#dog watchers near me

[roimp]

SO TODAY....

(THIS IS ONLY FOR ROSE)

[bumblesimagines]

War Between Kin

Request: Yes or No

Summary: When Rhaenyra Targaryen takes her throne back, she ensures to take care of the remaining Greens in the Keep. Jacaerys attempts to figure out the whereabouts of the Usurper King Aegon by questioning his younger sister.

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers, F!Reader

CW/TW: Typical GoT/HOTD warnings, AU where what happened in the Gullet does not occur, for plot purposes Jace and Baela are not engaged, potential spoilers for S3/events in the books, mentions of Targcest, brief mention of arranged marriage, bastardphobia,

I'm about to fill up the fucking tag because of this man. Super short but here you go for my fem readers!

~~~

"Where is Aegon Targaryen?"

"I've already told you, I do not know."

Jace had long grown tired of repeating himself, and he knew for certain his aunt had grown tired of the questioning the first time he asked. A rough near twenty minutes had passed since he'd first entered the bedchambers she'd been confined to when his mother returned to her rightful home, and he'd learned nothing new about the whereabouts of his missing uncle nor who could have had a hand in smuggling the usurper out of King's Landing.

Truthfully, Jace's patience always had a tendency to run out. He certainly felt it reaching the end of its line as he bounced his knee and laced his fingers over his stomach, eyes tracking his aunt as she paced the room back and forth clad in that godsforsaken shade of green Dowager Queen Alicent often wore. His legs ached just watching her continuously move, although he suspected if she stopped and sat across from him as he'd asked her to numerous times, she'd likely strike at him until someone tore her off him.

"He is your eldest brother, is he not?" Jace spoke through near-gritted teeth, the bouncing of his leg intensifying with each passing second.

The longer they went without locating Aegon Targaryen, the longer his mother went without rest. He remained a threat to them all, even in his battered and ruined state. Half his body burnt, they'd said, and hardly able to walk by himself without help. Jace hardly understood why anyone would desire someone in his state on the throne.

"I am not my brother's keeper." (Y/N) seethed lowly, voice laced with irritation and legs continuing to move back and forth across the room. Her hands tightly clutched the skirt of her dress, keeping it barely lifted to avoid tripping over it.

Despite the rather eyesore of a color reminding Jace of her traitorous family, he'd be a fool to deny it wasn't a beautiful dress that suited her well. She looked regal, if not incredibly furious with him and the rest of his family. It'd been expected after all the fighting and bloodshed between their families even before the war began.

"Do not lie to me, Aunt." Jace scoffed, bracing his arms against the table before him. "All my life, you've always been the watcher amongst your siblings. I doubt not a single thing happened in this castle, in this city, without you learning of it. You must tell me where your brother has fled before Daemon's patience with your stubbornness runs thin. He will not be as kind as I have been."

(Y/N) scowled at him and finally ceased her mindless pacing, her back turning to him and hands raising to her face. In all the years Jace had known the beautiful woman before him, he'd only ever seen her lose her icy demeanor once when Aemond's eye was taken and she'd bitten the skin around her nails until they were raw. He disliked it. He much preferred her snarky attitude over her anxious habits unbefitting of a lady such as her.

"What of Helaena?" She questioned abruptly, her dress swishing when she spun around to face him and her eyes squinting with an unspoken accusation. "You have kept your dogs at bay, have you not? She is not of sound mind." 

"Helaena is the most innocent out of the lot of you! Her Grace would never bring harm upon Helaena, of all possible people." Utterly absurd! Jace hardly believed his ears, hardly found it within himself not to snap at her and remind her it'd been her brother who'd killed Luke mercilessly. Still, (Y/N) released a dry laugh, her shoes smacking against the ground as she stormed up to the table.

"Do pray tell, Nephew," She spat the word venomously, as if it were full of filth. "What were Rhaenyra's intentions when she hired those animals who forced Helaena to choose between her sons? What were Rhaenyra's intentions when those animals killed my nephew before his siblings, mother, and grandmother? Helaena has lost her mind. She relives that night every waking moment. A son for a son, they claimed, justice on behalf of Rhaenyra the Cruel."

Jace shot up from his seat, nearly knocking the chair back from sheer force, and slammed his palms against the table with his lips pulled back into a snarl. "Her Grace did not order the death of any of Helaena's sons!" 

"Oh, even better, she cannot keep a leash on her own people, then?" (Y/N) laughed again, dry and bitter. "Let us pray Aemond and Daeron arrive quickly with their army, shall we? At least then we will be spared the reign of a queen who cannot control her own allies. It's pathetic, Jacaerys, utterly pathetic. Even if the Realm allows a queen to sit the throne, they will never accept a bastard."

"Mind your tongue, Princess, before I-" 

"Before you what?" (Y/N) rounded the table swiftly, gliding along the floor until she reached his side. He managed to turn sideways to face before their chests pressed together, their faces mere inches apart and noses threatening to brush against each other. Jace stiffened, his hands rolling into tightly clenched fists and eyes struggling to remain focused on the lilac of her irises. "Before you cut my tongue out as your grandfather once threatened? Do it, then. Cut my tongue out, here and now, and show your subjects you will not be a king of words alone."

Jace remained silent, his nostrils flaring with his deep inhale and jaw clenching. A challenge, a rather blatant one from his aunt of all people. His cheeks warmed against his will, the embarrassment trickling in because he'd never dare to lay a threatening finger on a lady, much less a beloved princess of the Realm. Jace stared into her eyes and swallowed, his mind searching for words he could shoot back at her. 

"A bastard and a coward, then? You will be the end of our dynasty with your tainted blood." She hissed lowly, her breath fanning against his face. "The Gullet did not make you a warrior, did it? Not when you had to be dragged out of the waters full of arrows by another bastard."

"You-" 

The sound of a sword unsheathing filled his ears and made his blood bubble with dread, unable to do anything else when she stepped back and pressed the tip of his sword against his throat. Jace's head instinctively tilted up, his heart beginning to drum against his ribcage when his adams apple dragged along the sharp blade threatening to cut his skin. Her lips curled up cruelly and she shook her head slowly, her earrings swaying with her movements.

"The Realm will never a bastard such as yourself to sit the Iron Throne. It'd be an insult to each of the Great Houses. I could end this pathetic display of a boy pretending to be man right here... but your inheritance would fall on the shoulders of young Joffery, and Gods know what Daemon would do to that boy with the line of succession so close to reaching his own sons. I would rather witness Daemon stew in his desperate desire to see his own blood on the throne than offer him up a child on a platter. Unlike your mother, I am not that cruel."

"Daemon knows his place." Nobody would ever believe those words, not even Jace himself. "He is King Consort. He's achieved what he's always desired."

"Has he?" (Y/N) slowly retracted the sword from his throat and tossed it onto the table with a clatter. "Or is he merely lying in wait as he's done time and time again? When he was refused the throne, he waited for the opportunity to arise to bring humiliation on your mother. When he was exiled, he waited for Ser Laenor to be no more so he could take the heir for himself. You are not his son, Jacaerys. You are an obstacle, and Daemon obviously despises obstacles. It will only be a matter of time before he realizes if something were to occur to your mother, he would rule as regent, and as regent, he'd do whatever he desired."

(Y/N) turned away from him once more, her skirt dragging along the stone floor as she walked toward her open window and stopped by it, staring out into the long expense of ocean. Jace took his sword and slid it into his sheath again, internally scolding himself for having grown distracted before he approached his aunt, his steps slow and cautious. 

"Rhaenyra should have never been named heir." (Y/N) murmured, and Jace's eyes fell down to her hands, watching her scrape her nails along the skin of her fingers. Her eyes danced, never focusing on one thing for longer than a second as her mind continued working with thoughts and ideas Jace surprisingly longed to hear. 

"And yet, she is the Queen of the Seven Kingdoms... and by late morrow she expects you to bend the knee publicly before the court." 

"Or what? She shall behead me as she did my grandsire? I hear the executions have become a daily occurrence. Rhaenyra the Cruel's bloody reign, they shall call it. You will see in due time that we would have all been better for it if she had accepted the terms for peace. Your brother may have yet lived, and you would not have nearly met the Stranger in the Gullet." 

"We are still at war, Princess, and we'd be fools to keep traitors in our midst," Jace spoke, but he could not stop the tremor in his voice. It'd been satisfying at first when they spilled the blood of Otto Hightower and his son, as well as the Small Council members who'd so openly opposed his mother. But then, blood continued to be spilled, and neither Rhaenyra nor Daemon would stop to hear of it. "It is... for the good of the Realm." 

(Y/N) shook her head but otherwise remained silent, the fury she'd contained in her body dissolving. She continued watching the distant waves in the water, her nails only digging harder and harder into her skin until they threatened to break through to her flesh and blood. Unable to help himself, Jace clasped his hand over hers to stop the constant scratching, his lips pressing together and a quiet sigh escaping him.

"I am here to question you about Aegon Targaryen's whereabouts... but I suppose I should also inform you that your mother has made a proposal in an attempt to stop the bloodshed and put an end to the war. She's offered up a betrothal between you and I so that both sides may come together in marriage. Her Grace agreed to some of the terms that came with the proposal, among them a promise to not bring harm upon Helaena, Jaehaera, or Ser Daeron if he bends the knee. She will have the heads of Aegon and Aemond regardless." 

His aunt stared at him for a good long while, her body eventually tilting to face him fully. Her arms dropped down to her sides, forcing Jace to drop his hand as well. She wet her lips and turned her gaze away, the news finally beginning to settle into her body. She opened her mouth, looking back at him: "I would rather fling myself from this window than marry a bastard and further tie myself to a hopeless cause." 

[abbysimsfun]

Sims In Bloom: Generation 2 Pt. 46 (Home to Henford)

Everett and Spencer Pancakes had worked hard on their marriage, but they still struggled in Oasis Springs so far from their families.

Then one day, Everett's phone rang. His hometown parish - the 400-year-old church in Henford-on-Bagley where he'd grown up listening to the scripture of the Watcher - needed a new priest. Though their sons were young for such a big move, they jumped at the chance for Greyson and Jett to grow up in their childhood paradise.

They moved in with Spencer's parents, Eric and Alice, at her childhood home in Old New Henford. With Lydia now in Brindleton Bay with the Goths, Spencer's parents had plenty of room for Everett, Spencer, Greyson, and baby Jett - and their dog, JJ, too!

Their first day back, Everett's twin sister, Malia, dropped by to visit and share some happy news. "Jamar and I are expecting!"

Everett knew his sister and her husband, Henford's young, successful doctor, Jamar Scott, had been trying for over a year. "That's fantastic!" Everett beamed, and Malia practiced holding infants by spending the rest of the afternoon entertaining baby Jett.

Spencer's work was primarily in Selvadorada and the only thing that kept her in Oasis Springs was the sun and Everett's old job, but being back with her family again meant everything to her. Not just having her parents, but her older sister Olivia lived with her own family just up the road on Old Mill Hill. Olivia's youngest was close in age to Greyson, and Spencer wanted their families near as they raised their own sons.

"I never realized how much I needed you until we unpacked our bags," Spencer admitted to her mother in the family room, while Jett snuggled with his grandpa Eric on the sofa. "Hopefully now that I'm home I can stop second-guessing everything I do as a mom."

Alice looked at her daughter with a generous smile. "You didn't need to come all the way home for us to know you're a good mother. Your boys love you, and we love them almost as much as I know you do."

Spencer dearly loved her sons, but she worried her ambition was too obvious. That maybe her sons knew she itched to fly to Selvadorada and immerse herself in her work, thousands of miles away from them. The way her sons and her job competed for her time left her overflowing with guilt, but now that she was home, she was more hopeful about the future than she'd been in years.

Everett's grandmothers, Agatha and Agnes Crumpcakes, were getting older. He was glad to be closer to help his father and stepmother take care of them. He felt a responsibility to his family as the eldest of his siblings, even if he was only five minutes older than Malia.

She was going to have a baby, Kash lived in Brindleton Bay with his husband, Wolfgang (Munch!), and Elizabeth was still in high school. Leaving his church and parishioners in Oasis Springs had been difficult, but being home with his family, and at the pulpit of his hometown church, felt like the choice he should have made when he and Spencer married five years earlier.

Everywhere they went they saw familiar faces, and their return began to heal Everett and Spencer's marriage even further.

They were home again, just in time for their dear friend Heather to bring Conrad to Henford to meet her loved ones... ->

<- Previous Chapter | Gen 2 Start | Gen 1 Summary | Gen 1 Start

NOTE: The baby is Jett, Heather and Everett's biological child that she delivered as a surrogate. So far he looks like Heather. He even had her hair colour, but I darkened it because I'm already sick of it repeatedly showing up in Neal's descendants.

NOTE 2: Three days without Conrad and today without Heather, I know that's bold strategy, but I wanted this post to stand alone because a) I had to set up why they left the desert before Heather visits, and doing it in the same post was a little too verbose, even for me, b) that gorgeous church build needed to get some featured screen time, and c) we haven't seen Jett since he was born and the pic with his Aunt Malia above is the clearest one I have of him as an infant. Heather and Conrad (and Ash!) are all back tomorrow!

WCIF Henford's Church: Escombe Church in the Sims 4 Gallery by @simstruhistory/TeaWithTash (beautiful build, cc-free, and there's more historical content at their page!) This is a historical recreation of the real Escombe Church in England and I think it's got a perfect Henford vibe. It doesn't actually fit in Henford in my main save but I want to use it again to stage some funerals in the future and maybe weddings, too. I've referenced the 400-year-old church in Henford a couple times but never showed it because it didn't exist (*whispers*I didn't wanna build it) until I saw this one showcased here on simblr!

I'm so, so grateful to creators with build skills, mod skills, CAS skills, all skills, saving me time to do the Sim stuff I really enjoy. 🤗

(Also I'm not a spiritual person, but I have Lumpinou's Rambunctious Religions mod installed because I was playing Ultimate Decades for a while, and just because I'm not religious doesn't mean some of my sims can't be!)

[glitterdustcyclops]

you know, i am so fascinated by the fallout of the watcher thing as compared to the general positive reception of dropout

like to be fair i don't have a dog in this race, i was never a buzfeed unsolved fan, but to me their attempt to launch their own streaming platform is no different than dropout's. like they even cost the same! and i'm just so curious why, from my understanding, dropout is met with near universal praise while the watcher guys are being met with pitchforks and drama youtube vids about how they KILLED their channel

fascinating

[eljeebee]

Welcome to Earth

P’tonia sat there, shocked. She learned from Perlas, who was very patient with her, that this planet is called Earth, and the “main” race living here are called humans.

“But you said you’re a mer…mermaid?” P’tonia asked, confused.

“Yes,” Perlas nodded. She smiled apologetically, “I didn’t mean to confuse you, Tonya. I’m not human, I’m a mermaid. Though physically, I look like a human.��

And speaking of mermaids, P’tonia learned that there are other…peculiar…races that Earth breathes. Perlas called them occults, and she learned that besides merfolk, there are also werewolves – a race similar to wolves and dogs, an animal. P’tonia doesn’t know what they look like, but Perlas tried to fill in an image where a human with a snout and with fur.

The princess also learned that there are vampires, a race that feeds from blood, to which P’tonia shivered. She cannot imagine a person drinking her blood. There are spellcasters as well, and they bore “magic”, some human otherworldly power that was believed to be gifted by the Watcher, the human deity.

“Would that make you a spellcaster, Perlas?” P’tonia asked. “You used magic on me, so does that mean you are one?”

“No, I am a mermaid. The magic I bear is different from spellcasters. They practice other types of magic; I practice the ocean’s power,” Perlas explained. “If I were a spellcaster, the magic I would have used on you would make you able to speak the universal tongue, but what we are speaking right now is native to Sulani.”

“There are other languages?!” P’tonia exclaimed. “How exciting! I must learn them!”

“Yes,” Perlas chuckled. “In time. Maybe if you encounter tourists, you’ll learn them.”

“Tourists?”

“Sulani is famous to foreigners. They stay here for a short period of time to relax and enjoy what the islands could offer,” Perlas explained. “We welcome them as long as they respect our home.”

“Then I can’t wait to meet them!”

“Calm down, Tonya,” Perlas laughed. “I don’t think they’ll be welcoming when they see you.”

“Wha…what?” P’tonia furrowed her eyebrows.

“Humans are not aware of the occults,” Perlas clarified, “a long time ago, they were, but something…happened. Now, they forgot we existed. We are mostly in hiding, disguising ourselves, blending in. The people of Sulani know I am of merfolk, and they do their best to keep it a secret. You are an alien, Tonya. I don’t know what will happen if they learn about you. Scientists might get a hold of you – study you, hurt you. We don’t want that, do we?”

She was silent for a moment, taking it all in. P’tonia is familiar with a scientist’s curiosity. She’d seen countless times her fellow peers, who were the designated scientists of the Ach’ska Memoir, doing experiments on creatures and things they’ve taken in. She imagined that she would be on the shoes of these creatures, and she knows it’s not going to be a pleasant experience.

“So I must disguise myself as a human…” P’tonia mumbled.

Perlas nodded, “But how do we do that?”

P’tonia snapped her fingers. “Oh, it’s easy. We, Galateans, have this bodily function where we are able to “camouflage” when we feel danger is near. It’s helpful when exploring uncharted planets with hostile creatures or race. I just need to see more of…you as a consensus!”

“That is a convenient ability, Tonya. Why don’t we go down the village now?”

“But what about the tourists?” P’tonia asked, worried.

“Don’t worry, I’m a tourist guide. I know a path that can hide you from them. Let’s meet some of my friends.”

And so, P’tonia and Perlas rode a boat to one of the islands. The princess dipped her hands on the water as Perlas guided the boat to a path she knows no tourists will take. The air is different; it’s crisp and it feels healthy.

When they reached the shore, Perlas guided her to a…house. It is made of a material…which her tongue supplied the word, wood. She touched it gently. Her home uses metal, but wood? Odd.

“This is…”

Perlas introduced her to her friend. They talked for a while, relaying what the mermaid had discovered.

“An alien…” the friend said, “That big ball of fire from last night…that’s them? They’re here because…?”

“I want to reach a consensus on how I can disguise myself properly,” P’tonia stepped in, explaining, “I don’t think I can go home immediately, with my shuttle broken and battered in the ocean, so I might be living here for a while…and I don’t want, uhm, attention with how I look…”

“You do look different…Wait! Are you going to steal my identity – my skin?!”

Perlas tried to calm her friend, “I don’t think – ”

“No, no, please! I would never do that! My people do not do that!” P’tonia cried.

Sighing in relief, the friend let P’tonia and Perlas stay for a while. After that, the mermaid guided the alien princess to another local. They did that the whole morning, introducing her to the Sulani people, before Perlas led her to a hut.

“Welcome to my humble abode.”

“You have a lovely home, Perlas,” P’tonia noted.

“Thank you,” Perlas took a seat, and so did the princess. “So, what now?”

“Now…” P’tonia took a deep breath, “Do you have a room or something that I could use to practice my camouflage? I’m usually shy when doing this in front of others…”

“You can go inside that door,” Perlas motioned the door behind her. “That is my bedroom. Take the time you need!”

Perlas took a moment to observe her.

“How do I look?” P’tonia asked her shyly.

“Like a human, Tonya!” Perlas gleefully smiled. “Very well done!”

“Thank you!” the princess smiled. She dropped her smile when her stomach growled.

Perlas, with a chuckle, motioned for her to take a seat. “Sit down. I’ll make you food.”

P’tonia was glad she’s not allergic nor felt poisoned from Earth food. It would be a shame if she did because they taste wonderful!

“Where will you stay? You can stay here in my home if you like.”

“Oh no,” P’tonia shook her head. “You’ve been welcoming already. I think I’m going to be staying at that shipwreck. It’s closer to the crash…even if my shuttle is in the ocean.”

“Alright then,” Perlas nodded, standing up. “I’ll walk you back. Even if you look like a human already, your clothes are…”

P’tonia stood up as she looked at her clothes. “Is it strange?”

“Well, in this place, it’s not but…” Perlas hummed, “Anyway, you can borrow some – ”

“No, no, it’s alright! Maybe the shipwreck has something!”

“Okay, I’ll help you look!”

“Look what I found!” P’tonia jumped out the bedroom of the shipwreck.

“You look great, Tonya,” Perlas nodded. “Now, more human than before! That necklace looks beautiful as well. Where did you get it?”

“It is actually mine,” P’tonia said, touching it. “From Mother. It breathes the same way I do. I am lucky it wasn’t lost nor broken when I swam ashore. I was apparently lying on it when I drifted to the beach.”

Perlas smiled. “How do you find your time here?”

“Lovely, Perlas. Very.” P’tonia sighed. “Thank you for showing me around. I’m not sure how I’ll be able to go home, but I’m glad I washed up here.”

The mermaid smiled. “It’s getting late; I must get home. I’ll come back tomorrow. If anything happens, you know the way, right?”

P’tonia nodded.

Home is far away from here, and P’tonia, for the first time since she crashed here, felt lonely. She sighed. At least it’s not an empty planet; being stuck in one would make her insane. Earth has people and creatures, and she’s lucky she met a merfolk – an occult; something…someone like her: foreign.

P’tonia gazed at the starry sky. Before, she would be able to travel to and fro, between planets and systems, and now…

Instead, she tried to identify which star is which. Eyes growing heavy, she hummed a Galatean lullaby, putting herself to sleep. Her dreams were filled with her memories of her homeworld.  

[lovelyyandereaddictionpoint]

Grandpa ( Crewel father ) Crewle snuck in to NRC because they missed their grandpup, like any wolf beastmen he quite protective over his family unit and even glares down any boys near his grandpup, when meeting one of her friends and the most monotone voice with a resting bitch face to match he pointed at them and said " married and mate with that boy pup, he seems to have good quality as a mate "

Points at Ruggie, Silver, Trey, Idia, Jack, Riddle,Jamil, Azul ,Rook and Epel

While Crewle daughter just said " grandpa no I'm too young to marry let alone mate yet, pls stop before I call Granny "

And Grandpa just sass " didn't stop your father having you while he was a student at this school"

Grandpa | Yandere Crewel’s Daughter

Sorry but this would never never happen. While you can be found hanging around NRC you’re granparents are never so out of the loop. You go to the Princess Academy you just visit the campus occassionally. That’s what makes it such a treat when you come around. Holiday or over a weekend its a privilege you have as an exemplary student and daughter to the doting Divus Crewel.  

And do you truly think your dear Granddad would be so out of control that he'd sneak into a school? Let alone the place where his son is diligently employed as a prestigious professor? I think not! Instincts and heritage are no excuse for such misconduct and the Crewel name is still a noble one. It’d be the work of a fool to tarnish the name for something so trivial.

Similar to his dear son. He believes no one is truly worthy and he’d sooner you stay the innocent little girl you’ve always been. He’s in agreement with Divus that no mate is worthy of you let alone anyone at Night Raven. He’d sooner comment on your suitors with disdain on his face and disgust in his tone:

Ruggie Bucci

“A young hyena without a name for himself. It wouldn’t be wise.”

“What!? Why you–”

Silver

“He’s handsome but I won’t suggest counting on that to make up for his lack of energy.”

“Hmmm–what?”

Trey Clover

“A baker…well the appeal is there. Perhaps with some nurturing he’d graze the greatness of a leader.”

“Uhm…thanks?”

Idia Shroud

“Ah the child of the Shroud family….If you…have to…he’ll need your steady hand. I’ll help you if you want to doom yourself.”

“Ouch! Attack Damage–expert level.”

Jack Howl

“He’s a proud canidate…he’s got the making of a great mate!”

“Thank you sir!”

Riddle Rosehearts

“A prodigy is welcomed…Dearest when does a human male stop growing?”

“Grrrrr I assure you height will not impede anything that makes me a good husband!”

Jamil Viper

“A servant? A load of wasted talent I’d say.”

“I appreciate the sentiment, but I don’t plan to be here forever.”

Azul Ashengrotto

“An octopus? On land? The world truly has gone to the dogs.”

“...Well, good. Sir. I can provide just as fine.”

Rook Hunt

“Oh Lalala Monsieur Crewel!”

“You know of me, boy?”

“Oui oui, I’m an avid watcher of your theatrical poetry! It is an honour to meet you.”

“This one…I like this one.He reminds me of your father…do you have protection on hand?”

“Dad!?”

Epel Felmier

“This is a boy?”

“Father–”

“You have a face of an old friend of mine who was know for being boyishly attractive.”

“Eh?!”

[animeyanderelover]

Ah yes, there is nothing more beautiful than watching the Crunchyroll Awards when I am in a masochistic mood and still come out crying. I’m not even a seasonal watcher but even I could predict all of the winners when I checked out the nominations. I didn’t vote by the way since I don’t even use Crunchyroll. Since me and my friend already complained about it, I’ll rant a bit too so please take my salt.

I don’t think that Jujutsu Kaisen should have won Anime of the Year for the simple reason that apparently the Shibuya Arc didn’t even count for this nomination since it aired in Autumn. That means that pretty much only the first 5-6 episodes were a contender for this nomination and that isn’t even half of the show. They should have either completely excluded it from the nominations this year and instead nominated it next year or should have put in all of Jujutsu Kaisen. Instead now the season was split in parts and I will bet my liver that the Shibuya Arc will be nominated next year again. 5 episodes of an incomplete season are not better than other nominated Anime like Vinland Saga or Oshi No Ko. I’m not even sure if I would put Demon Slayer as a nomination since I liked this season but it just did not reach for me the same level that previous seasons had reached and I am sure that there were other Anime that were a lot more deserving of a nomination instead of Kny.

Best Continuing Series I already suspected either One Piece or Jujutsu Kaisen to win. I can’t say much about One Piece since I am currently at the Water 7 Arc but I will take it over freaking Jjk with its 5 nominated episodes. Once again I would be hesitant to put Demon Slayer in here since for me best continuing series implies that the newest season is either on the same par or even surpasses the previous season. Demon Slayer did not do this with the Sword Smith Village Arc for me for a couple of reasons. The antagonists felt very shallow and boring, the fights weren’t as good for me and whilst the last episode was quite good, it did not reach for me what the Entertainment District Arc did. Bungo Stray Dogs would have been in my opinion a better nomination than Demon Slayer.

Not surprised with Chainsaw Man winning Best New series but since I haven’t watched any of the shows nominated, I can’t say much about it. Same goes for Best Movie with Suzume as the winner and Best Original Series with Buddy Daddies as the winner.

Is anyone surprised by Demon Slayer winning Best Animation? I’m not and that was the only thing that for me was as good as previous seasons, although I do know the whole argument of them using 3D this season for some of the demons but honestly, that was nowhere near the worst CGI that Anime has given us such as Berserk 2017. I see why people would be upset since other contestants for Best Animation were shows like Mob Psycho 100. With Jujutsu Kaisen as a nominee I am conflicted due to the whole arguments of this season having the worst Animation in comparison to the first season and the movie but the poor Mappa employees were on such a tight schedule and the fact that they still delivered such amazing fight scenes despite the terrible treatment deserves respect. Also, where is Bleach in this nomination?! You cannot tell me that they couldn’t nominate it since Disney owns it considering that there were actually some categories where Bleach was still nominated for some reason!

Best Character Design went to Jujutsu Kaisen… How??? How did school uniforms win against the character designs of Hell’s Paradise, Oshi No Ko and Demon Slayer? Is it just Gojo that carried this category?? Am I the blind one for not loving him as much as other fans do??

Best Direction went to Jujutsu Kaisen.

Best Camera Work went to Jujutsu Kaisen.

Best Art Direction went to Demon Slayer.

Best romance was won by Horimiya: The missing Pieces. I’m not sure if that’s true but isn’t this series basically some sort of flashback where the characters look back on their school time. I’m pretty sure My Happy Marriage, Insomniacs after School or Skip and Loafer can beat what, if my memory is correct, is basically a series that shows all the scenes they couldn’t feature in the first season.

Best Comedy was won by Spy x Family and my friend was quite upset by that since she is a big Bocchi The Rock fan but I haven’t watched any of those shows.

Best Action was won by Jujutsu Kaisen. Considering that only the first arc of the series was nominated, I do not agree with this win. If Shibuya Arc would have also counted, I wouldn’t have complained but as it stands I would have preferred something like One Piece or Bleach to win this award.

Best Fantasy was won by Demon Slayer… Again. Guys, what is this? I love Demon Slayer but you can’t tell me that a show playing in a real historical period of Japan with the only fantasy element being the demons as well as maybe the Breathing Forms is a better fantasy show than Mushoku Tensei or The Ancient Magus’s Bride.

Best Drama was won by Attack on Titan The Final Season Chapter 1. What does that mean? Will the second chapter be nominated again then next year?! Oh, come on. How did an incomplete season win Best Drama against Mister I have no enemies?! Vinland Saga should have won that category.

Best Slice of Life went to Bocchi the Rock and since my friend was happy, I was happy too.

Best Main character was won by Luffy. I guess I can live with that. I’m actually surprised that they didn’t nominate Gojo in here but since the whole award show was basically sucking Jujutsu Kaisen off, I am happy to have a few categories where I am not haunted by Demon Slayer and Jujutsu Kaisen. I am just more biased towards Thorfinn in this category since his character development was amazing. If they really only counted the First Chapter of Attack on Titan in these Awards, I am not sure about putting Eren as a contender in this category since he had barely any screen time.

How are you going to take Jujutsu Kaisen’s Hidden Inventory Arc for the 2024 Crunchyroll Awards and then nominate Gojo as a side character?!?! He was the bloody main character in that arc since it was his past!! And then Gojo also wins this category where he absolutely doesn’t belong!!! The same counts for Suguru!! How can you nominate two guys from Jujutsu Kaisen who were on top of that main characters in this short arc?! Why not nominate someone from another Anime instead?! What about Bungo Stray Dogs?! What about Hell’s Paradise?! What about literally every other Anime that aired this year with an actual side character?! Why did Gojo win?!

I don’t care about the Must Protect At all Costs award going to Anya Forger. It’s just a weird award in my opinion.

Best Anime Song going to Idol from Yoasobi was no surprise and was deserved for the sheer impact it had not only on the Anime community but also the international success it earned.

Best Soundtrack going to Attack on Titan is no surprise. Hiroyuki Sawano, if you worked there again I will accept it.

Best Opening and Ending go to no one’s surprise to Jujutsu Kaisen and at this point I have no energy left anymore to be angry. Congratulations…not.

Best Japanese VA performance goes to Yuichi Nakamura for voicing Gojo Satoru… Why is Eren here again? That dude barely spoke any lines in the first half of the Final Chapters. There are a ton of other Japanese Va’s that not only spoke more than Eren but were also far better. Whilst I am not really suited for picking any since I don’t watch seasonal Anime, I think Uemura Yuuto for his performance as Thorfinn or Miyano Mamoru in his role as Dazai were far more deserving of a spot in here. Yuki Kaji, I really love you but you shouldn’t have been nominated in here for your performance as Eren in here due to the lack of a performance.

[shiro-s2e2-erukinzu]

Anime only watchers and people who aren't caught up with the Manga, BEWARE... Cuz I'm about to discuss Spy X Family Mission 78... You have been warned...! 👌

[SPOILERS AHEAD FROM THIS POINT ON]

I FREAKIN' LOVED THIS CHAPTER!!! 😆 (LIKE A WHOLE LOT...!!! 😍)

So let's talk about, shall we...? 😁

When I opened the chapter and saw THIS:

I already knew it Sylvia (Handler) Sherwood!!

ONE OF THE MANY QUEENS IN THIS SERIES...!! 💗🛐💗

So after she gets done at WISE, she heads back home to get Aaron (the bomb dog) and meet up with Twilight...! But then, after Aaron slips on some junk in her house, Sylvia remarks that she use to keep this place tidy and THIS happens...:

We finally get to see what Sylvia's husband and daughter looked like and her lines in the other panel all but confirms to me that they are not alive anymore... 😔 Which makes her house being super messy all the time, a lot more sad... 😓

Continuing on, Sylvia meets up with Twilight and Anya (who's there because it's a half day at school) at the dog park! Anya finds out that Aaron was one of the bomb dogs, and when he goes greet Bond after all this time... Bond is like:

I was like:

DAMN, BOND...!! 😌 WHY YOU GOTTA DO AARON LIKE THAT!! 🤣

After that, Anya suggests that they should have a competition to see who has the better doggo...! And Sylvia excepts!! 😆

Twilight wasn't down for it, but when Sylvia said that she'll take away the extra mission that she was about to give him, he was like:

"You son of a bitch... I'm in!"👍

AND SO THE COMPETITION BEGAN...!!

First up was an obstacle course, and well...:

Sylvia and Aaron did great, while Bond did his best...!! 😂

Next up was a tracking and retrieving test and Bond was the victor of this challenge, all thanks to Sylvia having a piece of dried pasta on her coat...!! 🤭

And the final challenge was to have the doggos catch a frisbee and Bond's powers activated, giving him an advantage to possibly win...!! 😁 But, uh... 😅:

...it didn't quite go as he and Anya hoped, ending the competition in a tie... 😌

After that, Handler gives Twilight an interesting tidbit about Project Apple:

Some of their research teams are still active...! 😲 Could we possibly be getting more info about Project Apple in the near future...? 🤔 I sure hope so...! 😤

Lastly, before she leaves, Sylvia pats Anya on the head like she did back at the end of The Inusan Crisis arc...! 💗

And that was Mission 78 and like I said in the beginning, I REALLY FREAKING LOVED IT!! 😆 It was funny / fun, had a very sad moment for Sylvia and gave us some interesting information about Project Apple!! I could go on, but I think I'll leave it at that!😁

This chapter has me super excited for the next one, but it's not the reason I'm excited...! You see, in two weeks when the next chapter gets released, It'll be my birthday!! 🎉😁🎊 I just hope that it actually is a chapter or a short mission and not just a picture...!! 😌 Otherwise, y'all gonna be hearing about!! 😤

Anyway, that's all I gotta say...!! So until then, I'll (hopefully) see you all on My Birthday Mission!! 🎂 Take care and be safe out there everyone...!!! 👋😊 PEACE!! ✌😁

[theonewhosbritishunironically]

So, someone has requested - double dog dared me in fact - to show the world of tumblr my post in which I show you my red string cork board which connects all of the deities, entities, literally anything from the general Minecraft fandom. - This uses things from WitchCraft SMP, Evolution SMP, to the Paranormal Order Universe (Despite it not actually being properly in this ‘genre’, but there were some things I could not ignore, so I wanted to put those in - it’s mainly used as themes (plus I think it’s a cool concept)), so do be warned about the variety of things. Plus, sorry if some of this seems strangely paced, I got distracted multiple times throughout writing this. 

I firstly want to discuss the types of entities that exist in the world - and what different beings fit under what different categories. Secondly, the varieties of these entities, and finally tying up loose ends + any finishing notes that didn’t fit into the other sections. 

Welcome to a hell of a lot of Worldbuilding around all the concepts we have been given.

Firstly, we will be talking about how I classify the different types of abilities/powers. The easiest way to do this is with the use of the Paranormal Order Entities. So; Blood, Death, Energy, Knowledge (and Fear - Although no one can have this as an entity). 

The way that I think of these is that these are an amalgamation of all the abilities of every entity that falls under the umbrella, and the worship of these beings. This is dubiously correct? I did some looking into it, I swear. But I’ve been writing for like a while now so I’m forgetting things. 

Firstly, in the Wiki, it states that the God of Death takes many different forms and can be in many different places at one. This certainly reflects the narrative of how there’s a Death God in both Hermitcraft - Zedaph (Technically) and in QSMP(Kristen), and in the Philza Hardcore Worlds(Kristen again). 

So, this is where I go into the WitchcraftSMP lore. There were multiple different magic types. - Illusionistic, Earth, Death, Time, Nature, Fire, Ice, Storm - Now whilst most of these are nature or element based, and a pretty good basis to look at for what the different types of magic their are in the world, with Gem from Empires having Fire, Dapper from QSMP having Death magic. 

However, the gods, as I have stated, I believe are more predominantly based around the other Four powers - at least the more powerful ones. 

That was a mess. I didn’t really know how to properly form my thoughts on this bit.

There are quite a lot of different species/beings in the Minecraft youtuber universe, and I will be attempting to file them all under (hopefully) five different things - In order of hierarchy. 

Secondly, there are Gods/ God-like entities. This covers gods, demi-gods, Watchers, and anything else I think of while writing this :D. - Examples of this include Philza’s Hardcore Demi-gods (I’m pretty sure they’re demi-gods, I checked.), the Goddess Santa Perla from Empires SMP Season 2, the Goddess Mine from the QSMP, Bdouble0100 the Sun God of Empires Season 2. These are entities that either have full domain over their thing, whatever that is (aka. in that world they are the only being that controls their special ability fully, whatever it is.) 

These Entities are not capable of fully dying either, or it being a near-impossible task, depending on how powerful they are and whether they’re a demi or full god. The other thing that can define a being as a god is whether they can create a world on their own or not. For example, the Watchers are able to create the life series on their own - making them god-like beings. 

(I would like to say a quick note here about the Listeners. I don’t know that much about them, I swear I looked into them but I forgot almost as soon as I did. So I sort of see them more as a movement of sorts, a conglomeration of ex-watchers - thank you fanon for that influence - and of players that are aware of what the watchers are and wish to help against them. So, an ex-god would not be able to create a stable world, and would make a sort of mess. I saw a couple of people suggest that Real Life was created by the Listeners, and I really liked that idea - it helps paint a line between the powers of a Watcher and a Listener, a God and an Ex-God) - Gosh that was a long side tangent.

The second rank in the hierarchy are angels and demons, which there are actually a surprising amount of. I still don’t know exactly how their power structures work, but I think that it’s safe to assume that if you’re born an angel or a demon you’re more powerful than if you were turned into one. (However if you turned from an angel to a demon then you’d probably have the same amount of power as the og demons. - thanks Bad for that scenario) On servers some examples of this might be - Xornoth from EmpiresSMP Season 1 and Witchcraft SMP (Like a second cameo, but I loved that series.), Tina from QSMP. We don’t actually know much about demons, less so about angels, but I put them here because I wasn’t sure about it. If anyone wants to correct me on any of this btw, please do, that would be very much appreciated, or add on your own bits. This is mainly an ideas dump that I bravely attempted to organise. ANYWAY. The reason I mentioned not really knowing where to put these is because I’m now coming to the realisation that there is overlap with the next category, but I already went over this paragraph many times so screw it. 

Third rank is what I call Prophets and Chosen. Now, a Prophet example could be anyone who carries the message of their Being/Entity(s) - Cellbit might count for this due to the way that he helps introduce people to the elements after he made the rooms on QSMP. However, a Chosen is anyone that is gifted powers from an angel, devil, god, demi-god, or watcher. Basically anything higher above this hierarchy. (The confusion here is with Phil. He’s the Angel of Death. Kristen is a god, and he is used as her vessel + is gifted powers by her apparently - but still calls himself an angel. So thank you for ruining my perfectly organised system /j) Now, these are the most common out of all the categories, they get more common as they go down, just like in any typical power structure. For examples, we have - Scott, Empires Season 1, Chosen Warrior of Aeor. Martyn, Limited Life, Vessel of the Watchers. Mike, QSMP, Vessel of Mine - (Yes I keep on using it but I think it’s cute and I already did something a bit ago about Phil and his stuff). Now, if you know these well, it will be immediately obvious that some of these are more parasitical than others. So, when I say Chosen, it doesn’t exactly have to mean that the two people in the link chose each other - just that the higher up one did. (Insert a majority of possession arcs into this box)

The last two I’m going to wrap up into a single one, as they’re pretty simple. Players and Mobs. Players are just any person, although a person can be a mob. Player - Mob hybrids are definitely a thing. This is the mortal box that the higher entities don’t really care about as much. 

The End! - Thanks for reading!!! If you have anything you want me to talk about more from this or anything, since it kinda sucks, It’s not quite as good as I wanted it to be. But I hope you will be able to at least understand it a bit :D !

My next plan is to write something about the life series and how it’s linked into certain other things. Nhooooom. I forgot how to write the word write here at the end, so I need to stop poking this. Again, thanks for reading!!

[papermint-airplane]

Ok wait, maybe Cruella had a point tho??? 🤯

Damn, if I had known I'd look this good in Dalmatian fur, I'd have started stealing people's dogs ages ago!!! 😆 Relaaax, pet lovers, I'm totally joking! 😉 This is all vegan canine from Simucci's new Puppee collection. Hot off the runway, obvs -- It hasn't even hit boutiques yet but ya girl has a hookup. Hehe, don't tell anyone! 🤫

Sooo the unenlightened among you might be wondering how I, a vampy girly, am taking mirror selfies because eeeeveryone knows vampires can't see their reflection, right?? 🙄 Well, silly, let me be the first to tell you that is a complete myth. Oh my Watcher, imagine if I had to spend eternity not seeing this gorgeous visage ever again!!!!! I'd have stayed in my grave!!! 😱

Don't worry, if you're facing a mirror and have your back to me and I'm like suuuper hungry, you will definitely see me sneaking up on you. I mean, you can't do anything to stop me, but you'll still see it coming. 😁

I've got loads of cool new projects lined up so you'll be seeing a lot from me in the near future. I even landed myself a sponsorship I can't wait to share with everyone! 🤩 Get excited!!!!

Stay slaying! xoxo Brittany

[willofwinnie]

Dogs of Auldrant

Throughout the game, there are many different dog models seen in ports and in cities. This is a collection of as many as I could find and my best guess of what breed they may be! Long post!

There are four main interactable dogs that use the same floppy-eared model but slightly recolored. These models you can see in the towns, ports, and bays. Other "dog" models (three) can be seen in special locations.

The first dog is the most common model seen in the game with four instances. To me, it honestly looks like a Borzoi. These dogs are also known as the Russian Wolfhound. As the name suggests, these dogs were used to help hunt wolves. This model can be seen in Akzeriuth, Belkend Port, Engeve, and Keterburg. While this dog can truly be anything from looks alone, using some other clues might help with this guess. The enemies around the locations of these dogs do help. Wolves are common around the Cheagle woods, Deo Pass, west Aberrian plains (Belkend area), Daath area, and Keterburg area. Almost everywhere wolves are, these dogs appear (except for Daath which does not have this dog). Borzois also can do well in cooler climates but will need a warm place for heavy winters.

The second is seen three times (from what I can find). It looks most like a Rough Collie (or a collie of some sort), specifically one with bent ears (though that detail is just because of the reused model). These dogs are bred for farm work like herding. This model can be found in Port Sheridan, Sheridan, and St Binah. No other dog that I have found in the game has such a distinct white band around its neck. While I do not know why this breed appears here rather than a town like Engeve, it is interesting to see another color pattern!

The third coloration is tied in the middle with three instances. It looks either like a Labrador Retriever or a Golden Retriever. Both these dogs were bred to retrieve game and swimming. This model can be found in Daath (Fourth Stone Monument), Grand Chokmah. And St. Binah. Locations do not help much to pin down this breed. Grand Chokmah is on the water, Daath near the ocean, and St. Binah is nowhere near water. In general, Labs and Goldens are popular breeds of dogs, number 2 and 3 of 2023 according to the AKC. So, I would not be surprised if this dog happened to be one of these two breeds.

The fourth dog also shows up three times. This dog is the most recognizable out of all of them, a Dalmatian. These dogs were bred to walk alongside coaches and help hunt. This model can be found in Baticul (by the docks), Keterburg Bay, and Daath Port. Location can somewhat help as these dogs appear by the docks. These locations, aside from Baticul, require a fair distance of travel to reach their respective cities. It makes sense that these dogs are around locations where people need to travel once they land.

There are three other "dogs" in the game. Peko is a named dog, and he is a Shiba Inu, just like his owner’s name. Honestly, the most on the nose dog there is on this list! The second “dog” is in the Sheridan Music Box house. It appears to be some sort of bulldog, my best guess is a French Bulldog! I say “dog” because I am unsure if this is a model for the machine or an actual dog. It doesn’t bark, whine, or anything. It only spins on this machine, and to my knowledge does not appear anywhere else. The third sort-of “dog” is an enemy in the game, the Theor Forest Watcher Wolf. It appears to have a collar and is domesticated for the Malkuth Military, so might as well add this ferocious good boy on the list!

I did not find any dogs in Belkend (city), Yulia City, Chesedonia, Kaitzur (town nor port), or the Desert Oasis. So, this is all I have for dogs. I did not search through every building or area. Feel free to add what you think these breeds are or if I missed anything! In the end, they're all certified good dogs!

[liminal-zone]

FYI FOR WHEEL OF TIME SEASON TWO WATCHERS. In the finale, a dog absolutely dies. The dog dies. It’s near impossible to watch if ur a bleeding heart like me. TRIGGER WARNING.

[ravencromwell]

Finally decided to indulge in the Siuan/Moiraine meta I've been wanting to write for ages now, musing on the differences in psychology ensuing from their significantly different arcs within the book and show and why Siuan's actions at season 2's apex are entirely in psychological sync with her show portrayal, even if they swerve wildly from the books.

Let's start with some Siuan back-story context. In the books, Tear was undeniably an unfriendly city for those with the One Power. But that translated, in practical terms, to Aes Sedai keeping their stays there brief, and girls who could touch The Source being quickly bustled off to the Tower. There were no Aes Sedai advisers, as in other kingdoms etc., but neither was there the virulent hostility of the show.

Siuan left Tear quickly in the books—the first day she was discovered to have the Power, but only because a sister was traveling through and didn't wish to delay returning to The Tower for such pesky things as sentimental goodbyes. Was that harsh? Absolutely. But the world of the books is exceedingly harsh in some respects, giving girls little to no choice about becoming Sisters, should they be discovered harboring abilities. (Much of Nynaeve's back-story involved hiding her powers precisely because she didn't fancy being ripped from The Two Rivers.)

Siuan faces a much different harshness in the show. The show doesn't do a great job explaining this, but The Dragon's Fang, which is etched onto Siuan's door before her house is unceremoniously torched, is a sign of immense contempt for Dark Friends. Within show Tear, a wary mistrust of Aes Sedai has curdled into something much more dangerous. All use of The Power is suspect, because if men's half was tainted, there's nothing to say women won't go suddenly mad, too.

It's worth remembering as well here that book Siuan was roughly fifteen when she went to The Tower. Now, I'm totally blind, and audio description doesn't give me an age for tiny show-Siuan, but if she's anywhere near puberty, I'll eat my metaphorical hat. And instead of being shepherded to The Tower, she had to flee for her life.

In her family's only means of support, I might ad. Book Siuan was by no means well-to-do, but she was firmly in the middling ranks of the working poor. Show Siuan's family are on the fucking destitution brink y'all. And she took her father's livelihood. Dying destitute ain’t fuckin pretty.

Siuan is not a stupid kid, and she clearly adores the shit out of her papa. The first thing that little girl did the millisecond she got any privileges? Wrote to her papa.

And more than likely, Berden never wrote back. It wouldn't take her long to figure out what'd happened. Moiraine is at great pains to tell Alana Jenny was not "her" support dog, and we laugh it off as oh, look at Moiraine being all adorably prim. Which in one sense, it totally is. But I'd almost guarantee you there's a deeper layer there: it wasn't "hers"; it was "theirs" because once Siuan found out her beloved papa was dead, they both needed something to cuddle.

This may seem like somewhat of a digression, but I'm maundering on because in the books yes, Dark Friends are evil. But they're evil because they caused a terrible cataclysm many thousands of years ago that killed lots of people, and they wanna do it again. There's no personal skin in the game for our beloved ladies, except they get thrust into the job through a convergence of some very complicated circumstances—I'd recommend any show-only watchers read "New Spring" because while I love almost all the changes the show has made ferociously, the way Siuan and Moiraine undertake the search is vastly more plausible as presented by Jordan there.

For Siuan in the show, by contrast, Dark Friend has _very personal ramifications. Dark Friends caused the corrosive mistrust that got her papa _killed! And Moiraine, better than _anyone, knows how that broke her.

And she _knows full well she could be deposed simply for having a relationship with Moiraine. The sensible thing to keep all the awful people from committing terrible crimes that will reverberate down the centuries to impact a little girl just as she was impacted would be to keep both their noses clean. And yet, she loves Moiraine so much that she'll take that risk to maintain not only an alliance about Rand, but a romantic relationship which could, realistically, be discovered much more easily.

And now, Moiraine, the woman who parroted back her beloved father's words of farewell about how Siuan was as clever as a pike and strong as the tides seemingly willfully lied; seemingly became a _Dark _Friend. Even her admonition that Lanfear is "too strong" must bring up so many awful questions: just how long have they been working together for her to know that? Because from Siuan's perspective, what it looks like is Lanfear coming in, guns blazing, to save her accomplice, Moiraine.

When Siuan says that there are rules and they have to abide by them, it's reflecting profoundly deep fears—not only about what Rand could do, but the kind of hatred toward those with The Power it could foster. For twenty years, she's put those fears aside. And now it appears that her going against Tower Law has lost her Moiraine to the Forsaken, and made terrible outcomes nigh on inevitable. And people are really confused about why she looks beaten?

Hell, from her perspective, forget Lanfear's entrance. The very fact Moiraine seemingly lied to her and is now talking about love must seem such a cruel mockery: laughing at Siuan's weakness; just as, perhaps, she was laughing at her with that parting comment in The Tower: an Amyrlin Seat still so swayed by what her papa told her so many years ago. (Yeah, we know it was as close as she could come to an I love you, but how the hell is Siuan supposed to know that, given everything?) This was not willful emotional abuse on someone she knew to be acting in good faith, but a reaction to the person she loved enough to risk the fucking Amyrlin Seat for becoming a monster!

Do I wish they'd picked _any other direction for their relationship? Yes, yes I damn well do. There was plenty to play with for angst factor by having the coup go down as it does in the books: Moiraine not being there to save her when all Siuan wanted was more time together, for one thing. Moiraine needlessly obfuscating in front of Siuan and  the other Sisters in S1, when Leandrin already knew! about the Two Rivers folk. Thinking she was being canny, when all she did was get herself pointlessly exiled so she couldn't protect Siuan? Quite enough of an angst sandwich, thanks ever so, without this new development. But! if they were going to include this, Siuan reacted precisely as I would expect her to, given the context I've outlined above, not in some madly ooc fashion worthy of the tags descending into emotional abuse discourse.

[bunbeeplays]

The Lemon Legacy: Generation 1, Chapter 119 - What a Beach

The Lemons are back and they're bumming it at the beach! Unfortunately, the Huff family is joining them because Gemma wanted to play with Jaden.

Calvin: Xander, hello. You look… urban.

Xander: Calvin. You look like you've got five minutes tops before you burst into flames.

The moms take their kids over to the shore to play.

Ophelia: Now don't go out too far, okay? Come get me or Daddy if you two need anything, got it?

Gemma: 'kay!

Gemma and Jaden wade into the water and have fun splashing around while Calvin starts grilling some hot dogs so he doesn't have to interact with anyone.

He loves his son, but he really can't stand being around him when he's with Gemma. He acts like such a… toddler!

Xander: I feel like you always get stuck talking to Anna. Want me to bite the bullet while you go play with Lulu and the bigger kids?

Ophelia: Knowing them, she'll think you're coveting another man's wife or something. I can put up with her for the kids. Go have fun.

Ophelia: What've you been up to?

Anna: Calvin was elected to be the treasurer of our church. Big responsibility, you know.

Ophelia: That's nice but I asked what YOU were up to.

Anna: Typical wife and mother duties. Probably not exciting to a woman of the world like yourself.

Ophelia: Uh… I'm a wife and mother too.

Anna: Yes, but you've got that big exciting career. A boring housewife probably doesn't interest a modern woman like you much.

The word 'modern' feels like a thinly veiled insult.

Ophelia: You're not just a housewife!

Ophelia: You've told me several times about all the ministry work you do for your church. Isn't that basically a job?

Anna: I-I suppose… But I do that in the name of the Watcher so it's a bit different.

Ophelia: It's great that you have something in your life besides Jaden and Calvin that gives you purpose. It's like that with my music for me.

Anna: Don't get me wrong, my main Watcherly purpose is to serve my husband and son!

Ophelia: Oh, of course. My family comes first too.

Ophelia: We're not so different, you and I.

Anna: I-I wouldn't go that far-

Ophelia: Your ministry work, with planning, meetings and events, would you say it takes like… 40 hours a week?

Anna: …I suppose.

Ophelia: Look at you, modern working girl!

Anna: L-Let's change the subject! Uh, the weather's been nice, right?

Ophelia wasn't sure that was going to work, but maybe now Anna will stop throwing her judgmental little digs into the conversation every five minutes.

Anna: That's a cute little swimsuit. I prefer to be more modest in my appearance. Don't want to be a stumbling block to our Brothers in Watching but I suppose I'm old-fashioned in that way.

Well, it was nice while it lasted.

Gemma and Jaden are having a blast in the water! Enjoy not being judged for your clothing or lifestyle choices while it lasts, kids!

Xander and Lulu are having fun too, at least.

Xander: You like the water, cupcake?

Lulu: 😄

Anna at least has one actual nice thing to say.

Anna: It's nice that your husband spends so much time with your girls. It's like pulling teeth getting Calvin to come with us to things, let alone getting him to actually play with our son.

Calvin pretends he didn't hear that.

Xander sets Lulu in the shade near Ophelia for a nap and comes to check in with the kids, who are building a sand sculpture.

Xander: What are you guys making?

Gemma: Cowplant!

Xander lets them do it themselves but still keeps an eye on them

Dealing with his parents might be a nightmare, but Jaden has been nothing but a sweetheart to Gemma. The two get along swimmingly. They somehow make a sand sculpture that actually looks pretty good.

Xander: Good job, you two! Stand in front of it, let me take a picture.

Anna: Jaden has a lot of fun with Miss Gemma. He… struggles fitting in with the kids at church. I'm glad he has a friend in her.

Sounds like it was hard for her to say that.

Ophelia: Jaden's a sweet kid. I'm glad he's Gemma's friend too.

That's one thing they can agree on!

[typingtess]

NCIS: Los Angeles Season 14 Rewatch:    “New Beginnings Part One”

The basics:  NCIS’s Office of Special Projects gets involved with an ATF undercover operation.

Written by: Kyle Harimoto & R. Scott Gemmill

Kyle Harimoto wrote "Omni", "Merry Evasion", "Chernoff, K" (season six finale), "Command and Control" as episode 150, "Granger, O.", "Ghost Gun", "Kulinda", "767", "Se Murio El Payaso", "Assets"/"Liabilities", "Venganza", "Superhuman", "One of Us", "Let Fate Decide" (season 11 premiere), "Decoy", "Answers" , "Watch Over Me", "Cash Flow", "Fukushu", "Bonafides", "Come Together" (season 13 finale) and "Of Value".  He co-wrote "Three Hearts", "Leipei", "Humbug", both ends of the "Matryoshka" two-parter (part one with Gemmill), "Smokescreen" part two, "Searching", "A Fait Acompli", "A Tale of Two Igors" (season 12 finale, with Gemmill) and "Best Seller".

R. Scott Gemmill wrote/cowrote "The Only Easy Day", "Brimstone", "Breach", "LD50", "Found", "Borderline", "Absolution", "Archangel", "Tin Soldiers", "Impostors", "Cyberthreat", "Honor", "The Watchers" and both sides of the NCIS Los: Angeles/Hawaii Five-0 "Touch of Death" episodes, "Recruit", "Free Ride", "Wanted", "Ravens and The Swans", "Impact", "War Cries", both ends of the "Deep Trouble" season five finale/season six premiere, "Inelegant Heart", "Praesidium", "Traitor", "Active Measures" (season seven premiere), "Blame It On Rio", "Internal Affairs", "Matryoshka" part one (with Harimoto),  "Talion" (season seven finale), "High Value Target"/"Belly of the Beast" (season eight premieres), "The Queen’s Gambit", "Under Siege", "Unleashed" (season eight finale), "Party Crashers" (season nine’s premiere), "This Is What We Do" (episode 200), "Các Tù Nhân", "Goodbye Vietnam", "Ninguna Salida" (the season nine finale), "Hit List", "Asesinos", "Till Death Do Us Part", "Choke Point", "The Guardian", "Hail Mary", "Kill Beale Vol. 1", "Alsiyadun", "Fortune Favors the Brave", "The Bear" (season 12 premiere), "Angry Karen", "Love Kills", "Russia, Russia, Russia", "The Noble Maidens", "A Tale of Two Igors" (season 12 finale with Harimoto), "Subject 17" (season 13 premiere), "All The Little Things", "MWD", Work and Family", "Game of Drones" and "A Long Time Coming" NCIS/NCIS: Hawaii cross-over hour. 

Directed by:  John P. Kousakis directed "Imposters", "Sacrifice", "San Voir" part one, "The Fifth Man", "Parley", "Inelegant Heart", "Chernoff, K." (season six finale), "Active Measures", "The Long Goodbye", "Talion" (season seven finale), "Glasnost", "Unleashed" (season 8 finale), "Party Crashers" (season nine premiere), "This Is What We Do" (episode 200), "Goodbye Vietnam", "Ninguna Salida" (season nine finale), "The Guardian", "High Society", "A Tale of Two Igors" (season 12 finale), "Under the Influence", "Genesis", "Come Together" (season 13 finale), "A Farewell to Arms", all of the Afghanistan scenes from "Iron Curtain Rising" to "Zero Days" in season five and all of Kensi’s injury/recovery storyline scenes from "The Queen’s Gambit" to "Sirens" in season eight. 

Guest stars of note: Bar Paly as Anastasia "Anna" Kolchek is back from “Shame”, season 14’s 14th episode, Ava McCoy as Jordyn Rountree is back from “Sleeping Dogs”, season 14’s 16th episode, Richard Gant as Raymond Hanna is back from “Dead Stick”, season 14’s 4th episode, Vyto Rugins as Arkady Kolchek is back from “Blood Bank”, season 14’s 9th episode, Natalia del Riego as Rosa is back from “The Other Shoe”, season 14’s 15th episode, Lesley Boone as Nina Barnes is back from “A Farewell to Arms”, season 14’s 13th episode, Duncan Campbell has done three episodes in a row as Agent Castor, CSI's Liz Vassey as ATF SAC Kerry Adams, Celeste Den as NMC Commander Collins and former UFC Champion Randy Couture as ATF Agent Bill Newsome.

Our heroes:   Are nearing the end.

What important things did we learn about: Callen: Wondering if he’s doing the right thing with Anna. Sam: Believes Callen is doing the right thing with Anna.   Kensi:  Not feeling well. Deeks:   Happy, grateful and enjoying his family moments. Fatima:  Doing a warrantless search. Rountree:  Hearing from his lawyer about his lawsuit against LAPD. Kilbride:  Working well with other agencies.

What not so important things did we learn about: Callen:  Wasn’t interested in how Arkady was banned from the Playboy Mansion until he was really interested. Sam:  Working out with Raymond in the park Kensi: Eating leftovers in the fridge. Deeks:  Not removing expired leftovers from the fridge. Fatima:  Master of the obvious as the episode ends. Rountree:  Being his sister’s biggest fan. Kilbride:  Making a rare visit during the work day to the boat shed.

Where in the world is Henrietta Lange?  In the previously-s.

Who's down with OTP:   Callen and Anna/Kensi and Deeks are having some ups and downs but are all very much in love.

Who's down with BrOTP:  If you don’t think the penultimate episode isn’t going to play up the most important relationship in the show, you would be wrong.

Fashion review:  Callen starts the day in a light blue workout shirt with a darker blue workout jacket.  Later, he wears a blue plaid button down shirt.  Sam wears black workout gear and a black cap in the park with Raymond, black long-sleeve tee at work.  Kensi wears a black top to the office.  Working overwatch, Kensi and Deeks are in light green jackets with light colored-pants so they fit in with the nature around them.  Deeks starts the episode in dark grey sweatshirt.  Fatima wears black cropped shrug sweater over a white tee-shirt that is fantastic.  Rountree  light blue tee-shirt and a really light blue demin jacket.  Kilbride has a charcoal grey three-piece suit, light blue dress shirt, beige paisley tie with a hint of pink.

Music:   “Pushin’ Rope” by Dead Things and War is playing in Anna’s ear buds when Arkady comes to visit. “Hunt You Down” by Jonathan Murrill, Lee Richardson, Tom Ford, James Cocozza and Raxstar is playing in the gunrunner’s home.

Any notable cut scene:  Yes!  After Rosa leaves for school, Deeks reviews some of her assignments – all A’s.  Kensi is in awe – Rosa makes all her excellent work look so easy, especially with English being a second language.  Kensi thinks Rosa is smarter than both of them.  Deeks thinks one of them – the one who is a scavenger when it comes to left overs in the fridge.  Kensi mentions that he’s the one who lets the food stay in the fridge for so long.  The conversation devolves into zombies.  Kensi wants to play a game where Deeks won’t talk without Kensi asking a question.  He doesn’t like that game.  She said she didn’t ask a question.

Quote:  Callen:  “You think I'm doing the right thing?” Sam:  “Doesn't matter what I think or anyone else, for that matter.  But, yes, I think you're doing the right thing.” Callen:  “What?” Sam:  “Nothing.” Callen:  “Come on, tell me.” Sam:  “It's just, it's just hard to believe, you know?  G. Callen, the nomad, the lone wolf, the shadow, about to be a married man.” Callen:  “Yup.  Did you plan your wedding?” Sam:  “Are you kidding me?  You knew Michelle.  I was lucky she let me attend.  That woman was nothing  if not a taskmaster.  Wow.  Long time ago.”

Anything else:  Lots of previously-s including the Rosa barbeque on the beach, Callen proposing, Sam dealing with Raymond’s condition, Rountree and Jordyn’s awful police encounter, Kilbride and Hetty having a talk before she left for Syria and Kilbride telling Callen Hetty was going.

In what looks like an abandoned warehouse, an intruder breaks in through the skylight.  He finds a few shipping containers.  One is empty.  The other has boxes, but they’re empty too.  Looking at some of the warehouse shelves, the intruder pulls the pin on a special grenade that starts a countdown.  A security guard confronts the intruder, with two men acting as back up.  As the guard tries to handcuff the intruder, the grenade blows.  Nobody is too badly hurt.  The intruder is able to punch and kick his way through the guards. 

In their dining room, Callen and Anna are negotiating the seating arrangement for the wedding.  Arkady is bringing two dates and dates can’t sit near each other.  Callen jokes that Arkady thinks he’s Hugh Hefner.  This brings back memories for Anna of when Arkady was banned from the Playboy Mansion for dressing as Britney Spears, complete with a live snake, for a Halloween party.

Anna gets a call.  Two members of the band for the wedding has been in a car crash.  They are all alive and doing well but can’t play.  Anna is really upset.  Callen promises that it is all going to work out – “it always does.” 

In the park, Sam is sparring/working out with Raymond.  Raymond calls it a workout, surprising Sam since the Major he knew never quit a workout.  The Major Sam knew had his original hips, Raymond reminds Sam.  Besides, he was at the gym twice that week with Arkady.  “Cigarettes and a flask aren’t exactly the building blocks of a tough workout,” Sam tells his father.  Besides, Sam went through lots of tough workouts as a kids, workouts that would trigger a child protective services call today.  Raymond asks if Sam would have gotten through SEALS training without those workouts.  “Probably” is Sam’s answer. 

The Blye-Deeks home is getting ready to start the day.  They are just back from camping – Kensi brought the chocolate and graham crackers but Deeks forgot the marshmallows.  After Deeks makes a bad joke that smores without marshmallows are just sores, Rosa calls him on telling Dad Jokes.  They are going camping again soon. 

As Rosa leaves, Deeks revels in the happiness and love he feels for his family.  He’s mindful of all this.  Kensi chides him – Kilbride isn’t a mindful fan.  Kensi isn’t feeling well.  She ate week old shawarma Deeks left in the fridge and said was still good.  Deeks said when she mentioned leftovers, he thought she was talking the ribs.  Kensi wants all leftovers dated and tossed after 48 hours.  She’s only allowed to eat rice, applesauce, toast and bananas.  And it’s Deeks’s fault.

In his SUV, Rountree is giving advice to Jordyn, who is going in to interview for medical school.  She knows she wouldn’t be there without him.  Rountree doesn’t agree.  They compromise on it being a Rountree team effort.  Rountree is so proud of Jordyn.  She makes him promise not to be mopey if the interview doesn’t work.  But he know she’s going this.

A woman pulls up in a parking lot in a non-descript Ford sedan.  She’s meeting the Admiral in his non-descript American sedan.  Introducing herself as ATF SAC Kerry Adams, she is asked by the Admiral about why they are meeting.  Adams has an agent, William Newsome, who is working a long undercover operation.  She shows a photo of Newsome to the Admiral.  It is the intruder at the warehouse.  Adams claims that Newsome has had an exceptional career with ATF, “truly one of our best.”  He’s working a case with stole weapons that are military grade.  Adams hasn’t spoken to Newsome for a while  - not uncommon but she’s concerned. 

There are people around Adams who believe Newsome may have flipped.  His daughter died of a drug overdose, he split up with his wife.  The Admiral calls it a familiar story.  Adams is concerned that if Newsome flipped, he knows how the ATF functions, knows some deep undercover ATF agents in the field.  She hopes she’s wrong when it comes to being suspicious of Newsome but if she’s not, Newsome is not someone they want to cross.  The Admiral promised Adams that if Newsome is in trouble, NCIS will help him.  If he’s flipped, well, NCIS and the ATF will deal with that if it happens.

Driving to work, Callen is reading the case to Sam.  Kilbride wants Callen and Sam to work with Newsome.  They are worried that being undercover so long, Newsome may project an image NCIS and the ATF want to see.  Callen thinks they’ll be fine – everyone has a tell.  Sam asks Callen what is his tell.  Callen tells Sam he tilts his head as a “tell”.  Sam tells Callen his  “tell” is giggling. 

Entering the boat shed, Agent Castor introduces Callen and Sam to Newsome.  The case is about “trigger happy gunrunners with a drug issue,” according to Newsome.  Sam thinks that a great combination.  Newsome is undercover to find out who is running the organization – nobody in law enforcement can figure that out – and where they are getting their military grade weapons.  Time is of the essence.  The organization will be leaving LA soon.  They have a large stockpile of weapons in town.  They want to sell the weapons and get out of town.  Newsome needs to return to the gang.  Callen and Sam will work on the organization’s leadership and where the guns are coming from.  Other agents will be assigned to watch Newsome.  Newsome is grateful for the help.

A distracted Rountree walks into Ops.  Fatima has Newsome’s activity reports on the big screen.  Noticing he’s texting, Fatima asks what’s going on.  Rountree tries to gloss over it but says his lawyer heard from LAPD.  He has news for Rountree once he knows what’s going on.  Fatima promises it is going to be alright.  Rountree is worried, Jordyn doesn’t need extra stress this week.  The two return to the case.  With the large cache of military weapons mentioned in Newsome’s reports, Fatima and Rountree think it is a good idea to call Nina Barnes (it is always a good idea to call Nina Barnes). 

It's Kensi and Deeks’s turn to walk into the boat shed to talk to Newsome.  This time the Admiral does the intros.  Kensi and Deeks are overwatch.  Newsome is worried he’s been made.  After the Admiral points out the house used by the gunrunners in Malibu Canyon, Deeks knows the area.  Kilbride tells Kensi, Deeks and Newsome that he doesn’t want any cowboy stuff.  If Newsome has been found out, Newsome needs to hit the deck with Kensi and Deeks firing inside the house.

In an outdoor parking lot, Callen and Sam are meeting Nina Barnes.  Callen thinks this meeting should be Barnes’s store or roach coach.  Fatima warns Callen not to call the pastry truck a roach coach if he expects Barnes to help.  She’s meeting with angel investors to take her pastries national. 

As they wait, Callen asks Sam if he is doing the right thing with Anna.  Sam says it doesn’t matter what he thinks, it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks.  And Sam thinks Callen is doing the right thing.  Sam is shocked – “G. Callen,  the nomad, the lone wolf, the shadow – about to be a married man.”  Callen asks if Sam planned his wedding.  Sam was lucky to go to his wedding.  Callen knew Michelle and she was nothing if not a taskmaster.  Sam stops and says “wow, a long time ago.”  Sam’s phone goes off.  Raymond is a candidate for a drug trial for his condition.  The people running the drug trial more information about Raymond.  That sounds like a good sign.

Looking at the big screen in Ops, Rountree notices Newsome’s finances are what they would expect but a second daughter is a Pepperdine without loans and driving a late model Range Rover.  That is too much money for college and transportation for someone with Newsome’s salary.  The ex-wife doesn’t have any money.  If Newsome is working with the gunrunners, NCIS could be walking into a trap as he protects his financial benefactors.

Still waiting for Nina Barnes, Callen asks if Sam has his best man’s speech ready to go.  Sam calls it a work in progress.  “Don’t tell the Damascus story,” Callen warns.  Sam is sad – the Damascus story is funny.  Barns walks up, saying hi to Sam and “other guy.”  She knows about the wedding, stating that she was married four times (twice to the same guy).  Saying she learned something about marriage, Callen asks if that is “you’re a joy to live with”?   He recommendation is “don’t do it” but she keeps getting married.

She knows a little about the organization Newsome has infiltrated.  They’re psychopaths who makes Russian bad guys look like Boy Scouts.  No name for the leader, the group runs very low to the ground and anyone who pushes is in big trouble.  Callen asks if Barnes couldn’t have told them all that info on the phone.  She could have but then she wouldn’t have seen Sam.  Callen is sighing.  Barnes says the organization has excellent intel.  Asked if that is coming from say an undercover ATF agent who may have flipped, Barnes is still checking.  She’ll have something for them at the end of the day along with their order for $200 worth of pastries.  She’s not working for free anymore.  Sam asks for red velvet cake and that will be part of the order.  She also promises same some lady fingers.

Callen calls into Ops.  He tells Fatima that he needs to speak to a Naval ordinance specialist.  That done, Callen thinks it is odd that Newsome is fine with NCIS backing him up and not his own agency.  Sam thinks Kilbride may have had a talk with Newsome.  Fatima asks if Callen needs a specific ordance specialist.  He doesn’t.  He just wants to look at the case from the weapons side. 

In the Malibu Canyon, Deeks is worried about snakes.  The Daryl Donkins story comes up, wondering if Rosa knows about Deeks’s reptilian heroism.  Kensi and Deeks call in their location to the Admiral.  The Admiral mentions Newsome’s questionable financials.  Deeks thinks something is up – Newsome was just a bit too cool about what was going on.  Why would he meet with NCIS while undercover?  The Admiral thinks it was to see what NCIS knew about Newsome’s work.  Kensi and Deeks may be doing overwatch to provide Newsome with an alibi.  The Admiral thinks it could be a trap.  With the Admiral off comms, Kensi asks if Deeks is thinks what she’s thinking.  “That Thin Mints are the devil’s candy.”  Kensi gives him a look before Deeks goes professional.  He wants them to move their overwatch location if Newsome is setting up a trap.  Deeks tells Kensi he knows that she knows how lucky she is to have him as a partner.  “Lucky, lucky, me,” she tells Deeks.  “Just hashtag blessed,” is his reply. 

Listening to music with her earbuds in, Anna hears a floor board creak.  She nearly kills Arkady, who let himself in after knocking and not getting an answer.  Anna called Arkady.  The wedding planning is getting to her.  He understands.  He thinks the only reason for marriage is to prepare a person for death.  She’s not thrilled with that particular thought.  Anna tells him about the band.  He suggests a number of Russian musicians but Anna doesn’t want the wedding to become Maslenitsa.  The good people at Google tell me that a Maslenitsa is “an ancient Orthodox Christian holiday celebrated in the last week before the Orthodox Lent. The festivities — also known as Pancake Week — are traditionally celebrated in Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine and mark the end of winter.”  Arkady mentions there is always dancing at Maslenitsa, and who doesn’t like pancakes.

Anna said this was a bad idea.  Arkady agrees.  He’ll tell Grisha that the wedding was always a bad idea.  Calling Arkady an idiot, Anna makes it clear – the wedding is fine, calling Arkady for help was the bad idea.   Arkady suggests a Vegas DJ named Titan.  Bonus – Arkady plays Durak with Titan’s dad Aleksei.  Alesksei owes Arkady favors.  When he makes the call, Aleskei can get Titan to work the wedding with Callen and Anna figuring out how to pay.

Callen and Sam meet with Kerry Adams in the boat shed.  If Callen and Sam have any intel for her, Adams will be very impressed.  Sam says they are still working on some things, Adams says the same.  Callen thinks Newsome’s work is strong, the only question they have is financial when it comes to Newsome.  He’d also like to know why Adams had some initial suspicions about Newsome.  Sam pushes – what is Adams holding out on NCIS.  Adams says she is protecting her people and the ATF but she doesn’t suspect anyone.  Callen and Sam wonder about the other agencies Newsome works with including local law enforcement. 

Sam’s phone rings – it is Raymond.  Taking the call in interrogation, Raymond tells Sam his shoulder hurts so he’s not working out that day.  It takes Sam a minute to realize Raymond isn’t home, he’s back at the park.  Raymond walked to the park and he wants to walk home.  Sam wants Raymond to take a seat.  Raymond hangs up. 

Back in Ops, Rountree asks if Fatima found anything.  Newsome’s daughter has a college fund set up by her grandfather when she was born.  That clears the financials so Kilbride wants Fatima and Rountree to check out every law enforcement official Newsome has worked with during his career.  A real needle in a haystack.

In overwatch, Kensi sees two large Sprinter vans arriving at the Malibu house.  It could be a very big weapons delivery.

A Commander Collins is on a video call with the Admiral.  She is a weapons expert.  He briefs her on the case.  The munitions Fatima was able to inventory as part of the ATF investigation did not come from the Navy’s stockpiles.  She runs the inventory.  Nothing is missing.  Many of the items on the list, however, are common weapons used by militaries all over the world.  Collins will cross-reference the list Fatima sent to see who I using what.

Sam has a tracker on Raymond and finds him sitting, talking to a woman.  Raymond is charming.  Sam is frustrated, he was calling Raymond all the way over to the park.  Raymond has the phone on vibrate.  Too many telemarketers.  Raymond tries to introduce “Osama” to his new friend.  Sam pulls Raymond away.  Raymond doesn’t remember the morning workout, he thinks Sam is working too hard and forgetting what was going on.  The morning workout comes back to Raymond. 

Sam pushed the clinical trials but Raymond is worried about it.  He saw a doctor on CNN who wouldn’t take any medical treatment after the age of 75.  Sam is confused – the doctor isn’t a Marine.  Why is Raymond doing, or not doing this?  Raymond decides he’s in.  They share some family stories as Sam walks Raymond to his car.

Manning overwatch, Deeks using a parabolic microphone so he can hear the bad guys playing video games inside the house.  Deeks wants an Xbox.  Kensi is struggling.  She’s sniffling and working hard to concentrate.  Thinking they need full body scans for Rosa’s sake, Deeks goes on a long rant about the Doomsday Clock.  Kensi, anti-Doomsday and anti-Clock.  Kensi sees a new person entering the home. 

Inside the home, the new guy tells Newsome and some other gunrunning stooges that the boss has the money coming in so the “merch” needs to be ready to go.  Newsome, who is playing old-school pinball and not video games, asks about the “merch” and where the weapons are being held.  The new guy and Newsome get into it.  New guy pulls a knife on Newsome.  That was a mistake as Newsome chokes him out and relieves the new guy of his knife.  Newsome tells the new guy he can have his knife back when Newsome believes the new guy can handle it.  In overwatch, Kensi and Deeks are impressed.

Fatima pulls up Kerry Adams’s financials without a warrant or subpoena.  She’s dirty.  “We” have to tell the Admiral, Fatima says to Rountree.  Rountree isn’t so sure of the “we” part.

Kilbride calls into Callen and Sam.  Adams is dirty and has been for years.  The US Attorney’s Office can’t use the financials as a reason to indict Adams.  If Callen and Sam can catch her in the act, however, they may be able to bring her down.

Racing to Adams’s home, Callen and Sam drive into an underground garage just as Adams is being driven out.  Adams is shocked – has NCIS lost their minds.  That’s when the shooting starts.  In the back of Adams’s SUV, her driver pulls out a long gun and just lets loose on Callen, Sam and Sam’s car.  She pulls out an automatic weapon and joins in on the unloading fun.  Callen and Sam are hiding behind the Sam’s car as it is being blown to bits.   

On comms, Fatima helpfully adds that they are outgunned and have to move.

What head canon can be formed from here:    A really solid start to wrap up the series.  Played on all the notes the program hit over 14-seasons – long-term undercover who may have been swallowed up by his role, corruption in federal agencies, relationships that matter to our heroes. 

Loved the return of the show’s most recent “greatest hits” guest stars with Anna, Arkady, Rosa, Raymond and Nina Barnes, who the program should have found in season 10.

What is coming in part two was well set-up here.  I do think they did a good job cutting out the one scene.  Kensi and Deeks were sort of snotty to each other just after they had a lovely moment with Rosa and Deeks spoke about being in his happy place with his family.

A flaw in the storytelling – Adams gets NCIS involved because Newsome hasn’t called in to the office in days. Minutes later, he’s in the boat shed meeting with Castor, Callen, Sam, Kilbride, Kensi and Deeks. 

Episode number:   Episode 20 of season 14.  Episode 322 overall.  322 episodes down, one to go.

[ok-ish-hermitcraft-headcanons]

XISUMA IS GRIAND BIOLOGICAL DAD

Ok so get this ? Xisuma is Grians dad, and he decided to raise him in Japan and all, yadiyadiyada the “yandere” incident happens in preschool and Xisuma decides to move Grian to Hermitcraft, ultimately deciding that he’d rather have Grian surrounded by trust worthy friends than him delivering COCAINE to people in Japan.

Well? Grian grows up, he was homeschooled up until Grian just “hey! I grew up in Japan, Japanese was my first language and my friends still remember me ! I WANNA GO TO SCHOOL!!” And so, after many puppy dog eyes from Grian, Xisuma gives in and grants the permission.

They keep texting each other how its going and all up until the texts disappear into thin air. Grian hadn’t texted his dad in four months and Xisuma was beyond worried. He had called the Japanese police department to ask about Grian and they’d simply told him he’d disappeared.

To say Xisuma was distraught would be an understatement. He was beyond broken. No hermit could talk to him , NO ONE. Because Grian was the only remaining family member that he truly loved and cherished, he was his SON. And to hear he’d gone missing in another country? Xisuma blamed himself.

Meanwhile Grian started EVO, it went on for about an year before he was captured by the watchers, pain and a depressing scenery filled his body and eyes, just wishing for his dad to come back, the thing was , that Grian thought that his dad had abandoned him when he got in the bus crash and the whole “you’re Taurtis, Grian!” Thing, he wished for his dad, he wished that his dad could hug him, but to no avail.

All concludes up to Grian ultimately escaping the watchers and crashing to the earth, and suddenly, somehow Xisuma gets this feeling that hes near, Xisuma jumps out of his depressive episode bed and sprints to the source of the feeling, seeing his son hunched over by some pretty flowers. Xisuma thinks all of this is a dream, a NIGHTMARE. A nightmare that will play wuth his feelings and hope but just as he sees Grian stir in pain, all of those are washed away. He moves closer, slowly and gently, cupping Grians cheeks. He can feel tear streaks upon his own as he smiles softly and moves Grian to his bed. His very own bed Xisuma had kept with him before he went back to school. After many regen potions , Grians pain goes away, and as he opens his eyes, his eyes are filled with comfort as he sees Xisuma, his DAD sit next to him, holding hos hand. He cries and cries and cries as xisuma does the same, they hugged fir the longest time they’ve ever hugged, but X did not mind, hell! He’d give the whole sun and moon to Grian if he could ! In the end, everything goes smoothly and happy !!!!!

(Sorry for tje lomg one!!!! Its been a BRAINROT for MOMTHS)

-🦉

Ah I hate when that happens /j