#i also cannot explain why i like things beyond 'it good'

[quietwingsinthesky]

Have you watched dead boy detectives yet? I think you’d like it. Canon gay ships!

I’m gonna be real with you, man. Absolutely fucking nothing I heard about that show made it sound even remotely interesting to me before, and now, the idea of even interacting with stuff tangentially attached to Gaiman makes me feel physically ill. I’m not watching that.

[elysianstarfall]

miscellaneous phantom busters hcs

(pre-dating or dating, i have no clue so read however you want)

summary: the title, basically—this is also a chapter on wattpad so check it out (same name as tumblr)

characters: shishikuno mogari, korekishi eugene, kanzaki kaoru, tamon kotaro

s. mogari

✧ randomly sends you the stupidest memes/insta reels/youtube shorts/tiktoks he can find

- he is DEEP into the brainrot (korekishi has no idea what he's talking about)

- considers it part of the "youth experience"

✧ begs you to try weird food combos with him

- "pickles... and nutella."

- "what the fuck?"

- "it's good, trust."

✧ lowkey has a sleeper build

- once you were bored in class and wanted to see his biceps (real)

- "mogari, can you flex—WHOAAA?!"

- he loves when you compliment him because it feeds his ego like crazy

✧ does the thing where he taps you on the shoulder and then looks away and pretends it wasn't him

- fails every time because he cannot keep a straight face

- "there is literally no one else around. who, besides you, could have possibly done that?"

- "...a ghost?"

✧ has, multiple times, handed you his phone and told you to record him doing something "really cool" only to eat shit or wipe out

- "first try!"

- "more like eighth. also, you scraped your knee. come here."

- at least you take care of him when he gets hurt (maybe that's his plan?!)

- when he actually succeeds he expects you to glaze him

- "THAT WAS SICK AS FUCK! RIGHT?!"

- "it was pretty cool, i guess."

- "YESSS!"

k. eugene

✧ stays up on call with you if you need help with schoolwork

- explains topics really well (chatgpt who?)

- is super patient and wants to make sure you understand everything

- somehow never oversleeps even if you both stay up really late

✧ randomly fixes your uniform for you

- adjusts your collar and stuff

- "what are you doing?"

- "making sure you don't get in trouble."

✧ has insanely pretty handwriting

- it actually looks printed

- "can i see your notes, korekishi?"

- "of course. but, i thought you took your own notes?"

- "yours look nicer..."

✧ lets you do whatever you want with his hair

- it's so silky and smooth

- sometimes you braid it during class and he just leaves it like that for the rest of the day

- he carries hair ties around and lets you use them

✧ knows there are dating rumors about you two but purposely doesn't correct people

- defends you with his life if anyone talks shit about you though

- "korekishi, why do people from class c think you're my boyfriend?"

- "blimey, i wonder why."

k. kaoru

✧ sends you out of context manga panels, and when you ask what's going on he just tells you to read the manga to find out

- "wait, that's so funny... what the hell is happening, though?"

- "here's the link. it's chapter 239."

- "fuck off."

- you still read all 239 chapters and beyond

- he's gotten you into like 15 new series this way

✧ sometimes you just watch anime while video calling

- he has to rewatch episodes by himself afterwards because he just zones out staring at you instead of watching with you

- infodumps randomly but makes sure you don't get spoiled

- straight up lies to you if you come across spoilers so you don't believe them

- "he DIES?!"

- "no, what are you talking about? someone totally made that up."

✧ has really long eyelashes and lets you stare into his eyes for however long you want

- you love having "staring contests" with him (totally not an excuse to look into his eyes)

- he definitely knows but just lets you do it so he can stare at you more

✧ talks about you to his sister way too much

- she's sick of hearing about you but still wants you to come over

- you make him happy, so why wouldn't she like you?

✧ lets you trace over his scars and draw on him

- still avoids getting touched by the other guys though

- comes to your classroom during break or lunch just to sit with you so you can use pens to draw stuff on his hands

- he likes how focused you look while drawing

t. kotaro

✧ texts you sometimes but mostly prefers voice calling since he likes how you sound

- occasionally tries to do video calls but starts tweaking after a while from the eye contact

- "y/n, please, please, please turn off your camera."

- "damn, am i that ugly?"

- "what—no!"

✧ speaking of calling, calls you late at night when he can't sleep

- you're literally his asmr

- you don't mind because his sleepy voice is so, so nice

- likes it when you ramble so he can just close his eyes and listen

✧ has a spotify blend with you

- listens to every single music rec you give him but is way too scared to recommend you anything

- made you a playlist, sent it to you, didn't check his phone for the next 12 hours in case you didn't like it

✧ most used apps are the weather and calculator apps

- uses them to look busy and get out of talking to people

- "we're literally outside, you do not need to check the weather right now."

- "...yes, i do."

- "and why are you putting random numbers into the calculator?!"

- "i just... really like math."

✧ has no idea how to start a conversation so he just sends you cat pictures

- wants you to say something so he can talk to you

- every time, it's a different cat... you have no idea where he gets all those pics from

- "tamon, you know you can just say 'hi' or 'hello'?"

- "my bad."

[whateveriwant]

I love the headcanon that Simon has had his nose broken multiple times, but I like to take it one step further and imagine: what if Simon’s nose has been broken so many times that it’s permanently affected his sense of smell?

That would explain why the big bastard is so grumpy all the time, right? I mean, wouldn’t you be if you lost one (and more than likely, two) of your five primary senses?

Like, just imagine what it would be like to lose both your sense of smell and taste (because the two are strongly intertwined). It would be like living every day of your life as if you have a bad head cold. It would make eating – something you have to do to survive – a chore instead of something to be enjoyed.

And I know what you’re thinking. No, I’m not about to insert a “British food is bland anyway so it’s not like he’s missing much” joke here. That would be in poor taste (just like their food, hey-oh!)

Okok no but seriously. Imagine what losing those two major senses would do to a person mentally. Knowing Simon, he would probably pretend like it’s no big deal, like it doesn’t matter that everything smells and tastes like the color gray to him, even though secretly that couldn’t be further from the truth.

So imagine if that didn’t have to be the case any longer. Imagine if there was something – say, nasal surgery – that could restore those abilities he almost forgot he had once upon a time. (I’m not a doctor so I don’t know if surgery would work, but let’s just run with it, ok?)

For starters, I don’t think he’d be the one to initially seek out a treatment. The idea would have to come from an outside source (like from you, his loving partner) and it would take a lot of convincing to get him to go under the knife.

But say that you are able to convince him to have the surgery; that you get him to agree to have his bones rebroken and properly set this time, to have his olfactory nerves reattached to the places they’d been severed from. What would it be like to sit beside him as he wakes up and takes that first, deep inhale? What would it be like to witness him experience the power of smelling again for the first time in what feels like forever?

Would he be overwhelmed? Underwhelmed? Something that’s impossible for him to put into precise words?

And what would be the first smell that sticks out to him? The medicinal air of his hospital room? The clean aroma of his bed linens? The coppery tang of his own blood congealing around his sutures?

Realistically, I don’t think it would be until he goes home that any real change is apparent to you. It’s once he has the freedom to do whatever he wants, like a former shelter dog getting to explore the world for the first time, that you’d notice the drastic switch in him.

All of a sudden, Simon would be super adventurous when it comes to trying new foods. In the past, he just shoveled down whatever tasteless slop would keep his body fueled. But now, he’d find the fun in trying all sorts of different cuisines, ordering entire menus at a time to discover what he does and doesn’t like to eat.

I also think he would start experimenting with ways to perfume himself. Yes, he used soap and deodorant even when he had no sense of smell (for others’ sake, truly). But now, he’d go beyond those basic items, wandering into scented shampoos, specialty aftershaves, even dabbling with cologne.

Of course, things wouldn’t be all peachy 100% of the time, as I feel like he would soon get very picky about the kinds of scents he could tolerate in your home. The kind of fabric softener you use in the laundry, the kind of hand soap you have in the bathroom, the kind of leftovers you can and absolutely cannot reheat in the microwave the next day, just to name a few.

But through it all – the good and the bad, the bold and the nuanced – Simon finds there’s one scent in particular that eclipses anything else he’s encountered: You.

And I’m not talking about the products you use in your hair or the fragrances you like to wear on a night out. I’m talking about the raw, natural, pheromonal scent of you.

It’s like a drug to Simon, that warm, pleasurable smell that clings to your skin. There’s something about it that brings him an abundance of comfort, and he finds that after he’s had a long day, he wants nothing more than to come home and bury his face in your neck as he cuddles you to sleep.

Call it what you want. Biology, psychology, psychopathy, or so on. Simon doesn’t know what it is about your scent that’s so irresistible to him, nor does he really care. All he knows is that for a long time, something was missing from his life beyond just his ability to smell. And now that he’s realized what it is, he can’t believe he ever lived without it:

His reason to breathe.

[gayaest]

i hope this isn't a weird thing to say (im sorry if it is) but the fact u have a visual impairment and still make such insane art is very cool! i love to see disabled people make art as a (non physical) disabled person myself! keep up the good work!! :3 [cat emoticon]

Hi! This isn’t weird at all, thank you for being so kind! ❤️

I should add, I definitely have a mild visual impairments compared to some, who have much more severe, so I want to acknowledge that what works for me and what I can do, is much different than what others do!

I also wanted to explain a little about my visual impairment! I have Neurological issues linked with my eyes. This causes a couple different presentations to show, and affect my eyesight in a dynamic way, sometimes is much worse than others, while other days feels relatively “normal” (if I’m wearing glasses). Otherwise, Any of my visual impairments do NOT get corrected with my glasses, which is why they are classified neurological. It isn’t a problem with my eye, rather the problem is with my nerves.

Here is an example I made of a few of the ways my visual impairment can present;

Some days are better than others, while other days, I cannot open my eyes at all or see anything beyond colors and light, and rough blurred shapes.

I do have glasses, and I have had them since I was 9 years old — but the reason that my visual impairment is different than “just needing glasses” is the fact that they aren’t fixed with my glasses, it is there whether my glasses are on or off. There is just a baseline.

This isn’t the only way it can present for me, as well. Overall, I just wanted to show how it is like for me! When drawing, I can NEVER see clean lines, it’s always blurry no matter how large of a zoom % I do, none of my work is ever “clean” and “clear” to me, but to others, apparently it is! I suppose it helps that I didn’t always have this visual impairment, so I have some muscle memory of drawing before.

I hope this makes sense!

[8-8it]

Thoughts on some discussion I saw floating around for the Beast-Yeast Ep.10 Trailer. Please excuse any typos or anything like that, I have been up all night oops. Tried to clean things up and make them more sensical in the transcript below.

Links; Youtube Video On How Corsets Affect A Plus Size Figure; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSvy8N61YnI History of Corsets 1780-1912; https://silhouettescostumes.com/the-eras-we-build/history-of-corsets-1780-1912/ Transcript;

Image One

"Hello! Ive seen a lot of people very confused about Hollyberry Cookie's awakened form in light of the trailer drop and I wanted to try and explain things!

Note that I am not very good at explaining things nor a dress historian myself however I do know a lot as a freelance sewist and autistic individual.

This explanation heavily relies on pictures to convey my point, but since this font is unique a transcript will be avaliable in the "read more".

So why does Hollyberry look so much skinnier in her awakened form?"

Image Two

"The difference here lies in fabric weight primarily and how it sits on a body.

Typically, Tighter clothes will make someone look smaller, and looser clothes can make them look bigger. No one person looks the same size in every outfit. The way fabric falls on a body varies heavily on the fabric and the cut of a cloth. One silk dress of one pattern does not look the same as a completely different silk dress.

I have tried to pick women of a similar size to use for these examples.

Armour is constrictive, heavy, and a dress is more light and flowy. (To A Certain Degree, will explain.)"

Image Three

"However, that explanation is not all encompassing. We're going to have to take a look at Victorian* clothing to understand more.

A big part of this lies in her corset and the layering surrounding so.

A corset is not typically constrictive, nor does it function like a chest binder or a waist cincher. They were used as we use bras today.

It appears to me that Hollyberry wears a corset at *all* times, in every outfit of hers.

*The term Victorian here is used for audience familiarity and ease of communication, however it is not entirely accurate. I will also compile some sources and such in the "read more" If you are curious."

Image Four

"Like all other garments, not all corsets are created equally. Different methods are used in different eras, and different corsets are used for different things.

While most european human history leaves a lot to be desired in terms of womens rights, we can imagine that a 'battle corset' would exist in the case needed.

However I cannot even find evidence of athletic corsets beyond cosplay and fantasy.

This type of corset, however, would be similar to a sports bra. Breathable, but hold everything together. This would be especially desirable at war.

! - While looking for references for this post, I found a youtube video going into how different corsets affect the way the same plus sized body appears, which would be great to look at if you're more intimately curious about how exactly these differences are at play and with plus sized individuals."

Image 5

"Which means that the structure of undergarments in both outfits is widely different, and would greatly effect how her body appears.

More "constrictive" undergarments (Like an aformentioned sports bra, or our imagined "battle corset") make the body look much smaller. Less constrictive undergarments will be more true to one's actual form.

A lot of Hollyberry's mass in her design is in her chest, which means alterations to the corset that she is wearing would change a *lot*!

Undergarments can make a huge difference in your measurements and how your body fat is aligned, especially corsets, stays, etc."

Image 6

"While I do not know a lot about how armour works especially intimately, nor could I find any real-life references of plus sized women in such. I do know quite a lot about historical women's dresswear.

Hollyberry's dress is beyond "fluffy". To me, it appears to be a traditional european dress made up of many different pieces.

Since this is Cookie Run, I cannot pinpoint a specific time period, however I can vauge at anypoint between the 1700s-1800s.

Dresses, In a generalized sense, are build out of much more than just a dress that you slip on. Many dresses for royalty are even more extravagant.

Here are some fairly generalized examples of the pieces put together to make a "dress". Different time periods dress much differently, however.

It can be assumed that it is Hollyberry's petticoat sticking out at the base of her dress here."

Image 7

"Breaking down Hollyberry's dress into pieces; Historically speaking, a lot of dresses were built of multiple different pieces, whereas nowadays, all of these pieces would be sewn together for efficiency, if a replica was to be made in the first place.

(A breakdown of each piece of her dress/outfit is written down, outlining each piece in a different color over her sprite.)

"Shirts" are quite long and vary extremely, and are more comparable to a short slip dress than a modern shirt. However I am just guessing, the build of this dress could be a bit (or a lot) different, ex including an underdress etc.

With the sillohute given, I can also assume she is wearing a hoopskirt. Naturally, She would also be wearing undergarments. Chimeses and a corset most likely.

Conclusion: 10 Or More Pieces."

Image 8

"These two things will probably never sit the same on someone's body."

Image 9

"Hollyberry most definitely is still plus-sized especially when compared to other cookies. Though, while her dress may (not definitive) build up her figure a lot, it is *not* just her dress making her appear so large!

Random (Thin) cookies for comparisons sake.

The shapes of these two illustrations are a bit different, however, that doesnt mean that Hollyberry's body is different now. (See previous images)

I definitely want to mention that her bodytype appears more consistient in this leaked arena statue rather than the animated trailer."

Image 10

"And I want to mention that the animated cutscenes are always a bit "off model" of finished sprites. For aura or somthing. It definitely strikes me as odd that Hollyberry looks so different. I do not believe it *entirely* lies in her dress, however her clothing is a contributor."

Image 11

"However, I do not blame you for feeling alarmed when you compare these two images.

From a fashion and arts perspective, it is apparant to me that her body type is consistient between her awakened form and her default, and remains plus sized. Hopefully, it is clearer that it is so in her sprites when the update fully drops."

Image 12

"I hope that this was at least a bit interesting and helps enlighten you a bit on why Hollyberry could look so different!!

Remember that any of us could always be wrong *or* right, and I hope you all have fun when the update comes out!

Cheers!!"

[morlock-holmes]

Have you seen the recent PhilosophyTube video on Nietzche? If so, what's your opinion as someone who's read him?

I'm not an expert in Nietzche, who wrote a lot of stuff, but I have fairly recently read the Walter Kaufmann translations of The Geneology of Morals and Ecce Homo, and less recently Beyond Good and Evil.

But I hadn't seen that video... Listening to it while grocery shopping...

It's a shocking bit of philosophical malpractice and intellectual dishonesty so breath-taking that I hardly know where to start.

Unfortunately I left the copy of Genealogy of Morals/Ecce Homo that I've been reading in my work locker, but, like, okay, in order to build her picture of Nietzche she has to assert that his overt dislike of the Jews is central to his philosophy, but that his overt dislike of Anti-Semites is some kind of incidental grudge that he didn't actually mean.

But if we are going to do that, if we are going to dismiss much of what he says in his published work, then why not do the opposite? Why not assert that his anti Jewish rhetoric is the incidental expression of petty grudges while the anti-Anti-Semite rhetoric is central to his philosophy?

Once we start building an approach to Nietzche that assumes that enormous chunks of his published work can simply be ignored as incidental to his philosophy, then, like, what the fuck are we doing here?

One immediate thing you have to deal with pretty immediately when looking at Nietzche is, "Why does a German who hurled some brickbats at the Jews hurl even MORE brickbats at Reichsdeutsche and Anti-Semites?"

Like, I cannot emphasize enough how much time he spends attacking the German character in Beyond Good and Evil and The Genealogy of Morals. Way, way WAY more than he spends attacking Jews.

The idea that Elizabeth Forster-Nietzche is somehow responsible for the belief that Nietzche said anti-Jewish things is flat out insane.

Like, he says anti-Jewish stuff in writings that he published himself.

And so when someone sort of tries to rebut that idea I get this kind of suspicion that what they are actually going to do is claim that anti-Jewish stuff is more central to his works than people think, and that conversely the anti-Anti-Semite and anti-Reichsdeutsche rhetoric is less central.

I am kind of struggling to explain why I find that suspect. I think people have sort of said, "He can't have actually meant everything he said about Jews, Germans and Anti-Semites, so we need to figure out which parts he actually meant and which are just kind of in there for no reason" and in my opinion if you read what he actually put in his books (Assuming, of course, that the translations I've read are accurate) this is not necessary, and if you think it is necessary, I feel you haven't been paying attention.

I have no idea if Nietzche considered "the Jewish question", I certainly do not have an encyclopedic knowledge of his letters and personal notes; I will say I cannot bring to mind anything in Beyond Good and Evil or The Geneology of Morals which touches on it. He is deeply skeptical as to whether the Germans can produce greatness.

It's true that he is not an egalitarian, he does not believe people are equal, and for that reason he believes that Democracies and egalitarian societies in general cannot function, that part is actually true as stated.

He's also deeply sexist in the most boring way imaginable. Like, the funny thing is that people keep writing these take-downs about him that try to reveal his reactionary roots gloss over this? Like, what's the first thing you'd imagine a sexist man from the 1870s would say? Like, and do not overthink it, just, like, imagine what a hack writer would put in the mouth of a sexist character in a mediocre adventure novel for 12 year old girls. Because Nietzche probably says it in Beyond Good and Evil.

The idea that he is pro-Eugenics is, okay, first of all actually listen to the quote she uses and you'll find that it doesn't actually say what she says it does. The idea that every thought is based on the nature of the organism that produces it is merely materialism. And I really want to know what she means by "eugenics" because Nietzche overtly and explicitly thinks Darwin is wrong.

I admit that this doesn't recommend him as a scientist but this is a man who says, I believe in Ecce Homo, that anybody who thinks that the Ubermensch is some kind of more evolved human in a darwinian sense hasn't been paying attention. Like he just explicitly says the idea is ludicrous and incorrect.

The description of master vs. slave morality is not exactly wrong, but is incomplete, and the criticism that it isn't historically accurate is kind of... it's not wrong so much as, off? Like, imagine I'm talking about "High Control Groups" and I assert that "High Control Groups will often exercise extreme control over their adherents relationships, discouraging relationships with outsiders"

Would you be like, "Wait, which group is he talking about? When in history did that happen?"

Like, I'm describing a type, not writing history.

So, to go way back Nietzche is extremely concerned with the question of why we value certain things. Master Morality and Slave Morality are two contrasting sets of values.

He says he hit on the idea from linguistic studies.

So, what does "Noble" mean? Well, according to Googles dictionary it means, "having or showing fine personal qualities or high moral principles and ideals".

But of course it also means, "belonging to a hereditary class with high social or political status; aristocratic."

Okay, and what's a Villain? Well, a bad guy, someone who does bad things. Etymologically, it also comes directly from the word "Villein" which in medieval times referred to a kind of serf.

Nietzche claimed that in all the languages he studied this same division took place, that words which referred to the upper classes that ran society began to become synonymous with "good" and words which referred to the lower classes began to become synonymous with "bad".

So, Master morality, Nietzche believes, essentially comes from the characteristics of the upper classes, especially those with military power. Essentially, because these people have power they begin to think of what they do as "Good". Behaving in the way a member of the noble classes should behave is "Good"; "Bad" is the failure to behave as a noble should.

So, for example, to most Greeks hearing the Illiad, the Trojans and the Greeks were both "Good" in this sense. The fact that they made war on each other doesn't change that, because the nobility on both sides acted in the ways nobility ought to act.

So, a positive conception of "Good" comes first, and "Bad" is essentially what is in contrast to "Good" what happens when you have failed to be "Good".

Slave morality also descends from social position. The lower classes (Including literal slaves) sort of come at morality backwards. They start with a conception not of "Good" but of "Evil".

"Evil" is that which is done to us against our will by those classes that tower above us. If you are a king, and I am a king, and you raise an army against me, well, I just raise an army right back, and even though we contend, we contend as equals.

If you are the king and I am a slave, you can just, like, beat me and there's not a lot I can do.

So I call that beating "Evil" and then I imagine what the opposite would be and call that good. The upper classes are assertive, so I say that this is evil and that meekness is good. The upper classes are rich, so I make a virtue of poverty (This is somewhat of an oversimplification).

"Evil" comes first, and "Good" is understood as "Whatever the opposite of Evil is".

The thing is, what Nietzche is most concerned and critical about here is not weakness. What concerns him more is that, in his mind, slave morality promotes ressentiment and vengefulness.

Like, Christian morality promotes meekness, poverty, and humility.

But it simultaneously promises that all of that will go away in Heaven. If you are poor now, you will be rich in Heaven; if you are humble now, in Heaven you will be elevated above all others who will have to writhe in hell. In the afterlife, rather than peace, the people you hate now will be subjected to infinite violence.

One of the things that Nietzche seems to admire in Master Morality is the absence of grudges. If someone wrongs you, or slights you, you fight back, and the fact that you are able to exert yourself against them means that you don't need to hold a grudge, you contend with things in the moment, and that having been done it is not necessary to hold a grudge.

Now, to me, if Nietzche is a man who is mostly hostile to systems of morality that are extremely moralizing on the surface but whose actual primary drives are grudges, ressentiment and fantasies of infinite vengeance, then... like... German Anti-Semitism qualifies just like he says it does, yeah? We don't need to reach for something outside his writings to explain why he criticizes it, he has given us perfectly plausible reasons within his own writing.

And so if you feel the need to dismiss those perfectly comprehensible reasons he gives, and reach for something else... I don't know, it makes me very suspicious that you haven't been paying close attention to what he actually published.

That was an enormous ramble and it still doesn't really encapsulate all of my issues with that video.

[banana-with-a-bow-tie]

is being gay/trans REALLY a sin? Is being attracted to the same sex/wanting to dress as the gender you feel you should be really all that bad to christians? Why do christians care what people do with their own lives to the point that they tell them it’s “sin”

I'm seeing three questions here. 1. What is sin? 2. How do we know something is a sin? 3. Why do Christians care if people sin?

What is a sin?

In order to understand what sin is you need to understand who God is. God is good. He does not just possess good or desirable qualities. He is good. The word "good" comes directly from the word God because God is the very standard of what it means for something to be good. We can say things like flowers and sunsets and sharing are good because they are based on God who is the source of everything good (James 1:17).

God is also our Creator. He designed us according to His perfect goodness so that we could be like Him and walk in His good ways (Psalm 25:8; Hebrews 12:10). God would be unloving to create the world and not follow His goodness.

Sin, then, is our rebellion against God and His goodness. When Adam and Eve first sinned, they were tempted with the idea that they could be like God and decide what is good and evil for themselves. They wanted to be able to say, "God is not king, I am king. God's ways are not good, my desires are good."

This is a lie from the father of lies. Satan wants us to believe that if I just do whatever I think is best then I will find true goodness and satisfaction, but all it does is lead us further and further away from true goodness which comes from communion with God (Psalm 34:10).

2. How do we know something is a sin?

When Adam and Eve sinned, our communion with God died. We all like sheep went astray and turned aside to our own ways. (Isaiah 53:6). We stopped listening to God's loving care and instead started following our hearts, but our hearts are deceitful and wicked beyond understanding (Jeremiah 17:9).

We cannot listen to our attractions or our feelings because we are attracted to and find pleasure in things that God declares are evil, things that are contrary to His good design. If people did not find pleasure in things like cheating on your spouse or stealing, then they would never do it. They are drawn into wrongdoing by their own wicked desires (James 1:14).

But God is still good. He has not left us without a witness. He has given a conscience to people who are hostile to Him so that even they can recognize when their desires are not good. We all know inherently that lying is bad, that pride is bad, that fighting and anger are bad, because God has hidden His law in our hearts (Romans 2:15).

However, because we have deceitful rebellious hearts, we try to justify ourselves and explain it away and muffle the conscience so it can't bother us any more, like searing your hand with a hot iron so it can't feel anything (1 Timothy 4:2).

The only way we can know something is sinful is by God giving us new life and enabling us to trust in the goodness of His Word again. We can know with certainty that all sexual desire outside of marriage is sin because God told us it defies His character and people do it because they want to rebel against Him, so God gives them what they want (Romans 1:24-25).

3. Why do Christians care if people sin?

Ray Comfort tells a story about a man who hated homosexuals. There was a broken elevator in his building with a sign on it that said "DANGER! OUT OF ORDER!" The hateful man saw two lesbians approaching the elevator so he took the sign down so they would use it and fall to their deaths.

God has given us a clear warning in Scripture that following your heart is dangerous. It's like an addictive drug, numbing your mind with pleasure so you don't realize it's killing you. If someone you loved was overdosing in front of you, you wouldn't say "whatever man, live your truth." You would shake them awake so they could see what is happening to them and try to get them help. If I believe that God's warning is telling the truth, the most unloving and hateful thing I can do is not tell anyone about it. Woe to me if I see judgment coming and don't tell anyone how to be saved (Ezekiel 33:6)!

Christians aren't trying to control you or force you to follow their personal preferences. Some people who profess Christ do that, but mostly we have met a God who loves us, who saw us hurtling in a downward spiral of guilt and shame and earning eternal punishment for our crimes against Him, and choosing to show us forgiveness in an unfathomably kind way.

Every single one of us has disobeyed God and tried to take His place on the throne. We all stand guilty before God not just for things like murder or homosexuality, but for lying and envy and idolatry. We have broken God's laws and because He is good, He cannot leave evil unpunished. The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). Every single one of us dies because it is what we have earned for ourselves. We deserve for God to give us His wrath and anger for waging war against Him (Romans 1:18).

But God is rich in mercy and abounding in love even to those who hate Him. We owe God a righteous life, but none of us are righteous, so God decided to wipe away our debt by living the perfect life for us. God became a man, Jesus, lived a perfect life, then died on a cross, taking the wrath of God we deserved, then rose again on the third day, proving that the price had been paid, then He ascended to God's right hand to offer Himself as the reason people can stand before God as righteous.

God does not delight in the death of the wicked. He does not want you to keep trying to find your identity in yourself. He wants you to know Him and His love for you. He wants to wipe away your sin and make you white as snow. What you need to do is confess your sin to God, which means to agree that you are guilty of rebellion against Him and that He is truly Lord, and you must believe that He will forgive your sin and give you eternal life because of what Jesus did for you on the cross. God is faithful and just to forgive the sin of anyone who asks Him (1 John 1:9)

I care about what you do with your life because I love you and because God loves you, just like a Father loves His children and wants what is best for them. I don't want you to miss out on the amazing gift of grace God is offering to you. Don't let Satan keep deceiving you. He promises you peace but all he can give you is death. Every promise of God will always come true (Titus 1:2)

[midnight-in-town]

A part of me thought that Anya would stay in the same classes as Becky, Damian and his two bff. I'm not sure I see why Endo wanted them separate, what do you think ?

Hi ! Ah, I see your point Anon and I'm saddened by it a bit too, but I think it makes sense !

First of all, within the narrative, it may serve as a goal for Anya herself.

Besides world peace (aka trying to help Twilight because she loves him and is afraid "to be returned back"), Anya doesn't have any real goal to study. Don't get me wrong, that's natural since she's like 4 years old, but being separated from her friends may help her find motivation to get better grades, simply to be in the same classes as them again. :))

It might also help Anya recognize how much she came to care for all of them as friends, beyond Becky.

I mean, getting close to Damian was primarily seen by her to be helpful for World Peace. However, I'd say it's definitely gone beyond that, because she truly became friends with him, just like it's evident she trusts him a lot, otherwise she wouldn't have told him about her powers.

In turn, Anya getting friendly with other kids (read : other boys) will also probably help Damian realize that he's friends with her, too. Obviously they're young kids, so their cute dynamic full of banters is probably not going to change soon, but inwardly they're probably going to be more honest with themselves, which is a good thing ! :D

Secondly and most importantly, I think this change of classrooms is very important for the plot. Beyond Damian Desmond, Twilight had Anya enrolled at Eden Academy because...

...many students have very powerful parents who reunite there. Donovan Desmond on his own is not a real threat, the war he seems to be planning according to WISE is, but he definitely cannot plan a war alone, even with mind reading powers.

So the more kids Anya meet, the more we get hints as to who their parents are and how they might be involved with Donovan Desmond or a war project. Here are some posts explaining some previous examples we had so far, like Becky and George and ch95 overall.

Just in ch112.1, we met Prince Tertius who comes from another country besides Ostania and Westalis, which not only broadens the universe's world building, but might also expand on geopolitics and the consequences of the previous wars on additional countries.

Finally, Arnold Crowley, who's also back (see here for more details about why I think he's plot relevant for now), mentioned that it's not rare for "foreign dignitaries to study at Eden".

In general, I find Eden Academy is a shady institution, not because of its educational purpose, but rather because

they once preached war propaganda (back when Donovan was a student),

they are elitist

they allow powerful adults to reunite together

lastly they might even have ties to organizations like Project Apple and "Garden"

Ultimately, Eden Academy so far best illustrates the whole "knowledge is power" theme of the story and, while the kids are innocent and unaware of what's going on, they are still akin to windows through which readers (and Twilight) might glimpse at a darker reality where war is brewing.

So ch112.1 telling us that kids from elite families from Ostania but also from other countries can study all at the same place can be a good thing, but maybe also hints at a dangerous reality. As always, Endo-sensei tells us in a humorous tone...

...but beware the harsh reality beneath the comic relief. ;)

Lastly, it simply is realistic when you're young to change classrooms every now and then and to meet new friends, so let's wish that Anya will also have the opportunity to befriend new people !

I hope it makes sense ? Have a good day Anon. ^_^

[bat-gwuck]

Okay so this is my entry for @drizzledrawings competition!! Get ready for a whole ass fucking wall of text…whoopsie!!

anyway drizzle i love u and ur cowbians they me goofy-grin-on-my-face-kicking-my-feet happy — u and ur art are such an inspiration mwah!!

—

I present to you my entry: Adelaide Forsythe – a travelling scholar and astronomer who’s shifter form is a magpie!

So, starting off with the animal choice. I chose a magpie for two reasons: one, I’m a bird nerd and two, I felt like the symbolism attached to magpies really fit her character??

As a member of the Corvidae family, Magpies are known for being quite intelligent, as well as having a love for shiny objects (get it, get it, she’s a scholar and she loves stars which are SHINY…I’m so smart guys)

BUT BUT BUT there’s a lot of folklore attached to them which I thought was also fitting – my Mum is like *really* superstitious and growing up she always had me salute magpies and you had to ask how its “wife” was doing if it was on its own bc (apparently) if you didn’t you’d be inviting bad luck – there’s a little song/poem that goes “one for sorrow, two for joy, three for a girl, four for a boy, five for silver, six for gold, seven for a secret never to be told” so the idea is that if you see a lone magpie its an ill omen so you salute it n stuff to ward all that away bc you don’t have to salute a pair of magpies

Or maybe its just smth my Mum does idk BUT ANYWAY

I thought I could play with this a little bc in some cultures magpies are acc seen as signs of good luck and fortune, which brings me to Adelaide: she is an academic in an untamed land, an outsider among both frontier folk and the scholars who dismissed her, she longs for scientific recognition, yet finds freedom outside of its rigid institutions, she is a woman in a world that has no clear place for her—too independent for England’s high society and yet too refined for the lawless frontier. Like the magpie, she adapts, moving in a space that both welcomes and rejects her.

THEN, you have the “seven for a secret never to be told” which I felt was fitting for a shifter who doesn’t want to be found out AND THEN the “three for a girl, four for a boy” fit a bit as well, as she often poses as a man to further her academic pursuits (bit a stretch, maybe?? but idc im rolling with it)

In addition, magpies were almost hunted to extinction because people were so afraid of them, which I felt also fit with her place as not just a woman, but a woman in academia AND a shifter who’s trying her best not to get found out and skinned or smth. They’re ALSO associated with witchcraft, which fits too!!

Anyway enough about magpies, onto the actual character lmao.

—

Adelaide’s defining trait is her insatiable curiosity. She is a woman who cannot look at the night sky without wondering what lies beyond it, who cannot hear a folk tale without questioning its origins, who cannot witness an injustice without demanding to know why the world is the way it is. She does not simply observe the world—she dissects it. Whether it’s the trajectory of a comet or the migration of birds, she sees patterns and logic in everything. Even when confronted with superstition, she doesn’t scoff outright—she analyzes, compares, and tries to understand why people believe what they do.

She does not downplay her knowledge for the comfort of others. When a man tries to explain something she already knows, she listens politely for about ten seconds before cutting him off with a far more detailed explanation. Her sharp tongue has made her enemies in both academic circles and the rugged frontier. She is rather exacting in her speech, rarely mincing her words. She dislikes vague statements, preferring specificity in all things. When others say "a bright star," she responds with, "Do you mean Sirius, Betelgeuse, or Vega?" This can make her seem arrogant, though in truth, she simply values accuracy. Besides, if anyone has earnt the right to be a bit arrogant, Adelaide would say it’s her.

Yet, for all her logic, there is an undercurrent of childlike wonder beneath her nose-stuck-in-a-book personality. The moment she gazes through her telescope, or rides the wind bathed in starlight, all pretense falls away, and she becomes a child staring at the heavens for the first time again.

Adelaide has always been an outsider, whether in Oxford’s elite intellectual circles or the rugged towns of the West. She does not belong to any one world, and she has long since given up trying to fit in. While she values solitude, there is a quiet ache of loneliness beneath her independence. She spends many nights staring at the sky, comforted by its constancy, yet knowing that the stars cannot speak back to her. In Oxford, she was too bold, too opinionated, too unwilling to be a wife first and a scholar second. In the West, she is too refined, too intellectual, too ignorant of the ways of outlaws and bounty hunters. She is always “too much” or “not enough” for the world around her.

Adelaide does not easily trust others, not just because of her “little secret”. She has met too many people who have either underestimated her or tried to use her intelligence for their own gain. When she does form connections, she values them deeply, though she often struggles to express this in words. Instead, she shows her care through small, practical gestures. Yet, despite her walls, there are moments—rare but profound—when someone earns her trust, and the walls crack just enough for light to slip through.

She keeps meticulous journals filled with astronomical calculations, weather patterns, and folk stories she gathers from the people she meets. Her saddlebags are filled with star charts, old books, and curious trinkets.

Once she sets her mind to something, she will not be dissuaded. If someone tells her a mountain is impossible to climb, she will reach the peak just to prove them wrong. It is both her greatest strength and her biggest flaw.

She has little patience for those who exploit others, whether it be a professor stealing credit for a woman’s discovery or a wealthy rancher cheating his workers. She does not take kindly to men who assume they can buy her loyalty or silence.

Though she claims she prefers to stay out of trouble, she has a habit of stepping in when someone is being mistreated. She does not pick fights often, but when she does, her words cut deeper than bullets. Adelaide does not resort to violence unless absolutely necessary, but she will ruin a man’s reputation, expose a fraud, or leave damning evidence where the right people can find it. She believes in the long game – vengeance is best served cold, calculated, and with irrefutable proof. She did learn some things from her upper class upbringing, after all.

Beneath her sharp intellect and hardened exterior, Adelaide has a deeply buried, fragile softness – one she rarely allows herself to indulge. She denies being sentimental, yet she cannot help but stop to admire a field of wildflowers or the way the Milky Way stretches across the sky. She has a poetic way of describing the cosmos, though she would never call herself a poet. Though she claims she does not care for fame, a small part of her fears that when she is gone, her work will be erased, her name lost. She has spent her life chasing knowledge, but in the quietest moments, she often wonders if anyone will remember her.

—

Born in 1871 in Oxford, England, Adelaide Forsythe was the only child of Dr. Reginald Forsythe, a respected academic who specialised in mathematics and astronomy, and Margaret Forsythe, a woman of high social standing whose primary concern was ensuring her daughter’s successful integration into elite society. While Margaret sought to mold Adelaide into a proper young lady—one who would marry well and host extravagant dinner parties—Reginald saw his daughter’s keen mind and indulged her curiosity, albeit discreetly.

The Forsythe line carried old magic, ancient and restless, passed down in blood and bone. It was not the magic of spells or incantations, but of transformation—of slipping between forms, of becoming something other, something free.

Adelaide had been standing on the balcony of their estate, staring up at the night sky, when a sudden pull overtook her. Her skin burned, her bones ached, and before she could cry out, the world tilted. The next thing she knew, she was plummeting through the air — not falling, but flying. Tiny wings beat frantically as instinct overrode panic, and she soared above the rooftops, free in a way she had never known before.

And then she crashed, hard, into a chimney stack and tumbled ungracefully to the ground.

Her mother found her shivering in the garden at dawn. There were no screams, no hysteria — only a cold stare, a tight grip on Adelaide’s wrist, and a warning whispered with more force than any slap:

"You will never do that again. Do you understand me?"

Frightened by her parent’s stories of torture, death and other such things, Adelaide was keen to agree with her mother.

But nature does not forget so easily.

—

As a young girl, Adelaide would sneak into her father’s study late at night, pouring over his scientific texts by candlelight. The first time she glimpsed Saturn’s rings through a telescope at the age of ten, she was transfixed. The chaos and expectations of human society seemed so small compared to the great, unending vastness that was the universe. She devoured every book she could find, often pestering her father’s academic colleagues with endless questions during social gatherings.

Her precocious nature made her an outlier among other girls her age. She had no interest in embroidery, courtship, or fashionable gossip. When she was fifteen, her mother caught her sneaking into her father’s lectures disguised in her brother’s old coat and hat. Furious and humiliated, Margaret demanded her father put an end to her academic pursuits, fearing that no reputable man would ever marry a woman who thought herself equal to scholars. But Reginald, torn between duty to his wife and pride in his daughter’s intellect, found a compromise — he arranged private lessons with an old friend, Professor William Crenshaw, one of the foremost astronomers of the era.

By the age of twenty, Adelaide was unofficially assisting at a local observatory, analyzing star catalogs, observing planetary movements, and even drafting papers under her brother’s name (Adam, who had wholeheartedly agreed to the plan) to bypass gender restrictions in scientific publishing. She developed a reputation for being fiercely intelligent but also unyielding, unwilling to temper her opinions for the comfort of her male peers.

Her greatest challenge, however, was not the task of unravelling the mysteries of the universe but the narrow minds of her peers. While some admired her brilliance, others saw her presence as a scandalous threat. When a comet she helped chart was credited to a male assistant instead of her, Adelaide protested openly. “If a woman’s eyes can see as far as a man’s, then her name should reach just as far,” she argued. Her defiance earned her both admiration and ire.

In 1891, her growing reputation secured her an invitation to travel westward to Lemoyne to observe a rare solar eclipse. This would be her first real taste of life beyond the confines of academia and upper class English society.

Lemoyne was unlike anything Adelaide had ever known—rugged, lawless, and ungoverned by the rigid structures she was so used to back home. The journey was treacherous; the expedition was plagued by broken equipment, aggressive wildlife, and even an attempted robbery by outlaws. Adelaide, having never fired a gun in her life, was nearly helpless, relying on the protection of local guides and her quick wit to survive.

Despite the hardships, she made her way to the observation site and witnessed the total eclipse—a perfect black void swallowing the sun, a fleeting moment of cosmic wonder. As she gazed at the event through her telescope, surrounded by untamed wilderness instead of university halls, something within her shifted. The American West was a world of mystery and discovery in its own right, she thought.

When she returned to England, she found herself restless. The constraints of her life now felt suffocating.

It was misfortune that eventually spurred her onwards. During a risky midnight flight, Adelaide had injured her wing, and as such, was stuck in her form for a while. A colleague of hers had found her near the University and had taken it upon himself to care for her — much to her horror, and her gratitude. Adelaide had hoped to escape before he found out but it was not to be. Upon finding not a freshly healed magpie, but a grown woman in his kitchen, the man understandably freaked out. He threatened to expose her secret — stating that she was to step down from her post if she wanted to (quite literally) save her skin.

Stuck between a rock and a hard place, Adelaide set out for the Americas once again — this time alone. With nothing but a collapsible brass telescope, a collection of notebooks, and a revolver she barely knew how to use, she sailed westward, determined to document the night sky from places few had ever studied before.

She traveled from town to town, funding her journey by selling star charts, lecturing at any schools that would take her (which were few and far between), as well as a sizeable fund from her father, who had helped her flee. She often sought out high ground, camping alone in the mountains or vast plains, sketching the heavens by firelight.

But the frontier was dangerous, and a woman traveling alone is easy prey, especially one of “her kind”. She learned to navigate both the celestial sphere and the lawless lands beneath it. She bribed hunters to look the other way, outwitted charlatans who sought to take advantage of her, and, after a close brush with a gang of highwaymen in New Austin, reluctantly learned how to use her revolver. Though not a natural fighter, she became adept at using her intellect to survive, talking her way out of most trouble before bullets were needed.

By 1899, the world was changing. The frontier was vanishing, swallowed by railroads and industry. Scientific institutions back east were growing in prestige, but still refused to fully recognize women.

Eleanor found herself caught between multiple worlds — too independent for the constraints of academia, too refined for the lawless plains of the West and too wild, too different for all of them.

She had spent years mapping the stars, but her greatest challenge remained: carving out a place where she, and her work, could live and be remembered.

She would never be a wife waiting at home, nor a delicate lady confined to parlors and polite conversation. Nor would she be held down and restrained because of the blood that ran through her veins.

She was a scholar, an explorer, a collector of knowledge and forgotten stories. A woman with a revolver in one hand and a telescope in the other, chasing the stars and riding the wind before the West faded into memory.

Because the world will change, the frontier will disappear, and one day, even the names of its greatest outlaws will be forgotten.

But the stars will remain. And so will she.

Either way, Adelaide would continue to look skyward, seeking answers in the infinite dark.

—

Okay so that’s the end (so far)!! Hope you enjoyed!! I might expand on her and give her some friends (maybe even a girlfriend…heh) later but idk??

P.S. Adelaide would def be besties with that palaeontologist you meet who gives you that dino bone quest

[amalthea-13]

The Mastermind Dilemma: Expanded

Introduction

Hello All! It is I, Amalthea, the Ultimate Stolas Kinnie and Stan! Feels good to say that after a semi-long hiatus! To be honest I just needed a break to really breathe. I think I may have took on a lot (i have 3 drafts rn), but I wanted to discuss my post last night. I am genuinely grateful to people who took the time to just talk to me and understand my POV while explaining their own.

If you have no idea what I am talking about, please visit this post to catch you up to speed; The Mastermind Problem.

After a long day of pampering myself and buying a cute graduation present for myself, I feel I am emotionally ready to take time to talk on Mastermind again.

Before anyone gets confused, I will state again;

These are my personal feelings. Nothing I say reflects what Stolas Stans or Fans think. These are my individual thoughts and are not applicable to anyone else unless they express they agree with me. Beyond that, these are my opinions and feelings.

Thank you.

Relating to Stolas and Blitz

It is never easy for me to admit that I relate to Blitz a lot. Personally I get why he is the way he is. To keep people around I would make myself "useful" in someway, that way they were tethered to me. I was useful, like a tool.

No one throws out the hammer in their toolbox so hey, they cannot get rid of me either. These were coping mechanisms I developed from divorce related trauma and abandonment issues. Therefore, my issues manifested in seeking relationships, but also pushing people away who wanted to connect with me.

This trait even went as far as pushing away my own friends and self isolating. Trust me when I say I do understand Blitz's self hatred.

What I cannot get behind is Blitz being- so quick to change when Stolas lost everything. Many people in the comments explained they believe Blitz fundamentally changed during Ghostfuckers thanks to his and Millie's heart to heart. They also note that Apology Tour solidified Blitz's idea that he probably can never change and Ghostfuckers allows him to realize he can be better.

The users who brought this up were @shana-reviews-tmblra and @eyebulb so big shout out to them.

I did appreciate them bringing up these episodes since I had to remind myself that Mastermind wasn't the only episode in the entire season. (Hyperbolic Statement)

Sometimes my ADHD likes to tunnel vision on certain details and things, and it just so happens to be for me the scene of Stolas seeing Blitz and Loona hug and looking utterly miserable.

It's the scene during Sinsmas of Stolas reaching for his daughter and her turning her back on him.

Those things specifically stuck with me, harboring a lot of frustration, but what fucks with me most is Blitz immediately doting on Stolas. I don't know why that was the major detail.

Moving on, understanding Blitz as a person doesn't mean I'll be able to lose this frustration sadly. I relate far more to Stolas and it's why I am so defensive of him.

Hence why relating to both of them is a fucking dilemma in every context. I have conflicting thoughts quite often. I find myself often feeling bad for being so hard on Blitz while also unable to let any of it go despite many conversations with people.

Rock Bottoms

@shana-reviews-tmblr in their replies on my post did help a lot with the idea that- Blitz had to hit his own lowest point to grow, as did Stolas. Different times, but both grew from whatever it was they hit.

That the break up was the ultimate thing to push Blitz to choose to be better.

Oddly enough, I do find this answer somewhat- satisfying-ish.

Listen I'm trying lmao.

If- it genuinely was the only way for Blitz to grow then I understand. It took Stolas being slapped with classism for him to fundamentally realize he was actually hurting Blitz when he didn't mean to.

So story wise that makes sense. It makes sense that the Full Moon Breakup was the fundamental push that makes Blitz start doing that internal work that leads to Ghostfuckers being the breaking point where that realization hits him that he can choose to be better.

Thematically all these things make sense and I love that for the narrative since it does give me something to tangibly hold onto and understand Blitz isn't a raging bitch entirely.

However, and yes there is a however, I do not understand how THIS was the fundamental moment. I do not get how anyone can choose to be this blind to someone's intentions and care. I just don't understand that at all.

I try really hard to set aside my biases and frustrations with Blitz, but I cannot get over the tonal whiplash that took place in Mastermind.

That Sick Feeling

As I have noted in the past, Mastermind left me feeling awfully sick. When I say sick I mean physically ill.

The major reason being guilt.

I felt so excited seeing Stolas and Blitz together and finally bonding. I felt so happy they were finally able to actually talk and Blitz really be kind to Stolas.

However, as it all unfolded, I just felt guiltier and sicker. Like a pit formed in my stomach and I couldn't make it go away. I made several angry posts on Tiktok chastising Blitz and admitting I felt angry. I blamed Blitz for everything that happened to Stolas.

I was an angry and bitter person, but being angry didn't make that sick, guilty feeling go away.

One of the major things to know about me is I care an awful lot about justice. I care that justice is given in every situation and- what happened in Mastermind wasn't justice. What- continues to happen to Stolas isn't justice.

Being an October Libra does not help since that just means I will tunnel vision on instances of injustice.

However I inevitably get hit with the question;

"But Amalthea it's Stella and Andre's fault! Not Blitz's! Why not just let it go!?"

The singular thing that keeps me from being at Blitz's side is Apology Tour. I'll be honest- I was scared of Blitz during Apology Tour. I didn't like him and it made me genuinely- somewhat scared of him.

The way he yells at Stolas, the way he pressures him for sex, the way he grabs Stolas.

It all just- leaves me guarded.

Almost like I cannot trust Blitz is sincere in the thing he does.

I'm waiting for a moment Stolas messes up for Blitz to go off on him like that again.

I was actually rooting for Stolas to leave Blitz after this shit.

Don't get me wrong I love this ship and I want to see them be better together- but it is so hard when these images live rent free in my head.

I don't know if maybe there are some screws loose in my head or something, but- after Apology Tour I began to feel differently about Blitz.

Mastermind was just the nail in the coffin sadly.

Unfortunately I am still- stuck and frustrated, but it feels good to admit that yeah.

I'm scared of what Blitz will do to Stolas in season 3.

I'm scared he will pull this shit again.

I'm scared of Stolas relapsing into some awful coping mechanism.

I'm terrified of the idea Blitz may throw things like Stella.

I do not want to watch Stolas be hurt anymore. I genuinely cannot handle it.

I feel sick just thinking about it.

As I've said before I do not want to think of Blitz as a bad guy. Believe me when I say I ADORE him, but- he scared me.

I didn't really think of talking about this before because I was so focused on Mastermind that- I forgot what those scenes did to me.

It fucked me up and made me 1,000 times more guarded over Stolas.

Conclusion

I'm gonna go- look for Stolas fics to read to recoup after this. This was an emotional essay to write, but nonetheless I am satisfied with the work I put into this.

Thank you all for listening.

Amalthea out.

[luna-rainbow]

Hi

Like your posts especially your Bucky posts. He is my precious cinnamon roll, and a character whose popularity makes sense.

Can you explain to me why T*ny Stark though is so popular? I just... cannot see the appeal of him. He's self-righteous, self-centred, reckless, irresponsible and very likely narcissistic.

Also, for all his fans go on about how "sacrificial" he is I do not see it. Or rather, its not actually that admirable to have to sacrifce yourself to solve the problems you created in the first place! That's just... being a decent human.

Now Cap, there's a guy. Resisting authortarinism and fighting for freedom all his life. T*ny though? He's like "yeah kill myself to kill he villain my father/me created". Nope. Not a hero.

Even in Endgame, he's selfish because he's not willing to even give his backing to the Time Heist if it might negatively impact him/his family.

Why do people see him as such again?

Thanks for the ask!

I think most people like characters for a few reasons: a) they think they are their blorbo, b) they want to be like their blorbo, and c) they want to have sex with their blorbo.

Tony, especially with RDJ's portrayal, is exactly the kind of guy that appeals to the intended audience of the comics-loving (mostly male) fanbase: who identify with Tony's "intellectual and pragmatic" over sentimental (ala Pepper) or moralistic (ala Steve), and who wishes they could be the playboy billionaire who has all the sex and buys all the toys and shrugs off all the accountability. Tony is 40 but RDJ plays him like he's 14, he's misogynist and self-centered, cocky and reckless, who won't listen to anyone else's advice because he genuinely believes he knows better until real life proves him wrong (...so many socialised males are like this...)

To be honest, on the one hand, I can see why Tony appeals to the audience. He's at once a a reassurance and a fantasy. If you take away his billionaire status, he's an extremely flawed (all the ones you've listed and more) middle-aged guy who struggles to maintain human relations and makes frequent mistakes but does strive, at least in the earlier movies, to try and do the right thing. I think a lot of people relate to that, because most of us are lonely and messed up and likely misunderstood to some degree. But he's also very much a power fantasy -- he's swimming in money (if you forget where it comes from), surrounded by fawning hot women, he has fast cars and a man cave to tinker with his hobby while his girlfriend/secretary does the real work of running the company. He then gets the ideal redemption story where he proves all the accusations of immorality wrong by doing A Good Deed, and all the fame and glory that comes with it. Yeah, some fans like to lean into how he's still ""misunderstood", but his critics in universe are the minority, and his new hero status has enabled him greater access to what is essentially political power and intelligence networks.

To me, Tony's appeal lies in his struggles and the redemption. He is a morally grey character just learning to look beyond his own needs and still occasionally relapsing into self-centered recklessness. His story was never one about sacrifice - because as you say, doing the bare minimum of fixing your own mistakes isn't sacrifice, it's being a grown up.

And I ignore Endgame XD

[brazenautomaton]

concept that would be better than "instead of fighting off the alien invasion humans ally with aliens to destroy earth fascism":

alien emissaries from beyond the stars come to Earth. immediately alien-worship cults arise. one by one governments of the world fall to them and proclaim that the aliens are our allies and there's nothing to fear. the aliens have released a brainwashing virus that converts humans to be their slaves. human resistance fighters dwindle and are pushed back every day. the resistance all know one of their own who has fallen to the alien brainwashing and tried to get them to accept their new masters, and regard it with utter dread. our perspective character makes his spouse / best friend promise that if he falls and becomes one of them, to kill him.

of course he gets captured and put in a prison camp for alien brainwashing. except that... there's no aliens. and it's like a regular prison POW camp like on normal earth. and his "re-education" is just explaining in an increasingly exasperated tone that no, the aliens are not invading, they can't even live here, they want Venus. We're so unlike them that their view toward us is like how we regard hypothetical plants in the Amazon that could cure cancer: worth keeping around just in case it turns out to be useful, if you destroy it then you might be sorry you did. New installations of alien technology are all built and controlled by humans because why the fuck would they expect us to trust them to put up pylons with tech we don't understand. the aliens have been working on negotiations to create a mutual system that ensures we won't attack each other since they know there's so many humans that as a species we cannot coherently make or keep promises. the crazed cultists at the outset were people who were already fucking wackadoo. there is no brainwashing virus because how the fuck would they know how to make one for a species whose biology is so utterly unlike their own? everyone who was "brainwashed" just had someone actually explain to them what is actually going on and realized they were wrong.

so the central metaphor there is the idea that radicalization is good in itself, the fear and disgust at changing your own views -- especially political ones -- even though presumably if you change your views in the future it's because you have a better reason to believe they are true.

after this we have the perspective character try and figure out "how do I reach the resistance with the message 'no these guys are actually not malevolent, like actually, no really, it is actually not a problem' when anything that could possibly convey that concept is discarded as a lie.

then of course our perspective character is killed by his best friend / spouse who promised to do so if he ever fell to the pro-alien side. the guy pleads that he didn't understand before, it's not what he thought at all, there's no reason to do this, but before he'd said "no matter what happens no matter how much I plead or try to justify it or explain, don't listen, it's not really me," so she shoots him dead.

she has also been "re-educated" to see the truth that the aliens are not that big a deal and everything we were afraid of was made up in our own heads, but she considers keeping promises to be the most important thing. we leave on the question: did she do the right thing?

[sentientgolfball]

Ghostober Day 1

Not even gonna lie I was NOT really planning on doing anything but here we are. Can't promise I'll do every day but I'll do some here and there >:3 also it was like 2am when I decided to write this so bear with me

Pairing: Alpha/Delta/Omega

WC: 712

Tags: cuckolding and irresponsible use of quintessence

also thank to @evereverest2 for giving me three ghouls when I asked

It was a long, long day. Alpha’s tasks never seemed to end. It started with an issue in the forge caused by a fairly new Ministry fire ghoul. Not only did he have to fix the problem but then he had to explain to the ghoul what the fuck happened and why it was not good. Then the kitchens were beyond busy. The change of the season meant celebration which meant a feast. He was in charge of helping prepare the meat, but he also had to help with everything else as the overseer. Then of course he had to stumble upon two ghouls getting into a scrap over who knows what. He was tired and all he wanted to do was curl up in his bed and sit in silence until he finally felt bored enough to bother one of his packmates. 

He sighs bodily when he opens his door. He stops in his tracks though at the sight that greets him. Delta and Omega are on his bed. Naked and hard, the scent of arousal thick. The former is sitting in Omega’s lap. The sound of the door alerts them. Delta leans back, planting both hands behind him as he turns to look at Alpha. 

I see you finally decided to join us. Their raspy voice echoes in his head. 

Alpha blinks at them, trying to process as all his blood rushes to his cock. 

Come here sweet thing. He tosses his hair over his shoulder, putting the deep bruises around his gills on display. 

Alpha could never dream of putting up a fight when it comes to Delta. He is helpless to their siren call, only magnified by the quint now in their veins. He slams the door shut behind him and fumbles with his shirt as he stalks over to his bed. He gets stopped from climbing in by a strong hand to his chest before he can even touch the mattress. 

“Hold on now,” Omega’s deep voice rumbles, “I never said you could join us.” 

“Megs?” Everything happened so quickly he can barely grasp what is going on. 

���You kept us waiting. For a very long time mind you. I think it is only fair that you let us finish what we started.” 

“You can’t be serious.” 

“Delta?” 

I don’t know sweet thing, Omega makes a good point. 

Alpha huffs, “You sneak into my room and then you won’t even let me get off?” 

“We waited for you. Now you wait for us.” Omega pinches one of his nipples, grinning at the noise it elicits. 

Normally Alpha would fight with claws and fangs to be the one in control, but after the day he has had he cannot bring himself to. He knows they will take care of him once they are done riling him up. He just has to be patient. Even if he can feel his cock pressing against the seam of his jeans. 

He growls lowly and brushes Omega’s hand off of him. He stalks across the room, taking a seat in one of the old armchairs he has near his window. 

I’ve never seen him so obedient. Oh Omega be nice to him. 

Omega hums, glancing up to make eye contact with Alpha. He smiles, tusks flashing in the low light of the room as he spreads Delta’s ass open. He slowly pushes into him, making sure Alpha has a perfect view of the way he stretches around him. He can hear Delta’s gasps of pleasure echoing around his skull as he watches his hole drool around Omega’s cock. Once a water ghoul, always a water ghoul. 

Omega does not give him a moment to breathe, squeezing the meat of his ass as he begins to roll his hips to fuck up into him. Alpha’s eyes are locked on where they connect. Without looking away he unzips his pants to pull himself out. He groans quietly when he gets a hand on his dick, something just to relieve the pressure. 

He gets one good stroke in before suddenly his whole arm tingles and falls limp, sitting uselessly in his lap. His eyes flick up to meet Omega’s. The slight glow of purple and the scent of ozone makes his stomach burn that much hotter. 

“What part of wait do you not understand?” 

[wajjs]

i hate batstans who spamming hal jordan tag ughh

I know this is related to the now deleted poorly written post about Hal/Arisia, in which Jason chases Hal threatening to murder him for being a "pedo freak" and Hal is somehow scared of Jason when in reality Hal has no reason to be afraid of him since they're not on the same power scale.

I was saving this ask to post a good answer, but I'm very sick and ultimately it boils down to this:

The infamous "not a child molester" panel is purposefully shared out of context because it has inflammatory language and it's the best way to rage bait people + it prolongs ignorance in fandom circles (already known for never looking at the source material) by not explaining the whole situation like it should be explained.

It is an incredibly scummy thing to do considering how sensitive and delicate the topic is. It is also incredibly telling that it's mostly antis the ones who share this panel out of context and without nuance. Antis LOVE to use words like "child molester" and "pedophile" like they're candy and like these words have no real weight behind them.

I have seen antis pile on a survivor of child molestation for saying they do not agree with calling Hal a pedophile, because in context he's not, and using that accusation as a blanket statement "gotcha!" only helps to water down the complex terms and alienates survivors. I've witnessed antis tell survivors to "get over it" and that "maybe they (the survivors) are the real pedos" for "defending Hal Jordan".

I'm gonna break down the context in simple terms so that it can be understood:

Arisia joins the Green Lantern corps as a preteen/young teenager

Hal consistently, repeatedly, explicitly, calls her "little sister" across multiple issues and treats her like family

Arisia develops a crush on Hal that starts off Innocent and turns into an Obsession

Hal explicitly, repeatedly, consistently, turns her down

When they're trapped in a cave, Arisia cannot take Hal's "no" as valid answer and uses her willpower to age herself up into a full-fledged adult. She must have Hal

I repeat, she's NOT a child. In text, in canon, she's now drawn and written like an adult — a very precocious young adult, yes, but an adult nonetheless.

ONLY AFTER she turns into an adult does Hal show interest in her, and they make out in that cave to then develop their relationship

What's the REAL issue?

I am aware that the context is far from good, but what is most important from it is that the relationship is very clearly out of character within the same run it develops from. Before Steve Englehart, the writers consistently kept an older brother/little sister dynamic between them. Englehart was the one to add the ""romantic"" twist to it and directly contradict not other writers, but even himself. Moments before making out with Arisia, Hal is written turning her down. Again.

This is clearly not a character trait of Hal. This is a self insert situation in which the writer, and with support of the editors, decided to put his fantasy on page. It's not the first time this ever happened in comics, it will not be the last — it just is, unfortunately, infamous all around the internet.

To sum things up before I pass out again from the amount of meds in me:

Hal is not a pedophile. He only develops a romantic relationship with Arisia AFTER she's grown into an adult (in the blink of an eye, yeah). He is not a child molester. Nowhere in the run before or after was that ever a thing. It is beyond me why Englehart wrote that dialogue. Who knows.

His relationship with Arisia has its surprisingly sweet and stable moments, though it quickly deteriorates because Arisia and Hal are at different life stages. They break it off. It was retconned. I repeat, IT WAS RETCONNED. IT'S NO LONGER CANON. And for good reason.

I am TIRED of Batstans, mostly Jason Todd stans, using a clear example of bad writing to bash on a well beloved character. As if Jason hasn't suffered from atrocious writing as well.

Now can we stop with the obvious rage baiting and blatant spreading of misinformation?

short cbr article with a breakdown of events for those interested

[thetaxicabber]

Chapter 22 art for Voyagers of Time and Shadow!

This amazing art by @giselsann-opencommissions I'm so excited to continue getting art for this series! If you've read it let me know which scenes you'd like to see! :)

Here’s an excerpt from the chapter:

**************************************************

Dumbledore gazes at her and Evie wonders if he’s a legilimens, based on how sharply his eyes are assessing her. She probably wouldn't even know if he was trying to get into her mind. “That archway has been there since before the Ministry of Magic…since before any organized wizards in this area. In all of recorded knowledge nobody that has ever entered the archway has survived. You must explain everything that happened to me.”

She must explain? Evie is almost taken back by the order. She will do no such thing. He cannot demand anything from her. Evie may be the student but she's also the one with the answers and the power. She has no intention of being ordered to do anything. 

“No,” Evie’s voice is cold. That information was not for anyone else to know. She told Sebastian and that was all. She only told him because they had the security of the Undercroft and because Poppy told her it was okay. Sebastian has always kept her secrets. She trusts him more than she’s ever trusted anyone else. Evie knows better than to blab to every person that asks her things. Ancient Magic is not for most to know.

Dumbledore blinks at her through his half-moon spectacles in surprise. Evie is sure he isn’t told that word often. He leans back in his chair as he stares at her. “No…?” He repeats, his expression almost incredulous.



She sticks her chin out. “That’s right, I said no. All you need to know about that archway, was that I saved Sirius. Harry asked me to save him, that’s why I did it. Without me, he’d be dead. That’s all there is to know. So perhaps you should be thankful that I saved one of your loyal members and Harry's godfather, sparing him even more pain.”

Dumbledore straightens against his tall chair, his face impassive. “That archway hasn’t been successfully traversed in a millennia. Since you activated it and survived that means it could be studied…” He sounds reasonable, calm even. But beneath that is a type of hunger that Evie isn’t comfortable with. He wants that arch…for reasons that Evie doesn’t trust. Poppy told Evie she had a part to play in the war. That’s something she’s come to terms with. Evie can fight and she is not afraid. But this is something beyond that.

Something in Evie snaps. She leaps to her feet, unable to listen to him manipulate them anymore. If she stays here much longer she’s going to curse him into oblivion. That wouldn’t be good for anyone here. “My magic…is not a toy for you to play with! She shouts. “I won’t let anyone use it!”

Dumbledore's eyes widened in surprise by her outburst, but he doesn’t move. "Miss Kingsley I must ask you to calm down," he said, his voice still calm. "You're upset and you're not thinking clearly. Let's sit down and talk about this- “ “No,” she snarls and her voice sounds dangerous. Evie can feel her ancient magic simmering beneath her skin, almost begging to be used. She shoves it down, not wishing to let the Headmaster see it again. Once was clearly too much.

[melaninfury]

What is an Ancestor...?

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ANCESTORS are the ones that come before you. At times they can be your greatest connection to unconditional love or an experience to release and patiently grow in a new direction. Ancestors represent the experience and in between of LIFE & DEATH. An ancestor can be more than one thing, more than one person and more than one meaning. Lets explore the endless possibilities.

THE BLOOD

* Ancestors are directly linked to you by connection of soul, some are bloodline ancestors directly linked through lineage passed down from offspring. This is a potent and profound connection, here lies the source of alot of elevation and inheritance - that is directly. * This is the part of you, for example that has gifts like your blood grandmother, sight or spiritual talents are passed down this way. This is the inheritance, this isn't always a blessing. If someone curses you or passes down a generational curse those may also be apart of the gamble.

THE WISDOM & GUIDANCE

* The ones that came before you have experienced this life and died to tell the tale. Sounds quirky but in many ways we rely on our ancestors to move forward, we use their history and records in the free world to continue the very evolution that brought us about today. * Ancestors are the people who carry the wisdom of the lineage. This connection is your source of guidance when you have no where to turn too. * Spirits see and talk too, they have eyes and connection in places you cannot reach. Beyond being the embodiment of an older version of your bloodline, they are still linked to you in death. They often show themselves through intuitive nudges and guidance. * The ancestors are just that, the ones who came before but in all honesty many will not show up as the "MAIN". They come and go as they please and have the ability to show up at parts of your journey where they connect with you the most. Example: (Referencing Ancestral Practices) A grandmother who was good with money but had bad mental health, if you get into ancestral practice logically are you gonna call on her for guidance with money not for mental fortitude and tips on thriving mentally....same thing applies to how they may show up for you. Their guidance isn't all encompassing, they may not be elevated but they are your greatest source of reference. Call on the right one for the right things and do so respectfully if you ask.

THE ROOT

* You are as strong as you are grounded and they are as strong as you. * They are the ROOT of your family, their energy and past can shape your ROOTS in every way moving forward. One decision can lay a root of success, healing or destruction. * What is the ROOT of the “why” they and you continue to leave legacy or live on. What does that answer mean to your great-great-great grandmother? Ancestors bring the ROOT of your soul purpose to the forefront especially through elevation. * The ROOT of your spirit is the fruit that will bear. This applies to the ancestors and your relationship with them. They are the ROOT of your Tree, The seed of your balance.

FAMILY

* ANCESTORS do not have to be blood, the most high will move in mysterious ways. The FAMILY you’re born into is just that, lots of family are made. FAMILY and ancestors are made through unconditional love. FAMILY is also your Ancestors. * They do NOT have to be blood to be your Ancestor. I have had more than one ancestor that is not blood related but are my ancestors just the same. They support you and are they for you in the ways that can and cannot be explained. True Love and dedication. * They are honorable and deserve more honor from you, because they move and work on your behalf even in death. Even through every possible barrier in this universe they remain, strong and right by your side. That bond isn't a given its cultivated by you and them. In many cases it takes its time and comes right on time, but when its there solid.

ASTROLOGICALLY

4th HOUSE: Ancestry *The 4th house and its connection to home and family is self explanatory. * This is the place where your home life and childhood experience (stability) sits at the base of the chart. * Also the house where the inner world and connection to inner stability (moon) is cultivated. * Ancestry and the inheritance of said ancestry whether that is hardships, legacy, stability, emotions, experiences that shape your emotions, and legacy can be seen in this house. * Your feminine ancestors or connections are prominent here but all depends on the whole chart for context. * This is were you can trace where things are birthed in your lineage and family.

1st HOUSE : Purpose * The ascendant has more than just your identity and appearance. The theme of your purpose, the totem of your mission in this life show through the ascendant. Examples: Aries - being the leader, fighter, torch bearer. Cancer - Mother, Nurturer, bringer of family love & connection. Virgo - The historian, The Writer, The blessings of virtue, Health & Wealth * The expectations and the way your parents/family see you can also be reflected in the 1st house. What the themes of their expectations and projections can show from this house. * This being the house of self image, if your culture or ideology affects your sense of self.

12th HOUSE: Spiritual * Your mother's experience while she was pregnant and during your birth * Karmic debt & Loss can be seen here. If there was a prominent lesson here that the universe, god or higher power was directing in your life. * The afterlife can be seen here, so the connection you have to ancestors and spiritual gifts, such a spiritual and expanding energy (piscean) * The KEY to healing, healing karma fro yourself AND ancestors show up in the house and placements. * Subconscious connections and links present here as well which can be directly linked to ancestors

* The experience of endings and closure, how grief and transition are huge parts of the ancestral journey. Seen through astrologically displaying your ability to deal and adapt in those energies.

10th HOUSE : Legacy

* This is how the experiences and understandings of the world get displayed through principle and structure. How you express your home training or ideologies cultivated in the ancestry/lineage. * The expectations of how your present and display yourself in Public & Career is seen here . LEGACY is a huge part of the tenth house at the peak/top of the chart. How you cultivate the LEGACY of your ancestry and family is seen here. Your reputation or what that means to you can be traced and linked to ideologies/experiences of the ones before you. * Fathers, Grandfathers and Masculine figures in the ancestral lines influence can be seen here also. Traditionally, and this house is ruled by a planet that is linked to ancestral/societal tradition, this house shows the theme historically where the masculine figures are focuses/molded to seek LEGACY - whatever that meant to ancestors before them.

SUN: The Father, Masculine Ancestors, Ego, Sense of Self, Self Image, Inner Child manifested in the personality, Masculine energy manifested through action and expectation, How you were taught to be seen and present your personality, Social Capacity, Paternal Line, Heritage,Cultural Dynamics.

MOON: The Mother, Feminine Ancestors, Emotions, Inner Child manifested in the subconscious, Emotional Attachments, Birth, Inheritance, Maternal Line, Spiritual Gifts, Intuition, High Priestess Knowledge & Energy, Motherhood, Unconscious past.

Generational planets tell a story of generational experience based on prominent and repeated aspects. The inheritance of signs is also a study that I am exploring with my own lineage. Spiritual lessons of the family line including generational curses and divine healing can be seen from here.

PLUTO:

* In terms to ancestors DEATH & REBIRTH can be seen in this generation planet. I closely associate plutonic energy with how you process the most intense and deepest connections, emotions and change in life. * Death which is not an endings but a cycle of new beginning in hoodoo and many cultures closely associates with ancestors. * This planet shows the necessary changes needed on the steps to enlightenment. * The generations strengths yet weakness within their own intensity. Example: A great example is this opinionated yet innovative generation of Pluto in Sagittarius that dominates the commentary/online space regarding culture/religion/politics/Ideologies/Societal Rules * Trauma and Intense Experiences impact generations, though Pluto it can be seen through placement and its aspects within the natal. If you are a descendant of violence, s*xual trauma and generational trauma.

SATURN:

This planet is connected to karma and generational structures. The lessons and wisdom of the ones before you can be seen here. Patterns and Roots to most experiences in the ancestral line can be traced and resolved with this planet. Another inheritance of wisdom, hardships and lessons. The most karmically bond planet in terms of ancestors. One of the strongest ways they communicate their guidance in a natal chart It takes full maturity (30 years) to master this part of your life, looking at the Saturn return journey when this planet cycles back to make sure you've been tending to your lessons and development. The energy of Saturn pushes for success like a diamond being pressured by the tides of the earth. Mastery and Recognition are key, in terms of ancestors the journey of purpose and mission aligns with these themes almost seamlessly. * The literal Grandfather Planet. The most hidden spiritual and universal planet i've seen in my studies. You can see alot regarding ancestral wisdom and mastery here. The hermit card closely associated with its solitary focus and deep journey into self, Saturn is the key to master in the natal chart. Example: Saturn in Aries - Self Mastery & Discipline , Saturn in Cancer - Tradition & Maturity, Saturn in Taurus - Stability & Fulfilment * The planet of your Spiritual Journey, Life Lessons & Wisdom. Key - Self Mastery, one of the keys to exploring the ancestors.

NEPTUNE:

* This planet shows inherited dreams and imagination. This can be a fine line between dreams and illusions, the grand fog in the brain but lets explore. * This is the planet associated with pisces and the spirituality that connects us. The weave in the tapestry of the universe. * It shows your intuition and spiritual abilities which are passed down and also uplifted generationally. * Strong indicator for spiritual gifts and talents, especially foresight and promise in regards to ancestry and the past. * Lots of lessons from the past life station here.

URANUS:

* The generational planet of Innovation, Chaos, Rebellion and Revolution. * This the true fire and divinely guided experience that you don't speak or work into existence it just is for you. This is your revolutionary vision that your inherited from the warrior or seer before you. This is the most profound experience in the natal chart. It sparks and strikes like lightening regarding revolution. Moving obstacles and Oppression from your community. * This is the inherited fight of your ancestors. This is where you learn and evolute to break free from the boundaries that hindered them. A strong focus on individuality in communities its the personal journey with the evolution of your ancestors. This is the spark of genius, the speaker, the activist and the revolutionary. Purchase your Ancestor Reading! Tip Jar | Paid Services | Donations of support to $MELANINFURY

©️ All Rights Reserved melaninfury, photos do not belong to me.