#Rapid Logistics

[akashzipaworld]

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[seem0reglass]

I have a sneaking suspicion that in those ~dark ~academia ~aesthetic posts, the books in the photos are turned around with their pages edges facing out bc the books they actually have are contemporary tv on paper books that don't match their ~color ~scheme

[redhotarsenic]

I think about Valantinez very specifically having the entirety of dmc4 lady’s handgun moveset btw

[reboottechblogs]

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[vividxpages]

｡° ✮୨ৎ "lay it all on me"୨ৎ✮° ｡

pairing: Jacaerys Velaryon x fem!Reader

words: 2100

summary: With the Queen and your betrothed Jacaerys’ delayed arrival, you are left in charge of the day’s council meeting. When one of the lords starts to speak of a possible bedding ceremony for your upcoming wedding, your thoughts begin to spiral badly…

warnings: the lords in Rhaenyra’s council being perverts and dicks, talks of misogynistic traditions and predatory behavior of men, sexism and misogyny, panic attacks, Jacaerys being a protective betrothed, angst, emotional hurt/comfort, crying, hopeful ending

a/n: I cooked this up so quickly, but I was very inspired yesterday - thank you so much to the anon who sparked a conversation about bedding ceremonies in my asks and with it, my inspiration for this idea! <3 this is for you :*

˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚

When the messenger arrived at the council room and announced the delayed arrival of the Queen and her son, you had been optimistic for a moment.

Jacaerys and you, a team ever since your shared childhood and since recently betrothed with the blessings of his mother and family, had led council meetings like this together before and you were no stranger to the strategies and logistics of the war and Rhaenyra’s efforts in it. You just had not done it by yourself before.

You nodded in thanks to the messenger and turned back to the assembly of Rhaenyra’s lords around the table with a polite smile. It was only a matter of time until her and Jace would make their return from the dragon’s caves and until then, you’d do your best to begin today’s conversation.

“Well then, my lords.” You nodded to yourself and took a deep breath, looking into the round with openness. “I believe we’ll continue where we’ve left off yesterday? Is there any news yet of Daemon’s stay at Harrenhal? We could-“

“There is another matter of importance we thought we could discuss with you, my princess.” One of the lords interrupted you, a cool smile on his face as you leaned back in your seat. You cocked an eyebrow at him to continue despite your sentence being left unfinished. “Since the wedding with the prince Jacaerys will occur in the upcoming months, it would be wise to discuss the bedding ceremony sooner rather than later.”

Something in you went very, very still.

You blinked at him before you looked into the other men’s faces. They seemed to be in agreement of this rapid topic change. “The…bedding ceremony?”

“Yes, it is of grand importance to ensure the consummation of marriage between two newly-weds.” He explained to you, a satisfied smile tugging at the corners of his old mouth. “It’s an old tradition and the lords and I believe it is best to follow it with the young and lovely union of the prince and you.”

You swallowed against the dryness in your throat, your hands suddenly clammy with unsureness. “I have not talked to Jace about such a thing. The Queen hasn’t spoken to me about it either. That’s…-What if me and Jacaerys are against it?”

A few of them chuckled as if you had made a good jest.

“My princess, is it not really a matter of choice, if you understand.” One of them explained to you before he suddenly turned away from you and addressed the others: “The wedding will be held here at Dragonstone as we know and I thought of a crowd of perhaps a dozen, mostly members of the family and this council, of course. After the celebrations, the prince will lead his bride away in the company of the Queen’s loyal and trusted advisors and then, the marriage will be consummated in a room large enough for the ceremony.”

You opened your mouth to object, but found your voice had simply vanished.

“Will there be sheets as proof in the morning?”

“I would actively support it.”

“There are clothes here at Dragonstone suited for such a ceremony, I am sure we will have them before the wedding takes place.”

“A purity test accomplished by a maester might be sufficient beforehand as well-“

You felt yourself drifting away from the conversation, one that circled around you and yet did not include you at all. Staring at the table in front of you, you felt your breath quicken as a distant howl swept through your mind, drowning out their voices as they went on and on.

In your mind, you saw yourself being led into a fully lit room. The dress you wore was thin and barely hiding your body, your arms protectively crossed in front of yourself as you shivered. The bed chamber was crowded all the way back to the tapestry of the walls with men regarding you coolly. Their hunger for the curves barely hidden underneath your dress was evident in their eyes, yet you had to walk on until you reached the middle of the room. Jacaerys was waiting, his own expression blank and without any emotion for you as he took your hand and led you to bed. There were a thousand eyes on you and you felt numb, your body screaming in protest, your mind begging you to shout at them to leave as Jace mechanically began to kiss your neck-

The wide doors of the hall opened and the men seated around you abruptly stood, their wrinkly hands brushing over their attires. The Queen was here.

You remained in your seat, your mind having drawn itself back to a hidden part in yourself, blankly staring at the fidgeting hands in your lap. When you felt a gentle hand on your shoulder, the touch so familiar it could’ve been your own, you closed your eyes for just a moment. Jacaerys had come with her.

“What is going on?” Rhaenyra demanded to know, walking around the big table as she took in your uncharacteristic quiet state.

When your betrothed raised your hand to his lips in greeting, you looked up and bit your lip at Jace’s worried expression. The taste of iron coated your lips and only now you realized you had bitten your lip so badly, it had started to bleed. The pain was almost a relief.

“Are you alright?” Jace murmured, his hand delicately cupping your cheek and making you shudder. Your eyes were glassy, your cheeks red from shame and suddenly, a strong urge to cry shot through you, so intense you barely could fight it. “What is it, my love?”

You shook your head, avoiding his searching gaze.

The shame burned hotly through you and you wanted to shrink into your seat until you could escape these old devils. One of them, who had started this whole discussion about the ceremony in the first place, cleared his throat. “Your Grace, we were discussing possible arrangements for the wedding of the prince and his betrothed. There have been no mentions of the traditional bedding ceremony yet and the lords and myself were worried that-“

Rhaenyra frowned with a disgusted curl of her lips. “A bedding ceremony? There hasn’t been a tradition like this in my generation. Why would we burden the next with such an old piece of the past?”

You could sense Jace tensing beside you, his face dark as he stared at the lord. Would he look at you like this too, when the happiest day of your life would end with having to sleep with each other in front of dozens? Your chest hurt as you struggled to breathe normally.

“The princess has expressed similar concerns, but there are ways…There could be a thin veil draped over the sides of the bed.” Another suggested generously and you felt your stomach turn itself over. “Of course, it cannot shield the pair fully from the observer’s eyes. They have to be in sight, so it can be assured that she’s-“

“There will be no bedding ceremony.” Jace cut him off, close to snarling as he flexed his hand on the hilt of his sword. He remained by your side, his stance protective of you and intimidating. “Neither my mother or myself have been consulted about this before and the fact that you’ve preyed on an opportunity to bring it up in front of the princess is close to treason. And yet you’ve dared to speak of such inappropriate matters in front of my betrothed, your future Queen? I could have you hanged by the cliffs of Dragonstone for such perverted behavior.”

“My prince, with all respect, it simply is tradition. It has to be guaranteed that on the night of her wedding, the bride is a maiden-“

The sound of your chair screeching over the floor broke through the room as you stood up. The sound of your own breath was too loud in your eyes, the lump in your throat only growing by the second. “If you would excuse me, Your Grace, I’m not feeling well.”

Jacaerys stood with you, but as he reached for your hand, you had already slipped away and quickly made your escape towards the wide doors, trying to breathe against the numbing panic in your lungs.

You blindly walked down the long corridor, ignoring the questioning looks of the guards standing on the sides. Would they be there as well, to witness yours and Jace’s union, eyes on your naked body when Jace had to deflower you in front of an audience?

You choked on a sob, the tears running freely down your cheeks now, the pain in your chest only expanding from keeping it inside for so long. You had never experienced a panic like this before, a powerful tide washing all rational thoughts away and sending your brain into overdrive.

Behind you, quick footsteps were approaching and before you knew it, Jacaerys had overtaken you and blocked your path, taking your upset state in with wide eyes. Your bottom lip wobbled dangerously and you came to a halt, noting how far and fast you had walked away from the council room.

“My love…” Jacaerys mumbled quietly and stepped closer and somewhere inside of you, a dam burst and he caught you as you fell into his arms, your body wrecked with heartbreaking and breathless sobs. He wrapped his arms around you, drawing you against his chest and letting you cry, his own heart aching at the stress vibrating through your body.

“I don’t want them to see…” You sniffled miserably against his shoulder, his arms tightening protectively around your waist, one of his hands resting on the back of your head and stroking your hair. “I want our wedding night to be ours, I don’t want them in the room with us, I don’t want any of it.”

“I’m not going to allow it.” He assured you calmly, suppressing his own anger for the sake of your peace of mind. Later, he’d had time to rage and forge the feeling into action, but now the only thing that mattered was you. “They have no right to make these rules for us. You and I decide, together, okay?”

You nodded, your anxiety slowly beginning to ebb away and leaving the council room and its members behind you.

“I am so sorry I was not there with you.” Jacaerys regretfully whispered against your temple, soothingly stroking your back as you rested your tear-streaked face against his neck. “I am not going to let this slide. And I am serious, my love, I promise you; there will be no bedding ceremony, I’m not going to let them expose you like this.”

You lifted your head to look at him, your eyes still shimmering with worried tears. “And what if we have to? I can’t do this, Jace, I would rather die-“

He gently shushed you and gently rested his forehead against yours, willing you to take big and deep breaths with him until you were breathing in sync and your shivering stopped. “We don’t have to do anything. You and I, we’ll be king and queen someday and I will not accept any disrespect towards you, not today or when we’re married, alright?”

You nodded slowly, exhaling deeply as you allowed yourself to sink against him, letting yourself be held and gently swayed from side to side. Slowly but surely, your heart stopped hurting and the clouds in your mind dissolved until you only felt him.

“Alright.” You whispered back after a while and his lips on yours, featherlight and oh so gently, were a relief after such moments of stress. When you separated and looked into each other’s eyes, you added quietly: “I want this, with you. All of it. I want our first time together to be special and a memory we’ll cherish forever.”

“And it will be, I promise.” He soothed you. “These old pathetic men will do good to remember their place before I’ll unleash Vermax on them.” He added jokingly and even managed to make you giggle a little bit at the mental image. “You know how Vermax adores you, he’ll eat them in one piece and spit them out, because they’re disgusting.”

You snorted tiredly and nuzzled his neck in affection, not ready to separate yourself from him just yet.

“My mother will deal with them.” Jace promised you darkly, a revengeful shimmer in his fierce eyes as he wiped the last of your tears away with his thumb. “And when she’s done with them, I will make sure as well they’ll remember who they answer to, my queen.”

He would deal with this.

And after he had put those foul men in their place, he’d make sure you’d be the happiest you could be and your wedding would be perfect and just the way the two of you had imagined for so long…

my taglist: @princesschimchim1325 @cecestea @jacesvelaryons @princessvelaryon @diannnnsss

[cranberrymoons]

buck finding out that marisol is moving in with eddie when and how he does??? is crazy crazy work. he is already mid-panic spiral about the possibility of being forced to come out to eddie right here right now (being outed!!!!! that’s what we call that btw, okay, buck buckley on the verge of being outed) and it’s happening in front of this woman he barely knows. and just, what, three days ago? he finished going through the emotional upheaval of the sleeper agent activation of every single one of his most deep seated personal insecurities about being replaceable in eddie’s life. and also he sprained eddie’s ankle. and also he’s bisexual now of all things. and he’s sitting here with this guy he barely knows and looking at this woman he barely knows, and eddie standing in between them, and eddie says “oh btw marisol agreed to move in! isn’t that great” and buck is now hearing kill bill sirens in his head because he thought he got past all this LAST week and now here it is again and she’s doing what??? she’s moving in?? and you’re telling me like this right now right here that she’s just going to live in our family home?? because that’s what eddie’s house is to him!!!! and now buck has to do rapid life calculus about the logistics of having eddie and chris over to his stupid loft four times per week for dinner and movies and homework time and he doesn’t even have a couch. or is marisol just invited to family dinner now??????? is he going to go over to eddie’s house like normal and cook dinner for four?? and meanwhile helicopter boy is there making closet jokes, and they’re intentionally btw *intentionally* for sake of privacy at a restaurant that’s far away from buck’s neighborhood. that comes up in the maddie coming out scene, that they went out of their way to make things feel a little less scary for buck by going somewhere in a different neighborhood. so they’re in an unfamiliar place and Buck has just found out this horrible weird news that makes his chest feel horrible and weird, and then to top it all off he gets left standing on the curb while stupid eddie is inside having dinner with the woman who is apparently moving into their home!!!!! ugh.

[til-all-are-loved]

{This Charming Man Part 4}

MTMTE Megatron x Reader

SFW

Parts 1, 2, 3

You woke to the low hum of the Lost Light’s engines, a sound so constant that you rarely noticed it anymore. The night hadn’t been kind; sleep had come in fits, broken by an unrelenting loop of awkward memories with ex-lovers and longing for home.

Dragging yourself out of bed, you shuffled through your morning routine mechanically. Wash up. Get dressed. Try to look more put-together than you felt. Yet as you glanced at the inappropriately sized enormous mirror installed in your hab-suite, you couldn’t shake the nagging sense of unease clinging to you like a second skin.

The ship felt colder this morning, though it was probably just your imagination. The corridors were quieter, too, as you stepped out of your hab-suite, the usual bustle of the crew subdued in the early hour. You’d barely rounded the corner when a voice broke the silence.

“Ambassador! There you are!”

You turned to see Swerve bounding toward you, his frame somehow managing to convey both unbridled enthusiasm and the complete disregard for personal space that you’d come to associate with him. Behind him trailed Tailgate, waving at you with a cheerfulness that felt downright offensive at this hour.

“What’s up?” you asked, trying to sound more awake than you felt.

“Not much, not much!” Swerve said, skidding to a stop. “Except, oh, I don’t know, you’ve been summoned to the bridge. By the big guy himself.”

You blinked. “Megatron?”

“Is there another ‘big guy’ on this ship?” Swerve grinned, then leaned in conspiratorially. “I mean, Magnus is tall, but he doesn’t have that presence, you know?”

Tailgate elbowed him, though it was more symbolic than effective. “Ignore him. We’re headed that way anyway, so we figured we’d drive you there. Save you the trouble.”

Tsch-tch-tch-tchu-tchu-tsch

You hesitated for a moment, still feeling the fog of last night clinging to your thoughts. But their energy was infectious, and before you could think better of it, you found yourself clicking the seatbelt.

As he drove, Swerve launched into a rapid-fire monologue about the latest Lost Light gossip—something about Rung's glasses being stolen—while Tailgate chimed in with occasional interjections. It was hard not to get caught up in their banter, even as your mind kept drifting back to the bridge and the man—no, the bot—waiting there.

“You’re being awfully quiet,” Tailgate noted, glancing down at you as you approached the lift.

“Just tired,” you said, forcing a smile.

“Don’t worry,” Swerve said as the doors slid open. “Megatron’s bark is worse than his bite. Actually no, I wouldn't want to be you in this position at all squishy. Well uh... good luck!”

“Swerve!” Tailgate hissed.

You couldn’t help but let out a single dry laugh as you exited Swerve's small car alt mode.

You hovered near the entrance to the bridge, suddenly hyperaware of every small noise you made. Megatron hadn’t fully turned, his attention fixed on the glowing projections in front of him. The rest of the bridge crew carried on with their work, an air of quiet efficiency filling the space.

It was only after a long moment of hesitation that you stepped forward, your boots clicking faintly against the polished floor. If he noticed your arrival, he didn’t show it.

“Captain,” you said, trying to keep your voice steady.

“Ambassador,” he replied without looking up. His tone was clipped, polite, but devoid of warmth.

You waited for him to say more, but the silence stretched uncomfortably. Feeling the stares of a few nearby crew members, you cleared your throat. “I understand you wanted to see me?”

“I did,” he said, still not turning. His optics flicked over the display in front of him, one massive hand adjusting a control on the console. “There’s a matter of logistics I’d like your perspective on. Sit.”

You obeyed, sliding into a chair near one of the secondary stations. The datapad in your lap felt like an anchor, its weight oddly comforting as you opened it to take notes.

Megatron began speaking—something about supply routes and the allocation of resources to specific departments. His words were clear and precise, but they felt rehearsed, as though his mind was elsewhere.

Yours certainly was.

Sitting here, mere feet away from him, you couldn’t stop replaying last night’s interaction in your head. The way his optics had lingered on you, the strange, fleeting moment of connection that had left you spiraling. Now, with him so close yet so deliberately distant, it was almost unbearable.

“Are you listening, Ambassador?”

His voice cut through your thoughts like a blade. Your head snapped up, and you realized you hadn’t written a single word.

“Y-yes,” you stammered. “Sorry. Could you repeat that last part?”

For the first time, he turned to face you fully. His expression was unreadable, his optics narrowing just slightly.

“Perhaps this was ill-timed,” he said, his tone carefully neutral. “You seem... preoccupied.”

Your face burned. “No, I’m fine. Really.”

He studied you for a moment longer before turning away again, his attention returning to the console. “In that case, you’re dismissed. We’ll reconvene when you’re feeling more focused.”

Dismissed. The word stung, but you rose quickly, not wanting to press your luck.

“Ambassador.”

You froze, halfway to the door, and turned back. Megatron held something in his hand, extending it toward you.

“This is for you,” he said.

It was a small datapad, unassuming but pristine. You stepped closer and took it from him, your fingers brushing against the cool metal.

“What is it?”

“Something I believe you’ll find thought-provoking,” he said, his voice lower now, almost a murmur. “That will be all.”

He turned away again, leaving you standing there with the gift in your hands.

--

The datapad felt impossibly heavy as you made your way back to your quarters. Megatron’s parting words echoed in your mind, the weight of his gaze still lingering on your skin. Thought-provoking, he had said. What could that mean?

Curiosity gnawed at you, but there wasn’t time to linger on it. A message from Ultra Magnus pinged your communicator as you stepped through your door, calling you to the communication center for a scheduled check-in with Earth. The datapad would have to wait.

The communication center was quieter than usual when you arrived. Only a skeleton crew was present, and the room carried a strange tension, like the air before a storm.

“Ambassador,” one of the techs greeted you. “We’re just about ready for your transmission.”

You nodded, taking your usual seat at the console. The screen in front of you flickered to life, displaying the logo of your home organization on Earth. It was routine by now—discuss your last report, answer a few questions, assure them that everything was under control.

But as you began to settle in, a faint but sharp smell hit you—something acrid, burning.

“Is that... smoke?” one of the techs muttered, glancing around.

The answer came in an instant: an alarm blared, and the lights in the room flickered wildly. A plume of smoke erupted from one of the side consoles, sparks showering the floor as the crew scrambled to contain it.

“Fire suppression—now!” someone shouted.

You stumbled back from your station, coughing as the smoke thickened. The emergency systems kicked in moments later, flooding the room with a cold, dense mist designed to suffocate the flames. The fire was extinguished quickly, but the damage was already done. You were drenched in the liquid, soaked to the bone. Thankfully your modest uniform was layered. 

“Systems are down,” one of the techs said, frantically typing at a terminal. “We’ve lost the connection to Earth.”

Your stomach sank. “How bad is it?”

“Hard to say,” they replied, their voice strained. “The relay equipment is fried. We’ll need hours—maybe days—to repair it.”

You glanced at the remains of your console, the screen now dark and lifeless. YOu stood there . If Earth wasn’t receiving your reports, then who would be?

Unbeknownst to you, a shadow loomed at the edge of the room just beyond the residual smoke. Megatron stood just beyond the doorway, his red optics glowing as he took in the scene.

“Efficient response,” he said, his voice cutting through the chaos like a knife. His sudden presence startled you, but the crew barely reacted—they were used to his quiet, watchful nature by now.

You turned toward him, unsure whether to feel relieved or uneasy.

“Captain,” you began, but he held up a hand to silence you.

“I’ll ensure the necessary resources are allocated for repairs,” he said, his tone measured. “In the meantime, Ambassador, I suggest you return to your quarters and focus on your written reports. The Lost Light’s internal systems are more than capable of storing them before transmitting them where they need to go.”

There was something in his voice—calm, reassuring, yet final. The typical tone he spoke to you with. You nodded, not trusting yourself to speak, and left the room quickly.

--

As the crew worked to repair the damage, Megatron lingered behind, his optics scanning the charred remains of the relay equipment. A small smile ghosted across his face—a rare and fleeting thing—as he tapped a command into his wrist-mounted console.

In the quiet hum of the Lost Light’s systems, a rerouted connection established itself, discreet and undetectable. From this moment on, every word the Ambassador wrote would find its way to him before anyone else.

[thatchickwiththecamera]

Two Pink Lines

This is from a request sent to me by @lma1986

Pairing: Noah Sebastian x Female Reader

TW: Pregnancy difficulties, implied past loss.

The soft glow of the late afternoon sun filtered through the window of the bedroom where she sat waiting for the timer to finish counting down. For the past few weeks, she had been riding an emotional rollercoaster. Fear and anxiety mixed together with joy and excitement. Today, though, she felt something she hadn't dared to let herself feel for a long time: Hope. 

The timer on her phone sounded and she looked at the tiny white stick lying on the table, a wave of disbelief washing over her. It was actually real. After years of trying and countless disappointments, it was right there. Two pink lines. Her heart raced as she imagined the little life growing inside her. 

She was able to get an appointment with her OB/GYN a few days later and Dr. Matthews confirmed that she was in fact pregnant. She estimated her to be about 10 weeks along and calculated a due date for the middle of October.

Y/N stared in awe at the screen of the ultrasound machine as the tech pointed out the little bean that was her baby. Hot tears sprang from her eyes as the rapid tempo of the heartbeat filled the silent room. 

With a flutter of excitement, she picked up her phone and texted Bryan, the band’s media director. He was one of the few she trusted with this secret.

Hey, Bryan! I need your help with something! Can I call you?

Minutes later, her phone buzzed.

Absolutely!

Nerves ate at her as she listened to the phone ring.

“Hey, what’s up?” He answered. 

“Are you around any of the guys?” She asked. 

“Noooo, I’m on the bus editing, everyone else is in the venue for soundcheck.” He replied. “Why?”

“Okay. You can’t tell anyone, but I took a test earlier this week and went to the doctor today to confirm.” she explained, excitement filtering through “and well…I’m currently 10 weeks pregnant!”

“WHAT?!” He yelled, before clearing his throat with a cough and continuing with a lower volume of voice. “Holy shit! Congratulations!” 

“Thank You, Bry! I want to surprise Noah with the news and I need your help” She asked. 

There was a pause on the other end of the line before Bryan replied.

“I have the perfect idea!” 

Y/N and Bryan eventually had to loop Matt and Alana in on the plan as well. They needed them both in order to finalize all the logistics of getting Y/N to the east coast and sneaking her into the venue for the surprise. But they also needed their help to actually pull of the surprise without anyone else noticing. 

The night of the show arrived, the venue was alive with energy and anticipation. She hid backstage in one of the green rooms, heart racing as she watched Noah on stage through the venue's monitor system. She watched him put his heart and soul into performing, the music wrapping around him like a second skin. It was moments like this that made her fall in love with him all over again.

One by one they ticked songs off the set list. Alana quickly and quietly retrieved Y/N from the room and ushered her to a hiding spot back behind the stage risers. 

The final notes of Dethrone rang out and the crowd went crazy as the stage lights came back on for the boys to do their bows. As the boys walked back out to center stage, the lights dimmed again. 

Instead of the regular montage set to a Matchbox Twenty song, a montage of her and Noah’s life together popped up on the giant screen. Noah watched in confusion as the video Bryan made played set to the song they used for the first dance. 

Noah stared at the screen, the smile on his face growing wider with each clip. Y/N took this moment of distraction to quietly slip out onto the stage and stand behind him. 

Bryan had edited together clips from their wedding video, candid videos from when they were dating, and behind the scenes clips of the two on music video sets and backstage over the years. The video ended on the “Now Loading” screen the boys usually use to tease their fans. 

The lights came back up and the crowd erupted into cheers as they recognized who stood behind the singer.

Noah turned around to find his wife standing in front of him with a onesie that said “BABY OMENS” in the same font as the band’s logo. 

Noah’s face, a mix of shock and elation transformed into sheer joy. Nick, Jolly, and Folio jumped and hollered with excitement as they realized what was happening. 

Noah rushed toward his wife and scooped her up into his arms and spun her around a few times before finally setting her back down. 

“Are you serious?” he asked, his voice barely barely audible over the sound of the crowd as he held her face in his hands.

Tears sprang to her eyes as she nodded, laughter and joy mingling in her chest. 

“I’m serious!”

Bryan captured every moment—their embrace, the sparkle in Noah’s eyes, the overwhelming wave of love that surrounded them. In that instant, time felt suspended, and the world faded away, leaving just the two of them in their little bubble of happiness.

“I can’t believe it!” Noah said, pulling back to look into her eyes. “We’re going to be parents!” 

The crowd continued to cheer.

As Noah leaned down to kiss her, Bryan captured the moment, the camera clicking away, freezing the pure joy radiating from the couple.

The kiss lingered, sweet and tender, before Noah pulled back, still holding her gaze.

“This is the best surprise ever. I’m so proud of you. You’ve been so strong through all of this.”

Y/N felt the weight of his words settle warmly in her heart. 

“I couldn’t have done it without you. You’ve always believed in me, in us.”

Noah turned back to the audience, the light in his eyes bright. 

“I’M GONNA BE A DAD!” He yelled, raising Y/N’s hand in the air, showing the onesie. 

“We’re adding a new member to the Omens crew!”

The crowd erupted again, a sea of cheers and applause echoing off the venue walls. Y/N laughed, the sound clashing with the post show playlist that started playing through the venue. 

Y/N stood to the side as the band took their final bows before the house lights turned on and the fans began to shuffle out of the building. 

When he walked off stage, Noah wrapped her up in his arms once more. Y/N knew that whatever challenges lay ahead, they would navigate them together. The future was bright, and for the first time in a long time, it felt like anything was possible.

[serpentface]

What’s the architecture/layout of old Bur, how do modern people perceive the ruins?

The city in its peak was very large and spread over both shoreline and a network of small islands. These islands comprised a waterfront district connected by a network of bridges and canals, where a large portion of its non-agricultural lower class lived.

It had a fairly well organized and efficient freshwater+sanitation system across most of its span (the canal district had less effective plumbing largely due to logistical difficulties, most of its wastewater was instead flushed by rain powered cisterns). The water system was powered by the Hsuke river and made fresh water readily accessible throughout the majority of the city (though few homes had direct freshwater plumbing). It had several major public baths, and the homes of the wealthiest members of society had their own private bathing pools.

In this part of the world, it is broadly regarded as once being one of the most beautiful cities to have ever existed. It was particularly noted for its water gardens (still a fixture of present day Burri culture) which were absolute marvels of engineering for that period, with the majority of these being entirely artificial and supported by its network of aqueducts. These hosted thousands of ornamental plants, fish, and fowl, as well as fruiting trees and shrubs. They were treated as a public work meant to benefit all citizens, and existed throughout the city.

The palace in particular was noted as impressive, in part for its architecture but mainly for its gardens. These hosted 'exotic' plants and a menagerie of animals from across the empire's territory, and existed in part as a symbol of the state's power and reach. It was a trend for emperors to bring in the fiercest animal from each conquered province to the grounds, with the an-nechoi being the beast of choice from the lands across the sea to the east, with one (Probably erroneously) cited as killing thirty servants in the process of moving it into the gardens.

The palace was located within the temple district. This district housed over a hundred shrines to the various lesser deities of the pantheon, and temple complexes to the seven chief deities (the firstborn gods who created the world, all other gods were later descendants). Old Burri temples were Kinda similar in shape to a ziggurat, though had an accessible interior space and a central tower which housed the shrine. At this time, the chief gods were believed to physically inhabit their temples. Each god had its own high priest permitted to attend to their shrine, with the emperor being the high priest to Inanariya (king of the gods) and the only person permitted to directly commune with this deity. The foundations to these temples are relatively intact in the present day, though none of the towers remain (collapsed in earthquakes with no one to rebuild them).

The city was heavily fortified, having one external wall surrounding most of its length, and an internal wall surrounding the palace/temple district (which doubled as a fortress).

---

The period of sea level rise began with a 500ish year period of mostly gradual increase, which occurred slowly enough that most infrastructure could adapt very easily and the problem went unnoticed by most (the city of Bur experienced most of its Growth during this time). It then culminated with about a century of (relatively) rapid rise, which is the direct cause of the city's abandonment.

The canals flooding had always been a problem during storms, but this began to occur with notable frequency, alongside the water level as a whole rising quickly enough to be noticed on an immediate human timespan. The canal district was maintained for a while by rerouting some of its waterways and building up barriers, but it was the first part of the city to be abandoned. Things got more serious when the mainland parts of the city grew increasingly impacted by storm surges that never seemed to fully retract, and major parts of its surrounding farmland were hit by surges and tidal waves, and rendered too saline to remain arable.

The actual single biggest cataclysm was the collapse of the city's mainland sewage system. It was built with flood canals as a failsafe, but these were built to withstand heavy rain rather than an encroaching ocean. Storm surges would cause large segments of the city to be flooded with sewage (including some of the freshwater plumbing), and serious disease outbreaks would follow.

These issues were enabled/exacerbated by earthquakes (the region is geologically active and this isn't unusual) that further damaged and mingled the sewage and freshwater systems. One earthquake and its subsequent tidal wave was a turning point, and the resulting breakdown of (already strained) infrastructure rendered a large swath of the city uninhabitable in the space of about a week. This also just caused immediate damage to much of the city's architecture/walls, and collapsed the tower of the temple to Inanariya (never a good sign). This is when the full exodus began, first with people flocking to un-flooded parts of its city and farmlands, and those who could afford it fully relocating to other cities/towns.

All of this issues were compounded by the 1st Burri Empire already being in a period of collapse at this time. This was largely a matter of simple overextension. Its borders were constantly under attack by rival states/its victims, sometimes with great success. Bur's own population had burgeoned well past what the imperial core land could sustain, and its cities relied predominantly on extraction of foreign grain/goods to feed their people. It lost most of its eastern land holdings in a fairly rapid timespan (overextended with wars at multiple fronts), which caused frequent famines in its core.

This put pressure on its final emperors to invest in increasingly desperate expansionist projects, while attempting to keep up public morale with lavish public works and objectively stupid vanity projects. The attempt to excavate a canal at the Viper seaway's 'tail' (one of the few eastern regions it retained secure control of at that point) was in part a desperate act to revive its economy by opening up/monopolizing a new trade system. The amount of money and manpower sunk into this ultimately doomed project was followed by Bur being fully ousted from its eastern holdings, and was one of the final straws in its collapse.

People in the city of Bur proper were dealing with the double front of starvation and their homes + streets + immediate water supply being flooded with seawater and literal human feces. These issues impacted the lower classes first and most severely, but ultimately transcended class boundaries. Famine grew more and more rampant, not only with the loss of the colonial holdings that supported the population but of farmland in the imperial core- much of the city of Bur's immediate farmlands were unproductive due to repeat inundation with saltwater during surges, and the farmland along the Yamage river to the north was rapidly being captured and pillaged by the Hsem (historical enemies, a nomadic group with a khait warrior culture from further west).

All this was fucking unlivable in of itself, but also had very obvious implications in the context of Burri emperors also being high priests and the chief intermediary between the gods and the people. Not only was the government failing to sustain its citizens to begin with, but signs of divine disapproval were deeply apparent.

So the last days of the 1st Burri empire were a chaotic period of civil unrest, most acute in and around city of Bur proper. This involved near-constant peasant revolts and several attempted coups. The last Burri emperor (of the First empire) ultimately fled the capital of Bur and reestablished in Titenegal, declaring it the new capital. This was then sacked by the Hsem within a year and after that it was fucking Joever.

The city of Bur was functionally abandoned by this point. People still Lived There and there were several attempts to set up a new government, all of which failed in the short term. After the collapse was complete, its inhabitants were mostly just peasants who built up new homes further inland and sustained themselves on the remaining farmland. Few people lived permanently in the city proper due to all of its intact infrastructure being effectively non-functional without the governmental bodies/human labor to sustain it.

---

It should also be noted that it was Extremely not just Bur that was flooded, the sea level rise was worldwide (resulting from a collapsing ice sheet) and almost Every coastal city during this period experienced the same issue. Bur's demise was just notably dramatic in that it was once the most heavily populated human city that has Ever Existed, and directly correlated with the fall of the empire it hosted.

The flooding was fairly gradual, but it's been 7 centuries since the first Burri empire's collapse and the fall of its capital city, and many contemporary records were lost to the immediate chaos and to the large span of time since. Cultural memory tends to reframe the flood VERY rapid on a human scale, many of the stories describe the city being swallowed in a single wave as an act of divine punishment (the popular notion at the time that the last emperors deeply displeased and shamed the gods has stuck into the narrative, often exaggerated into stories of them being horrifically debauched blasphemers guilty of the worst disgraces imaginable). Even more conservative accounts tend to imagine the totality of the destruction taking place over the span of about a year (merging the memories of the immediate earthquake devastation with more gradual elements of its slow flooding). People widely believe that most of its residents drowned in the city's cataclysmic demise, and that the ruins are now Extremely haunted.

The state of the flooding is not 'completely under the sea' and you can still walk/wade through most of the inland ruins (the canal district is effectively submerged, with most structures that Would be above the water level having collapsed against the strain). As such, some people Do Live Here. These people are mostly smugglers and pirates using the ruins as a hideout, and/or opportunistic hunters and fishermen who won't let ghosts stop them. Entering the city ruins is currently forbidden (largely Because of the criminal nature of basically every motive to go here (even hunting, which is considered poaching)), but enforcement of this rule/active patrols to prevent entry are inconsistent.

The majority of Old Bur's inhabitants are animals. The un-flooded parts of the city and its gardens are now a host to a thriving community of native plants and animals (and a few descendants of escaped non-native zoo animals/ornamental plants that adapted well to the conditions).

The egret shown here is a foreign species originally brought as an ornamental bird. In the centuries since its first import, it has become widespread and occurs on both sides of the Mouth seaway. It can hunt in both freshwater and saline environments, and a very large population lives permanently in the ruins of Old Bur.

Its common name is the ghost egret. Contemporary Burri folklore holds that the ghost egrets of Old Bur are literal ghosts, carrying the souls of those who died in the cataclysmic floods.

[fearfulfertility]

CONFIDENTIAL INTERNAL MEMO

DRC, Facility Operations Command, Supply & Procurement Unit

Date: [REDACTED]

From: Administrator [REDACTED], Supply & Procurement Unit

To: Director [REDACTED]

Subject: Surrogate Clothing Policy Review

Objective

The matter of clothing surrogates during their conscription and gestation periods has been a persistent challenge within DRC paternity compounds. As pregnancy progression leads to rapid and extreme physical growth, the feasibility of maintaining suitable attire diminishes exponentially. 

While the dignity of surrogates is to be considered, the logistical and financial realities of clothing surrogates in the later stages of high-multiparity pregnancies render the task borderline comedic—albeit with profound implications for resource efficiency.

I. Fabric Failure Timeline

Phase 1: Early Gestation (Days 1–12)

At the outset of their conscription, surrogates are issued standard-issue elastic garments designed to accommodate the initial stages of gestation. These garments typically include loose-fitting t-shirts and “pajama pants” with elastic waistbands. At this stage, clothing is meant to give the surrogates a sense their dignity is being maintained during the initial intake process. 

Even the largest or stretchable garments begin to falter within the first week. Surrogates who have been inseminated with high-yield pregnancies (+10 fetuses) find that even the most generous clothing gives up the fight during routine activities such as bending over, eating, or sleeping.

By days 7-10, the garments often devolve into little more than fabric relics clinging to bodies that have far outgrown them. Meal times, in particular, become prime opportunities for “wardrobe malfunctions,” as surrogates’ bellies swell rapidly due to their high-calorie intakes, causing already-strained seams to split dramatically.

“They gave me these stretchy pants and said they’d ‘grow with me.’ By day 8, they were so tight I thought I’d lose circulation. When I bent down to grab my tray, the waistband snapped like a rubber band! Then, they refused to replace them. Now I'm just laying in my underwear and they'll probably be split open by tomorrow!” - Surrogate S110-391-L

Phase 2: Mid-Gestation (Days 13–21)

By mid-gestation, the struggle to maintain full clothing coverage shifts from a practical challenge to a near-comedic farce. Most surrogates have long since outgrown their standard-issue attire. Garments leave more of the surrogates’ burgeoning midsections exposed than concealed, and the illusion of modesty is gone.

Some compounds (in more conservative areas of the country) have experimented with adaptive solutions to this widespread wardrobe malfunction. One such attempt is the introduction of “belly bands”—elastic fabric panels intended to stretch indefinitely over the surrogates’ growing girth. 

Despite these creative adaptations, the reality of mid-gestation growth often leaves surrogates in a state of partial or, in many cases, near-total undress. More liberal compound administrators frequently abandon the notion of full-body clothing altogether, opting for what is euphemistically termed “strategic coverage.” This often translates to simple cloth wraps positioned to cover just enough to preserve a hint of dignity while accepting that the bulk of the body, almost always the belly, remains bare. Staff members focus instead on ensuring that surrogates are comfortable and leave the notion of modesty as a casualty of practicality.

“They called it ‘strategic coverage.’ I call it an XXXL jock strap! I looked like a parade float in a handkerchief. And it didn't even last a whole day. Halfway to the bathroom, it snapped off completely. I waddled back, belly swaying, pretending I didn’t care.” - Surrogate S121-188-R

Phase 3: Late Gestation (Days 22–35)

During late gestation, clothing becomes pure futility. The surrogates’ bodies, now stretched to astonishing proportions, have outgrown even the most generously designed custom garments. At this point, the idea of “dressing” a surrogate is akin to wrapping a skyscraper with a handkerchief: an exercise in wishful thinking.

As a last resort, many surrogates abandon conventional garments entirely and instead rely on oversized blankets or loose sheets for modesty. While providing temporary relief from exposure, these coverings are inadequate for long-term wear. The sheer girth of their bodies causes blankets to slip off constantly, unable to maintain their position on a surface that is more curved than plane. Mobility challenges further complicate things; even a minor adjustment or shift in position can send a carefully arranged blanket sliding to the floor, again exposing the surrogate. 

Ultimately, most surrogates resign themselves to their condition, accepting that complete coverage is a battle they cannot win. Staff have grown accustomed to the sight of surrogates in full undress.

“I tried to laugh when the nurse handed me a blanket for modesty. Then I realized she was serious. A blanket? I’m carrying sexdecuplets here! My belly is the size of a beanbag chair. Every time I tried to move, it slid off like butter on a hot pan.” — Surrogate S137-410-P

II. Operational Costs

The financial and logistical burden of maintaining surrogate clothing throughout gestation is untenable. 

Initial Garment Issuance: [REDACTED]

Garment Replacements: [REDACTED]

Fabric & Material Losses: [REDACTED]

Tailoring & Repairs: [REDACTED]

Administrative Costs: [REDACTED]

The data supports transitioning to the “Bare Necessity Protocol”: issuing clothing only during intake and early gestation but providing no specialty clothing once they outgrow the linens.

This change could reduce clothing expenditures by up to 80% per year, reallocating resources more efficiently while acknowledging the practical limits of fabric in the face of extreme growth.

III. Morale Implications & Solutions

Transitioning to the Bare Necessity Protocol—eliminating clothing beyond early gestation—poses clear challenges to surrogate morale. The rapid loss of modesty and the unavoidable exposure associated with high-multiparity pregnancies can lead to feelings of humiliation, vulnerability, and resentment. Surrogates often arrive at compounds already apprehensive about their conscription, and the progressive erosion of their dignity through clothing failures can exacerbate stress, anxiety, and resistance. 

However, compounds can mitigate these psychological and emotional impacts through strategic dietary adjustments. By incorporating appetite enhancers, sedatives, and aphrodisiacs into daily meal plans, surrogates can be effectively distracted from their physical state. 

Enhanced hunger drives ensure surrogates remain preoccupied with consuming high-calorie meals, creating constant and ravenous appetites. In addition, the inclusion of aphrodisiacs harnesses prenatal nymphomania by redirecting surrogate attention toward physical pleasure rather than personal discomfort or embarrassment. Sedatives complement this approach by promoting longer sleep cycles and maintaining docility during waking hours. 

Surrogates under this regimen experience reduced awareness of their exposed state and are less likely to engage in disruptive behavior. 

IV. Conclusion

The fabric is consistently losing in the battle of fabric versus fetal growth. While the dignity of surrogates remains important, realistic expectations must be set. Sometimes, the most practical—and perhaps the kindest—option is to acknowledge the limits of cloth and simply let surrogates grow, unencumbered and gloriously uncovered.

Report submitted by: Administrator [REDACTED], Supply & Procurement Unit

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Sending...

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From: Director [REDACTED]

To: Administrator [REDACTED], Supply & Procurement Unit

Subject: Surrogate Clothing Policy Review

After reviewing the comprehensive analysis of surrogate clothing policies, it is clear that continuing efforts to maintain full clothing coverage are impractical and financially wasteful.

I hereby approve the Bare Necessity Protocol for immediate implementation across all compounds. In conjunction with this policy shift, I also approve the proposed strategic dietary adjustments.

To assess the real-world effectiveness of these protocols, I will be scheduling a personal visit to Paternity Compound 134 on [REDACTED]. Given that this facility currently hosts a higher number of late-term surrogates, it presents an ideal environment to observe the implementation of the Bare Necessity Protocol and dietary adjustments firsthand.

I expect full cooperation from compound staff and a detailed itinerary for my visit to be prepared within the week.

Let us ensure that every decision reflects our commitment to efficiency, compliance, and the ongoing success of our population sustainability initiatives.

Click Here to return to DRC Report Archives

Director [REDACTED]

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[akashzipaworld]

From Doorstep to Express Delivery | How Digital Transformation is Changing Courier Services

Technology has revolutionized courier services, particularly with the integration of express delivery options. With cutting-edge tracking systems, customers can monitor their shipments in real-time, ensuring transparency and peace of mind throughout the journey. Automated sorting and routing mechanisms further enhance efficiency, guaranteeing that packages are handled with care and delivered promptly.

These advancements are bolstered by robust networks that seamlessly integrate various transportation modes, enabling swift and reliable deliveries on a local and global scale. As express delivery becomes more integral to the logistics landscape, these innovations not only enhance customer satisfaction but also streamline operations, marking a pivotal shift in the future of courier services.

[thecoffinsys]

Slay the Princess is the perfect demonstration of trauma, dissociation, and systemhood.

I NEED MORE PEOPLE TO TALK ABOUT THIS. And it's NOT just for the reasons you may think. Yes, it is due to the multitude of voices, but that isn't all there is to systemhood. Slay the Princess dives into almost every fundamental stage of grief, trauma, stress, and body sensations regarding traumatic events that we as a collective have ever experienced. Stay with me.

SYSTEMHOOD

Not only does Slay the Princess display systemhood through the multitude of voices, inability to come to a conclusion on outerbody decisions, and having different methods of how to survive specific situations— it also displays systemhood through loss of time, depersonalization, loss of identity and sense of self, alters having abilities over the body that others do not, looping the same trauma over and over again, and rapidly splitting due to traumatic experiences — even down to not being believed by family members when you tell them something horrible happened to you.

The entire idea of jumping from one alternative world to the next after dying or making the incorrect choice perfectly displays a repetition of the same traumatic memory over and over again, the mind trying to logistically think of what could have been done differently as a means of coping with what really happened. When you fail to save the world in one reality, your mind restarts the entire scenario again, trying to find a better option to the mistake you've already made.

The Stranger rout perfect displays depersonalization, dissociation, loss of self and identity, and confusion regarding time. The second you step down a staircase, you completely and utterly forget yourself in the mundane action. Forgetting who you are, where you are, what your purpose truly is - and sinking deep within your own mind, until suddenly you're right where you are meant to be and have no memory of how you got there. It's so perfect in how it shows the confusion and distress.

This game is about becoming. whole. Gaining. A sense. Of self. And purpose. Gaining more perspectives, more understandings of what it means to be a person. (Oh my god I'm screaming)

In The Nightmare, the voice of the Paranoid displays perfectly symptoms of not only paranoia regarding trauma, but symptoms of OCD due to trauma. He has an ability that no other alter has, which is to keep their organs running by participating in his own compulsion. Which really displays how some alters have abilities that other do not, because to be a system, you must be fragmented. Several shards of glass attempting, to the best of their ability, to be a functional mirror- but never having the exact strength. And different shards will hold different capabilities than those who are smaller, weaker, and carry smaller and/or more specific burdens. Paranoid is a very big shard, I think.

Following that — mirrors are a huge motif of the game. Not only do you continuously see them in every rout, but you end each rout by finally looking at yourself and seeing you for you. And the more perspectives you gain, the less "you" you truly feel. You become tired, withered. But it is all in the efforts to "become whole". To make this being of perception finally understand what it means to be more than just broken worlds creating branching understandings.

In A Moment of Clarity, dozens of voices begin to cloud our understanding due to the very traumatic thing we experienced in the last world. A rapid split because of trauma! We become more broken; "losing ourselves". Now there are even more conflicting thoughts, feelings, and opinions regarding how we should go about surviving- and it displays our further descent from our sense of self. Which is ironic given the name of the ending!

And finally (but most definitely not finally, I could keep going on and on but no one would want to read all of that), The Narrator never believing you when you tell him you've been here before, have experienced horrors that he could never imagine, and have been through countless nightmares. But not only does he not believe you, he will also ridicule your idea, and go on to say "you failed because you didn't listen to me" or "you damned another world because of what you did". Puts the blame on us, once again. It's the same thing a lot of systems do experience in the real world. You try to reach out, you try to explain to someone you trust that something horrible happened to you, but you're met with disbelief and shamed for your own trauma. Made to feel like the guilty one when you are in fact the victim- the survivor. That one stood out to me very personally.

. . .

I really want to go on but this is already a billion paragraphs and I worry no one will even get this far. But this game means a lot to us as a system and as someone who experiences things very similar to what is displayed in the game on a daily basis. Slay the Princess might be one of our all time favorite games as of right now, especially considering the guy who traumatized us for 200 episodes straight is the main guy voicing the entire thing- that also helps with sentiment-

Uhhhh thank you for reading if you made it this far :]

[princessanneftw]

Princess Anne, Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Logistic Corps, cuts a cake with a large kukri - the traditional knife used by Gurkhas- during a visit to Gurkha Allied Rapid Reaction Corps Support Battalion at in Innsworth, Gloucestershire on 30 September 2024 🔪🎂

[porterdavis]

Logistics

Trump's promise to deport millions of immigrants was repeated often in the closing weeks of his campaign. Left to his own devices I suspect the project would recede into the background as his wall building did, outside of a few photo ops. This time will probably be different though because he will be coming into power with an entire cohort of zealots pre-selected and briefed on their roles, the Project 2025 brigade.

They will take their mission seriously (and not let Trump backslide on the promise). All of which begs the question -- how to round up, house, feed, transport and deport millions of people? Japanese-internment style camps in Oklahoma or Arizona? Who builds them, who operates them, who guards them, who pays for them?

How long will they be needed? Does anyone seriously expect Mexico to open its border to allow millions of people from all parts of South America into their country? Armed opposition seems a certainty. What is the exit strategy? The prospect of brownshirt troops roaming the night-time streets, breaking down doors to apprehend people of colour, both legal and undocumented with no rapid recourse to courts is not one that Americans of principle would long accept.

Soon the crops would lie rotting in the fields, factories and abattoirs would close for lack of workers, daycare centres would close, patients would lie untended in their nursing homes, prices of everything would rise.

Trump and his new friend Musk intend to burn everything down to the ground. We can only hope they do it quickly enough that the effect is obvious and immediate...no boiling of frogs....and there is time for men and women of honour to rise while there is still hope of resurrection.

Otherwise the great American experiment will collapse just as previous empires have, dragged down from within.

[super-ultra-mega-deluxe]

i made a bit of a joking reference of it awhile ago but it is very much the case that the dissolution of liberal democratic states, of capitalist states, of the dictatorship of the bourgeoisie, is a world historical necessity. this is perhaps even more true than previous transitions of economic and governmental modalities; when the western portion of the Roman empire failed to adapt to emergent feudal relations and dissolved- this is a bit of a simplification, bear with me- it was certainly disruptive and terrible for some of the peoples that inhabited that now former empire, but generally not existentially so. the presently dominant capitalist nations' mounting contradictions and inability to contend with them is, in contrast, detrimental to the ability of people to inhabit large swaths of the planet.

reliance on fossil fuels- among other structural reliances and logics of production- is causing climate change, is resulting in rapid and destructive shifts in weather, is actively killing people the world over. the US cannot meaningfully adapt to this: oil fuels its war industry and its weapons; oil secures the value of the US dollar; oil is the means and ends of the US experiment as it presently exists, even if it somehow managed to divest of fossil fuels domestically. there is a reason that the PRC can build extensive solar farms in a year that outstrip the whole of the US's while the most promising US presidential candidate and present vice president is announcing her undying support of fracking.

every historical transition from one economic modality to another- from slave economy to feudal economy to capitalist economy- has been historically progressive and effectively inevitable. resistance to those transitions didn't prevent them. resistance to the transition of capitalism to communism is unique in the sense that should capital be allowed to persist much longer, it could very well destroy human society per se, destroy the whole of administrative and logistic and other technological advancements and infrastructure that allow for humanity to exist on scale. this is something that in no uncertain terms needs to be avoided. only the transition to communism, only the administrative and economic formulations of a scientific politic can contend with the contradictions that threaten to kill us. socialism, or death.

[metalheads-trash-bin]

Bro was watching with their eyes closed if you can truly saying there was no lore or horror.

Im a writer, artist, and creator. I am OBSESSED with horror and lore like elements. Some of my favorite horror movies are Midsommar and Hereditary. I am PICKY about what I like and don’t. But now you get a ramble because you poked the bear.

POPPY PLAYTIME CHAPTER 4 RANT:

Poppy playtime had a lot of factors that were hinted at through trailers and teasers to be significant, for instance with Pianosaurus who had clips of playing notes and attacking you. He had multiple hints and teasers only to end up getting IMMEDIATELY killed as soon as you see him, no notes, no nothing. That was my first serious issue. First character killed off.

Then as you’re playing (Yarnaby was ALSO meant to be significant based on the MANY teasers and clips) Yarnaby is meant to be chasing you around and causing general problems, and he is in some aspects but for the amount of content posted about him you’d think that he’d be as important as Mommy Longlegs. He isn’t’, he chases you a good bit of the game but the most you get lore wise is the fact that he’s been manipulated and groomed by the doctor via notes and recording. Second Character killed off.

As you proceed on you meet Doey, who murks the fuck out of Pianosaurus. Doey had a lot of aspects I liked at first, but they played too intensely into his “wounded soldier” role which makes you feel borderline conditioned to like him. I like the fact that he has some sort of personality disorder which is evident through his emotion blobs inside his monster mouth. I also like how they handled regression vs aggression through his talking points. But his content (the vcrs, the kid clip, notes) were all so violently pointing at him being a bad person that it left little for your own skepticism. Third character killed off.

The doctor should’ve had a lot more lore attached to him as well, i understand why there was a lot of mystery with him but he genuinely didn’t seem like a semi main antagonist and was moreso just another thing to fight. A lot of that has to do with the way the game set itself up, you’re practically fighting back to back to back without any real rest breaks, there’s some forms of wandering and learning but its overall very lackluster. Fourth character killed off.

They killed off FOUR characters in ONE chapter, that goes against so many logically driven game laws. You bring four new characters in and rapid murder them in the same chapter, and a lot of that aspect made it so you couldn’t get emotionally invested into the situation or characters.

Thats just the first segment as to what I disliked. Onto the next.

The lore..ohhh the lore. How you went from something we have barely seen in games to another setup of disappointment. If you know anything about FNAF security breach + Ruin you know where I’m going.

First off, a lot of the VCRS are just dead images this chapter, making you have to sit there and watch in room that have little to interact with as you do so. A way to fix this would’ve been a cassette tape wrist band and cassettes, which is very possible for the prison to have as the area down below is so huge, so people would want to document what they find and see verbally to be written down. Having a cassette wrist band would’ve made it so the character could still wander and also give a better break between chaotic scenes, but instead you were stuck staring at a still image that pertains to a character. It no longer had a fear factor, it was just..there. Alongside this you have all of these toys and characters that are new but no merch for them on the upper levels? Its like they didn’t logistically plan to have the characters they did, as theres a multitude of merch for characters we NEVER SEE. (Daddy longlegs, catbee, stegosaurus, etc.)

Secondly, the creators were bragging on twitter about the amount of lore they dropped and how it’ll give you “a lot to think about”. It doesnt. A majority of what was dropped (for instance Ollie being the prototype) was already rumored as we saw this WITH FNAF RUINS. Fnaf ruins did the mimic route, fnaf in general did the children stuck in mascots route, it also did an evil dude that practically grooms children route. So much of that was already seen, and this chapter focused way too much on that vs the things that are different between them. It was nice to read more about the experimentation process and the fact that they were practically mutants that mixed with kids and toys but that was also rumored. Overall a majority of the lore here was just confirmations.

As for the horror aspect, there genuinely wasn’t one. There’s a HUGE difference between just having gore and bodies everywhere vs genuinely frightening horror. Chapter Three was a masterpiece in this element alongside lore and world building. The way you know youre being stalked, the unsettling scenes and audio, the hallucinations, etc etc. instead of continuing with a more uncanny valley approach they went full on “heres some bodies and guys chasing you” route. Theres bodies everywhere, okay cool. A guy is obviously implied to be crucified which in itself has lore as crucifixion was typically to ask for forgiveness from god, okay cool. But where was the stalking? The seriously traumatic parts? Where was the genuine unsettlingness? It wasnt there, you wandered around helping out characters and getting murked. But you werent SUCKED IN like you were with chapter three, where you felt genuinely stuck and terrified having something follow you around silently, not to mention how graphic the lore and implications were.

It felt messy and jumbled, especially with the world building it was attempting. There was borderline too much and you hung around certain key areas too little, for instance with Safe Haven there genuinely isnt much to do besides look around and proceed. Its in no way interactive and its moreso just a buffer.

The innerworkings of this chapter were very typical, the prison was definitely a surprise but the corruption, abuse, experimentation, etc were not. And the fact that the characters keep saying “this isnt like anything you saw up above” really made you anticipate much more terrifying aspects. Not bodies everywhere. It made the game boring, especially because of all the anticipation the creators gave, saying this was the most adult chapter yet.

There was just..a lot that was disappointing, especially when compared to the previous chapter which had you constantly on edge. I really hope they pick it up a notch in the final chapter, because this was full of false promise. They should’ve continued with the unsettling factor, gore is good but it needs a stable foundation and true meaning. I read all the documents and listened to all the tapes, and the foundation was still very weak and sooo much of it was already thought about or rumored. Everyone knew Ollie was the prototype, everyone knew that they were some sort of living being put into toys, everyone knew that there mustve been some sort of additional assistance to the prototype to keep things going because he is wayyyy too invested in the mc to keep whatever plan he had (which is now known) going.

Another good horror game that got too lazy with its writing.

Next.