#cats level in terms of communication is probably like. better?

[our-queer-experience]

Thank you for answering so many asks and reblogging so many posts from intersex people. We're probably the most erased group in the acronym, and I'm happy to see someone use their platform to bring attention to us and our issues.

I want to give a few general tips & things to know for your average perisex person for how to be a good ally to the intersex community!

Include our flag in pride projects!

Do not try to force intersex people into a binary like tme/tma or afab/amab. Even cis & trans. We're sick of it! Afab/amab should only be used to describe your own experiences, not other people's. Stop saying stuff like "amab anatomy" & "afab childhood"

We do not like being called biologically nonbinary and most of us are sick of that joke

Stop calling intersex animals trans! It may seem harmless but this is a mild form of erasure. Maned lionesses, male calico cats, antlered does, etc, are intersex! They are not trans! Posts about intersex animals may point people to learn about intersex people, which is a good thing for awareness!

Don't lump us in with trans people! Don't conflate transness & intersexuality. Yes there is overlap between our struggles but we are different groups!

Intersex people can identify as cis but our society will never see us as cis, we do not have cis privilege.

Do not listen to TERFs who call us "DSD", this stands for 'Disorders of Sexual Development" and is NOT the preferred term by the community. It's important to note that this is the current medical terminology for intersex people!! We are fighting against this label and do not accept it! We don't like "Differences of Sexual Development" either because it's the same acronym.

Not every intersex person has ambiguous genitalia. And of those of us who do, we don't "have both", we have something between male & female. And regardless you're not entitled to know what's in our pants lmao.

Use the terms perisex, endosex, or dyadic (they all mean the same thing, but perisex is the most recent & revised term. Endosex & dyadic are better known among older people) when talking about people who are not intersex. The same way you use cisgender when talking about people who are not trans. This positions intersex as a natural variation vs a deviation from normal.

Support intersex advocacy organizations like @interactyouth! InterACT is a wonderful group! As is InterConnect!

Most bigotry intersex people face is medical abuse, please recognize that! Many otherwise reputable medical sources are wrong about us and NEED to be challenged.

Do not reduce intersex people down to "cis person with a disorder" (like what the medical field does) especially in the context of the person in question being subject to transphobia. I see this so often with trans people saying "transphobia affects cis people too" only to show a headline about an intersex woman being harassed. Intersex people are an intended target of transphobia! It is not "transphobia backfiring on cis ppl". Remove phrases like "cis men with gynocemastia" from your vocabulary. Instead say intersex men.

PCOS is considered an intersex variation by the intersex community, but not by the medical establishment. If you are someone with PCOS, you ARE intersex due to your body's natural hormone levels! (You don't have to take up that label if you don't want to!)

I didn't know this had to be said, but do not say futa/futanari. I do not care that it's a popular porn category, it's a slur for intersex people in Japanese. It's the same as calling us a hermaphrodite, only worse because of the fetishization. There are better words you can use. (Ex bigenital)

YOU CANNOT TRANSITION TO BE INTERSEX! You can transition to have mixed sex traits, but do NOT say you are intersex! Please! This is co-opting! Use words like altersex, nonbinary or salmacian! Even post-transition, you are still perisex.

Please realize that we are being violently erased via the medical system. They need to mutilate us because our existence challenges the status-quo of bioessentialism. The only way a dyadic society can recognize our existence is as a "problem" that needs to be "fixed". This should piss you the fuck off. It should make you MAD. If it does, you're better than most allies. It's not an unfortunate "I'm sorry about that :(" this is a WHAT THE FUCK kind of situation. The subdued reaction everyone has to intersex people being mutilated and forced onto hormones is just so bleak to me. It's like nobody gives a shit. You never see intersex people because our dyadic society doesn't want you to. This is purposeful.

^^^ listen to intersex voices!

[cpvnksabm]

you know, in general i am the #1 defender of ricky potts as disability rep (before the erasure rewrites) especially when it comes to his pre-cyclone backstory. but occasionally i do remember the details about ricky's parents, specifically, how stupid it is. i spend most of my time in this fandom internally screaming "stop haphazardly changing rickys backstory, youre erasing the parts that made him special to me" but this part is one of few things in the whole musical that i actually do want changed. because if you take it at face value it makes no sense at all.

direct quote from the script:

"when Richard lost his power of speech, the Potts family took a vow of silence; usually communicating in a series of strange gestures that only they understood. The only time they interacted with one another was when they read comics, or fed the cats… they had fourteen cats."

there is so much weird shit going on here.

first of all. vow of silence? i have never in my life heard of that being someone's response to having a nonspeaking child. i am not nonverbal myself but based on what ive heard from people who are, i understand that not being able to just talk out loud for ease of communication, it complicates every interaction... so why would ricky's parents, presumably non-disabled (the term "vow of silence" definitely implies a choice and not like, selective mutism or anything), do that voluntarily?

no seriously. why. the script makes no attempt to explain their reasoning behind this or how ricky feels about it. why did they do this. is it a symbolic gesture? an attempt to better understand what their son is going through? i can't see it helping ricky in any tangible way. in fact, not being able to have his parents stand up for him (especially as a disabled person who is chronically ignored, especially as a child) would probably make his life harder.

i'm going to guess that the reasoning behind this out-of-universe, the general concept the writers were trying to communicate, was something like "one of the problems with how society treats disabled people is that sometimes they get too much support, and people make really drastic life changes to give them help that they don't even need"...

...and on top of directly contradicting the rest of ricky's backstory ("the most appalling cruelty humanity can muster: complete indifference", anyone?), this is just not true! the idea that disabled people are given/offered "too much" help is a myth and a stereotype. the vast majority of disabled people in real life have less than what they need, and have to struggle to get by. every organisation that is supposed to help disabled people, at every level, is biased toward giving the bare minimum or less - not to giving people more than they need.

to my knowledge, the whole "my son cant speak so im taking a vow of silence" thing, this has just... never happened in real life. not only would it Not Even Help it's just... not an idea that occurs to most parents of nonspeaking children. because why would it? it's ridiculous! the potts family "vow of silence" is just a ridiculous overexaggeration of the concept of "parents of disabled children make sacrifices for their children", and i dont like it.

now, if you want you can handwave all this away with "yeah this would be insane and ultimately unhelpful, but the musical never says that it is helpful, so for all we know ricky doesnt like it and it isnt good and his parents are just insane for doing that". and if that was the case, it would kind of fit with a recurring theme in the musical of performative efforts to "help" ricky that actually just make him more miserable. although i would say that a literal vow of silence is waaaay too big of a life commitment for parents to realistically do performatively. but then again, ricky's parents are clearly already odd people, with the 14 cats and the "strange gestures", so maybe it's just their characterisation...

and that reminds me. why the hell are they communicating with "strange gestures that only they understand".

i think most of the fandom interprets this as referencing ASL. but based on the description that's not what ASL is. sign languages are languages, with their own complex grammar, vocabulary, etc. they are not "strange gestures". this is like if noel's lament ended with our Objective Omniscient Narrator Karnak saying "monique and the priest communicated with a series of strange sounds that only they understood" and then they just spoke regular ass french.

but of course the script never says they're using ASL, and to my knowledge no production has ever actually done ASL for the "gestures", that part is really just fanon.

if you interpret the "strange gestures that only they understood" wording more literally - there is such a thing as home sign! home sign is a communication system made of gestures, generally not considered a complete language, that develops in households where communicating in language (either spoken language or sign language) is not an option. primarily, this is something that happens to linguistically isolated deaf children. if a child cannot hear well enough to learn & communicate with spoken language, and their parents don't give them an opportunity to learn sign language, they develop their own communication methods.

even this isn't quite what's happening in the musical if you take it literally, though, because home sign is developed by the child, by the child who doesn't have access to language. ricky could be d/Deaf or hard of hearing, which would impact his ability to hear and thus learn spoken language, but there's nothing in the musical to really point to this and so i dont think its what the writers were going for. the phrasing of the "vow of silence" thing implies that it was ricky's parents' choice to develop their own communication method consisting of gestures, rather than just an existing language including the language they presumably all already knew and communicated with prior to the "vow of silence".

this truly just boggles the mind. how did this happen? was there a point where mr potts sat down with the family and said "okay, so when we all take a vow of silence, this gesture will be how we ask each other when the cats food bowl was last fulled"? i will give canon the benefit of the doubt on one thing - while it isnt specified in the script, based on how degenerative (neuromuscular) disorders work in real life, it's likely ricky losing his speech would have been a gradual process rather than an overnight thing, and therefore i suppose the parents could have had enough warning time to develop the basics of a signed conlang. but they could have also used that time to learn an existing sign language, which im sure would have been easier for everyone. or they could have used that time to say "considering english exists in forms that dont require talking out loud (AAC), it would probably be easier to learn that rather than a new language, and also why are we taking a vow of silence anyway, how does that help our kid".

of course we dont know exactly how this language of "strange gestures" came to be. because canon, rather than elaborating on any of this, simply dropped the out-of-context claim on our feet. but depending on exactly how it went down, if you take it seriously, i think it could range from "bizarre form of child abuse/neglect that would have a severe impact on rickys communication and social life for years to come" to "technically harmless but really weird and convoluted".

and while we're on the subject of potential neglect. may i remind you, the last part of the section on ricky's parents:

"The only time they interacted with one another was when they read comics, or fed the cats… they had fourteen cats."

This is, frankly, maddening. it seems to imply that ricky's family ignored him a lot due to his disability which, while depressing, is definitely consistent with the rest of his backstory - being ignored at school/in uranium in general, retreating into his own imagination to cope. and i've said time and time again that the ableism ricky faces, being constantly ignored and condescended to and having to literally die and have his disability be magicked away in the afterlife before anyone actually listens to him, this is the most realistic part of the whole musical.

with that being said uhhh. that ending line might be consistent with the rest of rickys backstory but its NOT consistent with everything else karnak said about rickys parents, as recently as thirty seconds ago! are you telling me these parents took a vow of silence in some sort of weird symbolic solidarity with their kid, went as far as creating their own gestural communication system (/signed conlang) to facilitate communicating through this vow of silence... and then barely interacted with the kid they had sacrificed so much for?

if i take karnak completely at his word here, the only explanation i can come up with is that ricky was the subject of some linguistic experiment that his parents came up with. and frankly im not convinced the experiment is scientifically or ethically sound.

okay, in all seriousness,

i know the potts family is not conducting an unethical linguistic experiment. or at least, i know that is not the intended subtext of the musical. it's possible to come up with contrived situations in which these bizarre decisions would be realistic in-universe, but we all know that ride the cyclone is a work of fiction. and when things are this contrived... the most reasonable explanation is simply "the writers never thought that hard about it".

and that's disappointing! this blatantly nonsensical detail stayed in the musical for years, and apparently nobody thought to be like "hey, does this make sense? should we fact-check this?". this part of rickys backstory stayed the same until his entire backstory was overhauled to remove his disability in 2022 and, tbh, i dont think that was actually that anyone realised this part didnt make sense and tried to fix it, more likely that it just happened to get thrown out while they were doing disability erasure.

everything about this short paragraph indicates the writers being unwilling to research. which is bad writing practice in general and particularly bad when you're writing about disabilities!

i find this particularly disappointing because, as ive said, most of ricky's backstory was very realistic in the old scripts, and surprisingly well done; this is one of the aspects of disability rep where they just, completely dropped the ball. unfortunately, that was years ago, and now rtc has so thoroughly gone off the deep end in terms of disability ""representation"" that it's hardly worth it to nitpick the worst details in the best versions of the script...

but, still, i wanted to share my thoughts on this. it's surprisingly under-discussed in the fandom. i see a lot of people attempting to explain how rtc's disability rep was always flawed, some better than others... and i thought it would be good to go through and actually nitpick what rtc did wrong in the first place so we can all try to do better.

anyway, to the half-dozen people still reading this. fic writers. if you are a stickler for Canon Compliance then please understand that the canon here is nuts. i'm not saying don't put it in your fics, personally i sometimes love to write fics that i call Canon Malicious Compliant, which is when you stubbornly refuse to acknowledge what the author probably meant to say and instead explore the fucked-up explanations of what the author literally did say. i would love to see some fics that explore how ricky would actually feel about the "vow of silence" thing, and how it would impact him & his relationship with his parents, rather than just having it as a background info that isn't acknowledged as the weird thing it clearly is.

alternatively, to the large section of the fandom that is willing to say "I recognize the canon has made a decision, but given that it's a stupid-ass decision, I've elected to ignore it" - can i suggest CODA!Ricky, as in Child Of Deaf Adults, as an alternative headcanon that stays close to the canon while actually making sense? this would explain why his parents use a sign language at home way better than the "their kid cant speak so naturally they took a vow of silence" nonsense. obviously, headcanon what you want, this is the one part of canon that is really so nonsensical you might as well ignore it and treat it as a blank space in which to write whatever hcs you want, i just wanted to suggest one possible (more reasonable) explanation

[autisticlalna]

okay. full episode analysis coming later because i have so, so much to say about that one clip, but:

so. Dominion references. that's the big thing. we got two of them back-to-back in a very hard to ignore way if you're familiar with season 2.

but it's not just been Dominion. that's been what we're all excited about, obviously, but there's been some other stuff blending in.

after all, we have Viking surviving the apocalypse and talking about how he has experience working with tnt bombers-- something said ooc, maybe, but he has been working with them on both Hardcore and Twitch SMP, and died on TSMP because of getting caught in the explosions.

there's also the moment earlier in the trial where M1G starts ripping into Milkman for what he did on Pleasantcraft. again, line between ooc and in-character is blurry here, but either way Viking recognized what M1G was getting at. (Viking also cut out the part where it got called into question if that should count as testimony against Milkman seeing as it happened on another server and Elffe said "let's get multiversal". god, literally everything elffe did in the trial was great)

but, speaking of multiversal, i'm going to bring up something i've been calling "multiversal bleed" for lack of a better term. sometimes the lines dividing the Vikings are... wiggly. history likes to repeat and mirror itself (as shown in the trial), but some stuff slips in regardless of reality echoing itself. this is the obligatory part of the post where i pull up the TSMP transcripts.

because, for some reason, this specific line from tViking sticks in my head:

Viking: [cat beckoning noises] Frickin’ cat, like the cat I had one time. C’mon.

the reason this is filed under multiversal bleed is because Viking had a cat in Gilded Hardcore. (Also in Dominion, but Cranberry is better remembered.) tViking also could've had a cat during the gap of time between his arrival in TSMP's world and tRuby's, but either way the reaction was "wait, Gilded?"

there's also an equally brief example in the solo Skyblock series, where Wanderer recognizes Avid despite neither of them having crossed paths on-camera before... or those specific versions, anyway. again, Gilded Hardcore.

multiversal bleed is kinda a consequence of mcyt in general when you have multiple series running with different iterations of your character. there's bound to be crossovers and quick jokes and the like. but, considering that Viking's lore has been steadily building up to his status as a universal constant, it's more on the table as "something with canon repercussions".

going off of what moxijunk has suggested before, Summertime might be having heavy bleed from other versions of himself. he's still a separate entity from dViking, or Hardcore, or tViking, but when things get a little too familiar, memories that aren't his start to spill through. it seems to be what's happening to Cherryby, after all.

there is another route, though. on some level, we know the Vikings are aware of each other... maybe. again, most of my evidence is going to be from Twitch SMP, seeing as that went deeper into the overall storyline that's been building since the introduction of V.P. as a concept.

Navigator, local Viking that knows about the multiverse and is very involved in keeping it on-rails, told Sapphire at one point:

Navigator: You won’t tell me anything. And none of the others seem to know… or know even he exists.

and Sapphire later brought up:

Sapphire: Well. I am me as much as this one… is nothing. Hm. Y’know? Me, myself, and I… always work together. We’ve always have. Just as all Vikings. And… Navigator: So you work together… Sapphire: Even to an extent, VP, back before… Well. He didn’t, anymore.

...so there's some level of communication going on between the Vikings. Navigator keeping himself hidden from tViking probably has more to do with "tViking being an unknown and dangerous variable" rather than "Vikings aren't supposed to interfere with each other". maybe. basically anything with Navigator involved is vague, though.

and then, of course:

Viking: So for me, [laughs] I may not build these things myself, but I wake up and they’re done, and I know it’s me, because me wants to help me. Vikings help Viking. That’s how it works.

Vikings help Viking.

this hinges on Summertime being aware, either consciously or subconsciously, of his other selves.

in a TSMP stream i don't have a clip of at the moment he did swap places with tViking / Navigator, but there was no meeting of the Vikings and we don't know if he understood what was happening or if he even remembers it. most of the evidence here is from Navigator, who is an outlier and probably should not be counted, and tViking, who has been voted "most possessable Viking" since near the start of TSMP's storyline.

good lord this post got long. i'm going to go get coffee. draw your own conclusions because i forgot mine

[tempered-chill]

deep dive character sheet

stolen from: ree lol tagging: everyone!

NAME: YANQING

BODY

height: 158cm / 5′2

strength ★★★★☆ (that's a soldier right there and he held his own against two high cloud quintet members. let's give him the credit he deserves.)

dexterity ★★★★☆ (bro is a swordsman i think i can give him 4 dexterity)

health ★★★★☆ (he's in general good shape even if he forgets to eat lunch sometimes because he's so locked in)

energy ★★★★★ (he's consistently trying to do better i think he gets a five out of five here)

beauty cuteness! ★★★★★ (HES MY SON OKAY I LOVE HIM)

style ★☆☆☆☆ (wears the same thing EVERY DAY)

hygiene ★★★☆☆ (hes a teenage boy and he sweats all the time training his hygeine is not great)

SKILLS

perception ★★★★☆ (can be slightly dense sometimes and social cues can occasionally fly over his head, but he's great at noticing things in the heat of battle to survive)

communication ★★★☆☆ (had to get good at this for diplomacy but also he's still learning)

persuasion ★★☆☆☆ (not his strong suit but maybe that's just because he's not very socially strong)

mediation ★★★☆☆ (i think he's okay at this but also not great)

literacy ★★★☆☆ (i hc that he likes to write poetry but it is not his priority at all)

creativity ★★★★★ (making up new sword forms for himself to try out and uses a flying sword in creative ways in battle he deserves this five also haiku writer i promise)

cooking ☆☆☆☆☆ (dear god never let him in the kitchen)

tech savvy ★★☆☆☆ (he's a little good with it because he texts regularly but probably also doesn't know everything)

combat ★★★★☆ (obv needs to improve but also please he has lived through so much already)

survival ★★★★★ (living through blade and jingliu is nothing to scoff at and probably could still fend for himself)

stealth ★☆☆☆☆ (not really his thing at all)

street smarts ★★★☆☆ (jing yuan trained him kinda and he wouldnt fall for obvious scams actually but like still is somewhat of a child)

luck ★★★☆☆ (lucky jing yuan picked him up, not so lucky to run into blade and jingliu)

handling animals ★★★★☆ (LOVES CATS AND THEY LOVE HIM)

pacifying children ★★☆☆☆ (awkward as hell about it)

MIND

intelligence ★★★☆☆ (i think yanqing is more intelligent than people give him credit for in terms of battle ideas & survival, but when it comes to people he falls a little short)

happiness ★★☆☆☆ (haha i would actually rate this a 2.5 more than anything? getting back up on his feet but still not very happy atp in this timeline)

spirituality ★★★☆☆ (bro has probably seen spirits)

confidence ★★★☆☆ (i think he has his confidence back a little but not to the level that it was beforehand)

humor ★★★☆☆ (idk honestly. i think he has a solid sense of humour?)

anxiety ★★☆☆☆ (not necessarily anxious. just hardworking)

patience ★★☆☆☆ (when dr ratio said 'patience breeds success' yanqing was NOT listening)

passion ★★★★★ (SWORDS FOREVEVVEVRVVRRRRR)

nice         ★☆☆☆☆ mean

brave       ★☆☆☆☆ cowardly

pacifist     ☆☆☆★☆ violent (bro is a soldier)

thoughtful ☆☆☆★☆ impulsive (average teenage experience part 2 electric boogaloo) 

agreeable ☆☆★☆☆ contrary (right in the middle, depends on how he's feeling)

idealistic   ☆☆★☆☆ pragmatic (landed in the middle after having his ass handed to him by jingliu)

frugal        ☆☆☆☆★ big spender (BRO NEEDS TO BEG JIING YUAN FOR EXTRA MONEY BECAUSE HE SPENDS ALL OF IT ON SWORDS)

extrovert   ☆★☆☆☆ introvert (loves spending time around other people but also values his personal time)

collected   ☆☆★☆☆ wild (a good middleground here)

ambitious / possessive / stubborn / jealous / decisive / perfectionist

SOCIAL

charisma ★★★☆☆ (hes just a little fella but sucks kinda at socializing sometimes)

empathy ★★★★☆ (highly empathetic because i said so)

generosity ★★★★☆

wealth ★☆☆☆☆ (STOP SPENDING ALL OF YOUR MONEY ON SWORDS)

honest  ☆★☆☆☆ deceptive (a very honest young man your honour but makes sure not to be too harsh)

leader   ☆★☆☆☆ follower (see: lieutenant status)

polite    ★☆☆☆☆  rude (a very polite young man!!!)

political ☆★☆☆☆ indifferent (technically has to be a part of the political realm due to being jing yuan's retainer)

BELIEFS

higher power ★★★☆☆ (i think hes generally faithful but doesn't think about it all too much)

fate/destiny ★★★☆☆ (thinks about it a lot and has no fucking clue)

magic ★★★★★ (ICE MAGIC HELLO)

soulmates ☆☆☆☆☆ (does not gaf about romance nor does he think about it)

good and evil ★★★★★ (VERY justice-oriented little guy)

luck ★★★☆☆ (ehhh sorta doesn't think about it too hard either)

PRIORITIES

family ★★★★☆ (forever grateful to jing yuan for what he's done, views him as a father)

friends ★★★☆☆ (doesn't have many but he does value them)

love ☆☆☆☆☆ (aroace yanqing coming through)

home ★★★★☆ (home is something worth protecting)

health ★★☆☆☆ (training first)

praise ★★★★★ (you... saw this coming, didn't you?)

justice ★★★★★ (you also saw this coming)

truth ★★★☆☆ (honesty is important to him)

power ★★★☆☆ (as in physical fighting prowess, yes. political power? no)

fame ★★☆☆☆ (does crave it a little)

wealth ★★★☆☆ (so he can buy more swords)

others' opinions ★★★★★ (craves praise)

[ciaossu-imagines]

of ALL the series you write for: who would you realistically date? And who might be your worst match in the sense of "if i meet this person one more time, bitch, it's on any form of senses, smell, sight, touch, hearing- i don't care, I am out for BLOOD" even if you realistically couldn't beat them?

Ooooh, because you said ‘of all the series I write for’ and because this is a hella fun and interesting question, I’m going to do this for a couple of my fandoms, just whichever ones I could think of an answer for right off the bat, so please be warned in advance, this might get long. Sorry for taking this question and running with it, but I just couldn’t help myself, haha! Thanks so much for sending it in, my friend 😊

Within 07-Ghost, thinking realistically, I’d marry nobody. Bishops don’t marry and the person who would best suit me (Castor) is a dedicated bishop. When it comes to the person who would just invoke rage in me, despite being my absolute favourite character within the whole series, I’d probably want to kill Hyuuga if I had to spend any real amount of time with him. His teasing would get on my nerves, his inability to do his work or really take things seriously, his complete lack of respect for human life…it would, speaking realistically, all make me hate him. In terms of fiction though, I still fucking love the hell out of him.

Within A3!, realistically it’s probably Omi I would marry, operating under the assumption that I would ever want to get married. I can get scatter-brained at times, have trouble taking care of myself, can be very emotional for better or worse, but I’m also intensely loyal, loving, and constantly curious about my partners. I think Omi would be a stable and steady partner that would support me and guide me gently into better choices, who could deal with my emotions and embrace that part of me, and who would appreciate my better qualities, even when we fight or don’t like each other that much. Realistically speaking, Tenma would awaken every single ‘cannibalize the fucking rich’ instincts I have and I’d hate him on pure principle alone, despite really enjoying him as a fictional character.

Within Black Cat, no question, I’d marry Sven within a heartbeat. I absolutely adore him; he’s been within my top 10 anime men of all times. He’s a solid, constant favourite of mine and part of why I like him is because I do find a lot of connection with him. While Sven’s chivalry might clash with my more unladylike behaviour at times (my swearing, my willingness to have sex outside of committed relationships, etc.), I think we could still make it. Sven isn’t hugely judgmental, especially about people’s pasts and, if I just didn’t want to talk about it, he would never force me to. We have similar moral compasses, we both enjoy children, we both do our best to be honorable and kind, We both share similar ideas about finances, we both enjoy travelling, he wouldn’t mind my smoking habit since he smokes like a chimney as well. Within Black Cat…I really, really do find Creed inherently very disturbing. Don’t get me wrong. I absolutely frigging love Creed as a villain. He adds so much to the story and seeing what’s going to happen next because of him keeps me hanging on the edge of my seat. But realistically, he scares the ever-loving fuck out of me and would disgust me on a deep level.

In Bungou Stray Dogs, while he’s not my favourite character, I’d honestly be best off marrying someone like Kunikida. He’d be a stabilizing influence on my life and we do have some similar morals and values. We’d be able to have good conversations and he’s used to dealing with enough eccentrics that my little oddities wouldn’t bother him too much. He’d be tidy and neat and a considerate partner, which means he would be able to meet my standards of someone to live with. There wouldn’t be a lot to fight about and for the most part, there wouldn’t be a lot of fights and what we did fight about, we would communicate well about. Realistically, I’d fucking off Dazai after spending about two hours with him because he would set me so on edge. I wouldn’t be able to trust him and would realistically actively avoid him, despite really enjoying him as a character.

When it comes to Class of the Titans, I’d marry Odie. We’re both geeks in our own ways and there’d be a lot of fun and enjoyment in both of us ranting about our interests to each other, teaching them, learning from them. We have pretty similar views on friendships, which makes me think we’d have similar views on relationships. Neither of us has too big of an ego, though we’d both be awkward about fights and arguments that came up. In terms of fighting someone…well, Theresa pisses me off enough times in canon that I wouldn’t hesitate to punch her in the face numerous times.

Surprising nobody, I’d marry Monta from Eyeshield 21 in a heartbeat. That is the short king of my heart and my Eyeshield 21 love. I will refrain from going on pages long rants about all his great qualities and just admit that I would do anything to be worthy of his hand in marriage and would get down on my knees and propose first. Inside Eyeshield 21, I’d fight Agon. But wouldn’t we all, at points in the manga?

Within GetBackers, I’d marry Ginji. He has endless positivity and would help keep me upbeat, even when my manic lows hit. He’s forgiving of other’s faults and I think he’d deal well with my mental illnesses, little oddities, and big emotions without even thinking of it as ‘dealing with’ me. He’d see my positives and that would be what he really focuses on. On top of that, because of his job, he’s often gone for extended periods of time, meaning that I’d have enough alone time away from the relationship to keep from being overwhelmed with it. Fighting wise, I’ll admit that MakubeX annoyed me at points and just in general, I do believe that our personalities would not mesh well, even though I think he’s cool.

For Haikyuu, I’d probably, realistically, be best off marrying someone like Asahi. I think we’d be able to understand each other well, would support each other, would encourage each other to work on our weak points while also understanding the difficulties of doing so. It would just be a very loving, supportive, kind relationship, something not exactly laid back but pretty drama free. With his own interests and his developed friendships outside of our relationship, I don’t see him as being incredibly clingy in the relationship and I feel like we would have the room to be alone or be with other people outside of our relationship, which is something I do need in a relationship. In terms of fighting…Atsumu. It’s Atsumu.

Within Ikemen Revolution, I’d honestly like to say Sirius because he’s my bias, but realistically speaking, I’d be better off with someone like Kyle. While Kyle might have his faults, he’s pretty open-minded and non-judgmental with people, willing to help others, and we have similar values and morals. He’s busy with his doctor work and enjoys nights out drinking with the guys, which means I’ll have my alone time when I need it, but he’s also sweet and caring within a relationship. Additionally, we both take a while to really realize and accept feelings of romantic interest in someone else. Fighting someone…it’s probably a cheat answer, but Amon. I wish he’d had more character development because he just comes across as a megalomaniac with zero reasons or morals for being evil.

Within KHR, I’d probably be best off with someone like Spanner. He’s very chill and laid-back for the most part and I feel like my energy, special interests, tendency to rant for long lengths of time about the things I love, and big emotions would be more cute than annoying to him. He has his own special interests that really fascinate me and I feel like I could just spend hours listening to him talk about his projects or watching him work while I do my own thing. I don’t feel like either of us would be people who would pick fights and would try to find logical solutions to issues that came up. As far as fighting a character, it’s not that I don’t enjoy him as a character because I really, really do, but I’d throw hands with Xanxus. Taking a realistic view on him and considering interacting with someone who behaves as he does in a real-life setting, I’d despise him.

In Saiyuki, I’d marry Gojyo. We both tend to be more non-monogamous, so we’d probably arguably have the best realistic relationship. We could support each other, wouldn’t judge each other’s pasts, and we could both deeply love each other, while giving each other the freedom to be who we are. In terms of fighting someone, fucking Hazel would catch these hands and whatever I could find to throw at his stupid goddamn face. People who use religion to justify bigotry piss me the fuck off.

[gerogerigaogaigar]

Now that we've listened to the cadence of rappers through the interplay between the flow and beats it is time to listen to what rappers are saying. Rap has its own language made up of metaphors and references that can intimidate new listeners, but there is one skill that should be easy for anyone to appreciate. Storytelling. These songs are some of the best storytelling that hip-hop has to offer. And Storytelling is one of rap's strong suits so really this is some of the best storytelling that music has to offer!

The Art Of Peer Pressure Kendrick is why were here right? Well he is probably the best lyricist in rap history. The Art Of Peer Pressure may not be his biggest hit but it is unparalleled in terms of storytelling. Kendrick describes a night as a teen in Compton. Him and his friends emulating the violence heard on their favorite rap albums. The story seems simple, but the message is complex. He disavows every action he engages in saying that he's normally sober, normally peaceful, but he's with the homies right now. As the title suggests its a story about how peer pressure helps reproduce systems of violence.

Children's Story Slick Rick is the storyteller of all time. It honestly baffles me how naturally he communicates this simple fable without missing a beat. It flows so casually that you actually forget that he's maintaining rhyme throughout.

Gold Simple fables about street violence are extremely common in hip-hop. This one builds bravado and avarice until the tragic ending where the singer buries his mother before he can use all the money he's attained on her.

I Left My Wallet In El Segundo And now for the lowest stakes in any rap story. This is the gripping story of Q-Tip trying to remember where he left his wallet. The energy of a couple of friends trying to retrace their steps is actually really relatable though.

It Was A Good Day I've seen people on here try to use the details of this song's lyrics to pinpoint the exact date Cube was talking about. It's a simple song, but the simplicity belies some depth. It's pretty telling that to Ice Cube playing basketball and dominoes with his friends is on the same level as not getting harassed by the police or shot.

Millie Pulled A Pistol On Santa De La Soul decided to ditch the fun and games on Millie Pulled A Pistol On Santa. seriously content warning for frank discussion of csa. The tense story of a girl who is brought to the point of desperation because no one will believe that she is being abused. Its dark stuff and extremely well told.

Neighbors J. Cole dodged a bullet when he decided not to actually beef with Kendrick. Which is good cause I actually like Cole's music. Neighbors is about J. Cole tried to move into a nice house in a white neighborhood and got harassed until he was forced to leave. He meditates on the fact that fame can't actually stop the baked in racism at the heart of America.

Hey Mama If you want to know why fans are mourning Kanye or even hoping for him to get better instead of just dropping him like a rock look no further than Hey Mama. This ode to his mother is the sweetest song ever made. I'm kinda glad Donda West didn't have to see what her son turned into.

Just A Friend Biz Markie is the clown prince of hip-hop. his flow is goofy, the beat is kinda wonky, and the story is simple. And then he just kinda yells the hook like he's half drunk. It is either gonna charm you right away or annoy you. Just A Friend is the kind of stupid that I always fall in love with and it's enduring popularity is proof that others feel the same.

Fat Cats, Bigga Fish The Coup are the group that would eventually make the film Sorry To Bother You. Fat Cats, Bigga Fish is a deftly told story whose moral is "stealing is only illegal if you aren't rich"

To Be Continued ===> Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6

[imthepunchlord]

In your au which kwamis could be in the prodigious and miraculous side forces?

Hm... for this, I'll stick to what is canon. I'm not going to think about the groups, just going to roll out where I think they could place.

Miraculous

Ladybug, largely works off Tikki and her advise of prioritizing others and being considerate of them, the power to mass restore would work nicely with the themes around Miraculous. Ladybugs in general also work with the themes and ideals of Miraculous, they are known for love and luck, but they are also known for divine intervention, being direct servants of God and the Virgin Mary, and will go out of their way to assist and heal those who are suffering. And a lot of what I read up on Ladybug in terms of myth and folklore stems from Europe, so makes sense for it to be European based.

Bee I would vote Miraculous working off it's symbolism and themes, as bees whole thing are about the community, communication, provision, prosperity, and team work. Venom techncially would be a more Prodigious power, but that is something I could see Cat's Cataclysm do (destroy one's mobility), we could roll with Bee having a different power. Pollen would also need an overhaul in terms of personality, probably have a lot of the same moral stances as Tikki, but could be more aware and considerate of humans, wants to be more engaging and flexible on guiding them as she wants to help them thrive as they're meant to be vs Tikki's ideals on how humans should behave, and could have a bit more sass and a slight temper that has her "sting" back. Bee I've also seen more info about them in Europe (with Celts and Greeks) than with China.

Peafowl I would vote Miraculous. In terms of symbolism, it works better for Miraculous, they're tied to vision/looking to the future, rejuvenation/phoenix ties, taking in evil and turning it into beauty, purity, protection; peacocks kinda have the same level of significance on Europe vs China, but it's a bit more iconic with it's ties to Hera. The power would need to be changed as the ability to make literal life, fully control it, and terminate at a snap of a fingers isn't very Miraculous. Duusu I would also vote to get an overhaul in personality as they went more birdbrain persona, and Duusu probably should've been more on the elitist and vain, but still benevolent and optimistic.

Rabbit I was a little unsure on but I think ultimately would be more Miraculous than Prodigious. Rabbits at the core are known for speed, creation, artistry, healing, and providing, the latter aspects seen with the Moon Rabbit and the Easter Bunny, which originates from Eostre, a goddess of spring and harvest. The power and kwami would need to be changed up as time traveling is pretty OP, and the AiW reference I don't think works well.

Horse I would vote Miraculous, they are heavily tied to protection, heroism, nobility, and divinity. And not just in Europe, but also India and China too. From what I've seen research wise, everybody agrees horses are majestic and awesome, to the point that anything negative to them in myth is small in comparison to the benevolent icons they are in various myths. So while Horse pops up everywhere and could go anywhere, it would match with Miraculous by what they largely represent. And Kaalki echoes this, while she is an elitist snob, you do know she has a high standard and expects her humans to be noble heroes.

Goat I would vote more Miraculous, especially if you incorporate Sheep into it as well. Between the two, it's ultimately a very positive symbol that echoes ambition and bravery, as well as provision, gentleness, and fellowship. You do have goats and sheep tied to various gods, like Ares, Thor, and Agni; if doing power changes, I would vote making Goat THE combative force of the Miraculous. And the little we see of Ziggy suggests to me she'd lean more Miraculous.

Rooster I would vote Miraculous. They do have some negative association (ego and aggression), but their ties to honesty, vigilance, prosperity, confidence, valor, and protection stand out a lot more. Mythology often has it a herald of what's coming, so I would vote it have something relating to foresight instead.

Prodigious

Cat I would initially vote Prodigious, though it would mean that Cat and Ladybug aren't uniquely a pair anymore, but maybe that's for the better since the show didn't do a good job at making them a pair as the Ladybug is established as being far more important than the Cat is. But the power of Cataclysm can go either way in used for beneficial or destructive use. Plagg would also meet the qualifications of a Prodigious kwami by being more morally grey, understanding the one is just as important as he'll encourage humans to be selfish, go do what they want, and he'd rather skip out his heroic duty. Cats in general also have mixed themes, they can be lucky and unlucky, they can be loving companions to independent loners, they can be sources of protection or bringers of chaos.

Turtle I stand by being a Prodigious, while not chaotic as some others, it is more tied to prioritizing the self. One's own longevity and survival, one's own protection, though it does have that possibility of being a shield for others. The little we have of Wayzz suggests he leans more Miraculous. Turtles though are very big in China, being one of the sacred animals and thought to be a rare equal to the dragon, so makes sense for it to be tied to China.

Fox I'd vote Prodigious, as the power of making illusions is typically more antagonistic in use, though it can be used for greater good. Foxes are also dual in moral standing and protrayals, some are heroes that win with trickery, while others are antagonists that trick and take advantage of others. Sapotis Trixx also matches with a Prodigious kwami as they sounded like they were for Alya going against LB and using the Fox full time, but did drop in the word trustworthy to remind Alya that she is being trusted by LB, and leaves it up to this human on how to act. It's was a bit of a gamble, and Trixx's best moment, so it's a shame they became more childish. Foxes do appear in various culture, though the eastern fox is a lot more iconic, so it feels fitting to be in the more Chinese based group.

Mouse would be a Prodigious. Rodents in general stand out for cleverness and communication in mythology, and they do have good and bad associations while being more positive in the east while more negative in the west. By power, it's technically working with others but it's also working exclusively with yourself. And the little we see of Mullo is quite impish. So Mouse I'd say is a Prodigious.

Tiger would be Prodigious, not only does it have strong ties to China, this eastern king of beasts is tied to chaos and change and is the yin counter to Dragon, seeking to challenge the order Dragon established. Clout would match with a Prodigious power, though I would vote it be changed as that's technically a power Cataclysm could also do. Roaar as a kwami I don't have enough on personality wise outside being curious and pushy. But for sure Tiger would be a Prodigious.

Dragon by default of being the Chinese Zodiac Dragon and the western Dragons are often malicious, would be a Prodigious. And by default of powers tied to elements in a storm, that can be beneficial or chaotic. What we see of Longg suggests she's a kwami that would lean more Miraculous, everything else would have her be a Prodigious kwami.

Snake would be a Prodigious to play off it's duality, as this animal represents life and death, good and evil, justice and vengeance, wisdom and power. It's been tied to divinity and protection, but also wickedness and betrayal. That power can be flexible in it's use. The little we see of Sass suggests he'd lean more Miraculous, but truthfully, he should be along the lines of Trixx, having quite the silver tongue and be morally grey.

Monkey hands down is a Prodigious. With a power and kwami tied to being chaotic and impish, it has no place amongst the Miraculous. And of course, monkeys have cultural significance in China but not so in Europe.

Either

Butterfly I did Prodigious as an example, but honestly it could go either way. It's power works off being a social butterfly, elevating someone else up to help a community/area, ideally making heroes. That works off Miraculous caring for others over the one. It can be used to make villains, but it could be a difficult to misuse as you are relying on another person, and people are unpredictable, and this power heightens their emotions, which can make them even more chaotic. But it can also match with Prodigious as it focuses on granting to one. And it can be a chaotic power to use. And it's easy to misuse, as despite people being unpredictable, Gabriel didn't have that much of a struggle. Kwami wise, Nooroo I see leaning more Miraculous. But for themes with butterflies and moths, that kinda goes more Prodigious, cause they're tied to love and death, omens of change, chaos and transformation, represents the soul. So Butterfly can go either way, it could be Ladybug's equal as a Miraculous, or it could be one of the more powerful Prodigious.

Ox can go either way. Including bulls into this, this animal has been tied with being a literal powerhouse and can be destructive (bulldoze, bull in a China shop, bulls having a tie to the destroyer, Shiva), but it's also tied with sacrifice, shouldering the burden of others, bravery, strength in character and in a physical sense, and standing your ground. It's also an animal tied to divinity, with the Sacred Bull showing up in different cultures. So I could see it go either way, and there's not enough on the kwami for me to say where he would go.

Dog could go either way. They do have a lot of positive associations tied to unconditional love, acceptance, loyalty, duty, diligence, fellowship, protection, and assistance, but there are also a lot of dogs tied to Hell/the Underworld/death (Cerberus, hellhounds, Cu Sith, Barghest, Sharvara and Shyama, Garmr). And if Dog does incorporate Wolf too, then there's the iconic Big Bad Wolf and mythical Fenrir. So Dog could go either way on being a Miraculous or Prodigious.

Pig is also in the same boat as it has mixed reception. In the west, it has negatives of being lazy, gluttonous, aggressive through boars; but in the east it's tied to luck and prosperity. Kwami could go either way, what we see of Daizzi is sweet, but he also seems rude and oblivious. Gift would lean more Miraculous, but I'd also vote it being changed as it feels like it's one of those powers that were done to work off the human planned for the Miraculous than the animal, like Chloe planned to get Bee so it has a "stinging" power even though bees are so much more than stingers.

[ultrvmonogamy]

if you really were in your 40s you seriously need to update your bio to 21+ and not 18+. especially with the themes on your blog it can come off as creepy and pedo ish

bestie i'm a bit confused by this message, n i feel like there's a lot to unpack here for what's essentially a single sentence.

first of all, there's the fact that the text is red, which i suppose is meant to indicate that this is a warning of sorts or that i'm in error somehow like if my attempt at creating a password didn't include the correct combination of length n special characters or wtv. this was strange to see upon opening my inbox, n it strikes me as a bit aggressive/reprimanding in a manner that does not lead me to feel that ur offering counsel in good faith.

second, it seems ur insinuating that i'm lying abt my age, which to my mind establishes a dynamic of distrust, and for what reason i do not know.

third, u proceed to dictate what i seriously need to do if perchance i'm not lying abt my age. that's p fucking weird n rude n presumptuously authoritarian, and i have to wonder if u could possibly have believed that i'd be receptive to such an approach. i mean, u mention my blog's content, so u must have at least some cursory awareness of my general attitude, no? or maybe as my anonymous overlord who also happens to be the supreme arbiter of social dynamics, such trivial matters as actually communicating w the person ur admonishing is of little import. or perhaps ur just appallingly bad at human interaction, in which case i won't hold it against u as long as ur willing to reflect on that n make some changes including but not limited to staying in ur lane.

fourth, putting 18+ (and, u know, MDNI in multiple places) is creepy n pedo-ish? but also somehow changing that to 21+ would alleviate ur concerns? to my mind, this is so misguided on so many levels that i truly do not know where to begin, but hey i'll give it a try anyway..

let's pretend that u didn't just errantly apply to adults a term that is reserved by its very definition for atrocious acts n desires towards prepubescent children. furthermore, let's pretend u didn't just come to my inbox n associate that term w me. actually, i'd better backtrack n ask u to pause for a moment bc ur probably still thinking abt the fact that i made that distinction n r likely now running some dialogue in ur mind abt how fucking gross i am for even calling out the semantics. ofc i could be wrong abt what ur thinking, but if u do find urself thinking along those lines, then i'm going to take this opportunity to tell u that u seriously need to talk to adult survivors of prepubescent sexual abuse and explain to them why u feel their experience is categorically the same as that of an adult choosing to have sex w someone u personally deem inappropriately older, n then convince them that it's fair to erase the distinction as it pertains to their own experiences.

where was i?

okay, so now let's pretend age gap sex is intrinsically pathological until the younger partner reaches 21 n so therefore 18+ vs 21+ categorically changes the dynamics: even then what exactly is ur premise here? do u think that my intent is to fuck anyone n everyone who looks at my blog? or that i even just want to fuck anyone n everyone who looks at my blog? r u the kind of person who sees someone's horny post n then dms them inappropriately as tho it was written to u personally? literally what the fuck? if a profile on a hookup app is asking for 18+, u'd have grounds to believe the user is seeking sex w ppl at least 18 yrs old, but this is not a hookup app; it's a microblogging platform ffs. like, there is no shortage of blogs that i follow here for art, science, fandoms, cats, moths, religious iconography, knives, symbology, gore, spirituality, etc. do u think i wanna fuck all those bloggers too, or only if they happen to follow this blog as opposed to one of my others? if that's how ur mind works, i'd suggest u put 200+ in ur bio bc i personally do not think adults of any age should have to suffer exposure to u, but even so i do think that adults who would choose to do so have every right to do so (assuming ur not posting the kinds of things ur ostensibly condemning in ur message to me, in which case they would not have the right). now wrt 18+ being an issue: do u think i should be protecting adults from kink or from my sense of humor or what? do u not believe adults should be allowed agency until age 21? or is that just wrt looking at tumblr blogs? maybe just mine? or just blogs run by bloggers 40 n over? was 18+ okay w u when i was 39? 35? 30? 29? do u have some kind of table w a range of adult ages on one axis n various activities on the other? maybe w green checkmarks or red exes at the intersections? is it a case by case basis? is there some kind of puritanical mental gymnastics to be performed so that an integer value pops out from the ether? r u gonna share the formula?

am i completely missing smth here? is there some key information abt the age of 21* that i'm not privy to? srsly, bc if there is such a thing then i'm wholly unaware of it but would v much like to be made aware, and i earnestly invite u to provide me w the relevant information.

if u take nothing else from my response, plz stop misusing that term bc by doing so u r erasing not simply the scale but rather the profound developmental damage of an atrocity that does not track proportionately w age. and to anyone who would choose to do that willfully n knowingly just for the sake of rhetorical impact, i say fuck u bc ur a piece of shit.

if u actually want to have a conversation in good faith, talk to me off anon. just don't fucking coming back here associating those kinds of labels w me, n don't presume to tell me (like some kind of fascist) what i need to do, especially not while invalidating the lived experiences of those who've suffered in one of the worst ways imaginable.

*as i sit here thinking abt it, i actually would not be surprised if 18 yr olds on avg r less inclined to make bad decisions than 21 yr olds on average, but i'd need to see a whole lot of data that most definitely does not exist in any reliable representative form.

bleh.

[wander-wren]

How is it strange to apply human rules to the cats in wc when they are humanized to the point where they are basically humans in cat suits?? They don’t play by feral cat rules, they have medicine and practice law and operate on the same level as humans in terms of basic morality. I’m not really expecting an intelligent response from someone who unironically calls people “antis” but at least TRY and use some common sense here.

alright, yknow, that’s actually fair, anon, i wrote that post quickly in a state of annoyance so i wasn’t clear.

i was specifically referring to aging there (and a little bit to cats’ idea of family/incest, at the time, but given that wc canonically understand cousins/grandparents for the Kin of Kin prophecy that’s a moot point).

cats don’t age like people! this has been a topic of fandom discussion before! we generally decide to label kits as children and apprentices as teens, but those aren’t 100% accurate. i was trying to point out that you can’t compare something like brackenfur being a warrior when sorreltail was a kit to a human couple where one was already a young adult when the other was born, because of the way the cats age.

human age gaps are also often impacted by when the couple met—a relationship between two people who meet as adults on a level playing field, with ten years between them, is different than if they had known each other when the younger was growing up. but clan communities are very insular and, since relationships outside the clans are (or were) banned, by necessity brackenfur was going to be a figure in sorreltail’s life just because they lived in a very small camp together.

i hope i just explained that better for you. however, i want to be clear that i also made a mistake in my post when i didn’t make my main point clear enough. i didn’t expect anything to come of it.

it’s a fictional story. it doesn’t fucking matter. if you ship. something. morally objectionable. it’s literally fine. game of thrones is all incest and pedophilia and assault and was the biggest show in the world and, well, would you look at that. incest rates didn’t skyrocket, none of it became normalized.

also, to address the “unironically calls people antis” bit: i was not calling the people who get up in arms about warrior cat ship morals antis. i think some of them would probably call themselves that, and some of them have some ideas in common with the larger anti movement, but i dont know enough (or care to find out) about random people on my dash, so i won’t call them that unless it’s particularly egregious/obvious.

i was referring to the antishippers in fandom as a whole, and in the warriors fandom, and i know they do exist because i have run across them in years past. i was referring to that past in my tags.

and antis started the whole pro/anti thing way back when, so please don’t try to insinuate it’s a name the wider fandom community throws at them against their will or something.

[youremyheaven]

I found your blog when I was reaserching sufism since I’m leaning into it and the first thing I saw was your post about fated love which is so crazy because I’m pretty sure I’m on a “twin flame” journey!

Last year I saw a guy I met 7 years ago and that I hated at the time and I got triggered beyond measurement (I minimized it to the fact that I was jealous of his accomplishments) and my life has flipped upside down since then. I’ve healed so much of my trauma & went though a complete ego death and went out to find my callings.

The only thing is that he has been on my mind for a whole year in a fundamental way and I’ve even had crazy lucid dreams about him and i just feel so pathetic at times for spending so much thoughts on a stranger.

When i first prayed to god for answers is when I had my first dream of him the same night as some sort of answer but I’m still confused.

Sorry if this information overload but if you have my more knowledge and advice on the subject I would appreciate so much ❤️

finally a different kind of ask <3

i have been on a twin flame journey for several years now and this is probably going to be a controversial take because i havent heard anybody else express this sort of opinion in the twin flame community (99% of people in that community are absolutely delusional so i refrain from taking part in that sort of thing) i honestly think uniting on the physical plane is probably impossible for many twin flames and i also dont think theyre meant to?

a lot of people confused limerence with twin flame-ness. idk who needs to hear this but the random married person you're obsessed with isnt your twin flame.

in 2022 i met someone who i felt strangely pulled to. he reacted to seeing me like he was struck by lightning and i felt repulsed by him. in 2023, it became this cat and mouse, back and forth kind of thing where it seemed to build into mutual obsession but after interacting with him, i was completely put off by him and felt even disgusted by him but at the same time, i have changed so profoundly as a person from that first encounter and the second encounter that i really cant make sense of it. he instils a sense of desire in me and makes me want to change things and be better for myself yk? he's like the silent voice in my head ngl, everytime i think of doing anything, i have him in mind as my imaginary audience lol. its not in terms of whether or not he would approve but rather in terms of his presence?? feels comforting?? so its nice to have his energy in mind whenever im confronted by something new??

the trauma confrontation, ego death, finding your calling etc are all part of the journey

if you feel yourself slipping into obsessive thoughts, try to focus on prayer, or work or your hobbies because its unhealthy to dwell on such thoughts too much but some minuscule amount of feelings for that person (feelings that are very confusing because it cannot be easily defined) will always linger. i wish them well and hope for the best but right now all i can do is focus on what their energy is doing to me aka undoing my life and making me level up lol and each phase of this journey is unique like that.

in my case, i dont expect to ever unite with him physically. i just dont think its possible tbh but i have a very strong feeling that i will run into him again in a few years and that its part of the journey idk

my advice would be to focus on yourself and not on him but by focusing on yourself, you are healing yourself of what is keeping you in a state where you react negatively to them, ykwim?? dont expect to be with that person, the purpose of a twin flame is to teach you things and help your soul ascend to the next level. union cannot be orchestrated and sometimes god knows best that union is not meant to be in this lifetime. but that does not mean this experience isnt valuable. the experience is what it makes of you. and its vvv easyyy to romanticize a person you dont know very well, just trust that its for the best that youre not with them tbh

[icharchivist]

i think it was a really missed opportunity for Orologia to have multiple forms (one for each of the "standard" skyfarer races, and all done more "correctly" compared to the other dragons to demonstrate that they're older and know what they're doing, with maybe one towards the end of the event that was more of a mishmash like the others just to demonstrate how they were falling apart?) and i like the idea in theory but yeah the human "masculine" Orologia just generally communicates their character way better in the design aspect

On a concept level yeah i think it would have been cool for Logia to have multiple forms by race as well as by gender, but i feel like it could have been a bit confusing to put into motion in the game, considering it would come with each version having a working design and their sprites and managing to equally divide time for them.

As much as the binary of f!Logia and m!Logia is a bit limiting compared to what they can do, i think it pulls more effectively its punches because you really have one Logia at the begining and one at the end (not to mention that the one you get is affected by your MC's gender), which anchors them as like... there's the parent's face and there's the stranger's face, but the stranger is just as much a parent as the one of the simulation yaknow?

And in the middle point where Logia goes back and forth between genders especially when they spiral, i think it would have been really difficult to pull it off effectively if Logia had more than two forms.

As for the mishmash, it could have worked, but yeah it should have commited for multiple version first and personally i think it wouldn't have hold up to scrutiny / would end up having the designs too spread out toward the event rather than trying to make us care for two steady ones with an equal-ish screentime.

The genderfluid idea and everything was fucking cool though and i do like the idea of having a different Logia depending on your settings, it was so fun to see people realize when the event came out that we didn't??? have the same screenshots??? for some scenes??? bc some people didn't see granblue_en mention that the gender of Logia would change depending on the settings.

(also i feel like it works wonder in actually having people stick to Logia being genderfluid because since you can't say "well they were a woman in the simulation but a man in real life so clearly they're actually a man!" because that's not true, that's not how it went, and that depends on your settings, you're forced to acknowledge Logia's fluidity, and that's something i think that is interesting for a gacha to enforce, like "no you're not ignoring this, face the genderweird parent >:(". it's a weird moment where the binary actually works to its advantage in term of how to execute it in a way the fanbase cannot hoop around it.)

But yeah, m!Logia's design is vastly superior. Probably also because it was made ways before f!Logia? m!Logia first appeared in Wamdus's FE, so it has been in the game for a while before And You and before we knew Logia was genderfluid to start with. I feel like F!Logia might have been a late-in-development addition to Logia's gimmicks and it may be why they sound less polished imo, and really more trying to "secure" the horny fanbase into caring for their new chara because the whole center of the anni will rest on if you like this chara or not and everything.

They mentioned in interviews that they are interested with eventually making alt for the dragons where they would switch genders and possibly race later on, like they teased with this:

which would at least imply that even Logia could end up getting more forms eventually. I think they'll stick to the original designs as their "base forms" (and i'm sure Ewiyar will Refuse to try to toy around with other races. She remains a Cat.) but there's always a possibility to see more even if the event stuck to 2, so we may see in the future at least!

but yeah m!Logia best design, for sure. Hopefully one day we'll get to see more!

[thesomebodywho]

Let's break this down. Pink: Absolutely fantastic, I hate wasting about 1/3 of my life unconcious. No downsides either because not needing sleep, in my opinion, means that you could still sleep if you wanted to.

Orange: This is great. I assume this also includes understanding the language and speaking is just used as a term for proficiency in general. Obiviously you could communicate with anyone anywhere in the world fluently becoming the world's best translator. Additionally you would probably be able to speak dead languages, meaning that historians and archeologists everywhere would rejoice. Last but not least, assuming any extraterrestial entities communicate via language you could speak to aliens if you ever happen upon one.

Green: Pretty mundane all things considered. This is just a super power many people have in general and I am most likely allergic to cats anyway. Although because the description refers to felines, you would also be pretty popular with big cats. You would never have to worry about getting eaten by for example a lion or a tiger. (Assuming that they like you on an emotional level and not gastronomically.)

Blue: This is a good one. Being able to at will record anything into your memory would help whenever you need to study. The younger you are the better this is because the need of studying and memorizing decreases as you get older. The "at will" part is also important because you need to be careful not to accidentally record anything traumatic. Purple: Free eco-friendly air travel!? This creates a great combo with orange because you can just take a trip to any country with an airport and have a fantastic time communications wise. You could also, for example, go buy groceries in a country where food is cheap or fresh. Assuming this is magic and violates the laws of thermodynamics and physics in general this would be absolutely cracked. Just build an airport high up, make a big coil below the airport, and fall through it repeatedly with a strong magnet. (Of course this relies on the assumption that the potion would recognize your new airport as an airport.) Grey: Overall pretty mid. Sure you could pretty much eat anything taste-wise. Healthy foods would be pretty easy to choose and you would never have to worry about not liking your friends' cooking. Maybe this could push you to go vegan if everything tasted like steaks, pizza and burgers. The issue is that all of these problems have mundane solutions. Healthy food could already taste good but you're skimping on the spices and seasonings. Jus add a pinch of the good old salt and pepper on your salad and would you look at that, it tastes miles better. If your friend cooks food and you don't really like it, just tell them. There are a million ways to tell someone that the food was not really your thing especially because most often it's not the fault of the chef, but the recipe. I myself am not vegan but again just season your food. There's also a myriad of vegan alternatives to meat-based products.

Red: This could actually be detrimental. Assuming your body temperature refers to the actual temperature of the physical object that is your body, you would be immune to extreme heat and cold. Amaze everyone by walking in lava without catching on fire and scream in agony for the entire time because the temperature difference would still cause immense pain. Spend hours in the frozen arctic shivering but never dying of hypothermia or freezing. Seems fantastic? Here's the catch. A significant portion of the calories you consume are spent on temperature regulation. After removing this energy sink you would struggle to get the minimum amount of nutrients without gaining a ton of weight due to not using energy. Alternatively you could struggle helplessly as a nasty viral infection destroys your body from the inside, as the most effective weapon of your immune system, fever, is stripped from them. :) Wine-red: Kind of mid to be honest. If you live in an area with a ton of mosquitoes, especially ones carrying malaria, this is great. This applies to any other insect carrying any other diseases but for me personally this potion is pretty bad I've gotten used to mosquitoes. White: Seems pretty cool but the downsides are pretty severe. Congratulations on becoming King Midas of the cheese world. Creating free food anywhere you go just by kicking is pretty good and kicking something three times is pretty rare right? Forget playing football or any other sport where you kick stuff as the ball once again becomes a clump of cheese. Did you accidentally kick your computer three times while stimming? Gaming on a piece of Wensleydale could prove difficult. You playfully kicked someone for some reason? I wonder if it would be considered negligent homicide to turn someone into Edam by mistake... In an ideal world this would be super powerful due to (again) violating the laws of thermodynamics by being able to generate energy from nothing. (Just kick something with a low energy density and turn it into high energy density cheese.) Get rid of non-biodegradeables by turning them into cheese. Nuclear waste? More like Cheddar.

Yellow: Pretty good. Assuming the fairies do a good job, this would save a lot of time. I don't find chores that annoying but this would still be pretty useful.

Lime: For people who have trouble identifying emotions this would be great. Then again I'd like for it to be normal to just ask someone how they're feeling. Normalize asking for people to clarify their emotions!

Black: Practically pretty useless. Sure growing your ideal beard is great but this is worthless if you don't want a beard. You save a bit on shaving supplies assuming you even grow a beard. It would be nice to be able to grow a beard but compared to everything else on offer I would hate for vanity to be the reason I choose a mid potion.

Rankings based on personal preference:

Pink

Orange

Purple

Blue

Yellow

Wine-red

Green

Grey

Lime

White

Black

Red

Rankings on universe breaking potential:

Purple

White

Yellow (Depends on the definition of a chore.)

Pink (More time for chaos)

Everything else

[wickedsrest-rp]

WICKED’S REST CRYPTIDS

There are plenty of strange creatures that live in and around Wicked’s Rest, but some of them have been supposedly spotted enough by tourists and locals alike to make them famous. There’s even a dedicated cryptid club. With this elevated awareness comes their very own personalized name, origin story, and maybe even a statue or two crafted in their likeness! And you can be sure that all the shops in town that cater to tourists will definitely have some cryptid merch for sale.

ANONYMOUSE:

An anonymouse is a mouse-like creature of human-level intelligence that sends messages to those around them, be it by electronic communication or by a physical card. Though some believe the anonymouse is a singular creature, others insist that there are entire packs of anonymice wandering through Wicked’s Rest (thus explaining the vast differences between speech patterns and messages received). It is unknown why the anonymouse — or anonymice — send these messages; while some think they may feed off the reactions they inspire, others assume it’s purely for entertainment value. The messages themselves vary wildly, from simple recounting of things the anonymouse may have seen around town to personalized insults or compliments about the receiver. Long term residents of Wicked’s Rest know to scrutinize any anonymous message sent their way. You never know when the person behind the pen or keyboard was an anonymouse looking to cause chaos.

ARSON RACCOON:

Some places have legends of giant house-sized cats that roam outside villages looking for bad children to eat. The Wicked’s Rest equivalent is Wicked’s Rest Arson Raccoon! Described as being about the size of a two story house, this gigantic trash panda takes the whole idea of “you better behave” to new levels. Legend has it that it lives somewhere in the Pines and roams around the more rural areas of town at night, looking for homes that have not left trash out for its smaller brethren. If you don’t leave treats for the little raccoons of Wicked’s Rest… then your house might go up in smoke! The Wicked’s Rest Arson Raccoon has been cited as the cause for multiple fires over the past century, most notably the Gatlin Field’s Blaze of ‘24. In fact, pretty much all of the fires in town are blamed on the raccoon. How convenient.

BESSIE:

To non-locals, Bessie is nothing more than a strange choice for a university mascot, but to the locals she’s so much more. Before records of Grotte de Fromage appeared, there were many reports of cow-like wailing from up in the mountain peaks. The creature living in Grotte de Fromage seems to be “depositing” cheese along the cave’s walls, and evidence suggests a cow is responsible. In reality, Bessie does much resemble a highland cow with long red hair that flows in the wind and horns on her head that always appear to be bloodstained. There are several stories attached to Bessie that you’re likely to hear from the college kids in town. While it is rare she ventures away from the depths of Grotte de Fromage, when she does come out of her cave, she eats the grass around her at an alarmingly fast speed for a cow. While mostly harmless, her size does pose a danger so approach with caution… and maybe don’t stand in her way when she’s eating if you happen to like your shoes or feet at all.

BIGFEET:

Yeah, you read that right. Wicked’s Rest has its very own version of sasquatch, the more appropriately-named Bigfeet. After all, Bigfoot makes no sense. It has two feet, doesn’t it? Some locals claim it’s the original sasquatch that got ripped off by someone who visited the town back in the early 1800’s, but there’s no way to be sure. Whichever one came first, one thing is certain: the tourists love this cryptid, even flocking to an amusement park named after it. While some sightings have been recorded coming out of Harmony Hill (which are probably a case of mistaken identity), the more likely habitat where Bigfeet can be spotted is, unsurprisingly, the Pines.

CAPRIFANG:

Described as a human-sized bipedal goat-like creature with huge fangs, it’s been said that Caprifang has been seen chasing down dangerous prey with immense speed before tackling it to the ground and sinking those uncharacteristic canines into its throat. Local aos sí fae seem to think Caprifang might just be a faun that’s gone mad from loneliness, but none of them have been able to coerce it into conversation long enough to find out. Most who claim to have spotted it say it lives up in the mountains, keeping to itself for the most part—until danger arises. In fact, the folks that believe the beast exists often feel better knowing it’s around the winding trails of the Peaks, for it seems to only have a taste for the blood of monsters, not people. Though if you’re a particularly malevolent sort, maybe you ought to watch out, too. 

THE CLEAVER:

Late at night on the main roads leading in and out of town, drivers might encounter a creature known as the Cleaver. If you’re wondering how it got this name, well, you needn’t wonder any longer – thought to be the victim of a hit-and-run accident, the Cleaver is a humanoid that is missing its lower half and can be seen dragging itself through the middle of the road by its hands, one of which is clutching a large scythe. If one swerves to miss it or even if they hit it dead on, the creature will clamber up onto the stopped vehicle, rip the driver free, and slice them in half with its weapon… just for sport. So if you’re ever driving somewhere and you see something laying in the middle of the road… just keep driving. Don’t stop, no matter what. 

DEEPSNOOTS:

Exclusively present in Jericho Burying Ground, Deepsnoots itself has never actually been seen. Many are familiar with the sight of a lump tunneling through the dirt underfoot, and some claim they’ve seen a strange appendage or mouth of sharp teeth, but none of these descriptions align with each other. What is known is that Deepsnoots moves quickly, and the rapid burrowing can scare off some of the hooligans that want to deface the headstones. Some think Deepsnoots is intentionally keeping the Grounds safe of crime, like some kind of guardian who ought to be celebrated, while others believe it’s motivated by the need to feed on old buried remains. No one has confirmed this. Or really anything. Deepsnoots might just be a regular mole.

FLAT STANLEY:

Anyone who’s ever felt a presence in their home or around Wicked’s Rest infamous landmarks would surely come to the conclusion that a ghost is nearby, right? Wrong. That’s just Flat Stanley, the invisible version. Some have said that they see his shadow coming under the doors in their homes or a small breeze will fly past as Stanley waves to you (it’s best to wave back, by the way) and that’s how you truly know that his presence was passed onto you. If you somehow come across Stanley somewhere near you it’s best to take a picture in that direction and then walk to the nearest landmark to pass him off to the next unfortunate soul. You stand next to the other person, whisper “Stanley’s all yours” and suddenly that heavy feeling of someone watching you will go away. There’s never been any reports of Stanley causing any bodily harm but that might just be because he’s not powerful enough yet. 

GOURDON:

Gatlin Fields has their own curious cryptid that seems especially fond of the autumn festivities in that area, with a particular habit of showing up in Slumberland Orchards. It is a stout creature, no more than three feet tall, and seems to be covered in brownish-orange fur. Its favorite snacks are apple seeds and mulled wine, the latter of which it can sometimes be seen clutching between its front paws as it trundles through the apple orchards. It has a long, thick, furred tail that helps it stand upright when it has a warm beverage to carry around, though no one can say for sure where the heck it actually gets the wine from. Is someone feeding it? It’s possible—the creature seems friendly, if not desperately shy. Getting a picture of it is no easy task, though the Club Cryptid HQ claims to have gotten one on one of their trail cams. Gourdon can appear in both Gatlin Fields and the surrounding woods as well, though it might have a different sweet drink hugged to its chest. 

GRIPWING:

No cryptid bestiary would be complete without a terror of the skies, and for that Wicked’s Rest has Gripwing, who terrorizes the beach and seas around town. Gripwing is often said to be a giant butterfly, but no one can verify for sure due to its blazing speed as it soars the skies. However, Gripwing’s victims are distinct. They wash up on shore with their chest cavities sliced open with brutal incisions and the heart torn out. This has led to further rumors about blade-like antennae. Interestingly, some of these rumors seem to originate in a local siren colony with what seems like glee. If Gripwing were in actuality a large siren with extravagantly colored wings and ornate feathers, perhaps mistaking it for a butterfly would be understandable… 

KRILLIOS:

Most frequently sighted around Harborside, Krillios is a shrimp-like being who, unlike most shrimps, is around the size of a bull shark. According to legend, Krillios is a largely benevolent cryptid, but takes offense to his “children” being consumed. As such, he isn’t a big fan of seafood restaurants and is said to have a particular grudge against Driftwood Diner. When the restaurant is hit by bad weather or other misfortune, it’s generally accepted that Krillios is to blame. More likely, at least some of the more “human” misfortunes, such as broken windows or stolen ingredients from the kitchen, are the work of the local shrimp cultists who have taken up Krillios’s cause as their own. 

LANKYLOO:

Deep in the trenches of Netherville people claim to see the long limbs of Lankyloo venturing out of the hole of the Devil’s Gullet. The creature consists of long limbs and… well, that’s all anyone has ever seen of it. These limbs will reach around the surface of the cave looking for whatever food sources they can find before eventually disappearing down the hole once again. When drinking, some locals have been known to play a “game” with the flexible creature on occasion where they try to avoid the cryptid’s reaching limbs, and one group claims that their friend was dragged into the hole to be the creature’s next meal. Most don’t believe this claim as they’re certain that Lankyloo is just an old cryptid from the mineral abnormality that got sucked into Netherville when the structure disappeared, one that never caused any issues with the locals before and had a penchant for Italian food. It’s worth noting that the person supposedly dragged into the hole was Italian. Either way, most stay away from the Gullet just in case.

LEGROY:

Or, to some, Legroy Jenkins. After the demonic legs disappeared it seemed the town wasn’t ready to give up the cash cow that the merch had become and decided to play into it as much as it could. There are many tourist attractions that still sell merch and it’s resulted in tall tales of Legroy, the leg, moving around town. Some say they’ve seen a smaller version of the disembodied leg hopping through the shadows on cold nights in search of warm dwellings. There’s been a few who say that they found it curled up in the hay in their barns or in a corner of their basements but others will tell you that they’ve seen it at the sight of the latest grisly scenes just taking in the bad energy left behind. There’s claims of the leg wanting to take over the town the way that the demon had wanted to, but others say that it's only looking for a good home. The one thing that people seem to agree on is that it's pretty harmless and thus the townspeople have started to leave out little offerings. In the winter this could be in the form of a nice nook with a blanket or even a scarf to tie around its thigh, and in the summer, for some reason, sunglasses are the gift of choice.

THE LIGHTHOUSE KEEPER:

You might hear those living along Wicked’s Rest’s coast whispering about “The Keeper”. This mysterious individual is said to haunt the lighthouses along the coastline, luring sailors to their deaths with its ghostly light. Some theorize the Keeper is the ghost of a former lighthouse keeper who drowned in a storm, now seeking to claim the lives of others who venture too close to its domain. Sightings of the Keeper often align with storms and shipwrecks, leading many to speculate that it can manipulate the sea. Despite its fearsome reputation, the Lighthouse Keeper is often depicted as a tragic figure by the locals, doomed to haunt the lighthouses for eternity. Some tales even suggest that it is trying to warn sailors of the dangers of the sea, in hopes of sparing them the same fate that befell it. You can learn more at Beacon Tours!

MOLEMAN:

Everybody knows about the mines. More than that, everybody knows to stay out of the mines. Collapsing tunnels are a real threat, but they’re not the only danger that lurks in the darkness. There is, of course, the Moleman—unimaginatively named by the board of tourism, it’s a creature that is said to dwell in the winding pathways of the immense underground system. Massive in stature and responsible for all the new tunnels that open up (and sometimes make sinkholes in people’s backyards), the Moleman is just that—half man, half mole. Grotesque in appearance, it’s no wonder he uses a disguise to walk among the normal townsfolk. People say that he’s tall with broad shoulders, scruffy and dirty, and perfectly blind. If you see someone like that in town, it may be best to avoid them. Some believe this “Moleman” is actually just a buggane.

MOTHERMOTH:

Sightings of Mothermoth are most frequently reported in Worm Row, especially in or near the Wormwoods. She’s suspected to be a species of giant silk moth, but most describe her as being about the size of a helicopter or small plane. The huge eye spots on her wings seem to blink. Under a full or nearly full moon, people say her wings take on a bright golden sheen, and some say they were blinded – even permanently – by the moonlight bouncing off them. This reflected light may account for the lack of good photos. Mothermoth’s wings shed golden powder-like scales, and these may have supernatural properties. No one knows anything about where she lays her eggs… or what hatches from them. Some supernatural scholars believe goggies, or a goggie variant, may be the larval stage of Mothermoth’s species. A small group of local entomologists have made it their life’s work to try and prove Mothermoth’s existence and catch her. They’re gonna need a bigger net.

SHAGGAROK:

This ape-like figure has a profusely long coat of white hair that drags in a trail behind it, leaving markings in the dirt and snow. No one knows what it looks like underneath the coat, but people describe a pair of round, glowing eyes peering out from beneath it. Some describe the feeling of being followed before they saw Shaggarok. It has only been sighted in Seven Peaks, especially on snowy days and at high elevations. There are sporadic reports on each of the seven mountains. Most say Shaggarok approached them while they were in trouble in the mountains and freed them from being stuck or chased off an attacking beast. One report vividly describes Shaggarok sucking the hair off a monster after saving someone from it. In actuality, Shaggarok is likely an especially fluffy, white-coated kerashag that seems to be curious about people, though doesn’t like being seen. Even to those who suspect this to be the case, it’s up for interpretation whether that impacts its cryptid status.

SKIA:

If you’re ever walking alone in the dark and you think you’re imagining the shadows stalking behind you then you might want to pick up the pace. Mostly spotted in Nightfall Grove, Skia is a well known shadow “monster” who can manipulate its shadowy form into anything it would like to be. Sometimes it takes the form of a person, a second shadow following behind another. Sometimes it prefers to terrorize as a large animal. But its preferred form is that of classic movie monsters. Most in the supernatural community believe that Skia is poking fun at the undead that prefer Nightfall Grove by taking the form of Nosferatu or even Frankenstein’s monster, but there’s a large community of cryptid enthusiasts who think that the shadow creature is just fond of old horror. Some like to blame Skia for quite a few of the bodies that are found ripped to shreds in the dark alleys of Nightfall Grove, a few of those individuals even claiming to see their friends demise at the hands of the shadows, but this “shadow creature” is most likely a bugbear who’s found their preferred method of causing fear to feed on… right?

TENDRILLA:

While Seven Peaks is steeped in Tendrilla reverence, even using a dedicated shrine atop each peak, there is little physical evidence that this entity exists. Within town there are many paintings and art pieces depicting her (she is typically thought of as feminine), and most seem to more or less agree on some key details. First, Tendrilla is huge, dwarfing her own shrines. Two, Tendrilla flies or hovers through the air in the same manner flying saucers are often depicted. Three, she emits a beautiful, ethereal glow, and can bathe an entire mountainside in her light. She is often associated with mushrooms due to the unique variety that grows up in Seven Peaks. Some say her tentacles sting, while others say they embrace with love. Some say she has sheet-like fins that blow in the breeze like sails, while others say she is streamlined and sleek. Whatever the case, Tendrilla inspires great devotion, and… well, there have been some huge, mysterious tentacles found in the mountains over the years. 

WORMY:

Local to Harborside, Wormy is a massive serpentine sea monster that’s been spotted in and around the bay. You won’t usually catch a glimpse of it unless there’s a low fog hanging over the water: the creature seems to otherwise stay below the waves. That said, boat sonar will sometimes pick up something very large and very long without any other kind of visual, which is where most of the reports come from. From the few who claim to have seen it with their own eyes, they say it resembles a massive snake with an upward-curved snout, large fins, and barnacles attached to its hide. There’s also a rumor going around that Wormy is the one responsible for the missing boats that wander too close to Storm’s Eye Trench, but obviously there’s no proof of this.

ZILCH:

Some say it’s the Dover Demon that has simply migrated north, curiously drawn to the impact crater out in Gatlin Fields. Others insist this is another creature entirely that only looks similar, but the one thing everyone can agree on is this: the thing that lurks around the crater is not from this world. It is an extraterrestrial, stranded on our planet either by choice or accident, doing its best to keep to itself. The humanoid has a very large head, rosy-tan skin, a lanky body, and most often scuttles around on all fours. Unlike the Dover Demon, however, the large glassy orbs that peer back at tourists from this creature’s head are not orange, but instead resemble the night sky – illuminated pinpricks of white light in an otherwise inky, blue/black backdrop. It is larger than its Massachusetts counterpart, standing a frightening seven feet tall when on its hind legs… or so they say. The most unnerving thing about this alien creature is the way folks claim that it spoke to them telepathically, screeching at them to leave the area inside their minds. Maybe it’s best to just stay away from the crater.

[quippih]

gender? i hardly know her

I tell everyone I know that I was aware something was up with my gender in middle school. That I started experimenting with being a boy, and that didn't fit right until I found the term nonbinary and that fit me like a magic glove and everything was rainbows and sparkles and Nyan Cats. It's a very digestible story, albeit false.

It was more that I just ignored being a "girl" for nearly the entirety of middle school, until about 7th grade. I was just doing my own shit, being the trademarked Art Kid™ of my class, keeping myself busy with phone games, and- if you squinted- not feeling out of place at all.

I experimented with the term "agender" and for a while it fit me. I decorated the little locker we got in our homeroom with a handmade magnet of the agender flag. I wasn't going to be like those stories I saw everywhere, hiding my gender like some kind of secret. I thought I was better for doing that, not realizing there's fucking nuance to it and it's impossible to expect that from every queer person.

It was all very surface-level understanding of my queerness anyway. I think I just enjoyed the aesthetics of all that compartmentalization.

All of a sudden you have a bunch of new words to describe yourself with. I'm not [deadname] anymore, I'm Kai, my pronouns are they/them, and I'm a Trans Agender Panromantic Demisexual. Even picking my new name was cathartic- something I chose for myself like a badge of honor. Again- compartmentalization.

Even though I'm not the person I used to define myself as, I think that was probably the first time that I took part in a community like that so fervently. The music I listened to, the games I played, I got to look at content about it online sometimes, but only from the sidelines. Gender was something I could take pieces of and run with in my real life.

In freshman year of high school I saw other trans people in these communities, and I now suddenly had a lot of expectations on how I would look. I expected that I'd wear button up Hawaiian shirts and style my hair in a weird up-do forever. How I felt about all of it is pretty fuzzy. I remember feeling proud when I cut my hair short, happy when I wore a binder and full cover shirt to the beach. I was fully prepared to transition to "basically male" because I really didn't see any nonbinary representation and defaulted to White, Skinny Trans Guys to form the basis of what "androgyny" looked like to me.

(Something something internalized transphobia because I was viewing trans guys not as men, but as a "close enough" to nonbinary? I'm not sure.)

Then I finally saw other nonbinary people on my radar in sophomore year, people who were taking a stand against that norm. I followed that for a bit. I wore dresses and made my eyebrows and eyebags dark and vehemently described my style as "kidcore", followed TikTok trends and browsed depop.

I was also kind of dumbing down my transness to be digestible for myself and everyone else. "I'm just nonbinary- no need to get your panties in a twist. Let's just leave it and forget about it and it's just gonna stay like that forever. they/them, I'm not complicating it."

And then after a while I just kind of fucking gave up. Even if I wanted to make it digestible enough for other people, I should at least have an idea of what my gender means to me, regardless of how convoluted it ends up. Besides, so much of the world will want me dead no matter how much I water my gender down, no matter how "cis" I look.

But it's really long and arduous to explain all of that, so it's pretty clear why I'd rather go with the neat and tidy first option.

[zenruption]

How a 3PL Management System Can Enhance Supply Chain Efficiency

If you're delving into the world of supply chains and logistics, you've probably heard the term 3PL management system being tossed around. Maybe you're curious about what it is, or maybe you already know a bit and want to dive deeper into its benefits. Either way, you're in the right place.

What is a 3PL Management System?

First things first, let's clarify what we mean by a 3PL management system. Third-Party Logistics involves outsourcing logistics and supply chain operations to a third-party provider. A 3PL management system like Detrack is the technology that helps these providers manage everything from warehousing and inventory to transportation and distribution.

The Power of Integration

One of the most significant advantages of a 3PL management system is its ability to integrate various parts of the supply chain. Think about it: you've got warehousing, inventory management, transportation, order processing, and so much more. Without a cohesive system, managing these components can be like herding cats. But with a 3PL management system, everything is connected. This integration means you can see the entire supply chain in one place, making it easier to spot inefficiencies, track orders, and make informed decisions.

Benefits of Integration:

●      Real-time visibility: Know exactly where your inventory is at any given moment.

●      Improved communication: All departments and partners are on the same page.

●      Streamlined processes: Automated workflows reduce manual errors and speed up operations.

Efficiency Boost with Automation

Automation is another buzzword we hear a lot in the logistics world, and for a good reason. Automating repetitive tasks not only saves time but also reduces the risk of human error. A 3PL management system comes packed with automation features. For instance, it can automatically update inventory levels as soon as stock is received or shipped out. It can also generate invoices, schedule shipments, and even track deliveries.

How Automation Helps:

●      Time-saving: Automate routine tasks to focus on more strategic activities.

●      Accuracy: Reduce errors by eliminating manual data entry.

●      Consistency: Ensure consistent performance and service levels.

Data-Driven Decision Making

We live in a data-driven world, and logistics is no exception. A 3PL management system provides valuable insights and analytics that can help you make better decisions. From tracking delivery times to analysing customer behaviour, these systems gather a wealth of data that you can use to optimise your supply chain.

Key Data Points to Monitor:

●      Delivery performance: Track on-time delivery rates and identify bottlenecks.

●      Inventory levels: Monitor stock levels to avoid overstocking or stockouts.

●      Cost analysis: Analyse costs across different parts of the supply chain to find savings opportunities.

Enhancing Customer Satisfaction

At the end of the day, a more efficient supply chain means happier customers. A 3PL management system helps ensure that orders are processed quickly and accurately, and that deliveries are made on time. Plus, with real-time tracking, customers can stay informed about the status of their orders, which boosts transparency and trust.

Ways to Keep Customers Happy:

●      Fast processing: Speed up order fulfilment with efficient workflows.

●      Accurate tracking: Provide real-time updates on order status.

●      Reliable delivery: Ensure timely and accurate deliveries to keep customers satisfied.

Cost Savings and Scalability

Another big perk of using a 3PL management system is the potential for cost savings. By streamlining operations and improving efficiency, you can reduce labour costs, minimise waste, and optimise resource allocation. Additionally, these systems are scalable, meaning they can grow with your business. Whether you're a small company just starting or a large enterprise looking to expand, a 3PL management system can adapt to your needs.

Cost-Saving Strategies:

●      Optimise routes: Use data to find the most cost-effective shipping routes.

●      Reduce waste: Efficient inventory management means less overstock and fewer expired products.

●      Scale with ease: Add new services or expand to new markets without a hitch.

Real-World Applications

Let's look at a few practical examples of how a 3PL management system can enhance supply chain efficiency:

●      E-commerce: An online retailer uses a 3PL management system to manage inventory across multiple warehouses, ensuring fast and accurate order fulfilment.

●      Manufacturing: A manufacturer leverages a 3PL system to streamline its supply chain, from raw materials to finished products, reducing lead times and costs.

●      Healthcare: A healthcare provider uses a 3PL system to track medical supplies, ensuring they are always stocked and available when needed.

Simplifying Complex Logistics

Logistics can be complex, but a 3PL management system simplifies it by providing a comprehensive solution. From order management to transportation logistics, these systems cover it all. By centralising operations, they make it easier to manage and optimise the entire supply chain.

Simplification Tactics:

●      Centralised platform: Manage all logistics operations from a single system.

●      Automated processes: Reduce complexity with automated workflows.

●      Unified data: Access all supply chain data in one place for better decision-making.

The Future of 3PL Management Systems

As technology continues to evolve, so do 3PL management systems. The future promises even more advanced features, such as AI-driven analytics, predictive modelling, and enhanced automation capabilities. Staying ahead of these trends will ensure your supply chain remains efficient and competitive.

Emerging Trends:

●      Artificial Intelligence: Use AI to predict demand and optimise inventory levels.

●      Blockchain: Enhance transparency and security in the supply chain with blockchain technology.

●      IoT Integration: Leverage the Internet of Things for real-time tracking and monitoring.

Wrapping Up

A 3PL management system is more than just a tool—it's a vital component of a modern, efficient supply chain. By integrating various logistics functions, automating routine tasks, and providing valuable insights, these systems can transform the way you manage your supply chain. Whether you're looking to save costs, improve customer satisfaction, or simply stay ahead of the competition, investing in a 3PL management system is a smart move.

[kyrodo]

I had words that I would think up, basic search terms that would reflect what I'm feeling or what I'm thinking. Like dark furryart or emo furryart or miserable furryart, etc. Usually I put both together or I'd put furry instead once I exhausted the search, or wolf, cat, etc. And this was a habit I got into very close to when we started "communicating" that I eventually turned into a subtext medium that would most likely only make sense to me. Something I was privy to doing a lot of.

Partly due to uncertainties I myself had but also because I'm a very openly private person. Meaning I don't always necessarily want people to look too hard into what I'm thinking or saying, but I still wanted the emotion or thought expressed somewhere that would be translatable if someone really cared to. So there usually was some kind of pattern to it that could be reverse engineered, but the level of obscurity I made worse and worse. Like with my fa favorites. And sometimes I'd have periods where I try to bury whatever message they contained with art that either was objectively good, or expressed a particular imagery or theme. The flute thing for example. I used to do the same with my retweets. And having a stalker in a way validated those habits, because otherwise no one had any chance of finding whatever meaning I was trying to convey. Since these emotional expressions through art that I couldn't personally draw was also a way to destress as an alternative for someone who couldn't draw with the same level of consistency and saw it as more of a chore when actually trying to draw myself.

Much like how my head canons when I wrote were an alternative for someone who used to be a roleplayer but had nowhere to do that anymore. These were adjacent actions that I could do instead. And at the time I found any level of comfort I could find through things like that and just let myself indulge in it. No matter where ot would lead me I was not in the mood to put a stop to it. I thought I was going to be stuck at peloton forever even though I went to school to be a game programmer. My back was going bad because of it. I didn't know what future physical complications I would have if things continued and things were not looking good for me on any front, socially, physically or career wise.

So I didn't care if people understood what I threw out there. But I made art in the most alternative ways possible. I formed stories with my rants and my likes and favorites. Like a collage but with even less effort. I just wanted whatever was on my mind to be pushed out there in any form, understandable or not. But without the added benefit that someone was at least trying to understand it, that form of destressing would've meant nothing. So I kept coming back hoping you wouldn't stop checking up on me. The feelings obviously played a part in that too, but there were multiple reasons I couldn't just up and leave permanently. All the people that consoled me, that I described these things to directly didn't end up doing the same thing themselves. They listened and that was it. And I guess that was for the best honestly. I probably would've lost some friends that way. You on the other hand didn't count as one.

With you I actually had a reason to revisit all these random moments in my life. Since you weren't there it meant I had plenty of content to get through while waiting for my mind and emotions to stabilize. All the better if they related poetically in some way. A small comfort perhaps but at least it was you and not someone I knew. If I was going to lose someone to my ramblings, I'd rather lose someone I never had. Even though I was half-assedly trying to burn nearly every bridge so I could start over, you bore the brunt of it instead of them. I'd rather lose a stalker than my friends, even when I was actively trying to discard them. Becoming this alternative conduit for my stresses that would allow me to probably be able to get back to my friends later, you played your role extremely well.

So about this mastermind you were trying to take down, where the fuck is he?

The extent you went and still managed to get the short end of the straw, it's fucking hilarious. Imagine a world where people talked out their problems and set boundaries there instead of hacking each other like dipshits. You skipped way too many fucking steps. You didn't even fucking try.

And I to this day struggle to understand the world of expectations that you enforce or how anyone would survive in it. All I understand is that as long as you don't like someone for any reason, they are completely and utterly fucked whether it's fair or not. You're white and you're doing stuff like this and what the fuck do you want me to call this? If you're trying not to be lumped in with bastards like those you're doing a great fucking job. You are doing absolutely everything right.

Am I the only one who looks at every subtext you ever shared and appreciates how fucking ironic it is? Oh wait, you conveniently forget every single thing you do. So I guess it never happened.

You can bet. Not a single person in my life will ever get away with the same kind of shit you tried to. If they try to gaslight and pretend they never did anything, and they just retweet things or they just meant it as a joke, I will fucking end them. Because this is so fucking toxic, it is so easy to be taken advantage of because of this, and I am fucking done. I will never let anyone harass and hurt me under Red's nose again no matter how they try to fucking do it. I will not give anyone free reign to make my life a living hell again!

Whenever there is a bad actor anywhere in my life I'll yeet them off the fucking stage. There will be no beating around the bush or pussyfooting. I am not afraid to cut people off when they prove to be a waste of oxygen. Less drama, more getting back to my fucking life. I don't care what way they try to guilt trip me or what posts they share trying to pretend I'm a bad person for blocking someone. I'm not gonna wuss out of cutting someone out that tries to hurt me ever again. Especially when they're doing the kind of shit you were doing like actively harassing me with memes and subtext. Why wouldn't I want them gone?

I don't understand how people can see posts about whatever shit they do online while they're actively being the picture perfect stereotype and not do a single thing to change their behavior. It isn't a problem for me, so what the fuck is yours? I am alone in my witnessing of all this and yet I have so much social leverage now that you're completely fucked. Because I put so much effort into ensuring I do everything right after a social conflict and you do everything absolutely fucking wrong. I didn't spend the last few years sitting on my thumbs. What about you asshole?

Not once did I ever pull the kind of shit you did just because I didn't like someone. It's not my character trait. Because I'm not a total bitch. For you though that's the only reason you need to hurt and abuse someone. You are an actual fucking psychopath and you don't belong in society. What hurts the most is the stupid fucking kaleidoscope I had on you for a while that appears to be greatly misguided and undeserved. If I'm "not hard to love" what's that make you?

I only let people betray me so many times. I found a better king. Not once did I ever see Choskey cuss when he's angry. Not once have I ever seen him truly mad. I never feel like I'm walking on eggshells around him. He is softer than you in so many fucking ways. Cuter. Sweeter. A bit of a ditz at times but I can live with that. I can't deal with you. I can't deal with people who want to "kick someone's teeth in" or whatever the fuck. Who want any sort of target that they can hate on mostly just for clout and not because they actually genuinely care. Get fucked. Also, heard you like fallout boy lyrics. Thanks for the memories asshole.

There's only so much shit you can put people through before they snap, don't ever test that limit again. No more of this edging between friend and enemy. You've already lost my respect but the least you could do is not justify it further.

Instead of choosing to let the dust settle when the book closed, you chose to re escalate things for no other reason than to get back at me and I will never let you forget that. You made choices and none of them had a fucking shelf life. How the fuck are you going to shut me up now. If hacking me and blackmailing me is all you had then you chose the wrong fucking person. Here's an idea, how about the next time you have a problem with someone you fuck off!? Who knew it was that fucking easy!? It's not hard asshole!

I can poke so many fucking holes in every little thing you did and you couldn't even debunk my allergies. I'll never get over how much you fucking shat yourself when all that time you could have just talked to me in the first place. That is the most pointlessly tragic shitshow I've ever had to witness in my life. And frankly I don't know why you didn't know any better. I don't know how you failed so fucking hard.

Must do wonders for the ego huh? Damn am I fucking glad I'm not you. I walk away from that heavily scarred but I didn't have to hide shit. You got an entire social world to collapse on you because you spent no more than a hot minute when it comes to considering revenge. What kind of whiny little shit would take things as far as you did!? That's what you get for crying wolf. You fulfilled your own stupid prophecy. You got fucking wrecked asshole.