#you can't go to space without rocket science

[xeed-null]

If one was extremely determined and foolish, they could create an AI by hand. That is to say, one could map out all of a generative AI on paper because it is all math and numbers. It would probably take a lifetime to 'generate' just one thing; after all the mathematician in question would have to work through the tedium of the entire cross-referenced dataset.

This illuminates why generative AI uses so many resources, it's doing a human lifetime of work for just an incredibly small amount of stuff.

it's impressive that it can do so much so fast for so little output and so much waste.

[bluerasbunny]

My go to request: Unhinged Sun

Lol. Or unhinged anyone really. Just make 'em fucked up.

OH BOY TIME TO SHARE MY ROLESWAP AU

the ultimate sunhinged!! infodump on AU below the cut;

sun isnt obsessed with playing or games- he's obsessed with perfection. everyone in the daycare must be doing exactly what sun says, and they must be doing it PERFECTLY or it'll drive him up the wall with frustration and rage, because how are you messing up such a simple task? it only has 5 extremely complex steps you have to do exactly as he shew you, it's not rocket science! as an example; the in game mechanic would be something like the player having to do arts and crafts with sun, but you have to do it EXACTLY correct in a short time frame or else sun's patience will run out and he'll attack!! sun gets increasingly more aggressive the longer you take, and immediately attacks if you get something wrong!! things like that!! the Entire daycare zone has been closed off ever since the incident. sun's never been known to be so aggressive, especially not with something as trivial as coloring barely an inch outside of the lines or cutting paper just one degree off of his demanded angle. pizzaplex staff have no clue what's wrong with him and they can't get close enough to see if anythings wrong without sun yanking them into an activity that Definitely ends in someone getting hurt!! so. the best thing to do is close it down.

moon is acting perfectly as intended, though! a soft-spoken, gentle animatronic with an edge of sillyness that just wants the best for the children under his care. he has NO idea what's wrong with sun either, and the employees that have managed to get a discussion with moon have learned as much from moon himself (they've also learned that moon can no longer communicate with sun. there's nothing but static). moon also has his own problems to be completely fair- just as in your personal space as sun, though in a more overbearing parent type of way!! he cares in a way that he's constantly fretting over people to the point that it's Too Much (humans are so fragile. he's seen it with his own eyes, from sun's aggression. he Has to make sure the fragile ones are okay and safe).

[fox-bright]

OKAY SO I HAVE TO TALK ABOUT THE WHOLE SENDING CREMAINS TO THE MOON THING If you haven't heard about it, a bunch'a dead people (cremated) (just a teaspoon or less of each) are going to the Moon, where they will stay forever. They left this morning, riding up on a United Launch Alliance rocket for Peregine Mission One, technically out of Pittsburgh, PA but launched as usual from Florida. There are five NASA payloads on the mission, so Science is Happening. That’s cool, I’m all for it. But I, and it turns out the Navajo Nation, are not very cool with the Elysium and Celestis parts of the deal, which is sending a hundred something dead people’s remains up there. I’m against it because while I’m all for scattering cremains in nature—returning your carbon to the cycle—and I’m all for cemeteries and tombs, this won’t be either; there’s not any breaking down, there’s not any cycle, and there’s no hallowed ground. The Navajo Nation, in the letter they wrote to NASA in December, is against it because to them the Moon is sacred. You don’t just drop corpses on sacred things, basically. They weren’t asking to stop the mission, just to be consulted about how to handle it with grace; their request was denied. NASA couldn’t have done anything for them, anyway, because this isn’t a NASA mission even if they’re sending payloads up. So the Magical Flying Husband and I good-naturedly Got Into It on the topic, on Saturday, and we still don’t quite agree. To my mind, it’s gross and tacky to throw a Space Rubbermaid full’a cremains up there. There were already the remains of one single person on the moon, as Eugene Shoemaker’s ashes went up with the Lunar Prospector thirty-something years ago. He was a scientist who trained Apollo astronauts about what to expect when they reached the Moon; a geologist with his eyes on the stars. Having him up there doesn’t oog me out. Having a bunch of randos who only get to go there because their families have the money for it, that oogs me out. And then there’s just the pure metaphysical aspect; we put gates around our cemeteries for a reason. We make specific places out to be the resting places of the dead, so that we can say here are the dead and here the dead are not. Most of the religions or belief systems which have the dead remain in the home, on altars or in special (holy!) rooms within the building, also have requirements for attendance on those lost relatives. Incense, prayer, attention. You can’t do that if you lawn-dart Grandma onto the Moon. So throwing a bunch of bodies into a place where they will never degrade, without marking out land as “this specific place is where our dead go,” is either a hugely expensive method of littering, or it makes the whole Moon into a cemetery.

So the MFH and I have this discussion, back and forth, and then we realize we don’t really have any data. How many people are going up? Who are they? What’s the deal? So I looked it up. There are two companies sending cremains on this trip, Celestis and Elysium. Both of them have (frankly, tacky) websites selling you the ability to send Grandma to the Moon.

Celestis starts you at about three thousand US dollars to put some ashes onto a payload that goes up, and then comes down again; the equivalent of tying her to an Estes rocket that you launch from the park, only this is a proper spacegoing rocket that gets up there. She just doesn't get to take the whole ride.

Further Celestis packages allow you to put Grandma into orbit, send Grandma to the Moon, or send Grandma out into Deep Space.

(Reading that aloud is the point where the MFH's ears really quirked. It is very difficult and very expensive to get something properly into Deep Space. That offering is bullshit, and can't not be bullshit, and this is where the MFH decided probably this whole thing was more than a little scammy.)

The Orbit Grandma package is particularly romantic; the orbit she'll be put into is a degrading one, so that after some time spinning around our gorgeous blue marble, she'll reenter the atmosphere and become a visible shooting star.

(The MFH said "Is there going to be a big enough payload to be visible with the naked eye? What amount of matter is required for that?" and then we had to do Math about it. Of course, it's not just Grandma who would be on that bus, it's another hundred people or whatever; the image appears to show a hundred or more thimbles of cremains stored separately in basically a large cube container. So maybe the size of a soccer ball? I think it would be visible. It is, however, impossible to say "look there, and you'll see Grandma!" so while it would be visible to someone, it's not going to be something you can make sure to see.)

Elysium offers all the same packages, with slightly different names. But unlike Celestis, Elysium has a little row at the bottom of the page with photographs of previous launches. They've done this before, they're saying, and Grandma is safe with them.

So I looked up the launches, and found a Wikipedia page on them. And oh my god. That's where my ears quirked, and then I started cackling, and the whole slightly-fractious discussion with the MFH absolutely dissolved into macabre jokes.

Because, yeah, there have been two previous launches. One of them failed to reach orbit. A payload of Grandmas was put onto the next one, to make up for the failure.

The second launch, which was to be a Shooting Star trip for the god knows how many people that the first launch failed? That one made it to orbit! All good, right? Now Grandma can orbit for a while, and then immolate for a second time, this one much more spectacular and high-velocity than the first?

ABSOLUTELY not.

Because of licensing issues.

(image: two columns of text describing Elysium launches: ORS-4 Elysium Star I, launched on a Super Strypi, was destined for reentry failed to reach orbit.

SSO-A Elysium STar II, launched on a Falcon 9, was destined for reentry and made orbit successfully. "Orbit was to decay in 2 years, but satellite was locked into the Lower Free-Flyer dispenser due to license timing issues." )

Grandma is stuck in the dispenser. Grandma's in a gacha-gacha that just spins around and around and around and around, never releasing its prize to her glorious conflagration.

Because of licensing issues.

I'm siding with the Navajo Nation with this one, either way, but I have to wonder if those folks are actually getting to the Moon as planned.

[argumate]

dear mediocre bird of prey, would you share resources to learn about nasa’s functioning and fucking up? cursory google search didn’t turn up all that much

although the real tragedy isn't that they lost two shuttles it's that they built them in the first place; Maciej Cegłowski wrote the best summary of the shuttle program back in 2005:

There is no satisfactory answer for why all this commotion must take place in orbit. To the uneducated mind, it would seem we could accomplish our current manned space flight objectives more easily by not launching any astronauts into space at all - leaving the Shuttle and ISS on the ground would result in massive savings without the slighest impact on basic science, while also increasing mission safety by many orders of magnitude. It might even bring mission costs within the original 1970's estimates, and allow us to continue the Shuttle program well into the middle of the century.

and he just posted a summary of where he thinks the Artemis program is going in 2024:

You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to wonder what’s going on here. If we can put a man on the moon, then why can't we just go do it again? The moon hasn’t changed since the 1960’s, while every technology we used to get there has seen staggering advances. It took NASA eight years to go from nothing to a moon landing at the dawn of the Space Age. But today, twenty years and $93 billion after the space agency announced our return to the moon, the goal seems as far out of reach as ever.

Articles about Artemis often give the program’s tangled backstory. But I want to talk about Artemis as a technical design, because there’s just so much to drink in. While NASA is no stranger to complex mission architectures, Artemis goes beyond complex to the just plain incoherent. None of the puzzle pieces seem to come from the same box. Half the program requires breakthrough technologies that make the other half unnecessary. The rocket and spacecraft NASA spent two decades building can’t even reach the moon. And for reasons no one understands, there’s a new space station in the mix.

In the past, whatever oddball project NASA came up with, we at least knew they could build the hardware. But Artemis calls the agency’s competence as an engineering organization into question. For the first time since the early 1960's, it's unclear whether the US space agency is even capable of putting astronauts on the moon.

[fandom-trash-xl]

EPISODE 7: COLLAR

#NotMyGoku

A SINGLE SHOT CHANGED IN THE OPENING. They replaced the minotaur with a bunch of King Kidan's royal entourage.

We tune back in with Team 2- turns out the ship failed because one of its systems required a Demon Realm exclusive element. Luckily, just that very second, Hybis comes by to pick them up. We get a cute little second of Vegebul where Vegeta steps in front of his wife, but, otherwise, they pretty much trust Hybis instantly.

And Bulma's coming along! Don't know what made up her mind this time. Maybe she was kinda curious anyway, but Kibito not coming along gave her space in the ship to tag in. Maybe she wants to pursue that new element for science reasons. Maybe her husband has abandonment issues.

Back in the Demon Realm, Goku discovers magical multimeal rations and we, the audience, discover the writers' barely disguised fetish right as the Gendarmerie pulls them over. Turns out Panzy's collar isn't letting them fly under the radar.

Panzy's also got a sharp eye, at least for spotting the fuzz.

After pulling off some Instant Transmission (which seems to be working just fine) shenanigans to keep Goku out of sight, the demon cops finally decide that Panzy's suspicious after the failed smoke bomb raid- they don't seem to care or even acknowledge that she's the princess.

We get a brief little fight- Shin can actually hold his own, Glorio shows off his lightning techniques with a tactical precision strike (I then proceed to dissolve, help me), and Goku gives the last plane a Team Rocket blast off with a... regular ki blast. No Kamehameha yet?

Unfortunately, broken glass is enough to stop our heroes, so they have to steal one of the Gendarmerie planes. Panzy disables the communicators on the unconscious grunts, but there's still the concern of her collar.

She can't break it, it's made of Katchintite! It's indestructible! Never heard that one before! /s

Proving my point, Shin has some magic that can break it!

Speaking of Shin, turns out he has a true Demon Realm name- Nahare. Still doesn't seem to match up with his siblings' names, unless there's some sort of wordplay I'm not picking up on.

Once they're on the road (in the sky?) again, Panzy gets in touch with her hacker friend (he's giving Kikono vibes, but also frog vibes) to give them a new Warp-Sama passcode. And I sure hope those are headphones he's got on, because if we're breaking the Demon Realm pointy-ear rule already, I swear...

Maybe there are a few round ear folks in the Demon Realm, just more of outcasts.

Goku's too itchy about fighting the Tamagami to hold off and wait for Vegeta and the rest of the gang, so he tells them to just catch up to them just as Hybis is giving his demands for payment in worm pizza. (And he's single, you say?)

Not that we're at the Tamagami site, now's the time to point out that the Dragon Ball Super rot has returned.

Fuel for the ill-informed "Bad Dad Goku" fire: "How did you raise a kid?" "Oh, I wasn't really involved!"

OH SHUT UP RIGHT NOW

On top of that, Goku's backpedaling in his recovery in Fight-holics Anonymous. "Gee, I wonder how strong the Tamagami is! I can't wait to fight the Tamagami! The strong villain couldn't beat them that makes me want to fight them more!" What happened to the goal of, you know, getting the wish to help Dende?

Anyway, let's breathe and go over the next episode preview:

Goku fights the Tamagami as Piccolo, Vegeta, and Bulma get up to some Demon Realm shenanigans, and Glorio continues his shady dealings.

EPISODES WITHOUT KNOWING HANVI'S WHEREABOUTS: 7

The counter seems even sillier now that we're fully in the Demon Realm, but it's about the bit!

[elbiotipo]

There's this tendency in some science fiction to go all retro or put stops in some technology, ironic for such a genre. Even myself am guilty of it with Campoestela (different for the Biopunks). It's because the future is coming too fast and it's tiring to keep up. It really is.

Science Fiction, at its core is about "stories where science and technology change human life", at least, that's the definition I treat it with. The thing is, there's so many technologies changing us, so fast, that it's just impossible to keep up. In the 50s, you could keep up, for example, with space rockets and atomics. You could imagine a future where things were mostly the same, except with rockets and nuclear stuff. In 2023, you have to imagine rockets, AIs, climate change, biotechnology, nanotechnology, demographic and social crisis... I mean, you had to consider that in the 50s, too. But the pace of technologic advancement is so fast right now, that you just can't keep up. To create a world that it's just "like today, but with X", doesn't make sense anymore.

And then you just want adventure. You just want the space adventure thing, and fucking Mars and Venus suck, so you have to go to other stars to get your fix, and you don't care how. You want A Guy to go to strange new worlds and meet aliens and have moral dilemmas about it, without caring too much, if at all, about the technology to do so, and how it changes society. And that's not longer, in a way science fiction. You might as well give him magical sailboats that go through the aether (I have, in a couple projects, done just that). You might as well explain it with magic.

But that's not who I am. I despise the "it's magic lmao" shortcut.

I am here, calculating the delta-V and the space infrastructure necesary so that A Guy can be a space trucker. It's fun to me. To build a world, fantastic, but wholly coherent.

[smol-potato-blogs]

Hi everyone , welcome back to my blog ! ♡ :)

Today i'd like to share with you all some of my pet peeves. These are just some things that I find very annoying or truly disgusting or just can't even bear the sight of.

Top 5 of My Biggest Pet Peeves

1. Body odor/Poor hygiene - Guyssss it's really not that hard to be clean. No one wants to smell like a dumpster and you certainly don't want others fleeing from you in the opposite direction. I, myself do not like having to use public transport with smelly persons on it. It's not rocket science to be hygienic. Doing simple things or making small changes in your daily routine can really make a difference. Listen, trust me on this. Step one would be taking a proper bath, thoroughly cleansing your upper (pls do not forget the armpits!) and lower body can really do wonders.

Everyone should try their best to take a shower atleast once or twice a day. After drying your body with the towel please make sure to put on deodorant. This applies to both males and females. Everything else can come after like body lotion and cologne/perfume/body mist. Applying deodorant is the most essential.

The next and final step I'd like to make mention of is brushing those teeth. No one wants to see food stuck in your teeth when having a convo. Everyone should be brushing their teeth atleast twice daily (use floss as well). And using a mouthwash because no one wants to have bad breath. It is so very crucial to maintain good personal hygiene and oral health. Don't be stinky !

2. Spitting - People who spit on the side of the road or pavement while walking or driving in their cars. THAT IS NOT "CUTE" AT ALL nor is it "COOL" to do so. It is completely unsanitary and frankly, disgusting. Just be clean pls ! And do not do those yucky things.

3. Coughing/sneezing without covering the mouth - Bro, why? Instead of coughing up a storm and sneezing in someone's face or behind them or even trying to use your elbow to cover your mouth. Please just use a face mask. Why aren't people masking up anymore? There are still flus and viruses going around. Stop spreading germs and infecting other people. Please have some consideration !

4. Street Harrassment - Being catcalled by random men. This one really ticks me off. My dudes, please stop with the whistling, sexual comments and the honking of your car horn. I am simply not interested and I'm pretty sure that I speak on behalf of a lot of women when I say that we do not like or appreciate that. It is extremely uncomfortable and very annoying. It is absolutely disgusting and outright disrespectful. You need to stop being a pervert/predator. Learn a better way on how to "pick up a female" or just don't bother at all and move on with your life.

5. Stopping suddenly in the middle of the sidewalk/Slow walkers - Uh, why? Especially when it's like busy with commuters trying to get to their destinations. Are you like lost? Confused? Had an epiphany? What is happening in your brain?? To randomly stop in the middle of the sidewalk or sometimes stopping to just call someone or send a text message. If you must do that then you can do so on the side. Get to the side and allow persons to pass. Same goes for the slow walkers. Keep or move to the side to allow persons in a hurry to pass.

These are just a few of my pet peeves for now and I'm sure that I have a lot more that I can share lol. Sometimes these small annoyances can really drive us up a wall but it is good to have a platform or space where we can share these things and connect with one another. Anyway, I think this post is long enough already. Please feel free to share some of your pet peeves with me and tell me what really bugs you and gets under your skin. I would love to know all the things ! ~

Til' next time ~

xo

♡♡♡♡

[guardian-rocket]

Who are your top 10 favorite muns to write with and why? If a mun is a multimuse also tell which are your favorite characters to write with and why?

(The order in which you list the people doesn't matter unless you want to assign them specific places.)

Question Master

Top 10, here we go... @antvnger Puppy-Mun is the first I am putting on this list first because of all the threads and ideas I've ever had on here the thread I've been doing with them (Space Heist) is the largest single run I've had so far. We actually had an entire 4 part mission and went to Knowhere. I feel like Rocket and Scott made some real progress in becoming friends and I love that. Every post they make is gold. They're nice to their anons and I generally enjoy interacting with them OOC and hijacking their random posts. They're also genuinely funny, which I feel is very important for someone portraying Scott. I already loved Ant-Man but Puppy-Mun makes me adore him even more! They also often tag me and I love that 💕

@byondtheveil Rei-Mun (Birb-Queen) is #1 OC in Rocket's world and my Rocket muse simply adores her. I always look forward to reading her replies and she's a great person to talk to and shoot the breeze OOC. We both love thrifting IRL so it's fun to just spam her DMs about my latest finds. Her character Rei is literally one of the most endearing original characters I've ever come across. She's well thought out and has connected with Rocket in a way most muses can't do. With her I have been able to explore Rocket's comfortability just popping on and off Earth and get some much deserved down time. @papetoonfox Papetoonfox was a RP partner I had many years ago. We haven't interacted much on tumblr but we got a RP going on Discord that I am fully engrossed in. Our conversations OOC often puts me in stitches and we have so much common interest it's so easy to just get lost in our own little nostalgic world of Y2K aesthetics and retrowave vibes. They're also very encouraging with me about my art and they produce some of the coolest music I've heard from anyone I know. I love their portrayal of Fox and so does my muse.

@stripesofbrooklyn They were one of the first to interact with me OOC when I started getting more active again and I feel we check in on eachother both ways pretty regularly I am confident to call them a friend. Our muses have great chemistry together and Rocket always loves hearing from them no matter what strange shenanigan they might be getting into. Rocket fully admires and trusts their Steve and is someone Rocket would go out of his way for.

@spidermanxnoir / @jeff-the-gnome-king First they get super points just for playing my favorite version of Spider-Man (Noir) and our thread which started off without any plotting has turned into one of the most epic adventures my Rocket has ever had. I think Rocket's gotten pretty attached to him as they've gone along and genuinely think he's cool. Looking forward to them retaining an ongoing friendship. Being able to tie or franchises together has been a ton of fun and I think we write beautifully together. Also they're super chill OOC and I love bugging them with my latest ideas. @the-mjolnir-owner This Thor is one of my best friends on Tumblr. They are often sending me posts in my DMs to see about Rocket and Thor and I just love their characterization. We also have a lot of fun discussions about Thor and the Guardians and I feel they capture Thor very well in their writing. Just in general they're an absolute joy.

@butwithmoreme I know our thread is fairly new/short but I literally hear Tony's voice in their writing, it's so damn good. As Rocket's mun I will hold a special place in my heart for anyone who doesn't just write him off for being a little shit. The fact they're being science bros together makes me so happy. @spideymn A big stand-out as a great writer. Sounding repetitive here, but I hear Tom Holland in their dialog and they feel very in character. A shining standout, and my muse likes him because he's a helpful kiddo. Happy to see them interacting together. @beatfreesmysoul They're my #1 music buddy right now, and I enjoy dropping into their DMs to be annoying lol. It's so great to have someone here to talk tunes with because I genuinely am a big music nerd. I love that they send me memes/tag me for that stuff too. As a Rocket RPer I often feel a bit sidelined so they make me feel included on things which I super appreciate. Our thread taking place earlier in the storyline is great too, kinda fun to undo all my muse's character development and let him have 'issues' he needs to work through and I love that we can explore or character's developing friendship.

@gctbusydying I am pretty sure they're my first Kitty Pryde and honestly, worth the wait. Interacting with them feels like we're jumping right out of the comics. I think that Kitty is canonly one of Rocket's favorite ladies and their friendship is important to me. I know I MOSTLY adhere to MCU canon but I've read the comics too (albeit a long time ago) but when it comes to Kitty I'm like -slams fist on desk- FRIENDS. I know we haven't had a TON of interaction but I hope it keeps going.

[oldmanyaoi-jpeg]

Tell us about the top three sports in oblivion. And also which one you'd play if they were real

Hayden and I are both giant nerds so sports are not really something we've touched on. so here's just all the sports since there's not much substance to most:

The biggest one is EASILY @erezar-zaral-rezanova's Planet Dusting. It's racing taken to the furthest extreme, building a ship to go as fast as possible, with the only limit being how fast you can go before your ship is ripped apart from the speed. It gets its name from the tracks of the big leagues, where racers are going around entire planets. Smaller leagues have smaller tracks, but when you think of Planet Dusting you think of ships circling the entirety of a barren planet in mere minutes. It's pretty popular in both the Court of Trifalla and the Zion-Itan Alliance's space.

Merzen has a few that we've really only touched on a bit- being such a cold planet, they're big on "winter" sports. They have one that's essentially hockey-football, though we haven't done much with that. They do have a full-contact soccer too, played with a solid ball because the ferocity would destroy a normal soccer ball. Magic is also allowed, the only rule is that you can't kill the audience. Killing other players is allowed though, and they usually don't go a season without at least one death either on or off the field. Percentage-wise, they have the same death and dismemberment rate as unregulated factories.

Lots of Solraine societies, Especially Zion, have a really healthy coliseum/sparring culture. Unlike Merzen, you're genuinely not allowed to kill your opponent, but watching some of the big name spars is a Real show. Especially when king Grisvaldt steps on the field.

If you permit Nerd Sports in here then Ita is (probably, waiting on a response) rife with all sorts of competitions. Battle bots, engineering competitions like rocket design, large-scale science fairs, etc. Most interesting to me personally would be the existence of something like FIRST Robotics, where teams compete to complete tasks faster than the other with robots they build at the start of the season. Each season is different and requires use of a different robot- partially because those are the rules, and partially because the tasks can be wildly different every year. (Though maybe I'm biased because I used to compete in FIRST)

[starblessed-blasterz]

HELLO FELLOW EARTHLINGS!!!

*~ I'm Val, he/they, 20. I like science! Making things! Technology! Old graphics! ~*

Long story short: I worked towards a career as a scientist for a bit, 'till I followed a comet out to a lake one night. It was a mysterious device that attatched to my chest, and now occasionally I get cryptic visions of Deoxys themselves in my sleep, mwehehe!

You may be wondering, why me of all people? Does this make me a "chosen"? Does Deoxys have some plan for me? Do they even have a sense of morality???? I HAVE NO IDEA!

BUT, either way I can see the responsibility that has been entrusted upon me!! I just still need to get the hang of my abilities. And uh, try to get out more. :/

Those abilities, by the way! I seem to be able to modify my own DNA, no idea how far I can take that and I've got some trouble controlling it, for now I just keep it to temporarily emulating Pokemon types. That's right, I can have types, and with this little raygun of my own design, I can fight like a Pokemon! >:)

Sometimes! If I can figure out how to do it without almost frying myself! It can get icky. But I invented beads that change color with my typing, which I'D call a win!!

Past Adventures!: unown adoption adventure

MY POKEMON:

Angelo (Gallade ♂, has mega stone). My ace! My co-captain! My partner through thick and thin!

Fangzie (Flygon ♂). Gets flying zoomies a lot, I'm one of the few trainers who can keep up with him ^_^

Cadet (Dhelmise). Soothing and creaky! Strong but sleepy! Doesn't try that hard, to be frank, but we're working on it.

Crimzon (Scizor ♀). Don't touch her wings or she'll chop your arm off! Nah not really. But sometimes she'll glare at you like she will.

Zee (Zangoose ♀). Really cuddly for a Zangoose's reputation! Much softer fur than what she looks like.

That's my usual team! Some others who sometimes join the fray:

Mercy (Audino ♂). The sole reason I'm not in medical debt! More of a lover than a fighter.

Vega (Starmie). A timid little guy. I keep hoping it could teach me more about space and maybe my own patron one day, but well. I imagine not having a mouth or hands gets in the way.

Soul (Solrock). A strange little guy, seems content just spinning around in the corner of the room a lot of the time.

Valkyrie / Val Jr (Unown 守). A rare variant recently adopted from the Unown Sanctuary! Chivalrous and a bit of a tsundere (with lack of a better term). Mostly just a travel companion whenever Zee wouldn't fit the situation, but that doesn't mean they can't hold their own in a fight!

Have a great day, young cadet! >:3

// Yayy it's @swadloom once again on my way to getting obsessed with rotomblr!

I also run @silver-crowned-riders and @rocket-researcher-antares, this time around I wanted to make a less villainous character who could at least go to normal events and wouldn't hate every other user lol.

Tried to give an in-character explanation for why someone like this isn't super out and about since I'm still relatively new to pkmn irl and bc of other issues (& general confusion a lot of the time 😭) I might not participate in much high stakes as of now.

Val uses lots of gifs! I'll give alt descs when I can and will tag flashing and eyestrain for potentially harsher ones, if there's a better way to tag things lmk! ✌

It seems like tumblr eats asks for me sometimes since I get notifs but nothing comes up, so don't be shy to send in something a second time if it doesn't get answered in a day or two.

I character designed Val as brown. His race doesn't factor into posts much (or at all so far) but if anything strikes a weird chord lmk

[dantoombs]

Small Business Litigation Funding in Australia: Your Complete Eligibility Guide

💡 Quick Check: Do You Qualify for Litigation Funding? ✅ Business size: SME under 200 employees ✅ Dispute value: Generally $100,000+ ✅ Clear case merit and evidence ✅ Defendant has capacity to pay ✅ You're seeking financial support for legal costs

Keep reading for details on the process, case types, and common pitfalls.

Legal battles shouldn't mean bankruptcy. Yet that's what happens to countless small businesses when they face litigation without proper funding support.

Most small businesses avoid legitimate legal claims because they can't afford the fight. This leaves them vulnerable to bullying from larger competitors who know they won't push back.

But there are funding options designed specifically to level the playing field for Australian small businesses.

What is Small Business Litigation Funding?

Litigation funding isn't rocket science, but it's not exactly straightforward either. Think of it like this - instead of buying new equipment or inventory, you're essentially getting a business loan to protect your legal rights.

Here's how it works. A third-party funder steps in and covers all your legal expenses. We're talking court fees, lawyer costs, expert witnesses - the lot. In exchange? They take a slice of whatever you win.

The benefits stack up:

Get top-notch legal representation without the upfront cash

Keep your business cash flow intact

Zero legal costs bleeding your accounts dry

Someone else validates your case has real merit

What's brilliant about this setup is the breathing space. Rather than panicking about finding fifty grand for legal fees, you can actually focus on what matters - running your business.

Who Qualifies for Litigation Funding in Australia?

This is where things get a bit messy. Not every business dispute gets funding, and honestly, the criteria can shift depending on who you're talking to.

But most funders are looking for similar things:

Size matters, unfortunately. You'll need to tick the small-to-medium enterprise box under Australian rules. That usually means under 200 staff and turnover below $50 million. Pretty standard stuff.

Your case needs to be rock solid. Funders aren't running charities here. They want cases they reckon will win. Your legal team has to show clear liability, proper damages you can calculate, and a realistic way to actually collect the money.

Financial stability is weird but important. Sounds contradictory - if you had heaps of cash, why would you need funding? But they want to know you won't go under halfway through the case.

Picture this: a small manufacturing outfit discovers their ex-business partner has been flogging trade secrets to competitors. Damages are obvious, evidence is there, but legal costs could hit $200K easily. That's exactly what funders love to see.

Step-by-Step: How to Apply for Litigation Funding

Don't expect this to be like applying for a credit card online. Getting approved takes weeks and you'll need to do some serious homework first.

Step one - the initial pitch: Your lawyer puts together a case summary covering the dispute, potential damages, and realistic chances of winning. Funders skim through this to see if it's worth their time digging deeper.

Step two - they investigate everything: Expect them to go through your financials with a fine-tooth comb. They'll chat with key witnesses, sometimes bring in their own legal experts to double-check your case. It's thorough.

Step three - negotiating the deal: This gets interesting because unlike normal loans, these terms are all over the shop. Some funders want 20-40% of whatever you win. Others charge interest on the money they advance.

Step four - paperwork mountain: Final step involves signing detailed agreements spelling out who does what throughout the whole process.

The entire thing usually takes 4-8 weeks from start to finish. Feels slow when you're itching to get started, but it's actually pretty quick compared to bank lending.

Which Cases Are Most Likely to Be Funded?

Funders can be pretty picky about which cases they'll back. Some disputes consistently get funding while others barely get a look.

Commercial contract stuff is their bread and butter. These cases usually have clear damages, straightforward liability, and defendants who can actually pay up. Whether it's suppliers breaking agreements, partnership blow-ups, or licensing disputes - commercial cases make sense to funders.

Intellectual property fights also get plenty of attention. Patent theft, trademark rip-offs, trade secret violations can generate serious damages with solid legal precedents backing them up.

Competition and consumer law breaches can be goldmines, especially when multiple businesses get hurt by the same dodgy behaviour. Class action potential multiplies the recovery prospects significantly.

What doesn't typically attract funding? Employment disputes, family law dramas, criminal cases, or regulatory proceedings where there's no clear financial payoff at the end.

For more information on litigation funding in Australia, the Australian Litigation Funders Association provides industry standards and guidelines.

Pros and Cons of Litigation Funding for SMEs

Getting approved is just the start. The financial side of these deals can vary wildly between providers, so you need to understand what you're signing up for.

Success fees can hurt your wallet. Most funders want 25-40% of whatever you recover. Sounds steep? Remember they're taking 100% of the risk if your case goes nowhere.

Watch out for extra charges. Some deals include case management fees, admin charges, or insurance premiums. These add up faster than you'd think.

Tax implications are messy. GST might apply to funding arrangements, and success fees could mess with your income tax calculations. Get proper tax advice before you commit to anything.

Here's how the numbers might work: You secure funding for a $500K contract dispute. Funder advances $150K for legal costs and takes 30% of recovery. You win $400K - funder gets $120K, you net $280K. Not terrible for zero upfront investment.

But there are downsides worth knowing about:

Repayment obligations don't disappear. Even if you lose, some arrangements still require repayment of advanced funds.

Interest rates can be brutal. Some funding deals come with high interest that impacts what you actually receive.

Long-term commitments limit flexibility. These arrangements can tie up your business for years, restricting other financial decisions.

Common Eligibility Stumbling Blocks

Even solid cases can get knocked back for reasons that seem pretty minor. Knowing these pitfalls upfront can save you months of wasted effort.

Not enough money at stake. Funders need cases worth their while. Generally, if you're looking at under $100K in potential recovery, don't bother applying.

Defendants who can't pay. Having a brilliant case against someone who's broke defeats the whole purpose. Funders will check whether defendants can actually cough up the damages.

Messy cross-border stuff. International disputes or cases involving multiple jurisdictions give some funders headaches. They'd rather avoid the complications entirely.

Existing legal team conflicts. If your current lawyer has relationships that clash with the funder's requirements, you might need to change representation. That's not always possible or smart.

Take a small tech startup that finds out a competitor stole their app design. Case might be legally bulletproof, but if the competitor is also a struggling startup, recovery chances are slim regardless of who wins in court.

Choosing the Right Funding Partner

Picking the wrong funding partner can make your legal case more complicated than it needs to be. The market's expanded heaps lately, which creates options but also confusion.

Look for small business experience. Big institutional funders sometimes struggle with smaller company dynamics. Find someone who actually gets what small businesses go through.

Check their financial backing. Legal cases drag on for years sometimes. You need confidence your funder won't disappear halfway through because they've run out of cash.

Local presence helps. Funders based in Australia often provide better communication and more flexible arrangements than offshore institutional players.

Reputation matters within legal circles. Well-regarded funders can actually boost your negotiating position. Funders with dodgy reputations might create extra obstacles.

Red Flags and Risk Management

Litigation funding isn't risk-free. Understanding potential downsides helps you make informed decisions.

Excessive control provisions represent a major red flag. While funders deserve input into case strategy, agreements that give them control over settlement decisions can compromise your interests.

Unclear termination clauses can trap you in unsuitable arrangements. Make sure you understand circumstances under which either party can exit the funding relationship.

Hidden fee structures sometimes emerge in complex legal documents. Ensure you understand all potential charges, not just the headline success fee percentage.

That's where proper legal advice becomes crucial. Having independent counsel review funding agreements protects against unfavorable terms that might not be obvious during negotiations.

Alternative Funding Options

Traditional litigation funding isn't the only option. Several alternatives might better suit your circumstances.

Legal expense insurance purchased before disputes arise can cover significant legal costs. While this requires forward planning, premiums are typically much lower than post-dispute funding costs.

Conditional fee arrangements with lawyers can reduce upfront costs. Under these arrangements, lawyers agree to reduced fees if cases are unsuccessful.

After-the-event insurance can complement funding by covering adverse cost orders if your case fails. This additional protection can make the difference between proceeding with litigation or abandoning legitimate claims.

Making the Decision

Deciding whether to pursue litigation funding requires weighing multiple factors beyond simple eligibility requirements.

Case strength analysis should be brutally honest. Even strong cases can fail, and litigation always carries risks.

Business impact assessment considers how litigation will affect your operations regardless of outcome. Even funded litigation requires management time and attention.

Alternative resolution opportunities might offer better value than funded litigation. Mediation or arbitration sometimes achieve better results at lower cost.

The decision shouldn't be rushed. Take time to explore all options and understand the full implications of different approaches.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the minimum case value that attracts litigation funding? Most funders look for potential recoveries of at least $100,000, though some specialist providers consider smaller matters.

How long does the funding approval process take? Expect 4-8 weeks from initial application to funding approval, though complex cases might take longer.

Can I change legal representation after securing funding? This depends on your funding agreement terms. Some funders have preferred lawyer panels, while others allow you to choose representation.

What happens if my case settles early? Most funding agreements include provisions for early settlement, typically involving reduced success fees or minimum payment obligations.

Are there tax implications for litigation funding? Yes, potentially. GST might apply to funding arrangements, and success fees could affect income tax calculations. Professional tax advice is essential.

What documentation do I need for a funding application? Typical requirements include financial statements, case summaries, legal opinions, damage calculations, and evidence supporting your claims.

If you're facing a legal dispute and wondering about your options, don't let financial concerns force you into unfavorable settlements. Professional expert guidance on litigation funding can help evaluate whether funding arrangements suit your circumstances and guide you through the application process.

Disclaimer: This article provides general information about litigation funding eligibility and should not be considered legal or financial advice. Litigation funding arrangements are complex and vary significantly between providers and jurisdictions. Before making any decisions about litigation funding, you should seek independent legal and financial advice from qualified professionals who can assess your specific circumstances. The information contained in this article is current as of the publication date and may not reflect recent changes in law or industry practices.

[daughter-of-sapph0]

yes, blindly trusting scientists is bad. you shouldn't just believe anything someone says without questioning it. the point of science is to question everything. and scientists are humans who make mistakes sometimes. that's why science is always changing. we're always learning more about how the universe works, and our old theories are replaced with new theories.

but blindly believing scientists is just as bad as blindly ignoring them. infact, blindly ignoring them can actually be worse, and even detrimental to you and everyone around you.

like, I absolutely hate this new trend of people (particularly the annoying cunts on twitter) going full "I refuse to accept science. all scientists are paid off by the government! nasa is lying to you! the earth is flat and bread is mind control!"

refusing to accept anything an expert says on a certain topic is actually more harmful than believing them without question.

let me give you an example. Bob is a scientist. specifically, he's a botanist. he has studied plants for over twenty years. he has multiple phds. he, along with his group of other botanist friends, perform a rigorous study on whether or not fire kills plants. it should be obvious that fire kills plants. but you can't be sure unless you test it. so Bob and his team set fire to 70 different kinds of plants. and all of them died. they come to the conclusion that fire might be significantly harmful to plants. right now, you have three options. believe them, disbelieve them, or do nothing. if you believe them, you will not burning your plants. if you do nothing, then (I hope) you will still not burn your plants. because no normal person burns their plants and expects them to survive. but if you blindly question every single scientist on every single subject and do the exact opposite of what they say, then you'd take a blowtorch to your fields except a bountiful harvest. and you'll look like a fucking idiot when you end up with thirty acres of ash and zero tomatoes.

I'm not saying to blindly believe scientists. that's absolutely not at all what I'm saying.

I'm saying that if you dedicate your entire life to being a contrarian who thinks you know more about a subject than the people who have studied it for decades, then you're gonna end up looking like an idiot.

if you wanna be an idiot, that's fine. just don't be upset when no one wants to take you seriously.

if you go up to gender studies scientists who have studied intersex people, gender dysphoria, queer history, and transgender hormonal replacement therapy for basically their entire lives, and you tell them "uh, stupid liberals, there's only two genders. penis and vagina! it's basic biology", you're gonna get laughed at.

if you go up to astrophysicists who have studied rocket science, gravity, the earth, space, and physics for basically their entire lives and yell at them saying "the earth is flat! nasa is lying to you! there's a giant ice wall where Antarctica should be!", you're going to have tomatos thrown at you.

if you go up to geologists who have studied carbon dating, fossils, continental drift, cave systems, and the earth's crust for basically their entire lives, and you say "uh, dinosaurs aren't real. God put them there to test your faith! the earth is only two thousand and twenty two years old, because that's when Jesus was born", you're gonna be hit in the head with a rock.

I guarantee that you do not know more than the people who have dedicated their entire lives to knowledge.

again, this isn't to say that you should blindly believe all scientists ever. some scientists only have their own interests in mind when publishing data. some scientists perform faulty experiments, and it's your responsibility to call them out on that. some scientists aren't even scientists, and are just scammers in a lab coat.

but if you are in a situation where the data and experiment and the team of scientists are supported by other evidence and peer reviewed and accepted by basically the entire rest of the world, it's much better to listen to them, rather than trying to "disprove" or "debunk" them with the same credibility as a flat earth youtube channel.

blindly disagreeing with science is bad.

refusing to accept new knowledge is bad.

refusing to change your mind ever is bad.

you go your entire life without trying to better yourself or grow or change, and all you do is get in arguments with everyone all the time, and you think you're the only person who's right about anything... and then you wonder why no one likes you, you have no friends, the only reason you have a bunch of stupid fans is because you're rich.

[cherrycheridarling]

chemistry test | t.h.

tom holland x actress!reader

warnings: fluff and acting..?

summary: you're auditioning for the role of silk in the new marvel film. they've already chosen their spider-man and now it's time to see how much chemistry you two have.

wc: 1.9k

"Hi! I'm here for the Marvel auditions?" you greeted the lady who sat at the front desk.

"Hello! What's your name?"

"Y/N Y/L/N."

Nerves were running through your veins at lightning speed. The lady gave you a kind smile and told you to head to room three hundred and sixteen. You returned the smile before heading to the elevators.

Upon entering, you were faced with at least fifteen other women who were also auditioning. All with black locks and brown eyes. You'd be lying if you said you weren't slightly intimidated. Sure, you had done some small films here and there, but looking at the competition now was frightening. A lady came and handed all of you a small script. At least it was a distraction. You spent the entire time reading your lines and trying your hardest to memorize them.

You sat in the waiting room for at least fourty-five minutes before your name was finally called and you were escorted into another space. Once you entered, your eyes were immediately drawn to the long table where the producers, casting crew and directors - who you've met hundreds of times in your previous auditions - were sat. You shook hands and gave greetings, the usual.

"Y/N, meet our new Spider-Man." Kevin gestured to the brunette boy at the front of the room.

He was cute. Dangerously cute. His small curls that laid messily only seemed to add to his appeal.

You smiled and walked over to him, "Hi. I'm Y/N Y/L/N. It's great to meet you." you offered your hand.

He returned the grin before shaking your hand, "Tom Holland. It's a pleasure." you noticed his British accent and couldn't stop yourself from the confused expression that took over your features.

"You're British?"

He nodded with a smile, "That I am, but," he switched to an American accent, "I can turn it off, too."

Your smile grew, impressed by his ability, "That's so cool. I would try a British accent, but I feel like I might offend you."

He laughed with you for a bit, his hand still holding yours. You both noticed the predicament and quickly withdrew your hands. Sheepish grins showed on both your lips.

Joe Russo cleared his throat, "A little background information in case you're not familiar with Cindy Moon's story."

You silently thanked him for this since you were not at all familiar with whatever the character entailed. Only getting small glimpses of her personality and behaviour before you got thrown into the mix of auditions.

"Cindy and Peter went to the same school and got bitten by the same radioactive spider. A man took Cindy and trained her, but also hid her in a bunker when her powers became too much for her to control. Her Silk Sense – which is her version of a Spider Sense – is incredibly powerful. Stronger than Peter's. In this scene, Peter is saving her from the bunker. Understood?" he spoke so quickly that you nearly didn't catch it all, but nevertheless, you nodded your head.

"Got it." you put the script to the side and took off your jacket.

"Now," Kevin spoke, "Remember, this is a chemistry test. So we want to see – not just how compatible your characters are – but you guys, as well."

Your palms began to sweat. You already knew that they were looking for chemistry, but being put on the spot made your anxiety sky rocket. You nodded again in understanding.

"Sounds good." Tom went to the other side of the room, "Good luck." he sent you another frustratingly attractive smile.

You nodded with your own grin, "Thanks, Spidey."

You spotted a small cot beside you and made your way over, laying with your back to Tom. Ready to start the scene.

"Action!"

Before any lines were given, you lifted your head, but kept it facing the wall. As if you were listening for something, waiting for something.

"Spider- Boy? Guy? Spider-something." you spoke to the wall and a second later, Tom's footsteps were heard behind you.

"I prefer Spider-Man." Tom's voice filled your ears as he leaned against the wall. "Nice to meet you, Cindy Moon."

You held a hand to your head, as if a painful migraine had just arrived. "Your presence is causing me pain. Who-" you looked up at the man, recognition dawning on your features, "Peter."

"W-what? N-n-no, no, no. Who's Peter? I'm Spider-Man." he insisted rather poorly. Deepening his voice.

You turned your body around, hanging your legs off of the cot, "I-I feel it. I remember you. Parker from my science class. Left row, three seats behind me. And my math and history. Front row in history. Middle in math. You always had a new backpack every week."

"Eidetic memory." he mumbled under his breath.

"Hm?" you furrowed your eyebrows.

"Nothing. Never mind. We can discuss this later. You need to get out of here. And I have come to save you from whatever this place is." he eyed the space with disgust.

You eyed him suspiciously, "Is this some Disney movie? Is there a magical horse drawn carriage waiting outside?"

He showed a boyish grin, "I guess you can call me your knight in red and blue spandex."

You scoffed and stood up, "Okay, Parker. How'd you know I was here?"

"Oh! This awesome dude, Tony Stark, he knows, like, everything! A-and he told me that you were here and sent me on a mission– Which is so cool! But yeah, he told me to come and save you. And that is what I am doing." he jumped up and down like an excited child.

You eyed the space around you, "Wait. M-my powers. I can't control them. I-I mean, I'm trying, b-but it's still—"

"—We can focus on that later! Right now, the richest and sickest guy on the planet is requesting you. C'mon." he grabbed your hand and, as scripted, you both locked eyes immediately.

You tried your best to look like you were falling in love. And as you stared into his deep brown eyes, you found that it wasn't that difficult. He stared back into yours. His hand still wrapped around your fingers. Your free hand travelled to his face, as if you were about to pull his mask up. Resting your palm on his jawline. His other hand that wasn't grasping yours, rested on your hip. A light pressure that nearly sent you into a haze. You both began to lean in and it no longer felt like acting until you squeezed your eyes shut, shook your head and pushed him away rather aggressively.

You put a hand on the wall, drawing heavy breaths in and out, "W-what are you doing to me?" you looked at him through heavy eyelids.

Tom was in a similar position, back against the wall, hand over his chest, "Mister Stark said that m-might h-happen." his head was thrown back against the wall, showing off the expanse of his neck as he swallowed. "Something- Something about our senses causes a strong- How do I say this? I-Intimate attraction between us."

Your eyebrows furrowed, eyes narrowing, "A-an attraction? An intimate attraction? To you? Ew."

He pushed himself off the wall, "Glad to see you haven't changed one bit, Moon." he walked away from you, "We really need to get going. You- Oh! I've been wondering this: Where's your webbing?" he looked around as if he was searching for it.

You stuck your hand out and pretended to shoot a string of silk out of your finger and onto the wall. Tom followed your movements with a starstruck expression.

"That's sick! I have to make mine." he frowned, "We got bit by the same fricking spider and yours is in your hands? Let me see!" he came closer and attempted to grab your hand again before you quickly put it behind your back.

"Don't touch me." you spoke slowly, "I-if this attraction is caused by physical touch. Please, do not touch me."

He plastered on a playful smirk, "Oh, it's more than physical, Moon."

You rolled your eyes and stepped away from the wall, "Dream on, Parker. Are we going to this Mister Stank or whatever?" you waved your hand with a limp wrist.

Tom gasped, "He's Iron Man! It's Mister Stark! Stark! Not stank! And you need a suit. Mister Stark has one ready for you at the compound, but you need something to wear on the way there." he looked around for one.

As if it had just dawned on your character that you were finally leaving the bunker, your attitude changed. A smile gracing your lips.

"I think I can do a little something."

You gestured your hands around yourself, pretending to create a suit from your silk. Tom watched with amazement, "Hey, how are you doing that?" he bent down and examined your body from head to toe.

"I had a lot of free time on my hands. Costume on-the-go. You like?" you smirked as you continued your movements.

Tom nodded his head as he came back up to stand beside you, "I could've saved so much time and money by doing that."

You finally completed your gesturing with a grin, "Ta-da! A bit sticky, but I think it'll do." you pretended to stretch around in the costume.

"Okay, let's go, Moon—"

"—Nope. Nuh-uh. When I'm webbed up like this, call me Silk." you smiled triumphantly.

And with that, the scene came to an end. The producers and casting directors all stood and clapped for you and Tom. You smiled widely at how successful it had gone. Before you could even react, Tom pulled you into a hug. Arms wrapped around your waist. Without a second thought, you wrapped yours around his neck with a laugh.

"You were amazing!" Tom praised you with a wide grin.

You couldn't help but to smile, "Thank you! It helps when you have an awesome scene partner."

His cheeks turned a shade of scarlet at your compliment before Anthony Russo spoke, "That was amazing! Thank you, Y/N."

You shook your head, "Thank you for having me."

Joe came and shook your hand, "Expect a call on Monday. Keep your ringer on." he smiled.

"And that wraps up the chemistry tests! Great job, everyone!" Anthony announced as you handed the script back to them and threw your jacket on.

You swung your bag over your shoulder and made your way to the door.

"Wait!" Tom called from behind you.

You stopped in your steps and turned around with a kind smile.

He held out his phone, "Since we're going to be working together, might as well get to know one another." he had a timid grin.

"Don't jinx it, Holland." you let a light chuckle fall from your lips.

He shook his head, "It's not jinxing, it's manifesting and you were by far the best Cindy Moon. You've already got the part." he insisted making you shake your head.

"We'll see about that." you punched in your number and before you could add your name, Tom took his phone back.

"Wait." he quickly typed away.

'silk'

You smiled at the contact name before offering your phone. He typed in his number and took it upon himself to put the name.

'spidey'

"I'll see you around, Y/L/N." he gave you a little salute making you laugh.

You nodded, "Definitely, Holland." you turned around and walked out of the door.

Both of you were so engrossed in your interaction that you didn't notice the producers and casting directors watching from afar. Proud smiles dawning their lips.

They found their Cindy Moon.

[sixeyesgojo]

kiss it better

Summary: You had a shitty day at the store. Gojo is here to comfort you <3

Characters: Gojo x Reader

Word count: 1100

A/N: The past few weeks have been super rough - personal matters and on top of that, natural disasters + "I could lose my closest friends thanks to this" type of rough - so I wrote this pretty self-indulgently because I seriously need to be comforted lol. But that doesn't mean you can't imagine yourself in it!! The fanart is fem reader but I don't think I indicated any gender in the fic. Shoutout to the folks who work with customers, you guys are doing an amazing job! Thank you.

This entire fic was inspired by the art by the amazing @yuusagi-chii that I commissioned; check out her blog and leave a reblog on her artworks!! ♥ - posted with permission from the artist

There had been nothing to do. The whole time, Satoru was just lazing on the couch, legs stretched out on the entire thing, and waiting for you to come home as the television showed nothing but garbage.

As soon as they perceived the sound of your dangling keys in front of the door, Satoru’s ears perked up. He had been so bored all day, not knowing what to do on his free day; he was used to being busy all day, every day, around the clock. The lethargy got to the extent where he cleaned every nook and cranny in your shared home, did all the laundry for the week, reorganized the cupboard where his treasures were stored and even took a nap. Originally, he had planned to kidnap you to go on a date with him but unfortunately, your workplace said otherwise, wrecking his not-so-planned-out plan. Admittedly, it did piss him off a little but there was nothing to be done. Satoru just missed you incredibly much since he was usually gone for most days.

Your heavy footsteps that came from the entrance hall, the way your keys seemed to make louder noise than usual and the soft sigh he could hear all indicated that you had a shitty day so far. It really wasn’t rocket science for Satoru to notice little things about you. Probably entitled customers again, he thought. Satoru was well aware that working in a customer-oriented branch had to be unrewarding, draining even. Still, he wanted to tantalize you a bit, to lighten the mood and ease his boredom a little – he would do that on normal days.

However, ‘normal’ was quickly discarded when he saw your face: a hefty scowl and… were those teary eyes? His previous demeanor immediately dropped and a serious one took over. This was definitely not okay.

Satoru had noticed the last few weeks had been a little rough on you. On normal days, teasing you was his favorite thing to do and quite frankly, it was enjoyable to you as well as it lifted your mood after a stressful shift… but today must have been the tipping point and he knew better than to tease you in times like these. The last thing he wanted to be was the cause of your tears.

“Had a rough day?” Satoru asked as he met you in the hallway, wasting no time to slip his arms around your body. Crushing into his chest, you simply nodded without looking at him. You feared that if you did, tears would fall and you would no longer be in control of your emotions. The entire time you spent at work had been filled with some particularly grumpy customers you had to tend to. You had to deal with utterly disrespectful behavior towards you. Yet, you had to stay friendly and polite when, throughout the day, there had been several instances that made you want to quit your job right then and there.

Today had been terrible, so being in the amenity of your home felt uncommonly relieving. In addition to that, being in the comforting space of Satoru’s gentle hug washed off your exhaustion. It was fine to bask in the solace of his embrace for a moment, wasn’t it? Was it okay for you to give in a little and enjoy the moment for all its worth?

“Do you want to talk about it?” “Just the usual trouble but way worse for some reason,” you mumbled into his chest, just loud enough for him to hear. “Tell me about it, baby. It’s better if you get it off of your chest as soon as possible.”

You breathed out, the emotional dam you’ve built today finally breaking, “It’s just… people suck… They s-snap at me for the smallest things… and I know some of those incidents are just part of the job – I really get it a-and I try so hard to stay polite but… it’s just… very hard.”

Throughout your ramblings – how a customer had yelled at you for a minor mistake, how another one treated you like something lesser because of something that was not your mistake, how people would insist on being right and more – he listened intently to each and every word… All the while, Satoru had gently stroked your back with his palm to calm you down. “Say, Toru…there must be something wrong with me for them… to treat me like this, isn’t there?” you finally asked. “No, honey. You are perfectly fine,” he said, suppressing how pissed he actually was at the people who dared treating you badly. “Their attitude just sucks and they don’t deserve being served by someone beautiful like you. Maybe I should give them a piece of my mind some day…” “I just— I don’t even know. People are so mean… and for w-what? Is kindness in this world really that hard to find?” you lamented, choking back a sob as you buried your face deeper into him.

“Can I help you feel better in any way? Are you hungry? Do you want something to eat?” Satoru asked sweetly but the frown on his face made his worry very evident. He didn’t like it at all whenever you came back emotionally drained like this. All Satoru wanted to do was to go and ‘teach them a well-deserved lesson’ but he knew well that it would be against your wishes, so he had no choice but to sit back and be there for you when you needed him the most.

“Let me pamper and spoil my angel for today, hm?” he whispered affectionately, pressing kisses to the top of your head. Finally, you raised your head to look at him. The teary stains on your cheeks and sad expression broke his heart and he swore you could hear it cracking in his ribcage. “I just want you to hold me right now, wanna feel you close to me and nothing more,” you admitted and slung your arms around him tightly.

Promptly taking the chance, Satoru placed a sweet and loving kiss on your forehead. The sensation of his lips on your skin eased a big part of your discomfort away, making you sigh in comfort for the first time in what felt like decades. The effect this man had on you was inexplicable; the way he had the power to make you feel better by simply being there was truly magical. It made your heart flutter in a thousand ways and more.

“Then I’ll have no choice but to kiss it better.”

Taglist (open): @satosuguslut @assbuttbaek @melonnbar @delammi @silversatoru @princesatoru

[youlackconviction]

Can you tell us more about Loki? You said that reader will need a good time to get his attention but like..how..Loki is smart and he won't trust anyone easily and open to them not really sure if talking about myself is acceptable knowing that people are not alike and everyone has their personality and would make it like a personal thing..but im not really someone bold enough to try and confess or try to get someone's attention Its always one sided and every time it happens I act like a creep and keep watching and check on them without anyone notice just like the innocent creep I'm (and that the reason why I have always been single to this day dear) specially that its Loki we are talking about so it will really be strange and awkward I may just go and say it all or act like some dumb or crazy girl (did you really think I will give up on him just because I'm shy? LOL) once I'm tired of watching from afar and keeping my feelings which is really risky sense there is a chance it will end up in a bad way plus does she have to be a girl with high statue or something?

I'm a night owl and a person who likes to think and forget about everything and give up to their dreams at night so it helps a lot and you know him well✨

there's a lot to your question... but there's also a lot i can't answer. i don't think it's ever a good idea to act like someone you're not, when you're trying to form any kind of relationship with another person. and i can't say whether LOKI would be drawn to a particular person or not. there's no formula for that, for anyone. but awkwardness can be endearing; vulnerability and imperfection can be attractive. it all depends.

but not giving up is probably going to be a solid requirement. tom used to talk a while back about how LOKI is in no place emotionally to commit to a romantic relationship - because of all of his unaddressed trauma. he's in pain, reactive and defensive, and finds it difficult to trust; all with good reason.

anyone who wants to get close to him would have to be really patient with him. some days he might seem receptive... and then retreat and close himself off for a while. he's learned to be private with himself. he has a lot going on internally, so at first, the presence of a new person in his space wouldn't always take priority. and then he might be mistrustful of their motives and not want to allow them in for quite a while.

but i think over time he'd get to appreciate someone around who doesn't take opportunities to mock or belittle him, laugh at him or put him down. someone who genuinely admires him quietly and treats him with respect and kindness. maybe shares some of his interests... someone he can talk to, and be heard. and that might be a key to getting him to relax a little more. it's not rocket science, LOKI's not a freak. he wants what everyone generally wants... it's just that he's been emotionally neglected, so his wounds are deeper.

as far as whether i think he'd prefer a girl with high... sorry i'm not sure of your meaning here: status? or stature? i don't think that is important to him. rank doesn't seem to impress him particularly. and i mean, this is LOKI. a person he allows close to him even romantically wouldn't have to be a girl, at all. i think kindness and trustworthiness would rate far higher for him than anything superficial. and having a real friend would be more important to him than pushing for a romance early on, is my guess.

i appreciate the compliment that you think i know LOKI well... he would be the best judge of that but i hope i could be reasonably confident in certain things about him, insofar as he's let us see him.

[elbiotipo]

The Mastropiero in Campoestela is, like I said, much like a cross between an Ilyushin II-76 and a Space Shuttle (Buran, if you will). It takes off and lands much like a airplane, and the engines are good enough to lift it up from an earthlike world in a single go.

While for the purposes of the story it might not matter much, since I already decided the level of technology in economics and handling is pretty much like modern or rather WWII airplanes, I AM putting a lot of thought on what the engines are like. Not only because it can help me draw plotlines (about half of Star Trek is "why did the engine stop this week") but also it helps me do LIMITATIONS, which are important in science fiction. Engines, especially, are absurdly powerful in science fiction. This Space Trucker Beto Dude is going to fly a nuclear plant, I need to keep in mind what's allowed to him and how, how fast can he get from here to there, how much delta-v and thrust and such. These are vital things to the story, not so much because of "realism" but because it tells me what my character can do, what he can't, and what's routine or extraordinary to him.

My main idea is the nuclear lightbulb engine concept, because it's powerful, allows takeoff and landing and has a cool almost retro name. While realistically, you could not see the "lightbulbs" without dying from radiation, there's something funny about "having to change a lightbulb". It must be very hard to keep it running, but Suisini the engineer is there for that, and the setting assumes the technology is mature enough for small scale ships. My only concern is how long it takes to turn it on and off, as it's basically a (totally safe honest) constantly melting down reactor. I don't want them to spend days turning the reactor on and off.

Fusion engines sound too complex for me for a rugged "bush plane" spaceship, antimatter and other exotic engines open a can of worms too. I could use some exotic materials such as metallic hydrogen as fuels (they do exist in the setting and I can vaguely justify them) that would make incredibly powerful chemical rockets... but I'm not sure.

As how the FTL drive works? Splendidly.

No really, he docks with a FTL ring thingy and just flies, don't ask any questions.

OKAY, FTL is, like always, THE impossible thing about all space settings. So, much like magic in fantasy, you can do what you want there, as long as, and this is key, keep it coherent. A top speed and how long and what does it take you to get there, and don't break those rules, don't go pulling off Holdo Manuevers. My idea is a vague "dark energy network" ships can ride, denser in some places than others, thus giving "terrain" to space (some routes are easier than others). The idea is also to call back to bush pilots and WWII airplanes, so there would be clouds and storms as the ships flies through "aetheric" space. The trip takes a few days, but it can take much longer or shorter depending on the currents: this also means that worlds in main currents will be more accessible, with lots of more remote worlds in harsher currents.