#Leader Of Change (Tak)

[manjiroscum]

SWEET PEA

Character/s: Bonten!Manjiro Sano

Warnings: f!reader, mature language, explicit sexual themes, breeding, a bit of fluff, reader gets a bit insecure, hybrid au, reader is a bunny hybrid + has some bunny features, heat cycles mentioned, creampie, rough sex, and pet names used. Minors do not interact.

Note: commissioned by bby grey @bunnyjiros 💕 thank you as always luv and i hope you like it! 🥺

Synopsis: Manjiro sometimes wishes you wouldn't shy away from expressing your desires.

WC: 1.3k

“She’s turning two this year and it won’t be long before she welcomes a new sibling.”

Beaming smiles were worn by every woman sitting around the table that morning. Brunch was decided on and frankly, you wished you didn’t eat so much. You remember every fleeting glance and inquisitive question sent each other's way. It was supposed to be a get-together with old friends from high school whom you haven’t kept in touch with since graduation due to the duties and tight schedules brought by adult life. But the second you showed up, they were not alone. Everyone gushed about their children and babies that you were sure your floppy ears hurt hearing the same thing. Unlike your fellow hybrid friends, the joys of motherhood were foreign to you. Knowing nothing about labor pains or the hardships of taking care of a newborn, you fell listen as they conversed about it. The sandwich you chewed and swallowed made your stomach hurt slightly while you sat there motionless.

Becoming a parent wasn’t a dream of yours. Heck, you only wanted to survive and graduate from university. The next step after that was to get a job and become stable. The same was true for your friends so it surprised you to see them all building a family of their own. So much can occur and change in five years that it terrifies you. However, the image of having a little one in the future slowly bloomed into your picture of perfection when Sano Manjiro entered your life. While they had their families and other mundane occurrences in their lives, you had your husband, Mikey, who was Bonten’s undefeated leader. The joy of introducing him to your friends waned with each passing moment as they spoke, afraid of their judgemental stares and possible crass comments. What was even worse…

The green-horned monster was rearing its ugly face toward them, eyeing each of their material possessions and the people they hold dear.

“Babe? You doin’ alright?”

Yet, what overpowered that unpleasant state of envy was sheer melancholy. To have and give your lover a child has been one of your plans ever since you tied the knot with Manjiro. There was this unexplained desire to see the most powerful man in Tokyo dote on a small human being and hold them in such gentle ways akin to touching a precious gem. Yet, above that desire was another one—to see your husband smile. However, what was stopping you from discontinuing your birth control and just asking Manjiro to put a baby inside you was his lack of voicing his wishes to have one. That alone was enough to have you sitting there in silence, unable to tear away your gaze from the mirror until your husband had to speak up about his concern.

“Manji, can I ask you something?”

The rest of the jewelry you put on for that gathering was all safely placed inside the velvet box that was filled with other accessories gifted by your husband standing a few feet behind you. You locked eyes with his onyx ones that were normally listless around others. His brow raised, a sign for you to shoot your question away. Clearing your throat, you braced yourself for his response while structuring the inquiry.

“Um, I’ve been thinking… Well, first off, today’s brunch was excellent and I had fun. Second, my friends were discussing things like their babies and children. They were all so cute, Manji! I couldn’t help but gush about them once I saw photos of their chubby cheeks and small hands.” You didn’t realize it, but Manjiro noticed you were now rambling. It didn’t have to take him too long to know that you were nervous, especially with how your floppy ears were stiff due to anxiety. Instead of pointing it out, he opted to let you finish and get to the point with a small curl on his lips. “Don’t you think babies are so tiny and cute? I bet my babies will be cuter than theirs though. I mean, they will be since they’re a combination of you and me. Wouldn’t you agree, Manji?”

“So, you want a baby?” Manjiro, in all his stoic glory, cracked a smile at what you were obviously hinting at from the start. He confirmed he hit the truth once you froze in your seat, eyes slightly widened. He bet that your cheeks were as hot as a summer day, hoping for them to be cooled down by his calloused fingertips. Abashedly, you nodded your head in agreement. There was no use lying to Manjiro. He always seems to have a way of finding out the truth at the end of the day. Plus, beating around the bush with this topic would not satiate your mind seeking for answers on whether he shared the same wish or not. As a response to your harmless query, your husband silently diminished the distance between you two. Your eyes followed his every move from the way his hands sought after your face to the moment he lowered his head to plant a kiss on your lips. Parting from you for a second, he whispered, “If you want it so badly, I’m more than willing to start now. We can do it every day until your heat comes to be extra sure. What do ‘ya say?”

“Well… I don’t want to do this without your consent first and asking if you want a kid—”

Manjiro acted swiftly than your doubts. He knew you like the back of his hand. If anything, he would rather keep you happy than ever witness you fighting back your emotions while staring at a blurry sky. He ignored your slightly panicked expression and kept a straight face on while lifting you from your seat.

Of course, anything you wanted shall be yours.

Your bare back hit the mattress, rubbing against the material as he ground himself against your aching core. His mouth heatedly kissed yours. His adept tongue explored and relished your taste. You were silenced by his loving onslaught of affections, mind rendered silent as you received his gentle but arousing touches. Your floppy ears twitched when he nipped your neck which was accompanied by your mewls at the ticklish yet hot sensation. Manjiro hoped to leave his mark on the supple flesh. He wasn’t going to admit it aloud right now, but when he heard you wanted a child—his child, never has he experienced such bliss that clouded his mind to the point all he could think of was your stomach round with his offspring and the thought of stuffing you full of his fertile cum.

“Baby! Ah, please. Please… Please fuck a baby in me. Wanna have your babies!”

Manjiro was out of control. He cared less and less if his hands left imprints on your hips, wrists, thighs, or any other part of your body as he thrust his cock into your sopping wet cunt. A thick white ring formed around his girthy length that, too, coated his balls that were slapping your ass each time. Even your sensitive floppy ears fell victim to his rough treatment, being held up tightly as he pounded your pussy away. You, on the other hand, screamed for more. Your husband may not be a hybrid like you, however, he was on par with a beast in its rutting season. Every thrust had you begging for more, hoping for him to fill your cunt up until his balls could no longer produce any semen. And that was exactly what you and he wanted—to go at it like animals.

To breed and be bred.

“Fuck, babe…” Manjiro grunted as he climaxed for the fourth time tonight. A hiss escaped his lips at the sight of your abused pussy creamed, dripping as you sobbed into the mattress. Your mind was long gone from its rational state, drunk off on euphoria. Fixing your hair and floppy ears, your husband leaned down to lick on your nape before biting the spot. You were too weak to do anything or even react, just laying there in all your vulnerable form. “Ready to be a mommy? You better be ready to keep this up.

[marvel-starwarsfangirl]

TBB Season 2 Retrospective

Season 2 of TBB is my favorite season for sure. I love all the character moments we get such as the conversation between Tech and Omega. It's why I love this show because at its best, TBB really tackles some mature topics. Although the Batch mainly do missions for Cid, I think it foreshadows season 3's ending really well in retrospect.

"Tribe" might be a fun adventure with Gungi, but on a deeper level, it's about Hunter realizing that what Omega needs is a true home and stability. It's the first instance in S2 where Hunter gets a look into domestic life. Phee as a character serves many purposes. She's an ally to the Batch and takes them on adventures. However, she also challenges Hunter's soldier lifestyle for Omega. Phee comments that Omega needs people her own age and stability, something that none of the Batch understand due to their upbringing. "Tribe" and Phee, along with some moments from S1, do a great job setting up Pabu.

Pabu is an ideal place for the Batch to live and raise Omega: it's hidden, beautiful, and welcoming to all. With all the signs encouraging Hunter to settle, Pabu is perfect. On a side note though, I do feel that the conflict in the episode "Pabu" was a bit contrived. Personally, I don't think we needed a tsunami for drama. I was perfectly content just watching the Batch relax.

S2, like S1, also does a great job of balancing the Empire's machinations with the Batch's shenanigans. "Metamorphosis" not only serves as a Batch mission for Cid, but also the introduction of Hemlock and the return of the Zillo. It develops both stories in a natural way which made for a phenomenal episode. The two-parter "The Clone Conspiracy" and "Truth and Consequences" equally shows the Empire's decommissioning of the clones, introduces the CX troopers, and what motivates Echo to leave. This is why I love TBB. We get a glimpse into how the imperials caused such chaos and created the Stormtroopers. Btw, I think the show handled the transition from Rampart to Hemlock really well. Both storylines were set up and interwoven with each other, which allowed the one villain to rise and the other to fall.

The notion that the Batch should settle is a major arc for Hunter and Omega this season. Hunter really begins to consider Pabu as a new home, especially because he wants to keep Omega safe. The more he sees the growing unrest, the more he reaffirms the decision in his mind. Clones have never settled down before and it's a new life for Hunter. He always wants to do right for his family and protect them. That's what leaders do. Even Wrecker slowly comes around to that idea and leans a lot on Hunter for decision making.

Omega gains a lot of new perspectives in S2 and I really loved that. She learns that things aren't what they always appear and that change is a part of life. This takes form in many ways, like when Romar showed her the kaleidoscope. Tech is another great example. He might not outwardly show his emotions the way she does, but his heart burns brightly for his family. And like Hunter, Omega begins to realize that having a home like Pabu isn't such a bad idea. She could grow up safely and make friends her age.

As for Echo, I realized that S1 does hint at his choice to leave in S2. His decision makes a lot of sense given his strong sense of justice and camaraderie with Rex. He's always been about helping others. This man has such a beautiful soul.

I think Crosshair is self-explanatory. Only three episodes and I perfectly understood what he did and why he did things. His humanity could no longer take being abused the way it was. He knew where his heart truly lied and he made his choice. S1 established his attachment to the Batch wasn't gone. But he wasn't ready to fully see the truth just yet.

Tech. Beautiful, smart, brave Tech. How much I miss you. S2 did so much giving him depth and maturity. They easily could've kept him as the stereotypical nerd who has great dry humor. But they chose to take a more thoughtful route. Like Omega, Tech learns to see things from a different perspective and it helps him grow as a person. It's those little moments that mean so much. I wish we could spend more time with him because Tech has so much to share with us and S2 highlights that perfectly.

AND TECH GOT THE GIRL (kinda but yall know what I mean). They could've chosen Hunter, the objectively attractive one, but I'm so glad they chose Tech. Look guys, I'm not a girl who goes out and buys all those trendy clothes or wears lots of makeup. So, it meant a lot that Tech was able to win over someone's affections. And kudos to Phee for always being understanding and loving Tech and his awkwardness.

I do have some other thoughts on Tech I will make a separate post on because it's something I really thought about on this rewatch.

S2 has beautiful music and animation on top of some stellar storytelling. "Mayday" will always be my personal favorite and "The Outpost" is always going to be my favorite episode. It means to much to me.

Overall, the best season imo. I love S3, but it has pacing issues, and S1 just makes me sad.

[cosmignon]

A girl was feeling really nostalgic abt the fact The Stardust Scouts (my magic girl ocs) are nearing 10 years old at this point… so I felt like drawing their oldest designs faithfully + then drawing their current ones beside them :)

I little bit more about each of them in order:

Savannah started off as much shorter, she was the shortest of the group iirc. I decided to make her the tallest one instead after thinking abt how i wanted her to not only be fat but take up a lot of space. She’s the “main” protagonist of the story (in my mind at least, as it stands SDS is more of an ensemble cast) so I wanted to challenge conventions by making my smart leader you root for fat and completely ok with that. Savannah doesn’t have time for fatphobia she has 3 college essays to write before an alien attacks the city

I am really glad I changed Penny’s color scheme over the years, I don’t like how the red hair and purple sweater look together at all. Their style had also grown a lot more brash and eclectic. I think he started as a shy type? You can definitely see it in the original drawings body language. Unbelievable, she is a Mabel Pines crafter extraordinaire at heart and that’s final

Tabitha “congrats on the transition” Brooks has just been slowly shifting further and further toward his current butch look for forever and it rocks. I distinctly remember making SDS originally with the intent of “only having girls so no one tried to ship them with a boy” and I was a little stubborn on that point for a while… but Tabitha said nuts to that and decided otherwise. I honestly think of her original design as being what she looked like as a teen these days, before cutting off all that hair and running off to he/her lesbian all over the place.

Wendy’s always been an interesting struggle, because while she and Savannah have both been a learning exercise in getting black & textured hair right, Wendy specifically loves fashion and styling her hair in different ways every other time I draw her. Her current braided hair is what I default to but I’ve also wrapped it up in buns and given her bantu knots too. Also made it more obvious she dyes her hair, glad I moved away from cheese yellow blonde lol

Olivia! Olivia Olivia Olivia…. Ze has definitely won the award for most dramatic change between the old design & now. I make it no secret ze used to be a Tak from invader zim expy, and I still carry those roots with me as I refine zer look. The blonde hair and the orange signature color are both very recent developments, I used to be so attached to Olivia staying purple that I was detrimentally keeping 2 characters purple instead of letting Olivia have a unique place among the group. Now the only thing that’ll make it obvious ze was ever Tak adjacent is the mole under zer eye & a lot of the backstory I have cooking

Ty for listening to me ramble, pls check out my oc tag Sara ocs or the stardust scouts tag for more abt my precious babies 🥹

[aita-blorbos]

AITA for refusing to fall into madness?

I (1,147M) have been in possession of a cursed magical artifact for about 1,100 years, which keeping around me has slowly driven me into madness. I struggled with this for a long, long time, causing me to lose my wife, the love of my life, survive a horrible worldwide atomic incident, and completely drive away my surrogate daughter, (7NB) who was abandoned by her only living parent, and who hated when I used to artifact to protect us.

The more I used it, the less I became like myself, and it was utterly terrifying, both to me and to those i loved. I used this until I was almost entirely corrupted for a long, long time, and was revolting to every person that came around me, and my surrogate daughter (1,007NB) wanted nothing to do with me, and couldn't stand to see me at all anymore. I became obsessed with a woman (827F) who subconciously reminded me of my deceased ex wife, and I acted horrible to her as well, kidnapping her many times and attempting to force her to be my bride.

I felt so subconciously guilty over the way I behaved that, eventually, I did something that no one in history nor in any parallel universe where the artifact exists managed to do; the artifact is incredibly difficult to part with, as the powers it grants you are so overwhelming and tempting it is difficult to see your own corruption, and even harder to resist it. But I have managed to mentally brute force my way out of it! I've succeeded in both keeping my fantastical powers and my sense of self, both entirely within my control.

A few of my friends I've met recently (1,047M, alternate version of moi), (29F), (CatF), have told me they disapprove of my methods of this action, referring to them as "immoral" and "donked up".

You see in order to do this, I had to redirect the madness the artifact forced upon me onto someone else. This did in fact take a degree of concious effort every moment I was doing so, and I did know what I was doing. I redirected my madness onto the previously mentioned women (now 927F), as she seemed discontented and bored and stressed with her own life, and I didn't believe she would mind a bit of a change.

Doing this drove her mad, causing her to fall in love with me. Over the past 100 years of this she's kidnapped me on a regular basis to show me her newest songs and art projects about how she is in love with me, which has become incredibly tedious, but not unlivable, as my loyal guards I created always swiftly come to my rescue.

The most recent time this happened she kidnapped both myself and an alternate version of myself, one who has lost both his artifact and his powers in exchange for himself. The woman found herself madly in love with both of us, as we're somewhat the same man, and the situation quickly escalated into the woman putting us into much more immediate physical danger than I am used to, as she was about to murder us. The alternate version of myself has been insisting that this isn't the true version of her and that she can be 'fixed', which made me very hesitant to actually inform him of how she got this way.

Our other friends as well as my guards managed to save us in time and incapacitate the madwoman, but when I gave one of them a kiss as thanks for saving me, my artifact didn't exactly seem to like that she was from another dimension, and promptly, immediately, failed on me. As this artifact was 1. generating the madness 2. keeping me alive and 3. pushing energy into the kingdom I built, not only did my beloved guards and kingdom all immediately disintegrate, but I also rapidly aged all these unnatural years and died, as well as the woman lost her (technically my) madness and went back to her normal state as both leader of a kingdom and a scientist.

All three of my friends as well as the woman are all in agreement that what I did in those 100 years was messed up, even moreso than the way I behaved for the 1,000 years before, kidnapping people willy nilly and unable to take others feelings into account. They all hate me very heavily despite my hospitality to my new friends (giving them a place to stay, offering to give my alternate self his powers back, training one of them in the art of swordplay). The four of them are the only people currently able to hold an (extremely biased) opinion of this, as all my other subjects died with my powers, and my daughter having been dead for a long time (100yrs) now.

I simply wanted to both stay myself as a person and harness my abilities to their full, positive extent, even if that came at a price. AITA?

[ayushmishraaaaa]

Today, as I sit to pen down my thoughts, my heart feels heavy, burdened by the weight of an incident that shook not just me, but every single person who believes in humanity. The rape that occurred on August 9, 2024, at RG Kar Medical College, Kolkata, is a scar on our society, a painful reminder of the safety we fail to provide to our women, to our daughters, to our future.

The fact that even after all these months, justice has not been served is deeply unsettling. Every day that goes by without justice feels like a betrayal to the victim, her family, and to every woman who fights to exist in this world without fear. I find myself questioning, again and again — how did we let it come to this? How is it that, in a world that claims to be progressive, we are still struggling with something as basic as ensuring a woman's right to safety?

The government, which should be our protector, seems to have turned its back. Where are the leaders who promised us change? Where are the laws that were meant to protect our sisters, mothers, and daughters? Silence from those in power is a wound deeper than the crime itself. It sends a message that women's lives, their dignity, and their safety do not matter. It makes me feel helpless, yet angry, because justice delayed is justice denied.

I can't stop thinking about the victim and the courage it takes to live through something so devastating. Her strength, and the strength of every woman who survives such brutality, is beyond words. And yet, why must they carry the burden while the system continues to fail them?

As I reflect on this tragic event, I end with a few words, a prayer, and a demand for justice. Because until we, as a society, truly value and protect our women, we cannot claim to be free or equal.

"Woh maa ki beti thi, sapno se bhari thi,

Zindagi se ladi thi, par phir bhi haari thi.

Insaaf ke rang ab pheeke padte ja rahe,

Hak ki awaaz sunne wale khamosh ho ja rahe.

Kab tak yunhi betiyan dar ke jeengi?

Kab tak yeh zameen sirf unka qaid khaana rahegi?"

I hope, with every fiber of my being, that one day we wake up to a world where women are truly safe, where justice is not a distant dream but a lived reality.

Until then, we must keep fighting.

Ayush

[emeraldspiral]

So in the Zimverse Irkens are supposed to be so self-absorbed they can't think of anything beyond their own immediate gratification. Irkens don't have sex organs so they don't fuck in order to gratify themselves, there's no romance because there's no love, and the closest thing to friendship is just mutually beneficial temporary arrangements and maybe the attachment one feels for an object in their possession. Irkens seem to be aware that other species have love and sex and families, but it's not a part of their society, it's something "base" that only lesser species indulge in. So an Irken having any kind of relationship, even one with just a platonic or familial type of affection, would seem like an aberration in their culture. So it's not really hard to see how an LGBT storyline would fit within the world of Invader Zim. Like, you would barely even have to change anything to fit the context. You could just have two Irkens holding hands and it wouldn't feel like a hamfisted metaphor if another Irken acted just as scandalized as real-world homophobes because it totally fits within the established lore.

So what if say, after Invader Tenn's mission in Megadoomer was ruined she was captured and imprisoned, and after Tak's plan to steal Zim's mission failed and she got lost in space she ended up in the same prison. They individually manage to contact the Tallest for help but the Tallests' attitude is that if they can't break out on their own they were never worthy of being Invaders and therefore not worth their time to rescue. Tak and Tenn find each other and learn that they were both left to rot and decide to team up and escape. They bond over feeling betrayed by their leaders, mutual respect for each other's talents, resentment for losing out on their dream jobs due to circumstances that weren't their fault, and a mutual dislike of Zim for having his incompetence rewarded while they had to work for everything they got, only to have it taken away in an instant.

Some time after escaping prison Tak and Tenn come to Earth to get revenge on Zim. Zim doesn't understand why Tenn is helping Tak at first. He assumes that Tenn must be jealous that the Tallest gave him the Megadoomer she wanted or that she must be benefiting in some way from her alliance with Tak. He cannot comprehend what Tenn means when she says she's doing it because making Tak happy will make her happy. It isn't until Tenn is put into a vulnerable position and Tak surrenders to save her that it starts to click for Zim that they're in love, even if the idea is shocking beyond belief. How could another Irken matter more to Tak than her own ambitions? How could Tak's ambitions matter more to Tenn than her own safety? It just does not compute. But Dib gets it, and not only does he get it, he gets how special it is if Tak and Tenn can feel something like that for each other if it's really as rare and abnormal as Zim's making it out to be. So Dib's ready to just let them go if they promise never to come back and threaten the earth again.

The experience leaves an impact on Zim. He wants to think that he's normal by his species standards. He says Irkens aren't supposed to have friends and points out that Dib doesn't have any either. But Dib does have his family and can't imagine how shallow and meaningless life would be if he really didn't have anyone at all who mattered to him. Zim insists that attachments just create liabilities while Dib says they make life worth living.

Zim goes through a sort of gay panic where he starts pushing GIR and Minimoose and Skoodge away to prove that he, like all good Irken citizens, is devoid of attachments. He tries to convince himself that he only thinks of GIR and Minimoose as possessions he takes pride in or of Skoodge or Dib as people he sometimes likes having around to appreciate how amazing he is. But overtime he learns to accept himself as a queer Irken who cares about others and craves genuine companionship and that a lot of his dysfunctional behavior came from trying to deny that part of himself.

[cocogum]

Kurapika is a mix between androgynous and bishōnen

A few in the hxh community would claim that due to Kurapika’s androgynous appearance, he could be trans-coded or non-binary.

According to some who would believe this headcanon to be true, here are the proofs for it.

*Proofs will not include anything related to the 1999 version*

1. His voice actors are all females.

Many male characters have been voiced by females but what makes Kurapika stand out from the rest would have to be the fact that he has the appearance of a woman making him immediately assume that he should have a female voice which his two voice actors just happen to be females.

His English dub voice is Erika Harlacher while his Japanese dub voice is Miyuki Sawashiro.

2. His chest has been censored multiple times.

A specific drawing made by Togashi has been repeatedly discussed in the fandom.

The drawing in question was from the 14th volume cover of the manga showing a half-naked Kurapika on it.

The intriguing part of the drawing however was the fact that his chest was barely drawn, making it look like it was half finished and vague looking.

We can also see the same thing happening in a chapter cover showing the main four at the beach with Kurapika being the only one wearing a shirt among the guys.

3. He did not appreciate Chrollo misgendering him.

In chapter 114, while keeping Chrollo captive and away from the other spiders, it was also the chapter where we finally see the leader of the spiders and Kurapika meeting each other face to face.

After looking at him for a small while, Kurapika asks the man why he could be staring for so long. The other man simply answers that he did not expect the chain user to be a woman.

After hearing his reply, Kurapika immediately shoots his thoughts down by telling him that he is not a female and should not be deceived by appearances.

All proofs (including fanservice and fillers from the 1999 version) have pushed some fans to conclude that he might be a trans male or non-binary due to rectifying Chrollo’s misgendering and hiding his upper body on some occasions.

Although yes the theory/headcanon does sound plausible, it does not however explain Kurapika’s reason for fixing Chrollo’s mistake.

Instead of labelling Kurapika as a trans or a non-binary character, what some have not found out yet is the fact that Kurapika is an androgynous character. At face value that is.

If we take a look at his beginnings, he was initially based on another character from Togashi named Youko Kurama from Togashi’s past work called Yu Yu Hakusho.

Like Kurapika, who has been given a chest in the 1999 version for thinking he was a girl, Kurama has also been mistaken for a woman by the people who have worked on the animated version of the series and have changed his name to be “Denise” but later on realized their mistake and called him “Dennis”.

Both have been thought to be females due to their gentle appearances and both have been known to look rather neutral instead of being identified as either male or female by the general public.

There is a slight difference however between non-binary and androgynous.

Non-binary is someone who identifies as any gender excluding male and female whereas androgynous is when someone has the appearance of male and female making them look ambiguous.

In short, Kurapika is presented as a non-distinguishable character but at the same time, does harbour the bishōnen trope.

For those who are unfamiliar, the bishōnen trope is a popular character trope that presents a male character with “feminine” physical traits (also known as androgynous traits).

They are tall and slender with no recognizable muscles or body hair.

This Asian trope is also known as the “beautiful boy” trope referring that they are pretty boys to the point that their appearances make them androgynous.

Examples such as these are the following:

Kurapika is aware of his feminine traits and knows how to use them to his advantage.

He dressed up as a woman when taking Chrollo to hide his real appearance from the troupe and to fool them into redirecting their attention onto someone else.

It was understandable for him to correct Chrollo’s misgendering and tell him to not be fooled by appearances due to the kurta looking androgynous.

The female voice actresses have nothing to do with the proofs regarding Kurapika’s possible trans and non-binary codings since female voice actresses have played major roles in voicing male characters since the very beginning of television.

The censorings have a lot to do with Kurapika’s androgynism since they encourage the confusion behind whether he’s a female or male enforcing his body’s ambiguity.

Based on the bishōnen description, Kurapika fits all the boxes.

He’s a slender tall man with a pretty face, a gentle voice and no body hair while also fitting the androgynous definition by not showing us any intimate parts of his body.

Kurapika is simply an androgynous bishōnen.

Or in other words, a pretty boy whose looks make you question his gender.

[blackjackkent]

OK, back to Hector adventures. Everyone seemed to like the ouchie drabble from yesterday. <3 Hector is fundamentally, after that conversation, in a pretty rough place emotionally, so what better person to talk to than Lae'zel, who is ALSO in a pretty rough place emotionally.

"It is done. There is no going back. As long as the Undying Queen reigns, I am never to soar unbound over the Astral Sea, never to cross the One in the Void."

Her voice is low and hoarse and very tightly controlled. "As it should be. Better a short life built on truth than immortality woven of lies. Better to unite the githyanki under a prince who would free their minds and honor their bodies."

A pause. Her eyes flick away from him into the middle distance with a sudden flash of frustration. "So why do I feel so bitter?"

Hector is silent for a moment or two, considering. There is some relief, he feels, in considering Lae'zel's struggle rather than his own. And he would help her, if he can. But she is complex - one of the most complex people he has ever known.

[INSIGHT] Consider Lae'zel's past and present. What is the true source of her resentment?

Narrator: Vlaakith has upended Lae'zel's whole existence. Everything she knew to be true, every plan and aspiration she ever held, has been painfully ripped away. Lae'zel's bitterness is born of sadness. She is mourning the loss of the person she once was, and can never be again.

Hector draws a slow breath and lets it out. A sad, rueful smile touches his lips. Who would have thought, when we met, that I would see so much of myself in you?

He understands that feeling all too well. He has been feeling it very strongly himself of late - the knowledge that he has been changed fundamentally by this journey and will never be able to go back to the simple life of books and faith that once consumed him. He is a traveler in dark places now, which will be darker still when Karlach is gone...

"You're grieving the future you'll never have," he says gently. "Vlaakith took everything from you."

Lae'zel gives him a look of mild surprise, her head cocking a little to one side. "How well you've come to know me," she murmurs thoughtfully. A pause, and then her shoulders square, her back straightening. Her eyes are fixed on him, and he feels a flash of warmth as he realizes that after so many months of her considering herself above him... she takes strength from his presence now.

"But in truth," she goes on firmly, "she didn't take everything. I have what I have gathered for myself. I'm moored to a new regent, a new land, and new allies. Vlaakith cannot unmake she who no longer exists."

Her fists clench at her sides. "And so from the old battle cries is birthed another: Ch'mar zal'a Orpheus. Mha stil'na forjun inyeri! Orpheus's will above all! May the Comet blaze my path forward!"

Hector raises one eyebrow with a slight frown. Lae'zel, he has come to realize, is a woman who identifies herself by a place in a hierarchy; for all the dominant aspects of her personality, she feels she needs a leader to follow. Vlaakith was a false god, but there is no certainty that Orpheus is anything better. They know nothing of him at present - except that he is not Vlaakith.

"You've been quick to pledge yourself to Orpheus's cause," he says carefully. "What about your own needs and wants?"

"Orpheus's freedom *is* my want and my need," she snaps back. "To deny his freedom would be to deny my own." Perhaps he is imagining it, but he thinks he sees a flicker of uncertainty, quickly suppressed. "There will come a time when I can think about myself beyond the lich queen who enslaves the githyanki and the prince who would liberate them. But that time won't come until the Prince of the Comet flies again."

Hector nods slowly. As with so many things lately - these aren't decisions that he can make for her. But he will be keeping an eye on this new loyalty of hers, because he feels very certain that it would not be hard for her capacity for loyalty to be taken advantage of again.

[too-destiny-panda]

Wyllvember Day 11: Shadowheart

A/N: And this day marks some of the most dreaded prompts, because as much as I love the way the companions were written and their dilemmas, I alway recycle the same 4 comapnions no matter the playthrough, so I am very much out of my depth in this lol. Prompts belong to @sagscrib, additionally tagging the lovely @commander-yinello. WC: 653

Wyll was a friendly person. He made sure to always treat others with kindness and warmth first and foremost, unless they give him a reason not to. And although it hasn’t always worked in his favour, he abides by his principles. He is also well-aware that not everyone responds to his semi-openness with the same.

Shadowheart was one of those people. She wasn’t openly hostile unless Lae’zel breathed in her vicinity. She didn’t talk about herself much or her motivations, and when a major decision was being made by Tav, while she did say her opinion on the matter and was appreciative of it being heeded, she also didn’t seem to mind their leaders own decision-making not always relying on another’s.

Of course, later he learned that her slight stand-offish attitude and general neutrality was, at least in some way, a byproduct of her Shar worship. Wyll didn’t have any quarrels with worshippers of gods seen in a more negative light, unless of course they gave him a reason to. In his mind, one’s choice of being to worship didn’t always mean they were a bad person. There were after all many different forms of worship and many different interpretations of the Gods and their domains. In other words, unless Shadowheart suddenly decided to begin murdering and torturing innocents, or putting curses on entire bloodlines for not seeing her Lady in the same light she did, he didn’t care who she prayed to each day.

As the days passed and more was revealed about both companions and tadpoles, however, he saw a slight change in her. Wyll wasn’t the most insightful person, but he had met enough people suffering from magical or otherwise induced amnesia to know some of their tells. He caught her staring pensively into the fire once when Gale recounted a ridiculous tale from his childhood, a finger smoothing over the scar on her hand. It was a thoughtful look, but there was also a slight fear behind it. If it was deemed she didn’t perform well enough, that she hadn’t shown enough devotion, it was incredibly likely she would never be able to get her memories back. She would never remember her childhood, who she liked and who she argued with. She wouldn’t be able to figure out why a certain toy at a stall made her heart ache or why a scent from an open window made her tear up. She would be forced to reinvent herself all over again, and though there was freedom in being able to start over, it was not what everyone wanted to do. Or at the very least, they would do so under their terms.

They bonded slightly, though not to the extent he did with Karlach or Gale. They shared stories of how they remembered the streets of Baldur’s Gate, of the stalls with the best food and the places where they could cause the most mischief. And whenever Shadowheart’s eyes had even a slight look of emptiness in the effort to remember, the conversation was masterfully steered away by the Blade of Frontiers, opting to instead speculate on where their journey would lead them. Eventually, they began to consider themselves friendly acquaintances, as Tav calls such a bond. One where they trust each other and know each other to enough to know what, but they wouldn’t necessarily call each other friends. Such is life in groups.

But despite not them being the closest of friends, he was still there to offer words of distraction and potentially advice when the Shadow cursed lands did the opposite of strengthening her faith and instead left her with more questions, some answered by Aylin, some still lingering. And though he couldn’t say he has ever been personally scorned by a god, he most certainly wasn’t going to let one take Shadowheart away from what little support she had the way Mizora did to him.

[im-smart-i-swear]

If funky guys had become paladins of voltron which one would be in which Lion?

back in the VERY early days of this whole au(like. buddys-name-was-still-ryou early) i wanted to base every clones personality/character on a diffrent lion.... but over time it slowly stopped fitting their personalities and i kinda abandoned the concept lol. though you can still see some remnants of that in . certain design choices...

going back to this concept after uhhh two years?? i think? was definetely interesting! all the characters changed WILDLY since then and i tried to re-assign the lions to fit the changes........ it was surprisingly hard

i couldnt for the life of me decide in a few cases, so instead im just gonna give the most suitable options lol

tashi & soup - im putting these two together beacuse- and i have NO IDEA how that would work- theyre copiloting the black lion! they function the best as a duo and separating them would NOT be a good idea in a situation as stressful and complicated as piloting voltron. they barely manage to keep everyone alive on a good day... also picking only one of the two as The Leader just feels wrong

buddy, ideally, would like to stay as FAR AWAY from voltron as psyhically possible, thank you very much- but nothing in this cruel world is ideal, so they get the red lion:) i actually have this whole story idea where basically stickbug ""goes rouge""(like. some sort of 'sleeper agent mode' left over by haggar gets activated by accident??) and runs away to do some evil shit so buddy goes after him(on a whim)(alone)(without telling the others) and while searching for him they bump into fUCKING VOLTRON- so they form a very uneasy truce until they find stick. and at some point buddy finds out he can pilot the red lion! its awful he hates it:/ he pilots anyway cause his loved one is in danger(this whole thing is way too complicated to talk about here lol)

i had A LOT of problems figuring out the last three..... they changed so much that i just cant rlly fit them into these categories anymore... but i tried!!

ORIGINALLY stickbug was supposed to be based on the green lion but he doesnt fit it as well anymore....... i think taks does pretty well tho! shes very bold and iquisitive and a pain in everyones ass<3 plus loves learning about diffrent planets' unique ecosystems n stuff. stick IS very curious and likes exploring so he still kinda fits? but hes not as forward as taks, so yeahhhh im very torn on this one

i have NO FUCKING CLUE what to do with blue. all three of em could propably fit there ngl....

yellow could either be taka or stickbug- taka is the youngest and the brightest, hes what brought all of them together in the first place(it takes a village to raise a child)....... buuuut hes not really a 'puts the needs of others above his own' kind of person? hes still a kid and NOT ready for that kind of responsibility. soup is an OBVIOUS choice here of course, but im not sure- honestly, the more i think about it, the more stickbug starts to feel like the best option here? ok hear me out: stickbug, for most of his life, had very little power over his life. even while with the funky guys(ESPECIALLY in the beggining, these bozos were dysfuctional as fuck) there were moments when the others would talk over him bc 'hes a kid', and even without that theres still his people pleasing problem wnich meant he often disregarded his own good to make other ppl content. so, taking this scrawny guy desperate for control over his life and putting him in the toughest, stongest, most resilient lion- basically i think he deserves to go a little apeshit. as a treat. let him wreck shit for once

honestly it kinda funny im stting here and calculating all of this like a mad man where IN THE ACTUAL SHOW the paladins switch the lions like pokemon cards

realistically speaking i think they would all trade and switch em a lot and then squabble over who gets to pilot yellow bc they ALL want to wreck shit sometimes:)

[snappedsky]

Fanatics 99.20

Everyone leaves the planet Tourney and returns home.

There will be a short break before the next- and final- chapter as I am going away next weekend and won't be able to post.

*Links to previous and next chapters in reblog*

--

The Greatest in the Galaxy Part 20

“What...a...show! I knew this would be the best competition we’ve ever seen, but I could never have predicted this! This will go down in history, folks, and I’m so happy to have presented the majority of it. Well, for all of us here at Tourney, and every competitor, thank you for watching The Greatest in the Galaxy! This is the AI announcer M1-C, signing off for the very last time.”

Across the galaxy, all televisions tuned into the competition channels lose signal. Viewers turn their screens off and return to their day-to-day lives.

On Tourney, the Resisty ship is parked in a giant parking lot, surrounded by other large ships. In its infirmary, the Battalion are seated on the beds, after having spent the night healing and recuperating. They also turn off the TV.

“That was a good show we put on,” Zim remarks.

“Too bad we couldn’t win though,” Gaz sighs.

“What do we mean?” Squee questions. “We did win. It was like a whole thing yesterday, remember?”

“No, I mean, the competition,” she replies, “we didn’t finish it so we couldn’t win it and get a trophy. We won’t get a trophy for winning a revolution.”

“No. We just helped free countless of beings from the Irkens’ tyranny,” Dib says, “but we won’t get a trophy.”

“I thought the whole point of this was we get a trophy,” Gaz grumbles.

“She’s got a point,” Tak agrees.

“I tell you what, we may not get a trophy, but those two over there can get an award for most injured,” Pepito grunts, pointing to Dib and Squee. Both of their torsos are wrapped up in bandages to cover their burns.

“Pepito, you really gotta let this go,” Dib groans.

“You’re just lucky with Shmoopy’s advanced alien healing you don’t need skin grafts,” he snaps, “I say we ban bombs from the team.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Squee says quickly, “this wasn’t because of my bombs. My bombs are fine.”

“You blew yourself up twice this week!”

“And that was not the cause of this injury.”

“Too bad those cam-bots are gone,” Tak grunts drily as the pair argue. “They’re missing some quality content.”

“I swear, if you two keep this up, you’ll be riding the ship home instead of using the teleporter,” Zim warns.

Squee and Pepito quiet down and grumble, their hands linked together.

The door suddenly opens to Kio, who’s smiling excitedly. “The Irkens are leaving. Do you guys wanna see them off?”

“Yeah,” Zim says and everyone quickly throws on some proper clothes, wincing from their still tender injuries, and hurry out of the ship.

The Massive is parked on the other side of the lot, taking up more space than anything else. Irken soldiers are filing inside, many of them cuffed. Civ and Viv fly around them, making sure everyone behaves themselves. At the back of the group are tallest- only in size now than in title- Red and Purple. Their hands are cuffed and their PAKs have plates drilled over them to keep them from opening. Rory and Zinather stand behind them, surveying everybody. Rory hurries over when he sees the Battalion.

“You got your work cut out for you, Tallest Rory,” Dib remarks.

“No doubt,” he replies, “but it’ll be worth it. It’s time for a major change on Irk.”

“There’s no one else I would trust with this project,” Zim says.

“I appreciate that,” Rory grins. “So when are you finally gonna rule your planet?”

“Eventually,” he replies, “why rush it? It’s not going anywhere, not as long as we’re around.”

“Well, I look forward to the day we become true planetary allies.” The new Irken leader steps back and bows regally. “Until then, my friends.”

The team smile and wave as he follows the rest of the Irkens onto the Massive. Zinather is the last to board. He looks back at Zim and nods. Zim nods back.

Everyone watches as the Massive lifts off, disappearing slowly into the atmosphere.

“Looks like everyone else is leaving too,” Squee says as he looks around. Around the parking lot, countless different species are boarding their various ships and leaving the planet. He spots the Swifs, particularly Nimbel. She meets his eye and he waves. She waves back.

“I guess it’s about time we leave too,” Kio says.

The team head back to the Resisty ship. Shmoopy is in the infirmary, putting together a kit.

“In here are all the salves you need for your injuries,” she explains, handing a duffle bag to Zim. “As well as instructions on how to use them. Follow it diligently, especially you two.” She points to Dib and Squee.

“Yeah, yeah,” Dib grunts.

Kio faces the team, smiling sadly. “I guess this will be the last time we all meet up like this, at least for a while. You’re all gonna be doing your own thing back on Earth.”

“That’s why we did this, right?” Squee asks. “One last hurrah.”

“And what a last hurrah it was,” Pepito adds.

“What about you?” Zim asks Kio. “What are you and the Resisty gonna do now that you won’t need to resist against the Irken Empire?”

“I’m not sure,” she replies, “we haven’t really had a chance to talk about it. I don’t think everyone here actually believes it’s happening. But I doubt we’ll split up. Many of the species on this ship don’t have a planet to return to. And even those of us who do might not consider it home anymore. I’ve been gone from Vort for so long, I don’t think I’ll recognize it.”

“You could always come to Earth,” Dib suggests.

Kio smiles. “I’ll consider that.”

An awkward silence fills the room as nobody knows how to proceed. Then Zim clears his throat.

“Well, Kio, Shmoopy, as always, it’s been an honour,” he says, bowing his head. They both smile softly at him.

“Why you being so respectful?” Tak asks suspiciously.

“It’s creepy,” Gaz comments.

“He’s just feeling uncomfortable,” Dib chuckles and the others laugh.

“Enough,” Zim snaps, “let’s go already. Ready the teleporter.”

“As you wish,” Kio nods and rests a circular device on the floor. It lights up and whirs with energy. “Battalion.” “Resisty,” Zim bows.

With a wave, one by one the Battalion steps onto the teleport pad and transport to its twin on Earth, in Tak’s house.

Johnny, Devi, Tenna, Colton, Carmen, Maddie, and Skoodge are there to meet them. Colton immediately hugs Squee, making him wince painfully.

“Owwwww I’m still so tender,” he whimpers.

“Sorry,” Colton says quickly, letting him go.

“So did we put on a good show?” Pepito asks cheekily.

“You guys were awesome!” Tenna cheers.

“It wasn’t the worst thing I’ve ever watching,” Johnny grunts, ruffling Squee’s hair.

“I cannot believe what you accomplished!” Skoodge exclaims, “you revolted against the Irken Empire! You ousted the Tallest! This is...inconceivable!”

“He’s right,” Devi agrees, “it was a helluva fucking show.

“Everything is going to change because of this,” Skoodge adds.

“Yeah, but not here,” Tak points out, “Earth will remain the same as it always has.”

“Maybe,” Gaz grunts, “but starting next week...we won’t.”

She looks up at Pepito and Squee, who glance at each other. A heaviness suddenly hangs over the air.

“Nah, we will,” Zim argues, “even with you three leaving, we’ll still be the same team.”

Just like that, the heaviness dissipates and everyone smiles because they realize he’s right. No matter what changes they go through, or where they go, they’ll still be a team.

[dwestfieldblog]

SHRAPNEL FOR DEMOCRACY

‘Time passes by, a snowflake in the summer’s sky’…the election happened, the bad guys lost apart from the despicable Nigel Farago, more of whom soon. Biden stepped down; all credit to him for having done so. I watched three hours of Kamala Harris in her previous jobs and found her to be tough, smart, good humoured and moral…she also made the right choice for VP in Walz. So, one night I actually went to bed with hope (arf) for November. We’ll see.

Meanwhile, Ingerland on the feral march, morons and scum on the streets fed false information by populist politicians and racist criminals, not questioning, not thinking for themselves. Farage asking why a black teenage boy who murdered three young girls and attacked others, wasn’t on the MI5 watch list. (‘What are they not telling us?’) Because he was 17 and had done nothing wrong previously, you frog faced Oswald Mosley wannabe. The riot mob were told lies that the boy was a Muslim migrant, and so paraded with the Union Jack and St George Cross flags, gym worked muscles and tattoos…which made them easy to trace. Burning cars, looting shops and punching cops in the name of British national pride. Then the opposites came out; ‘Smash Fascism and Racism by any means necessary’. Any? Finally, balanced folk came with children to sweep the streets clean and help those whose shops were destroyed.

In response to the riots, Sir Kier Starmer ordered the creation of a ‘standing army’ of specialist police officers to out thug the thugs. Idiot genius Elon Musk chirruped/Xed that ‘civil war is inevitable’ in the UK. Yeah maybe, if you fund it pal. A white south African with an unhappy childhood who wants to spread racism around and allow convicted criminals and blatant crap stirrers to have their say loud and clear to propagate chaos. More support for Putin and China’s Western divide and conquer strategies. Too much money and a dearth of heart.

Musk reinstated the chubby bum fluffed Ron Watkins to Twitter in 2023 (along with the criminal racist Tommy Robinson and Katie Hopkins etc) The Q Onan L Ron Hubbard of conspiracy theory horse manure. (Or else he could be a dadaist comedian using black comedy psychology to expose the very worst elements in humanity. Tak yer pick.) It is noticeable just how many far-right writers and mentally ill tub thumpers he has reinstated since taking over Twitter who were previously banned for hate speech, incitement to violence and spreading misinformation. So, the free flow of ‘knowledge’ clags up in the U bend of X again. And he donates to the Trump campaign. Propaganda interview. Nuff said.

Putting the ass into assassination…just one inch more and the world would be safer today. But no. And then all the ‘saved by the miracle hand of God he cheated death’ plaudits for his ‘I took a bullet for democracy’. Donald, you didn’t TAKE the bullet, you took some shrapnel. All those who had run against him to be the Republican candidate, standing and saying what a great hero he was, what a fine leader he will be again, while Trump sat, smiling like Caligula as his rivals virtually begged for their jobs and political lives while he imagined how he was going to screw them for previous comments. Ah yes, pudgy weirdie beardie JD Vance and his hillbilly pants…apparently thanks to Labour, the UK could be the first ‘truly Islamist country that will get a nuclear weapon’. Blue eyed boy, we already have them and we are still a long way from Sharia law here pal. And Pakistan has the bomb, you dolt, you think they’re Jewish? Oy.

And Lo, the law court ruling spake that the childman was not accountable for breaking the law while a president. So democratic (perhaps that’s why he wants to change the politics of the USA, he doesn’t like that his country is described this way) America, land of freedom moved closer to being ruled by a megalomaniac psychopathic tyrant king. Cult of befouled personality Trump visited North Korea and must have loved what he saw, cleanliness and order, absolute power and control…and a family dynasty ruling for decades by fear and murder. Hmm, he (probably, possibly) thought.

Trump funded by far-right billionaires and greedy fundamentalist Christians who want to tear up the first amendment, (about the separation between church and state) as a righteous government should obviously not remain neutral when the word of GOD-AH and his boy Jesus Christ are the only moral standard with which to measure true law. Pshaw pfff. Most American presidents in the USA’s very short history, were Freemasons, which might explain why Trump acts as if he is jealous at being left out and rants about the ‘deep state’. He wants to join the big boys and be privy to the secrets of the universe. Neither is he in the Bilderberg group…and it is highly unlikely he will ever be asked to join either. So, he stamps his feet, goes a little more orange with rage and declares war on all the gangs which won’t have him. Smearing with libellous paedophilia accusations and satanic porn ring pizza house slave trade blaaarg. You couldn’t make it up? But they do and are believed by hundreds of thousands.

Let’s have some good old fashioned ‘religious values’ now…

The ‘holy’ land …Illegal settlements (according to international law) in the West bank and their continuing expansion fuel Palestinian hatred, the fury bubbling over should not have taken anyone by surprise, least of all the deliberate provocateurs. 5, 295 new homes approved last month. (July) Not exactly trying for peace and a two-state solution. Arab anger will never cease over this. And now the foul Hezbollah seem revving up in response to the mass starving and sick women and children of Gaza and the (has to be said) very well executed (arf) assassinations of bad guys by Israel. However, ‘fair’ or not, genocide does seem to be an accurate description for the endless slaughterings.

(How did three thousand members of Hamas mobilise without Mossad knowing? The latter are one of the best and most ruthless secret services in the world and no Palestinian in their ‘care’ or known to them spilled the beans?). Hilarious to hear Xi Jinping talk about ‘tremendous sufferings’ and that ‘justice should not be absent forever’. Tell that to the innocents in your country who died for a little more freedom on May 35th 1989.

Benny went to the US Congress to give a speech begging for weapons. 43 standing ovations for a war criminal. ‘There is no room for political violence in democracies’ he said, condemning the failed attempt on DT. Don’t remember him saying much about the riots encouraged by the orange one. And off the scale political violence by a democracy against its enemies also seems to be acceptable. Israel has ‘always been our home’. Only for four thousand years. As written last time, many other tribes were there first. Risible House Speaker Mike Johnson beamed with ‘Christian’ pride, as one who believes that Armageddon time in the holy land signifies the return of Christ, whereby all true believers will be lifted in the Rapture of the Lord, hallelujah, amen.

With regard to the arrest warrant for Benny and the Hamas leader, the appalling senator Lindsey Graham said ‘If the ICC (International Criminal Court) does this to Israel, they will come for us next’. So, some US lawmakers want to dismantle the international justice system. Of course they do, same way Boris Johnson, Erdogan et al ad infinitum want to control the justice system in their countries, people it with their crony puppets and avoid arrest.

Speaking of twilight of the idols and the antichrist…saw a video on YouTube… ‘The Devil is Gay’. They must have been watching South Park, eh? Belief in the Devil is essential for the financial business of the churches…to conversely paraphrase Baudelaire (the opium addicted poet) ‘The greatest trick the church ever pulled was convincing so many that the devil existed’ The (nobody expects the Spanish) Inquisition cost a lot of money and thus, approved by the pope, Indulgences cameth unto being. Rich folk could do whatever they wanted, just pay off the Church and be absolved of sin. Nice work if you can get it. And let’s skip a light fandango over the high amounts of infanticide in nunneries, the embarrassing babies caused by pure visiting priests. (Unless they claimed that God did it.) And the mass burnings and torture of innocents, and the hundreds of cases of shifting pederasts from diocese to diocese rather than handing them to the law. And the laundering of Mafia money and the Magdelana Laundries and etc. AND the huge numbers of evangelists preaching shite, hellfire and salvation through the poor giving them lots of money for lying into their faces. All of that would seem to sum up EVIL.

As Zappa said ‘If there is a Hell, its fires wait for them not us’. ‘It was good to hunt down our comedians and minstrels, considering that most of them are wizards and magicians.’  1602 French witchfinder. What a sod. ‘We have enough religion to hate each other but not enough to love each other’. J.Swift  ‘Holy’ folk,do something decent to prove you are worthyof respect, don’t just expect to be respected for your religion just because you are ‘religious’.

‘My own opinion is that belief is the death of intelligence’. R.A.W.

‘If a people permit exploitation and regimentation in any name, they deserve their slavery. A tyrant does not make his tyranny possible. It is made possible by the people and not otherwise’. Jack Parsons. Neurotic masses crave tyrants, a strong daddy and are encouraged to be neurotic. The masses are allowed to live, in order to act as slaves and maintain the charade. East and West in a rival illusory pantomime, both pretending nationalistic pride is important, only to encourage treadmill production ethics. One might argue that most people don’t want to ‘permit exploitation’, however, it takes a lot to rise against those who are fully armed and brutal. They’ve got the guns and drones but we got the numbers…but how many in the West would be as brave as those in Tiananmen Square in 89 or in Russia over the last two decades?

Politicians in democracies quickly and conveniently forget that their job is to both serve and be accountable to those who gave them a temporary license for their work. Not to spend their time getting richer at the expense of the already poor. ‘Politicians have the same responsibility to know, and act upon, scientific fact as do doctors, engineers, or other professional people.’  

The new generation of politicians who realised half a generation ago that their type are despised anyway, so the best thing to do in these modern times of Tik Tok influencers is to treble down and ONLY say what the worried masses want to hear or need to be threatened with. And blaming other countries and races etc etc, is always a solid vote catcher. Yeah, well the Nazis and Communists found out that stuff only works for a while as a functioning belief system (BS). We are seemingly at a crossroads where humanity’s Ego takes complete control or else gets a hard slap and a rude awakening. May there be Peace… Awaken the neophiliac within with childlike wonder and fascination.  We will see soon…

[matthenslee]

When the Weight of Pastoring Seems Too Much to Bear

The best job in the world is being a pastor. But I also know there are times when it’s the worst.

I mean, if you want a job where everyone loves you and cheers for you, you might as well buy an ice cream truck and get started.

But for real, pastoring is awesome. You get a front-row seat to see the hand of God at work. You see people released from the bondage of sin, relationships restored, and lives changed or renewed by the gospel you declare.

But it’s also terrible. Why? Because you get a front-row seat to see the enemy at work. You’ll see him prowling about, looking for unsuspecting victims, and going in for the kill.

Marriages will be ripped in two, friends will become enemies, and you may even find your church body in tatters from Satan’s assaults.

It’s Awesome, It’s Terrible, and It’s Totally Worth It

If you’re relying on the awesome to outweigh the terrible to keep you in the fight, I hate to break it to you: it’s not worth it. But if you remember your calling (Ephesians 4:1-16), remember who you’re fighting (Ephesians 6:10-20), and remember Who’s fighting with and for you (Romans 8:18-39), it’s totally worth it.

You see, we pastors tend to put on a nice façade for social media. You see the good in comments like “great crowd today” or “we had four come forward to trust Jesus,” but rarely hear about the bad and the ugly. Pastors don’t post online about the terribly heavy counseling situations they have or members who are sowing discord.

And you know what? I get it. We want to put the best face our church forward, make the most of Jesus on our platforms, and avoid projecting an image of being a Debbie Downer. Plus, there are some things we simply can’t talk about.

In the Shadows of Ministry

There are counseling sessions where you learn a spouse is addicted to porn or struggling with suicidal thoughts. There are counseling sessions where you learn a husband beat his wife or vice versa. Shoot, let’s go all-in; there are times you discover a child has been sexually molested.

You don’t post about these things on social media or talk to your fellow church members about them, well, because you can’t. Beyond the fact that personally sharing some of these issues will make you so sick to your stomach, there’s the whole issue of confidentiality (of course, this doesn’t apply to you immediately contacting and cooperating with police and proper authorities for issues that involve crimes).

But let me let you in on a little secret. Are you listening?

In the shadows of ministry, He is there.

The Shadow of the Almighty

Fellow pastors, church leaders, and whoever else is reading this: when you seem to be in the darkest shadows of ministry when the weight gets too much to bear, you have to remember this. In fact, I encourage you to grab your Bible right now and underline Psalm 91:1.

The one who lives under the protection of the Most High dwells in the shadow of the Almighty.”

I don’t want to get too mushy and gushy here, but think about this. When you step outside today and see your shadow, where is it the darkest? That’s right—in the part closest to you. That’s what I think about when I remember I dwell in the shadow of the Almighty.

Yes, God is always with us…I mean, the Spirit indwells us! But when the shadows of ministry get darker and darker, realize that—in those moments—you’re the closest you can possibly be to the Almighty until you stand before Him in heaven.

Lean in and trust

Trust that God is going to bring sense to the senseless. Trust He’s going to give hope to the hopeless. And for crying out loud, trust He’s never going to leave or forsake you because in the darkest shadows of ministry, He’s right there by your side and is for you.

You see, since we pastors can’t discuss the specifics of the shadows we’re under, no one else truly knows the weight we’re carrying at any given time. But God—He knows. He cares, and He’s closest when you’re in the darkest shadow of ministry.

Take some time to reflect on this, and then do something for me. If you’re a pastor, take a moment right now to look for the first pastor on your Twitter or Facebook feed, pray for them, and send them a message of encouragement.

Church members, stop what you’re doing right now and pray for your pastors. Even if it seems like they have everything together, still pray for them.

They need it more than you’ll ever know.

[kspp]

Where are the Muslim women in Indian Politics?

5 of the 16 Lok Sabhas since independence did not have any Muslim women members. Only 21 Muslim women have been elected to Loksabha till 2014. Till 2010 only 15 Muslim women entered the Rajya Sabha. The patriarchal structure of our society has been one of the major reasons why not just muslim women, but women from all over the country have had this dismal participation rate in politics. This trend continues in the private sector as well…

How will they break the glass ceiling if we continue to build walls of patriarchy around them?

For those asking what would change if there was a representation of Muslim women. I have an interesting proposition for you all. For a moment, let’s go back to 1986. Yes, that’s right, I am talking about the Shah Bano amendment to the Muslim personal law by Rajiv Gandhi’sgovernment.

Imagine having empowered Muslim women in parliament during that time who could have raised their voice, stood their ground, spoke for their rights, and taken up their issue with the government, who probably would have countered the government narrative. Maybe just maybe, that historical blunder could have been averted.

This episode has constantly reminded me of the importance of having representation and diversity at policy-making places, whether in politics, bureaucracy or even in the boardrooms of multinational corporations. One of the main reasons for pursuing public policy at Kautilya has been to learn & understand how we can empower people from marginalized communities, especially women, to get a seat at that decision-making table.

During the stellar orientation week we had at Kautilya, Mr. Asaduddin Owaisi was one of our several prominent guests. So, When I got a chance to ask a question to Mr. Owaisi, I asked him about the lack of visible women leadership in his party. He said his party has women corporators in many places. More importantly, he also agreed that this is an issue which they are working on as a party & that there is a lot more that needs to be done. I appreciate his honesty” because sometimes all you want from leaders is that they own up to their mistakes. I am looking forward to a day when a lady will represent the AIMIM as their spokeswoman on a national prime time debate and will probably lock horns with our warrior anchors. Again this can’t just be about one single party; all parties across the spectrum should encourage more Muslim women.

As Kaifi Azmi says in his legendary poem Aurat “Qadr ab tak teri tarriikh ne jaanii hii nahii, tujh mein shole bhii hain bas ashkfishaanii hi nahi” meaning “History has not known your worth thus far, You have burning embers, too, not merely tears.”

We need to look beyond the image of stereotypical Muslim women in need of a saviour and truly strive to empower them and give them the space they deserve.

Lest we forget, this is the land of Rani Jhansi and Razia Sultan.

[rohitjikumar]

Aaj Tak College of Mass Communication: Shaping the Future of Media Professionals

College of Mass Communication stands as a pioneering institution dedicated to nurturing the next generation of media professionals. Situated at the intersection of academic excellence and industry relevance, the college has earned a reputation for its commitment to shaping the future of media through innovative education and hands-on training.

Located in a vibrant urban setting, VGI College offers a conducive environment for learning, with modern facilities, experienced faculty, and a dynamic curriculum designed to meet the evolving needs of the media industry. From journalism and broadcasting to advertising and public relations, the college provides comprehensive programs that equip students with the knowledge, skills, and ethical framework necessary to succeed in today's media landscape.

Central to the success of VGI College is its faculty, comprised of seasoned professionals, scholars, and industry experts who bring a wealth of experience and expertise to the classroom. Through engaging lectures, practical workshops, and mentorship programs, faculty members not only impart theoretical knowledge but also instill critical thinking, creativity, and professionalism in their students. Their guidance and mentorship play a pivotal role in shaping the aspirations and careers of future media leaders.

The curriculum at VGI College is designed to provide a holistic understanding of mass communication theories, media practices, and technological advancements. With a blend of theoretical knowledge and practical training, students gain hands-on experience in various aspects of media production, storytelling, and audience engagement. Moreover, the college emphasizes the importance of media ethics, social responsibility, and cultural sensitivity, preparing students to navigate the complexities of a diverse and interconnected world.

In addition to classroom learning, VGI College offers numerous opportunities for students to gain real-world experience and professional exposure. Internship programs with leading media organizations, industry

collaborations, and live projects provide students with invaluable hands-on experience and networking opportunities. These experiences not only enhance their practical skills but also help them build a strong professional network and gain insights into the workings of the industry.

Furthermore, VGI College fosters a culture of innovation and creativity, encouraging students to explore new technologies, storytelling techniques, and media platforms. Whether it's experimenting with virtual reality, podcasting, or data journalism, students are encouraged to push the boundaries of traditional media and embrace emerging trends in the industry. The college provides the necessary resources, support, and mentorship to help students turn their ideas into reality and make a meaningful impact in the media landscape.

Beyond academic and professional development, VGI College places a strong emphasis on holistic growth and personal enrichment. Student clubs, cultural events, and extracurricular activities provide students with opportunities to develop leadership skills, teamwork, and cultural awareness. These experiences not only enrich their college experience but also prepare them to be well-rounded individuals capable of making positive contributions to society.

As graduates of VGI College, alumni enter the media industry with a competitive edge, armed with a strong foundation, practical skills, and a network of industry connections. Whether they pursue careers in journalism, broadcasting, advertising, or digital media, they are well-equipped to navigate the challenges and opportunities of the rapidly evolving media landscape. Moreover, they carry with them the values of integrity, professionalism, and social responsibility instilled by their alma mater, making them not just media professionals but also ethical leaders and agents of change.

In conclusion, VGI College of Mass Communication stands as a beacon of excellence in media education, shaping the future of

media professionals who are not only skilled communicators but also ethical leaders, innovators, and global citizens. With its commitment to academic rigor, practical learning, and industry relevance, the college continues to empower students to become catalysts for positive change in the media industry and beyond. As the media landscape evolves and new challenges emerge, VGI College remains steadfast in its mission to equip students with the knowledge, skills, and values needed to thrive in an ever-changing world.

[random-iz-stuff]

Also one last thing idea I’d like to propose here because it’s a massively unused but cool thing: Pre and Post-Battle dialogue.

Think of things like Injustice or JJBA All Star Battle. At the beginning of a match, the characters you’re playing as have some unique dialogue that depends on who they’re fighting against. At the end of the match, the winner also has a bit of unique dialogue.

Also certain costumes change the dialogue. If Zim has an alternate skin that makes him look like Tak, the dialogue will change to have Tak speaking with her own unique dialogue.

That would work really well in a game with all the Nicktoons. Because there’s a lot of possibility there and things to reference.

Just using Invader Zim characters as an example because I’m the Invader Zim blog (and I know more about Invader Zim), you could have:

Zim and Dib being canon enemies.

Zim and Tak finally getting to fight properly.

Zim referencing the Zimvoid if he fights another Zim (bonus points if the other Zim doesn’t know what the Zimvoid is, implying that one is Comic Zim and the other is Enter The Florpus Zim).

Zim displaying interest over Jenny’s robotics or questioning how a human could have made her.

Jenny and Gir. Nuff said.

Dib being extremely eager to fight Danny Phantom because he’s a paranormal investigator encountering a real ghost. Possible threats of dissection.

Zim and Aang having some sort of interaction that references how out-of-universe Invader Zim’s cancelation directly led to the creation of ATLA.

Zim believing that any of the Rugrats (especially Tommy) are Nhar-Gh'ok as a reference to the fact that the leader of the Nhar-Gh'ok was intentionally made to look like Tommy Pickles (the Invader Zim team wanted to make them even more similar and get Tommy’s voice actor as well, but weren’t allowed to go that far).

References to the other Nicktoon crossover games.

Zim and Dib confusing Tak from Tak And The Power Of Juju for their Tak.

Tak (Invader Zim) vs Tak (Tak And The Power Of Juju).

This one is just my own headcanons seeping in but Number 2 fighting Tak and mentioning that he’s already killed his own universe’s Tak.

Complete fucking confusion when any character encounters Garfield.

And more.

yoinking this from twitter cause i want to hear yalls opinions!