#because the conclusion is always: YES please i want to remove them

[vodkacheesefries]

I keep getting stuck in this whole "man I really hate my boobs and can vividly imagine my quality of life, self confidence, and body image immediately improving upon getting top surgery but what if I don't actually want top surgery and I'm lying to myself" spiral and it's ANNOYING

[kiralena]

Theory: Crowley's snake form was a GIFT from God, not a punishment

GIF von capinejghafa

We all thought Crowley's snake form was part of his punishment for asking questions.

But: what if it wasn't meant as a punishment?

Imagine: the angels are angry about Crowley asking questions. God is pleased: Crowley is appreciating the creations. He is curious, intelligent, brave, has a pure heart, he cares more about truth than following rules. He truly cares and values the creations, because he is asking questions and thinking about it. The other angels are all kind of: 'oh, yes, God made it, so it has, needless to say, to be beautiful. No questions necessary, because we trust in God's great plan.' They don't waste a single thought to think about why the creations are beautiful.

If you create something, you LOVE it when people poin out why they love your creation. You get excited every time someone notices a hidden detail. Conclusion: God must be so incredibly bored with the angels just praising him without truly recognizing what is praisable.

And then there comes Crowley, our Starmaker, with his joy, excitement and actually being aware of why the universe is beautiful. God must have felt like an artist getting a compliment for a hidden detail.

Pushing Crowley to hell wasn't God's decision, it was the angels - removing someone from the office who doesn't cheer to the rules. All the heavenly buerocrats don't like questions, because they profit from the system and don't want changes. They are very comfy with just cheering to everything God does. Have trust in his plans, always. The heavenly buerocrats don't want Crowley to ask questions, because he is indirectly pointing out none of them cares about anything else than themselfs. (Like in the Job minisode when none of the angels was aware of the value of a human life and the love between humans) Crowley always put himself at risk for helping others, he is a guardian, even as a demon.

So when God saw what the angels did, he decided to make a gift to Crowley, which will always remind him about the fact that God loves his thoughts and questions. God gave Crowley his snake form, and made him give knowledge to the humans. God knew Crowley loves knowledge, so what could be a greater gift than being able to share knowledge? And since God has an weird ineffable sense of humor, nobody will recognize the gift as such, and Crowley's snake form is a disguise to sneak an intelligent, caring, pure hearted guardian into hell's bee hive.

What if God gave Crowley the snake eyes as a symbol of Crowley seeing things differetly? It is God's weird ineffable way to tell Crowley: 'I appreciate your ability and will to look behind the things, question the reasons and to truly care about my creations.'

But because of heaven's buerocracy God had to disguise his gift as a punishment, so the buerocrats won't recognize it. Like, telling hell: 'hey, wouldn't it be fun to see him crawl? You know....some kind of snake? Won't it?' And hell: 'oh yes, sounds like fun. For us, not for Crowley of course. Let's do that.'

God has a weird ineffable sense of humor. Giving someone a gift which isn't recognizeable as a gift would fit perfectly in ineffable humor.

Conclusion: God gifted Crowley the snake form and the ability to bring knowledge to the humans. He is a guardian disguised as demon in hell's bee hive. God knew Crowley would care about humanity, appreciating their curiosity and hunger for knowledge. For someone who cherishes knowledge and the ability to ask questions - wouldn't it be utter joy to share knowledge?

Crowley becoming the serpent of eden was God's GIFT to Crowley, and his snake eyes are a daily reminder for his love of knowledge and care for others.

God knows it is a burden, but he is well aware about Crowley's strength. He knows Crowley is strong enough. And he loves Crowley for all the things, heaven and hell hate about him: his curiosity, his pure heart, his questions, his kindness. (the same things, Aziraphale loves about him, amongst many other things)

[girlnadian]

ive spent a lot of time lately thinking about different hybrid combinations for kww and bunny ken specifically has stuck in my brain so bad. so... a very fast bunadian + foxfies to get it out of my system and yes i got weird about predator-prey dynamics in here ok. obviously

758 words // divider

Ken isn't scared of him, Wifies thinks one day. It's a surprising revelation, but not as surprising as the realization Wifies had been, unconsciously, operating under the idea that Ken should be scared of him.

It's not something Wifies consciously thinks about. He's not… a fox hybrid, really—his creator was. Everything in Wifies is there because it was programmed into him, carefully cultivated so he'd react in all the right ways and think all the right things. He shouldn't, logically, have any animalistic instincts. The ears on his head are there by happenstance. His coat changing color in the winter is something done meaninglessly. In contrast, Ken—at least to Wifies—seems like everything a rabbit should be. Quick in every regard and light on his feet, Ken knows when to engage and when to back off. Wifies has always admired that about him.

And yet– and yet– Ken huffs and drapes himself into Wifies' space after a long day; his long ears flop over Wifies' thighs as Ken settles his head in Wifies' lap, soft stomach turned up as he starts to prattle on about how disappointing all the rooms he looked at today were, really, Wifies, it's like they never learn—and Wifies feels his hand twitch and his throat tighten before he gathers himself. His fingers trace idle patterns on Ken's collarbone, just underneath his throat, and Ken doesn't so much as stutter. Wifies swallows thickly.

And there's the realization: Ken isn't scared of him, but Wifies thinks he should, maybe-wants him to be.

(Wifies remembers, vividly, the first time he'd seen a fox jump a rabbit. Not long after Ken found him, Ken had insisted Wifies load up a world and explore on his own. In a snowy taiga biome, Wifies had seen a white fox lunge, jaw snapping into the rabbit's neck until it ruined the snow under them with red streaks. He wondered if he wanted anything badly enough that he would sink his teeth into it. At the time he could only think of one name. If he thought about it now—even with all his gained knowledge and experiences—he would come to the same conclusion.)

"Wifies?"

Wifies blinks. Ken frowns—he must've asked a question while Wifies was lost in thought.

"Sorry," Wifies offers. "What was that?"

Ken frowns harder. They lift their arms, thin fingers finding Wifies' jaw and squeezing. Wifies thinks about the blood, so close to the surface of Ken's wrists. He thinks about how easy it would be to turn his head and snap.

"You look like you want to eat me," Ken says. "What are you thinking?"

I was thinking about eating you. Wifies isn't going to say that.

"Nothing, sorry," is what he lands on. Unconvincingly, given the way Ken's foot thumps against the arm of the couch, so Wifies amends, "It's just been a while since I've seen you."

It's true enough that Ken's expression smooths out. Wifies removes his claws from the vicinity of Ken's heart and cards them through Ken's hair, instead.

Except Ken never stops blindsiding him. "I wouldn't mind if you ate me."

Wifies' hand falters at the same time as his breath. "Ken."

"I'm serious!" Ken sounds almost offended, the way he does when he thinks up a good plan and gets questioned on it. Wifies' protesting groan is ignored; Ken continues, "If someone is going to, I'd want it to be you. It's kind of flattering."

Ken has shifted onto their side now, fingers drumming along Wifies' hip in thought. "I don't think I'd make it easy for you, though. Everyone thinks rabbits are cute and dumb, but you don't think that, right? You think I'm cute and smart."

Wifies isn't hiding his reaction well—he knows he isn't, because Ken's head tilts and his ears flop, clearly pleased. Maybe Wifies was right. If Ken is going to say things like that, then he should be scared of Wifies.

"Not in the house," Wifies decides. There's no real point arguing if Ken wants to play out the hypothetical. Ken makes a questioning little noise. Wifies says, "I'd want it to be in the snow."

"The snow," Ken repeats. "We could do that."

"Hypothetically," Wifies says, a bit weakly. Ken laughs.

"Hypothetically."

And maybe it doesn't matter, this realization. Maybe whether or not Ken should be scared of him doesn't matter. If Wifies has really felt this way since the taiga, then nothing has changed—he's been devoted to Ken in the same way since they met. How different can trust and hunger be, anyway?

[sandwichmustbetasty]

half of the season 1 behind and these are my feelings:

making galadriel so un-galadriel - horrible, she is the daughter of high king finarfin and would never behave like a petulant child going on her merry way to seek sauron. she would also not wear feanorian star for fuck's sake

numenor - terribly rushed, don't like it's downfall being sped up like 1500 years, give the Men some credit

the whole people living in mordor story - eh, not great, the men there are kind of annoying, but rooting for arondir

whole weird thing with elvish politics honestly and elrond being somehow treated as lesser because of his heritage (his heritage is literally the most prominent heroes and kings of middle earth. and also a maia. his dad literally ended the war so.)

where the hell is celeborn and celebrian - i so wanted to see the blooming romance between celebrian and elrond, i would give everything to see them together

now for the things i DO enjoy

elrond's baby face - he's my pookie i love him (also writes speeches for gil, very in character, love that for him) just a baby, must protecc

elrond & durin's friendship - yes. just the right amount of sass (and elrond forgetting that dwarves are mortal and not visiting for 20 years might be in bad taste), they are great together, please more

durin & disa - YES, shame they didn't give the dwarf women beards, but still, disa is amazing, they relationship is so precious to me

gil-galad - finally an elf with long hair, very noldor-looking, very nice, very nice (his golden robes are fucking obnoxious but oh well, he's a king, also real fandom-made Finrod would 10000% approve of that choice and would suggest adding some thousand shimmering jewels), he looks so done with everyone's shit and i love that about him (he's a russingon child you can pry this headcanon from my cold dead hands and you will still not succeed)

tyelpe - jesus where do i even start. he is fucking old but seeing his soft face just brings me so much joy. the softest, brightest boy, just wanting to make fancy jewellery, absolutely no harm will ever come to him. i adore him with every fibre of my being. he is so eager with his forge project, so eager to meet the dwarves, just so eager to learn; feanor would be so proud

also adar - it brings new, uncomfortable perspective of something most of us knew before, that the orcs and elves are not so far removed, and whether or not orcs deserve anything other than being stabbed. i always struggled with the bit in lotr where we see that they actually do not all want to fight and are very much slaves. it's uncomfortable to come to the conclusion that the world is not white and black and maybe orcs don't deserve only to be wiped out when their corruption is not of their doing. a nice touch i'd say.

[roo-bastmoon]

"I can't stand your kumbaya OT7 fake cheeriness. Be ffr."

First and foremost, I will always advocate that you police your own experience. PLEASE mute / block / unfollow me if my posts (and just my personality in general) are causing you distress. I never wish to be the source of problems in the world. So go with my blessing.

But second...

I hope you know there are some really good REASONS why I'm so "kumbaya" right now.

In my 44 years living on this space rock, I have:

--had a vicious abusive alcoholic parent who broke my nose when I was a kid

--been through my parents' nasty divorce that left us so poor we lived out of a car and ate one meal a day so our cats could have cat food

--developed disordered binge eating because I believed it was necessary during my semi-pro ballet days

--was sexually assaulted by a partner who professed to love me

--had not one but TWO diagnosed narcissistic bosses who made my beloved workplaces hell for years

--survived (so far) uterine cancer which took away my ability to ever be a bio-mom, something I'd always wanted for myself

I look at this laundry list of trauma (for which I am seeing a WONDERFUL therapist) and think to myself:

"Even so, I've lived such a cushy, privileged, safe and happy life. I've got four higher degrees; I've traveled the US and through Europe; I've worked on creative and charitable projects that I'm proud of; I've got a small band of wonderful real-life friends who stuck by me for the past 30+ years. It's been a good and meaningful life."

But I am TIRED of drama and I've had a lifetime supply of harsh words and meanspirited discourse. I'm just so fed up with it. I'm allergic to it now.

I'm not saying we should allow hate and harmful behavior to slide. But here on the internet, we have the power to block and remove anything we don't want to see or be a part of. I WISH we could do that in real life, where the stakes are so much higher.

So for my part, after being in all kinds of internet fandoms since 1999, I've come to the conclusion that I will not hang with mean girls, I will not feed trolls, I will not fight with antis, and I will TRY not to pop off on people who upset me (sometimes menopause gets the better of me, I admit it). Rather, I will just redirect my focus to what brings me joy, I will follow my bliss, I will take revenge by living happily.

And keep in mind... People are human. Fans and members alike are going to have bad takes, bad attitudes, bad days, bad habits. The question is: are they willfully causing harm? If yes, intervention is necessary. If no, then a little grace might be more useful.

I come from three generations of teachers and one of the most important things they've said to me is: Shame is not a teaching tool. It might temporarily change someone's behavior, but more often than not they double down in order to counteract embarrassment. If you want good results, thank a person for trying their best, acknowledge they are likely struggling, and invite them to be the better version of themselves you absolutely know they can be. Sometimes that works.

With ruiners, it doesn't. They just want to ruin things. Ruining things makes them feel powerful, because they cannot create; they can only destroy. It is their only talent. Ruiners invade a space and absolutely delight in ruining it for everyone else. It's a disease and I don't know the cure. The only way I know to counteract a ruiner is to stay in your space and LOUDLY be joyful, be cheerful, focus on what you love, and drown out their vitriol and hate with compassion and love.

So THAT is why I'm so "kumbaya cheerful OT7." Even on days when I would love nothing more than to thrash and whine, I'm trying my best to be a good little oyster and filter out the toxins, so this place remains focused on what matters: supporting BTS and enjoying ARMY.

If after knowing all that, I'm still not your cup of tea? I totally understand and I really don't mind if you need to mute me. This blog is just a hobby, just a place I come to escape the stress of work deadlines and house renovations and sick kitties and my own health issues and real life problems. Probably that's why you're here too. It's meant to be fun and enjoyable. I'm sorry if you don't like me, but... I'll never change all my colors for you.

So go follow your joy and find like-minded blogs. You have my blessing. And maybe we'll meet each other again on down the road, and we'll both be in better places, and we can walk together by then. Either way, you deserve to be happy.

Love, Roo

[totaldramafan-lauri]

Practice drabble #6 - "Always"

Been a while since the last one, so.....warming back up.....! L-let's do this....OK.....

---

"My sweet one.....My Parsley.....~"

She croons into my ear, her voice sending shockwaves of pleasure through my dough already.....She, of course, knows the power her voice holds over me, so there's no point in holding back my reactions....I'm right where she wants me. Right where I belong....

In her arms.....on her bed.....No one else around but the two of us....

Yes....no one else....

"Y-Your Radiance...." I whimper, as she gently pushes me on to my back, "Haaahhh.....p-please...."

"Shhhhh....." she hushes me, as her face looms over mine, "There will be no words necessary today, my treasure.....I will take care of you....~"

While normally, she likes it when I beg for her, which I'm more than willing to do right now.....Things are different this time. She stops me....almost as if she doesn't want me to.....But, that can't be right.....! My worship gives her energy....! It fuels her.....So, it can't be that she doesn't want me to....

No.....it's because she doesn't need it this time.

She's not doing this for her enjoyment....This time....she's doing this....to soothe my aching soul.

I didn't want her to know about how I was feeling, after what I overheard between her and Smoked Cheese earlier.....I'd removed myself before either of them noticed me listening, and isolated myself for the rest of the day, feeling admittedly awful about it.....Going from knowing I'll never know her like he does, to wondering if he's right, and I should be stronger like him....to wondering if the rest of her old subjects would see me like he does.....To thinking about how much she's looking forward to them waking up, and.....

My mind jumping to some....painful conclusions.....

About not only how they'd see me....but about....the possibility of losing what I have now....with her....

Once she has them back....

I felt awful, hating myself for assuming the worst of her, and for even considering not wanting them back out of my selfish desire to keep what I have....Getting them back is what she wants more than anything.....I should support her....and I DO, I DO support her....! I'll do anything for her, anything....

No matter what could happen to me.....

I'm her subject....

But, just when I was starting to feel....resigned, to those awful thoughts....I heard her voice again, calling for me. And there she was again.

I tried to hide how I was feeling, not wanting to burden her.....but, I must've still said too much. I must've given it away somehow.....because it was like she knew immediately that I was down. Maybe it was the way the first thing I asked her was "Where's Smoked Cheese? Is he around?"

When I'd asked her that, something changed in her expression....How foolish of me to think I could give a fake smile to someone who's ruled a kingdom for centuries....

And knows me personally more than anyone else ever has...

Now, she's kissing me, her hands wandering my bare dough as I lay beneath her. Suffocating me, making my troubled mind slowly go blank....Soon, I won't think of anything but her. I'll remember my purpose is to exist for her.....

She's all that matters. No one else.....Block out all other voices....Those who dismiss me, those who demean me.....Those who will never know me like SHE does....

He's wrong....He's wrong.....He's wrong about me....I don't need to be like him, and this is the proof.....

She breaks the kiss, and looks down at me with a fond look in her golden eyes....That look that makes me feel special....

"I shall take all your anguish away, my sweet one....Every single bit of it...."

I know I should feel guilty about this....I know I shouldn't feel like I'm forcing her to pity me, that she should feel like she has to comfort me right now....I know this is my own problem, and there's things I still have to get used to.....I know there was never any proof that what I was worrying about would ever come to pass....It was just me jumping to conclusions about her when I shouldn't have....

I shouldn't be asking her for more of this right now....but....

When she says things like this, in that tone of voice that drives me crazy....I can't refuse her. It just makes me feel so warm and floaty.....My heart takes me over, and I melt every single time....

She kisses my neck, and I whimper....

Her kisses trail lower and lower, traveling down my body....So that every inch of me remembers who I belong to.....

She runs a hand across my inner thigh, and I shudder in want, feeling that familiar warmth grow closer to a fever pitch.....I want her. I need her.....

I need her I need her I need her-

More, more, more, more-

Always more-

More of her-

"D-don't.....l-leave me behind...."

I have no more filter....My feelings come spilling out of me as she touches me....

"Y-Your Radiance.....please.....d-don't go.....D-don't forget about me...." I whimper pathetically, "I need you....I need you a-always...."

I wanna cling to her so badly....It feels like, if I close my eyes, she'll be gone....back to the ones she cares about more than me.....I'm not one of her original subjects....I can never replace them to her.....i know this...I always have....

But.....I also don't wanna believe she ever expected me to....

I wanna believe...I'm not just a temporary replacement.....and in these moments, I can believe I'm not. As she chases away my insecurities with her voice alone.....

She cares about me. She's told me this, and she HAS to.....If she never cared about me that much, she wouldn't have let me into her kingdom, and let me confess to her. I'm not a replacement....I'm NOT.....

"Oh, my treasure....I would never dream of leaving you behind...." she croons, as she brings her face down to kiss my inner thigh, as she holds one of my legs in place, "And I do so apologize if I ever made you feel that way....."

I'm not.....a temporary replacement.....but a permanent addition to her collection. Flawed, yes, but for all my imperfections, she cherishes me....as myself. As my own cookie.....and anyone who doesn't like me, doesn't have to. She accepts me. That's all I need.

Her words give me every bit of comfort I need to see that....I crawl out of the pit I'd started to dig myself.....

"There is no other cookie like you, Parsley....You are one of a kind...~" she praises me, kissing my dough still, "What kind of queen would I be to give up such a sweet, valuable, precious gem like you~?"

I can't change how much she misses them.....and when they wake up, I'll support her, and be happy for her.....

Because I know.....the truth. I will always be her treasure.....No matter how I stand out, or don't appear to fit in.....She gave me this life for a reason.....and everyone else will surely respect that....

No matter what the future holds.....it'll be by her side. For I gave myself to her....and....

"I will never leave you.....You are mine forever....~"

[sproutingpotato]

I have so many thoughts that need to be voiced out but so overwhelmed atm so here I am presenting to you a first few glimpses of them:

Greg is cringe, yes, but what is new? I always see people’s reactions on Twitter first before watching the newest episode due to being in a different country and all, and folks are screaming at Greg every week for being useless and embarrassing. 

But when I get to watch that week’s premier, I oftentimes found out that his actions are not... that... cringy? Like?? Most of the time it's just misplaced commentation? One of my top cringiest moment must be from when Shiv offered strategic advices to Logan + the old guard while having zero qualifications to do so; plus Roman’s failed satellite launch. 

At least his cringe actions cause harm to no one. Roman nearly committed homicide just because he wanted to launch the satellite early as a fireworks celebrating his sister’s *wedding. 

While the writer’s room’s choices this season for Greg character have been... questionable... so far, but maybe we should take joy in little things. Such as tomgreg outfits are still pretty much coded to coordinate with each other. Moments where they lightly touch each other in a cute way. Them plotting and causing failed havoc in the background.

All I want to say is, reducing any character into nothing more of a comedic relief is a dick move from the writers, but this is a TV show and it’s bound to end. Soon. We still have no idea how the conclusion will be drawn out. And if we can’t help but be disappointed every single week, then might as well enjoy the little moment while it lasts.

Also, other ships, you know who I’m talking about, please kindly remove yourself from tomgreg tag if you don’t have anything nice to say to us. It doesn’t hurt being polite.

[thecandywrites]

Monster March 2024- Day 20 - Part 5

Benefit Of The Doubt

As always, thanks to @borealwrites for their amazing Monster March 2024 Prompt List!

before she left and came to the Royal Coop to see Queen Kat inside playing with the chicks Queen Kai’s chickens had laid and had just hatched only days before Kat took over. 

“Oh, I see you’re recovered and have hopefully gotten a chance to catch up with what has happened since you’ve been recuperating.” Queen Kat tried to greet Hazi as sweetly as she could muster. 

“I missed out on quite a bit. I am still adjusting Isthantari.” Hazi offered as she slowly approached the Queen since Queen Kat had invited her to join her and sit beside her on the bench in the coop. 

“Could you please, just use my name? Isthantari is so…impersonal.” Kat requested hopefully. 

“Your Majesty…” Hazi tried to counter. 

“Please, enough Hazi. Please? I’m…I’m sorry. I’m really, really, truly and honestly sorry for the way I came in and treated you. I didn’t know what I was walking into when I was coming in here a week ago. And…I just…I need you Hazi. I need you to help me. I need your help with…everything. Especially since you alone seem to be the only one to have everything all figured out. And while the Hive ran smoothly while you rested and recovered, because you had amazing protocols in place. Everyone else has been at a loss, especially me. I treated you like an enemy, when I should have treated you the way you tried to treat me- like a friend and an ally. And I’m so sorry I hastily came to the absolute wrong conclusions about you at first. I’ve since been learning just how wrong I was.” Kat turned and pleaded with Hazi with tears starting to fill her eyes since Queens actually had the ability to cry. 

“I know that I’m not what you or anyone else expected. And I know I’m barely old enough to leave an incubation cell. And because of an emergency situation everything was rushed and I can’t undo what I’ve already done. But…but I don’t want to fail. I don’t want to lose…everything. I don’t…I don’t want to lose myself in all of this. I know a Queen’s only purpose is to control Her Hive. But this Hive is…it’s its own…thing.” Kat said as she curled in on herself and just continued to pet the little chicks in her cupped lower hands with her upper hands as once again, Hazi was struck by just how small she still was. Like any other child of any other race, forced to wear a crown placed onto their heads by others- years before they were meant to. As she started to see- the truth of the situation. 

“Let’s talk.” Hazi invited before she simply reached out to touch Queen Kat’s forearm as the two immediately linked up to create their own private bubble, a miniature private network, just the two of them. 

“Ok, talk to me. This is a safe space. I’m not going to judge you as long as you don’t judge me or other members of the hive. I will be as honest with you as you are with me. But this is strictly for communications to build trust between us, not an investigation that will be met with consequences ok? Deal?” Hazi asked. 

“Yes! Deal, done deal, please. This is what I’ve been waiting all week for is just this with just you!” Kat readily and immediately agreed. 

“Ok. I just learned that you practically hatched only seconds before you took over the Hive. That must have been quite the feat for you. You got the message that the largest Hive in the Quadrant, much less, the galaxy, was about to fall and you were called from the homeworld years before you were ever supposed to. And then you get here, and you find that it’s not nearly the “emergency” it was talked up to be. And the very one who urged you to come, had vanished without any answers once you got here. And then it took a few days for him to be found and for you to finally get some answers to your questions that you had to live with and no doubt wrestle with while he was gone.” Hazi invited, taking Jaxx’s advice. Since he was the most removed and objective about this from his unique perspective on this whole thing as she sensed Kat’s surprising desperation and earnest genuine nature. 

“Yes! Thank you! That’s exactly it! I have had nothing but questions that the Hive Mind, nor anyone else can even hope to answer. And when I did get some answers, they were…anticlimactic and so unsatisfying and if anything- only sparked new questions that I don’t think anyone, let alone, any Hive Mind, let alone a Super Hive Mind could have answered.” Kat complained as Hazi gave her a sympathetic look. 

“Ok, so what other questions do you have that you still need answers to?” Hazi invited. 

“Why are private Isthantari’s a thing? Like…why would anyone who isn’t Jika, want to isth with us?” Kat asked as Hazi noticed Kat’s disgust at the very notion of isthing. 

“From what I’ve gathered, because I have no experience with it myself yet, but when I communed with the former unmated consorts right before coming here, it’s about relationship dynamics. To Queens, Consorts live to serve you. But, usually, most other Queens, only view other Consorts as walking sperm banks and barely tolerate their presence. And because unmated Consorts have higher brain function and personalities unique to them. They are attracted to the idea of having a life partner who is just as intelligent as they are, and just as nurturing, kind, loving, caring, compassionate, empathetic and sympathetic that they are but have all of those qualities mirrored back to them. And they like the idea of monogamy with such an individual to mirror such things back at them. Which for the inhabitants of earth- is a really big deal and just about every living thing on that planet with a higher brain- lives for and pursues their whole lives and we’ve been here long enough and integrated ourselves into the culture enough, that’s it’s rubbed off on the local population. But now that you’re here, you have the power to stop that if you don’t like that.” Hazi offered honestly. 

“No, I don’t want to stop it! I…I find myself wanting the same exact thing. In fact, that’s why I chose the consort I did when I first exited the incubation cell on our ship. But then…Kit…he changed once he did isth with me. And the Kit I had grown to love and admire in stasis in the cell, was just…gone…once I isthed with him. And…I’m terrified the same thing is going to happen to all of my other Consorts. And…I like them too much as they are and I like my current relationships with them as they are right now- to do that to them. But…But Kit was supposed to be so different and so special and he was my favorite out of all of them. And then, one moment we were finally becoming one and then, the next moment, there was me and only me and he was just…gone. I can’t explain it outside of that.” Kat explained with more tears of worry and regret and sorrow and loss. 

“Ah. I see. Yeah, that’s…that’s probably why Queens only isth with their second favorites. But keep their true favorites “unmated” to a degree but keep them as personal guards and personal caretakers otherwise. And both enjoy the closeness but deny themselves from truly finishing the process, just to keep their Consorts intact mentally.” Hazi revealed. 

“Why didn’t anyone tell me that sooner?! You’re the only one who knew that then! None of the other Queens said a word about any of that! If I had known that, I would have picked anyone else other than Kit.” Kat complained. 

“I don’t know. You should have been told about that. Usually that’s told by the queen to her daughters once they are hatched. But because you didn’t have that. Reverend Mother must not have included that detail with your instructions because in the grand scheme of things, it’s a non necessary detail as far as a Queen taking over a Hive. But, I do have a way to bring back another Kit, if you miss him that badly.” Hazi began. 

“How?” Kat asked, both relieved and in awe that Hazi would know of a solution. 

“Message the Reverend Mother, tell her anything you want to tell her to justify your request, but simply request to have Kit’s father re-impregnate her with another set of Kit- Super Consorts. Have all of them sent here. Granted, you will have to wait for them to fully incubate and hatch. So you’ll need to learn to be patient. But hopefully, they will be worth the wait, and here’s why.” Hazi began as Kat turned to face her completely and put the chicks down to hold her hands with her own. 

“Each sperm and each egg make it’s own unique individual, but you can have someone who is the same genetically and hopefully similar enough in personality to be like a new version of Kit. Jaxx knows your disappointment with Kit’s change. And he is working on- what I can gather is an inhibitor to keep that mental change from happening once you fully isth. However, that means, that should any of your Royal Consorts displease you from here on out. You can not dispose of him the one way you have to dispose of a Consort once chosen. That once he displeases you or does anything that would endanger the hive, there is no way to get rid of him while still preserving his genome. Would you be willing to do that? And then, be willing to wait for your new batch of Kits?” Jazi asked. 

“I would.” Kat readily agreed with an adamant shake of her head yes.  

“We will do our best. I’ll even use the Royal Nursery to do it too.” Hazi urged. 

“Ok. well, just in case that doesn’t work and none of the new Kits are what you want and are not the replica of the Kit you love. The only other way to bring him back is to reanimate him, and then put him back into incubation to regrow what he lost. It’s been done before. But that process is just as lengthy and honestly, the chances of him making a full recovery to be fully what he once was- are about 50/50. So not horrible odds, but not great either. Inhabitants of Earth also have to deal with this. When people down there go into a coma, they don’t always wake up the same person. It would be the same thing. But it takes the same amount of time either way. There is no quick and easy fix.” Hazi specified.

“Can we try both? I feel like we should try both, just in case.” Kat urged. 

“Thank you.” Kat thanked her as she hugged her tightly. 

“You’re welcome.” Hazi offered as she hugged Kat, marveling at the still so small and so young Queen in her arms and wondered if this was what her mentor had done or felt with Kai a generation before. 

“I feel like you’re this…big sister or like an aunt or…even a second mother to me.” Kat confessed. 

“Aww, well if that’s what you need me to be. I can definitely do that. But please don’t forget Kat, that you are still the Queen. You may be young, but that only means that you’re that much more adaptable and able to learn that much better. Yes there will be growing pains but we will get there by going through this, day after day. I know you feel like you got off to a bad start. But you didn’t. It’s not to late to save this. Sure your ascension was a bit rushed and a few things can get lost in translation. But we are both new to this. Let’s give ourselves and each other patience and grace with this. Ok? Just take it one day at a time.” Hazi gently urged as she hugged Queen Kat and gently pet her fur to soothe her, the same way she had done with the other nursery drones when they were hatching and learning the Nest and The Comb and would get overwhelmed. 

“Could you please stop thinking that everything is a trap? And that anyone is out to kill you or your sisters? That’s not the case at all. Like, I am a little jealous that they seem to have all their shit together and are already not just with the program but are the program. And I know that I’m the Queen and I’m supposed to have all of my shit together already, but I don’t. Honestly, I feel like I’m just barely holding onto the edges and that at any moment, everything is going to tear apart. I just…It’s so loud here. The Hive Mind is just…it’s so big and loud. It makes me want to shrink back and isolate myself just so I can hear myself think. But I can’t hush the Hive Mind because then everything stops. And we can’t afford to have everything stop. That’s why I like my private networks, I have one that’s just for me. That’s my own personal quiet place. Where the only thoughts I hear, are my own and only my own and no one else's.” Queen Kat admitted as she curled in on Hazi and leaned into Hazi’s sweet, soothing strokes of her head and body and down her back and arms and even down her little wings. 

“Yeah. I get that. Well, now that you are a Super Queen. I’ll have your Super Consorts help me to restructure the Hive Mind so that it’s more orderly instead of everything all at once, because that’s what Kai liked, she liked the cacophony of sound because to her- the great volume meant great success. Even though you are finding how untrue that is. Usually Queens are grateful for the Consorts not having much mentally so that she can focus more singularly on the Hive and Hive Mind without distractions. But for you, you get to be different. This is your Hive now. And your Hive Mind. You get to have it however you want it to be. If you want it quieter and more organized, we can insulate you from all the nonessential noise and put back up all the barriers that Kai tore down because she liked the transparency. But you don’t need it. This is your Hive. No one would dare deceive it or try anything. You can trust the Hive to stay Your Hive, no need to micromanage it the way Kai liked to.” Hazi offered as she cupped Queen Kat’s cheek the same way any mother would to a smaller child. 

“Why do you think we all have our own private communication networks? Because we couldn’t stand the cacophony either.” Hazi whispered in Kat’s ear which got Kat to snicker a laugh. 

“Besides. I think it’s a wonderful thing that you actually like your Consorts just the way they are, and don’t want them to lose their own distinct voices and personalities. Don’t be so hard on yourself. Fuck everyone else’s expectations. What do you want for yourself? What kind of Queen do you want to be? Before you were given this call to come to this Hive, what did you wish you could have in a Hive? Because that’s what you should strive for and make for yourself. If you want camaraderie from your Consorts, both mated and unmated, you should have that. And if you want a sisterhood like I do, I’ll try my best to help with that too. But while I can give you a measure of that, the fact remains- is that you are still the Queen. And you can only stop being the Queen once you have a daughter of your own who is ready and willing and able to take your place. And while you have the final decision to make, doesn’t mean that you should only have one option to choose. If you want an over abundance of options and ways to change and improve things as you grow and as you see what works and what doesn’t work, keep your options open. And realize that you can change your mind too, and that’s ok and I encourage you to do reevaluate your decisions from time to time as you grow and change too. With little to no explanation either. While perfection is always the goal- no one is perfect. Not even you. Even as Super as you are. Sorry kid.” Hazi gently consoled her as Queen Kat laughed at the gentle jab got recomposed and wiped the precious few tears from her eyes. 

“Are you sure?” Queen Kat still felt the need to question. 

“Like it’s an ocean of fluff and spikes and you’re drowning?” Hazi supplied. 

“Yup. Positive. Let me guess, you haven’t been sleeping well either all week? Miss your cozy cell?” Hazi suggested.

“Yes! Like my Super Consorts already spun me a bed like Nest and it’s big enough for all of us. But I feel…” Queen Kat admitted. 

“Yes! Is that normal?” Kat asked hopefully. 

“Oh yeah. Even drones will align themselves as if they’re back in the comb cells even in an open space. Like, you can just look at them, and it’s as if they never left those honeycombed cells.” Hazi insisted before Hazi combed through her memories to share with Queen Kat, like sharing old photographs as Queen Kat and her shared a couple of hours just sitting in the coop, physically petting chickens while mentally, Hazi was sharing pictures. 

“I’m sorry if I stole your royal jelly from Klip.” Hazi murmured after a while. 

“Oh ppfffbbb, don’t be. Klip’s my ‘let’s take a minute and explore all our options’ and I still don’t have the patience for that. Kit was my ‘get it done, got it done’ guy.” Kat waived off as she looked at the memories like they were pictures and appreciated that Hazi took the time to capture them in the first place. 

“Slow pokes.” Hazi teased which got Queen Kat to erupt into a bright laugh. 

“And you like immediate results.” Hazi gathered.

“Well…I thought I did. But the “results” I’ve gotten this week has proved that there is such a thing as ‘too hasty’ in dealing with everyone outside of the Hive.” Queen Kat sighed with a wince and a grimace.  

“I know right? Why can’t everyone just be quick and efficient?” Queen Kat practically stuck her tongue out playfully which got them both to laugh. 

“But you and this was definitely worth waiting for.” Kat added, a bit more seriously as she appreciated the pictures of Hazi with her sisters. 

“Sorry to keep you waiting as long as I did.” Hazi offered. 

“Well, your sisters look to you to lead the way. I take it you were farther along in incubation than they all were? Is that why you’re a natural leader?” She asked. 

“It is. I was actually in the beginning of the programming phase. And Gadi saved not only everyone through that entire phase but even my sisters who passed it. And even got the order to make eggs for themselves. And they were always arguing with how things should go and how things should be done. And then, when Kai went to “punish” her mated consorts, they grew to like it. To the point that the Consorts preferred those sisters to her. Kai of course, could not tolerate it, and out of jealousy, killed two of the five that had been saved and attempted to finish as Nursery Drones, which, didn’t take the change really. They were too interested in bossing the other drones around rather than being nurturing to the actual larvae and pupae and drones once they did hatch. Worst Middle Managers ever. And it was a relief when they were killed. It was hidden under the chatter of the hive. That’s the real reason why Kai wanted to hear everything.” Hazi recounted as Kat listened attentively and frowned at that. 

“But then, when the remaining three, ended up naturally developing the eggs themselves. Then they grew pregnant. And Kai really wouldn’t tolerate them then. Then all of us were rounded up and inspected to see if any of us had any eggs or even the beginning follicles for eggs. And if they were found, they were surgically removed. Half of my sisters died in surgery just getting the very follicles removed, so that, not under any circumstances would there ever be a fertilized egg that didn’t belong to the Queen. That’s why there’s barely a dozen of us left. There had been over four dozen when we were first saved and the generation before us, died from exhaustion saving even us. Which, I knew mere minutes before you came that you were coming and I had to shut off the Queen’s feed from the Hive Nest, just so she wouldn’t kill me for trying to save her children.” Hazi revealed. 

“Maybe by then, the thought of isthing won’t be as…disgusting as it seems to be right now.” Queen Kat offered. 

“Is that why you left all the Princesses who were past that stage, alone? Because you didn’t want the past repeating itself?” Kat realized.

“Yes. I couldn’t endanger the vast majority of the younger sisters, just to save a few of the older ones. That, and you don’t need any challenge to your authority over the Hive. You are a Super Queen. You should never have to deal with a usurper the way normal Queens do. Besides, at least with saving the ones I did, at the stages I did. I still ensured that for now, Queen Kai’s body is the only one laying fertile eggs. And because I removed the phallus’. You officially have about a year, before you would need to be up to breeding size and up to laying your own eggs. Which is perfectly possible and doable, granted, you may have to start eating really fatty and protien rich foods to get up to that size. And then once you fully replace her in every single sense. Then you will still be the only female to have fertile eggs. You as the Queen, the way it’s meant to be. And you won’t have to worry about any of them secretly trying to take over the hive from within either, because none of them were ever programmed to. Even when some of us are more than our programming.” Hazi offered. 

“I’m sure it won’t. Because you are so small, it probably hurt like hell.” Hazi mused. 

“It did! And on one hand, it felt natural in a way. But in another, it didn’t, because he was so, so big. I felt like he wore my canal and my entire abdomen like a sleeve.” Kat murmured with a sour expression. 

“Ouch. I’ve never isthed, so I have no idea either way. Kai respected me too much to ever order any consort that didn’t please her perfectly to order it for me. She was insistent that I had much better things to do with my time, she thought isthing was a waste of time and only ever did it with her mated consorts once to capture their genetalia and then never again, she thought of isthing as a punishment and a waste of time and energy for her.” Hazi admitted. 

“Well, from where I sit, you’re not missing much. Although, for my Consorts, it’s like, they have an itch that I can’t scratch and to get it scratched feels good? I guess? But then they just get itchier and itchier and need more and more scratching and yuck!” Kat tried to illustrate before she made a disgusted face and mock gagged and shivered.  

“And for you, it was ‘I came, I saw, I’ve moved on, I don’t need or want that itch to ever get scratched any time soon and I’m gonna avoid anything and everything that could possibly itch me’?” Hazi guessed. 

“Yes! That’s exactly it.” Queen Kat offered. 

“Ok. Well, obviously, if my sisters are consenting and are obviously can isth, but can’t do the full isth- and tari. Because they lack both the hardware and software for it, if you catch my drift.” Hazi delicately explained. 

“Yes I do.” Kat nodded. 

“Well maybe as you age, and grow and mature you might think differently. But for now, if that’s the way you feel, you can keep your Royal Consorts at arm’s length or hell, arms and wing’s lengths. And maybe by the time Reverend Mother sends you that batch of Kits. And we get your Kit into incubation and once they all finish incubating and hatch- you might feel differently.” Hazi suggested. 

“Doubt it, but maybe.” Kat shrugged. 

“Well, if the thought if Isthing is really that disgusting to you. You could always use my freely consenting sisters as funnels.” Hazi offered. 

“Funnels?” Kat repeated in confusion. 

“Ok, so I don’t know if you know Nursery Drone anatomy, but our abdomens, where we have a canal to isth. Instead of having eggs or follicles, which feels like bumps- according to the Consorts who Isthed with my late sisters. The insides are smooth. And that chamber looks like a funnel to collect misbehaving Consort seed. And when and if that Consort re-earns respect and trust- to re-enter her good graces, but is already too tired from having to isth with a Nursery Drone- the Nursery Drone puts her abdomen up to yours and simply drains the contents into you. It’s like refilling a drinking glass. And it’s as impersonal as that act of service normally is anyway.” Hazi explained before she brought up the scans that had been done on her and her sisters before and after the surgeries. 

“Oh I see! It’s shaped like a funnel! Oh, that would be so much better. That way, their seed really doesn’t go to waste, we still preserve their genetics, but without the messiness of isthing.” Kat realized as she beamed a happy smile at the news and revelations before she hopped up and kissed Hazi on the cheek. 

“Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! This is the best news yet! And this way, my consorts get to stay my platonic friends, I get to gain more friends with you and your sisters. And everyone’s happy and yet the Hive doesn’t collapse. And all that needs to happen is they can funnel into me as needed or wanted. Which, I don’t or won’t need any of it- for at least a year or hopefully two, maybe three if I can get away with it, or more! Who knows right?! They can dispose of it as they see fit for now. Because I want to give Klip’s seed every chance I can. And I don’t want any other seed but his- in me for the time being at least.” Kat insisted. 

“Yes Ma’am.” Hazi chuckled as she removed the scans before they left the private network before Kat got to her feet and grabbed Hazi’s head and kissed her all over her head. 

“Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! You’re the best! I gotta go call Mom!” She cheered happily as she gave Hazi her own Super Codes to do as she wanted and needed before she flew out the Royal Coop to go and contact their Reverend Mother to request a whole batch of Kits.

Hazi could only laugh and shake her head as she pet the other chicks and chickens before she got up and dusted herself off and then got the chicken’s a treat block and the chicks a batch of wax worm grubs to snack on. 

“Name it.” He invited before she pulled him into their private network to have this conversation. 

“So? How’d it go?” Jaxx asked as he came into the coop with her.

“It went really well. You were right. She needed the benefit of the doubt. She misjudged me and I misjudged her at first. It’s not nearly as dire as I thought it was going to be. Poor thing is just young and inexperienced and has the whole world trying to weigh on her little shoulders. She just needs a few braces and to build up some strength to bear it all. But I’m gonna need your help with a few things.” She offered. 

“First- inhibitors for the Super Consorts so that- if they do fully isth with her, they remain mentally intact and have no atrophy. Also, I’m gonna need for you to help them grow a second pair of phalluses and gonads.” She instructed. 

“A pair for Kat and a pair for…whoever?” Jaxx guessed. 

“Yes. Second- her Super Consort- Kit, the only one she isthed with- where is he?” She asked. 

“Still on their transport ship, in her cell that she was incubated in- in stasis.” He answered. 

“He will need to be moved to the Royal Comb. I’m gonna have to work with the Incubator Protocols to try to restore him to who and what he was right before isthing with her. If I fail, the only safety net I have- is if Reverend Mother- will send Kat a whole new batch of Kits that we can fully incubate here, hopefully one or any or at best- all of them are replicas of what he was. But I fully know my chances and odds of that happening.” Hazi explained. 

“Ok, what else?” He asked. 

“Continue with your work to cement her pheromones and the pheromones of her daughters so that no one can usurp her or her legacy or dynasty. Unless a Reverend Mother comes here herself to oust her and replace her- which we are no where close to needing or wanting that- otherwise- I want her to give her every chance to succeed that I can. She was thrust as unwitting into this as we were. But she is literally only a week old and we met when she was only minutes old. I don’t know if you remember- but I remember how bad I was at everything at  her age. You were right, we need to give her and ourselves and everyone else patience and grace. She is doing better than anyone else could have- given these circumstances. I know if I was in her wings, I would have probably thought and reacted the way she did, if not worse. I will need Jaxon and Sable’s help to help Kat get up to size.” She decided. 

“Done.” Jaxx answered with a nod. 

“And then- I’m gonna need introductions to every single private- non-jika Isthantari. All I want is to meet them and get to know them on some kind of friendly-personal level. And then once Kat proves that she doesn’t mean me, my sisters or the other private Isthantari’s any harm- then we can work on being friends and maybe something like sisters some day. But what I really don’t want to happen is for all of us to get used to this as our new normal and then for her to wake up one day- all grown up and want to change things back- at the peril of everyone else.” She murmured. 

“I understand.” He nodded. 

“Next, I want to make sure that my sisters are ready and willing to be funnels. Because Kat is so young, and psychologically immature, she’s averse to isthing. She’s still too small and fragile for it. I’m surprised Kit didn’t accidentally kill her- isthing with her. When I brought up funneling, Kat was delighted and overjoyed that it was possible for her to be pregnant without isthing. That’s how averse she is. And I know these Royal Consorts are ready and eager to ‘lay all their pipe’ as soon as possible.” She muttered under her breath as Jaxx snort a laugh. 

“Yeah, you can say that again.” Jaxx nodded. 

“What am I not seeing?” Hazi asked him, knowing that he would be mindful to remind her of things- her already overwhelmed brain was probably forgetting. 

“Did she tell you what kind of personality Klip had?” He asked. 

“Only if they don’t all fall in lust with me too.” Hazi muttered. 

“Yeah, she told me he was her- ‘get it done, got it done’ guy.” Hazi answered.

“Well, that tracks. But you should also know that only reason we’re all alive is because of Klip. Because he’s the opposite of that. I think if we resurrect Kit- he may push her to act before thinking. I think Klip needs to have at least a few of his own copies sent with a whole batch of Kits. Just to even things out and Kat doesn’t regress in her progress.” Jaxx suggested. 

“Why do you hate him?” Jaxx asked. 

“I don’t…I don’t hate him. I just don’t trust him.” Hazi answered. 

“Has he done anything to betray your trust?” He asked. 

“Not…yes and no. He’s made his interest in me too apparent and it’s just plain unnatural. I was never put into the part of programming where isthing would have been a pleasurable experience. And I still remember how Gabi warned all of us that isthing was always dangerous to us, and dangerous to the Consorts. I know for you- my sisters death seems like a lifetime ago. But…It was practically burned into my memory. I don’t wish for anything like that to ever repeat.” She shuddered at the memory as Jaxx practically got a repeat of it himself through the private network. 

“Well, speaking of repeats. Do you still want Little Stubborn to be cued up? Just in case?” He asked. 

“Yes. I don’t care what we have to do to hide her in plain sight. But we need safety nets, just in case. And if Kat ever reverses this, and ends up becoming our worst nightmares, I’d rather not have to call back to the home world to have any, let alone our Reverend Mother bring in another Super Queen or whatever. Because none of us would survive that. We barely survived this.” She offered after she made sure that there was no way for this conversation to ever be recorded in this private network. 

“Consider it done.” Jaxx nodded. 

“Thanks.” She grinned as she mentally just hugged his arm for a moment before she let go and then stepped out of the private network to go and get ready to receive Kit’s body in the Royal Comb because she got messaged that it would be arriving shortly.

[agooberscanons]

Sayori whimpers and cries quietly to herself in the bathroom stall she managed to hide herself away in. Her brain is all abuzz from past trauma rearing its head from somewhere she least expected it. She had no way to prepare for it, so it hit her like a sucker punch to the gut. She's nearly ready to heave like she did get one, honestly.

Only about ten minutes ago, she was called to the front office by the principal to meet with a parent suddenly. This isn't unheard of, as she's met with plenty of parents of the students to get to know them better and let them know how their child was doing in a safe and calming environment. To her, children are equal to the adults she sees for her job, they just have trouble expressing their thoughts and feelings because they don't have the life experience yet. And neither do some of the parents. This seems to be one of those cases here, too.

A simple and courteous greeting to someone who clearly didn't want to be here, escorted back to her office where they could talk in private. A seat across from the coral-pinkette as they address the cause of this meeting: That the parent didn't appreciate what Sayori was doing for their child and probably more children here. That she should be ashamed of herself. Of course, she asks them to elaborate. That sets off a bomb, apparently.

They accuse her of brainwashing children to question authority and seek out answers from other adults that aren't their parents. That parents can't be trusted to answer all of their kid's questions because they say so and know everything and are always right? She moves to object, but they object her objection. How she was so stupid to ruin a good thing that they had going with their kid, who always said 'yes' and never talked back to them or questioned anything they said.

Sayori lets them know that it doesn't sound like a very good relationship and that it sounds more like controlling their kid with fear and repercussions for the simplest things when they're just children. Allow them to grow and find information and help elsewhere when that parent isn't around. Wouldn't it be better to then share that experience with them and then answer any questions they bring back from others and work it out together? Wouldn't that be such a good thing? To see your child as an equal who just needs a little extra help in some areas that they could come to you fo-?

"I didn't ask you for help, I came to tell you how horrible you are and that I'll be making sure you are removed from this position with the children."

"....Excuse me?"

"You heard me, you sow. If you are doing this to my child, let alone other children, I can't imagine what other parents would see in you or your teachings. You are a danger to these young minds and I'm going to the highest authority here to have you fired or removed or whatever is possible!"

"B-But why? Please, this is such a sudden jump to conclusions! We can just talk it ove-?"

"No! You will not brainwash me like you have the children! Your days here are numbered, you pink elephant! When I'm through with your boss, you'll be fired! You'll be removed!"

"But I-?"

"Gone in an instant!"

Suddenly, the room starts spinning for the young woman. Something in the way they said that and their screaming at her finally breaks her composure. She can't utter a single word to save her life right now, as she starts to tear up and shuffle back away from them. They assume they have won this and will be expecting her gone by the end of the week, smug as can be as they slam her office door behind them.

Sayori is left in the middle of a panic attack as she starts feeling everything close in on her. During a moment that it lets up, she struggles for the door and cries out for anyone to help her. No one can hear her back there as she eventually stumbles out, running in a panic to get somewhere, anywhere away to be alone for the moment that isn't her office. It was the scene of the trigger, so now she wants to be far away.

Running through the halls is so exhausting for her and all her heft, but her brain isn't thinking about that right now. It's about the bathroom on the other end of the school. She needs to hole herself up somewhere that no one will see her have her complete breakdown.

Back to where we started, Sayori finally lets it all out. She cries out in absolute terror and anguish as her trauma was triggered. Gone in an instant, she remembers. She forgave Monika, but that experience from then still makes her skin crawl and her soul fearful. It was just that, too. Total erasure of even her soul. There was nothing. Just a void.

She's struggling to breathe properly as she relives the experience. The memory of the experience and the feelings are washing over her entire body as she feels like she's going through it all over again. When will it stop? She's not one to have these nightmares when awake, so this is especially agonizing. She can't just wake up from this one.

Eventually, after realizing she was missing, someone finds her sobbing and having made a mess of herself on the bathroom floor when they get her carried to the nurse's office. She's cleaned up and helped to relax with the current nurse there, being asked if they need to call anyone for her or if she wants to go to the hospital. She refuses both, for now, saying she just needs time to think and lie down.

They'll have her removed, they said. Fired, gotten rid of. Her job she worked so hard to get and start the schooling for. A job where she helped other kids not become like her or what she was back then, either. Gone. In an instant. She starts crying again right there in the nurse's office, but it's now a cry of sadness and not fear. The nurse simply hugs it out with her and lets the woman get it all out. She clearly needs the support, right now.

Sayori finally gets home for the day, disheveled and a shell of herself at the moment. That person is going to spin some sort of lie and ruin her entire career, just because she was a good counselor. Just because she did her job well. Just because she did her job right. She flips right onto her couch and groans loudly, clearly done with today. There's absolutely nothing she can do, she feels. Parents always have such sway, especially those heavily involved with the higher ups or so.

After an hour or two of crying it out some more and finally napping, she gets up and trudges for the refrigerator. Something easy and simple and not experimental to eat, while she gets up the courage to call her friends about this and see if she can use any of them as references on redoing her resumé...?

[periwinckles]

Please tell me you have a middle name - chapter 4

Six a.m and there’s a knock at the door. I sit up in my bed in confusion, because typically patients don’t come looking for my mom this early in the morning. Dinner time is always busy, lots of injuries from the mines to work with. Mother’s carrying sick children usually come by mid-morning. Labors usually initiate late at night, after the mother more than likely exhausted herself with a day’s work. Six a.m.? Certainly unusual for whatever ailment I can think of.

I get out of bed, careful to not wake Prim up, but she still opens her eyes in confusion. When I finally get the door, it’s no mother carrying a sick child and certainly not a pregnant one about to give birth.

“Madge!”

“Katniss! Hi! Can I come inside?”

She looks flushed from the morning cold, as if she’s been outside longer than the twenty minute walk from her house to the Seam. Her hair loose around her shoulders, unkempt and disarrayed, so different from the perfect curls she usually has.

“I need to speak with your mom. I’m sorry, I know it’s early. I waited as long as I could. I would have come last night, but it was so late.”

I assure her it’s alright and by the time we sit down by the kitchen table, my mother and Prim have joined us.

“Katniss, Prim, go to the bedroom, so Madge and I can have some privacy.” My Mother says. Prim and I get up, to do as she says but Madge is quick to shake her head.

“It’s fine, really. They can stay.”

My mother gives a silent nod and pours a cup of tea for each one of us. We silently sip from our mugs, as we wait for Madge to tell us what brought her here this early. She removes the shawl she has around her shoulders and opens up a couple of buttons from her shirt, pushing it aside to expose her breast.

“Is that… What is that?” Prim asks in utter confusion, squinting her eyes to focus on her skin.

It’s a soul mark. Is it? I think so. It’s barely noticeable. Madge’s skin is extremely fair, and her mark is only slightly darker. It takes me a couple of seconds to realize what it is, but once I do it’s pretty obvious. It’s an R. An upside down R.

My mother takes her time to look at her mark, and takes another sip from her cup, while Prim whispers to me “Does Madge know who it is?”

If Prim thinks I am knowledgeable about this, she is gravely mistaken. I didn't even know she had a soulmark up until now.

“Was your mark always like this Madge?” My mother asks, but her eyes tell me she already knows the answer. She does this a lot, I realize. Ask patients for symptoms she already knows they have, because she wants them to reach the same conclusion she did.

“No. It appeared on my eighteenth birthday, in August. It was… brown… darker than this. Like… like Katniss’s skin tone.”

“Yes, that’s usually how soulmarks appear. And after that?”

Madge inhales sharply and locks her eyes with me, before turning to my mother again.

“It turned black yesterday. Completely black. I figured it happened throughout the day, but I only noticed before going to bed. But I… I didn’t sleep well, and.. every time I checked it was lighter and lighter, and this morning it was like this. Why… Why is it changing colors? Is he dying? I might not like him much, but I don’t want him to die.”

Read the rest on AO3

[graylinesspam]

Well well if it isn’t the foreshadowing of the clone rebellion on kamino we’re witnessing (is it? IS IT??? Please be it).

No but really, are you actually planning on writing this kind of ending or you’re sticking to the canon?

Anyway im having a lot of thoughts, most of them are AGAFAGGAZGAVAVAVVAAGHAVSVSSVS I LOVE IT. IT WAS SO CUTE AND THEN GOT SO FREAKING SAD AND THEN GOT CUTE AGAIN AND THEN THE PLOT TWIST????? ALPHA PLANNING A COUP RIGHT UNDER THE LONG NECK’S NOSES HELLO????? BRILLIANT

Also

DID REX OFFICIALLY ADOPT AHSOKA MANDO STYLE ???? Did the rest of the torrent do the same omfg they’re literally family 🥹🥹🥹

Rex trying to keep teenage cadets away from Ashoka is both cute and hilarious. He is such a dad.. ahem… brother material 👀

And I absolutely love the way you characterized Shaak Ti. Everyone always portray her as this wise Jedi that cares about the clones just like Plo Koon. And that’s true to some extent but she is so wrong for sitting in her own bubble and refusing to see the way kaminoans and trainers abuse them. She's a kind soul and means well but she totally lacks critical thinking. (but also yeah I would love to see her finally being able to adopt a few baby clones and raise them as her own sons. Such a touching moment it was, right until the aiwha baits ruined it that is)

And Kamino being compared to the eye of the storm is such a poetry honestly yk it rhymes

In conclusion, wonderful chapter as usual.

Okay. So much happened this chapter. Let me bullet point my response.

I likely won't get around to writing a clone rebellion in SH, though one is definitely planned for ASOI. I just can't see the war ended (without the empire's rise) and there nit being a clone uprising. But yeah ask me about that for ASOI and I might tell you my plans.

Yes, Rex officially adopted Ahsoka previously in SH. Off-screen. He knows her name as his sister and all that. I chose Rex partially because he's more traditional and sentimental than a lot of her other brothers. Kix has also said the vows but the rest of Torrent didn't feel the need to. They heard that Rex adopted her and basically went,"Sister? Ah ok, sister." *vigorous nodding*

I don't like to focus too much on Ahsoka's relationships with boys, but also y'know everyone (within age or developmental range) had a crush on her during the war. Cal, Kannan, Lux, Korkie, some clone cadets. She's just a pretty girl. But yeah no Rex overheard like one remark about her and moved an entire class and had them running laps for hours. He does not play.

He is absolutely her Dad-ish in the beginning. They develop a more on par relationship as she grows up and then eventually he fully relinquishes social rank to her. IE not being her elder anymore. But the whole Brothers raising brothers, line was the most important from that section.

Shaak Ti is traumatized and depressed. That's what this is. The Jedi never should have been in a war. That's it. And trying to run a war when you're completely unqualified hurts everyone. Which isn't to say they have a lot of choice. Realistically if she stood up one day and decided that the Kaminoans needed to surrender all of the clones to the jedi and stop producing them she'd be removed from her station and ignored. There's really nothing she can do. And she knows it. Which is why she lives with her hands over her "ears". Because if she just holds on and does a little good every day maybe she can actually change something one day. (the pessimistic view being it's futile in the face of the rising empire of which she's an active participant in building.) (and the more optimistic AU view being that Ahsoka succeeds in ASOI and the clones go free but they have to unpack their abuse in a plee for citizenship forcing the galaxy to realize what Kamino did and what Shaak participated in. Likely resulting in her retirement.) either way not pleasant for her.

Maybe she does end up with some sons, depending in which older clones decide they want to ally with her. It's all gonna be communal raising of the children.

The whole theme of this arc was really that there is no peace in war. So long as the storm rages you'll always have to step back into it. Only by pushing through to the other side can you escape it. But yeah I put SO much effort into the environmental symbolism. I was planning this for months before I started writing it.

So thank you so much for the ask and for reading the latest chapters. I had a blast writing them. Fingers crossed no one is too mad about my characterization of Shaak, I guess we'll find out.

[forabeatofadrum]

Happy Wednesday March 22, Cosmo had an idea! Thank you @aroace-genderfluid-sheep​ and @artsyunderstudy​ for the tags. I have A Lot to say. A Lot. A Lot.

First off, I actually did some fic writing 🥳! It’s been a long while and it felt so good. It’s for my AU Please! fic and man it’s also been ages since I wrote for that fandom. It felt good.

“Zimms-”

He hears Kenny before he feels the hit. His body hits the glass and fans of the opposite team roar. This isn’t new. Jack’s life has consisted of hockey ever since he was a baby. He knows how to take a check, but this one is different. He slides down the glass and he closes his eyes.

He needs to get up.

But instead, everything goes dark.

Now, here comes the long part. It’s about my thesis. I’m gonna put it all under the cut, together with the weather, cause again, it is long.

So, I got my feedback on my theoretical background and it’s... mixed. As in, I did too much, and not gonna lie, I was kind of expecting that. While I was writing it, I was constantly thinking to myself “I am being nuts”. I have over 50 sources for 3000 words. Basically, I am not surprised at all that my main feedback was to cut things, but I am still kind of saddened about it, because I loved writing it and I put a lot of effort in it. But also, on the same vein, I am not surprised. Hence the mixed feelings lol.

Now, a lot of stuff can be saved by rearranging my theoretical background. I, uh, got so lost in writing down the interesting things that I found that I completely forgot this is a theoretical background that is meant to introduce my own research, not a meta-analysis of sorts of the phenomenon. I kinda completely forgot to ask my research questions in my paper. As in, yes, I need to draw conclusions based on the theoretical background, which is what I have done now, but I also need to describe what I am going to do with it. But yeah, even when I rearrange my stuff, a lot will be cut so what am I going to do? I am going to give it to you, to preserve it, because again I am still really happy with it.

It’s a lot. Don’t worry if you do not want to read it.

The representation of queer women is limited and the existing representation is not always positive. Something that could be improved is the way the looks of queer women are shown. Ciasullo (2001) distinguishes three types of appearance: 1. the very feminine lipstick lesbian, 2. the ugly butch and 3. the everyday girl. These three types cause the appearance of queer women to be represented in a non-political way, so they lack depth. Instead, they fill a role in the mainstream. The lipstick lesbian was first received positively, because it removed the previous stereotype of the angry, militant, butch lesbian who secretly wants to be a man deep down (Dhaenens, 2013; Jackson & Gilbertson, 2009), but through lesbian chic it changed them into an object for men to watch. Indeed, queer women are still marketed as fan service for men (Annati & Ramsey, 2022; Diamond, 2005; Jackson & Gilbertson, 2009; Nölke, 2018). The butch is still portrayed as a threat to heterosexuality: she is scary, dominant and not sexy (Ciasullo, 2001). If a butch is portrayed in a more positive way, then being a butch is portrayed as a phase (Nölke, 2018). Finally, there is the everyday girl. This agrees with what Dow (2001) and McCarthy (2001) write about Ellen. The everyday girl conforms to the heterosexual order, which immediately portrays her as non-political, non-sexual and non-threatening (Hantzis & Lehr, 1994).

Ciasullo (2001) also emphasizes in her article that these three types of appearance create additional problems for women of colour. Women of colour are more likely to be seen as less attractive, because they do not easily conform to white beauty standards. That is not the only problem when it comes to racial diversity: there is also skewed representation. Research shows that most queer women are white and that queer women of colour are more affected by racist stereotypes (Annati & Ramsey, 2022). This also creates negative consequences for fans of colour, because fans adopt the racist ideas (Pande & Moitra, 2017). On the other hand, queer women of colour are also presented in a conforming way, namely conforming to white culture (Pande & Moitra, 2017; Yue, 2014). This makes it difficult for fans of colour to express their own culture (Stanfill, 2019), because not all cultures benefit greatly from the Western “I’m Coming Out” narrative (Weber & Weeks, 2022).

As indicated earlier, the term 'queer women' is used instead of 'lesbians'. This is because there are more sexual identities than homosexuality. Yet homosexuality is the most common (Bond, 2015; Sender, 2011). Bisexuals and pansexuals are depicted less because they threaten binary ideas about identity. This is why bisexuality is often portrayed as “one or the other” (Allen, 2022). Bisexual women are still portrayed as prone to cheating (Diamond, 2005). Asexuals are almost completely invisible, or they are not taken seriously by the media (Chen, 2020). Most of the characters are cisgender (Nölke, 2018) and trans women who appear in the media are often victims of (sexual) violence (Abbott, 2022).

There has been improvement in recent years, with TV series such as Pose, which stars trans women of colour (Joyrich, 2022), but several articles indicate that there is still much room for improvement and argue for intersectionality (Annati & Ramsey, 2022 ; DeCeuninck & Dhoest, 2016; Rodriguez, 2019; Yue, 2014).

Damn, this is Kill your darlings.

Look, I am not saying all of this will be completely gone. And this isn’t even the only part that needs to be “cut”. I just need to shorten it a lot. I will find a place somewhere for the core findings of this section, but alas, it is still a shame.

And now, the weather @quizasvivamos​ @blurglesmurfklaine​ @coffeegleek​ @esperantoauthor​ @otherworldsivelivedin​ @caramelcoffeeaddict​ @sillyunicorn​ @bazzybelle​ @dragoneggos​ @raenestee​ @tectonicduck​ @nightimedreamersworld​ @urban-sith​ @thnxforknowingme​ @captain-aralias​ @you-remind-me-of-the-babe​ @takitalks​ @justgleekout​ @cerriddwenluna​ @tea-brigade​ @ivelovedhimthroughworse​ @moodandmist​ @whogaveyoupermission​ @bookish-bogwitch​ @confused-bi-queer​@ionlydrinkhotwater​ @1908jmd​ @special-bc-ur-part-of-it​ @larkral​ @chen-chen-chen-again-chen​​ @cutestkilla​​ @nausikaaa​​/@wellbelesbian​​ @martsonmars​​ @facewithoutheart​​ @shrekgogurt​ @boyinjeans​

[archivalofsins]

if you were only allowed to forgive one prisoner, who would it be? And what about the inverse, who would be your only unforgiven?

Hm this should be a tough one but I'm really greedy.

I'd forgive Mikoto so he could have the world's biggest power trip about it. And well ya know who it would piss off the most if they were the only one guilty out of everyone... Mikoto and Kotoko. They would be losing their got damn minds if either of them were the only one's guilty out of everyone. But, but, but there is one person who'd be even funnier to put in this situation in my opinion Kazui because that man would be losing his mind with joy. He'd be like "YES YOU'VE FINALLY SEEN THROUGH ME-" that man would be feeling euphoria he would get untied. That man would be in ecstasy.

He's been asking to be guilty this entire time he wants it more than Yuno he's obsessed with it. Kotoko would try to jump him but it would be the equivalent of that one scene in Little Shop of Horrors where that masochist goes to the sadist dentist then gets kicked the fuck out.

She'd go in there like,

Kotoko: Ready to get what you deserve-

Kazui: . . . *giving her a once over and seeing all her weapons before giving a small in awe nod with a smile* Finally...

Kotoko: ???

Kazui: Believe it or not I was born ready. It's all I've ever wanted really-

Kotoko: Nope, no, no siree- You have a nice day I don't want to be part of this actually.

Kazui: Wait Yuzuriha you can't do this you promised-

Kotoko: I never promised you anything.

Kazui: Don't you want to remove evil from this world.

Kotoko: No, no.... I think this will make you worse actually. I think this will teach you nothing.

Kazui: You never know until you try come on just try. Maybe the pain will make me normal maybe this is how I change maybe you can fix me-

Kotoko: No I think I know. I think I know for certain... Mahiru's still down the hall if you need someone to confide in I will leave you to your verdict. I'm sorry for intruding you have a good one-

Kazui: Damn it no! Please the verbal abuse isn't enough the overwhelming discouraging thoughts aren't enough you need to kick my ass- Fucking get Mikoto in on it too.

Later

Mikoto: He really said that?

Kotoko: Yes, yes he did....

Mikoto: Damn these verdicts really fuck people up huh. He was so calm before.

Kotoko: I knew he wasn't trustworthy but.... I never thought.

Mikoto: Look it was beyond anything we could have anticipated you can always maybe jump him later. It's still the job you were tasked with by the guard, right? Plus he was the only one guilty out of everyone he must have really done something bad. (For love of everything I need her to jump that man I can't take him down alone.)

Kotoko: Ya know I don't think I want to do this anymore... I need to go reflect on some things.

Mikoto: (Shit I'm gonna have to jump this man alone. No, no I can still fix this...) I get it take all the time you need I guess that's as far as your justice is going to go huh. I'm kind of surprised you seemed like someone who stuck to their convictions regardless of how dirty the work got.

Kotoko: Kuh- I don't need this sort of talk from you!

Mikoto: Yet you came and talked to me anyway- So maybe you do. Maybe you just need some help. I don't mind assisting you here I'd like to stay on the guards good side too after all.

Trial two

Es: So explain to me how this happened...

Kazui, Mikoto, and Kotoko all standing injured. Kazui with a broken arm and leg, Kotoko with a broken leg and shoulder, and Mikoto with his right arm broken to hell and a broken left ankle.

Kotoko: Well... I was attempting to deliver punishment to Kazui and and Kayano was trying to help.

Kazui: They took it upon themselves to try to protect the others from me. It was justifiable self-defense on their parts.

Mikoto: Yeah, it was that.... I mean you voted everyone but him guilty we thought he was dangerous.

Kotoko: Absolutely, it was the most natural conclusion to come to.

Yuno: Ha no it wasn't you two tried to jump him while he wasn't doing anything and he kicked your asses.

Es: *staving off a migraine* Alright... Sound about right.

But if it was off of what I believe they did and not for the bit. I wouldn't pick one to vote innocent over the others because it would create a power imbalance that the innocent prisoner would exploit or all the guilty prisoners would kill that one innocent person. There are some prisoners I feel safe with letting be guilty like Kazui and Yuno since that's a verdict they wanted or said they wouldn't be too upset about getting.

But when it comes to one person being innocent they're innocence would shape how Milgram looks the next trial. If it's only one person than Milgram would bend to that one persons ideals. This is why Kotoko finds the others being their grating. I think in order to have a balances environment multiple ideals should coexist.

I wouldn't want Amane innocent because then it would just be her ideals which even though I like Amane a lot I believe in the freedom for everyone to practice or not practice a religion at their discretion. I don't want it to be just Shidou because he's made it clear that it's fine to lose lives as long as the right lives are being loss and not people who have a purpose or are superior. He's fine with discarding the lives of individuals he deems inferior and one of those people like it or not was Mikoto who he gave no health care too after the attacks.

I believe everyone regardless of their usefulness is worthy of help. That's not hard bar to clear but somehow he missed it. Kotoko is somewhat better than Shidou but shares similarities with him that make it clear she could easily end up falling into the same mindset. Mikoto deflects and skirts accountability for his behavior and can be misleading and manipulative. He wouldn't necessarily attack any of the prisoners but he was already telling a few of them how they should behave and would leverage being innocent as a way to validate continuing to do so.

This could have benefits in some instances and be terrible in others. He'd be similar to Amane just minus the religion. Instead it would be the a working man's mindset being imposed on them instead. Haruka would like having all the attention on him but him being the only one innocent would get him ostracized by some while others would attempt to use him to better their reputation.

Yuno would do the least damage because she didn't want to be innocent to begin with. So she would more so be upset at milgram and isolate herself than cause trouble. Mu is already acting like she's queen and would literally be queen if she was the only innocent party. So we'd either be heading straight for a coup don't lose your head style- or she's doing just great. But it's more than likely gonna be the coup.

Futa same problem as Mu, Mikoto, and Kotoko combined. Will get really uppity and continue to insist that the others just apologize for what they did wrong. Doesn't matter if they don't remember or think they were right. Causing clashes with Mikoto and Mu who both think they have nothing to apologize for. Still would be fine with Amane because her whole thing was very much even I can say sorry- So, she wouldn't really be against the mindset that Futa displays in Bring It On being validated. However it would recreate the situation that got her here where she never knows what apology is good enough or not.

Mahiru well she may actually be fine- Psyche so like did everyone forget that Mahiru is trying to use Milgram to find a new man? Like is actually still searching even here. That'd be a weird power dynamic like you need love to get ahead I was right because it was love. Kotoko has to get a romantic partner like she said she would if it was needed.

She gotta fake date Mikoto now like Star was talking about.

Star: Mahiru, "Oh my god it's like the enemies to lover fics I read!"

Mikoto: Huh I can't believe you're asking me out.

Kotoko: Consider yourself lucky it's about the only catch you'll ever get.

Mikoto: More like consider myself cursed... You know I've already got a girlfriend.

Kotoko: Wha-

Mikoto: Yeah, she's at home but saying that sort of stuff on shows like this is kind of a death sentence right?

Kotoko: Really you have a girlfriend? What's she like?

Mikoto: Well for one whenever I've had a hard time and really need rest she's there. She's one of the comfiest pillows a guy could ask for. Her embrace is snug and warm. It's like being cradled by a cloud. When I close my eyes while resting against her all my worries sle-slip away. She isn't too hard on me about my commitment to my work but she always makes it clear she misses my presence as much as I miss hers.

Kotoko: . . . Alright, what does she look like?

Mikoto: Beautiful the best visage in the world. Just looking at her tells me I can rest easy knowing that she'll be right there at my side always.

Kotoko: No I meant like physical feautres.

Mikoto: Oh, yeah yeah she has hair like satin she dyes it so the color is always changing but it still stays so smooth. She was a natural brunette with soft ocean blue eyes one can just swim in but she wears contacts when not at home she says her eye color makes her stand out too much.

Kotoko: (I was certain he was talking about a bed but now it sounds like he's serious.) What her style? How does she dress? What's her size?

Mikoto: Well she's a twin but she'll always be a queen to me god I miss her.

Kotoko: You are talking about your bed!

Mikoto: No she has a twin she has a bit of an inferiority complex about it but she'll always be the best to me. I always tell her sure you and sister look alike but you don't have to have everything similar. It's not a competition. She's always worried about her sister being skinnier than her and I tell her it's not about that it's about if she's happy.

Kotoko: (Fuck he got me now I look like an asshole...) Oh okay...

Mikoto: Yeah she tries to keep up with her sisters style but I'm always like you deserve to wear what makes you happy. This is about you not about showing anyone else up. So let's get the Egyptian cotton-

Kotoko: You piece of shit you were talking about a bed!

Mikoto: I was the entire time I don't even know why I lied that last time I was just in the mood to fuck with you. Because you know what my bed will always be a partner than you I'm the catch here- So let's not play as though I'm not.

Kotoko: You son of a bitch-

Mikoto: Yeah well at least mine taught me how to lie yours didn't even teach you how to dress. My bed is dressed better and I should know...

Kotoko: Oh- oh you son of a- If I didn't have to fake date you right now- Is that a locket with a picture of your bed inside. Oh my god.

Mikoto: One day I'll return to you my love, my sweet, my buttercup...

Kotoko: You were just serious, serious oh alright.

Mikoto: Look at her she's perfection- wait don't look at her your eyes aren't worthy.

Kotoko: How many hours did you say you worked a day before you got here.

Mikoto: I didn't say how many I worked.

Kotoko: Consider this me asking.

Mikoto: Too many... The last time I used this bed was to cry on her. I miss her sooo much!

Mahiru: *gasp* The enemies to lovers it's happening!

Anyways, with that out of the way Kazui well ya know I can't say what he'd be like if he was the only person innocent. I think it would be a shock and annoyance to him. Though he wouldn't be trying to cause problems. He seems to try to stick to the rules of Milgram more than Kotoko. Plus the verdict hasn't really seemed to have sunk in for him yet. So I'd have to come back to this after seeing him trial three.

My instinct is telling me he'd take the lead and try to impose an order and lecture people based off his seniority though.

Sorry if this doesn't make much sense it's very late where I am. I may end up editing this in the morning to fix any errors. Outside of that though I don't think I'll add much more on.

[nickgerlich]

Machine Language

It is one of the most contentious of debates hitting retailers and restaurateurs these days. In their attempt to modernize and incorporate technology at every turn, they invariably wind up offending some customers’ sensibilities, as well as confusing those who no have tech savvy.

And then there are people like me who embrace all the change and have no problem using technology to make my life easier, which I am sure also benefits the business. Bring it, please, and hurry.

I could only be talking about self-serve kiosks, the touch screens and self-scanners that cause people to lose their minds over on social media. They fear jobs being lost and all manner of hypothetical ills. Maybe that’s just a cover for their inability to navigate the onscreen menus, but either way, there has been a line drawn in the sand between those who love and those who hate these things.

But a recent report yields a surprising conclusion: They’ve not been nearly as bad as some speculated, and all those fears of job losses simply did not materialize. In fact, by letting customers do the mundane part of the transaction—the ordering—it frees up employees to perform other essential tasks that help improve the customer experience.

The benefits of self-serve kiosks, especially in restaurants, are significant. The service level is consistent, removing the human element. Variability both within and between employees is removed by machines that always pitch the upsell at the precise same moment, and customized for each customer. In fact, with AI, it can be better than humans, because the order can be analyzed up to that point and relevant add-ons proposed that fit what the customer ordered.

It’s much better than just “Would you like fries with that shake?” No, now the machine-driven order taker can notice that you ordered a specific type of sauce to go on your taco, and would you like more?

Although fast food is not my thing, I confess to occasionally stopping at a Taco Bell while on long road trips, because I know that I can get bespoke burritos all courtesy of their kiosks. I can add this, delete that, to a far greater degree than you can do just standing there talking to a human, because the majority of the add-ons aren’t even on the menu. Well, not the one hanging on the wall behind the clerk. I am in and out of there in 10 minutes, and back on the road. Avocado and black beans? Yes, please.

Of course, there are downsides to kiosks. If you replace the human interaction aspect completely, thereby forcing customers to use the machines, there may be pushback. Some people are simply intimidated by them, and require assistance. This slows down the process. And, a study has shown that if there is a line at the machines, the same thing happens as when there’s a line to order with a human: We get cranky and order less. Or walk out.

As for supermarkets and other retailers with self-check kiosks, there is the increased risk of theft. It’s just too easy, especially with savvy thieves who tap the screen such that it thinks you are weighing bananas, but in fact laying a T-Bone steak on the scale, it’s easy to see how stores can wind up losing money.

As for me, I am a huge advocate of the self-serve kiosks. I don’t go shopping for chit-chat. I want to expedite everything. I also like packing my own groceries into my reusable shopping bags. Since I have Walmart+, I can simply scan a QR code when I’m ready to leave, and it charges the card I have on file within the app. Easy peasy. Call me a control freak, but I have this down. You can thank COVID for this. I cut my teeth on the system back then, and am now pro level.

I suspect that line in the sand is also a demarcation between younger and older shoppers, those most open to, and resistant to, change. Ooooh. There’s that word again. I use it a lot in every one of my classes. It’s a generational thing, digital natives versus the geezers who have spent their entire lives trying to keep up with all the changes around them.

It’s understandable, and to be honest, my students, you may very well just be geezers in training. I won’t be around, but please do a self-check—the personal reflection kind—when you hit 65. You may find yourself resisting technology that hasn’t even been invented yet.

Meanwhile, I have to make a Walmart run soon, probably later today. And you know where I will be when it’s time to wrap it up.

Dr “In And Out” Gerlich

Audio Blog

[sadanseo]

How to Understand IRS Penalty Abatement

When you have to deal with charges from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), it can take effort to figure out your taxes. There is a possible way out through IRS penalty abatement. Users can use this method to ask for the removal of fines they received for not following tax rules. You should know everything about IRS penalty reduction if you or your business wants to avoid hefty fines and interest charges.

How do I get a penalty waiver from the IRS?

Folks who owe taxes can ask the IRS to waive or lower the fines they got for not filing a tax return, not paying those taxes, or not filing correct information returns. Please remember that lowering the penalty does not get rid of the tax bill. Follow the rules to avoid the extra fees going down instead.

Eligibility Criteria              

People who don't pay their taxes but have "reasonable cause" must show this in order to get an IRS penalty abatement. A "reasonable cause" for not paying your taxes could be being sick, having an accident, a family member dying, or believing lousy tax advice. People who owe taxes must also have a "clean compliance history," which means they have filed all of their returns and paid any taxes that are still due.

Types of Penalties Abated

The IRS penalty abatement can remove several types of fines, such as penalties for not filing or paying, penalties for making mistakes, and certain information return penalties. However, the IRS must consider each request for a fine decrease separately and can't always say yes.

Requesting Penalty Abatement

People who owe taxes can write to the IRS with or without their tax return and ask them to lower their fines. Along with any supporting papers, there should be a clear explanation of why the person is not following tax rules. Before you answer, make sure you're thorough and honest. Giving fake or incorrect information can hurt the request for IRS penalty abatement.

Appeals Process

People who ask the IRS to lower their tax fines can appeal the decision. People who owe taxes can take their case to a separate officer for review. This officer will look over the IRS's decision and consider any new evidence or points the person brings up. It may take longer to get a rejection appeal dealt with, but it does give you another chance to avoid fees.

Conclusion

People, who owe the IRS a lot of money in fines and interest, because they didn't follow the tax rules, can get some help from those charges. People who file can avoid some of the fines the IRS gives them if they can show a good reason and meet the other requirements. But to get clearance, you need to pay close attention to the little things and be honest about why you didn't follow the rules. If you want to avoid IRS fines and get your finances back on track, it can be beneficial to get professional help and know your rights during the claims process.

[tansyuduri]

I saw a wip game that just said tagging everyone so here ya go (Some Spoilers)

This is from the third fic in the series I am working on. Currently posting the middle fic (Which I wrote first) then you guys will get the prequal! then the Sequal this is from! “So we owe our lives to coffee?” Merlin could hear the conversation behind him as they exited the forest into a flowery paradise of several valleys connected by crystal bridges. In the distance, he could see a small group of trees and then above fog on a distant island just make out the top of what might be a hill where several of the beautiful silver and gold buildings thatched by white birds wings and intricately carved round roofs. There were a few such structures in other directions but Merlin was focused on this one in particular because it matched where the map said Arthur would be. It was however VERY far in the distance and it might take a good while to reach it. He grits his heath Forcing himself to breathe calmly

“Yes! We were falling asleep and then Merlin reached into the pack and pulled out the coffee that saved us!” Sebile told the others enthusiastically

As his boots pressed against the bejewleed ground that served as a road of sorts Merlin found himself thinking about the visions, drawing conclusions against his will. All of them had been images of real pasts by how it seemed. All of them except his. What did that mean? Was his… No, his couldn’t be the future. No. That couldn’t be. It had to have been planted by the Sidhe to trick and unnerve him, and it was working because a small part of his mind kept up the constant what if, despite his best efforts.

The sorcerer tried to distract himself by handing out energy bars to everyone as they crossed the first bridge but it was no use. That part of his mind was still wondering if this was a vision of the future. Because if it was a vision and his earlier fears were right about this entire thing involving destiny again, it meant there was nothing he could do to stop the vision from taking place. Arthur was about to die. Again. If he was not dead already

Merlin didn’t remember stumbling or falling to his hands and knees. But he found himself on them as they passed the bridge. The thread he was holding on with finally broke inside him. And he began to sob as a thousand years of knife wounds to the soul started to bleed. 

His fingers dug into the soil as his tears fell heavily onto one of the gemstones. Merlin could see Arthur dead body again in his mind. He could feel the likleyhood of it crushing him.

That white face in his mind’s eye and cold pale skin, It was strangling his heart. Ripping into him from the inside. (removed a bit because MEGA Spoilers) He remembered Arthur’s body in his armsin theh vision he had just had, visions like the ones he had always had that he could never stop from coming true. Merlin fell into the dark inevitability of it and sobbed. Unaware of his surroundingss, unaware of his mission, Just of the pain that was ripping him apart.

If time passed Merlin did not know how much in his haze of pain. But a deep part of him finally began to pull him together. Because even if Arthur's death was inevitable he had to try to stop it. Because even if Arthur was destined to die, Merlin would spend everything of himself to try to prevent it. It could still be a trick, he desperately hoped it was, but even if it wasn’t he knew what he had to do.

Merlin opened his eyes and looked up into Kei’s face, he could feel himself being carried.

"You're back, Elaine said you would be and Sebile explained what you saw in the vision, We figured you would not want to lose any time so kept going.”

Merlin felt a rush of gratitude toward his friends. Letting them come, facing things as a team, had been right. That had been proven many times now. 

“Please put me down.”