#i could have answered via message like a normal person

[lucy90712]

Hey so for Jude Bellingham can you write like Jude cheating on reader, he is very distant with her and she tries to make plans or asks him things like how has ur day been but he either just gives her blunt replies or just completely ignores her. Reader finds out he cheated on her via his phone and she confronts him and she admits it. Then reader leaves him and moves on with someone else (not a footballer just someone random) and Jude regrets what he has done but it is too late. Like pure angst and please make it long! Thank you!

A/n: the timeline on this doesn’t really work but just ignore that

Part 2

Sitting in a restaurant alone waiting for someone to show up is embarrassing. It's even more embarrassing when people know who your boyfriend is and are very clearly judging you and thinking about what might be going on in your personal life. Then the most embarrassing part of it all is having to leave after sitting there for an hour. 

No text no call and no answer. After getting home from the restaurant I stayed up for as long as possible to try and wait for Jude to come home so I could ask him why he didn't show up to the date he planned and invited me on but by 3am he still wasn't home. The next morning he wasn't in bed but he had clearly been home and then left for training but he still hadn't even read the texts I sent him last night. He did post on his Instagram story which explained where he was, he was at a party with all of his friends. I'd love to say that's the first time he's done this but it isn't in fact he's done it countless times in the last few months. 

~~~~~~~~~~

Valentine's Day

Two hours ago I got ready in a cute dress and did my makeup ready to go out to dinner with Jude. He's been so busy recently so we haven't spent much time together but he promised me we'd spend Valentine's Day together, he got us a reservation at my favourite restaurant and told me to dress up. That's exactly what I did now I'm sat here still waiting for him to get home two hours after when he said he'd be home. 

It hurts to be left just waiting I was looking forward to tonight and getting to spend some time together as I've missed having him around. He made this move to Madrid out to be the best thing for us but ever since things just haven't been the same. He's always busy and when he's not he chooses to spend time with his teammates instead which I understand but at the same time he's neglecting me and our relationship. I tried to bring this up but he shut me down and promised to spend more time with me which is how we ended up with this date but clearly it's not that important to him. 

Close to 3 hours later Jude finally came home and looked at me incredibly confused when he saw me all dressed up. 

"Where are you going?" He asked 

"On a date with you remember you said we would go out for dinner because it's Valentine's Day" I said 

"I'm so sorry baby I completely forgot this week has been crazy I promise I'll make it up to you another day but I'm so tired is a movie night instead ok" he said 

"Yeah its ok" I lied 

Birthday 

As always I woke up to an empty bed and Jude having left for training. Today isn't any normal day though it's my birthday so all my friends are coming over and we are going to go out for lunch together then hopefully Jude and I can do something together this evening even if it's just watching something together on the sofa. When I grabbed my phone from my bedside table I had loads of messages from friends and family wishing me a happy birthday and my social media was filled with edits done by Jude's fans which were all so sweet. The only notable missing thing was a text from Jude but that's ok he might've been running late and forgot. 

I forgot about Jude as soon as my friends arrived as they all spoiled me far too much but I had so much fun with them. It was nice to be distracted from real life and stop worrying about when Jude will be home, if he will remember it's my birthday or if he still cares about me at all. Once I got back home Jude's car was already in the driveway so I smiled and happily made my way inside to see him. I wasn't expecting Vini and Eduardo to be over but there they were sat on the sofa playing video games with Jude. 

"Hey y/n happy birthday" Vini said 

"I didn't realise it was your birthday Jude didn't mention it but happy birthday" Eduardo said 

"Thanks guys" I said 

"Where have you been babe?" Jude asked still not saying happy birthday 

"I was with my friends they took me to lunch" I said 

"That sounds fun" Jude said going right back to his game 

His friends tried to leave saying he should spend time with me but he said it was fine and that I wouldn't mind so they stayed. While they all sat down stairs having more fun than I was I did some work with tears streaming down my face. My own boyfriend doesn't care about my birthday his teammates cared more than he did. 

Anniversary 

"Happy anniversary love" I said when I found Jude in the kitchen this morning 

"Happy anniversary" he said 

I tried to give him a kiss but he dodged it and went to start packing his things as he has an away game later today so he's leaving soon. 

"I'm sorry baby I've got to go I'll see you later though" he said as he left leaving me all alone yet again 

~~~~~~~~~~

Today is a day I always like to forget. Both of my parents died in a car accident two years ago today so it's always an emotional day for me and my siblings, we would like to spend it together to distract ourselves but as I'm in Madrid we can't do that. Instead my friends invited themselves over so that I'd have someone with me which made me feel so much better. They came over early so early that Jude was still here as he hadn't left for training yet. He was doing his own thing as the girls all sat with me and let me get out all my emotions now by telling them memories I have with my parents. 

"You know they'd be so proud of you" one of my friends said 

"I just wish they were here to see all the things me and my siblings have done all thanks to their constant encouragement" I sniffled tears still falling down my face 

"Why are you crying babe?" Jude asked as he walked down the stairs 

"Just thinking about my parents it's the anniversary of their death so I'm just a bit emotional" I said 

"I'm glad the girls are here to make you feel better then I'll see you later ok" he said 

With that he left and my friends all looked at me with an expression I didn't quite understand.

"How long has he been like that?" My best friend asked 

"Like what" I questioned 

"Like you don't matter he didn't even hug you before he left even after you told him why you were upset which he should know anyway dates like this are important for partners to remember" she said 

"I mean it's been a good few months he missed our Valentine's Day dinner he didn't wish me a happy birthday until like 5pm and we didn't do anything on our anniversary" I said finally thinking about how badly he's been treating me

"Girl he doesn't deserve you he's taking you for granted and you don't deserve that" one of the girls said 

"I hate to say this but you need to break up with him clearly he's given up on your relationship and now I might be wrong but wrong but it seems to me like he's found someone else" another said

They were right for months now I've been at the bottom of his priority list and he's nowhere near the Jude I used to know and love. There is no affection there anymore it's like the love we once had is gone. He also has definitely been distant and he's never home so there is a possibility that he could be cheating on me. That's a thought that I'd put in the back of my mind and didn't want to think about but now that someone else that has mentioned it I can't let the thought go. Whether he's cheating or not things definitely aren't how they used to be and I need to get out of this relationship before it's too late. The girls all offered their support and said I can stay with them for as long as I need which gave me the confidence to actually talk to Jude later today. 

When Jude arrived home all the girls left and they wished me good luck which I definitely need as I'm nervous to actually have this conversation even though it needs to be done. Jude went straight to get in the shower so I decided to look at his phone because he told me the password but I have never used it as I trusted him at least until now. It took just seconds of looking for me to find texts between him and this one girl who he had clearly been seeing for months now. He kept saying he would break up with me but the time wasn't right yet and that he wasn't in love with me anymore which hurt to see. I wanted to cry but I held back my tears and instead just sent myself screenshots of everything and then deleted the evidence so he wouldn't know that I knew. 

After his shower Jude took ages to come back downstairs but when he finally did he was looking at his phone and smiling it made me wonder if he was talking to her the girl he'd apparently fallen for. He quickly noticed me staring at him and he just stared back not having a clue what was going on. 

"Jude we need to talk" I said 

"Oh ok is everything alright?" He asked 

"I'm just gong to say it I know what you've been doing and don't lie to me I have screenshots I just want to know when you fell out of love and why you did this instead of just ending things" I said barely holding back tears 

"I don't know it all just happened I'm sorry I should've handled this better I didn't want to hurt you but clearly I haven't done a good job of that" he said 

"Yeah you really have hurt me I should've known when you forgot about our valentines reservations but I was foolish and believed that you were just busy now I know you were with another girl" I said 

"I'm sorry" he said 

"I don't believe you Jude if you were sorry you wouldn't have let this go on for so long it's safe to say we are over I wish you well but please don't try and contact me again I need to just move on" I said 

With that I gathered my things and just left. I left my key, the memories and what felt like half my heart but it had to be done I had to get out of there before I got hurt any more. It's time to move on and start a new life with people around me who truly care about me. 

~~~~~~~~~~

1 year later 

"Come on amor let's go" Carlos called from downstairs 

"Coming" I said running down the stairs 

"Oh wow you look gorgeous" Carlos said 

"Thank you you look good too" I said 

He kissed my cheek and grabbed my hand so we could head out to the car that was outside to pick us up. Just a few days ago Carlos won the French open so we are going out to celebrate. I met Carlos not long after I broke up with Jude I wasn't even looking to date but I just happened to meet him on a night out with my friends and we just clicked. He understood that I wasn't ready to date properly but he didn't give up on me so when I was ready we went on a date and the rest is history. My plan definitely wasn't to date another athlete in fact I wanted to just have a normal life and date a normal guy but I couldn't just let Carlos go and I'm glad I didn't. We have been together officially for 6 months now and they have been the best 6 months of my life he always treats me right and he makes it known how much he loves me. 

Carlos has a lot of friends in Madrid so he decided to come here and celebrate his win with me and my friends as well as his before he goes back home to be with his family. There wasn't really any time to prepare anything so we are all just meeting at a club in town that isn't just open to the public so there shouldn't be lots of people there. All our friends were already there when we arrived as we got caught in a bit of traffic but they didn't seem to mind our lateness they congratulated Carlos on his win and we all went inside. 

As we walked down the stairs all my friends turned to me at once and I wondered what was going on for a second until I saw what they had seen. Jude was right there along with a few of his teammates. I haven't seen him since our breakup which is somewhat of a miracle seeing as I still live and work in Madrid and he has become part of the city. I knew one day we'd meet again I was just hoping it wouldn't be in a day like today I don't want to be thinking about him or to talk to him while celebrating Carlos as tonight shouldn't be about me or my past relationship. Carlos knows everything that happened so once he saw Jude his hand reached for mine and he gave it a comforting squeeze which made me feel a little bit better. The thing is I don't miss Jude at all I'm so much happier now but what he did still hurts me so seeing him for the first time since is a bit painful. 

"We can go somewhere else if you want" Carlos said 

"No it's ok tonight is your night plus he shouldn't affect my life now that's the past you are my present and future" I said 

"Ok as long as you're sure but you are sticking by my side all night" he said 

Jude's POV

"Is that y/n?" Vini asked 

Him saying that caught my attention so I looked in the same direction as him and there she was with all her friends and a guy by her side. I recognised the guy as Carlos Alcaraz the tennis player who just won the French open and a the guy y/n has been dating for at least the last few months. I found that out when late at night after we lost a big game I stalked her Instagram and saw a photo of them together on her private account that she forgot to remove me from. Since that night I have kept an eye on her Instagram I usually check it at least once a week to see what she's been doing and how happy she is without me. 

Since the night that she broke up with me I regretted making all the dumb choices I made that led to that point. Within days I broke things off with the other girl I was seeing and I have been alone ever since I just can't bring myself to see anyone else because they aren't y/n. It sounds stupid because I'm the one that ruined everything I'm the reason she's with Carlos and not me but she was the one I just didn't realise how much I loved her until she was gone. My mum has always told me not to take things for granted as once they are gone you'll realise their true value and that's exactly what I did with y/n I didn't realise just how important she was to me until I made some stupid decisions and let her go. 

I watched her with Carlos for a while and she seemed genuinely happy which made me realise that she hadn't been that happy with me for a long while before we broke up. It was clear to see that she loved him and I could tell that he loved her too because he looked at her the way I did when we first got together. It hurt to see her so happy with someone else because I know I could've had that but now I won't get to share any moment like that with her ever again. I deserve everything that has come to me I made bad choices and as much as I regret them now it won't change anything. 

I have to let her go because for her to be happy I need to not be in her life as much as that hurts. They say if you love her let her go and that's what I need to do let the one go because as much as she might've been the one for me I'm not the one for her. 

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

AITA for calling the cops (twice, kind of) on someone in a car who swerved at me on the side of the road?

(Disclaimer: I hate cops. But I felt extremely threatened and wasn't going to let this go without something happening.)

I am a high school student and have not yet gotten my license, and therefore cannot drive alone. To get to school I ride an electric scooter, it looks a bit stupid as a high schooler but it is the only way possible for me to get to school on time. (I have a class before school in the morning, and both parents have work.) I've been doing this for over three years and have had no problems until recently.

Two or three weeks ago, I was on my way home from school. I noticed a car approaching from behind, and moved to the very edge of the road as I would normally. I was literally in the gutter on the side of the road, nowhere near where cars would be. This car, however, then sped up rapidly and swerved within 2-3 feet of hitting me. Probably not trying to actually hit me, but clearly trying to scare me or something of the sort. The person in the passenger seat was screaming the whole time.

The car sped off (I should mention that the speed limit on this road is 25 mph, and the car was going at least 50-60 mph) and after standing in shock for a moment I followed them home since they apparently lived in my neighborhood. I caught two teenage boys leaving the car, and asked if they had been in that car and had swerved at me on the road. They denied everything and went inside the house.

I went home and after a short while, came back with my father to back me up. Asshole move from me, I know, but he insisted on going in case the boys decided to get violent. I made him wait a short distance back, then rang the doorbell. Waited for a while, no answer. They were clearly still inside; the car was still parked on the road nearby and I hadn't been gone for long.

When they didn't answer, I then went home and called the police. I gave them the license plate number and the guy's address, and they said there had been reports of him speeding and being reckless before. The cops went to the house and yelled at them, and I thought it was over then. I most certainly did not want to press the issue any further, the shock and adrenaline was wearing off at this point and I just wanted to be done.

But several days later, I was sent screenshots of the driver of that car spreading hate about me on Snapchat for getting him in trouble. Now this is kind of difficult to explain, but I am unfortunately somewhat well known for riding an electric scooter to school. But up until this point, people just were aware of my existence. After the Snapchat posts and messages about me were spread, all of that turned into pure hate. Every time I was seen with that stupid scooter, people would scream that they wished I would fall and stuff like that. None of this had happened before, and I was (and am) miserable and scared. I don't feel safe anywhere around school because this is still ongoing.

I also tried to contact him via Instagram messages, to which he did not respond. That was three times that I attempted to contact him: first by following him as he was getting out of the car, second by ringing the doorbell, and third by messaging him.

Two days ago, I got my mom to pull me out of school early because I was feeling like crap after some particularly bad harassment in the morning. In the office as I was asking to sign out, I started crying in front of the school police officer, and she asked for the full story. I told her about the online posts and the catcalling and harassment I dealt with every day, and she took it very seriously. I didn't want her to do anything really, but she did anyway (I'm not upset about this honestly, it was probably a good thing). She said that the patrol officers usually didn't do much about stuff like this, but she could and would do a lot more.

She pulled the guy out of his class after I had left to go home, and in her words "put the fear of God in that kid"; telling him he should have lost his license and that since he was 18 he could face real consequences and go to jail for stuff like this. He has been told that he has to stay at least three feet away from me at all times.

Since then, he hasn't said anything to me in person, and hasn't posted anything publicly online. I still don't feel safe at school or anywhere in the area, but I've been taking an alternate route to try to avoid being seen and yelled at as much.

Am I the asshole? I honestly think we both might be, but I do feel somewhat justified by the fact that he at least got some sort of consequence for threatening my life like that and causing that level of problem.

What are these acronyms?

[nikoniclove]

Whole List of "Ace in the Hole" Prompts Pt 2

For anyone who is interested in reading the WHOLE MASSIVE list of prompts people have sent in via private messages, AO3, or tumblr, here it is broken into numerous posts because it's so long.

One Shots (con)

i want more little things that make them tick! doesn't have to be a super kinky thing, something small. maybe they notice jj gets all hot and bothered whenever ace handles the sniper guns. or emily likes it when ace's hair is in a bun. something small like that and the teasing conversation they have once they figure out why the other person is so horny lately. (Mcdoesit)

LOVED the jewelry kink for jj, would love to see that revisited. (Mcdoesit)

i would pay so much money to have them somehow make a stupid bet about "well yeah i bet i could last longer than you could" regarding sex/orgasms. knowing them it would probably be jj vs emily or ace vs jj, but it could be all three of them. they would try to tempt each other but it would probably backfire and make them super horny. maybe ace playing the mommy/daddy card or jj/emily trying to leverage her praise kink or subspace? i just know they'd play dirty. (Mcdoesit)

would love to see ace teasing Em and JJ somewhere they can’t fuck her (maybe on a car or something) by calling them mommy/daddy when people can’t hear? Feel it would drive them wild haha. (Tumblr anon)

Ace being in a depression (Emily and JJ not having caught onto it yet) and trying to have sex with Emily to help her ‘feel’ better. However Emily decides she not in the mood or just too tried from a case and how it affects Aces depression. Specifically with feeling not good enough for them, or maybe Ace thinks they’re no longer attracted to her. (Jo_Mamaz)

Episode 11x14 - ace reaction, JJ reaction 

the first time Ace sees Emily go super rough and intense on JJ (quite early on in their relationship so it feels shocking to her), both the live event and then the aftermath of how she processes her trepidation and arousal around that kind of roughness/intensity in bed as it’s all still quite new to her (Tumblr chaotic-pyro)

Ace being on the giving end and JJ or Emily on the receiving end as top Ace is sort of a rare occurrence. They do happen to be on call but they’re trying to reacquaint with each other’s bodies since it’s been so long with all the cases. A phone starts to ring (it could be work, family, etc.) but Ace encourages one of them to answer, yet whoever answered isn’t the person the caller is looking for - whoever is receiving is the wanted one - and they try to push Ace away but she’s insistent on the other person just continuing conversation as normal.  (Tumblr anon)

JJ or Emily in some sort of life or death predicament where either JJ or Emily rashly put their life on the line to save the other leaving Ace in a state where both of her loves are at risk where she can’t do anything but wait on the sidelines and not knowing how to cope with the fear of potentially losing them both? (Tumblr anon)

considering all the gun kink stories out there, would you possibly write something along those lines with the three? thinking about it being jj or emily’s unexpected turn on (Tumblr anon)

One where they argue for the first time, jj and Emily learn that they can’t shout at ace because she isolates due to her past (Tumblr anon)

maybe a follow-up to "A Bad Day" in Different Kinds of Firsts pt.2. Where Ace is having another bad day and JJ and Emily are almost tripping over themselves to help her feel better to make up for last time. And their effort itself is so endearing and loving that it helps lift her spirits as well. Maybe JJ actually brings up that they want to do better because of how much Ace has adapted for them - possibly bringing back a conversation from "Learning to Top" about Ace swallowing down certain things so that she gets to stay with JJ and Emily (Tumblr theysaythejobisjinxed)

silly story in which emily tries to fix the kitchen sink or something but the problem she doesn’t know how to fix it so she ropes ace into it but she doesn’t know how to fix it either so they end up making it waaaay worse and the kitchen floods and everything and they’re like “jj is gonna kill us” and in fact when jj comes home she’s mad but amused nd she ends up fixing it ? and it’s just all funny fluffy goodness?? (Tumblr anon)

Ace has a fight with Emily and JJ (thinking serious but not as bad as Emily telling Ace she is a burden) before going away for work alone, maybe solo consult or testifying or something, and there is bad weather and Ace looses communication with the team. Emily and JJ are freaking out cause they are worried about Ace and can only remember that the last thing they said to her was mean and what if they don't see her again, and such. Ace is worried and trying to figure out how to fix it but the lack of contact with anyone (other than the reason she is where she is) is getting to her and it makes her miss her peoples even more (EmilyJenniferJareauPrentiss)

Ace takes JJ to a rock gym, sweaty muscles are observed, JJ’s libido is in overdrive, and then when they get home, JJ gets to enjoy the muscles up close (Nerdy_Mama)

JJ dominating ace and emily chapter.. it's been too longggg. Not just dominating in bed but also teasing them and edging both of them the whole day and then finally showing them who is boss.. something like this pleaseee (Ao3 guest JJEM)\

Where JJ is very upset with ace over something very stupid like ace ate her last piece of favourite pie of something (not really upset like getting mad but upset enough to ignore her for a bit ) and ace is going out of her way to make it up to her... going full girlfriend and sending her flowers and giving massages and stuff. And emily is empathetic towards ace but not really helping and staying out of it (Ao3 guest JJEM)

What if Emily and JJ teased and worked Ace up as they are wont to do, and when they are finally ready to let Ace come, maybe even have her tied up and begging already. Bam, either they or Ace get called away. Maybe there's a failed attempt to get Ace of over a video chat while they are away, but that too fails. And when they are all finally reunited, or maybe just Ace and Emily. Ace pins Emily down and makes her get her off because she is just too desperately horny to be shy anymore. (Attempt_137_at_finding_a_user_name)

Emily and Ace off on a consult that turns into them helping on the case. Early on in an established relationship. A local detective (who is similar to Emily in dominance and looks) is flirty with Ace. Maybe Ace has to go undercover with this detective for a small thing and play the role of a date. She plays into the part and keeps calling Ace ‘love’. Emily can do nothing but just boil in silence. Ace teases Emily a little but quickly sees the mask drop and there is lingering insecurity. Very smutty hotel moment. (Ssskeptical)

early days are good to see. Speaking of…have you done much - or anything - with the firsts before that first girls night where they actually did stuff for the first time? Because I think you said they’d been flirting with Ace for months at that point and Ace was kind of clueless in an adorable way. It could be fun to see some of the firsts even before that first girls night. Maybe the first time JJ flirted, the first time Emily flirted, the first time Ace realized they were flirting - if she even realized it? Maybe the first time JJ touched Ace in a casual, friendly way BEFORE they were anything to each other and Ace being all weird about it because she’s not used to that. Maybe the first time they got jealous of Ace before they had any reason or right to…like they’re nothing to each other but they have a thing for her and she innocently talks about finding someone cute at a bar or gets flirted with during a team outing, JJ gets all jealous, Ace has no idea what’s going on. (Ao3 Guest)

[pwyzzaori]

Where do people think they're going to get by harassing old Hellpark Ri mods?

NOBODY CAN STAND THIS ANYMORE, IT'S ALREADY REACHING AN ABSURD LEVEL, and the most we can do is write loooong texts asking these people to stop AND THAT'S NOT ENOUGH

It's okay if you don't like the project, no one is obliged to like it, BUT ANY NORMAL HUMAN BEING WOULD DO IS IGNORE IT AND MOVE ON, BUT NO, THERE ARE PRIMATES DOXING US AND SPREADING LIES

in fact, you don't even need two brain cells to realize that you won't get anywhere doing this SINCE THESE PEOPLE NO LONGER HAVE ANY CONNECTION WITH THE PROJECT

I don't know what goes through these people's heads to commit this type of act, because it is a VERY SERIOUS thing

We already have to go through so many things every day for countless reasons and now this?

The worst part is knowing that many of the mods that were there were minors who just wanted to have fun drawing their favorite characters, doing redesigns and giving ideas for the story

I really hope this doesn't affect them like it affected me some time ago and recently it's affecting more people

Please leave us alone, we no longer have any involvement with this project, stop doxxing old mods, it won't get you anywhere

thank you(my english sucks sorry)

-------------------------------------------------------------------

I also wanted to vent a little, it's not a very recent situation but it started happening again these days and it's bothering me A LOT

When I discovered Hellpark I fell in love with the artstyle and started to practice drawing with it, consequently I reached a level where if someone saw my drawing without analyzing it, they could come to the conclusion that it was an official drawing (people have actually told me this already)

At first I felt very special about it, but as soon as I joined the project, DMs from all my social midia (except Discord) started to arrive from people asking if I was Wire

I always answered: no, I'm not Wire

and I started to get afraid that people would start to bother Wire themself, or idk some of the og mods from Hellpark (I don't know if this kind of thing really happened, but I hope not)

These messages didn't stop until I completely disassociated myself from the project (after the old mods left I ended up staying on the project for a few more months to help peeks while new moderators didn't join), but a week ago not only ppl started asking if I was Wire again, but they also started literally insulting me or asking me to come back to the project via discord like whaaaat

I've never given my primary Discord account username to anyone other than acquaintances

and now I'm a little scared to be honest

like this morning I got one message from a person I've never even seen in my life

I just changed my username and left some servers related to Hellpark. I hope this solves it, I really don't want to have to change accounts

I just wanted to vent about this, on one hand it's kind of worrying because someone literally leaked my old username, but other than that nothing too "horrible" happened to me :p

[salmonskinrolltf]

Roll the Die 2: Be Kind Rewind

**REQUESTS ARE NOW CLOSED**

So my old Magic Die ran out of juice, but get this. Apparently I have a great-uncle who I never even knew about, and when he passed he left me his entire collection of dice and VHS tapes! The dice seem normal, but it's a really weird VHS collection. It has EVERYTHING. Like, literally. It even has movies and shows that came out after they stopped making VHS tapes. Stuff that's currently in theaters, too. And even streaming shows on Netflix and whatnot!

I decided to open up a rental shop. A stipulation in my great-uncle's will says I have to include one of the dice with each tape I send to people. I have no idea why, but I have too many, so I'm not sad to see them go! But here's where I need your help. I need to start renting tapes out online because I've run out of local customers! I had a few come in, but they never came back!

I even checked up on one of them, a guy named Justin, who lived right down the street. He'd rented that James Bond movie From Russia with Love. It turns out he had gone missing! All the police found when they searched his apartment was a half-drunk martini (which was weird, because I'm pretty sure he said he doesn't drink).

So yeah, if you want me to send you a tape, I just need some info for my customer records. Please tell me a little about yourself (age and general look/vibe is always helpful), let me know which title you want me to send, and then tell me which character in that movie/TV show you have the biggest crush on. Then I'll send the tape along with your special die! We have literally every title under the sun. Including From Russia with Love. I could have sworn I just had the one tape, but I found another one in the back just after Justin disappeared...

[Out-Of-Character Notes:

*These will be short stories tailored to whichever (18+, male) character you have a crush on. Whatever happens, you will end up in the movie/show's universe, but I will randomly roll a die to determine your ultimate fate.

Here are the possible results: 1: You will become your crush's soulmate 2: You will become your crush 3: You will become a different character in the movie/show's universe 4: You will become a family member of your crush 5: You will become an original character that fits within the movie/show's universe but doesn't know your crush at all 6: You will become your crush's anti-soulmate (nemesis, bully, etc.)

*PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR REQUESTS VIA "ASK ME ANYTHING" If you send it via a direct message, I will ask you to re-submit

*I will not be able write a story for each and every request, so if yours is not answered, I apologize in advance. I will try and write at least once a week (no promises), and no more than one story per person. I will prioritize shows and movies I am more familiar with, so feel free to submit requests for multiple titles, and I'll choose the best one for me to work with.]

[girlactionfigure]

❓HACK WARNING (via phone - SMS) - Thursday - events from Israel 

ISRAEL REALTIME - Connecting to Israel in Realtime

⚠️(updated) ENEMY SMS HACK WARNING.. National Cyber Defense: During the night, many citizens received stressful and impersonating scare messages that include harmful links. It is the enemy's attempts to create panic.

Messages received from a variety of names, including:  OREFalert (Homefront) and CyberIL

People have seen messages with a link “click if you are safe” - DO NOT CLICK IT.

With a number sequence to enter, like **##123, “enter to tell us you are safe” - DO NOT ENTER IT (meaning like a phone number)

Some have just received an insulting message.

IT’S A HACK.  Homefront Command DOES NOT send out SMS messages, Cyber Defense does not send out SMS messages.  

If you get a LINK and you haven’t seen the source before, even if it seems official, DO NOT CLICK.  

If you get a NUMBER sequence to enter, especially if it includes * or #, DO NOT ENTER IT.

It could be via WhatsApp, same answer - DON’T ENTER OR CLICK.

BLOCK the number/source.

If you are not sure, call Israel Cyber Hotline - dial 119.

If you did click or enter the sequence, call Cyber Hotline 119 to ask what to do.

You may want to check on your elderly family members, they might be less knowledgeable and might click it.

⚠️HEZBOLLAH LEADER NASRALLAH’s.. speech back on for 17:00.

▪️GOLAN.. school and life operating as normal today.

⭕ANTI-TANK MISSILE from HEZBOLLAH at RAMIM RIDGE / Tel Chai, 8 wounded!

🔸DEAL NEWS.. A new offer, all the hostages all in exchange for the deportation of Hamas leader Sinwar and an end to the war.

✡️A brief daily word of Torah: If a person maintains his faith when he is in trouble and sees no solution, is his faith true? What choice did he have? But if a person has all that he needs and still chooses to place his trust in G‑d — that’s true faith. - Kozker Rebbe

▪️LEBANON BEEPER-PAGER and WALKIE-TALKIE ATTACK UPDATES.. The Saudi TV channel "Al-Hadth" reported that there is a "state of panic in Lebanon", and that "the Lebanese are trying to get rid of wireless devices". It was also reported by Iranian sources that "the devices that exploded today in Lebanon are widely used in Iran."

.. Last report we saw: 14 dead and 450 injured in the walkie-talkie attack.

▪️ASSASSIN CAUGHT.. (Shin Bet spox) The target: the Prime Minister, the Minister of Defense and the head of the Shin Bet. An Israeli citizen was recruited by intelligence agencies in Iran to perform the assassination of Israeli leaders. He was smuggled twice into Iranian territory and received payment for carrying out missions.  Senior Shin Bet official: "This is a very serious affair that is an example of the great efforts of the Iranian intelligence agencies to recruit Israeli citizens in order to promote terrorist activities in Israel.”

▪️NICE QUOTE.. The British Telegraph: A tiny nation the size of Wales now stands alone in humanity's battle against barbarism. (Via Amit Segal)

▪️FRANCE SAYS.. France calls on Israel to exercise maximum restraint in Lebanon. (I must have missed their calls on Hezbollah to exercise maximum restraint while rocket-ing Israeli civilian towns.)

▪️IDF OFFICER WARNING.. (Kaan) Hezbollah is preparing to attack senior IDF officers, senior officers have been ordered to lower their profile

▪️AIR TRAVEL.. The Italian airline ITA cancelled flights to and from Israel for today.

▪️MILITARY EXERCISE - HAIFA.. morning through noon.  A lively movement of vehicles and security forces will occur.

▪️RUMORS OF GERMAN MILITARY EXPORTS TO ISRAEL BEING STOPPED.. FAKE NEWS:  The chancellor's spokesman in Germany: "The Reuters report on the cessation of arms exports from Germany to Israel is completely wrong."

🔸DEAL NEWS.. US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby: …It is believed that the negotiations for a cease-fire are over.

.. Egyptian Foreign Minister: Egypt strongly opposes any Israeli military presence in the Philadelphi border corridor, this is Egypt's clear position and it has not shied away from it.

♦️WAVE OF IDF ATTACKS IN SOUTHERN LEBANON.. Halta, Al-Adisa, Hula, Taiba, Kfar Kila.

♦️COUNTER-TERROR - SHECHEM.. Arrests in Nealin, Shechem area.

.. SHUAFAT.. overnight arrests following an explosive device thrown at police.  Terrorist shot and killed.

⭕JUDEA-SAMARIA “MINOR” ATTACKS ..

.. The Jenin Battalion of the Islamic Jihad last night carried out a shooting attack against the village of Hinnit in northern Samaria. Damage was found in one of the houses.

.. Tonight the Jenin battalion again reported a shooting attack against the settlement of Shaked / Hinanit.

.. Fatah's military wing in Tulkarm carried out a shooting attack towards the Ta’anim crossing.

.. The military wing of Fatah in Tubas carried out a shooting attack against the Teyasir checkpoint.

[aita-blorbos]

AITA for fumbling a murder investigation?

(CW for descriptions of violence)

Five years ago, my partner M (26X) was murdered, and I have been searching for closure ever since.

As a leader in our society, as well as a performer, I am consistently in the public eye. M was from a humble background, but they rose to fame in the performing arts through sheer hard work. I admired that about them. I loved them deeply, I still do, and I was never ashamed of that – but I have spent enough time around high society to know that they would not be so kind to an outsider, and M wanted to find success on their own merit without being judged for their relationship with me. So we mutually agreed to keep our relationship private. I thought we were safe, until the night M’s troupe made their debut at the city amphitheater.

I had to miss the performance due to work obligations, but when I arrived on the scene, they were already gone, their body unrecognizable. The backstage area was burning, the evidence vanished. Their spirit, which would normally linger around after a person has died, was nowhere to be found. They were just…gone. The person who made me happiest was gone. It was the most painful moment of my life, matched only by my mother’s death when I was young. I swore then and there I would bring the killer to justice, no matter the time, no matter the cost.

The police didn’t find much after the incident, only a few inconclusive pieces of evidence and witness interviews that led nowhere. Then again, they aren’t very good at their jobs, so I have to do everything myself around here. In this case, I was more than willing to do it. All I found out was that two of M’s coworkers, T (then 28M) and R (then 27M) had been present at the time of the murder, but even that story had some holes in it. After I gathered all the information I could, there was still a missing piece: R, who fled the scene as soon as he could. I thought that was as good as an admission of guilt. He became our prime suspect, but we couldn’t find him anywhere. T, on the other hand, cooperated, supported me in my grief, and gave me key information while I investigated the crime. We had met before, but it was during this time that he became my friend.

Fast forward a few years and my other mom, who rules over a different region, mentions something about having a baby with a man she met. We aren’t very close with her, but my sibling S thought this was some juicy gossip, so they asked who the father was…and who does she say but R. S told her who R was and how I’ve been looking for him for five years. Understandably, she was floored, agreed to cooperate with the investigation and took the baby somewhere far away from him to keep them safe. Meanwhile, I felt vindicated. Like I finally had a lead in this case that had gone nowhere. Finally, I was going to find my partner’s killer, and I would do everything in my power to make him pay.

Here is the start of where I think I might be TA. I had tried contacting R and his husband, but I couldn’t pinpoint their exact location. That is, until I remembered the baby. I didn’t know where R was, but I could transmit messages to him via magic (sort of. I don’t expect you to understand) so I made up hints for him and his husband about the baby’s whereabouts. I admit, I lied to him, but he murdered the person I loved, so I thought it was justified. He takes the bait and buys a ticket to the place where I led him, giving me his address in the process. I send police to his house, arrest him, and finally bring him in for questioning.

It was supposed to be an easy case, open and shut, except he wouldn’t answer any of my questions about what happened to M. Kept saying he didn’t know even when I used every method to convince him. Then his husband shows up looking for him, does an entire independent investigation, and interviews everyone again. To me, it seemed a waste of time, since R was clearly the culprit. I was sure of it.

R was, in fact, not the culprit.

While I was keeping R in jail, trying in vain to pry information out of him, T was lying to R’s husband about every detail of the incident. He lied about everything. For five years. The lie that got him caught? He had been keeping DNA from M’s body – the body that he burned – at his house like some kind of sick trophy, and it was R’s husband who found it during the investigation. Other new evidence suggests that he found out about my relationship, thought M wasn’t good enough for me, and was trying to replace them. Worse, and this may have just been loneliness, but I was starting to think I might have feelings for him too. He’s always cared about social status, which I found a little annoying, but I understood. I just never thought he would stoop so low.

I feel sick. I feel betrayed and used. All the information he gave me was to throw me off the scent. The T that I knew never existed. It was all a façade.

I am disgusted with him, but also with myself. I feel like this is all my fault. M is still gone, and knowing the killer’s identity will never change that. R has been through hell because of me, he still doesn’t have his baby, and my mom still thinks he’s a killer. It’s a horrible situation all around, but I’m supposed to be better than this, and yet I feel that I made it worse. I guess I just wrote this to feel that I’m not alone.

AITA?

[two-black-leviathans]

Mungull had been going over maintenance for Whyoya’s systems along side the ship herself in the time off of traveling to Azeroth, another ship was dispatched to be the next base of operations there. Things were quiet beyond the normal crew chattering and working. That was until an alert came on the different screens around where Mungull was. He called down to the Atlantian palace via com systems “Ummm.. V.. we have a bit of a situation”

“We saw the alert, and are heading up there to get a better idea of what’s going on”

“Well from what it looks like- oh hey” Mungull turned off the com system when Vigos came up behind him. It wasn’t something he wanted to deal with at his normal desk where it could possibly cause panic. Vigos looked at the imaging systems that detected life. Mungull continued “it looks as if seven separate kingdoms just phased or got pulled into this timeline.. A scouting drone was sent to get a better view from above.”

“We are pretty sure we’ve seen this one somewhere” Vigos brought up the aerial view of one of the kingdoms and began to cross reference it to various medias globally.

Whyoya spoke up then as the search stopped upon the story of ‘Aladdin’ “I believe this is the kingdom in which Neltharion’s young apprentice is from, and mentioned upon his first arrival.

“The question now…. Did it get here by magic on their end… or did the inter-dimensional probe sent out nearly four decades ago finally come back after locating his reality.” Vigos wondered curiously at this new development. The next thing was contacting his partner on his home world.

Meanwhile, on Azeroth, Nelth and Jafar had settled down at the Earthen city of Dornogal after dealing with other threats around the area. Nelth sat going through messages on a tablet device that were mostly from expedition leaders. He was about to respond to one when Vigos had called him. “What is it?” Nel answered as he heard Jafar grumble out “I swear he has the worst timing”

Nel briefly responded “it could have been worse, it could have been in the middle of dealing with the Goliath sized bugs underground” before moving to a more secluded area within the inn to hear better. Afterwards, Nel returned to the table they were sitting at and spoke “I have good news… and bad news”

Jafar looked less amused at the mention of bad news “what is the bad news?”

“That part would make less sense without the good news first..” Nel smirked

“Fine… what is this good news?”

“Vigos may have just found your former reality and home”

“How is that supposed to be good news? What is the bad news?” Jafar huffed taking a drink of the ale of the city which he’d grown fond of.

“Vigos says that the seven kingdoms including your former residence, might be stuck in our reality” Nelth answered “and he says judging by the time period they were in, there’s going to be a lot of help needed to get them on par with the rest of the world.”

“There isn’t going to be enough liquor to deal with all of them, or old enemies” he grumbled again resting his head in folded arms on the table.

“My dear, Jay, I honestly doubt anyone will even recognize you even if you strolled in the middle of the streets. Not with all the long dreadlocks and such” Nel running his own hand through their similar style hair and grown out and decorated beards. “My guess is that you’d be the last person they’d expect to return to the kingdom, and the least of their problems if anything happens” Nelth motioned for them to head back to Whyoya to see what Vigos had in mind as far as making contact with their new guests.

Vigos and Mungull were busy with getting an idea of how to renovate the kingdoms when Nel and Jafar came to the command bridge of Whyoya. Jafar took in the sight of the place he once called home, but noticed more of how the rest of the kingdom looked worse off than before his demise. “You’d think with the power of a genie in their circle, they would have fixed up the damn city.” He stood with arms crossed in disbelief.

Mungull commented “I’m more of curious as to how the palace stands under the weight of all that metal, plus the heat making it expand probably doing a number on structural integrity. I wonder if the dude prays daily for it to not crush everything inside.”

Nel looked at the palace and asked “naa I want to know how the hell do they clean the bulbs in the heat.”

Vigos looked over at Jafar knowing many years ago he promised that if he found the place that he’d see to it be revamped. “Still want us to give the people a better kingdom?”

Jafar was quiet at first but had to wipe away tears as it was something he wanted but lost sight of with hunger for power. “They deserve better than the conditions they are living in currently. Something tells me they are going to find out that they are in a whole new era with all the air crafts passing overhead, and will want to know more”

“We will get the people there up to speed with the rest, though more capable linguistic skills will be needed including yourself. Personnel will have translation devices, but first hand knowledge is still better.” Vigos assured Jafar he’d have assistance for questions.

“Me? Returning to Agrabah? But what if -“

“We doubt you’d be recognized unless you set yourself up to be recognized wearing things of that culture again. How you are now, should be fine to enter the place. If you are that concerned, you could stay with the drop ship crew for bringing down construction materials, or even the pilot crew that will take those who are willing to relocate to our palace while renovating.” There was a pause before adding “eventually… they will have to learn of your existence” Vigos had prepared to get a smaller ship ready to travel to Agrabah to meet with the leaders into the new reality.

@goldbrick-and-diamond @dragonsruby

[wheelercore]

The Wheeler family, "normalcy", what that means in stranger things, how that possibly explains subtext behind the shifting dynamics of the family- particularly Ted's favoritism of Holly over Mike and definitely Nancy, and how this all connects to the Wheeler family show of opulence- more specifically, toys. Just a stream of consciousness honestly.

This one is for the rosegate girlies ***crowd boos***

Now, the Wheeler family has been one of the two main families of the show since the very beginning. However, in my opinion, what's been going on with them behind the scenes have been kept pretty subtle. And by subtle, I mean hidden behind so many layers of symbolism its crazy. From objects in the Wheeler home being reminiscent of things that could be found in the Creel attic (the white wedding dress, the wheel chair, the piano) + the grandfather clock chimes to Mike being able to sense the void, it's kind of obvious at least to me that the Wheelers are plot relevant, its just obvious as to what it is about them.

Over all, they are defined as being the "normal" nuclear family. Their opulence is shown consistently in the show, from Mike's basement full of toys and games, to Karen and Nancy having new outfits/hair-dos almost every season, to Holly's new lite brite (and god we will be getting to this one), and to Jonathan pointing out to Nancy that his father doesn't make 6-figures. The funny thing being that the Wheelers aren't even the richest family in the show. We don't know how much the Sinclair's make- however it seems like Lucas' parents can also afford to get him the walkie talkies and toys also. The Harringtons are by far the richest family we know of. But yet, the Wheelers are the ones the most emphasized to have more than enough.

Now, season 4 was the season where the writers, via Dustin and Steve, proclaimed they were going to have to spell it out for us. And spell it out they did (mostly in Henry's monologue). There are several quotes I want to point out that specifically describe what Stranger Thing's message on "conformity" and "normalcy" is. To summarize? It doesn't exist. Normalcy isn't real, it's a set of arbitrary standards used to keep the average person afraid of being different.

"Humans are a unique type of pest, multiplying and poisoning our world, all while enforcing a structure of their own- a deeply unnatural structure..." - Henry

(cont.) "Where others saw order, I saw a straightjacket- an oppressive, cruel world dictated by made-up rules. Minutes, days, months, years, decades, every life faded, lesser copy of the one before. Wake up- work- eat- sleep-reproduce- die-" - Henry

(cont.) "Everyone is just waiting- waiting for it to all be over, distracting themselves while performing in a silly, terrible play, day after day... I couldn't pretend." - Henry

(Henry describing his parents) "I saw my parents as they truly were. To the world they presented themselves as normal people, good people. But like everything else in this world, it was all a lie- a terrible lie. They had done things- such awful things-"

"I thought I wanted to be like you. Popular. Normal. But it turns out, normal’s just a raging psychopath." - Lucas at Jason

"A lie designed to conceal the truth"- Jason, shot focusing on the Wheelers for a moment

So what does this mean when the Wheelers are considered to be the façade of an average "normal" main family of the show? We see Mike, Nancy, and Karen struggle with conformity and their unhappiness with their "place" in life, but how does this connect to the overall plot? Why are the Wheelers subtlety connected to the supernatural? What is going on "behind the curtain" and what truth is this "lie" concealing?

Well, we already see from Mike, Nancy, and Karen's POV, so lets talk about Ted's relationship with his children aka why I believe the answer can be partially found there.

Honestly you could ask anyone and they would probably give you a different interpretation of this. And to be honest I think they're all very wrong [*boos and hisses from the crowd*].

What I personally think is that Ted lets his children go when they stop "performing" in the lie, the "silly, terrible play" that is the Wheeler family. And that happens to be when they get older, when they start to become individuals (and children should). We see Ted's relationship with this children get worse and worse the older they are. He seems to dote on Holly, at least speaks to Mike, and just completely ignores Nancy's existence.

Hopper has a quote about this that perfectly explains it:

"I think it must be hardwired into us to reject our fathers. So we can grow and move on. Become something of our own."

This quote happens after Enzo talks about his son "Mikhail" (which is literally just "Michael" in Russian kill me the curtains are so fucking blue guys).

Hopper: I bet Mikhail (Michael) will be proud of his pops, at least. Enzo: Mikhail (Michael)? Mmm. No. I can't do nothing right with him anymore, it seems.

The writers of Stranger Things intentionally associated growing up, becoming your own person, with rejecting your father. As in, at some point you just don't need them anymore. Don't need them to support you financially, to protect you. Two things that are seen as the fathers traditional responsibilities: to be the breadwinner and to be the protector of the household. Thanks for spelling it out for us, Duffers.

An intentional parallel also related to fatherhood in the show is letting your children go when they eventually begin to reject you. In the first Wheeler dinner scene in S1, Ted tells Karen to "let [Mike] go" when he storms away from the dinner table, distraught by Will's disappearance. In S4 we see Karen hug Mike, joking promising not even to let him go to college, not letting him go. In the same s1 dinner scene, in contrast with Mike, whom Ted at least attempts to talk calmly to, Ted repeatedly shuts down Nancy ("Language!"). He's already "let her go" by S1, refusing to even listen to her. Ted pushes his children away the moment he feels that they are beginning to "reject" him, and this is symbolized by their toys (which in my opinion is a symbol of Ted attempted to "buy" his children's love and we see that with Holly) and I will get to that in a second.

However, that phase was used similarly in the context of Brenner and Henry. El telling Brenner that he "could not let [Henry] go".

El at "Papa": So many dead. And all because of you. Because you could not stop. You could not let him go.

However as we're shown, both letting your kids go prematurely (Ted) or holding onto them too tightly in a controlling sense (Brenner) both are damaging to your children.

Let's start looking at some photos:

When I talk about Ted's relationship with his children it's subtly portrayed in the Wheeler family photos we get. Notice how Ted stands in between Karen and Mike, Nancy out to the side- not within his arms. Ted holds Nancy at arms length, Mike has not yet been given the full cold shoulder by Ted. This looks to have been taken around S1. And what looks like roses on Nancy's shirt.

They do a similar thing with the Creels, where we see Victor, Virginia, and Alice as a Unit, with Victors arms around Alice and Virginia- Henry is only held by Virginia's hand. Visual storytelling and all that. Henry is being held at arms length in his family, he is the "odd one out". You can even tell by the colors, Henry is the only one not in blue.

Then we see a completely different arrangement here. Now they are in a line. Ted has his arm around Karen (who is holding Holly), while Nancy and Mike are out the furthest away from him, Nancy being the farthest- as usual. Mike is also no longer within Ted's arm length. Notice Holly has one solitary red flower on her dress? Nancy no longer has roses on her shirt? This photo seems to either be taken before or after S2 (I'm not sure? Lol)

As we can see, by S1, Nancy has already been iced out and Mike is on his way by S2. This has a negative effect on the Wheeler siblings, as we see that they struggle with understanding close relationships, especially romantic relationships. Insecure attachments can become transgenerational, as a parent perpetuates it on their child in the same way it was perpetuated onto them:

Just like any other form of trauma or distress, an insecure attachment style can be passed down through generations.

Consequently, as children typically learn by example, a child picks up on this detachment from emotions and mirrors how their caregiver deals with unpleasant feelings ...

We see hints of this in Mike, who expressed his insecurity in his relationship with El:

Mike: Yeah, I know. I… I know she is. But… But what if after all this is over, she- sh- she doesn't need me anymore? Will: No, o- of course she'll still need you. She'll always need you, Mike. Mike: I keep telling myself that, but I… I don't believe it. I mean, she's special. She was born special. Maybe I was one of the first people to realize that. But the truth is, when I stumbled on her in the woods, she just needed someone. It's not fate. It's… It's not destiny. It's just simple dumb luck. And one day she's gonna realize I'm just some random nerd that got lucky that Superman landed on his doorstep. I mean, at least Lois Lane is an ace reporter for the Daily Planet, right? But…

We also see how Ted treats Karen mirrored in their children also.

We see Karen feel neglected by Ted in S2 and her restlessness/unhappiness leading her to fantasize via middle aged woman erotica. However, she is convinced not to cheat when she sees Ted cuddling with Holly on his la z boy. The song of choice of these scene, (I Just) Died In Your Arms, is very telling because its clearly from Karen's perspective about Ted. A few lyrics of note:

I keep lookin' for somethin' I can't get Broken hearts lie all around me And I don't see an easy way to get out of this Her diary, it sits by the bedside table The curtains are closed, the cats in the cradle Who would've thought that a boy like me could come to this Is there any just cause for feelin' like this? On the surface, I'm a name on a list I try to be discreet, but then blow it again I've lost and found, it's my final mistake She's loving by proxy, no give and all take 'Cause I've been thrilled to fantasy one too many times

While the song itself is about a one night stand with an ex, fundamentally its about someone who feels used by a partner but can't stop going back to them. Karen feels like "just a name on a list" and that her experience with Ted is "no give and all take" and love by "proxy" (ie not being loved by someone as they really are, but as who they pretend to be). Which, as we will get into, is a reoccurring thing with Ted and not just Karen but Nancy, Mike, and Holly too. Being used and then pushed out- like as I explained before is portrayed with Mike and Nancy, not only directly, but indirectly with their struggles with romantic relationships- ie not really knowing what love is or just generally not being very good romantic partners.

Now lets talk about Holly because this is fascinating to me at least. I see people say that Ted dotes on Holly, which is true in s3 & s4, but in s1 & s2 we hardly ever see him interact with her. In fact, Holly, in proximity, is more often associated with/near Karen than ever Ted in the first two season. At the dinner/breakfast table the arrangement is usually Ted -> Karen -> Holly. I don't think Ted pays any mind to Holly in the first two seasons in all honesty, unless I'm missing something.

However in s3 something shifts. Whereas before it was Karen and Holly, now its Karen, Holly, and Ted as the new family unit (to the exclusion of Mike and Nancy- who are being pushed out).

Holly is now associated with Ted. We see her cuddling with him on his lay z boy, they all go together at to the fair and Ted adjusts her shirt on the ferris wheel (and at some point Ted hands her the blue teddy bear), and in s4 Holly is constantly playing with her new lite brite in the wheeler den (which is the area of the home most associated with Ted) in pink/white. And as I mentioned before, in the second Wheeler family photo she has one solitary red flower on her dress.

And now we get a new seating arrangement in the church scene, Ted now in between Holly and Karen, again this new unit but with Ted in the middle now ("a lie designed to conceal the truth").

But what about toys? Well, as I mentioned before, its all about the Wheeler's show of opulence, which is directly associated with Ted- as Jonathan points out to Nancy, his father doesn't make 6 figures. When Ted begins to dote on Holly we see immediately in the next season she's got a new toy that she's constantly with. I mean constantly. Building her white rabbit, which in the theme surrounding predator and prey in ST, is a prey animal. Which makes it so much more interesting that the lite brite is used to connect to the UD, the representation of the "shadows" aka someone's fears/guilt/secrets/etc that they refuse to acknowledge. At least to me the toys in the Wheeler home that keep on getting brought up have thematic significance.

Compared to Nancy in the end of S4, who donates her rabbit toy, mentioning that she doesn't need it anymore. In fact all throughout S4 we have moments where Nancy mentioned having grown out of things: when they visit her room frozen in time in the UD and also when she mentions her room poster after Robin brings attention to it.

We also see Holly in pink-white color scheme, a color scheme that Nancy was often associated with in S1 & S2:

Stole these images from @/boysdontcryboycry. you know. like a thief

(also notice her ballerina necklace early on? It's all a "performance".)

Also comparing this to Mikes basement, which is filled to the brim with toys and games. Mike is absolutely spoiled in this aspect from his very introduction in S1E1. And again, the Wheelers are not the richest family in ST, but yet its their status of having more than enough that we see over and over again. Where is Lucas' basement full of toys? It's not like his family seems to be short on money either. But with the Wheelers it's the classic contrast between riches and lack of intimacy, usually signified by the misconception that love can be bought with gifts rather than genuine emotional intimacy. And as we see when the Wheeler children grow up and start requiring that emotional intimacy rather than just being satisfied with toys, like say a child Holly's age, they are pushed out and forced to "grow up" too quickly (as symbolized by Mike being pressured to donate his toys).

When Ted calls Mike's toys "husks of junk" (or something to that effect I don't remember the exact quote), its not just him being rude, its subtextual. Ted is devaluing the affection he gave Mike previously when Mike got those toys to begin with, just as 6 year old Holly got her lite brite when Ted began to dote on her sometime between S2 and S3. Except now Mike is older, and according to Hopper, every child is destined to "reject" their father as they grow, so now those toys are meaningless to Ted who's gearing up to "let him go"- but Mike doesn't want to let go of them. He is only twelve, not yet ready to grow up.

Regardless, this is all to say that Ted prematurely lets go of his children when they start to develop as individuals, not just stuck in a state of being children who are only satisfied with receiving toys. He refuses to engage with his children in an emotional level as they grow, letting them go when they stop being cute, quiet, and easy to extract emotional validation and comfort from. And there is where we see an underlying emotional immaturity to Ted's behavior. While other fathers in the show (like Hopper and Enzo) express their feelings about their children growing up, they are still able to acknowledge that its normal, that they had done the same when they were young. Hopper himself behaved... unpleasantly when El had Mike over constantly in S3 but understands El is growing up and he was just too afraid to lose her. Ted however, seems insistent on rejecting his children before they can reject him- which reveals an inability to handle rejection/abandonment or a sensitivity to it. He would rather hold his own children at arms length and just move onto the next child.

The second part of this post would be to explain why he is like this, and that would require going back all the way to the quotes from earlier in this post. Particularly what The Duffers' mouthpiece Henry's monologue has to say about conformity being a distraction.

"Where others saw order, I saw a straightjacket- an oppressive, cruel world dictated by made-up rules. Minutes, days, months, years, decades, every life faded, lesser copy of the one before. Wake up- work- eat- sleep-reproduce- die- Everyone is just waiting- waiting for it to all be over, distracting themselves while performing in a silly, terrible play, day after day... I couldn't pretend."

Literally what have we seen Ted do throughout the show that isn't waking up, working, eating, sleeping, and reproducing. Its intentional. And these actions are not characterized as things that are healthy, but as distractions. Playing pretend. Distractions one takes while performing in a "silly, terrible play" i.e. the Wheeler family.

The thing is though, the play gets disrupted when Mike and Nancy act out. When they don't play their part, which is only natural as they grow up and become individuals. Then this "silly, terrible play" becomes Karen, Holly, and Ted- that is, up until Holly grows up. The Wheeler family is a "lie designed to conceal a truth" because it isn't a family born out of commitment and love (Nancy saying she doesn't believe her parents ever loved each other), but out of the need for a distraction- for Ted specifically. Which is why while we don't get his POV, we see the horrible effects it has on the rest of the family. Karen's disillusionment and unhappiness with her place in life (getting married young to an older man) and Mike and Nancy being unable to discern what love and commitment actually looks like. They've lived their whole lives in something entirely fake built to serve someone else's need for normalcy, which is partially why we see Nancy end up in an unhappy loveless relationship with Steve, or why Mike struggles in a ""normal"" relationship with El afraid that she won't need him anymore.

Its all neatly symbolized in this one shot from the end of S4:

One source of distraction paired with another- Ted's TV and the Wheeler family photo right under it, the earliest one where Nancy is still prim and proper, Mike is smiling widely, and Karen is still a brunette. With Karen and Holly right there next to it.

(and then Ted turns off the TV. Bad or good omen? You decide :D)

But the "truth" can be found with Holly. The red flower that can be seen on Holly's dress in the second Wheeler family photo and the white-pink color scheme she is in for the majority of S4 is associated with other characters.

The red flower (rose) in particular is repeatedly associated with mothers, for example Billy's mom who also had one clearly stamped onto the front of her shirt.

Or just in general roses all over the Creel home, including the glass door, Karen at many points, all the fake urns all over the Wheeler home, the real urn (which has pink flowers on it and straight up changes during the earthquake dont ask why oooh its just a production error), the Byers wallpaper- particularly the one Will was stuck behind, etc etc man just check out my rosegate masterpost.

The pink and white (and sometimes blue) color scheme also being often seen not only with Nancy but also with other characters, particularly mothers but not limited to that. Karen being one, Mrs. Cunningham, Tammy Thompson (described as a muppet), Virginia, El, and most importantly to me "Rose Weaver" Robin (whos hairstyle is literally just a mix of Karen's S2/S3 bangs and Virginias bob).

Holly... Holly is the last "distraction" left. And she'd dressed like Rosemary for a good portion of s4 and she's also the only blonde Wheeler sibling. Just a symbolistic representation of creating a family and using your kids to soothe and distract yourself. Holly is dressed like Rosemary because Ted seeks the emotional validation he never received (to what extent? We do not know) from this "silly, little play", in which now Holly is the only sibling left because Nancy and Mike have been "pushed out" due to well... being individuals that don't solely exist to provide a "distraction" and Ted's seeming sensitivity to his kids growing up and rejecting him (because Rosemary totally didn't reject him right? right? That can't be what this is all about lol. lmao even.)

And to see that Holly's lite brite was used as the connection between the RSU and the UD- the "light"/the good and the darkness that people don't want to acknowledge about themselves.

On the bright side (pun intended) I'm pretty sure this means that they are Ted's "light". However still fucked up. 1000 years in therapy for you. Your family arent solely just your "light" they are real human beings.

Anyways the lesson here is that people who shouldn't have kids shouldn't be expected to conform and forced to start a family lmao.

TDLR:

Wheeler s5 sweep

[blueskiestarot]

I’m sorry if this doesn’t fit the aesthetic of your blog, but I’ve followed you for a while and you seem like you give good advice. Please don’t feel like you have to answer.

I got broken up with a few months ago. I asked for “too much” when I had asked for time, respect and effort. We had argued a lot in the weeks prior because I couldn’t get over the past (he broke up with me once before when i asked for a long term relationship, made comments on my body twice—but it was the completely wrong time and place, called me a derogatory name “as a joke”) were just some of the things I struggled to move past, ultimately I couldn’t move past them and he’d shout at me saying “you live in your head” “i’ve apologised once i’m not apologising again” and would ignore me and become distant when I bought up my feelings.

Anyway, clearly it wasn’t a healthy dynamic. It ended, of course, he said it was entirely my fault and he couldn’t meet my needs, he fell out of love, we’re too young etc etc. Cool. But this break up has destroyed me. I sent a final message via a friend because we’re no contact (he said we’d meet, he never showed up, ignored me ever since). The final message was “I’m sorry I wasn’t good enough”

The thought of everything consumes me. My performance at work has dropped, I have no desire to “make it”, I cry. A lot. non stop. It’s like the whole situation has consumed me and it’s stuck in my brain. My confidence is the lowest it has ever been, I struggle to socialise. I’ve tried therapy and honestly, it doesn’t feel like it’s working. I have very few friends, very little family, I work remote. I don’t have goals or dreams I’m so lost. It hurts even more that I get these stupid dreams where we have that closure conversation or we are happy together. I don’t even think I believe in love. How can someone go from saying “I want you, I’ll do everything I can to be the one for you” “I love waking up next to you” “You’re perfect, you’re truly special, I love you” to “I don’t think my heart is in it anymore, you’re asking me for too much”

Even the way it ended was really difficult. He claims he didn’t know he fell out of love yet i knew from the look on his face and the way he was acting the day before he ended it. I’m so so lost. Why wasn’t I good enough? I did everything I could to keep him happy, I cared, i listened, I treated every word and feeling like glass, I compromised, always apologised first. I did everything.

Oh, honey. Don't worry about it not fitting the aesthetic of my blog. I'm always here to help when you're going through something tough.

I'm so sorry that happened to you and that you're having a difficult time healing from it. Yes, it was clearly a toxic relationship and they were a toxic person but that still doesn't mean that you didn't have good times together and that you can't be sad that it ended. Please just be gentle with yourself right now and don't judge yourself for feeling the way that you feel. You're still grieving the end of this connection and while you can logically say that it wasn't good for you, it's going to take more than that to mend your heart. I won't lie, it's not going to be easy but you probably know that. It'll take time. I'm not sure when this happened but even if it was awhile ago, it's important to realize that we all heal at different paces. Plus, healing is not linear. You'll have to work at it and some days you'll feel like you're making progress and other days, you'll feel like you're making no progress at all. Just know that it's all a part of the process, my friend.

Also, feeling lost and lacking motivation after going through something like that is totally normal. Just take it day by day. You will get through it, I know you will. And sweetheart, it had nothing to do with you not being good enough. How he treated you said more about himself than it did about you? So, please don't put yourself at fault for his actions.

I would suggest to stay in therapy even though it may not seem like it's doing much right now. Again, it takes time. So, keep at it. Unless you don't like your therapist and they are genuinely not helpful. If that is the case, I would suggest getting a different therapist and see if that makes a difference.

Above all, just be gentle with yourself, don't rush the healing process, and allow yourself to cry and grieve as you need to.

I hope this helps some. Love, Tara

[tehri]

Meanwhile in Sweden - Banking-Edition, or Why Do I Still Have This Account, or We Have Customer Service (Allegedly)

I really have to wonder if the bank I have an account with in Sweden even wants customers to be able to contact them. Or if they just want anyone who is not already a customer to be unable to contact them.

Context: This bank relies heavily on a digital identification method (as does a lot of shit in Sweden, but that's a whole separate rant). They rely on it to the point that if you, as a customer, try to call them for help with something, you have to identify yourself with that. There used to be a number you could call if you didn't want to use that; this was just for general questions and wasn't really for customers to use. I say that there used to be a number like that, because I tried calling it today, and it demands that particular identification method now. Fun.

Extra context: My old phone is a 2012-model that doesn't support the OS demanded for the new update for the app running this digital identification method. Since March, I haven't had access to any online services for my account, which is An Issue. I recently got a new phone as a graduation gift. A gift that I did not really want and very specifically only got because I am pretty much softlocked out of everything in Sweden if I do not have this particular identification method. Tax-office shit, banks, fucking anything, you NEED this thing (again, separate rant). I still have a fucking student loan to pay off in Sweden, so I've kept the account with this bank for the purpose of Minimal Fuckery (which has turned into Maximum Fuckery).

The problem?

I cannot activate this digital identification method on the new phone. It won't let me. You can normally do this in three differnet ways - using your old phone's one (obviously not possible, it won't even let me use the app now), a security calculator thing (think two-step authentication device; I Had one, but it's dead, and you can't switch batteries in them and the bank doesn't send them to addresses not in Sweden, so this is out too), and a passport or ID. I tried using my passport. Works fine - up until I agree to the final terms and conditions, upon which it suddenly gives me the message that it doesn't work and that it's to do with the bank's terms and conditions, but it doesn't tell me what part of those terms and conditions are broken, so Idk what's up.

The additional problem?

I can't contact the bank for help with this. Can't call - all the numbers are softlocked behind this goddamn identification wall. Can't use a chat-service on their site - it's a virtual assistant, which has always been absolutely useless and pointless and stupid. Can't email - they don't accept queries like these via email or even their own internal messaging system anymore. Can't visit an office - the only branch office in Finland doesn't deal with private customers, only businesses.

I resorted to their Facebook page. Got the answer of A - check the page for how to activate this identification method on a new phone (already checked that multiple times, nothing pertainin to my situation there), B - call [insert number here] and use a code with 5 numbers that you picked yourself at some point as identification method instead (I already called that number, did not receive alternate identification methods as an option, and do not recall at any point ever picking a code for anything, so ?????), or C - visit an office in Sweden to get help (which I do not even know when that could possibly happen, if it's next year or the year after).

Gold star, guys. Such great possibilities to contact you. And no, I'm not mad at the customer service person who sent the answer, I'm just mad at the system they've set up where they are literally impossible to contact for anything if you do not have access to these specific things.

[fictionkinfessions]

This is a post about the current blog poll regarding ask games on this blog. You can find the original post and poll to vote on via this link below. Please do not send votes via ask messages.

Posts about this topic have the tag 'blog poll'.

https://www.tumblr.com/fictionkinfessions/724128639169544192/

This is long. Here is a read more.

Anonymous asked: sorry im not home and mobile search sucks or else id look myself, but is there a catchall tag for ask games? i think there is but bad memory lol. if not maybe there should be so people can block all games instead of each new one !

Anonymous asked: Suggestion for the ask game debacle: why not tag all those posts with one consistent tag like "kinfessions ask game" or something? Either in addition to or in place of the custom tags. That gives everybody's blacklist something to pick up without requiring someone to add a tag for every single ask game.

Anonymous asked: voted to keep ask games but consider just adding a catch-all tag alongside the specific game for blacklisting purposes maybe? the anon has a fair point with how many there have been lately that it can kind of drown out regular confessions but ask games are fun and it wouldn't exactly be fair to completely get rid of them. wouldn't mind a sister blog for them either though

There isn't a catch all tag, and that's a extremely good idea. I'm kinda kicking myself for not asking for feedback before making a whole poll about it. We'd still have the poll, but there would've been better options about what to do. Also for not doing that to start with.

Anonymous asked: i'm all for continuing the ask games, but can we at least LIMIT them? sometimes it feels like there's a new one every day, or like everything posted is a response to an ask game. it's obviously not stopping anybody from kinfessing normally, but it feels weird to only see ask game responses when the blog was originally intended for kinfessions

Anonymous asked: a suggestion about ask games: host one or two as events with loose but present time limits. kinda like this blog had for june, with mostly pride-themed prompts? it would probably require more moderation, so no pressure if you don't feel up to it mpc. we could even vote for favorite games but i can see it may leave someone upset bc their idea lost. right now it seems (to me. just a personal opinion) like this sudden overflow of different yet very specific prompts is a bit directionless. it's not necessarily bad for a community blog but could discourage a full "conversation"? of linked confessions, which i see as the point of ask games. this isn't to say there are no responses to posted answers - quite the opposite, actually! i just think having fewer themes would allow more unique experiences to be included, instead of splitting more subtopics.

True, there have been a fair amount, and it's been ramping up. Not a bad thing, it's nice that people have curiosity about other's canons and sources.

Seems like a lot of work, but doable imo. My concern would be actually getting people to vote for the ask games. Also if an ask game wins, but nobody plays it, then what? Do we just go onto the next one? Would there be a time limit? What if people send things after the time limit? I'd feel like such a dick for not posting it because they didn't send it in on time. This isn't really a final exam at school or your office job with time limits. Literally how do I explain it without sounding like a Super Serious Tool?

People do that for holiday things, you can't stop that from happening. The only reason I put a time limit for holidays is so nobody gets triggered after they remove a tag from their blacklist, assuming nobody celebrates Fathers Day 2 weeks afterwards. You know what I mean? Not to mention this blog is very active. People may not see prompts until long after the time limit, and they may still want to participate. Also who thinks up themes, if there will be any?

Though maybe we don't vote on them. Like you mentioned, people might get upset if theirs isn't picked. I suppose we could just do it chronologically, as they're sent in. I'm not sure how to manage this. Save the future ask games to drafts and hope I don't lose them? Probably.

Anonymous asked: Going to agree with the anon, there is a bit too many ask games ngl, like I like them but there is so many of them at this point and like I even blacklist the tags but they still get through. I just wish that there was a bit less of them or that there was a seperate blog :(

The thing about the auxiliary blog is that it won't have the same amount of traffic and might go dead. Not a bad thing, such is life. But I think part of the appeal of ask games replies and confessions is that this is a fairly high traffic blog. People want to be seen, even if it's anonymous. I wouldn't mind running a side blog, or at least getting it active enough to let someone else handle it.

Anonymous asked: Hello MPC! You don’t have to post this, but I saw that you were asking for opinions and I can’t actually find somewhere to vote on a poll (unless it was metaphorical? I can’t tell honestly), so feel free to delete this if it’s just taking up space- but I kind of agree with the anon who spoke up about the ask games. It’s not really a bad thing they exist, but when you have so many going at one time, it’s hard to keep track of and sometimes the pinned post/asks become incredibly long. It also feels like it goes against the whole ‘this is not a canon call’ mindset of the blog because it can and does spark up conversations between people, if that makes sense? It’s not a bad thing people are involved, but I feel like it takes away from the point of the blog a little. I think having the ask games be cleaned up and a new system put into place to make it easier to block the tag/find them would be super helpful, but I know that can be stressful. All in all, I’m sure everyone will support your decision!! Thank you for everything you put into this blog MPC 🖤

The voting poll post is here if you haven't found it already. Thank you for your input, you have some good points. https://www.tumblr.com/fictionkinfessions/724128639169544192 It's true that the ask game post is incredibly, tediously long. Even with tags, it's hard to ignore.

I don't know about the canon call thing, I haven't really seen people implying they should be contacted over x y z happening in their canon due to an ask game reply. Honestly I'm not fighting that battle very hard anyways.

I get the feeling that ask games are going to stay. But we did get some ideas on how to manage them better than their current form.

Summary of suggestions

Limit amount of active ask games per week or per month. Maybe 3 per week?

Create a catch all tag for ask game responses

Ask game topics per week or month. Maybe can be voteable as well?

Create side blog solely for ask games regardless??

[artificialfm]

How does a group live this work? How do plots happen and interactions? How does the story progress? Sorry, I genuinely am curious

How does this work? the google hangout confuses me a bit

hello! these were two separate messages but i'm going to answer them in one go to fully explain. i'm just operating under the assumption you've never heard of band rp before. this type of roleplay is bandom/band roleplay (band rp) which is, i suppose, a specific brand of celebrity roleplay that leans heavily into the music scene, often the alternative music scene, but it's open to all types of famous folks (actors, models, sportspeople, internet personalities, etc) as well as original characters. it differs from other types of tumblr roleplay in a few ways (it has evolved a lot over the years!). as per our plot page, we have a very simple plot. we're freelance, which means you can do pretty much whatever you wish. your character could run on their real life schedule or you can just have them at home, travelling... whatever you want. so in terms of an overall central plot from the group, there isn't one here, per se. you apply with your character blog, and once you're accepted you can follow the main blog, gossip blog, and all the other members. from there, you can interact on the dash with everyone and make your own posts as if your character is using a regular social media app. you can post more private, revealing information about your character on their sideblog, almost like a diary (which you can keep private or make public if you wish—some players choose to link them on their main blogs). the gossip blog (which, in this group, acts as a celebrity gossip website posting blind items) will use information from sideblogs to make posts and stir up drama. there are also forms to submit information about your own or other characters to the gossip blog. it gives the group a little bit of spice, particularly as we are freelance! when it comes to plotting with other characters or interacting privately, this is where google chats (formerly known as google hangouts) comes in. characters should have their chats username in their blog description somewhere, so it's easy for others to find. you can then hit them up on google chats and start talking! people often do this in character (ic) and simply talk to one another as if texting between characters, or alternatively you can message someone out of character (ooc) and ask if they're up for doing a specific plot. you're free to brainstorm whatever you want! some people have plot pages on their character blogs to give you ideas of what they're looking for, or they will make plot calls on the dash asking people to like their post if you'd want to plot with them. you can use google chats to progress your plots via 'texting' as mentioned, or as if your characters are having an in-person conversation, or go the traditional route and write scenes together (para). google chats is useful for this as you can use their spaces function to have 2 chats going with the same person. i personally often use this to have a para and a normal chat or ooc chat going at the same time. this answer is probably more than you bargained for but i think it covers all the basics! all the links to learn about our group are available on this page and if you're a 'newbie' to this type of roleplay (or any type of roleplay), we'd still love to have you! if anyone has further questions about how we work, please don't be scared to ask. no question is too silly!

[pradeep-45]

How to Set Up WhatsApp Commerce for Your Business 

In nowadays rapid-paced digital landscape, corporations are continuously attempting to find tools that no longer simple streamline operations but additionally enhance patron engagement. 

WhatsApp Commerce emerges as a powerful solution, especially for organizations aiming to leverage conversational trade. Here’s how you could set up WhatsApp Commerce in your enterprise, making the most of this dynamic platform. 

1. Register for WhatsApp Business API 

First things first, practice for WhatsApp Business API. This version of WhatsApp is designed for medium to massive organizations, imparting advanced functions that allow for integration with current e-trade systems. You'll want to provide details about your enterprise and go through a review method. Once approved, you will receive your API credentials. 

2. Choose a Reliable Service Provider 

Partner with a WhatsApp Business Solution Provider (BSP). These providers help manipulate the technical aspects of WhatsApp API integration. Choosing a relied on BSP guarantees which you have the vital aid for deployment, message automation, and compliance with WhatsApp’s guidelines. 

3. Set Up Your Business Profile  

Create a compelling enterprise profile on WhatsApp. Include crucial facts which includes your enterprise call, deal with, contact information, and a short description. This visibility builds agree with and allows customers experience stable of their interactions with your emblem. 

4. Integrate with Your E-trade Platform 

Integrate WhatsApp along with your e-commerce platform. This step is important as it synchronizes your product catalog with WhatsApp, allowing customers to browse and shop directly through messages. Integration allows seamless transaction techniques and updates. 

5. Develop a Messaging Strategy 

Craft your messaging method. Decide the sorts of messages you'll send, consisting of welcome messages, order updates, and promotional bulletins. Use computerized messages to handle commonplace queries and stay help for greater complicated customer desires. 

6. Launch a Chatbot for Efficiency 

Implement a chatbot to deal with preliminary customer inquiries and income tactics. A properly designed chatbot can carry out obligations ranging from answering FAQs to guiding clients through the shopping manner, making sure that your carrier is spark off and responsive. 

7. Promote Your WhatsApp Channel 

Market your WhatsApp channel for your clients. Promote it to your internet site, social media systems, and via e-mail advertising and marketing to inspire your clients to connect to you on WhatsApp. This increases your accessibility and client engagement levels. 

8. Monitor and Optimize 

I regularly screen the interactions and transactions on WhatsApp to understand consumer preferences and ache factors. Use these insights to optimize your offerings and customer support method. Continuous improvement will assist you preserve relevance and decorate person delight. 

9. Ensure Compliance and Privacy 

Prioritize compliance with records safety regulations. Ensure that client facts gathered through WhatsApp are dealt with securely and with appreciation to privacy laws. Transparency in your information management methods will in addition support customer accept as true with. 

10. Analyze Performance Metrics 

Finally, analyze the overall performance metrics available through WhatsApp Business API. Metrics like message read charges, interaction fees, and purchaser comments offer precious insights which can help refine your strategies and improve usual effectiveness. 

FAQs on WhatsApp COMMERCE: -  

1.How long does it take to set up WhatsApp Commerce? 

The setup time can vary however it normally takes a few weeks. This includes time for API approval, integration with your e-commerce platform, and configuration of your commercial enterprise profile and messaging techniques. 

2. What are the expenses associated with using WhatsApp Commerce? 

Costs can consist of expenses for the WhatsApp Business API, any prices out of your carrier company for integration and control, and likely additional expenses for chatbot development and message automation relying on the dimensions of your operations. 

3. Can I use WhatsApp Commerce the world over? 

Yes, WhatsApp Commerce may be used for international enterprise as WhatsApp is widely used globally. However, you need to bear in mind localization of your content and ensure compliance with worldwide statistics protection policies. 

4. How do I sell my commercial enterprise on WhatsApp as soon as it's installed? 

Promote your WhatsApp channel by using your WhatsApp contact statistics on your internet site, for your e mail signatures, and across your social media platforms. You can also ship out an introductory offer via WhatsApp for your present customers to inspire them to apply to this new provider channel. 

[survey--s]

650.

Have you ever been afraid to get up and go to the bathroom? Not afraid, more reluctant because I'm warm in bed and don't want to wake up and move, hah. Do you get any magazines in the mail? I can't even remember the last time I read a magazine. I used to subscribe to ElleGirl and TeenVogue when I was younger though. How many websites do you have an account for? Hundreds probably, but I regularly use about 10-15 I guess, including streaming services/games. Have you ever paid for any kind of online membership? Sure, Netflix, Prime, NowTV, Spotify, Disney+, plus plenty of others over the years too. Do you try clothes on before you buy them? It depends. I buy most of my clothes online these days.

Have you seen The Blindside? I have absolutely no idea what this is. What’s the best movie you’ve seen this year? The live-action version of The Little Mermaid was surprisingly good. Do you know how to fire a gun? No. What would you do if you knew a robber was in your house? Get out and call the police. Probably go to the neighbours for help? Luckily I'm friendly enough with enough people on our street that I could go to them if needed. Have you played the Sims 3, yet? I played it but I think I'd gotten bored of the Sims by that point. What’s your favorite type of pizza? I love thin-crust sourdough pizzas with sundried tomatoes, mozzarella, black olives and pesto.

Do you have a favorite local pizza place? Our town only has takeaway pizzas and they're not great, really. My favourite places are both near my parents' house so I make sure to go whenever I'm in the area lol. What are you afraid of? Cancer, dementia, failure. Have you ever been afraid of falling in love? No. How do you let someone know that you like them? I just tell them - normally via message rather than in person though. Have you ever asked a friend to ask someone else out for you? Nope. Who’d you last see in a tux? Probably Andrew when he was attending a funeral. I was looking after the Charlie for them while they went. Were you sad when Tim Urban got sent home on American Idol? I've never watched American Idol.   What about Jason Castro, 2 years ago? Again, I don't watch it. Do you record any TV shows and watch them later? I don't record anything but I do watch most shows on streaming shows or catch-up. Lately it's been the new series of Kitchen Nightmares and Bake Off. Do you have difficulty pronouncing any words? Not really. Would you rather take a shower or a bath? It depends on my mood. Sometimes I love a good soak in the bath but a shower is much quicker and easier. How many times do you shower in a week? I shower or bathe every single day, so seven. What brand’s your cell phone? Apple. Have you ever sexted? Yeah, as a teenasger.

How many contacts do you have? Not very many. Probably about 30? Do you have your own computer? Yes. Out of everyone you know, who was the most heart? My mum. Who’s the bravest person you know? I have no idea. It's not something I really think about. Who would you want to have your back if things got tough? My husband my parents, and luckily they do. Do you ever make up retarded words with your friends? Ugh, please don't use that word. Have your friends ever given you answers to homework, last minute? Of course. Have you ever dated someone who was real sportsy? Mike is pretty outdoorsy but I wouldn't describe him as sporty. Are you any good at writing? I was good at it in school, yeah. What’s your favorite form of writing? Poetry. What do you think about Lil Wayne? I don't really think about him. Lil Wayne Vs. Eminem…?? :S I know more of Eminems music, but both are okay, I guess. Have you ever given up on someone before? Yeah, sure. Did you end up regretting it later in life? No. Have you ever done something terrible, but took forever to feel bad? No. Have you ever read Shakespeare? Yeah, we had to for school. We did A Midsummer Nights' Dream, Macbeth, Hamlet, Othello, Romeo & Juliet and Merchant of Venice. i think that's it. How come no one knows what MGMT is on here? I mean, I have no idea what it is either. What did you dream about last night? I can't remember. Have you ever looked up the meaning to a dream? No. Have you ever tried to change someone? Yeah. Back when I was young and dumb, lol. Can anyone really change anyone that doesn’t wanna change? No. Do you think that anyone currently has a crush on you? No. What profession do you admire the most? I don't really admire any profession in particular. They all have their good and bad apples. Have you ever made a fake profile, for any reason? Yes. What’s the hardest lesson you’ve ever had to learn? Life will go on with or without you. What are you wearing right now? Black leggings, a pink t-shirt, a black jumper and purple fuzzy socks as it's bloody freezing. Do you miss your ex? No. What’s the first thing you notice about the opposite sex? Their overall appearance, the same as with anyone else. Have you ever questioned your sexuality? Yes. If you could change one thing about your life, what would it be and why? I'd have us living in a house that didn't constantly need work doing to it. Don't get me wrong, I love that we own our own home and I love our little place, but it gets really tiring having a house that's never actually "finished".

[dammit-tazmuir]

A summary for you! (Will definitely cover a lot you know, of course, but reminders better than assuming and missing things, right?)

---------

In the epilogue of Harrow the Ninth, we follow a girl living in a city very different than any we've seen in the series. It talks about "the person who went to work for her, the person who taught her, and the person who cared for her." At the end, she asks the person who cares for her, "Do you know who I am?" And Camilla Hect answers, "Not yet."

---------

So going into NtN:

Characters and Setup

The setting is a city called New Rho, on a planet outside the Houses, though still under the emperor's command. The people here have already been relocated, some of them multiple times, due to resurrection beast threats. Blood of Eden has a lot of activity here, but even the normal citizens abhor necromancers / "zombies."

The person who goes to work for her is Pyrrha. The person who cares for her is Camilla. And the person who teaches her is Palamades, now sharing Camilla's body. It's a tenuous and dangerous arrangement. Being there at all is killing her slowly, and fronting too long or using necromancy takes a much bigger toll as his soul starts trying to consume hers. If he doesn't front at all, her body will also try to expel his soul. They're determined to make it work and communicate via recordings, written notes, and relaying messages through Pyrrha and Nona.

Nona and Pyrrha were both pulled out of the River by Blood of Eden at the end of HtN (Harrow's Bullshit Dead Girlfriend talking in "the wrong voice twice removed" about chest compressions and such). Camilla had already been picked up by Blood of Eden. (No one except Pyrrha, Cam, and Nona know Palamades is also among them for a long time.)

No one knows who Nona is, least of all Nona herself, but she's in Harrowhark's body and woke up with no memory of anything, even speech or motor skills. Every night, Nona dreams about a scene of Harrow and Gideon in salt water, and every morning Camilla makes her recite as much as she can remember looking for new clues. Everyone wonders if she could be Harrow OR Gideon with memory loss, or Harrow AND Gideon as a full gestalt fusion (a new person, like Paul later is), or if it's someone else in Harrow's body and if so who and how.

There's a lot weird about Nona. Her healing factor is overwhelmingly beyond even lyctor capabilities, closer to John's. She can understand and speak any language when she's present for it, "by making her mouth move like theirs", but has trouble interpreting if she can't see the person. She can't read or write and her brain is madly resistant to learning. She can identify people and intentions by how people move. She's barely capable of lying. She hates the sword and the bones that Cam and Pal try to get her to practice with. (They won't tell her why, as they don't want to lead her.)

Their group works with BoE's "Ctesiphon Wing", under Commander We Suffer, as "Troia Cell". Some other cells in the same wing and "Merv Wing" are more antagonistic to them. Another notable BoE member is Our Lady of the Passion / Pash / "two thigh machetes" sometimes by Nona. (She's later revealed to be Commander Wake's niece, which makes her Gideon's cousin.)

Regardless of who's in the body, BoE sees a potential weapon in Nona and wants Camilla and Pyrrha to try to unlock Nona's necromancy beyond just the healing to give them their own lyctor power to use against John. Most ideally they want to open the Locked Tomb but they'll take what they can get. She's "The Lyctor Project".

Judith and Coronabeth had been traveling with Camilla in HtN too, the survivors of Canaan House. Corona has become a full member of Blood of Eden and changed her name to Crown Him With Many Crowns Thy Full Gallant Legions He Found It In Him To Forgive, aka Crown. She likes Nona and fully believes the gestalt theory, envying the idea (wishing she and Ianthe could have achieved that). Judith is doing much worse, because-

Number Seven, aka Varun the Eater, the resurrection beast they fought at the end of HtN that killed G1deon, is approaching. It's not to the planet yet, but "parascoping", projecting ahead of its path and watching from the sky as the rest of it catches up. It's a matter of time until it arrives and devours the planet. Its blue light infects necromancers with "blue madness", driving them mad. (Nona, mysteriously, is not only immune, but finds Varun soothing.) Most necromancers have evacuated the area. Judith is being held underground at a BoE facility, strapped to a bed, in and out of coherence.

Also, the Sixth House seceded from the Empire. Like it was built in a facility that could be mobile and just straight up moved. This was done after word from Cam and Pal (they do also know Pal's there) and orders a while before her death from Sixth House lyctor Cassiopeia. 16 members of the leadership/nobility/whatever were captured by BoE and are being held somewhere in New Rho as extra leverage against Camilla (and Pal).

(Almost done with characters and setup I swear.)

Nona works at a school during the day as a teacher's aide. The Nice Lady Teacher, Jolie, is just a very normal woman in over her head and doing her best. The main kids at the school are a "gang" led by 14-year-old Hot Sauce, and extremely traumatized and serious girl with burn scars. Her "right hand man" Honesty is 12 and a mini criminal. Born in the Morning and Beautiful Ruby are probably 12-ish give or take. And their youngest member is 7-year-old Kevin. (Hot Sauce is just a nickname because she likes it. Kevin is probably a House name, as that's Nona's first language. At minimum Born in the Morning and plausibly the other two are implied to be Nona's auto-translation thing messing with how she hears it.)

The kids know what a resurrection beast is btw. Kevin knows Varun the Eater by name. The Reverend Daughter Harrowhark Nonagesimus with all her resources and studies did not know what an RB was until becoming a lyctor. This immediately says so much about the state of life outside the Emperor's super special Houses.

The other teacher, called "The Angel" by the kids, is named Aim and is also called "The Messenger" by Blood of Eden, who they're later revealed to be part of. Aim has she/they pronouns and not (just?) in a gender way. Upon hearing Hot Sauce say "we love her", Aim's driver (who doesn't like Aim taking risks by working somewhere) scoffs, "Oh, I get it. A chance to be 'her', huh?" To which Aim replies, "It is my enormous privilege to be 'they.'" Later, Aim talks about themselves using "we", "we are the message." It is not yet revealed what the message is, but a few factors imply it may have something to do with genetic coding they're carrying. (It was also passed down from their predecessor MSN and I'm.... Tamsyn plz...) Also Aim has a six-legged dog named Noodle who is a certified good boy.

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Plot - Present Day

Beginning to Broadcast

The book starts pretty slow. Nona is going about her life and we see through daily activities and flashbacks to earlier in the past six months what life has been like her in New Rho. Everything sucks, but Nona is happy. She's only had two tantrums in her whole life, and she's very proud of that, even if that whole life is only about six months. Nona loves swimming in the ocean, and even going to the beach after she stops being allowed to swim helps keep her calm.

One notable early event is Honesty getting a job, and coming to school the next day with a black eye. For a moment it sounds embarrassing and silly when he admits he walked into something, but when he explains, we learn his group had been trying to rob "the convoy"-- a bunch of BoE mega-trucks that drive around underground tunnels-- and saw into a truck filled with people with glowing white eyes who all turned to look at the same time. He was running like hell.

The first time we see Nona's household called in to talk to We Suffer, they head down to visit Judith in the basement. When they walk in, she thrashes and shouts cryptically, stuff about "Green Thing" and "what have they done to you?!" When she calms down a little more, she's still frantic and struggling, but more herself. Toward the end, she once again shouts and thrashes and calls out to the Green Thing.

When the group leaves, Nona asks what the captain was talking about at the beginning and end, and Crown and Camilla stare, deeply unsettled. "Nona...? The captain didn't say anything when we entered. She only screamed." Those moments were Varun speaking through her, and on several other occasions throughout the book, it possesses Judith again to talk to Nona.

Later, there's a Broadcast in the city, projected in a public square. Hot Sauce takes Nona with her as they sneak away from school to watch it. A person whose description matches a very dead Naberius Tern delivers a message from the emperor. It is in fact Ianthe-- now going by Tower Prince Ianthe Naberius, the Saint of Awe-- piloting Naberius's preserved corpse remotely to avoid the effects of Blue Madness. The empire wants the Sixth House and any surviving members of the Cohort returned, and all BoE agents to cease activity and disperse. It's framed like "because God is so merciful, this is all you have to do" when in practice it's more "if one person fails to comply with these demands we'll use violent force."

Ianthe introduces on camera the other Tower Prince, Kiriona Gaia, the Emperor's only heir, and Nona recognizes her as the girl from her dream, aka Gideon. She looks super mega dead.

That night, Aim's driver gives Nona a ride home, because neither Cam nor Pyrrha came to get her. Cam is waiting at home and incredibly relieved to see her, only to realize Pyrrha isn't with her. As far as Cam knew, Pyrrha was going to pick Nona up at the usual time. The next day is somber and rough as they worry about where she could be.

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Day After Broadcast

Cam takes Nona to school, but as a final day to say goodbye, with as tense as things have gotten. A lot of other kids have been pulled out already, and others are having their own last day. Hot Sauce has all the gang swear an oath that even if they're torn apart, they'll always be a gang and always have each others' backs. Eventually, everyone except Aim, Camilla, Nona, and Hot Sauce go home.

While looking through drawings the kids had done the day before, Aim had stopped cold at one. After sending Hot Sauce to shut down the generator to get her out of the room, Aim asks Nona about her drawing. The way Nona describes it matches an elephant, but it's not named and Aim says this is a long, long extinct animal they only know about because of their very specialized studies on their old planet.

At some point while talking to Aim, they figure out "Camilla" is a necromancer, and because "she" has been functioning in spite of Varun's light, they assume she's a lyctor. They subtly sent out a call to BoE. As Pal tries to talk Aim down, a bullet comes through the window, right through Nona's head. She heals from it. Cam/Pal were also shot at but Pal was able to stop the bullet.

Pash is there now, revealed to be a personal bodyguard to Aim. She's freaking out about the shit show, because as much as Pash hates it, that's the fucking Lyctor Project they just called a hit on. Aim's been kept so out of the loop they didn't know. But now Merv Wing is outside and they don't want to back down; they're the wing that burns anyone who might be a zombie in public executions. Aim feels very bad about all this, especially since Nona is just indignant in her usual way after being shot, still very much herself.

As Merv Wing storms in, Nona runs to find Hot Sauce, who Pash locked in the generator room now. Aim tried to warn her but didn't really get it through clear, Hot Sauce saw Nona get shot. She's extremely distressed and confused. How could she make that up?? When the coast is clear and they get out, Hot Sauce sees the blood on the floor along with brain matter and the blood in Nona's hair and realizes she didn't make it up. "You're out of the gang," and she shoots Nona in the head again.

This time, when Nona wakes up, she's zip tied down to a chair. Reaching a breaking point, she throws her third ever "tantrum," aka goes absolutely fucking batshit feral with necromantic power. She rips her body apart and just regrows whatever she needs to discard to escape and goes on a rampage. Finally, enough people get close enough to get her restrained and subdued, as she's still physically frail. She hears her own voice yell, "You're killing her, fool!" Some part of her knows she's talking to herself.

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Infiltration to Finding Gideon

The next morning, Nona wakes again in BoE headquarters, with Pal there. There's a lot of talking and Pal reveals himself to several more people. We Suffer lets them listen to a radio signal as Crown, wearing a bug, goes to the docked ship where Ianthe (still in Naberius) is stationed, begging for sanctuary and to see Ianthe. She's also brought Judith, which BoE did not authorize, begging for help to save her. Ianthe is repulsed by the Judith part, but begrudgingly lets her bring her aboard. With enough pushing, practically anything for Corona, after all.

Also "the Saint of Duty" is there. Ianthe thinks "he's" been weird but hasn't clocked that it's a whole other person. While Ianthe easily catches the bug Corona's wearing and mocks Blood of Eden before destroying it, Pyrrha uses the code words she's trained with Camilla and Nona to let them know there's another hidden bug they can tap into, and they're able to do so.

Ultimately, they're able to use Ianthe's demand to "surrender Camilla Hect and Harrowhark Nonagesimus" to their advantage. With a haircut and some coaching, Nona pretends to be Harrow and Cam pretends to be only herself. Some temporary dye/film is applied to Nona's eyes to make her look blind, and she's instructed to only answer minimal questions and fake fits of Blue Madness like the captain if asked tough questions. The one time she does this, she can't think of what to scream to 'act like the captain' and in her mind just yelps, "Help! Help! Help!" To everyone else, she actually goes trance-like for a moment and has unleashed another horror scream like her tantrums that genuinely fucked shit up.

While talking to Ianthe, Camilla brings up that the Third House once challenged the Sixth to a duel back at Canaan House. Sixth had right of reply but it never happened, so she accepts now. If she wins, she gets to go free, and if not, she dies. Ianthe rightfully points out that's really really really stupid, but Corona threatens to kill herself if Ianthe has become too much of a monster to grant someone even this little bit of dignity. Ianthe is exasperated, but after enough pushing isn't willing to take chances, and even offers Camilla a slightly achievable win condition with just managing to snatch a handkerchief.

Eventually, Ianthe stabs Camilla, seeming to have one, but Cam's voice says satisfied, "Match to the Sixth." It was always a farce to help Palamades invade Naberius's body. A few seconds to everyone else was much longer for him and Ianthe doing battle in a mental space, but he wins, not only taking control of the body but keeping Ianthe's soul trapped and suppressed for a little while, unable to just return to normal.

Nona, Pyrrha, Camilla, Palamades-in-Naberius, and Crown all search for Gideon. They're hoping if Nona IS Gideon, or part-Gideon, her soul will magnetize to the body, but nothing happens on that front.

Nona finds her first and feels an inexplicable urge to kiss her, and does so. She sees Gideon's eyes open, but when the others catch up, Gideon still looks super dead, eyes closed. They drag her body, debating if it's real or some kind of clone. John's effect on it make it impossible for Palamades to read with psychometry. Whatever the case, they agree they should take the body to the Tomb. Pal still wants to take a blood sample; it probably won't be viable outside the body, but the preservation on her is wild, and however the blood reacts will tell them something interesting.

But as he goes to draw a sample from her thigh, she snatches his hand. "Sexpal! If that's how you get a woman's pants off, it's no wonder I stole your girl!" She's back and worse than ever (I love her). She reveals she was awake the whole time (Nona is indignant, she told everyone!!) and just playing possum letting them drag her around. Not playing dead though, she is super mega dead. John's made a self-piloting revenant out of her. Also the wounds from her death in the first book are still very present, preserved open, which characters question but don't get a real answer about. (Also, she reveals John made her invulnerable. The needle never could have pierced her she just didn't like the idea of it and broke character lmao.)

Despite a wild new level of no fucks to give and questionable motives, Gideon goes with them.

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Loose Ends & Reconciliation to Reaching Drearburh

As payment for all this, We Suffer tries to track down the Sixth House, and upon the reveal they're being moved around constantly in a truck, Nona realizes that's what Honesty saw during his job. They're in the Convoy, and she can ask him where the truck was the other day to figure out where it'd be in its path now.

When taken to talk to him, he barely cracks the door. She realizes he's talked to Hot Sauce and knows she's a Zombie, and she's very upset and apologetic, but is glad he's taking that seriously. She'd think less of him if he stopped listening to Hot Sauce. She's still so Nona, so pure and full of love and fury and running on a single brain cell. She says she's gotta go away and tells him where some of her things she wants to leave him are, including the rag she uses at school, because it might have enough chemicals left on it he could sell it to get someone high. And he slams the door, and Hot Sauce opens it, and Honesty is raving that he can't stay mad at a girl like that, who would think of his business! Hot Sauce can't either, though. Nona and Hot Sauce have a sweet moment, the love between all these kids ultimately pure and unconditional and more powerful than their feelings about any factions.

Nona gets the information and delivers it, and the Sixth House leadership are recovered and helped. But also, Varun has gotten close enough that heralds are descending. Everyone has to fight through some, and Nona ends up talking to Varun (through Judith) atop one of the megatrucks. "You said you wouldn't do anything weird!" She begs and begs Varun to withdraw, and ultimately, though it doesn't get rid of what heralds already came down, Varun agrees and does so. When Judith comes back to her senses, she asks in confusion, "Harrowhark...?" And for the first time, Nona, who's on some level known but not wanted to, admits, "No, and I never was."

So now it's a matter of getting to the Ninth House. Preferably fast.

Palamades is confident they can pilot a megatruck through the River. Pyrrha tells him he's not a bloody lyctor and that would be difficult if he was. He's not worried. He and Camilla gather some of their closest friends and family, and have a very deep and heartfelt last talk as themselves. He performs a ritual, and Camilla catches on fire, and when the fire dies down, their eyes are originally-Pal's clear gray irises, with inhuman pupils of originally-Cam's slate gray-brown. They are an advanced form of lyctor, a form where nothing is taken and everything is given, becoming a new person. They name themself Paul.

Nona has begun having "top and bottom" thoughts, her memories trying to surface as she desperately clings to the "middle" thoughts, like someone who can't remember what a thing they hated hearing said, but can hear it approaching and is plugging their ears going LA LA LA LA to block out the details. She'd rather die as herself, this her, and she's afraid to remember, certain she'll forget her life now. She doesn't want to forget loving Palamades or Camilla or Pyrrha or Hot Sauce. Paul tells her they loved her, and she loved them. "It's done. You can't take loved away."

A bunch of people board the megatruck, including Aim, who explains a little of their importance, and Pash, who regrettably goes where Aim goes. Paul is able to take them into the river, and they drive along its surface....

...but it's Wrong. It's not ghostly in the way it should be, and in the distance, an immense distinctly-stone tower juts out and runs seemingly all the way down. Gideon is just "yup" about it. This tower scares those top and bottom thoughts, and we don't get an explanation about it.

At several points since getting shot, Nona has run more on instinct or had her old self seep through. Once she went off on Pyrrha, asking if she had fun playing pretend like this. Pyrrha has also figured out who she is, but Nona made her stop when she started to say it. Harrow's body is incredibly dying at this point, but in the truck, Nona again drags it based on something she just feels drawn to do, taking the wheel from Paul. As she pushes on and on, she starts to wonder if maybe everyone dying together would be nicer; she's known she's dying for ages and has been relieved about it, so why would it be so bad for everyone? Paul reminds her Noodle is in the truck and letting a dog get hurt is too far for Nona. (She's so real.) She books it and makes it to the Ninth House.

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The Ninth House & The Locked Tomb

It's bad here. A bunch of folks stay back but those who press forward encounter??? What the fuck ARE those? "Devils" apparently, or corpses who have been possessed by Devils. Gideon says they've been fighting a lot of them on another planet, Antioch, for months, but John said they couldn't travel elsewhere so what the fuck. They also realize this is what possessed Colum back at Canaan House.

True to at least this word, John did send newly awakened folks to help replenish the Ninth House numbers, but a lot of them have been killed. They encounter Crux, who mistakes Nona for Harrow and her admittance she's not for just having one of her episodes. He goes along with the group and they find Aiglamene with a bunch of the survivors barricaded up. It's explained they need to get Harrow's body into the tomb, and everyone helps.

Ianthe shows up, and after a bit of weirdly casual banter with Gideon that does not at all sound like they're enemies, Nona is appalled to realize they're wearing friendship bracelets. Anyway, Gideon still wants the Tomb open, and Ianthe is very confused. Ianthe insists that'd be really bad for John, daddy has been a useless wreck lately and Ianthe's got to do everything around here. Gideon insists John sent her and she's supposed to kill whatever's inside?? And then she'll become his new cavalier?? Ianthe tells Gideon she's delusional. "He loves her, you idiot! John. loves. Alecto! He needs ALECTO."

And upon hearing her real name, Nona's delusion shatters. She starts to unravel, literally, physically, Harrow's body no longer able to contain her. They need a thanergy burst to help unlock the tomb, and Crux snaps that he's the obvious choice. His other choices are waiting to die of basically-poison and being possessed or being healed and killed by devils anyway. Aiglamene berates that all anyone in this house ever knew how to do was die for Harrow. They could have lived for her, but they didn't know how.

Gideon volunteers, having fantasized about his death for years. She makes sure to rub it in his face that she's God's kid first, and he basically tells her 'fuck you and fuck God' because his loyalty is to Harrow and his opinion of Gideon isn't remotely changed by this??? Like. Okay dude, horrible but weird respect I guess. Nona/Alecto isn't seeing shit at this point, just overhearing as Paul and Pyrrha try keeping the body remotely together and dragging it toward the door. She hears Gideon after killing Crux, "Fuck... Why didn't that feel good?!" (In sharp contrast to John finding death intoxicating...)

The door is opened, and eventually magnetism takes hold, and Alecto drags the crumbling body to her own, where Harrow's soul has been since the end of HtN, when she found herself inside the tomb and crawled into the coffin to sleep.

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Alecto's POV

Alecto wakes up as herself, breaking her body as she rips herself from her chains, just as Nona did with her third tantrum.

She's almost entirely disconnected. The humans are all children, even the oldest among them, and she can barely tell their voices apart. (The audiobook does a few wrong in the second to last scene, and I'm not sure it that's intentionally reflecting this or was just a mistake because it's definitely hard to follow.)

"The black-eyed infant" (Harrow) is still weak as hell but in her own body and holding in one piece again. She throws herself at Alecto's feet, but Alecto recognizes her, from her dreams and from the 9 years her soul has been haunting Harrow, ever since Harrow opened the tomb when she was 10. She "kisses" her, aka bites her mouth, because "this is how meat loves meat", but upon tasting her blood, she realizes she's Anastasia's descendant. Thus, as she once swore to Anastasia, she swears herself now to Harrow, until such time as the bargain has been paid. (This is the first the audience is hearing of this and we don't get explanation.) To which Gideon iconically replies, "Get in line, thou big slut!"

In the final scene, Alecto enters a room where John is sleeping, unconscious Harrow flung over her shoulder, and drives her sword through his heart. But he just wakes up and greets her. "Annabel, good morning."

=========

Plot - In The Dream

John's and Earth's History, Harrow's Connection

In the dreams, a woman and John walk around as John rambles about his backstory. He addresses her as Harrow, but keeps saying "you" in context to the past.

Long story short because the rest is so long, the "you" is planet earth. She was dying, and she saw a man leading a project desperately trying to save her, and she chose him, and she gave him power over life and death. He learned to use it, but more and more budget cuts and bureaucracy and idiots drinking up propaganda led to trillionaires buying their way off-planet and leaving everyone else to rot and earth to die. John was so pissed off by the end he personally triggered nuclear war, but the souls he ate from that weren't enough.

He tried to eat earth's soul too, even physically shoveling dirt in his mouth, but she was simply too big to contain, so he made a new body from dirt and vomit and blood and bone and shaped her into a lifesize Barbie. Whatever he couldn't contain, he stuffed into this form, and their souls were intertwined, becoming one. But it still wasn't enough. He reached and reached and reached and devoured the souls of all the solar system, creating the RBs. With all that power, he was able to remotely grab one of the trillionaire escape ships, could feel them inside and knew they felt him, but then it slipped from his grasp and escaped. (It's possible this led to the creation of BoE? Or was one part of its founding.) He decided punishing those assholes was worth killing everyone including the planet himself, and he didn't even succeed. His takeaway is "That'll teach me to hesitate."

Alecto was horrified by her new form. ("A monster from the moment you resurrected her, and you went and made her worse.") What had he done to her? Where did he put all those souls? But also, "I still love you."

But now, in this dream, Harrow has been experiencing all of this via walking through Alecto's memories the day after everything was killed, before anything but her had been resurrected. (Notably, when he does resurrect them, he fucking changes his friends' names, implied by how Ulysses and Titania were U— and T— on their death certificates but he changed those. Side note, Pyrrha says "Gideon... G—..." at one point, with the dash like that, so it's??? possible she remembers??? But yeah.)

Whatever is happening seems to have some outside connection and awareness of the present, too, perhaps via the part of John that's part of Alecto and vice versa. The conflation of Alecto and Harrow is made more unsettling with John writing in the sand, "J + E", replacing the E with A, then the A with H, before drawing an uneven heart around it...

Like Alecto, Harrow still loves him, loves her God and Teacher. But she tells him, as Reverend Daughter, it is her duty to understand what it truly means to love God for herself. She will find divinity, whether she lies in the Locked Tomb or her search leads her back to him. He asks where she'll look, and she looks off to a tower in the distance in the water, one that shouldn't have been in the memory (likely the tower in the River). She'll start there, and she walks off into the sea.

And that bit was shortly before Alecto and thus Harrow woke up.

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I hope this wasn't too long. I know the book is confusing as hell, and frankly I agree it's the weakest of the three despite being really good, but also feel like a lot of that is from how hard it is to follow and that the actual content is really fun. So yeah, genuinely hope this helps!

Nona the Ninth is really good, even if I found it the weakest of the Locked Tomb books, I enjoyed it a lot. Nona is absolutely adorable, I love her so much.

That being said, what in the ever loving fuck happened in that book?