#Analyst Comment/Recommendation

[stuckysbike]

Moonlight Kisses

Pairing: Bucky x Reader

Warnings: Angst, unrequited?feelings. Fluff.

Summary: You’ve fallen in love, but he wants someone else, and it’s you he’s asking for advice!

It was a cold December Friday night when you realised you were in love with Bucky Barnes.

Natasha had ushered you out of your solitude and over to her private apartment on the compound. Steve was already there, along with Sam, Joaquin, Yelana, a few from the medical team and a few mechanics.

The place was decorated for winter, with playful snowmen and fuzzy christmas trees stacked in the corners. Everyone got comfortable on the big couch and music played in the background whilst you snacked on festive foods and sipped seasonal alcoholic drinks.

Bucky had been telling a story, his face lit up and his big hands flying everywhere as he described his mom chasing him with a broom during his teenage years after a stray snowball missed its target and landed on her. Occasionally his eyes met yours and they sparkled with mischief, but you figured he was like that with everyone.

You’d been crushing on him since you arrived in January and he was first to greet you. He seemed fascinated by your job, research and data analyst, but it was ultimately boring to almost everyone but you.

You lunched together sometimes and you swapped books every few weeks. You even got him into podcasts and you were always swapping recommendations.

But tonight he looked happy, relaxed even, and when Natasha dropped her dainty feet into his lap you felt the world skip underneath you, you wanted to put your feet in his lap. You wanted his big hands dwarfing your feet.

He rubbed her toes without thinking, and she snuggled down as the mechanics started describing the prank they’d played on Tony this week, going so far as to rope Pepper in. Bucky was listening intently, laughing along with them but his hands never stopped moving. It was obvious they were intimate with each other from the tiny looks and touched they shared.

You couldn’t understand why your heart suddenly ached, and then it hit you like a train. You were jealous, more than jealous, the revelation of their relationship hurt.

“Wanna stay here tonight?” You heard Natasha murmur to Bucky during a lull in conversation. Yelana was changing the music and Joaquin was setting up tequila shots.

He smiled at her but shook his head. “Nah,” his voice was thick with tiredness.

“You finally made a move on that girl?” She teased wiggling in her spot.

Bucky’s cheeks tinged pink and you dropped your eyes when you realised you were staring. You didn’t want to be caught looking like some dumb kid. You studied your hands but your head was swimming with this sudden realisation.

It was foolish to think that Bucky with his wonderful abilities and handsome looks would be interested in you who spent most of your time at work or alone. Bucky had been to hell and back, he deserved someone gorgeous who could distract him from reality

“Think I’m gonna’ take her out, yeah,” he nodded. You snuck a glance at him in time to catch him looking from you to Natasha.

Oh god, he must have noticed you staring. How embarrassing!

Tears that had no right to form in your eyes were there anyway and you stood suddenly distracting Steve who was kneeling at the coffee table next to you. Sam took the opportunity to defeat him in their thumb war game much to Steve’s annoyance.

“I’m going to head back, I’m just really tired,” you said to the room, avoiding Bucky and trying to look above Natasha’s head. “Thank you for the invitation Natasha.”

There were a few comments asking you to stay but ultimately everyone wished you a good sleep. Your own room was a fifteen minute walk away in a shared block and you pulled your arms around yourself to fight the cold as you stepped outside. You wished you brought more than a hoodie to keep you warm.

You looked up into the sky and focused on the moon and sucked a deep breath of cold air deep into your lungs. It grounded you so you did it again.

“Hey Doll,” Bucky called startling you. You hadn’t noticed him leaving behind you but he was closer than you expected.

“Bucky, hi,” you frowned.

“Thought I’d walk you back,” he said falling into step with you. “And I wanted your advice.”

“Oh?”

“So there’s this girl I like. She’s not like the others, she’s not really - she’s different. And I really want to make a date special for her, you know?” He glanced as you, letting his arm bump yours as you walked.

“I do,” you sighed resigning yourself to your fate. You didn’t want to have this conversation but you didn’t want to not help him either. He was your friend after all and despite your feelings you would be there for him no matter what.

“So I’ve had a few first date ideas, but I’m thinking farmers market then making brunch together? I started this really great podcast and I was thinking we could listen together as we cook then talk about it while we eat? Then after we could go to a museum or something?” Bucky licked his lips and stopped turning to look at you.

You didn’t want him to share a podcast with her. That was your thing with him. You knew you were being unfair, childish even but right now you didn’t care. His deep blue eyes searched your face. He looked so vulnerable in that moment.

“That sounds lovely,” you said. And it did, you wished you were that girl, you wished Bucky wanted to go to all that trouble for you but instead you’d have to sit home alone tomorrow whilst he woo’d someone else. You hoped it would be a long time before you were forced to meet her.

“Yeah?” He asked excitedly. “I really just wanna’ hold her hand, at the market, in the museum, I just crave that feeling you know, like this,” Bucky reached for your hand and laced your fingers together, holding your joined hands up to inspect. “It’s been a long time since I held a girls hand like this.”

“I-I’m sure it has Buck,” you swallowed. His hand dwarfed yours and his heat easily crept onto your skin. His thumb caressed your knuckles and your breath hitched but Bucky didn’t seem to notice.

He resumed walking and you could do nothing but join him, he still had your hand in his. He described his outfit for his date and wondered if you had a cosy chunky sweater.

“I do, it’s so comfortable,” you said softly. You couldn’t hide the disappointment as you slowed in front of the doors. “It’s my favourite colour too.”

“Will you wear it tomorrow?” Bucky tilted his head to the side.

“Why does it matter what I wear?” You couldn’t help but giggle at his odd request. You couldn’t do it though, thinking of him with someone else whilst you wore what he asked you to.

“I want to know that you’re warm tomorrow. You know, on our date?” Bucky pressed his cool left hand on your cheek as he turned to face you. His kiss was soft, just a sweet brush of the lips and then he pulled away. “I’ll see you at nine thirty?”

“Uh huh,” you nodded dumbly. He kissed you again, and you caught the faint taste of whiskey on his lips. He was warm as he pressed into you and you let your hands slide up his chest to his shoulders.

“See you tomorrow baby girl,” he pressed one last kiss to your forehead then opened the building door for you.

You walked inside in a daze, waving goodbye and drifting up the stairs like you weighed nothing.

You couldn’t remember getting changed into your pj’s, all you knew was that you were snuggled under your duvet setting an alarm for your date with Bucky in the morning.

You smiled, and suddenly your legs kicked and you let out a little squeal. You were going out with Bucky Barnes and he kissed you three times.

You feel asleep to the memory of one hot hand and one cold hand cupping your cheeks as he kissed you in the moonlight.

[highvern]

Ateez in Different NSFW Careers

Pairing: ot8

Genre: smut, 21+

Warnings: lots of sex, masturbating, porn, domination/submission, fetishes, lmk if i missed anything egregious

Note: this is an idea for a miniseries but idk and thought id put it out there to see if people are interested (dont bring up the ateez mixtape series, im working on it!) thank you @wingsofimagery @yessa-vie for listening to this brain rot

read more here

Hongjoong:

onlyfans creator, solos of him masturbating or nudes. weirdly artistic? like camera angles on point, edited to perfection, color graded. rarely, if ever, collabs with others. occasionally posts erotic photography of one unidentifiable woman. his subscribers aren't sure what to make of it but pictures of them together are some of his best work. daylights as a photographer and has some of his work in small galleries across the city.

Seunghwa:

amatuer porn star, makes homemade couple porn or something with a close female friend. domestic/bf vibes in every video. v soft with each other even when they're having rough sex. people assume they're actually dating bc of the insane chemistry even though they never show their faces. its his fun dirty little secret no one in the office knows.

Yunho:

boyfriend for hire. specializes in "turn your brain off for the night, i'll handle it." rent him to be your date to an event or just for a night on the town. doesn't always sleep with his client (his discretion) but usually cuddles and will spend the night. just trying to pay off his student loans since being an analyst pays shit. big yunho bc he has a big... u kno? and loves hearing the women he sleeps with rave about it. has had several repeat customers and older women that recommend him to their friends.

Yeosang:

audio erotica. just aside hobby for him. tbh 9/10 times forgets to record or that he even has the account. started bc a girl he was seeing freshman year of college told him she wanted a video with the sound on and he didn't know what that meant but she liked his voice enough to let the completely black screen slide. posts sporadically but always makes waves when he does. people have offered him money for custom audios and he always turns them down.

San:

fetish model. shibari, leather, latex. you name it, he's most likely modeled it. has portrait of himself (unrecongnizable, facing away just his back criss crossed with ropes, hands bound at the base of his spine) hanging in his apartment. his friends think its weird since they know he's the one in the picture but most of the girls he brings home just think he's into some freaky stuff. started bc he would nude model for the art classes at his college when he needed fast money for weed. people assume he likes really kinky sex bc of his job but he prefers vanilla sex most of the time bc his job is so kink heavy. works as a fitness instructor as his 9-5, and had a few people recognize him but most are cool and leave him alone

Mingi:

nsfw twitter creator. videos, pictures, sliding into dms. mingi does it all and enjoys the comments of people thirsting over him even if he's one dick among thousands. for his day job he works in a sex store and flirts with the exotic dancers who come in to buy their costumes (turned down every single time, there's even a pool for how quickly he'll strike out). the one girl that flirted back still lives in his brain rent free bc all she did was smile and he folded like origami. now when she comes in mingi has to remind himself not to drool.

Wooyoung:

cam boy brat, sugars on the side. likes being degraded by his audience when he's bad. lover of milfs, and has a sugar mommy he sees once a month. loves being wined and dined by her and then loved on at her fancy apartment uptown. started doing both in college to pay rent, now works at a dance studio and keeps it up bc the extra cash is nice. enamored with taking pictures during sex. has a collection of polaroids with his current FWB that he cherishes more than anything (always carries one in his phone case). toyed with the idea of having her come on his streams but he doesn't want to share. he should probably look into that more.

Jongho:

dungeon dom (IDK), the kind thats a look don't touch dom. if you need a session to work through your stress, go to him. sexy spanking, punishment spanking, therapy spanking. he's got the knowledge and know how. has a strange collection of vintage dvds and magazines. rare stuff that he treats like art rather than smut. jongho i never want to speak on your name im sorry

-

Taglist: @tomodachiii @cvpidyunho @miniseokminnies @ddaengpotate @arycutie @gaebestie @primoppang @gyuguys @mine-gyu @doremifasire @missminhoe @toplinehyunjin @crvs4vldtn @prettygyuuu

© highvern. copying/reuploading/translating my work anywhere is strictly prohibited.

[mamirhodessxox]

Ultra violence (Introduction)

Dexter Morgan! x Fem!Oc (Piper Cora James)

(Nothing important from the show such as previous cases mentioned in the series won’t be used or mentioned within the FF so nobody feels like they’re missing out on anything but for those interested in the show it is called ‘Dexter’ & can be used on Netflix, be warned there are mentions of heavy topics like Murder & can even include gore-ish scenes so watch at your own risk.)

Desc: In the shadows of Miami's Bay Harbor, Dexter and Piper, two enigmatic souls, found solace in each other's darkness once but Divorced. Their connection, a dance of masks and secrets, unfolded in blood-soaked whispers, drawing themselves into a world where love is still thrived amidst the shadows of their shared secrets when the two become closer & rekindle their past and shared traditions.

Contents: Murder, Alcohol consumption, in depth detail on certain aspects of violence that is mentioned, Smut in later chapters, Knife Play, Bondage, toxic relationship, (original characters from the TV show will be mentions such as Vince Masuka, James Doakes, Debra Morgan, Angel Batista & María LaGuerta.)

🏷️ list: @alyyaanna @ginswife @coolpastelartshoe @greatkoalawizard @cokolin044 @kotoriarlert @alicerosejensen @bunnybot55 @mini-rollins @southerngirl41 @harmshake @femdisa @kabloswrld @claymoresofinfamy23 @bones-rhodes @cococodysleevlesshoodie @edtomh @ihatecodyrhodes @ihatecodyrhodes @ayeeitsali @lisatommo28

FF inspired Playlist as usual! (I would recommend to listening to the playlist while reading but too each their own <3):

{~I'm very serious with you guys interacting with my writing!!!! it would make me so happy & excited, the more comments & reposts the more inspiration i have to write :) likes and comments are strongly appreciated so please COMMENT COMMENT COMMENT COMMEENNTTT the more comments the more content <3!!!~}

———————————————————————

Piper Cora James - 27 years old (Forensic Investigator)

Christina James -41 Years old (Pipers Mother)

Pedro Ramirez -32 Years Old (Detective for Miami Metro Police)

Alexa García -29 Years Old (Bartender)

Dexter Morgan -36 Years Old (forensic blood spatter analyst)

Michael Patrovski -38 (Chief of Police)

Valeria Ortiz -45 Years Old (Lieutenant of Miami Metro Police)

———————————————————————

This series will be found in the “Dexter Morgan” Category within my Masterlist so be on the lookout or ask to be apart of the tag list so you can keep up for future posts / updates :)

PS. I have a discord server dedicated to many fanbases & FF writers so please feel free to join <3

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

IBAMA upholds denial for Petrobras drilling in Amazon basin

Analysts from Brazil’s environmental agency listed technical issues they believe prevent reversing previous decision against permit

Twenty-six analysts from the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA) signed a report recommending the environmental permit denial for Petrobras to drill a well in Block FZA-M-59, located in the Foz do Amazonas Basin on the Equatorial Margin, should be upheld. The team listed technical issues they believe prevent reversing the previous decision against granting the permit.

Although higher-level authorities supported the report, IBAMA’s president, Rodrigo Agostinho, sent an official letter to Petrobras allowing the state-owned oil company to provide “clarifications” on the points raised in the report before a final decision is made. Petrobras did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

IBAMA’s recommendation comes as a setback for Petrobras, which, under Magda Chambriard’s leadership, has been stressing the need to open new exploratory frontiers in oil and gas. Last week, the company’s chief exploration and production officer, Sylvia Anjos, said, “We will do everything that IBAMA requests.”

In May 2023, IBAMA had denied Petrobras’s request for an environmental permit to drill a well in deep waters in the Foz do Amazonas. Petrobras appealed to the agency and submitted several documents revising environmental plans to overturn the decision. Key points in the revised plans focused on the impact of air support operations at Amapá’s Oiapoque Airport on Indigenous communities and a wildlife rescue plan in the event of spills.

Continue reading.

[canonical-transformation]

Genshin ships: stock market update (Fontaine Act 5 + Animula Choragi Act 1)

(Warning: May contain spoilers for character appearances and dynamics in Masquerade of the Guilty and "The Little Oceanid". Previously: Act 1; Act 3+4)

We begin by revisiting the traditional F/M capital-R Romance sector.

Navia/Neuvillette has surged to new peaks following what our analysts are calling "some serious Orpheus and Eurydice bs". We recommend: BUY.

Wriothesley/Clorinde has slightly dipped as a result, but— hold on, something's happening

⚠️ ⚠️ we interrupt this program for a SPECIAL REPORT on ⚠️ ⚠️

the Furina–Focalors stock split

Following 2022's embarrassingly premature Kusanali–Rukkhadevata merger rumours, and the 2021 disaster that data vendor AO3 refers to only as "Original Baal", the underlying "blorbos" commodity market has long been anticipating some form of reorganisation relating to Furina.

With the announcement of the clear delineation between Furina vs Focalors, most markets have gracefully incorporated the news. In the ship markets, little has changed, with most ships clearly indexed on Furina. The ships most strongly affected are the Neuvillette ones due to immortality and proximity.

Focalors/Neuvillette — HOLD OR BUY. Not only is it absorbing all the investors fleeing the Egeria/Neuvillette (SELL) write-off, but he receives 70% of Focalors's screen time and 100% of her sass. Would watch her monologue at him again.

Furina/Focalors — meme stock. Sorry. You do you, but our analysts say the "twincest but mommy issues" thing is funny for about five seconds but then that's it. SELL.

Furina/Neuvillette — BUY BUY BUY. Largely untouched by the stock split. With Furina having shed the "immature kid" accusations entirely, and with Neuvillette's exclusive front row seat to her entire 500 year performance, the market is having a renaissance right now.

🌎🌍 we conclude our special report. Back to our regular programming! 🌍🌎

While we're on the subject of Furina...

Furina/Lumine — Ooof. The "final temptation and confirming all Furina's worst fears" during Masquerade was bad enough. The entitlement Traveller showed Furina during the start of her Character Quest is also a major spanner in the works. And the revelations of Masquerade make any pre-Masquerade fluff a tough sell. SELL OR HOLD. Fundamentals are still there but the market correction is yet to finish.

Furina/Abyss Lumine — Keep an eye out for the coming IPO. Potential BUY at the currently discussed price.

Furina/Aether — Who?

Navia/Aether — Oh now we're talking. Tears of the Kingdom wants its Michelangelo reference back, but it won't hold up in court. BUY OR HOLD

Navia/Clorinde — BUY BUY BUY. According to one analyst, "if that lipstick line didn't spawn a dozen drawings/fics of them making out, I quit". Not to mention the childhood friends news from a few weeks back!

Lyney/Aether and Lyney/Lumine — HOLD. A slight dip following relatively dry interactions in the AQ, but nothing that affects the ships' longer term prospects.

Jurieu/Lourvine — Our analysts were unavailable for comment after a fist fight in the hallway. CHECK AGAIN LATER

Wriothesley/Neuvillette — BUY. Going strong as predicted, plenty more to expect.

Furina/Sandrone — HOLD OR BUY. A small handful of creators are doing amazing work in this space but it's hard to judge.

...and a few scattered others:

Ann/Caterpillar — No chemistry. Their potential dynamic is interesting but (unlike most of the populace of Fontaine) the ship doesn't hold water. SELL

Finch/Callirhoe — HOLD OR BUY depending on whether someone figures out a smut concept involving the teardrop gift thing.

Xingqiu/Chongyun — HOLD. Surprisingly, their interactions in the Waterborne Poetry had no upward or downward pressure on the ship whatsoever. I say surprisingly but um. Did they even get lines with each other. Yang! Chongyun finally appeared on screen though, which is a boon to anyone trying to show one of his more manic moments.

Nahida/Apep — SELL IMMEDIATELY. If anyone approaches you saying this is the next Neuvifuri, it's a scam. Don't fall for it.

Freminet/Neuvillette — oh come on I'm pretty sure the analysts are making things up at this point. Have they even interacted outside that conspiracy picnic at Navia's?

Diona/Callirhoe — yeah they're trolling me.

[loser-female]

Hi! This is my space. If you are curious on the subject of radical feminism this post is for you.

Few things:

Kindfem (here on nice vs kind);

Bi-focused and disability/ND focused;

Anti-individualist,

Anti-black and white thinking,

Politically a socialist,

The job of a SOC Analyst.

About mental illness and excuses (one day I I'll make an actual essay about this, currently be happy with this version)

Ask policy:

I'm going to donate 5€ to a feminist organisation for every hate anon regarding me being a "terf" or something;

I'm going to donate 5€ to a DV organisation specifically for every hate anon, comment or reblog about me being in a relationship with a man

And you still won't get an answer! Ask yourself if it's worth it.

I will do my best to catalogue and keep this space organised. Most of my tags are organisational, they are placed to help myself and others finding the stuff they need to find.

1. What's radical feminism? ->Tag full of resources to explore on radical feminism.

-> here is a non-radfem article about choice feminism and why is bad.

-> another article on why choice feminism is bad, from a Black woman perspective

If you are curious about doing some feminism in your life I have the how to be a feminist tag.

2. Relationships tag -> This is compiled mostly for women who have relationship with men and want to lower their risk.

Here are my favourite non-radfem things, resources and opinions on the subject;

-> Zawn is a brilliant writer that tackle the inequalities in marriage and motherood. She is very active on substack and has a lot of resources for women in a long term relationship with men.

-> You should have asked is a comic about the mental load of work women have to do in a relationship with men.

-> She divorced me because I left dishes by the sink is a blog post made by a man for men that explains how this little non-action lead ultimately to his divorce.

-> Fair play is a method to address domestic inequality few people I know swear by.

-> Duluth model on abuse. Please read that carefully before dismissing it.

In the relationship tag there is also criticism on how this could work or not.

I now have a female separatism tag!

-> Some reflection on separatism and power

3. Tag Cloud! (hopefully)

-> self explanatory tags dedicated to these subjects.

4. How to connect to others? -> @nansheonearth her blog is full of resources of where to find others, Discord servers, how to visit womyn's land resources, IRL meetings and separatism in general. Check her out!

@rad-fem-zine with my own contributions:

-> my mom's story (medical misogyny)

-> Cybersecurity guide for cyberfems

5.My favourite essays.

-> I'm not here to make friends

-> The Ethical Prude

-> How to grow the fuck up, a guide to humans

-> The Gentrification of Disability (it explains how the neurodivergent movement is failing ADHD and autistic people, thanks to )

Also: I sometimes reblog things I don't agree with but I consider worthy of consideration regardless.

6. Still missing from this post:

Stuff over female separatism and how to practice it IRL to various degrees.

The actual tag cloud (Tumblr doesn't allow me to use js on the blog and god I'm going to beg the staff but idk)

Send me a message/ask if:

Want to know stuff about cybersecurity!

Have recommendations for this post.

[yuki-boshi]

Kai no Kiseki - Act 1 Part 2 English Summary

Table of Contents

Sorry it took so long to release this. Life gets in the way. And Act 1 Part 2 I think is pretty long.

As always, this is is not a substitute for an actual translation, it's supplementary at best!

1 PM

Elaine and the other Bracers meet Van at his office in Old Town. Van asks Elaine about the case she’s working on. Elaine looks to Zin for permission to share, and he agrees. She explains that the case dates back to March, when the Guild, ASO, and the CID cooperated to arrest an anti-immigration terrorist group. Now, there are signs of a new anti-immigration organization called the Yuushidan (憂士団). Elaine mentions that the police have little information and that this new group may have activity outside the Republic as well.

Risette asks if this is connected to the case Towa mentioned about Northern immigrants disappearing. Elaine speculates that the Yuushidan might be recruiting white immigrants to strengthen their ranks.

A map shows neighboring nations, revealing a small number of missing people, all tied to the same "broker." Bergard notes how covert the operation is, which explains why it's gone unnoticed for months. However, it's still a significant issue. Zin agrees, adding that the last three months coincide with the Space Program announcement, and there might be a reason the CID hasn’t acted yet.

Elaine then informs Van that neither she nor Van have been able to contact Rene. The Guild reached out to the CID for collaboration but was turned down, likely because the CID is focused on the space project. Aaron finds it suspicious that Kincaid, a master analyst who tracks every jaeger group, including the Kruga’s, seems to be overlooking this potential terrorist threat. Judith asks if the MK is involved, but Risette corrects herself, saying that the MK has no such orders.

Van interprets this as a sign that the anti-immigration issue isn't on anyone’s radar and proposes a joint effort like the one in March (Kuro 2). Zin agrees, although Elaine clarifies she can’t fully participate but will help occasionally. Frustrated, Elaine remarks that she could have just had Fie assist the ASO, but wonders why Zin specifically recommended her. The group has a lighthearted moment before Van thanks Elaine for her limited participation. Elaine agrees and asks Bergard to spar with her again to learn. Bergard, amused, accepts, eager to see what the "Sword Maiden" can do.

While the girls head upstairs, Aaron relaxes on the couch. Quatre comments on Aaron’s ability to stay fit despite his daily drinking. Aaron teases back, saying he’s "built different" and has his own form of "night exercise," implying something risqué (sex or something). Quatre, embarrassed, blurts out that he doesn’t need to know that. Bergard approaches Aaron, offering to teach him Kunlun breathing techniques. Aaron declines, satisfied with his Gekka style, but Bergard insists on the importance of being diverse.

Zin jokes that maybe he and Elaine can assist Van part-time so that he can study with Bergard too. Van declines and shifts the conversation, asking if there’s any news about Walter (Direwolf). Zin clarifies that the anti-immigration group has no connection to the Society. He also recalls Renne's earlier hint about an upcoming plan.

Zin then mentions that the Lemans State Headquarters may contact Van, as they are interested in learning about the Spriggans. Although Zin shared some information, he kept crucial details hidden, including Van’s ability to transform into Grendel. In very neat Japanese things, the kanji for “her” appears in the text, but the furigana reads Agnes, revealing the identity to the reader.

Zin also notes their curiosity about what happened in the Marchen Garten.

In the funniest most meta (outside game) thing, Zin leaves says considering Van’s track record, he will also be contacted by an organization that the guild frequents. Van thinks about it saying there’s only ONE group, and then a big Epstein logo just flashes in.

Elaine then re-enters, complaining about her new outfit. Van, geeking out, compliments her look, saying it suits her well and that her white heels look stylish and durable. Elaine is taken aback, stuttering, "O-Oh... R-Really?"

Quatre, annoyed, comments that Van still hasn’t praised him, and the others begin teasing Van about his dynamic with Elaine. Even Bergard joins in.

Overhearing them, Van tells them to knock it off and urges Bergard not to get involved. Elaine clears her throat to regain the group’s focus and announces that she’s temporarily removing her Bracer insignia to work with them until evening, ready to tackle the 4SPGs.

The players then receive a Judith Disguise item.

As the players take control in the field, Elaine will ask where Agnes is, expressing her hope to work with her. Judith adds that she also did not get to spend time with Agnes due to the morning's events. Van responds, telling them that they are both celebrities and should avoid attracting too much attention, especially Judith. Flustered, Judith questions why she is being singled out, insisting that she is very careful.

Outside the store, Baselia is no longer at the hotel and has come to Old Town to talk to Brenda, Eddy's mother. Baselia asks Brenda if Eddy is around, mentioning that she hasn’t seen him in a while and feels he has been distant. Baselia wonders if she has done something wrong. Brenda, with a sweatdrop, thinks to herself about Eddy's behavior. She tells Baselia that Eddy has been absent-minded lately, but he left the house today looking serious and went to a busy area. She suggests that if Baselia is interested, she should check there for him.

At the 4SPG board, the group finds no requests. Van receives a call from an unknown number, causing him to panic slightly at Zin's warning. He answers the phone and hears a girl’s voice, Altina, asking if this is Arkride's number. She introduces herself as Altina Orion, stating they met yesterday at MK. Bergard comments to himself about her being the same age as Agnes but having a beautiful background. Judith thinks Altina is very pretty and would make a great actress.

Altina, hearing their comments, clears her throat and explains that she is not contacting them as a member of Thors but as a representative of the Crossbell branch of the Epstein Foundation, requesting their assistance. The group returns to the office, feeling annoyed to hear that the Marchen Garten has been taken over again. They reminisce about events from Kuro 2, not expecting that MK would abandon the Garten after it was hacked shortly after a major update in May, especially since the Beta version was set to release in June. They learn that the takeover was executed using extreme cutting-edge hacking technology rather than Genesis.

Mirabel hijacks the call, stating that MK's policy is to let the Foundation handle this situation. She asks if it is acceptable to follow everyone since the handoff is not finalized yet. Altina agrees, and they load up what the Garten looks like now, revealing the Grim Garten, which has a darker, moodier appearance. Van appears unimpressed.

Judith remarks that it is obvious who is behind this, leading them to immediately suspect the Society. However, they note that they have not encountered them since March. Regardless, since MK is asking the Foundation to take action, the Foundation has no choice, especially since MK is also offering to share secrets about Shard technology in exchange for liberating the Garten. Aaron chuckles, commenting on the cheekiness of the arrangement.

Altina asks if they can take on this request as a 4SPG. Van hesitates, explaining that he cannot promise anything due to a backlog of tasks. However, he still agrees to accept the request. Altina is surprised and asks if he really means it. Everyone expresses their thoughts, with Aaron saying it is a good opportunity to utilize his skills, Quatre showing interest in how the hacking was done, Judith wanting to know how it was stolen as a phantom thief, and Elaine insisting she must participate since the Society is involved. Mirabel thanks everyone for their support. Shortly after, Van receives an app called “Grim Search,” a newer version of the Shard Search.

They discover a portal in the back alley and are introduced to the Grim Garten.

Grim Garten

The next area transforms into a board game format. In the first domain, the team must defeat a boss monster. After they successfully defeat it, the Garten briefly returns to normal but then changes back. They are teleported back to the entrance, where Altina explains that while they defeated the Boss Guardian, they did not clear the Domain. Mare reappears to assist them with their situation, noting that all the customization aspects of the Garten have been renamed to reflect a more grim theme.

Altina asks Van if he will continue with the request, to which he agrees. Altina thanks Mirabel, who will oversee the Garten in the meantime. Meanwhile, Simeon watches from a distance, noting that the team took the bait and entered the Grim Garten. He remarks that this is the first time he has seen anyone other than the “Lion” (Bergard) and expresses excitement about meeting the Hero of Shackles, which is Van’s chibi nickname. He decides it is too early to reveal his identity and plans to continue assisting the Professor from behind the scenes.

Riverside Area In the Riverside Area, players can find Sonia, the teacher from earlier in Part 1, where Towa encouraged her to talk to her boyfriend. Sonia is sitting at a small table by the water with Edward. They discuss their relationship and how not seeing each other often makes them feel as though they are not really dating. Sonia suggests breaking up because she feels inadequate. Edward interjects, insisting that he loves her and has taken their relationship for granted. He resolves to work harder, stating that being too busy with work is not an excuse anymore.

The group then enters Bermotti’s café, questioning if it is even open. Bermotti informs them that it has been open since noon, and it is now past 1 PM. He explains that another significant event is likely drawing customers away, probably related to the Star Taker plan Van is investigating. Van brushes off Bermotti's comments with a lighthearted response, but Bergard points out that Bermotti must have valuable information if he is speaking so directly to Van.

As they share information, Bermotti mentions that he initially thought the CID and the Spriggans were handling the underworld, but it seems to be the opposite. Everyone is focused on the Star Taker project, which makes him suspicious. He describes the situation as a calm before the storm. Van urges Bermotti to share any information he has since he is acquainted with Hermes and has been seen with her frequently. Elaine also reminds them that Bermotti introduced Hermes to her.

Van addresses Hermes by her proper name, prompting her to ask him not to do that. Emilia drops by because she knows they haven’t seen each other since the announcement of the space project and thought it was a good opportunity.

Van jokingly comments on the fact that the first astronaut in history was moonlighting as a delivery girl and questions if her injury was fake. Emilia clarifies that she was genuinely injured but is making a comeback. She explains that she began her career three years ago after the Great War. Van expresses surprise at her decision to be a delivery driver instead of pursuing racing, to which Emilia responds that driving allowed her to practice her piloting skills for future space travel.

She shares that she is 28 years old and flirts with Van, suggesting that she hopes to resume delivery services for him once everything settles down. Van reciprocates, acknowledging her help as Hermes. Emilia playfully clings to him, implying that if he relies on her so much, he could be more than just a customer. Van becomes flustered by her assertiveness.

Feri warns him that getting too close to a woman before marriage is inappropriate. Aaron teases Van, and Elaine asks him to clarify his earlier comment. Van requests that they not interrupt the conversation and misinterpret his words.

Judith, Bergard, and Risette do not tease Van; instead, they are hurt and curious about why Emilia misled them through omission.

After the cutscene, an optional conversation with Emilia becomes available. Speaking to her reveals that she is leaving for the Oort Testing Site to work on the space project. Van offers to take her out for a drink if she is ever free, hoping to hear about her experiences in space. Emilia agrees.

Talking to Bermotti reveals that Jack and Hal went on an expedition to Tharbad.

---

4SPG Quest A man from General Affairs at Edgeworth Company reports that the PC terminals have not been functioning since yesterday and that a ransom note demanding 1 million mira was found on a screen, threatening to release all the company’s stolen data to the public. Quatre and Risette determine that this type of hacking is known as ransomware. Van questions the man’s honesty, as this is a legitimate crime that should be handled by the police or the Bracer Guild, not the Spriggans.

The man admits that his device is likely the reason the company fell victim to ransomware because his phone was connected to the company’s orbal network while he was goofing off at work. He explains that he visited a shady gambling site, which likely infected the entire network. Judith understands why he sought assistance from the ASO instead of other agencies; he wants to avoid being fired.

Van agrees to help since it seems the attackers are likely former associates of Almata.

They access the bidding site where the auction for the Edgeworth Trading Co. data is taking place. Choosing Option 2 twice (+5000 each) and then Option 3 (+10000) allows them to win the bid. After acquiring the data, they receive a direct message from PLAYBOY. The group tracks the IP address to the Auber District. However, they are interrupted by a person named Rain, who delivers something to Van using drone technology. Rain states that he will fill in for Hermes regarding ZCF-related inquiries.

In Auber, they find people in a suspicious black car, which flees the scene. Rain uses his drone to deploy spikes on the road, causing the car to crash. The perpetrators are arrested, but Rain explains that he is from RA Security and must report to his superiors about the drone’s use. This means the employee from the Trading Company may face consequences and possibly get fired.

Players can choose from the following options:

Tell the man to be honest with the company.

Deny the allegations.

Make a deal with Rain.

If players choose Option 3, Van interjects, suggesting that Rain could leave out the employee's name from his report. Rain responds skeptically, questioning whether Van is trying to interfere with his work. Eventually, they reach a compromise.

After the quest, Rain states it is time to focus on business and informs the group that he will leave the Crossbell situation to his sibling.

Tyrell District Upon entering the Tyrell District, the group notices that the area is buzzing with excitement about the Star Taker project. They discuss how the introduction of the T-Phone and Orbal Social Networks has enabled news to spread quickly.

Players can find Celis and Rion at a café, where they inform the group that they are searching for something not available in the capital, so they are leaving. Additionally, players can find Shahina and Saara looking for a book, which triggers a 4SPG quest where Shahina seeks information about Central Eastern performing arts. After inquiring around Tyrell, players can use the T-phone network to contact someone at the Z1 GR to obtain the book.

Auber District

The group arrives at Auber District in their truck. Aaron parks the vehicle, and Elaine asks Van if he plans to see Agnes since she is in the area. Van confirms he does intend to visit her, and he is suggested to bring gifts from the nearby cake shop. At the patisserie, the owner mentions that they are familiar with Van's blog about sweets and expresses a desire for him to share more content.

Meanwhile, Regina and a new recruit are stationed at the gate to the underground. Regina warns Van about the recent increase in Bracer recruits and expresses concern for their safety, advising against rushing into danger.

At the school gates, Bergard reminisces about attending a festival in Aramis eight years ago, before he knew Van. He recalls watching Elaine's performance about the Revolution, where she portrayed Sheena.

The local 4SPG is seeking assistance in dealing with an Almata assassin who remains at large. The group's reaction to the direct request for murder is one of hesitation, but they reach out to the Bracer Guild for guidance. Hazel informs them that the assassin is likely "Lady Silence," known for leaving little evidence behind after her crimes. They contact Hal for more information and head to Brothers Music Store, where they notice someone suspiciously following them and give chase.

The options for pursuing the stalker are as follows:

He hid in the News Store.

He hid behind a car.

Choosing the second option successfully captures the culprit, who turns out to be Lady Silence's son. He pleads with the group for help in finding his mother so they can escape abroad, away from the threats they face. They eventually track down Candice, a.k.a. Lady Silence, in the Riverside sewers.

Candice refuses to cooperate and opens fire on them. After a chase, Bergard confronts Van, suggesting that Candice may have orchestrated the 4SPG request as a way to seek assisted suicide by involving the Spriggans. Van decides to contact Stan while urging Bergard and the others to move ahead. They finally corner Candice, but she points her gun at Van, leading to a tense showdown.

The choices presented to Van are:

Turn her over to the police.

Turn her over to Eisenchild, known for dealing with Almata remnants.

If Van chooses the first option, Stan reproaches him for not fulfilling their promise. Van counters with the harsh truth that aiding Stan's wish would only result in a life built on lies and constant fear. He argues that if she goes to jail, it might provide her a chance to start anew.

Grand Prix

At the racing track, Lucio and Graham engage in a mock race to prepare for the actual competition the next day. During the race, Lucio’s car flips, causing Graham to crash into a wall while trying to help his friend. Yunifa expresses her sadness that they may be unable to participate in the race due to the damage to the engine. Lucio and Graham feel guilty about the incident.

Elsewhere, Maxim, Gotti, and Giordono discuss the usual movie business. Gotti spots Elaine and wonders if she has come to accept his offer for her to star in his films. Elaine bluntly declines. Judith observes the interaction, commenting that Elaine’s face conveys everything without needing to say more. Gotti and Maxim also chat about their upcoming film, Perfect Driver 0. Maxim wants Yume to finally acknowledge him more than just Uncle and see how rich and cool he really is.

Zin, Gray, and other Bracers discuss Gray's transfer to Basel.

Connect Event: Agnes

Van and Agnes take Alphonse for a walk around Edith. They visit Old Town and encounter Yume and her friends. Afterward, they head to the Central Marche, where Agnes requests to visit a nearby dog park near the fountain. Van is swarmed by dogs, prompting Agnes to laugh and remark on his unexpected popularity with them. She reveals that she has been fostering dogs since childhood and that Alphonse is a rescue she found when she was ten, during a rainy walk with her parents in Riverside, where she heard a puppy's cries for help.

As they continue their conversation, Van compliments Agnes, expressing how much he relies on her as his indispensable part-time assistant. She blushes at his praise. After another swarm of dogs, Agnes giggles, but her thoughts drift as she contemplates how to confess her feelings, recalling her experiences during Kuro 2. She hopes to take things one step at a time.

Connect Event: Elaine

At Riverside, Elaine asks Van to help her choose an Orbal bike, having been indecisive for a week. Van suggests that either option would be fine, leaving the decision to her personal preference. They test ride both the ETWAS and the Red Star. After switching back and forth, Elaine feels more anxious than ever about her choice.

She decides on the Red Star as a safer option, but Van's intuition suggests that she is avoiding the ETWAS due to her father's arrest and the negative reputation of its CEO from the previous year. Elaine quips that childhood friends can be annoyingly perceptive.

She then finalizes her purchase, choosing the ETWAS, Elaine asks if she can drop by to express her gratitude to Van for his support during her decision-making process.

Back at Auber District

The group heads to the Student Council Room in the school. Elaine and Van reminisce about their time there, including memories of Rene. Upon entering, they meet Towa, marking the first introduction between her and Bergard. Towa shares that she has heard various stories from Gaius. The group enjoys cake together while Towa discusses her friends from MK, Thors’ class. Feri mentions that one of Towa’s friends inquired about the Grim Garten case on behalf of the Epstein Foundation. Renne joins the group to greet them.

Towa checks her phone and discovers that the bus system in Edith is down. She asks Van for a ride, complimenting his diverse friend group as being naturally harmonious despite their different backgrounds. Elaine echoes Towa's sentiments, pointing out that Thors has a similar diversity. Towa agrees, explaining that her connections to her friends stem from Thors, which is why she decided to leave for the Republic.

While driving to the airport, Towa mentions a new anti-immigrant organization operating near the Republic. Van expresses his concerns about the group's lack of visible connections to the space project, noting that the Guild is worried about them. They ponder whether Thors might have any relevant information, but Towa reports no activities from Liberl, Crossbell, or Imperial territories.

Eventually, Towa reveals that she is headed to Basel on a secret mission. After dropping her off, the group proceeds to the Blacklight District. On their way, they see news coverage reporting that the test dummy from the prologue has successfully returned to the planet and announces the date for the upcoming manned rocket launch, set for three days later on July 12th at 1 PM. Feri realizes that this date coincides with Agnes's birthday.

Upon entering the Blacklight District, the group encounters Ashlad and Hasan, who are seeking information. Hasan mentions a troubling trend of missing persons connected to the area. Van claims this is the first he’s heard of it, but Elaine suspects it may be related to a canceled missing persons report previously handled by Inspector Nate. Hasan elaborates that initially, only a few Jaegers were missing, but now the number has increased significantly, prompting Bergard to inquire if Ashlad is in the area due to the Church's activities. Ashlad affirms this, emphasizing the importance of staying informed about these groups.

Van asks about influential powers in the Blacklight District and learns that a certain individual is referred to as "boss." He seeks out Isabelle, the unlicensed doctor, to inquire about this "boss." Isabelle is hesitant to reveal the identity.

After the group looks around they learn that it is Gin, the tobacco lady. She explains that the nickname was not her doing but rather something the community adopted, and that she oversees the area, caring for vagrants. Eventually, she directs the group to an abandoned area called the Culvert, where they may find more information about the missing people.

As soon as they enter, Elaine mentions that not even the Guild knows about this place. Van says, no wonder someone as important as the boss would know something that even the Guild doesn’t.

They find a spot where a bunch of clothes are on the ground. Risette starts to feel uneasy as Bergard and Van notice, and they are jumped by a giant boss monster. They are saved by Gouran and Rixia. They discuss how Rixia is no longer a contractor of The Lu family, but that she and Gouran are collaborating together due to both being Heiyue. They discuss about the monster being similar to the ones fought at the Outskirts.

Chardin District

Upon reaching the Chardin District, the atmosphere is enchanting, especially in the evening. Feri describes it as the "adult" district, to which Aaron responds that she is still a kid. Feri retorts that, in Kruga culture, turning 14 is considered adulthood. As you explore the area, you will come across a museum displaying art from Kisara, Fleix, and Mehmed. Engaging with nearby NPCs will lead to Feri expressing her surprise at discovering what "sex appeal" means.

Next, you encounter a small club performance featuring Central Eastern dancers. Van speaks with a man surrounded by women who questions why a child is present. Feri insists she is an adult in her hometown. The man thinks to himself that Feri looks promising and notes that if the establishment has no objections, then it should not be an issue.

While considering entry into the Chardin, Van learns that acquiring tickets can be quite challenging. Shortly thereafter, they run into Marielle, who mentions an upcoming play. Judith realizes she forgot she was invited by Nina and hastily puts on a disguise.

The play, titled "Gloria” features re-enactments of Atkinson, Aramis, and Sheena Dirke, with Nina portraying Sheena. Judith explains her absence from the rehearsal, which necessitated her disguise. Dominique and another person spot the group; the other person is identified as Judith's mother, Chloe. During this moment, it is revealed that Bergard knows Dominique and that Chloe is acquainted with Paulette's father, Viktor. Additionally, Cody and Rocksmith are present.

Part 2 concludes with Nina, in her role as Sheena, reciting that the path for Calvard has been fraught with blood from the beginning, yet she must continue moving forward. She wonders if a new tomorrow (dawn) awaits them.

[mariacallous]

At a press briefing on Tuesday, Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was asked how Ukraine could be involved in the Crocus City Hall terrorist attack, as the Kremlin has alleged, given that the attackers appear to have been recruited by ISIS and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is Jewish.

In response, Peskov said that Zelensky is a “specific kind of Jew.”

Below is the exchange in English:

Journalist: Does the Kremlin still consider it plausible that the Islamists who carried out the terrorist attack may somehow be linked to Ukraine’s leadership, considering the fact that it’s led by a Jew?

Peskov: Well, that person is a specific kind of Jew: a Jew who, in many ways, exhibits a sympathy, who gravitates, to the nationalist spirit that has permeated the Kyiv regime. This is abundantly clear based on the facts and on his statements.

As far as the question of what can be said about the situation, anything can be said. And observers and analysts can probably afford to comment. But I will repeat again that as long as the investigation is still ongoing, no official authorities can afford to make any statements in this regard. Although I recommend that you very carefully reread the statements that President Putin has made in the last two days. In this context, they’re very important.

Vladimir Putin first commented publicly on the Crocus City Hall terrorist attack nearly 20 hours after it occured. In a televised address, he alleged that four of the men responsible for the attack had been arrested while en route to the Ukrainian border, where he claimed the “Ukrainian side” had prepared a “window” for them to cross.

Putin addressed the public again on March 25. This time, he said that it’s vital to find out “why the terrorists were trying to go specifically to Ukraine after the attack” and “who was waiting for them there.” He added that Friday’s attack was committed by “radical Islamists” but also accused the U.S. of trying to “convince” other countries that “there are no signs of Kyiv’s involvement.”

ISIS-K, a branch of the Islamic State terrorist group, has claimed responsibility for the Crocus City Hall attack, and multiple U.S. officials have confirmed the authenticity of the group’s statements.

[tomorrowusa]

On July 4th Britain goes to the polls in an election which is likely to put the Conservative (or Tory) government out of its 14 year misery.

The Conservative Party has conducted what has to be one of the most hysterically inept campaigns of the past 50 years.

The latest wrinkle is that some Tories, including people in Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's circle, are part of a gambling scandal which used apparent insider information to place bets on the timing of the election.

In a highly ironic touch, a 2018 ad by the Conservative Party with the theme "don't gamble with Labour" was recently rediscovered.

😆

Things are so bad for the Conservatives that one of their own candidates called his party a "shower of shit".

James Cracknell, who is standing to be a Conservative MP, has called the Tories a “shower of shit”, in a video he posted on Facebook. The former Olympic rower, who is the Conservative candidate for the key Labour target of Colchester, said: “Two weeks out from the Olympics, if we are competing against the Conservative party my teammates and I would be saying they are a shower of shit. “And if one of my teammates got caught for cheating they’d be dead to me. That abuse of trust is unforgivable.” His comments emerged over the weekend as more allegations surfaced that Tory candidates and officials bet on the date of the general election before Rishi Sunak announced it.

The election is Thursday July 4th. That's a national holiday in the US, but I would recommend to my fellow Americans to catch live UK election coverage on the BBC (or wherever) online after viewing the traditional fireworks displays. This will be one for the history books. And if things go as expected, it will be fun to hear reporters and analysts run out of adjectives when describing the election results.

[iriel3000]

2015 Friday Recs - Week 3

Happy Friday! Some reading recommendations for your enjoyment. No particular order and more to come.

Let's focus on the positive. What was your favorite Clintasha moment in Age of Ultron?

Me: Clint distressed over Nat's disappearance and him explaining how he was going to have to teach the twins 'some manners'.

Compromised by evieeden

Clint received just one message: to get out. Shield had been compromised.

Criminal by ShunKickShunKers

If you asked her, Natasha would say Steve Rogers was a good man, but his priorities tended to mix up. So when a series of murders concerning a former army strike team arise, and Natasha has to partner with her ex-husband to find the killer, she is NOT pleased.

The Name's Brandt (I'm sorry, I meant Barton) by orphan_account

Clint Barton aka Hawkeye had gone under cover into (Impossible Mission Force) as Field Agent turned Analyst William Brandt. He'd been there for six months and was working with Ethan Hunt's team that consisted of Benjamin 'Benji' Dunn, Jane Carter and of course Ethan Hunt and he was actually liking it there. Until one mission told him it was time to come home, whether the mission was over or not.

He Made a Different Call by andrastesgrace (emmijadeshow), gallifreyslostson

Agent Barton deals with the fallout of his failed assassination of the notorious Black Widow

Loop by Arukou

The hand-cuff winks at Natasha, laughs at her. Even free of the Red Room, she's not free of it.

Agony by OkayLetsObsess

Clintasha fic in which things get steamy quickly.

If you are one of the authors or know them on tumblr and they are not properly tagged, please let me know in comments and I'll add them. Also, feel free to browse other categories, click the Iriel3000fridays recs link below.

[stuckysbike]

Kiss Me Once In The Moonlight

Pairing: Bucky x Reader

Warnings: Angst, unrequited?feelings. Fluff.

Summary: You’ve fallen in love, but he wants someone else.

It was a cold mid October Saturday night when you realised you were in love with Bucky Barnes.

Natasha had ushered you out of your solitude and over to her private apartment on the compound. Steve was already there, along with Sam, Joaquin, Yelana, a few from the medical team and a few mechanics.

The place was decorated for spooky season, with playful ghosts and fuzzy spiders hiding in the corners. Everyone got comfortable and music played in the background whilst you snacked on nuts and candied apples and sipped beer. Halloween meets Octoberfest was the theme.

Bucky had been telling a story, his face lit up and his big hands flying everywhere as he described his mom chasing him with a broom during his teenage years after a Halloween fright. Occasionally his eyes met yours and they sparkled, but you figured he was like that with everyone.

You’d been crushing on him since you arrived in January and he was first to greet you. He seemed fascinated by your job, research and data analyst, but it was ultimately boring to almost everyone but you.

You lunched together sometimes and you swapped books every few weeks. You even got him into podcasts and you were always swapping recommendations.

But tonight he looked happy, relaxed even, and when Natasha dropped her dainty feet into his lap you felt the world skip underneath you, you wanted to put your feet in his lap. You wanted his big hands dwarfing your feet.

He rubbed her toes without thinking, and she snuggled down as the mechanics started describing the prank they’d played on Tony this week, going so far as to rope Pepper in.

“Wanna stay here tonight?” You heard Natasha murmur to Bucky during a lull in conversation. Sam was changing the music and Joaquin was setting up tequila shots.

He smiled at her but shook his head. “Nah,” his voice was thick with tiredness.

“You finally made a move on that girl?” She teased wiggling in her spot.

Bucky’s cheeks tinged pink and you dropped your eyes when you realised you were staring. You didn’t want to be caught looking like some dumb kid.

It was foolish to think that Bucky with his wonderful abilities and handsome looks would be interested in you who spent most of your time at work or alone.

“Think I’m gonna’ take her out, yeah,” he nodded. You snuck a glance at him in time to catch him looking from you to Natasha.

Oh god, he must have noticed you staring. How embarrassing!

Tears that had no right to form stung your eyes and you stood suddenly distracting Steve who was kneeling at the coffee table next to you. Sam took the opportunity to defeat him in their thumb war game much to Steve’s annoyance.

“I’m going to head back, I’m just really tired,” you said to the room, avoiding Bucky. “Thank you for the invitation Natasha.”

There were a few comments asking you to stay but ultimately everyone wished you a good sleep. Your own room was a fifteen minute walk away in a shared block and you pulled your arms around yourself to fight the cold as you stepped outside.

“Hey Doll,” Bucky called startling you.

“Bucky, hi,” you frowned.

“Thought I’d walk you back,” he said falling into step with you. “And I wanted your advice.”

“Oh?”

“So there’s this girl I like. She’s not like the others, she’s not really - she’s different. And I really want to make a date special for her, you know?” He glanced as you, letting his arm bump yours as you walked.

“I do,” you sighed resigning yourself to your fate. You didn’t want to have this conversation but you didn’t want to not help him either. He was your friend after all.

“So I’ve had a few first date ideas, I’m thinking farmers market then making brunch together? I started this really great podcast and I was thinking we could listen together as we cook then talk about it while we eat? Then after we could go to a museum or something?” Bucky licked his lips and stopped looking at you.

You didn’t want him to share a podcast with her. That was your thing with him. You knew you were being unfair, childish even but right now you didn’t care.

“That sounds lovely,” you said. And it did, you wished you were that girl, you wished Bucky wanted to go to all that trouble for you but instead you’d have to sit home alone tomorrow whilst he woo’d someone else.

“Yeah?” He asked excitedly. “I really just wanna’ hold her hand, at the market, in the museum, I just crave that feeling you know, like this,” Bucky reached for your hand and laced your fingers together, holding your joined hands up to inspect. “It’s been a long time since I held a girls hand like this.”

“I-I’m sure it has Buck,” you swallowed. He resumed walking and you could do nothing but join him, he still had your hand in his. He described his outfit for his date and wondered if you had a cosy chunky sweater.

“I do, it’s so comfortable,” you said softly. You couldn’t hide the disappointment as you slowed in front of the doors. “It’s my favourite colour too.”

“Will you wear it tomorrow?” Bucky tilted his head to the side.

“Why does it matter what I wear?” You couldn’t help but giggle at his odd request. You couldn’t though, thinking of him with someone else whilst you wore what he asked you to.

“I want to know that you’re warm tomorrow. You know, on our date?” Bucky pressed his cool left hand on your cheek as he turned to face you. His kiss was soft, just a sweet brush of the lips and then he pulled away. “I’ll see you at nine thirty?”

“Uh huh,” you nodded dumbly. He kissed you again, and you caught the faint taste of whiskey on his lips. He was warm as he pressed into you and you let your hands slide up his chest to his shoulders.

“See you tomorrow baby girl,” he pressed one last kiss to your forehead then opened the building door for you.

You walked inside in a daze, waving goodbye and drifting up the stairs like you weighed nothing.

You couldn’t remember getting changed into your pj’s, all you knew was that you were snuggled under your duvet setting an alarm for your date with Bucky in the morning.

You smiled, and suddenly your legs kicked and you let out a little squeal. You were going out with Bucky Barnes and he kissed you three times.

You feel asleep to the memory of one hot hand and one cold hand cupping your cheeks as he kissed you in the moonlight.

[pebblysand]

[CHAPTER 19 RESOURCES]

hi all! i've seen a lot of messages/comments asking about the political/historical events referenced in chapter 19, and the research i'd done about it. as such, i thought i would write this short post to give you more resources if you're interested in digging further. i will however caveat the below by saying that the aftermath of 9/11 (and particularly the iraq war) is my political roman empire; it's a topic that truly fascinates me, and about which i've done a lot of research/thinking throughout the past 20 years, and something i'm always coming back to. so when it comes to the below, this is mostly made of the media i've consumed semi-recently, and that i remember. i couldn't possibly tell you what i was watching/reading ten years ago about this when i was getting obsessed by dick cheney 😭.

- on 9/11 -

it's relatively easy to find out literally anything you want about 9/11 from an american perspective. there's so many resources out there, feel free to pick your own. i myself recently watched 9/11: inside the president's war room on apple tv, which was comically bad pro-bush propaganda, but does give you some insight on bush's bizarre state of mind. having said that, for this chapter, i actually needed to figure out what it would have been like in the uk government, and i felt that this podcast episode from westminster insider was very good at doing that.

- on iraq -

the war in iraq, be it from a uk or a us perspective, is one of the most destructive, outrageous government lies and cover ups in history, and certainly of the 21st century. we really don't talk about it enough. it also not only destroyed the public's trust in government institutions, but killed and injured thousands of civilians (as well as soldiers) only to lead to the rise of isis and the perpetuation of instability in this region of the middle east. i could probably rant about it for literal decades, but here are some resources if you want to be outraged yourselves.

note that most of these are from a UK perspective, which was a deliberate choice on my end as i was writing this chapter from that perspective. i've also watched/listened to stuff from the us (and france, probably), but that was a long time ago and honestly i wouldn't have the references.

film/TV:

(fiction) official secrets with kiera knightly isn't bad. it's a bit dramatised but it goes over the story of a GCHQ analyst who leaked secrets to the press before the invasion.

(documentary) once upon a time in iraq from the bbc is genuinely incredible. it is the story of the war told through the point of view of those involved in it, from american soldiers, to journalists, to iraqi civilians. i thought it was very well made and did a great job at showing the perspective of people you rarely ever hear from.

(documentary) everyone always recommends fahrenheit 9/11 which i think i saw a long time ago and i suppose it was good, although i don't think it taught me anything i didn't already know.

podcasts:

most of the "research" i did for this chapter was actually through podcasts, so here is the stuff i listened to.

the fault line's entire first season bush, blair and iraq is INCREDIBLE. it's both very good at setting out the basic facts about the war and the chronology of the iraq invasion, but also at explaining how we got there, the lies both administrations told the general public, and how global group-think led to intelligence services to believe in intelligence that was ridiculously unreliable. i would say that this was my main source when planning out this chapter, and the research put into this podcast is truly top-class.

british scandal did a series of episodes on the david kelly scandal - a british weapons inspector who committed suicide after giving an interview to the bbc accusing the government of lying to the public about WMDs. this led to a bogus enquiry into the british government and the bbc, and a report that basically concluded the government didn't lie, which was of course not true. in tone, british scandal is a bit more casual and less journalistic than the first podcast (maybe a bit easier to digest if you're not into deep stuff though), and although i was mildly aware of it, i'd actually never done much research into this particular story before, so i still found the episodes quite interesting.

politics weekly UK and politics weekly america from the guardian did two very interesting episodes on the aftermath of the iraq war 20 years on, last march. i thought both were interesting, but the america episode was particularly good at explaining the liberal case for war, and how/why so many left-wing liberals fell into the pro-war side, with very good intentions that later turned out to be catastrophic. i already knew of this, and knew i was going to have harry take that side going in, but i used this podcast a lot to refine his position and what i was trying to get across in the chapter.

shock war from radio 4 is a good overall source with rather short episodes, if you can't be bothered with longer ones.

anyway, i hope this helps! thanks for reading and enjoying this chapter as much as you have, reading your comments, DMs, etc. has truly been incredible.

[wibble-wobbegong]

Wibble this is 100% not from an analyst perspective, just from a fun-post-going-around-tumblr-based headcanon—idk if you saw the one where owens was being proclaimed an “ally” bc of that tiny moment where he assumed Max was a boy & his expression when he corrected himself? & basically the assumption he MIGHT’VE been making that max & el were a Thing, & then in the reblogs there were comments ab him having experience with tiny gays bc of mike & will in season 2.

And that was,,, really cute? Like. In theory. So slay of him. & for a hot minutes there i was like—owens as an ally. That could maybe work. Loved his emphasis on consent in season 4, and how he’s better to El in comparison to Brenner & the way he continues to neglect the “informed” part of ethical consent, & the way will got None Of This support in season 2.

Basically im curious about how you arrived at your conclusions ab owens as a conversion therapist!! & your thoughts on the headcanon ig but not really?? Bc i Cannot get a read on this man & my feelings on him are Mixed.

(Also your post on Nancy & Mike and how that conflict’s being set up??? Yeah. I honestly am incapable of being normal about them, and I’m really looking forward to seeing your analysis on the coming conflict)

(Sorry to pop in your ask box again lol. Hope you’re having a good day!!)

i actually answered that here!!! it mostly boils down to his long-standing relationship with brenner that can be traced back to at least the creel murders because of owens’ rose symbolism during his conversation with the general about chrissy and the way his passive attitude works with his grid imagery compared to people like brenner and virginia who are associated with spiders (predators).

the relationship with brenner is important because the lab is heavily implied to be a place performing conversion therapy before henry is captured and experiments turn towards the MKUltra stuff and it seems like brenner and owens were partners. owens was never brenner’s subordinate, but his passive attitude makes it come off that way. brenner actually seems to have a bit of a reliance on owens when we look at how owens was entrusted with his lab even though he was alive and there was no real reason for him to be hiding, seeing as how the government can cover insane shit up. his only fear was el. he relied on owens to get NINA set up, it was a project they worked together on. the way owens talks to brenner is very direct and he isn’t afraid to show his hatred and frustration when they’re alone which is unlike owens, who tends to be more consolable when faced with authority figures like hopper or general sullivan. he gets frustrated with hopper and sullivan, but with brenner he’s stronger in his beliefs. not perfect, but stronger.

he’s got a long history with brenner and the lab. he’s got connections to the creels. i personally believe that owens may have been the one who recommended brenner to virginia, seeing as we don’t know where the creels moved from and it was the 50’s, so getting your hands on possibly out-of-state information about a conversion therapist in buttfuck indiana probably wasn’t easy.

there’s some other stuff regarding grid-imagery and peter and ruth, nevada which connects to some of stephen king’s books (the dark tower universe lore is a Hot Mess)

as for the hcs, i could actually see it being a very realistic growth for his character!! if his son died somehow related to his actions, he would’ve failed his goal; saving him. his conversion therapy doesn’t have the effect he hopes for so he’d likely have to come to terms with the fact that he can’t save people by forcing them to be someone they aren’t and losing his son would be a huge wake up call to that!! with mike and will it would hit even harder because they’re so reminiscent of peter and henry when they were younger

(I’m really excited to talk about it!! Also, never apologize for sending in asks like this I love stuff like that :) )

[cindylouwho-2]

Etsy First Quarter 2023 Earnings Report - More on Plans to Make Etsy an Everyday Shopping Destination

(Above - slide 5 from Etsy’s Q1 2023 Earning Presentation, © Etsy)

Etsy’s first quarter 2023 numbers were pretty good considering the current economic climate, and beat most analyst expectations. Unfortunately, their outlook for the second quarter did not anticipate improvement, and the earnings presentation did not unveil any truly new plans for achieving improvement. 

First, here are the reference materials covered below:

the press release

transcript of the conference call

slides from the conference call

video of the call (click on “Webcast” under Q1 Earnings)

my summaries of the first quarter 2022, and the fourth quarter 2022 for comparison

The basic numbers (covering January to March 2023, compared to the same period in 2022):

Sales on Etsy were $2.7 billion, down 4.7%  [nearly half of this drop was due to currency fluctuations]

Total sales for all 4 marketplaces (Etsy, Reverb, Depop, Elo7) were $3.1 billion, down 4.6% 

Etsy’s revenue (including all 4 sites) was $640.9 million, up 10.6%

Seller service revenue was up 14.4% to $173.4 million, while marketplace revenue was up 9.3% to $467.5 million. Remember that the fee increase from April 11, 2022 is part of that marketplace bump; this was the last full quarter for that increase

Net Income was $74.5 million, down 13.4%

Active sellers on Etsy alone are 5.9 million, a large jump compared to the past 5 quarters when the total hovered around 5.4-5.5 million. [Note that “active” means one charge or transaction in the past 12 months; many “active” shops currently have nothing for sale. I don’t see an obvious reason for this sudden increase]

Active buyers on Etsy alone stand at 89.9 million, up from 89.1 million a year ago

Below are several points of interest for sellers, but I strongly suggest reading the whole transcript or listening to the call to get all of the details. 

As always, my side comments are in square brackets, and most everything not in square brackets is just a report on what was said. 

Etsy Search

Slide 7 of the presentation again stated that Etsy’s search is now driven by “multiple search engines”, and that more are in development. CEO Josh Silverman explains the problem that they are working to solve:

“You don't walk into a store and yell, "Blue, shirt, cotton," the way you search on Etsy today. In a store, you walk in, explain to a salesperson that you're going to a cocktail party at a chic place in Brooklyn and are looking for a shirt to fit the vibe, what do you recommend? And you certainly don't expect the salesperson to show you 90,000 options. They'll show you the best handful of items that match the vibe.”

The plan is to move away from keywords “to show the buyer a curated set of results”. This is not just about personalization, but about understanding the connections between style and trends and what the buyer said they wanted, and helping the buyer refine results to get something closer to what they envisioned. While these plans are still not well developed, features such as search by image are on the path to the final goal.  

One big change on the horizon will be incorporating decisions from Etsy’s merchandising team into algorithms. Human curations are going to be combined with machine learning to produce search results and ranking “over time”. [One problem I see here is the quality of the human curation. Silverman says “Etsy’s Picks” are actually human-curated, which surprises me, as my only listing to ever get this designation is a commercial pendant probably available in hundreds of Etsy shops. (Since I placed it on a chain, it qualifies as handmade on Etsy, and unlike most others selling this item, my chain is actually handmade by me - but that isn’t required.) Hilariously, he claims that “... our merch team knows how to select the very best inventory, items with true craftsmanship...” which apparently includes my “charm on a chain” that wouldn’t even qualify for Amazon Handmade. Embarrassing.]

Later in regards to shipping expectations, he mentions these could be better, including “prioritizing items and search results located closer to the buyer for time-sensitive purchases.” [I know that some sellers think this already happens, but testing from multiple locations doesn’t really show that, yet, but this means it could be coming. That, of course, would be a disaster for many business owners who use Etsy to reach a worldwide market, not their next-door neighbours.]

As shown in the slide at the top of this post, Etsy believes shoppers are put off by too many options, so expect this work on search to help start decreasing the options soon. 

Marketplace Violations, Including Mass Produced Items

All of the media coverage of resellers has apparently had an impact, as Silverman felt the need to address “mass-produced items” diluting trust in the site. He cited the 2022 Transparency Report as proof Etsy was dealing with the issue. [As I have detailed in my coverage of that report, it only demonstrates how poorly Etsy is doing in the area, by applying a huge batch of pesticide to kill the odd mosquito while also destroying tons of valuable bees in the process. If only 5% of the flags the AI generates are for actual contraband/counterfeit/manufactured goods, then they will have to flag most of the site’s listings to get rid of the reseller issue. The collateral damage of innocent sellers is too great for Etsy to keep claiming they want to “Keep Commerce Human”.] 

It’s also notable that this was only one prong of the trust issue Silverman highlighted. Etsy also intends to more actively promote the Purchase Protection Program, and do a lot more with shipping. [You can read how the Purchase Protection Program is playing out for sellers here on my blog. Changes in shipping were expected after Etsy posted a bunch of fulfillment jobs last year, and there is already some movement in the area of shipping labels, with Etsy forcing sellers in India to use Etsy Labels for domestic orders. As a Canadian who can’t even use Etsy Labels due to my commercial account with Canada Post, I can see this being the action that finally forces me off of Etsy completely. Time will tell!]

Upcoming Promotional Plans & Focus

As the slide below shows, Etsy has good brand awareness in many places, especially the United States, but few people think of the site as a top place for things such as gifts or home furnishings. They will soon be focussing on funnelling more shoppers to “new pathways” for gifts, home and living items, and general style ideas. 

(Above - slide 11 from Etsy’s Q1 2023 Earning Presentation, © Etsy)

In short, Etsy should be thought of as “every day” shopping instead of occasional. Silverman elaborated on this in the Q&A portion of the call:

“That campaign, Etsy has it, is so important. The fact that Etsy sellers sell billions of dollars of home furnishings, it's our largest category. And when you ask people name 3 places to shop for home furnishings, only 3% of people unprompted will name Etsy. There is a massive opportunity.“

As mentioned above, purchase protection will continue to be a focus, to reassure buyers that Etsy is safe. “...we found that prepurchase messaging about Purchase Protection improved conversion rate and our post-purchase e-mails spurred buyer frequency over a 90-day period.” Also, shipping [sigh].

To sum up plans for sellers:

“So this year, we've got a jam-packed to-do list, which includes investing in our seller growth suite, education, tools and the personalized insights they need to market their shops, improve their listings and grow sales on Etsy. We'll make it easier than ever to list items and will provide best practices on pricing strategies and discounting.” 

Depop, Elo7 & Reverb

Etsy’s other 3 companies have also been busy. [As on Etsy], management at Reverb have been focussing on highlighting discounted items and stressing that musicians can “find good deals” on the site, “so we'll be studying some of these for relevance to the Etsy marketplace.” 

Elo7 has been working on improving search. 

Depop isn’t looking as bad as it did last year. The conversion rate is better, and there is more personalization. “We also launched an exciting new feature called Repop, which enables users to seamlessly relist a Depop purchased item, a good thing for GMS and the planet.” [I looked that up, and yes, the buyer gets to use the original seller’s description and other listing work to relist the item, but the photos aren’t included. Really hoping they don’t bring that copyright infringement and forced unpaid labour to Etsy...]

Miscellaneous

Performance marketing (Offsite Ads) increased 11% in the quarter. “Offsite Ads revenue...offsets approximately 1/3 of our performance marketing spend.” [That is down from previous reports, when they said that Offsite Ads fees covered about 40% off the total cost of the ads. Remember that larger numbers of sellers began to opt out of Offsite Ads in mid-March due to EU law, and Etsy still pays for ads for some shops that have opted out.] CFO Rachel Glaser stated that the ROI for Offsite Ads has improved by 40% since 2019. 80% of the ad spend is currently in the US and the UK (Etsy’s top 2 countries).

Seller service revenue is still well behind marketplace revenue, but the seller service side is growing faster. Both Etsy Ads and Etsy Payments (in particular the higher Payments fees non-US sellers usually pay) showed increased growth in the quarter. [So growing in non-US markets will drive revenue for Etsy.]

Etsy is still hiring, although the rate has dropped. 

Sales were down in the first quarter due to 1) consumers buying more services than goods, 2) declines in large categories such as Home & Living and Craft Supplies, and 3) less discretionary income, especially for lower income buyers. Compared to Consumer Edge's U.S. e-commerce retailer data, Etsy is managing to keep up with the pack, especially in Home & Living and apparel. 

The new “Make an Offer” option for US vintage sellers has thousands of users and over 1 million listings available. 

Outlook for the Second Quarter

The predictions for April to June 2023 are for the 4 sites to be down around 1.8%, getting between $2.85 billion to $3.1 billion in sales. At the time of the call, Silverman said the second quarter was looking good so far, with a good few weeks leading up to Mother’s Day. However, they issued a cautious outlook, given that May 2022 slowed down a bit. 

So, expect more of the same - a soft economy, Etsy telling you how to run your business and pretending that is helping you, and more bot removals and forced refunds. 

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Opinion | Ann Telnaes: The Jan. 6 big picture - Washington Post

* * * * *

The J6 Report four days later. ::  December 26, 2022

Robert B. Hubbell

         The January 6th Committee released its final report four days ago. What have we learned? Although commentators and analysts are still digesting the report, there are a few “big” takeaways.

         The January 6th Committee was successful on three levels.

         First, without regard to potential criminal prosecutions or immediate political influence, the Committee has exhaustively documented the attempted coup and insurrection. That is a notable achievement—especially given the lack of enforceable subpoena power. True, there are gaps in the report that will likely be closed by grand juries, historians, and money-grubbing insurrectionists who decide to “tell all” when the applicable statutes of limitations have expired. Despite those limitations, no serious person can dispute that the Committee’s report is one of the most important investigative efforts to emerge from Congress.

         Second, the Committee has changed the narrative on Donald Trump. Although the Committee cannot take sole credit for Trump’s weakened posture, it changed the landscape in which his other failures have unfolded. See Maggie Haberman in NYTimes, A Diminished Trump Meets a Damning Narrative - The New York Times (nytimes.com). After reviewing Trump’s declining fortunes over the last six months, Haberman concludes,

Six months later, Mr. Trump is significantly diminished, a shrunken presence on the political landscape. His fade is partly a function of his own missteps and miscalculations in recent months. But it is also a product of the voluminous evidence assembled by the House committee and its ability to tell the story of his efforts to overturn the election in a compelling and accessible way.

          Third, the Committee’s work—especially its finely crafted public hearings—changed the prosecutorial narrative. It is indisputable that the pace and focus of DOJ investigations into the ringleaders of the coup and insurrection increased after dramatic testimony on June 9, 13, 16, 21, 23, and 28. The last date—June 28th—was devoted to the testimony of Cassidy Hutchinson. Her testimony was a capstone that fit the puzzle pieces together in a relatable, credible, and unassailable way. Her testimony left no doubt that Trump knew he incited an armed mob to attack the Capitol, that he planned to join them on the House floor, and that he became an enraged madman when his plans were foiled.

         But the Committee’s report was more than a summation of dramatic testimony. It is a compendium of evidence that makes sense of a chaotic episode in our nation’s history. Indeed, it weaves the facts in a way that leaves little room for special counsel Jack Smith to avoid a recommendation to indict Trump. For example, the issue of the “fake electors” has been lurking in the background of Trump’s potential criminal exposure. Philip Rotner explains in The Bulwark that the Committee’s work has removed any doubt that Trump should be prosecuted for participation in that scheme. See The Bulwark, What the Jan. 6th Report Says About the Fake Electors Scheme.

         As Rotner explains in his essay,

The path to prosecuting Trump for the fake elector scheme—either as a standalone crime or as a crucial element of a larger conspiracy to overturn the results of a presidential election—became much clearer last week with the publication of the  final report of the House January 6th Committee.

Until the publication of the report, there were arguably two open questions: (1) How high in the levels of Trump world did the scheme go? And (2), could at least some of the perpetrators assert a credible defense that they understood it was just a contingency plan to have electors in place in the event that the courts or state legislatures determined that Trump, not Biden, was the winner in one or more of the five states?

The report answered both questions. (1) The scheme went all the way to the top, right up to Trump himself. And (2), while some of the lower-level participants in the scheme—most likely some of the state-level GOP operatives who actually signed the phony certificates—may have been duped into believing that that it was a contingency plan, the higher ups who created and executed the scheme knew better.

They knew it was an action plan.

So it appears that the previously missing link—the link between the fake elector scheme and Trump himself—is no longer missing. Trump not only “participated” in the fake elector scheme, he orchestrated it.

         There is more detail in Rotner’s article, which I recommend in its entirety. But you get the point. If Merrick Garland was lagging in his investigation of the fake electors’ scheme, the January 6th Committee gave Jack Smith a roadmap. He appears to have taken the hint and has issued a slew of subpoenas to fake electors and state election officials involved in the scheme. See CNN, Special counsel Jack Smith has subpoenaed officials in all 7 states targeted by Trump allies in 2020 election.

         Indeed, the work of the Committee has been so prodigious that it has “flipped the script” on the usual investigative roles of Congress and the DOJ, as explained by Dennis Aftergut and Donald Ayer in The Hill, Jan. 6 Committee’s new report flips a script on history. As explained by Ayer and Aftergut,

The House Select Committee’s just-issued full report is an extraordinary compilation of evidence of Jan. 6 criminality aimed at overturning our republic.

It also represents something more: a testament to the resilience of our system and its ability — thanks to built-in redundant powers within multiple branches — to act when the rule of law is threatened.

Now in 2022, the select Committee has sent a roadmap for prosecution of another one-time president, Donald Trump, in the opposite direction — from Congress to federal prosecutors. The Committee’s report comes with its own marshaling of voluminous evidence — from its exhaustive investigation — in support of the charges the Committee wants filed against Trump: obstruction of an official proceeding, conspiracy to defraud the United States, false statements to the government, and insurrection.

         Again, there is more to the argument by Aftergut and Ayer, but the point is that the criminal justice system does not usually proceed in this order. Of course, the Committee was working under political deadlines that do not affect the ongoing work of the DOJ. but it is a marvel that the Committee could accomplish so much despite the limitations on its investigatory power. After four days of reflection, the monumental work of the Committee is coming into clear focus. As we have more time to digest the work of the Committee, we will undoubtedly find additional revelations and insights that will shape the course of our nation for years to come.

[Robert B. Hubbell Newsletter]

[investmentguide777]

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