#It is not an exaggeration we literally calculated it

[bmoreisapunkrocktown]

It is such a petty and dumb thing to complain about, but the Biden administration dangling student debt relief in my face as a way to try to convince me to Vote Blue (TM) is part of the reasons I vote third party.

"If you apply for THIS plan, your payments could be $160 over the next 3 years, and then your loan will be forgiven." - Excellent, obviously I want that.

"But the meanies in Congress won't let us do that! So your payment is $305 for the foreseeable future, with no possibility of forgiveness. If only we had a Democrat-run Congress, then maybe we could implement our other plan. You know what to do!" - Fuck you.

I happen to know for a fact that there are all kinds of things that the Dept. of Ed can legally do regarding student loan debt (because I know their GC) that they simply don't want to do. They're just not interested.

Instead they're attempting to extort millions of borrowers by promoting low payments they know that they won't charge people and blaming it all on the "opposing party"

"But, M! It'll be worse under Trump!" Consider: If a pitcher tells everyone they're trying really hard to not hit people with the ball, but does, is that better than the pitcher who says they like it when they hit someone with the ball? To many liberals, the answer is yes, because intent matters, but we're still getting hit with the ball no matter what.

[youremyheaven]

Jupiter & Rahu : Ditziness & Weird Girl Humor

This post is inspired by an ask I received a while ago

Jupiter & Rahu girls in comedy cinema/television often play airheaded characters who are a bit ditzy and zany. Another feature is that all these characters are mostly harmless, good natured people. They can be mean/blunt but its because of their ditzy, airheaded nature and not out of malice.

All 3 Jupiter naks belong mostly to air signs (Punarvasu- Gemini, Vishaka-Libra, Purvabhadrapada- Aquarius) and same goes for all 3 Rahu naks (Ardra-Gemini, Swati-Libra, Shatabhisha-Aquarius) in fact all Rahu naks come right before a Jupiter nak. I have always personally believed that Rahu & Jupiter are similar in many ways but obviously different as well. Rahu is limitless expansion. Jupiter is boundless expansion within principles.

But all that aside, Jupiter & Rahu are literally air influenced and I do think its the presence of an excess of Air that makes someone come across as "airheaded".

The etymology of the word "airhead" is that one's head is filled with air and is thus empty. I have talked about Jupiter & even Rahu's limitless nature feeling "empty" for the natives themselves. Out of all the elements, air is the only one that can really said to be boundless, its not measurable or calculable, its just there, unlike water or earth or fire. but air has no physical form and while that is liberating, it also makes one feel empty and untethered and these are all emotional issues that a lot of Jupiter/Rahu people deal with.

But anyyywayys,

Cat Valentine on Victorious played by Ariana Grande is a really good example of an airheaded, zany comic character.

Ari has Ardra Sun & Mercury in Punarvasu (Rahu + Jupiter influence)

I will include Mercury placements because Mercury is literally how we communicate with others??

Phoebe Buffay from Friends is another good example of this type of comedy. She is played by Lisa Kudrow's who has Rahu conjunct Ascendant in Punarvasu

Kelly Kapoor from The Office is the ditzy zany delusional gal played by Mindy Kaling who is Ardra Sun & Moon, with Mercury in Punarvasu

Jackie Burkhart on The 70s Show played by Mila Kunis, Swati Moon is a meaner version of this archetype

Meryl Streep- Ardra Sun often speaks and talks this way. Just watch any of her interviews and you can sense that Rahu/Jupiter airy nature/demeanour/comic sense

Janhvi Kapoor, Purvabhadrapada Sun, Mercury in Shatabhisha is known for her "dumb girl persona" that most people think is fake but tbh I just think she's a little slow due to all that Air influence lol

Gracie Allen, Mercury in Punarvasu conjunct Jupiter is an early example of this type of humour and comedy

Cheryl Tunt on Archer voiced by Judy Greer, Mercury in Punarvasu (Saturn in Punarvasu atmakaraka)

Chrissy Snow from Three's Company played by Suzane Somers, Punarvasu Moon & Mercury in Vishaka is a classic example of a ditz

There are notable male ditzy characters as well

Andy from Parks & Rec played by Chris Pratt, Mercury in Punarvasu & Swati Rising

(there's a 10 video limit per post so I cant attach more vids)

Joey Tribbiani, played by Matt LeBlanc, Purvabhadrapada Moon, Mercury in Ardra & Punarvasu Rising is a great example of a male ditz

Harpo Marx- Punarvasu Moon, Mercury in Vishaka he was a silent comedian known for his highly exaggerated physical comedy that was very pantomime/clown-like. This is another aspect of the airhead/ditz, they don't just say dumb things, they do dumb things. Physical comedy is a big part of it.

London Tipton played by Brenda Song, Mercury conjunct Rahu in Purvabhadrapada

Christina Applegate, Shatabhisha Moon played a very ditzy character on Married With Children

These are all the examples off the top of my head. I feel like many Disney princesses will also fit this bill lol

lmk if you have other examples

hope this was interesting xx

[onthecrescentofthehill]

i know it’s all just joaks but idk why sooo many ppl depict laios as a messy eater in fanart like man we see him eat all the time 😭 he’s a very clean cut, organized person who was raised by strict parents and he’s truly SHOCKED at how izutsumi eats….

like ok it’s just joaks. i know. but sometimes it feels like the result of ppl thinking his unawareness of verbal/nonverbal social cues extend to every part of his behavior which isn’t true at all…90% of his faux pas are from over excitement and/or being too literal. he can be very calculating & when you look at his body language in calmer moments he really does try to be unobtrusive.

i’m going way off topic here but it’s my blog so like. i think he is quite aware of how people generally see him, considering his childhood and teen years & he talks about how alienated he feels (it’s like, a major theme in the climax of the story lol.) and i think rules like cleanliness and rote manners are clear scripts for him to follow. in post canon i don’t think he’s this lost cause mess either that people make him out to be even for jooooookes i know i KNOW. but his ability to strategize and apply knowledge is genuinely amazing, he’s soooo intelligent and yeah he will probably Fuck Up Bad bc of not picking up on the court intrigue hyper contextual social signals but he has so much help with that.

idk i just don’t see this oafishness people exaggerate and portray him with (again, for jokes, i get it.)

[theminecraftbox]

to be honest, I think fandom exaggerating dream's analytical and intelligent abilities dream's plan is literally so stupid, like, many refer to it as "ignoring feelings for the sake of strict calculation, the end justifies the means blah blah blah a smart, logical plan that will nevertheless lead to psychological dissatisfaction", but the plan is literally the most ill-conceived thing I ever heard, like, that's not even a plan?? they're testing the revival book in hopes that one day it will somehow help them achieve immortality and restart the server - that's just ridiculous and I also have no idea how dream expects that restarting the server will solve his/their/servers problems, like how is that supposed to work? and this “if we are immortal, no one will have to suffer and we can live forever and know and blah blah blah” such naive crap, honestly I could ask a thousand probing questions or give a thousand reasons why this plan wouldn't work in any reality, and I doubt dream wouldn't have asked these questions in the months they've been running their tests; the plan is literally just his feelings: afraid to die → need immortality, lost everything and it's killing me → need a restart and so on - there's no analysis behind this shit

I literally find it strange not the fact that punz allows this, although the plan harms dream, but the fact that he really believes in this plan and follows it, like, come on, punz is +- fine, there is no trauma that can overshadow his ability to think, why is he indulging in this stupid idea?

strongly agree / agree / ambivalent / disagree / strongly disagree / don’t care whatsoever

I think you're conflating a bunch of things. Dream's plan is not the same as his methodology. His methodology is not the same as his motivations. Having emotional reasons for a plan is not the same thing as that plan being stupid. "lost everything and it's killing me → need a restart" isn't a description of a stupid plan, that's a description of an over-emotional motivation for a plan. Just because you disagree with what his goal was trying to achieve doesn't mean that the strategies he took to achieve that goal were stupid.

Like, take staged finale as an example. I can argue that it's overkill or a poorly considered goal to imprison himself in dangerous circumstances chiefly to achieve a) protecting his close ally b) getting the server off his back and c) getting a sick base. But I won't claim that the steps he took to set up and execute staged finale aren't evidence of someone successfully using strategic thinking to accomplish his goals, which is generally what people are talking about when invoking strategist!Dream.

Dream expecting that his plan will fix his emotional problems isn't stupid in that it's a failure of logic. It's stupid in that it's a failure in identifying that his problems are actually emotional. Which gets covered pretty handily in the genuine finale! Tommy didn't say "your plan is stupid because you neglected to consider these reasons that curing death won't actually work." Instead, Tommy said, "your plan is stupid because you're failing to see that you're hurting people here and now and you could have the friends you want here and now if you just put down your damn book and make peace." which, I'm gonna be honest, also sounds a bit like naive crap to me.

Also, you're acting as if his plan is based simply on an unspecified fear of death when all signs point to it literally being a reaction to the existence of the revival book! Like, sure, when you phrase it like "hur dur maybe this magic book will fix my problems" it sounds pretty stupid. But what actually happened was more along the lines of "permadeath didn't exist on this server as a concept, now it does. revival didn't exist on this server as a concept, now it does. maybe one of these can be used to fix the other." Which is pretty damn straightforward to my eyes!

I really, truly don't see what the problem is with "plan fix death" when you literally have a necromancy book. (Like, logistically, not ethically or whatever.) It seems like the supernatural complications with the balance of life and death, whatever XD's deal is, the server reset, Foolish and the experiments upsetting the balance, all of that, came later (and lacks its conclusion for doylist reasons). but WHY the complaint that fixing death doesn't make sense????? that's like. thing numero uno when you have a damn revival book. sorry if I'm getting carried away but I've seen this argument before and it genuinely makes no sense to me. Reads the same to me as "if you have a hammer and some wood and nails why are you trying to build a table." maybe because I have the tools for the job?

Not to mention that even if we pretended that Dream's only motivation was trying to stop conflict, the plan "learn how to revive people" is still a really obvious solution! Make conflict not have permanent consequences? that's like. an easy mitigating solution.

Also, there's a more general conflation happening here between Dream's unwellness and a more general notion of stupidity. Which I also disagree with. His paranoid spiral led to him locking himself in a prison, but that doesn't mean it was stupid for him to conclude he needed protection, and that his allies needed protection.

The thing with Punz is a separate question, but it's one that I think Punz has answered handily himself: Punz wants knowledge and power, he says so outright, in simple language. He's not indulging a stupid idea: he's in cahoots with a guy who's brought him a ton of knowledge and power. The revive book is real, it's got real results, and it's shown Punz a glimpse of a world he clearly thinks is achievable: a world in which the supernatural shit has indeed been solved. And I don't see why you think he's silly to believe so, given the evidence he's seen with his own eyes.

[piratecaptainscaptainpirates]

Went through some of the fics I'd marked to read later this morning and I've gotta say, I'm just...really dissapointed with two persistent things about Ed I read all the time.

I've been noticing a lot, especially lately, that a lot of fics downplay Ed's abilities (usually so they can exaggerate Izzy's). One I read this morning straight-up had a plot point that Ed isn't a good sailor - huh?? I get a little bit of mischaracterization in fics but that's, like, did we even watch the same show level shit. Ed is literally the only character in the show who we actually see putting thought into planning their course, and he's shown to be so expert at it that he can calculate weather changes to the second. Ed is literally a genius, why in the hell did I just read a fic where he describes himself as "not as smart" and no one challenged that?

Why ignore that just so you can give the same ability to Izzy instead? I'm fine with fics that make Izzy into a good sailor on his own terms, of course, but we never really see that in the show from him while we do see it from Ed.

And the other thing, that genuinely shocked me how much I see it when I started paying attention to it, is claiming that Ed "isn't good with words" or "doesn't know as many words" as Stede (and, surprisingly often, Izzy). Ed's vocabulary isn't small; he's got a casual way of speaking that most other characters on the show also share but his vocabulary is in no way limited. We see him show confusion about concepts he's not familiar with (like retirement) and he once mistakes "passive aggression" for "massive aggression" - if mixing up one very similar-sounding word for another is a sign of a limited vocabulary, I think we're all guilty.

I'm just begging some fic writers to think about why they're so deadset on portraying Ed as unintelligent, not good at his job, or as someone with a small vocabulary.

[bijouxcarys]

𝑻𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑩𝒊𝒏𝒅 (𝑹𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏 𝑹𝒆𝒊𝒈𝒏𝒔 𝒙 𝑶𝑪) - 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝑶𝒏𝒆

Masterlist

Character Profiles/Face Claims

Playlist

A/N: Don't expect fast updates, my life is so chaotic right now. But I am committed to this story, and I hope you stick around. Also, the plot has changed somewhat, and just out of pure respect, I have removed the inclusion of Sika. And I know this chapter doesn't have that much of Roman in it, but the next one will. It will be a slow burn so... yeahhh. Enjoy!

Tags: @trippinsorrows @empressdede @thetribalqueen @heauxvibez @bigsimperika

@cyberdejos2 @keyaho @headoftheetable @jstarr86 @southerngirl41

@tshepisho @cry1nwhileimcumm1n @maeb99 @thedesireds @dzdndcnfsd

@expert-texpert @niknakbucks92

(let me know if you want to be tagged in future Roman fics)

“Nate, are you almost ready?”

Natalka stood in front of the bathroom mirror, staring at her own reflection as she attempted to adjust the straps on her dress. She hated when they weren’t tight; she loved when her chest was given that extra bit of support. Besides, it wasn’t like the view was displeasing. 

“Just a minute, Kat,” Nate replied steadily. She took a deep breath and smoothed down the fabric of her crimson dress. A sort of soothing gesture to ease her mind. There were so many things she would rather be doing tonight, but alas, she was a Volkov. She must adhere. She must… do whatever her fucking father asks of her.

The dress was stunning, she had to admit. Not that it was her choice to wear it. No, this was a forced event. And in a futile attempt to convince her father that she should wear black, or literally any other colour, she pleaded the case of the red clashing with the green of her eyes. Too Christmassy. But nope. Dimitri Volkov had spoken. Thus, Nate was to wear this tight, restrictive mess of a dress.

Meh, it could be worse. She could be blonde and risk looking like one of the obnoxious contestants on Love Island or some shit like that.

Behind her, Katya slipped through the crack in the door, eyes wide and blue with concern. At 20, she was a picture of youthful naivety. The ashy blonde of her hair was pulled back into a simple ponytail, but a few strands flew loose. She must have been studying again.

Unlike Nate, Katya had been sheltered from the darker aspects of their family’s dealings and the older sister had done everything in her power to keep it that way.

“You look beautiful,” Katya said with a soft smile, though it failed to reach her eyes. A few seconds of sustained eye contact told her everything. “You’re not happy about tonight, are you?”

Nate turned to face her sister head on, forcing a smile with tight lips. “It’s just another event, Kat. Nothing we haven’t been through before.”

“But this one feels weird,” she sighed, leaning back against the wall. “Boris is… weird,” Katya murmured with an exaggerated shudder.

Nate stifled a small chuckle at her sister’s clear disdain for the man in question, but she couldn’t ignore the tightening in her stomach at the mere thought of him.

“I can handle Boris,” Nate said firmly, running a hand through her dark hair. “I promise you right now, I won’t let him or any other arsehole dictate my life.”

Their moment was interrupted by a knock on the door, followed by the imposing figure of Dimitri Volkov entering the room. His presence commanded attention, even the attention of his own daughters; 6ft 1”, broad-shouldered, with an aura of ruthless authority. His greying hair and eyes that pierced sharper than the blue in Katya’s gave him an air of cold calculation. Nate wasn’t necessarily scared of him, she just… knew it was wiser to go along with his plans. Easier, even. Whatever got her into the least amount of trouble, though even that was a struggle. The same couldn’t be said for the youngest Volkov.

“Natalka, you look… acceptable,” Dimitri remarked, his tone characteristically devoid of warmth. “Boris will be here shortly. I expect you to be on your best behaviour, dorogoy.”

Nate bristled at his words but maintained a neutral expression. “Of course, Papa. I know what’s expected…”

Dimitri’s gaze shifted to Katya, who shrank back slightly under his scrutiny. “You should join us tonight. It’s time you start understanding the family business.”

Nate’s eyes flashed with protective anger. “Um, Katya is not involved in this. She’s still in college!”

“You were 16.”

“Not the point, though, is it?” she muttered under her breath, folding her arms.

Dimitri’s eyes narrowed, taking a step towards her. “She’s a Volkov, no?” His voice lowered, allowing the Slavic roll of his accent to translate more menacing—a tone Nate was accustomed to, but not immune against. “It’s time she starts acting like one.”

Whether it was the way she was dressed, or the anger about the night’s upcoming events, Nate somehow had the audacity to take her own step towards her father, chin lifting in defiance. “I said, she’s not involved.”

For a moment, the tension in Nate’s small bathroom became tar-thick. A silent battle of wills. Nate’s eyebrow tugged up, as if challenging Dimitri’s stance. It may have been risky, but she really wasn’t in the mood to be fucked around with tonight.

Finally, Dimitri gave a curt nod, though his eyes held a warning. “Very well… But remember, Natalka,” he backed his daughter into the counter behind her, placing one hand on the marble surface. “You have responsibilities. To the family. And the future.” Nate caught the potent scent of his most recent cigar, her head retreating in an instinctual response.

Without another word, he turned on his heel and made his exit, neglecting to acknowledge Katya’s presence in the process. Nate let out a heavy breath she hadn’t realised she was holding until now.

“Are you okay?” Katya softly asked. It was always a stark contrast when engaging in conversation with her family; her father had the thickest of Russian accents, whilst Katya mirrored her own: a gentle British with the occasional inclusion of Russian phrasing.

Another forced smile, though it felt like a heavy leather mask, Nate nodded. “I’m fine, Katty. Just… stay out of sight tonight, alright?”

Katya nodded reluctantly. “Okay. Just… please be careful, Nate.” She stepped forward and engulfed her older sister in a tight embrace, her forehead resting on Nate’s shoulder. They weren’t usually too different in height, but Nate’s heels made her much taller in this instance.

“‘Kay,” Nate had to break up the hug, otherwise she’d manage to convince herself to blow this whole thing off. It was far more preferable to stay at home with her baby sister and binge watch crap on Netflix—hell, just to wear anything but this fucking dress would be bliss.

Nate watched her sister leave, feeling a strong pang of guilt. She wanted to protect Katya from the harsh realities of their world, but it was becoming increasingly difficult the older she got. Dimitri wasn’t much help; it seemed like his life goal was to keep their empire as sturdy as possible, as powerful as possible. As if it wasn’t already the pinnacle of New York City’s underground rings.

Boris arrived promptly, as unsettling of a presence as usual. He greeted Dimitri with a firm handshake and a smirk that made Nate want to punch him in his pretty little face. No, she wasn’t an idiot; Boris was charming, chiselled, ridiculously refined and on par with obsessively perfect. But that didn’t change how badly she wished he’d be thrown in the Hudson with a healthy dose of bricks.

Boris Sokolov, a man who had been a fixture in their lives for as long as she could remember. He was Dimitri’s chosen one. The man her father insisted she marry to solidify their family’s power, and in turn introduce his family to how their family worked. He was a little shit when they were growing up, and he remained a little shit in adulthood.

His eyes rolled over Nate as she descended the staircase in the Volkov’s foyer, a complete showcase of undisguised interest.

“Natalka, detka, you look stunning,” Boris said, stepping closer to peck her cheek and take her hand in his. “Shall we?”

Just kill me, kill me now.

She compelled herself to preserve her emotions, but made sure to withdraw her hand from his grasp as politely as possible. “Thank you. Let’s get this over with.”

⋆༺𓆩☠︎︎𓆪༻⋆

The venue for the night was a breathtaking display of wealth and power. Crystal chandeliers hung from the high ceilings, their light reflecting off the polished marble floors. The walls were adorned with intricate gold-leaf mouldings and tapestries depicting scenes from various cultures: from Russian folklore, to Italian battles of will. Every detail screamed opulence and luxury.

The guests, an assortment of the city’s elite and underworld figures, moved about the room in their elaborate suits and designer gowns. A live orchestra played a hauntingly beautiful classic waltz. Waiters in crisp white uniforms glided through the crowd, offering trays of champagne and hors d’oeuvres.

Nate moved through the clusters with practised grace, exchanging pleasantries, making polite conversation, all the while keeping an eye on Boris. For him, he seemed to enjoy parading her around, showcasing her like a prized possession. He kept a avaricious hold on her arm, tightening whenever the two crossed paths with other males.

“Natalka, moy lyubov’, you are the envy of the evening,” Boris whispered in her ear.

With cold eyes, Nate turned to him boldly. “And yet, I feel like a prisoner.”

Boris’ smile faltered, and he leaned in closer, his voice a low growl. “Remember your place, Natalka. You belong to me, remember?”

Her jaw clenched, but she bit her tongue. The more she found herself having to do that, the easier it was getting. But for someone with a mouth so unrelenting, it was always a task. She had to endure this bullshit, for now, at least.

As the night wore on, Nate managed to slip away for a moment of respite. She found herself on a balcony, the cool night air a welcome relief from the stifling atmosphere inside. She looked out over the city in the distance, thoughts running a mile a minute. The pressure from Dimitri, Boris’ looming presence… her mother—it all felt like too much.

But she was strong. Of course she was. She was a Volkov. There was no other way to be.

As she savoured the more subdued aura of the balcony, her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of murmurs and whispers from guests inside. She turned back towards the entrance of the ballroom, her eyes narrowing as a commanding presence made itself known.

He was an imposing figure, even among the elite gathered tonight, and he strode in with an air of confidence that was impossible to rival. His long, dark hair was pulled back into a sleek bun, emphasising the pristinely groomed facial hair and the fierce intensity in his eyes. He wore a perfectly tailored black suit that hugged his powerful frame, accentuating his broad shoulders and muscular build, with the pairing of a crisp white shirt and a black tie.

On his arm was a striking blonde, her golden—clearly fake—tan contrasting with the deep blue of her sequined gown. The dress clung to her curves, the plunging neckline and thigh-high slit exuding a mix of elegance and allure. Her hair cascaded in loose waves, and her make up was flawless. Sharp cheekbones and all. It was clear she was accustomed to being the centre of attention, just by the way she flicked her hair back and kept a tight grip on the arm of the man beside her.

Nate’s assessment of the addition to the party was interrupted by a couple beside her. A slightly older pair that she had seen throughout the years, and knew weren’t a threat to her family. Investors in property more than anything, and their knowledge of the underlying occupation of the Volkovs was void. None the wiser.

“Who is that?” the lady asked, loud enough for Nate to hear her. She didn’t want to interrupt the conversation she was having with her husband, but as soon as he replied with an air of uncertainty, she had to insert herself.

“That’s Roman Reigns,” Nate confirmed quietly. “He’s… significant.” To put it mildly.

“Should we be worried or something?” The husband leaned forwards to look at Nate.

Remembering that she was talking to someone who knew nothing of the ruthless extent some of these people in attendance tonight possessed, she gave the couple a warm smile of reassurance.

“No.”

The blonde at Roman’s side leaned in close, whispering something in his ear that elicited a brief, enigmatic smile. His eyes scanned the room, taking in every detail, every person, as if assessing the situation with the precision of a predator. There was a robust tautness in the air as guests subtly shifted their attention toward him, acknowledging his presence with a mix of curiosity and wariness.

Roman’s reputation preceded him, and the stories Nate had heard painted a picture of a man who was both feared and respected, at least in their world. He was a master of manipulation and control to some, and a force to be reckoned with.

Nate pulled her attention away from Roman, shifting her focus back to the task at hand. She was here to represent her family, and that meant ensuring the deal with The Judgement Day M.C. went smoothly. As she weaved herself through the crowd, she kept a polite smile on her face, exchanging pleasantries with whoever felt bold enough to approach her. Unfortunately, her responsibilities included having Boris by her side every minute.

Once she found him socialising with another group of young men, he practically glued himself to her, possessively placing his hand on her lower back.

They made their way to a corner of the ballroom where the members of The Judgement Day had gathered. Their president, Rhea, stood out among the group as the only female. Jet black hair styled in a sharp undercut. Eyes intensely scouring the room with an air of boredom and the slightest bit of vigilance. Her intricately embroidered suit contrasted sharply with the more flamboyant outfits of her companions. She exuded a raw, untamed energy, her muscular frame a testament to her strength and dominance.

Beside her stood Damien Priest. Tall, imposing, with a dark, brooding ubiquity. Finn Bálor, the third in the trio, had a more refined appearance. Sharp features, icy blue eyes. An almost ethereal quality. Both men wore suits fit for an event more casual. But that was TJD for you. Never ones to conform.

Nate approached them with Boris, her posture straight and confident. “Rhea,” she greeted. “It’s good to see you.”

Rhea’s gaze flicked to Nate, a slow smile spreading across her lips. “Nate Volkov,” she replied with her usual Aussie inflection. “Always a pleasure.”

Boris stepped forward, extending a hand to Rhea. “Boris,” he introduced himself with a firm tone. “We appreciate your cooperation in this matter.” Rhea shook his hand with a strong grip.

“Of course. We’re all invested in seeing this deal succeed.”

“Gentlemen,” Nate offered Damien and Finn a gentle nod, keeping her cadence as professional as possible. “I trust everything is in place for the drop-off tomorrow?”

Damien exchanged a glance with Finn before replying, “Everything’s set. We’ll be handling the drop-off personally, with a group of our best to ensure there are no… complications.”

Finn’s eyes met Nate’s, adding with his Irish brogue, “We’ll make sure it goes off without a hitch.”

Nate nodded, satisfied but naturally still cautious as she was about everything. “Good. We’ll have our people in place as well. You know… just in case.”

Rhea chuckled, folding her arms over her chest loosely. “You worry too much. We’ve got this under control.”

“I have to,” she replied curtly. “In our world, it’s the only way to stay alive.”

Boris’ hand tightened on her waist, his fingers digging in slightly. “Natalka’s right. We can’t afford any mistakes.”

With a colder smile, Rhea flicked her gaze over to Boris. “Everything will go smoothly, Bob.”

Baring her teeth down on her lips, Nate looked down to avoid being caught stifling a laugh at Rhea’s intentional rechristening of Boris. She always did have that audacity, and was possibly the reason they worked well in their professional dealings. 

“It’s Boris,” the man in question grimaced, almost yanking Nate closer to him, as if it would somehow bandage the graze Rhea had inflicted on his bulging ego.

“Right,” Rhea nodded slowly, glancing over at Nate. “Boris.” Damien and Finn snorted like a couple of schoolboys beside their leader, causing Boris to shoot daggers into them. Rhea signalled her hand out in a gesture for them to calm down.

The Judgement Day’s dynamic was always fascinating to Nate. For starters, they were probably the only organised group in New York that had a woman as a leader. They were the only M.C. that had the guts and brains to deal with the uppers in the world of the elite. Damien’s protectiveness over Rhea, the way Finn’s eyes seemed to penetrate everything he laid them on, and Rhea’s own confident brutality. They were just a formidable group of people, and while their alliance was beneficial, it was also fraught with its own set of dangers. Dangers one couldn’t risk igniting.

“Is everything okay?” Rhea asked, tone chirpy. Nate was brought out of her momentary diversion, contriving a smile and nodding. “Just a lot on my mind. You know how it is, Ripley.”

“Well, ya know… if you ever need a chat–”

“I appreciate it,” Nate interrupted firmly. “But I’m fine.” She turned back to Boris, who was watching the interaction with a slight frown, still upset at the way Rhea degraded him. “We should, uh… mingle,” she suggested, hoping to divert his attention.

Boris nodded, the grip on her loosening somewhat. “Da.” 

Relief washed over her as they moved away, though the night was far from over. She had to maintain composure. The opulence of the event, the grandeur of the ballroom, and the intricate social gatherings were all part of the facade. Beneath the shiny exterior, alliances and partnerships were taking place.

But Nate was only human. As good as she was at winning over even the most sceptical of guests, there was only so much socialising she could handle, and found herself breathing a sigh of consolation when she found herself back out on the balcony, once again alone.

Or so she thought.

“Taking a break?”

She turned to see Rhea standing there, a glass of champagne in hand. “Just needed a moment,” she replied, her tone guarded.

“You’re doing great in there. But I can see the, um… strain?”

“Yeah, well, it’s a lot to handle.”

Rhea nodded sympathetically. “I know. You’ve complained about it plenty of times. But you got this, for sure.”

Nate appreciated the words, even if she couldn’t fully trust the source. “Thanks,” she said softly, looking out over the balcony. “No Dom tonight?”

“Nah,” Rhea laughed, resting on the railing beside Nate. “Latino Heat needs space sometimes, ya know?”

“Mysterio needs space.” Nate barked out a laugh.

“‘Ey, he’s a sensitive soul.”

“Sensitive,” she snorted.

“He is.” Rhea was relentlessly defensive of Dom. Everyone knew that. It just so happened that Nate was the only one ballsy enough to challenge it. She knew what it was like to have a tumultuous relationship with a parental figure, but it wasn’t in her nature to seek solace in a relationship with someone who practically controls her every move. Not like Dirty Dominik Mysterio.

“Okay,” Nate chuckled, holding her hands up. “If Mami says so…”

Rhea glanced at Nate. “You heard about that, too, huh?”

“Everyone’s heard about your new little name.”

“Just like everyone’s heard about the plans for you and Mr Bob in there to get married.”

Nate smirked, sighing as she stood up straight. “That’s what everyone’s heard…” She gave her a pointed look, before turning and making her way back into the ballroom. “Good luck with the drop-off tomorrow, Ripley,” she called behind her.

Rhea leaned back against the railings, watching as Nate walked away. 

“Luck? We don’t need luck, Volkov.”

[delilahdadirtydork]

Sanders Sides Pkm

So...I was bored and was helping a friend with his fakemon dex that he's been working on and off for sometime. And I was allowed to share some entries here since I am not only a PKM fan but a Sander Sides fan too.

No art because I lack drawing skills sorry. but I'll share the entry and then inspiration behind them. Considering these are based on different parts of a human psyche it's actually kind of a neat idea for pokemon to do. (not unlike the Lake spirits on Diamond, Pearl & Platinum)

77. Mechancog, the logical pkm, Psychic/Steel type:

This artificial pokemon is design to be artificial intelligence that is able calculate & process all kinds of information & has a constant desire to learn anything & everything. However because of it’s design it struggles with concepts related to feelings & complications hindering productivity. It also sometimes takes phrases & slang literally. Mechancog also find puzzles exceptionally entertaining.

---

This is one is based on Logan/Logic, a robot inspired by not only the robot from the Pokestars mini games from BW but also Logan's Robot Puppet episode. The cold harsh logic devoid of feelings and the thinking and learning side of mentality for those who don't watch Sander's Sides, These are the different Sides of Tomas Sanders' mind.

---

78.Memoresso, the moral pkm, Normal/Fairy type:

Memoresso have the unique power to invoke and bring forth visions of past memories. They are usually cheerful and optimistic pokemon who also understand the concept of right & wrong. However because they have a very strong desire to encourage others they can be very overbearing struggle with the possibility that maybe things aren’t as clean cut as Memoresso would like it to be.

---

This one is based on Morality/Patton. Esso is part of the word for feelings. With a focus on the concepts of nostalgia. I would imagine it would look like a frog much like in Selfishness v. Selflessness Redux where we see that sometimes is not as simple as an adult. The fairy type is not only perfect for the cute factor but also the sometimes dangerous in misleading elements that Fairy types are known for.

---

79. Romartasy, the creative pkm, Fairy/Fighting type

Romartasy are passionate and brave pokemon. They dream big, create impressive pieces of art & encourage love. However they have been known to be rather full of themselves & sometimes their ideals are less practical than what would be possible. It is also unwise to upset them because they take criticism harshly.

---

I could see this as pokemon inspired to looking like a prince with a blend of Smergal the art pokemon and Jigglypuff that Roman likes. This is the positive creativity, the dreamer & lover side. Inspired by a love of Disney princes/princesses & fairytales. However sometimes practicality is also needed.

---

80. Dreadthot, the anxious pkm, dark/ghost type

Dreadthots often are considered terrifying presence, often startling others by appearing when they least expected or wanted. Handing them can be exceptionally difficult for some trainers as they tend be concerning, vague, or exaggerated. However those who are able to handle them will find Dreadthots to surprisingly helpful in making sure trainers take the extra steps to be cautious.

---

Begone...THOT! Yeah this based on Virgil aka Anxiety (I'm sure many like me know about this one). The stress and fears we have in our lives that make us worry about issues in our day to day life. However fear is also a good thing, it is a our survival instinct, it is what helps us be motivated to ensure we exercise caution like double checking our car locks, willing to take care of our personally grooming so on. Perhaps a storm cloud for the design.

---

81. Falserpent, the deceitful pkm, dark/psychic type.

Falserpent are unusual in that they have two heads able to use their psychic powers to fool others into thinking they are a different pokemon or even a human. Even when captured they usually have their own ideals and goals. Only siding their trainer if it benefits them. However they also have the ability to silence things as a form of self preservation. Falserpent has often been used in ancient types as a symbol for terrible evil.

---

Based Janus aka the deception side. A darker side like Anxiety, the ones who can silence the others because you don't want to know about yourself. Naturally the snake symbol is used for obvious religious context and it is the symbol Janice has that is a two faced/headed snake. Sometimes we lie to ourselves or think selfishly because we need to in order to take care of ourselves. Helping others is great but you also need to have self care too.

---

82. Noxioupus, the intrusive pkm, dark/poison type.

At first glance, Noxioupus can be thought of as gross & disturbing. Their chaotic nature make them difficult to ignore. Often demanding some kind of attention & willing to do whatever it takes to get it. However wise trainers have found one method in dealing with them is to flat out ignore them like a child who refuses to stop screaming, eventually Noxioupus will tire themselves out & trainers can recognizing their behaviors as hollow in meaning & deal with the issues as needed.

---

An octopus based on dark creativity, intrusive thoughts, Remus, Roman's brother. Something I know many struggle to deal with, the painful, sometimes truthful and sometimes not so truthful things we all rather not think about. And the only way to deal with it just as the dex entry says. You can't force your dark thoughts to go away & punishing yourself by over thinking it is only going to hurt you. But you can simply accept the thought as just a thought and do your best to not allow it to haunt you.

---

83. Pyrath, the rage pkm, dark/fire type.

Pyrath are exceptional dangerous. Because they are blind they are quick to lash out at the nearest target. Whether intended or not. What makes them dangerous is that for some, it is a slow build, allowing problems to fester for a long while before lashing out. Trainers are warned to tread carefully when dealing with one.

---

The Orange side, although not named yet as of this post. It is clear that it is based on the concept of Rage. It has been a slow burn and it will come to a boil eventually lashing out. I imagine with a focus on eyes, it will be blind as rage is often is at times.

---

84. Drakhex, the dragon witch pkm, dragon/ghost type.

Drakhex were once thought of as just a fairytale, often used to a symbolic of exceptional odds that a true hero must over come. Their natural enemies are Romartasy and will often kidnap young female trainers & pokemon make them servants in their towers. It said that only true love can break the dark magic created by a Drakhex.

---

This one is just for fun based on the passing mention of the Dragon Witch as mentioned by Roman, and who wouldn't want one in their team right?

[sillyspruce]

I really like this argument James and Oliver have before the memorial service. Because we get to see Oliver’s possessiveness and jealousy when it comes to James on multiple occasions but can only guess what’s going on inside James most of the time.

But this section makes James‘s resentment and jealousy very obvious.

He makes it seem like he’s just looking out for his best friend, like he’s genuinely concerned about Oliver accidentally incriminating himself. And honestly? When I first came across this section, I was on james‘s side because his concern just seems so reasonable.

The hottest chick at school has a huge fight with her ex boyfriend, and on the same night he dies, you’re seen making out and going up to her room? And then you continue to sleep together every night after that?

That does sound like Oliver could have a motive to kill Richard.

And yes, they’re all anxious and disturbed, but here James isn’t just concerned and warning his friend. He is angry at Oliver, grabbing him by his jacket and shaking him and even straight up threatening him.

James‘ misdirected and irrational anger show his true feelings. He’s not just concerned about Oliver possibly incriminating himself. He is straight up angry, resentful and jealous because Oliver chose to sleep with Meredith, despite James warning him not to on several occasions.

This is really noticeable in the way he starts his argument when Oliver asks him what his issue is:

He could’ve phrased his argument in any other way if he was genuinely only concerned about the police getting suspicious of Oliver. He could’ve said „good on you for sleeping with the hottest chick at school but don’t you think this could look bad to the police? I feel like we should be more careful“ or something along those lines, but no, he immediately fixates on the fact that Oliver and Meredith are sleeping with each other in general and not how the police could find out about it.

And then he goes on to say „You think people won’t wonder whether someone might have pushed him? You keep sleeping with Meredith and they’ll think it was you“. This is not genuine concern for the safety and innocence of his friend. James already knows who killed Richard, Oliver possibly incriminating himself with something relatively inconsequential like sleeping with Meredith should not be any of his concern. Especially because they were seen kissing on the stairs by a first year and that rumor has already spread.

Whether they continue to sleep with each other literally or figuratively or simply just hang out in Meredith’s room doesn’t matter, since that’s happening behind closed doors. No one except the other four of their friends notice it and nobody is going to tattle to the police.

What’s particularly interesting is that, aside from James, none of their friends seem concerned about how it looks. Even Filippa, who is usually quick to step in and steer the group away from conflict or guide them on how to act in front of the police to avoid suspicion, doesn’t seem to mind that Oliver and Meredith are sleeping with each other, cuddling or doing whatever they do behind closed doors.

The rumours that are being spread by the first year? That’s already done. The police won’t hear about whatever else happens between them, unless one of the six decides to tell them.

Yet James is so angry with Oliver. His warning - „you keep sleeping with Meredith and they’ll think it was you“ - is sharp and manipulative. He frames his warning as though he’s concerned about the police but in reality, he’s exaggerating the consequences to scare Oliver.

His words are a calculated way to instill fear in Oliver, forcing him to weigh the consequences of something that should be entirely his own choice.

(Later, when his words fail to keep Oliver away from Meredith, James physically intervenes by showing up at his doorstep over thanksgiving to keep them from meeting, but that’s a whole other story)

[inkedwingss]

I've never read anything quite like Fever Dream. I couldn't understand a lot of it as I read, although I do understand the characters and plot overall. In each moment, did you understand what was happening? What did you find profound? What did you like best artistically about it, and were there any big philosophical statements?

What a cool, exciting ask! I love this book, I wrote a 6-page essay about it for college at the time and I was never able to read it again because of how strong the experience was for me (I want to preserve the memory).

Latin America's magical realism is not about introducing some fantasy features into the ordinary, is more about the mystical experience of reality itself, the haunting mysteries or inexplicable events of life. They exaggerate the surreal, "magical" aspect to highlight the main issue. I will share more about that in the end.

What I like about Fever Dream the most is its originality. Once you start the book, you have to feel lost. That's the whole point. Schweblin is so bold, she actually doesn't want you to "understand what is going on", she invites you into the MC's feverish dream, and for that to happen you literally have to let go of any expectations and let the story unfold at its own pace. I honestly will recommend this book to any writer who is willing to take the (eco)horror path.

But it's not just about that. Personally, this book got to me because of the "rescue distance" concept — a better translation of the original title. As someone who lost a baby, the whole paranoia that comes from sensing danger, but being blind to it at the same time, drove me almost mad. I ate that book in one afternoon — and I'm a slow reader. Couldn't stop turning pages. It was too similar to my personal experience of foreseeing death, knowing that something was just about to happen, and not being able to avoid it at all. Very cathartic, per se.

But to talk more directly about the book, I will use my own words from a few years back, and if you don't want spoilers, don't read it:

"In the end, the loose thread remains. The feeling of loss is inevitable. All the danger and sense of paranoia culminated in a whirlwind of unstoppable events, engulfing the reader in a tachycardic, spiralling route; and he lands with the certainty that something very important was left behind: the essential and irreplaceable — perhaps, life itself. It's like returning from a trip without your luggage, empty-handed. Maybe this loose thread is the sensation of the entire humanity when confronted with its impotence in the face of a scenario of constant catastrophe, of destruction that disintegrates everything around: the web being woven as one lives, without being able to deviate from the tracks or turn back. The inevitability of evil — are we like Amanda, doing our best to protect those we love, and always losing what matters most? What similarity would we have with David, tying everything in his room (p.136), trying to connect the loose thread of this unreachable distance that can no longer be calculated? He may be trying to connect with what little remains, that which seems solid, in search of connecting then with something familiar; something that sustains a world that seems to be in free fall, heading nowhere. And this world — this same world of mutations, poisoned mist, dead ducks buried in the backyard, of silence that devoured all things, this world of Schweblin's magical realism — this is our own world."

I might upload my reviews and essays one day if I ever have enough energy and time to open a substack or something (they are too long). Latin American literature is fire! I'm glad you have this book a chance :) and thanks again for the ask!

[fanaticsnail]

At this point, I'll make a "physics of One Piece" blog it could be fun.

I'm glad you like the physics, Snail. I'm currently working on Doflamingo's flying speed as seen in Ep 625 when he arrives at Punk Hazard. I was really surprised when I went to Doflamingo's page and saw there was no weight? So I went to calculate his BMI index for his height and yeah, he is perfect for cuddles.

Doflamingo’s Arm Length

Okay, I always wanted to know this. This isn’t my area of expertise bcs usually body proportions are for artists, but it’s fine. Okay, normal body proportion for arms for humans is 45% of their height. Since the proportions of Doflamingo’s body are different, his limb length will be different, too.

So, with 45% (normal) his arms would be 1.37m long. 

If his body proportions were normal, that is. Here are things with Oda’s proportions.

The legs are fucking long, and fckn thin. Actually, the thinnes is good, the less weight, the more you get the force into the kick and into running speed. This also means a lot of the character’s weight is on their torso. By logic, they should not be able to stand 🤣

Hands don’t end on thighs, but above the knee.

His hands, when by his sides, reach a bit lower than his thigh. Usually, your hand reaches right on your thigh, a bit below your trouser pockets. Doflamingo’s reaches lower than that.

With that in mind, we’ll follow Oda’s lead and exaggerate to figure out how long that arm is. We can make it as long as we want bcs it doesn’t influence his height at all.

1.5 m is a nice number.

Length.

Of Doflamingo’s.

Arm. 

Good luck running away from him. One wide-as-you-can running step width of a non-athletic, average human is 0.8 meters, 1.2m or 1.4 meters like when you STRETCH YOUR RUNNING FOOT AS FAR AS YOU CAN, not that small little jog. Small normal jog width is 4-8cm. 

Eight. Centimeters. 

Don’t even fckn try if you’re gonna do a little jog width step, just stay put at that point. So, even with maximum width a human is capable of, Doffy just extends his hand like it’s nothing and he’s got you. 

Now imagine, with both arms, that is literally 3 meters of his arms wrapped around you. (Sighs wistfully)

- physics anon

I would follow a physics of One Piece Blog. Absolutely I would. "He's perfect for cuddles." Excuse me:

1.5m length of Doflamingo's arm. I am just taller than the length of one of his arms. Just one of them. I just want to scream. He's just 🤌.

To be caged in that embrace, I just want to:

Yandere Doffy, running away from him as fast as your little legs can carry you, only to be scooped up like it's nothing 🫠.

You're panting, out of breath, exhausted, fatigued, and he's barely phased: tugging you beneath one of his arms and ready to take back to his room where he'll never let you get another opportunity to escape again. You're his. His. His special person. He's gonna trap you in that 3m cage like it's nothing, tugging you to him, pouting and whining in your neck like:

I love you, physics anon. You're priceless and I am very much enjoying these thoughts!! AAAAAAAA

[drstonetrivia]

Chapter 205 Trivia

How does a baby, with their chubby little fingers, snap them? Ryusui was obviously gifted with strong, dexterous fingers from a young age…

The flashback makes it seem like Ryusui is remembering the event, however: babies start walking between 6-18 months and Ryusui is being carried, speaking clearly is 12+ months, and memories like this one would only start from around 2-3 years onward.

Thus, this isn't Ryusui's memory.

(He was probably told about it, however remembering the 20 digit number as part of a memory is pretty impressive…)

Speaking of, well, speaking: baby Ryusui sure learnt the word "desire" quickly, however pronunciation is harder. The baby speech is present in both languages, with the Japanese version saying "欲ちい"(hochī) rather than "欲しい" (hoshī).

If we assume Ryusui is about 1 year old here for the reasons I listed above, that means that Sai is only 3 years older.

Because of Ryusui's various petrifications, Ryusui's aged about 3 years over that time.

I'm not sure who's the older brother now…

Everyone's mental math methods shown here are references to the chapter 18 bonus story, when Chrome and Senku had the arithme-battle.

Ryusui's fangs seem a lot more prominent this chapter, I guess he's really sinking his teeth into getting Sai on board with their plan!

This man here is Ryusui's uncle, who's been shown in a few flashbacks before. Where Ryusui and Sai's parents are is anyone's guess.

The game character is wielding a gun and a sword, and wearing an outfit that looks like Ryusui's.

Or is Ryusui wearing an outfit that looks like the game character's..? 🤔

The airplane Sai takes is based on a Japan Airlines Boeing 747-300 (or a 747-400, the difference isn't visible from the image). Both types are currently retired, the 300 in 2009 and the 400 in 2011, meaning Sai was still fairly young when he fled to university.

None of Sai's code appears to be indented, but at least it's commented.

The specific integrated development environment (IDE) is hard to identify because most IDEs are highly modifiable and I believe almost any of them can be laid out like this.

Semiconductors take weeks to make even with all the technology we have now. Trying to replicate those numerous steps in the stone world will be, as Senku says, hellish.

The moon here is the exact same one shown in chapter 204, before the KoS arrived in India (literally the same, I superimposed them haha). It's a waning crescent, so it's around October 20th at this point.

We've still seen no proof of Sai's mathematical ability apart from the flashback which could have been an exaggeration by Ryusui, so it's fair that Chrome and Chelsea seem to doubt his capabilities.

Senku says they need "someone" to be ready 24/7 to do quick calculations, however forcing someone to stay up for 24 hours to do stressful math is asking for a disaster. They would have always needed more than one person doing math for safety reasons, even to just compare answers.

(Also the concept of Whyman threatening them and/or attacking them even in space gets me excited!)

Thanks to Sai's petrification scars, he probably doesn't even need his charcoal pencils wrapped since the stain from the dust wouldn't show up on his hands!

Also, Sai is ambidextrous!

The code is mostly base16/hexadecimal (a combination of numbers between 0-9 and letters between A-F), however one of the panels seems to be base32 or something else since the letters M and K are present.

Another code, perhaps? 🤔

Low-level programming languages like machine code and assembly language are difficult to use. Even Inagaki agrees!

This change already happened last chapter, but Chrome's cross-body bags got an upgrade!

There's some old Norse runes carved into the sword, however at least two of the letters are flipped and trying to translate the rest seems to result in gibberish.

In Dragon Quest, the lettering usually simply reads "DRAGON QUEST" so maybe this somehow says "DOCTOR STONE"?

Unsurprisingly, the characters drawn here are inspired by real Dragon Quest characters.

The gaming system shown is the original Nintendo Entertainment System (NES): the Famicom. If you remember a differently-shaped NES, it's because it was replaced with a newer version for American markets.

[my-makeshift-masquerade]

william + child reader headcanons for me??? 👉👈

Hm… Sure??? You may not like the outcome though!

William in my interpretation is actually very good with children, and did a killer job as head of security at Fredbear’s. (No pun intended.)

After visiting the diner a few times, he has already at least memorized your face and full name, along with any notable traits or behaviors.

As calculating as he is in his methods, he does care about the safety of everyone who enters the building. That is his job, and he takes it very seriously…

He notices when one thing in your pattern of mannerisms is off, and instantly tunes in. From past experience, he knows kids hide pain extremely well.

He is drawn to children who are deemed problematic and shunned by others. Get bullied? Abusive parents or guardians? Neurodivergent? You’re his to protect now.

If you are younger, you definitely have no idea he’s the one who plays Spring Bonnie when the character roams around. He’s really good at disguising his voice.

In the suit he’s a bit more goofy and exaggerated, but he isn’t one to annoy older kids or teens. (Unless you’re one of Micheal’s troublemaker friends…)

If you’re friends with one of his other kids, he will know a lot more about you. He will be grateful his children are having such a good time with you, too!

If he is still in contact with you after that child of his you were close with dies in a freak “accident”, he will be…suspiciously comforting as you grieve the loss.

“I’m certain we will be able to see them again someday…” He murmurs as he pulls a knife from behind his back, “Perhaps it will be someday very soon…”

(Sorry, he’s still delusional and has had his default interpretation of killing being immoral tainted by discovering literal immorality. In his mind, he is keeping you safe by killing you. Enjoy your afterlife!)

[burdenedchaos]

Cont. from | x | @shieldagentnatasharomanoff

Her hand shot out grabbing the stick as muscle memory and survival instinct took over. She pulled the stick towards her and kicked his hand surprisingly forceful, then rolled back in one swift movement and rose to her feet, ready to fight. Everything molecular aspect of her body hurt as if they had just been disintegrated, shaken really hard and then sutured back together with a live wire, Electricity still burst through her hands and legs giving them an unsteady tremor as she breathed in a shaky breath. To her relief it didn't hurt to breathe. Her ribs were fine, her legs could support her weight and while everything was painful nothing seemed to be amiss with her physical condition. Her mind however... Everything about this place felt wrong, the ruinous picture of plants, items, buildings, treasures, strewn around them, partly covered in sand, falling apart and left for dead. Some seemed familiar, like the strangely dressed Loki in front of her. There was an unnatural glow in the distance, stormcloud building and vanishing in serpentine movements that made her want to run the oposite direction. Right, Natasha told herself, taking another breath to refocus. Even the air tasted wrong. She needed to calm down, so she looked around pin pointing five things she could see: the stick, grass, an orange colored gem, leather boots, a random broken nunchuck, then she moved on to five things she could feel: a cool breeze, the familiar feel of her kevlar tac-suit, sand crusted on her face and hands, an uncomfortable tug of branches in her hair. On to the biggest issue right in front of her... the menace in front of her. "Loki. Where the hell are we?" Her stance didn't change, guarded, secure, ready to fight or flight at any second, but she needed to get her bearings and she knew beyond a doubt: Loki was dangerous... given her experiences, but he did care about survival.

"Ah ha! See? Now that's more like it! Certainly not dead." The Trickster released the stick when he felt it being pulled, though not before his hand suffered a quick and forceful kick from the stranger. He shook out the digits, curling and uncurling the appendages a few times to check for any damage before he moved to brush imaginary dust from himself--allowing his new companion the moment to take in the sights of ruin strewn about them and take a quick calculation of her being. Everyone experienced regaining themselves after being pruned in different ways; and he had more than enough time to afford to let her adjust. That certainly wasn't something that everyone out in the Void would do!

"You know of me?" Lips curled at that, the scars catching at the motion before he brought a painted nail up, tapping thoughtfully. His green gaze looked her up and down, something itching just at the back of his thoughts. "You are strikingly familiar but I just can't seem to place why."

Perhaps it would hit him with some more thought. Or a name to match with the face.

"I'm afraid I don't have the informational brochure on me so spare me too many pressing questions. Ahem. Welcome--!" He gestured to the wasteland surrounding them, hands waving out in an exaggerated showmanship of Jazz hands. "To the Void!"

A brief pause was given before his hands dropped back to his sides. "The literal dumping grounds of the TVA. Anything that gets poked or prodded by the wrong end of their fancy orange rods ends up here--what's that saying? Out of sight out of mind? It's quite like that."

[theorigamiphoenix]

how many peanuts would it take for Harry DeBois to be full?

Hmm, let me think. We know he's about 180 cm due to the ladder climbing scene and he's built like a track and field player with a bigger gut. Looking up that type of athletic of similar height and considering the impact of the belly and chicken legs, he might weigh something between 220 to 250 pounds. During the conversation with Klaasje, which can happen no earlier than Day 2, Kim Kitsuragi can say that he's traveled 30 kilometers with Harry over their days together on the case. It's not clear whether Kim is exaggerating or not—his numbers tend to be fairly accurate—but considering that this can be said up to about Day 5, that's between 6 to 15 kilometers per day.

Using literally the first calorie calculator search result on DuckDuckGo for "calorie expenditure miles", I entered a range of values. All at 4 miles per hour, I input 6 km to 15 km at a weight between 220 lb and 250 lb, giving a range between 530-1520 calories.

Now Harry is a habitual substance abuser of at least three different things. Looking up those briefly, two of them decrease effective nutritional values (less bang for buck) while the other decreases perceived calorie need. Considering the player doesn't have to eat during the game and they also don't have to have Harry take any substances, let's just say his calorie efficiency is typical—almost certainly wrong, but let's just ignore that since digestion is so highly variable by the individual.

One study that overviewed peanut size gave an estimated average single seed size of 1.2 g. The USDA Food database gives 550 calories (Atwater Specific Factors) per 100 g of raw peanuts. With the above calorie estimates, that's between 96 g to 280 g of raw peanuts.

Therefore Harry Du Bois might have to eat somewhere between 80-230 individual peanut seeds to have enough calories for a day of running in game.

[ozziesdisco]

We always joke about Doctor Who (especially New Who) having an obsession with Modern London- all the companions are from there, there's quite a few episodes set there due to that, the Doctor is literally British most of the time-

But that made me wonder- is it true or an exaggeration? How much of Doctor Who is set in Modern London?

So, I made a list of all the episodes that did take place, and made up percentages and compiled them together because I have no life I was curious. There are a few episodes that can be counted as exceptions, so I have made one percentage where they do count and one where they don't.

One more thing, I've only done the RTD and Moffat eras because I haven't seen Thirteen's era fully yet.

Anyway, here we go:

Series 1:

Rose

Aliens in London

World War Three

Father’s Day* (parallel universe/alternate timeline)

Boom Town

Total percentage: 

If we include the exceptions in the list: 38.5%

If we don’t: 30.77% (4)

Series 2:

School Reunion

Rise of the Cybermen* 

Age of Steel* (alternate universe)

Love and Monsters

Fear Her* (2012 was 6 years in the future)

Army of Ghosts

Doomsday 

Total percentage:

If we include the exceptions in the list: 53.8%

If we don’t: 30.77% (4)

Series 3:

Smith and Jones

The Lazarus Experiment

Blink

The Sound of Drums

The Last of the Time Lords* (apocalyptic parallel universe)

Total percentage:

If we include the exceptions in the list: 38.5%

If we don’t: 30.77% (4)

Series 4:

Partners in Crime

The Sontaran Stratagem

The Poison Sky

Turn Left* (Alternate timeline)

Journey’s End* (took place mostly on a spaceship)

Total percentage:

If we include the exceptions in the list: 38.5%

If we don’t: 23.08% (3)

Series 5:

The Eleventh Hour

The Hungry Earth* (their future)

Cold Blood*

The Lodger

Total percentage:

If we include the exceptions in the list: 30.77%

If we don’t: 15.4% (2)

Series 6:

Night Terrors

Closing Time

Total percentage:

If we include the exceptions in the list: 15.8%

If we don’t: 15.4%

Series 7:

The Power of Three

The Bells of St John

Total percentage:

If we include the exceptions in the list: 15.4%

If we don’t: 15.4%

Series 8:

Listen* (takes place literally everywhere)

The Caretaker

Flatline

Into the Forest of the Night

Dark Water

Death in Heaven

Total percentage:

If we include the exceptions in the list: 46.15%

If we don’t: 38.5% (5)

Series 9:

The Zygon Invasion

The Zygon Inversion

Face the Raven

Total percentage:

If we include the exceptions in the list: 23.08%

If we don’t: 23.08%

Series 10:

Pilot

Knock Knock

Extremis* (simulation universe)

Lie of the Land

Pyramid at the End of the World

Total percentage:

If we include the exceptions in the list: 38.5%

If we don’t: 30.77% (4)

Specials:

Christmas Invasion

The Runaway Bride

The End of Time Part 1

The End of Time Part 2

Day of the Doctor* (very ishy territory)

Ok let’s list the total Specials so I can calculate the percentages properly:

Christmas Invasion

The Runaway Bride

Voyage of the Damned

The Next Doctor

Planet of the Dead

The Waters of Mars

The End of Time Part 1

The End of Time Part 2

A Christmas Carol

 The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe

The Snowmen

 The Day of the Doctor

 The Time of the Doctor

 Last Christmas

 The Husbands of River Song

 The Return of Doctor Mysterio

 Twice Upon a Time

Total percentage:

If we include the exceptions in the list: 23.7% 

If we don’t: 29.4% (4)

Overall percentage:

If we include the exceptions in the list: 34.07%

If we don’t: 25.7%

RTD era:

Overall percentage:

If we include the exceptions in the list: 43.33%

If we don’t: 31.67%

Moffat Era:

Overall percentage:

If we include the exceptions in the list: 27.4%

If we don’t: 21.4%

So judging by my (hopefully accurate) calculations, less than 40% of the show takes place in London. Take that how you will, I guess. (Personally, I was surprised the number was this small- I was expecting around fifty).

I have a few notes on what this could mean, but I haven't really phrased it too well. Lmk if you guys want an unhinged analysis on that.

One thing I will share though: I find it interesting that Clara's percentages are so high in series 8 and then become low in series 9- almost like her arc of how she tried to live in London for Danny AND go on adventures with the Doctor, and in series 9, she just went "fuck it I'm cutting all ties with Earth"

Anyway, I hope y'all liked this random ass post that nobody needed!

And now I will either go sleep or eat something or continue with my series 5 doctor who rewatch, depending on what i feel like

[theprophetsaid]

it's so irritating to me when people claim that brian is making up/exaggerating how close he was with freddie... just because there's not as many explicit quotes from freddie on brian and these people can't read between the lines or do any sort of research for themselves. brian's love for freddie shines through every word he speaks about that man, and somehow a group of random kids can't believe that brian was close with freddie before they ever made it with their music and when they were just good friends with a dream.

of course brian isn't perfect (e.g. his comments on how queen would be forced to have a transgender member if they had formed today, him being against the brit awards getting rid of gendered categories), but to call him racist and homophobic is such a low and baseless accusation.

in any case, i feel that brian is more (and honestly a bit validly) against the jumping to conclusions and forced righteousness that some people take up rather than diversity itself. i get the sense even that he's a bit against the modern categorizing when for him, it was very natural to work with freddie and to love him for who he was without much thought (quote: "He was a musician, he was our friend, he was our brother. We didn’t have to stop and think: ‘Ooh, now, should we work with him? Is he the right color? Is he the right sexual proclivity?’ None of that happened, and now I find it frightening that you have to be so calculating about everything."). of course i see the world a bit differently, but brian comes from a very different time and background.

he's always been a great supporter of the lgbtq community, championed aids awareness, and truly loved and understood freddie's strengths and insecurities. it literally drives me crazy when people say there's no evidence that freddie liked brian or was close to him.

I'll keep this very brief.

Anyone who denies that Freddie and Brian were close friends who loved each other is a spiteful clown. Their connection has nothing to do with Brian's unfortunate tendency of putting his foot in his mouth from time to time (mind you, Freddie had no filter at all). And this tendency doesn't undermine his decades-long advocacy for AIDS victims and queer rights.