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the-quiet-fire-of-defiance · 1 year

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Melian and her Descendants as Native Aotearoa Birds

For day 4 @tolkienofcolourweek

A detailed image description is at the bottom of this post but I've listed the characters and their matching birds below.

Melian: hūia. A sacred bird, often considered to be one of the most beautiful birds in Aotearoa. Their feathers were traditionally only worn by people of high status.

Hūia were forest songbirds who paired for life and were utterly devoted to their partners. The pairs would fly and hunt together, caressing each other with their bills, singing duets back and forth. Often when a hūia died, its partner would die of grief a few days later (typically due to failing to eat or drink).

There was a sharp decline in the numbers of hūia after the arrival of European settlers in the 1840s. By the early 20th century, they had disappeared from our forests forever.

Lúthien: tūī. The most talented of our songbirds, a stunningly beautiful creature with iridescent blue-black feathers. Their double voicebox allows them to mimic almost any sound, including human speech. They often sing all day long.

Tūī are messengers to the gods. In Māori culture we might compliment a singer by saying that they have korokoro tūī, the throat of a tūī.

Also I'm feral about this quote:

Farmer and ornithologist Herbert Guthrie-Smith, writing in the early 20th century, observed of a female tui singing on the nest (tui are the only bird in the world to sing on the nest): “We were close to her, yet she sang as if her song could have no ending, as if the world was too full of the ecstasy of life for wrong and rapine to exist. The sun was shining above the flowing river, the leaves green, of every shape and shade; her great love had cast out fear.”

(Source)

Díor: kōtare, aka the sacred kingfisher. (Yes, okay, this is partially a joke about Dior being a sacred king.) Although kōtare are native to Aotearoa, they're also found in other countries. Most Eastern Polynesian cultures, including many Māori iwi, believe that kōtare have power over the ocean and waves.

Kōtare can sit motionless for hours while waiting for their prey, watching with perfect stillness. For this reason, a person who is alertly watching for enemies is sometimes compared to a kōtare.

Elured and Elurin: tara iti, aka fairy terns.

For Māori, terns in general are associated with people of high status. Tara iti are the smallest species of tern in Aotearoa, weighing in at about 70 grams (or 2.5 ounces). They're also our rarest breeding bird. Sadly, there are only about 40 individuals left.

Elwing: kōtuku - I expanded on this in another post

Elrond and Elros: North Island kōkako and South Island kōkako (respectively). Kōkako are blue-grey songbirds who often have a similar call to tūī, although with a slightly less extensive range of sounds. They love to sing duets; in fact, they sing the longest known duets of any bird in the world.

The North Island and South Island kōkakō are closely related but distinct sub-species. Although the North Island kōkako has been the subject of a successful conservation campaign, the South Island kōkako is considered possibly extinct. (The last two reliable sightings were in 2007 and 1967.) However, some people who walk the remote tracks of the South Island swear they've heard its song.

Elladan and Elrohir: tīeke, aka the North and South Island saddlebacks. The two species are very difficult to tell apart for all but the most trained eyes. They're close relatives of kōkako and hūia.

Tīeke are notoriously fearless. In Māori culture, they're guardians and guides.

Arwen: Chatham Islands tūī. While these birds look extremely alike to mainland tūī, they sing a very different song.

(Since this bird is from the Chatham Islands, the Arwen faceclaim is a Moriori woman. Moriori are the indigenous people of the Chathams.)

Image description below cut due to length.

A series of paired images. Each pair has one bird and one faceclaim. All of the faceclaims, except for Arwen, are Māori.

1: Hūia and Melian. The hūia is a black bird with an orange wattle, long curved beak, and white at the end of its tail feathers. Melian is a dignified woman with light brown skin, brown hair, and a traditional chin tattoo. She wears traditional clothing and a pounamu (greenstone) ornament around her neck.

2: tūī and Luthien. The tūī is in flight. The light has caught its wings and tail feathers, making them look a vivid blue. Luthien is a light-skinned (but distinctly Māori) woman with long dark hair. She wears a black dress and a pounamu necklace.

3: a kōtare and Dior. The kōtare is a blue/black bird with a white neck and underside. It's in flight, carrying something in its mouth. Dior has dark brown skin and facial tattoos that mark him as someone of high rank. He wears a carved bone ornament in his hair, a pounamu necklace, and a traditional feather cloak.

4: tara iti and Elured and Elurin. The tara iti is visible from behind, its white wings spread, either landing or taking off. Elured and Elurin are infants swaddled in blankets side by side.

5: Kōtuku and Elwing. The kōtuku is a gorgeous white bird with a long neck and stilt-like legs. This one standing on a tuft of grass surrounded by water, looking down at its reflection. Elwing is a light-skinned, dark haired pregnant woman wearing a white cloak and cradling her stomach.

6: North Island kōkako (kōkako o Te Ika a Māui) and Elrond. The kōkako is a blue-grey bird with a black beak and blue wattle. The Elromd faceclaim is Alex Aiono (Ngati Porou, Samoa), a man with light brown skin and dark curly hair. In this photo he's shirtless, holding a flower and facing the righthand side of the image.

7: South Island kōkako (kōkako o Te Waipounamu) and Elros. The kōkako looks very similar to the bird above except for its orange wattle. The Elros faceclaim is also Alex Aiono, but in this image he's standing on a beach in front of the sea, smiling.

8: North Island saddleback (tīeke o Te Ika a Māui) and Elladan. The tīeke is a medium sized bird with a red wattle and mixed black/red-orange plumage. My Elladan faceclaim is Jordi Webber (Te Atiawa, Ngāti Toa, Te Arawa, Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Maniapoto). He's a young man with pale brown skin, wavy black hair, and grey eyes.

9: South Island saddleback (tīeke o Te Waipounamu) and Elrohir. He is also represented by Jordi Webber.

10: Chatham Islands tūī (tūī o Rēkohu) and Arwen. This tūī is sitting on a flax plant, but it looks very similar to the tūī photo from earlier. It has blue-black plumage, a white tuft at its throat and orange pollen on its head. The Arwen faceclaim is a smiling Moriori woman in front of trees. She has long brown hair, light brown skin and a white dress.]

#melian #luthien #dior #elured #elurin #elwing #elrond #elros #elladan #elrohir #arwen #silmarillion #tocweek2023 #māori-fying tolkien #mine #long post #thank u to Toi for showing me how to do the letters thing #i very definitely didn’t overdo it in the slightest

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empressgeekt · 4 months

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HTTYD/Trolls - Crossover - Branch is adopted by Gobber AU -Part 2, post movie

Okay, the basics of this au is that Branch was sent to the HTTYD universe as a young child and was placed in Gobber's care. I recommend that you read the first post.

Okay, so I did decide to match Branch up with the Light Fury, he names her Cirra, after cirrus clouds. Not entirely sure exactly when in the time line they would meet, but I know it would take place during, Riders/Defenders of Berk. Currently I'm thinking that Branch frees her, after Alvin captures her to try and have a "night" fury of his own. The outcast leader, disregards the light color scheme, as other species have different color variations. No Idea how Branch would end up on outcast island, maybe he snuck in after Astrid, but he'd find Cirra chained up and free her. Unlike the other riders, he doesn't have a saddle as a saddle would mess up with Cirra's cloaking, but they manage. Gobber is rather surprised, but accepts her.

And here is some horrible art I made of Branch and Cirra.

Now! On to the Post movie Plot!

After Hiccup recovers, Things around Berk change. With the red Death dead, their aren't any raids, meaning the need for weapons had dropped dramatically. Poor Gobber and Branch are left with out much to do in the forge, at least weapon wise. There's still the need for pots and every day tools, but business is much slower. Branch has his part time work with Gothi to fall back on but Gobber....It's a struggle to find a new role in the new normal. But in the end it works out. Being a Dragon dentist is something both father and son can work together on, as branch's medical training from Gothi can help.

I don't have much planned regarding Riders/Defenders, other then furthering the relationship between Branch and Dagur. And Cirra coming into the picture.

RTTE however I have a lot of thoughts on. Considering at the beginning of the Pilot that Snotlout was the offical weapons tester, then that means he'd spend more time at the forge, meaning he and Branch wouldbe spending more time with Snotlout. Probably form a similar sibling relationship like Branch has with HIccup. Not as close, but Branch would definitly become a more positive influance on Snotlout.

During part 2 of the RTTE pilot rather then going with the rest of the riders to the get the snow-wraith tooth, he stays on Berk to help Gobber man Gothi's healing shack. And despite Branch's best efforts, his Dad still manages to set one viking on fire and maybe kill another with a mystery potion that Gobber fudged. But there would be a bunch of bonding and funny scenes between them, with Cirra looking on in horror.

Branch would end up leaving with the rest of the riders, as and extra smith and assigned Healer. IN regards to the group, he's closest too Fishlegs and Hiccup, all of the mebing thinkers. Astrid is fine they can get along. Snotlout, once more their a little closer cause of the time Snouloat spent at the forge between RTTE and RIders/Defenders, but Branch still thinks he's a muttonhead. The twins? Branch just makes sure they don't kill themselves on accident.

When the events of "Crushing it" Roll around, I'm torn between Branch and Cirra saving Gobber from the watch tower or having Branch chase his brain-damaged father around the Edge. "Branch come over here and meet Peppy!" "Dad that's not a yak...you know what...never mind."

During "Have Dragon Will Travel" Part 2, Branch would 100 percent, have a chat with Heather before she left, about brothers and things like that. Brozone might not have killed everyone in his village but he knows how complicated family can be, especially after they abandon you. Probably be some Snotlout and Branch moments in the season 1 final too. During "The A Team" Branch supports Astrid with her extra training, staying behind on Berk to "Re-stock" with Gothi when he reality he stayed to keep an eye on her. "The Night of the Hunters" Branch ends up with Hiccup and Snotlout, helping them sew the Screaming Death armor. Though, i also like the idea of him stuck with all the Blondes in the cell, maybe slowly going insane from being stuck in there with them, and picking fights with Dagur.

Its when "Bad Moon Rising" Rolls around that things get much more interesting. It's a week before the episode starts, and on the shores of berk an interest group washes up.

Lets jump back to the troll world. When John Dory comes looking for Branch during TBT, he only finds Poppy, who has vague memories of a troll by that name, but they don't know where the trolling vanished too. Somehow they all pull together in the end, freeing Floyd and heading back to Pop village after the fact. But there's a piece missing and everyone can feel it. The last anyone heard of Branch was when the trolling ran off into the woods that surrounded Pop village. It being there only Lead they began to search the surrounding forest. The older three know it's a long shot, but they go anyway. Floyd is desperate to get back to his baby brother. He's not adjusting well to post captivity, all he wants to do was apologize to Branch for leaving.

They find a small little shelter out in the forest, a cave next to it. shovels and supplies are crowded around the place in neat little piles. No one had been there for a long time, clearly, but they look anyway. Floyd finds Croco next to a makeshift nest, and breaks down. Eventually they look into the cave...only to go too deep and get sucked into a wormhole that took their brother 19 years ago.

They don't remember much of the trip, but they wake up soaking wet and freezing on a rocky sea shore. The troll to human transformation is freaking them out some what. John Dory even more so, but not because of what happened to him. Rhonda went into the cave with them, and suddenly she's shorter then John and had a set of wings. She's still his girl though, and continues to follow JD everywhere. Poppy would spot what looks like a village up on the cliffs, and with out any better options they all trudged up to it.

Clay takes notice of the odd stares that the Villagers give them, and he suddenly he's very aware of the subtle differences between his brothers and the Pop Princesses and this village. While they appear to be the same species, All the villagers are much Paler then Clay and his brothers. Poppy and Viva are closer in skin shade, but it's still clear that they were outsiders too. They wander for a few hours before Bruce suggests they talk to someone. This makes Rhonda walk up to an older woman with long brown hair and green eyes, and a man with grey eyes and Black hair.

Woman: Oh well yer a friendly Gronckle *pets Rhonds*

JD: Sorry about her.

Woman: On it's not an issue, My boy has a dragon of his own, i'm use to there energy.

JD:Uh, hi I'm John Dory. Me and my brothers are new in town and-

Man: Ey! Step away from my wife!

Woman: Oh Spitelout, Hush! These lads are just asking for some help. Get back inside if ye, can't behave.

Spitelout: *huffs*

Woman: Sorry about him, he's boar-headed sometimes. Erika, now what can I help ye with laddie?

Bruce: Well, uh, like my brother was saying Ma'am, we're new in town and we're looking for someone. He'd be in...his twenties...might look like us?

Erika: If this is a vengeance quest, ye need to ask someone more idiotic, I'm not going to send ye to that boy to kill him.

Floyd: No killing, no vengeance, we're just looking for our younger brother, we were separated as kids.

Erika: Hmmm, alright what's the boyo's name?

Clay: Branch ma'am

Erika: The Smithy's boy?

Poppy: You know him?

Erika: Only child by the name of Branch I've met, sweet boyo, Ye won't find him here though. Lad moved off the island a few months ago....His father's still here though. Works down at the forge, just up the way.

Upon arriving at the forge, The brothers and sisters are greeted with an interesting sight, a Blonde haired human with a long mustache, a missing arm and leg, and a rock for a tooth, hammering away at a metal sword, while humming to himself.

Poppy: Um exucse me?

Gobber: Hmm? Oh, hello Lassie! Sorry I was bit distracted, with this piece. Wanna get all teh details right Anything I can do for ye? New sword, Axe? Personally I think you are a dagger lass, or are yet looking for something more special. *holds up piece of jewerly*

Poppy: Umm, Not looking for a weapons, but... actually that's really pretty, *admired neckless*

Gobber: Isn't it? It's my son's work. He's usually more practically minded but when asked to make something pretty he delivers. Makes a lot of lassies interested in him, but sadly none have made his cut.

Bruce: Sounds like he's great guy. Where is he? I might need to commission him for something.

Clay: Really Bruce?

Bruce: what, I need an anniversary gift in a few months.

Gobber: I'll let him know he's got a new customer, but ye might be in for a long wait, he's not home currently.

Bruce: Well when will he get back, we might be on a time crunch.

Gobber: I'd wish I knew, war seems to have no end once your in it.

Viva: You're son's at war?

Gobber: ey, why'd ya think I'm making 'im a sword?

Bruce: You let your son go to war?

Gobber: Let? No of course I didn't let him, it was his choice and if I had anything to say about he won't be anywhere near fighting, but he's his own man now. Faced 24 winters, and is still going strong. Besides I taught him everything he needs to know, hurl a bola, throw an axe, swing a sword. My boy will handle anything those namby pamby beserker throw at him. Now, ye wanted something lassie?

Poppy: Oh yes, but not for metal stuff, we were actually hoping you could help us find someone.

Gobber: Oh well, yer in luck, Ol' Gobber practically knows everyone on Berk, perk of being the only metal worker on isle. Does this person yer looking for has a name?

Floyd: Yes, its' Branch.

Gobber: HOW DO YE KNOW MY BOY?!

The next day or so is rather awkward. Gobber would drag the group, pulling a rather confused Stoick in, to Gothi's hut and made her read them. Eventually the old crone would confirm that they were from Branch's original tribe and they were sent on mission of reconnection by the gods. Poppy isn't so sure, about the Gods thing but she does step forward as a her peoples queen and begins to talk diplomacy with Stoick. Gobber however reiterates his question of how they know his son. Once them being brothers is out in the open, Gobber and the others are gobsmacked, the idea of having 5 children living to adulthood is almost unheard of in berk. With all the plague and fighting that happened in Viking life. Gobber immedately wants to know how his son was abandoned when he had such a large family. He's unsure about the answer of "We were seperated when he was very young", as some of the boys looked hesitent to tell him that, but He accepts it and even helps them find a place to sleep that night...these boys are technically family after all...and the girls with them are sweet.

By some coincidence, Gobber gets a letter from Branch the next day (curtesy of their personal Mail Terror "Gary"), inviting him to the edge, to learn how to make Gronckle Iron. He's excited and begins to prep a ship. Floyd would ask if they could join him, and not knowing how Branch would react, and just happy to receive a letter from his son Gobber agrees.

Over the week long boat trip, Gobber learns a lot about Branch's bio-family. John Dory is a bit of a mutton-head, but it's clear he cares, he's also the one most eager to learn how to sail (Apparently there isn't alot of ocean where their tribe was from, and that was a baffling thought). Bruce is easy going, and apparently has 13 children (once more baffling), he's also probably the one most vocal about thanking Gobber for taking care of Branch. Clay is clearly as smart as his boy, but sadly the lad spend the first few days of the trip horribly seasick. Poppy and Viva's boundless energy really liven up the trip and Gobber enjoys their bubbly nature.

Floyd is the one that sends a few alarm bells off in Gobber's mind. The Lad is show a lot of the signs that Branch gives off when something is bothering him Bad, so Gobber keeps a close eye on him. Not sure if there's going to be a confrontation on the trip there yet, but if there is Gobber would talk to Floyd during a sleepless night help him through the heavy guilt he feels. This is also how Gobber learns of the break up, and he wonders who on earth would let an 11 year old leave home. He can't even be mad at these boys for it. He's pissed off at the grown up who left, these kids to fend for themselves with and elderly woman. Gosh, when Stoick was too busy to take care of Hiccup Gobber was ready to care for the kid.

Over all the trip goes well. Gobber tells them all about little stories from Branch's childhood...some of which they don't believe. "What no way Branch hit a another kid" "Hah oh he did. Gave that brat a good bruise too, oh Oswald and Stoick were so mad but they couldn't punish him since technically he was defending his future chief". Gobber even teaches them some sailing chants, which leading to conversation about Branch only really singing while working the forge.

Eventually they arrive at the Edge, and port. Fishlegs and Hiccup meet them there. Meatlug immediately begins to play with Rhonda, the gronckles roughhouse on the deck. Fishlegs is very interested in speaking with Branch's brothers, and Poppy even more so. Ever since he learned that Branch was originally from a foreign tribe, there had been an underlying curiosity about what kind of people the elder rider came from. He wanted to know everything, adout their customs and culture. However, after Branch snapped at him for asking, Fishlegs dropped the questions. But these newcomers were prime researching material, and Poppy is very willing to teach him about "Pop Culture" (after she's done cooing over toothless of course). Hiccup is a little less enthusiastic, but he's polite, and ever sassy. "Wait you're named after a body function?" "And you're named after a rock, Clay, I don't think you can judge."

They're led up to the training arena, where they see a dark-haired dark skinned man, setting up a metal statue of a viking, with a snow white dragon laying lazily lounging on some boxes near by. Gobber, would immediately brighten at the sight of his son, and they'd would happily reunite, with a large hug, while Brozone would look on in shock. Their little blue baby, was now this rugged grown man. JD on impulse who be screaming, "Bitty B" and run up to snatch Branch in a hug of his own. Only to get ripped off by a flash of growling White, and Cirra leaped down to her rider's defence. The situation only escalates from there, Branch losing it at his Brothers for abandoning him, and not even Gobber can stop him. The other riders (minus tuffnut), look on in shock. Most of them didn't know about the fact that Branch was abandoned by his family, (other then hiccup but even then he didn't know the full extent). Branch only calms down Gobber redirects him towards sharing the Formala for Gronckle Iron and Branch breaking several swords on the gronckle iron dummy...at least until he has to patch up a rambling tuffnut.

The events of the Lychwing episode still play out. Only this time, you'd see Branch's Brothers try to make up with him, but hanging out near by. Listening to scary stories with Gobber, talking to the other riders, JD and Clay wandering into the workshop, while Branch is fixing up Snotlout after all the bites. It's only after they stop Tuffnut from Jumping off a cliff that Gobber intervenes regarding Branch and his family situation.

Gobber: Look son. I know yer angry

Branch: Angry doesn't begin to cover it, Dad. They left me! As a baby! They think they can just waltz back into my life after 20 fucking years! Well, guess what they can't!

Gobber: Branch...

Branch:...I don't know why your not more pissed! I remember hearing you rant to Chief when I was little, 'how could someone leave behind a kid like him!' 'you know i count my blessing the gods gave me my son!' where's all of that now?! Do I not matter to you anymore?!

Gobber: No, Laddie, don't ye ever think that! Ye are the best thing I have ever forged and don't ye forget that. And don't take my compassion for a lack of rage. Believe me, I'm pissed, but I can't blame your brothers for my anger.

Branch: *scoffs* oh really, you can't blame the people who threw me to the boars and abandoned me. How could you not blame them?

Gobber: because they were kids too, son. Listen just for a moment, do ye know how old yer brother's were when they left?

Branch...no...

Gobber: 17, 16, 14, and 11. Now the older two, maybe if they were mature enough could move out, but Clay and Floyd, they never should have been allowed to leave. No child that young should be on their own.

Branch: And I was even younger.

Gobber: That ye were. But it was the Adults around ye who were the name problem. Tell me, when Stoick was busy with the raids and winter rations, did he leave Hiccup alone. No, he left him with us, people he could trust to help. Remember that raid when you were 7 and I couldn't get to ye, what happened that night?

Branch: Miss Ingrid took me to her hut's celler with all the other children.

Gobber: Exactly, On Berk we were always looking out for each other, especially when it came to wee ones. However, you're birth tribe? From what I heard, they left a 14 year old in charge of a household of 6 with only and elderly woman for help, and after three years he finally snapped....you're brothers did hurt you Branch, they failed you, I'm not denying that. But they were also failed, by their community, the adults that should've stepped in and helped. You don't have to like them, you don't even have to forgive them, but you should at least let them apologize, let them and yerself have closer. Because I'll tell you now, the guilt their feeling...it's going to eat them alive.

Thanks to Gobber's instance it pushed Branch towards a confrontation. After icing Snotlout's Paper Jaw from Hiccup's punch (Good Job Hiccup), he finally has a sit down with his bio-siblings. He agrees to try and get to know each other again, but he has conditions; No calling him 'bitty B' (he does not need the twins picking that up), no bringing up the whole troll thing ( "Dad will start on the sock thing" "What sock thing?" "We don't talk about the sock thing"), no treating him like a baby, and Branch was not singing. (Unless it's a special circumstance). During this Branch Properly introduced his Family the girls to Cirra, and then there's the bang of a Zippleback distress call.

In "Snotlout gets and Axe" Tuffnut accidentally marries Clay and Viva.

At some point John Dory does ask for rider training, considering that Rhonda was now a gronckle. Branch makes him a saddle, and just sits back to watch at John Dory learn how to fly, laughing at every stumble. Cirra is not open to many riders other then Branch, she doesn't trust humans easily, and these "brothers" stress her rider out, but reluctantly she allows Branch to take Poppy on a rather romantic flight, and at some point Floyd needs a ride. Viva, and Bruce want to try it out, but Clay doesn't want to risk air sickness, apparently his human body doesn't like travel.

The brothers do help defend the Edge when Dagur and and Ryker attack. Once the fight on the beach broke out, Branch gets into the fist fight with Dagur, the latter wielding a knife. They are horrified with how bloody it nearly gets.

I think I'll play around with the time line and make "Tone Death" happen before "Maces and Talons", simply because of how much angst i could squeeze out of it. Like abandoned egg hatches on the edge into a dragon that only communicates by singing, then gets adopted by one similar to themselves? This episode is practically a reflection of Branch's story in this au. Also and excuse for JD to show off his songs and everyone, including the Deathsong, trashing on them.

Dagur's redemption might be something interesting to explore. Branch and Dagur never had gotten along, even as kids, to suddenly be playing on the same team would definitely cause tension. Especially for Brozone, the first time they met Dagur would've have been when he was trying to slice their baby brother's throat.

At some point, the topic of going back to the troll world would be brought up and the brothers talked about showing Branch what they had been up too all these years, and branch is just like "I'm not going back with you."

This once more leads to arguments, but Branch can't leave he's happy in the Hyttd, world, and Gobber would be left with out any family if Branch left. Still not sure if Branch decides to stay or return to his world, maybe they find a way to pass between the two at will so Branch can visit, and maybe Bruce's kids can come meet their Grandpa Gobber (Bruce doesn't see Gobber as a dad, but he's Branch's dad and the kids would definitely see him as Grandpa if they ever met).

Once more still figuring things out. Timeline and world building wise, let me know your thoughts.

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jdlover · 4 months

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Archer headcannons

Let's begin with how the Party Crashers were formed

Bash (Archer's brother) went around to different places and collected party supplies

When Archer was 12 Bash decided to give him a small birthday party

But Bash wanted more and convinced other kids around his age to form the Party Crashers

Archer was against this but Bash was his brother so he couldn't do anything about it

They traveled around like that for 4 years

One time Poppy snuck him cake while he was in the Fungeon and he cried out of joy

'How come a completely different species who knew he was going to betray them treated him better than his own brother!?'

After the Party Crasher arc is over he lives in Branch's bunker

He and Branch grew close since they were similar

Branch once gave him a bracelet that said 'brother'

Archer never took it off

Picked up black smithing and has a SWORD

Has a pet critter bug named Glitz and he rides them like a hoverboard

Glitz can make music and tries to get Archer to sing more often

After TWT he learns about rock music and immediately LOVES it!

He tries to pretend he thinks it's fine but geeks out to Branch in private

He has a preference for punk and pop rock

The ACTUAL name of his species is the Lyrm

They're not really that closely related to bergens

Is a member of the redemption trio

I like to think when Archer meets Brozone he's very passive aggressive towards them when Branch is around

As soon as Branch leaves the room though

He's just aggressive

'Branch opened up to him and his brothers think they can just come back into his life like they didn't leave him for 20 years!?'

'NOT ON HIS WATCH!'

He was the second one Branch told about Brozone before TBT

He's rarely physical but when he does it's mostly Clay pushing his buttons too much

He's chill with Kismet and even teams up with them against Brozone sometimes

Prefers to go by Archer

Still has some habits from being a scout like figuring out things about people and he even still has some disguises left

#trolls band together #trolls #trolls kismet #clay trolls #archer pastry #trolls archer pastry #trolls kaboom #trolls the beat goes on #tbtgo #branch #trolls branch #brozone #trolls bash #He seems like someone who enjoys rock #definitely has a whole playlist of songs that are just rock covers #trolls poppy #his species are reptilian and amphibian so he looks different underwater #I'll get into that another time

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kurim-chis · 1 year

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Just read a Yingxing/Blade x Reader fic in the CN platform 晋江 where the main plot centers around the comedy and a ambiguously happy ending for Ying Xing, who in the main plot manages to have a family and is very, very content with his lot in life despite the war against Abundance.

Author rn is writing a “what-if” branch of where Ying Xing became Blade, its an AU and some things are different from HSR because “you” existed, and Author makes it clear that we can see it as an AU and consider the Ying Xing main plot as a HE or as a story that snowballed into a tragedy for Ying Xing’s life. It’s, of course, an AU since there’s not much known yet about the past of the High Cloud Quintet.

And I’m wkdkksnJDKFKKDKDJE BECAUSE the first half with Ying Xing is so fluffy, so light, it’s very comedic too because Ying Xing is such a ROCK and so rude and obsessed with smithing, there’s a lot of people who had chased after him even tho he’s a short lived species but he’s so obsessed with weapons and so RUDE that they eventually back off lmao. It’s so bad that the “reader” gets over their initial miffed feelings pretty quickly and feels a bit sorry for their “rival”.

AND THEN AND THEN!!! Blade in the branch/AU/second part of the story is written so nicely, he’s passive and cold and ruthless, but in a more numb way and the tragedy of his family with “you” (which is still unknown since Author just began to write the Blade branch) seems to have shattered his mental state even further than canon. He gave me the feeling he was like a machine or an animal.

The Author describes Blade in a way that just hits all my Moe Points! The guy who will violently murder someone with an emotionless expression (no hard feelings, literally) but in the story, even with a muddled consciousness and a shattered sense of self and half amnesia - it’s very clear his personality was warped and shattered when compared to the Ying Xing in the first half - he still recognizes “you”, and has a vague recognition that you are an existence precious to him.

You are like a fragile dream of a past long gone. If he blinks even once, you will disappear like the foams in the ocean, and he feels like he will go even more mad if that happens.

He is clearly very obsessed but in a muddled, not quite there way. In the latest chapter instead of being overtaken by Mara and needing to get his memories erased by Kafka, he pinpoints you and basically kidnaps you while the Nameless fight against Phantilya and you wake up as they watch the fight. Phantilya’s petals fly all over the place and some of them shoot towards you and Blade, and though Blade grabs you and retreats, he wordlessly picks up an abandoned lance on the ground and throws it towards Phantilya. Very petty and vengeful, even tho Kafka mentions Elio never said they’d join the fight. ETC ETC ETC.

He speaks even less than canon, and ever since he saw “you”, he’s been wordlessly sticking to you like sticky rice, with the only time having been at the beginning where you arrived with Dan Heng and Blade went on to beat the living shit out of Dan Heng. He abandons his vendetta with Dan Heng and shoots towards you when he noticed one of those resuscitating mobs trying to grab your leg.

It’s just. My heart. One of the latest scene he’s written as just raising his arm and hovering it over the small of your back, staring at you with an unblinking, blank and hazy gaze, his actions treating you like glass, as if you were a very precious, very fragile dream that will disappear if he so much as touches you.

I LOVE THIS KIND OF CHARACTERIZATION FOR BLADE!!! Cold and tragic and ruthless, but has this very special soft spot for certain people.

#honkai star rail #hsr #hsr blade #blade x reader #I hope more and more fanfics appear in JinJiang #that are HSR fanfics #HAHAHAHA the story started out as a comedy slice of life #and Blade Part is half comedy and half hurt/comfort #author hasn’t written very far off into it

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smallgodseries · 1 year

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[image description: A stunning Black woman with a large afro, a short red dress, retro wedge heels, a tattooed on her right shoulder and a pair of earrings in the shape of a rifle sight. Other sights appear all around her as she kneels in front of the Earth, holding a smoking pistol with a ridiculously long barrel. Text reads, “57, Nefertiti Smith, Travel Agent .006 ~ The Small God of Seeing the Sights”]

• • • • • •

Velvet curtains cover the windows. Velvet tapestries drape the walls. The overall result is like walking into a bordello, or the heart of a teddy bear the size of a Titan. It’s easy enough to imagine this opulent space, dripping as it is with crystal chandeliers and golden gilt, as a playground for children too large to be contained by any structure sized for humanoid bipeds.

The idea that all intelligent life must follow the basic blueprint of Earth is quaint and so outdated as to have become antiquated, and most people with any sense of adventure have long since abandoned it. Those who haven’t are likely to find themselves swallowed by the sapient slimes of Rigel IV, who don’t much care for being so casually dismissed. Have your right to sapience challenged one time too many, learn the delights of human flesh, as Professor Winchell always used to say. Or not. Some species never turn to man-eating, and choose instead to block humanity’s expansions into greater space. They have no time for small-minded bigots, they say, and no one who’s met many humans can really argue with them.

But people who’ve me the right humans can sometimes make a decent case for allowing them to expand.

She steps into the club like she owns the place, like the party has been waiting for her arrival before truly getting started. She doesn’t walk; she dances, every step a perfect extension of the one before. Her dress is a shade of red subtly different from the curtains. It should clash. Instead, it makes her look all the more valuable, against a backdrop of suddenly cheapened velvet. Her heels are tall; so is her hair. She is the best of what humanity has to offer, and if far too few of her admirers understand her divinity, that’s fine. She knows she’s a goddess. She’s the only one who matters here.

Belly up to the bar, Nefertiti Smith flags down a server, a smile on her gilded lips. “Tell Dave I’m here,” she instructs.

There’s always a Dave. Boston to Betelgeuse, there’s always a Dave. And he always knows her, and he’s always happy when she arrives.

Tourists are good for business, after all.

• • • • • •

Artist Lee Moyer (Trident of Aurelia, 13th Age) and author Seanan McGuire (Wayward Children, October Daye & InCryptid series) sincerely appreciate you, whether or not you're a Dave.

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pointdointy · 1 year

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Recently been binging the whole of the MLPFIM series after realizing that as a kid, I only watched up to S4A because I hated where the series was going, and despised Twilight being an alicorn + The School of Friendship, which goes against the message of the entire show.

With that, I made my own mane six 'reimagine' sheet and AU. I stuck to the original designs as close as I could, except for Fluttershy's lmao. These designs really just enhance the previous designs, as I wanted to toy with their silhouettes and the characteristics they had in the show, and to make designs more appealing to look at, albeit horrible to animate lol

Read More on the AU + Design Thoughts below :)

Twilight Sparkle - A gifted unicorn with ancient heritage. She spends most of her time studying, and fixating on various books, topics, and magic itself. She is the top student in her school, and hopes to get a degree in Magic, and later become a Magic Professor. In this AU, while she studies under Celestia, she is not her protege. Celestia, worried over her favorite student, sends her to a day trip to look over the Summer Sun Celebration, where she meets her future friends show-style. Her design is heavily inspired by The Last Unicorn, and medieval portrayals of regal, feathered unicorns.

Pinkie Pie - A super duper party pony who takes her job very seriously. She works at Sugarcube Corner as a part-time party planner, part-time baker, and is well loved by Ponyville's townies. Before Twilight coming to Ponyville, and later moving in, she knew the other four quite well, and enjoyed organizing Applejack's family reunions. For her design, I really wanted to lean in on her chaotic nature by adding more colors, and confetti perpetually stuck in her curly mane. At first, I thought of changing her species into a pegasus, but I enjoyed her magical properties as an Earth Pony too much to remove them. Instead, I headcanon that she, and other Earth Ponies have magic inside of them, which can be manifested in different ways. For Pinkie, that is harnessed through Pinkie Sense, and high energy, only being enhanced by her small size.

Applejack - Rancher, and apple farmer, Applejack is the head of Sweet Apple Acres (with Granny Smith and Big Mac/ Orchard Blossom's help). The business is the foundation of Ponyville, and without it, the town would go into economic despair. Apples are very important to horses, I guess. I wanted Applejack's design to reflect her massive strength, and of course, the Apple-Family genes. She is a work horse, either a shire or clydesdale, and is used to hard labor on the farm. Thinking about it now, I should've given her a few healed scars, but maybe in future art of her! I made her mane and tail shorter, as I thought her in-show counterpart would have a tough time working on the field with sticky, sweaty long hair always getting in the way. Like work horses in real life, I made it short so it would be out of the way while she did her job.

Rarity - An inspiring trendsetter fashionista, Rarity owns the Carousal Boutique and makes clothing for a living. She frequents town meetings, and has a seat in the council, often advocating for the repair of town parks, or old buildings that need refurbishing. She wears an ascot for that particular flourish a mare always needs. Being a unicorn, she trims the hair that grows down along her back to keep herself prim and proper, as she says. She finds unicorns that don't to be messy and dirty. She dare not fathom of how easily sweat and dirt gets in one's mane when so long and unkempt. Down her back, she still has a stripe of purple where her mane grows. Her design was heavily inspired by the one she has while making dresses, and the NightmareMoonverse manestyle. Like Twilight, she is also based on medieval unicorn portrayals, however, with some liberties of course.

Rainbow Dash - A daring, brave cloudbuster, working as part of the weather team in Ponyville to keep the weather on check for events and crops. However, she has bigger dreams to become on of the Wonderbolts, the most awe-inspiring, jaw-dropping fliers in all of Equestria. RD would bask in the fame, adoration, and praise like a reptile in the hot summer sun. Other than training, hoping, she can never muster up the courage to apply. While she show-boats and gloats about how awesome she is, RD suffers from severe anxiety, ADHD, and fear of rejection. In her design, I wanted RD to look more masculine and stream-lined than she does in the show. Her design never really spoke 'fast' to me. I still don't think this design truly did my vision justice, but I enjoy it for what it is. I darkened her mane colors a touch, and gave her feathered, colored hooves to make her look more like a bird instead of a pony with wings stuck on it.

Fluttershy - Shy, and rather fearful pegasus pony, Fluttershy boxes herself in close to the Everfree Forest, away from ponies who mock her appearance and lifestyle. She is part deer, and with the high separation and xenophobia of Equestria's ponies, she never could fit in. She looked far too deer to fit in with Ponyville and looked far too like a pony to fit in with her mother's herd. Instead, she chose an inbetween, only going into town for supplies and nothing else. It wasn't until meeting Twilight and the others, did she learn how to grow confident in her own skin, with lots of support of course. She finds great friendship and connection with Zecora, the zebra pony who lives in the Everfree Forest, and Discord later on. Her design is the only one I didn't really like in the main cast. It says soft, but it feels too safe for me. In my redesign, I leaned more heavily on a softer, lankier look. I made her wings fluffier, like Pipp's in G5, and gave her deer markings, ears, and hooves. I thought the brown block of hair was nice, but it could've used some dimension, and so I added a streak of yellow to tie it all in.

#mlp fim #mlp #mlp g4 #mane 6 #mane 6 redesign #twilight sparkle #pinkie pie #applejack #rarity #rainbow dash #fluttershy #digital art #my art #ok to reblog #reblogs are highly appreciated #procreate #god that was a lot of writing #thank you if you read all of my rambling!

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sharkie-malarkie · 8 months

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𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙤 !!

this is where my shark-themed blog, so obvi I only post about sharks !! :D i mainly do facts abt different species of shark BUT if u request smth else I can deffo do that (if it aligns with my request rules)

𝙧𝙪𝙡𝙚𝙨 !!

- racist, homophobic, ableist blogs will be blocked <3 - requests are fine but I’ll only accept shark-related requests - but also if u just wanna chat or ask me random questions u can deffo use the ask button for that too !!

𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙢𝙚 !!

- i’m xanthe !! (pronounced zan-thee) - 19 :) - leo - entp - obsessed w mitski, alex g, deftones, radiohead, eyedress, dazey and the scouts, TV girl, the smiths, grimes (+ loads of other artist but i cba to add my entire music taste) so PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE talk to me abt them!!

𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙠𝙨 !!

- spotify: https://open.spotify.com/user/316rrfq7cskw3rs4lof66ovx2sty?si=zoz5PfBHQsCmPkwNesE7qw - pinterest: https://pin.it/3KOWgIVfn - stats.fm (pls friend me!!!!): https://stats.fm/xanthelikessharks

#i like sharks (and getou’s balls)

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radical-revolution · 2 months

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What makes you think human beings are sentient and aware? There's no evidence for it. Human beings never think for themselves, they find it too uncomfortable. For the most part, members of our species simply repeat what they are told-and become upset if they are exposed to any different view. The characteristic human trait is not awareness but conformity, and the characteristic result is religious warfare. Other animals fight for territory or food; but, uniquely in the animal kingdom, human beings fight for their 'beliefs.' The reason is that beliefs guide behavior which has evolutionary importance among human beings. But at a time when our behavior may well lead us to extinction, I see no reason to assume we have any awareness at all. We are stubborn, self-destructive conformists. Any other view of our species is just a self-congratulatory delusion. Next question.

— Michael Crichton, The Lost World

Image: Rodney Smith

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sinceileftyoublog · 6 days

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Pulp Live Show Review: 9/8, Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom, Chicago

BY JORDAN MAINZER

Pulp has never been in a rush. Their most recent album came out 23 years ago. The last time they toured the US was 2012, the year they played Coachella, and even that "tour" was a couple dates on each coast. Jarvis Cocker performed at Pitchfork Music Festival way back in 2008, but the band hadn't played a proper show in Chicago since the 90s. Safe to say, last Sunday, a sold out Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom was eagerly anticipating the quartet's emergence on a stage at an ancient venue whose age is only about three times the number of years since the last Pulp show in Chicago.

Of course, in true sardonic fashion, as the lights dimmed, we were greeted with a screen with hilarious words that alternated between straightforward and facetious: "Good evening...This is a night you will remember for the rest of your life...This is the 552nd concert by Pulp," and so on. Yes, even their idea of entertainment is buried within the glory of the mundane. The band (keyboardist Candida Doyle, drummer Nick Banks, guitarist Mark Webber, and touring musicians Andrew McKinney, Emma Smith, and Adam Betts) finally walked on the stage sans Cocker, though you could hear his unmistakable deadpan launch into "I Spy" coming from behind the stage setup. From the moment he graced the crowd with his presence--as gangly and expressive as ever--Cocker was in show mode, both actively and passively. He vogued along to every song, almost in time with the guitar riffs on "Sunrise". He sang while lying down during "Weeds", but stood and gained more energy as it built up and slowed down into "Weeds II (The Origin of the Species)" and an unexpected segue into a song from a different album, "F.E.E.L.I.N.G.C.A.L.L.E.D.L.O.V.E." As if to recall the dour noir of its iconic video, he performed the beginning of "This Is Hardcore" from a lounge chair. And he was genuine, too, dedicating "Something Changed" to late bassist Steve Mackey and the late, great Steve Albini, who produced Cocker's 2009 solo album Further Complications.

What really struck me, though, was how dynamic the band was. Beyond standout instrumental moments--the plinking keyboard line of "Pink Glove", the intertwining guitar and bass melodies of "Babies"--I've never thought of Pulp as a live band that would be particularly instrumentally exciting. I was wrong. Their use of effects on songs like "Sorted for E's & Wizz" was so all-encompassing it sounded like the noises were coming from the crowd itself, as if you were on the very drugs whose culture the song lambasts. "Babies" changed tempo seamlessly, emphasizing the twangy guitars during verses and rocketing into a gallop during the chorus. "Common People", of course, sped up and slowed down as Cocker introduced the band during a long interlude, the announcement of every name accompanied by brief rousing power chords and drums that, each time, toyed you into thinking the band was going to launch back into the song.

"Common People" finally ended, the third song played during the encore. It's the band's best known and arguably best song. Show over, right? Well, Pulp came back out for what was the most unexpectedly exciting part of the night: the potential for new music. They debuted "Spike Island", a new disco-indebted song with slide guitar, before ending the night with the one-two punch of "Razzmatazz" and "Glory Days". Looking at their more recent setlists, Pulp has debuted at least two new songs during their second encore. Maybe--hopefully--their current tour is more like an intermission.

#live music #pulp #byline bank aragon ballroom #further complications #jarvis cocker #candida doyle #nick banks #mark webber #andrew mckinney #emma smith #adam betts #steve mackey #steve albini

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magicofthepen · 1 year

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so i accidentally bought a used copy of Human Nature last weekend and read it all on Tuesday. and the TV episodes are fresh in my mind too, so Immediate Reactions (spoiler warning):

fascinating that in book!HN, the Doctor decides to become human for the hell of it, for emotional reasons. I’d assumed that it would be revealed eventually that of course he was doing it to hide from the Family (erm, I forget their species name in the book), but no, the Family was the one who turned him human. I do think the TV version works better as a premise—and the Doctor not explaining much and giving limited instructions works better if he was genuinely in a rush, rather than it being a personal choice. but still. huh.

dear lord this book is much darker than the TV version. the whole school getting blown up and most of the students dying, the bullies literally killing Tim and him being brought back to life…..

the one thing I liked better in the book was how it explored the Doctor-as-an-Ideal more—how anyone can be the Doctor. John Smith didn’t have to change back to embrace what the Doctor stood for—he chose to be the sort of hero the Doctor was himself, while he was still human. Tim learned that he can say no to being a soldier and there are other ways to do good — and literally became a doctor.

I am fascinated by John Smith surviving briefly as a separate person from the Doctor. I liked it as a plot resolution—the villain trying to absorb the Doctor and instead being thwarted because he absorbed the mind of a human. weird that he then. dies(?) but there was something quite interesting there briefly, about humanity being his undoing. and the Doctor and John Smith getting to talk to each other. and it was definitely unexpected, given how nothing of the sort happens in TV!HN. (the mechanics of becoming human and the Doctor’s memories being stored separately also being different.)

yes I did read this because I knew Romana would be mentioned. I’d heard that seeing a vision of her was what led the Doctor to realize the threat the Family posed—which is true! but I’d assumed that this vision was before the adventure, that this vision sparked his plan to thwart the Family by hiding as a human. so I was emotionally unprepared for it being John Smith having the vision. he didn’t even remember her, but seeing Romana executed was what convinced him to resist, to not give the Family what they wanted. y’all I’m feeling things 🥺

#emily reads dw books #that’s a tag now #i truly didn’t *plan* to buy and inhale this book so quickly but hey!#it was genuinely really interesting seeing the similarities and differences to the tv version!#dw vnas #doctor who #dw eu #ramblings #romana #doctor x romana

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azzifudd · 3 months

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i know everyone and myself are not the biggest fans of CC but I pray to gawd that men (Stephen A Smith, Gilbert Arenas, and others of the terrible species) chill the fck out about the WNBA once Paige gets drafted by next year because what I’m seeing is ridiculous & so misogynistic. They swear that they’re complimenting Caitlin because in their mind they’re alienating her from the rest of the WNBA and that she’s technically a “Lebron”, so they talk about her with no respect like she’s a man when at the end of the day she’s not? + the whole damsel and distress thing they’ve been doing with all the rookies (sorry I’m rambling) but I hope everyone CHECKS THEMSELVES

the conversation around her has gotten so out of hand insane i cannot believe she hasn't said anything. unfortunately, paige will get some talk too, she's just too big a name, but i think the moment she sees anything out of pocket or that she doesn't like, she will say something and that's the difference between her and caitlin. i think paige will do her best to shut down any negative talk about other players and that will do a lot to getthe talking heads to be quiet.

the thing i always come back to with caitlin is that i do not expect her to fix everything, i don't expect her to stop all the vitriolic racism and misogyny that the other players are facing bc of her fan base. I don’t even know if her saying anything would do anything at this point bc damn failed republican presidential candidates are using her now, but i do expect her to try. and it's been long enough that i know she does not care to.

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dark-twist-fairytales · 11 months

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And now begins the process of explaining the AU. Yes, Blaze and Rose, it IS 11:30 at night, but AU time. Edit: sooo... It's now 1 AM, and I'm sorry-

So, Kai is the only ninja currently in Ninjago to be and stay human, right? Right.

Well, what if Kai wasn't human to begin with? What if he couldn't transform to anything inhuman, because there was nothing human to begin with?

Thus spawning this AU: Extraterrestrial Smith Family! (Aka, ET Smith Family AU)

"But, wait, 'Smith Family'? This 'What if' began with Kai!"

Exactly. The thought began with Kai and expanded to Nya, then Maya and Ray. Under the cut is the storyline thus far, plus pictures (sketches, lineart, and colored), and more about their species.

(Due note: skin tone prone to change, don't have that many colors in the new markers)

Long when time gained its name, a small snake would declare that "No one created in Ninjago could kill me!" No one batted an eye towards this snake, but destiny's plans formed to make this statement true.

As time gained it's name more and more, distress calls rang through the vast emptiness of space in a hopeful plea that someone would answer. And while there was no response, they were heard. The response the planet gave was sending down two of their most fierce warriors to battle.

Maya and Ray took a human form to blend in with the others, but that couldn't stop them. They were fierce warriors for a reason, protecting the brothers while in serpentine battles and bonding enough to blend in. By the time the war ended, the two had to make a camp and settle. That camp turned to Four Weapons Blacksmith Shop.

But, that wasn't all. As well as being accepted by the brothers, they were both gifted powers that helped them even more in battle. Maya could take to the waters, and with the way her form allowed, she could swim faster than ever and attack at will. Ray could wield fire from nothing and forge attacks within seconds on impulse.

Of course, after the Time Twins, resting was on the list of things to do, but something still felt.. Off to both of them. A trip back to their home planet yielded two things: A lane of communication between the worlds, and Kai.

Kai was born with a similar look to Ray, and took after his father's human form with hair spikes and a red tone to his eyes. Similarly, on the genetics side, he took after Ray too. There were two, general types of aspects between their species, named 'Landborn' and 'Waterborn'. Kai is a Landborn.

This doesn't mean that they're born on land, or that waterborn can't breathe air, but it meant that their bodies were built to traverse harsh terrains and rocky caves, built for fighting on land and brute-ing a lot of actions. Quadpedaled with rough palms, long fingers, and sharp talon-like nails, they run faster on all fours rather than two, but can manage to run either way. Spines travel down their back and lead to a tail, free movement, as strong as Constrictai's, ending with a point that can snap and light fire against flint. Pink eyes allow them to see in the dark, and much clearer, the small white dot within their pupil allowing them to see things hidden to the naked, human eye.

Ray is a landborn, much like his son, and is in good within their species government. However, that wasn't the only reason they needed to go back yet again. With Nya coming around as well, Maya had to talk with those waterborn and explain the situation much more. About their powers, about the war, just about everything, including the 'off' feeling.

Nya and Maya are both waterborn, and take after the aspects of water-like things with their hair and accessories. However, Nya took after Kai's eye color, unable to copy the red undertone, so it came out more orange.

Waterborn are much different compared to landborn. Skin and palms smoothed, body narrowed, they're able to zip through natural forming lakes, rivers, and oceans at such speed, it's almost hard to believe they're there. Built for stealth and fighting in water, they're seen more as swimming or bipedaled. Their nails as sharp as fins and scales, deceptively smooth looking, they move fast on land, but faster in water. Webbing between their fingers allows for faster movement, sharpened teeth make for excellent attacking as well. Lines across their rib cages allows for breathing underwater for a short amount of time. The three white dots all have different purposes: One for the sight of things invisible to the human eye above water, one for the same purpose below water, and one to be able to see underwater.

Kai and Nya have no mainline communication with their home planet, but were taught their heritage and where they come from, as well as the language from home.

As time continued on, this secret remained the most unknown amongst the ninja, and they still hunt for the snake that can't be killed by those created in Ninjago.

#ninjago #lego ninjago #kai smith #nya smith #maya smith #ray smith #ninjago au #et smith family #my art!

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dailyanarchistposts · 5 months

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Chapter VII. Fifth Period. — Police, Or Taxation.

1. — Synthetic idea of the tax. — Point of departure and development of this idea.

In order to render that which is to follow more intelligible, I will explain, inverting, as it were, the method which we have followed hitherto, the superior theory of the tax; then I will give its genesis; finally I will show the contradiction and results. The synthetic idea of the tax, as well as its original conception, would furnish material for the most extensive developments. I shall confine myself to a simple announcement of the propositions, with a summary indication of the proofs.

The tax, in its essence and positive destiny, is the form of distribution among that species of functionaries which Adam Smith has designated by the word unproductive, although he admits as much as any one the utility and even the necessity of their labor in society. By this adjective, unproductive, Adam Smith, whose genius dimly foresaw everything and left us to do everything, meant that the product of these laborers is negative, which is a very different thing from null, and that consequently distribution so far as they are concerned follows a method other than exchange.

Let us consider, in fact, what takes place, from the point of view of distribution, in the four great divisions of collective labor, — extraction, [21] manufactures, commerce, agriculture. Each producer brings to market a real product whose quantity can be measured, whose quality can be estimated, whose price can be debated, and, finally, whose value can be discounted, either in other services or merchandise, or else in money. In all these industries distribution, therefore, is nothing but the mutual exchange of products according to the law of proportionality of values.

Nothing like this takes place with the functionaries called public. These obtain their right to subsistence, not by the production of real utilities, but by the very state of unproductivity in which, by no fault of their own, they are kept. For them the law of proportionality is inverted: while social wealth is formed and increased in the direct ratio of the quantity, variety, and proportion of the effective products furnished by the four great industrial categories, the development of this same wealth, the perfecting of social order, suppose, on the contrary, so far as the personnel of police is concerned, a progressive and indefinite reduction. State functionaries, therefore, are very truly unproductive. On this point J. B. Say agreed with A. Smith, and all that he has written on this subject in correction of his master, and which has been stupidly included among his titles to glory, arises entirely, it is easy to see, from a misunderstanding. In a word, the wages of the government’s employees constitute a social deficit; they must be carried to the account of losses, which it must be the object of industrial organization to continually diminish: in this view what other adjective could be used to describe the men of power than that of Adam Smith?

Here, then, is a category of services which, furnishing no real products, cannot be rewarded in the ordinary way; services which do not fall under the law of exchange, which cannot become the object of private speculation, competition, joint-stock association, or any sort of commerce, but which, theoretically regarded as performed gratuitously by all, but entrusted, by virtue of the law of division of labor, to a small number of special men who devote themselves exclusively to them, must consequently be paid for. History confirms this general datum. The human mind, which tries all solutions of every problem, has tried accordingly to submit public functions to exchange; for a long time French magistrates, like notaries, etc., lived solely by their fees. But experience has proved that this method of distribution applied to unproductive laborers was too expensive and subject to too many disadvantages, and it became necessary to abandon it.

The organization of the unproductive services contributes to the general welfare in several ways: first, by relieving producers of public cares, in which all must participate, and to which, consequently, all are more or less slaves; secondly, by establishing in society an artificial centralization, the image and prelude of the future solidarity of industries; and, finally, by furnishing a first attempt at balance and discipline.

So we admit, with J. B. Say, the usefulness of magistrates and the other agents of public authority; but we hold that this usefulness is wholly negative, and we insist, therefore, on describing these functionaries by the adjective unproductive which A. Smith applied to them, not to bring them into discredit, but because they really cannot be classed in the category of producers. “Taxation,” very well says an economist of Say’s school, M. J. Garnier, — “taxation is a privation which we should try to reduce to the furthest point of compatibility with the needs of society.” If the writer whom I quote has reflected upon the meaning of his words, he has seen that the word privation which he uses is synonymous with non-production, and that consequently those for whose benefit taxes are collected are very truly unproductive laborers.

I insist upon this definition, which seems to me the less questionable from the fact that, however much they may dispute over the word, all agree upon the thing, because it contains the germ of the greatest revolution yet to be accomplished in the world, — I mean the subordination of the unproductive functions to the productive functions, in a word, the effective submission, always asked and never obtained, of authority to the citizens.

It is a consequence of the development of the economical contradictions that order in society first shows itself inverted; that that which should be above is placed below, that which should be in relief seems sunken, and that which should receive the light is thrown into the shadow. Thus power, which, in its essence, is, like capital, the auxiliary and subordinate of labor, becomes, through the antagonism of society, the spy, judge, and tyrant of the productive functions; power, whose original inferiority lays upon it the duty of obedience, is prince and sovereign.

In all ages the laboring classes have pursued against the office-holding class the solution of this antinomy, of which economic science alone can give the key. The oscillations — that is, the political agitations which result from this struggle of labor against power — now lead to a depression of the central force, which compromises the very existence of society; now, exaggerating this same force beyond measure, give birth to despotism. Then, the privileges of command, the infinite joy which it gives to ambition and pride, making the unproductive functions an object of universal lust, a new leaven of discord penetrates society, which, divided already in one direction into capitalists and wage-workers, and in another into producers and non-producers, is again divided as regards power into monarchists and democrats. The conflicts between royalty and the republic would furnish us most marvellous and interesting material for our episodes. The confines of this work do not permit us so long an excursion; and after having pointed out this new branch in the vast network of human aberrations, we shall confine ourselves exclusively, in dealing with taxation, to the economic question.

Such, then, in succinctest statement, is the synthetic theory of the tax, — that is, if I may venture to use the familiar comparison, of this fifth wheel of the coach of humanity, which makes so much noise, and which, in governmental parlance, is styled the State. The State, the police, or their means of existence, the tax, is, I repeat, the official name of the class designated in political economy as nonproducers, — in short, as the domestics of society.

But public reason does not attain at a single bound this simple idea, which for centuries had to remain in the state of a transcendental conception. Before civilization can mount to such a height, it must pass through frightful tempests and innumerable revolutions, in each of which, one might say, it renews its strength in a bath of blood. And when at last production, represented by capital, seems on the point of thoroughly subordinating the unproductive organ, the State, then society rises in indignation, labor weeps at the prospect of its immediate freedom, democracy shudders at the abasement of power, justice cries out as if scandalized, and all the oracles of the departing gods exclaim with terror that the abomination of desolation is in the holy places and that the end of the world has come. So true is it that humanity never desires what it seeks, and that the slightest progress cannot be realized without spreading panic among the peoples.

What, then, in this evolution, is the point of departure of society, and by what circuitous route does it reach political reform, — that is, economy in its expenditures, equality in the assessment of its taxes, and the subordination of power to industry? That is what we are about to state in a few words, reserving developments for the sequel.

The original idea of the tax is that of REDEMPTION.

As, by the law of Moses, each first-born was supposed to belong to Jehovah, and had to be redeemed by an offering, so the tax everywhere presents itself in the form of a tithe or royal prerogative by which the proprietor annually redeems from the sovereign the profit of exploitation which he is supposed to hold only by his pleasure. This theory of the tax, moreover, is but one of the special articles of what is called the social contract.

Ancients and moderns all agree, in terms more or less explicit, in regarding the juridical status of societies as a reaction of weakness against strength. This idea is uppermost in all the works of Plato, notably in the “Gorgias,” where he maintains, with more subtlety than logic, the cause of the laws against that of violence, — that is, legislative absolutism against aristocratic and military absolutism. In this knotty dispute, in which the weight of evidence is equal on both sides, Plato simply expresses the sentiment of entire antiquity. Long before him, Moses, in making a distribution of lands, declaring patrimony inalienable, and ordering a general and uncompensated cancellation of all mortgages every fiftieth year, had opposed a barrier to the invasions of force. The whole Bible is a hymn to JUSTICE, — that is, in the Hebrew style, to charity, to kindness to the weak on the part of the strong, to voluntary renunciation of the privilege of power. Solon, beginning his legislative mission by a general abolition of debts, and creating rights and reserves, — that is, barriers to prevent their return, — was no less reactionary. Lycurgus went farther; he forbade individual possession, and tried to absorb the man in the State, annihilating liberty the better to preserve equilibrium. Hobbes, deriving, and with great reason, legislation from the state of war, arrived by another road at the establishment of equality upon an exception, — despotism. His book, so much calumniated, is only a development of this famous antithesis. The charter of 1830, consecrating the insurrection made in ’89 by the plebeians against the nobility, and decreeing the abstract equality of persons before the law, in spite of the real inequality of powers and talents which is the veritable basis of the social system now in force, is also but a protest of society in favor of the poor against the rich, of the small against the great. All the laws of the human race regarding sale, purchase, hire, property, loans, mortgages, prescription, inheritance, donation, wills, wives’ dowries, minority, guardianship, etc., etc., are real barriers erected by judicial absolutism against the absolutism of force. Respect for contracts, fidelity to promises, the religion of the oath, are fictions, osselets, [22] as the famous Lysander aptly said, with which society deceives the strong and brings them under the yoke.

The tax belongs to that great family of preventive, coercive, repressive, and vindictive institutions which A. Smith designated by the generic term police, and which is, as I have said, in its original conception, only the reaction of weakness against strength. This follows, independently of abundant historical testimony which we will put aside to confine ourselves exclusively to economic proof, from the distinction naturally arising between taxes.

All taxes are divisible into two great categories: (1) taxes of assessment, or of privilege: these are the oldest taxes; (2) taxes of consumption, or of quotité, [23] whose tendency is, by absorbing the former, to make public burdens weigh equally upon all.

The first sort of taxes — including in France the tax on land, the tax on doors and windows, the poll-tax, the tax on personal property, the tax on tenants, license-fees, the tax on transfers of property, the tax on officials’ fees, road-taxes, and brevets — is the share which the sovereign reserves for himself out of all the monopolies which he concedes or tolerates; it is, as we have said, the indemnity of the poor, the permit granted to property. Such was the form and spirit of the tax in all the old monarchies: feudalism was its beau ideal. Under that regime the tax was only a tribute paid by the holder to the universal proprietor or sleeping-partner (commanditaire), the king.

When later, by the development of public right, royalty, the patriarchal form of sovereignty, begins to get impregnated by the democratic spirit, the tax becomes a quota which each voter owes to the COMMONWEALTH, and which, instead of falling into the hand of the prince, is received into the State treasury. In this evolution the principle of the tax remains intact; as yet there is no transformation of the institution; the real sovereign simply succeeds the figurative sovereign. Whether the tax enters into the peculium of the prince or serves to liquidate a common debt, it is in either case only a claim of society against privilege; otherwise, it is impossible to say why the tax is levied in the ratio of fortunes.

Let all contribute to the public expenses: nothing more just. But why should the rich pay more than the poor? That is just, they say, because they possess more. I confess that such justice is beyond my comprehension.... One of two things is true: either the proportional tax guarantees a privilege to the larger tax-payers, or else it is a wrong. Because, if property is a natural right, as the Declaration of ’93 declares, all that belongs to me by virtue of this right is as sacred as my person; it is my blood, my life, myself: whoever touches it offends the apple of my eye. My income of one hundred thousand francs is as inviolable a the grisette’s daily wage of seventy-five centimes; her attic is no more sacred than my suite of apartments. The tax is not levied in proportion to physical strength, size, or skill: no more should it be levied in proportion to property. — What is Property: Chapter II.

These observations are the more just because the principle which it was their purpose to oppose to that of proportional assessment has had its period of application. The proportional tax is much later in history than liege-homage, which consisted in a simple officious demonstration without real payment.

The second sort of taxes includes in general all those designated, by a sort of antiphrasis, by the term indirect, such as taxes on liquor, salt, and tobacco, customs duties, and, in short, all the taxes which DIRECTLY affect the only thing which should be taxed, — product. The principle of this tax, whose name is an actual misnomer, is unquestionably better founded in theory and more equitable in tendency than the preceding: accordingly, in spite of the opinion of the mass, always deceived as to that which serves it as well as to that which is prejudicial to it, I do not hesitate to say that this tax is the only normal one, barring its assessment and collection, with which it is not my purpose now to deal.

For, if it is true, as we have just explained, that the real nature of the tax is to pay, according to a particular form of wages, for certain services which elude the usual form of exchange, it follows that all producers, enjoying these services equally as far as personal use is concerned, should contribute to their payment in equal portions. The share for each, therefore, would be a fraction of his exchangeable product, or, in other words, an amount taken from the values delivered by him for purposes of consumption. But, under the monopoly system, and with collection upon land, the treasury strikes the product before it has entered into exchange, even before it is produced, — a circumstance which results in throwing back the amount of the tax into the cost of production, and consequently puts the burden upon the consumer and lifts it from monopoly.

Whatever the significance of the tax of assessment or the tax of quotité, one thing is sure, and this is the thing which it is especially important for us to know, — namely, that, in making the tax proportional, it was the intention of the sovereign to make citizens contribute to the public expenses, no longer, according to the old feudal principle, by means of a poll-tax, which would involve the idea of an assessment figured in the ratio of the number of persons taxed, and not in the ratio of their possessions, but so much per franc of capital, which supposes that capital has its source in an authority superior to the capitalists. Everybody, spontaneously and with one accord, considers such an assessment just; everybody, therefore, spontaneously and with one accord, looks upon the tax as a resumption on the part of society, a sort of redemption exacted from monopoly. This is especially striking in England, where, by a special law, the proprietors of the soil and the manufacturers pay, in proportion to their incomes, a tax of forty million dollars, which is called the poor-rate.

In short, the practical and avowed object of the tax is to effect upon the rich, for the benefit of the people, a proportional resumption of their capital.

Now, analysis and the facts demonstrate:

That the tax of assessment, the tax upon monopoly, instead of being paid by those who possess, is paid almost entirely by those who do not possess;

That the tax of quotité, separating the producer from the consumer, falls solely upon the latter, thereby taking from the capitalist no more than he would have to pay if fortunes were absolutely equal;

Finally, that the army, the courts, the police, the schools, the hospitals, the almshouses, the houses of refuge and correction, public functions, religion itself, all that society creates for the protection, emancipation, and relief of the proletaire, paid for in the first place and sustained by the proletaire, is then turned against the proletaire or wasted as far as he is concerned; so that the proletariat, which at first labored only for the class that devours it, — that of the capitalists, — must labor also for the class that flogs it, — that of the nonproducers.

These facts are henceforth so well known, and the economists — I owe them this justice — have shown them so clearly, that I shall abstain from correcting their demonstrations, which, for the rest, are no longer contradicted by anybody. What I propose to bring to light, and what the economists do not seem to have sufficiently understood, is that the condition in which the laborer is placed by this new phase of social economy is susceptible of no amelioration; that, unless industrial organization, and therefore political reform, should bring about an equality of fortunes, evil is inherent in police institutions as in the idea of charity which gave them birth; in short, that the STATE, whatever form it affects, aristocratic or theocratic, monarchical or republican, until it shall have become the obedient and submissive organ of a society of equals, will be for the people an inevitable hell, — I had almost said a deserved damnation.

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thedarkcircuswritings · 7 months

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https://www.tumblr.com/thedarkcircuswritings/743136498805866497/hey-if-its-possible-can-you-do-a-headcanons-of?source=share

Since you did this with CRK, can you do the same for these MLP couples?

Cadence x Shining Armor

Applejack x Rainbow Dash

Lyra x BonBon (Or Sweetie Drops)

Aunt Lofty x Auntie Holiday

Oh, these poor souls have to take care of another baby!! Oh no!! Jokes aside, these two would feel so blessed to have another child under their hooves and wings, no matter what species they are. The Crystal Empire can be their home, blood-related or not! Plus, on another bright side, Flurry Heart can have a new playmate! Shining Armor is doing his best to be a great dad and even lets Auntie Twilight Sparkle see this new child. He'll definitely seek out her advice if it's something he doesn't know how to handle, like how to clean scales for a dragon baby, or how to feed a pony baby bottle to a baby griffin! He doesn't know it all, but he's definitely learning all he can for his new bundle of joy. Princess Cadence has opened her heart to this new life and knows that when you grow older, she will show them that species does not matter when it comes to family, and even if they were a pony, it wouldn't make any difference. They are still her and Shining Armor's child and Flurry Heart's sibling, and they will always love you. That's what the Crystal Empire is all about after all: loving one another.

These two were originally VERY underprepared. A baby!? A baby that isn't a pony!? The closest thing they ever had to that was Spike, but he's not really a baby anymore! There will be a bit of a freakout, but once things are sorted, things get on quite well. Granny Smith and Big Mac had set up a makeshift nursery for this new addition to the family, and Applejack and Rainbow agreed that they'd do their best to share most of the work with one another to take care of them. Rainbow Dash originally didn't think that they'd keep the baby for too long: maybe find a parent for them or, y'know, somebody who knows what they're actually doing with a child? But admittedly, she easily got attached to them, so she kind of has their weird familial tsundere attachment to them. She's the type to go "Pfft, she's not MY child!" but often whispers to them in secret how cool they are and gets so giddy at the thought of teaching them how to fly if the baby has wings. Maybe a baby makes her 20% cooler?

Applejack is stubborn about being a parent. This baby looks like they could be strong, and she knows how to do strong! Maybe when they're old enough, they can help around the farm! For now, though, the baby is still a baby, but "training" can start early, especially with these plastic apple toys! She... Only has apple-based toys. Twilight Sparkle and the others have to buy non-apple-related toys.

Upon realizing this baby is under their care, these two would definitely have a long talk on how to work through this. They didn't have a baby on their agenda, at least not this early, but it feels wrong to just give this baby away to an orphanage or anything like that. This baby deserves some loving parents, and they both realize that they can be the right ones for that. Lyra is the "housewife" in this scenario while Bonbon works, spending most time with the baby: playing with them, feeding them, and coddling them. She even uses her talent to play the lyre to her advantage when it's nap time! She's also trying to learn what she can about whatever species the baby is to make sure that she and Bonbon can be well-prepared. If they're both going to be mothers, they're going to work together to give this newborn the best care yet! Bonbon suspiciously knows a lot more than the baby's species than Lyra does: what to do, what to avoid, how to keep the newborn healthy, etc etc. Maybe being a secret agent has good perks too outside of hunting and managing monsters. There's probably one time when she accidentally got the baby involved in a mission and had to go through it with this small child, but in the end, she and the baby get home safe and Lyra doesn't suspect a thing!

Oh, how these two wished for this day! The two immediately accept this baby as one of their own since they've always, always wanted kids. They both knit clothes, introduce them to the rest of their family and friends, deliver the news to Scootaloo that she's going to be a niece, and even work hard together creating the nursery of their dreams so the baby can have their own place of rest! Aunt Holiday does her best to keep this baby happy and healthy, making homemade baby food and going shopping for whatever toys they need. There are some nights where she just cries of happiness because oh my Celestia, she and Lofty finally have a baby together... Sometimes she even tears up when she holds the baby close or watches them in their cradle. She's as happy as when she married Lofty and adopted Scootaloo. Auntie Lofty spoils the baby a bit more than Aunt Holiday does, giving the baby soft sugary stuff that they can reasonably eat and always managing to leave the marketplace with at least one thing for the baby. Holiday often scolds her a bit, saying she should chip in too, but Lofty assures her that if Holiday can spoil the baby with her own money, so can she. When Holiday cries tears of joy, she holds her close and whispers sweet nothings, and although not as emotional as Holiday is, is also glad for this blessing as well.

#🎭Shadow Writing!#shining armor #princess cadance #applejack #rainbow dash #lyra #bon bon #sweetie drops #aunt lofty #auntie holiday #shining armor x princess cadance #applejack x rainbow dash #lyra x bonbon #lyra x sweetie drops #aunt lofty x auntie holiday #my little pony #mlp #mlp ships #baby oneshot

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