#Mixes a detail fate history with history >W>

[valiantlionheart]

                                                                Head canon 

                           The trust of a King that ended in betrayal, but only one anger. 

Richard holds a lot of trust among people, considering how much he’s often time is betrayed for his life by those close to him. He’s willing to forgive them and let the matter slide very easily in the matter, even inviting the one whom had shot the fatal shot to be part of his noble phantasm,  which gives him a rather naive sense of judgement by most as over trusting in seeing good then the bad of things.      The biggest example is that of his blood brother John attempt to usurp the throne. Instead of having his brother be put to death, he forgave him and reasoned that he were still young and foolish.      Then there were the man whom with a frying pan beating arrows away while trying to invade the castle to kill him. Richard just clapped- impressed by the man’s skill and probably humoured of the ability that a pan had been used as a defensive and method attack weaponry.          And then there were the kid ( Pierre Basil ) had shot the near fatal arrow at Richard’s back, instead of allowing him death he in his last few moments, of also calling into orders of giving possession to John,  had pardon the kid and even gave him money.                                          His last wish were to allow this kid to live on.. 

BUT of all the things he cannot forgive is the DISRESPECT of his wish being violated after his DEATH. Richard whom had pardoned the kid, even gave him money, was in the end betrayed and killed ( Flayed and hung) by a close man of his army, the right hand man name Mercadier. Even if it had been an ‘act of vengeance for the king’ it was still an absolute DICK move to Richard’s last wishes who did not want the Kid to die.                Oh- and Richard may have come close to harming his brother too over the matter of Loxley in one story as there were another story of when Loxley had been apparently killed by a Monk, he executed the man for the betrayal of his friends life, whom Loxley had TRUSTED. 

STARES at @unusdesilva for giving more details of the frying pan wielding man ( Give this man a gold star because I AM AMAZED ) and  Mercadier as well of  WHY he were not invited to the Noble Phantasm party and making me realize now why ‘Pierre Basil’ is covered in bandages.

Note: The kid was actually unnamed in the stories, there has been saying that was the name but in most cases the kid is kept unnamed, but because Fate Strange Fake had named Pierre Basil as the Archer whom had shot him, I shall associate the kid as ‘Pierre Basil.’ 

[madame-mongoose]

- Barry is the librarian? May i ask what library?

- Whats Zekira's story? I am enjoying this blorbo

- Is barry like, shunned by the other stars?

- whats the main plot you have going down for your ocs?

- is The pirate killer (the one u drew with the cool dark and saturated pink lighting) one do they have any interactions w/ barry? I know u said they killed zek (?)

- if the above is true is zekira undead in some fashion?

- how did zekira lose their horn?

OOOOH SO MANY GOOD QUESTIONS DUDE THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!

- He is The Librarian!! That's actually his "name". Stars don't have names, only titles. Barry is a nickname given to him by Zeki bc she hated saying "The Librarian". Also to push his buttons. As for the library, it's a pocket dimension that orbits Earth!! The Library hosts all kinds of records of Earth. Most notably the lives of every living creature. When a living being dies, their book is ended and is sent to the library for sorting. It also holds details of Earth's history and creation along with some universal knowledge, but that's all tucked deeeep within the Library. Very difficult to find

- Zekira is actually the main character!! She starts out first mate on her adoptive father's pirate ship!! Her and her father are killed by Cassia and their ship abandoned. But, instead of being consumed by the nothingness of death, she awakes in a strange... Library? It's here she learns that the Librarian, in his desperation to escape, grabbed her book as it fell to his desk and rewrote her fate to bring her there. He promises her immortality if she agrees to help him, and she does! She's a fun loving, snarky, gremlin of a woman. Is very neutral to evil leaning moral wise. She gets worse tho!!! She gets so so much worse, like irredeemable territory worse. I explain a teensy more why a few questions later 😁

- They don't really even know he exists lmao. The Library doesn't get many guests so no chance of meeting one there. And the only notable thing he ever did was throw that meteor, but others only remember the aftermath not the idiot that caused it.

- So!! We start the narrative off with Zekira as first mate of a pirate ship she’s lived on all her life. I want there to be some pirate adventures to get a feel of her character and introduce some world building concepts, most importantly the religion and magic system. Along with side characters and the captain, her adoptive father. Their ship gets raided at some point and the captain is murdered. Zeki is cornered and killed as well. But instead of dying she wakes up in this weird… Library, The Librarian has been stuck in the Library for a few million years now. Sorting book after book. Each one detailing the entire life of every living creature on earth. He hates it. Being Librarian was his punishment for sending the meteor that killed the dinosaurs. One day, he gets the idea to try and change the texts on one of the books. Maybe summon someone who can help free him from his prison. By sheer luck, if that’s what you wanna call it, he pulls Zekira’s book. They make a deal that Zekira is granted immortality and in return she will find the pieces of the key to open the library doors and free him. What Zekira doesn’t know is that the magic that revives her every time she dies is incompatible with her biology. See there are two types of creatures. Celestial and Terrestrial. These magics CANNOT mix. They’re like polar opposites and can create horrible paradoxes if forced together. Every time she dies, the celestial magic keeping her body together gets more and more overpowering, altering her down to her very core…

- CASSIA!! MY BELOVED!!! She doesn't!! The only two characters so far that actually interact with him are Zeki and Halley. She doesn't have the ability to travel there like they do.

- She is!! As I explained above

- Make your best guess!!

[voidingintotheshout]

Black History Month Public Domain Reading List

I’d seen a list floating around the internet with links to pirated books by black writers of note for black history month. I felt that it was problematic to be sharing something that’s disenfranchising black writers when there are a lot of great books by black writers to read that are in the public domain and free to read. I compiled this list of books by various black writers of note with descriptions and links to a site to download them onto your devices. The site is Project Gutenberg, the original e-book site, releasing ebooks since, surprisingly, 1971.

Slave Narratives & Other Writings

Up from Slavery: An Autobiography by Booker T. Washington (A Memoir). This is his personal experience of having to work to rise up from the position of a slave child during the Civil War, to the difficulties and obstacles he overcame to get an education at the new Hampton Institute, to his work establishing vocational schools—most notably the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama—to help black people and other disadvantaged minorities learn useful, marketable skills and work to pull themselves, as a race, up by the bootstraps. It’s worth knowing that Washington was a segregationist, and so some of his views may surprise modern readers. http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/2376

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave by Frederick Douglass (A Memoir). It is generally held to be the most famous of a number of narratives written by former slaves during the same period. In factual detail, the text describes the events of his life and is considered to be one of the most influential pieces of literature to fuel the abolitionist movement of the early 19th century in the United States. http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/23

Narrative of William W. Brown, a Fugitive Slave by William Wells Brown (A Memoir). A wonderfully gripping slave narrative that’s the length of a novella. The matter-of-fact, almost journalistic way in which the writer describes the horrors he saw and experienced really hits home. http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/15132

Clotelle; Or, The Colored Heroine, a tale of the Southern States; Or, The President’s Daughter by William Wells Brown (A Novel). This book tells a fictional story of what the life would be like for the mixed-race daughter of founding father and president Thomas Jefferson and slave Sally Hemings. http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/241

The Souls of Black Folk by W. E. B. Du Bois (Essays). The book contains several essays on race, some of which the magazine Atlantic Monthly had previously published. To develop this work, Du Bois drew from his own experiences as an African American in American society. Outside of its notable relevance in African-American history, The Souls of Black Folk also holds an important place in social science as one of the early works in the field of sociology. In The Souls of Black Folk, Du Bois used the term "double consciousness", perhaps taken from Ralph Waldo Emerson ("The Transcendentalist" and "Fate"), applying it to the idea that black people must have two fields of vision at all times. They must be conscious of how they view themselves, as well as being conscious of how the world views them. http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/408

Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral by Phillis Wheatley (Poetry). She was the first African-American author of a published book of poetry. Born in West Africa, she was sold into slavery at the age of seven or eight and transported to North America. She was enslaved by the Wheatley family of Boston. After she learned to read and write, they encouraged her poetry when they saw her talent. On a 1773 trip to London with her master's son, seeking publication of her work, Wheatley met prominent people who became patrons. The publication in London of her Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral on September 1, 1773, brought her fame both in England and the American colonies. Figures such as George Washington praised her work. A few years later, African-American poet Jupiter Hammon praised her work in a poem of his own. Wheatley was emancipated by her masters shortly after the publication of her book. They soon died, and she married poor grocer John Peters, lost three children, and died in poverty and obscurity at the age of 31. http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/409

Alexandre Dumas’ Writings

Many don’t know this, but he was the grandson of a French Nobleman and a Haitian slave woman. Writing in the 1800’s, his work is characterized as adventure novels and page-turners with beautiful descriptions that rarely steal the show from the plot.

The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas is a standalone book that sets up his D'Artagnan Romances (pronounced Dar-tan-yun, by the way). Romantic in the sense of vivid and sentimental in tone, the stories have captivated generations all over the world. https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1257

The Count of Monte Cristo (Illustrated) by Alexandre Dumas is one of the best adventure tales of revenge that spans decades, as our hero unfolds a tale of revenge that includes prison breaks, fabulous wealth, hedonism, and much more.  https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1184

The Black Tulip by Alexandre Dumas is one of his shorter novels that takes place amid murder and intrigue in a world where tulips were more valuable than gold. A good read, but not as gripping as the above two books, but great if you don’t want to be on the hook for a thousand pages of description and action. https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/965

Zora Neale Hurston’s Writings

She was an American author, anthropologist, and filmmaker. She portrayed racial struggles in the early-1900s American South and published research on hoodoo. The most popular of her four novels is Their Eyes Were Watching God, published in 1937. She also wrote more than 50 short stories, plays, and essays. Her writings are known for their noticeable focus on vernacular speech, where character spoke as they would during that place and time.

Three Plays by Zora Neale Hurston (Lawing & Jawing, Forty Yards, & Woofing). Lawing and Jawing is about a "regal" Judge who having a rough morning sends everybody to jail. He adjourns the court so he can "escort" a pretty girl home since he sent her innocent boyfriend to jail. Forty Yards is all about the teams cheering and singing. Every step is a song. The game is just an excuse to sing, even when the place catches fire they sing. Woofing is about a procrastinating man who doesn't finish anything and when a marching band goes past his porch, he and all his cronies drop everything to follow the band. http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/17187

The Mule-Bone: by Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston. (Novella) The only collaboration between the two brightest lights of the Harlem Renaissance—Zora Neale Hurston and Langston Hughes. In this hilarious story, Jim and Dave are a struggling song-and-dance team, and when a woman comes between them, chaos ensues in their tiny Florida hometown.

http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/19435

De Turkey and De Law by Zora Neale Hurston. The two friends from The Mule-Bone, Jim and Dave are back again and so is Daisy. These two friends become enemies because they both imagine that Daisy prefers himself over the other. They both go out to hunt a turkey to give Daisy. The two young men fight over the turkey and one gets hit with a mule bone from the same old mule from the other play.

http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/22146

[thiswaycomessomethingwicked]

so @ahufflepuffhobbit  tagged me in the First Line game which is great. :D I think I’ll probably end up doing a mix of fic and original writing.

Rules are: List the first lines of your last 20 stories (if you have less than 20, just list them all!). See if there are any patterns. Choose your favorite opening line.

God this got long: 

Cycles of Song (lotr, boromir/aragorn): Men who dream by daylight with eyes open are the most dangerous, Denethor said. It was after a council meeting and Denethor was wanting for the sun so they were in his favourite courtyard looking southward over the city. 

Hungry Ghosts (original, in progress): The birth chart must be drawn up with care if it’s to be accurate. A city’s history, though, can be as variable as the water’s of the planet. 

Palmdale (original, w/ sinking city review): Ruth wants to clutch entrails. Death is final and lacks decorum. She cannot walk back from this scene with its burnt coffee smell of off-brand hazelnut, its sound of screen door flapping in breeze. Praise Jesus this be a consumptive country; surely it will drown her.

be not afraid of plenty (lotr, grima/eomer): It’s a filthy winter. A filthy, filthy cold winter. Everything that is about to unfold is winter’s fault.

My Land is Bare (lotr, boromir/aragorn): It is in dusk’s purple blanket when Boromir stops running. Hands on knees he calls out, ‘I think I see something.’ This brings the other three to a halt. Aragorn is at his side and they’re being strange and shy so not looking at each other. 

Pale Before the Fall (original, complete & being pitched): Once upon a time, Napoleon saw a dog howling over its master’s body. He looked at it and as he stepped forward his foot went through a man’s face. Half the skull missing from cannon shot.

I’ve been fucking dinosaurs in an effort to reclaim my ability to transform into a velociraptor (original, forthcoming in Humber Literary Review): A velociraptor lives under my bed. His name is Claw and I turn into him if I jump three times. Or he becomes me.

Sweet is the Air (lotr, boromir/aragorn): ‘Did you forget?’ Aragorn asks.  ‘I didn’t,’ Boromir says. 

Naming the World (lotr, boromir/aragorn): North of Minas Tirith there are a series of interconnected ponds, fearsomely ringed in fog, Boromir was taken to them as a child. They were foreign to him, at the time, only eight years old and uncertain. He gripped the pommel of childish sword as his father led him away from men and horses into mist. 

This multiplicity (star wars, Tarkin/Krennic): Krennic falls. He knows moving one part of your body will cause you to flip because trajectory is overly affected by such minutia when in free fall. He twists, slightly, and yes, flips, so he is falling face first towards the planet’s incredibly firm surface.

The Lament of Geography (original, in progress): The Beginning was discovered in an outcropping of chalk at the border of her father’s fields. Bellefry and her sister had been at work digging up tubers to throw at one another when her hand trawl’s wooden spade hit something. 

To-morrow and to-morrow (discworld, vetinari/downey): Every year at the Assassin’s Guild the seventh form is required to put on a play of their teacher’s choosing. Most often, it’s something with a good deal of blood as Guild teachers know what keeps their students’ attention and it’s generally endemic violence, witty one-liners, brutal executions, rolicking brawls, and vile political machinations. 

Every creature responds to light (discworld, vetinari/downey): Downey once saw a man get his head blown off a mishap with fireworks he was ten years old the man was older, twenty or twenty-five, his head became crushed persimmons on cobblestones. His head became overripe strawberries caught in fingers a sticky summer afternoon spent with his grandmother and his mother a ghost in the background washing fine, thin china edges coloured Agatean blue. 

To Conjure a Man (discworld, vetinari/downey): They were loved. This is clear in many burial sites exhumed by archeologists and, occasionally, farmers, carpenters, the Watch. There will be signs that the dead were tended to, cared for, and left with different objects they were understood to need in the afterlife.

Thus, Always  (discworld, vetinari/downey): History is a cyclic poem written by time upon our memories. Take assassination as key example. There was the first assassination on the Disc. The details of it do not matter, only the fact that it happened. All assassinations after all are performances. They are theatered mimicry of the first.

The Mask of the Ordinary (discworld, vetinari/downey): One of life’s unexpected turn-ups was the time I found myself living with Vetinari when we were in our mid-twenties. While the fact that the Patrician attended the Assassins Guild is well known much of his early years are a blank slate for the denizens of this fine city. A state of affairs I believe Vetinari to be rather keen on maintaining. Naturally, I am here to put a small cat amongst the metaphorical pigeons.

A Year Out of Order (discworld, vetinari/downey): August, it always starts here although this is not the new year it ought to be. There should be a celebration like that Small God’s Eve but Small Mercies Eve or Small Miracles Eve. They do not call the days that allowed Vetinari to become Patrician a revolution or a rebellion or a revolt. A man for subtlety it simply was he was not there then he was. If you blink, you missed it.

Propagating Structure (star wars, Tarkin/Krennic): As a child Krennic once read that nothing enjoys the process of entropy, although it is unavoidable and the ultimate fate of everything including the universe. The universe most especially. Of course being hit with a laser from a machine of your own (mostly your own) creation is another level of something-literary-that-he-forgot-along-the-way entirely. Inertia is the end goal. Regardless of the means of getting there. Inertia. Nothing likes that either.

Wrack and Ruin (historical, Napoleon/Wellington): Getting to America wasn't the difficult bit. Which is, perhaps, the most shocking part to both parties involved. That it had taken so little to catapult them across the Atlantic. 

no more a desolate thing (discworld, vetinari/downey): Vetinari is considering language, a hardly unusual occurrence, and he is deep in hazy recollections of ancient Ankh-Morporkian and modern Klatchian and the nature of vernacular languages in their relationship with the State.

I was trying to see themes or patterns and I suppose it’s mostly style. I tend to start with firm statements or action. Also, I think my writing of opening lines could be called muscular. Not all, of course, but it’s enough to be a thread. 

My favourite? Probably Palmdale, Cycles of Song, Mask of the Ordinary and Palmdale. But it’s hard to choose a favourite - I can certainly say which are not my favourites haha (looking at you Propagating Structure and No More a Desolate Thing). 

I’ll tag a few people: @pipuhattar and @becumsh @tatzelwyrm @tauremornalome @squadron-of-damned @suburbanbeatnik 

I have followers & mutuals who may be writers and I’m unaware of it so if you want to do it please consider yourselves tagged!

[officialao3fandomlastforever]

Fandom Reviews: Dusk Maiden of Amnesia

“It’s tough being the president of a school club. It’s tougher being the club president and dead.”

So, a little thing about me. I’m a major baby. I have a hard time watching horror. I either need someone else in the room with me, or I have to have Foundflix or Dead Meat’s Kill Count playing in the background while I’m focusing majorly on something else. This way I’m in a position to leave if it becomes too much.  The only time I seem to be able to stomach it is when I take a few days to brace myself, when I’m spoiled to hell and back on when the worst scenes happen, or when its animated in a matter that doesn’t look very close to real life to some major degree. Other than that, I can’t handle horror very often. 

Luckily for me, Dusk Maiden of Amnesia is a perfect balance of supernatural phenomenon, romance, comedy, and horror elements mixed into a story of friendship, love, and healing. And it sure is one hell of a fun ride. 

 Hello everyone, my name is Fandom, and welcome to my review of Dusk Maiden of Amnesia (Tasogare Otome X Amnesia). 

SPOILERS AHEAD AS WELL AS DISCUSSIONS OF DEATH, HORROR ELEMENTS WITH POTENTIALLY DISTURBING IMAGERY, ANIME-TYPICAL FANSERVICE, HUMAN-GHOST ROMANCE, AND TRAUMA. 

THE STORY: Directed by Shin Ōnuma (Ef: Tale of Memories/Melodies, Baka and Test, Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya), Takashi Sakamoto

Teiichi Niiya is a first year who attends Seikyou Private Academy, a school with over 60 years of history and mysteries, and has been added to so much that its easy to get lost in the crisscross of old and new buildings. One day, when he ends up lost in the old building, Teiichi comes across the ghost of a young girl named Yuuko Kanoe, who has lost all memory of her life leading up to her death. The two decide to investigate Yuuko’s past by starting up the Paranormal Investigation Club. Aided by two other members of the club, hyperactive occult fan Momoe Okonogi and Yuuko’s grand-niece Kirie Kanoe, they all strive to uncover the Seven Mysteries of Seikyou, and hopefully help Yuuko find her missing memories.

Where on earth do I even begin with this story. The concept alone is enough to hook one in, and the interactions between the characters and their connections are a great reason to stay invested. 

Every little detail about the Seven Mysteries all build on top of each other like a Lego building, all interconnecting into something bigger until you get to the answer of why Yuuko lost her memories. And when you finally learn the truth, it breaks your heart deeply. A story of sacrifice, illness, anger, trauma, and deep compassion. Of coming to terms with the worst parts of yourself and finding love for yourself and for others. 

The one thing that’ll probably make or break some people on sticking with this story though, sadly, is the fanservice, oggling, and groping. Most of it makes sense in context, since a majority involves Yuuko, who is incredibly touch starved (and easily aroused at times) and desires human contact desperately, as well as Okonogi, who sometimes is caught staring at her club mates out of some level of attraction as well as offering them the chance to touch her. However, there are some moments of fanservice, particularly episodes 5 and 6 during their school festival arc and in the OVA, where it can get uncomfortable. It’s a bit of a ‘your mileage may vary’ situation.

However, if you can look past those moments, I promise, you’ll be in for a tale you won’t regret watching to the end. 

THE CHARACTERS

Okay, I don’t have much to say about her, but I want everyone to promise me that you’ll cherish the angel that is Momoe Okonogi.

I have never met a more excited and kind-hearted girl in anime. If you want to know what happens if you cast Luigi as a genki-girl, this is the result. She lives for the mysteries of the paranormal, even if they terrify her. She admires her club friends, is incredibly confident, and so very supportive when she learns about Teiichi and Yuuko’s relationship. I just. She’s wonderful.

Kirie is probably going to be a bit of a mixed bag for everyone. She can be a bit of a jerk at times, and her inability to be straightforward with her feelings can be frustrating. However, deep down she’s a good person, caring deeply for her friends and wanting Teiichi and Yuuko to succeed in their quest to recover her memories. Plus, she makes an amazing straight-man to Momoe’s more zany personality, as well as acting as a voice of reason when dealing with the supernatural. Her insecurities and determination are incredibly relatable, and she’s arguably the most down to earth character in the entire cast. She’s a great member of the club and a nice balance between all the other characters. 

Teiichi is another character I really don’t have much to say on because overall, he’s an okay protagonist. He’s smart, he does his best, is kind, and gets bashful around girls. However, he doesn’t really stand out much until the halfway point of the anime, and at times can act more as a viewer insert as opposed to an active character. But, I will say this, his love for Yuuko is genuine, and you can tell he truly wants to do right by her. 

And the Dusk Maiden herself?

She makes this show. 

She’s wise. She’s naive. She’s smart. She’s an airhead. She’s clingy and wants people to spend time with her. She’s distant and wants everyone to leave her alone. She’s flirty and lustful. She’s nervous and easily embarrassed. She’s the most alive character in the show. She’s a ghost. 

Yuuko is a walking contradiction, but she’s compelling and entertaining. After being all alone for 60 years, she finally has two people who can see her, Teiichi and Kirie (Momoe can’t see her and this is a running gag). As we watch her interact with the others in search of answers to her past, we can see why she would fall for Teiichi, why she makes the choices she does, and how she came to be this kind of person. And when we learn exactly how she died and how her body ended up in the old school building, its heartbreaking to watch. 

Alive, Yuuko was a kind, patient, compassionate girl who did her best to love everyone. An amazing older sister who put others first, even if they weren’t her family. And to see what was done to her is just soul crushing.

In death, she just wants to be free of pain, a feeling that causes her to lock her memories away. To the point where even just coming close to remembering causes her to panic. So she avoids it, even if she doesn’t mean to. The story is ultimately a look into her trauma, how it affected her, and watching her grow and try her best to accept it and move on. 

Yuuko is an amazing character, and I feel like everyone who meets her will love her. 

SOUND AND ANIMATION

Okay, let’s get this out of the way.

This anime is fucking gorgeous. 

The fluid motions of the characters are amazing. Everyone has a distinct way of moving that feels natural and unique. You can easily tell who is who. And the backgrounds for the series are breathtaking. Each one can be taken and used as a desktop wallpaper on its own. They really took the “Dusk” concept and went all out and it shows. There’s so much love and care put into every frame. 

And when they want to draw attention to the supernatural elements and the horror aspects, the color shifts are seamless and fitting, and you’re given a perfectly eerie piece of eyecandy that fits whatever scene is being presented.

The opening and endings are fantastic. Each have a slightly haunting element to them, and both perfectly encapsulate the character of Yuuko, as she’s featured singing some of the lines of both songs. 

And the OST for this anime is worth its weight in gold. The most iconic piece being the insert song Requiem, which is so enchanting and bittersweet, you’ll be using it a lot when you need just the right balance of spooky and romantic. 

The dub is relatively decent as far as Sentai Filmworks dubs go, as those are notorious for being hit and miss. However, the biggest issue in terms of enjoyment will be Brittney Karbowski’s performance as Okonogi, as she does do a lot of high pitched squealing that can be a little grating at times. Also, you’ll need to have subtitles on for anything that isn’t being verbally spoken. But if you’re wondering if Subs or Dubs is better, it’s a pick your preference situation. 

FINAL THOUGHTS

I love this show. I love the characters. I love the mystery. I love how everyone grows. The animation. The spirit. There’s a certain elegance here in how the romance between a human and a ghost is told that you don’t see anywhere else, and its a love story filled with light hearted fun and suspenseful drama. And it’s a show I wish got more attention, because I honestly feel there’s more than enough here for anyone to enjoy. Even with the fanservice this show has. 

However, I’m well aware that fanservice can be a bit much for some people, and horror may not be your cup of tea either. If those aren’t your forte, that’s perfectly okay. 

But I do think this series is absolutely worth every minute of spooks and spells. 

So with careful consideration, this anime is going to get a bit of a asterisk to it. Secondary rating will be put at the bottom of the review. 

I, Fandom, present Dusk Maiden of Amnesia with a rating of ‘Certified Classic’*, a rating reserved only for the best of the best, and series I believe need all the attention they can get. 

As of this review, on January 6, 2020, the series is currently available for legal streaming over on Crunchyroll and VRV, and you can pick up a dvd/bluray copy from Sentai Filmworks if you feel so inclined. 

Thank you all for reading and I hope you all have a wonderful day.

**This anime also gets a rating of Stream It due to fanservice and horror elements that may be uncomfortable for some viewers. 

[star-crossedfidelity]

~ What Could Have been ~

Mun!Yuki: It has been finished. And I cannot wait anymore. So I’m uploading it now because I consider this one of my greatest works. There are some references, which I hope some of you get because I had so much fun with this fic. This story is an AU. It’s an AU I’ve thought about for a while. I’ve asked myself: What would happen if Karlheinz never messed with Ruki’s or Hisoka’s lives? What if Ruki remained an aristocratic human, and Hisoka grew up with a normal childhood? Living in an alternate world with a perfect life of normalcy and ignorance to the unknown.. Would tragedy still be an unavoidable fate for Hisoka Kuroi?

Please enjoy! :)

Word Count:  4196

~

“And here is where lived the aristocratic family of the man who was highly respected in the political world here in Romania.”

A yawn escaped the rosy lips of a young woman with long, golden locks. “Kuroi-san, are you alright?” A girl beside her, wearing a uniform very much like the one the fair maiden is wearing at this very moment, questioned with an expression filled with worry. “Huh?” The blonde turned her head to the worried girl and gave her an assuring smile. “Yes, I’m okay; I’m just a little tired from the time difference between Japan and Romania, I’m not used to traveling.” A giggle escaped from her lips before adding, “Also, you can just call me ‘Hisoka’. We’re classmates after all, aren’t we?”

Kuroi Hisoka.

A seventeen year old intellectual, Daughter of the CEO of Heavenly Velleity, Mamoru Kuroi, and famous ballerina, Katsumi Kuroi, and 2nd year student of the prestigious all-girl’s school, Serena Academy, earning her the position as Class Representative.

Bright, bubbly, and hard-working, Hisoka is known for being well-liked by her peers and her teachers. She is also popular for her loyalty in completing her tasks as Class Representative.

In the public eye, Hisoka Kuroi was the ideal student.

“Okay.. Um.. Hisoka-san.. I’ve been meaning to ask you something, if you don’t mind me asking, of course.” The classmate blushes in embarrassment

“Oh? What is it?” Hisoka tilted her head in confusion to her classmate, as her curiosity arose. “W-Well..” Her classmate twirled her fingers as she began to ask her question. “You’re so popular with not only everyone in school, but also in other schools.. Do you have a boyfriend?”

The blonde could only blink in confusion, as she tried to wrap her thoughts around, coming up with a proper answer to the question asked. “Hmm.. Actually, I’ve never thought about it..” Hisoka answered honestly. “Eh?!” Her classmate’s eyes shot wide in surprise. “Well not only is my Dad protective of me, but I guess the reason why I never thought about it is because.. I’m waiting, I guess.”

Hisoka’s classmate looks at the blonde in confusion, “Waiting?” she asked. Hisoka smiles and nods, “Yup! When I was little, I’ve always admired the love my parents share. They are, like, the total polar opposites of each other, yet they’re very much in love and make their relationship work somehow. I guess I just want a love just like theirs. That’s why I’m waiting until I feel that same spark that my parents feel about each other.”

After finishing, Hisoka noticed her classmate staring at her in awe. “That’s very admirable, Hisoka-san.” This compliment made Hisoka blush and giggle. “It’s nothing, hehe!”

“Kuroi-san!”

Hisoka froze and faced forward to the teacher and the guide, feeling the eyes of her other classmates on her as well. “Y-Yes?!” She straightened, trying to act calm despite being caught. “May you please repeat what this is?” The Teacher points down to a glassed case; Hisoka looked inside the case carefully: It was a blue, hard-covered book.

While gazing upon it, and felt a strange feeling of familiarity, Hisoka answers without hesitation. “This book once belonged to the politician himself.” Before she realized it, the blonde was answering about the book in minute detail to the very last bit, amazing everyone in the room. “V-Very good…” Her teacher gasped, “L-let’s continue on, shall we?” The guide stuttered.

Blinking at what just happened, Hisoka couldn’t help but stare down at the book. ‘What was..? It felt like my mouth was speaking on it’s own.. How did I even know all of that..? Besides the textbooks, I’m not that into books.. So why..?’

“You seem very interested in this book, Miss.”

The blonde jumped in surprise and turned to an elderly man. “O-Oh! I apologize! I did not mean to- um.. I should go back to my group.” Hisoka bowed her head apologetically to the old man, who chuckles. “Of course, Miss; But.. what group?” He questioned.

‘Huh?’

Hisoka looked around. Besides the man, Hisoka could not find anyone else around. “Oh no…!” She gasped as she began to look around frantically, “I’m lost?!”

“It is quite alright, Miss.” The elderly man looked to the book, “Are you an AVID reader?” He questioned. From hearing his question, Hisoka stopped and looked to the man before looking back to the book within the case.

“N-Not really.. But if I must be honest, I can’t help but find this one here interesting.” She confesses, her sapphire orbs continue to gaze upon the book. “You are quite an honest young lady.” The old man smiled. Hisoka blushed and bowed her head, hiding her shy smile, “T-Thank you, sir.”

“May I ask for your name, Miss?” The man asked. “O-Oh! My name is Hisoka Kuroi. A pleasure to meet you.. Um…” The blonde trailed off, realizing she does not know the man’s name. “Oh, where are my manners!” The mysterious fellow chuckles, “My name is Andrei; I am the caretaker of this estate.”

“OH! It is an honor to meet you, sir!” Hisoka bows her head repeatedly, stopping as soon as Andrei started laughing; Making the girl blush in embarrassment once again. “You are a very amusing girl, Miss Kuroi!”

“T-thank.. You…?” The blonde was speechless. Was it really that fun to tease her? ‘What a strange old man.’ She thought. “Here.” Andrei takes out a key from his coat pocket and starts to unlock the case, taking out the book before handing it to Hisoka. “Take it.” He said. “W-What?!” Hisoka exclaims, “O-Oh no, sir! I couldn’t! I know I said I was fascinated with the book, but it belongs here in the estate!”

Andrei chuckles, “I am aware of that; However, I cannot help but get this feeling that this book would be in much safer hands with you.”

‘Safer hands?’

“So please.” Andrei insisted.

While still feeling conflicted, Hisoka let out a defeated sigh and accepted the book, holding it close to her chest. “I will treasure it, Sir.” She bows her head again.

She still couldn’t understand why. Why did she feel so attached to this book in particular? Why did she care so much? She has never seen this book before.

“Would you like me to help escort you back to your group?” Andrei offered. “If it is not an issue, please; But if I do that, I would miss the rest of what was on the tour.” Hisoka began to mumble to herself, “As class representative, that would be really bad..”

“Oh, so you are the class representative?” Andrei smiled, “In that case, I can give you a quick tour around the estate; I will explain everything about your disappearance to your teacher.” Hisoka’s eyes widen, sparkling. “Really?! Is that really alright?! I mean, if you don’t mind, of course! But I would really appreciate it, Sir!”

Andrei chuckles at the sparkling within the blonde’s eyes, and nods. “I would be honored to be your tour guide in this estate, Miss Kuroi.”

Hisoka beamed and smiled in excitement. “Thank you so much, sir!!” The elder nods, “Shall we, Miss Kuroi?” Hisoka followers behind Andrei and nods, “Yes sir!”

From there, Andrei began to show the blonde around. Throughout the tour, Hisoka learned a lot of new things. For some reason, Hisoka’s new-founded curiosity transforms into an extreme thirst for knowledge about the aristocratic family. She honestly didn’t expect herself to be so engrossed with this family’s history; Hisoka mostly went to this trip as part of her job as class representative.

But this tour by Andrei made this whole experience a lot more fun!

After a while, it was time for a break in the living room of the estate.

“Is it really alright to take a break here?” Hisoka questioned, worriedly as she looked around cautiously. “It’s quite alright, as long as you are invited by me.” Andrei assures, “Would you like tea or coffee, Miss Kuroi?”

“Oh, I would like some te-” The blond-haired girl immediately stopped herself, before answering quietly, “Actually, Coffee sounds nice, please.” The elder man nodded. “Of course, please wait here for a moment.”

As Andrei excuses himself, Hisoka herself was left alone to place a hand upon her lips, looking downward in confusion.

What is going on with her today? First, she became enchanted by a book; Second, She has kept many mental notes on this family; And now, She is choosing coffee over tea?

She doesn’t read a lot of books besides her textbooks, she doesn’t exactly care for family affairs, and she doesn’t even drink coffee!

So what’s going on?

“Here is your coffee, Miss.”

Being brought back to reality by Andrei’s voice, Hisoka snapped out of thought and turned to Andrei himself, holding a cup of coffee out to her. “I wasn’t certain if you prefer your coffee black or with sugar and cream; So I chose the latter for you.” Andrei added, “I hope it is to your liking, Miss Kuroi.”

Blinking a few times before realizing what was happening, Hisoka gasped and carefully took the coffee, bowing her head with gratitude. “Y-Yes, thank you very much! This is perfect!” She looked at the coffee and blew into the teacup to cool the temperature before taking a sip. Unlike her past experiences with coffee, Hisoka can taste the sweetness from the sugar mixed with the cream.

The taste held a strange sense of familiarity.

“.. It’s delicious.. Thank you so much.” Without realizing it, Hisoka lips curled into a gentle smile from the sweet taste of the coffee.

Andrei chuckles, “You look content. I’m happy the coffee is to your liking.”

Noticing the smile upon her face, Hisoka blushes shyly and averts her eyes, nodding her head slightly. “U-um.. Sir-”

“Miss Kuroi, it is alright to call me by my first name.” Andrei assures. “Oh, I couldn’t..” Hisoka trails off, becoming silent before asking quietly. “... I-Is it really okay?”

“Of course.” The elder man nodded with a gentle smile. Initially hesitant, Hisoka took a deep breath and exhales into a sigh. “Then, Andrei… May I ask you something?” She asked. “Of course, Miss Kuroi; Is there something wrong?” Andrei questioned. “No, no, nothing is wrong! I’m just curious.. I want to know about you.” The blonde looked into the older man’s eyes.

“Me?” He questioned. “Yes. You’ve taught me so much about this estate and made this whole tour so much fun for me, and you even gave me this book. But I have a feeling that you know more about the family history than any ordinary caretaker would.” Hisoka explained.

Silence filled the room, until it was broken by a quiet chuckle from Andrei.

“You are the first person to notice that, Miss Kuroi.” His gentle smile turns sentimental. Hisoka took another sip as she prepares to listen.

“You are correct. The truth is, I am actually a descendant of this family.” Andrei confessed. Hisoka nodded her head. She had a feeling that it could have been the case. It only made sense. If he entrusted her with the book and told her a lot more information about this family than the tourist did, then he must’ve been more than just a simple caretaker here. “But if you are, why are you only the caretaker here? Do you not own this estate?” She asked. “This estate holds a valuable history that I want people to see. It’s very close to my heart. I may be the caretaker, but someday this estate will be past down to my grandson when he is old enough, since he is still a young child right now.” Andrei took out a locked pendant from inside his coat and opens it up to show the blonde. Inside was a picture of Andrei, a beautiful elderly woman, and a young boy that looks to be around the age of six. “His parents passed when he was still an infant. So my wife and I decided to take him in and adopt him. His name is Adam.” Hisoka couldn’t help but smile as she saw the picture. She has always had a soft spot for children and it was always such a blessing to her that she was well-liked by them as well. “He is really adorable.. I’m so sorry for your loss..” Hisoka couldn’t imagine what it was like losing a family member. She remembered having a grandmother when she was a child, but she passed before she could even meet her. Her parents never told her why.

“Thank you very much, Miss Kuroi; The pain is still there, but I wouldn’t know what to do without my wife and Adam.” The elderly man chuckled as he gazes at the image within the pendent of the smiling faces of his wife and grandson, before placing it back inside his coat.

“I’m sure I have told you about the aristocrat and his family, correct?” He questioned. “Yes, there was a son whom was so spoiled to a point of torturing servants for fun.” Hisoka answered. When she heard that story, the blonde initially wished that she could’ve chastised the boy into having better manners; However, for some reason, she felt that maybe there must be a reason for his actions as she couldn’t bring herself to hate him, despite the son being a brat.

Andrei nodded, “Yes.. that’s what it was like… at first..” Hisoka raised an eyebrow. “At first?” She questioned. “He was a troublemaker that took pleasure in humiliating others, yes.. But something happened when he was young.” Andrei looked up into the air, as if recalling a memory, “He started to receive nightmares, highly horrific for a child at his age at the time… Until one day, He stopped.” The elderly man paused before continuing again, “He stopped treating the servants harshly, and began to behave more like an adult. He took up learning how to clean, cook, and picked up the hobby of reading books from the library. He even began to carry around that book I entrusted to you wherever he goes. Whenever he was asked about the sudden change of heart by the servants or even his parents, he never gave a direct answer. That it was his secret.”

‘His secret…’ For some reason, Hisoka slightly blushed and felt her heart race. Why is she feeling like this? In kanji, her name meant ‘Secret’.. Could that be why? Hisoka shook her head slightly, ‘Don’t be stupid, Hisoka. He said it was a secret. It could just be a coincidence. Enough with the Main Character Syndrome, this isn’t a manga.’

Dismissing her racing heart, the blonde focused back to the elder man. “Wow… what were his nightmares like?” Hisoka asked. “What I can remember, I believe one of them was being shot on sight and branded…” Andrei answered. ‘Wait a minute…’ Hisoka blinked twice in confusion before asking, “How do you know this? You knew him when he was alive? If you are a descendant, then does that mean..?”

Trailing off, Hisoka felt heart break.

“If you were questioning if he was my grandfather, he was actually my granduncle.” Andrei chuckled. ‘His granduncle..?!’ Hisoka gasped, “Wait, so you must be the grandson of-?” She remembers this. She remember reading that there was another son besides the spoiled one. “Yes; When he was still a child, my granduncle couldn’t help but want a little brother; He used to be content about being an only child until his change of heart. Since then, He’s been eager to become an older brother. In the end, his parents gave birth to another son.. my grandfather.” The elder explained. “Although, even though my great-grandfather was always so kind to even me as a child when he was still alive, I always felt there was a bridge between him and I. It was the same with him and my grandfather too.”

“A bridge? How come? From what I heard, he was a very generous man that loved his family.” Hisoka questioned. How could he feel a bridge between himself and the man known for being so loving? “I’m not sure myself.. However, I was told that ever since my grandfather was young, He would often be told that he took after his mother more than his father. It remains a mystery to me to this very day.” Within Andrei’s gentle eyes was clouding an emotion that Hisoka could only identify as a tint of sadness. “Sometimes.. I even question if he really was my great-grandfather to begin with…” Hisoka couldn’t help but be silent before asking another question in hopes to change the topic, “I see.. So from what you’ve told me, you seem to be very close with your granduncle.”

He certainly knew things about his granduncle for someone who also mentioned nothing about why the sudden change of heart when his servants and his own parents questioned it. “Actually, I was. He was strict and always considered to be a cold-hearted person, but..” While Andrei was about to continue, the blonde herself finished his sentence without noticing. “He was still a kind person inside, even if he says otherwise.”

The man’s eyes widened in surprise, and so did Hisoka’s when she realized what she has done. “S-Sorry! I didn’t mean to-! I just-!” This lead to Andrei to burst out laughing, leaving the blonde dumbfounded. “That’s right! You’re absolutely right! I have only told you a small description about him, but it was like you already knew what kind of person he was!”

A blush crept upon Hisoka’s face, “C-Continue please..! I will keep quiet!” She insisted. The laughter from the elder man died down and he continues on. “My granduncle was a strange man. Even now, I can’t understand what he was thinking about. But when he reached the age of 18, He refused to marry any of the suitors presented to him.”

“Wait, but at that time, wasn’t he supposed to marry in order to produce an heir?” The girl questioned. “Yes it was. But he insisted that he didn’t want any of them; Apparently, he already had a woman he loved.” Andrei answered. “H-he did..? Then why didn’t he marry her?” Hisoka felt the intensive need to figure out about the love life of this mysterious granduncle. But why? Why does she care?

“Because she wasn’t beside him.”

‘Beside him?’ Hisoka tilted her head. Seeing this, Andrei continues. “After his change of heart, He began to have dreams about a girl that remained beside him; Even in dreams where he tries to push her away, she refused to leave him alone. Once, he described her naive and impetuous yet she was as fiercely loyal and protective as a dog. As a result, he refused to marry any of the suitors and my grandfather took over as the head of the family… Maybe he’s the reason why I wanted to share the history...”

Andrei looked down to the book that was placed beside the blonde, “My granduncle entrusted that book to me.. Along with all of his thoughts and secrets.. Knowing him, He wouldn’t just do things out of the goodness of his heart.. He probably entrusted me to find that woman from his dreams because he knew he wouldn’t have enough time left to find her.. We humans can only live for such a short time.. But I trust my granduncle, because he placed his faith in me when he didn’t trust anyone else.. That’s why I wanted to open this estate to the public for others to learn of its history.. And maybe, just maybe.. I could finally meet the woman my granduncle loved.. That lead him to change the way he did.. If she really does exist..”

“Wow… Even if it was a dream.. He must’ve loved that woman very much if he.. If he..” Hisoka couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed by the tale. “Oh dear! Are you crying, Miss?!” Andrei immediately took out a handkerchief from his breast pocket and handed it to the blonde. Realizing her tears were falling, Hisoka was taken aback and placed the coffee down on the table to accept the handkerchief. “I-I’m sorry, I don’t know what came over me.. It’s just.. So beautiful.. But very tragic… I hope.. I hope you get to find that woman he loved.. If he believes she exists.. Then she has to exist.. She has to...” Hisoka sniffed as she used the handkerchief to wipe her tears. After wiping away her tears, she sees Andrei giving her a warm smile. “W-what..?” Hisoka questioned. “I’m sorry, Miss.. I was just thinking that.. If only my granduncle was here right now, I know he would’ve taken a liking towards you.. You’re a very warm person.”

Hisoka looked bewildered from his words. “I-I…” She stutters. ‘Oh god, I feel like I’m going to cry again…’ Taking deep breaths, the girl starts to feel calm. “Andrei, thank you so much for the tour and for telling me such a wonderful story.. I promise I will take this to my grave..” Hisoka bowed her head. Andrei nodded, “Thank you for accepting my offer, Miss Kuroi.” Hisoka shakes her head. “We’re friends now. Just call me ‘Hisoka’.”

Andrei looked taken aback, before smiling warmly once again. “Of course, Hisoka.” He bows his head. Taking the book that was beside her into her arms again, Hisoka bows her head to him in response.

“Miss Kuro-.. Hisoka.. I would like to hear more about yourself.” Andrei smiled. “About me?” The blonde tilted her head with confusion. “Yes. You are a very fascinating young lady, so I would like to learn more about you.” The elderly man explained, “If it is alright.”

“O-Oh! Of course!”

From then, Hisoka began to talk about herself as Andrei listened carefully with his warm smile in place. At first, it was nerve-wracking for the blonde; But as time goes on as Andrei continued to take her where her group was likely at, Hisoka couldn’t help but start to feel calm and relaxed from the welcoming aura of the elder man, now feeling more comfortable with him than she was before.

“I see.. It’s quite fascinating. And you say your cousin is highly protective of you?” Andrei questioned. “Yeah, but I know it’s because I’m the closest thing to a sister to him right now. From what I heard from my parents, My aunt and uncle are trying for another baby.” Hisoka laughed. “It’s amazing though.. You are the child of the Heavenly Velleity CEO.. Do you plan on taking over the cooperation as your father’s successor?” He asked. “Actually, he’s appointing Yuuichi for that position. I’m not really interested in that kind of stuff.” Hisoka confessed. “You’re not? That is quite surprising. You’re a hard-worker.” The man gasped. “It is surprising and I’m glad you think of me as such.. But it’s just not my field. As a child, I used to dream about being a ballerina like my mom or to just become a bride.” The blond-haired girl explained. “You did say you’ve taken ballet classes since you were young.. Do you still hold onto those dreams? Or perhaps someone you deem as special?”

Hisoka laughed before shaking her head. “No, I prefer to wait. I’ve told you about my parents, right? How they’re polar opposites, yet they complement each other? I want to wait until I feel that spark. You know, the spark that you feel when you finally meet that special per…”

That was when Hisoka spotted a painting.

She stopped as she gazed upon it. Andrei took notice of this and turned to her. “Hisoka, is something the matter?” He looked surprised as Hisoka took steps forward to the painting. “Hisoka?”

But the calling of her name fell on deaf ears.

All that she was focusing on was the painting in front of her.

It was a painting of a family of four.

But there was one face in particular that her eyes were drawn to.

Dark hair with white tips…

Blueish, gray eyes…

Short, ruffled hair…

A Black web choker around his neck…

Andrei tries to reach out to Hisoka and attempted call her name again, “Hiso-”

“Ruki…”

Andrei’s hand froze into place as he hears a familiar name escape from Hisoka’s lips.

Her body begins to tremble violently, her tears were overflowing more so than before, her hands that held the book gripped into a deadly grip that turned her knuckles white…

“Ruki.. Ruki.. Ru.. uuh.. Uwaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!”

All of a sudden, Hisoka’s knees dropped to the floor as she let out cries of despair. Pressing the book against her chest tighter than ever before.

Through her weeps, She cries out the name. As if praying that calling out that name would make a summoning.

“RUKIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!”

It was at that moment Hisoka Kuroi has figured out.

Even if she lives a perfect life of normalcy and ignorance from the unknown...

Tragedy will always befall; One way or another...

Because no how long she waits...

She will never get to experience feeling the spark with the person she waited for her entire life.

~

End

[theaccursedninth]

Character meme: Malekith (Tennant)

NAME: Malekith NICKNAME:  Jack Tyler, Agent Tyler, Tyler,  the accursed, the dark lord, the oncoming storm, the Doctor AGE: Ancient SPECIES: Gallifreyan (good luck getting him to admit that)

PERSONAL. MORALITY:  lawful / neutral / chaotic ///  good / neutral / evil RELIGIOUS BELIEF:  Malekith finds little point in religion.  SINS:  greed / gluttony / sloth / lust / pride / envy / wrath VIRTUES: chastity / charity / diligence / humility / kindness / patience / justice PRIMARY GOALS IN LIFE:  Survival. LANGUAGES KNOWN: primarily Midgardian English and the language of the Dark Elves. When he does use Gallifreyan it’s often mixed into his (new) native tongue. In storylines where he works for Torchwood he’s more familiar with other Midardian languages than previous incarnations. In storylines he winds up in space and/or on Sakaar the same is true for various alien ones. SECRETS:  Once again, Malekith is a walking secret but this time it’s partly reversed: he’ll use his name when asked but won’t announce who he is unless it offers advantage. He’s banished himself from Svartalfheim and let his people believe him dead: discovery as he is would undoubtedly lead to a worse fate. SAVVIES:  This version of Malekith might actually be better at adapting than he was as an elf. He still possesses varying technological/mechanical knowledge and has gotten pretty good at quick and improvised repair.

He’s also adjusted his fighting style to work for this newer (shorter, weaker) body. Whereas power and force were once the go-to he now relies largely on speed and close combat.

PHYSICAL

BUILD: scrawny / bony / slender / fit / athletic / curvy / herculean / pudgy / average HEIGHT: 5′10″ WEIGHT: -- SCARS/BIRTHMARKS: Not as many as you’d think. Most of his opponents never see him coming. That said, his impatience has led to a few scattered scars throughout his body, mostly across his hands. ABILITIES/POWERS:  I’ve said it a million times but I’ll say it again: Malekith’s strength and speed fall somewhere between Gallifreyan and Dark Elf. Most of his apparent power comes from an eon of experience, wild aggression and blood/power lust. He’s also still got two hearts.

RESTRICTIONS:  Like his former counterpart, his mind is rigid and closed to all Time Lord mental abilities, including seeing into the Time Stream. Unlike Elf!Malekith, this version is far more unstable, violent and depressed. He’ll often argue with the Doctor in his head (because he hears it too), sometimes aggressively. 

Much of Malekith’s instability stems from the way he regenerated. He all but forget he could until he saw the light around him. It happened quickly and aggressively and he hadn’t time to prepare himself before passing out from the pain. It’s likely the regeneration responded to his will to survive (or is that refusal to die?): without it, he might have died.

As far as physical restrictions go, he learned his limitations quickly and avoids putting himself in...most of those situations. Sometimes pride gets in the way. Sometimes he loses control. He is, however, adamant against regenerating again. The last time was traumatizing enough.

FAVORITES FAVORITE FOOD: He maintains a fondness for street-vendor food, particularly in London. In storylines where he works for their Torchwood branch they remain a favorite. Otherwise he doesn’t have one or really consider it. FAVORITE DRINK: Same as above: the more in-touch he is with civilization, particularly Midgard, the more his old favorites stand out. In this case tea. FAVORITE PIZZA TOPPING: He’s not a big pizza fan so toppings don’t matter. FAVORITE COLOR: He doesn’t have a favorite per say but definitely prefers a black and gray wardrobe. FAVORITE MUSIC GENRE(S): So he doesn’t technically have one but I think he’d appreciate the hard-rock-bordering-on-metal at times. FAVORITE BOOK GENRE(S): History and technical texts when he can get his hands on them. They’re less the favorites and more for practical use. FAVORITE MOVIE GENRE(S): He doesn’t have one. FAVORITE SEASON: He doesn’t have one. Tennant!Malekith lives in a tunnel, if you will. Details like the changing seasons often go unnoticed. He doesn’t care much for winter, though. Everything is dead. FAVORITE CURSE WORD: This version of Malekith swears more frequently. He doesn’t have a set favorite but he does use ‘fuck’ more often than other regenerations. FAVORITE SCENT(S): This party goes along with the ‘tunnel’ lifestyle. Little things like this mostly trigger anxiety: to pause long enough to distinguish a favorite scent or colors of the leaves are time wasted better doing something else. That said...he does love the wet, pungent scent of blood, sweat and terror: the moment his opponents (or targets) realize they’re on the losing end of the fight.

FUN STUFF.

BOTTOM OR TOP:  So I think Tennant!Malekith considers sex even less than his Elf counterpart: this is primarily due to the chaotic solitude running his life. However, were he to have sex it would definitely be an aggressive encounter, one driven by anger and anxiety--as I’ve said before, he doesn’t process or understand certain emotions well.  It would probably benefit him, having someone else ‘lead,’ if you will...but I seriously doubt he’d allow for that. SINGS IN THE SHOWER: No LIKES BAD PUNS: Sometimes...but he’ll seldom admit it.

Tagged by: Myself Tagging: @the-renegade-child-of-time, @benevolentgodloki, @araedi

[soldmymoralstothedevil]

Super Detailed Character Sheet

I had a need for a super long and detailed character sheet so I decided to combine a lot of different sheets I found and add my own questions.  There are a lot of questions relating to contemporary things (ex. character’s favourite avenger) these can either be ignored or answered as if the character fits to the question. It is mainly meant for original characters in a non-high-fantasy setting but can still be used for such, I would just advise to find a small character sheet for more detailed questions about their high-fantasy deviations from reality. 

Use as you want, but please like or reblog if you do. 

I apologise for any mistakes, this took forever and I did not read it all through once more. 

THIS HOLDS 430+ QUESTIONS IN VARIOUS SUBJECTS WITH A MISCELLANEOUS PART IN THE END WITH RANDOM/FUNNY QUESTIONS. 

Basics/General:

Name: Origin of name: Nickname: Origin of nickname: Does character like nickname?: Birth Date: Place of Birth: Ethnic Background: Citizenship status: Socioeconomic Background: Different from childhood?:

Birth date: Time of day (either exact or morning/evening etc.) Western sign: Traits associated with this: Chinese sign: Traits associated with this:

Current Address: Renting place or owning place?: Apartment, house, trailer, castle etc.?: What floor / how many floors (attic / basement?): How big: Live alone or with someone?: Area where they live (city, town, rural, other?): How close to the neighbours: Do they have a garden: How does it look: (Flower garden, pool, unkempt, paved, terrace, fields etc.) Is this ideal home type/location?: If not; what would be?: Why not live there: Home decor: (Carefully planned, comfortable, fashionable etc.) Expensive OR inexpensive: Neat OR Cluttered: What are the walls decorated with: (Wallpaper, art, photos, newspaper clippings etc.) What type of curtains: (Frilly, lacy, venetian blinds, pull down shades etc.) Is their house clean: Do they clean it themselves: What’s a visitors first impression: How does their workspace look like: (Small and cramped, huge and expansive, covered in books and papers, neatly organised, they don’t have any, all on a computer, artsy with colourful folders and small baskets etc.) What colour are their sheets: What material:

Does character have pets: How many: What kind: If no; why: How important are they: How well treated:

Sexuality: Marital status: With whom: For how long (dating + marriage): Children: (Names, ages, other parents—basics)

Three words to describe character:

Physical Appearance:

Age: Appear as: Gender: Species / Race: Signs of this (compared to humans): Signs of this (compared to other creatures in world): Height: (Cm + inches/feet) Weight: (Kg, lbs, stone) Bodytype: (Skinny, slim, athletic, curvy, overweight, muscular etc.) Eye colour: Glasses, contacts, hearing aids: Grooming: Very neat / average / clean but sloppy / unkempt Why: Facial hair: Hair: Style: (Long, short, crewcut, locs, bangs, side-part etc.) Texture: (Thick, thin, wiry, smooth, wavy, curly, nappy etc.) Colour (natural & current): Skin tone: (Pale, ivory, ruddy, tan, olive, brown, black etc.) Prominent features (+ location): (Freckles, moles, scars, tattoos, birthmarks, others) Story behind those: Most distinguishing feature: Face shape: (Round, oval, chubby, thin, long, square, heart shaped etc.) Looks most like: (Eg. Famous person, family member) General level of attractiveness:

Describe character in a paragraph (around 100 words):

Handedness: Left / Right General health: Chronic conditions: Current health problems: Allergies: Any visible signs of these:

How does character dress: Expensive / Average / Inexpensive / Cheap Haute Couture / Conservative / Trendy / Eclectic / Business / Sexy / Gaudy / Casual / Sloppy General size for Shirts: Skirts: Socks/Shoes: (Different sizes for different types eg. Rollerblades, stilettos, ski boots etc.) Dresses to be noticed: YES or NO Jewellery: Anything special: Make-up: (Casual, fancy, colourful, smokey, blending, noticeable, to hide something etc.) Other accessories:

Habits, Lifestyle and Emotional Characteristics:

Does character drive: What vehicle (make, model, colour, age etc.): Pace:

Accent / Dialect: Voice Tone: (Shrill, high, average, deep, squeaky, hoarse, harsh, authoritative, cultured etc.) Favourite / habitual: Word: Phrase: Curse word: General vocabulary / speech pattern: (Educated, precise, pretentious, average, childish, uneducated, vulgar etc.)

Mannerisms / Demeanour: Cool & Confident / Volatile & Moody / Nervous & Fidgety & Shy / Other Typical Posture: Stiff & Rigid / Straight not stiff / average OR varies w/mood / slumped & defeated / slouchy & careless / relaxed / Other Gestures: Not much / deliberate & controlled / Only when excited OR upset / Often / Wildly OR Weirdly Common gestures/habits: (Nail-biting, hair patting, drumming fingers, clenched fists, hands in pockets etc.) (Smoking, drinking, drugs, gambling) Are these addictions:

Finances: (Prudent/cautious, average w/some debt, lives paycheque to paycheque, deep in debt, criminal etc.) How do they act with their money: (Misery, generous, helpful etc.)

Morning routine: Alone or with someone in bed: Time to wake: Number of alarms (or other means of waking): Cheerful or loathsome: Normal breakfast: Breakfast activity: (Read, tv, feed pets etc.) Afternoon/Workday routine: Work home or out or not: How do they get to work: Like/hate work: Just their work or all work: Good at their job/enthusiastic: Length of workday: Number of workdays per week: Vacations, sickness, social security and other perks: Where/how do they get lunch: Dinner routine: Eat at home or out: Favourite restaurant: Favourite meal to make: Hated restaurant: Hated meal: What happens during dinner: (Tv, conversation, fighting, reading etc.) Who cleans/makes food: Food life style: (Healthy, fast food, mix, paleo, vegan, vegetarian etc.) Evening routine: What do they do in evening: Where: With whom: What is ideal evening: Bedtime routine: Normal bedtime (if any): Fall asleep right away or lie awake: Sleeps well or poorly: Dream activity: (A lot, never, little, in bursts) (Pleasant, sexual, scary, imaginative) Reoccurring dreams:

Hobbies: (Sports, arts, collecting, gaming etc.) Means of exercising (if any): What does the character do for relaxation: For inspiration: Does character read the newspaper: What part of it:

Personality, Mentality and Personal Beliefs:

Psychological issues: (Phobias, depression, paranoia, narcissism etc.) Pessimist or optimist: MBTI personality type:

Most comfortable when: (Alone, with friends, drinking, outside, inside etc.) Most uncomfortable when: (In a crowd, alone, speaking in public, taking exam etc.)

Approach to life: Cautious / Brave / Reckless Compassionate & sensitive / self-involved & selfish / Oblivious Personal philosophy: Reaction in a crisis: Usual areas of problems: (Romance, finances, friends, colleagues, personal flaws, health etc.) Reaction to change: What are their greatest stressors: What could the character be blackmailed due to: Would they let themselves be blackmailed:

What does character value / prioritise most: (Family, money, religion, success etc.) Why is it not the same thing: Characters greatest strength: Greatest flaw: Other strengths: Other flaws: What does the character like most/least about themselves: What do they think others think of them: Are they correct: What would they like to change about themselves: How confident are they:

Willing to die for: Has the character written a will: Willing to kill for: Biggest embarrassment: Greatest wish: Biggest regret: Other regrets: Proudest accomplishment: Other accomplishments: Biggest secret(s): Does anybody else know those: Does character know that those people know: How were they revealed: Is it okay they know: How far will character go to protect their secret(s): What does the character work to gain / keep / protect: Biggest fear:

Quirks: Seven things characters hate about others: (Physical appearance, behaviour, opinion etc.) Characters greatest virtue: Characters greatest vice: What vice and virtue does character like least in others: What is the worst crime anyone can commit according to character: What is a crime but should not be (if any) according to character: What are their pet peeves:

Prejudice: (Race, culture, sexuality, religion, alignment, class, profession etc.) Are they aware: Do they care:

Monogamous or uncommitted: If latter, honest with partner: Sexual behaviour: (Inhibited, average, experimental, reckless) Has this changed over the years: Why:

Political party / beliefs: What kind of government would they rather follow: Democracy / Monarchy / Anarchy / Aristocratic rule / Oligarchy / Matriarchy / Patriarchy Believe in fate / destiny: Any superstitions: Believe in magic, myth and the supernatural: Religion: Degree of commitment: Visibly religious or only personally: Defensive of faith/religion: Is/Was it the typical religion where they grew up/live: How did/does this affect them:

Does character know their family history: Their country’s history: Did they participate / shape / witness any of this: Any other interesting histories: (The church around the corner of their childhood home, their school, their current home etc.) Is character patriotic:

History:

Home town (and country if it differs from current): Stayed in one place or move around: What place did character like the most and why: The least: Childhood: (Happy, troubled, dull) Is it an accurate memory:

Earliest memory: Saddest memory: Happiest memory: Clearest memory: Not sure if true memory: Scariest memory: Most significant childhood event/memory: Other significant events/memories:

Have they committed a(several) crime(s): What did they do: Punishment: Falsely accused or not: Would they be capable of killing a person:

First crush: First sexual experience: Positive or negative: With another gender: Positive or negative: Other first sexual experiences: Positive or negative:

Major accidents or traumas: Still affected: How:

Family, Origin and Other Relations:

Mother: Full name + maidens name: Current status + age: Occupation (prior): Relation with character: Do they feel the same way: Prior marriages if any: Children from here: Socioeconomic background as a child:

Father: Full name: Current status + age: Occupation (prior): Relation with character: Do they feel the same way: Prior marriages if any: Children from here: Socioeconomic background as child:

Step-/foster-/birthparents: Character adopted (or otherwise did not live with their birth parents): Why: Do they know: Siblings: (Name, age, birth order, relation with each) Nieces / Nephews: In-Laws: Children: (Name, age, birth order, relation with each) Other important family: (Cousins, aunts/uncles, grandparents etc.) Ideal family (either future family or current):

Is there a black/white sheep of the family: Who: How did they end up like that: Does the character agree with this position: Is there a notorious or celebrated ancestor in the family: Do people’s opinion of the character change when they learn of their ancestry:

If married: Describe proposal: Describe meeting: Happy marriage: Nicknames for spouse: Prior romantic partners:

Best / closest friend: Same as in childhood: When did they meet: How did they become friends: Other close friends:

How is character perceived by / react to..: Friends: Strangers: Spouse / Lover: Past spouse / lovers: Children: Their children: Other family members: The opposite sex: Superiors: Inferiors: Service workers: Competitors: Authority: (Police, IRS, politicians, attorneys, doctors etc.) People who challenge them: People who anger them: People who ask for help: Most likeable trait: Biggest flaw:

Who do they dislike the most: Why: Do they have enemies: Like the most: Why: Most important person in their life: Why: Has it been others: Will it be others in the story:

Important people they lost contact with: Why: Worst end of relationship: Who do they rely on for practical advise: For emotional advise / support: Whom do they support:

Whom do they most admire: Biggest influence:

Career and Training:

Current occupation: Time employed: Location: Job title: Job satisfaction: Income Level: Education: Significant past jobs: Time in school: Type of school: Does character like school: Were they good in school: (GPA) Best subjects: Worst subjects: Did the character choose their own line of occupation or were they pushed by parents:

Skills: Intelligence level: Talents: What do they suck at:

Miscellaneous and Character Development:

Favourites and Least favourites: Food: Drink: Colour: Book: Movie: Music/song: TV: Sport: Motto/Quote: Hangouts: Possession: Smell: Taste: Sound: Animal:

Make your character choose / what fits the character best: Tear down / Build up Deliberate / Spontaneous Town / Country Deaf / Blind Logic / Emotion Greedy / Generous Humble / Obnoxiously proud Eat fast / savour Sweet / savoury Spicy / Bland Black-White reality / nuanced reality Leader / Follower Explain any/all of the above answers

What music do they listen to: When they are sad: When they work out: When in love: When cooking: On Public transport: What books do they like reading: Do they read the newspaper: What section:

What Hogwarts House would they be sorted into: If they committed a crime, what would it be (ignore if they have committed a crime): Which Avenger is their favourite: If they entered Hunger Games, what would be their strategy: Which FRIENDS character.. Are they: Do they want to be: Do they hate the most: It is movie-/TV-show marathon night, what do they watch: Who is their celebrity and fictional crush: What starter Pokemon would they choose: Does the type change with different gens: If they got a time machine, where would they travel first: Within their own life: If they could not visit their own life (would they visit past or future): What house would they belong to in A Song of Ice and Fire:

What can they not live without: Favourite Halloween costume: Favourite holiday: Best thing to do on a rainy day: How is their handwriting: Do they get motion sick, air sick, sea sick: Do they keep journals:

What is in their: Fridge: Purse / bag Backpack Wallet Medicine Cabinet Glove compartment Junk Drawer Locker Desk Pockets

What would be their 3 wishes from a genie: What is the top item on their bucket list: Imagine the character looking down at their feet, describe what they see: (What do they wear, where are they, what do they notice, what would other notice, does their neck hurt, do they like/dislike what they see etc.) If they had 24 hours to live, what would their last day consist of (alternatively, choose 5 things they would do before they die): How do they determine their passwords: Are they easy to figure out for other people:

Long term goals: Does character plan to achieve those: How: Why not: Will others be affected and does it matter to character: What is stopping character from reaching those goals: Do they achieve those goals: How does it change them: Was it as satisfying as they imagined: Short term goals: Does character plan to achieve those: How: Why not: Will others be affected and does it matter to character: What is stopping character from reaching those goals: Do they achieve those goals: How does it change them: Was it as satisfying as they imagined:

[coolgirl]

Fic recs masterpost

ok so i used to have a lot of fics masterposts on my old blog and people keep asking for recs + i wont be able to upddate them or anything anymore so i decided to just move them all to this blog

under the cut: AUS / arkham knight / jaykyle / jayroy / robin!jason / gen / angst fics 

*: last added (april 4) //   for some reason the links arent working so go to jasontodd.tumblr.com/ficrecs for the links, sorry!

AUS

The Virtue of Revenge | young justice au with jason as red x making his own team with roy, starfire, raven, and others. i love it, even if it has shaky moments and stuff pls give it a chance.

crystal silence creeping down | young justice/lost days au

Flicker from View | another young justice au

Live to Rise | yes. you guessed it. young justice au.

Collide &  Convergence | au where post crisis jason goes to the young justice universe

The Changeling Sequence | series where jason meets damian before he went to gotham. The last part is a wip that i doubt will ever get updated again, so uh be careful. read only the first or second part and forget about the third.

The Drag of Fate | au where jason is lady shiva’s son as well. Part of a series, which i also highly recommend but idk if they would be au as well

heavy on the heart | another jason and cass are bio siblings. A+.

Didymous | cass and jason are twins.

repairing the world | i dont know how to explain this series.. its an au and really really good. Jason doesn’t appear in all the pieces.

just go  | jayroy, wings au

In the Shadows (of Who We Used to Be) | jayroy, black widow & hawkeye au

The Family (or how Jason Todd was adopted by the Avengers) | marvel crossover

bad boys bad boys (whatcha gonna dooo) ♫ | jason is damian’s batman. iconic fic imo.

Rise (And Try Not to Fall) | star wars au

A Bird in Morning | bruce finds jason when he’s at the hospital after crawling out of his grave

Moment Between | ghost jason & ghost martha and thomas wayne

We’re not in Crime Alley Anymore | au where jason was younger when bruce took him (and he didnt become robin)

Perhaps The World Ends Here | marvel crossover, future jaykyle

Batten Down the Hatches | a few different aus here. young justice + helena wayne

My Brother's Keeper | jason & damian knew each other from before + damian arrives to gotham just for jason

When the Moon Found the Sun | main story is clark/bruce but it’s preetty cute. soulmates au.

Between the Light and the Dark* | damian & jason uuhm i cant remember what this one was about per se bc im reading like 5487 similar fics but yeah

Two Dead Birds  | time travel stuff

Red Blood, Blue Blood | jason (and the rest of the batkids) are bruce’s biological kids, yeah i wasnt a big fan of the premise at first either but its gud

Rebirth | talia & jason, mind the warnings

you belong among the wildflowers | kate n renee adopt jason instead of bruce

We're the warriors of tomorrow |  Cass, Jason and Damian meet while with the League of Shadows

Can You Hear Me?  | ghost jason

to death's other kingdom I will not go  | bruce makes it on time au

The Ties That Bind  |  The pit restores Jason's body but not his mind, Ra's makes him one of his assassins and Talia adopts him as her own.

death’s outlet song of life* | the gordons find jason before the events of lost days

reflections on shattered mirrors.* | talia & jason stuff

Come Alive* | young justice s3 based

A Path Upon The Ground* | au from lost days, eddie and jason meet again

ARKHAM VERSE

If He Had Come & the sequel  Desiderium | au where bruce rescued jason before he could become the arkham knight.

the roads we know

this gun needs no bullets

JASON & BRUCE CENTRIC (not romantic)

Quack | this one is so crackish but so so cute i love it, robin jason

If He Had Come & sequel Desiderium  | arkham knight verse and its so good and has a lot of bruce & jason feels

Neverland /  Keep Lying To Me | deaged/ little jason from another universe.. sad and cute

Icarus and Bubble Gum | fluff, robin jason

Knock On Death’s Door | bit of both but not so so so angst, red hood jason

dead and dying things | au

In Memoriam | angst, trying to fix their relationship, red hood jason

If the Fates Allow | angst, red hood jason

The D-Word | fluff kind of.. red hood jason

This Place We Built With Grace and Guilt | angst angst angst, red hood jason

I Love You | robin jason, fluff

Wayward Birds | fluff and angst, robin jason

yesterday’s gone, yeah it went away (i’ve been lost but i’m here today) | another trying to fix their relationship fic, its cute and sad

We’re not in Crime Alley Anymore | au where jason was younger when bruce took him (and he didnt become robin)

Little Absences | sad, robin & red hood

Schrödinger's Honest Man | sad, drugs tw, absolute fave

White Christmas | bruce & robin!jason

Frozen History | de-age

Stargazer | jason n bruce patching their relationship.. its iconic

Unconventional Family Reunions | bvs setting

Prompt: Trapped | mind the warnings

Safe In My Arms 

The Failures of Reverse Engineering  | ghhm not really bruce & jason maybe?

to death's other kingdom I will not go | bruce saves jason au

points of impact  | glass case get fucked

is it my fault? (we've been missing each other)*

waiting for you. *

The Little Things*

World's Finest* | my uwus my uwus have fallen everywhere

JAYKYLE (all iconic)

In Which Kyle Confesses The Same Thing Six Times

milk and honey

Batman vs Space Bureaucracy

deadlock

attention to detail

tempest in a teapot

violet tendencies

no love, no glory (no hero in his skies)

keep the door open for me

waffles and war 

The Art of Subtlety (jason lives au)

Perhaps The World Ends Here | marvel crossover, future jaykyle

Riding in Batcars with Boys

boy, you fill my lungs with sweetness

no chance, no way, i won't say it (no, no)  

a change in the atmosphere

invitation to commitment

Overexposed 

i deserve that, don't i, some sort of blazing love that i can live with 

i won't say 

The water is always warmest at dawn

JAYROY (all iconic too)

sleepless 

Countdown

just go (wings au)

Unspoken

(for thy love is) better than wine (E)

Rooftops

Dick Wolf is a Really Funny Name

A headache isn’t always a bad thing

sad eyes, bad guys, mouth full of white lies [high school au]

kairosclerosis 

The Night They Met 

march down an empty street (like a ship into the storm) *

Archange de la mort (rallume ton flambeau) * | hic warning lol

this time, the loser wins | steph & jason centric though

So Baby Come Light Me Up *

Little Talks *

All the light is never ending, much like you and I; *

Don't let me go, for I feel I may fall * | soulmates au

Something Reckless * 

OTHERS

how to make a home. * | some eddie/jason if you squint, rose/eddie/jason team up

This Car Ain't Big Enough For The Both Of Us* | could be read as jayconnor :3

Robin/young!Jason

The Art of Subtlety | jason lives au, jaykyle

Little Absences | sad, robin & red hood

I Love You | robin jason, fluff

Wayward Birds | fluff and angst, robin jason

Icarus and Bubble Gum | fluff, robin jason

Quack | this one is so crackish but so so cute i love it, robin jason

we were not tragedies | jason & babs, read warnings

Heavy Home | gen, alfred & jason

Good News (No One Mourns the Wicked) | Jason & steph & damian. harold they’re dead (kinda robin!jason??)

Love Yourself (So No One Has To) | good amazing au with some selina & jason (not really.. robin but it starts as robin!jason i guess?)

Moment Between | ghost jason & ghost martha and thomas wayne

We’re not in Crime Alley Anymore | au where jason was younger when bruce took him (and he didnt become robin)

Tired &  Laundry | kinda au, read tw!

Smoke | jason & jim gordon

White Christmas | bruce & robin!jason

is it my fault? (we've been missing each other)* | mix of present and past jason

Sidekick* 

waiting for you.* | technically baby jason

The Little Things*

World's Finest* | oh this one.. my uwus

GEN

hold on to what  we are, hold on to your heart | gen, Barbara & Jason friendship. Some dinahbabs & jayroy

gotta give the boy points | gen, absolute fave

Strangers in Nothing but Name | marvel crossover, side steve/bucky

If He Had Come |  Desiderium | Arkham Verse, gen

I can’t  think up a good  name for this | young justice verse, gen apart from canon relationships

A Better Thesis | gen, p short but i loved it

The  F-Word | gen, batboys being batboys

until i’m in my grave | gen, wip 

Robins United | gen, batkids bonding, except for cass, thats my only complaint

Free of Dogma | gen, canon divergence, marvel crossover w Jason & Bucky

bad boys bad boys (whatcha gonna dooo) ♫ | au where damian is jasons robin and not dick’s, obviously damian & jason brotp. 

Heavy Home | gen, alfred & jason

In the  Shadow of Two Gunmen | gen, Marvel crossover

Flicker from View | side Barbara/Dick, young justice verse

I Love You | gen, Bruce & Jason

how to  hide a stray resurrected superhero from your parents/parental figure | au, jason & tim friendship kinda

One For The Road | Jason/Roy/Koriand’r but its SO cute

Baby,  It’s Cold Outside | gen, Dick & Jason

The  (Family) Doctor’s  Appointment | gen, batboys bonding

The Family (or how Jason Todd was adopted by the Avengers) | marvel crossover, gen

Reason | wip, gen, canon divergence

Soliloquy | gen, tim & Jason brotp,  and really cute batfam moments

Red As The Shadow Of Death | gen, young justice/under the red hood verse

Give Yourself a Chance | gen, duke & Jason & leslie brotpish

homecoming | outlaws brotp fic, could be considered shippy if you want to

And I Said What About Breakfast at Tiffany’s | jason & steph

Of Bats and the Forsaken | jason & all the batkids, side steph/cass and jay/roy if you squint

this is a long drive (for three robins who don’t agree on much) | no capes au, steph & jason & damian, background tim/tam

The Dying of the Light | marvel crossover, bucky & jason, canon divergence

Cat | selina &  jason, catlad au

Killing for Love | cass & jason, au  where jason was lady shivas son  

Keep Lying To Me | de-aged au, just heartbreaking imo, cursed fic

The Social Habits of Robin | gen, batboys. Where_is_cass.jpg tho

Steph and Jay’s Excellent Adventures | series, Steph & Jason

Neverland | jason & batkids, young!jay travels to the future. sad asad sad

on a thin chain of moments and something like faith | gen, jason & cass & steph mostly. really good

Good News (No One Mourns the Wicked) | Jason & steph & damian. harold they’re dead

In a Parallel Life | batboys focused, it has amazing dialogue, dynamics, and characterization. It’s only missing Cass and the rest of the girls.

repairing the world | series, not everything is about the batfam.

Born to Run (Born to Rise) | Jason & Talia having a mother/son relationship reblog if you agree

Live to Rise | it updated again p recently so yay! young justice verse

To Save a Dying City  | jason + other people

Let’s Have Some Fun This Beat Is Sick | mostly damian centric

Movie Night: The Mummy  | read trigger warnings, batboys

The Trading Chain  | not jason centric, but it has cass being older than jason and calling him “little brother” so noice

we sure know how to run free  | jason & cass

Yesterday’s Voices | bruce loses his memory au

Nests and Cages series | read trigger warnings

Roots | barbara centric, really good plot and characterization

Love Yourself (So No One Has To) | good amazing au with selina & jason

Retrograde Motion | de aged jason au

Provenance | mostly roy centric, bruce fucks oliver’s life for what he did to roy. iconic

Schrödinger's Honest Man | sad, drugs tw, absolute fave 

Batten Down the Hatches | a few different aus here. young justice + helena wayne

My Brother's Keeper | jason & damian knew each other from before + damian arrives to gotham just for jason

White Christmas | bruce & robin!jason

until i'm in my grave v2 | this one is already mentioned in this post BUUUT the writer started rewriting it so!

Frozen History | de-age

Stargazer | jason n bruce patching their relationship.. its iconic

show me yesterday, for i can’t find today | time travel au

Warm Enough | alfred & jay fluff

Parallels | mia & jason team up

Legacy | reverse robins, not jason centric but hes there alright.. i think.. i cant remember :D

What are the words I'm forbidden to say?* | damian & jay fluff

Cracked Foundation| jason n damian

Cat's Cradle  | more jason n damian

spaces in between  | damian & jason again

When the lights go out  | damian & jason, theres a pattern here

in my head, i do everything right | some jason & steph

is it my fault? (we've been missing each other)* | past & future jason

life, if well lived* | jason travels back in time and meets martha & thomas wayne

In Charge * | babie jason

Pyrrhic victory* | jason & damian stuff

Twists and Turns* | more jason & damian bonding

Of Brothers and Batcows* | guess what.. yes! more jason & damian

This Car Ain't Big Enough For The Both Of Us* | jason & connor.. say no more!

First Gear* | back to jason & damian please read this.. damian tries to teach jason to drive

changing, falling, fading (please watch over me)* | jason bonds with damian & steph

ANGST

Through the Valley of the Shadow of Death [read the trigger warnings!!]

in the repairing the world series there are a lot of fics dealing with jason, tho Warm Enough ugh not all are centered around him. I would say read  Escalation | Coup de Grâce |  Interlude for the rh!jason arc, and  Tired &  Laundry for robin!jason. [also read trigger warnings]

Countdown | jason/roy]

those six days [trigger warnings again!!!]

Call | angst

the tune without the words  | kind of character study from jim gordon’s pov

Unspoken | jason/roy, really angsty if you remember how red hood arsenal ended

If He Had Come & Desiderium | arkham knight verse, read trigger warnings!

Reason | on hiatus :/

hold on to what we are, hold on to your heart   | this is my favorite ever.. read trigger warnings

Heavy Home | alfred & jason

until i’m in my grave [trigger warnings!]

Keeping Broken Pieces Together

Monsters | marvel crossover

gotta give the boy points | this one please!!!! another fav. read trigger warnings

The weight of it [trigger warnings!]

Live to Rise | young justice verse

Neverland | THIS ONE IS PURE ANGST!!! please its so sad..

Keep Lying To Me | this one has some angsty scenes too im sad emoji

hangman is coming down from the gallows  | some angst

Movie Night: The Mummy  | read trigger warnings, batboys

Love Yourself (So No One Has To)

All in the Blood [read trigger warnings]

Little Absences

Stargazer | jason n bruce patching their relationship.. its iconic

Rebirth * | mind the warnings and its really. sad.

The Failures of Reverse Engineering *

Eternal Soliloquy * | sad sad

throw me a lifeline (I might even catch it) *

changing, falling, fading (please watch over me) * | jason & steph & dami angst

[sincognito]

Of All The King’s Men | Chapter 1

Pairing: Fellcest

Universe: Underfell

Warnings: None for current chapter. NSFW content will be in later chapters.

Overview: First chapter~

A/N: PLEASE NOTE THERE IS A PROLOGUE! 

Previous

Next

Read on AO3: Here

Papyrus squealed joyously as he barreled down the winding hallways of the castle. Every exhale of breath was mixed heavily with the sound of childish giggling and the occasional snicker or snort.

He darted through a doorway, immediately beginning to weave between hordes of monsters. He dove between legs and narrowly managed to skid around the tightly packed appliances that filled the Royal kitchens. There were several angered shouts; more than one hand attempting to snatch him as he sped by and out the adjacent door.

The young monster was quite aware of just how much trouble he would undoubtedly be in after behaving so poorly, but that only added to the thrill.

There was no way Papyrus would willingly let himself be dragged back to another round of tedious lectures. He wanted to run around, to play with other children, not be cooped up in a dusty old study listening to some ancient monster ramble on about the so called important rules of ruling a kingdom. He had lost count of exactly how many times someone had tried to gain his interest in tombs filled with a higher concentration of dust than useful information.

It was unfair really. He had seen what other children his age did – they had no burdens weighing down on them to stop them from having fun, spending their days making up games and engaging in play fights. Papyrus wanted to do that too, not that it would ever be allowed.

He had been taught only hard work, his every waking moment dedicated towards study of some form. Often it consisted of hours of a single monster talking at him, detailing monster history, or the basics of ruling a kingdom, or adding yet another item to his unending list of future duties.

When he wasn’t being force-fed information verbally, piles of old books and scrolls would be dumped before him, the vast majority of them near impossible for his child mind to comprehend. Some of the texts were so aged that the wording had faded – others had a vocabulary Papyrus had never encountered – and the worst of them had concepts that he simply could not understand, hard as he might have tried.

Then, of course, there were the gatherings and ceremonies he was made to attend. Strange monsters from all over the Underground greeted him, asking him questions, seeming determined to befriend him, much to his disliking. Papyrus wanted many friends, but the people there seemed to have a forced air of kindness about their person. Perhaps it was fear keeping them from displaying their true nature.

It seemed that any monster that was in his father’s presence immediately grew nervous, making certain to consider their every word and speak with only the utmost measure of politeness. The tense atmosphere of any room the King entered was palpable, seeming to crush even the most courageous of monsters.

Papyrus never truly understood it. Sure, Asgore was the King, and he ruled with a certain level of malice that even the small monster had noticed, but he didn’t appear to particularly go out of his way to damn an innocent monster. Then again, perhaps he was a more than a little bias in his view of the monster.

The goat monster had never been cruel towards Papyrus, quite the opposite in fact. Asgore could have simply dumped his adopted child onto another monster to raise, but instead was determined to ensure he was reared correctly. He often spent time with the king, observing meetings and important public events.

If he was ever confused, Asgore was always quick to explain, ensuring that the monster, young as he might have been, was greatly educated about the world around him. He knew the world was a nightmare that only the strong had a chance of ever waking from, and he knew that if he ever held hope of being King one day he would have to become the strongest of them all.

But who ever said the strong weren’t allowed to have some fun once in a while?

Papyrus leapt through another doorway, pressing his body against the inside wall and out of view from anyone who spared a glance in the room’s direction. He smirked to himself, hearing several sets of feet rushing down the hall and was hard pressed to keep down his laughter. A handful of monsters began shouting his name, failing to hide the most obvious tone of anger from their voices as they all made their way deeper into the castle in search of his hiding spot.

When he was certain the other monsters were far enough away, Papyrus crept back out into the hallway, sprinting back in the direction he had come from. He was so distracted by trying to stifle his giggles at he failed to notice another monster round the corner until he crashed right into them.

The other monster staggered, but grabbed onto the wall, managing to remain upright, while Papyrus fell backwards, landing heavily on his tail bone. He grumbled, rubbing the aching bone to try and ebb away the pain before finally turning his full attention to the other.

The monster appeared only few years his senior, judging from her height alone. Her short crimson hair was sticking out messily in all directions and there appeared to be dirt staining her clothing and hands. The fins of her ears perked and she tilted her head slightly to the side curiously. She looked as though she was about to speak when a deafening shout rang out.

“Undyne! Come back this instant!” The aquatic monster appeared panicked by the turn of events, reaching down in a flash and wrenching Papyrus to his feet.

“Don’t just stand there, c’mon!” Her tone sounded hushed like a whisper, but the loud volume of her voice betrayed any attempt at subtlety. Still firmly grasping his arm the monster, now evidently named Undyne, began to hastily drag him further down the hall.

Sensing the prospect of a possible adventure, Papyrus was quick to follow Undyne’s lead, only just managing to keep up with her lengthy strides. “Where are we going?” he asked between puffing air.

The fish monster slowed, eyes darting about as they reached an intersection, “I dunno, where can we hide?” she was practically bobbing up and down with nervous energy, taking a glance behind them to ensure their pursuer was not in sight.

Papyrus thought for a long moment, “My room?” he suggested. It was ingenious really, hiding from the enemy right under their noses. Before he could even begin thinking of a back-up plan, or an escape route they were off again, bolting as fast as their child legs would take them as though their lives were in grave danger.

As a result, it took them only a short time to reach Papyrus’ residence. They slowed their pace, sneaking about, straining their ears for even the slightest sound. They managed to reach the room without fault and the two young monsters were immensely relieved, sharing a high-five in victory.

“Whoa your room is awesome!” Undyne breathed, seating herself on the edge of Papyrus’ large bed as she took a moment to take in her surrounds. Almost as soon as she had sat down she was back on her feet again, looking through his array of books, before inspecting some of content on the shelves. “Got any toys?”

Papyrus hesitated, frowning in contemplation. He had never really received any toys, the King deeming them a waste of his time. It was odd to think that not all children spent every day studying and practicing to become the future ruler, and had the luxury of boundless free time. “I have some puzzles,” he suggested, crawling underneath his bed and dragging out a large chest.

He snapped the locks, pushing the open the lid before retrieving several small cardboard boxes. Their once vibrantly decorated exteriors were now faded and it was difficult to tell what exactly each box contained. Fortunately, Papyrus had played with the puzzles enough to have remembered which went where. He was about to open up his personal favorite to show his new friend when there was a harsh pounding on his door.

The two monsters shared looks of varying horror, both equally surprised at having been found so quickly. Perhaps Papyrus’ ingenious idea had not in fact been as clever as he had first perceived.

As painful as it was to be forcedly dragged through the castle by his wrist, it didn’t seem quite as bad as poor Undyne’s fate; to be pulled along by a fierce grip to her ear. The whole way they had yelped and whimpered at every tug of the large monster’s hand – a rather harsh reminder to continue moving along. It was a tediously long and uncomfortable walk to the Throne Room, and Papyrus couldn’t have been gladder to finally be released. He quietly rubbed the bones of his wrist, watching as Undyne simply glowered angrily up at their escort.

Asgore ignored them, continuing his conversation with the massive reptilian monster addressing him. “Are you certain there is no way to decipher the documents?” his voice was low, obviously struggling to contain his annoyance at the matter.

“Aye, ‘tis impossible sire, we cannae do it,” Papyrus tilted his head at the odd voice, the accent unlike any he had encountered before, “Not without spendin’ no wee measure o’ time on it.” The lizard scratched at the deep green scales lining its jaw, seeming to be in a similar state of agitation. On closer inspection the reptile appeared to have webbed hands, looking more like fins. Coupled with its sleek, narrow body, hooked teeth and lengthy neck the monster seemed the perfect aquatic predator.

If the creature’s other features didn’t scream danger, its size certainly did. Asgore was a very large monster, but this one made him appear almost short, and even then, it sat hunched over. Extended to its full height the creature might have easily been twice the goat’s height.

“Gather your best scientists, attempt to repair the damage as best you can without the files,” The King breathed, caressing the bridge of his snout with a heavy sigh.

The giant monster bobbed its head low – as close to a bow as it could accomplish – before beginning to stalk from the room, taking great caution to avoid crushing any more of the King’s prized flowers than strictly necessary.

Once they were relatively alone, Asgore rose from his throne. He wore his usual formal robes and armor, characteristic scowl firmly in place, the only thing missing from his person was the rather large trident he often carried. Of course, the gargantuan weapon was less for actual defense, and more for intimidation, not that he couldn’t instill fear in any monster’s heart as he was.

Papyrus frowned as he watched his new friend bow respectfully. He knew he would grow accustomed to the sight over time, after all, people would one day bow to him like that. He couldn’t afford to look even slightly saddened by the action, no matter how much he simply wanted a friend to call equal.

“Who is this?” Asgore hummed, looking over the small monster in his presence in interest.

“Undyne Your Majesty!” she beamed, flashing him an eager toothy grin, entirely unafraid of possibly upsetting the larger monster.

The King was momentarily taken aback, blinking in confusion before chuckling quietly to himself, “Quite a brave one, aren’t you?” There was a certain look in Asgore’s eyes, one that Papyrus had scarce seen, but the meaning was obvious; he had an idea. “And just why might you be roaming the castle with my son?”

Undyne seemed to pause, before her head whirled around to look at Papyrus, and then back at Asgore again. In another situation, it might have been amusing to watch the other monster slowly put together the pieces, the cogs turning in her mind until she finally realized what Papyrus had thought to be already known.

It all made sense – she didn’t know Papyrus had been the skeleton monster adopted into a life of royalty, she thought he was simply another child to invite into her fun little game. She had treated him just like any other child, she saw no difference. But now? Now she was sure to be just like every other person he had ever met; be nice to him, not because she wanted to be his friend, but because she had to.

It hurt and he hated it. No matter how determined he might have been, he would never have true friends, would never be popular for any other reason than his nobility.

“I’m here with my uncle,” Undyne finally replied, “he works as a palace guard.”

Asgore gave another hum, oblivious to Papyrus’ inner crisis, “Well, Undyne was it? Might I ask that you wait outside a moment, I must have words with my son.” His gaze sharpened as he turned to regard the smallest monster in their group, mouth pulling into a tight line.

She spared an almost apologetic glance to him, before doing as she was bid, slowly walking back out of the room once more.

There was a long silence, both remaining monsters staring into each other’s eyes, Papyrus with a hint of guilt, and Asgore with only deep disappointment. He turned beginning to stride calmly back towards the throne, Papyrus following a pace behind.

“I believe you know what I have to say to you, Papyrus,” he was no longer looking at the young monster, instead gazing into the distance longingly, “My real son was like you, kind-hearted with just the right amount of mischief as there should be in a young monster. He was always eager to make friends and follow his heart rather than his mind.”

His words only hurt Papyrus further, they hurt him every time he spoke about his ‘real’ son, his ‘real’ family. But he knew better than to complain. At least to not to Asgore himself.

“He is dead.” He finally turned, glaring down at Papyrus, “And I will not lose another child because they are too weak. Understand?” He nodded nervously only to be startled by a shout, “I asked if you understood Papyrus, do you understand me?”

“Y-Yes. I understand,” he managed to quietly force out the words, growing even more afraid of the sneer he was being subjected to.

“You need more confidence. You cannot hope to lead the Underground if you cannot even make yourself heard in a silent room.” Asgore turned away once more, beginning to walk towards the exit of the room, “I will send for you later tonight for punishment. Such unruly behavior as you displayed earlier today with not be tolerated.” Without another word on the matter he left.

Papyrus sat in the Throne room for a long while, silently watching as the buttercups and hanging vines swayed in the tender mid-day breeze. At some point Undyne had come back, sitting herself down beside him, sharing in his silence.

“You can leave if you want, you don’t have to hang around me if you don’t want to anymore.” He continued to watch the flora, unable to watch his companion leave like everyone else.

“Leave?” he was surprised by the confusion on her voice and chanced a glance back in her direction, “Why would I leave?” she demanded, “You haven’t even shown me your puzzles yet!” she leapt to her feet and snatched his hand again, practically yanking him from the floor and upright.

Before he had the chance to react he was already being led back in the direction of his room by the overexcited fish monster. Perhaps finding a friend wouldn’t be as hard as he first thought. Besides, it seemed Undyne could have cared less about his rank, wanting only to have fun with her friend.

[queerstorypodcast]

Episode 3- The Riotous Truth

Episode 3- The Riotous Truth: The Stonewall Riots

Welcome again to Queer Story Podcast. The history they didn’t teach you in school. In celebration of pride I want to talk about the Stonewall riots and debunk some of the narrative myths of the events during that fateful summer in 1969.

My name is oso and this is the history they didn’t tell you.

This is complicated piece of Queerstory. I have been working on it for weeks.

I don’t know if any of ya’ll have seen Where Pride Began, the 2015 movie by Roland Emmerich on how the the Stone wall riots,

(Following the story of a young midwestern white boy. Presenting him as the one who felt the rage of “enough is enough”. Gay Liberation Movement and climate of white gay culture white washed and eliminated People of Color and key figures in this story: The Saint Queens: Sylvia Rivera, Marsha P Johnson; Miss Major, and Storme’ Delarvarie. As well as countless other Brown and Black transgender, drag wearing, street, various sexuality experiencing patrons of The Stonewall Inn.)

I wanted to force myself to watch this film, but I decided the general botched history that can be found on Wikepedia and other sources was just as available. I am talking about the re-written narrative, the white-gay-male centered narrative. Since I know the real history involved Latinx and Black folks, the Mob, and a non-planned explosion of being simply fed up with the cops.

Look: we all know that white people like to take credit for things that they didn’t do. Elvis, NASA, Miley Cyrus- Stonewall and the Gay “movement” isn’t any different. Once we face this fact, we can peel back the falsity and see the resplendence of what the energy and magick of the rage of powerful-people-oppressed can accomplish. Doors blown wide open for all of us. This episode is out of gratitude for that rage and strength.

Thank you to all the elders and ancestors that came before us.

Today  we will focus on the retelling of the story of the Stonewall Riots.  If you were at the Stonewall Riots and want to add to or detail the story, please contact me! Queerstorypodcast@gmail.com. I would love to make sure the story is correct, and listen to you, as I am piecing it together from various stories I have read.

What I have learned from for this episode are the testimonies of Sylvia Rivera, Marsha P Johnson, Miss Major, Titus Montavlo, and Mark Segal- who via PBS called out the 2015 film as

“...uninterested in any history that doesn’t revolve around its white, male, stereotypically attractive protagonist. It almost entirely leaves out the women who participated in the riots and helped create the Gay Liberation Front, which included youth, trans people, lesbian separatists and people from all other parts of the spectrum of our community.”

Interview here: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/art/stonewall-movie/

Let’s dive into today’s Queer Story!

Once Upon a Time, being gay and being thought of/seen as a “crossdresser” was illegal. As recently, in the state of New York, as 2011! Thanks to laws made in the mid-19th century, clothing choices were limited to the drag of the two binary genders. These current day bathroom bills aren’t too far off from US history’s invested interest in what’s between everyone’s legs. According to transgender historian, Susan Stryker, these laws made in the 1850’s were a “new development specific to gender presentation”.

The “3 Piece Rule”: one must wear 3 pieces of gender appropriate clothing, was a commonly enforced law. These laws effectively gave power to the police to enforce binary gender roles upon civilians who may have multiple, fluid, and/or queer genders. Which the police enforced liberally. This is the climate we find ourselves in 1969.

In 1969 the cops would harass people on the street and raid bars and events, demanding to see if “the genitals matched the clothing”, to which if they didn’t match to the cop’s understanding and, folks would be fined or arrested. In New York City, in the 60’s this was certainly the case.

This was an era of McCarthyism, police raids, removal of LGBTQ people from parks and public places, arrests, and a general loathing and ignorance about Queer and gender variant folks by wholesome hetero America. It was widely accepted that homosexuality and the transgender identities that were classified as “homosexual”, was a mental disorder and many folks were institutionalized at one time or another.

The FBI kept lists of “homosexual” people and establishments that were used to out people at work and subsequently, keep them un-employable. Trans folks, of all genders, were routinely fined, beaten, arrested, and murdered for wearing “clothing of the opposite sex”. This was a time in which the majority of gender non-conforming people, particularly, male assigned at birth feminine people, who identified as Queens, had absolutely no place in society. Queer people across the spectrum were exposed, harassed, institutionalized, jailed, and murdered- legally under the laws of many states.

Once upon a time, on 53 W. Christopher Street in the Big Apple, during the summer of ‘69, the world changed for Queer and gender non-conforming people forever. Today’s Queer Story is centered around the experiences of the the trans women of color, street kids, and gender non-conforming lesbians who frequented the Mafia-run dive known as the Stonewall Inn.

Before we dive into the story of the Stonewall Inn, I want to first mention Compton’s Cafeteria Riot, which had taken place in 1966, three years before Stonewall. In San Francisco’s Tenderloin district, trans folks flocked to Compton’s Cafeteria. One of the reasons they hung out there was because they were not allowed to kick it at the gay bars-  this is an important part of this Queer Story- gay communities, even in Queer meccas like SF and NYC were generally transphobic and exclusionary.

At Compton’s, the cops would frequently raid and arrest people based on if their clothing matched their genitals. Until enough was enough, and a picket against such raids was set in motion by the Queens and Kings who spent time there. The picket was unsuccessful- but the outburst of pure raw transgender rage was not. For a couple of nights trans folks rioted at the cafeteria, and the police were called in. The time and dates of the riots are unknown, as police records are no longer around and newspapers did not cover the story.

Compton’s riots opened pandora’s box of possibilities. Three years later, on the other coast, the rage of trans folks of color rage pushed all of us out of America’s closet once and for all.

The setting of today’s Queer Story: Greenwich Village- a neighborhood where gay, lesbian, trans, and unhoused folks flocked to after the first world war. Because of the lingering effects of the prohibition era, the mob ran most of the underground joints and speakeasies. This was very good for Queer folks because drinking and “so-called” immoral activities, like essing D,  finger banging, and looking better than you in some fabulous evening wear, found a natural home underground. There, in The Village, the classic New York Queer subculture flourished for two decades.

The 50s brought McCarthyism and social repression, which only helped attract Beat poets, artists, and radical people to the area- expanding the community. By the early 60s Mayor Robert F. Wagoner Jr, felt the urge (probably stemming from his unmet needs of sucking dick) to purge NYC of all gay bars in anticipation for the 1964 World’s Fair. This lead to police entrapment of gay men and gender/clothing policing of trans people.

The Stonewall Inn was owned by the Genovese Crime family, who had invested a whopping $3,500 to convert it from a hetero-night club to a bar where Latinx and Black drag queens, semi-queens, and street kids would spend time. It had no liquor license, so the mob paid off the cops weekly. Reportedly, the bar had no running water, overflowing toilets, and filthy glasses. But, it was the place where Queens, Kings, so-called “crossdressers”, and Queer street kids could congregate indoors and dance. There were two dancefloors and the music of Motown were the jams you would hear there.

Police raids were frequent at the bars of The Village, so there was a system in place to inform bar patrons of police presence. In the case of cops, the black lights would shut off and white lights would flicker. This indicated that folks should stop dancing and touching each other and play it cool.

According to Miss Major, a life-long trans activist and original Stonewall Girl, the patronage was mostly Black and Latinx trans folks and street kids. She also claims that gay men would rarely visit the bar. A fact corroborated with by Titus Montlavo, a former semi-queen who spent time at Stonewall when they were 16. Montlavo told Out Magazine: “At least 70%. The Spanish group was the Delightful Ladies. The black group was the Blackwell...The majority of people at Stonewall were either drag queens or gay men of color. You could never go to Julius [a nearby bar] unless you were extremely conservative and well dressed. We were never allowed there.”

According to the whitewashed, gay dominant narrative, you will find across all forms of historic media, Stonewall was “an even mix of GAY and lesbian, white, black, and hispanic people.” Remember Compton’s? Gay folks routinely rejected trans-women, drag queens and kings. This was no different in New York. There were gay bars around, but The Stonewall Inn was where the Queens were.

It is recorded that on June 28th, at 1:20 am four undercover police, two regular pigs, Deputy inspector Seymor Pine and detective Charles Smythe entered Stonewall and declared “Police we’re taking the place!” A handful of other mob-owned queer bars had been shut down in The Village that summer- they thought that night would be like the rest. They shoulda stayed home and watched Johnny Carson.

The cops worked the the routine, they tried to shut down Stonewall like they had the other bars- by forcing people to prove their genders, taking ID’s, and arresting what would be 13 people.

The actual riot began all thanks to a mixture of the rage of Queens and the resistance of Storme’ Delarverie, Black, stone butch stud, talented, drag king.

As the cops tried to arrest Storme’, they resisted. Onlookers said they saw a “stone butch” aggressively wrestlingt he cops back and forth all the way to the wagon. When they were beaten over the head by an officer and stuffed into the paddy wagon with three Queens, Storme’ cried out to all who could hear, “ WHY DON’T YOU GUYS DO SOMETHING?!” At this point the onlooking gay folks from the gaybars and Village were yelling to the cops, “Let them go!” and “pigs” and faggot cops”. For the folks gathered outside: when Storme’ cried out, people fought back.

Inside of the bar, according to Titus Montalvo, “When the fight started in that corner of the club—at the end of the bar—one very tall Spanish queen named Joey and a couple of black drag queens were at the corner at the time.” Other testimonies, including that of Sylvia Rivera, saw Marsha P. (Pay it no mind) Johnson throw a the first shot glass. It sounds like many folks started fighting back around the same time, different patrons saw different folks, all Latinx and Black, initiate the riot. This cannot be forgotten.

This explosion brought the gay onlookers into the riots. They saw the first wave of protest explode from the Queens, Storme’, and street kids- they saw how the outcasts of the world of “homosexuals” fought back. This was a moment of experiential solidarity.

Cops and a couple of reporters were barricaded in the bar, as protester rioted outside. Bricks wear hurled, coins, dog shit, high heels, and beer bottles. The outraged Queers tried to overturn cop cars and the paddy wagon and pull a parking meter out of it’s post to be used as a battering ram to get at the folks locked inside. They set fire to the bar with the cops and reporters inside. Gay men, who generally loathed the Queens, fought for and with the them on this night. Rallying against the cops who oppressed them all. It is reported that the cops were outnumbered by 500-600 people. Sylvia Rivera, the godmother of Queens and unhoused trans youth, said “It was the greatest moment of my life”.

Famously, the Queens and kids did their can-can “We are the Stonewall Girls, we wear our hair in curls, we wear no underwear, we show our pubic hair!” right around the same time the Tactical Patrol Force showed up. They used their force to try and subdue the crowd. Many people were beaten with night-sticks and knocked out cold. By 4:00 the riot had died down and folks sat in the electric air of change along Christopher street.

That same electricity kept its charge the following night, with tags of “Gay Power” and “Drag Power” scrawled all over the charred front of the Stonewall Inn. That night more people joined, tourists and folks who weren’t even Queer, just those who wanted to fight the cops. It was remarked that the next night there was a visible insurgence of Queer PDA, like never before seen. On this night - thousands showed up. This was the night people got buck wild. Saint Sylvia saw Saint Marsha climb a lamp post and drop a bag of heavy object on the windshield of a car- smashing it. The Queen of Queens.

The riot continued through the night until the TPF showed up again. But the damage had been done, the big gay cat was out of the big gay bag and would never be pushed back in again.

The following year was the first Pride event: The Christopher Street Day Parade and Festival.

During the following year, an activist movement co-created by Saint Sylvia and Saint Marsha, Michael Brown of the Mattachine Society, Dick Lietch, Martha Shelley, Lois Hart, Bob Martin, Marty Robinson, Karla Jay, and Bob Kohler, the Gay Liberation Front was founded. Brown, authored a pamphlet called “The Hairpin Drop Heard Around the World”, that allowed the Mattachine society to capitalize off of the momentum of the riots.

The GLF organized throughout 1970 and born from it were various caucuses,the Gay Activist Alliance, Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries, and Lesbian Liberation Committee (among many other committees formed for Gay Liberation). The GAA, while being initially organized by gay men and women and trans folks, Queens, began to adopt the respectability politics that characterized the ousting of Sylvia, Marsh, Miss Major, and other Queens/crossdressers, sexworkers, and street kids- the very same to instigated the riots that prompted liberation in the first place.

In fact, these sensible gays worked very hard to exclude transwomen from the movement in subsequent Pride events years after the riots. According to Miss Major, “The sad thing about all of that was that the gay and lesbian community took that away from us and just completely white-washed us into the background as if we didn’t exist and weren’t there. They even claimed it was their bar, when you would rarely even see gay people there. “

What strikes me is a mixture of intersecting realities and narratives actually did bring the LGBT community together- eventually adding the Q- the reclamation piece. Gays rejected trans-people. White people reject Black and Brown people. So the story goes. Transfolks, we were’t the same as them, we made things unsafe for them because we can’t so easily pass in the world. Rejecting us was a multi-headed beast: self-preservation, misogyny, phobia of sexualities that might not be gay, and racism. The rage, that night, they came from Black and Brown Queens, shook something in the white gay community. They were compelled to implore the cops to let the queens and kings go. They jumped into the fight in the following nights.

Those gay people NEEDED the spark. I see it as a venn diagram: Queens who were Black or Brown were not permitted by society to have gainful employment or living accommodations, ever; gay men and women, particularly white and passing folks, could be employed and have housing- until the FBI lists publicly took those privileges away. Class and gender privilege divided these groups, until the laws pushed them together. That night of Stonewall, was the venn diagram of rage and disgust. It did not equalize us, it did not make the Queens acceptable to the gays overnight. It was simply a moment of overlapping rage, a moment where gay people could see their struggle in the people that they looked down upon.

The gays needed change from the police harassment just as much as the Queens, even if they couldn’t rise up until that night. Yes, they took over the story and in many ways historically own it. Yes, they took up space in the parades and festivals to come. Yes, they rewrote it to look more gay and less transgender; more white and less Black and Brown. Yes, it is hurtful, wrong, and super fucked up; it is the effects of colonization, the re-mix. It is yet another example of how the labor of Black and Brown folks has changed the world as we know it. And the disease of white toxic masculinity needs to hold credit.

This is where another crux exists. When it opened up everything for the gay and white folks, they tried to keep it. Consequentially, year after year, this pulled more gay and lesbian people into a place of personal pride. I can’t help but think about how this impacts the spectrum of the LGBTQIA community today? I can also see that it was a combination of the spark and the bullshit, that slowly expanded solidarity to the extent of having a larger community that refers to itself as LGBTQIA.

Sylvia: “I may be… You all better quiet down. I’ve been trying to get up here all day for your gay brothers and your gay sisters in jail that write me every motherfucking week and ask for your help, and you all don’t do a goddamn thing for them. Have you ever been beaten up and raped in jail? Now think about it. They’ve been beaten up and raped after they’ve had to spend much of their money in jail to get their self home and to try to get their sex changes. The women have tried to fight for their sex changes or to become women of the Women’s Liberation and they write STAR, not to the women’s groups, they do not write to men, they write STAR because we’re trying to do something for them. I have been to jail. I have been raped, and beaten. Many times. By men, heterosexual men that do not belong in the homosexual shelter. But, do you do anything for me? No. You tell me to go and hide my tail between my legs. I will not put up with this shit. I have been beaten. I have had my nose broken. I have been thrown in jail. I have lost my job. I have lost my apartment for gay liberation and you all treat me this way? What the fuck’s wrong with you all? Think about that! I do not believe in a revolution, but you all do. I believe in the Gay Power. I believe in us getting our rights, or else I would not be out there fighting for our rights. That’s all I wanted to say to you people. If you all want to know about the people in jail – and do not forget Bambi L’Amour, Andorra Marks, Kenny Messner, and other gay people in jail – come and see the people at STAR House on Twelfth Street on 640 East Twelfth Street between B and C apartment 14. The people are trying to do something for all of us, and not men and women that belong to a white, middle-class white club. And that’s what you all belong to! Revolution now! Gimme a ‘G’! Gimme an ‘A’! Gimme a ‘Y’! Gimme a ‘P’! Gimme an ‘O’! Gimme a ‘W’! Gimme an ‘E! Gimme an ‘R’! huh— Gay power. Louder! Gay Power!”

That was a speech made by Saint Sylvia at 1973 NYC pride, where she and Marsha were actively pushed out. Gay culture assimilation, “respectability politics” always pushing back. She enters the stage to a chorus of boos, allegedly after a gay male favorite: Better Midler left the stage.

The same people her labor liberated were the same who booed her and didn’t want to hear her speak. Sylvia not only worked for all Gay Liberation, she actively worked to have inclusion for trans and gender non-conforming people in the world of Gay Liberation. It was her labor that brought the T into the alphabet soup.

1973 was also the year the gays tried to ban Marsha from riding in the Stonewall Car. So what did she and Sylvia do? They went ahead of the opening banner and lead the entire parade. Which put pressure on the NYC gay march to allow transvestites and trans folks in the parade.

It’s truly disgusting to see how the story was white washed and rewritten, but I want to shift focus from that narrative and to how the entire story is about the power and strength of transwomen of color.

Once Upon a time, Black and Latinx Queens and Kings changed everything, for everyone, forever; they created the original festivities, Pride festivals and parades now attract and include more folks than ever. And during the month of June, people rejoice in who they are and how they love and how good we all look! More people are listening to the whole narrative and questioning the story, hungry for truth. And it isn’t over.

The story is complicated, gay cisgender men, especially white men, do get massive privilege in comparison to trans women of color. There is still trans-misogyny in the gay community. Old issues have transformed, yet persisted, over time, and it is still true that: trans women of color are fighting and creating so much for themselves, and all of us, while still being targeted by violence and murdered by hateful ignorance. This story is exalted by  their strength and power; it wouldn’t be a Queerstory that changed the world without all of its parts.

Musical Break: Dame Shirley Bassey- My Life

Dialogue with Colin 

[bountyofbeads]

A new Bolton revelation ties Trump to Giuliani’s early efforts in Ukraine — and loops in other Trump allies

By Philip Bump | Published January 31 at 1:04 PM EST | Washington Post | Posted January 31, 2020 |

New reporting from the New York Times suggests that then-national security adviser John Bolton was asked by President Trump to call Ukraine’s then-president-elect Volodymyr Zelensky to encourage Zelensky to meet with Trump’s personal attorney, Rudolph W. Giuliani. That report, detailed in Bolton’s upcoming book, would be a direct demonstration of Trump leveraging his office to advocate for investigations that would benefit himself personally — as Giuliani himself has indicated.

When the New York Times reported last May that Giuliani planned to travel to Ukraine, the president’s lawyer was explicit about what he was seeking. His goal was to encourage Zelensky to investigate alleged Ukrainian interference in the 2016 U.S. election and allegations centered on former vice president Joe Biden — the two investigations that Trump himself promoted in his call with Zelensky on July 25. Reporting has repeatedly suggested that neither investigation is rooted in demonstrated evidence.

"There’s nothing illegal about it,” Giuliani said to the Times, although he noted that “somebody could say it’s improper.”

“I’m asking them to do an investigation that they’re doing already and that other people are telling them to stop,” he continued. “And I’m going to give them reasons why they shouldn’t stop it because that information will be very, very helpful to my client, and may turn out to be helpful to my government.”

To facilitate his travel, Giuliani drafted a letter to be given to Zelensky. It was included in documents turned over to the House Intelligence Committee earlier this month by his former associate Lev Parnas.

That letter, bearing Giuliani’s signature, is dated May 10, the day after Giuliani spoke to the Times.

“I am private counsel to President Donald J. Trump,” it begins. “Just to be precise, I represent him as a private citizen, not as President of the United States.” It goes on congratulate Zelensky on winning the presidency and then to make “a more specific request.”

“In my capacity as personal counsel to President Trump and with his knowledge and consent, I request a meeting with you,” it reads, suggesting a meeting on May 13 or 14. By May 11, though, Giuliani canceled his trip in the face of public pressure.

The Times’s new report is based on a draft of Bolton’s upcoming book and suggests that, in the same time frame, Trump asked Bolton to intercede on Giuliani’s behalf.

“President Trump directed John R. Bolton, then his national security adviser, to help with his pressure campaign to extract damaging information on Democrats from Ukrainian officials, according to an unpublished manuscript by Mr. Bolton,” Maggie Haberman and Michael Schmidt report. “Mr. Trump gave the instruction, Mr. Bolton wrote, during an Oval Office conversation in early May that included the acting White House chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, the president’s personal lawyer Rudolph W. Giuliani and the White House counsel, Pat A. Cipollone, who is now leading the president’s impeachment defense.”

Giuliani denied the report to the Times; Trump denied it to CNN after the report came out.

Bolton didn’t make the call. Had he done so, however, it would have been one of the earliest examples of Trump leveraging his authority to pressure Ukraine to aid his own political goals, undermining Biden (by then a declared candidate) and the origins of the investigation into Russian interference. In late May, Trump tasked a group of officials to similarly work with Giuliani on Ukraine. That group included Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland and then-special envoy to Ukraine Kurt Volker, both of whom repeatedly indicated to Ukrainian officials that the investigations Trump sought were necessary conditions for things desired by Zelensky.

By early May, Trump was already aware of one thing Zelensky wanted: a high-profile U.S. official at his inauguration later that month. In the first call between the two on April 21, the day Zelensky won his election, the Ukrainian repeatedly pressed Trump to come to his inauguration. Trump demurred, but for a period afterward Vice President Pence was slated to attend.

According to Parnas, Pence’s attendance collapsed after Parnas met with a Zelensky aide named Serhiy Shefir in Kyiv on May 12. Parnas claims that he told Shefir that an investigation of Biden was necessary for Pence to attend the inauguration. When Shefir later stopped answering his text messages, Parnas told Giuliani that it was a “no-go.”

On May 13, the day after that meeting, Pence adviser Jennifer Williams was informed by Mulvaney’s office that Pence would not be attending the inauguration, according to her testimony in the impeachment inquiry. On Thursday it was reported that Williams was leaving Pence’s office.

The precise date of Trump’s reported request that Bolton call Zelensky to facilitate a meeting with Giuliani isn’t clear. If it occurred in early May, however, it happened while all of these elements were in the mix, including Giuliani’s travel to Ukraine and Pence’s trip to the inauguration. Trump has largely remained at a distance from these events, even denying in an interview earlier this month that he knew about the letter in which Giuliani indicated that he had Trump’s “knowledge and consent” in seeking a Zelensky meeting.

“I don’t know anything about the letter,” Trump said, "but certainly Rudy is one of the great crime-fighters in the history of our country. I didn’t know about the specific letter, but if he wrote a letter it wouldn’t have been a big deal.”

The timing of the Times’s new report is significant. Later Friday, the Senate was expected to hold a vote on allowing witnesses in the president’s impeachment trial, including Bolton and, potentially, Mulvaney. On Friday morning, that vote seemed likely to fail, meaning that Bolton would not be interrogated by the Senate about the recent revelations from his book — or anything else that has yet come to light.

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Senate appears ready to reject witnesses in Trump impeachment trial, acquittal vote possible Friday

By Mike DeBonis, Seung Min Kim and David A. Fahrenthold | Published

January 30 at 11:44 PM EST | Washington Post | Posted Jan 31, 2020 |

The impeachment trial of President Trump is headed for a critical vote Friday that will determine whether the Senate hears from witnesses over allegations that the president pressured Ukraine to launch investigations for his own political benefit.

But Senate Republicans are increasingly confident no new testimony will be heard and they can start on a sprint toward Trump’s acquittal.

On Thursday, Sen. Susan Collins (Maine) said she will break with Republican leadership and vote to hear witnesses. But Collins still needs three other Republicans to vote with her if new evidence is to be allowed and it was unclear late Thursday night who, if anyone, in the party would join her.

Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) was considered a possible supporter of allowing testimony, but he announced Friday that he’s ready to end the trial even though he found Trump’s behavior “inappropriate” and leave the president’s fate in the hands of voters during the upcoming election.

“Let the people decide,” he said in a statement.

Some Republicans said they hope the trial will be completed Friday with a vote to acquit Trump.

“We still feel very positive about it,” said Sen. John Barrasso (Wyo.), the third-ranking Republican leader. “More and more members are saying, ‘I’m ready to go to a final [vote]. . . . I’ve heard enough.’ ”

One outside possibility is that the Senate will deadlock on the question of calling witnesses. That would put Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. in the position of breaking the tie — a role Democrats are urging him to play. But there is little expectation Roberts would weigh in on such a politically thorny question and instead would allow the tie to result in no witness being subpoenaed.

Trump will almost certainly revel in a vote to acquit him on the impeachment charges, but House Democrats have said they will continue to investigate the president and are hoping the allegations they have made against him will resonate with voters and help make him a one-term president.

Trump was impeached by the House in December — charged with abuse of power after being accused of soliciting the Ukrainian government’s help in undermining his political rivals and obstructing the House’s investigation into his actions.

The final outcome of Trump’s Senate trial has never been in doubt. It takes only 34 votes to acquit. The GOP has 53 seats. And with Republican primary voters strongly supportive of Trump, these senators have shown little interest in crossing him.

Instead, the main drama has been about how much more Republican senators want to learn about what Trump may have done before deciding whether he should be convicted.

On Thursday, the answer appeared to be: not much.

“Even if you take everything else that is levied on him by others … is it an impeachable offense?” said Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), who said she would not vote to call witnesses. “I don’t see that it rises to the level of being an impeachable offense.”

Earlier this week, the New York Times reported that Trump’s former national security adviser, John Bolton, wrote in a forthcoming book that Trump told him in August that he wanted to continue freezing military assistance to Ukraine until its leaders launched investigations into former vice president Joe Biden and his son Hunter.

That revelation provided a key firsthand witness to an alleged pressure campaign at the heart of the impeachment trial. Democrats accused Trump of pressuring Ukraine’s president into investigating Biden to gain an edge on his possible 2020 rival. Republicans have dismissed this account as being based on second- or third-hand witnesses.

But Bolton said he was told directly by the president about his reason for holding the aid in a book that will be titled “The Room Where It Happened.”

If all Democrats agreed, it would take four Republican votes to call Bolton, or anyone else, as a witness. Earlier this week, that seemed possible: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) told other Republicans the vote was in doubt.

But since then, several Republicans seen as possible swing votes — Ernst, Cory Gardner (Colo.) and Martha McSally (Ariz.), all facing competitive election contests — rejected the idea of hearing more testimony.

Along with Collins, Sen. Mitt Romney (Utah) is still viewed as the likeliest Republican contender to side with Democrats for more testimony, while Sen. Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) could join as well. She said late Thursday night that she is going to review her notes and reflect on the decision. It’s unclear who would be the fourth vote — Alexander was considered the most likely to join the other three before he said he was against subpoenaing witnesses.

While Alexander’s announcement was cheered by Republicans, he took a swipe at Trump and contradicted the president’s claim that his July phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was “perfect.”

“It was inappropriate for the president to ask a foreign leader to investigate his political opponent and to withhold United States aid to encourage that investigation,” he said. “When elected officials inappropriately interfere with such investigations, it undermines the principle of equal justice under the law. But the Constitution does not give the Senate the power to remove the president from office and ban him from this year’s ballot simply for actions that are inappropriate.”

Republicans on Thursday mused about Roberts’s potential role in breaking a tie on witnesses, but appeared unconcerned he would to take any decisive action.

“If it’s two [voting for witnesses], deal is over. If it’s three, we don’t know, because we’re in uncharted territory,” said Sen. Mike Braun (R-Ind.).

That’s because three yes votes would create a 50-50 tie. Normally, tie votes are broken by the vice president. But in an impeachment trial, the presiding officer of the Senate is Roberts, not the vice president.

Could Roberts vote to break the tie? Would he?

“There’s no real certainty what the power of the presiding officer is,” said Braun, who added that Republicans consider it “unlikely” that Roberts would intervene.

Democrats have mostly been solicitous of Roberts during the trial, but on Thursday Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) tried to put the chief justice on the spot.

The presidential contender asked whether Americans would lose faith in the chief justice, the Supreme Court and the Constitution if Roberts presided over a trial where no new witnesses or evidence was allowed.

Roberts performed his duty and read the question aloud, after which House Democrats’ lead impeachment lawyer came to his defense.

“It reflects adversely on us,” House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam B. Schiff (D-Calif.) told lawmakers concerning the lack of witnesses and new evidence being allowed. He added that Roberts has performed “admirably.”

Republican leaders said they want to move quickly toward the vote to acquit if the Senate decides not to hear new testimony Friday.

In the 1999 impeachment trial of President Bill Clinton, the Senate heard a combined five hours and 28 minutes of closing arguments. Then, the Senate entered four days of closed-door jury deliberations totaling nearly 26 hours, before voting to acquit Clinton on two articles of impeachment.

In this case, some Republicans said, they want to skip the closing arguments and the deliberations and move ahead to the last step.

“If 51 [senators] say we’ve heard enough, we can move to that final vote,” said Sen. John Cornyn (Tex.), the second-ranking Republican.

That would leave Senate Democrats with few cards to play. They could not stop an acquittal vote.

But they could delay it — and force Republican senators to take uncomfortable votes against hearing more evidence or allowing more debate.

One idea proposed by Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) is a motion to require Roberts to issue a subpoena for additional documents and witnesses if he thinks they are relevant to the trial.

It would probably fail, but the vote could be used against Gardner, Ernst and other Republicans facing reelection.

“The minority has rights, and we will exercise those rights,” Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) said Thursday.

Schiff on Thursday proposed allowing for one week for deposing witnesses, a time during which the Senate could conduct legislative business, but Republicans are unlikely to agree to that.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who has remained relatively quiet throughout the proceedings, previewed an attack on Republicans to come if no additional evidence is allowed to be presented.

“You cannot be acquitted if you don’t have a trial. You don’t have a trial if you don’t have witnesses and documentation,” she wrote on Twitter. “If Republican Senators choose a coverup, the American people and history will judge it with the harshness it deserves.”

Still, delays eventually end — even in the Senate. Even if Democrats force extra votes, the final vote to acquit Trump could come as early as Friday night or Saturday, unless leaders decide to move it to Monday, just one day before Trump’s State of the Union address.

On Thursday — on the last day of questions and answers in the Senate — the day was mostly devoted to softballs, lobbed by senators at their own side. At one point, Republican senators asked Trump’s lawyers to, in effect, recount Trump’s accomplishments in office.

Trump attorney Eric Hershmann said that, if Trump’s actions are “for his personal and political gain and not in the best interests of the American people then I say, ‘God bless him. Keep doing it, keep doing it, keep doing it.’ ”

Democratic senators asked Schiff who was paying the legal bills of Trump’s private attorney Rudolph W. Giuliani — who served as an intermediary to Ukraine.

“I don’t know who’s directly paying the freight for it, but I can tell you the whole country is paying the freight for it because there are leaders around the world who are watching this, and they’re saying the American presidency is open for business,” Schiff said.

At the start of the day’s session, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) submitted a question for Roberts to read aloud. The question contained the name of a person who conservative media have alleged is the intelligence community whistleblower whose complaint last year about Trump’s actions toward Ukraine sparked the impeachment inquiry.

Roberts didn’t read it.

“The presiding officer declines to read the question as submitted,” Roberts said.

After that, Paul stood up, gathered his papers and walked out of the Senate chamber to address reporters. He then said the name that Roberts would not.

Trump traveled Thursday night to a rally in Iowa, where he criticized House Democrats for impeaching him but said he was unfazed by the trial.

He said he was enjoying a “happy period” unlike the “dark” impeachment cases of his predecessors Bill Clinton, Richard Nixon and Andrew Johnson.

“This is a happy period for us,” he said. “It’s a happy period because they call it ‘impeachment light.’ ”

______

Rachael Bade, John Wagner, Colby Itkowitz, Felicia Sonmez, Paul Kane and Toluse Olorunnipa contributed to this report.

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Let's NOT FORGET that Alan Dershowitz is a criminal defense attorney, NOT a Constitutional law professor. He would present any defense to protect his client aka OJ Simpson and Jeffrey Epstein.

THE PRESIDENT’S BIZARRE ‘INTENT’ DEFENSE

By Randall D. Eliason | Published Jan 30 at 8:22 AM EST | Washington Post | Posted January 31, 2020 |

During President Trump’s impeachment trial this week, lawyers for the president have made the remarkable claim that it is impermissible for the Senate to consider Trump’s state of mind. Alan Dershowitz argued that determining whether the president abused his power in withholding military aid to Ukraine would require the Senate improperly to “psychoanalyze” the president. Patrick Philbin, deputy counsel to the president, also argued it would be impermissible to convict the president based on the “reason in the president’s mind” for his actions. But this is nonsense. Not only is proof of the president’s intent permissible, it’s essential — which makes it all the more critical that former national security adviser John Bolton be called to testify.

Almost all criminal law requires proof of the defendant’s intent. Indeed, it’s usually the key issue in white-collar offenses such as bribery or obstruction of justice, which are embodied in the text of the articles of impeachment. In such cases, proof of what was in the defendant’s mind is usually what distinguishes an otherwise lawful act from a criminal offense.

Suppose prosecutors have a member of Congress on video accepting an envelope full of cash from me. That alone proves relatively little: It could be a legal campaign contribution, or I could be purchasing his Washington Nationals season tickets. To prove it was a bribe, prosecutors would have to show that he accepted the money with the corrupt intent to be influenced in the performance of some official act. In other words, prosecutors would have to prove why he took the money — what was in his mind.

Or suppose I take my laptop and smash it with a hammer. If I do it in a fit of anger because it crashed one too many times, it may be rash, but it’s perfectly lawful. But if I do it because a grand jury has subpoenaed the documents on the laptop and I want to keep that information from the grand jury, I have now committed obstruction of justice — based solely on the reason in my mind for performing the otherwise lawful act.

Dershowitz is not new to this type of argument. He made similar claims during special counsel Robert S. Mueller III’s investigation. Dershowitz argued that a president could not be charged with obstruction of justice for an otherwise legitimate exercise of executive authority, such as firing the FBI director, even if the president acted corruptly. A crime, he claimed, cannot be based on “what was in the president’s mind.” (In the legal analysis portion of his report, Mueller properly rejected this argument.)

But even Dershowitz doesn’t really believe you can never examine a president’s intent. For example, he agrees a president could be impeached and removed for the crime of bribery. But as I noted above, proving bribery requires proof why the president accepted something of value. In other words, it requires proof of what was in the president’s mind — the very thing that Dershowitz says is impermissible.

In short, proof of state of mind is not only commonplace, it’s indispensable. If Trump withheld the aid to Ukraine because he was honestly concerned about corruption in that country, that would be a defense. If he took the exact same action for the corrupt reason of pressuring Ukraine to announce investigations that would benefit him personally and politically, that would constitute bribery and an abuse of power. Everything hinges on the president’s state of mind.

This is where Bolton comes in. Given our inability to read minds, prosecutors often have to prove corrupt intent through circumstantial evidence. They accumulate evidence of the surrounding events and actions by the defendant and others until the conclusion of corrupt intent becomes inescapable. This describes much of the case the House sent over with its articles of impeachment: The president’s actions, the testimony and actions of those around him, and the absence of any other credible explanation for withholding the aid to Ukraine, all provide compelling evidence of Trump’s intent.

But the best way to prove intent is through a defendant’s own statements. The record from the House investigations does include some statements by the president, including the rough transcript of his July 25 phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during which he asked for a “favor.” But Bolton is the first witness to come forward and claim to have heard Trump himself explicitly say that the hold on aid was linked to Ukraine’s agreement to announce investigations into the Bidens. This is critical, direct evidence of intent that goes to the very heart of the charges against the president. Senators who are interested in the truth should want to hear it.

Contrary to the arguments of the president’s lawyers, it’s not improper for the Senate to consider what was in the president’s mind. Juries make these determinations every day in deciding whether to find a defendant guilty and send him to prison. The Senate can certainly do so when deciding whether a president should remain in office.

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Sen. Alexander calls Trump’s actions ‘inappropriate’ but rejects witnesses in impeachment trial

By Rachael Bade, Paul Kane and Karoun Demirjian | Published January 30 at 11:55 PM EST | Washington Post | Posted January 31, 2020 |

Two closely watched Republicans announced a split decision late Thursday night on calling witnesses in President Trump’s impeachment trial, placing GOP leaders on the precipice of cutting off the proceedings and moving quickly to acquit the president.

Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee said that he will oppose the Democratic bid to summon witnesses while acknowledging that it was “inappropriate for the president to ask a foreign leader to investigate his political opponent and to withhold United States aid to encourage that investigation” — a clear description of a quid pro quo.

Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, who faces a tough reelection bid, announced she wants to hear more testimony.

The rapid-fire announcements from Alexander and Collins came ahead of Friday’s vote on witnesses and the likelihood Democrats fall short in forcing the issue. Trump stonewalled the House probe, denying witnesses and evidence.

“The Constitution does not give the Senate the power to remove the president from office and ban him from this year’s ballot simply for actions that are inappropriate,” Alexander said in a statement, arguing that “there is no need for more evidence to prove something that has already been proven.”

He added that “our founding documents provide for duly elected presidents who serve with ‘the consent of the governed,’ not at the pleasure of the United States Congress. Let the people decide.

The retiring Tennessee Republican and close ally of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) was one of four GOP senators, including Collins, who expressed a willingness to subpoena individuals such as former national security adviser John Bolton to testify about Trump’s actions toward Ukraine. Absent his support — and barring any major surprises — McConnell is believed to have the votes to defeat the Democratic effort to extend the trial and summon additional testimony.

Democrats need four Republicans to advance to witnesses.

However, uncertainty remains surrounding what could happen if there is a 50-50 tie on the motion to hear more evidence, a vote that will occur Friday evening. Republicans have been warily eyeing Supreme Court Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., hoping he would not weigh in to break a tie if three GOP senators side with Democrats on the effort.

The scenario appeared entirely possible Thursday night. Republicans expect Sen. Mitt Romney (Utah) to join Collins and they are closely watching Sen. Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), who pushed through a swarm of reporters around 11 p.m. Thursday, vowing to return to her office, “put some eye drops in” and “keep reading” to make a decision.

Collins, who indicated earlier this week that she was likely to back witnesses, has said since December that she wants to follow the “Clinton model” for impeachment, which included a phase to question witnesses in closed-door depositions. Throughout the trial she has refused to comment on Trump’s behavior or the charges leveled against him, explaining to reporters that as an independent juror she must stay silent until the end.

“I believe hearing from certain witnesses would give each side the opportunity to more fully and fairly make their case, resolve any ambiguities, and provide additional clarity. Therefore, I will vote in support of the motion to allow witnesses and documents to be subpoenaed,” she said in a statement.

The four-term senator faces one of her toughest reelection bids this year following criticism over her votes for Trump’s tax bill and to confirm Supreme Court Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh. Christine Blasey Ford, in an account first reported by The Washington Post, said that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her while they were high school students in the 1980s. Kavanaugh strenuously denied Ford’s claim, calling it an “orchestrated political hit.”

However, Collins, who brands herself as an independent and has bucked her leadership before, also has been praised by Democrats for voting with Murkowski and Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) in 2017 against a GOP effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act. She also backs abortion rights and has been a proponent of gay rights.

Collins faces a formidable challenger in her bid for another term in a state Hillary Clinton carried by three points in 2016 and Barack Obama carried by about 15 points four years earlier. Sara Gideon, the speaker of Maine’s legislature, announced a bid last June with a video that called into question Collins’s carefully tended moderate image.

In recent weeks, Democrats have tried to use impeachment against Collins. On the first day of opening arguments, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee launched a website that suggested Collins, who backed witnesses during the 1999 Clinton impeachment trial, would refuse to allow them for Trump.

Alexander, meanwhile, has sought to build a reputation as a dealmaker in his more than 15 years serving in the Senate. He stepped down from a leadership position in 2011 to focus his energy on more bipartisan projects. And as chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, he has worked across the aisle on health care and other issues.

Democrats have also eyed him as a potential ally on the witness issue due to his chilly relationship with Trump. He didn’t endorse Trump and has never fashioned himself as a supporter.

While Alexander appeared to accept House Democrats’ allegations that Trump tried to strong-arm Ukraine into doing his bidding with an investigation of a political adversary, Alexander said the public should decide how to handle it.

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Trump lawyer Pat Cipollone was a camera-shy Washington Everyman — until impeachment made him a star

By Manuel Roig-Franzia and Josh Dawsey | Published January 30 at 6:55 PM EST | Washington Post | Posted January 31, 2020 |

In August 2016, the conservative pundit Laura Ingraham brought an unassuming, 50-year-old corporate attorney to a presidential debate-prep session for then-candidate Donald Trump.

Long before that day, In­graham had grown close to Pat Cipollone. He’d been her spiritual mentor as she converted to Catholicism and had become her godfather, a special honor in the church meant to forge a lifelong bond. But in her professional world — the realm of high-octane, highly public political combat — Cipollone had made no footprints.

“No one knew who he was,” said a person close to Cipollone, speaking on the condition of anonymity to describe a closed-door campaign gathering.

Here was a Washington Everyman, one of the faceless masters of the universe in the capital city who quietly turn the wheels of power, influence, the law and business — pointedly, and by design, without ever generating a headline.

That brief encounter would set in motion one of the more curious pairings in modern American politics, something approaching the knitting of a sinner and a saint. A twice-divorced president with a penchant for extramarital dalliances, name-calling and celebrity magazine spreads aligned with a preternaturally private father of 10 whose great passions trend more to devotional trips to the Vatican and Catholic charitable endeavors.

The impression Cipollone made on the day of Trump’s debate prep — the future president and his team viewed this unknown quantity as a man of discretion, of “judgment, intellect and modesty, not a leaker,” as one attendee put it — would linger. Nearly 2½ years later, Trump would select Cipollone as his White House counsel and more recently as the lead attorney in the impeachment trial that has played out for the past two weeks in the Senate chamber.

Cipollone’s central role in the defense has placed him on televisions screens across America, though he would have preferred it was not so. He’d argued before the trial that cameras should be banned from the chamber. He believed that Trump’s case could be damaged by the re-airing of comments made by the president and acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney, who’d said at a news conference that the media should “get over it” because quid pro quos “happen all the time” in U.S. foreign policy, according to people familiar with Cipollone’s thinking who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss confidential strategy sessions. But keeping cameras out also would have had the effect of maintaining his carefully nurtured below-the-radar profile.

Until Jan. 21 at 1:27 p.m., when Cipollone stepped onto the podium on the second day of Trump’s trial and said, “Thank you, Mr. Chief Justice,” he had never uttered a word recorded by C-SPAN’s ubiquitous cameras. As if to underscore his near-anonymity in Washington, Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. initially mispronounced Cipollone’s name — as, at various times, would House impeachment managers Adam B. Schiff, (D-Calif.), Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) and Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.). (It’s SIP-uh-loan-ee.) Prior to Cipollone’s name emerging as a contender for Trump’s White House counsel job, he’d never even appeared in the news pages of his hometown newspaper — The Washington Post.

Yet, he was now America’s most visible attorney.

“Pat Cipollone is doing a fantastic job, made easier by the fact that the other side has no case — and it is a Total Hoax,” Trump said Thursday in a email to The Post. “He has been a Great White House counsel.”

'BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVES'

Cipollone, who did not respond to interview requests, and Trump came from different universes. The president was born into privilege, the scion of a real estate empire. Cipollone, whose given name is Pasquale, is the son of Italian immigrants of modest means. While Trump was the product of an exclusive Eastern boarding school, Cipollone had attended a conservative institution far from the power centers on the East Coast, Covington Catholic High School in Kentucky. His family had moved to the state from the Bronx when his father transferred to Kentucky for his factory job. (A Covington student is now embroiled in a lawsuit against The Post based on the newspaper’s coverage of his role in a confrontation during last year’s March for Life.)

In temperament and style, Cipollone seemed to be the president’s opposite. At the University of Chicago law school, he’d been known as the quiet one, “not the kind to engage in a lot of huge Socratic debate. Not a particularly outspoken person,” said Melanie Sloan, a classmate.

Early on, he worked at the large firm Kirkland & Ellis, but he took a detour to become a top lawyer at the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic fraternal organization, where he held the title supreme advocate. While there, he filed a brief in a Supreme Court abortion case in support of a Nebraska law that outlawed a procedure dubbed by critics “partial birth” abortion.

The practice, he wrote, amounts to “the killing of a human child during an already occurring live birth.” The high court ultimately struck down the law.

Later, he became a name partner in the D.C. firm Stein, Mitchell, Cipollone, Beato & Missner — which made him a wealthy man. Cipollone earned more than $6.7 million in 2017 and 2018, according to a financial disclosure form filed when he took the White House job.

His recent client list has included the construction giant Bechtel, Sony Entertainment Group and the Recording Industry of America. He also once served on a legal team for Johnny Depp in a lawsuit against one of the actor’s previous attorneys.

Over the years, Cipollone naturally fell in with the city’s circle of well-connected Catholics, like-minded influencers with firm positions on issues such as abortion and same-sex marriage.

“Pat puts biblical perspectives on everything,” said former senator Rick Santorum (R-Pa.). Both men have children who attended the Heights School in Potomac, Md., which is affiliated with Opus Dei, an ultraconservative Catholic institution.

He also forged a deep bond with Leonard Leo, then the vice president of the Federalist Society, the influential conservative legal group that has played a major role in shaping the judiciary. Along with Leo, Cipollone was one of the founders of the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast, formed in 2004 “in response to Saint John Paul II’s call for a New Evangelization,” according to its website.

The friends traveled to Rome together two summers ago and visited the Vatican with a priest from the Catholic Information Center, a D.C.-based educational organization on whose board Leo and Cipollone have both served. Cipollone has also served on the board of the Solidarity Association, an organization that supports Catholic evangelization and education.

Cipollone cares about “religious freedom, the culture of life,” Leo said in an interview.

Leo and Cipollone are close with William P. Barr, who served as President George H.W. Bush’s attorney general and now holds the same post in the Trump administration. Cipollone worked for a time as a speechwriter under Barr in Bush’s Justice Department.

“Pat and Bill come from the school that believes executive power is actually very important to the preservation of individual freedom, because the branch that is most susceptible to abusing the public is the legislative branch,” Leo said. “Since the legislative branch by far is the most powerful of the three branches, there has to be a check from both other branches.”

Cipollone has generally avoided electoral politics, but in 2012 he jumped in to help Santorum’s presidential campaign, flying on small planes with the candidate and one other volunteer. The operation was so stripped down that the high-powered lawyer ended up doing tasks normally handled by pimply interns — grabbing coffee or lunches for Santorum or doing advance work.

“Nothing was beneath him,” said David Urban, a consultant and Republican campaign operative who was the third member of the small campaign team.

In an interview, Santorum said he and Cipollone meshed on most issues but “didn’t always see eye to eye on immigration.” Cipollone urged him to moderate his hard-line tone, hewing to Catholic tenets about helping the poor.

On policy, “Pat’s just not a heavy hand,” said Santorum, who has been a client of Cipollone’s to handle contracts in the years since the campaign. “When it comes to legal [strategizing], he can be a very heavy hand.”

'STRONG, SILENT TYPE '

When Trump was elected, Cipollone again took a step toward politics, angling to become deputy attorney general in the Justice Department headed by then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Barr — then in private practice — was among those who recommended Cipollone, according to a person who is close to both men. Santorum and Leo also recommended him.

Cipollone didn’t get the job, a turn of events that irked Barr and other supporters. But he remained on the president’s radar, and in 2018 his name surfaced as possible White House counsel. He wasn’t the only finalist, according to an outside adviser who was consulted on a competition that he described as a photo finish.

“There was a tremendous amount of confidence in both his ability as an attorney and that he brought a lot to the table as somebody who understood the larger conservative project,” the outside adviser said.

Having secured the job, he sought input from Melanie Sloan, his University of Chicago classmate.

“I expressed my surprise that he would want to work in this White House. He just doesn’t see the president as I do,” said Sloan, who is a senior adviser to American Oversight, a nonpartisan ethics watchdog that has been critical of Trump. “I think of Pat as a very moral and ethical guy and a devoted family man. All of these values seem at odds with the president.”

At a White House event the month after Cipollone took the job, Trump told the audience that his new top attorney was the “strong, silent type.”

Yet last autumn, Cipollone — the man who doesn’t make headlines — spoke loudly, blasting out an almost Trumpian bolt that dominated the news cycle. In a brusquely worded, eight-page letter to House leaders, he declared that the White House would not cooperate with the House impeachment inquiry. The inquiry was prompted by allegations of a quid pro quo in which Trump threatened to withhold military aid to Ukraine unless it announced an investigation of a leading political rival, former vice president Joe Biden, and his son Hunter, who held a lucrative seat on the board of a Ukrainian oil and gas company.

“Never before in our history has the House of Representatives — under the control of either political party — taken the American people down the dangerous path you seem determined to pursue,” Cipollone wrote. “Put simply, you seek to overturn the results of the 2016 election and deprive the American people of the President they have freely chosen.”

The defiant approach was cheered by conservative tastemakers.

“Cipollone’s letter lays it straight out: You’re invalid. Illegitimate. The hell with you,” Lou Dobbs said on his Fox Business Network program.

Two days later, 21 of Cipollone’s former law school classmates, who said they represented a wide range of political views, asked him to withdraw the letter, arguing that it “flouts the traditions of rigor and intellectual honesty that we learned together” and that it “distorts the law and the Constitution for other purposes, including cable news consumption.”

But those who are close to Cipollone were not surprised at the content or tenor. Cipollone has a visceral disdain for this House and how it works, according to people who know him well but spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe private conversations.

Internally, Cipollone’s arrival in the White House has, at times, caused friction. He has complained frequently about Mulvaney and questioned his performance as chief of staff, according to multiple officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations.

POLITICAL INSTINCTS QUESTIONED

Even some of his allies say he does not share enough information with anyone except the president, because he is too fearful of leaks to the media. During meetings, he often has said he wants to speak with Trump one-on-one after the group leaves, a habit that some White House advisers say has left them out of the loop on what he believes is the correct course of action. White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham has complained repeatedly that he doesn’t keep the communications staff informed.

But publicly the White House has only good things to say about the counsel. “Pat Cipollone has done a masterful job leading the president’s defense team on impeachment and he has widespread support throughout the White House,” ­Grisham said in a statement emailed to The Post. “The president trusts his counsel on a wide range of issues and counts him as one of his closest advisers.”

Cipollone has proved to be a deft infighter. His powers of persuasion were tested during a fierce debate about whether Trump should release the rough transcript of the phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Communications aides told him it would make things worse for Trump, according to officials involved in the discussions. But Cipollone prevailed.

Even then, it wasn’t an easy path. Cipollone tried to manage the media strategy for the transcript release without involving the communications office, arguing that he would provide the best briefings for reporters and lawmakers. He ended up doing the briefings.

The internecine squabbles did not subside. Some inside the White House viewed him as lacking political instincts and repeatedly giving Trump rosier predictions than other advisers. Several days before the impeachment vote, Cipollone was still telling the president that the House might not vote to impeach him, according to advisers who listened in on the discussions. Others told Trump, “Listen, you’re going to get impeached.” They urged the president not to put stock in Cipollone’s analysis.

The others were right. On Dec. 18, a House vote made Trump just the third president in American history to be impeached.

Cipollone was in line to take the lead at the Senate impeachment trial that everyone knew was coming. But with a client as mercurial as the president, he wasn’t going to get to make all the decisions about who else would be at the defense table.

On Christmas Eve, Trump approached Alan Dershowitz, the famed O.J. Simpson defense attorney and emeritus Harvard law professor, in the buffet line at the president’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Fla. Trump told Dershowitz that he wanted him to join the impeachment defense team, Dershowitz said in a recent interview.

Dershowitz demurred, telling the president that his wife, Carolyn Cohen, would not be pleased. That sent Trump off to find Dershowitz’s wife elsewhere in the room. The president convinced her, and just like that, Trump had added some star power to his defense team.

THE HEAT OF THE SPOTLIGHT

Going into the trial, Cipollone also told officials at the White House that he did not want to appear on television news programs and talk shows during impeachment. Instead, he said, he preferred to defer that task to others, including Pam Bondi, a staunch Trump supporter who recently left office as Florida’s attorney general.

“I always hoped that he would do press,” said Ingraham, who has hosted a Fox News Channel program since 2017. “Many times along the way it was clear to me he had no desire to be a television lawyer. He likes to get his job done behind closed doors.”

But there was no avoiding television last week when Cipollone was the first attorney to take the podium to debate the proposed rules for the trial. He adjusted the microphone. A slender man with graying, exquisitely parted hair, he wore a dark suit and a simple red, striped tie. The Washington Everyman in uniform.

His voice dripping with disdain, Cipollone flung many of his remarks at the president’s main antagonist, Schiff, the California Democrat and lead House manager who had just finished his presentation.

“It’s too much to listen to almost,” Cipollone said, “the hypocrisy of the whole thing.”

He invoked the nation’s founders, saying the trial was “their worst nightmare.”

“It’s a partisan impeachment that they delivered to your doorstep,” he said.

“They’re not here to steal one election,” he said. ‘They’re here to steal two elections.”

He closed by urging senators to “end this ridiculous charade” so “we can go have an election.” With that he clapped his folder shut, punctuating the moment, and walked back to his seat.

Cipollone’s client was an ocean away, communing with some of the world’s richest people at the World Economic Summit in Davos, Switzerland. But Trump was paying attention and wanted a fiery performance, people familiar with the president’s thinking said. Trump had hoped for even more of a flamethrower — someone more like himself.

In the past year, the unassuming lawyer now arguing to keep Trump in office had ensconced himself deep into the volatile president’s inner sanctum.

One of Cipollone’s two predecessors, Donald McGahn, was known for staying in his lane, steering clear of the staffer danger zone that surrounds Trump and that has been a factor in so many White House departures.

“Don was very much focused on the judicial enterprise and deregulation,” said Leo, Cipollone’s friend. “Pat has focused some time on that, but he has broadened his interest areas. He gets himself involved in other things in the building with greater intensity than Don might have.”

Inserting himself in policy matters and palace intrigue carries risk. But Cipollone, who has traveled with Trump more than his predecessors, had staked ground as near as possible to the president.

His friends worry he is playing a little too close to the fire.

______

Alice Crites contributed to this report.

*********

[drink-n-watch]

It’s so cold again…. This winter has been non stop up and down in temperature and as a result the entire world is essentially a skating rink. Everything had been covered in thick slippery ice for months. In other words, the perfect day to stay at home and catch up on some Morose Mononokean. And of curse to discuss it with Karandi.

tease

I have occasionally wondered about Hanae’s dad, and much more frequently about Abeno’s home situation (does he live alone?). But I figured this was one of those animes that used the absentee parents trope and there was nothing more to it. Did you see this coming Karandi?

I did not see this coming. Actually, after the hospital scene I started wondering if they were implying Abeno and Hanae were related and I’m still wondering that a little bit. Though, given Abeno doesn’t have a lot of first hand information about Sakae that seems a little less likely. I dunno…..

Still, this is a great development because Hanae’s mother clearly can’t see the yokai and I’ve always kind of wondered where Hanae got the ability from. As to Abeno, I’d love any of his history at this point because he is still quite the enigma even after nearly two seasons of this anime.

c’mon…give us a smile

Let’s face it, any excuse to see more of that blonde bishie is fine by me. Mind you, I’m really looking forward to going back to the Underworld Powers story arc but I can’t say I disliked the softly bitter sweet story of the Ayashi family. It was one of those episodes that felt at once light and purposeful.

Yes, as much as I’ve enjoyed learning more about the underworld, this is another part of the story that has been badly in need to some focus and I quite enjoyed this shift.

For a bit of context, after Hanae’s mom is taken to the hospital for a collapse due to anemia, Abeno brings Hanae to see her. Hanae quickly realizes she’s being haunted and takes care of it but through discussion realizes his father may have seen yokai as well. When Hanae returns home, he gets a surprise visit from his older sister and tries to get a bit more information on his father. Essentially that’s what happens.

Hanae looks a lot like his mom

In that hospital scene with Hanae’s mom meeting Abeno for the first time, I really thought she had a crush on him. A boy like a sunflower. I was all like go Hanae’s mom! Very Mrs. Robinson!

Again, that’s kind of why I wondered if they were implying a connection between Hanae’s father and Abeno. It seemed like a really random observation by Hanae’s mother otherwise.

Actually, I was a little taken by surprise that Hanae’s mother hadn’t already met Abeno. Then thinking back I realised she hadn’t, but it just seemed really weird that in all the time Hanae has been working for Abeno she never met him.

Abeno is not exactly the sociable type. I still wonder why the guys at school seem to like him so.

Abeno showing his warmest supportive expression

But talking about mom not seeing yokai, I guess it’s not unexpected that Hanae’s dad could see yokai but why would he look like Abeno? I’ve also been getting the vibe that Hanae and Abeno’s connection runs a little deeper than a chance meeting. Brothers from a different mother?

Family of exorcists? Different branch of an ancient bloodline? Random coincidence? I’m kind of hoping they do explain.

Hanae’s sister seems like fun. In fact, the entire Ayashi family are rather pleasant. Did you like her Karandi?

Not sure. Her immediate over reaction and jumping to CPR when Hanae collapsed was a little silly, though fits with this anime in terms of occasionally just going for random ‘humour’ where it doesn’t quite go. Also her bitterness towards her father is understandable but makes it hard to get a read on her as a character. She was a little all over the place this episode.

whoa…too close

We get some mixed messaging when it comes to Hanae’s dad. On the one hand it seems like he abandoned his family so there are still some hard feelings there but they also paint a picture of a man who seemed to love his wife(?) and children very much. I wonder what happened.

I’m really hoping Abeno looks into it regardless of Hanae’s comment that his family is just the three of them. Honestly, not looking into it now would be hugely frustrating given they could have just not mentioned the father at all if they weren’t going to pursue it. And yes, I very much wonder what happened though I came up with a cool theory that probably won’t be right but it could be interesting.

wait…what cool theory?

That family of three comment Karandi is referring to came in the next scene. Hanae went straight to Abeno with all the information he had gathered and that’s when the bitter started to pile up. It seemed like a man matching Hanae’s dad had come across the Mononokean in the past but Abeno had been told he died 100 years ago.

We also found out that yokai have a skewed concept of time, that’s why Yahiko though he played with Abeno 30 years ago. I must say I wondered about that at the time. I sort of figured that Abeno was a lot older than he looked, this would match his personality as well. But no, it turns out Yahiko, and most yokai are just space cadets. You would think they would see time as slower considering their long lifespans…

I liked the different time thing as it is something that comes up quite regularly with yokai. Though generally speaking they think almost no time has passed (such as Natsume where the yokai are always surprised to learn that Reiko is already dead and Natsume is her grandson). Still, it is a nice bit of detailing and it helps make previous comments (such as the 30 years) make a bit more sense.

we didn’t see Yahiko so here’s this guy instead

In the end we got a few answers and a lot of questions. There was something tenderly painful about the episode. This quiet loss of a family calmly torn apart. I’m thinking the father left to protect them from the yokai around him. A fate that seems common for those who can see the unseen but maybe there’s more to this story.

Okay, my theory, and only because I’d really like this story to tie into the whole underworld politics thing… What if the Executive, who hates humans and particularly humans who can see yokai, had something to do with Hanae’s father’s disappearance? Now that would be a very cool story line to pursue.

Ohhh bringing the two arcs together. That would be nice. I really like that!

turns out it’s 12….

On a lighter note, Hanae regularly carries Fuzzy in his arms. This must look super odd to people that can’t see yokai… At least nyanko is visible to humans.

I was wondering at the hospital what the nurse thought he was doing when he had his arm across his body (and we know he was holding Fuzzy but nobody else would have).

I really enjoyed this episode. I think it started asking a lot of the questions I’ve wanted answers to in the human world and pretty much season two of the Morose Mononokean continues to improve on the foundation built in season one. This is becoming quite the intriguing story.

Agreed, I’m looking forward to next week an I kind of want to see your theory come true now.

what are you doing with your arm???

Of course I have tons of pics…Pics are fun!

The Morose Mononokean 2 episode 9 w Karandi and Irina – The Happiness of the Ayashis It’s so cold again…. This winter has been non stop up and down in temperature and as a result the entire world is essentially a skating rink.

[swipestream]

New Release Roundup, 17 November 2018: Science fiction

Video game mercenaries, sky race pilots, Martian private investigators, and an army of alien bears feature in this week’s roundup of the newest releases in science fiction.

Astounding: John W. Campbell, Isaac Asimov, Robert A. Heinlein, L. Ron Hubbard, and the Golden Age of Science – Alec Nevala-Lee

Astounding is the landmark account of the extraordinary partnership between four controversial writers—John W. Campbell, Isaac Asimov, Robert A. Heinlein, and L. Ron Hubbard—who set off a revolution in science fiction and forever changed our world.

Drawing on unexplored archives, thousands of unpublished letters, and dozens of interviews, Alec Nevala-Lee offers a riveting portrait of this circle of authors, their work, and their tumultuous private lives. With unprecedented scope, drama, and detail, Astounding describes how fan culture was born in the depths of the Great Depression; follows these four friends and rivals through World War II and the dawn of the atomic era; and honors such exceptional women as Doña Campbell and Leslyn Heinlein, whose pivotal roles in the history of the genre have gone largely unacknowledged. For the first time, it reveals the startling extent of Campbell’s influence on the ideas that evolved into Scientology, which prompted Asimov to observe: “I knew Campbell and I knew Hubbard, and no movement can have two Messiahs.” It looks unsparingly at the tragic final act that estranged the others from Campbell, bringing the golden age of science fiction to a close, and it illuminates how their complicated legacy continues to shape the imaginations of millions and our vision of the future itself.

Before the Shattered Gates of Heaven Part 1: Trickster’s Pit (Shattered Gates #1 Part 1) – Bryan S. Glosemeyer 

Deep in the subterranean Labyrinth of a cruel, alien world, a nameless girl has one chance to choose her fate, earn a name, and join the conquest of the stars:

Nine victories in the bloody fighting pits of the Divine Masters.

With eight kills behind her, she is one fight away from realizing her dreams. But what must be sacrificed, and what must she become, in order to survive the Trickster’s Pit?

Part 1: Trickster’s Pit is an action-packed novelette that introduces an exciting, new science fiction adventure through outer and inner space.

Daisy’s Run (The Clockwork Chimera #1) – Scott Baron

Life in deep space could be a drag sometimes, but Daisy supposed things could have been worse. They were still alive, after all, which was always a plus in her book. Now if only she could figure out who, or what, was endangering her return home, things would be just peachy.

With the powerful AI supercomputer guiding the craft beginning to show some disconcerting quirks of its own, and its unsettling cyborg assistant nosing into her affairs, Daisy’s unease was rapidly growing. Add to the mix a crew of mechanically-enhanced humans, any one of whom she suspected might not be what they seemed, and Daisy found herself with a sense of pending dread tickling the periphery of her mind.

Something was very much not right––she could feel it in her bones. The tricky part now was going to be figuring out what the threat was, before it could manifest from a mere sinking feeling in her gut into a potentially deadly reality.

Deception (Forgotten Colony #2) – M.R. Forbes

Somewhere in deep space, Caleb wakes from stasis, unprepared for what he discovers.

The Marines he was supposed to relieve are missing, something monstrous is roaming the corridors, the dead are rising, and the starship is inexplicably low on fuel.

Now Caleb is fighting time, desperate to find some way, any way, to overcome an impossible situation and get the colonists to their new home.

He’s also about to come to the most frightening realization of all:

They may have already arrived…

Dirty Deeds (The Omega War #6) – Mark Wandrey

Abraham Murdock left his home of Sheridan Arkansas at seventeen to start a merc career that spanned almost 50 years, working for dozens of companies, killing aliens and getting paid across the galaxy.

Near the end of his career, he landed a gig with Cartwright’s Cavaliers. The storied Four Horsemen unit was just coming back from near catastrophe, and the battle-proven Murdock was an ideal choice for their top sergeant. It would have been a perfect last contract, but then his dropship was destroyed in the Chimsa system, killing the flight crew and him.

Or did it?

Nobody was more surprised than Murdock when he found himself alive. After weeks of surviving in a failing CASPer, floating in space amid the ruins of dead starships, he was rescued by an alien salvage crew.

Deciding retirement was the right call, he headed to Valais, a beautiful aquatic paradise not unlike the South Pacific on Earth. Warm sun, sandy beaches—peace and quiet. That is, until the alien mercs arrived, and he suddenly found himself back in his old trade, and up to his ass in the Omega War. What good is a 70 year old merc in a star-spanning war?

Never trust an old man in a career where most die young. Murdock isn’t quite done…yet.

Embark – Jon Justice

In the not so distant future, flight culture has replaced car culture. Two of Earth’s largest corporations now supply the planet with the technology and fuel to make air and space flight available to everyone.

Taft Gaurdia spends his weekends at an abandoned flying field, racing through the skies with his three best friends and the girl he longs to be with, Kaytha Morrow. After receiving a mysterious message from her deceased NASA-scientist father, Kaytha and Taft make a shocking discovery.

With Earth now suddenly facing a great disaster, a ruthless and power hungry enemy emerges. Unwittingly, Taft, Kaytha and their friends are thrust into the middle of humanity’s fight for survival and future among the stars.

Emergence (First Colony #6) – Ken Lozito

As the colony grapples with the realization that New Earth is not as uninhabited as they’d once thought, tensions between the colonial settlements rise to new heights, and the Colonial Defense Force finds itself caught in the middle.

When Connor uncovers evidence of a militant colonial faction secretly exploiting the NEIIS, he has to investigate. Connor learns that some of the colonial settlements have been holding back discoveries of their own. He’d thought the NEIIS were a threat to the colony, but he was wrong. They all were, and the truth is beyond anything Connor could have imagined.

Meanwhile, Colonel Sean Quinn’s latest mission brings him off-world to investigate a previously discovered NEIIS settlement. When all communications from home go silent, he must return to New Earth to investigate. Cut off from everything, Sean must lead the crew of a CDF warship against a mysterious foe. Sean must forge a path into the unknown if he’s to have any hope of unraveling the mystery.

Hokas Pokas – Poul Anderson and Gordon R. Dickson

When a human thinks he’s Napoleon Bonaparte, it’s time to get out a straightjacket. But when a Hoka thinks he’s Napoleon Bonaparte, you’d better believe it! Particularly since there’ll be hundreds of other Hokas around who know for a fact that they’re the French Army, mon amis, even if they’re on another planet lightyears away from Earth, and the forces they’re facing aren’t the British but very nasty warlike aliens who by all reason should be expected to make mincemeat out of the Hokas.

But when it comes to Hokas, reason does not compute. These friendly, fuzzy aliens who resemble large teddy bears have a very vivid imagination and have never quite grasped the difference between human fiction and reality, or (in the present case), between past history and the much later and rather different present. Always bet on the Hokas. Even when a young lad and his Hoka tutor find themselves stuck on a planet where they seem to be scheduled to fulfill and ancient (and lethal!) prophesy that neither of them had ever heard of until now. Hokas as usual find that reality is merely optional and the good guys—and bears—always win, quicker than you can say HOKAS POKAS!

Old Enemy (The Survivors #6) – Nathan Hystad

Dean Parker has brought his wife home, and he’s looking forward to relaxing and having a future with his family on New Spero. The Iskios vortex is gone, vanquished by the Hero of Earth, but unforeseen enemies linger in the universe.

The Bhlat send a warning to the humans, one that suggests the Kraski may not all be dead. All signs point to Lom of Pleva, a wealthy and very dangerous enemy to have.

Dean must unite with the Bhlat to fight against a common adversary, but when push comes to shove, can he trust them?

Join Dean and the others as they seek to save themselves from the race of beings that beamed them off Earth years ago, setting everything in motion.

Who do you turn to when everyone is trying to kill you?

Pop Kult Warlord (Soda Pop Soldier #2) – Nick Cole

It’s way more than just a game!

PerfectQuestion is back! He’s running and gunning his way across an incredible civilization-building game set on Mars. But this time he’s employed as an online ringer for a corrupt dictatorship and trying to avoid getting “disappeared” in a reckless world of intrigue, epic parties, sports cars, and women who are as dangerous as they are beautiful.

Five million in gold says he can do it and put the next Sultan on the throne by leading a rag-tag clan of gaming jihadis to victory, but revolution and revolt are afoot. The long knives are out in Calistan for the hero of Soda Pop Soldier and anyone else who gets in a murderous prince’s way.

Renegade Children (Renegade Star #8) – J.N. Chaney

People are dying.

Shortly after Captain Jace Hughes and his team recover hundreds of surviving Eternal refugees, disaster strikes. A recently unearthed fauna dome, one of many biological arks on Earth, is destroyed and several people are killed.

All proof points to the Eternals.

Meanwhile, shortly after the slip tunnel at the center of the planet is shut down for good, a strange distress signal is detected. It appears to be coming from somewhere on the planet, but the exact coordinates are unknown.

Two investigations are launched. One for the saboteur; the other for the source of the signal. With rising tensions between the colonists and the Eternals, Jace must do everything he can to prevent a bloody confrontation.

Spartan Valor (Spartan Company #2) – Toby Neighbors

Only the strong survive on the hostile planet of Apex Venandi. Space Marine Orion Porter is stranded with his Master Sergeant “Money” Eubanks and the injured Staff Sergeant Barnes. Surrounded by hostile natives, and running out of resources, their only hope is the return of the Fleet. Their call for help was beamed into space, but no reply has come. For the foreseeable future, the only help they can count on is themselves.

Apex Venandi holds an invaluable resource. Ignatius Xelum is an ultra rare element needed to power intergalactic star ships. Humanity’s fleet is dependent on IX gas, but mining it on a world filled with five intelligent species who are constantly at war with one another may be too a great a challenge, even for the vaunted Space Marines.

Thin Air – Richard K. Morgan 

On a Mars where ruthless corporate interests violently collide with a homegrown independence movement as Earth-based overlords battle for profits and power, Hakan Veil is an ex–professional enforcer equipped with military-grade body tech that’s made him a human killing machine. But he’s had enough of the turbulent red planet, and all he wants is a ticket back home—which is just what he’s offered by the Earth Oversight organization, in exchange for being the bodyguard for an EO investigator. It’s a beyond-easy gig for a heavy hitter like Veil . . . until it isn’t.

When Veil’s charge, Madison Madekwe, starts looking into the mysterious disappearance of a lottery winner, she stirs up a hornet’s nest of intrigue and murder. And the deeper Veil is drawn into the dangerous game being played, the more long-buried secrets claw their way to the Martian surface. Now it’s the expert assassin on the wrong end of a lethal weapon—as Veil stands targeted by powerful enemies hellbent on taking him down, by any means necessary.

The Titan Probe (Ice Moon #2) – Brandon Q. Morris

In 2005, the robotic probe “Huygens” lands on Saturn’s moon Titan. 40 years later, a radio telescope receives signals from the far away moon that can only come from the long forgotten lander. At the same time, an expedition returns from neighbouring moon Enceladus. The crew lands on Titan and finds a dangerous secret that risks their return to Earth. Meanwhile, on Enceladus a deathly race has started that nobody thought was possible. And its outcome can only be decided by the astronauts that are stuck on Titan.

New Release Roundup, 17 November 2018: Science fiction published first on https://medium.com/@ReloadedPCGames

[kayawagner]

21 Game Generator & Engine Tools [BUNDLE]

Publisher: Ken Wickham

This special bundle product contains the following titles.

ABS12 Fact Generator Flexible Dice v 1.0 Regular price: $0.50 Bundle price: $0.35 Format: Watermarked PDF This is a flexible fact generator that is meant to aid or take the place of a Gamemaster (GM) for answering questions or finding the clues, information, or describing situations. A chart with results for 2D6, 1D12, 1D20, and 3D6 systems is included. It makes it a versatile fact generating engine. A 1D100 can use the 1D20 if they divide and round their 1D100 by five. This system is meant to give keywords, that when put together help to generate story ideas, objects, people, places, and events. The keywords are meant to help trigger thoughtful and inspirational ideas. This system works well for adding random ideas into story writing, solo gaming, or to aid a GM in creating ... ABS12 Flexible Solo Game Engine v 1.0 Regular price: $0.99 Bundle price: $0.69 Format: Watermarked PDF This is a flexible solo game engine that is meant to take the place of a Gamemaster (GM) for answering questions or finding the results of modified rolls. A chart with results for 1D6, 1d8, Fate, Fudge, 1D10, 1D12, 2D6, 3D6, 1D20, 4D6 JAGS, and 1D100 systems is included. It makes it a versatile game engine. This system uses Yes, Maybe, and No type answers expanding the traditional solo game system by adding branching and conditional answers Other complimentary products ... Animal Generator Regular price: $1.00 Bundle price: $0.70 Format: Watermarked PDF This is a flexible animal generator that is meant to aid or take the place of a Gamemaster (GM) for answering questions or finding the clues, information, or describing animals. A chart optimized for 1d12 but with results for 2D6, 1D20, 3D6, and 1d100 systems is included. It makes it a versatile description generating engine. This system is meant to give keywords, that when put together help to generate animals either real, mythical, fictional, or made at that moment. The keywords are meant to help trigger thoughtful and inspirational ideas. It's not meant to cover supernatural or alien features or powers. Included are 11 categories: movement, social behavior, food, group size, offense, defense, reproduction, life expectancy, abilities, size, and nest/den. Each of these have 12 (one h... Body Language Generator Regular price: $1.00 Bundle price: $0.70 Format: Watermarked PDF eyelids open & wide ... This is a flexible body language generator that is meant to aid or take the place of a Gamemaster (GM) for indicating the clues, information, or describing the gestures, facial expressions, body movement, or voice tones of a character. Body language may vary by culture or region of the world, so this chart uses American body language indicators. A chart optimized for 1d12 but with results for 2D6, 1D20, 3D6, and D100 (percentile) systems is included. It makes it a versatile description generating engine. This system is meant to give keywords, that when put together help to generate a words related to emotional body language The keywords are meant to help trigger thoughtful and inspirational ideas. Its generic enough for any genre characters that can use A... Career Generator Regular price: $1.00 Bundle price: $0.70 Format: Watermarked PDF herbalist, public health official, MMA fighter, soldier, biologist,archaelogist ... This table shows most career categories with one to twelve or more careers/classes/professions for each category including information, sports, wealth, philosophy, home, health, psychology, paranormal, religion, history, geography, anthropology, business, social science, politics, law, music, fine arts, art, language, literature, science, medicineg, agriculture, technology, and military. This is a flexible career generator that is meant to aid or take the place of a Gamemaster (GM) for adding careers or classes to characters within a story or game. It may also be used to help generate character backgrounds randomly or simply as a list of ideas. A 12x12 table optimized for 1d12 but with results for 2D... Character Generator w/ bg Regular price: $1.00 Bundle price: $0.70 Format: Watermarked PDF This is a flexible character generator that is meant to aid or take the place of a Gamemaster (GM) for creating basic character structures. It uses keywords rather than numbers and values. Two chart with results for 1d10, 2D6, 1D12, 3d6, 1D20, and 1d100 systems is included. It makes it a versatile character generating engine. This system is meant to give keywords, that when put together help to generate characters. The keywords are meant to help trigger thoughtful and inspirational ideas. The user then interprets the results of the keywords which aids in the creation of characters personality, stat focus, basic class/profession, strength (virtue), weakness (vice), and general type of quirk for various systems. This system uses nine possible personalities, stat archetypes, encounter ty... Description Generator Regular price: $1.00 Bundle price: $0.70 Format: Watermarked PDF This product is similar to the Fact Generator. It is intended to be a paid upgrade to work with the Fact Generator or be used separate from the PWYW Fact Generator to add one or more adjectives for descriptive details. 2 pages: It's first page is the image shown on the cover. the second page is the chart turned longways. It differs in that the results focus on description rather than on sensory and process data which focused on objects and things. There is a small overlap of some terms and concepts. This tool is more specific. For example, in fact generator I have 'color' as one result. In this generator, 12 specific colors such as red, blue, yellow, and black are specifically listed rather than just the general word 'color'. For shapes, instead of 2D shapes mentioned in the Fact Gene... Dream Generator Regular price: $1.00 Bundle price: $0.70 Format: Watermarked PDF The character dreams of an explorer climbing a large mountain covered with scorpions. One interpretation of the dream may be that ‘while seeking for something through a great obstacle, the character may experience a great anxiety and fearful situation leading to pain and hurt. This is a flexible dream generator that is meant to aid or take the place of a Gamemaster (GM) for indicating the dreams worlds or describing the dream symbols. Dream symbols may vary by culture or region of the world, so this chart uses American indicators. A chart optimized for 1d12 but with results for 2D6, 1D20, 3D6, and D100 (percentile) systems is included. It makes it a versatile description generating engine. This table is meant to give keywords, that when put together help to generate words rela... Flash RPG Regular price: $1.00 Bundle price: $0.70 Format: Watermarked PDF Flash RPG is a six-sided dice game intended for solo game play used to create flash fiction, adventure seeds, and background stories. These are extremely small stories. All of the details can be randomly generated or chosen intentionally by the player. The details will only hint at something more than is told in the fiction. There is one attribute, one conflict, one character, one result, and lasting effects of this creative player inspired story. The die roll results generated are vague enough to mold many different ideas into the flash fiction. If you want to try generating a small summarized story in under 1,000, 500, or even 100 words give Flash RPG a try. Other non-D6 Generator Chart series products may be used to expand this system. 7 pages including cover, just over 2 pages... Foe Generator Regular price: $1.00 Bundle price: $0.70 Format: Watermarked PDF angel or demon, fate, blade weapon, malaria ... It is intended to be a paid upgrade to work with Flash RPG and Plot Generator most directly. This table shows threats with twelve foes for each category including vs monster, vs creature, vs natural disaster, vs ND & epidemics, vs supernatural, vs paranormal, vs enemy personality, vs enemy career, vs society, vs self, vs technology weapons, and vs technology issues. These categories are expanded from the six found in Flash RPG into 144. It refers to enemy personality types found in Character Generator and Flash RPG. It refers to enemy careers found in Career Generator. It refers to other tables as well more indirectly. This is a flexible foe generator that is meant to aid or take the place of a Gamemaster (GM) for addin... FRPG6 Dialogue Engine Regular price: $1.50 Bundle price: $1.05 Format: Watermarked PDF This dialogue engine helps create dialogue topics, voice qualities, and personality-based dialogue styles for games and stories. This dialogue engine takes into acount 3 moods, 9 personality types, 3 mindsets, and 7 vocal qualities using six-sided dice. This meant to aid or take the place of a Gamemaster (GM) for creating dialogue. Dialogue may vary by culture or region of the world. This tables either suggest, or refer to five other tables (several which are not included in this text, see required products) for dialogue topics based on three moods: friendly, hesitant, or hostile. The keywords are meant to help trigger thoughtful and inspirational ideas. Its generic enough for any game or story genre characters.  7 pages: It's first page is the image shown on the cover thu... Human Generator Regular price: $1.00 Bundle price: $0.70 Format: Watermarked PDF muscular body shape, honey skin, deep blue eyes,  ... This is a flexible human body generator that is meant to aid or take the place of a Gamemaster (GM) for indicating the clues, information, or describing the body, hair, eyes, skin, nose, and mouth of a character. Body descriptions may vary by culture or region of the world, so this chart uses American indicators meaning that races could vary or be mixed race. A chart optimized for 1d12 but with results for 2D6, 1D20, 3D6, and D100 (percentile) systems is included. It makes it a versatile description generating engine. This table is meant to give keywords, that when put together help to generate words related to a human body. The keywords are meant to help trigger thoughtful and inspirational ideas. Its generic enough for any... Indoor Setting Generator Regular price: $1.00 Bundle price: $0.70 Format: Watermarked PDF This is a flexible indoor setting generator that is meant to aid or take the place of a Gamemaster (GM) for answering questions or finding the clues, information, or describing situations. A chart optimized for 1d12 but with results for 2D6, 1D20, 3D6, and 1d100 systems is included. It makes it a versatile description generating engine. This system is meant to give keywords, that when put together help to generate locations. The keywords are meant to help trigger thoughtful and inspirational ideas. Included are 11 categories: determiners, opinion, size, physical quality or condition, age, appearance quality, origin, material, type/purpose, and location. Each of these have 12 (one has 24) results to total 144 results in the entire chart. This system works well for adding random ideas... Knowledge Generator Regular price: $1.00 Bundle price: $0.70 Format: Watermarked PDF This is a flexible knowledge generator that is meant to aid or take the place of a Gamemaster (GM) for answering questions or finding the clues, information, or describing what a humanoid knows. A chart optimized for 1d12 but with results for 2D6, 1D20, 3D6, and 1d100 systems is included. It makes it a versatile description generating engine. This system is meant to give keywords, that when put together help to generate a collecction or field of knowledge. The keywords are meant to help trigger thoughtful and inspirational ideas. An attempt was made to make it usable for superhero, high fantasy, or scifi powers genres. Some small changes may be needed to interpret the results in some settings. Included are 12 categories based on a modern library system of classification: General Info,... Modifier Generator Regular price: $1.00 Bundle price: $0.70 Format: Watermarked PDF quickly, first, similarly ... This table shows modifier categories with 12 or more modifiers for each category including degree, time, contrast, unity, manner, cause-and-effect, and place words. This is a flexible modifier generator that is meant to aid or take the place of a Gamemaster (GM) for modifying descriptions or actions of characters, creatures, objects, places, and things. They modify how, when, or why something is described or does something. A 12x12 table optimized for 1d12 but with results for 2D6, 1D20, 3D6, and D100 (percentile) systems is included. It makes it a versatile description generating engine. The keywords are meant to help trigger thoughtful and inspirational ideas. Its generic enough for any genre. Included are a total 144 listed modifiers in the entir... Mood-Emotion Generator Regular price: $1.00 Bundle price: $0.70 Format: Watermarked PDF This product is similar to the other generator products showing 144 moods or emotions. It is intended to either work with the Character Generator, Motivation Generator, Plot Generator, or Theme Generator. Or it may be used alone to add mood or emotion details to characters for gaming or writing stories. 2 pages: It's first page is the image shown on the cover picture. the second page is the chart turned longways. The different results focus on mood or emotions rather than objects and things. For example, in mood-emotion generator 'secure' and ''enraged' are two result.  Download the Fact Generator to use as a preview of this chart. I use the same chart with different results listed. Although optimised for 1d12, this chart has results for 2D6, 1D12, 1D20, 3D6, and 1d1... Motivation Generator Regular price: $1.00 Bundle price: $0.70 Format: Watermarked PDF This product is similar to the other generator products showing 144 character motivations. It is intended to either work with the Character Generator or be used alone to add motivation details to characters for gaming or writing stories. 2 pages: It's first page is the image shown on the cover picture. the second page is the chart turned longways. The different results focus on character motivations rather than objects and things. For example, in motivation generator 'safety' as one result. In this generator, 12 specifies safety concerns such as security, health, and stability are specifically listed.  Download the Fact Generator to use as a preview of this chart. I use the same chart with different results listed. This chart has results for 2D6, 1D12, 1D20, 3D6, and... Outdoor Setting Generator Regular price: $1.00 Bundle price: $0.70 Format: Watermarked PDF This is a flexible outdoor setting generator that is meant to aid or take the place of a Gamemaster (GM) for answering questions or finding the clues, information, or describing situations. A chart optimized for 1d12 but with results for 2D6, 1D20, 3D6, and 1d100 systems is included. It makes it a versatile description generating engine. This system is meant to give keywords, that when put together help to generate locations. The keywords are meant to help trigger thoughtful and inspirational ideas. Included are 12 categories: determiners, opinion, size, physical quality or condition, biome, age, appearance quality, origin, material, type/purpose, and location. Each of these have 12 results to total 144 results in the entire chart. This system works well for adding random ideas into... Plot Generator Regular price: $1.00 Bundle price: $0.70 Format: Watermarked PDF This product is similar to the other generator products showing 144 character plots. It is intended to either work with the other generators or be used alone to add plot details to story for gaming or writing stories. 2 pages: It's first page is the image shown on the cover picture. the second page is the chart turned longways. The different results focus on story plots rather than objects and things. For example, in the plot generator 'dissension' is one result. In this generator, 5 specifies rivalry or underdog plots such as conspiracy, race, or feud.  For a similar example of this type of chart, download the Fact Generator to use it as a preview of this type chart. I use the same chart with different results listed. This chart has results for 2D6, 1D12, 1D20, 3D6, and 1... Sound Generator Regular price: $1.00 Bundle price: $0.70 Format: Watermarked PDF tap, clink, clatter... This is a flexible sound generator that is meant to aid or take the place of a Gamemaster (GM) for answering questions or finding the clues, information, or describing what a character hears. A chart optimized for 1d12 but with results for 2D6, 1D20, and 3D6 systems is included. It makes it a versatile description generating engine. 1D100 may use the first 10 rows and first 10 columns for 1D100 This system is meant to give keywords, that when put together help to generate a words related to sounds or onomatopoeia. The keywords are meant to help trigger thoughtful and inspirational ideas. An attempt was made to make it generic enough for superhero, high fantasy, or scifi powers genres. Some small changes may be needed to interpret the results in some settings. ... Theme Generator Regular price: $1.00 Bundle price: $0.70 Format: Watermarked PDF This product is similar to the other generator products showing 144 or more themes. It is intended to either work with the other generators or be used alone to add theme or subject details to story for gaming or writing stories. 2 pages: It's first page is the image shown on the cover picture. the second page is the chart turned longways. The different results focus on story theme or subject rather than objects and things. For example, in the theme generator 'resistance vs retaliation' or  'perfection vs imperfect' are two possible results.  For a similar example of this type of chart, download the Fact Generator to use it as a preview of this type chart. I use the same chart with different results listed. Though optimized for 1d12, this chart has results for 2D6, 1D1...

Total value:$20.99Special bundle price:$14.69Savings of:$6.30 (30%)

Price: $20.99 21 Game Generator & Engine Tools [BUNDLE] published first on https://supergalaxyrom.tumblr.com

[allspark]

IDW Publishing have released their solicits for comics releasing in February 2018! Read on for the full details on Optimus Prime #16, Lost Light #15 and more!

After checking out the solicits, head over to the Allspark Forums to discuss them with other fans!

Cover A – Priscilla Tramontano

Cover B – Andrew Griffith

Optimus Prime Annual 2018—Cover A: Priscilla Tramontano—SPOTLIGHT John Barber • Priscilla Tramontano (a & c) THUNDERCRACKER IN: STARSCREAM: THE MOVIE! The good news: somebody finally gave Thundercracker money to make a film. The bad news: it’s Starscream, and he wants a biographical picture to win over the people of Earth. Will Thundercracker stand by his principles or… well, no, he makes the movie. FC • 48 pages • $7.99

Optimus Prime Annual 2018—Cover B: Andrew Griffith—SPOTLIGHT John Barber • Priscilla Tramontano (a) • Andrew Griffith (c) FC • 48 pages • $7.99

Cover B – Casey W. Coller

Optimus Prime #16—Cover A: Kei Zama John Barber • Kei Zama (a & c) The Falling, Part 2: The arrival of Onyx Prime throws Cybertron into chaos—because he hasn’t come alone. Onyx’s treacherous companion forces Soundwave to finally make a choice: is Optimus Prime a friend… or foe? FC • 32 pages • $3.99

Optimus Prime #16—Cover B: Casey W. Coller John Barber • Kei Zama (a) • Casey W. Coller (c) FC • 32 pages • $3.99

Bullet points: • Variant cover by Marcelo Matere!

Cover A – Jack Lawrence

Transformers: Lost Light #15—Cover A: Jack Lawrence James Roberts • Brendan Cahill (a) • Jack Lawrence (c) SECRETS AND LIES! As the Scavengers’ journey reaches its ignoble end, the architect of their downfall puts the fate of half the Cybertronian race in their hands. Only one question remains: Are the worst Decepticons prepared to become the ONLY Decepticons? FC • 32 pages • $3.99

Transformers: Lost Light #15—Cover B: Nick Roche James Roberts • Brendan Cahill (a) • Nick Roche (c) FC • 32 pages • $3.99

Bullet points: • Variant cover by Brendan Cahill!

Cover A – Fico Ossio

Cover RI – Brendan Cahill

Transformers vs. Visionaries #3 (of 5)—Cover A: Fico Ossio Magdalene Visaggio • Fico Ossio (a & c) The clock is ticking! Leoric finds himself exiled from New Prysmos by Virulina, who Merklynn has named the new leader of all the Visionaries. Can Leoric and his loyalists save Cybertron from being totally changed into a new homeworld for his people? Should they? FC • 32 pages • $3.99

Transformers vs. Visionaries #3 (of 5)—Cover B: Jeffrey Veregge Magdalene Visaggio • Fico Ossio (a) • Jeffrey Veregge (c) FC • 32 pages • $3.99

Bullet points: • Variant cover by cover by Brendan Cahill!

Cover B – Nelson Daniel

Cover RI – Fico Ossio

Scarlett’s Strike Force #3—Cover A: Harvey Tolibao Aubrey Sitterson • Nelson Daniel (a) • Harvey Tolibao (c) It’s the third bombastic issue and the fun’s just getting started, sports fans! But that’s how it goes when you mix ninjas, talking robots, elite soldiers, maniacal despots, magical snake rituals… and so much more… into what people are calling The Best Action Comic Ever! By Aubrey Sitterson (G.I. Joe, Street Fighter X G.I. Joe) and Nelson Daniel (Clue, Dungeons & Dragons). FC • 32 pages • $3.99

Scarlett’s Strike Force #3—Cover B: Nelson Daniel Aubrey Sitterson • Nelson Daniel (a & c) FC • 32 pages • $3.99

Bullet points: • Variant cover by Fico Ossio! • Featuring all stars of the Hasbro line as M.A.S.K.: Mobile Armored Strike Kommand and the Transformers join G.I. Joe in the fight against Cobra!

Cover A – Fico Ossio

Cover B – Chris Evenhuis

Rom & the Micronauts #3 (of 5)—Cover A: Fico Ossio Christos Gage • Paolo Villanelli (a) • Fico Ossio (c) At the Heart of the Entropy Cloud! Rom and the Micronauts enter Microspace in an attempt to foil the Dire Wraith’s ultimate plan: reviving a cosmic entity that would tear Earth apart. But within the Entropy Cloud, our heroes must fight Baron Karza and his minions before they can make the Dire Wraith’s dark prophecy a reality! FC • 32 pages • $3.99

Rom & the Micronauts #3 (of 5)—Cover B: Chris Evenhuis Christos Gage • Paolo Villanelli (a) • Chris Evenhuis (c) FC • 32 pages • $3.99

Bullet points: • Variant cover by James Raiz!

Cover A – Abby Boeh

Jem and the Holograms: Dimensions #4—Cover A: Abby Boeh Sina Grace, Kevin Panetta • Hannah Fischer, Abby Boeh (a) • Abby Boeh (c) In “Jemojis,” by Kevin Panetta with art by Abby Boeh, The Misfits go to war with The Holograms over Jem’s themed emoticon app for phones. Will The Holograms rule the app store, too?! Not if Pizzazz (and Techrat) can help it! And in a special story from Sina Grace with art by Hannah Fisher, Pizzazz struggles to control her own narrative amidst a nightmare combo of reality TV, social media, and social climbers. FC • 32 pages • $3.99

Jem and the Holograms: Dimensions #4—Cover B: Hannah Fischer Sina Grace, Kevin Panetta • Hannah Fischer, Abby Boeh (a) • Hannah Fischer (c) FC • 32 pages • $3.99

Bullet points: • This anthology book features two self-contained stories in each issue! Double the rock & roll fun! • Variant cover by Eliza Frye!

Transformers: Lost Light, Vol. 2 James Roberts • Jack Lawrence, Priscilla Tramontano (a) • Alex Milne (c) Rodimus and his Autobot crew continue their adventure as they chase the starship Lost Light—and its mutinous new captain! A witty, smart, emotional take on fan-favorite Transformers characters in a sci-fi world unlike any other! Collects issues #7–12. TPB • FC • $19.99 • 144 pages • ISBN: 978-1-68405-148-9

Bullet points: • “This book is for everyone, new readers, old readers, even people that don’t think they like Transformers.”—Outright Geekery • Advance solicited for March release!

Rom vs. the Transformers: Shining Armor Christos Gage, John Barber • Alex Milne (a & c) Rom and the Transformers star in an all-new series revealing their secret shared history… plus a major new character is introduced! Hundreds of years ago, Rom discovered Stardrive, the sole survivor of a doomed space probe. Stardrive committed herself to protecting the galaxy from the Dire Wraiths… but when the Decepticon called Starscream makes a deadly deal, Rom and the Transformers are forced onto a collision course… with Stardrive caught between two worlds! TPB • FC • $17.99 • 128 pages • ISBN: 978-1-68405-143-4

Bullet points: • “A 2017 must read!”—Outright Geekery • Advance solicited for March release!

G.I. JOE: The Fall of G.I. JOE Karen Traviss • Steve Kurth (a & c) When villains have become the new heroes, to what lengths must the former heroes go to save a world that doesn’t even want their help? Does the world really need G.I. JOE? Their greatest enemy, Cobra, has become an international peacekeeping force… and the future of America’s ultimate fighting team looks bleak. Scarlett leads what’s left of the JOEs—but will she be able to keep them together? The darkest chapter in G.I. JOE history unfolds as real-world action and politics collide, and nothing will ever be the same! Collects the complete G.I. JOE Volume 4, issues #1–8. TPB • FC • $24.99 • 200 pages • ISBN: 978-1-68405-225-7

Bullet points: • “Traviss is amazing at what she does. The dialogue and the deception are thick like a novel. You can’t look away.”—Comics: The Gathering • Advance solicited for March release!

Clue Paul Allor • Nelson Daniel (a) • George Caltsoudas (c) Get a CLUE! Solve the world’s favorite murder mystery in this comic book adaptation of the classic whodunit board game. When the mysterious Mr. Boddy turns up dead at his own dinner party, everyone’s a suspect! Miss Scarlett, Colonel Mustard, Mrs. Peacock, Professor Plum—all the familiar faces from the famous board game are back, with a couple new twists. But will Boddy’s body be the last to fall, or is it just the beginning? TPB • FC • $19.99 • 144 pages • ISBN: 978-1-68405-118-2

Bullet points: • “A modern and diverse take on the classic murder-mystery board game.”—USA Today • Advance solicited for March release!

IDW Solicitations for February 2018 IDW Publishing have released their solicits for comics releasing in February 2018! Read on for the full details on