#they could make those rules two-tier

[ivanaskye]

(wo)men are flipping on tv, or, ivana's olympic watching experiences so far i guess

(artistic) gymnastics: the absolute classic of flipping on tv. you're probably either already watching this or not i guess. if you are on the fence men's is much, uh, more competitive than women's right now. speaking of gender the 6 men's events vs 4 women's is sure some kind of way--and of those 6 vs 4, only two (vault and floor) overlap! and of course women's floor has music and includes facial expression in judging whereas men cannot have music, that is too girly. what precisely is manly about a single high bar as opposed to two bars of uneven height? no one knows.

trampoline: speaking of gymnastics this is technically a subcategory of it, along with the above and rhythmic gymnastics my beloved (but not having yet happened). uhhh ok so in trampoline people Go, up into the Air, apparently 26 ft+. then flip. very concentrated flip per second here, recommended if you want flip. each athlete's run is very short though, which may impact followability

diving: this time we flip into water. synchronized diving is very easy to tell if people are doing well bc you just kind of go, hm, are they doing the Same thing? in all diving you know someone's done something right if they make very little splash into the water. ok ive also literally only watched one event here

skateboarding: if you take anything from this list, let it be this- please please please watch olympic skateboarding it is so fun. skateboarders attempt two 45 second runs (of which only the best score counts) and 5 individual tricks (of which only the two best count). as such they are incentivized to take a lot of risks and fall down all the time. it's great. also makes for great ease of watching: you know they did well if they landed All That, and probably didn't if they are on the ground.

bmx (jump version): kind of like skateboarding but worse bc risks are less incentivized

boxing: absolutely incomprehensible to a mere mortal. apparently the judges determine who wins each round based on.... uh..... who... seemed to be doing better. so, vibes? vibes. it's not something as pedestrian as 'who landed more hits'. absolutely mystifying. also moves very fast.

judo: moves much slower than boxing! so you can at least tell who is doing what to who. as for whether what they are doing scores points. well. uh. see. the match instantly ends if one fighter throws the other with "strength, speed and control". if they have only two of these they get a point; two points wins. how are any of these words measured? uhhhhhh. vibes!

handball: i checked into this for maybe ten minutes to see if i could figure out what handball 'is'. i still don't know. there's a ball in a hand. soccer-like but with a hand instead of a foot. how do the rules actually work? a mystery.

table tennis/ping pong: actually pretty followable though not engaging enough to me specifically that i watched much. mb not enough flipping. my god these people move fast.

equestrian jumping: in some ways like many other events, except the creature jumping is a horse. i like to imagine what the horses are thinking about this whole situation. i tried to look up what a horse's name meant and discovered he has a website (he has no idea he has a website) where his sperm is sold for hundreds of pounds (he has no idea this is happening either). very followable as there are no positive points of any kind, only penalties. did that horse clear the bar without knocking it over? congratulations that was a success.

equestrian other things: opposite tier of followability i have no idea what these creatures are doing.

track: running is the easiest thing to understand, closely followed by swimming. who gets from point a to point b fastest. we can all understand this. however mostly it is not very interesting

triple jump: jump far*. the closest part of the indentation they make in the sand to the starting line is what is judged as their distance. *technically, triple jump is 'jump far with extra steps'. long jump is the true 'jump far' but i haven't seen any yet.

hammer throw, shot put, discus: the throw things real far events. to which javelin is added but i don't think ive seen even a bit of that. wait im not sure i saw any hammer throw yet either. anyway. the builds of these athletes are so mountainous. which is great.

elsewhere in field i haven't watched any pole vault but that one guy did get betrayed by his own junk so there was that

shooting: unfortunately the memeable people everyone has seen are in air rifle which is perhaps the least interesting event to try to watch of all time. you can barely even see when they pull the trigger and you don't get to see the target itself, only a graphic of it. mystifying presentation choices. skeet and trap however are followable as moving targets are shot, scored on a pure yes/no of did you shoot that thing or not. americans hilariously uncommon in shooting events despite our gun culture; don't you know, it's not actually american to shoot something accurately!!!

[thewertsearch]

TT: You mentioned immortality. TT: Godhood makes one immortal? […] One will live forever, unless killed. The death must be either heroic or just. TT: How are those terms defined? Broadly, mysteriously, and according to the case of the individual. One may be killed by opposing a corrupt adversary and die for a just cause, as through martyrdom, for instance. This would be heroic. Or one may be subject to corruption, and slain by a hero. This would be just.

Heroic Players can die fighting 'corrupt adversaries', whereas Just Players can be 'corrupted', and 'slain by a hero'. There's a clear dichotomy here, wherein 'corrupt' God Tiers are particularly vulnerable to self-sacrificing God Tiers, and vice-versa.

I like it. It's a very mythological way for immortality to work, and it gels well with Sburb's fantasy narrative. Rose's alliance with the Horrorterrors probably marks her as corrupted, so God Tier ascension probably wouldn't grant her true immortality.

The concept is fascinatingly ambiguous, too. Morality is a controversial subject at the best of times, and allowing Sburb to judge the ethics of a Player's actions could get very tricky, very fast. There's no doubt in my mind that Sburb and I disagree vehemently about what constitutes a just cause, and I'm sure I'm not the only one.

TT: Which sort of death will you have when I destroy the sun? Neither. I'm not a god. I'm a guardian, a servant, and a weapon. I have power and knowledge far surpassing a god. But I am not one.

First Guardians are considered far more powerful than God Tiers, then. Aradia was able to get the drop on Jack, but Jack's really just a Kernelsprite imitation of a First Guardian. Scratch is far more threatening, especially since his brain isn't scrambled by dog memories.

...that said, his brain might be a little scrambled by whatever was in that HONK code. Who knows what Alt-Gamzee was cooking there.

My master can't enter this universe until I am killed. […] TT: That almost sounds like martyrdom. Are you sure it won't be a hero's death? Quite sure. My master is a very evil man. TT: Who is he? I won't tell you his name. But he goes by the title, Lord English.

About bloody time. This guy’s been sneaking around the back of the story for over two thousand pages, and it sounds like we're finally going to shed some light on this mysterious adversary.

But you must decide which objective is more important. You may decide to attempt to destroy the sun and end my life. This will neutralize Jack, who is also much more powerful and dangerous than myself by virtue of the ring he wears in addition to drawing energy from the same sun as I. He poses a significant threat to reality.

I'm still skeptical about this assertion. What could Jack's other kernels possibly offer that his First Guardian powers don't render obsolete?

Anyway - even if Jack does have better numbers, Scratch is still far more dangerous by virtue of the mind he wields.

TT: But in the process of killing him and you, I release your master, who is just as deadly? He's more deadly. But the danger he poses is sanctioned by paradox space. It is a known quantity. His very existence in a universe will mean it will inevitably be torn apart. But there are rules to his entry, and his grim procession through paradox space is rather orderly. The present equilibrium has accounted for him, and will continue to.

I did wonder if English was part of Paradox Space's natural ecosystem, charged with destroying old universes in much the same way Sburb destroys planets.

Even if he is part of Skaia's ineffable plan, I don't think that should stop us from ending his sorry ass. We might not understand English's motivations, but we do know that his plans destroy anyone unfortunate enough share his plane of reality, and countless lives have already been ruined in Scratch’s quest to bring him out. I don't really care if Paradox Space sanctions his actions - he needs to be taken down, and if that upsets the natural order, then it's time for a new natural order.

Besides, we probably don't even need to destroy the Sun to stop Jack. We have plenty of other angles to work, from exploiting his psychological weaknesses to negotiating with his slightly more reasonable deputy. Additionally, Jadesprite won't be out of action forever, and Jack can't even harm Jadesprite, due to the aforementioned psychological weaknesses. Even if she's inherited Bec's 'don't fight Agents' programing, that doesn't stop her from simply stealing his Ring. She's done it before.

Jack however is a loose cannon. He will not stop until he destroys everything he encounters.

Yeah - to be honest, Scratch, I'm starting to think you're laying it on a little thick, here. Is Jack really the omniversal 'threat to reality' that you're making him out to be?

Let's not get it twisted - I have no trouble believing that he's dangerous to individual sessions. But does he really have the juice to wreak cosmic destruction on the scale of Lord English? His battery is only as strong as a couple of universes, and he has to share it with every other First Guardian in the cosmos.

Plus, the kids can't be the only Players in the multiverse to accidently prototype a First Guardian. I'm sure it's rare, but it can't be once-in-all-the-worlds rare. There should be plenty of other rogue First Guardians floating around Paradox Space - and if they're all enormous threats to reality, then reality should already have been destroyed.

In conclusion: No, Doc. I don't think Jack Noir is an English-tier threat. And for the record, I think there's a much more dangerous First Guardian in this equation than the Sovereign Slayer.

[alwaysshallow]

prompt: You’re a retired S-tier supervillain. After you retired, you married a B-tier hero. You are forced back onto the stage when an A-tier villain attempts to kill your spouse. Ghost x reader

A/N: i don't know if i hate this or i like, so. it's yours to decide lmfao. especially that's a tiiiiny part that i decided to wrote bc i was bored.

Everyone wants to live happily ever after.

Not exactly a quiet life, but not too loud either. A perfect balance, where you have all the things (or almost all of them) to be happy, fulfilled in life.

Life that wanted your mother for you, before it all went down. Before you turned evil, as she liked to say.

You try to tell yourself that you deserve every inch of it, but you still miss the thrill of the hunt, blood on your hands, the way you just ruled the city like you wanted. Unbothered.

When your husband doesn’t look, you take out your mask, hidden carefully behind all those unopened cartons from your wedding. He thinks you burned all of your past, and here you are. Hiding it like a precious possession, so carefully.

It took you long enough to earn it—you don’t think you quite deserve it, but it’s nice to be a wife that can greet her husband every time he comes home from work. Every time he mentions something about you joining him, but it could be quite a laugh, you say.

A retired villain turned superhero. You’d rather die than make it happen, but that’s what your husband doesn’t know.

Well, he doesn’t know a lot of things.

For example, he doesn’t know how conflicted you are. Unconsciously, you think that you sabotage all of those happy moments. Overthinking stuff, asking yourself if you’re really in a good place, if you made a right decision; if a man is worth giving up your career.

Your whole life, if you want to be petty enough. Your whole life changed because of him—hell, you even changed in some way. Less snarkier, more laid back, so you wouldn’t be degraded to trophy wife, burned out villain in front of his friends and family.

Make them proud, he said once, before a meeting with his friends. Meeting that turned to complete disaster, heading home way earlier than you were supposed to because superhero bullshit bored and annoyed you enough.

But you tried to put up with it. Convince yourself that it is your fate, not the villain route that you chose before.

Fate hits you right in the face, when you enter your apartment to see three significant changes.

Your husband is tied like a pig on the table. Tight.

The apartment looks like a tornado went through it.

And three—

“Took you long enough.”

Yeah. That’s three.

You almost want to laugh. A bandit-like balaclava could scare a lot of people, but not you—not when you know him inside out. Not when you basically competed with him your whole life before.

Yeah. Before. Before you met your husband, before you two got married, before you decided to retire. The taste of this decision is bitter on your tongue, just like the thought that you feel excited for the first time in months because there’s potential danger. Something breaking you out of the routine.

“Normal people do groceries around this hour.” You shrug casually, taking a few steps; the intention of untying your husband falters the moment Ghost blocks your way, amused. You raise your eyebrow. “Come on—”

“—What? Scared?”

“No. But he has probably nothing to do with your business,” you point out, harshly. He lets out a scoff.

“Said that he’s gonna call cops on me. Very unfriendly behavior from a superhero, won’t you agree?” He tilts his head with a theatrical manner.

“I’d do the same,” you murmur under your nose, taking out the material that Ghost gagged your husband with. Carefully, your hand lands on the ropes, until Simon stops you.

“We have better things to do,” he says, his voice low. “Gotta step out from that wife role for a moment, ‘m takin’ you. He’s gonna do fine.”

“You’re taking me?”

“I am, yeah. A problem?” He arches an eyebrow, his grip tight on your wrist. Attacking him is useless, especially when he knows how you want to do it; he’s quick to pin you down against the counter. His front is hot against your ass—he laughs, as he’s almost able to feel your humiliation. “Won’t do anythin’ right in front of your husband, don’t worry. Or, will I?” he looks down at you, expression mocking.

“I hate—”

“Mm. Yeah, won’t do me good.”

And then, you’re out.

[cheriladycl01]

The Rookie Prodigy - Carlos Sainz x Driver! Reader Part 8

Plot: You are a rookie coming into the 2022 season of Formula One into Alfa Romeo with team member Zhou Guanyu, being in a mid tier team can you help them rise up the ranks. What pressures occur for the only rookies within the 2022 line up!

You and Carlos took the flight to Spain from Miami together. After you slept in his hotel room for the night you knew you’d have to stay with him atleast until the Spanish Grand Prix. You felt so unsafe whenever you turned a corner, but being with Carlos made you feel like you weren’t fully alone.

By the time you got to his home it was the middle of the night and nobody was awake. The house was dark and quiet but you could tell that it was his family home from all the dark portraits of him and his family lining the walls in the entry way.

“Is this you?” You ask politely looking at the funny photo of a young toddler Carlos with cake smushed all over his face.

“Yes but don’t … don’t look at that” he sighs trying to pull you away from the many photos of him and his sisters and parents. Those photos then bled into those of his extended family that you did not recognise.

“It’s cute, that your mum and dad keep all this. And that you still have a room here” you smile kindly at him.

“Mmmm, I guess. Look I don’t want to make too much noise, I know my sisters have work early tomorrow so let’s go up to my room” he says taking your wrist to guide you up the stairs.

You follow his every footstep to make sure not to hit any of the planks of wood that will groan under weight. It was clear Carlos knew how to get in quietly. You make it up the large wooden staircase and he walks you carefully down the corridor.

For a minute you feel like a teenager again, no worries in the world apart from the wrath of a teenage boys mothers whose caught the two of you coming back into his room.

But the reason you are here with Carlos isn’t just because he’s snuck you back into his room after a night out. It’s for you safety, as many people out there, don’t like you right now.

Part of you thought it would have been wise to reach out to Lewis and see what he had to say. After all he was a large part to play in all this. At the same time you didn’t want him to feel guilty as though this was his fault.

Once Carlos had quietly shut the door of his room, he helped drag your case into the corner of the room.

“I’ll take the floor and you can take my bed” Carlos says in hushed tones, smiling softly looking over you.

“If you are okay with it, I’d rather share the bed with you. Y-your bed is against the wall, so if you lay next to me i’d feel safer… because no-one could get to me” you say sheepishly.

“You set the rules for us Y/N, it’s better if i go to the floor. I dont want to start something you wont let me finish. No-one can get to you in this house, you are safe!” he admits and you sigh.

Carlos was someone you wanted in your corner, luckily the Spaniard was a mature enough man to put behind him everything that occured between the two of you and be there for you as a friend.

But you couldn’t help but feel the … distance between the both of you. And it was growing more and more each day. At the hotel, he saw you in a moment of completley vulnerability and it’s not often that Carlos Sainz has women crying infront of him, that arent fans of course. So hugging you, and holding you as you sniffled yourself to sleep felt like the right thing to do.

But it broke his heart knowing that nothing would come of it, as you’d made those wishes very clear all that time ago. Career focused lady … at one point in life Carlos thought that was something very attractive in a woman, he’d be lying if he said he didnt now but he couldn’t help but be slightly annoyed at the world and how you assume you’ll be viewed if you were to ever be involved with a driver.

But then you also both had the answer to how people would react from the state that your home was left in all because there were rumours between you and Lewis.

Once you too thought about the consequences of sharing a bed, you agreed as the last thing you wanted to do was force the friendship down a rocky path, one where your jobs are affected on track.

That was the last thing you wanted.

“Are you sure the floor is okay? I feel really bad” you frown as you sit on the edge of his bed, looking at where he is stood across the room.

“Yeah, i have stuff from when my sisters used to have sleepovers in here with me” he smiles in a nostalgic sort of way, thinking of when he was younger.

“You used to have sleepovers?” you ask cocking a brow,not having expected that from him. However you could tell that he was very much a family man.

“Lets go to sleep hermosa, we can dicuss my family life more tomorrow, but you need rest” he sighs, starting to lay down a thin single matress next to the bed. He grabbed blankets from the wooden closet and a pillow from the bed you’d be sleeping in.

“Sorry, no spares” he says before settling and laying down. He’d changed into some pijamas behind a little partition in his room. He gestured for you to take your turn.

You were desperate for a shower and to scrub off the entire Miami weekend. She wanted to bask under some warm water, but knew that wasnt a possibility at this time of night and in a shared house.

You changed into a large t-shirt before awkwardly shuffling back round to get into his bed.

Despite him not being there often the sheets still smelt like … him. His cologne or his body wash and it was an intoxicating smell that had you laying on your back staring at the ceiling questioning everything.

“Carlos?” You ask quietly to see if he was awake, but when there was no reply you figure he is probably asleep.

“Maybe in another reality you and I could be something more, I think one of my biggest regrets in life will be pushing you away that day and my biggest fear is loosing you as a person in my corner, however that may be. You’ve been kind to me in the short time you’ve known me and made me feel safe and protected when I’ve never felt more vulnerable. I just hope you know that I’m thankful for everything you’ve done and I wish I could let that part of myself open up to you” you sigh letting out everything you’d been thinking throughout the day.

That night you’d slept the most peacefully you had done in years. And you couldn’t help but feel thankful to Carlos.

Taglist:

@littlebitchsposts @hockey-racing-fubol @laura-naruto-fan1998 @22yuki @simxican @sinofwriting @lewisroscoelove @cmleitora @daemyratwst @lauralarsen @the-untamed-soul @thewulf @itsjustkhaos @purplephantomwolf @chasing-liberosis @summissss @gulphulp @starfusionsworld @jspitwall @sierruhhhh @georgeparisole @youcannotcancelquidditch @tallbrownhairsarcastic @ourteenagetragedy @peachiicherries @formulas-bitch @cherry-piee @spilled-coffee-cup @mehrmonga @eiraethh @curseofhecate @alliwantisadonut @dark-night-sky-99 @i-wish-this-was-me @tallrock35 @butterfly-lover @barnestatic @landossainz @darleneslane @barcelonaloverf1life @r0nnsblog @ilove-tswizzle @laneyspaulding19 @malynn @viennakarma @landosgirlxoxo @marie0v @yourbane @teamnovalak @nikfigueiredo @fionaschicken @0picels0 @tinydeskwriter @ironmaiden1313 @splaterparty0-0 @formula1mount

[whencyclopedia]

Xibalba

Xibalba (Shee-bal-ba) was the name the K'iche Maya gave to the underworld. For the Yucatec Maya the underworld was known as Metnal. The name Xibalba translates as 'Place of Fright', which indicates the terror the place had in the Maya imagination. There was, unfortunately, not much chance of escaping the place, either. Ideas such as leading a good life and avoiding eternal torment by not doing bad things were not part of the Maya belief system, as only those who died a violent death avoided Xibalba. The underworld was a truly fearsome place, strongly associated with water; it had its own landscape, gods, and blood-thirsty predators. Xibalba was also the scene of many adventures by the heroes of Maya mythology, especially the Hero Twins.

The Geography of Xibalba

For the Maya Xibalba lay to the far west, hence the great number of burials made on the islands of Campeche, located off the west coast of the Yucatan peninsula, making it the most western Maya territory. Xibalba was entered through a cave or area of still water in Tlalticpac, which was the surface of the earth and the first of the nine underworld levels. The Milky Way was also considered an entrance to Xibalba and the road along which souls walked to meet their fate. The Maya, believing the underworld had nine different levels, represented this idea in the gigantic stone pyramids they built as tombs for their kings which often have nine tiers. See, for example, the Temple of the Inscriptions at Palenque, Temple I at Tikal, or the Pyramid of Kukulcan at Chichen Itza.

The Maya believed that the underworld was ruled by a group of gods (possibly 9 or 14), known collectively as the lords of the underworld. These have fearsome names and include 1 Death and 7 Death (the two most important), Pus Master, Bone Sceptre, Skull Sceptre, Jaundice Master, Blood Gatherer, and Bloody Claws. Many of these lords could occasionally come up to the world of the living where they would spread misery and disease. The Maya also believed that each astronomical god had its own manifestation in the underworld. For example, the Sun God K'inich Ajaw, when he was travelling through the underworld at night, became the Jaguar God of the Underworld.The most important Maya religious book, the Popol Vuh, describes some details of the geography within Xibalba. The underworld is vast with as much variety in landscape as the outside world of the living. Further, there are two great rivers, perhaps more, which run through it. To reach the ninth level of Xibalba, many trials and dangers had to be faced by the dead. These included the crossing of dangerous waters and high mountains, rivers of blood, attack by spinning obsidian knives and arrows, and even the sacrifice of one's heart. To help the soul survive such an ordeal, the dead were buried or cremated with useful pieces of equipment such as weapons, tools, weaving kits, precious goods like jade, sustaining food such as hot chocolate, and even dogs (real or pottery effigies) to act as companions and guides.

Continue reading...

[askew-d]

today i had an idea. that recess therapy channel, but make it wangxian.

teacher lan wangji, who recently adopted a-yuan, carried out his son’s desires to create a youtube channel interviewing other kids. he’s totally inept at it in the beginning, but fortunately his brother helps. and who would've thought? his son ends up making friends and he really finds children’s minds fascinating.

until their channel gets quite big. like, two million subscribers kind of big. other people interviewing him kind of big. and soon enough, his brother says, “wangji, huaisang wants to be part of one of your videos! he said it looks fun!”

nie huaisang didn’t have a large fanbase without reason. he was a well-known digital influencer with over ten million followers and a good writer. though lan wangji finds him odd sometimes, he accepts it. it couldn't bring any harm.

famous last words.

after nie huaisang, a lot of celebrities wanted to join in. lan wangji imagined it was for that facade of selling a good-hearted image inside the industry, but as long as a-yuan seemed to be enjoying, he continued.

in the two years he had the channel, he progressed to five million followers, hosted many top-tier artists along, interviewed hundred of kids — some more enthusiastic than others, that’s rather true — and received some proposals from famous entertainment companies to work with them, which annoyed lan wangji.

he continued being a teacher, a father and a host content creator for long, and one day, his son was checking his emails with him and jumped in excitement, “baba! look, look!”

lan wangji looked. it was a request from a certain wei wuxian’s agency, that, he later discovered, was one of the singer’s a-yuan and his close friends have been listening to lately. apparently, his rock band was very influential internationally, and when having a tour around china once more, he wanted to join for a video (why would his thirteen-year-old a-yuan be interested in rock music when humanity had the classical ones, he could never imagine).

lan wangji accepted, because again, it couldn’t do any harm.

well, maybe he should learn more about that expression, since wei wuxian was absolutely infuriating.

he was just a handsome, dauntless man in tight black pants and an oversized hoodie with the shiniest smile he has ever seen who got his son's favour in just minutes of conversation and could not, for the love of god, stop teasing lan wangji. lan wangji shouldn't be that affected by someone. he shouldn't be affected by the way he didn't care about social manners and plastered himself on lan wangji's side all the while he interviewed the kids as if they were intimate, but oh, what one shouldn't do truly wasn't how one acted or felt.

he found out that wei wuxian did have a good voice, although he secretly thought that he wasted it with those loud songs about rebelling against the government. he found out that he was exceptionally careful with children, withholding a balance of fun and wisdom; he had that carefree creativity and treated their worries with seriousness, struggling not to let them think he judged them childish. lan wangji was truly amazed at his character, and soon, they had recorded about four videos together.

and when it was all uploaded, the comments and views exploded. people focused more on them together than on the kids. it became the most viewed videos of his channels in no time.

"lan zhan, the numbers are growing each day! i'm so happy for that," wei wuxian said on the phone afterwards (when he proposed the idea of exchanging numbers, lan wangji was hesitant, but wei wuxian insisted that it was for them to share bunny videos, so he gave up on fighting the man, but weeks passed and they still talked more about their lives than just sharing said content). "but tell me, lan zhan, i think my amazing presence did bring some touch to your channel, won't you treat me to something as a sign of gratitude? you told me your family had a rule on being polite..."

they did have one. lan wangji told him once and it was enough to be engraved on wei wuxian's mind. he sighed and said, "mn. does wei ying want to have dinner with us tomorrow?"

wei wuxian laughed in apparent joy, and he shook his head slightly. it would be good to have someone over for dinner once in a while, beyond his brother. maybe he'd even buy some wine and meat for him, just as he said he liked.

lan wangji talked to wei wuxian some more, the other explaining about how his band would perform the upcoming sunday. they also talked about children, books and traveling. and on the other side of the room, a-yuan giggled in mischievousness.

[pinkboss55]

OK, the last one for @artsybun

This time featuring ANGST!!!

Usagi fond Leo floating on top of the water covered in fishing nets. Panicked, he tried to untie his friend, but Leo's tail was especially tangled up and injured. Ropes had bruised his scales. Fresh open wounds are a sign of a struggle. Maybe he swam too close to the local fishing spot? No, no, he's done this SO many times he KNOWS to avoid them! What happened? One of the wounds goes right through his tail, clearly punctured all the way through. Was he targeted? So many things raced through poor Usagi's head as he pulled his friend onto his little boat and pulled him into shallow water, all the wile tiers streaming down his face, screaming for his Ant, and try to comfort his best friend the best he could. Even if he didn't know if Leo could hear him or not.

"Itokit'sgoingtobeok! You're going to be OK! I got you! Everything is fine! . . . Please, please be okay. . ."

It's more for himself, really.

Note that this is not canon to @artsybun 's Mermaid & Pirate au, but I'd thought I'd add my last little brain rot before I make fan art of a different Rise au. So here are some final thoughts about this drawing in particular.

I don't really know about the world building in this au. (Outside of the relationship between the boys) So a lot of this is interpretation and personl head canons of the au. So if I end up wrong, I'll probably edit this in the future.

The idea is that Usagi and his Ant live on a boat house, traveling and trading between small islands with little settlements. There is one island that is deemed "safe" enough to stop there frequently and stay for long periods of time. That's where the two accidentally meet.

I'm not sure how the law works or how they inforce if. I imagine it's like Pirates of the Caribbean, where the Royal British navy just went around being assholes and "maintaining order." Like that, but whatever equivalent this au has.

Maybe a smaller group of those guys just so happen to see poor Leo on the way to see his friend and wanted to "inform" him of the rules. Or maybe it really was a fisherman that really didn't like "his kind" and wanted to be cruel. It's kinda left for interpretation.

One more thing. Leo's mermaid half is a shark, and sharks need to keep moving in order to breathe. This doesn't apply to all sharks, and Leo is also half Red eared slider that are semi aquatic, so this might not apply to him at all. But it just makes the idea more angsty that the net Leo was trapped in limited his movement after he got away from his would-be killer and passed out from exhaustion trying to get to a safe place and almost drowning.

Screenshot reference from Ponyo

[darkmagyk]

So, Legally Blonde is a super fun movie, but man...something about the framing has always frustrated me.

Elle Wood's got a 4.0 at an extremely competitive school. She got a 179 on her SAT. She is the president of a major Sorority. That means she probably handles tens of thousands, at least, dollars of fundraising a year, plus all the other administration. It is a giant organizational and and financial operation and she's in charge of it. And to get to be president, she probably held at least two other offices the previous two years that she was also very successful in.

She's beautiful, smart, rich, and white. What about her isn't going to be absolutely Harvard material. I understand why her parents and Warren don't think it's a good fit. But her advisor? The admissions people (the rich, white, genius from a top tier school is their diversity pick?) The people who she's meeting in that scene after she gets there, when they are comparing backgrounds? The work she's done with Delta Nu is 100% on par with the other people.

It doesn't feel real, it feels like the movie has to keep making people discredit her, mostly arbitrarily, so it can say "yeah, she likes fashion, but also, she works hard." "Yeah, she likes fashion, but she knows random facts about fashion and hair care that allow her to bamboozle people on the witness stand."

The movie seem to just...want to minimize all her accomplishments until she decides to get into Harvard. They dismiss her 4.0. They dismiss her sorority as a silly group of friends, not a major administrative endeavor.

Ironically, the sequel actually does a much better job at showing how Elle's background made her a formidable player beyond knowing random facts about haircare. It understands that sororities are basically giant networking events, and Elle uses that, and all those social skills she picked up doing her administratively heavy job, to get shit done in Washington. She uses her Delta Nu connections to find political allies and to swell up ground support. She uses her social connections to learn how the world works from unusual sources. It shows that she was actually built for the world she's inhabiting, once she learns the rules. And the world also...invites her in. She says to a connection "I want to get on your staff" and then she just...does it. She has to learn the ropes once there (again, something she does via her networking and organizational skills), but all that history isn't a waste of time.

I just...I really wish I could watch that movie and not think about how it doesn't know what the fuck its talking about.

[lara635kookie]

I didn't even watch "WISH" yet because in my country it will only be available at january, but people are saying it's a bad cliche so I probably won't watch at the cinema.

The thing is, even though I am a hopeless romantic, not everything has to have romance. There are princess who are perfectly fine without a prince, like Mirabel, Elsa, Merida, Moana and Raya(I do kinda like the idea of Raya with a girl, just not Namaari). But we were so robbed of seeing Asha and the star boy(he is literally a staR so I don't doubt Disney would call him StaN or something like that, so his name is Stan from now on, I am gonna call him like that, is easier than star boy). Asha and Stan had the potential to be the next Tianaveen and Rapunzel&Eugene (I don't know their ship name). The concept arts are the cutest thing I have ever seen. Also "At All Costs" (bop) would have been a love song between the two!!! Them singing it man. The pain I will feel when I don't see them passionately sing it, very "I see the light" coded, in the actual movie. Somehow, now is not feminist for a strong female character to have a male partner by her side. Like...This doesn't make sense! You can be a strong female character and have a man at the same time! Have y'all forgotten Mulan and Shang? Anna and Kristoff? Ariel and Eric? Jasmine and Aladdin? (There are more examples and I could go on all day, but you got what I meant already) I hate Disney for throwing good ideas at the trash and playing safe just for money(like Hobie Brown/Spider-Punk said "it's a metaphor for capitalism"). And as the guy looked blonde with blue/green eyes in the arts I have seen, and Asha is a black latina, they lost the opportunity of having a biracial couple ACTUALLY DONE RIGHT (Pocahontas and John Smith don't count, he is a collonizer with the most common name in the world, she deserves so much better). Like, if the thing is show how inclusive you are by having a black latina female protagonist for little girls to see and feel represented in a good way, you could have increased that feeling by making someone fall in love for her. Little girls would feel like they are beautiful and desired/desireable in a positive way and that they worthy of being loved and love and be with whoever they want to be with, even someone who has a different skin color.

I am also mad because we could have seen Disney's first evil villain COUPLE with King Magnifico and his wife, the queen(still don't know her name, sorry). Can't you guys imagine the HITS, THE FIRST PLACE OF BILLBOARD HOT 100 WORTHY songs, they would proportionate us? Even if only one song, it would be enough for me. But someone thought having a female villain would be anti-feminist and they discarded an original and authentic idea, which is what Disney built its empire on the first place. Come on Disney minorities don't want to be portrayed as those unrealistic superior beings, they want to be portrayed as real human beings with emotions, struggles, qualities and flaws. Having an iconic female villain like you guys always had(like Maleficent, Cruella De Vil, Ursula, Mother Gothel, Lady Tremaine, etc) and set her up with an iconic male villain(like Gaston, Doctor Facilier, Shan Yu, Jafar, Hans, etc) it would have been top notch, god tier. King Magnifico and the queen could have been like the Gomez and Morticia of evil. You could address so many topics by it. Like the kingdom being ruled by evil would have been a great social critic of some politicians out there, for example. And we could have had an iconic final boss battle between Asha and Stan VS Magnifico and the queen.

Anyway, what I mean by this is that if someone has fanarts or just ANY CONTENT, of Asha and Stan, tag me, reblog this or comment, I don't care, just warn me, because they are my new obsession. I will also write a fanfic about this movie with these ideas, but only after I have watched the movie so until them, please feed my hyperfixation in Stasha (Star boy/Stan×Asha), I'm begging y'all

[summer-nights19]

You don't know me part 1

Daiki Aomine x fem reader

You looked down at the court from the elevated corner of the Touo academy stadium. Despite the glaring lights, the corner remained a place of partial shadow, hiding your face as you watched. It had been three years since you were last on the court- 3 long, painful years full of bitterness and yearning, so, as a general rule, you tried to avoid watching games- for the most part, all they did was remind you of what you'd lost. However, whenever you heard that one of *them* was playing, you just couldn't seem to be able to control yourself. You had to go and watch.

The generation of miracles. Once your closest friends and companions. While Teiko was known for its dominating boys' basketball team, a it was little known by most that they also had a pretty strong girls' basketball club. You'd played as a shooter for that club for the majority of your middle school career, climbing your way up to the top and taking your team with you. After practice, you'd often hung out with the boys in the gymnasium and on the way home, and, over time, you'd become good friends. At least, that was how everything had been before that wretched day near the end of your 3rd year. The day that brought your career to a grinding halt.

With the start of high school, everyone had taken separate routes and you'd lost touch with them. Even though you acted indifferent, part of you couldn't help but feel a little sad about that- you'd loved hanging out with the guys: going to town or visiting clubs with Kise, sharing Atsushi's snacks, poking fun at Midorima as he lugged around his "lucky item" for the day, discussing the season's basketball highlights with Kuroko, lounging around and talking with Aomine after school... you hadn't realised how much these moments had meant to you, how much they'd filled up your life, until they were gone. You often wondered if they felt that way too.

Generally speaking, you hated watching basketball nowadays. It was a painful reminder of what you'd lost. When you'd been asked to coach the basketball team at your school, Seirin , you'd declined without a second thought. However, it always felt different when it was one of them playing. When you watched them, you felt like you were on the court with them, moving as one. You forgot for a time.

It was no different tonight as you watched Aomine play some B-tier school during the opening bracket of the Winter Cup. He was agile as always, weaving his way in between his opponents before they even had time to react and shooting one basket after another. His own teammates barely had the chance to touch the ball. You smiled to yourself, remembering your many 1v1v matches with Aomine back in middle school. Whenever you two needed to settle anything, it'd be done on the court. You needed a favour ? sure, if you could score 10 points before him. He wanted the answers to last week's assignment ? You'd give them to him if he managed to beat you. You pretty much never beat him- you came close sometimes- but he was quick at regaining the upper hand. Despite this, you'd improved greatly thanks to your 1v1s, something that even Aomine admitted. He'd often teach you new techniques or give you advice on how to improve your form, and, though he wasn't very patient, you learned over time.

"Why are you always teaching Y/N-chin those techniques ?" Murasakibara asked him one day when you guys were eating lunch together. Aomine had gone red and averted his gaze

"Playing against her gets lame if I win all the time," he'd replied, still not looking at you.

The buzzer sounded for the end of the first quarter, the familiar sound snapping you out of your thoughts. It was time to leave now, before they had time to notice you. You couldn't face seeing them again, not yet.

Making sure no one was looking, you crept out using a side exit while the players were still ambling off of the court. Every time you finished watching one of their basketball games, you were overcome by a strong feeling of nostalgia.

You always wondered why you did this to yourself, yet somehow you could never seem to stop.

Unconsciously, you began to walk faster as the cold night breeze sliced past your skin, anxious to get out of there before the memories completely took over your mind.

"Y/N ?" The voice that calls you is deep and rich, yet somewhat lazy.

Before you can even process what is happening, you're turning around and setting your gaze on the source of the voice.

Daiki Aomine.

Possibly the last person you want to see right now, especially after everything.

Masterlist

[stromuprisahat]

Hello! Firstly, I want to make it clear that I love your blog and your opinions. And secondly I would like to ask about your thoughts on what would happen if Ulla accepted and went with Sasha when he asked her to go with him? (It also makes me a little curious if they stayed together they would end up developing codependency and emotional or perhaps literal incest…)

I think this would be an interesting event that would greatly change the events of the shadow and bones trilogy.

Sorry for any mistakes in my writing, English is not my language!

Hi! Thanks, and don't worry- I might write (and occasionally dream) in English, but it's not my first language either. I'm still checking most of my posts with the help of Uncle Google and Seznam Dictionary. :)

Sashka and Ulla...

There are two variables we might need, but don't have. We don't know how old Aleksander is, when he dies, and we don't know how old he is, when he meets Ulla. It wouldn't be precise, but it could help us guess how worn out he might be.

If Ulla went with Aleksander, it would certainly help him cut off Baghra. When we meet him in Shadow and Bone, he's aware she isn't good for him, but he doesn't have an alternative. Not even belief Alina will eventually have only him, isn't enough to truly get rid of his mother. Maybe having another immortal, who got screwed over by Baghra AND acknowledges it, would be the correct impulse to dump the old hag.

I can't see a "healthy" option for immortal life or relationship. Certainly not the way rules are set. Others will still die. Their world will still be the horrible place it is. Then, there are the philosophical questions like "Can life still have a meaning, when your time isn't limited?".

Having a single person to lean on for centuries should surely lead to codependency. Let's hope Ulla and Sasha wouldn't at least have it as unequal as he does with his mother.

From what we're shown, Aleksander sees sex mostly as a tool, but then again- we've never even glimpsed his previous romantic relationships, so who knows... maybe he's god-tier demi sexmachine. That would be a no for physical incest (although all those deliciously naughty options... read Nådeløsheten by Madismen for Darklina/their immortal son tasteful short). I had to look up emotional incest for specific details, and:

(x)

After centuries of losses and difficulties no mortal can understand, I don't think boundaries between any two people, who have both been through it TOGETHER, could remain intact. Sasha and Ulla have the advantage of adulthood- their personalities are mostly formed- but after that?

Picture Alina arriving in Little Palace, but instead of the pressure of being the long-awaited Sun Summoner, there's only a mild concern how she managed to slip through testing. She's expected to clear the remains of the Fold, but one of the previous Sea Witches already made a path to the sea. Or more precisely- made the sea come to the capital itself, creating a swift way through the Fold (bonus points for sea monsters, snapping at volcra from depths Liopleurodon-style).

Second Army is traditionally lead by the Darkling and Sea Witch. No one knows if they're related, or married, they always seem incredibly close. If one dies, the other usually passes away or leaves to spend the rest of their life in seclusion. After that, another pair arrives from the safe place they were raised, to take over the work.

Alina's correctly assessed as unreliable (just like in the book), but even if he catches feelings, Aleksander isn't so desperately lonely. We can sprinkle some drama due to possible jealousy and above mentioned co-dependency, add possible parallel with Malina and contrast between their causes and solving. We could even use Baghra, waiting in hiding to screw over her errant children, especially her ungrateful son. Shenanigans ensue.

[saintsenara]

hi!! for a black family inspired ship ask, i'd love to hear what you think of lucretia/ignatius prewett and dorea/charlus potter

and to keep the silly vibes of the game, alphard/voldemort, walburga/abraxas malfoy, pollux/augusta longbottom, arcturus/horace slughorn

thank you very much for the ask, anon! and for providing me with some ships which require me to do some research!

lucretia black/ignatius prewett dorea black/charlus potter

while i understand the impulse to turn these unions between the blacks and two families who will - in the latter half of the twentieth century, at least - become the biggest blood-traitors going into sexy tales of forbidden love, i suspect that both of these were actually pretty unscandalous matches.

it's very striking in canon that even characters like the weasleys who stridently disavow the more unpleasant bits of blood- and magic-supremacy are susceptible to prejudices against those who aren't pureblood. muriel prewett's disdain for kendra dumbledore connects to her being muggleborn [and she also refers to hermione as "the muggleborn" when she first meets her - it's more polite than "the mudblood", obviously, but it's not great...]. molly weasley is instinctively uncomfortable with many non-magical things [medical treatments, modes of travel] - to an extent that means we have to assume that she doesn't venture into the muggle world without arthur. ron finds harry and hermione's lack of knowledge about the wizarding world vaguely amusing. the whole family - like most of the series' good guys - treat muggles in a way which is paternalistic at best [fudge's condescension towards the muggle prime minister - a man who, in 1996, was working to broker a peace deal in a decades-long sectarian conflict in his own country, and who might have been able to offer some helpful tips in that regard - is a case in point].

all of which is to say, the prewetts and the potters - no matter their more liberal political views - were not still pureblood in the 1930s and 1940s by accident. i'm sure that both dorea and lucretia's marriages were regarded as perfectly sensible ones, to men who came from families which were a little bit odd, but who were otherwise entirely tolerable choices.

[not least because we know the potters weren't poor, even before they earned all that sleakeazy's money, and i think we can also assume the prewetts were also well-off - muriel's entire vibe is giving aunt march sitting on her enormous pot of money while her relatives wait for her to die, and i quite like the idea of molly having gone down a lot in terms of financial security by marrying arthur.]

the other pairings, though...

alphard black/lord voldemort

yeah, i'll back this.

alphard being unmarried, while both his siblings are, is very much giving "confirmed bachelor".

and one of the rules of being a confirmed bachelor in a society with slightly... victorian morals is that you keep your mouth shut about who you meet while cruising in knockturn alley's more sinister establishments.

especially when he's a man who'd kill you if he thought you were yapping about his extracurricular activities...

walburga black/abraxas malfoy

listen, you just know walburga was a bonafide baddie in her day. i bet all the boys were lining up to enter a semi-arranged marriage couched in stifling gender conventions with her.

abraxas fumbled her, i fear, by spending more time on his hair than she did on hers. she wanted to feel the uptown girl fantasy - and he was not making the effort.

pollux black/augusta longbottom

flopping, i fear. despite being an extremely mid-tier specimen, pollux considered himself the sort of man who could attract the sort of woman who'd want to start a tradwife tiktok account and let him control her financially.

augusta, in contrast, was of the opinion that a man who wanted fresh bread baked for him every morning could do that himself.

arcturus black/horace slughorn

canon. i won't explain why.

[things-about-cars-in-posts]

got any favorite cars from the 24 hours of lemons? (and perhaps some facts about them)

Sure, but not before explaining to the audience!

So, you know how, when you start your car, you turn the key and it starts, and you don't have to fiddle around trying to get the air/fuel mixture to make the damn thing run and stop embarrassing you? And how it has disc brakes, halogen lightbulbs if you've got the standard version and a wing if you've got the sporty one? Yeah, this is all thanks to the century-old 24 Hours of Le Mans, so coveted by manufacturers as to push them to develop all those innovations which would later trickle down into sportscars. They made two movies about it. It is, without question, the most prestigious, serious and expensive endurance race ever.

And this is the 24 Hours of Lemons - without question, the least prestigious, serious and expensive endurance race ever.

It is most famous for the rule that ensures that: to keep you from racing anything but a lemon, a beater, a crapcan, a piece of... well, by now even the unaware have figured out what lemon means in the car world, there is a budget cap. To be precise, $500. Yes, that includes both car and performance enhancing modifications - but notably exempt are safety equipment and decorations. I say notably because decorations are a key component of the Lemons atmosphere in a way I consider best conveyed by a "progressively gets worse" slideshow.

Yes, these are all real vehicles that raced. As you can imagine, regulations are pretty lax. And mostly vibe-based.

So, now that we're up to speed, my favorites!

Favorite as in greatest job from the team? Probably (although I am biased) the Eyesore Racing Miata.

And since you asked for some fun facts, I have a little treat for you that even the typically impeccable Donut Bumper (or lack thereof) to Bumper (or lack thereof) video about it missed out on:

The team won Lemons' coveted Best Use Of Dangerous Banned Automotive Technology award (yes that is a thing) by cleverly reusing the motor that used to drive the pop-up headlights!

Favorite as in coolest car used? That might be a tossup (i.e. I am not going to wait for the undoubtedly long list of cooler base cars to shower my mind so I will call it a tossup) between the Chrysler Conquest ran by multiple teams though Lemons' history (specifically the TSis for their sexy flared fenders)...

... and B-Team Racing's Lotus Elite (seen here in two of its many liveries) which, due to its newfound Chevy engine, earned it the name Chotus. Why yes there's a website.

Favorite as in most beautiful car used? That might be a tossup between French Foreign Legion Action Team's Peugeot 505...

...or the engine-swapped second generation Chevrolet Corvair Coupe of... wait, multiple teams?

Favorite in terms of most beautiful decorations? That might be a tossup between the Honda Accord of Stanford students team Buck Ferkeley...

...and SilverSleeve Racing's incredibly-engined frankensteined Wolseley Hornet (for when a Mini is just not coupe nor posh enough)

Favorite as in greatest combination? That might be a tossup between two incredibly different interpretations of sportscar + truck: the Boneyard Butchers' mix of Saturn Sky and Chevrolet Colorado -the more you look at it, the harder it goes-...

...or the Porsche Honkeys' outstanding take on the popular Porsche 944 + V8 recipe that came when they decided to use the rest of the Chevy C10 they got for the engine: the Mulletmobile.

Favorite as in the bravest, most heroic, most Lemons feat? Well, given Lemons started as a way to experience racing without the pressure and expectations of high-tier stuff and eternally heralds the notioon that a racecar is any car you race, how could I ever go with anything but the far-too-slow-for-any-steadiness-to-remedy, Cali-bought-and-roadtripped-to-Kansas Toyota motherfucking Chinook.

Favorite as in favorite team name? I doubt it, but here you go: Off To Gay Porn. They called themselves this to ensure everyone who beat them could proudly say they beat Off To Gay Porn! And as you could notice, yes, so many of them are this good.

Links in blue are posts of mine explaining the words in question - if you liked this post, you might like those!

[horizon-verizon]

Leaks saying that Rhaenyra send Elinda to hang up posters in King’s Landing calling for anyone who dares to try to claim a dragon (I think it’s true, in the preview for episode 7, there a soldier tearing a poster down) and WHY TF is she recruiting from King’s Landing when plenty if not more than dragonseeds reside in Dragonstone and Driftmark ?? At least in F&B, the dragonseeds were from the area and you could assume as Rhaenyra had been ruling over them for 10 years there was a greater allegiance to her. She’s not even looking for people who have Targaryen/Valyrian blood anymore, just anyone who’s willing to take the risk. Handing over the biggest dragons to complete nobodies with no affiliation at all to her is stupid. Doubly so because what’s to say Aemond or Larys doesn’t get word and makes a deal offering much more if they claim a dragon and flip sides, and Aemond has shut down all exits. Rhaenyra already makes plenty of foolish mistakes during the war, why do they keep adding/creating more ?

It's pretty strange, considering peasants largely aren't literate in ASoIaF/Westeros.

Also, having the dragonseeds ALL come from or reside in either Driftmark or Dragonstone makes much more sense with this particular fact bc of what you say about there being a history of Driftmark/Dragonstone special allegiance to the Targs and other Valyrian families ("The Red Dragon and the Gold"):

Said allegiance came from two things interacting:

the long history of the Targs/Velaryons/etc ruling those islands for generations BEFORE the Conquest

Targs sexing up locals with the FM custom of right of first night that established the idea that a lord "bestows" a child onto a peasant family/woman (no this doesn't mean every single Targ-local coupling was bonafide rape...but the power dynamics went crazy and are MORE questionable with that FM "tradition")

This is esp good:

Doubly so because what’s to say Aemond or Larys doesn’t get word and makes a deal offering much more if they claim a dragon and flip sides, and Aemond has shut down all exits. Rhaenyra already makes plenty of foolish mistakes during the war, why do they keep adding/creating more

So it's either going to these:

those KL future dragonseeds will have to sneak out using some seriously dubious means totally unaffliiated or given by Rhaenyra-Mysaria

they will have means of getting out thru Mysaria-Rhaenyra's arrangements, which themselves need to be explained: how long do the agents stay and hide themselves in KL and how did they do it? Wa sit through Mysaria's connections, Daemon's, or is Elinda magically rowing to Kl again? Who and how does she know those she comes to contact with? No Dyana doesn't make sense bc we have seen no interaction b/t Rhaenyra and Dyana, and Dyana was a low-tier servant not a lady-in-waiting. So yeah, you need to have already shown (S1) how Rhaenyra/Elinda and Dyana got as aquainted as to be able to have such communications and established some amount of trust even with Aegon having raped Dyana.

However, I don't think the Red Keep has dragon eggs. that appears to be just a Dragonstone thing--which makes sense bc that is the original home with all the necessary accommodations for housing, raising, and feeding dragons/eggs made over GENERATIONS of Targ ancestors. The castle of Dragonstone (not the island), I think, is literally built into/from a volcano. The Dragonkeep of KL can't match that, is smaller. So Aemond and the rest of the greens cannot make similar promises or invitations to KLers.

Either way, yeah, the letting absolutely anyone regardless of how loyal you think they will be to you rise a dragon bc you want to make sure that the notion of Targ blood-necessary for dragons is just propaganda also doesn't make sense bc:

Daenerys Stormborn literally woke up dragons using her own self/blood. Only she could have done what she did...it's a pretty large and thematic story element to ASoIaF, her doing that. Blood & familial connection to other dragonriders may not be the end all be all (Quentyn Martell) but it is a PREREQUISITE and absolutely matters, otherwise.

throughout detailed recorded history the Targs--since at least Jaehaerys I--we have seen how allegiance or making sure that the exclusivity of dragonriding is maintained is another important element...Jaehaerys himself says that it is necessary to keep dragonriding exclusive is not just for Targ power but bec it is really bad to have multiple competing rival dragonriding groups and esp in the same space...Old Valyria is used as reference. The whole anxiety about the Two Betrayers and later arrests of the dragonseeds partially come from this fear.

So, yeah, the writers are sacrificing or just plain ignorant of the lore bc they have some weird jealousy towards this dragonriding family or want to feel as if they have some higher understanding of politics and history:

Ultimately, Condal’s own passion for Martin’s writing outweighed any doubt he had about his own. “I’m trying to make the type of show I would enjoy as a fan, which I am. And while I realize my ideal fan show will be different from someone else’s, I still think that it’s a good true north heading on my compass. Actually, I think that’s why HBO hired me in the first place.”

“I was working in a corporate environment and collaborating with other creatives,” Condal says. “Copywriters work closely with art directors responsible for visuals and layout, and there’s a similarity there to screenwriters working with directors responsible for turning your very cerebral ideas into concrete images. I also learned to compromise, adapting your writing to clients who aren’t always going to love your brilliant, avant-garde choices. That’s the talent-studio relationship, right there. Working on a deadline, on a budget, going into a room to give your presentation, and having someone on the other end of the table buy or not buy them — this stuff is relevant in any industry, Hollywood or not. Coming from a creative but also very corporate environment, I was able to navigate challenges that some of my colleagues with filmmaking and art history degrees maybe weren’t prepped for.”

[cardboardheartss]

Bang Si Hyuk & Fifty Fifty Mini Reading

⚠️DISCLAIMER! TAROT CARDS ARE NOT 100% ACCURATE! TAKE EVERYTHING WITH A GRAIN OF SALT! IF MY INTERPRETATIONS ARE INCORRECT FEEL FREE TO CORRECT ME!⚠️

during the whole mess this dude created, seeing the amount of power and influence he had in the industry, along with how competitive he was overall had me thinking if HE was responsible with the disbandment of Fifty Fifty, because I mean Cupid was a HIT, and knowing this dude he did not expect a group from a lowerish tier company could actually do this… so let’s get to the cards!

Was BSH responsible for the disbandment of Fifty Fifty? : 2oC, AoC, PoW, 8oW rx, 7oP rx, High Priestess, PoP, KNoC, The World, 7oC

This whole operation, was not done with him alone, this person could be the CEO of 50/50’s company i believe. BSH only did this because, I could say he kind of felt intimidated because, he doesn’t have the ability to create projects like this, and at first he did seem to enjoy the song but I’m certain when he saw the Billboard announcement, that was his last straw. BSH was probably panicking too because his groups songs weren’t doing as well and gaining international recognition so he was like… yall are done, and literally ruined those poor girls careers.

At the bottom of the deck, there was a High Priestess, so I asked my cards who this person is so : High Priestess, PoP, 7oC rx, KNoC, The World

I believe this person has a lot of Virgo energy, and is really smart and knows how to play her cards really well. This could be either someone who worked with BSH to shut down 50/50, or it could be someone in the industry who will expose this situation. If it’s someone exposing, they’re probably ready to break all hell loose, they’re aware of the backlash/suing from HYBE they’ll receive but they believe that they need to fight for themselves or for the group. These poor girls really want to return to the industry and achieve their dreams again, so they will fight and I will definitely support them.🙂‍↕️

The members with prominent Sidereal Virgo placements are Aran and Sio. I looked at their charts, these two both have Saturn in Cancer, and in this case, we’ll think about who caused a detriment and pause in their career… BSH, the walking cancer man.

The cards I pulled out have Virgo, Cancer & Saturn astrological representations. Sio’s chart literally screams all of these cards, her Virgo stellium in the 6H of employment & work, mid heaven in Capricorn (under the rule of Saturn, and the placements are in their 10H, the house where they shine the most) and 4H Saturn in Cancer, BSH put ahold of their career, which led to just stay domestically and not expand internationally, hence why she has her 9H Sagittarius Chiron.

What happened to 50/50 is genuinely so heartbreaking. These girls would have done so well in this industry, they were already breaking records and making a name for themselves… I mean just look at this

Once Sio comes out and exposes HYBE/BSH, I’m going to need all of us to support her, because she and her former group mates deserve justice.

and as I always say…

FUCK HYBE BANG SI HYUK

[dialovers-translations]

DIABOLIK LOVERS ZERO Animate Tokuten Drama CD “A Vampire’s Late Night Snack Terror” [Azusa ver.]

Original title: 夜更かしヴァンパイアの食テロ飯 [アズサ編]

Source: Diabolik Lovers ZERO Vol. 12 Animate Tokuten CD

Audio: Here

Seiyuu: Kishio Daisuke

Translator’s note: This has to be funniest ‘late-night snack’ CDs yet. Honestly big props to Azusa’s VA for pulling off those sudden changes in tone so perfectly. You can honestly always rely on Azusa to bring some top tier comedy to the table. Funny moments aside, this track was also very wholesome but I did not expect any less from DL’s very own cinnamon roll. 

*Rustle rustle*

Azusa suddenly appears behind you.

“The refrigator...is so cool and refreshing...”

You shriek and jump backwards.

“Ah...I’m sorry...for startling you...I could hear sounds coming from the kitchen even though everyone should be asleep at this hour...so I came to take a look...But I was surprised to find you here...”

You sigh in relief.

“You were cooling off, so I probably interfered, huh? It’s really hot and humid tonight, so I totally understand.”

You explain yourself.

“Huh? I got it wrong? ...I figured you were using the refrigerator to find some refreshment. Then what were you doing? Looking for leftovers from dinner, perhaps?”

You nod.

“I see. You’re hungry, huh...?”

You nod again.

“I understand. Kou and Yuma...raid the fridge all the time as well...But they always get scolded by Ruki for having no manners...He’ll get mad at you as well if he sees you. You can have breakfast once you wake up so...Try to endure it for now, and let’s head back to your room, okay?”

You shake your head.

“Eh? I see...I guess you won’t back down, huh? ...If you’ve made such a strong resolve...then I am in no position to stop you. ‘I shall have my midnight snack, even if I have to break the rules!’ ...Eve, if that is the path you have chosen in life, you have no other choice but to stick to it, regardless of the many dangers which may wait ahead!”

You ask if Ruki is that scary when he gets upset. 

“Exactly. You shall soon find out too, just how terrifying he can be. Who knows what kind of torture might await you...if Ruki were to find you...He might just lecture you for a whole day while you’re forced to sit still on your knees. On top of that, if you just so happen to doze off...because he uses so many difficult words...the period will be extended to two days...

ーーNo, he might not keep it at just that! He could even forbid you from eating for a whole week...or fold your clothes inside out on purpose! And when you wake up...you find those horrible green peppers all over your room. But when you try to leave, the door’s lock has been rigged with some kind of puzzle you can’t solve! ...I’m sure Ruki would do such a thing. ...Still, you choose food, even if it means making him your enemy, don’t you? ...Okay. If you have made up your mind, then I won’t run either...!”

You start to have second thoughts.

“Eh...? What’s wrong...?”

You admit to Azusa that you’re scared now.

“Huh? You don’t want Ruki to get upset with you? I see. In that case...Hmー That’s a tricky one...I don’t want you to have to go through such horrible things but...Ah! Right! I think Ruki might let it slide if you actually cook something? Then you wouldn’t be doing something rude after all! Besides, it’s much worse to miss on precious rest because you can’t sleep from the hunger! Mmh! Let’s say that you’re allowed to eat something, as long as you prepare it yourself!”

You still seem doubtful. 

“Don’t worry. I’m sure Ruki will understand as well. Besides...I’m kind of hungry as well. Can I join you for a late-night snack?”

You agree and start looking through the fridge.

*Rustle rustle*

“Fufu~ Hooray! ...But do we even have anything left? Everyone in this family eats a lot so...do you think you’ll have enough ingredients to work with...?”

You nod and close the fridge again.

*Thud*

“Eh? What is...that?”

You explain.

“Bitter...melon?”

You ask Azusa if he has never tried it.

“Mmh...It’s green just like peppers...so I haven’t really...”

You tell him it can be good.

“Is that so? If you say so...I suppose I can try a little...”

You tell him that you’ll make something with it.

“Mmh! I’ll help you with the cooking as well.”

*TIMESKIP*

*Cling cling*

*Rattle*

“Hm...Oh...You’re using a bunch of different ingredients, huh? This is...flour starch...”

*Rustle*

“And these are dried bonito flakes...Mayonaise and salt...”

You give him instructions.

“I just need to put them all together into a bowl? ...Okay.”

Azusa puts all of the ingredients in the bowl.

“Ah...Just a little bit of mayonaise and salt, right?”

He follows your instructions.

“About this much?”

 You nod.

“Mmh.”

*Thud*

“Now we add the eggs and a splash of water...Before mixing it well...”

Azusa adds the final ingredients before mixing everything up.

“Like this? Or should I mix it a bit more?”

You tell him it’s not quite right.

“I see...It’s difficult...Perhaps it’d be better to leave this part up to you...I don’t know how much strength to put in exactly...In return, tell me when it’s time to cut up the bitter melon, okay? I’ll try my best!”

You agree.

“Mmh. Good luck.”

He hands the bowl to you as you start mixing.

“Ah...Just as I thought, you’ve got the technique down. Just watching you makes me feel everything will be alright.”

You ask him if he sometimes feels worried when watching someone cook.

“Yeah. There’s been times where I’ve been stressed. I’m never worried when Ruki is the one cooking, but when it’s Yuma or Kou...watch out.”

You raise a brow.

“When Yuma makes dinner, he cuts the vegetables too big, so they’re never cooked all the way through. After starting from scratch several times, I guess he got irritated, because he just flipped over the pot. As for Kou...the kitchen was a mess. It doesn’t matter what he tries to cook, it always ends with a disaster. But the worst part is...Ruki who explodes after witnessing it.”

You flinch.

“Mmh...It’s horrifying...So try to avoid being there when it happens, okay?”

You ask Azusa about his culinary skills.

“Me? I’d like to think I’m a decent cook but...The last time I made something, everyone complained about the flavor. The others go way too light on the chili pepper. It’s so good though.”

*Thud*

“Your hand stopped moving, by the way. Are you done mixing? What’s next?”

You explain.

“My turn, right?”

*Rustle rustle*

Azusa grabs the bitter melon and rinses it with water.

“I need to cut it into thin slices, right? I’ll cut it the exact size you want.”

He grabs a large kitchen knife.

*Cling*

“Fufu...This knife looks...very sharp. Haah...Oh...But...I’m sure it’ll cut even better if I hone the blade...I’m sure it’d feel great to effortlessly slice through meat or vegetables...Fufufu...”

You tell him there’s no time for that now.

“Eh...? You think so...? If you say so, I’ll do it some other time, okay...? Well then, I’ll start cutting, okay?”

Azusa cuts the bitter melon.

“Slices of one milimeter each...”

*Chop chop chop chop chop*

“Hm~ Did I do it right?”

You are very impressed with his knife work.

“Fufu~ It feels nice to get praised by you. Is there anything else that needs to be cut?”

You ask him to cut the meat as well.

“Okay. The pork belly needs to be cut in thin slices of about one centimeter.”

*Rustle*

“And you want the fried tofu chopped up in cubes of around five milimeter...”

*Chop chop chop chop chop*

*Rustle*

*Chop chop chop chop chop*

“Here you go. All done.”

*Clap clap clap*

“You’re making me blush with all those compliments...But I won’t deny that it makes me happy. Should I add these to the bowl from earlier?”

You nod.

“In that case...”

Azusa adds the ingredients to mix.

“Now we mix it well, right?”

He mixes it up.

*Rustle*

“Huh? A frying pan...? Are we going to...bake this perhaps?”

You explain.

“I see...I think I’m starting to picture it all together. Let’s see...I have to pour it in bit by bit, right?”

*Pshhhh*

“Like this?”

You nod.

“Fufu~ We’ve got a bunch of mini okonomiyaki. (1)”

You start flipping them over.

“Oh! It’s perfectly browned on one side already. So that’s how you get it to bake on both side...”

*Pshhh*

“This scent...That’s sesame oil, right? Seems very rich in flavor and delicious...”

You turn off the fire. 

“Done already? Fufu...That was quick, wasn’t it?”

*Dun dun dun*

“...A bitter melon mixed-bake. It smells nice but...I can’t help but think of green peppers when I look at it.” 

You tell him that he doesn’t need to force himself to eat it.

“No...It’s okay...If you’ll have some...I’ll challenge myself as well. Uhmー I guess I put on some of this ponzu sauce over here?”

He prepares himself a plate.

“Well then...Time to dig in. Aahn...”

*Nom*

“Ho..Ho...Ho...Hot!”

Azusa swallows it.

“Oh...Delicious...Mmh...”

*Gulp*

“I guess it’s because we cut it up so finely but...It’s not bitter at all.  You get a nice burst of flavor from the meat as well...and a nice texture.”

He continues eating.

“Mmh...Mm...So good...”

You have some as well. 

“Fufu...Fufufu...You seem to be enjoying it as well. Ah! I’m sure this would go great with chili pepper as well!”

*Thud*

“I suppose I’ll try sprinkling some on top. ...Ah.”

He puts it away again.

*Rustle*

“No, nevermind.”

You seem surprised.

“Mmh. I want to enjoy the pure flavors today. ...We made this together after all, so I’m sure this is its optimal taste...”

Azusa continues eating.

“The next time you get hungry...Let’s make this together again, Eve. ...Ah! But we’re keeping it a secret from Ruki, okay?”

ーー THE END ーー

Translation notes

(1) Okonomiyaki is a thick, savory pancake with various types of vegetables and meat/fish.

(2) Ponzu is a famous Japanese dressing or dipping sauce, somewhat similar to soy sauce but with mirin and citrus added to it.