#being disabled and running out of savings is scary

[lullabyminds]

You didn't waste time by surviving.

Getting through a flare up amd getting through a bout of illness or time with your shit parents, it wasn't a waste. College wasn't a waste because you had to drop out.

You were alive and in survival mode. You made it through. You learn things about yourself and learn where your limits were. Learned how your body said I cannot do this anymore.

That's never a waste. All the time you have is yours. Nobody else gets to use it for you and for their own exceptions.

Surviving is enough. Learning to live is enough. Maybe you will never be the hero of a great story, showered in respect and riches.

But you still are part of a story. And you mean a lot to other people's stories.

You might not get a redo but you are alot less alone this way.

Surviving is not a waste of time. Surviving helps you make it to the next part.

You cannot waste time. It all has a purpose.

You're learning how to live. Never shame yourself for that.

Be gentle, you have the time.

[cairavende]

Worm Arc 23 thoughts:

So much happened in so few chapters, how do I even break this down?!?

First off, Colin had better stop fucking bonding with my daughter! And apologizing and making amends for past wrongs! I'm a huge fan of redemption arcs and second chances and that is being used against me! JUST LET ME HATE THIS MAN!!!!!!

My bug daughter is in prison but that's almost like, a minor side thing? It barely matters right now except that it gives some background structure. Compared to everything else the prison bit is just . . . a thing.

I'm in tears over bug horse. I'm bawling. I may never recover. RIP Atlas, you were the best of us.

TAYLOR GOES TO THERAPY!!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IT IS EVERYTHING I EVER WANTED!!!!!!

I love Jessica so much! She does such a good job. I want to bake her cookies as thanks but I'm not sure if that would trigger some type of conflict of interest.

Fucking Glenn. I want to hate him and love him all at the same time.

Is he an artist? Absolutely! He has a vision and it is beautiful.

But also if it comes down to "letting the world end or compromising said vision" he might be the kind of person who would watch the world burn with a tear running down his cheek, because at least it was beautiful.

Look I get it. My daughter is terrifying. But that isn't because bugs are scary. It's cause my daughter is terrifying. Making her use butterflies just means a bunch of people are gonna start having butterfly phobias.

Like come on, Clockblocker gets to break fundamental forces of the universe and cause people to question their very existence!

Do not try to tell me that someone getting time frozen and just . . . skipping a chunk of time because their mind is not part of the time stream for a few minutes would not provoke some deep thoughts of existential dread! Sure not in everyone, but not everyone is scared of bugs either! I just think it's very unfair.

The Adepts are fun. Sure powers aren't "magic" but might as well have fun with the idea! Besides it seems to be working and if I had powers I'd absolutely love to lean into a magical focus idea.

I am quite upset about the fact that during the whole Thirteenth Hour thing Weaver didn't get to shove bugs down Clockblocker's throat to save him. It would have been so poetic. Saving the day by shoving bugs down throats was still super amazing, I just wanted it to be Clockblocker.

It was the most extreme level of active awareness and minor "control" while being disabled that we've seen from Taylor so far though! Really curious to get more into that, the nature of passengers/shards, and all those things. I have so many thoughts, but they're all just speculation right now (I don't think writing 75 pages of theories that all end up being wrong is really gonna be very helpful).

“If anyone asks, you kicked their asses with butterflies.” Clockblocker gets it!

It was really cool to get more into different vibes of the world with the Vegas section! I love me some thinkers and strangers.

I'm very glad The Number Man used a sniper rifle. I would have been a little disappointed if he didn't after getting into his head in his interlude - it is just the perfect weapon for him. Motherfucker over here just bouncing bullets.

Finally got to see more Bambina after the little bit in arc 8. Her power is wild, I love it! Also Bambina's mom just shot right into the top contenders for "worst parent in Worm". Like, WTF lady.

August Prince is wild. Sucks when the most effective use of your power is "human shield" though.

Considering she had an interaction with The Number Man and Contessa, Taylor actually came out of it pretty good! Sure they lost the target they were trying to bring in, but I don't know that they really had a chance of keeping Pretender. Contessa isn't easy to stop.

The only problem I have with the Las Vegas Wards actions is hiring Bambina to break Pretender free. Otherwise ya, fucking ditch the Protectorate. Given the information they have it makes sense.

TAYLOR HAS FAN MAIL!!!!!!!!! EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!

Grue's letter was way to heartfelt. Tattletale clearly wrote most of it.

Like come on: "I could hit you, hug you, yell at you and hold onto you for hours all at the same time. It’s fitting that I want to kiss you and throttle you at the same time because that’s what you were to me for a long time. You drive me crazy and I can never understand what’s going through your head." This is totally Tattletale! She couldn't flirt with Taylor in her own letter, she had to be sneaky about it!

"You’re an idiot. I want you to know that. You’re an idiot, Skitter. You’re brilliant and reckless and I’m betting it makes sense to you to do this but you’re an idiot." - also Tattletale.

LOOK I'M GONNA MAKE THIS SHIT GAY AND THERE ISN'T ANYTHING YOU CAN DO TO STOP ME!!!!!!!

Imp's letter might be my favorite.

Tattletale's actual letter ends with "See you there, hun?" Just. So fucking gay. Sorry I don't make the rules.

Speaking of gay, Rachel's letter!!!!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wolfspider wolfspider wolfspider!

Like I mean come on

"Being around you wasn’t simple or quiet but things made more sense.  Your minion with dark hair said we need to be around people but I’m around people and still feel somethings missing." GAY

"Going to take puppies to your place again soon. Show the kids to them. Might help." SO GAY

"You have plan, okay. But if your plan means you’re thinking about fighting us you should know I am getting very good at hunting and skinning things." HOLY SHIT IT'S THE MOST LESBIAN THING EVER

"We both stay alive. Try hard." TOP-TIER GAY SHIT!!!!!!!!!!!

GGGGGGGGAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY GAY

AND THE SCENE WITH THE CHILDREN!!! AND THE BUTTERFLIES! AND THE DICE!!!!!!!!!!!

dies of joy

Seriously, 23.4 is the most beautiful chapter in Worm so far and it'll be very hard for it to be outdone.

I could talk about just that chapter for pages. It was perfect in every way. Even if I knew it had to end with Behemoth pretty early on. There was too much hope in that chapter for it to end any other way.

But in the middle of all that downward "oh fuck it's Behemoth" stuff we got an Undersiders reunion! With so much gay!

Like - “But you guys mean a lot to me.  I’m sorry I didn’t say it before, but I couldn’t without letting on that something was going on.  You’re my family, in a way.  As lame as it might be, I love you guys.” My head turned from Grue to Rachel to Tattletale as I said it.

SO FUCKING GAY

She starts at Grue sure but ends with Rachel and Lisa when saying "I love you". Certified gay.

So gay that even Imp agrees! Though I've been doing the long drawn out “Gaaaaaaayyyyyyy” since like arc 2. So Imp is a bit behind the curve here.

TAYLOR WANTS TO GO ON A DOG PARK DATE WITH RACHEL! IT'S THE MOST LESBIAN DATE POSSIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!

Weaver's new flight suit is pretty neat. Dragon is a pretty good big sister.

Cody Interlude thoughts:

THIS motherfucker! I was waiting for him to show up again.

I am so mad. I'm so fucking mad.

Cody is the worst. He's pathetic and dumb.

And Accord just has to go and get killed by him in the dumbest way! GOD DAMMIT ACCORD I SIMPED FOR YOU SO HARD!!! AND THEN YOU DIE TO CODY! OF ALL PEOPLE! YOU CAN'T BE COOL IF YOU DIE TO CODY!

Chevy too! I thought he was cool and all, but he had to die to Cody. God. The worst.

ALSO MY BABY GIRL HE TRIED TO HURT MY BABY! THE ONE WHO ISN'T MY DAUGHTER!

SOMEBODY HELP TATTLETALE!

I did like seeing more of the mechanics of the Yàngbǎn after getting hints about how they work in the Lung interlude.

The power sharing plus the power amplification is a pretty broken combo tbh. Feels like there is some pretty neat stuff that could be accomplished with that.

Fuck this man though. Simmy just had to whisper to him and just dove right in. Cody can't even conceptualize what fighting back means, that would require him to grow as a person in literally any way.

Sucks for the Behemoth fight though. I guess my daughters are going to have to save the day. Again.

[zoophilic-disorder]

🌱 Welcome to my account for people like me (but really anyone).

This is a primarily positivity blog for those with zoophilia, but I will work to have education, discussion, and community as well.

If you're a zoophile and struggle with finding any sort of community outside of pro-contact/animal abuse rings, please have hope. There are resources and places for you to be okay and not worry about harming an animal. These thoughts can be violent, scary, and deeply uncomfortable and unsettling, but you will be okay, and you will not act on them.

Feel free to send requests for posts! (ie. "Can you make affirmations for zoos who..."Can you make a positivity post for zoos who are..." or anything really, as long as it's relevant).

🌱 This blog advocates for:

• destigmatization of paraphilias, primarily zoophilia.

• anti harassment against anyone.

• pro fiction- acting out fantasies and attractions in fictional settings to cope does not make you a bad person, and you are not failing at "repressing" your paraphilia.

• anti offending/contact stances for any paraphilia that's harmful to act on. there will be no posts that cater towards other stances.

• understanding that paraphilias cannot be "cured" and instead must be accepted and coped with healithy to survive.

• saving people. you should not die simply because you have a paraphilia, your life is valuable and wanted, and you are not disgusting.

🌱 About Me & Tag Key below the line...

My name is Sprout (they/them)!

I'm 21 years old, and I'm physically disabled, which may cause me to post less than I want due to flareups. I'm also wasian- I'm unsure if this will be entirely relevant here, but I'm mentioning it regardless in case discussions come up about the POC community (especially asian) when it comes to paraphiles, and the differing experiences.

And of course, I've suspected being a zoophile since I was a young child.

I've struggled with thoughts, urges, and attractions for a long time, bringing in self-harmful or otherwise self-destructive behavior. I've been riddled with guilt for simply existing and having a disorder I had no control over, one that made me absolutely miserable (and still does to an extent).

Looking for community was impossible. It felt like there were two sides- people who wanted those like me dead, and people who genuinely wanted to act on their thoughts. Both were insufferable, but I ended up choosing the side that hated zoophiles out of disgust and fear.

I also wasn't certain at the time whether what I was experienced was zOCD, or an actual zoophilic disorder. This year, 2024, is when I finally came to the understanding I do not have zOCD, it became impossible to ignore anymore. I felt so ashamed and embarrassed, with nowhere to go.

I wonder if the reason the pro-beastiality side of the community got so large is because people kept running out of options and eventually gave up looking for a better one.

So I want to try and help mend that, and try to start proper support groups for those like me, who just want a shoulder to lean on, someone to talk to, and comfort.

🌱 Tagging System

#🐾 discussion - talking about zoophilia in any way. I wish this was a general tag that all zoos would use so we could find each other, since any other zoo tag is entirely taken over by people who want us dead.

#🐾 help - resources and advice.

#🐾 positivity - positivity posts specifically for zoos.

#🐾 therian - posts catered towards therian with zoophilia.

#🐾 system - posts catered towards systems with zoophilia.

#🐾 sadist - posts catered towards zoosadists. (im not a zoosadist, if I spread misinformation please let me know).

-

#🍐 positivity - general posts for positivity, not aimed specifically at zoos.

#ask recieved - answering asks.

#snarling - discourse or potentially triggering discussion.

[furiousgoldfish]

How do you continue to function when you're so burnout for decades long it paralyzed you from working properly? Ngl my life is a whole mess after 10 years trying to survive from my abuser. and I still don't know how to get back on my feet again without having a mental breakdown several times a week and feeling suicidal on top of it

and I'm too ashamed to talk about it to people, i did talk, they were understanding at first, but that doesn't stay long. You can only cry and whine once, after that, you're burdening them with your loads.

They'd say you continue fighting no matter what still and I do, fight still everyday in my life even if it's getting up from bed. But what I can't do is going to work, I just can't, it doesn’t help that i experience abuse too from the place i work at, had to quit abruptly at one occasion after the boss got physical with me

In this survival state, I mostly earned money from freelance job (and obviously it's not enough)

Everyone I'm close to is very frustrated with me because I didn't seem to be healed even though it's been this long. What I learned from it is that not to bring up my pain ever again and have to pretend I'm doing fine because that's what my family and friends can tolerate. That kind of isolation kills me, as if they didn't consider that i want to be healed too. no one else wants to survive my trauma more than me. I just don't know how and I can't see how it's possible.

Yeah I relate to this! It is very scary to be expected to be able to work and live independently while you're barely holding it together, unable to get up from bed.

I can only share my experience of this, and maybe it's not that helpful, but I want you to know that it can get better, and that people are wrong for expecting you to suddenly be okay after the experience of torturous abuse.

When I escaped, I had enough money from freelancing saved up so I could just rest for a few years (it was stressful, being scared the money would run out), but I was able to indulge fully in resting and not getting up when I didn't want to. I spent years just laying in bed and trying to work trough the trauma and get the feelings of pain and terror out, and it worked to some extent, I started feeling a little less tired after three years!

I started working very infrequently, odd little jobs, helping neighbours for a bit of money, helping the disabled people or cleaning when I could, and it would just be a few hours of work, and I'd be completely drained after that. But again, giving myself plenty of space and time to rest helped me a lot, and then later working on my osdd also helped me restore some of the energy.

I can work only 2-3 days a week now, for a few hours, and it's enough to survive in poverty, if I don't buy anything, so this is what I do. I'm lucky that I'm able to share my bills and rent with roommates and make my own food, and that I'm so used to poverty it doesn't specifically bother me. I still get sad sometimes that I can't have an actual real job and live more safely, but I'm alive, I'm not tormented, and I spend a lot of time resting, and just tell people 'I'm sick' if they ask questions.

I think freelancing, doing a few hours of work infrequently or just slowly letting yourself recover until you can do something for a bit worked great for me, but I also understand it's not something that will work for anyone. If you're stuck not being able to save up, or work enough that you could pay even a part of your rent, that feels debilitating and scary, it doesn't let you plan for the future, it doesn't feel like you can even complain to people as they're unwilling to listen. I am so sorry for what you're going trough, it's legitimately a bad situation, and it's only natural for you to struggle like this after so much abuse. I believe you need to have as much rest as you need and if one day you get a little better, you might be able to figure it out, and if not, I hope at least people take you more seriously and understand that this is real pain, real fear of losing a future over abuse.

[gachawolfiebloom]

Your Pursuit of Perfection

Story and Artwork By: @GachaWolfieBloom

Chapter 4: A New Challenger

Summary: A few months after the events of WOTFI 2023, SMG4 starts having really bad dreams about the "Its gotta be perfect" incident. One night however, his fear allows the nightmares to break through and he gets taken to a horrific dimension. He finally meets the tv adware, who manipulates him into returning to his insane ways, intent on claiming much more than the perfect video. Now it's up to his friends to stop this madness and save SMG4. Can they do it in time or will they lose SMG4 forever? (In case you are unaware this is a sequel to the its gotta be perfect movie)

Tags: angst, its gotta be perfect, love confession, luigi, mario, meggy, melony, nightmares, scary, smg3, smg4, smg34, smg3 x smg4, tari, tv adware

They all went back to the castle to think of a new plan. Meggy was pacing back and forth while everyone else was worried. Mario was the most freaked out as he kept running around screaming "SMG4 IS GONE!!! MARIO'S NEVER GOING TO SEE HIM AGAIN!!! DO SOMETHING SMG3!!!" Tari tried to calm him down. "It's okay Mario! We'll find a way to save him!"

"Who was that and where did he come from?" Meggy pondered. "Whoever the hell that was, he's so dead when I find him." Three said with a serious tone. After what he had witnessed back in March, he was not taking any chances this time. If anyone hurt or killed Four, consider it their funeral. Boopkins asked "That icky stuff looked kind of familiar..."

Meggy had a realization just then. "You're right Boopkins! That's the same substance that we saw engulf Four with the its gotta be perfect incident!"

"The what?" Melony asked. Right. She wasn't there when they faced the insane man. "Oh sorry Melony. We faced some kind of weird goop and Smg4 got possessed from his obsession of making things perfect." Melony felt distraught when she heard that. "That's horrible! I hope that Smg4 is okay. Maybe we should have paid more attention to him." Three's face changed into a guilty expression when he heard Melony say that. "Three? Are you okay?" Meggy asked.

"Yeah sure..." Mario suddenly got an idea and ran up to Three. "SMG3! YOUR MEME POWERS! USE THEM TO BRING SMG4 BACK PLEASE!!!" Before he could say a word, a voice behind them spoke "I'm afraid that won't work."

They all turned to see Smg1 and Smg2 standing behind them. "Your meme energy won't connect with each other when you are in different realms." They all looked in confusion at the meme guardians. "What do you mean different realms?" Tari asked. The two shared a glance with each other and sighed. "We know who has been targeting Smg4 and where they took him."

"WHO!?" It was finally time for them to know about the mysterious figure who was watching from the shadows all these months. "His name is the TV Adware. He has taken Smg4 to his world, The Realm of Torment or as you call it, The Nightmare Realm."

"Well then what are we waiting for! Let's go over there and kick his butt already!" Three said, about to make a mad dash for the door. "Wait!" called Smg2. "We don't know what he's planning."

Smg1 lowered his voice. "You deserve an explanation. This is something that we had hoped would never come to pass."

"The TV Adware is a being that likes to corrupt others by using their disabilities against them. Back when you faced Smg4, he apparently knew exactly what to say to convince him to his side. He used his fear and hatred to give him the powers that you all encountered. After you defeated him, we hoped that his forces of darkness would back off...but we were wrong. He has watched you all these months and has now gained enough strength to claim what he wanted all those months ago."

Meggy pipes up with curiosity "What would that be?" Smg1 did not hold back when delivering this announcement. "TO CLAIM ENOUGH POWER TO BREAK THROUGH AND TURN OUR WORLD INTO HIS OWN DARK KINGDOM!!!" They all gasped and a few even looked scared. Luigi and Tari clung onto each other, shaking. Smg1 calmed down and apologized. "Sorry. We realize this is a lot."

"You're telling me! It's not like we just learned that our friend is kidnapped by some evil tv guy and is going to be used to let all hell loose!" Smg2 decided to help out. "We should have told you sooner, but there's no time for that. We must travel to his dimension and save Smg4 before the TV Adware can take control of him again."

"H-h-how are w-we g-g-going to stop h-h-him..." Luigi said nervously. "If we can all join our powers to Smg4, we might have a chance to save him." Smg1 said. "But what about our home?" Meggy asked. "Leave that to us!" Another pair of characters came up behind them. Swag put his sunglasses on while standing in a cool pose and Chris just rolled his eyes. Chris explained "The US military can hold them off while you guys go stop this guy."

"But how are we going to get there?" Tari asked. Smg2 pointed out "We know of a place where we can open to his world." Meggy rose up "Let's all be strong for Smg4! Who's with me!" She put her hand in the middle as Melony followed. "I might not know about your first encounter, but I'll help in any way I can!" Tari put her mechanical hand on top and says "It sounds scary, but I'll do it for Four!" Boopkins had some trouble, but put his hand in the middle as well. "Count me in!" Bob followed "FINE. I'LL BE NICE THIS ONE TIME." Luigi shakily puts his hand in as well. "I-i-i'll try..." Mario excitedly slaps his hand in the middle as well. "YIPPEE! MARIO WANTS TO RESCUE SMG4 AS WELL!" Saiko put her hand in and says something in anime.

Only one person left. "Well Three..." He thought for a few seconds and said "As much as I hate to admit it, I really don't want to lose that idiot." He put his hand his in as well and they all lifted them up. "We're coming Smg4!"

Smg1 said "We must hurry... we don't know how long Smg4's bravery will protect him..."

Your friends won't save you this time...

Chapter 5: The Return of I̵̤̫͘ǹ̷͇̇s̸͈̦͗̆ȁ̵̟̉ñ̷͔̰ḯ̶̲͇̅ṫ̵̝͗y̴̺̠͆̀

[momentomori24]

Does anyone think about how isolated Fubuki might feel being the only one to keep her memories after rewinding time? Considering the amount of trouble she gets herself into or gets dragged into, ranging from relatively harmless to downright dangerous, how many times did she have to turn back time to save herself or someone else? She can get hurt or find herself in deadly danger, and while her powers can erase that ever having truly happened, they can't erase her memories. Someone could be injured or die on her watch and then just walk and talk to her like nothing ever happened, but she'd still remember. And that's the worst part: she remembers what happened, actually experienced it herself, but it never really happened. Not as far as anyone else is concerned. While she lives with whatever trauma she endured, everyone else remains completely indifferent and the world continues on the same. How alone do you feel living like that?

And it's not even like this all could've just happened before she arrived in Kanai Ward. She literally deals with this a bunch of times in the game. Whenever Yuma screws up in Chapter 3, Yakou being stabbed by the hitman in Chapter 4, that guy that fell from the casino in her DLC-- she has go back to prevent tragedy over and over again, and she only manages to save two of three people mentioned in the end. She had to live through watching Yakou dying, bleeding out on that floor twice, unable to do anything about it twice. Not to mention god knows how many times Yuma almost got them run over or blown into bits when failing to disable the bombs or caught by peacekeepers. Not to mention the two times the casino guy died on her before she unintentionally saved his life (by having him crash land onto her taxi which is already scary enough).

All this would be fucked up on its own, but her really spotty memory isn't doing her any favours at all (hell, her Forte might even be part of the reason she's as scatter-brained as she is). It kinda makes me wonder how she differentiates between what truly happened and what happened before she rewinded time (so what technically didn't happened). If she even can, that is. I would've loved to see a throwaway scene where she randomly mentions something that that only she knows happened or perfectly predicts the very near future only for someone to be like "wtf are you talking about" and brushing it off as typical Fubuki weirdness as a little hint of her Forte before its actual reveal.

Fubuki is pretty strong to deal with all the shit that gets thrown at her and still choose to be as happy and compassionate and optimistic as she is, but I'm so glad she had Yuma to lean on and didn't have to shoulder that burden of knowledge and the physical strain alone, even if it was only for a while. She deserves to finally confide in someone and some mental relief after all the times she didn't have anyone, I think. Her ability may be the most OP one out of everyone, but it's a blessing as much as it is a curse.

[tangibletechnomancy]

Saw someone earlier say that the popular millennial/early gen Z reaction to AI tech is very comparable to Gen X-ish's reactions to GMOs, and...I can no longer find that post but I can't help but feel that to be true on a lot of levels.

As stated in that post, both technologies have their very legitimate problems - with GMOs, it's Monsanto being fucking evil and trying to monopolize plants and food, or GMO herbicide resistance being used so that major corporate farms can saturate the land with said herbicides without any short-term financial damage to the companies as if it doesn't harm the environment; with AI, it's any form of automation always appealing to the most abusive of corporate greed - but both ended up whipped into a dogmatic fervor about something completely not only irrelevant but made-up and reactionary ("GMOs are all POISON, nature knows best ALWAYS!" - which led semi-directly to the antivaxx movement btw / "it doesn't matter how different it is from the input taking inspiration from existing works the WRONG way is PLAGIARISM, you're rewarding LAZINESS, and REAL ART vs. FAKE ART is totally an objective distinction that can be made and certainly not at all a fascist talking point, and I want art made by HUMANS, the humans running these programs to express something from their human brains don't count!"), completely ignoring that GMOs have reduced world hunger and given us valuable conservation tools, and AI is giving people - real people, not machines - more expressive capacity, serving as a valuable research tool into what kinds of things people tend to associate, justly or otherwise; and even being used to augment human judgment for things such as reviewing biopsy results, finding cancers that otherwise may have gone unnoticed for months or even years longer. In fact, many opponents will full on deny any of these benefits - "what good does reducing hunger do if we haven't eliminated it completely AND we're feeding people POISON? In fact, why should I even believe that really happened in the first place!? if you wanted laypeople to be able to read these studies you wouldn't have made them so complicated, you CLEARLY have something to hide!" the anti-GMO warrior asks; "I don't believe those people who are so severely disabled that they couldn't draw or write without AI REALLY exist, your meditation on the nature of data doesn't COUNT, I don't care how many hours you spent on that piece you're TOTALLY being lazy, and I refuse to believe anyone who points out that it's not a copy-paste machine because you CLEARLY have an AGENDA to lie" the anti-AI reactionary claims. Both hold to a belief that ignorance is a virtue, and even TRYING to understand the Bad Side is tantamount to shoving orphans into a wood chipper.

But I'd take it a step further and say that AI is serving a similar sociopolitical purpose in that it's drawing a line in the sand and asking progressives at a certain stage in life - mostly from the ages of 25-35 - "are you willing to acknowledge nuance around subjects that are new and scary to you, or are you going to give into that fear and treat ignorance as a virtue because there ARE undeniably bad things about this and therefore EVERY bad thing you can imagine about it must be true?" Both serve as, essentially, an acid test - will you declare that it's IMPOSSIBLE to be reckless with GMOs, that Monsanto DESERVES to have sole control over the world's food supply because ~they've done so much good~, or that all GMOs are EVIL POISON and GOING TO KILL US ALL and they're also TOTALLY the reason we're all FAT now which is THE WORST thing a person can be? Or are you going to acknowledge that Monsanto is fucking evil, but GMOs as a whole are a complex thing that can, indeed, be created and marketed in some pretty evil ways, but also have the potential to save countless lives? Will you declare that AI is True Sentient AI, the cyber-utopia becoming real; that everything ChatGPT says must be true and OpenAI is our best friend, or that REAL art by HUMANS is going to be destroyed forever and anyone who benefits from AI is inherently evil? Or will you acknowledge that AI, while it has its drawbacks in the form of corporate overpromising people and compromising information reliability by doing so, on top of the perennial labor issues that come with automation and other potential abuses, also has the capacity to dramatically improve and even potentially save lives? Will you work to save the good WHILE rejecting the bad, or will you insist it needs to be shoved in either the good box or the bad box - probably the bad box, if you're an adult?

The answer, I feel, says a lot about the ideological trajectory someone has chosen for their adulthood.

[outrunningthedark]

the continued shannon revisionism is... it's really burning my biscuits as my granny would say

I'd be more open to it if people could just say "I like her as a character for narrative purposes, but she was a shitty mom and the ableism was especially gross" because y'no what? Agreed. I actually LIKE the way the show portrayed Shannon in s2 - though it could have been much more harsh on a different network - because moms of disabled kids really DO think they're the victim in all of this. The writing reflected reality. But ofc this fandom couldn't handle the white, young, pretty mom being selfish when she was so shippable with Eddie and they decided to form a Defense Squad because she "deserved better". Hi, hello. "Tomorrow isn't promised to anyone." fits her situation to a T. She thought she would always have the chance to go back and repair her relationship with her son, but fate intervened and said "You had two years. You don't get any more." And now with the rewriting of history re: the ages we've been reading "Well, shit, I can't say I blame her because being a teenager of a kid with CP sounds scary as shit." Hi, hello again. If the kid can't opt out of their disability, the parent shouldn't have the option, either. Watching us "suffer" (their words, always) doesn't change the fact that they're not the ones dealing with the day-to-day struggles of being disabled. We can't run away or pretend it's not happening. Why should they? Don't think you can "handle" raising a disabled child? Don't get pregnant and don't adopt. Problem solved. (Just so people understand how unpredictable disabilities actually are: I was, by all accounts, a healthy fetus right up until my mother chose to get genetic testing done to check for *gasp* disabilities. Tests came back clear because I had nothing genetic. Not long after that? I entered the world at 3 and a half pounds with a brain bleed and lack of oxygen that brought me to where I am today. If you are not comfortable with the possibility of birthing or raising an "unhealthy" child...please never have any to save them from your victim complex.)

[creepy-feathers]

Could you do KageKao please? A-Y, Thanks.

A: Aftercare | What is their aftercare like after a heavy round of tickling?

Kagekao loves a good time, but he also knows when to stop his antics and settle down a bit for another person's sake. This isn't any different from the way he behaves after going down on someone hard or for long periods. Depending on how affected the victim is, his aftercare could range anywhere from a couple teasing pokes and a lighthearted mock to giggling gently and stroking their back until they catch their breath, asking if they're okay. He isn't a monster—he's not gonna push his 'lee too far, and if he does, he'll feel bad about it for a long time.

B: Bondage | How do they react to bondage, do they enjoy it and if yes, what is their favorite pose?

As much as Kage loves to be the one pulling the strings, he can also step back and let other people take the lead when they really want to. And honestly? He doesn't mind bondage at all—in fact he kind of loves it (although you'll be hard-pressed to get him to admit that).

He's the sort of person who either needs to be completely in-control or completely vulnerable and helpless. There is no in-between, and that's why positions that 100% disable him from fighting back even a little bit are best. He can squirm and snicker all he wants, but he ain't getting away.

C: Chase | What are their chances in a chase, both as a lee and ler?

Ha. Haha. Lemme tell you something: if he wants you as his prey, he's gonna get you, there's no 'maybe'. With his super demon speed and the uncanny skill he has for climbing walls and ceilings, no amount of running will save you from him. That being said, he'll definitely play with you first, make you think you're outrunning him, make you think you're escaping—then he'll catch up.

Same goes for if he's being chased. If he doesn't wanna be caught, he won't be caught, but he'll definitely make you think you're winning for a time just to hear your grunts of frustration when you realize he's toying with you.

D: Death Spot | What is their most ticklish spot?

It is really hard to successfully tickle Kage, which is why most assume he isn't ticklish at all. But, here's a secret—he does have his weak points. They're just difficult to get to, especially if he and the person seeking those points aren't romantically involved or in like, because that's really the only time he'll let them get that close to him.

The first and most accessible area is his stomach. He's super talented at hiding how sensitive it is, but only for a few moments. The next place is his back, but not just anywhere on his back, no: you have to be precise. You have to target the spot between his shoulder blades, right on the spine. The back of his ribs can elicit some interesting reactions too, but it isn't guaranteed. Lastly, his feet. He will absolutely lose his shit and he will definitely hurt you, even if he doesn't mean to. That's why it's important to ensure he can't move.

E: Expression | How do they express their wish to tickle/be tickled?

He just does it lmao. There usually isn't a warning: if Kagekao wants to tickle someone, he will tickle someone. Sometimes, if you pay close enough attention, you'll catch him staring, as if thinking up a game plan, contemplating his urges, or merely to creep you out.

And he does enjoy being tickled, but as I said, most don't do it because he either pretends not to be ticklish or is too scary and no one wants to risk having a demon on their back. Plus, he's just amazing at gaining and keeping the upperhand, so he doesn't really give anyone a chance to tickle him. It's like a challenge to him—can they manage to get him or will he continue his reign of being the best tickler? In the case he has a particular urge to be tickled, he'll just randomly initiate a tickle fight and tone back his defenses in the hopes his target will reciprocate.

F: Fight | What is their behavior in a tickle fight like?

Can be rough and ruthless or sweet and playful, it depends on his opponent and what started the 'tickle fight' in question. He never attacks out of genuine anger, so he'll always have mercy...eventually.

G: Gentle | How do they react to gentle tickles?

If it's like a feathery touch or a timid poke or something, he really won't do more than flinch or grin. Light scratches, however, send him (especially if it's in his Top 3 Spots).

H: Habits | As a lee/ler or both, do they have specific habits when it comes to tickling?

He has claws. Best believe they're his main tool. No amount of layers will save who he chooses to use them on.

On the 'lee side, he's big on making fun of the 'ler and teasing them, no matter how hard he's laughing. Daring them to do their worst.

I: Interrogation | How well would they handle a tickle interrogation?

Squirmy, struggling to stifle his laughter, promising that when—not if—he gets out, they will regret messing with him. Solid as steel for the first few days, but eventually exhaustion weighs him down, and his body just wants a break, so he might give up the information, especially if it isn't extremely important.

J: Joy | Their absolute favorite thing about tickling?

Sharing laughter, bonding, the physical contact, the closeness. All of it, he adores. Wouldn't trade the experience for anything.

K: Killer Move | As a ler, do they have special skills to use against their lees and drive them crazy with?

C L A W S . Also has this infuriatingly flustering habit of teasing his 'lee, mocking their laughter, making fun of their reactions. Giggling at their fruitless attempts to get away or return his gestures. But mostly his claws. He knows just how to use them too. They make people ten times more sensitive, I swear.

L: Laughter | What does their laughter sound like when they are tickled?

His voice is really demonic and broken—kinda like an old VHS recording, with hints of hellish entity and Japanese accent. The volume of his naturally loud voice intensifies the longer the attack goes on, and he'll spew incoherent sentences in his native tongue while cackling and hiccuping. It's funny, watching him unravel.

M: Mornings | Their tickle behavior during mornings?

Kage wakes up every day with the instinct to wreak havoc on someone, so he's definitely sneak-attacked a few people who were trying to eat their breakfast in peace.

N: Nights | Their tickle behavior during nights? 

This is when he's most likely to pounce. It's been a long day, all he wants to do is enjoy life and unwind. He normally goes after individuals who desire the same thing, but when he's feeling particularly masochistic he'll seek out someone grumpier just for the amusement of it.

O: Online | Text messaging and social media, do they have some kind of online tickly behavior to tease their lee or ler with?

He really only uses his phone to text his housemates, so not really? He might send out an "I'll get ya" every now and then, but that's it.

P: Partner In Crime | If they were to go after a lee and accept the aid of a tickle partner, who do they prefer to join hands with and why?

His bestie Zero, of course. They've pranked others together many times—why should this be any different? Although he'd definitely do the tickling himself and get Zero's help just holding the person down, since she can be pretty mean and he doesn't want to give the 'lee any bruises.

Q: Question | Their response to the question ‘are you ticklish’?

Cocky pose, mischievous tone. No fear or reluctance whatsoever. "Come over here and find out, why don't you~?"

R: Role | Lee or ler, what is generally their main role?

'Ler, unquestionably. He just has that dominant, playful energy and loves making people laugh (even if it is unwillingly sometimes).

S: Safeword | If they were to suggest the safeword for a tickle session, which word will it be?

You want him to stop, you gotta yell, "Kage is King, and he's a handsome king, and his pranks are really funny, and I will never criticize his amazing ideas ever again." If you can't recite the whole thing, too bad, he ain't stopping. (Just kidding, but it's comical watching you try to say it without breaking into more hysterics when you think your sanity depends on doing that very thing.)

T: Teasing | Their most favorite methods of teasing their lee/ler?

Telling them exactly what he's doing and when he's doing it and cooing things like, "Wow, what a cute squirmy thing you are", and "aww, look at you, can't get away, how sad." Very gifted with his words.

U: Unusual | Do they have some unusual tickle spots? Where?

A place literally nobody knows about—even Kage himself—is his ears/neck region. The only person who would ever find out about this is his s/o. This area would draw out the tiniest chortles from the demon boy; sounds he didn't even know he was capable of. And it'd be fricken adorable too, he'd be jerking his head and hiking up his shoulders, tenderly pushing his s/o away, too startled to genuinely fight back. Not that he really wants to.

V: Victim | As a ler, who is their favorite lee and what makes this person their ultimate victim?

He and Liu go at it pretty often. He also likes messing with Cody (of course) and Sally, and even Zero on occasion. She never takes it personally and just takes her revenge in other ways.

W: Word | What is their reaction to the T-word? Can they say it out loud or do they get embarrassed?

Literally has no problem with it whatsoever. If he finds out you do, however, you aren't hearing the end of it.

X: X-Over | In a crossover AU, which other fandom character would be a fitting tickle fight opponent for them and why?

Peter Pan. Hear me out: the dude can fly, Kage can climb. They're both playful, charismatic, mischievous, and stubborn. Kage would definitely win in the end, but Peter would put up a good fight. And afterward, they'd conspire to jump Captain Hook.

Y: YOU | Any personal self or reader-insert tickle fantasies / headcanons to share with this character?

Capable and creepy enough to be a horror movie villain, but he'd just run around chasing people with wiggly fingers and attack them at random intervals for a few minutes at a time before letting them leave and starting the chase all over again.

[horce-divorce]

I don't know how to explain to you chucklefucks that for the most disenfranchised among us, NOTHING HAS FUCKING CHANGED since Trump left office. We know how bad it was, we were fucking here. And we are TELLING YOU, not speculating about the future, we are TELLING 👏YOU 👏NOW that nothing fucking got better for us and some of us ALREADY have nothing left to lose THANKS TO BIDEN AS WELL. NOT JUST TRUMP. WE HAVE BEEN DOING THIS SHIT ALL ALONG. Not JUST once Trump got to office!!! And NO IT HAS NOT BEEN FUCKING EASIER. WTF. Incoming tranmission from Planet Neoliberal Voter Privilege.

You stupid pricks don't even seem to realize that Trump leaving office DIDNT MEAN HIS APPOINTEES ALL WENT WITH HIM. THEYVE STILL BEEN THERE THE WHOLE TIME. Alive and WELL AT WORK helping to push some of the worst antiqueer legislation we've seen in DECADES while Biden, who barely has 2 brain cells left to rub together, decomposes before our very eyes.

If you think TRUMP was the thing that brought neo-nazi fascism to the mainstream, you are so comfortably privileged to have gotten to ignore it, to have never fucking heard it until then. And you are way too out of touch to be addressing the people you think you're talking to rn!

The "sign off on your glorious revolution" bit really gets me. Lmao. What a fundamental misunderstanding of the issue. What a hilarious way to misconstrue entire swaths of political ideology. You think Policial Jesus is going to come and save your ass, so we must think that too, huh?

Shits gonna hit the fan this year regardless of who "wins" the election, and it's not merely because of The Orange Man. It's also because of everyday lay people like this OP who have merely been privileged enough to ignore the suffering of your neighbors until now. Your privilege is running out, not because the revolution is coming, but because the hegemony that affords you that privilege cannot continue indefinitely. That machine runs on a profit-growth-extraction paradigm and we are running out of resources to extract from.

I don't know how to explain to these fucking people that you are the tone deaf motherfuckers we're talking to when we say you need to stop talking and learn. You have reblogged support of BLM and UBI and Palestine but at the end of the day you *don't fucking listen* to what we're saying in those posts. At the end of the day you are not hearing our cries of pain. And its pretty fucking ridiculous to turn around and point at people EVEN LESS PRIVILEGED THAN YOU and say "don't you realize that YOU'RE going to threaten MY safety and stability with your uncouth actions?" Well, bully for fucking you, because we already lost that! It's been gone! It never came back for some of us after Trump left!!!! You got to plug your ears and pretend the pandemic was over while millions of us became disabled and homeless for the first time as a result!!! While BIDEN admitted HE DOESNT THINK ABOUT IT ANYMORE!!!!! You got to go back to your life while protestors railing against our tax dollars being used for GENOCIDE are being injected with KETAMINE by the COPS!!!! If you thought TRUMP was that fucking scary! At least he outright said what he was doing!! Biden is continuing his work with ICE, continuing to increase surveillance and crack down on any kind of protestor, cop cities are expanding UNDER BIDEN, DEMOCRATS ARE ALSO VOTING FOR MASK BANS!!!!!!!

It is SOOOOO BLATSNTLY SELF CENTERED to think that you losing the privilege of a comfy life is the biggest threat to ""our democracy"" rn. YOU got to ignore how bad shit was until now. Some of us NEVER HAD THAT LUXURY. Our democracy fucking died decades ago and YOU got to keep playing Weekend at Bernies with it's corpse while the rest of us dug our own graves. And now you're scared because you stand to end up like us.

Lol. Lmao. Get fucked. This type of attitude is only furthering the class/social divides that already exist between voters and WILL. NOT. get anyone to vote harder for Biden. In fact, it just makes me wanna fist fight a Democrat even more than I already did.

First they came for the indigenous, and you didn't say anything bc you got yours. They came for the immigrants, and you didn't say anything bc you've always been a citizen. They came for the prisoners and their voting rights and you said if they didn't want to lose their rights they should follow the law, even while they made it illegal to mask, to protest, to be gay and trans in public- its so easy to just follow the rules! They came for the trans kids and you said, but we already have gay marriage, I thought it was safe to be queer now, and I dont have trans kids so I don't see how this affects me... they came for palestine and you said Oof. Well. That's the price of freedom for me, I guess!

And now they're coming for you and none of the other targets are left to feel worried for you, because we have already been living through your worst nightmare, UNDER BIDEN.

You look fucking stupid.

if you could EVER find a dem as outspoken and angry for the people as trump is for the white 1% then maybe we wouldnt be having this discussion.

[gwenbrightly]

(Re)Building the Future Chapter 3

(several hours earlier) 

"Freddie, I could really use some help over here," Gregory comments as he slashes at a zombie rabbit. 

"But I do not have any weapons," Freddie replies,"Just these purple flowers."

"I can't believe you're still working on your garden! You started it two hours ago!" Gregory groans in frustration. He takes a hit from the zombie before finally defeating it. 

"I can't believe you are still living in a home made from dirt," Freddie says.

 Gregory sends him a dirty look. They've only just convinced Vanessa to buy Fazcraft for them, and it's already clear that they have very different priorities when it comes to gameplay. There's something so very satisfying about being able to obliterate his enemies without consequences. Something Freddy just doesn't seem to understand. 

Sighing, the bear moves his avatar towards Gregory's and gives a half hearted attempt to help him. His 4 story mansion's landscaping will have to wait.

Unfortunately for both of them, something explodes and both avatars temporarily cease to exist, leaving only a clump of flowers and a sword behind. 

"Aw, c'mon," Gregory complains, "Freddie, you're the worst."

"Now, Superstar-" Freddie begins. The incoming lecture about sportsmanship is interrupted by popup on the computer browser. 

Fazbear Entertainment Security Alert: Security Node 54b has been deactivated. 

"What the heck? That's all the way down in Monty Gator Golf!" Technically speaking, Gregory isn't even supposed to have access to the Pizzaplex's security program (even if he did help design it). He hacked in awhile back and then promptly forgot about it when nothing interesting seemed to be happening. He's comfortable with the way things are right now anyways. He's got a stable home, guardian mandated therapy sessions (because he doesn't already have enough therapist related trauma), and a robot sidekick. The payout from Fazbear Entertainment is pretty nice, too. He's not sure if it's a 'thanks for lending us your technological genius' or a 'stay the heck away from our establishment before you cause more destruction' kind of payout, but they're doing pretty well regardless.  

But if someone is deactivating security notes, that could change things for all of them. Gregory had probably better check it out. With one last belligerent look at Freddie, he opens the pause menu and selects Save and Quit. 

It doesn't take long to pull up security feed and begin searching for whoever is responsible for disabling various security nodes in and around the mini golf zone. Nor does it take long to actually find them. He is, however, caught completely off guard when he does. Of all the crazy things he's seen in his short life (and he's seen a lot of crazy things), nothing could prepare him for seeing Cassie running around calling his name, trying to find him. Especially when it's his own voice he hears replying to her. 

"That's… Not me…" Gregory hasn't even seen Cassie since school let out last summer. Where did she get the idea that he was at the Pizzplex? 

"Something or someone must be mimicking you," Freddie says worriedly. 

"You don't think it's… You know… That thing in the basement do you?" Gregory asks. He shudders. He hasn't personally met the thing, but he's heard plenty of stories from a few overly chatty Fazbear employees. Stories that would keep most kids his age awake at night. 

"I do not know, but we need to get that girl out of there before she gets hurt," Freddie tells him. 

"Or before she hurts someone else," Gregory says, trying to come off as brave. "Cassie can be pretty scary when she wants to be."

"You know her?" Freddie asks. Gregory nods. "Then it is doubly important that we keep her safe."

They follow Cassie's journey thanks to several conveniently placed security cameras, but there is little else they can do. The security nodes cannot be reactivated remotely. There's no lock down protocol they can use to keep her from progressing deeper into the Pizzaplex. Just the cameras. True, they could call the police. But what are the police going to do? They're trained to deal with human threats, not animatronics. 

Freddie and Gregory manage to speak through a few deactivated staff bots that Gregory hacks, but it doesn't seem to make a difference. Cassie is determined to follow the other Gregory's instructions. Helplessly, they watch, hoping something stalls her progress long enough for them to get through to her. But unfortunately, it's only a matter of time before Cassie reaches the door to the sinkhole. 

—---------------

"Is that thing almost ready?" Roxy asks impatiently. She's not sure how long they've been down in Parts and Service, exactly, but it feels like it's been hours. 

"Roxy, I swear, if you ask me that one more time, I will use this system to upgrade your voice box so that it is off. Permanently." Helpy replies in an uncharacteristically annoyed tone. 

Wow. Roxy hasn't managed to get this kind of reaction from Helpy before - though she's definitely tried to. Just a little taste of his own medicine. He deserves it. 

" You said you'd have it up and running in a 'jiffy'. I'm pretty sure it's been longer than that," she observes. 

"Hot wiring the upgrade system isn't something I do every day," Helpy protests, "I'm usually more of a nodes and guidance kinda guy!" 

"Are you sure you know what you're doing? What if something goes wrong?" Eclipse worries. The Helpy image on the computer screen glares at him. 

"It's almost like you don't trust me."

"Maybe we don't," Roxy says noncommittally. She flexes her claws and examines them as if just noticing they need a new coat of polish. 

"Listen. This machine is super touchy," Helpy informs them, "Being off on calibration by even a single pixel of space could be very bad!" 

Roxy and Eclipse glance at each other as Helpy continues. 

"If we want this to go smoothly and not kill Cassie in the most gruesome way imaginable, you need to be patient. But I guess I could rush things if you really wanna risk it?" 

"No!" Roxy hastily assures him. 

"That's okay!" Eclipse says at the same time. 

"I thought so," Helpy replies, satisfied. Zeroes and ones flood the screen once more as he returns to what he was doing before the interruption. He begins humming the theme song for Freddy and Friends: On Tour, and soon, Eclipse joins in. Roxy rolls her eyes at first, but finds herself humming too, eventually. Hey - it's a distraction. And a distraction is definitely needed right now. So she commits to it. Because otherwise she'll just sit here thinking about Cassie and everything that could go wrong with what they're about to do. Which is exactly zero help. Possibly even negative help. (if that's a thing) 

"I didn't know you liked Freddy and Friends," Eclipse comments. Both he and Helpy are staring at her. 

"Oh. Well. Ahem. It's not that I like Freddy and Friends. It's just… Catchy. Yeah." Roxy tries to sound cool. Neither of her companions seem convinced. 

"Okay," Helpy says, shrugging. "I think we're good to go, now, but let's run a few tests just to be sure."

Given that Helpy doesn't have a physical form, Eclipse and Roxy take turns pressing the buttons on the Testing Console. Roxy vaguely remembers the system being used on her, but she's never noticed how game-like the process is. Blue. Red. Yellow. Red. Green. Blue. It's almost like the times she's played Simon Says with kids at birthday parties. 

"I think we've done pretty much everything we possibly can to test this thing," Helpy finally announces. 

"Time to cross our fingers and toes!" Eclipse says, doing exactly that (and more). 

"Come on, Eclipse. I need you to help me make sure Cassie gets strapped in right," Roxy tells the attendant, which forces him to detwist several parts of his body. 

Cassie seems impossibly small in comparison to the rather large contraption designed to hold animatronics. It's all wrong seeing her like this. Seeing her here. All broken and bloodied. It is so lucky Roxy couldn't stick around after she stole it's eyes. So lucky. 

"I think we'd better give her some of these. You know, so she doesn't wake up halfway through?" Eclipse holds out a few Moondrop candies. 

"You realize those things are so potent that they're practically considered medical grade narcotics, right?" Roxy asks, wondering how long the candies have been in his pockets. She quickly decides she'd rather not know, actually. "They're banned in over a hundred countries and are only legal in, like, Timbuktu, North Korea, and Utah of all places."

"All the more reason to give her some - the potency, not the legality," Helpy points out. 

"She should be at a hospital being treated by professionals right now. This is the best we can do to without help from outside, which we don't have," Eclipse reminds her. Roxy sighs. The Moondrop candies will keep Cassie more comfortable. They just happen to be extremely strong for candies meant to calm kids down before nap time. Just another questionable business venture by Fazbear Entertainment. 

"I guess anything we can do to improve our chances is probably worth it," Roxy finally agrees. 

Eclipse crushes several of the candies, mixing them with a little bit of water. Then he pours the mixture into Cassie's mouth. She instinctively swallow instead of choking, much to everyone's relief. 

"I guess we'd better get started," Roxy says. She's not sure she's ready for this, but she doesn't trust herself or the others not to talk each other out of their plan. 

"Procedure commencing in three…two…" Helpy announces. Countdowns are usually an exciting thing for Roxy. They put her in a competitive mood. A winning mood. Races, games, heck, even the occasional birthday cake have countdowns. But this one is different. They're playing god with a little girl's life and there's no guarantees that any of this will be worth it. 

"One…"

The upgrade machine whirs into action.

[rjalker]

not physically or literally but in spirit I am repeatedly slamming this metaphorical book onto a table for emphasis so hard the table breaks in half and turn to dust.

It is so fucking easy to include physically disabled people in your writing. There is literally no fucking excuse for not doing so.

If there's no physically disabled people in your setting you're ableist and a shit writer.

Ann Leckie just keeps proving how fucking effortless including physically disabled people is. Without fail. I am no longer going to tolerate settings that exclude physically disabled people. It's ableism, laziness, and shit writing.

And yes, this goes 100% for The Murderbot Diaries, because Martha Wells is still fucking using the same magical healing she did with the Books of the Raksura, only now it's just called "medbay" instead of "literal magical healing trance that fixes everything".

Martha Wells gave us Malachite, who is covered head to toe in scars. But it's just set dressing. Those scars are not injuries. She's not disabled, she's not in constant pain, she's not impaired or impeded by them in any way. They're literally just set dressing to make her look cool.

Meanwhile,,,,Ann Leckie actually lets the characters' fucking traumatic injuries cause lasting permenant damage. Actions have fucking consequences, you cannot just jump off a fucking bridge to save someone who's already falling and walk away like nothing happened. It fucking means something. No one gets blown up or riddled with bullets and then a few paragraphs or chapters later is perfectly fucking healed again like nothing happened. Martha Wells refuses to let her characters lose in any real way, and she considered being disabled to be losing, so she'll never let her characters' injuries have any real lasting impact. They're literally just for drama, and as soon as they've worn out their use, they're magically healed like nothing ever happened.

Khat should not have been able to fully fucking recover from that absurd plan like it never happened. It's great that he got sick, because tHAT'S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT. It's not great that it's 100% temporary and he's fine afterward. No lasting damage at all -.-

If Balm fucking went head to head with a ~~~scary terrifying~~~~ fell Ruler the way we're supposed to take seriously, she should have lost, at the very least, one of her fucking arms. But instead she just comes away with, and I quote, some "scratches" on her arms. That's it. That's all the damage she took from a Fell Ruler, who are apparently, as Martha Wells repeatedly tells us but never shows us, super scary and terrifying and horrible and scary and yada fucking yada. Supposedly they're soooo dangerous that everyone has to run away when they see one. But you know, not really, because that would require letting the protagonists lose, for real, in a real way that matters, and not due to any other thing except that they're too weak compared to this supposedly terrifying enemy.

[an-aura-about-you]

Hey! 👋🏻 Can you answer these questions from the “50 Questions Just Because”? #1, #8, #10, #14, #26, #33, #35, #49, and #50

Thank you so much!! ❤️❤️

Thank you for the ask! <3

What are three shows in your watchlist that you’ve been meaning to get to?

Funny that I come to this while I have my watchlist up! The first one on my list is finishing season 1 of UFOs. Besides that, probably just some of the many lecture series I have saved on Kanopy. I watched a few episodes about one on beer, and I watched one about violence in religion, and both of those seem interesting to pursue.

8. Do you collect anything? If so, what?

I collect pins! I have so many cute ones, and I'm always looking for more. Sometimes they add just the right touch to an outfit. I also have some rare pins, like a limited edition run of pins from a porn parody of Zootopia. (Yes, I occasionally shop at Bad Dragon.)

10. What’s your favorite kind of uquiz question? (Lyric, color, aesthetic, etc)

I'm just happy to be included. <3 But seriously, I really don't know. I guess my favorite kind is the unexpected/unusual one. So I guess none of the ones that fit the suggested ones?

14. What are some places where you feel most at home?

Primarily my condo, but also just the city where I live in general. I could have moved closer to my job, but I really didn't want to leave where I'm at, certainly not for something as fleeting as a job can be. I've been living in this area on and off for nearly 20 years now, and I can't really imagine living anywhere else right now. It's one of the most frustrating things about living in the southern US: it's actually very nice here except for the loud bigots hurting others and generally being awful and embarrassing.

26. Can you cook or bake? If so, what are some of your specialties?

The embarrassing thing for me is I went to culinary school specifically for baking, but I'm woefully out of practice. Some of that is not having to do it for a job anymore, and some of it is my disability making it difficult to do what I need to do for it. But I can bake a cake or cook a nice dinner with no problem. I like making what I call Lazy Wedding Cake, which is a traditional white cake with almond flavor and a cream cheese icing. The "lazy" part is that I just make it a sheet cake, no decorations or tiers, just a nice but simple cake.

33. Headphones or earbuds?

Headphones all the way. Earbuds hurt my ears. I mean, headphones do, too, but they do it less.

35. Describe your favorite stuffed animal, either now or from when you were a kid.

My favorite is a little anteater plush I got from the Memphis Zoo! We went there a few years back for my sibling's birthday, and I got it as a souvenir.

49. What’s your favorite thing to do when it’s raining?

This one I already answered, but to sum up: pajama day, comfort foods, and scary movies.

50. Describe your perfect sleeping conditions

It is nice and early for bed, it is cool enough that I can use my big soft comforter, the door is open so the cat can come and go as he pleases, I have no obligations the next morning, and it is softly raining.

[juszar2]

At this Point A Venezuelan Migrant in Portland Oregon Would Have Been Better.

Definitely an Arabic curly hair man bun Stethoscope looks at this Rot and says wow... How disgusting. Thinks this toilet learned not even the slightest dignity principles, Mexican hardhat double dimples and smile certainly does not get it. Both having run into stories of low females similar to this felony charged prior jail life, rainbow hair and nails coloring book deformities and edema close relative to Wendy Williams and no evidence of arachnophobia, as it decorates its testicle lids with the tarantulas. Enjoys shoving its mouth in the crotches of women and tongue deep down the canals of vaginas. This gross took to a forum over time and detailed its being pissed that folks we're "bragging" on me. Detailed what it did not like about my face. All of the vile and I did not even know that it had followed my life and was obsessing and fixated over me still, since 7the grade. I'd heard in the past as I was an adult that cocaine and being a whore was its life. I didnt know that it and its friend group from adolescence were homosexual openly now and had always been since youth. BUT I am Not surprised and makes sense. I do Not want to know this Rot. Targets are not responsible for their actions when stalked severely. The details some I have not posted here. The yuck actually follows me in my life desperately attempting to dissuade of my beauty and character both undefeated as every day of life I am appreciated by absolute strangers and asked if I model by random females with their men when I board a fucking airplane and this manhood showing walking yuck with the foulest mouth and history to go with it has followed my life as now a very grown adult and sought to attack me in many ways. Targets are not responsible. This forever in youth scary run if confronted or talk its way out is now a tatted all the way up coloring book with arrested development still 12 years old and a history of actually getting arrested and now on probation or parole from what I understand. It simped and conned the stupidest no respect Zero Dignity hugest Coward you ever met who is disabled since youth to show his face in the world. He did so much dirt back then before I'd even known. My learning surely saved his life. No real jail time and would have certainly had more of a record because he is a kiss ass follower. He becomes who influences him. It has been remarkable to watch. Anyway... Shock will have me recite this trash over and over but I'm glad to do so that I can relay my shock. Because it is a story of disguised trash disgusting and shocking and you should document that shock. Anyway.... Back to where I went down this rabbit hole. Selecting someone who protects and values family in truth and earnestly is important. Someone of valor and courage. Even if its their religion that prevents them from being disgraceful. I caution great people to look for this. If you see any parasitic traits and that someone is willing to try and use others that should be noticed. Over life the toilet used whoever's resources to shower me with gifts. And has always used parents for his living right down to damn insurance zero assets assigned to him. I juggle my shit myself and it has been much. I enjoy that. Self sufficiency is Dignity and being capable has always been my joy. It allows me to extend my care to others which has always been my pleasure. I realize that I could have had so many men with means and ability wherein they too felt that pleasure to sufficiently Care for a family in all ways. This low will assist surely but he is still parasitic and not ambitious about it. So much will tell you what he is. He even initially denied his mothers heritage and race. Claimed something else entirely. Thought I'd be put off??? That says a lot, I'd never, but then I didn't know what I do now, not completely like I do now. So I see why he thought what he did. Just all has been shocking. I think I could have allowed what I thought was worse to select me and I'd have found them to be and offer so much more. This trash is the bottom and Never is when you should trust him.

[determinedwriter]

Whumptober 2023: No. 7: Radio Silence 

No. 7: Radio Silence 

Tony

Aurora didn’t come home from school today. Honestly, I usually wouldn’t give it a second thought if it weren’t for the fact that her location is also off. And my messages to Peter have gone unanswered.

Tony: Hey kid?

Tony: Do you know where Ro is? I haven’t heard from her.

Tony: Don’t tell me you’re MIA too.

These kids are going to be the death of me. If anything happens to either of them, I don’t know what I would…

I can’t think about it too hard or I’ll actually panic. Damn it, where are you, Ro?

The tracker in her suit is disabled too. All of this adds up to something scary. I don’t like what it implies. Did she disable it herself? She knows how to send out a distress signal via her AI, ARIES. Aurora’s Really Interesting Expert System. She names things the way I do. Like a smartass.

I love that kid to death. Thinking about her being put in danger makes me a little sick. I’m not sure where to go from here in terms of finding her. What about Spider-Kid’s suit? Did he also disable his tracker? Could he be with her?

Tracking him to a pretty strange location, I follow it and find him walking alongside a dirt road in the middle of nowhere. “Kid!”

He’s running, only stopping once I’m right beside him. Taking off the mask of his suit, he looks at me worriedly. “Mr. Stark, oh man! Oh man, oh man, the took her! They took Ro! T-They took both of us and then I got thrown out of a speeding car and I tried to run after them but I couldn’t! The car was too fast and she was just screaming and-”

“Hey, slow down. Slow down. Who took her?” I ask.

Panting with wide eyes, Peter tries to catch his breath as I hold his shoulders and attempt to keep him calm and focused enough to tell me what happened. “I don’t know who these people are. They just…they took…they took us both and it was so fast! I tried to save her, Mr. Stark…I tried to…”

“I know.” I reply. “It’s alright. We’ll find her.”

“Her suit tracker!” He suggests. “You could use that!” “That’s how I found you.” I explain. “Hers is disabled. Either she did that or those people did and I’m not sure how they’d do that…”

“She wouldn’t disable it unless she was scared it would lure you into a trap or something. You think she’s in real danger? Like, really bad danger?” Peter questions.

I gulp. “Maybe. I don’t know. I need to get you back to the facility to be safe but I can’t waste any time when she’s…God knows where. And I have a feeling you’re not gonna just let me find her alone.”

“You’d be right.” He says. “Together, right?”

Looking at the kid, I know he’s truly not going to leave. He really cares about Ro. “Stick to me like glue and don’t do anything stupid.”

“Of course, sir.” Peter replies. 

He gives me the description of the vehicle they were inside with these unknown captors, describing a van. It’s always a van. Creepy white vans with Free Candy written on the side. Of course, this particular van doesn’t have that, but I have to joke to keep my sanity sometimes.

Peter sees something on the side of the road as we walk, sprinting to it and holding it up to me. “Ro’s jacket…”

He’s right. In Peter’s hands, is Ro’s ripped and blood-stained jacket. He sees the stain when I do, eyes widening. “Mr. Stark…”

“Don’t worry, kid,” I say, swallowing the lump in my throat. “She’s fine. She’s gonna be fine.”

I repeat this in my head, desperate to stay sane as things start to look more and more dire. She’s fine. She’s fine. She’s fine.

She has to be.

Peter holds tightly onto the jacket, looking a bit timid while we keep searching. As we make our way to a rest stop, he points to a van, his jaw dropping in surprise. “Mr. Stark, that’s it! That’s the van!”

I immediately run over to the vehicle, opening the back doors only to find nobody inside. But to my horror, I see more blood soaked into the floor carpet. My stomach drops. “We have to-”

Interrupted by a blood-curdling scream, I know instantly that it’s Ro. Rushing to the sound with my armor equipped, I see two men fighting her as she hurls fireballs at them. Aurora shows her Extremis powers in full force, screaming at them to stay away.

She gets smacked right in the face by one of the guys, falling to the floor. “Leave her alone!” Peter yells.

Peter and I work together to defeat the kidnappers, taking them down easily. It’s done, and I have my daughter back.

Ro runs to the two of us and we embrace her. She’s shaking. “Are you both okay?” 

“Are we okay? You were freakin’ kidnapped!” Peter exclaims.

She chuckles and hugs him a second time. “I’m okay. Just beat up. I need rest. And maybe a burger.”

“That’s my girl.” I joke. “Come on. Let’s go, kiddo.”

Once we’re finally home, I shower her with love. And burgers, of course. 

Ro insists I stay close as she sleeps, clearly affected and frightened by the events of today. And I gladly oblige, hoping to ward away her nightmares.

I’ll always chase away the monsters, kid.

[will80sbyers]

Will:

abusive father

got physically abused(implied), verbally and emotionally

grew up poor, probably worried for his family all the time

bullied for being gay since childhood from his father and kids at school

realized he is gay and starts to feel like a freak

gets kidnapped by a monster

has to survive in the upside down alone at 12 years old

has difficulty breathing in the upside down

gets caught from the monsters and it puts a thing in his throat that was killing him

when he's back at home he starts to have visions of the upside down and vomit a slug

has to go to be tested like a rat from doctors all the time

keeps having scary visions

starts to think he's going insane

keeps being bullied at school even more and called zombie boy

gets possessed by a monster

has a seizure

feels immense pain in the hospital

the monster makes him set up a trap where many people die

feels guilty about that but can't do anything about it

indirectly causes one of the nice people in his life that his mother loves to die

has to get drugged and tied in a shed

has to watch as the monster is trying to kill his mother with his own hands

has to get tortured with heat and burned with fire

is in love with his best friend who is starting a relationship with a random girl

thinks he's never going to have a relationship because he's gay

feels deeply alone sometimes because he can't talk about it with anyone

sometimes he feels like a mistake

feels like maybe he doesn't belong in this world

starts to get ignored by his friends and the boy he loves... because they are prioritizing relationships with girls

starts sensing that the danger from the upside down is not over

has a big fight with his best friend and gets deeply hurt emotionally

has a mental breakdown and destroys his childhood safe space

has to deal with the knowledge that the monster is back

gets attacked by another monster with all his friends and feels powerless to help

watches as a person gets killed in front of him from that monster

a second person that he cared about (Hopper) "dies"

has to leave his home and his friends and the person he's in love with and move to a new place

starts thinking that the person he loves doesn't want to talk to him anymore

when said person comes in his city he avoids hugging him

has anothe fight with the person he's in love with

has to watch his sister being arrested

gets shot at in his home

has to watch as another man dies and he literally has his blood in his hands

has to stay in a car with his corpse until they find a spot to bury him

has to dig a grave and bury a man

uses his own feelings to help the person he loves to be with his sister

has to watch his sister almost die

has to watch as the person he loves tells his sister that he's in love with her

comes back to find out that Hawkins is destroyed, one of his friends is in a coma

knows that the monster is still alive

Jane:

someone does experiments on her before she's born

kidnapped from her mother as an infant

raised in a lab, no real love, no privacy

abusive father figure

doesn't have a real name

gets forced to hurt others with her powers

loses her mother

gets abused by the other kids in the lab

gets tricked by someone she thought was a friend

has to watch all the people she knew in her brief life as they lay dead in a massacre

gets locked in isolation by her abusive father

loses her memories

has a speech disability

gets scared in the void by a monster because Brenner makes her look for 001 and opens a portal

escapes from the lab, is alone outside in the cold, hungry

finds someone that helps her and has to watch him die

is running from people that want to kill her

gets found by some kids that help her at first but then they don't believe her

is alone again out in the street after she hurts one of her friends without wanting to

gets screamed at by the first boy that showed kindness to her

gets tired and hurt every time she uses her powers but she has to use them to save herself and her friends

is feeling guilty because she remembers she opened the gate

has to run from the bad people again with her friends

has to go in the void again to find Will and sees a girl dead and gets scared and traumatized again

has to kill people to save her friends

has to leave behind the boy she likes to save him and her friends

fights with a monster and probably think she will die after this

gets lost in the upside down

has to live on her own in the woods IN THE WINTER until Hop finds her

is safe but can't see any other kids for many months

gets lied to from her new dad

goes alone to find her mother and discovers that she's in a vegetative state because of her abusive Papa

finds a sister but she has a moral code different than her

almost kills a man and feels guilty

has to leave her sister and mother behind because her friends need help

fights monsters and has to get hurt again to close the gate

is in a relationship but can't do anything that her friends do because she has to stay hidden from the government again

gets lied to by the boy she likes

has to break up with that boy because of that

finds out that the monster is probably not gone and hears Heather suffering

has to go into the void again and gets scared again

has to fight a giant spider monster and gets badly hurt in her leg

finds out she has something in her leg

gets cut with a knife and hurt until she has to remove the thing she has in her leg alone

has to fight again with the monster

has to watch as another person she knows dies

has to watch her best friend be heartbroken

finds out that her dad is dead and has to live with deep grief for 8 months

has to leave her best friend and the boy she loves to go to a new place

gets heavily bullied

the boy she loves never tells her he loves her back

feels humiliation at school when they destroy a thing she worked hard to make

her day gets ruined by the bullies that humiliated her again and filmed it

anger takes over and she badly hurts her bully

feels guilty

doesn't have support by her boyfriend

fights with her boyfriend that almost tries to gaslight her

feels like people think she's a monster

feels like she doesn't belong in the world

gets arrested

gets kidnapped again by the government

get put back in a place with her abusive father and kept as a prisoner

gets put in a situation where she believes she killed a lot of kids

knows that her friends are in danger but can't do anything to help yet

gets drugged by her abusive father

has to fight and kill a lot of people again

has to watch her abusive father die

is worried that her best friend may die

has to fight a serial killer and gets repeatedly hurt

has to watch as her best friend dies

brings her back but finds out her best friends mind is not in her body somehow and she failed

feels like she failed to save Hawkins and people died because of her failure

Mike:

emotionally absent father

lives in a house where his parents don't love each other

gets bullied at school all the time

his best friend gets kidnapped

has to watch as his best friend's corpse gets found and realize he lost him forever

feels deep grief for at least a day at 12 years old

feels like the new friend he made just lied to him without any reason

fights with his other best friend because El lies again to them

gets scared because El hurts Lucas

is still fighting with his best friend and now the girl he likes is gone too and he has lost the only way he can find his other best friend that is in danger of really dying

the bullies force him to jump from a cliff

has to run away from the government and hide

has to run away from people with guns again at his school

has to watch people die in front of him in a gruesome way with blood spilling out of their eyes

has to run from a monster

has to watch as his new friend, the girl he likes, disappear and thinks she's dead

feels deep grief for Eleven for months

his parents don't understand why he's acting out at school and make him donate his games when he doesn't want to

is constantly worried for his best friend, afraid and paranoid

starts thinking he's losing his mind

doesn't have any adults he can talk about this with

keeps getting bullied at school

gets scared on Halloween when his best friend disappears again for a moment

is terrified because his best friend is suffering and having visions and has a seizure in front of him

has to watch his best friend go to the hospital and keep suffering

finds out that his best friend is possessed

is locked in a building with monsters trying to kill him

has to watch as Bob dies

knows that his best friend could die if they don't find a way to stop what is happening

finds out that Hop lied to him for months and he was feeling grief for Eleven when she was alive

has to go into a scary tunnel in the upside down to help his friends

gets dumped for the first time (lol... sorry Mike)

has a BIG fight with his best friend that feels like he could have lost him forever again

understands that the monster that almost killed his best friend the year before is back to hurt him again

gets almost killed by Vecna/Billy in the sauna

has to watch his sister being almost killed by a monster

has to watch the girl he likes get hurt in the void

has to watch as the girl he likes gets badly injured

has to run away from a monster and hide

has to watch as the girl he likes gets hurt again from something in her leg

is confused about his feelings for this girl and can't say what he feels

gets almost killed by Russians

gets beaten up by Billy/Vecna

has to watch another person die

finds out Hop is dead

has no one to talk about this with that is an adult

(imo) realizes he likes his best friend more than as a friend and doesn't love his girlfriend like that

his best friend and girlfriend, the two most important people in his life, leave him again... maybe forever

keeps getting bullied in high school

watches as another of his best friends is trying to make friends with popular people in school and is afraid that he's going to leave him too

his best friend that left doesn't call him and he doesn't pick up the phone when he calls him

feels like he lost Will

feels weird for 6 months because his best friend left

can't say I love you to his girlfriend

feels inferior to his girlfriend

(imo) goes to Lenora and has to pretend to be someone he's not most of the time

feels powerless to help his girlfriend that is getting bullied

finds out his girlfriend lied to him for months

has a big fight with his best friend again

has a big fight with his girlfriend

feels powerless when his girlfriend gets arrested

gets shot at from the government

watches as a man dies and has his blood on his hands at 14 years old

has to bury a man

feels like one of the most important people in his life doesn't need him at all

feels like he's just a nerd, nobody important

(imo) realizes he has feelings for his best friend, another guy

has to watch a massacre and big explosions

(imo) has to kind of lie to his girlfriend to save her saying to her that he loves her romantically when he doesn't really feel like doing it on his own

is scared that one of the most important people in his life (El) could die

goes back to Hawkins and finds out that his town is destroyed

finds out that one of his best friends is in a coma, and the other two are hurt

not on screen but... finds out that another of his friends is dead (Eddie)

finds out that the monster that almost killed his best friend a and girlfriend is not dead and is going to try to kill them again