#a legendary farm indeed!

[kitkatpancakestack]

Buck and Eddie in "Merry Ex-Mas" will never not be hilarious. In fact it only ages better with time. Eddie is sneaking around and sleeping with his actual legal wife and treating it like an illicit affair. And then he reveals it's because he does not trust her to, and I cannot stress this enough, HAVE HIS BACK. AS HIS PARTNER. Meanwhile Buck is out here in a Christmas tree farm defending his dissertation to Chimney on why Eddie and Shannon aren't good for each other. And then Eddie and Shannon have a pointed conversation about the tradition of taking Chris to see Santa that is extremely couple-coded and. And THEN come to find out BUCK(?) goes with EDDIE(?) to take CHRIS(?) to see SANTA(?). Like what? And then they play it off all like "NOOOO Shannon and Buck aren't being paralleled see Buck and Eddie are just Bros™! Hashing it out! Having Bro Time™!" Except then the legendary Blair the Elf is all "you two have an adorable son" and Buck's all *kicks ground bashfully* "THANKSSS" and skips off into the sunset. Like what??? Merry Crisis indeed.

[goodqueenaly]

Hi and I hope you are well! I don’t know if this is a weird question, but I’m always fascinated by the legends of the Reach particularly regarding the children of Garth Greenhand, and how that connects to the Faith in those areas. I think I saw a post you wrote some time ago about how for example Rowan Gold Tree’s story might have been adapted by the Faith into a parable about the Mother (apologies if I’m mistaken). I guess my question is, do you think Rowan and the others might have been actually worshipped as gods before the Faith, like Garth might have been? Also if I may ask a second question: do you have thoughts about Floris (my personal fave) how her story fits into Westeros’ patriarchal attitudes towards women? Does the fact that she founded three houses mean that she’s not vilified by the Faith for being non monogamous? Thanks and sorry again for weird questions!!

(I was mistaken, I think it was actually about Rowan’s story as a parable about the Maiden, like that her hair turned into a tree as a sign of being favored by the Maiden? I don’t quite remember who wrote this post.)

I have a vague memory of a post I wrote along similar lines a very long time ago too, but I couldn’t find it, so either I never did or I deleted it. Anyway, I do very much like to headcanon that the myth of Rowan Gold-Tree was co-opted by the Faith during its early establishment in the Reach as a myth about the Maiden - that Rowan, abandoned by her love for a richer rival, prayed to the Maiden in her heartbreak, and the Maiden, guardian and benefactor of virtuous maids, gave Rowan her golden tree, almost Cinderella style, perhaps as a sort of dowry to show that maidenly virtue was literally worth more than gold.

Whatever the particular relationship between the Faith and the myth of Rowan Gold-Tree, do I think that some or all of the legendary children of Garth Greenhand may have been worshiped as gods themselves? Very possibly. We know that there was at least some tradition of Garth being worshiped as or at least considered a god by Westerosi: Yandel notes that “[s]ome even say [Garth Greenhand] was a god” and that “[a] few of the very oldest tales” present Garth as a “considerably darker deity, one who demanded blood sacrifice from his worshippers to ensure a bountiful harvest” and a “green god [who] die[d] every autumn … only to be reborn with the coming of spring”. Yandel also compares Garth to fertility gods and goddesses worshiped by “[m]any of the more primitive peoples of the earth”, as Garth not only “taught men to farm” and “showed them how to plant and sow, how to raise crops and reap the harvest” but also scattered a seemingly divinely plentiful bag of various seeds and “brought the gift of fertility” to people and crops alike. Nor was this early history of Westeros an era without the worship of local deities beyond the old gods: the myth of Durran Godsgrief features a sea god and a goddess of the wind, the people of the Three Sisters worshiped the Lady of the Waved and the Lord of the Skies, and of course the ironborn believe in the eternal divine struggle between the Drowned God and the Storm God.  

So I could see where, depending on the era and the location, various individuals among Garth’s legendary children might have been worshiped as gods or semi-divine heroes themselves. If Garth Greenhand was worshiped as a god for teaching the First Men to sow, cultivate, and reap, might Gilbert of the Vines have been similarly worshiped by the people of the Arbor for teaching these people “to make sweet wine” from their island’s lush native grapes (and indeed, might there have been some local tradition that Gilbert had inherited his father’s fertility and made these grapes grow “so fat and lush across their island”)? If Garth was treated as a god for his apparently mystical and/or divine ability to bring and cultivate life from the land, might Ellyn Ever-Sweet, Rowan Gold-Tree, and/or Rose of Red Lake have been similarly worshiped by the locals of Beesbury, Goldengrove, and/or Red Lake, respectively, for their supernatural, perhaps also seemingly divine, connections to and power over the natural world? If the earliest worshipers of Garth Greenhand offered him blood sacrifices in return for bountiful harvests, might worshipers have given Bors the Breaker similar blood sacrifices in return for grants of strength and courage, since he himself had supposedly drunk the blood of bulls to gain the power of 20 men? If Garth’s divine power included the gift of specifically sexual fertility so strong that he “[made] barren women fruitful with a touch” and caused “[m]aidens [to ripen] in his presence”, “mothers [to bring] forth twins or even triplets when he blessed them”, and “young girls [to flower] at his smile”, then might Harlon and Herndon have been similarly worshiped for the seeming eternal fertility they apparently enjoyed and represented as husbands to their woods witch wife, or Foss the Archer worshiped as a similar roving fertility god casting a welcome eye on maidens as his father had done (with his arrow and apple exploits perhaps a sort of sexual euphemism)? Again, these are just a few creative examples, but the larger point is that I could very well see where Garth’s children may have been seen not only as extensions of his own legend, but gods in their own right who took over aspects of the worship of Garth Greenhand. (To say nothing of whether any of them might have been worshiped for their own persons and/or deeds - if, say, John the Oak, Owen Oakenshield, and/or Brandon of the Bloody Blade might have been viewed as a sort of proto-Warrior or god of war, or if Maris the Maid became a sort of mother goddess for Oldtown and House Hightower.) 

As far as Florys the Fox goes … eh. I think that strict monogamy was not an entirely consistent or mandated practiced among the First Men before the arrival of the Andals, including in the Reach: not only do the myths of both Florys and the twin ancestors of House Tarly feature as their protagonists participants in polygamous (and, indeed, polyandrous) marriages, but King Garland II successfully brought Oldtown into the Gardener kingdom by putting aside his wives, plural, to marry Lymond Hightower’s daughter. Nor indeed should we ignore the fact that Florys seems to have been considered clever not just for having three husbands but for keeping each a secret from the others - a suggestion, perhaps, that the expected (read: patriarchal) order of the universe, playfully subverted by the literally extraordinary Florys, was that a woman should be the submissive partner to a single man, rather than the dominant mistress keeping three men at her nuptial leisure. So I think the pre-Andal Reach may have accepted two beliefs as true at the same time - namely, a patriarchal world in which women were expected to serve and obey men and also a pro-polygamy world in which a demigod/heroine/goddess figure could be lauded for having kept multiple husbands simultaneously without being caught. 

Too, I think it’s possible that just as septons and maesters downplayed the mythology and divinity of Garth Greenhand in later accounts - with Yandel noting that legends of Garth Greenhand, “though cherished by the smallfolk, are largely discounted by both the maesters of the Citadel and the septons of the Faith, who share the view that Garth Greenhand was a man, not a god” - so these same post-Andal Invasion academics may have deemphasized the myths surrounding Florys the Fox, including her celebrated polyandry. Perhaps dynastically persnickety maesters or septons argued that Florys had not really been married to three men, but rather that the myths had conflated her marriage to the ancestor of House Ball/Peake/Florent with marriages by other women, or perhaps remarriages by Florys, to the ancestors of the other two Houses. Perhaps the myth was bowdlerized to have Florys merely be courted by the founders of each of these Houses, rather than having her marrying each, with Florys perhaps then serving as more of a spiritual or romantic ancestress rather than a literal matriarch of this bloodline. Of course, it’s also possible that septons did look down on and preach against Florys for her polygamous marriages, branding her a “wanton” - though to what extent they could or would do so, while also looking to convert these powerful aristocratic families of the Reach, is speculative at best. 

[weministertomonsters]

Point Hope Wolf Farm - 1

12th Day of Month 8

16th Year of Carther's Reign

I am starting this new diary with some measure of interest, and a large portion of disdain. You see, I am being sent off to Point Hope Wolf Farm for a few months to recuperate my lungs. Why my lungs matter so much to everyone, I know not. They have always been my most sickly organs, to the point where standing up too quickly sometimes arrests my breath.

I was disappointed by this plan largely thanks to receiving an invitation to Amelia Beaufort's legendary Autumn Ball the week before, which is bound to be stupidly grand, with lots of handsome people to mingle with. As it is, I shall be within pastures of smelly wolves all fall season!

Can you imagine? It is what it is, I suppose.

I will be grateful to draw in a full breath of crisp countryside air, at the very least. And who is to say it will not be fun? Mr. and Mrs. Whiteside are good friends of my parents, so it should be alright.

Picture me now, in a nice traveling dress with pink laces, hunched over my diary in the most unladylike way; I have already discovered the joy of being away from one's guardians. There is no sharp tongue telling me to sit straight or smooth my dress, I can be however I like. The tea cart came through and I have chosen a decadent little tart with a cup of tea. This train lurches so smoothly that naught a single drop can spill, even if it wanted to.

My poor health indeed prevents me from taking many holidays, so even this simple landscape is thrilling to me. I can't recall a time when I have ever been so deep in nature. The grass and trees simply roll on, almost enough to worry that Point Hope will be nothing more than endless pastures with only a small cluster of buildings, hardly enough to call a town and derive some pleasure from walking its streets.

But no need to be concerned just yet, there is the journey of a switch train and another two hours ahead. For now, I will eat my tart and do my best not to get jam on my pages.

The switch train has happened. This one is drastically cheap-looking with 'luxury' seats that would be considered third-class quality in the city. No matter, there is only an hour left to go and I am not a girl of unnecessary complaint. Good thing I have already had my tea on the first train because this one jerks and shakes so much that it makes drinking impossible. One gentleman across from me attempted and only ended up soaking his newspaper with tea.

Something interesting happened just now that made me straighten in my seat. Apparently there was a mixup in the cars, and one beast car had been put between two traveling cars, one of which happened to be my compartment. As it was, they had to walk a pack of wolves through the luxury car to get to their own. There was such an uproar of discontent, and one lady even fainted!

I just stared in amazement because I had not been prepared for what wolfmen would look like. These ones were docile in their collars of silver and disturbed no one as they were pushed through, but they were quite the sight! If I could draw, I would be tempted to try a sketch. Huge creatures with coarse-looking fur of shades from brown and cinnamon to black. Rough hands that end in claws that can rip a man's throat out in one violent motion.

Their eyes were that of beasts with human intelligence behind them, which was terrible now that I think back to it. Their bodies were vulgar to look at; they wore no clothes at all.

My curiosity tempted me to look between the legs, but I shamed myself out of it. One of them stumbled, jostled by the others. He fell to the ground nearly on my lap. I am surprised I did not jump up in sheer surprise, but I suppose the fear froze me. I was thinking,

Look at that huge head, with teeth as long as my hand. He could bite my leg off at once and think nothing of it.

I did note that his eyes were gentle and soft, like those of a good family dog. Suddenly he was being yanked up in a chokehold by one of the handlers. Let me tell you, the handlers themselves are no joke. They have to be strong to even begin to dream of handling such dangerous creatures.

Then they were gone from the car and people were grumbling with the vestiges of shock and some concern for me. I had just picked up my diary to begin my earnest recording of this remarkable encounter when the woman across from me in a giant feather hat said,

"Well, that was frightful. Traveling alone, young lady? Are you quite old enough?"

"I am in my twentieth year, ma'am," I smiled.

"Oh, indeed? Are you going to see your beau or family perhaps?"

So, she was the nosy sort. She reminded me of my Aunt Clarise, only this woman was larger and softer, with a bosom that would be quite pillowy for a weary head.

"I am taking a holiday for my health. The doctor said the clean air would do my lungs some good," I replied, and she set about with an earnest conversation about general health, the air, and what remedies worked best for congested lungs.

She knew it all and had a child like me. I just smiled and nodded along because I could not tell her that I cared little about my general well-being and only wanted enough performance out of my body to keep from fainting every two hours. Eventually, the train stopped in Point Hope, and I said goodbye.

"Have a good one, dear," she said. "I live in town myself, so perhaps we will cross paths again."

I told her I sure hoped so. The beast cars were unloaded too and the wolfmen were herded to the side to be loaded into large cages for transfer. I was quite certain they would be taken to Point Hope Farm because if there was another wolf farm, I had not heard of it. I had a carriage and driver waiting, a relatively handsome young man with a nice smile. He took my bags and opened the door for me and I settled down for the last few minutes of the journey.

This will be the last I write in my diary until the evening, for I will surely have too much to see to spare time for writing.

Part 2

[umhuhwellthen]

JUST WATCHED THE S2 FINALE OF TMNT 2K12 AND

DONNIE WHERE'D YOU GET NUCLEAR WASTE????? WHERE WERE U KEEPING IT AND THE MECH???? CAN APRIL HAVE HER DAD FOR 5 FUCKIN MINUTES???? HOW THE HELL DID KRANG SUBPRIME GET SO GOOD AT IMITATING TEEN GIRL???? AHHHHHH COMA ARC/FARM ARC INCOMING FUCK

OH ALMSOT FORGOT MY FAV FIGHT SCENE BETWEEN SHREDDER AND SPLINTER SO FAR??? MAN'S STARTED HISSING AND FUCKIN BITING THATS HIS BOY!!! HIS SON YOU FUCK GET FUCKED STOP HURTIHG HIS FICKIN KIDSSSS SPLINTER WENT APESHIT YESSSSSS GO FOR THE FACE YESS TEAR HIS THROAT OUT MAIMING KILLING CLAWING AND BITING

ah so this is one of the legendary multiple times splinter died

Miscellaneous thoughts on my watchthrough:

Also skipped episodes becasue of Donnie being..."enamored" with April like bruhhhh they way they wrote it....why

Did not know Casey was introduced s2, also why such the huge fuckin gap, did they not want him to have look same as Donnie???? Like just put the gap in a different place also are his teeth yellow?????in one of the zoom ins when they were group hugging April compared to her and Donnie's his were tinted????? Like damn y'all are cruel to the humans when you design them like the Hamatos and mutants get all the love in design but fuck everybody else

Also don't recommend binge watching the series because the back of your head will always be like damn those kids cannot catch a break just whammy after whammy,like they'll get a week or two(at best!!! Mostly maybe a day or two if at all!!!)of nothing much happening, maybe fighting lowtier grunts but that's it, but a week or two is just 7-14 days which is not a lot in the grand scheme of things

Also Leo stop trying to kys challenge pls and thx 🙏those eps with him remembering splinters words of complete the mission no matter what/who the cost like sir/ma'am??????

Also was sit just me but in the ep 'into dimension x ' was Mikey's voice deeper??? Like for a lil bit??? See why the head canon of it not being months but years is popular also people always mention holy shit kraang skin helmet but what about kraang limbs lasso? Kraang arms armbands? Motherfucker made them into pelts holy shit

Speaking of Mikey I thought the hidden blade in his nunchunks was something added??? Like an upgrade after a fight?? But no he always had it??? God no wonder y'all say these version of the turtles are down for murder yeah after seeing s1/2 they deserve it I love them so much this is why you should(not) give teenagers dangerous ninja skills and weapons

Blue eyes same shade as mask seriously??? I thought it was a darker shade but fanart tricked me, brown eyes Leo supremacy indeed

Once I finish space arc I'm gonna draw half-kraang April because she deserves spooky eyes and sharp teeth she's a little bug eyed freak/affectionate anime girl proportions tiny nose

May add more as I go along

[isfjmel-phleg]

Who is Chris Kent and why is he important

I read every appearance of this character recently, most of them over the last weekend, and now I have things to tell you. This poor kid joins the ranks of DC Characters Who Deserved Better.

Story time!

A rocket crash-lands in Metropolis, containing one passenger: a little boy, about six. The government takes him into custody and brings Superman in to help figure out this child's origin. The boy speaks only Kryptonese. He doesn't know his name or where he's from, only that it's "not here." He and Clark bond, and Clark is hopeful that this is another Kryptonian survivor. But the next morning, the boy is gone from the lab. At the confirmation that he is indeed Kryptonian, the government is moving him to another "more secure" facility. Clark, not about to leave the boy to the mercy of a lab, manages to track him down and brings him to the Kents' farm. How exactly, he asks his parents, does one forge documents for a child that fell from the sky?

Because he's ready to raise the boy as his own. Lois is reluctant, not convinced that she's cut out to be a parent. But in an incident of danger, she turns out to be quite protective of the boy, and after that, there's no question of taking him in. He picks up English absurdly quickly (by reading a dictionary, takes him less than an hour). And Lois offers him the name she picked as a child for her future son: Christopher. The newly-named Chris Kent accepts this gladly. Clark and Lois give him his own room, send him to school, and treat him like one of the family. He's a sweet kid, eager to please, eager to help, ready to form attachment to anyone who's kind to him. (Clark brings him to the Batcave once, and Chris gets along well with Tim, who teaches him some acrobatics.)

But he struggles to keep his powers hidden. He's given a red-sun watch to wear that neutralizes his powers, but it's calibrated for an adult, and instead the suppressed energy builds up to an explosion that destroys Clark and Lois's apartment building. Chris is deeply upset and convinced that he will be sent away because he "did bad things," but Clark assures him that he's their family now and they won't ever leave him.

And then Chris's biological parents show up.

Chris's birth name is Lor-Zod, his parents are General Zod and Ursa, and he was born in the Phantom Zone. Because he was born there, he is immune to the Zone's effects and never became a phantom. His parents have spent the last six years figuring out how to use him as a escape route and making his life miserable. They're physically abusive, emotionally abusive. He's often punished by being locked outside the building where they live (long story why it's there, I'm trying to keep this simple) to fend for himself. He learns quickly to hide as much as he can, and he listens in secret to the grown-ups' stories of Krypton and imagines all the places there that he knows only as names.

Anyway, Zod and Ursa have managed to get out, and they want their son back. A battle ensues. Chris won't willingly go with his parents. He uses his heat vision on Zod, tries to fight Ursa, and refuses to answer to Lor-Zod--his name is Christopher Kent! Zod nearly kills him; he can always make another son, right? Clark puts up a furious fight and sends Zod, Ursa, and their people back to the Phantom Zone, but Chris realizes that he's the one keeping the portal open. He has to go with them. Clark insists that they'll find another way, but Chris thanks him for everything he and Lois gave him...and goes.

The next time Clark and Lois see him, he's gone through several painful bursts of rapid aging and is now a young adult. A Kryptonian woman who believes herself the avatar of the legendary Flamebird forms a mind meld with him while he's in the Phantom Zone, still being tormented by Zod and Ursa, and she rescues him. Chris takes up the mantle of Nightwing (not Dick Grayson, but the legendary figure from which Dick also drew inspiration for his name), and he and Flamebird team up for a while. It's a weird relationship, I don't really care for it (the narrative gives the Flamebird and Nightwing roles an inherently romantic/sexual component that evidently wasn't present in earlier incarnations of these roles...and then there's the fact that Chris is physically grown-up but chronologically probably not more than eight and Flamebird is an adult), but he does get to reunite with Clark and Lois on and off. He still calls them Dad and Mom. Anyway, there's a lot going on in that particular storyline, but Chris's part of it ends once again with his choosing to self-sacrifice to seal the Phantom Zone portal again. "It's going to be all right," he tells Clark. "Give my love to Mom."

The last we see of Chris, he is back in the Phantom Zone, back to his proper age, and joins with fellow exile Mon-El to keep each other company and "find a place in here that isn't quite so gray."

There was a big reboot shortly after this, and Chris was forgotten. DC has introduced a Lor-Zod in several continuities (including the animated YJ series), but this is never Chris. This Lor-Zod is on his father's side--evil.

What makes Chris himself is his choice to turn his back on his heritage and fight for good. He is initially raised by people who are cruel to him, and it would have been very easy for him to take on cruelty as well--it's all he's known. But he's given the chance to experience love and family for the first time, and it's life-changing--enough to give him the drive to stand up to his abusers when they dare try to attack his new mother and father. He rejects his blood ties, rejects his old name, and resolves to do "what Superman would do." His genetics do not determine who he is; he has the power to choose to do the right thing on his own account. And if you ask me, that's a much more interesting and thematically appropriate characterization than having him default to evil with the rest of his biological relations.

There's a lot of promise in such a character, a lot of interesting dynamics that could have been explored with him and the rest of the superfam--just imagine the interactions we could have gotten among the clone who's not technically a relation but still accepted by the family, the son of enemies of the House of El but is now adopted, and the biological son who's half human! The Superboys could have been the equivalent of the Robins.

At the very least, they could give the current Lor-Zod a redemption arc or something. It's not too late.

[pashatalks]

if ya need any evidance of fire mc being the best character of hsr, take some of these.

she always outlives everyon while dealing some damage! like, SHE WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO FINISHED UP 6TH WORLD COCOLIA FOR ME. this screencap is now legendary to me, flashing me back into that time when i was hysterically crying out loud. at that moment i wasnt even sure i'll win so i captured it.

also todays cooler cocolia run. instant flashback into 6th world one, its indeed a trauma.

after that i also went to farm exp thingies but forgot to heal everyone and kept it like this lol. she'll handle some mosquitoes for sure.

mine barely even has any crit, but im planning to get some one day so she'll also deal more damage, for now im just broke 💀 i dont even have all her relics and skills maxed. rn all of her relics have def as mainstat so she got kinda lot of it.

every skill of her scales off def so shes super easy to build too!! so in case u got def fortune, you may feed these to her.

and i also adore stelle so im happy to have her in my party, shes so useful that she almost never leaves the team.

[anglo-norman]

The Stuarts were also deeply lined to the land indeed, with all three lands. As with their continental counterparts, this link was partly historic, partly mythic. This was particularly true of the Stuarts:

Subsequently, it was to be “those who supported the Divine Right of Kings” who “upheld the historicity of Arthur;” whereas those who did not turned instead “to the laws and customs of the Anglo-Saxons.” Arthur remained a figure central to Stuart propaganda. Stuart iconography celebrated the habits and beliefs of the ancient Britons. In particular, the Royal Oak, still a central symbol of the dynasty, was closely related to ideas about Celtic fertility ritual, and the King’s power as an agent of renewal: “The oak, the largest and strongest tree in the North, was venerated by the Celts as a symbol of the supreme power.” It was thus fitting that an oak should protect Charles II from the Cromwellian troops who wished to strip the sacred new Arthur of his status. The story confirmed the King’s mystical authority, and also his close friendship with nature. Long after 1688, the Stuart dynasty was to be closely linked with images of fertility. In literature, Arthurian images of the Stuarts persisted into the nineteenth century. This “Welsh messiah, the warrior who will come to overthrow the Saxons and Normans,” was an icon of the Stuarts’ claim to be Kings of all Britain, both “Political Hero” and “National Messiah,” in Arthurian mould. Arthur’s status as a legendary huntsman (“the figure of the Wild Huntsman is sometimes identified with Arthur”) was also significant. The Stuarts made much of hunting: it helped to confirm their heroic status as stewards of nature and the land. In doing this, they identified themselves not only with Arthur, but with Fionn, the legendary Gaelic warlord who was in the eighteenth century to be the subject of James Macpherson’s pro-Stuart Ossian poems. Fionn, legends of whom abound in Scotland, was also, like Arthur, scheduled to wake and deliver the nation when danger threatened. In identifying with both figures, the Stuarts were able to simultaneously present themselves as Gaelic and British monarchs. This symbolism was used with peculiar adroitness in Ireland, where the Stuarts were almost never identified with Arthur, but rather with Fionn and heroes from Fionn’s own time. Charles Edward was compared to Fergus, Conall, Conroy, and Angus Oge, while his grandfather became for some a symbol of Ireland herself, a Fenian hero in the making, a foreshadower of the sacrificial politics of such as Pearse: “Righ Shemus, King James, represented the faith of Erin, and so became her comrade in martyrdom.” In famous eighteenth century songs like “the Blackbird,” Ireland was presented as an abandoned woman, waiting for the return of her hero-King. The same symbolism was used in Scotland. “The Gaelic messianic tradition” of Fionn suggested that the Stuart King would one day return to bring light and fecundity to the land. In the Highlands of Scotland, the events of Jacobitism themselves passed into folklore, like the older stories to which they were related. More educated Jacobite sympathisers compared the Stuarts to the heroes of the Roman Republic, to Aeneas, or to the saints. But the view of them as sacred monarchs of folkloric tradition and power was one which endured among all ranks (Murray G.H. Pittock, The Invention of Scotland, pp. 4-5).

On the one hand, such Kings –and the Stuarts in particular – were not only connected to the land, they were its stewards – hunters, guardians of the forest, promoters of agriculture (this is why there are so many national – formerly Royal – stud farms, sheep folds, and cattle pens across Europe).

[themovieblogonline]

Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget! This time, they're breaking in!

Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget is the new film from Aardman Animation. From Morph, Wallace & Gromit, to Arthur Christmas & The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists! There's a long list of stop-motion hit movies that all come from Aardman Animations. The company was founded in 1972 by Peter Lord and David Sproxton. Ever since their creation, the studio has been an animation force to be reckoned with within the movie industry. When you see their work, you instantly know that it has come from their creative genius. https://youtu.be/icfv_T5pkdI?feature=shared Another gem that I failed to mention is the 2000 war prison escape-like scenario Chicken Run! The movie is the highest-grossing stop-motion animated film in history. Chicken Run is the underdog story that captured the hearts of everyone who watched. The movie tells the story of rebel Ginger (Julia Sawalha). We see Julia and a flock of chicken attempt to escape an egg farm (That feels like a war camp!). The pressure is on for the gang when Mrs. Tweedy (Miranda Richardson) starts to build a chicken pie machine. Joining them for the ride is Rocky (Mel Gibson). Rocky is an American rooster that Ginger relies on to help get them out of the farm. In the same vein as Disney & Pixar, Aardman Animations likes to keep all of their projects top secret, and we've only really started to discover small details about Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget this year. After its premiere at the 67th London Film Festival this October 14th the movie will be hatched via Netflix on December 15th. The anticipated sequel will see many of your favourite characters return, however, there is indeed a major casting shift this time around. Taking on the legendary role of Ginger is Thandiwe Newton (Westworld / Mission Impossible), and continuing the confident personality of Rocky is Zachary Levi (Shazam! / Tangled). Adding on to that we see Bella Ramsey voice Molly and Romesh Ranganathan as Nick. Basically, it's a really stacked and highly talented cast. Like their incredible approach to stop-motion, Aardman Animations has always brought in a superb cast to respect that. The plot initially sees Ginger living a peaceful life alongside Rocky and their new family addition Molly at a bird sanctuary after the successful escape from Mrs. Tweedy's farm in the first movie. However, when a threat for all chicken-kind brews on the mainland, Ginger assembles her team to break in and save the day once more. Not to mention that Mrs. Tweedy. is returning to cause havoc again. Looking at the trailer, and as a huge fan of Aardman Animations myself, I know that this is going to be a brilliant watch. The heist-themed trailer sees a whole host of exciting new characters joining the gang, whilst showing off that incredible stop-motion detail that made Aardman Animations so well-known worldwide in the first place. The attention to detail is always high. Overall, it looks like it'll be a nostalgic movie, that'll bring further depth to the Chicken Run legacy. So, what's your favourite Aardman Animations movie, and how excited are you for Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget? Read the full article

[nekucreates]

Working on a tameshipping / sickleshipping mermaid AU, in which the spirit of legendary pirate captain, Thief King Bakura, is housed in an item that the mermaid, Ryou, finds in a field of seaweed while harvesting them (he’s an underwater farmer basically). Ryou is then taken over by Bakura, who actually doesn’t like mermaids at all (they drowned some of his crew, he’s more wary of them than hateful though). Bakura is able to retain information from Ryou, so he won’t flounder about in the water (so he has the knowledge on how to swim like that and knows everything that Ryou does). But Bakura has goals and ditches his farming life immediately, and his increasingly odd behaviour is noticed by others (namely YMarik…I haven’t chosen his name here yet). YMarik is someone to be feared, so when YMarik confronts ‘Ryou’ he immediately can tell something is wrong, because Ryou doesn’t seem afraid or polite at all. And thus begins an enemies to friends to lovers relationship. And also Bakura’s search for his old body (how does a whole body just go missing???)

Anyway, there’s more but wanted to type some of it. I’m indeed already drawing stuff for this ;)

[thetoxicgamer]

You can now one-shot FFXIV’s oldest, scariest raid boss

Do you still play Final Fantasy XIV the way it was back when Bahamut was the main antagonist and eliminating him felt like you had single-handedly saved Eorzea? In the MMORPG, the legendary FFXIV boss can now be one-shot, but you'll need good luck to pull it off. Oh how the mighty have indeed fallen. I remember quivering in my little Monk boots gearing up and getting ready to take on Coils of Bahamut back in the day. It was touted as FFXIV’s hardest raid before it was eclipsed by the likes of Alexander and, in Endwalker, Pandæmonium. The raid is now a Level 50, meaning that a lot of longtime players can now take it on with relative ease – but I never imagined that you’d be able to casually one-shot the elder Primal himself. Looks like I was very, very wrong. Posting to the game’s official subreddit, u/ah0xg0 has managed to smite the creature down on their Blue Mage – using one of the job’s base abilities, no less. Hitting Bahamut with Final Sting, the spell goes critical and deals a whopping 1,432,960 damage, defeating the boss outright. Sure, they don’t live to see their triumph, but it’s right there in the screenshots, and it’s pretty impressive. With FFXIV patch 6.45 increasing the level cap for Blue Mage to 80, as well as adding a slew of new quests and new weapons, it’s a pretty good time to be one of these mysterious spellcasters. Sure, you might not be able to participate in all of the game’s content, but you can, in fact, one-shot Bahamut. I personally think that’s a worthwhile trade-off. I’ve always fancied trying out Blue Mage, but prefer bouncing around as my Ninja at the moment. Maybe I’ll take them for a spin ahead of FFXIV Dawntrail, the newly announced expansion that’s set for summer 2024. Until then, though, I’ll live vicariously through u/ah0xg0. Speaking of living vicariously, we have a rundown of the new FFXIV The Aetherfront Dungeon, which is perfect for testing out what the Blue Mage can do. If you prefer a life of silence and solitude, though, we have an FFXIV Island Sanctuary guide right here to help you farm away the hours. Read the full article

[vegi1]

Celebrities Who Are Vegetarians

Those famous folks have waved goodbye to bacon and embraced a veggie-filled lifestyle instead.

It’s cool to see how many celebs are on board with this trend, whether for the love of animals, the planet, or their well-being.

So, get ready to know vegetarian celebrities and jump right in and uncover the A-listers who’ve swapped burgers for veggie burgers.

You might think all athletes are chomping down on burgers and chicken wings, but guess what?

Many of them are celebrities who are vegetarians, so they’re showing us that you don’t need meat to be a total champ!

So, why are athletes diving into the world of vegetarianism? Well, there are a bunch of reasons.

For some, it’s all about the animals. They have these big hearts and can’t bear the thought of chowing down on creatures.

Also, athletes know that a plant-based diet can work wonders for their performance.

1.   Serena Williams

She’s one cool lady who knows how to take care of her body.

Serena Williams, the great tennis champion, embraced vegetarianism a few years back.

She’s all about that healthy lifestyle and staying at the top of her game. Being a superstar athlete, she knows that what she puts into her body plays a crucial role in her performance on the court.

As a celebrity who is a vegetarian, she made the switch to a vegetarian diet to not only improve her overall health but also to enhance her athletic performance.

2.   Lewis Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton, the superstar Formula 1 driver, is a proud vegetarian.

For Lewis, it’s not just about the checkered flag and winning races. He’s a big advocate for animal rights and the environment.

He often talks about how he cares deeply about the welfare of animals and how they are treated in the food industry.

By saying no to meat, he’s taking a stand against factory farming and supporting a more compassionate approach to food.

If you’re curious about trying meat-free meals, you can take a page out of Lewis Hamilton’s book and explore the veggie side of the culinary world.

3.   Venus Williams

Venus decided to go vegetarian back in 2011, and she hasn’t looked back since, which put her on the list of celebrities who are vegetarians.

Health is a big factor for Venus. She has struggled with an autoimmune disease called Sjogren’s syndrome, which can cause fatigue and joint pain.

In her quest for optimal health and to manage her condition, she turned to a vegetarian diet.

She believes cutting meat and focusing on plant-based foods has helped her feel better and stay on top of her game.

4.   Novak Djokovic

Novak Djokovic, the wonderful Serbian tennis star, is indeed a vegetarian. That means he doesn’t munch on any meaty goodies.

It all started in 2007 when he was dealing with some health issues. He was struggling with fatigue and not performing at his best.

So, like any curious person, he started exploring different ways to improve his health and performance.

After some deep diving into the world of nutrition, Novak decided to make a big change and ditch the meat.

He believed a plant-based diet could help him reach new heights in his career. And boy, was he right!

5.   Carl Lewis

Now it’s the time to talk about Carl Lewis and his vegetarian lifestyle.

So, how do some people choose veggies and ditch meat? Carl Lewis, the legendary track and field athlete, is one of those folks.

Carl Lewis, a superstar in the world of sports, is known for his remarkable accomplishments in the Olympics.

He won nine gold medals and set numerous world records in sprinting and long jump events.

He is one fantastic sample of a celebrity who is a vegetarian and successful!

Let’s talk about vegetarianism in the wonderful world of actors! More and more actors are jumping on the veggie bandwagon these days, and it’s pretty awesome.

They have their reasons, ranging from caring about animals to wanting to stay healthy and even saving the planet!

When it comes to animals, many actors can’t bear the thought of chomping down on them. They want to show love and compassion, so they ditch the meat and embrace a vegetarian lifestyle.

1.   Natalie Portman

Natalie Portman is a talented actress known for her roles in movies like “Black Swan” and the “Star Wars” series.

Natalie’s decision to go vegetarian stemmed from her love for animals and her concern for their well-being.

She believes that by following a vegetarian lifestyle, she can contribute to reducing animal cruelty and promoting a more compassionate world.

In interviews, she often mentions how her love for animals significantly influenced her choice to give up meat.

She aims to minimize her ecological footprint by adopting a vegetarian diet and inspiring others to do the same!

2.   Joaquin Phoenix

Another celebrity who is a vegetarian is Joaquin Phoenix!

Joaquin is an amazing actor known for his roles in movies like “Joker” and “Walk the Line,” he’s also quite passionate about animal rights and the environment.

Being a vegetarian means not eating meat, fish, or poultry. Joaquin made this decision when he was just three years old!

Can you believe that? He was with his family on a fishing trip and saw the fish struggling for their lives. It affected him, and he couldn’t eat animals after that.

3.   Woody Harrelson

Woody has been a vegetarian for many years, and he’s got his reasons. First, he’s a big animal lover, which means he cares about the well-being of animals and doesn’t want to contribute to their suffering.

So, by skipping the meat, he’s taking a stand against factory farming and all the not-so-nice stuff that goes on in that industry.

But it’s not just about the animals. Woody also believes vegetarianism is good for his health and the environment.

By eating more plants and less meat, he cares for his body and reduces his carbon footprint. It’s like a win-win situation!

4.   Kristen Bell

Kristen Bell chose to ditch the meat and embrace a vegetarian diet. She decided to say goodbye to all those juicy steaks, crispy bacon, and even those yummy chicken nuggets.

That would make her one of the celebrities who is a vegetarian and can inspire many other non-celebrities to join us!

Instead of meat, she fills her plate with colorful fruits, veggies, grains, and legumes. It’s all about the plant-based goodness for her!

Being a mom to two adorable kids, Kristen Bell wants to set a good example for them when making responsible and compassionate choices.

5.   Alicia Silverstone

Alicia is an American actress, and she’s been a vegetarian for many years. She greatly advocates for animal rights and a healthy, plant-based lifestyle.

She’s passionate about promoting the benefits of vegetarianism, and she even wrote a book called “The Kind Diet” to share her experiences and encourage others to try it out.

In her book, she talks about the different types of plant-based diets, from vegetarian to vegan, and offers advice on how to make the transition smoothly.

Did you know that many singers have joined the veggie party? It’s like music to our ears and veggies to our plates!

Singers are not just belting out tunes but also raising their voices for the environment.

They know the meat industry can hit some sour notes regarding our planet – with all those emissions and deforestation.

By choosing vegetarianism, they’re singing the praises of sustainable living and saying, “Hey Earth, we’re in this together!”

Do you know what’s the most amazing part? They’re using their voices and platform to inspire others to consider a veggie-filled lifestyle too.

1.   Paul McCartney

You probably already know that Paul McCartney is a super-talented musician and one of the legendary members of The Beatles.

Paul has been a vegetarian for quite a long time now, and he’s passionate about it. His vegetarianism journey began in the ’70s when he and his late wife, Linda McCartney, started exploring a meat-free lifestyle.

Thanks to his wife, he is now a great vegetarian celebrity! Who has been a vocal supporter of vegetarianism and animal rights?

His words capture his commitment to raising awareness and encouraging others to make compassionate choices.

2.   Miley Cyrus

Miley has been rocking the vegetarian lifestyle for quite some time now and is passionate about it.

She decided to go vegetarian as a teenager and hasn’t looked back since. Her love for animals and her desire to live a more compassionate life were big factors in her choice.

Miley’s commitment to vegetarianism extends beyond her personal life.

She has collaborated with various animal rights organizations and even received an award from PETA for her dedication to animal welfare.

She’s not just talking the talk; she’s walking the walk and using her influence to make a positive impact.

3.   Ariana Grande

Being a vegetarian means that Ariana avoids eating meat, which includes beef, chicken, pork, and fish. Instead, she focuses on consuming various plant-based foods like fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, and nuts.

This energetic young singer and a celebrity who is vegetarian has often mentioned in interviews and on social media how her vegetarian diet has positively impacted her life.

She feels it keeps her feeling good physically and brings her a sense of mental and emotional well-being.

It’s amazing how what we put on our plates can have such a profound impact.

4.   Bryan Adams

Picture this: Bryan Adams, the rockstar we all know and love, is not just a talented musician but also a proud vegetarian. You heard it right; he’s all about that plant-based lifestyle.

He’s a big animal lover and feels deep compassion for all creatures. So, one day, he decided to say goodbye to meat and embrace a vegetarian diet.

Since then, Bryan has been actively spreading the word about the benefits of vegetarianism.

Bryan has often mentioned how being a vegetarian has positively impacted his life.

He claims to have more energy, feels healthier overall, and even credits his vegetarian diet for helping him maintain that timeless, youthful rockstar vibe.

5.   Alanis Morissette

Alanis is passionate about animal rights and believes in treating our furry and feathered friends with kindness and compassion. That’s why she decided to ditch meat and adopt a vegetarian way of living.

She believes that by choosing not to consume animals, she’s positively impacting the environment and taking a stand against animal cruelty.

As a vegetarian, Alanis enjoys fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, and other plant-based goodies.

She finds creative ways to make delicious and nutritious meals without animal products.

She explores various tasty options, from colorful salads to hearty veggie stir-fries.

[lovejustforaday]

2022 Year End List - #9

Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You - Big Thief

Main Genres: Indie Folk, Folk Rock, Alternative Country

A decent sampling of: Bluegrass, Contemporary Country, Americana, Psychedelic Folk

2022 was the year that I finally got into Big Thief. I mean, it was pretty hard to ignore the band when this record completely skyrocketed their critical status.

For those not in-the-know, Big Thief are an indie folk rock band from Brooklyn, NY, fronted by Adrianne Lenker. The band signed to the legendary 4AD label in 2019, and released not one but two notably acclaimed albums that year.

Having only previously heard Big Thief’s 2016 debut Masterpiece (which I only checked out earlier this year), I may lack some of the context that brought the band to this exact moment.

But what I have noticed over the years, as any indie nerd who’s been paying attention, is that Big Thief have been steadily growing into of the biggest names in indie music over the last decade, culminating in 2022 with this exalted eighty minute double LP. Seriously, I don’t think I can overstate the reception that this record has received, especially for being a happy folk album in the year of 2022.

Indeed, Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You is an enchanting country folk rock record, filled to the brim with simple fond feelings, and marked by the same overjoyous Appalachian Pastoral aesthetics that can only otherwise be found in American children’s books that depict the lives of animal characters living in small rural hamlets. There is a warm beating heart at the center of every song on this record, and it’s the kind and innocent heart of a small child.

The first major highlight off the record is “Time Escaping”, a piece of very oddly plucked guitar work that is essentially as much of a Radiohead song as it is a folk song, with its flexible, winding riffs weaving the song into a sort of musical wicker basket.

“Spud Infinity” is a charming, bouncy bit of neo-traditional bluegrass with violin, banjo, and jaw harp. This song in particular emphasizes the delicate yodel-esque qualities of Lenker’s vocals, reminiscent of the voice of a very caring aunt who lives on a farm in the valley.

The aptly titled “Little Things” is a warm kiss on the cheek, the smell of fresh apple cinnamon pie in the oven, and everything tender about visiting your grandparents in the countryside as a child. This perpetually sunny, distorted folksy indie rock powerhouse is my favourite cut off the album. It encompasses the best feeling of a familiar love, extended over the course of five and a half minutes of gleaming guitars.

"Dried Roses” is a simple but eloquent folk tune about love and loss. I imagine gently laying down to bed in a creaky old country home on a cool summer night. An excellent example of the same kind of simple but masterful songwriting that makes classic singer/songwriter folk from the 60s and 70s so beloved.

“Simulation Swarm” is the ultimate tearjerker of the album, and ostensibly a lot of peoples’ favourite track on the record. The song tenderly addresses many of the traumas of Lenker’s life over the years, from childhood to adulthood. Yet despite its subject matter, the track plays as an upbeat, solacing folk rock ballad, as if serving to wash away the pains of the past, and dry the tears of the present.

The album closes on the easy-going country of “Blue Lightning”, a song broadly about friendship and living your life to the most. It’s a fitting end to an album that largely celebrates kindness, warmth, and childhood. I’m a particularly big fan of the lyric “I wanna be the vapor gets you high”.

Now I will start this section off by saying that I am genuinely happy to see such positive music top the year end lists of so many music publications and music nerds alike, especially when the cultural climate of western media over the last two years tends to outright reject this sort of thing.

But admittedly, I don’t think I loved this record precisely as much as a massive portion of the dedicated indie-music-listening-population did. I mean obviously I still like it quite a lot for it to have ended up at my #9 spot, but I feel like I’m a little more critical of some the moments that felt like filler to me. But most notably, “Wake Me Up To Drive” is a significant drop in quality from the rest of the music on this record. I just kinda wish it wasn’t there at all; it feels so bored and one-note compared to everything else.

That being said, I can still get behind a lot (if not all) of the hype for this record. Dragon New Warm Mountain is certainly one of the most ambitious and immersive folk records to have emerged over the last decade, and it will definitely go on to be seen as a landmark release for indie music in the 2020s. If you’ve had a rough year, then there’s a decent chance that this one will warm your heart, even if only just a little bit.

8/10

Highlights: “Little Things”, “Dried Roses”, “Spud Infinity”, “Simulation Swarm”, “Blue Lightning”, “Time Escaping”, “Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You”

[thegreatyin]

That fish was a legendary fish! If the fish icon looks a little different like a gold ring or hook on it (idk what it is) then its one of the 5 legendary fish! Super hard to catch but very cool :)

:0

so they do exist

[versadies]

UR HOUSEHUSBAND AU IS SO GOOD omg theyre so cute. ik he's not out yet but itto househusband LOL? wince hes like a gang leader in canon. i dont think he knows how to run a house at all but i bet he would 100% drop out of his gang w/o warning to stay w his spouse and commit to becoming the best housespouse possible (winning the competition of making lunch lol)

itto as an ex-yakuza househusband !

i sincerely apologize for doing this so late ✋😭 i wanted to posted this earlier than this but i wanted to wait until itto officially comes out so that i can write him accurately 👽👽 on the bright side, im glad you love my take on the way of the househusband au ! i hope this is to ur liking :>>>

content: based on the way of the househusband, fluff/no-angst, yakuza!au, househusband!itto, gn!reader, mild swearing

the way of the househusband masterlist | tevyat’s penpal service masterlist

if scaramouche is the first person that everyone doesn’t expect to become a househusband, then itto is definitely the second.

after spending almost 3 years with you, the CEO of a certain popular game that itto loves, the man didn’t hesitate to dance around the topic of marrying you and retire from his current line of work.

it honestly displeases the white haired man that he has to leave his dear comrades — who were more than supportive for their boss when he confessed that he wants to retire and settle down with you — but it’s true that nothing gives him life more than spending time with the love of his life.

when everyone from the organization fully supported itto’s decision and are willing to retire from the arataki organization as well to live their own lives, it was enough for the man to gain the confidence and freedom to propose you.

funny enough, you proposed to him at the same time as he, who was more than happy that you too want the same thing.

which led you both to where you are now, living in the countryside where itto gets to fulfill the last thing on his bucket list: raising cows and spending the rest of his life with his lover after your wedding.

itto as a househusband isn’t actually that bad, much to your relief.

i honestly see itto being at least decent at cleaning for the sake of taking care of his grandmother, so cooking and cleaning are nothing itto can’t handle. his ramens are to die for ! and the way he decorates his meals for you are… unique to say the least.

“why does it look like your food went on a war?” one of your colleagues would point out. it’s getting annoying to hear the same thing over and over, but it’s the thought that counts right? itto worked hard on it after all!

it’s not much but it’s honest work, you thought to yourself with a smile, taking a bite of your husband’s meal happily without any care as you remember how he often said that he’s the best person to make meals, especially the inazuma-kind.

meanwhile, your husband is suffering from laundry.

it’s his biggest enemy now, itto declared. their battles will be legendary!

it was legendary indeed.

“sunshine, why can’t this darn machine do anything?! i did everything you told me to and it didn’t do anything at all :((” he asks you, watching as you examine the washing machine with a pout.

“…itto, you forgot to plug in the machine.”

“:0”

it was honestly endearing to see itto taking care of the animals of your farm, especially when it comes to the cows. just watching him interact with the cows as if they’re his gang made you grin.

“you should meet my spouse, they’re the most awesome person i’ve ever met!!” he exclaims to “ushi” with a toothy grin. “you’ll definitely like them, but don’t steal them away from me alright? i won’t forgive you >:((”

“moo.”

“that’s what i thought :DD”

-

“heyy susan, looking rad as always i see!” he greets one of the cows as he places down the buckets he was carrying all the way from the farmhouse. “if you can, could you let me have your milk?”

“moo.”

“aw yeah!! i knew i’d like you!”

not only does he get along with cows, but he had also got along with many people who also live around the area - especially to kids.

you honestly don’t know how he does it, but he managed to let the whole village know him in just one week in a way that the city he resided in didn’t.

instead of feared comments and hushed whispers of how itto isn’t to be messed with, the people in the village would praise him as though he’s a kid that received a scholarship from a big private school.

“mister arataki is surely such a helpful man for old women like me and my dear friends,” an old woman said to you as the both of you stroll around the village. “you’re one lucky person. he’s a keeper!”

“ohh, you’re mister arataki’s spouse?” the sheriff asks when you visited the police station. “he’s alright, i’d say! he helped us out in looking for a thief that’s been lurking around the village. if it weren’t for him chasing after that fella, we would’ve not been able to catch him.”

kids would even sometimes visit your home just to hang out with itto and the animals. it’s honestly a relief to you that no one was against him or even scared of him.

shopping is also no problem for itto, except for the fact that there’s a possibility that he’ll come across to beans and get an allergy reaction - so you’re very much required to come with him in case that happens.

when it comes to spending time on his own while waiting for you, itto would usually explore around the village to help people when he can or busies himself with the animals in his farm after cleaning the entire house. although it’s fun, it didn’t mean that the ex-yakuza doesn’t miss you.

if need be, he’ll even video-chat with you! though, it’ll make him miss you more by the time the video-chat ends :(((

sometimes whenever you come home, you’d spot itto sitting by the porch of your farmhouse waiting for you as he plays his harmonica — wait he’s playing the harmonica with his nose?!

now that he’s living in the countryside with you, it’s rare for him to encounter anyone from yakuza organizations that he’s familiar of.

that is, unless a person is actually purposefully trying to find him.

there’s not one person from other organizations who wasn’t shocked when they find out that the leader of one of the most powerful yakuza organizations has retired so suddenly and so early. just what made this man retire without question?

kujou sara wanted to find this out herself.

despite claiming that she had no care about the retirement, the woman was honestly curious to know what made the ever so competitive man to suddenly quit. could there be an opponent that’ll come for her next and make her retire?

for someone who’s reckless, itto was surprisingly difficult to find. but not difficult enough to make it look like he vanished from the world, fortunately.

as soon as her underlings finally found the ex-yakuza’s hideout, sara did not hesitate to head out to her car and demand her driver to go to the location. she can deal with other matters later, she just wants to get rid of the burdening thoughts about a possible opponent!

she expected the hideout to be a luxurious building with itto staying in the penthouse just like any other yakuza bosses’ locations - but she never expected a… farmhouse?

“…are you sure we’re in the right location?” sara asks her driver, who stammers out a response.

“y-yes madam kujou. this is where the person you’re looking for is hiding - shall i bring out your weapon?”

before sara could reply, another voice was heard.

“…may i help you, ma’am?”

the woman looks at her side with her hand lying on top of her gun, ready to bring it out and shoot the opponent, only to see a person standing in front of her with a confused look.

“do you uh, live here?” she asks, her hand moving away from her gun once she realizes that you’re not a threat.

“yes, is there something wrong?”

before the woman could say anything else, she heard a sound of a door opening, followed by a very familiar voice.

“bugaboo is that you? did you come home early?”

no way. sara raises an eyebrow at the sight of her supposedly rival wearing a pink apron around his muscular body alongside a knitted sweater instead of the usual unfixed suit that showed off his “battle” scars.

he retired for this shit?

it didn’t take long before itto realizes that he has a visitor, eyes widening when he sees his rival standing by the entrance with a scary look on her face.

“oh kujou sara,” he greets, grinning. “i see you’ve come all this way to see me. did you finally admit to surrender and admit that i’m the number one yakuza boss of inazuma city?”

“did you really think i’d do that?” she asks, eyes narrowed. “i’m only here because i want an explanation from you, why the hell did you suddenly retire out of nowhere?”

the man looks unphased by her reason, still grinning. “that’s all? man, i expected something else.”

“just cut to the topic,” sara demands.

“alright alright! sheesh it was just a comment,” itto said, raising both his arms up in surrender. “i only retired because i want to spend time with my spouse, that’s all. there’s no other reason besides that.”

“…and?”

“what do you mean?”

“there’s no opponent? no serious matters? no running away from debts?” sara clarifies. there’s no way he’d give all of his hard work on the organization just to spend time with his lover!

“oh i’ve already settled with all of my debts alongside with those that are in debt from my organization, so everything’s alright for me to retire.” itto said with a shrug. “and no. i couldn’t possibly retire because of an opponent! that’s not what i’d do.”

“besides, i already like staying here with y/n so i have no reason to come back to the city besides checking in on my gang. i can’t just destroy my precious title as the number one househusband now, can’t i?”

[tanoraqui]

ficlet scrap of Song:

After three children of his own blood, dozens more fostered or at least uncled, and two Ages of ruling or helping rule a great many elves who veered sharply between utmost and absolutely no respect at all for things like “the privilege of rank”, Elrond was no stranger to having his door unexpectedly slammed open by someone fervently shouting his name.

He hadn’t quite expected it of the just-appointed, still-healing Steward of Gondor, who’d thus far seemed to be notably circumspect for his young age. But here Faramir son of Denethor stood, wide-eyed and several hairs flying out of place, panting as though he’d just sprinted up the stairs. (Elrond frowned. That wasn’t healthy yet—the effects of the Black Breath lingered; Faramir was pale, sweat beading on his brow.)

“You’re taking your library?” Faramir cried, loudly enough to echo throughout the Tower of Guard’s royal guest quarters. “The Library of Imladris, legendary greatest, most comprehensive collection in the world of the history of Middle Earth and all its people?! Is it true— Ar— The Queen said, Lord Elrond, is it true that not only do you mean to sail West soon, but when you do, you will take the whole Library with you?! Ai, why did I let Boromir take my place!”

He was distraught in the utmost, betrayed, alarmed, disappointed and aggrieved as though the Black Tower had risen again overnight and resumed belching fumes.

“I had planned to,” Elrond admitted, as he took the pale, panting young man by the arm and led him to a seat. “It has long been my thought that I collected the records of Middle Earth for my kin across the sea as much as for any in these mortal lands, that they might know what had passed here, deeds great and small alike. Copies have been made and shared over the years of many of the tomes, but usually just of the more exciting ones—the histories of wars and such. I will not say I have not grieved that, say, the farming records of Imladris or a traveller’s account of Umbar from the reign of Eärnur are less requested by scholars—though I myself have grown weary of the farming records at times! But this is a new Age—”

“Not so new!” Faramir interrupted him with a shout (though he did let himself be seated). “Forgive me, but not so new that we need not care for the past—indeed, now we need its wisdom more than ever! If that is the sort of scholars you have in the north, alas that you didn’t come south sooner!”

“I see that now!” Elrond said, and tried not to laugh in either amusement or affectionate academic fellowship, lest he cause offense. “Well, I assure you that I don’t mean to sail tomorrow, nor this next year—though I cannot say how long I will tarry beyond that. But I will gladly pack Imladris’s library last, and until the last scroll is gone, it shall be open to all those who wish to learn, or to copy what they can. Perhaps even after I’ve left—there are those who will sail later still, whom I’m sure can be borne upon to ferry a few last books.”

“My lord, I myself—augh, but there is so much to do here!”

Faramir rubbed his face, then gripped Elrond’s arm and swore with such intensity that there might’ve been the light of ancient Trees in his grey eyes.

“I will have 20 of Minas Tirith’s finest scribes at your doorstep as quickly as horses can bear them, and 30 more the week after that, if you will house them all. Or if you won’t—I know people, I’ve studied with them, from Minas Tirith, Dol Amroth, Lebennin and Lamedon and all the fiefs. For this, the scholars of Gondor will camp in the woods!”

[also on AO3]

[adobe-outdesign]

Pokemon Worldbuilding Headcanons, Part 2

Part 2 of this. Some are based on the game, some on the anime, and some directly contradict both because the Pokemon lore is made up and your feelings don’t matter.

Intelligence

Pokemon are generally sentient and sapient, and most have strong cognitive abilities.

They don’t know the names of their moves innately, but will quickly learn what words correlate to what moves once they’ve started training.

They’re also quite good at picking up tone of voice and will learn their trainer’s body language as they work together, making it relatively easy for trainers to understand their Pokemon and vice versa.

Some Pokemon can learn to speak English if they have vocal cords capable of mimicking human speech, but this isn’t common. More commonly, many psychic types can communicate with telepathy, and many Pokemon can learn sign language.

There are many Pokemon-specific types of sign language that have been modified to accommodate for different numbers of fingers.

Pokemon therapists (therapists that help Pokemon, not Pokemon that are therapists) exist. In addition to helping with human-Pokemon relations (like helping trainers better understand their Pokemon), they also help Pokemon recover from mental trauma and help diagnose various mental illnesses. They usually work with translators.

Occasionally, a psychic human will be able to understand Pokemon via a specific type of telepathy. They commonly work as professional translators, and will commonly pick up jobs as nurses, therapists, rehabilitators, and more.

Highly intelligent Pokemon will occasionally become Pokemon trainers themselves--there’s no laws against it, though many object to it on principle.

A famous example was an Alakazam that eventually got fed up with its abusive trainer and, realizing no trainer could ever be smarter than them, became a trainer themselves. They eventually made it to gym leader status.

Some intelligent Pokemon form their own mini-societies out in the wilderness. These are designated as no-catch zones, though the Pokemon that live there can always choose to leave if they want to find a trainer to partner with.

Pokemon Centers

Pokemon nurses work at Pokemon Centers. They deal with day-to-day healings, checkups, and other small medical issues. More serious issues are handled by Pokemon doctors at hospitals.

Pokemon nurses treat all species of Pokemon, as they know some degree of standard medical care that’s near-universal.

Pokemon doctors, meanwhile, are trained in specific types and phylogenies, making them experts but only for a small amount of Pokemon.

Pokemon can instantly be teleported to various hospitals for treatment if the issue is too severe or specific for the Center to treat. Pokemon that know teleport are used to move medicine and Pokemon that won’t go in Pokeballs. 

Pokemon can be instantly healed by adding small amounts of energy to them while they’re in their Pokeballs, which helps them recover from minor injuries such as cuts, bruises, small burns, ect.

This process does not help heal severe injuries (illness, broken bones, internal issues, ect.). Instead, these injuries are treated over time using more traditional methods.

Sleep powder is used on Pokemon when they first are released inside of the center/hospital, so nurses/doctors don’t have to worry about getting attacked while looking them over. (Pokemon that are immune to sleep powder are usually paralyzed with stun spore or have disable used on them instead, depending on what needs to be done.)

Pokeballs can be life-saving, as the Pokemon’s energy form means that while it can still become weak and faint, it won’t take severe bodily damage from injuries. This gives trainers more time to get their Pokemon to a medical center and the doctors more time to prepare treatments.

Pokerus is a mutualistic virus; the virus lives in the body and produces energy as a waste product, which is then absorbed by Pokemon. This has a lot of positive health benefits for them, such as faster evolution rates. The only effects are mild fever and cough, which go away as the virus becomes dormant after about 4 days.

However, the reason people don’t actively try to spread it around constantly is that Pokerus can spread to humans, and the effects are much more dangerous than in Pokemon (with no additional benefits to boot). Ergo, most Pokemon that catch it are quarantined, and many trainers get Pokerus vaccinations to be safe. 

Tech

Cars exist, but aren’t used often as many Pokemon view them as threats and will attack them on sight. They’re not really commercially viable anyway when you can just saddle up a large Pokemon you caught instead.

Pokeballs have trackers built into them, so they can be easily relocated if lost. Most Pokemon Centers will have at least one Pokemon that knows teleport that can retrieve the ball as well.

Pokemon Storage Systems are relatively new. They work by teleporting a Pokeball into a large designated storage space, usually a warehouse or an underground area. When a person’s license is scanned, a machine finds and teleports back the Pokeball based on an automated grid system.

The warehouses are heavily guarded at all times, and because the contents of the Pokeballs aren’t labeled poachers are usually deterred from trying to steal from them directly.

The trays that the balls are stored in are known as “boxes”, hence why its referred to as “boxing your Pokemon”.

The energy of a Pokemon is slowed when in storage, effectively putting them to sleep. This allows them to remain in their Pokeballs for longer periods of time. Legally, Pokemon cannot be stored for more than a month for their well-being.

TMs are CDs that are inserted into a cube-like device that the Pokeball is then placed into. These change the simulation inside a Pokeball, creating scenarios that help the Pokemon to learn the new move. They work most of the time, but there’s no guarantee that your Pokemon will figure it out.

Teleportation technology is still being developed. Small objects can be teleported effortlessly; teleportation of living creatures and larger objects is a more recent, hence why warp tiles aren’t used everywhere.

Teleportation was figured out by studying psychic-types who know the move. Catching or renting a psychic-type is still one of the fastest ways to get around.

Food

People used to hunt Pokemon a few thousand years ago out of necessity, though they stuck to common, lower-intelligence Pokemon like Margikarp and Farfetch'd (which is how they became rare). However, this has fallen out of practice over time as humans and Pokemon have gotten closer.

There are many ways to ethically source meat and dairy products. Miltank produce milk, Chansey produce infertile eggs, and Slowpoke and Crabrawler naturally drop and regenerate body parts that can be farmed without harming them (tails and claws, respectively). Other than that, humans rely on plant-based food/synthetic meat in order to get by.

Carnivore Pokemon will hunt and kill other Pokemon in the wild; in captivity, they eat the aforementioned ethically sourced meat.

Pokemon don’t really have “hunting instincts”, in the sense that they won’t blindly maim other prey Pokemon. Indeed, Pokemon in captivity understand that their trainers will feed them, and thus won’t risk harming other Pokemon less they get attacked themselves.

With that said, it’s generally recommended to not put your Corsola and Mareanie on the same team, solely because there’ll likely always be tension between two rival Pokemon and they’re unlikely to get along (though predator/prey friendships aren’t unheard of).

Some intelligent Pokemon have been known to farm both plants and other Pokemon out in the wild, in order to have a continuous food source.

Intelligent Pokemon also understand how to cook and mix ingredients. There are quite a few commonplace recipes in the Pokemon world that originated from Pokemon themselves.

Laws and Regulations

It is illegal to catch immature baby Pokemon, as they’re still too young to leave their parents at that stage (so you couldn’t catch a one-tailed baby Vulpix, for example).

Vintage Pokeballs have to be retrofitted with modern tech. This is because modern tech has things like the aforementioned tracking devices that make them safer to use.

Rare species of Pokemon, legendaries, and shinies are frequently moved onto preserves for protection against poachers. While people are welcome to visit these spaces, they are no-catch zones and rangers enforce this law strictly.

There are several different types of Pokemon licenses, with varying difficulties in obtaining them.

The default licenses can be obtained by anyone 8 years or older, and allows for Pokemon to live in a domestic setting. This requires passing a variety of tests covering basic Pokemon laws and welfare, and is easy to obtain.

Trainer licenses (10+ years) allow for Pokemon to be battled with, entered in contests, ect. This requires having a default license, passing a test regarding safe battling methods, and passing a test battle with a rental Pokemon (doesn’t matter if you win; it’s more about technique, caring for the Pokemon, ect.)

It is only legal to batte without a trainer license if it’s an act of self-defense.

There are also separate licenses for medical and commercial use of Pokemon. These are only obtainable by adults and regulated by the government.

Technically speaking, there’s a permit needed in order to ride Pokemon to make sure that traffic laws are obeyed. Few people with rideable Pokemon actually bother getting one however.

Licenses can be revoked for a number of reasons. Whether or not a licenses is revoked is determined by the local authorities or a judge, if necessary.

Guns and weaponry technically exist, but are almost never used. The reason for this is that a bullet is highly unlikely to kill any given Pokemon, and that Pokemon can and will outright kill someone if they harm their trainer. Ergo, it’s easier to just battle and knock out a person’s Pokemon legally in a battle.

Pokemon that commit crimes are usually judged based on whether or not they were acting of their own accord or being psychology manipulated or abused into performing the act. Most Pokemon are put into rehabilitation programs and may be rehomed or released if the rehab is successful.

If it’s not sucessful, the Pokemon has a tracker placed on them and they’re released into private, sanctioned-off wild areas where they can’t hurt other Pokemon or people.

Wild areas have official ratings regarding how dangerous they are to be in, which is based on factors like the kind of wild Pokemon living there. This helps trainers pick out areas that are relatively safe for catching (or not, if they’ve got a strong team already and want something more powerful).

Funerals

A Pokemon’s body deteriorates into energy after 1-2 weeks or so, depending on size.

There are a variety of funeral options for a deceased Pokemon. Funeral services are almost always a given, which can be small ceremonies for friends or larger events for more well-known Pokemon (such as those belonging to gym leaders). Burials, cremations, and more are all options.

One option that’s been rising in popularity is to return the Pokemon’s body to their Pokeball, then breaking the capture mechanism to prevent stealing of higher-end balls. The Pokeball is then placed on a pillow in a “cubby” with a glass door, which can be filled with belongings, favored items, or photographs.

The Pokeballs can be kept as-is, polished and shined to look like new, or even decorated in things like gold leaf, depending on the trainer’s preferences.

A Pokemon can only stay in its ball for 1-3 years straight without eventually dying from energy atrophy (thankfully, this is painless). Because Pokemon can leave their balls whenever they want, deaths like this are virtually unheard of.

Ghost-type Pokemon can sometimes be spirits of the deceased (both humans and Pokemon), but they can also be just random collections of energy. There are also regular ghosts, which are different from ghost-types and cannot be caught.

Catching ghost-types is illegal around most burial grounds, as many of them are just visiting their former trainers as they come by to mourn.

Pokemon that are ghosts retain their memories of their past lives, and can still use attacks that they knew previously.

Ghost-types don’t usually remember their previous lives, but it isn’t unheard of for them to remember one or two former attacks despite this. This means that ghost-types can potentially know any type of attack outside of the ones they know naturally or learn from TMs.