#catastrophe response

[communistkenobi]

The deeply moralist tone that a lot of discussions about media representation take on here are primarily neoliberal before they are anything else. Like the shouting matches people get into about “purity culture” “pro/anti” etc nonsense (even if I think it’s true that some people have a deeply christian worldview about what art ought to say and represent about the world) are downstream of the basic neoliberal assumption that we can and must educate the public by being consumers in a market. “Bad representation” is often framed as a writer’s/developer’s/director’s/etc’s failure to properly educate their audience, or to educate them the wrong way with bad information about the world (which will compel their audience to act, behave, internalise or otherwise believe these bad representations about some social issue). Likewise, to “consume” or give money to a piece of media with Bad Representation is to legitimate and make stronger these bad representations in the world, an act which will cause more people to believe or internalise bad things about themselves or other people. And at the heart of both of those claims is, again, the assumption that mass public education should be undertaken by artists in a private market, who are responsible for creating moral fables and political allegories that they will instil in their audiences by selling it to them. These conversations often become pure nonsense if you don’t accept that the moral and political education of the world should be directed by like, studio executives or tv actors or authors on twitter. There is no horizon of possibility being imagined beyond purchasing, as an individual consumer in a market, your way into good beliefs about the world, instilled in you by Media Product 

[deservedmercy]

watching buffy the vampire slayer only on like episode two and i already understand phil lester more. she has such a come what may attitude about the apocalypse that really explains phils… everything

[unionizedwizard]

funny because i have at the same time a Lot of thoughts and feelings about poetry, coupled with a genuinely religious approach to it, extremely deep respect that i cannot and will not try to put into words (the last time i tried to i literally nearly killed myself), extremely intense deal, but also i am under absolutely no illusion about it. like at best there's like five people reading my work and going "👍" about it and i'll never be properly published and i honestly don't think i have any illusions of grandeur about it, like i genuinely don't think my work (even if it were, like, Real, and not just some crazy guy posting crazy poetry on the internet once in a while) could or would save anyone or Change The World or anything. yes it is the single most important and meaningful act in the world and yes it literally doesnt matter at all. hashtag zen

[feroluce]

So I adore time loops and I think Sampo would be very fun in a time loop AU. Because despite having so many onscreen interactions with so many characters, he almost always seems to hold people at a certain careful distance, so it's fun to imagine what or who he's willing to use a time loop for, how far he's willing to go, how much he actually does care.

At the end of the Masquerade Duet companion quest, Sparkle mentions a catastrophe soon to befall Jarilo-VI. And some players have interpreted this as a past event (the catastrophe being the story quests we took part in there), but other players have speculated this as an upcoming disaster that Sampo is trying to mitigate.

And so, Gepard finds Sampo in Belobog, right after he was supposed to return from Penacony...or whatever it was called, Gepard had almost been too relieved to remember the name after Natasha assured him that Sampo was fine and not missing or dead, just on a trip since the planet was finally open for travel.

He had assumed this was some kind of vacation, or some shady business endeavor (valid), but when he sees him, Sampo looks. Exhausted.

His usual smirk is there, but there's something horribly off about it that Gepard can't put into words. His voice doesn't have the usual bounce in it. His gait slightly off. There are bags under his eyes, his hair is just the slightest bit out of place. Sampo looks exhausted.

His feet move without him really thinking, he goes up to Sampo to say...something. Maybe just ask him if he's ok. But he can't leave this alone and not do anything, because Gepard can feel it, something is wrong.

And that feeling sticks with him, like the persistent cold, like frostbite, all day. Gepard can't seem to shake it. There is a collective unease seeping through Belobog, sinking deep, tangling around their bones. And the only one who seems to be reacting truly different to it is Sampo.

Gepard tries to tail the guy a few times, anything he can do to learn about what's going on and ease this devouring dread, but Sampo seems to know where he's hiding and calls him out every single time.

He dodges every question (normal), slips out of every grab and grasp (normal), barely even looks at Gepard (decidedly NOT normal).

And maybe it's the darkness that seems to hover over them. The way the air feels like it is pressing down and smothering the breath out of his lungs. But Gepard's patience finally snaps, much sooner than he ever would have thought it would, and he finally grabs Sampo by the collar, hauls him up and forces his back against the brick wall of the alleyway. Because maybe Sampo makes his living double crossing and stabbing backs and he wouldn't understand this, but Gepard has a family, he has people he wants to protect, and so he needs to know what the fuck is going on.

And he knows he's crossed a line the moment he says it. He knows it's not true. Gepard has seen the way Sampo and Caelus sneak around in the Fragmentum or meander down the alleys, snickering with their arms slung around each other. He's seen the way Sampo lets Hook climb up his back onto his shoulders while he takes the moles on little adventures. He's seen the way he and Serval rib each other like it was natural, easy, and the way he goes out of his way for Natasha like he wouldn't any other client, had even trusted her with the knowledge that he was leaving off-planet.

Sampo has people he wants to protect, too, and Gepard shouldn't have accused him otherwise.

But before he can even apologize, Sampo does something stranger still.

Instead of telling him off, or taking a swing at him- both things Gepard would admit he deserved- Sampo just. Lifts one hand, lays it over Gepard's fists still balled in his jacket. Like he's keeping him there. Even through his gloves, his hand is warm.

And Sampo doesn't even really look at him, he leaves his head hung low as he quietly tells Gepard to just go home. Stay in with his family. Don't come out. Please. Please.

But eventually, the catastrophe strikes.

And Gepard can't. He can't stay safe inside his home while this is happening. He can't ignore this. He tells Serval and Lynx to stay in. Don't come out. And he dons his armor and marches out to protect as many people as he can.

When it's all said and done, all Gepard can see is rubble piled around him and a blackened sky. He can hear fire crackling. He can hear a voice he recognizes as Serval's wailing and screaming his name, and he knows she's not going to find him in time. She shouldn't even be out here.

A bloodied face swims into view, bright green eyes looking hollowed and haunted, posture weary and defeated. Gepard reaches out a shaking arm, trying to grab at Sampo's pantleg, trying to make any sound other than gurgling the blood filling his throat, because he knows it for certain now, he knew, Sampo knew.

"Not this time either, huh...?" The sigh he heaves isn't theatrical, for once. Somewhere, rubble groans and loudly collapses. Sampo doesn't even startle or turn to look at it. "I'll figure it out soon, I promise. There has to be a way to pull you through this alive. There has to be."

Something materializes in his hand, something red. Gepard's vision dims at the edges as he watches Sampo hold the mask over his face, as it seemingly attaches itself directly to his skin.

"See you on the next go around, Captain."

[torchickentacos]

Swinging a bat at a hornet's nest, but I keep seeing the opinion go around that it's insensitive to say that we'll make it through the next 4 years because so many people didn't the first time around. Which, I guess I see the point, but like... do you expect all of us to just be like this for the next 4 years???

I totally get why some people can't feel hopeful, but insinuating that someone else is in the wrong for being able to stay optimistic just isn't productive or, in my opinion, a reasonable expectation. We all react to stressful times differently and not only is that okay, but it should be encouraged that people work through this however they personally need to and in whichever emotional state they end up in.

[sforzesco]

Wait what is the misdirection element with Lucullus and Crassus ?

crassus is popularly associated with greed in part due to the parthia expedition/invasion, but following plutarch's narratives: it's actually lucullus who corrupts crassus with this trait, and implies a certain amount of blame for parthia/carrhae on lucullus

Now my own opinion is that the harm Lucullus did his country through his influence upon others, was greater than the good he did her himself. For his trophies in Armenia, standing on the borders of Parthia, and Tigranocerta, and Nisibis, and the vast wealth brought to Rome from these cities, and the display in his triumph of the captured diadem of Tigranes, incited Crassus to his attack upon Asia; he thought that the Barbarians were spoil and booty, and nothing else. It was not long, however, before he encountered the Parthian arrows, and proved that Lucullus had won his victories, not through the folly and cowardice of his enemies, but through his own daring and ability. This, however, is later history.

plutarch, lucullus

[sonicdesolation]

The canon just deciding to fire again, breaking its established pattern reminded me of episode 16 of Young Justice, where no matter what happened, the scenario could only get worse

You catch a glimpse of the inside of Eggman's cannon this meter is on the dashboard, wyd

[fishnchip3011]

everytime i actually open up sdv to play i get flashbanged with sebastian's white ass sprites because i always forget not everyone sees him as wasian💔 my current hc for him is half chinese (liable to change... but ik for sure he's half asian) but he is Not bilingual he can't rly speak or write the other language he can only understand it when listening but even then he's not very fluent LOL this is just turning into a sebastian hc post might as well go full out. to me sebastian Does have relationship experience but has been thru shitty ones in the past which is part of the reason why he's so pessimistic & brooding </3 and he'd hook up with ppl in zuzu city for a night for a while but it just made him feel shittier so he's stopped since ☝️ also people make him out to be way cooler than he actually is like yea sure he's kinda cool but he's also a Massive Loser especially when he tells you how he hates "seasonal fads" like pumpkin spice and that one line about the potluck soup where he's like "Why ruin the potluck? Hmm... I guess some people feel liberated when the rigid structures of society break down a little. Maybe I'm weird.” WHO ASKED😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 his ass also can NOT cook he can make spaghetti but it's mid. he probably has low ass stamina and yeah he's tall and lanky (rn i see him as around 5'9-5'10) but you could snap him in half over your knee. when he's in an actually healthy relationship he gets really flustered over certain romantic gestures cuz he's not used to feeling valued or being considered someone's #1. he picks up on little things and does acts of service but i also think he can be really callous and insensitive at times because while he can be pretty perceptive he is also Very Emotionally Stunted. he unlearns lots of unhealthy behaviors & mindsets with the help of his partner & family & friends ^__^

[natelia-aldelliz]

They got tired of getting pushed over the edge because the bed was made for one and not 3 big adult men, so they dismantled the frame and put two mattresses together on the ground.

So now instead of the one on the side falling, it's the one in the middle getting swallowed when the mattresses inevitably part. They're not that smart. But at least they don't hurt themselves by falling now.

[suddencolds]

~

[thatgirlwithasquid]

Ask game for writers:

Very low-pressure rules: Tell me which fic of yours was the MOST FUN TO WRITE (if you want to). Like, which one did you have a BLAST writing? Feel free to share, to rec, to tell us WHY they were fun, etc etc

Tagged by @harringroveera (which I'm only just getting to, whoopsie! thanks for tagging me xx)

Probably had the most fun working on my Detroit: Become Human fanfic Thirium Pooling in His Chest (Bleeding Different, Feeling the Same)-- which I am just now seeing has gotten over 500 kudos????! What the hell, when did that happen? Dead chuffed with that because I think that's my best written fic. I'm so proud of it, and I had so much fun writing from Connor's POV and playing with the android side of that. Also just had a great time with it because, as I'm sure most fans of the game will agree, there should have been an opportunity to deviate there; it would've been so cool. Plus I just adore the dynamic between Connor and Hank so, given that the fic centred around them, it was just such a blast :D

And while it's not finished, and I've not picked it back up in a little while, I adore Dear Moor Monster of Mine. It is really no secret that I am still Wolfblood obsessed--fell in love with the show at age 8, and am honestly and unapologetically still besotted with it now that I'm 20. So getting to play around and bring two of my favourite things together to make my Harringrove Wolfblood AU is just so amazing. When I have less on my plate I will be back to finish off that last chapter and continue the series <3

I genuinely do not think I could separate these fics to pick one I enjoyed working on most. They're both so dear to me.

No pressure tags (sorry if you've already been tagged!!): @medusapelagia @origamiplushie @brightside-of-the-upsidedown @bigdumbbambieyes @billyhargrovesupsidedownshadow

[chilope]

getting on a plane in 4 hours and just realized that i have no idea how to talk about my job without mentioning 1) science 2) medicine 3) the military/government or 4) medical/humanitarian aid, all of which are less land mines and more nuclear bombs for my family

[a-sketchy]

why does yu just let the setup for mystery food x happen. dude. dude. stop them. go get yosuke. do anything. why are you just standing there

[llycaons]

I definitely don't believe 'laziness' exists in a personal or moral sense but I do think it exists professionally if that makes sense and that can be morally neutral. or not. an innocuous example but this is why I complain about writers so much when they don't bother to do x or y and just use generic cliches or shortcuts etc. etc.

[onigiram]

TAGS. i didn't like the other ones asjbfjbsdjgb

[mumblingsage]

For everyone feeling the US Election Terrors: At 38 minutes, this is shorter than a therapy session and also free. And Robert Evans has a soothing cadence.