#and this ties into my feelings about the death penalty

[susiephone]

the phrases "they're 'human rights' not 'person i like rights' or 'good people rights'" and "i don't want to live in a society run by my worst impulses" have collectively done more to summarize my political ideology than 30 books' worth of arguing ever will

[burningcheese-merchant]

Can we get more of all of the yandere beasts? Idk. I'm kinda feral for your headcanons

Y E S

Assorted trivia/factoids because they've been rattling around in my head for ages now

Most to least physically violent: Burning Spice (duh), Silent Salt, Shadow Milk, Mystic Flour, Eternal Sugar

Most to least horny (I mean they all are, but... idk some of them REALLY need to go to Horny Jail): Burning Spice + Shadow Milk (tied for 1st), Eternal Sugar (she doesn't necessarily act on it usually, but the thoughts are certainly there), Silent Salt + Mystic Flour (tied for last; both are actually quite sexually repressed. Salt feels guilty for ever thinking of White Lily in such a "dirty" way, so he tries very hard not to ("exaggerated disgust for sin/impurity and shame for feeling/expressing such as is often seen in religious fundamentalism" is the vibe I'm going for). For Flour, it's just another manifestation of the extreme denial of her obsession that she grapples with. It's arguably worse because there is no worldly attachment more egregious and corrosive than lust. Just another way Dark Cacao has ruined her chances at enlightenment...)

How often do they actually try to go after their Ancients?

Shadow Milk: All the time lol. A few times a month, at least. Cooldown periods between harassment attempts only because he likes to make a big, elaborate show each time he appears to Pure Vanilla, which can take time depending on what Shadow has in mind

Eternal Sugar: Not too often, really. The laziness is strong with this one lol. When she reaches out to Hollyberry, she does so in dreams or just through stalking her via the Soul Jam most of the time. Something particularly upsetting has to catch Sugar's eye to get her to actually go after Holly in person (usually involving jealousy)

Mystic Flour: No. The answer is no. She maintains as much distance from Dark Cacao as possible. Back to the Ivory Pagoda she went after he left Beast-Yeast post-battle, and in the Ivory Pagoda she shall stay. Alone. Away from him. No matter how empty everything feels without him, including herself. No matter how badly her soul aches without him there. No matter how her blood boils at the thought of someone else taking up his time and attention. Because she doesn't want to do that anyway...

Burning Spice: All the time. About the same rate as Shadow Milk, more or less: a few times a month, with cooldown periods in between (but only to heal bc Golden Cheese beats the hell out of him every time he shows up). There are times where he gets extra hungry/desperate and hunts her down more frequently; once, he stalked and attacked her at least once a week for almost two months straight. It took her dropping another building on him to send him away again.

Silent Salt: He doesn't have to "go after" White Lily, he's already there lol. He's the most "successful" of the five in this regard; he gets to be near her pretty much 24/7. She is effectively trapped in Beast-Yeast because she feels an obligation towards him (mostly towards keeping people safe from him, but also that weird sense of pity and misguided commiseration), which he takes advantage of without hesitation. He sees her pretty much every day... whether she notices him there or not. (She does, most of the time. He's actually pretty difficult to ignore, even if he's hiding from view. She just SENSES him there. It's very off-putting)

Is there any possibility for redemption of some sort? Could professional help benefit them at all?

Shadow Milk: No. Death penalty.

Eternal Sugar: No... but a boring as hell talk therapy session might at least put her to a sleep deep enough that she can't be bothered to harass Hollyberry. Maybe. (Her laziness is her downfall, really. It's all anyone can count on sometimes.)

Mystic Flour: No, but she wouldn't say no to help. She does not want to feel this way about Dark Cacao. At this point, she'd rather forget he exists at all. He can keep the Soul Jam; if that's the price she has to pay to be free from this sickness, then fine. Just give her the cure. Please. For the love of God

Burning Spice: NO. DEATH PENALTY.

Silent Salt: ...No? Probably not. It's weird. His gentleness with White Lily herself, plus his genuine efforts to try to please her, almost make it seem as though he can be reasoned with, at least to some degree. But it's what makes him so scary, in a different way from the others - and it's what helps lock White Lily in the sad, strange little cycle they're in. He keeps lulling her into a false sense of security and enticing her to believe he won't act out this time... until he inevitably does, because, ironically, he can't keep his controlling nature under control for long. He'll only "behave" as long as he believes it'll curry White Lily's favor. And as long as there's nothing and no one there to challenge him or their "bond"...

And height comparisons, just because. (These are canon for me in general, across the board. Not just in this creepy ass AU lol)

Pure Vanilla: 5'9"/179cm VS Shadow Milk: 5'9"/179cm

Hollyberry: 5'6"/170cm VS Eternal Sugar: 5'5"/167cm

Dark Cacao: 6'1"/185cm VS Mystic Flour: 5'9"/179cm

Golden Cheese: 5'7"/173cm VS Burning Spice: 6'5"/198cm

White Lily: 5'8"/176cm VS Silent Salt: 6'1"/185cm

[cringefailvox]

https://www.tumblr.com/cringefailvox/764976225598029824/my-ultimate-fantasy-for-hazbin-s2-is-a-reveal-of?source=share

I give zero fucks about Alastor, but Valentino *IS* irredimable, rape *IS* the worst thing a person can commit. More than rape, Valentino ENSLAVES sex workers, dehumanizes them and abuse every single part of their existence. He is irredimable. He is a monster. Rapists are monsters and they don't deserve any kind of sympathy. The fandom hating Val more than Alastor is not a big deal as some people think it is, it's literally being a normal human being. (Alastor is also terrible, a serial killer and what he does to Husk is horrible, but even if he gets some sort of redemption it would be much better than giving a rapist redemption)

i hear you, but i respectfully disagree on a few points. apologies for how philosophical / unrelated to hazbin this is going to get, but i'm also a correlated philosophy major and i can't help it.

firstly, i generally resist the urge to strip the humanity from people who have committed atrocious crimes, because it's a slippery slope. dehumanization is always extremism, even if you're doing it to someone who you might think deserves it, because then how do we measure when a person has gone too far to be human anymore? how can we objectively measure the no-return threshold of irredeemability? i personally don't think we can, and that we shouldn't try. it classifies certain actions as outlandishly beyond the pale of the everyday person, when in reality anyone is capable of doing horrific things, and i'm not interested in obscuring that truth. it absolves responsibility.

secondly, with the understanding that obviously we're discussing a fictional character that has no bearing on the material world, i am wary of the claim that rape is the worst thing someone can do. not because i disagree, but because i don't believe in some objective scale of badness where each crime is neatly filed and ranked according to how horrible it is. it's sort of ridiculous how subjective morality is when you get down to brass tacks and super frustrating occasionally but it is what it is.

i also don't think there's such a thing as someone being irredeemable. cards on the table, i'm religious, and my tradition holds that redemption is possible for everyone - someone who is incapable of change may as well not be alive, and no one is incapable of missing the mark. in judaism, murder is the worst thing you can do someone, because there can be no complete repentance "unless the injured party has been appeased" (mishna yoma 8:9), and you can't repair a relationship with a dead person. of course, there's no compulsion for forgiveness either.

this is also tied to my rejection of punitive justice / the death penalty in general but i digress. this is really dicey, subjective moral territory, and i really don't have a perfect answer. i am just personally bothered by the idea that we can categorically revoke someone's ability to feel remorse and change their ways if they've "gone too far" and become some nebulous, inhuman monster by crossing the subjective line we've drawn in the sand. you can believe that rape is the absolute worst thing anyone can do, but i just want you to consider why you believe that beyond the cop-out that your belief makes you "a normal human being". your moral values are not universal, and neither are mine, and i would gently suggest examining your principles and whether they're based on punishment or rehabilitation & coexistence. there's really excellent scholarship out there on restorative justice and the shift away from carceral thinking, so i'll link some of those here:

breaking free of the prison paradigm by judy c. tsui

sexual violence and the possibilities of restorative justice by nicole westmarland, et al

restorative justice: the challenge of sexual and racial violence by barbara hudson

feminism, rape, and the search for justice by clare mcglynn

[roseworth]

I read through your Dick Grayson asks and I would like to thank you for putting all the issues I've (also) had with his character into words. I feel like Jason fans (that have read his comics) are far more critical of his actions and will call him out on it. Meanwhile I haven't seen anyone be critical of Dick before, even when his writing activity hurts other characters (like him being the main leader in Absolute Power even tho it was at the expense of both Diana (a woman) and Mr Terrific (a poc), among others)

im going to disagree just a little bit bc i have beloved mutuals that Are actually critical of dick. not in the same way jason fans are critical of him because we hate on that man every day out of love. but my dearly beloved gay ppl in my phone will sometimes be critical when he deserves it

but youre absolutely right that just talking about people who read the comics (bc wfa/fanon fans are a whole different can of worms), jason fans are a lot more likely to be critical of jason. i think thats at least partially because every few months theres death penalty discourse about jason todd so a lot of fans feel the need to emphasize that they like the character because of his fictional actions and they dont actually support the death penalty. and since dick hasnt done anything that warrants that kind of thing theres less of a need to add disclaimers before talking about him

i do think that most dick fans dont feel the need to be critical of his writing, which kinda ties into what i was saying before about how hes treated by a lot of his fans as an unknown side character. whenever something happens to dick the general consensus about it seems to be "omg hes finally getting the appreciation he deserves 🤩" as if he hasnt been appreciated by dc and by fans for like 80 years. and it especially annoyed me during absolute power bc its not necessarily Wrong for dick to be the one to lead everyone but on the other hand the story kinda treated it like he was the only one who could do it?? i feel like diana was the obvious choice but she wasnt even considered. you make a good point about mr terrific too, i feel like hes a less obvious choice just bc part of the reason nightwing was chosen was because everyone on the team had a connection to him but a lot fewer people know mr terrific, but again i think the fact that he was kinda holding shit down during ap means he could've been the leader (idk a lot about mr terrific but it does kind of annoy me that they keep using him in stories to be the guy that gives everyone information on the multiverse then he doesnt get to do anything but maybe thats just me). anyways all that to say it makes sense to me why dick could be leader but it just bothers me that there were other choices but the story acted like dick was the only one who could possibly do it

and i think its not Super often that characters are completely ooc for the sake of elevating dick, but it definitely happens. i think it happens super often with damian where the writers will ignore his development and write him to be a mean little kid just so dick can say "remember to be nice damian ☺️" and very few people talk about it just because the people going "awww hes so big brother coded <3" are louder. and dick becomes the center of every team book hes on no matter what, which to be fair is usually because hes the leader so he gets most of the focus. but it seems like every single team book that dick is on becomes Nightwing & Friends where dick gets the storylines and everyone else gets the scraps and most team books are usually. yk. about everyone.

anyways thats my dick rant for the day like and subscribe for more

[writingsofwesteros]

https://www.tumblr.com/writingsofwesteros/784683147900174336?source=share

"So," Aegon set down his beer. "How's the the whole therapy thing going?" Nora sighed. "It's exhausting if I'm being honest. I hate reliving it all. I wish I could bury it and never think about it again but with the trial coming up, I just-" Aegon reached across the table to hold her hand. "I know." "It's just that like-" She hesitated. "I know he can't get to me, in the courtroom, it's just that....when I see him again my mind forgets that there are bodyguards and bailiffs and you guys, and when he looks at me I feel like I'm tied up in that basement again." "I swear babe if I got just five minutes alone with that fucker-" She squeezed his hand. "I know. I know. I knew if we could go for the death penalty Aemond would get to prosecutors to try honestly." "I know it's really hard, but you're doing great, Nora. It probably doesn't feel like it but you are." She gives him a small smile. "Every day when I walk through the house and I see the kids playing, running around with Sunfyre, or drawing, or curled up with you guys, it's the only time I feel some sort of peace." She admits. "If this happened ten years ago, I'd be waking up in hungover in a bed I don't know. But now, now it's different." "I get it." He sighs. "When we didn't know if they'd find you, my mind went back to wanting to take a drink or a line, but...then I went upstairs and Hera came over to me and pulled me into the playroom to watch cartoons with her and Jae. and when the kids fell asleep all cuddled up and close, I realised I didn't need it to cope anymore, and I couldn't do that to them." After lunch, Aegon takes her for a walk to a nearby park, where she holds his hand and they ignore the eyes on them or the clicking of cameras- to be honest they were used to it by now. They sat under a tree, with his arm around her, pressing loving kisses to her uncaring of who saw.

God, he looked so hot here

He means so well, and he is such a good listener , not that you would realise.

[jackhues]

Hi, its ADHD girl again. Explain the rules of hockey to me. Please. I watched the game (will forever call them games because I play soccer) and was so confused.

Bonus points if you can connect them to soccer

HELLOOOO- okay so i'm all filled up with food now which means i should be able to get through this! hockey has wayy too many rules (and i know too little about soccer), so as you think of more specific questions, feel free to stop by and i'll clarify some rules for you :3

teams: 6 players per side on the ice. 3 forwards (left wing, right wing, center), 2 defensemen, 1 goalie. (soccer = 11 players (i think?), hockey = condensed, but more chaotic)

periods: 3 periods, 20 minutes each. no halves. no quarters. approximately a 20 minute intermission between each period (it's like 18 minutes, but i just say 20).

the rink: much smaller than a soccer field. it's 61 x 25.9 meters (according to google).

objective: get the puck in the net. simple sure, but not really. because everyone's trying to body check you into a different dimension. (soccer: shoot ball into net) vs (hockey: shoot tiny disc into net with higher stakes... like knives on ice and violence)

now that the very basics are done, let's get a little more technical.

offside: in soccer: a player can’t be past the last defender before the ball (this is what google is telling me, i can't promise if it's true). in hockey: you can’t skate into the offensive zone (the blue line) before the puck does. if you do? WHISTLE. STOP. SHAME.

penalties: players go to the box (like time-out). 2-5 minutes in the box for being spicy (tripping, slashing, high-sticking, etc). there are different types of penalties, like a regular minor (2 minutes), a double minor (4 minutes, served 2 minutes first, then 2 minutes right after), a 5 minute, and 10 minute (which is always a game misconduct - so they get thrown out, like a red card).

if your team is playing with one less person, someone's in the penalty box (they are shorthanded) and = powerplay for the other team. soccer's got red/yellow cards, hockey has the sin bin.

if a team is on the powerplay (they have 5 skaters, the other team has 4 bcz other players are in the box), and the team on the powerplay scores, the player gets to come out of the box and rejoin the team. (powerplays can stack up sometimes too, like 5v3, etc).

icing: (this one confuses me sometimes but oh well). if a player shoots the puck from behind the center line (the middle red one) all the way past the other team’s goal line (the red one at the back) without anyone touching it, it’s icing. exception: if you are playing shorthanded, aka, the other team is on a powerplay.

overtime & shootouts: if it's tied at the end of 3 periods, we head to ot. ot is different in the regular season vs the playoffs. regular season: 3v3, 5 minutes, sudden death. still tied? shootout. 3 rounds, each team takes turns. if still tied, add one round each time until one team wins.

playoff ot? full 5 on 5 periods, with sudden death until someone scores. could end in 20 seconds, could go up to like a fifth ot.

so yeah, those are the main rules and stuff i can think of rn. i'm probably missing a million stuff. as you watch, it'll make more sense. i recommend stalking the leafslb tag during games to help understand stuff, and feel free to drop by my inbox too :) i'm just usually watching playoff games at the tailgate so i probably won't end up responding during games, unless i'm actively lbing.

[shsenhaji]

Les Misérables - 1.1.4 - Les oeuvres semblables aux paroles

So, I didn't post anything yesterday, partly because I was too busy, and because I didn't have much to say about 1.1.3 - except that it was surprisingly short and that I totally didn't remember Victor Hugo directly comparing Myriel to Jesus Christ in actions and manner.

However, for today's chapter I do have Thoughts.

First thought: The French chapter title seems more meaningful and packs more of a punch than the English version.

Second thought: There were a few parts I didn't remember, including the trial of the man who made counterfeit money. Myriel's position of asking who judges the judge was pretty cool, and once again it's nice to see how his ideals ties into Jean Valjean and predisposes Myriel to act the way he does.

As my friend said in reply to my thoughts, "It's a really powerful setup for everything that comes later, for sure."

Third thought: For whatever reason, the narrator's tangent on the guillotine and the scaffold was a bit abrupt. The change from the past tense, describing Myriel, to a present-tense meditation on the guillotine took me by surprise, even though I like the book's conceit of a narrator describing past events while also expounding on things in the present sense, and that's one of the parts I enjoyed most last year. Perhaps it's the audiobook version that made a difference, or the French, but either way, I was taken a bit aback at that part. I guess I'll see how I feel as I continue to read. I do respect that Myriel (and the narrator/our friend Victor Hugo) is against the death penalty.

Fourth thought: the ending was both abrupt, a bit like the transitions between the scenes of Myriel's "oeuvres," but also sweet and quite touching.

Fifth thought: While I understanding what he's saying, I don't love this passage: "

« L’homme a sur lui la chair, qui est tout à la fois son fardeau et sa tentation. Il la traîne et lui cède.

« Il doit la surveiller, la contenir, la réprimer, et ne lui obéir qu’à la dernière extrémité. Dans cette obéissance-là, il peut encore y avoir de la faute ; mais la faute, ainsi faite, est vénielle. C’est une chute, mais une chute sur les genoux, qui peut s’achever en prière."

This sense of the flesh being burden and temptation, and always having to repress it... Especially the wording in original French sounded too preachy in a negative way; as in, our selves and desires are inherently wrong, and we have to watch ourselves all the time? In some ways, we do; we have to decide what our actions will be, regardless of initial impulses.

I do love how Myriel considers himself to be an ex-sinner, however. It says a lot about his past (which we don't know a lot about) and about his beliefs and actions.

Sixth thought: I really appreciated how Myriel in a way does realize that the actions of the poor and the "misérables" are not always their fault, though he specifically blames the fathers and husbands and the masters and the rich and the wise. However, the little aside at the end of that section, where the narrator tells us that Myriel's views are strange and sketchy, but that he probably got it from the Gospel, was both depressing and hilarious.

Final thought: "Le fantôme de la justice sociale l’obsédait." ("The phantom of social justice tormented him.") That line, when Myriel is grappling with his newfound crisis of faith regarding the practice of execution by the state - that hit me hard. In a way, it almost summed up a lot of the book's themes in really poetic way. The ghost of social justice. What so many characters grapple with or are forced to face, the ghost of old wrongs always coming back to haunt the present, the ever-present and oppressive forces so eloquently laid out in the preface...

[aachria]

Okay so another random name for Mr uncle/father figure, Ree D Civic, cause who knows maybe somehow he also got hit by a red Honda Civic tis a small world

Now I'm going to do theories, that I just want to talk about lol Okay so Ussop leave the crew in water 7 right, and then when he wants to come back Zoro is like nuh uh. So, if Ussop does that again doesn't that mean Ed will have to say something similar, even if itll be like pulling teeth. Then we go away from that and go way into the future to Ace's Execution I feel like Ed will somehow end up with a canon and use that to do something to keep Ace alive, cause can They'll be destroying cannon with a canon.

I was also thinking bout the two year time skip and the fake Strawhats, because you said Ed will eventually just have brown hair so will the fake one have green still? I'd snicker at that

Ed: I'm the real one

Fake Ed: I have green hair! >:D

Ed, their eye twitching: hair grows out you dumbass

I wonder as well where Ed will be teleported (I can't quote it exactly because my memory is horrid but) when the strawhats were separated and asked the question 'where would you go on a vacation' or something along those lines, I feel like they'd either somehow end up at Marine Ford out of spite or with Uncle Music shell. Who I feel like is also going to try to stop Ace from dying? So maybe the two of them will combine their plans or something. Oh or Ed could just end up with Luffy as a 'Where ever Luffy ends up I also want to be'

Anywho I've rambled enough for today, I'll be back Wednesday (unless I come up with more Father I'll do it my way names that I think are funny aha) have a good day!

Bless your heart and your frankly hilarious names.

Uuuuuh I cannot say much about Water 7 aside from it will Make You Cry because it made me.

I’m keeping my damn mouth shut about anything Marineford under penalty of death because I want whatever it turns out to be to shock your fucking system. So will Ed show up with a cannon? Will Ed even have to show up? Fuck around and find out.

The fake Strawhat thing is so real you’re so real for that.

I am, once again Not Allowed to speak of Marineford.

ALSO UNCLE MUSIC SHELL AND FATHER I’LL DO IT MY WAY?????

[shinra-makonoid]

Do you think TERFs or radfems feel even a little bit of guilt that they are part of the reason trans people in the US are now passport-less or getting listed /marked for their trans status. Or do you think they are still too deluded to not see where this is going?

Because while I think a lot of them are happy with the EO to declare only female/male, banning of X on passport and most of them are probably fine with forcing even adult trans people to quit HRT cold turkey (ignoring the health issues that can arise from not having hormones at all).

But the next step which was already discussed with labeling trans people as pedophiles for dressing "inappropriately" around kids and with the talk about expanding the death penalty like that... You think that will be the line for them? Probably not for the trad radfem grifters but the OG radfems that claim to be pro LGB must be sweating with the threat of it expanding to GNC representation.

Like I admit as a former hardcore anti NB thinker I sympathised a little bit on a theoretical level when the radfems stuff became so prominent, like HRT should be more supervised and restricted, only for real dysphoric trans people, also not for kids etc.

But I never liked sharing my thoughts on that because I knew the LGBT community can't handle division.

To see that they are so incapable of connecting the dots between bodily autonomy for women in form of abortion (which is currently getting axed) and healthcare that is being restricted for adults for the sake of "saving people from themselves "preventing people from commiting irreversible "mutiliations"".

Like how stupid do you need to be to not realize that trans people are not even the real goal. That women who already have to jump through hoops to get their tubes tied, to get hysterectomies will be prohibited from that entirely...

I had these thought right at the beginning of the NB rise where I was pissed at them for not taking transsexuality seriously. But it was clear as day that even though I didn't see them as legitimately trans that doesn't mean its beneficial to claim that. While I superficially agreed with the whole transmed arguments there was always in the back of my mind this fear of division.

And I was right. And the LGB without the T's will feel that.

And even though I want to tell them "I told you so" and feel schadenfreude for them getting what they asked for... I can't.

Because all of this is just dreadful and it occurring to me as a product of a much deeper problem. Like at what point did they stop fanning and start putting in kindling?

And what point is that even important anymore? In the end everyone will say "I didn't know it would be this bad" or "I didn't want THIS".

Like that one video from the Venezuelan woman complaining they are getting targeted with deportations. I didn't feel anything but pity. Because what sad life do you have to hate others so much and have so little desire to understand them.

Because you would realize that they are not much different than you.

And the thing you advocate for to happen to others will hit you all the same. Because the people who execute your will don't differentiate.

I think most people will rationalize their positions based on what happened later. I think TERFs will claim they never were for those things, they'll rewrite history, will make themselves look like they were actually the good guys and not like they were a direct participant of everything that happened. I think LGB people that hate on the T will do the same thing.

Like I admit as a former hardcore anti NB thinker I sympathised a little bit on a theoretical level when the radfems stuff became so prominent, like HRT should be more supervised and restricted, only for real dysphoric trans people, also not for kids etc.

Everybody did. Especially when you're just starting to think you're trans, and thinking what it means to be trans, what it means to be "really trans", and having the need to be sure you're trans because of how much fearmonging everybody did on you regarding T, its effects, and also how shameful it was to be a gay or bi trans guy, how people like Blanchard and co considered us to be either little lost autistic girls or gay fangirls, how people fearmongered about the increase of trans people seeking care and all. The transphobia that existed then, and the environment we were in where so many people were simply playing with labels, deeply hurt us because it made our community inconsistant. You could share some of your experience as a trans person, and you'd have some weird mixing because some people had a totally different experience, because even under the "trans" label, we aren't really the same.

There are also some real shit about HRT that won't be fixed because we don't bring enough money to the pharmaceutical industry, such as they not producing enough testosterone for everyone (shortage of T are a thing here in some cities), and that T isn't indicated to treat gender dysphoria because it would cost millions of dollars to get that indication for little to no benefits for the industry.

To be perfectly fair, it also wasn't helped by the fact that, at least personally, I got super bullied over wanting to acknowledge the fact that my experience wasn't like the other trans people who didn't suffer from they dysphoria. I got friends turning against me because I spoke about science and wanting to acknowledge that my gender dysphoria was probably more neurological than social, and that it was a medical condition that I was deeply suffering from. On the other hand, the opposite also happened, some "transmeds" also mercilessly bullied "trenders". Imo I still think we shouldn't have been put under same label, but alas from an outsider perspective, from the perspective of society, we're all the same, and so, we'll stay that way. Independently of what we think or want in regards to our labels and how we want people to acknowledge us, the current times makes it impossible to clearly define anything. As you say we'll all get cooked the same.

There's also something Riley says in the video with Kalvin Garrah, is that you shouldn't listen to newly trans people, who just came out, or who just started HRT, because they're bound to think and do silly stuff. Well, we were all collectively at that point then.

I still think there is some intrinsic biological difference between me who suffers from gender dysphoria and someone who doesn't, I still think there might be some strange and/or things that should be navigated if you truly think you have dysphoria from both sexes, however I also realized that, politically and socially, as you say, it doesn't matter. And I think a lot of "transmeds" realized that with the time.

With time I think we also mellowed because we feel less dysphoric and we have less general anxiety, less doubts about being trans, and we grew a bit older. After 6 years of being trans, if anyone came to me and told me I wasn't trans for X Y Z reasons, I'd just laugh at them. I wouldn't start agonizing about whether I was making the right choice or not, whether I fell prey to some social contagion stuff, or whatever, which I used to do before taking T.

[starboundsingularities]

tbh it's really always bothered me a bit that they never actually get into the consequences of misusing the magatama. sure, sure, they say your soul shatters, and like, yeah that's ominous and all, but what does it mean? obviously we never get to see that in-game but i've been thinking about it a lot and i would like to present these thoughts because oh boy there are a lot of them. long post under cut but it's a fun little au as well

alright so before getting into it all, obviously there are some things we're aiming to explain, in some sense, with this.

for one: what is a soul, even? most depictions of souls portray them as the very essence of one's self, as the "culmination of your being" or as some similar nebulous expression of an entire person. but... well, if a soul was the entirety of a person, what would that soul shattering entail? it would just kill them. which is a valid reading i guess but not very fun to mess around with and is also a reading that comes with some... troubling implications.

most notably, the meter on how close you are to that breaking point while using the magatama is the same meter as your penalties in court. not just in the asset used, which wouldn't be worth bringing up, but in the sense that once the magatama is introduced, that same value that meter is held at is shared between court trials and the magatama. before the introduction of the magatama, that meter refilled automatically between trials, each trial starting with it completely full, but after the introduction of the magatama, it was only ever refilled by successfully breaking psyche-locks. this is concerning, because it implies a direct connection between phoenix's soul and his performance in court, which probably wasn't intended but is very fun to mess around with and i love the idea of your soul being tied to your passions. however i don't love the idea of him Straight Up Dying if he does too poorly in court so. uh, no insta-death for soul shattering. anyways this whole side tangent never comes up again. thumbs up emoji.

anyways, if a soul shattering doesn't entail simply death, and if a soul isn't just someone's essence or personality or whatever, well, what is it? well, one compelling answer is that it's merely a container. it holds someone's essence or being or personality, but it itself is not that.

thus i present:

Soul Shatter AU

a soul is just a container. one that holds everything in. someone's passions, ambitions, personality.

someone's secrets.

if it were to shatter... without a container, everything would come spilling out. whoever was involved would be unable to keep anything contained within themself. sure, their physical self might be enough to hold in some of the more ambiguous, nebulous aspects of their "self", but it would prove rather difficult to hide something with nothing there to keep it hidden inside.

a fitting punishment, really, for abusing the power to reveal what others have kept hidden.

the fun part, of course, is what comes next. who's used the magatama? who's had the chance to fall to such a fate?

off the top of my head i can think of two people. phoenix wright and miles edgeworth. (i think mia used one too? my friend says she did but i haven't gotten to that part yet i'm only on the third game)

and both of them, despite their focus on finding the truth, are very ironically prone to hiding things themselves. their feelings, their troubles, their emotions.

what if we opened them up a little?

[toodleoorblx]

Natural Order

Agatha Harkness x Rio Vidal

Word count: 2,273

۫   ּ  ֗  ִ  ִֶָ ׄ . ִ  ۫   ּ  ֗ ִֶָ   ִ  ⠀ ִ  ۫   ִֶָ ּ  ֗  ִ  ִֶָ ׄ . ִ ۫   ּ  ֗  ִ  ִֶָ ׄ . ִ  ۫   ּ  ֗

Summary: Agatha faces the judgement of her mother.

Chapter 1 - Chapter 2 - Chapter 3 - Chapter 4 - Chapter 5 - Chapter 6 - Chapter 7 - Chapter 8 - Chapter 9 - Chapter 10 - /?

Warnings: cursing, violence, implied/referenced child abuse, tinyy smut.

A/N: Made this update pretty quick tbh. Enjoy!!

Chapter 6

Salem, Massachusetts 1693

Agatha groggily wakes up, her head throbbing with pain as she tries to piece together what happened. Her wrists burn with searing agony, and when she tries to move, she finds herself unable to escape. Panic begins to rise within her as her vision slowly returns, revealing her surroundings: she's tied to a stake, exposed to the frigid night air.

Fucking hell.

Torches flicker around her, casting eerie shadows that dance in the darkness. The chilling breeze causes Agatha to shiver uncontrollably, her breath forming wisps of vapor in the cold night air. She's back in her everyday attire, the events after her blackout a blur in her memory, the last thing she remembers being Rio.

As Agatha struggles against her bonds, her heart sinks as figures emerge from the shadows of the surrounding trees, draped in black cloaks that look like her covens. Fear clenches at her heart as she realizes the gravity of the situation; she's about to face her own demise. But why? Because she kissed a girl?

Her coven members form a circle around her, their identities obscured by the darkness of the night. They remove their hoods, revealing familiar faces that only serve to deepen Agatha's dread.

Among them, her mother stands tall and imposing, her gray hair billowing in the cold wind. Agatha feels a surge of darkness welling up within her stomach, a mix of fear and anger coursing through her veins.

Evanora's expression is unreadable, her features hardened with resolve as she addresses her daughter.

"Agatha Harkness. You have defied the laws of our coven, delving into forbidden knowledge beyond your station. And worse yet, you have dared to associate with a whore," Evanora's voice carries a tone of authority, her words cutting through the stillness of the night.

Agatha's mind races as she tries to comprehend how Evanora uncovered her secret. Did Margaret betray her trust? But why would she do that? Margaret would've known that Agatha would get a death penalty. Something isn't adding up.

"You have wielded your dark magic with reckless abandon, causing harm to one of our own," Evanora continues, her voice unwavering.

What the fuck is she talking about? ‘Hurt our own’? Who? Agatha's heart pounds in her chest as she struggles against her restraints, desperation gnawing at her.

"I know- I know nothing of these crimes. I... I swear it."

"Enough deception!"

Amidst the chaos of her thoughts, one question burns brighter than the rest.

"Where is Rio?" Agatha's voice rings out, laced with defiance and fear.

Her mother's gaze remains steadfast, refusing to acknowledge her daughter's plea.

Agatha gulps, her heart pounding in her chest as she frantically looks around. They all look unfazed, not even 1 looks partially guilty.

Agatha licks her lips, a sneer forming on her face. “I did not break your rules.”

They simply bent to my power. The Darkhold and Agatha say in perfect unison.

Evanora clenches her jaw, her expression hardening with resolve. With a subtle nod to the coven, they begin chanting in unison. Agatha doesn't recognize the words, realizing that her mother hadn't taught her these chants.

A surge of panic grips Agatha's chest. “No, wait, please! I can control it, I- please! Mother! Help me, please!” Agatha's desperate pleas fall on deaf ears as her mother remains unmoved, joining in the chant with the rest of the coven.

Agatha's cries are drowned out by the cacophony of the chanting. The air crackles with magic as it begins to orbit her coven's hands, casting an eerie blue glow over the clearing.

As the ritual intensifies, Agatha's pleas cease abruptly, replaced by agonized screams. She feels it draining her life force more and more as more of her sisters follow the spell. The wind howls around her, echoing her torment as bolts of magic strike her body. A bolt of magic hits the spot where Evanora attacked her and Agatha is met with seething pain, she feels faint, like her lungs want to give out. Tears fall down her face as the magic fills her veins with unbearable heat.

Agatha's vision blurs as she struggles to remain conscious, the pain and exhaustion threatening to overwhelm her. But amidst the chaos, a voice echoes in her mind, soothing yet commanding.

You want to see your lover? The voice resonates within her, stirring a flicker of hope in Agatha's heart.

Agatha can barely muster the strength to nod, her breaths coming in ragged gasps.

Then let go. Let go of your fears. I'll take care of it all.

Agatha's grip on consciousness loosens as she surrenders to the voice, allowing herself to release the fear and desperation that had consumed her.

As she relinquishes control, Agatha's senses sharpen, her vision clearing as she witnesses the unfolding scene before her. Her blood curdling cries slowly begin to subside. She struggles to catch the breath that was moments ago eluding her. She surveys the streams of blue magic that are attached to her and slowly begin to turn purple. Agatha furrows her brows, what's going on?

A sense of detachment washes over Agatha as she observes the carnage, her emotions numbed by the weight of her impending demise. She watches her mother, Evanora, levitating with a sinister aura, her magic poised to strike Agatha down.

But Agatha feels something shift within her, a surge of defiance rising from the depths of her being. With a steely resolve, she channels her magic, breaking free from the bonds that once restrained her.

Agatha gasps at the impact of Evanora's magic, it doesn't exactly hurt, but it's not the greatest feeling. She can feel her mothers magic trying to encircle her heart, squeezing it from the inside, but it fails, there's a thick veil of darkness surrounding her heart. A shield. Despite the pressure bearing down on her, Agatha remains resolute, her gaze locked with her mother's, brimming with hatred.

With a newfound sense of empowerment, Agatha stands tall, confronting her mother with unwavering determination. The darkness that once threatened to consume her now becomes her shield, her strength, her salvation.

With a fierce flick of her wrist, Agatha unleashes a devastating wave of dark energy, watching with cold satisfaction as it engulfs her coven sisters, their bodies convulsing before falling lifeless to the ground, mere husks of their former selves.

"Mother. I told you I can control it," Agatha retorts, a smirk playing on her lips as she meets Evanora's gaze.

Evanora, though visibly weakened, maintains a steely composure. "No. No you cannot," she manages to utter, her voice strained with effort.

Undeterred, Agatha braces herself as her mother launches a final, desperate assault. The surge of coven magic crashes against her, threatening to overwhelm her. But Agatha channels her own power, merging it with her mother's magic in a potent display of dominance.

As Evanora's strength wanes, Agatha feels a rush of exhilaration coursing through her veins. With each passing moment, she absorbs more of her mother's magic, leaving Evanora gasping for air, her once formidable presence reduced to mere frailty.

With a triumphant grin, Agatha watches as her mother falls to the ground, drained and defeated. Her chest rises and falls with the weight of her victory, the wind now still around her.

Surveying the lifeless bodies of her coven, Agatha feels a hollow emptiness settle within her. Yet, amidst the silence and death that surrounds her, she feels nothing. No remorse, no guilt. Only the cold embrace of her newfound power.

Approaching her mother's fallen form, Agatha crouches beside her, her voice laced with venom as she speaks. "I can control it, Mother. It's your fault our coven is dead, not mine. May you carry that knowledge to the grave."

With a final glance of disdain, Agatha takes her mother's brooch before rising to her feet

The sound of rustling leaves draws Agatha's attention, her senses ablaze as she whirls around to face the source of the noise. Her eyes shimmer with a bright purple hue as she locks gazes with Rio, who stands before her, seemingly unfazed despite her disheveled appearance. A warm smile graces Rio's lips, a stark contrast to the tension that hangs in the air.

Agatha's eyes revert to their natural blue hue as she engulfs Rio in a bone-crushing hug, her heart pounding with relief at the sight of her beloved.

Agatha closes her eyes tightly, savoring the moment as she peppers Rio's face with kisses, eliciting giggles from the green witch.

“How are you, little iris? Did they hurt you?” Rio's voice carries a note of concern, her expression serious as she meets Agatha's gaze.

Breaking the hug, Agatha holds Rio's hands tightly, her own emotions swirling within her. “They, um… no, they didn't. I, uh,” Agatha clears her dry throat, her words catching in her throat. “I fought back.”

Rio's giggle fills the tense air, though her eyes search Agatha's with earnest curiosity. “Clearly. But… how?”

Agatha feels a lump form in her throat, uncertainty gnawing at her. Releasing Rio's hands, she takes a step back, her gaze drifting to the ground briefly before meeting Rio's puzzled expression.

“I...” Agatha hesitates, her mind racing as she struggles to find the right words. She's afraid, afraid of how Rio will react to the truth. “I found a book. Called the Darkhold. Ever heard of it?”

Rio shakes her head, her gaze unwavering with nothing but love and concern. “No, I haven't.”

Agatha's chuckle is tinged with bitterness. “Well, it's... it's a book of pure darkness. The Book of the Damned. It corrupts everything and everyone it touches.” Agatha's grip tightens around her mother's brooch. “And I was stupid enough to touch it.”

“So... what does that mean for you?” Rio's voice is steady, her eyes searching Agatha's for answers.

Agatha's breath catches in her throat as she fidgets with the brooch, her thoughts racing. “It means that my magic is tainted with darkness. And it... it changed me.”

Rio takes a determined step forward, her gaze unwavering. “How so?”

Agatha gulps, her nerves getting the best of her as she struggles to find the right words. “It made me... different.” Agatha's response is vague, a deliberate attempt to shield Rio from the full extent of the truth.

But Rio doesn't stop prodding. “Can I see?” she asks with bright and hopeful eyes, while Agatha's are dark and full of fear.

Agatha stands there for a moment, her mind racing as she weighs her options. But she ultimately sighs, realizing that if she's going to love Rio, she should know who she truly is.

With trembling hands, Agatha hesitantly whispers the counter spell to revoke the glamor spell, revealing her fingertips and claws.

“Happy?” Agatha's voice is laced with uncertainty, knowing that Rio can see her fangs.

Rio stands frozen, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion as she takes a step forward, her gaze never leaving Agatha's. There's a sense of wonder in her eyes, a wonder that makes Agatha shy away from Rio's intense gaze.

The green witch gently takes Agatha's hand in her own, and Agatha's first instinct is to yank her hand away, not wanting to contaminate Rio with her darkness. But Rio rubs her thumb over Agatha's hand gently, then lifts it up and places it on her own face. Agatha blushes furiously at the intimate gesture, feeling a rush of fear coursing through her veins. How can Rio not be repulsed by her?

Rio smiles warmly as she caresses Agatha's hand, and Agatha stands still, unable to comprehend the acceptance she's receiving. “You're not... scared, disgusted?” Agatha's voice is barely a whisper, her heart hammering in her chest.

Rio's face softens with sadness. “Never. Why would I be? You're still as beautiful as when I first saw you.”

Agatha fights back tears, feeling a surge of emotion welling up inside her. She pulls Rio into a tight hug, holding her close as she places a kiss on top of her head. “How did I find you?” Agatha whispers, her voice trembling with emotion.

“How did I find you?” Rio chuckles softly as she releases the hug and places a chaste kiss on Agatha's lips, before taking her hand firmly in hers.

Agatha smiles with a mixture of contentment and awe, realizing in that moment that she loves Rio more than anything in the world.

“Let's go to my cabin. Or we can travel? Whatever you want to do.”

Agatha huffs a laugh. “Lets go to your cabin for the night, we can decide all of that tomorrow.”

“Ok.” Rio smiles.

Agatha and Rio walk side by side, the weight of their intertwined hands grounding them in the present moment. But Agatha's attention is suddenly drawn to something red on the ground before they leave the area.

She stops abruptly, her heart pounding in her chest as she spots Margaret's red ribbon lying abandoned on the forest floor. Agatha's breath catches in her throat, her mind racing with a whirlwind of emotions.

Rio turns around, concern etched on her features as she notices Agatha's sudden stillness. “Are you okay, my love?”

Agatha's mind feels clouded, her thoughts racing as she tries to process what she's seeing.  “Y-yeah, I'm fine. I just... saw something,” she manages to murmur, her voice barely audible.

Rio nods understandingly before continuing into the forest, trusting Agatha to follow.

Agatha clutches the ribbon tightly, feeling a pang of guilt and longing wash over her. She moves hastily to catch up with Rio.

[humanbeanvitaminsea]

The complete and utter ignorance of all these naive LGBTQ people "and allies" (really?) blindly supporting Hamas (whilst saying they're not supporting Hamas) is mind boggling.

They honestly believe they're "on the right side of history" by saying Israel doesn't have the right to exist. By using the language of Nazi Germany to describe Jews, using DARVO gaslighting tactics to de-legitimize Israel. Whatever "the right side of history" means to them is beyond my comprehension. Calling the survivors of the October 7th massacre "nazis" and saying "Israel hasn't even suffered any damage during this "war": they're just enjoying themselves in cafés and dancing to celebrate the deaths of Palestinians" really isn't it.

Hamas, on October 7th, alongside Palestinian Islamic Jihad and even Gazan civilians, aimed for total annihilation of the Israeli people. Hamas even called for an "International Day of Rage" against all Jews, worldwide. And they call Jews "Nazis"?

They think they are supporting LGBTQ whilst they're simultaneously calling for Israel's annihilation. They spout tired anti-Semitic tropes without even understanding what they're saying. Have they forgotten already about the LGBTQ victims of the Holocaust? Have they failed to notice the extreme intolerance Islamists have against LGBTQ people? Have they zero knowledge of the historical ties Hajj Amin Al Husseini had with Hitler? They've probably not even heard of him. Yet still they use language designed to shame Israel into putting their weapons down, not thinking to mention that Hamas have had over four months to surrender and to release the hostages.

Hamas still have Kfir Bibas, who turned one in captivity, and three of his family members, held hostage since October 7th.

If these "well meaning", naive fools care about Palestinian lives, why aren't they demanding Hamas' immediate surrender and immediate return of the hostages? Instead, they accuse Israel of genocide.

Are these spreaders of Islamist propaganda against Israel simply self hating? Is that it?

I actually think they sincerely believe their own nonsense, that they've fallen hook, line and sinker for the Islamists' international campaign against Jews.

Then they say they don't understand how they could possibly be upsetting LGBTQ people, when they share Islamist propaganda. They don't even seem to have the intelligence to understand that they're sharing Islamist propaganda. They don't seem to understand that Islamists would happily murder them, given half the chance.

They call Israelis "Settler colonialist nazis" whilst sharing Encyclopedia Brittanica definitions of "Philistines" in order to "explain" why Israelis, specifically Jews, don't deserve a country, but why "Palestinians" should have the entire land, Judenrein. They explain their views as being "Justice for Palestine".

I wonder who's more confused: them, when they support terrorists who would murder them for being gay or trans- or me, wondering why comfortable Western LGBTQ people would spend their time and energy on DARVO gaslighting, calling the IDF "Terrorists" for fighting terrorists, calling Jews "Nazis" for daring to inhabit the Jewish national homeland and being the only nation in the Middle East where LGBTQ rights are even a thing, and why they don't bother to do actual research outside the memes and blogs they are so fervently reblogging.

THEY DON'T EVEN UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENED ON OCTOBER 7th.

They don't even realise that they're simping for Islamist jihadis who believe LGBTQ people should be given the death penalty, that women shouldn't be allowed to go outside without permission from a man.

If an October 7th style attack happened in their hometown, would they still be simping for Islamist terrorists?

I feel sick.

[irminsuls]

many many thoughts after watching the furina teaser..........

this is just a lot of rambling on my part and not an actual cohesive theory but i like speculating so here are my thoughts

also no leaks are mentioned here if anyone’s worried about that!!!

ever since the 4.2 trailer dropped ive been scratching my head to guess as to what's gonna happen in the fontaine archon quest bc this honestly feels like the most unpredictable finale out of all the nations we've gotten so far

with mondstadt we knew we were gonna save dvalin by the end of it

with inazuma we knew we were gonna get everyone's visions back to their holders

with sumeru we knew we would be overthrowing the sages, saving nahida and defeating scara

i think liyue is the closest to unpredictability we got but now fontaine is blowing it out of the water (pun intended)

anyways my speculations!!!!

there's a very big emphasis on separating the identity of 'furina' and 'focalors'

the 4.2 trailer makes this apparent (to me at least) by what neuvillette calls furina throughout it

we never hear him call furina by her real name. he calls her 'focalors' throughout it

and it's weird to me bc up until this point, we've never heard him call her by her god name

it's almost always 'furina' or 'lady furina'

this teaser also makes it even more apparent that their identities are two completely different things

throughout the teaser you actually notice that it's furina in her pneuma state

(she's also mirrored up until the glass cracks which is smth interesting to note)

but by the end of it, it's furina in her ousia state

my guess is that the person talking throughout the teaser and the one in the pneuma state is 'focalors' bc she seems wiser and more all-knowing while 'furina' is the one we see at the end in the ousia state

so now we’ve established that there's two different identities for her and it’s been hinted at for quite some time ever since 4.0 started

but now the question is how the hell did these separate identities come to be????? and how the hell does this play into the prophecy?????

my personal guess is that perhaps before she went to sumeru to deal with the cataclysm, the previous hydro archon egeria created a hydro mimic in the form of the furina we see today as a precaution if anything were to go awry

(and well. she's not alive anymore and she's that huge fucking tree in vourukasha oasis so pretty sure she made the right call)

im thinking that a certain part of egeria's consciousness made its way to furina and that's what i speculate to be 'focalors'

but the 'furina' side is her own personality that's cultivated over the centuries (or it's just always been there i can't decide which one i lean into more)

the teaser talks a lot about fate and furina by the end of it says that she wants to "deceive fate itself"

sooooo with the differentiating of both 'focalors' and 'furina' i think it's safe to assume that furina's arc next patch is gonna have to be her severing ties with the side that's 'focalors'

the hydro archon that gets sentenced with the death penalty by the oratrice is not furina herself but 'focalors'

and bc furina is severing ties with focalors, that could possibly mean that she loses her godhood by the end of the archon quest

furina wears a special type of vision when you look more closely at it in the 4.2 trailer and her splash art

perhaps after severing her ties to godhood, she loses her hydro powers BUT gets a hydro vision at the end of it

in act 4, neuvillette says that he can’t attain his full dragonhood unless the archon disappears

so now im speculating that furina severs her ties with focalors and give neuvillette his dragon authority back in order to push back the primordial sea and prevent the waters from disintegrating everyone in fontaine

but now im wondering if that’ll even work considering we do see fontaine flooded with the water reaching as tall as the opera epiclese

my brain fucking hurts

tldr furina’s gonna sacrifice a part of herself to deceive her own ppl’s fate of dissolving in the primordial sea, lose her god status and gives the dragon’s authority back to neuvillette via the gnosis

i think after all of this, furina’s still gonna be the archon more in status than anything

lik ei and nahida don’t have their gnoses and are still recognized as their respective regions’ archons so it’ll be the same for furina

im not sure if neuvi’s identity will be revealed as the hydro sovereign to the ppl of fontaine will be revealed at some point (it’ll be interesting if it does happen but im very 50/50 on that)

also i don’t think arlecchino will get the gnosis this time around

even if she does, the power could already have been passed to neuvillette so it’s more of an empty husk more than anything

and that concludes my thoughts!!!!

to anyone who reads this whole thing, thank you and i hope i made sense throughout all of this lmao

[buldakdrama]

Upcoming Dramas in August 2023 that are a must watch!

It is never too early to get your calenders decorated with what will really keep you busy in the upcoming month and honestly, I am a huge procrastinator in almost every other subject except one... can you guess it? Yep, it's kdramas. I need to get that mental preparation running so I can be thrilled, haunted, humoured and of course, romanticised to the point of desperation. And if you are like me, then I can guarantee: August is going to be your month!

The First Responders 2

Starting with this sensational thriller that took us by storm with its first season, The First Responders is finally back with its sequel. We are finally going to be off that cliffhanger that made us lose our minds. As a fan of crime thrillers and *ahm-ahm* drool-able people in uniforms, can you imagine the sequences with firefighters and cops at play, together?! I am excited to see how their combined efforts will continue on the restless path of justice. Well, if somebody looks for me in August, you all have a clue now for where I would be.

This season will follow on the tracks of its prequel and air on Disney+ for all audiences and will take over the slot occupied previously by SBS' Revenant on Fridays and Saturdays.

Moving

Moving is a webtoon adaptation from Writer Kang Pool's webcomic. The story captures three high schoolers, who have superpowers that they want to hide from people. They, however, have inherited these powers from their parents who struggle to protect them from letting their powers be misused.

I'm not too empathetic about the latest inclination of kdramas towards webtoon adaptations but as an avid viewer, I cannot deny the crazy amount of interesting tales that have come to life from toons, all of which are a sight for sore eyes. But Moving really grabbed my attention from the distinct plot. I am expecting a lot of parent-child dynamic and a lot of (hopefully credible) action scenes.

Moving will be airing on Disney+ for all audiences.

My Dearest

Yet another period drama that will tug at your heartstrings. Set in the Joseon era during the Qing invasion, there is a great suffering of people from all works of life. In an unforeseen storytelling, love blooms in the ruckus between a man of complex character and dark secrets and an almost-too-confident noble lady. Will their journey be a smooth sailing or will it be overturned by storms? We'll have to see.

With the serene covers and the bright, picturesque snippets, I do feel a very strange conviction that we'll be dragged through the darkest angst in this series. I am praying that they won't pull a Scarlet Heart Ryeo with this one *cries in sad endings*.

My Dearest will be airing on the slot previously occupied by MBC's Numbers on Fridays and Saturdays.

The Killing Vote

Do the loosely tied law bindings sometimes call for extreme measures by the anonymous greater masses? Such happens in The Killing Vote when all citizens over 18 years old begin to get a polling message that makes them choose whether a person should receive the death penalty or not. If the majority votes in favour of the death penalty, the offender is then taken out by an anonymous masked persona. This stirs up the authorities and hence begins a blind pursue of a murderer in the facade of a lawless justice lender and the real national safeguards.

And we are at my favourite genre! This one is based on a webcomic too written by Eom Se-yoon. Ah, the way I am already jittery awaiting this drama. I feel like this has the potential to be one of the biggest dramas of 2023 or it could be a massive disappointment and a mess of plot holes. Either way, strap up your seat belts because this will be a ride for sure!

The Killing Vote will occupy the airing time of SBS Thursday's 21:00.

My Lovely Boxer

A story of a coerced bonding between a professionally ruthless Sports Agent and a lost boxer, who was previously undefeated in all her matches. Sports agent, Kim Tae-young begrudgingly takes the duty of bringing back the lost boxer, Lee Kwon-sook. Will he, whose strongest suit is extracting the most from his players, succeed in convincing someone who has no intention to return?

A sports drama with what I expect to be a painful back drops awaits us in My Lovely Boxer. I am definitely looking forward to seeing the developments that the two visibly hard headed characters will have. The action will be added bonus!

My Lovely Boxer will take over the slot previously occupied by Heartbeat on Mondays and Tuesdays.

How many of these are you going to watch? Or do you have already more dramas scheduled in your itineraries? Do let us know! I'll get the spicy chicken ready and you set up the dramas, okay? I'll see you next time.

- Admin Kiara

[incurablyromanticsblog]

Watching Hang 'em High (1968)

Aww foal

Clint looking fine as always in assless chaps

WHAT THE FUCK

can't even enjoy a thirst watch im feeling such a thick despair rn

this dude really said i know you were just hanged but you've got get on your feet

meme that's relevant rn

knock off jesus...?

ok so the marshall didn't run to catch him and instead shot him and when he kept running he ... killed him?

'you chained him now you bury him' All cops have been bastards always.

this lady's hair doesn't seem historically accurate but what do i know

he's like a sad mangy dog

ELEVEN DOLLARS FOR ALMOST GETTING LYNCHED

'when you hang a man you better look at him'

"tell you what deputy marshall when I woke up and saw that gun pointing at my mouth and you at the end of it..." thats sus

"I can't get aboard cause my hands are tied, you're going to have to help me" me if I were arrested by Clint Eastwood

this movie is just him going through it

oh god... the kill me scene....

Judge: I'm proud of you marshal jed cooper

Cooper: I think I died 3 days ago

is she.... going to feed him too?

finally he got some action, would have liked to see it tho :/

"Just put it on your expense card" "Under what?" LMAO

WHAT IS THIS JUDGE DOING??

THOSE BLONDE BOYS?? one is 18 the other is 16...

thats hot

why are they calling this old punk captain?

Gang member 1: what we've been doing...it was right...hanging the wrong man doesn't change that

Gang member 2: my wife is so hot she'll definitely cheat on me when I'm in jail

"But they won't have been lynched they'll have been judged" sometimes two things are the same

People coming to see the hanging as if it's a sports match...this seems relevant still..

cooper watching the two boys go up for hanging...and his lynch scar in plain sight...

Cooper said i can't bear this and went to go get laid and then he gave up and abandoned the woman to watch the hanging

The judge crying like you ass you could have stopped this, YOURE THE JUDGE

ok she's imagining going on a carriage ride with clint eastwood. I can understand that.

aww they're having a picnic now...

I GUESS MY LIFE ISN'T WORTH TWO KISSES

they had this whole romantic short film for him to DUMP HER?

this last scene is very the good the bad and the ugly core like when those bandits are coming to kill blondie

HE HUNG HIMSELF

Don't know how to feel about the ending.. and given the context of the movie i think thats a good thing. He wants to quit and wants the one man who shouldn't die pardoned, he wants to save at least one person. And the judge says ok but only if you keep being marshall. And coop agrees. i'm upset he didn't quit but hey i get it.

Note: this is giving me Shooter starring Mark Wahlberg vibes.

Overall rating i'd say is about 9/10 cause the ending missed some vibes, its not racist that's always a plus.

10/10 for Clint Eastwood in pain and whimpering the original reason i wanted to watch the film but i ended up sitting through what came off as a Anti Death Penalty film.

Up next is Coogan's Bluff (1968)

[super-rangers]

Okay, first let me wax your car. The opening/closing bookends were perfect. Such a clever summation of Regina's arc. I love that not everything was neatly tied up, like Regina's relationship with her mom, but you saw just enough to have hope for the future. (but lol at her mom asking when she was going to date again in front of Janis). Hands on Thighs! I love that they were super petty about their friends intervening when in reality they've been torturing them for months. You do this really interesting thing with Regina where she wants a genuine connection to people but at the same time she finds it incredibly uncomfortable and it makes her so sympathetic. Like when she's confessing to Janis - something she's wanted forever - but she's crawling out of her skin.

Okay, questions! To preface, I'm glad not everything is spelled out in the story, but that doesn't mean I'm not curious about your thoughts.

In your mind, how did Janis know about the pin?

What happened to Janis' portrait, was she making it for something specific?

What made the hands off Damian and Gretchen finally meddle? Was it just time?

Did Mrs. Imiike discourage Janis from pursuing a relationship with Regina?

I'm also really glad you're planning one shots in this universe...

Thank you! When I started the last chapter, I honestly wasn't sure how I was going to end it. I kind of fell into paralleling the start of the story, so I'm glad it read well!

I didn't want to tie up absolutely everything at the end, while I wrote it I didn't feel like it was necessary. (Mrs. George has no tact and we love her for it lol)

In my head, Regina really struggles with vulnerability and creating genuine connections with people. And even once she's managed to create those connections and relationships, it's hard for her to let people in. That applies even when she really wants something (like Janis) 😅

1) So originally I didn't have a real reason for her to know about the pin lmao it was more a device to get her to where I wanted her to be (kissing Regina on the forehead). Since I posted the chapter, though, I've thought about it a bit cause you aren't the first person to ask! I think there are 2 ways that she would have known about it. Either Cady accidentally let it slip, having noticed it while Gretchen was singing what's wrong with me, or Janis found it while she was hiding all the ducks around the house. Which, in case you were wondering about that, Regina still hasn't found them all

2) In my head, she was making it as a gift to all her friends for graduation. She's going to keep the original, but she's having prints made for everyone that they'll get during a grad party. Aaron already has his, but he's sworn to secrecy on penalty of death, to the point that he hides it when Cady comes to see him 😆

3) yeah, it was more or less just time for them to meddle. In my head they had gotten fed up enough to throw out their hands off rule and just go for it. Because they didn't want to be old and gray by the time rejanis actually got their acts together

4) I think Janis and her mom had a very frank discussion on whether or not Janis was sure that Regina had changed and if a relationship with her was what Janis really wanted. Mrs. 'Imi’ike is going to take a bit of convincing, but hearing Janis gush about Regina for almost ten minutes straight did make her a bit more accepting

I'm excited to write more for this universe! I don't have anything specific planned out besides a request someone made to see prom so far