#disruptor records

[iamdangerace]

NEKRA, AMANG from the Royal Disruptor e.p. (2020).

YOU'RE SORRY.

TRY TO RUFFLE MY FEATHERS. RIP ME TO SHREDS. RUIN MY WHOLE FUKING LIFE. TUCK ME INTO BED.

IT'S ALWAYS THE SAME. TIRED EXCUSE. I TRY AND I TRY. WHAT'S THE FUCKING USE.

FIRST THEY BREED. THEN THEY LEAVE.

[dragons-and-yellow-roses]

So I'm an area director at a summer camp, but yesterday my boss called me and asked if I'd be down to be the director of two areas and I said yes without thinking about the consequences. So now I'm the director of two areas? That means two groups of staff to train and lead, two sets of lesson plans, two areas to teach at and make the schedule for and make the lesson plans for, two physical areas to set up. They're right next to each other, but this is going to be fucking insane

[eat-my-cake-records]

Eat My Cake Los Angeles Artist Spotlight: Jade Ann Byrne and the Curse of the Mariachi Acoustical Guitar of East Los Angeles

Eat My Cake Los Angeles Artist Spotlight: Jade Ann Byrne and the Curse of the Mariachi Acoustical Guitar of East Los Angeles Growing up in a lineage of fierce, strong-willed women, Jade Ann Byrne was raised on the edge of tradition and outlaw country music, where her mother and grandmother instilled a love for unconventional wisdom—crafting rebellion in both life and song. Guitar, however,…

[pancakes4two]

sweet nothings

wc: 2.1k

preview: The rest of the world is so eager to view him like an object, assume that just because he spends his life in the public view, he’s somehow devoid of insecurities. But to you, he’s still the same Harry who cried backstage at Wembley after his voice cracked during a solo. The same shy, innocent boy who vomited backstage after his first show, terrified that he’d messed it all up.

An article criticizing Harry blows up on the internet, and it hits him harder than expected. Luckily, you’re there to help pick up the pieces.

MASTERLIST | READ MY LATEST SERIES

Industry disruptors and soul deconstructers, and smooth-talking hucksters out glad-handing each other

And the voices that implore, "You should be doing more," to you I can admit that I'm just too soft for all of it.

—Sweet Nothing, Taylor Swift

———

The article is released on a Friday afternoon. It's absolutely brutal—rips single every creative project Harry's ever done to shreds and leaves no endeavor unscathed. Every sentence is a biting remark, each paragraph swirled with vile accusations. It starts by criticizing his film roles, the creative direction he took in his third album, then accuses him of extorting his own fans. The author questions not only his artistry but his personhood, digs up unverified claims of rudeness and twists them into a narrative of Harry being an egotistical, ungrateful pop star. Within the hour, almost every major news station has picked the story up. It doesn’t matter how far-fetched it is. The internet takes to the author’s vitriol like wildfire, sharing it across social media platforms and online forums. Everyone wants to be the first to say they always knew something wasn’t quite right about him, that it’s about time someone knocked him off his pedestal.

It’s disgusting in every sense of the word. And it hurts even more because Harry is blissfully unaware. He’s asleep beside you now, the two of you having settled into bed to take a quick nap together three hours earlier, when the internet had yet to point their pitchforks towards him. You know he’s been overextending himself lately, still sleeping off the jet lag from tour but unwilling to slow down his life on account of tiredness. He’s always been like that, so dedicated to his music, because to him, putting less than two-hundred percent into the thing he loves most would be a waste. You can hardly remember the last time he’d slept earlier than two after coming home—even without touring commitments, he’s still found a way to keep himself busy—staying late in the studio and meeting with executives from his record label to review the marketing plan for his next album. He’s always thinking about the future, how he can reinvent himself and make sure he can stay doing what he loves for as long as possible.

It’s why he’d deserved this chance to unwind and relax in the quiet of your home. But now, he’s going to wake up to a rogue journalist completely assassinating his character, when all he’s ever wanted to do is sing and make others happy. The way you see it, it’s not the least bit fair.

You look at Harry and brush his curls away from his face gently so as to not wake him. Your phone is still turned on, the article glaring angrily against your palm as you watch him sleep. He looks so peaceful, his arm curled around your waist and his legs tangled with yours as if he can’t bear to be far away from you even in slumber. You wish everyone else could see him like this: soft and vulnerable, his lips upturned ever-so-slightly like he’s dreaming about something particularly pleasant.

The rest of the world is so eager to view him like an object, assume that just because he spends his life in the public view, he’s somehow devoid of insecurities. But to you, he’s still the same Harry who cried backstage at Wembley after his voice cracked during a solo. The same shy, innocent boy who vomited backstage after his first show, terrified that he’d messed it all up. Ten years down the road and he’s gained confidence, for sure. But when he’s not busy being this glittering, hip-wiggling rockstar who moves like he’s got the whole world in the palm of his hand, he’s just Harry. He still wrings his hands nervously before every performance, burns his tongue on hot tea that’s meant to preserve his voice. You remember what he said to you back in June before his first stadium show: I don’t think I’ll ever be able to be someone who doesn’t care about what others think of them. He cares more than the article’s author and the legions of people criticizing his every move online will ever know.

You shuffle forward, closing the gap between your bodies and press a soft kiss into Harry’s forehead. You don’t expect him to stir from it, but it seems he was just about to wake up naturally before you disturbed him, so his eyes slowly open and he smiles when his vision focuses on you. You try to school your expression into something relatively normal. Unfortunately, Harry knows you too well and can immediately tell that something’s off. In any other situation, you’d be impressed by how well he can read you. Even with his mind suspended between alertness and sleep, he knows you’re upset and reaches for your hand in concern.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” Harry asks, rubbing circles into the back of your hand. He knows the repetitive motion grounds you when you’re anxious, so he continues to graze your skin with his thumb, willing you to relax.

“H—“ you start to say, but you’re cut off by the sound of Harry’s ringtone. He reaches over you to grab his phone from the nightstand, his other hand still clasped with yours. When he falls back into the mattress, you manage to get a glance at his phone screen. It’s displaying an incoming call from Jeff. Fuck.

Harry accepts the call, still ignorant to the situation. His gaze flickers over your face as the line connects—he's clearly still worried about you.

"Hey, H," Jeff says. You can hear him sigh through the phone, "have you been online recently?"

"Been asleep for the past," Harry pauses to check the time, "three hours, so that would be a no."

"Shit," Jeff says, sounding significantly less collected than he usually does. "Okay. Um, do me a favor and stay off of social media for now. I'll call you when it's all been resolved."

"What?" Harry sits up slightly at the sound of Jeff's voice, running a hand through his hair. "I'm confused. Is everything alright?"

"Listen, it's fine. I've got it all under control, just... don't go on Instagram, or Twitter, or anything."

"Jeff," Harry groans, "don't be cryptic. You're obviously dealing with something that's got to do with me, don't you think I have a right to know what's going on?"

There's silence over line for a bit, Jeff clearly ruminating over whether or not to tell Harry the truth. You chew on your lip worriedly, waiting for his voice to come through again.

"There's an article that’s been published online," Jeff starts, "and it's highly critical of you. It's circulating through social media right now, and we're trying to put a stop to it. I've got a meeting with your label's attorneys in a few minutes, but seriously H, for your own good please do not read it. We'll have it taken down by the end of the day."

"Oh," Harry blinks, clearly caught off-guard. You can't blame him for it. People don't normally wake up from naps and find out half the internet has turned against them. "Alright. That's fine. Um, call me if you need anything. Good luck."

"H, I'm serious, don't—" Jeff begins, but Harry hangs up before he can finish his sentence. He's already sat up fully in bed, back leaning against the headboard as he types away furiously on his phone. You don't try to stop him from Googling the article; he deserves to see what's been written. You just sit up next to him and silently run a hand down his arm, tracing where the fabric of his t-shirt ends and the familiar ink on his skin begins. You reach for him and let him know that he has you to lean on.

"You know what they've written isn't true," you whisper, "you know that." It’s all you can say for now.

Harry doesn't respond to that, his eyes too busy scanning through the article. He spends the next seven minutes reading every word silently, taking each criticism and judgement in. When he’s finished, Harry shuts his phone off with a click and sets it down silently on the bedside table. You avert your eyes from him, afraid that if you look up you might be able to see every morsel of hurt on his face.

In the end, Harry’s the first to break the silence.

“Who approved that?” Is what he says, his voice faltering almost imperceptibly at the end. It’s quiet enough that only someone who knows him as well as you do would be able to notice.

“H,” you respond, splaying your hand across his chest and letting his head fall gently onto your shoulder.

“None of that is real. It’s not a reflection of who you are.” You say that with conviction. He’s got the most beautiful soul, does everything with so much heart. He’s so full of love that at times you worry he might burst from it. It’s completely unfair what he’s been reduced to.

“You can only read shitty things about yourself for so long before you start to believe them,” Harry says brokenly, and his composure gives away then. He takes a trembling breath in and you feel a wetness start to form on the sleeve of your shirt. You don’t have to look at him to know he’s crying.

It’s in moments like these where his façade starts to crumble, and you see him transform back into the boy you once knew, before the whole world knew his name. Spending every day terrified that at any given moment, people wouldn’t want to listen to his voice anymore and the rug would be pulled from under his feet. Fearing that he might wake up one day and have to return to Holmes Chapel, even though he’s always been too big for the small town he grew up in.

“Love,” you say, pressing a hand to his cheek. His skin is flushed and you can see the ghost of a tear falling down the side of his face. “How is anyone meant to believe anything they’ve said is valid, when they don’t know you? I know exactly who you are, and the person they’re talking about in that article is not it.”

Harry sniffles at that, pulling himself closer to you. You see him glance at his phone, so you turn it over facedown and revert your full attention back to him.

“You’re so incredibly special,” you continue, carding your hands soothingly through his hair, “you’ve achieved an immense amount of success in the last ten years. You’ve impacted so many people, used your platform to do so much good. There’s always going to be people who want more from you, who criticize and tell you you’re not doing enough. But you are doing enough, H. Seriously. You’re only human, and it’s not your fault that others expect you to be more than that. And even so, I think you make a pretty exceptional human already. You know how many people walk up to me when I’m alone and ask me to tell you that you’ve changed their lives? There’s so many that I’d lost track of the number about seven years ago.”

Harry opens his mouth to say something in response, but you pat his face gently and give him a smile as if to say, I’m not finished yet.

“And beyond that, who cares about the industry, about what faceless people online have to say about you? At the end of the day, you’re enough. I’m not here for the Harry Styles who fills stadiums or commands attention at movie premieres. I’m here for the Harry who accidentally leaves the coffee pot on for too long because he’s too busy trying to get me to dance with him in the kitchen. For the Harry who keeps movie stubs and pebbles deep inside his pockets because he wants to keep a souvenir to remind him of every little thing we’ve done together. The Harry who’s a huge sentimental sap, who’s got the biggest heart in the world.”

You finish with a sigh, gazing at Harry earnestly and hoping that he can feel the gravity of your words.

“You’re right,” Harry smiles softly, clasping a hand around your wrist, voice slightly raspy still. “I shouldn’t let it get to my head. It’s just hard sometimes, you know? I feel like I might be a little too soft for all of it.”

“I love your softness and vulnerability,” you say, “And getting upset when people are dragging your name through the mud is perfectly normal. I can’t even begin to imagine how overwhelming it is for you. But you’ll always have me right here beside you. And trust me, I’d be going to war for you over Twitter right now if I knew Jeff wouldn’t kill me for doing so.”

Harry laughs at that, loud and open in the way that you love. “My Princess Charming,” he says, wrapping his arms around you in a crushing hug. “Forever prepared to defend my honor.”

True to his word, Jeff and Columbia’s legal team get the article taken down in record time. They say Harry’s allowed to post a response to it, if he wants, but he’s never been one to start fights over the internet so he settles on this instead.

A single picture, posted to his Instagram of your hands, your fingers intertwined like the two of you were built to be extensions of each other. The caption is simple. It reads:

I find myself running home to your sweet nothings

Outside, they’re push and shoving; you’re in the kitchen humming

All that you ever wanted from me was sweet nothing.

He turns the comments off, not wanting to entertain any further commentary. It’s a picture meant for just the two of you, a reminder that all the noise coming from the outside means nothing when you have each other. It’s sweet. It’s nothing. And yet somehow, it’s everything you’ll ever need.

———

reblogs & feedback are highly welcomed and appreciated <3

TAGLIST: @crazygirlinthisworld​ @grapejuice-rry​ @b-reads-things​ @s8tellite @michellekstyles​ @vrittivsanghavi @alienorknight​ @flwrmuse 

[canisalbus]

a few quick questions on Machete, what breed is he? I love the angles of his snout and the proportions remind me of a borzoi though I don't think he is one. Also, does he have a set age for when he's a cardinal? I picture him to be around mid-30s or so. Wonderful art! love your stuff and find you an inspiration :)

He's a fictional breed called Podenco Siciliano, which is closely related to modern day Ibizan Hound (pictured below) and other Mediterranean rabbit-hunting podencos. I usually just default to calling him a sighthound since he's somewhat of a provincial mongrel and not meant to be purebred anyway.

As for the age, mid-30s sounds about right. I think the current timeline goes something like this:

0 - Born to a lower-middle class family in Sicily, father is a tradesman, has three older brothers. Generally considered a runt, is weak and sick all the time, parents suspicious of his unusual colors.

3 - Gets left at a monastery and raised by monks as a foundling. Nervous and meek kid, but the monks think he's endearing and do their best to support him. Is taught to read and write, which is a massive advantage at that day and age, and learns rudimentary Latin through exposure.

9 - Apprenticed to a Neapolitan priest, moves to southern part of mainland Italy (or Kingdom of Naples as it was called, it was ruled by Spain actually). Does chores and runs errands in exchange for education and experience.

15 - The priest gets elevated to a bishop and decides to sponsor Machete's further studies at an acclaimed university in Venice (in Northern Italy). There he studies theology, medicine, arts, law, philosophy and gets fluent in Latin and adequate in Greek. Befriends Vasco but their relationship is short-lived.

21 - Ordained a priest. Leads a parish somewhere in Papal States (Central Italy). Is generally well liked but doubts his career choice from time to time.

26 - Becomes a part of the Papal Court in Vatican, mostly because of the recommendations of his former mentor and professors, good reputation, excellent track record and sheer luck. Still a priest but assists bishops, cardinals and the pope himself directly. Moves to Rome. Becomes pope's unofficial confidant due to his obedient and hardworking nature and because of his lack of prestigious family connections that would render him a threat. Slowly starts to gain wealth.

30 - Created a cardinal (which is the second highest position in the church after the pope, and it's at the sole discretion of the pope who becomes one). Is also a bishop as a technicality. Handles administrative jobs, tons of paperwork, at some point he's in charge of a lot of the political correspondence and diplomatic missions. Still the old pope's trusted advisor but disliked by the majority of the cardinals, who see him as an outsider, sycophant and a potential disruptor of the status quo.

34 - Meets Vasco again. Vasco has become a succesful politician in Florence, he's married with three children.

38 - The pope dies and Machete's status falters. He starts to work with the Roman inquisition more. Oversees trials, torture, excommunications and executions of heretics, witches and most of all, protestants (since we're reaching Counter Reformation times and the Vatican is Very Worried about the spread of Luther's ideas). Isn't having a good time at all but keeps up the appearances. Gets infamous. The beginning of the true villain era.

40 - Grows increasingly more disillusioned with life and his ideals, as well as the corruption of the Curia. Burned out, paranoid and desperate. Uses scare tactics, extortion and legal trickery to expose and undermine his enemies, but gains them faster than he can keep up. Employs spies, thugs and assassins. Feared and loathed.

43 - Gets assassinated and dies in disgrace.

[sepublic]

Luz and Willow; Problem and Solution

            A dichotomy I’ve noticed in Luz and Willow’s arcs and how they converge/parallel in For the Future is that they both struggle with the same basic idea that they shouldn’t ask for help, that they don’t want to be a burden on others. But I think they also operate on opposite sides of a particular premise; Do people need me, am I helpful for them?

            Luz sees herself as the Problem Child, she’s cursed to destroy everything she touches, her presence invites chaos and issues. That’s how she was seen in Gravesfield, and she’s very much a disruptor to the status quo, befitting her out-of-context status, her unpredictable creativity, her penchant for rebellion, her drive to try and find out, etc. And while it ultimately leads to good, the road there is tumultuous, it could’ve been done better, Luz causes problems. For Luz it’s not as emphasized, but she doesn’t want to be seen as weak, because she fears being seen as a burden.

            Willow doesn’t see herself as effective, at the start of her arc and near the end of it; She can’t do anything right. She’s not even causing chaos or anything, there’s just nothing remarkable about her, nothing she can accomplish. In her introductory scene, Amity tries to “joke” over how easy it is to miss Willow, she’s a wall flower who’s trying not to be seen as she hides in her hood, and she tries not to see things that bother her, hence “Out of sight, out of mind.” Stay in your lane and don't attempt what you want.

            Boscha bullies her, not because Willow did anything to affect her (Not yet anyway), but just because she happened to notice and find Willow’s ineffectual, pointless existence hilarious. Maybe she wanted to possessively defend Amity from someone who had her first, while ignoring that Amity already –seemingly– left Willow for her, because she’s inherently insecure and paranoid like that. Both can be true, and one of them definitely is.

            Luz is chaotic, she’s good at causing a mess, and she can and will weaponize that against people like Belos at the end of seasons 1 and 2; Sometimes sabotaging an enemy is necessary to help the rest! But as we see in S2, Luz’s mistakes ultimately culminate in what she sees as her greatest mistake, the one with the biggest impact of all, something that would harm everyone she’s ever met in the isles, including Willow; So Luz sees herself as a ticking, dangerous time bomb. And it’s why she resolves to stay in the human realm at the start of S3; She pushes people away because she also thinks she hurts them, and their desire to stay is a self-destructive mistake.

            Whereas in S2, we see Willow begin to build up her confidence; She realizes she IS capable, she’s quite strong and effective. She’s nurturing, she can defend people, she can even lead them as a team captain that others look to for strategy! Where Luz and Amity fail (the former being a surprise given her track record), it’s Willow who gets Hunter to defy the coven for someone he’s met.

            She beats Hermonculus at his own literal game, and Hermonculus is established in Willow’s debut as one of the driving forces behind Willow’s ostracizing by her fellow students by emphasizing how ineffective she is to everyone, inviting them to notice and laugh at her; He’s arguably the true antagonist of Willow’s debut episode, with Amity just another pawn pitted against a fellow student, so seeing it come full-circle was catharsis. And this is after defeating Boscha at her own also literal game!

            Between this and finally, truly reiterating to Amity something she’s never understood since their childhood, since their debut –that Willow is effective and good at helping– you can see Willow affirm her belief that she’s dependable. That she’s helpful. Even, that some people need her, like Hunter, or Amity coming to her for advice, or Willow uplifting Gus as his first friend, etc. All the while, Luz is coming to the ‘realization’ that she’s the opposite. S2B is Luz at her most damaging, S2B is Willow at her most capable.

            So you have the backdrop in S3 of Luz thinking she can’t help people at all, and Willow believing she’s very helpful. And both of them want and believe in the same thing; To be helpful to others. And thus they both fear being a burden by asking for help. For Luz, this is just the natural extension of her destiny as the Problem Child. For Willow, it’s just a reminder of the ineffective person she used to be, her traumatic past. Luz thinks she never escaped her identity, Willow believes she has but is so afraid of going back to that.

            In their mutual climax, Luz believes she’s the root cause of the problem, Willow thinks she’s the solution that’s failing to be a solution; Flapjack died and Hunter is in a lot of pain because of Luz, Willow isn’t able to make him feel better. This whole situation with Kikimora using the threat of the Collector to become someone in power and a threat is Luz’s fault to begin with; Meanwhile Willow is reminded by Boscha that she’s someone people are counting on to get them out of here; Boscha is like Willow here, she feels pressured to protect Hexside from the Collector, who is a lot like Luz, down to imitating her intentionally.

            So again, they have the same wants, just coming from different presumptions of how close they actually are to these things, and neither’s anxiety is more or less valid than the other’s just because one sees herself as more capable now and the other doesn’t. Camila reiterates to Luz that mistakes are just a part of life she can’t keep blaming herself for, while Hunter reassures Willow that she didn’t do anything wrong. Camila and Hunter admit they made their loved one feel ineffectual in some way.

            And the epitome of this is that Luz and Willow are the ones who need to hear this, Camila and Hunter are the ones who need to say it… Yet it’s Camila who goes to Willow for advice, who has an interaction with her early in the episode, a different kind of parallel; Because they parallel one another as people who see themselves as in charge, as the ones who are responsible, as the “motherly” (quotations for Willow) nurturing figure.

            And Luz and Hunter’s parallels are self-explanatory, per the prior episode and trauma bonding over guilt on something they can’t control, actually making each other worse, plus feeling responsible for Flapjack’s death. So it’s this cross-section of parallels and foils, and it’s where all four culminate, before Luz moves on to cap off the show because it’s ultimately her own.

            Just. Something about how Willow is the first friend Luz makes outside of the core LEK trio, and the first main cast member in that regard. They’re both kids struggling over different yet dismissed and even mocked reputations at school. And their arcs both converge, with Willow’s arc essentially the final one outside of LEK bookending everything in the finale with the Collector, who is also explicitly Luz, and their journey comes to an end from him and the viewer understanding Luz’s.

[licentiouslegionnaire]

Headcanon that Zila’s full academic record is kept hidden and the one Aurora Academy “has on file” is edited because the amount of official reprimands she received far exceeds the grounds for expulsion (in aurora rising she apparently had 32 in the prior two years alone💀)

However, the undoctored version is released to Scarlett when she’s compiling dossiers on the unknown 312 squaddies for Tyler cause like, Adams and de Stoy figure since Squad 312 is gonna be working and living together in the midst of some real cracked ass shit, it’s good information for the Alpha and Face to know 💀

And like until Zila graduates, Adams and de Stoy are worried someone in the faculty who has written her up or issued her disciplinary citations multiple times for more serious offenses will find it sus she’s still around after a while and start asking questions. Cause like they know they can’t kick Zila Madran out of Aurora Academy even though she’s doing some crazy shit and sometimes harming other cadets.

And even though Zila otherwise seems to stay off people’s radars, I’m convinced Adams and de Stoy did a whole lotta behinds the scenes work to keep a lid on her incidents as much as possible, clocking double shifts type beat.

Like, you telling me Tyler was hearing about Zila’s shit for the first time after they had already graduated and couldn’t recall ever seeing her around??? But he remembered Fin turned the lab facilities into a radioactive hazard just to skirt an exam and also clocked his ass for always being alone during mealtimes??

You telling me a girl shot her roommate repeatedly with a disruptor pistol and no one was talkin bout it??? At Aurora Academy??? A school full of teenagers???

You telling me this same girl conducts an unethical human experiment on fellow cadets and no one was talkin bout it??? Not even those in the same year as her??? 👀

[txttletale]

I mean it might just be more people coming into leftist spaces without unlearning deeper biases and stuff, but I did a cursory google on it and I’m fairly sure american reading comprehension in schools has been recorded going down, and covid might’ve been a large enough social disruptor for enough people worldwide that it might have something to do with it? But there’s also the chance it might just be the fact that a lot of people tend to discover more unsavory stuff (because they discover more stuff) as time goes on and they chalk this up to being things getting worse rather than those things just not being seen

the type of reading comprehension that is in crisis is not the undergrad-literary-analysis type but the fundamental 'being able to read words' type, and that's mostly because of really flawed teaching methods. it's a very different type of 'reading comprehension' to the type that people are complaining about when someone, like, doesn't get the point of fight club.

[strangelittlestories]

When you have trudged unwilling far enough down the road of desperation, you might spy a crooked little path leading off into the woods signposted ‘opportunity’.

You must be eagle-eyed to spot it. That or you must have friends who will give you crude, hand-drawn map.

So it was in your case. As your savings flatlined and the financial doctors behind their plaguemasks stopped even returning your calls, a friend passed on a business card.

It was good money, they assured you. Very legit. Referral only. An exclusive service.

If anything, the ‘exclusive’ nature of it was what stopped you from getting in touch. You were fairly sure you weren’t *deserving* of an elite get-out-of-money-jail free club.

But eventually, you got far enough down the road that you knew this was your only exit. It was this or enter the Bankruptcy Games.

You made the call.

--- 

“So, you’re a temp agency?”

“*The* Temp Agency, in fact.” Said the suit with a face. “It’s a great deal. You come to work, you close your eyes, and you wake 8 hours later and 8 hours older. It’s like being paid to sleep, only without the rest.”

“But if I’m not doing anything, what are you paying me for?”

“For your time, of course. There’s always a market for it.” The suit with a face smiled the *idea* of a smile which contained within it the *idea* of sharp canines. “It’s the one true currency. The ‘hour standard’.”

“...I thought procrastination was the thief of time.”

“Procrastination is a moocher who never did anything for you, darling. We offer a 401k.”

“I still don’t really know what that is.”

“No-one does. But, believe me, you want one.”

---

After your first few visits, you began to get some faint ideas of how the enterprise worked. When you got into the slim glass pod, you noticed the telltale whine of a consciousness disruptor. You’d used them in work once, before you caught ethics.

So … the time was not simply siphoned out of you, There was a *process* that required you to be un-awake.

The next visit, you asked an old friend for a 3D bug. It was all organic neuron circuitry in a collagen case - slipped beneath the dermis, it was virtually undetectable.

When you played back the recording, you saw the strangest scene.

After you were rendered unconscious, face-in-the-suit opened a small hatch and a crowd of tiny 8-inch humanoids thronged through. They knelt in front of your pod and began *praying*. They praised your name, begged intercession, then praised your name some more.

They had made a god of you - a strange kind of chrono-theology.

Only your followers did not ask you to give them their daily bread, but simply to give them *days*.

[call-me-rucy]

More problems for Miles: now an spillage, which is a step above sewers, I think. Oh. Mutagenic spillage. Steps below. Definitely below.

So a day in Barrayar is 26,7 hours! I was wondering about that, I think i read Ivan mentioning hour 25 before.

Have I already said I don't like Metzov? I don't like Metzov.

WOW THIS IS ESCALATING QUICKLY. NOW MILES HAS A NERVE DISRUPTOR. OKAY. OKAY. YEAH WE CAN DO THAT.

NO CLOTHES IN THE POLE. OKAY. YEAH WE CAN DO THAT. I know Miles doesn't die here, which is little relief.

"It'll all look different in the morning, anyway." "Yeah. Worse."

This dialogue was so funny!

“Imperial security” Oh, that is good :D “Miles is happy about that”. Oh, that is not good :/

HIGH TREASON?! AGAIN?! He's 20!!! I wonder if he'll set a record, at this rate. "Most high treasons per year".

At least he won't be cold in Vorbarr Sultana...

Illyan! Long time no see! You were younger last I read about you. Was he in "Barrayar"? I recall him in Shards of Honor...

Offhand, Miles knew of no one Illyan feared except Miles's mother. He'd once asked his father if this was guilt, about the soltoxin, but Count Vorkosigan had replied, No, it was only the lasting effect of vivid first impressions.

I see he recalls Shards of Honor as well. Well, he recalls everything, I guess.

"Him". Ay, Aral… OH HES HERE! THE MAN, THE MYTH, THE LEGEND

Jole??? Is this the Jole I've read so much about in the main tags?? Gentleman Jole and the Red Queen’s Jole? I didn't know he'd be here that early. Then again I also expected Bothari to last a couple more books. It feels unreal that I'm already in book 4.

Aral hugs Miles, peace and love on planet earth

"For that sin, there is no hole deep enough to hide him from my wrath." hbcffhh i love Aral. Though what are you gonna do? Send him to Kyril Island?

MILES RENOUNCING HIS CAREER?!? THAT HE FOUGHT SO HARD TO GET. Excuse me while I go cry in a corner.

[grand-theft-carbohydrates]

wait im kinda new the 3k fandom, is half of it actual history and the other half just… homoerotic relationships with right-hand-mans?

first of all, welcome aboard! tldr: if your historical RPF doesn't ruin a politician's reputation for the next 800 years, are you even doing it right? yes Romance of the Three Kingdoms is based on actual history! it's set in the early 3rd century Han Dyansty (around 200 CE), during a bloody on-and-off civil war called the Three Kingdoms Period. The novel itself was written in the 14th century, nearly 1100 years after it all went down. if you disregard (most) of the supernatural elements, the story is fairly accurate, around 3 parts fiction and 7 parts fact. The novel was based on a compilation of historical records called the Records of the Three Kingdoms.

I must apologise on behalf of me and the mutuals for giving you a skewed impression of the homo. Sadly 3k is about 70% history, 25% socio-political allegory and only 5% Manly Love Between the Liege and His Vassal. Homoeroticism-Cao who was defeated at Red Cliffs and pines after the enemy general every sichen was an outlier and should not have been counted. that's on us.

the 3k novel was written during a time of civil unrest and a crises of national identity. during the Yuan dynasty parts of China were taken over by the Mongols, which eventually collapsed and gave way to the Ming. the author Luo Guanzhong lived during the late Yuan-early Ming period, he saw himself as an intelligent and capable man who never managed to find a worthy liege or a great cause to serve, in the end he became disillusioned and sunk to the lowest possible depths for a gentleman-scholar; writing novels (gasp!). the novel is only attributed to him because it was published anonymously, but it fits his MO. for example, Liu Bei's civil advisor/PM Zhuge Liang was changed so much he basically became the author's self-insert; he is a scholar-recluse who finds a worthy, benevolent master and then devotes his entire life to fulfilling his dreams of unifying the country. and also he's a military genius who single-handedly defeated cao cao and then everyone clapped.

This was also where a lot of revisionism became codified. Prior to this, Cao Cao was considered the real hero of the story, especially by the educated elite. His empire was also succeeded by the Jin Dynasty, so of course they needed to legitimise him. Liu Bei was seen as an opportunist and a disruptor, though he was always beloved by the common people who related to his struggles and were touched by his (seemingly genuine) kindness to them. The big change happened because after the Mongol invasion, the Yuan was split in two, the official dynasty submitted to Mongol rule. The other part saw themselves as the underdogs and righteous rebels, just like Liu Bei standing up to Big Bad Cao Cao.

Prior to this, 3k mainly existed in the form of folktales with different interpretations, and LGZ was the first person to create a single, unified narrative out of it. there's really cute accounts of contemporaries in different dynasties being all "idgi? all the kids boo when cao cao shows up, but they cheer when liu bei wins, and cries when he loses." truely a Blorbo of the people.

[franksinatraisdead]

hello everyone, my new solo exhibition AFFLICTION is opening on april 5 in colorado springs, colorado. the gallery is called disruptor, and is housed at shutter and strum. i will be there from 5-9pm to talk about the work, and then my friend's band is playing next door at what's left records. come out if you're in the area!

[applepiesandalibis]

Uboa — Impossible Light

Genre: Noise, Death Industrial, Drone, Dark Ambient

Released: June 28, 2024

Song ranking:

Endocrine Disruptor

Impossible Light / Golden Flower

Sleep Hygiene

Gordian Worm

Phtalates

Pattern Screamers

A Puzzle

Weaponised Dysphoria

Jawline

Thoughts: Spotify has been trying to get me into Uboa for so long and I refused to listen to her and then one day finally listened to The Origin of My Depression (might review this one soon as well) and was like: "oh". And then some time passed, I listened to it again and was like "ohhhhh..." And then she released Impossible Light and I listened to it and was like "OOOOHHHHH". And then some MORE time has passed and I realized that she is one of my favorite experimental/noise artists. Backstory (which I decided to tell for some reason) over, now let's get to the review itself

This album, just as Uboa's previous one has some insanely good instrumentation. It combines harsh and terrifying noise with some melodically satisfying parts that really make you feel magical things. This is what makes Uboa so unique to me: the way she can have both of these in her music and make it work so well. Endocrine Disruptor reminds me of The Origin... the most, and I love this album a lot, so of course Disruptor became a favorite of mine as well. Another part I really like is the ending of Sleep Hygiene, which just makes this one of the best tracks on IL for me. The same can be said about the title track Impossible Light / Golden Flower, which is a collab with Otay:onii, an artist I'm gonna probably be looking into later. Xandra Metcalfe herself has said that, unlike her previous album this one was about hope and, for me, she really did manage to capture a totally different feeling with the same kind of music — very unsettling music.

The album has a lot of really screamy vocals, that sound more like the ones you will hear in metal subgenres — the screams in noise are usually a bit different. These are not my thing and are the reason I don't listen to metal almost at all. However, when it comes to Uboa's music, she makes it fit perfectly. Yet again, the contrast between harsh and really gentle parts is what I specifically adore in this record and Xandra's work in general. Still though, the least favorite track of mine are the one with this kind of vocals. It just didn't hit as hard as the other ones.

I liked this album almost as much as The Origin. It made me feel some really strong emotions, though felt a little less horrifying (which isn't a good or bad thing, just something different than the last album) and I still can't stop relistening to it. Great one!

Overall rating: 8/10

[snapmite1998]

Crimson Dawn’s Use of Smugglers: Evading Republic and Law Enforcement

Overview

In their pursuit of dominance and expansion, Crimson Dawn consistently engages in illegal activities requiring discreet and secure transportation. To evade the Republic and law enforcement, they hire experienced smugglers who excel in navigating dangerous routes and avoiding detection. These smugglers play a crucial role in transporting illicit cargo, which includes weapons, spice, stolen goods, rare artifacts, and more, ensuring that Crimson Dawn’s operations remain uninterrupted and profitable.

The Role of Smugglers

1. Expertise and Skills

- Navigational Mastery: Smugglers are skilled pilots capable of navigating the galaxy’s most treacherous routes. Their knowledge of lesser-known hyperlanes and hidden pathways allows them to avoid heavily patrolled areas and checkpoints.

- Stealth and Evasion: These operatives are adept at using stealth technology and evasive maneuvers to avoid detection by Republic forces and law enforcement. They utilize jamming devices, cloaking fields, and other advanced technologies to stay off the radar.

2. Discreet Operations

- Covert Cargo: Smugglers specialize in transporting illegal cargo without drawing attention. This includes using false compartments, hidden storage spaces, and other deceptive measures to conceal their illicit payload.

- False Manifesting: To cover their tracks, smugglers often use falsified documents and manifests. These forgeries ensure that any inspections or scans performed by authorities don’t reveal the true nature of their cargo.

Types of Illegal Cargo

1. Weapons and Armaments

- Advanced Weaponry: Smugglers transport an array of advanced weaponry for Crimson Dawn, including blaster rifles, disruptors, thermal detonators, and heavy ordinance. These weapons are destined for use by Crimson Dawn forces or for sale to allied factions.

- Black Market Arms: Access to black market weapons also means that smugglers often transport highly restricted or experimental technology, ensuring Crimson Dawn maintains a technological edge over its rivals.

2. Spice and Illicit Substances

- Spice Trade: The lucrative spice trade requires discreet and reliable transportation. Smugglers haul valuable spice from production sites to distribution points, evading customs and law enforcement along the way.

- Recreational Drugs: In addition to spice, other recreational and controlled substances are smuggled across the galaxy. These shipments generate substantial profit, funding Crimson Dawn’s operations.

3. Stolen Goods and Artifacts

- Rare Artifacts: Smugglers transport stolen relics, artworks, and valuable cultural items. These treasures are either sold to collectors or used to bolster Crimson Dawn’s dark side research.

- Pilfered Technology: Advanced technologies, including droid components, starship parts, and scientific equipment, are frequently stolen and smuggled. These items enhance Crimson Dawn’s capabilities and resource pool.

4. Sentient Cargo

- Human Trafficking: Tragically, smugglers are also involved in transporting slaves and trafficked individuals. These sentient beings are often bound for Zygerrian slave markets or directly to Crimson Dawn’s labor camps.

- Prisoners of War: During conflicts, captured enemy combatants, political prisoners, and notable figures are smuggled to secure locations for interrogation, ransom, or forced labor.

Hiring Process and Contracting

1. Selection Criteria

- Reputation and Reliability: Crimson Dawn hires smugglers based on their reputation for reliability and discretion. Only those with proven records in successfully completing missions without detection are considered.

- Network and Connections: Smugglers with extensive networks and connections within the underworld are highly valued. These connections facilitate smoother operations and provide additional layers of protection.

2. Contractual Agreements

- Payment and Incentives: Smugglers are well-compensated for their services, with payment structures that include upfront fees, hazard bonuses, and percentages of profits from the cargo they transport.

- Secrecy Clauses: Contracts often include strict confidentiality agreements, ensuring that all information regarding the nature of the cargo and the specifics of the mission remains undisclosed.

Methods and Tactics

1. Stealth Ships and Modified Freighters

- Custom Modifications: Smugglers frequently use heavily modified freighters and stealth ships. These modifications include advanced propulsion systems, reinforced hulls, and state-of-the-art cloaking devices.

- Hidden Compartments: Ships are equipped with hidden compartments and false panels to store illicit goods, making it nearly impossible for authorities to uncover the true cargo without extensive searches.

2. Diversion and Deception

- Decoy Ships: To further avoid detection, smugglers sometimes employ decoy ships. These ships lead law enforcement on wild chases, allowing the true cargo to pass through unnoticed.

- Transport Convoys: Smugglers might also travel in convoys, blending in with legitimate trading vessels to avoid raising suspicion. These convoys use coordinated flight paths and communications to maintain cover.

The Smuggler’s Journey

1. Pre-Mission Preparations

- Route Planning: Before embarking on a mission, smugglers meticulously plan their routes, identifying potential hazards, checkpoints, and safe havens. This preparation minimizes the risk of exposure.

- Coordination with Contacts: Smugglers communicate with their contacts within Crimson Dawn to ensure all aspects of the mission are understood and that contingency plans are in place.

2. Execution

- Real-Time Adaptation: During transport, smugglers remain adaptable, ready to alter their course in response to unforeseen challenges. Their ability to think on their feet is essential for evading patrols and navigating dangerous territories.

- Delivery and Handover: Upon reaching their destination, smugglers execute a discreet handover of the cargo, ensuring all items are securely transferred to Crimson Dawn operatives without attracting attention.

Impact on Crimson Dawn Operations

1. Sustained Illegal Activities

- Continuous Supply: The efficient and discreet transport of illegal cargo keeps Crimson Dawn’s operations running smoothly. This continuous supply line is critical for maintaining the organization’s power and influence.

- Expansion of Reach: The use of expert smugglers allows Crimson Dawn to extend its reach into new territories without alerting law enforcement or rival factions, facilitating further expansion and consolidation of power.

2. Financial Gains

- Revenue Generation: The illicit cargo transported by smugglers represents significant financial value. This revenue funds various aspects of Crimson Dawn’s enterprise, including weapon procurement, bribes, and the construction of projects like the Blood Star.

- Economic Control: By dominating the illegal trade through these smuggling operations, Crimson Dawn exerts considerable economic control over the black market, reinforcing its position in the criminal underworld.

Conclusion

Crimson Dawn’s strategic use of experienced smugglers for the transport of illegal cargo highlights the organization’s adaptability and cunning. By hiring skilled operatives from the galaxy’s most dangerous and discreet circles, they ensure the seamless execution of their illicit activities while avoiding the scrutiny of the Republic and law enforcement.

This reliance on smugglers not only sustains their illegal operations but also enables them to expand their influence and control within the galaxy’s underworld. As long as Crimson Dawn and its network of smugglers remain in place, the organization’s power and reach will continue to grow, unimpeded by the watchful eyes of the authorities.

[zot3-flopped]

I have a lot to say on the subject of why Harry was behaving as he was in the last two or three years of 1D. (That Letdown blog is so biased, obviously, she’s ignoring so much.) It all depends on how you really, truly view all of the people in the band, maybe excluding Niall, who seemed miraculously exempt from all rancour but also interest.

I see Louis as a disruptor, a nasty little man whose idea of fun is to harm people and laugh about it. Lazy and untalented. Louis fans see him as a soft and vulnerable sweetheart with a vast intellect and sense of integrity (literally incredible to me). I see Liam as his sidekick, a young man who’s said openly he doesn’t know who he is, who followed Louis in his antics, but who worked hard on stage. I see Zayn as a person who isn’t temperamentally suited to being famous, talented up to a point, but not a giver in any sense. Fans of Zayn want him to be a musical genius with an off-the-scale talent but the fact is he’s just a somewhat good singer who unrealistically joined a boy band that got bigger than he could cope with, and anyway ended up sour because they weren’t going to be able to do r’n’b (can you imagine how pathetic it would have been for them to try).

Then I look at Harry, who must have been seeing everywhere, day after day, that he was the one with ‘it’, that he was the beating heart of the band - and he was looking round at these young men who were fucking about, disrupting stuff, taking advantage, staying unrealistic. So of course he planned to get out of 1D, which let’s face it wasn’t going to last because boybands don’t. But he never hid it, he did a lot in plain sight: building his relationship with Jeff, learning to write songs with others, changing his style, never socialising with the others, and of course being up front about not wanting to sign another contract. His fans were aware so the band was aware.

I just don’t see how any of that means he was underhanded about it. It could not have been more clear. That’s just the stuff we know about. If you think Louis is a little baby boy who deserves the world, then you must think Harry was being cruel - but to accuse him of being devious is to misuse that word. If you think Liam and Zayn deserved the most because they’re good singers, then it looks unfair that Harry wins all the time, but it’s a misunderstanding about what makes entertainment.

It’s my opinion that Harry took everything in, got the piss taken regularly by his bandmates, hated how they didn’t nurture themselves personally or professionally, wanted more for himself, knew he could deliver it. He wasn’t going to sacrifice that opportunity for the sake of a few people who would never, ever thank him for it. He worked out his contract and is only ever complimentary about his time in 1D. He made a couple of jokes/comments about Zayn but never about the others, and is on the record as saying multiple times that he enjoyed his time in the band, that there’s a strong bond between them, that they are in touch still (not sure I believe that actually but we do not know). Letdown mod seems fixated on him saying that he felt some shame and anxiety about contracts, but that doesn’t negate anything he’s also said. We are all capable of negative feelings whilst also appreciating the good in something: if we are emotionally mature, that is. In any case those aren’t the words of someone who is shitting all over his time in the band or slagging off his bandmates.

TL;DR if you are unrealistic about who 1D were as people, you might also be unrealistic about why at least 3 of them were not good to work with. It’s been years now, it’s been established that everyone knew what Harry was doing if they only had eyes to see: he wasn’t hiding it, and he was actually allowed to not sign another contract, people do that all the time if they don’t like their job.

👏👏👏👏 Agree with every word.

[dynmghts]

TRANSMISSION FROM @fightaers : “you don’t recognize me, do you? well, i’d never forget you, kacchan.” (AU where quirkless izuku who didnt inherit OFA became like... a paramedic i think. LISTEN. im making this up as i go!!!) MISTER MAGIC STARTERS , ACCEPTING .

pro hero dynamight had made an entire career on his aggressive approach to opponents, his less-than-savoury interactions with the general public, even his unconventional teamwork techniques ... when he was in a team. he has been credited as one of the fastest to climb the ranks since hawks. he was even being hailed as the next - potential - number one. and with extensive studies under some of the other top heroes, including best jeanist and endeavour, his record was something worth looking at.

and there was one thing to remember about katsuki bakugou : he will never say no to going toe-to-toe with villains. anytime, anywhere.

this situation involved some wreckage of a building, and while the rescue heroes focus on getting people out of the debris, katsuki harnessed his strength against the villains - he is the first point of call in the area, after all. and rightfully so, in the way he moves / people don't even see him as he zips across the field, his explosions the only indication of where he is, his wild taunting the only reprieve between his attacks.

while he knocks down most, he doesn't quite beat the speed of an oncoming attack of light, small intense beams grazing past his cheek and arms and torso ; and while the damage is only a few grazes, he still secures his win. the villain gets a less-than-pleasant blast to the face and a clean knockout.

it's one of his former classmates that direct him to the paramedics on scene, even though he insists his wounds aren't that bad ... [ because they're just a few scrapes, what the hell ? ] ... and that he could walk it off. he pushes his mask up with frustration and sits nearby. his hand brushes some of his fringe out of his eyes while he waits, until he hears a voice cut through all the noise, and crimson lifts to glare at the disruptor.

nothing clicks straight away. for a few moments, he thinks this asshole has the wrong person, or he's a fan trying to make out that they have connections to try and get closer / being as popular as he's gotten, they are tactics he's been wary of, and not many get past the whole known-him-since-childhood phase. katsuki had no real friends back then. well, except -

what was that nickname ? kacchan. kacchan ...

the name invokes memories he could barely recall otherwise ; a green-haired, freckled boy that followed him everywhere. a boy with an indomitable will despite his quirklessness. a boy that was willing to follow katsuki into the belly of the beast until he couldn't anymore, and katsuki promptly forgot about him, moving on in u.a. and getting accustomed to having no shadow anymore.

kacchan, kacchan, kacchan, and he sees the river, knee-deep in flowing cold water as the other looks down on him and offers a hand.

❛ deku, ❜ he finally utters. useless, good-for-nothing / he hasn't changed much since they parted ways in aldera middle school. he has the paramedics uniform on, though, and he stares at him with disbelief ; was he the one treating him ? ❛ tch. shoulda known. you've got one of those annoying fucking faces, the ones that are hard to forget, no matter how plain they are. ❜

he scowls when he turns his gaze away, but he doesn't actively seek out another paramedic to treat his wounds. his injuries weren't bad, right ? ❛ fix me up already. i'm not here to play catch-up with you. ❜