#and it torpedoes both of their lives

[thosewildcharms]

not to over-indulge in my own tags and this extremely hyperspecific au but walk with me for a minute. it's this scene from the series finale of LOST except make it rick and michonne. and instead of it being them reuniting in the afterlife it's them reuniting after the poof! no apocalypse timeline reset and they're getting flashbacks of the original zombie apocalypse timeline. do you see my vision.

[hellbuticy]

Walker Brothers Hcs

like Elias said in his Rorke File, Logan was like an extension of Hesh, always looking up to him, wanting to be him, always with him (we know the “1 set of footprints” story). but when they joined the Ghosts, Logan finally decided to be his own self meaning he spent more time alone

Hesh noticed his brother finally being his own person and he was not a fan of it at first

They do EVERYTHING together like when one would shit/take a shower the other would be in there just for “company” (typical sibling stuff)

Logan’s marksmanship is slightly better than Hesh’s.

But Hesh’s hand-to-hand combat is way better than Logan’s.

Hesh used to get into fights a lot as a kid, mostly to protect Logan

While Hesh is technically Riley’s handler, the dog favors Logan more (they even sleep together)

The boys initially wanted to be Navy (future SEALs) but bc Elias was army they also had to be army

Logan is a great fuckin swimmer, like im talking a living torpedo headass

Elias would talk about the Ghosts but disguised as fairytale bedtime stories he would tell the boys

Their telepathic bond is otherworldly, like CRAZY. words cannot explain

Both brothers SUCK at asking for help/letting other people help them ESPECIALLY with injuries so they are always stitching each other up in their rooms

Logan talks with his eyes, to which Hesh knows every look. so while the other Ghosts think logan is looking normal, hesh is like “oh hell no he’s going to go on a murder spree”

Logan is the scarier sibling bc he glares, is silent, and has a menacing ass aura

Hesh is always >:)

Until Logan is captured , then hesh is a shell of himself. always barking at somebody. his fuse is even shorter and with no general care for his well being (keegan now looks after him but he’s always like 👀)

Logan keeps a memory box so after Logan gets captured goes through it every night, missing his brother

They have matching stick n poke, after a particular hard “hell week” where they actually almost died, they decide to do it because then, they would always have each other no matter the circumstances

[lovebvni]

repetition (a pick-a-pile)

in honor of my friends kai ( @klxudykai )and nile (who doesn’t want to be tagged), i want to do a little pap! this will be black white and purple themed for them too (their pfp colours)

i know both of them are going through cycles of repeating their actions over and over, and it is hard for them. i know it’s frustrating — hell i hate repetition. but you find peace in it.

this pick-a-pile is just advice for your manifesting and/or shifting journey. there is no real theme, but i asked spirit to bring up something you need to repeat for each pile.

this pap is intuition and shufflemancy-based. i am not using tarot nor cards at all for this. this is also for entertainment purposes. take my words with a grain of salt AND please do not use this as legal or life advice.

now, inhale and exhale. believe in your intuition, and pick a picture.

[1 ; 2

3 ; 4]

pile 1 the spiral.

hi pile 1! here’s confirmation for your pile : cycles, crying, cynical, the letter c (in your name of in the name of your significant other. casey and clark stand out.), puns, clairaudience, crown, clowns, (a lot of words w the letter c jesus christ..), underwater, drowning, sinking, the sea, oceans, water (s), fix your face, black, sexism, activist, reality shifter, cyclones, spirals, “i feel like im not seeing any signs/progress”

well pile one, you could feel like you are stuck in a cycle. just a torpedo and you’re getting hit with the same things over and over. you’re wondering why things aren’t changing, why this won’t end, but it’s because YOU won’t change. this is the harshest i think i have ever been in a pick a card, but you really need to get over yourself. realize you aren’t the person you should be, throw that person away and reinvent yourself. you want a lot in life, and you aren’t going to get it if you don’t decide to change yourself. the universe chose you for a reason, but if you keep having your own pity party, you aren’t gonna get anywhere. stop getting mad when you’re being told the truth. it isn’t there to hurt you. it’s there to help you. the truth is a tool. and as long as you keep ignoring it, you keep hiding from the monster inside your closet, it’s never gonna leave. it’s gonna haunt you. it’s like a negative spirit. lure it out and keep it coming. it is gonna hurt, but it’s worth it.

your required repetition is “continue to listen and change yourself. transformation.”

the waiting season is one where you need to work, don’t keep sulking.

now to interpreting your song, her by poppy. you have been trying to be someone else that you are not, for someone else. the chorus

“I'm getting to know her And all of her anger You won't recognize her If you encountered I'm getting to know her And all of her anger Picked herself up Put her back together”

you need to change and you know it, and you don’t know how. start with your anger, your sadness, a strong emotion and unravel it. unwrap it like a gift. keep pulling to you get to the root of the cause — hold it.. nurture it… and get the mud off it.

see this as a new start, pile one. i love you. you need to know you’re strong, and you can do this. don’t get annoyed, because i know you’ve been told this before. fix your face.

pile 2 ghouls

hello pile 2! here’s confirmation this is your pile!!: fairies, love, purple, green, heart chakra and third eye chakra, shadows, “on a silver platter”, polite, scars, romance, sacred, girl blogger, skull and bones, doja cat, fear of success, screaming, pink, sexuality, white, sensuality, fire and ice, opposites, blood, self sabotage, royalty, alternative, goth, knight, disability, multilingual, this specific dynamic, vampire

simplicity. simplify everything. that’s all spirit is saying. don’t over complicate things. that’s like all spirit is saying u guys 😭😭

they r literally saying clear your mind, just be the person you are meant to be. listen to your intuition, be creative, have love in your heart, even when times are hard, and let emotions flow.

spirit told me your manifestations are actively coming in 😭😭 idek why you’re reading this pac! like there are no notes, nothing else you need to do. just listen to your intuition and be in tune with yourself. god i love this pile bc yall r js so sweet and light hearted — like there’s so much hidden positivity here that’s waiting to come out.

good job on how far you’ve come, and hav fun where you’re going! love you pile 2!

pile 3 — unclear memory

hi pile 3! here’s your confirmation: “even a worm will turn”, disappointment, ditsy, protector, big eyes, proposal, hobbit core, hermitcraft, minecraft, silence, under another’s control, blush, light colours (pastels), resting, new opportunities, distractions, distant, chapell roan, wlw.

you’re over possessive but you cut out your heart. or someone else cut it out. you need to get your priorities straight. there’s so much going on in your brain. they all lead to the same thing, don’t they? like how a spider web meets in the middle.

you’re sad, i can tell, but you won’t let anyone know. you think you’ve done enough, or even too much, but in reality you’ve been distracted. you’re trying to hide your main in overworking. doing too much.

your repeating advice is “get back on track and focus on your morals”.

but dont become some else. become yourself. stop holding grudges. get yourself back.

pile 4 — kisses

hi pile 4! here’s confirmation this is your pile: shadow work, brooklyn nine-nine, wolf pack, furry, july, suicidal but continuing, height difference, jumbled thoughts, flowers, blue and pink, wash off the makeup, ombré, counting crows poem.

this is my dogs favorite song 😭😭

pile four, you have been looking for outer validation when you don’t need it. you’re searching for signs, for love, for confirmation you’re on the right path when you really jay need yourself. you’re putting yourself down and other people/the universe on a pedestal. YOU ARE THE UNIVERSE!! REALIZE THAT!

what you say goes. what you want will happen. and that’s that.

your advice is as follows ; “you need to just rest.”

and i think that’s great advice. sit down and relax. listen to music, meditate, be at peace. work on yourself. try journaling too!! it will help.

thank yall for reading!! <3 i hope this helps someone. finishing this at 5:55 pm btw!!

[pleistocene-pride]

Torpedo torpedo, better known as the common torpedo, common torpedo ray, ocellate torpedo, or eyed electric ray, is a species of electric ray in the family Torpedinidae which is endemic to the eastern Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. These rays typically dwell in coastal and nearshore waters but can occasionally be at depths up to 1,300ft (400m), however they tend to prefer warm sandy flats and sea grass beds. Torpedo rays are generally solitary and nocturnal ambush predators which feed on a variety of fish, crustaceans, and worms. They are themselves preyed upon by seals, sharks, and large boney fish. As with other members of its family, the common torpedo can subdue both prey and predator with strong electric shocks of up to 200 volts which are generated from a pair of large kidney-shaped electric organs which are visible beneath the skin on either side of the head. The electrogenic properties of this species led it to be used in medicine for the treatment of pain and diseases such as gout by various cultures in antiquity such as the Greeks, Egyptians, and Carthaginians. The Romans in particular used the common torpedo to treat headaches. Reaching around 12 to 24 inches (30 to 61cms) in length and 7 to 16inches (18 to 41cms) in width, with females being slightly larger than males, the common torpedo has a nearly circular pectoral fin disc and a short, thick tail with two dorsal fins of nearly equal size and a large caudal fin. The eyes are small and followed by spiracles of comparable size. The dorsal coloration of the common torpedo is rusty orange to reddish brown which is adorned with prominent blue spots on its back, which usually number five but may vary from zero to nine. The underside is cream-colored, with dark disc margins. Breeding typically occurs from December to February. Common torpedos are aplacental viviparous, with the developing embryos nourished by yolk and histotroph ("uterine milk") produced by the mother. Females produce litters of up to 28 after a gestation period of 4–8 months depending on the geographical region. Common torpedo reach sexual maturity at around 10in ( 25cms) in length and may live upwards of 10 years.

[bethanythebogwitch]

Wet Beast Wednesday: northern pike

It's time for more fun in fresh water with one of the northern hemisphere's primary predatory fish. The northern pike is the tiger of the lakes: a powerful ambush predator that is at the top of the food chain. Popular amongst naturalists and anglers alike, the northern pike is a fairly famous fish. Let's dive in.

(Image: a northern pike seen form the side. It is a long, torpedo-shaped fish with a long head and large jaws. The dorsal and anal fins are very far back on its body. Its body is an olive green with white spots. End ID)

Esox lucius is a large, tube-shaped fish that reaches an average of 40-55 cm (16-22 in) long but can reach a maximum recorded size of 150 cm (59 in) and 28.4 kg (63 lbs). The head is elongated with long, sharp teeth and the most of the fins are far back on the body. The fin placement and body shape allows the pike rapid bursts of speed. The body is an olive green with white spots and a white or yellow underbelly. The head is covered with sensory pores that are an extension of the lateral line and therefore aid in sensing movement. The skin has a thick coating of protective mucus and is easily damaged. The northern pike is similar to the Amur pike (Esox reichertii), Aquitanian pike (Esox aquitanicus), and southern pike (Esox cisalpinus), all of which were previously though to be of the same species as the northern. The northern pike is also similar to the muskellunge (Esox masquinongy) and the two are capable of interbreeding to produce a hybrid called a tiger muskie.

(Image: a northern pike seen from below and the front, showing off its white underbelly. End ID)

(Image: a tiger muskie being held by a fisherman. Its body shape is similar to a northern pike's, but is more silvery with long, greenish stripes. End ID)

Northern pike are found throughout Europe and north Asia, as well as eastern North America. They are found in slow-moving streams and lakes and prefer places with lots of plant cover, which often restricts them to locations nearer the shore. The vegetation is needed both for their hunting strategy and reproduction. During winter and cloudy days and nights, they venture further from the vegetation. Pike are ambush predators that wait motionless in vegetation for prey to pass before attacking with a sudden burst of speed. Pike will pursue prey, but are not as good at long-distance pursuit at many other species of predatory fish. They are known as aggressive fish with a very broad diet including fish, frogs, small mammals, invertebrates, and aquatic birds. There have also been reports of pike attacking dogs and humans, likely while mistaking extremities for small fish. Pike are also aggressive toward each other. They are territorial and will compete for the best hunting grounds. Pike are also cannibalistic and will eat smaller members of their species. Young pike need vegetation as cover to hide from larger pike. Pike are generally solitary animals, though there are reports of pike engaging is what is apparently group hunting. They are somewhat migratory as they will follow migratory prey to their winter habitats.

(Image: a northern pike eating a frog. End ID)

Pike mate during spring, beginning when water temperature reaches 9 C (48 F). They have strong homing behavior, returning to the same breeding grounds where they hatched. Males arrive to the breeding grounds before females do and leave afterwards. Females release thousands of orange, sticky eggs for he males to fertilize. The eggs sink and stick to rocks and plants. Stable conditions above 6 C without high iron concentrations are best for egg development. The young hatch in an embryonic stage that lasts for 5-16 days depending on temperature before transitioning to larvae. The larvae feed on planktonic invertebrates until they reach between 4 and 8 cm, when they switch to feeding on small fish. The mortality rate of larvae is around 95%. Northern pike reach sexual maturity around 2 years and can live up to 25 years, with an average of 10-15 years.

(Image: a juvenile northern pike. It looks like a smaller version of an adult. End ID)

Northern pike are classified as least concern by the IUCN. They are prized by anglers for their size and the fight they put up when hooked. Even when released, their skin can easily be damage by handling, leading to increased mortality. Releasing them when still in the water is recommended. Like many species of sport fish, their average sizes have decreased as a result of overfishing. Because of their popularity as sport fish, northern pike are often stocked in lakes. In eastern North America they have been introduced to lakes outside their native range, leading to them damaging native fish populations. In southern Alaska and Washington they are considered invasive species. Northern pike are edible, though they are bony and need special skill to fillet.

Linking (Video: a pike chasing a lure from the POV of a camera attached to the lure. End ID)

[corviiids]

i loved your answer to the ooc question... penny for your thoughts on the Core of ren and goro? 👉👈🥺

rubbing my little bug hands together i dunno that i can capture all my whole... mental Akeshu Bible... in one post... but here are some notes on what i'd consider one of the most key points for each.

basically the way this works for me is ill have like a central piece of understanding sitting at the core of how i work with a character, and then let instinct guide their dialogue/behaviour from there.

i wrote a thesis again. two in fact. jesus christ

goro - sincerity is mystifying, dangerous, and impossible, but alluring.

can i talk about light yagami for a second. are we all going to be okay with it if i do that. that's going to make this easier for me to explain

i think light yagami and goro akechi have almost nothing in common once we get past the most obvious similarities - the cynicism borne of shattered once-upon-a-time idealism, the willingness to turn to radical action, the bad hair. anyway the difference i want to point out arises from another key similarity which i think only exists on the surface - the "evil underside true self" counterpart to the "pleasant preppy perfect boy" persona. looks the same. but the difference is that light never struggles with that falsehood, and akechi clearly does.

what i mean by that is i think to light, his perfect persona is nothing more than a simple disguise, albeit one he's been wearing a while without knowing why. he doesn't really have a fractured sense of self, because it's clear that the light yagami who is kira is the True self. the light yagami who is just a nice young man is mostly a falsehood to the point light sees him as a character to be played. (ok this is also an oversimplification but go with me for now. okay. that's the basic of it. just accept this for the sake of argument. this aint about him)

goro is very different. i think in the lead-up to the interrogation room, goro understands himself in a similar way, but after the interrogation room that perception is called into question. okay, i think about the interrogation room scene a lot, because i really didn't like goro's behaviour in that scene when i first played it, i thought it was a very cheap and superficial way to reveal his identity as the traitor by making him act as cartoonishly villainous as possible. and tbh i dont want to give atlus too much credit for creating a super nuanced scene there so what im about to propose is probably unintentional. but anyway, i eventually came around to it because i decided that that cartoonish villanousness must be a choice to goro. at that point in time, goro's perception of himself is akin to light's understanding of kira: black mask/shido's assassin/evil motherfucker is "the true goro", and pleasant boy detective prince is nothing but a mask.

and here i would like to bring up a complicating factor which makes light and goro very, very different. light wants to live. he refuses the shinigami eyes because he wants to exist in his new world to rule over it indefinitely. goro's plan on the other hand has a fixed timeline. goro is aware, and tells us in the engine room, that once his public reputation is shattered, he has nothing. goro's plan involves outing shido by outing himself. ergo, goro's plan is to take shido to the top and then torpedo them together, leaving them both with nothing.

what does this mean? light yagami's mask protects kira - light's true self and a man who wants to live. goro akechi's mask serves the black-masked assassin, but the black-masked assassin serves shido, a role which is just as deceptive as the detective prince. which means goro akechi's disguise protects a self that isn't real, either. it feels disingenuous to say that the version of akechi who exists to be shido's attack dog is his true self. so that goofy villainous smile in the interrogation room is, to me, goro convincing himself that that evil face is who he really is, not realising it's another facade he's playing up - but while the prince's audience is the public, the assassin's audience is goro himself. after that whole thing goes down, i think it becomes clearer that that evil face was goro pretending to himself that he's just a straight up villain who doesn't care about anything because that's easier than conceding that you might feel some complicated way about the self-loathing and bitterness you've been nurturing since childhood.

but wait, there's definitely also truth to the black mask. there's no way to deny that the akechi who attacks them in the engine room had a ton of truth to him that the detective prince lacked. but, wait. goro doesn't perfectly keep up the facade with the detective prince, either, because there are definitely times where he's being honest even when he's being the pleasant boy.

okay, where does that leave us? light has one layer of falsehood (light protects kira), but goro has at least two (detective prince protects black mask protects ???) so what the hell is goro hiding? where's the true self? is the version of akechi who showed up in the interrogation room the black mask, or is it shido's assassin? are those two different guys who overlap? does this mean everything the detective prince said is suspect? we don't know which one is true, but we know they're both lying.

okay. why? what's wrong with him? i should get to my actual fucking point maybe?

this is the central thesis of his shadows in palacefic btw. rather than being divided into a relatively clean true/false like light, goro's true self is split between his personae. every time you talk to any version of goro akechi, you're getting some lies but you're also getting some sincerity. i think goro doesnt know who he is because he doesn't see any particular use for having a real self at the end of the day, only masks he can use to achieve his ends.

except you can't actually kill your true self. it sticks around. so the most he can do is fragment it. but the consequence is the shards get stuck in his masks. every time he tries to put on a mask, a shred of truth peeks out. i think goro wants to not exist and not be known, but inside every mask he wears is a true part of him that desperately DOES want to be known, but can't allow it, but wants it, but is scared of it, but wants it, but hates it, but will die if it happens, but wants it.

what you end up with is a really self-contradictory guy where every time he talks, the things he's saying are simultaneously true and false. it's the worst with ren, because he's really interested in ren, but allowing ren to know him is suicide. light's really good at playing the part because he has no investment in the part, it's purely fake, and all his investment is in his true self. but goro is invested in each of his masks, because each of his masks contains part of him for real and there's no unified self to return to at the end of the day. so he struggles way more with the act than light does, because there's a part of him, however small, that really wants to drop the mask. but he can't, because there's nothing behind it, so there's nothing he can do

anyway when i write goro's dialogue and behaviour, it's not just writing a guy lying and playing a part because he needs the cover, it's goro injecting himself into mould after mould after mould and trying to keep a balance of how much he can reveal vs how much he needs to keep close to his chest. this is why he talks so fucking much, it's why his speech mannerisms aren't always perfectly polished, it's why the mask slips so often, it's why he's so cartoonishly evil at times, and it's why while light yagami is a popular guy who has everyone around him perfectly fooled, goro akechi is really only able to appeal to the subset of fans who are keen on his particular celebrity style while other people find him kind of annoying and disingenuous. when im writing akechi in xyz situation, it's a process of working out which mask he's wearing, what he wants to achieve, what he's hiding, how much he can or would slip, and what that slip might look like. i think this is heightened because of his circumstances, but i also think goro would be incredibly guarded and paranoid no matter what his circumstances were (although the murder might decrease a little).

tl;dr: goro akechi tries to do away with his sense of self but only succeeds in splitting it into a hundred million pieces covered in lies, each of which is desperate to be known but shies away with equal desperation

ren - in a distant relationship with the sense of self

idk that thats the right word but basically i think in true persona protag fashion, and as alluded to by beneath the mask / the power of the wild card / etc the relationship between ren's personae and his 'true self' is more complicated and detached than most of the other characters. i dont agree that the protags are true "blank slate" protagonists in the meta sense but i do think ren is a "blank slate" person in-text in that simultaneously he has extremely strong core values and beliefs which are absolutely immovable, and traits which shine through even in his limited speech, but the manifestation of his personality is a lot more malleable than say ryuji's is. ren is very flexible and wears a different mask depending on who he's talking to. i think that requires a level of detachment which manifests as basically centering his companion's character + needs in a given interaction over his own. this doesnt just come through in his dialogue but also in the way he internally reflects on what's happening.

the way this manifests most obviously in how i write him is that my ren (in texts especially but also in dialogue) has a tendency to omit his personal pronoun (in subject position).

that gives him kind of a laid-back vibe. he has a habit of omitting the first part of a sentence entirely.

he adds it back in when he's talking about something more serious, very alert, feeling uncomfortable, etc. it happens a lot when he talks to akechi because he needs to be very switched on during those conversations to keep up.

idk i know that for some people the joy of having a protagonist character is being able to make them into whoever you want them to be - so your ren might be extra flirty for example which i think is a really popular characterisation of him because it's fun and it has some basis in his dialogue, and it's a choice i went with for a while before i started shifting away from it. recently i've been way more interested in trying to reconcile this really strong-willed guy with a clearly rich and rebellious inner life with the quiet slouched character who says like 3 words every conversation and who really never reveals anything about himself. like, imagine he's a real person and not just a blank slate protagonist i can push and pull - how do i make his little mousy 8< self work with the fact that he's an international criminal without adding something on top that isn't already there in him? i think there's a way to do it and i think the way to do that is to have him internalise as much as possible. for everything he says, there are a billion things he doesn't say. that makes it really fucking difficult to actually portray him sometimes because his rich inner life can really only come through if we have access to his inner monologue, and if he's not the pov character we don't, but you know, i love a stupid fucking self imposed challenge. ren amamiya is like laying breadcrumb clues in his dumb ass 3 word dialogue options that im crawling over like weevils with a magnifying glass

but he DOES leave clues! so many of his dialogue options are sarcastic and dry or straight up goofy. so he's funny, he's deadpan, he can be impatient. but if you take that too far in dialogue, it gets overplayed, and he loses his taciturn charm, so you have to pull it back, because he's restrained, not overt. he's quippy, he's not wordy. he's a show-off, but in a self-assured way. he will never indicate in any way that he wants you to look at him. he'll just make sure he's so impressive that you can't look away. if he winks, it's like he's keeping a secret between you, not like he's putting on a show. he delivers one-liners only, not full jokes, and the setup and knockdown has to be in the same breath. if his thoughts can't be condensed into one sentence, two or three max, he doesn't say them, he keeps it to himself. whether his emotions show on his face depend on how well you can read him, and it depends who he's with, it depends how recently he's been joker, it depends if there's some extenuating factor in there that's going to make him crack. ren's more likely to crack if he's standing up for someone else.

his inner monologue is just as interesting to grapple with because my ren is pretty repressed. the more upset he is, the more he distances himself from how he's actually feeling. he's very good at deflecting people and he's also very good at deflecting himself - focus on someone else, focus on the environment around him, focus on some physical sensation, don't get too far into his own head, or else

tl;dr: ren handles himself with a mix of internalising and externalising by swallowing down everything he might want to say out loud but outsourcing and distancing from his sense of self to keep himself steady

[bulkyphrase]

Avengers in Space - a fic rec list

I love the Avengers and I love outer space, and these are a few of my favorite stories that combine the two.

What do you mean we left Clint on Mars? by sara_holmes (@captn-sara-holmes) (WinterHawk, Teen And Up Audiences, 24,537 words)

Summary: “What do you mean we left Clint on Mars?” Cap’s incredulous voice cuts through the stunned silence of the cockpit, loud and shocked. He’s standing there with his cowl in hand, gaping at the holo-screen at the front of the jet. Next to him, Tony is standing with his hands on his head, mouth hanging open in a similar fashion. Over on the other side of the cockpit is Jane, who has both palms clapped across her mouth like she’s trying to hold back hysterical giggles. For his part, Bucky is just staring at the screen like he can’t quite believe what’s going on.

Straight on till Morning by @sineala (Stony, Explicit, 109,848 words)

Summary: Tony Stark resigned his commission in Starfleet five years ago, after a disastrous away mission, and he swore he'd never go back. He just wants to be left alone to build warp engines in peace. But the universe has more in store for him than that, as he discovers when Admiral Fury comes to him with an offer he could never have expected and cannot possibly refuse: first officer and chief engineer aboard the all-new USS Avenger, a starship of Tony's own design. What's more, the Avenger's captain is Steve Rogers, hero of the Earth-Romulan War. Believed dead for over a century, Steve is miraculously alive... and very, very attractive. But nothing is ever easy for Tony. As he wrestles with his secret desire for his new captain and his not-so-dormant fears, another mission starts to go wrong, and Tony becomes aware that Steve has secrets of his own -- and the truth could change everything. Also available as a podfic read by M_Samro (@msamro)

More below the cut!

A Far Better Thing I Do by @brighteyedjill (Gen, Teen And Up Audiences, 5,333 words)

Summary: A mysterious man with no paper trail was involved in a bloody attack on a meeting of Starfleet admirals. James T. Kirk and the crew of the starship Enterprise have tracked him to the Klingon home wold, Kronos, where they have threatened to unleash the experimental torpedoes Admiral Marcus sent with them unless the man surrenders. That man, Steve Rogers, has other ideas.

Into That Good Night by Nonymos (Stucky, Explicit, 73,540 words)

Summary: Steve Rogers has lived for entirely too long—long enough to see the world's end. The heroes are gone, and the Earth is pushing what's left of mankind towards the exit. But when a makeshift team rises from the ashes, when a mysterious presence all but drags Steve there, he begins to think there may be hope yet. As they shoot for the stars one last time, Steve will get proof yet again that the future is nothing if not an echo of the past.

Wandering Stars by @sabrecmc (Stony, Explicit, 24,470 words)

Summary: Alien Steve/Astronaut Tony (oviposition)

Cold Space, Warm Welcome by Annie D (@no-gorms) (Stony, Teen And Up Audiences, 15,572 words)

Summary: Tony’s spent a couple of years flying around the galaxy in his best friend Rhodey’s spaceship the Iron Advance, doing what could perhaps be counted as ‘hero’ work. Among their allies is Steve Rogers, captain of his own crew, with whom Tony has a… potentially friendly relationship. When Steve’s ship is irreparably damaged, Rhodey takes him and his whole crew onto the Iron Advance to recover. Tony’s not at all nervous about this, because so what if this is the first time Steve will see him without the Iron Man armor?

Space Between by NachoDiablo (Samsteve, Teen And Up Audiences, 9,157 words)

Summary: Sam has a quiet life on a newly inhabited planet. He spends his days tending the garden plots and avoiding his past. But right before an impending storm, a fugitive crash lands in his space and upsets his solitude.

The Truth When Captains Meet by Kimra (Gen, Teen And Up Audiences, 2,303 words)

Summary: Steve Rogers wakes up on an alien’s space ship being carried bridal style by Carol Danvers. As far as first meetings go, it’s memorable.

Brisingr by @ironychan (Gen, Teen And Up Audiences, 155,649 words)

Summary: When Jane Foster discovers an object on a course for the inner solar system, it looks like a job for the Avengers. But when what looked like a comet turns out to be a refugee ship from another galaxy, it's not clear whose job this is anymore. Tony Stark and the Vision find they have an uncomfortable amount in common with the creatures called the Brisings, while Jane learns that the aliens are being followed by something they thought they'd left behind five million years ago. Set post-AOU, pre-CW.

Liberate Tutemet Ex Inferis (Save yourself from hell) by Terrenis, with art by @kaiwrites (James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers/Sam Wilson, Explicit, 55,989 words)

Summary: In the Year 2060, Stark Aeronautics and Space Administration's prestige project, the “Event Horizon”, was on its maiden voyage with the newly developed Arc Reactor Gravity Drive, only to disappear beyond Neptune’s orbit without a trace. Now, seven years later, a transmission from the eighth planet is received, along with a very disturbing audio record. Tony Stark, who not only wants to redeem his reputation, but also needs to know what happened on the ship, goes on a mission with the enhanced Inhuman ragtag crew of the Singularity to salvage his baby. Little do they know that this is literally going to be a trip to hell… Or that totally unnecessary Event Horizon AU that no one asked for. But I’m going to write it anyway.

Catch a Falling Star by tsukinofaerii (Stony, Explicit, 42,741 words)

Summary: When Tony was sixteen, he got to meet his hero, Captain Steve Rogers, the Empire's not-literally-golden boy from the Continuity Wars. When he was twenty-seven, the aforementioned Captain turned Pirate picked him up at the outer edges of space. It would have been a good time to appreciate the abundant nudity that came from spending too much time with space colonists, but Tony had bigger worries than even Rogers' amazing hip-to-shoulder ratio. Something was sending the star-encircling computers that power the galaxy into a tailspin, and it was going to take a lot more than luck and skill to clean the mess up.

Luminosity by CSHfic, VSfic (Stony, Mature, 60,922 words)

Summary: The Avengers organize a two month mission to investigate an anomaly in space that appears to be engulfing planets, Steve is worried about leaving Tony alone, and Hawkeye is just worried about being left behind. But then something goes wrong. Steve drags himself out of the wreckage of their ship, on a planet that shouldn’t exist, the Avengers are missing, Iron Man is torn to scraps, and Tony has a lot of explaining to do. Or, in which Steve has no clue that Tony is Iron Man, and it takes crash-landing on an alien planet for him to find out.

Gravitational Pull by @antigrav-vector (Stony, Explicit, 29,718 words)

Summary: A strange temple floating in space is discovered, and Steve and Tony are the logical choices to go investigate. What they find is going to make or break their relationship...

Inquiries into Orbital Dynamics (The Mission Controllers' Remix) by Muccamukk (Stony, Teen And Up Audiences, 5,591 words)

Summary: When a mysterious object appears in orbit around the Moon, NASA teams up with the Avengers to investigate it. This is NASA's story. Inspired by Gravitational Pull

everybody needs a reason why they run by napricot (Pepper Potts/Tony Stark, James "Bucky" Barnes/Peggy Carter/Steve Rogers, Explicit, 77,888 words)

Summary: Pepper doesn’t often regret the improbable circumstances and choices that brought her, Tony, and Jim to the SGC and then to Atlantis. After all, being an intergalactic explorer is way cooler than being the right hand woman of Stark Industries’ heir Tony Stark. But when strangers show up during her Gate team’s milk run of a trading mission, she’s got a bad feeling she knows better than to ignore. Which is how Pepper’s Gate team ends up picking up a stray in the form of a metal-armed runner with a mysterious past and learning about a dangerous new sect of Wraith worshippers called Hydrans. But the Atlanteans aren’t the only ones interested in the Hydrans: there are stories spreading throughout the Pegasus Galaxy about the Nomad and the Widows, three maybe-heroes who have set their sights on the Hydrans and the Wraith. Meanwhile, Tony’s trying to figure out if there’s something more to Atlantis’s helpful new hospitality-oriented subroutines, and Master Sergeant Sam Wilson is trying to have just one offworld mission where shit doesn’t get weird.

a war could be our only hope by @aceofwands (Stony, Explicit, 62,817 words)

Summary: Steve emerges in the future, where the Federation is fighting a war against the totalitarian Dominion. Traumatised from his experience with the Borg, Tony already has enough trouble coping without Steve's return bringing up unexpected feelings.

[uncharismatic-fauna]

A Tip for the Blacktip Reef Shark

One of many species referred to as blacktip sharks, Carcharhinus melanopterus is a member of the requiem shark genus. It is a popular attraction at aquariums around the world, but in the wild they are found only on the coral reefs of the Indian and Pacific ocean, particularly around the coasts of eastern Africa, southern Asia, and Oceania. They prefer shallow, warm waters, although they can be found at depths of up to 75m (246 ft).

The blacktip reef shark is named for the tip of its dorsal fin, which is black. They are otherwise typical of sharks, with a torpedo-shaped body and wide, broad fins. Adults are brownish grey on top and lighter on the bottom, while juveniles are more yellow. Individuals can grow up to 1.8 m (6 ft) long, and there is no difference in size between males and females. However, the two sexes are easily distinguished by a pair of claspers located just beneath the male's pelvic fins.

Throughout their range, C. melanopterus may be encountered alone or in lose social groups, with little discrimination for sex or age. They generally stay in the same area, patrolling a range of less than 0.55 km2 (0.21 sq mi), the smallest of any shark species. They do most of their hunting at night, although they can be active early in the morning or late in the afternoon. Blacktip reef sharks regularly feed on a variety of prey, including fish, squid, octopi, cuttlefish, mantis shrimp, and smaller sharks and rays. However, smaller individuals may themselves fall prey to groupers, grey reef sharks, or tiger sharks. Due to their poor vision, some blacktip reef sharks may attack humans, but only as a case of mistaken identity; when approached directly, individuals are more likely to swim away than fight.

The mating season can vary widely across C. melanopterus' range. Around Oceania, populations mate only once a year between January and February, or November and March. Off the coast of East Africa females only reproduce every other year, and in the Indian Ocean they reproduce twice a year. When they are receptive, females spin in a slow, downward spiral while releasing pheromones to attract a mate. Once he finds her, the pair swim in sync for a period before he initiates mating. Afterwards, the female may gestate for anywhere from 7-11 months, depending on her region. Following this period, she gives birth to 2-5 live young, who are immedietly independent. Males typically take 4 years to reach maturity, while females take 7 years; both sexes can live up to 12 years in the wild.

Conservation status: The blacktip reef shark is listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN. It's primary threats are fishing, as individuals are killed either as by-catch or intentially for their fins, skin, and teeth. They are also threatened by habitat loss.

If you like what I do, consider buying me a ko-fi!

Photos

Tim Calver

Alastair Freeman

Doug Finney

[freuleinanna]

wake up honey dropping a doctor who theory here. bear with me, i'm not just crying over 14 and donna, i think it actually holds!!

so, bi-generation. okay. 15 popping out in his therapized glory. so basically, i don't think he just pushed all trauma to 14 and moved on. 15 is actually post-14. meaning, he has lived that life at the same time as he continued living his own life.

remember 13 looked into Time and got split into three? yeah, that. she was in three places simultaneously. her consciousness was, at least. what can't 14, what that recent knowledge, subconsciously do the same? he's just experienced that, and he's still running on regeneration jiuce. worth mentioning, the dude (gender neutral) had a piss with Time his whole life. looking into Vortex, diving into Time itself... the doctor is not disintegrating per se, but can, as proven, survive being split. why not let one part of him live longer?

so he does. he finds home in donna and her family. he's doing whatever the hell. squinting over sci fi books, getting whupped for accidentally buying non-vegan milk for rose ("you said the orange cartbox with stripes!!!" "A STRIPE! WITH A STRIPE! CAN'T TIME LORDS COUNT, YOU DUMBO?!").

having the most difficult heart-to-hearts with his best friend, finally telling her about his companions, the master, the flux. crying, grieving, healing.

looking up at a spaceship torpedoing into the ground and saying "that's a future me problem", dealing cards to donna because it's poker night. and donna is a bit surprised, how easily he let that go, and he just smiles, and holds her hand, and kisses her knuckles gently. and it's alright. "there'll be time for that," he says.

and then they both grow old. and 14 ages. and i don't know if donna dies first or not, it's unimportant. maybe the night she dies it happens. 14 grieves, and cries some more, and says goodbyes. he calls his favorite niece, and when all is said and done, he's ready.

only he isn't about to die, because his essence has to reunite. this part of him has been away for a very long time, and it was the happiest time ever, but he has to be restored. just like 13 had to collect shards of herself back into one, so does 14.

the very particles of his being are reuniting, and it feels like spreading, or travelling, and his silly poetic mind is pleased with the sensation... only to feel regeneration coming full tide, and suddenly he's back on the roof, looking at himself.

"no way!" "will somebody tell me what the hell is going on?!"

but the thing is, he didn't get split at that moment like we think. he got back together. bi-generation. two regenerations happened at the same time, looped one into another. 14 regenerated twice.

and now, now he watches himself exhausted and broken, and he can let himself go. he can sincerely say that it's going to be alright, because he knows it is. donna is right there. she'll take him home.

and he can continue on his way.

[lonestarbattleship]

December 30, 2023 Update from the Battleship Texas Foundation

Battleship Texas sporting a Navy Blue 5-N paint on the hull. This is in accordance with the Measure 21 camouflage scheme. The deck (after being replaced) and superstructure will be repainted at a later date. Repairs are ongoing in these areas.

"DRY DOCK TOURS

Dry Dock Tours are scheduled until the end of January 2024. Discount available for those who return. VERY LIMITED AMOUNT OF SPOTS REMAINING. For more information please visit: battleshiptexas.org/drydock

SHIP REPAIRS

Deck repairs are near completion on the ship's flag bridge.

TORPEDO BLISTERS (COMPLETE) - The new torpedo blisters are a slightly different design and square off at the bottom below the waterline. This design change will make the new blisters easier to maintain increasing their longevity.

PAINT - The ship has been coated in a black primer from stern to bow (PPG SIGMA SHIELD 880 GF). Some areas have been top coated as more layers are applied. NAVY BLUE 5-N has been applied to the hull. Touch up has begun on hard to reach areas.

The old and faded blue paint (on the turrets) vs a fresh coat of Navy Blue 5-N.

HULL NUMBER (COMPLETE) - The new hull numbers have been extensively researched so each number is not only the correct font, but applied in the appropriate position it was in 1945. The numbers have been applied to both bow and stern.

New 1945 hull numbers!

SHIP’S NAME APPLIED (COMPLETE) - The lettering for the ship’s name has been cut from steel plate and has been attached to both sides of the stern. A ton of work and research went into getting the correct font and positioning.

COATING (COMPLETE) - The inside of the blisters, and the ship’s hull will be coated to protect against possible corrosion.

TANK CLEANING (COMPLETE) - Tanks inside the ship are being inspected, cleaned, and repaired if need be. Some will be coated with a marine coating to help prevent future corrosion.

AFT FIRE CONTROL - A new steel deck has replaced the steel grating on all added levels of the tower. Mullions for the windows have already started being added. Work will continue to return the tower to its 1945 appearance.

Scaffolding masks the ship's Aft Fire Control Tower as repairs and restoration continue.

Mullions (for the windows that will be added back) are starting to be installed.

SPLASH! - The ship will be put back into the water in late February 2024, but is dependent on the weather.

KEEL BLOCKS - YES, the keel blocks can be moved to coat the docking keels on top of them. The ENTIRE hull will be coated.

Battleship Texas Staff deploy the drone to capture ship progress pictures and video!

Live, Laugh, And Flood your Torpedo Blisters.

To donate to the preservation and operation of Battleship Texas, please visit: battleshiptexas.org

Ship's Store: https://store.battleshiptexas.org/"

Posted on the Battleship Texas Foundation Group Facebook page: link

[haveyouseenthisskeleton]

wait wait wait, just read your post about mosquito bites (thank you for that btw, as someone who is allergic to them,) but i have a question.

which skeletons don't understand that you'll die long before them or that you won't live as long as they will? or is underfell sans just in some sort of denial??

Oh, they all know it. Some are just more in denial than others, especially those who have problems with hyper attachment.

Honey for exemple develops a very strong bond with his partner. What's most likely to happen is him dusting as the same time, because his soul can't take a heartbreak. Coffee is most likely to react the same way! Both of them are really empathetic.

Others are simply in denial, like Red or Nox, because the thought of having to be alone all over again is insufferable for them. Red will get over it eventually, but he's most likely to never have any new partner ever, because it would mean betray his S/O. Same with Edge, Wine, Torpedo... They are very very loyal, in death including.

Some others prefers to not think of it at all and immediately changes the subject if someone talked about it. Most of the Papyrus will deflect this conversation because that's something they don't want to hear about.

On the other hand, some will talk about it as a way to slowly prepare themself. Sans is one of them. Disbelief Papyrus too.

And then some know but still completely break down the second they understand it's going to happen, often those who suffered a lot already, like the Horror skeletons, or even Rus. Because when you los a lot of people already, it actually never makes it easier. Oak will most likely never be the same if it happens, regressing in all the progress he made to shut down completely. Blue can have this reaction too, surprisingly.

[luminouslywriting]

Chapter 1: Prologue of Mastermind

A/N: And we're off! Here's the prologue, so I hope you all enjoy it! I'll be posting chapter 2 next week :)

December 8th, 1941

Everyone would remember where they were when the news hit the radios.  When every single person in the United States came to a halt, stopping whatever work they were doing, whatever conversation they were having, and just sat and listened to President Franklin D. Roosevelt speak about the attack. 

Ruth Sharpe had just finished helping her parents with breakfast when the breaking news had hit the radio station.  “Sit down, Ruthie!” Her mother hissed, tugging on her arm.  But Ruth couldn’t bring herself to sit down.  So she just stood there, clutching at the kitchen sink as she listened to the horrific news. 

“Yesterday, December 7, 1941 a date which will live in infamy, the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.

The United States was at peace with that Nation and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with its Government and its Emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific. Indeed, one hour after Japanese air squadrons had commenced bombing in the American Island of Oahu, the Japanese Ambassador to the United States and his colleague delivered to our Secretary of State a formal reply to a recent American message. And while this reply stated that it seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations, it contained no threat or hint of war or of armed attack.” 

This was war—Ruth knew it in her bones.  Her mother had burst into tears as she sunk into a kitchen chair.  Her father sat solemn, eyes trained blankly on a wall.  It was war all over again, and he had already served and done his time. 

Everyone in the Sharpe home was silent.  Even Mary, Alice, and Sarah—all of whom frequently argued with one another about nylons or lipstick and having to share—they were all completely and deadly silent. 

“It will be recorded that the distance of Hawaii from Japan makes it obvious that the attack was deliberately planned many days or even weeks ago. During the intervening time the Japanese Government has deliberately sought to deceive the United States by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.” 

There would be no peace.  Ruth knew that.  They had watched the news-reports closely.  All of their family in Europe had already disappeared in the wake of the spreading Nazi agenda.  All of their cousins, all of their grandparents, there was no sign of them.  Their letters returned unopened and the horror had already struck the Sharpe family in deeply personal ways.  

But for Japan to attack?  That hadn’t been what Ruth was expecting. 

“The attack yesterday on the Hawaiian Islands has caused severe damage to American naval and military forces. I regret to tell you that very many American lives have been lost. In addition American ships have been reported torpedoed on the high seas between San Francisco and Honolulu.” 

Silence crackled in the home.  And Ruth watched as the next oldest sibling rose to his feet—Jonah was practically tearing towards the door.  “Where are you going?” Their mother spluttered out. 

He just locked a solemn gaze onto the rest of the family.  “There’s going to be a war.  I’m not going to sit here and wait to be drafted.” 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When war broke out in 1941, both Jonah and her younger brother John were old enough to enlist in the war.  John had just turned 18 in September and so it was no surprise when both of the boys took off to go and enlist.  It had damn near broken their mother’s heart, the thought of her boys going out and fighting in the war. 

As for their father?  He had been unnaturally quiet.  Thomas Sharpe had changed after fighting in the First World War.  Of course, he had been married when he went away and they had had Ruth quickly after—but Ruth remembered early childhood days when loud noises would make him retreat into her parents’ room, quiet tears and loud noises spilling from his mouth.  The quiet store-owner rarely raised his voice and tended to keep to himself. 

Ruth hadn’t known anything different her entire life.  But she thought, for just a moment, her father might have been angry about both Jonah and John signing up to fight in a war.  Her father hadn’t gotten mad though.  

He had started praying, silent tears streaming down his face when it was just their mother and Ruth around.  So when everyone gathered in churches and began praying for their sons and brothers, husbands and fathers—those who were going to fight, the entirety of the Sharpe family had shown up for the event. 

And they weren’t the only ones.  There were other families with boys who had decided to go off and fight.  And as some sort of last hurrah—one of the oldest members of the synagogue had invited a large gathering of people with sons going off to fight to his home.  

Truth be told, Ruth found the entire thing just sad .  Boys who would have to go and kill and become something that they didn’t want to be in order to stop a monstrosity.  In order to defend and protect their families and their homes and their beliefs in God.  But it had to be done.  She felt it like some sort of righteous ancestral fury rising up in her bones.  Because it wasn’t just their fight, it was her fight too.  

It was almost too joyful here, in this home.  Not when Ruth knew that most of these boys would likely not come home.  Not when she knew that it was going to be horrific.  War was merciless and some oncoming storm that they were wholly unprepared for. 

She slipped out of the party, coming to a stop on the fire escape and pulling a cigarette from her bag.  It was a poor habit and one that her parents were unaware that she had developed since entering Brooklyn Law.  But a girl had to de-stress somehow and she wasn’t about to start sleeping around to get her relaxation. 

Watching the streets of Brooklyn, Ruth wasn’t quite sure what to make of things.  The world had inherently and chemically changed on a cellular level.  But on the surface, everything looked exactly the same.  Snow was still falling in the December air and people were still chaotically driving in the streets below.  But inside homes across the country, mothers were weeping and families were saying goodbye in so many different ways. 

Something sounded in the window behind her and Ruth glanced, an annoyed expression crossing her features as she caught sight of Rosenthal climbing out.  “Oh—I uh—I didn’t know anyone was out here,” Rosenthal apologized, glancing back at the party. 

He was seriously considering just risking his life by standing here in the presence of Ruth Sharpe.  It was better than the party, even if it somehow ended in his unfortunate murder. 

Ruth removed her cigarette from her lips, staring him down.  “It’s better than in there.  It’s just loud.” 

“Yeah.” Robert rocked on the backs of his heels, gaze washing over his classmate with a frown.  “When did you start smoking?” 

“Freshman year.  You want one?” Ruth questioned, offering a cigarette in his direction.  He just stared suspiciously at the cigarette.  “I didn’t poison it, you nitwit.” 

“Ouch, rude,” Robert snatched the cigarette from her hands, shaking his head at her.  “I guess I also shouldn’t tell your ma’ that you were bein’ rude?” 

“Probably not,” Ruth retorted.  Her gaze trained back on the city and the twinkling lights that were still as bright as they were in the daylight.  “I take it that you’re signing up, too?” 

“Yeah, yeah I am.  I’m hopin’ for the air force.” 

“Hm,” Ruth mused.  “Well that’s a damn shame, Rosenthal.  Who am I going to compete with in cases now?” 

Robby Rosenthal gave a light laugh, shaking his head at her.  “I’m sure you’ll find someone to disagree with. You’re the most argumentative person that I know.” 

“Oh I’m aware.  And if you can handle me, then you’ll be able to handle whatever those Japs or Germans throw at you,” Ruth insisted pointedly.  “Consider it the real part of training.” 

“Blessings in disguise, I guess,” Robby said, leaning against the bricked apartment wall behind him.  “Your brothers sign up too?” 

“Both Jonah and John,” Ruth said in a slightly bitter tone.  “Abe would if he was old enough, but seeing as how he’s turning 14, I don’t think that’ll pass.” 

“He and Daniel have the same idea.  Everyone wants to get in on it,” Robert mused.  His younger brother Daniel also wanted to participate in the war effort, but he was only 16.  He still had a good two years to go before he’d be able to even sign up.  

“Risa will miss you,” Ruth said quietly.  

“She’s a tough kid. She’ll be okay,” Robert murmured.  “So I take it you’re going to prosecute the hell out of people here?” He shifted his gaze back onto the abnormally friendly Ruth— Ruth was never nice, that was just a fact .  It was a miracle they were speaking in level tones at the moment, honestly. 

“Not a chance, Robby,” Ruth said in a pointed tone.  “I’m thinking of going JAG-Corp.” 

“How are you gonna get your ma’ to sign off on that?” 

“I won’t tell her,” Ruth murmured.  “Same way you didn’t tell your folks about losing the highest grades to me this past year.” 

A small smile crossed Robby’s face.  “If you’re gonna prosecute and help in the war, then you give them hell, alright?” 

“Only if you do the same,” Ruth insisted.  “I need someone to compete with when this war is over, you know.” 

“Yeah, yeah,” Robby glanced back inside.  “I better go before someone spots us together outside.  Last thing we want is rumors spiraling.” 

“That was your fault,” Ruth said pointedly.  “Last year, I mean.” 

“Sure it was.” The two of them had been caught in an intense argument about ethics by their mothers, who had a sewing circle—and their mothers had assumed it was a lovers’ quarrel, which couldn’t have been further from the truth, quite honestly. They had both blamed the other person for the supposed rumors and it hadn’t been much fun trying to detangle themselves from such a thing. 

“Who knows? Maybe you’ll find someone who will actually tolerate you, Rosenthal,” Ruth snarked.  

“And maybe you’ll actually figure out how to navigate a relationship.” 

“The day pigs fly,” Ruth gave a mock-salute, rolling her eyes at him.  “Now go on, be a good little boy and stamp out your cigarette.” 

Robby’s jaw ticked as he stared her down.  “You’re gonna get some poor schmuck killed one day, you know that?  And maybe he’d be better off.” 

She placed a hand over her heart.  “Tender, truly.  Well if I were your wife, I’d drink poison.” 

“The feeling’s mutual, sweetheart.” 

And with that, Robby Rosenthal disappeared back inside the window—leaving Ruth sitting out there on the fire escape and wondering how the hell she was going to get herself into the JAG-Corp.

[gay-jewish-bucky]

6... 6 more bodies finally getting to be buried with their family's customs, 6 more families that have to burry their children, 6 more bodies that should have been living breathing people who could hug their families again, to get a chance to feel joy and to smile and live after the hell they endured, but theyre gone and both governments continue with a reckless war that has killed thousands and continue to torpedo any peace deal

how many more hostage have to be brought home dead? how many families in gaza have to be ripped apart and their world destroyed?

ceasefire now

bring them home now

[alpacaparkaseok]

How to Steal Moonlight |2|

Chapter 2. The Brawl

→ Pairing: mafia!BTS x reader (not poly)

→ word count: 3.1k (yes she's itty bitty)

→ warnings/tags: SFW, we're angry and fighting but we're also really thirsty?

→ a/n: hellloooo, it's me. updating with just a little chapter that's been sitting in my drafts for almost a year. pls accept this humble offering. for those of you still reading this, ily.

“Where is she?”  

Tearing across the room, you rip the card from the lilies, taking a handful of the flowers along with you. Jungkook stares at you, a hint of fear in his eyes.  

You’ve cracked. Shattered, and the pieces of you that were still intact are scattering across the ground until the only thing that’s left are the mangled lilies hanging from your hand.  

“Who? What’s…tell me what’s going on!” He calls after you, wincing from the effort it took to yell. “Hey!” 

You’re gone, out the door and striding down the corridor with death in your eyes. Namjoon and Hoseok appear, guns drawn. “What’s wrong?” Namjoon asks. 

Fire licks up your veins just looking at him. All you can see is her, reflected in his eyes.  

“Where’s Victoria?”  

He stiffens, jaw set at the mere mention of her name. “What did she do?” 

“Where is she?”  

Hoseok answers after seeing the stricken look on Namjoon’s face. “Kitchen.” 

It’s all the answer you need, already breaking out into a run. Hoseok hangs back, ducking his head into Jungkook’s room. Namjoon is hot on your heels, looking for all the world as though he’s trying to come up with an explanation but doesn’t dare hope for one.  

“Victoria!” Shout echoing down the staircase, you take the stairs two at a time. The kitchen light is on, the voices inside quieting. All you see is red as you jump down to the landing. Free hand fumbling for something – anything. A knife, a gun, an old newspaper.  

A pack of gum is all you can find in your pockets, but you hold it as if it’s your preferred weapon as you burst into the kitchen. Both Yoongi and Jimin sit at the island, the latter holding a spoon of cereal to his mouth.  

Victoria sits at the table, feet up, face hiding behind a book. Her eyes are icy as they flick up to your form, sliding to the hulking figure of Namjoon behind you.  

Taking advantage of the distraction, you huck the pack of gum with every ounce of power you have.  

It flies through the air, spiraling as it shoots like a torpedo before connecting square with Victoria’s exposed forehead.  

“You little-” she drops the book, massaging the already red welt. “Did you just hit me with a pack of gum?”  

Legs carrying you over to the table, you sidestep a bemused Yoongi and yank Victoria’s chair out. “Recognize this?” The card hits the table along with the lilies, crest facing the ceiling. Victoria has the good sense to flinch away from it as if it were a live snake baring its fangs.  

“What are you on about this time?” Her eyes meet yours, that insufferable smirk eating up her face. You have half a mind to slap it off, raising your hand to do so, but something holds you back. 

No, not something. Someone.  

“Let me go,” you hiss, yanking your hand from Namjoon’s grasp. He stares down at you with a stony expression, jaw twitching. “And you,” stepping closer, you block off any escape route. “You have ten seconds to tell me how this got here before I pick a bone to break.” 

Namjoon shuffles closer, eyes lit from the inside with an unholy flame. “Skipping straight to violence, capa? Since when were you the one to get their hands dirty?” 

“Don’t think I’m about to start paying you for your opinion.” 

Yoongi appears at Namjoon’s shoulder. “Step back, Namjoon.” 

“Are you kidding me right now? She’s gonna kill her!” 

“That’s sweet, Joon,” Victoria croons, sparing him a withering look. “Glad to see you still care when it’s convenient.” 

Yoongi pulls Namjoon back a few steps, the job considerably easier now that he’s been impaled on Victoria’s barbed words. Jimin remains at the island, pouring more cereal into his bowl while he watches the show. 

“Ten seconds,” you remind Victoria. She rolls her eyes, grabbing the crest and holding it up to the light. “Did Yadiel teach you the easiest way to break a clavicle, too?” 

She snarls, throwing the card back onto the table. “He taught me lots of things, kid, though I doubt he dared touch you. His precious little student could never stoop to such lows, could she?”  

Seokjin has wandered in now, taking in the view with an air of boredom. He approaches the island, tapping Jimin’s shoulder. “This seat taken?” 

“All yours.”  

“Your nose might be the better choice,” you muse, cold fury sludging through your bloodstream. “It might be an improvement.” 

Victoria laughs, the sound high and shrill. It grates against your ears. “You really think you’re something, don’t you? I’m absolutely terrified. Look, I’m shaking.” She extends her arm out in a mock show-and-tell, and you seize it, holding her elbow straight.  

Voice dropping into a lover’s murmur, you approach a different tactic. “Shaking like you do when you let yourself fall asleep?” Victoria’s face flickers between resentment and shock as you speak. “I’ve heard you calling out, Victoria. What are you dreaming about?” She shuts down, expression turning impassive in a last-ditch effort to avoid showing her hand. “Do you lie to yourself and say that you would’ve killed him if you had the chance? Is the fact that I’m the one that did it what keeps you up at night?” 

One moment, you’re standing before her, and the next she’s pinning you to the ground. Stars dance in your vision as your skull hits the tile, the world a mess of gnashing teeth and hair. You struggle to get a hand free, distracting her as you suddenly flip your weight, sending her toppling to the floor beneath you. Somehow you clamber to your feet, momentum churning. 

“You ran away!” She accuses, kicking out as you lunge for her. Blinded by rage, you receive the kick square in the stomach. “You shot him, and all this time, you’ve probably thought that he was afraid of you. That he never sought you out for fear that you’d finish what you started.” 

“I did,” you wheeze. Around the kitchen, everyone stands frozen. Seokjin keeps twitching in his seat, jaw set. “I killed him, in the end.” 

“Only because Taehyung let you.”  

Your head snaps up to see the expression on her face. Braid undone; Victoria’s greasy hair frames the exhausted expression on her face. “He didn’t…” but you trail off, unable to finish the sentence. Victoria nods before lashing out once more, going for your legs. This time you expect it, spinning out and tripping her. Instead of dropping to the ground she grunts, pulling you down with her. Your teeth sing with the impact.  

“Yadiel waited for Taehyung’s order to return like a good dog. Why do you think that was? He wanted you back, Bianchi. Talked about it all the time.” She laughs as you elbow her, causing her to lose her grip. “I almost killed him myself a couple times purely because he wouldn’t shut up about his little Bianchi princess!” 

The thought makes your stomach flip, recalling the feeling of his breath curling over your ear – the prolonged touches along your hips as he adjusted your stance.  

You try to roll away, but Victoria is faster. She pulls you back, sitting on your spine as your face digs into the floor. “You wonder why he dressed me up in red? Have you ever thought about that? Red dresses, red nails, red lips. Everything red – I think it helped him forget that I was just a consolation prize. Something Taehyung gifted him to keep him quiet.” 

The humiliation of being pummeled in front of your crew makes your cheeks burn a sharper scarlet, but try as you might to break free, Victoria holds on all the tighter. She isn’t done. 

“You have no idea what he had planned for you, do you? The life he wanted. All the things he was going to…” Victoria stumbles over her own words, her breath catching. 

The truth is staring you in the face, and you think you’re going to be sick on the kitchen floor. Swallowing hard, you close your eyes against the thought.  

“I’m you.” She rises with one last push off your body, sneering. Even with your blurred vision you can see the tear tracks on her cheeks. “I’m the version that couldn’t get away. Better looking, smarter. Not quite as noble as his little Bianchi. But you all the same.” 

Victoria walks back to the table, ignoring you as you flip onto your back. Grabbing the lilies and the card, she stands above you. You stare back up at her, having the distinct feeling that you’re six feet under, staring up from your grave as she throws flowers down.  

“If you think for even one second that I’d do anything for Kim Taehyung, I’ll personally dig your grave next to Yadiel’s. Understood?” 

Nobody speaks as she storms from the kitchen, leaving you still on your back. You can hear every step she takes up the stairs, stomping away back to whatever hole it is she hides in when she wishes to disappear. The kitchen is silent as a mouse as everyone sits in shock, staring down at your prone body.  

“She’s got spirit, Namjoon,” you spit out. “I’ll give you that.” 

Namjoon looks disheveled despite the fact that Victoria never laid a finger on him. He clears his throat, tearing his eyes away from your glare.  

“I’m…” 

“Don’t apologize.” You roll up onto your knees, back screaming in protest. No serious damage, but enough to bruise more than your pride. “Run a perimeter around the building.” 

He doesn’t stick around long enough to say anything more, Yoongi hot on his heels. Jimin’s eyes dance between their retreating figures and you. “Er…So, I’m gonna go see a guy about some hubcaps…” 

As soon as he vanishes, you become ultra-aware of being alone here with Seokjin. He strides over, kneeling in front of you so he’s eye level.  

“Where’d you find this?” He asks, picking the discarded card up from off the floor. The sight of it makes you nauseas.  

“Flowers. On Jungkook’s side table.” 

“Oh.” He lets it flutter back to the ground, fingers finding your hair as he pushes it back gently. “How’d that feel?” 

Your eyes shut, forcing yourself to see nothing but black. “Which part? The part when I realized that our security measures are an absolute joke? Or when I got laid out by Namjoon’s ex?” 

Seokjin cracks a smile that quickly turns into a sympathetic wince. “If it makes you feel any better, you just got more action than Namjoon’s had in years.” 

Croaking out a laugh, you lean heavily on the side of the table and rise to your feet. Seokjin watches your every breath, something hard and calculating hiding behind those dark eyes of his.  

“Spit it out,” you say, although it comes out as more of a whisper than anything.  

“I just…” he shakes his head. “Not sure this is the appropriate moment to say this-” 

“Seokjin.” He meets your eyes at your firm tone. “Out with it.” 

He frowns, staring down at the table. It strikes you at that moment just how tall he is. He certainly towers over you, but it’s the way he’s ever so slightly hunched over, as if shielding you from what lies beyond these four walls. It makes you lean in a little closer, hand reaching out to grasp the sleeve of his sweater.  

Seokjin’s eyes flash as you sway into view, latching onto yours with an electric shock. He visibly swallows before he speaks.  

“If you’re going to fight,” he murmurs, “you need to avoid getting so beat up.” 

You can’t help but scoff. “Are you seriously telling me to win next time?” 

“And if I am?” 

“Well,” you shrug. “It couldn’t be helped. She was better. Angrier.” 

Seokjin shakes his head, eyes dropping to the ground as he steps closer, effectively trapping you against the table. You rest against it, arching a brow.  

This man. You don’t know where you two stand, or where you’re going. Everything since that night you kissed is a blur – a memory that you find playing on repeat at all hours of the day. Whatever this is, it’s impossible not to feel as if you’re being pulled in by his personal magnetic field.  

He grasps your hands only to plant them firmly on the tabletop, making you lean back even farther. Any hope that he didn’t hear your faint gasp is diminished when he grins, cheeks reddening.  

“Next time, it’s ok to play a little dirty,” he whispers. He clamps down on his smile long enough to nose along your throat. You wonder if he can feel your heart pounding as he pauses, lips trailing just below your jaw.  

Your eyes slip shut as you frown. “That’s hardly fair,” you respond, lungs no longer functioning as Seokjin plants an obscenely innocent kiss to your neck. It’s quickly followed by another, this one much slower.  

You can feel his smile against your skin, sending goosebumps racing along your flesh. “You’re seriously concerned about fair? In our line of work?” 

It’s silly, you know that. To be concerned about keeping score while working as a glorified thief. Yet it’s how you’ve always worked. Keeping track of the hits, as though counting cards in a casino.  

A part of you had always thought that you could anticipate when the next blow would come. Now, you can hardly get back up again before Taehyung strikes again. 

Seokjin pauses, straightening up until he meets your eyes. 

“You’re thinking about him again.” 

Not a question – not that it needs to be. He seems to be able to sense it whenever you get sidetracked like this. It’s certainly not the first time that it’s come between you and what you want.  

Which is Seokjin. Your heart seems to beat out his name as you frown. Seok-jin, Seok-jin. Seok-jin. 

It’s a struggle to not lean forward, lose yourself in his touch rather than have to face the issue nipping at your skin. 

“I don’t want to be,” you whisper, eyes closing. “I hate this. Everything he’s left behind.” 

“What will you do?” 

There’s his lips again, whispering into your hair. He’s pulling you against him, letting you rest in his arms. Your mind flicks back to your earlier revelation. Seokjin, coming into your bedroom. Checking on you. Just making sure you’re still there.  

You’re both too broken for this. 

“Tonight? Start looking into staff. Doctors, nurses, janitors. Whoever might be on his side. Someone here must have planted the card.” 

A pause. “And then?” 

“Seokjin, I...” you chew on the inside of your cheek as the truth roils through your veins. Leaning back, you look up into his dark eyes. See the fear that sometimes grips him in the middle of the night, lingering just below the surface. The something else that you never know what to make of.

You let out a long breath. The something else in his eyes wins out. 

“I’ll go with you.” 

Killing a man has consequences. Of the bad sort, typically. Jail time, guilty conscience, a trail of blood and tears left behind. Nasty business. 

Yet standing here, now, you just can’t find it in yourself to care.  

“Jungkook, lay down.”  

He obliges, bed creaking. The glare he directs toward the end of his nose is most likely directed your way, although you can’t be sure. It could be for the chocolate pudding, now out of reach.  

Hoseok, sitting on the edge of his bed, reaches it and passes it back to him. “So...how do you want to go about this?” 

Everyone is here, even Victoria. She sits in the back, near the door. There’s a bruise blooming along her jaw. This you add to the list of things you don’t care about. Besides, you’re fairly certain she gave you a concussion.  

“Do we even have eyes on his location?” Jimin asks. “Did he actually go home?” 

Yoongi clears his throat. “He was last spotted five days ago. Looks like he’s holed up in his family’s estate for the moment.” 

Like the rat he is. 

You clap your hands together, wincing at the loud sound. “Great. Here’s the thing – we can’t all hop on a plane and jet over to Italy-” 

“Sicily,” Jimin and Hoseok speak in unison. 

“Same thing. We can’t all show up looking for him. We’d be caught out in no time. So – here's the deal. Yoongi, you’re here. We have business with the Genovese family, which you’ll be heading up. Don’t look at me like that – we've talked about this. Jimin, Hoseok, you’ll be helping him.” 

Hoseok frowns, but it’s Jimin that complains. “There’s no way you’re leaving me behind. You’ve already broken the terms of our contract-” 

Your ears burn bright red as you recall that Jimin – Jimin, the gods-forsaken heathen – is the one who found out about you and Seokjin. And now he’s blackmailing you with it.  

“- and I’ll do much worse than that if you don’t do as I ask,” you finish for him, offering up a sickly sweet smile. “Namjoon, Seokjin, with me. We’ll be leaving first thing tomorrow for Italy-” 

“Sicily,” Jimin groans forlornly. 

“- so pack your bags. We’ll go over the details on the plane and fill the rest of you in.” 

Jungkook makes a sound of protest from his bed, and struggles to sit up on his elbows. “Take me with you!” 

“No.” 

“Sorry, I meant to say, I’m going with you.”  

You turn your back on him, heading toward the door. “No, you’re not. You’re not in any state to go anywhere right now, Kook. You’ll stay here. When you’re ready, you’ll join Yoongi and assist him here.” 

“But I-” 

His protests are cut off by an icy voice. “I’m going with you.” 

You stop in your tracks. “You don’t want that.” 

Victoria rises from her seat. The fire in her eyes hasn’t gone down yet. If anything, it’s burning brighter than before. As she nudges past Namjoon, she tilts her chin up a bit higher.  

“Take me with you.” 

She stops right in front of you, and you see it, then. What she needs. All the pent up anger and the sheer sense of loss she must feel after losing herself to Yadiel.  

All of it is Taehyung’s fault.  

I’m you, she’d said in the kitchen. As she gazes into your eyes unflinchingly, you can’t help but know she’s right.  

“One condition.” 

Her head tllts to the side, interested. “Name your price.” 

The smile threatening to break through is difficult to contain. Still, you manage it. “Teach me how to fight like you.” 

Victoria grins, and the sight is unnerving. Feral.  

A reflection of yourself.  

“Deal.” 

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[bethanythebogwitch]

Australian Pokemon

Another set of fakemon from my Goorda region based on a mix of Australia and Aotearoa/New Zealand. Previous posts: single stages, non-natives, regional standards, creepy lines, regional variants, birds, early-game standards, misc 2, misc 1, starter variants, starters.

Plat, the Land Flounder Pokemon, poison-type. These fish Pokemon have adapted to life on land. They bury themselves under sand with only their eyes exposed. When something steps on the hidden Plat, it uses the razor-sharp edges of its fins to inject poison into the prey.

Plat evolves to Plumerang, the Sky Flounder Pokemon, flying/poison-type. Unlike the landlocked, ambush predator Plat, Plumerang has learned to fly through the sky by spinning its body in a strange, looping motion. They chase after flying prey, using their razor-sharp fins to poison them. When the poison causes the prey to fall out of the sky, Plumerang will descend on them. Humans in the past trained Plumerang to act as living weapons.

Plat and Plumerang are based on flounders. Plat is also based on the stonefish, an extremely venomous Australian fish that is easy to step on due to its camouflage. Plumerang is based on flying fish and boomerangs. Much like how Plumerang was used as a weapon, boomerangs were originally invented to act as weapons. Their name comes from "Pleuronectiformes" (the flounder family) plus "flat" and "boomerang".

Tormite, the Termite Pokemon, bug-type. Tormite live and work in giant hives made from soil blued together with saliva. They mix together explosive chemicals in their abdomens. They can release these chemicals from their rear ends, spending them rocketing mandibles-first at enemies.

Tormite evolves to Myrpaga, the Army Ant Pokemon, bug-type. Myrpaga are the primary defenders of the hive. They create tubes out of dirt and plant material glued together with saliva. A Tormite sits in this tube, which is used to fire it at threats to the hive as a living missile. Myrpaga's antennae contain lenses that it uses to help aim.

Female Myrpaga evolves to Myrmartill, the Walking Hive Pokemon, bug-type, if said Myrpaga levels up when the trainer has 5 Tormite on their team. Rarely seen in the wild, Myrmartill only appear when the hive has to relocate. It carries the hive on its back and defends itself with twin turrets that fire barrages of Tormite at enemies. Nothing will get in the way of Myrmartill as it looks for a new place for the hive to live.

The Tormite line are based on ants and termites (which I genuinely thought were related to each other. Turns out they aren't) mixed with military technology. Chemical weapons are commonly used by ants and termites in defense of their hives. Tormite is a living rocket-propelled grenade and takes influence from the bombardier beetle. Myrpaga and Myrmartill are based on army ants. True army ants are native to South America, but a species with similar behavior is native to Australia. Myrpaga is a a soldier holding a rocket launcher while Myrmartill is a mix of armored troop transport and artillery cannon. Tormite comes from "termite", "torment", and "torpedo". Myrpaga comes from "myrmex" (Grrek for ant") and "RPG". Myrmartill comes from "myrmex" and "artillery".

Sparquoll, the Sparking Pokemon, fire/electric-type. When Sparquoll runs, sparks are released from its feet that leave a trail of embers in its wake. It will climb trees to shock bird Pokemon out of the air, then finish them with a burst of flames.

Sparquoll evolves to Sparkinina, the Sparking Pokemon, fire/electric type. Sparkinina has a unique organ that functions both as a flame sac and generator of electricity. This allows Sparkinina to produce both intense flames and powerful electric shocks. It chases down prey and immobilizes it with electric shocks, before dealing a fiery bite as a finishing blow.

Sparquoll and Sparkinina are based on quolls and Tasmanian devils, carnivorous marsupials that are related to each other. Spark can refer both to fire and electricity, so a fire/electric type seems like a fairly obvious combination. Their names come from "spark", "quoll", and "purinina" (the Palawa Kani language word for Tasmanian devils). Also, Sparkinia learns Twister as a shout-out to Loony Tunes.

I have some more fakemon in the works, so another post should come out within a few days

[qqueenofhades]

I can't tell if part of the reason people don't recognize Biden's accomplishments is because society is so shallow and easily swayed by loudness over depth, or because Biden is just too quiet and prone to focusing on the idea that his actions speak louder than his words.

Like yeah, the latter thing is important, but we live in a REALLY shallow society; maybe a bit more bragging about your substantial achievements would be helpful here.

I get what you're saying here, but this kind of thing always seems to hinge on "the Democrats need to be doing more/Biden needs to be saying more/the Democrats are not doing it right/etc," and I just don't think that's the actual problem. Yes, in the past the Democrats have relied on the tactic of just doing good things and hoping that people will notice enough to vote for them, but that TORPEDOED them in 2010 (they didn't aggressively defend/market the Affordable Care Act, the Tea Party crazies got to set the narrative about GOVERNMENT OVERREACH, and they got shellacked so badly that they didn't control the House again for the rest of Obama's time in office). Fortunately, they have awoken to the fact that we live in a corporate noise machine owned and operated by cartoonishly villainous billionaire oligarchs who don't care if the country is pushed into fascism as long as they get their tax breaks, and where the average voter is well conditioned by said media to accept the BOTH SIDES BAD narrative without question.

Whether it's true or not is beside the point; if you flood the zone with enough BS, people act as if it is. See all those polls about how people think the Democrats are "too liberal" more than they think the GOP is "too conservative," even though only one of those parties is actively trying to end democracy. See the people who think Trump and Biden are equally ethically compromised. Etc. etc. Biden has already been considerably vocal about his accomplishments, has given several major speeches about the danger to democracy (which he did just the other day), but it is already so filtered and twisted in a radioactively toxic media atmosphere that just talking more or trying to trumpet more isn't going to help.

The DC media is full of a bunch of narcissists who like to make false equivalences and also openly hanker for Trump to be back in office because it makes them more relevant; they get to break juicy exposes and shocking headlines and whatever else, that gets more clicks, they get more exposure, etc. Biden is (as noted) boring, as in he's not on Twitter every day saying something ludicrous (and if he said even ONE ludicrous thing, far less the nonstop stream of BS that Trump constantly spews and which somehow still makes the media yell about how BIDEN should be the one to step aside, he'd be toast), and just does the job. That's not very Sexy and Marketable. When he talks about how he's doing the job and what he plans to do next, the media is too busy commissioning a dozen bullshit Horserace!!! polls and talking about how, in case we haven't noticed, he is 80 and that is somehow, implicitly, a more disqualifying fact than Trump's 91 goddamn serious treason-level felonies, including for literally trying to overthrow the government. Our politics and civic society have been so irreparably poisoned that actual competence is completely beside the point and makes a normal president less appealing than one who's just insane all the time. Everything's just a game show! Everyone's opinions are equal! Live in all the alternate universes you want! Who cares if we accidentally end democracy? Just another headline!

This is likewise not helped by the fact that in this relentlessly commodified social-media universe, Republicans are constantly on message and united behind their candidates, no matter how openly fucking awful they are, while leftists/liberals/Democrats (and people who claim to be) are constantly tearing into and criticizing their candidates in a way that makes Joe and Jane Low Information Voter even more susceptible to believing the "Both Sides" narrative -- after all, if the Democrats are attacking the Democrats, they really must be bad! Yes, we are not in a cult and therefore are able to have an actual discussion about things, but this falls into the "We're Just Holding Them Accountable!!" line that is just an excuse for ripping the Democrats even more than any of those people ever criticize or actively oppose the Republicans.

Hence all these braindead takes about how Biden should step aside, Biden should drop Harris, Biden should do X Y and Z and this is all his fault, instead of anyone remotely trying to come to grips with the extreme polarization and fascism of the other side. I keep yelling about it, and a lot of other people I respect keep yelling about it, because yet again, we've learned fucking nothing from 2016 and we're teetering on a repeat of it. See how all these Online Leftists want to scream and yell about Biden ending the train strike, and then somehow never seem to have heard that he kept working with the unions for months afterward and got their sick days. Even the people who, in a remotely more functional political landscape and/or if they possessed one (1) working brain cell, would vote for the Democrats get their endless jollies and moral holier-than-thous by absolutely incinerating them. Who needs the Republicans, when these guys will do it for you?

Anyway. Because America is a land of morons manipulated by billionaire corporate interests, just doing the right thing and hoping people notice enough to vote for you is not enough. That's why, indeed, the Democrats have learned that you have to talk about it and push back and argue for what you've done. But when it still exists in this environment that will twist and taint and misrepresent and grind it into tiny pieces, because said billionaire corporate interests are genuinely afraid that the Democrats' current policy plans could dismantle their hegemony if allowed to continue, that's only a very small part of the problem, and we have to recognize that.