#especially after four million years of war

[lizardsfromspace]

Welcome to Monster Mondays, where I'll be watching every Godzilla and Godzilla-adjacent film from the beginning. I started this last week but fell asleep which means my complete Godzilla watch series does not include a review of Godzilla (1954). It gets 🦖🦖🦖🦖🦖 and I'll be pretending I wrote a review instead of writing one. Also it's Tuesday

GODZILLA RAIDS AGAIN - 1955

As we'll go on I'll remember how many of these I've actually seen, bc I caught a lot on Sci-Fi Channel Godzilla marathons as a kid but don't know which. But I've for certain never seen this before. Back when it was the established Online Film Nerd Opinion that every Godzilla movie after the first/every one where Godzilla fights another monster was Bad, this was held up as some ridiculous failure, and I guess it's still framed as disappointing, but it's...alright? Tonally, it's pretty similar to the first movie! The Osaka sequence carries on its tone, with the fight between Godzilla and our first new monster Anguirus incidentally wrecking the place, especially the three men who flee into the subway only to be drowned by the ceiling's collapse. The fight between the two kaiju comes down to biting bloody chunks out of a monster's neck, something whose effect is muted by the monster fights being in fast forward for some reason. As you know from my review of the first movie last week, I loved the stark setpieces of Godzilla's attacks in that one, and there's some of that here

It's less a departure and more Godzilla (1954) if it was kind of aimless. There's no Serizawa type arc, with the human plot being an extremely forgettable love triangle. While Anguirus is a good monster, especially the contrast of going with a four-legged beast instead of something more Godzilla-esque, and by going for another more obscure dinosaur (the type of animal that went extinct 2 million years ago), he's also rather incidental to this film, being defeated with over 30 minutes of movie left, 30 minutes that are filled with a lot of human partying and then jets flying over Godzilla repeatedly (a less egregious but also less funny part of padding than the scene where everyone watches random, silent clips from the first Godzilla movie). I don't know 🦖🦖🦖

RODAN - 1956

I've watched this before (always the American dub though) and was ambivalent towards it and I have no idea why. Rodan rules.

We're out in the country, in a mining village, for a movie that's essentially three movies (and in color for the first time). First it's a riff on Them!, a claustrophobic horror story about insect creatures hiding in the dark of a mine (for the record Them! is also much better than the statement "1950s killer ant movie" would suggest). Second it's a mysterious UFO story, a take on 1950s stories of pilots chasing flying saucers. Then in the last act, it's a big kaiju story where big flying lizards wreck a city with their supersonic wings (Rodan gets to be in about 30 minutes of his only solo film)

Rodan does have themes about nuclear testing, but also the environment (one of the early scenes is two scientists discussing global warming!), and is the film that emphasizes the tragic nature of monsters the most so far, with its mournful finale. There's probably too many "scientists and soldiers talk in a room" scenes in the back half but 🦖🦖🦖🦖

The List: (this series is gonna end with Final Wars so I threw the more recent ones on here)

Next Up: It's going to be like three weeks before I get to another movie with Godzilla in it. Next time it's The Mysterians and Varan the Unbelievable

[zeropro]

At least it looks like Skywarp's having a pretty good time (besides the whole messed up warping situation,) meanwhile Starscream is just perpetually stressed the entire time lol

Not true! Starscream's getting along with some of the guys!

Starscream's got intel, and Prowl wants to hear it. Finally someone who takes Starscream's conspiracy board seriously!

Wheeljack woulda got along with Starscream, because Wheeljack believes in giving everyone a second chance. Plus they can do science together! (Tho wheeljack's still like, dude really uncool of you to shoot skyfire that one time :/)

Also I think the Aerialbots would think Starscream is cool, they are essentially younglings and don't know a lot about seekers, since all of the Autobots are either grounders or civilian class flightframes. It would be neat to hear about Vos and other aspects of Cybertronian life from a different perspective I think.

[evilwickedme]

It's so clear to me that so many so called "anti Zionists" - especially the non Palestinian goyim - have no idea how the Israeli election system works, and how bibi remains in power, and why we had five elections in like, three years, despite elections supposedly being every four years - because he couldn't keep a government stable enough to stay in power. Bibi netanyahu is MASSIVELY unpopular, and his approval rate has tanked even more since the war started, even among likud voters, the people who vote for HIS party (although their approval rates ranked less than the rest of the population). He has an extreme right wing government because if he didn't cooperate with right wing extremists and haredim he straight up wouldn't have the majority he needs to be our prime minister in the first place. He's been on trial for corruption for years at this point, and tried to completely restructure the judicial system just to avoid prison - leading to nearly a full year of protests until Oct 7. Luckily it didn't end up passing.

If elections were held at any point in the last five months since this war started, not only would he not be PM, we'd straight up have a center-left government. My recent transformation into a Yair Golan stan account is a joke but also 100% real - according to polls from the last three months or so, if he does what he's campaigning to do, leading a combined avoda and meretz party, he'd get enough votes to have an actual influential left wing party in the government for the first time in decades. An unbelievable amount of Israelis are calling for bibi to resign, many of them not calling for it to happen after the war ends, but right now.

I am sourcing this information from polls conducted by channels 11 (kan), 12, and 13, as well as by the Israeli democracy foundation, all but one of our important news channels - channel 14, the last channel, is our equivalent of fox news, and despite their numbers often being extremely different due to what is in my opinion biased reporting and flawed methodology, even they at times have had to admit that gantz is currently leading in the polls.

(Disclaimer that I work for a company that provides subtitles for channel 13, but i do not directly work for channel 13. Channel 13 leans mostly center left, and employs several (self identified) Arab Israelis in front of the camera, including Lucy Aharish, who makes considerable effort to bring Palestinian and Bedouin perspectives to her show. It also employs at least one massive racist though.)

I write this post because I keep seeing an unsourced claim by goyim that there's a poll showing a high rate of approval - 88%! - of the destruction and/or deaths Israel and the IDF are causing in Gaza. I went down a rabbit hole and simply couldn't find a poll asking about approval of deaths or destruction, although maybe I was looking up the wrong keywords? As a result I have just... So many questions. Because with the information I have from trustworthy local news sources, from the news channels I mentioned above and papers such as yediot aharonot/ynet and Haaretz, it doesn't fit with current public opinion, including many recent protests for more efforts towards a ceasefire. So my questions are thus -

Who conducted this poll? Was it a think tank, a government agency, a paper, a news channel? If so, which one? Are they left leaning, right leaning? Was it conducted by an Israeli or foreign institution?

Who did they ask? Was it a sample of likud voters; all Israeli adults; did they include only Jewish Israelis or also Arab citizens (approx. 1.5 million out of our 8 million population), Bedouins, and other minorities?

When was the poll conducted? Was it in October, immediately after the Oct 7 massacre, before the death toll in Gaza grew? Was it conducted more recently?

What, exactly, did they ask? Did they ask about destruction in general, or about the death toll in particular? Did they ask about the attempts to rescue hostages with military means, or all military actions? Did they ask about the number of Hamas operatives dead, about their estimated ratio of Hamas to civilians, about the total deaths?

What was the size of the pool surveyed? Was it conducted on a few dozen, a few hundred, or a few thousand people?

Because without this information, that one, sole statistic is essentially useless. As Mark Twain said, there are lies, damned lies, and statistics. Always look at the source and ask: who asked the questions, who got asked, and what the questions were.

More specific statistics and sources under the cut.

I did find one survey by the Israel democracy foundation that asked if the IDF should take the Gazan suffering into account - an entirely different question, although it did still have a horrific 89% Jewish Israelis and 14% Arab Israelis and Palestinian citizens who said they shouldn't. That said, the pool they were drawing from was not very large - 500 of the interviews were conducted in Hebrew, 100 were conducted in Arabic. Also, of the people who supposedly said that they shouldn't, a little more than half of both populations said they should "somewhat" take it into account - that is, they didn't say they shouldn't take it into account at all, just not make it their first priority. This survey was conducted mid December.

In another survey by the same source with a slight larger sample size (a little over 600 Jewish Israelis and a little over 150 Arab Israelis), an insanely low 15% still wanted Bibi to be the PM, with the only candidate who received more than 6.5% being the center candidate Benny Gantz, who historically has tried to cooperate with center and left parties, with a whopping 23% of the votes. The survey included 10 candidates, as well as five other non candidate options. 4% voted "just not Bibi", and an actually insane 30.5% voted they were undecided. Only a quarter of those surveyed believed Bibi would manage to maintain a coalition after the war, a number that includes more extreme right wing voters, and only the ultra Orthodox haredi population had a majority of people (60%) who believed he can. This survey was conducted in January.

The channel 13 news survey from early March - barely over a week ago! - covered more specifically which parties would manage to get into the government and how many seats they would get, as under a certain amount of votes you simply do not get seats. Not all seats get into a coalition. According to their poll, the amount of seats the likud would get is halved, from 32 to 17, while gantz's the state camp would grow from 12 to 39. While currently meretz gets 4 seats and haavodah do not get enough votes to get a seat at the table so to speak, a combined haavodah and meretz under Yair Golan gets 9 mandates. In total, the right wing only get 47 mandates, well short of the amount of mandates necessary to create a government.

Channel 12's corresponding poll from January shows 35 mandates for gantz, and bibi had 18 mandates. Channel 11, in the same month, gave gantz 33 mandates and bibi 20.

I also sources an English Jerusalem post article which reports on channel 14's polls; jpost is a right wing biased paper, and yet even they report 36 mandates for gantz and 18 for bibi as of February.

Sources

The Israel democracy institute: 1 (English), 2 (Hebrew), 3 (Hebrew)

Haaretz: 1 (English) (paywalled)

Channel 13: 1 (Hebrew)

Ma'ariv: 1 (Hebrew) (reporting on channel 12)

Podcast which summarizes the above article: 1 (English) (includes transcript)

Kan 11: 1 (Hebrew)

Jpost: 1 (Hebrew)

[marshmallowdarling]

John Price got the letter early dawn, up just before the sun rises. A habit he and his boys can’t seem to shake after being at war for years, even if they had time to ‘relax’ now. 

John’s arm lazily wrapped around Kyle’s waist as he peers over the younger man’s shoulder to look at the recruit assessment forms with the sound of Simon’s cooking behind them, and the smell makes his mouth water. Food, actual food without the fear of living off rations around the corner, all of them had packed a few more pounds but John told them it was good, healthy weight covering their muscles and fuelling their bodies. 

A knock on the door breaks the soft morning atmosphere and all the men tense up, Johnny even pops his head in the doorframe from around the corner where he was still brushing his teeth. 

John pats Kyle’s waist and gives the others a soft reassuring nod before heading to the door, the others can hear soft muffled voices before John comes back with a letter in his hands and the boys can see the unmistakeable golden imperial seal, one they were all too familiar with. 

All of them had spent hours talking after finding out about the wedding, but a Knight couldn’t refuse an order and an agreement had been put in place after. Keep you safe even through their own emotions.

A few days and a multiple meetings later the boys are trying to tidy up the house, keeping their weapons that were strewn in every room in only a few now to not seem intimidating. The manor had originally came with help but John had let them all go, wanting his own privacy and knowing his boys wanted that too. 

John thought he had more time, way more time since the King hadn’t said anything about the actual wedding date or day or meeting you or your family…. But then you show up at their door with an imperial knight, your bags next to you and a letter in your hands with the golden imperial golden seal and John can tell it’s a marriage certificate without even opening it. 

He snaps into work-mode, his brain going a million miles per hour but his body nods to the Knight and opens the door wider for you to step inside, picking up your heavy luggage like its nothing to bring in after you as he kicks the door closed behind him. 

✮✮✮✮

It’s weird at first for everybody, obviously, but the boys get a big surprise. They had all brainstormed various of ideas on what you would be like, maybe a pompous spoilt brat, or scared out of your mind living with four blood-stained men, or maybe you would fight back and make their life hell but�� 

You don’t care…. You *don’t* seem to care about their reputation. Your polite enough, only taking as much as you need, making little conversation but keeping to yourself, seeing that they already had a system. 

They had tried to keep their secret around you, they really did. Not wanting to make you seem like an outsider and not wanting to feel your judgement but all of them get restless. 

Simon was training most of the time with his balaclava on always even thought he had been finally working on letting himself relax a bit after being retired before you came along. 

Kyle was at work pulling more over time, training the recruits harder and before to try and get his frustrations of keeping his emotions at bay out. 

Johnny was at the local blacksmith, forging the same piece of metal over and over again while zoned out, hitting the same piece of hot metal with a cross peen hammer with all of his force. Feeling so pent up he was going to burst. 

And John Price, their ‘General’ who had always seemed to be so collected in every situation for all of them, is hit the worst. Wanting to stay around to make sure you were okay and settling in and he never thought he was a needy man but *Gods* did he seem to have taken for granted the small touches and praised words they all would share, especially since he saw how much it affected *his* boys and everything in him screamed at him to go make sure they were okay. 

Until the secret gets out when you walk into the kitchen late at night, having drank all of the water on your bedside table, to see John on top of Simon. Not having seen Simon’s face with his Balaclava half rolled up to only reveal his lips since it was dark with one a small candle lit. 

John rushes and stumbles over his words to try and say something but Simon stays silent, just wrapping his arms tighter around his captain’s waist almost possessively.  “It’s fine, I don’t know why you think I would care. I already knew.” You say so casually it wipes John out. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

DID YOU GUYS LIKE IT?! I HAVE SO MUCH MORE TO SAY RAHHHHH AND I WILL FEED YOU MY RAMBLES IF YOU WANT!!!

Also this MIGHT turn into dark content later down the line so please be careful with my profile! Also its 1am, ignore any mistakes.

Tag list (omg look at me mom, ive made it) : @sheep-from-rad

[sunrisecaminus]

Requesting a tfp scenario where team prime finds reader and Ultra Magnus being affectionate in public for the first time. They're sitting down, cuddled up together when she shows him a drawing on a datapad she's working on. Upon realizing they're being watched she just looks up and asks if they need something.

The reader arrived with him and appears more laidback, but the Wreckers considered her Magnus's unofficial SIC because she was often in the background, quietly making sure that orders were carried out. She's called Magnus her partner occasionally when he wasn't around, but the team wasn't sure if she meant it romantically or not because her tone's hard to read.

The pair never meant to hide it or anything, they're just very chill about their relationship and kind of forgot to tell them.

Sorry it took a bit to make another post. I have been so tired from work and full-time college at the same time. Please understand that if your request takes a bit longer than you hoped, I promise it will most likely come your way. I rarely deny requests (especially if the requestion is not super specific, which means I have an open freedom of creativity to put more into the fic.) This request was perfect and honestly super cute, I had to write about it.

Ultra Magnus x Cybertronian Reader

Summary - Everyone at the Autobot base reacts to you and Magnus being conjunx.

Warning - Public Affection

Both of you were having the time of your lives. Going on missions together, talking alone and not having Wheeljack interrupt y'all. It the was of the best weeks you guys have had in a while. Ultra Magnus and you have been dating since before the war and you guess it just has never been said to the others how in love you two were. Sometimes you hear people saying things about how "Ultra Magnus is single for a reason" and it makes you giggle from what they don't know. You kiss him every morning, and he gets flustered every time. He cherishes you and thinks about you every waking moment he has. He praises primus for keeping you alive all this time, knowing how low of a chance it was for any of his friends to survive. He thanks everyday for you being able to sleep with him in his birth room and not be injured in Medbay.

Ultra Magnus was doing some paperwork in base, ready to go back into Medbay to hand it over to Ratchet. He has thought about where he was now and honestly, he doesn't mind it too much. Earth has been so pretty yet delicate, making him motivated to help Optimus during every Decepticon attack. The humans are a bit weird and chaotic, but some seem to have a mature personality, no matter how young they seem to be for Cybertronians. The oldest he has met was Fowler, and even his age would be newborn age for Ultra Magnus. He is surprised these things can die so early, yet that doesn't give them the right to leave them unprotected. Their world is in danger, and they need to help these fleshlings from going extinct. You, his conjunx, think the very same. Having become friends with most of the humans in the base has helped you grow more empathetic towards them. You persuaded Magnus to care more than he did the first time he landed on the planet and he doesn't regret one bit listening to you.

You see him in the hallway and before he goes to grab Ratchet, you grab his chassis and shove him against the wall. "Where do you think your going?" You giggle with evil intent as you lay your head on his chest. Magnus's frame gets a bit hotter as his cheeks flare up. You do this a lot when y'all are alone, and goodness does he want you to do it privately. Now a days he does not mind it, knowing you both have been conjunx for over four million years. He pets you on the helm and try to keep his posture while being pinned against the wall. "W-well, I was going to give my work to Ratchet…until I got rudely interrupted." You give him a smile and kiss him on the cheek. "Well after you do that why don't we have lunch? Me and Optimus just came back with enough energon for everyone. We should be ok for another week."

…

Ultra Magnus was sitting down in the main room of the base, a drink in his hand, waiting for you to come back after taking a small bath in the lake. It was gross knowing that everyone couldn't have clean cybertronian showers, but it had to do. You dry yourself and walk over to see him waiting for you. The smirk you gave him, throwing your leg around to sit on his lap. His face was fully flushed as he hesitantly places his servo on your leg to rest. You lean yourself on his chassis again and was ready to take a nap. The warmth he brought to your frame was the best thing today. Everything was just so nice, not wanting to remember the war that you both have went through for the past 4 million years.

Holding him tightly was the only thing you can think of doing, until you hear a small gasp. "What?" You turn to see Miko wide eyeing you both. Ultra Magnus was shocked to see her and realized she was now just a ticking time bomb now to tell everyone. You smile at her and lift your head up just a bit. "Good evening child, what are you doing here? Aren't you suppose to be in school?" Miko ignored everything you said and looked behind herself than back at you. "You're dating?!" Ultra was about to speak up about how inappropriate that question was, but you just nod in agreement. "Yes, Magnus is what I call my conjunx. We have bonded together to love each other for the rest of our lives." You didn't know humans had this kind of stuff so you try to explain it as best as you could to a teenager like her. You have been told multiple times that she was one of the more immature ones of the group. Speaking of, she has seemed to run off squealing for Bulkhead and Wheeljack. Even they didn't know about it and rushed over to see y'all snuggling. Wheeljack was dying of laughter and Bulkhead scratched his helm in confusion. "I don't get it. Magnus is one of the most closed off mechs I have met in my life. How did you get him to see you, y/n?" The question was reasonable to Bulkhead and the others, knowing Magnus as a strict no it all. For you, the question was funny from start to finish, knowing that you grabbed his attention with ease from how good you preform on missions.

Miko ran to go tell more and Ratchet seemed surprised at first, knowing conjunx was a very rare thing in Cybertronians and especially when the war has lasted this long. Optimus just congratulated his general for the loving relationship he had with you. Arcee could not freaking believe it like the kids, and Bumblebee was just as happy as a b-…a bee. Magnus didn't care too much that it came out, he just hated that Miko was the one out of the whole group to figure it out. You were open to answer any of their questions about how you met, what it was like at first, and how you both worked it out when the war began. It was a nice refresher to remember the old times anyway, you liked to think about those times when you both were so young. Magnus the whole time was quiet, only saying a few facts that you left out here and there. Everyone's attention was grabbed onto you, so they don't see him wrapping his arm around your waist. Magnus really just wanted alone time with you, which you motion to him that you promise to cuddle with him tonight…but right now your friends has many important questions to help understand the love that was just acknowledged in the room.

[signedaiko]

Can I request MTMTE Megatron x platonic bot reader, where they reunite on earth and make peace with each other? Reader was kinda like his adopted kid before the war and looked up to him when he started the Decepticons. However, when he became the warlord and started harming other worlds, reader disagreed with him and became an Autobot. After the war, reader remained on earth because they grew to love it as their home, and now Megatron and reader talk about their past regrets and make peace. Reader is more glad that the Megatron they once knew came back, and even share things going on with their life (Like living their dreamed profession or having a conjux)

Megatron & Reader [MTMTE]

In which you long since cut contact with your mentor Megatron, and many millions of years later he finds you.

Reader is: Gender Neutral | Cybertronian | Autobot.

Since your days in the mines, you'd known Megatron

A well-spoken, albeit a bit antisocial, miner

Him and Terminus took you in, where they taught you about the Decepticon movement, something you began to help rally for

But humble beginnings are only beginnings, and as the story goes, Megatron lost his touch

Someone who had been treating you with kindness eventually turned his back to you, and the last time he'd seen you, your Decepticon badge had been replaced with the red of an Autobot logo

It had been many years since then. Megatron hadn't uttered your name to a single con in hopes you might be alive, and every once in a while he would see glimpses of you in battles

But that was many, many years ago

Now, you were a whisper in his mind, someone he was sure had likely passed on in the four million years of war, especially since he hadn't heard it in so long

Since his joining of the Lost Light crew, you'd come up in his memories far more frequently

He wanted to ask if anyone knew you or what happened to you, but he was afraid of what he might find out

Until he overheard a conversation Perceptor and Brainstorm were having, in which he heard your name come up

Perceptor, when asked, is quick with providing proof it's you and tells him all about your new life on Earth

He's able to get a direct comm link to you through Perceptor, who promises not to say anything to you and leave it at that

It takes him days upon days of deep thought and contemplation on whether you'll answer him, what he'll say, if you'll be able to move on from what he's done, if you're okay

The first call, it takes a while for you to reply, but when you do, you sound uncertain

"Megatron? Is that you?"

It starts slow; he tells you that he's an Autobot now and how he got your comm; he does most of the talking while you take everything in

But by call three or four, you're sharing how you'd ended up on Earth helping humans with Cybertronian attacks and cleanup, how you'd made friends with a group of humans, and how you were mentoring some of those humans now

You sounded happy and healthy

Truly, what more could he ask for?

Calls become a weekly basis where he checks on you and learns about Earth, and it saves him a lot of sparkache after all the agonizing thoughts he's had over the years about you having died to the cons

Now you're safe, and he'll be okay

Author's Note - What a cute prompt! I had so many ideas for this the moment I read it, so thank you for the request!

I did alter it because in MTMTE he never gets to Earth so I hope this makes do!

[decepti-thots]

something i think exRiD/OP does that MTMTE never quite manages with its neutral characters is how Aileron especially has just. complete culture shock at how the cybertronian characters all act Fucking Ridiculous after four million years of war. she's like "oh. oh my god. you are all so completely fucked up. what the hell are you all doing" like aileron is out here surrounded by people who have guns built into every limb and who think every single interpersonal disagreement needs to be resolved with a planet-threatening catastrophe going. WHY. she is from a small backwater and wants to talk theology a bit or whatever. what the actual fuck. and it's funny bc she's NOT an audience surrogate, she's the one reminding the audience that they aren't Just Like That, it's DEFINITELY bc cybertronians specifically are culturally all weird on account of the Forever War shit.

[metamorphesque]

ASALA: Armenian Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia (part 1)

In 1915, ottoman turkey committed the Genocide of Armenians: more than 1.5 million Armenians were massacred.

Women were assaulted, raped, sexually mutilated and tortured. Many were killed by bayoneting or died from prolonged sexual abuse. The “lucky ones” managed to kill themselves, while others were sold as slaves, forced to work as prostitutes or into marriage by their perpetrators. An eyewitness testified, "It was a very common thing for them to rape our girls in our presence. Very often they violated eight or ten year old girls, and as a consequence many would be unable to walk, and were shot."

The men were usually separated from the rest of “the deportees” during the first few days and executed, but, of course, not before being tortured and mutilated. Some were crucified, beheaded, others were often drowned by being tied together back-to-back before being thrown in the water. So many bodies floated down the Tigris and Euphrates that they sometimes blocked the rivers and needed to be cleared with explosives. Other rotting corpses became stuck to the riverbanks, and still others traveled as far as the Persian Gulf.

In 1918, the young turk regime took the war into the Caucasus, where approximately 1,800,000 Armenians lived under Russian dominion. Ottoman forces advancing through East Armenia and Azerbaijan here too engaged in systematic massacres. The expulsions and massacres carried by the nationalist turks between 1920 and 1922 added tens of thousands of more victims. By 1923 the entire landmass of Asia Minor and historic West Armenia had been expunged of its Armenian population. The destruction of the Armenian communities in this part of the world was total.

And yet, despite all of this—the unimaginable horrors that plagued the Armenian nation in the early 20th century—what do you think the world did in response? After this descent into hell, after the suffering, the bloodshed, the total annihilation—what followed? Silence. Deafening, shameful silence, as always.

Silence—until it was shattered 58 years later, when, at the age of 78, having exhausted every peaceful avenue to draw the world’s attention to the Armenian Question and faced with nothing but ignorance, Gourgen Yanikyan fired 13 bullets at the Turkish consul and vice-consul. This singular act of defiance wiped 58 years of dust from the forgotten pages of Armenian history, forcing the world to confront the cause once again.By sacrificing his freedom, Yanikyan ignited a movement. His act became the catalyst for a wave of Armenian activism, inspiring the creation of ASALA, who would go on to fight for the recognition of the genocide.

In 1975, a group of Lebanese-Armenians led by Iraqi-Armenian Hakob Hakobyan, all of whose parents and/or grandparents were survivors of the genocide, inspired by Yanikyan’s self-sacrifice, decided to found an underground organization, which through armed actions will again bring the Armenian Question into the international political and legal dimension, present the recognition of the Armenian Genocide carried out by the turks in 1914-1923 by the international community, and create prerequisites for the liberation of Western Armenia. The organization was called ASALA - Armenian Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia.

The military operations of the ASALA were mainly aimed at turkish embassies, consulates, diplomats, government officials, military and police institutions, the turkish business environment, especially the offices of "turkish airlines corporation", as well as the state and public structures of other countries, which showed financial or military support to the turkish state.

Now, why am I telling you about this today? Well, today - on September 24th marks the 43rd anniversary of the Van Operation (24/09/1981), carried out by 4 Armenian ASALA soldiers - Vazgen Sislyan, Hakob Julfayan, Gevorg Gyuzelyan and Aram Basmajyan. On this day in 1981, four Armenian youths, aged 20-24, armed with pistols, automatic rifles and explosives, seized the turkish consulate in Paris, holding it under their control for 15 hours.

4 Soldiers of The Van Operation taking off their masks

The trial of “VAN” turned into a trial of the turkish government. The “VAN” operation and the political trial that followed it played a major role in bringing the Armenian issue to the international political arena, globalizing the territorial claim and the violated rights of the Armenian people, creating a new wave of condemnation of the reality of the Armenian genocide, strengthening the pride and spirit of struggle among Armenians.

When all the hope has slipped away, It’s the mad who find a way.

Though violence is condemned, it is the cruel truth that it is the only language to which the world listens.

More about the Van Operation in the second part.

[optimus-faked-his-own-death]

OK, so this is definitely gonna be like nonsensical due to the fact of the fact well that was bad dictating this through my iPhone at midnight

so OK so the starratchop is like there is the martyr Optimus prime, and that he continuously dies and tries and tries and tries and then Starscream, the immortal spark who cannot die physically and gets by only on the scrap metal of his neck, and then the Doctor who has to like both catch up to them both every single turn, and yet is only one who is mortal so he can die so there’s always a weird cycle of death that goes around where it’s like reanimation of forced immortality and so it just creates a really interesting dynamic,

especially since like I’m going with Starscream having defected over to the autobots or this is post waror whatever I’m not sure but nonetheless there is Optimus who is thought of as both the most compassionate hero figure (and he still is,, it’s also just weary to not rest for four million years after having responsibility being his shoulder to bear so he is burnt out and still in war time mode) and the bleeding heart but the heart has been mostly bled dry and so he struggles to keep up with the pain of recreating a life, especially when in truth he didn’t really have one before.

Ratchet has had to mask on a gruff and stoic face for the entirety of his career and so now when there is the chance to unmask and rifle through the eons of stress and fear and caring, he is almost unraveling as well.

Starscream has finally been released from needing to hide or scheme and plot and so having people being worried but also distrustful of him creates a guilt and shame over his existing considering a lot of his confidence is just bolstering even though he is capable.

I’m not fully solid on the full characterizations that i have of them but just like having them all having different priorities of keeping everyone else alive in contrast to themself and vice versa and putting them in the context of having to deal with these identity issues seems to be really interesting when they interact with each other

[mariacallous]

CAIRO—Although Egypt has refused to accept refugees from the Gaza Strip, more than 100,000 Palestinians have crossed the border into Egypt since the start of Israel’s offensive in Gaza following Hamas’s attack on Oct. 7, 2023.

Khaled Shabir, a 29-year-old man, is one of the Palestinians who managed to flee. He entered Egypt in March, four months after the Israeli army bombed his house in the southern Gazan city of Khan Yunis. The attack killed his parents, but he survived with crushed bones in his foot, thigh, and hand, which landed him in a hospital and then a field medical facility.

Some Palestinians are able to get a free medical transfer to Egypt for life-threatening conditions. But Shabir had to go the route of most who have fled: paying Hala Consulting and Tourism, the only company that secures passage from Gaza into Egypt. Hala, whose owner reportedly has close ties with the Egyptian authorities, charges $2,500 to $5,000 per person crossing over—much more than most Palestinians can afford.

Shabir did not have the money. But with a crowdfunding campaign, he was able to raise $5,000 to cross into Egypt. “Doctors at the hospital were sympathetic to my condition and waived their financial fees for my surgeries,” he wrote in a text message from his hospital bed in Cairo on June 4.

Like most Palestinians who have recently arrived in Egypt, Shabir has found himself in a strange position: Because he is not technically a refugee, he isn’t eligible for most international aid for refugees, unlike his counterparts back in Gaza. Eight Palestinians in Egypt interviewed for this story said they hadn’t received any humanitarian relief from international organizations. This has left them dependent on the goodwill of others—and increasingly at risk of being unable to get by.

Palestinians who have fled are reaching Egypt at a time when the country is experiencing its worst economic crisis in decades. In recent years, Egypt’s inflation rates have reached all-time highs, rent and food prices have soared, and millions of people have fallen into poverty.

It is especially difficult for Palestinians to navigate Egypt’s crisis. The majority of recent arrivals do not have official residency documents, so they cannot enroll their children in public school, apply for jobs, or receive health care and other benefits, according to an official from the Palestinian Embassy in Cairo who spoke with Foreign Policy on the condition of anonymity.

The official said on June 30 that just three international organizations have provided assistance to Palestinians who have fled to Egypt, and it has only reached a small portion of them. This aid includes $200 from the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization for 500 students, as well as medical and psychological care from Save the Children and UNICEF for a few injured infants.

Even for those with more resources, life has grown tough as their savings have run low. Nagham, a 23-year-old college student majoring in commerce, left Gaza at the end of January to stay with relatives in Cairo after the Israeli military destroyed her home and her husband’s barber shop. Because she had residency papers and was already enrolled at Cairo University, Nagham—who preferred to use only her first name—did not have to pay for entry. (Before the war, she studied online and only went to Cairo for exams.) But after arriving in Cairo, Nagham had to sell her wedding ring and other jewelry to raise the funds needed to pay transit fees to bring her husband to safety.

Now, she said, “we’re in a really bad financial situation.” As of April, she was being treated for a cervical infection she contracted from contaminated water in the first few months of the war. In May, Nagham sought financial aid from the Palestinian Embassy in Cairo, but it did not provide any help. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), meanwhile, included her name in a registry tallying the number of Palestinians in Egypt, but she is not sure whether this implies any forthcoming aid.

“We’re starting over from scratch,” Nagham said. “I feel like we are in a nightmare.”

Kamel Mohamed, a 23-year-old who left Gaza in April, said that the majority of university students he knows from Gaza are running out of money, especially after paying the transit fees. He is currently applying for scholarships to study at a university in Egypt or other Arab countries. But in the meantime, international organizations have not provided any support, leaving him dependent on monthly aid from two local charities in Egypt.

“We are from a region devastated by war, and the people there have lost everything,” Mohamed said. “International organizations need to play a part and provide assistance.”

Jeff Crisp, a visiting research fellow at the University of Oxford’s Refugee Studies Centre, echoed this sentiment. “It should be the responsibility of the UN as a whole (UNHCR, WFP, UNICEF, IOM, etc.) to step in and support the Palestinians,” he wrote via email.

One major problem is that those who have fled Gaza are not considered refugees. This means that the two U.N. refugee agencies—the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), which protects non-Palestinian refugees, and UNRWA, which is solely responsible for Palestinian refugees—can’t support them.

UNRWA spokesperson Tamara Alrifai wrote in an email to Foreign Policy, “UNRWA does not have programs in Egypt, in the way it runs schools, health centers and social support in the areas where it has a mandate to operate.” She added that UNRWA, unlike UNHCR, “does not have a mandate to resettle refugees into new countries.”

The Egyptian government has refused to recognize Palestinians as refugees since 1978, instead referring to them as “our guests” or “our siblings.” It has long opposed both the establishment of a UNRWA operational office in Cairo and the displacement of Gaza’s population into its territory, citing potential threats to regional security and fears that Israel would not allow displaced Palestinians to return to the coastal enclave.

But many experts, including the U.N.’s special rapporteur on torture, argue that Egypt has legal obligations to accept refugees. Crisp stated in his email, “Egypt is a signatory to the UN Refugee Convention and should do what it can to support any that arrive from Gaza.” He added that Palestinians who fled war should be treated as displaced people.

For now, without residency papers, most of the Palestinians who recently arrived from Gaza are at risk of deportation. The Palestinian Embassy in Cairo is urging Egyptian authorities to provide papers as soon as possible so that children who have left Gaza can attend school in the fall, according to the embassy official.

The Egyptian government has, however, supported some Palestinians who have been injured in the war. Health Minister Khaled Abdel Ghaffar said in May that around 5,500 injured people had been evacuated from Gaza for medical care in 160 hospitals across Egypt since the start of the conflict. These individuals are treated at the Egyptian government’s expense.

The process, however, is not easy. “It was a torture journey,” said Um Qusai, who was able to leave Gaza so that her six-year-old daughter, Noor, could get eye surgery. One of Noor’s eyes had fallen out after debris from an Israeli bomb fell onto her bedroom in October.

After six months in the European Hospital in Gaza, Um Qusai finally secured a medical transfer for Noor, making their entry to Egypt free. But because they did not have passports, she had to wait with Noor and her two other children for 12 hours at the Rafah border crossing, while Noor was in agonizing pain, before border authorities let them in.

Once they arrive in Egypt, many Palestinians who received free medical transfers are not allowed to leave the hospital. A number of those patients, along with family members accompanying them, told Foreign Policy that they felt trapped inside hospitals and would only be permitted to leave if they returned to Gaza.

Egyptian volunteers have arranged trips to bring Palestinian patients food, medication, and clothing. However, some volunteers, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said they had to undergo lengthy bureaucratic procedures to obtain authorization from Egyptian officials to visit the patients due to strict hospital security measures.

For now, many Palestinians in Egypt must rely on the support of local charities and grassroots initiatives to get by.

In November, Sherif Mohyeldeen, an Egyptian researcher and nonresident fellow at the Carnegie Middle East Center, launched For the People, a grassroots group with about 60 members, to support injured Palestinians and their families in Cairo and Alexandria, Egypt. So far, he said, the initiative has collected donations to support more than 1,200 Palestinians with food and cash assistance for rent.

“People have come here with only their clothes,” Mohyeldeen said. “There is a huge amount of psychological and physical suffering.” The Palestinian Centre for Policy and Survey Research has reported that more than 60 percent of people in Gaza have lost family members since Israel’s war—which has killed more than 40,000 people in the territory, according to the Gaza Health Ministry—began in October.

Sherif added that his group has yet to find solutions for families who need prosthetic limbs or chemotherapy, both of which are extremely expensive, as well as Palestinian students whose annual university tuition in Egypt exceeds $4,000.

Abdullah Abu al-Aoun, a 26-year-old man from a wealthy family in Gaza, is also trying to help others who have fled. His family owned many buildings and two restaurants in Gaza’s Remal district, all of which were bombed by the Israeli army. After fleeing Gaza with 22 members of his family in February, he opened a Shawarma restaurant in Cairo. His mother’s Egyptian passport and the family’s savings of more than $100,000 helped him establish the business.

Aoun has hired three young men from Gaza in his new restaurant and has been helping other Palestinian families in Cairo with cash assistance. “Although there is still war in Gaza, some aid is getting in,” he said on May 25 while sitting in the restaurant, where four men from Gaza were dining. “Here, the families who left for Egypt are not getting any support.”

But individuals and small charities can only make so much of a difference compared with international organizations—and many Palestinians, including Aoun’s family, know that they may have to stay in Egypt for years to come due to the scale of destruction in Gaza. According to the Palestinian Embassy official, many more Palestinians are expected to arrive in the coming months. With no humanitarian relief on the horizon and Cairo so far refusing to provide residency permits, they sink deeper into uncertainty with each passing day.

“What really scares me is the unknown future,” Naghan said. “When will the crossing open again? If we return, will we live in a tent or on the rubble of our house?”

[youareatragedy]

Can I just say I think a lot of ACOTAR stans are baffled that the series never garnered as much attention as the Empyrean series especially with Onyx Storm? The fact that Onyx Storm is breaking sales records to this extent is INSANE. And I bet some of them are disappointed deep down, already wanting to mobilize a mob to do even better when the next ACOTAR book comes out.

But the thing is, in my humble opinion, ACOTAR just missed the mark especially since both SJM and BB rely so heavily on Feysand. Yes, ACOSF was still successful by any measure in sales, but it’s been four or five years, and the last CC book did NOT receive great reviews. SJM and BB must be worried af after basically doing nothing to promote ACOTAR anymore. They didnt even properly promote CC3.

Also, I think we have to acknowledge the loyalty of FW fanbase. I’ve noticed that the number of people speaking up to defend FW from the misogynistic "dragon smut" label is high, which is really appreciated to combat those misogynistic articles and 'journalists'.

I’ve been observing both fandoms a lot this past week (and even before that), and I can confidently say that ACOTAR stans have to recycle the same talking points just to stay active, since the material is limited—especially because SJM is nowhere to be found and BB basically does nothing, while Yarros and her publisher are happy to engage with the community. They even hired a voice actor to voice a character just for fandom fun (as far as I know).

Plus, the fact that Empyrean doesn’t rely TOO heavily on romance is a huge advantage. Yes, readers can talk about Violet and Xaden a million times, but they also have other plot points. The politics, the magic, the dragons, etc. There’s so much to choose from and so much to speculate about. Meanwhile, the ACOTAR fandom is stuck in the same dumb fights about "why Rhysand didn’t SA Feyre" or "why Nesta should be dead" or pointless ship wars. Yes, there are theories, but the fandom has no space to breathe and just have fun anymore—both because of the limitations SJM chose to put on her story and because the fandom itself always puts way more emphasis on the romance.

Idk just my observation. I just wanted to share an opinion that no one asked for lol. And I think it’s funny that whether intentional or not, SJM and her fans must feel some kind of shock seeing Rebecca Yarros and her fandom create something this massive especially since Onyx Storm is generally getting great reviews unlike CC3.

[louisupdates]

Louis Tomlinson - does it ring with this name? As a singer of the British boy group One Direction, he was successful in the years 2010-2015. Together, the band decided to take a break. It has remained so to this day. In 2016, however, Louis began to take his own path. On his solo paths, the singer-songwriter has developed a style that takes up influences from British rock, alternative and indie pop. His music is often melodic, with catchy guitar riffs and a rather down-to-earth sound reminiscent of British bands of the 2000s. Already his first single Just Hold On sold 1.8 million copies. In 2020 and 2022, he released his two albums Walls and Faith In The Future. This was followed by two incredible world tours with over 170 concerts in 47 countries on 5 continents.

For this, an idea matured - a live album should be created, but a very special one. Thus, individual songs were recorded during the tour. On the 25th In April, the result was surprisingly published digitally. 14 songs have been released. Each of them was recorded in a different city. So the listener at home can also mentally go on a small trip around the world while enjoying the individual songs. Now the physical versions of the live album also followed, which make the concert feeling in the living room perfect. These include four more, exclusive tracks. In addition to the double CD, a double picture vinyl edition is available and it has it all!

The vinyl edition contains a special tour book. Fans were able to submit personal impressions about their concert experiences. And these are now included in this extra booklet. Louis decorated the recordings with individual hearts, smileys or crosses and handwritten the first names of the respective fans. This recorded, mutual appreciation is truly a magical highlight. The 28-page, regular booklet is no less lovingly designed. In addition to the lyrics, you will encounter the London set list, high-quality backstage photos and touching recordings made during the concerts.

Louis is happy about this release: "I have been lucky enough to tour the world twice in the last 3 years. The feeling I get when sharing these live moments will accompany me forever. The opportunity to record these songs anywhere in the world and release them as an album is something very special and a real tribute to the fans, who make every single show a unique and incredible experience. Thank you! Enjoy!"

Right at the opener The Greatest, you seem to be in the middle of the action with your eyes closed. In addition to the live sound, the fans can also be heard clearly. Louis invites them to tune in with him: "Sing it with me!" And they do! The spirited mood comes across clearly. In the meantime, the fans also get the space to sing alone. You get used to the choruses and the delighted shouts from the audience very quickly. In Bigger Than Me, the British singer gives space for personal growth and self-reflection. In the song, Louis describes how he deals with the changes in his life and realizes that life is bigger than himself. He talks about taking responsibility for his actions and decisions, especially with regard to his career and the people who support him. The song contains a powerful perspective on growing up and taking responsibility.

Holding On To Heartache puts the fans in great excitement. screams welcome the gentle song. This is about how difficult it is to let go of the pain after a breakup. It's about holding on to grief because it's connected with the memories of lost love, and it's not easy to finally finish with the past. The single We Made It is powerful. In the booklet, the single was translated into Filipino - after all, the recording comes from the concert in the Philippines. Although Louis sings the title in English, this hidden greeting is really adorable. By the way, this approach can be found several times in the booklet. For example, All This Time/She Is Beauty We Are World Class, the titles played in Munich, were also translated into German, for example.

High In California, for example, can only be found on the physical editions of the album. This lightness that the song contains is clearly noticeable. This is about escaping everyday life and getting lost in a state of freedom and lightheartedness. The lifestyle and atmosphere of California make you forget your worries and problems for a moment - just as is the case with Louis' concerts. Here you feel protected and can escape all negative thoughts.

Common People is about the appreciation of ordinary people and their experiences. The song deals with life in everyday life and how important it is to connect with the "ordinary" people and understand their perspectives. Challenges and struggles that many people experience should be taken seriously instead of romanticizing them. It is his tribute to the authenticity and reality of life. It therefore becomes gently rocking with All This Time/She Is Beauty We Are World Class. Here you rock with real fun from the sofa. The groovy guitars do the rest:

In Walls, delicate strings underline the song about emotional barriers and the struggle to show themselves vulnerable. Louis addresses the need to dismantle one's own walls in order to enable real connections with other people. It is an honest and personal song about vulnerability, love and the desire for closeness, despite the difficulties that can be associated with it. Louis calls on his fans: "Here we go! Scream" and together the fans sing with their idol: "But these high walls, they came up short. Now I stand taller than them all. These high walls never broke my soul. And I, I watched them all come fallin' down. I watched them all come fallin' down for you."

Out Of My System is then reached harder into the guitar strings. The drums are also picking up speed. With the fast track, the good mood is at a peak. This is about the internal conflicts and the difficulties of freeing yourself from the emotional burdens, while at the same time trying to find yourself and your identity. Overall, it is an energetic track about the process of leaving the past behind and starting over. In Paris, Louis is impressed by his crowd: "This looks fucking amazing!" With a warm voice, he performs Saturdays - a song that clearly reminds you of Oasis.

Silver Tongues is accompanied by a lively piano playing and you can really imagine how the euphoric fans on site shine with shere joy and rock them together again. "Krakow, you have been absolutety incredible tonight. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Sing this next one with me, here we go... as loud as you can!” And the crowd settles in: "You and me until the end. Wakin' up to start again. You and me until the end. Wakin' up to start again. There's nowhere else that I would rather be."

The record ends with Kill My Mind from Santiano. Louis sings of a roller coaster of emotions in a passionate, but also chaotic relationship. It's about the challenge of letting yourself be overwhelmed by the feelings and the inner struggle that arises when you are trapped in a relationship that is both exciting and stressful.

Louis Tomlinson and his crew have succeeded in a truly remarkable work. What is actually the advantage of a live album? You are not terribly sweaty, the way home is not imminent and you do not fall into the aftershow blues like a real gig afterwards, but can simply start all over again. 🙂

Louis Tomlinson's album Live was released on 23.08.2024 as a CD and vinyl via the label BMG.

Tracklist LOUIS TOMLINSON - Live (Vinyl Edition)

A

01. The Greatest - Live from London, 17.11.2023

02. Face The Music - Live from Nashville, 07/18/2023

03. Bigger Than Me - Live from Vancouver, 26.06.2023

04. Holding On To Heartache - Live from Barcelona, 06.10.2023

05. We Made It - Live from Manila, 16.07.2022

B

06. Chicago - Live from Chicago, 15.06.2023

07. High In California , Live from Amsterdam, 15.10.2023

08. Fearless, Live from Rio, 27.05.2022

09. Common People, Live from Sheffield, 10.11.2023

C

10. All This Time/She Is Beauty We Are World Class, Live from Munich, 22.10.2023

11. Walls, Live from Buenos Aires, 21.05.2022

12. Only The Brave, Live from Milan, 03.09.2022

13. Written All Over Your Face, Live from Budapest, 15.09.2023

D

14. Out Of My System, Live from Brisbane, 30.01.2024

15. Saturdays, Live from Paris, 14.10.2023

16. Silver Tongues, Live from Krakow, 10.09.2023

17. Kill My Mind, Live from Santiago, 15.05.2022

Tracklist LOUIS TOMLINSON - Live (2CD Edition)

Disk 1

01. The Greatest, Live from London, 17.11.2023

02. Face The Music - Live from Nashville, 07/18/2023

03. Bigger Than Me - Live from Vancouver, 26.06.2023

04. Holding On To Heartache - Live from Barcelona, 06.10.2023

05. We Made It - Live from Manila, 16.07.2022

06. Chicago - Live from Chicago, 15.06.2023

07. High In California , Live from Amsterdam, 15.10.2023

08. Fearless, Live from Rio, 27.05.2022

09. Common People, Live from Sheffield, 10.11.2023

Disk 2

01. All This Time/She Is Beauty We Are World Class, Live from Munich, 22.10.2023

02. Walls, Live from Buenos Aires, 21.05.2022

03. Written All Over Your Face, Live from Budapest, 15.09.2023

04. Out Of My System, Live from Brisbane, 30.01.2024

05. Saturdays, Live from Paris, 14.10.2023

06. Where Do Broken Hearts Go, Live from Tallinn, 05.09.2023

07. Silver Tongues, Live from Krakow, 10.09.2023

[princessofgotham777]

Venice Bitch

Part One????

Anakin Skywalker x Reader

Angst, fluff, hurt/comfort, I don’t write smut

Heyyy since the Naboo scenes were filmed in Italy this iconic Lana Del Rey song kinda inspired me lol. Of course I don’t own any Star Wars characters, this is purely fanfic. Sometimes I lowkey make myself laugh writing these💀I hope you enjoy!!!

Summary: You’re a former Queen of Naboo hiding there during the clone wars. Obi-Wan has been ordered by the Jedi council to keep you safe after there was an attempt at your life. You seem down lately, little does he know it is because the love of your life, Anakin, is off fighting in the war a million light years away from you and you’ve been keeping a secret from everyone.

Warnings: reader is sad and they talk about violence and war

A cool breeze greeted you as the sun rose. Days on Naboo were warm, but they were nothing compared to the scorching heat of Tatooine. For the past four months you’d been hiding in an isolated part of the country side of Naboo with Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi. The situation was not ideal. Doing seemingly nothing all day with your fiancés friend and teacher was not your idea of fun. Especially since Anakin was off with Ashoka, his padwan, fighting in the clone war; always in danger and always so far from you. You worried about both him and Ashoka day and night. Anakin contacted you sometimes but it was hard since he was constantly busy and also didn’t want to seem suspicious, after all romance and attachment was strictly prohibited by the Jedi Order. Sometimes Ashoka would contact you and tell you tales of her adventures, you’d met her many times before and she’s like a little sister to you. You did find her stories exciting but they also worried you even more. Constantly hearing about times her and Anakin nearly died seriously stressed you out. Obi-Wan could tell something was bothering you but he assumed it was the constant threat you could be found and killed by the Separtists. You and Obi-Wan got along but you found days in the country side to be bleak and depressing. The days repeated and you felt useless. Once a Queen of Naboo and now it was too dangerous for you to even appear before the Republic to fight against their acts of war.

You sat by the water, in the very spot Anakin proposed four months ago. It was just a few days after that he was ordered to take up being a general and partnered with Ashoka. The halls of the castle by the lake were once filled with laughter and love, and now they exist empty and soulless.

“Is something else bothering you Y/N?” Obi-Wan says as he walks to you by the water.

“What do you mean?” You ask.

“At first I thought your sadness was because of the assassination attempt but I sense there is something else troubling you,” he says.

“I’m just worried,” you say. “You know I’ve known Anakin since I was a child, I think of him as a friend. And Ashoka, she’s like a sister to me. I am worried for them Obi-Wan.” You didn’t enjoy lying to Obi-Wan or anyone for that matter about your and Anakin’s relationship but you two agreed to keep it a secret. If it got out a former Queen of Naboo and Jedi Knight were to be married he would have to leave the council and your political reputation would be tainted.

“I see,” he says. “I guess you’ll be happy to know I came to get you because inside there’s a hologram waiting for you.” A smile appears on your face as you begin rushing inside.

“Thank you,” you yell back at Obi-Wan.

Inside you find a hologram of Anakin.

“Y/N,” he says. “How have you been?”

“I’ve been fine,” you say quickly. “Are you and Ashoka okay?”

“Yes, we’re both safe,” he reassures you. “Is Obi-Wan there?”

“No, I’m alone.”

“I miss you more and more each day,” he says, his tone becoming softer.

“I do too, I know you and Ashoka are highly trained Jedi but I cannot stop worrying for you. If something happened to you Anakin, I don’t know what I’d do,” you say. You pause for a moment then say, “Anakin I have something to tell you”

“What is it my love?”

“You’re…you’re going to be a father. I’m pregnant Anakin,” you say with a grave look on your face.

“That’s wonderful,” he says with a smile.

“It’s a blessing I know but it only makes me more afraid. For your safety, for mine, for your place in the council and mine in the Republic,” you say. “I wish you were here,” you say as a tear escapes and rolls down your face.

“I’ll come home. The work I’m doing is important but any Jedi or General could equally if not better do this. I want to be there for you, I need to be,” he says without hesitation.

“How? What will you tell the council and Obi-Wan?”

“Don’t worry about that, I’ll come up with something. All you need to worry about is staying safe,” he says. “I’ll see you soon, I love you.”

“I love you too,” you say softly.

Heyyy, sorry if this is short I’m lowkey falling asleep and this seems like a good place to end this part anyways. I’ll probably post a part two I do have an idea for it so stay tuned for that. If you enjoyed reading please like, reblog and or follow. If you want to check out my Masterlist I’ll leave the link there are fics for Jason Todd x reader, Dick Grayson x reader and of course other Anakin Skywalker x reader. Any and all positive feedback is very much appreciated I love knowing people are enjoying the fanfiction. Thanks for reading🩷

Masterlist

[indigopimpernel]

Y'all, it's not POLITICS. It's SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY. If you WANT a good society to live in, IT'S YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO CONTRIBUTE.

A basic understanding of how the government of your country works? Social responsibility.

Understanding why elections matter and WHAT THEY AFFECT, especially local and state elections? Social responsibility.

Holding your reps accountable and voting them out when they don't do what their constituents have asked? Social responsibility. (And yes, I know that goes all ways, so you're going to get shitty ones in sometimes because shitty people voted them in. You just gotta vote 'em back out again.)

Spending time to find a few unpartisan (or at the very least bipartisan) news sources or creators that report on news nationally AND for your area? Social responsibility.

You hear it all the time. "I don't get involved in politics." Or "I don't normally get involved in politics, but this time..."

This can mean anything from "I only vote once every four years and ignore news between then" to "I don't care about any of it and I never watch the news" to "I don't get involved in the culture war but I always do my civic duty."

But calling it "politics" contributes to the divide in culture, and it plays into the anti-intellectualism narrative. From someone who grew up with that in their own family, "I don't get involved in politics" frequently means "Only smart people get involved in politics and all smart people are egotistical asshole teacher's pet people and I won't join their ranks." A high percentage of red voters feel this way.

Of course the reason they feel that way is they've been manipulated into it. But the thing we don't talk about very often is there's a difference between politics (aka the profession that politicians practice and go into) and SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (aka you knowing that politics is the profession of government and how government affects you and how you affect politicians' jobs.)

You have no clue how the government works at all? Not even a grade-school-level understanding? Then honestly, do you actually care about the society you live in? Do you see yourself as having any responsibility to help build the world you want?

It's my world. I want to live here. I want to make it a good world and society and leave the people after me a better world than I had. So yeah, I'm damn well going to figure out how I can personally make changes in my country. I don't need my name in lights. I don't need a million followers for doing it. Or thanks. I just need my younger brothers and sisters and my adopted nieces and nephews to have a world where they have basic healthcare, make enough money at one job to afford healthy food and a decent house, are allowed to fall in love with someone who is actually good for them instead of someone who only wants to control them, and where they can say "I don't like that" without fear of reprisals. I need my Gen Z and Gen Alpha siblings and coworkers who are old enough now to take on more social responsibility to have the resources they need to have the impact they want to have.

"I don't get involved in politics." = "I don't care how my actions affect anyone around me."

We have a word for that in English. It's called selfish.

[axelsagewrites]

it'd be cool to see some theon fluff :) maybe from the era after he escapes from ramsey bc that boy deserves some comfort omg (also if you could use he/him pronouns that would be cool too!)

Theon*Dream of Sweet Memories

Pairing: Theon x m!reader

Platonic: Jon, Robb, Sansa, x reader

Summary: Reader helps Theon recover from a nightmare and reflects on their past

Tw: Theon having ptsd

Word count: 1474

Masterlist Here

Winterfell felt colder than before. The hollow halls of your childhood had been through so much the past few years. Now you were back, the war was over, Sansa was queen in the North, Bran in the south. Robb was dead, Jon was gone, Arya too. Sansa was kind but you had never been close. Your family was all but gone as well. There was one thing left though one thing that made all the pain, all the suffering, the war worth it.

Theon lay asleep on your bed, his face relaxed as he slumbered. The last candle that was burner illuminated a small portion of the room but enough for you to admire his features in the candlelight. His hair was soft under your touch as you stroked it gently.

Moments like this were rare. Theon was skittish, paranoid, quiet. He’d never been this quiet before. Robb was the loud one who knocked into everything and everyone, who’s barking laugh rang across the hall. Theon was the funny one, always a joke up his sleeve that he would loudly proclaim to anyone who would hear. Jon was quiet in public but when the four of you would hang out in the stables he was just as loud as Theon, and they would banter long into the night.

Theon had always joked you were practically a mute. You liked to listen and laugh along, adding in your own comments occasionally. Theon tried to drag the conversation out of you. He’d ask a million questions just to get you to speak. Tell jokes just to make you laugh. It was usual for you to be left out of discussions, but Theon had always made sure to drag you into them even when you didn’t want him too.

You opened up more in your chambers, laughing and cheering with him especially after a drink. You’d both gossip like it was nobodies’ business. Theon was shocked when he found out you were actually funny. He spent months, years, growing your confidence but even still you were always the quiet one.

Till now at least. Theon could barely look you in the eyes when you were reunited. He was ashamed. Ashamed of everything he had done, everything he had caused. Jon wanted to hate him, wanted you to hate him, but he couldn’t after he saved Sansa.  You wanted to hate him too, but you couldn’t. you had thought for months if you ever saw him again the first thing you would do was punch him. Then he walked through those gates.

He was meek, quiet, skittish. He looked like even walking was a battle for him. And gods were he skinny now. When he walked through the gates you weren’t angry. A warmth poured through your heart. Theon looked up and instantly away again when he saw you. he couldn’t face you.

You didn’t even realise you were walking, running even, till you had pulled him into your arms. Theon froze at first, stiff as ice but it soon melted. His head fell into your shoulder, his arms wrapping weakly around your waist. Your hand clamped against his head, holding it tight against you, “If you ever leave me again, I’ll fucking kill you Greyjoy, understand?”

He hadn’t left your side since. You had been so distracted by your thoughts you hadn’t noticed him stirring. You looked down at his face which was contorted with worry, his lips mouthing something you couldn’t fully hear. Leaning down, you tried to listen, “Please,” you managed to make out, “not please,” he mumbled, “no, no, no,” he began to rush out, you sat up about to shake him awake when a shrill shriek rang across the room.

Theon’s cried echoed around the cold chamber, his body stiff as a bored as his body flung himself up, backing away up the bed. “Theon!” you yelled, trying to grab his flailing arms, “It’s me! Its (Y/N)! You’re safe,” you said as you grabbed his shoulders.

Theon’s eyes danced crazily across the room till they settled on you, his hands grasping onto your shoulders, “(Y/N)?” he asked.

“Yes, it’s me my love,” you said as you held his face softly in your hands, “It’s just us you’re safe Theon,”

“No, Im not Theon im- “

“Reeks dead Theon,” you said, moving to kneel on either sides of his legs so you could face him straight on, “Ramsay’s dead Theon. Its okay. you’re safe I promise,”

Theon stopped for a moment, his eyes dazed as he stared into space before finally turning back to you, “I was so scared,” he whimpered, “it was like he was back,”

“He’s not coming back Theon,” you said, stroking his cheek, “I’m here sweetheart. I’ve got you,”

“You’ve got me,” he whispered, and you just nodded, smiling lightly at the terrified boy.

You moved to be laying on the bed again, bringing Theon into your arms as you cradled his shaking body, “Nothings gonna happen to you. I promise,” you said, kissing the back of his head.

Heavy sobs fell from his lips, shaking his body. The feeling brought tears to your own eyes but all you could do was hold him. “I wish I could be normal again,” Theon whispered.

“You will be,” you said as you began to stroke his hair, “but it’ll take time,”

Silence fell over the room for a moment, “Sometimes,” Theon began to croak out, “I wonder if I deserved it all, for what I did to Robb, to you,”

A heavy sigh fell from your lips, “No one deserves what Ramsay did to you. no one. It’s a fate worse than death but you survived it because you’re strong, because it’s your fate to go on. If things had went differently Robb would’ve forgiven, you. you know that”

“That just makes it worse,” he whispered, his voice horse from his whimpering, “I wish I had stayed with him. At least he treated me like family, he was my family,”

“We cannot change the past,” you said as you moved Theon to face you, stroking his cheek lightly, “But we can live for the future. You saved Sansa, you helped save Bran. Robb would be grateful for that. Now you must live for him, protect Winterfell for him,” you said, and Theon just nodded.

You pressed a kiss to his forehead and fell into a comfortable silence. Before the war Theon had just been a friend to you though you couldn’t help your stares after him. The way his laugh light up a room, his jokes never failing to cheer you up, how his smile curved. He fascinated you. he didn’t admit it, but he had always felt the same.

You grew even closer when you both rode off with Robb, sharing a tent to save on supplies. There had been a moment, one night after a particularly hard battle. The cold was settling in, and it was bitter.

******

“Your chattering so loud Tywin can hear,” Theon whispered from across the tent as he sat up beneath his thin furs. “Get over here,”

“I um but what if someone- “

“Get under these furs before we freeze to death,” he said rolling his eyes. You did as you had been told as slipped under the furs beside the boy. “See already better,” he whispered.

You rolled over to face the other side of the tent to try concealing the blush coating your cheeks. However, you were confused when you heard Theon shuffling then blushed even harder when you felt his arms reach around your body, “What are you doing?” you whispered back.

“I can’t have my best friend freezing to death,” he replied. At one point that night Theon had obviously figured you had fallen asleep, but you were still awake enough to feel the kiss he placed to your cheek, laying still as he settled back down until his soft snores filled the tent.

******

“We should visit the crypt tomorrow,” Theon said breaking the silence, “I want to see him again,”

“Okay,” you said, kissing his lips gently. He had visited Robbs statue many times since it had been placed in the crypts. Neither Robb nor Neds’ bodies had made it to the crypt, but Sansa had still ordered for their statues to be placed there. The last lord of Winterfell and its first king in this new dynasty. A statue of Catelyn and Rickon at either side. “We’ll go at first light but for now we must rest,”

“Okay,” Theon whispered as he placed his head on your chest. You had almost dozed off when he spoke again, “(Y/N)?” he asked, and you yawned a what. “I love you,”

“I love you too,” you murmured back as your eyelids grew heavy, “Sleep my love. Dream of sweet memories,”

General Taglist: @clairacassidy @nyotamalfoy @fan-goddess @valeskafics

[subzeroparade]

hello there, I would just like to say that you are an inspiration to me and my own writing journey. you have such a profound way of skillfully weaving a story, I adore your works. it really reminds me a lot of madeline miller and her amazing stories (I really like a specific style of writing, lol)

may I ask what your writing process is? I myself have trouble sticking to motivation and finishing my own works. hope this message reaches you well, cheers <33

(Long post warning, and sorry to the people still languishing in my inbox, especially anon who sent me a similar writing ask - I will get to it, but hopefully in the meantime you can glean something useful from this, too.) 

Thank you! Also, yes - I came back to creative writing a few years ago (after many years of nothing but academic writing, grad and post-grad) around the same time Miller published Circe, and my ER work definitely pays tribute to that. In the genre of modernised(not modern)-greek-myth-retellings, hers are the only ones I tolerate. (That’s not true, I do like Pat Barker’s work to an extent, though she’s much less lyrical than Miller. But sometimes you need that). 

To answer your ask, here's my writing process - but first, a couple of disclaimers:

Disclaimer 1: Everyone’s method is different, etc etc; this is a given. But I also have a decade’s worth of disciplined professional writing under my belt, which is very helpful when it comes to sitting down and just choking something out on paper, even when my brain is unwilling, or the spark is not there. This takes time to cultivate. 

Disclaimer 2: No writing method or process is going to work if you are not actively reading. All the time. There is never a time I don’t have at least one book going. When I am feeling cheeky, I commit to four or five at once, all very different: novels (from disparate genres), edited volumes, anthologies, non-fiction; regardless, a wealth of different voices to draw from. If you are super busy, and we all are, at least try to read a bit before bed, it’s good for you. 

Anyway! Process:

STEP 1: A thing I might want to write: a scenario. A scene. An interaction between two characters. A short sequence of events. A long history. This particular climax, and its aftermath. The POV of that particular character. How am I going to do that? What do I need to know? What are the possible approaches - which POV, past or present, told or retold, and in what manner? 

Ex: before I sat down to write Litanies (Bloodborne), I knew I was interested enough to commit to a fic about the Fishing Hamlet. There are a million ways to do this. It was only while reading/watching certain material - journals, accounts of 19th century expeditions, a book about piecing together the mystery of a murder on another planet through conflicting eye-witness testimony, watching AMC’s The Terror - did it make sense to do an “interview” style, slow-burn mystery-box-esque piece, in which an interviewer has to piece together first-hand accounts of what happened (just like us, the Hunter!). Could I have done it another way? Yes. Would it have been nearly as interesting from a storytelling perspective? Not remotely. 

Tdlr; Who and what will I write about? In what way, and how will that approach make the work even stronger? How many things do I need to clarify about where and how this is going before I start writing? The tighter your plan - it doesn’t even need to be written down - the less likely you are to hit a wall later because you don’t know where you’re trying to go or what you’re trying to say. 

STEP 2: I start plotting scenes. For Vanitas (Elden Ring), I knew I wanted to write the history of Godwyn’s war and subsequent allegiance with the ancient stone dragons. I would need battle scenes, political intrigue and broader worldbuilding, alongside more intimate, dialogue-focused exchanges with Fortissax. On my shitty little notes app, I started writing these as they came to me, as I mulled over the ways to make them fight, meet, agree, quarrel, separate. Mostly, I start with the core of a scene - what is the question being answered, the main point, the crux of it? - and then build the rest of the scene around that. In that way it’s rarely, if ever, meandering and useless. Especially in short works - every scene should matter, and keep its focus where possible. You will be surprised how many disparate scenes you can merge into a single one for more impact.

Tldr; elevator-pitch style, what’s this work actually about??? And what scenes do I need for my readers to get it?

Big huge disclaimer here: at this stage, if I am starting to construct little bits and pieces in my notes app (everything from swathes of dialogue to jumbled “then he does this” reminders) they are in a very raw form. HOWEVER, at this point, I need to know how the story will end, especially if it is multi-chapter. I need to have outlined how these scenes flow into each other, and why. If it’s a vignette or one-shot, I need to know exactly what I will show, mood and message, so that it never becomes any longer than necessary, or loses the thread that holds it together, so to speak. 

STEP 3: I have a lot of material in my shitty little notes app (this will vary, depending on the size of your piece. The outline of A History of Iniquity (Elden Ring) was about 8k, which makes sense for a work that’s gonna top out at 80k). It’s time to bring it over to proper writing software. There, I start sorting my notes into scenes, as well as supplementary material (stuff that feels useful, or important, like worldbuilding tidbits, but that I have yet to weave into the story progression). Personally, separating all my notes into these individual scenes makes me feel like I have a better handle on the work, and can bounce around from scene to scene without having to work in linear progression, which I almost never do. 

Tldr; organise. Today I feel like writing scene 4, tomorrow scene 2. Because I have a handle on the work’s structure and I always know where it will end up, this is easy to do. 

STEP 4:

Write it.

Sloppily, badly, plainly. Commit to writing a scene, or x number of words per day, and get it done. A bare minimum of what happens in that scene. Dialogue. Actions. This then that and then this. Just put it down.

This is my big secret: I am a good writer, but I am a better editor (alas, a thing you could never tell from the state of some of my Tumblr posts). Writing is the painful part. Editing is a joy. It’s all there - what is left for me to do but to make it smoother, shinier, more polished? Remove what is superfluous, add a punch where needed. I much prefer making a drab paragraph sing than the initial act of writing that paragraph. 

I spend more time on editing than I do writing. I read, I reread. I go away. I come back, fresh, and reread again. I reread my work until I know enormous amounts of it by heart, then I go away, put it out of my mind, read something else, come back and edit again. There is no way around this, especially if you are writing fic and you don’t have a beta (or at least a first/second reader). It can always, always, always be better. The more aggressively you edit, the better you train your critical eye, and the sharper you are on your next first draft, or if you’re kind enough to beta for someone else. I am a ruthless editor (and I can and should be even worse), only because that’s what helped me, and I’d hope anyone better than me taking the time to look at my stuff would do me the same courtesy. 

STEP 5: Publish, go away, cry. If it’s fanfic, come back and read it for some last little edits. If it’s in an academic volume, cringe and hope no one reads it (/jk. Mostly). 

To come back to your initial point about motivation and sticking the landing -  some of that is going to have to come from you, personally. On my end, I finish what I start for three reasons.

I do not truly start the honest-to-god writing unless I have that body of notes already, and it’s hefty enough to serve as a skeleton. If I’m unsure, I’ll often leave ideas in this nebulous state of notes/ideation until I can come back with a clearer vision of what it would look like as a finished piece.

I do not start unless I am 100% committed to putting this work out there. If it’s too daunting, I’ll write it as a vignette or a one-shot, which is great practice, and there’s no excuse not to finish one. 

I do not start a work unless I know exactly how I am going to finish it. I more often than not know the last sentence of my work before I make it to the first draft stage. I know in amateur circles/fic writing it’s fine to just see where the work takes you, or leave the chapter count open, or whatever - it’s all practice, anyway - BUT I do think that if your main goal is closing a piece, then you need to be strict about how you get there. There’s plenty to do along the way, but at minimum know the scenes you need to make it to the finish line, and give yourself the tools to get there. 

THIS IS SO LONG I am terribly sorry, clearly I lied about being a good editor. 

Hope this helps!