#but something cryptic of that nature and entirely authentic

[coochiekrab]

I had a dream that kuri became a streamer and became wildly popular, don't remember what she was streaming or doing, only that people loved it

I do genuinely think she’d be a very entertaining streamer but only because her lack of awareness and gullibility would make for really funny moments completely at her expense

[questing-wulfstan]

One thing that is so precious and important to me about Hob's character, is his utter regard for Dream's boundaries.

You may call him an idiot for not seeking any more intel on the entity that has apparently made him immortal without his express consent, and that is fair, but to me that is a deliberate choice on Hob's part.

At first, Hob's not even aware he's been made immortal and may have a price to pay for it, and once he does, he expects to be told of his debt when he meets the stranger in the tavern of the White Horse, one hundred years from 1389. Yet on their first agreed-on meeting, Dream does not corroborate Hob's dread for his integrity — of soul and of freedom. He remains entirely cryptic, but encourages Hob to take full advantage of his prolonged life, if only he'll report on it to Dream once a century.

From there, Hob doesn't feel the need for intel on his stranger so as to devise safeguards against him leveraging Hob's immortality against him. There's also in him immense recognition to the stranger for having turned him immortal, and demanded so little a price in return. Whatever his reasons might be, his own anonymity flagrantly matters to Hob's stranger, and it wouldn't be fair to his benefactor to dismantle it behind his back.

Obviously that does not deter Hob's natural curiosity for all things — as well as his desire to get closer to the stranger — from enquiring, but that only shows his contentement with what Dream is willing to give away about himself throughout the centuries.

Now you're going to tell me that running after Dream claiming that they are friends disregarding that Dream's just denied it in 1889 isn't very boundary-regarding of Hob, but I think he has a very different perspective on the event than Dream, and us readers/viewers following Dream's POV, do.

The problem is that Dream knows himself to be (and I quote) "one such as I", and yet how much he has in common with Hob. Hob doesn't.

What Hob means when he calls Dream his friend, is that Dream has given him exactly what he was willing to give him, and shown himself exactly how he wanted to be perceived by Hob, and that Hob's fallen in platonic love with that, with what he assumes is Dream's most authentic self, rid of what taints him in the eyes of the people who know "more" about him. He means "you might have done terrible things that have irremediably skewed your relationship with people that used to love you, but I love the person you've shown yourself to be with a blank slate. I've shown you all my own flaws throughout our acquaintance, you've helped me grow and become better and I don't believe you to be flawless, but in whichever way you may be flawed that you hide from me, it cannot eclipse how much I love you. And I want you to be aware of this. "

Obviously, Dream and us are well aware that "one such as I" refers to him being an Endless, but to Hob it can mean a number of things, and namely, I believe, "I who have done something so unspeakable it cannot be repaired nor forgiven by anything or anyone."

That is why he allows himself to run after Dream and assure Dream that he'll be here in a 100 years' time and if Dream's here then too it'll be because they're friends. He thinks Dream is so lonely because he was deprived of love, and doesn't allow himself to accept now love because something he has hidden from Hob makes him unworthy of it in his own eyes, and Hob is claiming that no, his stranger deserves Hob's friendship and that Hob will patiently wait for him to come to term with it, even if it takes him a century.

Hob just does not and cannot guess that what weights so heavily on his stranger's shoulders and consciousness is his mantle of Dream of the Endless.

In conclusion, Hob Gadling king of respecting boundaries 2K23

[2n2n]

(Hey do you know if hanako kun seal come off, the entire world will fall in disrray..... * that was close-!!* *heart thumping*)

If you don’t mind me asking, what’s your opinion on this?

It's primarily just a joke because Aida-sensei messed up and didn't include the seal on a random drawing suddenly... but I do think it's worth looking at the joke itself. Rather than imagining a Hanako saying "I'M FREE!!" or "nyahahaha", AidaIro-sensei imagine him desperate to secure it back onto his face... we can think of that as something! The gag drawing could be Kou trying to force it back on or idk, Hanako doing something silly without limits, but it's Hanako scared it came off. We can just take the silly drawing as a statement of: Hanako's desperate to keep that thang on. What does it mean to be a dog desperate to stay chained?

I do think Hanako's seal is important to him, and something he seems to want to keep. I often say it but-- I imagine Nene-chan could probably just peel it using her powers, right? But he never asks her to, and he never alludes to his seal as some sort of pain, or problem, or annoyance. There is no underhanded goal to get it off. He doesn't joke about it; he acts as if it is entirely not there and not a concern for anyone, despite it being so plain and obvious. Nene-chan seemingly hasn't worried about it ever since Kou's vague explanation, and Hanako isn't interested in doing any correcting or expositing. He isn't defensive about it, or self-pitying.

I think the seal represents repression, "holding back". Nothing could be more important to Hanako than repression, amirite? I think it's an important memory, whatever occurred, that he doesn't want to lose as a reference point. Because the Minamoto family were aware of the Red House, and their grandma forbade them from ever nearing it, and at some point, also sealed Hanako, we can assume the sealing of Hanako may have touched upon a lot of sensitivities.

Hanako is a person who deflects everything. He is cryptic, obtuse, he jokes and handwaves things, he lies. He's always compromising, or trying to run away. He'll only tell Nene-chan his wish when he believes he will never see her again. He seems afraid of leaning into his own feelings. He won't say anything out loud, not until pushed to the limit, and even then, he doesn't cede much. He is a person who surely feels it would be bad if he did all he wanted, or told the truth. Perhaps the truth is ugly, or what he wants is terrifying.

As Yako talks about "going berserk", Hanako touches his seal. He seems uncomfortable with the notion "you're still you; you don't become somebody else".

Perhaps for Hanako, it would be convenient to believe you become somebody else, or are fundamentally altered. Perhaps he would like to not have to owe all of his actions to only himself, his nature. It would be more convenient to be infected with something external that makes you behave badly, than simply have your heart speak out in its natural tongue.

(by the way, this is why I don't personally like drawing a distinction between 'Amane' and 'Hanako', and I think it is drinking the kool-aid to argue their difference. I do not think the manga's message would be "well, you're different!" versus the FAR more potent message of "you're still you, no matter what", especially when we're arguing about the personhood or authenticity of people like Tsukasa and Mitsuba. We shouldn't be calling anybody 'fake' or 'gone', and we shouldn't really be calling damaged people 'irreparably altered and lost'. Surely, we should accept and love all of somebody, and see them as themselves, at their best, or at their worst. Lost, confused, fractured-- Hanako and Amane have the same heart, and it is miserably in love.)

As humans, it's relatable. We'd often like to imagine it's not our own fault, or not our nature when we react to something. We like to think of some people as "bringing out something bad" in us, or influencing us, changing us, to become bad-- due to THEIR nature, not OURS. We don't like to take ownership of who we are. It's a complicated notion for Hanako, who both wants to be held accountable and given credit for the choices Amane made.....

.... and struggles with full ownership of his selves, his past, his present, his future. Or perhaps he struggles with the continuity of his existence? Those fragmented, lost, altered parts?

... all things his seal makes me think about.

Could Amane really become this? What Hanako is? Could Amane do all Hanako has done. I mean yes, but.... things he has to think about.

The boy behind that seal-- what did he do? What was he like? If we remove Hanako's seal, will some part of him come back-- a part he doesn't want to interface with? Is he reluctant to have access to certain power? Just how much is really behind it? It is a warping abstraction, is it an irrational sense of self-apprehension, or could it be that dramatic?

I enjoy AidaIro joking "the entire world will fall in disarray", it's like his catastrophizing is fodder for THEM to mock (I love how they bully Amane.... the normal Amane is normally useless...)

Well, whatever the case... he must be attached to the self that is sealed, the way he behaves now. He seems to prefer this for himself, but Hanako hates himself.

meanwhile sympathy for Aida-sensei who has to flipflop between sealed and unsealed boys as she draws the living and the dead boy for any random chapter or event. I cannot imagine. it's literally sf hard when drawing the boys to mind the seals.

[propertykumbh]

THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO PROPERTY SEARCH: INTRODUCING PROPERTY KUMBH

Introduction

Welcome to the era of digitalisation, where every aspect of our lives is being revolutionised by technology. In this digital age, the real estate industry is no exception. Gone are the days of flipping through newspapers or driving around neighbourhoods in search of properties. Today, property search has become more convenient, efficient, and accessible, thanks to innovative property listing apps like Property Kumbh.

What is Property Kumbh?

Property Kumbh stands as a beacon of excellence in the realm of property listing apps in India. It is not just another app; it is the epitome of convenience and reliability when it comes to finding your dream property. Whether you're searching for a cozy apartment in the heart of the city or a sprawling villa nestled amidst nature, Property Kumbh has got you covered.

Features of Property Kumbh

1. Extensive Listings

Property Kumbh boasts an extensive database of properties, ranging from residential to commercial, ensuring that there's something for everyone. With just a few clicks, users can browse through a plethora of listings, each meticulously curated to meet diverse preferences and requirements.

2. Advanced Search Filters

Finding the perfect property can be like searching for a needle in a haystack. However, Property Kumbh simplifies this daunting task with its advanced search filters. Users can narrow down their search based on various criteria such as location, price range, amenities, and more, thereby streamlining the entire property search process.

3. Interactive Maps

Forget about deciphering cryptic addresses or navigating through unfamiliar neighborhoods. Property Kumbh integrates interactive maps that provide users with a visual representation of available properties, along with essential details such as nearby amenities, schools, hospitals, and transportation hubs.

4. Virtual Tours

In today's fast-paced world, time is of the essence. Property Kumbh understands this and offers virtual tours for select properties, allowing users to explore them from the comfort of their homes. This innovative feature saves time and eliminates the need for multiple physical visits, making the property search experience more efficient and convenient.

Why Choose Property Kumbh?

1. Reliability

When it comes to property search apps, reliability is paramount. Property Kumbh has earned the trust of thousands of users nationwide, thanks to its commitment to accuracy, transparency, and integrity. Every listing on the platform undergoes rigorous scrutiny to ensure authenticity, giving users peace of mind throughout their property search journey.

2. User-Friendly Interface

Navigating through a complex app can be frustrating, especially for those unfamiliar with technology. Property Kumbh addresses this concern with its intuitive and user-friendly interface. Whether you're a tech-savvy millennial or a technophobe, Property Kumbh caters to users of all ages and proficiency levels, ensuring a seamless and hassle-free experience for everyone.

3. Customer Support

In the world of real estate, uncertainties and queries are inevitable. That's why Property Kumbh offers dedicated customer support to assist users every step of the way. Whether you have questions about a particular listing or need guidance on using the app's features, Property Kumbh's knowledgeable and courteous support team is always ready to help, ensuring a smooth and enjoyable property search experience.

[persephoneflouwers]

Plato, Tesla, Bowie and COACOAC

Yeah, it’s always me. Today we dig a little into philosophy. Specifically into Plato, my beloved (joke not intended) and how things happening around larry remind me of his works lately. Okay, hold tight. Most of it is gonna be nonsense. (Summary and links at the end)

Alright. Not gonna lie, the first time I listened to copy of a copy of a copy I thought about Hegel. This is my bias: I always go to read into stuff from a philosophical/mythological point of view. Anyway I thought about Hegel because that man was OBSESSED with number three and triads, you know?

Copy of

A copy of

A copy.

Next connection was (very naturally) Plato. If you know the basic about Plato philosophy, you will know it revolves around the duality of ideal world and reality and, to simplify, how the reality is a copy of the ideal world. The world of “ideas”, the so called hyperuranium, is the authentic one. The reality is just a reproduction. Ideas are the essence of existence and they exist independently from the real world. They are what human thoughts are made of and indispensable for the thinking process. They are universal, eternal. That been said, I archived this information in my brain and that was it.

Until when Alessandro Michele posted this jumper here. I don’t trust him (I can’t stress this enough) but I used to follow him on Instagram. From what he decides to share on social and the way he does it (roman mythology’s references, latin captions, cryptic paintings silently hinting bluegreening etc), I am positive he attended a humanistic high school like I did, or at least he knows this stuff. And I would try to guess he knows who Plato is. We do study philosophy in Italian licei, so yeah I think he knows.

This “copy of a copy of Ideas” comes from Plato and to me it’s a confirmation of my previews suspicions. This concept is obviously well known in the artistic fields from latin literature to nowadays fashion and figurative arts, theatres, cinemas, music. Aemulatio, inspiration, reference, replica… you name it.

I don’t know why he posted it yesterday, but after he has been bluegreening for a few days lately (coff coff after he acknowledged the stunt coff coff), it was… odd. So I went back on my books and opened the Fedro by Plato.

Things I re-learned today:

The supreme idea in the hyperuranium is the ‘Good’.

The name ‘idea’ can be misunderstood. It’s not like we use it today. It’s more like nucleus, the matrix, the system of organisation of reality.

Plato divides ideas in two categories: ideas of values (ethics, beauty, aesthetics, justice) and ideas of mathematics (geometry for example).

Mathematics. Matrix. The only thing I’ve been thinking after this was 369.

Now, I think we established somehow 369 reminds to this coacoac concept and it has something to do with mathematics. WBK cause this fandom can be smart (maybe send me link of stuff if you find anything about it) Unfortunately I know nothing about physics and I can’t really work when mathematics is around, I can’t even pretend I know what I am talking about to be completely honest with you, but I googled “369 matrix” anyway. And this is what captured my eyes (it was the first google result). I’ll leave the link here if you want to read about it.

Plato again. Platonic solids shape the world. “The entire reality is organised on geometry”.

Triangle, triangle, triangle.

Now, 369 is apparently the Key matrix of Tesla (tesla code) too? It’s like the key of the universe or something? And it is connected to the fibonacci sequence and the golden ration (there were posts and explanations about this too somewhere here and on twitter) Whatever this means… the only thing I understood from all the reading I did was: The pattern 3-6-9 repeats itself indefinitely. Constantly. cause you know… everything is a copy of a copy of a copy.

I found this on my way navigating the dark side of this google research:

Eternal spiralling. Like.. you know… these spiral patterns? Add some bunnies in there too, I’m pretty sure I’m missing something

Hopefully, it will make sense in the end!

Now that we are all here talking about numbers… look 74. 7x4 = 28 LMAO STOP STOP STOP STOOOOOOP PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THE GREEK GODS STOP

Also, I find this very funny. I previously mentioned the “Phaedrus” by Plato. It’s a dialogue and consists of a series of three speeches on the topic of Love. Now, it’s too long to talk about it properly but basically they are having this little chat on what love is. Is it erotism? Is it passion? Is it better to love? Is love a disease (curse, antidote) and is being in love like being sick? How many different ways to love are there? Also, this revolves around an homosexual relationship (between a boy and an adult very common in ancient greek literature).

Adding Bowie to the rant…

I find this quote from Bowie really interesting:

The fine line between the dream state and reality is at times, for me, quite grey. Combining the two, the place where the two worlds come together, has been important in some of the things I’ve written, yes. “That other life, that doppelganger life, is actually a dark thing for me. I don’t find a sense of freedom in dreams; they’re not an escape mechanism. In there, I’m usually, ‘Oh, I gotta get outta this place!’ The darker place. So that’s why I much, much prefer to stay awake.”

Now, I’m not an expert of Bowie music. To be completely honest, I don’t know Bowie music at all. But this specific choice of words is intriguing somehow. When I read it from a blog here on tumblr, it rang a bell in my brain. A fine line between dreams (ideas) and reality. Bowie even mention a doppelgänger life which I only read as a life of imitations. Don’t let me even mention SOTT “we gotta get away from here (x15), we can meet again somewhere, somewhere far away from here”. I’m 99% sure I read some HarryxBowie parallels for fine line somewhere on here. I’m gonna attach the link when I find it!

Summary: I started an analysis between coacoac/369 and Plato based on nothing. The main link I can see is that yes, 369 is coacoac and it is explained from a platonic point of view. Plato talked about a duality between real world and ideal world and how the world we live in is a reproduction of the “world of the ideas”. There’s no authenticity in the real world. Nothing here is new, nothing is original, nothing’s left to say or ‘invented’. Everything comes from an ideal world as a copy of its ideas. If we want overdo a little more… we could see this contrast as a real (ideal) vs fake (real) world. In this way, the real world is basically… not authentic. Fake. If we read it as if Plato was living in our times, the unoriginality of our world is built on the most beautiful and attractive surface, hiding the emptiness it hides behind. I am going so deep im gonna be lost at the end. Anyway. The ultimate idea, the main goal is the Good. It’s very optimistic. Like Louis after all.

Sources:

I found this recap of the main concepts from that big brain of @skepticalarrie ! X

Here an interesting analysis of COACOAC by @ialwaysknewyouwerepunk

Here a collection of hints and connection by @queer-halo ! It’s mindblowing to me that once you realise something everything is somehow related to it!

Uncut interview with David Bowie: LINK

The post where I first read the mentioned Bowie quote: HERE by @hershelsue

PS. I am not sure what pronouns Alessandro uses. The wikipedia pages in Italian use he/him.

[inspector-montoya-fox]

#8 - A Starry Eyed Encounter

Setting: this is our second outing in Asia but it’s extremely different. whereas Fire in the Sky was set in rural China and had sprinkles of Chinese culture on top, A Starry Eyed Encounter basks in prestige and elegance. i might as well start by saying that this is my favourite episode in the game. i love everything about this episode, its subtle orientalism and its storyline. the missions are fun, the sky is beautiful, there are enough twists, turns, balconies and tunnels to get lost in. everything feels authentic and charming, and there’s excitement because it’s a ball and everything coincides with it (meaning, everything has to be perfect and we destroy every last bit). also, there’s a nice balance and blend of nature and “man”-made structure. unlike the Canada levels where nature dominates the landscapes, here there’s a mixture. and i know this type of analysis belongs in the Themes section, but sweetie, lemme just lay this down right here, right quick for y’all: the walls keeping the jungle outside represent Rajan and his mental state, his need to present himself in a certain way. the lush palace is Rajan’s friendly image he projects, one of a great host, but his low temper and roots keep growing like the jungle outside. he’s made a fortune and built this amazing palace as a global entrepreneur and social elitist, but he can’t shed his past, how said fortune came from filth, growing up on the streets, how he belongs in the wild. this theory is further proven by the fact that the next level is full-on jungle and vines and rain and mud, etc. which represents Rajan when all hell breaks loose and he reaches his boiling point. this squeaky clean, pristine state of both Rajan and the palace mask his true nature, and set up the stage for his second level. in many ways, A Starry Eyed Encounter is a prequel because it plays out as too easy, and that kind of optimism is put into perspective as the narrative progresses forward.

Characters: basically a clusterfuck because it’s a party and literally everyone shows up. i’ve mentioned before how introducing every single character in the very first part of the game’s second level was a brilliant idea. SP managed to subvert expectations by supposedly revealing all the villains during the ball, just to then keep pulling off reveal after reveal. Neyla as the alternative romantic interest, the Contessa as an Interpol connection, Arpeggio as the petite bird that would 100% be the final boss. but let’s focus on Rajan. as i’ve already said, the palace is a mere illusion, its grandeur and glory representing what the tiger wants to be seen as. i love how A Starry Eyed Encounter and The Predator Awakes both pose as a test to see how angry Rajan can get - and he can get pretty mad (to the point where he summons lightning). but for now, Rajan isn’t shown. there’s the recon mission, and then some cutscenes of him talking with Bison but that’s just it, we don’t get any Rajan in this episode. no, this episode is dedicated to Carmelita, i think. i’ll go into detail in the Themes section but the dominant theme in this episode is romance. there are two dance sequences in A Starry Eyed Encounter and they both focus on getting with Carmelita, the theme of romance also giving this episode a softer edge. the game’s first two episodes are actually very vanilla: a quiet Paris night, and a prestigious ball in India. sure there’s climax within those episodes, but there’s no aggression or character development (brought on by high stakes). it’s like a honeymoon period before shit hits the fan. A Starry Eyed Encounter and The Predator Awakes might be a pair because of Rajan, but it’s actually the latter in combination with the two Contessa levels that are the game’s best. you’ll notice a fluctuation in narrative: everything goes as planned in the first two episodes (good) but Neyla’s betrayal throws the gang off their game in the next three episodes (bad) until Canada during which the gang manages to gather all Clockwerk parts (good) just to face complete chaos by the end (bad). and surprisingly (and to SP’s credit) the game doesn’t end on a good note. they actually had the balls to cripple Bentley and leave it at that, but also manage to not make it seem like they were just setting up the sequel. Sly 2 is very well a game on its own, even though it ends on a cliffhanger. amazing, but i digress. every character in the game minus Dimitri is in this episode but actually there’s not a lot of character development as seen by the analysis above.

Themes: uh, romance theme !!!!!!! outstandingly so, considering we’re on the brink of losing everything as 2/3 of the gang is about to get arrested in the next episode. but a first-time player isn’t aware so it’s all fun and games as far as they’re concerned. yes, this is pretty much a romance episode, complete with an erotic episode title card of Sly and Carmelita dancing intimately. even the fact that they’re drenched in soft blue and their characteristics/outline don’t have a 100% opacity shows how it’s a good time, time to forget about the spice shipments, the Clockwerk parts, let’s have fun whilst on the job, no need to worry, things certainly won’t go to shit, right? the narration hits its absolute rock-bottom in terms of love triangle storytelling by steeping to the most basic of tropes, having Sly use Neyla to get to Carmelita (something that will later come to bite him in the ass, when Neyla uses Sly to get Carmelita arrested). other than that, the romance theme doesn’t necessarily mean kissy-kissy, but can also mean romantic backdrops, items, etc. for example, the sky being violet and lilac, a mission to acquire a tuxedo, the ball, y’know what i’m talking about. it’s all very humble, pure and simple, but enhanced by Rajan’s wealth and the palace’s elegance. let’s talk about the masks theme (i call it that instead of deception or appearance v reality, because those themes are predominantly connected to Flight of Fancy in my head and i don’t want to do that theme-heavy episode dirty because its themes are its strongest asset). lots and lots of “masks” here. we have Sly dressing up as a tuxedoed cavalier in disguise, we have Rajan acting as a gentlemanly host, Contessa as a proper prison warden and Interpol agent, Neyla as the cryptic connection - nothing i haven’t already mentioned. what truly enhances the deception and the “masks” is the ball. a fancy dance, the opulence making it all fuzzy and blurry, very Florence + the Machine circa Ceremonials sans the gothic aspects, if you catch my drift. basically, it’s called the masks theme because it also includes the party aspect, this aura of pleasure and leisure which is also seen in The Black Chateau. there’s also the class theme, or class distinction. we often overlook the fact that the guards represent a hoard of employees, working mercilessly under the big bad. there’s something to be said about when one dies a replacement is easily found, but it’s just a game. well, in A Starry Eyed Encounter, this distinction is a bit more noticeable. there’s a ball going on, where all the elites and socialites are gathered, protected by the palace walls and the palace itself, surrounded by pleasures and artifice. at the same time, there are guards stationed within the guests’ rooms, patrolling rooftops and making sure everything is perfect for the ball. in other levels, they ensure the security of their employer’s operation, but here they’re responsible for the party, something way less important and dire. what really made me notice it is the moment you complete Elephant Rampage and a flashlight rhino guard escorts the prized elephants back into their room, it seemed like such a downgrading job, moving elephants, probably stepping into their shit as well because Sly frightened them, in comparison to Rajan and his guests drinking and dancing inside. i don’t know, maybe i’m exaggerating, but it definitely reminds me of that Rick and Morty episode where they spoof The Purge, when the villagers fight each other and the elitists are dining inside, maybe it’s just me.

What I Like: this is my favorite episode as an overall entity, so i’ll mention what i like most about it. the sky’s colour, the rapid tanpura music when you get spotted by guards, dancing with Carmelita, that turquoise 3D globe projection in the boardroom, the goofy voice of that guy that doesn’t allow you to enter the ball with the bulged-out eyes, the destroyed bridge next to the safehouse that leads you to a clue bottle and a treasure, and most importantly Steal A Tuxedo. i think Steal A Tuxedo and Spice in the Sky are my favorite missions from the entire game. ugh, idk, this episode is just so perfect. i sent a confession to @slycooperconfessions​ a while back saying how when i was a kid i always wanted to be invited to the ball, and that still stands today. i wish i was there...

What I Don’t Like: nothing. maybe Battle the Chopper, but other than that, nothing.

Quote: when Carmelita says You look familiar to me, are you in law enforcement? and Sly answers I often deal with police while on the job.

[infpisme]

10 Things You Should Know About Being In A Relationship With An INFP

Love is the life-blood of those who identify as the INFP personality type. As “lovers of love,” finding a compatible partner willing to investigate our complex nature can be hard. Thankfully, we found you.

In a relationship, our No. 1 desire is to be understood and accepted for who we authentically are. While INFPs are keenly self-aware, we can struggle to explain our perplexing ways to others. If you haven’t already noticed, we can be paradoxical, possessing many traits that contradict each other.

Getting to know an INFP can be an expedition full of surprising twists and turns. Here’s what you need to know about your compatibility with an INFP — and how to decode us in a relationship.

Who Is the Perfect Partner for an INFP?

Rest assured, any type is compatible with the INFP in a relationship — or with any other type. It is true, however, that INFPs tend to most commonly date certain types, which include the INTJ and ENFJ (ENFJs are often described as the “perfect match” for INFPs, although this is highly subjective).

Truth is, there are advantages (and drawbacks) to every match. INFPs who partner with a similar personality — like the ENFP, our extroverted twin — will have almost endless traits in common, but the two will share glaring weak spots with no one to balance them out. On the other hand, an INFP who choses to date or marry an ISFJ will have to overcome some major differences, but the ISFJ can help hold them accountable and keep them organized. (On the flip side, the INFP will help the ISFJ think big, dream big, and express the emotions they may normally bottle up.) There are some very strong couples who are complete opposites.

As with any relationship, maturity and communication are key. And nothing helps more than knowing what to expect from your INFP partner and understanding what they need in love and relationships.

10 Things You Need to Know if You’re in a Relationship with an INFP

So, here are 10 things you should know about us:

1. We reveal ourselves slowly.

In the beginning of a relationship with an INFP, you may notice their hesitance to reveal certain parts of themselves. Extremely private by nature, we reveal ourselves in layers, and the stuff that matters most to us will take time to unveil. We take emotional (and physical) intimacy very seriously, as we want to be sure that you are fully capable of accepting us.

Tip: Despite our reserved nature, one of our romantic ideals is to share our innermost self with you. But we may need help doing that, so ask (gentle) questions to draw us out. Conversely, pressuring us to open up may result in more resistance — we’re stubborn that way.

2. We’re genuine romantics.

Think: a Shakespearean sonnet as opposed to a Hallmark greeting card. Sure, we’ll enjoy those fresh flowers or dinner by candlelight, but more personalized gestures will make us really feel special.

Tip: A foolproof way to accomplish this is through handmade gifts. Whether masterful or loaded with imperfections, your gift is thoughtful because you put in the effort. Finding creative ways to say, “I love you” that are uniquely suited to your INFP demonstrate that you understand us — which is the greatest gift of all.

Bonus tip: After spending many years counseling couples, Dr. Gary Chapman concluded that there are five love languages, or in other words, five ways that people speak and understand emotional love. The five love languages are: words of affirmation, quality time, receiving gifts, acts of service, and physical touch. I’ve noticed that INFPs tend to appreciate quality time the most. Try deliberately fitting us into your schedule for some one-on-one time so we can feel connected to you.

3. We’re hopelessly devoted to you.

Thanks to our ever-present idealism, when we fall, we fall hard… to the point where we might overlook our own needs and desires. We love to please others, especially you, the one we adore.

Harmony is important to us, and we value working together so we both win. Unfortunately, as the song lyrics suggest, being “hopelessly devoted” can result in staying in relationships that don’t serve us well. Due to our devotion, we’re sometimes taken advantage of — and we may end up damaging important parts of ourselves to serve our partner’s needs.

Tip: If your INFP has dealt with codependency in the past, remind them that it’s all about balance. Take care of them the best you can, but make sure they consider their own needs, too.

4. Take our emotions taken seriously.

INFPs think with their emotions. Using our dominant Introverted Feeling (Fi), we navigate the world via our personal feelings, tastes, and values. As a result, we feel things deeply and intensely — even when we don’t obviously display it.

Tip: If you aspire to understand an INFP, you must understand that emotions are how we perceive the world. And, you must aspire to respect this. We are accustomed to judgment and criticism when we share how we feel. Dismiss our emotions or values and you might as well be rejecting our entire self. Please choose to listen. And of course, kindly assist us when we aren’t being objective and it’s clearly called for.

5. We’re open-minded (most of the time).

Due to our auxiliary Extroverted Intuition (Ne), we have a penchant for exploring ideas, possibilities, and patterns. This is what makes us unconventional, easy-going, and (almost) always willing to try something new.

Nevertheless, these traits can come with the price of indecision. Don’t expect us to know where we want our life to be in five years — or where we want to go for dinner. We’re much better at laying out options and deciding together when the time is right.

It’s tempting to bask in the convenience of our open-mindedness, kicking around even the craziest ideas… until you hit up against one of our core values. We’re compromising — to a point — but when it comes to our ideals, we don’t give an inch.

Tip: Highly individualistic, each INFP will have values worth defending and standing by, no matter what. These may appear unexpectedly, and seem to come out of nowhere, so be ready for them. You don’t have to agree with what we believe (or feel), but if you show respect for it — and don’t push us to change on these key points — you will be even dearer to our hearts.

6. We can be cryptic.

Being direct can feel impossible for us, as Extroverted Thinking (Te) — our logical, no-nonsense straight-talking function — is our last and least developed cognitive function. That means we can be reluctant to divulge specific emotions straightaway, which can make our roundabout manner of communicating hard to decipher.

In moments of affection, this may mean we prefer to tell you how much we care about you through a heart-felt letter rather than a face-to-face conversation. In moments of frustration, we may unfortunately resort to passive-aggression, along with some uncharacteristic lashing out.

Tip: If we lash out, approach the situation directly, so it can be resolved. Try not to take this personally (we know, it’s hard). INFPs who feel “heard” will also feel loved, and INFPs who get a clear, direct message about your feelings will appreciate you even more.

7. We need a lot of time and space for processing — alone.

This need manifests a number of ways. As introverts, we need time by ourselves to regain lost energy. Our creative process also requires isolation so we can form new thoughts and ideas. Without sufficient alone time, we may become overwhelmed, irritable, and unable to focus.

Tip: Please note that alone time is the most critical when an INFP is processing their emotions. We often know how we feel instantaneously, but we need time to sort through our labyrinth of emotions before sharing them with others. Be mindful that we may be unable to properly share how we feel unless we’ve had time to think things over on our own.

8. We may need your help when we’re stressed.

Everyone has to deal with stress from time to time, but it can be particularly daunting for INFPs.

We can quickly become distraught when our perfectionism kicks in. Tedious day-to-day activities can add up and contribute to the madness. As I mentioned earlier, we have trouble being direct — and this applies to asking for help. Step in and help us when we need it, even if unasked, and we’ll love you for it.

Tip: Crossing things off our to-do list for us will win you major points, especially the little things. Sometimes we’ll need to vent while you dry our tears of exasperation. Thank you in advance for this; you don’t know how much it means to us.

9. We want you to be honest, despite how sensitive we can be.

Being completely honest with us can seem dangerous. We don’t take criticism well and can often respond emotionally when confronted with an issue. However, we truly believe that it doesn’t help anyone to withhold concerns, and we will become hurt if we realize that you can’t share your heart and mind with us completely.

Tip: INFPs can be receptive to negative statements if they are explained in a loving and affectionate manner. Try to phrase things in a way that won’t be perceived as an attack. We recognize compassionate intentions. Approaching potential conflict this way shows you’re trying to help us, and ultimately, help our relationship.

10. Be our rock.

The world can be a harsh place for the sensitive and emotional INFP. We regularly feel misunderstood. We worry that our attributes are not highly valued by those around us. We can struggle with crippling self-doubt. As a result, our imagination often serves as our place to retreat and feel free.

Tip (and the way to our heart): When we come back to reality, we want to rely on you, our romantic partner, first and foremost, for support and care. Be our refuge when we’re caught up in the unfairness of the world. Be our champion and point out when we’re not properly sticking up for ourselves. Be our source of comfort and assurance when we’re in need of empathy and a warm hug.

by Aute Porter, IntrovertDear

[mainadjacent]

Sticking to the Script

Pairing: Gwilym Lee x Reader, one-sided Ben Hardy x Reader

Summary: You are the star of the hit TV show, “Winthrope Manor” and you’ve just got a new costar, Gwilym Lee who happens to bring around his friend, Ben Hardy, to set. You develop feelings for Ben, but they’re not well received. Lucky for you, your costar is there to help make things better.

Author’s Note: I’m just getting the hang of fic writing so hopefully this is coherent! I’d like to thank the lovely @sevenseasofky for being so kind and inspiring me with her fic, “Nothing but a Number” which this fic is heavily inspired by. Really, if you haven’t read her work, you are missing out.

PART 1

“Bohemian Rhapsody” star Gwilym Lee joins the Award-winning Cast of “Winthrope Manor” as possible love interest

You sigh exasperatedly at the Google Alert on your phone. You knew that this was going to be a possibility, the press has a habit of making a big deal of your show’s guest stars and it really took away from the quality of the show.  It wasn’t even like he was the most important guest star you’ve ever had.

“Anything wrong,” asks your costume designer, Nicole, as she laces you into your corset.

“Nothing,” you say nonchalantly, “just a bit tight is all.”

“Sorry, but you know how they want it, it has to be authentic.”

“Right, right, the good name of Winthrope Manor rests on the tightness of Violet’s corset,” you grumble.

Nicole giggles but does not loosen your laces, and even though you’ve been doing this for a whole season, you can feel your own organ rearranging painfully.

It’s a small price to pay, really, as much as you complain to Nicole about it. You are consistently at a loss for words at how lucky you are to be in this position: one of the stars of the award-winning television show, “Winthrope Manor.”

“Winthrope Manor” or “American response to ‘Downton Abbey’” as critics often put it, was the story of the wealthiest textile family in America at the turn of the 20th century. It was soapy and dramatic and lots of fun. You played Violet Winthrope, the intelligent and determined oldest Winthrope sibling who was constantly trying to establish herself in the industrial world while dealing with all sorts of romantic and personal entanglements.

The show premiered to critical acclaim in part because of the writing, in part because of the star-studded cast, and the amazing production value didn’t hurt either. “Winthrope” had had an amazing first season, sweeping in awards, amassing a pretty impressive fanbase and gaining all sorts of acclaim. Apparently, Meryl Streep was in negotiations to play your grandmother for the upcoming season.

As for you, you were still adjusting to the fame since you hadn’t really had much exposure beforehand. In a way, “Winthrope” had really changed your life in that aspect; you were relatively unknown before it—most of the younger cast was—and now you had been catapulted into some sort of fame. You weren’t super famous, it wasn’t like you were getting mobbed by paps constantly, but you had gained a substantial following. People tweeted you, approached you on the street, and even had whole internet presences dedicated to you and your character. It still took a while to get used to it, but you were trying to handle it with the most grace you could muster, but you would be a liar if you said it wasn’t exhausting at times. It was a small price to pay though.

Nicole finished with your laces and you gave yourself a second to adjust. Speaking of prices you pay.

As Nicole is pinning up the hem of one of Violet’s evening gowns, you hear a knock at the trailer’s door.

“Come in!”

You were expecting any one of your female costars, as this was the woman’s costuming trailer, however, you were surprised to see your character’s newest love interest and the subject of internet articles, Gwilym Lee.

“Hi,” he says as he awkwardly stands at the trailer’s threshold.

“Hey” you great him coolly while holding the hem of your dress up as Nicole took measurements.

“Right, hi, anyway. I was wondering if you had lunch plans today? One of my friends is on the lot today and I thought we could all get lunch together?”

You lean down to fix the train of your dress while you think about it. In the last month on set, Gwil had never invited you to do anything, which you were completely fine with. You had tried to keep Gwilym at arm’s length for the last few weeks of table reads and preliminary filming. You’ve learned not to get too close to the leading-man type, and you have yet to figure out whether or not he is someone you can trust enough with your friendship. Your experiences have been mixed with male actors on your set, to say the least.

“Who’s your friend?” you ask, slowly rising upright.

“Ben, Ben Hardy. We were in ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ together. He’s on the lot doing some post for ‘X-Men.’”

“Um, sure,” you say, although you’re not entirely sure why.

“Great, so, I’ll see you then,” Gwil takes one last look at you before heading out the door.

You catch Nicole giving you a long look.

“What?”

______

You spend the first half of your day in fittings which is pretty exhausting. Nicole remains cryptically silent on the significant exchange this morning, which strikes you as odd because she loves to talk about any possible set drama. Instead, you keep the conversation light and talk about how nice it is to be back on set and what each of you did over the break. While Nicole and a few other designers pin and prick and pull at your complicated wardrobe pieces the tv hums in the background and you comfortably set into a rhythm. You are too entertained that you don’t even notice three short knocks at the door, you also miss one of the seamstresses letting your costar and his friend into the trailer.

“Hello,” says Gwil, “is this a good time?”

You look up from the inseam of a pair of riding trousers you’re trying on. Gwil is back in plainclothes and behind him is a shorter, blonder man. You recognize him instantly from his feature films and even though you knew to expect him, you’re caught off guard by how handsome he is. He smiles flittingly at you and you can feel a blush creeping on your cheeks.  It’s at this time you realize that you did not have a shirt on and instead were still in your 220th-century underthings. Now you’re really blushing.

“Oh, sorry, we kind of lost track of time. Give me a second,” you say as you step down from the fitting platform as you try to keep cool, “let me change.”

Two costumers usher you behind a partition and both try to help you out of your costume and back into your plainclothes which is an affair all of its own.

“Hi nice to meet you!” you say as you stumble out from behind the partition extending your hand out.

“Nice to meet you, I’m Ben,” the blond man chuckles as you reach to shake his hand, “I’m sorry we barged in like this but Gwil just wouldn’t stop raving about his beautiful new costar and I wanted to meet the famous Violet Winthrope myself.”

You can feel yourself growing redder by the second, Ben Hardy had called you beautiful.

“Well, I hope I don’t disappoint, Violet is much more interesting than I am.”

“I beg to differ,” Gwil says, reminding you of his presence.

The three of you decide to eat close by since Ben only had 30 minutes until he had to be back on set (“Those angel wings take forever to get on!”) so you find one of the cafes on the lot.

While you eat, Ben tells you about his recent shoot on the “X-Men,” what he hopes his next project and asks you if the Richard Winthrope was going to lose ownership of the family business to his brother.

You laugh, “There is no way you watch ‘Winthrope Manor’!”

“What do you mean by that?” Ben gawks playfully, “I will have you know that I am very interested in the rich tapestry of 20th century American life woven by ‘Winthrope Manor’ and maybe I might have had a crush on the beautiful and charming Violet.”

You blush, which you seem to be doing a lot today, “Well if you must know—”

“We aren’t allowed to spoil anything!” Gwil interrupts forcefully.

“Right,��—since was Gwil so concerned about spoilers? —" I guess you’re just going to have to watch and find out!” You smile cheekily.

You and Ben carry most of the conversation during the short lunch, which you really don’t mind. You would be lying if you said you didn’t find yourself utterly charmed by Ben: he was funny, interesting and very attractive.  Before you knew it, though, your short lunch came to an end and the three of you had to go to your respective sets. Before leaving, Ben shares that he would be on the lot tomorrow for some time too and promised to try and stop by your set if he could. You try to not look too giddy when he says this and instead play it cool while you bid him goodbye.

______

“He’s nice,” you say casually to Gwil as the two of you walk back to the set. He hadn’t talked much during lunch and while you did not know him well, usually Gwil was talkative between takes and during reads. He had always struck you as someone who was naturally friendly, as someone with something to say.

“Yeah, Ben’s a nice guy,” Gwil says, his brows furrowed.

“Yeah, I mean, I can see why the two of you stayed friends after filming ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’.”

“Right.”

A beat of silence.

“I’m sorry, did I do something wrong?” you ask, and regret it almost instantly when you see the look Gwil gives you.

“No, why would you think that?”

“Well, it’s just,” you sigh, “you just seemed really quiet at lunch and now it’s like you don’t want to talk to me. Which is honestly confusing, considering you invited me to lunch.”

“You think I’m confusing? You’re the one that won’t say more than a sentence to me at a time but when Ben I’m-a-literal-angel Hardy shows up suddenly you can’t stop talking.”

“Wait, this is about me being friendly to Ben? I thought you wanted us to get along, he’s your friend,” you stop in the middle of a crowded lot.

“No, that’s not it,” he reaches a hand to his temple, “its just that, we’re supposed to be playing love interests and you barely talk to me. At first, I thought you were just shy, so I invited you out with someone else to make it easier for us to get to know each other, you know? Without so much pressure. But you aren’t shy, at least not with Ben which sort of leads me to believe that you just don’t like me, which is fine I guess, you’re not obligated to like me, I just thought—”

“You worried that I don’t like you?”

“Well, you never really talk to me and whenever I’m around you find a way to not spend time with me unless you have to,” Gwil says, almost sheepishly, “and with everyone else, you’re so nice and personable.”

It’s true. You had been avoiding Gwil, but it wasn’t because you didn’t like him. Up until this point, you hadn’t really formed an opinion on him.

“You’re right, maybe I have been avoiding you, but it’s not because I don’t like you. I just haven’t decided what to make of you yet,” you say, biting your lip.

“What?”

“Well, last season I got involved with the guy who played William, Charlotte’s love interest. The actor’s name was Aaron Mayfield and, well, it ended badly, like, really badly. Lucky for me, William died on the front lines, so I didn’t have to see Aaron again. After that though, I decided to keep my relationships with any new costars as professional as possible, until I could figure out if I could trust them to be friends with. I guess I didn’t really think that through though, because now I’ve hurt your feelings and you actually do seem like a really nice guy,” you say all this with your eyes trained on the ground, part of you relieved to have come clean.

After some silence, you look up slowly, hoping to gauge Gwil’s reactions.  His head is tilted to one side, and he looks like he’s trying to figure out some sort of mathematical equation, his bright eyes catching the midday sun.

“So, does this mean we can be friends?”

PART 2

[starcourtscream]

strength + wheel of fortune!

*｡.｡:+♡  STRENGTH  —

lydia   feels   most   in  control   when   she   knows   what’s   going   on.   she   can   tap   into   certain  frequencies   or   induce   premonitions   if   she   needs   answers,   but   knowing   she   can   help   &   how   to  do   it   boosts  her   confidence. she   has   access   to  information   veiled   from   the   average   human   &   possesses   a   lot   of   power   in   her   scream   (   enough   to   be   fatal   ),   astral   projection,   psychography   and   she   follows   her   intuition   to   find   missing   people.   she’s   learned   a   lot   from   her   pack   but   several   experiences   had   taught   her   that   in   some   cases,   she’s   the   only   one   able   to   solve   a   problem.   naturally   she’s   altruistic   and   won’t   let   fear   of   injury   /   her   own   death   get   in   her   way   of   anything.   if   she   gets   hurt,   she   doesn’t   mind   as   long   as   she   can   help   someone   &   self   preservation   doesn’t   apply   to   lydia.   she   will   literally   die   for   the   people   she   loves.   what   scares   her   is   the   unknown,   psychic   abilities   she   hasn’t   entirely   cultivated   yet   combined   with   impending   events   or   not   knowing   whether   or   not   she   can   reach   someone   in   time.   fate   &   the   banshee   always   seem   to   be   at   a   precarious   game.

*｡.｡:+♡  WHEEL  OF  FORTUNE  —

positive   changes   according   to   lydia   would   be   figuring   out   something   cryptic   to   possibly   save   someone’s   life,   amplifying   her   powers   and   having   full   control   over   them   as   a   banshee,   enemies   becoming   allies,   and   (   obviously   )   evading   death.   she’s   very   fortunate   for   infinite   reasons�� :  her   friends,   the   voices   in   her   head   &   ominous   dreams  /  visions   that   haunt   her   but   also   guide   her   along   the   membrane   separating   life   &   death,   and   to   have   survived   all   of   the   nightmarish   things   she’s   been   through.   she’s   always   critiquing   herself,   quite   aware   of   her  flaws   &   shortcomings.   she   can   be   introspective   in   solitude,   but   at   the   same   time   she   tends   to   layer   distractions   and   not   address   internal   conflicts   until   someone   close   to   her   finally   says   something   and   pretty   much   forces   an   impromptu   heart-to-heart   so   she   can’t   pretend   she   doesn’t   have   any   problems   —   though   she   does   realize   such   things   on   her   own   first.   she   might   dismiss   it   with   sassy   commentary,   but   she’ll   think   about   it   later.   these   would   be   hiding   her   true   personality   and   knowing   she   deserved   better   (   freshman  /  sophomore   year   ),   filling   voids   to   temporarily   mute   negative   feelings   &   cope   with   trauma   before   actualizing   her   full   potential   and   blossoming,   apologizing   to   meredith   for   being   too   harsh,   not   acting   on   loving   someone   until   it’s   too   late.   she’s   quietly   aware   of   all   of   those   things   and   changes   her   behavior   so   that   she   stops   wasting   time   &   lives   a   more   authentic,   fruitful   life.   because   of   all   those   things,   she’s   more   patient,   openly   compassionate,   unafraid   of   flaunting   her   intellectual   gifts,   expressive   with   people   she   cares   about   instead   of   being   aloof   &   she   trusts   her   intuition   instead   of   questioning   herself.   she’s   been   through   a   lot   of   things   that   hurt   her,   but   that’s   what   changed   her   perspective   and   catalyzed   her   personal   evolution.

♡   @serpcntloyalty   /   tarot asks   /   accepting   !

[phoenixfeatherquillwriting]

It’s Moodboard Monday again over @homesteadhorner and I have two moodboards this week, whew! This week’s theme is fire, so I knew I had to get my pyrokinetic in here! A few disclaimers and things before we get to the fun stuff:
 Tumblr did horrible things to the quality of some of the images in this board no matter what I did. If you’re having trouble reading the buttons on the top right, they read: “Ask me about my pronouns,” “Male? No. Female? No,” “Too rad for your binary,” and “gender rebel.” The quote in the book also got a little distorted and is meant to read “If it doesn’t burn a little, then what’s the point of playing with fire?” 
 Ash identifies as nonbinary and uses the pronouns they/them/theirs. (The flag on some of the pins is actually the genderfluid flag rather than the nonbinary one, but I couldn’t pass up the witty word buttons.) They prefer the term “datemate” when talking about their relationships.
 Ash is my first nonbinary character. I have done my very best to do all the research I can to portray them respectfully and authentically, but I am cis and cannot fully understand everything about what being nonbinary is like. If you have questions or concerns, or just a gentle reminder or suggestion, please RESPECTFULLY bring that to my askbox or PMs. 
 This is not actually the best face ref for Ash, I’m trying to find a better one. 
 Ash is my newest OC, so some information may be added or changed as I get to know them more. 
 OKAY NOW THE FUN PART!
Name: Ash Gutierrez (Aliases: Pyro) 
Roles: Protagonist, love interest 
Traits: Adventurous, witty, determined, self-assured, sharp-tongued, warm, inventive, stubborn 
Quotes: “Playing with fire is in my nature. No matter what you do, you can’t stop that.” “Good news Ari, the play says ‘No man of woman borne,’ so I can defeat MacBeth.” 
 About
Ash had a relatively uneventful early life, all things considered, until they met Aris. Actually, a lot of things in their life can be described with “until Aris.” The two met in their undergraduate college years, not long after Ash fully began to present as who they truly were. Aris was, by all accounts, intrigued. Ash was very science-minded, and had drive to change the world, through their science, through their magic, through just…themselves. She’d never made friends easily, but the pyrokinetic didn’t shy away from her, inept as her Normal social skills were at that time, and they slowly began to learn about each other. it was a long, slow process, but Aris began to let Ash know she saw them as a little more than a friend. Ash was allowed into her lab, to tinker with her inventions, input on the columns Ari wrote for the paper, to take pictures of Aris in stolen moments when the latter usually refused to be anything resembling photogenic. And she refused to hear a bad word spoken of them from anyone who wasn’t accepting. “I don’t need defending” Ash said. “And I don’t need to put up with their stupidity” Aris shot back. After inviting Aris to both of their first formal dance, seeing her all dressed up, Ash knew. They hadn’t meant to fall for Aris…and yet here they were. 
 They never said “I love you,” at least, not yet, but they fell into something between friends and a couple, and then just “a couple who’s oblivious to the fact that they are one.” Just before Aris moved on to grad school and Ash set out for a traveling career in environmental science (geology and volcanic specialty, how appropriate,) she helped Ash finalize their legal name change and made them a framed work of Constellan calligraphy with “Ash” in the center. On the back, she left her address. 
 From then, they kept up as pen pals, Ash traveling to all the remote corners of nature for study, advocating better sustainability practices, picking up an interest in the Illios and a vendetta against corrupt fossil fuels companies. Aris scanned and studied and tinkered and wrote her thesis, and slowly, as she and her science began to fall into the wrong hands, began using Ash’s letters as a life raft. There was a normal world, somewhere out there where she didn’t have to spy, experiment, and kill, hoping the price of admission to a better future for Constella at large was worth it. Her own replies grew more withholding and cryptic, afraid to get Ash in the crossfire, and hoping to escape to them someday all the same. They were reunited once the apocalypse broke out, but in some ways, it was years too late. Too late to save the Aris that Ash had known, but they could at least keep this hardened and abused version from self-destructing. The apprentice Aris had picked up, Katri, helped to show Ash that Ari hadn’t changed all for the bad. She was now inadvertently between aunt and mother for Katri and her brother Espen, and the caretaker of two feisty kittens. 
 Ash themselves is a do-er, never content to stay on the sidelines of anything. They once threw themselves into a ten month trip to the South American rainforest for the good of the Amazon ecosystem, almost entirely forgetting their aversion to rain until Aris’ questioning letter arrived. A mover, too, with hobbies including biking, hiking, parasailing, welding, and nature photography. They love reptiles of all kinds, and Katri recently gifted them with a pet salamander. His name is Hotrod. Never one to turn down a good party or a good time, Ash is quick with a laugh and a sharp joke, much more sociable than their datemate. Their natural warmth comes through in more ways than one. They play with fire just for the shocked reactions of the crowd, make sparks when they’re feeling playful, and an extra-warm snuggle never hurt when convincing a sick Aris to get some rest. -Dove
 Special thanks to @inkdropsonroses for eternal support, @lady-redshield-writes for encouraging me that I could handle two moodboards in one week, and my new friend @toboldlywrite for being enthusiastic about Ash despite knowing me for such a short time.

[elfinboyfriend]

There are eight things that men want to do with their boobs.

Ladies' cases are an enormous variable of the intersection of leisure activity ponies for folks. Among the top class and dream, they love to see them, find them, and do heaps of incalculable issues with them. So right then, at that point, are the eight matters mortal creatures cryptically invoke generally doing with our cases.

Okay the cases! A piece of the time we have the tendency that we should leave individuals for enough some time before them, and they could not the slightest bit wear out on it.

For certain reasons, we venerate our cases. Uncovered or decorated with garb which you must be amiable, hot, or each. It's each a picture of fabulous nature and a wellspring of ecstasy.

In any case, coffin stature exists, If presently as of now not given to everybody. What is repetitive without outperforming everyone's hypotheticals, cases are sizable for a lady's passionate zones. As demonstrated through a review flowed in 2013 withinside the magazine Cortex, they are withinside the fifth spot of the greatest submerging zones for ladies, and the areolas, without a doubt excess definitively, withinside the 6th.

So we fefe the impelling at the opposite of why we're, for specific incitements, incredibly enchanted, assuming now as of now not happy with this piece of our body. Regardless, why on earth do our masculine additional items have a genuine distraction with them?.

Coming up back are 8 matters folks love and furthermore need to do with ladies' cases (with their simultaneousness, without any problem).

Men's distraction with cases among decency and hobbyhorse

Notice our cases

Men need to see our cases for a basically extensive time. Unfathomably, extensive time. So extensive that whether or not or presently no longer you've persistently been seeing reputation, appearance could propel us to smell mistaken.

What is excess since it isn't achievable for an individual to intention us to smell erroneous regarding our specific body, first analysis for you polite partners we don't have a take a notice a man, explicitly a region of his security, without a doubt, whether or not or presently no longer we fete him for the greatest component astonishing.

Substitute analysis we venerate to see, so we have at this variable mentioned our complement which stunned him generally the time. Fantasize a situation where you apparently did likewise. Their shape, their dominating, or to be sure their lead conscious of them.

This is because of the reality the size of the coffin influences all through the refined cycle. It in like manner transformations underneath the effect of sexual energy, that might blast through 25. The achromatism of the areolas can likewise moreover substitute at this variable. It ought to be said that it's undeniably really entrancing.

Counting our cases as cushions

Clearly, our joe should loosen up his significant and destroyed head somewhere in an unexpected way, yet he feels that it's far definitely excess, outstanding and delicate to nod off … This is authentic for incredible cases, yet additionally for repetitive humble bones. The sensations are not something almost indistinguishable, but instead they just concur that it's far enabling and pleasant.

Considering the entire thing, we additionally do in like way through laying our head on their shoulder or their coffin.

They love to cover their discernment on it and awareness on the sea Considering the entire thing, it's presently as of now not just the sea they might be affixing on. Normally it's excess the heart, and farther than one eruptions that can not be depicted, however on the equivalent generally relaxing. It's basically excess, more astounding than a recognition at the tummy which passes on a fiasco region!

They need to envelop our cases as a ball circle

Once more, the size of the cases anticipates a part. Make an endeavor now no longer to misjudge them, those folks substitute. At any rate with respect to loosening up and tossing M and Ms'in our fractionalization. Boats and turtlenecks are their enemy!

Amp the cases, for the remainder of ladies, and folks. They like to join them! Other than whether or not or not or presently never again it's currently at this point not effectively dynamite for us, and in the event that it doesn't give your individual an extraordinary inclination possibly, it's basically regarding a monster interest for him. Be wary, in the event that this essentially bothers you putatively owe him say no.

The base turns into a basic component without any problem. The pores and skin is tricky, the areolas are gotten, the areolas previously in some time coarse. Similarly through running them, we smell what is outside. In the coffin there might be fats towel (thus fats), and lactiferous channels related with the mammary organs ( gauge that the imbue surround of the coffin is the improvement of milk for children), all ward on a giant pectoral muscle.

close volume off

A coffin so adaptable yet at that element so normally caught (in this expressed muscle), it's far delighting. Additionally this mix of resilience and tricky relinquishment is significant.

Stroke them, reach out to them, find them.

Like there have been 2 wonderful mountains that got them out that way, all of a sudden. There are generally many games with the cases. You can stroke them along with your total hand, along with your fingertips, you might press the areolas, ace them, smell them, and nibble on them. You can take the coffin totally or rub your face on it.

Enabling the coffin is a workmanship, considerably like amping the clitoris. Areolas have developments they concur upon all through stature. Their eagerness makes it attainable to convey oxytocin, ensuring an investigation coursed in Medical Hypothesis in 2015. What is excess oxytocin is the simulation of cooperation, or maybe repetitive absolutely the emulsion of the affiliation the main that makes l'we're acquainted with our highlight. Worth investigating, correct?.

Hold our cases

Everyplace, persistently. Anticipating that it transformed into OK to society, mortal creatures could keep their sizable other's cases idly for sure withinside the megacity, simultaneously as stomping straightforwardly! Who hasn't seen that their valuable is holding her coffin watchfully simultaneously as watching a film in bed? Likewise once further did he come and take them with wins, for over to 3 sparkles, while you're arranging something contrastingly totally? Clean your teeth, store your papers, reestablish your bicycle, etc?.

Take them in wins and shake every one of them over

There is regardless molding while the power is repetitive for their fulfillment than for our specific. One component is sure, it breaks them!

[rome-miamor]

When in Rome, be a Roam-er

One of the best ways to enjoy Rome is to hop on a bicycle and start pedalling in its endless lanes and boulevards. It would take years to scratch this mysterious city which constituted an entire empire at some point in time in history. However, it will leave you in wonder if you ditched the map or a guide book and simply set off by yourself. At first you may feel, the entire city lives and sells on streets. And why would they not when they are blessed with long summers and springs. From endless flea markets to enticing cuisines one can eat and shop here like no other European city. A quick guide to Rome’s secrets if you have limited time and wish to soak in every bit of its wow-factor!

1) Eat – Authors around the world have written volumes of books talking about its rich cuisine and where to dine and drink and sorts. I discovered a secret to enjoy an authentic Italian flavorsome food. Just walk into to any restaurant with a kitchen which is visible to you from outside or select a restaurant or cafe which has “casa di” at its beginning. This means the food prepared inside is with traditional Italian home recipes and is always fresh. One thing that an Italian would never appreciate is precooked or packed food. So much that the herbs which they use are often plucked from the bush planted at the kitchen window and hand crushed before it is added to your platter.

2) Drink – French may be the uncrowned kings of their wines but Italians could give them a tough fight when it comes to improvising and trying different flavors in their wines. While French have stuck to the most basic form of wines being Red, white and Rosé, Italians have gone ahead and improvised beyond grapes being the only ingredient of wine. Herbs and spices used extensively in their food, they have successfully melanged these flavors in their wines. Where do you find it? Everywhere! From supermarkets to roadside cafes, you will find them everywhere. Do not hesitate in selecting the most bizarre sounding wine from their menu and surprise yourself with something as unheard of as a Saffron wine or a spiced wine.

3) Watch the sun moving – Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi, popularly known as The Fountain of Four Rivers is located in the places you would least expect a UNESCO World Heritage monument to be; in the city center, amidst a busy square. Yet, its historic significance and brilliant placement lets you watch the movement of the sun during different times of the day. Each of the 4 rivers represent the most important rivers of in the 4 continents; Ganges of Asia, Danube of Europe, Nile of Africa and Rio de la Plata of the Americas each facing East, North, South and West respective to their locations. What’s intimidating is to see how sun glimmers on each of these statues representing the rivers in different shades making it look in a different color in every hour. Similar look and feel one could see if it’s observed on a full moon night. You will be amazed to find this kind of hide-n-seek with nature to be a part of every constructed or sculpted structure in the by lanes. See it yourself to believe it!

4) Art and architecture – Bernini, Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo grace the walls and ceiling of almost every structure in Rome and Most of Italy. It’s a sheer brilliance to see a sculpture, mural, a pathway in random corners with cryptic carvings or messages so ancient that you need to access to secret walls of Vatican Library to decipher them (I admit! I have read Dan brown too many times). Be it a church or a pagan temple or a fully functional government building, they have kept the art by these notable artists and researchers alive in every square centimetre of this ancient empire. Romanesque architecture embraced Gothic features of the Christian temples with sculptures of mystical creatures around the building of a temple. Colossae (Colosseum) and Obelisks have adorned the city at stray angles which documented their flourishing relations in the Mediterranean belt. An era when religion was considered to be the supreme power for ruling a state, there were secret agents of science, high up in society to convey the power of and existence of the same message as that of the Church in a prolific manner and not just blind faith. Rome has been a secret muse to almost every sort of explorer; from artists to alchemists, researchers to realtors, travelers to therapists remain smitten by her versatility. A rich empire once upon a time, could have been easily classified into a 3 rd world country had it not been a part of the might European Union. One of the living proofs of Italy’s diversity would be that she’s the home to the world’s smallest and the Holiest country to the world largest and most dangerous mafia. A word of caution: there are still thugs, pick-pockets and small time robbers in the city in action during broad day light. Do not trust people if they offer you any service in exchange of money in this otherwise safe city.

[resonanteye]

via http://resonanteye.net/youve-arrived/

you've arrived

hosting/reposting

  The Great Awakening

You have arrived.

It’s been a long journey. Take a moment. Take a deep breath. Get a glass of water and sit down. This is going to be long. It’s going to make you uncomfortable. It’s not what you thought it was going to be, but it’s what you didn’t even know you needed to hear. The totality of this is greater than the sum of its parts and I implore you to read all the way to the end. It’s going to make you angry. It’s going to make you feel a lot of things you don’t want to feel, but you wanted to wake up and this was the only way. You are going to want to dismiss it. People will tell you not to read it. Belief is the most powerful force in this universe, and your belief is about to be challenged in a way you didn’t expect. Fortunately, you don’t have to actually believe anything written here. All you have to do is read it with an open mind. If you get to the end of this your thinking will change. You will be one step closer to being free, and then you can then go on to free the others. Where we go one, we go all.

  Before we go any further, we need to set some ground rules:

1) The language here is going to seem really… off, but I promise you it will make sense by the end. This document is designed to be interpreted _literally_. I can’t stress that enough. Do not look for hidden clues—there are none. There is no misdirection, no deeper meaning, no numerology or special calendar to look at. This is the end of the line. This is a 1:1 conversation, speaking as open and honestly as possible. We are just two people having a chat. Any other meaning you try to derive outside of what is written here is on you.

2) Much of this is about language. To some, the language is going to seem very strange, crude, cryptic, nerdy, or childish at times. I’m trying to be as authentic as possible. Please understand it is not meant to be interpreted as racist, sexist or bigoted. Internet culture, “the chans” in particular, have a kind of language that is systemically all these things, but people do not interpret the language literally in use. I will try to keep it as civil and digestible as possible.

3) Be kind to yourself. Be kind to each other.

  And before we even really get started, we need to everyone on the same level, with something that approaches a fair knowledge base. Over the past three years people have joined this movement from all around the world. Q Drops have been translated into dozens of languages. There are now mobile apps, shirts, hats, podcasts and documentaries. QAnon means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. As I’m writing this, former military generals are swearing oaths to QAnon. The movement has grown beyond anything I could have possibly imagined. Many people are joining the QAnon movement, but they don’t really understand what they are reading. They are confused. I want to talk just briefly about the history of a part of the internet where QAnon comes from, not in an attempt to legitimize myself as some elder sage, but to build understanding. To truly understand all of this you need context. Context about the people and platforms that now bring you your information—and ultimately, your news.

  Some of you go all the way back to the Something Awful forums and the days when platforms like IRC and ICQ still felt new.  Some of you literally just joined yesterday. I am going to give you an abbreviated history of the chans as it pertains QAnon. Most people know 4chan and 8chan as the place where Q lives online, but they don’t really understand them. “No outside comms” seems to be what the 99% of QAnon understands—that these are the “official” channels where Q posts. But have you ever been there? Have you ever really gone to boards and looked at them? Some you have, but the vast, vast majority of QAnon followers have not. Perhaps that is no surprise, as they aren’t easily comprehensible. So, let’s talk briefly about three things: Something Awful, 4chan, and 8chan/8kun. And I do mean briefly. You could write a book about each of these, but we can move forward with some broad strokes that should give you the context you need to truly understand Q.

  We have to quickly go back to 1999. In 1999 someone known as “Lowtax” created a website called Something Awful (which I will refer to as SA going forward), which still exists today. You can go and check it out if you like. Before Facebook and Twitter, before YouTube even existed, and even before most people knew what Google was, there was Something Awful. SA has been a lot of things over the years, but it is mostly a forum—a message board. On SA everyone was mostly anonymous because, at the time, no one other than academics used their real name on the internet. SA was a semi-private board. It was the internet’s first large “secret society” of sorts. It was mostly focused on video games and Adobe Flash content, and it birthed some of the internet’s very first memes. It was a trollish but a (mostly) well-meaning community of nerds. Some members, known as the “GoonSquad” or just “Goons” would often group up and bombard players of the early MMORPGs to troll them. It was (mostly) harmless fun and pranks. In the late 90’s and early 00’s only nerds were on the internet anyway, so it was mostly nerds trolling other nerds in video games. You could identify other Goons by asking as simple question: “Do you have stairs in your house?” If someone answered, “I am protected,” then you knew they were a fellow Goon.

  Why am I talking about this? Well, if you had to pick a place to put on a birth certificate for where internet culture itself was born, Something Awful would be that place.

  A few years later someone known at the time only as “moot” created a website called 4chan. 4chan is a fully anonymous (seemingly, anyway) message board, based on a Japanese message board design known as 2chan. It’s actually better described as an “imageboard,” since you have to upload an image with every post. 4chan was open to all. There were few rules, and on some boards—none. Post whatever you want, do whatever you want. For the most part, everyone except moot himself was simply labeled as, “Anonymous.” This is where the “Anon” in QAnon comes from.

  Like SA, 4chan was originally a haven for nerds talking about video games and anime. But its anonymous and open nature allowed to build its own form. The most iconic memes, from lolcats themselves to Rickrolling and beyond, started on 4chan. SA might have birthed internet culture, but 4chan gave it form—and it still powers much of the creativity of internet itself to this day. The anonymous nature of the form allowed for a kind of collaborative creativity that—and I truly believe this—has changed the world for the better. It’s a special kind of creativity and one that you really need to experience if you want to understand it. On 4chan you will see new creative concepts born and shaped in real time, and you can watch them spread around the world. You can contribute whenever and whatever you like, and the community then gets to riff on your contribution. 4chan has even birthed new formats and new types of creativity. I want to talk about some of these specifically, to provide some kind of context for what “the chans” are really all about it, but we are just scraping the surface here. You might have to Google around for quite some time to truly understand this if you are new.

  Among the myriad of things that get posted on 4chan, one of them is known as a “green text” or “green text story.” A green text is a short story format that includes green colored text and a small picture, often a meme of some kind, like a Pepe. It can be pages long or just a few lines. It is often written in broken sentences and shorthand. They often start with the line, “be me…” and then launch into a short narrative. They can be true or fictional or somewhere in-between. They are often designed to be shocking, depressing or trollish, but they can also be uplifting. It is perhaps the simplest and most pervasive form of content on 4chan other than image macros themselves. I’m going to coin a new phrase and call this a form of Creative Anonymous Fiction or CAF for short. The anonymous nature of the platform lets you tell a story in a new way. Often times people will take green texts and remix them, giving them a different ending. I could post examples, but I’d be doing you a disservice. You are better off looking them up and reading them yourself until you understand it.

  Green texts can sometimes end with what’s called copypasta, which is a type of bamboozle. Copypasta is a snippet of short form copy that gets reposted over and over again. A bamboozle is a type of switcheroo—you start telling what the reader feels is a novel story, building to some climax, and then end it with a classic copypasta for that “gotcha” moment. It is, essentially, a prank. A text based prank. This sort of content now exists all over the place, far beyond the reaches of just 4chan. You might be wondering where all of this is going… we’ll get to that. In some ways this is actually the most important part of this entire document. I wanted to make sure that everyone has some context for what is to come, but I can assure this is going somewhere. Please do not let this extensive clarification distract you from the fact that in 1998, The Undertaker threw Mankind off Hell In A Cell, and plummeted 16 ft through an announcer’s table.

  So that’s a quick overview of the playful side of things. But on 4chan you will also see some dark and disgusting shit. With the good comes the bad—and the bad can be really bad. Because everyone is anonymous, everyone subject to being hassled by other anonymous posters. Everyone is gay, a fag, a retard or an autist. A thread without insults is a failed thread. The more people who tell you how gay and fake your shit is, the more people actually like it. 4chan may have given us lolcats, but it also ended up being a place for violence, misogyny, bullying, extreme racism—and even far more heinous things. For 12 years moot moderated the site. May criticized him at the time, but I think we can all look back now and know that he really did a fantastic job. For over a decade he was the beam scale that balanced free speech against the darkest depths of humanity—and I meant that literally. He developed a system to help identify “anonymous” posters and worked with the FBI to put away pedophiles, child pornographers, and even would-be domestic terrorists. He did this all while being told constantly how gay he was and how many dicks he sucked (as is the way). Moot was a hero we never deserved.

  The two most popular boards on 4chan are /pol/ (for politics) and /b/ (which stands for random). People who post on these boards are often referred to as /pol/tards and /b/tards respectively, with /b/ being one of the more nefarious (but also one of the more creative) boards as it had essentially no rules on what you could post. If “tard” sounds harsh, know that it is said lovingly. Even seniority within the community itself is derogatory. There are “oldfags” and “newfags,” where being called an oldfag is an informal compliment and recognition of seniority. Opinions will differ, but oldfags are generally recognized as being those who were around 4chan since before the pool was closed—one of the very first large raids. In 2006 a sort of prank was organized on 4chan by a group of Anons to “raid” the Flash game Habbo Hotel. Hundreds of people created black avatars in the game and went around spamming the chat with racist and anti-Semitic nonsense, drawing swastikas and blocking off the pool area in the game, declaring that the, “Pool’s closed due to AIDS.” Why? For laughs. The average age of the userbase for this game was around 15 years old. Then again, the average age of the then Anons was probably the same. There is a lot more to this story, and I encourage you to look it up if you have the time, but the point is that this event eventually lead to 30 seconds in the spotlight on some news outlets. This was the first big event that was attributed to 4chan and Anonymous as a group. It was the first time that most people outside of the depths of the internet had ever even heard of 4chan.

  After this, more newfags joined. 4chan grows and the subgroup of /b/tards and /pol/tards that would come be to known more formally as “Anonymous” starts to take shape. All the while, moot is trying to balance what content stays and what content goes. The rest, as they say, is history. You start to see all kind of digital activism being organized on 4chan. Raids turn into DDoS (Distributed denial of service) attacks that shut down websites. People get arrested. Splinter groups form. Anonymous becomes more political. /b/ and /pol/ start to leak out of the internet and into the real world. People start protesting various things, like the Church of Scientology, wearing the iconic mask that the character V wears in the movie V for Vendetta. Logos are created. Anonymous comes into its own as a digital force. The group aligns itself with what DnD players call, “Chaotic Good.” Anons enjoy playing a character that is either an anti-hero or anti-villain. Sometimes Anons will pretend to have some super elite hacker ability, and while that is sometimes true it is mostly embellishment. Some people refer to this as Live Action Role Playing (LARP or LARPing), but it is not quite that. LARPing is when people take their Dungeons and Dragons game to the next level or dress up like Harry Potter characters and roleplay out in the woods. What happens on 4chan is very much a form of roleplaying, but one specifically shaped by the anonymous nature of the platform. I’m going to coin a second term here—Creative Anonymous Role Playing, or CARPing. More on this later.

  Moot continues to run 4chan until 2015. During that time, it gets harder and harder to manage. Anonymous becomes more unruly, and the site starts to spiral. Cyberbulling goes to a whole new level. There are celebrity nude photo leaks. Gamergate. A series of actual murders and killings get posted on 4chan. 4chan didn’t cause them, but that’s where the content ended up living. The site starts to become unmanageable with the old rules in place. Why moot bothered to keep it going I’ll never understand. There was never much money in the site itself and it always seemed like a huge headache. But the site starts to take moderation more seriously as harassment ramps up.

  Boards like /pol/ start to get more strict rules. Even /b/ starts to see more and more threads get removed. In 2013, a piece of shit Anon known as “Hotwheels” doesn’t like what’s happening to 4chan decides to splinter the group and starts 8chan.  While moot is trying to wrangle 4chan into something better, Hotwheels goes in the reverse direction and starts empowering (and in some ways, encouraging) harassment with things like Gamergate. 8chan doesn’t remove anything. No morals. Doesn’t matter who gets hurt. Free speech above all.

  This stance obviously has consequences. While moot would work with law enforcement, Hotwheels gives them the proverbial middle finger. As a result, all of the bad actors now had a new platform. You see swatting become a popular tactic. More and more violent threats. While moot would work with the FBI to help track down pedophiles and terrorists, Hotwheels decides to relocate the site to Philippines (where the age of consent is 12, mind you). He can barely keep the site running. No one wants to host this content; he can’t even keep the .com anymore because the registrars don’t want to work with him. Hotwheels finds some other shitstain in Manila who runs a pig farm and a porn site designed to get around Japanese pornography laws. They partner up. After three shootings (Christchurch, Poway, and El Paso) in 2019 where the shooters posted their manifesto to 8chan, Hotwheels finally admits the site got away from. The site shut down for a while, but the pig farmer and his son started it back up and rebranded it as 8kun after finding a Russian hosting provider who was willing to host the content. It is now a safe harbor for literally the worst of humanity, and you don’t have to take my word for it. Even Hotwheels himself now advocates for shutting the site down, but the pig farmer and his son have run away with it.

  This is where your information comes from. This is where it lives.

  Now that you have a better understanding of who is creating this information—your news—it is time. This next part is going to be hard.

  You have been bamboozled. QAnon is a hoax. It may well be one of—if not THE—greatest, most pervasive, hoaxes of all time.

  How do I know this? Because I am Q. In fact, I am the original Q. One of them, anyway.

  This is the point where many will stop reading. You are likely either angry or starting to feel embarrassed. I’m going to ask you to try and put those feelings aside for a moment and keep reading. You have absolutely no reason to feel embarrassed. This isn’t your fault. You did nothing wrong. You got caught in a world you didn’t fully understand and there are people now trying to prey on you at every corner to sell you hats and t-shirts.

  If you are willing to go forward, allow me to explain.

  What has happened here is what I’m going to call a “Galaxy Quest” moment. There is a lovely movie that came out in 1999 called Galaxy Quest. If you aren’t familiar with it, it’s worth a watch. It’s a family friendly comedy about an advanced alien race who watches a TV show made on Earth called Galaxy Quest. Galaxy Quest is a TV show, but the aliens don’t know it. They refer to the TV show as the, “historical documents.” They built an entire civilization around the historical documents, never realizing it was a TV show. It’s a fun concept. If you haven’t seen it, watch it. Anyway, the aliens weren’t stupid. In fact, they were the furthest thing from stupid as they made all the science fiction from the show come to life (although they are portrayed are dumb for the sake of comedy). The aliens simply did not have the context necessary to understand what they were seeing. They didn’t realize it was fiction. They didn’t know what fiction was. That is what has happened here with QAnon. You have read things on platforms you didn’t fully understand, and you brought your own context and understanding to it. You read fiction as non-fiction and no one has bothered to explain to you how or why this content even exists.

  We are going to go back as far as I can remember. I ask that other Anons corroborate what follows, not for me, but for those who are trapped by what has become a truly insidious ideology.

  This all starts in the summer of 2016. Someone on /pol/ makes a post pretending to be someone working with “intimate knowledge” of the “Clinton case.” They made a post in the style of an AMA (which stands for Ask Me Anything, a form of Q&A popularized by reddit). This is just another form of CARPing (Creative Anonymous Roleplaying). The first two responses are: “Will the Hillary get Pregnant again?” and “Why are you on 4chan on a Friday night?” This thread almost instantly devolves into what is commonly known as a “shitpost.” It is nonsense. You might say to yourself, “Why would someone go on the internet and tell lies?” Well, this person isn’t really lying, they are shitposting. It is a form of artistic expression. It’s an attempt to get someone to suspend their belief for a few moments. Any seasoned oldfag or /pol/tard knows exactly what this kind of thread is. No one takes this literally.

  However, at the time /pol/ is growing. You’ve got new people coming in daily. Much of /pol/ favors Donald Trump, broadly for his trollish nature and memeability, but also for his politics. Months later, someone cites the AMA as the FBI source behind the Pizzagate theory. This finds its way to Twitter. No one actually understands what they are reading, and no one checks the sources. Someone actually thought a months old shitpost on /pol/ was some kind of real leak. Long story short, someone goes into a Comet Ping Pong pizza with an AR-15 and starts shooting. A Friday night shitpost turned into shooting.

  Fast forward about six months.

  Someone on /b/ posts a depressing green text asking for recommendations on a new cult to join after they found out their girlfriend was cheating. Someone mentions that OP should become a Tibetan monk, because Tibetan Buddhism is a really great cult (e.g. because you can “light yourself on fire if you ever get too depressed OP”). Tibetan Buddhism goes on forever because the Dalia Llama gets reincarnated infinitely, so maybe if you are lucky you get to be him one day. This is the thinking. This isn’t exactly enlighted discussion. I respond suggesting that I have a great new cult that OP can join (which is loosely based on Heaven’s Gate, I’m just making this up on the spot). I had recently listened to a podcast about Heaven’s Gate and I was riffing on it. I loved the absurdity. OP asked for more sauce, but I decided to start a new thread instead.

  Warning: This about to get really nerdy.

  I started writing some shitposts with pseudo biblical writing, talking about saving humanity. I’m actually more embarrassed about it now than anything, as it was not my finest work. I would refer to “the awakening” as being the time when I would deliver the evidence that would let people “wake up” and realize we were in a simulation. Have you ever seen the Matrix? Yeah, like I said… not my finest work. I signed my posts as Q. Where did Q come from?

  Well, initially, because of John de Lancie’s character of Q on Star Trek: The Next Generation. The character of Q was omnipotent and omnipresent. In the show he would speak to Captain Picard of the U.S.S. Enterprise in his own form of strange riddles. Q took a particular interest in humanity as a whole and would appear as a jester-like sort of mix between an anti-hero and anti-villain, always giving Picard hints on how to expand his mind to solve a problem, usually to save all of humanity. So, this was my model.

  The goal was to get a few believers and then set a date a few weeks later and reveal “the awakening.” The Awakening was just supposed to copypasta. It was a bamboozle. I was trolling I never even did it because I got bored with it. Most people could see through it (fake and gay) anyway. But someone was watching. Someone who likely called me fag and told me to choke on a bunch of dicks and kill myself was watching.

  A few months later I start to see the first “Q” posts, which would eventually be called “Q Drops.” It migrates from /b/ to /pol/. Wow, so original. You took one shit idea from /b/ and made it political. Round of applause.

  This person knew exactly what I was doing, not that what I did was that original either. Star Trek is pretty popular among internet nerds. But this is why Q has always talked the way he does. This was the model. This is where Q comes from.  The “Q Clearance” stuff that came later is, well… coincidence. But not even a good coincidence because it doesn’t even really make sense, as that is a clearance for the Department of Energy.

  The Q from Star Trek also exits as what is known as the “Q Continuum”, where there are other omnipotent beings, and everyone is referred to as Q. This is where the habit of Q referring to himself as “we” comes from. It’s a Star Trek fan, just like me—only one who managed to make a piece of creative anonymous fiction into something political. Likely for lulz at first, because lets be real no one thought it would turn into what it has.

  I suspect that Q has been played by many different people over the last couple years as the tripcode has changed, but likely all of them are Star Trek TNG fans. You can really see it in the writing and the constant talk about “humanity.” It’s also possible that the person currently playing Q is the same as the person who was shitposting in my original thread. It doesn’t even matter.

  So that’s it. That’s Q. Q eventually moved from 4chan to 8chan and then 8kun. It should be obvious who controls the narrative now. There is nothing truly anonymous or secure about 8kun. We have technologies for that (i.e. tor, torrents, modern cryptography) and 8kun ain’t it. QAnon is the cash cow for the pig farmer and his son in the Philippines who run 8kun, giving a platform to future terrorists and pedophiles. There is a reason for “no outside comms” and “no dates”—control the narrative and keep the machine rolling as long as possible. Why? Money. Between ad revenue and merchandise QAnon is now a profitable venture. Even a broken clock is right twice a day, and eventually you will make some prediction that will feel real enough, even if 99% of everything you say is bullshit, and keep the train running. In fact, it’s much easier than you think.

  Take the twitter account, for example.

  In early June I saw a number of trending hashtags around #JFKJRRETURNS. I could not believe the amount of people who were latching onto this. I watched the account go from zero to tens of thousands of followers in a day or so and then disappear. Everyone was saying that Twitter “banned” him. But when Twitter bans an account the language on the page says that the account was suspended. The account page for this account said that “This account doesn’t exist.” That means one of two things: 1) the account holder changed usernames; or 2) the account holder deactivated the account. When you deactivate an account, it puts it into a 30-day limbo period where you can recover it. I thought to myself, “If I could get ahold of this account perhaps, I could do something good with it.” I never thought I’d actually be able to do it. Low and behold, thirty days later I went to see if the handle was available and it was. Now I would get to play Q once again.

  I just started riffing on whoever was playing Q with the account before me. No idea who that was. The envelopes were just responses from various government departments, nothing more. The postmarks are meaningless. Turns out if you write a letter to a government agency they will respond, and you get some cool looking envelopes. You can try it if you want—pull a FOIA request on yourself. July 22 was a date I pulled out of my ass. HUMAnity and ALl GOod ThiNGs are just more references to Star Trek TNG. The last episode of the show is called All Good Things, hence ALGO TNG. The very first Q Drops on record talk about Huma Abedin, and I thought maybe someone would try to make a connection with, “HUMAnity.” The last post from !!Hs1Jq13jV6 also mentioned “humanity”, but I didn’t even make that connection. It’s really not hard for those coincidences to pop up when you are all playing the same character. Manila, well, you know what that refers to now. St. Augustine is a reference to St. Augustine, Florida, where the largest QAnon merchandise operation is run from. The mentions of Hotwheels, moot and having stairs in my house was my way of gauging to see if anyone really had any idea about anything. The strange code in my location was just a Google Maps Plus Code. I picked a spot in the middle of the ocean off the Cook Islands and pulled the code for it. Turns out I didn’t even do it right, so it shows a different answer for everyone when you plug it into Google Maps.

  So that’s it. That’s the whole thing. Beginning to end. Call it whatever you like, but that’s the story. The story of the chans, of QAnon and how Q became Q. Do with this what you will. Believe or don’t believe, it doesn’t matter.

  Maybe this is all 100% true. Maybe it’s all 100% nonsense. Maybe truth is somewhere in the middle. What’s important is that you have more information today than you did yesterday. Where we go from here is a choice, and one I leave to you. What will happen to me? Well, I’ve been at a standing desk for 14 hours straight in order to bring this to you. I have done what I set out to do over three years ago and fulfilled my purpose as Q. My palms are sweaty. My knees are weak, my arms are heavy. It’s starting to fall out of my pockets already.

  Mom’s Spaghetti,

  Q

[brynne-lagaao]

(Fanfic) Set in Stone - Chapter Five

Title: Set in Stone

Pairing: Sarumi

Chapter: 5/18

Rating: M

Mirrors: AO3 | Website

Summary: Yata wasn’t sure what he was expecting when he performed a summon on his own in a fit of drunken loneliness. It definitely wasn’t some asshole demon with a bad attitude, even if that demon happened to be frustratingly hot. But breaking their contract was going to mean working together, and he wasn’t sure how much of that he could take before he snapped… one way or another.

Note: Thank you to @dropletons for being my beta and to @chromekins for helping with the magic aspect. This fic is not entirely accurate in terms of modern magic and the demon lore was basically made up to suit the story, but I tried to keep somewhat of an authentic feel, so hopefully that succeeded.

Somehow even without removing the moonstone from his pocket and giving it a go, Yata still felt the thrumming energy of the sun beating against his body as he settled on the rooftop of the building that housed the bar. Moreso than usual.

So this is it, huh? One of those spots Munakata had mentioned. As expected, since Anna had confirmed it, this really did feel different from the usual energy he got from the sun.

Experimentally, he spread out his wings again, feeling the vibrant warmth soaking into his entire body. It was as comforting as it was invigorating – he could feel the tension and stress in his muscles start to dissipate even as his energy level rose. Closing his eyes for a moment, Yata tilted his face up toward the sun and just took it in.

“Based on that reaction, it seems like this is the right place,” Fushimi commented dryly. When Yata turned to look at him, he was settling himself on the ground, cross-legged. “In any case, you’re the one who manages sun charges, so I’ll leave that to you.”

Again with that irritating tone. Yata scowled at him, but reached into his pocket for the moonstone all the same. It felt cool against his palm as he turned it up to absorb the sun’s energy, and he could get a sense of its response: sluggish and reluctant, as expected. Still, at least it was taking something in. “Yeah, and what are you gonna do? Sleep?”

Fushimi turned one of his hands slightly and a thin laptop manifested within the grip of his fingers. “I’ll be doing something I wouldn’t trust you with,” he responded, opening the device and starting it up. “Researching our next move.”

“Like I wanna do that shit anyway!” Feeling disgruntled but still too curious to let it go, Yata flopped down beside Fushimi, pulling his wings back behind him and still holding the stone on the palm of his hand so it was exposed to the sun. “So? How you gonna figure that out?”

As he watched, Fushimi opened a program that displayed what looked like a 3D map, zoomed out to the point where individual buildings weren’t visible. “This is your city,” he explained dispassionately, tilting the model so that the view was completely top-down. “As up-to-date a view of it as we can get, anyway.” He shifted things again, this time turning the axis of the camera so that the city spun on the screen, and moved the mouse to the top of the map. “North is here, for reference.”

“Ah… right.” Yata wasn’t great with abstraction but he could at least read a map. And he’d done enough rituals to kinda get a sense of where this was heading. “You think the charging points are at like the north, south, east, and west? But you’d need a center point for that, right?”

“I guess you’re not quite as dumb as you come across,” Fushimi murmured, and ignored Yata’s scowl, continuing immediately. “There are two centers that I can think of: this bar, which is our starting point” – he slid the mouse pointer to a blinking spot on the screen and clicked, leaving a red dot with solid lines extending out to all four sides – “and the Captain’s office, which will be our finishing point.” The mouse moved across the screen again, settling at a different location and clicking to create another mark.

Yata blinked at him. “Munakata’s place is the finish line?”

“Almost guaranteed.” Fushimi didn’t even look up, this time spinning the mouse around the places where the solid lines hit the outskirts of the city to create rough circles. “It’s the closest point to where I live – my ‘place I belong to’, so to speak. These other points are a rough estimate; we’ll have to go to the areas and look around for the charging spots.”

“Still, this narrows it down a lot!” Once again, Yata was impressed by how quickly Fushimi had worked it out. “That’s awesome! How’d you think of all that stuff just like that, anyway?”

Fushimi looked up and met his gaze, a slight frown on his lips. There was something almost wary in his eyes. “This isn’t anything special – it’s basic logic.”

“Whatever – it’s still pretty cool to watch you just… go at it, y’know?” Yata grinned back, feeling more enthusiastic about the whole thing than he had since they’d started. There was some honesty in that cautious look that made Fushimi seem like less of a cryptic asshole and more of a closed-off grump. Maybe there was a possibility they could get along eventually. If there’d even be time for it. “With you figuring all that stuff out, we’ll probably be done in no time, huh?”

“We still have to search these areas and find the right spots,” Fushimi reminded him, turning back to his screen. “And as for the last two points…” He circled the two places on the map where the lines from Bar Homra and Munakata’s office intersected. “We might almost want to get those out of the way quickly.”

Yata frowned at the map and then at him, confused. “What’s that mean? What’s special about those places?”

“Just a hunch.” Fushimi was frowning at the map as if he were suspicious of it. “They’re not related to the directional poles but to those so-called ‘places we belong to’, so I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re a little more…” He paused, and then finished his sentence with a certain amount of distaste, “personal.”

“Huh.” Yata squinted at the map. “Not sure I get it, but…” Actually, based on where the line extending up from Homra met the line extending out from Munakata’s place was… “Shit,” he muttered out loud, a tiny shock spiking through him as recognition struck. He knew that neighborhood. “Seriously?”

“It’s true, huh?” Fushimi clicked his tongue, eyes flickering from Yata’s face back to the map again. “I guess the other one probably is around the area where that happened, huh?” he mumbled, as if to himself, tapping a finger with restless energy against the side of the laptop.

Yata didn’t bother to ask for clarification, feeling a small pit of dread forming in his stomach as he thought about it. Going back there again, huh? It sounded both painful and pleasant; he could already feel a taste of the mingled good and bad memories rising even at the idea. The thought of going there now, with this asshole getting a sense of all the emotion it was going to bring back… “Fuck.” He reached up to scratch at the back of his head with agitation. “Forget it. Let’s do those last.”

If he had to do it, at least he’d do it when he was close to getting rid of Fushimi and not have to face him for too long afterwards.

Fushimi took in a breath, clicking his tongue again before letting it out. “Not like I have a choice, having to tag along with you everywhere,” he muttered. “Well, I’m not any more eager to go there than you are.” He glanced down towards Yata’s open palm, where the moonstone still rested. “Are you sure that thing isn’t done yet? Overcharging won’t help us any.”

“Huh? Oh.” Yata shrugged. He could still feel the sluggish sense of energy absorption from the stone in his hand, a sense of warmth drawing into the cool, smooth surface of it. “It’s still going. We gotta wait a while, probably; this guy isn’t really stoked about sunlight.”

“‘This guy’, huh?” Fushimi turned his dubious gaze upward, meeting Yata’s eyes. “It’s a rock, you know.”

Yata frowned back. “Yeah, so? Everything’s connected to life somehow, y’know – even rocks. They got a purpose just like everything else.” He raised an eyebrow. “I woulda thought a demon would be better at hearing ’em than regular people, but whatever.” He let out a soft ‘heh’, letting his mouth turn up into a smirk. “Just take my word for it then.”

Fushimi’s eyes narrowed, a tightening in his experience spelling out obvious irritation. “Not everyone can be as in tune with nature as a changeling,” he muttered back, and clicked his tongue a third time. “Demons specialize in human desires, not the feelings of rocks.”

Human desires. Yata took in a breath, bracing himself against the reminder. It probably didn’t just mean those kinds of desires, but he couldn’t help but be aware of how close they were sitting – and the fact that he hadn’t put his shirt back on, leaving his entire torso as well as his wings exposed. At the back of his mind, there was still a vivid memory of the slender, pale-skinned chest and shoulders that he couldn’t seem to shove down. When they were looking at each other like this, close enough to notice when their gazes started to wander with less than innocent intent, it was hard to ignore the familiar shiver that started in his belly and rose up to the back of his chest.

So fucking annoying…

The fact that Fushimi could probably feel all of that through him had his cheeks growing hot again. Yata turned his gaze to scowl down at his hand instead, focusing on the moonstone to avoid the embarrassing reveal and shifting awkwardly at the sharp awareness of eyes on his body. “Yeah, well, that’s why I’m the one in charge of this part, so just leave it to me.”

“I was already planning to do that anyway.” The words came out in a drawl. When Yata looked up again, it was in time to catch Fushimi’s eyelids lowering lazily over his eyes as he gave him another of those heated looks. “Just make sure you focus properly.”

More taunts. Sort of. Yata shoved back the rush of excitement that gaze generated. It's not worth it. Not fucking worth it. “Yeah, yeah.” His voice came out embarrassingly off; he cleared his throat and tried again. “I got this.”

“If you say so.” The corners of Fushimi's mouth edged up into another of those deadly little smirks.

Not worth it, Yata reminded himself one more time, and made a soft ‘ch’ through his teeth as he deliberately turned his gaze away.

Silence fell between them, thick and uncomfortable. Yata shifted in his seat, closing his eyes and turning his face up towards the sun in an effort to drown out that awkwardly charged mood. The stone in his palm felt strangely heavy for some reason, and he kind of wished he could put it down.

His instincts told him that would be a bad move – and it made sense, he had to grudgingly admit. Despite the fact that he was a being with a natural affinity for moonlight, his personal aspect was the sun, and Munakata was probably right that him carrying this stone around, having contact with it and all, was going to help with this whole charging business. Anything he could do to help it charge – to help it hold a charge – was a tiny step in the direction of breaking this shitty contract and getting the rude asshole it came with out of his life.

The sound of fingers rapidly typing broke him out of his thoughts. Yata glanced beside him, finding Fushimi bent over his laptop. “What’re you doing?”

The typing didn’t even slow. “Working.” Fushimi clicked his tongue. “Or, at least, tying up some loose ends, since I won’t be able to do much while I’m wasting time in this realm.”

Yata blinked at him. “Wait… you actually work? Like, a job?”

At that, Fushimi’s fingers stilled. “What do you imagine we do all the time between contracts?” He turned to meet Yata’s gaze, raising an eyebrow. “Lounge around on a divan being fed grapes by lesser demons? Don’t be stupid.”

“How the fuck would I know? Do I look like an expert on demons?” Yata scowled back at him, a little irritated by the attitude – but still curious enough to go on. “What kinda job is it?”

Fushimi regarded him silently for a brief but telling moment, as if assessing the question. “Our realm reflects this one,” he answered finally, “in more ways than you’d think. We have the same problems with those who don’t play by the rules – lesser or greater in power. The Captain represents order in the fourth sector, but he can’t enforce that by himself. That’s part of what I do.”

“Huh.” It made sense, even if it sounded... surprisingly normal. “So you're like cops or something?”

That earned him a soft, amused huff. “You could say that. We have more freedom than the police here. I'm sure you've noticed this, but the Captain doesn't have any objections to using underhanded methods to get results.”

The reminder had his frown deepening. “Yeah, I figured that out. Sneaky bastard...” Yata let out a sharp huff of breath, releasing his annoyance with the situation. “So you guys are like a special squad or something – that’s sorta cool.” As he turned the idea over in his head, something else occurred to him. “Oh yeah, Mikoto-san said you were high ranking, so does that mean you’ve got some kinda lackeys working under you?”

One corner of Fushimi’s mouth twitched, forming the beginnings of what looked like a reluctant smile. “Something like that.”

The expression had the odd effect of making Yata smile back, feeling a bit less alienated. “You gotta be the worst person to work for, huh? D’you call them idiots all the time, too?”

Fushimi raised another eyebrow. “Only when they act like it.”

“Yeah, right.” Yata huffed out a brief laugh. “Your standard for ‘not an idiot’ is too high; just ’cause someone doesn’t immediately figure shit out like you doesn’t make ’em stupid.” He met that arch look with a gradually widening smirk. “You gotta lighten up more.”

“Coming from the expert, huh?” Fushimi returned his gaze without flinching, the upward tilt of his lips matching the lazy way his eyelids drooped. “You have an ugly temper yourself; there’s a thing called moderation, you know.”

Yata felt his mouth twitch at the corner, but it was easy to fend back the impulse to scowl. Sure, the comment was sorta irritating, but the mood had shifted. It felt less charged somehow, in a way he couldn’t explain. “At least I don’t have a shitty ass attitude about everyone and everything.”

If this lasted, hopefully it meant a temporary truce. They had to get through this somehow, and it was gonna be hell if they kept sniping at each other.

“Some of us are realistic enough to recognize when things aren’t perfect,” Fushimi drawled back.

“Yeah? Well, who needs perfect?” Yata’s answering smile had teeth in it. “Anyway, what the hell does ‘perfect’ even mean?” Unbidden, an image of Munakata’s smugly knowing smile flashed across his mind, and he couldn’t help but let out a soft ‘ch’ in reaction. “Sounds like it’d be pretty annoying.”

Fushimi made another of those amused huffs. “For once, we agree. Not that it’s exactly what I meant.”

Yata snorted at that. “So? Just say what you mean, then. Not that hard.”

“I wonder about that,” Fushimi murmured, almost as if to himself. There was a slightly sardonic edge tipping up the corner of his smile.

“Whatever – suit yourself.” This wasn’t a conversation he felt like having anyway. Fushimi was intriguing – mysterious, kind of cool, more attractive than Yata felt like admitting – but trying to piece together what he meant half the time seemed like a headache and a half. Yata deliberately changed the subject instead of pushing it. “Anyway, what’s your realm even like? D’you live in houses and all? How ’bout shops and fun stuff?”

“Like I said, it’s a reflection of yours,” Fushimi answered him lazily, still meeting Yata’s gaze with lidded eyes. “Most of it’s going to be the same. Just without any kind of food products.” His smirk widened again. “That’s what we take contracts for, after all.”

There it was again – that immediate, uncomfortable sensation of white-hot attraction flaring to life in response to the mix of threat and interest in Fushimi’s gaze. He couldn’t deny that the combination was hitting pretty much all of his points.

Damnit. He really did like the allure of that mystery – that edge of danger, being unable to predict…

It was frustrating just the same – especially since he knew Fushimi could feel his uncontrolled reaction. Yata scowled back, jerking his eyes away from that tempting expression. “Fucking creepy bastard…”

Fushimi’s answering hum was a mix of amused and mocking, but he didn’t respond.

Not like Yata didn’t know exactly what he wasn’t saying. “I can tell that you’re lying, you know.” It didn’t even need to be voiced, and it still pissed him off. He let out his breath in a sharp rush, irritation seeping through in his brain. Fushimi was too damn good at pushing his buttons – in more ways than one.

Why the hell does he have to keep doing that? It’s fucking annoying.

He was still trying to settle that agitation when stone in his hand grew warm, and Yata felt his fingers twitch – a telltale warning. “Hey, so this is gonna be done pretty soon,” he pointed out, relieved to have a reason to steer back into neutral territory again. “For now, anyway – I mean, if we overcharge it, it’ll probably crack.”

“Of course it would.” The tone of that was sardonic. Fushimi waved a hand, the laptop disappearing from in front of him, and rose gracefully. “I’m assuming based on the information we have so far that coming back here and expecting to charge it again won’t work.”

Yata shut his eyes and raised his face to the sun for a moment, catching that strong energy. There was a particular feel to it – something that felt familiar. Something uniquely ‘Homra’, in a way. All the spots are gonna feel different, huh? It sorta made sense; you didn’t just cram a moonstone full of sunlight and hope it worked. There had to be a trick to it. “Yeah, probably.”

Fushimi clicked his tongue. “That would be too good to be true, wouldn’t it?” He spread his wings, as if stretching in preparation for the next stage. “Well, I wouldn’t have wasted my time mapping that strategy out if I really thought it’d be that easy.”

Yeah, he seemed like the kind of guy who’d get pissy about wasted time. Yata pushed himself to his feet, being careful to keep the moonstone in direct sunlight while it finished its charge. “So now what?”

“Find more charging points, obviously.” Fushimi’s voice was low and flat. “We’ll probably have to search the same areas over again depending on whether it’s day or night, because the opposing charge won’t be noticeable.” He narrowed his eyes, frown deepening. “For now, let’s comb through a few to see if we can locate at least one more that’s sunlight – then we can go back there tomorrow or whenever the stone is ready again.”

“Oh.” It seemed simple when he put it like that. Yata scratched his head. “Right, yeah.”

Fushimi clicked his tongue. “Unfortunately, unlike you, I’m not terribly good at ‘feeling’ moonlight.” The frown shifted almost to a scowl. “We’re probably going to have to spend more time at night making sure. What a pain…”

“Nah, it’s cool,” Yata cut in. When Fushimi turned to look at him, he shrugged. “I’m good with moonlight too. I’ll find the spots.”

The thin brows above Fushimi’s eyes furrowed. “How are you – ?” He stopped, eyes flickering briefly to the wings extending from Yata’s back. “Right. Of course you are.”

“Comes in handy sometimes.” Yata shot him a grin in response, feeling a bit smug about it. “Anyway, you got this strategy thing figured out – that’s your bit.” He straightened, making a fist with his free hand and pointing the thumb at his chest. “Leave the finding and the charging to me.”

Fushimi narrowed his eyes further, as if looking for holes in that assertion. “I’ll still have to be the one charging the sunstone,” he pointed out, after a brief pause.

“Yeah, I get it – moon aspect and all, right? Still, though.” Yata shrugged, fully confident. “I can help you out with the timing. That’s what I’m good at.”

There was another of those significant-seeming pauses, during which he could swear he saw wariness in the gaze that held his. Then Fushimi was clicking his tongue again, expression souring. “It’s not like I have a choice,” he muttered. “I don’t have that kind of so-called skill.”

“Heh.” Yata let his grin widen into a smirk. “So what you’re saying is I can do something you can’t, right?”

If anything, Fushimi’s expression grew even sourer at that. “I’m not sure why that makes you so proud of yourself.”

“What? Don’t like admitting you’re not the best at everything?” Yata let his grin show teeth. He was about to push further, but the stone in his hand suddenly grew hot, nearly burning. “Huh, seems like this one is done, anyway.” He closed his fingers around it, feeling the surface start to cool marginally as it pulled back from the breaking point. “That’s it for the first charge, I guess!”

“Only eleven more to go,” Fushimi remarked sardonically, clicking his tongue yet again. “At least it seems like a simple task once we actually find the charging points.” He unfolded his wings. “That spell you cast on us should last at least until dusk, right? Let’s go south first and work our way up and around.”

“Hey, don’t act like you’re in charge here.” Yata shot him a bit of a frown, tucking the moonstone into his pocket again. “At least ask me or something, c’mon!”

“You’re ridiculous.” Fushimi let out an impatient sigh; when he spoke again, his tone was flat. “Fine. What do you think about going south first and working our way up and around?”

Yata squashed the tiny bit of annoyance that came with the tone, repeating a mantra of ‘not worth it’ in his head. “Yeah, yeah.” He spread his own wings. “Fine – let’s go.”

[entergamingxp]

Syd Mead’s artistic legacy lives on through video games • Eurogamer.net

Having played a critical role in the production of 1982’s Blade Runner, illustrator Syd Mead was asked what title he’d like to appear as in the film’s end credits. “Visual Futurist” was his reply. Now there’s a job role you’d enjoy explaining to people at parties. Mead was a modern-day farseer, using his skills as an industrial designer and concept artist to build the worlds of tomorrow. What’s more, his visualisations have had an immeasurable impact on video games and the many artists working within the industry.

It’s often said that games draw from an awfully narrow set of cultural and artistic touchstones. Never mind seven basic plots, there are only really two: sad man fights robots and space marines shoot aliens. Blade Runner, Aliens, Blade Runner again. Syd Mead, who died just a few weeks ago on the cusp of the new year, aged 86, is the artist behind the dominating aesthetic of an entire industry. His energy, spirit, DNA, spread out across games like ashes thrown to the wind.

Syd Mead. 1933 – 2019.

In the 80s, Mead helped develop his fair share of theme parks and laser tag arenas, even a few casinos (pleasure hubs with as many flashing lights as any cyberpunk alley). It was always going to be natural for Mead to make the jump to games. He worked on a fair few: Cyber Speedway for the Sega Saturn was one of his earliest, making use of his famed vehicle-design skills. But he also returned to work on the lightcycles in Tron 2.0, designed the spaceships in Wing Commander 5, and even worked with Westwood Studios’ on their Blade Runner game. Much of this work was early concepting, sketching out hover cars and so on. Other times it was consultation. Most recently, Mead consulted on Aliens: Colonial Marines, fleshing out what he’d started all those years ago on the James Cameron film. In some respects, we’re unfortunate. An artist so talented, and willing to work in our space, who never found his ‘big’ game. But I don’t think it matters – there are so many indebted to him, shot through with his style, infected with his imagery.

Where to start with such an immense artistic legacy? Syd Mead always started with a car. His background was in industrial design, working for Ford Motor Company and later, US Steel. Mead was hired to make automobiles look desirable, to make the corporate cool. I can’t help but think of CD Project Red’s upcoming 2077, and how critical the car has been to its marketing. A lounging sportscar is the 20th Century’s addition to the romanticist image of the figure, back to the viewer, looking out to a wide horizon. There’s something fetishistic about 2077’s automobile – 80s stylishness crashing against Mead’s careful retrofitting – but it also seems necessary. The Night City needs a car the same way NeoTokyo needs its motorcycle.

Cyberpunk 2077.

Mead’s pin-up cars were sleek and cutting-edge, but aspirations always extended further. It was an era of techno-optimism, and Mead was just as apt at envisioning scenery as he was coupes. If the cars could hover and fly, then so too must the distant cities and spires silhouetted against the alien world’s setting suns. In fact, what was originally created to support the vehicles Mead designed, often overshadowed them.

Image from Syd Mead’s US Steel Series. Image credit Syd Mead.

Mead was originally hired to design just the vehicles for Blade Runner, but the automobile – his speciality – was an opportunity. It was how he opened portals to other times and places. While sketching out the film’s iconic “spinners”, Mead began to think bigger. A car was only as exciting as the surroundings mirrored in its polished surface. Only as cool as the landscape it cruised by. So important was “the flowing cascade of reflection”. “The chrome ignites with a hundred blue-white suns,” Mead once said. A rough sketch wasn’t enough. He needed a dark, rain-slicked street for the headlamps to illuminate. In the Polish cyberpunk game Observer, you begin your investigation in the cockpit of one such police car, the windscreen protection from the polluted downpour, the dashboard lit up like Times Square. It’s a prototypical Mead image.

Blade Runner 2019 Spinner interior view. Image credit Syd Mead.

With Blade Runner, Syd Mead transformed cold technical drawings into snapshots of urban night-life. A cold cityscape suddenly came to life, evoking the lonely realism of an Edward Hopper painting. The flashes of future Los Angeles we were gifted are striking: neo-noir with a Gothic tinge, abandoned apartments, streets draped with cables and wiring. Balanced against this was the bustle of the market stalls and shopfronts with their neon signs and cryptic symbols beaming out into the darkness, although only ever to make the shadows more dramatic. It’s quite a thing to invent the entire aesthetic of cyberpunk almost by accident. An entire genre brought to life because the taxi cabs looked a bit dull just sketched there on their own.

Film director Dennis Villeneuve once described Mead’s work as being “nostalgic”, which is a strange term to describe something futuristic. But the future is never just that, is it? As an actual point in time it’s fundamentally inscrutable. Instead, Mead traded in visions, and if, when looking at his depictions, we have “the strange sensation” of having been there, of having “strolled through” before, it’s because in a way we have. I’m reminded of a quote attributed to the grandfather of cyberpunk, William Gibson (who worked with Mead on the Johnny Mnemonic film): “the future is already here – it’s just not evenly distributed.” We live among high-tech pockets, elements advanced ahead of their time, glimpses of things to come. This is the raw material with which futurists extrapolate.

Blade Runner city. Image credit Syd Mead.

Syd Mead’s material may have been the two years he spent in Okinawa, Japan. Or his visits to Hong Kong. Cybeprunk as a genre has long had an odd fascination with parts of Asia. Dawning globalisation combining with a kind of “Yellow Peril” and anxieties around “Tiger Economies”. The original Deus Ex game was partially set in Hong Kong, and the later Human Revolution in Hengsha. But even with this orientalism supposedly stripped, like in Mankind Divided’s Prague, the original influence is pervasive. Its Golem City is familiar. A salvaged sprawl of slum-living, criss-crossed with wires and ventilation shafts and crowded with lights, busy flea markets, exotic signage, more lights.

Blade Runner 2019 city design 04. Image credit Syd Mead.

While much of Mead’s imagery is ubiquitous in games – cyberpunk sprawl, alien-infested spaceship, even ringworlds – his work has also influenced a whole generation of game artists in a more indirect way. He’s inspired numerous video game world-builders, including Viktor Antonov, the architect of both Half-Life 2’s City 17 and the Dishonored series’ Dunwall. Antonov shares a background in industrial design, and much of his work also begins with vehicles – the Combine APC or the Dunwall Rail Car a jumping off point to explore larger fictional metropolises. With constant, solid, technical reference, naturally. Sci-fi is always speculative, but like Mead, Antonov was specifically hired to make made-up places seem plausible and feel authentic.

Concept art for Dishonored’s rail cars, designed by Viktor Antonov.

Much of Mead’s work was dark and industrial. Think of Aliens’ USS Sulaco, which Mead meticulously designed, inside and out. “Bristling with antennae,” as director James Cameron requested, the military vessel was a far cry from other sci-fi spaceships. Instead of improbably elegant or needlessly greebled like Star Trek and Star Wars, the Sulaco was highly engineered and purposeful. Inside, the tangle of pipes and mesh of grills and hatches – now a staple of the sci-fi interior – gave the impression of spatial depth. What skulked behind those walls? In games we see in that same dead space, lurking Necromorphs, or a sleuth of demons poised to jump out from behind hidden panels.

Mead is famous for his gritty dystopias, but Dennis Villeneuve suspects his universes are actually “fuelled by the strength of the optimism of the 50s”, when, at least in the West, war was behind us and capitalism entered into a new golden age off the back of technological and scientific innovations. Jet engines, computers, and the Apollo space programme. It was out of this background that Mead’s visions sprung – not so much the future as a collective dream, now evidently unrealised. A lost future. No wonder looking at some of his artworks feels like going back home.

Image from Syd Mead’s US Steel Series. Image credit Syd Mead.

Mead knew how to paint utopias too. His style – colourful, vivid, light, clean, precise – channelled the speed and positivity of the supersonic age. The game series that probably most explicitly draws from him is Mass Effect. BioWare’s art director Derek Watts has talked about how, in their search for a visual identity, the team looked at Mead’s early, utopian, work, with its distinct geometric curves and exciting optimism. Like the aircrafts that whoosh across Mead’s blue skies, jet-trails in their wake, Mass Effect is filled with gentle curves and projections that sell the speed, propulsion and positivity of its world.

Mass Effect Citadel.

The Mako rover, the costumes and visors, the hazy clubs with their dancing holograms, the Citadel and its ring-like structure that recall those early US Steel illustrations. That sense of wonder as you land on a planet – light-years from any earthly dystopia. Instead, we get optimism radiating from distant skyscrapers set against pastel skies.

“Their sensuality and beauty offer such a magnificent contrast with the brutality of our reality,” Villeneuve says on Mead’s early work. The director believes we’re in desperate need of utopias now. It’s hard to disagree with this assessment, although I think what’s so special about Mead’s work is the range – his ability to paint in vastly different shades. It’s no wonder we see so many flashes of Mead’s brilliant influence in games. Every time we land on a new planet, or stare up at a sublime skybox or a looming megastructure. When we zoom by in a rocketship, a bike, a car. It’s hard to shake the visions of someone whose job is to see into the future.

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LEONARDO STUDIES can be divided into two main camps: traditional scholars who have studied the artist for decades and have developed firm opinions, and those on the outside who bring fresh eyes and great enthusiasm, perhaps, but not much else — at least according to those on the inside. And no one resides deeper inside the institutional Leonardo than does Martin Kemp, emeritus professor of the History of Art at Trinity College, Oxford.

Or, to put it another way: if you think you’ve discovered a lost Leonardo in your attic and you need the painting blessed and sanctified before putting it on the market — call Kemp, he’s your man. He is also, one gets the sense, extremely hard to persuade.

Kemp’s new memoir is the story of his intensive study of the artist’s work over the past 50 years. Detailing his attempts to discover and understand an individual who was not only cryptic but utterly unique, Living with Leonardo is not a work of scholarship so much as a study of the scholar himself and the long road he’s traveled. Kemp first discovered Leonardo while studying Natural Sciences at Cambridge, and his approach to the artist has always been scientific — i.e., quantitative and incremental, not allowing of much speculation (of which he felt there was plenty already).

Early in the book, Kemp records his disdain for metaphor and other verbal fireworks as not telling us anything worthwhile about the art or the artist. Though he has softened his opinion somewhat over the years, as a young man Kemp first came to Leonardo through the sciences, specifically through Leonardo’s drawings of human anatomy, which he encountered in Windsor Castle. (Kemp grew up in the castle’s shadow, attending Windsor Grammar School.) His approach to Leonardo was never that of the aesthete or connoisseur, or even the historian; rather, he is very much an empiricist — physical evidence speaks loudest to him, not taste or fashion or peer pressure, although he is a great respecter of precedent.

How we apprehend genius, even how we talk about genius, has been challenged in recent years with concerns about the “mad genius” or the genius as predator. A version of this argument has actually been going on since at least the 19th century, when Tolstoy shrunk Napoleon down to size in War and Peace. Tolstoy’s exact contemporary, Mark Twain, came at the topic with characteristic humor, satirically eviscerating everyone from Teddy Roosevelt to Shakespeare. But while novelists and then literary scholars in general began reevaluating the notion of the “great man” in history, art historians continued just as before, deifying the great artist. This was, after all, the age of Walter Pater and John Ruskin and Thomas Carlyle. The notion of the great artist seemed only to expand under their rhetorical finesse — developing into a cultural icon that Kenneth Clark would call “the artist as hero.” This deification has been going on since Giorgio Vasari wrote the very first art history, and it’s still going on today.

The biographies of great artists create a dilemma for the scholar. On the one hand, there is the art itself, which speaks volumes and should need no interpreter; on the other hand, there is the art critic, chock full of opinions and eager to share. Most art histories are written out of this tension, but not so with Kemp — he writes to explain, not to argue. When he finds himself caught up in an argument, as was the case with the fraught attributions of La Bella Principessa and Salvator Mundi, one senses his reluctance to join the fray. He’s a scholar, a researcher who happens to have expertise on an artist who is at the center of a worldwide fascination, so his phone rings a lot. He’s also a doting grandfather who builds Renaissance toys for his grandchild.

Most of his time these days is taken up with lecturing and writing and consulting, on everything from rediscovered works found in attics to museum exhibits all over the world. In the early chapters of Living with Leonardo, he takes us through his own discovery of Leonardo’s art, starting with The Last Supper (which he did not like at all), through the complete 20-year restoration of that painting (he’s still not sure about it), through various minor efforts, to the Mona Lisa herself — of which Kemp is a world-class explainer. After reading Kemp, that well-known painting pulses with life and seems new once again.

This raises an interesting question about art history: When does the interpreter begin adding his or her own intelligence to the thing interpreted? In other words, when does illumination become something more? Leonardo’s attempts to probe certain complex mechanisms in nature are given an even sharper focus centuries later when a writer with a gift like Kemp’s explains it all to us. His analysis of Leonardo’s engineering drawings, which he describes as suggesting a “structural intuition,” is so insightful and entirely reasonable that it is surely correct. Yet it is also an evolved understanding, not half so well articulated by Leonardo himself. The intelligence of the observer changes the thing observed, and the problem for the historian (or the reader) is to distinguish between the view at the time of creation and how it appears to us much later, cleaned up and set straight. Over the past 500 years, Leonardo has become encrusted with the brilliance of others, some of it that of Martin Kemp, who has been hugely influential in constructing the Leonardo we view today.

So how should one approach Leonardo — by adding a bit more varnish to the portrait, or by stripping it all away? In a sense, Kemp does both. He faults connoisseurs who imagine qualities in the paintings that do not exist, yet as a scientist Kemp has his own lens to approach his subject. The resultant portrait of Leonardo is of a rather modern, scientific man, who looks a lot like us. The traditional view of Leonardo has not been that of a scientist doing art, as Kemp seems to describe him, but of an artist distracted by science — and an artist dabbling in science is rather different from a scientist turning to art. Scientists are deliberate and think in a methodical way; artists, on the other hand, often don’t have a plan, or even a clue, and are frequently unsure of their purpose until they discover it at some later point. They’re playing, figuring it out as they go along, allowing the work to reveal itself. Leonardo’s entire life speaks to this improvisational process — suggesting a cast of mind, a way of seeing. The Leonardo I’ve come to know has much more in common with Thelonious Monk than he has with Jonas Salk, although he clearly resembles both at times. That’s the amazement of Leonardo.

As Kemp reminds us, we see the Leonardo we are prepared to see. And to look at Leonardo today is not to see a man alone, thinking in the dark, but an institutional icon, bathed in light. This seems profoundly ironic. Leonardo, the ultimate outsider, has become the ultimate insider, one whose paintings set world records on the art market. Kemp tells us that Leonardo would have relished this irony. I rather think it would perplex him deeply. He’d take the money and run, of course, but hearing himself talked about with curatorial certainty would, I believe, drive him mad.

Kemp’s Living with Leonardo is not really about the artist, however, or even about Kemp himself, so much as it is about the modern world that Leonardo’s art inhabits, a world of museums and art restorers and “distinguished” authorities who don’t all agree, as well as charlatans and nut cases of every variety. Leonardo attracts them all, and Kemp delights in telling their story. At bottom, though, this is a tale of the money Old Master paintings attract and the verification process that goes on behind the scenes to ensure that this money is spent on authentic goods. The book is fascinating when it shows us the small world of the art experts, the verifiers, the connoisseurs, the curators and their corporate sponsors, and the feverish little head-space they occupy. Kemp has been there, seen it all, and lived to tell the tale.

¤

Mike Lankford is the author of Becoming Leonardo: An Exploded View of Leonardo da Vinci (Melville House, 2017), a Wall Street Journal 2017 Book of the Year.

The post The Keeper of the Keys Tells His Tale appeared first on Los Angeles Review of Books.

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