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fairy-mewmew · 1 month ago

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January Review

Okay, so I'm getting pretty close to the end of the month. I think I've done pretty good for January. I haven't done everything on my vision board, but I feel pretty close to it. I think I did a pretty good job and the visuals helped out a ton.

This was my monthly goals spread. I thought it would be so cute to draw everything out and really visualize what I wanted to do for myself this month. I'm really proud of this spread and referred back to it often. This is so unheard of me to. I really do only visit entries in my journals if they look pretty, so I have to draw them out in order to keep goals.

I did all of the candles I have set and I am hoping to finish up my last candle by the end of this month. I feel that once I have the chicken done, everything really will just be do damn easy. Though, I haven't fixed any pillar candles that I can remember off the top of my head. Maybe one reversal candle, but I just burn through my 7 day candles really slowly now. They usually take a month or so. It doesn't help that all my ritual oils went bad. I've been meaning to remake them with jojoba oil so they have a longer shelf time, but it's just getting around to it. Might even rework my oil recipes. I think I'll have to make oils one of my goals for next month.

I've cooked a green curry this month and I'm so proud of myself. I really did just have to cook more simple things. I feel that once I let go of being perfect and cooking from scratch, I didn't feel as scared to cook. I still haven't cooked a whole bunch but I look forward to making so many more delicious things. Also, I made pink Buldak taste absolutely amazing. I'm proud of myself for that! I think next month I want to make one recipe a week minimum. My boyfriend and I have designated a day for us to go out on a date, why can't I do one to make a super yummy meal from (kinda) scratch once a week.

My boyfriend is on a diet/ work out regime, so I've been working out at least once a week. It makes me so happy to know that I'm actually getting a work out in, even if I'm just starting off with it once a week. I'm pretty happy with at least once a week. Sometime we do more, but once a week really does bring me joy. I never thought I would have ever been this consistent with working out. I'll have to keep it up!

My boyfriend and I have been really making progress on cleaning and organizing our room. It finally feels like a cozy room that we can truly rest in. There are a still a few more things we need to organize in the room, but damn does it look good! I'm so proud of us. And while we have a lot of things to organize in such a small space, I'm feeling good about it. I'm so excited for that gaming pc we just got. Can't wait to get everything set up and pretty! I'm really going to feel like a gamer girl! Ehehehe! So next month will be dedicated to

As far as making art goes, I did not make any jewelry. I just couldn't bring myself to sculpt. I really was not feeling it. I did make some 7 day candles though! I'll have to post pictures and talk about it later. I also just did not work too much on my website. I really do like the ease of using Tumblr to blog. It's just so easy and streamline. Might use my website for more finished projects and things. I still love coding though and I want to get a lot better at it. I also have so many ideas for my site I want to implement, but I am just going to need a lot more time and knowledge to work on it. Can't wait show y'all when I really get something running. But for now, I just want to focus on Tumblr and maybe Tik Tok/ Youtube.

Okay, and I know I said I wanted to start a Youtube account, but I have yet to do it. It was honestly just a big leap for me and I am not ready for that type of commitment yet. I have been posting reels on Instagram though and that's been a ton of fun. Just raw, unedited yaps. It's such a good time! Think I might try making tik toks and transitioning into YouTube. Also, I've been on the fence about what to focus on or if I should just go off and yap about whatever. It's easy to make a billion blogs on here about all my different things and interest, but not so much when it comes to making a social media account. I don't want to keep up with all those emails. Regardless, I just want to be a pretty girl who talks about whatever makes her happy. And that's exactly what I'm going to do.

Okay, I've been putting off sending out my pen pal mail. BUUUT I've been exploring journal styles though. I really want the new ipad mini, but I took of the dingy case on my ipad and I fell back in love with it. I really do think that I should try digital journaling. Gives me more resources to work with and I think it would be so fun!

February Goals Draft

Just a little reference when I start planning my February Goals

Work on all my Tumblr Blogs

Try Tik Tok/ YouTube content

Remake ritual oils

Stock Etsy Shop consistently

Make a shop newsletter

Cook a meal out of my cookbooks once a week

Clean the house

Set up gamer PC

Go through massage textbook

Try digital journaling

Put on a super cute fit at least once a week (including make up)

Read through books

Play through games

Work on ancestor veneration and protection (maybe post my journal??)

Make 3 products a week for the shop

Send my pen pals their letter, rip

#january 2025 #january #january review #monthly review #monthly recap #February goals #I forgot to add credits #oh shit. Let me know if you need them listed or a picture removed. I foooooorgot rippppp #fairy mewmew noooooo

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book51ut · 6 months ago

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Coexistence by Billy-Ray Belcourt

This book was excellent. It was a bunch of short stories about Indigenous queerness. I feel like Indigenous stories are the ones that I come across with the least frequency. Especially stories of queer love within Indigenous communities. While I was reading this, I spent a lot of time wondering why. Booksellers and publishers don’t contract with Indigenous authors and then, if they do, don’t promote their work. I bought this book at Bluestockings in NYC, a queer, worker-owned bookstore in NYC. They are one of the few bookstores that has an entire section dedicated to Indigenous political theory and Native stories. However, that section of the bookstore is significantly smaller than the feminist literature, Black literature, queer literature, or marxist political theory sections in the store. This is not a criticism of Bluestockings, I believe they’re doing incredibly important work. But it does pose the question: why is so much of what we read work that someone else has decided is worthy of our time and money? Bluestockings takes that initiative to put previously unheard stories in front of us, but Barnes & Noble certainly doesn’t. Being an active and critical reader means more than just reading a lot and analyzing the things you’ve read. It means actively seeking out stories your bookstore lacks. It means paying more for books because they aren’t mass-produced and are funded by individuals instead of companies. It means understanding that literature might not come in paperback format with a front and back cover, but that zines, blogs, and online writing platforms may have better and more diverse art. And that’s on us, the consumer, to seek out. Because places like Bluestockings don’t have the resources to find everything, and places like Barnes & Noble simply will not try.

#coexistence #billy ray belcourt #short stories #book review #bookblr #review #book recommendations #books #bookworm #queer #gay #indigenous #native american #bluestockings cooperative #fuck barnes & noble #nyc

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blakesuga · 7 months ago

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Big Things: Otaku Conventions

Personally, I have never been to an anime convention before. I know they are a staple in anime and manga fandoms alike, but I was never really interested in going to one for a few reasons. One reason was when I first started to watch anime it was in 2020, and I am not sure if you all are aware, but a little virus known as Coronavirus-19 was pretty big back then. Everything was on lockdown and there was minimal fan gathering movement that these people who usually held the conventions can do. Due to this, I was never able to learn about these conventions and how people enjoyed participating in them. Another reason was that I was going through a difficult time in my life that left me jaded enough to not care for these events since I was more prone to feel isolated if I saw other people enjoying themselves without a hint of worry (depressing I know but I am doing better now). Currently, however, after watching the documentary, I now know how amazing and inviting anime conventions can be. The cosplay, the voice actor panels, and countless vendors selling hand-made goods took time and dedication that was shown in the otaku documentary and had me question why I had never gone to one before. Two reasons for this are probably…well…money and time, but other than that, why not?

In the documentary, the reporter walked around asking attendees what made them want to attend anime conventions and even dedicate their time to cosplaying, and many people exclaimed how they wanted to be seen for their interests. They wanted to engage in a community that encouraged their interests and, in fact, fan them even more by constantly engaging in creating pieces of fan art, recreating iconic costumes worn by popular anime characters, creating fan theories about different storylines, and more. In the case of cosplayers specifically, I remember there was an attendee of an anime convention who mentioned that if she were to dress up as an anime character and walk down a street, she would be considered as weird by those who see her. She would have been mocked and her sanity would be questioned since it is not really common that people would walk down a street looking like they just hopped out of an anime series. But when she is at a convention? No one bats an eye to the way she looks. Even more so, if she was wearing an impressive cosplay costume then she would be praised for her fashion and encouraged to keep practicing her craft. This is what anime otakus crave - acceptance acceptance in a community. They don't want to be chastised for their hobbies (I mean who would?), it is not their fault that anime was not popular at that time (compared to now) and relatively unheard of. That would not stop them from creating their own gathering places and activities. The otaku communities would hold their own conventions like the one in the documentary, Anime Expo, ComicCon, etc for all otakus, by otakus.

I admire them since they are so passionate about their favorite stories and characters, so much so that I now want to attend one. I learned through other blog posts and UF forums that UF holds its own smaller-scale anime convention known as SwampCon in the spring. I am planning on attending just as a spectator since I want to get a taste of what an anime convention is all about. Plus, it would be a good starting point and a good gage on whether I would want to attend a bigger anime convention in the future.

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flamehairedwritings · 4 years ago

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Candy Hearts

Characters: Chief Jim Hopper x Female Reader

Words: <1k

Rating: M

A/N: Hello! Welcome to the first day of my 7 Days of Valentine’s Drabbles, the 2021 edition! Let’s warm up with something sweet, shall we.

This story contains swearing, mentions of alcohol, flirty banter, and a realisation.

Please don’t copy or steal my work, and please don’t post it on any other sites; credit does not count.

—

Candy Hearts

Phones ring, pencils and pens scribble against paper and low murmurings echo across the Station floor.

Bliss.

The day crew is starting to be replaced by the night crew, but you? Oh, you’re the lone member of the all-day crew.

Accepting the double-shift on one of the most understaffed days of the year was a no-brainer. You had absolutely no plans and didn’t intend on making any, in fact you had been delighted when Flo called the week before, sighing before she’d even started and expecting a ‘no’ like all the previous calls. Your friends had finally ceased their well-meaning pestering about going out to the bar or going over to one of theirs for a movie night or doing any number of things they could come up with at thinking you’d be miserable about being single.

They just can’t believe that you’re actually okay. Sure, sometimes you get a slight pang of longing when you see couples or watch a romantic movie or, let’s be honest, have a few alcoholic beverages, but generally you’re fine.

It’s just that the forcedness of the so-called holiday irks you. Why should one day be dedicated to doing something nice for your partner and showing them how much you love them? There’s pressure on single people, too; everyone asking what you’re up to, how you’re going to spend it, pity in their eyes and a joke on their tongue. Nope, you’d rather just spend the day being alone with peace and quiet.

... Or here surrounded by noise and people you like but who won’t bother you.

“Well, look at this.”

Well, one of them will.

Releasing a faux-exasperated sigh as you sit back, you manage to not smile as you meet Jim Hopper’s gaze.

“Oh, no, look at this. Every woman in town turn you down?”

He snorts as he sits on the edge of your desk, unwrapping a chocolate loveheart and popping it into his mouth. “I haven’t asked every woman.”

“Haa,” you say dryly as he gives you a wink. “What’re you waiting for, then, Casanova?”

“Don’t wanna get my ass kicked in the parkin’ lot later.”

Your smile breaks through, damn it, and he grins, unwrapping another loveheart.

“Yeah, there’s that smile.”

“Shut up and share your chocolate.”

“Nah, I like these too much, can’t believe they only make ‘em once a year, I’m gonna have to write a letter, but before you give me that look, I got you these...”

Pulling a tube-shaped packet out of his ‘Chief’ jacket pocket, he tosses it to you. Catching it, you raise your eyebrows as you read it before looking back up at him.

“... You bought me candy hearts?”

He shrugs, unwrapping another chocolate. “It was all that was left at the store that wasn’t a teddy sayin’ ‘I love you’ or a fake rose.”

“Oh, good choice, then.”

“Yeah, I thought so.” He watches you as you unwrap the packet and take a heart off the top. “Hey, read it out, what’s it say?”

Tilting your head, you exhale a breath as you turn it so you can read the tiny writing. “Uh... ‘Call me’.”

“Okay, what time?”

You just can’t stop your smile from returning as you side-eye him. “I can’t believe no one accepted your offer of a date...”

He chuckles, ripping up the foil wrap between his hands. “Oh, well, that might also be because I didn’t ask anyone.”

Pausing, you blink as you look at him. “What?”

This is unheard of. As is him working on Valentine’s Day for that matter. The bar is hosting its traditional Singles Night which he is practically a guest of honour at, so what the hell is he doing here?

“Yeah,” is all he says, rolling the foil up into a small ball.

“Oh.” Realising you’ve been staring a second or two longer than you should, you raise your eyebrows as you smile. “Couldn’t handle all the rejection?”

Hopper shakes his head as he straightens, a smile pulling at his lips as he looks at you. “Nah. I’d just rather be here.”

He unwraps another chocolate as he moves between the desks towards his office, and your eyes follow him the entire time.

Oh.

No.

But...

No.

Definitely not.

But what if...

Lips parted, you watch him as he removes his jacket and settles it on the back of his chair before sitting down, a hand running over his hair.

No...

You’re reading into things now, stop it...

Licking your suddenly dry lips, you pull another candy heart off the top and, on instinct, read it.

‘Love Bird’.

You swiftly pop it into your mouth, feeling heat flood your cheeks.

No...

Unless...?

—

Reblogs and comments make my day in a way I can’t describe.

Let me know if you’d like to be tagged or removed in my future work!

Masterlist

Tagged: @herb-welch, @punkpascal @davidkharboursex, @jobean12-blog, @warmbeardsandredwine, @mademoiselle-black, @scrunchinn, @flames-bring-a-ton-of-ash, @divadinag, @star-spangled-man-with-a-plan, @deepsouth, @neganslittlebae, @ashphoenix105, @alahmorah, @daughterofthebrowncoats, @letsby, @kiwiphroot, @ashmely, @sistasarah-sallysaidso, @unicornsandgliiitter, @lucifer-in-leather, @heyjudeinthesky, @sleepylunarwolf, @ambeazyyy, @countryfire22, @sithlordslut, @mondsafari, @norcula, @earinafae, @beltzboys2015-blog, @jinxiejenna, @justsimplevicky, @hellosupernaturaldoctor, @ginasellsbooks, @dwarvenbunnyears, @vale0413, @mrslydiaholden, @kimberliinabox, @thoughtsmeander2tumblingblindly, @allylupin, @cant-shake-this-feeling-off, @the-bitch-gotham-deserves, @warriorqueen1991, @thesurestthing, @zuni21798, @quietlovelovely, @maddieisaboredable, @windinyoursnail, @happy-hopper, @yedi16, @negansdirtygirl22, @slipperywhenwetsstuff, @my-rosegold-soul @madkskillz, @im-not-great-at-making-up-names, @sergeantangel, @bitchinsinclair, @dewy-biitch, @focusonspn, @wearethebrokenones, @sarcasm-is-my-native-tounge, @thatprettymvthafvcka, @pulplorrd, @gifsbysimplysonia, @opalsandlacemain @geordiequeen, @gothackedalready, @ayatimascd, @missaudreyhorney, @chiefharbour, @l0ve-0f-my-life, @saltandroot, @ollypopp @soyuncheez

Apologies to those Tumblr won’t let me tag!

#jim hopper x reader #jim hopper x female reader #chief jim hopper x reader #hopper x reader #stranger things fanfiction #my writing #flamehairedwritings #here we go again: holiday edition #using that gif now because holy smokes #sir #and also they always disappear

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sherrybaby14 · 4 years ago

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Blue Spiders

A/N: This is chapter one in a series! I think it is going to be 3 parts, but if more is requested I do have an outline where I could take it to 10. (Updates on Thursdays)

Pairing: AU Psychiatrist Steve Rogers x Female Reader

Words: 3700

Summary: An interview with a charming doctor leads to more

Warnings: This chapter, mentions of violence and murder, alcohol. I HAVE NOT WARNED FOR EVERYTHING POSSIBLE. PLEASE READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.

Smoothing out your blazer and squaring your shoulders you rose your fist and knocked on the door.

It swung open, taking your breath away at the swiftness of the response. Your jaw dropped for a moment, but you shook the nerves away, always the professional. He was more gorgeous in person with blond hair and blue eyes. The All-American man.

“Dr. Rogers?” You asked.

“So I’ve been called.” He stepped to the side. “Please come in.”

Your eyes went up at the expanse of his office. It had a balcony going around the entire space, floor to ceiling in books. The main floor was open with a huge mahogany desk behind bright windows. There was a sitting area with two chairs, a couch, and a coffee table. On the wall hung a giant painting.

“Is that a Jackson Pollock?” You were surprised to see such a chaotic artist hung in a therapist’s office.

“I know it’s not the traditional calming image you would expect a doctor to hang, but I find it opens people up on the subconscious and allows my patients to see the beauty in madness.” His voice made the hairs on your body rise, so calm and collected.

“Are most of your patients mad?” You looked over your shoulder to see icy blue eyes taking in your face.

“We’re not here to discuss my patients Miss, that is private information.” He wagged a finger in your face before moving toward the sitting area. “I was very clear when I agreed to the interview.”

“Of course, Dr. Rogers.” You followed and sat down opposite him. “I am sure my editor went over the basics with you, but this is for a feature we do monthly on interesting people in the area. There is nothing to worry about, it is not investigative journalism, only a puff piece for our readers looking for human interest stories.”

“Yes, I am still uncertain why I was selected.” The man adjusted his tie that was tucked into a vest. He wore those clothes well. “I fear I am not that interesting.”

“You were instrumental in the capture of the Canary Killer.” You were shocked by his modesty. “The FBI has praised your work and referred to you as an essential asset even though you are not an agent. That alone makes you very fascinating.”

“The Canary Killer.” Dr. Rogers rolled his eyes. “I am not a fan of those nicknames. They devalue the lives of the victims, and criminals are not my expertise.”

“Do you mind?” You reached into your bag and pulled out a tape recorder. “I did not expect to start this soon.”

“Please.” He crossed his legs and his lips turned into a small smirk. “And tell me, why would your readers care about a murderer in Iowa? I am sure they are locally based.”

“Yes. We are out of Washington D.C., readership largely in Maryland and Virginia. The surrounding areas, but a killer like this facinates anyone regardless of region.” As his smile dropped you worried you were coming off too forward. “And, the focus of the piece is on you, not the killings. We want to know your background, your story. I am sure it is more exciting than you give yourself credit for.”

“Your dialect is strange.” He uncrossed his legs and leaned forward. “I can’t quite place where you are from.”

“I moved around a lot as a child.” You looked away from his deep stare. “Is linguistics one of your hobbies? Would you like to expand on that?”

“It is fascinating. Almost as if you have no accent at all. Very unheard of. Tell me, are you trying to disguise your voice?” His teeth ran over his lip, sending a tremble down your spine.

“Doctor, I appreciate the question, but I don’t think I could afford your hourly rate.” You weren’t used to your subjects asking you many questions. “How about you? Where were you born? What drew you to therapy?”

“Right.” His smirk returned. “I was born abroad. My parents passed when I was twelve, I became responsible for my younger sister and believe it or not we snuck in illegally.”

The doctor’s comment on your accent threw you off, especially when he himself was born abroad but had no trace of one. He continued on with his life story and you barely had to ask a question. Everything about the man was fascinating.

“After my years in general surgery I discovered that most of my patients were more concerned with the mental effects and less with the recovery. I enjoyed helping them with any resulting depression or anxiety and realized my love for the blade was second to my love of the mind.” Dr. Rogers glanced toward the window. “People are fascinating and I want to help in any way I can.”

“That is very noble of you.” The jitters you had about his attractiveness were now dwarfed compared to the intensity of his wisdom and compassion. “I know we are running low on time. Is there any personal anecdote you want to include? Wife or kids? Dog?”

His smile brightened the room as he let out a laugh.

“Unfortunately my dedication to my work has left no time for any personal life.” He rose from his seat. “Though since this is a human interest piece, I would say my main hobbies are music and cooking.”

“Wow. Even your hobbies are impressive.” You followed his lead, grabbing your recorder and hitting stop. “You don’t have any unproductive time. Never lose yourself in a television show? Read a pulp novel?”

“I do not enjoy fiction much.” He shrugged. “What is the point when the real world is so interesting?”

“I never thought about it that way.” You smiled. “Thank you for your time. As a courtesy I will send over the article before it is published, not for your approval of course, but your awareness.”

“I am sure it will be as dull as me talking about myself has been.” He held a hand toward the door.

“That is a way to put it, especially since hearing you talk about yourself was the opposite of dull.” You couldn’t find the right words to say, but that did not stop you from speaking. “You see the world through a unique lens and have had very unique experiences. Almost as if, as a species, we are lucky to have you.”

You felt like you should cringe or apologize, but something about the man made you speak your mind.

“And you must be very good at your job, because I felt comfortable saying that to you and I am not even a patient.” You stopped at the door to his office.

The two of you faced each other, his hand went for the knob, but he paused.

“You are not my patient.” Dr. Roger’s eyes glanced over your face, then stopped at your own. The two of you stared at each other and you did not look away as a chill went down your spine, the intensity of the man.

He was about to speak again when a boom landed on the door. You jumped and put your hand to your heart, your adrenaline flaring.

“I’m sorry Dr. Rogers.” The door swung open and a familiar face walked in. “But I need to see you right away.”

The new guest’s voice trailed off as he spotted you. His face scrunched and a look of disgust came over.

“What are you doing here?” Blue eyes glared into your soul.

A smirk crossed your face as you folded your arms.

“Hello Agent Barnes, always a pleasure.” You should have figured he was a patient. “I am writing a human interest piece on Dr. Rogers.”

“You talked to her?” James looked to the doctor. “About me?”

“I didn’t mean to create more problems for you to discuss.” You bit back the urge to fire a crack about his narcissism. “Thank you again Doctor. I will send you the piece in the next week or so.”

You held out your hand and watched as the blonde man shook it with hesitation.

That deep intense stare was gone. Your heart deflated as you left the office, trying to hold your head high and shoulders square. It felt like he was going to ask you out on a date for a moment, one you would have gladly expected.

The cringe you were fighting came forward as you left the swanky office building. Agent Barnes interference or not it was a stupid fantasy. This man was too good for you.

Steve considered his ability to read people top notch. Even though he was the one speaking he spent the past hour studying the journalist and to say she was intriguing was an understatement.

In fact, he was interested enough he was on the verge of asking the woman to dinner.

Bucky’s apparent hatred toward the woman was not expected and Steve found himself mentally recapping the interview to see if he missed something.

Before he could assess the situation she stormed off. Her quip about Bucky being a patient was ruder than he found acceptable.

“You gave an interview to Miranda Balfour?” Bucky gripped his long dark hair as he walked into the office. “What were you thinking?”

“What?” Steve shut the door. “That was not her name.”

“Of course she gave you a fake name.” Bucky scoffed. “I hope you are prepared to have your reputation trashed. Did you think to, google whatever name she gave you?”

“I did and she checked out.” Steve's intrigue for the woman was turning to anger. “Now who are you claiming she is?”

“She is Miranda Balfour. She runs a murder blog, always posting sensational stories. She gave extensive coverage to the Canary Killer.” Bucky ran his hands over his face. “Nothing better than a gossip rag. I’m surprised you haven’t noticed her. She’s always lurking around any local crime scene. Trying to get pictures and interviews like she is a legitimate source. It is disgraceful.”

Steve could feel his body temperature start to rise. He thought about walking over to his desk and sweeping everything off, then taking an axe to the thing. He imagined the wood slowly turning into the face of Miranda Balfour as she took a whack to the head, splintering as easy as a tree stump.

“Well if I have been duped, it is nobody’s fault but my own.” Steve shut the door to his office. “What brings you by so urgently Buck?”

“The New England Butcher.” Bucky shook his head. “I stayed up late last night, going over every murder in the area that even remotely fit his MO.”

“There is one issue off the bat.” Steve took a seat in the chair, knowing Bucky preferred to pace while he spoke. “Lack of sleep.”

“Six murders in three years. Each gruesome in their own way. The randomness of the kills, the victims. It is like we were only able to string them together because he wanted us to.” Bucky stopped. “And that is what caught my attention. What about the ones he doesn’t want us to?”

Bucky sat down and dropped a file on the table. Steve was annoyed at the waste of paper when an email would have sufficed, but he indulged Bucky and picked up the file.

The first photo was of a dismembered man found in a ditch. Steve knew the date off the top of his head, July 2nd 2013. Blake Corenzo. He was a pig of a man.

“That is a murder from 2013. Blake Corenzo. He was stabbed and chopped post mortem.” James glared as Steve looked up, waiting for his punchline. “I think he was the Butcher’s first victim.”

Steve bit back a laugh with expertise.

“The brutality matches. But what was missing?” Steve was curious if the Agent was going to connect the dots.

“Nothing.” He sighed and pressed his hand to his forehead. “Or something we missed. But I have seven more bodies I believe are connected. We know that as killers go on they get lazier, think they are unwatchable, but the Butcher, he is different. We are not going to catch him on a technicality or sloppiness. He is too good.”

Steve did enjoy the flattery.

“We have to find his first kill. It always starts with someone they know. Always.” Bucky had a desperation to his voice.

“So you believe that this Blake Corenzo knew the Butcher?” Steve watched Bucky struggle to connect the dots, not realizing he was the fish on the hook in this game he was not even aware he was playing. “Have you told Anthony Stark?”

“Yes.” The air deflated out of Bucky as he fell back into the couch. “He told me mandatory session with you before I am cleared to return to work.”

“If I check my e-mail will there be one from him? Is that what it will say?” Steve appreciated the protectiveness Tony had for Bucky. In a way it was as if Stark saw Barnes’ brain as a fragile asset. One he was constantly concerned was about to break.

“It will say I can’t go back until you clear me.” Bucky tried to hide the humiliation.

A man in his 30s being controlled by his boss and therapist as if he were a child. Steve recognized something in Bucky, an equality almost. Because Tony Stark’s concern were not without merit. James Buchanan Barnes did have a brain that could operate like no other and if anyone were to catch the Butcher Steve was certain it was the Agent in front of him.

“You are obsessing again.” Steve crossed his legs. “It is not healthy. You are getting too involved. The Butcher hasn’t struck in three months and twice already this year. It’s likely he will not attack for some time. You are trying to create leads.”

“You sound like Tony.” Bucky scoffed and looked away. “When I sleep, I see their faces.”

“Whose faces?” Steve leaned in, unsure what Bucky was going to say next.

“The ones, the ones I didn’t save.” Tears glossed over Bucky’s eyes. “Not the ones who have already died. The ones who will if I don’t stop him. Their faces are blurry but they’re pleading with me.”

“People die every day. You cannot carry that guilt. It will destroy you.” Steve reached for his rx pad.

“I can’t help the people who die every day, but I can help these people. If I can stop the Butcher.” Bucky’s jaw tightened.

“You keep saying ‘I’ when it is a team effort. You are not a superhero. You cannot do this alone.” Steve wrote out a medication.

“I have to since none of you will listen to me. Not Tony, not you.” Bucky rolled his eyes. “Even Natasha told me to give it a rest.”

“Maybe that says something.” Steve handed Bucky the prescription. “That will stop the dreams. Take one before bed and get some sleep.”

“And then what?” Bucky looked up, lips parted.

“And then come and see me in the morning. Once you are rested we will have a conversation about Blake Corenzo and I will talk to Mr. Stark.” Steve watched as relief flooded Bucky’s face.

“Thanks.” He looked at the prescription before shoving it in his pocket and letting out a yawn. “And sorry, for what I said earlier about Miranda. She won’t be able to tarnish your reputation.”

“I am aware. The most salacious detail I gave her is already public knowledge.” Steve rose. “I only regret my own error in judgment. Now get some sleep.”

Bucky nodded as they walked to the door. Steve kept his calm as he let the FBI Agent out.

Then he walked back to the table and picked up the file. He set out the photos of the four crime scenes Bucky wanted to tie to the Butcher.

“Very clever Agent Barnes.” All of them were done by Steve. In a way seeing the photos was like revisiting an old friend.

Corenzo was far from Steve’s first kill though. He had watched the man use a racial slur and a racist imitation at a dry cleaner. Another rude person the world did not need.

Steve flashed back to Miranda’s comment about the human race being lucky to have him. She was right of course, on more levels than she realized. He was purging the world of the disgusting people who did not belong.

After Agent Barnes’ proclamation Miranda Balfour’s name had landed on that list.

Steve was a patient man. He sometimes marked his victims for years before they met their demise.

When he got home, to what his visitor’s refered to as architectural magic, he went straight for the kitchen. It was on the level of any executive chef’s dream.

He would cook tonight. Channel his anger over the reporter, but not before adding her name to his list.

He went to the recipe drawer. It looked more like a filing cabinet, filled with Rolodexes of index cards with carefully printed ingredients and instructions. He had order them online since the entire world had gone digital.

On the rare occasion he had a guest they poked at his old fashioned nature. He remembered the first time he had Bucky over for dinner.

“You live in such a modern house, and appear a very modern man, but that recipe system reminds me of my grandmother.” Bucky laughed as he sipped his wine.

“And I bet your grandmother’s cooking was far superior to your own.” Steve raised as eyebrow as Bucky frowned.

The memory vanished as Steve pulled out the Rolodex he wanted. This one did not have recipes, it was for its original purpose, filled with business card collected over the years.

He grabbed one at random. Donna Chung. He closed his eyes and remembered her behavior, the way she was screaming at her child in the grocery store. The child could have been no more than three and was crying over not being able to drop a quarter in a donation box.

“You get nothing from that. Here I’ll buy you a candy bar instead.”

Steve followed her home that night. Googled the address and the next day walked into her real estate office. He picked up a business card and dropped her in his Rolodex. That was almost eighteen months ago.

She was not a candidate for a butcher murder. Besides, the day left Steve uninspired. But still he set her card to the side.

He picked up an empty one and wrote the name Miranda Balfour, along with the phony one she had given him and the contact e-mail. Then he closed up the Rolodex and put it back in its place.

Steve poured a glass of wine and walked over to his computer. He fired up the laptop.

Grabbing a remote he turned on the fireplace and some music as he sat on his overly plush blue sofa. Calm colors was what his interior designer recommended. He was grateful for that advice. She was someone who brought beauty to the world.

As soon as Steve typed Miranda Balfour into the search her blog popped up first thing. The title was “Miranda’s Macabre Museum”.

Steve rolled his eyes as he went to the first post. It was from two days ago.

Murder

Victim: Lawrence Engle

Death: Stab wounds

Date: April 12th, 1985

Location: Mobile, Alabama

What followed was a summary of the facts. Steve was expecting more of a tattle-tale type scenario. But he did not see anything salacious. If anything it was very matter-of-fact with little insight.

At the end there were links to photos with appropriate warnings and links to sources.

Then there was a section titled editorial.

“Here we go.” Steve readied to read the sordid opinion.

The motive in this murder was money. While the law, for the most part, disregards the motive as important to the trial my long time readers know I disagree. Until we change as a society and value human life over finances we will be doomed to see unnecessary killings as this continue to happen. That does not mean the killer should be pardoned for his crime because society as a whole is at fault. On the contrary. He is part of the problem and should be punished.

Sentence: Death by lethal injection.

“Interesting.” Steve found his mind going back to his initial opinion of Miranda or whatever her name was.

He noticed a search option on her blog and typed in his name. Several posts on Canary victims came up, but he found he was only mentioned in the source articles or the summary.

He did the same for Agent Barnes and saw the results light up. He scrolled the posts for the highlighted name and came across a murder from three years ago.

Editorial: The lead Agent on this case has shown textbook narcissism. His attempt to relate to the killer to solve the crime failed here, because the murder was not about him, but he found a way to make it so. The last victim’s death would have been preventable if Agent Barnes listened to anyone but himself.

“That explains Bucky’s dislike.” Steve shut the laptop and pinched his eyes shut.

When he googled the first name, multiple stories came up that were as she said human interest pieces. Did she lie just to get the interview? Pose as the other woman?

Lie. What difference did it make? She was a liar and had earned a spot in his Rolodex.

This one felt personal though. In a way Steve did not enjoy. She made him feel...comfortable. Or made him feel something. The way her eyes were so inquisitive and she seemed to hang on every work with genuine interest. When in fact he was intentionally trying to bore her.

That would not stand. This woman would not sit in the Rolodex for years. Her time would be shorter. Steve stood up from the couch and went back to the kitchen. He picked up Donna Chung’s card and returned it with the other, instead setting the card he’d just drafted on the counter.

He would start tomorrow.

A/N: Thank you so much for reading! I really appreciate every like/comment/reblog! I haven’t done a series in a long time so I am excited! And if you didn’t figure it out this is....

Hannibal AU :).

#Steve rogers x reader #au steve rogers #steve rogers x you #fanfic #fanfiction #marvel fanfic #marvel fanfiction

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blade-king-luze · 4 years ago

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30 Followers!!

OOC: Wow wait for a moment ... 30 followers? AAH Sorry, moments like these give me happy moments kj;asldfkh QQ

Even if the numbers are small, 30 actually means a lot especially for this character. I have never thought I would reach this many for Luze. He’s SO underrated and literally not well known! And the amount of followers I get for him just makes me a bit gushy. I know, weird ... But I do appreciate it! <3 Thank you all so much for the Asks, too! I never thought I would receive so many! I will put a border down below just because I also want to say something more to you guys if you don’t mind. But for those who just wanted to see a few words, I can’t express my gratitiude to you all still active, especially in the Uraboku Community!

I will do my upmost ability to bring you more Luze and some of Luka content!

Notes to Navigate my Page: Hello, newcomers!

I just want to leave a note here just in case people are lost or don’t know where to even look. Next to his icon image, there is a Navigation tool.

Luze Crosszeria and Gale Spider (Mun) Hey it’s me and Luze Crosszeria! If you want to read more about Luze, here is his page along with my Mun page. Now you know who is behind this blog.

Fortress Gallery (Art by Mun), #Gale Spider As you can tell, the title says it all. This is all the art I have done about Luze only. So feel free to check it out!

Undocumented Files, #Unheard Words This section is all the stories/fanfiction I typed that involve around Luze Crosszeria or Other’s perspectives that involve Luze. There are also little messages like this one as well. Some characters are present to make his stories more compelling and shows how I think he would react to different settings and events depending on who he is with or what has happen. It makes me bring out his personality more and I still hope that I can convey it properly through these stories! Terminology for Luze can be seen here

Aesthetics, #In the Mind of the King A fun little section that revolves around looking what’s inside Luze’s mind from what he has seen, or what his thoughts are like. Some may be cherishable to him, some may be traumatic from his experience. Whatever it may be, feel free to look through from his past, present sightings, thoughts, or possessions.

Fragments, #Fragments of the Past This section involves his actual appearance in both the Anime and Manga. Kind of a dead section considering I have found most images or GIFs that consists of Luze. There are some I made to bring out more of his appearance. I might just compile more images if I can from what they have. All rights clearly belong to the creators of Uraboku/Betrayal Knows My Name.

Letters from Others, #Answered Letters A page dedicated to the Asks I received from Anons or other bloggers. There are some Character Memes located here too. I am legit surprised from the amount of Asks I got from you all though. I would have thought I would just do little by little, once in a blue moon, but it’s a good amount nonetheless! Thank you all so much for letting me at least bring him out more QQ. Feel free to drop any Asks or Comments (or written letters in this case) to him!

Hashtags:

Honestly, this layout took me awhile to get used to. I am not so knowledgeable nor creative with Tumblr at all and still learning as I go! If you want to look for specific hashtags, click on the ellipsis right above the post. There are specific Hashtags that follow the links above, or other characters if you want to look at that corresponds with Luze. I will add more if there are more characters.

#Forsaken Twin = Luka Crosszeria #Dearest Leader = Reiga Giou (Kanata Wakamiya) #Precious Light = Yuki Giou (The Light) #Zweilt Guardians (TBA) = The Zweilts #Little Companion = Sodom #Lord of All = Lucifer #Reiga’s Affiliation = Cadenza, Elegy

#Otherworldly Beings = Crossovers

I wanted to say that I am glad that I had the opportunity to open this blog for him just for the fun of it. But it’s becoming something on the side that I also enjoy doing once in awhile every time I hop on Tumblr.

I used to be into FFXIV content but that crave got waaay too over the top for me as I see everyone I played with kind of is ... Over-the-top-hyped, especially on Twitter. It honestly killed my mood to the point where I had to step away from the “Craziness” by a large margin and enjoy it my own way. And from Twitter, mind you.

But it wasn’t until Luze Crosszeria came across. He made me realized, I could do my own thing. I don’t need to be caught up with everyone. Just go on your own pace. Do what you love, and don’t follow the trend but your own different path. Dare to be different rather than be the same.

I felt pressured to be caught up with everyone in FFXIV because I had raid and many artists did so much crossovers with their own characters with other trending games coming out. Honestly, I did that for awhile. But whenever I tried to, I just never feel any opportunity to finish or start it. It’s just something about drawing FFXIV characters that get to me. I don’t know what it is, but I would only draw my Au Ra, Krowell Raggs because he was already based off of another character, Ayanami from 07 Ghost. Maybe I am not original enough.

Maybe I am just a sucker for other existing characters that look compelling or have so many relatable aspects towards my life situations. If they don’t have that much background information, it’s always fun to find hints or other canon/non canon things about them. Maybe even go deeper onto how they will react or progress through situations. It began with Ayanami from 07 Ghost, where I would do so much fanart of him because of that relation and his story was tragic even though it wasn’t strongly brought out. But you can tell from his emotions, how he reacts to other people, and how he became to be. I was conflicted of doing FFXIV and 07 Ghost art at the same time. However, as I said, Luze was introduced in my imaginations/stories and he completely removed my thoughts of raiding, being caught up, and backing away from something I really never put my mind into.

And I am very grateful for him persuading me to. Even though this seems like an internal thought thing, and he may be a fictional character, but I always look back to where I first discovered him and think, “Man. Luze was the one who started it all: Stop raiding to have my own downtime. Draw what you want and NEVER feel forced to. Focus on your own interests and play other games that you love rather than where everyone is at times.” Trust me on the last bit. I still need to get through Othercide.

Anyway, I know I have said this many times but I don’t know what else to do to express my gratitude. Thank you so very much for following this blog! It truly means a lot that I am able to bring this little known character to life. Would I use different web formats to bring him out more? Who knows! Still considering if I should relocate my stories to different writing sites!

In the mean time, I will try my best to keep up Luze here for you all. And for those who are Luka fans, I will also try my best to let that happen! Love you all! And remember, to love each other! <3

#Unheard Words #Gale Spider #Mun #Luze #Luze Crosszeria #Uraboku #Uragiri Wa Boku no Namae wo Shitteiru #Betrayal Knows My Name #Art #Digital Art

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nxrthmizu · 5 years ago

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-Lordbug, Robin and Kitty Noir- Chapter Twelve: In Which Lila Lies

---

/Part One//Part Eleven/

---

The school was abuzz with chatter. Students everywhere gossiped about MDC’s show, everyone sharing their opinions about the newly-debuted designer. Some people sharing their opinions more than others.

“I knew her since we were four!” Lila declared. “When we were kids, I used to be her model.”

The girls in the class fawned over the fact that Lila, yet again, knew another famous person. MDC had bloomed into an overnight sensation- ‘Majesty’ crowded over magazine covers, but the Lordbug and Kitty Noir outfits were not overshadowed. Many pages were dedicated to the fashion show that had taken place the previous day, each and every article complementing on the designer’s skill and talent- And she was so polite, too! (Not to mention she was really pretty~)

Aurore was smiling widely as students flocked her, asking how she’s managed to get an interview with MDC before MDC even debuted. She smiled and brushed people off politely, saying that she was just lucky. The sour look on Alya’s face was unmissable, so Lila quickly jumped to the chance.

“Oh, I’m so sorry, Alya.” The Italian pouted as she apologised. “I did mention you to MDC, but she said she already found a blog to interview her. I’m sure she’ll ask you to do the next one, though! She was really sorry that you didn’t get your chance since she already asked Aurore.”

The ombre-haired girl brightened up immediately. “Gosh, that’s so nice of you, Lila! And there’s no need to apologise.” She cast a dark look at Aurore. “She got in by luck, I’ll get in for talent.”

Across the classroom, Chloe snorted. The trio had been lounging at the back, listening to the conversation with… Various feelings about it. Damian was downright furious. How dare Lila claim she knew MDC when MDC was bullied by her everyday? Chloe was rather amused- She couldn’t wait to see Lila’s face when Marinette revealed herself after their graduation. Marinette was rather… Unbothered. Karma would be back for the Italian girl when the right time came- There was no need to get her own hands dirty.

“I still feel so sorry you didn’t get the chance, Alya.” Lila pouted and shedded a tear. “To make it up to you, I’ll ask MDC to do a commission for you. She always said that since I helped her to her success, she’d make a dress for me anytime.”

Awe and jealousy glinted in every girls’ eyes. Alya beamed enthusiastically. “Lila! You’re always so kind, thank you! I’d love to get a dress from MDC!”

“Too bad she’s not actually getting one.” Chloe glanced at her nails, a bored expression on her face. Marinette shot her a playful look, which the blonde shrugged off.

Luckily, Chloe’s remark was unheard by the excited girls, who continued to crowd around Lila until Madame Mendeliev snapped her book on the table, yelling for everyone to get back to their seats. Still, the excitement lingered in the class, and the skip in Alya’s pace spoke enough of how disappointed she’d be on the next day.

—

“Alya, please forgive me.” Lila sniffed pitifully as she cried. “I asked MDC, but she said she was flocked with commissions overnight and she can’t get to yours until she’s finished all the rest!”

Alya’s face fell as her eyes dulled in disappointment. She’d been looking forward to good news from Lila, but clearly, the only thing that the day had brought was bad luck. The ombre-girl tried to keep a straight face as she reassured her friend. “It’s alright, Lila. I’m pretty sure she was really busy anyway.” She chuckled and shrugged it off, but everyone could see the stiffness of her body, the slump of her shoulders, and the tears prickling on her eyelids.

Damian let out a little chuckle, his green eyes twinkling in satisfaction. “What did I say?”

“Pft.” Chloe laughed softly, her amusement clear in her eyes and her relaxed position. “Too bad, Cesaire.”

Marinette glared at both of them. “Play nice!” She hissed. Her two friends took one look at each other and shrugged, uncaring of the disappointment and lies that constantly hovered over that class.

It was no longer, their class, after all.

—

The call was pretty much expected.

“Damian.” The stern voice of his father made it clear that it was unarguable. “I demand to meet the girl.”

Although it was already a made decision, it didn’t mean Damian had to be happy about it. “Fine.” He grumbled. “I’ll ask her. But no promises.”

Bruce made a grunt in his throat, his excitement not showing through his facial expression but his eyes. Blue orbs sparkled in excitement as the papa bat waited patiently to meet his little robin’s newfound mate.

—

“Um, Marinette…” Damian coughed awkwardly into the phone. “My… Um, father wants to meet you.”

The bluenette blinked in confusion on the other side of the line. “Um… Why? Did I do something wrong?” Damian heard his heart crack a little at the concern in her voice. No, you didn’t do anything wrong, my dad just wants to see you. Because he’s a busy body who can’t keep his nose out of my business.

“No, no it’s nothing like that.” Damian sighed, shooting a sharp glare at Tikki, who giggled as she munched on a sugar cube. “It’s just- Um- He kind of guessed that you’re MDC and he’s impressed.”

Marinette sighed in relief. “Oh, then should I bring Chloe as well?”

The green-eyed Gothamite wanted to groan. No, not Bourgeois. But on second thought, Marinette would be more comfortable and assured with the blonde there. “Ye- Yeah, actually, why not.”

“Great! I’ll call her now. Do I have to dress formally? Where are we meeting your father? Should I bring any gifts? Macarons? There’s still time for me to bake a cake!” Marinette’s frantic rambling made a little smile creep up the emerald-eyed’s lips. Tikki giggled at how hopeless her miraculous holder was- And at how frantic Plagg’s holder was.

“We’re meeting him at a restaurant, so maybe dress formally. And no, you don’t need to bring any gifts, ange-” Before he could finish, he was cut off by the bluenette’s insistent rambling.

“You know what, I’m going to bake a cake. I saw a really nice recipe online the other day and I think it would be a good idea! I’ll, um, get started now, does your dad like cheesecakes? What about peaches?”

Damian wanted to laugh. Gosh, he loved the bluenette. “Yes, he likes cheesecakes, and yes, I’m pretty sure he’s fine with peaches as well.”

“Alright then! I’ll get going now, I have a cake to bake! See ya in a bit, Dami!”

And then the phone call ended. Damian laughed to himself, Tikki watching with a warm smile as the emerald-eyed boy fondly thought of his bluenette classmate.

—

Chloe was leaning leisurely on her bed, flipping through a fashion magazine. And then her phone rang.

She frowned, picking up her phone. The caller ID read ‘Bluenette’. The blonde sighed, clicking the answer button. “What is it, Dupain-Cheng? This better be important. You interrupted my magazine reading session.” The blonde grumbled.

“Damian’sdadwantstomeetusapparentlyheknowsI’mMDCandsoyouneedtocometoobecauseyouwereoneofthemodelsand-”

Chloe blinked. “Okay, go over that again, but slower.”

Marinette took a deep breath. “Damian’s dad wants to meet us, apparently he knows I’m MDC and so you need to come too because you are one of the models and I’m baking a cake to bring and we have to dress formally because it’s going to be a formal dinner.”

“Okay.” Chloe breathed. “And this has to do with me because I need to go?”

“Yes, and I’m calling because do you want some peach cheesecake?” Marinette’s bright voice made a little grin dance across the mayor’s daughters lips. Really, it was impossible to not laugh when you were talking to the world’s brightest little bluenette.

Chloe sighed as she got off her bed. “The cake better be good, Dupain-Cheng.”

—

The bakery smelt of cream cheese and peach syrup; Chloe sighed as she breathed in the satisfying scents. “That isn’t actually half-bad, Dupain-Cheng.”

Marinette giggled. “Well, the big cake will be for Damian’s father, you can have all the tarts if you want.”

The bluenette baker had baked seven cakes- A giant cake, and six miniature versions of the cake- Tarts. The bottom of the cake was a strong layer of sponge cake, followed by a cream cheese mixture. Atop the cream cheese was a layer of raspberry jam. After that was a jelly made from peach syrup- And inside the translucent jelly was cut up pieces of peach. Marinette had garnished the cake with some decorative flowers, sprinkling some strawberry powder above everything for the final touch. The baker girl delicately slid the cake into a pretty, white box, tying a perfect ribbon to top everything.

“That, is really not bad.” Chloe hummed. “I appreciate this, and much more, for my birthday.”

The bluenette laughed. “Sure, Chloe.” She smiled warmly at her blonde friend, bluebell eyes twinkling in happiness.

Ding!

The front door of the bakery opened, and Sabine called out for the two girls at the back of the kitchen. “Marinette! Your friend’s here!”

“Coming, mama!” Marinette replied, hastily (But carefully) lifting up the box, tugging the ribbon one last time to her satisfaction.

“Marinette, that ribbon is the definition of perfection. Stop fidgeting with it.” Chloe rolled her eyes. “Let’s go!”

The bluenette hummed, following after her blonde friend with a bright, happy smile on her face.

Little did she know, she was about to meet her father-in-law.

—

“You must be Marinette.” Bruce smiled warmly, holding a hand for Marinette to shake. The girl panicked, awkwardly trying to figure out which hand to use to shake Bruce’s hand as she held the cake box in her hands. Damian resisted the fond chuckle that was building up in his throat, reaching over to take the cake from Marinette as the bluenette shot him a grateful look.

“You’re Bruce Wayne.” Chloe deadpanned, shooting glares at Damian. “Damian never said he was the Damian Wayne.”

The boy shrugged. “I was going under Fu’s name since I was living with him.”

Bruce nodded. “And you must be Ms. Bourgeois.” The blonde smiled, reaching over to shake the billionaire’s hand as well.

“Um, I baked a little something for you.” Marinette smiled shyly. “I hope you like cheesecakes?”

Bruce’s eyes conveyed nothing but surprise. “You can bake?”

“Father, Marinette is a baker’s daughter. Her parents own the most popular bakery in all of Paris.” Damian cut in, his emerald eyes practically yelling threats at his father.

“I see.” Bruce nodded approvingly. “Ms. Dupain-Cheng is truly a very talented individual.”

The said girl blushed fiercely, spluttering out her thanks. Bruce smiled at how polite and awkward the girl was- Truly, his future daughter-in-law was one of a kind.

—

/Part Thirteen/

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A/N: Yes, I’ve been MIA for a very long time, sorry... Exams were clogging every part of my schedule. I’ll hopefully be getting back to writing so here’s an update for now! :) Have a nice day everyone, and thanks for putting up with my hectic update schedule... *Insert laughing face*

My grandma’s birthday is today, so I rushed this before her birthday party! Once again, contact me if any mistakes are found.

On another note, I’m sorry to announce that the taglist is closed.

Tag list! @yin-390@mysteriouslyswimmingfan-blo-blog@constancetruggle@the-navistar-carol@never-neverland@rayray384 @mystery-5-5 @black-streak@bluerosette23@seraphichana @you-will-never-know-how-i-think@mikantsume@graduatedmelon@thebookwormfairy@crazylittlemunchkin@shizukiryuu@screamingtofillthevoid@serenacross200@zestyzealot@redscarlet95@roseinbloom02 @beautym3@resignedcatservant@sizzling-fairy-oil@tinybrie @worlds-tiniest-spook-pastry@lunar-wolf-warrior@northernbluetongue@dannyelric301 @daminett4life@loysydark@sparkle9510@erick-rose99-stuff@nataladriana9@maya-custodios-dionach @myazael @sassakitty @clumsy-owl-4178 @emootaku-666 @moonlightstar64 @r0sebutch @maggiecc12 @gaeasun@miss-mysterys-blog@bluefyoto94 @sam-spectra @toodaloo-kangaroo @queenmj10

#daminette #damian x marinette #marinette dupaincheng mlbdc #damian wayne mlbdc #bruce wayne mlbdc #chloe bourgeois mlbdc #miraculous ladybug x dc #mlbdc #cadenceh2o #lordbug #kittynoir #robin #lordbugrobinandkittynoir

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deejadabbles · 5 years ago

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Too Many Gems ( Atem x Reader x Yugi Soulmate AU)

Summary: The soulmate AU where everyone is born with gems on their wrists symbolizing themselves and their soulmates. So, what does it possibly mean, that you were born with two soulmate gems?

A.N. Yet another fic I posted on my AO3 awhile ago, but I’m making a second part to this and figured it’d be nice to share it here on tumblr. I know soulmate AUs aren't really in vogue anymore, but I've always liked them and this particular prompt inspired me a lot! Hope it appeals to at least someone else out there <3

***

Opinions on Soulmate Gems varied from culture to culture, and nowadays, due to the connectivity of the internet and social media, opinions even more often varied from person to person.

There was one side of the spectrum, where someone would dedicate their whole life to ‘reading’ Soulmate Gems. Those who said they could predict the personality of your future soulmate, what they looked like, even in some cases, when you’d meet them.

On the other side, you had those who thought it all ridiculous hogwash- superstitious quackery. They said the gems were a simple genetic marker, no more consequential to your lover or future than the color of your eyes or hair.

Then, still more -a majority it seemed- fell somewhere in the middle. Looking up theory blogs online on what the colors of your Gems could mean, but ultimately just sitting back and waiting for when their match crossed their paths.

It was that third reasoning, that laidback, uncommitted medium, that left you without answers on your predicament for years. The first two decades of your life was nothing but questions, judgments and unwanted attention.

“What’s wrong with your Gems?”

“Oh, wow. You have extra? That’s...uh...cool.”

“Gems on both arms, a symbol of great fortune, be thankful, my dear.”

Why were things different with your Soulmate Gems?

Your parent’s tried their best to give you a satisfactory answer, but they were one of those people who fell in the middle when it came to the superstition and belief in the strange jewels planted in the inside of one’s forearms. They only told you what most people would say about them: “The Gem on top, the one closest to your wrist, represented your soulmate. The one below it represented you. Their colors, shapes, cuts and shine quality were as unique as the qualities that make up a person’s face, and when you found someone who had matching gems only in reserved order on their arm, well, you just found your partner for life.”

The abnormality that came with you, was that you didn’t have gems solely on the left arm, where they were supposed to be. You didn’t even have the same gems on both arms. The two closest to your wrists were different, and under them both were the gems that were meant to represent you.

The one on the left, the only one you should have to symbolize your soulmate, was a gorgeous purple color somewhere between lilac petals and amethyst stone. Its shape was oval and the cuts to it had rounded edges, as if they had been buffered away to make its whole appearance more soft.

The one on your right arm was both a contrast and compliment to the first. Its color was a deep red that spoke of regality and strength, in the shape a triangle, though its cut made the shape more like a squat pyramid. Both had a brilliant shine quality, bright, with a glittering sparkle that you could stare at for hours.

You weren’t the only one who had two sets, it was not unheard of, but you still never got a straight answer as to what it meant! One side of the spectrum said it symbolized that you were one of the few who was gifted with the choice of two soulmates, destined for a romance worthy of Greek mythology. And still the other side said it was like a dog who had two different eye colors, a simple genetic mutation, nothing to worry about, move on.

The lack of answers was bad enough, but what really made your life…harder, was everything else that came with your extra Gems.

One’s first year of school was always awkward, but having something so visible that was so odd. Well…

“What’s wrong with your Gems?”

The first of the three girls crowding around your desk looked as though she was about to pull your right arm across the table for a better look. Still, you think you’d have preferred that over the strange sneers the other two were giving you.

“How are you supposed to find your Soulmate if you got that many?!”

Why was the second girl’s voice so…accusatory? As if it were a crime to have them on your other arm?

The third girl laughed. “She’s a freak if you ask me. Why would anyone want a soulmate who looks so weird?”

The other two laughed along with her, and you felt a swell of shame rise in your chest as you withdrew your arms from their sights and tucked them as close to your body as you could. You sniffled when you heard a couple other students sitting at the desks nearby join their laughter. No one felt the need to say anything to counter the remarks. Not even something as simple as: “At least your Gems are pretty!” Nothing.

High school was easier for a while, because by then you had filled your wardrobe with almost nothing but long sleeved shirts and jackets as far as tops were concerned. No one could mock you or ask invasive questions if they didn’t see what prompted them.

But then, there was Luka.

He was sweet. He smiled brightly when you two got paired for a class project. He was funny too, always cracking a joke between the studious moments. Not to mention he was cute, the way he blushed at your smile made you feel special.

He was sweet, and not everyone waited around for a Gem match, heck, not everyone even married a match.

“I know it may seem corny or stupid, but, you always wear jackets to school, so it’s got me really curious.”

A whole month of sweet, simple teenage dating passed before he asked.

“I just wanna see what your Gems look like, I bet they’re just as pretty as you.”

His smile and wink made you believe that for a minute, so, you caved.

“Oh, wow. You have extra? That’s...uh...cool.”

He was sweet, and you gave him plenty of credit for trying. Trying to pretend the almost startling mismatch in your Gem sets didn’t bother him, that he was okay with dating you despite the difference.

It didn’t last long before said mismatch started to feel like a barrier between you two, this impossible threshold that could never be crossed. He was sweet, but you could only handle his fake smile and awkward avoidances for a couple weeks.

Adulthood looked promising. You told yourself that as you matured, so would those around you. Besides, it’s not as if everyone isolated you, you had friends, good ones. Your extra Gems didn’t prohibit you from getting a job, or having a normal daily life. Those few negative instances cut you deep, but things could only get better with time, right?

Well, the thing that truly made you jaded in the whole ‘soulmate’ department came at age nineteen.

A warm summer day and a nice walk through town on your day off. You hadn’t expected to be stopped by an older lady, sitting in front of her apartment with a fan to cool herself. She looked familiar, though you couldn’t place her face.

“My dear, I sense such distress in you. Tell me, are you having troubles in regards to your soulmate?”

At first, you wanted to brush the woman off, why was she asking such strange things of a total stranger? Then her next words made you falter.

“I can give you answers. Answers that have eluded you your whole life, my dear. Give me a moment, and I’ll tell you all you need to know.”

Well, what was the harm in talking to a sweet old lady? She ushered you inside her home, the place obviously set up to receive guests often. Oh, she was one of those Gem Readers, someone who claimed that they knew the ‘language’ of the Soulmate Gems inside out. Well, you were opened minded enough to at least hear her out.

“Oh my my, I knew I sensed something different about you. Gems on both arms, a symbol of great fortune, be thankful, my dear.”

Her words sent excitement through you, maybe there was something to Gem Reading. But, the proverbial hammer fell quickly enough.

“Hm, it would take time to properly discern everything, you’d have to come back for several sessions, but, I can already tell that both of your soulmates are waiting for you.” She brushed wrinkled fingers over the shining specimens. “So very very special.”

You can’t believe you had almost handed over fifty dollars for the first ‘session’, before those last four words tripped something in your memory. The supermarket, not more than two weeks ago. It had been a particularly hot day, and you had rolled your sleeves up while shopping. Then an older lady came up to you and…

“You planned this?!” You didn’t mean to shout, but damn it you had almost fallen for her scheme. “You saw my Gems before today, and I walk down this street all the time, you didn’t sense anything from me, you were just trying to exploit my- my- abnormality!”

She stammered and faltered, making poor half excuse after poor half excuse. She was a bad liar, or at least, bad when she got caught in her lies. You stowed your cash back in your bag and when she made a grab for your arm as you turned to leave. You ended up toppling her trinket-laden table over before storming out with your fists white and teeth clenched.

That was the final nail. You had endured all the questions, all the judgment, all the unwanted attention for years, but, in a small way, you had always held hope that everything would be fine eventually. That you would find your answers, your soulmate, and it would all be worth it. That you could find your match and they’d be perfect for you, and you for them. You could be by each other’s sides and finally stick a middle finger up at the world because damn it, if one set of matching Gems meant you were soulmates, two sets meant that no one could question your match, right? Right?

You didn’t bother yourself with such things anymore. You moved on. Tired and disillusioned, that was all you felt you could do. Life was still fine. You had friends, wonderful friends who accepted you and your predicament without judgment. You had your career, and your day to day life was just fine. When a friend here or a coworker there met their matches, you were even happy for them. Things were just fine.

~***~

Long sleeves still being practically mandatory if you wanted any peace while out was a particular curse during the summer. You cursed the heat of the day as you walked the streets of Domino City. You were already itching to roll your sleeves up, the thin fabric not actually helping cool your body. “This won’t take long so just deal with it,” you told yourself. “Besides, I’m sure this game shop has air conditioning.”

You were currently not a resident of Domino, rather a visitor who was seriously thinking of taking a promotion at work that would move you here. One of your best friends from high school was attending a university here and was all too happy to talk the place up while you visited her. But today, she had asked a favor of you.

“Pretty please pick up his gift from the game store!” she had pleaded, referring to her boyfriend who was having a birthday soon. “I got called in for the late shift and don’t have time, besides, I think you’ll really like the store! It’s cute, and you can add it to one of the perks of moving here!”

So here you were, following the directions on your phone to this “Kame Game Shop” place. You nearly passed it completely if it hadn’t been for the little ding on your phone telling that you were here. It was indeed cute, small, but cute. A little classic bell even rung overhead when you opened the door, how sweet.

“Hello! Welcome to Kame Game, if you need anything just let me know!”

The chipper voice immediately drew your attention to the front counter. The young man behind it was greeting you the cutest smile as he opened up a display box of Duel Monster cards. Okay, not just his smile was cute, though you may just have to put him under handsome instead of simply adorable. Stylish too, his lilac colored long sleeved button-up and purple vest complimented his large, sweet eyes wonderfully.

Realizing that you hadn’t answered him yet, you cleared your throat. “Actually, I’m here to pick up something, a special order for Jen?”

“Oh, that’s right! She called me a bit ago and said her friend would be picking up the decks.” He walked over to the cash register and opened up a couple of drawers as you approached the counter. “Here ya go, three custom-built decks!”

He slid a box across the glass top over to you, and inside were three stacks of Duel Monster cards neatly placed. “She got him cards? And here I thought he owned cases and cases of these,” you mused with a giggle.

“Well, these are kind of special. She built them herself based on decks he’s always wanted and liked. We just had to order the individual cards for her.” The young man waited a beat, while you looked over the descriptions of the top cards, then asked, “Do you play?”

“No, not really. Always seemed interesting, but I never liked the idea of running into those jerk, elite gamer types.”

He let out a chuckle that made you blush a bit for some reason. “I can relate to that. It’s okay to be passionate about the game, but most don’t realize the best part is just having fun.”

“I wouldn’t mind playing if it was someone like you.” The words came out before you even knew you wanted to say them. You were glad you were still facing the cards, maybe the increasing redness of your face would go unnoticed.

Even just out of the corner of your eye, you saw him perk up. “Really? Well, I have some decks laying around, and today’s been pretty slow business-wise, if you’d like to play.” When a second passed and you didn’t answer or look up, he quickly added, “Only if you want to, of course, you don’t have to.”

“Actually,” you straightened up and looked at him with a smile of your own, “I’d like that.”

At that, he was smiling again. Okay, you would definitely have to put him in the handsome category, especially with the way his eyes seemed to sparkle. He held his hand out to you, “I’m Yugi, by the way.”

As it turns out, Yugi was not only a wonderful opponent but a wonderful teacher as well. There was still some aspects of the game you were fuzzy on, and he answered all your questions with delight, that smile of his never wavering. He was good at the game too, and beat you easily each time, but it never made you feel discouraged or…well, beaten at all really. Though it was bringing out a more playful competitive side to you.

“Alright, Yugi, it’s on now! I’ve gotten the hang of my strategy so I’m totally taking you down this time!” To accentuate your claim you even rolled up your sleeves, clapping your hands together in excitement.

He chuckled, “Oh yeah? Well, don’t think I’ll go easy on you just because you’re a beginner! I want both of us…to…” His voice trailed off as his eyes landed on your forearms. Your now exposed forearms.

You sighed inwardly, he didn’t have to make his staring that obvious. His lips were slightly parted in shock, eyes wide in surprise. Well, better address it head-on.

“Weird right? The percentage of people with multiples Soulmate Gems is pretty low, but, here I am.” You waved your arms in what you’d hope would be a cute motion, but it only seemed awkward in the silence. You opened your mouth to say something else, but suddenly, Yugi seemed to regain himself.

“Oh! Oh man, I’m sorry for staring but I just- Well I mean-” he let out a shaky breath “I can’t believe it!”

“Hey, it’s not that weird,” your tone was lightly scolding, honestly you were about two minutes away from leaving.

“No- no! That’s not what I meant!” He put his hands up, looking a bit panicked at your defensiveness. “It’s just that you’re-!” Apparently at a loss and looking more ecstatic by the moment, he forgot words entirely and settled for action.

That action, was to roll up the sleeves of his button-up with hasty, shaking hands- and reveal his Gems to you. His multiple Gems.

“We’ve finally found you!” Yugi sounded near tears with how happy he was, but your attention was too focused on both of his arms.

On his left wrist, was a triangular shaped Gem of a rich red. Below it, the one that represented Yugi was a rounded, soft looking purple Gem. Those, and the one on his right wrist, the one that matched your personal Gem perfectly, were all jewels you knew too well.

You were too stunned to do, well, much of anything, besides cover your mouth with your hand. Yugi took your state into consideration, because he let you take it all in, to hang in the shock for a moment, but not too long. He covered the hand that was still on the counter with his own, a joyful tear actually escaping his eye.

“We’ve been waiting for so long, I can’t believe you’re finally here.”

“W- We?” you managed to choke out.

His eyes widened again, as if remembering something, “Right, there’s someone I want you to meet. Someone you need to meet.” He bit his lip as he looked over at the wall clock. “Do you mind waiting here?”

Not for the first time since meeting Yugi you found words pouring from your mouth before you even knew to say them. “Of course.”

Apparently the shop doubled as a home, because Yugi quickly ushered you to an unmistakably residential part of the building. As you sat down on the couch he seemed a bit scatterbrained, looking about the room and casting glances back to the store.

“Uh, I still have to watch the shop, can you wait here for a bit?”

“Oh, uh, yeah that’s fine.”

Yugi’s smile was back in place and he reached down to give your hands a gentle squeeze, his eyes raking over your Gems again as he said, “I know you probably have a lot of question, but I promise we’ll talk soon, we just need someone else here too.”

For a moment he looked as though he wanted to do something else before parting, maybe he wanted to hug you or give you a kiss on the cheek. But if he did he must have decided the act was too fast too soon, because he did part without any of that, leaving you alone in his living room.

You let out a shaky breath in his absence, still trying to wrap your mind around all of this. Yugi was your soulmate. Or at least, that was the only thing you could assume given your matching sets. But, what of the red pyramid Gem? You had heard from several soulmate theorists that it meant you had the pick of two soulmates, while still others said it was just an aberration that meant when you found your match, it was undoubtedly your match because you had more than two Gems to compare.

As you sat in the quiet, alone in your thoughts, your fingers curled into fists on top of your lap. A moment later you found yourself hastily pulling your sleeves back down to your wrists, finding comfort in the cover. Things were still so uncertain. Yugi however, Yugi seemed to have answers. Maybe this other person he wanted you to meet was some expert on soulmates and gave him answers long ago. In spite of that, you felt oddly...panicked. You had spent so long with so many people who imposed their opinions on you, both positive and negative. Hadn’t you been content with the idea of never meeting your match? Of resigning yourself to never getting a definite answer? Yes? No? Maybe?!

You rose to your feet, you needed air, you needed to clear your mind. There was a back door between the living room and kitchen. You’d just step out for a minute, Yugi wouldn’t mind, you’d come back soon, you just need to-

The door you had just grabbed the handle of opened from the other side and the wood smacked you hard on the forehead. You didn’t fall to the ground, thankfully, but you did stumble back, rubbing your head and hissing in pain.

“I’m so sorry, are you alright?”

The voice that called out to you was deep, almost innately husky even when just apologizing. You looked up, and your breath, as well as words, seemed to catch in your throat.

The man before you placed a hand on your shoulder, looking concerned as his eyes looked over your face for signs of injury. He was tan, with eyes and hair that looked similar to Yugi’s, though there were hints of red in both. He was wearing a simple light tan tee-shirt, with several necklaces to style it up. One pendant was an eye symbol of some sort, another bearing hieroglyphs and the third being an ankh. Was he Egyptian? Well, he obviously liked jewelry, because to compliment his necklaces he was wearing gold metal bands that covered almost all of both his forearms.

Yugi, you had first thought cute, then handsome a moment later. This man was the opposite. The word handsome hit one in the face like a hammer when laying eyes on him. From the serious shape of his ruby eyes to the more sharp features of his face. But then, when looking closer, some things spoke of a gentler nature, things that said his smile and laugh made him look sweet and soft for a moment.

Oh, you had been staring. Staring way too long because he was now looking at you with a confused kind of concern. “Yeah, I’m fine, you just startled me is all.”

The corner of his lip lifted into something between a smile and a smirk. “Sorry about that. Are you a friend of Yugi’s?” he asked as he shut the door behind him and made for the kitchen counter to set down the takeout bags he was carrying.

“Uh, yeah, I guess you could say that. He’s still watching the store and apparently there’s someone he wants me to meet.”

The man looked a bit confused for a moment but seemed to brush it off quickly. He turned to face you fully again, leaning back against the kitchen counter. “Well, allow me to introduce myself, I’m Atem.” He held his hand out for you to shake.

You did and offered your own name in return. “So do you live here with Yugi or something?” you asked, indicating the food he had brought.

“Well, Yugi and I do live together, but we have our own apartment. Right now we’re simply watching over the house and store while his Grandfather is away.”

With a quiet ‘oh’ as your only response silence was sure to settle between you two. For some reason you didn’t want that to happen, you wanted to know more about him, just as you did Yugi. Before you could think of anything, and thankfully before silence settled, Atem spoke.

“So, did Yugi say who he wanted to introduce you too?”

“No, he was actually pretty vague, but I assume it’s someone who knows something about Soulmate Gems.”

He raised an eyebrow, “Really, Soulmate Gems you say?”

“Well, I think so. While we were talking we discovered that we have the same…abnormality?” Since your words were even unsure to yourself, to make him understand you pulled your sleeves back. “See? We both have too many Gems.”

Later, much much later, you would think yourself quite stupid for not having made the connection sooner, but, realization dawned on you when he looked down at your arms- and had the same reaction as Yugi. His eyes went wide, his lips slightly parted, unable to speak or take his eyes off you.

Silence did fall then, and your mind finally started to connect the dots as the door to the game shop opened again.

“Atem, there you are! Did you leave your phone here again? I’ve been trying to get ahold of you!”

Yugi paused his advanced into the room when he saw you and Atem standing not far apart, with your Gems bared to him. He gave an awkward but pleased laugh as he stepped beside Atem and met your eyes.

“This is who I wanted you to meet. He…well…” Yugi looked to Atem for help in explaining and, much like Yugi had, Atem chose action over words.

The man turned towards the counter and started removing his wristbands. He paused for only a moment before facing you again. The red triangle whose cut looked so much like a pyramid was present on both his arms, and above them, on his wrists, were the Gems of you and Yugi.

Although your mind had been connecting everything even before that, the visual, physical evidence still sent waves of…something through your core. Shock? Relief? Hope? Happiness? Maybe it was all that in one, but whether it was all that or more it made your knees buckle as a sob broke through. Later you might feel stupid, who fell to the ground in tears when meeting their soulmates? Plural. You had two soulmates, and they were each other’s as well. Why hadn’t that been the obvious answer?

Yugi and Atem called out your name as they joined you on the floor, Yugi taking your hand, Atem placing his on your arms, both looking beyond concerned. At least Yugi looked close to tears as well, Atem’s hands also shook, maybe they felt this as much as you.

“I- I’m sorry, I just-” a sniffle broke your words as you tried to regain yourself, “I just spent so long not knowing. I was told I was a freak, that I was special, and everything in between. I- I just, I’m just so…so…”

You didn’t need to finish. Both of them pulled you in, wrapping their arms around you in the most wonderful hug you could have ever imagined. Atem was running fingers through your hair, saying that it was okay, that you didn’t need to explain it to them. Yugi’s hands rubbed soothing circles up and down your back, murmuring agreements, assuring that you didn’t have to apologize for being overwhelmed.

“We’re together now, everything’s going to be okay now.”

Kneeling there with them, words from some time ago, from an opportunistic old woman came floating back. “I can already tell that both of your soulmates are waiting for you.” Who knew part of her scheme had been right? You might owe her an apology.

Time passed but it didn’t matter, tears and shaking had settled by the time all of you were finally ready to break from the hug. Yugi gave a watery smile as he brushed his fingers over your cheek. Atem was practically beaming as he cupped your hand in his and moved to stand, pulling you with him.

“We have a lot of catching up to do,” Yugi said as he rose as well.

“It’s a good thing I bought extra takeout,” Atem chuckled as they led you to the kitchen table. “Shall we consider this our first date together?”

You couldn’t help but laugh, a warm, happy, hopeful laugh. “I’d really really like that.”

#yugi x reader #atem x reader #yami x reader #atem x reader x yugi #yugi x reader x yami #Yu-Gi-Oh #ygo #Atem #yugi mutou #yugioh x reader

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sosation · 5 years ago

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On the Passing of Michael Brooks

I only relatively recently became aware of Michael, less than a year ago. In that time he has impacted my life more than any other media personality, more than anyone I’ve never met.

Even though the first time I voted was for Obama in 2008, my political consciousness really began during my 2nd stint of college at UTA circa 2014/15. My history undergrad was waking me up to the power dynamics and hegemonic systems that exist in our society. I was beginning to understand geopolitics under the tutelage of Dr. Joyce Goldberg and getting really wrapped up in 20th century diplomacy. The Snowden leaks had happened and the Michael Brown demonstrations in Ferguson were drawing attention to the militarization of our police forces and their tactics on US citizens. I began to see capitalism as consisting of, and causing and contributing too, countless problems. Then, the 2016 election cycle stoked my already burning interests.

During this time, there was little “left-tube” to be found. Since 2012, streaming on our X Box has been my wife and I’s primary means of entertainment. Slowly more and more of our time was being spent on YouTube. The Young Turks was really the only progressive voice on Youtube, to my knowledge, at that time. (I wasn’t yet aware of Pakman, Kulinski, Seder and Brooks.) And even though they were my primary source of news, I wasn’t crazy about the hyperbolic presentation, Cenk’s ego, or some of the attitudes expressed by various hosts at various times. That being said, I learned a lot. I was exposed to many many great journalists and they certainly helped me solidify and articulate many of the arguments I had been thinking and feeling during this time. I even became a Texas Wolf-Pac Volunteer right after Trump’s election.

I ended my bachelor’s and master’s programs under the Trump presidency. (May ‘17, Dec ‘18 respectively.) During this time I read and wrote more than I ever have in my life. Under Dr. Christopher Morris, Dr. Patryk Babiracki, and Dr. Pawel Goral, I read Marxist historical theory and studied the history of the Cold War from the perspectives of the US, USSR and Europe. I also began watching less and less TYT and more Secular Talk, David Pakman, and David Doel. While these shows are great, there was little to no international perspectives or geopolitical discussions happening. (Doel being Canadian accounts for something but, IMO, anyone who lives in the 5 Eyes is hardly a non-western perspective and therefore significantly less valuable in regards to gaining the insight of the peripheries of the globe. As the hegemonic “leader” of the world, Canadians, New Zealanders, Aussies and Brits, can point and laugh at the US all they want but they are taking our lead-systematically and economically.That’s not to say that their perspective is unimportant, just not the same as those outside the western sphere) Furthermore, there is still even less of a historical perspective being represented in regards to current events anywhere on YouTube. No one seems to have a long dureé, an understanding of how history plays out- again and again, and how capitalism is responsible for much of our recent history. Marx did. Michael did.

I began my teaching career in earnest last summer, 2019, as a Geography teacher. First time I’ve ever had a salary and the first time that I didn’t have to wear a hat (or hairnet) to work. My lunch was 2nd lunch, 12:35-1:15. Here in Texas, The Majority Report was live and it began showing up consistently on my youtube feed so I began watching them while I ate my sandwich and apple, before students from guitar club would show up for a quick lesson before 6th period. I had watched TMR before, particularly live streams on twitch during the first few primary debates this cycle. They reminded me a little too much of an east coast morning talk show for me to take them too seriously at first but I eventually began to see that while Sam is--well-- Sam, the others on the show had quite a lot to say and clear, logical and articulate reasons for their positions...especially this guy Michael. Once I heard that he had his own show it quickly became the most listened to podcast in my feed. (This in itself is no small feet. I’ve been listening to podcasts for hours a day (sometimes 8) since 2012. It, too, no doubt contributed to my education and understanding of our world during this same time period but that is another blog all itself.)

Michael was everything that I was looking for. He was unabashedly a Marxist. He was intelligent and enjoyed rigorous thinking and leftist theory. He was hilarious and did fantastic impressions. He also was compassionate, kind and empathetic. He was a humanist, in the truest sense of the word and he understood, and articulated to me, that Socialism is a humanist movement. After I became a patron, I once asked him on Discord what his credentials were and he said that his Bachelor’s was in International Relations, which explained so much. Again, he was the only media personality that I was aware of that was knowledgeable and curious about the same things I was. He understood history. He valued history and its importance, so much so that he dedicated a separate Sunday show just to “Illicit Histories” where he would invite Historians from all over the world to discuss leftist movements in their own countries and how we could apply those lessons here and vice versa. This was it. This is what was missing from our national discourse--an international perspective and voice, and a historical perspective and voice. Michael was both and he was damn good at it.

The Michael Brooks Show was an inspiration. Michael, Matt Lech and David Griscom were smart, eloquent, young men who articulated the systemic failures of our time, who critically discussed and analyzed our current political discourse and who pondered possible solutions based in history. The guests of TMBS, the network Michael created, really were the shining feature. Ben Burgis, Artesia Balthrop, Molly Webster, Glenn Greenwald, Adolf Reed, President Lula De Silva, Slavoj Žižek , Noam Chomsky, Dr. Cornel West, Dr. Richard Wolff...the list goes on and on and on. These people brought so much insight to the state of our world. Professors, Journalists, people who have spent their lives working on the cause, a cause for a better future, one based in humanity and empathy. Michael was able to bring his own empathy for humanity into his interviews, asking thoughtful direct questions that got to the heart of the issue-- while simultaneously bringing levity to a serious topic by making jokes in the voice of Gandhi, Mandela, Obama, or Bernie, to name a few. He, fucking, got it man. He understood how the world was connected. He understood that we are ALL humans, and that we all deserve to be treated with dignity, and he understood that Marx was right about a ton of shit and he wasn’t scared to remind you of that.

Michael, for me, was an exemplar. He was a role model. I looked up to him. I had no idea he was only 13 months older than me, I thought he was probably in his early 40’s just based on the amount of shit that he knew. My personal 10 year goal was to be on his show. I wanted to either become a writer or go back into academia. I even wrote into a show a couple of months back and asked him which was a better choice. He was honored to be asked such a heavy question but didn’t feel comfortable giving that kind of life advice and I don’t blame him. He recommended that I continue teaching high school if that’s what I enjoy doing, and I do, and I likely will. He has shown me how to speak up for ideals that are right, regardless of what people think. Like, I understood that in the abstract, but watching someone do it multiple times a week really put it in my head that I need to advocate for my position publicly. I tell people that I’m a marxist- which in Texas is unheard of, even among leftists. Mostly due to people not understanding labels and what that even means. So I tell them. Thanks to David’s weekly recommended readings I haven’t stopped reading leftist theory even though I finished grad school over a year and a half ago. If TMBS never existed I never would have had the opportunity to read any of that.

My heart bleeds for Matt and David. I can’t imagine what they’re going though. I want them to continue, to keep the community alive in his name. But I completely understand if that is just too painful.

I was thinking earlier, trying to find an appropriate historical comparison to his passing. There are many but as a North Texan, the one that I ended up landing on was the passing of Dimebag Darrell Abbot. He did a lot. He accomplished a lot in a short amount of time. He inspired many to do things like him. It was entirely unexpected and not one person, not one, has a bad thing to say about the guy. Dimebag was adored. He listened to people, strangers, fans. He was kind and open-hearted and treated everyone with respect. Which made it extra hard when he passed. The same can be said for Michael. For Michael, since Socialism is more than just music, he inspired us to educate ourselves, to ask questions, to remember the periphery-Latin America, Africa, and Asia,-- to remember history and value it, to be compassionate, to educate others and to be active in our own communities.

He will be sorely missed. The one thing I keep telling myself is that his death has the potential to bring even more attention to his message-- to help further catapult this movement into something undeniable. To bring more awareness to how power works and to finally activate us to become, as Michael said at Harvard on Feb 1, 2020: machiavellian.

“...we still have to put work into reminding everybody that (Dr. MLK Jr.) was on the left. He wasn’t a guy who came out once a year and said ‘everybody should treat each other nicely. ...The other thing I loved about this speech was he talked about the fallacy- that certain Christians misunderstand love as a seeding of power. And then Nietzsche came along and rejected christian morality because he thought it was denying someone’s vitality- the will to power in a healthy sense, and he said ‘Love without power is sentimental and anemic. And power without love is abusive and corrosive’ I’m paraphrasing. And that was when I saw, I thought, ‘well here, ok, we know the left-wing Dr. King. Well here is the machiavellian Dr King, and I love it.’ I want the left to have Machiavelli, so we can have the strategy, the ruthlessness, the clarity, to actually win these battles. And be ruthless with institutions. And then I want us to learn how to be really kind to each other, welcoming of a broad set, and actually have a movement that has the capacity to do that.”

Let’s do the best we can to make that happen. Educate yourself about power. Educate yourself about ideologies. Read Marx and Engels. Read Slavoj Žižek and Adolf Reed. Read Michaels book Against the Web: A Cosmopolitan Answer to the New Right. Don’t get caught up in identity politics. Never lose sight of class dynamics. Use this knowledge to educate others and make informed decisions. Register to vote. Run for office. Effectuate real change. Do the intellectual rigor that was happening on TMBS every week, multiple times a week. Thank you for all that you brought to us Michael, you will be sorely missed and I hope to see you at the clearing at the end of the path.

Anthony Sosa

7-21-20

#Michael Brooks #TMBS #History #Geopolitics #International relations #humanity #compassion #humanist #Socialsim #marx #economics

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prisonrose · 5 years ago

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Memories of Mr. K

Just an FYI, this is going to be a highly personal post that’s going to be a bit of a bummer. Feel free to skip if you’re not into that. But I figured I’d let you guys know the reasoning behind my abrupt hiatus at a time when I was just trying to get a bit more activity going.

What can I say. 2020 Gonna 2020.

So I found out a few weeks ago that my “ex stepdad” died. Meaning the man my mom married after my biological dad but before the guy she’s currently married to. For all intents and purposes, Mr. K was the man that raised me. But my feelings around his passing has been all sorts of complicated.

I most definitely owe the guy a lot. He definitely wasn’t perfect, but he taught me a lot. Mostly, he taught me how to communicate better. Growing up, I was an extremely shy kid -- the type who’d cry if they had to order their own pizza over the phone. In many ways, I’m still that sort of person. Phone conversations terrify me, to the point where it has literally cost me thousands of dollars. But talking to strangers is one thing. The problem was that I couldn’t even clearly communicate with the people I was close to.

Everything in my mind was a confusing jumble, and even though I was creative and really wanted to write stories from like... the 5th grade on, they were often so convoluted, no one could follow them. If I didn’t have Mr. K in my life, it’s quite possible I would have just given up. But he was a great speaker, and gave me the tools I needed to be able to get people to understand what I mean. A lot of him shows through in my writing and personality, especially my sense of humor. He was a super funny guy.

I didn’t start out loving him. As a really immature child, I thought that there was some semblance of a chance my biological dad might come back. I blame all those movies in Hollywood, lol. But my dad was never going to take responsibility. We talked afterwards occasionally, but he was more like a buddy than a real parental figure. And now I don’t really talk about him that much, either.

Mr. K was the first real (and probably the only) father figure I had in my life. By the time my mom told me they were divorcing when I was a senior in high school, it pretty much destroyed me and prompted the biggest and most severe depressive episode of my life. It very nearly killed me, though I’m definitely glad I was able to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

In the first year or so, I tried desperately to keep my relationship with the man that raised me, and for a few months, he was receptive. But eventually, he just kind of drifted out of my life and stopped responding to my texts and calls. So, message taken. To this day I don’t know if he was serious about wanting to continue having a relationship with me at all, or if it was just a ruse to try to get close to my mom again. I guess I’ll never know for sure now.

And that’s the thing that frustrates and infuriates me the most about his death. I was extremely upset when he decided to cut me out of his life, but I always wanted to make up with him again. I wanted us to square away our differences, and even if he never got to be “dad” to me again, we’d still be able to talk. Kind of like my biological dad is for me now.

But he didn’t even try. He reached out to my mom several times over the years, trying to talk to her again, even once she was already remarried. In fact, he reached out to her again during New Year’s on THIS year. Thanking her for her “10 years of service” as his wife, or some bull. REALLY???

On one hand, if those are the types of messages I could look forward to with my continued relationship with him, maybe I was just better off without him from the start. But part of me wonders if that was him trying to make things “right” before he died. Apparently he thought it was more important to make amends with the woman who barely even tolerated him as opposed to the kid that grew up relying on his guidance for a decade. So that feels. Great to think about.

In the end, I don’t know what killed him. Maybe he really was sick when he sent Mom that message. Or maybe he was just being a creep (since it wasn’t unheard of for him to send her shit, completely unsolicited in the past) and the ‘Rona got him. That’s something I COULD find out if I wanted to, but I chose to not even get invested in finding out. Literally all it would do is make me more depressed if I found out it was an answer I didn’t like. I still don’t even know for sure WHEN he died. I found out sometime about a month ago, but apparently the dedication page his job put up for him was a month or so old already when mom found it. I never quite know what to do with myself when he’s involved.

So... Yeah. If you’re still with me after that long, meaningless dive into Mittens’ childhood... Thank you, and I’m sorry. I guess the million dollar question now is what does this mean for Dhimani’s blog? Truth be told, I don’t know for sure. Maybe the hiatus will continue for months before I open back up, same as things always were, or maybe I’ll just go private and selective and RP with a few people. Neither of which are things I necessarily want to do.

I would like to come back right away and keep writing for Rose the way I always have. This entire blog became a side project that took over my life and consumed my thoughts for nearly half a year. I’m pretty attached to him, as well as the connections I’ve made on here. But I also have to be real with myself and concede that maybe I need to give myself some space and time to really actually deal with the shit going on in my personal life.

Mr. K dying hasn’t thrown my life in disarray or anything. I’m pretty unhappy and have random crying spells, but nowhere near depressed. I’m functioning just fine. But I think it’s fair to say that themes and issues centered around fatherhood and forgiveness are a really touchy subject for me right now. I just need to be real with myself in that regard and say that I’m not mentally or emotionally prepared to deal with online dissertations about why Rose is an evil person / terrible dad right now. I need to look out for myself, and that’s hard to accept.

I can kind of fall into the trap of thinking of RPing as a “service” rather than a hobby at times, for better or for worse. I often think and consider the things I “owe” my RP partners and the community as a whole. Part of me regrets that I can no longer fill the “niche” of the “well meaning but super problematic Rose who did fucked up stuff” anymore. But at the end of the day, I’m just human. I’ve got needs, too, and I deserve some escapism and comfort-food threads instead of stuff that’s constantly going to remind me of the worst period in my entire life. That doesn’t make me a bad person or a bad writer.

I wish it didn’t have to happen this way. Dhimani’s birthday is coming up, and I don’t even think I’m going to be active for it. (In a pinch, I might push it back so I can still celebrate My Boy.) Hopefully this is just a bump in the road that’ll lead to a bright future down the line. We can only hope.

I’ll keep you guys updated in any case. Thank you so much for your patience, and I hope to get back to writing for you all soon.

-- Mittens.

#/negative #negative tw #long post #{ psa }#tldr the hiatus is continuing for a while #death tw

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mythvoiced · 4 years ago

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9, 10, 27!

@listered | — ⊱asks for muns with a multimuse or more than one muse⊰

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-. 9. why were you drawn to each one of your characters? Since I covered all of my original characters here already - and it got about as messy and long as you’d expect - it is time for me to dedicate this space to Héloïse, and why she drew me in. The simplest way to put this would be I adore the movie and love her, but I’d like to go a little deeper than that.

This film is to me poetry of the tragic likes of Leopardi taken form in a story I could actually feel for. The nearly complete lack of background the characters received forces you to focus only on the now of the film, on the women they are when they appear on screen, to judge them for what you see, and the things they want you to know about them. We don’t get last names, birthplaces, we don’t get details on the convent, pictures of it. All we get is the story as it is being told, through the lenses of an artist, nonetheless. Every camera angle, every shot filled with next to nothing but silence and unspoken thoughts, this film is art. And Héloïse is the centre of it all. She’s the goal, the loss, the change, the plot acting on the character, the character acting on the plot. She’s just so very beautiful in the contrast between how mature she can be as she stands her ground, how adult she is, and how child-like her demands can sometimes be, that scene where she says goodbye to her mother in the way ‘she used to’, how she’s a woman forced to live a life she doesn’t want to live, how her time in the convent have kept her stuck in a lack of knowledge of the world in a factual sense usually attributed to children and her curiosity to learn more, and how the pain of losing so much and never being granted everything, of being pushed around and have her wishes left unheard and trapped within her chest gave her an outlook on like and a knowledge of the world that is painfully aged. Héloïse is beautiful, so so so beautiful. Her anger, and her love, and her pain, and her intelligence, and her stubbornness, her everything is so so so so human. When I first wanted to write her, I didn’t know why. I explained it because I fell in love with her along with Marianne as I watched the film, that I simply adored her, attributed it to that scene when she turns around for the first time and I lost my breath. But it’s what I saw in that scene that drew me in: I lost my breath because I must have seen that Héloïse is literally La jeune fille un feu. She IS the film. And to hope to one day be able to encompass in my writing all of what the film gives us and what Héloïse is... it would be an honour.

-. 10. which muse is the most fun to write for? That would depend entirely on my mood, I think! And on what I’m looking for in my writing on any given day. I have the utmost fun writing Nathaniel when I’m looking to write something that is unapologetic, something where I don’t have to hold back for whatever character-central reason, because he’s someone who speaks as he wishes and does as he does. When I’m looking for something silly and care-free, something without the need for plotting, Yoshino is always the most fun to choose, for she’s an easy character to write. I also have a lot of fun writing themes that aren’t… you know, fun. Seona is fun to write because of her crass and disinterested nature, and her being in great contrast to all of my other muses, her confidence and her demeanour. Taejoo & Jungwoo who are heavily driven and influenced by their traumatic experiences are fun to write when I’m looking to explore something more serious in Jungwoo, or how even the worst of neglects and parental mistreatment can lead to a near-infinite amount of gentleness and what is actually submission perceived as the only means to survival, in Taejoo. If I’m looking for a character that stimulates me intellectually, that demands higher vocabulary due to the character’s nature of expressing themselves or how they think, Catharina & Patrick become apparent choices, with Kangmin closing in.

BUT if I had to pick a muse that is simply, unconditionally, incredibly fun to write, because every time I do write them, it just makes me FEEL good and giddy and puts me in a good mood and makes the world a little brighter, the title would go to and get shared between Junghoon & Sabriel, because I love them.

At the end of the day, though, it DOES depend on my mindspace: if I’m looking for something tense, something dark, something mean, Nathaniel would be a lot more fun to write than Lotte.

-. 27. is there a rule that someone keeps breaking for your muses? Not… per se, actually. I don’t have any character-specific rules and all of my actual rules are… pretty basic stuff that no one’s ever crossed or attempted to break during mythvoiced’s run time, the only thing I can think of that comes even remotely close is a few occasions of misgendering in Sabriel’s regards that have left me a little confused. I have used the wrong pronouns on two occasions myself, two singular uses of ‘he’ while I did stick to ‘they’ for the rest of the thread, so I realize that sometimes writing text in pronouns one isn’t used to associate to certain faces can be tricky – and continued effort should be put in, which is what I will continue to do to the best of my abilities – but it seemed odd to me that ‘he’ was used when everything involving Sabriel (safe for an early open, which used ‘she’) that can be found on my blog, from their stats, to their threads, to the tags in posts relating to them, the pronouns they/them reign superior in a 98% of the cases, so it made me feel like their stats hadn’t actually been checked beforehand, and it’s kickstarted a knee-jerk habit of me stating ‘they’re pronouns are they/them, btw :3’ whenever discussing my nonbinary/genderqueer muses, rather than solely naturally using they/them while describing them because it doesn’t guarantee that those pronouns would be used in turn. I realize, it’s sorta my fault, for stating ‘they/she/he/ as their pronouns on the muse page and their stats and never correcting them when I realized, through writing them, that Sabriel doesn’t connect to she/her & he/him at all rather than just slightly, but… still? Either way, I will get to changing their stats now ♥

#listered #;ooc #;to be tagged #when i say i squealed #THANK YOU SO SO SO SO SO MUCH for sending these in ;;;;;WWWWWW;;;;;;#and of course thank you for your interest as well ♥♥♥♥♥#a:#;queue

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umamunandar · 5 years ago

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Review #4: The Illuminae Files (4.8/5)

So by this point, you should be familiar to my taste in movies and books. I mean with the lack of romance and teen fiction you see and the excessive amount of fantasy and sci-fi reviews I’ve written, you might realise that I have a thing for dystopian, sci-fi, and apocalyptic stuff.

If you’re also a dystopian geek like me, then you must have heard of Illuminae, the novel written by Amie Faufman and Jay Kristoff, which then got illustrated by Marie Lu, author of Warcross and Legend for the second book, Gemina. You might’ve heard of it’s great story, or maybe, like me, you were first introduced to its unique writing format

and i mean very unique format. (Every part I just showed belongs completely to Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff, of course I’m just out here throwing these pages to you so you know what I’m talking about)

Most books get very famous quickly because the themes they offer in the books, how great the storyline is. Some are popular only because the author that wrote it has a reputation for writing super famous and the readers just want to read more of their works.

But a book famous for its writing format is unheard of for me. Illuminae was the first what, novel (?) that succeeded in telling the readers a story about the destruction of a colony, and a galactic adventure just from files they retrieved from the computers used by the characters for data processing, storage, communication, and everything else you can do with a computer by the year 2575.

The year is 2575, and two rival mega-corporations are at war over a planet that’s a little more than an ice-covered speck. Now, with enemy fire raining down on them, exes Kady and Ezra—who are barely even talking to each other—are forced to escape on the evacuating fleet.

But their problems are just the beginning. The fleet’s AI has gone crazy, a deadly plague has broken out on one of the ships, and nobody in charge will say what’s really going on.

As Kady hacks into a tangled web of data to find the truth, it’s clear only one person can help her: the ex boyfriend she swore she’d never speak to again.

First, let me start with a short recap of my own.

29th of January, 2575, Kady Grant had broken up with her boyfriend, Ezra Mason. But later that day, her planet’s mining company’s rival company decided that it was a great day to attack the planet (Kerenza IV) and its inhabitants. Kady and Ezra managed to escape to two of the three ships used to transport and evacuate the Kerenza refugees. Ezra was taken to the Alexander, as he was badly injured, and Kady was taken to the Hypatia, a science vessel that happened to be orbiting Kerenza during the attack. The last ship was the Copernicus.

Everyone on board were tested to see their potential, since the fleet were understaffed. Ezra passed as a pilot, and Kady, bless her genius mind, decided that it was best to not show he full potential during the test. Not receiving the role of anything, she befriended a CommTech from the Hypatia, and became a hacker, determined to just find out what’s going on. Nobody who knew the truth would tell anyone the truth and Kady was only eager to find out.

The story was told by emails, chat boxes, documents, security camera footage, even information from the Alexander’s AI, which was pretty much messed up due to the attack at Kerenza, but was still functioning enough to tell a story, nevertheless. The second book got an illustrator, Marie Lu, the same person who wrote Warcross and Legend, and the content source didn’t just come from computers anymore. By Gemina, the information that led readers through the story was also gained from Hanna Donnelly—the story’s female lead’s personal journal, hand drawn, not soft copy from a computer.

Personally, Illuminae was the first story that brought me to loving sci-fi slash dystopian slash apocalyptic novels. I was always a fantasy geek, thanks to Harry Potter and Wildwood. Kingdoms, princesses in pretty dresses, or magic, they were always closer to me than spaceships, AI, and intergalactic war, but Illuminae completely changed my mind. I was even surprised when I found myself buying a handful of dystopian novels during a book fair the other day. They were just really fun to read.

Oh but you know what else is fun? Guessing which cuss word the characters in the books used. Sure, the story was told through files, which means some were formal documents like reports and formal emails, but remember that there are also chat boxes and the informal emails sent from one refugee to the other as a form of communication to ask how they were doing and whatnot. Cussing and slang were used constantly in the book, but because they were compiled and as I quote, ‘sent’ as a formal file, the cursing had to be censored and blocked. It was still fun to guess the words they used anyway.

Writing this review, I had already read Gemina, and Obsidio was being shipped to my house, so yes, I really love this trilogy.

I’d love to get into more depth about the two books, but since nearly every page is filled with action, I can’t really write a spoiler-free review with it so let’s get to the positive points and negative points of the book,

Pros:

The book, as we all know and as I have mentioned for the fifth time now is formatted like emails, chat boxes, documents, and literally every other thing you can extract from a computer by the year 2575. Despite all three books being thicker than 500 pages, some of the pages aren’t even full pages, and you can read them in under one minute, even for a slow reader. Some examples:

Countdown pages

Those pages when something dramatic happens, like the description of missiles travelling through the space between two ships

In Gemina (and possibly Obsidio), some pages from Hanna Donnelly’s personal journal were incorporated in the files, the second Illuminae Files. But unlike Kady who prefers writing (or typing) her thoughts and securing them with a handful of layers of security and passwords, Hanna draws hers, and they didn’t take that long to read either.

‘The pattern is always the same’

‘White light’

And everything else

I know Illuminae was my first ever sci-fi dystopian novel, but I’ve consulted a few people on the matter, and I found out that the story the series offered is a good one on its own, even without the dramatic effect. So yes, one of the pros is that it actually offers a good story. You never know what’s going to happen next. It’s like say, you just got over a dramatic point in one of the books, and suddenly the document in the next page is a bloody medical report that tells you something is up.

Another plus point would be how the events in the books are so well described, despite there being no actual description done in the books except for those surveillance camera transcripts. We don’t even know Kady and Ezra’s specific physical appearances, just the fact that Kady has pink hair and Ezra is a pretty much a teen fiction novel average golden boy, unlike Hanna and Nik who’s illustrations we see from again, Hanna’s journal in Gemina.

Cons:

We should all put this fact in consideration, that the book is not meant to tell a story from a formal standpoint. Like I said, cussing is used in nearly every page of the book, though it’s censored. Mildly explicit jokes and references were also used in the book, though no actual harm is done. Then again, I’m not against this or anything, in fact, it brings an essence to the story, but some people (*cough* boomers*cough*) might not be comfortable with it.

Personally, I’m not fond of thick books. Four hundred pages is a workload for me. I was suffering throughout the Order of the Phoenix. Don’t like thick books? Illuminae isn’t for you. All three books had like, five hundred or so pages. I know I said it was told through a less boring format for a novel, and the story is good, but you still have to read. It’s a relief I made it through both Illuminae and Gemina, there’s a possibility I might drop Obsidio and leave it to rot before reaching the three-hundredth page. Though, there is a solution to this. You can buy the audiobook instead. I heard they did a good job with it, with great casts too.

Aaand, I think that’s about it. There’s really not much I can say about the story without giving away spoilers, and since I’m dedicated to make this a spoiler-free blog, I think it’s best you buy the book if you’re interested in the story of Kady, Ezra, Hanna, Nik, and two more characters I’m not supposed to tell you about because it’s technically a spoiler (?) from Obsidio.

I’m open for any discussion too! Just, don’t tell me anything about Obsidio just yet, I’m expecting the copy this week.

#illuminae #gemina #obsidio #the illuminae files #kady grant #ezra mason #hanna donnelly #nik malikov #book review #spoiler free book review #books #reads

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formerlyrunephoenix6769 · 6 years ago

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I was asked and ask, and in my flu causing feverish state, I deleted it. So if you’re out there and recognize this question (and I’m paraphrasing) please reblog and @ me.

So If i remember, the question was along the lines of

“Why isnt there huge amounts of stuff, for shows like She -Ra and TDP, are they not as popular?”

Lets go for a ride...

I think the reason why we dont get the same amount of content generated for shows such as The Dragon Prince and She-ra, say in comparison to shows like RWBY.

And by content, I mean, theories, memes, art and in depth analysis, boils down to 3 things.

1) Time to Generate.

Both The Dragon Prince and She-Ra have only recently dropped their first season. Now both have their second season coming rather swiftly, esp in the case of The Dragon Prince. Season 2 is dropping tomorrow: Feb 15 2019 over on Netflix.

She-Ra’s is set to be released April 26th 2019, again on Netflix.

The Dragon Prince S1 was released on Sept 14th 2018, and She-Ra: Princesses of Power, Nov, 13th 2018.

In TDP case, that is a 5 month and 1 day turn around and SPOP, 5 months and 13 days turn around.

It is rather unheard of for an animation to have their Second season be ready in under 6 months. Usually it is anywhere from 10 months minimum to a year or in some cases, even longer.

I put this down to the success of the two series and how the audience received them, and Netflix wishing to capitalize on it, and the hype generated.

Lets just hope that the both properties dont feel rushed as a result.

So with such little time, and a very short hiatus in terms of tv shows, (which is when most of fandom generated content tends to be created), that gives very little time for their respective fandoms to leave their senses and devolve into some sort of animeesque Lord of the Flies in a matter of weeks, in a bid to cope.

(RWBY FNDM, I’m looking at you with your ‘Beehaw’s’ and YORSE, and ‘Scheehaw’s’. I still cant believe you made Arryn read that with her own eyes!!)

(You can tumblr search Yorse yourself, I aint making anyone look at that cursed image without their consent. You’ve been warned! ;p @hammertime-rwby i shake my head in your general direction... ;D )

Time to generate can also be reflected in how long a show has been on air, thereby garnering a wider and much larger fanbase with a broader set of creative skills, which in turn results in more fandom content generated, esp if there is the potential of shipping.

And bloody hell does SPOP have some crazy potential on the shipping front,

2) Time to Mature and Fandom Engagement.

As a show matures and the audience leans learn more about the characters and the world that they inhabit, the nature of fandom created content evolves. It also depends on the verve of the show itself.

The way in which a show is presented, the topics and themes they cover, the way the characters and the world are presented, can vicariously dictate how the fandom engages with the property, go forth and multiply.

For example:

Sherlock is very meme worthy and that tends to be reflected in the content that is generated by the Sherlockians.

RWBY has been out for 6 volumes and has a very dedicated and passionate FNDM, but it is also broad, large and incredibly diverse.

It is also rather vocal and has very strong differing opinions from one end of the spectrum to the other, which in turn creates YT reviews, reactions and rebuttals and heated retorts.

These polarising pov’s can then go on to permeate to other branches of social media, such as twitter, tumblr, discord etc etc

Same with fandom accepted headcanons and lore...

(I’m still on the fence about you Renora Rodeo Round up... You’re on thin ice! ;p )

But it has taken a number of years to cultivate.

Neither The Dragon Prince or She-Ra has had the time to do that, yet!

But I’m certain that will change in the coming future.

She-Ra has already generated quite the buzz on both the positive and negative sides, due to being based on a much loved, older, property, ‘She-Ra 1985′, but that is a mine field which I covered on my previous blog before some asshat decided to axe it.

Also, the themes that Netflix She-Ra seems to be covering, which helped generate a lot of the negative backlash towards the show, will most definitely continue to be polarizing... So I would keep an eye out if YT and people picking stuff apart is your jam.

On the other side, what SPOP seems to be trying to deliver will also generate lots of awesome content. Just look at how this took off,

“Hey Adora”

And this cinnamon roll’s preoccupation with ‘force captain orientation’,

The Dragon Prince strikes me as a show that would generate deep reflective analysis of world and characters as well as theories, much like its older cousin, Avatar Last Airbender, once there is more to comb over and speculate on.

These two shows are presented differently and they way they are tackling certain themes in their respective narratives are also vastly different, which could also have a lot to do with their respective target audience and intended demographic, so it stands to reason that the results of fandom generated content would be different.

3) Platform and Format.

This I believe is one of the most important aspects which ties the previous points above.

If a property is delivered week by week, such as RWBY, there is time, for the FNDM, after they make amazing screen shots and insta analysis and excited speculations, to go over it again and allow the episode to sink in.

(which both TDP and SPOP could do, as they have episodic episodes but that is an entirely different post)

There is time for the fans to go sit back and react to what they have seen, whether that is creating beautiful fan art, crafting in depth theories, character analysis, extrapolate potential world building.

A week by week delivery culminates in an emotional impact that is allowed to foster and grow, thereby gives space and time for the individual to go off and create content for their respective fandom.

Fanart takes time, fics take time.

The not knowing what could happen next opens up the avenues of thought out speculations.

Having a week to go over everything to that point and process new info. Being able to take your time to research and prep before you put it out there, results in good, in depth analysis and well crafted work.

Time gives breeding ground.

(Some wait years for lore.. Overwatch fandom, I dont know how we do it! But we all cant be Tracer!)

Because, we are so salivating at the the mouth for insta gratification and ‘binge’ culture has become so prevalent where media is concerned.

When a property is delivered all at once, it gives no breathing space for speculation and wild theories.

For a particular scene or interaction between characters to have an emotional impact and thereby create emotionally significant fan art, that is reblogged and shared in that moment, give it time to resonate with its respective fandoms.

And there for have time for other members of the fandom to be inspired to go off and create their own stuff in what ever medium is their forte.

Because we are on this fast paced ride, not only from the start of the chapter 1 to end of the first ‘book’, so to speak, but also the social media need to be the first to create the content for the fandom, the type of content generated, how and why, is hugely different and may not at first glance look like it is forth coming..

It just takes time to sink in.. To go back through and re-evaluate.

Being inspired by a particular interaction between two characters , or a certain facet of the world that an fan may have noticed and wishes to expand on, art wise, fic wish or theroise, loses its validity when you know that the next episode could answer your burning questions in less than 5 seconds.

And so you stave off for the dreaded nine episode when your eye balls are nearly gumming together and you know you have work in 4 hours but you need answers to the burning questions..

and so results.

This is not the content creators fault, in anyway. This is quite literally the way in which it is delivered.

Its is pretty much,

II) However, in Conclusion

The perceived lack of fandom interaction/generated content, in the social media platforms that a fan chooses to consume, or is available to them, does not mean that a show isn't popular.

The ties to previous projects, such as SPOP to She-Ra 1985 and The Dragon Prince to Avatar Last Airbender are vastly different.

Expectations are vastly different.

Fandom interaction and generation of fandom content, is not a measure made of how popular a show is.

Also, politely, remember the demographic of which these shows are aimed at.

Be respectful of the show creators, the property, the characters and the narrative that the show creators have painstakingly crafted and put out into the world.

The story that they want to tell.

Again,

a reminder,

Tomorrow, 15th Feb 2019 , Season 2 of The Dragon Prince.

(im gonna go back into my fluey coma now)

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jadeile-writes · 5 years ago

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Let’s talk about my newest fic spree because I wanna

First Imma talk Zelda. Hazbin will be discussed after. I’ll bold the first line of it so it’s easy to skip there if you’re so inclined.

But Zelda now.

Nobody has actually expressed any concerns about it, but I’m going to imagine that someone is losing sleep over this because it makes me feel important and stuff. And by "it”, I mean the “Shiiiit, she’s jumping fandoms, she is definitely going to abandon all things Zelda now and Adventure Gone Mini will never be finished and also the fandom will probably somehow combust without her, halp!”

That’s a valid concern. That happens a lot with writers, fanartists, and other content creators (and non-creators, but that’s less panic-worthy for most people). So, let me reassure you: I admit I’m a lot less enthusiastic about Mini nowadays, but that doesn’t mean I’m willing to abandon it this easily. It started as and still is a passion project, and I’ve actually managed to write it consistently for over a year now, which is unheard of with me.

I’ve admittedly occasionally considered taking a break from it, but I’m well aware that if I stop writing it for any amount of time, chances are I’ll procrastinate getting back to it until eventually it’s officially forever unfinished. I’m not willing to risk that, which was actually the reason why I stopped publishing a new chapter every two weeks and switched to three weeks a few months ago. That way my flagging enthusiasm got balanced by having more time to get it done without it being a chore. That works really well, too. I can certainly keep this up since it’s already a routine and I do actually know where the story is going and everything. All I need to do is write it. Sometimes it’s boring and uninspired, sometimes I’m hella happy doing it, but the bottom line is that I’m able to do it regardless of my mood for it.

I’m not sure if I’ll do the Mini sequel I’ve occasionally talked about in my comment replies. It may just be that I’ll sigh out of relief when I’m finally done with Mini and decide to simply let it go. I can’t say yet. I mean, the sequel wouldn’t be anything much anyway, just revisiting the characters and places, having Zelda drop by, a peek at Sidon’s magical training, stuff like that, probably in the form of drabble chapters. So it wouldn’t really be that hard to write, but I can’t estimate my inspiration for it at this point. We shall see. It’s still months away, since Mini is far from done.

I’m not sure if I’ll really get back to that Revalink fic I’ve advertised in my blogs here and at Ko-fi, even if I don’t yet actually feel like dropping it. I mean, it’d be a breath of fresh air anyway, since it’s a different ship and timeline (as in, before Calamity). So who knows.

I’m reasonably sure I won’t be starting any new Sidlink fics, though that’s partly because I’ve already explored the ship so thoroughly with the fics I have that it’d feel repetitive. So that’s one thing you shouldn’t hold your breath for. I’m sorry.

As for the fandom as a whole... There’s the sequel to BotW coming up, so it just might toss me right back into the fandom right when I feel like I’m done being super active here (for the record, I typically don’t really leave fandoms forever, I just stop being obsessed). So, there’s still solid hope for more BotW fics in the future. But for now I’m definitely only doing Mini, and then my other fandoms on the side.

Oh, speaking of that. Yes, I’m writing hella lot of fics for Hazbin Hotel, and it might feel like I’m neglecting Mini by using my time for these other fics instead, but that’s not the case. I still have my weekly regular writing hour dedicated to Mini alone; no other fic is being written at that particular slot of time, and Mini keeps being steadily written. The other fics are written at random times, and that time would not be spent on writing Mini even if I stopped writing the other fics. I’d probably just use that time playing Pokémon Sword instead or reading other people’s fanfics or watching youtube or something. So, no need for jealousy or worry there.

Now, let’s talk Hazbin Hotel.

If you’re following me on ffnet or AO3, or simply keep an eye on the new Hazbin fics in general, you may have noticed that I published the first chapter of Aceducation yesterday. The next chapter will be published tomorrow. Yay! And the last chapter will be up this Thursday. Excite!

I’m actually very proud of the fact that I got a grip and wrote the last chapter that quickly after promising I’d get it done soon.

...Yes, of course there is an ulterior motive for being so prompt about it.

And that motive is that I want to start publishing “Shit, the Radio Demon is a part of my afterlife”, or Afterlife for short, soon. I mean, since I plan on publishing one chapter a week, I already have a buffer of seven weeks at hand (yes, I finished chapter six today, so there is no longer an awkward gap between chapters there). That’s a long time to be used to write more, and also a long time for me to wait for my readers to catch up to the new stuff cause I’m excited about everything and I want you guys to see it : | So, I don’t want to wait any longer.

I don’t want to be wasteful about my general fic output by publishing all the fics at once, tho, so I needed to get the shorter fic, Aceducation, out of the way. That is, unless I wanted to hold onto it until after Afterlife was done, which would be months away with the once-a-week-and-over-ten-chapters schedule. Hence, suddenly a lot of motivation to get it done and published asap XD

Now, the question on your mind should be “Okay, so when do we get the first chapter of Afterlife?” And I have already decided on the answer: 6th of December.

Why that date? Multiple reasons. Starting with the fact that Aceducation will take until Thursday to be fully published, and I’m not publishing both fics at once. Secondly, since I update this blog on Saturdays, I want to hold on publishing the first chapter of Afterlife until after the next Saturday, purely so that I can officially put the posting date on the Update blog and post a spoiler snippet of the first chapter here before the actual publishing. Thirdly, and this is a long game reason, because of my Zelda epic, Adventure Gone Mini. I update Mini every three weeks on Wednesdays. Now, Sunday and Monday would be viable options for a weekly updating of another chapter fic, but I just don’t wanna. Tuesday is not an option, because then I’d be flooded with Hazbin feedback on Wednesday and that’d distract me from Mini (although that’s what I’m doing with Aceducation right now, ironically enough). Thursday I’ll be receiving feedback from Mini, so that’d be distracting me from Afterlife. But Friday works well long term, so Friday it is : D

If you feel like you can’t wait that long for the first chapter of Afterlife... well, I have it worse, trust me. I’m dying to post right this damn second XD That damn itch started the moment I finished writing chapter six today and was like “Huh, now I have seven consecutive chapters done. That’s seven weeks of content, and took me maybe two weeks to write. I now have seven weeks to write the rest of this fic, and obviously every finished chapter will bump that by one more week. ... ... why aren’t I already publishing the first chapter so that my future readers can start reading already agdakhdgkagdkga!!”

So yeah, I suppose that’s all I have to say. And this essay is about 1400 words long, which I would happily publish as a oneshot or a chapter if this was a fanfic. Can’t I stop being a writer for one damn second? Heh, see you around, my lovely readers!

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