#and also don't have anything to do with physical appearance

[pluralsword]

you could argue that we did this sort of, it's a little more complicated.

You see, the reason we maintain our beard and shave it in specific ways is because transformer women often have helms that fill their face in similar ways at the cheeks or with chin armor. That helped the person who has been with this body the whole time fully absolve of herself of any dysphoria by being able to connect her facial her euphorically to a collective gender identity of womanhood of giant metal transforming robots from space since knowledge of the fact there are a lot of intersex human cis women who have facial hair (and intersex people are as common as redheads) wasn't cutting it for xem (hah). we dysphorically regret having to shave our beard recently to fly across the country out of fear of landing somewhere in an emergency where we'd be arrested for 'doing drag' at a public facility.

The reason we say this isn't simply butch per se for us specifically (a human singleton is another matter) is because there isn't an oppositional dynamic between male and female to us. they completely overlap, there's just collective gender assemblage tendencies of components being put together and identified differently (some of our writing mixing alien robot trans material-aesthetic assemblage mixed with gender tackles this, the one that does so most directly so far is our One fanfic. there will eventually be original fiction), the term we use for in our sparktion/hearth/etc. assemblage model that most closely approximates butch is torque, but it is rather different in meaning since it's primarily concerned with the (clash of) momentum literally and metaphorically and not with being masculine (xenogender stuff is fun!). It's also not confined to a physical expression appearance, so helm shapes don't necessarily fit this, and there's no single umbrella for what torque looks like. it's all assemblage, which is very different from the real problem of butch erasure in 21st century human storytelling and history

In addition we've also built up musculature precisely because it is no longer dysphoric anymore to breathe meditatively / heavily when exercising since the chest feels more like how it should, because xey always loved and wanted to emulate the warrior gal vibe (we know this applies much more widely, too, but thought it was worth mentioning), and ultimately that our nervous system now feels so much better exerting strength with HRT than before. but how we dress we think doesn't normally quite fit butch and we recoil at the thought of being more heavily clothed or armored meaning we're perceived as more masculine. the oppositional gender human patriarchy dichotomy is painful to us, we're glad this is changing with a) people understanding how curvy and rounded a lot of armor historically is especially plate, and b) women in armor where sexualization need not mean sacrificing actual armor capacity is becoming more normalized

TLDR you absolutely can be a transfem butch lesbian and we absolutely ended up on a similar but very different route of being torquey zoomdare transfem (taganite) mutualists who will for convenience's sake communicating with other people we share this lovely blue marble with use the terms t4t, sapphic, lesbian, and sometimes butch if we think we have to explain why our gender isn't 'simple' (eugh we hate how reductive that is of binary trans women) but don't think we can get away with explaining xenogender stuff and plurality. unless we are fortunate enough to, I don't know, see our terminology take off or even better that this happens alongside other assemblage models with a growth of a worldwide curiousity and capacity to accept that no one will ever know everything there is to know about gender and orientation so nobody assumes anything of us, takes what we have to say for what it is, asks questions if interested in knowing and knowing us that way, and celebrates what we have in common and what differences we have <3

Is transitioning from male to female to become a butch lesbian a reasonable option?

it is beyond reasonable, it is one of the coolest things you can do on this bitch of an earth

[thecoiledserpent]

↺ AUSPICIOUS PLACEMENTS TO HAVE IN NATAL CHART

basics of vedic astrology. ask box. pinned.

note: only applicable to vedic charts. apply to western charts at your own accord.

these are general placements and don't guarantee anything on their own. if you want to be a shitty person, then even mahabhagya yogas or mahapurusha yogas will yield negative results and bring bad luck and accompany a massive fall from fame.

mars / saturn in the 3rd house + house lord present in another house (not mandatory, but makes it better)

both mars and saturn are naturally malefic planets and naturally, harm the house they are sitting in. when these planets sit in the upchaya houses (3,6,11), then their immense malefic energy is converted into courage, valor, and strength. it is best when these planetss sit in the 3rd house, however. 3rd house is the house of initiation. having mars in this house increases the quality of leadership in the native. it makes them especially brave and gives them the opportunity to master the negative side of their mars and make it even more auspicious. even having a maraka mars is good in this house because it will repeatedly put you in positions where you are made to realize and accept your negative qualities, and also rewarded for mastering them. saturn in 3rd house disciplines the fluttery, airy nature associated with this house. of course, curiosity is still pretty much the trademark of any 3rd house placement, but saturn here disciplines one's efforts towards learning in younger years and taking initiative when older. in particular, it bestows the power of impressive speech that is enough to make heads turn.

benefic planets in the 1st, 2nd, 5th, 9th, 11th / laxmi houses or laxmi yoga

in the horoscope, if the 1st lord, 2nd lord, and 11th lord are situated in self-owned sign, then the person will be rich. if the mutual zodiac sign exchange of the 2nd and 11th lord is happening or 11th lord is in 11th house, then one attains lakshmi. if the lagnesh is located in 2nd house and 2nd lord is in the 11th house or 11th lord in the second house of the horoscope, then lakshmi yoga is formed. in the horoscope, if the moon is located in an auspicious zodiac along with venus but not in the sixth house then good wealth is attained. this is really a very lucky placement imo. goddess lakshmi personally gives her blessings to these people, and for hindus, it is highly recommended to pray to goddess lakshmi with a genuine, clear heart and revere her as a mother. however, do be cautious that you also pray to shri vishnu because goddess lakshmi rides an owl, and owls on their own bring darkness. when goddess lakshmi comes into ones life with shri vishnu, they come on the king of the birds, garuda and spread light and divinity into one's life.

the mahapurusha yogas

having any of the mahapurusha yogas is literally a lottery ticket placement lmao. the planet forming the yoga immediately becomes one of the dominant planets of your personality and it is especially pronounced if the yoga is formed in the 1st-7th house axis. for ex. i have hamsa yoga in 7th house and a mars ak; i also have a younger brother. in his chart's 11th house, he has jupiter and mars. hence, despite having no jupiter dominance otherwise, jupiter becomes one of my dominant planets. i also have pronounced physical features that are associated with a hamsa yoga because jupiter is aspecting the ascendant and hence heavily influences my looks.

i. hamsa yoga — jupiter

when jupiter in cancer / pisces / sagittarius is present in any of the kendra houses. preferably but not mandatorily, without conjunctions with any other planet and not retrograde.

to quote the brihat parashara hora shastra:

the native with hamsa (swan, in hindi) yoga has a virtuous personality and is learned in the vedas. the hamsa native has voice like a swan, has a handsome appearance and well developed nose. they are a king with phlegmatic temperament, honey like tawny coloured eyes, red, coloured nails, sharp intelligence, sturdy cheeks, round, forehead and beautiful feet. they have marks of matsya (fish), ankush (the iron hook with which elephants are driven), dhanusha (bow), shankh (conch), kamal (lotus) in their hands and feet. they are very passionate and their lust remains unfulfilled. they are fond of swimming and playing games in watery places. they enjoy life fully and live as affluent, influential people and attain the pleasure of proper burial / cremation of their body after their death. they are most likely to own fertile lands near river beds, like near the ganga and yamuna.

one highlightable feature here is that these people have very beautifully formed feet; starting narrow and turning slightly broad by the tips with inwardly shaped toes that are often long and with shiny, clean pinkish nails. their feet are naturally warm but have a tendency quickly becoming cold and have light pink soles. such feet are highly auspicious and regardless of any yoga, are indicative of a good jupiter.

ii. malavya yoga — venus

when venus in taurus / libra / pisces is present in any of the kendra houses. preferably but not mandatorily, without conjunctions with any other planet and not retrograde, again, preferably.

to quote the brihat parashara hora shastra:

the malavya native has beautiful lips and a slender waist. they are lustrous like the moon and have fragrance in their body. they are of ordinary red complexion, have a medium stature and clean and beautiful teeth. their voice is like that of an elephant and their arms are long enough to reach upto his knees. they live happily for as owner of lands such as sindhu and malwa and then leaves for the heavenly abode.

iii. ruchaka yoga — mars

when mars in aries / scorpio/ capricorn is present in any of the kendra houses. preferably but not mandatorily, without conjunctions with any other planet and not retrograde, again, preferably.

to quote the brihat parashara hora shastra:

the ruchaka native possesses a long face, he is very enthusiastic, has spotless lustre, is powerful, has attractive brows, black hair and is fond of all things. they love to fight wars, are victorious over enemies, are discriminative, are protector of thieves and has cruel temperament and slender thighs. they are a devotee of brahmins, have marks of veena (musical instrument of goddess saraswati), dhanusha (bow), pasha(pāśa, often translated as "noose" or "lasso", is a supernatural weapon depicted in hindu iconography. hindu deities such as ganesha, yama, shyamala devi and varuna are depicted with the pasha in their hands.) and vrasha (unsure what this means, typically refers to a division of earth separated by mountain ranges but it doesn't make sense here; if anyone knows, please let me know as well) signs in their hands along with chakra rekha / line. they are well versed in occult sciences. they are tall, with a thin, slender waist and attractive physique.

these natives live an averagely long life and are most likely to be owner of lands of hilly regions or with red soils.

iv. bhadra yoga — mercury

when mercury in gemini / virgo is present in any of the kendra houses. preferably but not mandatorily, without conjunctions with any other planet and not retrograde, again, preferably.

to quote the brihat parashara hora shastra:

the bhadra native is splendorous like a lion, has very developed chest (or chest with well developed muscles), has the gait of an elephant, has long and thick arms, is learned in all respects. they are well versed in yoga performance, are of satwaguna qualities and have beautiful feet and a beautifully formed forehead. they are fond of luxuries and comforts and have marks of sankha (conch), chakra, gada, arrow, elephant, dhwaja (flag) and hala (plough) in their hands and feet. they are well versed in shastras, have black and curly hair, possess independent nature, and are a protector of their family. their friends share in the enjoyment of their wealth. they live happily with their wife and children and as the owners of Madhya Desha and enjoy a long life.

v. sasa yoga — saturn

when saturn in capricorn / aquarius / libra is present in any of the kendra houses. preferably but not mandatorily, without conjunctions with any other planet and not retrograde, again, preferably.

to quote the brihat parashara hora shastra:

the sasa native has small sized teeth and face but their body is not small. they are valorous. they have a slender waist and beautiful thighs. they are wise and enjoy wandering in forests and mountains. they are well versed in the loopholes (weaknesses) of the enemy. they are lively, virile and fond of women. they usurp other people’s wealth. they have marks of mala (garland), mridanga (musical instruments) and weapons in their hands and feet. they live averagely long lives and most often attain the higher lokas after death. in terms of land, there is no specification; they rule over lands that they desire.

sasa yoga gives enhanced results if venus is present with libra saturn, or is in good dignity, overall.

no malefics in the 2nd-8th house axis / 4th-10th house axis + benefic moon

this is pretty much a placement that indicates having a balanced and peaceful mental health. this is especially pronounced if only benefics are present in these axes or if they are entirely empty. it gives a good, stable childhood and responsible guardians / parents. it's not as flattering as many of the other placements here, but this is a favourable placement for your mental health. sudden death, spontaneity and sudden loss of wealth are prevented through this. of course, a lot of exceptions are applicable here, too. like rahu-ketu axis in the 1st-7th house or being born under a waning moon / new moon period which makes the moon a malefic and destroys inner peace. seriously though, having a weak moon is a curse because it hinders passion, creativity, self expression, focus and intelligence.

other forms of the mahapurusha yogas that are particularly lucky but i needn't elaborate:

venus / jupiter in 7th house in own sign / exalted sign: good for relationships and business exalted mars in 10th house: good for career and helps in cultivating drive. exalted jupiter in 1st house: a very likeable, pleasant, virtuous and amazing personality.

exalted /favourable ketu

a favourable ketu is less karmic baggage and favours the native's pursuit towards occult science. it also makes the native question society and the way it works; an exalted ketu puts its energy into attracting knowledge and spiritual elements into one's life. this for sure indicates a person with high moral values and good samskaar / 'behaviour', for lack of a better english equivalent. once again, this is not as flattering as the others, but it reduces the obstacles to be faced in life. a good ketu attracts peace into native's life.

mahabhagya 'highly fortunate' yoga

it is pretty rare since quite a few demands are to be met, but if you have it in your chart, then it means that you have collected a lot of good karma in your previous lives and will be blessed with all sorts of luxuries and guidance from divine energies in this life. for male natives, sun, moon and lagna must occupy odd signs and should be strong during the daytime. for female it should be vice versa to get the full power of this yoga. this yoga is applicable only when the sun, moon and lagna are not affected by malefics or are not malefics themselves. note that amavasya moon and waning moon are malefics. note that in vedic culture, day and night are defined via the sunrise and sunset time; so make sure that for male natives, you were born after sunrise, and for female natives, you were born after sunset and before next day's sunrise. the native is born into a good and affluent family and enjoys all sorts of comforts in their childhood. this yoga is literally all sunshine and daisies, it has no bad aspect. if you have it, then you will be blessed with all sorts of luxuries in life. the best things about it is that it blesses you with well-wishers in life so that you never go astray your life path. the divine is with you, and all pursuits become successful.

ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय नमः

[snoot-boop]

Homicipher relationship hcs 🎀

Warnings: spoilers for Homicipher

Please enjoy my delulu ✿◕ ‿ ◕✿

Mr. Crawling

-sweetest, most affectionate of the bunch

-constantly needs to be near you, don't leave his sight he'll be sad and worried

-likes talking to you and you to talking to him

-would sit on the ground between your legs as you sit on the couch so you can play with his hair

-likes anything involving you tbh

-enjoys bathtime (cmon yk these guys are grimy) when you're the one scrubbing him

-not overprotective but he'll stand up (get it?) for you when he deems it necessary

-understands the concept of liking/loving someone

-a bit jealous at times, tugs on your clothes when he wants your attention

-cuddles cuddles cuddles

-fav cuddle position: his head on your chest while you two hold hands

Mr. Silvair

-resident doctor man

-denies wanting to help you or liking you at first, saying it's just yk science stuff

-10/10 on the manners test tho, he knows to say hello, to say goodbye, to apologize

-would do daily routine checkups on you

-is quite enthusiastic about teaching you, addig more complex words later on (he made them up cuz the words he wanted didn't exist)

-would not let you into his workspace, it's too dangerous

-not particularly chatty but he's happy to talk about his new discoveries and patients

-will experiment on you if you let him

-has a few extra vials of your blood around just incase you start seeing red and mutating

-doesn't really get jealous

-not the biggest on physical touch so you'll have to initiate

-fav cuddle position: facing eachother with his hands on your waist or your hands locked between the two of you

Mr. Chopped Head

-most expressive and talkative one around

-will loudly proclaim his love for you and announce yours and his arrival to friends

-will also loudly complain and throw a fit if you or anything else is upsetting him

-clingy but he has no way to cling so he yaps constantly to keep your attention on him

-wants you to carry him everywhere

-goes to Ms. Hairdresser at least once a week

-wears the cat ears cuz you like em <3

-will let you decorate or braid his hair but not cut it

-pulls silly faces when he sees you're down

-you're probably gonna have to constantly look for him, he has a penchant for getting lost and or into sticky situations

-get jealous quite easily, just starts loudly interrupting whoever he's jealous of

-fav cuddle position: hold him like a plush animal

Mr. Gap

-silly goose

-teases you for fun

-scares you by appearing right infront of you or making a spooky noise from behind you

-keeps asking for your heart even after you're together

-brings you random trinkets he finds that he thinks you'll like

-lets you paint his fingernails

-

[lesinquietes]

Summary: Stoker never gave any indication that his story was real. Besides, even if it was based on true accounts, what are the odds that a Transylvanian vampire has somehow found his way into your house? Then again, what were the odds that you would move into a rural home with a resident nightstalker at all?

Pairing: Yandere!Alucard x AFAB!Reader

Warning: 18+ (minors, don't interact), angst, dark content, horror, misogyny (a sprinkle), sexual themes, violence

a lot of alu x reader interaction here that I’m proud of :’) he’s getting more n more smitten by her — maybe it’ll be his undoing?

Previous l

The Basement's Monster III

After Ericson and Cree check the basement, there’s peace in the house for another few weeks. The weather gets crisper. There’s a bite in the frosty air. The region’s first snowfall occurs on December 11th.

You focus on work and research. In the daytime, you do your job and earn the money you need to survive. At night, you study vampirism and its deterrents, searching for any piece of info that proposes absolution.

Cognizant of what's dwelling beneath you, your guard never lowers. From experience, you know he attacks in waves. Your theory is that he garners strength between his physical disruptions by resting. He can only manifest when he's manifested enough power. He’s weak, and that’s what’s been sparing you from the full brunt of his wrath. The question is, when will he be rejuvenated permanently?

Bram Stoker’s Dracula teaches you a lot. It context is what prompts you to study Romanian lore. Fascinatingly, exploring Slavic texts is what leads you to recognize the language in your dream. Although you don’t recall what the sign said, you noticed the characters you found on the Internet appeared to mimic what you saw. The vampire must be tied to Romania.

In the fictional novel, Dracula is a nobleman from that country. He's also the main antagonist of the story, and winds up slaying multiple innocent people; all while remaining elusive to the great Van Helsing and the naive Jonathan Harker. Is this— no. Stoker never gave any indication that his story was real. Besides, even if it was based on true accounts, what are the odds that a Transylvanian vampire has somehow found his way into your house?

Then again, what were the odds that you would move into a rural home with a resident nightstalker at all?

You recount the novel's plot. Jonathan Harker sets out with the intention to aid a man wishing to immigrate. England is heralded as a land with vast opportunity and an air of peacefulness. Count Dracula emphasized his desire to integrate into its wealth of culture. Jonathan visits his castle and notices several strange things about both the mighty building and the Count. Eventually, he happens across Dracula’s harem of brides, and just as he’s about to be finitely drained, he escapes. He awakens in a hospital, unable to contact friends or family until much later. By that time his nemesis has already fled on a ship destined for English shores.

You swallow. Allegedly, this is just a tale. But perhaps the book was his way of warning humanity about the horrors lurking in dense forests, old castles, and rickety passage ships. How would the monster react if you called him by his ancient alias?

Cree doesn't believe the creature is a vampire at all; on the contrary, he thinks it's a type of witch. In his tribe, kinfolk have shared experiences with an entity which could torment the living and shapeshift. He declined to spill any other details, including identifying information, for fear that it would summon the monster. You haven't been able to find anything else on the concept. Most Indigenous folks who replied to curious discussion threads posited that these tales are forbidden to be disclosed to outsiders.

Whether you have a name for it or not, you can be positive of what you went through. Disembodied voices and footsteps ease the anxious part of you that wishes to gaslight. What you heard and saw were real. You know this because Cree heard the noises in Nelly's room, as well; spectral sobbing can't be brushed off as a mere coincidence.

You close your laptop with a laborious sigh. It’s half past noon. You should get something to eat.

You leave your bedroom and rush downstairs. It’s quiet today. You don't recall the last time everyone was home together. Nelly works weekdays. Cree works evenings and weekends.

You reach the bottom landing and stride toward the kitchen. In the doorway, you grind to a halt. Ericson is sitting near the window, nursing a cup of coffee. She’s staring at the grandiose yard. The leaves have fallen off the trees by now. Winter has arrived, and the landscape doesn’t look much different than the one in your nightmare. There's a light dusting of snow on the ground, with more forecasted to roll in over the weekend.

The sensation you get is peculiar. It's thick, immediate, and uncomfortable. You feel like you should run.

As it on cue, the brunette notices you in the window's reflection. Craning her neck, she offers a short smile and a thin greeting. It's precisely what you were expecting.

"Hey."

You return her gesture, uneasy.

"Hey, E."

You linger momentarily. She must be in a poor mood. There's no other purpose for the energy she's exuding.

Robotically, you tread over to the kitchen counter, intent on fixing yourself a meal. You don't speak while you gather the ingredients. Her pupils bore into you, burning through your form as she observes your actions. You can tell there's something she wants to say. It emerges when you're grabbing a box from the cupboard.

"Sleep well last night?"

You pause mid reach. The question seems obscure. She seldom asks about your rest. She's not much for small talk unless she's trying to sus you out.

"Yeah." You regard her over your shoulder. "You?"

There are dark circles under her eyes. Her hair is messy and tangled. It looks like she hasn't gotten the chance to wash up just, having dragged herself out of bed recently.

"No."

You stop arranging your lunch to give her your undivided attention. There's something wrong; you can sense it from her tone. The look she's casting you isn't too friendly, either.

"Are you okay?"

“I heard you stomping around all night.”

You're taken aback. That's impossible. You were in bed by eleven o'clock. You only got up once to use the washroom.

“Me?”

"Well, the pacing was right outside your door, so I figured it was you."

This is not the news you wanted to hear. You're freaking out. You thought things were quiet because he retreated to draw strength; you had no idea he was still lurking around your home, hovering just beneath your conscious awareness.

“I wasn’t pacing.” You insist. “I was asleep.”

Ericson casts you an incredulous stare.

“Really.”

“I’m serious!”

You don’t know what you can do to convince her. There’s no one who can corroborate your side of the story. All you have is your word... oh!

“Wait.”

You take your phone out of your pocket. There’s the messages you sent Cree last night. You both turned in at the same time. You don’t know if he got to sleep afterwards, but you did. It doesn’t guarantee that you didn’t get up in the following hours, but it’s something.

“Look.”

You twist your screen around and walk over to show her the evidence. She squints.

She takes her time scrolling through. Cree might be able to attest later on, if that’ll help absolve you and ease her temper. You know what it’s like to be kept up; you’d be pissed, too. But you’re not who she should be directing her blame towards.

When she nods, you pull the device back. She stares through you for a minute. She comes to before long, fixating on your visage again. Gently, she mumbles.

“It wasn’t you?”

“No.” You shake your head to underscore your innocence. “I swear.”

She hums nervously, shifting her gaze. She wears an anxious expression. The colour has vacated her cheeks, accentuating her horror. You thought she wasn’t going to believe you, but it appears there are other notions playing through her head.

“E.” You grasp her forearm. “You okay?”

Taking time to collect herself, she doesn’t answer you. She's preoccupied, wondering how she’s going to explain the events of last night. You extend patience with adamancy.

“Ana.” You evoke her, using her first name as a last ditch effort to activate her. “Tell me what happened.”

Shockingly, it's effective.

“I heard someone walking around in the hallway above.” She mutters mechanically. “Back and forth, back and forth.”

Her glare, lowered, carries significant distress. Her lips quiver when she pauses between sentences. The retelling of this event is difficult for her. You suppose it’s because the existence of supernatural creatures explicitly challenges her core beliefs. You don’t blame her for grappling with that. Hell, you’re still coming around to the concept of a vampire cohabitating with you. Imagine if she knew what he truly was.

“It didn’t really bother me. I couldn’t get to sleep last night ‘cause I was wired on coffee, so I was just texting a friend. But then…”

She gulps. Now, both of you understand the terror of being at the mercy of this monster. It feels surreal to share this experience with another person.

“I heard someone come downstairs. And I didn’t hear anything else until—“

Tears form in her doe-like orbs. Miraculously, they don’t fall; her pride doesn’t let them. You rush over to wrap her into a tight embrace, anyway. Your compassion opens the floodgates.

“—until my door handle moved.”

Ericson sobs in your arms. She’s taking this hard. As she did for you, so will you do for her. You console her petrified spirit.

“This is the shit I was talking about.” You remind her, rubbing her back gingerly. “Weird sounds, seeing things — you’re not insane.”

In a twisted way, it feels good to clear your name. It’s different than when you and Cree heard the same noises in Nelly’s closet, though; unlike him, Ericson was victimized by the devious cryptid. Your mixed feelings are amplified as you cradle her vibrating form.

Finally, she pulls back to finish her tale. Her voice cracks and shatters the composure she's built. All you can do is clasp her arms, hoping it's enough to stabilize her.

“I pretended to be asleep until it stopped knocking, but I was so fucking creeped out.” Her brown orbs make contact with yours. “And now that you’re telling me it wasn’t you, I’m like, what the fuck?”

She must have thought you were playing a prank, perhaps in an effort to teach her a lesson. She didn’t believe what you experienced was real until she was affected by its daunting presence. But you aren’t the type of person to do that; not when there’s an impending threat. She must have sensed your honesty.

“What time did you hear the footsteps?” You ask.

“Past 1 AM.” She asserts.

“And how long did they last?”

“Hours, dude.”

“Until the doorknob thing?”

“Yeah.”

You ponder. Does the time of night have anything to do with his prowess? During your research, you reviewed speculations that three in the morning is a period of peak strength for supernatural beings. Ericson isn't aware of the exact time, so you have nothing concrete to go on. There's more to explore.

“And after it tried your door, did you hear anything else?”

“No.” She denies. “But I couldn’t get to sleep until sunrise.”

You withdraw from the half-embrace and stand upright. This is the first time a confrontation between her and the vampire has occurred. If it wasn’t, she would have said something sooner. You know Ericson; she’s the type to vent her grievances rather openly.

“Do you know what’s going on?” She inquires.

“I honestly don’t.” You admit. “But I think this thing lives in the basement.”

“What is it?”

“It told me it’s a vampire.”

“Oh, no way.” She clutches her skull. “I could’ve accepted a demon, but vampires are pure fucking fiction.”

You had a similar reaction. The vampire was popularized by Bram Stoker, but the concept of a bloodsucking nightstalker has been around for centuries upon centuries. In Anno Domini, civilians placed blame on these beings for illnesses related to cleanliness — a value that was discarded by many people due to its perceived insignificance. Rabies and pellagra were diseases hypothesized to have caused humans in early times to fear sunlight and water, act in the throes of delusion, and rip out the flesh of their peers and loved ones. Alas, maybe those conclusions aren’t accurate. How are we to know what transpired back then? The undead may have roamed this earth in the form of vampires, who all but died with the coming of modernization.

This bastard beneath you could be the final one in existence.

“I’m literally repeating to you what it told me.”

“Whatever it is.” She sniffs. “What do we do about it?”

“If it were up to me, I’d get us the fuck out of here.” Your confession is earnest. “But we’d have to convince Cree and Nelly to move.”

“Ugh.” She rolls her head back in utter anguish. “No, I really can’t afford to move again.”

That’s fair. You’re recovering from the moving costs alongside her and Cree. Only Nelly has been able to completely pay hers off. As much as you hate to say it, you’re stuck here until you can save up enough to consider looking elsewhere. Your last resort is subletting, and even then, you'd have to find a new home.

“As a short-term solution, do you want to sleep upstairs for now?” You offer. “You can stay with one of us.”

Power in numbers. Cree would be willing to room with her, as would you. Nelly, you’re not certain. She enjoys her solitary space. And, to your knowledge, she hasn’t experienced supernatural occurrences this house has to queued for you yet.

But Ericson isn’t on board.

“No.” She decides resolutely. “I’m gonna go out and buy a few things for protection later.”

You raise a brow. You almost didn't catch that; her energy changed. It's disquieted. What just happened?

Jaw clenched, she gets up from her seat. She bobs her head back and forth, as though in disbelief. There’s an urgency to her movements. It’s impossible to know where she’s at if she doesn't communicate.

“Actually, I’m gonna call a taxi and grab them now.”

She pulls out her phone and begins sifting through it.

"Don't you want to wash up first?"

You don't mean it as an insult. You want her to slow down. She doesn't share your sentiment.

"Nah. When I get back."

You realize that there's no convincing her otherwise. It's your cue to depart. There are tasks on your mind, too.

"Okay, well... I'm a text away, okay?"

"Thanks, (f/n)."

You walk across the kitchen and head towards the doorway. You've lost your appetite. You'll eat at dinner tonight.

As you rush out, Ericson calls after you.

"Hey, you and Cree aren't dating, right?"

You laugh, trotting back upstairs.

"Not a chance!"

The brunette hums knowingly into the empty space. There’s a playful flutter in her voice. Her orbs don't leave her screen.

“Heh. Yeah. Sure.”

Ericson left ten minutes ago. You watched her get into the taxi and wave at you through the window. It's likely she'll be gone for a good few hours. Nelly will be home in thirty, but until then, you're in solitude. It's just you and the vampire.

You stand outside the basement door. You recognize that disengaging the locks would be suicide. Don’t vampires need to be invited inside? You don’t wish to be a willing victim this time. If he's going to act belligerently, he can do so without your condolences. You won't open the door. This will be a good test to determine the bounds of his strength.

You press your palm against the wooden panels in front of you and close your eyes. Clearing your throat, you speak.

“Monster.” You brazenly address him. “Can you hear me?”

Below, Alucard is intrigued. Yes, he’s listening; he’s been listening since you awakened. He can’t see what you’re doing on that laptop of yours, but it’s apparent that you’re dedicated to your work. He was hoping you would come downstairs so he could get a better glimpse of you. Now, you want to talk.

“I’m not going to let you fuck with my friends.” You declare. “Leave us be.”

The demand is valiant. You’re in no place to be commanding an otherworldly being. He must know this.

And he does. A king cannot bend his knee to one who is undoubtedly more frail than he. You must know this, as well.

The silence that fills the corridor is particularly aggressive. You don’t think the house has ever been this quiet. Yet, you’re not alone. Fine. If he won’t communicate, you’ll force him to react.

“Dracula.” You swallow. “Stop ignoring me.”

Promptly, the lightbulb in the hallway snaps. Your eyes snap open. Glass pours over you like rain, causing you to flinch on impact. Thankfully, none of the pieces draw blood.

“Continue to involve them, and they will die.” A sinister voice growls.

Your breath hitches. Time feels as though it’s standing still. Gradually, the room cools down. The small hairs decorating your skin stand on edge, denoting your dread. He’s here. For all you know, he could be on the opposite side of the door, grinning at your helpless form.

“You should fear your own fate, pretty mortal.”

You can practically see his predator-like simper. It has your gut gurgling with nausea. You want so badly to flee. The front door is over there. You can make it, but you don’t try; your purpose is to persist.

“Stay away from them.” You repeat adamantly. “And me.”

Alucard is salivating. He’s never wanted you more. He loves a woman who can stand up for herself — even if she’ll be easily overpowered. Where did this fire come from?

“You feign as though you have control.” He cackles cruelly. “You don’t. I can smell your anxiety, sweet little thing.”

But he can't access your thoughts with the same simplicity with which he used previously. You have a mental barrier that restricts his ingress. He's growing increasingly impressed. The mastery you're possessing over your functioning is uncommon for mortals.

"I do have control." You contend. "Because you aren't at your best, are you?"

Alucard ponders. He should have been keeping a closer eye on you. It appears as though you've been doing a healthy amount of reading. First, you call him by his ancient moniker; then, you acknowledge his sickliness. Where did you learn this information?

"It matters not." He drawls solemnly. "I won't remain this way forever."

Ericson has his amulet. He has been whispering to her in dreams, coaxing her to carry the amulet with her. She awakens, unrestful, with induced amnesia. The subliminal messaging will work more effectively soon. She’ll want to protect herself now that he’s made an appearance. He was content to hear how terrified his visit made her, as she confided in you earlier.

"What can you do to stop me?"

The question isn't as innocent as he makes it sound. It's layered in horror and misconception. Can he be stopped? Or, better yet, can you stop him? You've never considered yourself the Van Helsing type.

"We’ll leave.”

He smirks.

"Will you?"

He must have overheard your discussion with Ericson. Moving is a long-term plan; it won't aid you in the meantime. You revise your thought, refusing to back down.

“It might take time, but we can."

If worst comes to worst, subletting is on the table. Leaving your friends wouldn't feel phenomenal, but if it comes to keeping your life or discarding it, you will have to face the ultimate sacrifice. Hopefully, they'll have the sense to trust your words and bolt alongside you.

"Even if you could, I wouldn't let you."

Why do you delude yourself? It could be that he hasn’t proven his prowess. That’s an acceptable excuse, given his diminished state. If that's the case, he'll show you.

"I wonder how you'll react when I start to pick your friends off, one by one?" He snickers. "You can't protect them all."

He's hungry for violence; hungry for his innate compulsion to revel in the anguish of the unworthy. He projects this feeling outwards, afflicting you with his morbid thirst. It settles onto your body like dust — invisible, and unpleasantly capable of choking you.

Rage washes over you upon listening to his menacing remark. It implores your legs to kick and your arms to punch. It wills you to scream until your throat is hoarse. The heat that rushes through you is enough to have you gasping for air on the porch. You wouldn't be shocked if your head was steaming from the surplus of pressure.

"You think they're stupid?" You scoff. "Or do you plan to be cowardly in how you pick them off, as you say?"

Abruptly, another lightbulb shatters. It's the one above the front door. Your comment got to him.

Consciously, you haven't a clue where this courage stemmed from. A moment ago, you were frightened he would smash through the wood and abduct your wrist. Unconsciously, you're aware that white hot anger is your vehicle. It's been months of this beast pushing you around. A part of you screams no more.

"Cowardly!" He barks, laughing viciously. "You have nerve calling me this, while you hide behind a locked door.”

"Using the defenses I have against a foe who doesn't play fair seems more strategic to me."

Alucard thrums. You're intelligent to a degree he didn't presume prior to this argument. You're fortunate he likes a bit of spice in his mates. Other vampires would have decapitated you to achieve a rewarding silence.

"Tell me, what would you do if you woke from your slumber to my shadow over your bed?"

It's rhetorical. You wouldn't do anything because you would be dead. Few humans can attain the upper hand with him. But you don't buy into the fantasy he's selling. Instead, you smile thinly.

“I’d drive a stake through your heart, vampire.”

Upstairs, a flurry of lightbulbs puncture. Their noise — quick and shrill — cascades like dominoes. You follow them through the ceiling with witless orbs. The bathroom blows first, then Cree's room, yours, and Nelly's. The bulb at the top of the stairs is the only one which remains intact.

Of all his years existing, Alucard can't recall feeling such a potent arrow of indignation shoot through him. You've tested him enough. He’s going to use what strength he has to teach you an eighth of his wrath.

And he thinks, with a devilish playfulness — the kind that's dipped in fury — oh, how intrepid you’re acting; how intrepid and foolish.

Your jaw unhinges. He’s walking down the steps. Was he upstairs this whole time? A more horrible notion enters your mind: was he in your bedroom? You tremble. That would mean he’s been next to you all morning, deadly and untraceable.

The floorboards behind you creak. You hiss, back stiffening. The room carries an unusual weight to it. It’s as though he’s present with you, hovering over your shoulder — a mere footfall away if you dared to step backward.

You don’t. You can’t. It’s impossible for you to face him when you’re unable to move.

“My dear.”

His tone is sharp and dominant. The playfulness is gone, indicating that his pride has been wounded. You can sense his exasperation. He’s simmering like a pot of soup over a moderate flame.

“You excite me as much as you infuriate me.”

You gulp. His voice is so clear. He really is here with you.

He hasn’t touched you. You don’t know how you’ll react if he does. Will his hands feel as cold as you imagine? Will his nails feel like razors, raking along your skin? Will he kill you where you stand, dragging your mangled body to the basement before Nelly arrives?

“Still, as much as I love that fiery tongue of yours, I won’t be spoken to this way by a disobedient mate.”

Your heart drops. You wait. And wait. And wait for him to grasp you; to show you precisely how he’s destroyed the wills of various others. He doesn’t.

“Trandafir.” He purrs. “During my reign in Wallachia, I believed in strict punishment for poor behaviour. Back then, even my women were not immune to my cruelty.”

Wallachia? Vaguely, the location is familiar. You don’t know why. And what did he call you, again? Tra—tranf—trand…afir…? You’ll have to look these terms up when you get out of this mess. He’s dropping hints. You’ll play his game if it means deciphering clues in your favour.

“My primary mode of execution for traitors was a slow death by impalement. I happily watched as defiers and enemies bled out across hours, sometimes days.”

His family made sadism seem normal. Of them all, though, his father was a compelling example of psychopathy. He invigorated him, at a young age, to dominate. As a king, he honed that trait.

“Even as a mortal, I had an acquired taste for human blood.” He laments darkly. “It was a delicious dip for breads and pastries.”

He truly savoured his enemies’ suffering. That wasn’t anything he was taught; he dedicated himself to the cryptic deed of his own volition. Sometimes, he wonders if that’s why he was capable of rising from the grave. Not all are.

“If I had half my strength, I would not hesitate to impale all of your friends, and force you to bathe in their blood.”

He would have them draw a circle of worship. You would sit in the centre. Sitting in a triangle on the outskirts of the sigil, he would appear behind them and slice their throats.

He imagines snatching Nelly by her thin braids and yanking her head back. A sharp claw would do the trick. Ericson would befall a similar fate. Cree would be decapitated. Your role, once the blood started to spurt, would be to open your mouth and absorb their lives. How pitiful and tantalizing you would look, painted with the loss of your loved ones.

He would keep them alive and under his influence long enough to make them stab themselves. Maybe he’d give the women a swift end, but Cree would inevitably suffer. It’s the tax he must pay for standing in Alucard’s path, attempting to steal you for himself.

He beams, brain shifting into predator mode. The hunger is coming up. If he’s not careful, he’ll transform his threat into a reality before he’s ready.

“And if I had my full strength, I would sink my fangs into your neck and drain you, my sweet.”

Bloodlust fills the air. Your fight or flight kicks in. He’s too close. You shove yourself forward, seemingly stumbling away from his grip. Wasting no time, you whip around to confront him. He’s not there. In a single snapshot, you feel like a zealot who lost his god. Where did He go? Is He still here with me? Or was He ever here at all?

You stand motionless in the dead air. Disoriented, you examine the locks on the basement door. None of them are out of place. Earlier, he alluded to the mechanisms impeding him, cutting you out to be a coward for inserting a barrier between the two of you. He lied. A reinforced piece of wood made no difference.

As you inspect the door, you notice small wood chippings on the floor. Upon closer inspection, you identify that they’re being blown in by a draft under the door. It almost looks like… something was clawing the opposite side of the door, desperately peeling the paint with every crooked scratch.

[velvetvexations]

My early socialization experience was weird as hell.

My mother wanted a daughter to treat like a doll with all the extremely gendered nonsense that entails - and was also a second wave radfem and former political lesbian, which...yeah she was half all in on the gendered shit, but also half in weird denial about it. My dad...is the one I got my auDHD from, and the result was that he raised me exactly the same way his parents raised him - which was also very gendered, but he didn't notice that. He didn't notice how differently they treated him and his sister. He just noticed what they did right by him and what he wanted to repeat. He taught me how to use tools and rebuild car engines and be handy and outdoorsy; while my mother was giving me the whole "oh sweetie don't get your dress dirty (: oh yes you should be a #girlboss in STEM but fixing a chair is too dangerous for you to do alone why don't you get your dad to help (: are you suuuuure you can lift that 8-pound object???" thing, my dad was teaching me how to operate a forklift and training me with good lifting technique and encouraging me to haul shit twice my size and letting me learn the kinds of lessons that can only be learned by minor injury. Damned near the only thing he WASN'T doing was the whole "man up" schtick, but even THAT I kinda got a detoxified version of; there was a lot of value placed on keeping my complaints in perspective, building my emotional regulation to the...best of my limited ability, and trying to solve problems independently - again, his WHOLE thing was pretty much just "what would I repeat from what my parents did to me? What would I change?" With absolutely no regard paid to "what was different for my sister? What would have been different if I'd been a girl?" Because he straight up didn't notice that shit.

As a result I fundamentally don't care that he can't quite get gendered terms right for me, because whatever, he's always treated me like just a she/her boy anyway.

Meanwhile, like I said, my mother considered herself a feminist, full on tried to force herself to be a lesbian about it in her 20s, and yet she STILL constantly underestimated my physical strength, treated my appearance like it was the most important thing about me, and kept pushing me to sit down and "be polite" - but she usually didn't SAY these things had anything to do with me being a girl, and in many cases probably didn't even realize they were herself. "Girls can do anything boys can do - but also if you fight back against your [also prepubescent, but male] bullies They Will Kill You To Death They Are Stronger You Cannot Win" was a sentiment I got (in much less clear terms) ALL THE TIME from her through elementary school. She was obsessed with my appearance, in that distinct radfemmy "well sure butches are cool but uh by butch you still mean skinny in form-fitting clothes with a pixie cut, right?" kind of way. She would never say I should dress "more ladylike" and would get angry at family members who WOULD say that out loud - she even introduced me to the concept that crossdressing is fine (sometimes) and that trans men exist (in which she made it clear she thought of us as just weird butch women) - but she would get really, really weird and cruel if I wore jeans she considered "unflattering".

And that's just the thing, about why all flavors of radfems are wrong about how "socialization" does and doesn't impact people! She never tied gender to a good half or so of those messages, so even after I started transitioning, they still felt like they were always aimed at me. Meanwhile, I got the same kind of auDHD from my dad that made him never see the gender of his own upbringing, only "things my parents did that I would repeat vs. things they did that I would not" - I only realized just HOW aggressively gendered my mother's behavior was by studying sociology years later.

Terfs are wrong that early socialization is destiny, everyone responds to the same messages the same way, and GNC "men" are treated wonderfully.

T[i]rfs are wrong that we all ONLY ever internalize messages aimed at our ACTUAL genders and trans men can just shake off misogyny because it's not REALLY aimed at us, regardless of whether that claim stays in the realm of "because WE know deep down that something is off when we're being called the wrong thing" or gets all the way into the batshit belief that everyone has ESP for people's essential soul gender and GNC men ARE treated just fine and it's ONLY eggmode trans women who get mistreated (and they all do regardless of how well they do or don't perform masculinity) and trans men are all totally raised as men and never treated misogynistically in the first place because of that soul gender ESP.

And ALL radfems are wrong that there's a rigid, universally applicable set of rules as to what socialization looks like based on your gender - just because there ARE broad patterns that DO need to be acknowledged doesnt erase the fact that from person to person there's a LOT of variance for a LOT of potential reasons, and that ends up meaning that in order to figure out what it means for trans people, you DO have to do a whole individual level examination - including by diving into the whole dysphoria-inducing disaster that is being perceived as the wrong gender and all that comes from it.

Also I sometimes half-jokingly identify as cis-bigender because between the thing with my parents, the fact that when I hit puberty it became apparent that I'm actually intersex, and the fact that I'm pretty sure I'd have been on the femboy-transfem cusp had I been AMAB, over 10 years into transition I finally feel manly enough to go high femme when the mood strikes, and I've finally gotten comfortable calling myself a girl when it's funny, I think that's a very fun label and about as accurate and honest as any single term comes.

I wish I could frame this ask.

[troublesomesnitch]

Book Sauron vs. Movie Sauron

(and why people complain about Rings of Power's portrayal of the character. In my opinion). Nerd rant I guess.

I think a big reason why a some viewers are unhappy with RoP Sauron is that there is a big discrepancy between Sauron in the books, and Sauron in the Peter Jackson trilogy. And most people have probably only seen the movies (which is fine, I am not a book purist and I have personally only read 1.5 of the books, and tbh I found them pretty boring.)

But anyway:

In the films, Sauron is an entity. He can’t take physical form. He is evil incarnate, a nameless fear, a flaming eye etc. Whereas in the books, Sauron is way more of a person and actual character.

We only hear stuff about him from other people, but he does have a physical form. Sauron personally tortured Gollum, and Gollum was later able to describe his appearance to Gandalf, saying that he was missing some fingers on one hand from when Isildur defeated him. We also learn from Eomer that Sauron had approached Rohan wanting to buy horses from them. Rohan refused, so Sauron just stole the horses instead - but his initial intention was to buy the animals fair and square, with normal human currency. At a "great price" according to Eomer.

Recently I also read that Sauron had apparently become somewhat fond of Shelob and jokingly referred to her as his cat lmao. That is mentioned in the Shelob chapter in The Two Towers. Just little things like that make a huge difference. I cannot imagine movie!Sauron making jokes like that.

Mordor is also different book to movie. In the books, there are some farmlands in the Southern parts of Mordor, which makes sense because orcs do need food obviously. Return of The King says this:

"Neither he nor Frodo knew anything of the great slave-worked fields away south in this wide realm, beyond the fumes of the Mountain by the dark sad waters of Lake Nurnen; nor of the great roads that ran away east and south to tributary lands, from which the soldiers of the Tower brought long waggon-trains of goods and booty and fresh slaves. Here in the northward regions were the mines and forges.”

In Tolkien’s own illustrations, Mordor also looks a little bit more normal.

All that to say: if your idea of Sauron is an evil-incarnate entity who has no physical form and only talks in raspy, wheezing Black Speech, then yes, it is probably very grating to see Charlie Vickers running around with hair bows and pretty little ringlets falling in his face, being sarcastic, flirting with elf-maidens etc. But I personally don't think there is anything inherently un-Tolkien about it. Despite Tolkien's vocal dislike of allegory, Sauron is a pretty obvious allegory for the devil/Lucifer - he is quite literally a fallen angel taking on various forms to tempt and charm people into doing his bidding. I think the true evil-incarnate character is Morgoth. Sauron is more likely to weight his options and try for a diplomatic solution before throwing all his resources into waging war on people.

[multifandom-nerds-blog]

So I watched Moominvalley season 4 and uhhh

It's a Moominvalley season I guess. Which happened to be the final one? Also Comet in Moominvalley was... An episode. That was the final one🤨?

Like there was definitely some nice stuff in this season. Like Moominpapa and Aunt Jane was great in my opinion. But then you had THE final episode which was Comet in Moominvalley, which had such a weird pacing if you ask me. It was also super anticlimactic, and didn't feel like a final episode at all. (Though I'm very happy that the Groke found some sort of friends in the Valley, really nice.)

There was also barely any Snufkin content??? Like. It's Snufkin! The most popular Moomin character? They gave him so much character development in the first 3 seasons only to have him show up in like 3 or 4 episodes of the last one. Not to forget how they baited a meeting between him and the Joxter (who was in Moominvalley for 3 episodes! And Snufkin only appeared in the last of those 3 episodes.) only to not do something with it. Though I give it to them that this probably would've been a bit difficult to tackle. I'm also not sure if there's another official Moomin Media where they do actually physically met? I think in the books Snufkin knows that Joxter is his dad, but never actually met him.

Though I very much appreciate how Little My continues to be extremely annoyed with the Mymble. You go girl. (Which brings to the question if anyone knows that Snufkin, including him, is also a child of the Mymble/Little Mys brother? The Mymble definitely wouldn't tell anyone on her own. Though I feel like it was implied that they know it in the Aunt Jane episode, but also not really. One way or the other they gave off the correct sibling vibes in that episode.)

And for the rest of the episodes.... I don't even remember all of them. Like, there wasn't really anything to pay attention to in most episodes. Not sure why we needed a whole episode for Brisk in the final episode (Misabel content is always good though). The train episode was kinda funny. I did like how the Joxter either didn't listen to what was going on or just took a nap most of the time (mood). And again I liked that the Groke had more positive interactions with some of the main characters.

So yeah. All in all the season was honestly a bit dissapointing. Especially the last episode. They really fumbled with Comet in Moominvalley. Moominpapa and Aunt Jane would have honestly been a much better final episode. Mostly cause it was about Moominpapas book releasing, which he wrote entire time over, and ends on a message of "family can be very complicated" (absolutely, yes, thank you). And since the Moomins just are this big mix of biological and found family I feel like this would have worked pretty well as a final episode.

[harlivyanddansen]

Okay, so we see ONE section of plot-relevant dialogue and you just assume that they said nothing else? Also, ignoring nuance, because there is obvious fear and desperation from her mother in this scene. Doesn't look like they really want to do this, but they have to.

And what, you think if Kal-El never existed, they wouldn't send their daughter away from an exploding planet despite having the ship to send her in? Is that really what you think? The last heir to the House of El is just going to be allowed to die because there's no male to look after? Wow... okay...

Survivor's guilt is a powerful thing, and Kara is feeling all this from the perspective of 12-year-old who had a child's understanding of the situation. She's just repeating what she thought her responsibility was without taking into account what the purpose was behind that. Alex was right, and you're just being judgmental.

Okay, that entire quote was, again, Kara speaking from the understanding she had of the conversation that took place when she was a child. Her mother never said it was the ONLY reason she was being sent. The word 'only' never appeared in the dialogue. In fact, one can argue that with how it was phrased, this was Kara being asked to protect her much younger and more vulnerable cousin (he was ONE YEAR OLD, just as a reminder). Jumping to conclusions isn't an Olympic sport.

Yeah, the show sucked at giving Kara a real throughline, and also, her dad didn't say anything in the original scene, as you pointed out. Not onscreen, at least, because they only gave us plot-relevant dialogue. But notice how her dad said absolutely nothing about the mission she supposedly failed to accomplish, and neither did her mother. None of their dialogue had anything to do with her 'mission' at all if you paid any attention. They were just glad she was alive.

Funny how, once again, it's Kara's perception of her parents' wishes and not anything they actually said that trips her up. How interesting.

Again, the word 'only' wasn't in the plot-relevant dialogue. At no point was that what they said.

You still didn't answer the question. How could both kids be sent to Earth and Kara not at least feel responsible for her baby cousin? If they're both meant to survive, it makes sense that she would be put in charge as the older of the two.

Oh, thank you for those examples, neither of which actually mention that Kal-El was going with her. In the comic example, it actually looks like the familys are doing this independent of each other. In the screencaps, her mother still tells her to find her cousin, so she's still being made responsible for him. Not really shoring up your argument, hon.

Yeah, funny how families sometimes try to make decisions in tandem, and try to make one that's going to do the most good. Funny how they should care about both their daughter and their nephew. Seriously, did you try think about this from their POV at all, or did you just jump to 'horrible parents'?

Alura was on a chunk of her home planet with limited resources, hence their asking for help from Lena for the Huran-El. And how was she supposed to locate Kara on a planet of 14 billion people? I mean, Earth is a thriving planet full of other beings who are at least physically identical to Kryptonians in looks, having the same outward physiology, so it's not like all she'd have to do is look for the woman with the extra head. Not helped by the fact that she last saw her daughter when she was 12 and has no idea what she looks like as an adult.

Alura wouldn't have seen anything because they were still in the hanger at the time the pod got knocked off course, so I don't know where this part came from.

Ah, here we are. I mean, yeah, this has been used as a story beat, but that's not what actually happened. Besides, another good story beat is a character who has to find a new purpose after the one she thought she had was ripped away by fate, which was the one the show actually gave her.

If you want to show me where her parents were so disappointed she didn't wither and die because she didn't fulfill their original plans for her, go ahead. Show me that dialogue.

honestly, it's really crazy how kara's parents (in the show) saved her only so she can watch over kal. "you'll journey to earth to look after your baby cousin, kal-el.", "my father sent me to earth to take care of my baby cousin who went before me..." don't you just want your daughter safe? don't you just want her to live? is her life not worth that much to you? her happiness? why must she be spared only to look after some boy? why must you drill into the head of this young girl her life's worth it only if she's giving it away for others? are you not ashamed? ... fucking assholes!

[retaurd]

if he isnt ok with your body and nags you to work out outside of reason or eat differently/less or have cosmetic procedures done or wear more makeup you should both see other men

[neverendingford]

.

[savrenim]

I mean nothing is too science-y on a half-joke-half-science post of mine but I was specifically going for nuclear binding energy, not whatever chemical stuff wants to happen, nickel-62 is the true um actually but iron-56 and -58 are the next two most stable elements the universe that we have encountered so far.

but also, this has nothing to do with chemical stability, bc chemical bonds are formed mostly with electromagnetic force and the bonds that are producing binding energy that I'm talking about here that is the like, E=mc^2-atoms-not-weighing-as-much-as-their-constituent-parts stuff, are strong and weak nuclear force, so, like, totally different fundamental force going down and also no longer anywhere close to the area of science that I live in

but look pretty chart and everything I swear I actually know what I'm talking about when it comes to nuclear physics

......suddenly struck by the idea for a piece of worldbuilding of "fae don't like iron bc it is the most stable element*"

*as in elements higher you can extract energy via fission and lower you can extract energy via fusion but iron itself there is no excess binding energy to extract at all

[foone]

Bad idea: Age gap discourse but in a fantasy land where there's multiple races who have vastly different lifespans and life styles.

Is it wrong for a 27 year old human to date a 140 year old stone elf, considering most stone elves don't get out of diapers till their 30s?

Is it wrong for a 80 year old dwarf to date a two year old fire wisp, when fire wisps only live up to 5 years (between the eruptions) and have memories of their past lives, so in a way they're "born" at age 400,000+? That octogenarian dwarf is way younger than the fire wisp that's only physically younger than some of the socks the dwarf has!

Is it wrong for a chronomancer who was never born to date, well, anyone? They are zero years old and infinity years old and negative one hundred and seventeen years old all at once. They look like an old human, sure, with the long white beard and the wrinkly skin, but as far as anyone can tell, they've always looked like that. We've seen the cave paintings.

Is it wrong for a 30 year old lizardman (that's old in lizardman years) to date a human who is 60 years old in biological years (because of aging spells), 26 years old in lived-experience years, but only 13 years old in calendar years? (ie, they were born 13 years ago, but spent some of that time in sideways timelines, so they've lived more years than have passed in their home timeline?)

Is it wrong for a 12,000 year old dragon date a pile of 400 kobolds when kobolds only live like 10 years on average, but reach full maturity in one year? And if you disagree, can you do anything about it? You do know what happened to the last policeman who tried to arrest a dragon, right? Their city is still smoldering, 50 years later.

Is it wrong for anyone to date the time worm? It's the same age, every year. So the age gap can only intensify. If you start dating the time worm when you're both the same age, when do you break it off because you've become too much older than them?

And most confusing of all... What about the fairies? They could be anything between a thousand and a day old, they would lie about their age either way, and they can look like whatever they want. There's fairies we know for a fact have been around since the founding of The City of Towers, who met the silent mother herself, and also look like they're at most ten years old. Is it wrong to date them, or just really uncomfortable for everyone who sees it? And on the other side there's fairies who are "born" (hatched? They come from plants, I'm not sure what the verb even would be. Seeded? Sprouted, maybe) this week who are already appearing like middle-aged men and dancing with widows in what looks like a scheme to run off with her fortune but they never take the money, because what would a fairy want with worthless metal discs? Maybe fairies have a hive mind or genetic memory or reincarnation with full memories, they'd never tell you or give you a straight (or consistent) answer anyway.

Stonefolk are really the only inter-race dating situation anyone can agree on. They're unthinking & unmoving solid rock during the day, so those hours don't count. Thus their "real age" is a nice even half of their true age. So if you meet a stonefolk who was dug out 30 years ago, watch out: that's a 15 year old, and if you're a 25 year human, that's too young for you, even though their dig-date is five years before your birth-date.

EDIT: 2024/01/12: Changed the name of the Stonefolk

[sigmaleph]

you are offered a choice:

You get to open a video-game style character creation screen and customise your body at will, to anything within range of human variation (no cat ears, sorry). This includes letting you set a new biological age, get rid of any physical health issues, and so on. Your new appearance seems unremarkable to anyone who knows you, all government databases with your picture are adjusted, etc.

You get 150 000 USD every year for the rest of your life without having to do anything for it. You don't pay taxes on this money, it adjusts with inflation automatically, it appears entirely legitimate to any authorities, etc.

what do you choose, and also, are you trans or cis (if you're tempted to answer 'it's complicated', round off to trans)?

[marzipanandminutiae]

thinking about the infantiliztation and/or formalization of 19th-century women's clothing to modern audiences

like

our entire reference point for "wearing long skirts and outfits with decoration like lace, embroidery, appliques, etc." is either formalwear or fictional characters in children's media like Disney princesses. women's clothing is just so radically different now- not that those elements don't exist, but they're much less common in everyday clothing than they once were. some form of simple trousers and an equally simple top are de rigeur for everyday attire, and anything else is Fancy

combined with the fact- which is true! -that a lot of what survives to end up in big museums belonged to wealthy people, this ends up in wild assumptions like "basically our entire idea of what the Victorians dressed like is just Rich People Clothes really"

which has led to the eternal cry of "but what did NORMAL people wear?!?!?!" that will not be satisfied with real examples of middle or even working-class everyday clothing because it still looks too "fancy" to modern eyes

not Victorian, but a great example of this is what Abby Cox wore to portray a milliner (hatmaker) in Colonial Williamsburg. a working, middle-class woman:

(ignore the facial expression there)

this is the exact outfit she sported in a video that apparently got responses like "but that's just what rich women wore!" and it is, in fact, everyday attire for a working person. a person who worked in the fashion industry, it's true, but still

I had someone ask me about how to find examples of casual Victorian clothing because they were at their wits' end trying to research it. and I had to tell them that...what they were looking at WAS casual. in the sense of Clothing For Everyday Wear That's Not Especially Formal. there's nothing inherently formal, or exclusive to the wealthy, about a matched bodice-and-skirt dress, instep-length, with some trim. or even a trimmed blouse and skirt. obviously women working the absolute hardest outdoor, physical jobs might have adopted occupational trousers or similar, but we don't all dress like construction or farm workers all the time nowadays. why would they have back then?

Laundresses, probably 1850s or early 60s. Note that I can STILL date the picture based on their outfits and hair, and these are the furthest things from wealthy socialites.

Maid scrubbing steps, probably 1870s or 1880s. Note pleated trim on her skirt and what appears to be a peplum at the back of her bodice.

also, not all working women worked physical jobs any more than we do today. here is a teacher around the turn of the 20th century:

Teachers, 1887

"Breton Seamstresses," 1845, by Jules Trayer

were there differences in quality, type and quantity of trim, fit, etc? obviously. but some people are convinced that the basic outfit format can't POSSIBLY have been something ordinary women wore, because it looks formal and/or princess-y in a modern context

[interstellarrisa]

𝄞⨾𓍢ִ໋ Quotes to keep in mind 𝄞⨾𓍢ִ໋

a/n: these are just some sayings that I like to keep in mind while manifesting, you don't have to keep these in mind but I like to and think they help me somewhat, btw if you recognize your quote or someone else's pls dm or comment it so I can give credits :)

# Mind over matter

I believe that this one is pretty straightforward. 4D over the 3D, imagination over the physical, the inner over the outer. You can pretty much say that this is the basis of LOA and shifting.

# Persist because you know it's done not cause you're waiting to see it done

THIS, you already have it so why are you persisting to see it? It's already there. It's like you affirm "I have xyz, xyz is right in front of me." and then in the same breath go "Now because I've persisted a bit let's wait till it appears." meanwhile your xyz is staring at you irritated. I'm not saying that you should actively persist and affirm 24/7 cause you'd get burnt out but just continue your day not stressing cause you know it's done.

# Stop trying, Start being

Be the one who has it even though it's not in front of your 3D eyes you still have it in your 4D eyes. Be the one who's the prettiest in school, the smartest, the strongest, the most famous and so on. There's no "Let's affirm that I'm beautiful and see what happens." There's only "I'm the most beautiful, period." Walk like it, talk like it and act like it. Me personally I don't like forcing it or doing anything in the 3D because it can get tiring so instead I just walk like it, talk like it and act like it in imagination cause it's all you need.

# Be too lazy to doubt

This is something I came up with and it's also pretty straightforward. Whenever I want something I just think about it for a second then instead of worrying about if it'll work and then trying to force a positive mindset I'll just quickly move on cause I'm to lazy for all of that overthinking hehe.. Two times I manifested my teachers being sick and keep in mind these teachers are never sick and I've always "failed" to manifest it but this time I just thought "They're not here and idc or know why." and continued my day being too lazy to doubt and BAAM both of them weren't at school. I was kind of surprised at first but calmed down cause obviously it worked, I'm a master manifester duh. Also this week I had to take school photos and I listened to a photogenic/dreamy sub together with a look cute one and everyone even girls I don't really talk with called me pretty. Heck my teacher said that I was one of those photogenic type of people. Anyways never could have thought being lazy was a blessing in disguise huh..

That's all, have fun with manifesting and shifting y'all and bye!!!!

[astrologyvas]

1st house overlays/synastry

18+

please do not copy or repeat my work anywhere sun in the 1st house overlay: as we know, the sun illuminates anything it touches. naturally, in synastry, the sun will light up & shine onto the house's personality, appearance, and approach to life. this is a great placement to have for both romantic and platonic endeavors because you feel a mutual understanding; like you're on the same page in the book of life. the house will feel an abundance of validation and recognition from the sun. something about the sun just makes the house feel good, like the world still has something to offer. the sun is very fond of the way the house deals with situations thrown at them. "i love the way you handled that". there's a natural sense of comfort found in one other, it feels like you just get each other. the house may find a lot of peace and serenity within themselves when they find their way back to the sun. gives me the energy of the house thinking "i wish they were here" when they're at a shitty party. the house's general character and disposition is highly aligned with how the sun sees themselves, giving a sense of familiarity and closeness. complimenting each other back to back energy. this person would be a great partner to go out with, because they will always give you the acknowledgement and confidence you're seeking. "should i get this tattoo?" "you would look amazing with that tattoo".

moon in the 1st house overlay: there is no room for concealing emotions in this connection. both parties intuitively sense how the other is feeling, and can see their true motivations with ease. the house may feel almost unveiled by the moon, surprised by how quickly they are able to keep up with their emotions. this is the type of person you miss having as a friend when breaking it off with them, even if you were romantically involved. similar to the sun, the moon overlay shares a natural compatibility with one another. this synastry provokes emotional harmony and deep understanding. the feeling of telling them something you wouldn't ever open up about with anyone else. in this connection, the moon can serve as a tender reflection to show the house how to heal and nurture themselves. this overlay will make both not only physically attracted to each other, but also intensely emotionally. the moon finds the house's mind, body and soul irresistible, while the house desires the moon physically as a means of emotionally connecting. you are able to read each other exceptionally well, the energy of knowing how they feel just by the look on their face. the house will be openly receptive to the moon's way of reassurance. the house saying "i never thought about it that way" when the moon offers them consolation. both parties feel immense relief and comfort within each other. the person you look for in a crowd, to find they were looking for you too.

mercury in the 1st house overlay: this overlay is a like-minded and stimulating bond. having this synastry makes connecting on basic levels practically intrinsic. it feels like you get along right away, and often share similar outlooks on topics and values. the way mercury speaks and allocates knowledge is admirable to the house, like mercury is able to lay out information in a way that resonates with them. the house feels listened to by mercury, like they don't understate the house's intelligence. mercury can easily enthrall the house person. it's like mercury has an innate ability to make any conversation exciting and intriguing for the house. both may steal slang and phrases from each other, because they like the way they sound coming from the other person. initially, the house may struggle to keep up with mercury's fast-paced nature, or find them hard to fully grasp. mercury may feel like they're much more charismatic and magnetic when they're in the presence of the house. it's like a switch flipping for mercury, being able to reel the house in with their words. both parties banter and make fun of each other all the time. the two of them may be very attracted to each other's hands and arms, like you can't stop staring at their fingers when they're doing random tasks. mercury will be inclined to mentally pursue the house, they want to win them over with the charm they exude. no matter what, mercury feels an unquenchable curiosity for how the house operates and perceives information.

venus in the 1st house overlay: this is a connection that will cause intense physical attraction no matter what. in my personal experience, this has been an infatuation placement. the intangible pull these two feel for one another is powerful and consuming. venus finds the house very physically appealing, and the house basks in the planet's admiration. everything about the house, how they move, walk, and talk, venus can't get enough of. on a less superficial level, both parties will find the other very gratifying and enjoyable to be around. this connection will be fun under any circumstances, they can have a good time together even if they're on a sinking boat. venus will feel proud and confident in public with the house. "can you believe i pulled them?" energy. however, this placement can be bittersweet, in the sense of the house feeling like venus doesn't see their personality, only their looks. this can be difficult to overcome if there aren't substantial placements or aspects to show genuine admiration rather than shallow attraction. at its worst, this synastry can have the energy of shane & rachel from the white lotus. in this bond, both venus and the house share a similar taste for clothing, art and culture. the type of relationship where they like to dress each other up and pick out their clothes. the house will feel increasingly attractive and charming when in the vicinity of venus, and venus easily finds inspiration through the house. this is the person you have a hallway crush on at school.

mars in the 1st house overlay: mars falling in the 1st house is an enticing, aggressively playful, and physically erotic linkage. this synastry gives me the energy of not being able to contain your smile, even though you're arguing. these two grind each other's gears, in a way that you want to strangle them, then make out. mars is instantly on a pursuit for the house, like they see them as something to conquer. the house thrives on the ego boost from mars' chase, and may deprive mars of their presence to maintain control. initially, the mars is definitely somewhat at a whim of the house. however, the house is physically captivated by mars. mars appears as a rugged, lustful meal of sex appeal for the house. "i could eat that girl for lunch". it's like mars gives the house a taste for life and adrenaline. eye-fucking each other across the room vibes. this overlay may feel like a game at times, like a nonchalant war to see who breaks the tension first. the house's behavior riles mars up, intentionally or not. the energy of mars making fun of the house constantly, while the house is telling them to shut up. the first impressions of this person are very strong and memorable, you definitely won't forget them after originally meeting. this connection is inspiring for the house, as if mars pulls motivation out of them. very lively and dynamic relationship. laughing, tickle torture, and angry sex.

jupiter in the 1st house overlay: both the house and jupiter light up when they're around each other. jupiter, the planet of "so much abundance it's spilling off the plate," entering the 1st house is a great placement for self-esteem and confidence. both parties exhilarate and inspire each other plenty. jupiter is able to expand the worldview of the house, encouraging them to take risks and learn about life simply by having fun. jupiter's praise massively inflates the houses ego and self-worth. the house feels emotionally enriched by jupiter, like they can't help but feel fulfilled by them. the house may find that being around jupiter brings luck & opportunities for them, like things just fall into place. it makes me think of jupiter as a celebrity, and the house as their friend who gains recognition through jupiter's influence. jupiter feels very admired by the house in this connection. the house can learn a lot from this bond; it feels like jupiter is an infinite well of knowledge for the house to dive into. this synastry can almost be pedestal-like for jupiter, as if the house thinks they can do no wrong. be wary of rose-colored glasses and too much glorification. if the house is younger or less mature, jupiter can find their timidity annoying at times; offended that the house doesn't always trust jupiter's wisdom and direction. however, the mutual respect this connection brings is healing for the soul of both jupiter and the house. this synastry is groupie love, painting portraits of each other, and endless flattery.

saturn in the 1st house overlay: this synastry will force you to grow outside of yourself. if saturn does one thing in this connection, its holding the house accountable for their bullshit. both party's insecurities and weaknesses are obvious to each other, like they're sprawled out on the table. saturn often tries to clean out the house's faults to help them grow. this can be suffocating for the house at times, especially if they aren't looking for or open to change. the house can subconsciously try to look good and doll up if they know saturn is going to be there. the house craves saturn's validation, and can succumb to imbalanced power dynamics if not careful. if saturn is afflicted or unevolved, this connection can be critical and envious in nature. the house easily expresses themselves, which can inspire jealousy in saturn for something that doesn't come as instinctually to them. saturn can really pick at the house's insecurities if they want to, and vice versa. these two need to be mindful of their jabs, and careful of being too mean and berating. if this connection is stabilized and healthy, these two can be the ultimate power couple that comes off as sultry and mature to others. saturn builds the house's confidence from the ground up, like they're a project for saturn to work on and improve. saturn returns are a great time for these connections, because of the structure and discipline the saturn person offers in the chaos.

uranus in the 1st house overlay: in this connection, uranus loves to stir things up within the house and help them break free from the mundane comforts of life. initially, the house can find uranus to be totally weird, "out there," and sporadic. it's like the house is puzzled by how uranus acts. "i've never met anyone in my life like you before". uranus grows on the house very fast, and inevitably, they start thinking uranus is unique and ahead of their time. the house needs to be cautious of being too stubborn and apprehensive in order to keep uranus' flighty nature from kicking in. this connection can feel like you grow into the best and most authentic version of yourself through each other. uranus helps catapult the house into being who they truly are, leaving no room for self-doubt and embarrassment. the house may be fascinated with how uranus conducts and presents themselves. it gives me the energy of the house pulling a lot of fashion inspiration from uranus, because of how innovative and original the planet comes off to the house. the type of people you save to your pinterest board. this bond is electric and unpredictable, they love to keep each other on their toes. however, both may be resistant in relation to commitment because of the intense need for freedom uranian energy activates. these people provoke rebellion in yourself you've never felt before, like you want to see how far you can go before getting caught. uranus sees a plethora of untapped energy in the house, and thrives off inspiring them.

neptune in the 1st house overlay: the converging of this overlay is dreamy and illusive. the energy lingering around this connection is an intoxicating, love-at-first-sight experience. neptune is bewitched by the house's beauty. this synastry is rose-colored glasses on steroids. underneath the blissful admiration and mesmerized gazes, neptune's blurry nature makes what you think you know about your partner and what is actually real an uncomfortable awakening. the house can feel a frustrating pressure to live up to neptune's unrealistic fantasy that they have projected onto them. on one hand, the house wants to indulge and relish in neptune's perception in order to maintain a beautiful and magnetic aura. on the other hand, the house wants to be loved for their true, genuine self. both need to tread carefully in this connection, as the neptunian influence can replace typical bonding and becoming acquainted with predetermined conjectures and assumptions. the feeling of cutting them off, then realizing you didn't know anything about them. however, this synastry is a great opportunity for combined spiritual expansion and growth. sex is an unearthly union between them. deep understanding is mutual and almost psychic. "you make me feel like a person". they slip into your dreams, and know what you are going to say before you speak.

pluto in the 1st house overlay: pluto's presence in the 1st house can be an intensely metamorphic bond. this relationship goes beyond physical, into the deep intertwining of each other. the house portrays a fascinating allure towards pluto. pluto feels very tempted and inexplicably drawn towards the house, almost like the house is testing to see when pluto gives in. the house feels like pluto dominates their mind, which can quickly lead to them becoming smitten. pluto's persona intimidates and simultaneously attracts the house. in this connection, pluto will inevitably hold a lot of power, and can become jealous and overbearing regarding the house. this bond requires pluto to be mindful of arising insecurities revolving the house's outward charm to others. the house feels like pluto peers into their soul, seeing their vulnerabilities and weak spots. the house almost can't turn away, because of the intimacy they discover through this connection. this is the type of couple that turns heads when they walk in. if pluto is afflicted, this synastry is susceptible for forced change and control. pluto needs to be cautious of trying to mold the house into what they want, rather than what the house wants. by supporting the house, pluto can propel the house's spiritual and psychological broadening, and act as an important guide for the house to fulfill the immense potential that pluto sees in them.

lilith in the 1st house overlay: in this overlay, lilith finds the house to be the living embodiment of their raw and primal "dark" side. everything lilith hides away and rejects in themselves, they see in the house- physically and internally. in this relationship, identity is extremely affected on both sides. the house's friends & family may find them unrecognizable in the presence of lilith, because of the shadow they naturally evoke in the house. these two mirror each other's most repressed desires & taboos, easily exhilarating each other in the process. your heartbeat increasing uncontrollably when in their presence vibes. upon meeting, both parties feel irrevocably lustful and attracted to each other. there is a very intense bodily chemistry between the two, the type of energy that other's can feel because of the potency. in this connection, there is innate mutual respect, but heavily lilith for the house. lilith honors and admires the house's unapologetic nature regarding themselves; and the house thrives on lilith's passion and sexuality. in public, the house may feel like their impulses are drawn out- simply by lilith's company. although, however transforming this experience may be for both parties, this overlay can cause lilith to be obsessed with the house superficially- if the powerful lilith energy is not handled correctly. something about this couple could be scandalous or "unacceptable" to normal society, like age gaps, background differences, or social statuses. however, they are not concerned with backlash from others, and love uplifting each other to their deeper emotions and true colors.