#ignore the fact that it’s trump okay

[mc395686]

Me: So new people joining the SMP?

Hunter: What?

Someone else: links the updated Twitch team

Hunter:

[weird-tea]

Thinking about the fact that Ingrid has two younger half brothers, one maternal and one paternal, both of which were passed off as her full brother when they were babies (Barry/Wolfie for only a few days, Vlad for years), both of which are given a name at birth that they don't use/go by (Wolfie was called Vlad for awhile, then named Barry, then called "Wolfie", while Vlad was named Adam by his mum and renamed Vladimir by his father) and both of which she is very loud about disliking and are at various points rivals displacing her as the Dracula heir but when it comes down to it she cares about them greatly and is pretty protective. And both are half vampires, Wolfie being half vampire half werewolf while Vlad is half human.

I'm not sure where I'm going with this it's just intresting. Like when they were writing the show I don't think they had the ending planned at all, or the Vlad is half human twist, so you can't really call all the things he has in common with Wolfie delibrate forshadowing but in hindsight it's really intresting. Especally the counts willingness to surplant Vlad with the new baby because at the time he beleived that his beloved Magda had finally given him a son, as apose to Adam/Vlad who wasn't Magda's and only half vampire making him actually quite a dangerous bet as an heir. And Ingrid imerging as the true Dracula heir in a lot of ways despite being a girl actually makes a lot of sense because she is actually the count and Magda's only biological child (while not legitimate since they weren't married, they are basically common law married and act as if they are a devorced couple so Ingrid is as legitimate as the count is gonna get) and also out of the three Dracula children (counting Wolfie in this group as he was claimed as a Dracula at birth and then the count technically raised him for a bit) she is the only full vampire non-hybrid.

Also the fact that Vlad and Ingrid's sibling dynamic is super important to the show and that they both end up with younger maternal half siblings that they do care about a lot but the primary sibling relationship seems to remain Vlad and Ingrid because of their expirences growing up together... it just feels important. Like they both having younger half siblings is something they have in common despite it being completely different siblings. (makes me kinda sad we never got a scene of George and Wolfie interacting and maybe teaming up to help Ingrid and Vlad somehow).

[third-doctor]

I feel like I'm going insane. That episode read to me as a lot more tragic than other people are reading it. Yeah they were racist and rich and spoiled and awful but they were just kids. They were all just kids. Lindy was absolutely terrified throughout the whole thing and clinging desperately to what she knew, which was terrible. They could've had the chance to learn and become better but they chose to go die and it's infuriating and tragic because nobody deserves that. Nobody deserves to be eaten by slugs or die of exposure in the woods. Nobody deserves to suffer like that. But they chose it rather than let the Doctor help them because they'd rather stay in their rich white supremacist bubble and he just wants to help and there's nothing he can do.

Maybe it's because one of my core beliefs is that nobody deserves death and suffering. Nobody. Even the worst person on earth can learn from their mistakes and come back and change and everyone deserves that chance. There's no such thing as too late. But they're never going to get that chance because they actively rejected it and to me that's still very, very sad.

[autumnoakes]

the people in my life who think everyone should eat healthy and that any """junk""" food is disgusting, not worth eating, will destroy your body everytime you even look at it, etc. vs me who just wants food i'll eat honestly

[alaskan-wallflower]

it’s kinda funny how almost every character with albinism in media is always portrayed as a villain. as if that isn’t feeding into every stereotype out there.

the only protagonist i’ve found with albinism in media was in a book where the girl turns out to be a witch. which is arguably on the level of bad as the evil albino stereotype.

idk why this bothers me so much. nobody knows about albinism and it’s not like it’s actively discriminated against. but i wish there was more media where more normal people had albinism instead of the PWA turning out to be an evil villain or a witch, they turn out to be a normal person with normal struggles. like give me a story about a character with albinism trying to navigate the world on their own terms, trying to fit in and such WITHOUT using stereotypes.

like yes. i know people being ignorant towards a certain condition isn’t the worst thing in the world. maybe i have no right to complain about it given the other tings that are happening in the world that kinda trump issues like this. but it’s still an issue. the fact that people believe these things is just sad to me tbh.

another thing that bugs me is when people refer to us as ‘albinos’. like not everyone hates that word. some PWAs are okay with it. i just say it because it’s shorter and easier to type out than ‘person with albinism’ but even in media seeing the character being referred to as ‘the albino’ makes my stomach turn. people use the word ‘albino’ to refer to animals; most of the time. the word itself can feel dehumanizing sometimes, in certain contexts. for me it’s better to say person with albinism. it’s putting the person before the disability and it doesn’t feel as degrading.

anyway. my inbox is always open if you have questions for me about how to write a character with albinism. i know nobody is gonna see this or care but i just thought i’d say smth.

[laurenfoxmakesthings]

ID: A thread of tweets by PinkRangerLB, a trans lawyer, that say the following.

"We in the LGBTQ+ community must understand that our dead were real people. Vital, awake, worlds unto themselves, like us. They didn’t live and die for the sake of our learning, but they have a lot to teach.

I want to tell you about Hart Island and hope in the darkness. /1

When I say they were real people I mean I do not believe they are necessary sacrifices, or that our dead paid a cost for us. They loved, they feared, they had favorite TV shows and candy bars. They were here and it will never ever ever be okay that they’re gone. /2

They’re not symbols or metaphors. They had books to write, vacations to take, meals to cook, and the world would be better with them still in it. We aren’t enriched by death, but we can stand in their shoes and see the future. /3

Hart Island, if you don’t know, is where New York City buries bodies that aren’t claimed by a licensed funeral director. At the height of the AIDS epidemic funeral homes were urged not to embalm AIDS fatalities. /4

In New York, as elsewhere, stigma toward the queer community was at a level that even now it can be difficult to remember. Many queer people who died of AIDS had been disowned by their birth family because of their identity, their HIV status, or both. /5

To make matters worse, their partners and found families had no rights to their medical care or their bodies after they passed. The hateful families that could claim them often didn’t, and the families that loved them were powerless to see to their wishes. /6

You can read more about all this at the memorial’s website, here:

hartisland.net/aids_initiative

/7

You can feel their weight, can’t you? The absence is heavy. And it’s important we understand that weight, because it’s a flat fact that current attacks on LGBTQ+ rights, trans rights especially, will kill people. There will be more absence, and it is not okay. /8

And when we say we have hope we are not saying it’s okay that they will be gone.

None of this ignores intersectionalism, higher rates of infection in targeted communities, death rates higher still. When I say things *can* get better I am not ignoring that improvement favors /9

the privileged.

Things got better. ACT UP and other activist groups organized and gained ground through community building, mutual aid, and grassroots action. Culturally, the tide began to turn. Federal action by Reagan and then Clinton contributed very little /10

(and in fact often caused harm). Direct action by activists galvanized AIDS research and the tide turned with very little government help.

In New York City, the death rate for HIV/AIDS patients fell by 62% from 2001 to 2012. So here’s what I’m saying. We’ve been seeing /11

an escalating backlash against LGBTQ people for years now. It gets very easy for us to come to expect the worst case scenario. Trump won, states are attacking trans kids, Roe was overturned. So now we say WHEN the Supreme Court overturns gay marriage, WHEN a national /12"

abortion ban passes, WHEN trans healthcare for adults gets criminalized.

And don’t get me wrong, those are all very real threats. We have to fight like hell. I am not pretending that times aren’t dark, that people won’t die, or that it will ever be okay that our people will /13

suffer and die. But things can, and do, get better when we fight, when we look after each other. The tide will not inevitably turn, but *we* can turn it. We can say that when the wall finally fell, our hands were there, pulling it down brick by brick. /14

And those we lost, if we remember them, honor them, we are their hands too. /15"

[robin-hood-for-freedom]

Liberals, and leftists to a lesser extent, really care more about the aesthetics of their political figures than their substance.

Barrack Obama continued, or even expanded every single horrible policy of the George W. Bush administration, but he was handsome, articulate and gave off 'cool' vibes, so its okay

Tim Wells had horrific covid policies, and responded to the George Floyd riots in a way that satisfied absolutely nobody, but he has a kind of midwestern 'dad' charm and thats what really matters(to liberals)

Joe Biden was a corrupt war monger but he portrayed himself as a kind of caring grandfather, until the signs of his mental decline were too obvious to ignore.

Donald Trumps REAL crime in the eyes of liberals isnt any of his policies, but the fact that he's rude, brash, in articulate, braggadocios, and kind of funny-looking.

[deadpresidents]

This is "thanks for being real" anon and just wanted to let you know my mental health is okay, part of that for me is just letting myself be angry/sit in grief for a bit. Thanks for your kind words. 🌈

I'm glad you're doing okay. I hope everyone stays strong and does whatever they need to be okay. Like you, I need to let myself be angry. When I was a teenager and young adult, I would bottle those feelings up and compartmentalize anger, and when it came out, it was volcanic and violent -- usually literally. That was very unhealthy and, when that anger ultimately revealed itself, it did so in ways that I realized I wouldn't be able to get away with forever. I'm reasonably confident that I never ended up killing anybody, but fortunately, I found healthier outlets for those emotions and it made my life better.

This is going to be a difficult moment in many of our lives. If there's one thing that I take a little bit of comfort in, it is the fact that I know we're not alone in the wilderness and I have no doubt that I am on the right side of history. If this country does survive this ugly era, I am positive that I'll be able to look back and say that I never accepted any aspect of the MAGA movement. I have nearly a decade of very public (and frequently profane) declarations of opposition to the ignorance and intolerance that Donald Trump has normalized and, from the very beginning, I've spoken out against what I quickly recognized as a repugnant cult of personality that is abhorrent to everything that this nation supposedly represents. I'll take a fraction of pride in the fact that everybody has known where I stand on this issue and it hasn't changed this entire time. It's a pyrrhic victory, but we are fighting the right fight and our side doesn't have to be ashamed of who we support and what we believe. We're on the side that isn't going to have to explain themselves to family members in the future.

[uboat53]

LONG RANT (TM) time? LONG RANT (TM) time.

INTRODUCTION

One of the most insidious tactics in politics is the tactic of making wild and false allegations. I'm not talking about traditional spin, where a politician presents generally accurate information in the most positive way for their position, we all do that at some level. No, I'm talking about wild allegations, usually made in only a sentence or two without any supporting evidence, that are so false that it's clear that even the person making the allegation couldn't have reasonably believed it.

This is a modified form of the Gish Gallop, a technique which weaponizes lies. Duane Gish, a creationist and inventor of the Gish Gallop, discovered that, while it only takes a second or two to tell a lie, it takes far longer than that to disprove it. He would, therefore, begin every debate by spewing a torrent of wild falsehoods, forcing his opponent to spend their entire time debunking them rather than making any argument of their own.

Similarly, people in politics today, particularly MAGA Republicans, will often make wild accusations knowing that people with short attention spans will hear the accusation but won't pay attention long enough to hear the rebuttal. Even worse, through a process known as the "spacing effect", a lie repeated often enough will embed itself in the mind of people who hear it even if it is actually rebutted.

HOW TO ADDRESS IT

Given that, how can we approach this tactic?

First of all, I want you to get out of the habit of just reading the claim itself; read the name of the person making the claim. People who use this tactic rely on other people just reading information and accepting it as true without checking the source. Get used to paying attention to who is saying what and start to test some of their statements. Granted, a lot of stuff that people say is hard to fact-check, but a lot of it isn't; check those things to see if they're true. This will allow you to put together patterns where you can recognize things like "hey, this guy tells a lot of lies" or "this news source doesn't report news that's good/bad for one side." Knowing this helps you better understand the information you're receiving.

Secondly, once you recognize a pattern of lies or even a single case of an egregious lie, get used to ignoring that source of information. You don't have to listen to something just because someone says it and you don't have to turn off your brain when you engage in politics. If someone lies a lot or even if you just caught them in one particularly bad lie, it's okay to take that into account like you would with other people in your life and stop trusting them.

AN EXAMPLE

I'm going to start with an example that I saw recently. We're going to look Jeffrey Clark. If you know him at all, you probably know him as the Justice Department lawyer who wanted to give Trump permission to send the military to seize ballot boxes after the 2020 election. Only the full-throated opposition of every other lawyer in the government stopped Trump from making him acting-Attorney General.

These days he's being investigated by several layers of law enforcement for his actions around the 2020 election, the Washington D.C. Bar is in the processing of disbarring him, he's been indicted in Georgia for his actions around the 2020 elections, and he's currently working for a think tank closely linked with the Trump campaign. Here's his Wikipedia article if you're interested in learning more.

On September 23rd, Elon Musk retweeted a post by Jeffrey Clark in which Clark complained that no one could find a transcript of any case that Kamala Harris had prosecuted, giving him a much larger audience than he had on his own. Let's look at that claim, shall we?

So Kamala Harris has been Vice-President since 2020, was a Senator from 2016-2020, was Attorney General of California from 2010-2016, and was District Attorney of San Francisco from 2002-2010. None of these are positions where a person would personally try or argue cases in court. However, she was a deputy district attorney in Alameda County from 1990-1998, a deputy district attorney in San Francisco from 1998-2000, and a San Francisco City Attorney from 2000-2002. All of these are positions where she may have tried cases herself.

This is convenient because these are specific places with specific dates. Court transcripts are public records, so all you'd need to do is go to the courthouse in question and request the transcripts. I haven't tried San Francisco, but the Alameda County Court website has a search function where you can search for cases by name. Once you have the case number, you can request the transcript for that case. All of that costs money and requires you to make a login, so I haven't done it, but it's something you could do for around $100 or less. I haven't checked the San Francisco Courts, but I imagine it's similar there as well.

And I'm sure Jeffrey Clark, Attorney-at-Law, knows all of this. I'm not a lawyer and have no formal legal training and I know all of this, so he certainly does. In other words, this is not just a clearly false claim, it's a clearly false claim that the person who made it KNEW was clearly false when he made it.

RESULTS

As we've seen, this isn't a pattern of lies (though Jeffrey Clark certainly has that as well), but it is a particularly egregious one. Mr. Clark made an accusation here that he clearly knew was false even as he made it. He lied about as thoroughly as it's possible to lie, but he did it in a way that he thought he could weasel out of.

You see, Mr. Clark phrased it as an innocent query, "I'm just asking questions", because he thought that, when called on the fact that he implied Harris' case transcripts were being hidden, he could just say that he hadn't said that. But we know that he would have known they're not being hidden, his purpose in asking the question was to imply the answer in people's minds without having to take responsibility for it. In this way it's actually much worse than just a standard lie.

You can also make some assumptions about Elon Musk in all of this given that he shared this post as well. Clearly he has retweeted at least one fairly major claim without fact-checking it. Looking back on a few other things he's reposted, it seems as if he has a pattern of doing this. If you're taking what he posts at face value, it's pretty likely that you're getting a lot of misinformation fed to you.

CONCLUSION

So here I've given you a test and an example of that test applied to a real-life case. I think I've made it clear that Jeffrey Clark is a person who lies very deliberately about things he definitely knows are false and does so in a way that he thinks lets him deny responsibility for the lie. Because of that, it's safe to say that you should not trust anything he says unless you can verify it with a reputable source and you may want to question trusting what Elon Musk posts as well.

But don't think that's the end of it, take this test and apply it everywhere! If you catch someone lying a lot, or if you catch them in a particularly egregious lie like this one, stop trusting them!

There are so many sources of information around these days saying so many different things that you'll never be able to sort through it all unless you start whittling your information diet down to the people and groups that are consistently saying accurate things. Much of the information we receive is hard to fact-check, so our best method is to fact-check the things that aren't hard to check and use them to determine the reliability of a source.

Curating a good diet of information starts with cutting out the worst and least accurate sources of information. Hope this helps!

[midnight-mourning]

I won’t lie, saw your post about how things are scary rn in the U.S. and… idrk what’s going on. Been avoiding it like the plague bc i’m afraid of the information i’m currently ignorant to. As someone who dwells on “what ifs” it scares me to know what is going on but at the same time i wanna know what’s happening since i live in the U.S too. Just wanted to share this. I feel bad bc of the fact that i been ignoring it, so i do wanna know what’s going on. I just want someone to tell it to me in a way that doesn’t feel like i’m being attacked for avoiding it bc i’m too afraid to learn the information by myself. But there may be some people like me out there.

Hi there, that's absolutely valid, it's been a bit of a mess and some miscommunications have occurred already (as typical always every 4 years here) and wanting to avoid all of it isn't unreasonable. Acknowledging but avoiding a subject is completely different than denial, and that's totally okay, I don't judge. I'll do my best to explain in a way that makes sense and that's hopefully helpful

Before anything else, let me preface this by saying that I am NOT a political scientist, I am NOT an expert in anyway regarding politics in the slightest, anything that I share below is based on my personal experience and research so please keep that in mind, I highly encourage you to check out the sources below for any further information. Having said that, here's what we know:

According to The Associated Press, and other news outlets, the current president elect is Donald Trump with 292 of the electoral college votes, races have not been called in AZ, NV, ME and AK.

Harris is set to give a concession speech at 4 pm EST today.

Republicans have control of the senate with 52 seats, with democrats having lost 3 seats and currently have 43. 5 remaining races have yet to be called. Currently, they are projected to be filled by Democrats by Associated Press and 270 to Win.

The house is currently still a toss up, 270 to Win projects 209 (D) to 213 (R) for 20 of the remaining 33 uncalled races. Again, 13 races are still a toss-up at this point in time.

Sources for more information:

If you would like more information regarding live coverage, as well as general, unbiased reporting, Associated Press is (in my opinion) the most accurate and unbiased source of information.

If you would like to see current projections for the remaining races, Associated Press and 270 to win appear (emphasis on appear) to have the most accurate reporting.

If you want to see live coverage and discussion, or to see how things unfolded last night, CNN did have a broadcast going last night that was free to watch. It appears they've now taken it down. If I happen to find said broadcast I'll update the post with it as they do a good job of explaining things state by state, precint by precint. However, much like any other media outlet, they can be prone to bias (left-leaning) and potentially to fear mongering. Should you seek out CNN or any other news outlet besides those above please keep in mind that reporting may be influenced in certain ways because of this.

Having said all that, here's what I personally think this means and what can still happen, with facts mixed in for reference. Much of this is my opinion and should not be taken as fact unless it's cited. Again, not an expert, just someone with a very very basic understanding of politics and government.

With the win of the presidency and the senate, republicans are at the advantage. With senate control they will be able to assist with choosing the next presidental cabinet, and should there be a vacancy on the supreme court, assist with that.

However, if democrats can take control of the house, the win will be massive, and leave them able to have some say in the next 4 years, but nothing is for certain at this point in time

Democrats potentially have at least a little breathing room in the senate, they're not majority, but only 4 seats difference is better than nothing

We've gotten through a Trump presidency before, the situation then, as well as the feeling everyone has now is exactly the same. We made it through then, and we can make it through again

The senate is only guaranteed to be controlled by Republicans until the 2026 midterms, two years is a long time, but it's only two years

Having lived through the last Trump term in my teens and remember it well, yes he managed to do some pretty awful things, but he also undelivered in several ways, we can only hope the same thing happens this time around, this would be especially true should democrats take the House

He won't be back, if he makes it through the term he'll be too old and his health won't be great. Republicans didn't want him this time, they won't want him the next.

JD Vance and so many others will still be kicking long after he's gone though, and that needs to be in the back of people's heads when we get closer to 2028

Trump made a lot of empty promises he didn't keep before, and personally I don't think he beleves half the things he says, he just says it because he knows others do believe it. Giving up hope now for a better tomorrow won't make a better tomorrow, hoping despite it all will. Giving up also gives people like him exactly what they want, and I'm not about to do that, neither should you.

For now, be vigilant, stay safe, but try to relax. Doom-scrolling, wondering what might happen, and so on, is pointless because at this point, we don't know. Anything could happen, this election is a clear example of that.

Hope this was able to help, anon. We're all in this together, and as long as that remains true, we're going to be okay. Highly recommend after reading this to do what's best for you, be that choosing to find out more through the sources above or continue to avoid it. Personally, I'm getting together with some friends this evening to study, chat, and chill and decompress from it all, hopefully you can do something similar if you need to 💜

[lanymme]

Hi! : ) If fic requests are still open, can I ask for some HakuRin? Perhaps them being gay idiots while the student council are getting a little tired of their oblivious flirting?

It would be my pleasure! I love these two.

Can you believe they gave extraverse Rin such an interesting fetish and then never did anything with it?? Criminal.

--

Hakuno Kishinami gazes warily down the steps leading out of Elizabeth’s labyrinth and into the final floors before the core.

“… It’s almost showtime. Are you stocked up on healing items? If you don’t have enough, head back and stock up at the Commissary. The jamming is up, but if Meltryllis is waiting for us, you’ll end up fighting. Healing is fundamental; the most powerful strategy."

As always, Rin is right. Hakuno may not remember everything, but she knows she has always been relying on this girl to help her through difficult situations, even before they all formed the student council.

Ignoring Gilgamesh’s insensitive comments, she has to agree with him that, one way or another, her friend is one competent woman. She’s glad they’re on the same side.

She makes her way over to the gateway leading back to the school grounds, and leaves Elizabeth’s labyrinth behind. Vertigo comes over her as she enters that brief white void, and her senses fade back into attunement in the familiar student grounds. As always, the relief from the strange pressure of the labyrinth, so far under the dark waters of the Lunar Sea, is welcome.

Gilgamesh draws up next to her, armor clinking, and makes a dismissive wave of his hand.

“Go. Make your preparations. I have matters to attend to. Don’t keep me waiting.”

In a scatter of blue particles, he disappears, leaving Hakuno alone in the schoolyard. Waving to the contemplative NPC who always sits out against the wall and offers advice, she slides the door open and heads into their little refuge. The wood creaks familiarly underfoot as she crosses the floor.

Truthfully, it’s a relief. She knows she’ll have to face Meltryllis eventually, but she’s still nervous. It’s hard not to think what could happen if that woman catches her, to make peace with the fact that she ultimately has not control over whether they’re attacked. Gilgamesh is the most powerful trump card she could ask for, and even still…

She can't help remembering that spiked kneeplate, charging toward her. The bloodlust in that lovely voice.

Everyone they've lost.

She shivers.

That suspicious priest bows to her, but she can’t deal with him right at the moment. She needs some time with her thoughts.

So she heads up the stairs, and passes the Student Council Room where Rin and Rani are working hard as always, and makes her way to her own personal room to sit down. She closes her eyes, and takes a few deep breaths. It’s all going to work out, if they just keep doing their best, and never give up. The predictions of Seven Days Later don’t have to come true: they can stop it. She has to believe that.

Suddenly, she hears a knock and a polite cough at her door.

Her heart beats a little faster. She checks to make sure it’s all clean.

“Come in!”

Rin slides open her door and steps inside, shutting it behind her. Her face is a little flushed.

“Look!” She says, before Hakuno can say anything. “I just came by to do a follow up exam on you. It was my first time using the Ten Thousand Colored Stagnation, and I want to make sure I didn’t misplace anything in your frame when I changed your spiritron granularity.”

Hakuno considers reminding her that Sakura’s infirmary is just downstairs, but wisely decides against it.

“Okay,” she says. “Thank you. I’m glad to have someone like Rin looking after me. I’m in your hands, as always.”

Rin nods, matter-of-factly, and pulls her over to sit on the bed, a lingering hand resting on her shoulder.

She knows Rin handled it perfectly. But if Rin needs to confirm it for herself, that’s just as important.

Briefly, she communicates to Gilgamesh that she’s receiving a checkup, and that she might be a little bit late. All she receives in return is his laughter. Seriously, what a difficult Servant.

“Okay,” Rin says, imperiously. “Now strip.”

—

She sits there on the bed, uniform shirt off, while Rin examines her back, cool, slender fingers alternating between laying against her skin and clinking on her virtual keyboard. It’s, well. She’s a healthy young lady. It’s just a little embarrassing that Rin can probably see every change in her vitals.

Anyway, this is nice. She smiles fondly while her lecturer continues.

“—and you’re going to buy healing items and equipment like I said, right? You know all of us are relying on you. You have to do whatever you can to maximize your chances of survival, especially against an opponent like Meltyllis. Supplies and preparation are an essential factor in any form of conflict.”

“Of course! I always listen to Rin’s advice—I know I can always count on your support. I just. Well. Had to take a moment to calm my nerves.”

The next touch against her back is slightly less clinical, slightly more sentimental.

The permeable boundary between those two attitudes is just not fair to her heart.

“Anyway, I have more than enough money to throw around as it stands. It might feel nice to just dump a bunch of Sakurament into—Rin?”

Her friend freezes, hand against her back. One of her fingers twitches.

Ah. Right.

She remembers the neon figures of jewels and bills floating through the dark waters of Rin’s heart as she dived down to save her from BB’s control. “Hey! I don’t have a thing about money! I’m going to punch you!”

“…Rin?”

Briskly, her friend jumps up from the bed behind her, and starts making her way to the door without looking back.

“Well! Looks like you’re in good condition, you don’t need anything more from me. I’ll be in the Student Council Room monitoring your linkage to the school, so good luck out—“

“Wait.” Hakuno demands, standing up and taking her wrist. Rin still doesn’t turn back to look at her. “You know I wouldn’t judge you, or make fun of you, right? It’s… it’s okay.”

She can feel Rin’s heart beating in her wrist, fast and hard. She hears her swallow.

Her own heart is pounding in her ears. Her chest writhes with nerves.

It’s now or never.

She takes a step forward, then another, until she’s standing behind her, can feel her warmth.

Then she takes another step forward, one arm coming forward to wrap around Rin’s stomach, holding her tight, pressed up, against her back. That sweater is soft against her skin, and just a little rough.

She tries to put some steel into her voice. To give Rin some direction, something to hold onto, to calm herself. And. Well. Okay, her thoughts have been spinning ever since she saw Rin’s satisfied expression as Elizabeth whipped her with her tail, ever since she collected that Submission Desire SG. Maybe her intentions aren’t 100% pure.

“There’s something else I need you to do for me,” she says, gravely.

Is that… is that her own voice?

Rin trembles, slightly.

Desperately, she keeps hold of her thoughts.

She lets go of Rin’s wrist, still holding her around the waist, and manifests some of her saved up Sakurament with a stored hum. A thick, weighty stack of bills.

She reaches around, and presses them into Rin’s hand. Rin gasps.

“This is 20,000SM,” she says. She lets go of the money. Rin holds on.

Rin whimpers.

“Would you please,” she says, without a hint of question. “Go down to the commissary, and buy some healing items for me?”

She can feel the tension trembling in her friend’s body. She leans in close to her ear, and whispers. “I trust Rin’s decisionmaking to keep me safe.”

The sensation of Rin’s body melting in one ragged breath is the most erotic thing she’s ever felt.

“Y-yes,” she breathes.

“Thank you. Now go on.” She pushes Rin toward the door. “I’ll wait here.”

After Rin leaves, her legs turn to jelly. She sits back on her bed, supporting herself with her hands, and takes deep breaths to calm herself down.

After a few minutes, her heart finally stops racing, and she sighs, looking up at the ceiling.

Did she really just do that?

She has no idea where she got the nerves for something like that. She felt like she was going to pass out.

But more than that, Rin’s little reactions are carved in her memory. Maybe they’ll never go away.

Feeling her shiver. Feeling her relax. Feeling someone she’s always looked up to, admired and chased after giving up control to her. That moment where Rin’s trust in her took over her body.

Damn. Now she’s excited again. She can’t wait for Rin to get back.

She knows she has to face Meltryllis soon, but right now all she can think about is Rin.

And for now, that feels alright.

She realizes she’s still shirtless, and starts to dress herself, hands shaking with adrenaline

—

A few minutes later, there’s another knock on the door. Immediately, Hakuno’s heartbeat is back at full pace, nervousness swirling and tumbling in her chest. She stands up from the bed and opens it.

Rin is standing outside her door. Her face is flushed, and her brow twitches.

Hakuno steels herself, reaches deep down for the courage to push ahead.

She steps out of the way, and ushers Rin inside, who enters walking stiff-limbed.

“Here!”

Rin sticks out her arm toward Hakuno, a small item folder in her hand. She doesn’t look at her.

Hakuno takes it and stows it in her inventory.

“Thank you. I can always count on Rin.”

“You…!” she whips around. “Aren’t you even going to check out what I bought?”

She sounds angry, but looks nervous.

Ah.

Hakuno looks her in the eyes. Earnestly, seriously, she says, “Why would I have to? I know you made the right selection. I asked you because you’re the most competent person I know.”

Rin colors.

“You did what I said, right?”

She nods.

“Good,” Hakuno confirms.

Rin shivers. Her eyes are looking a bit hazy again. Hakuno’s stomach flips. Maybe it’s not fair to push her buttons like this, but Hakuno is doing it. She’s not stopping now.

I”n that case, I have something else I need you to do for me,” she says, with false confidence. She half expects Rin to snip at her for overstepping but… but instead, she’s staring at her, waiting, like Hakuno hung the moon.

Oh. Her eyes look so soft. She looks so relaxed, breathing fast and deep and even. Hakuno swallows.

“I need you to take this for me,” she hears herself say. She raises her hand, and a stack of 20,000 materializes in it. Rin’s eyes track to it like magnets. Hakuno is so turned on she feels like she might faint.

She presses the bills into Rin’s hand, folds the fingers around them. Rin watches it happen, breaths coming quickly, and then looks up at her, expectantly, waiting.

Adorable.

But she doesn’t tell her what to do. Instead, she materializes another stack in her hands.

Rin looks nervous.

She presses them into her other hand. Rin’s eyes track between her outstretched hands. She squeezes the wads of bills, eyes slamming shut, and shivers.

But she opens them again when Hakuno pulls out another stack. She stares up at her, pleading, as Hakuno presses it into her hand, balancing it between the other two. Her eyes say it for her.

It’s too much.

Hakuno pulls out another stack of bills.

Whether her life lasts only the next couple hours or seventy more years, she’ll remember the sound Rin makes until she dies.

Rin holds the 80,000SM in her hands, staring at it in disbelief. Hakuno heroically tries not to melt into a puddle, and instead circles around behind her, starts massaging her arms.

“That’s all yours. I’m giving it to you,” she says.

Rin whines.

But before she can object, Hakuno continues. “But Rin, I want you to do something. Would you please buy me a Mystic Code, and… whatever pair of socks you like best?” She laces her arms around Rin’s waist, and rests her chin on her shoulder. Rin melts into her hold. “It’s your choice,” she murmurs, her own breaths shaking. “The money is yours. But will you spend it all on me, if I ask you to?”

Rin takes one stuttering breath, and then another, and then another. She swallows.

“Yeah,” she says. “I’ll do it.”

—

“U-um, just to be safe, I checked if Kishinami’s condition was normal,” Sakura offers, her voice coming in clearly, if compressed, over the communication line.

Hakuno blows a foggy breath between her hands, and tucks them into her armpits. She looks around in the icy chill of Meltryllis’s hostile, forbidding Labyrinth, eyes tracking to each intersection in sight. Just in case.

“And then… well, it’s just that the temperature is cold on this floor, so I tried to raise Senpai’s body temperature a bit… but it won’t go up. Out of curiosity, I, um, secretly administered a healing item. The effect was negated.”

What.

“HUH?!”

“… I see. Considering this floor represents her “Sadistic Constitution,” it makes sense for it to have this characteristic.” Rani is unshakable as ever.

Hakuno hears a distant scream of frustration come over through Rani’s audio connection. “But it seems Miss Tohsaka is upset by this.”

Gilgamesh laughs heartily at their mistake.

“…Hakunooon, I’m so sorry!”

“It’s okay,” she replies. “I still think it was money well-spent.”

After all. The tights Rin put on her are doing a pretty good job of keeping her warm.

[zabala0z]

Okay so, I just finished MAG 100 (Wild guys holy shit) and I saw the next ep is like 50 minutes long??? (EDIT: okay I was wrong so ignore that) So I’m gonna post my 4 episode thoughts now since whatever MAG 101 is gonna be, it’s gonna make me have a lot of thoughts:

MAG 97: We All Ignore the Pit

Okay, so, there’s a lot here that I didn’t realize at first glance. Who the hell was that old man??? My first thought was Simon Fairchild because he said “nothing for you down there. You just go and enjoy your sky” but then he like spat mud and that’s something Simon had never done before, not even like a hint of dirt shit. He also was described as mean and Simon, from all the statements, was a pretty chill guy?? Like he was friendly, amiable, etc. so I don’t think this is Simon.

Who was the old woman and the blue eyed guy? I thought it was Gertrude since she would be alive around this time. Wait hold on I just thought of something. Like I’m writing and I just thought “man what other old woman is there??” Fucking Mary Keay. Could be. And the boy could’ve been Gerard or something. Or maybe I’m overthinking. I think I am. God.

ALSO NIKOLA??? WTF BRO. The fact she was like “yeah I stole this voice box” implied to me that she strangled the boss in Drawing a blank for it 😭😭 poor Jon, he keeps getting kicked around. Also creepy ass voice. Jesus.

I’m wondering how Gregor is her dad. Like I don’t think she met blood related, right? And how did she end up in the department store. Like duh it was the delivery service but what led there??

MAG 98: Lights out

Maxwell Rayner strikes again. Douchebag. Another darkness theme. Not much else to say but Melanie trying to poison Elias? Respect.

MAG 99: Dust to Dust

MICHAEL. MICHAEL WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE??

Guys you have no idea the scream I let out when Gertrude said his name. Like genuinely, this is like top 5 most crazy moments for me which is probably gonna get trumped in like 3 episodes but still holy shit. Like. I was fully hyperventilating.

Michael was Gertrude’s assistant. Like he was a human. I figured he was one but him being an ASSISTANT at the institute was not a thing that crossed my mind. How did The Spiral get him? Or did he go to The Spiral??

The Buried. Fun name. So I’m guessing it’s deal looking back is claustrophobia, dirt, earth, etc. gotta keep track of that. Now all the names entities we know of are up to 7! Funsies. Congratulations to Jon on getting kidnapped. We’re now adding to his trauma.

MAG 100: I Guess You Had To Be There

I’m dying of laughter what was this. Okay so every statement, while disjointed and not very said well, is important. The girl who saw a ghost on fire?? Well could be related to The Desolation. Y’know. Fire. The guy who lost his friend in the subway station, The Buried, I think. The guy who got lost in a maze and then just left because he was late? By the way, funniest thing ever like what the hell. Anyways that’s The Spiral and the guy with the spiders, I still have no idea. It’ll have a name soon.

ALSO PETER LUKAS. LUKAS. DUDE. The way how he says stuff, how cheerful he sounds, reminds me of Mike Crew? I don’t know if the Lukas family is also related to The Vast but the experiences sounds vaguely similiar enough.

Poor Brian. Bros now gonna be lost like forever 💀 okay so I think that’s everything. I see there’s a lot of parts coming up so anyone who wants to see me melt from lore won’t have to wait too long!

[thebrokengate]

I would just like to offer a word today, a gentle reminder that it's okay if you're feeling sick, sad, angry, disgusted, and scared for the future. It's completely normal to feel this way when the threat of our rights being taken away is imminent. Do not let anyone make you feel wrong for feeling this way. I know that today as I worked I, too, was a zombie all day, and living in a red state surrounded by people all around celebrating Trump was an inescapable nightmare as I could only see in my mind the terrified faces and the tears on the cheeks of every American who knows what vile things that man is capable of doing to every minority across the nation. Things that he can and will do.

But as painful as it is, I want you to remember these feelings during these next four years. I want you to remember the fear, to remember the tears you cried, to remember the anger that shook your voice, and I want you to hold onto and use it. They want us to be afraid and back away like animals in cages, but they need to know one simple fact: above all else, we are human. Everyone negatively affected by the outcome of this election is a human being with breath in your bodies and blood in your veins. Live loud. Don't give up. You are filled with life, and you have a right to that life whether they say you do or not. You have a right to freedom whether they say you do or not, and you have a right to pursue happiness whether they say you do or not. If this country wants to preach freedom, then it's time they practice what they're preaching for all Americans. Not just for people who fit into their narrow lines, but for all people.

We may feel defeated today, we may feel defeated tomorrow. But I know us. I know the amazing things we're capable of making happen, too. We are not weak. We're strong and we're fighters. It may not feel like it now and you may lose sight of your strength for a little while, but not for long. And I'll be right there with you fighting, too.

You do not scare me, Donald Trump, nor do your supporters. Your hatred and ignorance only inspires me to take a stand against it.

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Robert B. Hubbell Newsletter

The media is normalizing Trump's victory by “blaming Democratic elites” and criticizing the Democratic campaign.

The defining feature of Trump's campaign was its appeal to racism, misogyny, and white supremacy. He pushed those themes despite pleas from his advisers to focus on the economy. Having campaigned on themes of hate and division, he won decisively. The most compelling inference from those facts is that Trump's campaign themes appealed to a broad swath of the voters who supported him.

But the media is (again) sane-washing Trump's depravity. Rather than acknowledge—or even mention—his dominant campaign themes in analyzing his victory, the media insists that Trump won because Democrats are “elitists” who somehow “alienated” major portions of the electorate or that Democrats lost because Kamala Harris and her advisors refused to run her campaign in the manner demanded by the legacy media.

Saturday brought a new spate of such articles—many of which were forwarded to me by readers who seemed to agree with the “I told you so” tone of the articles.

Okay. I’ll play that game. Let’s assume that Democrats made mistakes in the execution of Harris’s nearly flawless campaign. Let’s assume that despite the dozens of policies designed to help the working and middle classes, Democrats are not connecting with those voters. Even accepting those assumptions, the story of what happened on Tuesday is not that Democrats deserve a tongue-lashing by professional scolds.

The story is that America elected a convicted felon for the first time its history. It is that America elected an adjudicated sexual abuser as its president. It is that America elected a man who attempted a coup and incited an insurrection the last time he was president. It is that America elected a president who declares that those Americans who oppose him are “enemies from within.” It is that the man the media is currently lionizing has threatened to shut down CBS, ABC, the New York Times, Google, and other outlets that have accurately reported the truth about Donald Trump. It is that he has promised to fire the prosecutor who is pursuing two indictments issued by grand juries of his peers.

Here's the point: Choosing to write stories that “blame elitist Democrats” ignores the real story of what happened on Tuesday. That distraction normalizes the grotesque, existential threat of Trump's electoral victory. Trump could not buy more favorable and helpful coverage if he paid for those stories with Elon Musk’s billions.

The media again fails to comprehend the moment, much less rise to it. It is like reporting on the sinking of the Titanic by criticizing the viscosity of the oil in Engine Number Two. While the Titanic’s engineers might have used underweight oil, ignoring the iceberg’s role in the Titanic’s sinking is unforgivable.

The failure of the media is even more unforgivable because Trump represents an ongoing threat to democracy. Such petty, “inside baseball” reporting is fatuous under normal circumstances. It is journalistic malpractice in this perilous moment.

It is also insulting to the millions of Democrats who worked their ***** off to help elect Kamala Harris. While it is true that the Democratic Party has high-paid consultants and political insiders, they are the tiniest fraction of the party. The real Democratic Party includes Black women who staffed nearly every polling station in the South. It includes young, first-time voters who believe fervently in the promise of America. It includes retirees living on Social Security walking precincts despite aching knees and anxious hearts. It includes young married couples, straight and gay, who are desperately hoping for a better future for their children. It includes the out-of-work middle-aged mechanic with a pre-existing condition who worries about not qualifying for health insurance on the open market.

So, when clueless but know-it-all wags criticize the “elitist Democrats,” that is who they are criticizing. In fact, those who choose to criticize “Democratic elites” are revealing their profound ignorance of who makes up the backbone of the Democratic Party.

It is especially offensive to exhibit glee while chastising “Democratic elites” when most everyone in the party is experiencing raw emotions of bewilderment and despair over the fact that America would elect a convicted felon-sexual abuser-insurrectionist as our president. So, please desist.

There will be a time and a place to discuss how Democrats governed under Biden and how they campaigned under Harris. But rubbing people’s faces in grudge-settling op-eds by smug journalists is counterproductive, graceless, and offensive. Exhibit some empathy and humanity. Rather than explaining why you believe Democrats lost, consider asking someone whose heart is broken how they are doing after giving their all in the hope that Kamala would win and that Trump would lose.

I sometimes receive criticism from readers saying that my comments are “over the top” or intemperate. That may be true. However, Rebecca Solnit (of The Guardian) feels even more passionate about this subject than I do. For those of you who know Solnit, she is one of the finest writers of our generation. See her Facebook post, link here: Rebecca Solnit – F*ck the media explanations that Trump won because of the economy . . . . For those of you who do not have a Facebook account, I have excerpted the posting in a Google Doc, accessible to all here: Rebecca Solnit Facebook Doc.

Democrats tried to stop Trump. They lost because Trump’s feral instincts knew that a substantial portion of the electorate would respond to his racist, sexist, white supremacist platform. Sadly, he turned out to be correct—for now. But he is wrong about who the American people are. When more of them vote, his dark vision of America will be repudiated, and the arc of the moral universe will once again bend toward justice.

[strawberryamanita]

Okay, so... hoo boy.

I try to acknowledge every time I make a political post that I cannot tell anyone what to do. I'm one irrelevant person, I'm not a political spearhead nor do I want to be one, I haven't been able to sway anyone about anything, yadda yadda blah blah blah. If this post gets completely overlooked, so be it. If I get verbally trampled-on by people who don't agree with me, so be it.

But while everyone else is causing a flood of coins on the floor, I'll throw my own 2 cents in.

I think what would be helpful right now -- just in this moment, for the short-term -- is getting through these feelings of worry and despair and panic that I see many posts on my feed announcing. The facts are in front of us: there was an assassination attempt, it failed, and that's worrying because it's gonna embolden the Right even further than they've already been lately. That's completely reasonable to be upset about, it's not irrational to see the danger this will put us in on the streets on the days leading up to the election.

At the same time, there ARE, believe it or not, some positive facts that are having an impact on your life right now. Trump had to go the hospital. He could possibly have a heart-attack. He could possibly go septic. He could possibly be assigned a medical professional that is brave enough to kill him. There was a person brave enough earlier today to show him and his following that enough people in the world hate him to want him dead. Social media being flooded with cheers that he was injured and laments that it didn't kill him is further proof to said willfully ignorant following that they are in the minority. Even if more US voters are enthusiastic about Trump as I type this, most of the world wants him obliterated, and that should be something to hang onto. So much of this is about ego and confidence of the Right. It's not in our best interest to let them think they have a leg up on us.

And the biggest piece of good news is, the US presidential election didn't happen yet! That wasn't the last stand right there, that wasn't the ballot count or the televised verdict. "Surviving" a non-lethal shot that didn't hit any important organs or arteries doesn't mean you automatically win an election. That didn't push an Eject button on Biden's seat to launch him out of the White House or anything like that.

Trump is not invincible. He is not immortal. He is not unkillable. And just because his cult of followers want to canonize him (though they wanted to do that before he was even elected the first time), that doesn't mean WE are obligated to throw in the towel and hang our heads and lick their heels. If it's cathartic or it's helping you de-stress, then by all means cry all you need to -- but we unfortunately can't afford to let this sink us into a collective depression.

He didn't win an election that hasn't happened yet. I promise you this. Look on ecosia.org if you need proof of who is in-office, since they don't use AI(currently).

And no, none of this is to downplay anything. I'm not living in a lie. I promise you, I've been making myself physically ill from the horrors of the world I've been exposed to, day after day, non-stop, on this fucking website. If exposing myself to the bottomless abyss of human evil actually desensitized me and helped me be less fearful, it would've worked by now, but all it does is exhaust me.

It honestly oftentimes makes me actively suicidal -- and I know for a fact I'm not the only one, especially after today, or when Trump was granted legal immunity, or any of these other awful past days. But if I killed myself before I did everything I could to keep this sinking ship of a country afloat just a little longer, that wouldn't be responsible of me.

So, if you're still reading, and not already typing out some response accusing me of things I already tried to tell you I'm not doing before you even finish reading...

Now is the time to practice being brave.

Look at the facts. Don't let yourself spiral from doomscrolling. Cry when you need to, and then keep going. Vote in every local election you can, attend protests and rallies, spread information from trustworthy sources to every social media handle you have -- and for God's sake, find something to keep you hopeful. Escapism is a survival tool: as long as you aren't using it to avoid reality, it doesn't have to be eliminated from your life. You will feel stronger if you let yourself recharge with moments of happiness, I guarantee this.

If you're too suicidal to keep going for yourself, keep going for someone else. It can be someone in your immediate life, it can be a stranger suffering overseas, it can be a child who hasn't been born yet that will see a future built on top of our present. Whatever it takes to keep you from giving up, put it to the front of your mind. Link arms with your Leftist siblings, and then make a habit of it. We cannot keep collapsing from the inside from the smallest of inconveniences, it helps literally none of us.

It's not over until they ring that bell. We have 3 and a half months, don't lose speed now.

I believe in you.

[libby-for-life]

Okay so I've been thinking about it more, I follow way too many fanfic writers with no time to update the ones i've started. (anyway..) For the Just Desserts AU Lucifer is under Adam's control, powerless, back home-to a home that never wanted him in the first place. So he's alone. He can't even explain himself to Adam since the first man hates him so much for ruining his peace. So he doesn't talk, he just takes it-some time he screams, knowing everyone in heaven has much as a blind eye as sinners in Hell. It's just pure torture for him, what the angels would call Just. It would take a while, but i almost can see Adam growing bored. Lilith never returned to Hell, it's not like her daughter will rage against Heaven, she doesn't care for Lucifer either. Adam hates them both, but when he sees how Lucifer looked at their ex. He sees the devil he thought he broke, look just as defeated if not more than he appeared in the golden chains at arrival.

I was thinking along the same lines. Adam had always wanted a servant. In fact, in this one, I've made a little piece in a discord server with some others of what Lucifer's reaction is to Lilith in Heaven. It won't be for a while until Adam feels any semblance of guilt or boredom.

Lute was seen as a hero for killing the devil and Adam watched as she was showered with praise. Lucifer was taken to Adam's house where he would make the ground rules. Lucifer was incredibly light, but he knew the collar and leash would be more degrading.

He paraded him through Heaven as everyone threw trash, hissed obscenities, and glared at Lucifer.

He ignored Lucifer's hiss when a stray rock scraped his cheek, leaving him bleeding.

He deserves much worse considering what he's done.

But as for hands, none were allowed to touch Lucifer except Adam. When they got to his house, he forced him to the ground at his feet. "Alright, snake. We're going over the rules."

First rule, talk of The Wives was completely Off Limits. Second rule. He can never talk with anyone alone. He has to stay with Adam. Third rule, listen to him. He trumps all others when it comes to instructions.

Adam even took him to see a certain special someone in Heaven knowing the outcome before the conversation even began.

When Lucifer saw Lilith, he tried rushing towards her, but the chain holding him prevented him from going far.

"Lilith!" He tried calling out but when she turned to him, she glared when she saw him.

"What the hell is he doing here?" She spat making him flinch. What was going on?

"Hey, bitch. Decided to bring my lap dog around."

"Lily?"

"Don't call me that." She snapped.

"I don't...I don't understand?"

"You still don't get it, do you? You're no longer powerful, I can tell." Why did that matter? "You were useless when we fell and you're even more useless now. At least before, you were the King of Hell. Now? You don't even have that."

Why was she saying this?

"...I love you." Lucifer tried saying.

"And that was your mistake. You have nothing to offer me anymore. You didn't when we Fell, and you don't now." She turned away to look at the ocean. "You're an eyesore." It was a dismissal.

Adam whistled. "Damn, I always forget how cold you are." He dragged a listless and crying Lucifer away.

"How does it feel to be abandoned, hu Lucifer? Hurts doesn't it?" Adam sneered.

Adam did not expect Lucifer to just shut down. It felt good to see him like that. Finally, Lucifer knew how it felt. Knew what it was like to be abandoned by the people you loved and trusted. Knew what it was like to have someone GLOAT about that hurt.

(Lilith never loved Lucifer and only used him for power. Now that he has none, she sees no reason to pretend for his fantasies any longer.)