#repercussions of the ramifications

[phlebaswrites]

Repercussions and Ramifications

Summary:

Kakashi knows how to deal with unforeseen circumstances.

He's had a lot of practice.

Rating: Mature Fandom: Naruto Relationship: Senju Hashirama/Senju Tobirama/Uchiha Izuna/Uchiha Madara, Hatake Kakashi/Nohara Rin/Uchiha Obito Word Count: 717 (Complete)

Entry for @narutorarepairweek

Day 5 - August 8: Seasons | Murphy’s Law/Yhprum’s Law

Part 4 of This Thing of Ours, this story is a gift for @kurakura0-0, my wonderful collaborator on this series.

Kakashi looks up at his boss.

He might only have one eye left, but it's still enough to let him see the badly hidden regret on that usually impassive face. Even so, he doesn't regret what he's done, though he wishes his last sight were of something else.

He doesn't particularly care to see his own eyeball, especially when it's not in his head.

Read the rest on AO3.

[ahalliance]

i don’t get how people can complain about the writing “doing Martha dirty” when that same writing gives her an ending that addresses her treatement over the course of the season, allows her to finally put her to foot down, to establish her self-worth as an individual and to air out her grievances, and gives her the most respectful and satisfying exit from the TARDIS we’d yet seen in the show . like it’s one thing to dislike the direction the writing team took with her arc and to criticise it (perfectly fine) and another to somehow miss it entirely lmao . the ‘martha feels out of place, second best, and like a rebound’ is an intentional piece of writing that gets resolved by the end of the season . like that wasn’t smth they threw in for shits and giggles, it had in-story repercussions

[emptyjunior]

It looks like with the movies taking off, everyone is on the Dune train now!! Which is very exciting, I’m glad a bunch of new people are discovering this media and reading the books, but can I recommend you the David Lynch, Dune (1984) movie.

First of all, if you are invested in the lore of the books and the deeper messaging of the story, you’re going to need to turn that part of your brain Off. If you love kick ass shit and are willing to be slightly tipsy while you watch and have a great goddamn afternoon, this is the flick for you.

Now first fun fact I’m going to share with you. David Lynch (twin peaks, eraserhead director, celebrated surrealist) turned down the opportunity to direct Return of the Jedi for this film. A film that was devastatingly slow to make, changed hands multiple times, had a pricy VFX budget of $40 million and then made barely $31 million, David Lynch turned down Star Wars to work on it. And he did this when he had never read the novel, and did not even like or engage with sci fi media. THAT’S how you know we’re really in for something.

Now this film has some big names in it! We’ve got a young Kyle MacLachlan who is rocking some Devastating outfits:

We’ve got Sir Patrick Stewert as our Gurney and Sting, lead singer of the police, playing the 15 year old Feyd Rautha! If you wanted to see a grown man, sprayed orange, basically naked playing a free wheeling maniac you are in for a treat! And another fun fact, David Lynch also did not know who these actors were, he made a mistake and thought Patrick Stewert was someone else and when Sting said he was in the police he assumed he was in an organization of lawmen.

Now these characters are familiar to you, but let me get into the unfamiliar. Lynch made some directorial executive decisions throughout this film, for I suppose the ease of the viewer? I mean an adaptation is supposed to adapt so he went let me change some stuff up👏👏👏.

Those who paid attention to Jessica’s backstory may know about the Weirding Way. This is a martial arts style created by the Bene Gesserit, and practiced by Paul. It is more than just a fighting style but also an important philosophical concept, like Aikido or how Kung Fu has foundations in Buddhism.

You may also be familiar with the quote “My name is a killing word.” This inner monologue of Paul’s refers to how his title Muad’dub will be used to spur a holy war. A simple name is what people will die and bleed for, it will be what they scream as they cut down enemies.

Dark! Intense! That’s Dune, anyways in the novel it’s easy to take your time exploring these concepts. Introducing the audience to the religious ramifications of a simple name and fighting practice and how these things can have rippling repercussions upon a society like the Freman.

Now David Lynch didn’t have time for that! He had the belief (that may be right🤷‍♂️!) That watching a bunch of people kick each other on top of a sand dune would be Lame😭😭

So he made the choice for his film that “My name is a killing word” was to be taken Absolutely Literally and invented a device where if the freman said the name Muad-dib, shit would explode.

If they said Paul’s name, they could Explode Stuff. Let it sink in how rad that is. Hell yeah man, hell yeah. Imagine me interpreting religious text that way, imagine if I made a bible movie and the moral I took from a parable is that when Jesus asked for food and everyone donated fish, I concluded that Jesus was a mutant who had fish powers and could immediately conjure fish with magic and gave him fish death rays that shot out of his hands.

So that’s what you can expect from this interpretation, the weirding way now means everyone has Lasers its rad as hell.

Some other incredible choices made! This is a spoiler, but in the novels and the new films you can see the Freman collecting every scrap of water they can. Dr Liet-Kynes, the planetologist, reveals to us it’s because they have a long, multiple generation spanding plan to fix the planet. By introducing this water back they hope to reset the ecosystem over centuries of work. The reason they have been unable to do this is because a green planet would obviously not have worms and sand who produce spice, the most coveted drug in the empire, so imperial and harkonnen forces have been stopping this from ever happening. They want to be free from oppression so that they can start to work on slowly fixing their world, a project that plays out in Paul’s adult life and has its own dramas and complexities.

In Dune 1984??? The moment, the Moment Paul lays out his cousin and throws the final punch, it begins to rain in Arrakis. As if they were all under a magical curse and were just waiting for a teenager to come fight another teenager and then the water will come back. It’s so good, it’s so funny.

Also Pugs! House Atreides official Pugs! Paul has pugs in his lap!!

This is honestly an adaptation choice that I really really like! Paul is the result of centuries of selective breeding, this practice is an artform to the Bene Gesserit and a skill that they monitor closely. It produces bizarre and sometimes terrifying results and is the reason for Paul’s existence.

I think having an animal that was also created through selective breeding, was engineered from a wolf into an animal that can hardly breathe is an incredible metaphor! A smart and identifiable symbol for the audience, I think it’s a slam dunk and the new movies should have done it to.

Anyways can not recommend this film enough.

-The body suits the bad guys wear are made out of real body bags, that actually had been used.

-David Lynch to this day hates it.

-The original cut was four hours.

-The cast and crew were sick the Entire shoot with something they called Montezuma's Revenge, which was probably just food poisoning, side effects from the constant smog because they shot the whole thing on backup generators, illness from the cockroach infestation and terrible morale.

-Frank Herbert saw it multiple times and said he absolutely loved it.

-When they ride the worms, sick rock jams play.

If you love electric guitar, lasers, worms and will forgive me for not including all the trigger warnings cause Yes this film will gross you out, then go watch this movie.

[morsesnotes]

I'm very fond of Strange, but it does bug me how he's such a golden boy within the world of the show - never faces ramifications for joining the masons, no repercussions for engaging in police brutality, often perceived as the hero of a case, no serious mess-ups that cause blowback from Thursday, receives direct praise from Thursday (including what a great guy he is compared to Morse), Joan is always happy to give him information and never gets frustrated with him, etc.

Morse is the only person who seems aware of his less admirable qualities, and I can't say I blame him for holding a grudge against him. And even in his case, he doesn't push back much for the number of times Strange pulls rank or tries to act morally superior. Everything just fell into his lap.

[codeopod]

Laudna being “addicted” to Delilah isn’t the full picture. It’s not just a compulsion, she needs Delilah in a very real way, or she will DIE. She has entered into a contract with an incredibly powerful sorceress and she has to play along or very real consequences could happen. If she goes too far either way she is likely to lose autonomy/die.

Forget the manipulation and emotional abuse, Delilah, for all we know, could just decide to cut the chord at any point. She could withhold power when the Hells are in danger, she could even turn the powers on the Hells if Laudna doesn’t appease her. She’s been pretty lenient so far, but she may get more demanding the closer they get to major conflict/power. I’m curious when we will start to see the ramifications of feeding Delilah. Laudna hasn’t really had any tangible downsides or repercussions, but I feel like the turning point is fast approaching.

I think it will be interested to see how she handles seeing her friends/Imogen hurt by her actions, it’s time she saw some of the downsides. (So maybe she will start asking for help out of the contract rather than spiraling deeper) Her character arch has so so so much potential for overcoming and healing and I really hope she gets to play it out because it’s super compelling and great story telling

[atwoodsfemalefantasy]

WOMEN I NEED YOU TO LISTEN! this election rests on our shoulders. we have the power to beat Trump and Vance, and if we all work together to educate each other and understand how dystopian Trump and Vance will make this country for us, we can beat them.

Here's the facts:

-Trump and Vance want to get rid of No Fault Divorce. No Fault Divorce basically makes getting divorces possible without serious repercussions. No Fault Divorce saves women from abusive relationships ALL THE TIME. Trump and Vance plan to force women to stay in abusive relationships and are hiding it under the guise of "protecting families. Getting rid of No Fault Divorce ensures that women in unsafe and abusive marriages stay there and will lead to women being murdered because they couldn't get out. every voting age woman in america, take heed. Trump wants you to be forced to stay in abusive marriages. if you care about women's lives DO NOT LET HIM WIN

-JD Vance does not want women to be able to work. if you vote for Trump, women might lose their right to work, and along with it, their right to individual financial stability, and will be forced to stay in unhealthy relationships, forced to be homemakers, and have no choice in their own lives. do you want to go back to the 50s? do you want a man controlling your life? how long until they take our bank accounts again?

-JD Vance associates with people who say "feminists deserve rape". what do you think a man who associates with monsters like that will do to women in this country? first, we'll have to carry rapists babies, and then what? rape becomes even less punished than it is now

-Vance openly opposes gay marriage. are we prepared to live in a world where not only are we and our gay friends aren't allowed to marry but also aren't allowed basic rights like hospital visitation only allowed to spouses? and any queer person (like me) knows that marriage is not even close to being our biggest concern. it starts with denied wedding cakes. it ends with denied healthcare, and we all remember the last time that happened to the LGBTQ+ community.

-both Vance and Trump are openly transphobic. all those anti trans bills we've been proposed that never pass? they'll start passing. and if empathy for your trans sisters isn't enough for you to vote blue, remember that anti trans laws hurt women too. the second you drop your guard and don't look falsely feminine the way they want you too, you could be assumed to be trans and targeted. cis women have been beaten up for being in women's bathroom. cis women have been sent to mar jails because they're assumed to be trans. and to all trans people out there, we have the power to save this election. even if it seems pointless, even if you're losing hope, GET OUT TO VOTE. if you care about your rights, VOTE BLUE

-Vance and Trump want to get rid of ALL ABORTIONS with NO EXCEPTIONS! even if you're anti-abortion (i refuse to say pro lifers when abortion bans KILL WOMEN) THINK ABOUT THE RAMIFICATIONS. They want no abortion for rape victims. they want no abortions for incest. they want children who are pregnant to be forced to give birth EVEN IF IT WILL KILL THEM. women who will die from ectopic pregnancies WILL DIE if they can't get abortions. please, i am urging you, if you care about the lives of women, VOTE BLUE. even if you're pro abortion, the bans they want will kill women AND abort the fetus. A) zygotes are not alive or children. they aren't alive. B) even if you believe they are, please, you have to care about women's lives enough to trust them to make that decision for themselves. please do not be responsible for the women who will die. the women who will commit suicide. the women who will be murdered.

-Project 2025 includes cutting the department of education. do you want your kids to grow up intelligent and capable and educated? Trump and Vance don't.

-need any more evidence of Trumps racism? he wants to cut the EPAs office of External Civil Rights. actively cutting offices dedicated to equality and STILL he's supported

-i understand the concerns about Palestine. i hate the way Biden handled it too. but please, i need you to think. Trump, who openly hates middle eastern people will not handle the situation any better.

DO THESE ISSUES AFFECT YOU?

they should TERRIFY you.

Trump and Vance want to take us to Handmaids Tale America where women are forced to stay home to serve a man, have his babies no matter what, and never leave.

but we have the power to stop it. women, we account for more than half of this country. these men want to steal your rights away from you. DO NOT STAND FOR IT. we can beat those fuckers if every single one of us gets out to vote and votes for our fucking human rights.

we have the power, women. we have the power, POC. we have the power, LGBTQ+ community. if we protect our rights, we can win

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Andrew Perez at Rolling Stone:

EARLIER THIS WEEK, two Democratic senators announced they have requested a criminal investigation into Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas — regarding, in part, a loan for a luxury RV provided by a longtime executive at UnitedHealth Group, one of America’s largest health insurers. Thomas apparently recused himself in at least two cases involving UnitedHealth when the loan was active, according to a Rolling Stone review. Yet, he separately chose to participate in another health insurance case and authored the court’s unanimous opinion in 2004. The ruling broadly benefited the industry — shielding employer-sponsored health insurers from damages if they refuse to cover certain services and patients are harmed. Thomas’ advice to patients facing such denials? Pull out your checkbook.

While UnitedHealth was not a party to the case, the company belonged to two trade associations that filed a brief urging the Supreme Court to side with the insurers.  “As we saw so starkly this term, Supreme Court decisions can have sweeping collateral implications: If the court rules in favor of one insurance giant, for instance, it tends to be a boon for all the other insurance giants, too,” says Alex Aronson, executive director at the judicial reform group Court Accountability. “That was the case here, and it’s a perfect example of why justices shouldn’t accept gifts — especially secret ones — from industry titans whose interests are implicated, whether directly or indirectly, by their rulings.” The public had no way of knowing about Thomas’ RV loan at the time of the decision: The loan was only exposed by The New York Times last year. Senate Democrats investigating Thomas believe that much or all of the loan, for a $267,230 motor coach, was ultimately forgiven. Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) recently requested the Justice Department investigate whether Thomas reported the forgiven portion of the loan on his tax filings, after he failed to disclose it in ethics forms.

Meanwhile, Thomas’ health insurance opinion has had wide-ranging, long-lasting ramifications, according to Mark DeBofsky, an employee benefits lawyer and former law professor.  “It hasn’t been rectified. The repercussions continue,” DeBofsky tells Rolling Stone. “People who are in dire need of specific medical care, and [their] insurance company turns around and says, ‘That care is not medically necessary,’ and there’s an adverse outcome as a result of the denial of the treatment, or hospitalization, or service — there’s no recompense for what could have been an unnecessary death or serious injury.” Since last year, the Supreme Court has faced an unprecedented ethics crisis, with much of the focus aimed squarely at Thomas. ProPublica reported that Thomas received and failed to disclose two decades worth of luxury gifts from a conservative billionaire, Harlan Crow, who allegedly provided free private jet and superyacht trips to Thomas and his wife; bought a house from Thomas and allowed the justice’s elderly mother to live there for free; and paid for at least two years of boarding school tuition for Thomas’ grandnephew.

[...] Federal law requires Supreme Court justices to recuse themselves in any case where their “impartiality might reasonably be questioned.” The justices decide for themselves when such a move is necessary — and when they do withdraw from a case, they rarely say why. Thomas does not appear to have explained his decision to withdraw from the two matters that directly involved UnitedHealth. Thomas did not take similar steps in Aetna Health Inc. v. Davila, a case that broadly affected the health insurance industry. He instead authored the court’s opinion, which expanded insurers’ favorite tool for limiting liability: ERISA. Congress passed the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, commonly known as ERISA, in 1974 to protect employee benefits. The law is relatively vague when it comes to “welfare benefits,” and contains a broad preemption clause. The courts have filled in the blanks — including in the Aetna Health case — with distressing results for patients. Half of Americans have employer-sponsored health insurance coverage; nearly all of these plans are governed by ERISA.

Rolling Stone exposes how SCOTUS Justice Clarence Thomas received a $267K RV from a health insurance executive.

[douglasanondr]

Inspired by an anonymous ask someone sent me, specifically the last part:

At first I was thinking on how I could make this into a comic, first I thought about how this could affect the residence of Primp if they did it, second I thought about the ramifications someone accidentally killing Schezo with his own sword. Then I realize something,

The Sword of Darkness is Alive.

That sword is not only alive, but sentient and actively communicates with Schezo at all times, normally this wouldn't warrant much thought, but Schezo treats that sword better than any human he's ever met. So there must be some repercussions to that thing being the only thing capable of killing him.

There really isn't a way for me to describe the proverbial angst a sentient sword caring for their owner can be but I will make a comparison.

Schezo's relationship with the Dark Sword to me, is like The Doctor and his Tardis. And that is the saddest comparison I think I've ever made.

(to anyone who could guess who the second shadow is in the second to last panel, you get an easter egg to my first comic idea)

[yashley]

you ever think about how a choice that wasn’t even really a choice for fearne, but her being the only one with the ability to perform the ritual that made it her* choice as everyone around her buckled to try to help her out of that situation and the ramifications of that choice that she had scarred her so deeply that now she is terrified of making another mistake that will dramatically affect the people around her who she loves, and then when another situation followed, she was led into a situation that she did not want to be a part of, but under the veil of friendship reluctantly assisted and it blew up literally once again, took that overwhelming burden of guilt and while her friends stood by and once more let her be alone in her guilt and scarred her further.

now it feels like she can’t make any choice for herself, she can’t make any move because that will ultimately inevitably lead to her making a mistake and all of her precious friends will look down at her in disappointment and that there is not a single friend amongst them who has the emotional wherewithal to what’s happening with how fearne has changed and how she is shutting in on herself and how she is slowly imploding breaking at the seams because she’s being lost in the sea of guilt and no one else notices and no one else sees that she feels like she can’t do anything anymore from the smallest carefree little action that has no plot repercussions to a character centered decision that is integral to her own character arc that has been in the works for her character since the campaign’s conception

now she can’t even say anything, and if fearne does have an idea to do something. She quietly mutters it, and if they hear her they hear her enough to respond that ehhh that's not a good plan and that’s not gonna work and we’re not gonna do that. We’re gonna do this and fearne being fearne, trusting in her friends and doubting herself to the point of despair will nod her head that they were right and then we go on with our day until the next moment happens where she wants to think of something, she wants to do something, and it’s dismissed as the silly dumb fearne not thinking, that She has her own thoughts and feelings, and drives and desires but because she is drowning in doubt and drowning in guilt, She freezes up and doesn’t move and everyone around her just pushes her on, and even in the moment where she is faced with the situation that she is terrified of undertaking, and she is terrified of becoming a Nightmare version of herself her friends push her forward, her friends dust off her shoulders say your doubt is misplaced, and don’t worry about it and you need to do this, it should be you. This is for you.

They just completely dismiss and ignore her when she actually does speak up so what does that do? that means that she remains silent. She doubts herself more. She even more will only make a decision if it’s signed off by all these fucking people around her who claim to be her friends. she can’t even move without frantically looking to people around her for confirmation that that’s a good idea she’s not gonna fuck up. Everything about her that was supposed to be free and fun and sweet has just rendered her into a character who feels like they have as much agency as characters who would be absent for the majority of the campaign.

shes been so chained up by doubt and so chained up by guilt and hesitation and fear that she just is a person who affirms everyone else’s desires and ideas because what she wants will inevitably end up being horrible and everyone will hate her for it and they’ll leave

and it’s like if they deem fearne even capable enough to be the vessel she will leap at the chance to be useful and to be told her path and it’s like. fearne was ruidusborn first. how has this campaign done such a disservice to her character that the only thing fearne is certain of is that she doesn’t really matter. she’s a ruidusborn and holds a primordial titan of fire inside her, and she still believes she doesn’t really count are you kidding me

[spotted-kittens]

I need to rant a bit about the repercussions of the seminal episode that is Chat Blanc. What Marinette experiences during that episode is the key to a lot of her subsequent choices, as is clearly demonstrated by her reaction in Strikeback when Chat is so confident they will not be akumatized and should therefore share secret identities.

When she is feeling overwhelmed at the beginning of season 4, Marinette chooses to tell Alya about her secret identity instead of confiding in Chat Noir because of Chat Blanc. This is, in my opinion, the same reason why she never shared any information regarding other holders or her Guardianship duties with him, leading to trust issues between them. (If Adrien hadn't been so used to people not sharing information with him and expecting him to do as told without explanations, I feel this would have been a bigger issue, but this is a story for another post.)

Marinette has no way of knowing what caused Chat Noir to be akumatized, the only thing she knows to be different between this reality and her own is that Chat Blanc calls her by her real name when she is transformed as Ladybug.

That same, damning name that she erases from her card to Adrien to fix the whole timeline and erase Chat Blanc from the future.

From Marinette's point of view, not discovering her identity keeps Chat Noir from being akumatized. This is the only thing she knows, and the only thing she can do to prevent Chat Blanc from happening, having no other information.

Incidentally, this could also has another important ramification: Marinette would never voluntarily tell Adrien her secret identity, because in her mind he has proven untrustworthy already (in other words has caused Chat Noir to find out her identity, which in this case amounts to the same thing). This implies that as much as Adrinette is my favourite thing ever, they are doomed to not be able to be sincere with one another. Ever. In this context, even if a partial truth came out, imagine how much Marinette would lie through her teeth to keep the truth as much as possible from Adrien (even more so after what she found out about him and his family at the end of season 5).

One last thing that in my mind partially explains the distress Marinette was under when she realized she was falling for Chat Noir at the beginning of season 5:

Chat Blanc told Ladybug, in so many words, that their love is responsible for the destruction of the world, literally. After all that she has already done to keep that future from happening (including nearly estranging her partner), how likely is it that she will now forget this?

I could go on, but I believe this is enough for now. Please feel free to rant right back at me.

[lovelecturezine]

Hey! Could you explain your decision to create a physical, printed zine? I’m anxious for the ramifications this could cause the Drarry fandom because to create a physical zine, you’ll be paying a publisher to publish copyrighted content. What, if any, reassurances can you give those wanting to purchase the physical zine knowing you’re operating in a grey copyright area?

Our friends at Wicked Wixen Zine have allowed us to use their eloquently put answer to this question, which accurately mirrors our thoughts:

We understand that there may be some concerns that selling fanzines violates copyright laws. Unfortunately, all fan-created content, regardless of if it is provided for free or monetized, is technically illegal and not covered under fair use and thus violates copyright laws. Generally small fan projects are not targets of litigation unless the copyright holder is against ALL fan works (we’re looking at you, Anne Rice), or if the project is very large and generating lots of revenue. This same mindset is what allows fandom creators to sell prints, stickers, buttons, etc at cons or in online shops with little fear of repercussions. For more information about the legality of fan content in general, here is a well-sourced Wikipedia page dedicated to legal issues with derivative works such as fan fiction.

[poorlittleyaoyao]

I actually laughed reading about how novel!wwx judges others but he is a little mean. Novel!wwx is actually an asshole! And I too am surprised that jl didn't even spare a thought for his auntie! There's a whole paragraph about how he wants to forgive jgy and wwx (very beautiful) but what about qs? I put in the 'wtf' box, where there's also lxc's treatment at the end of the novel where lwj 'leaves him be' because 'he can't do nothing to help him'. I know that lwj isn't the best at comforting people but his brother is in seclusion! In a similar situation he was 13 years ago!

I mean... at the end of the day, the reason Jin Ling never thinks about Qin Su is that this canon itself doesn't especially care about its handful of women. It's why Jin Ling thinks about his father but not his mother, it's why Wen Ning doesn't mention his sister outside of a story about how poor Wei Wuxian has suffered ever so much, and it's why Wei Wuxian doesn't think about either of the above people. And unfortunately, since every Doylist answer has Watsonian repercussions, it means that these guys come off as jerks who don't give a shit about their mothers and sisters and friends who cared so deeply for them. The drama makes an effort, but even it stumbles in the end, IMO.

(Having typed that all out, I wonder if that's a factor in my Jiggy brainworms: in a story full of guys who regularly forget their female family members, we've got this little guy whose driving motivation is honoring his mother. And yet, because we can't have nice things, he is simultaneously responsible for a good chunk of the chronicled violence against women in the series.)

LXC's treatment is part of the novel problem of it being Wangxian: The Book. Which honestly isn't even a problem, because that is exactly what the novel is supposed to be! It's not a gen fantasy epic that happens to contain romance; it is specifically a romance so people expect it to be Wangxian: The Book.

I was complaining awhile ago about Novelxian's blithe attitude towards his traumatic experiences (both those he experienced and those he inflicted), and one of the anons who messaged me posited that this was better for the story, because it meant Wangxian could have their romance unimpeded by baggage. I boggled for a bit because it was so diametrically opposed to my own preferences that it was completely alien to me. It was eye-opening, too, because once I thought about it, that anon's perspective is probably much closer to the average audience member's than mine is, and that's fine. Because this is, after all, the romance novel Wangxian: The Book!

Going to back to LXC, the problem is more that the surrounding plot and characters are actually really damn interesting in a way that doesn't always mesh with the desired romance tropes. Acknowledging the love interest's permanently traumatized elder brother or the ramifications of the power vacuum that just opened up following JGY's death and the adjacent scandals would REALLY bring down the vibe when it's time for Wangxian: The Book to send its couple off to their cottagecore happy-ever-after. So instead, our heroes just go "well, best not to mention it!" and look like assholes because, as with the deaths mentioned in the first paragraph, the story itself doesn't want to dwell on it.

[ngdrb]

Evaluating the Concerns and Potential Extremism of Project 2025

This far-right, extremist agenda is a threat to a multiracial, diverse democracy

Introduction

Project 2025 has garnered significant attention and sparked debate among various stakeholders. This analysis aims to explore the reasons why some individuals and groups express apprehension about the project and to evaluate whether these concerns are deemed extreme. Additionally, this discourse will consider potential modifications to address these concerns  and Perceptions of Extremism

Scope and Ambition

 Project 2025 has been widely viewed as ambitiously forward-thinking. While some express concerns about its comprehensive scope possibly causing unforeseen disruptions to current systems, critics suggest these challenges are natural in pioneering endeavors. The project's magnitude naturally provokes apprehensions regarding its feasibility and long-term sustainability. However, such bold initiatives are essential to drive innovation and address pressing global challenges. By carefully navigating potential pitfalls and leveraging comprehensive planning, Project 2025 can emerge as a transformative force for progress, laying a robust foundation for a sustainable future.

Political and Social Implications

The project's political and social ramifications are pivotal concerns. Detractors argue it could bring about sweeping alterations to societal norms and governance, potentially marginalizing specific demographics. These transformative shifts are frequently perceived as revolutionary, thereby evoking apprehensions about its radical nature. Such apprehensions underscore the need for a careful examination of its potential impact on inclusivity and social cohesion. It is imperative to navigate these concerns with a balanced approach that ensures equitable outcomes and fosters constructive dialogue about the project's goals and implications for a harmonious society.

Economic Impact

Concerns abound regarding the economic repercussions of Project 2025. Critics contend that the necessary financial resources might overburden public finances, potentially necessitating higher taxes or diverting funds from essential sectors. Such economic uncertainties are seen as fueling perceptions of radicalism. It is crucial to address these apprehensions through careful planning and transparent communication about the project's long-term benefits. By emphasizing strategic economic growth and prudent resource management, we can mitigate fears and build consensus on the project's potential to foster sustainable development and economic stability. This approach ensures that Project 2025 is viewed not as a risk, but as a catalyst for positive change.

Technological and Ethical Concerns

The integration of advanced technologies in Project 2025 raises significant ethical and privacy concerns, making it a contentious initiative. The potential for surveillance, data misuse, and erosion of individual freedoms stokes widespread fears. As we embrace these technologies, we must address the ethical implications to safeguard privacy and uphold fundamental rights. Ensuring transparent and responsible use of data can alleviate concerns and foster trust. By prioritizing ethical considerations, Project 2025 can become a beacon of innovation that respects privacy and individual freedoms, turning a potential threat into an opportunity for responsible technological advancement.

Potential for Adaptation

To mitigate the perceived extremism of Project 2025 and address the apprehensions, the following adaptations could be considered:

Incremental Implementation

Adopting a phased approach to project implementation offers the opportunity for continuous assessment and refinement at each stage. This strategy not only facilitates better risk management but also mitigates concerns about abrupt changes. By breaking down the project into manageable phases, we can identify and address issues promptly, ensuring smoother transitions and more effective solutions. This method fosters a more controlled and adaptable environment, increasing the likelihood of success while minimizing disruption. Embracing this incremental approach will ultimately lead to more sustainable and positive outcomes for the entire team.

Transparent Communication

Improving transparency regarding the project’s objectives, procedures, and potential outcomes is crucial for fostering public trust. Engaging openly with stakeholders and employing effective communication strategies are essential steps in combating misinformation and alleviating concerns. By clearly articulating our goals and methods, we can establish credibility and reassure the community about the project’s positive impacts. Emphasizing these aspects not only enhances understanding but also cultivates a supportive environment where informed decisions can be made collaboratively. This approach ensures that all parties are well-informed and aligned, promoting a constructive dialogue that strengthens confidence and minimizes uncertainties.

Ethical Guidelines and Oversight

Implementing stringent ethical guidelines and independent oversight mechanisms effectively addresses worries regarding privacy and data security. Prioritizing ethical considerations not only safeguards sensitive information but also cultivates trust and support from the public. By adhering to these principles, we demonstrate our commitment to transparency and accountability, fostering a climate where individuals feel secure and valued. This approach not only mitigates risks but also enhances our credibility, ensuring that our practices align with the highest standards of integrity and responsibility. Ultimately, integrating robust ethical frameworks is pivotal in garnering widespread endorsement and maintaining ethical leadership in data management.

Economic Safeguards

Implementing economic safeguards is crucial to shield vulnerable groups and promote fair resource allocation, alleviating concerns about financial burdens. Transparent budgeting and stringent financial accountability are indispensable in fostering trust and ensuring equitable distribution of resources. By instituting these measures, we not only protect the most vulnerable but also uphold principles of fairness and responsibility. This proactive approach not only mitigates fears of economic strain but also lays the foundation for a sustainable and inclusive economic framework that benefits all segments of society.

Conclusion

Project 2025’s ambitious nature and potential for significant societal impact inevitably lead to concerns about its extremism. By understanding these apprehensions and considering adaptive strategies, it is possible to address the fears and work towards a more balanced and acceptable implementation. Engaging with stakeholders, ensuring transparency, and prioritizing ethical considerations are critical steps in this

[vibratingskull]

"Hai, tis me again 🫡 Putting in a Thrawn x Ar'alani smut request! Thrawn returns to the Ascendancy for reals this time. When Thrawn arrives, things are way too hectic for him to find some genuine alone time with Ar'alani. The pair have some serious sexual tension that comes out when they find themselves alone in an elevator together. They're fighting for dominance over one another - sloppy and messy "I miss u" sex. Ar'alani is frustrated and angry with Thrawn, Thrawn misses Ar'alani ALOT." - @thrawnalani

First time i write for a ship. It was rather difficult but pretty fun 😊

Thrawn x Ar'alani

Tag: smut, cunni, p in v

Thrawn steps into the elevator and breathes deeply once the doors close. The Ascendancy didn't change, it worsened even. Too much political agitation, too little factual military responses. He had to meet with numerous aristocras and syndics and respond to numerous nonsensical questions, apparently they are worried about the political repercussions of his return. Apparently the Mitth Patriarch was furious when he appeared with his fleet at the Ascendancy's door. It's Roscu who found him; she welcomed him back as he expected with disdain and defiance. Some things did not change and he finds it comforting. 

He loosens up his collar, those questions really took a toll on him, he has the head ready to burst. If only they could give him just 5 minutes of peace, 5 minutes alone…

He didn't stop for a second after he arrived. He's getting old, he chuckles, his patience is getting slimmer. He stretches his neck and shoulders as he's alone in this elevator. 

Where is she now ? 

Surely on patrol somewhere… Away from him. 

He sighs, closing his eyes. 

He would have loved to see a glimpse of her face, a smile in his direction, the hand of a friend extended to him.

That would suffice for his happiness. 

Just a touch. His finger grazing her hand. That would surely suffice. 

The elevator stops to welcome someone else, he opens his eyes and he straightens his stature. He takes a step on the side to let them enter. 

The doors open. 

And the air is punched out of his lungs. 

Her eyes widen for a demi second before the mask of imperturbability is back on both of their faces. 

It is her. 

In all her glory.

She comes and places herself next to him, without a single glance.

- Grand Admiral Thrawn, she politely salutes with distance in the tone.

- Admiral Ar’alani, he tilts his head.

He remains calm, but inside his heart is racing.

- Not anymore, I am now a Fleet Admiral. I took after Supreme General Ba'kif work.

- I have not been made aware of that. My congratulations.

She tuts without responding. The elevator resumes its ascension in the stone building. 

They remain silent, without exchanging glances, but her scent comes and invades his nose, he inhales the fragrance deeply, welcoming it far into his lungs, a mix of honey, wild flowers and chemicals. It makes his mouth water. He licks his teeth to gather self control. He does not turn his head to her, preferring to admire her through the mirror in his peripheral vision. She's getting older too, little wrinkles come adorn her eyes and the corner of her mouth, gray and white strands of hair at her temples. She’s never been more beautiful to him.

-You collar is loose, she says out of the blue without looking at him.

- Yes, I needed to be a bit less constricted for five little minutes.

-It’s unprofessional, remedy it now, she orders.

-Yes, Fleet Admiral.

He ties his collar again. He do no let it appears on his face but he’s smiling internally, even though he regrets her cold tone he always admired her way of giving order, even to him. Her imposing presence, her hard stare...What a women.

-You’ve created a certain commotion by coming back, she finally lets out, her head fixed straight on the door.

- It appears so, even though I do not understand the political ramification of my return.

His breath shortens as his heart race quickens. It feels like he’s going crazy. After so long, she gave him the cold shoulder and deprives him of her beautiful gaze. This is unfair! He abandoned everything for her and the Ascendancy, he left everything behind to come back stronger than ever to bring help to his people. And she won’t even grace him with a smile? Might as well stab him in the heart, it would be less painful.

She lets out a snarky snarl.

- Of course you do not. You didn’t back then and you won’t now.

- Maybe you could teach me? He tries an approach turning his head to her to be welcomed by her unmoving profile. He's never been too good at this game but it won’t prevent him from trying. For her he would try anything. He keeps an eye on the elevator’s indicator, soon they would reach the floor and be separated again… In those conditions? Without a smile ? Without staring longingly in her gorgeous eyes? Without grazing her hand once ? 

He cannot let that happen. He spent all those years thinking about her, the only thing keeping him sane in this Empire of vipers.

- Right now? We do not have the time. And I doubt to be able to teach anything to an old blinkered person like you.

Then…

Something switches in his head.

He silently and oh so calmly turns towards the control panel, opens it, and very simply tears the wires. The elevator stops instantly in a jolt, plunged into darkness, only a small emergency light bulb lightning crudely the metal box.

-Grand Admiral Thrawn! She shouts indignant, finally looking at him.

He fully turns towards her.

-Now listen, Fleet Admiral, I had some very rough years and a notably rough day. I am in no mood to take this unfair beating: I have been sent to find allies for the Ascendancy, and came back with a full fleet. I succeeded in my mission. Now I do not want the honor of the victor nor any medals. The only thing I ask for is the warmth of a friend, a welcoming smile or friendly salutations, of which I have received none and especially coming from you this is particularly cruel. Now we can remedy it or never speak again.

He can’t believe what he just said, it was totally unprompted and involuntary. He would never cut their bound and renounce her friendship, but something in her demeanor made him snap. 

They look into each other's eyes in silence for a whole minute when she finally raises an eyebrow, looking at him like a curious insect. He fully braces for the storm coming, she has every right to be beside herself.

- You’ve changed, Mitth’raw’nuruodo. You used to have more patience, she states calmly.

-It has been ten years, Ar’alani. People change, I am not immune to it.

She holds his gaze before finally lowering her eyes and sighs.

-You’re right, it’s been ten years… Ten years of tumult, ten years of uncertainty, ten years of hope of you coming back against all odds. Ten years without any news, any signs of life…

He presses his lips in a thin line, feeling a bit gauche now.

- And I am truly sorry for that, he assures, it was due to parameters out of my control.

 -I know… 

Her voice is so weary suddenly, like years of stress coming crushing down upon her suddenly. 

- But you don’t know what I feared happened to you…

He gently takes her hands and squeezes them.

- But I am here now, I have returned.

- Things have changed. The Ascendancy is in great peril, eating itself from within. You might have returned home to lose it definitively.

- This defeatism is not like you.

She giggles tiredly.

- Maybe I’ve changed too.

He holds her face, forcing her to look at him.

- Whatever might happen, we will face it together.

And without thinking of consequences, he puts his lips against hers delicately, annihilating more than thirty years of friendship in one simple gesture…  It is so soft, softer than what he ever imagined with a sugary taste. She doesn’t respond, neither inviting him or pushing him back. He slowly parts, searching her gaze, holding his breath, waiting to discover if he just made the biggest error of his life…

She gasps lightly, and seizes his head with force, pressing their mouth together. His heart skips a beat, but he welcomes it. He deepens the kiss, caressing the back of her head, the low of her back, pressing their body together like they could fuse as one. He pushes her against the wall, squeezing her harder in his arms while making out. She’s disheveling him, clawing his back through the fabric, pushing her tongue in his mouth, hugging his tongue, moaning in the kiss.

Oh this is such sweet music to his ears, angels could not sing softer.

Finally…

A hunger of thirty years will be satiated tonight.

And he’s ravenous.

She looks as starving as him, which makes his heart fluster. It is so satisfying to know you please the other person as much as she pleases you. He tastes blood and realizes she’s biting his lower lips. He growls in response. 

She moves away, tearing him apart, but it is to open his tidy uniform. She hurries in her movement, a bit clumsily with such haste. He resists the temptation to just tear the fabric of both of their uniforms and instead choose to help her. He quickly ends up in his black tank top that he discards as quickly. She also opens her jacket while he kneels down to open her white pants, he pulls them down with her undergarment and caresses his way up her legs. He grazes her inner thighs and looks up at her, panting and with messy hair, he sees her chest moving up and down as she breathes. Without breaking eye contact he approaches his head to her vulva and gives a long, wet lick at her slit. She closes her shiny eyes and throws her head backward, so he does it again, teasing her entrance, slips up his tongue between her pussylips, his nose buried in her pubes. He inhales the musk deeply. He laps at her cunt with the flat of the tongue, sucking and flicking his tongue at her clit, he does it conscientiously, thoroughly, like his savoring a rare dish. She gasps and whines, holding his head, pressing it further against her wet, slick sex. He thought he could die happy suffocated between her legs. He tonguefucks her until a tremor shakes her and she comes in his mouth with a moan. He drinks it all like a thirsty man. He licks his lips with a satisfied grin, looking at her purple and panting face, a drop of sweat at her temple. He kisses her public mount and rises on his feet, unbuckling his pants. She slips her hand in his boxer to feel and stroke his length, appreciating the circumference of his girth. He sighs with pleasure at the delicious sensation, he kisses her cheeks and she bites his ear.

-Hurry, she breathes.

He pulls down his boxer, freeing his hardening dick, he gives it a few rough strokes and presses the tip at her cunt, coating it as he trails her pussylips, nudging her hole with his tip. She bites her lower lips, her hands at the back of his neck. He kisses the tip of her nose and aligns himself with her, he slowly enters her, moaning as her tightness strangles his veiny shaft, he pushes and buries himself to the hilt. She jumps and circles his waist with her legs as he carries her his hand under her thighs. Taking support on the wall he starts rutting inside her, thrusting his hips sloppily, they mewl in unisson, making out again. He feels his cock get swallowed by her wet warmth, she grips him as he stuffs her full and she’s not embarrassed to let her pleasure be known by the most obscene noises. It only fires him up more, giving him even more energy and vigor. He rolls his hips languorously, as she bounces on his cock, he languidly plunges into her soft flesh, feeling her spasms and contracts around his length.

-I missed you, she mewls

It makes his heart beat faster and heat up his cheek even more.

-Me too, my love, me too.

They kiss languorously, until his thrust becomes erratic. He’s close, he knows it.

-Stay with me, she grunts.

- I will.

He feels all his lower body tensing up, but when he tries to remove himself she locks him between her legs until he finishes inside her. His orgasm his mind shattering, pushing air out his lungs. She clenches around his cock when she cums and he put her down, legs trembling, short breath and glossy eyes. He rests his forehead against hers, catching his breath, he brushes her hair out of her face. She holds his hand and rests her cheek in it. They remain silent, smiling, grazing their nose tips, savoring this quiet moment before getting back to real life.

-We must get back, she sighs

-I know, but he doesn’t stop pampering kisses on her face.

-Thrawn, I’m serious. We got work to do.

-I know… This time he’s the one sighing

She smiles contritely and pecks his lips.

-Come to my place tonight? I will let the door open for you.

-I am afraid I will finish late, he reluctantly admits.

-It is okay. I waited for you for ten years, I can wait a little longer…

@bluechiss @thrawnalani @justanothersadperson93 @al-astakbar

@thrawnspetgoose @readinglistfics @elise2174 @debonaire-princess @twilekchiss @pencil-urchin @ineedazeezee @mssbridgerton

[bloodblanks]

tili tili bom [eyeless jack x reader] — chapter i.

It’s been two months since you were first diagnosed with a terminal illness. Therefore, it’s not all that surprising when the grim reaper, complete with his cloak, scythe, and deep blue mask crawls in through your window.

co-written with the lovely dawn_citrinitas! ♡

author's note: this fanfiction will not contain much, if any, dark or explicit content, but nonetheless,

please read at your own discretion.

<- previous chapter

20th February. Barnaul, Russia.

The tempest surrounding her was barrenly cold. The fierce winds battered at her delicate form, sending her clothes rippling and whipping against her own skin.

The sun, along with its accompanying clouds, had disappeared from the sky a couple of hours ago. Overhead, adorned with an abundance of tiny, shining stars, was a black abyss stretching out to every end of her sight. Staring up at the crescent moon that hung high in the sky, Y/N happily froze outside the hospital walls, with nothing to oppose the blizzard raging around her.

The girl huddled up, hugging herself, dressed in only a pair of flimsy shorts that did little to cover her legs, a cropped t-shirt and her favourite fluffy slippers. Her hands ran up and down from her arms to her shoulders, desperately attempting to generate some warmth to escape the bitter coldness of the December storms.

Permitting the mad element to win this unequal battle, Y/N, despite the possible consequences, indulged in fresh air for the first time in two months. Still, she knew her time here was limited, cut short by the fact that she had to return soon. Otherwise, the hospital staff would find her, and God knows what punishment she’d receive for the little stunt she had pulled. It’d have been worth it, though. She would gladly accept the repercussions; the sensation of the harsh climate, while abrasive, felt ever so alive in contrast to the stiff, unmoving air within the hospital rooms.

She hadn’t been thinking about the ramifications when she left, though. At the time, she had been more concerned about her means of escape. After all, leaving the hospital was no simple task—all the windows’ handles were removed for safety reasons, and it was necessary to ask one of the nurses to open them. However, she had found out where all the window handles were hidden and took advantage of this at the very first opportunity she found, retrieving a handle for herself and opening the way to her freedom, leaping out into the snowy grounds below.

Even though the possibility of being caught ran across her mind, she didn’t feel as worried as she figured she should have.

Pale as a sheet of paper, her skin reddened from the cold, the snowflakes touching the surface of her skin felt like individual shards of glass, cutting through the entirety of her body, slicing every inch of exposed skin, where the pyjamas failed to cover her.

Her newfound freedom was short-lived, gone as soon as it came. Through the guttural howls of the wind, she could hear faint shouts of her name, along with the sound of footsteps.

She didn’t turn around. She kept looking straight ahead, her chin tilted slightly upwards towards the sky as she took in the sight before her, admiring the scintillas of light glittering through the night. She continued gazing at the stars as she took a deep breath, the air ever so cold as she inhaled the fresh winter scent, wanting to enjoy the exquisite atmosphere for just a second longer, and not from behind the closed window of the hospital ward.

A worried nurse rushed over to the shivering girl. Her hair was frazzled, strands poking out of what was once a neat bun, the freezing wind ruffling the snow-white robe worn on the shoulders of the young hospital worker.

“Y/N!” she called out to the girl. “There you are! We’ve been looking for you everywhere.” the nurse exclaimed as she gasped for breath. She had visibly been running around for a while searching for the missing patient. She ran up to Y/N, who was trembling from the cold and grabbed her hand.

Y/N stayed silent. She looked around for the last time, trying to sear an imprint of the scenery in her mind, something to take with her as she followed the alarmed nurse, who was already hastily tugging her back towards the hospital building.

“You know you can’t sneak out like this! And especially in this weather too?” the nurse scolded her, trying to convey to the foolish seventeen-year-old how unacceptable her behaviour was, hoping she wouldn’t do it again.

But Y/N already knew. Y/N already knew that she couldn’t leave the hospital. She had known it since the day she was brought here, when her outerwear and shoes were taken away from her, likely so as to avoid situations like the one she now found herself in.

“Sorry,” Y/N muttered, barely moving her frozen limbs.

She wasn’t sorry. She didn’t regret her actions in the slightest, but she didn’t want to create more problems for herself than she already had. She decided not to worsen the situation; it was much easier to simply nod along and be obedient.

Lost in her thoughts, Y/N didn’t even pay attention to her journey back, only noticing that she had returned when the nauseatingly bright hospital lights snapped her out of her trance. She realized then that she was now passing the reception room entrance, but despite already being inside the building, the nurse held onto Y/N’s hand tightly as if she was afraid of another escape attempt.

And then she was walking up the stairs again, with its broken, slippery tiles. The cockroaches accompanying the girl on her way to the ward and the bars on the windows of the long flights of stairs made this place appear even more like a prison for sick children rather than a place intended to recover one’s health.

When they arrived at the nurses’ station, the nurse finally released Y/N’s hand. A moment’s silence passed as the young hospital employee gave Y/N, still trembling from the cold, a sympathetic look. She, in turn, cast her eyes down to the floor, silently hoping to never again see people in white coats with her everywhere she went.

“Y/N.” the nurse stated her name, causing her to look back up and meet her gaze. “Promise me you won’t do that again, and I’ll promise not to tell anyone about your… adventure.”

Y/N shrugged sheepishly.

“Promise,” she mumbled. The nurse seemed satisfied with her response.

“Alright, good. Go take a hot shower and get to bed. But don’t forget to come back and pick up your pills before you sleep.” Instead of being reprimanded and forced to explain herself, like Y/N had expected, the nurse merely gave her instructions and then left, to her relief.

She did as she was told. She took a hot shower, changed out of her damp clothes and into fresh, dry ones before putting on a non-soggy pair of slippers and heading back to the nurse’s station for another portion of pills that would barely help her.

After exchanging awkward glances with the nurse and receiving the necessary pills from her, Y/N began walking toward the treatment room. Upon her arrival in the waiting area, she was greeted with the cries of children, afraid of their upcoming procedure. Trying her best to tune out the awful noise, she impatiently waited her turn to receive intramuscular administration of antibiotics. After a short but welcome stay in the fresh air outside, the stuffiness within the hospital walls felt even more sickening than before. The wailing sobs of the children stuck here seemed even louder, the orderlies scurrying around more irritating than ever before, and the jarring whiteness of the hospital lights only added fuel to the ever-growing fire inside her.

Today marked an exact two and a half months since the beginning of her stay. Her very first visit was six months back, during October, around the time the first snow had fallen. While she had been experiencing various pains prior to that, her guardian had brushed it aside, deeming her words to be mere excuses in order to avoid attending school. It was only when the agony had become too much to bear and she had eventually fainted that she was brought in for medical treatment. After the running of various tests, and trials of different medications, which dragged on until early December, she was eventually told by the doctor of the unfortunate results of the situation—that she had approximately five months left to live.

Calm down, she tried to tell herself. I just need to get my injection, and then I can return to the peaceful, quiet darkness of my room, the girl thought, taking a deep breath in an attempt to pacify her frustrations.

Fortunately for her, it wasn’t a long wait, only ten minutes or so before she was granted access to the treatment room, where a nurse did her injection for the third time that day.

Finally, after that whole ordeal, she was done and can now return to the ward. Stepping into her chamber and going inside, Y/N casually tossed her pills onto the bedside table. She placed her favourite mug—with funny text and a cat printed on it, given to her by her aunt on the first day of her stay in the hospital—filled with water on the nightstand beside her pills. She then sat down on the edge of the old, creaky hospital bed she was forced to sleep in. Loosening and combing through her hair, she gazed out of her handleless window, looking through the shut panel of glass to see the moon shining in contrast to the dark sky it floated in. The storm had subsided at some point, and now, a vast amount of snowflakes were gently descending towards the ground, each resembling a star as they twinkled under the moonlight, which reflected off pearly white snowdrifts that illuminated the street landscape. Imprisoned within four sterile, colourless walls, she would give anything to once again be amongst the snow, even for a mere couple of minutes.

But that wouldn’t happen. All she could do now was try to sleep, hoping that her dreams would dilute the tragic reality of her hospital days.

Picking up her mug of water and the last of the day’s medicine from the nightstand, Y/N popped two small pink pills into her mouth. Two pills of Teraligen. Two pills to allow her to finally escape her consciousness, sinking into the depths of sleep and down the rabbit hole to Wonderland.

Washing the pills down with the water, she made herself comfortable in bed, although some time remained before the medication would take effect. She’d need to find a way to pass the time, and so she reached to her bedside table for the book she had started not too long ago.

Land of the Dead, by Jean-Christophe Grange.

Y/N had an inexplicable passion for true crime stories, and while the crime in this particular book was fictional, she still enthusiastically read it before going to bed.

As a child, she had often dreamed of writing herself. She, too, wanted to tell stories; she desired to one day become a great writer, doing what she enjoyed in life. But as she grew up, she understood the impossibility of her wishes and cast her hopes away, leaving them discarded, left to decay.

With each passing year, her studies and extracurricular activities put increasing amounts of pressure on her. By age ten, her mandatory activities consumed so much of her time that she no longer remembered her desire to write. And when she was later reminded of it, she came to the bitter realization that her skills would not be enough even for a modest tale.

The young patient put aside the book that no longer interested her and succumbed to the surging memories in an attempt to sleep.

From the age of seven, her grandmother—who became her guardian after both her parents passed away—tried to make perfection out of Y/N. She was signed up for lessons in art, swimming, singing, playing the piano, dancing and acting on top of her pre-existing studies. She had strived to be the best in all her classes, performing at various school events while actively participating in other aspects of her life. She was set as an example, and she was admired.

She did not manage to withstand such a workload for very long, though. Around the time she turned eleven, her performance had deteriorated. She would seek out excuses to skip her extracurriculars, often got sick, and took up every opportunity to miss lessons at school. She repeatedly asked her grandmother to stop this and let her quit at least one of the subjects she hated. Each of her requests went unanswered.

By fifteen, the growing girl was already mortally tired of her duties. She no longer bothered to make excuses for her regular absences from class, instead openly stating that she no longer wished to attend school. She left all extracurricular activities. She constantly argued with her guardian, the two yelling at one another until she would eventually be hit.

Still, she asked her grandmother for help, expressing her inability to cope and attempting to establish a relationship despite the endless moral breakdowns. Yet the only answer she’d receive was another blossoming bruise, green, purple, and blue.

After all, perfection should have no flaws.

In the dark room, one could hardly see the young girl’s body curled up in her bed. As she remembered her life outside the confinement of the hospital, she realized that it wasn’t as much of an improvement from her current situation as she would have liked to believe. Resigning herself to her fate, she found herself finally able to relax, her head finally devoid of thoughts, her body losing its tension, and sleep finally beginning to overcome her.

Y/N found herself drifting off at a steady pace before an unintelligible sound broke the silence. Angrily growling some kind of curse under her breath, she came to the conclusion that she wouldn’t be getting any sleep tonight. Tired and irritated, she dragged her blanket up and over her head, trying to muffle whatever noise she would hear.

It was only then that she realized that her room was virtually empty. There were very few things that could have made a sound.

Perhaps something fell, she thought, but what in the world could it be?

Her curiosity won, so she tore the blanket off her head, abruptly sitting up in her bed, eyes darting around the room in search of the source of the noise that had stolen her chance at a long-awaited rest. Yet what she saw next, she was entirely unprepared for.

Y/N’s eyes widened, stretching impossibly large as her eyes took in the sight before her.

A tall man stood on the floor by the freshly opened window, dressed in a dark robe that fluttered ever so slightly from the breeze outside, a scythe loosely gripped in his hands. A dark navy—almost black, under the dim lighting of the room—mask covering his face, the man slowly walked towards her bed, approaching her.

She had heard it in folklore, read about it in books, and seen it in movies, but never did she think she would behold it in real life. However, she had experienced hallucinations before; more likely than not, the grim reaper was one of them. Still, she found herself wanting to interact with him, just out of curiosity, just in case.

“You came for me?” she asked, her voice calm with barely masked amusement.

The reaper stopped in his tracks, his downcast head snapping upwards to stare directly into her. The two empty abysses in his mask where his eyes would bore directly into her, giving her the feeling as if they were looking into her soul. But he didn’t say anything after that, so she tried again.

“Mr. Reaper?” she questioned, hoping the stupid hallucination that ruined her sleep would at least entertain her and reply.

To her surprise, the man finally spoke, his voice deep but quiet, barely audible, if not for the complete silence that enveloped the room.

“You can see me?”

next chapter ->

[ethereance]

Thoughts on an au where Earth also has alchemy but it's kinda like one in fma and Lance did the Human Transmutation?? (I don't think kid!Lance would initially be interested in studying nerd shit alchemy but if it's to bring someone he loves? Then yeah. This guy was in show equivalent of nasa/stem program so he can be a pilot, I believe in him)

Very very very much like where you’re going with this Anon. Because oh boy does this give one the opportunity to test Lance to his limits *insert one evil cackle here.* (As someone who loves fmab, but especially fma03 and what that particular version did with its homunculus, *fma spoilers here* and their relationship with identity, and the identity imposed upon them, the very essence of ‘came back wrong’ this could lead to a horrible no good very bad time for Lance should I start writing anything remotely like this. Which I’ve now begun. Whoops.)

I have many thoughts :))) Probably focused way too much on the fma alchemy part, but brace yourself.

So. Humans have alchemy. Maybe they’re naturally born with this ability, perhaps many years ago ancient Alteans arrived in hiding and brought the practice of alchemy with them. It’s just a thing that’s always existed.

Pidge and Matt are the obvious to go for if you follow the fma storyline. They’re the kid geniuses and honestly that sounds like an interesting fic following the pair of them resurrecting their Dad (or perhaps Pidge trying to and Matt only catches on far too late). But. But. But Lance going f*** it we ball and messing around with those mystic mumbo jumbo dark forces he doesn’t get, learning to understand them because he cannot handle a reality where this dead person isn’t around? Yes please. I write self indulgently.

You get it! Lance got into fighter pilot class because there was a spot, meaning he would probably have been the top of cargo class, and you don’t get there without at least trying. Yeah, he’d call it ‘nerdy’, but this guy will put in the effort if it comes to it, and who’s he fooling, he was very much enjoying himself in that M&m episode.

So, if the situation arises, if he loses someone he cares about, and he’s in a world where the solution is there seemingly in the palm of his hand (human transmutation)? Yeah, he’ll put in the hard work, and wouldn’t think twice about the repercussions on him if it means whoever he’s doing this for will be okay. Is it selfish? Is it selfless? Who can say? Lance cares so much for his family, something happening to them would devastate him, so in this kind of au they’ll probably be at the top of the list of resurrection. So I’m thinking:

-His mother (his family is in shambles and a kid Lance wants things to go back to normal). Totally not ripping off fma with this suggestion.

-Rachel (they’re the closest in age, she has a matching jacket with him/has worn a spare version of his jacket so I’m gonna use what little breadcrumbs I have to presume she’s the sibling closest to him. I also like the probably refuted by canon headcanon of them being twins, and how upon returning to earth those two would deal with this new 3 year age gap between them. The ramifications of that time skip and Lance trying to find his own place in his family again just seems interesting to explore but I digress).

-Veronica (have more of a feel for her personality as opposed to characters like Rachel, Marco, and Luis. And Lance was pretty protective of her, despite Veronica being older than him).

-Hunk (could even go the childhood friends route with them). There’s nothing Lance wouldn’t do for his friends, he values them so much.

-Allura if it’s set around the same time as canon is (I’m an allurancer at heart and can’t help adding her to the list. Besides, allura has healed/resurrected him in canon during omega shield. Lance would want to give back, and would probably rationalise it as something she would do, sacrificing herself for someone else. Mr I can’t imagine this world without you is going to great lengths to get her the heck back, even at the cost of himself aka the fic I’m currently writing now Anon what have you done).

-or to pull plots up from canon, it could be Shiro and this is how Kuron (homunculus Shiro) is born, but I kinda see Keith being the one more likely to pull off the human transmutation for this. Maybe they work together on this? It would mean that Shiro and Lance would have to have a stronger bond than they did in canon, but anything is possible in an au (not that they didn’t have small moments, but they weren’t a focus like Keith and Shiro were).

Of course, it doesn’t go to plan at all. Whatsoever.

To what lengths would he go for sacrifice?

It’s all about that equivalent exchange.

-an arm and a leg because this gives him the perfect coping with humour ™ opportunity to say it only cost him an arm and a leg. Plus, perhaps Lance brought this person back out of guilt, ‘if I had been fast enough—‘. His inaction to save them the first time now leaves him without an arm, or without a leg. Or both (he’s not tethering anyone’s soul to armour here, just depends on how much flesh is taken from him to recreate the deceased’s body). Also, also. It correlates to his two positions on Voltron. The very same arm he was, the very same leg.

Also. It’s about those parallels of being just that little bit more like his hero (Shiro) but knowing that the loss of his arm was self inflicted, making him feel like a false hero, a presense, and he couldn’t feel further away from Shiro. He failed to save this person.

-memories of him in the mind of people he cares about (If you’re feeling super mean).

-His memories of the deceased. Now he wants to know why exactly he risked so much to bring back this unknown person back. What do they mean to him?

-him unknowingly giving up his soul so they can have one. And they’re fine and Lance feels like he was the one who came back wrong ™ there is something missing in him and he doesn’t get it.

And then whoever it is comes back.

They get thrown in a healing pod. Lance probably gets berated by whoever is there (Shiro, his mother, Coran) for doing so reckless, so risky without telling anyone. He knew they’d talk him out of this, but it all worked out right? Right?

But this person isn’t right.

Something about their skin is like a reanimated corpse’. It’s a little too pale. And their eyes are a little too dead. But it can all go by the wayside, they can ignore it. Being gone for so long can’t have been easy.

Said person resents who Lance made them be.

He didn’t bring them back at all.

And so we go the route of them having been brought back but is it really them? Or someone else who has been left with Lance’s memory of who they’re meant to be?

A small part of this person cares for Lance as they did, as a son/friend/sibling/significant other, and they hate that.

Maybe they require quintessence to keep them alive. And oh no. Not this again.

Just. Lance learning alchemy for the purpose of saving someone only he doesn’t save them at all. He risks it all to create a person that never asked to exist, that never asked to be who he wants them to be.

He didn’t make them right.