#and now your crush is like the leader of the rebellion out to overthrow ���your’ operation

[theshadowrealmitself]

Thinking about: two characters getting sent to an alternate dimension right after their selves in that dimension (who are much older than they are) are killed, so everyone thinks that instead of dying, the event somehow regressed them into their younger selves

Due to how terrifying everyone comes across to them in the new universe, they just go along with it, hoping no one knew their other selves well enough to know that these new people are actually new people and not just younger versions of the people they know

Turns out, in this universe, they’re mortal enemies

In the middle of a space war

This is nowhere close to how their original universe was.

[penelopelima]

I find it fascinating that, still today, you can't escape this take that everyone now seems to agree on. "The Hunger Games was about the horrors and the oppression, and Suzanne Collins intended to criticize the media by subverting romantic tropes and highlighting how they focus on easy, star-crossed lovers stories instead of the deeper thematic elements at play. Oh, and the movie is responsible for focusing too much on romance, the books are nothing like that."

Be honest with me. Do you really think that intention was well executed? I mean, sure, some of that was there. But it falls really short. Sure, the Capitol exploited their fake love-affair and they had to play into it to survive. Except that no, that was only on Katniss' part, Peeta was crushing from the beginning, and she ended up reciprocating.

There ended up being a very real romance arc that vertebrated the trilogy. The characters involved are very preoccupied with their interpersonal drama, their hurt feelings, their miscomunication, their sacrifice for each other. Come on, Katniss prioritizes saving him over challenging the system all the time. She only commits to the rebellion as a result of seeing him reject her due to brainwashing, in a sort of "well if you don't love me I guess I'll just die then". In fact, the only character within the triangle that was actually more interested in overthrowing the dictatorship ended up, in true American media fashion, being villainized for it, his characterization becoming very much an unsympathetic caricature of the typical "you become what you once hated" trope. Which was unneeded, by the way, since you already had the full-circle revolution trope and the leader of the revolution who is deep down just as bad as the dictator trope. Like, Suzanne, you could have done with a bit of nuance by not making every main supporter of overthrowing the Capitol a crazed maniac.

The real message of the Hunger Games books was very much "you can disagree with an unfair system, but the moment your motivations go beyond pure survival or protecting loved ones, you may just become an extremist."

You will see this take of The Hunger Games not being about romance so often that it almost manipulates your memories about reading it, tbh. So many people say there was no love triangle. False, there was. I've seen even some people say that Katniss and Gale had only platonic feelings for each other. False, Gale was pretty clearly interested in her from the beginning, and Katniss contemplated the idea of a relationship with him several times throughout the books. Why is everyone saying that the books had no triangle, and that this was a marketing ploy for the movie exclusively? Have you collectively decided to forget the text?

I read them when they came out, while I was a teen, and I still found the romance arc endlessly frustrating and truly anticlimatic. The weakest part of the story. So, I get that Suzanne Collins might have had that intention in mind when writing, but she could have been much more groundbreaking by actually making the romance purely fabricated for the sake of talk shows and sponsors. Instead of dragging that "love triangle and fake relationship but deep down real relationship angst and pining", which really watered down the tone. You can't say there's romance subversion when the romance can be accurately summarized in ao3 tags.

By the way, there is nothing wrong with writing or reading romance. I just cannot for the life of me fathom why so many people are denying its existence in the books, or downplaying its importance in the narrative.

[descendantofthesparrow]

I love your Bad end rewrite concept! I love seeing your art come across my dash. Can I ask what the Bad End is about? I've mostly just seen art and am curious about it!

thank you so much!!!! “bad end” rewrite is an AU to my planned ending to my rewrite- part of your world series (which can be found in my masterlist for my fics). which in the series it follows the canon storyline with minor changes thanks to the “reader” who gets Ben to invite Harry and Gil with the original four, and Harry and “reader” end up falling in love and stuff happens. right now D1 and D2 have been written and posted, with the mini-series to bridge between D2 and D3 being written and D3 still in the planning stage.

this is still in really early concept stage so its gonna be messy

basically, instead of Mal having actual character development to being a decent person as she (hopefully) is having in my fic, she learns fukin nothing and chooses to stay evil and follow the plan her mother had originally given her and takes over auradon by overthrowing Ben and becoming a tyrant. 

(below the keep reading is the basic plot with some minor spoilers, read at ur own risk)

the (concept at the moment) story follows the remaining characters through the aftermath of Mal's takeover, in which the “reader” (it is a hhxr fic so there is a (y/n) factor) has been “killed” early on, making Harry and the others watch. thankfully some of the characters are able to escape, some being Ben, Audrey, Uma, Doug, Carlos, Jay, Dizzy, Harriet, CJ, Hadie, ect. and for a short while, Jane.

Jane and Audrey attempt to get FGs wand in an attempt to stop Mal but Mal stops this plan by bewitching Jane and Audrey manages to get away by the skin of her teeth. this is where this little clip comes in, where Audrey runs through the enchanted forest to escape Mals clutches and runs into the, previously thought dead, “reader” who has already got a base and shit ton of gear ready.

then as Audrey is being trained by “reader” to be able to swing her sword properly, when she’s walking around scoping the area around the base, Audrey finds Uma and some of her pirates, which she knows “reader” trusts them so she brings them to the base where Uma and “reader” reunite.

this is where (this is still not completely decided yet but i have a thing for making everything angsty) Uma tells “reader” that Mal has killed Harry and Gil with the ember, and then holds out her hand to reveal two small crystals, one scarlet red with silver flecks, the other orange-yellow with gold flecks. this does contradict this little clip here with “reader” and Ben talking, with Uma, Gil, and Harry in the background but again Harry and Gil being killed is not final yet.

this gives “reader” even more motivation to take Mal down, and soon Ben and Mals old friends (the rest of the core four+the younger vks) are found and taken to the base in which everybody is now planning to take mal down, either by making her surrender...or killing her.

around a month after Mals takeover, the rebellion attacks, which now has grown beyond just the vks and some auradon kids, almost all the isle and Auradon have joined the rebellion knowing that Mal would destroy auradon and the world if she had the chance and many of those of the isle had never liked mal so its more of an ‘enemy of my enemy” thing.

“reader” is laying low at the moment and this entire time Mal doesn't know she's alive.

after a grueling battle with the rebellion fighting their bewitched friends and some of their parents, Mal has (who she thinks) the leaders on their knees. Ben and uma, she offers them a place at her side if they surrender but Uma cusses her out and Ben stays silent.

as Mal goes to kill them “reader” emerges, frightening Mal to all hell because she had stabbed ‘reader” through the chest with a sword.

“reader” and Mal start to fight in which Mal is easily losing because ‘reader” in this universe is a hella good fighter and also has a fukin sword.

then as Mal is losing she turns into a dragon, and “reader” continues to fight Mal head-on. with Mal being a fucking dragon, she does pin “reader” down with her claw and is about to crush her. thankfully Audrey emerges from the smoke and with the sword of truth, the one her father killed maleficent with, throws it at Mal's heart, Mal falls to the ground dead, and the spells she had cast on auradon and the isle are released.

including the one she had cast to kill Harry and Gil.

yeah that's quite a bit isn't it heh, anon you just asked what it was about and i gave you the whole premise/plot XD 

[schism-au-blog]

Chapter 7

“Pink,” Blue said. It was the day after the metallic gems had formed, and the Diamonds were once again meeting to discuss plans. “You must not allow any of your gems to feel fear. These ‘crystal gems’ still barely pose any sort of threat.”

“One of my spies said that the gems who shatter split off from the Crystal Gems, and are calling themselves the ‘Metallic Gems,’” Pink managed to get in.

“I don’t care what they call themselves. They’re all rebels, and they all deserve to be treated like rebels,”  said Blue. “No one will care that the ‘metallic gems’ or whatever aren’t technically the same as the ‘crystal gems,’ our gems will lump them together, as will we.”

“But what if-” Pink started

“I don’t want to hear it, Pink,” Blue cut her off. “Your colony has been enough of a hassle to deal with without mindless speculation.”

“But-” Pink tried again.

“Enough,” said Yellow. “We finally have the perfect opportunity to crush these rebels without making them seem ‘sympathetic’ and you have objections? Really?”

“No, Yellow,” Pink said.

“Good. Starting with this next battle, we will start fitting any rebels we destabilize into weapons,” Yellow said.

“But won’t there be a risk of them turning on our own soldiers?” Pink questioned.

“We’ll take a shard out of them so they won’t be fully sentient,” Yellow said. “They’ll learn better than to stand against us.”

“Won’t that-”

“Be seen as cruel, yes. But as long as the rebels keep shattering gems, it will be perceived as righteous, as it will be.”

Come on Rose, think! She thought of her friends getting poofed and used as weapons against their teammates, their friends. She thought of them silently crying out in pain, longing for freedom. It was her fault. She was the one who took away any chance at happiness for thousands of gems. No, she was thinking about herself again. What could she reasonably suggest, as Pink Diamond, that would help the rebellion? 

She could suggest sitting back and watching what happened? No, they wouldn’t listen. She could suggest compromising with- No, they wouldn’t listen. She could try- No. They wouldn’t listen. They wouldn’t ever listen. No matter what she did, no matter what she tried, she was helpless.

“I understand,” she said. Not like this not like this not like this. Could she really do nothing to fight this? Rose, pull yourself together, you run an entire rebellion, surely you can think of something more to say than “Yes, Yellow,” “Of course, Blue,”  and “I understand.” But they won’t hear it. And this time, they won’t listen to Rose, either. She felt like burying her face in her hands, but she couldn’t.

“Maybe we could just, let the rebels have-”

Yellow laughed. “Pink, don’t be ridiculous! What would White say if she heard of your nonsense ideas! If we let the rebels have anything here, we run the risk of them thinking they can earn similar victories on Homeworld.”

“Well maybe they should!” Pink felt like screaming, but she couldn’t. She knew better. They’d just call her immature. She might break something-someone again. She looked up at Yellow. “Of course, Yellow, what a silly idea.”

“Don’t worry, Pink,” said Blue, “You’ll learn with time. I made quite a few sub-optimal decisions over the course of my first few colonies.”

“Yes,” said Yellow, “It’s such a shame your first had to go so horribly wrong.”

“I do hope that this colony at least ends up producing more gems than end up getting destroyed,” Blue said. “It would be quite an annoyance if this whole war does us no good.”

“Would we keep fighting at that point?” Pink asked desperately.

“Of course!” Yellow exclaimed. “We can not give in to these lesser gems’ demands. We must show that we are better than them.”

“Right,” said Pink. She felt like a fool. Was there really nothing she could do? She had to talk to Garnet about this. But how? How could she possibly know about this super-secret that only the diamonds had access to. But wait, would only the diamonds have access to it? Maybe she could help spread it to other gems. “I think we should inform our quartzes of this change immediately. That way they’ll know to collect any gems they destabilize.”

“Yes, for once, a good idea, Pink,” said Blue. “We should also ask them to stop trying to shatter, the more complete a gem is, the easier it will be to harness.”

Well, less shattering was good, Pink supposed. She nodded. What else could she do? What request would possibly be granted? She tried not to shudder as she thought of the diamonds’ plan. If there was an entire chip out of gems, she couldn’t heal them. Wait- if the metallic gems were going to be shattering now, there was cause for her to advocate for figuring out how to heal. “Maybe we could figure out how to hea-”

“Nonsense Pink, not this again!” Yellow put her hand over her eyes. “We can’t heal shattered gems, and we’re not going to try to reform rebels.”

“But-”

“No.” 

“Yellow, wait, Pink could actually have a point this time. If the rebels shatter anyone important, it could be worth exploring if we could fix shattered gems. It would give us quite the edge if we could figure it out,” said Blue.

“That’s what I was trying to say!” Pink exclaimed.

“Manners, Pink,” Blue said. “You cannot continue throwing these senseless tantrums!”

“I’m sorry,” said Pink. “That was a wrongful outburst.”

Yellow nodded. “You may be right, Blue, looking at healing gems we thought were beyond repair could prove quite useful, now.”

Pink wanted to scream that this was her good idea, before the pit in her stomach rose. What if this was a good idea for the diamonds? What if it caused them to win the war? It was all her fault. Everything was her fault. This war was her fault. White was mad at her, she knew. Why did she care? Rose didn’t care about the diamonds, Pink thought. When she was Rose, what Yellow, Blue, or even White thought of her didn’t matter anymore.

“Pink,” Blue asked, “do you think you could direct some of your gems to attempt to get Rose Quartz’s tears? Yellow and I are doing so much for you, this is the least you could do for your own colony.”

“Rose’s- tears?” Pink asked. Did they want her tears to look at her healing powers? What if they analyzed them and figured out they were similar to her aura? Or that they was something only a diamond could make? Was it worth the risk to heal? Yes. Pink thought of all of the gems that had been shattered for her, all of the gems that would be shattered for her. If there was even the slightest chance of being able to fix all of the damage her war caused and still win? It would all be worth it.

“Ugh, nevermind, I’ll do it,” said Yellow.

“No!” Pink said quickly. “I can do it, it seemed like an odd request, but I understand now.” The fewer of Yellow and Blues’ gems poking around her camp the better. She could collect some of her own tears easily enough. Plus, if tests that Yellow and Blue did tied them back to her, she could always claim that something happened when she collected them and she probably ended up contaminating the supply. Blue and Yellow thought so little of her that it would be completely believable. 

“Pink, watch your tone,” Blue warned. “But I’m glad you seem confident you can handle this without our help.”

Yellow nodded. “I understand this must be stressful, your first colony going so dreadfully wrong, but you simply have to move past it.”

Pink nodded. “Thank you, Yellow.”

“Remember, if you ever need any advice, we both have run colonies before. As long as they’re not stupid, you can turn to us if you have questions or need advice.”

Pink scoffed internally. What wasn’t a stupid question to Yellow. Everything she tried to do was just an antic, anything she tried to say was a joke. “Thank you, Yellow. I appreciate the offer.”

 “Maybe after this is all over you can assist us on one of our colonies, so you can learn how a colony is supposed to run,” Blue said. “It is a shame how quickly this one is going awry.”

“Thank you very much, Blue,” Pink said. “Learning from you would be an honor.” Pink sincerely hoped she’d never see another colony. Earth was her last. She hated having to drain resources from a fragile ecosystem. She hated having to harm humans, and animals, and even plants, just to produce more gems. The carbon based lifeforms of the colonies were no less valuable than gems. She had been an ignorant fool to ever want this. The responsibility, yes. The other diamonds seeing her as an equal, yes. But ever since- well, she had sworn off destruction for good.

“Now is not the time for idle chatter,” said Yellow. “We have business to attend to. I believe that will be all for now. Let us know when you have the tears.”

“Good luck, Pink,” Blue said.

Blue and Yellow took their ships and their Pearls and left, leaving just Pink and Pearl, alone. 

Pink sighed. “Well that could’ve gone better.”

“But it could’ve gone worse!” Pearl exclaimed. “You managed to convince the diamonds to try to heal shattered gems! And you managed to get Blue to suggest to stop trying to shatter gems in the first place.”

“-So she could harvest them,” Pink finished. “So she could take a little cut of their very being so that our friends will be willing to turn against us.” Her face crunched in disgust. “Pearl, what if this was a mistake?”

“If what was a mistake, my diamond?”

“Everything. The war, letting other gems join, bubbling Bismuth, telling the other gems about bubbling Bismuth, trusting Garnet with as much as I have, keeping up this charade of fighting on both- well, now, two out of three sides. Was there a way I could’ve kept total control “Pink Diamond’s colony,” letting the Crystal Gems grow without gaining the other diamonds’ attention?”

“Maybe,” said Pearl. “But it’s impossible to know in advance. Most likely if you had tried to keep the Crystal Gems low-profile enough that we wouldn’t catch the diamonds’ attention, they would’ve gotten angry that they weren’t doing enough to stop the diamonds, possibly resulting in them overthrowing you as leader.”

Pink threw her head back in frustration. “Running a colony the way Yellow and Blue wanted me to was so dull and I couldn’t do it in good conscience. But this is so much more stressful! Everything I do seems to have so many ramifications now. No matter what I do, it never seems to be right.”

“My diamond, I think you’d be saying that no matter what path you chose. Garnet says that there’s no ‘right path,’ and she can see them, can’t she? You’re doing so much more than anyone expects of you. You are the most incredible gem I have the honor of knowing, and you are doing everything you can while you can’t get any help in a near impossible situation.”

“I suppose. I guess if it was easy, all four of us would’ve been overthrown long before now. I just wish I didn’t have to help them along the way. It would be so much easier if I could just fight against them fully, not do this back-and-forth nonsense.”

“Why can’t you, my diamond?” Pearl said with sudden realization. “Pink Diamond joining the crystal gems would perhaps be enough to convince them-”

“No,” Pink said. “They’d just be angry. Plus it would mean showing the crystal gems the truth. You should’ve heard the- the hatred Bismuth had for me. The hatred of me I’ve stirred in all of them.” She buried her face in her hands. “Is even that my fault?”

“I care about you,” said Pearl. “And I’ve seen more of you than anyone else. It isn’t hard to love the entirety of you.”

“Even if that were true, they wouldn’t see all of me. They’d see ‘Pink Diamond,’ as the persona I’ve created, not as who I really am. Besides, if I can’t win a war fighting on both sides, how am I supposed to win as the leader of only one?”

“Rose,” Pearl said, “You are a brilliant strategist and a wonderful leader. You know how to inspire gems- and humans, in a way I didn’t think possible. That wouldn’t change no matter what.”

“But is that enough?” asked Pink, “Is that enough for them to see past everything I’ve done?”

“It’s enough for me,” said Pearl.

Pink smiled and looked at Pearl. “Thank you, Pearl.”

Pearl smiled back. It was funny how different Pink’s smile was from Rose’s. Rose’s smile was so pretty and uncomplicated. Pink’s felt more complicated, less genuine. But, Pearl supposed, everything about Pink felt less genuine. It was all an act Pink had to put on for the other diamonds.

“Well,” said Pink. “We mustn’t stall too long. We need to tell the Crystal Gems what we’ve learned.”

“Yes, my diamond,” said Pearl.

Pink strode to the warp pad. Pearl trailed behind. Pink looked down at Pearl and smiled, then she activated the warp pad.

Taglist: @suartz

[vierschanzentournee]

1 and 3 for the bookish questions? 🥰👀

hayley i have literally no idea when you sent me this sorry but THANK YOU SM!!

1. What is your favourite book and/or book series of all time? 

Okay I have two (2) favourites series and I could literally talk abt them all day so like. Sorry in advance.

They’re both by the same author, Sebastien de Castell (who’s releasing the first book in a new series... soon? July, I think!), who I clearly owe my entire life to!

The first is the Greatcoats series, which was his first, and has four books - essentially, the Greatcoats were once travelling magistrates who enforced the King’s Law in the nation of Tristia, until a bunch of assholes (the Dukes) rise up against the King, overthrow and execute him, and leave the Greatcoats a) unemployed and b) hated and reviled throughout the country. They’re narrated by Falcio val Mond, First Cantor of the Greatcoats, and also the world’s stupidest man, who somehow manages to be both incredibly endearing and supremely irritating, and for whom I would absolutely give my life if he wasn’t so keen to die all the time. Before his execution, the King (whom Falcio absolutely adored) gave each of the Greatcoats a special order (there were 144 of them, so I’m not sure how he had time, but whatever) - Falcio’s is to find one of the King’s charoites. Unfortunately, he has no idea what the fuck that is, he’s broke, his best friends Kest and Brasti aren’t even sure why they stick with him anymore (actually, that’s unfair to Kest, Kest is extremely loyal to Falcio above all else for the whole series), and THAT is where the first book, Traitor’s Blade, begins! (SPOILERS from here onwards!) Falcio finds his charoite about halfway through the first book in the form of a 13-year-old girl called Aline - the same name as Falcio’s wife, who was brutally raped and murdered by a local Duke when they were 20. At the end of the book Falcio realises Aline is in fact the King’s daughter (although, to be fair, Brasti realised it first) and the rest of the series is essentially Falcio trying to protect Aline (major spoiler: this does not work and she dies halfway through the last book and I cried SO HARD) and fighting back against various groups that threaten Tristia and the Laws he worked so hard to uphold back in the day. Along the way, he gets a girlfriend (who becomes Saint of Mercy in the third book and was, somehow, once possessed by the memory of his dead wife Aline), reunites with various former Greatcoats who hate his ass to varying degrees (but like, lovingly, for the most part), has extremely cute emotional bonding moments with Kest and Brasti (like the time Falcio was poisoned and was paralysed for longer and longer every time he woke up and Brasti decided to put a coffin over him one morning for funsies! I love him very much), and collects, by my count, at least 4 children (or at least people he cares for in a Very Paternal Manner).

The second series is called Spellslinger, and it has six books because life is good and SdC writes fast (side eyes @ Scott Lynch). The premise is this: Kellen comes from a people called the Jan’Tep, whose entire society essentially is built around the magic they wield. When Jan’Tep children turn 16, they must take their trials to become mages - if they fail, they are sent away from their family to become a part of the Sha’Tep, who are pretty much the Jan’Tep’s slaves. Kellen’s problem is this: he’s, like, two days away from turning 16, and he has pretty much no magic. All Jan’Tep have six “bands”, representing the different elements of magic: iron, silk, sand, breath, blood, and ember - there’s a seventh element too, shadow, but Jan’Tep children are not banded in shadow, as it’s considered evil. Sparking a band basically means you’re able to wield the element of that band - to pass your mage’s trials, you need to have sparked two. At the start of the first book, Kellen still hasn’t sparked any. His father is a powerful clan leader, his mother is a talented mage, and his younger sister Shalla is a prodigy with unheard-of talent, and yet Kellen, despite everything his parents have tried, has little to no magic, and seems destined for a life among the Sha’Tep. The book opens with Kellen’s first trial, his duel, which he’s just about managing to bluff his way through until Shalla (fucking Shalla) realises he’s cheating, and, in some wild attempt to make him find some power or something, literally stops his heart. He’s saved by a mysterious red-haired woman called Ferius Parfax, who speaks with the equivalent of a Southern drawl and is just kind of wildly competent at pretty much everything. I’m now at risk of literally just rewriting the entire first book here so: Kellen spends more time with Ferius, although it’s discouraged, continues to fail his mage’s trials, uncovers a Sha’Tep rebellion conspiracy fuelled by a rival Jan’Tep clan leader, and, crucially is counterbanded by his parents - that is, his parents fill his bands with molten metal and magic sigils which mean he’ll never be able to spark them. This is a horribly painful process, emotionally and physically, to which Kellen never agreed, and he’s literally strapped down to a table for days - he discovers that his grandmother banded him in shadow, a strictly forbidden practice, and that he has the shadowblack, considered a terrible affliction which probably hints at some terrible inner darkness, although throughout the first book the main effect for Kellen is just some dark markings around his left eye. With the help of a violent squirrel cat, with whom Kellen can somehow communicate and whom he freed from a Jan’Tep cage several days ago, he manages to escape before his parents counterband his breath band, and he sparks it - it turns out that he was actually as powerful as Shalla, but the things his parents made him take to “cure” his weakness were in fact suppressing his power. Long story short, the counterbanding and the shadowblack kind of... end his hopes of a normal life in Jan’Tep society, and so he runs away with Reichis (the squirrel cat) and Ferius (who, as it turns out, is Argosi - a traveller who kind of... not quite predicts things, but notes the likely course of events in the world around her) to become an outlaw - specifically, a spellslinger, an outlaw mage who has a little magic, a few tricks, and their hopefully sharp wits to live by.

Tragically, Kellen’s wits are not very sharp, and he spends the next five books being kind of terrible at being an outlaw, crying after every single fight he’s in (verbatim, “I always cry after a fight”), developing a very sweet mentor-student/parent-child relationship with Ferius, reuniting with his childhood crush Nephenia (who had to leave the Jan’Tep for... reasons), becoming best friends with the squirrel cat, getting separated from Ferius for two books, and tearfully reuniting with her in the final book, after which she prompty nearly dies.

So. Uh. I’m super sorry, I was UNAWARE of exactly how much happened in Spellslinger (like, the first book, which is also titled Spellslinger) in particular, and I just really love talking about them! I’m an absolute sucker for found family dynamics and characters learning to appreciate both themselves and the people around them, and both series are absolutely full of that!

3. What is the oldest book you have ever read? (Based on its written date) 

I’m currently reading the Odyssey for my school’s epic reading group (as in, a group for reading epic literature, not just... it’s really cool), so I suppose it’s that!

[bookaddict24-7]

FIRST CHAPTER CHALLENGE!

Happy Sunday everyone!

One of the big things I’m noticing as my ARC collection gets smaller and smaller is how much harder it is to let go of these books. Before the challenge truly got going, I went through the shelves and unhauled the ARCs that I immediately knew I wasn’t even going to attempt to read. Now, I’m in the deep with books I have held on to with the wild hopes of reading them one day. 

This complication makes it harder for me because of my attachment to these books, but it also makes it a little more interesting because it forces me to question why I kept them in the first place/why I never picked them up before if I was so adamant that I would read them one day. 

“Why,” I ask myself looking at those shelves, “why do I want to read them one day and not today?” Why did I not set goals for myself to read these books sooner rather than letting them collect dust and accumulate to an overwhelming level? This is something I’m still trying to figure out while on this long journey.

Well, let’s look at the books for this week!

A gentle reminder: Just because I’ve unhauled the books in this post and in future posts, it doesn’t mean that they’re books not worth reading. They’re just not right for me. This is more of an incentive for me to free up space and give these books better homes than my basement.

Also, there might be some spoilers. If you’re interested in reading these books, tread with care.

Read my original post and how I’m going about this challenge here.

Have any of you practiced this challenge this past week?

A Semi-Definitive List of Worst Nightmares by Krystal Sutherland

Decision: Unhauled

I received this book about two summers or so ago. I started reading it then because it was a book I had requested and though I made a bit of progress into the story, I was never truly hooked. It sat on my then TBR shelf in my room for months, if not over a year, until I moved all of my ARCs downstairs. I was contemplating re-reading the first chapter, but then I asked myself why when I had already tried and failed to read it the first time around. Sometimes it’s okay to just let go of that book that haunts you.

Synopsis: 

“Ever since Esther Solar’s grandfather met Death, her entire family has been doomed to suffer one great fear in their lifetime—a fear that will eventually lead each and every one of them to their graves. Take Esther’s father, for instance: He’s an agoraphobe who hasn’t left the basement in six years. Then there’s her twin brother, Eugene, whose fear of the dark goes far beyond the things that go bump in the night. And her mother, Rosemary, is absolutely terrified of bad luck.

As for Esther, she’s managed to escape the curse…so far. She doesn’t yet have a great fear because she avoids pretty much everything. Elevators, small spaces, crowds—anything that might trigger a phobia is off-limits and is meticulously recorded in her semi-definitive list of worst nightmares. 

Esther thinks she has it all figured out, until she’s reunited with an old elementary school classmate—and first crush—Jonah Smallwood. The encounter leaves her stranded at a bus stop and swindled out of her phone, all her cash, a Fruit Roll-Up she’d been saving, and her list—not to mention her dignity. But the theft is also the beginning of an unexpected friendship between the two, one that sends the pair on a journey of self-discovery as they try to break the curse that’s consumed Esther’s family. Together they face their greatest fears, one debilitating phobia at a time, only to discover the one fear they hadn’t counted on: love.”

Mark of the Thief by Jennifer A. Nielsen

Decision: Currently Reading

My first thought when I pulled this out of my TBR jar was “Oh no,” because I knew I kept this one for a reason. Much like my intro to this post, I admit that this is one of those books I should have read a while ago. This is a “one of these days” books. The moment I started reading the first chapter, I knew I wanted to read this. One chapter turned into two, and before I knew it, I was on chapter five. 

Synopsis: 

“When Nic, a slave in the mines outside of Rome, is forced to enter a sealed cavern containing the lost treasures of Julius Caesar, he finds much more than gold and gemstones: He discovers an ancient bulla, an amulet that belonged to the great Caesar and is filled with a magic once reserved for the Gods -- magic some Romans would kill for.

Now, with the deadly power of the bulla pulsing through his veins, Nic is determined to become free. But instead, he finds himself at the center of a ruthless conspiracy to overthrow the emperor and spark the Praetor War, a battle to destroy Rome from within. Traitors and spies lurk at every turn, each more desperate than the next to use Nic's newfound powers for their own dark purposes.

In a quest to stop the rebellion, save Rome, and secure his own freedom, Nic must harness the magic within himself and defeat the empire's most powerful and savage leaders.”

Tiffany Sly Lives Here Now by Dana L. Davis

Decision: Currently Reading

I received this book last summer and I was a big fan of the cover and the story because I love the whole idea of starting over in a new city/town with a long-lost relative. My two main excuses for not picking this up since the summer are that I’ve been in my weird reading funk, AND I will admit that this book got lost in the shelves behind other books--a massive downfall to having a large book collection and limited space. Anyway, because this is a topic I’m interested in, I did enjoy the first chapter and have decided to keep going. 

Synopsis: 

“For sixteen-year-old Tiffany Sly, life hasn’t been safe or normal for a while. Losing her mom to cancer has her a little bit traumatized and now she has to leave her hometown of Chicago to live with the biological dad she’s never known.

Anthony Stone is a rich man with four other daughters—and rules for every second of the day. Tiffany tries to make the best of things, but she doesn’t fit into her new luxurious, but super-strict, home—or get along with her standoffish sister London. The only thing that makes her new life even remotely bearable is the strange boy across the street. Marcus McKinney has had his own experiences with death, and the unexpected friendship that blossoms between them is the only thing that makes her feel grounded.

But Tiffany has a secret. Another man claims he’s Tiffany’s real dad—and she only has seven days before he shows up to demand a paternity test and the truth comes out. With her life about to fall apart all over again, Tiffany finds herself discovering unexpected truths about her father, her mother and herself, and realizing that maybe family is in the bonds you make—and that life means sometimes taking risks.”

Have you read any of these three books? What were your experiences with them?

I’ll be back next week with another three picks!

Happy reading!

[dwestfieldblog]

THOSE WHO DO NOT WANT TO HEAR MUST FEEL

This temporary apocalypse could be seen as a globally overdue Long Night of the Soul, an initiation of sorts which might result in a deeper understanding of what actually matters for human evolution (despite the very best efforts of the scum who are trying to reverse any spiritual progress because it weakens their hold.) There are several ways in which the negative side could truly take over, starting with the horror nightmare prospect of DT (aka ‘Just Another Scumbag’ as Bannon once called him) re ‘elected’. The realistic pessimist in me is sure that if he wins, this planet in this dimension is finished. His winning will be a final signal to the world to give us up. In my lifetime, we have never been so close to the mass breakout of totalitarianism and utter lack of empathy than we are now. Actual fascist populists, not some wet Liberal bleating but the real thing, ready to go live. Covid has bankrupted hundreds of thousands of businesses, millions have lost their jobs, migration from the truly poor and dangerous countries continues...into the becoming poor and dangerous countries. Those who live there and are already ruined by the disasters in every home will be easy prey for the populists. Speaking of whom...

Steve Bannon has spent a great deal of time and other people’s money in setting up a network to overthrow the (arf arf arf) ‘deep state’ and replace it with... a new deeper state...still run by the rich, who will use the populists, who in turn will use the mass of the angry and frightened...etc etc...And power, as most people recognise it, will stay in the hands of the unhuman swine with the most gold and the least soul. WER NICHT HOREN WILL, MUSS FUHLEN...

‘...the human nervous system properly programmed, can edit and orchestrate all experience into any gestalt it wishes. We encounter the same dismal and depressing experiences over and over again because they are repeating tape loops in the central programmer of our brains. We can encounter ecstasy over and over by learning the neurosciences that orchestrate all in coming signals into ecstatic tape loops.’ R.A.Wilson. Prometheus Rising, Hilaritas Press.

It takes a lot of effort and Will to do this but what else is worth it other than to attempt to break out of the vicious cycle and evolve? Even I have managed this when I focus on choosing it. Giving up ingrained behavioural habits often hurts; this is, however, a choice. It doesn’t have to unless you are a masochist.

Flew to England for three weeks in August, full flight sold out, all of us wore masks (apart from one 6 foot 6 mad eyed American who kept pacing up and down the cabin.) Right up to the point where we were all given a bottle of water, some crisps and two biscuits...All masks off at the same time, all passengers attempting not to breathe while we drank and ate. Love seeing how many in both countries wear masks under their nose or even only on their chin. As Bill Hicks would say ‘Any questions why we’re f.....d up as a race?’ As Jonathan Pie does say; ‘Put a f...... mask on.’ I have been coughing since February, and drinking heavily, so not especially optimistic about getting C19.

I avoided almost all of the news while in UK, watched five minutes in total on the TV and only read headlines in the paper. It was enough. Since I have been back in Prague I have continued to avoid the news other than that which I am told by friends and students but I can tell from daily receiving over one hundred emails that things are truly breaking. Hexagram 23 and total Weltschmerz is upon us. Mental health is twisting up globally. One by one, all my friends are suffering serious damage, one way or another. Hearts are breaking apart and many damnable souls, who should be burning, are not. People are afraid to breathe or to embrace, looking to the very worst set of leaders in my lifetime for answers and being manipulated en masse to mass crises.  

(Jaz Coleman....On the Day the Earth went Mad...watch the video, listen. Feel. Weep. Rage. Change.) QUI NOLERUNT AUDIRE DEBERE SENTIRE.

Love the interviews I saw with those who voted for Trump and realised they made a mistake...after FOUR YEARS. What clued them in? Which particular excremental atrocity of his foulness gave them the alert? Will the Electoral College let him ‘win’? Before I left, I saw the Trump interview where he said ‘It is what it is’, with regard to the massive number of deaths in the USA. ‘We are below the world’. Blood pressure rising, I even checked his Twitter account where he published two letters, one from the eternally unlovely NRA and the other from the American Police Federation, assuring him he was the best president to ever serve their interest and they would back him to the hilt. His plan to stir the US up into open civil war continues and Putin sits back and smiles. As does Jared it seems, the smug sadist advisor in the same style as (England’s off Broadway Trump) Boris’s Dominic Cummings.  Herd Immunity? Well yes it might work at some point after a few years and millions dead. You evil alien bastards. The  main individuals in the British Government will make millions from a no deal Brexit, perfect timing. The country will die.

The newest PC bullshit has got even the wonderful JK Rowling into trouble just for speaking her mind politely about transgender issues. I love PC... it is how dumb useless Liberals can act out their secret fascist impulses and feel hard of c..k and wet of p...y...feel good to be so righteous... same with overly ill humoured religious folk,  but the PC tribe cannot use God to justify anything so they are a bit weaker...You morons... ‘People who menstruate’, People with a cervix’? PEOPLE? Really? Women is a bad word is it? Too specific? (Well it has the word men in it, so seems almost inclusive.) You bastards are annihilating language; raping semantics...get another hobby you ridiculous cretins. (Be sure the populists well understand how to manipulate such fools.)

Extinction Rebellion is being used (among a multitude of other groups in other countries, hello Black Lives Matter) by the Kremlin to stir up shite, they are mostly well meaning on the road to Hell. Stop being so dumb and stop helping those who are against you at home and abroad. Dogmatic faith leads to mistrust, violence and hatred, says the lone derranger...And as for the absurd Q Anon, it is those who seek a Deeper State who are using you to do it. Well done.

Jacob Blake, shot seven (count them) times in the back by police even though charged with no crime and paralysed was handcuffed to hospital bed. That goofy twat of a 17 yr boy who wanted to be a policeman, shooting at blacks because he believed he had carte blanc (arf) from Trump to defend his country against ‘terrorists’...he will probably escape much punishment because... he was bullied at school...WHO WASNT?? The only people who weren’t were bullied at home. Guns ‘open carry’ in various states as the NRA rejoice in what they encourage. ‘Your first amendment means I can say your second amendment sucks d...s’. JimJeffries. Damn straight. By the time even I was 17, I had grown out of wanting to kill half the world. Wannabe cops are a little slower. 

Everything is the new normal. Too late for a mid life crisis unless I die at 108 but I never forget that statistically there is more chance of being killed by death than anything else. ‘Heres to my love! O true apothecary! Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die.’ Walking... see three funeral services shops in the road leading to/away from the hospital, clever businessmen...walking...masks off, between two conveniently placed flower shops and smoking outside the fuming crematorium in black suits and highly polished shoes. Waiting. That’s us.

I MISS YOU MARLENE. I MISS YOU MARLENE. I MISS YOU MARLENE. Nice headline seen on US newspaper...‘Can any good from cyberstalking your online crush?’I wondered that after falling in fascination with a woman in Germany who wrote like a poet and wove a spell of stories to charm and beguile. I would have walked from London to Hamburg to see if she was real. Everyone expresses love and the need for it in different ways. Reprogramming a deeply imprinted circuit is usually uncomfortable and so it proved for both of us. We shall see...if there is time. ‘One of us is crazy and the other one’s insane’

I can remember one of the days I Changed (seven years old?) We had a history lesson and were told about English kings and their ‘Divine Right’ to rule. Because God told them. And they told the people. And the people believed them. I remember the light in the classroom, where I was sitting, the smell of the tables, old unused ink wells, pencil shavings... and just thinking whatever a child’s version of F..K OFF...THATS BULLSHIT ISNT IT? would have been. That was the first moment I started questioning the class system, gullibility and bastards. A couple of years later, the absolute freedom of being, sent to collect the class register, walking down the empty corridors and not in the classroom...a beautiful feeling of being OUTSIDE. Free. Two of many experiences which have never left me. (The Angel Choir, the Rituals, the EYE across the Multiverse dream, the Reconnection...) Even if Freedom turns out to be as much of an illusion as everything else, it is still as beautifully sensual to me as music.

One summer night in 1990 after my 3rd breakdown, I had a dream. I think. Bear (or even bare) with me on this, I know how this sounds but it is only reporting what I saw in my mind. Two Aliens, thin and shadow like, came though my open bedroom door in the night (I could see the silhouettes) and one took a long shiny silver needle like a hypodermic for a horse and stood behind me and pushed the needle in through the top and centre of my skull, penetrating my brain. I FELT it slowly being pushed in, it hurt but I was paralysed. There was no voice but I heard (try not to laugh) ‘So now you have Superintelligence’. They moved out, the door closed, I slept. As usual with me, I remember every single dream I have ever remembered as if they were films I have watched over and over...and after a dream, the atmosphere stays with me for 23 whores. Later that day, I picked a big hardback book to find some info on something (A Cyclopaedia) with pages as thin as a bible. I sat almost motionless and without food for eight hours, DEVOURING every subject in it. Economics, geometry, geopolitical events, medicine, beliefs, systems.....the next day I finished ninety percent of it and went on to read books by five philosophers from second hand shops, started watching insects, stopped swearing, worked out, and read and read and read. All the knowledge I hadn’t cared about in school and college I picked up that one summer. It led to making new friends, new possibilities, new work, new love and led me to fly to Prague in this sequence while continuing to practice many ‘New age’ techniques by a writer called Stuart Wilde. They all worked and I continued...with regular fallings and breakthroughs.

‘Religion was invented when the first scoundrel met the first fool’. Faith is believing what you know not be true’. The seeker finds a belief and stops thinking for themselves...‘Every ideology is a mental murder, a reduction of dynamic living processes to static classifications, and every classification is a Damnation, just as every inclusion is an exclusion.’RAW

I had a four hour conversation with a Christian bloke, thirty, intelligent, believes in Satan as an actual being with horns. Etc. He couldn’t quite see any flaw in saying that any prophet who saw angels, white light and heard the voice of God, healed, etc but was not actually Christ, was only being tempted and used by the devil. He told me to watch the beautiful side of evil...

‘Every act of authority is, in fact, an invasion of the psychic and physical territory of another’. Human progress ‘is the concrete manifestation of some person’s refusal to bow to Authority.’  

‘WE GOT ELECTED ON DRAIN THE SWAMP, LOCK HER UP, BUILD THE WALL. THIS WAS PURE ANGER. ANGER AND FEAR IS WHAT GETS PEOPLE TO THE POLLS. THE DEMOCRATS DON'T MATTER, THE REAL OPPOSITION IS THE MEDIA, and the way to deal with them is to flood the zone with shit.’ Said Bannon, who also said. ‘Darkness is good. Dick Cheney. Darth Vader. Satan. Thats power.’ Has he met Putin yet? Is he also on speed dial along with Boris and Trump? People! Create better leaders. NOW.

Happy birthday Aleister Crowley on the 12th October and Happy Halloween to all readers, stay healthy and sane (arf) Remember you are magick...buy the re-release of Musick to Play in the Dark by COIL and become moonlight... And those in America, if you actually do truly believe in a good God...go and vote and remove that evil ego and his cohorts in the White House with absolute overwhelming victory or we are done in this lifetime. Be healthy.

LOVE!!!

[ladyreneeboulanger92]

I Will Try-Chp 3

Kylo/Ben X Rey

No Warnings

Also on Ao3: http://archiveofourown.org/works/13116915/chapters/30066087

Summary:

Rey and Ben go to breakfast to be debriefed and try to begin to explain how Supreme Leader Kylo Ren is suddenly on their side as Ben Solo.

Notes:

Hope everyone enjoys this one, it's a bit longer and will be followed by chapters explaining what happened between TLJ and this. Love all the great feedback but don't mind even more! XD

As Rey and Ben moved through the halls of the rebel base heading to breakfast, their footsteps echoed and conversations died at their approach. There were plenty of people of who gave a wide variety of looks ranging from pure loathing to solid confusion and more who simply avoided eye contact.

Ben kept his eyes ahead, his back straight despite the shooting pain in his side with the impact of each step. Now wasn't the time to show weakness so he followed a step behind Rey content to follow her lead here. Rey didn't let on that she noticed the other rebel's reactions outwardly. Shoulders back, face neutral, she gave commentary as if it were a tour explaining where the training areas were and pointing out storage buildings and the like.

-----------------

Whenever Rey glanced back, Ben's features were carefully schooled into a calm, nonthreatening expression. He was working hard to hide how drained he was and doing a fine job at it but the tension rolling through the bond told her a different story. It spiked a bit as Finn approached falling into step beside Rey. His demeanor was a bit wary but he attempted a friendly tone as he asked, "Everyone doing alright this morning?" Rey replied as casually as possible, "Absolutely, just on our way to have breakfast with General Organa. No doubt an excuse to debrief."

Finn nodded in understanding and paused as they neared the entrance of General Organa's quarters. "Good luck.", he let out giving Rey's shoulder a quick squeeze. Much to Rey's surprise and Ben's too judging by his reaction, Finn glanced at him and nodded politely before heading off to his own duties. Ben just stared after him for a moment before looking back ahead and took a breath as Rey moved forward.

-----------------

The guards stepped aside to allow them entry but all looked a bit uncomfortable in doing so. Not that Ben blamed them for the wariness. In fact, he found it quite reassuring that his mother was being looked after by such loyal soldiers. Resisting the natural instinct to press into their minds and ascertain that loyalty, he lowered his gaze slipping in behind Rey as they entered.

The General's rooms weren't particularly extravagant in their decor but they were large enough to accommodate a large table surrounded by chairs and an array of screens and equipment that Ben was sure usually hosted other officials when councils were necessary. Doors branched off from the main area that must of led to personal quarters.

His eyes drifted around the room, not that he needed to look to assess his surrounds, a quick pulse of his power would've done the job but again he remembered that good behavior was his best bet. Continuing forward they approached where Leia stood from her seat at the head of the table. It was set with a meal at the moment, a dual purpose he supposed. The bond shifted with anxiety again and he shifted closer to Rey who took a steadying breath and joined Leia delivering a warm smile.

------------------

Rey swallowed her nervousness at being in the same room as the woman who'd found Rey and her son in bed together only a half an hour ago. Awkward was an understatement but Leia seemed perfectly at ease if not a bit amused so she relaxed a bit and took a seat to the General's right. Ben settled to Rey's right leaving her between his mother and himself, like a buffer. She supposed it would take time for that to work itself out.

General Organa took a sip of her drink and peered over it at the two of them, "Well rested this morning?" They both replied in unison, "Yes." This seemed to further amuse Leia as she settled the cup back next to her plate and leaned back. Her appraising stare made Rey want to hide under the table but that wasn't really an option so she just took up her own cup to distract herself for a moment.

------------------

Leia looked Ben over noticing the pallor of his skin and dark circles under his eyes. No doubt wounds as extensive as his would've left another unconscious for days yet here he sat in her chambers, a fact that she still couldn't quite believe. Those dark eyes were clear though, in a way she couldn't ever recall seeing before.

His movements were tense but controlled as he lifted food to his lips and chewed slowly. Rey was the most out of sorts, clearly embarrassed by their earlier encounter. Not wanting to cause the girl anymore discomfort at the moment, Leia let that particular question wait for later and instead broached a different subject, "Obviously I have to ask what happened?" A pause stretched as she waited for a reply allowing Rey to try and figure out where to start.

-------------------

A pause wasn't really enough for Rey to gather her thoughts, everything had happened so fast that she wasn't entirely sure herself how they'd ended up here. Here goes... she thought just trying to pick a place to begin. Ben's power brushed over her knuckles in a reassuring caress that made her relax enough to find her voice but then he spoke gently, "Rey came for me during the attack. We were able to disable the guards. I was injured... probably wouldn't have made it out if she hadn't practically dragged me."

The warm timber of his voice was still colored with disbelief at the idea that she'd even bothered. Rey interjected, "I wouldn't have been able to drag you if you hadn't decided to be completely insane and jump in front of that blaster." The image flitted through her mind, Ben shifting in her peripheral and falling to his knees as he took the shot that had been aimed at her. The memory was laced with cold fear and a shock of anger that he'd let himself get hurt.

---------------------

Ben saw her remember through the bond when he'd moved to defend her flank. He shifted the memory to show her what he'd seen, Rey raising her weapon to deflect a guard and another raising a blaster to aim at her unguarded back. Terror tore through him making the decision easy, a step and a lance of pain protected her as he dropped to his knees and let out a blast of crimson rage that slammed the guard into the wall violently knocking him unconscious.

---------------------

Leia watched them for a moment, some inner dialogue clear on their faces as they looked to one another. Ben and Rey looked back at her. Rey's cheeks were flushed pink as Leia leaned in, "I don't understand. You were lost...", her voice wavered slightly but she continued, "Kylo Ren was all that was left and now you're suddenly on our side?" Of course she wanted her son back but to believe he'd just switched sides like that would be naïve.

--------------------

The words stung and Ben felt the weight of all his failures threatening to crush him but he understood that as the General of the rebellion, his mother had to set aside her feelings and be sure that he wasn't a risk to their cause or to the people who were a part of it. This time Rey reached out with her power and brushed phantom fingers along his forearm soothing the darkness that swirled within.

--------------------

Ben's pain squeezed at her own chest and Rey tried to reach out to him the way he had her. At the force touch, the crushing feeling receded from them both. Her heart warmed that she was able to sooth his aching with such a simple gesture that reassured him she was there. Sitting up straighter Rey cleared her throat and began, "Perhaps I should go back and explain how I even knew where the Order was holding him."

Leia's expression shifted, "He was being held? Our intel was that you'd become the Supreme Leader of the First Order." Ben's jaw tightened at the title, "I was, but when your own General is plotting to overthrow you... things get complicated." General Organa instructed, "Do continue, this sounds like it's going to be an interesting story."

[divorcedfiddleford]

playstationstartupsound replied to your post “[[MOR] star vs has gotten so bad so fast im actually heartbroken”

wait what happened? i didn't watch the new episodes

ah this might get a little rant-y so i will put it under the break

the entire premise of being a “rebel” princess has been completely bastardized. it is no longer about bringing change and overthrowing the system it now advertises following the rules disguised by a trite phony claim of “being different” and punk-ish clothes

the previously thinly veiled racism and white savior themes have become majorly problematic

glossaryck, who was already a racist caricature, was resurrected and is now infantile to the point of being treated like a pet dog

the “knight of the wash” (the laundry man), who everyone looks down upon, is brown

marco. ohhhhh my god. ok so aside from the trans stuff which i’ll get to in a second she’s probably the biggest problem here. she moves to mewni because apparently she’s become obsessed with mewni (despite the fact that she’s been there before) and becomes a squire (a servant) for the laundry man and then becomes a squire for star. there’s a whole episode about marco wanting to be the best squire she can be. the mexican literally becomes a servant to the aryan princess.

the killing of toffee, which was supposedly the first step in star’s revolution, turned out to be her only step. the monsters vs the mewmans being a metaphor for colonialism (as shown in the episode mewnipendance day) was already iffy because they kept pushing the monsters as being the bad guys, but now that toffee was revealed to be the leader of the monster rebellion to reclaim their homeland*, and neither star nor the mewman government has expressed any interest in restoring the monsters’ rights, it’s become alarmingly clear that they are pro-colonialism

also just. everything about star being the ultimate savior. she’s literally blonde with blue eyes. personally i thought they were pushing marco to end up being the actual hero but it seems theyre going in the opposite direction with marco becoming subservient to star

princess marco, who the crew was actively coding as a trans girl, was absolutely ruined in the most recent episode, “princess turdina”. 

in the s1 st olga’s episode, she expresses a desire to “keep the dress” and in the episode “heinous” she asks if she can stay in the dress and in the book she says that wearing a dress was “liberating” but now she says that wearing a dress was restricting and uncomfortable

it plays out that she was "lying” about being a girl and she was only doing it for the attention she got

like i cannot stress enough how much it played up marco being a boy. it was so much and at the end they were like “oohohhh boy princess!!” and it was like this big reveal i hated it so much

star says that marco’s rebellious persona is fake because she’s actually super organized; not only once again pushing that everything she did was fake but also that being organized cannot exist alongside or even help a revolution (despite the opposite being true)

the writing is really weird

the new episodes seem to lack real endings and just drag out for some reason

marco becomes really obsessed with mewni despite having visited multiple times to the point where it’s all she talks about, which is really unlike her. and she decides to move to mewni, because that’s going to help somehow. and everyone in her family and all her friends are just okay with it and none of it makes any sense

they’re really pushing the romance drama which imo is bad but what’s really stupid is that they made marco and jackie break up because she was obsessed with mewni. and i already mentioned how the mewni obsession was weird and out of nowhere. but if they were just gonna break up then why have them get together in the first place??

also also they implied that marco returned to mewni in the hopes that she could date star, which is weird,

also also also star and tom are back together again. which is. super weird. because why. they literally were playing up star’s crush on marco so much and she just drops it like it’s nothing Okay

as a result of marco leaving earth all the characters and development we got on earth are basically gone now. goodbye janna and jackie i guess???

the animation quality has dropped SUBSTANTIALLY like WOW did it get bad

and all this happened in basically a week. i’m just really upset

* i’m not saying that excuses toffee’s actions, what he did was bad, but at the same time one could make the argument that he was only really bad because the writers wanted to paint the natives as bad

rip

[crowkingwrites]

War Creatures (Ch.11)

Pairing: Loki X Reader

Summary:  In a crossover of the Nine Realms and Westeros, you find yourself in the dawn of a rebellion. Odin, Lord of Pyke, has made alliances with your family, House Grover of Highgarden. Your father’s army will join Odin’s army to overthrow the King and take the Iron Throne. There is just one cost to this alliance.You must marry the dark, young prince Loki.In a world where Kings do as they wish, where war is an oncoming storm, and peace is nothing but a dream, you are lost but brave. Loki is more powerful than he seems, and love will grow from the flames of war.

Words: 2392

Read on Ao3: http://archiveofourown.org/works/11108748/chapters/27748017

(EDIT: I confused Hornvale for Hornhill. Ugh, sometimes I’m such a dunce. jeez, that’s embarrassing.)

We were miles away from Highgarden, and I could already see the difference. The grass was still green, but there was no flowers or vines growing. The road was not made of the same rich dirt, but a dry, cracked brown. I watched the horses pull their wagons. A long line of us moved towards our destination: The Eyrie.

I never ventured from home before. I don’t know what the Eyrie is like. I only know that dwarves ruled over the castle and they had a Moon Door for their enemies. I don’t think I could survive any of this new world without Loki. He rode his horse beside me.

“Lia, have you met Nine?” Loki gestured to his black stallion.

“I have not. Hello Nine,” I greeted him. “Why do you call him Nine?”

“Because he has nine lives of course,” Loki rubbed Nine’s neck.

“I thought nine lives were reserved for cats only.”

“No, this horse has nine lives as well,” Loki winked which made me think there was something otherworldly about his horse. We heard some yelling ahead of us. Loki clicked his tongue twice and Nine sped up to the scene. Two soldiers and their superior were arguing with each other. Loki’s back stayed straight as he talked down to his soldiers. One of them sneered at him, and Loki responded by ordering the superior to whip the sneering soldier which he did, no questions, no hesitation.

This was a different Loki. His green eyes narrowed at the fallen soldier who writhed in pain. Loki ordered the soldier up. The soldier took his time and Loki grabbed him by his armor. He brought him close to him. I watched the soldier’s eyes go from arrogant to scared in seconds. He was threatening him.

Loki threw him down again, this time leaving him there as he rode back to me. I shouldn’t be surprised. Loki was a cruel leader. I knew of his dark reputation before I met him, but it was different seeing it in front of me. He became so cold to his own peers, his own men. Nine trotted alongside my horse, Lily, once again.

“Are you alright?” Loki asked me. His head tilted, waiting for my answer.

“I don’t know what to say,” I responded. “I don’t wish to offend you.”

“Tell me anyway,” Loki asked of me.

“Why are you so cruel to your own men? Why did you knock him down like that?” I asked. Loki gave me a perplexed face.

“Because that’s how it is,” he simply answered. We kept riding and I kept contemplating that answer. We rode through small villages. I saw the poor begging. Their hands were reaching up to me pleading for any kind of food or money. Loki quickly took me away from them.

I wanted to say something. How could he do that? Why would he do that? They were only asking for food. For money. Something to get them by. I looked behind me to see a haggard-looking woman clutch onto her child.

We rode through this winding road that took us near a tall tavern. It was hidden among a small wood. Women dressed scantily waved at Loki’s men. Some of them even responded with vulgar words and gestures I have never seen or done before. Ser Petra would have never said any of those words in front of me.

Loki did not bother to look at any of the women. He only looked forward. He meant what he said. He was going to stay faithful to me and only me. It warmed my heart to know that his vows meant something.

“I meant to tell you earlier,” Loki started to talk. “But, we are going to make a stop before we get to the Eyrie.”

“Where are we stopping?”

“Hornvale,” Loki said. “It’s an odd sort of place. House Brax are your bannermen. Your father and I have been talking to them, and they are on own side. They’re quite quiet about it though.”

“It’s in their nature,” I responded. “The Brax family are loyal to us, but they have a duty to the crown. Rebelling against the crown must be conflicting for them.”

“Have you met them?”

“I met Lord Brax and his son, Flement,” I looked over at Loki. He had put his hand over his mouth. “What?”

“That’s his son’s name? Flement?”

“Yes,” I answered, narrowing my eyes at him. Loki snicked.

“That’s unfortunate. That’s—oh that’s too bad,” Loki smiled, but then cleared his throat. “What else can you tell me about them?”

“Not much,” I started. “Lord Brax is a respectful and proud man. Very proud of his house and their accomplishments. He’s a military man, and he will put in his two cents whether you asked for it or not. Flement used to be handsome.”

“Used to be?”

“Years ago, I had a crush on him,” I shrugged my shoulders. “I had this idea in my head of who my husband should be, and he fit my idea of a husband decently.”

“And what about me?” Loki asked. I looked around at the small wood. Our caravan exited the small wood out into an opening. The wind was cool, but the day was still warm.

“You are not who I expected to marry. Not who I had in mind at all,” it sounded mean. It sounded so rude. I looked over at him, and he was nodding in agreement.

“You weren’t who I was expecting either,” Loki replied. My mind went back to her. The woman he described in his journal.

“Who was she?” Loki shot a confused look my way.

“You want to know about her?” It was a long ride to Hornvale. It would take all day, and the more we spoke, the better I felt. I heard more whipping sounds and I watched as a superior knight whipped one of his underlings.

“I’m not sure,” I said, narrowing my eyes at the disgusting event. “I-I’m sorry.”

I galloped up to the superior knight. He had a grin on his face and polished armor. “Excuse me, what is your name?”

“Ser Kenan of the Iron Islands, my lady,” he responded. He winked and grinned wider.

“Ser Kenan, what was your reason for punishing this young man?” I gripped my reins tighter. I could feel my anger rising at his arrogance.

“He was falling behind. He’s weak,” The mental attitude of men from the Iron Islands almost shocked me. Loki warned me. I remember his journal. I had to do something.

“He’s been walking all day with little water. What do you expect from him? Supernatural strength?”

“Are you defending him?” he started to laugh at me.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you. Do you forget who I am?”

“Oh, I know who you are,” he chuckled. “You are Lady Cecelia, Prince Loki’s wife. You mean nothing.” His words struck me.

“Excus—

“Ser Kenan,” the Dark Prince said behind me. “Get back in line. You, with me.”

“What?” I scowled at Loki. He wasn’t about to let this man get away with laughing at me.

“You heard me,” Loki’s eyes narrowed down at me. As if he was talking down to me like I was inferior. His shoulders were broad, his posture was tall; his presence was bigger and it scared me. I finally understood why they called him the Dark Prince. He rode off and I followed. I didn’t want to, but I was afraid what he would do if I didn’t.

I watched him pass his knights, soldiers, squires, and others. They either cringed in front of him or looked the other way. His horse and mine got back in line with the caravan. No one else looked our way or paid any mind to us.

“Loki,” I called out to him.

“I know,” he sighed, his shoulder slumped. “I apologize. I had to.”

“But why?” I looked at him, hoping he would notice my frustration. “You saw the way he spoke to me.”

“Remember what I told you earlier? How things are?”

“How things are? You can’t be serious. That’s unacceptable.”

“That doesn’t matter,” Loki began. “You and I come from different worlds. Highgarden is a dream where everyone is learning from someone else and everyone is treated with the respect they deserve. Out here, men murder other men for stealing a chicken.

“You’ve read my journal. You know that my men demand an iron strength and a harsh tongue. They would walk all over me if I let things slide. You saw the looks on their faces. I once cut the arm off a superior knight for calling me a bastard. Do you know where that knight is? Not here.” I gasped. I didn’t want to think he was capable of such an awful thing. Loki continued.

“Your father kept you and your sisters very sheltered from the real world. All your life, you lived in a harmonious land where people gave you what you wanted, people loved you, and you faced no hardship what so ever.” The words hurt, but he was right. Loki guided his horse closer to mine. He leaned over to me.

“Highgarden is a dream. The rest of the world is the truth,” he said to me. “I promised myself to you. As long as you stay by my side, I’ll show you the world’s not as bad as it looks right now.”

It was still upsetting no matter how he spun it. My father did keep me sheltered from the rest of the world. My days were planned. The people I met, what my servants told me, everything. Somehow Loki still thought I could handle this, is that why he gave me the choice to come with him? Did he know it was going to be like this?

Talking to Loki and seeing put up the façade of the Dark Prince concerned me. Who did I really marry? Were other princes like this as well? Was his brother rude and intimidating as him? One of Loki’s superior knights rode up to him and started giving a report.

“We made good time, my lord,” he said. “I suggest we make camp two miles ahead in the wood. Tomorrow’s ride will put us ahead schedule if we wake earlier and rest well. Shall I inform the rest of the caravan?”

“You may,” Loki glanced at me. I wondered what he thought. He said that he heard things about Highgarden. What did he hear of me? He didn’t want me, but he had always been so kind to me.

The caravan stopped and made camp just inside a forest. The thick trees would hide us away from anyone who looked. Underlings and squires set up tents and built fires. Elise sat with me in my own tent. It wasn’t too extravagant.

The fabric of the tent was thick and blocked any cold from coming in. My bed was large and soft, mainly because of the blankets and small pillows that decorated my bed. I also had a small table with two chairs to take my tea. Loki had his own tent.

I sat at my vanity while Elise played with my hair. I always found it calming. She never used a brush unless she had to. Her fingers ran through my h/c hair again and again. She had a secret rhythm to it. Pulling and smoothing every hair out.

“You rode with him today,” she said softly. “Did something go wrong?”

“No,” I replied. “Not really. It’s just, all of this.” I gestured in the air.

“I had a feeling,” Elise pulled softly at a knot. “I never really liked giving you your father’s version of the kingdom’s news. You’re smarter than that. I thought you should’ve known what the nine kingdoms were really like before now.”

“The people are so awful.”

“I know.”

“And the land is so—

“Empty?”

“Yes! Empty. And the way Loki spoke with his soldiers earlier. The way he spoke to me. He was so dark and stern,” I commented.

“Did he hurt your feelings?” Elise asked. She held a tighter grip on my hair. She was still protective of me.

“No, no,” I looked down at my fingers. They were a bit calloused form riding all day. “He did upset me, but he was telling me the truth. I am sheltered. I was sheltered. The nine kingdoms are full of all the same things: hatred, deception, and injustice.”

“That’s a little dark, don’t you think?” I turned to see Loki waiting by my tent’s entrance. “Would you mind excusing us for a moment?” Elise nodded her head and excused herself.

“You told me that’s how the world is,” I told him, looking at up him from where I sat.

“Yes, I did, but I don’t think you completely understand what I’m saying,” Loki waved his hand and a chair appeared. He sat on it and faced me. He took my hand in his. “I don’t want you to have such a sad outlook on this world especially when we are both fighting to make it a better one.”

“How could I not? The way your soldier spoke to me.He completely dismissed who I was.”

“That doesn’t matter. What matters is us. How we make these kingdoms better for everyone including ourselves. Just because this is how it is now does not mean this is how it’s going to be forever. We can change that. You can change that, or have you forgotten who you are?” His thumbs traced my knuckles.

“I am Lady Cecelia of House Gardener, wife of Prince Loki of House Odin.”

“Yes, you are,” he smiled at me. He came closer to my right ear and whispered. “Let me share a secret with you. You have power, my dear. You have so much power.” Loki stood back up and the seat disappeared.

“I suggest you sleep soon,” Loki started to leave the tent. “You should not be sad about this world. Find the beauty in it.” I watched a glow of gold and green flash and then a vase appeared on my small table. The vase was filled with blue roses in full bloom. I touched their petals. They were cold, and they were not native to these lands.