Golem form is around 2'6 at his smallest size and 34'8 at his largest. Black relics serve as his hair/fur/scales with a teal claw shaped jewel on his chest orb. When increasing in size, Kafka's visage looks similar to his kaiju form but if it had a tail.

Himbo accidentally discovers an unknown artifact and is turned into a Relic Golem. Kafka freaks out for a good five minutes before running over to Lucas. Thankfully the transformation is more controllable like an Off/On Switch and doesn't have an alternate personality to it.

Guaranteed mirror moment between two golems. Knack feels less lonely despite his concern about Kafka dealing with new side effects. The image of his older friend sneezing and falling into relics pieces is the golem's most haunting thought.

Guaranteed freakout when Kafka accidentally combines with Knack. (Think Co-OP mode in Knack 2.) It was definitely weird since both can hear each other's thoughts amongst other things. Kafka and Knack tend to combine if the situation calls for it.

Apparently Ai can also control their new golem form. It definitely feels weirder than manipulating Kafka's human body but not by much. Should Ai be in control then the gem on his chest orb will glow green to signify the swap.

Kafka uses this new form to avoid Vice Captain Hoshina and defend himself against General Isao. The Defense Force definitely mistakes him for being Knack's creator after the former incident as he swaps before Soshiro finds him. Sunstone Barriers still sit at the top of Kafka's favorite list.

Element Powers Up go a bit awry. Or Kafka almost becomes a walking forest fire when he tries to do a Relic Tornado with Wood armor. Apparently relics are good firestarters than just sticks and friction.

That's all I have for now. Until next time folks, I'll see you later!

[sharonzgallery]

This is by no means the master post, but I gotta put my work somewhere. I’ve been going off the rails with bestie @hard-times-paramore over the computer video game, Age of Empires III.

At first it was just character fanart, and now I’m neck-deep in historical fiction. I’ve researched more than I ever thought possible, and I am living the LIF

Let’s start at the beginning. First, OP dared me to draw pony versions of the characters after two play through streams. I had no idea of the plot, only a general vibe of the gameplay, and Hard Times’ opinions on the game.

These are still not the final designs, but I still love them.

MARCH 8, 2024

To start off, I’ve got sketches for the two Native siblings, Kánien and Nonahkee from Act II: Ice. Actually, my first round of fanart was for Act II, since it’s OP’s favorite.

Just a few minutes later, I slapped together Act II’s villain, Warwick. I wasn’t even aware the name of the game’s running antagonists was the Circle of Ossus, so the bone theme was entirely unintentional.

Last, and most difficult, was the corresponding main character for the story arc John (Aloysius) Black (< this is not his actual middle name). I thoroughly enjoyed making this pony set, and am surprised at how well John’s design still holds up after looking it over multiple times.

I’m pretty tired from my week, but when we return—AGE OF EMPIRES MEMEPOSTING

[thamaris]

Daughter of the Sea (OP AU) - Each sea has a 'daughter' but they are all children of Mother Sea.

The daughters are somewhat based on the elemental directions;

Nemo (Tempest) is the East Blue so she's air.

Fissure (Fizz) is the South Blue, so fire, and she's based on hydrothermal vents.

Maelstrom (Mel) is the West Blue which is water.

Glacier is the North Blue, and even though the north element is earth, because she's the sea her thing is ice.

They all have white hair and eyes; Glacier is snow and ice, Fissure is a carbon dioxide based thermal vent as opposed to a sulphur one (which would be black,) Maelstrom's hair is like the crashing waves, and then Nemo is the wind.

The spirit of Tempest returns to her mother, and Nemo takes her place, and she doesn't understand who or what she is anymore.

'Rescued' from the shores of a deserted island where the Big Top docks for a time (because she doesn't know the water cant keep her there,) and she joins the crew. She discovers that she likes painting, so she does that, along with other menial stuff, like cleaning, and is constantly fighting the urge to throw herself into the sea.

At some point when they're in calm shallow waters, she is allowed to dive into the sea, and through some shenanigans she learns she can't drown. Buggy takes advantage of this by appointing her as his treasure hunter where she dives for all the treasure on the sea floor, like he had originally planned to do before eating the devil fruit.

On one outing, she was diving near a nest of some kind of sea beast, and they naturally like her because she is the sea, so it was a lot of fun! A group of pirate upstarts thought she was an easy target, and while Nathan was acting as a sort of navigator for them; he was only there because they were his way off his home island.

Long story short, the crew out in the open get mauled, and Nathan (the only one who wasn't out on the deck) joins Nemo. He refuses to be a pirate because he doesn't mesh morally with it, and he just wants to see the world, so he claims Nemo as his captain (in a crew of 2 lol) and helps navigate the sea so she isn't going just off of a feeling, and whatever vague rumours or map she can't understand that Buggy gave her. When she's diving he minds the boat.

The whole premise with Nemo and Buggy is that he has somehow failed upwards once again with an aspect of the very sea that rejects him as a devil fruit user now embraces him.

Insp songs; Daughter of the Sea - Eliott Tordo Erhu | Loreley - Blackmore's Night

[ceexb]

Errand runs with Hobie head canons

Summary:random head cannons of how I think it would be to run errands with hobie.

Pairing:Hobie x black girl friend

Words:740

Disclaimer:this is my personal view on how I think he would act. Also never claimed to be a writer

For songs sometimes i just put wtv song matches the story vibe.

-As the significant other of Hobie, whether it be as his girlfriend, wife, or best friend (since he's not one for labels, you take all three roles), but today you become his passenger princess during errands.

-I could see Hobie driving a van instead of a car,and I feel like the van would look so cool. something spray painted or what not.

-with tinted windows to hide from the pigs,12,or the ops (depending on what you guys call the cops.)And for when you guys wanna get nasty in the back.

-the back would maybe have like

A comfy setup of blankets and pillows.

-You don't even need to drive or do anything, to be honest. Your only task is to sit there, and look pretty. You have the privilege of adjusting the air conditioning or changing the radio station to any song you desire and readjusting your seat.

-I can just picture you and Hobie making stops at gas stations for snacks. You would keep an eye out while he discreetly takes some snacks and slips them into his pocket. You would engage in conversations with customers at the front as a distraction and politely hold doors open for people.

-The first time you both attempted this, you were frightened of getting caught, so he had to reassure you.

"Hobs, wait. I'm scared. What if we get caught? What if I mess up?"

"You won't, I promise," he replied, placing both his arms on your shoulders and looking down at you through his mask.

"Just do what you do best ...”

“Oh yeah ? and what is that” you curiously asked

“chat."

"Excuse me, sir... How's your day going? Isn't it a beautiful day?"

-Your voice trembles with nervousness, beads of sweat forming as you nervously adjust your collar.

-You engage in conversations with the employees at the front, discussing the weather or bringing up random topics to create a delay.

-Once Hobie has gathered all the drinks and snacks, he walks up to you near the door, tilting his head and signaling for both of you to leave.

-Before the employee even realizes what just happened, you two are already driving off, snacks piled up in the backseat.

-I imagine he would surprise you with a cute stuffed animal he found on one of the shelves and two large frosty drinks.

-You sit in the passenger seat, sipping your drink while he occasionally glances over at you, his attention mostly focused on the road. He smiles, and you feel happy and content, your tongue turning blue from slurping your drink.

"Blue raspberry and cherry, quite a crazy mix,innit ?"

"Just don't drink too fast, or your brain will..."

-Too late.you’re already gripping your throbbing head in pain from the cold shock of the ice slurpy.

-He’ll just be laughing out his damm draws cause he thinks it's the most funniest thing.

-One of the initial stops you two would make is at the car wash because Hobie's van is in desperate need of a wash and is practically begging for it.

-Hobie is a very clean person, and his van is usually in good condition, but he has been occupied with other things in the past few days.

-Instead of opting for the drive-through car washes, you both prefer to go to the self-service car wash because he believes the drive-through ones are a bit of a scam.

-He would lean against his van, watching you in your cute shorts and top outfit as you adjust and switch the settings on the hose.

"Shouldn't you be scrubbing?" You ask.

"I'd rather just watch you," he replies mischievously.

-Suddenly, an idea pops into your head—to playfully spray him with the hose.

-In an instant, he becomes soaked, water dripping from his wicks, and his shirt becoming soaked, with water falling from his face.

"Oh, so you want to be cheeky, huh?" he responds.

"No, Hobie, I was just playing," you say, knowing he's enjoys playing rough.

-Little did you know what you were getting yourself into.

-Before you know it, he retaliates by spraying the hose at you, water splashing everywhere, even making its way into your nose.

-From that point on, it becomes a playful water fight between the two of you, acting like big kids on a hot summer day.

-soaking and playing with the water not fully conscious of how much money it’ll be and the fact the vans bearly getting cleaned.

[jeanniebug623]

🕸️🕷️ Weaving the Web 🕷️🕸️

Chapter 9: Filling In the Blanks

Quaritch waited outside the interview room while Nash McCosker gave his statement regarding the incident in the cafeteria.  Miles had not only smashed his face against a metal table which left the man with a broken nose, but he’d landed three more solid punches before the colonel tore the boy off.  According to the medical report, each additional blow left him with a facial fracture to the right cheekbone, orbital fracture, and a dislocated jaw.  To put it bluntly: McCosker was a fucking mess to look at because Miles seriously fucked him up.

Quaritch couldn’t even be proud of how well Spider could fight.  He could have killed the man.  Just what the hell was Miles thinking?!  With the help of some heavy painkillers and a bit of force, McCosker’s jaw was reset but he was a swollen, discolored, bloody mess.

”Thank you for your time, Mr. McCosker.” 

The security officer ending her interview and exiting the room brought the colonel back to the present.  She nodded in acknowledgment that Quaritch could now go in and have his own interview with McCosker.  Taking a long breath from his mask, the recom ducked under the low entryway and mentally reminded himself to let the man tell his side of the story first.  It’s not that Quaritch didn’t trust Spider, or Miles for that matter, but he would get more information if he was sympathetic to the victim.

”Mr. McCosker.” Quaritch said, appraising the man sitting at the table with butterfly stitches holding a gash together under his right black eye and heavy duty sutures holding his upper lip together.  He was holding an ice pack over most of his face but managed to make eye contact with Quaritch and nod.

”Yea, that’s me.” McCosker said gruffly.  Quaritch couldn’t blame him.  If he’d taken hits like that, he’d take a shot of morphine with a shot of whiskey and call it a night.  McCosker stared at Quaritch, narrowing his good eye slightly.  He looked like he was trying to remember why the recombinant looked familiar and finally asked, “Do I know you, sir?  I didn’t realize there were new avatar pilots…”

Avatars?  No.  Recombinants?  Well, that was a need to know and if Nash McCosker had a history of switching sides, the last thing he’d have is the clearance for knowledge of the Sec-Ops first recom unit.

”There aren’t.” Quaritch said, only eliciting more confusion from the man, but quickly changed the subject, “How you holdin’ up?  That was a hell of a beating you took.”

Despite the discoloration of his bruised face, McCosker’s face turned red.  Quaritch couldn’t tell if it was from embarrassment or anger.  Based on the clenched fists and furrowing brow, the colonel went with the latter.

”For what it’s worth, you ain’t the first person that kid’s put in the hospital.” Quaritch remarked.  Spider had gotten in some brawls when he was first captured but it was more justified.  It would have been strange if he didn’t try to fight back given his upbringing.  Maybe this Nash guy could fill in some of the blanks…

”That fucking kid…” McCosker growled, “I didn’t even know he was here.”

”I doubt prisoner records show up in your work.” Quaritch said smoothly, crossing his arms as he continued the small talk.  It was no surprise that the man knew Spider.  All the humans that stayed behind all lived at Hell’s Gate so it was likely they’d crossed paths at some point.  But from that remark, Quaritch figured the man knew more about Spider than just that he was a baby left behind.

”We’d heard about someone getting captured…” McCosker said, “…we figured it was a Na’vi.”

”Would that have been better?  Given how much help you offered the RDA a year ago.  You’re practically a damn hero for humanity.” Quaritch praised, putting up a good act.  Nash McCosker’s loyalty was low on his list to trust, given he’d switched sides twice already.

”I’m no hero.  I was looking out for my family…and Jake was…” he started then let his sentence trail off.  He readjusted the ice pack with a slight hiss of pain.

”You were loyal to Jake Sully.” Quaritch said, his ears pinning back.

”Yea…back when Jake was loyal to us too.” McCosker said with a growl.

”Guess that’s fair…Sully switched sides and doomed a lot of good people.  He’s got a decent following.  Includin’ the kid who tried to turn your face to ground meat.  That must be why…” Quaritch said, baiting the man to keep venting in whatever way would get more information about Spider out of this.

”That little bastard is the reason Jake and his family got away!” McCosker snarled, immediately regretting it when shouting required him to open his mouth more to do it.

Quaritch’s tail flipped angrily and he set his jaw.  He’d heard plenty of people make comments like that about Spider since being captured but it hit him differently to hear how visceral it was coming from Nash McCosker.  The soldiers who’d guarded and escorted him around made comments about him being ‘wild’, ‘out of control’, or ‘savage’.  But those remarks came after a scuffle.  McCosker’s rage was old.

”The RDA lost the Sullys due to a, what…?  Fifteen-year-old at the time?” Quaritch said, remaining calm but wanting to smack the guy himself.  He knew what it looked like to have a deep rooted anger in one’s eyes; he’d seen it every time he saw his reflection after Sully’s betrayal.

”We’d managed to catch a few of Jake’s kids.  He would’ve surrendered and none of the shit that followed would’ve happened.  But Miles busted them out and the Sullys got away because of it.” McCosker said, remembering the night like it was yesterday.

Quaritch frowned but noted that McCosker had called him ‘Miles’.  Of course Spider had done something like that…the colonel had seen how he acted when they were all caught in the forest and how defensive he was of the Sully kids.  Especially the older girl.

“Not surprised he turned out so wild.” McCosker grumbled, “Sure as fuck never listened growing up.”

There it was.  Confirmation that McCosker knew Spider on a more personal level.  It was time to pull that stitch loose.

”You used to look after the boy?” Quaritch asked, the keycard and tooth burning a hole in his pocket.

”Yea…” he answered nonchalantly then continued, “We took him in.  That kid was a terror.  Older he got, the less he listened.  My wife and I tried to raise him to be a good kid but he’d just run off whenever we tried to enforce any rules.”

”And you’d let him?” Quaritch asked, slipping his hand in his pocket and catching the contents in his palm.

”It got tougher when we had kids of our own,” the man admitted, “Someone else should’ve taken him.  It was a mistake.  Miles was a mistake to begin with…”

Quaritch couldn’t stop the growl that escaped his teeth, not going unnoticed by McCosker.  The man suddenly got a nervous look on his face recognizing what an angry Na’vi, or recom in this case, looks like.  Quaritch slipped his hand out of his pocket and put his hand flat on the table, slowly sliding the keycard and broken tooth over to him.

“His parents made a mistake, but SPIDER is not the mistake.” Quaritch growled. “Let me take a good guess on how it all went down.  You took in the little tike because you didn’t have any kids yet.  Just being a Good Samaritan, right?  You sure seem like a family man but that boy was never part of your family, was he?”

”Who the hell do you think you are?” McCosker asked, getting to his feet but still being towered over by the colonel. “We put a roof over his head, food in his stomach, did everything we could to raise him as one of our own.”

“Did you?” Quaritch said, feeling his anger rising, “Your sons are model citizens, aren’t they?  Good students, helpful in the community.  Real poster child quality for the recolonization efforts.  AND they were born on Pandora.  Just like Spider.  Except Spider isn’t like them…it’s almost like you stopped caring as soon as you had your own.”

McCosker froze when Quaritch mentioned his sons.  The room turned silent as the colonel took back his hand and the battered man could see his ID keycard and tooth on the table.

”Spider didn’t attack you because you betrayed Sully…he already got you back for that by freeing those halfbreeds.” Quaritch said, eerily calm, “He bashed your face in for somethin’ else so what’d you do to him?  He said you threw out his teeth.  Did you knock them out when he gave you a hard time?”

”His goddamn baby teeth, I never hit him in the face!” McCosker huffed out but regretted the latter half of his statement at the narrowed gold ears and wrinkles on recom’s nose from the start of a growl.

”But you did hit him…” Quaritch said, his quiet tone not matching his facial cues.

McCosker was flustered but still tried to defend himself and said, ”We didn’t abuse him!  Put him in his room, maybe spanked him once or twice.  Nothing we did worked and it’s clear he’s still a lost cause as he was back then.  Too wild and dangerous!  It’d be best for everyone if you just had him put down-…”

The sound of the metal table crashing into the wall drew the attention of security minding their own business out in the hall.  When they peeked into the interview room, they were too shocked by the sight of Quaritch having pulled the table right off its bolts to get at McCosker.  The man was terrified, back against the wall with the recom’s massive hand across his collarbone.  

Quaritch had a fraction of a second of sense to push this sad excuse for a human being against the wall by his chest and not his throat.  He was growling low in his throat and wanted to finish the job his boy had started in the cafeteria.  There was much more to Miles attacking McCosker the way he had than an ass whooping or being sent to his room.

”Colonel Quaritch?” one of the guards had the courage to say, “What’s the issue, sir?”

Despite the bruises, all the color in McCosker’s face drained.  The ten-foot-tall blue version of the old head of Sec-Ops suddenly looked VERY familiar.  Quaritch slowly took his hand back and stood back up straight.

”Not at all.” Quaritch answered, “Isn’t that right, Mr. McCosker?”

~~~~~~~~~~

Several excruciatingly long hours later, Quaritch received an alert from the staff in solitary that Spider was awake.  He’d spent the time decompressing in his apartment and absorbing all the information he’d learned from Nash McCosker.  His annoyance that Spider was the reason Sully got away a year ago was easily overlooked now knowing how hard the boy’s childhood had been.  But despite it all, Spider was still a great kid…

He was down in the solitary confinement cell with Spider as fast as possible, borderline jogging through some of the long corridors to get from the living quarters to the prison block.  Quaritch stared at the boy, tucked into one of the corners as small as he could make himself.  When he was sedated, they’d changed him out of his native attire into a hospital gown and boxers.  What really completed the ensemble was the straight jacket.

It made Quaritch sick to see this poor boy snared like a maniac…

”Hey, tiger.” Quaritch said with a sigh.  The boy looked up and the colonel felt even worse seeing the tear tracks on his cheeks and terrified expression.  He sighed again and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Shit really hit the fan…everythin’ will be ok.  But, goddamn it, kid…we gotta do better.  Alright?”

Spider bit his lip and sniffled, nodding his head quickly.

”Good.  Let’s get you something to eat.”

~~~~~~~~~~~

Not wanting to risk triggering Miles again, Quaritch had some breakfast delivered to his apartment instead of going to the cafeteria.  Spider hadn’t said a word since leaving solitary.  He hovered very close to Quaritch as he led him back to the apartment and sat on the oversized couch with his legs hugged tight to his chest in complete silence.

”Eat up, kid.” Quaritch said flatly, putting the plate of scrambled eggs and bacon on the cushion next to him.  He sighed for the umpteenth time since coming back to the apartment as he sat on the other side of the couch, rubbing his eyes against the tension headache relentlessly pounding in his skull.

Spider looked up from where he hid his face in his knees but didn’t move to eat yet.  His eyes looked glassy like he was on the verge of tears again.  After a few minutes of silence, the recom looked at him with a disgruntled look.  It made Spider flinch.

”Eat.” Quaritch said more firmly this time.  The boy nodded and ate quickly.  The colonel watched him finish everything on his plate like his life depended on it.  He cleared his throat to get Spider’s attention and said, “I’m not mad at you, Spider.  I know you’re all mixed up right now and…didn’t mean to hurt anyone.  That McCosker is a prick…”

Spider stared at Quaritch wide-eyed then looked at his bandaged hand.  His eyebrows pinched together and he bit his lip as it trembled.  He sniffled again.

”Kid, I’m not good with whatever this is.” Quaritch said annoyedly and waved his hand to reference Spider’s emotional response.  “You gotta talk to me.  Or if you just…need time to yourself, you can go to your room.”

Tears started to slowly fall but Spider nodded and got off the couch.  He walked over to the two open doors with almost identical bedrooms and paused.  Quaritch watched him, concern brewing over the boy’s strange behavior.  He leaned his arms on his knees and observed him carefully.

Spider was standing in front of the bedroom doors, his fingers fidgeting with the hem of the hospital gown.  He seemed unsure of himself.  Lost.  Scared, even.

”Left door, Spider.” Quaritch said, realizing the boy didn’t seem to know.

Spider looked back at him, gripping the shirt tighter.  Quaritch raised an eyebrow but waited this time for the boy to speak.

”Um…” Spider finally started in a quiet, uncertain voice, “…uh, are we friends?”

”Uh…” Quaritch’s ears went back and eventually he nodded and responded, “Yea, I like to think so.  Why?”

”I-It’s just…only my friends call me Spider.” the boy started with a shrug.  His voice was quiet and meek, completely unlike anything Quaritch had ever heard from him. “Grown ups usually call me Miles.”

[jemgirl86]

I'm going to be completely honest. I genuinely do not understand stevebucky as a ship. obviously, ship whatever you wanna ship, just bc it's not for me does not mean it's not a neat ship, but I look at those two men and I truly see nothing but friends. They're so. Friend-shaped. I can't see any of their scenes as being remotely interpreted as being romantic, there is no unintentional subtext that I feel like I can read into or overanalyze, whereas with SamBucky their whole story together feels like a romance, it's enemies to lovers, it’s grudging respect turning to genuine care. It's "I’m coming with you, no you’re not" steadily progressing into the two of them literally walking off into the sunset together.

Now, usually I wouldn’t just shit on another ship, but since people want to play silly games. Not only does Sticky make less sense than SamBucky, it really really makes less sense that SamSteve. Hell, forget about ships. Throw ships out the window for a second. Let’s just talk about friendships.

OP is right, and I’m glad they said. That’s comics though, and I know folks don’t read comics. And even though the dots are there in the movies for viewers to understand that Sam is Steve’s closest friend once he’s out of the ice, the MCU fandom hates nothing more than connecting dots, especially when they involve Black characters, so y’all ignore that too.

Anywho, long story short, my personal theory has always been that at least part of the reason people don’t like Sam is because the actor who plays him has a lot of chemistry with the actors who play Steve and Bucky and it plays well on screen. Steve and Bucky have never looked the least bit romantic together, they look like a couple of cousins who grew up together and live in each other’s pockets and that’s how they’re written. I can see romance damn near anywhere, but not with them; they come off like relatives any way you spin it 🤷🏾‍♀️ But, see, y’all can’t not ship two White men who get within 5 feet of each other, so Sticky was born. Then Sam showed up, being played by a naturally charismatic guy, and he brought the juice on screen and in interviews and it irritates y’all’s souls that the SamSteve and SamBucky ships grew and grew, even though they both had already existed for years.

It made you nasty, and it made you bitter. So, instead of reading the 50 thousand or so fics you have on ao3 for your ship, you write eye roll inducing posts and then tag them with the name of the character you’re shading, when instead you could just… not.

[meandmyechoes]

King-Ohger ep48

*overslept and missed the first 10 minutes*

I love Rita has been acting as a commander the last two ep

一大清早就wings什麼的 (；///´///∀///｀///)

Ishabana town top shot and Nikko street asset we'll never see again

They are sending them to space and the backpack is the king's proof right

fuuuuck them for playing the FLT ad 😭

hnn the new generation of (kings and their) people doesn't buy the 'trust me'

OF COURSE

THE MOFFUN

but but have you passed the ice seal to Moru yet?

有啲心痛

i'm in the camp that asked for burised and battered but it hurts

OHSAMAM SENTAI HA KISEKI DA 😭😭😭

Rebels… 😭

OH that's where you ARE

Haaka Baaka whistle?!

?!??!???!!???!!!!!!!

HAA-CHAN!!!!!!!! HAA-CHAN!!!!!!!!

*claps and screams*

Kamihori really willing to use silence to speak

no wait I'm SCARED

no no no you can't show us that and leave us hanging for a week

wahh

ok yes final Suzume

oh the king-retainer and husty brothers is gonna be so good next week

opening rewatch:

wait it started where it ends??!? cool (star eye emoji)

wait why does it has two black bars. i like the cinematic feel of it and i'm SCARED.

the budget… the budget is back

This is probably green screen but the asset look so good in the wide shot

I love Jera's narration "there were stars, and people connect them to make constellations, and from them stories are born"

Gosh it's like a freakin movie

Taisei looks so good. so good

OP-kun… our last two ep together (´；ω；｀)

Hi new asset

haha i think it's the first time i hear "Rita" from Yanma in the show

Maybe the seal has been passed but you need the bracelet to activate it?

OH the bracelet hint was here!

Oh it was very obvious in the transform

ha😅 i didn't notice others' have their proof missing

something went wrong with the audio on set here (but I'd love Himeno's low transform call)

oh i woke up at 7mins in

Remember when I said Rita would never say the full name of Yanma's inventions? They did it!

Racules uses "na sai" with the kids 😭

I heard doshigatai in the wedding interlude

[chatonarya]

Amateur Symbolic Analysis of Ryuzakiichi's 2nd Anniversary Karlan Art Post-Break The Ice

Original post on reddit.

(Please beware unmarked spoilers for the events of BI.)

Hey everyone. The other day, I came across for the second time Ryuzakiichi’s 2nd anniversary art of the Karlan Trade group, which features a heavy chess motif. At the time, the three members on the right-hand side were mostly unknown: not merely their identities (aside from their names), but the roles they played within the group, which would not be fully revealed until a few months later during Break The Ice.

Now that BI is behind us, it casts this artwork into a whole different light, with all the hinted meaning now clarified and brought to light. This rather a bit belated given that BI happened a few months ago, but regardless, here’s my take on it, featuring my amateur chess knowledge and symbolic analysis! I was going to post this in the lounge but it got too long orz.

First off, their pieces and colors.

Enciodes wears black, but plays white; white moves first, and he's the white king, obviously. He's in the center, regal and in control on the throne. The king’s moves on the board are limited; he’s the most valuable piece, and he can only move one square at a time, and while the rest of the pieces are meant to defend him, at the right opportunity, the king can also be used aggressively.

Enya and Ensia are the only ones wearing white, and they are the only ones who have black chess pieces, symbolizing their opposing stance to him.

Enya has, to the best of my eyesight, the queen. The enemy queen is one of the most dangerous pieces on the board, and can be a big headache for the king. In addition, she is, at the end of BI, effectively the queen of Kjerag, also emphasized by the scepter in her hands. The queen has the ability to move as far as she wants and any way she wants (combining the movement of the rook and the bishop) except for jumping over pieces like the knight, emphasizing Enya's power but also her restrictions, and her inability to move about as freely as she wishes and evade her responsibilities.

Weiss and Monch both have knights. Aside from knights symbolizing their loyalty to their respective masters and their both being of the Itra race (musk deer), the knight is the piece with the most unique movement on the board and able to jump over other pieces. This symbolizes their quick movements again as Itra and messengers, and Monch's role as a double agent during the story, and though a bit of a stretch, Weiss can also be said to have been something of a double agent himself in Rhodes Island as one of the earliest and most seemingly innocuous Karlan ops we recruit.

Also, while all the Karlan members wear full black like Encio to show their loyalty, Monch has a touch of white in the capelet around her shoulders, symbolizing her defection from the cause.

Matterhorn has the rook, which can only move in straight lines. It has the special ability to "castle" while on home turf early in the game, trading places with the king strategically or to save the king from enemy fire. Matterhorn guards the Silverash family with his life, but his line of thinking is far more straightforward than that of his master, and now that his master is grown, his abilities are limited. Also, you could say that the rook's spires resemble his horns.

Gnosis has the bishop, a piece which moves diagonally, able to attack in unconventional ways. In addition, the bishops are placed closest to the rulers when the board is set, as from the outside edge it goes: rook, knight, bishop, king/queen. The flip side of the bishop however is that it has to stick to the color of its starting tile, and…

…Degenbrecher also has the bishop, likely for similar reasons. This symbolizes how Gnosis and Degenbrecher, while extremely capable, also are extremely specialized, Gnosis strategically and with Arts and Degenbrecher physically. Outside of their realms, their capabilities are more limited, but they are second to none in their respective domains; they also happen to compensate for each other's weakness, as each bishop is restrained to one color (one black-restricted and one white-restricted per player).

The same also applies to Ensia, as she has the black bishop to Enya's black queen. Powerful, but limited.

Interestingly, there are no pawns, and also no white queen. Enciodes does not have any singular champion. But also, there is no black king to oppose him, possibly symbolizing the fact that Enya's faction has already lost or her loss is inevitable and her cause futile, however powerful she is on her own. Similarly, the lack of pawns implies that they've already moved past the early game and the pawns have all been used or consumed. (That being said, a queen and a bishop are still a threat on their own.)

Or, alternatively, Enya could be a pawn which was promoted to queen upon reaching the other side of the board; the queen is the most common promotion choice for a pawn due to its power, and that would symbolize how Enya went from relatively powerless to a person of incredible power after conquering the trial. The fact that she is the black queen also adds an interesting dimension: it makes you wonder if she once was or could have been the white queen instead; or if she was always a black pawn, would Enciodes really choose to allow her into such a powerful enemy position if he wasn't forced to?

Then, interestingly, all the characters are looking at different people and directions.

Weiss looks at Enciodes. Per his own profile, he "will forever be the man's most faithful supporter." It's safe to say that Weiss is less an employee of KTC than he is more Enciodes' personal messenger and servant. No matter what, he will follow Enciodes, his loyalty unshakable.

Enya looks like she’s looking at Weiss, but at a closer glance, her eyes are not on his face, but staring somewhere ahead. So either she's staring at his chest (which is a very fine view), or she's lost in thought, looking off somewhere in the distance and slightly to the side (much like Degenbrecher), which makes more sense symbolically, as her connection to Weiss is tenuous at best. As the opponent queen, she contrasts with Enciodes' direct stare, sidelined by some other concern.

Ensia looks at Enya, symbolizing her desire to "save her sister from the mountain" and repair the siblings' relationship. The fact that she looks at Enya rather than Enciodes could mean that she's closer to Enya, or that she knows the one most opposed to this reconciliation is Enya. Yet still, she stands half-turned, not fully facing Enya and looking at her sidelong, like she's caught in the middle—which she is.

Matterhorn stands behind Enciodes, but not directly, on the side of Ensia and eyes closed. He will always remain loyal to Enciodes but he's struggling to turn a blind eye to the siblings' strained relationship. This also symbolizes how Enciodes dismisses him from his post in his oprec and tasks him with watching over Ensia instead. He looks stern, but perhaps he also looks a little pained.

Enciodes looks straight ahead. He is the king, unflinching, accepting what challenges come his way. He stares into the future, ready to seize it with his own two hands and avert the impending disaster.

Gnosis looks at Enciodes. Enciodes is the only person who matters to him. Much like Weiss, everything he does is for Enciodes, and per his profile, he's willing to "dedicate his heart and soul" to KTC's affairs. And much like Weiss, Gnosis is the only other one holding a weapon, but whereas Weiss has it in the background on his hip, Gnosis is holding it front and center. Weiss and Gnosis are the most willing to commit violence for Enciodes, be secretly or openly. That being said, the sword he's holding looks more ceremonial than anything, and Gnosis is not the kind of person to wield a sword—so alternatively, and far more likely, it could be his Arts unit (staff) in disguise, as the hilt and crossguard of this sword very much resemble the one he has in his Forerunner skin, minus the added winged ornamentation around the hilt and the blue glow of his Arts; notice that the hand where he rests the blade is gloved. It's my pet theory that Gnosis and SilverAsh's staffs both are Victorian in make, and the external section can be modified in appearance per their skins. Of course, symbolically, the meaning remains: Gnosis is ready, willing, and able to do whatever needs to be done. The jacket draped over his arm also implies he's preparing for departure, reflecting his false betrayal during BI.

Monch looks at Gnosis; her crush and adoration of him are more important to her than KTC's affairs. What's more, she's looking at his back, while he only has eyes for Enciodes, reflecting their dynamic. Ultimately, when it comes to their plans, he does not bring her into the fold.

Degenbrecher looks out; she's disconnected from the power plays of Kjerag, and has no personal connection to anyone there. She's always interested in a new challenge, pulling on her gloves in anticipation.

A second note on colors:

As mentioned, white plays first, so Enciodes playing white symbolizes his making the opening moves to change the landscape. However, he and his team are wearing black; they were the antagonists of BI. In addition, this black/white contrast carries the added meaning of how though they may appear to be villainous (dressed in black), they're motivated by good (playing white).

Black goes second; Enya and Ensia react to what Enciodes does, forced to build their stratagems around his. They wear white, a traditionally "good" color, but their efforts to oppose him ultimately only hinder the positive intentions behind his moves, and said efforts force him to take them as opponents rather than pieces on his own side. (Though of course, it should be acknowledged that in certain cultures, rather than purity and goodness, white symbolizes death.)

In the same vein, Enciodes' faction wearing black could also symbolize how, while being proactive is their entire motivation, they are still reacting to the state of the world around them.

And that's all I've got. Hope you enjoyed. :) More experienced chess players, please feel free to correct me on anything; I learned the rules as a child but I haven't played in decades so I might be off about something.

Thank you for reading!

[rjzimmerman]

The Climate Peril We Overlook. (New York Times)

Excerpt from this New York Times Op-Ed:

Our planet has just endured its hottest summer on record, with 2024 on track likewise to become the hottest year since recordkeeping began.

We see the impact of this heating in thousands of ways: The city of Phoenix this year endured 100 days of 100 degrees or hotter; some 1,300 Hajj pilgrims in Saudi Arabia reportedly died in the heat; Arctic ice is shrinking and far below average; and in some places monkeys and bats have tumbled out of trees from the heat.

We tend to focus on the cataclysmic risks of climate change — polar ice caps melting, seas rising dramatically, our planet becoming uninhabitable — and those are real. But over the last couple of decades we’ve accumulated evidence that the more mundane impacts of heat are already upon us, impacting our daily lives. For example, more people fall off ladders on hot days than on cool days. They are more likely to kill themselves. They are also more likely to kill someone else.

Meanwhile, students learn less on hot days. They perform worse on exams. After a natural disaster, students are less likely to go to college. In other words, extreme weather damages far more than property, for it also is devastating to human capital.

“The familiar climate catastrophe framing may be missing some of the most important features of the real climate change story,” R. Jisung Park, an economist at the University of Pennsylvania, notes in his excellent recent book, “Slow Burn.”

Sign up for the Opinion Today newsletter  Get expert analysis of the news and a guide to the big ideas shaping the world every weekday morning. Get it sent to your inbox.

Professor Park argues persuasively that we have been so focused on apocalyptic scenarios that we haven’t focused enough on the other consequences of climate change.

Unless we do more to address the impact on education, hotter temperatures may reduce student learning in the United States by about 10 percent over the course of a year, Park’s research finds. Because Black and Latino students disproportionately live in hotter parts of the country and attend schools with less air-conditioning, rising temperatures appear to magnify the learning gap, Park says.

Then there are forest fires. We focus on the immediate damage caused by fires, such as the 20 to 30 people who die in America from wildfires in a typical year. But wildfires linked to climate change are exposing more people to smoke that may claim far more lives.

Air pollution already is linked to an estimated seven million deaths globally each year, mostly by contributing to heart disease, respiratory diseases and cancer. Researchers estimate that in the United States, wildfire smoke claims 5,000 to 15,000 lives each year — yet these deaths don’t get attention because there is no dramatic footage of flames to frighten us. People may think that their loved ones died of heart disease or old age, but another factor may have been climate change.

Climate change may influence crime as well, for researchers find that murder, aggravated assault and rape all are more common when the mercury rises. One researcher estimated that the increase in temperatures because of climate change may lead to 1.6 million additional cases of aggravated assault and 200,000 additional rapes in the United States over this century.

We also know that hotter temperatures impair our productivity. A naval officer makes an average of 11 or 12 mistakes per hour in translating Morse code when the temperature is between 85 and 90 degrees, a British study found, but 95 mistakes per hour when the temperature rises to 105 degrees.

Even professional athletes are affected. One study looked at how tennis players do when temperatures rise. When it is 95 degrees, the likelihood of a double fault increases, and rallies are shorter.

Yet always remember that climate is complicated.

[strangelockd]

I'll Give You The Moon And Stars

Tumblr somehow deleted this story so I had to repost it.....So here I am once again. (Don't let this flop lol)

Pairing: Sinister!Strange x Fem!Reader

Synopsis: It finally here! Your wedding day to Sinister Strange. But he has a few surprises up his sleeve to make your best day ever even better than you could dream.

Word Count: 2.9K

Warnings: None really just tooth rotting fluff, Mutual pining

A/N: This story is somewhat of a self indulgent piece. It came to me one night bc I have always wanted to Waltz, let alone with Mr.Sinister.

Theres references to The Phantom of the Opera & Outlander!!!!

I have a strong headcannon that he is very light on his feet. Plus I can’t help but think of Sinister without Once Upon A Dream playing in my mind.

Steadily pacing around the grand room back and forth with the feeling of butterflies in your stomach, you kept wiping your outstretched hands on your legs because your palms wouldn’t stop sweating. Eyeballing the long A-line black and purple ombre dress hanging off the four-poster bed. Gathering your courage to shuffle towards it, lifting it gently off the plush hanger. The soft taffeta texture along with the outer tulle feeling soft against your skin; fingers gently dancing over the moonstone beads. The constellation patterns embellished on the waistline giving off a shimmer in the light. Tears welling in your eyes, for it was finally your wedding day. 

Sure, it wasn’t the ceremony you first envisioned since you were a little girl. The typical tradition of a Church and a huge gathering never resonated with you anyway. But Sinister latched onto your heart and swept you off your feet. He was without question the love of your life. Ever since you arrived in his world you slowly began to change him. His heart thawing like Spring warning away the frosty ice of Winter. You couldn’t wait to become his wife. 

Wiping away the gentle tears cascading down your cheeks to slide off the silken nightgown from your shoulders, tossing it to the side. Sliding into the gown gently right foot first, then the left. Zipping up the side of it, the corset snugging all the right places. Taking the extra time to adjust the black lingerie stockings giving them a light snap against your thigh. Tussling your hair slowly walking towards the embellished mirror you couldn’t believe how gorgeous you looked. You really did feel like a true Disney princess. That is, if princesses were into gothic attire.

Strapping on the black wedges to stand upright, making your way back to the four-poster bed reaching for the blood red rose bouquet that was decorated with purple lace. Peaks of white babies’ breath sticking out between them. Grabbing the perfume bottle off the vanity to generously sprits yourself with ‘Into the Night’ perfume. Its delicate amber scent danced around your senses. It was your signature scent and Sinister adored it. His heart always skipping a beat when walking into a room and knowing you where just there from the smell alone. The sheer intoxication of it all leaving an imprint on his mind and his senses. 

Taking a deep breath to steady your nerves, fingers wrapped around the silver door latch finally making your exit to the grand sanctum. This is it……The next time you returned would not be (Y/L/N), but Mrs.Strange. The thought of it making your heart flutter faster. 

Shoes quietly stepping on the floor to turn the corner slowly; finally arriving in the main room. There by the glowing window of the seal of Vishanti was your fiancé and soon to be husband, Sinister Strange. His tall lean frame silhouetted forming his hands behind his back facing outside the giant window. Safe assumption that he was in deep thought. 

Stepping out of the dark hallway looking up to him swallowing back tears you beckoned playfully, “Hello handsome.” His head perked to turn, slowly shifting completely around finding himself almost falling over if he wasn’t struck dead in his tracks. 

Eyes wide scanning up and down your gorgeous frame, his admiring gaze never wavering. A look full of pure uninhibited love. You looked like an angel. My angel of music. His sea glass eyes blown wide; mouth slightly open. She is absolutely beautiful. Just keep composure…and don’t cry. Its not everyday the worlds most powerful sorcerer is rendered speechless.

Face beaming, finding yourself in awe at how handsome he looked as well. He always took your breath away. Instead of his usual tunic he opted for a black victorian jacquard swallowtail frock coat with a matching vest. Completing the look with a dark purple ascot necktie. His Pressed black trousers accompanied by the solid black wingtip oxford shoes. The usual disheveled silken hair swept back neatly with a pomade. Of course, except for a few strands cascading down his forehead, slightly veiling his chiseled cheeks. The uniformed look of his silver strands on his temples giving off a soft glow from the light. He truly looked superbly divine and delectable. The things I would do to him tonight……

With an endearing grin he extended his left hand outward, the baritone in his voice dropping an octave that always drove you crazy sending an electric shock up your spine, “Darling……come here”

A wide smile spreading across your face emitting a giggle from you. Your smile always to sent a flood of warmth through his chest every time he saw it. Stepping closer grasping his hand bringing it up to his velvet lips, eyes never breaking contact with yours to slowly place a soft kiss on your fingers. Blue eyes shimmering like two glowing pools causing the heat to rise from your chest up to your cheeks.

Clearing his throat Sinister couldn’t help but to speak above a whisper; gently turning your hand over. Lips caressing your delicate palm to steal more kisses from your open hand between pauses, “You look…absolutely divine my love…so breathtaking. My angel.”

Smiling back sheepishly, “You’re not so bad yourself Stephen, you cleanup nice. Always such a gentleman to me.” Stroking his goatee giving it a light tug winking at him, noticing the tips of his ears turning pink with his cheeks.

Returning to stand upright never releasing your hand Sinister slowly guided you to the center of the Sanctum Hall, his oxford heels echoing off the wooden floor. Surrounded by snuffed out candles and musical instruments he waved his free hand to illuminate the candles surrounding you. Filling the hall with soft glowing warmth. The elegant glow dancing off your faces, accentuating his defined face and cheekbones, it felt like a living fairytale. 

Giving a heartfelt sigh, “You never cease to impress me Stephen, I always love when you use magic,” giving his hand a light squeeze.

“My bride deserves the best. This is the start of the rest of our lives, and I want to give you the moon and the stars. I love you with my whole heart (y/n),” guiding your hand bringing it up to his chest.

Being how it was just the two of you in this fractured world together you mutually agreed to exchange vows and rings with each other. Over the course of a year the two of you noticed this world slowly beginning to rebuild itself. Plants where sprouting, and you even pointed out some baby doves outside nesting on the library window. A normal explanation couldn’t be placed as to why, but Sinister deeply believed that it was your love and inner magic that was helping to sew this universe back together. He convinced himself he would be destined to wander it alone. For years his heart pined for companionship, but loneliness along with time began to calcify his heart due to the shame of his past. But you came into his life and repaired a broken man who believed in love all over again. A debt he could never fully repay. The closest he could muster was to ask for your hand and become his for eternity.

A loving smile formed on your lips, “I love you to Stephen…so much”

Feeling his rapid heartbeat through his vest you brought your palm up to cup his face, he leaned into it grabbing urgently with both hands. Like you were a dream, and he was afraid he would wake up from it.  After some time you spoke gently, “I would like to begin my love, for I can not wait any longer for you to be my wife (Y/N)”

Smiling at his eagerness you nodded, his stance erect he pulls out a folded parchment. Hands shaking a bit more then usual as his slender fingers unfolded the weathered paper. A clear sign he has taken many a time to write it out. Reaching for his hand once again for support feeling it get tighter as he read, “I Stephen Vincent Strange, take you to be my loving wife. To have, to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish you with every fiber of my soul till death we do part, and this is my solemn vow. Today I promise to respect you always. I will share the good times and bad times with you, be a support and guide. I promise to worship you at your feet for all eternity. You know me better than anyone else in this world and somehow still you manage to love me…...You are my best friend and one true love. Above all, I will love you from now until our day’s end.” 

 Suddenly breaking eye contact he gazed down away from you, hearing a sniffle to notice a single tear stream down his cheek. Bringing your soft hand up brushing it away with your thumb. A small smile on your lips you gently guided his head steadily upwards with your thumb and index finger, “That was perfect my love. I couldn’t have put it better myself.” Sinister couldn’t help but chuckle sheepishly at your affection. 

It left you speechless with your stomach doing somersaults. Fighting back your own tears your heart felt like it was going to burst. It was your turn to speak your heartfelt vow. Opting to not write anything you always spoke from the heart. But suddenly your brain was like a deer caught in the headlights.

 In a moment that felt like an eternity Sinister gave a chuckle to mouth the words, “you can do it my love,” squeezing your hands reassuringly. Giving a somber smile returning your hands downward gazing at Sinister straight into his blue eyes boldly professing, “I (Y/N), pledge to you Steven Vincent Strange, to always catch you before you stumble, and lift you over every threshold. I will always be by your side not only as your lover, but as your best friend. I promise to love you every day that I’m breathing. This is my solemn vow. You have the core of my heart beating for you, a love beyond what a metaphor can ever express.”

Closing his eyes releasing a heartfelt sigh that seemed like he was breathing in your words; he brought your hands to his lips. Waving his hand summoning light purple magic, a small ring box floated into his palm. The slender scarred digits slowly fishing out two matching wedding bands that were black with silver lining. Your ring accompanied by a small white diamond embedded into the jet black metal. 

Taking a band in each of your hands sliding them onto each others left ring finger. A symbol of undying love to your heart-lines. Holding Sinister’s fingers in the delicacy of yours rubbing your thumb over the band. His slender fingers even more beautiful than before. 

Together you had one last step in the ceremony to perform. Taking the purple lace from your bouquet to wrap your hands in unison. Sinister’s palm resting above yours, snugged between the soft fabric. Creating a bind symbolizing the bonding of both your lives. Reciting the planned vows, eyes never leaving each other in perfect unison to recite.

“You are Blood of my Blood, and Bone of my Bone. I give you my Body, that we Two might be One.  I give you my Spirit, ’til our Life shall be Done”

Sinister unraveled the purple fabric to magic it back onto your bouquet. Both releasing a joyous sigh, returning your hands back together. His thumb rubbing across your ring finger. With slightly choked up tempo you said, “I now pronounce us husband…...and wife.” Slightly bouncing up and down hardly containing your excitement, a huge smile beamed across your face.

Sinister wasted no time gently grabbing by both sides of your face. His large hands cradling you like precious porcelain. Pulling you in eagerly for a deep passionate kiss; lips melting together his mouth giving promises of love and protection. It felt like eternal bliss. Surrounded by the flicker of candlelight and for a moment forgetting the world around both of you existing. Pulling away glacially to look up at Sinister smiling down at you. 

“I love you; I love you with all my soul (Y/N Strange).” Rubbing a thumb gently across your cheek you blushed at the sentiment of using your newly claimed last name.

“I love you too Stephen Strange”

“I believe your husband owes you a first dance”

Your ears perked up at the sudden thought. You have always wanted to dance. It’s something you missed greatly. 

“That sounds incredible Stephen, yes please let’s do it.” Trying to contain your excitement, your hands still clasped together. Releasing from your grasp Sinister once again made a gesture with his hands; purple glowing magic emanating and surrounding all around you both. With wide eyes you saw the candles begin to hover and the instruments began to play. Finishing it off with a giant glowing chandelier up above. Hearing the familiar tempo of the music travel in your ears, tears formed in your eyes. Noticing the sound of the familiar score of Tchaikovsky’s Sleeping Beauty Waltz.

“Stephen…but how did you know”

Hands behind his back he paced slightly in front of you. “I know you more then anyone my love. You spoke about how you wanted to be a Disney princess. I felt this score fit perfectly. What kind of a husband would I be if I did not fulfill your every dream”

 Heart beating faster in your chest, feeling like you were on cloud nine. The familiar mm-bap-bap of the score leading the opening musical bar, Sinister taking a bow before you returning upright. His hand extended outward for you.

His baritone voice speaking gently, “May I have this dance my princess”

“I’d be honored”

Setting the bouquet on the grand piano to take his hand in yours, grabbing you by the small of your waist. Slowly at first guiding you across the sanctum floor with upmost grace. Not surprised that he was very experienced with waltzing. His steps ever fluid with the ¾ time, keeping up the pace with ease. No partner you’ve ever had could hold a candle to his dancing skills. The tail of his coat lifting with every gentle hop. His movement’s sweeping like a ghost across the dance floor. 

The score began to swell louder while keeping your pace together in perfect unison. Gliding across ever faster on the floor; your wedding dress swishing majestically like a work of moving art. Sinister couldn’t take his cerulean eyes from you. For all he cared the world would be burning and he would die a happy man.

“Ive said this a thousand times and I’ll keep saying it till my last breath, but you are beautiful. You are the sexiest thing in the world, never forget that” he breathed against your ear. 

“And I’ll never get tired of your sweet side Stephen”

 As the music began to die down so did your pace. Spinning around slower and slower until you fell into a deep embrace. His arms felt like home, the candles twinkling like lights from fairies. Sinister drew you closer to wear you were a breath away from each other. Noses nuzzling pulling you in for another kiss. Softly at first his mouth brushed against your lower lip. The beard tickling your soft skin. Melding together finally to tilt your head up deepening the kiss. Releasing a soft moan in sweet unison you lunged forward deeper on your tiptoes to get the most of his mouth. Tightening his grip around your waistline, he dipped you back to steal another kiss. This time his velvet tongue penetrating your lips, claiming access to your warm silken mouth. You welcomed it greatly never wanting to let go.

Releasing to catch your breaths Sinister leaned his forehead against yours, a huge smile radiating off of your faces. Gently rising you back up to kiss your forehead softly. Clutching each other with a loving embrace. Your cheek resting on his firm chest feeling it rise and fall. 

 “So…,” he trailed off. “What shall we do next?”

A smirk forming on the corner of your lip you knew exactly what he was hinting at. Placing your palms to his strong chest, leaning up with just a whisper of distance to form the most seductive voice cocking an eyebrow, “If I’m not mistaken, this is where we go upstairs and make our marriage official”

A growl emitting from his chest, eyes forming with lust he didn’t miss a beat and swooped you up bridal style to briskly carry you upstairs towards your shared chamber.

“Say no more, as the saying goes happy wife…...happy life,” he winked at you with that sideways smirk you loved so much.

Exclaiming boldly, you realized, “But wait! What about the candles?!” 

Biting your earlobe gently he growled into your ear.

“Those can wait, for I have more important things to tend too. For I’ve got an appointment with heaven and an angel needs tending to.” Giggling into his steady frame your cheeks flushing the deepest red. It was the best day if your life. 

Leave a comment if you liked it. Interact! I will love to read all of your comments and opinions. It inspires me to keep writing

Back to Main Masterlist

A special thanks to the followers who requested to read more of my work. Your all very special to me <3

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[swampstew]

Blind Date Event ~ Kyros X Reader

Thank you to everyone who submitted applications for my Blind Date Matchmaking Event. I hope you enjoy these lovely bedtime stories during this week of overpriced chocolates, flowers and heart shaped things. @imaultrabossbruh ma'am the way I am so fucking jealous of you...whew. Anyways enjoy the best husband and father material in OP (besides Bege ofc)

Mostly fluff, SFW, Kyros X Female reader, first blind date experience. WC: 1.1K. Minors DNI - my content is for mature audiences only

Retired Lieutenant Colonel Kyros stepped out of his car to let you slide in the backseat. He was a striking, tall man with a kind face and gorgeous black locks. You weren’t expecting to be driven by a chauffeur but that was apparently one of the perks from being honorably discharged from the army, according to him.

While the two of you sat in the car comfortably,  Lieutenant Colonel – no he insists you call him Kyros, please – pulls out the neatly folded pamphlet from the matchmaking medium.

“I have to be honest with you, ______. I did not sign up for this matchmaking event. My daughter signed me up. But please, do not take it the wrong way. I am excited to be here, I just have not dated in a very long time and I’m not sure I know how to do it anymore.”

His voice had a foreign accent you couldn’t quite place but it suited him well. Everything about his appearance suited him. The way his suit accentuated all his muscled mass, the way his hair was pulled back and not trying to hide the scar on his face, everything about the way he presented himself was confident and impressive to say the least.

So, it shocked you to hear how…insecure he sounded.

He held his hands up in surrender, “Wait I do not think that came out right. Argh, I’m sorry I think I am already, how do you say, blowing it up.”

You giggle, cautiously reaching a hand to his arm. He tensed a little.

“Its ok Kyros. I haven’t been on a date in a while either.”

He looked you over, analyzing your face. He let a smile form on his face and his body relaxed. “My daughter would say I am a hot mess right now.”

That made you laugh and he took the opportunity to quickly glance at pamphlet, the car finally humming to life as the driver plugged in the GPS coordinates. Kyros blushed, eyes narrowing as he read over the ice breaker topics. You noticed some sweat droplets forming on his temple.

“Tell me about yourself Kyros. You’re retired from the army with impressive honors and you have a daughter old enough to sign you up for blind dating. But what makes you Kyros the man?”

“______, that’s…” he sighed, “That’s a bit of a long story.”

It was but you hung on to his every word. His unfortunate and rough background, his criminal record, how he turned himself around and joined the army, finding and losing his first love, and the life of a single dad. By the time he finished speaking, the car had pulled up to the restaurant.

“Ah, I’m sorry I spent all that time talking about me,” he nervously massaged his neck.

“The date technically hasn’t started so don’t worry, I won’t hold it against you,” you smile warmly.

Kyros felt relieved by that. Truth was, he did see his daughter sign him up for the blind date but he became so flustered at the gesture that he pretended he never noticed. So far you hadn’t been turned off by his anxiety, his disability nor the fact that he had a teenage daughter. He felt like those would surely be deal breakers for most people; not you it seems and that gave him a spark of hope.

Being the gentleman he is, he held the door open for you and pulled out your seat for you. You were not used to someone being this well-mannered. Could your era of dating fuck boys finally be at an end?!

Drinks and food were shared between you as your night continued. You told him more about yourself: your crazy work schedule from the job you were very passionate about, your family, your hobbies, what you were looking for in a relationship.

Kyros drank his mimosa and listened politely to you. He appreciated how lively you were talking about your passions and your family. Kyros valued family above all else. He appreciated that your principles lined up and he was pretty certain you were feeling the same way. But he had to know…

“_____, I know we’ve briefly talked about my daughter and I don’t want to keep bringing her up while we enjoy our night getting to know each other. I find that I am quite enjoying your company. A lot. And I just need to know now that you do not have any reservations about it. My daughter is my life and one of my deal breakers is someone who could not accept Rebecca because she is a reminder of my last marriage. So please, tell me now before I start to fall for you – will that be an issue for you?” his gaze was firm, analytic.

You had to suppress any noises for fear of giving the wrong impression.

“Of course not, Kyros. If it was, I would have stepped out of the car the second you said you didn’t sign up for the event.”

Kyros eyes nearly bugged out of his face. He forgot he did mention it while the car was still parked in front of your home. You had the free pass to exit right then and there and you did not take it.

“Right,” his face relaxed. “Good to know.”

And that was the last wave of tension that rolled off his shoulders. The rest of your night was full of excitement and fun. Kyros didn’t let completely loose, still maintaining his decorum as a highly decorated officer of course. That did not however, stop him from borderline hogging the karaoke machine.

There was no line or official sign-up sheet, so Kyros took that as permission to sing his heart out. Finding covers by artists you mentioned you enjoyed, you were extremely pleased to hear that Kyros was a PHENOMENAL singer. Like he could go on The Voice and probably win he was that good.

You cheered him on and that inspired him to serenade with the final song of the evening. It was the best rendition of Santana’s Smooth you’d ever heard in your life. That was the moment you felt something blossom in your chest, flush reaching your cheeks and ears, clapping with the audience who stood to applause him.

Kyros paid the bill and walked you out with his arm holding yours. As he opened the car door he looked at you with a charismatic smile, one that nearly made you swoon.

“If you would allow me, I would like to take you on another date. Perhaps to the local national park trail and enjoy a picnic?”

You hoped the smile on your face could match even a fraction of your delight. “I would love a second date.” The happiness in his smile reflected the shine in his eyes as he reached down and pressed a kiss to your temple.

“I am glad we were matched tonight, ______.”

[thethornzsystem]

Intro:

Hey guys! So we are the Thorn System! We are bodily a minor and our collective name is either Thorn, or my name, Onyx! We are an C-DID system and we also have ADHD as well so we hyper fixate on things, hence why we are introject/fictive heavy. Here is some people you may see post the most:

-Me, Onyx. (He/they/it/pup)

-Viktor Reznov (He/storm)

-Alex Mason (He/him)

-Frank Woods (They/he)

-Dimitri Petrenko (He/him)

Those are just a few, but those are just who have been fronting the most as of late. Like it says in our description, this blog will most likely just be reblogs and the occasional post by us. Anywho, nice to meet yall!

Boundaries:

-Homo/transphobes, Endo and their variants, Racists/RCTA, IRLs, all of those people plz DNI. People who are over 19 are on thin ice but yall can stay.

-If you guys have source mates from another of our sources, comment or dm us and we will reply as soon as possible!

(Sources: Call of duty/ black ops one and two, COD: World at war and cold war, COD: black ops zombies, 12 Bible stories animated, Beauty and the beast, Digimon Adventure, Encanto, Gilligans island, Good Omens, Rise of the arch Illager, Sheriff Callie’s Wild West, the Hunch back of Notre dame, Glitter force, My singing monsters, The art of starving by Sam J Miller, The attack of the 50 foot women, Hamilton, and Heathers.)

-No fake claiming, you will be blocked!

-You can ask us/submit to us anything through our asking box as long as you aren’t being hateful or rude!

And that’s pretty much it! We also have a discord server yall could join! We welcome everyone there, so hope on in! (Comment if I ever have to redo the link!)

-Onyx

Here’s a few of our adjacent blogs!

@edward-richtofen-is-gone is Edward’s blog!

@askthethornsystem is our ask blog!

And @fictive-culture-is2 is my own blog that I run! :]

@raul-menendez-the-one is Raul Menendezes blog,

And @viktor-reznov-speaks is Viktor Reznov blog!

-Alex Mason

[tti-anonymousstories]

Program: Moonridge Academy Record Form: Memory Approx date: 2021 (??) maybe??? Tw/Cw: Assault, Student restraint.

 This memory is a little more scattered than my others because I was concussed by the end of it, it's a little pieced together with what other people told me because I blacked out, but even then my memories jump around a lot. A bit of context, There was one girl- ‘J’ for this story- who did not like me. (Or so I thought after she left- she got taken by the cops for an incident with another student, yes that time was that bad- multiple people told me that she actually liked me and that's why she acted the way she did… apparently.) But she was around 16 at this time and level four. 

 There's me- ‘OP’ for this story. I believe I was at level three at the time of this, I was 12 and about 90lbs (important for later because she was much bigger than I was.) And lastly important to this story, there’s ‘L’ another almost comically small student and a friend of mine, also 12.

A few days before this story J had asked me if I had done a safety check. (I think that's what they were called- but basically, we had to show the staff we didn't have anything on us before we went inside.) I told her that I had and that even if I hadn't it was none of her business, But she insisted that I hadn't and that I should do it again and doubled down even after the staff I did it with confirmed it. 

  And I’m a petty mother fucker, so I held onto that. Right before the main event- she was already in a bad mood, while we were on the porch to put on our boots and L asked me to help her get her shoe off, so I did, but it kinda ended up with me basically pulling her off the bench, she laughed, I laughed- and the J came, clearly mad about who knows what and hits L’s leg hard enough to knock her foot out of my hand. “We’re doing horse chores- stop messing around.” Thankfully L was ok and we just went on to the barn, My chore was just to run around with the dog so all I had to do in the barn was grab the leash, and as I was leaving the barn J went in and I didn't hear her ask- bingo. “Did you ask to go in the barn J?” “Yes.”

 “I didn't hear you, maybe you should do it again.” At this point I've left the barn, leash in hand. “You really don't want to mess with me right now.” She warned “Hmm, but what if I do?” that was all I was going to say, maybe just to get in the last word. 

 As mentioned before I was not exactly nice then, to be frank, I was kind of an asshole, it was one of the few things that brought me joy- I had learned pretty good control over my emotions (aka not feeling them) and it was amusing to rile other people with less control up, but nonetheless, I thought I had won and started walking over to the dog pen. 

 But that would be far too simple, after a moment I heard footsteps, she was getting a running start before hitting me on the back of the head hard. Hard enough that I blacked out, not like passed out blacked out but I went still and held on to the door of the dog pen I never had any memory of what happened for the next ten minutes- not even that night I could remember what happened so it wasn't normal memory loss and I am almost certain that I had a concussion (Not that I was ever taken to a doctor or given anything more than an ice pack afterward.) But this was what I was told by the others.

 While I was out of it, only being held up by the door of the dog pen the staff did nothing, even as she raised her hand to hit me again (I was very much disliked by the staff for the aforementioned rudeness and my non-compliance to the program.)- thankfully despite all my assholery I did have people that liked me, people who liked my no-bullshit attitude, people who wanted to talk back but had things to lose, people who also disliked the people I taunted. Thankfully two of these people are A and V, both relatively strong people, A being about 5’9 and V being possibly one of the strongest people there (I would know, she also punched me once- she was an interesting person.) but they saw this and grabbed her and held her back so she didn't hit me again, shouting to the staff that had just stood there as she hit me.

 I came back to about ten minutes later and shrugged it off, I was dizzy sure and there was still a ringing in my ears, but it was kinda my fault- The thing about being an asshole is that you’re gonna get hit sometimes, really I was just surprised she had the balls to actually hit me. I ran the dog around for a bit while the staff ignored me and only a few other students asked if I was ok. (Again I was not a staff favorite.) Later that night while I held an icepack to my head (I was fine for a while but after the adrenaline ran off boy that fucking hurt.)  She asked for her Nintendo Switch (A level four privilege was that you got to have your personal switch during free time.) And they gave it to her- They gave her her switch even after she basically knocked me out not four hours earlier.

TLDR: I taunted a girl into knocking me out and the staff did nothing to stop her from hitting me again then gave her video games later that night. 

[foulfirerebel]

Do you have any complaints About rwby? Or at last something you think could’ve been done better?

A lot,of fellow rwby fans seem to agree the white fang storyline wasn’t handled very well. But at the same time I keep seeing those same people acting like ghira did nothing wrong, that Blake is some badass rebel when canon doesn’t seem to support that currently, etc.

Oh boy. Strap in for this one.

So, I thought as much as I could focus on this since I've had the flu for the past three weeks. And I realize my complaints and thoughts are very small when it comes to this particular subject. But, if you're curious, read on below the cut.

Spoilers for RWBY V1-V9, the books, and games.

So, let's just get one thing out of the way first: I loved Monty Oum's fight scenes but they hurt my eyes to watch now. And I'm not sure why. To preempt a long rant, I'll say this. I prefer the fight scenes we have in V4-V9 to the ones in V1-V3. They contain more narrative tension to me then the earlier ones (Except for the train fights in V2, and the entirety of the Fall of Beacon in V3).

I'm not a huge fan that Yang doesn't get much in V1, with a bulk of her character starting in V2. I'm even less of a fan of the fact that Weiss' racism toward Blake in V1 felt a little swept aside instead of one of the many facets of her character that evolved over time. Ice Queendom, to me, helped this a lot but there's a lot that could be said there too.

As everyone seems to hate the Jaundice part of V1, I will also throw my two cents in: it went by fast for me given V7 was my first "live" volume and I binged all the others. It could've been shortened, made way for Yang characterization or otherwise. Cardin can get yeeted into the sun for all I care.

Now, of course, there's the White Fang part of the Faunus plot. For the record, I don't think it's the WORST racism storyline or allegory attempted (See: Overwatch, Detroit: Become Human, and others for worse) but it definitely needed more polishing. Give Sienna Khan more screentime and more of a presence, show more of the distinction between Ghira, Sienna, and Adam and either 1) Make Sienna's death a full-blown fight scene and last stand, 2) A sneak attack rigged heavily in Adam's favor that gets exposed later on and causes the White Fang to disown him, or 3) Have Sienna live and aid Blake and the Faunus militia afterward.

There are other changes too, mind you, like having the White Fang under Adam express doubt in what they're doing only for Adam or Cinder to silence them or something like that. We got that with Ilia, and I love her story, but we needed some more like that.

The following are going to be under the "just bugs me" complaints, nothing too huge or rant filled and I can elaborate if needed:

I wish we got more Happy Huntresses stuff, because I find the Ace Ops/Happy Huntresses ratio in V7/V8 to be...unevenly weighted toward the Ace Ops. Understandable, but still.

I'm sure we'll get this in V10, but I'd like an update on the rest of the world's current situations. Vale, Mistral, Menagerie, the changes that occurred, etc.

I'll be happy when Penny returns or is confirmed officially to be truly dead. If the latter, I'll be complaining more about "wasted potential". If the former, I'd like to see how she'd be revived.

Summer Rose. I need more answers.

Just something fandom related: Stop going after Ghira and Tai Yang for the love of all that is holy. If you'd like examples of awful parentage, Jacques, Marcus Black, Cinder's wicked Stepmom, Neo's parents, Roman and Nora's unnamed mothers, Raven Branwen and even Lil Miss are right there. Also, Jax and Gill's guardian too.

Grimm Eclipse was fun but...wow, Arrowfell was better as a video game in a lot of ways. Told a better story than GE too.

The only thing I can complain about in the books is not giving much to Sage of Team SSSN, though given "Before the Dawn" had to juggle so many characters I'm cutting it some slack.

Obviously the obligatory "Rooster Teeth isn't a good company"/"The Upper Management are terrible" and all that jazz, please support all the staff and former who have Patreons, Kofis, Twitch Streams, etc.

That's about all I can think of. Again, I'm still addled by the flu and medication I'm taking for it.

TLDR: I just think RWBY needs...well, more of it. More time and budget and space to fully flesh out everything. What we got is superb, especially for starting so small, but I always find more better than less.

[kaqzu]

Rules: Tag 9 people you'd like to get to know better

Tagged by @akatsukitrash & @hidanstitties

3 ships: currently obsessing over, in order: zosan (op), kakuhida, kisahida

First ship: Ren/Horohoro from shaman king, if you want first nrt ship, then nh i guess.

Last song: Go F*ck Yourself by Two Feet or Self Care by Mac Miller, i can't remember & i dont feel like checking rn

Last movie: Black Swan

Reading: uhh let's break it in two: manga - One Piece; book - Short Stories Edgar A. Poe

Watching: Better Call Saul & OPLA but with japanese dub this time

Consuming: coke zero & watermelon ice vape

Craving: the least embarrassing thing i can put here is a real cig

Tagging: only somewhat active people! @latart, @liliumsolis, @scars-and-scythes, @uotsu, @zombie-honeymoon, @oh-hai-senpai, @reapersperdition, @navigatorsghost, @falloutdopesstuff no pressure if you don't feel like it!

[theburninggalaxy]

hey bitch heard you wanted statements. i was a weird and fucked up child with a weird and fucked up life. i will say tho that these arent like full stories, some of them are longer some of them are shorter. just a general tw for mentions of DV, child neglect, bullying, bugs (infestation), puke, clowns, drowning

- so ive lived in a shit ton of differant houses. most of them falling apart or milatary housing. we get lots of bugs in our house. im deathly terrified of bugs. hate them. they bring diesese and rot and illness. now one day in 8th grade i have to go take out the trash, and throw some cardboard boxes in the garage. so i open the garage, and there are just these black dots flying everywhere. so i throw the cardboard and run. a week later i find fruit flies in the freezer. dead fruit flies. soon we find them in our food. in our vents. no where was safe. they were in my dreams. one night i was puking and sick, i found a dead fly in the vomit. that infestation was the only time there were bugs in our house that werent dead. i still have nightmares.

- i qas never a good swimmer. but my grandmother loved taking me to the pool and my uncle had one. so i went swimming alot. ive nearly drowned nine times. im pretty sure the vast and buried want me dead and gone.

- in sixth grade i wouldnt be able to sleep because i would see a 9 foot tall woman in a gown looming over the foot of my bed

- in elementry school up until 4th grade i would bike to school every day. most of the time it was pitch black in the morning, even though i would leave at 7. multiple times people would try to get me into an alleyway woth them or id see extremely tall people watching me behind electrical poles. i didnt think anything of it at the tome, or when i saw person in my closet.

- i would pick at my skin alot as a kid and i got multiple infections that way. i named them. i have a scar on my arm from harold.

- i would play with spiders and theyre corpses, i would put live spiders in my hair amd carry them around there as a kid.

- my mom thinks imike a chamgeling or something

- my mother used to tell me she thinks im gonna be a serial killer one day

- i woke up one day to find my bedroom door open at 4 am. ny dog was staring into the kitchen from my bed (you can see into the kitchen from my room). i heard drawers ope ing and shutting. i only got a glimpse of what was causing those noises but it was way too tall and had way too many arms to be human. i didnt sleep for the rest of the night

- my mother conviced me im always one step away from fucking losing it. she thought i was schizophrenic, and has tried (and failed) to gaslight me on multiple occasions

- ive seen myltiple ghosts, and nearly died like alot of times

- i would run through the woods pretending a giant monster was chasing me and trying to eat me. a few times ive heard sticks break and leaves crunch behind me while doing that

- you (probably) saw me explain all the stranger and slaughter stuff to you by now

looking back im probably marked by more than seven entities (idk how many this is just the tip of the ice berg) but yeah i was a fucked up kid

That's a lot of events, and especially for the abuse I'm sorry and that shouldn't have happened. Out of curiosity, what entity are you aligned with? /nf