#apologies in advance to my poor neighbors who are about to get a VERY loud off tune performance

[bromcommie]

got the original broadway newsies soundtrack stuck in my head again. devastating

[staketheheart]

Noise

Jade was having a damn good dream that was unfairly obliterated when the rhythmic sound chased it away. Her eyes shot open and she tensed, anger quickly clearing away sleep. Not even the comfy warmth Tori gave off next to her calmed her down. She was tired of losing sleep, of the inability to focus on work when her neighbor's creaking bed pierced her peace. She could not fathom why they didn't at least get a new bed if their activities were going to persist at all times of the day. She couldn't count how many times she had to wear earbuds to bed in an effort to drown them out. Or how many times she banged on the wall in a wasted effort to silence them when she couldn't concentrate on her writing. Her creativity greatly suffered, and she lost sleep when it started early in the morning, waking her up hours before her alarm was set to go off. And to make matters worse, Tori was such a heavy sleeper she heard nothing. She was a master at tuning out bothersome sounds, having lived with Trina for so long.

But not Jade. Jade had no tolerance for annoyances. She even 'accidentally' let her stepmother's dog out when it wouldn't stop yapping. The poor animal was found days later down the street by a concerned neighbor who just brought the little beast right back to continue to annoy her. She let out a loud sigh that became a growl, rubbing her eyes. It seemed like she would forever be irritated no matter where she went. She rolled over and slipped her arm around Tori's middle, hugging her close and burying her face in her back. Tori grumbled something in her sleep but continued to snore on, unbothered and leaving Jade to attempt to regain sleep. But she didn't. She stayed awake until her alarm went off, finally waking up Tori. She stretched out, a sleepy smile on her face when she noticed how close Jade held her.

"Well good morning," she mumbled, turning her bright smile on Jade. It slowly fell when she was met with Jade's grumpy scowl, lack of sleep easily recognizable in her eyes.

"Did they bother you again?" Tori asked, resting a hand on Jade's face gently, concern in her frown. Jade only blinked, a brow jumping up incredulously.

"I really don't know how you can sleep through it. Or ignore the chick's obviously fake moaning. I swear, it's like a bad porno is playing on full blast over there. Don't get me started on the headboard shaking the wall because the squeaking bed is enough to drive me nuts as it is. I think I might actually leave a note on their door highlighting just how pissed off I am and demand that they at the least buy a new damn bed," Jade ranted, voice strained with simmering anger. Tori could see it building in the way Jade's jaw muscles flexed, the way her eyes glinted with malicious intent, the way her nostrils flared like a raging bull. She was no stranger to angry Jade. It was turned on her one too many times in high school to not recognize the signs that something bad was about to befall some poor soul. And just as it always has been, it fell to her to try and calm her down.

"Well, you did already key their car and pop their tires. You even scared the crap out of them when you pretended to be attacked and they almost called the police. You're lucky they came over to check on you instead of calling them or you would have been in big trouble," Tori replied, recounting Jade's endeavors to drive away their annoying neighbors.

"And yet, they're still here and still giving me a headache. I mean, I understand. Young couples, newly living together, they can't keep their hands off each other. I've been there. But seriously, if you're going to go at it all day be considerate to other people. These apartment walls aren't soundproof. Seriously, all I ask is a quiet bed and maybe less fake orgasms," Jade continued.

"Jade!" Tori exclaimed, scandalized.

"Tori, you can't disagree, even if you've rarely heard them. We don't even get that obnoxious and you're a freaking tiger in bed," Jade pointed out, causing Tori's blush to get worse. She was currently sitting up against the headboard, gripping the blankets to her chest, eyes wide and face red. She never could get used to the explicit way Jade spoke about things. She was far more conservative concerning private matters.

"Maybe you should say something then?" she suggested, turning to look at Jade. The dark-haired woman turned on her back and glared up at the ceiling.

"If I confront them about it I can't guarantee that I won't hurt them if they refuse to listen," she responded honestly. Tori rolled her eyes. Jade saw it and threw up her hands to let them fall back on either side of her.

"I can't help it. People have this rude habit of annoying me," she said.

"How many times do I have to tell you to be nice? If you just nicely explained the situation, I think they'll be more willing to comply. Threatening them with scissors won't work forever," Tori remarked sagely.

"It's worked so far," Jade responded pointedly. Tori pinched at the bridge of her nose, eyes closed.

"You know being nice is hard for me when people are so stupid or annoying," Jade pressed, propping herself up on an elbow to face Tori who was still frowning.

"Besides, you remember that day I tried to play nice with Moaning Myrtle when we were coming back from our date and she cut us off coming into the gate. I was mad, but I didn't even cuss at her. She apologized and I accepted. Even though I hate pretending to be nice to someone I really just want to throw a brick at," Jade recounted. Tori nodded and shrugged one shoulder, giving her that. It was a better response than allowing a laugh at the nickname she gave the neighbor. That would only encourage her. And Tori didn't want Jade to ruin Harry Potter for her more than she already had.

"The guy is a total dick though. Have you heard his conversations when the bros are invited over and she's gone? I wouldn't mind throwing a brick at him too," Jade added. This time Tori did chuckle. Jade's pout was adorable and her petulant tone added to the affect. Not that she approved of Jade's tantrum. She opened her mouth to offer condolences that would put Jade at ease when the very thing that upset her in the first place started up again. In an instant Jade was up and throwing the blankets off.

"That's it!" she snarled, stomping toward the door. Tori scrambled out of bed to cut her off.

"How about some coffee first? You always say it's a warm and delicious alternative to hating everybody, every morning, forever," Tori hastily reminded her, hands out to stop Jade from advancing. Jade stopped right before she reached the door, staring Tori down. Her expression went from angry to calm and then calculative. Tori didn't like the mischievous smirk that graced her lips seconds later. Like a flip of a switch Jade was eyeing Tori like a panther on the hunt. She fidgeted, her mind racing, trying to come up with a reason for the sudden change.

"I've just thought of a great idea," Jade revealed, stalking closer to reach past Tori to shut the door behind her, while at the same time backing her up until she was then pressed to the closed door.

"Uh, mind letting me in on it?" Tori stammered.

"Gladly, since you're going to help me," Jade answered, resting a warm hand on Tori's waist.

"With what?" Tori asked.

"Revenge," Jade whispered in her ear, body pressed against hers. She shivered.

"That won't solve anything," Tori tried to tell her, biting her lip when Jade's lips pressed to the sensitive spot just under the corner of her jaw.

"You sure about that? It's worth a try," Jade disagreed, moving to bite playfully at Tori's ear. Tori hummed, trying to focus her thoughts, but it devolved into a groan instead. Her thought process struggled. Jade's hands ran up her sides under her shirt then traced back down, making her skin tingle.

"Well, I don't like to call it revenge. Returning the favor sounds nicer," Tori allowed, causing Jade to laugh.

"Whatever you want to call it, Tor," she muttered, pulling her away from the door to relocate against the wall by their bed. The same wall they shared with their annoying neighbors. The squeaking still persisted but Jade planned to make them regret it. She reached up to knock hard on the wall, earning a short pause in the squeaking. As soon as it stopped she turned her attention to Tori.

"I'm sure you know what to do," she murmured, dragging a finger down her front to tug suggestively at her pajama shorts. Tori couldn't help reacting.

"Jade," she gasped. Jade grinned.

"I've never heard a better sound than when you're whimpering my name," Jade purred in her ear, knowing her words would help stoke the fire. Tori groaned and closed her eyes, head falling back and hips pressing into Jade's hands.

"Let's see if we can beat them at their own game," Jade challenged, sealing it with a kiss that quickly escalated into more.

The next morning Jade woke up to peaceful silence. Vaguely she remembered falling asleep to the same silence, Tori wrapped in her arms after another round of blissful revenge. She made sure Tori made her pleasure known and didn't hold back when Tori reciprocated. She wasn't normally rough with Tori, preferring tender passion, but she made sure their own bed complimented their activities. A large, pleased, smile spread across her face. It was the first thing Tori saw when she woke up several minutes later. It remained all through breakfast and grew impossibly bigger when they left their apartment and happened across their annoying neighbors in the parking lot. The couple awkwardly glanced at them and then hastily got in their car. Jade innocently waved at them when they drove by.

She was confident her point was made, but she would gladly improve upon it should they bother her again. Which they did when they got over the first incident. They went right back to it and Jade responded in kind. Until a week later she spotted a delivery man dropping off a rather large box. It looked like the neighbors finally got that new bed. For the first time in over a year Jade could work with focus, get to sleep on time, wake up on time, and enjoy the silence at her leisure. Whether the couple next door picked up on their activities or not remained unknown to Jade. Just as it should be.

"You're ridiculous," Tori told her one night while cuddled into her side, skin pressed against skin. Their own time together had gone back to slow and sweet. Jade chuckled, turning her head to kiss Tori's temple.

"I know," she agreed, proud and unashamed. Tori was just relieved the situation had been resolved without violence this time. To her, that was progress she would be all too happy to encourage.

[tiaragqueen]

At Leisure

✂ Pairing: Yandere! Kim Taehyung x Noona! Reader

✂ Word Count: 1,8k+

✂ Trigger Warning: Mentions of possessiveness, seduction, Noona kink, dom! reader, hints of light smut

✂ This story is fictional and for amusement only. I don’t believe any of the members would do this in real life. As always, thank you for reading and I hope you have a good day!

Do not re-upload my writing to another website or use it without my permission.

[Edited]

***

Anon asked: “What about a sub!yandere!tae ?? No smut if you don’t do it joe want to.”

Sub! Tae might be my favorite thing now. That guy is a perfect combination of both dominant and submissive. And I kept blushing when I was writing this.

Song: BTS - House of Cards

If you like my writing, please support me on ko-fi!

“Grab me tightly and shake me, so I can’t snap out of it. Kiss me on the lips, lips. Our own little secret.” - Blood, Sweat, And Tears [BTS]

      “Noona!”

       There he went again.

        For the past thirty minutes, Taehyung had been trying to attract your attention to his deprived self. However, you kept ignoring him in favor of reading a new book that you bought yesterday. You had thought that he would quit after the third attempt due to your unresponsiveness, yet it merely fueled his determination instead.

        And you didn’t know whether you should be flattered or annoyed.

        Taehyung skipped towards you and plopped down beside you. You felt the extra weight on your lap as he rested his head and looked up to you with glittering eyes.

         “Hey, Noona.” he greeted innocently, as though he hadn’t been shouting your name earlier. You were sure the neighbors must have heard his constant calls due to his loudness. However, you decided to humor him a little. Who knows, he might grow bored and finally leave you alone.

         Even though it sounded a bit far-fetched for you.

         “Hello, baby.” you murmured, stroking his smooth hair. Taehyung closed his eyes in contentment and proceeded to nuzzle his face into your stomach. If he were a cat, he would be purring by now.

         “Noona,” his deep voice came out muffled against your shirt. Frowning, he leaned back and pulled the annoying clothes up to reveal a strip of skin. Satisfied with the little bareness, he hid his face again and drank in your natural body smell.

         He always did that, you noticed. You always thought you smelled terrible. It wasn’t like you bothered to wear perfume at home either. However, with how deep he took a breath, he made it seem as though he was inhaling a fragrance. Or crack. Taehyung always did look... deprived whenever he was unable to smell you.

        You admitted you were scared that he might be a bit too addicted to you. Sometimes you wondered what would happen if you, say, left him. What would become of Taehyung later? Would he still be the whiny man-child you grew to love over this past of few months? Or would he get depressed instead?

         It was highly probable since he seemed to adore you so much. But the thought didn’t bring you any reassurance whatsoever. Not that you planned on breaking up with him anytime soon, though. You were simply curious, after all.

         Not that he would let you leave him, either. But you were oblivious to it because as far as you knew, he was a charming man with the mentality of a three-year-old child. Possessive, yes. However, it was justifiable. We all feel a bit possessive to those we love, so why should he be any different? If anything, you should consider yourself lucky for having him as your boyfriend.

         If only you saw the darkness that clouded his eyes or the way his arms tightened around you whenever you talked to another person. Men or women, it didn’t matter.

         “Noona, I’m bored. Can we do something, please? Or maybe, we can watch the anime instead! Free! Iwatobi Swimming Club released the new season last night. So can we watch it together, please?” Taehyung blinked and smiled hopefully, assuming the cliché expression of ‘puppy look’. “Pretty please? With a cherry on top?”

         You glanced down at his – frankly speaking – adorable face. Any other day you would’ve loved to relent and indulge in his couple fantasies, but today wasn’t one of it. You had been giving him a lot of attention lately; it was time for some much-needed privacy.

          “Not now, honey. I’m busy.” You quickly dismissed him by averting your gaze back on to the new book.

          “But you’ve been busy since this morning! I just want to cuddle with you. Is that too much to ask?” Taehyung jutted out his bottom lip in hopes of appealing to you. However, you refused to budge.

          “We can always do that later. For now, I want to have some ‘fun’ by myself.”

          A sheen of tears coated Taehyung's dark irises as he frowned sadly, head dropping like a kicked puppy. “Does that mean you no longer consider me as fun to be around?”

         The frown on your part wasn't out of sadness like him. It was more of a confusion and a slight surprise. You knew that Taehyung could be quick to jump into conclusions, but sometimes his assumptions were just plain ridiculous.

          “What? Of course, you’re fun, Taehyung,” you assured him, though you were aware that he wasn’t fully convinced with your statement.

          Any kind of displeasure that you expressed, however small it might be, would be taken at face value by him. That was when he would go ‘overdrive’; begging you to not abandon him with tears streaming down his flushing face. Once, he bought bouquets of your favorite flowers and snacks as an apology for whatever mistakes he’d done. And while you were flattered to know the depth of his love, you admitted that even it was a bit overboard. He feared losing you so much he was willing to do anything for you and had you weren’t as kind-hearted, you would’ve taken advantage of him.

          He would never know that you used him, anyway. And honestly, you didn't doubt that he wouldn’t care very much. As long as you were still his, everything else didn’t matter.

          “Then, why wouldn’t you let me have fun with you too?”

          Sighing, you resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of your nose. Even though you understood his need for affection, Taehyung couldn’t easily comprehend the idea of privacy sometimes. Everything else had to include him in it, otherwise, he would either throw a tantrum or sobbing his eyes out.

          “Just because I want to have fun by myself, doesn’t mean I’m bored of you, Taehyung. You know, I want to be alone too. I can’t always be with you at all times.” you explained patiently like a mother to her curious son.

          “Why? I want to be with you, though.” he whimpered.

          “I understand,” you patted his head affectionately. “But that’s the point of ‘me-time’, you know? So I can resupply my energy battery. You don’t want me to neglect you, right?”

          He shook his head, already dreading the thought of you ignoring him. It would surely drive him crazy, no doubt. Your voice was the greatest sound in the world – especially when you were cooing like this – and he wanted to spend the rest of his life listening to it.

          “Then give me a few minutes to read. After that, we shall cuddle on the bed.”

          Taehyung nodded obediently and got up from your lap, seemingly satisfied with your proposal. You watched his hunched back shuffled towards your shared bedroom and closed the door behind him with a long creak. The guilt weighed in your chest, but you immediately dispelled it. There was no need to regret something when he already accepted it. And besides, it wasn’t like he would go out anyway. He always used whatever free time he had with you, mostly asking you to coddle him.

          In a way, he was like your figurative child.

          You never thought that the first lover you had would be a sub. Constantly following you everywhere, even to the bathroom. In bed, he liked to give the reins to you. Taehyung believed one hundred percent that you would never hurt him, and obviously, you didn’t plan on abusing that trust any time soon. Such a man, whose face was enough to turn on many people at first glance alone, was rare to find. Maybe you would discover more had you tried hard enough, but why should you do that when you already had Kim Taehyung, the mysterious yet eccentric guy who most women admired? You’d be a fool to let him go when he had done nothing but giving you his blind devotion.

          The sound of a piano wafted softly into the living room. The door from your room opened, revealing Taehyung with messy red hair that was mussed to enhance his overall seductive look. A white button-up shirt clung on to his tanned body, with the first two buttons left loosened to display a glimpse of his broad chest. It was tucked into a dark and tight pants pressed against his full legs.

          You should've known that he would never settle on a simple promise, and you definitely shouldn’t have underestimated his determination.

          Despite that, you wouldn’t lie that you did enjoy the sight he happily bestowed.

          You could feel warmth traveled south into your nether region as you watched him lick those luscious lips of his. However, you still had the dignity to keep your words.

          “Taetae, no. I told you that I will cuddle with you later.”

           However, your warning fell on deaf ears. Instead, Taehyung purposefully sang the first line of House of Cards with a deeper voice than usual.

           “Insecure again, dangerous again.”

          Through your peripheral vision, you could see him slowly advancing. Once in a while, he would run a hand through his disheveled hair or bite his bottom lip. The way he did those things – not to mention, the way he practically made out with the toy microphone – prompted a rush of blood to color your cheeks.

          “So bad (why?) us, yeah.”

           You clasped a hand over your mouth, attempting miserably to conceal your heavy blush. “Taehyung, stop.”

           It was a half-hearted plea, he knew that much. That was why he smirked and continued singing as though he wasn’t trying to wreak havoc on to your poor heart.

           “Enduring more, holding out.”

           “Please, stop.” It was unfair of him to look perfect at seducing while you had to endure the mental breakdown he gladly gave to you. You weren’t sure if you could sit here any longer without indulging in your desire to simply tackle him and have sex right here and there.

           “So hard (hard), we can’t.”

           However, you weren’t exactly patient either. So before he could purr the next line, you already seized him down.

           “What’s this, baby?” you asked, chin lifted and eyes narrowed haughtily.

           Instead of answering, Taehyung merely smirked. He was provoking you, and you would make sure that he realized the consequences. You’d been dying to do that anyway ever since he stepped out with that kind of outfit.

           You nodded, running a hand down the expanse of his chest. Well, as wide as his shirt could allow. No matter, you would soon throw it away.

           “Are you trying to seduce me, baby?” you taunted. “Well, that just won’t do. Don’t think that you can get away after showing such a bold show on me.”

           “What if I want to?”

           “Oh? So now you’re challenging my authority?” You clicked your tongue, scowling slightly. “What a brat. It almost feels as if you’re looking for punishment.” Tilting his chin up, you bared your teeth evilly. “But if that’s what you’re looking for, then be prepare for a painful night ahead of you.”

           Taehyung's eyes lit up like a child at Christmas. It wasn’t the punishment he wanted, but the prospect of you finally spend your time with him. Nodding vehemently, he grinned. “Yes, Noona.”

[coeurdastronaute]

Either/Or: Krypton

Supercorp AU where Krypton never exploded but Kara & Lena still meet & fall in love anyways. Whether Kara still ends coming to earth or Lena goes to Krypton.

It was the squint of light that finally reached her eyes that woke her, though she battled it tiredly, digging her head into her pillow. The long night mingled in her bones, making itself nice and cozy in the sheets of the bed, tangling up in her limbs and keeping her disinterested in leaving. Until she remembered.

With a start, a messy head of curls shot up, slightly dazed and confused at the quick movement, slow thoughts, and uncooperative limbs. A hand slapped her own eye as she misjudged distance and tried to rub it while the day woke well ahead of the body, so that even the normal morning song was already finished, further confusing the poor, hard working artist-in-training.

“I’m late,” she coughed to herself, still unable to move herself until her limbs caught up, and then surpassed her thoughts. “Rao no, not today. No no no nonononono.”

Books tumbled to the floor as legs knotted into themselves earning a body on the ground with a loud oomph. Kara pushed herself up, quickly shoving her papers and books together again, hoping that her newest transponder and tablet weren’t broken again as they all were put back onto the pile of her bed while she looked for pants.

She was a rarity, for her age. Done with her core schooling, and even past her testing, she was into her apprenticeship, which was very different than her friends. She got lost for hours in the Great Archives, while others trained with the Warriors or studied with the Thinkers, and whenever asked what she did, all she could say was that she looked for truth and purpose, though it was less tangible than calluses and experiments.

There were bruises though still.

“Clothes. I need clothes,” she muttered, frantically tugging at anything she could get her hands on until she was at least not completely naked. She did, however, in the process of getting dressed, knock over a pile of books, some instruments, and the astrolabe on her desk.

The clock told her she was so late it was going to be impossible to catch up, though that didn’t stop her from trying. Long legs leaped over her bed as she sprinted from one side of her room to the other, slamming into the door before opening it and continuing the marathon through the halls of her ancestral home.

It was in this way that she differed from others her age as well. While most left home, moved in with a group from their trade, or friends, Kara remained in the giant citadel that was her family home as was required by her name and lineage. It only made her trip into Argo City even more difficult though. On any other day, she loved her home. Today, when she needed to get downtown quickly, it was a prison.

No one remained at all, their dwelling silent. Her mother was gone for the day, her father, most likely left before her. It was maddening to even imagine they wouldn’t wake her. But still, Kara didn’t have time to think of her own mistakes. Instead, she tapped the button to the lift impatiently.

Her foot tapped as she slowly descended until she prepared herself a few floors before the end, ready to take off once they doors opened again.

The Loop was the quickest method of travel, and it still felt like a million years. As soon as her feet touched ground at the closest station downtown, she didn’t breathe. Like that, she was gone as soon as it opened, weaving her way through the streets toward the transportation, hoping she could make up any sort of already lost time.

Her mother was going to kill her, surely.

“I’m sorry!” she yelped, barely dodging a neighbor. “I’m late. Hello, Jran Shara. Apologies,” she bowed her head and slowed, showing the utmost respect she could in her frantic state to the bespeckled, elderly woman who worked with her mother. “Lovely day today.”

Not kill her, but definitely give her that exasperated sigh and look. But it wasn’t Kara’s fault other than it being completely her fault. She didn’t really have time for the ambassadorship program. She didn’t feel the need to spend her time with some aliens from Earth on an anthropological and political excursion. In just six lorakh she would finish her apprenticeship in the archives, and the final part of her studies was exhaustively complete. But Kara would support her mother and father because it was not just expected, but rather something that she believed in more than anything. That duty, the honor of their deeds.

“And that is the true purpose of everything we strive to accomplish,” Kara’s mother addressed the crowd formed to welcome the first ship from Earth. “We seek to welcome these ambassadors and accomplish a peace between our worlds. For while the universe is vast and dark, there is light in the form of our friendships, holding hands across the infinite expanse. We can learn so much from new cultures, and it is in this that I am overjoyed to welcome the team from Earth.”

Applause rang out in a steady wave as Kara clapped and wiggled through the crowds toward her father on the side of the stage.

“As we once descended from great explorers and minds, all of which created our beautiful home and discovered our planet, we now endeavor to become like them once again, open in our minds and hearts to the unlimited potential that rests within every species.”

“You nearly missed it,” her father smiled without taking his eyes off of his wife.

“I know. I’m sorry,” she grumbled, catching her breath. “My alarm didn’t go off, and I was up late in the Archives. Did she notice?”

As if she heard them amidst the clamor, the leader of the law council gave a small smile to her family at the edge of the crowd.

“I told her you were here somewhere,” he grinned conspiratorially before putting his arm around his daughter as she hugged his side. “Come on, let’s go. Just tell her you were preparing our home for our guest.”

“Wait, one is staying with us?” Kara furrowed at the news.

“I thought I told you…” Zor-El wondered to himself. “You’ve been so busy lately, out in the world. I’m sure I told you.”

“No.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

“Right, well. You won’t notice. We have plenty of room and she’ll be working with me, mostly.”

Before Kara could argue the point, she felt her feet carry her toward her mother. It wouldn’t matter anyway. It seemed oddly natural that they would host someone, with her mother spearheading this plan for expanding their network. Kara almost kicked herself for not considering it until that moment.

“Great speech, Mom,” she smiled as Alura hugged her.

“The part you caught, right?”

“Yes, that part especially.” Kara blushed slightly, offering a furtive grin.

“I was just telling our daughter about the new addition to our family,” Zor-El supplied as he kissed his wife’s temple. “It seems I forgot.”

“I know you’re busy,” her mother tried. “And I wouldn’t ask you to take time away from your studies. You won’t--”

“It’s fine, I promise,” Kara cut her off quickly. “I’m excited. This is a huge day for our people and this will be great.”

“Come on then. Let’s go take those last few steps toward progress, shall we?”

“I’m actually late for the Archives. Pal-Kann has assignments for me.”

The parents shared a look until her father nodded. Her mother squeezed her arm and smiled fondly.

“Work well. Learn everything.”

They touched foreheads and Kara smiled broadly before sprinting off.

“Do you ever remember a moment when she walked?” Alura sighed.

“Not at all.”

Never before in the history of words had overwhelmed felt so fitting and encompassing of a feeling. It took two months of travelling to meet the new sister world. It took twelve years of diplomacy to even create the trip and expand each other’s culture. But still, even with the two years spent preparing, Lena Luthor felt largely out of her element and exceedingly dazzled by everything she saw.

How could she not be blown away by the society presented? How could she not be mesmerized and intrigued by the world that stretched higher than she’d ever imagined, and more advanced than humanly possible? It was her own Christmas, but better.

And it was a miracle she even got to make the trip.

Younger by almost twenty years to the other youngest members of the exchange crew, she earned her spot by being the most brilliant mind the collective universities and powers to be could find. While there were physicists and astronomers, and engineers and doctors, she was not just the science, she was the tech wizard, the genius that her father promised and had a heavy hand in getting  seat.

But it was supposed to be her brother, though as Lionel’s favorite, Lena won out over his duty to their family’s company. She saw how much it hurt him, and though she tried to offer it to him, an act that actually hurt, no matter how much she tried to convince herself that selflessness was a virtue, he respected his father’s wishes and let her keep it.

And at the moment, standing in the streets of the capital of an advanced alien planet, Lena wanted to show him so badly while at the same time, already had a thousand questions of her hosts, forgetting her brother entirety.

Slowly, the groups were formed as hosts were introduced to their exchanges. Lena waited for her’s, the noble house of El, an esteemed, ancient family with a knack for diplomacy and technology. She was grateful for the placement, excited to work with Zor-El, the head of a research group, though her father urged her to shadow Alura, the somewhat political leader of the planet.

Lena just wanted to know what fuel they used for the ships.

“Lena of the House of Luthor?”

“Yes, yes, hello,” she snapped back from marvelling at the skyline and every single thing that existed.

She was met with two of the most beautiful, smiling, angelic faces she’d ever seen, both beaming at her kindly, welcoming her. The man, tall, slender faced with a bushy black beard and warm brown eyes waited for her to catch her wits. The blonde, blue eyed woman couldn’t.

“We are so happy to hear of your safe arrival. It is a pleasure to meet you.”

“It is an honor to be here with you,” Lena smiled and nodded, bowing as she was instructed per their liaison. “Zor-El, Alura.”

“Your travels were nice?”

“They were. Your city is…” she looked around again and felt as if her lungs were filled to dangerous capacity. “Its one of the most magnificent things I have ever seen.”

“We have many things to show you, but we thought today we would allow you to adjust,” the husband explained while she continued to look around, eyes wide and searching. “Your things are on the way to our home already. Perhaps a stroll and small tour. I’m sure you will want to stretch your legs after two months in a confined space.”

“I’m not keeping you from your work, am I? “

“No, no,” Alura promised, wrapping her arm around Lena’s as she began to guide her. “We have been planning this for many years. We want you to learn from us as we will learn from you, therefore we are more lenient about time when it comes to those housing guests.”

“If you’re sure.”

“I’ll message our daughter to be home at a good hour,” Zor-El excused himself to the side as he messaged somehow. “And now we can begin. Welcome to Krypton, Lena of House of Luthor.”

There was never a shortage of reading material while she worked on finishing her work in the Archives. Tasked with keeping the history of their world, tasked with helping all of the guilds with their research, tasked with creating the past and helping the future, Kara was constantly behind in reading and learning.

Normally, she didn’t get back until much later. Just something about losing track of time kept her on a weird schedule. But she had obligations, and so she made it back with her arms full of more books, more assignments.

Normally, the house was quiet. From time to time, friends and even her aunt might stop by for a dinner or game night. Sometimes there were associates who visited and who brought their families. But most of the time, the House of El was quiet. Not lonely, not sullen, not scary, but rather just a happy kind of solitude.

But it wasn’t a normal day, and as Kara dropped her books on a table as she walked through their home, she didn’t have to strain her ears much to hear the laughter and talking coming from outside. It was a familiar sound that she hadn’t missed until she heard it again, one that was all memories of long nights and fun parties with good friends and family

The doors were open, the windows all smelled like the flowers out on the edge of their land, the oldest plot of land on their planet, owned by the family since the beginning of time, since the beginning of the history as they all knew it. It was the honor of their house to be known as a home to thinkers and talkers alike. Kara had a pride in their ability to converse and bring together so many unique people in its history. Tonight was no different, and perhaps one of the most important yet.

“So you use finite resources to propel all manner of transportation and infrastructure?”

“Yes.”

“But how will that affect the composition of the planet?”

“Badly.” They laughed as Kara finally snuck out to meet them. “There are large movements to use renewable resources, but convenience is paramount.”

“In all of my studies of humans, I’ve found that pragmatism is often at a loss to the selfish interests of the few,” her father waxed. “How do you combat that? Or can you?”

“I can’t say that my father isn’t one of them. Money and power often interrupt the idea of the future.”

“But you already have a grasp on such advanced theories and problems.”

“I’m trying,” she smiled politely. “Hopefully I can find a balance to make evolution a little less painful.”

“Oh, Kara! Honey, hello,” her mother greeted, the first to spot her lurking and listening. “You made it home early.”

“Wouldn’t want to miss our guest’s first night.”

She kissed her mother’s cheek and earned a smile from her father. That was the last thing she remembered doing, because then she looked at the guest and she was certain all words kind of didn’t make words any longer. Letters existed and she had a few, both her common language and the six she’d picked up throughout her studies all smashed together to create untranslatable feelings.

Her clothes were foreign, her look was… she wasn’t Kryptonian. Her eyes were this deep green, evident even in the light of the evening sky. Kara wasn’t sure she’d ever seen someone who looked like that, nor was she certain that someone made her heart skip in an instant.

“This is Lena Luthor. Just Luthor. No house,” her father explained. “I’ve already learned a lot about their social structure.”

Kara grinned at how excited he was to learn new things. She was certain that he probably bombarded her with questions. She had about a thousand to ask as well, though none came to mind in that instant.

“Kara,” she held out her hand as she’d read was custom. “It’s nice to meet you, Lena.”

“Your parents have told me a lot about you,” she smiled and Kara was a goner.

It wasn’t uncommon to see other people often. She was young, and they had parties and she saw people in a sometimes romantic way. She’d never seen anyone or looked at anyone like how she must have been looking at this alien.

“I’m sorry I’m late.”

“I was just answering a few questions. And asking a few, if I’m being honest.”

“It sounds like you two will grow bored after just a few days.”

“I don’t think I could run out of questions here,” she laughed and watched as Kara sat across from her. “I don’t know if you did this, but kids, back on Earth, they ask so many questions that it’s maddening. Why is the sky blue? Where does the garbage go? Do trees have feelings?”

“Do they?” Kara asked eagerly.

“Some trees have roots that are thousands of feet long and connect each other across large distances. I don’t know if they feel, but they must.”

“Good. I like that.”

“I feel like a child again, now that I’m here,” Lena explained. “I want to know how cars go and why the sky is this color.”

That was it. One minute, and Kara was mesmerized. She was absolutely taken with the stranger and she didn’t even realize how gone she was. But even after she finished talking, Kara stared and waited for more words, until her father cleared his throat.

“Kara is training to take over the Archives. It’s a coveted position,” Alura explained as she motioned for Lena to take a seat once again.

“Though she has the brain for the thinking guild,” her father sighed, one of the great tragedies of his rather perfect life.

For years, his daughter shadowed him, showed a knack for thinking, for science, for theory, for experimentation, and yet, when she was selected for the position, one that any parent would have been amazed to see, he felt a pang of loss. She wasn’t his any longer. Now, she belonged to their city and their past.

“The Archives? What does that mean?”

“They explained the guilds?” Kara asked, sitting back and stealing a bit of food from the plates between them. She watched Lena nod. “My mother is a Mediator, devoted to law. My father is a thinker, devoted to the sciences. I am an Archivist, devoted to all.”

“All of the guilds?” Lena furrowed.

“There are twelve of us. One in each of the cities. It’s… it’s complicated. But I can show you one day. For now, it just means that I study and learn and collect.”

“I’d love that.”

“It appears I'm outnumbered even more,” her father grinned and drank his wine.

From across the porch, Kara smiled at him before making the fatal mistake of looking back at Lena of house Luthor, and she was gone once again. She’d read thousands of books. She’d spent hours observing the clouds and calculating the stars and documenting their stories, and yet she’d never, in all of her time, in all of history, in all of the shared consciousness of her race, noted anything like the feeling she got when she looked at the stranger.

She would consult the Archives in the morning, she decided as she stole another treat though her mother gave her a look for not sharing well enough. She would look in the compiled histories for what it could mean to be intrigued and absolutely mesmerized by someone who hadn’t said twenty words.

By far, the biggest surprise of her arrival to Krypton had not been the technology or the beauty of it, nor was it the kindness of the people or the graciousness to which they enacted to welcome their guests. The biggest surprise was how many times Kara could stumble and stutter and wave her hands while she spoke passionately about things, while everyone else seemed so effortlessly graceful and precise. She somehow managed to find the one Kryptonian that was so very human it was almost endearing.

As the evening set in, as the wine was shared and the delicious treats were passed, as topics were debated and discussed, Lena found herself often looking toward the girl who had a shy grin and an air of almost whimsy about her ideas. She was everything Lena never imagined one person to hold within themselves, and that was just after a few hours. Hair wild, skin of her shoulders on display, the delicate bones of her collar precise and even, eyes deep brown, chin cleft and regal, she was perfection, plain and simple.

“It is getting late,” Zor-El realized as he saw Lena attempt to stifle another yawn. She smiled politely though through it. “We have been rude to keep you up after your trip.”

“I’m sure this is a lot to process,” Alura agreed. “And we have tried to solve the entire galaxy’s problems in one night and two bottles of wine.”

“A noble effort,” Lena chuckled.

“Kara, could you show Lena to her rooms?” the mother asked, earning a little jump. “We’ll clean up.”

“Oh, yes. Yeah, I could do that,” she nodded and stood quickly.

Lena couldn’t help but smile. Something about Kara was just so… good. She felt like sunshine. She reminded her of those little puppies in the pet store window that her father would never let her have despite pleading with him for months leading up to her birthday and Christmas. Kara was the perfect little cocker spaniel with her paws pressed against the window, and the thought made Lena warm.

But she blamed it on the wine and the long day and the inability of her brain to process all that had happened.

“Thank you for having me,” Lena offered to the parents. “I know that this is an act of faith between our worlds, and I am deeply humbled and honored to be here.”

“It’s our pleasure to have you,” the father bowed slightly.

“You are so full of hope,” Alura smiled and held Lena’s shoulders, a move that scared her slightly, though she did not show it. “Go rest. Tomorrow your universe gets much larger.”

With the nods and thanks, Lena waited as the family spoke in their language before she finally followed her guide from the back and into the house that she barely got to see before being whisked outside to be swept off of her feet by the hospitality presented to her.

Though she wanted to take it all in, she didn’t have the brainpower to learn anything else, and she certainly was devoting more than she’d admit to thinking of something to say to the girl who appeared and made her feel at ease.

Instead of words, she just followed dumbly.

A few steps ahead of her, Kara racked her brain for some kind of combination of words that would sound clever and interesting, though she came up with absolutely nothing, and so she gave up in favor of just any words to fill the quiet.

“Our home is the oldest on the planet. It started smaller, but grew and was remodeled after the third war,” she explained as the ascended a staircase. “My parents usually host guests of honor for that reason. And all of our family are welcome here at anytime. Not that you’re not a guest of honor. I mean. You are. Usually meant we have in the past.”

“I get it,” Lena promised. “This place is beautiful.”

“I’ll make sure to give you a proper tour in the daylight. We have you in the second tower. It will have everything you need and the view in the morning is beautiful. You can see the city twinkling as the sun rises.”

“It sounds spectacular.”

“If you do need anything,” she paused. “I’m not far. In fact. This is, uh, my room,” Kara opened the door and remembered the state she left it in after her sprint of the morning. “Nothing interesting in there.”

“Could I look, still?”

“Oh, yeah, um, sure.”

Idiot, Kara berated herself. She wasn’t sure why she agreed, except she did and it was too late.

Kara stood in the door and watched Lena take tentative steps forward before she stopped and simply started to look. The inhabitant couldn’t remember the last time she truly scrutinized her own room, and now it felt oddly embarrassing.

The bed was unmade. The windows were wide open, allowing the chill of the night to creep in through the breeze that seemed perpetual so far from the city. The shelves were full of trinkets while the floor was stacked with books. The large computer desk in the corner glowed only slightly, but still made itself known. Kara watched Lena pick up a book from the ground and trace her hand along the page before picking up another.

“It’s amazing how similar some things are to us.”

“What do you mean?”

“Your room looks like my workshop,” Lena turned and smiled. “Could you tell me why you have paper books and why one of them is a poetry anthology?”

“The Archives houses all knowledge. It is an old artform, but it is our job to guard all knowledge accumulated, even those that have been forgotten,” Kara shrugged, hurriedly grabbing both books. “And I thought it was important to learn of your culture. These are done in a way I’m not familiar. No one knows them and can decipher them. They don’t make sense, but they feel nice.”

“That’s exactly what a poem is.”

“I don’t understand.”

“It’s a feeling. Metaphor. Symbolism. I don’t read much of them. Barely have time to read research let alone for pleasure,” she smiled and finally looked back at Kara from the books that’d been taken. “I’m sure it’s like your fiction or stories.”

“I will research those tomorrow,” Kara decided, gazing down at the words in her hand as she felt heavy under Lena’s glance. “Perhaps you can help me?”

“I don’t know how good I’d be at it. I’m more of a science person.”

“You have a different guild who could help me?”

“No. Well, kind of. But… Can we try to have this conversation again in the morning?” she chuckled. “I should think of a better way to explain it all.”

“You’re doing fine,” Kara pressed eagerly, wanting more information.

“Sometimes we refer to how people think by their chosen profession. So when I said I might not be good at it, I just meant my brain thinks a certain way that might not be good at poems.”

“Can’t you do both?”

“I suppose I can, we just don’t. Or rather, I don’t.”

“One of my favorite writers of stories here is a Laborer. He does both.”

“Yes, we can do both. I just meant me, personally.”

“You are a science brain?” Kara furrowed. “Perhaps you can just read it in a different way?”

“I’ll try,” Lena promised with a deep breath. “I hope every conversation doesn’t feel this hard. My brain might explode.”

“Oh Rao! Does that happen often?”

“No,” she shook her head and chuckled to herself. “Not often.”

From the door, Kara nodded deeply before tossing the books onto her bed with a renewed interest in one of them. She scratched her neck and shifted her weight awkwardly.

“Should I show you your room?” she tried. “It’s not far. I just wanted you to not feel far.”

“Yes, please.”

“Just around the corner,” Kara promised, leading the way once again. “If you  need anything, please find me. I’ll do whatever I can for you, Lena.”

“Thank you.”

“This is you,” she paused and opened the door down another hall. “I won’t distract you any longer.”

“They weren’t bad distractions.”

“Tomorrow, I make no promises.”

Both grinned at each other and stayed there longer than normal, longer than cordial, until it grew awkward with the realization that so much time had passed.

“Goodnight, Kara. Thank you.”

“Goodnight, Lena.”

For a full minute once the door was closed, Lena stood in the middle of her new home for the next year, and she felt dizzy with the idea that she was going to one day have to leave.

[trekwiz]

UBI anon here (💚). I understand your position on UBI and I don’t necessarily disagree with it. I suppose my verdict on it is still out. But I’m an asshole, and love advocating for the devil... To me, your positioning is quite interesting. Especially considering the reasoning behind the Corona virus stipulations... as I could use the same logic during normal years to justify a UBI as part of the role of governance. (I.e. Lack of livable wages -> crime -> government duty) (crime affects all)

Hi anon. I apologize in advance for the long post.

I would address your comment in three parts: first on the difference between population and personal issues, second in terms of defining "need" in regards to government duty, and third in regards to personal rights.

I would suggest there needs to be a pretty bright line between population issues and individual issues in regards to government action. When that line is blurred, we get really weird agenda-driven communal values. As I mentioned in my previous answer, that is especially apparent to LGBT people who were on the receiving end of that logic.

I'm not sure if you saw the news and public reaction when gay kids finally started demanding the right to participate in dances with same sex partners in the early 00's. But schools and communities argued for a communal value that went something like this, "We need to protect our children from becoming gay, so these gay kids should sacrifice a bit of joy for the good of everyone."

Ultimately, the country was meeting the needs and desires of one group, at the expense and detriment of another. They chose who has to lose something, without their consent.

No one ever sees themselves as the bad guy. Universally, your beliefs are protective, or positive in some way, from your perspective. It's very easy to argue for a personal bias/agenda to be seen under the lens of collective behavior, when there's no reason it should be seen as anything but an individual desire.

Any individual concern can be reframed to appear as a population issue by focusing on numbers. Having eggs for breakfast wasn't a personal experience; millions of people had eggs for breakfast. But having eggs for breakfast really was a personal choice, and it didn't impact my neighbor; having eggs didn't make them eat eggs. The outcome was the same, but the decision was independent. As another example, it's the difference between listening to loud music on a farm, vs listening to loud music in a densely packed apartment complex. One is inherently a personal action, and the other is inherently communal.

A virus is inherently communal. Individual protections, at least with this kind of virus, are impossible. Your behaviors won't protect yourself; there is nothing you can do to avoid getting infected by acting alone--unless you're super rich and can hide in a bunker for a few years.

And, like the loud music in an apartment complex, your behaviors have a distinct impact on other people. It might sound dramatic, but you literally have the power to determine if someone else dies, or ends up with a lifelong disability. There's a distinct, and undeniable communal need, and it's similar to the reason we ban indoor smoking. While it's a soundbite, the old standard, "your right to swing your first ends at my nose" is the driving force here: once your behavior affects others, it's up to you to change, not them. By taking actions that hurt other people, you're infringing on their right not to participate--it's a decision you don't get to make.

On the second point, I would suggest linking government to crime via livable wages muddies the idea of governmental need in a particularly dangerous way. I briefly suggested that police don't need to be militarized, and so that's not a necessary government expense. I'll expand on that as an example, as I think it demonstrates how a muddy standard like that can be abused.

Those who have come to defend police brutality and a police state suggest that military equipment is necessary for police because it protects them. Their job necessarily involves danger that puts their lives at risk. Protecting law enforcement officers is certainly a government interest; they spend money on training, and wages theoretically correlate to experience that would be lost when an officer dies. Military equipment protects the people and the investment.

But is it necessary? Necessity is a combination of factors, with no one being the sole decider--and this list isn't exclusive, just a good start to the conversation. Does it make them more effective? Can the same goal be achieved through alternative means? Will the government cease to function in an important way if it doesn't have this funding?

When we examine militarized police in that lens, it doesn't really meet the standard for necessity. They're less effective when they have this kind of equipment: they increase violence and violent crime in communities as an instigating force, and they decrease communal trust, which necessarily impacts their ability to investigate real crimes in the future. It also encourages vigilante justice when the police are seen as this ineffective and untrustworthy--people are circumventing the law, which has a serious impact on governance.

The intended goal can be achieved through alternative means; there's good science around de-escalation tactics, and they're known to work in other developed countries. Ending the arms race between criminals and police generally reduces overall violence rates, and is protective to communities. And by foregoing the funding for militarized gear, no function of governance has been impacted. Laws will still be enforced; there's no negative impact on governance. The idea that it's a "need" is weak; it serves a personal agenda, not a necessary governmental function.

During a pandemic, there's a strong argument for governmental need for UBI. I won't outline all of the reasons, I'll stick with the most easy to apply one: if every member of government does everything right, someone in their community who didn't have the means to stay home could still infect them. If we think only about those we can reasonably care about, (so, assuming we're all unswayed by the impact of Trump being infected because--well, fuck that fascist) what happens if CDC employees become compromised due to an infection in the community, and that infection spreads throughout the agency?

The impact isn't temporary or localized. We'll be losing a large amount of expertise necessary for running the agency. An agency that works solely to protect populations, rather than individuals. The expertise that could prevent another botched pandemic response would need to be rebuilt from the ground up, with people who may not even be familiar with the relevant government processes. That will necessarily impact the government and the public for an extended period of time. We're already feeling some of that impact just from it being merely mismanaged (maliciously); imagine how much worse it would be if that expertise were simply wiped out and not available again when Trump is out of office?

UBI is an effective way to back up a stay at home order, and other similar precautions. It means bills won't go unpaid, and people can still eat. They won't be forced to choose between eating and preventing spread; if they're in a position where they can't choose to stay home, that risk to government personnel remains. There isn't really a great alternative; suspending regular bills won't reduce the need to pay for food, and deferring payments only increases the risk of someone needing to defy stay at home orders to prevent bankruptcy later. And depending on who is impacted--which is hard to predict--parts of government can cease to function without it, during a pandemic. A pandemic of this nature could theoretically wipe out the whole judicial branch of government, as an example. That would be disastrous.

Under situation normal, there's no real argument to be made for a government need. There are other ways to reduce crime, especially from a regulatory standpoint. Education is a start--and preventing education funding from being tied to property taxes is a good way to ensure poor communities don't get stuck in a cycle of poverty fed by poor education. Putting money into infrastructure explicitly meant to undo the impact of redlining would help.

And if you've tried to apply for a job in the last 15 years, you know there's a lot the government should be doing in regards to regulation and enforcement of labor laws. The issues leading to unlivable wages are relatively well known. It's no secret that many companies are using illegal unpaid internships (unpaid internships are only legal under a narrow set of criteria), or are misclassifying employees as contractors--which is a serious tax evasion scam at the worker's expense.

There are no enforcement mechanisms against companies that advertise these practices until a worker complains about it, even if they state their intentions to ignore the law in a job listing. And sometimes--with Uber as an example of a company breaking long-standing law about employee classification--enforcement doesn't happen unless workers spend a lot of their own money suing.

Stronger minimum wage laws tied to the local cost of living (and by local, I mean reasonable commute--employees should not be expected to live an hour+ away from where they work because the company doesn't want to pay them enough to live locally) is a good start, but the loopholes related to that need to be closed.

For example, companies react to wage increases by cutting hours and hiring more people in retaliation--there's no real need to do it, it's just an excuse to coerce employees into acting against their own interests. The true impact on pricing from reasonable wages is negligible. One possibility is to lock the ratio between part time employees and full time employees, with some exceptions based on necessity. If you have 4 part-time cashiers, you can probably do well with 2 full-time cashiers.

Whereas a workplace that needs extra bodies for a short period of time--for example, maybe a facilities management office that sometimes handles construction will need additional people to transport and handle materials every so often, but not regularly--should be able to operate that way with evidence that there's truly a need.

Arguably, a shorter work week would make a difference as well. 40 hours is a lot to begin with, and some salaried people are regularly working 50-60 without additional pay. Balancing a living wage for a 30 hour week would greatly assist people in getting more education to aim for even better paying jobs. And the additional leisure time should reduce the stresses that lead to crime.

Hiring practices are currently obtuse, and a lot of resumes are never seen by a human. Banning the use of screening by ATSes (and by people unfamiliar with the relevant field--a scientist shouldn't be screened out by an HR employee who failed intro biology) could make hiring a bit more fair for everyone. And blinding interviews as much as reasonable could help--look up information about how gender ratios started to become more even when orchestras switched to blind interviews using carpeted floors, it's really interesting. (The sound of heels on hard surfaces led to decreased hiring of women when blinding alone was in use.)

I'd even suggest that a wage ratio cap would be reasonable. Largely because it doesn't prevent the top members of a company from making unlimited money, so long as they pull up everyone below them.

And it all necessarily needs to include regulation and enforcement against predatory lending practices in regards to student loans, housing, and "payday loans." Crime and poverty are a complex interaction of systems, and you can't choose just one area to focus on.

Back to the point: there are alternative ways to solve the underlying problem. It doesn't necessarily make the government more effective: it's addressing one facet of crime when a coordinated effort against multiple causes could do it better through acts of governance*. And ultimately, parts of the government won't fail because it doesn't have UBI.

*I'm generally very uncomfortable when the government takes action that's outside of "governance." That kind of behavior is too easily abused by personal agendas. Governance is, generally, regulation and enforcement. When you creep out of that scope, you get into my third point: infringement of personal rights (in contexts that are personal and not population).

Ultimately, we're not a hive-mind; we're not a collective. While issues with a population-scale impact should necessitate individual action, the status quo should have the minimal impact on our ability to lead our lives as we see fit.

We've lost our understanding of what the freedom of religion clause of the 1st amendment is about. It was meant to put a barrier between religion and government, so the government couldn't coerce you, even minimally (like, say, the 10 commandments in a courthouse), to follow someone else's religious beliefs. But there's an underlying "why" there.

If I force you to eat Key Lime Pie because my religion demands it, or I force you to eat Key Lime Pie because it's simply my favorite dessert, is there a difference? The clause was created not because forcing religion on others, in specific, is bad. It was created because religion was a common method of forcing your way of life onto someone else, and that is bad.

It's couched in secular terms, but UBI is based on a set of personal beliefs about how we should behave, with an underlying assumption that we should all be collectivist. It compels collective financial support on an issue with a personal scope. I've seen how that plays out, when homophobia was a communal value. And it's the most easily abused model of governance.

You win, so you get to have your personal values made standard for the next 2-8 years. Great. But then you lose, and your opponent now has the power and means to have their personal values made standard for the next 2-8 years. Trump should be a caution against this mindset; the things you think you're doing for good, offers someone like him the power to do similar things for bad. You want to give out a basic wage, Trump wants to give out militarized weaponry to police and Nazis.

A system that permits personal belief to be the driving force of tax and government policy is a system that permits these kinds of wild, dangerous swings. Gerrymandering is the result of a system that empowers personal beliefs to rule over others.

As a final thought, consider this: in the US, something like UBI could be weaponized by people like Trump. Take part in protests? Sorry, no more income for you. Formed a union? You're not eligible. The government agent who sends the UBI payment has religious-based bigotry against gay people? Sorry, they have a right not to pay you. You're writing politically "hostile" news? You and all of your coworkers have just lost a significant chunk of your income. Convicted of a felony? Income suspended, sorry, good luck staying out of prison.

If your ability to survive is heavily tied to a government payment, AND the system permits and encourages personal beliefs to be a valid reason to guide government policy, marginalized people will always have the most to lose.

[dezza-who-blog]

Masquerade

"You are ridiculously gorgeous today." I rolled my eyes, taking a deep breath before turning to greet the man who had for SOME reason taken it upon himself to visit our shop each and every day for the last week. "Welcome back, sir. What can I help you with today?" He smiled the same smile as always, as I (also as always) ignored the compliment and plastered a sickly sweet smile to my face. "Another two calla lillies, please." I blinked. "That makes a dozen." He smiled a little wider. "I know." I huffed. "Buying a dozen the first day, sir, would have saved you nearly half of what you've paid so far." He tried to appear thoughtful. "Hmm. Is that so?" I closed my eyes and took another breath. "Yes sir. I suggested it to you when you bought the first two." The smirk was back. "I simply remember you saying they were your favorite. Perhaps I was too distracted by your beauty." This man. Good god. Did he never give up?? "Yes. Perhaps you were. Let me get those for you." I stepped away from the counter and out the back door to the greenhouse, taking time to carefully seek out the perfect lillies, knowing from experience the rotten man would accept none with a single blemish. Ugh. Damn those Hogwarts students! All so snooty and stuck up their own arses. And to think! Coming in here every day to buy flowers for some girl, and ceaselessly flirting with me in the process. Being rich and going to school in a castle doesn't make you special. Neither does being frustratingly attractive, or having gorgeous red hair and sparkling green eyes. I took a few deep breaths before heading back inside the shop. As I stepped inside, voices reached me and I stepped more quietly, listening. "She’s a Muggle, Frederick. I’d understand if you were just toying with her, but this is the 6th day. I feel like you might be getting attached." "Well I didn't ask you, did I George? It's harmless. Besides," there was a pause, "I'm not entirely certain she is a Muggle. If you saw how she was with the plants-" "Great, now you're delusional. Look, if there was a single drop of the old blood in her, the headmistress would have already come for her. Get yourself together mate." The angry retort was punctuated by the shop door slamming, and I continued into the room like I hadn't heard the exchange. Frederick collected himself so quickly I barely caught the glimmer of pain in his eyes before he covered it with his usual annoying grin. "Ah, they're beautiful!" he exclaimed, plucking them from my hands before I could even tie a ribbon around the stems. "No worries, I'm tieing them altogether anyways." A vein throbbed at my temple. Why the hell hadn't he just bought the dozen in the first place?? "Well, have a nice day sir. I hope your lady enjoys the lillies." He eyed me for a moment longer, then nodded curtly and left, letting the door bang shut being him. I felt a twinge of guilt at my attitude towards him, but quickly pushed it away. The students at that school were trouble, and this one had far too much nerve. "Dezza? There's a young man at the door for you." I groaned and sat up in bed. Why could I not have one peaceful day? The shop was closed on Sundays, why couldn't I just sleep in? And who the hell was here at this hour? I stumbled around the room, grabbing a pair of shorts to throw on but not bothering with a shirt. My chemise covered everything and I had every intention of going straight back to bed when I sent whatever git it was away. I slouched down the stairs and stepped past my father at the door to see who dared wake me, and catching sight of him, I immediately turned back for my room. "Miss! Please!" I heard the amused voice call. I threw a very unladylike hand gesture in his face, then stopped. I quickly made my way back to front door and shut it behind me in my father's laughing face. "How. Do you know. Where I live, sir?" A look of uncertainty crossed his face as he took in my irritation and wariness. "Well I didn't follow you if that’s what you’e thinking. Is that the type of person you think I am?" I laughed. "Am I supposed to think differently? From a man who clearly has a lady, yet flirts with shop workers while buying gifts for her? I already knew you were a creep, but this is disturbing." He froze, having the audacity to actually look hurt. "Who says I have a lady? Who are you to judge that?" I stared at him incredulously, not knowing how to respond. A hint of uncertainty trickled into my mind. He gritted his teeth, then merely shook his head, and, taking his hands from behind his back, pushed the long box he'd been holding into my arms before nodding sharply at me and turning on his heel to storm off down the lane. I closed my eyes and gripped the box, getting the feeling that I had been very wrong in my assessment of him. Thinking back, he'd really given me no reason to be so rude. The day he'd first come into my shop, it had seemed like he was more interested in staring at me than buying flowers or herbs, so I'd told him to get lost if he wasn't looking to purchase anything. He'd simply grinned and said he was looking for something for a lovely lady, and asked my recommendation. I gritted my teeth and looked down at the box with a sinking feeling. Opening the lid, I groaned loudly and plopped down on the front steps. As I'd feared, inside lay a dozen flawless white calla lillies tied with a red velvet ribbon. "So, care to tell me what that was about?" I startled, having not noticed my father join me on the porch, then sighed, not knowing where to begin. "I'm an idiot." He peeked over at the box, grimacing. "I'm assuming that was the Hogwarts chap who's been coming in and bothering you." I nodded. "The one who was buying flowers for a lady yet finding any excuse to flirt with you." I nodded again. "But from the looks of it, I'd say there was no other lady." I shook my head. "So this young man has come in everyday for a week, been a complete gentleman, and deliberately overpaid you for flowers, for you. Do I have all that right?" I dropped my head into my hands. Without warning, my father burst into loud, uncontrollable, laughter while I watched, unamused. Finally, he calmed down, wiping the tears from his eyes and gazing warmly down at me. "Dezzalyn. My sweet, fierce, oblivious girl. I do believe you owe that poor soul an apology. I'd start by reading the letter in the box." Then he leaned over to kiss my forehead and went back inside. Looking down, I realized I had somehow completely missed the envelope on top of the flowers. How? I could have sworn it hadn't been there a moment before. A little dazed, I opened it carefully and pulled out the two slips of paper. The first was a hand-written note. "Miss Dezzalyn, I apologize for the impression I seem to have left you of myself, and any bother I may have caused you over the past week with my incessant advances. I realize also that I am at fault for giving you the wrong idea of me, and assure you that I am not the sort of man to pursue any sort of relations with any woman, were I to already be in any sort of commitment to another. That being said, I hope you will extend to me the kindness of attending the annual fall masquerade at Hogwarts academy. If not to enjoy the event with me, I advise you come anyway. The food is amazing. And free." I smiled grudgingly. He was an amusing fellow. And then something hit me. I reread the note, and thought back to the confrontation we'd had moments ago. He hadn't known beforehand that I'd assumed he had a lady, and he'd been surprised and offended when I accused him of it. So how was it that this note was apologizing for giving me that impression? It was as if he'd sent the letter after leaving. But that was impossible and illogical. Yet I was certain there has been no letter in the box when I'd opened it. I glanced at the second slip of paper, finding it to be an invitation to the masquerade Hogwarts hosted every October 29. Some of the more influential people in town received the invitation yearly, but it was practically unheard of for someone with as little political pull as a flower shop owner to be invited. I'd heard that the students could invite a guest if they wished, but seldom did they ever befriend or take an interest in any of us normal people. It was two days away. I considered just ignoring it, not really finding the idea of being surrounded by the rich and notorious very appealing, but then I remembered the impossibility of the letter. I was intrigued by this Frederick and how he'd managed a trick like that. I had to go. I mean, after all, there was free food. "I'm glad you've decided to give the young man a chance." My father smiled warmly. "And, I would hope, an apology?" I grimaced. "Of course. He deserves that at least. I was horrid." I finished taming my long dark curls and grabbed the dress from my bed. I was lucky to have such amazing neighbors. Miss Aria was a regular customer at the shop, and because of us providing the arrangements for her father's funeral free of charge last year, she'd put together a beautiful design for me in less than two days. And it was green. Oh how I loved green. I smiled at my father and retreated into the bathroom to pull on the gown, then stepped back out to examine my reflection in the mirror. My father's eyes instantly filled with tears, and he rushed from the room, leaving me standing confused and staring at the door. He was back in a split second though, holding a small wooden box. Opening it, he lifted out a velvet mask the exact shade of my gown, adorned with a simple slip of black lace across it. It was beautiful. I knew without asking that this had been my mother's. He handed it to me, and pulled another item from the box before setting it down and moving to fasten the silver chain around my neck. I looked down and my breath caught in my throat. "But dad..." "No but's. She'd want you to have it." I swallowed, blinking back tears as I caressed my mother's pendant lightly in my hands. The tree of life. It was a simple piece, made entirely from hand-shaped silver, with a single emerald embedded in the base. I'd always loved it. It felt like her. "Enough of that now." His voice was gruff as he brushed away a stray tear escaping down my cheek. "Just look at you. All grown up." I finally spared a look at the mirror, and gasped. I could hardly recognize myself. The gown was perfect, with a sweetheart neckline and fitted bodice that cinched at the waist, and a skirt that flowed like water. The sheer over-layer and silver accents gave it an enchanted look, and my mother's pendant was the perfect addition. My father stepped behind me and tied her mask, adding the finishing touch to transforming me into a woman I'd never dreamed I could be. For the first time that day, I felt a glimmer of excitement rather than anxiety. Perhaps tonight wouldn't go so terribly after all. My father drove me to the town hall, where I was to wait with the other townspeople who had received an invitation, until the carriages from the school came to retrieve us. After a quick hug goodbye and a few deep breaths, I stepped into the hall and glanced around at the others. I fit in surprisingly well, though I'd been silly for doubting I wouldnt. I wasn't poor by any means, and Miss Aria was an amazing designer who probably created half the gowns being worn tonight. I'd hardly had time to even start guessing who was behind what mask before the clatter outside announced the carriages had arrived. There were about 20 of us, and we were ushered into 5 horse-drawn carriages straight out of a fairy tale. There was very little talk on the way to the castle. It was clear I wasn't the only one engulfed in nerves and excitement. Upon arrival we were led not into the castle itself, but down a short forest path lined with lights that twinkled like stars, and into a large clearing that had been strung with thousands more of the same beautiful lights. Off to one side was an area with quaint tables set with candles and white cloth, and further down, row after row of buffet tables filled with the most delicious looking food I'd ever seen. Steak, seafood, whole chickens, fruit, and of course dozens of deserts. I laughed to myself. Frederick hadn't been lying. It was worth it to come just for the food alone. I glanced around for any glimpse of that long, shockingly red hair, but to no avail. There were so many people, it was overwhelming. I stepped off to the side to take a breath and grab a drink, any excuse to be out of the crowd. My anxiety was starting to eat at me again. I couldn't find Frederick either, and if I didn't, this whole night was a waste. The drink table wasn't far enough from the crowd, I still felt smothered. I ended up escaping back down the path to the school, stopping to rest against a crumbling wall that had probably been a part of an older wing of the castle. "Not enjoying yourself?" I spun around, coming face to face with a young man that had been sitting in what had once been a window of the wall. Christ. If I'd collapsed against the wall a mere two feet over, I would have sat on the man. How had I not seen him? "Um, no," I stammered. "I mean yes. Yes I was. It's just crowded. I needed to breathe." He nodded, seemingly thoughtful as he took in my appearance just as I was taking in his. Cropped blonde hair that was shaggy in the front in a way that still managed to be stylish, pale skin, grey eyes. Sharp, gorgeous cheekbones. Damn why did all of the students at this blasted school have to be so attractive? "Haven't seen you at these before." It wasn't a question, so I didn't answer. "Are you some new politicians daughter?" I tried to refrain from showing my disgust. "No, my father and I own the town flower and herbal remedy shop." His eyebrows shot up. "Really now? That's interesting. How did you end up at a thing like this, if I may ask?" "I recieved a personal invitation." "From who? I havent seen you with anyone." Warning bells went off in my mind. He hadn't seen me with anyone? That would mean he'd been watching me. But how, if he'd been here? I was fairly certain I would have noticed anyone leaving the clearing ahead of me. "I, um... I think I'm going to head back to the party." He hopped off the ledge to stand beside me. "I'll walk with you." It wasn't an offer, so I simply started towards the forest with him at my side. "I didn't catch your name, sweet lady." He smiled, reaching out to toy with a lock of my hair that had brushed his arm. "Dezzalyn. And you?" It was hard to speak normally. This man had some sort of air about him that I couldn't explain. It felt like... power. Not influence, or regality, but raw power. I thought back to the letter in the flower box, and how the boy seemed to appear out of nowhere. There was something odd about this place and these people. I could even feel it in the trees. "Draco." I startled, having forgotten I'd asked. It was a nice name. "Draco." I repeated, filling the silence. "Very... prestigious." He laughed, and I felt a bit more at ease. "Well, that would be my family for you. But I'm not that interesting. Let's talk about you." I swallowed, not liking where this was going. "You never told me who invited you. It's quite rare to see an ordinary Muggle at a thing like this. Not that I'd say you're unremarkable in any way." Oh jeez. I rolled my eyes on the inside. But there was that word again. Muggle. His eyes swept over my face and hair, seeming to drink it all in. His gaze froze once it reached my mother's pendant, his eyes widening. "Or that I'm completely certain you're really a Muggle..." I started to ask what the hell that word was supposed to mean, but by then we'd reached the clearing, and I was entranced by the masked couples twirling wildly beneath the trees and fairy lights. I was so caught up in them that I didn’t notice Draco move closer. “Beautiful,” he breathed, gazing at me. “The dancers. Aren’t they?” Of course he’d been talking about the dancers. I was glad for the low light as I felt the blush spread across my cheeks. I nodded. “Something about the suits, and gowns, and masks, and lights, all out here in the forest. It seems…” I trailed off, not wanting to sound childish. “Magical.” I glanced back to him and smiled. “Exactly.” “Seems a waste. You seem more magical than any of the girls here, and here you are, off on the sidelines, just waiting.” I felt my face go red again. Was he trying to make fun of me? “That came out wrong. I’m sorry. What I meant was- well, this isn’t usually my thing. But, would you like to dance? With me?” I stared at him, probably for a bit too long, but it was surprising to see this elegant boy grasping for words and looking just the tiniest bit flustered. I nodded. He smiled brilliantly and took my hand, leading me out to the center of the clearing, just as another song began. He slipped his hand down to my waist and not an inch lower, the perfect gentleman, and I let my free hand rest on his shoulder. Soon he was guiding me effortlessly and skillfully, and I was extremely grateful my father had me take those ballroom dancing classes I’d always hated. We danced for what seemed like both eons and seconds at once, gliding seamlessly into each new song. And with each step and turn and glide, I saw more of Draco. His eyes seemed to lighten, his posture relaxed, his smile came easier. He was beautiful. I found myself feeling sad that he felt the need to hide this part of him for some reason. I’d only known him for a couple hours, yet I had the feeling I’d already seen him more open than most of the people here. The slow song we were dancing to came to an end, but he didn’t let go of my hand or waist. He seemed to want to say something, but wasn’t sure how. “Dezzalyn..” “Please, Dezza. Call me Dezza.” He smiled. “Dezza.” Just then, I caught sight of a familiar tall, redhaired figure gliding across the clearing towards us. Draco saw him to, and took notice of my recognition. He smiled a bit bitterly. “I take it that’s your date.” Before I had a chance to reply, he’d reached us. "Miss Dezzalyn." He said, rather coolly. My heart froze. Had it been a mistake to come tonight after all? Would he even want an apology? I nodded mutely, and he turned his attention to Draco. "Malfoy. Can I help you with something?" Draco sneered. "You help me? Not a chance Weasley. I was merely showing Miss Dezzalyn here a bit of a good time.” He turned to smile at me, though there was a curious, almost worried look in his eyes. "I'll see you again." It wasn't a request, so I said nothing as he strode away. When all I wanted was to ask him to stay. "Well," I said, turning to Frederick and trying to lighten the mood. "I'm starving." I started for the buffet tables, but he caught my arm. "You shouldn't have come." I stopped. For some reason, hearing that had hurt, though I'd half expected it. "You invited me." "Well I shouldn't have. You should go." I bit back tears. "Look, I know I was a jerk-" "Ugh. Come on." He tightened his grip on my arm and started to pull me back down the path. "Frederick stop! You're. Hurting. Me!" I snatched my arm away stepped away from him. Something was very off here. "What's wrong with you? Why are you being like this? I came to apologize!" "I don't want your bloody damn apology. I want you to leave and not speak to me again." Fury rose inside me. "Me? It was YOU who came to my shop to buy me flowers every day. It was YOU who wouldn't stop pestering me trying to get me to like you, and it was YOU who delivered those flowers and that damn invitation to my house. It was-" I stopped, eyes widening in realization. "It wasn't. It wasn't you." He sneered. "What are you talking about?" But I saw the confirmation in his eyes. "It wasn’t... But... how..” It hit me. “Twins,” I gasped. He froze. "Twins. You're not Frederick." He stood, stunned, and I heard leaves crunch behind us. "You're damn right he's not." Frederick barreled forward, knocking down his twin and driving his fist into his face. I started to step forward, but apparently the single hit was all he'd wanted, and his twin wasn't fighting back. No, he was still staring at me. Without warning, Frederick gathered me up in his arms and crushed me against him. "Dezza. I'm so glad you came. I was so scared you'd still be furious." I laughed. "I had no reason to be angry in the first place. I was an idiot. You've been nothing but kind to me. I'm sorry." He stepped back and took me in with his eyes instead. "No worries. That dress is all the apology I needed..." I smacked him on the arm and turned to face his brother again. "You must be George." They both gaped. "Sorry, I overheard your exchange at my shop the other day." They both cringed. Then George looked at me again, half ashamed, half curious. "Sorry I overreacted. I didn't mean to be a total dick, or to scare you. But he's my brother. I don't want him hurt or mixed up in things he shouldn't be." He took a steadying breath. "And it's amazing that you can tell us apart. Our own mother can't, you know. But still... I don't want him fooling around with a Muggle and getting himself into trouble." Frederick growled and moved to jump at his brother again, but was interrupted. "Don’t you dare speak to her like that!” Draco snapped, stepping out of the shadows and grabbing George by his collar. “Acting like she’s not worthy of your precious brother's affection. What a joke.” He pushed George back down and stepped away, composing himself again. He glanced over at me, and his eyes were cold. I suddenly realized Fredericks arm was still on my shoulder and stepped up to let it fall, but Draco had already looked away from me. “What the hell do you care?” George spat. “Why are you even here?” Frederick straightened his shoulders and glared at his brother. "Draco is the one who told me Dezzalyn was here, and that you were with her. He caught your attitude and figured you probably weren't the one who invited her, but that she didn’t realize that. It doesn’t matter if she’s a Muggle, you prat, my choices are my own." I glanced over at Draco, surprised that he'd caught on so fast and went to the effort of finding Frederick. Draco scoffed. “She’s not even a Muggle.” Both twins stared blankly. Draco sighed. “Do I really have to point out even the most obvious things? Gryffindors, I swear. The pendant. Look at her pendant.” Both obliged. George’s face paled, but Frederick took on a look of awe. “Definitely not a Muggle.” They spoke in unison. I gripped my pendant protectively as something in me snapped. “Damn It! Will somebody PLEASE tell me what the hell that’s supposed to mean?” Amusement glinted in Dracos eyes for just a moment. “It means, dear lady, that you’re a witch. “ Nearly a month had passed since that night. Frederick and George alike had both tried to come see me or get me to at least talk to them. I refused. They were obviously crazy. Me? A witch? And they honestly wanted me to believe they were wizards? Yeah. Sure. I'd gotten my father to ban them from the shop, and he kept them away from the house. I stepped into the shop and dropped my bag behind the counter before starting the coffee. My father had informed me we had a new hire. Surprising, since this was our family business, but I guess with mom not here anymore... Well, things would definitely be easier with another pair of hands. The new bell on the door jingled. Ah. That must be him. "One second!" I called. Pouring a quick cup and dumping a couple spoons of sugar in, I grabbed my mug and headed to the front to greet our new employee. "Today I'm just going to be showing you-" I froze. "The door. Showing you the door. Get out." Draco smiled lazily, leaning against the counter and drinking in my appearance in that way he had. I still wasn't sure if he was judging me or checking me out. "Morning beautiful." Ah. Checking me out then. "Leave." He finally seemed to realize I was serious. "No way. I worked my ass off at that interview. Your old man is not one to be reckoned with." "Why are you even here? You don't need a job!" "Ah," Draco said, smiling widely, "but I want one. And who would your father be to deny a young man the right to learn true responsibility and self-worth? His words. Not mine." This could not be happening. No way. "Just leave. Me. ALONE!" I snapped and pushed him, but that wasn't all that happened. As soon as my hand touched his chest, a pulse pushed out and knocked him clear across the room. I froze. He laughed. He clambered back to his feet, that stupid brilliant smile stuck on his stupid beautiful face. “Tell me I’m crazy now!” I stared at him, then down at my hands. If he was crazy, so was I. I didn’t notice he’d moved closer until my hands were in his. I looked up, and was caught in the emotion showing freely in his eyes. Happiness, excitement, and a tiny bit of what felt a lot like longing. “Don’t be scared,” he murmered. “Let me help you. Let me teach you.” I hesitated. “Please, Dezza.” His voice cracked, and my heart crumbled. "Okay."

[thejpfdude-blog]

The Week in Anime (Week of 1/30/17)

Heyo and welcome to another edition of TWiA! This week the busy-ness of my schedule ramped up 11 notches, so my blurbs might be a bit shorter than I’d like them to be (except for a certain one I wrote in angry conditions). With that side note, let’s start off with those classic rankings, with a familiar show added in to make up for one I dropped (which I’ll talk about later). Note that I now added a tilde (a ~ sign) for every show that I gave a award/blurb to.

Rankings:

~1 (0). Demi-chan wa Kataritai (8.5/10) [4/?]

~2 (0). Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo! 2 (8.5/10) [3/10]

~3 (+1). Kuzu no Honkai (8/10) [3/?]

~4 (+1). Kobayashi-san Chi no Maid Dragon (8/10) [3/?]

~5 (-2). Gabriel DropOut (7/10) [3/12]

~6 (+1). Little Witch Academia (TV) (7/10) [4/25]

7 (-1). Nobunaga no Shinobi (6/10) [17/?]

8 (BACK IN ACTION). Aggressive Retsuko (6/10) [41/?]

9 (0). Sengoku Choujuu Giga: Otsu (5/10) [3/13]

~10 (-2). Rewrite: Moon and Terra (4/10) [3/?]

11 (0). Nyanbo (4/10) [17/26]

Awards:

The “Triggered From Outta Nowhere” Award: Kobayashi-san Chi no Maid Dragon

I’m writing this blurb right now from a study room in my dorm. You know why? Because the people next to me are freakin’ loud as balls. This is probably going to sound like a rant at them and might have almost nothing to do with this episode because I’m really pissed off right now, so apologies in advance if that is the case (editor’s note: it is. You’ve been warned). There were multiple times I’ve had to knock on their door at 2 in the morning because they were holding a party. Now let me say it isn’t entirely their fault: the structure of our dorm is that two rooms share a bathroom, and the doors/walls aren’t very soundproof. In fact, they’re not soundproof. At all. So I can hear them somewhat if I’m close to the wall, which unfortunately my bed is. Having said that, they don’t freakin’ learn and I’m starting to get really pissed off. I wish I could move away from this place right now, and it’s not just because of them. It’s the poor food, frat-like atmosphere, the not-so-great location from anything except the business school (which I don’t have classes in), and a lot of things. Unfortunately, there’s no termination clause in my lease, so I’m stuck here until the semester is over in May. Sucks, but I’m just trying to lavish in the positives: it’s a safe neighborhood, the room is pretty nice, it’s quiet when the neighbors aren’t here, and at least I have somewhere to live (I don’t really want to reveal my location, but to save others who want to come here: do not apply to Bowles Hall. Unless you’re the type of person who likes being in the “cool” clique from highschool or likes to party every day).

Now what the baloney did that have to do with Maidragon? Well, that scene when Tohru goes to each neighbor to tell them of their noise complaint kinda reminded me of the situation I’m experiencing right now. Other than that though, I guess I just kind of wanted to vent about stuff in my life. I know that it’s not really the right place to do so, but I am feeling a little better right now and it’s a nice segway into something in the show.

Overall, this show’s been really fun to watch: it’s ridiculous at times, but it also just nice to relax and laugh to. And that OP is really fun, probably a contender for my favorite OP of the season. We’ll see what the other dragons are like, because I know there are still more to be introduced.

And yeah, sorry for the rant. I’ll try not to do this again.

The “Prime Example of Why Anime is Made” Award: Demi-chan wa Kataritai

Everybody knows the main reason that anime is made: to promote the source material. And apparently this show’s source material is pretty good. And so I read it. And then I got the first volume of the manga. Seriously:

So yeah, the show is doing its job (at least for me). And doing it well too, considering I never get manga. But I’m not complaining: it’s been my favorite show this season, although I unfortunately have to say that the crushes that Machi and Sato-sensei have aren’t really my thing. Well, more Machi’s than anything: it’s not going to go anywhere, so it’s a bit annoying to watch. I’ve read ahead a little in the manga, and let me just say I don’t like the direction this is heading. Then again, I’m only like two episodes-worth of material ahead, so anything past that point that may be good I didn’t experience. We’ll see I guess.

The “Most Contradictory to My Beliefs” Award: Kuzu no Honkai

I say that characters are the most important thing for me in a show, and usually when I say that I have in my mind likeable characters. But this show really changed that idea: sure I already knew about “morally bad” characters from shows I watched, but those characters were put in roles to be hated, like in the antagonist role, so I was fine with them. But this show, man it’s weird. Pretty much everybody in this show is a bad person, some possibly even horrible. So I should hate this. But I don’t, in fact I’m loving this show. It’s built on such bad morals, but it’s very well done and it’s fun to watch it all unfold. And Hanabi has her moé moments as well, along with the other stuff. I’m excited to see what’s wrong with the teacher, both the female one and the male one maybe later. And also see just how wrong this could get.

The “Most Rushed Final Episode” Award: Rewrite (Moon and Terra)

Hmm, yes, quite. So much was going on this episode to end the Moon arc, and I was pretty bored with the info that they were throwing at me. Mainly because I already knew all of it, but also because the episode itself wasn’t really anything too special. Though I have to admit that I got super hyped when they started playing “Rewrite” (the song, not the anime or VN). Other than that, nothing too special. Hopefully with the amount of episodes left, they’ll be able to adapt Terra into something pretty good: here’s hoping.

The “Best Throwback” Award: KonoSuba 2

KonoSuba continues with its humor, and I’m loving it. They even included some stuff from last season: from the Chris pantsu steal to the amazing hand animation to the Aqua rainbow barf, they combined them into some fun few last minutes of the episode. Overall, this show so far has been as good as the first season, maybe even better. They’ve done a nice job with keeping the comedy while also making the “heartwarming” stuff fit in well with the tone of the show, something that I think they didn’t really do a good job of last season with the whole “Kazuma dying in the winter snowstorm” thing. The scene with the wizard-turned-lich was actually pretty heartwarming, and the interesting part was that they didn’t turn on it for a comedic moment: they just built up on the previous scenes for that. Not to mention, the animation was good this episode too. We’ll see if derp face returns, or if that was just a one-episode thing.

The “Worst Worker” Award: Gabriel from Gabriel DropOut

But we love her for it anyway. Well not reallly. At least she’s better than two-faced Umaru though.

The “Red Flags” Dropped Show of the Week Award: Masamune-kun no Revenge

This show’s been slowly one that I’ve dreaded to watch each week, and this week I put it off until the last moment, and decided to just drop it. It’s good at times, but I’m not liking the tropes that they’re using. Tropes aren’t inherently bad: it’s the execution of them that matters. But unfortunately, this show’s not using them well: starting (and really ending) with Adagaki Aki and her weird-to-say name. The classic ice queen tsundere, but doesn’t really add anything else to the mix like Yukino with her backstory or Senjougahara with her other aspects of the personality. If this was a few seasons ago, I would have kept on, but with my busy schedule and me being a bit drop-happy now that my reason for keeping on a show (in case it gets good later) isn’t really being validated, I’m done. Maybe I’ll pick this back up if it really gets good, but with the other shows I dropped not doing so (Seiren with its arc end, Fuuka with its continued WTF moments, Urara Meirochou with its not being anything great, etc.), I don’t really know if that’s going to be a thing. Oh well, can’t like every show.

Best Episode of the Week Award: Little Witch Academia

In the twist of the century, this show! Literally just last week I was talking about how I didn’t like this show as much as others were liking it, and yet this week’s episode was so good that I had to give props. Maybe because it was a Lotte focused episode, but I really enjoyed watching this. None of the believing stuff, and what was the believing stuff was at least somewhat realistic and not all “oh magic is here to save the day”. I’ve found I don’t like Ako as a main character because of her antics and because she’s really the instigator for the whole “believe” stuff. If we get more episodes not so focused on her, I think this’ll be a fine Sunday night watch.

And that’s all for this week! Thanks for reading: hopefully my schedule won’t get too crazy so that I don’t have to put this on another hiatus! I’ll see you in the next post!