#but has a sense of justice and helps people when in circumstances that that allow him to process that they need help

[silverthehedgehogexplained]

Explaining Silver the Hedgehog's character (Updated)

To truly understand Silver's character you need to understand not one, not two, not three, not even four but the ten different cores of his character. Starting with...

A Strong Sense of Justice - The Hedgehog of Justice

Silver is driven by a strong Sense of Justice. This is his defining trait mentioned in almost all character bios. Silver is a righteous person driven to right wrongs in the world and will always stand up for others. This can make him quite Confrontational as he has zero tolerance for injustice or wrongful suffering and will take on anyone on the spot to fight for what he thinks is right. Silver will always settle the score. Silver however doesn't wish to punish evil but rather to simply maintain peace.

Silver's sense of justice is more important to him than nearly any other character as it is the source of his drive and mission to make things right in the world. Unlike other guardian characters, Silver's sense of duty to protect the future is driven entirely by his personal sense of justice rather than imposed responsibility like Blaze, Knuckles and Ariem..

A Determind Optimist

Silver's other most defining trait is his noted Optimism. Silver has a positive outlook no matter the circumstances. During peaceful times Silver spreads positivity and seeks to make people smile however he can and during dark times Silver rallies and inspires hope in others. If Sonic represents Freedom then Silver represents Hope and will never give up no matter how dire or impossible the situation may seem.

Silver's very presence radiates positivity. In Sonic Channel stories Silver is said to engage in Cheerful Activities after the historical change in 06 and have both a "positive way of life that inspires people and makes them want to watch over him and cheer him on forever…" and an "Honest, unpretentious and kind demeanor" that makes him a warm and inspiring influence. This even extends to real life as this illustration by Tomoko Hayane spontaneously inspired everyone in her office to high five Silver on the screen the day it was made. In Sonic Channel stories Silver also has a very warm smile that fills Princess Elise with trust and joy during the height of her anxiety in one story and a recipient can't say no to in another story. (He's low-key a pretty boy)

Linked to Silver's optimism is supreme Determination. Silver will not give up no matter how impossible the odds are or how badly he's hurt, even when Solaris destroyed the entire space-time continuum and was explained to be nigh-invincible Silver simply resolved to destroy him in the past, present and future all at once and roused everyone back into action when they had all completely lost hope. Silver again rouses hope into the Resistance in Sonic Forces when Sonic and Tails were thought to be lost. Silver doesn't give up easily in general as it took 40 tries for him to cut exact Silver cut apple slices. It is this spirit that allows Silver to fight through the hopeless apocalyptic future. Silver's hope, optimism and determination are best exemplified in the Japanese version of Sonic Forces where he says this:

There is hope! As long you don't give up!

A Kind Hearted Hedgehog

Silver is an Altruist. An altruist is a person who is unselfish and concerned for the well-being of others, even if they don't gain anything by doing so. Silver not only has a strong desire to help others but he also has great Empathy for both people and environments and wants to see them in a happy state. Silver loves Smiles, he can't help but smile when he sees other people smile and his greatest joy is making other people happy. Silver wants to make people happy because he grew up in an apocalyptic future that was filled with despair as stated in Sonic & Silver on Sonic Channel. Silver's altruism is not only the motivation behind his mission to protect the future but also the only thing that can make him break from it as he will drop his current mission to help people as he does with Amy in Sonic 06 and the understaffed post office of Soleanna in Sonic Pict as Silver cannot say no to a sad face. Silver's reason for aspiring to become a hero is to be someone that can protect smiles as he states in Sonic & Silver.

Focused On Saving The Future - A Focused Agent

The very first thing Silver is described with in 06 design documents is Focused on Saving The Future. Silver is a driven and focused agent that becomes very determined and serious when it comes to saving the future and dealing with potential threats. Like Sonic's other rivals Silver is very skilled in many regards from skillfully doing various odds jobs in Soleanna in Town Missions to getting one of the highest sharpshooting scores in Soleanna's 1500 year history(Town Mission 6) to becoming a "genius" skating coach celebrity in the Otherworld Comedy series to the general use of his powers(Silver takes offence to being treated like an amateur for a reason). Silver is a veteran fighter from his apocalyptic life of battling Iblis and is able to and quickly learn things he's never done before like Chaos Control and car racing after only seeing them once. Silver trains regularly and is said to make steady efforts to improve in the 2022 wallpaper comedy series. Silver is a Fly/Technique type character so he specialize in technical sports like ice skating, uses a high balance car in Team Sonic Racing and is possibly the fastest flyer in the series as he's able to keep up with Sonic in Generations and is able to fly at light speeds with his Teleport Dash ability. Silver is very Proactive in his pursuits as in the opening of his story in Sonic 06 he states that he always asked people in his apocalyptic future how the world was destroyed but could never get a direct answer, hence why he listens to Mephiles.

Silver is noted to be intuitive and perceptive. He sees through Eggman Nega's disguises by noticing small details in his mannerisms. In Sonic Rivals 2 he turns his fight with Sonic into a race to collect Chao and advance his mission instead. In Otherworld Comedy Act 8 he intuits Blaze trying to control her powers when seeing them for the first time. Silver solves problems through thinking in all of his major game appearances from figuring out how to revive Sonic in the last episode of 06 to uncovering Eggman's plot in Team Sonic Racing.

Despite his naivete, Silver Isn't Very Trusting. His respect and trust has to be earned as he doesn't work with anyone in the Sonic Rivals series until they prove useful to him. In Sonic Generations Silver doesn't trust Sonic as being real and he is almost immediately suspicious of Dodon Pa. While he can take things literally at times the same deception that works on Knuckles won't work on Silver as Eggman learned in Team Sonic Racing. Even when working with Mephiles, Silver did not initially believe in time travel and did not fully commit to his plan until he was physically thrown back in time and still began questioning it after being confronted by Amy, only continuing to go along with the mission after it was reaffirmed by both Blaze and Mephiles as the only option to save the future.

Silver is very Goal Focused and has a Straight To The Point Mentality as part of his forthrightness. He doesn't like distractions, petty details or things getting in his way and prefers to concentrate on his current goals. Silver can also be somewhat Ruthless as he has done many things to protect the future including sneaking past Soleanna guards(Town Mission 11), mugging Tails and attempted assassinations all with little reservation. Despite having something of an honor code against cowardice Silver is also willing to fight pretty dirty such as when he played possum to hit Sonic in 06.

Forthright Purity

One of Silver's original design document descriptors is that he is very Forthright. This actually entails multiple different things about Silver that all deal with his Purity. As his name suggests, Silver is themed with purity as a character with his silvery white colors, youthfulness, innocence and forthright nature. Silver is forthright in every sense of the word including being Straightforward and Honest. Honest to a fault as Silver is so honest that he can't even lie(though he can change the subject as he does in Sonic 06 and Sonic Rivals 2). Direct and Outspoken as Silver hides almost nothing about himself(he only tries to hide his problems as when he tries to dismiss his worries in TSR as nothing) and speaks his mind as well as Going Straight to the Point as discussed above. This is why in Playstation Magazine Japan, Silver was officially given the birthday May 9th and with it the star sign of Taurus which is associated with determination, directness and honesty. Silver wears his heart on his sleeve and has a certain innocence to him that permeates his character.

With this purity however comes Silver's Naivety. He has a somewhat simplistic Black and White Perspective. Silver can sometimes take things literally and expects people to believe any outlandish things he tells them simply because he knows them to be true. Silver can also be unfamiliar with things in the present due to living in the far future where everything is either long destroyed or far more advanced.

The flip side of that forthright purity however is...

The Brash Antithesis of Eggman Nega

On the flip side of being straightforward and honest, Silver is also Blunt and Rude. Just as Silver wears his heart on sleeve he also has no filter and will say whatever is on his mind which can make him Abrasive and quick to insult. Silver will call you an idiot to your face if he thinks you are one and often trash talks opponents in in-game dialogue(literally calling defeated enemies trash in 06). Silver's rudeness is even more apparent in Japanese where he uses many informal impressions including addressing himself with "Ore"(おれ) and others "Anta"(あんた, the ruder version "Anata") which signifies that he speaks bluntly. Silver often points directly at people he speaks to(This is considered much more rude in Japan) and crosses his legs while sitting in a way that is roughly the Japanese equivalent of putting your feet on a table. Silver acts very casually with others without introducing himself which can be very informal and rude as Knuckles calls out during their meeting in Sonic Rivals 1. This can make Silver even more rude than other brash characters in a technical sense as he's just blunt and acts without a filter. This is a key difference between Silver and Future Trunks who was largely a shy and polite mannered individual.

Similar to Jet the Hawk, Silver is Juvenile both in his age designation and general level of maturity. Due to this Silver can be quite Brash similar to Sonic but even more so due to his aggression and bluntness/lack of filter. He can be snotty, sneering, sarcastic and is even stated to have a mischievous side in the Commemorative Illustration series. Though he is generally humble Silver has a confident, somewhat smug attitude about his powers and is very Competitive. Almost fighting Blaze as they begin one upping each other over who could deal with Orbot & Cubot on their own when they first meet in the Triumph cutscene Sonic Colors DS. Silver is also Headstrong, almost fighting Blaze again when she treats him like an amateur in the Otherworld Comedy series. Despite his share of hedgehog prickliness however Silver isn't a hostile or mean spirited person(as long as you're not in his way or being unjust that is). Just as Eggman Nega being polite does not make him a good person being rude does not make Silver a bad one as he maintains his goal of helping others at all times. When not focused on a mission Silver is shown to be a fun loving, reliable and protective friend. Silver cherishes his friends and is willing to do anything for them. Silver can also be just as quick to praise or call something cool as he is to insult someone and he strongly believes in the abilities of the people that have earned his respect as when he recruits Sonic to help him with the Revival Bridge situation in Sonic & Silver and is genuinely grateful for Espio's help in saving the world in Sonic Rivals 2. This side of Silver can be very similar to Sonic from Sonic SatAM. Combined with his naivety and determination this side can also make him similar to a Looney Tunes character called Henery Hawk. (He's naive but he has a blunt "What's so funny?" attitude about it)

Due to this nature, Silver has bold explosive responses to even the most impossible challenges, stating "I'll show you how crazy I am" when Knuckles calls him crazy in Sonic Rivals 2, "Come on, Espio! We can take them all on!" when confronted with Knuckles, Rouge and Eggman all at once in Sonic Rivals 2, and "If you say it exists in the past, present and future, I'll destroy them all at once!" when facing the impossible challenge of Solaris(He drops pretty hard lines when things get tough). Silver has this attitude against even things that outmatch him such as Infinite's mighty power.

Silver is described as "young and immature" by his creator Shun Nakamura so despite his general seriousness he can still have somewhat childish moments.

Almost all of Silver's traits are also diametrically opposed to those of his Sonic Rivals series nemesis Eggman Nega(currently the only other character from Silver's future), down to the colors they're themed after Black and White.

Silver is Rude and Blunt out of sheer earnestness while Eggman Nega is overly Polite as a form of mind games. Silver is Warm and Pure while Eggman Nega is Cold and Twisted. Silver is Honest to a fault while Eggman Nega is extremely Deceitful. Silver is Kind while Eggman Nega is Cruel. Silver is Naive while Eggman Nega is Sophisticated. Silver is Reckless while Eggman Nega is Calculating. Silver is Practical while Eggman Nega is Petty. Silver desires Peace and Prosperity while Eggman Nega desires Chaos and Destruction. Both are willing to sacrifice themselves for those ends in ways that seem crazy to other characters.

Riled Up - A Passionate Emotional Beast

One of the descriptions for Silver in design documents, Riled Up, alludes to Silver's highly emotional nature. Silver is a High Spirited person that is also emotionally immature.

Like Blaze, Silver can be Easily Angered and have a pretty Wrathful Temper. However unlike Blaze who is repressed in her feelings, Silver has no filter and can get loud or carried away when he is overly angered, excited or saddened(He's autistic...) which can primarily be seen in his animations and dialogue in the Olympic Games series. Silver puts his all into any activity he gets invested into(I'm giving this all I've got!) because of how Passionate he is.

It is the strength of his feelings that can make Silver Impulsive or Rash as often noted in his character bios.

Sometimes Silver tends to deal with things too head-on because of the strength of his feelings, or he tends to take everything on himself, but this is an aspect of his purity and an endearing virtue. ~ Sonic & Silver Sonic Channel story

This separates Silver from Sonic and Shadow who are both calm and cool in most situations while Silver has very little emotional regulation and can be blinded by his feelings. This can make him rather Reckless at times as he can deal with things too head on and will throw himself at problems when he gets overtaken by his feelings.

While Shadow is calculating and detached, Silver is controlled by powerful emotion and is impulsive and obsessive. This causes them both to be incredibly straightforward, mission oriented, and viscous, but for entirely opposite reasons. Sonic on the other hand falls in between. He cares, but he's not nearly as impulsive and manic as Silver. He's also cool-headed and easygoing, but not out of the detached stoicism of Shadow. SSS are quite different emotionally.

This Hot-blooded emotional nature is why Silver often has very Stoic partners like Blaze, Espio or Shadow to calm him down and pull him back. This dynamic is alluded to in the Japanese version of Sonic 06 where Blaze states that she shouldn't let Silver run wild on his own(in the English version she states that he's insecure when alone though that is contradicted within both 06 itself and the Rivals series).

An Aggressive Warrior

Due to his apocalyptic background Silver is a fierce and aggressive Warrior with many violent aspects to him. The Sonic Channel Sonic & Silver character introduction story states that Silver fought and struggled for half his lifetime which implies that he fought the forces of Iblis since he was seven years old.

Silver was born into a literal Hell on Earth where people lived without hope and he had to constantly battle against the minions of Iblis and put out disasters caused by it's existence such as flame tornadoes, storms and tides of lava destroying everything in a world where everyone lived in Eternal Darkness and suffering. Silver fought for most of his life to bring peace to the world. Due to this life of constant violence and devastation Silver is devoted to and deeply appreciates Peace but also has a violent personality because of it. This is why Silver has intense determined expressions and aggressive body language as he constantly makes fists and aggressive stances even when he's happy. Silver also punches things when he's frustrated and gets up using his fists in Sonic Forces. This not only shows his determination and emotional nature but his baked in aggression from a life of fighting through the apocalypse. Shadow notes Silver as a fighter in Team Sonic Racing dialogue. As covered above Silver can be something of an attack dog and needs to be held back at times.

This is also reflected in the pointed design of his eyes which in Japanese character design represents sharpness and intensity in a character. These points are easy to miss due to how his eyes are modeled and the way they align with the quills that act as bangs over the upper corners of his eyes.

Silver is incredibly powerful, being able to defeat armies of enemies in Town Missions in Sonic 06 and shown to have a tally of the number of times he single-handedly defeated the gigantic Iblis in a Sonic Pict wallpaper. When they fight in 06 Silver is as physically strong as Shadow who himself can easily lift 18-Wheeler G.U.N. Trucks and other house sized objects with one arm.

Silver also Enjoys Fighting and fights for fun as seen in his friendly Rival Battles in Sonic Generations. Silver is willing to fight anybody if he feels slighted and I do mean anybody as he's been shown willing to fight everything from skyscraper sized monsters like Iblis and Ifrit to small children as he has no qualms with fighting Tails or Bowser Jr(something he shares with Shadow). Silver is said to “sometimes call forth great power without mercy” in Sonic & Silver on Sonic Channel.

Tying into his selfless and reckless nature, Silver is also Extremely Brave. As stated for the Pumpkin Trigger Sonic Comic, Silver has no regard for his own safety and will immediately throw himself at any danger or sacrifice himself at a moments notice especially if it means protecting those around him. Silver had to fight the colossal Iblis and its endless spawn in a dark hellscape by himself for most of his life(as it has been revealed Blaze wasn't born in the future in 06). Silver also has very high pain tolerance owing to his determination and violent life of fighting Iblis. Angrily continuing to attack after being kicked in the head by Shadow in 06, shredded and bounced across the street by Sonic in Generations and enduring agonizing pain beyond description caused by overusing his powers in Sonic & Silver. Silver also seems to value being brave and dislikes cowardice going by his remarks in the Sonic Rivals series and the Team Vector Nintendo Dream interview which has interesting implications for his backstory.

When surprised in Sonic Generations Silver instantly has a fight response as he grew up in a world where Iblis minions could attack at any moment. (He's feral)

A Sentimental Person

Silver also has a very quiet side. He can be Introspective and Sentimental. This is shown throughout Sonic 06 with the non-verbal processing of events around him. After his fallout with Amy, he sits quietly by himself unengaged with his mission to destroy the Iblis Trigger and contemplates the morality of hurting one person to save the world. He silently takes in the events of the Solaris Project as he finally learns the truth about the destruction of the world he always asked about. Silver feels grief and contemplation quietly as shown when he's left solemn and silent over his moral dilemma and Blaze's sacrifice. Silver appreciates little things and finds beauty in simple parts of the world that most people take for granted.

Silver also has a certain curiosity to him and sometimes takes interest in new things ("Interesting"), so he also enjoys new experiences, facing challenges and going sightseeing.

The Hedgehog of Peace

The absolute core and purpose of Silver's character is World Peace. Silver lives for and fights to protect world peace at all costs. This primarily includes his drive to protect Smiles and Blue Skies. Because of Silver's Empathy he wants to see the world and it's people prosper and could not stand the devastated of his destroyed future even before he experienced any true peace. Silver's quills are patterned after a Japanese Maple Leaf which represents peace.

In contrast to the apocalyptic devastation, darkness and suffering he grew up with, Silver feels at peace when seeing clear blue skies, beautiful environments or people living in prosperity. Due to hailing from a devastated future even something as simple as a desert is beautiful to him because it's intact and the people are happy. Because his feelings reflect the world around him, seeing these things in ruined states saddens and upsets him while seeing them thrive takes his breath away. When Silver sees people smile he can't help but smile. Silver's mission is to protect and maintain a happy future with a blue sky.

This is also reflected in Silver's heavily implied favorite food, apples as apples represent Good Fortune and Prosperity. It was even revealed in Sonic Pict and a how-it-was-made special that Silver ate apple flavored calorie bars in his destroyed future.

To recap. The ten core aspects of Silver are:

A Strong Sense of Justice

The Optimistic Determinator

A Kind Heart

Forthright Purity( with Naivete)

A Focused Agent

An Emotional Beast

The Brash Antithesis of Eggman Nega

The Aggressive Warrior

A Sentimental Person

The Hedgehog of Peace

This post complies information about Silver from all his canon appearances, manuals, the Mario & Sonic series, Nintendo Dream and PlayStation Magazine interviews, design documents and cultural research by myself and others. Particularly the Sonic Channel Story called Sonic & Silver that is meant to introduce Silver's character and the Team Vector Interview from Nintendo Dream Magazine.

Some believe that Silver is an experimental character that changes from from game to game but all ten of these core aspects have been with Silver since his very inception in Sonic 06 and have been indicated in character bios/design docs since the beginning and are simply shown to different extents throughout the series. Silver is a very complex and abstruse character that can be difficult to grasp due to his lack of focus and the obscurity of most things he appears in post 06. I hope this post has given you a deeper understanding of him.

[diekleinesuesse]

Being best friends with Sebastian Sallow:

Being best friends with Sebastian Sallow would be an interesting and deeply loyal experience. Sebastian is fiercely protective of those he cares about, so as his best friend, you’d always know that he’d have your back no matter what. He has a strong sense of justice, which means he’ll fight for you when others might not, though his methods can be a little reckless at times.

Loyalty That Knows No Bounds

Sebastian Sallow’s friendship is built on an unwavering, almost unshakable sense of loyalty. As his best friend, you’d find that he’s the kind of person who will always be there for you, no matter the circumstances. Sebastian’s protective nature means he’d stand by you during the hardest of times, never backing down from defending you, even if it meant putting himself in danger. His commitment to those he trusts is absolute, and as his best friend, you’d feel that sense of security and dependability in ways that others might not. Whether you’re facing enemies, struggling with personal challenges, or dealing with tough decisions, Sebastian will always have your back. His loyalty extends beyond just his words it’s his actions that truly prove his devotion.

Honest Conversations and Vulnerability

Sebastian’s exterior may be tough and occasionally standoffish, but with you, his best friend, he’s likely to drop the tough façade and show you who he really is. His vulnerability will shine through in the rare, honest conversations that you share. Sebastian is someone who values sincerity and transparency, and as someone he trusts deeply, you’d become one of the few people who understand the complexities of his past and his deepest desires. While he may not open up to others, you’ll find yourself learning about the scars he carries, the choices that haunt him, and his dreams of a future beyond the constraints of his circumstances. These moments would bring you closer, allowing you to understand the real Sebastian Sallow beneath his often sarcastic and guarded demeanor.

Dry Humor and Sarcastic Wit

Spending time with Sebastian would never be dull. His sarcastic wit, dry humor, and quick comebacks would make every interaction a unique and sometimes hilarious experience. He’s the type of person who can find humor even in difficult situations, and that’s something you’d come to appreciate as his best friend. The two of you would share a bond over inside jokes and subtle exchanges that no one else would understand. While Sebastian’s humor can be biting at times, it’s never meant to hurt it’s just his way of coping with the world around him. Your friendship would be filled with laughter, teasing, and moments that are lighthearted yet meaningful. Even during the most intense moments, his humor would serve as a reminder that life is still worth enjoying.

Reckless but Passionate

Sebastian’s sense of justice often leads him to act impulsively. As his best friend, you’d find yourself swept up in his passion and intensity, even if his methods sometimes lean toward the reckless side. Whether it’s breaking the rules to help someone in need or diving headfirst into a dangerous situation, Sebastian’s desire to right wrongs drives him to take risks without always thinking of the consequences. His decisions might be hasty at times, but they come from a deeply ingrained need to make the world better in his own way. While you might not always agree with his actions, you’d admire his dedication to fighting for what he believes in. His passion would inspire you to be more courageous and to fight for what’s right, even when the stakes are high. And through all the chaos, you’d remain by his side, providing a steady presence to balance out his fiery energy.

A Friendship That Endures Through Conflict

Sebastian can be stubborn, and his determination can sometimes lead to conflict. If he’s convinced that something needs to be done, he won’t hesitate to act, even if it means stepping on toes or going against the grain. As his best friend, you’d inevitably find yourself in disagreement from time to time, especially if his impulsive nature leads him down a dangerous path. However, these moments of tension wouldn’t tear your friendship apart they’d only strengthen it. Sebastian values honesty and loyalty above all else, and he’ll always respect your opinions, even if they clash with his own. You’d learn to navigate these moments with understanding, knowing that his actions are driven by a strong sense of right and wrong, even if he doesn’t always consider the bigger picture. At the end of the day, you’d both understand that your bond is rooted in trust, and no disagreement could sever that.

A Connection Built on Trust

In the end, the foundation of your friendship with Sebastian Sallow would be built on an unshakable trust. He doesn’t hand his trust out easily, but once he considers you a friend, he’s fully invested. His loyalty and commitment to you would be clear through his actions, even in the smallest of gestures. Whether it’s sticking by you in tough times or sharing his deepest secrets with you, Sebastian’s trust would feel like a rare and precious thing. Over time, this bond would grow stronger, as you both face challenges together, share experiences, and support each other. The connection you share would be one that withstands the test of time and trials, as Sebastian would always find his way back to you, no matter what life throws your way. His friendship would be a constant, a source of stability and strength that you could rely on, no matter how difficult things become.

In short, being best friends with Sebastian Sallow means experiencing a deep, complex bond filled with loyalty, honesty, humor, and a shared sense of justice. While the friendship might come with its challenges, it would also be one of the most rewarding and enduring relationships you could have. Through thick and thin, you and Sebastian would face the world together, always knowing that, no matter what happens, you’ve got each other’s backs.

[connabeth]

rick really woke up and said "what if i give the people what they want for once" and gave us grumpy black cat introvert percy and sunshine golden retriever extrovert annabeth we never knew we needed

also no one's talking about how percy made friends with annabeth's college's security guard (Florence or smthn?) so he's the only one allowed to walk in her campus anytime?

also I found a typo in the third chapter where dave was accidentally called paul which I found really funny

1) i’m glad this series is doing justice to annabeth’s personality because she spent so much of pjo & hoo caught in an inner turmoil of hurt and uncertainty and self-loathing and insecurity and fear given the circumstances of luke’s betrayal and percy’s imminent death. in spite of it all, she was still a bastion of hope and light throughout those books, but she deserves to be silly and unburdened by the weight of the world now that she has percy back and there’s no big prophecy (unresolved trauma aside). i think, in her mind, even though new, crazy things keep being thrown at them and she most certainly deals with a latent fear of losing percy at any moment, she’s resolute and confident that they can overcome anything that gets in their way of their dream of going to college and finding peace together because she feels that invigorated and wants it that bad. even if greco-egyptian gods or a triple goddess or a mortal apollo pop up throughout their senior year. i feel like she’s giving herself the freedom to just let go, breathe, be sure everything will be okay in the end, and just be excited about things without drowning in worry for once, which i love. she deserves to feel that childlike enthusiasm she was deprived of for so long. her confidence that they’ll be okay extends to percy being able to complete all his classwork and applications, which in turn reinforces his determination.

2) as for percy, he’s definitely the more outwardly insecure out of the two, mainly because of how his academic prowess pales in comparison to hers and the fact that he feels he doesn’t deserve her and she’s way better than him. percy thinking her SODNYC friends perceive him in the same critical light obviously isn’t helping. it’s evident in the way he’s amazed when he looks at her, disbelieving for a second that she’s his girlfriend, and how he observes her interaction with others more similar to her, feeling like an outsider who can’t understand that part of her brain the way her friends can. it’s even more abundantly clear when he believes “She would always succeed whether I was around or not,” which in theory is a sweet sentiment to have about your very capable girlfriend, but academic and social success aside, she needs him as much as he needs her and she’d see no point in being in california without him. but his insecurities and easy jealousy prevent him from fully understanding this even if he innately knows it’s a universal truth that they’re meant to be together. however, all this being said, percy’s characterization in wottg so far is a little…weird. in order for you to literally pee your pants, something must scare you or catch you off guard really, really bad. so while it makes sense for him to fear a powerful goddess, wetting his boxers seems like an extreme reaction. i know rick was probably just trying to insert immature humor, but the implications are not what he was going for considering this is the boy who didn’t have that reaction staring down titans and giants and nyx and tartarus himself. so forgive me if i think it’s a little insane that percy having such a visceral reaction to a goddess 13 year old hazel fared well against is out of character, even after taking into consideration his fear of not receiving and completing the remaining quests on time. it makes sense for him to be nervous and on edge, given the quiet of the past month, but that amount of fear towards a deity who’s not the most scary thing he’s faced down is an interesting choice since rick isn’t known for realistic depictions of PTSD and that likely isn’t the intention here. it’s also curious how it’s implied even a goddess as primordial as aphrodite caves in to hecate…

3) florence is the goat and i love percy making random friends to help his cause. he doesn’t go out of his way to befriend others in the mortal world unless they approach him first or there’s an opportunity there. and the fact that annabeth can a casually ask her friend to cover for her being gone from her dorm for several days makes me think this is far from the first time she’s snuck out for prolonged periods of time👀

4) this is an INSANE typo to have in a book because clearly not a single person proofread it and it doesn’t surprise me that it got past rick, but becky and several rounds of editors and everyone else in his circle who’s read the book not picking up on it prior to publication is wild. rick is too eager to have his self-insert be everywhere and it shows💀

[greatbananaboat]

jayce vs. caitlyn: unpacking prejudice

i did a thing. disclaimer: i am not an anti. i like jayce. i like caitlyn. use my post for your anti bullshit and i will be very mad. >:( <- this will be me if you use this for anti character bullshit

um anyway it's kind of long you have been warned.

initial attitudes:

caitlyn: starts with fear and misunderstanding of zaun, but evolves to see the people there as victims of their circumstances and worthy of empathy.

jayce: begins with an elitist, dismissive view of zaunites, seeing them as dangerous, and even his intentions to help zaunites are primarily because he's focused on further progressing hextech.

actions towards zaunites (unfortunately, there's a large difference in the amount of times the two interact with zaunites in meaningful ways that teach us things about the way their deep-seated prejudices affect us, but i tried my best):

caitlyn: acts as an advocate for zaunites, trying to help vi and the people of zaun by using her position to get resources, often running into resistance from piltover's elite. she seems to genuinely care about zaunites as people and not simply another talking point.

jayce: focuses on advancing piltover's technological superiority. the majority of the positive things he says about zaun or wanting things to change for zaunites are tied to his dream for hextech. he focuses more on his accomplishments with hextech than he does about the actual zaunites.

growth and change:

caitlyn: shows significant character growth as she recognizes the struggles of zaun and begins to fight for a better future for both piltover and zaun.

jayce: struggles with his growing realization that his actions have harmed zaun, but remains largely entrenched in piltover's status quo, unsure of how to change it without jeopardizing his advancements with hextech.

caitlyn gradually shifts from viewing zaunites as criminals to understanding their suffering and seeking solutions, whereas jayce's perspective, though beginning with naivety and ignorance, starts to hint at moral doubt but remains heavily influenced by his position in piltover's power structures.

overall, their prejudice against zaunites manifests itself in ways that make complete sense when compared to who they are as characters.

caitlyn is a character who cares deeply about justice and helping people. it stands to reason that she would also care about bringing justice for zaun and not just piltover. she grows to care about the suffering zaunites face and advocates for them constantly. even after her attempts at peace are denied when it comes to jinx, she still cares for all of zaun as a whole. she slips into harmful rhetoric multiple times, but her ideals remain relatively steadfast.

jayce's story doesn't have as much connection to zaun and zaunites in general, which is why he has far less interaction with them. his interactions with zaun are centered around hextech, and because hextech is his primary focus, this means he often makes decisions that will harm zaunites. after his experience in the au, where he sees that hextech will destroy piltover if allowed to advance, he returns with the sole focus of destroying hextech. at this point, his prejudice takes a backseat along with most of his other traits from season 1.

and now the evidence, because i'm obsessive like that :) also pls pls interact i manually went through and timestamped all of these

caitlyn:

initial fear and misunderstanding, but begins to question her beliefs

says that the undercity is dangerous and should be feared

S1E2 00:00:27 --> 00:00:31 You really went to the undercity to get these? Weren't you afraid?

believes that not everyone in the undercity is violent and that recent violence can be traced back to one errant person

S1E4 00:33:22 --> 00:33:28 Listen, you know how I've suspected there is a single mind behind the undercity's violence?

goes to stillwater to ask inmates questions

S1E4 00:35:38 --> 00:35:40 I need to speak with one of the inmates.

implies that she can't trust vi because she's a zaunite and a prisoner

S1E5 00:03:51 --> 00:03:54 In what mad world would I trust someone like you?

getting to know vi and shifting towards trust

convinces jayce to approve of her releasing vi despite just having voiced her distrust

S1E5 00:04:26 --> 00:04:27 It's for her release.

is visibly upset about the idea of the warden hurting the prisoners

S1E5 00:04:37 --> 00:04:39 How many chats have you had with her?

follows vi to the lanes instead of making her take the bathysphere the way caitlyn originally suggests (also unrelated but it's funny as hell because while she is trying and failing to parkour, the old man is taking the bathysphere, and they get down to the lanes at the same time)

S1E5 00:11:41 --> 00:13:10

despite her protests, allows vi to lead her around and trusts her to do what's been asked of her

S1E5 00:14:50 --> 00:14:54 Unbelievable. I didn't break you out of jail to eat… slop.

again, despite her initial protests, when told to pretend to be a sex worker at the brothel, she does it (although this may just be bc she's whipped)

S1E5 00:22:52 --> 00:23:01 Ah, yes. Matilda. My parents named me Matilda. After my great-grandmother Matilda, the, uh…

saves vi from being killed by sevika (this is also to ensure her ongoing investigation won't be jeopardized, but it's clear she does care about protecting vi and again, the investigation in question is to prove that the violence that's been blamed on all of zaun is actually just one perpetrator. she is showing dedication to getting justice for both zaun and piltover.)

S1E5 00:35:07 --> 00:35:08 [gunshot]

(at this point i had to stop using very many interactions between vi and caitlyn because they are also affected by caitlyn's growing feelings for vi. that said, her interactions with vi are also very telling of her growth as a person and her examination of her prejudices.)

confronting her own biases

caitlyn acknowledges that zaunites are just as capable of goodness as piltovans. vi talks about how topsiders hurt and judge zaunites and caitlyn genuinely listens to her and actively unpacks her own prejudice

S1E6 00:17:58 --> 00:18:05 It's all right. Despite it all, I can tell… you have a good heart.

while looking for some way to help vi, caitlyn runs into huck. she trusts him to help her find something to heal vi. she gives up her gun to get a potion to help vi. this is significant because it shows that she was listening to what vi said earlier about zaunites not being monsters. she gives up her only weapon and the only thing she has to defend herself

S1E6 00:20:00 --> 00:22:23

after being used by vi (who never told caitlyn that the person she's been hunting is vi's sister), she still stays back and doesn't apprehend or attack jinx, speaking gently to her

S1E6 00:34:51 --> 00:34:53 Your sister is Jinx?

offers herself up to the firelights in place of vi, not knowing anything about the firelights except that they're zaunites and that they kidnapped her and vi (cares more about vi than her fear of what will happen to her if she gives herself up: the fear of zaunites she used to have is now disappearing because she's seen they aren't the monsters she expected)

S1E7 00:19:12 --> 00:19:16 Listen, let her go. I brought her here. It's me you want.

becoming an advocate

listens to ekko's complaints about piltover's oppression, and she clearly wants to fix things between zaun and piltover. she talks about wanting to end the cycle of violence and keeping zaunites from getting hurt by enforcers. unlike other characters, when she refers to "the city", she means piltover and zaun equally

S1E7 00:22:18 --> 00:22:39 Ekko, it's wrong what's been done to you. You'd be well within your rights to keep [the Hextech gemstone]. I couldn't blame you. But… if you do, this cycle of violence will never stop. This is our best shot at setting the record straight. This city needs healing.

vouches for the zaunites as a whole to marcus, not realizing he's in silco's pocket

S1E7 00:29:22 --> 00:29:26 Sir! I have proof. Silco's behind everything.

defends zaunites to her mother, acknowledges the harm caused by piltovans, and shows interest in changing things for zaun. also refers to zaunites as piltovan citizens and equals, not like a lesser community

S1E8 00:07:27 --> 00:07:38 You know what else reflects on the Council? Its citizens living on the streets. Being poisoned. Having to choose between a kingpin who wants to exploit them and a government that doesn't give a shit.

speaks to the council to defend the majority of zaunites to the piltovan elite, telling them they shouldn't blame all of zaun for the actions of the shimmer drug lords. she also tells them that piltover has failed zaunites

S1E8 00:21:31 --> 00:21:54

when jayce suggests going to the undercity and using force, possibly triggering war, caitlyn protests, saying that there are innocents and good people in zaun

S1E8 00:22:27 --> 00:22:30 There are good people down there.

caitlyn wants to come up with alternative ideas to take down silco and free the people of zaun after the councilors (minus jayce) suggest negotiating with silco

S1E8 00:23:49 --> 00:23:51 I can fix this.

harmful experiences

is kidnapped by jinx in a vulnerable position and forced to dress at gunpoint (also likely tortured, as she flinches when jinx gets close to her during the tea party scene and somehow jinx knows that vi calls caitlyn cupcake despite never having heard it herself)

S1E8 00:34:59 --> 00:36:22

jinx gives vi an ultimatum: kill caitlyn or lose powder

S1E9 00:28:44 --> 00:28:49 Send her on her way and-- And you can have Powder back.

watches jinx fire the rocket that ends up killing her mother

S1E9 00:35:25 --> 00:37:06

(unfortunately, i couldn't find timestamped transcripts for season two of arcane, so following citations may be quotes without timestamps, if there are timestamps, it's because i went through the episodes myself to find them)

continues to advocate for zaun as a whole, but is becoming consumed by her thirst for vengeance

when salo orders a show of force, caitlyn protests

S2E1 00:06:56 --> 00:06:58 Innocents will be caught in the crossfire.

wants vi to join the enforcers as a symbol that not all zaunites support jinx, later regrets it and tells vi she doesn't have to accept

S2E1 00:12:11 --> 00:12:18 The Council won't stop them. You can show that not all of Zaun supports Jinx. We can show them. Together.

witnesses the attack on the memorial, and as far as she knows, the attack is organized by zaunites

S2E1 00:23:46 --> 00:31:24

calls renni & her goons animals for attacking the memorial

S2E1 00:32:16 --> 00:32:18 What kind of animals?

instead of entering zaun with the full force of enforcers, caitlyn suggests the alternative of taking a specialized strike team into zaun to minimize the harm done to innocents

S2E1 00:35:16 --> 00:35:28 I will lead a strike team into Zaun with three objectives: Locate Jinx, dismantle Shimmer, and neutralize any agents still loyal to Silco.

gasses the hideout jinx is in so they can apprehend her (however, there is nobody in the area except the enforcers, jinx, and later smeech, sevika, and isha)

S2E2 00:22:45 --> 00:26:36

uses the grey (similar to tear gas when exposure is not extended) in targeted locations to locate and take down the chem barons and gain information from zaunites on jinx's possible whereabouts

S2E3 00:00:52 --> 00:02:01

struggles to continue defending zaunites

threatens to harm heenot despite him clearly not posing a threat to them (this can also be attributed to the fact that he used to work for smeech, a chem baron, but it can be assumed that because of the circumstances, caitlyn has her guard up against zaunites in general at this point)

S2E3 00:04:13 --> 00:04:15 Tell us how you wound up here.

this one is unrelated despite some people believing it is related to caitlyn's prejudice, so i'll share my interpretation of it. when caitlyn says this line, she isn't comparing vi to zaunites in general. she's saying she thought vi was different from before (before being season 1, when vi begged her to hold her shot when she was about to kill jinx and because she listened, jinx managed to fire the rocket that killed caitlyn's mother). in this moment, vi has just made her hold her shot again, and again this has led to jinx setting off an explosion which harmed innocents in piltover. she says the line about jinx's blood being in vi's veins because she is referring to the fact that because they're sisters, vi will always choose jinx over caitlyn. jinx and caitlyn are similar in that they constantly try to make vi choose between them, sometimes without even realizing. when vi responds by asking caitlyn why she's acting like jinx, it's a response to what caitlyn is saying, but not necessarily what caitlyn MEANS.

S2E3 00:29:19 --> 00:29:26 I keep telling myself that you're different. But you're not. It's her blood in your veins.

ambessa's manipulation causes her to let the enforcers and noxians mistreat zaunites, although she shows discomfort with this

is clearly unhappy with the violence instigated by the noxians towards innocent zaunites

S2E4 00:12:21 --> 00:12:25 Was it for my encouragement that your man Rictus was instigating violence?

doesn't want to arrest innocents for no reason and doesn't want violence

S2E4 00:12:47 --> 00:12:49 Arrests require cause.

under her leadership, the noxians and enforcers are instigating needless violence against innocents and rioters alike

S2E4 00:20:05 --> 00:20:13 Enforcers raiding our homes. Noxians down our throats. Innocents getting carted off to Stillwater.

visibly upset about the deaths of zaunites and enforcers alike caused by warwick

S2E5 00:05:03 --> 00:05:54

comments on the experiments that have come out of zaun, referring to the shimmer-fueled monsters, chem tanks, and now warwick (also, the noticeable removal of the word "blood" in her statement leads me to believe that no zaunites had been killed by the enforcers and noxians during the occupation)

S2E5 00:05:54 --> 00:06:08 Months of peacekeeping occupation. Countless operations. Oceans of sweat and tears. I'd begun to think we might finally see an end to Zaun's perverse abominations.

we learn that she outlawed the use of certain cells in stillwater because of the horrible conditions faced by prisoners who were placed in them

S2E5 00:06:30 --> 00:06:40 There are cells buried deep within this prison so devoid of light and fresh air and all basic human considerations that up till now, I have forbidden their use.

removes herself from under ambessa's control and tries to fix her mistakes

expresses regret for allowing ambessa to manipulate her

S2E8 00:11:20 --> 00:11:21 I know!

shows remorse for her actions against the zaunites

S2E8 00:13:05 --> 00:13:07 No amount of good deeds can undo our crimes.

acknowledges that in her pursuit for jinx, she's allowed the harm of innocents, and resents herself for it

S2E8 00:13:18 --> 00:13:22 Hating you, I've hated myself.

by the end, she's still dedicated to changing things for zaun and piltover

S2E9 00:44:37 --> 00:45:12 And though we are doomed to revisit the error of our ways, spark ever more conflicts, our story isn't over.

jayce:

begins with indifference, his "advocacy" for zaun is dependent on his obsession with hextech

says zaun is dangerous

S1E2 00:00:31 --> 00:00:33 A little danger is worth the risk, don't you think? (referring to going to zaun to collect tools)

shares the credit for hextech with viktor, a zaunite

S1E3 00:08:32 --> 00:08:33 Our Hextech dream.

cares about making everyone's lives easier, including zaunites

S1E4 00:26:05 --> 00:26:12 Things that will bring an end to your hardships. Whether you're the scion of our high houses or an honest laborer from the underground. (referring to new, portable hextech)

S1E5 00:08:55 --> 00:09:00 What about our pledge to improve lives, for those in need? For the undercity?

shows concern for viktor and mentions that the cause of viktor's sickness is one of the things he wants to change with hextech

S1E6 00:06:36 --> 00:06:48 I think it has something to do with gasses in the fissures where he grew up. Exactly the sort of thing we wanted to fix with Hextech. Improving lives. Solving real issues, not just trade disputes.

when viktor suggests that the hextech could be used to extend life and augment physiology, jayce cares only about the effects it will have on viktor (this one's unrelated really but look at their brotherly love /silly)

S1E6 00:15:33 --> 00:15:36 Curing you.

when hextech is threatened, he begins to frame zaunites as threats and make decisions that will hurt zaun

in order to protect hextech, he advocates for policies that will hurt zaunites

S1E6 00:23:03 --> 00:23:04 Then, that's what we'll do. (referring to searching everyone who crosses the bridges, which marcus brings up as an impossible idea)

again, in order to protect hextech, he makes fearmongering comments about zaun so he can get heimerdinger kicked off the council

S1E6 00:24:12 --> 00:24:22 Shimmer is rampant in the undercity. Attacks at the Hexgates and in the Academy Square. Enforcers fear to set foot in the Lanes. All under your watch.

continues to act like zaunites are monsters

S1E7 00:13:37 --> 00:13:40 There are people down there who seem hell-bent on destroying us.

tells viktor that zaunites are dangerous (although he apologizes when he's reminded that viktor is also a zaunite)

S1E7 00:13:51 --> 00:13:53 What diff… They're dangerous.

begins considering the creation of hextech weapons to defend piltover against zaun

S1E8 00:12:31 --> 00:12:34 Your Jayce Talis has turned his eye to Hextech weaponry.

is willing to go into the undercity with force, possibly starting a war, so he can recover the hextech gemstone. ignores protests from caitlyn and other councilors

S1E8 00:22:21 --> 00:22:27 This Jinx has the Gemstone? Then we have to go in by force.

jayce is the only councilor frustrated at the prospect of negotiating with silco instead of using force to recover the gemstone

S1E8 00:22:52 --> 00:22:54

threatens to have vi arrested for approaching him in his forge

S1E8 00:28:20 --> 00:28:22 I could have you arrested.

brings enforcers with him and vi on their mission to the undercity to take down one of silco's drug facilities, which ends up getting a child killed and dozens of child laborers arrested

S1E8 00:30:19 --> 00:38:24

begins to regret his actions and try to make amends so the progress of hextech can continue relatively unharmed

after killing a child, refuses to continue with force, seems to regret harming a relatively innocent person

S1E9 00:00:47 --> 00:00:48 We're done here.

regretting his use of force but needing something to show for his time in the undercity, he negotiates with silco to get jinx and the hextech gemstone

S1E9 00:15:56 --> 00:15:59 Get me Jinx. And I'll give you your nation of Zaun.

he advocates for giving zaun sovereignty (although, in the process, he uses viktor's zaunite heritage as a talking point)

S1E9 00:23:45 --> 00:23:52 My days here are numbered, but I've come with Viktor, my partner and a Zaunite, with one final proposal.

bad experiences

is on the receiving end of jinx's bomb, as well as the other councilors

S1E9 00:36:58 --> 00:37:06

(unfortunately, i couldn't find timestamped transcripts for season two of arcane, so following citations may be quotes without timestamps, if there are timestamps, it's because i went through the episodes myself to find them)

is attacked by renni (the mother of the boy he killed) at the memorial for the deceased councilors, and is nearly killed

S2E1 00:23:46 --> 00:31:24

continues to prioritize hextech over the wellbeing of zaun

goes back on his word to viktor and creates hextech weapons for the strike team

S2E1 00:35:20 --> 00:36:15

it's discovered that the firelight tree is becoming corrupted because of the overuse of hextech

S2E3 00:14:38 --> 00:14:41 Do you think this could actually be a result of overuse of Hextech?

the failsafe for the hexgates was built in the underground, such that if it were ever to explode, it would destroy the lanes due to its proximity to zaun's utility ducts. without realizing, jayce had designed it so that it would take out the water supply and ventilation systems of zaun, with no negative effects to piltover. despite his claims that hextech could improve the lives of zaunites, it seems he didn't consider them while designing the hexgates

S2E3 00:18:34 --> 00:18:38 So instead of it exploding in your neighborhood, it would blow up in ours.

S2E3 00:18:49 --> 00:18:57 You know, you say we should feel like we're all one people. But whenever it rains, we're the ones that get wet.

no longer has many significant interactions with zaunites because his fear that hextech is threatened by zaunites has been replaced with his fear that hextech will destroy all of piltover if allowed to progress unchecked

admits that it's unfair to ask the zaunites to fight with piltover after lifetimes of oppression, but still requests their aid

S2E8 00:25:35 --> 00:25:38 Now, this isn't a fair request, but it is our only hope.

[mins-fins]

heart attack

&&. there's something hilarious about the beautiful doctor there to help with your terrible habits.

pairing: qian kun x gn!reader

genre: fluff

warnings: mentions of overworking, mentions of passing out & hospitalization

word count: 0.9k

notes: this….. THISSS💔💔💔 this drabble was very inspired by the thai movie heart attack (a movie that has no right being as cute as it is) kun fits the part so well because first.. doctor kun, and second.. kun is so amazing, i love kun, we all fucking love kun 😿 this is a early bday gift for user junjiie bc we all know he loves kun (happy early bday pookie ily) this is insanely self indulgent because i have slept less than three hours in these past five days and have been working myself to shit because.. med school!! yayyyyyyy!! im so excited!! (is not excited)

"so what's the matter with you?"

the usual roughness that would lace the voice of a medical professional is replaced by the softness you would feel of pillows, you glance up, meeting the eyes of the beautiful man before you. you stare, forgetting where you are for a moment, the exhaustion rendering you speechless.

but it's a whisper in your head that reminds you of where you are, and you flinch. "oh— i um.. there's these rashes appearing on my body".

"okay" he mutters, clicking his tongue and pen in unison. "and where exactly?"

"my arms, my neck.." he hums, pulling up your sleeve to check out what you told him. "also there are some on my fingers".

he bites into his inner cheek, much too close for the sake of your heart. he then glances up, examining your face through his glasses. "you haven't been getting any sleep" he snaps his fingers in your direction, letting go of you and turning back to his computer.

you respond with a dry chuckle, too tired to even try to add emotion. "and you know that how?"

"i can see it in your eyes, those dark circles aren't doing you justice" he sucks his teeth as he types out something. "what's your occupation?"

it isn't strange that he's curious, just answer the question.

you shake your head, mind all over the place. "i work in graphic design".

"ohhh" he doesn't exactly seem surprised. "freelance?"

you nod.

his eyebrows join together. "how does an editing job have you so tired?"

you let out a breath, too exhausted to allow a laugh. "it's a twenty four hour thing, if i'm awake at all times i function better".

"you're barely functioning now".

"well you're a doctor, you always tell people the obvious" you sigh, closing your eyes to try and recollect the many hours of sleep you lost. "i'm sure you aren't any better than me.."

"i'd be inclined to disagree".

you open one eye, staring at the pretty doctor who types away on his computer, catching you in his peripheral vision. (eyes you don't notice due to your lethargy making you less disposed to).

"when was the last time you slept?"

your throat goes dry, your senses reduced to the clear fatigue. you could simply lie, how would he even know? there's no way dr. qian is a psychic, that would be freaky, you're sure it would be nightmarish if that were the case.

there's an indecipherable glimmer in his eye, one that would scare you in regular circumstances where you were fully awake. it's as if he knows you're going to lie, your attempt at fib crawls down your throat before it can even escape your lips. "five days ago".

his reaction is serene, much too calm for your situation. "five days ago.. and how many hours did you sleep?"

your brain is foggy, you almost blurt the number 'six', but that's simply your default response when people ask. why would you ever lie to a doctor?..and the cute doctor especially?

you pause at the wave of your thoughts. what do you mean he's cute?

it's simply common sense, y/n. don't you like smart guys?

you would probably attribute it to your terrible sleep deprivation if it weren't true. you can't deny that the man before you is simply so attractive it should be illegal, he's absolutely gorgeous, how can a regular doctor be so beautiful? you might fall over, not from your lack of sleep, but from the eyes of the man who stares with such care.

"like.. three?"

your voice scratches as you recall the last time you 'slept', he hums, clicking his pen as he notes the information down. he turns in his rolling chair, scooting closer to you. "you mind if i see your hands?"

you can't even put up a fight, you're just about to give into your own exhaustion. you put your hands out for him, and dr. qian takes your hands in his own, examining the rashes which litter your fingers. he's close, so close, you can admire each of his facial features with amazing certainty. everything about him is beautiful, his cheeks, his eyes, the curves of his lips, it's all beautiful, it should be a crime for such a man to exist.

"that's an issue.. have you taken medication for sleep before?" you shake your head, and his fingers slip from yours.

"alright.. i'm going to put you on doxylamine" he mumbles, getting back to noting down your state. you begin scratching at the rashes on your fingers, and he snaps: "don't scratch it".

you move your hands apart rather quickly, his tone of voice intimidating you enough that you pause. he's much too convincing.

he points at you. "tonight, and this next month onward, you sleep before nine o'clock every single day".

you uncharacteristically snicker. "do you sleep before nine o'clock every single day?"

he raises an eyebrow, amused by the question. "i'm the doctor, i know best".

"of course".

"you'll end up dead if you keep going at this rate, take your medication, sleep before nine every day, then check back in with me next month".

"if i'm not available, can i reschedule?"

the question is simply meant to be comedic, you're just about to pass out, trying to sneak in a last minute joke before having to leave the office of the cute doctor. he leans his arm against the desk, smiling at you. "don't reschedule, i want to see you".

and you clearly weren't expecting those words, because your cheeks flare up.

see y/n? you do like smart guys.

[shipping-isnt-morality]

I was frankly shocked the first time I discussed the Shoah with Israelis (rather than American Jews). There was a level of… I don’t know what to call it but victim-blaming, that I wasn’t sure how to handle. That’s of course not universal but the very fact that that’s an accepted viewpoint in Israel is kind of telling I think. For example there was even some scandal on the right in America when Ben Shapiro suggested that arming the Jews (more) would have prevented the Holocaust. In Israel that viewpoint is quite common.

There’s a kind of scorn among some Zionists for victims of the Holocaust, and if you really understand their point of view it’s easy to see why. If anti-Semitism is inevitable and incurable, if the very presence of Jews brings it about, then they should have fought harder, or at least left sooner. They should have known better than to ever think they could be welcome or safe in their home. It’s almost an exoneration of the anti-Semite; like a force of nature, he is inevitable and inexhaustible.

Not to always bring everything back to what I know, but it reminds me of how we talk about abusers and victims. These posts about protecting yourself from attackers in your car, in a parking lot, in your home, on a boat, whatever: They take for granted that you can not and should not feel safe in these places. They treat the danger of sexual predators the same as the danger of wildlife. Zionists talk about anti-Semites in a similar way, I’ve noticed.

Lord knows in many cases these are born from trauma. It’s no surprise that victims of serious violations would like to know how to protect themselves from it ever happening again and would want to protect others from the same.

The problem is that this trauma-informed response cannot actually fix the root of the problem. Neither anti-Semitism nor male sexual violence are forces of nature. They are byproducts of exploitative and imperfect systems run and populated by highly imperfect humans. Different systems have had different outcomes, though, some better than others, and recently some quite well indeed. Systemic solutions to these problems - at the least, to greatly reduce them, and to make justice more accessible - do exist. Humans can and have built them.

A systemic solution to the problem cannot start with the victim, though. It has to start with the perpetrator. It has to ask why the system keeps producing people who can and would do this. It has to ask what the perpetrator wants, why they want that, and why they think harming someone else will get them what they want. Simplistic, spiteful, or dehumanizing answers to these questions aren’t helpful; neither are trite or fatalistic ones. Only truthful, consistent, verifiable, rational answers will allow us to change the circumstances which lead to these crimes.

The victim is rarely in a position to change that system, or even to change the circumstances of a single abuser; on a personal level it makes sense to treat the threats as inevitable. On a societal level, though, it is essential that we recognize the perpetrators as rational actors who are fully responsible for their actions and whose excuses must be challenged.

Ideologically it is completely backwards to start from an assumption that it is up to the actions of a victim to avoid victimization. It is infinitely easier for perpetrators, who are after all themselves rational actors and members of our society, to choose a different action which does not victimize someone else. And where possible it is our role as a community to make better choices more accessible, and to punish exploitative behavior.

Because a victim-led initiative, at worst, would result in avoiding victimization through in turn becoming victimizers of a different, even more marginalized group. It recreates the problem: the victim cannot feel safe because the only defense they can conceive is one which never puts them in the position to be victimized ever again, but there is no battle to be won against the entire system. So a smaller battle is chosen, and a weaker opponent singled out (and rhetorically aligned with the systemic danger and hostility), and the exploitation dance happens again, one level down.

I’m hardly the first to observe this. This is probably a clumsy rephrasing of common philosophy examining human exploitation.

But the point is: all of that makes sense as a protective coping mechanism for the victim, but as a society it must not be where our analysis begins or ends. On a societal level this exploitation is not omnipresent, inevitable, or inexhaustible. The perpetrators are in our society as much as the victims are; an uncomfortable fact that I think people need to grow up about.

Our solutions can, should, and must look at why this happens and what we can do about it. The answer is not “nothing”. We have accomplished extraordinary things as a species. We have concepts of justice, of empathy. We have written documents of shared humanity, we have demonstrated shared humanity - for better and for worse. It is possible for us to find answers to these brutally difficult questions.

Palestine must be free, and Jews must be safe. These imperatives are not mutually exclusive. Those who tell you otherwise have something to gain from your fear.

[abboudlawfirm-tucson]

Do I Need to Go to Court for a Wrongful Death Claim? Understanding Your Options

When you lose a loved one due to someone else’s negligence, it can feel like your world has turned upside down. While seeking justice through a wrongful death claim is one way to find closure, many people are unsure whether they’ll need to go to court to resolve their case. The decision between going to court or settling outside is significant and depends on your unique circumstances. This article will explore both options, help you understand what to expect, and guide you through your decision-making process.

Court vs. Settlement in a Wrongful Death Case

When it comes to wrongful death cases, you’re often faced with two main paths: going to court or settling the case outside of it. Each option has advantages and challenges that can affect how your case unfolds. Let’s take a closer look at both.

Going to Court with a Wrongful Death Attorney

If you choose to take your wrongful death claim to court, you’re opting for a formal legal process where a judge or jury will hear your case. During court proceedings, both sides present evidence, call witnesses and argue their case in front of the court.

While going to court can potentially lead to a higher financial award, it comes with risks. The outcome isn’t guaranteed, and there’s a chance that the court could rule in favor of the other party, leaving you with nothing. Additionally, court cases are often lengthy, emotionally draining, and require thorough preparation.

Settling Outside of Court

Settling out of court is often quicker and less stressful. In this scenario, you and the responsible party (or their insurance company) negotiate a settlement amount that compensates you for your losses without needing a trial.

One major advantage of settling is certainty. You know exactly what you’ll receive, and the matter is resolved faster, allowing you to move forward. However, settlement amounts can sometimes be lower than you might win in court.

Can You Settle a Wrongful Death Claim Out of Court?

Yes, wrongful death claims can be settled out of court, and this is often the preferred route for many families. Settlements offer privacy, quicker resolutions, and less emotional toll. During negotiations, your Wrongful Death Attorney will work with the other party to agree on a fair compensation amount for your losses, including funeral costs, lost wages, and emotional suffering.

In many cases, settlements are reached without the need to file a formal lawsuit. However, if negotiations stall or the other party refuses to offer a reasonable settlement, going to court may become necessary.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Going to Court

If you’re unsure whether to settle or take your case to court, weighing the pros and cons of each option is helpful.

Advantages of Going to Court:

Potential for Higher Compensation: Court verdicts can sometimes award higher damages, especially if the case involves punitive damages meant to punish the responsible party.

Public Accountability: A public trial can bring attention to the wrongdoing and may help prevent similar incidents in the future.

Emotional Closure: For some families, having their day in court provides a sense of justice and closure.

Disadvantages of Going to Court:

Uncertainty: There’s no guarantee of winning your case, and you could end up with nothing.

Lengthy Process: Trials can take months or even years, prolonging the emotional strain of your loss.

Higher Costs: Going to court often requires more legal fees and expenses, adding to the financial burden.

Legal Process and Requirements for a Wrongful Death Claim

If you decide to pursue a wrongful death lawsuit, it’s essential to understand the legal process involved. The steps typically include:

Filing the Complaint: The lawsuit begins with filing a legal complaint that outlines your case and the basis for your wrongful death claim.

Discovery Phase: Both sides gather evidence and share information. This may include depositions, witness interviews, and medical record collections.

Settlement Negotiations: Many wrongful death cases are settled during the discovery phase, even after filing, to avoid the costs and uncertainties of a trial.

Trial: If no settlement is reached, the case proceeds to trial, where both sides present their evidence and arguments to a judge or jury.

Alternative Dispute Resolution: Mediation and Arbitration

In addition to court proceedings or traditional settlements, there are other options for resolving wrongful death claims. These include:

Mediation: A neutral third party helps both sides reach a mutually agreeable settlement.

Arbitration: A neutral arbitrator hears both sides and makes a binding decision.

These alternatives can be less formal and more cost effective than going to court, but they may not be suitable for every case. Your Wrongful Death Attorney will help determine if alternative dispute resolution is viable.

What Happens if Your Case Goes to Court?

Knowing what to expect is important if you go to court. After filing the complaint and going through discovery, your case will eventually be heard in front of a judge or jury. This involves presenting evidence, calling witnesses, and arguing your case.

Your Wrongful Death Attorney will guide you through this process, ensuring you’re prepared and your case is presented in the strongest possible way. Court proceedings can be emotional and intense, but having an experienced attorney can make all the difference.

Do I Need a Lawyer for a Wrongful Death Claim?

While you’re not legally required to have a lawyer to file a wrongful death claim, it’s highly recommended. Wrongful death cases are complex; navigating the legal process without professional guidance can be overwhelming. An experienced Wrongful Death Attorney will help you understand your rights, gather the necessary evidence, negotiate the best possible settlement, or represent you effectively in court.

[marshmallowprotection]

Hello! I'm a recent follower and I've fallen in love with the polyamorous trio (saeyoung, Judas, Minji) My favorite is definitely Minji! She is a sun, I love her looks and personality, I think it matches the type of person she is (i.e. she is yellow or gold like the sun) I always see her being kind and helping others, but I have a question. Do you ever get angry? Is there something you don't like about a person or thing in general? Sorry if you've already answered this! I couldn't find it

Another Minji lover on my list! A lot of people adore her design and personality—which makes me very happy every time someone brings her up! I thought some people might imagine her to be a bit cliche since she's made of sunshine and adores baking for her loved ones. But, sometimes, you need a character that's bright and filled with a certain level of optimism that you don't see in your everyday life. That's how I feel about her, myself.

She's a ray of sunshine in a world that isn't always bright, but when you need her the most, she'll be there! A lot of people may take this to believe she's naive, or that she doesn't have it in her to hate others given how fast she is to choose kindness first. But, that's not the case. However, when you compare her perspective to Judas or Saeyoung, she'll feel way more understanding than they do to you.

That's because both Saeyoung and Judas view things from a realistic point of view. They have seen and experienced cruelty firsthand, and they aren't the type of people to think twice about burning bridges to spare themselves or their loved ones. Saeyoung would burn the world to ash and cinder to protect his family, and Judas would readily crush anyone who dared to hurt someone innocent if they so much as gave him a second glance he didn't like. They aren't the types who forgive, rather, they remember and get even.

Minji isn't like that, per se. It's not that she's against violence all the time, but she isn't the first person to jump to it as an answer if there's something else you can do first. She knows that both Saeyoung and Judas have done things that keep them up at night, and plenty more that don't keep them up at night. She doesn't judge them for it. She knows they did what they had to do. She comforts them when they learn how to open up about the pain they carry, and she never once thinks about them in a different light because of what she learns.

She doesn't want to jump to an extreme outcome if it can be helped. She wants more than anything for justice to be served the way that it needs to be, in a trial where those who have wronged her loved ones have no choice but to squirm in front of a judge and jury who can see them for what they are. But, she knows that life doesn't always work that way, and... if her lovers blur that line, she won't judge them for it. The only point of contention she has with them is how self-sacrificial they can be.

She wishes they valued their lives more... their freedom... their hope... their happiness... and their own experiences. It's great that they love someone so much they're willing to die, but she thinks it's far more compelling to love someone so much that you're willing to live for the chance to see another day with them even if it's the hardest fight of your life to see the sunrise. She knows how hard they fight to be with her, and she is bright and warm so they know the sunrise will always come! And you know what, they're her sunset. They remind her that even the sun is allowed to rest and to be embraced by those she so very much holds dear, too.

If you're asking what makes Minji the angriest, it's people who make others cower in the darkness to survive. People like Judas' ex, people like Saeyoung's mother and father, etc. I don't believe she hates Rika or Jihyun, but I know she has a strong sense of both frustration and pity for them in her heart.

She pities them because she knows that all of this could've been avoided if the circumstances had been different... had Rika gotten the help she needed from the start and Jihyun learned how to speak up when he realized he was in over his head. Minji doesn't hate anything unless we count the people who inflict harm on others and don't do anything to reflect on their actions or make up for them by doing the right thing. Sure, some things frustrate her, but she isn't the type to outright hate anything.

If your question was about me, though, then, I can simply say, yes! I do experience anger, and yes, there are plenty of things that bother me. But, we all experience anger at the end of the day. If you said you don't get angry or frustrated, I would be surprised because even the kindest of people have their moments of frustration and exhaustion. It's healthy to experience your emotions, all of them, even the ones people claim aren't "palatable." As long as you're not hurting yourself or anyone else, feel whatever you need to feel!

And, if you do end up hurting someone by accident, own up to it and work to make things right. It's not that complicated at the end of the day. Feel your emotions, guys. Suppressing your anger because you're afraid of it hurts you more than feeling your anger in the first place.

[fangaminghell]

Welp! Spoilers for pokemon rejuvenation, particularly 13.5!!!!!!!!

So in my big ass renegade trio post, I said that Teddy is dead. That is partially true. Teddy did die, though to the rest of the world he simply went missing? Why? Because his body wasn't there when Isador came back with everyone to "save" him. So what happened to the body? Spacea and Tiempa happened. Theodore Arkwright died that day. And Spacea and Tiempa brought him back to life. Which. Isn't exactly allowed, if I'm remembering correctly. Interfering with humans at that level is a no go. But Teddy was a special case. He was a good battler. A very good battler. And his dutiful heart and sense of justice was honestly perfect for the Storm chasers cause. So they decided to bend the rules and bring Teddy back to life, and have him join the Storm chasers.

The thing is, though, that because of the special circumstances of Teddy - being brought back to life - Spacea and Tiempa made sure to keep him as separate as he could from the other Storm chasers. He had his own missions, his own place to life, and was almost always busy. I think Melia only really saw him a couple times - he could never really form a connection with others. Which was fine. He was convinced that he was doing a good thing, and even if....even if he was still alone, without his brother, it would be worth it in the end. Needless to say, unlike others, Teddy has a lot of faith in Spacea and Tiempa.

It's unfortunate,though, what inevitably happens to him. Because like all Storm Chasers, even one of the best like Teddy, once their usefulness was out, they were discarded. And Teddy, inevitably, was no exception. And so, by the end of it all, Teddy dies once more. Whether or not he ever gets to see his brother again is still getting worked out. Though chances are, they do not.

Let's take a step back for a moment because I've explained the Storm chasers part, but never fully explained Teddy.

Teddy is everything that Isador wants. Teddy is kind, heroic, and patient to a fault. In many ways, he is like his father. I mentioned in the renegade post that the twins father was a well respected member of his community: many people looked up to him. So when he died, the people of the town looked at someone else- young Teddy. Because he was kind, heroic, patient to a fault and noticeably, talented. He could be the one to save the town. He would be their hero. And what an unfair thing to put on a child.

Truthfully speaking, Teddy never wanted to be considered the hero. He loves helping people yes, and for his town, he would do anything but. He didn't want all that attention. All he wanted was to be with his twin brother, the only person he felt he could be himself with. Cause here's the thing. Isador hated and envied ( and loved?) Teddy. Teddy absolutely adored and loved Isador. Because it was really all he had. Teddy never wanted for Isador to feel left out- he wanted them to do things together, laugh together, battle together. Even when Isador left him for dead, he couldn't even be angry. He hoped that one day the two could just talk and hope that maybe, it was just a mistake. He hoped that one day there would be no tension between them, and that they could just be brothers again. That's all he wanted.

But that day never came.

In paragon, because of the reset and Will's Curse, Teddy is an only child. He does not remember Isador. No one does. And yet he always feels like something is missing. He was never able to get Oblitus town on the maps like the town had hoped, though because he was always the favorite, they were never mad at him. He helps around the town as he can, and tries to keep everyone in spirit. He's still the town's little hero. A lone hero. Shouldering his own grief and responsibility all on his own. But he tries. He really does. That's the best he can do anyway.

Oh! Fun fact. The red scarf that Isador wears in canon? It's Teddy's. Isador is very protective of that scarf. He refuses to take it off even at his own detriment, and gets very anxious when it's not with him. It's funny. It's a reminder of the person he hates the most. And yet, he doesn't leave without it. Odd.

[fortifice]

The Captain of the Silvermane Guard? He’s young, exceptionally handsome, respected by all those who know him. He comes from a noble, wealthy family, he’s kind hearted and brave, loyal to his people to a fault, and he never wavers in his dedication to protecting them even when he’s on the verge of collapse. By all means, you would think someone like him has everything and more a person could long for in this world. It’s unfortunate that it’s all a mask and nothing more. I don’t see someone’s who has the entire world in the pan of their hand. More like… someone who has been forced to bear the weight of it on his back for as long as he can remember. Has he ever once in his life been asked what he wanted? Does he even know? Can he name to you his closest friends, or the last meaningful relationship he was in without having to stop and mull it over?

I can admire his more impressive qualities, of which their are many, and still feel a vague sense of disgust at a population who would expect someone who hasn’t even had the chance to live yet to lay down his life so they can continue their own uninterrupted. Where is the justice? If someone born into that kind of privilege can be sentenced to a prolonged, inevitable death in the freezing cold, surrounded by monsters and fallen comrades, what the hell is there to hold out hope for? I won’t pretend to understand what happened with the last Supreme Guardian, but all I know is that for a planet that claims to embody Preservation, it’s pretty damned pathetic that no one thought of looking to alternate solutions instead of sending their sons to die every few years. To allow a tyrannical monarch to segregate the population in half and leave the less fortunate side to rot should have been a cal to serve her head on a platter and take control back of their own destiny.

What was done to those guards that they were okay with leaving some of their people for dead instead of standing up for what was right?

What came first, the people of Belobog losing faith in the idea that circumstances could improve if even just a fraction of them stood up and rallied for change? Or the previous generation breaking down their children to the point where complacency and absolute obedience was the only thing they were permitted to do?

But things are improving now. Belobog has outside help, allies, friends. They have options. It’s time to let the guards live instead of expecting them to sacrifice their bodies and souls to death only to raise their children to do the same thing.

If I could ask the Captain two things it would be this: what does he truly want? And would he ever willingly force his own child into the position he is in now? If the answer is no, then somewhere song the way, someone failed the guards.

It was painful to hear the truth so candidly, for they had grown complacent when facing the imminence of death at every dawn and laying their fallen brethren as dusk settled. It was not to say that it was a merciful thing, it was to say that they expected it, it was the way things had always been, would always be. He had seethed with the unjustness of it for so many years, trod the path of his forefathers and accepted that he would die, it was fate, for someone to stand up and ask who wanted this ? who asked for this, there wasn’t an answer he could give that was truthful. No one wanted to die. The men he had marched into battle with that had lost their lives had wanted to live more than anything else, when someone had seen them huddled around a fire laughing heartily, sharing meals together, living together, it became so excruciatingly obvious that none of them had asked for this. He does not take his position as captain lightly, for as much as it is a shackle he has always walked with it with pride. It was an intrinsic part of who he was, but to ask what he wanted, would he be an honest man if he answered that this was all he had ever coveted, that it was not imprisonment, condemning young men to die for the sake of preserving normalcy. Not many were brazen enough to speak up against the Supreme Guardian’s will, it had encompassed belobog for decades, in the wake of her death things were changing but it was like thawing frozen, brittle cogs. Everything would take time, it was an inevitable thing that, because these people had become accustomed to survival, not living. This commanding letter imbued with all that fervent emotion makes his chest ache, because he knows it’s not wrong - he knows he does not have the answers that they might want. But when they ask him, implore him for his own feelings, is this what he wanted ? would he force his children to take up the mantle and die for the people of belobog. He looks haunted by that revelation, because he knows that his truth is not in accordance with the Supreme Guardian’s will that had dictated so much of his life. “ No..” it sounds pained, like he were gritting it out from between his teeth, like every breath in the wake of change was excruciating for him. He was having to learn about himself, about others, when his whole life had been shaped for one thing and now he was left to reel in the aftermath of it, change wasn’t easy - it wasn’t pleasant, it hurt. “ I would not condemn anyone else to walk the path I have, it is far too imbued with suffering and death.” he could envision the other’s hands clenched into fists, grabbing his white livery and shaking him until he realized that he did not need to die for them, no one wanted him dead. “ If I was afforded the opportunity I would leave this place.” it’s such a blasphemous thing to say, that his whole soul keens beneath the weight of it. “ I have spent much of my life protecting it but all I have wanted is to leave.” wouldn’t it make others recoil from him, knowing that the pristine white of the captain’s uniform was stained with the desire to walk away from it all. The death was too much, when someone asked for him to be honest he thought he may be crushed under the corollary of his confession. “ Their words are harsh but they are not wrong, Belobog needs to change.” and this letter he crumples up, he doesn’t throw it away, he thinks if another’s prying eyes were to lay upon it they too might suffer with the revelations he did. 

[coles-scythe]

Edit: WHAT HAPPENED TO MY POST FORMATTING??? WHERED MY READMORE GO?????

Edit 2: Fixed the formatting, this app is so broken ;-;

I posted the first two to personal bc they were part of a batch but they also feature my design of Nanako from my P4–5 AU of my self ship AU.

Lore stuff under the cut because this is one of my more developed AUs despite it not being canon to my main AU at all lmao.

Quickie recap of the premise to my AU bc I don't remember if I ever posted it to this blog. Basically when Maruki is researching cognitive pscience pre-P5, he gets access to the Shadow Ops' files of the multiple incidents in Inaba (P4 + Arena/Ultimax) and learns about Jay basically being displaced from their own timeline to This Side via Nyarly, causing him to add multiverse theory to his cognitive pscience studies. P5's story happens, as does P5R's 3rd semester, but in this scenario Maruki is able to win against the Phantom Thieves, merge the worlds + take control over the world as its new god of control (Rip Yaldy lmao), and seal the Phantom Thieves away until he can figure out how to convert them to the new world despite their renewed wills making them immune to Maruki's distortions. In the meantime, to say thanks to Jay for indirectly helping him bring his idea of happiness to the world, he distorts the world again to allow Jay to fulfill their wish to have been born in this timeline, meet Adachi and the rest of the Investigstion Team (IT) sooner, yada yada a bunch of other sappy stuff. To make an even longer story short, Jay and all of the people they have a very strong connection with (Adachi, Dojima, the IT, and surprise guest: my familial OC F/O Skylar) are turned back into highschoolers and all attend Shujin, where Maruki can watch over them (out of fear that they might react like the Phantom Thieves did if they ever find out the truth.) Because of these distortions, pretty much everyone from P4 and P3 had their entire lives changed and are living in completely different scenarios. Philemon tasks Jay and Narukami with returning their friends' memories to them, slapping some sense into Maruki, and restoring the world to the state it should be in.

Nanako is one of the people affected by Maruki's distortions. In my AU, Dojima becomes a member of the IT and thusly is also affected and turned back into a teenager alongside everyone else in the party. Because I'm not completely insane, Dojima and Chisato will not have Nanako while he's like 17/18 during the AU's story. Chisato is still Nanako's mother, but marries Shinya Oda's father instead of Dojima. Her mom still dies while Nanako is young, but Oda remarries to Shinya's canon birthmom. Due to her new circumstances, instead of being under the Justice Arcana, she is now under of the Tower Arcana. Her Social Link/Confidant still deals with her independence, but has a bigger focus on her want to be a good sister and set a good example for Shinya to follow.

As for the design itself, she's a bit more rebellious than canon Nanako and tends to be a bit of a rule breaker, especially when Shinya isn't around. She's got a very strained relationship with her parents, especially her stepmother, and is pretty attention starved as a result. So she acts out to get some kind of attention. I tried to make her design reflect this. She's in her last year of middle school, so she obviously wears her school uniform. But she breaks dress code by not wearing the right jacket, incorrectly wearing the shirt, and adds an extra t-shirt to the outfit. I styled the jacket, bow, socks, and shoes to resemble her clothes in canon. I also made her wear her hair differently. A lopsided short ponytail felt like it look both cute and give the impression of being a young child's attempt to dress more like a delinquent lol. Plus it has a sporty vibe, somewhat inspired by Nanako's model in the P5 beta leak using a lacrosse stick as a weapon. I didn't want her new rebellious nature to be outright in front of your face, plus she still needs to be somewhat presentable/socially acceptable to be that good example for Shinya, so I kept it pretty tame.

[lightcreators]

"-- do you have any regrets?" The question was asked over a drink at the Jazz Jin. It wouldn't be long now before they completed Sae's change of heart. Too many things would fall into place then, and Akechi found himself feeling something close to a sense of… reluctance to keep going forward.

But he had no choice, and so the feeling was turned to a question for Akira.

"About anything. About… your extra curricular activities."

@justicepuppet

Inside  calmness  of  the  club  of  jazz,  Akechi’s  question  brought  an  uncontrollable  sadness  upon  his  features.  Actually,  he  would  have  been  ready  to  carry  on  that  double  life  as  longer  as  he  could,  until  himself  was  beyond  this  legal  case  that  stuck  to  his  skin  ---  Nevertheless,  the  unexpected  death  coming  afterwards  one  of  their  interventions  actually  destroyed  all  over  the  place  gentle  paradise  they  could  have  settled  down  …  even  if,  having  all  people’s  attention,  reached  the  higher  spheres  when  he  didn’t  have  the  impression  to  have  doing  so  much,  has  been  an  long  term  discomfort  …  If  he  hadn’t  stand  up  for  little  justice  since  the  beginning  of  that  new  life,  experienced  circumstances  could  have  been  deeply  different,  and  oh,  outside  the  Phantom  Thieves,  he  has  been  discovering  many  people  around  him  who  has  been  wronged  unfairly.  He  just  has  been  another  victim  of  a  system  that  reached  to  corrupting  innocents  by  protecting  the  higher  corrupters  inside  their  big  spheres  of  powers  and  influence.  Hope  given  by  the  Phantom  Thieves,  as  uncontrollable  it  turned  out  to  be  eventually,  given  that  possibility  of  a  utopia  back  to  the  world  ---  even  if  right  now,  reduced  to  a  single  dream  …  As  easily  they  gained  people’s  approval,  by  the  moment  public  opinion  considering  them  criminals,  they  were  all  finished  and  wouldn’t  never  been  allowed  to  carry  on  a  teenager  life.

❝  I  would  have  wanted  to  help  more  people.  ❞  He  eventually  admitted.  ❝This  could  be  my  greatest  regret.  How  it  turned  could  also  been  one.  ❞  It  never  has  been  treated  as  a  game  in  the  first  place,  nevertheless,  there  was  an  undeniable  pleasure  to  knowing  he  has  been  doing  some  good  to  this  world.  Changing  someone’s  heart  without  touching  to  their  integrity  allowed  many  life  to  been  saved,  many  paths  to  been  transformed  into  something  more  happier  …  Though,  as  much  he  seemed  partially  from  the  outside  weighted  by  the  remembrance  it  would  be  soon  been  over,  he  wasn’t  sure  if  Akechi  sensed  the  same.  Well,  it  has  been  a  nice  coincidence  they  knew  each  other  long  before  realization  he  was  watching  their  footsteps.  He  hesitated  to  speak  about  his  legal  case.  In  the  beginning,  there  has  been  that  hanging  regret  how  much  he  standing  up  for  an  innocent  cost  him  immediate  misjudgement  and  losing  his  home  temporary,  to  becoming  a  criminal  to  the  people’s  eyes,  in  which  deformation  of  perception  caused  him  to  been  considered  as  something  terrible  when  it  was  nothing  of  that  truth  …  but  the  biggest  regret  wasn’t  really  personal.  It  has  been  inside  his  shoulders  to  assure  himself  nothing  would  have  happened  to  that  Shadow,  since  they  usually  awaited  disappearance  of  it  who  caused  dramatic  ending.  He  could  have  prevented  the  one  causing  physical  ruptures,  since  what  had  happened  meant  that  he  was  there.  ❝  My  own  precipitations.  ❞  He  summarizing  instead,  as  returned  curiosity  was  offered.  ❝  And  you?  Now  that  you  see  it  from  the  inside,  do  you  also  regret  anything  ?  Or  do  you  regret  anything  since  we  met  ?  Would  you  have  wished  something  else  ?   ❞  He  transformed  each  person  that  came  to  met  him.

[mcginnlawfirm]

How Can a Criminal Defense Attorney Help Me with My Case?

Facing criminal charges can be an overwhelming experience, filled with uncertainty and stress. You may ask: How can a criminal defense attorney help me with my case? Securing the right legal representation is vital for navigating the complexities of the legal system. In this article, we will explore the various ways a criminal defense attorney, like those at McGinn Law Firm, can assist you in building a strong defense.

Understanding Criminal Defense Attorney

A criminal defense attorney is a legal professional defending people accused of crimes. They are well-versed in criminal law and have extensive experience dealing with cases ranging from misdemeanors to serious felonies. Their primary goal is to protect your rights and ensure you receive fair treatment under the law.

Case Evaluation and Legal Strategy

One of the first steps a criminal defense attorney will take is to evaluate your case thoroughly. This means reviewing all the details, evidence, and charges against you. They will identify weaknesses in the prosecution's case and develop a comprehensive legal strategy tailored to your situation.

Imagine having your defense attorney guide you through legal jargon and complicated processes. This support can be incredibly reassuring, especially when you feel lost or alone in the legal system.

Protection of Your Rights

Every person has certain rights that must be upheld, even when facing criminal charges. A criminal defense attorney will protect your rights at every stage of the legal process. This includes protecting you from unlawful searches and seizures, ensuring you understand your rights during police questioning, and representing you during arraignment, hearings, and trial.

Having a knowledgeable attorney by your side can assure you that your rights are being upheld. They will advocate for you forcefully against any infringement, providing a sense of security during a challenging time.

Negotiation Skills

Not all cases go to trial. Many criminal cases are resolved through plea deals or negotiations. Here, a skilled attorney can make a significant difference. They can negotiate with the prosecution to aim for reduced charges, lesser sentences, or even a dismissal of the case.

With strong negotiation skills, your attorney can evaluate the offer from the prosecution and determine whether it's in your best interest. They will consider your case's circumstances, ensuring you make informed choices.

Trial Preparation and Representation

A criminal defense attorney will be your most valuable ally if your case goes to trial. They will prepare a strong defense strategy, which includes gathering evidence, interviewing witnesses, and potentially hiring expert witnesses to testify on your behalf. Importantly, they will also handle all legal documents and court procedures, allowing you to focus on your life outside the courtroom.

Your attorney will represent you during the trial, presenting your case to the judge and jury. They will argue on your behalf, challenge the prosecution's evidence, and strive to create reasonable doubt in the jurors' minds. This level of representation is invaluable and can significantly influence the outcome of your case.

Emotional Support and Guidance

Navigating the criminal justice system can be emotionally taxing. A criminal defense attorney provides not only legal representation but also emotional support. They can answer your questions, clarify concerns, and keep you informed.

At McGinn Law Firm, the team understands the emotional weight of a criminal case. They are committed to communicating openly with their clients, ensuring you never feel alone through this challenging journey.

Tailored Defense Strategies

Every case is unique, as is the approach required to defend it. A criminal defense attorney will analyze the specific circumstances surrounding your case and design a tailored defense strategy. Whether it involves challenging evidence, questioning witness credibility, or presenting alibis, your attorney will work tirelessly to provide a defense that is right for you.

This personalized approach can significantly affect the outcome of your case. At McGinn Law Firm, attorneys focus on each client's needs and challenges.

Take the Next Step

When faced with criminal charges, having a knowledgeable and experienced criminal defense attorney can significantly impact the outcome of your case. From protecting your rights to negotiating with prosecutors and representing you in court, the importance of quality legal support cannot be overstated.

If navigating the criminal justice system, consider contacting McGinn Law Firm for assistance. Their dedicated team is ready to provide the guidance and support you need during this challenging time. Call our Divorce Lawyer for your free initial consultation at 712-328-1566 today!

[ramakantthinks]

The Impact of Social Media on Mental Health: Navigating the Digital World

Social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter offer instant connectivity, but they can also significantly affect our emotions. While social media can help individuals stay connected and informed, it can also fuel feelings of inadequacy, loneliness, or anxiety. Studies have shown that constant exposure to curated images of other people’s lives can lead to social comparison, especially among teenagers and young adults.

The pressure to present a perfect, filtered version of oneself online can cause stress and dissatisfaction with one’s real-life circumstances. This “highlight reel” effect often skews perceptions of reality and can lead to negative feelings about one's appearance or life choices. For many, the result is an ongoing cycle of self-judgment and diminished mental health.

The Link Between Social Media and Anxiety

Research indicates a strong link between social media use and increased levels of anxiety, particularly in relation to social comparison. Young people, in particular, may feel pressured to gain likes, followers, or comments to feel validated, leading to an unhealthy attachment to online approval. This constant need for external validation can also exacerbate feelings of inadequacy and increase the likelihood of anxiety or depression.

Moreover, cyberbullying is a growing concern, especially for adolescents. Negative comments, trolling, or targeted harassment on social media can have serious psychological consequences. Victims of cyberbullying are more likely to suffer from depression, anxiety, and even suicidal thoughts.

Finding Balance: Healthy Social Media Habits

While social media is not inherently harmful, moderation is key. One way to maintain healthy social media habits is to set specific times for checking apps and engage in mindful consumption. Avoiding endless scrolling and limiting exposure to content that makes you feel negative can help protect your mental well-being.

Additionally, practicing digital detoxes—periodically unplugging from all social media—can allow you to reset and regain focus on real-life relationships and activities. Remember, it’s important to curate your online space by following accounts that inspire and uplift you, rather than those that make you feel less than or anxious.

The Role of Social Media in Connection and Support

Despite its potential downsides, social media can also be a tool for building community and offering emotional support. Many people find solace in online groups and forums where they can share experiences, receive advice, and connect with others who face similar challenges. For individuals with mental health struggles, these online communities can provide valuable resources and a sense of belonging.

Moreover, social media has been used to raise awareness about important causes, from mental health advocacy to social justice movements, allowing individuals to feel more engaged with the world around them.

Conclusion: Navigating the Pros and Cons of Social Media

The impact of social media on mental health is complex—it can be both beneficial and harmful. By practicing self-awareness, curating your digital space, and taking breaks when needed, you can maintain a healthy relationship with social media. It’s all about balance and recognizing when it’s time to disconnect and focus on the real world.

[jdgo51]

God Knows Your Secret Struggles

Today's inspiration comes from:

God Knows

by Lisa Whittle

"[God] knows the secrets of every heart." — Psalm 44:21 NLT

"'I call the years from 2015 to 2017 my “worried-sick years,” because those were the years my mother was a caretaker for my father, whose health was inexplicably declining. We knew something was wrong with him, but none of the diagnoses made sense for the severity of his mobility digression. I also knew, cognitively, that I was not his fixer — that worrying myself sick wouldn’t do him or my mother any good. But sometimes we allow worry to boss us, and before we know it, it has infected our own bodies and minds. Worry had bossed me into thinking I had to manage the gravity of my parents’ situation, and, as a result, pulled me into a sickness of its own: with isolation, lack of exercise, and low-grade anxiety, to name a few symptoms.

My parents lived a mostly private struggle of my dad’s unexplained physical illness and my mother’s dutiful insistence to care for him to the detriment of her own health. It was understandable in many ways — they had little money, few resources, and a historically take-charge man in the equation who didn’t want random people taking care of him in a now-vulnerable state. There were no concrete answers about his condition, and the subconscious ingraining in that generation to not ask for help made matters worse. And so, my parents’ struggle continued from months into several years.

Not having enough money to pay their bills, Mom taught art to kids in her home for some minor income, after getting Dad safely situated in front of the TV for a few hours at a time. Between that and social security, it kept them in their home.

But Dad’s heart needed medicine, and these types of health problems don’t come cheap. Purchasing thirty-day supplies of the medication was out of the financial question. So every day, mom would make a trip to the local CVS Pharmacy and purchase just two of his prescription pills at a time for him to keep living. The next day she would go again. And the next day, on repeat.

For two years, Dad’s heart lived off mom’s daily trips to CVS. Two pills, every day for two years. Just enough to get by.

And for two years, Mom’s heart carried the heaviness.

No one on the outside knew about the two-pill-a-day ritual except for the pharmacist and God.

Our money trail often tells the truest tale of our hidden struggles. The mostly homeschool moms who brought their bouncy, eager kids for their weekly art lessons with my mother wouldn’t have known — they were always greeted by the smiling, happy art teacher wearing an apron covered in dried paint. It wasn’t a lie.

Momma was happy because her joy has never been about her circumstances. It’s one of the things she has taught me: there can be moments of happiness and pleasure even with the companion of hardship.

This confuses people when they refuse to honor the both-and of life.

Life is hard and it is also good. They mostly live together. No, the joy Mom had was specific. It was the core belief that despite the struggle, God is not unaware, and thus actively involved in the resolution of that struggle. That life was worthy to continue, even often in the dark. She had gotten used to the dark, quite frankly. Times were difficult for years. She had lived enough to know that God’s ways were not going to be on her timetable or within her understanding. But she also knew trusting Him helped her endure, gain strength where she did not have it, and continue to be hopeful for the future. So that smile for her art students was, indeed, real.

We don’t have to fake optimism when we believe in God’s omniscience. In these places of hidden difficulty, “God knows” becomes a quiet space of breath holding and prayers, where we trust for things like breakthrough, sustaining, and, if we dare, hope. We need God differently in these moments than when we want justice or to move past our past. Those things certainly prove equally in need of His omniscience. But urgency, rawness, and survival mark this particular space.

Life is hard and it is also good. They mostly live together.

Sometimes our lives even depend upon it. Family members with a drug-addicted loved one only really have the hope that God knows their pain over it, that He knows their loved one’s enormous struggle, even, often, that He actually knows where their loved one is, since they haven’t heard from them in months. My friend Jessica hasn’t seen her meth-addicted daughter in a year. Summer came and went, without a word... then fall... and eventually, winter. Her Christmas presents remain unwrapped, waiting for her, if she ever comes to claim them. Spring brought flowers but no contact, and now it’s summer, again, and still nothing. The hope they cling to is that God knows where their daughter is, and He is caring for her in their absence. Many parents cling to this.

The idea of struggle meets us in different places. Some of us have skeletons that have been so carefully kept sleeping we are terrified to do anything to awaken them. The thought that a secret we hold could be outed brings mixed feelings. On one hand, most of us want to break up with whatever is hurting us, but on the other, we want to be left alone with what has become familiar to us.

Familiarity is the kryptonite of growth and often health and healing. It’s an epidemic in safe Christianity. A companion in most unchanged lives. What we know often makes us feel safe and comforted, and that is not automatically bad. There is real benefit to a relationship that makes us feel known, wanted, valued, heard, seen, and loved, no matter what — all of which play into feeling safe. But those desires and the ultimate desire to feel safe is met through God. Only God can bring us lasting comfort. Trying to meet those needs through a secret habit is not only futile, but it is creating another entanglement that can take our reliance off Christ. More than one of us has fallen in love with something that we know good and well is bad for us, but we can’t seem to let it go.

And then some of us struggle with secrets that aren’t about things we have done but things that have happened to us that we desperately do not want. My friend’s daughter has an unexplained illness that they’ve kept mostly quiet, but it keeps the whole family in daily confusion and pain. They are desperate for change. The secret struggle of this group of us is not being comforted by a habit; it is craving any type of comfort or relief. Making sense out of seeming nonsense or worse, cruelty. Wanting to understand how God could have insight into their daily difficulties and not intervene.

I don’t know where you are with your secret struggle, what it is, or how it’s affecting you. But what I do know is that when you find yourself furiously trying to hide or ferociously trying to fix or defend it, it is time to bring it to light.

God’s omniscience allows Him a unique vantage point. He is aware of how deep in you are, how desperate, how much it will require His intervention to dig out — even more than you. So no, you are not alone in it. Someone already knows.

God wants to be our solution, in every way, no matter what our struggle winds up being."'

Excerpted with permission from God Knows by Lisa Whittle, copyright Lisa Whittle.

[dammit-tazmuir]

For what it's worth the Sixth IS very big on medical science, specifically. And while yes that absolutely means some parts of it likely have Med School Energy, i.e. soul-sucking and not in the Eighth way, I do think they value the physical body overall. Like the House as a whole is still using that knowledge for someone within the same House. Pal and Cam are the type of people who see Harrowhark pushing herself to exhaustion and dehydration and groan, because they would know better (or at least have the awareness to pull back before that level of extreme), and they know how to help her.

The pressure on Palamedes might be higher than most, as House heir, but I imagine he and Cam were also encouraged to be Like That in a sense of like... Her making sure he's eating and staying hydrated while in a hyperfocus pit studying. Him forcing her to take breaks and let her body recover and to hold back on fights she's only mostly sure she could handle. A kind of mutual nurturing that if anything allows them to be a bit worse in their own obsessions because they can count on the other (and probably others around them, until Canaan) to wrangle them in when needed, so they don't have to stop and think as much about their own needs.

Pal also seemed to care a lot about his mom, who in turn was apparently very friendly with the people around them, Juno Zeta is described as "cheerful as a child", and Cam didn't want to bother getting most of her family before Paul but did want her sister there, with Kiki having been mentioned prior as someone important to her. Like I'm NOT saying the Academia Environment wasn't overall cold-leaning or emotionally-stunting by any means, I imagine that was a big factor, it just wasn't a frigid void where they were the other's only support.

But honestly I think the main thing it boils down to is just being like that. Just adoring each other so deeply and wanting to give each other anything and everything because they think the other is the most amazing person ever, and the service they offer each other only makes the other think even more highly of them, and it grows and grows.

There are other factors, sure. They're both super protective in general and worse about each other. They have a strong sense of Justice that comes with Truth Over Solace In Lies, which is very much a House sentiment ingrained in them. And every bit of trauma they endure makes them rely on and protect each other more fiercely. And Pal's rank probably adds a lot! Cam has extra pressure to be so protective and never lose sight of him because he's a high profile target, and Pal has extra reason to be protective of her because she's the one putting herself in danger about his being a high profile target.

But ultimately I think even in a different environment they'd still be deeply close. They'd still be each other's favorite person, platonic soulmates, and possibly have some codependent tendencies. They're the same degree of "love makes you stupid and crazy" as most the characters in these books, it's just a different flavor of love than most, so the ways it manifests and focuses are different, too. The circumstances exacerbated everything, but I think as long as they were remotely similar people and still grew up close, the base for it would still be there.

I’ve been thinking a lot about how cam and pal got to be Like That. obviously the necro/cav dynamic encourages a relationship that a lot of us would consider some type of unhealthy if it happened irl, so that’s contributing. regardless, I realized I hadn’t really considered what growing up in the sixth house would do to human beings. academia is brutal and while I would love to visit the mercury librarians I think their society probably neglects a lot of fundamental human needs, particularly emotional ones. assigning value to people solely based on the quality of their scholarship is not going to create well adjusted people.

(aside: developing chronic illness in college made me *slightly* disillusioned with academia. it’s extremely difficult to take care of your physical and mental health in that setting. seems like it would be hell on necromancers given their proximity to disability but that’s another rant.)

maybe the sixth house found a way to do academia better but considering what we see of cam and pal, I don’t think so. I think they were raised in a system that values intellect over everything else and probably subscribes to the fallacy that the mind and body are separate entities (cultivate the mind, sometimes at the cost of neglecting the body). camilla pushes back against these assumptions by choosing to become an incredible cavalier, but it makes her an outsider by sixth house standards. palamedes is theoretically the perfect product of the system, but despite his scholarly success he craves and desperately seeks emotional intimacy from someone outside of his house who he’s never met in person (and I don’t think he can fully separate those romantic feelings from his desire to solve a medical puzzle). the assumption that the intelligent mind can overcome the need for physical and emotional care is not working.

tldr: cam and pal feel like two people who desire more than their emotionally cold environment could give them, so they ended up providing that for each other.