#and discovered that just working as a TL for target

[pinacoladamatata]

Target Solas may be saving my life actually

[poraphia]

alright so

The reader has been involved in the East L’manburg mafia since they were 17-19 years old (shortly before they met Wilbur). They work as a forger of signatures and documents, since they have a steady hand and artistic inclination (can’t draw that well though. Only can copy handwriting. Go figure.). maybe they were in juvie, maybe they were in a group home (thinking about the book “allegedly”), but whatever their situation was, the mafia helped them pay themselves out of it and land a steady part time career as a laboratory assistant (plus some money to enroll in university). they keep most of the details about their life hidden from everyone, even Wilbur. The only thing he knows is that they were in some sort of a group home, but the details are obscure— and they took a while to tell him that, too. They didn’t want the syndicate doing a background check on them and revealing some details they’d rather stay hidden. Tl;dr: lots of trust issues.

But Wilbur is so sweet, and Philza and Techno are great people, so they stick around. They learn to juggle their life with the mafia and their life with the Soots. The reader is convinced they’ll be fine, they can keep digging this hole for themselves without meeting any consequences. But consequences DO come, and they come in the form of a completely accidental car accident on the readers way to work. They are rushed to the hospital (Wilbur gets a phone call and is beside himself with worry), and are told that although their dominant hand will be fine in the long run, it will never be able to work properly again. So they can write— but they can no longer forge signatures and handwriting like they used to. Therefore, they are now a liability to the mafia. of course the mafia finds out, and has a little “chat” with them. The reader returns home with a black eye and a busted lip, but promises Wilbur that they just tripped and fell down the stairs. He almost believes them.

And then there’s the Actual Accident. Maybe a building collapses, maybe there’s a gas leak and the readers apartment explodes. Either way, charred bodies are found in the building, and the reader is presumed dead. they aren’t actually dead, having out on an errand when the accident occurs. They go back to the scene immediately, wanting to tell Wilbur that they’re okay—- but spot some mafia members digging around in the rubble. The reader overhears the mafia members pronounce them dead, and watches them leave. with this sight comes a few key realizations: first, they no longer have a bounty over their head. Normally, the mafia would wait a couple weeks before killing a target, just to get them to lower their guard. Now, though, the reader is truly safe. Second: if they asked protection from the syndicate, the Soots could be endangered. Wilbur and co. might be able to protect them physically, but the mafia would do anything to get to their target. Including doing extensive research on this protecting them. If the reader hid behind the Syndicate, the mafia could discover the Syndicates true identities and pawn the info off to the heroes. it wouldn’t be the first time that the mafia bribed and involved itself with the heroes committee.

So the reader doesn’t come back. They let Wilbur (and the mafia) think they have died.

then they probably sneakily kill off the mafia members during their “missing and presumed dead” period idk

anyway idk how the reader explains this to siren after he calms down. probably in a dark room, sitting with their backs together, facing opposite walls.

siren also probably asks something like “were you about to LET me kill you back there?”

angst haha

ALRIGHT CRACKING MY KNUCKLES AFTER SLAVING OVER SCHOOL WORK LETS DO THIS

btw OOOHH MY GOD this was such a juicy backstory literally love it the idea that reader has their own secret life (much like a lot of the characters in tcfsv) and its a whole gritty, not so fun, twisted story of its own just MWAH

---

It's been four hours since Siren used his honey-tone voice.

It's been four hours since Apollo found Siren hovering over the broken vigilante as blood dribbled from their lips and bruises brandished a fresh pink.

It's been four hours since Blade had to pin Siren down with Zehphyrus shielding (y/n) with his wings and Apollo healing various bruises scattered all over their body.

And most importantly, it's been four hours since Techno and Tommy threw them in Wil's rooms together and was told to talk it out, despite Wil's protest. He and (y/n) sat with their backs pressed together in the middle of his bedroom. (y/n) clutched what once was a rich hot chocolate, taking momentary sips between their words.

Wilbur sat there, rendered speechless as he listened to their pain-ridden words. It was a story not easily mumbled by them, and if anything, he was the first person to even hear what torture they had to go through.

Silent tears were streaming down (y/n)'s face, but they were determined to fight through their stutters and trembles.

"I-I know it was selfish." They whispered. Their hands wrapped tightly around the half empty mug. "T-That I should've called you to at least let you know I was safe but I--"

"Are they still alive?" Wilbur spoke gently, but his words, even without his siren voice, had so much power behind them. It sent a shiver up their spine.

"N-No. I killed them off before I even became a vigilante." They let out a dry chuckle, but nothing could soothe the thick tension in the room. It became quiet now. Only the humming of the a/c and the nocturnal crickets of the night filled the atmosphere.

Then, Wilbur spoke again.

"You," He paused as bit, almost as if registering his own words. "You almost let me kill you." He muttered almost breathlessly. (y/n) didn't speak. Instead, their silence said enough.

"Why?" He asked. "(y-y/n), don't you realize what I'm saying?!" Desperately he ran his fingers through his hair as attempt to soothe his own mania, but it was no use. (y/n) could feel his fidgeting as his back continued to brush against theirs. "Were you about to let me kill you back there?!"

Calmly, (y/n) placed their mug on the nearest surface, close enough where they could reach, before leaning back on Wil. His hyperventilating slowed, but his distressed fidgets maintained.

"Wil." They called out. He continued muttering to himself.

"Wil!" They exclaimed once again. Still, he ignored.

"WILBUR!"

his rocking stopped, but his head stayed buried between his knees. A moment of silence passed between them both, letting the crickets occupy their ears for just a few seconds.

Finally, (y/n) spoke up.

"I wouldn't have cared if you killed me." They said, leaning against his back. Their head rested against the back of his and they stared up at the ceiling.

"What..?" He muttered, his voice cracking.

"I wouldn't have cared. I wanted you to be happy-- not ruin your life. So if you saw that was the best judgement for me then.." They trailed off, letting their silence speak for themselves.

Carefully, Wilbur sat up before turning around to face them now. He placed a hand on their shoulder, making them turn around as well. Their features weren't exactly visible, but from how the moon defined little shadows on their face, he knew this was the lover he fell for long ago.

"I.." Looking at them as the moon shimmered in their eyes, his body was left breathless. His heart didn't have the courage to yell at them and prove his ego, but it also didn't have the strength to fight against their beauty either.

Gently, he placed a hand on their cheek, feeling the fresh tears but soft skin warming up his palm. (y/n), naturally, sunk into his touch, closing their eyes.

"Y-You've been through a lot." Wilbur softly muttered. (y/n) placed a hand over his, slightly nodding their head. "So I..-- and I mean-- it is pretty late." He was reluctant to his next choice of words, but nonetheless, he swallowed that huge lump in his throat.

"Why don't you stay over for the night?"

--

hi i do want to say that i worked on this four days ago and im really sorry for the delay and it may be a little rushed however @listenheresweaty literally did the carrying here im just kicking my feet and twirling my hair sooo YA ENJOY

[crehador]

top 5 hypmic songs that arent by bb/mtc nor including any of their members

THIS FEELS LIKE A VERY TARGETED ATTACK but ok... hm... i have to think about this for a while

1) stella

gotta start with stella, it is truly one of the tracks of all time. there is nothing i don't love about it. the sound of it, the lyrics, the story. the lyric video is so pretty and every live performance of it has been so good. stella triangle formation forever

2) femme fatale

AN ABSOLUTE BANGER i love our women who have done nothing wrong ever uwu the newer chuuoku tracks are really good as well but femme fatale being the first holds a special spot in my heart. and i'm so thrilled reol worked on it because it means we got to have her as a guest star at one of the lives and she was!! amazing!!!

3) enishi

godddddd enishi. where do i even start with enishi. there is just a POWER to the vocals of this track that i am absolutely obsessed with. it's tough to choose a favorite track on cross a line because i love them all so much but enishi is honestly up there. the first time i heard it i was like the cat discovering the red part is the good part of the watermelon. O_O eyes activate

(prior to enishi release this spot would have belonged to osaka dreamin' night, also such a fun bop that i am eternally grateful to for introducing me to creepy nuts)

4) I CANNOT POSSIBLY CHOOSE A BAT SONG. ALL OF THEM.

listen! listen!! literally every bat group song has been a hit they do not miss. bad ass temple funky sounds. kaigen. rip. awesome fucking party <- this has a different title in translation but i cannot ever remember it and always end up calling it something like this lol (it is apparently "hella awesome banquet" i had to look this up)

i guess. I GUESS. if i had to pick one. kaigen and rip would be slightly above the others because the live version of them are just so electric. the performances of the others have been really good as well! but kaigen and rip are special. and between the two of them... um... this is Difficult

i'm going with kaigen. but really. they are all amazing. hayama (kuko cv) just has the best stage energy ever

5) ok... so i'm giving it to rivals... BUT

man eliminating all members of bb/mtc truly cuts out so many tracks lol they are all over the place. off the block party album i would probably say my favorite (excluding the ichisama solos) is get busy (but alas jiro is in that) followed by shiro to kuro (but alas jyuto is in that)

SO fifth place goes to third place off the album.. rivals! it really is just such a fun song like you can't go wrong with a track where a line of the lyrics is literally "🥺🥺🥺🥺"

ON THE OTHER HAND I AM REALLY PARTIAL TO ONCE UPON A TIME IN SHIBUYA OR YOYOYOYO AS WE LIKE TO CALL IT and also torima get on the floor... and kizuato... and shibuya ghost night... and pink love... you guys know i was once an fp stan right lol

tl;dr IT'S TOO HARD I LITERALLY LOVE THEM ALL

[cielsosinfel]

FFXII has a lot of hidden OP items that are so extremely exhausting to get... and it's honestly making me nostalgic for when this was the norm in JRPGs, for there to be ultra-rare but extremely OP weapons and armor and whatever, or hidden bosses with quadruple the stats of any other in the game, that you need to jump through hoops to unlock.

I actually really miss these kinds of gameplay elements, because even though they're usually too tedious for me to go through, they add this like... mystery to the game? Some excitement over discovering something so gamebreaking and outside the bounds of the base game? The accomplished feeling of finally getting a rare item or beating a ultra-difficult boss after hours of life spent suffering through the steps and the Game Overs. Wondering at how the HELL anyone worked out the steps to unlock the damn things. IDK how to describe it lol it's the kind of thing I feel has been lost in the era of DLC.

Right now I am struggling through hoops to get a Nihopalaoa, an accessory that reverses effects of items used on a target. This leads to the potential to throw a Remedy (status condition cure-all) at an enemy, and inflict them with every single negative status they're susceptible to (so some enemies you can toss it on and they'll get Sap/Disease/Doom/Poison/etc all at once.)

this is TL;DR and absolutely uninteresting to anyone else probably

To get this item in the Zodiac Age remaster, you have several options:

-Play through the optional Trial Mode, where you defeat waves of enemies to get to the next Trial, and after every 10 trials you get a rewrd. This accessory is stealable from the mobs on Trial 70 (out of 100)

-A chest in Henne Mines Phase 2 Dig. The chest only has a 25% chest of spawning. To access Phase 2 Dig, you first collect 10 espers (basically optional bosses that you defeat to unlock summons), and defeat a VERY difficult Hunt quest. This is actually the location for Zodiark, the most difficult esper boss to defeat, and the area is packed with over-powered mobs.

-A chest with a 5% spawn chance at Subterra, which is basically near the very end of the game

-A Bazaar purchase. The Bazaar is a way of purchasing items that only unlock as you sell Loot; different combinations of loot will unlock different bazaar goods. Nihopalaoa is unlocked by selling: Blood-stained Necklace x3, Death's Head x2, Leo Gem x3.

Leo Gems are a rare loot drop that can only be stolen from Diresaurs (basically big T-rex mobs.) They have a 3% steal rate. For the other two, you can't get them as Steal loot until you unlock the Warmage Monograph, which requires opening the Hunt Board 30 times so you can purchase the monograph form the bazaar. Blood-stained Necklace can only be stolen from Shambling Corpses, which only spawn in the area where you find the esper/boss Adrammelech. They are also continuously spawning and you are easily overwhelmed fighting them, especially if you're unable to take down Adrammelech. Death's heads are a 10% steal loot from Dark Skeletons. Dark Skeletons are in two places: Paramine Rift, where they randomly spawn in a couple zones; and Golmore Jungle, where they spawn in one specific zone only if you destroy every other mob on the map and defeat the Rare Elite Mob that spawns.

So which one of these is the easiest, most accessible option? The fourth one that involves hours upon hours of grinding in the hopes of stealing some rare drops from mobs in very annoying locations????

Yes. Yes that's the easiest one.

Anyway it took me 2 hours across a couple days to steal 2 Death's Heads and I now must go and attempt to steal 3 Blood-Stained Necklaces (thankfully I have Thief's Cuffs so the drop rate is doubled to a whopping 6%.)

Wish me fucking luck. I don't even need this accessory. I just want boss fights to be as easy as possible without losing my mind getting the ultra ultra ultra OP but extremely tedious arms.

[xoxoendlessvibes]

My top ten self love tips.

#1

Invest in things that make yourself feel luxurious.

Candles, makeup, perfume, bags, shoes, whatever your cup of tea. No matter how big or small.

#2

Workout multiple times a week.

Working out always helps my confidence, it makes me feel rejuvenated, and proud of myself. It’s great for your health, body image, and mental health.

#3

Keep yourself fresh, and always smelling good.

You don’t gotta use expensive products to do this. Routine : scrub, wash, moisturize and fragrance.

#4

Don’t follow people who make you question yourself.

Not a temporary thing, and not for everyone. This is for the people who currently have low self asteem, and find themselves struggling everytime they see a baddie on the TL. I struggle with this, and I have to say, it will make you feel so much better to focus on yourself and not compare yourself to those who you don’t even know. Once your self image is better, I suggest refollowing these people, you could find them inspiring.

#5

Stay consistent.

On ANY and EVERYTHING. If there’s one thing to do, stay consistent. This could be for school, eating healthy, working out, skincare routine, anything. Staying consistent will help you feel accomplished, proud, and will make you want to keep doing it.

#6

Keep your room clean.

It’s your sanctuary.

#7

Get off your phone, find a hobby.

Quarantine has us all messed up, phone addiction to the max. I’m here to tell you right now, if you discover things you love to do outside of it, you’ve opened a whole new realm. For me, it’s baking, cooking, sketching, makeup, and selling clothes online.

#8

Wear cute pajamas, slippers, loungewear, etc.

It’ll boost your confidence, make you feel like a baddie, and make you feel like your shit is together.

#9

Find a signature scent that is NOT popular.

You do not want to be out here smelling like every other person. Find something unique, and unpopular that fits you well. Ulta, Sephora, Macy’s, Nordstrom, and target are some of the top places for these. Dig.

#10

Take care of yourself.

Simply, just take care of yourself. Take good care of your teeth. Floss, brush, daily. Practice good hygiene, keep a clean room, have a routine, work out, stay on your small goals. This will all be a foundation for bigger and better things for you.

xoxo found on Tumblr.

[neutrallyobsessed]

What's your opinion of Blackquill/Kay? I recently discovered esdithequeen's artwork and stories about the couple, and I love the dynamic the two have. (Samurai and Ninja, surly and optimistic)

YES YES WEON YOU HAVE ASKED ME THIS AND IT'S COMPLICATED

on one hand, i respect esdi's dedication, much like me she's carrying the ship by herself and afaik she really is alone on this one, tiping my hat from underrated ship artist to another

on the other hand, how can you make a ship that sounds so cool and sharp and dynamic and wild and epic into something so dull so overdone so muted so tumblr(derogatory) and flatlined

believe it or not, Simon is optimistic, funny even. For obvious reasons he has a very serious/blunt and depressing demeanor but this man is not serious AT ALLLL!!! this is the guy that requested to prosecute the orca case if i recall correctly THIS MAN IS FRIENDS WITH LITERAL CLOWNS AND COMEDIANS ARE YOU KIDDING ME??? AND YOUR BEST SHOT AT COMEDY IS mommy step on me WHATTT

and yeah, Kay doesnt have a lot of characterization so its free real state when it comes to 7yg BUT PLEASEEEE UNDERSTAND THAT SHE IS FUNNY!! SHE IS VERY FUNNY like imagine

Kay: imma do a crime :3 Simon: no Kay, crime is bad Kay: but... what if its funny? Simon: alright im listening

like- unlike Edgeworth, Simon is very easy to convince him to do shenanigans and tomfloolery and YOURE NOT EXPLOITING THAT?? WHY????

imma tell you why, cause her works reek of the fucking ooze, the NRMT shipper* ooze, which in my opinion is bitter, snarky and you dont end up understanding why the characters got togheter in the first place if they're going to be so unpleasent to each other. and it can get very angsty. and i dont like angst. like at all....... and that shit is very abundant on those places yknow?

*the NRMY shipper ooze also exists i just dont know how unpleasent it could taste to those who dont enjoy it cause yeah i do enjoy it xd (sometimes Kay is like written as Franziska but with Kay traits and less violent, is the vibe that i got from one of the fics lel)

i will say that the wings au fic is looking pretty interesting and i wanna see what happens next. And i hope that includes a faryan arc lolol, yess kay x daryan thatd be so fucking funny like ya feel me??

All in all, i dont think im her target audience and thats ok, not a big fan of girlboss/malewife dynamic either, pls enjoy that very away from me thx

THE DRAWINGS ARE PRETTY THO, NOTHING TO COMPLAIN IN THE TECHNICAL DEPT BUT THE CONTENT CAN GET VERY UNDERWHELMING♥

tl;dr: i like it in theory, not very much in esdi's practice in particular. i wish to see faraquill interpreted by other creators but i cant be that change i want to see in this world. i dont know if shes carrying other ships by herself but i certainly am and even then i got v a r i e t y

ok ill stop the bragging heh-

[goddesschannel]

My top ten self love tips.

#1

Invest in things that make yourself feel luxurious.

Candles, makeup, perfume, bags, shoes, whatever your cup of tea. No matter how big or small.

#2

Workout multiple times a week.

Working out always helps my confidence, it makes me feel rejuvenated, and proud of myself. It’s great for your health, body image, and mental health.

#3

Keep yourself fresh, and always smelling good.

You don’t gotta use expensive products to do this. Routine : scrub, wash, moisturize and fragrance.

#4

Don’t follow people who make you question yourself.

Not a temporary thing, and not for everyone. This is for the people who currently have low self asteem, and find themselves struggling everytime they see a baddie on the TL. I struggle with this, and I have to say, it will make you feel so much better to focus on yourself and not compare yourself to those who you don’t even know. Once your self image is better, I suggest refollowing these people, you could find them inspiring.

#5

Stay consistent.

On ANY and EVERYTHING. If there’s one thing to do, stay consistent. This could be for school, eating healthy, working out, skincare routine, anything. Staying consistent will help you feel accomplished, proud, and will make you want to keep doing it.

#6

Keep your room clean. It’s your sanctuary.

#7

Get off your phone, find a hobby.

Quarantine has us all messed up, phone addiction to the max. I’m here to tell you right now, if you discover things you love to do outside of it, you’ve opened a whole new realm. For me, it’s baking, cooking, sketching, makeup, and selling clothes online.

#8

Wear cute pajamas, slippers, loungewear, etc.

It’ll boost your confidence, make you feel like so good. It makes you feel like your shit is together.

#9

Find a signature scent that is NOT popular.

You do not want to be out here smelling like every other person. Find something unique, and unpopular that fits you well. Ulta, Sephora, Macy’s, Nordstrom, and target are some of the top places for these. Dig.

#10

Take care of yourself.

Simply, just take care of yourself. Take good care of your teeth. Floss, brush, daily. Practice good hygiene, keep a clean room, have a routine, work out, stay on your small goals. This will all be a foundation for bigger and better things for you.

xoxo

[codenamesazanka]

video games + fantasy and magic + quirk society + League:

*

“—So they’re all quirkless… But Shuuichi-kun just said some of them can shoot fire or shadow blasts.”

“Those aren’t quirks. It’s magic.”

“Like what Mister does?”

“No, it’s real magic. Er, well, real magic inside the story.”

“Sounds incredible! What the heck is real magic.”

“Ah, that. Magic is the stuff of dreams, of wonders, and grasping it within the palms of—“

“That’s got nothing to do with Insignia of the Inferno: Emergence. Don’t listen to him. Magic is a skill. It’s a supernatural power that performs ranged attacks which affects the stats of the target. You know, their condition, their health points, them as a character!”

“That just sounds like a quirk…”

“Well it isn’t! It’s fantasy. That’s how fantasy games and stories worked back then. Classical fantasy, about ancient and feudal times.”

“Ehhhh. All the stories I read when I was little had quirks. Like, Beauty and the Beast? The Beast Prince is a heteromorph, and Belle could touch mirrors to see faraway things! Or! Or like Momotaro can talk to animals, and Usagi had a transformation quirk—“

“Those don’t count as classical fantasy—“

“All those stories have all been changed from the original ones, to suit this modern extraordinary age. Remember, Toga-chan, no one had quirks back then. For most of human history until relatively recently, we were quirkless. In those original tales, the folklores and myths, the characters instead had divine blessings or otherworldly gifts… Magic, as it were.”

“Hmm…”

“Yeah, what Mister said. In Insignia, which is classical fantasy, everyone is quirkless. But! Some people, called mages, could do magic. And magic can be learned. As you level up, you learn more spells, you can use different types of attack depending on the kind of enemy. Back to the story, Alouet discovers a magic tome that contains the three ancient spells to seal away the—”

“That sounds unfair. They can do magic, but also have multiple magics?”

“Toga-chan is right, that’s cheating! And also sorta like your teacher, Shigaraki.”

“…Heh.”

“I told you guys, magic. is. not. quirks. And all mages know multiple—”

“Okay, okay! I know, magic is magic. So what happens next? Keep going, Shuuichi-kun.”

“I am! Alouet discovers the tome, and realizes that to seal away the Seven-Eyed Beast, they must travel to the each of the Three Celestial Dragons’ realms. At each realm, Prince Rhod - who has the Grace of Dawn that’s passed through the royal bloodline - performs the ritual to summon—”

“The Prince is a mage?“

“No, he’s not. Remember? The royal family had sworn to forsake magic—”

“But then how can he have this dragon summon power?”

“It’s not magic. This is something only the royal family have—”

“So they’re the only ones with a dragon quirk. I get it! I’m completely lost.”

“How many times do I have to—”

“It’s all game mechanisms, none of it has to make sense. Magic is just an attack that deals damage. Think of it as different types of weapons. Bow and arrows, throwing daggers, swords. You can get any one of them. You can use each one. That’s what magic spells are. Weapons.”

“Ooh, gotcha. And Prince Rhod?”

“Demigod. He summons dragons because they recognize him as a descendant of their former masters.”

“And then?”

“He gets the dragons, they kill the Beast, they retrieve the crown, and he’s King. The End.”

“…That’s it?”

“There’s more than that! And Prince Rhod isn’t—“

“King Rhod, now that he has the crown. Great! Wonderful retelling. Only took up…three-fourths of the hour. Now, it’s getting late—”

“Mister, I’m not finished.”

“He’s sick of your stupid video game story, Spinner! I liked it! But not really.”

“…It’s more fun to play it.”

“You’re just also a big nerd, Tomura-kun. You and Shuuichi-kun both are, classic-magic-quirk-fairy-tale-fantasy-whatever video games otakus.”

“Magic isn’t— You’re doing this on purpose, Toga! Hey—!”

“But don’t worry, I’ll still hang out with you guys~~”

*

tl;dr: Imagine how much nerdier Shigaraki and Spinner might actually seem when they have to explain historical conceptualizations of magic on top of the game mechanisms itself. RIP

[mirai227]

How to go from beginner to intermediate in a language!

Hi! I recently reached an intermediate level in French, and I am on my way to reaching an intermediate level in Spanish too, so I thought I would try to offer some tips and ideas about how you could reach an intermediate level in your target language as well.

What does an intermediate level feel like?

So from what I can gather, the beginner level (about A1/A2 on the CEFR scale for languages) is where you can communicate on a very basic level, and can only really understand beginner learners' content. Native material is kind of a no go (except maybe for children’s content). You can understand about 30% of what natives say at natural speed, and can struggle through some basic articles with key vocabulary, as long as you are already familiar with the subject and the key vocabulary. You can express yourself in quite a limited way, and can speak about familiar subjects, while being able to provide some simple explanations why. This self-assessment grid can tell you more about what you can and can’t do at these levels.

At the intermediate level (about B1/B2), native material is slowly but surely becoming more easy for you to understand. For me, it usually means that I can understand enough words and phrases when native speakers speak to piece together what they are discussing, though I can’t really provide specifics. You can understand about 50/60% of what natives are saying about a relatively wide range of everyday subjects (though specialised language for complex adult discussions on things like science and philosophy is usually too difficult at this stage). You can express yourself quite well on a wide range of subjects, though in an often clumsy and simplistic manner. At this level, you should be able to survive in a country where the language is spoken, and operate fairly well in a professional setting (if the language required is not too complex). You will definitely make a lot of mistakes, but not too many, so you should be understood by natives. This self-assessment grid can tell you more about what you can and can’t do at these levels.

What should your goals generally be here?

Greatly expand your vocabulary.

Improve your grammar to a passable conversational level (watch this video clip to understand what I mean).

Get comfortable speaking with native speakers.

Make sure that most of your study time is spent consuming or using your target language. Minimise contact with the languages you already know, except maybe for grammar.

Spend a minimum of around 1-2 hours a day on your target language.

How should you reach intermediate level?

Use a textbook for around that level. For me, I used the higher tier textbooks for GCSEs, which is about the level that I wanted to reach. I went through the whole textbook, learnt all the vocabulary that I came across, and did all the practice questions that I could find. This helped me immensely. Textbooks are usually organised to provide the base of what you need to reach an intermediate level. However, they should not be used alone.

Find a native speaker to talk to! Seriously, this helped me so so much. Before, I was not comfortable speaking to natives in French at all, but I started to speak with a friend of mine twice a week, and I was absolutely stunned by how much more smooth and confident my speaking became. I looked up words that I needed to know while I was speaking with her, and this really helped me fill in the gaps of my knowledge. I also learnt a lot of the nuances in French and and discovered some really cool and useful phrases. Try making a habit of speaking either with someone, or by yourself every day. If you don’t know something, then google translate is your friend! That way you can learn really cool set phrases. You can usually find someone to talk to on discord servers if you join some language learning ones, though be very careful about revealing any personal details or your face. Arrange a fixed time a few times a week and stick to it!

Study every day. Seriously, I really dropped the ball with my Spanish and because of this, my progress has been really slow. I could be at the intermediate level in Spanish already, but because I’ve been so slow, I’m not. Figure out what time of day you are most productive at (for me this is the early morning) and set a fixed time for studying your target language. It’s okay to experiment a little, and for it to take some time to figure out your schedule. With languages, at this stage, it is very easy to forget things, so going a long time without studying (longer than a month) is really going to hinder your progress. Still, you should always be your first priority, so if things are too busy for your studies at the moment, then it is fine to put your studies on hold for a while, or even stop them altogether. Just make peace with the fact that your progress will be a little slower than you might like.

Do lots of practice questions for grammar. It is all well and good to hear about the rules and write notes down, but if you cannot use it in practice, then frankly, you do not know the rule. Find a grammar workbook, like this one, or this one, and work through it. You can use HiNative to find corrections if you do not know the answer. Then, try making sure that you actually use it in your writing or speaking. Experiment, and learn from the corrections that people make.

Keep a journal in the language, and post it on websites like Journaly. Write about subjects that you already know about, and make sure that you use as many grammar rules that you know as you can. Try to elaborate on your reasons and opinions on things. It will be difficult at first, and you will make absolutely loads of mistakes, but as time goes on, you will gradually start to improve. Look up words that you don’t know, and write them down so that you can learn them later.

Try listening to intermediate content. Yes, it will be difficult, and you won’t be able to understand much, but as time goes on, you will slowly become more accustomed to the vocabulary you need to reach that level. Make sure whatever podcast you are listening to has a transcript, and highlight and learn the new vocabulary that you have discovered using Anki, or any flashcard app. Listen whenever you have time to kill, like on the train or when you are doing the dishwasher - it’ll really help!

Text natives on apps like Tandem or HelloTalk. It’ll get you used to forming the written language more quickly, and will let you practice more conversational phrases.

Make sure that you have the basics of grammar down, like all the essential tenses and basic particles, before moving onto harder things. Find a list of grammar, or a textbook that specifically covers intermediate level, and do lots of practice questions on each one.

Watch some native content on YouTube on subjects that you are familiar with and really like. Again, this will be difficult, but helpful! Make sure the videos have subtitles in the target language so that you can follow what it is about. Do NOT use english subtitles. It is vital that you get used to understanding the language without the crutch of the languages you already know. Look up the words that you do not know, and learn them using whatever vocabulary learning method that you like.

Read children’s (like, young children) stories and books to practice reading. It will be surprisingly difficult, because the grammar used in children’s books is usually for around a certain degree of fluency. Learn the vocabulary you don’t know, and try to practice when you can.

Learner’s material and articles are usually quite good for reading as well, as they are frequently quite challenging. You can find some in your textbook, or online if you google “[language] intermediate reading exercises”. You can probably also find reading comprehension books online if you try hard enough.

Learn vocabulary in context instead of memorising lists of vocabulary. Find the vocabulary you don’t know in all the content you are consuming, or look up words that you want to use yourself, and write them down with example sentences. Then, learn them using flashcard apps or websites like memrise, quizlet and anki.

For your pronunciation, shadow native speakers. Listen to how they say words, and imitate them. Personally, I use Easy Languages videos for this, along with random YouTube videos with subtitles in the target language. If a certain sound is difficult for you, then be proactive! Look up YouTube videos and articles on how to pronounce the word, and keep on practicing until you eventually get it.

Engaging with people on social media can be a fun easy way of practicing your TL. You can read or listen to posts and leave comments.

That’s it! That’s all the advice I can possibly think of. I hope you found this post helpful!

Here are some articles that I have found useful in the past:

How You Can Become Fluent in a Language - In Just One Year By Ramsay Lewis

9 points about language learning and how I’m learning 20+ of them By @ravenclawhard

Language learning tips for beginner & intermediate learners 🌍 By Lindie Botes/ @rinkodesu

[lea-andres]

After a long stretch of nonstop shit posting and talking about my fiancé, here's some actual headcanoned lore (that I take seriously).

Espio's meditation is, to put it lightly, far more involved than just him clearing his mind and breathing deeply. (It has to be, if Vector and Charmy need a pepper grinder to get him to snap out of it.)

Part of Espio's ninja training was learning how to take his consciousness, and send it deep within himself to a plane of existence created by his subconscious. His "mind palace" as I will call it throughout the rest of this post.

The purpose of the mind palace is to mentally train and for self reflection, but Espio will also use it while working on cases to run through all the evidence and testimonies they've had so far to see if he notices anything they missed the first time.

Unless he's working on case stuff (where he will instead recreate the scene of the crime or any other point of interest), his mind palace looks like the ninja village he was born in. There's no one in it, but it's exactly the way Espio remembers it looking before Eggman attacked.

Espio also likes to go into his mind palace and meditate. THAT meditation is just the clearing the head and breathing deeply kind (no Inception shenanigans here, or at the very least Espio hasn't figured out how to go even further inside himself yet)

The one thing Espio's mind palace is lacking (which to be fair, Eggman attacked his village and killed his whole clan before Espio COULD learn this) is proper defenses.

Unfortunately, this never really occurred to Espio until Mephiles attempted to take control of his mind to extract revenge against Silver.

(Mephiles is going to be his own post at a later date, but TL;DR, he survived the events of 06, but lacks a corporeal form. He wants revenge on Sonic, Shadow, and Silver, but none of them remember him.)

So Mephiles found out Espio and Silver are close (I have an Espilver and a non-Espilver version of this particular event, because I'm multishipper trash, but in both of them Mephiles picks Espio to be his target. His plan in the non-Espilver route is just "keep your friends close and enemies closer" and quietly take out Silver first chance he gets. His plan in the Espilver route is A LOT DARKER. He plans to take advantage of the pair's closeness and Silver's insecurities to COMPLETELY SHATTER THE HEDGEHOG'S HEART AND MIND. Like, Prince Hans from Frozen, BUT WAY WAY WORSE.), and discovered upon further investigation that Espio's mind palace is VERY EASY to get into, so he just slips in and starts changing stuff.

Espio noticed this IMMEDIATELY the next time he meditated, and engaged in an hours long battle with Mephiles to keep control of his mind.

Vector and Charmy were also aware something was wrong. They attempted to pepper grinder Espio at one point, and for the first time ever it didn't work. Charmy pulled one of his eyelids open to discover HIS EYE HAD TURNED COMPLETELY BLACK, and he and Vector completely flipped out because THAT'S NOT NORMAL WHAT THE HELL-

They didn't really have a plan (not much they COULD do, to be fair) beyond "if Espio seems even remotely off when he wakes up, just start beating the crap out of him, it's probably not Espio anymore!", But Espio was fine when he eventually defeated Mephiles, booted him out of his mind, and woke up.

He just requested the two get word to Silver that Mephiles is coming for revenge, and passed out and slept for three days straight.

[kumoriyami-xiuzhen]

Hakuoki Yuugiroku 3 drama: Please teach me, Yamazaki-san! English translation

Special thanks to @nollatooru​ for extracting text again since there’s no way this would have been translated anytime soon since the majority of drama translations that I’ve found as videos only are near the very bottom of my to-do list.

This is my translation of the 薄桜鬼 遊戯録 隊士達の大宴会 店铺特典「教えてください山崎さん！」, the Yuugiroku 3 (too much of a hassle to look up the actual name) drama: Please teach me, Yamazaki-san!

Ended up doing a bit more research that I would have liked to translate this since the names of the positions in the Shinsengumi’s organization for spies didn’t translate well from Japanese into Chinese (huzzah for google translate and for biographies that list names in Chinese and Japanese so I was able to find the information I was looking for in English)... Also, i didn’t look up the gameplay for anything since I had to uninstall KW and EB for space when I was taking things off my damaged passport, not that it would have made much of a difference since I can’t recall a point when the “Watch” was actually voiced... so I might not really be consistent with a few things in this translation since I only did research during the latter half of this...? 

oh well. i don’t know Japanese and don’t do the editing for my subtitle videos until I compare everything to the audio later so I can claim ignorance. i suppose that’s an odd benefit of not understanding Japanese hahaha.   

Anyway, as always, my translation not be 100% accurate since I translate from Chinese. final edits will probably take a bit longer (in comparison to the other things i’m still sitting on) to do since im still debating about what im do with all the Watch-related words since I really don’t like it when the things I translate aren’t consistent....

PERSONAL RECOMMENDATION: I HIGHLY ADVISE AGAINST READING THIS AND WAITING FOR MY SUBTITLE VIDEO.

Hakuoki Shinkai Yuugiroku, Please teach me, Yamazaki-san! Drama CD

Translation by KumoriYami

Yamazaki: (I think that since there haven't been any large manhunt operations lately [reword later? tl can also mean "to hunt and arrest"], things have been quiet.)

(However, what is that guy doing/is that guy's purpose?)

The one out there, I'm not going to run.

So come out and tell me why you're spying on me.

~wind blows~

(Not planning on coming out...?)

-grips sword-

Then, I'll take the imitative to attack.

(movement in bushes)

Souma: Ah, please wait a moment!

Yamazaki: Oh. You are... Souma-kun?

(movement in bushes again) Saito: Sure enough, I was immediately found/discovered/I was detected immediately. As expected of Yamazaki.

Yamazaki: Based on just the breathing, I thought there was only one person, yet Saito-san was also still here. Exactly what are you doing?

Souma: Sorry! I didn't mean to do anything strange.

It's just that I wanted to observe Yamazaki-san work.

Yamazaki: Observe me work?

Although it's fine if you want to watch, but aren't you the Chief's page?

Saito: I recommended that he try this,  But he was immediately found. Still it's better to ask the person himself directly.

Yamazaki: You two, what are you talking about?

Souma:...Um, Then, Yamazaki-san, please show me how to [/you] work! ----

Souma: Hakuoki Shinkai Yuugiroku, Store Bonus Drama CD, Please teach me, Yamazaki-san! ----

Yamazaki: In other words, you now understand the duties of a page, and still want to know what sort work the other warriors do, and want to try monitoring/surveillance/doing the Watch's work? 

Is that how it is? Souma-kun.

Souma: It's just as you said. As the chief's page, I work hard every day, but I still don't know a lot about the Shinsengumi.

That's why I went and asked Saito-san [about this].

Saito: I know that Souma is working very hard. Though that will naturally be [more/become] obvious as time goes by/Though as time goes by, that will naturally be understood/Although this has been said for a while, this will naturally be understood. [check audio]

Yamazaki: But you don't want to wait for/until then, and want to be of use as quickly as possible?

Souma: Yes. Can you help me with this, even if it's [for] just a little bit?

Yamazaki: Hm.

Souma: Yamazaki-san.

Yamazaki: No, I was just reminiscing the past/thinking about the past.

I used to be as anxious as you are.

Alright, if I can, permit me to teach you.

Souma: Thank you very much!

Saito: Then can I also accompany/join you?

Yamazaki: Saito-san also wants to? That won't be a problem.

Saito: I also have experience following people while on patrol

I'm very interested in how the Watch [im pretty sure it's the Watch here and in the earlier instance. tho i can't say for certain since CN doesn't exactly do capitalization and ive never played the game in Chinese] fulfills its duties.

Please allow me to learn again. [check audio]

Yamazaki: In that case then, I'll ask you to please look after me.

----

Yamazaki: Although it normally referred to as the Watch,

the Watch is actually divided into two sections.

Souma: In terms of how it organized, sorry but please review it for me again.

Saito: The part of the organization for spies which acts by itself to gather external intelligence is called Shoshi shirabeyaku ken kansatsu*, and within that, those who are responsible for investigating/monitoring the conduct of [the/our?] members/the investigators whose duty is to supervise the conduct of/our members are known as the Kansatsugata**

* Shinsengumi's organizational post for investigating movements of the opponents and keeping the Shinsengumi members under control. (source: https://japanese-wiki-corpus.github.io/person/Kuwajiro%20OISHI.html)

**  had to look this up on the Shinsengumi wiki.samurai-archives

Yamazaki, who holds both positions/is capable of accomplishing both duties, is at the core of the Kansatsugata.

Souma: Shoshi shirabeyaku and Kansatsugata...

After hearing this again, I really feel that Yamazaki-san is quite amazing.

Yamazaki: Uh, do-don't say that out loud. I'm not used to it.

Souma: But, monitoring/investigating/supervising the conduct of the other members...

Saito: It's to secretly investigate whether or not members are conducting themselves in a manner that is befitting as members of the the Shinsengumi, and whether or not they have done anything improper.

Souma: In other words/That is to say, that also includes my actions so far.

Yamazaki: At the moment, you have no problems [there are no problems with you?].

Souma: Is-Is that so...

Yamazaki: There are almost two hundred members. Among them, there will be people who do not abide by the regulations, and those who clearly show their dissatisfaction/obviously dissatisfied or are treasonous/or even rebellious.

Souma: I see. Indeed there are people who obviously show that.

Saito:  It these people incite trouble within the team, it would be very troublesome.

That's why the Kansatsugata are needed to investigate people like this.

Yamazaki: Having said that, the three of us have been quite noisy so it would be helpful if we quickly correct that here. Ah. The two of you, over there.

Saito: Say who is there [more like "name" i guess? probably more "identify who is over there" ]

Souma: That is... Nagakura-san? There are several other people [He's with some other people/several others].

Yamazaki: This is a rare opportunity to train one of the basic skills for spying/[needed] as a spy. I'll give you a demonstration. Afterwards, you'll eavesdrop on their conversation without being discovered.

Souma: Yes, I'll do my best.

--------

Saito: Almost 15 minutes have passed. But it's really bold for you to have come up with this practical training, Yamazaki.

Yamazaki: For his first time attempt at doing this, Nagakura-san is suitable [to practise with]. As long as one isn't murderous [being bloodthirsty? think of something later], he'll basically ignore you.

Saito: Nn. If it was Souji, he would immediately draw his sword for a harsh/ruthless interrogation.

Yamazaki: No, Saito-san would do the same thing, and immediately get rid of your pursuer [not sure if this is in the "dispose of" sense though the tl i have can be translated that way lol].

Saito: Well, it doesn't feel good to be tested when I obviously haven't been disloyal.

Yamazaki: It's as you say, but this is my job.

Souma: AAAHHHHHH!!!!

Saito: Uh. [That’s] Souma. Why is he being hunted down [chased/pursued]?

Yamazaki: By whom/Who is it? Ah, Okita-san, at this time?

(frantic steps) Souma: Sorry! I didn't mean to do anything else!

This was just training for surveillance work!

(sword swung) Souma: AAAHHH!!

Okita-san, please forgive me!

Saito: An unexpected situation.

Yamazaki: He needs help to get away/escape from that situation, he isn't his opponent at all/he's no match for him.

Saito: I'll figure out a way to deal with Souji. You escape with Souma/You take Souma and run away. --------

Souma: Truly thank you for just now. Okita-san was already behind me before I realized it I really thought that I was going to die/I was dead.

Saito: Dying is a bit of an exaggeration.

But I'm certain he would have stabbed your neck with his sword and left you half-dead.

Yamazaki: I didn't expect Okita-san to be nearby, but there was way of knowing that you'd encounter him/but nothing can be done about meeting him [check audio].

Well then, change your mood for the next training [reword later]. The target is that room. Remain quiet from this point onward.

Souma: What's next?

Yamazaki: Take this letter and swap it with the letter in that room. But, in the next room, there is someone you must not be detected by.

Saito: Training for intelligence work? If this goes well, then it's possible that the other party won't even notice you.

Souma: That would be good, so it's just this letter? Then, I'll be right back.

Yamazaki: Ah, be very careful.

---------

Yamazaki: He entered the room without any problems.

Saito: Ah. So, who is the person in the next room?

Yamazaki: Well, it shouldn't matter since that person is asleep during the day.

( door slides open, then frantic steps)

Souma: Saito-san, Yamazaki-san! I'm sorry! I couldn't do it!   As soon as I entered the room, I felt that someone was staring at me through the door of the next room! There was also this creepy laughter/ing!

Saito: Laughter? The eyes staring at you, were they red?  [i swear this is going to become fanart one day lol. for both the spying and souma talking about what happened]

Souma: Yes! they didn't look like human eyes at all!

(door slides open.... slow creaking footsteps)

Saito: Does that mean that one over there was...

Yamazaki: Ah, damn it! He's awake!

Saito: Yamazaki, you go first! I'll deal with this!

Yamazaki: Sorry! I'll leave the General Secretary [so... i don't really like the English localization translation of Sanan's position being  a "colonel" so i looked up what it said on wikipedia and used that] to you! Souma-kun, come here!

This training/Training ends here!

Souma: Eh, eeehhhhhhhh?!

Saito: I'm sorry that it was noisy while your rested [that this noise disturbed your rest?], this was as a result of... --------

Souma:  What the hell that just now...

Yamazaki + Saito: It was just your imagination.

Souma: Eh. But, "General Secretary" was clearly said...

Yamazaki + Saito: You imagined hearing it [tl is more "it was an illusion" and one that is heard... maybe "you're hearing things"?. kinda gave up on thinking about that right now. ]

Souma:  Is, is that so... uh. That being said...

Saito: What's wrong/What is it?

Souma: Although the Kansatsugata feels quite unremarkable, each individual/everyone posses outstanding abilities, and I've been made aware of that again. [However] I 'm incapable of doing this sort of work.

Yamazaki: Hm. It can be said that you're not talented at this.

Souma: Eh?

Yamazaki: In the first place, not everyone can do this.

All of us within the Kansatsugata are constantly working on improving our skills.

We're always fighting in the shadows for the Shinsengumi.

What you think of being outstanding abilities is the results of our hard work. [remarkable capabilities?]

Souma: Truly, Yamazaki-san is amazing. I understand why everyone trusts you!  

Yamazaki: Th-That's why you shouldn't look at me like that. But for you, I think that you're better suited to doing honest work [tl can basically mean "honourable," "not devious" or "out in the open" in the straightforward sense] and not this secret monitoring work/surveillance in the shadows [reword later].

Saito: Indeed, compared to secretly taking covert actions in the shadows, you are better suited at working in the open, Souma.

Souma: I-is that so...

Thank you very much for this/that. If it's possible, I hope to still learn some things from you.

Yamazaki: There will be opportunities for that. Then, we'll end today's training here. Souma-kun, is there/do you have anything else you want to ask?

Souma: [Something] I want to ask.... ah. then, Yamazaki-san, may I ask you one last question?

Yamazaki: Ah, if I can answer, I won't hold back [will/do so].

Souma: What sort of technique is the "Tatami flip"?

Yamazaki: Ta... Where did you hear that name from?

Souma: Just now during this investigator training/spy training, Nagakura-san mentioned it/Nagakura-san mentioned it while doing the operative training. It is said that it is Yamazaki-san's most powerful technique.

Yamazaki: That guy said something unnecessary! No, Souma-kun, that's.... It's not something amazing like a secret technique..

Saito: Why are you being modest? That move is indeed capable of being referred to as/called  a secret technique. If it's possible, I'll ask you to please teach me it. Perhaps I will be able to apply it to kenjutsu.

Yamazaki: Even Saito-san, what are you saying? [Even Saito-san is saying this? check audio]

Souma: Please, Yamazaki-san!

Saito: I'll be requesting the same of you, Yamazaki. [tl is more "i'm also requesting (you) to do so/asking"]

Yamazaki: Bo-Both of you, please raise your heads. I-I get it! I'll teach you.

Souma: Really?!  Thank you very much!

Yamazaki: But, you can't tell anyone else about this.

Saito: Nn. Understood.

Yamazaki: Then, please get behind me. Aoyi***, Tatami flip!

This is the literal Mandarin pronunciation of the tl without tones. CN tl can mean “profound argumentation” (in Chinese), tho it's also used to refer to some of the highest level of martial skills in JP (so says a baidu search on the term). 

The English google translate of that page puts this phrase as "Ogi," and after reading this page that mentions "ogi" (http://www.aikiweb.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-9948.html#:~:text=Yielding%20is%20called%20%22ju%22%20as,an%20open%20heart%20without%20ego.), so i will probably change this to either "Secret move" or "hidden technique" based on what it mentioned there

Souma: Uoh!

Yaamzaki: Ju-Just now, that was the Tatami flip.

Souma: Amazing, that was amazing, Yamazaki-san! How were you able to do that without any tools [check audio]? Please tell me how to do this!

Saito: This can be used indoors while fighting defensively/can be used as a defence when fighting indoors. It can also be used to hinder an enemy's movements.

Yamazaki: Yes. This requires focusing your strength into the centre of your palm, and within a single breath, smack/slap the edge of the tatami, and then lifting it up when the edge bounces.

Souma: So it's like that? Hoh.... tatami flip! Uh. Areh? It didn't bounce at all.

Yamazaki: Haha. It's not something you can master right away. It also took me a long time to do it. Concentrate/Focus a bit more strength into the palm of your hand.

Souma: Ha! Ah! Yah! It-It's not moving...

Saito: Practise makes perfect./Won't practise make perfect [check audio]? Alright, I will challenge this. Should the position of my hand be around here?

Yamazaki: Yes. [Though] It's better to have it moved a bit forward [moved up a bit]/ if the if the center of gravity is moved forward.

Saito: Understood. Then, I'll be going. Secret technique: Tatami flip!

Yamazaki: No way...

Souma: Uoh.

Saito: Nn. That happened naturally [reword later...? tl is is basically "letting nature take its course was achieved"] .

Souma: Sa-Saito-san, that was amazing! You actually succeeded in one go!

Saito: No, there's no guarantee that this will succeed every time. The accuracy and speed can be further improved upon.

Souma: Really, the Shinsengumi has assembled some amazing people. I can't fall behind and have to work even harder.

Saito: Ah , work hard. I am always willing to practise kenjutsu with you.

Yamazaki: Ah, but, to have it actually done it so easily, my confidence...

Saito: What is it, Yamazaki?

Yamazaki: No, I just feel that need to train a lot more. Let's improve together, Souma-kun.

Souma: Yes! Please look after me!

Souma Kazue, Kaji Yūki Saito Hajime, Toriumi Kōsuke Yamazaki Susumu, Suzuki Takayuki

-end-

sorry but this is the only souma thing i have scheduled for april. 

also i wanted some Yamazaki content translated, but i unfortunately don’t remember if i ever found Yamazaki’s route from Yuugiroku 2... so I settled on translating what I hope is a certain complete chapter (as viewed via the extras menu) of Souji’s route with him in it... sorta. scheduled for july!

--------

image from suruga-ya

[slam-dunkrai]

This started out as a fairly simple celebratory life update and then turned into a big unwieldy post I’m putting under the cut in case you don’t want to see that kind of talk. Content warning for weight loss and body shaming.

tl;dr: I have started working out and eating better over the course of the last several months; I’m very happy with the effect this has had on me; contrary to the desired effect, being shamed for my weight and also shaming myself for my it made me not want to do that and actually made me feel worse (shocker, I know); the BMI can eat shit

The other day I discovered I now fit into regular large T-shirts fairly easily — about 18 months ago, a 2XL was very much a slim fit for me. Don’t get me wrong, I’m delighted about this, but there’s also something a little odd on my mind about it. While I have eaten healthier and, in the last month, started going to the gym regularly, I can’t help but observe this coincides with a time in my life where I don’t feel like I’ve needed to lose weight; rather, I’ve been more content than ever in the knowledge that being fat isn’t a sign of moral failure. The body is just a sack of meat which houses me; its shape and weight have no moral value, but its chemical processes plays a significant part in how I feel. Since I reckon I deserve to feel good, I reason it only makes sense for me to look after it to the best of my ability; this has included cooking for myself more often, keeping note of my three meals a day (while also allowing myself a snack where needed), eating more vegetables, drinking more water, trying to be more active where I can — things of that nature, which, in my own, distinctly non-universal experience, have led me to lose weight.

Part of this change is that I’ve been in much fewer situations over the past two years where I’ve been subject to “cute” remarks about my weight and body type; part of me suspects that, as I’ve gotten older, people have been less inclined to be all infantilising about it (though this is likely a stretch; I’m 6′6″, of a wide frame, and I have a beard, I just haven’t looked like the sort of person who gets seen like that in a while). But what weighs on my mind is that, beyond being obviously insidious in ways more eloquently pointed out elsewhere, there is something self-defeating about the way very select types of body are seen and talked about as “ideal” or “correct”; deviations from this norm are “wrong” and to be punished until the possesser of this body, sinner that they are, repents and conforms to how they should be — thin, and therefore good. I spent a lot of my teenage years hating my body (and by extension myself) for being fat, unathletic, and not as a man’s body should be; surprisingly, you don’t tend to want to care for a vessel you’ve been led to believe is fundamentally inadequate, and I decided just treating it like shit was punishment enough. (It’s also notable that I’ve since realised I feel more comfortable identifying as what I can best describe as “man, But Not Quite”; we’re still figuring this one out, check back later.)

Again, these experiences are solely my own, and I am happier with how I take care of myself these days; the resulting changes to my appearance are a side effect I happen to like, but ultimately secondary to being happier in my daily life. Still, it really is wild how normalised it is for people to just call attention to how fat strangers are, unsubtly implying that this is some great wrong, and then when asked to defend this they’ll call it a form of care that will spur their target to decide on the spot — as though it’s so easy, uncomplicated and desirable for everyone — to lose weight. Y’know, because not looking a certain way is apparently shameful to some guy who already hates you; that’s why you should change your lifestyle.

[omegangrins]

Universal took Tremors from its creators after 30 years of work.

TL;DR After 25-30 years making the series, Brent Maddock, Michael Gross, Nancy Roberts, Ron Underwood and S.S. Wilson were kicked out so Universal Studios could make more money off the merchandising before the Tremors copyright expires in 2025.

*****MAJOR SPOILERS**** This will make you sad, angry and frustrated. But there is hope. #StampedeTremors

Soooooo, ever since I blew up and sidetracked a post about David Fincher's Queen Biopic with Sacha Baron Cohen as Freddie Mercury discussing the Tremors 7 ending, I've done some more research on the whole thing. The Graboid hole for this goes deep.

Michael Gross didn't want it.

“There’s a part of me that feels that Universal Home Entertainment might’ve had enough of Tremors. The suggestions that were made in the course of this [movie] made me think maybe they’ve had enough. They came to me and said, ‘What if we ended it at 7?’ and I said, ‘Whatever you choose to do, I’m good with that.'” “That being said, The door is still open for an eighth Tremors. It may seem unlikely by what people see on the screen, but it is possible. There could be an eighth. And if there were, and if it were an interesting story, I would be up for it because Burt is always a great deal of fun. It would depend on his physicality. How much they want me to do. If it’s in another two years, I’ll be 75 years old. So I will continue to hope and pray that I stay in shape, to do what is asked of me – if it is asked of me.”

AND Universal even killed off any ambiguity that he fought for.

"We shot it both ways, where everybody's mourning Burt, and he climbs up over the cliff and looks at all of them in mourning and goes, 'Jesus, God, I'm not dead. And he's really pissed off at them. It's like, 'How would you possibly think...?' But he's bloodied, just he's a mess. He looks like he's been through an earthquake, crushed by a house, but he's alive. And he says, 'You idiots. Of course, I'm alive.'" "They decided it just had this punch. Frankly, I thought to myself -- I didn't express it to them, but I thought to myself -- 'Maybe Universal's getting a little tired of this franchise.' Because this wasn't my idea." "I said, 'I can live with this. Because they came to me. They said, 'Look, you've been doing this so long. What do you think?' And I said, 'Well, as long as we kind of leave the door open.' I mean, I can kind of see an eighth film where it opens with Burt in a hospital bed, in a full body cast and saying, 'I survived.' He could hardly move a muscle. And maybe eight is...if I had a concept for eight, it would be Burt horribly injured, but in a motorized, weaponized wheelchair that has rocket mounts on the side and can leave an oil slick behind like James Bond's car. So nobody can chase him." "I always said, if Kevin Bacon or Fred [Ward] or Reba [McIntire] or anybody [wanted to return], I'd be there in a minute. Just because one, I love Burt, but I always thought of him as this guy kind of on the fringes, and I just came to the fore because everybody else walked away."

https://bloody-disgusting.com/movie/3637682/michael-gross-says-door-still-open-potential-eighth-tremors-movie/

https://comicbook.com/movies/news/tremors-shrieker-island-michael-gross-on-burt-gummer-death/

While Universal ignored how Michael Gross was setting up his son Travis Welker to pick up his torch (Which I'm give or take on Jamie Kennedy yet he brought a Grady-like optimism to the shittier of the series.)

"My reaction was disappointment, as I had planned an entire storyline around his participation."

Even Jamie Kennedy tried to but they wouldn't let him.

"Lot of people have been asking me, so I might as well spill it. I will NOT be in the upcoming TREMORS 7. I had a great time making the last two. But no TRAVIS this time around. But hey you neva’ know what can happen in the future.... have a great time boys! Tdawg out!!!"

https://mobile.twitter.com/JamieKennedy/status/1188981479973347329

After 7 movies and a TV show, nothing more than a spit in the face for the man who carried a franchise. Then when they do the montage at the end, we get clips of Hiram Gummer but NOTHING of Burt Gummer from the TV show. It's 13 episodes of Burt in Tremors that's longer than all the movies combined but yet they don't even include it in the ending montage while including his dead grandpa.

Same with the original creators. Did you know Stampede Entertainment (Brent Maddock, Nancy Roberts, Ron Underwood, and S.S. Wilson) were working on Tremors for 25 years and even had the 5th one written, "Thunder/Gummer Down Under".

Then were told to sit on it for 10 years before Universal eventually told them to eat dirt? That's gotta hurt. It hurts me and I'm not even connected to these movies. All that work down the drain just because of someone's say so. And for no reason. Well not exactly....

Universal knows fans want Tremors merch. I mean, look at how they took #BurtGummerDay from @BabyFarkMcGeeZax. And they want ALLLLLL of that merchandising money. With none of it going to Stampede because it would give them leverage. Not to mention they don't want anyone else getting the idea to make cute monster toys before they can roll out their own line.

Don't believe me? See Universal pull some Hollywood Accounting with Tremors already.

http://imgur.com/gallery/mFNIHV3

Half a billion dollars... completely untraceable. I've tried. Emailed the numbers people and they can't tell me anything unless you pay $50 a film to see the numbers. Which makes me ask, who paid for the numbers on 1,5, 6, & 7? And why only what they made? Not their cost. Same for the numbers on 2, 3, & 4. Why numbers on the cost, but nothing on what it made? It seems weirdly targeted to make it look like the Stampede Entertainment ones only cost money but made nothing.

Then when you find out that the copyright to Tremors will revert to its creators after the 35 year mark, which makes that date 2024-2025 since Tremors was filmed in '88-'89 but released in '90.....

Wellllllll some things start to add up. Especially when you consider it's Universal. They already know about owning copyrights for things long out of due. Ask Dracula, Frankenstein and the Wolfman. Or Nintendo when Universal tried to sue them because Donkey Kong was too similar to King Kong.

Ask Stampede (S.S. Wilson) yourself. They have a Question and Answer page right on their site.

Like did you know you can't find ANY official Tremors merch? But you CAN find tons of fan-made creations. Give it a Google. They don't even list Tremors on the Universal website. Go ahead. Ask them. I try weekly. No responses ever.

https://www.universalpictures.com/about

Even with a longer history, more money made, and amount of sequel potential in comparison to their other films?

http://imgur.com/gallery/ZnXEsI3

Fans are clamoring for more but Universal says no?

Hell, you can watch the TV show for free on the NBC site.

But before my investigating, the episodes were so jumbled and missing it would ruin people's enjoyment.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Tremors/comments/m0wvwu/tremors_episode_9_graboid_rights_is_back_on_nbc/

What about how they made a Tremors series pilot with Kevin Bacon? The only bad thing about it is that they need to pull a Sonic redo on the Graboid at the end but who knows, I suspect it's like that for plot reasons after reading the unaired script.

https://youtu.be/hWU3GpKmIvw

That Universal/NBC/SyFy has proceeded to hide deeper than a Graboid burrows. https://wegotthiscovered.com/movies/tremors-star-kevin-bacon-confused-sequel-series-picked/

Despite no one knowing why. http://imgur.com/gallery/w7rbUvZ

Read the script for yourself if you don't believe me. They've already hidden it for two years. Andrew Miller worked too hard for it to be hidden. And it plays. It works and plays with what's already there while being new and old. Quite good.

Have you seen the Kevin Bacon/Michael Gross commercial featuring them in Perfection Valley? The whole commercial is a sly way to use Tremors WITHOUT actually saying anything Universal would have claim to call copyright on. "Sandworms" "My old co-star" "Trevors". It's a great big middle finger to Universal.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=E_O0K9hmlrw

How about the original script for Tremors 2: Aftershocks. The creators have wanted it seen for 20 years but it took a crazy Larry like me to get it out there. It's got Val, Earl, Burt and Heather in it too. Pretty good too. So good they reused the ending in the TV show episode "Shriek and Destroy".

All these things swirl together and make me wonder more and more. For the plethora of Tremors fandom goes deeper than even me... Like Imgur user @BabyFarkMcGeeZax. They created Burt Gummer Day five years ago through sweat and love alone.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Tremors/comments/mb2rtz/babyfarkmcgeezax_created_burt_gummer_day_and/

Yet what does Universal do? Take the day, plaster it over the end of their hero's death, and not even give a line credit or thank you to @BabyFarkMcGeeZax or a mention on Twitter as they blurb it everywhere.

Ever seen the gif battles about Tremors at r/HighQualityGifs?

https://www.reddit.com/r/GifTournament/comments/luvt39/giftournament_battle_13_round_3/

https://www.reddit.com/r/HighQualityGifs/comments/dtz11k/battle_178_tremors/

How about The Everything Sequel podcast where they discuss how amazing all of The Tremors Saga is after discovering it for the first time. Even going so far as to pitch their own sequels.

https://share.transistor.fm/s/e24901de https://share.transistor.fm/s/bdea7b5e https://share.transistor.fm/s/cf79bbc1 https://share.transistor.fm/s/fac66438 https://share.transistor.fm/s/a90415cd https://share.transistor.fm/s/c0e8153e https://share.transistor.fm/s/6b6572f9

There's so much fan content and people screaming for more Tremors! Like "Perfection, NV", a fan film.

Or this collection of alt Tremors posters.

http://imgur.com/gallery/MgkhnfE

Including the thousands of pieces of fanart.

http://imgur.com/gallery/6f7Txh0

http://imgur.com/gallery/nXG1ph1

The story behind Tremors comics. http://www.enemyofpeanuts.com/2013/03/09/the-short-story-behind-tremors-comics/

Even the new Tremors game. OR games.

https://youtu.be/G6PX1QY2oIc

https://stefanocagnani90.itch.io/tremors-thegame

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tremors:_The_Game

https://www.playfg.com/dirt-dragons-game.html

Look at all this love.

And this isn't even an officially licensed game.

"A fortune", you say? Interesting....

So let's make Tremors 8 Ouroboros with the OG creators back on board.

https://imgur.com/gallery/o2kCFLu

We restart the TV show and end the movies for a while. Just like The Librarians. If Marvel can switch between movies and TV, Tremors can too.

If you think I'm crazy too, just see and know how I've been in this position before. I'm well aware of how this "story" plays out.

I mean, Tremors *does* foreshadows its ending with a sleeping bag. https://imgur.com/gallery/5HexQ

Notice too how you can find little Behind the Scenes for Tremors 5-7 despite a smorgasbord of material for 1-4 and both TV shows.

http://imgur.com/gallery/b4STAkl http://imgur.com/gallery/gSlZ1fC http://imgur.com/gallery/fnFt9MD http://imgur.com/gallery/6mDHTtg http://imgur.com/gallery/4M28quW http://imgur.com/gallery/w7rbUvZ http://imgur.com/gallery/6l0Dogl

And it's not like Universal isn't known for shady business practices. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Pictures

What about how they own the rights to damn near every monster except for Godzilla. And not just the classics like Frankenstein, Dracula, the Wolfman, Mummy and Invisible Man. They have Kong, Hulk, Jaws, Michael Myers, The Thing, all the Jurassic Park dinos, all the Romero zombies, Chucky, Casper, Riddick beasts, Hellboy, and Jaegers/Kaiju. These dudes know merchandising rights and they're looking to score the next Poke'Mon franchise.

https://www.plagiarismtoday.com/2011/10/24/how-universal-re-copyrighted-frankensteins-monster/

Take a gander at all these articles gushing with love for Tremors:

Why the 'Tremors' Franchise Is Better Than the 'Alien' Movies https://collider.com/why-the-tremors-franchise-is-better-than-the-alien-movies/

As Kevin Bacon's Tremors returns to TV, we explain the entire franchise ​It's way more complicated than you think. https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a807140/tremors-franchise-series-guide-kevin-bacon/

20 Fun Facts About Tremors https://ew.com/article/1990/07/13/tremors/

Thirty Years After Tremors, Reba McEntire Tells Us Why She's Absolutely Down to Return For a Reboot https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/movies/a30457996/tremors-30-anniversary-reba-mcentire-interview/

30 years ago, Tremors became perhaps the most perfect bad movie https://www.thv11.com/mobile/article/entertainment/movies/film-on-11/getting-reel/30-years-ago-tremors-became-perhaps-the-most-perfect-bad-movie/91-8f6854df-9dcc-4870-ab3a-4f91a658ac3f

How Tremors 7 Succeeds Where Other Horror Movie Franchises Failhttps://screenrant.com/tremors-7-movie-succeeds-better-horror-movie-franchises-reason/

A Complete Rundown of the Entire Tremors Saga https://www.dreadcentral.com/editorials/363290/beneath-perfection-thoughts-on-the-entire-tremors-franchise/

Kevin Bacon Wants to Revisit His Only Film He Ever Re-Watched https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/kevin-bacon-tremors-1234956657/

Look at all this #BurtGummerDay love. That adds up to thousands of people watching Tremors for the first or fiftieth time. And this is only the first "official" year. It'll only grow.

http://imgur.com/t/burt_gummer_day

https://m.facebook.com/groups/2215552755347508/permalink/3124638257772282/?ref=m_notif¬if_t=group_comment

https://m.facebook.com/groups/2215552755347508/permalink/3124638397772268/

https://www.reddit.com/r/Tremors/about

Can you see the Tremors? Can you feel them? Fans want Tremors and they want it from Stampede. http://imgur.com/gallery/ZaVL7Mc http://imgur.com/gallery/f37bEV7 http://imgur.com/gallery/De6DlqQ

After all this time, and all this love, and all this greed, it's time we break Hollywood tradition and give power back to the people. When people can #RestoreTheSnyderVerse or #SaveTheVentureBros, we can #StampedeTremors for #BurtGummerDay.

Take this hope and fly!

#StampedeTremors

BTS, gifs, and videos of The Tremors Saga. Tremors: The Lost Tapes from S.S. Wilson's personal collection https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1EA9246EF966DDA2

Monster Makers https://stampede-entertainment.com/site/photos/tmm-tremors/ https://stampede-entertainment.com/site/photos/tmm-tremors2/

ADI's creation documentaries https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLR9WUo3tIVnb4CyMR1SLVsxPyBwz1Met_ BTS gallery of Tremors http://imgur.com/gallery/b4STAkl

The making of Tremors https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=m-HUUt21tRA

Inside the Graboid workshop https://youtu.be/YgPuC2tNBpM

Stampede Entertainment's video archive for Tremors https://stampede-entertainment.com/site/category/videos/tremors/

Tremors opening https://youtu.be/gnqPYTOzc38

BTS gallery of Tremors 2: Aftershocks http://imgur.com/gallery/gSlZ1fC

Stampede Entertainment's behind the scenes of Tremors 2 https://stampede-entertainment.com/site/photos/tremors2/

The making of Tremors 2 https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fAlqzM0CyPI

Tremors 2 original script with Val, Earl, Burt and Heather. http://imgur.com/gallery/8QaHPRy

Tremors 2: Aftershocks opening https://youtu.be/pVi24Gc0KdQ)

BTS gallery of Tremors 3: Back to Perfection http://imgur.com/gallery/fnFt9MD Stampede Entertainment's behind the scenes of Tremors 3 https://stampede-entertainment.com/site/photos/tremors3/

On the set of Tremors 3 https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZhrvkB5nKs

Stampede Entertainment's video archive of Tremors 3 https://stampede-entertainment.com/site/category/videos/tremors3/

Tremors 3: Back to Perfection opening https://youtu.be/UXjdZitldB4

BTS gallery of Tremors the Series http://imgur.com/gallery/6mDHTtg

Stamede Entertainment's https://stampede-entertainment.com/site/photos/tremors-series/

Behind the scenes of Tremors the Series lost monsters. https://stampede-entertainment.com/site/photos/tremors-series-lost/

Cold opens for Tremors the Series https://youtu.be/srB6rZgv_Po https://youtu.be/v3ZkC08rKtg

BTS gallery of Tremors 4: The Legend Begins http://imgur.com/gallery/4M28quW Stampede Entertainment's behind the scenes of Tremors 4 https://stampede-entertainment.com/site/photos/tremors4-2/

On the set of Tremors 4 https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bppXVxldTqU The weapons of Tremors 4 https://stampede-entertainment.com/site/photos/weapons-of-tremors-4/

Tremors 4: The Legend Begins opening https://youtu.be/3gDlAEUBesg

BTS gallery of Tremors 5: Bloodlines http://imgur.com/gallery/6l0Dogl

Tremors 5: Bloodlines opening https://youtu.be/t8jrCVI676Y

BTS gallery of the unaired Kevin Bacon Tremors pilot http://imgur.com/gallery/w7rbUvZ

Script for the unaired Tremors pilot http://imgur.com/gallery/UbtTvyf

Trailer for the unreleased Tremors pilot https://youtu.be/hWU3GpKmIvw

Kevin Bacon talks Tremors. https://youtu.be/TAGOlEIR7mA

Interviews with Alec Gillis, Brent Maddock, Nancy Roberts, and Ron Underwood https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjmUAAK3guQ8t6dKzwH9V0RzerkdLr0d1

S.S. Wilson talks his Tremors career. https://youtu.be/ZJhZmty_dKs Making Perfection https://youtu.be/hpCSCQJEmnk

Have a question about Tremors? Find it here and if you can't find it, ask S.S. Wilson yourself! https://stampede-entertainment.com/site/fan-extras/tremors-faq/?include_category=general

And if you love Tremors enough to have made it this far, enjoy a collection of gifs for you to use at your pleasure.

Tremors http://imgur.com/gallery/kPiEe3d http://imgur.com/gallery/5Sb4Vpg http://imgur.com/gallery/1uZxiue http://imgur.com/gallery/NX5r2

Tremors 2 Aftershocks http://imgur.com/gallery/i1IZZf8 http://imgur.com/gallery/krcmrgQ http://imgur.com/gallery/GjTxAg1 http://imgur.com/gallery/DabFZTt http://imgur.com/gallery/QLTStyx http://imgur.com/gallery/P92e1ri http://imgur.com/gallery/IUAvd http://imgur.com/gallery/h8BZ0qN http://imgur.com/gallery/ZQi2KOb http://imgur.com/gallery/WDZdM

Tremors 3 Back to Perfection http://imgur.com/gallery/5ebddmR http://imgur.com/gallery/Rj9fqIy http://imgur.com/gallery/ikzXFbd

Tremors the Series http://imgur.com/gallery/cqSMk40

Tremors 4 The Legend Begins

http://imgur.com/gallery/ufV3of1 http://imgur.com/gallery/zPGBOW3 http://imgur.com/gallery/ri5jLRd http://imgur.com/gallery/y7A3l5D

Tremors 5 Bloodlines

http://imgur.com/gallery/Pmunxjo http://imgur.com/gallery/0yazNVG

Tremors 6 A Cold Day In Hell http://imgur.com/gallery/S4qlPCI http://imgur.com/gallery/Xa2mUsS

Tremors Pilot http://imgur.com/gallery/RXXjbKr http://imgur.com/gallery/kCErQyF

Tremors 7 Shrieker Island

http://imgur.com/gallery/FzpJllb http://imgur.com/gallery/JGweZjH

[edwardsshinyvolvo]

Twilight timeline

*dates from twilight lexicon*

2005 –

January

March

17th (Mon) – Bella Swan moves to Forks, Washington.  (SM-TL)

18th (Tue) – She meets Edward Cullen who is drawn to her blood.  Edward leaves Forks for Alaska for one week to avoid killing Bella. (TW1)

24th (Mon) – Edward returns to Forks (TW2) (SM-TL).

25th (Tue) – Car accident (TW3) (SM-TL)

26th  – March 1st  (Tue) – Edward avoids Bella ( TW4)(SM-TL)

2nd  (Wed.) – Bella is asked to the dance by Mike, Eric, and Tyler.  Edward spends the night in Bella’s room without her being aware of it.(TW4) (TW14)

3rd (Thurs.)  – Bella sits with Edward at lunch – Blood testing – Bella nearly passes out and Edward drives her home. (TW5)

4th (Fri) – Edward hunts with Emmett (TW5)

5th (Sat) – Bella goes to First Beach and meets Jacob Black – Jacob tells Bella about the cold ones being the enemy of the wolf – Bella has a horrible dream about Edward. (TW6–7)

6th  (Sun) – Bella searches the Internet for information about vampires – she walks in the wood to clear her head. (TW7)

7th  (Mon) – Very sunny – Edward does not attend school (TW7)

8th  (Tues) – Sunny again – Edward does not attend school – Bella shops in Port Angeles and is nearly attacked by thugs – Edward saves her and admits he is a vampire and that he can hear everyone’s thoughts but Bellas. (TW7–8–9)

9th  (Wed) – Edward and Bella let it be known they are a “couple” – Bella asks all the questions. (TW10)

10th (Thurs) – Edward’s turn to ask questions. (TW11)

11th  (Fri) – Edward leaves after lunch to hunt with Alice. (TW12)

12th (Sat) – Edward takes Bella to the Meadow. They spend the night together with Edward just holding Bella as she sleeps.(TW13–14)

13th (Sun) – Edward introduces Bella to his family – the baseball game – James targets Bella – Bella tells her father she is leaving Forks. (TW15–16–17–18–19)

14th (Mon) – Alice, Jasper, and Bella arrive in Phoenix (TW20)

16th  (Wed) James tricks Bella into running away and meeting him – Bella nearly dies and Edward is forced to drink her blood to save her from becoming a vampire. (TW21–22–23)

18th (Fri) – Bella awakens in the hospital with multiple injuries. (TW24)

May –Edward escorts Bella to the Prom  (TW Ep) (SM-TL)

September

13th (Tues) – Bella’s 18th birthday.  Party at the Cullen’s – Bella cuts her arm and causes a near riot – Edward takes her home and stays with her though the night. (NM1–2)

14th (Wed) – Edward is distant and refuses to stay will Bella at night. (NM2)

15th (Thurs) – Edward avoids Bella and Bella works on her scrapbook (NM2)

16th (Fri) – Edward tells Bella that he and his family are leaving Forks and Bella forever – Bella goes into some sort of shock – a tracking party finds Bella nearly comatose. (NM3)

October – December – Bella exists in a zombie-like state only doing the bare minimum needed to really survive.

2006

January

16th (Fri) – Bella goes out with friends to a movie to appease Charlie – Bella discovers that when she puts herself in danger, she seems to hear Edward’s voice. (NM4)

17th (Sat) – Bella buys two motorcycles to put herself in further danger – She enlists the help of Jacob Black to fix up the bikes – Bella sleeps without dreaming or screaming. (NM5–6)

18th (Sun) – Bella and Jacob buy parts for the bikes – they eat dinner with the Clearwater family. (NM6)

19th (Mon) – Bella talks to friends at school about the local bear sightings – it has been one year since Bella arrived in Forks – Bella visits the empty Cullen house – Jacob has finished Bella’s motorcycle.(NM6–7)

20th (Tue) – After work, Mike invites Bella to the movies.(NM7)

21st (Wed) – Jacob comes over to study and stays for dinner. (NM7)

23rd(Fri) – Bella and Jacob work in the garage to fix his bike. (NM7)

24th(Sat) – Bella worked at Newton’s and then did homework with Jacob again. (NM7)

25th (Sun) – Jacob finished both bikes – They see Sam and his gang cliff diving – Jacob teaches Bella how to ride a motorcycle – Bella wrecks and gets a cut on her head, but she doesn’t mind – Bella gets seven stitches in the ER and tells Charlie she got hurt in Jake’s garage. (NM7–8)

28th (Wed) – Bella again visits the ER but tells Charlie it came from a fall while hiking. (NM8)

30th (Fri) – Bella enlists Jacob’s help in finding the meadow. (NM8)

February

14th (Sat) – Jacob visits to do homework.  Bella invites him to the movies on Friday with her friends from school. (NM9)

16th (Mon) – Bella tells Mike about going to the movies as a group. (NM9)

20th (Fri)– Jacob finishes his Rabbit and brings it by to show Bella – Everyone but Mike cancels for the movie – Bella, Jacob, and Mike go to the movies – Mike gets sick – Bella notices that Jacob feels very hot – Jacob takes Bella home and admits that he isn’t feeling very well – Bella calls his house later that night and Billy tells her Jake is sick and she should stay away. (NM9)

21st (Sat) – Bella is sick and doesn’t go to work. (NM9)

22nd (Sun) – Bella talks to Jake on the phone and he tells her to stay away until he calls again. (NM9)

23rd-27th (Mon-Fri) – Bella keeps calling Jacob only to be told he can’t come to the phone. (NM10)

28th (Sat) – Harry Clearwater tells Charlie he has been having heart trouble – Harry explains that Jake has mono and that Bella needs to stay away – Bella is suspicious and decides to give it one more week. (NM10)

March

4th (Sat) – Billy tells Bella Jacob is feeling better and that he is out with his friends – Bella goes looking for the meadow on her own where she sees Laurent – Laurent explains that Victoria sent him to find Bella and that he intends to kill her – Five huge wolves appear and chase Laurent away from Bella. (NM10)

7th (Tue) – Bella calls Jacob, but gets no answer. (NM11)

8th (Wed) – Bella calls Jake’s house every half hour. (NM11)

9th (Thus) – Bella sits in her truck in front of Jake’s house. (NM11)

10th (Fri) – Bella figures out that Jake must be in Sam’s gang and talks to Charlie about it – Bella gives Quil a ride home and he confirms that Jake is now with Sam’s gang – Bella goes to see Jake and he says he can’t hang out with Bella anymore – Charlie confronts Billy about the situation – Jacob comes into Bella room at night and apologizes but says he still can’t tell Bella the truth – he reminds her of the scary stories he once told her and tells her to think about them. (NM11–12)

11th (Sat) – Bella has a nightmare and wakes up to realize that Jacob is a werewolf – Charlie tells Bella that the wolves have attacked someone and that they are going to shoot the wolves – Bella goes to warn Jacob – Jacob explains that they killed Laurent but there is still another vampire around – Bella tells him about Victoria – Jacob explains a few aspects of being a wolf – Paul and Jacob get into a fight – Bella visits with the pack at Emily’s house. (NM12–13–14)

12th (Sun) – Bella spends all day at La Push. (NM15)

13th (Mon) – First day of Spring Break. (NM15)

14th (Tue) – Bella works and then visits Jake – He explains more about being a werewolf and Bella explains more about the vampires. (NM15) 15th (Wed) – Bella hangs out at Emily’s house and then walks on the beach alone – Jake promises to take her cliff diving. (NM15)

16th  (Thurs) – Bella jumps off a cliff alone and Jacob rescues her – Harry Clearwater dies from a heart attack – Jake and Bella almost kiss – Alice returns. (NM15–16)

17th  (Fri) – Alice and Bella catch up. (NM17)

18th (Sat) – Charlie goes to Harry’s funeral – Edward is told that Bella is dead – Alice and Bella race to Italy to stop Edward from killing himself. (SMW) (NM17 – 18)

19th (Sun) – Alice and Bella make their plans while on the plane to Italy. (NM19)

20th (Mon) – Bella stops Edward from stepping into the sun – the Volturi meet with Edward, Alice,  and Bella – the Volturi agree to let them go so long as they promise to make Bella a vampire soon. (NM20–21)

21st (Tue) – Edward, Alice, and Bella fly back to Forks. (NM22)

22nd (Wed) – Edward explains why he left Bella and that he will never leave her again – Bella puts her mortality to a vote – Edward agrees to change Bella himself is she will marry him. (NM23–24)

April

7 (Sat) – Jacob confronts Edward and Bella about the treaty and gives Bella back her motorcycle. (NM Ep)

May

June

14th (Mon) – Bella reads in the paper about the trouble in Seattle.  She gets her acceptance to the University of Alaska.  (EC1)

15th (Tue) – Alice has a vision of Victoria.  Edward convinces Charlie to let him take Bella to Florida. (EC2)

18th (Fri) – Edward and Bella leave for Florida.

19th (Sat) – The wolves and the Cullens chase Victoria and get into a fight over crossing the boundary line. (EC4)

20th (Sun) – Bella has a chat with her mother about Edward.  They return home from Florida. Jacob calls Bella for the first time in weeks. (EC3)

21st (Mon) – Jacob confronts Edward in front of school.  Edward tells Bella that Victoria had been in Forks.  (EC3)

25th (Fri) – Edward goes hunting.  Bella runs off to LaPush to visit Jacob.  Jacob tells Bella in detail what happened over the weekend with Victoria. (EC4)  Bella learns about imprinting and that the wolves don’t age while they phase. (EC5) Bella avoids Edward and goes to Angela’s house to help her with graduation announcements.  Bella declares that she is “Switzerland.” (EC6)

31st (Thurs) – Bella is kidnapped by Alice after work.  Bella sees that Edward has purchased a bed. (EC6)  Rosalie tells Bella her story of how she became a vampire. (EC7)

1st (Fri) – Bella escapes from school with Jake. (EC7) Bella tells Jacob that she will be a vampire very soon and he gets angry.  Edward returns home and they come to an agreement.  Bella sleeps in his arms in his bed. (EC8)

2nd (Sat) – Bella can’t find certain personal items and Edward realizes that another vampire has been in Bella’s house.  The Cullens debate who it was. (EC9)

3rd (Sun) – Bella calls Jacob and he and Edward agree to let Jacob come over to investigate. (EC9)  Jacob learns that Bella will be changed at graduation and cuts his hand.  Edward explains more about what’s going on in Seattle.  He agrees to let Bella go to LaPush while he is hunting.  Bella sees Edward’s motorcycle.  He drives Bella to the boundary line where they meet Jacob. (EC10)  Bella attends the bonfire and learns all about the werewolf legends and the third wife.

4th (Mon) – Bella finds that Edward has read a part of Wuthering Heights.(EC11)  Alice tells Bella that she is having a graduation party.  Bella sees the graduation poster.  Bella and Edward talk about marriage. (EC12)

5th (Tue) – Bella reads the paper about the events in Seattle. (EC12)  Jasper tells his story.  The Denali vampires won’t help the Cullens because Irena was involved with Laurent. (EC13)

6th (Wed) – Alice insists on going ahead with the party.  Bella suggests that she could help if she were turned into a vampire now.  Renee cancels her trip to Forks on account of Phil’s broken leg. (EC14)

7th (Thurs) – The first day of finals.

8th (Fri) – Second day of finals.  Bella spends the afternoon in LaPush.  Bella invites Jacob to the party.  Jacob tells Bella he is in love with her.  (EC14)  Jacob kisses her and she punches him.  Edward threatens Jacob while Charlie is near by.  Bella learns that Emmett and Jasper have a wager on how many people she will kill. (EC15)

11th (Mon) – Alice gives Bella something to wear for graduation.  Bella figures out that everything is connected and that Victoria is behind it all.  Bella graduates and tells Edward what she discovered. (EC16)  The Cullens make plans during the party.  Jake and the wolves show up and make an alliance with the Cullens.  Jake gives Bella a wolf charm bracelet. (EC17)  The wolves meet with the Cullens in the woods for their first batch of training.  Edward and Jacob work together to plan a way to hide Bella’s scent during the fight. (EC18)  Bella asks Edward to sit out the fight.(EC19)

12th (Tue) – Bella sleeps for most of the day.  Edward goes hunting.  Alice makes arrangements with Charlie for Bella to be gone for a while.  The wolves and vampires meet for their second night of instruction. Bella learns that Leah Clearwater is a werewolf. (EC19)

13th (Wed) – Bella spends the night alone with Edward at his home.  He gives her a “crystal” charm for her bracelet.  He agrees to make love to her while she is human if she agrees to marry him first.  They are officially engaged.  He shows her the engagement ring. (EC20)

14th (Thurs) –  Bella leaves her scent all over the forest.  Edward explains how her blood no longer tempts him the way it used to.  Jacob carries Bella to the camp site. (EC21) Jacob sleeps next to Bella to keep her warm.  Edward and Jacob have an honest conversation while Bella sleeps. (EC22)

15th (Fri) – Jacob learns that Edward and Bella are engaged and runs off.  Edward brings him back.  Bella begs Jacob not to fight.  She asks Jacob to kiss her. (EC23) Feeling badly for it, Bella urges Edward for some intimacy and he insists on waiting.  The newborns attack the Cullens in the clearing.  Victoria and Riley attack Edward, Seth, and Bella at the camp site.  Edward rips off Riley’s arm and Seth finishes him off.  Edward rips off Victoria’s head. (EC24) Victoria and Riley’s remains are burned.  Jacob is wounded and both Seth and Edward “feel” it though the werewolf bond.  The Volturi arrive to clean up. They murder the newborns that are left behind. (EC25)  Bella goes to check on Jake and has to say goodbye to him for good. (EC26) Edward finds Bella crying in her truck and takes her home.  Bella spends the night crying in his arms. (EC27)

16th (Sat) Bella tells Edward she will survive so long as she has him.  They go to talk about the wedding with Alice.  Alice shows her the wedding dress.  Bella asks Alice to be her Maid of Honor. (EC27

(?)  Edward asked Charlie for Bella’s hand in marriage. (BD1) (Note – This date is not specified but this probably happens in the evening of the 16th.)

(?) Bella tells her mother that she is engaged. (BD1) (Note – This date is not specified but this probably happens a few days after Charlie learns of the engagement.)

(?) Bella truck breaks down and Edward buys Bella a Mercedes Guardian (BD1) (Note – this date is not specified but it takes place a few weeks after the 16th)

August

(?) Jacob receives an invitation to Bella and Edward’s wedding along with a note from Edward.  Grief stricken, Jacob phases and runs off.  The pack lets him go. (EC Ep) (Note – This happens sometime between June 16th and Aug 13th.)

(?) Charlie puts up posters in every major city along the Olympic Peninsula looking for Jacob. (BD1) (Note – this probably happened a week or so after Jacob left.)

12th (Sat.) Bella calls Seth to see if he has any news of Jacob.  Alice does the final fittings for Charlie and Bella.  Edward attends his bachelor party. (BD1)

13th (Sun) Edward and Bella are married. (BD3) Jacob attends the reception and nearly starts a fight. (BD4)  Edward and Bella leave for Isle Esme.

14th (Mon) Edward and Bella make love for the first time. (BD5)

15th – 20th Bella has strange dreams and her appetite changes. (BD6)

21st (Mon) Bella and Edward make love for the second time. (BD6)

31st (Thurs) Bella determines that she is pregnant.  Edward and Bella return to Forks. (BD7)

September

October – November

December

7 (Thurs) – Jacob learns that Bella has returned and is very sick. He assumes she has been changed into a vampire.  (BD8) He visits the Cullen home to find that Bella is pregnant.  Edward asks Jacob to kill him should Bella die in child birth. (BD9) Jacob explains to his pack what has happened and Sam orders Bella and the child to be killed.  (BD10) Opposing this decision, Jacob takes his place as an Alpha wolf. Seth follows him. (BD11)

8 (Fri) – Leah joins Jacob’s new pack.  (BD12) Bella drinks blood to sustain her pregnancy.  Jared talks to Jacob about returning to the pack.  Jacob refuses. (BD13)

9 (Sat) – Bella’s pregnancy worsens with another broken rib.  Carlisle determines that Bella will go into labor in four days. (BD15)

10 (Sun) – Jacob and Leah talk about the reasons for imprinting.  Edward hears the thoughts of the baby for the first time. (BD16) Edward asks Jake for permission to break the treaty by trying to save Bella by turning her into a vampire.  Jake agrees. (BD17) Bella goes into labor.  Renesmee is born.  Edward changes Bella into a vampire.  Jake imprints on Renesmee. (BD18)

13 (Wed) – Bella’s 19th birthday.  She awakens as a newborn vampire.  (BD19-20) Edward and Bella hunt.  (BD21) She finds out that Jacob has imprinted on “Nessie.”   (BD22) Alice and Edward show Bella the cottage on the Cullen property where Bella and Edward will live. (BD24)

14 (Thurs) – Jacob phases in front of Charlie.  Charlie sees Renesmee for the first time and realizes she is Bella and Edward’s child.  They all agree on the story that Renesmee is Edward’s niece. (BD25)

Leah becomes the Beta is Jacob’s pack. (BD27)

Bella decides to travel to Volterra to assure the Volturi that she is a vampire. (BD27)

Aro sends Bella an ornate necklace as a wedding gift. (BD27)

Edward and Carlisle continue to research people like Renessee. (BD27)

10th (Sun) – Renesmee’s 3 month birthday. (BD27)

11th ( Mon) – Irina sees Renesmee with Bella and Jacob and assumes Renesmee is an immortal child.  (BD27)

14th (Thurs) –  Alice has a vision that Irina has gone to the Volturi to report Renesmee’s existence and that the Volturi, including the guard and the wives, are coming after the Cullens.  They decide to gather friends to stand as witnesses to Renesmee’s uniqueness.  (BD28)

15th (Fri) The Cullens discover that Alice and Jasper have left them.  Bella finds clues from Alice to seek out a J Jenks.   All the Cullens except for Edward and Bella, head out to round up the witnesses.  (BD29)

16th (Sat) – Tanya, Kate, Eleazer, and Carmen arrive at the Cullens and after being briefly shocked and frightened by Renesmee, they are taken with her. (BD30)  Eleazer realizes that Bella is a shield.  The Denali Coven agree to be witnesses and fight if necessary.  Peter and Charlotte also arrive.  They were sent by Alice and Jasper.  They, too, agree to witness. (BD31)

18th (Mon) – 21st (Thurs) (?) – The Irish and the Egyptian covens arrive followed by as many nomads as Emmett and Rose could find.  The Amazon and Romanian covens arrive unexpectedly, but are welcomed.  Many people agree to be witnesses but not necessarily fight.  Bella works on projecting her shield in order to protect others. (BD32)

23rd (Sat) – Renesmee and Jacob spend time with Charlie while Bella goes to visit J Jenks. She learns he is a forger and she asks him to make documents for Jacob and Renesme in case they have to run.  (BD33)

25th (Mon) – Bella, Edward, Jacob, and Renesme spend Christmas at Charlie’s with the entire pack and Sue Clearwater.  Alistair leaves the Cullens before the Volturi arrive. (BD34)

27th (Wed) – Bella gets the forged documents from J. Jenks and plants them in a bag where Jacob will find them after the battle. (BD35)

Dec 29th  – 30th (Fri – Sat) – The Cullens, werewolves and assembled guests all sleep in the clearing waiting for the Volturi to arrive.

31st (Sun) – The Volturi arrive mid morning with the entire guard, the wives, and 40 witnesses of their own.  Aro at first believes that Nessie is an immortal child but sees through Edward that she isn’t.  Aro meets Nessie and lies to her about not hurting her family. (BD36) Caius brings Irina forward to testify again and then promptly kills her.  Aro tries to convince the Cullens’s witnesses that Renesemee is a danger and should be dealt with.  Garret speaks up and says the Volturi are reaching and are scared by the power of the Cullen family.  (BD37)  Bella uses her power to protect her family and friends from Alec and Chelsea’s powers.  Before the real battle begins, Nahuel the other half immortal half human arrives with Alice and Jasper to speak with the Volturi. (BD38)

2007

January  1st (Mon) –  The house guests leave one by one.  Bella allows Edward to read her mind for the first time. (BD39)

[firelxdykatara]

Reader anon here!

Hi it's been awhile, I hope you are doing well! I know I am! I have successfully bought more books and filled another shelf in my bookcase and it is just so satisfying to see! I have a shelf dedicated to each genre I like, so one shelf is just erotica and downright smut, while another is high fantasy/YA fantasy! Then at the bottom are my books on mythology and languages!

I am so proud of my collection 😩 and can't wait to get more books. That new book smell is just-🤌🏻

Do you like books that focus on romance or do you like books that focus on more mystery/conflict and have a good chuck of romance? For me, I like both!

Oh omg reader anon I am in awe at your organization skills akflgjhdkfjghdkjfgh

Right now my 'to be read' pile is a literal pile of books (well, multiple piles, but) scattered around my room and the living room and every once in a while I'll pick one up and actually start reading it (I recently started The Lunar Chronicles, in fact, and I'm already fully in love with Linh Cinder, best girl) and then sometimes I'll get halfway through and pick up another book and sdfklghdkfjhgkjdgh ANYWAY IT IS A WHOLE MESS IS WHAT I'M SAYING. I wish I could have an organized bookshelf but I ran out of space in mine ages ago and it is covered in yet more piles of books (though the ones on or around my shelves are mostly ones I've already read, although I've been eyeing Mistborn and The Wyrd Museum for a reread cause it's been so long, but I think if I started rereading old books right now my unread book piles would coalesce into an autonomous figure and beat me over the head with my own readerly ambition lmfao)

As for your question, honestly it really depends on the book! I absolutely love a good romance-focused narrative (emphasis on 'good', bodice rippers don't usually do it for me but sometimes when I'm in the mood I go to my mom's bookshelf and raid it for something cheap and tawdry (affectionate) that hits just the right button I need pressed at that moment, so y'know, it varies), but I also love books where the romance is incidental to the actual plot. In that case, though, I like it best when the romance and character arcs are woven into the plot rather than forcing the plot to conform to them, you know?

Like, I'll use the Grishaverse trilogy as an example here, because I've been rather hyperfixated on it and the extended world lately, but part of the problem I have with that series is that the romance the author clearly wants you to be invested in and root for at the end of the day is the most boring part of the entire story--and yet it quite literally warps the universe of the books around it to make it the most important part of the main character's journey.

You have a world on the brink of full-scale war where the main character has just discovered she is part of an oppressed minority group that are primed for literal annihilation--she is in the only country where her people can get even a pretense of agency and a fulfilling livelihood (Fjerda burns their witches, Shu-han vivisects them, Kerch sells them into slavery, and even in Ketterdam they aren't really safe unless they can make themselves useful enough to earn protection from one gang or another; the Wandering Isle and Novyi Zem may be the exceptions to the rule, but Fantasy Ireland and Fantasy Australia/Africa never matter enough to the story for any of the characters to find out), and yet even when she is suddenly a target for assassination purely because of what she is, there's never any real sense that she actually cares about Grisha as a whole.

Instead, the only thing she really cares about is her childhood romance. Getting back to Mal is the only thing that matters to her. The show tried to give her a little more agency (where in the books, she was pretty much just buffeted this way and that by the whims of the plot and very rarely made her own decisions about anything; and when she did, they were rarely based in any actual logic, and I say this as someone currently forcing my way through the books so that I can more accurately critique them.... it is intensely aggravating as a reader lmao), but they couldn't change the plot too much, so she winds up coming across as even more stupid than in the source material. And still, Mal and the meadow is a constant refrain, for reasons that, as far as I can tell, are never actually explained beyond 'these two kids traumabonded over their experiences growing up in an orphanage in a war-torn country, and they are dangerously codependent as a result'.

In order for the books to end as they do, Alina can't actually give a shit about the plot going on around her. The romance completely overrides the sense that anything else in this world matters, and when the romance is the most boring part of the plot, focusing on it to the exclusion of all else just makes the entire thing fall flatter than a house of cards in a stiff breeze. And that's the kind of romance I usually don't like--which gets thrown into much sharper relief when you go over to Six of Crows and find romances that actually work with the characters and the world and the plot surrounding them, rather than against it.

So that said, tl;dr: I like both too! But if the narrative is going to be romance-focused, then that romance needs to not be the least interesting part of the plot (traumabonded childhood friends to lovers working through that pain and coming out the other side healthier and happier for it can work really well, if you haven't plopped them in the middle of a world and plot that is much more interesting when they are apart), and if the romance is secondary to the plot, then it needs to take a proper back seat and work with the characters and their individual arcs as they move through the world, rather than attempting to force the plot into a different shape so the romance can work.

[elkian]

I was gonna do a “missing the point”-style meme but I’m honestly not sure that would even work tho so:

Harry Potter and My Hero Academia/Boku no Hero Academia have similar issues with introducing and then immediately ignoring ENORMOUS issues re: ableism.

I think these two series in specific come to mind bc it’s ableism within a specific empowered community, and in both cases the series are pretty well-known and the community (Wix/Heroes) are immediately identifiable to many audiences.

[WARNING: Discussions of ableism, child harm, and abuse on multiple levels.]

What’s the problem?

SQUIBS.

[This post got stupid huge SO here is a tl,dr for all you lovely people who understandably have no time for this.

TL, DR: Both Harry Potter and Boku No Hero have a bad tendency to implement or imply a level of disability regarding unempowered people in empowered societies. They then continue on to completely disregard important conclusions to these implications, such as how heavily it is implied that these unempowered people (Squibs) are so ‘worthless’ to those societies that their very deaths are merely a byline rather than an actual tragedy.

This is especially troubling in MHA/BNHA when so many other political and worldbuilding considerations HAVE been planned out, and seems to be less-discussed in the fandom as a whole, so that’s a much larger chunk of this post.]

That’s your tl, dr!

Here’s the Harry Potter angle:

HP has a bit that I’ve seen people discussing already: Neville’s magic was discovered when his uncle dropped a literal child a potenial lethal distance. 

Neville activating his power and surviving is celebrated, and then JKR immediately glosses over the glaring issue this has introduced: the heavy implication that a Squib dying from this incident would have not have been mourned or even really commented on.

The few adult Squibs (and isn’t that a whole new slice of wonderful /j) are generally disliked and ridiculed for some reason or other. Now, while obviously there are plenty of places where the Venn diagram of “disabled” and “asshole” intersect irl, when your ONLY presentation of a disabled character or group is, every time, an asshole or a fool or both, boy! That’s bad!

Neville (who is generally presented as magically, physically, and mentally weak and often treated as comic relief) is a bit better via the POV Character constantly having positive interactions with him, but this is still a mess. Yes, Neville canonically is not a Squib, but it’s not subtle that he’s on the cusp OF being a Squib, and that is a key element of ridiculing him in many situations (also the whole trauma thing multiple times, like if I really get into it I could do a whole double-size post of how Neville was done dirty or nearly dirty by JK all the time but this isn’t that post).

This isn’t even the point of this post. Let’s move to MHA/BNHA

Hero Academia has differing but honestly even worse issues. And I’m aware that different countries handle ableism and accessibility in different ways, but if you think too hard about it this is an absolute clusterfuck.

What is the problem now?

Squibs! Or rather, the main character of the series, Midoriya Izuku.

Deku (a nickname meaning “useless”! Imparted after his disability is recognized! hilarity!!) is also born without powers. Even worse in some ways, he is born without powers in a world where the overwhelming majority of the global population has some kind of empowerment. I can’t recall if it’s outright stated or only implied that someone with a functionally useless (and hoo boy, usefullness to society is its own post nope not today i do not have that much energy) Quirk is still more of a person than a Quirkless human.

That sink in? Okay, let’s move on.

In a narratively not-uncommon turn of events, Deku gains power. This is partially a product of, and directly tied to, his own work and determination, as well as his willingness to help even when physically outmatched.

To an American audience (NOT the intended audience though I wouldn’t doubt it if Horikoshi meant to have international appeal more or less from the start), this is a deeply satisfying narrative. Who doesn’t love an underdog story? And we even learn that the strongest hero of all time (til this point, anyways) was ALSO born Quirkless!

However, from here, things take a nosedive.

The key problem is a combination of story progression and overall thought put into worldbuilding. Horikoshi’s efforts may not be the MOST thorough, but he has put a great deal of work and thought into his creation (he at least understands the concept of implications and sometimes plans accordingly, looking at you JKR). However, that tied with story progression and personal repercussions actually works to the detriment of the matter.

Especially given recent turns of events.

 [BIG MEGA SPOILERS FOR FAIRLY RECENT PLOT

 STOP HERE IF YOU’RE NOT CAUGHT UP

 SERIOUSLY]

 What I mean by this is the current state of events re: two particular recent/recent-ish plot arcs.

First, Quirk Removal, and second, Endeavor’s comeuppance.

Quirk Removal/Loss was the start of my realization to what the narrative was doing regarding Izuku’s Quirklessness and the state of being overall.

This arc was a perfect time to bring up Midoriya’s past! A lot of Western works certainly would have done so! And yes, it may be bordering on done-to-death, but many elements of Hero Academia put new twists on common themes and cliches; it wasn’t unreasonable to hope that he might do it again.

Instead, little to NOTHING is discussed during this time! In fact, iirc I’d go so far as to say Midoriya straight-up never considers his past at any point during this arc!? If I’m wrong then it obviously made little impact.

NOW, not every disabled character needs to incorporate their disability and/or skills gleaned from living with it in every narrative. In fact, it would get tedious and questionable if they did (note: this does NOT mean ignoring/forgetting the character is even disabled when convenient. Like, I’d like to think that’s the obvious point of this post but... *gestures at tumblr*). 

But the complete lack of it here feels really weird. Like, almost hollow. I think Midoriya makes some kind of suggestion to Mirio of his former Quirklessness at the end of the arc, but nothing that made any kind of impact.

Let’s move on.

Endeavor.

Now, the problem with Endeavor’s arc is not the arc itself. Or, rather, it’s the fact that Endeavor’s Comeuppance is pretty good.

This is a problem because someone else should be getting this exact same arc, yet the issue is never even RECOGNIZED, let alone addressed.

Endeavor’s abuse of his wife and children, all in the name of creating a Heroic legacy, is publicized and tanks his popularity. The general public is now aware of what he’s done to the people closest to him, which aside from giving him a more correct reputation, means they can’t trust him to protect them if they can’t trust him to protect his own family.

This isn’t the goal of this post and I’m no expert regardless, but up to this point (around chapter 290) this was handled in an interesting way. Endeavor is humanized and often shown interacting with people in a way that, while often domineering, isn’t always aggressive or abusive. He runs a Hero Agency for crying out loud! But abuse in the real world often isn’t constant, nor happening to everyone in contact with the abuser. So this is a surprisingly good lead up to the reveal, where you can understand how most people never realized this was an issue.

But here’s my main point. Let’s examine some traits and actions that come up:

physically abusive to a child (often dangerously so) to the point of permanent trauma and severe scarring in some cases

target of abuse was weaker (physically and/or regarding Quirk power)

often abused victim emotionally/psychologically, bringing this weakness up again and again

own immense power led to rising in the world of Heroics

comrades, fellow Heroes, UA teachers etc. not aware of prior abuse issues

Who does this sound like?

Endeavor, who has a whole fucking arc dedicated to this reveal and repercussions?

Or Bakugou?

Reminder: This isn’t a hate post. This isn’t a character post, or even an abuse post. This is about ableism.

Bakugou exhibits many, many traits and actions that Endeavor was literally just punished for. So why does the treatment of these characters in-universe differ so drastically?

Two primary reasons I can think of, which feed into each other:

1) Bakugou was a child (still technically is a minor, remember! Still a first-year high schooler!) when this started. This doesn’t mean he’s strictly innocent, but it’s an important point, because it leads us to

2) Bakugou Katsuki’s abuse of Midoriya Izuku is socially accepted.

Reminder of the audience’s first encounter with Katsuki. The very first page with him is him and his grade-school posse picking on a kid that Izuku is trying to protect. His posse is showing off their Quirk powers and mocking Izuku’s lack thereof.

Then we flash forward to late-middle school versions of the kids. Bakugou, in front of a fucking teacher and entire class, is verbally, physically, etc. abusive to Izuku. He trashes his stuff, threatens him, tells him to kill himself (which, as Izuku notes later, is a fucking felony in Japan too).

No one stops him.

No one criticizes him.

We don’t even get a shot of like, some more ‘regular’ students being like “man Bakugou’s kinda fucked up but we’re too scared to do anything about it” NO. NO. Everyone more or less either backs Katsuki up or straight up doesn’t care.

Remember that this started when Katsuki and Izuku were four. Remember that Katsuki’s power is absurdly dangerous, ie. LITERAL. GODDAMN. EXPLOSIONS.

Izuku has scars. He probably has hearing loss! He may have gotten at least one concussion which can cause serious neurological issues and open him up to further risk!

He could have died.

And?

NO ONE. DOES. ANYTHING.

THIS is the point of the post. THIS is the value placed on Quirkless people in this society.

And yet. Despite Endeavor’s comeuppance. Despite All Might and Izuku’s blatant ‘value’ to society through Heroics. Despite so many other political implications and quandaries address in the Hero Academia series.

Nothing. Nothing. Nothing about this is addressed. The nearly-lethal ableism towards Quirkless people in this society is never ONCE brought up properly once Izuku receives One For All.

There is so much potential here! There is so much worth talking about! And yet we’ve moved into what feels very much like the Final Battle without it being addessed, despite numerous, numerous opportunities for a meaningful conversation about it along the way.

Mirio losing his power! Hell, Mirio’s powers’ drawbacks (and pretty much every Quirk’s drawback! if acknowledged properly!) border on a disability-analogue, and even more when Yuga’s laser comes up, and yet again and again we fail to truly engage with the matter in a meaningful way.

At this point, even if it comes up in the finale, I’m going to be disappointed in this particular aspect of the series due to the complete and total shut-down it’s been given so far.

What the FUCK, Horikoshi?