#Having people getting excited about your campaign and your vision about the future of the country is a good thing

[abigailspinach]

I’m reading through a Puck newsletter, sent out under the heading “The Vibes Election.” Some of this is similar to what I discussed in yesterday’s Backchannel — Happy v. Mad, etc. But most of it zeroes in on the idea that Harris’ campaign is all vibes and no substance, a sugar high, something that can’t last. Will it be enough to carry her to Election Day? Here’s one snippet.

Put another way: Vibes, baby! Harris has not outlined any specific economic agenda, speaking only in generic terms about corporate greed, standing with labor unions, protecting Social Security and Obamacare, and fighting for the middle class. She is framing the election simply as “the choice about what direction this country will go in”—conveying an agreeable set of center-left values against Trump rather than a 10-point plan for this or a white paper for that.

In his defense, the author, Peter Hamby, follows this paragraph by saying that elections are about symbols and images and many voters are okay with that. But I think we can say more about this. Because this conversation is of a piece with the complaints about Harris not yet giving any major press interviews, not having released a sufficient number of policy white papers, not yet having a fully fleshed out policy section on her website.

To start, we should note that major national campaigns take months, even years, to put out fleshed-out policy programs. Those are hugely complex projects with myriad policy, coalitional and campaign dependencies. You’re not going to do that from a cold start in three weeks. But there’s a different point here. For years on this site I’ve discussed the Democrats’ problem with what I’ve called “policy literalism,” the idea that campaigns are won or lost on the basis of fleshed-out policies ready to be implemented on day one as opposed to directional signals about values and goals. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with having those fleshed-out policies. That’s one of the good things about Democrats. There’s a big cultural priority on policy work in Democratic politics. Those are important when it comes time to govern, and you can routinely see that in how each party governs. In Republican politics, policy is often backfill to service campaign slogans. And it shows. Having the people who do the serious policy work is great and important as long as you don’t confuse yourself into thinking it’s part of campaigning. It’s not. Campaigning is about directional signals about values and goals. Way too often Democrats and Democratic campaigns get confused about this. “We have all these great policy proposals. And when we explain them to people, they say they support them. So how did we lose the election?”

That’s not what campaigns are about. Repeat it to yourself three times. That’s not what campaigns are about.

Even that line above in the Hamby quote sets out something very clear: she is speaking about protecting Social Security and Obamacare, supporting labor unions. Hamby was talking about economic policy, but the Harris campaign is also saying just as clearly: protect abortion rights everywhere, continue Biden’s climate policies. She also keeps saying on the campaign trail that she’ll sign the border bill that Donald Trump killed earlier this year. Not everyone in the Democratic coalition is crazy about that. But that’s very specific, both directionally and in policy terms. And let’s be frank: she’s the incumbent Vice President. Unless there are specific statements to the contrary, we should and the public unquestionably does assume her policies will be generally the same as Biden’s.

Harris’ central campaign slogan and message is “freedom,” which she is using as a catch-all to bring together fighting right-wing efforts to restrict personal privacy and autonomy (abortion), the MAGA threat to democratic government itself and support for bread-and-butter economic policies (unions, Obamacare, tax support for families with kids, etc.) which allow working people to live dignified and secure lives. This is a rhetoric that is progressive and rooted in ideas venerated in American political culture. Many have recommended something like this. Pete Buttigieg, interestingly, was one of the first I saw employing this rhetoric way back when he was still a little-known midwestern mayor. Now Harris is doing it. It’s working.

We could make a separate point that it’s risible to be demanding policy particulars from Harris when Trump changes his policies from one day to the next. Even calling them “policies,” as opposed to impulsive grunts, is charitable.

At present, Trump’s main’s policy action is disclaiming Project 2025, which until a few months ago was widely believed to be his de facto governing document, as embraced as such by the campaign itself. But we don’t need to grade Harris on a Trumpy curve. Presidential campaigns are about defining choices about the direction of country.

Having people getting excited about your campaign and your vision about the future of the country is a good thing, not some frivolous sugar high. I’m sure Harris will do some sit-down interviews. But we should remember that the purpose of a campaign is to win an election. It’s not an exercise in civics education. Campaigns do interviews when they want to get a message out or in response to popular demand. Journalist push for interviews. That’s their job. Campaigns respond when they deem it in their interests.

From Republican partisans these cries are expected. You hammer on what you think might be potential vulnerabilities. It’s the business of reporters to be pushing for more access and interviews. But more generally there’s a kind of impatience with a fairly dramatic shift in the trajectory of the election. It must not be real. It must be emotion and not reason. It must be cheap. We’re almost two and half months before Election Day. Given how much has happened in the previous six weeks, a universe of things can happen in ten. But there’s nothing cheap or vibesy or anything less than robust about the campaign Harris is now running. She’s putting out a vision and creating a choice and the public is responding to it. It’s working. Why on earth would she shift gears or respond to anyone trying to break her stride?

[lovingpandaneckcookie]

VP Kamala Harris gave a brilliant campaign speech to kick off her presidential run, and all the pundits in the mainstream media have been swooning over it. She certainly won my vote. In case you missed it, I am posting the transcript below:

“So, today, I’m so happy to be with all of you. Ha, ha, ha! I would like to begin by making a few observations about our divided culture.

“Well, I think culture is . . . it is a reflection of our moment and our time, right? And. . . and . . . and present culture is the way we express how we’re feeling about the moment and . . . and we should always find times to express how we feel about the moment that is a reflection of joy ‘cause, you know . . . it comes in the morning. Ha, ha, ha! We have to find ways to also express the way we feel about the moment in terms of just having language and . . . and . . . and a connection to how people are experiencing life, and I think about it in that way, too.

“So, I think it’s very important, as you have just heard from so many incredible leaders, for us at every moment in time and certainly this one to see the moment in time in which we exist and are present and to be able to contextualize it—to understand where we exist in the history and in the moment as it relates not only to the past, but the future. You think you just fell out of a coconut tree? Ha, ha, ha! You exist in the context of all in which you live and what came before you. We have the ability to see what can be, unburdened by what has been, and then to make the possible actually happen.

“So, then, let’s talk about the significance of the passage of time. So when you think about it, there is great significance to the passage of time in terms of what we need to do, what we need to do to create things. And there is such great significance to the passage of time. When we think about a day in the life of our children and what that means to the future of our nation, depending on whether or not they have the resources they need to achieve their God given talent, which raises the question of education.

“Now, on domestic affairs—and not to drag Willie Brown into the conversation—I would like to address the pressing issues surrounding education. Who doesn't love a yellow school bus, right? Can you raise your hand if you love a yellow school bus? Many of us went to school on the yellow school bus, right? It’s part of our experience growing up. It’s part of a nostalgia, a memory of the excitement and joy of going to school to be with your favorite teacher, to be with your best friends and to learn. The school bus takes us there! I realize that many of those evil MAGA Republicans fail to appreciate yellow school buses and will likely mock me for highlighting their importance, but once I’m President, I promise that I will get them to understand. I’ll just lay it all out for them using a Venn diagram. I love Venn diagrams! Always ask, 'Is there a Venn diagram for this?' I'm telling you, it's fascinating when you do. So, Venn diagram, those three circles, right? Well, once I draw those three circles they’ll get it, I promise.

“I know that the economy is on everyone’s mind because of inflation, so let me tell you what’s going on there. You know, money comes from the bank, right? Well, Joe and I invested $12 billion into community banks, because we know community banks are in the community, and understand the needs and desires of that community as well as the talent and capacity of community. We call them community banks, after all, because they are in the community. But if that other guy gets reelected, Donald, then community banks will no longer be in the community, and we just can’t let that happen. That’s why it’s so important that everyone gets out to vote.

“Before I wrap up this speech laying out my vision for our great nation in a Harris administration, I wish to say a brief word on the international crisis in Ukraine. I know many question our ongoing commitment to Ukraine in terms of military aid. However, these folks simply fail to grasp the subtle nuances of the complexities on this matter. Therefore, please allow me time to explain:

“So, Ukraine is a country in Europe. It exists next to another country called Russia. Russia is a bigger country. Russia is a powerful country. Russia decided to invade a smaller country called Ukraine. So, basically, that’s wrong, and it goes against everything that we stand for.

“Thank you for your support. God bless you and God bless . . . eh, you know, . . . the thing! Ha, ha, ha.

“Any questions?”

[trumpkara]

Chapter Four: Is this all there is?

The bus ride back to headquarters in Minneapolis was long but filled with a quiet sense of accomplishment. Linkara had spent weeks crisscrossing the country, sharing his vision and listening to the stories of everyday Americans. His campaign was gaining traction, but it still needed a unifying element, something that could distill his message into a powerful rallying shriek, not unlike the Irish banshees of old.

[EDITORS NOTE: Linkara was sired by an ancient Banshee in the ruins of Loch Hata]

Linkara sat at the small table at the back of the bus, surrounded by his core team. 90s Kid was slamming away on his Windows 94, Harvey was reviewing the latest poll numbers, and Alison Pregger was scrolling through LakeCityQuietPills.com.

“We need a slogan dude,” 90s Kid said, not looking up from his screen. “Something that captures your vision and resonates with people. Like "I run the country so you dont have to!"”

Linkara nodded, leaning back in his seat, scratching his chinny chin with a big finger. “I’ve been pondering about that. It needs to be something simple yet profound, something that speaks to the heart of what we’re trying to achieve.”

Harvey looked up from his big paper. “How about ‘Stories Matter’? It ties into your background and emphasizes the importance of every individual’s narrative kid.”

Alison Pregger shook her head. “It’s good, but it’s not quite there. It feels too passive. We need something that feels active and forward-looking.” she said, finally getting her head to stop shaking.

Linkara rubbed his temples, feeling the weight of the moment. “What if we focus on the idea of building something together? This campaign isn’t just about me, kind of—it’s about all of us, creating a future where everyone’s voice is heard.”

90s Kid paused his typing and looked up. “Building… how about ‘We're Gonna Take You Back to the Past’? It’s inclusive and optimistic, and it speaks to the collective effort needed to bring about change.”

Linkara considered it, repeating the words in his mind. It was good, but it still felt a bit gay. He needed something more personal, something that tied back to his unique perspective.

“What if we combine that idea with the notion of comic books?” Linkara suggested. “We’re all part of this narrative, and together, we can shape it.”

Harvey snapped his fingers. “How about ‘See Our Future’? It’s active, it’s inclusive, and it ties into your background as a storyteller. Plus, it’s a call to action.”

Linkara shook his head, yet another stupid idea, good thing there was at least one writer in the room.

"'Write Our Future’. It’s perfect. It emphasizes the collective effort, the importance of each person’s story, and the idea that we have the power to shape what comes next.”

90s Kid typed the slogan into his machine and it made a big DING noise. “‘Write Our Future’. I like it. It’s strong, memorable, its strong, and it encapsulates everything we’re trying to achieve.”

Alison Pregger nodded in agreement. “It good.”

The official launch of the slogan was scheduled for a rally in Chicago, a city known for its vibrant cultural scene and diverse population and big bean. As the sun began to set, casting a golden glow over the city, a large crowd gathered, filling the park with a palpable sense of anticipation.

Linkara stood backstage, listening to the hum of the crowd. He felt a mix of nerves and excitement. This was a pivotal moment for his campaign, a chance to solidify his message and inspire people to join his movement.

Harvey placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “You’ve got this, kid. Just speak from the heart, like you always do.”

Linkara nodded, taking a deep breath and stared back into Harvey's swimmable blues. “Thanks, Harvey. Let’s do this.”

As he stepped onto the stage, the crowd erupted into cheers and applause. He took a moment to soak in the energy, finally, he was getting the respect he deserved.

“Thank you, Beaners!” he began with a broad smile. "It's incredible to see so many of you here tonight. Your presence gives me hope and strengthens my belief that together, we can create a future where every voice is heard and every story matters."

"But this campaign is not just about my story. It's about your stories. It's about the stories of teachers and students, of workers and entrepreneurs, of families struggling to make ends meet and individuals fighting for their rights, and families fighting to teach about their rights to work. It's about you, and it's about me!"

The crowd erupted in a cacophony of cheers. Linkara felt a surge of confidence.

"And that brings me to the heart of why we are here tonight. We are not just here to campaign. We are here to make a promise to each other. A promise that we will work together, fight together, and dream together. We will not be passive participants in our future but active authors of our destiny!!"

The crowd went mental, hands started to glow bright red from all the applause and one guy yelled so loud he died. Linkara ran up and down the isle giving high fives like some mad life coach. Now and again he had to stop to catch his breath and fight off the fans trying to steal his hat.

Backstage Linkara dug into a pile of well earned crackers and dew.

"Uhhh dude?" 90s Kid approached him sheepishly "Great job out there!"

"I know!" Linkara beamed, face full of pride and crumbs.

"Just... you didn't mention to slogan"

"I-... oops!" Linkara chuckled "Oh well, maybe next time!"

This campaigning stuff was harder than it seemed!

[thebritishrevivalparty]

Our Campaign

🎉 Embarking on a New Journey: Join the BRP's Political Campaign!

The time has come to take a step towards positive change and active participation in our democratic process. At the BRP, we are thrilled to announce the commencement of our political campaign. As we set forth on this exciting journey, here's what you need to know:

📍 Choosing Our Constituency: We are carefully evaluating constituencies where we can make a lasting impact. Our goal is to identify areas where our vision aligns with the needs and aspirations of the community.

🗳️ Candidate Selection Underway: The search for a passionate, dedicated, and community-oriented candidate is in full swing. We are committed to putting forth an individual who truly understands and represents the values of the people. If you're interested, don't hesitate to contact us.

💰 Donations Welcome: Fuelling a campaign requires resources, and every contribution, no matter the size, can make a significant difference. Your support will help us reach more people and amplify our message of positive change.

🤝 Community Events: We believe in active engagement with the community. As part of our campaign, we are excited to dive into community events, town hall meetings, and gatherings that allow us to listen, understand, and connect with you all.

📞 Get Involved: This campaign isn't just about us – it's about Britain's future. If you are passionate about creating a better future, we invite you to join hands with us. Whether you want to volunteer, share ideas, or contribute in any way, your involvement matters.

📧 Contact Us: We are here to listen to you. Reach out to us if you have questions, suggestions, or if you're eager to take an active role in our campaign. Your voice matters, and we are ready to hear it.

Together, we can foster positive change, pioneer a thriving society, and ensure that our community's voice is heard at every level. Let's make a difference, one step at a time. Join us in this incredible journey towards a brighter future!

Stay tuned for updates, events, and more ways to get involved. Together, we can turn our shared vision into reality.

With hope and determination, The BRP Team.

Contacts:

thebritishrevivalparty@gmail.com

[youroriginaltimemachinestudent]

HeartX Unveils Token Airdrop Game “Vote-to-Earn” to Warm Up the Launch of the Platform

Central, Singapore, April 6th, 2023, Chainwire HeartX, a Web3.0 art trading marketplace and community platform, is set to change the game for the art market. The team just announced their pre-launch Vote-to-Earn Game is live now. This new experience allows users to earn tokens ($HNX) through voting on artwork pieces by swiping right or left as Like and Next, giving them a chance to engage with the core feature of the platform in advance and get rewarded for showing their preferences on the arts.The immersive Vote-to-Earn game is a clear demonstration of the platform's user-centric design, letting people experience the X-to-Earn model in an easier way. By leveraging blockchain technology, HeartX is creating a platform that is more user-friendly, transparent, and entertaining than anything that has come before. Through the Vote-to-Earn system, HeartX is committed to redefining the value of arts by the community consensus with the heart.“We're all excited about it! All users can earn tokens by ‘swiping’ to vote," said HeartX founder Anson. "We believe that it's important to make it more engaging for people and reward them for being part of our community. And through the forming of the community consensus, we would establish a new valuation standard for the artwork pieces." It is simple to play the game: users can earn tokens by voting on the daily artwork pieces on the event website, no log-in or registration is needed, users can just swipe/click right for like, or left to show the next one. The rewarding tokens $HNX can be used in various scenarios once the marketplace is launched, including investing in your preferred artwork pieces to boost them, and accessing premium features.The HeartX team also announced that during the "Vote-to-Earn" campaign, users who have accumulated more voting works that reached a consensus on community aesthetic views would have the opportunity to participate in the beta testing experience when the HeartX App is launched.Gathering influencers in not only Web3 but also the digital art space, the Vote-to-Earn game is just one example of the many innovative features that the HeartX team has planned for its users. HeartX's vision for the future of digital art goes beyond being an online marketplace. The team is working to create a marketplace that leverages the power of blockchain technology and provides a binding community for its users. Another current update is that the HeartX token “$HNX” is now available on Uniswap, and it can also be acquired from other decentralized exchanges in a short time. According to the HeartX team, the project is moving forward, and the team believes that more people will join and form a large community, eager to be part of the next big thing in Web3.0.The Vote-to-Earn game is now live, and the team invites users to participate in the voting activities and join the community. The team is confident that this new experience will bring brand new joy and will help to drive engagement and participation in the Web3.0 art community they are building. Users can now join the game, show their taste and support, and earn tokens at https://heartx.art/event/index.html#/.Follow HeartX on Discord | Twitter | Website ContactTeam HeartX service@heartx.art Read the full article

[ear-worthy]

The Last Resort Host Talks Indigenous Futurism, Music & Social Activism

You might think that a podcast that documents an organized movement for California to succeed from the United States would be a dizzy narrative about hippies, tree huggers, and people on the fringes. You might roll your eyes and whisper, “California people,” but the podcast doesn’t judge. It explains and clarifies.

It’s not. Instead, it’s an insightful and compelling narrative about competing visions for the United States. This podcast is especially timely now, since earlier this year, the Texas Republican Party in June urged the Texas legislature to a require a referendum on Texas succeeding from the union. Even Mississippi has made noise about leaving the union, but the state can find no one to say stop.

Anyway, this documentary podcast series is hosted by activist and musician Xiuhtezcatl Martinez (phonetic spelling: shoo-TEZ-kaht), follows the rise, fall, and rebirth of Calexit: the campaign for Californian Independence.    The first two episodes premiered on October 18. New single episodes will be released weekly on Tuesdays

 Martinez, a musician, activist, and a prolific voice for his generation, is a gifted narrator for the first season of the podcast. In the eight episodes, he dives deep into the rise, fall, and rebirth of the Calexit movement (a campaign for California’s independence) to explore what would happen if California seceded from the United States.

Over eight half-hour episodes, Martinez guides listeners through Calexit’s origin story, the organizers’ alternative vision for America’s future, and how two friends who started on the political fringe ended up in the middle of a still-unfolding global criminal conspiracy involving the FBI and Russian Intelligence.

The Last Resort was developed by Interval Presents, Warner Music Group’s (WMG) in-house podcast network, and produced by Awfully Nice.

“What drew me to exploring the Calexit story was how it forced us to examine the things that fundamentally connect us while underscoring how we are more divided than ever as a country,” said Martinez, who was influenced from childhood by his Indigenous Mexican lineage and American upbringing to use his voice and his music to pursue social change. “Calexit is really just the entry point for a complex story about the many visions of the future that are competing to take root,” Martinez continued. “I’m excited for the opportunity to partner with Interval Presents on The Last Resort. I hope the show inspires conversation and thought around the issues and stories that are shaped by our history and that will determine our future.” 

Check out the episodes of The Last Resort.

The Last Resort host Xiuhtezcatl Martinez was kind enough to take time from his hectic schedule to answer some questions.

Here is the interview with Xiuhtezcatl Martinez.

Q. How did you get involved with this project?

A. The producers reached out over a year ago to gauge my interest, and when they first hit me up I didn’t know much of anything about secession or CALEXIT. I didn’t really understand why they’d selected me to host this show, but as the story unfolded and we dove deeper into the systemic issues at the heart of this story, it made more and more sense. Once I saw the bigger picture behind the story they were trying to tell, and saw that they were interested in me coming on as a partner in shaping the show and working on the music, I knew it was a good fit.

Q. What drew you to this podcast series?

A. I’ve spent much of my life thinking critically about what the future could look like. Assessing and learning from movements that have historically and presently shaped our reality. And this theme of the different visions competing to shape the future that ‘The Last Resort’ explores really pulled me in. I saw the show and the theme of secession as an entry point to a larger conversation around the future of California, and of this country.

Q. How has your Indigenous Mexican lineage and American upbringing motivated you to use your voice and music to pursue social change?

A. My people are Xochimilca, an Indigenous community from Xochimilco Mexico. Growing up with our traditional teachings laid the foundation for how I saw the world, and how I saw myself as a part of it.

Q. What’s your musical background? What genre (s) do you enjoy?

A. I was pretty musical from a young age, learning to play classical piano and composing my own songs starting at the age of seven and my parents had a super eclectic taste in music, listening to everything from cumbia to classic rock and world music. In the last couple of years I’ve fallen deeper in love with neo-soul music and gravitate towards left of center R&B and hip-hop. But one of the coolest things about this younger generation of artists is our ambition to relinquish genres and artistic boundaries, and the blurriness of the creative lines it gives way to. Seeing R&B fusing with folk instruments and pop song structures, and punk and grunge culture blending into the rap scene, while Latin America has its whole own fusion of modern and classic sounds influencing its evolution. Tyler, the Creator put a fricken reggae song on his Gangsta Grillz mixtape. Everyone’s just coloring outside the lines, and it makes an artist like myself who’s never fully fit in anywhere feel more at ease.

Q. Can you tell me about your music? Its form and flow? The messages in the music?

A. Music has always been an important part of my cultural identity. Passing on our traditional songs was a means of cultural preservation for my family, and one of the ways I grew up learning pieces of my people’s language, Nahuatl. I think my musical and melodic instincts are really influenced by my early relationship to traditional songs. I really started making music as a writer, influenced by the politically sharp lyrics of KRSONE and Talib Kweli and the prolyphic poetry and live instrumentation behind artists like The Roots. I dropped my first album when I was 18, but it took me until the last couple years to really find my voice. I’ve always loved how music and art can be so immersive, and how artists build entire worlds within their albums, or even within songs. I think there’s no better example of this in hip-hop today than Kendrick Lamar. I draw lots of inspiration from artists like him, as well as Latin hip-hop legends like Calle 13 and Ana Tijoux who really were the first artists I heard that really made me want to learn to rap well in Spanish.

As I’ve traveled the world and worked with amazing artists that have a shared optimism in our art being more than just entertainment, my belief in music as a tool for revolution has only further affirmed. We played damn near 100 shows in 2018 and 2019, and there’s something about telling your story from a stage like that, through poetry, and melody and rhythm that just hits so differently from anything else I’ve done. My music has changed and evolved so much since I started releasing music, but I’d say it’s really reflective of my lived experience as a young mixed Indigenous kid who dreams of a future much different than the world I see around us. And I think art can be a doorway to that future, a glimpse into a world we believe is possible and worth fighting for.

Q. You’ve been very involved in environmental activism. Why? What needs to be done in this area?

A. We are the land. Climate justice was my entrypoint into being politicized, and understanding the deep interconnectedness between our struggles for liberation. I’ve come to understand the climate as an umbrella that connects and ties together every other social issue humanity faces. From health crises like pandemics and viruses, to gender inequality, to economic disparity and housing insecurity, all these are exacerbated by a changing climate. I also have come to understand the climate crisis as a symptom of colonialism, capitalism and white supremacy.

The extractive relationship the western world has branded as “progress” that fuels the climate crisis, exploits poor Black and Brown communities and destroys our shared water, air and lands, is a continuation of the colonial violence that lies at the foundation of this country. We must rapidly transition our energy economy, keep fossil fuels in the ground, and center the voices of frontline communities as we build a new vision of what our future can be. The urgency literally couldn’t be greater. It is a matter of cultural survival, for all of us. And the only way through the storm is together.

Q. Can you discuss Earth Guardians, the youth organization in which you are the director?

A. My mother founded Earth Guardians in 1992 as a high school in Maui, Hawaii, and in the following decade and a half it became a worldwide network of young organizers and community leaders from Bhutan to Togo to Mexico and across the U.S., all dedicated to environmental awareness, youth leadership and climate justice. It was a really important part of my family’s history, with three generations of my family playing significant roles in the growth and evolution of the organization. I grew up watching old VHS tapes of my older siblings performing and speaking to youth across the continent about the power our generation has to shape our future, fight for human rights and environmental justice, and play our part as guardians of the earth. That backdrop is what allowed me to get involved at such a young age. It made me fearless to fight for what I believed in, and created an environment for my voice and my leadership to flourish. In my time as Youth Director, I saw that so many youth across the globe had a desire to be a part of fighting for our future and the planet, but lacked the resources, support and guidance to engage meaningfully. And so that’s what Earth Guardians essentially dedicated itself to creating, a platform for youth everywhere to channel their passion and ambition for building a brighter future. I was the Youth Director up until 2019, and in 2020 my family and I have parted ways with the organization as it’s undergone changes in its leadership and gone in a different direction.

Q. Did you see yourself being involved in more podcasting in the future?

A. I see lots of potential to tell important stories through this medium, and watching ‘The Last Resort’ come to life, and the nuance of these issues definitely got me brainstorming. There are so many topics I’d love to dive into, like the unique experience of being an Indigenous immigrant in the U.S. and the relationship between colonial borders and Indigenous nations, or the role of art and music in revolutionary movements throughout history. And I have so many brilliant friends and mentors I’ve met over the course of my life that I could see an unscripted dialogue type of podcast in the cards at some point. Not sure how it will look but I’m sure there’s much work ahead in this space.

Q. How did you find The Last Resort narration experience?

A. It was definitely challenging at first. It took some time to settle into the role of being a narrator, of presenting a whole story that touched on many perspectives and ideologies that I didn’t always align with, but were important to illustrate for the sake of the broader story. As an organizer and spokesperson, I’m used to having to really stand by what I say and speak from a place of lived experience.

In the end, I feel we struck a really good balance. I was lucky to have had a really supportive team that valued my perspective and incorporated it into their vision for the show. We all pushed each other outside of our comfort zones. Editing as we went and ensuring that the podcast was both showing the full picture, and still felt like it was in my voice kept me connected to the story we were telling. It’s a pretty complex and dense idea the team wanted to go after. I’m really proud of how engaging it turned out.

Q. What projects are you working on now?

A. I’ve been working on an album for the last couple years, slowly growing and evolving the sound and story that I want to tell. Very excited to bring it fully to fruition. I finally made the move to LA recently, so I’m working with lots of new producers and artists which has been amazing. I’m also working with an Indigenous K-12 school here in LA called Anahuacalmecac to help develop a pilot program to teach music production, songwriting and composition by reinterpreting our traditional songs and instruments in a modern context. The project bridges the worlds of modern music, ancestral knowledge and Indigenous futurism. As the world opens up, I’ve started to return to speak at colleges and conferences worldwide, sharing my story and analysis on the intersection of Indigenous resistance, climate justice and cultural revolution.

*******

Some people just want to gripe about the state of the world. Others enjoy blaming others for their plight. Still others view the world as a zero-sum game where they can only get more if others get less.

Xiuhtezcatl Martinez is none of these things. He’s a young man passionate about his indigenous roots and ancestral culture. He’s a talented musician with much to say with his music. He’s an activist, championing environmental awareness, youth leadership and climate justice. He’s a teller of stories, whether on a podcast, in his music or through his activism.

He’s somebody we should all listen to.

Listen to The Last Resort here.

[eponymous-rose]

Talks Machina Highlights - Critical Role C2E123 (Feb. 2, 2021)

After last week’s thoroughly relaxing and brief episode, tonight’s guests are Sam Riegel and Liam O’Brien!

Brian, to Sam: “You look like Tim Curry moved to Nantucket to become a sommelier.”

How did Caleb and Veth approach the ally-ship with the Tombtakers? Sam: “I mean, we got some information, and I think we got a little closer to Lucien and knowing whether he has any of Mollymauk inside of him, which is I think the most important knowledge that we’re seeking right now. Is there someone to be saved inside there? We got glimpses, and we got a little hint that Mollymauk is maybe still in there? Maybe? And we got a little more insight into their plans, so that was useful.” Liam: “We know why we were having that fucking dream.” Sam: “But other than that, it was just a road trip with assholes.” Liam: “All our plans have been ripped in a new direction, and it’s just been improvisation.” Sam notes that it feels like we’re always about to rip into Caleb’s backstory, but haven’t yet followed that thread all the way through. Liam: “It’s partially frustrating, to be sure, but also I like the idea that-- his whole shit has been selfish, it’s been dealing with the trauma that he’s been through and not the greater world, and that’s been shifting somewhat.”

Does Caleb think the book was worth it, and is he still interested in reading more? Sam: “How do you ask Caleb not to read a book?” Liam: “Caleb has spent enough time with the Nein to know you shouldn’t put a hand on a hot stove. After what happened with the book, he knows it’s a terrible idea. But maybe. But it’s a really bad idea. But reserve judgment, but it’s a really terrible idea. I think that Caleb is very aware that mages and people like him very easily fall prey to their curiosity and it can lead to bad places. But there is still that amount of scientific endeavor where you think there is value in knowing and learning, and maybe we can ride that line. He was True Neutral at the start of the campaign, and maybe he’s Chaotic Good now, but part of him is hubris, even if it’s a little bit, still.”

What about Otis has drawn Veth’s focus? Sam: “I mean, he’s a little shit. She was curious about Otis because he’s a small like she is, and in talking to him, he seemed to be real creepy, but he was just creepy and distant and didn’t value his past or family or anything like that. She sees someone who’s like her, but so not like her, and maybe that scares her a little bit more.”

How does Caleb feel about Beau being on this ride with him? Liam: “The dream is another example of how Caleb had very narrow vision of the things he wanted to do. It used to seem so massive to him, but now... To have Beauregard involved feels right. If anyone in the group is going to stop him from grabbing something he shouldn’t, it is probably Beauregard. She’ll punch him in the fucking face to stop him, which I think he needs, to a certain extent. They’re two different kinds of nerds, and I kind of like that, that this group of nine philosophers, they’ve reached out and somehow grabbed the two nerds in the party.”

How do Caleb and Veth see the Somnovum? Sam: “I mean, they seem real bad. Anything that’s a quorum of powerful entities heading towards your planet to unleash an energy of any kind, typically bad? I assume they’re bad, or at least the Tombtakers wish them to do ill.” Liam: “I think they want the kind of peace that comes from snapping your fingers and turning people to dust. Caleb sees them as a cautionary tale; they’re the worst-case scenario for arcane inquisitiveness.” He sees Allura Vysoren as the antidote to that.

Why the staunch refusal to use Halfling Luck? Sam: “I don’t like Luck! I just don’t like Luck. I think it’s cheap, I think it’s a cheat, I think it’s stupid. It just feels like a do-over.” Liam: “I am your antithesis! If I ever voice a halfling, I am going to hammer that feature!” Sam: “What I love about D&D is that you don’t know what’s going to happen. If you roll bad, okay, that’s it. If you roll well, it makes the success more enjoyable to know that it’s a pure success and don’t one where you’re like well actually... it’s so stupid. If someone was about to die, I would probably use the fuckin’ Luck feature. Well. It depends who. If it was Travis, yeah, no, he’s fucked, sorry.”

Liam drops that he’s picked Sam’s character class and race again for a hypothetical campaign three. Sam: “It’s not what I was thinking for future characters, but I’m excited to explore.”

Cosplay of the Week: an amazing Mollymauk by KatofValkyrie!

What was it like to bring the Tombtakers into the tower? Liam: “It is complicated, because he does not like him. Lucien’s just a fucking dick. But Caleb also knows that Molly’s in there somewhere. That tower’s only for the M9, and Lucien’s not in the M9. Their situation with these people is shitty, it’s terrible. Caleb doesn’t feel like they have the upper hand. He doesn’t like that they’re even going on this journey per se, because life is bigger than his bullshit. He feels like they’ve been losing over and over again, so it was a gamble to try to get on equal footing.

What spurred Veth into making sure she and Yasha have some one-on-one time? Sam: “Yasha hasn’t been getting a lot of moments to shine. Now that she’s back, I just got the impression that Yasha feels out of place sometimes, or timid, or unsure of herself. When Veth was Nott, Nott certainly had her share of those moments. I think she sees a kindred spirit and wants to make sure that she’s been giving all the opportunity she can to flourish and thrive. Dani, you’re just laughing at my mustache, aren’t you?” Dani: “Yes, that’s the only thing I’m laughing at through this whole bullshit.” Sam denies all knowledge of trolling, but eventually admits, on the topic of Yasha and Beau getting together: “They’ve made me wait this long... I’m going to make them wait a little bit longer!”

What was it like to show his friends the upper floors? Liam: “I kinda expected somebody to sneak up there before that. That being part of the tower is not even a conscious choice of his, it just is. The reason Caduceus has creeped Caleb out for a long time is because he talks about how-- Caduceus is a really kind person and wants Caleb to let go of the past. And in a really simplistic way, turn that frown upside-down. And that’s just not who Caleb is, and it’s not who everybody is. There is something to be said for trying to stay open and positivity, but thinking you can shut out the past, especially a traumatic one, is just not true. When things happen to us, we carry them. But to candy-coat it and say, ah, I’m free, or everything is good, or I’ve turned the corner... life is way messier than that. It’s not flipping a switch, it’s not bad-to-good, it is such a work in progress. Even when you make strides and start to get to a better place, you can backslide a lot. So the tower is who he is, and the tower is 7/9ths love for his friends, and 1/9th hope, but there’s still a percentage of him that carries everything from the past, and knows that he should, and knows that he should not go back to where he was. And the way to do that is not to say everything is rainbows, but to remember it. The tower is just like an extension of who he is. He’s never going to forget the past, and he’s never going to be like, I’m good, or I’ve turned a corner. He should remember the past, and he should do better, always.”

Does Veth still believe it’s possible to get Molly back? Sam: “Well, she was a person trapped in another body for many years, so has some experience there, and definitely believes that the spirit and soul of Molly is in there and just needs to be unlocked somehow.”

Fan Art of the Week: an amazing group shot by HarpySN!

How are Caleb and Veth dealing with their guilt and fear about being in the middle of this? Sam: “It definitely was a deep conversation that might have repercussions going forward. The problem with all of what we’re doing now is that we don’t have time to deal with our petty problems anymore. It’s all high tension all the time!” Liam: “It’s true; they’re not in control of their situation at all anymore.” Sam: “It’s good to have these check-ins, but it’s not like we can do anything about them. We’re reactive right now.” Liam: “He’s not happy with where they are, but they wouldn’t even be this far if the goblin hadn’t pulled him out of the mud. So part of it is, you saved me from where I was and got me on my feet again, and now it’s disconcerting to see it all just get knocked sideways by something he never could’ve predicted. I think Caleb felt nostalgic for when things were simpler, in a way, for them, when we’re both troubled drifters.”

What was it like to see Gelidon’s return? Liam: “I am the least superstitious person at the table. Ashley’s dice suck.” Sam: “It was fun fighting a dragon!” Liam: “Two massive battles in one episode, neither of which came away with a victory. I guess surviving is a victory.” Sam: “I’d forgotten about the dragon, honestly.” Liam: “I loved it. I was so upset at the idea that we were going to stealth and not get into it.”Sam: “Mercer doesn’t keep a live dragon around and not do something with it. That dragon’s coming back.”

How do Caleb and Veth feel about going to see Essek? Sam: “He can be very helpful, I believe, but as Sam Riegel, a player of D&D, I’m super suspicious. What the fuck is Essek doing up there, so close, now? I don’t trust him as far as I can throw him. And I can throw him pretty far because he floats.” Liam: “I 100% agree with you. I do not understand what Essek could bring to what we are going through. I know the audience loves him, I love him too. He’s a really cool character. But he’s fucking toxic. He out of curiosity caused a war between two nations. And Caleb has been changed for the good by the M9 from months of travel with them. Essek has had none of that. Caleb has changed for the good, but not because of people like Essek. Essek is where Caleb came from. We kept the lid on the pot during the whole treaty at sea and it almost all went fucking sideways, and only because we pressed him into a corner. I hope that guy finds some sort of balance and peace for himself, but I do not see how his input here would be helpful. There’s other heavy hitters that I would try to pull in.”

Liam notes that the Cloven Crystal is in the Bag of Holding. Sam: “Do I have Fluffernutter, or is Fluffernutter gone?” Liam: “Nope. 300 pounds of fireworks? Gone. A dead mage, a threshold crest, and fireworks.” Dani: “Your basic essentials.”

[rowansparrow]

Ro’s Prompt Challenge 2021: Day Four

Prompt: Jesse and Parent (From my own prompt list) Ship: Jesse x Reader Rating: Teen Warnings: Children, pregnancy mention, brief innuendo and/or allusions to sex but nothing too dirty. Word Count: 938 Author’s Note: Listen, I love writing Jesse as a giant man-whore as much as the next fic writer, but I see a lot of smut with him and not a lot of fluff, so have some endearing Jesse content for your soul. 

If you have suggestions for future one word prompts or characters, send them to my inbox! I have a tentative list but I am open to suggestions and ideas.

(Yes, I continue to be very behind and I am just posting whatever I feel like whenever I can lmao) 

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He was almost asleep.

His eyelids had gotten heavier the longer the holofilm played in the background. It wasn’t that he was disinterested in the film, or disinterested in the people watching it with him. Rather, Jesse was just exhausted. His last campaign had worn him out. Granted, it was rare that he actually had “campaigns” anymore now that the war was over and he was free to choose whether or not he remained in the GAR, and Jesse had significantly lightened his combat hours ever since – well, ever since this.

“Daddy, you aren’t watching.”

He grunted softly, forcing his eyes back open to look down at the little girl tucked into his side. She had his eyes, and was looking up at him with a perfect pout, her dark curls wild and haloing her little face.

“’m watchin’, darlin’.” He mumbled, fighting back the sleep as he pried his eyes open once more. You giggled softly from Jesse’s side, pressing a kiss to his cheek.

“Let your Daddy sleep, Raya.” You told her softly. “He’s very tired.”

“I’m awake.” Jesse promised, adjusting his grip on the other child in his lap. The toddler, a little boy this time, was passed out already, mouth open where he was slumped against Jesse’s stomach, drooling onto his shirt.

“You’re gonna miss the best part.” Raya insisted softly, snuggling closer to Jesse and pointing to the screen once again. Jesse grunted softly, shifting his grip so he could better hold everyone, tucking Raya under his arm and keeping his hand securely on his son’s back, while his other arm shifted to go around you instead.

“I’m watching.” Jesse said, his vision a little blurry with sleep but refocused on the holo nevertheless. “Don’t talk too loud, Ray’ika, you’ll wake up Luca.”

You smiled, giving him another soft kiss before tucking your head against his shoulder.

“She’ll fall asleep soon.” You promised him. “Then we can get you in bed.”

Jesse chuckled, turning towards you and catching your lips in a soft kiss. “May not be so tired anymore once I’m back in our bed.”

You swatted him gently, turning your head back towards the movie.

When the movie finally did end, Jesse did his best to stay awake, following behind you as you tucked Raya into bed first, and then Luca, and kissed both of them on the foreheads before finally, blessedly, making it back to your bed to sleep.

“They were so excited you were coming home today.” You told him gently, watching as he pulled his sleep shirt off and collapsed into bed in just his boxers. “Thank you, for staying up with them.”

“Nothin’ to thank me for.” Jesse mumbled into the pillow. “I was excited to see them too.” He rolled over, raising a tired brow and making grabby hands at you. “But I missed Mama more. C’mere.”

You giggled, climbing into bed beside him and quickly catching his lips in a deep kiss. Jesse hummed quietly, his hand gliding over the planes of your body and coming to rest on your stomach, the slight bump curving under his hand.

“We’re officially going to be outnumbered.” Jesse murmured against your lips. “I was thinking about stopping deployments.”

“Really?” You asked, pulling away to look him in the eye. He shrugged.

“I want to be able to be home if you or the kids need anything. And I feel like I’m missing out.” He added a little sheepishly. “So… I was thinking about putting in a transfer. I’d be a trainer on base instead of active duty. So less deployments, more of a 8-hour shift kind of gig.”

You smiled, cupping his cheeks. “Is that what you want?” You asked him quietly. “Or are you doing that because you feel like you need to?”

“I want to.” Jesse insisted. “I want to be with you, with our family.” He kissed your nose, pulling you closer. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” You smirked, kissing him again. “You too tired to show me exactly how much you missed me, soldier?”

Jesse chuckled, shifting his grip slightly so his hands were on your hips.

“I think I could manage that.”

Before he could make a move, however, the door to the bedroom slid open, and Raya stood in the doorway, her tooka doll clutched to her chest and Luca’s hand in her own. Luca was yawning, rubbing his tired eyes with one little fist.

“Ah, didn’t we already put you to bed once?” You teased, peering over Jesse’s shoulder at the children.

“Dada.” Luca mumbled, letting go of Raya’s hand and instead toddling to Jesse’s side of the bed, trying to climb up.

“Alright, hang on, little man.” Jesse chuckled, planting one hand on Luca’s baby butt and hoisting him up, rolling him over between the two of you. Luca giggled, flopping onto his back, as Jesse peppered little kisses over his chubby cheeks.

“Luca woke up and wanted to sleep with Daddy.” Raya said, clutching her doll tighter. “Can I stay too?”

“Of course.” You smiled, making room for Raya to climb in between you. Jesse smiled, propped up on one arm as he watched Raya settle in close to you, while Luca immediately buried his face in Jesse’s chest and fell asleep almost at once.

He gave you an apologetic look, his arm stretching across the children to hold your hip. “Another time?”

You nodded, leaning and meeting him halfway for one last kiss. “I’ll hold you to that, soldier.”

Jesse chuckled, settling back against the pillows and closing his eyes at last. “I’m sure you will.”

~

Tag List:  @fat-zygerrian @pro-fangirls-unsocial-life @djarrex @captainrexsfuturewife @a-c-lee @baba-fett @sammi9498 @bobafettuccini @theroguesully @ashotofspotchka @ladykatakuri @rintheemolion @frietiemeloen @badbatch-simp24 @lottemoppie13 @matchxd @taz-107 @raeshinfandomblog @space-b33 @salaminus @paige6768 @the-girl-of-rain-and-shadows @coffeeandtodd @thedomesticatednerd @kirinpl @bubblyacey @embarrassedauthornerd @cheesemachine44 @hockeyjedi13 @kaorikoizumi @chromia7567 @megafrost4 @chewychewyque @whore4rex @thegirlwhosesilencespeaksloudest @galacticgraffiti @letitrainathousandflames @nyravioppri​ 

[equestrianwritingsstuff]

Fire on Fire by Sam Smith for the plot?

In Love With the Flames

I had a few ideas for that one, but I decided on this. It is not edited, as I don't have the patience to edit something this long. But who knows, maybe someday it will get done. Anyway, I hope you like it and I will be adding this song to my workout playlist.

I also apologize for the lenght. I cannot to the "Continue Reading" or something like that on a phone. So I also apologize for clogging up your dashboard if you aren't interested.

Warnings: character deaths, enjoyment of people in pain/dying, alcohol use, bar setting, two characters in-love (nothing inappropriate, just hugs, kissing, and "flirty" behavior), fantasy politics (with government of my own making), public shaming, assault and magical attacking/whump

~

Supervillain let out another blast of burning fire, allowing it to make contact with the glass building without any remorse in their veins. Actually, it made them happy, listening to all the screams and hollers of the civilians down below.

"That is an unfortunate mess," a voice spoke behind Supervillain. Supervillain whirled around, hands up and ready, only to be met with the fascinating face of Villain. Villain, the most gorgeous being with deep emerald eyes that illuminated even the darkest souls, also had their hands raised. Their own fire lapped on their fingers, waiting to meet its mark.

But the fact that Villain was a threat did not register in Supervillain's thoughts. No, they could not take their own hazel eyes away from the pure beauty that was encased in the said threat's face. The way their soft brown hair bounced as they sauntered over to the supervillain and the way their pink lips added to the tanned tone of their skin. It was a sight, but also a distraction from Villain's intent.

"What do you want Villain?" Supervillain asked, hoping their voice was quivering from the fact that Villain was so close.

"That was a movie theater," Villain replied, their lips turning up as their nose crunched. Supervillain felt theit heart flutter and their breath catch in their throat. No one ever mentioned that Villain was also so adorable.

Supervillain shook their head and linked their fingers behind their back, gazing at Villain for a split second before saying, "If you want to see a movie so bad... My house nine o'clock. Tonight."

"I worked there. Now I'm out of a job."

Ohhh, crap. Supervillain inwardly swore at themselves and took of a fighting stance. There was no way that Villain came here just to plan their future date.

Villain attacked first, sending a fireball directly at Supervillain's head. Supervillain dodged, heart racing. Villain was aiming to kill.

Supervillain shot out their own fire, barely missing Villain's mane. Gosh... that hair. Supervillain froze, it was eye catching. It was-

A fierce fireball smacked Supervillain in the chest.

The supervillain went down, hitting the cold ground with a thud as their skin and clothes melted away. Black spots danced along Supervillain's vision as they felt themselves sinking further into the ground.

"Oh my gosh!" Came a short squeal and the next thing that Supervillain saw was Villain's face. Smug, but mildly concerned. Supervillain, anticipating an attack, arched their back weakly, straining to push away, but Villain placed a hand on their least damaged shoulder and shoved them back down.

"Where does it hurt?" Villain asked, their voice taut with care.

"No where, but cold," Supervillain slurred, dipping their head to the side. Their eyelids dropped and any thoughts of their situation disappeared into thin air.

"Stay with me, okay?" Villain brushed some snowflakes off of Supervillain's face. They didn't realize that it has begun to snow. Before Villain scooped up the supervillain, they murmured, "I will take care of you. Deal?"

And that was the last thing Supervillain heard before they succumbed to sleep.

Six months later...

"The heroes have infiltrated the Villain Agency. I believe- Uhh Supervillain, this is kinda important..."

"What was that?" Supervillain pushed Villain slightly away and looked at their henchman. "Cleary nothing important."

"Boss. The heroes are taking over. We need to do something, not-," Henchman looked between the two giggling lovebirds. "Not flirting with your significant other in a bar."

Villain looked up, then Supervillain. Both with a childish look on their face that Henchman only hoped was due to the alcohol.

"If," Supervillain brought their glass to their lips and took a long sip. "If this was so important, dear Henchman. Then why did we meet in a downtown bar?"

"Because you told me to meet here."

"Oh."

"Yeah, now let's talk about this before the situation gets worse. Sending troops out will possibly-"

"We'll handle it Henchman. Okay?" Supervillain stood up and lifted Villain to their feet. "Dance?" They asked Villain and led them to the center of the bar where a crappy band was stringing its guitar and beating on their drums.

Henchman sighed and collected their papers and left the couple to do who knows what.

"I love you, Supervillain," Villain murmured the next day as they approached the Hero's Base. They were holding hands, the fire lapping greedily at their fingertips as it intertwined with each other. Two killers, one fire... it all equaled terror. Pure villainous terror.

"I love you too," Supervillain reached over and landed a kiss in Villain's brown hair.

Both then looked at the Hero's Base. The whole building seemed to be made of glass- a warm sense of deja vu- but everyone knew that the walls were made of the strongest iron injected with power reflectors. It was practically a bunker, made to withstand bombardments.

"Ready?" Villain looked up with their daunting emerald eyes and half-smirk. Supervillain's confident demeanor faltered. They couldn't lose Villain, yet they also couldn't defeat the heroes without them.

"Promise me you'll live and then I am ready."

Villain smiled even wider, "Of course. I'm more worried about you." And with that light-hearted warning, Villain broke the hold on Supervillain's hand, stepped back, and began to blow up the Base.

Supervillain did the same thing, adjusting the aim of the fire to hit Villain's stream. It added strength and power to the blow, causing the outer glass to shatter.

Supervillain and Villain won that fight and won the national headlines.

Villain ran down the stairs the next morning to see Supervillain making breakfast and coffee. They triumphantly held a newspaper.

"The nation's greatest supervillain and their counterpart, Villain, blows up the Hero's Base," Villain read eagerly. "Reports say that the duo attacked in the morning a week after the heroes took over the Villain Agency. These killer's locations are unknown, so please watch yourselves as they could be lurking."

"Give me that," Supervillain snatched the paper, their tongue running over their lips like a snake. After reading it, they started to pace. "We could use this."

"Use this?" Villain scoffed, but their green eyes betrayed their excitement. They always loved their partner's ideas. "How?"

"How does campaigning sound?" Supervillain asked with a flashy smile.

"Campaigning?" Doubt tugged at Villain's voice.

"If you read further, you little naive idiot," the term was used teasingly, so Villain made a playful face. "Our lovely nemesis, Hero, survived the onslaught and is currently running for mayor."

"Mhm. I read that, but didn't deem it important. After all, Hero is basically in charge of the city without the title."

"But we aren't. We have ten thousand men and women underneath our feet, Villain, but Hero has fifty thousand with backup. But we could change those odds, my dear," Supervillain stepped towards Villain. "With a little campaigning, delving into the art of blackmail, and a well-planned assualt to the face of city... Honey, would you like to be mayor?"

"That," Villain wrapped their arms around Supervillain and brought them into a hug. "would be amazing."

"Just amazing?"

"Perfect, my mistake."

"Greetings citizens of the city," Supervillain's voice boomed through the auditorium. Thousands of civilians gathered below Supervillain's feet listening to the villain speak. But none of them knew that the charismatic speaker was Supervillain.

"This city," Supervillain glanced at their glowering foe, Hero, who was sitting with their hands neatly folded in front of them. "is on the brink of downfall. Crime rampages though the streets like rats. Murders, robberies... All under Hero's administration. The city is not safe when both petty and large crimes are not dealed with. For example, only a few weeks ago, the Base was completely demolished and yet the culprits have not been taken into custody. Do you realize the danger of that situation-" Supervillain coughed to hide a chuckle. "The pure impudence of it. We allow v-villains-" another cough. "to, uh, hmf sorry, must have a small cold brewing. Uh, let's see where was I? Ah yes, we allow villains to control us. Manipulate us. They take advantage of Hero's weakness and mold it into a weapon of choice and disaster. We are not safe. I repeat we are not safe."

Supervillain's gaze drifted to the figure, who was quite literally shimmering with rage, next to them. Actually, quite literally, the hero's hands were encassed in a golden wispy glow.

"That it why I introduce to you-" Supervillain tapped some buttons into the electric table they were sitting at. "The City Improvement Plan!" Cheers rang throughout the crowd, centering on a cluster of well-known punk Villains. Supervillain froze. They knew. Those villains must've recognized Supervillain's voice and- Supervillain snuck a peek at Hero. The hero's face was not only glistened in sweaty rage, but also had a smug look of realization on it.

"Okay, so, uh..." Supervillain couldn't concentrate. Not with the tall body of Hero standing up and speaking into a walkie-talkie. They readjusted their mask self-consciously. Was it weird to be wearing a mask? Supervillain looked back at Hero who wss now conversing with a couple guards. They were wearing a mask as well...

Gosh, they were staring for too long. The crowd was watching them, waiting for their next statement.

"The City Improvement Plan will remove unqualified people from office-" Supervillain started breathing deeply as two tasers caught their gaze. "And replace them with well-trained officer trained specially by my own partner, Civilian." Villain's fake name rolled off Supervillain tongue like sour milk.

"Civilian has been trained for high combat situations and has even fought many villains on a day to day basis."

Hero started stalking up to them, the tasers following them. Supervillain gulped, their fingers brushes against the botton on their collar. The only way to reach Villain.

They pressed, feeling the familiar vibration against their collarbone. Within seconds, the villain landed right next to Supervillain. The crowd gasped.

"Hello!" Villain leaned over, crossing their legs behind them as they spoke into the microphone. "My name is Villain. I happen to be Supervillain's boyfriend/girlfriend. Today, we have a fabulous show for you." Villain swung around, wrapping their arms around Supervillain's neck and whispered into their ear, "After today, we will also be called sinners." Supervillain furrowed their brow and hugged Villain back, confused.

Villain pushed away, and swung their arm. A wall of fire lit up on the stadge. No one could get in or out.

Hero rushed forward, their water power in hand, and tried to douse Villain with a good wave, but they dodged and hooked Hero with their leg. Within five seconds, Hero was on the ground with a wire threatening to break off all airflow.

While Villain was occupied with taking Hero down, Supervillain faced the two guards. Each had a taser ready to stike at them at any given chance. So, seeing the immediate danger, Supervillain blasted the tasers out of there hands. The guards instantly ran at them with the intention to strangle.

Supervillain was knocked to the ground pretty easily with the weight of the two burly- yet, insanely muscular- guys pressing against their shoulders.

Villain glanced over to see their partner struggling. Quickly, they punched Hero in the face. Once... twice... a third blow did it, leaving Hero completely motionless on the ground.

Villain then took the liberty to yank one of the guys off of Supervillain and threw him through the raging fire. The screams did not end.

Supervillain pushed the other guy away, flipping onto their feet and gave him a good burn across his chest- similar to one that Villain gave them a half year before. With a contented grunt, Supervillain landed him next to his writhing buddy.

Both Villains turned to Hero, narrowing their gaze. The hero had just began to stir. Not wasting anymore time, Supervillain rushed over and finished Hero off with a swift cut in their throat.

They flew away right before the fire wall burned out- not even waiting to hear the horrified gasps.

The couple worked like that. Rampaging through cities and killing, burning, and maiming.

"They don't follow any rules."

"Out of control."

"Ruthless, merciless..."

Rumors spread like wildfire, hitting all the nation's broadcasts and newspapers. There was a nationwide curfew as well- no one knew when the villains would pop up and strike.

They were slowly taking control of the world, just like Supervillain promised, through fear and domination. Schools started to host army troops to protect the children. Men and women alike started to get drafted and began to train- focusing any powers they held on fight and enchancing strength in those not blessed with magic. The world was in chaos, orbiting around the sun that was Villain and Supervillain's fireball.

Yet, even as the world slowly sunk to its knees, the villainous couple was having the time of their lives.

Planning for their future.

Supervillain and Villain were taking a romantic walk in a rose garden one evening. The sunset was a pallette of pastel colors- pink, green, orange, you name it. They circled around a tranquil pond with growing waterlilies and ducks happily quaking to their young.

Suddenly, Supervillain spun Villain around. Once again, hazel eyes met emerald, but this time it was of love, not hate.

Supervillain bent down onto one knee and revealed an diamond ring. Any pedestrians wouldn't even guess that the proposing couple was the world's greatest murderers. No one.

"Will you marry me, Villain?"

"Yes," Villain squealed and dragged Supervillain to their feet.

"You are supposed to let me put the ring on your finger..." Supervillain's voice trailed off as Villain kissed their new fiancé.

"I don't care," Villain teased and rested their head against Supervillain's shoulder.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

[korkrunchcereal]

WoW Q and A

Elaborate on the Chains of Domination cinematic: Story of Anduin and Sylvanas/relationship with the jailer is foundational to Shadowlands. Anduin was dominated. Jailer needed someone like Anduin to be able to walk into Bastion and claim the key. Brief moment of Anduin gaining control in cinematic, so still in there. Chains of Domination will explain more.

When he (Anduin) walks past Uther, did Uther know what was happening or did he feel bad? Couple things going on. His hand touches his wound, made by a weapon of the maw. Uther recognized on some level that power, as well as stirring memories seeing this blonde, kingly figure. Confrontation with Sylvanas in the raid one of the biggest moments in WoW.

Moving from classic to BC while keeping a copy. Whats it going to look like for gold, items/banks. Am I going to see differences or is it two separate entities for all time? Logging in at pre patch will snap a copy of your character. There will be an option to move onto BC classic, or stay in vanilla classic. Can pay a fee and activate “clone” to put them on BC classic if you choose to stay Vanilla. Beta is around the corner. 

How will high population  numbers be handled in TBC classic? How will you handle bottlenecks, sharding, dailies etc. Recognize high population, want to make sure experience is enjoyable. Optimization improvements to help stabilize servers. Experience of rare material and multiple people going is part of the game. Willing to make targeted changes if there is particular problems. 

 Will there be more race/class combinations? Player agency and choice is major theme. Customization key, but also want to reinforce differences. Want to maintain a world that doesn’t have exact symmetry. Have gone back over the years to change things. For now, think they’ve gone about far enough. Nothing planned, but never say never.

 Surprise on Covenant armor? Based on heritage armor. Pure aesthetic, want to give players more and more options. Gameplay reasons to not tmog the entire range (warrior wearing cloth for example)

Workflow change during pandemic? Happened very suddenly. Team reached to each other to find comfort. The isolation found purpose for devs. Making Shadowlands/games help to reconnect friends and people.

Any plans to address faction imbalance? What happened to cause it? Something talked about a lot. Know there’s a very real problem, particularly high end. What caused the problem? Imbalanced in racials allowed to persist too long. At this point, don’t think racials are imbalanced. People staying Horde however due to social reasons now; compounded issue from all the way back from MoP etc. No real answer. Social issue requires social answer.

Have you ever seen a swing in either faction direction due to story elements? Across the game as a whole, faction balance is pretty good. Its raiding/high end PvE that the imbalances really emerge. Have seen faction switches/more cross faction alts in BfA for example. 

If I play BC, when I decide to play on main char and a classic era realm at 60, will I have to name change? You have your name in both places. Ensure people don’t park on names forever.

Any plans to connect more realms? Had to do survey across all populations in all realms. Essentially have to copy an entire realms database onto another. Not a flip a switch thing, lot of work. Have been able to address a large amount of the very low pop. realms. Had to pause for Shadowlands launch due to launch and Shadowlands had huge effects on server populations. Last time they connected realms was right before WoD, and realms had a LOT of queue problems. Watching and waiting for populations to go down before making the jump.

Never gonna have cross faction raids, dungeons etc? Not gonna say never. Essential to hold onto identity but...

Will our amount of Anima be increased later? Is it possible for sanctum upgrades to be account wide? Lot to collect. Hotfixed Anima drops so far. Looking for new sources of Anima for next patch. Over all looking at the costs. Cosmetics are generally account wide. Anima is designed to span the bulk of Shadowlands. 

Sire Denathrius is an eternal one and imprisoned. What will he do? Will we see him again? Best laid plans can adapt. During BfA, intended Bwonsamdi to be a one off. There, but no big deal. Once they heard the VA they went “we need more of this character”. Planned for Sire Denathrius to be there, you kill him w/e. Then heard the VA and went “this guys awesome we love him.” Changed plan to keep Sire Denathrius alive. Will find some other role for him to take. Watch fan feedback to see how community responds/gravitate to. He is in that sword, there may just be allies of him that would be interested in liberating him from the sword...

When will we see more Heritage Armor? As each one was released, got more and more excited from response/enhanced feel of the game. Working on further Heritage Armor. Some coming to near future updates, some more in the future.

Any plans to bring back the AH app? Not as you know it perse. It got turned into a lot of automation. Revamp removed app, then change of the AH. Meant to be more of a socialize thing then accumulation of gold by automated system. Recognize however convenience factor. Consider getting back into some form, but not like how it used to be.

Will there be more new character customization options for Shadowlands? None in Shadowlands. Tend to be fairly big projects. Release them when it’ll be very good for players. Lot of work to juggle. Felt like they got good feedback and support from it. Want to invest going forward when it makes sense.

What are actual requirements for flying in Shadowlands? Where can we fly? Can we fly across the realms? Shadowlands pathfinder no rep grind. Just requires completing full covenant campaign (9.0 and 9.1). Cannot fly from zone to zone. Once unlocked, alts will be able to fly freely. 

In the BC classic, will there be class tuning that would make it notably different than 2007? Broadly no. Want to keep the authentic behavior of final patch, like classic had. Seal of blood

Is there work being done on new Torghast Anima Powers for later patches? Spec specific, when can we see? WIll be done through all patches/future patches. new powers etc. As for powers working outside Torghast, keep OP nature of them inside Torghast.

Difference between passage of time in Shadowlands and in Azeroth? Salanar the Horseman in DK order hall said he was in the veil for what felt like days and it was between WoTLK and Legion. Meet characters for whom time doesn’t seem to have meaning. What is time a construct of? Order. On Azeroth, understand the passage of time because of influence of titans/order. Outside of the influence of order, time loses meaning. A lot more fluid. Shadowlands about eternities. Can have it perceived differently by different characters even going through same thing.

Bringing back 10-man content, either as different difficulty or different instances for smaller groups to tackle. All raid basically is/can be 10 man. These days its the 5 player mega dungeons that fill the role. In BC, ZA and Kara filled that niche of the smaller group doing the BIG, raid like content. Fulfills the spirit of 10 man content.

Will summoning stones be available at launch of BC or come later? Will have them at launch.

What’s Bolvar up to and where is his story going? Will he have a major role to play? One of the fun parts of Shadowlands was getting Bolvar back into the mix. We saw him be pivotal in Torghast and getting into Shadowlands. Saw there was a price to pay for visions with Torghast. He will be front and center in Chains of Domination. Good rallying figure.  

In BC, how will pvp titles be handled without battlegroups? Originally, reward was made for the best player in each battlegroup due to technical reasons. Now that they have better technology, fair way is % based, though still want to keep it small amount. 

In Stormwind, Darnassus refugees mention going back once the smoke clears. Does this mean Teldrassil can grow back and become habitable again? The damage was pretty definitive/lot of lives lost. Don’t want to reverse on a whim. The story of the souls of the Night Elves however is not yet done, nor is Tyrande’s story going into Chains of Domination and beyond.

Will fresh classic servers be added in addition to TBC servers? For the timeline of BC classic, no new classic servers. Eyes on it however for the future. Will discuss once BC launches.

How do you get the Wandering Ancient Mount? Got to have Shadowlands. Will be in 9.0.5 patch update next month (March). 

[glacierbash]

i heard something about a lesbian undead cleric 👀

YOU HEARD RIGHT OKAY

uhh if you're a player in the direlight campaign do not read under the read more unless you're the dm in which case. ya know. hi josh

warning it accidentally got long and rambly Whoops

SOOOO okay my girl my undead lesbian where do weee begin

here's a picture I've just finished of her because I wanted to test out a solid line style and i went too far AND I JUST REALIZED I FORGOT TO SHADE THE GOLD ON HERRRRRR

so her name is! Adr Irithyl! She's a Shadar-Kai (bodied) twilight cleric who worships the Raven Queen (who in the world is called Selyn). Before dying and her subsequent revival, Adr was one of many nuns who served to help souls pass on to Selyn, so that the Raven Queen could collect them and sort them. Adr specialized in children (which ALWAYS sounds weird), helping them with a soothing darkness that followed her wherever she walked. She would sit beside them, listening to children tell stories, letting them talk and talk until their lives would end, and she'd usher the spirits back. Specifically twilight, she used the dark as a blanket, blinding the children to what was to happen.

But, one of the children she was around ended up getting her ill. She was only ~150-200 when she passed, refusing to let the others heal her at risk of getting them sick. The only one she allowed was her closest "friend" among those in her specific order, telling her "I do not want my life to go to waste. Use my body as a sign that death is to be welcomed, and not feared, and that reversing it isn't the answer."

And then she died, peacefully, after an agonizing couple weeks of struggling with an illness foreign to her body. She's from the Shadowfell, she's not used to the Material Plane. She passed, and so too did 500 years. Empires rose and empires fell. People lived and she was remembered by her Sisters.

Until she wakes up, 500 years in the future, her body a stitched up, mangled mess, surrounded by corpses of other clerics like her, with no recollection of who she even was. She lays there for over a week, just... Noticing. "I should be starving by now. I should be dehydrated by now. Breathing hurts. I can't sleep."

When she finally moves, she just... Keeps seeing the bodies. Pieces of the bodies, sometimes just skin, sometimes their entire limbs. One of her arms was too long. One had a hand with only three fingers. The stitches on her body hurt, and she was covered with arcane markings she couldn't wash off. Memories would... Sometimes hit her, the strongest being this one woman flashing a smile and offering her...

She could never remember the word. it was warmed bread with some spread on it, but the specifics, she couldn't remember. It frustrated her. It frustrated her so much she went to destroy the entire ruins and kill herself.

When she found a note, on the altar where she had been. It was in a language she couldn't read. And... It called to her. As if it would be an answer to who did this. So, rather than kill herself and return to Selyn, she lead the nunnery, left her sisters, with the strange feeling that she wasn't entirely alone, that no matter where she went, bits of those ripped apart to form her would follow, everywhere she went.

Eventually, she found a town, where a person named Henris eventually befriended her, and she stopped her quest for revenge to work as a researcher in a school of Clerichood, which is where the party will meet her!

The Lesbianism:tm: will be something she realizes throughout the story, as she recalls memories of her "dear friend." They were very much in love, but their devotion and dedication (and Adr being... Scared of that aspect of her) meant that they never grew closer than friends. But without those obligations, without that... Goal? Adr doesn't feel that same "moral" obligation to remain celibate and pure and focused on her prayers. In fact, she can barely even remember the prayers she used to say, relying on an old prayer book found on a body of her sisters.

Originally, Adr had been a soft and kind woman who would give up everything to help others, but now? With the knowledge that, surely, in the eyes of her goddess she's an abomination (a theme among my elf clerics actually, undead clerics who think their gods see them as a monster that sends them hardships to get them killed), she doesn't care. She doesn't care about being soft and nice. She doesn't care about pacifism. She doesn't want to hurt people, but if she saw the man that brought her back and to get him, she'd have to kill one of her party members?

At the moment, I don't think I can say she'd wait.

She's not meant to be some overly grimdark, "oh boo-hoo" character, she literally talks like Miette the cat, regularly tries to eat food that she physically can't since she lacks a stomach, is going to be calling one of the characters "Sea salt" because they're a sea elf (granted they deserve it SMH Cancel Sea salt the Bloodhunter 2021 /j), but... She has that part of her. The fact that she never asked to be alive. The fact that she views death as a mercy. The fact that once her goal is complete, she will kill herself without any hesitation for fear of growing too attached to life.

and yeah im going to give her the comphet I struggled with for years because IT'S MY CHARACTER AND I CAN PROJECT THE STRUGGLES

but all the negative aside she does still adore kids and wears a raven mask (see above) to hide her face so that kids don't think she's scary, she'll give kids rides on her shoulders because she's over 7 feet tall, she'll sit with you all night if you have a bad dream (UNLESS YOU'RE SRIGRALT FUCK YOU SRIGRALT /J), she'll even grant you dark vision if you need it because even if the dark is peaceful to her, it isn't that way for everybody.

But, I haven't even played her yet! I'm switching out my genasi monk for her, and I'm. really excited. Adr is so much more interesting to me because while I made my genasi a really femme woman, I can do! So Much more with Adr! AND I just love playing cleric, like. Hitting inflict wounds on the final boss? MWAH that was a magical moment with my other cleric, and since we don't have dedicated support... I'm not complaining about pulling her out ;)

ANYWAYS thank you for asking me abt her Morgan i have thunked about her a lot, expect an ask abt your githzerai cleric soon because dnd characters are <3

[system76]

System76 Spotlight with Adam Balla

Welcome to the first of an ongoing series where we get to know some of the amazing people behind System76! This week, we kick things off with one of our newest members, Adam Balla (AKA chzbacon), who has just joined the Marketing Team as our Content Producer. Learn what makes his content creation heart go pitter-patter, and why his electric smoker is his must-have cooking appliance.

When did you first become interested in Linux computer systems?

When my roommate introduced me to Slackware in 1999, he was working as a Linux system admin and he really got me interested in Linux. I was going to the Art Institute of Houston at the time for a Multimedia Design degree, and the thought that you could create your own desktop operating system really appealed to me. I didn’t need to stare at the same old tacky operating system I’d used for years.

I found myself, like many nerds of the era, at a Micro Center in the early 2000s rummaging through the discount software bins, trying to snag up multi-CD Linux distributions. This journey exposed me to several of today’s most popular Linux distros. One of those was SUSE Linux 5.3, of which I still keep the tattered book on a bookshelf as a reminder. I did however finally find my place in the world of Debian, which is where I essentially live today. Honestly not much has really changed other than using Pop!_OS as my main distribution—though like any Linux diehard, I still love to download, test, and sometimes install all the Linux.

When did you start becoming a champion for open source hardware and software?

It was a few years after that. Once I got back from the Art Institute and I was working in the area, we needed a server for the screen printing shop that I worked at. Knowing about Linux at that point, I was able to set up a server using consumer-grade gear that we could store all of our artwork and assets on. Moving forward, I set up a server for the newspaper that I worked at for a decade, which I know is still running to this day. After using Linux in that sort of environment and knowing it was good enough for a business, I knew it was good enough for me and my needs.

How did you get involved in content creation as a career?

My father was an engineer. When I was young I was always, like most kids, into drawing cars and doodles and cartoons, but I was used to having a drafting table at the house. Computing came around, and my father bought an IBM 486 and one of the original digitizing tablets, and so I got to play around with that. Eventually, he got upset because I was on the computer more than he was, so he bought me an IBM 386 to use.

Around 1995, my dad learned from a coworker about Photoshop. I begged him to get me a copy, and he finally did for Christmas. That’s when I started playing around in Photoshop and really fell into wanting to create for a living. Similar to what my father does, but maybe not as stringent in the decision that I make—no building is going to fall down from my creative process.

And that’s how I got into the whole content creation piece. I created a cover for the album of my high school bands and then started doing work for more local bands. Back then, there were no digital art courses, so I learned a lot by doing and trial/error.

What is your favorite part of the creative process?

Working together as a team during the initial brainstorming process. Going through all of the ideas and details, sometimes writing them down, sometimes not, and even laughing at myself at how ridiculous an idea may sound. I love the process of the very first step. I love to set the vision for the project work from there to turn that vision into reality.

How did you first learn about System76?

I first learned about System76 through Chris Fisher and Jupiter Broadcasting. I believe they were reviewing the Leopard Extreme in 2012, on what at that time was the Linux Action Show. That’s when I started to look at System 76 and their offerings and wondered if it would be better for me to build my own Linux desktop, or adopt something and support the open source community. It’s been a little while since then, and I’ve always kept my eye on System76. Then with the release of Thelio, that really pushed me to the point of, “Wow, these guys are creating their own beautiful custom chassis and they’re incorporating different materials together. What a beautiful machine.”

I was speaking to my wife (financial advisor) about purchasing one in 2019, and I spoke to Emma and some other people at System76 about my desire for one, and I don’t know how, but Emma encouraged me not to buy one! And then I was given the opportunity to come to System76 for the Superfan event, where I was fortunate enough to be one of a dozen people who were gifted a Thelio desktop. It sits on my desk to this day; I even bought a larger desk just so I could put it up there and see it every day. I really appreciate the humble beginnings of System76, and I’m so glad to finally be a part of this amazing team.

Let's get into that creative brain. What is your favorite viral video and/or ad, and why do you love it so much?

I have a few ads that I like. I’ve always liked Honda’s messaging and their ads.

I like these ads because of the way in which they go through their history and lineage and the way that Honda itself has marketed its products as “People First” products—very similar to when they introduced their motorcycles to the US with their “You meet the nicest people on a Honda,” campaign. I think that was in 1962, so this was during the height of the motorcycle gang craze. Then comes this little Japanese motorcycle company and markets their products in a completely opposite image from the rest of the industry. They dared to be different and it paid off for them. Selling over 100 million Honda Cubs since 1958. Being given the title of most produced motor vehicle in the world.

This may come as a surprise to some, but I also really love the original Orwellian-inspired Macintosh commercial, which only aired once during the 1984 Super Bowl. Created by Steve Hayden, Brent Thomas and Lee Clow. In my opinion, these guys really created disruptive advertising, so much so that the ad still resonates today as much as it did then. While I don’t think you need to incite fear to sell a product, it showed that Apple dared to be different.

I’m not sure what constitutes a viral video these days. I’m not sure if it’s having a billion trillion views or just simply infecting one person who saw your video. One that always gives me a chuckle has to be “News Anchor Laughs At Worst Police Sketch Fail”. The honesty on the anchor's face makes me lose it every time.

When you’re not helping to lead the Open Source revolution, what do you like to do with your free time?

I really like going on walks and taking photos. Photography to me is one of the last honest art forms. What you see really is what you get. I love to tinker and make things, I have a 3D printer that my wife and I purchased as a joint valentine’s gift to each other last year. We started using it right when COVID broke out, so we made around 900 face shields which we distributed to schools, day cares, dentist's offices, anyone who needed one. That’s what we did for about the first 6 months when we first got it. Now, my wife loves to print earrings, for example, and I like to build different fun electronics projects.

I also love to cook, especially for large groups. I just got done with an Easter Weekend + Birthday celebration where we cooked 100 lbs of crawfish, 10 lbs of pork shoulder, sausage, and boudin (which is basically rice and pieces of pork that have been mixed together with seasonings and then put into a casing like sausage). One of my main requirements actually for a place in Denver is somewhere I can bring my electric smoker. It’s a must-have for any Texan.

What are you most excited about with your new role here at System76? To help change the computing landscape as we know it today. Into a future where technology is free and open. A world where you're encouraged to break things, fix things, and learn how they work. Aside from changing the world and stuff, I'm really excited to have a chance to work with such an insanely talented group of people.

[scarletjedi]

Sangcheng Time Travel Fix It Chapter 1

I think I *might* have figured out how to end the outline, so that will hopefully be posted in the next day or so, in the mean time, have the first chapter. This is all but a rough draft, and unbetad, so bear with me people. I *think* I’ve used the correct terms for everything, and I think everything and everyone is decently named, but if you notice any glaring errors, please let me know!

Notes at the end of the chapter

Rated M for the inherent homoeroticism of wound care (ie, a sex scene no more graphic than I’ve read in mainstream media, but if you want to skip it, cut to the very end once they kiss)

Jin Guangyao was dead, and for the first time in years, Nie Huaisang had no idea what expression was on his face. His fan was tucked into his belt, his hands full of blood and sand and Jin Guangyao’s ever-present hat.

He didn’t know why he had grabbed it. A token? A reminder? Proof? Of what, he wasn’t sure. That it was over, maybe.

He really didn’t know.

Lost in thought, he wandered away from the steps, leaving Lan Xichen to his own grief. It would be a while before Nie Huaisang was truly welcome in Lan Xichen’s presence, if ever. Lan Xichen always was forgiving, right up until he wasn’t.  

Huaisang’s vision, hazy and unfocused as it was, suddenly filled with purple and deep indigo, and he stopped just short of collision. Blinking, he raised his head to meet Jiang Wanyin’s eyes.

It was well known that the legendary Sandu Shengshou had only one expression – a harsh, disapproving scowl. It was certainly the only expression he ever wore at discussion conferences. Huaisang remembered differently, however. He remembered surprisingly soft smiles, eyes that widened with wonder as a deep flush crawled across his cheekbones. He remembered, too, the way tears would glisten as they fell, his face twisting—

Jiang Wanyin’s mouth scowled, yes, but his eyes were red-rimmed and soft, and Huaisang wasn’t sure he’d ever actually seen the look in them before. Considering everything he had learned tonight, Huaisang wasn’t sure that Jiang Wanyin had looked that way before. Perhaps when Lotus Pier fell.  

Oh. He was talking.

“—ack to Lotus Pier.”

Huaisang blinked. “I am sorry, Jiang-xiong. I’m afraid I didn’t hear you.” 

The scowl deepened, though Huaisang was pretty sure it was concern rather than anger.

“I said, ‘Come back to Lotus Pier.’ You’re in no condition to make the trip back to Qinghe right now.” Even now, his requests sounded like orders. Da-ge had been like that, too, showing his care the only way he knew how. As a teenager, Huaisang had found comfort in the ways he pushed those boundaries. “Rest before you head back North.”

But Huaisang wasn’t a teenager anymore.

“Ah,” Huaisang said, pulling on a watery smile, raising Jin Guangyao’s hat like it was a fan and catching himself only at the last moment. “Sect Leader Jaing—”

“Nie Huaisang,” Jiang Wanyin said, cutting off his protests. He must be so very tired, the way his voice crackled like the lightning that he had chained to his hand. “Enough.”

Huaisang closed eyes that burned from the dust still wafting around them. The last thing he wanted was to be Sect Leader Nie right now, and no matter how Jiang Wanyin might insist otherwise, Huaisang wouldn’t be able to put that mask down anywhere but The Unclean Realm. 

His hand tightened on Jin Guangyao’s hat. That was <i>before</i>. The whole point of tonight was to make things different, moving forward. “Alright,” he said. “Yes.”

Jiang Wanyin didn’t move for a long moment, long enough for Huaisang to realize, to open his eyes again, feeling frozen by the intensity of that look. He couldn’t for the life of him decide what it meant. 

Jin Ling’s voice rang across the courtyard, and Huaisang startled, but it was enough to break the moment. Jiang Wanyin stalked off, corralling the chaos by pure force of will.

Huaisang looked around. It would be easy enough to disappear, to slink into the morning crowd and find a room in an inn to hide and break-down like the disreputable sect leader everyone knew he was – until he could reaffix his own mask and return home with what passed for dignity these days.

But if he was anywhere in Yunmeng, Jiang Wanyin would simply find him and drag him to Lotus Pier himself.

A small smile curled the corner of his lip. If he had more energy, he might do it anyway, simply for the chance to rile his old friend.

If they were still friends. Huaisang wasn’t sure he had any of those anymore.

Crossing his arms over his chest, Huaisang leaned back against a pillar and waited. His disciples found him not long after. They are a good group, he thinks. Young. Very young. They would have been just barely juniors when Huaisang became sect leader, old enough to remember Da-ge, but young enough to be Huaisang’s. It was why he had chosen them for this, after all.

The future of the Nie sect. Looking into their concerned faces, he wondered how many he would have to bury himself.

…Perhaps Jiang Wanyin was right about him needing rest. He was getting maudlin.

“Sect Leader?” Nie Zonglin, the most senior disciple of this group, asked in a voice pitched to not carry, and Huaisang realized his frown had made it to his face.

He almost pasted on a smile. “We will be returning to Lotus Pier for the next few days, to recover from the recent—” he waved his hand, Jin Guangyao’s hand circling in front of him. “…excitement. When we return, send word home not to expect us before the end of the week.”

Nie Zonglin nodded in understanding, and Huaisang’s eyes fell to his hands again.

He lifted the hat.

“And do something about this, won’t you?”

~*~

Lotus Pier was as Jiang Cheng left it, rushing out into the storm after Fairy and Jin Ling. He was a necessary presence, of course, but he’d be damned if his sect couldn’t mind itself for a few hours.

He had rushed out  in the middle of the night, and had turned homeward as the sun crested the horizon. The sun was now high enough in the sky to call the time “morning” rather than “dawn.” They had been out all night. He was tired in a way he hadn’t felt since the worst days of the Sunshot Campaign, the skin of his face taught with dried tears.

Several of the sects that had sought shelter in Lotus Pier after the failure at the Burial Mounds had already left, having been able to sleep through the night, unaware that the cultivation world had been spun on its head. Again.

He turned to his seneschal, informing him that those who had stayed to take advantage of his hospitality (minus, of course, Jin Ling and Nie Huaisang) were to be subtly but firmly told to get the hell off his pier.

“I have a private meeting with Sect Leader Nie,” he said, not reacting to but very aware of the way Nie Huaisang’s focus burned on the back of his head. “Bring a meal. And wine.” It was too early for wine. They were going to need the wine. “Other than that, see to it that we are not disturbed.” His seneschal bowed, moving quickly to fulfill his tasks.

“A-Ling,” Jiang Cheng said, turning. His chest was throbbing painfully, as if the damning red line still bright against his nephew’s neck had reminded him that he, himself, was injured. “See a healer, and then get some rest.”

Jin Ling looked blank for a moment; shock, grief, exhaustion. Jiang Cheng knew it well, the way it was far too much when your world had collapsed and you were faced with the reality that nothing stops for your own grief. “I have to…” he started, trailing off.

As heir to the Lanling Jin Sect, Jin Ling had to return to Koi Tower, had to claim his birthright, had to spin the damage caused by another Sect Leader killed during their own immoral dealings.

At least Jin Ling wouldn’t have to deal with being Chief Cultivator. There was no way the world would follow an untested teenager. There would be elections, then. Soon. But not yet.

“You have to sleep,” Jiang Cheng said, firmly but without much of his customary coarseness. That, too, seemed to have been stripped away in that temple. He braced his hands on Jin Ling’s shoulders. It was enough to break Jin Ling from his stupor and he scowled at his uncle. “Listen to me, for once,” Jiang Cheng said, shaking him gently. “Eat. Sleep. Cry if you need to.” He shook him once more, when it looked like Jin Ling might interrupt. “When you wake, we will plan your next steps. We are family,” he said, his sister’s voice echoing in his ears. “We must stick together.”

At his side, Fairy whined. Still, she was the only exception to Lotus Pier’s ban on dogs, and that’s only because it was Jin Lings, and Jiang Cheng was never going to take his nephew’s puppy from his care. Jin Ling’s hand trailed down to bury itself in Fairy’s run, and Jin Ling nodded.

He stepped back, bowing too low for courtesy between sect leaders, but Jiang Cheng wasn’t going to correct him now, like this. It could wait for the pain to pass.

Jiang Cheng waited until Jin Ling was out of sight before he said, barely turning: “Sect Leader Nie. If you’ll follow me,” and let his feet take him down the well-familiar path to his personal quarters. They could talk in his reception area there, and he would be that much closer to his own bed. Nie Huaisang would be father from his guest quarters, and it may be considered ruse, but Jiang Cheng didn’t have it left in him to care. If Nie Huaisang wanted that kind of consideration, he wouldn’t have…

Even in his head, the threats failed to take root. He could threaten all he wanted, but it didn’t change the fact that he lacked information about tonight’s…production.

Jiang Cheng nearly stopped walking, several pieces falling into place. He had interrupted a production, tonight – a stage show performed to capture, expose, and execute the man who had killed Nie Huaisang’s brother, before a captive audience.

And here he had Nie Huaisang, famed patron of the arts.

Shaking his head to dismiss the thought, Jiang Cheng opened the door to his quarters, looking at Nie Huaisang who dismissed the two disciples who had followed him with a wave of his fan, held unfurled in his hand, before preceding Jiang Cheng into the room.

It was not  the first time Jiang Cheng had hosted Nie Huaisang in his private suite. In the early years, before he had become Sect Leader Nie, he had traveled often – mostly to Lanling, but not infrequently to Lotus Pier, appearing often with only a few days notice (if any), to wander the markets and drink Jiang Cheng’s wine. (Truthfully, those days were one of the few fond memories that Jiang Cheng had that weren’t tainted by loss, even if the nights themselves were fuzzy from drink).

It was on his last visit before his brother’s death that Nie Huaisang had gifted Jiang Cheng one of the fruits of his labors, a fan depicting, in loving detail, Lotus Pier in full bloom. Jiang Cheng had displayed by his desk where he could see it while answering his correspondence and dealing with the never ending paperwork of running a sect. Nie Huaisang hadn’t been in his rooms since, and now he stared at that fan with an unreadable expression on his normally expressive face.

Or, seemingly expressive. How many of those familiar expressions were real? The true mask behind that prop of a fan?

The food arrived then, and they both stayed where they stood, not moving as the table filled and the servants quietly bowed out.

It smelled delicious, but Jiang Cheng’s stomach turned sour.

“Did you mean to involve Jin Ling?”

It wasn’t how he had planned to start, but now that he was here, it was as good a place as any, being the brightest flame to his fury.

“No,” Nie Huaisang said quietly, simply, but firmly.

Jiang Cheng turned to him, saw the way he was standing – arms down, hands open, all but showing this throat—

A deliberate message, but an honest one?

“No?” Jiang Cheng asked, zidian sparking as his fists clenched. Nie Huaisang’s eyes flickered closed for a moment, as is bracing himself.

“I don’t know what kind of power you think I have—”

Jiang Cheng’s eyebrows rose, incredulous. He thought it was rather obvious the kind of power Nie Huaisang wielded. Nie Huaisang winced, acknowledging the point before pressing on.

“If I was the great mastermind Wei-xiong painted me as, Jing Ling never would have been involved. Do you know how many times I had to make sure I was there just to run damage control? He was a complication, not a game piece.”

“He is my nephew.”

Huaisang drooped, as if weary, as if Jiang Cheng had missed the point. “You were not the only one who watched him grow,” he said. “I did everything I could to keep him safe.”

Jiang Cheng’s jaw twitched where it was clenched. “Except keep him out of it. Except tell me.”

“Yes,” Nie Huaisang said, deceptively mild. “Except that.”

“You—” Jiang Cheng cut himself off, turning away abruptly, not knowing where he was going himself, rage like lightning running down his arms, swirling in his chest.

“Yes, me,” Nie Huaisang said, and how dare he sound so calm! “Whatever it is, I am that and more.” How odd it was to see him without his fan; Jiang Cheng had never fully seen the man standing before him. “But I am not complicated, Jiang-xiong,” he continued, neither pleading nor conciliatory — simply presenting truths. “My brother was betrayed, and in such a way that not only killed him, but unmade him, tearing through everything he had built for our sect. He was murdered,” and there were the teeth that Nie Huaisang would not show at the temple, the teeth that had been behind every move he made. “And in return, I unmade his murderer, stripping him of any scrap of dignity or legacy he had built. I watched him crumble like a house of cards, killed by the one he loved and trusted the most, the way he used me to kill my brother.” Nie Huaisang paused, breathing heavy, before continuing, lower. “I got my revenge, Jiang Wanyin. Let’s leave it at that.”

And…Jiang Cheng understood that. Understood it well enough to breathe, to let the rage leave with each exhale, to remember that satisfaction as nothing more than masked grief. To need to move past it.

“Or should we talk about what you learned tonight?” 

“Or let’s not,” Jiang Cheng countered. “That is between me and my brother, and in the past besides.” 

“Oh yes, because the past has never come back to bite us all on the ass.” 

Jiang Cheng let out a bark of shocked laughter. It was enough to take the edge off his anger, but instead of the hollow it usually left, he found himself — fond. He considered Nie Huaisang through narrowed eyes. 

“You know, you lied to me before,” he said, his voice light enough to make Nie Huaisang blink at the sudden change in tone.

“I lied to a lot of people,” Nie Huaisang said, guarded, and then more quickly. “When do you mean?”

“When you said you had to be there because Jin Ling was there,” Jiang Cheng said, pointing at Nie Husaisang in victory. “You absolutely wanted to be there tonight, to watch him die.”

Nie Huaisang considered him again, face once more wearing that strange blank look – or, perhaps it wasn’t blank. Perhaps Jiang Cheng just wasn’t used to reading honesty on his friend. Nie Huaisang lowered his eyes, but when he brought them back up, it was with a small, sharp smile that Jiang Cheng had never seen, that made something inside him shiver. “I never actually said I didn’t.”

That made Jiang Cheng laugh in truth, and he waved his hand at the table in invitation.

Hesitating only for a moment, Nie Huaisang sat in a bit of a sprawl, casual in a way that reminded Jiang Cheng sharply of their youth. Following old habits, Jiang Cheng poured wine while Nie Huaisang served them both food, and further concerns were put on hold as they ate and drank, what little exhausted conversation passed between them never deeper than the quality of the food.

At length, Huaisang placed his chopsticks across his bowl and tucked his hands into his sleeves. “You can ask your questions. I promise, no falsehoods, no misdirection. Whatever you want to know, I’ll tell you.”

And that made Jiang Cheng pause. Of course he had questions, but at the same time, he didn’t – Nothing that he was entitled to. 

“Alright,” Jiang Cheng said. “Are you going to eat the last bun?” He reached for it without waiting for an answer.

“Jiang Wanyin!”

“Is that a no? I’m assuming that’s a no,” Jiang Cheng said, smirking as he took a large bite. Nie Huaisang watched him, eyes narrowed and arms crossed. It made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up, and his heart beat faster, alert.

“You’re not one for such games,” Nie Huaisang said. It was an obvious statement, Jiang Cheng had never pretended to have patience for them.

“No,” Jiang Cheng said. “But apparently, you are.” He downed the last of his wine, considering the way Nie Huaisang seemed to shrink into himself. 

Jiang Cheng signed. “You said it yourself,” he said. “I understand revenge. I heard enough to know that Jin Guangyao earned whatever you put him through.” He paused. “And, he directly threatened Jin Ling, so I would understand if you resurrected him, too, just for the pleasure of killing him again.” Nie Huaisang huffed, and for the first time flicked open his fan, hiding the bottom half of his face. Jiang Cheng let him hide, for the moment.

“If you need to talk, to tell me details, I will listen. If you think there’s something I need to know that I have not already learned, I want you to tell me, but it’s enough for me, for now, to know that you never made Jin Ling a target.” He considered. “And you were there each time he was in trouble, weren’t you?”

“Except for Yi City,” Nie Huaisang confirmed. “And then, he was with the other juniors.”

Nie Huaisang still wasn’t meeting his eyes, seemingly lost in some memory, and Jiang Cheng didn’t think before he reached out, hissing when the move pulled the wound in his shoulder.

“Oh, you’re still wounded!” Nie Husaisang exclaimed, eyes suddenly clear as they snapped to him. “Forgive me, Jiang-xiong, I had forgotten.”

“It’s fine,” Jiang Cheng said, easing back and not wanting to admit that he had forgotten, too. His disciples had fussed over him at the temple, not letting him leave until it had been seen to, and his cultivation was high enough (and didn’t that send a jagged twinge through him), that he wouldn’t have to deal with the wound for long. As he had moved, however, he could feel the bandage slipping, jarred loose, and he pressed his palm to it.

“No, no, please, let me help,” Nie Huaisang fluttered, robes flapping like bird wings, but Jiang Cheng still found himself pulled up with deceptive strength, and he let himself be led, unresisting but protesting, to sit on his bed.

“Move your sleeve,” he instructed, reaching into his own to pull out a silver pouch with green and bronze embroidery in the shape of summer branches, from which he pulled bandages and several small bottles which he lined up on the low table next to the bed.

Rolling his eyes, Jiang Cheng stood, batting away Nie Huaisang’s hands before undoing his belt to remove his outermost layer of robes. They were heavy, thick with embroidery, and hard to work around – not to mention the fact that he had been stabbed through them meant that they were damaged and not a little bit bloody. He smirked when Nie Husaisang stilled, swinging the robes over his head to lay at the foot of his bed to be cleaned and repaired, if possible, or repurposed if not. He hoped they were fixable. They were one of his favorite sets.

His under-robes fit more loosely, their material lighter, and it was easier to push them aside, revealing the wound with its loose bandage. Luckily, from what he could see, no blood that seeped through the bandage.

Nie Huaisang’s fingers were gentle, pleasantly warm where they touched him softly callused from his favored brushes. Gingerly, he pulled away the bandage, tisking softly when it was clear the bandage had stuck and easing it loose.

Jiang Cheng opened his mouth, maybe to comment on how unnecessary this all was. It had all but stopped bleeding, barely hurting. Maybe he meant to offer comfort – Jiang Cheng was fine, past any danger.

But there was something brittle in Nie Huaisang’s eyes, in the line of his mouth, that stilled his words and stole his breath. Nie Huaisang’s hands didn’t shake as he plucked a bottle from the collection, shaking its powdered contents on the wound before wrapping a clean bandage, tying it securely.

Nie Huaisang’s fingertips lingered, sending a small, tingling stream of qi, and when he looked up, eyes meeting Jiang Cheng’s, they were wide and dark. 

“Huaisang,” Jiang Cheng said on his next breath, raising his hand to cup Huaisang’s cheek and run his thumb softly over the tender, bruised skin beneath his eye. Huaisang’s eyes fluttered but didn’t shut, peering at Jiang Cheng from behind shadowed lashes. 

“You weren’t supposed to be there, either, you know?” Husaisang said, his jaw brushing the palm of Jiang Cheng’s hand as he spoke. “It was inevitable the minute Jin Ling showed up, but you weren’t supposed to be there, and he nearly killed you too—”

“Who nearly killed me?” Jiang Cheng scoffed, but it was quiet, meant for the space between them. “What nonsense is this, now?” 

“Don’t—” Huaisang said, his hand tightening over Jiang Cheng’s wound, fingers digging into the surrounding muscle, and Jiang Cheng raised his other hand to cradle Huaisang’s head, and his eyes slipped closed at last, lashes wet. 

Jiang Cheng brushed his fingers across Huaisang’s eyes, chasing away the tears before they could shed, and leaned in, kissing his mouth. He pulled back, tapping  his fingers on Huaisang’s neck until Huaisang opened his eyes. “I’m right here,” Jiang Cheng said, and then smirked. “But you’re willing to check for yourself.” 

Huaisang made a needy sound, whining high in his throat as he swayed forward, pressing kiss after kiss to Jiang Cheng’s cheeks, his chin, his nose – until Jiang Cheng turned his head and captured his mouth, not calming but giving direction to his fervor.

This between them wasn’t new either. Teenage fumbling had given way to an easy friendship that tumbled them into and out of one bed or another. It was…fun. Not simple, but tolerably complicated. Necessary.

Huaisang tasted like wine and sweet chili from their meal, and Jiang Cheng chased those flavors until he tasted of nothing but himself, so familiar that it made Jiang Cheng’s heart pound. He had missed this. Him. Them.

“Wanyin,” Nie Huaisang moaned against his mouth, trembling.

“Yes, Huaisang,” Jiang Cheng answered, but it must have been obvious when Huaisang pressed against him. Jiang Cheng lay back, pulling Huaisang by his robes even as he climbed to his knees, crawling over him, hands wandering as if to be sure that Jiang Cheng was here, was real.

Pressed together, chest to knees as Huaisang rocked against him, Jiang Cheng wrapped his arm around Huaisang’s lower back, drawing him close as he rolled his hips. He was hard, a desperate edge to the heat building between them, a needful urge to prove himself here and alive, and he grinned when his next thrust made Huaisang’s breath stutter.

“You’re wearing too many clothes,” Jiang Cheng said, voice low, his cheek pressed to Huaisang’s temple. Huaisang breathed sharply through his nose, eyes closed, but he pushed up, swatting at Jiang Cheng’s chest until he let him go, laughing, hovering above Jiang Cheng as he undid his belt with deft fingers.

Jiang Cheng let his eyes wander, taking in the hair escaping the usually immaculate and intricate braids, the flush high on Huaisang’s cheeks, the way his lips were kiss-swollen. He couldn’t help himself from running his hands up and down Huaisang’s thighs, slipping under the many robes, so only his pants were between his palms and warm skin. 

Arching his back as he peeled away his robes, Huaisang’s eyes locked on Jiang Cheng’s own, even as each layer removed prompted Jiang Cheng’s hands to creep higher and higher, the back of his hands brushing the hard heat between his thighs. 

Huaisang moaned, the sound hitting Jiang Cheng deep in his gut and Jiang Cheng pulled him down again, hands slipping on the fabric as he tried to grab skin. There were still too many layers between them — any layer would be too many, but neither was pausing to take them off an option, not any more — but they were thinner, soft enough for Jiang Cheng to feel the hard, heat of Huaisang as he ground it against Jiang Cheng’s own. His hands mapped the feel of the muscles in Husaisang’s back flex beneath that soft, supple skin. 

Jiang Cheng always liked that softness, wanted to sink into it and never leave, let his focus be consumed by cushioned warmth and wet heat and leave the world behind. 

Despite his efforts to linger in desire, Jiang Cheng felt his pleasure racing to peak, the aftermath of excitement coupled with how very long it had been since anyone had touched him with intent. 

That, too, had been Huaisang. 

He refused to feel shame for it, not when Huaisang was gasping so prettily in his ear, his hips stuttering, chasing his own pleasure. Jiang Cheng ducked his head to give attention to Huaisang’s neck. 

Jiang Cheng bit gently, holding the delicate skin between his teeth as he sucked, and Huaisang came with a soft cry, warmth spreading between them. A few more thrusts had Jiang Cheng following, groaning his completion into Huaisang’s hair where it lay damp with sweat at his temple. 

Huaisang went limp, laying across and atop of him, breathing heavily. Jiang Cheng was little better, especially with the weight of him on his chest, but he wrapped his arms around him anyway, not ready to lose this yet. 

“How is it,” Huaisang said breathless into the hollow under Jiang Cheng’s jaw. “That I never seem to anticipate you.” 

Jiang Cheng hummed, pressing a pleased smile into Huaisang’s hair, already feeling sleep creep in at the edges. He knew they had to get cleaned up, not the least for if someone came to find them, but the longer he lay there the less he felt inclined to move. 

“Jiang Cheng, you need to get up.” 

“I will, I will. Soon.” 

“Well, fine, if you want to be late to Old Man Lan’s lecture,” Wei Wuxian drawled. 

Lecture? 

Wei Wuxian?!

Jiang Cheng snapped awake, shooting up to stare at a face he hadn’t seen in twenty years. Wei Wuxian, dressed in his white GusuLan student robes, stumbled back a step, laughing carelessly at Jiang Cheng’s shock. 

“Oh, fuck me,” Jiang Cheng said.  

Notes: This “chapter” is part of a longer writing project that will be eventually be posted to AO3. 

This chapter contained a moderately-explicit and possibly ill-conceived sex scene between two consenting adults and frank discussion of a lack of regret over revenge killing. 

[aquadrazi]

Find Someone to Carry You

Chapter 31

Wangji,

I hope this letter finds you well.  I’d like to start off by saying that, everyone is FINE.  There was a little, incident, during the most recent night hunt with the Juniors.  They returned to Cloud Recesses without Sect Leader Jiang.  Apparently Young Master Mo needed to use his, special abilities, to help them defeat a soul sucking statue, and Sect Leader Jiang took offense.

Like I said, no one is hurt.  The Juniors brought Young Master Mo back to Cloud Recesses for cleansing and fortification, and no one was hurt in the scuffle with Sect Leader Jiang.  However, they are a little shaken up from the incident, especially Sizhui.

I should be clear, ALL the Juniors returned, including Jin Ling and the other Jiang disciples.  They won’t repeat what was said, but I have a feeling that tempers were flying as to the legitimacy of Young Master Mo’s, special abilities, and others who have used the same abilities in the past.

I will personally be supervising any future night hunts until your return, to prevent any other, misunderstandings.

Your brother,

Xichen

………Qinghe………

Lan Zhan folded up the letter and glanced over at Wei Ying, who was currently sprawled out across the bed, blanket askew, drooling onto the mattress, and fast asleep.  Soon they would have to deal with how they were going to move forward.  He could not leave Wei Ying again, he refused.  So that meant that he would have to take Wei Ying with him.

The trouble was that no one could know that Wei Ying was alive, and he was fairly recognizable.  Perhaps Nie Huaisang would be willing to share his disguise talismans with them, to hide Wei Ying’s identity.  They wouldn’t need to use it all the time, the Juniors surely wouldn’t recognize him.  It was just when they were in towns, to avoid any surprises.

Wei Ying moaned and began squirming in the bed.  Lan Zhan got out his guqin to soothe him from whatever nightmare was currently plaguing him when he saw that Wei Ying’s movements looked an awful lot like he was rutting into the bed.

Oh

Not a nightmare

Lan Zhan felt the tips of his ears burn as he shamelessly watched his husband obscenely writhe in the bed, unable to look away.  He was hypnotized by the vision of Wei Ying’s hands gripping the mattress as he rolled his hips down into it.  The little satisfied gasps and grunts escaping his lips sent shivers down Lan Zhan’s spine.  Lan Zhan felt blood rushing to his own cock as he wondered what it was Wei Ying was dreaming about…specifically…  He palmed his own growing arousal through his robes as he watched Wei Ying bring himself to climax, calling out his name.

Wei Ying is going to require a bath.

Lan Zhan sent a note to the servants to draw a bath when they brought in breakfast.  When he turned his attention back to the bed, he saw that Wei Ying was awake, and looking confused.

“Wei Ying was having a good dream.”  Lan Zhan tried to help.

It took a few seconds for Wei Ying to process this, but when he did he went from realization, to embarrassment, to shock.  “Lan Zhan!  Were you WATCHING me?!”

“Mn”  Lan Zhan went to go pour them some tea.

“Shameless!”  Wei Ying accused.

“I cannot help but stare when my husband wiggles his attractive bottom in such and enticing motion.”

Wei Ying made an embarrassed noise and hid himself under the covers.  “Lan Zhaaaan” he whined out, muffled by the blanket.

Lan Zhan might have actually chuckled, but at that exact moment the servants came in to draw the bath and deliver breakfast.

………Gusu………

The goodbyes had been hard.  Lan Zhan didn’t want to take Wei Ying away from his sister, but he also knew that Wei Ying was bound to get restless within the confines of the secret pavilion inside the Nie Sect Compound.  Luckily, Nie Huaisang was willing to let Wei Ying take a look at his “special” talismans, and his husband’s excitement could NOT be contained when he returned from THAT little field trip.

Wei Ying came back babbling non-stop about the craziest things, but Lan Zhan did managed to get the information that Wei Ying knew how to recreate the body double talisman, so Lan Zhan felt like he could let the rest of the babble wash over him like a comforting wave.  This was nice.  He wished it could be like this forever.

Unfortunately, they had a mystery to solve, and people to track down and bring to justice.  So they had decided that Wei Ying would become Fu Ying, of the Hedong Fu Sect.  During the Sunshot Campaign, Sect Leader Fu brought 200 cultivators to join in the war when Lan Zhan had requested help from the minor sects.  They could easily pass off Wei Ying as one of those cultivators, and that would explain any of his knowledge of the events during the campaign, should it come up.

“How do I look?” Wei Ying asked, after casting the body double talisman on himself.

“Like someone who might resemble Wei Ying.”  Lan Zhan replied.  The talisman could only change slight details, so it was best to find a body that already closely resembled the one you wanted it to look like.

“Good enough for me to walk straight into Cloud Recesses and slap your brother on the back and say ‘Hi, how’s it been going these past 13 years’?”  Wei Ying grinned.

“I would advise against doing THAT.  However it is good enough to fool anyone not specifically looking for you.”  Lan Zhan replied, ignoring the joke.  “We shall just do our best to keep you away from anyone who might have known you while we are there.”

Wei Ying nodded and squared his shoulders.  “You’ll just have to defend your weak husband, if it comes down to it.”

“Wei Ying is growing stronger every day.” Lan Zhan stated.  “We just need to cultivate more.”

Wei Ying shot him a knowing grin.  “Of course.  Whatever the Honorable Hanguang-Jun prescribes.”

Lan Zhan felt the tips of his ears warm as they started up the long winding stairs leading to Cloud Recesses.

………Cloud Recesses………

Luckily, Sizhui was waiting for them at the gate, with a token for Wei Ying, to help diffuse the awkward conversation they were sure to have about who Wei Ying was and why he was travelling with the Second Jade of Lan.

“Senior Fu!” Sizhui greeted warmly as they approached.  He had been sent a message as to the disguise and the new name, to help sell the act and not cause confusion.

“Lan Sizhui, a pleasure to see you again!”  Wei Ying responded smiling broadly at his now grown son.

Sizhui bowed respectfully to Lan Zhan, then to Wei Ying.  “I am honored to welcome you to Cloud Recesses Senior Fu.  Please accept this token.  It allows access through the gate so you may pass freely.”

Wei Ying took the jade token, rubbing his fingers over it a few times before tucking it into his sleeve.  He thought he felt tears welling up in his eyes and he quickly blinked to clear them.

Why am I getting so emotional?

Of course it is an incredibly kind but unnecessary gesture.

I’ll only be here for a few days.

He noticed Lan Zhan eyeing him cautiously, so he gave him a reassuring smile before following Sizhui into Cloud Recesses, pretending that he hadn’t been there before.  Sizhui made a show of pretending to point out buildings and areas of interest along the way to the Jingshi.  Luckily, even though they drew the attention of everyone who happened to be out and about, no one dared come up to them to speak to them.

Wei Ying wondered why.  Lan Zhan was the one of the famous Twin Jades, and he had been gone for a considerable amount of time.  And yet, the looks they were getting were apprehensive and almost fearful, by Lan standards.  He knew that Lan Zhan was the one to enforce the rules back in the day, but was he REALLY so scary that people were afraid to approach him?  Unless they recognized Wei Ying.

That must be it.

They can see through the disguise.

I’ve been busted.

As if Lan Zhan knew what he was thinking, he grabbed Wei Ying’s hand and gave it a comforting squeeze.  Wei Ying looked over at him and Lan Zhan shook his head slightly, telling him that it wasn’t whatever he was thinking.

Sizhui noticed the tension and dropped back to speak more privately.  “They are afraid of Baba because of the rumors.”

“We shall speak of this more in the Jingshi.” Lan Zhan replied quietly.

All hope that they would be able to have a private conversation was dashed when they neared the Jingshi, however.  Lan Xichen was standing on the steps, awaiting their arrival.  Wei Ying tripped on a rock and stuttered, and would have fallen if Lan Zhan hadn’t grabbed onto his arm to steady him.  Wei Ying answered his concerned look with a weak smile.

We’re SO busted.

He’s going to see right through this.

Oh no

He’s going to tell Jin Guangyao

They’re really close, right?

I messed up

I always mess up

I’m going to ruin all A-Sang’s plans

This is a disaster

***********************Panic Attack*********************

Wei Ying could feel his chest tighten and it became harder to breathe.

“Are you okay?”  Sizhui asked, concerned.

Wei Ying shook his head and waived him off.  He was NOT okay.  This was REALLY bad.  Lan Xichen was smiling directly at him, like he KNEW.

He knows

I can’t do this

I can’t go back there

He wouldn’t make me, would he?

Isn’t there a rule about not selling people away into slavery?

Even if it’s for punishment?

Wei Ying allowed himself to weakly be led along towards the Jingshi, and towards what felt like his executioner.  His head was foggy and everything was spinning by the time he reached the stairs.

“Wangji, it’s good to see you arrived safely.”  He heard Sect Leader Lan say through the fog of his mind.  “And this must be, Senior Fu.”  He felt a gentle pressure on his arm, urging him to return the Sect Leader’s bow.

He used my fake name.

But he said it rather sharply.

He doesn’t believe it.

He knows.

Of course he knows.

He’s just pretending

To keep things calm

Until we get inside, where I won’t cause a scene.

“Are you alright Senior Fu?  You’re looking rather pale.”  The Lan Sect Leader asked, now looking genuinely concerned.

Wei Ying felt himself being led inside, he can’t remember if he answered the Sect Leader’s question.  Once inside the door he collapsed on the floor, in an attempt at a kowtow, at Sect Leader Lan’s feet.

He couldn’t speak, he didn’t have the air in his lungs to push out words.  He just hoped that the Lan Sect Leader would understand is intention not to fight.  He hoped that if he gave himself up willingly that Lan Zhan and Sizhui would be spared.  Maybe he could convince him that he was the only one.  Yes, that would be alright.  If he could convince Lan Xichen that he was the only person that A-Sang had saved, then his Shijie, her husband, and Wen Qing would all be safe.  It didn’t matter what happened to him, as long as everyone else was safe.

His vision was blackening around the edges from lack of oxygen, and the tightening in his chest was quickly approaching too painful to bear.  He felt hands trying to lift him up, and muffled voices all around him, but he could not focus on anything specific.

*******************End of Panic Attack*******************

He was about to pass out when he felt a cool, calming wave pass over him.  Then suddenly, he could breathe again.  He gasped and coughed and sobbed now that he could get air back into his lungs.  He curled onto his side on the floor and let the calming waves wash over him as he shook uncontrollably. He felt a cool cloth touch his face and he struggled to open his eyes.  He saw Lan Zhan through the haze, looking concerned, wiping the sweat and tears from his face.   A whimper choked out and Lan Zhan pulled him into his lap.

“Wei Ying is safe.  Wei Ying is protected.  No one will hurt Wei Ying again.”  Lan Zhan soothed as he rocked Wei Ying in his lap.

Wei Ying curled into Lan Zhan and began sobbing again, releasing all the tension that had built up during his panic attack.  Lan Zhan shifted to cradle his head to his chest, and rubbed soothing circles into his back as he shook and sobbed.

“I am here.  Wei Ying is safe.”

They stayed like that with the calming waves, that he now realized was music, continuing to wash over Wei Ying.  His sobs eventually turned to hiccups, which eventually turned to small hitches in his breath.  His shaking turned to slight trembles.  Lan Zhan continued to hold on tight.

“Better?” Lan Zhan murmured into Wei Ying’s hair after what seemed like an eternity in his safe cocoon.

Wei Ying felt completely wrung out.  He barely had the energy to nod.  Lan Zhan pressed a kiss into his hair.  The music stopped.

“I shall make us some tea.”  Lan Xichen said soothingly.

Wei Ying didn’t have the energy to be afraid anymore.  When Lan Zhan picked him up and carried him to the table, settling him in his lap, leaning upright against his chest, he didn’t have the energy to even be embarrassed.

When Lan Xichen returned with the tea, Lan Zhan gently placed a cup in Wei Ying’s hand, and steadied it as he guided it up to get Wei Ying to take a sip.   Wei Ying was glad because he felt like without Lan Zhan, he would fall into a puddle on the floor.  He felt Lan Zhan brush the stray hair away from his face, and place a gentle kiss on his temple.

“Wei Ying is doing so good.”  Lan Zhan praised gently, causing fresh tears to spill down his cheeks. He didn’t feel like he was doing good.  He felt like he was a mess, like he was an embarrassment.

“Are panic attacks common?”  Lan Xichen asked gently.

“Mn.” Lan Zhan affirmed.  “Also nightmares.”

Lan Xichen nodded in understanding.  “I expect that there is a whole story as to why that is.  But now is probably not the best time to tell it.”

“Mn”

“Uncle, you’ll keep the secret, won’t you?”  Sizhui pleaded.

“Of course.  I would not do anything to bring harm to any member of my family.”  Lan Xichen smiled knowingly at his nephew.

Wei Ying choked out a sob at hearing that, and stared wide-eyed at Lan Xichen.

“You are safe here, Wei Ying.”  Lan Xichen said, with a soft, genuine smile.  “Of course my brother’s husband would always be safe here.”

It was Lan Zhan’s turn to choke.

Lan Xichen chuckled gently.  “Oh Wangji, I think the only ones who DIDN’T know how you two felt about each other were the two of you.”

“You cannot tell Jin Guangyao.”  Lan Zhan said darkly, causing Wei Ying to whimper at hearing the name.

A confused look passed over Lan Xichen’s face, then quickly left.  “Of course.  He is not privy to all of the secrets of Cloud Recesses.  This is a Lan Sect matter, it does not concern him.”

Lan Xichen set down his teacup and stood up.  “I shall leave you to get settled and rest.  It was not my intention to cause any discomfort.”  He bowed to Wei Ying in apology, then gracefully exited the Jingshi.

Sizhui excused himself quietly, and Lan Zhan scooped up Wei Ying and placed him in a warm bath.  Lan Zhan settled behind Wei Ying and brushed out his hair as he let the warm water soak into his soul.  Before he knew it, he had fallen asleep.

[paths-of-my-childhood-candid]

Lover Conquers All

By: Mark Sutherland for Music Week Date: November 4th 2019 issue (published online on December 13th 2019)

She’s the world’s biggest pop star, but despite her global success, Taylor Swift is also the music industry’s greatest advocate for artists’ and songwriters’ rights. And, with a ground-breaking new record deal and a bold new album, Lover, she’s not about to stop now. Music Week meets her to talk music and business...

Around this time of year, the Taylor Swift anniversaries come at you thick and fast. Nine years since her third album, Speak Now, every note of which was written entirely by Swift, hit the shelves. Five years since she released her mould-breaking pop album, 1989, and went from the world’s biggest country star to the world’s biggest pop star overnight. Two years since her Reputation record saw her become the only musician to post four successive million-plus debut sales weeks in the United States. And so on.

But today, Swift’s mind is drawn further back, to the 13th anniversary of her debut, self-titled record, and the days when her album releases weren’t automatically accompanied by mountains of hype and enough think-pieces to sink a battleship. Her journal entries from the time - helpfully reprinted as part of the deluxe editions of her new album, Lover - reveal her as an excited, optimistic teenager, but also one with a grasp of marketing strategies and label politics way beyond her years, even if she was reluctant to actually take credit for her ideas.

“It always was and it always will be an interesting dance being a young woman in the music industry,” she smiles ruefully. “We don’t have a lot of female executives, we’re working on getting more female engineers and producers but, while we are such a drastic gender minority, it’s interesting to try and figure out how to be.”

And, of course, when Swift started out she was, as she points out, “an actual kid”.

“I was planning the release of my first album when I was 15 years old,” she reminisces. “And I was a fully gangly 15, I reminded everyone of their niece! I was in this industry in Nashville and country music, where I was making album marketing calls, but I never wanted to stand up and say, ‘Yeah, that promotions plan you just complimented my label on, I thought of that! Me and my Mom thought of that!’

“When you’re a new artist you wonder how much space you can take up and, as a woman, you wonder how much space you can take up pretty much your whole period of growing up,” she continues. “For me, growing up and knowing that I was an adult was realising that I was allowed to take up space from a marketing perspective, from a business perspective, from an opinionated perspective. And that feels a lot better than constantly trying to wonder if I’m allowed to be here.”

In the intervening years, Taylor Swift has released six further, brilliant albums, growing from country starlet to all-conquering pop behemoth along the way. She takes up “more space”, as she would put it, than any other musician on the planet: a sales and now - having belatedly embraced the format with Lover - streaming phenomenon; a powerhouse stadium performer; an award-garlanded songwriter for herself and others; and a social media giant with a combined 278 million followers across Instagram, Twitter and Facebook (which would make the Taylor Nation the fourth most populous one on earth, after China, India and the US).

But her influence on music and the music industry doesn’t end there. Because, over the years, Swift has also become a leading advocate for artists’ and songwriters’ rights, in a digital landscape that doesn’t always have such matters as a priority.

In 2015, she stood up to Apple Music over its plans to not pay artist royalties during subscribers’ three-month free trials (Apple backed down immediately). She pulled her entire catalogue from Spotify in 2014 in protest that its free tier was devaluing music, sending Daniel Ek scrambling to justify his business model. When she returned in 2017, it was a crucial fillip for the streaming service’s IPO plans.

More recently, her ground-breaking new record deal with Republic Records contained clauses not only guaranteeing her ownership of her future masters, but also ensuring Universal Music will share the spoils of its Spotify shares with its artists, without any payments counting against unrecouped balances. And when her long-time former label boss Scott Borchetta sold Big Machine to Scooter Braun’s Ithaca Holdings, taking Swift’s first six albums with him, the star publicly called out what she saw as her “worst-case scenario” and stressed: “You deserve to own the art you make”. She may yet re-record her old songs in protest.

In short, Swift has, for a long time now, been unafraid to use her voice on industry matters, whether they pertain to her own stellar career or the thousands of other artists out there struggling to make a living.

All of which makes Swift not just the greatest star of our age, but perhaps the most important to the future development of the industry as a more artist-centric, songwriter-friendly business. Hers is still the life of the pop phenomenon - she spent today in Los Angeles doing promotion and photoshoots (or, in her words, “having people put make-up on me”) as Lover continues to build on huge critical acclaim and even huger initial sales. But now, she’s kicking back with her cats - one of whom seems determined to disrupt Music Week’s interview by “stampeding” through at every opportunity - and ready to talk business.

And for Swift, business is good. The impact of her joining streaming, and the decline of traditional album sales, may have prevented her from posting a fifth successive one million-plus sales debut, but Lover still sold more US copies (867,000) in its first week than any record since her own Reputation. It’s sold 117,513 copies to date in the UK, according to the Official Charts Company.

Even better, while Reputation - a record forged in the white heat of a social media snakestorm over her on-going feud with Kanye West - was plenty of show and rather less grow, Lover continues to reveal hidden depths. Reputation struck a sometimes curious contrast between the unrepentant warrior Swift she was showing to the outside world and the love story with British actor Joe Aiwyn that was quietly developing behind closed doors, but Lover is the sort of versatile, cohesive album that the streaming age was supposed to kill off.

It contains more than its fair share of pop bangers (You Need To Calm Down, Me!), but also some gorgeously-crafted acoustic tracks (Lover, Cornelia Street), some pithy political commentary (The Man, Miss America & The Heartbreak Prince) and the sort of musical diversions (Paper Rings’ irresistible rockabilly stomp, the childlike oddity of It’s Nice To Have A Friend) that no other pop superstar would have the sheer musical chops to attempt, let alone pull off.

“Taylor’s creative instincts as an artist and songwriter are brilliant,” says Monte Lipman, founder and CEO of Swift’s US label, Republic. “Our partnership represents a strategic alliance built on mutual respect, trust, and complete transparency. Her vision is extraordinary as she sets the tone for every campaign and initiative.”

No wonder David Joseph, chairman/CEO of her long-time UK label Virgin EMI’s parent company Universal Music UK, is thrilled with how things are going.

“Love Story was a fitting first single release for Taylor here - she’s loved the UK from day one and has engaged so much with her fans and teams,” says Joseph. “She really respects and values what’s going on here creatively. To see her go from playing the Students’ Union at King’s College to Wembley Stadium has been extraordinary. Taylor is an artist constantly striving for perfection, and with Lover - from my personal point of view, her most accomplished work to date adore working with her and whilst it’s been more than 10 years this still feels like the start.”

And today, Swift is keen to concentrate on the present and future. She has a starring role in Cats coming up (and a new song on the soundtrack, Beautiful Ghosts, co-written with Andrew Lloyd Webber) and, after a spectacularly intimate Paris launch show in September, festival dates and her own LoverFest to plan (UK shows will be revealed soon). Time, then, to tell the cats to calm down and sit down with Music Week to talk streaming, contracts and why she’s “obsessed” with the music industry...

Unlike with Reputation, most of the discussion around Lover seems to have been focused on the music... Absolutely! One of the ideas I had about this record, and something I’ve implemented into my life in the last couple of years is that I don’t like distractions. And, for a while, it felt like my life had to come with distractions from the music, whether it was tabloid fascination with my personal life or my friendships or what I was wearing. I realised in the last couple of years that, if I don’t give a window into distraction, people can’t try to look in and see something other than the music. I love that, if you really pour yourself into the idea that an album is still important and try really hard to make something that is worth people’s attention span, time and energy, that can still come across. Because we are living in an industry right now where everyone’s rushing towards taking us into a singles industry and, in some cases, it has become that. But there are still some cases where clearly the album is important to people.

Does it matter that some new artists won’t get to make albums the way you always have? It’s interesting. Five years ago I wrote an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal and said, maybe in the next five years, we would see artists releasing music the way that they want to. I thought that each artist would start to curate what is important to them, not just from an artistic standpoint but from a marketing standpoint. It’s really interesting to see different release plans, if you look at what Drake did and then what Beyoncé does, incredible artists who have really curated what it is to drop music in their own way. We all do it differently, which is cool. As long as people dropping just singles want to be doing that, then I’m fine with it, but if it feels like a big general wave that’s being pressured by people in power, their teams or their labels, that’s not cool. But I do really hope that in the future artists have more of a say over strategy. We’re not just supposed to make art and then hand it to a team that masterminds it.

Were you worried about putting an album on streaming on release day for the first time? Well, there are ways that streaming services could really promote the [whole] album in a more incentivised way. We could have album charts on streaming. The industry follows where they can get prizes. So you have a singles chart on streaming services which is great but, if you split things up into genre charts for example, that would really incentivise people. It’s important that we keep trying to strive to make the experience better for users but also make it more interesting for artists to keep wanting to achieve. But I really did love the experience of putting the album on streaming. I loved the immediacy, I loved that people who maybe weren’t a huge diehard fan were curious and saying, ‘I wonder what this is like’ and listening to it and deciding that they liked it.

You’d resisted streaming for a long time. Have you changed your mind about the format now? I always knew that I would enjoy the aspects of streaming that make [your music] so immediately available to so many people. That’s the part of it that I unequivocally always felt really sad I was missing out on. There wasn’t ever a day when I woke up and I was like, ‘Oh, I’m really glad that multitudes of people don’t have access to my music!’ So I always knew that streaming was an incredible mechanism and model for the future but I still don’t think we have the royalties and compensation system worked out. That’s between the labels and their artists and I realised that me, to use a gross word, ‘leveraging’ what I can bring to cut a better deal for the artists at my record label was really important for me.

How big a factor were things like that in you signing to Republic/Universal? That’s important to me because that means they’re adopting some of my ideas. If they take me on as an artist that means they really thought it through. Because with me, come opinions about how we can better our industry. I’m one of the only people in the artist realm who can be loud about it. People who are on their fifth, sixth or seventh album, we’re the only ones who can speak out, because new artists and producers and writers need to work. They need to be endearing and likeable and available to their labels and streaming services at all times. It’s up to the artists who have been around for a second to say, ‘Hey guys, the producers and the writers and the artists are the ones who are making music what it is’. And we’re in a great place in music right now thanks to them. They should be going to their mailbox and feeling like they’ve got a pension plan, rather than feeling like, ‘Oh yay, I can pay half my rent this month after this No.1 song’.

Did you have more creative freedom making Lover than on your previous albums? In my previous situation, there were creative constraints, issues that we had over the years. I’ve always given 100% to projects, I always over-delivered, thinking that that generosity would be returned to me. But I ended up finding that generosity in a new situation with a new label that understands that I deserve to own what I make. That meant so much to me because it was given over to me so freely. When someone just looks at you and says ‘Yes, you deserve what you want’, after a decade or more of being told, ‘I’m not sure you deserve what you want’ - there’s a freedom that comes with that. It’s like when people find ‘the one’ they’re like, ‘It was easy, I just knew and I felt free’. All of a sudden you’re being told you’re worth exactly, no, more than what you thought you were worth. And that made me feel I could make an album that was exactly what I wanted to make. There’s an eclectic side to Lover, a confessional side, it varies from acoustic to really poppy pop, but that’s what I like to do. And, while you would never make something artistic based on something so unromantic as a contract, it was more than that. It was a group of people saying, ‘We believe in what you’re making, go make what you want to make and you deserve to own it too’.

You’re obviously not happy about what’s happened at Big Machine since you left. But will the attention mean artists don’t find themselves in this situation in the future? I hope so. That’s the only reason that I speak out about things. The fans don’t understand these things, the public isn’t being made aware. This generation has so much information available to them so I thought it was important that the fans knew what I was going through, because I knew it was going to affect every aspect of my life and I wanted them to be the first to know. And in and amongst that group, I know there are people that want to make music some day. It involves every new artist that is reading that and going, ‘Wait, that’s what I’m signing?’ They don’t have to sign stuff that’s unfair to them. If you don’t ask the right questions and you sit in front of the wrong desk in front of the wrong person, they can take everything from you.

Songwriters are in dispute with Spotify in the US over its decision to appeal the Copyright Board decision to boost songwriting royalties. Do writers need more respect? Absolutely. In terms of the power structure, the songwriters, the producers, the engineers, the people who are breathing magic into our industry, need to be listened to. They’re not being greedy. This is legitimately an industry where people are having trouble paying their bills and they’re the most talented people we have. This isn’t them sitting in their mansions going, ‘I wish this mansion was bigger and I would like a yacht please’. This is actually people who are going to work every single day. I got into writing when I was in Nashville and it was very much like what I read about the Brill Building. You would write every day, whether you were inspired or not, and in the process I met artists and writers. Somebody would walk in and someone would say, ‘Oh, he’s still getting mailbox money from that Faith Hill cut a couple of years ago, he’s set’. That’s not a thing anymore. Mailbox money is a thing of the past and we need to remember that these are the people that create the heartbeat that we’re all dancing to or crying to.

You were clearly aware of music industry machinations from a young age... Reading back on the journal entries, I forgot how obsessed I was with the industry as a teenager. I was so fascinated by how it works and how it was changing. Every part of it was interesting to me. I had drawn the stages for most of my tours a year before I went on them. That really was fun for me as a teenager! A lot of people who start out very young in music, either don’t have a say or don’t have the will to do the business side of it, but weirdly that was so much fun for me to try and learn. I had a lot of energy when I was 16!

Are you doing similar drawings for next year’s LoverFest? Definitely. And that’s why it’s still fun for me to take on a challenge like, ‘Oh, let’s just plan our own festival’. Let’s create a bill of artists and try and make it as fun as possible for the fans. I’m so intrigued by what that’s going to be like.

Finally, when we last did an interview in 2015, you said in five years’ time you wanted to be “finding complexity in happiness”. How has that worked out? That’s exactly what’s happened with this album! I think a lot of writers have the fear of stability, emotional health and happiness. Our whole careers, people make jokes about how, ‘Just wait until you meet someone nice, you’ll run out of stuff to write about’. I was talking to [Cats director] Tom Hooper about this because he said one thing his mother taught him was, ‘Don’t ever let people tell you that you can’t make art if you’re happy’. I thought that was so amazing. He’s a creator in a completely different medium but he has been subjected to that same joke over and over again that we must be miserable to create. Lover is important to me in so many ways, but it’s so imperative for me as a human being that songwriting is not tied to my own personal misery. It’s good to know that, it really is!

[bananaofswifts]

Around this time of year, the Taylor Swift anniversaries come at you thick and fast.

Nine years since her third album, Speak Now, every note of which was written entirely by Swift, hit the shelves. Five years since she released her mould-breaking pop album, 1989, and went from the world’s biggest country star to the world’s biggest pop star overnight. Two years since her Reputation record saw her become the only musician to post four successive million-plus debut sales weeks in the United States. And so on.

But today, Swift’s mind is drawn further back, to the 13th anniversary of her debut, self-titled record, and the days when her album releases weren’t automatically accompanied by mountains of hype and enough think-pieces to sink a battleship. Her journal entries from the time – helpfully reprinted as part of the deluxe editions of her new album, Lover – reveal her as an excited, optimistic teenager, but also one with a grasp of marketing strategies and label politics way beyond her years, even if she was reluctant to actually take credit for her ideas.

“It always was and it always will be an interesting dance being a young woman in the music industry,” she smiles ruefully. “We don’t have a lot of female executives, we’re working on getting more female engineers and producers but, while we are such a drastic gender minority, it’s interesting to try and figure out how to be.”

And, of course, when Swift started out she was, as she points out, “an actual kid”.

“I was planning the release of my first album when I was 15 years old,” she reminisces. “And I was a fully gangly 15, I reminded everyone of their niece! I was in this industry in Nashville and country music, where I was making album marketing calls, but I never wanted to stand up and say, ‘Yeah, that promotions plan you just complimented my label on, I thought of that! Me and my Mom thought of that!’

“When you’re a new artist you wonder how much space you can take up and, as a woman, you wonder how much space you can take up pretty much your whole period of growing up,” she continues. “For me, growing up and knowing that I was an adult was realising that I was allowed to take up space from a marketing perspective, from a business perspective, from an opinionated perspective. And that feels a lot better than constantly trying to wonder if I’m allowed to be here.”

In the intervening years, Taylor Swift has released six further, brilliant albums, growing from country starlet to all-conquering pop behemoth along the way. She takes up “more space”, as she would put it, than any other musician on the planet: a sales and now – having belatedly embraced the format with Lover – streaming phenomenon; a powerhouse stadium performer; an award-garlanded songwriter for herself and others; and a social media giant with a combined 278 million followers across Instagram, Twitter and Facebook (which would make the Taylor Nation the fourth most populous one on earth, after China, India and the US).

But her influence on music and the music industry doesn’t end there. Because, over the years, Swift has also become a leading advocate for artists’ and songwriters’ rights, in a digital landscape that doesn’t always have such matters as a priority.

In 2015, she stood up to Apple Music over its plans to not pay artist royalties during subscribers’ three-month free trials (Apple backed down immediately). She pulled her entire catalogue from Spotify in 2014 in protest that its free tier was devaluing music, sending Daniel Ek scrambling to justify his business model. When she returned in 2017, it was a crucial fillip for the streaming service’s IPO plans.

More recently, her ground-breaking new record deal with Republic Records contained clauses not only guaranteeing her ownership of her future masters, but also ensuring Universal Music will share the spoils of its Spotify shares with its artists, without any payments counting against unrecouped balances. And when her long-time former label boss Scott Borchetta sold Big Machine to Scooter Braun’s Ithaca Holdings, taking Swift’s first six albums with him, the star publicly called out what she saw as her “worst-case scenario” and stressed: “You deserve to own the art you make”. She may yet re-record her old songs in protest.

In short, Swift has, for a long time now, been unafraid to use her voice on industry matters, whether they pertain to her own stellar career or the thousands of other artists out there struggling to make a living.

All of which makes Swift not just the greatest star of our age, but perhaps the most important to the future development of the industry as a more artist-centric, songwriter-friendly business. Hers is still the life of the pop phenomenon – she spent today in Los Angeles doing promotion and photoshoots (or, in her words, “having people put make-up on me”) as Lover continues to build on huge critical acclaim and even huger initial sales. But now, she’s kicking back with her cats – one of whom seems determined to disrupt Music Week’s interview by “stampeding” through at every opportunity – and ready to talk business.

And for Swift, business is good. The impact of her joining streaming, and the decline of traditional album sales, may have prevented her from posting a fifth successive one million-plus sales debut, but Lover still sold more US copies (867,000) in its first week than any record since her own Reputation. It’s sold 117,513 copies to date in the UK, according to the Official Charts Company.

Even better, while Reputation – a record forged in the white heat of a social media snakestorm over her on-going feud with Kanye West – was plenty of show and rather less grow, Lover continues to reveal hidden depths. Reputation struck a sometimes curious contrast between the unrepentant warrior Swift she was showing to the outside world and the love story with British actor Joe Alwyn that was quietly developing behind closed doors, but Lover is the sort of versatile, cohesive album that the streaming age was supposed to kill off.

It contains more than its fair share of pop bangers (You Need To Calm Down, Me!), but also some gorgeously-crafted acoustic tracks (Lover, Cornelia Street), some pithy political commentary (The Man, Miss America & The Heartbreak Prince) and the sort of musical diversions (Paper Rings’ irresistible rockabilly stomp, the childlike oddity of It’s Nice To Have A Friend) that no other pop superstar would have the sheer musical chops to attempt, let alone pull off.

“Taylor’s creative instincts as an artist and songwriter are brilliant,” says Monte Lipman, founder and CEO of Swift’s US label, Republic. “Our partnership represents a strategic alliance built on mutual respect, trust, and complete transparency. Her vision is extraordinary as she sets the tone for every campaign and initiative.”

No wonder David Joseph, chairman/CEO of her long-time UK label Virgin EMI’s parent company Universal Music UK, is thrilled with how things are going.

“Love Story was a fitting first single release for Taylor here – she’s loved the UK from day one and has engaged so much with her fans and teams,” says Joseph. “She really respects and values what’s going on here creatively. To see her go from playing the Students’ Union at King’s College to Wembley Stadium has been extraordinary. Taylor is an artist constantly striving for perfection, and with Lover – from my personal point of view, her most accomplished work to date – her songwriting has gone to a new level. I adore working with her and whilst it’s been more than 10 years this still feels like the start.”

And today, Swift is keen to concentrate on the present and future. She has a starring role in Cats coming up (and a new song on the soundtrack, Beautiful Ghosts, co-written with Andrew Lloyd Webber) and, after a spectacularly intimate Paris launch show in September, festival dates and her own LoverFest to plan (UK shows will be revealed soon). Time, then, to tell the cats to calm down and sit down with Music Week to talk streaming, contracts and why she’s “obsessed” with the music industry…

Unlike with Reputation, most of the discussion around Lover seems to have been focused on the music…

“Absolutely! One of the ideas I had about this record, and something I’ve implemented into my life in the last couple of years is that I don’t like distractions. And, for a while, it felt like my life had to come with distractions from the music, whether it was tabloid fascination with my personal life or my friendships or what I was wearing. I realised in the last couple of years that, if I don’t give a window into distraction, people can’t try to look in and see something other than the music. I love that, if you really pour yourself into the idea that an album is still important and try really hard to make something that is worth people’s attention span, time and energy, that can still come across. Because we are living in an industry right now where everyone’s rushing towards taking us into a singles industry and, in some cases, it has become that. But there are still some cases where clearly the album is important to people.”

Does it matter that some new artists won’t get to make albums the way you always have?

“It’s interesting. Five years ago I wrote an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal and said, maybe in the next five years, we would see artists releasing music the way that they want to. I thought that each artist would start to curate what is important to them, not just from an artistic standpoint but from a marketing standpoint. It’s really interesting to see different release plans, if you look at what Drake did and then what Beyoncé does, incredible artists who have really curated what it is to drop music in their own way. We all do it differently, which is cool. As long as people dropping just singles want to be doing that, then I’m fine with it, but if it feels like a big general wave that’s being pressured by people in power, their teams or their labels, that’s not cool. But I do really hope that in the future artists have more of a say over strategy. We’re not just supposed to make art and then hand it to a team that masterminds it.”

Were you worried about putting an album on streaming on release day for the first time?

“Well, there are ways that streaming services could really promote the [whole] album in a more incentivised way. We could have album charts on streaming. The industry follows where they can get prizes. So you have a singles chart on streaming services which is great but, if you split things up into genre charts for example, that would really incentivise people. It’s important that we keep trying to strive to make the experience better for users but also make it more interesting for artists to keep wanting to achieve. But I really did love the experience of putting the album on streaming. I loved the immediacy, I loved that people who maybe weren’t a huge diehard fan were curious and saying, ‘I wonder what this is like’ and listening to it and deciding that they liked it.”

You’d resisted streaming for a long time. Have you changed your mind about the format now?

“I always knew that I would enjoy the aspects of streaming that make [your music] so immediately available to so many people. That’s the part of it that I unequivocally always felt really sad I was missing out on. There wasn’t ever a day when I woke up and I was like, ‘Oh, I’m really glad that multitudes of people don’t have access to my music!’ So I always knew that streaming was an incredible mechanism and model for the future but I still don’t think we have the royalties and compensation system worked out. That’s between the labels and their artists and I realised that me, to use a gross word, ‘leveraging’ what I can bring to cut a better deal for the artists at my record label was really important for me.”

How big a factor were things like that in you signing to Republic/Universal?

“That’s important to me because that means they’re adopting some of my ideas. If they take me on as an artist that means they really thought it through. Because with me, come opinions about how we can better our industry. I’m one of the only people in the artist realm who can be loud about it. People who are on their fifth, sixth or seventh album, we’re the only ones who can speak out, because new artists and producers and writers need to work. They need to be endearing and likeable and available to their labels and streaming services at all times. It’s up to the artists who have been around for a second to say, ‘Hey guys, the producers and the writers and the artists are the ones who are making music what it is’. And we’re in a great place in music right now thanks to them. They should be going to their mailbox and feeling like they’ve got a pension plan, rather than feeling like, ‘Oh yay, I can pay half my rent this month after this No.1 song’.”

Did you have more creative freedom making Lover than on your previous albums?

“In my previous situation, there were creative constraints, issues that we had over the years. I’ve always given 100% to projects, I always over-delivered, thinking that that generosity would be returned to me. But I ended up finding that generosity in a new situation with a new label that understands that I deserve to own what I make. That meant so much to me because it was given over to me so freely. When someone just looks at you and says ‘Yes, you deserve what you want’, after a decade or more of being told, ‘I’m not sure you deserve what you want’ – there’s a freedom that comes with that. It’s like when people find ‘the one’ they’re like, ‘It was easy, I just knew and I felt free’. All of a sudden you’re being told you’re worth exactly, no, more than what you thought you were worth. And that made me feel I could make an album that was exactly what I wanted to make. There’s an eclectic side to Lover, a confessional side, it varies from acoustic to really poppy pop, but that’s what I like to do. And, while you would never make something artistic based on something so unromantic as a contract, it was more than that. It was a group of people saying, ‘We believe in what you’re making, go make what you want to make and you deserve to own it too’.”

You’re obviously not happy about what’s happened at Big Machine since you left. But will the attention mean artists don’t find themselves in this situation in the future?

“I hope so. That’s the only reason that I speak out about things. The fans don’t understand these things, the public isn’t being made aware. This generation has so much information available to them so I thought it was important that the fans knew what I was going through, because I knew it was going to affect every aspect of my life and I wanted them to be the first to know. And in and amongst that group, I know there are people that want to make music some day. It involves every new artist that is reading that and going, ‘Wait, that’s what I’m signing?’ They don’t have to sign stuff that’s unfair to them. If you don’t ask the right questions and you sit in front of the wrong desk in front of the wrong person, they can take everything from you.”

Songwriters are in dispute with Spotify in the US over its decision to appeal the Copyright Board decision to boost songwriting royalties. Do writers need more respect?

“Absolutely. In terms of the power structure, the songwriters, the producers, the engineers, the people who are breathing magic into our industry, need to be listened to. They’re not being greedy. This is legitimately an industry where people are having trouble paying their bills and they’re the most talented people we have. This isn’t them sitting in their mansions going, ‘I wish this mansion was bigger and I would like a yacht please’. This is actually people who are going to work every single day. I got into writing when I was in Nashville and it was very much like what I read about the Brill Building. You would write every day, whether you were inspired or not, and in the process I met artists and writers. Somebody would walk in and someone would say, ‘Oh, he’s still getting mailbox money from that Faith Hill cut a couple of years ago, he’s set’. That’s not a thing anymore. Mailbox money is a thing of the past and we need to remember that these are the people that create the heartbeat that we’re all dancing to or crying to.”

You were clearly aware of music industry machinations from a young age…

“Reading back on the journal entries, I forgot how obsessed I was with the industry as a teenager. I was so fascinated by how it works and how it was changing. Every part of it was interesting to me. I had drawn the stages for most of my tours a year before I went on them. That really was fun for me as a teenager! A lot of people who start out very young in music, either don’t have a say or don’t have the will to do the business side of it, but weirdly that was so much fun for me to try and learn. I had a lot of energy when I was 16!”

Are you doing similar drawings for next year’s LoverFest?

“Definitely. And that’s why it’s still fun for me to take on a challenge like, ‘Oh, let’s just plan our own festival’. Let’s create a bill of artists and try and make it as fun as possible for the fans. I’m so intrigued by what that’s going to be like.”

Finally, when we last did an interview in 2015, you said in five years’ time you wanted to be “finding complexity in happiness”. How has that worked out?

“That’s exactly what’s happened with this album! I think a lot of writers have the fear of stability, emotional health and happiness. Our whole careers, people make jokes about how, ‘Just wait until you meet someone nice, you’ll run out of stuff to write about’. I was talking to [Cats director] Tom Hooper about this because he said one thing his mother taught him was, ‘Don’t ever let people tell you that you can’t make art if you’re happy’. I thought that was so amazing. He’s a creator in a completely different medium but he has been subjected to that same joke over and over again that we must be miserable to create. Lover is important to me in so many ways, but it’s so imperative for me as a human being that songwriting is not tied to my own personal misery. It’s good to know that, it really is!”