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kurogabae · 5 years ago

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TSUBASA: TRAINWRECK CHRONICLES

And How Bee Train is Single-Handedly Propagating Cancel Culture in This the Year of Our Lord 2020

PART 1 – PART 2 – PART 3 – PART 4 -- PART 5

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So last post was all filler episodes and we're well into season two of this, and I cannot stress this enough, two season anime. The only canon arc we've had was Piffle so far and it was poorly handled and out of order. Surely, absolutely surely, we are in for a canon arc. Shara perhaps? Skip right to Le Court? We all know they'd never dare touch Tokyo. How are they going to pad out the rest of the season?

Why another filler. A bad filler. The dreaded filler that goes against pretty much all of Fai's everything.

It's "A Date With a Wizard" and Kurogane isn't the one getting the date. If you haven't watched or heard of this episode before, buckle up kids. It's a doozy. And big spoiler warnings ahead.

Fort City Bit AKA Fai Dates His Own Fucking Mom (but like an AU version so it's okay I guess???):

You read that right. Fai goes on a date with this world's version of Chii, who was an artificial being he modeled after his dead mother. I could end the rant here but oh, there is so much to this. So much. It's only one episode long but it feels like an eternity.

The premise for magic use in this world is that:

Everyone has magic and that magic is specialized

Your career path is based on your magic's specialization. Like in MLP with cutie marks. And everyone is Fine with this.

Everyone recharges their magic via the sun, which is risen by their king

The king is chosen yearly after everyone in the country has the same fucking dream one night

The whole country runs on magic, to the point that if there is no magic there is no food, no power, no anything. But that's fine, because every day they get recharged by the sun. Right? WRONG! Because the current king is being a depressed little shit and refuses to raise the sun, effectively dooming the country to a slow death. Neat.

BUT BEFORE ALL OF THAT! The episode opens with Fai having a nightmare about Ashura looming like he's auditioning for a role in Attack on Titan. Vague and menacing, which is literally all we know about Ashura because we know nothing about Fai's past. And we never will. At least not in anime-land. No one knows anything. The manga isn't pulling this fakey flashback shit, so why is the anime? I don't know, but I hate it!

Anyway, the family gets the low down from Touya and Yukito - who still do not recognize Sakura and that upsets me because of the implications that there is no Sakura in this universe. (Sidenote: Kurogane recognizes them, even though he's never met them in the anime so far so honestly, just fuck everything.) While Touya is feeding them a frankly lavish meal that he's magiced up he explained their king problems. This leads to my next issue - if you're so worried about running out of magic why are you using it so flippantly and in such an extra ass way? Can you not make normal food? Does it only exist in magic form? Maybe just summon some soup? Does all food cost the same amount of mana? THIS MAGIC SYSTEM IS BAD!

So, back to the whole the king is too sad to raise the sun which powers everyone's magic which is now beginning to run low. Another problem I have. You get a recharge on your magic everyday. They have not gotten ANY recharges for, and I'm quoting here, months. They change kings every year. So even on the low end of things we're looking at 3-4 months before anyone got concerned about the king just. Not raising the sun. Personally, I would have gotten worried after a few days, a week at most. No one wanted to go and find out like "Hey your highness, why no sun? What's got you down?"

That, however, would be logical. This is a place of magic and whimsy! Not logic. Fai is asked to use his magic to figure out what is wrong with their king. Predictably, he tells them they have a better chance of meeting god, so everyone gets thrown in jail. Because refusing to solve a country's weird problems is illegal. Not that jail has ever stopped them before. Not with Kurogane and his muscles around. And while I am always up for watching Kurogane break things I do have to wonder - why are they not just warping free? Mokona said there was no feather. No one said anything about being magically held back. And yet, they are running through the castle, endangering themselves and the children!!!

Obviously this is For Plot Reasons, and I use the words "plot" and "reasons" loosely here.

Somehow the kitties and puppies get separated and Fai and Sakura end up surrounded by guards. Does Fai finally fight? Does he open that can of whoop ass we all know he's been saving? No. He leaps into the air and takes flight like some sort of stork. And while Fai's current cocky attitude is refreshing, he's working on some sort of idiot bimbo in a horror movie logic of "to escape the building I must do upstairs". This is not a man made to last on his own.

And, like Shrek to Fiona, the stairs lead him to the highest room in the tallest tower. Fai, then, promptly loses his shit as if he's not fully aware that doubles exist across the multiverse. Like, yeah, it would be a shock and anyone would be freaked out at the sudden surprise of it all, but Fai acts like he thinks he's stepped back into Celes. Like an idiot. He's better than this.

Now, we learn more things about this messed up king situation. Not only does everyone have a dream every year electing the new monarch, but the new king gets their memory erased for the whole year so that they can "rule with a pure heart" or some shit. Which seems like a baaaad fucking way to run.... anything. At all. Ever. Might as well pick up a fresh baby and put it in charge. It's bad. And it gets worse.

Chii is sad, but she wants to hang out with Fai and it's the first time she's shown any interest in doing anything but being Sad so her babysitter spirits are all like "Oh that's neat!" And Fai takes this is his chance to just... run off for a night on the town with her? They literally vanish and leave Sakura ALONE IN THE CASTLE WITH THE SAME SPIRITS WHO JAILED THEM. In what fucking universe????

Look, they are trying so so so so so so hard to sell this FaiChii shit. Fai leaves Sakura alone in a castle where they have just busted out of jail, he has no idea where or how Kurogane and Syaoran are, he's clearly uncomfortable around Chii as she reminds him of what he's running from, and, oh yeah, she's a copy of his dead mother he created in another world in order to comfort him and his dead brother as a child. Everything is Fine. Let's go get tea.

I'm gonna rapid fire some S tier bullshit:

no one knows where Chii has taken Fai - why is there no way to track your baby-brained king?

Fai leaves with Chii happily and cheerily, again, leaving Sakura behind and alone - who is this man because it isn't Fai

the only clue they have to Fai and Chii's location is that they are no longer on castle grounds, yet somehow Syaoran knows Exactly Where to Look - because sure why not?

Chii doesn't know how to drink???? - does this happen with every king? do they have to be potty trained too? omg they really are babies this is a terribly way to run a country!!!!!!

teaching someone basic life functions is not romantic but Bee Train sure wants us to think it is

"I want to stay with Fai forever and always." - at least he panics at commitment still... and probably incest

“I should be thanking you. It’s been a while since I’ve felt this way.” - What? Uncomfortably reminded of your past and why your life is just shy of a living hell? Who are you? You are not Fai

Kurogane and Syaoran show up to save Fai and Chii, who have been surrounded by guards (I think, I can't remember exactly but I'm pretty sure they're there to take her back to the castle and her Sad Room). Fai apparently won't fight in front of Chii but whatever at this point.

It comes out that Chii is an artificial soul/being (like the Chii in Celes) and because of that she cannot leave the town or she DIES and that means the king dies and I guess they don't have a back up plan for that. Unsurprising but bad. Still, Chii begs Fai to take her away and show her the world and Fai like... hesitates? Thinks about it? Considers it?!?!? I dunno but he doesn't automatically say "Uh no, you'll die and also I have other shit to do, bye" and that's dumb for a lot of reasons.

Eventually he tells her no and convinces her to bring the sun back and be happy because she'll be able to remember him or some shit (you know, unless they take those memories too!) and they all say goodbye. And I couldn't be more thankful.

Honestly, the real MVP here is Kurogane for not just losing his shit at all of this like I have. He's a better man than I.

Tune in next time as I continue to scream, in vain, at god.

PART 1 – PART 2 – PART 3 – PART 4 -- PART 5

#tsubasa chronicle #TRC #my meta #tsubasa trainwreck chronicles #CLAMP #god will not answer for allowing these crimes to exist #and therefore will never be allowed peace by me

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ao3bronte · 6 years ago

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Ml Fluff Month

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Read it on A03

Sommeil - Chapter 1 Finally Alone

Art by: @shaniartist

tu peux mentir à qui tu veux / tu souris trop pour être heureux

“And...done!”

Marinette clicks submit on her online quiz and slaps her laptop closed, leaning back in her office chair with a satisfied smirk. She's been absolutely killing this course on 18th century European fashion and her latest quiz marks just further confirmed her suspicious that she's basically a full-on expert. Mantuas and petticoats? Easy. Brocaded silk and riding jackets? Child's play. Hoop skirts and embroidery? A cinch.

A cinch, get it?

Man, she's been spending waaaaay too much time with Chat Noir.

Well, as Ladybug anyway. The akuma’s were few and far between lately but she and Chat Noir still spent at least a few night a week together, prowling the streets for criminals and the like. They usually convened on a Thursday evening at the Eiffel Tower but they'd had to switch it to Wednesday this week to accommodate for Chat’s busy civilian schedule; she still hadn’t figured out his identity but he was frank in his explanation that he was constantly busy with his job, often putting in seventy or so hours a week.

Marinette kind of hates it.

Not because it takes him away from akuma attacks or anything; he almost always finds a way to get out of whatever he’s doing to come and help nail the monster of the week and he’s always keen to do his very best, fighting at the top of his game. He parries and strikes and flips like the best of them with a smile on his face and a joke on his tongue but when all is said and done…

Chat just isn't quite Chat anymore.

At first she'd just chalked it up to getting older. They’re eighteen now and a lot had changed between them, all things considered. They’re older and wiser and more in sync than ever, to the point where they pretty much embody the yin and yang of their symbols to a tee, which always thrills Master Fu to no end. On her side of things, Marinette is proud to say that she’s become more focused now, having lost a lot of that nervousness she'd been plagued with as a kid. Being at the top of her university class certainly helped her confidence, especially considering her scholarship to the fashion institute she was now studying at; most of her peers took a year off to figure out what they were going to do with their lives but Marinette had always known exactly what she wanted to be since she was eight. Fashion design was her calling and nothing, not even Le Papillon , was going to stop her from reaching her goals.

But where Marinette had grown strong and confident, Chat had grown a little more...demure, for lack of a better word. He’s quieter and more intense, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but the almost preoccupied way he tends to go about things now still doesn't quite sit well with her. He used to be vivacious and wild and full of life! He was a carpe diem kind of guy, a glass half full kind of guy!

Now he’s just...flat.

She'd noticed the bags beneath his eyes even with the mask over his skin and had asked occasionally how he was feeling and it was always the same response. ‘I'm fine,’ he'd say, ‘I just didn't sleep much,’ he'd say, ‘I'm just such a party animal,’ he’d say. She'd always let it slide in the past because she's his partner and friend, not his mother, but it’s kind of getting to the point where something has to be done.

He yawns too often to be sleeping properly.

He smiles too much to be happy.

She'd asked Alya about it once, under the guise that this person was a friend of hers at the Institute. Alya had said point blank that her friend was probably not getting enough sleep because he's being overworked and feeling maybe even a little depressed. Seventy hours a week and a full time student on top of that? Alya had told her to reach out if he seemed to be struggling and Marinette has decided to do just that.

Packing up her laptop, she checks her saved Snapchat conversation with Alya and studies the symptoms from the link she'd sent her. Lack of sleep and fatigue is a big part of what she’s been noticing about him and she's resolved to come up with a solution as soon as possible. The one she has in mind is ballsy and, quite frankly, a little dangerous but the pros outweigh the cons as far as she’s concerned. She needs to make sure Chat’s okay and healthy and happy and back to his old cheerful self…

Even if it means spoiling her identity.

“Hey Chaton,” Ladybug lands with a near imperceptible thump beside her partner on the wrought iron lattice of the Eiffel Tower and immediately scoops him into a side hug. It's weird and kind of out of character for her, but she'd been adamant in her Snaps to him that they needed to talk and she could practically smell the worry coming off of him in waves, “How are you feeling?”

Chat is stiff in her embrace, “Ummm...good? Why are you hugging me? What did I do?”

“I'm hugging you because you looked like you could use one,” Ladybug replies, revelling when he finally sinks into her touch, “And because I'm about to call you out on your bullshit.”

Chat’s eyes bug out of his head and Ladybug holds him tighter to keep him from escaping her clutches, “What?”

“You haven't been sleeping well and this is my concerned face,” Ladybug rests her chin on his shoulder with a pout, “You're yawning and you have bags under your eyes all the time. You're always tired and I want to know why.”

“I'm fine,” Chat immediately deflects and nearly opens his mouth to say more when Ladybug gives him the look .

“You can lie to whoever you want but you can't lie to me,” Ladybug insists, “You're my best friend. I know you like the back of my hand. I know your tells, your signs, your body language—”

“—you don't know my name.”

“No, but I know just about everything else about you. We've been partners since we were fourteen, that's practically a quarter of our lives Chat. Powerwise, I'm literally your other half.”

“Technically you are,” he mutters, his ring catching the moonlight as he wiggles it, “But like I said, I'm fine. I just need some fresh air and a good run around the city.”

“A good nap you mean,” Ladybug chides him, tapping his nose, “Look, I'd strap you down to my bed and make you sleep if I could—”

“—strap me down? Ladybug, I didn't realise you were so kinky.”

“You know what I mean,” Ladybug rolls her eyes and grimaces, “Ugh, you are such a boy .”

Chat’s jaw drops dramatically, “Really? I had no idea.”

“Ugh…” Ladybug recoils, flicking him on the shoulder for good measure, “That's it, no more hugs for you.”

“But M’Lady—”

“Nope, you're gross.”

“And you are an angel.”

“Tomcat.”

“Light of my life.”

“Mangy stray.”

“My sun and stars.”

“Stoooop,” Ladybug turns to face him properly and crosses her arms across her chest, “But in all seriousness Chat, you need to get some rest. I'm worried about you.”

“And I'm serious when I say that I'm fine,” Chat pipes back, mirroring her movements, “Now can we go on that run now? I bet I can beat you to La Grande Paris —”

“You know, I don't even know why I bother,” Ladybug grumbles with a huff and Chat immediately slumps at her tone, “Look, if you won't listen to me, then I'm sending you to someone else.”

“But—”

“It's my turn to talk and you're going to listen,” she sticks her finger in his face and he nods meekly, “I have a friend who has the world's best bedtime tea. It'll knock you out cold for hours after just one cup, I promise.”

“A friend? But uh...wouldn't that compromise our identities?”

“I know her as Ladybug,” she replies easily, having practised this conversation in the mirror already, “And so do you. Her name is Marinette Dupain-Cheng and you're going to her house tonight and having a cup of her magic tea.”

“But—"

“No buts,” Ladybug interrupts, raising her palm, “She's probably already brewing it as we speak. She’s expecting you at 23:00 sharp.”

“Wait, Ladybug—"

“Trust me, she's a good friend of mine. She'll be able to help you out.”

Chat looks uncertain, “Are you sure I won't be intruding?”

“Not a chance,” Ladybug assures him, “She's looking forward to it! She's really loves helping others. Besides, she's a big fan of yours too.”

“She...she is?”

“Oh yes,” Ladybug affirms and it isn't a lie, “She even bought a Chat Noir mug just for you."

“Really?” Chat whispers and Ladybug can't help but smile at the blush that spreads across his cheeks. Chat’s always been a sucker for compliments and Ladybug plans to exploit it, “She did?”

“Yup, so what are you waiting for?” Ladybug hops to her feet and unfastens her yoyo from her belt, revving it up, “You've got ten minutes to get your butt over there for the best bedtime tea of your life. Don't be late!”

Ladybug swings and swoops as fast as she possibly can towards her home and detransforms just as she lands on her rooftop deck, hurriedly opening her trap door. She slips inside and checks her appearance in the mirror quickly before plugging in the kettle she'd borrowed from the kitchen and opening the tin of her mother's special chrysanthemum and chamomile blend. Wafting the herbal scent towards her nose, Marinette thinks back to all of the nights her maman had brewed the herbal infusion for her before a test at school and hopes it might conk him out the same way it did for her.

knock knock knock

Marinette startles and nearly drops the container of loose leaf on the floor before setting it down and turning back towards her sleeping platform. Scurrying up the ladder, Marinette can't help but enjoy the nervous flutter in her chest at the prospect of doing something good for her very best friend.

“Chat Noir!” she exclaims happily as she opens her trap door. Chat’s eyes are wide, his lips slightly parted in surprise, “Come on in! Ladybug let me know you were coming.”

“Yeah?” Chat swallows nervously, his Adam's apple bobbing in his throat, “I uhhh...I don't mean to intrude—"

“No no no,” Marinette waves her hands, beckoning him inside, “It's the least I can do for Paris’ Favourite Hero!”

Chat still hesitates, his pupils strangely slivered, “I think that title belongs to Ladybug.”

“She's Paris’ Favourite Heroine,” Marinette corrects him, grabbing his forearm in an attempt to physically drag him inside, “Paris loves you just as much. And look, they even make mugs in your likeness! I bought you one, come look!”

Marinette flops back onto her bed with a tug of his wrist and he finally slips in through the trapdoor behind her, his expression decidedly unsure. She's never seen him look quite so skittish, but then he's always behaved a little weirdly when she’s given him things, like on his birthday or on their partnerversary.

“Are you sure this is okay?” Chat slides off her mattress and lands on the floor in a silent crouch, “I don't think your parents would be too happy to find a stray cat alone with you in your room.”

“They're bakers so they're usually in bed by 20:30. They get up at 04:30 to start the breads and pastries.”

“Oh,” Chat says simply, still highly hesitant, “I just don't want to be a bother.”

“Chat, you're not bothering me,” Marinette fills the silver infuser with the dried leaves and seals it with a snap, “I'm always happy to help a friend in need, especially when that friend is having a hard time.”

“I'm not having a hard time,” Chat interjects, immediately on the defence, “Ladybug is...she's just really...I don’t know the right word to describe it.”

“Well she wouldn't have asked me to help you if it wasn't important and if it's important to her, then it's important for me,” Marinette plants her hands on her hips and tips her chin proudly, “So sit down and relax. It only takes a few minutes to steep.”

Chat finally acquiesces and lowers himself gingerly on her chaise lounge, staring about her room curiously. Most of the photos of Adrien have been taken down in favour of Vogue spreads and Instagram posts of her favourite design icons, not to mention all the group shots with her friends. Of course, she's still got an entire wall dedicated to Gabriel’s fashion lines which is where she has many of Adrien’s best shoots still pinned to the plaster, “It's been a while since I’ve seen you around.”

“It has,” Marinette pours the hot water into the black and green mug, “When was the last time...was it the akuma at the Fashion Institute back in September?”

“I think so,” Chat replies, tugging his legs up onto the pink cushion and crossing his feet, “That was the one who wanted to turn everyone into a pin cushion right?”

“That was the one! I was lucky you and Ladybug were there to save the day.”

“She got there before I did,” he explains, his shoulders relaxing marginally, “That was definitely one of my least favourite fights ever. I hate needles.”

“You must have a terrible time at the vet,” Marinette snickers behind her hand, loving the look he throws her.

“You've been spending way too much time with Ladybug,” Chat pouts, but there's only humour in his eyes, “How do you know her by the way? She said that you two were friends.”

Marinette knew this would come up, which is why she'd already rehearsed her answer, “She's stopped on my balcony a few times. I always offer her a glass of water and sometimes we talk.”

“Oh,” Chat nods his head, “I've stopped here a few times too.”

“You have,” Marinette fiddles with chain on the infuser, agitating the water, “And you're always welcome to drop by whenever you like. Just don't forget to knock in case I'm sleeping.”

Chat blinks several times, “Really?”

“My door’s always open.”

“Huh,” Chat looks pathetically perplexed and it makes Marinette steam a little. Doesn't anyone else do anything nice for her partner? Besides her anyway, she's always bringing him pastries and slices of cake.

“Alright, tea is ready. You have to drink it black, no cream or sugar,” Marinette explains, lifting the infuser out of the steaming water, “It tastes a little odd but not in a bad way.”

Wrapping her fingers around the handle of the Chat Noir mug, Marinette lifts it from the surface of her desk and gently brings it over to the side table beside her chaise. She turns it so that Chat can get a good look at the porcelain cat ears sticking up from the rim, “It's cute right? My friend Mylène works at a pottery place in Montmartre and she made this for me.”

“She did?” Chat’s gape shifts between her and the mug, “Can I commission her to make me one too?”

“I'll ask her!” Marinette plops down onto the chaise beside him, “But I’m sure she'd be happy to make you one free of charge. Now come on, drink your tea before it gets cold.”

“Oui Madame,” Chat responds with a mock salute and takes the cup of tea into his gloved hands, “It smells funny.”

“So do you, but you don't see me complaining,” Marinette replies instinctively and tried to ignore the shocked expression on Chat’s face. It's something Ladybug would say and she needs to be more careful but...it’s just so easy to be herself when he's around, “What are you waiting for, drink up!”

Chat brings the cup to his lips and blows, a cloudy puff of steam rising from the rim. Finally he takes a sip and makes a face but doesn't argue, taking a long pull shortly after.

“It's not terrible I guess,” Chat mumbles, staring at the deep green infusion, “It still tastes funny though.”

“Like I said, you get used to it,” Marinette replies, crossing one leg over the other, “My Maman is Chinese so she has all sorts of great recipes.”

“Yeah?” Chat mumbles, taking another drink, “You’re lucky.”

“I am,” she points to a framed family photo sitting on her desk, “That’s her there, and my Papa too.”

“Must be nice to have a family.”

Marinette's neck turns so fast it cracks, “What?”

“It’s not important,” he waves his hand dismissively, his eyes half lidded, “But yeah. It’s a beautiful photo.”

“Not important?” Marinette gasps, “ What?! Chat, you can’t just drop that on me and expect that I won’t ask questions! What happened?”

He shrugs, “I dunno. My father is still around but...my mother has been gone for years.”

“Oh Chat,” Marinette’s heart leaps into her throat, “I'm sorry, I didn't know.”

“It's alright,” Chat’s eyes have closed completely now, his chin tipping forward against his chest. His bell sings lightly as he begins to tip, “I just miss her, that's all.”

Marinette places one hand on his shoulder and squeezes the tense muscle there, “I'm so sorry Chat. Is there something I can do?”

Chat simply grunts and Marinette can see her plan is working. She gently pries the nearly empty mug from his fingers and lowers his upper body down onto the raised back of the cushion until he's lying comfortably, his head lolling slightly to one side. Moving soundlessly, Marinette fishes the blanket she'd stowed beneath her chaise for exactly this reason and drapes the soft fabric over his slack body. Releasing the breath she didn’t realise she’d been holding, Marinette turns the main light off and leaves the office lamp on in case he wakes up in the middle of the night and wonders where he is, but Marinette highly doubts he’ll wake up anytime soon; if her Maman’s magic tea has really worked its magic, he won't be waking up for another six hours.

Instinctively, she reaches down and brushes his bangs from his eyes and gasps when he turns his face into her palm and purrs, louder than she's ever heard it. Her knees actually shudder at the intensity of the sound and she considers pulling her hand away except...it's kind of addicting? It's an odd thing to think about but as she cards her fingers through his hair to the sound of the constant purr in his chest, Marinette can hardly convince herself to stop.

It's nearly midnight by the time she wrenches her hands from his head, delighting in the way he's melted like a Chat shaped puddle across the cushions. She's proud of herself; her plan has worked and she didn't even have to be Ladybug to execute it! But now her eyes are sagging and she desperately needs to head to bed in time for her lecture at the Institute in the morning so, chancing one last glance at her gently purring partner, she climbs up onto her bed platform and tucks herself into bed.

Around 03:00, there's a bright flash of green light and the sound of two kwarmis chittering quietly against Chat Noir’s soft snuffles and Marinette realises that the boy she's spent for years fighting alongside is sleeping maskless only a few metres away. It's tempting to peek over the railing and look but…

Marinette rolls back over and closes her eyes with a small smile. Just getting him to sleep is a huge feat unto itself and not looking would mean that he would trust her more which would hopefully mean that he’d keep coming to her for tea. The decision was simple.

Tonight, she'd let sleeping cats lie.

For now.

#mlfluffmonth #brontewrites #marichat #mlfic #ladynoir

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twf100 · 6 years ago

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The new years on the Western Front

German bunker at Dodengang near Diksmuide Belgium, December 2018

By January 1 1915, the hopes that the war would end quickly had dissolved into the mud of Belgium and France. The First Battle of Ypres in Belgium had ended the month before, and with it the tactics of open warfare for the next four years. Armies now faced each other for 450 miles across Western Europe, from the English Channel, across Belgium and northern France, all the way to the Swiss border. The Germans had fully moved to the defensive, reinforcing their trenches, building concrete bunkers up and down the line, and clearing positions for deadly machine gun and artillery fire. The Allies dug in as well, but had already begun making plans to attack in 1915 in the desire to evict the Germans from Belgian and French territory. The Allies built few bunkers and did not improve their trenches. Why bother, the Allied commanders thought, when they would be moving to the German positions soon enough? They would find this much easier said than done, and would experience heavy losses during the campaigns in the French Artois, at Loos and in the Champagne.

The hope for a breakout on the Eastern Front at Gallipoli, and for the USA to join the war after the sinking of the Lusitania, would both prove to be disappointing to the Allies. April of 1915 would see the first use of chlorine gas at St. Julien Belgium, with appalling results. Shockingly long casualty lists, British munition shortages, and with no end in sight, the 1915 year of the Great War came to a close.

Monument Le Mort Homme near Verdun France, December 2018

1916 would make the previous year of the war look tame in comparison. On February 21 the Germans launched Unternehmen Gericht (Operation Judgement) and attacked the French at Verdun. With a stated desire to “bleed France white”, German commander Erich von Falkenhayn looked to break both the strength of the French army and the will of the French citizenry to continue with the war. He was nearly successful. Instead, under General Philippe Petain, the French would rally to the defense of Verdun. The battle would cost Von Falkenhayn his job in addition to nearly one million German and French casualties, distributed more or less equally between the two armies. The German and French armies would each have successful offensives in the later years of the war, but the Battle of Verdun was a high water mark for both forces in terms of strength and morale.

Front Line July 1 1916, La Boisselle France, December 2018

On July 1 1916, British forces at the front along the Somme River in France, climbed over the top of their trenches and launched an attack. Wave after wave of young men walked across No-Man’s-Land into withering German artillery and machine gun fire. The bloodiest day in the history of the British Army saw nearly 20,000 soldiers killed, most within the first hour of the attack. By November Britain had suffered half a million casualties. The trauma of The Somme still resonates today throughout the United Kingdom, as well as Australia, Canada, India, and New Zealand. Not to be outdone, the French would suffer 200,000 casualties. The Germans took half a millions casualties of their own at the Somme.

Canadian National Vimy Memorial, near Givenchy-en-Gohelle France, April 2018

The slaughter of 1916 would continue into 1917. This year of the war saw dramatic events such as the Russian Revolution and their near total withdrawal from the war, as well as the United States declaring war on Germany. French Commander-in-Chief Joseph Joffre had been replaced by Robert Nivelle by the first of the year. On April 16 Nivelle launched an offensive of his own along the front in Northern France. German forces had already retreated to the fortifications of the Seigfriedstellung (Seigfried Line, or commonly known as the Hindenburg Line) and Nivelle’s offensive was a disaster. The French suffered nearly 200,000 casualties and gained practically nothing. In frustration at the meaningless loss of life, French troops began to mutiny. In May numerous French divisions flatly refused to fight. Nivelle was sacked and replaced by the hero of Verdun, Philippe Petain. “I am waiting for the tanks and the Americans” Petain stated. There would be no more pointless French attacks.

Tyne Cot British Cemetery and Memorial, near Passendale Belgium, April 2018

While Petain worked to end the mutinies, bring his soldiers back under control and rebuild French army morale, the British sought to keep the Germans distracted in Belgium. On June 7 1916 British Commander-in-Chief Douglas Haig launched the Battle of Messines. While deemed a strategic success for the British, both armies would each suffer 25,000 casualties at Messines. The next month Haig launched the Battle of Passchendaele (Third Battle of Ypres). A heavy bombardment that turned the landscape into a muddy soup, as well as constant rain, created conditions that were truly a hell on Earth. Soldiers that fell into the mud would slowly be sucked under to drown. Any attempt to help a trapped comrade would result in additional soldiers being sucked into the mire. Despite the atrocious conditions, repeated attacks were ordered, but almost no significant ground was gained by British forces. Final casualty counts are disputed, but by November anywhere between half a million and one million soldiers were killed, wounded or missing, with the numbers again being almost equally split between the British and German armies.

1918 would see the final year of the Great War, but it would prove to be just as horrific as the previous years. With Russia out of the war, the German Empire could focus their army on the Western Front. They had no time to lose as thousands of American soldiers were pouring into France each day. On March 21 the Germans launched the Kaiserschlacht offensive and broke through Allied lines in Belgium and France. Within a week they had attacked to a depth of 40 miles and by May German forces were back on the Marne and threatening Paris just as they had done in 1914. Philippe Petain’s defensive strategy stopped the German advance in July and, having advanced past their own ability to supply their forces, the Germans had to fall back. The Kaiserschlacht was over and Germany had suffered nearly 700,000 casualties.

Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery and Memorial, Romagne-Sous-Montfaucon France, December 2018

On August 8 1918 the Allies, now under the unified command of French Field Marshall Ferdinand Foch, began the Hundred Days Offensive with the Battle of Amiens in France. German General Erich Ludendorff would later refer to this day as the as the Schwarzer Tag des Deutschen Heeres (Black Day of the German Army). Morale had crumbled among German troops and they were surrendering in massive numbers. The Germans suffered 30,000 casualties on that day alone. German soldiers called reserve troops moving up for battle “strike breakers”. German commanders, trying to rally their retreating troops, were told “You’re prolonging the war!” In September German allies were dropping out of the conflict. Bulgarian, Turkish, and Austria-Hungarian armies stopped fighting. With Americans now on the battle lines, the Allies were out of their trenches and fighting the Germans in open country. Each day more German soldiers would surrender and the Allies would gain more ground. October riots within Germany convinced the high command that no more was possible. The possibility of winning the war was gone and on November 6 a delegation set out from Berlin to negotiate with Ferdinand Foch and the Allies at Compiegne France. The Armistice took effect five days later.

Foch Monument at the Glade of the Armistice, near Compiegne France, April 2018

January 1 1919 saw the first New Year’s Day on the Western Front without battle in four years. But the war was not officially over. The Paris Peace Conference opened on January 18. It was not lost on the Germans that this date was the anniversary of the establishment of the Kingdom of Prussia in 1701 as well as the establishment of the German Empire in 1871. The “Big Four” major powers of France, Britain, Italy, and the United States dominated the conference and worked together to unilaterally draft the Treaty of Versailles. In addition to the loss of colonial territories, the reduction of its military force, the levy of reparations and new national borders, the treaty placed the full blame for the war on the “aggression of Germany”. While US President Woodrow Wilson and the American delegation did not believe it was fair to lay the blame for the war solely on the German Empire, they were unsuccessful in getting the language of the treaty changed. The treaty was signed by representatives of Germany, France, Britain, the United States, Italy and Japan on June 28 1919, precisely five years to the day after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The Great War was now officially over.

The 1918 “Alsace-Lorraine” Monument depicting a German eagle impaled by a sword, near Compiegne France, April 2018

German popular resentment of the Treaty of Versailles, the humiliation of their defeat, costly reparations, the embittered memoirs of Ludendorff and other German military commanders, along with economic depression, and political instability, are all considered to have contributed to the resulting Nazi political success that began in 1925. Some believed, like economist and British delegate to the Paris Peace Conference John Maynard Keynes, that the conditions of the treaty were far too harsh and would end up being counter-productive to peace and the word economy. French Field Marshall Foch felt the opposite. Foch believed the treaty to be far too lenient on Germany. At the signing of the treaty he declared “This is not a peace. It is an armistice for twenty years.”

The Second World War began on September 1 1939 with the German invasion of Poland, twenty years and 65 days after the signing of the Treaty of Versailles.

Postscript: This is probably the last of the big text posts. From this point on I will be sharing the sites of the Western Front as they are today, 100 years after the end of the Great War. I have seen some pretty amazing things around Belgium and France and I look forward to sharing the images of these sites with you.

Additionally, if you are interested in a great book about the Paris Peace Conference I would highly recommend Paris 1919: Six Months That Changed the World by Margaret MacMillan.

January 4, 2019

#ww1 #worldwar1 #westernfront #greatwar #treatyofversailles #ludendorff #foch #Petain #DouglasHaig #Passchendaele #somme #verdun #Kaiserschlacht

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winchestersgirl-67 · 7 years ago

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Happy With Family

Dean, Sister!reader(19), Lisa, Sam (mentioned), Ben (mentioned)

1900 words

WARNINGS- DEPRESSION, SELF-HARM, SUICIDE, CHARACTER DEATH

(This story involves suicide, I am in no way promoting suicide, and if you ever need someone to talk I’m always here)

After Sam goes to hell, Dean and the reader get into a fight where harsh words are said, and it leads to an extreme.

“y/n, I’m not doing this anymore. I’m so damn tired of you lying around mopey all damn day. Get up!” Dean yelled in your face as you stayed still lying on the futon you had been using as a makeshift bed for the past few weeks. You didn’t say anything, you just turned over to angry at dean to even look at him. It had been 5 weeks since Sam died and Dean didn't even seem to care that his little brother was dead. “Y/N, i told you I’m done. You can get out of bed and start acting like you have some will to do anything, or you can leave and go stay with Bobby but I’m not gonna look at you lying here anymore. Get up or get out.” and he stormed away. You just rolled over and started to cry again. Since Sam died dean hadn’t asked you how you felt once. He dragged you to Lisa’s with him, because that’s what Sam wanted. You wanted to try and get Sam back, but Dean and Bobby both said you couldn’t get Sam back without letting Lucifer back out as well. So you went to Lisa’s and you lay on her crappy futon in the basement and missed Sam all day, while Dean was up stairs living the life he always wanted….but you knew he was sorta right. This isn’t what Sam asked you to do, he asked you to live the apple pie life. The problem was you couldn’t have an apple pie life without him. Even Though nothing would be the same without Sam, Dean was here and asking for something, you can still have one brother if you don’t let this get in between the two of you. So you pulled yourself out of bed, fixed your hair and made your way up the stair following the smell of pancakes.

Two weeks had passed and even with you trying to be more attentive, and trying to fix things between you and your brother, you couldn’t. Dean still wanted nothing to do with you, he was too interested in his to family, to even notice that you were drowning. Your depression came back worse than ever before, you weren’t eating enough, and when you were alone, you had slipped into old habits, habits that you knew would break Sam’s heart. But Sam wasn’t there, and Dean didn’t care, so what was the point. Ben and Lisa didn’t bother getting to know you, Dean probably told them you weren’t worth getting to know, maybe it was just the depression talk but that's what you thought anyway. You did know for a fact that dean had always liked Sam more, which you understood they were brothers. You were just the product of some whore their dad slept with in his eyes. You also knew Dean wished you were in the pit instead of Sam, he told you that on the drive to Lisa’s.

“Dean how are we gonna get him back.” You looked at you big brother, your eyes pleading for some kind of answer. You couldn’t just leave Sam in hell, it was wrong. A world without Sam isn’t a world you want to live in, even now sitting in the passenger seat next to Dean you felt like you were betraying him. “We can’t get him back y/n!” Dean spat in response, range dripping from his voice. “He knew what he was signing up for and still he was dumb enough to say yes.” He was still enraged, but his voice seemed broken. “Dean…” you spoke with caution, knowing how fragile he was “Dammit y/n, stop. I’m not talking to you about Sam, just shut up already.” He yelled as he pulled over slamming on the breaks. “I-I lost a brother too Dean, you’re not the only one who lost Sam.” You were on the brink of tears, Dean shook his head. “No, Sam wasn’t your brother. He was mine, I raised him, on my own. I carried him outside while I watched OUR mother burn up. Sam wasn’t your brother, and neither am I. You are just some one night stand, a mistake. You should be in the pit, not Sam. You should have said yes for him like Adam did for me.” As tears ran down your face Dean turned up the radio and pulled away, not saying another word the whole ride.

You were crying again now, thinking of how much things had changed in the last two months. You prayed to God, and Cas and everyone else you could think of, asking, praying for things to go back to normal. You would give everything to turn the clock back a few months, you would do it, you would say yes to the devil so your brothers could be happy again. That couldn’t happen though, if it could, it would have been done by now. So you did the only thing you could do. You made a plan so Dean could be happy again. Just him, and Lisa and Ben. The life he wanted. You went into to the bathroom and grabbed a bottle of painkillers from the medicine cabinet. Once you had the bottle in your hand, you made your way back to your room where you would be alone, and grabbed a pen and paper.

Dean, I’m sorry you had to find me like this. I tried to keep it as mess free as possible. You deserve to be happy and as long as I’m around you won’t be, until now I haven’t been able to do anything good for, I’ve always been your burden, and I’m sorry for that too. Now you can have a family, an apple pie life, like Sammy wanted. I’ve realized in the past few months the only thing I needed to be happy was my family, but when Sam jumped I lost that, so I’m not losing anything by doing this, and maybe with me gone you can be happy with your new family. You were right, it should have been me not Sam, and if I could go back, I would but can’t, so maybe this is as close as I can get into making things right for you. If you do ever get Sammy back, please tell him I love him, and I’m sorry it was him and not me. Tell Bobby, I love him too, and you can tell Lisa I’m really grateful for her letting me stay. Dean I love you, whether or not you love me, I really truly love you, and I always have. I always have and always will consider you my big brother, you saved my life twice before. The day my mom dropped me at the motel door in the rain and you brought me in, and again the first time a started to slip. When you and Sam gave me something me something to live for. Those years were the best of my life, I’ll remember them forever, so thank you. Dean this isn’t your fault, so don’t let yourself go there. We all knew I had these thoughts inside, they just needed to be turned on. Sam dying and the weeks that followed turned them on, and I don’t think they can be turned back off. Good bye, Dean, I love you Y/N

You folded the note in half and placed it onto your pillow where it could be seen, than you sat on the floor opened the bottle and poured the contents into your hands. You took a deep breath, put the pills in your mouth and swallowed. “Good bye Dean, I’m sorry Sam.” Than you closed your eyes and waited.

5 hours later dinner was ready, Lisa had made spaghetti. You favorite. Dean called your name, six times but got no response, he assumed you had your earphones in, or you were doing homework. So he made his way down the steps into your bedroom. When he got to the door, he knocked twice, but you still didn’t answer. When you still didn’t respond Dean started to get a little nervous, but you and him were on such thin ice, he waited a few seconds before opening the door; when he did he was nearly sick. “Oh my god.” he flew to your side, to your lifeless form lying on the floor. “y/n, y/n.” He shook your body, but he knew. Tears were streaming down his face “LISA!!!!!” He screamed out “LISA….” He was sobbing and holding your lifeless body rocking back and forth. “y/n, y/n, y/n.” Lisa walked in to Dean rocking back and forth stroking your hair. She quickly observed what was going on in the room, first she saw you and Dean, than, the bottle of pills spilled out and the floor, and then the note on your pillow. It only took her a moment to put it all together. “Dean…” She spoke softly, but she knew there was nothing she could do to help him. She pulled out her phone and dialed 911, then walked out so Dean wouldn’t have to hear her say what they both knew. The police and ambulance pulled in 15 minutes later, Ben directed them down the stairs to your room. Lisa had told him what happened, but said he shouldn’t come down. When the officers made it to your room they saw Dean still in the same place on the floor with your body in his arms, and tear stained cheeks, and Lisa standing in the corner watching him with tears of her own streaming down her face. “Ma'am, we're gonna have to ask you a few questions.” The lead officer spoke softly to Lisa, as he motioned to the paramedics to come down into the room. As they made their way down with the gurney Dean gripped your body tighter not ready to let go. “Sir, it’s time. We need to take her now.” Dean shook his head not willing to let go. After that it was a blur for Dean. He remembered Lisa coming and sitting down next to him, than the paramedics took your body away sending Dean in hysterics again. Lisa held him tightly and rocked him like he had rocked you, and slowly the room cleared and the people left, and it was just Dean and Lisa in your room. Once Dean had calmed down Lisa moved over to look him in the face. “Dean, she left a note. I didn’t read it, i’m gonna leave it here and go check on Ben. Call me if you need me, okay. I'll be right upstairs.” She held his hands and waited for a response telling her it was okay to go, when he nodded his head she stood and left. Leaving Dean alone. In his dead sisters room. With a note she wrote for him. Dean took a second to compose himself before reaching for the folded paper Lisa left him. He took a deep breath and started to read. When he was finished dean realized there were ink stains on the paper, some dried and some fresh. The dry ones were from you crying, and the fresh ones were from him. “I’m sorry y/n, I love you so much. You’ll always be my little sister, I’m sorry I let you down. You were perfect.”

Tags-

@percussiongirl2017 @jensen-jarpad @bluecookiesandbooks @staticweekes @fandom-queen-of-wonderland @winchesters-favorite-girl

#spn #supernatural #dean.sam #winchester #sister #sisfic #sister reader #winsister #winchester sister #fic #angst #depression #sucide #lisa and ben #death #crying dean

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guhudude · 7 years ago

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Tagged by: @omuii le geef

Rules: Answer these 92 statements and tag 20 people

LAST: 1. Drink: coke  2. Phone call: probably my mom  3. Text message: to my girlfriend: ^_^  4. Song you listened to: Free -6LACK  5. Time you cried: uhhhhhhhhhh I think it was two weeks ago when I was frustrated with my family for not treating me like an adult

HAVE YOU:  6. Dated someone twice: nooo  7. Kissed someone and regretted it: yes but I barely count it as a kiss lol. I was in 8th grade and gave my boyfriend a peck on the lips and the whole thing was so forced it was stupid  8. Been cheated on: don't think so  9. Lost someone special: yes  10. Been depressed: heck yeck   11. Gotten drunk and thrown up: yeah I was at a party with some friends in college and it was a great party most of the people were LGBT and everybody was really chill but I just really wanted to get wrecked lol. I started with beer because I thought that was all they had but then I found out they had Smirnoff ice and I started drinking those, and I played a drinking game with shots of Long Island iced tea.... best party ever even though I did get sick twice

LIST 3 FAVORITE COLORS:  12-14: I can't believe this is just a clever way to skip my favorite number in the questions but ok: ultramarine blue, lime green, umm. Plum purple? Not all at once lol

IN THE LAST YEAR HAVE YOU:  15. Made new friends: yes  16. Fallen out of love: yes (only romantically)  17. Laughed until you cried: yes, usually because of The Squad, my Skype group  18. Found out someone was talking about you: yupperooza.  19. Met someone who changed you: hmmmm. I followed someone on tumblr does that count?  20. Found out who your friends are: yes  21. Kissed someone on your Facebook list: my gf ;)

GENERAL:  22. How many of your Facebook friends do you know in real life: almost all of them, so around 200  23. Do you have any pets: Sasha, a 6 year old border collie-husky mix who is black with blue eyes (she's a little brat who tries to trip everyone by tackling their feet), and Gretchen, a 11 year old German shepherd mix with a big belly (and a bigger heart) and a curly tail  24. Do you want to change your name: yeah, my legal name is both too feminine and too biblical. Hopefully someday I'll get to change it legally to Peri.  25. What did you do for your last Birthday: I honestly don't remember :') it was probably boring  26. What time did you wake up: I woke up at 9 surprisingly well rested  27. What were you doing at midnight last night: watching Jupiter Ascending which is one heck of a movie  28. Name something you can’t wait for: going to visit my geef in New Jersey again  29. When was the last time you saw your mom: I'm sitting next to her on the couch watching family feud right now  30. What is one thing you wish you could change in your life: GIVE ME THE HECKENING MOTIVATION!!!!  31. What are you listening right now: G-Mix: Russel on Spotify. I'm goin through all of their playlists. B)  32. Have you ever talked to a person named Tom: there were a few different guys named Tom at the campgrounds we used to go to every summer.  33. Something that is getting on your nerves: my LACK!! OF MOTIVATION!!!!!  34. Most visited website: tumblr, YouTube, kimcartoon

LOST QUESTIONS. I JUST PUT IN RANDOM INFO ABOUT ME  35. Mole/s: a few on my arms  36. Mark/s: fuckin perpetual acne and scars from it on my shoulders and back : ) a birthmark on my left side and supposedly one on the back of my neck but ofc I've never actually seen it -squints- a few freckles here and there  37. Childhood dream: to be literally every fucking profession. I wanted to be a princess, a fire fighter, a veterinarian, a cop, a psychiatrist...  38. Hair color: brown  39. Long or short hair: short, I look like one of the Beatles lmao  40. Do you have a crush on someone: does my gf count 👀  41. What do you like about yourself: I'm a good friend and I got a nice body 😘  42. Piercings: just 2, one traditional piercing in each ear. I really want a bar of some kind, at least one cartilage piercing.   43. Blood type: O+  44. Nickname: saoirse, seersh, peri, peridot  45. Relationship status: taken by my gf 46. Zodiac: sexy, sexy Sagittarius ;)  47. Pronouns: they/them or... ya know what idc actually any pronouns lol  48. Favorite TV Show: Steven Universe, Rick and Morty, Community 49. Tattoos: none YET  50. Right or left hand: right-handed though I am slightly better with my left hand at frisbee for some reason  51. Surgery: once I had a surgery on my tooth that never came down because the teeth on either side were too close together.  52. Hair dyed in different color: never :c  ... yet 53. Sport: I used to be in track/field for one year in middle school, I was horrible at it but I did the 200, high jump and long jump. When I say I was bad at it I mean I was Literally The Worst on the team by far. I like to watch hockey especially in the arena because it gets WILD in there. You get to hear all the crazy shit all the drunk fans are saying and watch people get into fights and yell at each other 54. was there a 54 before bc i lost it i guess? and i just copy-pasted the whole thing  55. Vacation: a nice little cabin in the woods with hiking trails around it would be perfect 👌 I'd also like to go on a cross-country road trip someday  56. Pair of trainers: these black ones with neon laces that I wear to work, my favorite ones right now that are black with stars that glow in the dark (I don't wear them to work so as not to wear them out), a pair of black converse and a pair of black and teal vans, both of which I've had for years MORE GENERAL:  57. Eating: nothing right now  58. Drinking: coke  59. I’m about to: READ A FUCKING BOOK FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 2 YEARS  61. Waiting for: me to get my shit together  62. Want: a raise? No? Damn. motivation??? .... shit.  63. Get married: someday, u know it -finger guns-  64. Career: artist/illustrator if I HAD THAT FUCKING MOTIVATION 👏👏👏 i have been wondering how I would do as a plumber tho.. 🤔

WHICH IS BETTER  65. Hugs or kisses: hugs ? 66. Lips or eyes: eyes  67. Shorter or taller: maybe.. a LITTLE taller????????????? if ANYTHING??  68. Older or younger: I am 19 and too far in either direction is Uncomfortable 😐  70. Nice arms or nice stomach: What Does This Mean (in general tummies are nice tho)  71. Sensitive or loud: hm?? I'm sensitive to loud noises???? I really don't know what this means  72. Hook up or relationship: relationship  73. Troublemaker or hesitant: "i’m a hesitant trouble-maker" -my gf and honestly, same

HAVE YOU EVER:  74. Kissed a Stranger: no  75. Drank hard liquor: hell yea  76. Lost glasses/contact lenses: I've briefly been unable to find them but I always find them again   77. Turned someone down: yes have you ever been friends with a Nice Guy  78. Sex on the first date: what is this... Sex  79. Broken someone’s heart: probably since I've turned people down  80. Had your heart broken: yeah  81. Been arrested: nope 😏don't plan on it either  82. Cried when someone died: umm I cried like a week after someone died does that count? My emotions are delayed sometimes  83. Fallen for a friend: ;) ye

DO YOU BELIEVE IN:  84. Yourself: barely  85. Miracles: not technically  86. Love at first sight: sometimes  87. Santa Claus: again not technically but I think he's a good symbol for kids and in general positive vibes during the holiday season  88. Kiss on the first date: yeanoooo.. it takes a while for me. When in doubt just ask. And listen to my response lmao (someone kissed me after I said no and MMM 😬)

OTHER:  90. Current best friend name: I can't just pick one 😫I have like 10 REALLY great friends I trust with my life   91. Eye color: grey-green  92. Favorite movie: the only movie I can think of right now is Jupiter Ascending because i just saw it last night and it's the first movie I've seen in months lol. OH FUCKING HECK INTERSTELLAR THATS MY FAVORITE MOVIE I LOVE INTERSTELLAR

NOW, TAG 20 PEOPLE: imma do what tessa did and tag the last 20 mutuals in my notes so don’t feel obligated to do this or even read it! also if you don’t want me to tag you in these in the future let me know and i’ll do my best to avoid it. @gordamnramsey, @mysteriousquartz, @celestialmoonlights, @viviannevendetta, @carryonmywaywardplanet, @jamesxfilesthemeroach, @lordsardine, @woahdaleks, @prettythinker, @belleweather, @squidego, @reck2468, @sexyninjakitty96, @animeandmanga-bearcat, @thesamanthagossamer

im actually gonna cut it off there at 15 bc i don’t have that many active mutuals lol oK HAVE FUN EVERYBODY make sure to tag me if you do this!

#long post #tag meme #text #mine #cursing #i don't normally tag cursing but for some reason i did it a LOT in here so #alcohol #i also talk abt that quite a bit here lol #about me #i hope everything is done and i didn't forget to edit something bc THIS POST IS BEING EJECTED INTO THE VOID

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monkeecamsie-blog · 7 years ago

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i was tagged by the always adorable @kamelodi - thanks!

Rules: answer these 92 statements and tag 10 people.

THE LAST:

1. Drink: orange flavored tang for breakfast this morning

2. Phone call: my dad. he was asking me to drive for him because he was feeling lazy lol

3. Text message: my boss, with last-minute reminders about our trip

4. Song you listened to: darren espanto’s cover of chandelier

5. Time you cried: last saturday, at a wedding i went to (i got really weepy during the vows lol)

HAVE YOU:

6. Dated someone twice: yes, and i regretted it lol. once a jerk, always a jerk?

7. Kissed someone and regretted it: definitely.

8. Been cheated on: unfortunately, yes. and i haven’t been in a relationship since.

9. Lost someone special: yes

10. Been depressed: um.. all the time.

 11. Gotten drunk and thrown up: in my younger years, yes! tequilla was my poison of choice lol. now i just get tipsy and sing a lot (badly)

LIST 3 FAVORITE COLORS:

12-14: does it have to be three? because i only have 2 favorite colors: black and red. black because for me it’s the color of elegance, and also because i strangely find black comforting? red because it seems so vibrant and vivid, and for me it really is the color of passion

IN THE LAST YEAR HAVE YOU:

15. Made new friends: yes! and i’m so thankful that i became friends with them

16. Fallen out of love: yes. it was a learning experience for me.

17. Laughed until you cried: definitely! i love hanging out with my friends, the sassiest, most sarcastic bunch of people i’ve ever met. they make me laugh ‘til my tummy hurts

18. Found out someone was talking about you: yes, when i first joined the fandom. it was not pretty

19. Met someone who changed you: yes. and even though the past couple of years have been tough, i’d like to think i’m now a better person because of these people and experiences

20. Found out who your friends are: yes. true friends are hard to find

21. Kissed someone on your Facebook list: um several someones *runs away*

GENERAL:

22. How many of your Facebook friends do you know in real life: prior to me deactivating it? all of them. i don’t really add people i don’t know

 23. Do you have any pets: i used to have an arowana, but then it died, so i only have some goldfish now

24. Do you want to change your name: i used to! but then i’ve grown to love it

25. What did you do for your last Birthday: i hung out with friends, went out with my dad to my fave mexican resto, hung out with friends some more lol

26. What time did you wake up: 6 am, had an important conference call

27. What were you doing at midnight last night: sleeping! because i had to wake up early lol. but the night before that, i was starting a new drabble

28. Name something you can’t wait for: the next time exo comes back to manila! istg i will find a way to watch, so i need to save up. also, i’m excited to finally see some friends in person (you know who you are!)

29. When was the last time you saw your mom: um 3 weeks ago. we had a fight so i haven’t seen her since then

 30. What is one thing you wish you could change in your life: there’s a lot of things i’d want to change, but i don’t know if it would be a good idea. i think that things happened the way they did for a purpose

31. What are you listening right now: the pokemon black and white theme song. my nephew is watching it on tv lol

32. Have you ever talked to a person named Tom: not that i recall! does that tomas count? if so, then yes! lol

 33. Something that is getting on your nerves: my awkwardness. my social skills aren’t very good

 34. Most visited Website: tumblr, aff, goodreads

LOST QUESTIONS.

35. Mole/s: none. i’ve actually discovered new ones recently

36. Mark/s: um i’m not sure?? hehe

 37. Childhood dream: i wanted to be a marine biologist when i was younger, but that didn’t really pan out. i also wanted to be a nun. *cackling*

38. Hair Colour: chocolate brown

39. Long or short hair: shoulder length?

40. Do you have a crush on someone: erm yeah *runs away*

41. What do you like about yourself: i can’t think of much at the moment. hmm... maybe that i don’t get bored easily? leave me alone with a few books and i’ll be in a corner reading the night away

42. Piercings: 4 in total, just in my ears

43. Blood type: erm.. i think it’s O+? lol

44. Nickname: cams, cammie, cam

45. Relationship status: perpetually single. lol

46. Zodiac: pisces

47. Pronouns: she/her

48. Favorite TV Show: goblin, weightlifting fairy, big bang theory, friends

49. Tattoos: i would love to get one! hopefully soon

50. Right or left hand: i’m a rightie

51. Surgery: does getting stitches for a wound count? lol

52. Hair dyed in different color: yes! i dyed my hair for the first time last year, and it was a beautiful vivid red. then it eventually faded to an ugly orange lol

53. Sport: i was on our volleyball varsity team. i also like badminton, but i’m not that good at it

54. Vacation: my last vacation was a trip to japan last year

55. Pair of trainers: just 1. lol goes to show how much exercise i’m getting these days

MORE GENERAL:

56. Eating Currently: reese’s pieces

57. Drinking currently: just some water to counter the sweetness of the chocolate

58. I’m about to: pack for our trip to the beach, yay! :)

61. Waiting for: the day to end lol

62. Want: to be paid just to fangirl haha

63. Get married: nope.

 64. Career: i write and edit stuff.

WHICH IS BETTER

65. Hugs or kisses: butterfly kisses! but hugs are great too

 66. Lips or eyes: both?? i like them equally

67. Shorter or taller: taller than me please. although this is easy because i’m a smol haha

 68. Older or younger: hmm.. no preference? maturity doesn’t rely on age.

 70. Nice arms or nice stomach: erm.. either of the two?

71. Sensitive or loud: a combination of both. someone who can fill in my quiet days and cheer me up, but then can be sensitive to my moods as well

 72. Hook up or relationship: relationship. always.

73. Troublemaker or hesitant: troublemaker

HAVE YOU EVER:

74. Kissed a stranger: no. stuff like this has to have meaning for me.

75. Drank hard liquor: yes

76. Lost glasses/contact lenses: no

77. Turned someone down: haha yes

78. Sex in the first date: nope!

79. Broken someone’s heart: yes

80. Had your heart broken: yes

81. Been arrested: nope!

 82. Cried when someone died: yes

83. Fallen for a friend: yes. didn’t end well lol

DO YOU BELIEVE IN:

84. Yourself: some days.

85. Miracles: i feel a bit jaded, but i’ll say yes

86. Love at first sight: nope. “attraction at first sight” would be better.. it’s not love yet if it’s just at first sight.

87. Santa Claus: haha no

88. Kiss in the first date: haha yeah this happened once

89. Angels: yes. i’d like to think that we all have angels watching over us sometimes

OTHER:

90. Current best friends’ names: boots, patty

91. Eyecolor: a boring dark brown

92. Favorite movie: amelie, i am sam, les choristes, departures, shawshank redemption, pretty woman, beauty and the beast (the animated version)

i tag: @dyodorant @xxlostinthedragonxx @tipahnoona @kimchispaghetti @kyunseu @loyalkaisoo @kaisoodrabbler and anyone else who would like to do this!

#personal #get to know me tag

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alamante · 6 years ago

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Trump reprised his role as a cheerleader for Brexit and complained that everyone was taking advantage of the US. Negotiating with Putin would be easier than dealing with allies, he said. It was all transactional, about price tags and deals. Values found little airtime.

At almost every step, in tweet after tweet, he sneered at the liberal international order built from the ashes of World War II, underwritten through institutions like NATO and the UN and protected under the US nuclear umbrella, an order that has given much of the world unrivaled peace and prosperity.

Former US Vice President Joe Biden said last week that Trump was (wittingly or otherwise) helping with Putin’s agenda, which is above all to break the liberal international order that faced down the Soviet Union and stands for everything the Russian leader despises.

But is that order really in danger, and if so what might replace it? Some hark back to the 1930s, when the aftermath of economic crisis, protectionism, hostility to minorities, the collapse of international institutions and a sense that democracy had failed, allowed fascism to take root.

This parallel can be overdone of course: we live in an age of relatively full employment. We appear not to be on the brink of war, with fascist powers re-arming. Paramilitary groups don’t stalk the streets, most nation-states are stronger than they were in the 1930s, and the concept of human rights is now entrenched in democratic societies.

But when in doubt, quote Mark Twain, who is reputed to have said that “History doesn’t repeat itself but it often rhymes.”

And if some echoes of the 1930s are faint today, there are many contemporary trends that are equally alarming.

Trade wars

The most obvious parallel is a resurgent economic nationalism. Trump called the Trans Pacific Partnership a fraud, attacked the North American Free Trade Agreement as the worst deal in American history and imposed tariffs on imports from China, Europe and elsewhere — with more promised.

He said the US would remain in the World Trade Organization, whose mission is to advance a free and fair trading system, but added: “We’ve been treated very badly … It’s an unfair situation.” WTO Director-General Roberto Azevêdo warned that if the U.S. were to leave the organization, the law of the jungle would prevail.

It’s hardly surprising historians recall the infamous Smoot-Hawley Act of 1930 which imposed steep tariffs on America’s trading partners. The arguments of the act’s supporters — that American industry and agriculture needed protection from unfair competition — are similar to those used by Trump today. In each case, US action prompted retaliatory tariffs.

As yet unknown: whether today’s trade wars will have the same disastrous consequences as Smoot-Hawley, which only deepened the Great Depression, or whether at some point, after all the brinkmanship there will be a “deal.” It all depends on whom Trump listens to.

Related: Trump’s Fast And Loose Trade Policy Endangers American Jobs

In any case, today’s interdependent markets and technologies coupled to a global economy in good health (the IMF expects global growth of 3.9% this year and next) are in stark contrast to the rampant unemployment and inflation of the inter-war period. German unemployment stands at 3.4%; in 1932, 30% of the country’s workforce was unemployed. The following year, 25% of Americans were out of work. And the working wage then was much closer to the poverty line than now; far fewer people had savings.

Economic crisis and political disarray fueled the rise of paramilitary groups. Almost every European country had their own versions of the Nazis’ Sturmabteilung — the Brown Shirts — in the 1930s. It is hard to see how the peripheral fascist groups of today could challenge sophisticated states, even if another Great Recession came calling. All the same, it’s little wonder that a fringe of far-right groups feel enabled — especially with nationalist, anti-EU parties either in power or on the brink of it across Europe.

Amid the confrontations at the “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville last year, Trump said there were “fine people” on both sides. Far-right attacks injured 560 migrants in Germany in 2016. The British government’s latest counter-terrorism strategy contends that “the threat from the extreme right wing has evolved in recent years and is growing.”

Millennial challenges

We may not be facing a return to the 1930s, but our age has fault-lines of its own. The rise of populism didn’t start with Brexit or Trump. To Trump’s ideological mentor, Steve Bannon (and he’s not alone), it began with the financial crisis of 2008, the failure of what he calls crony capitalism. In the long slog of recovery, traditional “good-paying jobs” have vanished in the US rust-belt towns that voted heavily for Trump.

The National Employment Law Project found in 2012 that 58% of the jobs regained in the US since the recession were in low-wage occupations, paying less than $14 an hour. Millions of mid-wage jobs had disappeared. In Britain, unemployment is low but again, the jobs that have come back are largely semi-skilled and poorly paid.

Inequality has widened dramatically in the past generation: in the US the richest 1% held 20% of the national income by 2016, while the lower 50% had just 13%. The trend, while less dramatic, is similar in Europe. And most research shows it’s the poorest workers whose wages and job prospects are hurt by an influx of migrants.

One of the themes of the pro-Brexit campaign was that migrants from eastern Europe were depressing wages and stretching social services. The same dynamic is playing out in Italy, where two populist parties won elections in March.

Related: Brexit’s Broken Promises: Health Care, Immigration And The Economy

If the events of 2016 marked the Revenge of the Forgotten, their resentment is no less today. Populist politicians — Donald Trump, Nigel Farage of the UK Independence Party, Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini — have expertly exploited that. (“I love the poorly educated,” Trump declared in 2016.) They say ordinary people have been forgotten by the “liberal elites,” including pampered international bureaucrats, crony capitalists and the “fake news” media — what Hitler called the lugenpresse, or the lying press.

But Hitler also wrote in Mein Kampf that, “in the big lie there is always a certain force of credibility.”

Rather than jack-booted paramilitaries, the peril today seems more insidious: a growing animosity towards “others” expressed in inflammatory language and through outright falsehoods. His critics say Trump turbocharged this: by describing some countries as “shitholes” and saying his opponents want illegal immigrants from central America “no matter how bad they may be, to pour into and infest our Country.”

This extends beyond the US. Trump derided Germany (and Chancellor Angela Merkel) for “allowing in millions of people who have so strongly and violently changed their culture.” He asserted, falsely, that crime was way up in Germany.

But the message resonates among a growing minority in Europe. So Salvini refuses to allow boats carrying migrants to dock at Italian ports and wants a census of Roma people. The Hungarian government has made it a crime for people to offer help to illegal migrants.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, recently elected to a third term, has spoken approvingly of societies that “are not Western, not liberal, not liberal democracies, maybe not even democracies, and yet are making nations successful.” Steve Bannon says Orban was “Trump before Trump.”

French President Emmanuel Macron lamented this trend a few weeks ago: “They [the populists] are saying the most provocative things and no-one, no-one, is outraged. We’re getting used to all kinds of extremism from countries that a few years ago were just as pro-European as we are.”

Related: Hungary Is A Beacon To Europe’s Populist Strongmen

Despite nearly a decade of recovery from the Great Recession, intolerance and racism has flourished. How the mood may further sour when (not if) the next economic crisis comes along, especially if those good-paying jobs that were promised don’t materialize. And who will be the scapegoats?

As the old certainties crumble, Merkel has declared that immigration is Europe’s existential issue and “we Europeans must fight for our own future and destiny.” She told a rally in May: “The era in which we could fully rely on others is over to some extent.”

Related: Migration ‘Make Or Break’ Issue For Europe, Warns Germany’s Merkel

The trouble is, in the midst of Brexit and badly split over immigration, Europe looks ill equipped to sort out its own destiny, especially as Russia seems so intent on meddling in European politics on the side of the populists.

On multiple fronts, the international liberal order is being challenged because it has lost the confidence of people who feel left behind and “swamped” by immigration, as former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher put it 40 years ago. Trump, Orban, Salvini, Marine Le Pen of the Mouvement National in France, have become their champions.

As Martin Wolf asks in the Financial Times, “Should we expect the old America back? Not until someone finds a more politically successful way of meeting the needs and anxieties of ordinary people.”

The same question might be asked of Europe.

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