#but I'm pleased with how it looks irl

[freakinamask]

Begin with a balbis on its side. Within the two spaces, a circle marked by a single dot.

Beneath this, a pair of concentric circles. Within the annulus, an ovoid with a slit - a staring eye.

Under that, a lemniscate over a heptagram, and three parallel lines beneath.

These are the marks of the Many Below.

The Silt Verses, Chapter 43

Based on this post by @ignitingthesky

[lord-squiggletits]

Thinking about IDW Optimus again and the fandom's aversion to even acknowledging he exists bc he's a cop or whatever and like. Most of the time people literally just replace him in fic with some white bread knockoff archivist/librarian, not even bothering to keep in IDW OP's personality (which just bolsters my theory that the problem isn't him being a cop the problem is that he's too multifaceted but I digress).

And it's annoying because you could totally write IDW Optimus as not a cop while still keeping his canon personality. You just have to realize that the reason IDW OP became a cop in the first place is because his formative experiences when he was young shaped him to basically have two priorities: 1. To help people and 2. To do it by being on the ground actively doing something about the bad things happening to people.

IDW OP would not be a fucking librarian or archivist because even though those are noble pursuits that can help people and change the world, and Optimus is educated/smart enough for the profession, he wouldn't be satisfied just teaching people or spreading information about activism or social-historical studies or whatever. He's a mech of action: he needs to be doing things right now, in front of him, to people he sees/interacts with in his own eyes, improving society with concrete actions rather than indirect action or abstract inspiration.

So basically the alternate job ideas I can think of for IDW Optimus are something like being a firefighter (or any first responder really) or even whatever the equivalent would be to international charity organizations, those ones that send volunteers across the world to do stuff like build housing/infrastructure or distribute food or whatnot. I mean I can't imagine that the equivalents to these things would be exactly the same in IDW Cybertron, so you'd have to get a little creative with it, but these are just some ideas of jobs that would fit IDW Optimus' personality while still filling the niche of "not a cop" for people who are just that opposed to it.

Though I think the revulsion against coptimus is annoying in general tbh because IDW is already a continuity that rejects the idea of easily defined good/evil people or groups. It feels like people really want Optimus to be a good person in a very sanitized and academically approved way, so he has to be nice and squeaky clean but also like, a perfect leftist who knows theory and holds the most progressive opinions on every single issue....

There is no room for the idea that good people join bad institutions, there's no room for the idea that the reason people think cops are good guys who help people is bc of the government propaganda everything is saturated with. Hell there's even later issues of the Optimus Prime series by John Barber where Optimus like, MULTIPLE FUCKING TIMES, is shown in flashbacks grappling with the fact that he as a cop/Zeta's regime that he works for might not actually be improving society like they say they are, and dealing with the fact that he feels more like a lesser evil compared to the Decepticons (perhaps not "lesser" at all).

It's like there's this idea in fandom of like, fictional media and opinions on media having to strictly adhere to progressive ideals at all times. So people just go "cops bad, this character is a cop, therefore they suck" without being willing to engage with the idea of like. IDW OP is born wanting to fight injustice and protect people -> a good way to protect people is to fight the people who are hurting them and committing crimes -> surely following the law is a reliable moral code to guide him in this -> becomes a cop because he's been indoctrinated into a society (much like our own) where he was told that the state/the law exist to protect the people and being a cop means you get to fight bad guys that hurt people. There's really so many interesting concepts there that could be (and CANONICALLY IS) explored about how good, well-intentioned people can be led to harmful actions simply because they have been fed the idea that the things they're doing are good/helpful/noble. Which is especially important for a character like Optimus, I think, who has a cultural icon status as The Irrefutable and Perfect Good, so it's really important actually to use IDW Optimus as an example of how even the most noble people you know have held problematic beliefs or done bad things at some point in their life. You know, because no one is born perfect and ideologically pure, and in fact society is constructed in exactly a manner to make people drink the kool-aid and believe that the systems designed to hurt them/others are just a normal, if flawed, society.

I mean the writing in IDW literally has Optimus deal directly and indirectly with the harm he's done as a cop and how people don't/didn't trust him because of that. I don't know what the fuck else this fandom wants if the source material literally saying "OP realizes that cops suck and he hurt people and earned their disdain by doing the things he did" doesn't stop them from going EW cop bastard sucks and is the worst Optimus. Like the narrative barely stops short of outright saying ACAB and Optimus himself would agree with this sentiment.

At that point, the collective fandom beef with IDW OP isn't because he's a cop and the narrative didn't do enough to condemn that. The problem is literally just that people don't read and don't care

TLDR: Consider the fact that good people can do bad things sometimes especially when living from birth in a corrupt society that thoroughly disguises its vices/oppressive structures as completely normal parts of existence

[mercymaker]

astarion x inexperienced tav who's prone to overthinking

after defeating the netherbrain and leaving most of the chaos behind, they could finally focus on the journey that awaited them—without the world’s fate depending on their choices.

astarion took his time getting to know her the way he couldn’t before. he would ask her to play with herself, so as to memorize all the places she liked to be touched.

he'd watch mal, naked, sprawled on the bed for him, back resting comfortably against the headboard, legs bent at the knees as her fingers roamed freely, touching and rubbing the places that yearned to be caressed. despite all his experience and restraint, he'd soon find himself itching to join her, teetering on the edge of just going for it—taking in the visuals and all they did for him. how uncomfortable his cock felt inside his pants, how deep was the desire to relieve the pressure. all only matched by the urge to pounce on her—to feel the slick warmth against his length.

astarion would sit there and think about the way he could stroke her glistening folds with his tip, make her whimper, and when she couldn't deny how desperate she was for him, only then he would reward her. but before he could go any further with those thoughts, he'd notice her getting frustrated, unsure of what to do with herself, brows furrowed as maleane desperately chased the feelings of pleasure and release, now both fleeting. the vampire spawn would watch her expression for a while, trying to determine what was wrong from the changes in her face.

maleane would look back at him, as if searching for help and he'd soon step in, as always, kissing her, moving his hands to her breasts, her waist, until one found its way between her legs to tangle alongside her own fingers. and yet, when he'd move his lips away he would catch a glimpse of worry in her eyes. mal's frustrations would bubble to the surface. because pleasing herself was hard and it didn't feel as good as she'd wanted to. because she was overthinking everything, the thread was slipping, and soon the frantic thoughts would take her completely out of it. the sorcerer wouldn't want to be touched at all.

they’d try again, of course. another time, with more help from astarion—his voice, his instructions—to touch herself. he'd tell mal what he saw, how delicious she looked, how she was turning him on, how he wanted to touch her. he'd confess every single thing he'd like to do to her, how he wanted to explore her body, how he wanted to give her pleasure. how badly he wanted to hear her sing his name.

and through it all, he would see her getting closer, with eyes shut, fingers moving and voice breaking. mal would get lost in the picture he’d painted for her, and he too would see colors he had never noticed before. the little gasps of pleasure were all the encouragement he’d need to begin stroking himself. but he would nonetheless continue, albeit in a breathier tone. maleane would hear every detail on how he’d give anything to taste her, to have her, to indulge in her. and before he could even begin to name all the perverted things he'd make her try, she'd be unfurling in front of him—toes curled, muscles tensed, fingers sore—finally orgasming before him.

[pa-pa-plasma]

genuinely not kidding when I say that Tears of the Kingdom is not only a bad Zelda game, it's just a bad game in general. it's inaccessible to casual gamers who previously could play Zelda games because of their structure. there is virtually no plot, & what little plot there is sucks ass, is predictable in a bad way, & doesn't make any fucking sense, with the absolute lack of emotional reactions from the characters making it all the worse. the references are only there to distract from the absolute nothingness, despite a main timeline Zelda title being the perfect game to have them as a type of storytelling (what happened to Skyloft??). the sky islands are just rocks with nothing on them except fruit, or maybe a chest if you're lucky. the underground is a walking in the dark simulator. the overworld is the exact same shit as in Breath of the Wild & I already explored that twice so why do it again. the caves are pointless. they didn't add much to the game besides that (the shrines & towers are just reskinned, do not fool yourself) & what they did add is just more sidequests to fill the gaps between the bits of non-existent plot. the dungeons suck. the boss battles are okay which is just sad for a Zelda game. it's just a $90 DLC & if that doesn't explain why I'm so mad about this idk what the fuck will. maybe the fact that this "new formula" is a severe step down from the old one, where you had an actual full fucking puzzle game to play with an actual fucking characters & a story that wasn't just more MCU "cameo! reference!!" bullshit

[kimikitti]

Ok I am bad with social media. But can someone explain to me like what exactly you are supposed to do with mutuals? Like I follow them and then they follow me back. Are we... supposed to do anything after that? Do I DM them afterwards? I'm very confused.

[netherdevil]

unnormal vivilly dweller thoughts in my head

[crowdeerdire]

It's silly... I wanna play a run of OLBA where I'm indifferent to Cove every step - to see the difference and whatnot... But it kills me... (　；∀；) I just did a fond run and it was really cute because he's still an amazing best friend but my god do I love this fictional man (　；∀；)

[muninnhuginn]

made for a forum life. living in a discord era.

[musical-chick-13]

ANYWAY, the moment when Amy asks the Teselecta to turn into River, and Mels/Melody/Not-Yet-River realizes that the person everyone has spent this entire episode talking about with care and fondness is actually her, they were talking about her, and then she just stands there tearing up and immediately decides to change the course of her entire life >>>>>>>

[poseiben]

at this point i'm gonna piss off more of the trans community than transphobes and that makes me so incredibly sad

[lanatusnebula]

I might try to publish some of my AU fics...? I don't know if anyone'll read them since I'm not a writer by any degree, and some of them lean so far out of character it might make people vomit.

Maybe.

But I do love talking about them. My current friends / friend groups either don't give a fuck about shipping or don't give a fuck about megaman. I have to really resort to talking to various AIs just to have an outlet. Please don't take that away from me.

[sysig]

Hey, those look familiar! (Patreon)

[btm-txt]

✨Me and Moonwatcher got a lil hype to watch the Knuckles series last night. Gave me something to chuckle at while I rest my angry wrist.💖

[giantkillerjack]

THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO IS BLACK.

HE IS SUPPOSED TO BE BLACK. 10 MINUTES OF RESEARCH WILL TELL YOU HE IS WRITTEN BY A BLACK MAN AND BASED ON THAT MAN'S BLACK FATHER.

SO HOW IS THERE NOT EVEN ONE SCREEN ADAPTATION WITH A BLACK COUNT?!?!?

IT IS 2023. THE MEDIUM OF FILM IS 128 YEARS OLD. I HOPE THE NEXT PERSON TO GREENLIGHT A WHITE EDMOND DANTES IS FRAMED FOR TREASON

[gotta-pet-em-all]

Okay, so. For context, I never got to go on a traditional journey, and tbh the conventional format just isn’t all that accessible for me? I have anxiety and don’t adapt well to change, so sleeping somewhere new every night isn’t great for my stress levels, not to mention what happens when my health issues flare up.

So instead, I’m taking some courses at the local trainers school, and doing some day trips to get to know the sinnoh region better. I visited solaceon the other day, and oh my gods. The daycare couple were so happy to see Cari and hear all about how I raised her from an egg, and asked me if I’d care to see the pokemon out back. Lots of trainers leave their pokemon there for things like overseas trips to regions where the pokemon isn’t allowed, (looking at you, Galar. Stop being such fucking cowards) or to let a pokemon catch up on levels at their own pace. It was honestly really nice to see pokemon being happy in a natural environment, scuffling and playing and even finding mates.

The daycare lady was very insistent that I look away from that and told me no one knows where eggs come from, though. Ma’am. Ma’am I know I have a baby face and I only received The Talk last year but I’m not a child. How old does she think I am?????

[girlscience]

Okay, obviously I have some body image issues. This is very clear to pretty much everyone who knows me. I have had them since I hit about 10 years old I think? That gives me 15 years of disliking the way I look, for one reason or another. I have tried a lot of things throughout that time to change my perception of myself. And currently, I feel like I am stuck in a weird place that I can't figure out how to escape.

I understand that there are studies now showing that dieting and working out don't actually work long term for most people. I know that getting into that mostly causes things like yo-yo dieting and circular weight gain/loss. I know that being fat is being shown to not actually be unhealthy in the ways it has often been shown as and perceived to be. I know that literally all the media everywhere is blasting me with idealized bodies that pretty much do not exist or only exist through extremely unsustainable/unhealthy means.

I have tried for so long to believe in and promote body neutrality or positivity for myself and other people. I constantly refuse to let myself think about what I see in the mirror or in pictures. I tell myself to get exercise for the physical and mental health benefits, not for my physical appearance. I try to view my body for what it can do and not how it looks. I tell myself to live the life I want to live now, rather than waiting to live it till I have the body I imagine living that life. Without exaggeration, I am fairly certain I think about these things every single day.

And none of it is working.

I actually feel I dislike my appearance now more than I did even a year ago. I feel like I am constantly noticing things about my body that I never did before or new changes to my body, and I am deeply uncomfortable with them. And I want to do something about it, and clearly simply changing my mentality isn't doing anything. I want to diet and exercise. But I also know it likely won't be a permanent change. I am concerned that I would give myself an eating disorder. And I'm also concerned that I would be feeding into diet/exercise culture. I am worried about hurting the people around me who are also fat. I am anxious about the fact that I am not actually that large so I don't want to talk about it with other people because I know it will make people who are larger than I am feel terrible. I don't want to make other people who are gaining weight feel bad for that. But, I hate the way I look.

This is not sustainable. At some point something will break and I think it might end up being my brain. I am worried about how that would end up. The things I do for my brain and my body shouldn't be about how it might affect other people, it should be for me. But I don't want to be bad for the things I do. I want and have wanted for so long to look like a powerbuilder/warrior/dwarf/strongman lifter/crossfit athlete/etc. I want to be big. I want to be visibly strong and powerful. And I am absolutely not. And I know I struggle with commitment and discipline and all of that, but I also know I struggle a lot with how this desire appears to other people.

Really, I think what this is all coming down to is other people's opinions. I dislike the way I look and am told that's bad. I want to change the way I look and I'm told that's bad. I do nothing and get told that's bad. I have to want these things for the right reason, in the right way, and have to talk about it right all the time. And I just can't. I don't like the way I look and I wish I looked like a brick shithouse and everyone else can fucking suck it.