#President Agent Orange

[anotherdayforchaosfay]

Agent Orange's new slogan is "make America great and glorious again" or MAGAGA.

I'm still calling his supporters MAGAts (pronounced similar to maggots).

Ew, hes running again in 2024.

[dontforgetoctober3rd]

You know what fuck it I'm gonna become an influencer

[luegootravez]

© Gabriela Celeste

not only models hate Donald Trump!

[ramorazinn]

Raise your hand if you looked up a passport application today.

[shadesoflsk]

YOUR? OUR MARGARET

PAIRING: Leon Kennedy x Single mom!reader

SUMMARY: Life slowed down when Leon first saw those tiny rays of sunlight. But he didn't think he would fall in love with the whole sun. Or: Leon falls in love with a single mother.

WARNINGS: Brief mentions of alcohol, government, leon's traumas, love confessions, Leon is a bit insecure and awkward but he's also a sweetheart and has a soft spot for kids, cheesy and corny type of love, this is just fluff believe me!

WORD COUNT: 4.5k

AUTHOR'S NOTE: If I had a nickel for every time I've written about Leon's transition from vendetta to death island I would have two which it isn't a lot but it's funny it happened twice. If you wish to know what song Leon played this is the one I had in mind. As always, I hope you like it. This is my Valentine's Day fic for today!

MY MASTERLIST

Gruesome scenarios and depressive states of mind have tainted Leon's path in life. However, the grizzled and gloomy agent has had a rather rough patch this last year in which he was left alone to die in his own sorrow—Raccoon City, Spain, China and his already-known addiction took a toll on him.

He doesn't have anyone to blame, nor does he want to. Yeah, he could blame the government for stripping him of his innocence and his genuine wish to help people but he felt like he had failed his nation, not the DSO, not the FBI, just him.

Behind closed doors, in the white house and for everyone else he's Agent Leon Kennedy, Mr. Kennedy, and if someone were to ask the president he'd say he's the most trusted weapon the country has. 

He has grown accustomed. His shield has hardened to the point he's numb to most things he should find disturbing or annoying yet he couldn’t help but wish someone would see him the way he really is. 

A bittersweet feeling grew in Leon’s system. Alcohol no longer brought the same dull sensation that’d put him to sleep even in the loudest and sleazy bar. So, slowly he grew out of his addiction. Not alone, though. Alongside him were a couple of therapists which he reluctantly confided in. Not because he didn’t believe in mental health, but because he thought it wasn’t for him.

Also, his friends made his life a bit better. Spare the man the embarrassment, but friendship does indeed make you see the world more colorfully. It was nice hearing his name slip out of his friends' lips. Leon, Leon! Aww, Leon. 

However, life didn’t prepare him for the moment his name was replaced by a:

Dada.

Therapists had told him he should look for a hobby, something that’d fill those moments where boredom or monotony would push him to fall back into his deadly addictions. And he completely understood, he ought to follow the experts’ advice in order to actually improve.

It was rather easier, he was not a complicated man. 

Even before the Raccoon City incident, he loved exercising. Whether it was lifting weights, cycling, or plain running he’d always be found doing something. The mere thought of just lying in bed was something he’d never engage in, especially not now that he’s getting better. 

So, he combined two things. One he was familiar with and a second one he hasn’t been able to really connect with: nature. 

Near his current apartment, there was a small park in which he goes jogging. Usually, his schedule would only allow him to go there in the early hours of the morning where the only people he’d find were retired grandparents who danced to some Spanish music he couldn’t understand.

Peaceful, he liked it. 

But when he was getting used to his daily morning jogging, a call from work told him they needed him ASAP. So, his little detoxicating activity would be postponed to the afternoon. 

After dealing with the usual stress from work, calls from Hunnigan, and a rather bothersome headache, he got to his apartment and decided to get ready and not skip his so-needed jogging. 

The afternoon sky was painted with a hue of blue mixing with the slightest orange color, the gentle breeze hitting Leon’s face as he jogged around the park. His tempo never missed a beat not even after an hour or so between his physical training and some pauses. Sweat fell from his forehead and onto the ground with each step he took, meaning that he was reaching exhaustion.

At last, he found solace under a tree that cast a shadow, perfect for Leon to catch his breath. Closing his eyes, he let his lungs inhale as much air as they could.

His peaceful moment was broken when a tiny voice called out for him. Or rather, mistaken him for someone else.

“Dada!” A little girl came walking to where he was seated, wobbly steps trying to reach him. 

“Margaret!” You appeared out of nowhere before the toddler could reach and hug the stranger. The giggling and excited kid seemed to have heard “run faster” by the way she didn’t stop at your call.

A hint of confusion washed over Leon as he watched the scene develop with rather curious eyes. A mop of curly hair running away from your grasp. The white dress turned into a slightly brown color, Leon guessed the child must have been playing in the dirt.

And then a glimpse of a faint smile replaced his previous bewilderment as his eyes fell on you. As you tried catching your daughter, he observed her antics and your patience. 

Finally, your hands lifted the little one as her tiny legs kicked in the air, ready to run in the air. 

You fixed Margaret’s dress and messy hair while her bright eyes continued being focused on the man sitting on the grass. Her hands doing the typical “grabby” motion to Leon. Sighing in defeat, you spoke to the man.

“Sorry, don’t know what happened.” You sheepishly said as you offered the man an apology for your daughter’s previous mischievous actions. “She usually doesn’t call random people dada I assure you.”

“She gave me quite the scare.” Leon chuckled as he got up from the grass. “My past actions flashed before my eyes.” 

“As I said, I’m sorry.” You repeated your words while your daughter tried wriggling her way out of your arms. When she saw that her mother’s grip wasn’t budging, she took matters into her own hands.

She started crying.

You weren’t letting your daughter play with a stranger, that much you knew. 

“My name’s Leon, by the way.” Leon said, extending his arm, but he pulled back as soon as he saw that you were too busy handling the tantrum your daughter was having. 

You told Leon your name which easily fell from his lips to confirm he heard you well. “Do you normally come here?” You asked.

“Yes, but just in the mornings.” He responded, watching the little one pouting. “Something came out today so duty called. Cops don’t rest.”

“Wait, Are you a cop?” You seemed to relax at the revelation and he couldn’t help but get a Deja Vu from this little interaction. A friend of his asked him the same question, but at least now he wasn’t surrounded by zombies.

“A cop…” A whisper came out from Leon’s lips, a playful yet gentle smile formed on his face. “Kinda.”

“I’ll assume you’re way more important than that.” You adjusted Margaret in your arms when she finally calmed. Although she kept on staring at Leon, her bright eyes focused on him. “Because if you were indeed a cop or a chief you’d be puffing your chest out.”

“Are they always like that?” He acted surprised.

“Here, in New York? I don’t know… you tell me.”

It’s been a while since he last spoke with someone this freely. Surely he has talked with his friends a lot. But they were people he had previously known and shared the same past as him, a connection to the outside world seemed impossible and even greedy in a way.

Soon, both of you found yourselves unable to stop talking, even Margaret chirped from time to time, making her opinion loud and clear. He got to know a bit about you, and you got to know little fragments of his life. The ones who wouldn’t lead him to share more than necessary, obviously.

Despite the rough exterior, his constant frowning stopped as a soft expression replaced it. Margaret's chubby hands absentmindedly held one of Leon’s fingers as he spoke with you, blabbering and being overjoyed by his presence. 

However, her cheerful mood slowly turned sour as soon as she got hungry. Glassy eyes and sobs warned you that the conversation would come to an end.

“Yup, I gotta go.” You murmured trying not to bring more stress to your already distressed baby. “It was nice talking to you.”

“Likewise.” Leon kept his hands in his pockets, unable to come up with anything else. He wanted to say that perhaps they could repeat this. But then again, he’s been so deprived of normal social interactions that he no longer knows if that would sound creepy. 

“Have a good night.” He decided it would be the wisest thing to do. He watched your soft expression as you took your little girl’s hand and waved goodbye. 

Ever since that little interaction, his schedule changed. His morning routine was long forgotten. An excuse was made, something between the lines that his shift changed so he has to work in the mornings. 

And he was delighted to spend time with both of you. The highlights of his whole day would be getting to hear about you and Margaret. 

Each day that passed meant new memories being made. From the way he got to know Margaret’s favorite ice cream flavor to your childhood dreams. Every detail mattered for him because he could now see how simple life could be.

He took—both of you mostly— on little dates. Let it be to try a new cafeteria near the park, drinking an americano while Margaret drank from her sippy cut which was filled with chocolate milk. 

However, there were times in which Margaret would stay with a friend of yours. Allowing you to be alone with Leon. And while he appreciates the joy and happiness your daughter brought, he also loved the moments in which he could focus just on you. 

Sadly, years of training didn’t prepare him to man up and make the first move. When he thought he would brush away every insecurity and second guesses, something would come up. 

He wanted to grab your hand, the waiter would come at the worst time. He wants to compliment you, he'd almost choke with his own saliva. He wanted to give you a goodbye kiss after driving you home, someone would call him.

It was as if the universe was against him.

Thankfully, you had picked up those hints. And if Leon wasn't the luckiest man out there, you can help him in his predicament.

On a usual afternoon, as Margaret played with the leaves that had fallen from the trees, you shot him a question.

“Would you like to have dinner with me?”

“Huh? Yes, it sounds nice.” Leon absentmindedly replied, thinking it would be like the rest of your dates.

“I mean… In my house. I don't think I've invited you yet.”

In the meantime, Margaret had grabbed some leaves which she placed on Leon's hair. The man didn't even react to it, already used to her antics.

“I wouldn't like to intrude.”

“You wouldn't. See it as a friendly meeting.”

Friendly meeting, of course. He couldn’t be so selfish.

“If you insist.” He says as the little one giggles, her smile just showing two teeth. “When would it be?”

“Are you free this 14th?” 

He nods, he doesn't even remember if he's in fact free. But he'd make time. 

Besides, who works on Valentine’s Day?

     ⊹˚₊‧───────────────‧₊˚⊹

He wishes he would've realized about the implications of the day sooner.

The other dates have been nothing but platonic. Of course he had been nervous, biting his nails to the point where had to put on clear nail polish. 

But this one is for Valentine's Day. Day where people confess their love in dramatic ways. Some lucky people even propose on this date. 

Leon has been out of the dating game for years. He believes he'll mess it up somehow, especially as he sees the reflection of himself in the mirror. 

Of course, he knows he's getting better. But his appearance tells everyone otherwise. His hair continues being dark, a big contrast from his past self whose blond hair would be the talk of some people.

The palm of his hand brushes over his stubble cheek. The sensation of those tiny hairs is similar to blades. He looks at his watch, there is no time to shave. The last thing he wanted was to be late on his first date.

He sighs and walks toward the table, on top of it are two bouquets. One has multiple red and pink roses, that one is for you. The other one consists of a single white rose, for Margaret. Even if he has forgotten the basics of dating, he wouldn’t go empty-handed to your home.

The drive to your house isn’t an easy one. Not because he lacked driving skills, he is pretty much proud of how well he could drive when he is not facing life-or-death situations. 

He takes his car, just for today. He knows he has to be himself and show you his love for bikes. But he would be lying if he wasn’t a tad scared about coming to your house driving his usual motorbike. What would you think? Surely you’d dump him for risking his life or something like that.

But he is so damned anxious. He turns on the radio, trying to muffle his thoughts but the first thing that comes up is a Valentine's Day advertisement. ‘Don’t mess up your date today! Try our newest product and—’ He’s trying, he doesn’t know what the ad is talking about but he needs no product for this date to be a success.

He turns off the stupid machine. After all, today’s music sucks. Nothing personal, he just doesn’t like it. He’d prefer if the radio played real music. Some Deftones and Korn would do. 

But right now he’d dance to anything. Valentine’s Day, after all, should be a romantic getaway from the normalcy of life. Even though years had made him a corny individual, if it’s with you, romanticism should never die.

He’s rambling, his head is a mess. He sees himself slow dancing with you, Somethin’ Stupid playing in the background. He foresees a future in which he could paint next to your daughter, suns and trees never looked so pretty as he imagines that scenario. 

Dating you would come with the whole pack, he knows well. But even at his age, he still feels like a broken child whenever he sees himself in the mirror. Memories of his innocence being stripped away of him and his present still clinging on to the faint threads of hope. 

So that’s why he made the promise of taking this relationship seriously. No matter if you end up being nothing more than friends. People often say that you just know when you meet the one. And he saw the beacons of lights announcing the whole sun when he met you and your little one.

Eventually, he reaches your home. Double-checking the address you had previously sent him over text, he confirms this is the place you live in. A modest house, enough for you and Margaret. 

He switches off the engine and takes out the key from the ignition. Placing his hands one last time on the steering wheel, he takes a deep breath, mentally preparing himself. And with a newfound conviction, he grabs the two bouquets and gets out of the car.

When he walks towards the door, he immediately knocks. If he dared to wait just a second just to calm his anxiety, he’d spend at least 5 minutes staring at the wooden material. So, he sacrifices that priceless time in order to face reality.

A ‘coming’ is heard by Leon a few seconds after he knocks. Eventually, the front door opens and you welcome him with Margaret in your arms. “Hey.” You greet him, Margaret doing the same as she waves her hand.

“Hey, you two.” Leon says with a warm smile, trying to hold back the fact that there hasn’t been a better image than this. “I couldn’t come empty-handed to your house so I took the liberty to bring you these.”

Leon then hands you the bouquets he had brought—the bigger one for you, and the smaller one with a single rose for Margaret. 

“Are these for me?” A dumb question, of course. But there’s no harm to ask and surely it would get a nice reply from Leon who has been dancing around the idea of flirting with you. Too scared to come off as awkward and silly.

“I don’t see another pretty woman around here.” It slips so smoothly out of his lips. Leon Kennedy, you still got it, he mentally praises himself. 

“Yeah, right.” You roll your eyes, satisfied with the answer you received. “Please, come in.”

Leon nods and enters your house. The living room was nicely organized, and the way some toys blended in with the decoration brought a smile to his face. The perfect balance between the sober expected room with the colorful and childish playthings.

You set Margaret on the floor not before giving her the rose Leon gifted her. She absentmindedly walks toward the couch and sits down to inspect what an amazing thing the funny man brought.

“Well, looks like she likes them.” Leon hums as he watches how Margaret starts happily tearing the flower into tiny pieces. Her antics filling Leon’s heart, he could get used to this feeling.

He wants to.

“Yup, definitely.” And your eyes meet Leon’s, his piercing blue eyes are not cold as he often thinks. They remind you of the beach sea, of the gentle waves and the gentleness they carry. 

And he sees himself in yours. In your eyes, he isn’t a cold and depressed agent who is fighting off the odds. He admires the man he’s becoming. The man who despite everything he has experienced, wants to do better.

“I haven’t told you yet but…” Leon trails off as he gathers the courage to do this simple yet nerve-wracking action. “Happy Valentine’s Day.”

He grabs your hand and brings it to his lips. Without breaking eye contact, he kisses your knuckles. A gentleman through and through. If he could win your heart, he’d do anything to protect both of you.

Although he was lying, even if he weren’t to win you over, you have already gained a friend who would literally save the world for you to live in with your most beautiful miracle. 

“You’re sappy.” You shake your head laughing, but you don’t push Leon away. In a way, your teasing comes off as a thank you. 

“And you break my heart.” He chuckles, letting go of your hand which falls to your side.

As it does, your eyes fall on Margaret. While she continues playing with torn pieces of the flower, you see her head swaying slowly from side to side, as if fighting off sleep. 

“It’s nap time for little Margaret.” You break the silence as you walk toward Margaret whose tiny fingers still try to tear up the already destroyed rose. 

You pick up Margaret and with the way she isn't getting fuzzy, your assumption was correct. She is fighting against Morpheus, sadly losing.

You glance at Leon who is standing in the same place you left him. Admiring the scene of you carrying your daughter. 

“Would you like to help me?” You murmur. 

Of course he does, he wants nothing more but to embark on this new life. He has seen so much horror and for once, he wants to indulge in this domestic dream of his.

“If you let me.”

Humble, timid, and definitely not showing how enthusiastic he was about helping you. 

You nod and guide him upstairs. Margaret’s room was just next to yours, even though you prefer to sleep with her, still too nervous about her getting tangled in her own blankets.

As both of you reach the room, shades of pink and white greet Leon. Some toys are scattered around the floor too. Proof of Margaret’s wholesome behavior. 

Margaret shifts in your arms, her previous peaceful demeanor changing given the frustration of not falling asleep yet. She is pretty much easy to handle when nap time comes, but today is one of those days.

“You told me I could help.” Leon's hushed voice reaches you. His eyes express the need to assist you in a task like this. 

“Sure…” Your heart flutters as Leon steps up to help you. You indeed asked him if he wanted to come with you. But the fact he had so eagerly accepted the role made you appreciate him even more.

If that was even possible.

As Margaret starts letting out soft cries, you hand her to Leon who is quick to catch her. At first, Margaret is held rather awkwardly which brings a smile to your face before her cries get really serious.

You help Leon by moving his hand. That gains a quiet ‘ok ok’ meaning that he got the hang of it. 

He positions Margaret on his chest, her face seeking the crook of his neck as she continues letting out tiny sobs. With his hand supporting his back, he rocks her.

If anyone were to see him, they'd think he's a father holding his daughter. But in his mind, he's holding your world, his world. 

Oblivious to it, Leon started humming a song. He doesn’t know where he had heard it before. Maybe it came from his mother, a memory he thought was deeply buried in his mind.

Eventually, your baby falls asleep which definitely boosts Leon’s mood as she grins. He's built for this! He thinks.

He lays Margaret in her crib. The little one breathes slowly as she drifts off to dreamland.

Both of you slowly and quietly walk out of the room making sure not to make any loud noise and wake the sleeping princess. 

As you slowly descend from the stairs and are once again in the living room, Leon’s mind is filled with expectations.

What's next?

What is he supposed to do now? 

As if on cue, your words break the silence.

“I forgot to order the food.” You sheepishly admit as you nervously laugh. Between cleaning the house before Leon came and taking care of a toddler the fact that a dinner without food wouldn't be a dinner slipped out of your mind.

“I'll do it right now just give me a second to search for this one restau—”

“Hey, it's okay.” Leon reaches for your arm before you can walk toward where the phone is. He takes this opportunity to do all the things he has wanted to do with you. To accomplish each one of those silly yet endearing wishes of his.

“Besides… this is a great excuse for us to bond more.”

He lets go of your arm but instead, his hand takes out his cellphone. Your eyes curiously watch as he types something.

For a moment, Leon doesn't utter a word and you can see how his fingers are slightly shaking.

Leon looks up from the phone and gives you a gentle smile before he sets the phone aside. After a couple of seconds, the slow and wistful chords of a piano announce the beginning of a song.

“May I have this dance?” Leon extends his hand toward you. 

You opt to accept his hand. In the back of your mind, you wanted to tease him one more time. Just like you did when he told you happy Valentine’s. But you feel this is way more important than those simple words.

As your hand locks with his, he pulls you closer to his body. His free arm finds its home in your lower back, not too low to keep it PG and not to discomfort you in this intimate dance.

Letting him guide you, you sway from side to side. His past self wouldn't have imagined that he could reach this level of serenity and tranquility. The simple thought of having a family was like a faraway dream.

Your head rests comfortably on Leon's shoulder, the scent of his cologne being your new favorite aroma. The one that brings you memories from the time you met him to all the dates you had that led to this very moment.

The song continues its course, and the outside world is forgotten for a moment. No words are exchanged as both of you drown in the homely feeling of dancing in each other's arms.

After a while, without lifting his head and allowing his lips to ever so slightly graze against your ears, Leon's voice cut through the peaceful melody.

“Let me in.” He whispers, his hands ever so slightly tightening around your middle section. His words brush against your ear like the soft melody that plays in the background. 

“What do you mean?” 

“Let me in, in your life. I don’t want to ask you to just be your partner.” The weight and truth of his statement turn your head in a messy place. “I want to be part of your life and Margaret’s.”

He wants to stick around, he wants to be greeted by you and Margaret each time he comes back from a mission. He wants to give Margaret the childhood he never had. And, he wants to fulfill every little dream you and he may have. 

“I want to wake up next to you each morning. To Margaret telling us she's hungry in her own way.” He's always been a man of few words, but in this moment he could recite the whole bible if he wanted. 

“I want to put Margaret to sleep every day just like I did today. And I want to sleep next to you every night, knowing that you're safe.”

“I don't want you to be a memory.” His lips move to the side of your face, daring to kiss your cheeks in a sweet manner. “I want you to be my whole life.”

Smoothly and with ease, his words fall from his lips while his tempo never falters. His thumb now softly rubs your skin, where his hand is located to support your back in the dance.

He'd want to take pride and tell you he's that good with words. However, many times he has rehearsed this speech that if he had stumbled on his words he'd have let the earth swallow him.

And as the song came to an end, so did Leon’s confession. 

A few seconds of silence create the worst nightmare in Leon's imagination. He could already hear your words telling him you don't feel the same that you're already in love with someone else or—

Your knuckles caress Leon’s face, feeling the growing stubble on his cheek and jaw. The sensation of being touched like this has been a long-distance memory that he's completely forgotten what being loved felt like.

He now feels both of your hands cupping his face, prompting him to look you in the eyes. His blue eyes lock with yours and admire the softest of expressions drawn on your face.

As he gazes into you, he can only think how in love he is. And what a good life awaits for him.

And what feels like both an eternity and a split second, your lips connect with his in a tender yet meaningful kiss. One that he's been expecting after all this time.

The one is indeed not a myth.

AUTHOR'S NOTE 2: I had so much fun writing this. There's something about found family that makes me all soft and sappy lmao. And sorry if my despiction about cops is wrong... I've never set foot in the US so spare your writer the embarrassment. Anyway, I hope you all have a beautiful day! No matter if you spend it with your lover, friends or alone. (Dividers are from: @/cafekitsune)

💬 SHADESOFLSK: Comments, reblogs and likes are very much appreciated.

[leonstoenailunderhisbed]

A Southern Myth

Summary: Leon had been sent to a rural place in Texas where sightings of a BOW were reported. But upon entering the forgotten town, he began to get entangled in a horrific twist of events involving a religious cult. Things escalate and now he must survive with the help of a girl who doesn’t believe in anything.

Warning: horror. religion. mentions of blood and gore like description. cult activities. violence. swearing. reader is fem. there is no romance/smut.

A/N: omg I’ve never written something like this before🙈 CAPCOM should hire me for script writing.

“You believe you're on the righteous path, you believe you're a force for good, but you're not.” - John Seed, Far Cry 5

“Come forth, my children. Let your souls become pure under His guidance.”

“Let us rejoice in purity as we bathe in this sacrifice. Let us become one for Him, for He has been waiting.”

-

The sound of the dirt rolling under the car’s wheel made the road feel bumpy for Leon. The heat was intense the further he went into the rural side of what was once a town named Giligand in Texas. Once a lively town that had become a ghost town.

Until a group of religious settlers took over the desert land and claimed it their new home. They built their own society, far away from modern civilization. The orange and dried plants surrounding the new town as the wind blew hard. The sun intensified and caused Leon’s sweat to trickle down his body.

Right in the middle of nowhere is where he got sent- yet again. The D.S.O has assigned Leon a more haunting mission. The government division found in Texas’ own legislation had found weird signs of an unknown entity roaming around the dried up land. He found himself standing in front of an agent in Austin telling him about this entity.

“Our homeland security experts have raised a few concerns regarding a secluded town in Western Texas. They believe that this could be related to the virus incident that presided in other countries,” The senior agent stated as he gave Leon a stack of papers containing pictures and files of the sightings.

The abnormality was big and round. But its eyes were the only visible thing in the dark of night. Pure white eyes protruding from the creature’s face, sending a wave of uneasiness to Leon. The monster seemed tall, definitely more than 9 feet tall. Leon couldn’t tell exactly what it was but he guessed there were some sort of horns coming out the creature’s skull.

Leon had finally reached the town, being greeted by a yellowing sign. The sign written in Times New Roman “Welcome to Cunstacin” on the bottom “previously Giligand” and then near the border edge “Pop. 189”

Such a small town for a big state. Leon didn’t think much of it. He wasn’t aware of how much his life would change the minute he passed the sign without seeing those pure white eyes watching him from behind his truck.

The town itself was small but seemed very busy. The roads were flat with gravel. The houses were old and barren but still usable. He wondered how people were able to make a living of such an abandoned place. As he neared a motel, he was met with the leader of the town. A tall man of tan skin, hair long enough to reach his shoulders as his beard grew to his neck.

He approached Leon’s truck and greeted him with a polite smile, “Ah, you must be the new guy they sent here.” Leon nodded as he turned off the engine and jumped out of his car.

The man walked up to Leon and patted his shoulder, “Hope the road wasn’t too tedious. The distance between here and the city is pretty stretchy.” The man chuckled and looked behind him where two young women stood. “Go fetch his luggage and take it to his room. We don’t want to make our esteemed guest work too much now, don’t we?”

The two ladies nodded and walked over to the trunk of Leon’s truck. They both carried the brown and thick luggages to the motel, their silhouettes getting lost in between the halls.

The man then gently forced Leon to walk with him, “I’m sure you’re tired and you might want to get some rest, but there’s an afternoon mass the town wishes for you to attend. The people want to meet the new guy in town,” the man laughed again and gave Leon’s chest a lazy slap.

“I appreciate the offer but I’m here for work- strictly for work,” Leon replied as he looked at the man and then around the area.

The man chuckled and took his hand away from Leon’s shoulder, “No worries- I get it. You’re a busy guy and your work ethic is commendable,” the man leaned towards Leon’s ear to whisper, “But if you find yourself in need of His words, do come to the church behind the Great Willowed Forest.” The man leaned back and gave him another toothy smile, almost unsettling. “Make yourself at home.” That was the last thing the man said before he began to walk away.

Leon exhaled through his nose. He already got the creeps from the background check he ran on the town but meeting the people in person made the whole experience much more precarious.

He began to walk along the town, trying to find any other civilians. He saw an older woman with two children outside a two story building.

“Excuse me,” Leon said as he jogged to the three individuals. One of the children, a little boy with a bowl haircut pointed to Leon and exclaimed, “Look, meemaw- ‘tis the new guy!” The older woman slapped the little boy’s head, “Pointing at strangers is rude.”

Leon cleared his throat, “It’s alright,” he looked down at the kid before looking back at the older woman, “I’ve heard there were some strange… sightings around this town-“

“Ah, yes-“ the woman cut him off, “You’re talking Tervin.” Leon immediately furrowed his brows. They had named the potential B.O.W?

“Tervin?” Leon asked and the woman nodded, “Yes. He was sent by God,” she looked up at the sky and then back at him.

“He was kind enough to send us a messenger. My boy, the end is coming. We must cleanse our souls of our sins in order to enter our Eden.”

Leon immediately felt a weird sense of unease in his lower stomach, the bottom pit sinking down after the woman spoke.

The woman took a step forward and cupped Leon’s face, “He is our savior. He will bring us to an eternal peace. Time is ticking, we must proceed with His plan.”

Leon took a step back, taking deep breaths. What was this feeling? His heart was hammering against his rib cage and he could feel his head become light. Maybe it was heatstroke or maybe it was fear.

The woman stared at Leon, seemingly in a trance. He swore he saw her eye color vanish for a moment, not right before she “came back” and smiled at him. She then took hold of the two children’s hands and walked away. He could only stay there watching as they got further away.

He exhaled shakily as he ran a hand through his hair, this would be harder than he thought.

-

For the next following days, he’s been trying to talk to these people but everyone said remotely the same things.

“Monster? He’s no monster. He’s our salvation.”

“God sent him, it is His gift to us.”

“We must act quickly, the end is nigh”

Leon was currently sitting on the edge of the bed in the room he was currently staying. His elbows rested on his knees as his gaze fell on the picture of the creature he had in his hand. Pure black, except for the eyes. Something felt sinister- almost too evil. But he couldn’t pinpoint what. Everyone looked normal-ish.

He left the motel and began his 15th round of research. He was so sure he’d get kicked out if he kept asking the people questions. His mind traveled back to what the leader said, something about attending mass.

He didn’t want to but he knew that he had to try. Maybe there was something that could be useful in the church.

So that’s where he was headed. To the Great Willowed Forest. A forest full of tall trees and tall grass. The sun was setting and the church came into his line of vision. A tall Victorian structure that was adorned in white and gold. A bell sitting on top of the highest tower peak of the religious establishment. He slowly walked up the freaking and old steps of the church. Muffled talking from just the other of the door. With a light inhale, he pushed the door open with gentleness and stepped into the church.

The inside was much more beautiful. The benches were neatly fixed in rows as the windows were stained glass depicting stories of their God. The church was packed and the leader stood on the podium, preaching about their path to salvation.

“We must obey the Lord’s rule. For we are His children as well as His servants. We must makeup for the loss of His journey.”

Leon found himself an empty seat at the very back. No one seemed to have noticed him enter, they were all focusing on the town’s leader words. Almost as if they were bewitched.

“Tonight, we must bring our sacrifice and cleanse our souls. We must savor the taste of blood as He has given us a vessel from his sacrifices. We must show him our devotion.”

The mass lasted for an hour and a half, and he didn’t find anything remotely useful. He sighed in defeat as he felt like he wasted his time, yet again. There were no signs of any B.O.W and these people were most certainly convinced that the monster was their key to heaven.

It was nighttime when Leon had left the church, walking aimlessly through the forest. His mind preoccupied with thoughts about potentially lying to the D.S.O and telling them it was just some southern myth.

Until he hears clinking sounds coming from behind a bush. His agent instincts activated and he quietly walked towards the bush to see what was behind it.

To his surprise, he’d found another person. A girl working on a garden. She had been couched down on the floor as her hands worked through the soil.

As he walked towards you, his boots crunched against the twigs lost in the grass. Your attention had been drawn to the sound and you quickly spotted the new man in town.

You furrowed your brows as he approached you, “You’re the new guy everyone’s talking about.”

Leon nodded curtly, “The one and only,” you hummed in response and resumed your duties.

“Can I ask-“

“No.”

He was caught off guard by your immediate answer. You didn’t even look back at him. He could only stare at the back of your head as your hands worked through the soil.

“You didn’t even listen to what I had to say,” he approached you and crouched next to you, glancing at the plants you’ve been planting.

“I don’t need to. You’re asking questions about this stupid and fake thing everyone claims to be salvation or some other bullshit,” you grumbled.

“Not necessarily-“ he sighed and looked at your side profile, “I’m not here for that-“

“What do you want me to tell you? That there’s some sort of monster roaming around the forest?” You turned your head to look at him, “Because I won’t. I haven’t seen anything and I do not believe it even exists. Those lunatics are hell bent on their stupid… belief,” you scoffed as you turned your attention back to your plants.

“Bunch of bullshit if you ask me,” you muttered. He looked at you some more before looking back down at your hands covered in dirt.

“So you aren’t with those people?” Leon raised a brow as he analyzed you. You shook your head no, “Hell no. You don’t know what they do to those who don’t believe in their God… you don’t know anything.”

Leon remained silent as your words settled down in his mind. There was more than what you led on and both of you knew this.

“Then tell me,” he replied quietly. You sighed and looked at him with an annoyed expression, “Doesn’t matter. Just go back to your shit and mind your business.”

He didn’t say anything, he just watched you for a few minutes before he stood up and left.

He went back to his motel room and laid down on the bed. Staring up at ceiling as he thought about the events that took place. He still couldn’t shake off the strange feeling he felt about this town. Something felt odd but he just didn’t know what. He sighed and decided to just sleep for the night.

-

Leon woke up early in the morning and tried to find the leader of the town. Surprisingly, he was at the church. He was sitting down on a bench, silently praying. Leon walked up to him and sat next to him as he waited for him to finish praying.

“Well, well, well. If it isn’t our visitor. To what do I owe the pleasure?” The man said as he noticed Leon’s presence next to him. Leon cleared his throat and pulled out a picture of ‘Tervin’

“I need you to tell me about this. What do you know?” Leon’s brows were furrowed, he was serious. He didn’t come around to play. The man took the picture and stared at it. Something in his aura had changed upon seeing that picture.

“Where did you get this?” The man asked as he looked at Leon with an unreadable expression. Leon shrugged, “I can’t say.” The man hummed and looked back at the altar in front of them.

“Tervin is a gift from God. He was sent as a warning of impending doom,” the man replied in a flat voice. “If he isn’t satisfied, then he seeks blood. We must cleanse this town of impurities and relay a message to God that we are worthy of his Eden paradise.”

Something in that caused a shiver to run down Leon’s spine, but he didn’t show it. He remained serious and calm. Leon nodded once and stood up, feeling like no one will actually tell him anything.

“Thanks,” he muttered before he left the church. When he walked out, he nearly crashed into you.

“Watch it,” you hissed at him. He looked down at you with a raised brow, “I’m pretty sure you meant ‘excuse me’” he crossed his arms over his chest and kept blocking the doorway.

You sighed and looked at him unimpressed, “Excuse me.” Leon rolled his eyes and stepped to the side. As you began to walk past him, you noticed the picture in his hands. Your brows pinched together and you quickly pointed to it, “what’s that?”

Leon looked down at the picture and then back at you, “I’m supposed to investigate this… thing.” He watched you closely, trying to gauge your reaction as you stood there silently thinking.

“You’ll get yourself in trouble if you keep putting your nose where it doesn’t belong,” you warned before stepping inside the church. He saw you walk up to the leader. He exhaled and walked back to the town. When will someone actually help him?

-

It was somewhere past 11 pm, he was staring at the files he had about this town and his objective. It was impossible to think how he didn’t have any leads. It was the Leon S Kennedy! He always saw that the job got done, always.

He groaned defeatedly and began to walk around the town, he doesn’t even know how many times he’s done that.

The town was awfully quiet. There was a fog occupying most of his vision, making the place look eerie and unsettling. He heard the rustling of the trees and grasses but he paid no mind to that. Not right now, at least.

He saw you sitting on a fountain, staring at your reflection deep in thought. Why were you the only one out here. He walked over to you and spoke in a soft voice, “What are you doing out here?”

You looked over at him and then back at the water, “Could ask you the same.”

Leon sighed and scratched his head, “I just- I wanted to ask questions but seems like everyone just… disappeared.”

You hummed in response as your fingers played with the water, “They didn’t. They’re at the church praying or something.”

His ears perked up, praying at this time? He didn’t want to question it but it still lingered in his mind.

After a few moments of silence, he couldn’t help but ask, “You said you didn’t believe in God, why is that?” He asked in a quiet voice.

You looked at him before motioning for him to follow you, “It’s better if I just showed you.”

You led him through the dark forest, twigs snapping under your shoes and wind howling soft whispers as the moonlight glimmered down you two.

“This town ostracizes those who don’t believe in God. Do you know what happens to nonbelievers?” You looked behind your shoulder to glance at Leon for a brief moment.

“No, I don’t but do tell,” he followed behind you as his eyes scanned the forest for any threats.

You sighed and stopped walking once you’ve reached an abandoned cemetery, you walked up to one of the gravestones and stared down at the name, “Jeffrey Clyle. 1987-2024.”

“Sacrifice,” you whispered. Leon heard you and walked up next to you, your eyes distant and your expression solemn.

“Ever since rumors of the “messenger” started, they’ve been capturing and targeting those whose faith has been faltering…” your gaze remained down at the gravestone and Leon remained silent as he let you talk.

“They’ve been doing human sacrifices in the name of God. They believe that God would forgive them if they kill those who oppose him…” your voice trailed off for a moment before you turned your face to look at him, “It’s evil. Punishing people for not believing in something is inhumane. They’re all slaves to their own fucking religion, that God is not kind and I will never believe in it.”

“Then what are you still doing here?” Leon asked as he stared into your eyes, searching for an answer.

“Because my father is the fucking leader of this whole thing. I can’t just leave,” you mumbled and looked away. “I already get judged for not believing- imagine what would happen to me if I left?”

He remained silent once again. Your father was the preacher and the leader of the town? That makes things even more interesting. Leon never pictured himself to be in this kind of situation- not since Spain, at least. It all seemed the same to him. Religion controlling people, is that all it will ever be?

Then he remembered something from mass he attended,

“Tonight, we must bring our sacrifice and cleanse our souls. We must savor the taste of blood as He has given us a vessel from his sacrifices. We must show him our devotion.”

Leon’s eyes widened as he began to finally realize what might happen. He looked down at you, “You mean to tell me… that your father participates in human sacrifices? Why?” His eyes were narrowed as his breathing became faster.

You looked at him with narrowed eyes, “Because his idiotic self thinks that sacrificing people will help him and his goons reach their heaven.”

Innocent lives were being used for this town’s religion. This didn’t sit right with Leon. He quickly ran out of the cemetery- his heartbeat speeding as his legs carried his body towards the church.

Under the embrace of the moon and the night, a gathering assembled at the edge of the churchyard, shrouded by the shadows cast by the townspeople. Their faces unrecognizable under the dark night, their chants in hushed tones as they circled around a sacrifice.

Bound by chains, a person writhed in resistance, their muffled cries stifled by a potato sack over their head. Leon stood behind a tree as you came behind him to look at the scene unfold in front of your eyes.

The leader of the town emerged, wielding a sacrificial blade gleaming under the moonlight. Each stroke of the blade sent shivers down your’s and Leon’s spine, as the victim's anguished pleas echoed through the night, a haunting presence appeared through the tethered night.

“We give this sacrifice to you, our Lord. Let us repent for our sins and wash ourselves with the blood of those who’ve been cleansed.”

The creature- otherwise known as the B.O.W- emerged from behind the forest and entered the churchyard. Its stature was 11 feet, towering over everyone. Its black glistening skin reflected the moonlight as its pearly white eyes penetrated the group of believers. Its horns swirled upwards, reaching up to the sky. The townspeople all bowed to the creature as they chanted its name, “All hail Tervin.”

Leon’s eyes widened as he saw the B.O.W while your eyes widened at the fact that this “messenger” was indeed real. Leon took out his gun and aimed it at the B.O.W. You quickly pulled his arm down and whispered in a harsh tone, “Are you stupid? That thing could be dangerous.”

Leon narrowed his eyes at you, “I’ve fought those things before, I know what I’m doing.” He shook your hands away from his arm and aimed the gun back at the beast.

The beast approached the human sacrifice and with its claws, it picked up. Almost instantly crushing the human, letting the blood fall down like rain on the townspeople.

“Thank you, Lord, for this blessing”

The B.O.W then ate the human sacrifice after the townspeople showered in their blood. A scene so horrific and disturbing, it twisted your stomach upside down. The creeping sensation of the fact that it could’ve been you in that situation only made it worse.

To feel your rib cage cave in, piercing your lungs and heart as blood trickles down your mouth. Its claws clawing into your body, letting the blood flow like water.

It only made you shiver and writhe in disgust.

Leon then began to shoot at the B.O.W with his gun, drawing the attention of the townspeople. One bullet shot the creature’s eye, causing it to stagger backwards in pain. The group of believers all turned to look at you and Leon.

Their faces unrecognizable- their faces foreign as the creases and eyes all felt like distinct people. The group slowly began to walk towards you two as the monster howled in anger.

“God, forgive those sinners. They haven’t sought your guidance. Let us illuminate their path,”

The leader spoke as they approached you and Leon. Anxiety coursed through your body as you saw the B.O.W swing its claws at the group of believers. People flying left and right. The leader turned around and observed in delight.

“Yes, God, yes! We shall sacrifice ourselves for Eden.”

The whole group then began to chant, “For Eden. For Tervin.”

The B.O.W only had one goal in mind- and it was to kill the person who injured it. As Tervin kept walking towards you and Leon, Leon took hold of your wrist and began to ran. He dragged you through the forest back to the motel he was staying in.

He looked the door to his room and turned to look at you, “What the fuck was that!?” Leon was stressing, all these emotions resurfaced and he felt overwhelmed. Why was this happening, how was this happening?

“I told you, they’re fucking evil when it comes to their God,” you replied harshly.

“Yeah I wasn’t exactly expecting your father to be the leader of a cult with that thing as its dog!,” Leon replied as his hands traveled through his face and hair.

You scoffed and crossed your arms over you chest but just as you were to speak, the ground shook. Heavy footsteps were heard and Leon rushed to the window. He peeked through the blinds and saw the group of believers walking over to the motel with Tervin in following them. They kept chanting as they kept walking.

“We need to get out of here now-“ you said as you began to hurry out the door. Leon, however, stopped you.

“I can’t just leave, I have a mission to do and it requires me to kill that thing. I cannot go home until it’s dead,” he said as he stared at you with a resolved expression.

You could only stare at him in silence for a few moments before sighing defeatedly, “Fine, do whatever you want.”

“Stay here,” he instructed as he took his gun and walked out, leaving you alone in his motel room.

In the flickering glow of the moonlight, amidst the eerie chants of the cultists, Leon stood there, gun in hand as he scanned the group. He needed to be smart. They had a B.O.W to their advantage.

As the first cultist lunged forward, knife in hand, Leon countered with swift precision, deflecting the blade with a punch to the gut. His movements were a blur of calculated strikes and evasions. As he killed and wounded the cultists, they grew more frenzied, their chants escalating into desperate cries of fury. Yet, undeterred, Leon continued fighting.

“We must bring him to God!” They chanted as they kept lunging at Leon.

Amidst the chaos, the B.O.W stepped forward, its twisted features contorted with rage as it charged at Leon. With the gun pointed at the beast, he shot bullet after bullet, causing it to slow its movements.

“God, please forgive our brother for he has sinned. We must cleanse him.”

Leon ran out of bullets and just as the B.O.W was about to strike, he saw you throw a pitchfork at it. The blades piercing the creature’s skin, stabbing it right in the chest.

The B.O.W let out a screeching scream, “No! Our messenger!” The leader spoke in anguish as he watched the creature stumble back, falling to the ground with a thud. Leon reloaded his gun and began to shoot again, this time aiming for the head.

As Leon became busy, your father glared at you and it was like something turned in him, “You bitch. I’ve had just about it with you. You will submit to your God and you will repent!”

You’ve never heard him speak to you this way, so much malice in his voice that you didn’t recognize the man that used to be your father.

He lunged at you, his hands trying to reach for your neck to strangle you. You took a nearby torch and set his clothes on fire. He stood back and tried to set the fire off of himself- to which he fails. He screams and cries in pain as he began to get engulfed in the flames of his sins.

“Forgive me, my children!”

You finally understood everything. There was no God because your father believed he was that God. The flames burned up in hues of blue and orange right before the sparks flew into the night sky.

His skin melted, his eyes became a blobby mess and he fell to the ground. His screech becoming more faint as the life in being burnt away from his body. The flames expanding over the dried wheat of the town, engulfing the town in a pit of fire.

Leon had been too busy to even notice that you killed your father. He’s been shooting the B.O.W, making sure to blow its head off once and for all.

After two rounds of reloading, he finally was able to kill that damn thing. Watching it fall to the ground, sending harsh vibrations to the floor as silence overtook the ghostly town.

Heavy panting overtook the two of you as the silence grew deafening. You turned to look at Leon as he stared at the B.O.W all lifeless. You looked around and saw the bloodbath. Everyone was dead.

Pools of blood stained the gravel he once stepped, the lifeless bodies of the townspeople growing cold. The flames being the only source of light under the dark night.

Leon turned to look at you for a brief moment before looking up at sky as he tried to take deep breaths. He couldn’t believe what had just happened. He couldn’t believe what he was brought into. But he was glad it was over. For now at least.

Leon packed his things and went over to his truck, he looked at you, “Aren’t you coming?”

You looked at him and then back at the town- or what remained of the town. You nodded and walked over to his truck.

Both of you driving down the lane of the rose, exiting the town. Passing by a sign that read, “Please visit soon!”

Unaware of the presence with the white eyes watching you two leave the town.

[eirianerisdar]

Going to say as someone not American it’s freaking terrifying how close the election is right now even after all that’s happened leading up to it

How can someone in good conscience vote for someone like Tr*mp like I don’t care if he’s promised to uphold some values (he’s a pathological liar) or if he says he’ll fight for you the only thing that blob of shit has ever done is fight for himself and his power

Do I support everything Kamala says she wants to do? Not in the least but why the hell would you not do everything in your power to keep freaking agent orange from being president again

[qqueenofhades]

So I'm seeing a lot about how Agent Orange is feeling some buyers remorse over picking Vance as his running mate. I was curious to see if he could even be replaced since their convention is over and he has already accepted the nomination. The Almighty Google Machine tells me that, yes, it CAN be done but it would need to be approved by the delegates, filed before the Federal Elections Commission and state committees. We know that the delegates will fall in line and do what they're told, as will the red states but I feel like the Elections Commission will be trickier for him. It wouldn't hut him with the base if he kicked Vance to the curb because literally nothing would. I could say it would make him look bad and weak to switch him out but like... par for the course. I don't doubt that he'll just try to go full president god king on this and do what he wants but I'm interested to hear your thoughts on this one!

I answered most of this in the earlier ask (but with due apologies for putting a picture of the orange felon on your dash), please PLEASE join me in the schadenfreude:

You can almost see the cheeto-stained thought bubble wondering if this might have been.... bad.

WHAT DO DO DO, DONNIE? WOMP WOMP.

[goldenfigtree]

Let Me Prove My Love to You

Summary: Leon is forced to attend an event at the white house when the evening suddenly gets more interesting after seeing a familiar face on stage, you.

Pairing: Older! Leon Kennedy x Reader

Warnings: fluff

A/N: I personally pictured Infinite Darkness Leon when I wrote this but it can honestly whichever one you desire. Not proofread but hope you enjoy it nevertheless

Standing with a glass of scotch in his hand, Leon avoids eye contact with everyone around him. If it were up to him, he would be home catching up on all the sleep he missed from not one but two missions back to back. But, being the president’s golden boy, he couldn’t say no. He insisted Leon to at least make an appearance at his formal dinner parties. Leaning against the bar counter by his elbows, he takes in the sight of all the white-clothed tables, each seat surrounding it having a porcelain plate in front of it. A stage sat in front of all these tables, an orchestra playing smooth jazz as many women wearing their most elegant cocktail dresses and expensive jewelry conversed with the many men wearing tailored suits. All holding their heads pridefully knowing they were special, for they were invited by the president of the United States.  

1 hour 

He thought to himself,

Just one more hour and I can go home

Taking another sip, he takes notice of Mr. President gesturing him over to his table and grimaces as he makes his way over to sit next to him. Others surrounding the table, trying to have a word with the President glared at Leon with envy as he sat at the President’s right hand. All looks he was used to and didn’t care for. With his hands intertwined together in his lap, he patiently waited for the food to arrive. That is, until a very familiar voice startled him, 

“Leon! You made it!” Looking up he sees a much older Ashley in a shimmering rustic orange gown, her blond hair a tad longer. Yet, her smile gave away that she didn’t change one bit, to Leon’s relief after all the hell they went through. 

“Ashley” he says nodding his head in greeting a bit awkwardly as she sat next to him, “Good to see you” 

“Your hair is brown” she acknowledges with a giggle, he chuckled quietly as he rested his glass on the table, 

“Thought I needed a bit of a change” he says, a smile resting on his lips. Finally, someone he knew in this stuffy place. Maybe this evening wouldn’t be as painful as he expected,

“Don’t worry, you still look dashing” Ashley reassures with her usual innocent yet beaming smile. He can’t help but chuckle bashfully, not used to being complimented, even if it was just Ashley. He clears his throat to regain his composure, his fingers tapping on his glass, 

“Thanks” 

Thankfully, the lights begin to dim and a man begins welcoming the guests. His attention, however, is on a silhouette he swore looked familiar, standing on the side of the stage, awaiting to be introduced. Leaning his head forward slightly, he squints his eyes in an effort to see who this person is. He didn’t have to wait long to find out because the man said her name and he immediately knew. His eyes widened as he watched the woman approach the standing microphone in an elegant emerald green gown, a glimmering smile complimenting the pearl earrings and necklace under the spotlight. 

He couldn’t believe what he was seeing, was his mind playing tricks on him? Ashley lets out an awe of interest at the sight of her and leans over towards Leon,

“She’s really good, we’ve had her sing a couple of times. Dad likes to call her Canary. She’s an agent too ya know” not taking notice of Leon’s baffled expression, his lips parted slightly in shock, she turns her attention towards the stage as the orchestra begins to swell a musical tune, the woman who once was a distant memory now standing before him with her hands curled around the microphone stand. Her rosy lips opening slightly in anticipation to begin. 

And there it was, the angelic voice that Leon knew all too well,

“Every time we say goodbye… I die a little” her velvety tone followed after her voice rippling angelically with every line had gotten everyone’s attention. Forks dropped to the side of their plates, heads leaning forward in interest, conversations ending abruptly to lend an ear to her performance. 

The memories they made together a year ago flashed through his mind. Their midnight drives to clear their minds after either one of them came shaken from a mission. Their silly arguments on subjects; whether a hot dog was a sandwich or if cereal is considered soup. Their lazy mornings in bed. He remembered the times where they sat at her grand piano and she tried to teach him the basics. He remembered when he made her smile, when she made him laugh harder than he had in a long time. Then he remembered when it all ended, at his fault. And there she stood, beautiful as ever, finally showing the world her talent. Something he often tried talking her into. 

“You have such a beautiful and unique voice, why not show it to the world?” He’d often say to her. And always, she would blush and look away and say something along the lines,

“I’m not that good” or “what if I fail?” 

A smile curled on his lips as he listened to her. Feeling a sense of pride for her as she captured everyone’s attention with her voice and beauty like a siren. He could feel his heart thump against his chest like a drum, ringing in his ears. His eyes took in every crease of her brows, every time she lifted her eyes toward the crowd, every movement her lips made as she projected her voice. 

“What was I thinking?” He whispers to himself without realizing. How could he have let her slip between his fingers? He could have fought for her. He could have done so much more. 

The song ends, a polite smile appears after she sings the very last line once a round of applause and a few whistles mixed in along with it erupts the room. The lights come back on as the orchestra plays a more upbeat song, as she begins to sing another song, 

“I wish you blue birds in the spring….” 

 The audience resumes their meal, some couples moving to the front to dance along to the song as Leon remained there watching her. 

“Amazing isn’t she” the president says watching along with him, 

Feeling his blood rush to his cheeks, he clears his throat once again and distracts himself by cutting his steak, agreeing with the president “Yeah, amazing” 

An hour passes and Leon is yet again, nearest to the bar, he would have left by now but circumstances had changed. Now that she was off the stage, he had to talk to her again. As he scanned the area, he mouthed subtly to himself, practicing what exactly he wanted to say. Which somehow made his nerves even worse. Everything he wanted to say to her sounded so cheesy and screamed “I miss you, please take me back”. 

“Well if it isn’t the Leon Kennedy” a voice greets, the sound of it makes the hair at the back of his neck stand up. Turning to his left, there she stood a bouquet of flowers in her arm, a warm smile that he most definitely did not deserve after how he left things between them. 

“You” is all that’s able to escape, his throat suddenly felt dry. She merely giggles in response and shrugs, 

“Yes, me” she retorts back, “it’s good to see you” she adds more fondly, 

Leaning more against the marble pillar neighboring the bar, he regains his composure and asks almost too casually, “How’ve you been?” 

“I’m good, and you?” 

“Good” with an awkward smile, she nods her head, looking about ready to give up on the conversation. Leon immediately adds to it in hopes to make her stay, “You were great up there” 

With a bashful grin, she tucks some hair behind her ear, “Thanks, it was a bit of a last minute arrangement” 

“Well, you were amazing. I knew you had it in you” 

“Yeah, you did” she agrees shyly, blush appearing on her cheeks as she rests the bouquet on the bar, “I’m surprised you’re here. You’re not one for these type of things, unless that’s changed” 

“No, it hasn’t changed” Leon sheepishly chuckles and watches her take a sip of the drink she ordered, 

“Red wine, as usual” he comments teasingly, “that hasn’t changed either” 

“The fact that it tastes better hasn’t changed either” she retorts back with a smirk, 

“Subjective” he retorts back. The two of them share a laugh, man he missed this. He missed her. 

“Did you come with anyone tonight?” She asks, her eyes glued to her finger tracing the rim of her wine glass, 

“No, I came back from a mission” more like mission(s) but he didn’t want to sound boastful, “did you?” He later asks, the hope of her saying no soaring in his chest, 

“No, I came alone. Last minute arrangement” she murmurs with a shrug, “Leon.. there’s been something I wanted to say—“ 

Her sentence is suddenly interrupted by the sound of their song being played by the orchestra, 

“Let Me Prove My Love to You” she gasps slightly, her eyes darting towards him. The both of them were unable to tear their eyes away from each other. Without thinking, he lends out his hand, 

“Wanna dance?” He asks, holding his breath shortly after for her response. She flashed him that smile that always made his knees a bit wobbly and took his hand. Hooking her arm through his, they walk to the dance floor. With her hand in his, and his other hand on her waist they begin to slow dance to the tune. Looking down at her, he couldn’t help but notice how her eyes sparkled and how at home he felt with her in his grasp. 

“You’re quiet. You’re never this quiet” Leon says in her ear, making her look down and chuckle bashfully, 

“I just can’t believe this is real” she whispers back before leaning forward. Close enough for their lips to be inches apart, Leon noticed. She squints her eyes and tilts her head to the side, “You’re real right? I’m not dreaming?” she asks jokingly 

He lets out a quiet chuckle and shakes his head, “no, no you’re not dreaming. But this all sort of feels like a dream” 

“Doesn’t it?” She agrees, before glancing at the pianist and giving him a knowing look. The pianist simply winked at her back, “it’s my friend over there's doing I bet. He’s got a bad habit of not minding his own business” 

“So he knows about…” Leon trails off and averts his eyes. But she doesn’t, she could see the guilt written all over his face, 

“Yes, he does” she begins to say, “listen, I actually wanted to talk about that…” 

“Me too” 

“Really?” Tinge of hope twinkles in her eyes as they keep swaying, “You first” she insists. Leon shakes his head,

“No, I think it’s only fair that you get to say your piece” he assures, even though the thought of hearing how much he hurt her tore his heart to pieces. He couldn’t take this from her too. 

“Well, I mean, mine is a lot” she giggles nervously but continues nevertheless, “When you ended things. I was really angry with you. Like throwing darts at a picture of you angry. Because things were so good between us. Everything was so easy, and you gave it all up and I didn’t understand why. But now I do” 

“You do?” Leon asks curiously, raising an eyebrow,

“You were afraid. Afraid that something bad was going to happen because of how good it was between us. Right?” Leon squeezes her hand slightly and merely hangs his head in shame, she continues, “Leon, I’m not mad at you anymore, I hope you know that. I know now that it’s okay to be afraid but… I just wish you fought it” her voice for the first time was small, the sound of it alone made his heart feel as if it was being wrung dry, 

“Me too” his immediate agreement makes her eyes widen in shock as she quickly looks up at him, “I regret it” 

“You do?” 

“The biggest regret of my life” the ends of her lips upturned slightly, her heart beating rapidly in her chest as he continues, “You don’t know how many times I’ve almost called you” 

“You don’t know how many times I’ve almost called you” 

“Why didn’t you?” He asks,

“Why didn’t you?” She asks bluntly back, poking his chest. Both of them chuckle before she answers her own question, “I was afraid, is that your reason as well?” 

Leon nods his head, a sheepish grin on his lips, 

“That always gets in the way of us doesn’t it?” She adds in a pleasant tone as if making small talk. 

“Maybe, it’s time it didn’t” Leon’s eyebrows creased and he looked at her solemnly, “what do you think?” He adds shyly, his eyes averting for a second before blinking back at her. That beautiful smile forms on her lips again, her cheeks flushed a light pink,

“I think, that’s a great idea” 

The two of them stare at each other for a moment, their song still concluding in the background. Leaning forward, his eyes trail slowly to her lips, so soft, so inviting. She tilts her head up slightly and the gap between them shrinks smaller and smaller until their lips meet. The contact immediately makes the rest of the world disappear, even more so when they begin to move synchronously. Kissing her felt so familiar, like muscle memory. His grip on her waist tightens as he pulls her closer. Her hand that once was on his shoulder slides to the back of his neck, her nails sinking into the back of his soft brown hair. Pulling away, Leon gets one more look at her, to make sure he isn’t dreaming before placing a kiss on her forehead. Laying her head against just chest, she smiles serenely as the music behind them plays, her thumb caressing the skin of his neck while his spare hand holds her forearm as they keep swaying to the music. God, he missed her. He didn’t know what he did to deserve this second chance but one thing was for certain, it was surely going to be his last.

[mariacallous]

In early September, Warner Bros. released a teaser for A Minecraft Movie, the studio’s new film based on Mojang’s nearly 15-year-old sandbox game. Directed by Napoleon Dynamite helmer Jared Hess, it was, frankly, very goofy. Jack Black was Steve; Jason Momoa was sporting maybe the worst hairdo he’s ever had. Everyone involved, even the animated creatures, seemed to think they were in a different movie.

But that wasn’t what the trolls latched onto. Instead, they fixed on the fact that a Black woman—Orange Is the New Black’s Danielle Brooks—was in the Overworld.

As the trailer racked up dislikes, right-wing influencers like Elijah Schaffer and Nick Fuentes posted Brooks’ image next to disparaging comments and made references to “forced diversity” and “woke” Hollywood. It was Gamergate 2.0—a reimagining of the decade-old harassment campaign aimed at rallying against diversity, equity, and inclusion—but aimed at a kids’ movie, rather than a video game.

According to Wendy Via, cofounder and CEO of the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism, which just published a report looking at the far right’s racist comments about the trailer, the response comes from a new, and also quite old, playbook. “Large-scale campaigns against trailers specifically are a relatively new phenomenon, but attempting to frame ‘wokeness’ as an invisible enemy infiltrating the entertainment industry is not,” Via says.

Via points out that back in spring of 2023, the far-right X account End Wokeness made similar noise about a “Protect Trans Kids” flag that appeared briefly in the trailer for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. The goal of these campaigns is to target “spaces where young, white men are influenced,” like sci-fi movies and video games, which appeal to younger audiences, Via adds. “Providing racist and homophobic commentary on popular franchises through large social media platforms like Twitter and YouTube serves as an effective means to propagandize and recruit young people to hate movements.”

Take, for example, The Acolyte. Earlier this year, the Disney+ show found itself the target of fan backlash while star Amandla Stenberg was subjected to racist comments online. So, too, was Kelly Marie Tran, who played Rose Tico in the most recent Star Wars movie trilogy. The minimizing of her role in the last installment, The Rise of Skywalker, perhaps emboldened diversity detractors further.

Reception of The Acolyte seemed, almost, to be a solidification. Fan unrest in the Star Wars universe is a cousin to, if not a direct descendant of, Gamergate, and since former Trump White House strategist Steve Bannon harnessed the energy of that movement and used it to fuel the then burgeoning so-called alt-right, influencers have used similar tactics to convince aggrieved men that their games, their shows and movies, and their country are somehow being taken from them.

By the time the Minecraft Movie trailer dropped, the script was already set. Influencers just had to pick which lines to say.

Whereas 2014’s rallying cry was a more broadly misogynistic, racist one, the Gamergate of 2024 seems focused on the idea of the “DEI hire”—a woman, LGBTQ+ or BIPOC person who ends up blamed for “ruining” something. Pundits used this language to attack Vice President Kamala Harris. Right-wing talking heads pointed the finger at female Secret Service agents for not fully protecting Trump during the July attempt on his life. Fans have lobbed it at the inclusion of a Black samurai in Assassin’s Creed Shadows.

Campaigning against diversity in games came into particular focus earlier this year when Sweet Baby Inc., a Canadian consultancy, became the focus of a group of players upset at what they viewed as the “wokeification” of video games. Online harassment of the company’s employees hit new heights last winter when a Steam curation group called Sweet Baby Inc Detected popped up purporting to list all the games the company had advised on, giving people an easy way to boycott certain titles or post bad reviews of them. Even though the company hadn’t touched several of the games, and as founder Kim Belair told WIRED this winter, the company “[doesn’t] want forced diversification either,” the harassing comments continued for months.

On September 4, the same day the Minecraft Movie trailer went up, the US Department of Justice unsealed an indictment against two employees of the state-backed Russian news network RT, in which it alleged that they had secretly funded the right-wing influencer network Tenet Media. The DOJ accused the company of posting content full of Kremlin-approved talking points, though individual influencers working for Tenet say they knew nothing about the ties to Russia and are not accused of wrongdoing. A WIRED analysis of Tenet’s videos, since taken down by YouTube, found several frequently used three-word phrases. Among them: “Black Lives Matter,” “diversity equity inclusion,” and “Sweet Baby Inc.”

Into this firestorm landed Minecraft. As Adrienne Massanari, an associate professor at American University’s school of communications and author of the forthcoming book Gaming Democracy: How Silicon Valley Leveled Up the Far Right, points out, Minecraft (the gaming platform), already had some right-leaning fans. Its creator, Markus “Notch” Persson, who sold Mojang to Microsoft for $2.5 billion in 2014, has sent some dumb tweets about race, and Minecraft “has a reputation for being connected to the far-right pipeline,” Massanari says. Being based on a game connects the Minecraft Movie to Gamergate-like responses in some ways, but it’s also possible that a movie based on “this particular game,” she adds, has activated a certain kind of fan.

Back in August, Deadline reported The Acolyte would not be getting a second season. It was, Stenberg would later say, “not a huge shock” considering the response online. Other reports claimed it didn’t get a second season because it was expensive and didn’t attract a huge viewership. Regardless of the reason, Via says the far right saw it as a victory of the “go woke, go broke” narrative they’ve been pushing.

“Going after The Minecraft Movie may be an attempt to recreate this ‘victory’ and provide the far right with the opportunity to craft the narrative about a series or film themselves,” Via says. “If Minecraft were to perform poorly at the box office, they could point to “diversity” as a reason for its failure and justify petitioning for more media that excludes everyone but straight, white men.”

[silentwonderlocks]

Need A Hand Stranger? - RE4 Merchant x Male! Reader- One Shot

“Just a little further” a man muttered under his breath as he ran forward throughout the island’s laboratory, a young woman trailing close behind. It was like his mantra for the past day or so, it was supposed to be a simple recuse mission that turned into cult madness. It was no matter to dwell on since the cult had underestimated who The President of the United States had sent to get his daughter back. That man was Raccoon City survivor Leon S Kennedy, a once bright eyed rookie now a hardened government agent. This mission had been a nightmare to deal with, it was anything worse than he knew from that traumatic night. Brainwashed villagers, lake monsters, invisible bugs, royal nutjobs,a power-hungry old comrade, an old flame and more.Leon could imagine all of the paperwork he would have to write down after he returned Ashley home.

 Not wasn’t the time for thinking about the future yet, not when he had gotten out with her first, thankfully there was a familiar indigo flame up head. Illuminating the small area with its standing torch was a metal door. Inside what seemed to be a storage room was the trusted Merchant, who stood behind a small wooden table reaching to his waist, perfect for laying out weapons or treasures to eye. The Merchant dressed in the only attire Leon had seen, a long navy blue cloak with a hood that covered his body. No doubt various amounts of ammos and weapons underneath. A purple bandana with white line pattern was tightly kept around his face only revealing his eyes. Eyes that Leon swore glimmered orange in the light sometimes. Upon his back was a traveling pack filled with supplies to take him where he was needed next.

The Merchant was a strange man but one that Leon greatly accepted as a welcomed help. Leon never questioned who or what the Merchant was or his purpose for helping, he felt like he didn’t need to since the merchant was the only man who seemed to be in his right mind. Leon was curious though, what did he get out of this? The little side requests, the treasures obtained, how the Merchant seemed to be in places before Leon even knew he was meant to be there. It didn’t make sense to him, then again it wasn’t his job to ask. It was his job to get Ashley home safe and alive. You don’t look a gift horse in the mouth, right? The unnamed man seemed to perk up, waving his hand up in a welcome gesture.

 “Good to see you’re still pumping full of blood and bullets stranger” Leon walks up to the table taking a moment to rest his gun on it and gives a tired smile towards the man. Ashley meanwhile took a seat on a wooden crate to catch her breath.

“Heh..thanks. Listen, I know I'm gonna be dealing with the head nutcase here soon. I need my knife repaired and my magnum tuned up please. I have the funds to cover it.” Without another thought, Leon pulls out from his pocket: an ornate necklace filled with gemstones slotted beautifully together. Leon places the necklace down on the table. The colors purple, gold, blue and green shine as he adds a handful of various sizes of gold coins next to it. 

“Heheh thank you.” The merchant chuckles, deeply pleased with the trade offer in hand. He makes quick work of repairing Leon’s knife and tuning up his magnum. 

 “Here stranger, should keep you alive a little while longer.” Leon nods his thanks to the man before nodding towards Ashley that they are leaving. The agent heads back to the door, his escort by his side, Leon pauses turning back around to the Merchant. He knew this would be the last time that they would see each other again so, it seemed like the proper time.

“Thank you for everything.” Then just as quickly as the duo arrived, they wasted no time in leaving to go deal with whoever was left in their way.

Left in his own silence once more, The merchant lets out a tired sigh rolling his shoulders. It had been a couple of exhausting days, moving from location to location making sure his persistent customer had everything he needed to carry on with the battle. Now his job was done, time to take his profits and take his own leave. The merchant took the next few minutes putting out the torch and collecting all the valuables around. Distant gunshots could be heard from his spot making the merchant half smile underneath his cover. He wished Leon luck and hoped that he would put an end to all of this madness. That was his cue to get things moving along.

The laboratory’s hallway was dimly lit and smelled of dried blood with the lovely hint of chemicals. Bodies ruined by Leon and his guns laid strewn about, dark blood splatter nearly everywhere. Thankfully no one seemed to be left alive so it would be an easy way out to his hidden boat, all he needed to do was escape. The merchant walks swiftly even with the heavy luggage on his back heading through the metal double door. 

Once inside he sees a room filled with heavy medical equipment he does not understand, he sees an unconscious man out in a big chair. Said chair had arching pods that pointed downwards on towards the man’s chest and stomach. Whatever this machine was, it seemed to have recently performed a surgery on the man. The merchant hums in thought inwardly fighting whether or not to leave the man here to his own fate or save him. He walks up to the chair raising his hand to shake the person slightly earning a small incoherent mumble. A firm shake this time results in a more understandable answer.

“Leave me ugh…alone… 5 more minutes.”

“I'm afraid we don't have 5 minutes. Get up unless you wanna have the whole island blowing up with you on it.” 

That seems to jolt awake the man who wobbles to his feet, but his body doesn’t hold him up for longer. His knees buckle making the man collapse into the merchant who catches him with an exasperated grunt. The man blinks trying to gather his bearings, then pushes himself off of the merchant with a faint blush. He notices that the man is well dressed, in a plain shirt with a leather jacket, form fitting pants and combat boots. Not a soldier, a scientist or a victim? The man whips his head around rushing to grab a backpack that jingles a sweet song the merchant knows too well.

“Shit… I.. Who are you?”

“Heheh later for now we must move.” He responds by pushing the man forward to a side door in the room. 

“ Come before we run into any unwanted guests of ours.” The man seems to understand the situation and follows without another word. The few minutes are spent cautiously moving throughout the laboratory reaching the lower levels of the island. It’s only then does the merchant begin to speak.

“So stranger you mind telling me why I found you passed on in that lab?”

The man huffs, crossing his arms with a raised eyebrow. “You mind telling me who you are?”

“Why I am a lowly merchant who goes around making his profit.” The merchant’s playfully tone was nice to see and hear but it didn’t satisfy the man.

“So does this lowly merchant have a name?” The man asked, mimicking the merchant’s tone.

Huh, even the blonde agent didn’t seem to ask for his name. Not that he cared, the merchant knew the urgent matters at hand. He wouldn’t let that info slip so easily though. “Maybe I do, maybe I don't. If you have something valuable, maybe I'll give you my name.”

The slightly shorter man smirked, pulling a golden crown suited for a king, there were five pristine gemstones all different colors.  He waves it before handing it fully to the merchant who inspects it closely before slipping the crown into his pack.

“Anthony, stranger.”

“My name is ______ Now we’re not strangers anymore.”

[anotherdayforchaosfay]

"If you don't like who wins the election, move to a different country."

Please tell me what planet you're on where this is as easy as finding a parking space in an abandoned parking lot.

Not a single country is willing to accept folks who are Disabled and unable to work.

Are you aware of how much that kind of move will cost? Moving from thr Midwest to Oregon cost us almost $3k, and we had less stuff than we do now.

What makes you think any other country will be better? The US influences every other country. They take their lead from the US President, and if they don't, the US has made a habit of supporting a coup to put the leader they want in charge.

Where tf could I, someone with a long list of disabilities and necessary meds to stay alive, possibly go?

Biden has to win. If Dictator Agent Orange wins, The Handmaid's Tale will be the best outcome we can hope for.

[bigweldindustries]

just now reading your tags on the Gritty pride post and I want you to know, in case you didn't, that the guy with the leaf blower making the flag flap is one of Gritty's Secret Service agents - you know, like the security the President has, but for this orange monster with a squeaky belly button. they have their own Instagram account.

this is the best news ive ever fucking recieved. gritty has SECRET SERVICE AGENTS. sarah i am losing every single one of my marbles right now this is the best thing ever

[jaywinaustin]

From the opening bell, tRump has been a disaster. From sketchy inaugural donations and lying about crowd size, to mishandling COVID and endangering democracy by throwing shade on elections The Orange One's (my preferred reference) has damaged this country.

So to help jog people's memory, here's a short list of things he's done that the MAJORITY of Americans will find distasteful/illegal/evil/unAmerican.

THE LIST

• Claimed millions voted illegally

• Put children in cages

• Refused to release tax returns

• Denigrated Gold Star family

• Calls free press “enemy of the people”

• Has lied over 15,000+ times

• Gave security clearance to Ivanka and Jared over intelligence objections

• Denigrated John McCain for being a POW

• Thinks of veterans as suckers and losers

• Skipped Normandy ceremony as he didn't want to ruin his hair in the rain

• Politicized masks and other possible ways to mitigate spread of COVID

• Banned Muslims from entering country unless they are from a country he does business with

• Called Nazis very fine people

• Insults allies

• Praises dictators

• Ignored intelligence reports about Russian bounties on US troops

• Called African nations “shithole countries”

• Belittles US generals and believes he knows more then them

• Stole money from his charity and is banned

from having any new ones

• Foreign governments stay in his hotels to curry favors

• Forces government employees to stay in his properties while traveling

• Played golf more than any prez after stating he wouldn't have time to play

• Government must foot bill for his golf excursions which means we have paid his company over 200 times his salary

• Promoted snake oil cures for COVID

• Donates his salary as a tax dodge because he makes so much off golf trips.

• paid off porn star to remain quiet about sexual affair

• Had sexual affair while wife was pregnant with son

• Promised to build wall along border has only completed three miles of new fence and Mexico will not pay for it

• During campaign his operatives had numerous meeting with Russian agents in order to gain an advantage

• Obstructed investigation into his Russian connections

• Attempted to bribe Ukrainian president for help with his election

• Asked China to help him win re-election

• Impeached for Ukrainian scheme and his obstruction of subsequent investigation

• Has nearly daily Twitter

tantrums

• Attacks private citizens on Twitter

• Hurls childish nicknames at those he perceives as foes

• Pudges leaders of other countries aside so he can walk at front

• Threw paper towels at hurricane victims

• Removed clean water and air regulations

• Promised to get drug prices lowered, instead the went up

• Drain the swamp? He added more swamp creatures

• Knocked out the teeth of the EPA

• Kicked Dept. of Interior in the

balls

• Dumbed down the Department of Education

• Suspected of being Russian asset

• Supports white supremacy groups

• Validates racism

• Inherited a good economy, destroyed it

• Highest trade deficit in years

• Started tariff war with China, lost

• Due to tariff war had highest number of small

farm bankruptcies since depression

• Utilized secret police against citizens

• Largest civil unrest in nation since Vietnam years

• Attacked federal judges he didn't like

• Ignored danger of COVID-19

• Ignored scientists on COVID

• Over 220,000 deaths from COVID and climbing

• Downplayed seriousness of COVID

• No national plan to control COVID

• Dismantled pandemic response team prior to outbreak

• Didn’t replenish national supplies of PPE and other medical equipment

• Federal government seized PPE from states who imported it for their state’s use

• Owes millions of dollars, possibly to foreign interests that could compromise US security

• Tax cuts for rich, peanuts for others

• No definitive foreign policy

• To help his business interests, caved to Turkey and betrayed our Kurdish allies

• He has become a laughing stock of other world leaders

• Favorability of US in the world has gone down except in dictatorship countries

• Promoted budget that would diminish Social Security and Medicare

This is not an all-inclusive list, there are tons of regulations meant to protect us he has overridden, countless people he has insulted, untold number of norms he has violated and more. At least this is a starting point though of why you should not vote to give him four more years. If he is reelected it will be an incomprehensible disaster for this country.

So read over this short list one more time and go vote for Kamala Harris.

Vote for decency and competence.

Vote The Orange One out.

[wwane]

i beat ch 4 last night/early this morning so i have some thots (in no particular or coherent order)

Lilya best girl. i thought she was great from her introduction, but what cemented my affection was her asking Sonetto how much chaos and damage she could cause and still get a slap on the wrist. drunken brawler she may be, but she's a drunken brawler that plans ahead. i don't know how much Lilya knows about when the 'Storm' occurs; if that night she was just following orders and thinking she needed to corral a bunch of 12yos breaking curfew. i think it'd be way worse if she knew the 'Storm' was touching down that night and in her failure, a bunch of innocent kids were redacted.

Constantine obviously defers to the President (currently still a Mystery Man Shrouded in Shadow) because of her position as Vice President, but their whispered conversation implies that there's someone even the President is taking orders from. are they the true leader behind the Foundation? who/what are they that they've got Constantine shaking and scrambling to allow the 'Storm Reformation' to pass? and while Constantine is following orders, the night she got a bunch of kids redacted was absolutely personal - she just wanted to yank Vertin's chain. Ch 4 set up several factions, amongst which Constantine v Madam Z is one. interesting that Constantine not only knows Madam Z enjoys Go, but knows enough about the lunar calendar and which day Z's birthday falls on. incheresting.

speaking of Z, i think her full name is 'Zhang ZhiZhi', based off the cake at the end of Ch 4.

another name, i think the Trails Narrator implies The Ring's name is Ken?

EDIT: more names!!! Forget Me Not, formerly known as Cavendish Jr.

Druvis is absolutely the strongest arcanist in Vertin's group right now. i'm so glad Vertin was able to win her over holy shit. girl was dropped into another era, separated from her allies, and still managed to seedbomb an entire Foundation building; setting up defenses, growing food, finding and busting out her allies. she just needs to come home OTL

the storm

while it's a worldwide phenomenon, where and when it strikes is localized (i remember reading this from a post in the tags) and after Ch 4, that seems to be the case

Sonetto testifying against the Chicago branch brings up that the Foundation members were aware they were living in 1929 Chicago.

so does this imply that 'Era' is a bit like its own dimension, with its own time and space?

when Vertin calls for backup from Madam Z, she requests the agents come in 'appropriate dress' so like.

but the Foundation is also keeping the 'Storm' under wraps. so do regular citizens know that when they travel, they might suddenly pop into a different 'era'?

all just speculation on my part; will need more info from later releases.

schneider schneider schneider OTL

EDIT: youngest of the Greco's 12 13 daughters. because of how big her family is and her position as the youngest, Schneider was left scrounging for scraps.

born and raised on an orange grove in Sicily, immigrating to Chicago at some point

EDIT: part of a crime family; family is religious but per the Trails Narrator, Schneider herself lost her faith at some point, only praying again when Vertin was asking for everyone's last wishes OTL

somehow discovered the 'Storm' was due to touch down in Chicago and attempted to request shelter for her family at the Foundation's Chicago branch but was rejected, owing to the Chicago branch's corruption

met Druvis at some point and had her modify her guns to be able to cast spells and pass as an arcanist (i wonder if that meant Druvis knew she was human the whole time or if schneider only told her she wanted her 'wands' upgraded and given Druvis' state of mind before meeting Vertin i doubt she'd dig that deep). does this mean humans are also capable of magic as long as they have the right tools? or is schneider special in this case?

posing as an arcanist, she offered her services to Forget Me Not and Manus Vindictae in return for shelter for her and her family

FMN is suspicious of her claim of being an arcanist that was adopted into a human family and has one of her sisters kidnapped and interrogated with truth serum. FMN knew Schneider was human while she kidnapped(?) arcanists for him/MV and dispatched humans that got in their way.

EDIT: that's right: Druvis was adopted into the Weyerhauser family!! assuming Druvis was already in contact with FMN/MV before Schneider, no wonder FMN was suspicious of a second 'arcanist' showing up with the same backstory.

i get the sense that Schneider doesn't have any particular feelings against arcanists (despite that being the attitude for the era) and i can understand why after Ch 4. after the way the Foundation's Chicago branch treated her and her family - despite being an organization that prioritizes the safety of humankind - of course she'd turn into a misanthrope.

several lines describe her as 'looking pale like a white pigeon[sic]'

after Lilya breaks Vertin out of the rehab center, while the 2 are in the air, doves fly by - Vertin even manages to grab a white feather out of the air

when the 2 meet up with Druvis and the others, a flock of doves land around them.

DEEP HUFF OF COPIUM

THEREFORE SCHNEIDER IS STILL HERE; THE DOVES HAVE TO MEAN SOMETHINGGGGGG

'Schneider' is just an alias; if she's coming back, she might be coming back under her real name.

[tomorrowusa]

Trump is starting to worry about prison. 😃

In the past several months, Donald Trump has had a burning question for some of his confidants and attorneys: Would the authorities make him wear “one of those jumpsuits” in prison? As the criminal cases against him have piled up, the former president and 2024 GOP frontrunner has wondered aloud in recent months about what life would be like if he’s convicted, and if appeals fail. While Trump publicly professes confidence, privately, three sources familiar with his comments say, he’s been asking lawyers and other people close to him what a prison sentence would look like for a former American president.  Would he be sent to a “club fed” style prison — a place that’s relatively comfortable, as far these things go — or a “bad” prison? Would he serve out a sentence in a plush home confinement? Would government officials try to strip him of his lifetime Secret Service protections? What would they make him wear, if his enemies actually did ever get him in a cell — an unprecedented set of consequences for a former leader of the free world.  What would happen — including in the Fulton County, Georgia criminal case against him and various co-defendants — if he were convicted and sentenced, but also re-elected? The private questions are a departure from the air of supreme confidence invincibility Trump has projected. In interviews and elsewhere, he has claimed that the thought of losing in court and going to prison simply cannot enter his mind. 

Trump should look at the bright side: An orange jumpsuit will match him perfectly. And if he drops the soap, a Secret Service agent will be there to pick it up for him.

By coincidence, this news story emerged on Tuesday.

Trump asks Supreme Court for 'absolute immunity' in election interference case

If presidents REALLY had "absolute immunity" then Biden would be able to exile Trump to Baker Island.

EXTRA! One of Trump's former aides, quack economist and conspiracy theorist Peter Navarro, began serving his prison sentence this week...

Peter Navarro: ex-Trump adviser begins prison sentence