#idk those names are just manufactured to me

[templeofshame]

I think my thing about thinking some celebrities aren't real is just me being old and a) not really knowing who people are or celebrity gossip, b) not being used to how younger people are named or are choosing to name themselves, c) either not knowing any songs or finding them generic enough that they could be ai or something

[genericpuff]

re: your tags on the rowling / musk post, specifically villains on saturday morning cartoons > wondering why we hate those who emulate it

idk if you ever played toontown, but i’ll always find it hilarious that disney released a game all about fighting big corporations from taking over small businesses, where the enemies (aka cogs (in the machine)) are all named after idioms / insults for types of corp employees (i.e. pencil pusher, ambulance chaser, big wig, loan shark, cold caller); esp considering disney is the Perfect example of the types of corporations that the game teaches you are evil and soulless. honestly, it’s a game i hold near and dear to my heart, and i recommend trying out toontown rewritten if you ever feel like it

i have NOT played toontown but i remember seeing the commercials for it all the time at like, the end of DVD's n junk and REALLY WANTING TO PLAY IT but ofc we didn't have a computer most of the time growing up and when we did it was hooked up with dial-up that my parents always got really clutchy over (idk if this was just a circumstance of the time period but like. did anyone else have a parent who acted like it was a life-or-death scenario if they missed even a single phone call ??? because my folks definitely did LOL) so something like toontown was just not in the cards LOL but I didn't know Toontown Rewritten was a thing so... maybe it's time for me to make another one of my childhood self's dreams come true (´｡• ᵕ •｡`) ♡

but that is really ironic, it's wild (and sad honestly) how so many accomplished writers and creators can become disconnected from what they originally represented and wrote about through... the disillusionment of fame and wealth i guess ??? or maybe it was just mold on the walls the whole time ?? 💀😆 i mean shit even rowling herself told a story about a boy literally living in the closet who finally escaped and went on to fight against an organization of literal fucking wizard nazi's, and yet now she seemingly missed the entire point of why kids resonated with her books so much and why they saw it as an inspiring message of hope and acceptance and love and persevering and standing up against literal fucking fascism ??? hello ???

actually there was a great video i watched a while ago about how despite the messages we took away from those books growing up, the HP books were also completely manufactured through the lens of capitalism, like not just as a franchise but on a narrative level. def give it a watch because it really kinda blew my mind and opened up a whole new perspective on the series for me LOL

[masha-nikita]

The Desert Eden

Neither this post nor Rommel is sponsored by Estee Lauder, I swear. This digital drawing is my attempt to capture the scent within this tiny bottle.

Some time ago, my friend mustered some money to get me this incredible perfume sample-- it must be known that this Esteee Lauder perfume series is mad expensive, and we are both very broke. Immediately, its name intrigues me-- DESERT EDEN.

At least based on its Chinese namesake 檀沙玫瑰, DESERT EDEN's notes are built upon very heavy rose-- which might lead many perfume lovers to believe it as mainly for women, and be shocked when it comes out too strong, unwearable even.

On Fragrantica, this perfume is marked as for MEN and for women. It is not one of those nondescript unisex type deal, with notes like fresh citrus, sweet amber, harmless vanilla or neutral musk— something any gender could wear and no one is offended. If the perfumer manufactured this bottle the inoffensive way, it could only end up purely feminine. It's a bouquet of roses after all.

Somehow, Estee Lauder made rose incredibly masculine. There's leather and iron, anger and strength in it. It's a bottle of roses in harsh climate adorn in thorns, ready to hurt, maybe be hurt, unique and brutal-- uniquely brutal. If your body odor/temperature cannot handle aldehydic types like Chanel no.5, I highly do not recommend. Not for the faint of heart. Except if you are born a man, maybe try out.

IDK, the DESERT EDEN just reminds me of Rommel, regardless of its name. I wear it with caution or else my colleagues are going to water-hose me down. I know shipping Montrommel (Montgomery x Rommel) too hard is part of my obsession with it, but what the heck.

This desert is their garden of Eden, where enemies could just be enemies, no intrigues, conspiracy, ideologies and politics, where surrender rather than needless massacres is the ultimate prize.

[lyss-sketchbox]

Have you played through Natlan a little bit yet? Because I love it except for one thing. Does the Archon quest feel...off to you? At least the first act. Specifically the character introductions and character acting?

Funny thing actually i JUST finished it last night!

Well uh spoilers ahead

I think its... alright-ish? Act 1 basically sets you up with the basics, the characters, the culture, the traditions, and lore so we know whats up. Cool. We are literally being fed information because we are tourists and i can excuse that.

Idk how to feel about traveller and paimon literally going 'ah look, an opportunity has arised, its time to do our thing and help with this major event'. I mean yes thats how its always been but mentioning it doesnt... help... it just points out a flaw.

The characters are fine enough imo. I really expected Mualani to have this super hyper attitude and squeaky voice we usually get from an 'everyone loves me' character but shes suprisingly mellow and i appreciate that alot. (May change with Citlali though and im not looking forward to it)

I do not like how it is very Tell not Show. Because you know what keeps being shown? The fact that Kachina is A CHILD. Maybe she's not an actual child who knows but hyv is clearly infantilizing her. Case in point:

The chief of the tribe literally asked you for ID because you are strangers hanging out around her. He literally said 'a good feeling isnt gonna be enough for your parents to trust these people'

After the chief knew who the traveller is, he said he could trust Kachina to go to the Stadium to sign up and not get into trouble. She HAS to participate because she has an Ancient Name and you can barely trust her to go to the stadium???

Kachina mentioning how she can't keep excusing her age for being a bad warrior. So she KNOWS shes young and either she or other people in the past has excused her for her performance because of her age.

The genuine actual side by side of her first match up. You know a child vs a massive buff man. Maybe it's just me but her kit is clearly not made to DPS and hyv making us fight these opponents with only her kinda makes it feel so much like a drag.

Everyone around her keeps saying oh shes actually really good, she almost made it last time, shes super powerful just lacking confidence. Well we dont really... see it. When the tournament started and we play as mualani and kachina all i can think about it 'yeah mualani is gonna do all the fighting here' and it adds to the idea that kachina literally did the bare minimum. But then suddenly we get a really cool cutscene of her defeating a 3 times winning veteran. It is not believable to me.

Also now that she's won we are literally sending her off to fight the abyss where she has a REAL CHANCE OF DYING but we gotta be ok with it because she can get resurrected? Are we not supposed to be concerned that we are sending a child to war with a real chance of her dying?

It is such a tonal shock and the traveller or paimon barely says anything about it so WE are supposed to be fine with it too? It probably is culture shock but like... SOME people still sees Clorinde as a killer despite doing her job as a duelist, how do you think those people will think seeing THIS tradition.

As for the bit where we go with mualani while we wait for kachina to come back from war, it was... alright i think. But the manufactured 'chillness' is there, like you can tell theyre trying their hardest to potray this tribe as the chill surfers one. Its also obvious they want us to like Atea. While she looks a lil overbearing i appreciate that they were being subtle about her 'my life isnt gonna last long so i am doing this dangerous task', they had to explain it anyway for mualani but i think them not stating out right at first that 'woah you werent going here because you can use the hotsprings again!' is a good choice, that is a good show not tell i think.

For now though the entire thing simply feels off because i feel like there's no stake at all for us. If kachina loses? Then she doesn't get sent to the war, thats kind of a good thing seeing how she did ended up 'dying'. We've met the archon but for some reason hasn't asked about our siblings or anything and the only reason we are staying is because its the right thing to do. Thats it. I think it's just... alot offered to us but none with actual value to the traveller personally.

While you can argue that fontaine is exactly like that, that we only stayed to help lyney with his trial and everything else because its the right thing to do. Lyney is fatui. Neuvillette is a dragon. And furina is an absent archon. Theres an air of mystery around how fontaine works and these people have MASSIVE connections. You almost want to stay to see how it'll turn up, what information will show up.

Natlan on the other hand revealed basically everything to us in the first 2 acts. Natlan gets abyss attacks because they dont have strong leyline connections. The fatui wants the gnosis and literally will just fight the archon for it. The archon is chill and kind and is the reincarnation of the original archon because we were told that. The facking traitor from night-wind is obviously the Ororon guy lmao. So what IS left to speculate? To look out for?

Like wow she's gonna carve us an Ancient Name? Why lmao. What for? We can purify the abyss we are not dying in the Night Kingdom.

Shrugs idk feel free to fight me on this. I am just a lil jaded because i literally cannot take the archon seriously when shes literally just called 'Archon' with no special title or anything

[aranock]

Just had someone claim that I maliciously stole ideas from a friend without acknowledgong them when said friend is litterally in the video, and I was in the video I supposedly took thing from, despite my not even once thinking about either thing as being even remotely similar. Like not even slightly an influence. Also I am pretty open about when something influenced me. I don't exactly hide it. Idk I feel like people are really stretching to find anything they can hate Jessie and I for this video with. Like really? Really?

Anyway just to be clear The Editor is not a ripoff of my friend Neil from The Leftist Cooks video on metamodernism, great video btw go watch it. I wrote the editor in because as I was doing the script editing proccess on Jessies initial script and came up with a new structure and worried that if I didnt draw attention to this people would maliciously misinterpret part 1 without getting to the part 2 twist. The Editor is LITTERALLY representing what I did in the script editing proccess for this video. Though there role and purpose expanded to represent more broadly what editing and editors do to works, reinforcing the points we make on art as collaborative and the importance of the influence of for example Marcia Lucas on making the original trilogy as good as it was. If there was any inspiration for The Editor it was chatting with my friend @wonderful101gecs about Pathologic and Brechtian Epic Theatre. I wanted to disallow the audience from suspension of disbelief and force them to reconcile with the world as it is and with how narratives are manufactured. Even then its pretty loose inspiration. The Editor was just a natural result of needing a purpose fulfilled and rounding out my layers within layers structure. Im not sure if it was Jessie or I that named them that, but we made them a named character because we worried at one point early on if we didnt do that people might get really shitty towards me. Like originally in the script it was just "Aranock" and as they became a character I pushed it further towards them being a sort of amoral embodiment of concepts masquerading as a villain who was masquerading as a Hero, pretendint to be the great person behind everything. Thus I came to "oh I need a second rug pull" and thats where layer 5 came from because I needed to really REALLY make the audience go "oh I need to question the narrative" and not treat The Editor as the great man myth. Layer 1, the animation, came from a desire to have a narrative layer below the documentary and video essay layers, below any meta layer. So yeah originally this was just a long very direct essay by Jessie about the making of and politics of star wars, my reediting of those become layer 2 and 3, with some small bits of those ending up in layer 4. Oh also some elements of what became the editor and of the script existed before I even began my youtube channel. Like I have been kicking around aspects of these ideas for over 3 years. The Editors opening monologue is almost all from something I wrote about a year before releasing my first video. So yeah I was not stealing stuff from a video by my friend that released last year, and frankly its really shitty that people assume that of me.

Also I'm tired of how frequently people have been specifying out just me to be shitty about. Attacking my voice for being feminine, being weird about my body. Really makes me feel great. Love being a trans woman making art on the internet. Love how y'all attack me if my voice sounds how you perceive womens voices should sound and you attack me when it doesnt. Im tired people suck, and its really weird that some of you want me to sound more "manly", but thanks for the validating my self taught voice training I guess????

[theharrowing]

Collateral 🗡️ POV: Seokjin

After a successful day of scheming, Seokjin calls his favorite plaything to join him and Hoseok for a little fun. 

PREVIOUS | INDEX | NEXT

❗ THIS IS A CHARACTER POV CHAPTER!!!

if you do not wish to perceive any POV that is not the main character, please feel free to skip this one!

🗡️Seokjin x Hoseok

🗡️ word count: 7.2k

🗡️ mafia au, dishonest characters, established relationship, bdsm, poly, smut, angst, fluff, nsfw, explicit, 21+

🗡️ warnings: top Seokjin with mention of bottom Hoseok; top Hoseok & bottom Seokjin; scheming; mention of the use of heroin; use of the word "whore" not meant derogatorily, but not always kindly; allusion to puppy play; talk of manufacturing and selling drugs with the purpose of getting people addicted; shower play; enema play; light humiliation; ass eating & fingering; Seokjin is...morally grey at best.

🗡️ notes: mc is referred to in 3rd person (she/her) pronouns for this chapter! listen: Seokjin is not the nicest person, so please take the way he speaks with a grain of salt. it is hard to put everyone's full intentions into the POV scenes because i still need there to be surprises later on!!! but i feel like this is going to really help to solidify the way many of you feel about this character hehehe. i hope you enjoy!

🗡️ early draft beta read by @blog-name-idk - with minor unbeta'd edits done since.

🗡️ posted march 2024 - originally jan. 2023 | read on ao3

"She's not going to go for it," Hoseok teases as he reaches around Seokjin's broad shoulders from behind and straightens out his burgundy satin tie. 

Seokjin's tie matches a fitted burgundy Armani suit, which he wears with a cream undershirt. His hair is pushed off his forehead, bringing together the look.

He has a meeting at House of Cards with some investors who are looking to build near the Shin territory just outside Busan, in a smaller port city, and Seokjin wants to make sure those men are on Yoongi's side if push should come to shove. 

But first, he plans to make a stop by the mansion to discuss something with Yoongi's little pet. 

"She doesn't have to go for it," Seokjin responds, watching Hoseok's reflection with adoration swelling behind his lungs. Recently, Hoseok has been letting his hair grow out, and he looks devastating with dark brown waves falling past his eyes and longer bits tucked behind his ears.

Hoseok raises an eyebrow and cocks his head, done with his task and letting his arms hang over Seokjin's shoulders. Seokjin spins on the balls of his socked feet and wraps his arms around Hoseok's waist, pulling him close. 

"I am merely planting a seed. I want the actual idea to be hers when the time comes."

Hoseok grins. "Elaborate."

"Well," Seokjin says, "for starters, the plan is terrible. Shipping her off to Busan for a week—or whatever the span of a vacation may be—is hardly enough time to turn her into an informant. She is smart enough to know that much. But I will pose it to her that way, insisting Yoongi cannot know, which will force her to stew on it. I know she wants revenge for the recent attack on Jimin at Paradise, and if Shin sends any more men to try to shake us up, it will only fuel her fire."

"And you want her to do this, because...?"

Seokjin chuckles. "Because, my love, Ryujin has always responded best to the friendships and authority of women. As sweet and empathetic as Hyunjin is, she has not gotten as close to him as we hoped. Yoongi's wolf cub, on the other hand, is the perfect bait. Not to mention, she comes from the honey bee ring, which Ryujin will sympathize with."

"And if Ryujin recognizes her from Serendipity?"

Seokjin pouts, sticking his lip out and down-turning his eyes. "Seokie, baby, you pretend I haven't thought of absolutely everything, and it wounds me."

With a roll of his pretty eyes and a soft giggle, Hoseok says, "Then humor me, love."

Seokjin rubs the tip of his nose against Hoseok's, then places a soft kiss, making Hoseok smile widely. "All we have to do is spread a rumor that Yoongi has harmed or upset her in some way. Nothing too damaging to his reputation, just a simple whisper. Ryujin may be hesitant, but, given her feelings about Yoongi, I think she will fall for it."

Hoseok leans in and mimics Seokjin's motion, rubbing their noses together, making Seokjin's heart pound just a little bit harder. "And if Ryujin doesn't believe the rumors? We don't think Yoongi was abusive to her at any point?"

"Not abusive..." Seokjin drifts off, squinting slightly while he chooses his words. "But when his parents died, he went off the deep end with drugs. All the voices have to whisper is the word heroin, and her ears will perk up."

Hoseok purses his lips, thinking over what Seokjin says but looking unconvinced.

"And anyway, she's competitive," Seokjin continues, gently kissing the tip of Hoseok's nose, "even if she doesn't buy the rumor," Seokjin kisses the apple of Hoseok's cheek, "Ryujin might still take her in, thinking she can convert her to actually become part of her family."

"Or, she might kill her," Hoseok responds with a pointed gaze.

Seokjin places a kiss on Hoseok's other cheek as he shrugs. "Sometimes, the cat must wet its feet, no matter its dislike of water, in order to eat fish."

A soft, pretty chuckle comes from Hoseok, who presses his lips against Seokjin's and then mutters, "Idioms to describe a human life, Jinnie bear? Tsk tsk."

Seokjin hums, says, "Sacrifices need to be made for the greater good," and licks over Hoseok's lips until his partner parts them, pulling him into an eager but soft kiss. 

Time comes to a halt in Hoseok's arms, and Seokjin holds him tight, kissing slow and deep, savoring each taste, touch, and sound. There is nothing in the world quite like being in his lover's arms. Even the joy of watching the light die in his enemy's eyes pales in comparison. Seokjin thinks that he would do absolutely anything for Hoseok.

"Join me?" Seokjin asks. "She may be more comfortable with you around; you seem to have made a better impression on her, anyway."

"Fine," Hoseok mutters. "But I do not condone a plan that may get her killed, just so we're clear." Seokjin playfully rolls his eyes, and Hoseok smacks him on the shoulder as he continues, "I do like the idea of her running off to Busan for a while. For her sake and for Yoongi's."

"Oh?" Seokjin asks with a curious cock of the head, studying the microexpressions that tug gently at Hoseok's lips and eyes. To the untrained pupil, one would hardly notice these quirks, but Seokjin sees everything. Hoseok is nervous.

"Namjoon thinks he's becoming unhinged again," Hoseok finally says. "Slipping from reality. He's worried about another bender...so your plan to tell the voices about heroin use seems more grounded in reality than you realize."

"And you think taking her away from him won't just make him worse?" Seokjin teases, bending at the knees to smack a kiss on Hoseok's chin. 

Hoseok nibbles on his bottom lip, considering his words. "I think she needs to spend more time out of the house, and out from under Yoongi's shadow. He is still very controlling, despite her willingness to stay, and whenever she's not directly in his line of sight, he gets paranoid and on edge."

Seokjin mulls it over. "I have noticed he is on edge more when we are away from home for extended periods."

"He needs to break out of that loop. We can't have a mad king on our hands. Especially one who could raze the city to the ground."

"So, we need to somehow get him to grant her more freedom, in a way that does not cause Yoongi to completely lose his shit," Seokjin clarifies.

Hoseok nods. "I'll talk to Namjoon about it."

"Good plan."

And with that, Seokjin presses one more kiss against Hoseok's lips, then releases him, linking their hands together as they make their way out of their bedroom, through the hallway, and down the stairs. 

"And what is our excuse for visiting the mansion?" Hoseok asks as Seokjin sits on a charcoal grey chaise lounge beside the front door, reaching for a pair of black wingtip shoes. Seokjin slides his feet into both and begins tying the laces on one after the other. 

"I am either going to catch Yoongi before he leaves for the day and discuss what he would like me to say to the investors this afternoon," Seokjin sighs, "or I will message to let him know that I was trying to catch him before he left, yadda, yadda, yadda."

As Seokjin stands and rubs his hands over his slacks to straighten them out, Hoseok pulls his black shirt sleeve back to reveal an elegant black timepiece. "He should be home for another fifteen minutes, assuming Namjoon is making him punctual and not late."

With a pleased hum, Seokjin offers an elbow and says, "The weather is nice. Shall we walk?"

The weather truly is beautiful, and the two of them take their time, walking hand in hand along the gravel path. Seokjin does not like to be nostalgic, but it is hard not to smile as he remembers the years spend in this secluded stretch of trees with Hoseok, before there were mansions on the property, and they would steal away to be alone.

As timing will have it, Yoongi and Namjoon are just about to leave when Seokjin and Hoseok arrive. Seokjin can hear the two of them laughing on the other side of the bulletproof door and opts to use the large brass knocker rather than scan his retinas, and all that. 

The door swings open to Namjoon's tired but smiling face, and he walks outside, followed by Yoongi. They are in their standard black outfits, and Yoongi wears a cardigan rather than a blazer. Seokjin wonders what the two of them may be up to; Yoongi only mentioned meeting with some people concerning the mess Jeongguk recently made—which, Seokjin thinks, is a very flippant way to address a killing spree. 

"Gentlemen," Yoongi calls with his arms held wide, "to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"

"Looking sharp, Jin," Namjoon mutters, making Seokjin grin. 

"My reason to visit today is twofold," Seokjin begins. "I was hoping the chef was in so I could have a plate of his fabulous eggs benedict.

"Of course," Yoongi responds with a smile. 

"And, I wanted to let you know that I will be meeting with the Choi brothers about their desire to open a casino near Busan."

Yoongi hums and then nods. "The chef is in, although, I am surprised you haven't perfected the recipe on your own."

With a shrug, Seokjin lies, "There is something about his hollandaise sauce that I cannot quite nail, but he refuses to give me the recipe." 

The truth is that the chef adds horseradish rather than dijon mustard, and just a dash of dried ginger, giving it more of a bite. Seokjin figured it out almost immediately, but he likes that the chef can whip it up on a whim, saving him the trouble of purchasing the ingredients and doing it himself.

"And the men?" Yoongi asks as he reaches into his front pants pocket, pulls out a metal cigarette case, and opens it, revealing a row of perfectly rolled joints. 

"Shall we offer to buy them, or shall we threaten them?" Seokjin simply asks.

With a smirk and a shrug, Yoongi pulls a joint to his lips, muttering, "Offer first, threaten second?"

Seokjin nods, watching as Namjoon pulls a lighter from his pocket and ignites Yoongi's joint, feeling glad that the two of them are finally able to be together once more. Yoongi needs a lapdog more than anything, and Namjoon is the perfect fit. 

"Excellent," Seokjin says with a small bow, "then I will be on my way to the kitchen. Shall I order an extra serving for the wolf cub?"

Yoongi takes a long drag of the joint, holds it in, and then slowly lets it out, creating a plume of skunky smoke between them. "I doubt she'll be up for another hour or so."

Perfect, Seokjin thinks; he actually was hoping to be fed. "Sounds good."

The front door hadn't been closed completely, so Seokjin enters the mansion easily, stepping aside to remove his shoes while Hoseok does the same. They close the door tight and make their way toward the kitchen. 

"You're so hot when you lie," Hoseok mutters, leaning in close enough for Seokjin to smell his cologne.

Seokjin twists and bends to place a kiss on Hoseok's lips, saying, "As are you, my love."

* * *

Despite having to wait more than thirty minutes on the balcony for Yoongi's darling to wake up, Seokjin considers their little meeting a success. He was certainly able to get into her head and could tell she was not ready to completely write off the idea of taking a trip by the time they made their exit, giving him just enough time to get into town on schedule for his meeting.

House of Cards is a raucous place even in the daytime when fewer men are around to throw away their money. The machines ding and play loud soundtracks, and televisions blare with various sport and fighting events. 

Seokjin enters through the main doors after leaving his sedan with valet, and he walks past all the drunks and coke heads with a straight face, making his way to his decoy office on the main floor to meet with some men whom Namjoon claims are going to be good for business if they can manage to keep him on their good side, and bad for business if they do not. 

Frankly, Seokjin could hardly give a fuck about what is good for business—Yoongi has inherited one of the oldest families in Korea, and by far the wealthiest. House of Cards brings in money simply by existing, and he hardly has to do any actual work. The boxing nights were Jeongguk's idea because he likes watching men fight to the death, and the wealth gained from those simply fuels the family's more expensive drug habits. 

The Shins in the east hardly have a stronghold on their own docks, and the Songs in the south are happy to form an alliance when the price is right, showing loyalty to no one but their own pockets.

Rumor has it the Song family turned down the Choi men because they do not wish to be in the business of entertaining tourists, and a casino might bring in the wrong crowds. Let the tourists flock to Jeju, they say, and Seokjin agrees. The Shins, on the other hand, are desperate for anything they can get their fingers on, and more or less offered them a stretch of land. 

All Seokjin has to do is offer the Choi brothers more money and an illusion of influence. Seems like the easiest thing in the world. The only variable he thinks that could possibly make those men want to side with the Shins would be an old family bond or rivalry, and as far as he can tell, these men have neither. So now, all he has to do is meet with them and find out what he can find out. 

Seokjin has a way with men. A look, a gesture, and a veiled threat are all he needs to get them talking. He has no doubt he will be able to make these men sing. 

* * *

Seokjin barely manages to light a cigar before his phone rings. The Choi brothers left mere minutes ago, and Seokjin had been hoping for a moment of alone time, but it is his informant who has been living with the Shin family, which makes this call potentially very important.

"Hyunjin, darling, what's the news?"

Seokjin sits back in his large, black leather chair, listening to the shocks whine as he leans, bending the springs a bit too far. He is in his real office on the second floor, and has a cigar between his teeth, slurring his words around it while he holds his cell phone to his ear. His informant, who works on Ryujin's drug-running team, sighs. 

"She plans to intercept Yoongi's next shipment of pills. Apparently, one of his dock men was bought. A man by the name of Kang Daesung is going to steal the shit."

"Fuckers," Seokjin mutters, spit flying from his lips. He takes a puff from the cigar and holds the smoke in, then lets it out with a bitter huff. It feels lackluster now, and he gently stubs the cigar out on a golden ashtray, then sets it aside to let it extinguish itself the rest of the way. 

Shin has really been coming for the drug operations, which has Seokjin feeling concerned for Jeongguk's safety. And his sanity.

"I am also one of the only people who knows this information, so now that I have passed it along, I have put a target on my back."

Seokjin hums and considers his options. 

"You want to come home, or hop off the peninsula for a while?"

Another sigh comes through the line, and Seokjin gives him time to consider. Hyunjin has been with the Shin family long enough that leaving the country may be his best bet, but he does have a family of his own, which could complicate things. 

When Hyunjin does not respond, Seokjin says, "We can get your little girl into a prestigious American school. Or Australian; there are plenty of Koreans in Australia. And we could assist with getting you and the wife nice jobs." 

"Yeah," Hyunjin says. "Yeah, you're right. I'll think it over and talk to Jisu. Maybe Australia would be good."

"Let me know," Seokjin says as he thumbs through his files, opening a folder that reads "Hwang Hyunjin'' and pulling out documents. "Your passport is current, and I have a burner identity on the books with a line of credit. I can have you on a flight within an hour, any time, day or night, alright?"

"Thank you, Seokjin-ssi."

As they end the call, Seokjin pinches the bridge of his nose and sighs. He hates giving Yoongi bad news. This will also put another man in Jeongguk's crosshairs, and Seokjin really hopes that hunting him down will not also include killing fourteen of this man's closest friends. 

Seokjin dials Yoongi and is surprised he picks up on the first ring. "Jin."

"Yoongichi, bad news." 

Yoongi sighs and hums, and Seokjin continues. "Hwang called. Says Kang is planning to switch teams and sabotage the next shipment of pills."

"She bought him, eh?" Yoongi asks. 

"Yup."

"Fuckers."

"Yup."

"What about Hwang?"

"I offered him an out, and he said he would think about it. Considering Australia."

"Sounds good. I may call everyone to meet later. Taehyung has an engagement until nine, so it will be a late one if I do."

"Alright. I'm headed home soon. Should have my hands full for a few hours, so after nine is perfect."

"Thanks, Jin."

"No problem."

At least Yoongi's tone was pretty flat; no reaction from Yoongi is the best reaction. Especially if Namjoon is worried about him falling off the rails. 

This bump in the road aside, Seokjin considers the day a win, and he lifts his cigar, fits it between his lips, and lights it back up before locking up and heading out.

* * *

Seokjin My winning streak continues. This calls for celebration.

Hoseok In the pink dollhouse room?

Seokjin Of course, baby. Where else?

Hoseok ETA?

Seokjin 1 hour. Going to make a pitstop. I called Puppy, and he will be there in 20.

Hoseok  I'll be home to get our guest ready.

Seokjin Thank you, baby.

Hoseok  Anything for you, Jinnie bear.

To celebrate, Seokjin calls Hyungwon—his and Hoseok's favorite whore—to join them in one of the dollhouse rooms. Hoseok is home to get him ready while Seokjin stops at one of the boutiques to buy him a white leather muzzle that is shaped to fit a dog, with pointed ears on top and a pretty pink bow in the center. 

The pièces de résistance, however, is a bar inside the muzzle for Hyungwon to bite down on, ideally making a mess of himself with drool. 

One of Hyungwon's favorite toys is an anal plug with a long white tail, and Seokjin wants to see him with a pretty new accessory to match it. And, although Seokjin has plenty of items like this in his puppy playhouse room, this muzzle is a gift specifically for his most special whore. He is feeling rather generous tonight.

The drive home is short and sweet, and when Seokjin arrives, he is pleased to see a motorcycle parked in the driveway and light shining through the sheer white curtains of the first room on the second floor, confirming that Hyungwon has, in fact, already arrived, and that Hoseok must be getting him ready. 

Seokjin always finds it incredible how the man can strip down from all his worn, thick leather and stand in the prettiest pink lingerie, and he laments briefly that he was not home to witness the transformation. 

When Jimin first hired Hyungwon at Paradise, Seokjin thought that, perhaps, the heavens had opened up and shined just for him. He has a cold indifference to him that makes Seokjin want to break him apart and make him sob. And he does.

Hyungwon is the only man who allows Seokjin to do every little sadistic thing he desires, then leaves at the end of the session with a soft kiss and a promise to return. Seokjin treasures him dearly. 

Many whores blacklist him for less. 

Of course, now that Jimin has returned to their bed, Hyungwon may have to take second place, but that is a discussion for another time. Seokjin is eager to make Jimin sob again and again, but he worries about coming on too strongly and scaring him off. Jimin has always been quite sensitive, which Seokjin will never understand, but he does his best to respect it.

Seokjin takes his time exiting the car, grabbing the black paper shopping bag with an expensive monogram on all sides. He knows the men have heard his car pull up, and he wants to draw out the anticipation and make them wait. 

Hoseok, in particular, hates to wait. His temper is as explosive as the incendiary devices he so enjoys crafting, and Seokjin takes pleasure in pushing his buttons.

As he punches the hex code of his partner's favorite shade of sunshine yellow into the door and waits for the device to scan his retina, Seokjin takes a deep breath and allows a hint of a smile to creep over his face.

Things within the family have been a bit of a mess lately, but everything seems to be going fairly well, aside from their drug runner turning heel. Men on the lower ranks tend to chase money, after all; they are no stranger to these types of incidents.

If he can ensure the Choi brothers remain loyal and convince Yoongi's darling to leave town for a while, everything might even be perfect for some time. Seokjin hesitates to dwell on the thought.

Once inside, Seokjin closes the front door as quietly as he can and has a seat on his chaise lounge to remove his wingtips one at a time, placing them carefully beside the rows of footwear. Then, he takes the handles of the bag gently in his fingers and creeps up to the second floor, stalking like a tiger in the hope of catching the men off guard. 

He can hear their voices coming from the room, though what they are saying is difficult to make out. Hoseok has an excited lilt to his voice, and Hyungwon is speaking too softly to be detected clearly. Hyungwon is often quite soft-spoken—another thing Seokjin enjoys about him. 

As Seokjin gets to the top of the stairs, he forgets that the landing step is particularly creaky, putting down his weight as the wood whines beneath his toes. He lets out the breath that he had been holding, dropping his head in a defeated sigh as a tuft of brown hair shoots out from the first door on the right, and Seokjin spots his partner. 

"Gotta get that step fixed," Seokjin complains as he straightens his posture and smooths down his burgundy jacket. 

Hoseok grins from ear to ear, and he stands in the doorway to the pink dollhouse room with his hair disheveled and the top four buttons of his dress shirt undone. The sight of exposed sun-kissed skin has Seokjin's heart thudding behind his ribs, and he lifts a brow, playfully assessing the sight. 

"Did my puppies begin without me?" he teases as he approaches with his shoulders hunched forward to give Hoseok the impression that he is stalking his prey.

Hoseok chuckles, and Seokjin can tell he is feeling shy from the accusation as he bites his lip and shakes his head. "Hyungwon messed up my hair because he wanted you to think we had started without you. But we are being good puppies, I promise."

With a hum, Seokjin stalks further, watching Hoseok become increasingly antsy the closer he gets. "And is he all ready for me?"

"He is," Hoseok beams, taking a step back to allow Seokjin to enter the room. 

Seokjin, however, pounces, pressing Hoseok into the far side of the door frame and caging him in with his arms, giving him nowhere to go. With a hand on the dollhouse room wall and the hand holding onto the shopping bag on the hallway wall, Seokjin towers over his partner and gazes down at him hungrily.

"But are you ready for me?"

A silly question, since a stipulation to being Seokjin's lover is to be ready at all times. Hoseok cleans himself every morning, and he inserts a plug every time Seokjin is expected to be home so that there is very little need for prep and Seokjin can take what he wants. 

Of course, Seokjin is no monster; if they are unable to engage in play, Hoseok simply removes the plug—or gets himself off and then removes it—ensuring that it does not stay nestled up inside him long enough to cause any kind of complications or health risks. 

But Seokjin tries to be very clear about his expectations, and they communicate their schedules in order to make sure Hoseok can be ready for him at the drop of a hat. Seokjin's appetite is insatiable, and it is not unusual for them to fuck five or six nights a week. One of the reasons they invite so many whores to play dress up and join them is to give Hoseok a little extra help. That, and whores tend to come pre-used.

A plus side of fucking Jimin back in the day was when he would come home from the club, already stretched from his clients. Even when he would whine about being sore and sensitive, he would be such a good, pliant boy for Seokjin. Not a day goes by that Seokjin doesn't dream about the sweet sounds Jimin would make, becoming an overstimulated, sobbing mess long before either of them would reach their first orgasm. 

Hoseok's smile falters ever so slightly, and Seokjin already knows what he is going to say. He must have assumed that, because they have a guest for the night, Hoseok would not be expected to be stretched. He should know by now that when Seokjin calls with good news, that a victory fuck is in order, whether or not they are tending to a guest for the evening. 

And this, Seokjin thinks, is the danger of falling in love. Years ago, Seokjin would plot ways to punish his puppy for being so short-sighted and disobedient. But now? Staring into his deep brown eyes, downturned beneath a knit brow, all Seokjin wants to do is kiss him and tell him everything will be alright. His heart has become soft. 

Before Hoseok can excuse his bad behavior, Seokjin plants a soft smooch on the tip of his nose and grins. "I'm kidding," he assures softly. 

"You're not," Hoseok groans as relief paints his face. 

"I'm not," Seokjin admits, taking a step back and allowing Hoseok to breathe. "But I am in too good of a mood to make you cry."

"Lucky me," Hoseok teases with a wink. 

Seokjin leans in and places a kiss on Hoseok's forehead, then enters the room. The walls are all painted cotton candy pink, and there is a large bed on the left with plush pink bedding and a white wrought iron sleigh frame with beautiful spiral designs at the head and foot—perfect for attaching restraints. 

Hoseok's favorite addition to the room is a pale pink sex swing that hangs from the center of the space, with vines wrapped around the long arms that stretch to the ceiling. Seokjin is partial to the vanity with a large mirror that is very sturdy and perfect for humiliation play. 

The wooden furniture and wainscoting are all painted pink with gold accents, the floor is covered in pink carpeting and large, white cloud-shaped rugs, and every light fixture is a giant, white orb. In the corner of the room furthest from the bed is a chair in the shape of a giant pink high-heel, and when Seokjin enters, that is where he finds their guest. 

Hyungwon is breathtaking in sheer pink babydoll lingerie with little ruffled sleeves that hang from his shoulders, and a skirt that falls just above his thighs. He reclines on the shoe chair with one knee bent, bare foot adorned with pretty silver chains and rings, perched delicately atop the chair, and the other leg down, spread slightly to accommodate for the chair's width. His hair is long enough to be styled behind his ears—straight and black as a raven's feather—and he wears a thick silver choker of shimmering zirconias and a glittery lip balm.

"Master Seokjin," Hyungwon states as he moves from his reclined position—which Seokjin assumes he only sat in to be a tease, in the first place—and slowly lifts his leg, leaning forward and getting onto his hands and knees. "You look ravishing tonight, sir."

Seokjin turns to Hoseok with a puzzled expression, then back to Hyungwon, "Baby, did you give our pet permission to speak?"

"I did not, sir," Hoseok responds simply, standing near the wall with his arms flat at his sides. "But you do look ravishing tonight, sir."

How in the world Seokjin wound up with two disobedient puppies, he will never know, but he cannot bring himself to be upset when they are so devastatingly pretty and so good to him. Seokjin reaches to tap the underside of Hoseok's chin with the pad of his finger—a playful gesture that also tells him to keep that gorgeous fucking mouth of his closed unless he is asked to open it.

Hoseok smiles, winks, and does not say another word.

"I got you something," Seokjin beams as he turns back to Hyungwon, closing the gap between them. 

He reaches into the bag, pulls out the leather dog muzzle, and holds it up. Hyungwon's eyes widen, and a soft smile plays on his lips. If the man truly is excited, Seokjin has no idea; all he cares about is that he acts the part, as he is paid to do. And Hyungwon, as always, is a brilliant performer.

* * *

The shower down the hall in the guest bathroom runs as Seokjin pushes a hand through his hair, walking from the dollhouse room to his bedroom. His cream shirt is unbuttoned and hung open, burgundy pants are undone, and he is covered in a sheen of sweat. 

Hyungwon practically needed to be carried away when Seokjin was finished with him, and Hoseok is currently assisting with washing him and tending to his various marks with creams. Seokjin was not too hard on him, but his nails did break skin a couple of times, and he spanked him until both cheeks were tomato red. 

Although it is getting late, Yoongi has called to request everyone to congregate at the mansion at the top of the hour. It gives Seokjin thirty-five minutes to change into a black dress shirt and slacks and see that Hyungwon is able to get home on his own or has a suitable bed to sleep in for the night. Ordinarily, Seokjin is not as kind to his whores, but after what he did to the guy's ass, he takes pity on him for driving out on a motorcycle. 

The sound of the shower shutting off is followed by muffled voices, and Seokjin shrugs out of his shirt, dropping it into a hamper near the closet door, and grabs a black shirt from a hanger. He attempts to listen for the men—to get a sense of whether or not Hyungwon will need to stay—but all he can make out is Hoseok's bright, happy laughter. 

Seokjin loves it when Hoseok laughs loud and unabashedly. It rings like music to his ears. 

"Baby?" Hoseok calls down the hallway. 

Seokjin takes a step out of the closet as he buttons his shirt and shouts, "Bedroom," then returns to the racks of clothing and wiggles out of his slacks, picking them up and placing them into the hamper, and then reaching for a black pair to slide into.

"Ah," Hoseok says as he rounds the corner and finds Seokjin dressed in all black. "Yoongi called."

"He did," Seokjin responds. 

"For all of us?"

"For all of us."

"Hyungwon should be good to drive, but I'll go check on him."

Seokjin flashes Hoseok a smile. "Thank you, love."

Once he is ready, Seokjin switches off the light and exits his and Hoseok's massive closet, then he leaves the bedroom and makes his way down the hall, to the pink dollhouse room. The dark wood wainscoting and blood-red walls adorned with pretty brass sconces is such an abrupt change of scenery compared to the pink playroom, and from time to time, it makes Seokjin chuckle softly when he leaves one atmosphere for the other. 

Hyungwon sits on the edge of the bed dressed in blue jeans, a blue and white flannel shirt, and a black leather jacket, with his hands in his lap. Hoseok stands before him, dabbing a salve to his lip, which Seokjin split from slapping a little too hard once the muzzle came off. To Seokjin's credit, Hyungwon was the one who begged him to hit him harder. 

As Seokjin enters, both men turn to him with smiles, and Seokjin leans against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest. 

"How is our puppy feeling?"

"Amazing," Hyungwon responds, always saying so no matter which state he seems to be in. 

"Good. And I take it your ass isn't too sore for the bike?"

Hoseok shoots Seokjin an incredulous glare, which he pointedly ignores. 

Hyungwon chuckles quietly. "No, sir. Not too sore."

"Good. I will be downstairs, then." He turns his gaze to Hoseok. "Join me soon?"

Hoseok nods and screws the cap on his balm, then leans to place a soft kiss on Hyungwon's forehead as Seokjin takes his leave and goes downstairs, to the kitchen, to have a few shots of whiskey before heading out to Yoongi's place. 

It does not take long for the others to join him, and they bid Hyungwon farewell with kisses to his cheeks and forehead, then link hands and take the long way to Yoongi's property, up toward Taehyung's place and cutting through the gardens. It is eerie out here at night with low lighting and tall, dark shadows. They walk all the way around the mansion, to the front door, and find Taehyung and Jeongguk on the stoop, smoking a cigarette.

"Fellas," Seokjin calls, and everyone lifts their hand hello.

"Is it just us?" Hoseok asks, and Taehyung shakes his head, saying, "Jimin is inside."

Seokjin takes a puff from Taehyung's cigarette, then goes inside, happy to find Jimin and Namjoon seated on the couch as he takes his place on the far end. Seokjin assumes Yoongi would be upstairs and is surprised to see him enter through the front door with Taehyung and Jeongguk. Once they are all seated, Yoongi begins. 

"We have two orders of business, which are somewhat related. The first is that Jeonggukie has been working with a team to formalize a new type of ecstasy that contains amphetamines, to give the user more of an upper-type high. It will be smoother than the shit the Americans sell, which contain meth, and the users will crave the experience, ideally getting them hooked on it."

This news comes as somewhat of a surprise to Seokjin, but he does not show it, keeping his expression stoic. He is curious when Yoongi decided to pivot into selling drugs for the purpose of creating addicts, and thinks perhaps the man really is losing his mind. He sounds like his late father, which is no compliment.

Yoongi continues. "So far, the trials have been pretty positive, and we should have those on the streets within the next month, or so. Let Jeongguk know if you would like samples."

Yoongi sits up and sighs, "And for our second order of business, it seems our main dock man Kang has been bought, and he plans to fuck with our next shipment of pills. I will be orchestrating a hit some time this weekend."

"I can go," Jeongguk offers, and Seokjin is pleased when Yoongi holds his hand up, turning him down.

"I need you to stay here this weekend. I want us to start going to the range again, and there are some other things I want you around for. I'll put Changkyun on the job."

Jeongguk opens his mouth to complain, and Yoongi cuts him off. "Ggukie, we have men hired to carry out hits. Let me utilize them."

Silence falls, then Namjoon clears his throat. "Is there anything anyone else would like to share?"

Seokjin cannot believe everyone was called over for this, and he crosses his arms over his chest and glances around. When nobody says anything, he shrugs and says, "Guess that's it."

"Alright," Yoongi says as he slaps his palms over his knees and stands with a sigh. "I thought this would be more of a conversation, but it seems pretty cut and dry. Thanks for coming by."

Seokjin studies Yoongi as he stands, curious about what Namjoon sees that makes him so paranoid. There are bags under his eyes, and he seems quite tired, but he does not seem jittery or pale, or any of the other symptoms Seokjin tries to remember from his last bender. 

It could be his more recent shift in seeming colder than usual. Prior to the pet moving in upstairs, Yoongi even went so far as to have a nasty little violent streak. Still, violence is not an indicator of drug abuse.

Yoongi has always been good at hiding shit until it is really bad, however, and he has always been quite unreadable, wearing parts of himself on his sleeve while keeping the rest locked away. He hopes that Namjoon's suspicions are false, but nobody would know better than him.

With that, everyone stands to leave, including Yoongi. In fact, the only person who seems to hang back is Namjoon. They say good night, everyone begins to head back to their homes, and Namjoon locks up the mansion as Yoongi slides his hands into his pockets and sets off in the direction of Namjoon's home.

Something is definitely amiss, but Seokjin does not feel like asking. The warmth of Hoseok's hand pulls him from his thoughts as he is tugged in the direction of home.

When they return from the meeting that could have been a conversation via group text, Seokjin sits with a huff on his chaise lounge. He bends his leg to lift it in order to untie his shoe, but Hoseok drops to his knees and places a hand on Seokjin's foot, guiding it to the floor. 

"You seem off, baby," Hoseok mutters sweetly. "Let me take care of you."

With an affectionate smile, Seokjin crosses his arms over his chest and lets his posture droop in a sigh. "Always taking care of others."

Hoseok's eyes shine as he mutters, "I live to serve."

Seokjin chuckles and sits up straight as Hoseok removes one shoe, then the other, and places them neatly aside. "We both know that is untrue."

"Yes," Hoseok responds, also laughing. 

Seokjin leans forward, takes Hoseok's chin in his hand, and pulls him close. Hoseok strains to get near enough, sitting high on his knees, but Seokjin stays just out of reach as he says, "You can still take care of me, though."

He revels in the way Hoseok's tone drops as he asks, "And how would you like me to do that, baby?"

Seokjin begins to think of all the ways he would like to make Hoseok whine, but Hoseok continues, "It's been a while since you've submitted to me and completely let go of control."

It has been a while. Probably months. Seokjin mulls it over with a squint of his eyes. There is nothing in this world that he likes more than pulling sweet sounds from Hoseok's lips, but he knows that Hoseok also enjoys being in control. However, relinquishing power does not come easily to a man like Seokjin.

"You are correct," Seokjin finally responds. "It has been a while."

Hoseok's eyes glimmer with mirth, and even if Seokjin had not been considering it before, he would certainly cave now. With a nibble of his bottom lip, Seokjin leans close enough to kiss Hoseok. 

"I'll let you fuck me tonight. Give me twenty minutes to get ready?"

With a pout, Hoseok shakes his head. "I want to get you ready."

"Oh?"

"Please."

"Enema play, Seok? Really?"

Hoseok shrugs. "I want to watch you tremble and whimper as the water falls out."

Seokjin, admittedly, gets it. "Alright, let's go."

Hoseok is gentle as he takes Seokjin's hand and leads him up the stairs and down the hall to their master suite. He is gentle as he undresses him and leads him to their shower. Gentle when he bends Seokjin over—hands splayed on the white tile bench that runs along one wall—and inserts the nozzle of the enema. Seokjin gasps from the sensation; he hasn't done this in quite a while.

When Hoseok takes Seokjin by the hair and lifts his head, pulling him into a standing position, he is less gentle. Lifting the bag, which is full of tepid water, so that it can enter his body makes Seokjin gasp, sending a shudder through him. 

Hoseok holds his chin, firm and not very gently as he says, "Eyes on me," and slowly pulls the nozzle out, releasing the water to the floor of the shower. 

Seokjin keeps his eyes on Hoseok as the water rushes from him, a sensation that he thinks should not be in the least bit erotic. Hoseok knows that this is mildly humiliating, which, Seokjin thinks, is the reason he is insisting on it. 

Hoseok inserts the nozzle two more times, sending water rushing from Seokjin's rectum, holding him in place while they stare into one another's eyes. Warmth covers Seokjin's face in a mix of embarrassment and arousal, and when Hoseok bends him back over right there in the shower to eat him out, Seokjin practically blacks out. 

"Fuck, feels so good," he whimpers as Hoseok teases his hole with his tongue, circling the rim and prodding inside. 

"You like it, baby?" Hoseok groans, biting Seokjin's buttcheek and circling a finger over him, gently pushing inside and pulling out, making Seokjin sigh and tremble from pleasure-pain. 

"You know I do," Seokjin whines.

Hoseok groans. "Too bad I won't let you cum until you're begging and sobbing."

Evil. Pure fucking evil. Hoseok loves making someone like Seokjin beg. He whimpers before he can stop himself, and Hoseok chuckles and crashes a hand over his ass with a loud, wet smack.

"Come on, big boy," Hoseok sing-songs "Let's tie you to the bed and make you scream."

Seokjin already fears for his life, knowing that Hoseok will edge him for hours. But the earth-shattering orgasm that tears his world asunder, followed by Hoseok's sweet, pretty smile, makes everything worth it. How could he possibly resist?

*

THANK YOU FOR READINGGG!!!

i didn't give Hyungwon a relationship tag since he's not a main character in the story, nor does he appear again. for those of you who aren't monbebe, this is the man i was talking about:

i also remember being too exhausted to write a smut scene when i was putting this POV together, which is why we don't get to experiencing these three together hahaha. i think i wrote Hoseok and Seokjin back to back.

REBLOGS AND COMMENTS ARE THE LIFEBLOOD OF THIS SITE, BUT LIKES ARE ALSO SUPER APPRECIATED!!! THANK YOU FOR READING, I LOVE YOU!!!

tag lists will be on separate reblogs! they’ve gotten too big to contain as one! if you would like to be tagged in this fic, please let me know!!! 💜💜💜

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Collateral is copyright 2022 - 2024 theharrowing, all rights reserved. no translations or reposts allowed!

[not-a-seagull]

Prison · Riot · Revolt Masterpost

Hello! as the name suggest, this is a masterpost, where all my transcrips for the "Prison · Riot · Revolt" event can be found.

It also doubles as a masterlist of all the sources i've used in every chapter. Big shout out to the nukani wiki, since that's where most of my sources come from.

Another big shout out is to user RauTOI on yt; they recorded the chapters for "Prison · Riot · Revolt" and uploaded them. Without those videos, i would've been unable to transcript the chapters.

You can find a link to the playlist they've made with all the chapters separated into two videos in the "source" part of this post, however, if you click on their name, it should take you to their channel.

I hope everyone can enjoy the story now!

(also, if you find any typos or errors in any of the posts, please say so! i will correct them as soon as possible.)

Note: as of writing this, I haven't put this transcrips up in the NU Carnival wiki yet, but i promise i will do so soon.

240615Edit: Helloooo... I've just finished putting up all of the chapters in the nukani wiki! Yay :D! I hope this event can now be enjoyed by everyone ^_^

Here is the link for the wiki article.

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Chapters:

Prison Cell – 01: “Prison Inspection”

Prison Cell – 02: “Unexpected Criminal”

Prison Cell – 03: “Estranged Attitude”

Prison Cell – 04: “New Convict”

Prison Cell – 05: “Cracking the Whip”

Prison Cell – 06: “White Figure”

Prison Cell – 07: “Contraband”

Prison Cell – 08: “Illegal Crowcave Logging”

Prison Cell – 09: “Carpentry Operations”

Prison Cell – 10: “Manufacturing Opportunity”

Prison Cell – 11: “Giving the Game Away”

Prison Cell – 12: “Breaking the Law”

Prison Cell – 13: “Planting Operations”

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Sources:

NU Carnival wiki:

Backgrounds page.

Audio Files page.

Enemies page. (Warden, Guards, and Knights images.)

Collectable Item. (Frosted Cookie, Mini magic Bombs.)

Stage List. (where I got the chapter names.)

Official NU Carnival Twitter (i refuse to call it "X"):

Vigilant Observer Edmond Image. (announcement post.)

Shackled Thug Quincy. (announcement post.)

Video reference for the transcript: RauTOI. (Playlist of all the chapters.)

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idk how necessary is to say this, BUT, as you can see i don't own the story, or characters, or anything, really. The only thing i take credit for is manually transcripting it all... Even if it took me several days and caused me back/neck pains...

Fun fact: The google document i made for the whole transcripted story + a very messy list with all my sources + a list to keep progress of each chapter (like: "transcripted, posted.") is about 35 pages long. :)

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[noeggets]

Ep 8 of batte netwoek is kinda like really needs to be rewritten

the first problem i have come to rewatching this series is that why are Lan/Megaman's friends around if they don't do anything? like they all keep saying they want to help but never do anything and then are the first people to shout "WE DID IT" when the only person who did anything is Megaman and Lan to some extent Maylu and the other kids but not their Navi's save for Gutsman sometimes

but Ep 8, im using English dub names but im watching the sub, the english names stuck with me so just deal with it

Anyway Mr Match is mad because he wants a rematch with Megaman, so he comes up with a plan to cause problems all over the city to get his attention. In doing so he melts all the icecream at the place it's being created, he heats up the stores so hot the places food are being stored boils like soda, he also makes the fishtanks in the petshop boil so hot it breaks the glass i know maverick activity.

one of the other things he does is he he heats up the salon and it messes up Maylu's hair while she's getting it done. Maylu is embarrassed about her hair but honestly it's really cute so she wears a hat to school to hide it

Lan starts laughing at her and she gets really upset Dex can somewhat hold it in to not laugh at her and tell Lan he's being mean but ultimately he's laughing at her as well but he does a better job at not laughing at her, idk what their laughing at she looks really cute????

So Maylu feeling extremely embarrassed deletes Lan's homework off his computer and walks away.

Part of me is like "lol, he deserved it" cause it was funny but if your thinking of this from another stand point even if she was mad at him she really shouldn't have deleted his homework that was wrong of her. Megaman even says Lan shouldn't have laughed at Maylu and Roll says Maylu shouldn't have deleted Lan's homework cause both of those things were wrong of them

While that's happening Megaman's worried about the fact the salon overheated for some reason and ask Rol if she noticed anything weird happening, Roll says she did not and Megaman says

and she gets mad and says

and Megaman's like "i did not say that" she then brings Gutsman into the fight for no reason and ask him who he thinks is "correct" and Gutsman says Roll is correct cause he's just agreeing with her to agree with her, i don't think he was even listening to the conversation he just doesn't want Roll to be mad at him.

This argument is stupid, Yes Megaman should not have said that like that but he probably just meant "in the end asking her wasn't going to help so that was a waste" and she didn't need to react this way idk what her problem is taking things out of context like that i guess she thought he was making fun of her for reason even though she should know Megaman wouldn't do that

ANYWAY Torchman he's still setting places on fire like the sauna and he also sets Lan's toaster on fire when Lan goes home and burns his toast but he still eats it like nothing is wrong and doesn't notice anything lol, Lan is rightfully upset Maylu deleted his homework and Megaman is like Roll is acting like a blockhead.

Maylu went to the arcade with Dex, Roll and Gutsman have a encounter with Torchman who's looking for Megaman, he gives them a message telling them to meet him somewhere.

Roll doesn't want to deliver the message because she's mad at Megaman so she tells Maylu instead, Maylu says she wants Roll to fight in Megaman's stead cause they can "Handle it on their own" and Dex just goes along with her, Gutsman the only sensible one here tells Megaman cause he's worried about Roll.

my problems with this whole situation is Roll knows she can't fight i honestly dont even think Roll is a fighting Navi Maylu just netbattles her sometimes but i don't think Roll's intended manufactures created her to fight, she probably could be used for fighting but Maylu doesn't train her to fight so she is bad at fighting but she's mad and wants to prove she can fight to i guess.

My next problem is where is the netpolice??? why is nobody calling the police Maylu should call the police instead of give the message to Lan that would be the sensible thing to do, ALSO WHY DOES THE NETPOLICE NOT ALREADY HAVE C HAUD ON THIS CASE???

anyway, Roll, she comes and Torchman's like "Where's Megaman?" and she's like im gonna fight you instead and gets beat up cause we all saw this coming. Megaman comes after she gets thrown around for a bit and they start fighting Torchman together, Roll doesn't move out of the way when he does a flame tower and Megaman saves her and gets hurt, Roll feels like this situation is her fault (It kinda is) and she uses a Aqua tower to propel Gutsman into Torchman and this injuries him greatly so Torchman retreats, Roll aplogizes to Megaman and they just stare at each other and laugh for no reason because i guess the implication is that they like each other but it just comes off looking stupid to me

Lan comes into where Maylu and Dex are and Lan and Maylu have the same moment of "i guess this is supposed to come off as they like eachother" but it's just weird to me and i don't like it and Lan "ruins" it by saying he only came because he had to save Maylu's butt and Maylu gets mad and Roll and Megaman are like "Haha things never change haha

....

I feel like this is how this Ep should have went even though a lot of things could have been avoided if they just called the netpolice or told an adult who knew what they were doing or somehow made this C haud's introduction

I do not think this Ep should have let Roll defeat Torchman cause that means shes winning and she didn't deserve to win anything in this EP because if she won it doesn't help her learn a lesson better if she lost cause Roll is the one who ultimately defeats Torchman in this EP, i also don't think Maylu should go unpunished this EP either because she wont learn anything from this either

I think Roll should have gotten hurt in a way that she needs to heal in the coming EP's, Maylu would be upset that this is all her fault for not delivering the message to Lan and Maylu will feel bad cause she let Roll get hurt, this opens the opportunity to maybe let Maylu have Roll learn to actually fight so she wont be on the battlefield getting her butt kicked and needing help all the time

I think Lan should apologize to Maylu in his own way and say something like "Im sorry for laughing at you but your hair did look really bad" and Maylu be over this so they can move on

EVERYBODY LEARNS SOMETHING HERE

im not hating on Roll i just think she needs better character development because her character doesn't grow in anyway from this and it keeps her as a damsel, if we want her to learn shes going to need moments like this in her life to teach her something, Maylu as well. AGAIN not hating on Roll but i just don't agree with a lot of things that happen in this EP and me personally don't ship Megaman Roll or Lan and Maylu, there could be ways to make them romantically involved in this EP but it's not handled in a way to make me care enough but i don't ship any of these people so i did not include ways to do so THIS IS JUST MY OPNINON. you are free to not agree with me. it sounds like im being hard on Roll but i want her to be more then what she is, she has her faults and her strengths and im complaining because i feel like her character was not done the best in this ep.

[jewishbarbies]

The one thing that really annoys me as an Indian person is Taylor Swift's misunderstanding of the word "karma".

Karma in Sanskrit actually means "an action" and there are plenty of meanings but the closest one is "a professional duty" as in what you do to uphold your cultural, moral and other important values. That is the true meaning of karma, as opposed to whatever "whatever goes around comes around" meaning. The problem with that is Taylor just takes in that and sort of deprives it of its original essence and what it stands for, so it's incredibly funny to see a person brag about how they're friends with Karma when in reality, they engage in performative activism, align themselves with questionable people, have like 5,000 jets causing global warming and countless others.

Karma is more about the "cause to effect" idea, at least in Hindu culture that I am familiar with, rather than getting revenge on her boyfriends. And people think she's some lyrical genius when she just strings together words that make no sense. At this point she's decided to manufacture music, just make them "look" good with fancy, flamboyant words than convey some actual meaning besides her usual themes that she's gained popularity for.

I know it's a silly thing to get worked up over but it bothers me because people at home here don't know the actual root meaning of Karma and what it stands for and believe that Taylor Swift knows more than they know about their own culture. I wouldn't be surprised if she milks this word and tries to idk, get it patented or something like how one of the Kardashians tried to brand their name or something.

I'm just sick of this lol. People wouldn't shut up about her love life and when you ask them why, they respond with "well, it isn't our business to know about Taylor's personal life" when she chose to air her personal life in the form of songs. She could've easily chosen to change her songwriting direction, perhaps in a way to stay attuned to her roots and be more culturally relevant as times pass, but eh..

Honestly I feel like Taylor just pops up then and now, at least from my perspective. Like her popularity shoots up, everyone loves her, everyone coddles her and then a couple of months, it's all silent. She just relies on quick short bursts of fame and tries to stay relevant during that period, then go on a break or something (?) and stir up the Press pot.

I'm just sick of her lol. Her music is kind of mid, like your average bedroom pop mixed in with some synth and a drum beat. I'm not a qualified musician but I don't understand why people see her as some God when she's just.. basic lmao, in the recent years. Like, boring vanilla lyrics with no substance in them and catchy choruses so she could stay afloat in this TikTok era. Like how many people made those "it's me hi I'm the problem it's me" videos?

[dirtypuzzle]

the thing that grinds my goddamn gears about Hillbilly Elegy is that. on its surface, there’s absolutely a story in the people JD Vance uses as cover.

what i mean is: there is a generation of mostly Kentuckians but also some folks from TN that fled coal country into Indiana and Ohio manufacturing towns during the 60s and 70s. mines were shuttering and/or they didn’t want to get poisoned for a piece of shit mining company and poverty wages. but those same people were last hired first fired for the 80s manufacturing implosion. as their wealthier neighbors who had lived in these towns and cities first fled, they were left with no family support and no money to go back home.

i don’t think many ppl realize just how goddamn different it is. my mom’s family is from kentucky, did this exact hop and step. nana was born in paintsville, and her father worked the van lear mines. they lived in the holler next to where loretta lynn grew up. she had dirt floors and the only way to get to her house was a one lane bridge that flooded out regularly. even in 2014 when my mom’s extended family went to paintsville before my nana died of cancer, GPS goes “yeah idk man. that’s not a real place.”

my dad’s family tho? hoosiers as long as white ppl have even been in the ohio river valley. and the difference is fucking stark. in class, in behavior, in attitude, in acceptance. (you know who didn’t give a rat’s ass about me being trans? mom’s family. asked my name and pronouns and asked if i wanted a drink. you know who flipped their fucking shit? yeah.)

and i’m not a southerner; i’m a hoosier. i didn’t grow up in the sticks; i’m from a small city. (and while indiana cities have got some odd quirks, it doesn’t make it any less a city.) i’m not the kinda loser yank that pretends to be some southern hick when he grew up in the suburbs in the ohio river valley. it’s not the specific kinda fight that i had in indiana, middle finger of the south though it is.

there’s an interesting story to tell of what my nana and a lotta her friends did, but it sure as fuck isn’t what JD Vance is selling—especially not since he took his shit all the way to the fucking Ivy League.

anyway i’m gonna drive back home and get some pizza king and try not to get run outta town for being trans this time. lotta those hoosier cities bleed redder than any town in coal country i been in.

[loadednachosao3]

TL;DR: People confused my 16yo ass for a 20yo because I have cluster b disorder, tho it helped me to have friends I really enjoyed hanging 9ut with (my mom's friends who are 45)

I am sure they made up names for generations thinking its easier to categorize ppl but categories as usual just alienate people

I hated peers when I was younger and still think a lot of people my age are immature (thx trauma and parents abandoning me for me growing up quickly)

That said idk if that affected me being able to fit in with older people fine, they like talking to me, because I remember and know same shit obviously. (Kids who are born in 2017 still will feel nostalgia for USSR it's just how it works idk)

yeah, generational conflict is manufactured by the people in power to try to make us think every generation is stupider and worse, when in fact we're working to make things better with every new person who comes into this world!

of course, there are still things like experience gaps between people in different walks of life. that's just how the world works. but stringent categories with year cutoffs for entire generations? weird! just another way to divide us!

but yeah, I know how it feels to be the Mature One because of Trauma. sucks, because a lot of adults prey on those sorts of kids. ripe targets for grooming and all. I still get along with more older people than younger ones, but I can't forgive some of the grown-ass people in my life when I was a teen failing me so hard. it sucks! sorry, anon!

[immatalk]

finally finished the acolyte. it was decent, but a lot of my initial criticisms remain.

it’s a great show, if solely taking in costuming, effects, and action; story-wise, it’s adequate. and only just. because the storytelling potential far exceeds the reality of the series. and sure, some of those deficiencies are because it’s a show borne from a familiar, giant property that is beholden to legacy, and overly specific expectations regarding how that legacy will continue. but a lot of its shortcomings are also series specific. namely, the extremely lacklustre writing that withered and stalled so much, that the strings were beyond obvious and often pulled me out of the story. definitely made me wonder just how much studio interference was happening behind the scenes. because some of what aired was genuinely baffling. never terrible or unsalvageable, but certainly subpar. given the premise, this series should’ve been witty, gritty, unnerving, and affecting. not to mention fun! it’s a show that centres a fascinating mystery, with deeply connected yet diametrically opposite twins who only know half the story and have each been manipulated into fulfilling someone else’s ideas. their mothers are hot as fuck ever powerful leaders of an extremely compelling lesbian* witch cult! there’s a wookie jedi! the universe is expansive and odd and cool! and yet. it could all be chalked up to a whole lot of cyclical situations and stunted motion that, for all it’s heavy handed motions, did very little to convince me not only of the destination, but also the journey.

and that lacklustre feel & execution is completely on the writing. the characters are well acted, vibrant, fun, and compelling. but even the best acting can’t elevate a weak script. and because a lot of the writing was so underwhelming and flat, characters and stories that should’ve been gripping and fascinating, were instead limp, cliche, and sometimes silly in a way that grated. and this isn’t me not liking a joke or some cool aliens; i love a silly goofy time!

my issue is with the stilted dialogue, excessive exposition, and overly telegraphed motivations. i know this show will reach a broad audience, but ensuring that kids will understand your character’s actions and motivations is one thing. stiff, self conscious, overly repetitive writing is another. way too much telling and not enough showing and that’s saying something for a show where 2 out of 8 episodes are complete flashbacks, but it’s the truth. half the maneuvering should’ve been edited out or into something sleeker. yes, this show was under a particularly nasty, unfair spotlight and im super impressed that creator leslye headland still managed so make so much of it her own, despite all the pressure. that being said, there was a LOT of unnecessary over explaining and blatant manufacturing that ended up undermining the execution of what should have been a cool new entry into the sw canon.

also unfortunate, was how obvious it was that the writing was far more concerned with manufactured moments of shock and slight of hand, rather than organic and convincing storytelling. a strange case of wanting to conceal, yet spelling out even the smallest details because they don’t trust the audience. again, idk what was going on behind the scenes wrt to the studio, but looking at writing credits, it’s clear that headland is the weakest link. the episodes she co/soley wrote were the most scattered, obvious, and bland, with dialogue that was so transparent it bordered on juvenile. in contrast, the episodes others wrote, were more compelling, cohesive, and complex. not sure what’s going on there, because with my minor googling it’s clear she’s a fan. maybe someone needs to get ole girl into a writing workshop? show-running is difficult and writing even more so—ask shonda rhimes!—but something definitely needs to be done. because her ideas are incredible; it’s the storytelling that loses me.

but even with all its issues, this show is a worthwhile watch. if only for the action and performances. everyone was doing their thing and the sets and costuming were wonderful. i also loved that i could actually SEE what was happening on my screen. quite literally one of the bright spots of the series. unlike so many current shows that seem to be lit with fairy lights and imagination, there was no foolish lighting here.

i also appreciated that i was able to come into this show with no prior knowledge of star wars and mostly get it. there’s something to be said for a series that doesn’t over complicate a first time watcher’s entry into its universe.

but right now, it’s a show that’s operating at a 6. and the potential is there. with tighter writing, slicker pacing, and more finesse overall, it’s an easy 10.

*im aware that the creator said that the TWO MOTHERS who were very AFFECTIONATE and RAISING CHILDREN weren’t meant to be seen as a couple but LOL. that take is very much disregarded in my house. bc idgaf what she meant. i have eyes and ears and am also not stupid. <3

[ol1verdrawsyt]

What r things you like about the dsaf community, and things you don’t like about it? Just curious to hear some thoughts! :D

Oh boy, I have a lot to say abt this one. I'm just gonna preface this by saying, I have a very special place in my heart for dsaf. Idk where I would be today if I hasn't have found that trilogy. With that being said, I'll start with the good.

Tw: opinions 😱😱

For starters, its a very welcoming community. Because a good majority of the community is queer, it makes it a safe space. In my experience, it was the first time I felt open and comfortable being myself inside of a Fandom.

It's also a very talented community. Like holy hell, have you seen those amazing Henry fanarts with him in the void? They're fucking epic!

Finally, the DSaF community is pretty sweet to new artists. I remember when I was in the piggy Fandom, they were brutal man. I got bullied constantly for my art and was pretty close to quitting for a while. In DSaF though, I just simply received constructive criticism and people helping me rather than shaming me.

-

-

Now onto the not so great

First, the ships that shouldn't really be normalized. Steven x Peter is probably a big one. Peter had a wife, Steven was a horrible boss and sent Peter to the factory knowing what would happen to him, and that he had a family (we know from Peter and Jimbo that you can refuse to do that. In the slightly evil ending, Peter refuses to send Jimbo to the factory) and also they canonically hate eachother. Also the horrible power imbalance? Like, idc what your excuse is, shipping boss x employee is just wrong.

And yet, this is like the 2nd most popular ship in the Fandom. I'm not done with it either cuz the people who ship Steven and Peter lead into my next point.

Being toxic towards straight ships. I'm gonna preface this before anybody gets mad by saying, I am a trans and queer man, I can have an opinion on this.

So Peterline is not a very popular ship despite it being cannon. Caroline is Peter's wife, and you see her at the end of the perfect ending. I've been bullied before (mainly on tiktok) for shipping this. I've had someone just go off on me because I'm "taking away gay rep and that Peter is canonically a gay man." Like, tf?? Also, side note: he isn't. Dogman confirmed the characters sexualities and Peter is "probably straight." Not to mention he had a wife that he chose and married himself, not a manufactured one like with Steven. But back to my point. Peterline is overshadowed by all of the Steven x Peter shippers because it's EVERYWHERE. I don't even know why it's a ship in all honesty. But heaven forbid you don't ship it and ship Peter and his WIFE.

You thought that was the worst of it? Wrong. We go away from the side that's mainly queer/allies and go to the homophobic side. Yep. There are homophobic/transphobic DSaF fans despite a good majority of the main cast being queer. Luckily, they don't really show their faces anywhere near the queer fans, so we're all set. I have seen them comment on davesport posts before though complaining. Speaking of davesport:

Davesport has completely taken over the Fandom. I love davesport as much as the next person, but if you truly love something, you have to admit the flaws. First, the weird kinda fetishism of it? I won't name names **cough cough daystars cough cough**, but there are artists who draw this ship and intentionally make the characters look like teenage boys and not old zombie men. Plus, people kinda romanticizing / glorifying the fact that Dave stalked and had an unhealthy obsession with Jack. That isn't cute and romantic that "he loves him so much that he broke into Jack's house on multiple occasions and watched him sleep 🥺🥺🩷🩷☺️☺️☺️" (genuine comment I saw btw, minus the emojis cuz I wanna make sure people know it's satire what I'm saying). Plus, people are bullied for shipping anything other than Davesport. I can understand if it's a proship (I'll get into those fuckewads later), but someone shipping anything other than davesport will get you witchhunted in this community. I know I said I don't like boss x employee, but I don't hate someone if they ship something like Harry x Jack or something. There are people genuinely scared of showing that they ship that because of the hard-core davesport fans. Final note on this point, it's the only DSaF content being made. I want more Blackjack and og managers art pls I beg of you I want more art of the og managers. But instead, it's just davesport again. It gets to a point where I'm kinda tired of it.

Next point: people babying characters. Now, I won't name names **cough cough daystars again cough cough** but there are very popular artists who get away with this. The biggest ones I can think of are Peter, Roger, and Jack. Here's why I think this happens:

Jack: Because he's shown to have a soft side. It's mainly seen in DSaF 3 on the flipside with him gently talking to the other souls and telling them that it's gonna be ok and he'll help them find justice and peace. Also, he is somewhat civil to Dave at the start of a few routes so probably from the fucking davesport shippers again.

Roger: Because he's hinted at to have an anxiety disorder. Hey there! Person with a diagnosed anxiety disorder here. DON'T FUCKING BABY US! Like, just because you have an AD doesn't mean you need 24/7 protection and babying because "what if you get scared 🥺🥺🥺😔😔😔". People with ADs can do amazing things despite it. And Roger is no exception. In the evil ending, he goes off at Jack about everything he's done and doesn't break a sweat. He's probably the strongest out of the 3 phone guys because he's the first person (other than Peter) to stand up to Jack when he's doing something wrong.

Peter: Same as Jack, he's shown to have a soft side. Mainly when talking about how he remembers his wife and family, and invites Jack to live with him and Caroline despite (to his knowledge) he's only known Jack about a week. But like with Roger, he puts his foot down when needed. In the evil routes, Peter takes Jack back to his office and just let's him have it. He goes off about the fucked up shit Jack has done and even throws in some amazing lines like

"That's Mr.Cawthon to you, employee. We certainly aren't friends."

"Employee, let me tell you something. I am a VERY good boss."

"It takes the truth to fool me, or close to it. And you've played me for a goddamned fool."

But of course, with this community, that entire badass scene with Peter and Jack is overshadowed by him being "uwu smol bottom gay boy"

I mentioned them earlier, so here it goes: the proshippers. They're everywhere. Some of the biggest dsaf artists **cough cough fucking daystars again cough cough** are proshippers. It's mainly a problem on tiktok. I've seen people ship: Peter x Dave, Dave x Henry, Steven x Henry, Jack x Peter, Henry x Dee, Henry x Jack, Dee x Jack, Jack x Dee x Peter x Dave. It's honestly disgusting, and I really don't wanna talk abt it anymore.

Next, people drawing Henry skinny. This one pisses me off a lot. People draw Henry as a skinny little bottom boy and not the fat old man he is. There's a lot of people guilty of this. **cough you probably know who I'm abt to say cough cough**. Some people try at least. For example, I tried sticking with my roblox-like bodies and giving Henry a very big torso. Later on, I finally learned how to draw plus sized bodies, and so now that I can, I immediately implemented it. Some people just don't even try.

Finally, people mad at dogman for moving on from the series. I shit you not. I came across people complaining about this just last night. Here's the thing: DSaF has a lot of problematic stuff in it. Nobody can deny that. Dogman has apologized for it on many occasions and doesn't want that to represent his work now. He moved on to Dialtown, where he can now get paid for his hard work and pay his team. But because he isn't talking abt DSaF anymore, people refuse to even look at Dialtown. It's just kinda...childish in my opinion? It'd be a different story if you just simply didn't enjoy Dialtown. Like that's fine and understandable, the game isn't for everyone. But really? Just because the creator moved on from his problematic past and made something original, you want nothing to do with him. That's just stupid.

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Alr ty for coming to my Ted talk. If someone wants it I'll do one of these with Dialtown (there isn't much bad, it'll just be me ranting abt how much I love Dialtown)

Btw don't harass anyone I mentioned here if I did mention them. It doesn't solve anything, and you just look like and asshole.

[hekateinhell]

Image of the Witch please!!! aunteat<33

Tate, my beloved! 💕 So this one was a little canon-compliant femslash L/A thing I was working on for Vamptember last year! Idk mostly I wanted the girls to quarrel and tear each other apart (horny). I got 1.3k into it but for some reason it just kept sounding trite and repetitive to me!

Rereading it now though was kinda fun lol maybe there's something I can work with here, I just need to add a kink to focus on and/or yet another conflict because clearly Armand and Lestat don't have enough of those!

Here's a snippet! 🥹

This time, it really was Lestat’s fault. She just wasn’t sure how.

“Don’t look at me like that,” she snapped, hoping her tone came off as bored, merely enough to camouflage the unsettling feeling in the pit of her stomach when Armand looked at her in that distinctive manner.

A china doll’s face, glass eyes unblinking.

Even her pretty little pink mouth was slightly open, as a doll’s is manufactured to create the appearance of needing breath—of being alive.

But the dolls were not living, and neither was Armand.

“Took you two centuries to arrive at that conclusion, did it?” Armand rolled her eyes.

“Stay out of my head, witch.”

Moonlight spilling through the damaged roof of this rundown little cottage illuminated the corner of Armand’s mouth as she smiled, casting down her long lashes.

How elegant.

How deadly.

A rabid little fox Armand had been when Lestat uncovered her lair: hissing and spitting, clawing at her own heart in desperation—

“You of all people should know what a wretched accusation that is, naming me a witch,” Armand sighed, the flowing white of her dress making her resemble something even more removed from this realm than their kind already was. Auburn curls and strands of pearls around her throat tumbled over her cleavage as she leaned forward. “Would you have me tied to the stake then? Weeping and begging for your mercy, a filthy penitent clinging to your skirts? Isn't that how you preferred me all those years ago, Mademoiselle Death?”

You go too far, much too far, Lestat wanted to say. Instead, she bit down hard on her tongue, savoring the warm bloom of her own blood in her mouth. It muddled in her mind’s eye: old childhood terrors combined with the shameful rush of pleasure that the image inspired and the perfect countenance of lust Armand painted.

Shoulders, chest, and thighs all exposed to the night air in that rumpled little dress… Yet the allure wasn’t in the amount of naked skin she was showing. No, it was her heartbeat. Pounding wildly against her petite rib cage, radiating throughout each and every pulse point that only a predator’s hearing could isolate.

[greighwaren]

Ok keeping track of details i missed/theories on my 1899 rewatch. Spoilers ahead:

- Angel tells Ramiro to ask God why he made Ramiro a sheep and Angel a wolf, and then later we see the painting of a wolf and sheep in their cabin. Was that there before this conversation or did it manifest after?

- after Ling Yi has her vision of Mei Mei during the Fog she says 'we are not supposed to have dreams'... which is an allusion to the fight with her mom, but also made me think about how sometimes ppl will wake up with the triangle in their eye, or sometimes wake up without the triangle (that we can see) and I wonder if the nontriangle sleep is maybe a glitch, and there are some dreams/visions/flashbacks that Are manufactured by the sim and some that are not?

- also im still caught by WHY did Daniel kill/delete(?) Ada? Presumably to help start the riots that stop the Kerboros from returning to Europe with the Prometheus. Wouldn't he figure that would put Elliot in danger too, eventually? (I also realized it was the First Mate that first pointed the rioters towards Elliot..) But why does he need to stop the Kerboros from turning back? Plus! His little switchy board thingy set the Kerboros back on track anyways!

- in other news on the first mate, i realized when the rioters/mutineers break into Maura's room to look for Elliot, the first thing he does is look under the bed, where the tunnel shaft is

- ppl we know got an envelope: Maura, Eyk, Lucien, Virginia, clemence, tove, ling yi, ramiro. (Jerome was among the group when they pulled out their letters but the camera never shows his so I'm not sure)

- at the beginning of "the Calling" we see another scene where Maura is dragged towards room 1011 in the asylum, this time she is strapped in the chair and given the black syringe, and immediately afterwards she wakes up in the dining hall w Daniel watching over her (he says she fell asleep), and Elliot locked in the cabinet again. When she wakes up it is with the triangle in her eye. The fact that we didn't see the crowd lock Elliot in the cabinet, nor see Maura fall asleep (I mean we never do..) makes me wonder if that scene in the asylum actually happened at that time then? Idk time is already fucky wucky in this show. The fact that she got the black syringe makes me think that was what made her wake up with the triangle in her eye in the dining hall. Maybe events in this loop continued outside of our knowledge and we didn't see them bc those memories got erased in Maura, so we can't see them either? Maybe after the last time we saw her in the dining hall she figured something out and had to be forced back into the simulation?

- there have to be names other than Eyk's and Maura's that are on the Prometheus that are also on the Kerboros, if this group is going through the same sim loop, right?

- in "the pyramid", the first mate meets Henry in front of the black pyramid, and Henry says 'you know how much is dependent on the success of this project'.. project is curious there. If henrys real goal was just to get put of the sim he would've said mission or something. But I think he has more riding on it than that. He isn't just another victim of the sim like he wants Maura to believe. Is he actually Ciaran somehow?

- i haven't seen anyone talked about how after the domestic scene between Daniel and Maura (which is in Daniel's dream/memory) when Maura gets dressed she puts on the hospital gown before she leaves and then a PA announces a shutdown. When I first watched i thought it seemed like the gown was part of a pretense she was putting up, like she was pretending to be a patient/distressed

- in the glitch flashbacks Maura has when she finds the 70s room from Daniel's memory there's an image of what looks like a galaxy

- someone else made a post about how numbers and 12 specifically are important. When we first see Elliot's bunker, there's 12 wooden blocks standing in a circle around 14? smaller blocks tossed on the ground. (I thought it meant how many ppl are real outside of the sim). Theres also 2 robot toys, one is smaller playing drums (maybe the drums are fanfare, represents Henry, who we think is the Big Bad and then turns out not to be? A red herring) and one is bigger and might actually represent the real Big Bad (Ciaran, presumably. Or even Maura). Theres also a toy plane, which I think forshadows the spaceship

- Daniel says "you're all trapped in here (sim)" and "I need to get you (maura) out of here before it restarts" so I am now a believer than Daniel is dead outside of the sim, or some other way permanently trapped inside

- ppl who were in the pods: Maura, virginia, eyk, krester, tove, olek, ling yi, her mother, iben, anker, angel, Ramiro, clemence, her husband, Jerome, and one empty pod. Ok so there were 16 total, not 12 oops.

- the screen that shows Ciaran's message says the prometheus project is a survival mission

- the screen says there are 1,423 passengers and 550 crew, which equals 1973 (we know there's a lot of 70s allusions i wonder if this is connected)

- also the final shot is zooming into Maura's triangle eye instead of out like we are used to.

[alarrytale]

I thought we were safe this year but no. Phoebe just posted a video from her Christmas Day and Freddie is in it.

Freddie looks more like Louis every year. Those people editing how his face looks on videos and photographs are getting a giant bonus this Christmas

Merry Christmas, Marte!

I’m not sending this for publication, rather just to say something to someone who knows- but I saw the obligatory pj reel on Instagram, and the shape of that child’s head - it’s totally the same as Brett and his son (sorry, I don’t follow enough to know names)! And so unlike L or any of his family. Which is fine if he was supposed to be related to him, but… well. I do feel so sorry for L. What a mess. I hope he can get out of it at some point because I completely agree with you about the effect it has on his life. And my heart breaks for him.

Anyway, hope you have a lovely day if you’re celebrating. Thanks for your blog, it’s one of my comfort spaces!

December and January one month apart means back to back babygate antics! Hope you've all got your seatbelts on.

About the normalising bg.. I still remember how angry/anxious Louis was before his la show last year, his mood dramatically switched. This year he was obviously awkward at the show, his shout out to the kid was so strained. before the show he even made a public charity donation and got drunk/stoned so badly after the show that he was still hangover at the vegas one. though I don’t think he interacted with that fam much that day I do believe he is still aware how this situation is f*cked up, deeply unhappy about it and still has a very unhealthy coping mechanism. Idk how he copes though during Christmas days (how??), as they try to make it look like one big happy family and that the kid spends there the whole week. I believe though their Christmas has became very awkward for all of them and scripted/manufactured at some point. I feel very sorry for all the little kids that they are unwillingly participating in this spectacle. I genuinely don’t get why louis is making the tradition of the Christmas, he shoots himself in the feet with it.

Merry Christmas, anons! 🌲

Well, there we go. Same procedure as every year (if you get the reference you get a cookie). We've been through this several times now. We've come to expect it. It sucks and it especially sucks that it's done during Christmas. It is what needs to be done to sell it though. To me the Tomlinsons don't seem to mind it much, and the kid seems happy enough. There is nothing we can do about it either way. Hopefully this means that it's a whole year until the next bg shenanigans. They did what needed to be done, now we need to move on.