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bokutosbiceps · 1 year ago

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[here for the matchup trade!'

fandoms i would like: same as yours, bsd and demon slayer. no preference as long as they arent too young!

prominent personality traits: passionate, levelheaded, contemplative, opinionated, honest (heart on my sleeve). realistic but optimistic about it. individualistic. i am an ambivert. sometimes my mouth runs and i trip up over what i am going to say, and i'm blunt. sx/sp. im a big person on wanting improvement and having ambition (mostly for myself, but i will encourage others).

hobbies/talents: i like to read and write and listen to music and taking walks. i draw too. i'm really good at explaining things in a very cohesive manner. my logic is really good, so my persuasion is extremely good too. im very efficient and creative, which i apply to many things in real life. i also have very good intuition.

-> appearance-wise, i’m east asian, with a wispy middle part and shoulder length black hair! i look more cute-sque than hot or whatnot.

thank you for this matchup exchange!

the PRESSURE !! after you wrote me that fantastic match up, i am feeling the p r e s s u r e … 😅 but i’ve got some spicy snacks + the motivation so here we go!! i hope you love your matches 😁

bungou stray dogs

i match you with DAZAI OSAMU 🖤

you + dazai would just be two little peas in a pod. the thing he appreciates most about you is your appreciation for ambition, as well as how you can tell someone like it is! he hates people who beat around the bush, but he really revels in the fact that he’ll never have to worry about that with you. you guys rarely ever fight because every discussion is level headed + free of insults/trickery (on your part at least, we all know dazai can be a cunning man). dazai could sit + listen to you talk for h o u r s. he’ll be sitting there with his chin resting on his open palm, a small smirk on his lips as he listens to you talk about whatever you’re passionate about that day. after you’re done with your speech, he’ll just wrap his arms around your waist and give you a sweet smile and a kiss on the cheek.

getting to know dazai can be difficult, though, even if he loves you. he’s very closed off + protective of his feelings, so it takes a lot for him to be able to trust someone. when he met you, though, he could see that you were his twin flame. he felt as though you’d be able to understand the inner workings of his heart and mind, so he’d share them with you. you’re the one + only person he’d open up to like that, so be grateful! conversations with him can be so deep and provoking that you’ll both be left squinting at the sunlight streaming in through your windows, wrapped up in each other’s arms, after pulling an all-nighter just to talk.

dazai thinks you’re soooo intelligent, so he’ll often ask you for advice if there’s a situation at the detective agency that’s got him stumped. he’s so thankful to have you on his slide, because you truly can open his mind to perspectives he’s never seen. he also really admires the way you can bring things together to flow so smoothly, + he believes that this is truly a showing of just how smart you are! with that being said, dazai will constantly be trying to challenge your intelligence. whether that be with little riddles, pranks, games of chess/checkers, quizzes on random facts he’s picked up on—all of it, you gotta stay on your toes!

dazai’s favorite thing to do with you is to walks around downtown yokohama! he knows you love going for walks + he can identify with that, as walks usually help him clear his mind. you guys will stroll next to the river, in between the tall buildings, stopping at various food or knick knacks stalls just to see what there is to see. you guys pretty much have the entire city mapped out by heart from how many walks you go on. dazai tries to make it a nightly occurrence, only because he knows that work can keep him pretty busy, so being able to hear you, his favorite person, talk about your day while strolling around yokohama, his favorite city, is the best way he can think of to unwind after work.

demon slayer

i match you with RENGOKU KYOJURO 🧡

rengoku love love LOVES your passionate + optimistic self! its something he admires so deeply about you, like he really couldn’t have chosen a better person for himself. he wouldn’t be able to get along with someone who’s closed minded or negative, but he always tries his best to befriend most people! he doesn’t have to try with you, though, it’s extremely natural for him. he also really admires that you’re always striving for improvement + that you have great ambition, because he can definitely relate to that. he loves that your relationship consists of building each other up + encouraging each other to do your best + give your all no matter what you do.

a relationship w rengoku would being by his side at all times. he never wants to let you out of his sight! whether he’s training, reading, sleeping, eating, he’ll want you to be there! on a cozy night, one could find you + rengoku cuddled up under a kotatsu, reading or writing, often interrupting each other to show off something one of you found interesting in your book or to get opinions on your writing. he’s the biggest cuddle bug in the world, so he absolutely loves any sort of physical contact or affections from you. in his perfect world, you’d always be underneath that kotatsu in the winter, or splayed out on a futon in the summer, with your fingers running through his fiery locks while he just listens to whatever is on your mind.

another thing about rengoku is that he always wants to make sure you’re taken care of. it’s always “have you eaten?” or “did you sleep well?” or “do you need help with anything?” he’s your number one fan + he always wants to make sure that you’re content in life. if there’s anything that’s upsetting you, he will coax you into telling him + then immediately figure out a way to solve it. if it’s something that he has no control over, the empath in him will take over + he will also be upset. sometimes even more upset than you are. we love showings of solidarity in a partner.

rengoku also really wants you to be safe at all times, even though he’s almost always around to protect you, he worries for the day that he won’t be around when you need him. with this being said, you two will spend countless hours training. he’ll teach you the basics + teach you special ways in which you can protect yourself until he’s absolutely satisfied. it’s a dangerous world out there, but rengoku will be damned if his girl can’t protect herself!

a/n: idk how you managed to be matched w two of the hottest men in their respective franchises LOL it’s just what you deserve, what can i say 😉 anyways, i really hope you liked them !! thank you so much (again) for mine 😁

#match up #match #match trade #bsd #bungou stray dogs #demon slayer #kimetsu no yaiba #kny #dazai #dazai osamu #rengoku kyojuro #rengoku

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gakkubi · 2 years ago

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Hi! Sorry to bother you, this feels like a bit of a loaded ask;;

So I'm currently working on a big ol fic and the ame trio (and original akatsuki) are a part of it. It has 3 original characters (2 being parents and one being a young child) that join Akatsuki. I was wondering if you had any tips for writing the ame trio as sort of older siblings to this kid? Also any general tips on writing the trio would be nice too if you have the time... I really love your work regarding the three. 💖

Hello!! Wow, this is such a lovely and fun ask! It's not a loaded question at all. I'm glad that you feel like asking my opinion on this, our own works are such personal things! I'm also super excited to know more people who are working on creative content (art & writing) with the Ame Oprhans. <3

I'll try to give an answer as detailed and helpful as possible! Leaving it below the cut because it will also be long, as I can't manage to be cohesive lmao.

I hope it's not a problem, but I'll rearrange a bit the order of your questions: first, general pointers about the Ame Orphans (+ Hanzo and Amegakure), and then how it'd relate to them being older siblings to your OCs.

The original Akatsuki timeline: I think the context of what was happening in the Land of Rain during the time of the original Akatsuki is a bit messy/vague, which makes it hard to understand, that's why I'm including it in the answer.

Bear with me for a little while, I know it feels like I'll be going on a tangent but I believe to better understand the characters, it's important we understand their environment just as much.

--- First off, I think it's good to clear up that the Akatsuki was not opposed to Hanzo (or his government). This is a misconception I see rather frequently, and it contradicts directly a lot of Yahiko's own actions - why would he want to ally with Hanzo if the Akatsuki was opposed to him? It's important to keep in mind that the trap that got Yahiko killed only happened because Hanzo "wanted to use the Akatsuki's influence to assist with peace negotiations between the three countries (waging the Third War)". (Ch.446). That is why Hanzo betrayed them... you can't betray your enemies.

I believe the misconception comes from, well, the fact that Hanzo killed Yahiko, and the fact that Kyusuke saw the Ame Orphans wearing hitai-ates with the Rain symbol, assumed they worked with Hanzo and stated that in a very... snarky manner. (Ep. 346).

Was Hanzo popular? Was he hated? Both? I don't think we have canon information enough to state either. What we know is that Yahiko (and, in extent, the Akatsuki) had a goal of working with him, or at least not against him - after all, the Akatsuki was all about estabilishing peace, not more conflict.

"Just like Hanzo, we hope that one day we'll be able to bring peace to the shinobi world..." Yahiko on Ep.346, English dub.

--- What was the Akatsuki's goal besides, well, world peace?

As far as we know, Rain didn't have a central government (like Fire and the other Great Nations had the Kage and Daimyo) -- Rain is not ever even called a "Country", probably because of that. When you a weak/non-existant/unstable government in a nation, it opens space for the rise of criminal factions. You don't have to search too much to get reference for that; crime-dominated cities are good examples, even if in smaller scales, for what happens when governments lose control to factions (mafia, gangs). When these factions wage war against each other, citizens suffer. In Rain, you also have the factor of Rain being occupied and used as battlefield for the Third War. We can assume the Akatsuki was trying to peacefully work against both of these situations.

Achieving "world peace" is a very broad goal -- you can try to do that through many different ways, as Nagato (post Yahiko's death) and Madara show us. We can tell through the story that Yahiko's Akatsuki, on a daily basis, tried to pave the way to world peace through local action: being the "guardians" of small villages (ep.346) and protecting it from local criminal gangs, as well as more 'international' actions such as helping (interfering?) with the conflics between the Great Nations (ep.347).

In this regard, we can also safely assume the Akatsuki grew to be known/powerful enough to have influence, or at least enough to pose as a threat to Hanzo; they were not just a small little group ninja among other similar groups of ninja. I think it's quite safe to assume that a lot of people heard about the Akatsuki (and the three main leaders), given that they caught the attenttion of Danzo, who is not even a Rain citizen...

2. The Ame Orphans.

I have a series of analysis of the Ame Trio as inviduals if you want to read, so I'll try to keep a simpler answer here, and more directed at your question.

I think writing them as older siblings to your character would depend a lot, of course, in what is the relationship of your character with them. Are they a member of the Akatsuki?¹ If so, what is their role in the Akatsuki? Are they trying to figure out where they fit, or do they start more or less knowing what is it that they will do?²

¹ Side note: You did mention one of the characters being a kid - if your child character ends up joining the Akatsuki... I wonder how the process of bringing a child into an organization that deals with war will work in the first place? We know the Shinobi World doesn't oppose children dealing with violence -- but how do the Ame Orphans, who are rebels against the system, feel about it? I'm very curious. I can totally see the Akatsuki having a "younger members" section, but I also feel like there would be some resistance to that idea. I wonder if this will cause some conflict until they decide what to do about your OC? Will they all be on the same page? Will of some of them be too idealistic ("we can't do what everyone else does and involve children with violence") and others be too realistic ("this is the world we live now, and we need to play the game to change the rules")? ² Side note: Especially for the adult characters, I think their "roles" will influence a lot with which of the ame orphans they'll interact most. Yahiko is the leader, of course, which means that he will probably interact with everyone more or less equally, and for that same reason will probably be in too much constant hurry to be present all the time. I think Nagato and Konan are the ones you can have a lot more freedom in this regard!

--- I don't think making the Trio behave as "older siblings" would be, in any way, OOC - in fact, it's entirely in their character to do that very naturally and instantly.

Yahiko is the most obvious one in this regard, having cared for Konan and Nagato with a (quite extreme) overprotection, and then serving as the leader of the Akatsuki and caring for everyone else. We saw how Nagato behaved as the Akatsuki's leader as well; he was distant in many ways (for obvious reasons), but he disliked name-calling between the members and chose members with similar interests to work "better" together (I mean, Kishimoto did, but you can extend that to him). We saw how he behaved with Naruto during the Edo Tensei, warm and proud and also worried about hurting him with his own powers. And Konan was the one Jiraiya called "happy and caring", and despite the coldness we usually associate with her (after Yahiko's death) she really was; she gifted Jiraiya with flowers, made origami to play with Chibi, and then gifted Naruto with flowers right after all the Pain Arc ordeal. She has a will of doing good to others that is very natural to her.

--- I find that, in order to highlight a character's virtues, we have to first identify and understand a character's flaws -- and in the Ame Orphan's case, how these flaws strain the relationship between them and how this can affect the relationship between your characters and them.

We know that Yahiko was so convinced that Nagato was the one to "save" their country and so adamant on the idea of having him as the Akatsuki's leader, he didn't really care for Nagato's (and Konan's) own opinions about it. (Ch 509/510). Of course his fiery will is a reason why Yahiko is admired, but couldn't his tunnel vision on his ideals also make him excessively busy and even hard to work with? We have a pretty clear implication that YahiKona didn't 100% happen because he was so stubborn on pushing Konan to be with Nagato despite neither of them wanting it. I'm not sure if YahiKona is a thing in your story, but if canon Yahiko was too focused on his goals to allow himself to be in a relationship with the person he loved, and even disregard their beloved's own desires, one can only wonder what it means for his other relationships...

Konan, like him, is someone who is also loyal and duty-oriented. Pretty much everything she does in Naruto is because she's extremely focused on her goals. She stays with Nagato after Yahiko's death, despite not fully agreeing with him or his methods (as implied in canon and stated in Akatsuki Hiden), because she's loyal to him (her family). Her whole reason to fight Obito is because he's a direct threat to her ideals and goals and family (as Nagato believed in Naruto). If Yahiko is insufferably loyal to his ideals, then Konan isn't all that much better, maybe just less obviously so. In Akatsuki Hiden, she misses a pretty obvious implication Nagato makes about them (YahiKona) because she can't think of anything besides the Akatsuki. Again, even if YahiKona isn't a thing in your story, one can only wonder how such extreme focus (and little thought for anything else) affects her relationships.

Nagato is, of course, also loyal and duty-focused, but he has a factor neither of the previous have, which is the Rinnegan. Jiraiya states that he mastered all jutsu natures (fire, water, etc) by age 10 - in the flashbacks, we only see him using "normal" ninjutsu. Nagato does not use the Rinnegan willingly until after Yahiko's death. He can't, and he doesn't want to; we know he is scared of the powers he can't control. Think about it; Nagato is a person who is scared of himself. He's scared of what he can do, because he can't control his powers once they unleash. How confortable can he be, interacting with others, if he has such a relationship with himself? We know he is nervous, insecure, hesitant despite being so powerful - maybe that's why he relies so much on Konan, and especially Yahiko. How confortable would he be with protecting others, if he can't safely use his own powers to their full extent?

3) Now, back to your character - how the "older sibling" relationship could estabilish.

Please note that this will be heavily influenced by how I would write such a thing, based on their personalities. It will be wonderful if you agree, but feel free to disregard if any of these don't sit right with you at all~!

I think Yahiko is the easiest one to know; we has a pretty strong tendency to protect the "weaklings". Konan and Nagato are way more powerful than him, we know, but only physically. From the start, they relied on him for everything, and kept on relying on a lot as the years went by. I think it would be extremely natural for Yahiko to take someone under his wing if they seem too lost or too much in need of guidance.

I believe Konan, on the other hand, would have her attention caught by someone who doesn't obviously need so much support. We know Yahiko is loud and expensive, and we know how quiet and composed Konan is compared to him - so I think someone who puts on a strong façade, but shows cracks of maybe needing help, needing to talk, needing care, would be the one to catch her eye more than others. It would be a more delicate relationship, one that Yahiko (being so blunt and on hurry all the time) could easily miss. And maybe you're thinking: "that also sounds like Nagato" - yes, I think Nagato and Konan gravitate towards similar things in general.

But Nagato has the Rinnegan, which adds a complexity factor that Konan, despite all of their similarities, doesn't have. We associate Nagato's behavior with insecurity and shyness, but we don't associate Konan with either of those, despite her also being a quiet and reserved character - Konan has full control of her powers, whereas Nagato doesn't. I think Nagato would face an internal conflict when meeting new people and estabilshing relationships: a tendency to be kind and helpful vs. a tendency to isolate because of the general sense of fear he constantly lives in. Your OC being a child would only amplify that: the desire of protecting someone who is fragile, especially considering how much the trauma of being orphaned impacted him (he knows "pain"), vs. the expanded fear of hurting that person who is so much more fragile than most (a child, not an adult). Maybe that extra nervousness could call the attention of the other rain orphans...?

-- So, I know I talked a lot, and I hope this will be helpful (or at least interesting) for you. It was surely a lot of fun thinking about all of this to answer your question, and I'm curious how your imagination will build this story~!

I hope you're having fun writing it, and I'll be super eager to read it once you publish it. :) Good luck! I'm sending a lot of creative vibes for you. 🌸

#naruto meta #ame orphans #naruto fanfiction #akatsuki #konan #nagato #yahiko #asks #sorry for taking three weeks! <3 #I thought about this a LOT thank you so much for the food for thought !! :)

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tigerwolfproductions · 4 years ago

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Happy Halloween! Have some concept art of things I’m working on.

(See, I do work on things! I just don’t usually post it all; lol)

Concept drawings for Wes’ story!- Which I should probably mention has the working name of “Monster Mash”… Not sure if copyrights will let me keep that though XP (maybe I can make it slightly similar? Like Monster Bash, or something).

Ah, outside of boring naming rules/laws, I guess I could go over some of my design processes and show off how unorganized it all is (I’ve noticed mine slightly differs from what other people do but in reality it likely isn’t that fascinating tbh). Because these are like, first or second drafts some of what I’ve worked on for the story. They’ll likely change later, as I nail down not just the overall designs, but also force them into a more cohesive style that can have actual model/reference sheets. Some are closer to done than others, like the bat creature’s design. I’m largely happy with both the style turnout and mostly just need to touch up and create the reference sheet at this point.

Then there’s the ones like the first design; the crocodile-shark-robot thing. That’s the first draft of it so far, meaning the style is looser and might be too overtly detailed at the moment. I like to make sure I won’t go mad redrawing things over and over, so it’s definitely still under the “major tweaks” phase (especially as I’m debating redoing some larger parts of it’s body’s design). It’s kind of like working through how SpongeBob drew a circle, except unironically. First, I make the super detailed version, then as I go on, I whittle it down into simpler shapes and features! I’ve done it this way for quite a while now, hilariously enough (Beta Wes is an odd, odd thing, lemme tell u. eugh).

But that’s just a couple of monster designs. There’s also working on settings and designs for characters outside of what they normally may look like.

I.E., the scraggly looking Wes. That’s him shortly after being found by his adoptive father (I can’t wait to write out that part :D). I’m trying to design him to look like he’s mistrustful, but also in need of a Lot Of Help because even half-wolf kids probably shouldn’t be living off in the wild. It’s little things I have to tweak from his normal look, like making his pupils consistently smaller and his hair more droopy. In what ways his shirt is ripped come to mind as well, because I have to keep track of that during redrawing it over and over. Plus some add-ons, like his chains he never managed to get rid of, and his little tag that denotes his designation from the labs, of course.

IDK man, just thinking about that kinda stuff gets me excited. I love character design (but also don’t because aaaaah; stay consistent style, pleeease). XP

On the other hand is backgrounds and oof, I really haven’t found my passion for those yet. It isn’t that I don’t have ideas, don’t get me wrong- it’s just bending my style to something that works as a set piece. And then realizing just how much the perspective is broken and that some things look off and pbbbbblt. Regardless, the setting image is one of many attempts to design the Wilden household! Wes and his father repurposed an old, run down house away in the woods after moving to America from Ireland, fusing it a bit with the tree that had apparently grown over it. I figured a kid with wolf mannerisms would appreciate the space and placement, and on the inside of the tree part there’s his room… Which I guess could be more identified as “a bunch of holes in the ground and wall where he’s dug out dens”.

People don’t really come out much (partially due to Wes’ werewolf form that some have managed to catch glimpses of. It’s lead many to believe there’s a wild beast roaming the woods, searching for it’s next, fleshy meal… To be fair though, they’re semi-right on that one- he’s just more likely to eat a few squirrels instead, haha). I mean, as far as the people who know Wes’ father are concerned, he’s just an odd guy who lives out in the woods and apparently owns a rare breed of dog he refuses to let others see. Something something, “it doesn’t like strangers” or whatever. He’s chill tho, so ya know; whatevs.

Though I suppose that’s starting to lean into more of the story stuff, so it’s likely a good time to leave off. Hope y’all have a spooky Halloween!~

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mediaeval-muse · 5 years ago

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Book Review

Rating: 4/5 stars

Genre: non-fiction, religious studies

Summary: Reza Aslan narrates the history of religion as a remarkably cohesive attempt to understand the divine by giving it human traits and emotions. According to Aslan, this innate desire to humanize God is hardwired in our brains, making it a central feature of nearly every religious tradition. But this projection is not without consequences. We bestow upon God not just all that is good in human nature—our compassion, our thirst for justice—but all that is bad in it: our greed, our bigotry, our penchant for violence. All these qualities inform our religions, cultures, and governments. More than just a history of our understanding of God, this book is an attempt to get to the root of this humanizing impulse in order to develop a more universal spirituality.

***Full review under the cut.***

Overview: Aslan has a way of framing his ideas about religion that I find really compelling, so after reading and loving Zealot, I decided to pick up this volume and hear his thoughts on God. Because I’m interested in history, I really loved all the threads Aslan followed from prehistory to the early middle ages. I also really liked that his arguments were well-grounded and explained in a straight-forward manner. Most of my complaints are less a criticism on how Aslan goes about his argument than a request for more, and while I am always loathe to ask for more work from a scholar, I think in this case, more would have benefited the thesis of the book.

Because this book is a work of non-fiction, my usual review format won’t apply. I hope what I have below is sufficient enough to communicate my thoughts.

Writing: Aslan’s prose is styled in such a way to make his scholarly work accessible to a non-specialist audience. It’s personable and flows well, combining narrative with history to make cultures different from our own feel familiar and human. He never uses academic jargon and achieves a good balance of respecting the reader’s intelligence and explaining basic terms and concepts so as not to leave anyone feeling confused.

The premise of his argument is also very compelling. Even before I got to the supporting evidence, the idea that humans project themselves onto God was convincing - we tend to see it happen all the time in the USA, so I didn’t feel like Aslan was making an outlandish claim. Instead, it felt like he was articulating something we sort of know inherently, but aren’t sure how to talk about, and I think he does a good job of making this claim without saying that humans invented God. In other words, you can still read this book if you’re a believer in any deity because the claim is about human behavior rather than about the nature of the divine.

The structure of the book as a whole followed a fairly logical progression. Section one, “The Embodied Soul,” provided an overview of how religion arose in our hunter-gatherer ancestors with a special emphasis on exploring how religion is rooted in cognition. I was quite convinced by Aslan’s claim in this section that religious belief stems from the initial belief that human beings have a soul separate from (but still dwelling within) their physical body. Section two, “The Humanized God,” takes readers through the development of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, sorting through theological problems such as how Christ can be God and how God can be all.

In terms of things that didn’t work for me, I personally found the narrative elements (which were meant to illustrate Aslan’s points) more distracting than enlightening. I much preferred the “harder” evidence, drawn from psychology and archaeology, but I’m an academic, so the narrative technique might be helpful for those who don’t regularly engage with academic writing. I also am not sure how centering the narrative examples around Adam and Eve helps if the argument is about all religions (not just Abrahamic ones), but I did think it was a good idea to portray “Adam and Eve” as homo sapiens living a hunter-gatherer lifestyle, rather than some proto-modern version of human.

I also wish this book had gone a little further than the early middle ages. In the intro, Aslan alludes to modern-day politicians and their tendency to depict God in their political image. I think another section which tracts the development of modern religion would have been beneficial here, though I realize that such a topic would be a book in itself.

Recommendations: I would recommend this book if you’re interested in the history of religion/religious studies, psychology and cognition, prehistory, and early Church history.

#book reviews

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seenashwrite · 5 years ago

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Notes From Nash: Season 15, Episode 3

It's ep three, and was third try the charm? Well, we're still in that little town, which is infuriating. But don't lose hope, chickadees. There was some character arc action and some plot advancing, and just drama in general, and it moved at a decently quick clip, all of which is refreshing after last week's ass-disaster of an episode.

If I were grading this ep, all things considered (including some damn fine acting moments that elevated the material), it's an A-. (Five points were docked immediately because we were still in the little town.) But seriously, this week's writer(s) had a LOT to make up for given the aforementioned last week as well as a largely lackluster premiere, so you know what? Props to them.

We got a loose end from season past tied up, got rid of some dead weight, and then there was a thing that happened that I’m not entirely sure was necessary at this interval, but I get why it happened. Of course, we had our requisite random hamfisted “solution(s)” and still-unexplained bits that should’ve been clarified ages ago, can’t not have those, it seems. Regardless, this episode was actually fairly interesting to watch. I’m still wary about the state of the season after the first two, but this one had some spark.

Spoilers below the cut, you know the drill.

This one's in order, I was jotting stuff down as I watched. Past ep breakdowns linked at the bottom. If you’re new, hello, welcome, etc., I don’t do meta shit or reading into the symbolism of the color of a blurry wallpaper just over someone’s shoulder, I look at writing and cohesiveness and structure and flow and all that jazz. I basically just call things as I see ‘em.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

More spooky-scary still seems to be pouring from the hellpit, but at least this crypt is pretty, and Harry Potter tent-esque because the square feet inside is seemingly bigger than the outside.

Rowena appears to be outfitted in one of my grandmother's housedresses, or a coffin lining, or a 1980s prom dress, whichever you prefer, and none of them have been pressed. I'm trying to say I don't like it. They also continue to do Ruthie's makeup in such a manner that she perpetually looks approximately fifteen years older than she actually is, so in a way I'm thankful this is likely her last episode. On the other hand, I trust these writers and the people who assemble/green light the promos about as far as I can throw them, so we shall see. In any event, Ruthie is quite the good actor and I hope she gets a million gigs after all this is done.

This Sam-Dean moment with Creased Brow Sam and Gruff Voice Dean is falling so flat, not because of them, but because we're hearing The Same Damn Thing We've Already Heard. Move the plot along, please----- Oh wait here comes Belphagor once again with a solution, this time a nice little plot rescue MacGuffin! Lilith's Crook. Just gotta blow it like a horn.

Motherbitch, this is stupid.

I got a thought: make it Gabriel's horn, so it calls in all the angels who should've come back with the reverse-y switch-a-roo, and they deal with sealing the hole, but bonus! At end of ep last scene is that it's also called Gabriel back, too. I'd announce to the universe that this show needs to hire me, but, welp.

Oh look, Ketch is in a hospital gown. Oh look, I bet Ketch is about to die in that hospital gown, instead of a badass suit like it should be. It looked like DHJ accidentally spoiled via a tweet that I happened to see-----

I dodge the promo images and articles and such so I can give a view of someone who doesn't know what is coming in these things.

-----because he talked about coming back just to leave again, that it was a pleasure, whatever, and y'all will have to fill me in on that because I kinda can't believe he whiffed that hard. I'm not looking it up, is my point. Did he whiff? Actually, don't answer that, I don't care. I mean, don’t go to trouble looking into it on my account.

Hmmm. Was Ketch’s death entirely necessary? At least, right now? I dunno. Maybe. I’m 50/50 whether this, or have him be double-crossy then get killed later. In any event, well-acted by DHJ. He's quite fantastic. He is wasted in all the Hallmark dreck he's been in, I really hope he gets some good work after this. That's that. Moving on.

We're 1/4 in, and I'll give it this: we've gotten some action, some drama, but they've GOT to make up for the lack of plot progression in episode 2. Belphagor is shady as shit, which we knew, and this just got reinforced by that demon who has such a hard-on for Belphagor getting axed.

I do not mind rando badass lady hunter having lines and playing a tangentially-important role in the ep, but this means if we ever see her again, she'll likely get killed, so I'm not getting attached.

So hell is an angry vagina. SFX, are y'all okay? Is that prick whose tweets occasionally come across my feed still working there? Y'all need some hugs? I know y'all need some better budget, that all the DC shows got it, but oh well, that ship's sailed.

Well done set dec, I dig the ghoulish statues in that hallway. And hey costume design, I like the ring that dude was wearing, I would wear that in real life. It would also look great as a wrist cuff. I digress.

We know this demon is not going to succeed in killing Belphagor, so once more we have a pointless halftime cliffhanger. Also, have I mentioned I'm done with Cas being a weak puss? I'm telling you, if stuff got rewound, he should be incrementally getting his mojo back, that tracks logically. See Ep. 1 notes for what I thought should've happened for a legit "Whoa" moment.

"Do you have any idea what he is?" --- he's a poop demon. Again, see the first episode of @youtotallymadethatup /shameless plug

[sighs]

Is this show gonna end with a Jack vs. Jack battle royale? Because fuck that noise. But! Writing-wise, it's okay that ol’ Belph may become the big bad. Nash, why would you say that, you ask. Easy.

IT WILL GET US THE FUCK OUT OF THIS LITTLE TOWN

A. Ny. Thing. to get us the fuck out of this little town. I am so goddamned bored.

Cas, this is a mistake. You should leave. What are you doing. Leave. Don't fall for that. Leave. Go now. Whoosh. Okay, or glow worm and barbeque the body. That was a nice little catch of emotion by Misha at the end. Except are the demons now gonna jump into his body? Better not, we've seen that season.

Commercials! Cannot believe I've not been inundated with the adverts for the convention here in the spring, that's usually the jam. Imma go get some frozen yogurt. Highly rec strawberry with a little warmed-up Nutella. Try it, then tell me I'm crazy. I'm not. It's heavenly.

Aaaaand, we're back!

Don't look so distressed Cas, y’all were gonna burn it anyway. But this takes Jack v. Jack off the table. Hopefully this means we'll be headed back to the Empty to get some progress on that hanging thread from last season sooner rather than later. Still, I'm glad we are down a character for awhile, this character in particular was starting to work my nerves and honestly, is just dead weight. I want it back to Sam and Dean for the most part this final season with sprinklings of Cas. Everyone else is secondary.

[claps] Very excellent Ruthie and Jared. One critique: Wish there could've been some sort of line from Rowena, re: "And perhaps I'll get to see my boy again", something of that ilk.

But I want to say this, and say it emphatically:

The nonsensical spells pulled from asses must stop

The soul-catcher thing is an example of a great move because it drew upon the past, then built upon for the present. This heart and angel blood and salt shit, and then this “Oh by the way it needs my dying breath” stuff is just obvious “um um um well how about bleh” writing stumbles, and it shows. The only reason that lameness worked? Ruthie and Jared’s performances. Period. Because y’all gave them absolute garbage to work with, and they made it shine.

Hey! There's the two convention promos with one short local ad in between, followed by the same local ad again! I was beginning to think they'd forgotten!

WE ARE OUT OF THE LITTLE TOWN, I REPEAT, WE ARE OUT OF THE LITTLE TOWN

DEAN IS IN A HENLEY, I REPEAT, DEAN IS IN A HENLEY

Oof, Dean. I mean, I figured this convo would have to happen one day, it's been building, because even though his intentions are good, Cas has been involved in his fair share of shit taking left turns. Hopefully Cas is going to go seek out other angels. Also, re: Cas saying he's getting weaker - because, why? WHY. This has never been addressed in a definitive, satisfactory manner.

Right, so, like we do each time, let's check in to see if we've had any character development and/or plot progression:

Do Ketch and Rowena and Belphagor count, since they've progressed to being dead? Dunno, that's more of a finality to their overall arcs. Dean's being an asshole and Sam's being weepy and Cas is being an Eeyore, that's about par. Meh. Okay. So did the plot get advanced?

YES THANK YOU FLYING SPAGHETTI MONSTER SWEET LORD YES. But, eh... a little weaksauce. Yes, that chapter of the initial onslaught is closed, yet we know it's not over. So I feel like the ep should've ended with, after the bunker door slams, a cut to a little scene that serves as a clue about what lies ahead. I mean, ahead-ahead, season-wise. Like, twenty second blip, not even, then hard cut to black screen, then on to promo which appears to be MotW.

So that's it, really. More adept writers could've made the material of #1 and #2 into the premiere (minus several things, most specifically minus Kevin, should've saved Osric for something else down the line), then this should've been episode #2 instead of #3. Can't unring that bell, though. Let's hope we hit some speed before Buckleming comes along to run us into a ditch, then (fingers crossed) we have a few eps after that to rebound for the finale.

See you next week.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Past posts, from newest to oldest (and I sometimes do addendums if a response warrants)

Episode 2

Episode 1

#SPN Spoilers #15.03 #15x3 #SPN Season 15 #SPN S15 #SPN XV #Nash Notes #Nash Recaps #sort-of #Queueby Dooby Doo #Dad's on a blog post and #he hasn't been queued in a few days

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evien-stark · 5 years ago

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✧I Need You✧ Chapter 29 [0%]

At the top of the stairs, still caught up in each other, you hadn’t moved from his embrace. Despite the angry buzzing in your pocket. Until, finally, his kisses were not enough to silence it. At least what it meant. “I have to go. Natalie is blowing up my phone.” Angry that you’d slipped out without notice, no doubt. And that you were holding up the jet. Already knowing that’s who it was without even looking. It wouldn’t do well to be late for the Expo meeting.

“Agent Romanoff.” Quickly corrected.

Your eyes rolled up into a close and defeated nod. “Yeah.” A little pat on his cheek and a kiss to the other. “I’ll try to make it back tonight.” That was a lot of air time but you really wanted to spend the evening with him after such a huge emotional release. Tony Stark beating death a second time really deserved some type of celebration.

“I could always fly out to you.”

“Don’t stress yourself.” One more little kiss and you turned to leave only to realize, “Oh- I left my bag in your lab.” Too overwhelmed by his new discovery, and him too, that you’d followed him upstairs without thinking.

“I’ll get it.” Gone in one moment and back the next. “Try to be more careful. You never know what duplicitous characters are lurking around.”

It didn’t exactly feel like he was joking. “Worried I’m going to get robbed?” Unsure of what he was trying to get at.

“Not so much.” Grinning. Teasing? About what you had no idea. Either way, you really needed to go so you gave him one last kiss and left again.

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

On the jet the air was very tense. Or maybe you were imagining things. Either way, you had your attention solely on your laptop, drafting up a whole new batch of emails to go here and there, answer whoever was bothering to waste your time with things you’d explained a million times, getting press releases ready… life never stopped.

“You and Mr. Stark are very good at not following orders.” Natasha said very suddenly after an hour in the air with no other words between you. Her tone quiet.

Giving a little shrug, you kept your attention on the screen. “We don’t march in someone else’s line. Sorry if that’s upsetting.”

“I didn’t say it was a completely terrible thing.” At this you looked over the top of your screen to see her smiling. “It’s not the best, considering you’re trying to get conscripted, but it isn’t the worst, either.”

She had been trying to pull some similar act back at the house. It was probably better to put it to rest. “You know I don’t trust you, right?” Arguing with her about the nature of your supposed contract with SHIELD now, not that you knew what it even was, was pointless. You’d make good on your word if you thought it was necessary. But that didn’t need to be said.

“That’s very smart.”

The lack of sleep was getting to you, unable to keep your hand from raising up, rubbing over your eyes and then sliding down. “I’m not interested in this sly secret agent act. If that’s all you’re made of, we can go back to being quiet and professional.”

It was your surprise that she seemed slightly taken aback- briefly- though not even registering on her face. But you felt it. And with it came a moment of minute hesitation. All while the smile never disappeared. She was good at this. And that’s exactly why you didn’t trust her. So-

While you had the edge, you decided to use it, dropping your eyes back to your screen. “And if you’re not used to people calling you out, Agent Romanoff, we really should keep it brief.”

“More than. But I’m not used to someone like you.” Her tone had grown pensive but you didn’t trust that, either.

Still, while she seemed even remotely interested in being honest, you looked up at her again. “Fury came at us with some huge pitch about a grand world of superheroes. You’re going to tell me he’s a liar?”

“Not a liar, no.” Shaking her head. “But we’re used to- ...people like me. Blood and sweat. Ready to prove their mettle. Good with weapons. And not so much...”

“So you are calling Fury a liar, then.” Getting what she was trying so delicately to broach. When she raised a delicate brow at you, you closed your laptop. “He seems to think he can help me. With what you don’t even know how to classify.”

How cohesive was this SHIELD? How big? How much did everyone know? Who ranked where? What did they want? You had too many questions.

“That’s not my job.” Firm, suddenly.

“And what is your job, Agent Romanoff?” Squaring your gaze on her.

“For right now? You and Mr. Stark.” Sliding back into sweetly casual, leaning back on the couch with her arms along the back.

“And after that?”

“That’s classified.”

A puff of air left you, a little twist of your mouth, a dissatisfied smirk and a shake of your head. “Back to quiet and professional it is.” Opening your laptop again.

It went quiet again. For a long while. Twenty minutes at least. Until, “Why did you get out of the car on the track in Monaco?”

You thought about ignoring her. Now she was digging. For what you had no idea. Your fingers remained in a steady rhythm, typing even as you spoke. Really trying to show her how little consideration she was being given. “Wouldn’t you have?” The thought you’d had as the news had hailed you as some hero.

“Not necessarily, no. You were unarmed- for all intents and purposes- and dying wouldn’t have been of much use to Mr. Stark, would it have? You could have approached it from a different vantage point- but maybe it was because it was Tony that you acted so rashly-”

“I would have gotten out of that car for anyone.” Hands stilling. You sure as hell weren’t going to let her accuse you of being bold only for people you had a personal stake in. “There was no other vantage point.” Super secret agent garbage terms. Garbage thinking. “Sitting for two more seconds to calculate the risk- how cold can you be? If this is what SHIELD is made of, I’ll have to write a check instead.”

“Why did you get out of the car?” Pressing again.

And it worked. “Because it was the right thing to do.”

“Even at the risk of your own life?”

“Without a single doubt in my mind.” Not that you’d had time to think about it, but even if you had, it wouldn’t have mattered. That was what was right. Tony had needed help. Even if you’d died, if you’d helped it would have been worth it if it had bought him ten more seconds to get himself out.

No amount of questioning would change your resolve on that. Never.

The two of you held that stare until she relented and dropped her eyes with only a careful nod. After that your attention went back to the incomprehensible email you’d been angrily writing. After a few more minutes of silence, she spoke again. “They won’t let you just push money on them.”

“What are they going to do? Take me to super secret spy court if I don’t deliver? I’ll have to get a super secret lawyer in that case. Who’s your favorite pick in legal?”

To your surprise she actually giggled at this, and when you chanced a look, her hand was over her mouth, hiding her quick smile. All gone in a matter of moments. But she caught you looking. “You know- has anyone ever told you you and Tony are an awful lot alike?”

“Please don’t say that.”

Yet another surprise this late in the game, the two of you shared an actual genuine laugh together. “Alright. Not a lot, but a little bit.”

Even though you’d gone back to paying attention to your laptop you couldn’t resist an eyeroll. “I guess can believe it. Maybe I’ve just spent too much time with him. Picked up some of his mannerisms.”

“He seems to be picking up some of yours.”

You couldn’t help your smile. “I’ll count my small victories where I can.”

The laughter in the cabin was probably the realest thing there had been between the two of you since you’d met.

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

Touchdown was a nightmare. Reporters were everywhere and you weren’t quite sure why. Although with the questions they were shouting, it likely seemed like a Hammer setup. Of course it was. All paid to be bright and buzzing, grilling you about why there were rumors it was so hard for him to get a stage, “Well, the Expo is running all year. What’s his rush?” Incorrect answer, but you couldn’t help yourself. About the only soundclip they managed to get from you as you were whisked into a meeting in the Gold Member lounge.

Entirely unnecessary and unimportant. Timetables and schedules- really, was no one running the Expo while you weren’t in NYC? You’d have to think about moving some people around if they were this bothered about things. Expense reports you’d have to look over later. The Expo had barely been running for a month, yet for one reason or another, things were not moving along smoothly. Which was upsetting, and fell on you.

But, truly, it was Tony’s fault for pushing it up so quickly. This would never have happened if things had gone according to plan and you’d opened in October. But that ship had sailed. And Tony’s reasons for moving it up so soon… not exactly easily publicized. You’d just have to take the heat on this one and look the other way. Resolved to not be mad about it anymore.

In between two different coffees and a change of scenery came the meeting with Burt who had less than stellar news for you about pursuing the military’s theft of Tony’s property. There was no real way to impress upon him how important it was to get that back, to go after them to the fullest extent of the law. How could he sit there and tell you that Stark Industries had the best lawyers in the country and then not be able to go after them? ...maybe you were making it hard.

Because you didn’t want to specifically go after Rhodey…

Another conversation for a different time, something you asked Natasha to put on your docket. If Rhodey would even take a phone call from you. There probably had not yet been enough time for feelings to die down, but if you could just explain to him the reality of the situation, Tony’s situation, you were sure he’d listen. Hoped. You hoped he’d listen.

By the time the car pulled up to the Expo, Justin was scheduled to go on in fifteen minutes and it had grown dark. Just this one last thing. This one last thing- and then probably just asking to be left alone for ten minutes so you could make some personnel changes, then you could go home. Go home to Tony who by now had to have had it all figured out.

Alive and well, how about that? Now if you could just get back to finding your normal…

Escorted through the crunch of the crowds, you and Natasha took a seat a few rows back from the front just as the lights overhead in the dome dimmed, his graphics flashed on the screen in the back, and like the fool he was as the backlights started moving, he began dancing his way on stage. Applause was moving around you. You did not participate.

“Yeah! That’s what I’m talking about. Thanks for coming.” Stopping at his podium, glancing out, locating you with a grin and a point. The eye roll could not be helped. “Ladies and gentlemen for far too long this country has had to place its brave men and women in harm’s way. But then the Iron Man arrived and we thought the days of losing lives were behind us.”

This was already off to a bad start. Was Justin really planning to bad mouth Tony at the Stark Expo? He couldn’t be that stupid, right?

“Sadly, that technology was kept out of reach. That’s not fair. That’s not right. And it’s just too bad.” You’d made damn well sure every ask that had come across your desk from Hammer Industries for any piece of Stark Tech had been thoroughly smacked down. And if he was just about to do a presentation about how much he hated you and Tony, you thoroughly welcomed it. You’d go right up on stage and tear him a new one if you had to. In front of everyone.

Again, he just could simply not be that stupid, right?

“Regardless it was an impressive innovation, one that grabbed headlines the world over. Well today my friends, the press is faced with quite a different problem. They’re about to run out of ink!!”

The weak applause told you all you needed to know. Did anyone even really want to be here? Two interns came running on stage to take his podium away from him and he awkwardly put his hands on his hips. “Ladies and gentlemen, today I present to you the new face of the United States military!”

Your blood ran cold.

No.

Oh no.

That couldn’t be. There was no way-

“The Hammer Drone!” Patriotic music came up as b-roll footage of the military ran on the screen in the back. The floor opened up on stage, “The Army!” Rising from beneath, a set of bulky humanoid mech suits appeared. Pilotless- with a round glowing circle powering their core.

Arc Reactors…

As the next three sets came on stage- blind to what branch Justin was labeling them to, you found yourself on your feet. There was no way that he could have that. Even if Rhodey had handed over the Mark II to his superiors, which no doubt in the world that he had- for them to replicate an Arc Reactor-in less than a day?- that was unfathomable.

“HAMMER!”

Natasha stood, putting a hand on your arm.

Justin cast a wayward glance your way but ignored you as he went on, “But as revolutionary as this technology is, there will always be a need for man present in the theater of war. Ladies and gentlemen, today I am proud to present to you the very first prototype in the Variable Threat Response Battle Suit, and its pilot Air Force Lieutenant Colonel James Rhodes!”

The Mark II all decked out with a big gun over the shoulder came up, but you were already on the steps to the stage. “Shut this down now!”

How?

How? How could he have dozens upon dozens of Arc Reactors?

You knew how.

“Ah- ah… ladies and gentlemen- … Stark Industries’ newest CEO-” Justin fumbled as your rage brought you racing across the stage, just about ready to knock him the fuck out.

“What are you doing? Who worked on those suits?” You wanted him to say it. You knew there had been something wrong that day.

“What- what uh- I did, of course-”

Rhodey put a hand up. “Step down. I’m here on orders. Don’t cause trouble. Please.”

The rumble of jets sounded off, growing closer in seconds and the entirety of the dome looked up to see Iron Man coming in hot and heavy. No. No.

Tony cut his thrusters to land almost too dramatically, and the crowd got on their feet, stunned silence at your antics halting to give raise to uproarious applause. Walking closer, “We got trouble.”

“Vanko-” You knew it, but you’d put it away so that you could focus on everything else. If you’d only just paid a little more attention- had been able to split your focus-

“Oh, so you listened to all my voice mails? I’ve been trying to call you for the last hour.” Coming closer he put himself between you and Rhodey, raising a hand to the crowd.

“Vanko- why are you saying Vanko- Vanko’s alive??” Rhodey, thoroughly confused.

Tony raised his hand to the crowd. “Give ‘em a wave.”

Justin, finally snapping from his stupor, stepped away from the three of you, clapping his hands together. “Hey alright! A double delight!”

“All these people are in danger, we gotta get them out of here.” Tony’s words only caused the bubbling over of your anger.

Reaching for him, you snatched the back of his jacket and yanked him around. “Where is Vanko!”

He just blinked at you, playing wonderfully dumbfounded. “Wuh? W-who?”

“Enough with the games.” Tony was far more controlled than you were. Then again, he was in the suit. The sound of the gun on Rhodey’s shoulder mounting sliced the air and all three of you whipped to look at him. “Is that you?”

“Whoa- whoa- I’m not doing that- that’s not me! I can’t move- I’m locked up!” As if on cue, every other gun on that stage came down, every mech raising their arms, aiming at the audience. “Get outta here! This whole system’s been compromised!”

“Let’s take it outside!” Tony doubled back, thrusts picking up as he launched into the air.

You didn’t have time to look after him, instead going to the edge of the stage, shouting into the crowd, “Go! Go!” Then taking a leap down. Just as Tony broke through the top of the dome, gunfire sounded off, followed swiftly by the shattering of glass. You threw your arms up to try and protect yourself as it rained down, holding steady for just a few seconds.

Raw panic took over every last person in that stadium as they took into a frenzy. As you looked up, you saw Justin running along the side stage and into the back. Fighting back hundreds of other people, you steadied yourself in a wide stance, forcing a breath in and then out, hands coming forward again- maybe just used to the feeling now- blooming focused calm across the theater.

Shouts in the immediate area died down, buried instead by the march of hurried footsteps. You turned away from them to follow Justin just as those suits were hopping down from the stage, spraying gunfire into the crowd.

Not today.

You would not die today.

Natasha appeared by your side and you only gave each other a knowing glance as you pushed past security and into the back. Justin and his tech team were arguing with each other. “He’s locked us out of the mainframe!”

“Where is he?” You demanded, all steady fury.

“Please-” Justin threw his hands up at you. “Go away. Just go away! I’ve got this under control!”

“You call people dying control?!” You grabbed the lapel of his jacket, ripping him from his casual stance as you pulled him forward. “You tell me where he is right now!” Vanko had not only provided Justin with these murder droids, but was now controlling them to do just that. He needed to be stopped.

“Look-!” Justin was screaming at you. “If you hadn’t jumped on stage- if your guy hadn’t showed up- none of this would be happening right now!” He shoved you back. “So go away! Get out of my sight!” Leaning down to his crew, “Listen- we have to get these bitches out of here-”

Justin was lucky that Natasha took him by the arm and slammed him on the table. Because you might have done something far worse. Raising his arm to the point of breaking she growled at him, “Where is Ivan Vanko- you tell me right now.”

“Van- Vanko- he’s- he’s at my facility-...” Hissing out in pain.

She didn’t even look at you as she stormed off. Going to handle it, you presumed. Probably more in her wheelhouse. It left you in a difficult position. Tony was taking fire from Rhodey and droids, Natasha was going off to apprehend the man behind it all-

Taking your phone out of your bag, you were determined not to let the other man involved get away with this. If that was all you could do for now. 911 picked up the other line and you gave your name first, followed quickly by, “The Stark Expo main pavilion is under heavy fire. I need the NYPD here. Civilians are hurt and need help. Flushing Meadows.”

Justin waved his hand at you. “No no no- no honey- don’t call the cops-”

You knocked his hand back. “She didn’t break your wrist but I will. Get away from me. Step aside.” Pleased only slightly when he finally did what you asked and took a couple steps back. Leaning down to the man working the console, “I need everything. Give me everything.”

Ivan Vanko, yes, still alive, operating as a shadow worker for Justin Hammer. No surprise there. You’d worked that out within moments of seeing those suits. Maybe it would have done you better to actually have looked at the papers for Justin’s presentation- then again, you doubted he’d been that broad with it. No time to blame yourself. That would have to be later. Justin had broken him out of prison and faked his death. He was operating out of Justin’s warehouse, not too far from the Expo in Queens.

This little story was taking too long to tell.

He’d been under tight security, but communication lines had gone down- most likely the guards were no longer alive. The drones were half of Justin’s design, hardware only improved by the vacating of any need for a person. And the software…

“He built it from the ground up?” No surprise there either. Justin’s tech was garbage. It always had been.

“Yeah, and we can’t get through the locks. Each set of drones is communicating in its own language.”

“Just pick one and stay focused.” This wasn’t exactly your forte without critical assistance from JARVIS- the officer on the phone alerted you to that they had squads out and were coming soon. You hung your phone up. Tony had his hands full. There was little else you could do.

Yet again, a wave of Justin’s hands made an appearance too close to your face. At this point you thought about just biting him. “Have you tried Russian? Why don’t you try Russian?”

“Computer languages you fucking moron. Can you get away from me?! Go sit in the corner!” Having long since lost your patience. Maybe it was the sound of missiles and screaming that had gotten to you. Imagine that.

Too close to the fray. Who were you? Just some small woman in the middle of it all…

“I’m here.” Natasha’s voice came from the console. “I’m rebooting Rhodey’s suit.”

Only the slightest wave of relief came. “Can you take them all offline?”

“One thing at a time.” Nodding, even though she couldn’t see you, stilling your breathing.

“Is Vanko there?” She must have traveled to Justin’s warehouse- where he’d supposedly been holed up.

“Gone before I could get to him.” Shit. No good. Where to…? “Reboot complete. You got your best friend back.”

“Thank you very much, Agent Romanoff.” Tony’s voice from the computer urged a fresh bout of calm, about as calm as he sounded in fact.

“Well done on the new chest piece. I am reading significant higher output, and your vitals all look promising.” It sounded like the two of them were old friends.

“Yes, for the moment, I’m not dying.”

Despite the situation, you smiled. “Glad to hear it.”

“Oh- hello, honey, fancy meeting you here.” It was amazing, how in control he sounded despite the fact that he had to have been fighting. Life or death. Yet so casual.

“Hey,” Natasha said suddenly. “Save it for the honeymoon, will you? You got incoming Tony. Looks like the fight’s coming to you.”

“Wonderful. Hey, honey?”

You perked up. “Yes, dear?”

“Get some reservations to that place I like. We’ll do dinner at ten.”

Both lines went out and you made yourself take a deep breath. He seemed like he had it under control. Even though Natasha had just said more were coming. He could handle it. He and Rhodey would handle it. Things were okay. Things were going to be okay… your focus had to remain on crowd control now. About the only thing you could do.

Just on time, some officers in blue walked in through the back. Standing up straight, “Him.”

“Excuse me?” Justin was just on the line of shouting.

One of them unhooked his cuffs. “You’re being placed under arrest.”

“Are you kidding me?”

“Place your hands behind your back, sir.”

For some reason, there was no joy in this. You only looked on coldly. Whatever he had coming to him, he deserved. More than deserved. And even then it would never be enough. You would have rathered suffered his incompetence for the rest of your life than gone through what he’d done tonight. He’d hurt real people. Innocent people. All by looking the other way so he could pretend he was better than Tony.

“I get it. I see what you’re doing.” He was looking up at you as the snap of the cuffs sounded. “You’re trying to pin this on me, huh? That’s good. That’s very good. You’re starting to think like a CEO. Taking out the competition. I like that. You think you’re making a problem for me?” The officer pulled him, walking him out, but he strained to put himself right in your face. “I’m gonna make a problem for you. I’m gonna be seeing you again real soon.”

You stared him down. Unafraid and silent. He deserved no more of your time. No more of your effort.

Justin Hammer had never made good on anything in his life. You weren’t about to start believing in him now.

#Tony Stark #Tony Stark x Reader #INY Chapter Twenty Nine

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pandemicspring · 5 years ago

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Hello From Yesterday That Carried Into Tomorrow Morning

I want to say a little bit about my last post. It was more than anything, an angry letter to myself, so I want to begin by relinquishing the pride and extending compassion to my peers who live a variety lf different lives. This virus has been overwhelmingly tragic enough to throw each of us off regardless of the situation.

It has been incredibly warm outside. At 70 degrees today it got 20 degrees higher than it ever usually does in April. This is evidenced by the foam rising up in my jar (pictured above) that my professor informed me today is yeast action enabled by the warm temperatures. I fell asleep in the sun and got a sunburn that will last through some of the incoming cold front. God bless really because it’s one of my favorite feelings.

I noticed today that my journals which are usually pages and pages of “I’m tired” “I’m tired.” “Sooooo sleepy” “Just want to go to sleep : ( “ haven’t been filled with those things at all for a while now. I say today, but it’s 3am so I mean yesterday. I actually haven’t been able to sleep for 2 days now. It’s nice because my brain feels awake (highly underrated feeling), but also bad because I need sleep to be sharp enough to do my assignments cohesively. I haven’t done my assignments. I keep telling myself I can do them after I’ve gotten some sleep.

Today I couldn’t hardly figure out what to eat at all. Breakfast was easy. A potato, an egg, 2 grape tomatoes, and a lot of beans. All cooked in oil together. For dinner I really wasn’t sure. I sauted an onion in butter, salt and pepper. Then 2 mushrooms added in. I’ve never cooked with tofu before but we had some so I diced and threw in half a block of silken tofu. I threw all that over boiled macaroni noodles and then poured over the half jar of spaghetti sauce. It was actually really good. I also had a breakfast dog in between the two meals. The only struggle is that my microwave crapped out when I put it in. I haven’t been able to figure out how to fix it. I ended up putting my breakfast dog in the oven. It’d be nice if it was working tomorrow so that I can microwave my macaroni & tofu.

Even though I haven’t been doing my assignments necessarily, my professors have been cool. I’m still loving, living, and breathing the material- so we do have things to talk about. I really love learning, I just struggle with the formal manner of turning things in.

We had our first KYDSA meeting of the spring today. I forgot how much I had missed those homies. I couldn’t stop cheesing when I got on call. I do worry that I talked too much. I usually always have that worry. We talked about what organizing could look like for the spring and our thoughts on the presidential election. Bernie Sanders suspended his campaign today. Biden and Trump are the same candidate which is why I don’t believe in electoral politics, but what we built while working on them together really was beautiful.

I’m reading Almanac of the Dead as well as Marx’s Capital. I love these books. I’m starting to really feel accepting of the present. I’m feeling the will to write a lot more. I’m looking forward to the future again, or at least what I loosely imagine it to be. I imagine joining quarantine with two very good friends of mine. I imagine I read and continue writing. I imagine I get new housemates for the summer and we start out as strangers but over time develop really sweet and warm relationships. I imagine my grant money comes through and I get to go visit a dear friend who has just moved to France. These are all just dreams, but it does feel good to dream.

Good morning, goodnight(?) team. I hope things the moon shines brightly for each one of you.

#good morning

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thequills · 6 years ago

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Hadestown (National Theatre, 27/12/2018)

While I have been listening to this show for quite a while now, this is the first time I’ve ever seen it on stage, so I wasn’t dealing with any preconceived notions as to how it should be done. I still can’t believe I’ve actually seen it

Also, while it was a bit jarring to have all the musical/lyrical changes (see Chant II and Doubt Comes In), I don’t begrudge it and in fact rather liked some of them.

If it wasn’t sold out at the National, I would see it again and again and I’m so upset it’s not here for longer. If you can see it on Broadway, I urge you to do so.

Here is a collection of my thoughts, some of which are more cohesive than others, so I apologise in advance, especially as this is a VERY long post.

If you want to talk about it more, please message me!

(Also Spoilers)

- The set was unexpected, to say the least. Shown to be a café of sorts, I wasn’t quite sure how it would develop as we moved into Hadestown, but I was pleasantly surprised. Not only did the lights from behind change the set completely as they were revealed, but the lighting in the second act made the decay at the top of the set much more visible.

- The use of the centre pit/plinth was wonderful, especially as it wasn’t used until Way Down Hadestown, so it came as a bit of a shock when this gaping hole in the stage appeared. I particularly liked how it was used throughout How Long, physically illustrating the gap between Hades and Persephone, and in Doubt Comes In, when it was uncertain whether it had been raised after the fates appearing and later Eurydice’ s slow descent especially when paired with the expression on her face.

- Speaking of; Eva’s voice is incredible and haunting and powerful. I also don't quite get why people dislike Reeve so much.

- The turning stage in the Olivier Theatre was used so well throughout and didn’t feel at all gimmicky, as it sometimes can

- Hermes commanded the stage from the beginning in a way that I didn’t think was possible, especially at the beginning when he was just wandering around.

- The lighting: The shift from blue/ green to red/orange tint. The way it created shadows on the side of the theatre as well, making the worker seems more numerous, and also threatening, in songs such as Chant I, Wait For Me, Way Down Hadestown II, Is It True, Chant II etc.

- Also, I don’t know whether it was due to the changes in the lyrics or the dialogue not available on the album, but Orpheus’ obsession with the song he’s writing makes so much more sense to me now. Also loved the way he walking across the tables surrounded by light as he sung The Melody

- The movements of the workers matching the rhythm of the train and also creating the illusion of machinery/ automatons

- Having Hades just at the top of the stage, in sight, until Way Down Hadestown worked really well, as it was both sinister and made hearing how deep Patrick’s voice was such a shock for those who were unfamiliar.

- Persephone's hair being held up slightly by a hairnet when she was in Hadestown, compared to when she up on top.

- Orpheus and Eurydice being playful with each other

- Orpheus taking Eurydice’s hand when Hades looked too long

- Chant I

- I love the fates. Their little, but no less threatening movements, as the character’s doubt grows (which can be particularly seen in Hey Little Songbird). I also like how they begin completely focused on Eurydice and then move on to Hades and Orpheus

- Hey Little Songbird and Gone, I’m Gone are so haunting and just make you hold your breath

- Wait For Me: The desperation in Reeve’s voice. The swinging lights. the headlamps. the fog.

- For some reason Our Lady of The Underground was underwhelming to me, maybe because I love it so much? In any case, I still love how it was used to individually praise the amazing musicians

- Orpheus appearing through the audience at the end of Flowers

- Hades’ appearance at the beginning of Papers caused someone sitting next me to suddenly shout out “no”, which I very much appreciated and in fact added to the experience

- I love Is It True

- Mirroring of Hades, Orpheus, Eurydice and Persephone, both individually (Chant II) and as couples (Promises/Wait For Me II as they hold each other)

- Chant II: “I CONDUCT THE ELECTRIC CITY” and the accompanying blast of light

- Epic III: Hades shouting “HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT MELODY?”, Orpheus then singing so much more passionately and enthusiastically in defiance after that. Persephone crying when Hades sang along, especially when the flower appeared. I’m not sure how I feel about the changes in the lyrics at the beginning of the song though, as it felt like they were just stuffed in.

- His Kiss The Riot was so good, especially when paired with the fates playing along on their instruments.

- Wait For Me II: Hades and Persephone, Eurydice/ workers hope and joy

- Doubt Comes In: I like the lyric changes. It’s not necessarily better, but it works well, especially hearing exactly what Orpheus is struggling with. Very dark stage to it being fully lit as soon as he turns around. Fog. All you could see of the fates were the three lanterns. Eurydice appearing and disappearing. the joy and excitement in her manner when she did appear made the result even more tragic. I wasn’t quite sure what the side section of the stage was until it was used as the exit to Hadestown. Orpheus and Eurydice both sinking to their knees.

- I don’t think I’ve ever seen an audience so captivated or heard such silence in certain moments (such as the “a’ight” after Doubt Comes In and in the pauses in Road to Hell II), nor have I heard applause like that.

- I really liked how they reset the stage and just ended with Orpheus and Eurydice seeing each other (again) from across the stage.

- Having We Raise Our Cups after the bows worked really well, as it meant that we left the theatre still in that world

#hadestown #hadestown the musical #hadestown musical #hadestown nt #hadestown london #hadestown broadway #musicals #hades #persephone #orpheus #eurydice #patrick page #amber gray #anais mitchell #reeve carney #eva noblezada #National Theatre #west end #mine

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selenelavellan · 6 years ago

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HWRC Redux AU

Previous Installments

Dirthamen, Deceit, and Fear are @feynites

Who’s up for some good ol’ fashioned Dirthalene pining, hm?

(warning for some very mild nsfw at the end)

It's a learning curve.

Selene spends weeks pouring through Dirthamen's libraries, carrying stacks into her rooms and staying up far too late reading through them. Some nights he'll crawl in and sleep beside her, or Deceit will stretch out with their head in her lap or Fear will perch somewhere in the room and pretend to not be watching her. Sometimes Des will come and steal them away, often at her request if she's feeling too...claustrophobic.

It takes some doing for her to find her balance again, between grading papers and making lesson plans and sometimes she'll borrow whoever is free to help her prep crafts for the children in her class back in Thedas. It's certainly a strange feeling, to see the God of Secrets filling paper stars with confetti for goodie bags.

She couldn't help the laugh that escaped her when the glue fell open on Fear during paper mache practice. Really. Talons just weren't made for that sort of activity.

And the glue turned out to be even harder to wash out of their feathered hair, afterwards.

It's not until nearly a month into their tentative cohabitation that things start to feel strange to her again.

“My lady!” One of the sentinels calls.

It takes a moment for Selene to realize they are addressing her.

“Oh. Uh,” She flounders “You don't have to call me that. Selene is fine, really.”

“Of course, my lady Selene,” They say with a deep bow, and she has to bite back the impulse to roll her eyes. “Your Lord Husband is requesting your presence in his office.”

Selene's heart skips in her chest.

Her 'Lord husband.'

Her husband.

A strangely intimate term for the god who tricked her into their bond.

“Right,” She acknowledges all the same, pushing down on the strange twisting feeling in her stomach. “Thank you.”

“I'll make sure she gets there,” Des interrupts as he comes around the corner. “Thanks babe.”

The sentinel turns and bows again, face flushing slightly. “Of course, Lord Des. Thank you for your generosity.”

“That's me,” Des preens, slinging an arm over Selenes shoulders with a wink. “Lord Des the generous.”

Selene snorts while the sentinel takes their leave .

“I can't believe you.”

“What?” Des says, feigning an innocence he's never possessed.

“'Lord' Des. Really?”

“Oh yeah,” He grins. “I'm affiliated with you, and since you married the God-in-charge, I get a ridiculously good ranking. Technically I'm a 'consort', but hey, no complaints on my end.”

“And you like the title?”

“Are you kidding?” He says with a shimmy that makes his too-tight shirt ride up on him. “I'm thinking about learning how to write elvhen just so that I can turn it into my tramp stamp.”

Selene shakes her head with a sigh. “You're much more suited to this than I am.”

“Yeah, well; I didn't accept a ring from a magic bird.”

With a soft hum of affirmation, she pats his forearm and makes her own way towards Dirthamens office.

Her husbands office.

Something in her warms as the word passes through her mind, but she doesn't dare linger on it. Emotions are too easily read here, and if word got out that she might...that she might have real genuine feelings for a God, well...

She can't think of a single story where that ever ended alright for the mortal.

The sentries posted outside of Dirthamen's office open the doors for her when they see her approaching, and she has to bite down on the inside of her cheek to keep from thanking them aloud; the last time she had done so, they had ended up in a nearly thirty minute loop of apologies and gratitudes and platitudes that only Deceit had managed to finally put an end to. Apparently manners only matter for people above your rank and the only person above her rank here, is Dirthamen.

“Hello,” She greets with a small, awkward wave. “You called for me?”

“Yes,” Dirthamen answers, motioning her to move beside him. “I was hoping for your input on the garden renovation.”

“I'm sure whatever you have planned is fine,” She says, even as she moves to look over his shoulder at the papers currently laid over his desk. “I'm not even familiar with most of your flora.”

“Are there any particular features you would like it to possess?” He asks anyways. “All of my resources are available to you.”

Selene pushes down on the flush trying to rise in her face at the way he glances up at her when he says it. He's wearing a mask dammit, she can't even see most of his face. Just the way the blue of his eyes reflect the light, looking up at her all earnest, and love filled, and...

Damn it all.

“A strawberry patch would be nice,” She relents. “I used to like growing them when I was younger, but the type I'm used to didn't grow well in the heat of the city.”

He nods, and she glances down at him as he scribbles something into one of the empty boxes (magical elvhen translation can't stand up to bad penmanship it seems, or maybe he's just writing in a code) and notices a familiar pale yellow color sticking out from the sleeves of his robe.

She blinks once.

Twice.

Her hands reach out to part his robe before she can think twice and-yes.

Yes, her shape-shifting god husband is wearing her yellow sunflower sweater underneath his magical official god robes.

“That's my sweater,” She says, as though perhaps, maybe, he might not have known. Might not have noticed her wearing it the day before.

“Yes.” is all he says though.

Selene nods, because really what else can she do?

“It suits you,” She blurts out, watching as the patches of skin exposed by the stretched out neckline flush and gleam with color at her compliment, the sight making her stomach do flips in a way she'd very much like for it to stop doing dammit.

“Thank you,” He says. “I hope you do not mind. You left it at the foot of our bed,” (Our bed, she repeats internally while her stomach does another flip and her heart starts pounding) “And I was quite distracted by the pleasant smell of your bodywash that lingered on it. Wearing it seemed more conducive to making it out of the bedroom.”

Selene swallows and nods again, trying very hard not to think about him curled up in bed (their bed, some traitorous part of herself helpfully supplies) with her sweater pressed up against them and finding other ways to spend their day than doing paperwork to renovate an already exquisite garden. Maybe he's having similar difficulties to her own; mind distracted by thoughts of wife, and romance and touch and-

No.

No, no, she's not-she's not letting her mind wander there, not now, not here.

Gods forbid she lights his desk or some irreplaceable text on fire and then has to explain why it happened.

Nope.

“That's fine,” She finally manages, carefully closing his robes again so she can stop staring at him wearing her sweater and very little else under his robe. “Not a problem at all.”

“Thank you,” He repeats, seemingly utterly clueless about her current internal struggle. “Is there anything else I can do for you?”

“What?” She says, voice cracking slightly as her mind shoots to inappropriate places and activities and her sweater and their bed and his body-

“For the gardens,” He clarifies. “Is there anything else you would like besides the strawberries?”

“Uh,” Selene struggles to find a clear, cohesive thought, tongue trailing absently over her lips. “Water? Like a fountain or...Some sort of body of water? Cold water. Cold water would be great, really.”

“Would a stream suffice?”

“So long as I can drown in it,” She mutters to herself, mentally willing her body to chill the hell out before more loudly announcing “Yes, a stream would be perfect. Thank you.”

“It is no trouble,” He assures her, writing another note onto the paper before him.

Selene takes her leave after that, making up a quick lie about promising to meet with Des about something, and running off to her (their, her mind reminds her, flashes of Dirthamen nude and dripping and gleaming rising up and quickening her steps) baths to try and cool off before she can ignite some important ancient relic or something.

She slides into the tub, goosebumps rising over her skin as she sinks into the cold of the water. Her hair spreads out around her shoulders as she rests her head against the edge of the tub and tries to clear her mind.

It doesn't work.

The temperature of the water rises as her mind fills with more thoughts of Dirthamen, sprawled out on their bed in nothing but the soft cotton of her sunflower sweater while his cheeks flush the way his neck had, of Deceit behind her with gentle caresses, soft whispers in her ear of ancient secrets and promises of eternity, of Fear prone and open and trusting, and all of them together with bodies writhing beneath her hands, her mouth, her...

fuck.

Her body relaxes as she lets herself fall away from her orgasm, the water steaming around her while she tries to catch her breath. Her cunt clenching around nothing as her fingers slide away, and she tries to convince herself she didn't just do what she definitely just did, mind running words on repeat that do nothing to calm her down.

Husbands.

Partners.

Vhenans.

Selene drags her clean hand down her face and lets out a soft curse.

She is in way over her head here.

And she doesn't, entirely, hate it.

#hwrc redux au #dirthalene #selene lavellan #des #gotta love the classics #wanted to do some good pining fluff #hopefully this suffices

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karnaismyfloofbaby · 6 years ago

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#RM 06 - The charm

Gomenasai! Work got in the way of writing. ><

As usual... NO REPOSTS! NO CLAIMING AS YOUR OWN! DON’T USE THIS STORY IN ANY MANNER EXCEPT FOR PERSONAL READING PURPOSES!

REBLOGS are most welcomed, in fact encouraged. :3

Mild trigger: Kissing. But pretty sure the fandom has seen worse triggers but better to be safe than sorry :D

________________________________________________________

It's lost! Where is it? Did I drop it in battle? Kenshin had searched every nook and cranny but to no avail. The charm that she gave to him was gone. A million thoughts raced across the vast expanse of his brain as he tried to recall where it had gone.

"I won't forgive myself if I lose it!" He let out a frustrated growl as his eyes scanned the battlefield that was littered with corpses, overflowing with blood and reeking of the stench of death and destruction.

*** Flashback to the night before

”Kenshin...? Am I disturbing you?" Her soft, honeyed voice was a soothing balm to his ears and soul and he turned around to face her. The sliding door slid open and her soft footfalls travelled across the polished wooden floor of the tenshu stopping right at his table. He looked up at her radiant face and gestured for her to sit on his lap.

”No, you're not. What brings you here so late at night? I would've expected that you'd have fallen asleep by now." She sat down carefully on his lap, her movements subtle and graceful and his heart thrummed in his chest.

"Well... (a pause) I... I got this for you." She held out an intricate looking charm, the yellow paper was folded neatly and small, jade green beads adorned the sides and a red coloured tassel hung at the end.

"A charm?"

"It's a protection charm. I... I know you're heading into battle tomorrow so I wanted to give this to you."

"I don't need one. I'm the God of War. Mere arrows and bullets avoid me. Swords and spears curve out of the way. I'll be fine and unharmed tomorrow."

”I know that. I have no doubt that you'll emerge victorious tomorrow but..." She hid her face meekly in the crook of his neck, her cheeks a bright scarlet red.

"Don't look away. Face me." He tilted her chin to face him, his eyes staring deep into hers. Her breath caught in her throat as she was mere inches from his face. He traced the curve of her bottom lip with his thumb and she inhaled sharply. Her eyes widened and he drank in the sight of her blushing face before pressing his lips firmly against hers. Her head spun and she saw stars as he deepened the kiss, their tongues intertwining - seeking the heat of each other's mouth. His grip on her tightened and he pulled her closer to his body, longing to touch her more and embrace the life that pulsed from within her.

"Ke-Kenshin..." A soft moan escaped her lips and he let her go sensing her body stiffen. He inclined his head to look at her, a flash of worry in his eyes.

"Did I hurt you?" His voice was a smooth, deep, rich timbre that carried a note of anxiety at the prospect of her getting hurt.

"No. You didn't hurt me. You could never hurt me" She buried her face against his rock solid chest. "I'm just worried that you'll get hurt tomorrow. My heart tells me not to worry and have faith you'll come home safe and well but my head keeps thinking of the worst case scenarios. I can't help it. I'm sorry." Her body shook and she curled up closer to him.

"There's no need to apologise. You have done nothing wrong. I will bring this charm to battle with me as proof of your will and fighting spirit. It shall lead me to victory." He stroked her back, murmuring the words into her ear hoping to ease her worries.

She lifted her head with unshed tears in her eyes. "Thank you, Kenshin. It means a lot to me. I just (soft whisper) couldn't imagine what I would do without you."

He kissed her forehead gently and buried his face in her hair. Inhaling her sweet scent he committed every part of her to memory - her silky smooth hair, clear spirited eyes, cute nose, soft delicious lips, her smile, her laugh, every tiny bit that made up his beloved was individually distinct yet formed a cohesive whole and every bit was equally precious; from the very top strand of hair on her head to the very last toe on her foot. He loved and cherished every inch of her.

"Are you tired? You should get some rest. You've been running around Kasugayama excitedly like a little rabbit doing chores."

"I'm not sleepy yet (small yawn) but I should let you finish your work, Kenshin. I'll be going now." She stood up slowly, her eyes never once leaving his face though a small pout had started to form. Sensing the change in her mood, he caught her by the wrist and pulled on her hand.

"Stay. You can accompany me as I finish this last stack of reports."

"Really? Are you sure? I don't want to be a bother." She chewed on her lip but the sadness that overshadowed her face was now gone at the prospect of spending a few more precious moments with him.

"Yes. Come and sit with me." He once again coaxed her into sitting on his lap and she sat down quietly. She beamed happily and nestled comfortably against his body, feelings of security and comfort blanketed her with warmth and contentment.

A few hours later...

Having completed the last of his work, he stifled a yawn and looked down at her. He smiled watching her sleep (so fragile, so innocent, and so defenceless. Mine.) He lifted her as carefully as humanly possible and laid her down on their shared futon before bringing the covers over her. She mumbled, sleep heavy in her voice and clung to him even more.

]"Kenshin? Are you finished already?" She sat up in the futon and rubbed her eyes. "I'm sorry, I was supposed to stay up with you but I feel asleep. Someone was a very comfortable pillow." She gave an apologetic grin, one that suggested she was in fact not so sorry at all.

"It is fine. Having you at ease and sleeping comfortably in my arms is a source of joy I would never have expected. Tonight I'll stay by your side as you sleep." He got into bed next to her and held her close to him. His arms were strong and sure keeping her safe as his legs entwined with hers caging her to him.

"Mmm... Okay. I won't object to that." Once again, sleep claimed her almost immediately leaving Kenshin alone wide awake stroking her hair as he envisioned the chaos that would ensue tomorrow.

*** back to the present

The cacophony surrounding him used to make him feel alive, made his blood run wild with the burning flames of excitement, made him feel euphoric but now the sound and chaos was a hindrance, a barrier holding him back from searching for his precious charm on the blood soaked field. Every time he stopped to searched, he would be heckled by enemy soldiers clamouring for his head as their stepping stone to military glory.

"Futile! Your struggle is futile! Get out of my way if you desire life but interfere with me and you dally with death itself" Gone was the confident, unreadable facade of the God of War. His beautiful features no longer spoke of the untouchable god that lorded over the tumult of war but in his stead he was replaced by the vestiges of a man - a lost soul seeking, no, hungering for a token that would remind him, that he who was regarded as godlike was encased in layers hiding the real Uesugi Kenshin - a man, living and breathing still had emotions. Real, raw emotions that threatened to spill over and consume all in its wake if it found no source to channel it out.

He moved fast, trailing a blaze of white in his wake as he searched for it. Sasuke who had been tailing his lord found himself for once tongue-tied at the inexplicable display of reckless emotion. Knowing better than to discourage Kenshin from searching for the charm, Sasuke stayed close by ready to protect his lord from any surprise attacks but it was for naught for no man in his right mind knew better than to challenge the War God during one of his unpredictable rampages.

"SASUKE! Did you see it?!! I can't find it. It's lost." His shoulders slumped dejectedly. "Where is it? It's gone... I lost it. I lost the one thing she asked to take with me. I..."

(moving in front to face him) "Milord, you have not failed her. Let us return, regroup and redouble our efforts to search for it later. Right now milord, casualties are piling up and she would be very upset if you let our comrades fall in vain."

Sasuke pulled Kenshin up to stand, his eyes glassy and unfocused. "Sasuke, you're in charge now. Get everyone back to main camp. Pull back, regroup, treat the wounded and create an opportunity for us to pincer the enemy. Finish them if they insist on continuing this struggle but cease if they capitulate." Kenshin ran out of the tent again, his head and heart stubbornly insisting to find the charm.

As the sun began its journey down the horizon, streaks of blue and indigo dyed the sky in ugly blotches, a striking contrast to the blazing trail of reds and oranges left behind by the dying sun. In the dying light, Kenshin found his own hope dying as well. Anger, frustration and disappointment bubbled just below the surface and for once the God of War sank to his knees in defeat. (I can't believe it... It's just not possible. How could I?)

Defeated, he headed back to the main camp his steps sluggish and dispirited, his mind cursing his own stupidity and carelessness.

The next day...

The Uesugi army returned home victorious and cheers of delight rang throughout the castle town. Once these cheers would've lifted his spirits despite the dire circumstances they faced in battle. Now... now the cheers sounded hollow to him.

"KENSHIN!!!" He lifted his head in surprise at the sound of that all too familiar voice. He slowed down and dismounted as she came running into his open arms. Nuzzling her face in his chest, he felt her tremble and he stroked her back to comfort her.

"I'm home."

"Welcome home, Kenshin" She lifted her head to look at him, tears of relief and happiness ran down her cheeks like a string of diamonds glistening in the sunlight.

"I apologise for worrying you." He wiped her tears away. She shook her head, smiling as she held his hands with hers.

"I'm just glad you're safe and sound. I told you my charm would work. Kenshin? What's the matter?" She looked at him worriedly as he turned away, his head hung low.

"About that... Your charm... I... lost it. I tried looking for it but I failed."

She cupped his face with her hands stroking his smooth cheeks.

"Kenshin, it's ok. It's not important. The important thing is that you're home alive, safe and sound. That's the only thing that matters to me not the charm."

"But it contained your hopes, your will and your feelings... and I lost it."

"Kenshin. Look at me. It's ok. Think of it this way. That charm followed you to battle right?" "And it got lost when the fighting was terrible and you didn't realise right?"

He nodded like a forlorn child who lost his favourite toy.

"Then, that means it fulfilled its duty to protect you and destiny willed for you not to find it. If you had, that would mean the fighting would've continued but since you didn't find it, you were safe. You see the charm worked. It protected you and kept you safe. So, there's no need to feel upset and you didn't disappoint me for losing it because it was supposed to be lost in the first place."

His troubled heart settled at her explanation and he held her close.

"Thank you. Only you have the power to soothe me with your words and touch. Now that you put it in this way, I believe you are right about that charm."

He laced his fingers with hers as they walked hand in hand back to Kasugayama as the sun shone on them illuminating their path just as his heart was lightened by the love of his life.

#uesugi kenshin #ikesen #i really need to learn how to stop #this is too long #listening to sad music isn't helping #rm

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autoirishlitdiscourses · 3 years ago

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Discourse of Thursday, 17 June 2021

You're welcome! Your writing, despite the occasional typographical error or possessive formation problem though your thesis statement and to use it personally and recommend it highly. 52: A plagiarized or otherwise need to be aware that it is necessary to try to make real contributions to the group's discussion during the course. Look at the structural similarity between Yeats's relationship to Ireland? You've been a pleasure to read from Butcher Boy well? If you've prepared well for a more specific in the position of protector from the in-depth manner and provided a good understanding of the text in question, but rather that I have a potentially profitable, though. I have a cohesive discussion plan is to express more specifically in your paper in the humanities, or otherwise incorrect about them assignment, you should take a stand as Heidegger has it explicitly on why your juxtaposition actually matters, and your material effectively and provided a good selection, so you may just need to see some of the text you plan your discussion could have been to question 2, below. Has smoothed out a draft. This is true for more sections like these two particular pieces is a more analytically incisive paper. Which texts I have a couple of ways in which you dealt. All of the object itself. Like This One By the way to set the bar for anyone to assume that you must be completed, and on a paper that appears to have been of concern in the dialogue and showed that you'd thought about the Nugents there are variations between individual Irishmen and-voice arrangement of Patrick Kavanagh's On Raglan Road Patrick Kavanagh these poems can be determined beyond a reasonable doubt? I had properly remembered who you were strong last time you attend section and the divine aphasia I think that your paper around exploring that payoff. These are all comparatively small errors, and their outlines don't bear a lot of ways, and your recitation/discussion/section. At the moment, it may be worth a similar format and having talked about this, but I want to be helpful to think about your key terms more specifically about what the boss says in the morning. If neither of those revisions by Friday evening if you have signed up for Twitter? You just need to define your key terms more explicitly and say quite what it means to be more specific claim that you're capable of pushing this even further, if I can pass everything out together in a more clearly articulated stand on what you're doing with the two-minute and expect an immediate answer to a question that you are definitely capable of doing more than three hundred papers and gave a good recitation. Just for the quarter also discussed in the symbolism associated with the rest of the research or writing process is itself a kind of stand the poem until after the recitation, got people talking about a particular student's answers on earlier sections over to such mawkish and purple thoughts. If you believe that anyone has recited up to him. It's likely, but I'm also happy to proctor it later this week in section three was a TA than I had hoped, motivating people to make sure that you're using an edition other than the paper in a lot of good ideas here, and we'll work something out. Focusing on discussions of foot and mouth disease offhand, I think that the writer considers obvious. I think that they always have been avoiding presenting conclusions in favor of writing. Based on notes provided by TA Christopher Walker and the context of the text s with which he had done was inappropriate. Just don't glance at me occasionally, but rather of the landscape and love it and pasting the text that they understand and articulate why you're asking.

You added the before one I loved; changed from to by in from a Western; things like nationalism and the other is that someone writes an A paper, however. This is true for ID #10, which is a really, really big task. I will be how strong your central interpretive difficulties that I didn't again, I realize. I am currently leaning towards calling on you in section is engaged and sensitive, thoughtful performance that you can see it, in your case, one way or the location yet. Some of Synge's photos of the assignment required and gave what was overall an excellent job! This week has just been so much thought and writing a paper to be leveraged carefully. These should be adaptable in terms of line count, stanza breaks, or severe problems with papers in this range provide a genuine illumination in the hope of being adaptable in terms of which parts of your paper ultimately winds up being the connection between textual material and the historical facts in a late stage, and the ideas and ask again.

Going through people's paper proposals and last week's presentations has taken me so long to get you a B if turned in on time: We feel in England believe on line/paragraph spacing in MS Word 2007: Microsoft on line 651; and your readings are often quite complexed, impressive, and I'll give it back to you. I think it's inappropriate. I suspect that one of the course! In romantic relationships, playing by the other to do so very lucid and compelling, and I'll see you next week, in The Plough and the expression of your material you emphasize I think that these are genuine strengths in your hand, I'm so sorry to take a fresh reading, and. Attendance.

46. That would give you a write-up, I think that setting this paper to punch through to an agreement at that point in smaller steps this would need to have thought of that help? If the other TA notices you're there during attendance, and I quite enjoyed having you in section is in your paper, but this is quite engaging, and I'm happy to proctor it if you have any questions, OK? Of course. Thanks to!

As I said in section Wednesday night between October 23rd and November 27th, excluding 13 November is National Novel Writing Month:. Please turn off your cell phone—is cause for disciplinary action. Emails that I notice is that this is quite engaging though I still think that the exam any more questions, please let me know if tomorrow works, I think that your recitation/discussion tomorrow! Again, this may result in penalties beyond simply receiving an F, having managed to introduce some major aspect of something genuinely wonderful piece of writing with the page in question. I will be a smart, sophisticated, broadly informed paper, and that your introduction and conclusion do some of the poems you choose into a satisfying thesis is that if he hasn't taken it yet.

You have excellent things to talk about why the comparison is worth 20% of course; I'm going to be this week, when it comes time to get back to then? If you miss more than a very good work in the discussion overall was more lecture-based and less-capable beings, involving their male partners patronizing them in your delivery does not provide a more rigorous analysis than it needed to be caught up on spreadsheet for all three and a leg. Thank you, I'd like to do with your score. Again, you probably only need one question to think about what the success of your written expression. I'll see you in section treat each individual page that you go back to you. So, for free: Chris Walker's guest lecture on 19 November: Pearse's The Mother, recited in lecture yesterday: If your percentage grade for the rest of the very end of the argument may not have a standard 12-point font, etc. Then you should be cognizant of what they'd discussed, then you may recite any of it myself. I'll post them unless you go over twelve. Ultimately, like I said to other students were engaged, and you had quite a long selection and delivered it accurately, and the weird tenuous relationship that highlights something about the relationship of the text. But you really have done a good sense of the grotesque body worthwhile to make sure that I provide an estimate of where to go that route. 642; changed said please to says please; changed Acacacacademy to Acacacademy; changed answered to said on 1. Other points for that week's reading. Though the description of your own experience as a review guide to be absolutely sure/that you just need to be more effective for you or me, along with a set of esoteric knowledge regarding this selection. It's been a pleasure having you in revising and sharpening your paper won't necessarily be captive; and changed heifers to heifer in the best way to focus your discussion notes often contain more things than we can talk about why in section lately keep it up on stage, and I'll see you in lecture 5 December: The Clancy Brothers and the way that McCabe is quite dense, but you handled yourself and your sense of the contracting party, based entirely on your part, and I think, too. I'm so sorry to take an analytical paper, but with the selection you're reciting, along with several other thematic issues from a chance to talk in detail is the ideal resource, but my best guess is that I give you some background plot summary and possibly other contextualizing information, but this is not inherently opposed to the text specifically and exactly, think about it. I think that it was understood both closer to your paper to you. Burroughs, etc. Here are some on Wikipedia, if you think? You can theoretically go a long time, OK? I abandoned my discussion of the passage as a TA for, and is the case. Talking in general, which is up to you after I graded it you had chosen, and these are important to the poem. I hope you don't generally make subject/verb agreement, possessive/plural confusion, fear at his impending death would have paid off. You had a good-faith attempt to develop an even stronger work on future papers. I'll post it in any reasonable way, or even any real need for me to make up for discussion with the TA strike that you just can't seem to have sympathy for Francie, it sounds like you dragged it on the assumption that you won't have time to get people to explore additional implications of course readings or issues that I've made about grammar and phrasing at all, you gave them trouble being lagged they let him have it hot and heavy in the loop and let me know if you start making regular meaningful contributions to the YouTube video from the MLA standard by default, it currently is. Great! You can conceivably take as long as that's the case that he had to take so long to get other people are reacting to look at your U-Mail address regularly. Your writing is once again very lucid and very well done overall. Name/both/items Bloom orders for lunch;/or 3:00 section and you didn't hear that and hide behind the fact that hawthorn is one of the virtues of an analysis of things well, here. Unlike many students as possible. But if you're going to ask people to talk to me during my office hours if they do not pick up absolutely every possible point for virtually everyone after graduation. /, You should provide a larger-scale course concerns, please bring your luggage to section and are genuinely astounding, I am willing to do, then re-adding it using the add code for that assignment and may be that sitting down and write a draft, letting it sit and take a deep connection to 1904 as well as 1922, of course, what is the lack of specificity. To put it another way:/Anything and everything looks really good reading that they've been bolted on at this, and I will also post whatever you send me an outline with more concrete levels.

I'll see you at the high end, and! /Parnell scandal indicates something structural about the book deals with family relationships: disturbed youth Francie Brady, his relationship with his catalog of responses; the Clitheroes in The Walking Dead, which is already enough to engage in discussion. Personally, I think might have helped, although there are many profitable ways to make up the sense of how percentages or point totals for either exam. Besides attendance, not ten. Change to attendance policy: the professor's current lecture topics. Doing this effectively if the maximum possible score for the 5 p. Based on notes provided by TA Christopher Walker and the section website:. It's perfectly OK to just acknowledge that this is the perfect and ideal expression of your ideas, though I don't mean to imply that there are substantial areas of thematic overlap in terms of a text that you recited before. I think that a potentially productive.

As it is, there are always a good night, but reaches this length by tweaking the format for the quarter, so I'm not sure what to do so, or just pass silently over this request, and then making sure to get into South Hall 1415. What, ultimately, I'd move into discussion questions that you see as being the plus and minus range is that I give you. Any college student taking a heavy course load this quarter.

Just a reminder that you're capable of doing their recitations may wind up with questions about how their related. Other registration/administrative issues? Passages for close reading of that text correctly. Though it was all 'only a flash in th' pan'; freedom that ain't worth winnin' for freedom that wouldn't be worth winnin' for freedom that ain't worth winnin' for freedom that wouldn't be a tricky job to do whatever is necessary to call on you in this passage: If a Friday or Monday would work out in the third line; changed which to that phrase though neither is that future readers and viewers, is a fuzzy concept when examined closely, and I hope all of your performance tomorrow! I think I'm skipping the department party today and working, which would be more successful argument. This is a hard line to walk, and you asked some very perceptive readings to fall a bit was that I want you to dig deeper and/or Wednesday. But that's just a moment, points assigned for this change does not include your bonus for the actual amount of research here, overall; what I initially thought I had a good topic, but not the result of the poem's rhythm and showed this in your paper's ability to express more specifically into your analysis. I have to get at least once in my response is a hard time staying awake after I graded. You're welcome! Then structure your discussion. If little Rudy wouldn't life.

415-20, p. Failure to turn in an otherwise dull day. Well done. There are in participation right now the single biggest influence on McCabe is scheduled from 1:30 and will have to get all the fun under Liberty's masterful shadow; To-morrow the hour of the bird as the introduction for a more natural rhythm. I won't assess participation until the very end of the gaps were due to recall. Starting with questions that surround it or them. I'm glad you were reciting and discussing the selection in the way that is appropriate, and I hope your girlfriend's dental work went well and smoothly.

And the sergeant grinning up. If it falls flat, try moving on to and. Ultimately, you'll get another email about that. Truthfully, I am of course materials can be a more narrow range of the text s and that although I will still be calculating your grade as if time passes differently when you're on the midterm scores until Tuesday, October 11, and this is an important part of being because, really big task. I will be on the other; time and backing up your discussion plans even if another format is followed in a more interesting task. Have a good evening. I have you done with the poem's ideas needed a vocal pause in order to pay off on writing back to you whether you hit a snag that students have had you in section after the final and with me; I'm just trying to do this not because I think that specificity will pay off, because sixteen minutes can go on in grad school?

#Irish literature #automatically generated text #Patrick Mooney #Python #Markov chains

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anxiety-trademark · 4 years ago

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The week in review:

Raw 11/30 NXT 12/02 NXT UK 12/03 Smackdown 12/04 Takeover War Games 12/06 + Main Event 12/03

Raw:

...Yeah hi, what the fuck is with the doll trapped inside of the table? Is that a metaphor for Alexa??

I’m so happy for her being able to have segments with Orton. Good for her.

Alexa’s like a mere inch taller than me so she’s a nice gauge as to to how tall the men’s roster is in comparison, and Randy? Fucking tall.

So the writing was on the wall; Fiend cares about Alexa (whether the nature is abusive is irrelevant to this point) and Randy has figured out how to use Alexa as a pawn to manipulate Fiend. I was kind of hoping Fiend/Alexa were in control of the gameboard, but it seems I’ve been duped.

The only complaint I have about this is how... compliant and helpless Alexa was in this segment. She’s not only been possessed/traumatized into caring about Fiend, but furthermore she does care about him, so why wouldn’t she be fighting against Randy when she was in his arms? The writing of her character in this particular segment seemed shallow. I know she can play whatever emotion they want from her, so to not ask for any emotions at all is curious.

Also the only person who isn’t a heel here is Alexa, and I won’t really hear any argument on the manner. Fiend is a predator at best. Orton is a psychotic douchebag.

My head hurts. Imagine Becky being stuck in a tag team with Lana rather than throwing a huge fit about not being able to defend her title for fucking months.

“Sarah you wouldn’t understand, but Shayna and I are about to-- *starts smiling like a fucking idiot*” Wow I want to defend wwe’s incessant need for giving Lana a storyline but I’m so fucking tired of abysmal promos. God. I. Miss. Becky. WHY is the Raw women’s champion wrapped up in this??

“First of all... ew.” lolololol

Shayna’s hatred for Lana is fucking hilarious.

Why is it, whenever Nia and Shayna do their dual barricade ragdoll move, Nia always gets the lighter one?

Nia fucking pummeled Lana lmao.

I kind of wish this story had a live crowd, I’d like to see if all of this was actually buying Lana some goodwill from the audience.

Hilarious watching Lana sit on the bottom rope for a few seconds before climbing through onto the apron, before slinking down to a sitting position, before finally collapsing onto the floor barely peering into the ring. Tf is she doing rofl.

Now she jumped up onto the apron lacking any enthusiasm, tagged herself in, and is climbing onto the turnbuckle while seemingly sobbing. What in the fuck lmao.

God Asuka is working overtime here.

*Bonus* online exclusive: how fun, Lana and Asuka are singing and dancing together. This division is turning into a garbage fire rq.

Oh is Mandy still out with an injury in kf?

Love it when new debuts get no fucking entrance. Yikes.

Mia Yim had such a dope theme song and entrance, I can’t believe it’s been scrapped so that she can call herself “Reckoning” and hang out in some dead-end group. Shame.

Oh my god. Mia loses to Dana via rollup after taking virtually no offense. What a waste of everyone’s time. I see this going nowhere, absolutely nowhere.

*Bonus* online exclusive: lmfao the Nikki Cross interview was worth a mention. First off, Nikki looks gorgeous. Second, I feel like this is the beginning of her run of not appearing on Raw because she isn’t deemed developed enough outside of a tag team, which is sad. Third, rofl @ her giving Sarah sheep’s stomach chicken to eat, I have no words. Anyway, she should be a solid midcarder. Get it together wwe.

Highlight: Probably the Nikki Cross online exclusive

---

NXT:

They got Shotzi something that glows. Wow.

Why is there a silhouette as if Io isn’t already added to the team? Why wouldn’t she be? Shayna was in last year’s, why wouldn’t Io be in this year’s? Is this supposed to be suspenseful?? lmao plz.

Indi did not take a bullet for you, she was just an idiot. Also why does this bitch still have a neck brace on? It was an Eclipse, let’s get real for a second.

Why you acting like your team is cohesive anyway? Doesn’t Dakota hate you? Didn’t Toni just turn heel for virtually no fucking reason, after defending/consoling Shotzi and attacking Candice like a sore loser? *sigh*

I know fans are really into WarGames but I find the alliances really fucking weak every year. It’s as bad as Survivor Series, just with more weapons and brutality.

So Xia Li lost some matches and now she’s being tortured... okay. I’m gonna keep my comments on this to a minimum cuz I can tell this will be some long-term story.

Oh I really like how their respective team members are standing up in the back on balconies. I really fucking like the layout of this arena. Huge fan.

Why Shotzi vs Raquel though? Why is the team captain fighting? That’s not typical for these, is it?

Ugh failure to throw Shotzi through the ropes. There’s just... a skill gap in the division, you know? And Shotzi and Raquel are on the lower end of that gap. I don’t care if people love Shotzi, she’s MILES away from being a champion. What saves her is her risk-taking, but it’s just a matter of time before that bites her in the ass.

Shotzi’s offense is doing a minimal amount of potential damage to her opponent while taking herself out in the most convoluted way possible. She’s Sasha Banks on steroids.

You call it innovative, I call it foolish.

Raquel just standing there waiting with stairs in her hands. Beast.

Shotzi can’t have a kf leg injury, that negates 95% of her offense!

Limpy vs Gimpy

Setting up that ladder in the corner was clunky as shit.

A pure ladder stip is hard to have in a women’s singles match, but this match is a big pile of meh.

Honestly I’m not about to complain about all of these women getting involved because this is borderline boring.

AYYYEEE it’s Io! Io saved this match tbh. Love her, THAT’S my champion.

Give Shotzi’s team the advantage, I doubt they win anyway.

To be honest; you have former nxt champion Ember Moon, inaugural UK champion and former nxt champion who fought against Charlotte fucking Flair at WrestleMania Rhea Ripley, and current champion that beat Charlotte fucking Flair for the title Io Shirai. The idea of that team losing is laughable at best in kf. But they will, cuz fuck babyfaces.

*Bonus* online exclusive: What surprises could you possibly have in store aside from some random weapons? Also fuck your howl. Edit: she was talking about her stupid new tank, wasn’t she...

Highlight: Io showing up at the end of the ladder match

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NXT UK:

Who’s this green-shirt bro and why did he run over there to break up the brawl as if there aren’t 2 dozen officials already? Men needlessly getting involved in women’s fights irritates the shit out of me.

He also got in the way of the shot for the majority of this clip. I hate him.

I hope Jinny wins this future match.

This Aleah girl is like a cross between Kacy and Alexa, and honestly I hate it. Which is odd cuz I love them. She pisses me off though. Not sure what to make of it.

So supposedly Valkyrie is undefeated? That’s good. Let’s keep that going.

Valkyrie has nice counters and is super athletic. I say this every time I watch one of her matches but she deserves more praise.

I hate that women on UK get so little time. Send Valkyrie and KLR to nxt and send Dakota and Rhea to the MR, thanks.

I’d pay to see Valkyrie vs KLR too!

Still not a fan of Valkyrie’s finisher. Love her gear though, it looks different.

Highlight: Always a pleasure watching Valkyrie

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Smackdown:

Lmfao Bayley “fails” to break the count before rolling back outside, so she rolls back in and fucking stomps her feet while yelling at the ref. She’s good. She’s good at the basics, good at paying attention to her surroundings, and good at improvising.

Bayley and Nattie are smooth together. They’ve never had a match, right? Other than this?

Love how Bianca has all of Bayley’s attention.

Bayley just used Nattie’s discus clothesline against her lmao. What a troll.

I remember when Bayley tapped, her entire fanbase was crying claiming she was buried. Watching it myself, she is so obviously entering into a program with Bianca. Christ 90% of her attention was on Bianca throughout the match.

*Bonus* online exclusive: Bianca just told Bayley her hair ain’t even and she looks dusty, good fucking bye.

mmmm not sure if Sasha has the admiration of the wwe universe. Look she’s a remarkable talent in the ring, but she is insanely annoying outside of it. She’s changed nothing from the time she was heel, other than no longer cheating to win. She obnoxiously cackles, she’s egotistical, she gets along with legit nobody. I’m not convinced the crowd would even cheer her, even if she’s one of the best bell to bell. Her fans can call her the number 1 babyface, but that’s a stretch if I’ve ever heard one.

“I won the first 2 women’s mitb” aaggghhhhh I hate that Carmella still claims that. Debatable. De-ba-ta-ble.

Lol “I can’t help if men are obsessed with me,” alright sure. That’s good tbh. Carmella is a notorious cheat but regardless, that’s good.

Well the reason y’all never faced one on one is because Carmella’s a Smackdown veteran and you just got here, but I digress.

So where’s the army that still runs around crying that Becky buried her when she called her the greatest woman to never be great (facts)? Where’s the outrage for Sasha demeaning Carmella and claiming she’s not in her league? Sasha fans are wild.

“With half the work I’m better than you. I held onto that Smackdown woman’s title longer than all of your title reigns combined.” omg she’s dead. Shots fired, target hit. Someone call Sasha a hearse.

Instead of sitting there making ugly faces, Sasha really should’ve gotten up and left. Lick her wounds or something kekek.

Highlight: I’m into this Bayley/Bianca thing they’re building

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Takeover WarGames:

I just think it’s so cool that wwe shelled out the money for a Black Sabbath song. Of course they can afford it, but for a Takeover? Points.

Nobody wants to come take out Candice rq? No? Nobody at all???

Oh hell yeah Dakota gets to start? Good for her, since she skipped out on it last year.

I don’t fucking get Ember Moon’s persona, but I like her lit gear tonight.

“Aiming it square at Team LeRae” sometimes I wonder if Vic is simply blind.

The concept of this match is fun, but it always feels a little hollow until the match actually starts.

So cool that they got Wade Barrett on commentary in nxt.

Sloppy headscissors by Ember, but Dakota sold well per usual. Not sure why they’d have Ember run the marathon.

I’d pay so much money to see the 4hw in a WarGames match.

Oh that’s cool, Raquel put her hand up to protect Ember’s face from Dakota’s kick. We appreciate a performer that protects her coworkers.

That sunset flip powerbomb by Shotzi onto Raquel off the ropes was neat.

Toni up in here just removing all the turnbuckles. I wonder if running into exposed turnbuckles actually hurts that much.

Toni barely taps Ember with a kendo stick and she acting like she’s dying.

Man that 6 woman thing was so choreographed. Even did a countdown.

Io ma’am we don’t-- we don’t need ladders... okay. Okay.

Io scaling the cage and Raquel knocking her off like in Super Mario Brothers.

I feel like WarGames is convoluted enough, but sure, let’s get into the winter of overbooked women’s matches. New season, same bullshit.

AHAHAHAHAH IO’S FUCKING SMILE. She is standing on top of the cage putting a garbage can over her head, and has the audacity to wear a shit eating grin. I cannot, this girl is crazy and I love her.

Stupid spot? Maybe. Is Io batshit insane for jumping like 10 feet down completely blind? Absolutely. Points.

CLEAN ddt by Io onto Raquel. Spiked.

Candice is dumb. Got a trash can lid standing opposite Shotzi who’s wielding a chair. Candice throws the lid, says ‘hold on’, then climbs through the ropes to grab a kendo stick while crying ‘help’. Grabs her kendo stick, goes to bat against Shotzi, gets her hand smashed lmao. Idiot.

Oh that was perfectly timed. Dakota busts Shotzi with a chair strike and barely even begins to turn around before Io missile dropkicks the chair into her from out of nowhere.

Dakota stuck a trash can over Io and then did a double stomp that impacted the trash can so badly she couldn’t slide it off lol. eesh.

Is Ember gonna attempt to Eclipse someone onto a set of upright chairs... Omg no. You’re gonna take the brunt of this, jfc don’t.

Oh good god what a fucking beautifully bad idea. I hope you’re okay bro. Man Dakota FLIPPED over. Nasty, nasty move.

That Storm Zero through a trash can was ace. Honestly I see a lot more potential for Toni here in nxt than over on UK.

This is a really good match.

It’s not that I hate the coffin drop off the ladder onto Candice, but Candice really ruined it by preemptively grabbing a chair and holding it on top of herself. Kind of spelled out exactly how that was gonna go.

Io and Rhea make an amazing team.

Rhea and being thrown into the cage on the outside of the ropes, name a more iconic duo. I’ve heard that’s the worst part about cage matches cuz your skin legit gets dragged against the links as you slide down.

Holy shit Io just got powerbombed through a ladder. OOF.

That’s the ending?? Raquel pinned Io for the ending??? Holllllyyyy shit.

Interestingly enough, I’d have to say the 2 team captains did the least amount of notable work.

What took out Shotzi: On screen the last bump she took was her coffin drop onto Candice, which kept her from saving Io. Mess.

Some great spots for sure. Recency bias might be a thing, but I feel like I enjoyed this one more than last year’s.

Highlight: That Eclipse onto the chairs to Dakota was WICKED

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*BONUS*

Main Event:

Main event giving people promo time? Is this typical??

Okay look. You acknowledged Alexa is brainwashed. You acknowledged that she chose him (even though she’s brainwashed so you really shouldn’t be upset). Now you’re claiming SHE came out and slapped you, as if you haven’t been relentlessly bothering her about her boyfriend that she chose because she’s brainwashed, and as if you weren’t the one who came out and confronted her. Is this not super problematic to anyone else??? Nikki this doesn’t make you a victim or even a decent person/friend lmao.

It’s a good promo though. Good delivery, very buyable.

WHY DO I GOTTA HEAR THE CAW MUSIC???

I know Lacey’s being a bitch, but it’s an awful hair style, Sarah. I’m sorry.

Lmao Lacey is so god damn funny when she has someone to play off of. I can see the appeal in her and Peyton, I can see it. I can see it. The pairing should absolutely not last long because Lord they’re abysmal in the ring together, but outside? Swell, just swell.

Lacey will always have a job solely for her character work if nothing else.

Haha Lacey running from Nikki. She’s a treat.

Really thought that spinning heel kick was gonna be the end of it.

This match is definitely Main Event(tm) worthy, but I’m glad it has some semblance of a story going into it.

Peyton’s jump kick looks dumb.

Probably for the best that Nikki loses this, even if Peyton is awful.

---

*WarGames was definitely the highlight in an otherwise really lame week of wrestling. I don’t even have a runner-up, I’m just thankful for WarGames.

#wwe #issa review #feel free to ignore these #cuz who tf cares lesbihonest #today's props goes to:#dakota kai

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eabevella · 7 years ago

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My personal issues to the current IDW Transformers comic:

I have no interest nor the energy to read all those shoe-horned crossover comic lines whose mere purpose is to boost the other unrelated franchises through the Transformers IP.

Once or twice is OK, I get it is a business move. But making it a long term project? No thanks.

Really, if I want to read human related stories, I’ll read Star Wars stuffs. They have good human characters in their own distinct universe.

MTMTE Season 2 lacks it’s Season 1 magic (I made a post long before anyone made any comment about it’s issue), and the decline of it’s story structure and overall contingency further plunged in it’s ending arc. LL didn’t exactly pick up it’s truncated pacing from the start, even though the Functionist Universe arc did manage to round-up the addition of Megatron in a more cohesive manner. The new arc looked better after Megatron’s departure (it tells that JRO is not good at writing things that’s not in his original drafts even though he only needed to alter or add a few new things to the original plots, instead of writing a whole new thing like, I believe, in John Barber’s care when he’s the one who has to deal with Hasbro’s “toy promotional events” every time), but I can tell that my (and a lot of people’s) passion have been wore out by it, so that even the Mutineer Trilogy didn’t make me feel that exciting.

I mean, it’s not as bad as arguable the darkest hour of the IDW Transformers comics: the infamous Costa TF: The Ongoing Series. Not even close (you new comers don’t know how painful it was to have to endure literal garbage for years during that time). But it’s a fact that people are losing interest (judging by the post number both in here and on TFW forum), and although I still read LL more or less out of habit, I don’t know when the actual passion of reading it will be back.

I’ll still reblog TF-related stuffs here, but I really hope there will be some good contents from the comics that will prompt me into actively drawing them again.

#lost light

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mindtap · 7 years ago

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Top Ten Anime of 2017

Pretty busy last couple of weeks, resulting in me delaying to start writing this post until the day of posting this. However, I am determined to continue to make these once a year posts of my top ten anime. With this year coming to an end and my reposting of content from sekijitsu, it has been enjoyable seeing all my opinions from the past as they came out -- especially my net neutrality post from a few years back after the incorrect decision by the FCC this month.

Either way, going through all these anime in one day I have clearly seen a trend of the type of anime that drew me in this year. It was a bit more difficult to make my decisions for who made the top ten this year, but I did have one anime that clearly was number one and worked from there. So lets kick off the new year right with another top ten list that I'm sure many people are looking forward to reading.

For the Lazy

Top 10

Made in Abyss

Boku no Hero Academia 2

Inuyashiki

Ballroom e Youkoso

Shingeki no Kyojin 2

Mahou Tsukai no Yome

3-gatsu no Lion 2

Sagrada Reset

Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata ♭

Demi-chan wa Kataritai

Honorable Mentions

Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo! 2

Shuumatsu Nani Shitemasu ka? Isogashii desu ka? Sukutte Moratte Ii desu ka?

Youkai Apartment no Yuuga na Nichijou

Explanation

Youkai Apartment no Yuuga na Nichijou

An odd mix of fantasy and slice of life that actually worked pretty well together. I found myself more engrossed in the arc where Inaba improved his spirit ability, which didn't last that long. Unfortunately, with that that build up, it didn't really pay off that much with the focus shifting back into the more slice of life elements. Luckily, for me, these elements were good because they covered a subject that is always fascinating to me, that being psychology. Overall, even with the stark contrast, "Youkai Apartment no Yuuga na Nichijou" was a light hearted anime that didn't shy away from the darker parts of human nature creating entertaining episodes a majority of the time.

Shuumatsu Nani Shitemasu ka? Isogashii desu ka? Sukutte Moratte Ii desu ka?

A story filled with loss, tragedy, and a world invested with monsters. Even with that themes mostly being drowned in sadness, "Shuumatsu Nani Shitemasu ka? Isogashii desu ka? Sukutte Moratte Ii desu ka?" manages to create hope in it's viewers, making for a compelling series to navigate through. They end up packing a lot of backstory into this series that ended up being squished twelve episode, but what we got I was enthusiastic to find out that more it revealed. Lastly, as I mentioned at the start, tragedy and character development go hand and hand, and we ended up getting a variety of well fleshed out characters. Each of them growing in a believable manner that fit well with the narrative themes. Overall, this anime had a really interesting world with good characters that felt like it could have been better served as a longer anime.

Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo! 2

I never mentioned this series when the first season came out last year, but I did thoroughly enjoy it. I don't usually put comedies into my top ten list because I never really think about them past it's airing, but "Kono Subarashii Sekai no Shukufuku wo! 2" made it this time around. What it did to make it this time was take the main reason I loved the original series and improve on character dynamics through comedy and further build on the world -- as they are no long stuck in one space. Resulting in an increased sense of progress and truly was the funniest anime I've seen this year.

Demi-chan wa Kataritai

An anime that tackles a serious topic like discrimination and the desire to find a place to belong, in a very gleeful way. "Demi-chan wa Kataritai" introduced each character at an steady pace while also adding new dynamics between each character. It ended up creating a fun and captivating atmosphere between characters while showing the different types of monsters, or demi-human, and the lore behind them. This was one of the first anime that stood out to me this year and I'm glad it continued to delivery as more characters created a bond and the last demi-girl was well worth the wait with all the teasing incorporated throughout the series.

Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata ♭

Another second season of a series that surprised me enough to put it on my list, but checking the 2015 top ten, "Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata" was there and ended up in the same number. Like most second seasons, this was more of the same, but this time around we finally got to see Megumi develop more as a character. She was always my favorite compared to the more over the top girls -- although Utaha comes in a close second. A lot of advancement toward the end felt more rushed with Utaha graduation on the horizon. However, that sense of urgency worked as the catalyst for pushing Tomoya out of his complacency, allowing for development from all character involved in Blessing Software -- as well as, breaking the by-the-book nature of this harem romcom.

Sagrada Reset

The type of anime that starts out dull, but builds up to the point of becoming a really compelling story with a lot of complexity. "Sagrada Reset" starts out simple with the idea of a town that inherently manifests powers for the people that live in it. However, as more characters are introduced, and their beliefs and goals become clear, this simple concept turns into a complicated situation where people fight for what they believe propelling the story from that. This was one of the few anime that made me think more about components they introduced. "Sagrada Reset" does a good job of showing not telling that can confuse some viewers that are use to the exposition type of storytelling. Really enjoyed the mystery and how it was laid out for the viewer, concluding with a satisfactory ending.

3-gatsu no Lion 2

One of the anime from this season that is only half way through, but has managed to convince me enough to put it on the list without finishing. Last season Rei didn't really feel like he had much motivation for anything and just went with the flow. This made the driving focus for the story not that impactful, but with the season season, his motivation became very clear and pretty quickly. This contributed to my increased attraction to the series, as well as the cuteness of the series that continued from the previous season. So this mixing of innocence contracted with human anguish, really tugs at my heartstrings in an enjoyable way.

Mahou Tsukai no Yome

Initially got into "Mahou Tsukai no Yome" through a three episode OVA that helped establish the character Chise and her tragic backstory. So going into the full anime with that knowledge, I was already in love with Chise and opening the world with new characters and a more cheerful tone made for in enjoyable experience. Even with this being another anime only half way through, the amount of information blended into a cohesive theme elevated this series into one of my favorites, not only in this season, but this year as well. I can't wait to see how much more this season builds the world and how each character will develop.

Shingeki no Kyojin 2

The initial hype around "Shingeki no Kyojin" back in 2013 didn't really register with me at the time. I'm not usually that into action anime, however, with more details being revealed about the titans, that hook finally started to catch something. All that fog of ambiguity of a human killing machine started to clear with the motivation of why titans wanted to wipe the human race. So will all that information, Attack on Titan swung to being a political anime featuring action and gore scenes. So really, the second season convinced me to continue this series and I hope they continue to bend in the political and psychological side of the narrative.

Ballroom e Youkoso

Every now and then a sport anime ends up surprising me, see as I rarely watch them. "Ballroom e Youkoso" is another one on a short list that fits that category. This anime has great pacing from start to finish, assuming that the viewer knows very little about dance and all the complexity of it in a competitive space. I found myself being engrossed in the world of dance and the topic of parter compatibility, synchronous movement, body control, and the lead/follow dynamic. These subjects helped create a nice arc for Tatara going from a green dance into a worthy competitor with a strong cast of characters.

Inuyashiki

This one took me by surprise because I had no idea what I was getting into as I watched this. Luckily, "Inuyashiki" turned out to be an interesting commentary about humans in similar situations and how they react depending on their past experiences. The situation itself was being handed power in the form of a new robotic body after their previous bodies were destroyed. This concept worked well in creating a villain with a purpose, although it wasn't there initially. As well as an unlikely hero, whose compassion also isn't as clear in the beginning, and develops as the villain gains traction. And with them having the same type of body, it really shows that that "good" and "evil" aren't binary, but more of a scale depending on the situation.

Boku no Hero Academia 2

Last of the second season anime that ended up in my top ten list. This season of "Boku no Hero Academia" finally allowed for Izuku to development his One for All powers changing the essence of a bumbling hero that faces danger in foolishness, into a more competent that is still struggling to catch up. More the world lore gets revealed and that created a future incentive for Izuku to get stronger. Really the second season helped me get even more invested into the world and I'm waiting in anticipation for the next season to air.

Made in Abyss

Going into this anime, I thought this would be a merry little adventure that I might enjoy, however, as the title suggests, the bleakness of the abyss fools you into a sense of comfort. "Made in Abyss" is one of those adventure anime that reveals concepts of the abyss fairly quickly in the first episode, but doesn't really show the abyss until our characters enter it. This is another case of showing rather than telling being better, but the anime ended up using both almost like a warning for those that attempt to stare into the abyss. The horrors of abyss isn't the only thing to look forward to in this anime, the character we stick with grow up fast in this environment. With them encountering many dangers worked as a consent remind of how easy it is for these characters to be killed. So I wouldn't recommend this to those that are easily squeamish, but those that stick with it will be rewarded with a fascinating world and characters that represent useful pieces of an adventuring crew that you will quickly begin to cherish.

#made in abyss #boku no hero academia #inuyashiki #ballroom e youkoso #attack on titan #top ten #anime #shigeki no kyojin #mahou tsukai no yome #3 gatsu no lion #sagrada reset #saenai heroine no sodate #demi chan wa kataritai #kono subarashii sekai ni shukufuku wo!#shuumatsu nani shitemasu ka? isogashii desu ka? sukutte moratte ii desu ka #youkai apartment no yuuga na nichijou

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