#sex buyers deserve to die

[sodamors]

hantengu clones pet au headcanons

DEAD DOVE DO NOT EAT. read at your own risk. this is bad.

background

> in the present, humans are no longer the prey of demons. the further development of high-concentration of wisteria poisons, as well as the integration of tranquilliser bullets, has gained humans the upper hand.

> wisteria weakens the demons, disallowing their use of their blood demon art, if the poison is concentrated enough.

> muzan has gone dormant, and the demons he’s made are left to their own devices.

> most demons often surrender themselves to be captured, and sometimes domesticated.

clones

> the main body was hunted down, and then cut, so the clones formed. However, they were overwhelmed before they could form Zohakuten.

> they no longer look *exactly* the same, since they’ve been treated differently.

> They had been separated upon capture, then shipped to all sorts of places. Here’s what happened to them.

tw.

once again, DEAD DOVE DO NOT EAT. read at your own risk. this is real bad.

graphic depictions of violence, torture, starvation, nsfw, mental and physical abuse, experimentation, absolutely inhumane acts, no comfort whatsoever

sekido • graphic depictions of violence.

> for his aggressiveness, Sekido was brought to an underground fighting ring, where rich people place bets on their favourite demons.

> he’s lost many rounds, resulting in beatings and whips, from angered betters who lost money from trusting his agression. They would pay the guards to starve him as punishment, and he would hunger for weeks on end.

> sometimes, before a fight, the betters will starve him again, but not for too long. This is so that he would become more aggressive for food, and that he’ll try to eat his opponent.

> Sekido’s body still has muscle, albeit little fat. his skin is covered in countless scars; bite marks, burns, whipping, stabs, etc. All of them are half-healed, his malnutrition disallowing his recovery.

> he no longer has his kimono, since all “clothing” are taken away from the demons. It is imposed that they deserve no covering, since their only purpose is to fight.

> because of his aggression, he is forced to wear a muzzle off-arena. It’s tight and bites into his skin, causing a terrible rash around his cheeks and neck.

> Sekido’s left leg is broken, the knee shattered and the ankle twisted at an grotesque angle. Since he’s not one of the top fighters, he is given no medical attention, and is left to feel a constant ache.

> he rarely fights anymore, and is left in his cell to remain in agony.

> but he’s more of a ‘safety net’ for betters, since he cannot die. The main body remains unharmed, so Sekido has no choice but to endure and live through all that happens to him.

~ Sekido greatly regrets speaking harshly to his counterparts, because in the end, he cared about them. He missed them all; Karaku, Aizetsu, Urogi. he just wants to see them again.

~ he hates himself for being so weak, wishing he found a way to heal faster. But it is never possible with an empty stomach.

~ Sekido hates sleeping, since it’s a form of weakness and vulnerability. But he’s become so weak and starved that he has no choice, and when he does sleep, all he sees are his brothers.

~ He often sleep talks their names, and is prodded and sometimes beaten by guards to make him stay silent.

karaku • nsfw.

> Karaku was originally brought to another underground fighting ring, but one of the betters found him cute, and bought him.

> but since then, he’s been majorly neglected by that better, who was an impulsive buyer and only played with him for a day.

> he was resold to one of the buyer’s friends, who placed him in an exotic sex house. People go there to fuck with animals and stuff. demons were of the same level of animals, so Karaku was a ‘perfect fit’.

> he’s often tied down in compromising positions, allowing for patrons to use him however they want. Sometimes they inject him with aphrodisiacs, so his body would react better to their actions.

> they feed him considerably well, making sure that he stays good-looking. The food is often raw pork mixed with blood. Karaku eats it all up because he’a often tired after long, excruciating hours of twisted people using his body for fun.

> he often has a muzzle, since his sharp teeth are a hazard to patrons. The muzzle can be swapped out for all sorts of gags and whatnot. His nails are clipped and often he wears gloves to prevent patrons from getting scratched by him. He has a shock collar that activates either when he disobeys an order, or when a patron uses it to fulfil their twisted desires.

> he feels a constant, dull pain in his abdomen, because unbeknownst to the house owners, his insides had gotten ruptured by one overly-excited patron. Karaku needs human flesh to heal better, but since he’s just given pork, the healing process isn’t going well.

> whenever he’s used, he would whimper and hiss because of the pain, but patrons just assume it’s because of the stimulation, and continue ramming directly into the spot that hurts him so much.

~ he constantly wishes for everything to end, for someone to find the main body and just kill it.

~ he hates that he feels this way, since he knows he’s supposed to be the manifestation of pleasure, and that he should be feeling good, right?

~ Karaku has given up almost completely, often laying motionless when left alone, showing no signs of trying to escape.

~ his body is maintained by the owners and not him, and they punish him (shock collar) whenever he doesn’t eat.

~ Karaku often thinks about how life was before all of this agony, and wonders where his counterparts are now. He wants so badly to get back to them, and for all of this to end.

~ at night, he would sometimes cry because he misses them so much. But he keeps his cries quiet because he doesn’t want to be punished for making noise.

aizetsu • experimentation.

> unlike the rest, Aizetsu wasn’t sold anywhere (underground fighting, sex shop, etc). the original captors kept him, but sold the rest to fund their activities.

> his captors are in a scientific organisation, and he is one of their test subjects. His register number is 412G and he is kept in their more reinforced rooms.

> they have the main hantengu body, and understand that as long as it is unharmed, Aizetsu should regenerate.

> they experiment on him often, since his special case allows him not to die.

> they develop concentrated wisteria poison and inject it into him to witness the effects, and how long it takes in theory for a demon to fight it.

> whenever this happens, aizetsu cries and tries to huddle in the corner of the lab, because all the wisteria does is burn.

> his insides light on fire and his intestines feel as if they’re rupturing all at once. He screams, twisting and contorting himself, trying to find salvation from the pain but to no avail.

> the burning can last for days on end, as they inject higher and higher concentrations of wisteria. Aizetsu wails and shivers as the scientists show no mercy when handling him, using machinery to hold him in place when necessary.

> they don’t use anaesthesia because they ‘need to see the true effects’.

> Aizetsu is only fed water, and other nutrients are injected into him every morning, afternoon and evening. He also has a exercise routine, but he barely follows instructions, and remains shivering in the corner.

> aizetsu is extremely shifty, sobbing whenever someone tries to get close.

> sometimes, they use Aizetsu for psychological experimentation-

> leaving him starved for days on end, then seeing if he would eat, even if it means getting electrocuted when approaching the food.

> depriving him of breathing for several minutes, until he was barely conscious, and then ringing a bell. They will then see if ringing the bell independently will cause him to go dizzy.

> etc.

> Aizetsu often bites his nails from anxiety, so much that his fingers sometimes bleed.

> scientists ensure there are no sharp objects nearby, otherwise Aizetsu would try to cut himself.

~ Aizetsu never stops crying.

~ he horribly misses his counterparts, no matter ‘how annoying’ they were in the past. Day by day, he wishes he never scrutinised them when they were around. They were the only family he knew, and now they’re gone.

~ he has a horrible feeling that they’re experiencing things like he is, and maybe even worse. He often throws up at the thought, and is reprimanded by the scientists.

urogi • broken.

> urogi had been sold to a collector of sorts.

> the collector in question actually only wanted his wings and talons, so after purchase, requested for Urogi to be declawed and his wings amputated.

> in the waiting for the declawing/dewinging appointment, urogi thought that his owner cared about him, and was content with the care he didn’t know was only temporary.

> Urogi would fluff up in excitement whenever he saw food or the owner themselves.

> when the day came, urogi was obedient and friendly, thinking that he would be fine.

> but terror hit him when they strapped him down to the operating table, and took out the knives and tools they were going to use on him.

> it was an excruciating five hours-

> his wings were slowly removed, and he screamed and cried and tried to tell them to stop, but they put a shock collar on him to shut him up. The operators were unaffected since they wore rubber gloves.

> he had no choice but to silently endure the pain, soft whines of agony escaping him time to time. The blade dug into his precious, beloved wings, and soon enough, he found tears streaming down his face.

> and then his position changed. Since the owner did not care for him and only his wings and claws, the operators could do anything with the rest. They placed him on his back, sending sharp, violent pains throughout his body, the open wounds of his wing-bases pressed on the table.

> and his arms were strapped above his head, and bright lights shown on his face.

> he screamed again, causing another shock through his neck, and to follow that up, he felt a sharp piercing red feeling at his knuckles.

> his talons were pried off his fingers, from their very bases, at his knuckles. They tore of the surrounding skin bit by bit, forcing whine after whimper out of him, ignoring all forms of pleading.

> his remaining body, robbed of all of his prized features, was left in the warehouse of the collector.

> chained up to a pole, he softly squeaks at any shadow that moves, hoping and praying for rescue.

> stuck starving to death, but since the main body was unharmed, but he would never die.

~ urogi simply waits until his counterparts would come get him.

~ whenever they fought, they had his back, didn’t they? Wouldn’t they help him now?

~ why weren’t they coming? Did they forget him?

~ and the horrible realisation, that they were maybe captured too, dawned upon him, and his heart screamed in terror and denial.

[art-is-art-is-art]

I'm having a conversation about prostitution with a disgusting man on twitter. He knows nothing about the effects of the Nordic model and legalization and of course he's sure that legalization makes women more safe, prostitution isn't more dangerous than being a taxi driver and many other occupations, 99% of women are there because it's their deliberate choice, and, of course, a free market should be above all. He also didn't know what sex-trafficing is. "If it's some sort of labour migration, why is it bad?". Such people never google when they don't know something. They never read articles on subjects they have strong opinions on. He doesn't deserve my time and my nerves, but as most public discussions, it is lead primarily for the dozens of people who read the arguments of the both sides silently. Maybe a few people will learn a little more about prostitution because of my humble efforts. I've been reading Andrea Dworkin recently and now I'm even more passionate about violence against women than I usually am. The funny thing is that the conversation started in the comments to the news about a young prostituted woman from Nigeria being beaten and thrown out of a window by her client in Moscow. There are so many men defending prostitution under that tweet. They say that a taxi driver or an ambulance paramedic have dangerous jobs too, they can even die at their jobs, but nobody is trying to prohibit these job categories, so people are just hypocritical prudes. I hate sex buyers so much!

[radykalny-feminizm]

And I do have to say one thing, their families must realise that no matter how much they loved the people that died, no matter how much they love them, they were bad people because they were going to hurt me. So they have to realise the fact, that this person, no matter how much they loved them or how good they felt they were, this person was either going to physically beat me up, rape me or kill me. And I don’t know which one. And I just turned around and did my fair play before I would get hurt, see? So, I would love to say to the families

Aileen Wuornos

[theurbansquared]

Guide To Avoiding A Loser Brokerage

by James Hill | theurbansquared

Brokers can be bastards and some even get better at it while other brokers are legitimate life-changing business Sherpas

A broker is supposed to guide you through a career in real estate much like a coach or pimp - offering protection and how to understand a complicated system better and direct it to revenue  without getting your neck broke while playing the game. I created and ran the most well-reviewed, largest full-service brokerage in the fastest-growing city in America.  This gave me access to nearly ever broker and their broker's pay structure and innovations. I also got the agent's version of my same broker buddies brokerages when they eventually joined my brokerage; hovering anywhere from 20–60 agents. Trending insider chatter has blame going to real estate brokers of decades past (and current) and how they’ve managed their agents - - letting unsupervised  agents with no experience run wild on the streets practicing on the public wearing out Realtor love and making a need for all the Mountain Dew-made Zillow-y options that currently exist.

Brokers are out of touch more than ever with today’s current media load, having to understand and use social media platforms for their advertising (since the private Town & Country affair that real estate once was is forever over and the landscape is a bit more like a half Juggalo, half programmer flea market).

Let’s dive into some situations and tenets that most agents don’t consider when choosing a brokerage.

Sales Volume

This is a bit of negotiating psychology and due diligence. Simply ask how much sales they (the brokerage) did last year and how much they’re currently at. If they don’t know these numbers they’re goons. If they don’t give it, you guessed it - they’re hiding something; their lack of revenue. I’ve hired and fired hundreds of agents and in interviews so few ask this question but it’s one of the most important questions you can ask as an agent and you need the information. An agent that doesn’t ask this has already given a tell that they’re not a top producer since they’re not interested in the production capacity of the team they may join. No bueno. Creep the brokerage as well obvi -- reviews, FB & IG engagement and current running ads, and make sure the company Christmas Party isn’t catered by Chic-fil-a at a Burnet Road dive bar.

Office

40% of your learning and 350% of your work will be done at the office. Those numbers will make sense 90% of the time after a few years in real estate. The rest should be on the streets - your car, properties, driving 75 mph talking and sending out docs, gorging on breath mints. Office, home, tiny homes, motorhomes have all blended into one larger conversation where work/live ethos are all in re-definition.

But, when you do need a more savvy moment in any market when people talk about borrowing or selling something that’s over $100K they don’t want to hear some bullshit too loud pedantic conversation seated right next to them at Starbucks or the local kooky coffee shop. In real estate Murphy’s Law is always in effect. The super important listing sign off that has to go well and they want to hear you pitch again before deciding? There will be someone (at this super ‘caj’ coffee house meeting) there projectile vomiting, or throwing cats, or something else tiresome or bad that takes more calls.

Speech and body language are massive parts of sales so when the entire set is thrown because a barista is running through a whole Sublime album. You want the most inviting cool office you can ever pull off at any given moment in real estate . Was that ever a question? There's a balance  -- you can't afford that year one or three, but it’s called real estate for a reason. Sexy, exciting buildings is what the brochure said when I joined. Also, it’s about style not size.

If you haven’t lost business to coffee house back pressure you really haven’t failed at agency properly.

Social IQ

Social reach is the only conversation now. Many brokerages won’t make it as the lead generating aspects of the industry aren't powered by a private MLS anyone and the publicly-hated ‘Realtor’ designation have both brokers and agents guessing about tomorrow. Calendars, best practices and free shitty tips & templates are the du jour of the day for anyone trying to get an agent's eyes. You can Google and get all the ‘basic’ social media dance steps, but with everyone at the same happy hunting spot, you’re being covered up, which leaves all your new artistic efforts fruitless and also squandering winning time.

Traffic, leads and engagement are all separate areas that have to be fulfilled properly and even this is in flux with historic corporations and current start ups all on the same advertising playing field. Social reach and engagement is about going to the consumer direct and becoming their friend with soft bribes -- free food, gifts, prizes (trips, events tickets) or industry work tools. The great news is, real estate has always been mostly consumer direct - start up a convoy at the grocery store (bar, church, meetup) and you’re in the car that weekend looking for houses with a new client. While you, your brokerage and the world are figuring out their exact social media mix, you need to make sure a brokerage isn’t lost on social media since many won’t be able to stay in business in the next few short years. Your brokerage needs to have a plan and and at best some presence on social media. Plus, they should be running low-cost performative marketing ad campaigns to get a feel for what and if set user groups are responding to ads. Anyone can post on IG but people engage on IG when they become inspired. A brokerage should have some sort of inspiration and relationship tied in with the local allure of their city --  or heading that direction.

Mentoring

Much like a neurotic buyer chasing an interest rate for their home mortgage (and then never buying a house) agents too focused on commission may miss the essential career need for mentoring -- for their clients and career. I had a 5 deal minimum for my new agents before they were ever unsupervised and received more commission. I've had new agents with celeb clients in hand and celeb agents with no clients in hand. No one wants to do business with someone with absolutely has no, experience but they do it because they like you as a friend or fam. Your mentor is the person riding shotgun with you at the beginning of your career. On many levels you want to be this person since they embody the position and role. You're literally and figuratively are borrowing experience from them and they deserve to be paid for it. You always have to strengthen your brand outside of your brokerage but if you don’t have any experience your brand doesn’t have ‘strength’ you simply have a logo and a drag & drop website where you're possibly talking about yourself and love of unicorns or football shit but the big boat deals you dream about in bed aren’t gotten this way. Remember, no unicorn could ever throw a football good without a lot of practice and a good mentor.

Support

Support in a brokerage is really communication and solutions for small problems, and systems for managing bigger ones with people. Most of the annoying things in real estate happen outside of the deal - contracts, calls, emails, docs, signatures, more docs. You typically want a super admin, broker, or agent manager that you can call and they pick up the phone. It’s pretty simple. With a mentor, admin, or broker you’re going to have a n 8:30 PM question or deal that’s going down. You’ll need printer help. Real estate always happens now (this was one of the main mantras in my office). Printing, prequal, weekend support and constant post dinner shenanigans.

Training

Meet Frank Miller, David Mamet, the Sex Pistols, Tony Robbins, Wayne Dyer, Hendrix, Tom Hopkins, The World’s Greatest Detective and Conan The Barbarian. We had a lot of different inspirations for the style and ethos of our urban brokerage. The World’s Greatest Detective is Batman. It was a moniker that became popular in the seventies. We used this example about how important due diligence and proper Fact Finding techniques are for serving and closing deals for clients. (It’s almost essential to be inquisitive in real estate esp about property/development to have success). Training is largely your sales meeting(s). Although I don’t come from a car background I’ve mentored many car guys transferring to real estate (they typically are out of the industry within 2 years and are there only for boom markets). Car guys have meetings every morning 6 days a week and they’re not at 9 or 10 am. They’re already working.

free module: The Burger King Phenomena: Why Agents Do Less Working For Themselves Than If They Were Working At Burger King

Many brokerages have no training/meeting schedule (monthly doesn’t count -- that’s a meet and greet company pump and catch up meeting). If a brokerage doesn’t have training on a schedule then there is no training. You’ll possibly be thrown a 3-ring binder, or given some PDF’s, or links to old bizarre training videos or a soup sandwich of all three and sometimes even a bill for the training. An agent’s training/meetings and their attendance to them are the difference between an agent making it or not when you’re 24 months or less in the role as an agent especially in the fast turbulent waters of the current 2021 market where brokerage and agent purpose and pay are under attack. From my experience, new agents that hide die.

Media

Having a background as a creative director I’m aware with great detail of agency and brokerage media needs, the cost and time they extract, and the corresponding revenue they’re projected to bring back. Brokerages are looking for their purpose now as simply having a brokerage doesn’t bring in leads like it used to. This is fitting, since the digital dumbass brokers that that didn’t understand the importance of ‘the web’ rickshawed our MLS data and sold the agent/broker centric real estate system for their benefit while current agents are left with an empty greasy enough to-go box to curl up with. Brokerages were never media houses or ad agencies but now that consumer level graphic programs and website builders are ubiquitous and any agent after being licensed for 10 days can drag & drop a website up in 4 hours and make it look like a brokerage that’s been around for years. I know I’m going wide on the subject here but stay with me because this is the crux of where the industry and consumer are renegotiating roles.

A brokerage’s value proposition has changed drastically with the telecommute revolution that was only sped and strengthened by Covid. Also, generational knowledge base gaps in technology are more apparent than ever with technology as younger agents can often be more media savvy than their broker. The market is flooded with self appointed companies or gurus that are taking on the role of the classic ad agency (Mad Men) or media production house. Also beware of real estate coaches with little or no real estate experience offering to guide you in social media. Okay media can’t be used in apex situations (such as the luxury listings you’re after) and doesn’t draw apex listings. Beware of tapioca room temperature tips and general lists from companies that can appear informative but are really boilerplate low grade data to get your attention to ultimately upsell you on a paid service.

As an agent or a brokerage, consumer level graphic and website building programs can be a death ticket to your business as your competitors have the same tools and are cranking out the same type of style of messaging you are now. Now agents, principals, admins and in art class creating flyers. This has been done since the nineties as the valleys of dead agent careers is full of 2-day Microsoft Word (or any of their shitty office offerings) seshes to produce nasty flyers and presentations. These programs are fun and making bad flyers absolutely work related - the kind of work you don’t want’ related to your business because it’s adult crayon coloring. Activity does not equal production. Staying busy doing the wrong things doesn’t make money in real estate. Rather than spending agent winning time staying in the wrong lanes for way too long, get with a team or brokerage that are providing the most exceptional visual media you can find in your market. It used to be cool 2 years ago, now it’s the only thing that matters. Visual content.

free module: Better Agent Media, Less Agent Money (media tips and hacks).

Access

This is access to your broker. Brokers with families are typically less available. Your best bet as an agent is looking for a grinder broker who sleeps on the couch at their office. This person doesn’t have kids to build into so they’ll build into your career and you’ll get the most out of these brokers. Beware of cheesedick, apathetic, rich boy, bored brokers not around and more concerned with projects like a shitty vanity wine brand that their wife’s forced them to launch since she’s not living her best life anymore as an agent.

Style

What kind of style is your brokerage? Is there an opportunity to bring more style sophistication to the market -- standout in a smaller market? Or, are you in an ultra stylish market currently and butt hurt because you already have a little story about how you’re going to keep it real and be a Dockers wearing slob for eternity? The thing about style in agency is you always need to look like you can list a million dollar house. Oh, is it really that simple? Yes it is. You complicated it. Clients always care about their housing a little bit more than they care about your real estate career. They don’t have time to figure out why you’re wearing shoe styles from 7 years ago. Don’t make it hard for people to do business with you. If you’re ugly, even better. It can be a massive advantage. Everyone on the planet loves when someone who doesn’t fall into our general current ‘attractive’ spectrum doesn’t give af, looks great and puts themselves together in a stylish way that the viewer can understand (can I get away with Teen Wolf?). A great side benefit from this step in the right direction is it’s a great way to make someone who is conventionally attractive insecure.

You want to be in the same style as the people in your area but the secret is you need to lead that style pack if you can -- you always lead and dress apex. Years ago this was anecdotal but after over 100K hours in real estate a good suite (tailored) saved my ass and literally got me business. I listed the largest house in east Austin because of a suit (and got a front page story on the newspaper real estate section for free because the owner saw me walking into the next door neighbor’s house).

Offices, dress, logo, email signature are all elements of you and your brokerage’s style. Style in and of itself isn’t enough to be a top producer in real estate. I’ve had stylish and even celebrity agents that didn't do zilch, but style often is a fingerprint to something more.

Picking the right elements for your agent style is an art because you have to offer something from yourself that’s unique enough as well as something familiar (a bridge to your uniqueness). I have a background as a musician and also as a merchant sailor. Fortunately those are easy convo starters. You could be a philatelist and have some challenges, but regardless it absolutely will take a year or three to develop your own angle and style towards the market as you learn it and the agent role more.

Things that look attractive and familiar puts client’s psychologies at ease. So, if skinny jeans are in you better get in them (that’s like five years old now). You’re on stage. You don’t wear what the worker people behind the camera wear. If you want to wear boring shit get on the other side of the camera. If you want less leads saddle up to a forgettable brokerage. People have hard days. They want you to put an effort into your real estate agency role. Currently it’s a fried role so you’re dealing with that too. People love to be smiled at and sold and especially from someone who smells good. It doesn't ever get old. Don’t make them beg for your charm. Be a nice charming person with a shirt that fits good, it’s a powerful combo.

Get My Damn Paper

If you’ve never seen a werewolf in daylight mess with an agent’s commission after the deal’s done and funded. Admin? Who is the damn person who does the admin? (accounts payable is the icey pro word if you like). That person that you contact to get your commission check cut? If that person is a weirdo, or there’s an unfriendly or sketchy quality to the office or admin staff, do not go forward (don’t confuse this with new people or industry jitters). Grab some free coffee, leave the smarm and jet to the next brokerage blind date.

Software

CRM is an annoying conversation. Here’s the things with CRM’s - for all the work CRMs curtail, because of their complexity and existence and the work(time) they take to interact with you need to consider how much work you’re putting into operating the CRM software verses how much time it’s saving. Many times brokerages have expensive yearly subscriptions with per agent fees for their CRM which can make the brokerage have a zealot meth thing for the ‘team’ software and promise you can’t have a career without taking a bump too. To understand CRM better before it was a name, Client Relationship Management is what analog Proximity became. Let me explain -  being close to people in Church, bar, school, same building -- all give proximity. This becomes familiarity, then ease, then trust. People do business with people they trust & like. Once people disconnected physically and started using other means more contact attempts have to be made to work for or ‘prove’ worth.

Follow Up is a large component of most CRM’s and there are gobs of money for agents who follow up meticulously. Simply ask the broker what CRM they use and research it. Something to remember - unless you’re extremely busy with your career you don’t need a CRM. You can manage & database your clients & leads ‘by hand’ and strap it to the cloud with G-Suite/Google Sheets.

Brokerage Name

A small but important aside, if a brokerage have named themselves after a precious metal or a gem, or if it says elite in the name then it’s not elite. If it has the words prestige or worldwide or international it may not be any of those either. I know a handful of exceptions to this rule but this is a great dirty primer to use when choosing a brokerage that’s going to propel your career and have shrimp options at the Christmas Party.

[desdemonafictional]

The morning after the wedding party

Banners from the Turrets au

Despite all muddled hopes to the contrary, Deadlock woke up with a very solid, very real hangover. It was his own fault, he couldn’t argue; he’d drunk enough engex to corrode a steel beam. When he came stumbling out of his room and into the only other room in this cramped little flat, hand clutched against helm, he’d nearly tripped on the body laying across his floor.

“Oh slag,” he said, optics fritzing in and out, “did I kill somebody?”

Blue light blinked on at his feet. “I’m alive,” the body said, “thanks so much for the concern.”

Deadlock relaxed marginally. “Thank Primus,” he said, “I didn’t want to go back to jail.”

The body levered itself upright, with a wheeze and a grind of straining mechanisms, just about the same time it dawned on Deadlock what had happened.

“You stayed,” he said, with an involuntary smile that made his left optic start to ache.

“Said I was gonna,” Ratchet said, brushing dust off himself, now fully upright. “Anyway, I was just answering memos most of the night. No recharge hookup.”

“…You didn’t have to sleep on the floor,” Deadlock said. He frowned. This hurt less. “My berth could fit two.”

“I specifically said,” Ratchet told him, “we were not going to frag, make out, or touch each other. How do you think sharing a berth would have ended?”

Deadlock gave him a long, serious once-over. “So you are interested,�� he said. “I wasn’t sure.”

Ratchet snorted. “Seemed pretty sure last night. I think I’ve still got drool in my gears.”

Deadlock flashed his fangs, to make up for the fact that he could feel his biolights flushing with a hellish combination of arousal and embarrassment. “I meant, I thought maybe you weren’t into fragging around. You don’t seem like the type. Everyone knows you and Pharma were practically conjunxed for like, a million years. And you don’t hook up with anybody at the hospital.”

That was actually the first thing Deadlock learned about Ratchet, after coming to the hospital for his work-sponsor parole. It was weird, kind of a shock to the system—he couldn’t help wondering if they’d still been together that one time, when Deadlock-then-Drift had ended up on Ratchet’s table in the Dead End. This much he’d actually picked up from Pharma, who was comfortable enough in his bitterness to remark on that shared history in front of apparently anyone, including the mech he’d called Rung’s little pet sparkeater.

Didn’t bother Deadlock. He liked it when autobots wrote him off as a rabid berserker. Usually.

The point was, Deadlock had pretty quickly taken apart the facts as he knew them and come to the conclusion that Ratchet was probably a serious commitment type, a wine-and-dine type, not the kind who’d be interested in the patented Deadlock brand of “get over here and sit on my spike, and I’ll eat your valve after”. If that wasn’t the problem, then Deadlock couldn’t make heads or tails of why Ratchet hadn’t wanted to frag him last night.

“I don’t hook up with anyone because I’m at my job,” Ratchet said, “am I the only one at this institution who knows the meaning of inappropriate workplace relations?”

Deadlock’s plating flattened. “Is that why you don’t wanna ‘face me? Because we’re coworkers now?”

Ratchet blinked at him a couple times. “Now hey,” he said, “I didn’t say I didn’t want to—I wasn’t trying to—” He dug two fingers into his chevron and then said, “I’m gonna go get out breakfast for us.”

Several kliks later, with two cubes of basic mid-grade set out between them on the top of the cold-box, which was the only flat surface in Deadlock’s flat, Ratchet said, “I’m not against us interfacing. I just want to know what you’re getting out of it, before I agree to anything.”

Immediately, Deadlock relaxed. “Oh,” he said, “yeah, sure. Okay so what I’m offering to do is spike-and-valve, in a berth,” he started ticking off fingers, “maximum foreplay, aftercare, I’d rather top but if you wanna spike me I’m willing to ride. I don’t do insults, blow jobs, or bondage.”

Ratchet blinked again. He took a sip of his cube, holding it between the two of them like a barricade.

“Wow,” he said, at last. “I heard ‘cons were cold, but—”

“Cold!” Deadlock sputtered. “I just offered to let you spike!”

“Uhuh,” Ratchet said, and took another sip of his drink. “What it sounds like you’re offering me is a side hustle that’s gonna cost me a couple thousand shanix at the end of the night.”

“I’m not—I don’t do that kind of thing!”

Ratchet just looked at him, over the edge of the cube.

Deadlock set his jaw and then amended. “Anymore. I don’t do that anymore.” He knocked back half his cube in one go, and then said, “If I was trying to sell you something, you’d know it.”

What he didn’t say—what he wouldn’t say—was that if the version of him who had peddled spike services in the backstreets hadn’t been anything close to this kind of picky about boundaries. And he certainly wouldn’t have bothered to list his own preferences to a prospective buyer. Despite the mileage he’d gotten back before the war, Deadlock hadn’t actually learned how to frag and like it until after becoming a ‘con.

Before the war, he’d been a drifter himself—an addict, a leaker, a sciv. He took odd jobs. He did dirty work for cheap. Never had the focus to build himself a clientele base and stick with it, not the way Gasket had. Robbery, smuggling, day labor, sex. He’d sucked spike occasionally in gutters without art, mind already on the next fix, just trying to get it over and done. Courtesan he had not been. It hadn’t seemed possible to him then that fragging could be anything but a chore. Why bother trying to please a partner when you could get yourself off faster and for free? He’d preferred the comfortable warmth of laying curled against the side of a friend, teeth embedded in an exposed wrist-line.

His gaze lingered over Ratchet’s thick wrist, the clean white paint gapping to reveal hints of black cable underneath. What he wouldn’t trade to get his teeth in that.

Oblivious to the scrutiny, Ratchet sighed and set down his cube. “I’m sorry,” he said, “I’m not being fair to you. I’m just trying to figure out the… the angle. What it is you want from me.”

Deadlock eased up, but less than before, wary now. “Well it’s—if that’s how autobots do it, I can list what I want from you, and you can list what you want from me? Is that how you do it?”

“What.”

Deadlock flexed a set of claws, frustrated. “I don’t know, I’ve never fragged an autobot before! Primus, I’m gonna have to call Aglet. He’ll know how this works.”

“Do not call Aglet,” Ratchet ordered, “nobody else needs to know about my sex life.”

Deadlock made a frustrated noise and then clicked his claw tips on the top of the cold box. “Okay, he said, “okay. Then—how do you normally do this? When you wanna frag somebody, what do you tell them?”

Ratchet pursed his lips. He gave the corner of the ceiling a complicated look. “Actually, I’m having trouble remembering. It’s been a few thousand years.”

Deadlock frowned. “You mean, since Pharma.”

“…Yeah,” Ratchet said. “Since Pharma. Five times burned, twice shy, as they say.”

“Well if you were a ‘con,” Deadlock said, and then abruptly found that he liked this idea. He brightened. “—If you were a con medic, on a ship with me, and I wanted to hook up… First I’d get you alone somewhere. Then I’d tell you how sexy I think you are, and I’d offer you some of the things I’m good at. Then if you were interested, you’d tell me what kinds of things you’d do for me, in exchange.”

“What is this, a barter system?”

Now it was Deadlock’s turn to blink. “I mean yeah, technically,” he said. “You get something you want, I get something I want. Equality.”

“But,” Ratchet said, looking lost. “How do… but don’t you…”

Deadlock waited, finishing off his drink, while Ratchet shifted helplessly from one abandoned sentence to another.

Come to think of it, he’d heard autobots call ‘con culture cutthroat, cold, and calculated. Everything had a cost, they said; nothing came free with ‘cons. It was all about the exchange rate.

Well (and he wouldn’t admit this to just anybody) maybe it could be. When you had that many drifters and lowlifes and scoundrels all piled in the same place and equally armed to the teeth, you worked with what you had. And Deadlock had liked it. Right up until Turmoil.

But the less said about Turmoil, the better.

Deadlock considered Ratchet for a moment, feeling the last of his headache recede into a manageable buzz. Sweet Primus he really was to die for, with that jaw and those shoulders.

“Alright,” he said. “Tell you what. You get on the berth back there, warm your pussy up for me, and I’ll give you the routine they liked in the Darkmount medical bay.”

Ratchet’s brows went way up. For a second Drift was sure he’d made the wrong call, steeling himself to be graceful about it when Ratchet started shouting, but after a second, the doctor turned his gaze with some interest on the open bedroom door.

“I’ll stop at any point you want me to,” Deadlock added in a rush, vaguely remembering some chatter he’d heard from autobots before. “Cons aren’t all like that, with the no-means-yes rustwash. I like you, Ratchet. I’m not gonna hurt you.”

Ratchet gave him a considering look. Deadlock tried to shift himself into an appealing pose, without making it obvious he was doing so.

“Alright…” Ratchet said. He held up one stern finger. “But only because I deserve it, after a night like that.”

--

Afterward, a little sticky and hot under the engine cover, Ratchet touched two fingers to his mouth, where Deadlock had kissed him in the moment of overload. Deadlock lay beside him, foggy with afterglow, cheek pillowed in the crook of his elbow.

“This is only until you find somebody you really wanna be with,” Ratchet said. He looked at his fingers, not at Deadlock. “Find yourself something steady, and we’ll go back to being coworkers.”

Deadlock frowned, a pang in the otherwise blissful glow, but didn’t argue. If that’s what Ratchet wanted, then that’s what Ratchet could have. Five times bitten, twice shy, after all. It wasn’t as if Deadlock didn’t know how to make the best of whatever scraps he was given in life.

[simonxriley]

Meg can you do 42 for Lizz and Price for the Drabble Challenge? Love them so muchhhhh

I wish this came out long ago, but here it finally is!! I hope you enjoy!!

Ao3

Prompt #42 “Stop being so cute” 

It’s been seven months since Soap’s death and four months since the pregnancy was confirmed. And now since they knew they were having a boy Liz wanted to get the nursery ready. For the most part it was done, now they just need to get the crib up, organize his clothes and hang a few pictures.

Liz was sitting on the floor going through the abundance of clothes they bought him and was organizing them. As she looked through all the onesies, shirts, pants and other miscellaneous clothing, she realized she might have gone overboard. Little Johnny wouldn’t even get to wear half of this stuff before he grew out of it.

“I think you were right. I think I did go overboard.”

Price looked over at her from where he knelt trying to get the crib up, seeing all the clothes surrounding her. “Just a tad love.”

She shrugged her shoulders and sighed. “Well I can’t help it, they make all the baby clothing cute. And this might be the only child we have so I think we should spoil him.”

He set the screwdriver he had in his hands down and walked over to sit next to her against the wall. “Love, you’re kind of an impulse buyer.”

“No argument there.” She sighed and rested her head on his shoulder, running her hand down the swell of stomach. “It’s crazy to think he’ll be here in two months. Then our lives are really going to change.”

A small smile spread across Price’s face as he rested a hand on her stomach, feeling a little kick. “Aye it will. Before you said you were worried about how I would feel about having this child, even when we knew it would’ve happened eventually. You never seemed to have an issue with it, even when we were having unprotected sex back then.”

She lifted her head off his shoulder, covering his hand that was resting on her stomach with her own. “We had nothing to lose back then, all we cared about was Makarov. Those nights we spent together though made me forget about the state of the world, about what our goal was. And truthfully? I didn’t care.”

“We had a lot to lose back then love, we just didn’t realize it.” He leaned over and kissed her temple, his lips lingering on her skin for a few seconds before he moved away. “I know I’m not the fatherly type, probably don’t have a parental bone inside of me. I’ll try and be the best father I can be for him, he deserves at least that.”

Liz chuckled and a small smile started to spread across her face. “You’re going to be an amazing dad John! Besides I know you well enough, if you truly didn’t want this child you would’ve told me in the beginning.”

“It wouldn’t have been fair to you if I didn’t want this child.” He sighed through his nose and ran his hand down the swell of her stomach. “Our carelessness is what made him come to be and I’m not running away from this. I might not know how to be a bloody father, but I can learn how to be one from him.”

Her face softened upon his gaze and she leaned over to place a quick kiss upon his lips. “You never would have, and even if you did the guilt would’ve eaten at you. It’s not in your nature to run away from things John. It’s one of the things I love about you, you never run from a problem.”

“Never have, never will.”

He gave her one last kiss before he got up to return to his previous spot and she went back to sorting out the clothes.

As Liz filtered through them she would occasionally glanced over at him, watching him struggle with putting together the crib. The longer she watched him, the more her attention went to him and she couldn’t help but smile. She’s watched him do amazing things since she’s met him, hell he even crashed a helicopter mid air, yet he was having trouble putting together a crib of all things.

Price glanced over at her, seeing the smile across her face. “What?”

“Stop being so cute.”

She laughed at the exasperated look on his face and he motioned around him. “You think me putting together this is cute? Love you need to find something else that’s cute because this is not it.”

“Sweetie I’ve seen you do some amazing things, but you’re struggling with a piece of furniture for your own son. Yeah I think it’s cute.”

He glared at her and sighed through his nose. Liz knew he didn’t like to be called sweetie, but deep down he would never have her stop because he did actually like that pet name, but would never tell a soul.

He turned back to the crib, mumbling. “I’m not struggling.”

Her ears perked up when she heard him and a smirk formed on her face. “What was that?”

“Nothing love.”

“Thought so.” She chuckled.

It went quiet between them as they went back to their respectable chores. Liz was going through all the onesies they got him, some were festive for the holidays, some were plain and others had certain designs on them. But her favorite would have to be the one Mac gifted them a little while back. It was navy blue and said “next generation of Price men” in big white letters and at the bottom in smaller white letters it said “never thought that would happen”.

The chuckle she let out made Price turn to her, seeing her look down at something in her lap. “What’s so funny?”

“The onesie Mac gave us. I think that’s what Johnny should wear when he comes home.”

“Does he have too? Isn’t there another one he can wear?”

“I don’t understand why you don’t like it, the saying isn’t even that bad and it’s pretty true.” She set it down in her lap, giving him a small smile. “Your name isn’t going to die with you anymore John, you should be happy about that.”

“I am, that’s not the issue. I don’t want him to feel like he has to follow in my footsteps because he’s a Price. I..we ended the war, now the Price name holds a lot.”

“John we can steer him away from joining the military as much as we can, but once he turns eighteen it’s his choice. I don’t think we need to worry about that yet, we have years before he even cares about what we do, or did in my case.”

Price gave her a small smile and nodded his head, then went back to the crib. She watched him for a moment, relishing in his muscles that moved in his toned arms as he tightened a screw. Thinking it wouldn’t be that long before those arms are holding his child.

An hour later she finally organized all his clothes and they were now in their respective places in his closet and dresser. Now Liz was sitting in the rocking chair, slowly rocking with one of Johnny’s stuffed animals in her hands as she watched Price finish up the crib.

“There, it’s finally finished.” He tossed the screwdriver in the tool box and stood up to stretch. “I’ll put the mattress in tomorrow.”

“Now the nursery is nearly ready, just a few more tiny things and then we’re done.”

“Then all we have left to do is wait until junior gets here.”

“Junior.” She scoffs as she stands up, with a little help from him. “We can make him a junior if you really want to.”

Price scoffed and wrapped his arms around her shoulders and met her gaze. “No I like the name we picked for him.”

“I do too.” She leaned up giving his a quick peak on the lips. “Let’s go get something to eat, I’m starving.”

He dropped his arms from her shoulders and nodded in agreement. “I am too love.”

They both began to leave the room, Liz tossed the stuffed animal that was still in her hands to the rocking chair before following him out. “And you’re cooking.”

Price let out a snort, and rolled his eyes. “Whatever you say you love!”

[shatteredprismspirits]

Custom Pokemon Gijinka

Shattered Prism’s Gijinka Servitors

This is not the full listing, to see the full form please go HERE.

     While this isn’t necessarily an original idea for the Shattered Prism (after all, many creators in the Meta community have had similar ideas concerning servitors, thoughtforms and tulpas in the past) we are more than excited to present our very own spin on created entities fashioned from the likeness of the loveable monsters of the Pokemon franchise! Before we get to that, however, we would like to post a few small disclaimers:

     We do not own-- nor have we ever owned-- any facet of Pokemon. We do not claim to be of the official franchise, and we by all means wish for you to support them. In fact, this was made due to our love and nostalgia for Pokemon. That said, those interested in this service are paying for the energy woven to create a servitor in their likeness, and the binding formed to tie this servitor to your spirit; NOT the likeness itself. Basically, we aren’t selling pokemon. We aren’t even selling you beings/creations with appearances and abilities that resemble pokemon. You are paying for the work behind the service. Make sense? Awesome! Let’s move on.

     Let’s address their popularity! We know there are a lot of people out there who work long and hard on their servitors, so we at Shattered Prism would like to make something clear: this is NOT a cash grab. We already have a love of Pokemon, and we have worked together to experiment with Pokemon Gijinka Servitors in our off time. We wanted to provide something to the shop with our own unique flare. Time, energy and love goes into these creations, especially since some of us here are die-hard fanatics who have useless pieces of information stored away since their initial US release (stares really hard at Kaida). These gijinkas are made to stand out from anything else that we know of that are offered, and we hope that these qualities make this service unique (not necessarily better or worse) compared to other meta sellers.

     On our next point, servitors can be many things, but one thing they are not are slaves. We see our servitors as beings of another caliber. While yes, they do have their own safety features built into their energetic systems which prevents them from “going rogue,” they still have thoughts and feelings, and deserve to be treated with respect as any other being, living or otherwise. They are created, yes, but they are not machines. They are not sex toys. They are their own brand of people, and we hold them to the same rules and rights as any other vetted being we otherwise conjure.

     Finally, we would like to stress that, as with all things metaphysical, nothing is guaranteed. We can pour all of our time and energy into creating a servitor, but manifestations and other such displays of potency are also dependent upon other factors aside from our labor. This includes the keeper's perspective (meaning a Keeper’s magick ability, sensitivity, energetic blocks and even overall mood) as well as the veil between our world and the astral (some days are easier than others to produce manifestations because the barrier surrounding our plane fluctuates naturally). Please understand that as with all faith-based services, there is a level of faith to be put into these servitors. If you are not satisfied with the outcome of your servitor, no refunds can be issued because the work we expended cannot simply be retracted the same way money can. That in mind, please set it firmly in your mind that this is something you want before making a purchase. No one wins in buyer’s regret.

Now that the formalities are out of the way, we can dive into the fun!

What is a Gijinka Servitor?

    Gijinka Servitors are creations designed to resemble pokemon in both their original and unique anthropomorphic forms. If you have no idea what Pokemon is, then we highly suggest looking into jumping into their storyline games to get a good idea about why there is so much hype surrounding them. Regardless, our servitors resemble a specified pokemon in appearance, personality, mannerisms, abilities and overall power. Not only do these Gijinkas look like your childhood (or current) favorites, but they pack a punch to boot! What they are designed to help with depends completely on the Gijinka’s design (what you desire) and inspiration (the general blueprints laid out according to their likeness). We work together to create an intelligent being with character and magickal potential that works fluidly with both characteristics and provides a servitor who will become your spiritual, lifelong partner.

    These Gijinkas are practically limitless in potential. Need help with ancestral magick? How about a Ghost type with a kind, wisened nature? Want to rekindle your inner child and rediscover the joy in life through your practice? Fairy types tend to be good with that! Do you just want a friend who will be loyal and stick by your side as you travel the astral realms to be the very best spiritual self you can? Well, the choice is yours. We honestly can’t wait to provide you with this service, but there are a few things to keep in mind when requesting your servitor.

     All Gijinkas will begin in their basic evolutionary form and grow with you on your life path. How they evolve and transform as servitors are, at least in part, determined by you as their Keeper. Evolution is “programmed” into their energetic systems to happen at specific points of growth, though evolution that requires specific items or circumstances in canon lore will need to be talked out in consultation regarding your order.

     Shinies are an available option! However, since these are more desirable and are considered extremely rare in canon, they cost a little bit extra compared to standard forms. Do you have a “special” design for your Gijinka like Pink Butterfree? Well, this is exactly the function you would use to do it! Simply mention it when filling out your form.

     Each Gijinka comes with a set “movepool” limit as well as unique abilities. A Gijinka’s “moves” are simply another term for their skills in magick, while abilities refer to powers which act passively (meaning without their conscious effort) either on a constant basis or in specific scenarios. Their moveset limit is and the total number of abilities are determined by their tier. This move limit may increase by evolution, and can be planned out prior to servitor creation. However, if you want to expand upon this, you can look at the table below to see what you can add for $10 per extra addition. Hidden abilities and special moves are the same cost as moves that can be learned normally in canon. If the pokemon can learn the move in the storyline games, a skill or power based on said move/ability (or the pokemon’s core personality) can be given to your gijinka.

     Let’s talk rarity! Everyone wants a Mewtwo on their team, while not quite as many people will be looking for Pidgey. Why? It’s mostly in terms of strength, rarity and canon lore. When making Gijinkas, we have to pour in a lot more energy to accurately portray a Lugia’s strength than, say, a Pikachu. That said, the rarity and status of a particular Pokemon will affect pricing. We have specific tiers for each type, so keep an eye on your options to hash out what you truly want in a servitor.

     As you might be aware, Jynx creates a wide array of servitors already, including Eros Servitors. Eros are R rated servitors created with the capacity for learning the art of sex magick, as well as having the ability to keep things exciting in the bedroom. We are pleased to announce that we will be offering similar options regarding the creation of Gijinkas! However, we would like to note that the standard applications for Eros Servitors also apply to Gijinkas.

     Concerning Mega Evolutions and Gigantamax/Dynamax Gijinkas: we will be offering these as well! HOWEVER! These will be separate add ons, as these require particular items and an extra expenditure of energy (both for us to build into it and for the Gijinka to be able to sustainably expend while taking these forms).

     Fusions are a topic among some enthusiasts that seems to be pretty popular as of late. Concerning Fusions, we will be taking these ideas tentatively as custom creations under the following stipulations:

Until noted otherwise, fusion gijinkas cannot be obtained by “meshing” two Gijinkas together. The fusion must be made as a single entity with a single form.

Fusions will not be able to evolve. This is because they require original designs and a fluid mesh of both influences regarding the pokemon’s form for each new fusion, which may clash as evolution progresses. We may make an exception should the fusion be deemed appropriate, but this is completely at our discretion. That in mind, fusions are the exception to the previous “start as basic evolution” rule.

Fusions will be considered custom listings, and need to be discussed prior to order. Before putting down a request through the shop, please consider contacting us at our email to discuss “blueprinting” your servitor.

     This brings us to the subject of the obscure realm of “Fakemon.” While we will create these gijinkas upon request, we do have a few special rules for these as well.

These Fakemon will generally follow the same rules as Fusions, with the exception that evolutions can be made for them. However, we need design concepts and enough “lore” for the Fakemon to work with.

If the designs are not your own, we ask that you come up with your own lore for the design. For example; if a “Witchicat” is a Ghost/Dark Type made by a pokemon fan in the online community, try to create your own story for them to start us off and we can take that and create something unique. Please do remember that, as stated before, we do not claim to own their designs. We simply create servitors in their likeness.

     If you want your servitor to stop evolving at a particular point, we have the option to create our own version of the Everstone for your Gijinka to carry or wear at all times. This stone is designed to convert excess energy into extra power behind current abilities/movesets, as well as reinforce and cement their current energetic layout in order to help keep the Gijinka from further transformation. The result is a servitor who’s strength becomes exponentially more powerful than regular unevolved gijinkas over time, which makes up for their lack of final stage in evolution. The sooner an Everstone is applied, your gijinka becomes much stronger far more quickly.

Gijinkas with multiple forms that it’s canon inspired origin can shift between one or the other will only be able to access a single form unless an add-on is purchased that allows the servitor to toggle forms. For example, a Meloetta will only take one form unless specifically requested otherwise. Also, Arceus and Sylvally will have a charge for each type form you wish to add (for example, Dark, Fairy and Bug forms will each need to be unlocked via separate additions)

[consumeconfess]

The 100 Season 4 FIXIT

A REASoNABLE DISCUSSION ON THE IMPACT OF TRAUMA ON OUR HEROES & HOW CHARACTER PLOTS CAN BE JUST AS COOL AS GAME of HUNGER THRONES: After losing everyone he loves to the conflict on the Ground, Monty's efforts to hold on to Harper and Jasper and the paths all the Delinquents take in reaction to the violence & death on the ground guide the B-plots in season 4. Harper walks finds Jasper's suicide note, and confronts him: she is v much team survive & points out all they've survived so far. *hope v despair introduced* Boozy dance party. Emori has a 'buyer' on Science Island who might be able to confirm Raven's radiation lvl hypothesis. Maybe the buyer has a Golden Dawn logo or something? En route, Azgeda ambushes their rover and Murphy and Monty fear the worst (here for their bromance hardcore). In 4x2, Harper, Emori (or both if ur extra) are the Adventure Squad's trigger for blowing up the hydraxize. Traumatized Harper reacts first with anger & drinking (Riley's whole midseason), then with depression & drinking after she forces her way in the Ark to escape the black rain. *what are the lengths I will go to to survive at expense of other ppl* Cue BFF Suicide Pact w Jasper leading the charge into more and more nihilist and self destructive behaviors. For every *lolJasper* of the season, we get a counterpoint where we see all the dark points of these actors. Via Harper. For the DNR ragers (oh yeah there are more of them and it is some CW Classic) Harper comes up w the drugs, stealing them from medical and running into Murphy trying to do about the same thing. THEME*do we deserve to survive*They leave the conversation at cross-purposes: Murphy decides that he will have faith in the Arkers. Harper is sickened by the futility of going back under a repressive society that locked her up, and shot her to the ground to die. Her spiral has many more genuine suicide attempts, instead of Jasper's hilarious pranks. Harper's convo with Nihlah, (she has it with Emori instead, who watch her brother die last season) while burying the dead serves another purpose: offering *hope* through the memory of the the ones lost, and surviving for them. She shares this with a grieving Monty; stressed and lashing out in Apocalypse Mode. Maybe a scene with Luna, freshly recovered from radiation and temporarily cool with helping Team Nightblood, and Monty, about loving people after they are gone (Luna killed her brother! And all her ppl are dead!) Harper and Monty reconcile, and have a hot, tasteful & respectful sex scene or scene where they are clearly postcoital. Harper takes strength from her relationships (HMM what a sweet parallel to another female character arc on this show) culminating in her decision to NOT drink the Jobi tea. Life on the ground may be shitty; but seeing her friends one by one, throughout the season, die: she can't help but want to live. She hands Jasper's suicide note to Monty right as Bellamy radios for backup to Science Island. BAM To replace: weird unfinished Riley (who?) plot; the handfuls of eps where Octavia is off by herself (instead we really do think she's dead, we figure it out when Bellamy does), every scene where Octavia and Illian exchange sexy glares, random boring ALIE chip subplots, WHO WERE EMORIS OTHER BUYERS , WHAT DID JASPERS SUICIDE NOTE SAY?

[sherristockman]

Buyer Beware: Soaps and Sanitizers May Increase Absorption of Dangerous BPA Dr. Mercola By Dr. Mercola Bisphenol-A (BPA) is an endocrine-disrupting chemical found in countless personal care and plastic products, including the lining of canned goods, nonstick food containers, water bottles and even cashier's receipts. It was first created in 1891, but didn't appear in manufactured products until the 1950s. Although the American Chemistry Council, an industry trade group, has consistently insisted BPA is safe,1,2 this is contrary to the weight of evidence. The chemical has been banned from use in sippy cups and other baby products due to potential health risks to infants.3 Manufacturers prize BPA as an additive to plastics as it makes the final product more resilient and often transparent. BPA resins are also used to keep metal from corroding. It's used in an estimated 75 percent of canned goods sold in the U.S. Despite strong scientific evidence of negative health effects, and relentless health advocacy group work to remove the chemical, the industry was valued at over $13 billion in 2013 and is expected to reach $20 billion by 2020.4 In response to consumer concerns some food companies have agreed to stop using BPA. However, this may not have the effect you expect, as research demonstrates these substitute chemicals may cross the placental barrier, increasing the toxic load on infants,5 and may have similar endocrine-disrupting effects on adults since they are nearly identical chemical compounds. Making matters worse, certain soaps and sanitizers may increase your absorption of BPA, making it all the more dangerous. What's the Problem With BPA? Primarily, BPA is a strong endocrine disruptor. Basically, this means the chemical is similar in structure to a natural hormone — in this case, estrogen — and then interferes with the function of the hormone in your body. While estrogen is typically thought of as the female sex hormone, it also has other functions. Your hormones are secreted by your endocrine system,6 and often do not act independently of each other. A report from the Environmental Working Group (EWG) offers this explanation about endocrine-disrupting chemicals, and specifically about BPA:7 "There is no end to the tricks that endocrine disruptors can play on our bodies: increasing production of certain hormones; decreasing production of others; imitating hormones; turning one hormone into another; … interfering with hormone signaling; telling cells to die prematurely; competing with essential nutrients; binding to essential hormones; accumulating in organs that produce hormones. Unfortunately, this synthetic hormone [BPA] can trick the body into thinking it's the real thing — and the results aren't pretty. BPA has been linked to everything from breast and other cancers to reproductive problems, obesity, early puberty and heart disease, and according to government tests, 93 percent of Americans have BPA in their bodies!" Exposure to BPA has been linked to the following health conditions: ✓ Structural damage to your brain, hyperactivity, increased aggressiveness and impaired learning8 ✓ Early puberty, stimulation of mammary gland development, disrupted reproductive cycles, ovarian toxicity and infertility9 ✓ Reduced quality of eggs10 ✓ High blood pressure and heart disease11,12,13 ✓ Increased risk of obesity14 ✓ Increased prostate size, decreased sperm production, hypospadias (penis deformation),15 erectile dysfunction16 and stimulation of prostate cancer cells ✓ Altered immune function17 ✓ Preterm birth18 ✓ Diabetes ✓ Reduced efficacy of chemotherapy treatment19 ✓ Asthma20 ✓ Breast cancer21 Everyday Items Contain BPA BPA can be found in many of the items you use every day. It is commonly found in shower curtains,22 plastic food storage containers, plastics that cover your meat and plastic water bottles,23 among the more common items you may come into contact with daily. The Center for Environmental Health (CEH) and Stanford researchers, in two separate studies, evaluated BPA content in canned goods. The most recent CEH study24 found 40 percent of canned goods tested had traceable amounts of BPA in the food. The study evaluated cans produced by two of the largest grocers in the U.S. — Kroger and Albertsons/Safeway — with those from Dollar Tree and 99 Cents Only stores. They collected over 250 cans from 11 states from the four major chains and found BPA epoxies, vinyl and polyesters — all chemicals known to have negative health effects. An independent lab tested the contents of the cans finding BPA in the product, indicating the chemical was likely migrating from the lining of the can into the food. Caroline Cox, director of research at CEH, stated:25 "These companies have known for years that BPA is a serious health threat, yet too many of their food cans still contain this dangerous chemical. Americans deserve safe food for their children and families. It is past time for grocery retailers and dollar stores to end this health threat and develop safer alternatives for canned foods." Research From Stanford Finds Cans Have Different Amounts of BPA Researchers from Stanford University assessed thousands of people from varying geographical areas, of different ages and socioeconomic backgrounds, evaluating dietary sources of BPA and urinary concentrations. This study found an association between the amount of canned food eaten and levels of BPA in their bodies.26 The study also found that some canned foods had far higher levels of BPA than others. According to lead author Jennifer Hartle, postdoctoral researcher at Stanford's Prevention Research Center:27 "I could eat three cans of peaches, and you could eat one can of cream of mushroom soup and have greater exposure to BPA." Canned soups had the most BPA, followed by canned pasta. Canned fruit and vegetables had the least amount of BPA. The results confirmed the degree of influence food manufacturers have over your exposure to BPA. Hartle also led a study evaluating potential exposure school children face eating school lunches.28 Hartle commented on the results of this study:29 "During the school site visits, I was shocked to see that virtually everything in school meals came from a can or plastic packaging. Meat came frozen, prepackaged, precooked and pre-seasoned. Salads were pre-cut and pre-bagged. Corn, peaches and green beans came in cans. The only items not packaged in plastic were oranges, apples and bananas." Hartle recommends schools begin to protect students from BPA contamination by limiting sources, but also cautions that containers labeled "BPA free" may not be a safer alternative.30 The most common replacement is BPS, which has demonstrated a similar impact on developing embryos as BPA.31 Hand Sanitizer May Amplify Absorption Other common sources of BPA are thermal printed store receipts. And research suggests using hand sanitizer may increase the amount of BPA you absorb when handling receipts or exposed to other BPA-containing products.32 The study33 demonstrated BPA was absorbed more quickly when people used hand sanitizer before handling printed store receipts. This may be caused by a change in skin permeability triggered by hand sanitizers.34 The study indicated the increase in absorption may be as high as a factor of 100 or more. Both dermal and sublingual absorption bypass liver metabolism, dumping toxins directly into your cells.35 The study found BPA in 44 percent of the tested receipts and BPS in 52 percent.36 As noted by Distinguished Professor Emeritus Frederick vom Saal, Ph.D., from the University of Missouri:37 "This is one of those nightmare stories where you're finding out a very commonly used [chemical] is a ubiquitous environmental contaminant, which poses quite a serious health risk." Many of these hand sanitizers contain isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) as the active bactericidal ingredient. Some skin care products contain isopropyl alcohol as an astringent that is known to exacerbate acne38 and increase the potential to dry your skin, increasing your risk to absorb a number of different toxins from your environment. Is There a Link Between BPA and Autism? At a recent Healthy Child Healthy World and EWG luncheon, Dr. Harvey Karp, pediatrician and child development expert, proposed a new theory for the rising number of children diagnosed with autism or Asperger's syndrome.39 Both are part of the autism spectrum that affects four times more boys than girls.40 Karp proposes the increasing diagnoses may be related to a rapidly rising amount of BPA absorbed environmental exposure. Detractors point out that both boys and girls are exposed at the same rate, while boys are diagnosed four times more frequently than girls, which would seem to rule out an environmental factor. However, the hormonal effect of BPA may be linked to a difference in DNA found in boys who have a higher potential to develop autism. A team of scientists found boys who had a specific genetic alteration on their X chromosome had an increased risk of developing autism.41 Boys inherit one X chromosome from their mother and one Y chromosome from their father. If their X chromosome is missing the PTCHD1 gene, they are at higher risk of developing autism. However, as girls have two X chromosomes, that appears to shield them from this genetic risk.42 While there are no current peer reviewed studies to support his theory, there are other scientists who believe further study may implicate a growing toxic load on a developing child's brain in the development of autism. Strategies to Reduce Your Exposure to BPA Living in an industrialized society has some definite advantages, but exposure to a multitude of toxins is not one of them. There are steps you can take to reduce your exposure and help your body eliminate the toxins you do absorb. For a list of strategies you may use to reduce your exposure to BPA and BPS, see my article, "How BPA and BPS Are Making People Sick." Further tactics you may use that support your body's efforts to detoxify and maintain optimal health include: • Eat a Nutrient-Dense Diet Many processed foods are full of toxins, genetically engineered ingredients, trans fats, harmful vegetable oils and additives that disrupt your gut health and impact your immune system. Processed and packaged foods are a common source of BPA and phthalates — particularly cans, but also foods packaged in plastic wrap. Real food is always your best option. Include nutrient-dense foods that are naturally anti-inflammatory and high in micronutrients that help your body detoxify, such as magnesium, B vitamins, zinc and plant polyphenols.43 • Use Sustainable, Certified Organic, GMO-Free Products Look for products that are Earth-friendly, animal-friendly, sustainable, certified organic and GMO-free. This applies to everything from food and personal care products to building materials, carpeting, paint, baby items, furniture, mattresses and more. When redoing your home, look for "green," toxin-free alternatives in lieu of regular paint and vinyl floor coverings, the latter of which are another source of phthalates. Replace your vinyl shower curtain with a fabric one. Don't use nonstick cookware. • Support Your Gut Health Modifying your gut microbiome is an excellent long-term investment in your health and wellness. Fermented foods are the easiest, best and cheapest way you can make a significant impact on your gut microbiome. Inoculating the food with a starter culture will speed the process and ensure you'll end up with a consistent, high-quality product that not only naturally preserves the food, allowing you to store it for several weeks, but also produces beneficial healthy bacteria to promote your gut health. Read more recommendations in my article, "How to Develop a New Gut for the New Year." • Help Your Body Detoxify You may support your liver's ability to detoxify using four key strategies — nutrients, sweat, stress relief and sleep.44 Each of these are just as important as the others. You can read more in these previous articles: • Are Saunas Good for Your Brain? • Want a Good Night's Sleep? Then Never Do These Things Before Bed • EFT Helps Improve Your Health By Freeing Yourself From Stress • My Free Optimized Nutrition Plan