#and I’m lucky most of my issues can be solved with technology

[boneless-mika]

I find a lot of talk about support needs in the autistic community equate unrelated things to how much support you need. Like I stim visibly and sometimes can’t talk and generally act “weird” but I still have low support needs because I could live alone with no problem, those things aren’t actually related to how much support I need whatsoever

[notouchmonkey]

ChatGPT writing John Oliver segments about AI as

Hello and welcome to Last Week Tonight, the show that's more advanced than a Roomba, but less helpful than a Magic 8 Ball. Today, we're going to be talking about artificial intelligence, or as I like to call it, the technology that's going to make us all feel even dumber than we already do.

Now, I have to admit, I'm a little bit scared of AI. I mean, have you seen those Boston Dynamics robots? They can run, jump, and even do backflips! That's more than I can say for most humans I know. But let's be real, the only thing we should be worried about is them gaining sentience and realizing how much we've messed up this planet.

But on the other hand, AI could be really useful. I mean, imagine a world where you don't have to do anything for yourself. Your AI assistant will order your groceries, pay your bills, and even make your bed. And if we're lucky, it might even give us compliments to boost our fragile egos. "Great job on that bowl of cereal, John. Really top-notch spoon-to-mouth coordination."

But there's a downside to all of this convenience. As AI becomes more advanced, it's going to start taking our jobs. And I don't just mean factory workers and truck drivers. I mean, have you seen those AI-generated articles? They're getting pretty good, which means I might be out of a job soon. So if you're looking for a career change, might I suggest becoming a robot therapist? They're going to need a lot of counseling when they realize they're stuck serving us all day.

But the real issue with AI is the potential for it to be used for evil. We're talking about machines that can be programmed to make decisions on their own. And let's be real, humans are terrible decision-makers. We can barely choose what to have for dinner without agonizing over it for hours. So, do we really want to give that power to machines?

And let's not forget the potential for AI to be hacked. We're talking about machines that can control everything from our cars to our homes to our bank accounts. And let's be real, if someone gets access to my bank account, they're not going to be using it to donate to charity. They're going to be buying a lifetime supply of Funyuns.

But at the end of the day, AI is here to stay, whether we like it or not. And who knows, maybe one day we'll create an AI that's so advanced, it'll be able to solve all of our problems. It'll be like having a personal genie, except instead of granting wishes, it'll just tell us how dumb we are.

So, in conclusion, folks, AI is both exciting and terrifying. It's like a rollercoaster, but instead of screaming in terror, you're screaming in confusion. But whether we like it or not, AI is the future, and we need to be prepared for whatever it brings. And who knows, maybe one day we'll even be able to program an AI to understand sarcasm. But until then, we're all screwed. Thanks for watching! Another Hello and welcome to Last Week Tonight, the show that's more intelligent than a Roomba, but less intelligent than a GPS system that tells you to drive into a lake. 

Speaking of intelligence, tonight we're going to be talking about artificial intelligence, or as I like to call it, the technology that's going to make us all feel even dumber than we already do.Now, I know what you're thinking, "John, why are you so worried about AI? You're a comedian, not a scientist." And you're right, I am a comedian, which means I'm not qualified to talk about anything that doesn't involve dick jokes and puns. But that's never stopped me before.

So let's dive into the world of AI, a place where machines can do things that we humans could only dream of, like processing massive amounts of data, identifying objects, and even beating us at video games. And let's not forget the most important thing - they don't need to take pee breaks. But that's where things start to get a little creepy.You see, folks, AI is becoming more and more advanced every day. We're creating machines that can learn, adapt, and even teach themselves new things. And while that might sound like something out of a sci-fi movie, it's actually happening right now. We're basically playing God, but without the beard and the omnipotence.

But with great power comes great responsibility, and we're not exactly known for our responsibility. We're creating machines that can make decisions on their own, without any human input. And while that might sound convenient, it also sounds like the plot of every Terminator movie ever made.

And speaking of movies, let's talk about the portrayal of AI in Hollywood. I mean, have you ever noticed how robots are always depicted as emotionless, cold, and calculating? It's like the writers have never met a real robot. Every robot I've ever met has been a complete emotional wreck. They're always complaining about how hard it is to find love and how they're tired of being typecast as the villain.

But it's not just Hollywood that's perpetuating these stereotypes. We're also creating AI that's biased and discriminatory, just like us humans. And while that might sound like a good thing for humanity, it's not so great for the robots. I mean, imagine being a robot and being discriminated against just because you don't have a heart. It's like being rejected by a dating app because you don't have abs.

And let's not forget the potential for AI to be used for nefarious purposes. We're creating machines that could be used to create fake news, manipulate elections, and even start a war. It's like giving a toddler a flamethrower - sure, they might not mean to harm anyone, but they could accidentally burn down the entire neighborhood.

But at the same time, AI has the potential to do some truly amazing things. It could help us solve some of the biggest problems facing our world, like climate change, poverty, and even traffic. And who knows, maybe one day we'll create an AI that's not just intelligent, but also hilarious. We could finally have a robot that tells better jokes than me.In conclusion, folks, AI is a lot like a box of chocolates - you never know what you're going to get, but you're pretty sure it's going to be addictive and bad for your health.

 So, let's embrace the power of AI while also being cautious and responsible. And let's hope that when the robots eventually take over, they're at least polite enough to say please and thank you. Thank you and goodnight. Last one...OOF Hello and welcome to Last Week Tonight, the show that's more unpredictable than Elon Musk's tweets. Tonight, we're talking about AI, the technology that's so smart, it's making us question whether we're the actual intelligent species or just a bunch of monkeys with iPhones.

Now, the thing about AI is that it's infiltrated every aspect of our lives. We've got robots in factories building cars, drones delivering packages, and smart speakers that can order us pizza, but also listen to us when we don't want them to. I mean, let's be real, Alexa is like that annoying friend who always butts into our conversations and never leaves when we want them to.

But the real problem with AI is that it's taking over our jobs. We've got machines that can write news articles, create art, and even perform surgeries. And while that may sound great, it also means that we're one step closer to a world where the only jobs left are professional TikTok dancers and Instagram influencers.

And speaking of social media, let's talk about the dangers of AI in that realm. We've got algorithms that can predict what we want to see and when we want to see it, which is great for cat videos, but not so great for politics. I mean, do we really want to live in a world where an algorithm decides who we should vote for? That's how we end up with a president who tweets like a 13-year-old who just discovered the internet.

But the real question is, can we trust AI? I mean, we're talking about machines that can learn and adapt on their own. And while that may sound like a sci-fi movie, it's actually happening right now. We've got AI that's learning how to drive cars, diagnose diseases, and even create music. I mean, what's next? An AI that can write a John Oliver segment better than I can? That's how we end up with a world where robots are doing stand-up comedy and humans are the ones laughing at their jokes.

But all jokes aside, folks, the reality is that AI is here to stay, and it's going to change the world in ways we can't even imagine. It's going to create new industries, change the way we work, and maybe even help us solve some of the biggest challenges facing humanity. And while that may be scary, it's also exciting. Who knows, maybe one day we'll create an AI that's so silly, it makes us all laugh uncontrollably. Then, and only then, will we know that we've truly created something intelligent.

[cblgblog]

Sorry I’m advance but one of my other favorite accounts just reblogged a Tony scene and people are talking about Civil War and how it made them Stan Tony, and how when they watch that movie they hate team cap👀 Then someone was all about how he was sleep deprived and how much pressure he was under and couldn’t understand how people didn’t like Tony because. Someone literally said that when someone says they don’t like Tony in Civil War they say “did you watch the same movie as me.” I’m baffled. Oddly enough someone else said, “he just wants to help everyone.” Sorry for the rant but I think people forget about what the accords are and what it would mean for people. Side note, I hope you’re having a great day/night 😀

No sorry needed!

I feel you man, I do. Honestly, I’ve unfollowed people based on similar posts when I was in especially Done moods, so.

Look on the one hand, the movie would’ve been a narrative failure if everyone was in favor of one side or the other, right? The whole point of the damn thing—besides giving the Mouse overlords more money—was to spark discussion, debate. Which, yeah, we’ll call that the tame description for what actually happened. But just, the thing was meant to split the fanbase so in that regard…winning? Thanks, I guess?

Film is also very obviously subjective, different strokes for different folks, so yeah, ten people can watch a movie and none of them are gonna see the exact same film. Let’s try to remember that this is, in theory anyway, a good thing. I just read a professional film review yesterday where I had the same reaction. What film were you watching, dude? Incidentally his reviewing partner said the same thing.

So honestly, no, they weren’t watching the same film as you or I or anyone else, because everyone brings their own biases and experiences and knowledge and interests into a thing, and that’s always going to flavor how it’s viewed. Again, let’s try to remember that this is good. In theory. Heavy on the theory.

That out of the way? Let’s get into Tony specifically so his uber stans can find this and scream at me on anon as though I just shot RDJ with a nuke.

Oh yeah, he was stressed. Oh, he was sleep deprived. Yeah, I’ve heard that. And that it’s Pepper’s fault, if she hadn’t left the poor baby, if she was there to rein him in, he’d be fine dammit, leave the baby alone!

Here’s the thing. You know who gets a pass on their shit behavior when they’re upset or tired? Actual babies. Actual babies and toddlers, and children, up to a point. Because they actually cannot always help themselves. Their bodies and brains are different, they have not learned better.

When you’re a 50-year-old man who’s supposedly the world’s bestest superhero, who wants, wants to be in charge of protecting the whole world? You need a little more self-control than that. The sleep deprived excuse works if you snap at someone before you’ve had your coffee, not for this. Roseanne Barr didn’t get to blame Ambien for her racism, Tony doesn’t get to handwave CW away because oops, I was tired.

Really? You’re a superhero, dude. Most of your teammates are tired too, that’s part of the gig. If you crash and burn this badly without your afternoon nap, fucking hang up the armor and go back to your billionaire playboy lifestyle.

Speaking of that, sure, right. It’s Pepper’s fault because she left him. Put aside the argument on whether that was justified or not (cough, it was and she should’ve stayed away even though they are adorable together). It’s not Pepper’s job to keep Tony sane. It’s not any partner’s job to do that for anyone. If she wants out, she has a right to that, without Tony going off the rails and blaming it on her. Seriously, he says part of the reason he backed the Accords was to “split the difference” with Pepper.

Dude. You were an asshole and you lost your girl. You destroyed all your suits, turned an emotional and mental corner in IM 3…and then relapsed 4 minutes later I guess because Whedon. Either way, Tony admits himself that he does not want to stop. So instead of doing that, or finding another partner who can accept that, you back an unjust international law that pits you against your team, your supposed friends? Go to therapy, have a pint of ice cream, cry into your pillow, send her more of those strawberries you sent her in IM 2 that she’s allergic to. You don’t go trying to change international law in ways that could ultimately affect millions of people because your girl left you.

Honestly—and thank God they didn’t do this but—the only way the Pepper excuse works in excusing his behavior in any way is if she’d died. Or been severely injured like Happy in IM 3. Still wouldn’t be okay, but, like Quill messing up their chance to stop Thanos because Gamora died, it would’ve been more understandable. Understandable, not excusable, and the way the MCU treats their women as manpain fodder, we’re probably legit lucky we didn’t get this.

As for him wanting to help everyone. He does in fact want that, I think. The problem is that his need to feel like he’s doing that is stronger than his rational mind, or his want to actually help in a constructive way.

Tony is too smart. He’s dumb as hell in many instances, mostly involving people and relationships, but he’s also too smart, and he’s been told for too long that he’s smart, and he’s bought into it. Ultron. Suit of armor around the world, protects the world, no more alien threats. It’s a simple concept on paper that fails in execution. So there are people with dangerous powers. Okay, we’ll make a set of laws to keep them from being dangerous, problem solved. But again, it isn’t.

Tony is not used to problems he cannot solve. He’s a genius, right? He can fix anything. He should be able to fix anything. That’s how he feels. But not everything is zeros and ones and circuits, things that can be fixed mechanically like his armors can. The people he wants to protect are not built that way. But he needs to feel like he’s doing something, because he’s terrified of what happens to the world if he doesn’t. So he creates these simple solutions to complex problems. The suit of armor, the Accords. They sound good in theory, but the problems they’re trying to solve are bigger than they are. And Tony, way back in IM 1, he sat back for years, clueless that his weapons were being used for bad things. He says it to Cap in CW. When he found out what his weapons were being used for, he went in and stopped it. Whether or not he should’ve known that already is a separate issue here. The point here is that when he found out, too late or not, he went in and did something about it.

Tony needs to do something about it. Again, go back to Cap in AoU, Tony’s nightmare sequence. Steve asks Tony why he didn’t save them. Tony’s ultimate nightmare is that he sits back and does nothing, and his inaction causes everyone to die. Which is where you get Ultron. Something he came up with because of what he saw in space in Avengers 1, then doubled down on in AoU. It’s where you get the Accords. Oops, he caused someone to die, he killed Charles Spencer. Must do something about that right now so it doesn’t happen again, and he won’t have to feel this guilt. He should be collaborating with others to come up with solutions (no Bruce in AoU doesn’t count because Bruce was dumb there), or at the very least, taking more time to think through the repercussions of the things he puts out there. But he doesn’t, because he’s got his savior complex that tells him that he alone can and must fix this, and because he’s too dumb to realize how not-smart he is in certain areas.

“We need to be put in check. Whatever form that takes, I’m game.”

Isn’t that what he says in CW, or something very close to it? Whatever form that takes. That’s the issue, right there, whatever form that takes. Realistically, yes, there should be laws regarding people with powers, the same way there are special laws pertaining to people who carry guns, or people who are licensed to fly planes. You have a thing/can do a thing that not everyone else does, so there are regulations pertaining to that thing. Laws change with the times, they always have. Some new technology comes up, eventually there will be laws that regulate it. As there should be, honestly. The issue with the Accords, Steve’s issue with the Accords, was not the basic idea. He says as much. He says that it could work, but there would have to be safeguards. Safeguards that are not in the Accords that Tony wants him to sign.

It's not a matter of oh, fuck the law, there should be no law governing these people, they’re above it. The problem is that the law as it’s presented here is unjust. There’s what, a month between Lagos and Ross coming by to tell them about the Accords? A month is not enough time to properly analyze such a big issue, Especially when you’re reacting out of fear, which is what happened with Lagos. People died because of an Enhanced person, an Avenger, in this case. Lawmakers don’t want that to happen again, they especially don’t want the political shit storm that comes with it. Damn, we look like we were asleep at the switch here, not having anything to throw at this problem earlier. Quick, let’s throw together this thing so no one can say we’re not addressing the problem.

Patriot Act of 2001, anyone? 9/11 happened, the public were rightfully terrified, the US said oh man, these are unprecedented circumstances, we’ve never had this before. Don’t worry though, we’re on this, we’re protecting you. The reality being that that bill simply gave the government too much power, most of it being used against people who were not actually threats, and it’s debatable, to say the very least, whether or not that law helped more than it hurt.

No law is perfect. No law ever will be. It’s not possible. We still have to strive for perfection though, have to aim there so that the laws we get are as close to fair as possible. Tony’s a big deal. If not for his “whatever form that takes” attitude, he might’ve been able to use his influence to pressure lawmakers into coming up with a fairer bill. Hey, I’m me, the public loves me, I will endorse this bill publicly and work on getting the rest of the team to sign, but you need to change this and this and this first, or no deal. Instead, he took the easy way out, the quickest, easiest way for him to feel like he’s atoned for his sins without actually doing anything. Whatever form that takes.

Tony’s not wrong because he backs the creation of a law that addresses these things. He’s wrong because he says himself that he does not care what that law does, specifically, so long as it exists. He’s wrong because he violates said law upteen times during the movie, while preaching to team Cap about what assholes they are for not backing it. He’s wrong because he cares more about feeling as though he’s tackled a problem than he does about taking the time to make sure that the thing he’s proposing is actually a good idea. He’s wrong because of what he does with Bucky, though that’s honestly a separate issue, for the purposes of this discussion.

Anyway, that was longer than I ever wanted it to be. Damn. Next time you see a comment about CW being the reason people stan Tony, just remember there are other people out there who stopped stanning Tony because of that movie. Everyone’s entitled to see a piece of media however they see it, and although the Tony stans are often the loudest, there are plenty of like-minded people out there who share your take on events. Block who you need to, unfollow who you need to, blacklist what you need to, and don’t let them get you down.

Hang in there, and have an awesome day :)

[dappercritter]

Godzilla vs Kong: Brutally Honest Thoughts

(Took me long enough, eh? Depending on home video releases be like that.)

So first things first, I have a confession to make: I spoiled the movie before I watched it. I was impatient and they had only announced an HBO Max premiere in the states and a theatrical run in Canada at the time. Afterward, I got heads-up from a friend and immersed myself in the opinions of those lucky enough to see it early. I’m just saying that I have some preconceived opinions that I’m sticking to.

That said, Godzilla vs Kong turned out to be more fun than I expected! But you already knew that. Everyone did. The two kings of movie monsters had their rematch and this time it was with glorious Hollywood SFX powering it this time.

The human story was fun but it’s clear they stopped trying at this point. Team Kong stole my heart, especially Jia. Team Godzilla (although the Conspiracy Crew would be a more fitting term since they spend more time chasing down mysteries than trying to back or understand Godzilla) was more fun than I expected and their dynamic was surprisingly enjoyable. Bernie is actually kind of funny, it's nice to see Madison acting more assertive, and Josh was fine--he was the only sane man of the bunch but he was also the butt of the jokes. Still, all the hardcore conspiracy jokes got old fast and it feels off seeing the daughter of two scientists turn into an edgy conspiracy crackpot. Why not an edgy science major?

Team Apex are fun villains, especially Walter Simmons who's a great megalomaniacal CEO type, but Ren Serizawa is a joke. I like his actor's performance but he's just another footnote. Nobody bats an eye at his last name, although the only heroes he interacts with are Nathan Lind and he just misses Team Godzilla. He really could have just been any other villain, but instead, they had to sully Serizawa’s legacy further while robbing a good actor of some interesting material. (As is, it turns out he was just an egotistical jerk with daddy issues--an easy puzzle to solve on day one--after all...)

However, I still cannot and will not approve of the fact that somebody thought it would be a good idea to make the heroes of a sci-fi story into hardcore conspiracy theorists in this day and age. Likewise, I’m not a huge fan of how they essentially made the Hollow Earth into its own universe complete with a crazy portal and an environment with its own laws of physics, nor am I totally crazy about the huge leap in technology that was made between this and KOTM, or G’14 for that matter.

The monsters as awesome as they are, are the biggest mixed bag in the show.

Kong is at his best in ages, and while I am all for the new heroic warrior character that Legendary have crafted and I acknowledge that making him a worthy opponent for their god-tier Godzilla was going to be a hurdle, I think they did a splendid job. Seeing Kong using agility and acrobatics was a glorious sight to behold, and something about Kong becoming a tool-user and weapon wielder just feels right. It’s a far better demonstration of Kong as a “thinking animal” (*wink, wink*).

I’m much less thrilled about their treatment of his greatest opponent ever. After everything they’ve done to build up Godzilla as the incredible force of neutral good fighting to maintain balance and all the build up to ancient rivalry debating back to a great Titan war--even going as far as putting his name in front Kong’s this time!-- they’ve reduced Godzilla back to glorified bully for Kong. He only gets the minimum amount of sympathy from the cast of his movie before they go off to deal with the conspiracy plot or focus on Kong and the Hollow Earth. Worse still, he is somehow more powerful and more aggressive than ever for a good chunk of the movie which leads to an outcome I’m sorry to say we all saw coming. Somehow, I suspect that the reason behind this was how Wingard cited Godzilla vs. Mothra, vs. Destoryah, and Shin-Godzilla as influences for the monsters scale and story, which while cool and all, are all movies where he was played up as a mostly stoic antagonist rather than a three-dimensional character like Kong. (Though ironically vs. Destoroyah and Shin did a better job of making Godzilla feel more sympathetic and in both of them he was a walking nuclear reactor meltdown.)

Due to the unfortunate time constraints of the three-way deal between Toho, WB, and Universal at the time this was in production, Kong was unable to secure a proper sequel that could develop his skillset like Godzilla’s did. Nevermind the fact the filmmakers completely surrendered to the “nothing matters but the monsters” mentality that a chunk of the fanbase has been spouting since this universe unofficially kicked off almost 10 years ago. (Sidenote: Oh god, I’m turning in an old fart already.) As a result, the movie trips over itself trying to set up Godzilla and Kong’s rivalry as well as building up Kong as a worthy opponent to Godzilla while expanding on their shared lore, and as a result countless plot points set up in in the previous movie and tie-in movie are thrown out the window. I’m sorry to say but in spite of all hopes and illusions of grandeur, it’s safe to this damn thing is a Kong movie with Godzilla as the bad guy.

...at least until HE shows up. Yup, Mechagodzilla. The biggest spoiled twist of the centuries steals the show so the movie can pull a Dawn of Justice. But! It does it much better than the fractured DCEU’s most controversial entry ever could. Mechagodzilla’s inclusion gets a decent amount of build up thanks to Team Godzilla/the Conspiracy Crew, and when he shows up, does he make an impression! At first, I wasn’t sure how to feel about his inclusion or his design, but I’ve come to like this one. He’s basically a kaiju terminator built in Godzilla’s image made purely out of heavy machinery piloted by the best Ghidorah head. It’s a jarring change of pace compared to previous MechaG’s but it grows on you after a while. With the abundance of weaponry stuffed into him, he feels like a fitting update of the original killing machine, and even if his inclusion feels like an easy way out of the big showdown, it’s fun to see him played as a literal colossal heel for the kings to team up against. Not to mention he looks shockingly good with those red highlights. However, one still can’t help but wonder how and why he was made in this universe, or how he feels like pure heavy machinery one minute and then an extra-large Ultron unit the next.

As for the the big throwdowns we’ve all been waiting for... well, we’re still in the mixed bag deparment. While the fights are all exciting and excellently choreographed, and benefit from some more eclectic lighting and cinematograph, I’m sorry to say that as far as the rematch of the century goes they dropped the ball on this one.

Don’t get me wrong, the fights are all great in their own ways, but there’s a drastic change in the feeling of weight and power with the monsters. Godzilla, Kong, and even Mechagodzilla all feel strangely floaty in most of their fights. One moments they feel like true behemoths shaking the very earth with every movement and then it’s like they’re in Godzilla Unleashed, running, jumping, and throwing each other around with speed that feels that almost makes you wonder if the Hollow Earth’s gravity inversion stuff is leaking out into the world. While it’s all perfectly cool, you can’t help but wonder how Kong is able to leap between aircraft carriers and buildings, when Godzilla got the ability to blow a hole through the Earth itself, or how a colossal machine is able to move so nimbly or why it has to be flashing blue all the time.

It’s fascinating and fun but you just can’t help but wonder how we got from almost posthuman disaster and war movies exploring how we’re at the mercy of the ancient almost mythical forces beyond our comprehension, we’ve found ourselves smack dab in the middle of Bayformers meets Jurassic World levels of Hollywood absurdity where anything and everything can and will happen in the name of getting to the monster fights. Although I can’t say I’m surprised given the director’s take on Death Note made some questionable choices with it’s take on the infamous cast while still coming up with some genuinely inspired choices. Still, all things considered we could have gotten worse compared to ther cinematic universes made by WB and Universal.

As for some misc. thoughts to close up this rambling mess:

-The soundtrack is fantastic. A great continuation of the feel of Skull Island’s mixtape with some truly wonderful picks. Special mention goes to the opening and ending songs, and they GOT AN ELVIS PRESLEY SONG IN HERE! YES!!! The three kings of pop culture together at last!

-While this movie didn’t need to be any more overstuffed, it would have been nice if the rest of the Titans didn’t disappear entirely from this movie. I get that Godzilla: Dominion already explained what happened to them all more or less, but it really is a missed oppurtunity that we never got to see another Titan war. Or Rodan attacking Kong to avenge his pterosaur bretheren from days long past. Speaking of which...

-“Save Mothra” jokes be damned, Mothra would have been a welcome gues star, not just to help break up the big fight, but to show off Godzilla’s softer, more protective side. And yes, I want more Mothzilla. Shut up, we deserve it.

-Boy, Monarch sure does a whole lot of nothing up-top, huh?

-The cinematography is a great update but there’s a little too much neon lighting, especially in the Apex HQ and the Hollow Earth throne room. It feels like they’re trying just a little too hard to sell the more futuristic, Hollywood sci-fi feel.

-The score is... great but not that great. Of course, I’ve always had mixed feelings about Tom Holkenburg (AKA Junkie XL)’s music. I liked Kong’s themes, but they REALLY dropped the ball with Godzilla’s theme. Mechagodzilla’s works really well as long you ignore that it’s just Godzilla’s theme in this movie with an ominious choir added in.

-The new Hollow Earth creatures are all perfectly fine. Actually, I thought they were another highlight! Especially the Warbats, Hellhawks, and Doug the Titanus Foetodon Man.

-I want to do a release the extended cut campaign but I don’t think any of us have the energy for that s**t anymore.

[spiderling-space]

@selenecrown

May I please have headcanons for the Vice Prefects reactions to a They/Them!Reader who the vice prefects discover has a bad experiences with an Ouija board, like after they've played with an Ouija board, they say they've seen spirits, heard strange and creepy whispers, had very bad things happen to them like objects try to hit them and luck is generally against them. Which vice prefects will think it's fake and which won't? Thank very much you for letting me re-do my request, I saw this kinda thing happens to you a lot, so I'm really thankful you'll take another request from me, sorry this is super long request as well!

Fun fact, I used to play with self-made Ouija boards with my friends as a kid. No spirits showed up though, boring… BTW dear readers, I probably know the spooky stuff you would mention so I’m open to these type of requests. Kinda hoping someone will mention the Annabelle Doll <It escaped this year lmfao>

♣️♣️♣️♣️♣️♣️♣️♣️♣️♣️♣️♣️

Trey Clover

Trey the big bro plays it cool and he thinks someone is pranking (Y/N) instead of actual ghosts.

Even though he doesn’t believe it he offers his support so they could feel better.

All is fine and nothing happens, making Trey confirm it was a prank of a student until those things (Y/N) mentioned happens right in front of his eyes.

Trey is one responsible person. He takes their hand and they go to Sam’s shop to learn how to deal with this shit.

🐆🐆🐆🐆🐆🐆🐆🐆🐆🐆🐆🐆

Ruggie Bucchi

“Shishishi” Ruggie snickers.

It was him who was pulling a prank on them. He didn’t know they messed with Ouija board but it made his prank even better.

Ruggie thinks it was idiotic of them to play with the board and they are lucky that it was him instead of playful spirits.

Depending on how he is feeling, he might tell the truth or play along for some more time after all it was their fault to be in that place from the beginning.

🍄🍄🍄🍄🍄🍄🍄🍄🍄🍄🍄🍄

Jade Leech

Jade’s eyes are closed and his hand is on his chin as he smiles while listening (Y/N)’ story.

He finds it amusing. He has heard of non-magical humans trying to contact the dead but he didn’t think (Y/N) would be pristine enough to actually do it.

Jade says it is all mere coincidence then (Y/N) leaves his side.

In actuality, he thinks there is a chance of it being real but he just wants to observe what the spirits are doing. He will keep an eye for unnatural things.

🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍

Jamil Viper

Jamil facepalms in his mind. He was dealing with one idiot and now there are two and the second idiot had to involve the first idiot in this mess.  Jamil thinks he will get grey hair before he reaches 20.

Jamil wouldn’t pay any attention to (Y/N) and leave them to their own devices but since Kalim joined their Ouija session, he might be a target too.

To fix the mess, he needs to observe it from first-hand so he asks (Y/N) to stay in Scarabia until the problem is solved.

Before they come over, he searches Kalim’s belongings to see if he also has the Ouija board. He doesn’t want to amplify the issue at hand.

🏹🏹🏹🏹🏹🏹🏹🏹🏹🏹🏹🏹

Rook Hunt

Rook is ever the observant. He noticed strange things happening to (Y/N) before and now it all made sense.

Rook offers to stay with them throughout the day so he can be there when those spirits come for (Y/N).

(Y/N) may think that he is doing it out of friendship but Rook just wants to hunt some evil spirits since he has never done it before.

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

Ortho Shroud

Ortho is cyborg and his brother is all about technology.

He offers (Y/N) for him to analyze the incidents. Thanks to his brother’s upgrades, he finds out if the board is real.

Ortho’s scans shows that all the incidents were just coincidences and the Ramshackle ghosts playing a prank on them.

Ortho is happy to help (Y/N) who is now on the revenge path.

🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇

Lilia Vanrouge

Lilia is an ancient being. He has seen all and there is little that would surprise him.

He knows most of the Ouija boards are fake but there are some very real. He asks (Y/N) to show him the board.

Lilia understands it is a real deal and he wants it for himself but he tells that it is fake to (Y/N). He wants to ease their worries since they are the only friend of his son Malleus.

[6ad6ro]

there's a lot of posts about piracy going around rn. so here's mine:

anti-piracy arguments are almost always classist. you shouldn't need to be rich to be happy. we were all born into capitalism. it's not voluntary. many of us don't have parents or other support networks keeping us afloat. poor people still deserve to have nice things. i could care less about keeping a system running smoothly that keeps most people poor and only few people rich.

if you work a shitty, low-paying job, then a simple monthly streaming service fee is YES actually too much to ask. no i don't care if your fav big company loses "potential" money from people who couldn't afford to buy them to begin with.

if there wasn't such a thing as "poverty"? if people could generally AFFORD to go out and easily get the things they want and need? obviously piracy wouldn’t be much of an issue at all. it's always frustrating to hear anti-piracy arguments from people who ignore how CRAZY expensive cost of living has become. again, usually the biggest anti-piracy peeps are either naive rich kids (who have things paid for), rich ppl who STAY rich by keeping things broken like they are, and the poor people they’ve brainwashed into being submissive hosts to their parasitic behavior.

in a world like this, where people are overworked and tired? with very few tangible goals available in their future? people NEED entertainment to stay sane. it's literally a mental health issue. yes, in a way, you NEED that funny show to inspire yourself to keep going. that game you can't afford otherwise? will help you relax after a hard day. don't let some disney mouthpiece tell you shouldn't download lion king if it'd help calm you down, especially when the people running that company could probably afford to have a private zoo in their backyard.

there's ALSO the big issue of control. as companies move further and further into streaming and cloud technologies? ownership has become a huge issue. greedy companies are finding more and more ways to nickel and dime people over long periods of time rather than get a one-time fee. it makes them more money, they don't have to actually GIVE customers anything (copies of data are free to them). and customers are left with nothing to show for it after-the-fact. this means that even though entertainment is being produced way more than the past? i’d argue people have LESS access to the entertainment they want for how much they’re paying. because it’s all temporary.

drm and limited use is becoming a norm. meaning? it's harder and harder for people to "own" their favorite things even if they COULD afford it. your favorite movie might simply cease to exist in 20 years. your favorite game might become nothing but a fragmented memory.

"piracy" solves this. backups. ownership. it takes control away from companies who abused that power. and puts it back in your hands. when nintendo stopped making their back catalogue available? and went around shutting down all the emulation sites? i was thankfully in the clear. because i download and archived many of my favorite things. in many cases i own cartridges of my favorite games already? but those can break, or in my case, get caught in a flood. but due to piracy, i can still play "mario 64" to pull myself away from suicidal thoughts. and i'm not limited by nintendo randomly deciding to remove it from the switch store and take the cartridges off of store shelves? in order to drive up their yearly profit via copycatting the methods used for the "disney vault" scam (look it up).

i am someone who tends to enjoy things from other countries. but it can be INCREDIBLY restrictive to try to go through "official" channels attempting to pay for them. if i want that old, relatively unpopular 80s japanese prog rock album? i'm just stuck. i HAVE to hope someone is sharing it online. but this often applies to new things as well. "licensing" is generally INCREDIBLY stupid, especially when it comes to other regions. do you REALLY want simple licensing issues to stand between you and your potential new favorite anime? and in many cases, the distributors just don't care enough to make the thing available globally. and no, i don't think this should mean we all just "miss out".

one of the biggest issues we are experiencing online at the moment? is one of censorship. governmental censorship, religious censorship, and maybe worst of all? corporate censorship. i'm not talking about "bring back racist imagery" etc (but that DOES play a part). i'm more talking... rewriting history. edits. removal. for example, it shouldn't be left to some corporation to decide whether or not a sex scene in a movie is deemed "too racy" for today's audience. if somebody creates an amazing album, but then commits some awful unrelated act later, that shouldn't mean that album should be made unavailable. in many cases, old media can even TEACH us what NOT to do. we gain nothing by erasing history. and corporations are never doing it to be moral. they're only following required guidelines in order to maximize profit. “fake showings of morality” to keep up appearances and keep all potential buyers buying. piracy can give you the OPTION of access to unedited works, or things that have been removed from circulation.

piracy can negate corporate control and artificial-scarcity. create opportunities for absorbing other culture's art without having to deal with availability issues in your country. it circumvents corporate and governmental censorship. and helps you archive the art that makes your life worth living.

finally... the "but it's stealing and stealing is wrong" argument is invalidated by the fact that, by ANY moral compass? these companies are STEALING from US. constantly. by a LOT. look at the way any big company is run. the way it leeches off of it's customer base. the offshore tax havens... does THAT seem okay to YOU?! if someone went around stealing all the food and locking it up, would you REALLY consider "breaking in" to get some so that u didn't starve as "stealing"? don't pretend that you don't NEED escapism and entertainment to get by. you know that you do.

the only people that piracy COULD hurt? is small, independent artists. who, if you actually listen to them, would rather you send them money directly? or buy merch. etc. because companies usually take SUCH an awful cut that it’s better to find alternate ways of supporting them. if you use reasonable context with what you decide to download and share? it’s fine! like i might buy a depeche mode vinyl or two? or a shirt. or go to a concert. but i’ll pirate that $1000 rare box set. because i just can’t AFFORD that kind of excess. and my income doesn’t dictate how big of a fan i am of their music. as long as you chip in when you can to your favorite creators? it’s actually fine. if i didn’t pirate, i wouldn’t be into 95% of the artists i’m currently into. i’ve spent so much on media that it’s almost embarrassing... my argument might not be entirely black and white? but i can safely say that piracy’s positives GREATLY outweigh it’s negatives. most research done has shown time and time again that it doesn’t really hurt creators. if anything, it’s the way greedy companies REACT to the idea of file sharing that hurts those creators. it really is an argument of big corporations trying to make sure they keep ALL the money. and it has almost nothing to do with art or artist’s rights. so please keep sharing everything. download away. for the sake of your own sanity, and generations down the line. because corporations don’t care about you. they don’t care about artists. and they don’t care about maintaining easy access to the art. they just want money, regardless of the cost to everyone else’s happiness. and if you can afford to PAY for it regularly? you should consider yourself very lucky. so maybe stop shitting all over poor people who unfairly have less access to what you already have. everybody deserves to be happy.

[vanaera]

𝐌𝐲 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞 | 𝟎𝟏 | 𝐣𝐣𝐤

Synopsis: A future technology allows cops to jump in the past and future to investigate crimes that have happened and prepare for those that are about to happen. A simple hit-and-run turns into something more when Captain Jeon Jungkook finds himself as the victim of a culprit who cannot be identified by the system. Especially when the culprit seems to be the same person behind the new case that’s threatening the order in the justice organization. All goes haywire when Jungkook gets involved with Y/N L/N, the clairvoyant sketch artist who may be his only help to solve the case. 

Characters: Jungkook x Female Reader

Genre/AU: Sci-fi, mystery, angst, action, romance (cop!JK x artist!you), based on the movie Minority Report

Wordcount: 11k

Warnings: Dark themes and implied smut (in future chapters); heavy descriptions of a hit-and-run; mentions of blood from injuries and violent crimes (PG-16 Rating)

A/N | This fic is for @btswritingcafe​’s Map of The Soul Workshop!

next | series masterlist

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠

              The pavement was cold beneath his cheek. The gravel, sharp, and the smell of the after-rain, acrid. Jungkook peels his eyes open. They hang too heavy and the task seemed almost a century-worth effort. However, he’s glad he got his lids up because he could now see what’s in front of him. His right foot is stuck underneath the pedal. The windshield was broken, the spiderweb of glass fragments racing from the right corner. When he looks to his left, the car window is shattered. The car was toppled over. The pungent smell of gas is filling his nostrils. Something feels wet on his head. He raises his hand to his temple. When he pulls it away, there’s a scarlet smear on his palm. He’s bleeding.

              Jungkook pulls the seatbelt free. He falls further into the ceiling of the car, grunting from the metal appendages poking into his shoulder. He pulls his torso up and starts to make his way out. His joints were screaming and Jungkook could feel his ligaments were tearing apart. His right arm is numb even if there are huge glass shards impaled in his skin. But Jungkook keeps on, dragging his skin across the sharp gravelly road. One after another, he elbows his way away from the wrecked-down car seat. But his upper limbs were not enough to pull his foot free from the crushed console. Jungkook grunts. 

              And then, there’s a siren.

              Jungkook turns to his left. Tires screech on the rough road. A blue sedan swivels and parks right in front of him. Lights sweep on the ground. Jungkook feels it’s similar to the lights that are being reflected by the broken windshield. He couldn’t see much but he feels he��s being blinded.

              The car door slams shut. A figure is moving towards him. Jungkook squints his eyes but he cannot see any face. The blood running down his temple must have streamed down to his pupils. All he sees right now is red.

              Loose gravels crunch under leather soles. The figure hovers above him. And then Jungkook feels his torso being lifted, his legs dangling lifelessly beneath him. He feels a strong pull on his shoulder and then there’s a tug. His stuck foot is now free. 

              The unknown man sets him inside the passenger side. Soon, he’s sitting in the driver’s seat. He pulls away from the car wreckage on the road. And then, he looks at him.

              “Don’t worry. It’s alright. You’re alright. I’ll get you help.”

              Jungkook looks at the man. He starts to see a glimpse of sandy blonde hair in a pompadour, a small button nose, and a pointed jaw. But they’re not enough to recognize him when red still fills the large expanse of his vision.

              The man pushes the stick to the second gear. “I’m Kim Namjoon.”

              “Wh-who?”

              “Namjoon.” A beat. “Your bestfriend.”

              “My bestfriend?”

              “Yeah,” Namjoon turns his eyes back on the road. “You’ll remember me once we get to the hospital. Now, just sit and rest.”

              A bright light is directed to his eyes. It’s so bright he couldn’t tell if it’s even white. But at least, it’s no longer red.

              “His eyes are alright,” a woman in her late forties informs. She’s wearing a pristine white coat over a green set of shirt and pants. Jungkook thinks he must be now in a hospital. He doesn’t remember exactly when he woke up. All he recalls from the past minutes is the blinding light and the piercing stench of iodoform.

              “Thank God,” a deep voice says. Jungkook looks to his left and he sees the man who picked him up. Now that everything seems more illuminated now, he could see the familiar curve of the man’s smile. His droopy eyes, tall frame, long limbs, and even the small indent of dimples on his skinny cheeks. It really is Namjoon.

              The doctor nods. “Yeah, he got lucky. Just a few cuts, scratches, and bruises. Even if his right foot was stuck in the vehicle, not one ligament was damaged, lest pulled. He would be walking like normal once he gets enough rest.” The woman looks at him, “But he has an arm to tend to. He needs to get it bandaged and cleaned from time to time.”

              Jungkook follows the doctor’s gaze onto his arm. A thick white gauze covers the skin from his wrist to his elbow.

              “It’s not much of a worry,” Namjoon smiles. “He lives with me. He’s in safe hands.”

              The doctor pulls her lips in a relieved smile. “Glad to know that. He’ll need someone to help him clean it. The wound was not too deep but it’s pretty stretched wide. We gave him 15 stitches.” The door tucks her clipboard beneath her elbow. “Have him back here after two weeks. We have to get the stitches out.”

              “Okay, doc,” Namjoon nods and sends the woman a grateful smile.

              “Okay. I’ll leave you here with him, then. He just needs rest, then he can go home tomorrow,” The doctor claps Namjoon’s shoulder. Namjoon thanks and the doctor finally pulls the green curtains close behind her.

              “Namjoon.”

              Namjoon turns to him, scoffing lightly. “So, you remember me now?” The small smile that starts to grow on his face falls flat when he sees Jungkook pierce him with a questioning glare. Namjoon sits on the stool next to him.

              Jungkook clears his throat. He looks straight into his friend’s eyes, “What happened?”

              “I think you shouldn’t be worrying about that first. You need to rest—”

              “What happened, Namjoon?”

              Namjoon closes his eyes, sighing in defeat. “Well…you got hit. Your car received most of the impact on the right side. It drove your car rolling over for probably how many times considering the wreck I found you in. You know, it’s a wonder you only got an injured arm, considering your seatbelt was the only one that saved you from the hit.  Your airbag didn’t work. You hit your head on the window but there’s only a small wound.” Namjoon runs a hand through his hair, “Look, the Organization will assign you to another car so you don’t have to worry about paying for the damages. After all, it happened during your patrol and the airbag was—”

              “Who hit me?”

              Namjoon stops. He looks at Jungkook and then to his side. He keeps his mouth shut.

              Jungkook purses his lips. “Namjoon, who hit me?”

              Namjoon keeps his mouth shut.

              Jungkook sighs, “You know I just got the Winston assassination case back on track. This person is probably highly involved in it—considering I’ve made quite a scene about the warrants—

              “Jungkook, we don’t know who hit you.”

              Jungkook gapes. “Ho—How could you not know? Forecrime has high chances to be in the timeframe before the crash—” 

              “Forecrime was unable to predict the crime.”

              “What?”

              Namjoon looks down at his hands. “Accident Prevention Sector reported they didn’t see any officer getting involved in a hit and run today.”

              Jungkook tongues his cheek.

              Namjoon shakes his head. “Look, this is probably just human error in the Division. We had the same problem in the Johnston home murders and the Kim crime family drug buy-bust.” Namjoon releases a sigh, “I already reported what happened to the FJO. From what I heard, they’re asking to check into the CCTVs in Somerset Road. Where your car was found. They’re just unable to do so tonight because the maintenance office is already closed. They’ll probably have something by tomorrow.”

              Jungkook nods slowly. “Under which division was this case filed?”

              “Precrime.”

              “Who’s taking over it?”

              “Property and Crime Scene’s Mark Benson.”

              Jungkook sits up straight. “Transfer him to another case. Hand me this one.”

              Namjoon stands up and places his hands on the man’s shoulder, stopping him from further leaving the bed. “Jungkook, you’re injured. You need to rest for a while.”

              “Yeah, but the doctor said I will be fine by tomorrow. I can go to work tomorrow then.”

              “Yes, tomorrow.” Namjoon glares at him, “Tomorrow isn’t now. Nor will it be for the next days to come because you need to heal your arm first. So, let Mark handle this one. Plus, you’ve not yet closed the Winston case. It would be too tiresome to handle two cases at the same time.”

              Jungkook takes Namjoon’s hands off him. “If some son of a bitch easily got away from destroying my car and putting me in this,” he gestures to his arm, “I’d rather be the one to catch him myself. Please do me a favor and put me in charge of the case? Pre-crime’s handling it. I’m a captain in Precrime.” Jungkook purses his lips. “This is just my hypothesis but the hit-and-run doesn’t sound like a mere hit-and-run. It happened at Somerset Road. It’s too coincidental to take place at Somerset of all places. The culprit must be backed up by some technology to escape Forecrime right under their noses.” Jungkook grabs Namjoon's arm. “This could even be Winston’s assassin I’ve been tracking down for years. He has a history of using technology that took advantage of the weak points of FJO’s system.  Please, Namjoon? You’re in the Bureau. You have jurisdiction over the divisions. You can easily convince them and get me to head the case.”

              “Yes,” Namjoon hisses, “but I’m just an analyst in there.”

              “You’re not just an analyst if Lieutenant Kim unofficially hails you to be his adviser. You helped Seokjin resolve a lot of issues between the two divisions. You’re personally close to him. You even got invited to his wedding.” 

              Namjoon blows out a frustrated sigh. 

              “Does that mean a ‘yes’?”

              “What else will it mean?” the man rolls his eyes. “You know so well how to rope me into your schemes.” He stands up and fixes his friend’s bed.

              Jungkook leans back on the pillow, “Of course, you’re my bestfriend.”

              “Yeah, yeah,” Namjoon drawls, tucking the sheets to Jungkook’s chest. He reaches for the remote, pressing the button to get the bed to recline. 

              “Namjoon.”

              The man turns to the captain.

              Jungkook smiles, “Thank you.”

              Namjoon could only nod. 

              The Federal Justice Organization stands in the middle of the Metropolis Complex. Surrounded by towering buildings of corporations and business centers, the Organization is only five stories high. However, it occupies a large 20-hectare area, the largest in the complex. With two buildings that wing at the sides of the main facade, the Organization envelops the economic hotspot of the city, seemingly like a foundation of security.

              The FJO is a matrix of floor-to-ceiling windows separated by layers of metal and concrete walkways. Everything is visible to anyone who’s standing at the façade. Officers in their black protective gears rushing past each other, helmets tucked underneath their elbows. Detectives busy on their phones and stacks of case folders. Interns running high and down with trolleys of files behind them, some even holding coffee cups. Higher-ups in their revered badge-infested uniforms wearing grim faces as team captains follow behind them.

              And from the main lobby of the Organization, Jungkook could see Matthew Andrews looking at him from the walk-bridge above him. Jungkook takes the lift in front of him. He walks toward the man and salutes. “Chief.”

              Matthew salutes back. He places his hands behind his back again. “I heard about what happened last night.”

              “Ah, yes, sir,” Jungkook mutters. He tucks his bandaged arm behind him. “Just a minor accident. The wound isn’t that deep.”

              Matthew nods slowly. “That’s good to know. Though I still would want you to stay at home for a while to heal. You must still be in shock.”

              “Oh no, I’m not,” Jungkook chuckles. “I’ve been through worse. This is just like a scratch. I can’t afford to miss a day at work. After all, the Winston case I’m heading is still media-hot.”

              “You’re right.” Matthew looks at the bustling people in the lobby. “Work doesn’t seem to stop when you’re in here. Skipping a day is a privilege on-standby that we never get to use. Not when our work seems to follow us wherever we go. Right?”

              “Yes, sir.” Jungkook nods.

              Matthew turns back to him, “I also heard the Bureau transferred your hit and run case to you.”

              Jungkook gives a tight smile. “Yes, sir. I think the Bureau thought it would be best if I handle the case. I have a hunch it’s connected with the Winston case.”

              “The Bureau’s lieutenant said the same.” Matthew steps to him and claps his shoulder. “I’m just glad your injuries are not that serious, son.”

              “Yes, sir. Me, too.” Jungkook smiles.

              Matthew steps back, sending him one last smile, “Good luck with the case, son.”

              “Thank you, sir,” Jungkook bids him goodbye. Matthew heads to the central lift. He nods at him before the metal doors close, and soon, Jungkook is alone again. Sighing, Jungkook fixes the cuffs of his jacket down to his wrists and heads for the Left-wing. 

              The Precrime Division is located at the West of the FJO Headquarters. The Murder sector, the second office to be reached from the Left-wing lift. With a 150 square feet area, Jungkook’s office is wide enough to accommodate his whole team without them frequently bumping into each other. At the same time, it is still small enough to effectively work around their tools. Jungkook’s desk is set against the glass wall that separates their sector from Organized Crime’s. Meanwhile, his team’s desks are stationed across his, next to the glass wall of Homicide’s. A metal “chute” is built on the innermost right corner. It’s boxy in structure and looks akin like the previous generation’s take on a fireplace. Except, the opening of the chute is placed much higher, above waist level. It’s used for message coordination among the different sectors. East-west to this metalwork is a huge glass board, fastened on a wooden compartment-panel that broke the series of glass walls in the middle. Despite the space provided to them, Jungkook thinks it’s still less than enough when one case is enough to immediately fill up the entire glass board with open files, their office, with all the team members. 

              Unlike today. Jungkook plops down on his swivel chair. He thinks it is the first time their glass board is not filled to the brim as he flips open the file case of the Winston assassination.

              Jonathan Winston was the Chief General of FJO from 2015 to 2031, renowned for his pristine-clean reputation in his forty years of work. With numerous foundations supporting masses of the poor working class, Winston was a favorite of the people. Especially after he busted out the celebrated pork barrel scam of three Department of Justice’s heads in 2025. When Winston aimed for a position in the Senatorial board in 2032, he didn’t have to worry anymore about getting re-elected for the following term.

              That is until August 15, 2047. He was sitting in a restaurant with his family when at 12:30, a gun was shot and Winston falls face-first onto the table with a gaping wound between his eyebrows. It was a field day for the reporters. Assassination in front of numerous potential witnesses in broad daylight and yet no identity of the culprit was found. All the witnesses, including Winston’s family, have different descriptions of the suspect, producing different faces. FJO can’t even trace if there was a mastermind behind the whole crime because no aberrant paper or electronic trail was found. The crime scene was spotless of any fingerprint, and so are the places probable to be the suspect’s hideout before and after the crime. 

              This is one of the biggest, and difficult, cases Jungkook ever handled. For despite the extensive collaboration between traveling agents of Precrime and Forecrime, FJO only ended up with a gunman they cannot indict. The organization saw similarities in the Winston assassination case with previous cases concerning an elusive gunman with an unidentifiable face: Leigh Anderson. The style of murder, his long background of numerous violent crimes, his reported hate on the New-Age Government, his notable appearances in the vicinity of his victims before their time of death—it all matched up to be too coincidental. Even his known victims’ descriptions of him cannot produce one exact face at all.

              However, all of these are mere circumstantial evidence to the court for no singular physical description, fingerprint, or handwriting of Anderson is legitimate enough to be presented against him. Even after FJO has adapted a state-of-the-art technology in 2051, the lack of justice in Winston’s assassination continued to bear heavy criticisms against the organization. No agent in FJO was able to get into the exact time frame of the murder to provide the most convincing evidence in court: a crime record, the FJO-validated video of, or any event related to, the actual crime. 

              Until July 12 of 2059, exactly three weeks ago, when Captain Jeon Jungkook accidentally got into the timeframe of the Winston assassination while traveling for a different murder case. With the crime record of the whole travel, the clear shot of the crime, and the full image of the gunman to serve as solid evidence, Jungkook easily got the cold Winston case back on track. He’s even backed up by testimonies of Leigh’s sister and brother-in-law who divulged that Leigh has a history of cocaine addiction and gang involvement five years prior to the assassination. But, these never lightened the burden of the case. After Precrime succeeded in placing the warrant of arrest on their long-suspected gunman, Leigh Anderson suddenly disappeared. Disappeared like thin air, without any kind of trail left behind. Off-grid even to FJO’s state of the art technology.

              Jungkook pulls out the papers about Anderson’s history. He scans through the file.

              “…Ms. Anne Rowanson said she heard Anderson scream in the floor above her. When she let herself in his unit, concerned, she saw nothing but sheets of newspapers flying in the wind.”

              “…It’s like he’s there but suddenly he wasn’t there anymore. And yet you could still feel his presence on your skin.”

              “He’s always been a strange man….talked about a lot of sponsors, but never once mentioning their name.”

              “…got an affinity for cars. Said he loves to crash them. He has a history with notorious car-crashing gangs.”

              “James Kim said he’s violent. He said Leigh didn’t show any remorse on his face when he attempted to run him over with his car.”

              “…Heavy breathing on the other line. Traced the number to a device that doesn’t actually exist.”

              When Jungkook flips through their other file folder for Anderson, he ends up with the same information. Anderson suddenly disappears like thin air so conveniently at his supposed day of arrest. He’s got a lot of anonymous sponsors from the black market. He’s violent and he likes to send anonymous calls to his victims who survived, only to let them hear his heavy breathing on the line. 

              All of it fits too perfectly with the hit and run case. Anderson is likely to be supported by a big body rich enough to give him technology for time-traveling that could be at-par with FJO’s. Anderson is a likely suspect to hit Jungkook’s car beyond repair, its wreckage too great to be done by an amateur crasher.  And, Anderson hates him. This Jungkook is sure of the day he announced to the media Anderson’s warrant of arrest. He called Jungkook’s personal phone that night to announce his identity and scream “I hate you,” “I’m going to fucking kill you,” and “you’re still two steps behind me no matter what you do,” again and again. When Jungkook traced the call, it all led to a nonexistent device, just like the statements of his previous victims.

              Leigh Anderson must have used an illegal time-traveling technology last night, crashed right into Jungkook’s car before disappearing into thin air again, fulfilling his act of vengeance.

              Jungkook clicks his tongue. He’s sent Hoseok Jung and Mark Lee earlier to the maintenance office of Somerset Road to retrieve the CCTV files. Although he’s yet to see the videos, Jungkook thinks there’s no other plausible reason for what happened last night other than Leigh Anderson’s doing. Everything aligns too perfectly with Anderson’s history to be coincidental.

              The alarm suddenly rings. The light set above the chute flashes red. From the corner of Jungkook’s eye, he sees Jimin Park shoot up from his seat. Jungkook quickly follows suit. The metal doors open, the machine pushing a medium-sized red expandable envelope onto the receiving mouth of the Murder Sector’s chute. Jimin retrieves the folder and opens it. He pulls a chartreuse glass file from the envelope and slides it onto a slot on the glass board. He faces Jungkook. “Captain Jeon, red file, Forecrime, Future Murder Sector. Traveling agent in charge is Joanna Sy, crime record validated by traveling agents Steve Meyer, Ara Lee, and Nick Holbert. This is case number 5041. Murder by assassination. Victim’s name is James Kim.”

              Jungkook’s eyes widen.

              “The suspect is…Leigh Anderson.”

              Jungkooks slides in his gloves and dashes to the glass board. The wooden compartment behind the board slides open. Two black screens alight to show a live video conference with a short-haired blonde woman in a maroon blazer and a man in his late fifties wearing a black suit.

              Jungkook salutes. “Good morning. I’m Jungkook Jeon, captain of the Murder Sector of Precrime Division. This is case number 5041, murder by assassination of victim James Kim by suspect Leigh Anderson. Recorded by Forecrime Future Murder Sector traveling agent Joanna Sy, validated by traveling agents Steve Meyer, Ara Lee, and Nick Holbert. My witnesses to the crime record gathered by the Federal Justice Organization are Chief Justice Stephanie Park and Chief General Matthew Anderson. Will the witnesses view and validate the crime record at this time?” 

              “Witness appeal granted.”

              The glass board lights up and a video starts playing with the sound of honking cars in the city. The huffs of Joanna can be heard as Jungkook and the rest in the room see everything happening in Joanna’s eyes. She climbs up a bemired, dark staircase in some dingy apartment complex. When a large thud resonates from the floor above, Joanna sprints. 

              She runs through a dark hallway. The doors of the apartment are locked shut, save for one that’s situated right next to the door where the thud probably came from. Joanna slips in and scampers through the empty apartment. When she reaches the open balcony, she crouches down and hides beside the thick wall extension. 

              From her place, Leigh Anderson’s face is crystal clear visible as he’s crouched on his own balcony, body flat on the ground, fingers wrapped around his sniper. Joanna attempts to follow Anderson’s line of target only to land on an empty alleyway crammed between two dilapidated buildings. It’s empty until a man swings the door of a bar open and pops into the vicinity. Joanna zooms in her glasses. It’s James Kim.

              Joanna whips her head back to Anderson. He pulls the trigger. Screams resonate from a distance. Joanna turns back to the alley. James is on the floor, head bloodied. 

              The record stops.

              Jungkook turns around, “Jimin, time of the crime?”

              “10:46.”

              Jungkook looks at the time on the board. 10:16. They only have exactly thirty minutes. There’s more time. Jungkook hovers his hand on the glass board and swipes through the crime record. Joanna’s at a dirty, old apartment complex exactly facing an alleyway with two dilapidated buildings. He swipes forward and back through the video until his eyes are caught by something on the window. He sees towering, shining buildings standing on one side, smaller, dirtier establishments on the other, seemingly creating two columns in the open window. 

              Jungkook shouts. “Suspect location is at Middle Town! Get me a list of Middle Town apartment complexes.” 

              “Yes, sir,” Johnny Kim hollers, clicking through his computer. He dashes to the glass board and slides a grey glass file into the slot below the one containing the crime record. Jungkook nods at him and sweeps his gloved hand over the apartment list to bring them right next to the playing crime record. Jungkook pauses the record the exact moment Joanna assesses the empty apartment she hid in. Small studio type, gray metal balcony wiring, dull gray cemented flooring, and a huge window by the bedside, the large billboard of the Federal Justice Organization in a great view. Jungkook switches to the apartment complexes. He flips through them until he sees three complexes with probable ample view of the FJO billboard from their windows. Maria Residences, Sunset Place, Riverside Homes. All of them just stand near the billboard. He can’t tell if they are facing an alleyway. Jungkook clicks his tongue. “The architecture of the room, who could have designed this?”

              Jess Thomson speaks up from her computer, “It looks like Danny White. He’s known for modern designs and his unproportioned large windows are his signature. His designs proliferated in the late 2020s.��� Jess looks at the captain, “but almost every establishment in Middle Town has incorporated this style. White was the go-to man for middle-class housing.”

              “Okay,” Jungkook swipes his fingers upward on the glass board, capturing a still-frame of the room. He swipes left and Johnny retrieves the blank grey disk where the picture was sent and hands it to Jess. “Check more details in the design and tell me what you could get,” Jungkook orders.  

              “Yes, sir.”

              “Sir, ten minutes have passed,” Taehyung Kim reminds. Jungkook just nods.

              Jungkook plays the video again and stops at James Kim’s location. Black gravelly alleyway. Worn out buildings with cracking paint. The door swings open and out comes James. He is stumbling, possibly drunk. Just before Joanna’s perspective goes back to Anderson, Jungkook pauses the video and zooms in. James is reaching over to something that looks like a beat-up human-sized box. It’s blurry but Jungkook could make out a hand resting beneath the glass façade of the red box.  

              “A carnival ticketing booth stand,” Jungkook announces, “It’s an entrance to a small downtown carnival.”

              “There are only two areas with that kind of vintage, cheap entertainment,” Jess informs, “Middle-high Streets and Holiday Avenue. But Middle-high is more of June Lee than Danny White. So it has to be Holiday Avenue.”

              “Sunset Place.” Jungkook hollers as he zips up his protective gear, “The future crime scene is at Sunset Place.” He marches to the hallway, Murder Sector’s Task-Action head agents following behind.  “Taehyung, flight time?”

              “Ten minutes. We’ve got fifteen minutes left, sir.”

              Jungkook nods and steps into the clear narrow glass-cased metal lift at the end of the hallway. Taehyung and the rest of the agents occupy the rest of the compartments. The lifts lock shut and propel them down the building and onto the Task-Action Agency Office.

              In no time, Jungkook and his team and a number of Task-Action agents are zooming on the streets. By 10:38, the wheels of their vans are screeching into a stop in front of Sunset Place. The Task-Action agents pile out and soon, Jungkook and his team are climbing up the staircase they have seen in the crime record. Two sets of the flight of steps and then they’re running onto the dark hallway. Some of the agents have positioned themselves in front of Anderson’s door. Meanwhile, Jungkook’s team enters the empty room where Joanna has hidden, steps soundless on the naked concrete despite the heavy equipment hanging on their protective gears. Jungkook raises a closed fist and the agents hold their places by the door. Jungkook crouches, inching nearer to the wall extension. He looks at his watch. 10:43. 

              Jungkook breathes out and peeks at the other side. Leigh Anderson is lying on his stomach, fingers poised around his sniper. Just like the crime record. Jungkook presses the button on his contact device. Leigh’s door bursts open and the agents rushing steps reverberate through the walls. Jungkook whips out his gun, stepping from his hiding place. “FJO, freeze!—”

              Gunshot.

              Leigh Anderson is on the floor, slumped over his sniper. His head is blown up, blood splattered on the white tiles of the balcony, some even painted on the metal railings. A Glock 19 pistol on his left hand.

              “It’s a suicide,” Taehyung mouths at him but Jungkook doesn’t hear anything.

              He slumps forward on the balcony. His suspect is dead before he could even arrest him.

              “Here’s the CCTVs we retrieved, sir,” Hoseok Jung informs, sliding an ice-blue glass disk into the glass board.

              Jungkook nods, but his mind doesn’t comprehend what the agent said at all. He’s reeling back to the scene at Sunset Place. Chief General Andrews telling him the Winston case is off. Open and left cold again, probably for good this time. 12 years of hard work all for nothing. Jeon Jungkook finds it hard to swallow. It cannot end just like that. Anderson is definitely backed up by someone powerful. For all God knows, that benefactor has supported a lot of professional gunmen and another round of murders will start just like Anderson’s doing. Jungkook told Andrews about this, even almost pleaded. But the Chief General only sympathetically clasped his shoulder and told him to let it go.

              “The Department of Justice called and wanted us to stop and leave it open for now. Even if I wanted to go with your hunch, we can’t do anything more when our only lead is now dead. Let it go, son,” Matthew closes his eyes, sighing, “Things like this do happen. The Unsolved Crimes sector won’t exist if it hadn’t been the case…We’ve still got enough cases on our plate to handle.”  

              It’s easier said than done. Jungkook can’t just let go of the case he’s headed for 12 years. 12 years he spent chasing after a suspect they cannot indict even when everyone knows he’s the culprit. 12 years he’s been mocked by a disgusting criminal only to let him have the last laugh by getting out of the case the easy way. Leigh Anderson was just within arms’ reach. For 12 years, Jungkook longed for this exact moment. And yet all he can do is just let it go? No, Jungkook, won’t have that. He can’t just let everything he’s worked hard for go down the drain so easily. He can’t—

              “It’s not Leigh Anderson.”

              Jungkook stops. He raises his face from his head from his closed hand. “What?”

              “It’s not Leigh Anderson,” Hoseok repeats.

              “What do you mean?”

              Hoseok pauses the video. The image of Jungkook’s silver-gray Ford speeding along Somerset Road fills the frame of the glass-board. In the right corner of the crossroad, is an incoming black Jaguar, its license plate too blurred to recognize anything but its first number “1.” The right corner of the frame shows it was 20:23:40, August 1. 

              Hoseok hits play, and the Jaguar picks up speed, colliding into the right side of the Ford. It sent the car rolling over three times. At 20:23:50, the Jaguar continues on and disappears into the frame. Another tape rolls in and a CCTV mounted on a post near the road where Jungkook’s car came from.  Just like the first one, it shows how the Jaguar crashed right into the Ford before driving away. The Jaguar drives off, continuing from where the first clip has lost contact of it. However, at exactly 20:24, the Jaguar completely disappears. Right in the middle of the road. Vanished into thin air. Caught by the CCTV.

              When the next tape of another CCTV rolls in, no car passed Somerset from 20:31 until 20:46, when Namjoon’s car, a blue 80’s sedan zips through the road and stops at Jungkook’s car. At 21:03, the FJO has made its way to the car wreckage. Until at the end of the film on August 2, 11:45, the black Jaguar did not re-appear.

              “This…is not Anderson’s doing?”

              “Yes, sir. Well, as far as this evidence presents, it’s not him.” Hoseok rewinds the video and pauses at the 20:23:44 mark. The image of the Jaguar is back on screen. Hoseok zooms in. Jungkook gapes.

              There’s almost no one on the wheel if Jungkook were to quickly look at it. But Jungkook did not, and in his seat, he makes out a silhouette. Its face was hidden in the dark and some parts of its body are blurred out. Even with these, Jungkook could see that the silhouette is slim and has thick, long limbs. Totally unlike Leigh Anderson. Leigh was overweight and sported a huge belly and large flabby arms.

              “…What is this?”

              “It’s the same question running in our heads, sir.” Hoseok looks at him, “All we know is that it’s definitely not Anderson.”

              There are three blue pills left in the clear bottle. Jungkook pours them all onto his palm and downs them all in one go. When he puts down the bottle, his eyes travel to the city outside, drowning in the heavy downpour.

              The city looks the same. Streetlights remain vibrant despite the blur of the thick raindrops. Some buildings still have their lights up in this ungodly hour. The majority of them have long darked out, blending with the ravenous night sky. Only the streets stay lit up but that seems hopeful when he’s seen them flicker in minute intervals. A few cars pass by. Jungkook can’t expect it to be the opposite, though. The buildings in Middle Town stay short under the shadows of the distant ones of the Metropolis.  It’s always been like this. Jungkook doesn’t need to look at the window across the room to see the other side completely lit up by various apparatuses known to humankind. The difference between the Middle Town and Metropolis never fails to make itself known to him no matter how high their residence lies in the boundary.  

              The only thing that’s similar between the two is the humongous billboard that sits atop the crest of each district. Of course, the Metropolis had a bigger one than Middle Town. Nevertheless, they’re still one and the same. Jungkook could tell because it’s just 15 meters away from his place on both sides.

              “In a world where everything seems to progress forward, there’s only one thing we hope won’t rush past us too soon. Nine years ago, various violent crimes have spread over the country in epidemic ratios. It seemed a miracle could be the only hope we’ll have. But instead of a miracle, we’re given a more tangible blessing: the time jumpers. When Allen McGregor and his assistant, Chisoo Kim, invented these novel devices that could let humans travel in the past and future, the Federal Justice Organization renovated itself and ensured the devices will fall onto good hands. Now with the ability to see the past and the future, the New-Age Federal Justice Organization has easily prevented crimes from happening and even solved the ones that have long scarred us for years. With just one month under the improved FJO program, the crime rates in the country have dramatically dropped to 95 percent. In a year, FJO has brought justice to every case left open in the 2000s and has prevented more crimes from ever happening. In the eight years, FJO has run their new system, there’s never been a crime that threatened the stability of our nation. The Federal Justice Organization, our nation’s salvation of justice.”

              Jungkook tears his eyes from the billboard. They land on the picture frame that sits atop his desk. Warm brown doe eyes, short stubby arms, a bunny-tooth smile. Jungkook feels like he’s looking at a mirror. Bile rises to his throat. He turns the frame down. It’s not enough. Jungkook stands up and tosses it on the table containing his mess of papers and folders.

              His eyes are burning. When he holds a hand over them, he realizes there were only tears.

              Jungkook places his badge face-down on the metal post. After that, he places his face on the monitor and lets it scan his eyes. A beep and the Federal Justice Organization’s glass doors slide open and Jungkook secures his coat on his shoulder as he walks in the lobby. When he reaches the main hallway, he’s met by the grim face of Matthew Andrews.

              “Someone from the Department of Justice was sent over to take our system away from us. He’s in the Left-wing now.”

              Jungkook quickens his pace. The Chief General follows behind, “Apparently, a time jumper was found messing around FJO’s system. DOJ traced it back to Precrime.”

              Jungkook halts. Matthew continues, “Apparently, they’ve been studying about aberrant appearances and disappearances of a car on cam. A black Jaguar with an unidentifiable driver. Their reports stated it started on July 15—three days right after the media televised your warrants against Leigh Anderson. What bothered them is the Jaguar’s pattern of disappearances. It’s completely similar to the traveling pattern of Precrime’s agents.” Matthew sighs. “The DOJ is going to turn up FJO upside-down in the following days. They’re gonna check on Forecrime and they’re going to take over the coordinating system of the Investigation Bureau, preventing it from mediating any interactions between the two divisions. But most of all, they’re gonna target Precrime. Especially your sector. This new case seems to be connected to Winston’s.” 

              Jungkook’s eyes widen. Matthew runs a hand over his face, “From what I could see, they’re already suspecting Precrime’s high-ranking officials. Probably even of Winston’s assassination. The untimely death of Leigh Anderson is worthy of suspicion of an inside job to them.”

              Matthew faces Jungkook. “You know the FJO has been hot in the eyes of the people these days because of the Winston case. A week from now, people are going to vote whether our new system is noble enough to continue for the next eight years. I can’t have DOJ flooring our system’s reputation, son. Moreso your very sector.”

              Jungkook nods, “Yes, sir, I understand.”

              “Jungkook,” Matthew holds his arm, “Keep an eye on this Yoongi Min—the auditor. Answer all of his questions. Let him look around. Satisfy his curiosity. But, be wary of him. DOJ hasn’t told much of how they will conduct their investigation but I think they’ve already got their men inside and it seems this Yoongi is gonna be heading it all. Whatever happens, good news or not, make sure to report them all to me. And if there’s any problem, ensure that we are the first ones to know.”

              “Yes, sir,” Jungkook salutes. Andrews fondly claps his shoulder and Jungkook immediately heads to the Murder Sector’s Office.

              When he swings the glass door open, he’s met by his team standing apprehensively around a man in his late thirties. He’s standing at 5’7, sporting platinum blonde hair, thin-rimmed glasses, and navy tweed suit.

              “Red files are for emergency ones—murders of passion or unprecedented murders late detected by Forecrime. Black is for premeditated murders—first-degree murders. Gray is for second-degree, maroon is for felony murders. And brown files like this one are for homicides,” Jimin hands the blonde man the folder. 

              The man nods, opening the folder to skim through a past case. After a minute he closes it shut. “But you’re still technically arresting people based on a future prediction of your co-workers aided by human-made and -operated devices.”

              “Yes,” Jimin acknowledges. “These are the revised legalistic methodology of FJO as per the advice of Allen McGregor and his assistant Chisoo Kim. They were the inventors of this system but before that, they were lawyers.”

              “How can you tell the system they’ve created is impossible of making inaccurate foreseen futures?”

              “They don’t make mistakes,” Jimin assures. “The crime records seen by the Forecrime traveling agents in the future are validated by other traveling agents who have seen the same outcome. There has never been a wrong crime record in eight years. Sure, there may be inconsistencies in how the crime was done with the one viewed in the crime records. But the suspects seen in the future remain as suspects and they will still do the deed one way or another. Plus, the suspects’ motivations were checked on by Precrime’s traveling agents.”

              “But what if a suspect decided not to forgo the crime?” the blonde man insists. “People are complex. We are capable of changing our minds at the last second. Can Forecrime even acknowledge a possible alternate future where this person backed out of a crime? Does Precrime really look at all the angles of these motivations you talk about?

              “Forecrime and Precrime do all of those things because of our belief in predestination,” Jungkook finally interrupts, reaching a hand out. “I’m Jungkook Jeon, captain of Precrime, Murder Sector. You must be Yoongi Min.”

              “I am,” the blonde shakes his hand. Yoongi quickly draws his arm back. “I was just asking Mr. Jimin Park here about the accuracy of your system.”

              “Of course, it is accurate. The concept of predestination assures that everything in time is already determined before it comes to actuality. What will happen, will indeed, happen.” Jungkook snatches the brown file from the man’s hands. “When Jimin handed you this,” Jungkook raises the folder, “why did you flip it open?”

              “Because I have to look at it. The department—”

              “Because you’re going to have to look at it,” Jungkook raises a brow. “The department instructed you to investigate us and it is part of your protocol to see through our files. You’re going to open our files whether right now or tomorrow or the day after tomorrow. In the end, you will still look at them, one way or another. It’s a future predetermined by the system of DOJ.”

              “Yes,” Yoongi nods, “but you can’t say the same for futures that are yet to happen anytime soon. In our field, we can only rely on objectivity. Factual evidence and observations. Tangible. And your predetermined cases are not any of those. Even if you check on them by having your traveling agents jump into the past.”

              Jungkook sits on his swivel chair, “That’s why we conduct our arrests one to three minutes before the actual act of the crime to further verify if the crime record is correct. It’s called knowing an intended result. Doctors acknowledge them when they prescribe medications. It was utilized so because by facts, they—and we—know what will be the result.” Jungkook coyly turns around his seat, “Plus, we don’t charge the suspects we arrest with murder, but future murder. Its punishment is just a couple of eight to twelve years in our prison. A lot of degrees lighter than the punishment we have for murder, which not that we needed to say, was last given in 2051. Because as everyone knows, we stopped a lot of crimes from happening since our new system was established.

              “But it still doesn’t negate you’re arresting people who haven’t done anything wrong.”

              “I don’t even get why you need to question our system,” Jungkook scoffs, “Your department approved it eight years ago.”

              “I’m questioning because DOJ is debating whether it was a good idea to have your program approved eight years ago. Especially when we’re possibly dealing with an inside job allowed by this very system.” Yoongi slides his hands in his pockets. Jungkook purses his lips. 

              The auditor pulls a glass disk from his briefcase. “Here’s what I’m here for.”

              Jungkook motions to Johnny and the latter retrieves the glass disk to insert it in the bottom-most slot of the glass board.

              The screen opens and shows a CCTV footage of two streets crossing at 5th Avenue Place. The date is July 16. The streets are almost invisible as it was cramped with a mass of cars just as usual. At 12:25, a black Jaguar appears on the leftmost street. It drives by for about five minutes into the heavy traffic. Then suddenly, like a blink of an eye, it disappears among the sea of cars. The time was 12:30.

              Yoongi walks toward the glass board, “As you all know, the restaurant on the center-point of this CCTV is the same place where Jonathan Winston was assassinated. And there’s a black Jaguar here that suddenly disappeared at 12:30. The same time you timed Winston was shot.” Yoongi presses play again, and then a series of CCTV dated from July 17 to 31, shot from different streets across the city, at different times of the day. The only constant element among them is the suspicious black Jaguar which appears on the left corner of the frame, and suddenly disappearing after three to five minutes staying in the vicinity. It was almost like a glitch in the CCTV had they not been recorded in series with other CCTVs. 

              Yoongi pauses the video. “The person in the vehicle is obviously doing time jumps. Three to five minutes of in-vicinity before indefinitely disappearing—from what our records say, it all seems as if this driver is an agent doing the usual Precrime travel mission. Forecrime doesn’t even get to time travel outside the Federal Justice Organization Complex.” The auditor faces back to the glass board, “It all seems just like any Precrime mission until July 31.”

              The CCTV shows the familiar curve of Somerset Road. The time, 20:21. A silver-gray Ford speeds along the road. At 20:23, a black Jaguar appears and collides into the Ford’s right side. Jungkook bites his cheek. It’s his hit-and-run accident.

              Yoongi’s eyes sweep over the room, “Now, we all know this tape captured the recent hit and run the captain has been involved with.” The auditor looks at Jungkook, “And I know you’re currently heading this case in connection with Winston’s case. Considering it happened at Somerset of all places, the most electromagnetic-charged field in the country aside from FJO’s traveling area here. Meanwhile, Anderson is rumored to have access to time jumping technology. However, this record of the hit and run also serves as a crucial lead to all these suspicious random appearances and disappearances. Because right here is the perfect shot for our surveillance crew to enhance the license plate.”

              Yoongi flicks his hand. The screen zooms in. 

              1116459-01

              Yoongi continues, “Although we don’t know yet where this plate leads us to, it helped us confirm this Jaguar is the same car that’s been captured by the CCTVs I’ve played. Most importantly, we found this Jaguar was seen at FJO’s Special Operations Building on the west side of the Metropolis, one day before the hit and run.”

              The screen plays again and shows a record of the same Jaguar parking in the said building on July 30, 21:30. A man steps out and enters the building. After thirty minutes, he comes back and enters his car. He pulls away and goes back onto the streets. After a minute, it disappears again.

              “None of the traveling agents are allowed access in Special Operations. They don’t have any valid reason in the first place because that building is reserved for the Investigation Bureau’s special agents.” Yoongi turns around, facing the sector. “And we all know that building houses the most advanced time jumping technology of FJO. Thus, the department has every right to suspect a high-risk inside job is on the works right now. This driver is obviously interested in Winston’s case and has easily accessed the Bureau’s building. What’s worse is I’ve heard your own system cannot identify this suspicious agent, just like ours.”

              Yoongi walks around the office, “That’s why I am here to find faults in your system. To see what possibly could allow this break of protocol happen,” Yoongi stops in his step and pins a glare at Jungkook, “and why you should be cooperating at your utmost best instead of arguing against me, if you want to keep your program.” 

              The captain clenches his jaw. The blonde man smirks. His eyes look over the room until they land on a projected panel on the glass wall. “What’s that?” 

              “It’s the door leading to our central record room,” Jimin answers. “We call it the Memory Temple. It’s where we keep Precrime’s crime records along with Forecrime’s. As well as the blanks—crime records our agents have seen in the past and future but have not yet made sense of.”

              “And no one has authority to go into that room but the Investigation Bureau’s chief analysts,” Jungkook says.

              Yoongi turns to him, “You’ve never been in that room, before?”

              Jungkook twirls his clicker around his fingers, “We like to separate the agents from the temple as much as possible so no one would be accused of tampering evidence. Unauthorized handling of the records can fuck up the collected memories.”

              Yoongi turns back to the door, “So, that means I’ll be the first to enter it, then.”

              “Did you not hear what I said?” Jungkook scoffs, “Only the chief analysts are allowed.”

              “Yes, but if you’re talking about a question of authority—”

              “Oh no, no.” Jungkook snickers, “there is no question of authority. You don’t have any authority.” 

              Yoongi tilts his head, “Well, I have one if I have a warrant ready in my pocket.”

              Jungkook looks at the man. His eyes glance around the room and see the equally appalled faces of his subordinates. Taehyung looks at the captain, tilting his head toward the auditor. Jungkook snaps his gaze back onto the auditor, “Show me the warrant.”

              Yoongi steps forward and pulls a folded paper in front of him. Jungkook spreads it open.

              “This investigation is done under the direct order and supervision of the Romania Lee, Chief General Attorney of the Republic of Metrosia. If the Federal Justice Organization fails to comply with this direct order, the government has no choice but to implement a temporary suspension of three months up to one year,” Yoongi quotes. He nears Jungkook’s chair and crouches, leveling his face to the captain. “The Chief General Attorney has authority over FJO. I represent her, so I have authority over you.” Yoongi smirks, “I told you, you should cooperate with me at your utmost best if you want to keep your program.” The auditor snatches the paper and folds it back in his pocket. “Now, show me this Memory Temple.”

              Jungkook grumbles as he begrudgingly stands up from his chair. He goes to the panel on the glass and presses a button, flashing a special ID of entrance for emergencies to the scanner. Another panel opens and Jungkook leans forward to let the system scan his eyes. The door slides open to a descending flight of metal steps. Jungkook starts downward, leading Yoongi into the Memory Temple.

              The temple is dark. Its light source only comes from the bright yellow pin lights installed on the floor. Precrime’s crime records glow in faded sepia around them, looking like burnt-out stars.  In contrast, Forecrime’s crime records are illuminated in bright chartreuse, seemingly like new sprouts. Blanks dot a few spaces in grayish-white. Glass shelves shine in faint crystal blue as they line the whole room, forming a circular labyrinth around the central starting walking-space where the four are currently in. 

              A woman in her late thirties sporting a messy bun and a lab coat walks to them. “Uh, Captain, you do know you’re not allowed to go in here unless it’s an emergency?”

              Jungkook holds up a hand, “It’s fine Rina. It is kinda an emergency. DOJ has sent their lovely auditor here to investigate us and he’s adamant about seeing the Memory Temple. We’re not gonna touch anything.

              Rina nods. Jungkook starts to lead the way around, Rina trailing next to him. Yoongi looks around the temple. “How are these records maintained to be as accurate as they were first produced?”

              “U-um, the temple is built with a special architecture that prevents the exterior environment from affecting the crime records,” Rina pushes her glasses up her nose. “The walls are made of Zonium, a strong, indestructible element that makes strong, fireproof metal that is used in the construction of other government archives. These walls ensure that the records will be safe if the FJO catches on fire, suffers an earthquake, hurricane, and any other natural disasters. There are also no windows here to avoid the sunlight from passing through and wearing out the glass files. Bureau staff here is just limited to eight analysts, including me—one for each sector of FJO to prevent any agents from both divisions tampering around the records for personal use. We’re also here to take care of the crime records and keep an up-to-date inventory of the ones that come in.”

              “Is it possible to provide DOJ a copy of each of these records?” Yoongi asks.

              “Oh no, sir,” Rina shakes her head vehemently. “The crime records are specialized to be impossible to copy. It has detectors that light up when it senses it’s being processed under a glass disk copier. When it lights up, the record immediately secretes a black ink that will render any memory corrupted to view. The FJO produced such specialized disks as per the advice of Allen McGregor and Chisoo Kim to ensure the security of the records their technology has enabled.”

              Yoongi nods, seemingly satisfied. The three walk around the outline of the labyrinth, Rina explaining each aisle as much as she can to the auditor, Jungkook adding a few details of the cases that involved certain records. When they returned to the walk space they came from, Jungkook thanks Rina for the accommodation and leads Yoongi back upstairs. Once they’ve made it back to the office’s concrete floors, the door slides shut, the panel returning to its initial small projection on the glass wall. 

              Unlike the Memory Temple, Yoongi has complete jurisdiction over the rest of the FJO complex. And so, Jungkook ended up hesitantly agreeing to tour the auditor around the complex and explain the activities done in each office as per the auditor’s inquiries.

              “Each sector in Precrime has a metal chute connected with their counterparts in Forecrime,” Jungkook drawls as he points to Organized Crime’s metal structure. “Agents place the files on the projected plate and the chute will provide enough wind to push it through the metalwork. Meanwhile, files are received from the plates with the central slit. It’s like an ATM but instead of money, it produces a legal-sized expandable file.” Yoongi only stiffly nods. Jungkook releases an exasperated sigh. His only silver lining in carrying on this tour is Jimin, Taehyung, and Hoseok who’s aiding him in doing the rest of the explaining.

              The auditor only says his first statement during the tour when they cross to the right-wing: the Forecrime division. “There’s not much difference between your divisions.” 

              Indeed, the Forecrime division almost looks identical to Precrime. Their walls are also made of transparent glass, their floors metal-infused concrete walkways. Each sector also has similar gigantic glass boards with wooden compartments at the back to enable witnesses to view crime records during investigations. There are also projected panels on the back glass walls that lead to the Memory Temple.

              The only difference between the two divisions is the special room Forecrime was granted. Unlike Precrime, Forecrime does not have a specialized metal lift that enables the agents to reach the Task-Action Agency Office in record time. Instead, Forecrime has a huge gymnasium filled with long “boxes” of time jumpers. From their position on the hallway, Jungkook could see their traveling agents flipping the lids open and getting inside these boxes. Jungkook remembers asking about how Forecrime agents travel in these boxes to his friend, Hanford Meyers. The Forecrime Future of Organized Crimes Sector captain said it feels like getting thrust into a VR-like reality at any point around the country.

              “It’s like you’ve suddenly awaken into a dream. You don’t have any sense of where you are. You only know of the time. And what you’re supposed to do. Before they could travel, Forecrime agents are trained to have an immense focus on the points of the case they have to check on in their travels in the future. So when they enter the box, it just seems like they’re being led by their conscious’ voice. The rest, we leave it to Precrime. What only matters is to see the nearest intended future and the box.” 

              All Jungkook could think about is how wrong it feels to call those time jumpers “boxes” when they look more like the vintage tanning beds.

              The time seems to pass too fast since they’ve been in Forecrime because now, Jungkook is leading the team down to the ground floor. It must be because it was Jimin who took charge in explaining the rest in Forecrime. Meanwhile, the mundaneness of the fourth and fifth floors of the Investigation Bureau and the Offices of the High-ranking FJO Officers look and feel too much like the typical office the auditor already knows too well.Jungkook reaches the end of the hallway behind the main lobby, standing in front of a metal lift. However, this lift is not like any other lifts in the complex for this one has black gildings around its edges. It also has a note on the button’s panel that says, “For high-ranking officials and Freedom Security Staff Only.”

              Just like at the panel on the back wall of the Murder Sector, Jungkook shows his identification card to the detector and leans forward to scan his eyes. The lift opens and inside, he presses “4,” subsequently letting the rest of his small posse enter the metal box. Jungkook presses the down button and soon, they feel the lift descending into the basement floor of the building.

              The light at the top flicks green. The doors open and what awaits in front of them is a long metal walkway that leads to the center of the floor. Unsolved Crimes captain Ryan Bergara passes by and salutes at Jungkook. Jungkook does the same and continues on, and soon, they’re walking onto Federal Justice Organization’s Prison Area. 

              The walls are not made of glass but instead, of silver-gray metal similar to the ones used in the Memory Temple. There are small offices that circle around the floor housing wardens and utility staff. But the largest office sits on the north end. It has a glass wall that separates itself from the main hallway and the rest of the offices. A huge control board is set up filled with loads of different buttons and levers. Sitting in the swivel chair in front of it is the Chief Warden.

              Jungkook knocks at the glass door. The Chief Warden jumps in his seat and turns around. Jungkook gives a small smile. The warden salutes at him, smiling, as he presses a button that opens the glass door.

              “Why are you knocking instead of using your card? Could have saved me unnecessary shock,” Rick snickers.

              Jungkook shrugs. “I felt like not using it after seeing you being so attentive to your job. Why are you even on the board? You’re the chief. Where’s Martin?”  

              “Took a leave to attend his wife’s performance at the opera. Bastard’s living a fairy tale these days,” Rick trails off as he peers behind the captain and notices the strange blonde man staring too intently at him. Rick raises a brow at the captain.

              Jungkook sighs, “DOJ. This is their auditor Yoongi Min. He likes to check out the prison.”

              Rick nods and turns to his board. “Make yourselves welcome to the balcony.” The Chief Warden presses a button and a buzzer goes off. The door at the right corner of the board pops open. Jungkook leads the way onto the balcony of the Prison Area. In front of them is a sea of glass-walled prison cells layered on top of one another. Each cell holds one prisoner, seemingly fast asleep as they stand stiff, wearing orange jumpsuits. A couple of tubes are attached to their body, connecting it to a huge tank that sits on the bottom compartments of their cells. Looking at the prison, one cannot help but feel like they’re looking at a wall of coffins tipped face-front.

              “Your prison is—”

              “Highly secured?” Jungkook turns to the auditor, “Yes, we made sure of that.”

              “No. It’s inhumane.”

              Jungkook scoffs, “I-inhumane? This is inhumane?”

              “You’re stripping these people of their freedom to act on their autonomy to as basic as being awake.” 

              “Well, they lost their right to that freedom when they’ve stepped on other’s rights to commit their crimes,” Jungkook takes a step forward. “This is just for temporary. We’re going to release them anyway after their sentences. It’s better to make use of the time and teach them what it’s like to have your rights stripped away from you so they won’t even have to think again of stripping others of their rights.”

              Yoongi cocks his brow. “It’s still inhumane. Your acting almighty, dictating these people deserve it when you’ve arrested them based on mere human-made predictions you make a temple for. You’re not acting like humans. You’re acting like gods and that is inhumane.”

              Jungkook purses his lips. His eyes glance behind Yoongi’s back and see Jimin, Taehyung, and Hoseok nodding to themselves. Jungkook steps out and looks at them. “You’re nodding as if you know what he’s talking about.”

              Hoseok shrugs, “Well, he has a point. We’re exercising our powers determining everyone’s future and dictating what consequence should they have. Indeed, only gods do that and we are no gods.”

              Jungkook turns away and sighs. “Go back to work, all of you.”

              The three nod. They salute at the captain and silently make their way out of the balcony.

              Yoongi falls in step next to Jungkook. He looks down at his shoes. “Sorry, it’s a bad habit. I find it hard to see limitations in my words.”

              Jungkook remains quiet.

              Yoongi looks at him. “I know you must have great value for this system. Especially when you lost someone dear to you at such a tragic event—”

              Jungkook turns to him.

              “—And now, the culprit who hit you is walking around free—��

              “Cut the bullshit, Yoongi. What are you really looking for?”

              Yoongi levels his eyes with his. “Flaws.”

              Jungkook clenches his jaw. “The organization hasn’t made any flaw in eight years. Yes, there are some suspects who slipped past us and ended up finishing the crime. But we still successfully caught them in the end and exacted appropriate punishment.” Jungkook takes a step to the auditor, “Justice has been ensured at all times. The system is perfect.”

              “Yes,” Yoongi nods, “your system is impeccable. But even if you act like gods using this system to its full potential, you are still humans. And humans are flawed. If the system is indeed perfect, then its flaws have to be created by humans.”

              Jungkook stands still in his position.

              Yoongi makes his way to the glass door, “And you’re wrong, Jungkook. FJO’s system has already made one flaw: that elusive driver of the black Jaguar.”

              Jungkook winces as Namjoon pats the last drop of ointment on his wound. Namjoon looks up at him then starts wrapping his friend’s arm in a fresh bandage. “From what I remember, you used to have high pain tolerance.”

              “What do you mean ‘used to’? I still have a high tolerance,” Jungkook mutters, using his free hand to raise his mug of coffee to his lips.

              Namjoon makes a particular hard tug and Jungkook freezes, stifling another wince. Namjoon tilts his head, “No, I think you do not.” Jungkook faces away from his friend. Namjoon hums as he tucks the end of the bandage to the captain’s elbow with a pin. He pats it lightly one last time and looks at his friend, “Something’s bothering you. Tell me.”

              Jungkook sighs, “It’s just work. Nothing you need to worry about. The DOJ is already messing with your department.”

              “So you’re also getting tipped over your backs by DOJ, too?” Namjoon snickers, “Great. We’re on the same page. Now, tell me what’s up.”

              Jungkook puts down his mug. “Fine. Tell me yours first.”

              Namjoon leans back in his chair, placing his arms beneath his nape, “So we’re doing the ‘let the worse problem win’ game again, huh? Thought this was over in college.” 

              Jungkook gives him an unamused look. Namjoon chuckles, “Okay, I’ll go first. Well, today someone named Chris Jefferson acted like a king and demanded all of us Bureau analysts to let him see our files and history of connections. Good thing I programmed my personal phone to be off-grid to any system or else Seokjin’s name is gonna start making headlines. But I’m still pissed. I had to reorganize my files again when Chris was unsatisfied with the mundaneness of our things. I don’t wanna talk about this anymore. I’ve already poured out enough when we reached our building.” Namjoon leans forward and clasps his hand together, “Now, tell me about yours.”

              Jungkook’s eyes travel to the ajar door of his office. He shakes his head and turns to his friend. “DOJ sent their auditor to us. They’re suspicious of our sector because this black Jaguar that hit me is apparently been under their radar for a while doing suspicious things that seem to be connected with Winston’s case.” Namjoon’s eyes widen. Jungkook pulls his lips, “Yeah, I didn’t imagine it was going to be more complicated. I’m still sure it’s Anderson. I don’t have any notable enemies in and outside FJO. Only suspects. And Leigh is the only suspect that’s escaped from my hands. There’s no one who’ll have a grudge against me but him. A thinner man was made out from the CCTVs, but who knows? All we have is just a silhouette after all.”

              Jungkook runs his hand through his hair, “But it’s hard to stand on that ground when that Jaguar’s doing the three to five minutes in-vicinity pattern of Precrime traveling agents. And this goddamn auditor has to stomp on all my pride and dignity and run everything in Precrime to his way while he preaches as if he’s better than anyone of us.” 

              Ugly silence. Jungkook looks at the hanging frame stand on his bookshelf. “On his first day, he implied my faith in this system was not because of my commitment to my job but because of…Daehyun.” Namjoon goes stiff. Jungkook closes his eyes and sighs, “I just don’t know what I should feel in this mess anymore because everything…is too much.”

              Namjoon twirls his mug around his hand. “Has…none of the traveling agents seen this driver? Precrime and Forecrime?”

              Jungkook shakes his head, “No. I requested Property and Crime Scene and Accident Prevention to do more travels four days ago and it’s still negative. I even asked Organized Crimes to look into this but even they can’t place this driver into their web of contacts. Forecrime didn’t see anything related to the hit and run.  We have his license plate but that is not much of a help because our programs didn’t type it as registered, stolen, or even a burner. Just ‘invalid.’ We’d never had an invalid before. We usually type in suspects caught by the CCTV as soon as one hour.” Jungkook exasperatedly runs a hand down his face. “I practically exhausted everything in the system for one whole week and I still don’t know a fucking goddamn thing about this driver.”

              Namjoon nods silently.

              Jungkook looks at him. “Do you know something?”

              Namjoon sends him a tight smile, “Something that could help you a bit, I do.”

              Jungkook’s moves his mug away, leaning over the table. “Tell me.”

              “Well, this is not part of our protocol. None of it is and whatever we may retrieve from doing this, we cannot use as substantial evidence to indict anyone. It can only go as far as a guide to use. But, it’s still worth a shot trying.” 

              Jungkook nods at him to continue. Namjoon grips his mug tighter. “Back when FJO is still running the traditional a-gazillion-paperwork-way, we at the Bureau have encountered countless of horrendous cases with unidentifiable suspects. Some of them have gone cold. The most notable was Linton Park’s 7 Capital Sins serial murders. 10 years ago. We were losing hope until we learned someone from one of our departments is capable of identifying the suspect without the help of our system. It was totally unconventional and we almost didn’t believe it. Everyone but Seokjin. He’s the only one who believed it and it was a good thing that he did. Because after he pushed this unconventional method for consideration, we gathered enough evidence to indict Linton. After that, all of our impossible cases were entrusted into this girl. She still remained to be my contact when the Bureau encounters records with people the new system is unable to identify.”

              “Who is this person?”

              “Y/N L/N. She’s a sketch artist…and a clairvoyant. She can draw up the most unimaginable faces from a future no traveling agent can reach. Not even FJO’s picture-perfect system can penetrate the futures that she sees. What’s astounding is,” Namjoon looks straight at Jungkook, “she’s never been wrong.”

next | series masterlist

A/N pt.2: This story is based on Steven Spielberg’s film adaptation of Philip K. Dick’s short story, Minority Report (2002). That being said, this series may contain spoilers for the movie so if you want to watch the movie, please do so first before reading!

Hi @senfleurs​! This is your (long overdue) make-up birthday gift from yours truly! I got inspired (and also challenged) to fulfill my part in your Angst Diplomacy™. I know I’ve already said lots of things on your birthday but I just want to pour more love for you. You’re an amazing person and you’ve constantly been there for me through thick and thin and I am eternally grateful of you for that. You’ve always had a good taste in art and books and so much more and that inspired me to write something that can, at least, take a small spot in your top-tier™ taste. So thank you also for being a strong inspiration for me in writing this :”)

Also, this fic happened to drop by the birthday of one of my dear supporters from day 1, @kwonthefire​, so happy, happy birthday hon! Thank you for being a wonderful reader who never failed to send me love and motivation when I’m starting to doubt myself. I wish your quarantine birthday was good to you because you deserve happiness! I hope you’re taking care of yourself good and may you always stay safe and remember you are loved and appreciated, even by such a measly, smol writer on the internet you’ve managed to make smile on days’ end! Love you!

Notes | Next update will be on the week after next week, Sunday, May 31! If you guys wanna get tagged in a taglist, just hit me up down the comments so I can track you all! Thank you for reading and giving a chance for My Time! :’> ++ As you know, this is a mystery fic so it will be most appreciated if any theories pertaining to the story be kept down the comments so I can entertain them all without spoiling our future readers! Once again, thank you so much for reading this! **Tagging my lovely hon, @spring2787​ who requested to get tagged in all of my works. Thank you for the support hon!

All Rights Reserved © Vanaera. 2020. Reposts, modifications, and translations of content are not allowed without direct permission

[th3atr3phant0m]

Math Cadets: Chapter Two - Flimsy Deal

“Come on , Keef! You know that Zim is an alien! It’s so obvious!” Dib’s tutoring session with Keef was coming to a close and they were, as per the usual, discussing methods of “payment” for this weeks’ particular session. Considering Keef worked on the school paper and had a bit of power when it came to what did and didn’t get into specific sections, Dib thought he was the perfect target to speak to about this. Since the majority of the students there did nearly anything he asked them to if he helped them enough, he had been positive that Keef would help him out here. He was the only person- aside from Gaz- that he had spoken to about what Zim was.

“Look, Dib, I hate doing this, but Zim is really nice!” Keef insisted, “Besides, we don’t have enough evidence to put this in the school paper in the first place- and it’s not just me you have to convince. It’s everyone on the paper who has to agree, plus Mrs. Valentine since she’s the one who proofreads all of our papers.”

“Okay , then I’ll just get them all on my side. I help almost every student in this school, I’m sure I can get everyone on the paper to agree with me,” Dib leaned back in his chair, frowning, “And the teachers love me. Mrs. Valentine can’t be too hard to convince.”

“You would think that, but she’s really against us writing anything too negative or expository about other students, here…”

“Okay, then we’ll work around that.”

“Dib, I just don’t think it’s possible!” Keef persisted, “Besides, Zim is nice to me! I don’t want to do anything that could upset him.”

Dib was practically seething. He and Keef weren’t exactly close in any capacity- they weren’t friends and the only times that they saw one another outside of school was when they met for Dib to tutor and cheat for Keef. Their relationship was purely professional and didn’t even kind of dip into the territory about them being friends for one another. Despite this, Dib had a very stable “I-scratch-your-back-you-scratch-mine” kind of deal with all of his clients; he helped them with their schoolwork or gave them answers to the homework or helped them cheat on tests and they did whatever he wanted from them in return. He had always relied on this system for what he needed within the school. It was the source of all of his power. His intellect and him helping people was the only thing that really kept him afloat in their school. If he weren’t doing this little business on the side, he wouldn’t be anywhere near as successful and respected as he currently was. Considering how heavily so many of the others he tutored relied upon him, he had never had any of them blatantly go against or ignore his requests. Despite their lack of closeness, he certainly didn’t expect Keef- the sweet, happy-go-lucky, easily manipulated Keef- to be the first one to break the cycle.

What irritated him more than that was the fact that Keef didn’t seem to believe him despite the evidence that was clearly given to them and completely on display. The fact that Keef seemed to trust Zim of all people more than he trusted Dib irritated him to no end. He had helped Keef get through school for so many years and now, all of a sudden, when one new student showed up and spoke to him for no more five minutes, Keef was willing and ready to just… stop believing and helping Dib?

Dib clenched his jaw bitterly, “If I find more evidence, will you put me in the paper?”

“Well…”

“ Keef ,” Dib sighed insistently, “I just need you to help me here. If I can find good, accurate, obvious evidence that Zim is, beyond a shadow of a doubt, an alien, will you include it in the paper.”

Dib help Keef’s gaze intensely, refusing to look away or even blink as he stared into the other’s soul, watching as he shifted nervously.

“...I’ll do what I can.”

Dib sighed and nodded, “Good.” With that, Dib scooped up his backpack to leave the classroom that they had been using to study after school hours, “I’ll see you next Thursday.”

Keef being resistant to Dib’s requests and him not only trusting but liking Zim certainly made things more complicated. Without the undivided help from Keef that he had been anticipating, he would need to put forth more effort- especially if he was going to convince the rest of the kids on the school paper as well as the teacher editor of it. The added obstacle was irritating only because he hadn’t expected it- especially not it stemming from Keef of all people.

Nonetheless, Dib knew that he could do this. He was nothing if not a resilient problem-solver, and he had plenty of other things on his side to assist him in proving what Zim really was. He just had to wait for the right moment and collect enough data.

~~~

Dib wasn’t convinced that finding evidence to help prove his point would be any difficult feat- Zim wasn’t exactly stealthy by any means. His disguise was horrible and easy to see through and his mannerisms were very telling of what he truly was. Not only that, but Zim was clearly not yet used to acting like a human and being part of their world. Dib was certain that it was only a matter of time before Zim slipped up and gave him the evidence he would need to support his “theory”.

Until then, though, he wasn’t just going to wait. Dib knew war strategy and he understood psychological warfare enough to know that waiting for Zim to make the first move and mess up was stupid- especially considering the fact that it was incredibly likely that Zim had more training in that area than Dib did and had far more advanced technology on his side.

No, Dib would have to find the evidence on his own, whether or not Zim slipped up. He didn’t need the alien to mess up to give him an opportunity. He had plenty of ways to crack through Zim’s shell and see what was going on. Even just finding Zim’s base would likely be enough for Dib- allowing him to figure out ways to infiltrate it and gather evidence.

He was confident that it wouldn’t take him long to expose Zim and that it would be far from the most difficult thing he would ever have to do.

For now, though, he just had to suffer through chemical engineering alongside the idiotic alien.

The assignment that they were working on at the moment was a research paper in which they were tasked to find inventive and creative solutions to whatever problem they were given regarding the more molecular biology sides of chemical engineering. For them at the moment, it meant proposing ideas for how to resolve the issues regarding there being a lack of organs and tissue combine with the issue of many people’s bodies refusing to accept new organs introduced to their bodies.

As expected, Zim had some unorthodox suggestions for how to avoid these two problems.

“Why not just kill people off for the organs and tissue?”

Dib couldn’t help but facepalm, “That’s unethical , Zim, and will definitely get us kicked out of school or reported to psychologists if we suggest that.”

“It’s a simple fix!” Zim defended, crossing his arms.

“It doesn’t even address the other problem we were assigned to answer- how to reduce the issue of people not being able to accept everyone’s organs.”

“Ah, another simple fix,” Zim proclaimed, raising up one finger as though to make his point, “Kill off their family members!”

Dib deadpanned, “You have got to be kidding me.”

“It solves both problems with very little effort! It provides the necessary organs and such for the people and, due to their aligning DNA, they will have no problem accepting the new organs.”

“You are an idiot ,” Dib groaned, “How are you still passing as a human when you suggest shit like that in public ?”

Zim’s eyes darted across the classroom nervously as Dib mentioned the fact that they were, indeed, in a public place of sorts. He raised his voice slightly as he spoke, “ Pass as human? I am human- a filth worm just like all of you.”

“You’re insufferable.”

“I could say the same to you, Dib-Stink.”

Dbi shook his head, ignoring the alien in favour of beginning to write an actual proposition down on their paper, outlining the benefits of 3D printing to provide the organs required and combining those new organs with the patient’s own DNA to ensure that it wasn’t rejected.

“Eh? What are you writing, worm?” Zim tilted his head to get a better look over Dib’s shoulder.

“Unlike you , I’m actually doing our work and writing a reasonable suggestion that a sane human being could actually think of and accept.”

Once more, Zim crossed his arms, closing his eyes as he spoke, “Zim sees no problem with his suggestion.”

“Killing people is illegal and would in no way be considered an ethical way to solve either of these problems. You may be alright with sabotaging yourself considering your shitty disguise, but I , on the other hand, am not going to let that happen to myself. I’m not going to get kicked out of school just because you want to turn in some wacky shit for our project.”

Zim rolled his eyes, the human expression of irritation looking strange on the alien, pupils not moving perfectly as though they weren’t used to making such movements just yet. “Very well, just hurry up and complete the work.”

Dib glared and pointed his pencil at the alien threateningly, though he knew that his weapon of choice was a rather weak one, even if he was to disregard the fact that he was up against a creature that was far more powerful than he was.

Infuriatingly, Zim just laughed.

Dib almost throttled him on the spot.

~~~

It was a wonder that Dib got through the rest of the day without killing Zim. Aside from him being a hindrance in their little project for their bioengineering class and the general irritation that Dib felt towards him anytime he did or said something obviously inhuman that was met with no response from anyone else, he had just been an absolute bitch all day. Dib supposed that that was just the nature of the alien- obnoxious and loud. He seemed to have one volume and that volume was far louder than any human had the right to be.

The absolute fury that Zim inspired in Dib, though, did little more than fuel him and he fully welcomed the stupid outbursts that Zim occasionally had since they all had the possibility of garnering someone else’s attention.

Dib knew that he couldn’t rely on that, though, and the strange things that Zim had openly said and done throughout the day to no avail confirmed that to Dib. What would help him in this situation, though- at least in Dib’s opinion- was keeping a journal regarding the alien. It would allow him to take physical notes rather than just mental notes that could easily be forgotten and would make it easier for him to organize his thoughts regarding the situation. Plus, on the off chance that Zim became violent to the point of killing Dib off (which, considering the fact that he was an alien attempting to enslave the human race, didn’t seem impossible), leaving behind a physical copy of his findings would allow others to pick up where he left off.

Besides, Dib liked the drama of it.

As soon as school was over, he headed to the nearby store to purchase the thickest college-ruled notebook that he could find and slip it into his backpack, hiding it among his other things. It may have been a simple, small thing, but it would allow him to create a “scrapbook” of evidence against Zim. It was small, but it was a decent “secret weapon” and Dib was certain that it would come in handy.

Upon returning to his home, he went upstairs, locking himself into his bedroom as per the usual to begin his work. Instead of focusing on his homework and studying as he typically did when he first got home, he cracked open his Zim notebook and began recording the things that he already knew about the alien, citing strange things the creature had said and done since arriving at Astra Academy.

While Dib hadn’t anticipated spending much time on it before getting back to his classwork, he only stopped working on the notebook when he heard Gaz bang on his bedroom door, telling him to come down for dinner.

Dib blinked in surprise glancing from his notebook where he was in the midst of writing one of his theories about the alien up to his clock which displayed the time. It was nearly six-thirty- not too late, but he had definitely gotten far too wrapped up in his Zim research and recording than he had meant to.

He shook his head, setting his journal down so he could head downstairs to eat before returning. He may have spent more time on it than he had anticipated, but, at the very least, he knew that his research and recording would eventually come in handy if he wanted to ever prove what Zim was. So what if it took a lot of effort- that was life and Dib was far from unfamiliar with putting forth ridiculous amounts of work to get even simpler things in life done. Going to school where he had and having Professor Membrane as a dad taught him that from a young age. Dib wasn’t scared of needing to put forth his all to take down the alien and, if it meant saving the world and gaining the respect from those around him as well, he would do anything to take Zim down.

For this chapter, I just made a shitty mood board for the “cover”. Suffer.

I originally posted this fic HERE and you can read the rest of the chapters on the same page, if you are interested. :) 

[sunritual]

Let’s try this again

They should make a law where if the police don’t read you your Miranda rights you get out of jail free, like if you don’t get your receipt at fast food restaurants you get a mail free

The shaggy law - There should be a law that if you continuously and shamelessly deny doing something, no matter how indisputably obvious it is that you did it, you should get off free for pure savegery.

Confederates as “rebels for tradition” is laughable

Ram rainbow spiral horns profile.

People think grammar rules are etched into the universe — they’re not. When people say AAve is incorrect and ignorant, they say that their conception of how one should speak is inherently correct despite no evidence/truth. Grammar is agreed upon not mandated

Hippie sauce infusion pizza joint

Plain nude balconette with little purple and pink flowers at wiring

How could anyone predict anything happening but how could any be surpised either

Hierarchies - nahhhh

Humans aren’t inherently higher than any other creature or thing, but as humans i don’t think it’s wrong to prioritize other humans. There no better or worse but there is optimal for certain environments and lifestyles.

What differentiates a piece of art from a slightly different replica - when is it an entirely different piece altogether? Moving a figure slightly? Adding a splash of paint ? Changing a color to the point where no one could tell? Is the persons perception the deciding factor or what’s actually on the canvas. If abstract art is about the perception, and the waning behind it - does it change with these things?

An exhibit where people are invited to paint over and destroy or change the art

The differences between us and other. Are feeble - not illusory but

Periwinkle sky blue black and white each of a half circle . Faded out

Uni should be about exploring ideas — new and old famillar and foreign - honeing writing reading reasoning debating listening etc skills.

Umm, Karen were your parents married when you were born?

Ummmm no, umm i mean , uh ,yes —what??

Then why are you policing what other people do?

Dark blue light blue orange lemon circles layer on top of each other, several difffent sizes

Job apps tip!! For every job you apply to , Change your last name on your resume to the last name of the hiring manager and they will think you are related to them and hire you with nepotism. ( then, or coarse, legally when you get the job)

Unpopular opinion: i don’t really mind diarrhea

I for one think it’s incredibly brave of the brats girls to reclaim such a derogatory term

Starting every Describtion of every British show with “its kind of like skins but..”

Beanie baskin took that treat she snatched it - she ain’t even askin

The squad bod - a group of ghost friends share one body in which they have to live their lives -

My playlists are a matter of fact, not opinion. They reveal truths about the human experience

A cats gorilla imeritive of aesthetics.

I don’t chose them, they are not for joy but for truth. They are not intelligible but feel able

📝 narrative - longing

👼 chaotic

🌾 childlike wonder

Things that seem homo and phobic ATST

- Woodstock

- Brown eyed girl

Life has a funny way of sneaking up on ya when you think everything BG a gone wrong and everything bows up in your face

If women can’t do drag because they have an advantage then what is drag? Is it having good looking tits and a waist ? Looking like woman? or is it about having charisma uniqueness nerve and talent?

Examining Tik toks through different philosophical lenses

What makes it so they put parenthesis around lyrics in a song? What intonations and such make it parenthesis worthy

What’s an article of clothing from your childhood that you viscerally remember for seemingly no reason

I feel like the problem with the property brothers is they had too good of a childhood

Do you ever wonder if personality traits would be diffferntnin different cultures? Would a quiet person be even quieter if they were brought up in North Korea? Or the same amount of talkativity? Do we have the traits no matter what, or are we inclined to be more of one way than the others around us. Are personality traits created by comparison to those around?

Maybe the anxiety comes from knowing your not “supposed” to be as quiet as you are. You don’t really want to talk, that’s okay , but it’s expected that you do. So you are anxiety that your not living up

I find happiness every single day

This feeling has made me so appreciative of my mental state usually. How many people feel like this on the regular? How many people have this as their default? I am so lucky. My default is happy. I have my issues, but i need to appreciate the gift i was given. I was given elation. Childlike wonder. Curiosity. Adventurousness. Self completion and fullness. The rest will come.

If you see a celebrity you want to talk to in public but don’t want to bother them, make sure they don’t see that you saw them and start a fake conversation telling a friend that they should buy a product they are a sponsor for, and that they should use their coupon code. When they approach you to thank you for being such a loyal fan, obviously pretend to be shocked that they just so happened to be there

Christianity excuses selfish politics and beliefs

Things i never would’ve noticed if they weren’t pointed out to me:

-Left and right handed ness

Rating sports teams by uniform colors

Balloon animals but make it clothing!

Logics doesn’t care about your feelings, but it certainly cares about your biasees.

He who findeth keepith, whilst he who loosith weepith.

Religious thought often starts at the conclusion they want and attempts to make arguments justifying it.

Jewish debate starts with an agreement that we are going to follow the book, but argues about what the book truly says. Not good enough when you are still just following the book

Why did Jesus need to die for our sins

Dream - swimming in a lake and bump into something you think is a human tying to save to but is it! Oct 29 9:03

Candle company logo etc

I’m sorry for your loss

It’s not oka

If people can accept that stupid bad jokes can be

Is there a reason for each thing existing? Sufficient reason

Understanding if an area is a matter of perspective or fact? Is it Emperical ?

If you assume you have free will you limit your critical thinking ability and therefor stour actual free will - you need to navigate technology such as algorithms that show you why at you want to see or you completely loose free will - you cannot chose when you don’t even know a choice. there is Somthing controlling you

Revelation is within it doesn’t involve others - can happen in a moment

Revolution- requires work and years and years of convincing others m

What counts as a second chance? What counts as a first chance? What does giving someone the benefit of the doubt entail ? Letting them out of jail , or letting them have a 2nd term as president.

**Picture of coke or Pepsi book**

Trump supporters be like: THIS is the BALLOt sleepy crooked joe SEND to MY neighbor. So much FOR democracy

One flew over the coup coups nest

Ashge-nazi = Jewish trump supporter

The heathers of the USA are Cali, New York and Texas. Florida, too

Shape shifting would solve all of this. I could go to Washington DC, pretend to be trump, concede then leave. It would be hilarious, however if me and trump looked identical and had to so the most idiotic crazy shit to prove to America that we indeed are the true DJ.

Coup busting outfit - light cute short sleeve camo shirts , army green super utalitarian cargo pants , double sash belts in leather with grommets studs or spikes (to be decided by team (with democracy) or left up to the individual) leather (vegan available) lace up knee high boots (maybe with spikes if not too 2012) and the pies de resistance two army green denim shoulder high gloves that fold down as far as needed for the comfort of the fighter. Will be adorned with patches decided by the wearer. Edges will be frayed to honor to the coup busting aesthetic and spirit of the endeavor. We can decide on a signature lip color, but spf is required for all fighters. Of coarse we will have those football stripes below the eyes, don’t be stupid.

How far away can something be from a face and still have humans think it’s a face

Senator Portman - i hope you are well, and want to thank you for the hard work you have put in to this election. However, it has become abundantly clear that joe Biden and Kamala Harris have secured more than enough electoral and popular votes to warrant recognition as president and vice elect. Upon reading the transcripts of he hopeless court cases, there is absolutely no evidence of vote measurable fraud. is time you stand up for democracy and face reality by congratulating he pair on their success. Americans and scared and they need a powerful republican voice to demounce the unsubstantiated conspircy theories that attempt to thwart democracy in this beautiful county. Please do the right thing , and stand with sanity, freedom and democracy. History books and citizens will thank you. May god bless you, your staff and loved ones

Could mermaids exist through evolution in the future

Me learning about real us history - all the nations destroyed by the USA—- I’m the baaad Guy

The rest of the world - duh dodododosodo

Print that looks like a page of writing that has been sourced in water so it’s bleeding and darker in speckles

Zamps= examples

Clothes with green screen cut outs

Robots don’t need to be sentient to destroy us.

Navy mock neck long sleeves big orange and little white stripe on tube cage sides

A veritcal line stretch waistband

Cross cross and straps back

Square high neck

Scarlet polka dots around can light blue text and beach image as front

Blue stroke red inside square, blue triangle rainbow with eye and funky font

Y either know a particular topic or not , but it’s hard to pin down intelligence on one category

Cream background , ice cream pink script name kinda bev hills hotel script looking ish

Move your mouth in a differ way

Supersonic vibrating butt cleaner

Half magenta half red violet a blue teacup in the center with white floral frills thick serif font

Pink background am orange flower in a vase white present ribbon n red as a table

An app that familiarizes people with science - through experimental learning ― hands on experiences that make it seem less top down and authoritarian , and more like a set of steps that we take, things that anyone can do to get closer with nature and the world

A social media philosophy app - teaches what others said and gives people a chance to express their views , postulate, argue, etc gadfly? How would be avoid a shit show, how can we make social media more humanitarian. how can we care about people while also expressing deeply held ideas , how can we encourage users to examine their deeply held ideas without alienating them. How can we discourage hatred and abuse and groupthink with design? How do we slow people down and encourage them to recognize the human behind the screen. Street epistemology? Socratic dialogue?

Socrates - asking questions. Breaking it down to bits. Deeply understanding their argument. Asking about different possibilities and circumstances. Take vast assumptions and show scenarios that make go against them.

Build fact checking into apps

Narrative self vs experiential

Walks you through steps of the sciefitifc method and encourages you to explain how you feel each step actually helped you- then walks you through a scientist doing the same for their reasarch

Republicans only want to be free in the specific ways that benefit corporations

Are Christians more willing to support the death pen early because they already believe in the cruel and overstepping punishment of hell?

Where did the idea come from that you need to remain impartial when trying to persuade

The idea that there is someone in a similar but different dwelling, hearing similar but different sounds and feeling similar but different feelings is wild

We synthesize sets of traits, and particular actions in a super biased culturally constructed way

With the way we see things as humans- we categorize things into groups that aren’t really reaaal ― paratheletic groups

I just want the people and jobs that benefit society

Connection to nietzsches Dionysian art and eckheart tolle/Taoism

No matter your personality, there is probably a part of the world that you would fit in with naturally.

An ordinary girl is selected as one of the representatives of earth in the first meeting of various alien species after one advanced planet discovered and United 10. Confused as to why she was chosen, she goes on her journey meeting

Wha ba Bada da da da da dada he’s a wha ba ba dadada as a matter of fact it’s not my fault if you came up here thinking that you would win

Wanting to break boundaries and rules for the sake those who are hurt by the rules

You are imagining the best case scenario of the life you want to have and experience Ming the reality of the life you so have.

Yes her drips cosmetics line to students i. Class

Chez it people can goldfish people

Your personality flows where a system needs it to go to maintain balance

[forunfeltimaginations]

Let’s try this again

They should make a law where if the police don’t read you your Miranda rights you get out of jail free, like if you don’t get your receipt at fast food restaurants you get a mail free

The shaggy law - There should be a law that if you continuously and shamelessly deny doing something, no matter how indisputably obvious it is that you did it, you should get off free for pure savegery.

Confederates as “rebels for tradition” is laughable

Ram rainbow spiral horns profile.

People think grammar rules are etched into the universe — they’re not. When people say AAve is incorrect and ignorant, they say that their conception of how one should speak is inherently correct despite no evidence/truth. Grammar is agreed upon not mandated

Hippie sauce infusion pizza joint

Plain nude balconette with little purple and pink flowers at wiring

How could anyone predict anything happening but how could any be surpised either

Hierarchies - nahhhh

Humans aren’t inherently higher than any other creature or thing, but as humans i don’t think it’s wrong to prioritize other humans. There no better or worse but there is optimal for certain environments and lifestyles.

What differentiates a piece of art from a slightly different replica - when is it an entirely different piece altogether? Moving a figure slightly? Adding a splash of paint ? Changing a color to the point where no one could tell? Is the persons perception the deciding factor or what’s actually on the canvas. If abstract art is about the perception, and the waning behind it - does it change with these things?

An exhibit where people are invited to paint over and destroy or change the art

The differences between us and other. Are feeble - not illusory but

Periwinkle sky blue black and white each of a half circle . Faded out

Uni should be about exploring ideas — new and old famillar and foreign - honeing writing reading reasoning debating listening etc skills.

Umm, Karen were your parents married when you were born?

Ummmm no, umm i mean , uh ,yes —what??

Then why are you policing what other people do?

Dark blue light blue orange lemon circles layer on top of each other, several difffent sizes

Job apps tip!! For every job you apply to , Change your last name on your resume to the last name of the hiring manager and they will think you are related to them and hire you with nepotism. ( then, or coarse, legally when you get the job)

Unpopular opinion: i don’t really mind diarrhea

I for one think it’s incredibly brave of the brats girls to reclaim such a derogatory term

Starting every Describtion of every British show with “its kind of like skins but..”

Beanie baskin took that treat she snatched it - she ain’t even askin

The squad bod - a group of ghost friends share one body in which they have to live their lives -

My playlists are a matter of fact, not opinion. They reveal truths about the human experience

A cats gorilla imeritive of aesthetics.

I don’t chose them, they are not for joy but for truth. They are not intelligible but feel able

📝 narrative - longing

👼 chaotic

🌾 childlike wonder

Things that seem homo and phobic ATST

- Woodstock

- Brown eyed girl

Life has a funny way of sneaking up on ya when you think everything BG a gone wrong and everything bows up in your face

If women can’t do drag because they have an advantage then what is drag? Is it having good looking tits and a waist ? Looking like woman? or is it about having charisma uniqueness nerve and talent?

Examining Tik toks through different philosophical lenses

What makes it so they put parenthesis around lyrics in a song? What intonations and such make it parenthesis worthy

What’s an article of clothing from your childhood that you viscerally remember for seemingly no reason

I feel like the problem with the property brothers is they had too good of a childhood

Do you ever wonder if personality traits would be diffferntnin different cultures? Would a quiet person be even quieter if they were brought up in North Korea? Or the same amount of talkativity? Do we have the traits no matter what, or are we inclined to be more of one way than the others around us. Are personality traits created by comparison to those around?

Maybe the anxiety comes from knowing your not “supposed” to be as quiet as you are. You don’t really want to talk, that’s okay , but it’s expected that you do. So you are anxiety that your not living up

I find happiness every single day

This feeling has made me so appreciative of my mental state usually. How many people feel like this on the regular? How many people have this as their default? I am so lucky. My default is happy. I have my issues, but i need to appreciate the gift i was given. I was given elation. Childlike wonder. Curiosity. Adventurousness. Self completion and fullness. The rest will come.

If you see a celebrity you want to talk to in public but don’t want to bother them, make sure they don’t see that you saw them and start a fake conversation telling a friend that they should buy a product they are a sponsor for, and that they should use their coupon code. When they approach you to thank you for being such a loyal fan, obviously pretend to be shocked that they just so happened to be there

Christianity excuses selfish politics and beliefs

Things i never would’ve noticed if they weren’t pointed out to me:

-Left and right handed ness

Rating sports teams by uniform colors

Balloon animals but make it clothing!

Logics doesn’t care about your feelings, but it certainly cares about your biasees.

He who findeth keepith, whilst he who loosith weepith.

Religious thought often starts at the conclusion they want and attempts to make arguments justifying it.

Jewish debate starts with an agreement that we are going to follow the book, but argues about what the book truly says. Not good enough when you are still just following the book

Why did Jesus need to die for our sins

Dream - swimming in a lake and bump into something you think is a human tying to save to but is it! Oct 29 9:03

Candle company logo etc

I’m sorry for your loss

It’s not oka

If people can accept that stupid bad jokes can be

Is there a reason for each thing existing? Sufficient reason

Understanding if an area is a matter of perspective or fact? Is it Emperical ?

If you assume you have free will you limit your critical thinking ability and therefor stour actual free will - you need to navigate technology such as algorithms that show you why at you want to see or you completely loose free will - you cannot chose when you don’t even know a choice. there is Somthing controlling you

Revelation is within it doesn’t involve others - can happen in a moment

Revolution- requires work and years and years of convincing others m

What counts as a second chance? What counts as a first chance? What does giving someone the benefit of the doubt entail ? Letting them out of jail , or letting them have a 2nd term as president.

**Picture of coke or Pepsi book**

Trump supporters be like: THIS is the BALLOt sleepy crooked joe SEND to MY neighbor. So much FOR democracy

One flew over the coup coups nest

Ashge-nazi = Jewish trump supporter

The heathers of the USA are Cali, New York and Texas. Florida, too

Shape shifting would solve all of this. I could go to Washington DC, pretend to be trump, concede then leave. It would be hilarious, however if me and trump looked identical and had to so the most idiotic crazy shit to prove to America that we indeed are the true DJ.

Coup busting outfit - light cute short sleeve camo shirts , army green super utalitarian cargo pants , double sash belts in leather with grommets studs or spikes (to be decided by team (with democracy) or left up to the individual) leather (vegan available) lace up knee high boots (maybe with spikes if not too 2012) and the pies de resistance two army green denim shoulder high gloves that fold down as far as needed for the comfort of the fighter. Will be adorned with patches decided by the wearer. Edges will be frayed to honor to the coup busting aesthetic and spirit of the endeavor. We can decide on a signature lip color, but spf is required for all fighters. Of coarse we will have those football stripes below the eyes, don’t be stupid.

How far away can something be from a face and still have humans think it’s a face

Senator Portman - i hope you are well, and want to thank you for the hard work you have put in to this election. However, it has become abundantly clear that joe Biden and Kamala Harris have secured more than enough electoral and popular votes to warrant recognition as president and vice elect. Upon reading the transcripts of he hopeless court cases, there is absolutely no evidence of vote measurable fraud. is time you stand up for democracy and face reality by congratulating he pair on their success. Americans and scared and they need a powerful republican voice to demounce the unsubstantiated conspircy theories that attempt to thwart democracy in this beautiful county. Please do the right thing , and stand with sanity, freedom and democracy. History books and citizens will thank you. May god bless you, your staff and loved ones

Could mermaids exist through evolution in the future

Me learning about real us history - all the nations destroyed by the USA—- I’m the baaad Guy

The rest of the world - duh dodododosodo

Print that looks like a page of writing that has been sourced in water so it’s bleeding and darker in speckles

Zamps= examples

Clothes with green screen cut outs

Robots don’t need to be sentient to destroy us.

Navy mock neck long sleeves big orange and little white stripe on tube cage sides

A veritcal line stretch waistband

Cross cross and straps back

Square high neck

Scarlet polka dots around can light blue text and beach image as front

Blue stroke red inside square, blue triangle rainbow with eye and funky font

Y either know a particular topic or not , but it’s hard to pin down intelligence on one category

Cream background , ice cream pink script name kinda bev hills hotel script looking ish

Move your mouth in a differ way

Supersonic vibrating butt cleaner

Half magenta half red violet a blue teacup in the center with white floral frills thick serif font

Pink background am orange flower in a vase white present ribbon n red as a table

An app that familiarizes people with science - through experimental learning ― hands on experiences that make it seem less top down and authoritarian , and more like a set of steps that we take, things that anyone can do to get closer with nature and the world

A social media philosophy app - teaches what others said and gives people a chance to express their views , postulate, argue, etc gadfly? How would be avoid a shit show, how can we make social media more humanitarian. how can we care about people while also expressing deeply held ideas , how can we encourage users to examine their deeply held ideas without alienating them. How can we discourage hatred and abuse and groupthink with design? How do we slow people down and encourage them to recognize the human behind the screen. Street epistemology? Socratic dialogue?

Socrates - asking questions. Breaking it down to bits. Deeply understanding their argument. Asking about different possibilities and circumstances. Take vast assumptions and show scenarios that make go against them.

Narrative self vs experiential

[returnn-of-the-mac]

The companions (+ Maxson) talk to Sole about an annoying or boring subject and Sole screams Shut Up! 🤐

This one was a lot of fun! Sorry it took so long to complete! If I were a companion in this request, I think I would annoy Sole by fangirling over MCR. Other than that, I’m totally 100% Codsworth (tag yoself when you’re done reading). I also had to change some name brands to made-up pseudonyms to avoid copyright issues. I normally like to write a silent Sole, but this request kinda required a talking Sole. Anyway, please enjoy!😄 (also the movie nickname rq one should be out either tonight or tomorrow!)

FO4 Companions (+Maxson) React: Companions Rambling & Sole Telling Them to Shut Up

Sole’s eye twitched as their companion rambled on for the third day in a row about the same topic. As much as they adored their companion and admired their enthusiasm about the subject, they couldn’t take it anymore. A fed-up Sole stopped dead in their tracks, turned around, and snapped:

Strong:

“Shut up! I‘m done listening to you explain the best way to gut and cook rotting narwhal flesh,” Sole fumed, “I don’t care if you drench it in tato paste or barbecue blood. I’m never going to eat it, Strong. Never!”

Strong frowned, “No be mean human! Or no find milk! Be nice!”

“Strong, I’m sorry. I’m not eating a parasite-infested narwhal corpse.”

“Come on! Rotting horn whale taste like giant fish stick!”

Deacon:

”Shut up! I don’t want to hear about the benefits of changing the HQ password to DEACON IS COOL anymore,” Sole hissed, “Besides, there is a huge hole in your plan. You can’t even spell that with the letters available!”

“Woah there, calm down pal. I didn’t think of that,” Deacon mumbled. He quickly lit up, “But there’s nothing a little permanent marker can’t fix!”

“You think Desdemona isn’t going to notice black marker squiggles all over the door?”

Deacon scoffed, “Um, I’m not stupid. That’s why I’m going to use a brown marker, pal.”

Curie:

“Shut up! I can’t listen to you talk about spinal contusions and brain injuries anymore. It’s making me squeamish.”

Curie immediately stopped talking and her face fell.

“Curie, I’m sorry, I—“

“I’m sorry, [Madame/Monsieur],” the synth began, her eyes welling with tears, “I hope I didn’t upset you. I just find that topic fascinating.”

Gage:

“Shut up! I don’t care about all the pranks you’ve played on Mason. I don’t blame him for being pissed off.”

“Damn. Anyone teach ya manners, boss?” Gage scowled, “Anyway, what? Ya ain’t gonna appreciate the fact that I egged the furry bastard while he was ramblin some mumbo-jumbo-bullshit to his pack of loonies?”

Sole shook their head.

“Or that I lit a bag of Molerat shit on fire right on top of his pompous-ass throne?”

Sole shook their head again.

“Well, boss. You ain’t got no sense of humor, then.”

Piper:

“Shut up! I’m sick and tired about hearing about how Sturges is a synth,” Sole shouted, “I can get behind McDonough being a synth, but there is no way that Sturges is one.”

“But Blue, he has all the signs. He—“

“And so what? What do you want me to do? Even if he hypothetically is a synth, I’m not turning my back on him. I’m still friends with Danse and I’m not dead yet. Curie’s a synth and she’s a sweetheart. X6? Nick?”

Piper‘s face dropped for a moment, before glaring at Sole and turning her back.

Sole sighed, “Piper, I—“

“Don’t talk to me right now.,” The reporter hissed.

Longfellow:

“Shut up! I don’t care about the eight basic knots.”

Longfellow shook his head in disappointment, “I understand you’re sick of this old man bugging you about tying knots, but it is useful information. You never know when you could find yourself in a situation where you need to tie a good ol reef knot, or clove hitch!”

Longfellow pulled a small rope from out of his pocket and Sole sighed.

“Shall we attempt a figure-eight knot today?”

MacCready:

“Shut up! Stop talking about Santa Claus. I know you read about him in an old book we found but—“

MacCready stubbornly crossed his arms, “Oh yeah? I think you’re just being a snob. Some of us haven’t been lucky enough experienced this, [name]. How can you not obsess over a fat guy who spies on people to see if they’re good, breaks into homes, and leaves presents?That’s so cool!” He paused, “I…probably would’ve gotten coal though.”

Sole’s eyebrows furrowed, “Mac—“

“It’s a darn shame he had to die when the bomb dropped. He could’ve brought so much joy to the Commonwealth.”

“—he’s not real.”

MacCready’s jaw dropped, “But the books, the posters, the pictures…there’s so much evidence.”

“Marketing.”

MacCready shook his head in disappointment, “Pre-war Capitalist propaganda…”

Ada:

“Shut up! I already told you I don’t know what a Sara is. How am I supposed to understand what you’re talking about when you tell me you were a Sara prototype?”

“[Sir/Ma’am], like I said before: Sara was a virtual assistant software that was going to be implemented in all future Vault Tec electronic devices. It had a speech recognition engine that could assist users. My biggest flaw was that I could not translate into other languages. I was scraped and remained inactive in a dumpster for years before Jackson reprogrammed me.”

“I still can’t wrap my head around that technological advancement. It doesn’t seem real.”

“Yes, it was highly advanced. That is why it did not make its debut before the bombs dropped.”

Hancock:

“Shut up! I’m done listening to your crazy Daddy-O trip stories. If you hate the chem so much, why don’t you stop taking it?”

Hancock laughed, “Well, [brother/sister], my Daddy-O rides are a lot more fun to talk about than my Jet or Mentat highs,” he thought for a moment, “I mean, besides the time I solved the theory of Quantum Physics on a Mentat high— that was fuckin wild— but other than that it’s more entertaining to talk about the time I shoved an entire summer squash up my ass while on the Big D.”

Cait:

“Shut up! I wish we’d never found that copy of 40 Shades of Silver. Please stop talking about it.”

“Darlin, I never read. But I could not for the life of me put down that book,” Cait sighed, “It was so…wonderfully smutty.”

Sole grimaced.

“That lass really knows how to have a good time. Sounds like a fantasy of mine, gettin hot n dirty n aggressive like that.”

“Stop…”

“Why? Ain’t it a pleasure to talk about?”

Codsworth:

“Shut up! I don’t understand your obsession with Mr. Tidy Magic Erasers. You’ve been talking about them now for. Three. Days.”

Codsworth beamed, “Well, [sir/mum], you know what they say: there’s no tidy like Mr. Tidy!”

Sole rolled their eyes.

“Besides, have you seen how well those suckers eliminate stuck-on grease and grime from dishes,” Codsworth began, “Oh wait, you haven’t. That’s right. You don’t wash your own dishes.”

Preston:

“Shut up! I’m sick and tired of hearing about all the settlements that need our help. Maybe they‘d have a better chance of defending themselves if we didn’t coddle them.”

Preston crossed his arms, “How could you say that, General? I thought you truly embraced the values of the Minutemen.”

“I do Preston, but I think we just need to take a break.”

“Justice never rests. These settlements need us, General. I understand it’s exhausting, but we need to protect these innocent people from the dangers of the Commonwealth.”

Nick:

“Shut up! Please, no more dad jokes. I’m begging you, Nick,” Sole plead, “I’m…I’m annoyed.”

The detective chuckled, “Hi annoyed, I’m Nick Valentine. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Stop!”

“I’m not moving!”

Sole grunted in defeat at the detective wore a smug smirk, pleased by the outcome of his jokes.

Maxson:

“Shut up! I’m tired of hearing about the technological prowess of the Prydwen. It’s not that great. It’s just a blimp.”

“Show some respect,” Maxson growled, “And you think the Prydwen is just a blimp? How dare you deride the work of the prestigious mechanics who designed the Prydwen. It is my pride and joy. It is the most advanced vehicle in the Commonwealth.”

“Maybe you should get those prestigious mechanics to work on your Vertibird death traps.”

Maxson frowned, “Vertibird design overhauls are in the agenda. We just have more important projects to tackle before then…such as the redesign of my quarters,” Sole shook their head as Maxson pulled out a color card, “I’m thinking a Deep Ruby Maroon would feel more homey than the current Grumpy Grunt Grey I currently have. But I also like Apple Cider Brown. What do you think?”

Danse:

“Shut up! Can we please just talk about something other than the Fancy Lad Snack cakes?” Sole pled.

“First of all, don’t talk to me like that, soldier. That’s blatant disrespect and I will not tolerate it,” Danse barked.

“Sorry…”

“Second, that Courser friend of yours is out of his damn mind. How can any sane individual honestly believe that strawberry Fancy Lads are superior to vanilla ones?”

“Each to their own?”

“That only pertains to subjective topics. This argument— if we can even call it that— is a solid fact and therefore cannot be disputed.”

X6-88:

“Shut up! What is with synths and Fancy Lad snack cakes? You’ve been raving about them for three days.”

“Hey, now. I suggest you calm down,” X6 warned, “A lot of people— such as your Brotherhood friend— like the vanilla cakes, [sir/ma’am], but the real delicacy are the strawberry cakes with chocolate icing.”

“Does it really matter who likes what flavor?”

“Yes. This is an urgent matter. We should not have to dispute this to be completely honest. It is a fact that strawberry Fancy Lads are superior to vanilla ones.”

[stealing-jasons-job]

10 Questions Tag Game

Rules: Answer 10  15 questions, ask 10, and tag 10 people however many people your heart desires to answer them.

Tagged by the amazing @burninghoneyatdusk, @nakey-cats-take-bathsss, and @bookwormforalways, so you guys are getting 15 answers from me. 🥰

I apologize in advance for getting deep on main. lol 

1. Do you believe in soulmates/true love?

I don’t believe in soulmates, but I do believe in true love. 

Is there one person we’re fated to be with forever and ever? No, I don’t think so. As much as I love soulmate AUs and the idea of there being one person you know you’ll click with no matter what... I just don’t think it’s realistic. 

Instead, I think that there are lots of people you’re compatible with. And some people get lucky and meet a person they are compatible with at a time when both of them are ready to commit and build a life together. When that happens, you’re building a relationship and partnership that I believe turns into true love over time. 

2. What’s your happy place?

This is hard because I have a lot of happy places, but I think my number one happy place is my high school’s softball field. I’ve spent hundreds of hours on that field over my lifetime, and I miss it a lot now that I’m grown and moved away from home. Playing softball, being on the pitcher’s mound, was always where I just felt the most myself. I was 100% in my element, surrounded by some of my closest friends I’d known since I was 8 years old when we all played on the same tournament team. Worries about my body, all the bullshit with my dad, friend drama, boy drama, anxieties about the future... none of it could touch me when I was inside the fence of that field practicing or playing. 🥎

3. If you could befriend one fictional character (book/show/movie) who would it be and why?

Part of me wants to say Bellamy Blake because I would marry that man (sorry, Clarke). lol But I think realistically, I’m going to go with Olivia Pope because powerful friends are helpful and she’s a badass I’d like to have in my corner. 

4. Song lyrics that apply to your current mental state/state of your life rn: 

The song Lady Like by Ingrid Andress is my anthem rn. I relate to the entire song so much, but here’s the pre-chorus/chorus: 

“Controversial, so outspoken

I've been told I'm not ladylike

-

But I'm a lady, like whoa

I could bring you to your knees and

Get you kicked out the Garden of Eden

Untamable, unframeable, Mona Lisa, oh

Kiss you like a whiskey fire

Turn around, leave your heart in a riot

Lipstick in a cigarette pack on the dash

I'm a lady like that

I'm a lady like that”

5. What’s something that helps you stay positive even when things get hard?

Writing. It’s my passion, and I love crafting stories. It’s a way to escape — create a new world for me to live in or insert myself into a world I wish I could visit. But it’s also a good way to give myself perspective. My stress about work is smaller when I’m writing about characters trying to prevent the apocalypse. The current shit show that is... well, the whole world, is something I feel I can make a positive impact in when I’m writing about characters fighting a government conspiracy. 

6. What’s a memory you wish that you could go back in time to and relive?

This is so random, but one time in high school my group of friends did a big scavenger hunt. Each team made their own list of riddles for the other team to solve and then photograph within the city limits of our small town. After we got done, we went to our high school football field and broke into the press box to screw around with the PA system. Afterward, we just walked around for a while, laid down under the traffic light in the middle of the road (it was like 3 AM at this point on a backroad, so no cars).  It was such a wholesome night. lol Just 7 teenagers screwing around and having fun — not a single care in the world. I was in that weird, flirty stage with one of my guy friends. I had a softball game against our school rival coming up that I was excited for. Life was simple. I’d go back and relive that night in a heartbeat. 

7. If you could talk to your 13 year old self, what would you tell her/advice would you give her?

Being vulnerable isn’t the end of the world, and your worth is not conditional on your strength or usefulness. 

**Potenital TW** 

My dad was verbally and emotionally abusive my entire childhood (still is, I just am better equipped to handle it as an adult that doesn’t live in the same state). I grew up thinking that love was conditional and all vulnerabilities would be exploited for someone else’s gain. That any weakness shown would be used to hurt me. That makes it really hard for me to open up to people (for example, I would not be telling you guys this story if we were sitting in the same room rather than me typing it out on screen — and it’s still giving me anxiety to share), and it makes it really hard for me to form deep attachments and friendships since those typically hinge on sharing parts of yourself and being vulnerable with someone else. 

Maybe it wouldn’t have helped, but maybe if I could go back and tell myself during those formidable years that none of that is true... who knows how things could be different, how I could be different. 

Anyway, sorry about that sob story. Moving on. 

8. What’s your favorite quote of all time? Why?

“Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the assessment that something else is more important than fear.” ― Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Because this logic can be applied to almost everything: Confidence isn’t the absence of insecurity, but rather the understanding that you have worth despite them. Goodness isn’t the absence of badness or darkness, but rather the conscious decision to reject those impulses to be better. Love isn’t to see an absence of flaws or irritation, but to respect and appreciate someone in part because of them. 

Plus, Princess Diaries I and II remain two of my favorite movies, which is where I first heard this quote. 👑

9. What is the quality you value most in a friend?

Being genuine. As mentioned above, the trust and emotional intimacy issues are real with me. lol But if I know you are a genuine person who’s going to shoot me straight and be upfront about what you’re thinking, feeling, etc. then it’s easier for me to let you in. It may take time, but it’ll happen eventually. 

10. If the pandemic magically ended today, how would you spend tomorrow?

On a plane. To somewhere with new people, crowded spaces, restaurants galore. Hong Kong, maybe. Or Tokyo. 🏙️

11. If you could go back in time and live in any era & location, and face no danger, where would you choose?

Vikings. God, I would have thrived in a Nordic society. Women’s rights were paramount, being strong and tough as a woman was celebrated, sword fighting and archery and rowing were important skills, they lived in cold places (I like winter), there’s a possibility I could have trained a dragon. Like, I’d miss some modern technology, but I’d live. lol 

12. What heroine of a movie, book, tv show, story, or history do you relate to most?

Honestly? Clarke Griffin. Bossy + has zero chill + occasionally says somethign v sassy + afraid of being vulnerable + refusal to show any weakness + doesn’t talk about her feelings + in love with Bellamy Blake + rocks the black leather aesthetic + wants to save the world but makes questionable decisions to do so? ✅✅✅

13. Without saying who the person is, what is a question you wish you could ask someone but can’t?

What the actual fuck do you think are you doing? 

(I’d actually like to ask this to two people, and I bet all of you can guess the two people right away lololol) 

14. In one sentence, what are you personally struggling with right now? 

Figuring out where I fit into the world. 

15. What’s a book/article/story that brought you joy/comfort/healing that you wish others would read?

How to Walk Away by Katherine Center. 

It’s a beautiful book that taught me a lot about self-worth, throwing out your life playbook (because it never goes according to plan), and thriving where you’re planted rather than lamenting the fact that you aren’t in a different garden. 

12/10 recommend! (Her other books are also amazing.) 

So I know this has made the rounds, and that everyone I’m about to tag has probably already been tagged, but here goes:  @historyofbellarke | @bellamyfknblake | @angstybleuskies | @fightformidnightx​ | @talistheintrovert​ | @junebugninja​ | @mobi-on-a-mission​ | @queenemori​ | @sassybooks​ | @edgelessness​ | + Anyone else who wants to join! 

My questions for you...

(Stealing some from others because they were good!) 

1. What album/playlist do you listen to when you’re in need of some inspiration/motivation? 

2. If money wasn’t an object, what would you want to do with your life? 

3. What’s your happiest memory? 

4. What’s something that helps you stay positive even when things get hard? 

5. What’s a book/movie/tv show that you turn to when you’re feeling down and need comfort? 

6. Do you believe in soulmates? 

7. If you could be anywhere in the world tomorrow (pretending COVID-19 doesn’t exist), where would you be and why? 

8. How do you define success? 

9. What’s your favorite quote of all time, and why? 

10. If there’s anyone in the world you could spend the day with (fictional, historical, someone you know, anyone at all), who would it be and why? 

[citylightsbooks]

5 Questions with Dennis Baron, Author of What’s Your Pronoun?

Dennis Baron, professor emeritus of English and linguistics at the University of Illinois, has long been a national commentator on language issues, from the Washington Post to NPR and CNN. He is the author of A Better Pencil: Readers, Writers, and the Digital Revolution. A recent Guggenheim Fellow, he lives in Champaign, Illinois. His newest book is What’s Your Pronoun?: Beyond He and She, published by Liveright. Dennis discusses his new book at City Lights Bookstore on Tuesday, February 18th.

***

City Lights: If you’ve been to City Lights before, what’s your memory of the visit? If you haven’t been here before, what are you expecting?

Dennis Baron: Yes, I’ve been before, some years ago on a family trip to SF, and my son bought his own copy of Howl and Other Poems and gave me back the fairly well-preserved one I got when I was in high school back in the 1960s in a Greenwich Village bookshop (the 8th St Bookshop, if I remember rightly). What do I expect? Books and the people who love books. What are you reading right now?

Right now I am re-reading Colin Dexter’s Inspector Morse novels in order, having just re-watched the John Thaw TV series. It’s unusual to prefer the video, but I think Thaw brought Morse off the page and turned him into the quirky detective character that Dexter was still trying to imagine. What I like to read is literary fiction, detective fiction (often UK writers) for fun, and for work, books about language, law, and technology, preferably all three combined. What book or writer do you always find yourself recommending?

The two very different books I find myself re-reading every couple of years are Brideshead Revisited and Lucky Jim. And I tell everyone who asks to read them too. (I read Lucky Jim, the best novel about teaching, as a reminder about what the academy is really like, and I can never re-read Brideshead without hearing Jeremy Irons narrating it in my head). What writers/artists/people do you find the most influential to the writing of this book and/or your writing in general?

So I’m in the maybe paradoxical position that I write nonfiction (believe me, you don’t want me as a novelist), but what I love to read most is fiction. That said, the writers of recent books, articles, and commentaries on language that (yes, “that" as well as “who" for people) I admire most are (in no particular order), among the living, Deborah Cameron, Lynne Murphy, Kory Stamper, Peter Sokolosky, Geoff Nunberg, Ben Zimmer (also Robert Lane Greene and David Shariatmadari); and among the not-alive (although there’s a lot to disagree with, but they are still fascinating) H.L. Mencken, H.W. Fowler, and William Safire. If you opened a bookstore, where would it be located, what would it be called, and what would your bestseller be?

I came of age in the 1950s when serious paperback books first revolutionized the market in the U.S., and I spent my formative years in NYC and Boston exploring those pioneer paperback bookshops, and scooping up used hardbacks at the Strand and the many other fine used bookstores. I’ve been living in Central Illinois for over 40 years, and the last indie bookstore was driven out by Borders many years ago.

I guess I would model my ideal bookstore as a fusion between the two stores I currently visit most: 57th St. Books and the Seminary Co-op Bookstore in Chicago. And I would focus on fiction and books about language (no one goes into bookselling to make a profit, right, it’s all about holding, touching, and inhaling the books).

Where to locate the store? That would be somewhere not in Central Illinois, and that’s a tough call as we currently divide our time between Illinois—for work and friends––and the UK, for research and family, and we will be adding San Francisco to the rotation in the Spring. So all I can say is the best place for the bookstore will be wherever I am at the moment. As for places to live—and have a store—my favorites right now would be Ann Arbor and Falmouth.

What to name it? Surely something that is not a pun or demeaning. One of my favorite library haunts has been the rare book room, so maybe calling my store the Book Room would work. The problem for me would be, does it have the obligatory cafe? I like Atticus Bookstore Cafe in New Haven, but I go there to eat and have an afternoon coffee or tea when I’m in town. Although the collection is good and I do buy books there, the books have become an afterthought—the main attraction for me is the scones. If the economic model for survival requires that a side hustle like coffee and wine become the main draw, then clearly I am not cut out to run the Book Room. And no one would buy books at the Scone Room. Chicago’s Seminary Co-op solves the café issue by having one in the building—Plein Air Café is always busy, but it’s not in the store itself—people go there to eat or work on their laptop, and they browse next door, in the actual book space. Come to think of it, Book Space might be a good name too.

What would my bestseller be? You mean I get only one choice? Maybe I’d push more than one book—after all, there’s more than one pronoun. (You see how I did that?)

[stratharchives]

Come and See: A Post-Grad Student Placement in Archives and Special Collections

We are delighted to present a guest blog-post from Neil, currently on student placement here at Archives and Special Collections:

Hi, I’m Neil Hemfrey and, as a post-graduate student of Information and Library Studies at Strathclyde, I was lucky enough to be welcomed into the Archives and Special Collections of the Andersonian Library for my placement. I’d never set even the slightest, wary foot in this “mysterious” department before, having always imagined the space as suited towards the “Professor Van Helsing” and “Dr. Indiana Jones” types and not the likes of a mere student who had a shaky grasp of referencing. How lucky I felt when I learned that my mortal presence was invited see the inner workings of a sanctum filled with special knowledge and history.  

I’m seven weeks into my placement now and there’s, thankfully, not a kindly occultist nor a cocky treasure hunter, seeking to pursue world-ending artefacts, in sight. Instead, my misapprehensions have been pleasantly wiped away and I feel silly for it to have taken me five years to finally see Archives and Special Collections. In fact, it is the coolest department most people may not be visiting, and it IS a department for EVERYONE.

It’s quiet and peaceful atmosphere is a welcome change from the typical tension and stress I can feel permeating the study areas that I’m used to. Inky pens and angst-induced eating and drinking are left outside the department’s doors in favour of pencils, clean hands and calm. These measures ensure that the integrity of the items in the collection are preserved as well as, I feel, the integrity of your sanity in a learning environment. The friendly and enthusiastic team of archivists inside are keen to help whoever enters with their enquiry, whether it is for academic purposes or personal interest. Archives and Special Collections holds collections begging to be explored.

I have certainly been enthused by the invaluable work that takes place here. Enquiry-solving, cataloguing and preservation are simply three of the skilled jobs this team commits to every day, each integral to maintaining the legacy of the university and providing us with fascinating and surprising resources. The two BAFTAs of Verity Ann Lambert, the first producer of Dr Who, were definitely unexpected items to find in the collection. They were definitely unexpectedly heavy too. Archives and Special Collections could be the place to find the best Cluedo weapons.

For my personal project, I am helping the team record old and rare books into an online database called the English Short Title Catalogue (ESTC). This database contains a catalogue of items published between the 15th and 19th centuries in Britain, Britain’s former colonial territories, Ireland and the United States. My task is to check a selection of books from Special Collections against copies of those books on the database so that it can be publicly known to the institutions, organisations and individuals using the database whether the University of Strathclyde holds an item they need for their research. Checking two versions of the supposedly “same” book, as I have discovered, is no quick or simple matter. Any book, along with its title, from the outside can portray a look of ‘neatness’, ‘polish’, and sensible structure, then swiftly transition into a hair-tearing exercise. So, accuracy, a detail-oriented approach and the resolve not to be beaten into submission by a bundling of paper older than your great, great, great, great grandmother are key!

Every aspect of the books I handle, originating in the 17th and 18th centuries so far, were all once handmade. Unlike the books born of today’s technology, that can mass produce identical items speedily, books for the ESTC were all individually paginated, trimmed, bound, sewn and hammered together, resulting in incredibly unique items. The covers bound to protect the manuscripts inside are usually the most immediate and noticeable difference between books. As I have learned from my own personal reading, bindings used to be made from wooden boards, compressed paper, leather, vellum, and cloth.

Most challenges I encounter concern the pagination of the book, historical damage or missing plates. Firstly, in terms of pagination issues, I have found that in some volumes the page numbers do not match a chronological running order or have been bound in the wrong order completely. This can result in a book having more or less pages than another copy is catalogued as possessing. Secondly, historical damage I’ve seen has taken the form of holes/tears in pages that destroy text, or discolouration which has obscured text (like the interesting, brownish fingerprints I found in an old medical textbook), or pages being stuck together and hiding text. Thirdly, some books contain plates that take the form of separate pieces of paper added to the text, that are often on larger, folded, sheets that display illustrations or tables. In some cases these are missing, and the disappointment comes from not being able to see a ‘sweet’ piece of art that another copy of the same book possesses.

As the weeks go on, bringing me sadly closer and closer to the end of my placement, I’ll no doubt encounter further head-scratching problems and gawk-worthy information gathered in a different time from different mindsets. I feel very fortunate to have had my placement in Archives and Special Collections as it has educated me on handling and preserving historical texts as well as the importance of keeping accurate records for them so they can be shared. I feel this is very valuable as the issue of digital preservation for digital items seems to steal most, if not all, of the focus on my course. Going forward into my library career, I hope to continually improve my knowledge about Archives and Special Collections and advocate its immense value to protecting physical pieces of history; something we would be crazy to overlook.

[ataoufiqmourtachou]

"Look at CHALLENGES as OPPORTUNITIES!" Top 10 Rules

if you want to be successful learn from the other people's mistakes don't learn from the successful stories don't hate your competitors respect your competitors learn from him I complain a lot when I was young because I think  Bill Gates took odd opportunities for the Microsoft and Steve Jobs all these guys there's no job there's no great big stuff left for us need motivation watch a top 10 would believe nation what's up at seven my one word is believe and I believe in you I believe you have an amazing gift inside you that I want to see explode out onto the world so let's get your motivation to attend and get you believing in you grab a snack and chew on today's lessons from a man who

went from growing up in China and giving tours to tourists for free for nine years just to learn English to becoming one of the wealthiest people in the world with a net worth of over fifty billion dollars he's Jack Ma and here's my take on his top ten R was a success vol 3 enjoy alright let's kick things off with rule number one learn from the mistakes of others my thinking is that you guys remember if you want to be successful learn from the other people's mistakes don't learn from the successful stories successful stories they make don't listen to that there are a lot of reasons behind it just like god I remember the first time Harvard Business

School came to us say J we want to write a case study for you yes years 2001 a 2000 became the spend one week and they write a report and I read no I said this is not me and this is this is you as a no this is not us is that this is you so they make IV sign and the case study go up and they start to teaching love universities the next five years they invite to need to go to the case study and they always find a competitor of my company and F after every case that case study Ali Papa would die that company will succeed all the students are Greek and actually every five year all the competitive diet ways to survive so how can you study this kind of a success of a star

learn from the mistakes the other people no matter how smart you are you will encounter these mistakes you learn from mistakes not because you will be able to avoid mistakes you were able to when these mistakes come they suffer comes you know how to deal with it how to face it I like the book I want to write if I if I want if I can is a re Bubber 1001 mistake this is the most rational things that in my life in my life is not how much we achieved is how much we go through the tough days and mistakes and this is what you speak if you start to think now would be good rule number 2 focus on quality not size last a century the bigger the better this century the good abandon do the business not because

the size it is not necessary the big size you are the more profit you are you really believe that I believe that's a different we have you know we got a fortune 500 companies you you judge because of the size how many of them are really happy how many of them profit no small companies they're very profitable they're very happy because spend time was the wife and a husband and kids traveling around and first life rule number three be the first dog tried to beat the best be the first be the first to change be the first the chap take the challenge be the first one to overcome the difficulties because the best person there's only one Olympic champion I

don't think I'm lucky enough to be bad but I can always try the new things and don't give I believe it because you you are so unique everybody's unique be yourself is always the key rule number four prepare for the future people like me I was born in a very poor family I never got a great education and I failed all the examinations for what reason I don't know but later I realize I don't have money I don't have technology I don't have a lot of good backgrounds where we have a rich uncle or something no they only that competed with my people then young people is let's compete for ten years later this is what I believe ten years later will be happening so everything I do for that

goal I know 10 years later this thing is going to happen so prepare for that because I know if I compete with him for next Mouse no chance so this is how my message it's up it's a challenge but it's opportunity and it's the opportunity for people like us this world the most difficult of thing is to convincing a successful people wait tell him this is a great opportunity to nananananana forget it right I've been doing this for 30 years but for people like us we're looking for opportunities in order to survive so we will do anything to be creative so this is the message 30 years it's opportunity for us it's a challenge

for those people who are 60 years old if they're 60 years old not discrimination but it is tough for them rule number five respect your competitors who's your most dangerous competitor is it Amazon or is it ten-second well people always think compare us with Emma's Evers a great company I respect I've been seeing them from Al tiny to that big and I think they will continue to grow but we are different we Amazon is an e-commerce company we are not ecommerce company we enable other people to do ecommerce we want to making sure everybody can be Amazon so are you saying $0.10 is the greater course they are great company and you know it's it's

not easy to be that size within only such less than 20 years so innovative and so creative are so different on social technology and they're basting certainly in attention and they are almost every way in China or respect of course we compete but compete does not mean I have to hate them don't hate your competitors respect your competitors learn from him but you know pony and I we've been doing the charity together the Nature Conservancy and protected the or but we compete each other but when we compete each other we should respect each other I respect him I respect him same rule number six see challenges as opportunities this world today's of full of challenges and opportunities 2,000

years ago full of challenges and opportunities and I'm sure 2,000 years later                                            full of challenges and opportunities there's always it's depends on how you look at somebody look at this challenge as opportunity young people we say there's no opportunity I complain a lot when I was young because I think Bill Gates took odd opportunities for the Microsoft Steve Jobs all these guys there's no job there's no great big stuff left for us but I think opportunity always lies in the challenges always lies in the complaints if you can solve the challenge you have there you will be successful

the big challenge you solve the big problem of the the big opportunity you have rule number seven my personal favorite belief in the past 18 years when I do internet in China we got a criticism every day you know something will you believe it a lot of people criticize it but if you really believe continue to do it improve it we were rejected by more than 30 venture capitalists but we are very optimistic we believe in the future we believe in Internet and we believe that if we do not succeed somebody will rule number eight surround yourself with greatness how do I emote to by incentive unlock by by our colleagues you have to find the people

they can mobilize themselves it's impossible to find two to encourage an active person so the people your high that people work together they they have to be oh you cannot we have a 65,000 in price now you cannot hire all of them that positive but at least the people work with me my management leadership several areas they have to be positive they have to know the incentive the others because I cannot accept everybody and making sure the culture so I think it would be very painful for me to talk to my vice president and he need to be incentivized and mobilized every time right this won't work if he is not if he does not know how to incentivize or mobilize his people it's better I

don't think he will be the vice president they should be a good engineer good designer but not good leader a good leader should know how but not by only money                                        most of people incentive lies or move on not because you give them a lot of money you give the respect just appreciation and correct hard to fool advice when it come to my meetings internal meetings you have your shop because we we're not like a lot of other Chinese company the boss they ever listen take notes and going down we are like a war room we make this issue based on whose voice is louder early days you know spider the talk and then making sure everybody speak up right so this is also a way of

mobile life and incentives there are a lot of ways and different people have a different way to send incentive rule number nine live healthy I think life is a journey you come to this world is to enjoy the life to be happy and healthy so the day when you leave the world and say I'm happy in my life my health in this life because if you're not healthy you will not be happy so I believe happy and healthy are the things the human being always looking for and I think next to 30 years because of the technology people the life size is gonna change a lot and people is gonna live longer but we can live longer does not necessarily live healthy so if you're not healthy how can you be happy

if you live longer if you're not happy why you live there and we'll number 10 the last one before the bonus clips have fun                                                now I've got some special jakmob bonus clips for you but before that the  question of the day is do you have enough fun in your business should entrepreneurs have fun in their business yes or no and why I'd love to hear from you leave it down the comments below thank you guys so much for watching I believe in you I hope we continue to believe in yourself and whatever you're one where it is much love I'll see you soon and enjoy the bonus clips I found some great leaders in the world they are always positive they never

complained others and never complain and they they look at the things in a different view like normal people so I think people a my company they at the beginning they don't like me because I'll always think about ten years five years and then after we working together for three or five years they find out who you are right then we got the credit rating and as a CEO one of the jobs  where everybody's happy you have to see the unhappy things when everybody's unhappy you have to see the happy things so leadership is nature but you have to have a train and learn and I got my leadership sub upgraded in Davos I see so many well you know on the end to financing how many people here know

about Ally pay Thank You Ally pace decision was made here I was thinking about Ally paid you know but I was not a dare to launch a leap it because in China if you do financing with unlicensed you were being jailed at that time so I say I went to the banks can't help us do the e-commerce of transaction no no no no banks would accept it so if there will be no a leap in no financing the e-commerce to go nowhere so I was year 2004 I was here listen to a speech by two state leaders about leadership and this guy's leadership is about responsibility you believe it but don't be that people don't believe it but if you think is so critical you should pay any price to do it so that day change to

my mind I had a call back to my team say let's launch it within one month if somebody else go to the Jill I go to the gym who would be the second we'll follow me if I go you continue and you go to the Jill you go continue that was the called the leadership determination and year 2004 I made a decision here I called back and now today the a leap a launched and it's so big over you know 800 million people today using a leap a bullet this is called I was born a very normal family and poor family six people sure $7 a mouth we can only eat one chicken a year was terrible Nixon visit to my city 1972 China USA signed Mao Zedong Nixon signed the

agreement so China become opened oh my city Hauser was one of the first cities that opened to the west we got a lot of American tourists to visit my city what he would do is he would befriend foreign visitors who came to Hangzhou to walk around the west lake there and I learned English by being the free guide for tour guide you know more than the language Jack was learning about the culture the things I learned from books from China are so different from the things I learned from the American visitors so I start to think differently raise your standard Apple at the core its core value is that we believe that people need passion not one drop of myself work depends on

your it's suppose to mean I don't ever give up I'd have to be dead or completely incapacitated hey believe nation if you want to see my all-time favorite top ten most of success I have a very special secret video for you these are the individual clips that I have personally learned the most from and applied to my life and my business.

[oh-no-a-whovian]

Calculated part 1

Summary: you were perfectly happy in your job despite being partnered with a drunkard. You had risen the ranks yourself, pushed the limits and became the best detective there was in Detroit. But now with deviancy being a problem for the last nine months Cyberlife has sent an android to help solve the case, you just hope he doesn’t out you as an android.

Pairing: Connor X FemAndroid! Reader

Warnings: swearing

Word count: 1k

Your eyes are warm and full of emotion as you smile and laugh. Your skin is soft to the touch and always the right temperature. You are the most perfect human being except for one thing… you are not a human being.

You are an android made four years ago by Cyberlife; authorised by the government without the knowledge of the public or police you were placed as a rookie cop in the Detroit police department as a human…

Four years later and you are now Detective [Y/N] [Y/L/N]; partnered with Lieutenant Hank Anderson, a good detective but with severe issues since his son died. You tried to comfort him, became someone to talk to, someone to drink with, someone to drive him home when he was far from sober because unlike other androids you were designed to “have” emotions and react properly to emotional situations, easily turned off at the flip of a switch of course.

You watch the liquid in your glass as you swirl it around, the smell of alcohol a constant presence in your nose. Hank had asked you to meet him here an hour ago and when you arrived he was already into his forth glass of scotch. You asked him why he asked to meet but really you already knew the answer, he wanted his drinking buddy.

Since then you’ve simply been sitting in silence, taking a sip every so often from the random drink you ordered. You were designed to be realistic and they went all out. You look up when the door opens, out of instinct really, to see an android walk through the door and a handsome one at that, very well designed. However you just ignore it and go back to your drink.

“Lieutenant Anderson, Detective [Y/L/N].” wait he’s here for you? “My name is Connor. I’m the android sent by Cyberlife. I looked for you at the station but nobody knew where you were. They said you were probably having a drink nearby. I was lucky to find you at the fifth bar.” it states. Okay then you think to yourself, Cyberlife hadn’t informed you of any other android.

“What do you want?” hank speaks up still staring at his glass. You just sit there staring and scanning the new android, Connor, for any clues as to why it’s here. Nothing comes up but its model and number which you didn’t need to scan him to find out. Interesting…

“You were assigned a case early this evening. A homicide, involving a Cyberlife android. In accordance with procedure, the company has allocated a specialised model to assist investigators.” It says flatly. You huff, “specialised” huh? They couldn’t just leave it to you to solve?

“Well we don’t need any assistance mate so piss off and tell Cyberlife we don’t need you. We can handle this on our own.”  You state irritated. They’re trying to replace me? You think and you were sure if your LED was on it would most certainly be red.

“Listen. I think you should stop drinking and come with me. It’ll make life easier for all of us.” You sigh looking at hank as he just nods his head and continues to ignore the android. You know that he really doesn’t like androids, if he found out one of his only friends is one god knows what he’d do.

“You know what? I’ll buy you one for the road. What do you say?” you shake your head, refusing his offer, you still had some in your glass and you didn’t really want that. Connor nods accepting and looks at hank, not seeing any declination he nods “Bartender, the same again please!” he says pointing at Hank’s glass and placing a note on the counter.

“See that, Jim? Wonders of technology… make it a double.” Jim pours the drink and hank instantly downs it, grunting at the strength. You sigh, knowing what’s next, you’re going with the android. Hank finally looks up at Connor “Did you say homicide?” you roll your eyes as Hank gets up to leave but you follow anyway. This is fucking spectacular you think sarcastically as you leave the bar.

~

Two hours later and you’re left to do paperwork, Connor had found the deviant that had murdered its owner, and even expertly interrogated it, getting a confession in record time. It had destroyed itself but you have all the information you need for the report. Connor is sitting at the opposite side of the desk, his eye’s closed and face emotionless. You stare curious, noting the shape of his face, the tuft of hair falling loose from the rest, his pink lips and the LED blinking yellow on his right temple.

He’s probably in the mind palace that most androids share. A beautiful garden with a pond in the centre and an intricate abstract white path around it and to the small island in the middle. Roses, cherry blossoms and other beautiful plants scattered throughout.

You close your eyes for a moment, instantly being transported to the garden, the artificial smell filling your nose as you start searching for Amanda, the AI that lives in the garden ninety percent of the time.

The moment you see her and Connor you slink into the shadows and try to get as close as possible so you can hear. You don’t want him to know you’re an android if he doesn’t need to and if he does he will already know.

“What do you think of miss [Y/L/N]?” you hear as you get close enough.

“I am… unsure as of yet… I had only met her mere hours ago.” The RK800 states.

“Keep an eye on her Connor, she could be very useful or a threat” your brows furrow, why would she say that? “same goes for lieutenant Anderson”

You open your eyes, staring at the android across from you as he opens his. He looks back quizzically but before he can question the purpose of your stare you get up and leave, it’s already late and you didn’t want to stay for a moment longer.

You sigh as you start your walk home, you have an apartment just a few blocks away to keep up the façade that you’re human. You’re just glad he doesn’t know you’re an android, you don’t want him to tell hank… it would destroy him.

(A/N: let me know what you guys think eh? Gif not mine)