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oneshotnewbie · 7 months ago

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Andy Herrera x DeLuca! sister reader. Carina brings her sister to the firehouse and they both secretly fall for each other. Then one day Andy gets hurt on the job and after she is released from the hospital she goes and confesses her feelings to the reader. After secretly dating for about six months the two are caught kissing by both Maya and Carina who both freak out but are happy for the two. Fluffy please? With Maya and Carina teasing the two after they catch them together.

𝐴𝑢𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑟 𝑛𝑜𝑡𝑒: 𝐼'𝑚 𝑏𝑎𝑐𝑘 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑒𝑎𝑑! 𝑊𝑒𝑙𝑙, 𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦 𝐼 𝑗𝑢𝑠𝑡 ℎ𝑎𝑑 𝑡𝑜𝑜 𝑚𝑢𝑐ℎ 𝑡𝑜 𝑑𝑜 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑜𝑛𝑙𝑦 𝑔𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑓𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑑𝑎𝑦𝑠 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝑤ℎ𝑎��𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟! 𝐸𝑛𝑗𝑜𝑦 𝑚𝑦 𝑛𝑒𝑤 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 19 𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑦 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝐴𝑛𝑑𝑦 𝐻𝑒𝑟𝑟𝑒𝑟𝑎 𝑎𝑛𝑑 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑓𝑢𝑛 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔! 🙈 𝐼𝑡'𝑠 𝑎 𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑦 𝑏𝑖𝑡 𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑔 (3400 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑑𝑠) 𝑏𝑢𝑡 ℎ𝑜𝑝𝑒𝑓𝑢𝑙𝑙𝑦 𝑖𝑡 𝑤𝑜𝑛'𝑡 𝑏𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑦𝑜𝑢💕

ᕚ---ᕘ

The excitement in the air was palpable as Carina Deluca drove side by side with you through the busy streets of Seattle. Your eyes reflected your longing to finally visit the fire station. Until now, however, your big sister's and her girlfriends hectic work schedule had always ruined your plans. But today was different. Today Carina would introduce you to a world that you had only heard about through the lively stories of her girlfriend Maya. The fascinating world of the brave firefighters from Station 19.

"Ci stiamo avvicinando, Bella. Sono così felice che tu possa finalmente incontrare tutti." (We're getting closer, Bella. I'm so happy you can finally meet everyone) Carina said with a bright look of anticipation and placed her hand reassuringly on your thigh. "I feel your excitement, y/n. Once you cross the station's threshold, you will be a part of them," she assured you with a warm smile.

The car stopped around the corner and you entered the fire station grounds shortly after. An atmosphere immediately surrounded you, permeated by hustle and courage. But at the same time, you could also feel an air of excitement and determination surrounding the people. It was like being immersed in a whirlwind of commitment and solidarity as the dull drone of work filled the air. Everyone who was here exuded an aura of determination, ready to face the challenges of the day. It was a place where every moment mattered, a place that embodied the essence of heroism and solidarity.

As you passed through the wide open gates of the guardhouse, you were greeted by a young woman who was bustling around the area with a radio in her hand. The sight of her was impressive - her face bore the marks of hard work, but her charisma was incomparable. It was Andy Herrera, the charismatic leader of Station 19. Her eyes were full of light as she kept an eye on the action on the premises. Every step she took seemed like an expression of leadership, and yet there was an aura of calm about her that immediately instilled confidence in everyone who met her. It was clear that she was a natural leader, ready to face any obstacle with unwavering courage.

"Carina! It's great to see you," Andy greeted her with a bright smile. Then her eyes fell on you lingered there for a slightly longer time. "And who do we have here?"

"This is my sister, y/n. She was invited by Maya to get an insight into what we do here," Carina explained proudly. Andy nodded friendly and held out her hand to you, which you accepted gratefully. "It's very nice to meet you, y/n. Welcome to Station 19," she said with a warmth in her voice that immediately put you at ease and made you feel like you were in exactly the right place.

Her charm had an irresistible attraction for you. You had never met anyone like her before - someone so confident and yet so caring. As you looked into her warm brown eyes, you felt something awaken within you that you had never felt before. It was as if her charisma ignited a hidden longing within you that had previously been lying dormant inside you, unnoticed. Every small gesture, every word of hers seemed to touch you and awaken your senses as you let yourself be captivated by her charisma. It was a moment of realization that this encounter with her was taking your life on an unforeseen but exciting new path.

While Carina and Andy were engaged in animated conversation, you felt enchanted. Your eyes couldn't leave the Spanish woman, and you were sure she noticed. But instead of feeling uncomfortable, you found comfort in the knowledge that Andy was just as attracted to you as you were to her. It was as if there was an invisible connection between you that was revealed in every look and every smile. The atmosphere around you seemed to change, and you felt a special energy building between you that fascinated and filled you at the same time. It was a moment of magic where the world around you seemed to stand still as you lost yourself in the eyes of the mesmerizing woman in front of you.

When Carina finally suggested getting Maya to explore the fire station with her, the spanish woman immediately took the opportunity to get to know you better. "I'll be happy to walk you through everything we do here," she offered enthusiastically, taking a few steps forward to signal that you should follow her.

A wide smile crossed your lips as you decided to follow her. "That would be amazing. I'm really excited to find out more," you replied eagerly.

As you strolled through the fire station together, Carina couldn't help but smile as she searched for her girlfriend. She felt that this encounter with Andy had the potential to change your life forever. It was as if the threads of fate were weaving around you both, leading you down a path full of surprises and new experiences.

ᕚ---ᕘ

The days passed and you kept finding a reason to visit the fire station, supposedly to see your "sister". But deep in your heart you knew that your real reason was something else: you wanted to see Andy again, the fire lieutenant who made your heart beat faster.

Andy quickly noticed that you were showing up more often than would be typical for a normal visit for your sister. Still, she always greeted you with a bright smile and always found an excuse to spend time with you. And the more time you spent together, the stronger the hidden feelings that grew between you.

You found yourself around them more and more often, be it at lunch with the entire team or in discussions about operational plans. You enjoyed watching her lead her team, burning with compassion and passion for her work.

Andy also couldn't deny that she was attracted to you anymore. There was something about you - your liveliness, your enthusiasm for life - that she couldn't ignore. She increasingly found herself staring at you when you talked to Maya or helped Carina with the supplies, as if trying to capture every nuance of your being, and she longed for the moments when she could be alone with you.

But despite the growing attraction between you, neither of you dared to reveal your true feelings. She feared the possible consequences of a relationship between her and her best friend's sister in law. So she kept her feelings under wraps, even though she felt more alive than ever around you.

One day, when you visited the fire station again, you found a rare moment of privacy. Together you sat next to each other on a bench on the roof terrace, surrounded by the calming silence of the evening and the soft city lights glowing on the horizon.

“Y/n, there’s something I’ve wanted to share with you for a while,” she began hesitantly, weighing her words carefully. You looked at her intently, your heart starting to beat faster. Had Andy finally found the courage to reveal her feelings?

"I... I really appreciate our time together," she continued, her eyes searching yours. “You’re special, y/n, and I feel really lucky that you’re here.”

A hint of disappointment washed over you as you realized she wasn't saying what you had hoped. But at the same time, you also felt relieved that she valued your presence as much as you valued hers. "Thank you, Andy. That means a lot to me," you replied sincerely, a hesitant smile crossing your lips.

You sat next to each other in silence for a while, enveloped in the evening and the unsaid words between you. But despite the words that remained unspoken, you both knew that there was something special between you, something that you couldn't ignore even if you wanted to. The atmosphere was charged with a suppressed tension that your hearts felt even if your mouths didn't say it.

A blaring, loud siren from the reporting station suddenly pierced the silence, breaking you out of your quiet moment. Both were frightened and Andy jumped up as the shrill sound blared through the air. She quickly gave you a kiss on the cheek and in that gesture, she paused for a moment, shocked at her rash action. "I'm sorry... I have to go. I'll see you again soon, yeah?"

You nodded, feeling the heat in your blushing cheeks. You too were overwhelmed by the gesture, but you tried not to show your excitement. While she disappeared through the exit and you saw the fire trucks drive away shortly afterwards, you also made your way home, unaware that something unexpected would happen that you had never imagined.

While working in a burning building, Andy suddenly found herself in a dangerous situation. An unstable structure collapsed and falling debris struck her. The team was eventually able to rescue her and bring her outside, but it was obvious that she was injured and needed to be taken to the hospital.

Using blue lights and sirens, Andy was taken by Warren and Hughes to Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital, where doctors did everything they could to carefully examine her and make sure she had not suffered any serious injuries. Hours passed like years as they waited for news of her condition.

Finally, as the sun rose over the horizon, the good news came: Andy only suffered a concussion and a few bruised ribs. But the thought of what might have been if the injuries had been more serious made her shudder. She suddenly understood the preciousness of life and how quickly it could be over.

When Andy was finally released from the hospital, she didn't hesitate for a moment. After everything that had happened, she was determined to stop hiding her feelings. She knew she had to tell you how much she loved you before it was too late.

She made her way to your apartment, ignoring the pounding in her head and the doctor's orders to rest. Your heart was pounding as you opened the door and saw the tired, vulnerable look in her eyes. A stab of pain shot through your chest. "Andy, I'm so sorry you had to go through that. I can't even imagine what it's like when you..." you started, your voice cracking with emotion, but Andy cut you off, her eyes wide open yours resting without once letting go. "Kiss Me."

You looked at her in surprise, your eyes widening in amazement. "What do you mean, Andy?" You asked quietly, your voice barely above a whisper.

"Kiss me," she whispered again, biting her lip. The words hung heavy in the air, and for a moment time seemed to stand still between the two of you. "I love you, y/n. But I don't know if you feel the same. So if you do, finally kiss me."

A smile slowly broke across your face and you took a step towards her until you were close to each other. You placed your hands gently on her cheeks, pulling her towards you before your lips met. You felt her shoulders relax and her tense posture lessen as she too gently placed her hands around your neck and gave in to the kiss.

"Y/n... I love you," she said quietly, her voice still shaking. "I wanted to tell you before, but I was afraid. I've felt it since the moment I first saw you. And after everything that's happened, I know I have to tell you. I love you."

„I love you too, Andy.“ You spoke and in that moment, surrounded by the first rays of sunshine and the aftermath of a life almost lost, you finally found each other. The world seemed to stand still as your hearts united and you knew that this love would conquer all.

ᕚ---ᕘ

Six months had passed since you and Andy revealed your feelings for each other. During this time, you had kept your relationship a secret from her colleagues at Station 19 and your sister, for fear of possible consequences and not to compromise the professionalism of Andy's work. But despite your efforts, you couldn't hide your love, and your secret meetings were a small comfort in the midst of the hectic everyday life with different work shifts.

Today you had returned from your home country of Italy after your family asked you for help, and Andy couldn't wait to hold you in her arms again. The longing for you had become so great that she could hardly stand counting the hours until she would see you again after you had disappeared for almost a week.

When you finally stepped through the guard gates, she felt a wave of relief and excitement wash over her, and her heart began to take a flight. She immediately rushed to you as you greeted the others and talked to Carina about the situation in your home country, her hand reaching for yours as if she would otherwise lose you.

“Y/n, I missed you so much,” Andy whispered quietly as she pulled you into a more private setting, leaning her forehead against yours as you held onto each other. “I missed you too, Andy,” you replied, your voice full of affection. "It feels like an eternity has passed since we last saw each other. Even though it was only a week."

You spent the whole day being with your family on Station 19, catching Andy's stares and big smiles as you constantly lost yourself in each other, satisfying your longing for closeness and touch as best you could while you moved carefully around her team. But the attraction between you was so strong that it became increasingly difficult for you to hide your feelings. Every glance, every accidental touch seemed to electrify the air around you, and you both knew it was only a matter of time before your love would come to light.

But after the lunch break, when you both sat next to each other at the table and had lunch with the team, Andy could hardly suppress her longing for you. She had to feel you, touch you, kiss you. A wild rush of excitement ran through her heart as she dragged you with her by your shirt while you helped Travis with the dishes.

As soon as she closed the door behind her, you fell into each other's arms, your lips pressed together in a desperate attempt to outsmart time and capture the moment. You were so engrossed in your passion that you didn't notice how the door slowly opened and two figures walked into the room.

Only when you heard the sound of a thick throat clearing did you break apart and turned around to see who had disturbed you. To your surprise, Maya and Carina stood in front of you, their faces a look of shock and surprise.

"What... what the fuck?" Maya stammered, her eyes wide but a mischievous grin gracing her lips. Carina was speechless, her hand pressed to her mouth as she took in the scene before her. "Andy, what are you doing with my sister?" She finally managed, her voice barely above a whisper.

Andy and you looked at each other, your heartbeat raging in your ears. Both of you had no idea what to say, how to explain this unexpected revelation to your sister, and you recognized the panic welling up in your girlfriend. The situation suddenly became complicated and full of unpleasant surprises, and you had to decide how you would deal with it.

As your sister's words filled the room, the spanish woman felt a pang of fear in her heart. Andy knew that her relationship with you didn't live up to the expectations your sister might have had for you, but she had hoped that Carina would accept it. But when she saw her sister's angry look, she feared the worst.

“Y/n, cosa ne pensi?" (Y/n, what are you thinking?) Carina continued, her voice trembling with indignation. "Lei è molto più vecchia di te! Questo... non è giusto! (She's much older than you. That's... that's just not right)

You looked at your sister calmly, your eyes momentarily lowered to the blonde who was standing next to her, smiling and intertwining her fingers with the Italian woman's. "Carina, mi dispiace che tu abbia reagito così, ma amo Andy. E l'età non conta quando si tratta di amore.“ (Carina, I'm sorry you reacted like that, but I love Andy. And age doesn't matter when it comes to love)

Andy felt your support and warming hand on her shoulder, even if she didn't understand exactly what you were saying, and felt strengthened in that moment. She knew it would possibly be a long road for your sister to accept their relationship, but she was determined to fight for your love.

Before Carina could protest again, Maya suddenly laughed loudly, a sound that permeated the room and broke the tension. "Oh, Carina, what's so bad about it? The most important thing is that they're both happy," Maya said between fits of laughter and received a silent glare from Carina who kept her arms crossed under her chest.

The brunette looked at her girlfriend, but then she noticed the look of calm on Maya's face and her words slowly sank in. Maybe she was right and it didn't matter what age difference you had as long as you were happy and Andy didn't hurt you in any kind of way.

Carina slowly let go of her anger and a smile spread across her face. "You're right, Maya. I should be happy that my sister found someone she loves so much. I'm just... surprised, that's all."

You felt a wave of relief wash over you. You had feared that your relationship with Andy would cause a fight between you, but now that Carina gave her consent, she could finally breathe a sigh of relief. It was a moment of reconciliation and understanding that strengthened your bond as sisters.

“Thank you, Carina,” you said quietly, a sigh of relief escaping your lips as your eyes shone with gratitude. "This really means a lot to me."

Carina nodded and held out her arms, which you sank into after you pulled away from Andy and hugged your sister tightly. "I love you, y/n. And I'm glad you're happy. Ma se Andy ti fa del male, la ucciderò.“ (But if Andy hurts you, I'll kill her)

A giggle escaped you and the atmosphere in the room changed. From tension and conflict to love and acceptance. But then, out of nowhere, as the four of you walked out of the locker room together, the blonde started laughing again, and Carina joined her in putting her arm around her shoulders.

"Oh, you two lovebirds! I can't believe we caught you making out!" Maya teased, tears of mirth in her eyes. "I feel like I've been blown back in time. It's like high school."

Carina joined in, and together they began to tease Andy and you, their words full of warmth and joy. And as you both rolled your eyes together and smiled at each other, your hands clasped tightly together, you knew that you would be paying for hiding your relationship from your sister and Andy's best friend for a very long time. But in that moment, everything was forgotten except the love that radiated between you.

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blueiscoool · 10 months ago

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Jade Mosaic Mask Discovered in Maya King's Royal Tomb

Revealing rare treasures and royal lineage.

A Tulane University archaeologist has recently discovered an ancient Maya tomb dating back 1,700 years at the site of Chochkitam in Guatemala near the borders of Mexico and Belize.

The tomb’s remarkable funeral offerings, such as a mosaic jade mask, rare mollusk shells, and writings carved in human femur bones, provide valuable insights into Maya civilization. The discovery includes depictions of a previously unknown king believed to be holding a jade mask similar to the one found in the tomb.

Hieroglyphs on the artifact are thought to connect the ruler to the Maya states of Tikal and Teotihuacan, providing historical and genealogical information.

This discovery is like winning the lottery in terms of information. It opens a window into an obscure time we have little texts about. The newly discovered tomb from the Maya classic period, dating from 250-900 AD, is a significant find given the limited remnants from this era, primarily affected by looting.

The tomb, located just 2 meters away from where looters had previously stopped, is remarkably well-preserved, with minimal damage aside from the natural decay and the collapse of the stone ceiling. This fortunate preservation provides archaeologists with a rare opportunity to explore the rich history and offerings within the tomb.

Estrada-Belli, a research assistant professor in the Tulane University School of Liberal Arts, said, “That was the first amazing thing about it. It was fortunate.”

Lidar technology played a crucial role in the tomb’s discovery by enabling archaeologists to detect looters’ tunnels and map the jungle floor precisely. This advanced technology, akin to ‘taking x-rays of the jungle floor,’ revolutionizes archaeological exploration, allowing researchers to navigate more efficiently through dense vegetation.

The tomb’s contents, including over 16 rare spondylus shells, provide valuable insights into ancient Maya practices, emphasizing their significance in royal contexts as symbols of wealth and elements used in religious and sacrificial ceremonies.

The relics from the tomb, dating back to 350 CE, establish a historical link between Tikal and the central Mexican site of Teotihuacan. This connection sheds light on the cultural exchanges and influences between Maya rulers and the wider Mesoamerican region during the Maya classic period.

The tomb’s contents, including a mosaic jade mask and hieroglyphs carved on human femur bones, offer insights into religious practices and royal lineage, enriching our understanding of ancient Maya civilization. The discovery at Chochkitam, after a century since Fran Blom’s initial exploration, underscores the significance of continued archaeological efforts.

Estrada-Belli said the next stage in his work at the site will be to conduct DNA testing on the bones and maybe uncover additional essential contents buried within the abandoned pyramid.

By Amit Malewar.

#Jade Mosaic Mask Discovered in Maya King's Royal Tomb #Chochkitam #Guatemala #ancient grave #ancient tomb #royal tomb #jade #ancient artifacts #archeology #archeolgst #history #history news #ancient history #ancient culture #ancient civilizations #maya history #maya art

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the-ninja-legacy-whip · 1 year ago

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How would you rank each season and why? What did you like and dislike about them?(Including wildbrain if you want to)

ooooooooooh okaaaaaaaay fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiine

*cracks knuckles* Just remember you asked for this

Buckle up bastards and bitches, we're tearing this shit apart!!! Going from worst to best so we can end on good taste!!! *loads my opinions into a bazooka like Lloyd with an Ice Cannon*

Rebooted- *drags hands down face* ....I really don't actually hate NS3, but as I mentioned on another post, a lot of things this season tried to pull off (read: practically everything) at least one other season did better. And I know it's not really this season's fault that it's such a mess, since it was whipped up in a whirlwind of unexpected serendipity, and it had less time to explore its ideas, but when people only truly remember and constantly bring up the worst parts about it, rather than few (if not far inbetween) good things that it brought to the table? Or people consistently straight up forget other things about it (primary shoutouts to Techno!Wu and the ninja going to literal space???) Yeah, probably not a great season overall.

Pros: Fun aesthetic, wasn't afraid to try new things, attempted to expand and build on previously introduced ideas, did well with the emotions and aftermath generated by Zane's sacrifice, Pixal, killer music, X-1 Ninja Charger, Sensei Garmadon, had the agenda of getting people back into Ninjago after it supposedly hit its grand finale and did succeed in that if nothing else Cons: Absolutely breakneck pacing to the point that its hard to recall what happens where, when, and even why, you could literally take out like 3-4 of the episodes (half the season!!!) and very little would be ultimately impacted, poor execution of: the established character arcs, dynamics, and motivations within the season (with exception of Garmadon); the attempts at further world building; and the ultimate impact of the antagonists (...people rave about Cryptor but he doesn't even really do anything!! And why did they need to bring the Overlord back at ALL—if this was really something of a Zane-centric season, Cryptor would've already been the perfect foil for him!! AND WHY PYTHOR. I AIN'T ACTUALLY MAD ABOUT THAT TBH BUT WHY THEN)

Hands of Time- This season's biggest issue is that it's...boring. Technically doesn't even do anything wrong, but even when trying to follow a mystery as big as what the heck happened to Nya and Kai's parents, or watching Lloyd begin to come into his own as a future master, or exploring the downfall of two ex-Elemental Masters who turned to evil...it comes off so...stilted and stale. Literally an episode is called 'The Attack'. The whole show is full of attacks, this gives me nothing!!! (But, to be fair, most of the other ep titles this season are pretty kickass). It's like NS6 in the way that a bunch of things happen (and not even nearly as incoherently) but 85% of it doesn't have any lasting or satisfying pay off, and most of it doesn't really mesh in a natural way either. A lot of it feels very contrived, with events happening just for the sake of it happening, and that probably contributes to why it's not quite as compelling as other seasons, despite absolutely having the foundation to be.

Pros: Has an interesting way of drawing parallels between several characters, added a good chunk of lore that generated fresh interest, Kai and Nya Sibling duo, introduced villains with unique motivations and complex history with the main character (directly or indirectly), Jay got that cool bike moment, getting to meet Ray and Maya, actually mention of Skylor being a "bad guy" previously and exploring some of her insight of that, previous EM info + flashbacks, Cons: ...executes a lot of the best things about it in such bland and unsatisfying ways, and could have been much tighter with tying its events all together–would've helped the ending (whether it was a "cliffhanger" or not) feel a lot more deserved and less....empty.

(Also not a real con for the season itself and its literally just a nitpick but I hate those outfits. How are they simultaneously overly-detailed yet so monotone??? There's no pleasing contrast nor a place for the eye to comfortably rest! How are my eyes to last beholding a season with THAT fashion?? This is literally the only time where the gi are a distraction to me because they're...clunky, in a way? But...y'know, given that impression, I suppose they do fit the season to a t, then— *bricked*)

March of the Oni- This season is like a collections of puzzle pieces for a good finale season...but, someone lost a few pieces from the box. Or a lot of them. Isolated, there's a lot of good bits that could've really thrived in a normal season format...but, once again, the limited number of episodes strangled the potential out of its own plotline, SO. Plus, it feels extra weak following off the heels of Hunted's already high stakes, and with these stakes supposed to be even higher, it just doesn't quite hit in the way it's supposed to. That being said, there's a lot of fun and/or intense character dynamics and moments interspersed throughout, and the ending was so cozy and bittersweet but lovely that I can't be too upset with it. It stuck the landing it wanted to, and I can respect that!

Pros: Very strong character moments, (mostly) well-placed use of nostalgia, beautiful music, and overall a suitable little wrap up to "Masters of Spinjitzu" Cons: Not enough room/time to let some plot points breathe (a problem common to a few other seasons as well), and the antagonists could have done more, especially given their previous build up.

The Island- I don't even really count it as a season but it's going here. It was just...okay. Not actually all that bad, but not out-of-this-world great either. Laid the foundation for lore expansion for Seabound which is appreciated, utilized the characters well (EXCEPT RONIN WHAT THE FUCK NO), and again, I can respect it for what it was trying to do. Just didn't do anything that really stuck with me in a mind-blowingly positive way.

Secrets of the Forbidden Spinjitzu- Kiiiiinda wish this season was strictly about "Forbidden Spinjitzu and it's secrets", rather than the "Forbidden Spinjitzu" leading to...assorted shenanigans. Could've made for a good Wu season, honestly. Also kinda wish they'd taken the concepts for the Fire and Ice Chapters and made them into more focused stories on Kai and Zane (especially if they were going to go on and do or attempt that exact thing for Jay, Cole, Nya, and Lloyd properly). Wishing aside, while there was a bit of a lull getting things started, the excitement did pick up soon enough. This season did eventually introduce some fun twists, (mostly) enjoyable character dynamics, and having a little lighter of an adventure until it wasn't after MotO was a refreshing change of pace.

Pros: Lots of individual moments to dig into and get invested in, a nice expansion on the lore of Wu's past + other realms beyond Ninjago, Cons: A little hard to initially get into, and can be even harder to keep wanting to push through and watch to the end. Both the Fire and Ice Chapter have points where they feel a bit "aimless" in their middle portions of their acts, and the season as a whole simultaneously feels like it's longer than it needed to be + didn't always use the time it had efficiently.

Legacy of the Green Ninja- Fellas as I've been finishing up my planning for Legacy!S2, I have to confess this Season isn't quite the masterpiece we remember it as snksnksnksnk. There's literally 2-3 episodes that are ENTIRELY pointless, and none of them are even the """"filler"""" ones. It felt like it was trying to be a wacky shenanigan-of-the-week thing and a "dramatic world-ending thriller adventure" at the same time in both halves of the season, and that didn't always pan out in its favor, giving this season a bit of a lost/confused identity—especially one that so explicitly implicates Lloyd as being important, and yet most of the episodes are spent following the escapades of the Core Four still (which is not inherently a bad thing, but WHERE'S THE SO-CALLED LEGACY?!?! WHERE'S THE GREEN NINJA?!) ........anywho, negativity-fueled-by-recency-bias aside, even its short-comings still make for a highly enjoyable watch and rewatch, which isn't something that can be easily said for the previously mentioned seasons. And, there is still a LOT of funny, heartwarming, heartbreaking, and downright epic moments! But, not always immediately memorable ones.

(but also like please you have to UNDERSTAND there's literally a scene during the final battle where Wu, Misako, and Julien are on the ultra dragon and one of em's like "WE HAVE TO HELP" and, i swear i timed this this is legitimately accurate, TWO SECONDS LATER they make like two wing flaps going nowhere and Wu or Misako's like "THIS AS FAR AS WE GO" LIKE WHAAAAAAT?!?!?!!?! HELP LMAO)

Pros: Easy to get into, easy to keep watching, god-level music, and the simple ass humor still makes me laugh like a lunatic all these years later ("O'GRANDMA???" "I can make a little extra if I do the human piñata." "BEQUEATH! BEQUEATH!" *wordlessly using Zane as a battering ram* *the entire absurdity of Wrong Place, Wrong Time* *Dareth's existence*) Cons: The inconsistency of its overall direction still gives me whiplash all these years later, and I wish it had better embraced a singular identity, as that probably would've helped immensely both with character focus and the at times odd pacing of the plot.

Prime Empire- Finally, some good food! Similar to SotFS, this season took a while to kickstart and find its groove and keep it, but by the end it was sooooo much off-the-walls fun that it's hard to actually hate it. Lots of missed opportunities to expand on Jay's character though, especially when those Prime Empire shorts primarily focused on Jay released alongside the season would've been GREAT to see in actual episodes, and probably could've been what tipped it higher onto this list. While what we did get towards the end was super cool, it would've have MUCH more impact if it had better prior buildup. But, this season is incredibly solid in ways that may not be immediately obvious, though does still a bit to be desires at times too.

Pros: Fun and glorious setting for adventure, some very potent and very memorable character moments, SUPERSTAR ROCKIN' JAY, and a very strong finish that still gets me buzzed when it think about it. Cons: Slow start, many missed opportunities, left me wanting just a bit more (in the not-good way) despite the satisfying finish.

Crystalized- *folds hands in front of face* I probably should put this lower than Prime Empire overall quality-wise, but idk man, Crystalized scratched a lot of my personal itches...and also sent me banging my head into a wall, so. While I genuinely, honestly did enjoy my time with this season (I laughed, I cried, I "what the fuck"ed), there's the other half of my mind that just couldn't stop questioning sooooooo many decisions for the direction of the main characters, and constantly doing so did take me out of it way, way too often. For something that was going to serve as (another) big, grand send off...this one may have stuck the landing better than Hands of Time, but. IDK. Something still felt off at the end of everything.

Pros: (Mostly) incredible fight scenes, and action moments, we got to see perspectives of certain character dynamics that hadn't been explored before or not as often, there really is a lot of cool shit in here, loved the return of so many old faces, honestly very enjoyable if you're able to turn your brain off just a bit Cons: WHAT THE HELL DID THEY DO TO NYA, WHY ARE Y'ALL SLEEPING SO HARD ON THE PERFECT OPPORTUNITY TO FINALLY GIVE LLOYD SOME REAL ACTUAL DEVELOPMENT THAT MADE SENSE, IF YOU WERE REALLY PLANNING ON "REDEEMING" HARUMI WHY DIDN'T YOU PACE IT OUT BETTER, WHY ARE THE CORE FOUR NEAR USELESS, DID WE REALLY HAVE TO SPEND A FOURTH OF THE SEASON IN A PRISON WAS THERE NO BETTER WAY TO GET OLD VILLAINS INVOLVED OR FOR RUMI TO INTIMIDATE LLOYD FROM THE SHADOWS, WHAT WAS THE POINT OF THE NEW NINJA, THERE'S SOOOO MUCH MISSED STUFF SURROUNDING NYA'S SACRIFICE/RETURN, AND WHY DID THEY SCRAP SO MANY ACTUALLY NEAT IDEAS FOR THISSSSSSS *dies*

Hunted- Gonna be honest, it's been a hot second since I've watched NS9 because everyone being in such distress stresses ME out just thinking about it (I'm apparently the people Jay was worried about lmao) and I haven't quite brought myself to subject myself to it again. However, I do remember it being an incredible watch and every episode bringing something epic to the table, and honestly I just see it as a sequel or a part 2 to SoG. Good music, strong character beats, satisfying in pacing all the way through; a great and surprisingly introspective season, just got outshined a bit by some of the pure spectacle and overall enjoyment of other seasons.

Not gonna give Pros/Cons here because I genuinely don't remember specifics—not because any of it was "Forgettable"; I literally just technically only watched it once snksnksnk. I know it's mostly nothing but good stuff with maybe a few snags here or there, but a superbly solid season.

Sons of Garmadon- Ah yes, one of two fan favorites. And a favorite of mine as well! Just...well, it's not really a Season I ever have the urge to go back to often, which is something the following seasons to come are about to have in common. It's got a rock solid plot, delicious twists, always kept me on the edge of my seat, had a lot fascinating locations and new lore...all wrapped up in a gripping entertaining time to be had. Though, it's kind of a season where you watch it once, are completely satisfied with, and then maybe only come back to it if and when you're rewatching the whole series (at least for me—that being said, I've watched season 8 waaay more than I've watch season 9 snksnk).

Pros: Well-thoughtout plot, fully compelling antagonists, another shout out to the music, dared to take some risks as the show entered a new era, and for once everyone felt like they were contributing as a single group, which was nice to see until they weren't Cons: As stated, already a very solid season; it's just a few scenes that probably could've used some polish for extra impact in hindsight.

Way of the Ninja- Well, if I'm including the Island, might as well include the Pilots! It's only above Hunted/SOG here because *I* happen to like it more and have rewatched it a great many times haha. Honestly the only cons are that I wished we'd had some little adventures in the Ice Fortress/Floating Ruins, and that the ninja themselves had more of a presence in the ultimate confrontation with Garmadon. Otherwise the Pilots did an absolutely fantastic job of laying the groundwork for the show to come, and using witchcraft to hook many of us into adoring these characters with insane chemistry from the get-go with nothing but the bare minimum. Nothing but love and respect for my pilots! <3

Skybound- Only reason this is higher than the previous three on this list is because *I* personally enjoyed it more, that's all. For overall quality and consistency, Hunted, Pilots, and SoG clear it easily. ANYWAY I LOVE SKYBOUND. It's probably actually my second favorite season these days but I'm already about to be crucified for putting it this high on the list rip. Oh there's plenty of things wrong with this season: out of character moments including but not limited to misogyny, contradictory statements, contradictory actions, saying things they would never say prior to this season; the antagonist has wildly changing motivations almost every episode along with uncomfy tendencies, every episode feels wildly different and/or disconnected from the others, the things are happening all over the place at any given time...it's chaotic, messy, and I LOVE IT. It's a mess but it's my mess and if you dig deep enough there's a lot to love buried in the muck that I, as an individual, feel that makes the season worth it all <3

Pros: PIRATES, everything about Jay, Watching Jaya develop over the course of the season for better or worse, getting some insight into the other characters via the wishes they make, watching Jay get his moments to be the absolute badass and even Nadakhan acknowledging that (just with some horribly misguided but well-meaning intentions of the heart but he's HUMAN), the HUMOR, the Ninja Replacements and Jay getting to show off some leadership FINALLY, Jay whump, Lloyd's pirate impression, Lil Nelson!!!, Jay with an eyepatch, crashing a wedding, Echo Zane!, a commentary on how people perceive us and how we perceive ourselves can lead to great inner and outer conflict, pretty ass animation scenes esp for being in the earlier era, we got the greatest gi to ever grace our unworthy presence despite being folded the wrong way, did I mention Jay— Cons: Literally everything stated previously and probably more I'm sure you already know. But also why did they randomly MAKE DARETH LIKE THAT GOOD LORD WHY this is on par with Ronin in the Island IS2G

Rise of the Snakes- The vintage classic!!! Not ~perfect~ by any means BUT it told a cohesive story while giving everyone (even including Nya!) a little bit of spotlight and some significance and brought it all together so neatly with emotion and FUN that of course it had the power to reshape our childhoods (or teenhoods. Or adulthoods. Or nowhoods). Really its biggest flaw is simply that it was first, thus of course having a little less polish and therefore had to pave the way for better seasons to follow, but it was still a mighty tough act to follow.

Pros: Many establishing moments for the main crew for their adventures to come, antagonists that were funny, threatening, and had some pretty convincing motivations, Lloyd, highly memorable overall, easy to jump back into, gave us the legendary Weekend Whip (unless that was in the credits to the pilots too i don't remember) Cons: A bit dated nowadays, and rough around the edges, but doesn't do anything inherently wrong either. I'd say the pacing is a little quick, but in this season in particular its masked so well that you really only notice if you're looking for it (which I had been)

Master of the Mountain- And now, the truly cream of the crop. NS13 was the thing we've always wanted and always knew we needed and finally the powers that be delivered. I could rave day in and day out about Cole finally getting some much deserved focus, but for as strong and heavy-hitting as his whole arc was, the stories of the other ninja pale a bit in comparison, leaving this season unable to break the top three. Otherwise a masterclass in storytelling. And Cole.

Pros: COLE SEASON, HYPE AF FIGHT SCENES, COLE'S MOMMY, VANIA, THE UPPLY, WU AND COLE DYNAMIC, ZANE THROWING ROCKS AT KAI, THE VOICE DIRECTION (esp Lloyd, Cole, and Kai), THE SUBTLE MYSTERY OF IT ALL, THE MUSIC, THE INTRIGUE, AAAAAAA Cons: NOT ENOUGH COLE, antagonist was a bit bleh (though those fight scenes he had SERVED), could have had a little better utilization of the characters outside of "Cole's crew"

Seabound- MMMMMMM EVERY SINGLE EPISODE HIT SO GOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!! NYA EATING FOR REAL!!! THE GODDAMN INSANE FIGHT CHOREOGRAPHY!!!! THE PEAK VILLAIN!!! THE MUSIC! THE EMOTIONS! THE PAPERGIRL! THE BENTHO! THE PILLOW MINT! THE CRUMBLING COOKIE! THE JAY ALMOST DYING FOR HIS FRIENDS! THE NYA BASICALLY DYING FOR HER FRIENDS! THE SILENT I LOVE YOU!!! THE UTTERLY GUTTING WAY IT ENDED AND LEFT ME COMATOSE FOR THREE DAYS!!!!! IT WAS SO BEAUTIFULLLLLLLL WHO GAVE THEM PERMISSION TO POP THIS HARD

Pros: *gestures wildly* Cons: It made me sad

Possession- Here we have the other fan favorite season, the bible for all people Morro-obsessed. Essentially the Seabound of the older era but with significantly less emotional devastation snksnksnk. Top-notch characterization—the Core Four have never been better with their dynamics, humor, and teamwork, it's the first real time Nya (and if we wanna be picky, Cole) get some dedicated introspective time, Lloyd is truly put to a very personal test, Ronin is there, and Morro serves as both a fantastic antagonist and a foil for all those he opposes. Simply isn't the top spot strictly because when I think of my favorite season...this ain't it, though it absolutely deserves to be.

Pros: THE CHARACTERIZATION FOR ALL, AMAZING ANTAGONIST, ALSO BEAUTIFUL ANIMATIONS, HUMOR AND HORRORS IN ONE GO, EXTREMELY REWATCHABLE, MOAR MUSIC, ENDED BITTERSWEET BUT WITH HOPE AND A SICKASS QUOTE Cons: Perhaps a touch overhyped but that's not actually the season's fault nor is it actually a con I just needed to put something here this thing is honestly airtight perfect when it comes to seasons gfgsfddfdhfkls

Tournament of Elements- yes. Yes. YEEEEEEES. To be fair this should be #3 or #4 overall quality wise MMMMMBUT I THINK ITS POTENCY CLEARS THE GAP! Season 4 ran so Season 5 could fly!!!! THE RECIPE FOR A PERFECT STORY, just, perhaps a touch undercooked, BUT THE INTENTIONS WERE FELT AND I VIBE WITH THEM H A R D

Pros: IN A SEASON WHERE THE VILLAIN DIVIDES PEOPLE WE LEARN THAT THERE IS STRENGTH IN KEEPING AND MAINTAINING MANY DIFFERENT KIND OF RELATIONSHIPS EVEN IF IT SEEMS HARD AND IMPOSSIBLE AND IN SPITE OF OUR DIFFERENCES AND EVEN IF WE DO FIND OURSELVES DIVIDED, WE SEE WE ARE STRONGER WHEN WE ARE ABLE TO COME TOGETHER AS ONE. THESE THEMES ARE SUPPORTED BY THE CHARACTERS, MUSIC, PLOT, THE ANIMATION OF THE EXPRESSIONS, AND I THINK THIS IMPORTANT OVERARCHING MESSAGE TRIUMPHS OVER EVERYTHING ELSE AS IT TRULY RESTS AT THE HEART OF NINJAGO AS A WHOLE *mic drop* Cons: Wish it delved just a bit more into the other EMs–what in the world have they all been up to??? Also wish the season ran with the tournament theme throughout the whole season rather than suddenly bouncing around in like the last three or so episodes–that kind of killed its momentum when it needed it the most. But, it still definitely stuck the landing!

#ninjago #lego ninjago #idk what else to tag this #i'm going to bed bai #don't mock my typos

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bearmemesreviews · 9 months ago

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Spontaneous Spotlight: Silent Hill's C. B.

Sometimes you don't have enough time or material to make a full series of reviews on something, so when that happens I'll pop out a Spontaneous Spotlight review to cover any short topic that has recently come to my attention. Today we're talking about Silent Hill!

I have debated on whether or not to list SH on my "To-Do" list of franchises to review the creatures of, but those guys have been picked apart so much that I don't have anything new to say. However, new SH content is set to release in the coming years, so that means fresh pickings for me - starting with the face of our newest surprise entry: Silent Hill: The Short Message.

SMG is meant to be a free and easy entry into the Silent Hill Franchise for modern gamers. Reintroducing the surreal, heavy-handed themes and imagery of the series to hint towards what future titles may hold. Taking place in post-Covid Germany of all locations, we follow a girl named Anita as she searches an abandoned apartment complex named The Villa for her friend - a popular street artist named Maya.

Obviously meant to pick-up where P. T. left off, the game is a very blunt suicide prevention PSA which, controversial opinion, really harkens back to the heyday of SH. Corny dialogue from a tortured protagonist with the most perfect art direction in the world with a sick-ass monster design.

Yeah, there's only one monster and it's mostly just for chases, but my god what a monster.

TW: Discussions of Suicide, Suicidal Ideation, Self-Harm, Child Abuse, Bullying, and Body Horror. Spoiler Warning for Silent Hill: The Short Message.

Design: There is no true name for the Monster but the artist who designed them has acknowledged the fan nicknames of "Sakura Monster" and "Cherry Blossom". Cherry Blossom is what I'm sticking to because it ties into the twist of the game, which we'll get to later. Cherry Blossom is a humanoid with nearly accurate proportions to a teenage girl. In fact, it has completely humanoid legs from the thighs to the ankles.

Cherry Blossom is named after the flowers that every Anime nerd knows by memory, the bright pink tree foliage clumps together in a large mass that obscures all skin besides the aforementioned legs. The flowers sprout outwards from the head, making it resemble a bush from the neck up, and grows down the front of its chest (as if it's growing wherever skin would be exposed for someone wearing only a jacket with the front unzipped) and across its waist - making a skirt out of the plants. Miles of black wire seems to be used to secure the flowers onto the creature's "head", limbs, and torso. It appears to be wearing a hoodie, but the fabric is almost too moist to be real clothing. Both its hands and feet deteriorate into jagged potentially wooden spikes which is its main form of attack.

The artist specifically mentioned that they wanted to avoid using blood on this monster, opting instead to incorporate beautiful imagery into something distorted and unnerving. And I think they succeed, it's quite an unnaturally pretty monster but its body plan is so unique and effortless in its execution.

Say what you want about PT's take on the gameplay, but what it severely lacked was a monster that screamed "Silent Hill" while being its own thing like Cherry Blossom. It rivals Pyramid Head in its iconography.

Which makes sense since CB was designed by Masahiro Ito, the designer of old Triangle Hat himself. Check out the guy's twitter, his insight into the workings of Silent Hill's design is awesome. [X]

There he also posted a scrapped monster concept who shares a few details with Sakura Head, especially the way its humanoid legs distort into pegs it walks on like stilts. It's almost like a humanoid with an organic skirt that becomes an indescribable mess of viscera and wires. From a distance some of the loose barbed wire make an almost eye-like shape, with the messed up "upper body" acting like a pupil. It's shoots some of its body mass forward, or maybe it's an oddly shaped proboscis.

The game itself has stellar art direction, especially for the middle chase sequences that play around with the game's industrial motifs due to the protagonist being an artist. I especially love the usage of eyes for one of them, I genuinely suggest playing it just for that one chase in the photo maze. Also remember the corny wall messages written in blood saying "this is hell", they're back.

Symbolism: Anita, our protagonist, is revealed as unsubtlety as the franchise is prone to, to be a survivor of childhood abuse from a mother who saw her children as a curse for existing. Her mother was eventually arrested after her neglect led to Anita's brother dying, the police later finding his body hidden in the fridge. They discovered it after the clear was given to remove the kids from the home (CPS had already been investigating beforehand). Anita would later become friends with Maya and another girl named Amelie, but her trauma led to her growing abandonment issues.

(Pictured Above: Maya, a teenage girl of Asian Descent.) As a child, art was an escape and the only positive connection she had with her mother, but Anita felt upstaged by Maya due to her friend being a popular street artist named Cherry Blossom. CB's art was a combination of beautiful imagery used to express the hidden struggles and wants of teenage girls, which explains why the Sakura Monster looks the way it does.

See this original design for CB, where the hoodie and skirt are more obvious as clothing being worn by the monster. The body was made more organic looking to both increase its monstrousness, but to also make the connection to Maya more abstract. Cherry Blossom is a looming figure born from the art of someone who has everything Anita wants, it's a constant reminder of Maya and how much of a threat she was in Anita's mind. This is combined with how much Anita admired Maya, which only fueled her jealousy when she believed that Maya was trying to steal Amelie from her.

However, it's not Maya reanimated. It's a manifestation built from Anita's subconscious, much like Maria, that exists to torment and corral Anita into facing her issues head on. And I do mean torment and corral, because the game soon reveals that Anita cannot die. Whether it's purposefully ending her life, or failing to escape CB in a chase, if she dies, she's forced to return to a part of The Villa with the memories of her death.

The game plays into this with having in-game deaths be reversed like VHS tapes, with the game's trigger warning page reappearing every time she has to start the entire game all over again. It's later revealed that Anita came to The Villa, not to meet with Maya personally, but to visit the spot where she leapt to her own death years ago. This leads to her making several attempts on her own life to follow Maya's stead, but The Villa refuses to let her escape in any way besides what "it" wants her to do. How the games end once you finally confront all of Anita's traumas and guilt over Maya's suicide, well, I'll leave that to you to find out. However, as an overall experience it really feels like a better reintroduction than the travesty that was Ascension. I feel like, since PT's been deleted for a while now, its gameplay is less intolerable than when every indie game wanted to do PT again in the 2010s and the set pieces make up 70% of the experience. And these are some damn fine set pieces.

This game is all around just beautiful to experience, but you might be left wondering how this ties into Silent Hill...after all, I did mention this taking place in Germany. Silent Hill F, another upcoming game, seems to be taking similar cues to SH:SMG by not only using beautiful imagery for grotesque body horror, but also taking place somewhere away from our fog covered tourist spot.

In-game we are told about "The Silent Hill Effect" through a newspaper clipping, which seems to imply that in the world of Silent Hill the town the game's named after is not as uncommon of an occurrence as we thought. It's definitely its most famous, but the fog seems to venture outside our favorite cultist stomping ground. I would love for SH to take the Biohazard(Resident Evil) route of taking its core concept and expanding on it into new settings. Especially if it means less Bobblehead Nurses and Pyramid Head appearances in the future, put those guys in the retirement home my god.

My theory is that the human consciousness itself can manifest pockets of Silent Hill's phenomenon as long as enough people in one space compound their traumas and miseries into a monster creating mist, further supported by the fact that the original town already had a history of supernatural events and cult activity before the events of the main games.

I guess Silent HILLS isn't completely dead and buried.

#silent hill #silent hill the short message #creature design #cherry blossom #bmoreviews #spontaneous spotlight #tw suicide #tw self harm #tw body horror #tw child abuse

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the-bar-sinister · 4 months ago

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I was just curious in general haha I've seen you being into a lot of fandoms so I was wondering how long the list would be (sorry I'm kinda nosy) I personally don't mind sharing!

I also have a long ass list, and a good bunch of them I haven't even talked about in my blog still xd I think I've seen your list for One Piece one time, would you mind sharing it again? I'm also curious about Ace Attorney and Resident Evil if you don't mind. Would love to talk about your f/os sometime, your insights are super interesting even if I don't know the source material haha

Ahhh, you're so kind! <3 We all love talking about our f/os, even if we get flustered some times XD So please always feel free to ask away!

One Piece:

🔪🔪: Buggy, Mihawk, Doflamingo, Daz, Robin, Smoker, Galdino, Vivi, Hancock, Basil, Luffy

🔍⚔️: Law, Vergo, Crocodile, Sugar, Baby 5, Dellinger, Uta, Diamante, Monet, Violet, Mihawk, Buggy

🎀💖: Zoro, Sanji, Boa Hancock, Nami, Law, Bon Clay, Smoker, Katakuri

💪🔫: Ichiji, Rebecca, Katakuri,Yonji, Reiju,

Ace Attorney:

💻🔪: Klavier Gavin, Apollo Justice,Phoenix Wright, Lana Skye, Datz Are'bal, Vera Misham

😼🔪: Ema Skye, Kristoph Gavin, Nahyuta Sahdmadhi, Maya Fey, Apollo Justice

🔍⚔️: Nahyuta Sahdmadhi, Kristoph Gavin, Ema Skye, Datz Are'bal, Trucy Wright, Klavier Gavin

🎀💖: Prosecutor Godot, Trucy Wright, Jake Marshall, Sister Iris

💪🔫: Shih-Nah, Shi-long Lang, Dick Gumshoe, Byrne Faraday

Resident Evil:

🔪🔪: Donna Beneviento, Albert Wesker, Chris Redfield, Daniel Fabron, Jill Valentine, Jack Krauser, Zoe Baker, HUNK

🔍⚔️: Leon Kennedy, Billy Coen, Nikolai Zinoviev, Helena Harper

🎀💖: Jessica Sherawat, Raymond Vester, Sherry Birkin, Jake Muller, HUNK

💪🔫: Albert Wesker, Jill Valentine, Rebecca Chambers, Barry Burton, Piers Nivans, William Birkin

Why is (x character) not listed? I've seen you talk about them before as an F/O!

We've listed only the current system members who are doing self ship stuff in the last couple of months. There are more who do it sometimes, but they haven't been active either at the front, or doing self shipping depending.

I'm also only listing our main and primary F/Os for each because if I listed every one we'd be here all week XD

#self ship #f/o list #ask answers #friend mail

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blackangelmagik · 1 year ago

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lnk.bio/NboP

#FoundationalBlackAmericanAuthors #LiteraryLegends #InfluentialVoices #DiverseLiterature #PowerofWords

#melanin #black culture #black tumblr #black literature #literature

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whatdoeschronicevenmean · 1 year ago

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The Pursuit of Happiness- Black Women, Diasporic Dreams, and the Politics of Emotional Transnationalism

...It was this line of thinking that annoyed Gayle and led her to these passion-ate statements in her interview. Here, she claims that Jamaicans are ignorant, or at least less informed and educated about the ways racism operates, because they do not have access to the worldwide observations that activists and writers such as Maya Angelou and Malcolm X publicized to the African American people. Seemingly unaware of the activism and writings of Caribbeanists such as Marcus Garvey, Amy Jacques Garvey, Walter Rodney, and C. L. R. James, Gayle perpetuates a strong sense of African American ownership over the experience of racism. She was not able to recognize that racism operates in a variety of ways and may be differently connected to class, gender, and nationality in various locations. Nor was she able to push against “a homogenization of transnational Black [American] identities,” as Clarke and Thomas urge.

Similar to Pratt’s commentary on European conquests, much of the research on contact zones focuses primarily on the power dynamics between people ra-cialized as “white” (Europeans or North Americans) and those “Others” racial-ized as Black, Asian, or Latino (“non-Europeans”).8 However, I employ Pratt’s concept of “contact zones” to explore what Tina Campt and Deborah Thomas call “diasporic hegemonies.”9 Campt and Thomas apply a feminist transna-tional analysis to the African diaspora, drawing attention to the ways racialized, classed, gendered, and nationalized differences are marked and interrogated within African diasporic communities. I contend that Girlfriend Tours, and the Jamaican tourist industry in general, are useful for investigating how African Americans hold on to hegemonic ideas of Blackness that provide insight into how they see themselves and how they imagine their diasporic kin. Brent Hayes Edwards points out in The Practice of Diaspora that the diaspora is configured and reconfigured through miscommunication and untranslatability.10 Diasporic contact zones enable us to examine those critical moments when individuals are aware of “the ways transnational Black groupings are fractured by nation, class, gender, sexuality, and language,” and to observe how these disidentifications or misidentifications are constitutive of diasporic subjectivities.11 Subsequently, I offer this theorization of “diasporic contact zones” to examine how African Americans and Jamaicans express their understandings of racialized subjectiv-ities (indexed by nation, class, and gender), in spaces where interlocutors are simultaneously imagined as diasporic community members and nationalized “Others.” In this way, I attempt to move anthropologists away from concep-tualizing diaspora as communities of similarities toward one of communities working with, and through, difference.

...Here, Dent wonderfully illustrates the nationalized, classed, and diasporic forces at play as Girlfriends utilize their American class status and citizenship to travel to other countries, but imagine these spaces — Africa and Jamaica — in narrow ways that serve their own nationalized conceptions of Blackness. This “proto-type of Blackness” they hold on to prescribes certain stereotypes and notions about what Blackness is and hinders one from seeing how privilege influences access to other Black spaces.

...In this way, Jamaica was viewed as greatly impacted by Africa, as a space that was closer to African culture because of its location in the historical transatlantic slave trade and because it was predominately Black. Jamaicans were seen as holding on to traditional African culture in ways that African Americans could not for numerous reasons: (1) African Americans were one geographical step farther away from Africa in the slave trade; (2) the white majority in the United States desecrated and purposely erased African influences; and (3) African Americans were not able to know, or were not inter-ested in knowing, their connections to Africa in the ways Girlfriends assumed Jamaicans did and could. For some of the women, Jamaica was imagined as an island paradise where the land and people are natural (represented by the Rasta’s dreadlocks), earthy (especially the ganja), sensual (heard in the lyrics Jamaican men use to draw in tourist women), and hypersexual (ascribed onto the Black bodies of young men interested in older, foreign women).

While there seemed to be some shared understandings about how gender operated in the United States and Jamaica, there were different notions about what Blackness meant, how it was utilized, and what it required of those racial-ized as Black. Additionally, though Girlfriends were more open to recognizing the ways their American citizenship and economic status gave them access to privileges that Jamaicans did not have, some had a harder time seeing how they contributed to the oppression and exploitation of Jamaicans through tourist practices. These different conceptualizations and experiences of what Black-ness is sometimes led to moments of diasporic disconnect and mistranslation between Jamaicans and African Americans. The emphasis placed on race and racism by African Americans, while Jamaicans focused on class, added fuel to these fractures.

While African Americans’ dias-poric focus was almost always centered on what they saw as an original dis-persal moment of transatlantic slave trade, Jamaicans were not focused on this moment in the same way. Instead, Jamaicans often demonstrated Stuart Hall’s claim that the Caribbean is the home of hybridity, and in these spaces there are multiple forms of origin moments. While African slave trade came up as an important element in Jamaican history, it was not the central node for their un-derstanding of Blackness and Black identities. More often than not, in relation to the concept of “diaspora,” African Americans and Jamaicans were speaking past one another and not speaking of the same diasporic community.

With a diasporic heart, Gayle feels a respon-sibility to lift the mask and teach Jamaicans about racism. In other parts of the interview, she describes her fear that her diasporic kin in Jamaica could be hoodwinked, like she imagines her ancestors in Africa were before they were forced into a boat to endure the Middle Passage. Mark wants African Ameri-cans to recognize that they are acting like masters and treating those they seek to have kinship with as less than. According to him, they are acting superior, exploiting and thinking lowly of Jamaican workers in the tourist sector, which Mark notes is how they themselves feel as Black people in the United States.

...In fact, many scholars of happiness argue that the expectation, the imagining of something that may happen, is more powerful and gratifying than actually obtaining it. So while these women may never actually get the type of diasporic relationships they desire, or the happiness they envision as ever-present in Ja-maica, their practices, their “do-something” actions, and their imaginings of diaspora are productive in their lives.

#The Pursuit of Happiness_ Black Women Diasporic Dreams and the Politics of Emotional Transnationalism #USAmerican #anthropology #diaspora #black feminism #racism #bianca c williams #tourism #jamaica #racialization

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badchatgptfics · 1 year ago

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Miles Edgeworth x Phoenix Wright - Advice with a Side of Heckling

Prompt Given - Write me a fanfiction about Miles Edgeworth from Ace Attorney asking Maya Fey for advice as to how to ask out Phoenix, and as he's talking with Maya his sister Franziska von Karma is heckling him from the corner of the room

Fic Generated -

Miles Edgeworth, the renowned prosecutor, stood in his office, nervously fidgeting with his cravat. He had decided that it was finally time to take the plunge and ask Phoenix Wright, his long-time rival and secret love, on a date. However, the task seemed daunting, and he needed some advice.

Taking a deep breath, Miles called Maya Fey, the spirit medium and close friend of Phoenix, to his office. He hoped that Maya's insights into Phoenix's mind might guide him in his pursuit of romance. Moments later, Maya burst through the door, her energetic aura filling the room.

"Hey, Edgeworth! What's up?" Maya exclaimed, her eyes twinkling with curiosity.

Miles cleared his throat, trying to steady his nerves. "Maya, I need your help. I want to ask Phoenix… Mr. Wright… out on a date. But I don't know where to begin."

Maya's face lit up with excitement, and she plopped herself down in a nearby chair, ready to dispense her wisdom. However, as Miles began pouring out his feelings, he noticed a familiar voice sneering in the corner.

"Well, well, if it isn't my dear, weakling little brother seeking advice on romance," came the mocking voice of Franziska von Karma, Miles's formidable younger sister. She leaned against the wall, a smirk playing on her lips.

Miles sighed, knowing that Franziska wouldn't pass up an opportunity to taunt him. Ignoring her presence as best he could, he turned his attention back to Maya, who was listening intently.

"Maya, how do you think I should approach this? I don't want to appear too forward or… well, awkward," Miles admitted, his cheeks tinged with a slight blush.

Maya's eyes twinkled mischievously. "Well, you could try the 'unexpected confession' method! Catch him off guard and spill your heart out! That's how it works in romance novels, right?"

Miles pondered Maya's suggestion, his brow furrowing. "I'm not sure if that would work in our case. Phoenix might find it overwhelming, given our history."

At that moment, Franziska couldn't resist chiming in. "Oh, Miles, you always were such a bumbling fool when it came to matters of the heart. Why not simply send him a formal invitation? A prosecutor like you should know the importance of presenting yourself with dignity."

Miles gritted his teeth, irritated by his sister's remarks. He turned back to Maya, seeking a more practical solution. "Maya, what about a casual outing, like a friendly dinner? Something low-pressure that could lead to more."

Maya's eyes gleamed with approval. "That sounds perfect, Edgeworth! Just be yourself and let things unfold naturally. Phoenix will appreciate your honesty and sincerity."

As Miles absorbed Maya's advice, he couldn't help but feel a newfound determination. Franziska's heckling, though irritating, served as a reminder of his own resilience. He would not let her words deter him from pursuing happiness.

With gratitude, Miles thanked Maya for her invaluable insight. Maya beamed at him, offering words of encouragement as she headed for the door. "Good luck, Edgeworth! I'm sure everything will work out. And don't worry about Franziska. Love makes us all a little crazy sometimes!"

As the door closed behind Maya, Miles took a moment to compose himself. He knew that pursuing a relationship with Phoenix would require patience, vulnerability, and a willingness to face his own fears. But armed with Maya's advice and his own determination, Miles was ready to take the first step towards love.

And as for Franziska's heckling, well, he would simply have to prove her wrong. With a resolute expression, Miles strode out of his office, ready to embark on a journey that would test his heart, his resolve, and ultimately, his capacity for love.

#wrightworth #phoenix wright #pwaa #maya fey #franziska von karma #ace attorney #ai wrote this #ai fanfic #chat gpt #phoenix wright x miles edgeworth #miles edgeworth x phoenix wright #miles edgeworth #miles and maya friendship #they're literally besties #bad fanfiction

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p1x1x · 3 months ago

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insight/maya doodle because im delusional. i just. think insight is tall, and this makes no sense other than size difference. “suggestive”?

#my art #arcaea #insight #maya #insight x maya #girl is Confused #all this is just to highlight the size difference i made up in my head

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otakween · 2 months ago

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They Were 11 - One Shot

(The cover art above is for chapter or issues, by the way, not volumes).

This is a niche little shoujo manga from the 1970s (as is obvious by the art style) that managed to be translated by Viz back in the day. It got a film and a sequel manga so it must have had some kinda impact.

Moto Hagio is an OG big name in shoujo world. I recognize her for The Heart of Thomas which also featured bishounen and came out in America. Just thinking about 1970s fujoshi is a pretty funny mental image lol.

Ch. 1

Shoujo x sci-fi is a very intriguing combo that you don't see super often. I recently finished Knights of Sidonia which was blatantly appealing to men, so this is refreshing. Also...gays in space??? 👀

So the former Earthlings are spread across a bunch of planets and are called Terrans. There a bunch of alien species that they're allied with as well. The aliens look pretty human except for some basic differences. That's kinda too bad. I prefer my aliens to be more animalistic

I was definitely into the "male character who is pretty much just a woman in design" in my middle school weeb era, but now I just see it for what it is: fujoshi pandering. I wouldn't mind it as much if it wasn't written so awkwardly. They spend half of the first chapter being like "you SURE you're not a girl?"

The names are ridiculous in both a fun and cringe way. They really had to name one of the only darker skinned people "Chako Kaka?" da fuck

Speaking of people of color, we got a totally white looking person calling themselves the Maya King...I'm sure there's no relation to the Mayans of our world but like, pick a different name then.

Lack of darked skinned people aside, the diversity is decent for a 1970s manga. I like the variety in body type at least. They definitely succeeded in giving everyone a very distinct and memorable look. No same face syndrome here.

So the plot so far is kind of a Lord of the Flies in space vibe. They gotta show they can survive adrift in space for 50-something days. I imagine they'll encounter some kinda space threats to keep things interesting.

The English title should have just been "There were 11" because "They were 11" sounds like the cast is a bunch of 11 year olds lol.

Ch. 2

Whaaa? So this is a hetero story after all? Then what's the point? (lol)

So this chapter was all about the crew members being suspicious of Tada (thinking he's the 11th person) and Frol obsessively following him around the ship. We also learn a little bit more about the situation they're in and the ship itself.

So far this test sounds pretty plush. They're basically on a cruise liner with unlimited food lol. I'm not sure what the goal of the test is yet, but right now they're working on fixing parts of the ship.

We get some lore about Gunga's species. I feel like the pacing of this one off is kinda weird, like there's only 2 chapters left so we're probably not going to learn about everyone yet they took the time to go in depth on this one dude. I guess we got some Tada insight out of it.

Ch. 3

Okay DAMN this chapter really popped off!! My perspective has shifted with all of the reveals.

So Frol is intersex which explains pretty much everything. The explanation for how his culture works was fascinating. Normally people don't get to choose their gender (society chooses for them) but Frol is made a bargain to become a man if he passes this test. His explanation for why was surprisingly logical.

The gender diversity was dealt with pretty well for a manga from the 70s. The only thing that was iffy was that everyone started treating Frol like a woman and Tada daydreams about Frol becoming a woman (against his wishes). Knu reveals that they're intersex as well but their culture is very different from Frol's. They go through a more natural metamorphosis but Knu got "stuck" and is now a monk because intersex people aren't eligible for marriage. This kinda species world building is always so interesting to me...

Some outdated terminology was used but that's to be expected. We got "hermaphrodite," "bisexual" (when referring to genitals), and "unisexual?" I actually don't know if we still use that last one lol

Intersex characters are pretty rare, I kinda wish there were more that weren't aliens, but what can ya do?

Not Knu validating all of the astrology girlies by saying it's a valid science on his planet lmao

The Tada reveal was just as impactful as the Frol one. I loved how his repressed memory came back, that was illustrated so masterfully.

And suddenly this is a pandemic story...noooo. Isn't space scary enough as it is?? 😭

Ch. 4

Nice, I really enjoyed how they wrapped everything up in this chapter. We got the reveal (and a fake Red Herring reveal) of the 11th man, the ins and outs of the test were explained, and everybody's happy and safe at the end of the day. Honestly, feels kinda unrealistic for this kinda setting but maybe I've just been brainwashed by horror sci-fi to think that lol.

Gunga was a real one throughout this whole story. I could kind of tell he was lying about being the 11th to help Tada out.

Frol telling Tada he would become a woman for him was pretty fucked up. That's not a good start to a relationship where you gotta change yourself for your partner. What is this Grease!? On the brightside, we don't find out which path they actually take, so you can easily head canon that they either part ways or take the gay route.

That woulda been pretty disappointing if they actually didn't pass. Glad the story didn't go that way. (Sometimes you just need a basic happy ending amirite?)

An interesting one off (technically there's a sequel), pretty well paced for an older manga and the art was gorgeous. I give it a solid 6 out of 10.

#They Were 11 #manga

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xprojectrpg · 2 months ago

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This Day in X-Project - August 31

2015: Felicia and Kevin catch up during work. Alison lets Tabby that she is glad she was able to come to the VMA party. Maya asks what to do when one is grounded. Miles posts this picture of Niki M. with her thoughts about Miley at the VMA. Tabitha posts about how she took a lunch break and went to a bookstore to purchase a book by E.L. James and how it will be an insight into grown-up lives. Logan posts about how some people can’t get drunk because of healing factors and asks if medical personnel could fix that. Adrienne emails Amanda, Tandy, Felicia, Rogue, Marie-Ange, Cecilia, Emma, Bobbi, Jessica, Sue, Lorna, Jean and Wanda about having a spa day this coming Saturday. Sue emails Doug and Domino about helping her get any videos of the incident in Rapid City taken down from the web. Clea Lake posts about her and Sebastian Druid and Stephen Strange's arrival at the mansion. Hope A. emails Topaz about how Stephen Strange is now a student just to give her a heads up. Felicia posts an instagram post of the moon during her nightly run through the forest.

2016: Amanda tells people it’s John’s birthday and they should shower him with love, once they’ve worked out which one he is.

2017: Gabriel has a crisis of faith at the talk of Hel and emails Wade and Marie-Ange.

2018: Gabriel texts Felicia about Wade leaving money for him. Alex ponders a motorized skateboard.

2019: An Eye for an Eye: The Denver Airport weirdness seems to have come to a head when the entire place goes dark, prompting Topaz to share the news with Amanda and Marie-Ange; A team of magic users and nearly-magic users arrive at the airport and determine there is definitely some magical shenanigans at work when they find cultists; Things quickly take a turn when Topaz disappears and the team fights the cultists waiting for them; Something much worse greets Topaz as she is brought back to London and face-to-face with Adam Destine, who has plans for her; News following the DIA's three hour block finally breaks, with no possible leads to the cause; Topaz and Amanda talk over what happened and why Amanda didn't tell Topaz about the ward protecting her.

2020: Life's a Beach: Jean and Nica take to the arcade so Nica can burn off some sun-induced energy; Doug and Bobby lounge and chat and Doug feels old as his pop-culture references go over Bobby's head; Jean-Phillipe and Alex play air hockey and trash talk each other at the arcade.

2021: Darcy and Artie travel to Germany and pose as journalists to check out the brain pieces in jars.

2022: Blackout: Alani checks in with Clint post-power outage (and fixing).

2023: Doug makes a journal entry asking which one is Huginn and which is Muninn? April joins Nica and Megan for a pizza and movie night.

#this day in xproject #xprpg #xproject #x-project #rp #rpg #plots #plot

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bllsbailey · 4 months ago

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Blacks Loudly Declare Their Lack of Support for a Kamala Harris Presidency

Despite the tremendous psyop by the Democrat Party and the legacy media to shove Vice President and anointed Democrat presidential candidate Kamala Harris through without debate or question, not everyone is on board. Surprisingly, certain aspects of the Black community are tacitly refusing to play along, even as the media gaslights and attempts to memory hole Harris' past and present record.

Many Black women support Kamala Harris. We raised over 1.5 million for her in 3 hours. I never thought I’d see a Black woman run for president. I support her unconditionally. She is a shining example of Black excellence. #KamalaHarris2024 #BlackTwitter #Kamala2024 #Election2024 pic.twitter.com/imZGnOR2bd— Maya Richard-Craven (she/they) (@mrichard_craven) July 22, 2024

— Bonchie (@bonchieredstate) July 25, 2024

#BlackTwitter, a still powerful remnant on the X social media platform, has been particularly vocal about the media power brokers and Harris' insistence that she is Black. Not only do they not consider her to be Black, they also drag Harris for her record of public service. In over 30 years of being in public office, Harris has done absolutely nothing for the Black community:

#BlackTwitter nothing wrong with #KamalaHarris being from #India but there is something wrong with legacy media deceiving you. #KamalaHarrisIsNotBlack pic.twitter.com/d4aSQsIsym— Meghan's Towel (@MeghansTowel) July 25, 2024

There is much resentment—more than the Democrat Party or the legacy media cares to acknowledge. It goes back to 2019, when Kamala Harris mounted her first campaign for president.

During a February appearance on “The Breakfast Club” radio show, hosts DJ Envy and Charlamagne Tha God asked Harris about that. Harris pushed back. “I’m black, and I’m proud of being black. I was born black. I will die black,” she said. “I’m not going to make excuses for anybody because they don’t understand.” She went on to criticize those who question her racial identity. “I think they don’t understand who black people are,” Harris said. “I’m not going to spend my time trying to educate people about who black people are.”

Harris' father is Jamaican and Irish. Her mother was Tamil Brahmin Indian, a high caste that is considered India's elite. Harris was born in Oakland and spent her formative years in Berkeley. Even today, Berkeley would never be considered a bastion of Blackness; but it is a hotbed for communism and Marxist philosophy. Then, Harris' mother moved her and her sister Meena to Montreal, which in the late '70s and early '80s, was probably more homogenous than it is today. Media personality and political analyst Kira Davis, who like Harris is biracial and spent her formative years in Canada, gave me some insight on this. Davis said, and I quote, "Montreal is where communists train their children."

Davis also gave insight into the type of education that Harris probably received in Montreal, and it has little to do with Black culture.

Montreal is the most liberal of cities in the most liberal of provinces. When you're educated in Montreal, you're educated to hate your country as a colonizer and Western devil.

This is where Harris spent her teenage years before returning to the States to attend Howard University, a historically Black college and obviously, a strategic choice to further cultivate this Black image that she wants everyone to swallow as whole cloth. So, it seems that like the gender cult, "I feel it, therefore it is," it seems that merely declaring yourself "Black" is the only requirement to be it. If that's the case, then Rachel Dolezal (now Nkechi Amare Diallo) and Shaun King are owed an apology:

— WhitePele10 (@Corey6419882611) July 22, 2024

Kamala Harris is not their type of "Black," no matter how much the legacy media, the Democrat Party, and certain aspects of the Black community wish to make her so. What's more, schisms are being deepened, particularly among those who are American descendants of slaves (ADOS). This portion of the Black community is huge on getting the United States to further acknowledge the sin of slavery by paying financial reparations. The interesting thing is that Harris, who has advocated for policies that unequivocally give money to illegal aliens, and allow criminals to sanitize and skirt their records, and other social justice causes, is not really down with giving Blacks reparations.

This interview was considered instrumental in tanking that first presidential run. Harris exited the race in 2020, before the Iowa caucuses, with less than one percent of the voting public supporting her.

This is who Black Democrats are begging to be the next president lol. An Asian American who pretends to be a Black American. pic.twitter.com/TnsuhiB5IX— Padrino (@facts215_) July 21, 2024

The other issue that Blacks have with Harris is not just that she defends her past as a prosecutor, but that the people who she claimed to champion were the people whom she seemed to target. Kamala Harris kept her prosecutorial record high on the backs of Black men. When she was San Francisco District Attorney (2004 to 2010), and then California Attorney General (2010-2017) at least 1,560 people were jailed for marijuana-related offenses; most of those offenders were Black men:

— A Betrayed Maroon (@MBEmpower) July 22, 2024

As California's AG, Harris headed the legal battle to keep prisoners locked up so that they could fight wildfires. Despite a federal ruling to deal with prison overcrowding, Harris' AG staff attorneys argued that releasing low-level offenders would deplete the workforce that helped to combat wildfires. Harris later claimed that her staff attorneys did it without her knowledge, yet she was the "Top Cop." A stunning lack of accountability.

One local writer who examined her years as San Franciso District Attorney said of Harris: "In the decade since Harris had first been elected DA, she had built a reputation as a careful politician with an eye on the next office." It was when Harris had her eye on being attorney general that the 2007 murder of Seu Kuka by Jamal Truelove came into the SF DA's office. [Editor's note: Several sources give the name's spelling as "Truelove," while others use "Truelove." We have preserved the spellings as-is.]

After a jury convicted Jamal Trulove, then 25, of first degree murder in February 2010, then-San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris praised the “brave witness who stepped forward from the crowd.” Harris was then running for attorney general of California and in her campaign bragged about her high conviction rates as the San Francisco DA. Harris echoed what her deputy prosecutor Linda Allen said repeatedly to the jury: Priscilla Lualemaga, the only eyewitness to testify at trial about the July 2007 homicide of Seu Kuka, did so at great risk of retaliation. “She’ll never get her life back,” Allen said, adding that Lualemaga testified knowing that “maybe [she’ll] get killed over being a witness because she saw someone else kill someone.”

The wrongful conviction of Jamal Truelove is the most glaring example of Harris' unchecked ambition and failure to practice what she preached.

There was also no physical or forensic evidence that inculpated Trulove, and no other witnesses said he was the shooter. Trulove insisted from the beginning that he was innocent. The case’s glaring flaws didn’t matter: in October 2010, Trulove, then a young father, aspiring actor, and hip-hop performer who had appeared on the VH1 reality television show “I Love New York 2,” was sentenced to 50 years to life.

In 2014, the California Court of Appeal overturned his conviction. Truelove was retried the next year, but he was acquitted. In 2018, Truelove was awarded $13.1 million for wrongful conviction and imprisonment.

Read more at https://redstate.com/jenniferoo/2024/07/27/not-all-blacks-are-on-board-with-a-kamala-harris-presidency-n2177399

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kokoch4n3l · 8 months ago

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DEAD GIRL'S BEACH࿐ྂ KUROKAWA IZANA x f!oc x SANO MANJIRO

TEN — i don’t smoke

"while therapy may offer some insight into his psyche, it's doubtful that Mr.Kurokawa's fundamental nature would be altered. despite what studies say, some individuals are simply predisposed to nefarious behaviour." —MAYA'S ROUGH NOTES ON K.I

chapter summary: Kakucho forces Maya to face the reality of her situation and Izana reveals some not so nice things

warnings: DARK CONTENT 18+, unreliable narrator!Maya, vomiting, drug use/misuse, withdrawal symptoms, possibly inaccurate depiction of at-home withdrawal care/survival, first-degree burns, depictions of injuries and burns, blood and gore, hickeys, bite marks, kissing, thoughts of self-harm, emotional manipulation, slight infantilization, betrayal, dehumanization, depiction of corpses, mention of suicide, MAJOR noncon(not detailed), noncon to dubcon, allusions to sex, unprotected sex, forced orgasm, coercion, implied creampie, memory loss, dissociation, past torture, past waterboarding

word count: 7534

masterlist | previous | chapter 11

She's thrown up for the 3rd time today. Kakucho holds her hair back and holds his breath. He knows if he gets a whiff of it he'll be throwing up right next to her. He makes Maya brush her teeth then instead of lighting a candle he uses those febreeze small spaces air freshener thing and sets it up in the bathroom instead. Kakucho would rather not take care of any more wax-related burns. "come on, drink" He mutters to Maya, kneeling in front of her on the bed, holding a bottle of pocari sweat to her lips

He has to hold the bottle for her. Maya's hand keeps shaking from the pain and the sudden cold and hot flushes are making things hard for her. But, at least she isn't hallucinating which is a good thing. Else Kakucho remembers when Izana— no, he'd rather not think about that right now. "Just a little more" He coaxes gently as Maya tries pushing the bottle away "You've been sweating and throwing up so much, you need it"

She continues to drink again and he sighs in relief, holding up the bottle for her. One of Maya's hands shakily comes up and holds his wrist. Her skin is hot to the touch. He should probably put a cold cloth on her forehead but that wouldn't be a good idea with the random cold flushes. Or Maybe he could. Kakucho isn't sure. He isn't the doctor, Maya is. "there we go, good girl" Kakucho murmurs, screwing the cap of the bottle back on and then putting it on the bedside table

Maya looks like she's out of it. No, she definitely is. Her eyes are closed and her breathing is shallow. She was wearing shorts and one of Mikey's silk pyjama shirts as it was the only material that wasn't irritating her back that was filled with first-degree burns from the hot wax Izana poured on her back yesterday night. Kakucho sighs and brushes Maya's bangs away from her eyes. "Turn around, let me see your back"

Maya turns around in a lazy fashion and Kakucho can't help but sigh once again seeing she wasn't unbuttoning her shirt. He reaches around her and starts unbuttoning her shirt. Maya winces when his chest brushes against her back "Sorry, sweetheart, sorry" Kakucho murmurs, the petname slips out without knowing

He unbuttons her shirt all the way then pulls it off the rounds of her shoulders and moves back to see the burns. She's sitting crossed-legged and kind of hunched over, Kakucho can clearly see all the places Izana had poured the wax. Starting from the base of her neck and trailing all the way down her spine to the small of her back are red irritated trails. There are small red dots on the backs of her ribs and more trails on her ribs. It's only first-degree burns but they obviously hurt. "rate your pain" Kakucho asks

"0 out of 10" Maya mumbles

He raises his brow. He can't see what face she's making right now so it's hard to tell what she means. "huh?"

"do not recommend"

Oh my god. How could she be like this right now? "You're insufferable" Kakucho mutters, pulling out a tube of burn cream

Gently squeezing a dollop of cream onto his fingertips, Kakucho applies it to Maya's burns with tender care, his touch light and soothing. Maya winces occasionally, but she doesn't protest, allowing him to tend to her injuries without complaint. Kakucho decides to ignore the hickeys on her lower back and the teeth marks on her shoulder in favour of saving her and himself from embarrassment and an unwanted conversation. As he works, he can't help but notice the subtle tremors running through Maya's body, a sign of the withdrawal symptoms she's battling alongside her physical injuries. "How are you feeling?" Kakucho asks softly, his voice filled with genuine concern as he continues to apply the cream

He knows that the pain from the burns is just one aspect of her suffering, with the withdrawal symptoms adding an additional layer of torment to her ordeal. Maya's response is a weak murmur, her words barely audible as she struggles to articulate her thoughts amidst the haze of discomfort and pain. With a sigh, Kakucho continues to apply the cream, his movements gentle and deliberate as he works to alleviate Maya's pain as much as possible. Gently guiding Maya, Kakucho helps her shift onto her stomach, ensuring that she's positioned comfortably on the bed. He fluffs up the pillows beneath her chest, providing extra support to ease the strain on her back. "Here, let's get you settled," Kakucho murmurs, his voice a soothing presence amidst the turmoil of Maya's pain and discomfort

She isn't wearing a bra and if this weren't a completely different situation, Maya probably would have been really uncomfortable but right now, it didn't matter. Kakucho fully removes the silk shirt from her arms and hangs it on the edge of the headboard. "comfortable?" he asks

Maya nods weakly, her voice barely above a whisper. "Thank you, Kakucho," she murmurs, her gratitude evident in her eyes as she gazes up at him.

Kakucho offers her a gentle smile, his heart swelling with a mixture of tenderness and concern for her well-being. He brushes a stray strand of hair away from her face, his touch light and reassuring. Kakucho gently runs his fingers through Maya's hair, his touch tender and comforting as he watches over her. "Does anything else hurt, Maya?" he asks softly, his voice infused with genuine concern

Maya shifts slightly, her movements slow and deliberate as she tries to find a comfortable position. "My legs... they're sore," she murmurs, her words slurred with exhaustion and discomfort

Kakucho gets off the floor and sits on the bed by her feet and starts massaging her legs. As Kakucho's fingers glide along Maya's legs, he applies just the right amount of pressure, his touch firm yet gentle. With each knead and stroke, he focuses on releasing the tension that has built up in her muscles, working methodically from her ankles upward. He can't shake the guilt gnawing at him, knowing that she's endured so much pain and suffering.He wants to apologize to her, to beg for her forgiveness, but the words stick in his throat like bitter bile. How could he face her after what he's done, after the role he played in her torment? He wishes he hadn't intervened, wishes he hadn't pleaded with Izana to spare her life. Maybe then she wouldn't be lying here, broken and battered, her spirit all but crushed beneath the weight of her pain.

Maya didn't deserve any of this. She was an innocent caught in the crossfire of their twisted world, a pawn in a game she never asked to play. And yet, here she is, paying the price for his mistakes.

Death would have been a merciful release compared to the agony she's enduring now. But Kakucho knows he can't undo the past, can't erase the scars that mar her body and soul. All he can do is offer what little comfort he can, hoping against hope that it's enough to ease her suffering, if only for a fleeting moment.

As Kakucho's skilled hands glide along Maya's tired limbs, he focuses intently on the task at hand. With practiced precision, he applies just the right amount of pressure, his fingers kneading away the knots of tension that have accumulated in her muscles. Her skin is soft against his calloused hands. Each stroke is deliberate, each movement purposeful, as he works to ease the discomfort that plagues her. With each pass, he can feel the tightness gradually give way, the knots unravelling beneath his touch. He pays close attention to Maya's reactions, adjusting his technique accordingly to ensure her comfort. As he works his way up from her ankles, he can't help but marvel at the resilience of the human body, the way it responds to the healing power of touch. Despite the weight of guilt that hangs heavy on his shoulders, Kakucho finds solace in the simple act of offering Maya some measure of relief. He knows that he can't undo the pain she's endured, but in this moment, he's determined to do everything in his power to ease her suffering. "this okay?" Kakucho asks her

"hm..." Maya hums sleepily

This isn't his first rodeo with withdrawal. He hoped with Izana it would be the last but he really didn't expect to be taking care of Izana's hostage after that whole shitshow. Kakucho eyes drift upwards to her thighs. Her legs are slightly spread and on her inner thighs, he can see hickeys. Kakucho feels like he's 15 again, flushing at the sight of girls with hickeys on their necks stumbling out the Haitanis and Izana's rooms, picking up Mikey from some random girl's house, looking away from Shion who's got a girl in his lap— don't get Kakucho wrong, he's slept with girls before. A bunch actually just... Pretty girls like Maya made him weak.

That and the fact that she looked like and acted a little like—

Kakucho doesn't want to think about that right now. "Hey, what are you doing?"

He goes stiff and looks at the door where Mikey is standing with his arms crossed over his chest. There is this obsessive look in his eyes and it makes Kakucho sick. Kakucho's heart skips a beat as he's caught off guard by Mikey's sudden appearance. He quickly pulls his hands away from Maya's legs, feeling a flush of embarrassment creep up his neck. "I, uh... Just trying to help her relax," he stammers, his voice betraying his unease.

No doubt the entire thing looked scandalous. Maya's laying on her front with no shirt on and Kakucho is massaging her legs. Okay, maybe it wasn't that scandalous but still. It was embarrassing to be caught by Mikey like this. Maya's voice, barely above a whisper, cuts through the tension-filled air. "Mikey..." she murmurs, her eyes fluttering open as she reaches out towards him

Kakucho's hands freeze in mid-air as Maya's soft voice pulls him out of his thoughts. He watches silently as Mikey's expression softens at the sound of her voice, a flicker of concern crossing his features. Mikey walks over and kneels next to her on the floor, running his fingers through her hair. Kakucho takes that as his queue to leave and slides off the bed. Mikey kisses her forehead. There is a slight anger he feels as he watches Maya let Mikey touch and caress her like he is her lover.

But it wasn't because he was jealous.

It was out of disappointment.

"what's all this stuff for anyway?" Mikey asks as Maya uses a dropper from a tiny glass bottle to apply some kind of solution to his face

They're the bathroom. The mirror is fogged with steam from the shower. Mikey has a towel wrapped around his hips and Maya has one wrapped around her chest beneath her arms, their hair damp, sticking to their necks. She's sitting on the counter and Mikey is standing between her knees, hands on her bare thighs as he gazes into her eyes with an emotion that looks like love. "hydration" Maya tells him, using the tips of her fingers to rub in water solution she put on his face into his skin "we've got the same skin type so my products work for you too"

Mikey simply hums at her answer and lets his eyes fall shut as she works the product into his skin. When he opens his eyes, he's got a soft smile playing on his lips. MIkey admires her for a while as she works the same product into her own skin, using delicate motions and pressure. "You're beautiful..." He says quietly, thumbs rubbing circles into her bare thighs

Maya's cheeks burn with a rosy hue as Mikey's words catch her off guard. She averts her gaze, feeling suddenly bashful under his admiring stare. "Oh, uh, thank you," she mumbles, her voice soft and barely audible.

Mikey's smile softens at her reaction, his thumb continuing its gentle caress on her thigh. He tilts his head slightly, studying her with affectionate eyes. "You don't have to be shy, Maya," he reassures her, his voice warm and reassuring. "I mean every word I say."

Maya's heart flutters at his sincerity, a warmth spreading through her chest. She steals a glance at him, her lips curling into a shy smile. "you're pretty" Mikey says again, pressing a light peck to her lips

"I'm pretty?" She repeats

"The prettiest"

For some reason, being called pretty felt a lot nicer than beautiful. It was a weird way to think but, Maya liked it. Although Mikey did call her both, pretty and beautiful, so she was happy. "now what other little skincare thing you have left to do?" He asks, looking at her as if she was something precious

Looking at Maya like she was the only thing in the world looking at, looking at her like— like how Maya wished Chifuyu would look at her. For a moment she's snapped back to reality. She was in a beach house in the middle of nowhere, being drugged and tortured, with a bunch of gangsters that had Japan under their boot and now she had just showered with said gang's leader.

How fucking great.

Mikey seems to notice her change in mood and he frowns. "Hey, baby. You 'kay?"

Maya just nods. Her heart beats fast, her mouth suddenly feels dry and her head is hurting again. As Mikey's question hangs in the air, Maya's mind whirls with a flurry of conflicting emotions. She forces a smile, attempting to mask the turmoil brewing within her, but her facade feels paper-thin against the weight of her thoughts. "Yeah, I'm okay..." she replies, her voice sounding unconvincing even to her own ears.

Mikey's concerned gaze lingers on her, his brows furrowing with worry. "You sure?" he asks softly, his thumb gently tracing circles on the back of her hand.

Despite the tenderness in his touch, Maya can't shake the feeling of unease settling in the pit of her stomach. She inhales deeply, attempting to quell the rising tide of anxiety threatening to overwhelm her. "Yeah, just... a bit tired, I guess" she mumbles, her words feeling hollow even as they leave her lips "my head hurts"

Mikey's expression softens, a flicker of understanding crossing his features. "Alright, let's get you to bed then" he murmurs, his voice a soothing balm against her frayed nerves

They dry their hair and get dressed and Mikey leads her to bed. She's stiff as she lays there in his arms. Mikey is rubbing her back probably thinking her unease was because of the withdrawal. The burns on her back healed fairly quickly with constant care and now all that was left was the migraines she got from the withdrawal. She didn't feel like dying but swallowing a bullet seemed much more appealing at times. But the withdrawal wasn't the problem here, it was the fact that Mikey had made her completely forget she was being held against her will. The fact that she had been too caught up making love with Japan's most ruthless gangster, she forgot where she was.

Mikey's gentle ministrations soothe the tension in her muscles, but beneath the surface, Maya's mind churns with a maelstrom of conflicting emotions. She knows she should feel grateful for his care, for the semblance of normalcy he brings to her tumultuous existence. Yet, with each tender touch, a wave of guilt washes over her, threatening to drown her in its suffocating embrace. "Mikey" She whispers, looking up at him

They're both lying on their sides, her head on his bicep. "Hm?" he asks, brushing a finger away from her forehead

Maya's gaze meets Mikey's, finding a warmth that envelops her like a soft blanket on a cold night. His eyes, pools of understanding and compassion, seem to hold her entire world within their depths. But no, she couldn't melt again. "C-could..." She pauses, not sure how to word her question

"It's fine, tell me" Mikey encourages

So Maya takes a deep breath and asks "can you tell Izana to let me go?"

Mikey's expression shifts, a flicker of uncertainty dancing across his features before being masked by a carefully crafted facade. Maya senses the tension in the air, a palpable silence that hangs between them like a heavy curtain. "I..." Mikey begins, his voice trailing off as he searches for the right words.

He hesitates, his gaze flickering away from Maya's for a moment before returning, filled with a mixture of concern and conflict. "Maya, you know it's not that simple," he finally responds, his tone gentle yet tinged with a hint of resignation. "Izana... he's not someone you can just ask favours from."

Maya's heart sinks at his words, a wave of disappointment crashing over her like a relentless tide. She had hoped, perhaps naively, that Mikey would be able to intervene on her behalf, to offer her a glimmer of freedom amidst the suffocating confines of her captivity. But now, faced with the harsh reality of their situation, she feels a sense of despair wash over her, threatening to drown her in its depths. "But... But you're the leader are you not?" Maya whispers quietly, a dejected look on her face "You're the leader of Tokyo Manji Gang, not... him"

Mikey nods and presses a kiss to her forehead. "Yes I am the leader but Izana is my older brother... And because he is older, he tends to abuse that. I am leader but my brother is older"

Maya's heart sinks further at his words, a heavy sense of disillusionment settling over her like a suffocating blanket. She had clung to a sliver of hope, however naive, that Mikey's leadership might offer her some semblance of protection from Izana's grasp. But as the truth unravels before her, she realizes the bitter reality of their familial dynamics, the hierarchy that reigns even within the Tokyo Manji Gang. The weight of Mikey's confession hangs in the air, casting a shadow over their already dire circumstances. Maya struggles to process the implications of his revelation, grappling with the cruel irony of their situation. The leader of the gang is unable to protect her from his own brother's tyranny. As Mikey's lips brush against her forehead in a tender gesture, Maya's heart aches with a profound sense of loss. The fleeting comfort of his touch offers little solace in the face of the insurmountable odds stacked against them. "I'm sorry, Maya," Mikey whispers, his voice tinged with remorse. "I wish I could change things, but... but I'm bound by more than just my position."

"oh..." Is all Maya is able to say

In response, Mikey simply wraps his arms around her, holding her tight against his chest. His embrace is a silent comfort, offering solace in the midst of her despair. There are no words spoken, but the warmth of his embrace speaks volumes, reassuring Maya that she is not alone in her struggle. "for now let's focus on helping you get better" He murmurs gently "Most of the withdrawal symptoms are gone, you look like a lot better too... Just having headaches yeah?"

Maya nods weakly against Mikey's chest, grateful for his understanding and support. "Yeah, just headaches" she admits, her voice barely above a whisper.

The throbbing ache in her head feels like a relentless drumbeat, a constant reminder of the turmoil she's endured. Mikey brushes a gentle hand through her hair, his touch soothing against her skin. "We'll figure it out" he assures her softly, his words a balm to her battered soul.

She buries her face into his chest again, trying to blink back her tears. It had been 4 or 5 days since that whole thing with Izana. Her back was healed and she was recovering pretty quickly from the withdrawals. So she should have been here for about 2 and a half weeks? Right? Maya isn't too sure but that's what she thinks. She shifts her head and looks at the double doors in front of the bed. The sun is shining, it's a nice day out. The sound of the waves crashing against the shore is faint but soothing. Maybe it was the view that really made her feel better. Had she been locked in some shitty hospital like Izana was, even she would take 2 months to recover. "hey" Mikey tells her

She looks up at him with eyes filled with tears. Mikey sighed and shifted their positions so she was now lying on her back and Mikey hovering over her. He's putting most of his weight onto her hips and thighs like he usually does. "I feel like I'm hurting you when you look at me like that..." he murmured, pressing his forehead against hers

There is so much she wants to say. So many things she wants to tell him but can't. "You're not hurting me, Mikey," she ends up saying, her voice trembling with emotion. "It's just... everything. It's been a lot."

Mikey's gaze softens, his eyes reflecting the depth of his love and understanding. He leans into her touch, seeking solace in the warmth of her presence. "I know, sweetheart," he murmurs, his breath mingling with hers. "But we'll get through this together, okay? You and me."

There was an overwhelming silence that lingered between them. Maya didn't have anything to say and Mikey didn't seem to want to continue this either. Finally, Mikey leaned in for a gentle and slow kiss, a hand next to her head, holding himself up over her all the while coaxing Maya wordlessly through the affectionate kiss. Maya sighed, she knew Mikey wasn't the best at expressing his emotions despite being devoted to catering to her emotions— or whatever Mikey's version of catering to her emotions was.

After pulling away, Mikey wrapped her arms around him and dug her face into his neck, feeling utterly defeated. "I'm sorry" she muttered into his neck, not really knowing what she was apologizing for

"You have nothing to be sorry for, Maya," he murmurs, his voice tender against her ear, lips brushing against her skin with each word. "You're going through a lot right now, and it's okay to feel overwhelmed."

He presses a chaste kiss to her neck and then rolls off her. "Let's get you to sleep, hm... You need rest"

Maya nods faintly in agreement, her exhaustion weighing heavily upon her. She allows Mikey to guide her into a comfortable position, curling up beside her as she sinks into the welcoming embrace of sleep. Despite the turmoil raging within her mind, the rhythmic sound of Mikey's steady breathing beside her serves as a lullaby, soothing her frayed nerves and offering a fleeting sense of peace amidst the chaos of their circumstances.

As sleep begins to claim her, Maya finds herself clinging to the fleeting hope that Mikey's promise of finding a way out will ring true.

Something's pressing her, suffocating her. Not to the point of being unable to breathe, but discomforting. Maya hated this. What's happening?

What's—

"Izana?" her eyes glazed over, heavy with sleep when she pried them open to the sight of a blurry figure, dark in the moonlit bedroom.

Her eyes cleared out to the familiar outlines of Izana's broad frame, hovering over her, his face hidden in the shadows of the moon. When she tried shifting up on her elbows, she couldn't lift a finger. Both her wrists pinning above her head, Izana holding them both in one of his hands, caging her in. Sirens went off in her head. "Izana," she slurred out, sleep bleeding out of her head in urgency.

Even in the darkness, Izana's irises were a ring of lavender, glimmering and predatory in the dim lighting of the room, illuminated by the bright white moon staring at them through the window in its full glory. Maya's goosebumps broke out. "For a child, you're quite lovely," Izana says, smiling "I don't think anyone I have met in all my time on earth has been so sweet to me... I wonder if you taste as good as you are"

Maya thinks she might throw up or scream or something— because what the fuck was going on? Mikey had left earlier due to some work in Osaka and oh man had she known Izana was here she would have pleaded for Mikey to stay. "You're so easy on the eyes bunny..." he murmured, brushing her hair away from her eyes

This was terrifying. This is the first time she's facing Izana while not under the influence of some drugs or going through withdrawal since he abducted her. "You...what is this?" She whimpered out, hoping he was just going to scare the shit out of her and leave

"To put your faith in a low-life creature like Manjiro. How kind of you bunny," Izana said, feigning innocence over Maya's demands. The corner of his lips curled up into a smirk. Menacing. "How naïve."

"Wh-What?" Maya whimpered out, not understanding what he meant

"Manjiro has done all this work to get you to let him in. I must say I'm a little jealous" Izana murmurs "He did it so easy by being fake about his intentions... Lying to you... While I... I've been being truthful this entire time"

"What're you going to do?" Maya dodged, fighting back the lump threatening to crawl out of her throat and chest as her heart broke and shattered underneath her captor

Mikey was lying to her about something. Something? What? Her head feels like a mess still despite having recovered from the withdrawal almost completely. Izana dove down and kissed her, taking Maya off-guard. The struggle she put in was minuscule compared to the sheer amount of power Izana exuded from just pressing her down with a single hand, she kicked and thrashed but Izana didn't budge, undeterred. Like Maya's attempts were nothing but mere swats of flies. Izana ripped away, eyes widening a fraction. Maya's chest heaved with huge gulps of breath, teary from the assault upon her. Izana's tongue poked out to swipe over her lower lip. Maya whimpered, feeling horrible. Izana grinned at her. It wasn't like she didn't know he was fucking evil.

Maya had no reason not to believe Izana. After all, he had been truthful to her about what he wanted from her the entire time.

A sick type of revenge.

Punishment for something she wasn't even aware of.

"This isn't fair... I didn't know" Maya tried standing her ground despite being held down like this.

Her will was slipping, she was grasping on loose sand at this point. But she won't give in. She couldn't. "I didn't do anything Izana! I didn't know!"

"Of course, you didn't, bunny" Izana says with a laugh, pressing more of his weight down onto her to keep her still "I don't care though"

His words hang heavy in the air, suffocating her with the weight of his twisted intentions. Despite her desperate protests, she knows that Izana's ruthless resolve leaves little room for mercy or redemption. With each passing moment, Maya's sense of helplessness grows, her heart pounding with fear and uncertainty. Trapped beneath Izana's relentless hold, she feels the walls closing in around her, suffocating her with the harsh reality of her captivity. Despite her attempts to reason with him, she knows that Izana's twisted sense of justice leaves no room for mercy. "Please, Izana, let me go," Maya pleads, her voice trembling with desperation while she continues to try and free her wrists from Izana's grasp "I won't tell anyone about this, I swear."

Izana's laughter rings out once more, cold and merciless. "Oh, little bunny, you don't seem to understand," he sneers, his grip tightening around her wrists

Tears well up in Maya's eyes as she realizes the depth of Izana's depravity. "You're sick," she whispers, her voice barely above a whimper.

Izana's smile widens into a cruel grin. "Perhaps," he replies, his eyes gleaming with malice. "But not as sick as Manjiro"

It still confuses her. Why is he saying that? Just what did Mikey lie to her about? As if sensing her turmoil, Izana leans in closer, his breath hot against her ear. "You think Manjiro is your saviour, bunny," he murmurs, his voice dripping with venom. "But he's nothing but a wolf in sheep's clothing."

Maya's heart pounds in her chest, her thoughts spinning wildly. She wants to believe that Mikey is different, and that he truly cares for her, but Izana's words plant seeds of doubt in her mind. Could she have been so blind? So naïve? Maya watches Izana pull out his phone and then play a video, putting the screen in front of her face. It was from the news, dated 2 weeks ago. "A body has been found near the docks of Yokohama pier in a car that was set to blaze. Police identified the body as newly graduated psychiatrist, Kaneko Maya, ruled as a suicide as a note was found on the scene. Kaneko had been missing for the 2 and a half weeks and—"

Maya's heart drops. "W-What?" she whispers as the clip continues to play

She was dead. She'd be declared dead. She thinks she might throw up. If she was declared dead that meant no one was looking for her. Maya thinks she might as well actually be dead. "Y-You did this..." Maya chokes out, trying not to sob

Izana giggles like she said something funny. "Not me... Manjiro"

Maya's mind races, trying to make sense of the betrayal she's just witnessed. She can't shake the feeling of betrayal, the sense of being utterly abandoned. The weight of it all threatens to crush her spirit, leaving her feeling hollow and lost. "He got a call from Chifuyu one day... The same day you and him were out playing in the ocean like a bunch of children. Chifuyu asked his precious Mikey-kun for help with looking for you"

Chifuyu was... Looking for her?

"Of course, Manjiro had other plans," Izana says with a laugh "He wanted to keep you. I don't blame him though... You're so pretty, bunny... Even I wanted to keep you"

Maya's mind reels at the revelation, her heart torn between disbelief and despair. Chifuyu was searching for her all along, yet Mikey chose to betray her trust and keep her captive. The realization hits her like a tidal wave, leaving her feeling battered and broken. Tears blur Maya's vision as she struggles to process the magnitude of Mikey's betrayal. How could he have deceived her so thoroughly, leading her to believe in a false sense of security while he orchestrated her captivity? The pain cuts deep, slicing through her already fragile heart like a knife. That meant it wasn't because Izana was older that Mikey couldn't tell him to let her go— it was because Mikey wanted to keep her here too. But she's barely even able to process this when Izana presses all his weight down onto her at once. "I wonder," Maya's breath hitched when Izana dropped down, grazing his teeth across the skin of her neck "How much will it take for you to break..."

In one moment Maya was glaring at the back of Izana's hair, trying not to cry, fearing for her life, a moment of stillness with the waves of cold breath against Maya's neck. "I don't think it would be much since I know how fragile that mind of yours is"

In the next, she's flipped onto her front.

So Izana takes her. Forcing it on her. Not that it mattered to him but it did to her. It was the first time she was in her right mind when Izana did this. The room is spinning as Maya is flipped onto her back again, dizzy and drunk from all the overwhelming feelings, throat is scratchy after screaming and crying for help that never came. He's drilling his hips down on Maya, deeper and punching the breath out of her and choking on her spit.

Somewhere along the way, Maya hadn't noticed Izana had released her wrists, the skin there throbbing from having been constricted of blood supply for so long. Only coming to realize when Izana lifted her up by the small of her back to press against his chest, her fragile little body in his lap now, swallowing her cries and letting her scratch the skin of his back, a small attempt of refusal or a distraction from the overwhelming sensations she's experiencing, weakened by time.

Maya tasted her own blood as she cried into his chest, her head feeling like it was stuffed full of compact cotton balls, her mind swirling but not numb to the pain. This is wrong. It hurts, hurts so much she feels like she can't breathe properly.

But the pleasure is undeniable. The gratifying surges of electricity at every thrust Izana gives her grow intoxicating, overwhelming her to the point if this were in a very contrasting setting, she would have loved it, craved it.

But it's not. This is Izana growling into her ear, dragging his teeth threateningly over her jugular and drawing out whimpers and cries from Maya's trembling lips, his every touch leaving burning trails and deep indigo bruises all over her skin. Maya put a hand over her eyes, crying into it as the other scratched at his back and shoulders. "Do it," Izana tempts and lays her body back onto the bed, still connected

"No..." Maya hiccups as Izana pried her hands away from her face, intertwining their fingers deliberately and pinning them to the bed.

Maya tried facing away, but Izana yanked her face forward, smashing their lips together and she could only take what was given to her. "Please," Maya blinks through her tears, fat droplets wetting her cheeks like soaked sheets. "Stop it. End this."

"Come for me," Izana replies, his teeth baring deadly "Bunny..."

Maya caved in with a cry, body convulsing underneath Izana's weight as she released, Izana leading her through the hazy fog in her head with soft words, encouraging if she will. "That's it, that's it... Good girl... my pretty bunny"

Her legs fall slack beside Izana's waist, Izana hitching them back up at his hips as he picks up pace once again. Maya's body follows in the rhythm of Izana's hips, dragged over the sheet and the friction burns the skin of her back, yet she could only let out shuddery moans and whimpers in response when feeling something warm and wet spilling into her. Overstimulated and overwhelmed, Maya cried even harder this time. It felt good yet it hurt so bad.

Maya's consciousness almost slips away, blurry from exhaustion. "Take me, Maya," Izana allures, cheekbones glistening with sweat from the moonlit, using her name for the first time after a long time "Accept me, and you will be granted with everything you desire in this world."

"No," affirmative despite the shakiness in her voice.

Maya's eyes still burn with profound hurt and betrayal as they glare at him. Izana's face darkens, his aura wafting out of him in waves of death, instilling fear further inside Maya even in her subconsciousness. "Just take whatever that is given to you like a good girl."

At this, Maya is shocked, the phrase bringing back memories. Maya sees herself being alone as a child, the isolation from her peers as the whereabouts of her family circulated the town— the death of her father, her mother's suicide and Maya's own attempt. Growing up without friends and without any love— Chifuyu rejects her after taking her virginity, being betrayed by Mikey.

Only being able to take what was given to her and unable to ask for more.

Maya understands the whole point of this memory walk is to accentuate the very aspect that had shaped her into who she is now: lonely. Misunderstood. The unwanted child simply was taken away from her home and became a plaything for two eccentric monsters.

An unwanted starving stray dog that begged for love like it was food.

Maya cries, pressing balled-up fists to her eyes in hopes of stopping the rewind of her memories. It was stupid. Why was this happening now of all times? Why and how was Izana able to evoke such emotion in her? "That first night you joined Sunshine Grove, you were just there, in your scrubs and white coat with no safety precautions taken like the other doctors and nurses. I could have easily taken you, overturned you. Made you mine," Izana softly says. Maya feels his icy cold fingers stroking her cheeks, flicking away her tears. "Why did I go through all those troubles just to bring you here?"

It's like Izana is talking to himself rather than questioning her. How should she know? What's gotten him so fixated on Maya that he's willing to go to this length to be accepted? "I want you to want me," he whispers into her ear

"Don't you want to have someone with you, at all times? To be there for you no matter the situation?" Izana peels her hands away, and caresses her face with a gentleness void of the callousness and aggression from before, yet the tears trickle down Maya's cheeks like a river.

A solid proof of how affected she is still by her past, however, he even knows about any of it. "You won't ever have to be lonely. Ever again."

Izana sees right through her, sees the cracks in her armor that she's fought so hard to conceal. It's as if he knows the depths of her pain, the scars that mar her soul, and he's using them against her. "What do you want from me," Maya demands, lips wobbling because she can't take this anymore.

This heartache, the pain.

"I want you to surrender," he murmurs, his voice dripping with a sinister allure. "I want you to give yourself to me completely, body and soul. I want to possess you in every sense of the word."

"All of you," Izana says, truthfully, angrily as he whispers against her mouth, his breath hot against her skin, carrying the weight of his insatiable hunger "I want all of you."

So Maya succumbs.

Izana pushed back in. Gentler this time. He let Maya wrap her arms around him, crying into his neck, legs going around his middle. "How cute" he cooed, using one hand to caress her side

He leaned down and kissed her, tongue slipping into her mouth. This time it was softer. He pulled away, a string of saliva connecting their lips. "gonna make you feel so good Maya" he murmured, picking up the pace of his hips "my pretty little bunny"

His hands went up and down her body, pressing into bruises and making new ones. He suddenly drilled his hips into her again. Her nails scratched his back whimpering louder as the pressure in her body returned. "Will you be mine sweetheart?" He peppered kisses to her shoulders "I promise to take care of you"

"I'll be yours"

[END SCENE]

"Do you know how long you've been here?" Kakucho asks as he patches up the bloody bite mark on Maya's left shoulder

She's barely consious, not even mentally there in the room with him. Was it possible for someone to be such a mess after sex? Apparently yes. She doesn't even think she felt this way after sleeping with Chifuyu or after Mikey. Why is it that everytime after after Izana she feels like she's been through absolute hell? "U-Um..." Maya tries to think for a moment "2... 2 and a half weeks"

Maya wants to go to sleep but Kakucho wasn't letting her. "Wrong. You've been here for a month"

That wakes her up. "W-What?"

Maya's mind races as she struggles to comprehend Kakucho's words. A month? Had she truly been trapped in this nightmare for that long? The realization hits her like a physical blow, leaving her feeling disoriented and overwhelmed. "I-I don't understand..." Maya stammers, her voice trembling with disbelief. "How could it have been a month?"

Kakucho's expression is grim as he meets her gaze, his eyes reflecting a mixture of sympathy and unease. "Time flies when you're not having fun," he murmurs, his tone laced with bitterness. "You were out cold for most of it, thanks to the drugs Izana kept pumping into you... Izana and Mikey"

Maya's heart sinks at the revelation, a cold knot of dread settling in the pit of her stomach. The thought of losing entire chunks of time to Izana's cruel machinations and Mikey's obsession fills her with a sense of profound horror. How many moments had she missed? How much had she suffered while trapped in the depths of her drug-induced haze? As the weight of the truth sinks in, Maya's mind races with a million unanswered questions. How had she lost track of time so completely? A bout of hopelessness overcomes her. A month. She missed an entire 2 weeks. No she forgot two weeks. Her memory of it wasn't there. "Listen... I didn't ask Izana to spare you just so you can fuck Mikey and pretend everything is okay" Kakucho says bluntly

Maya's heart lurches at Kakucho's words, his blunt honesty cutting through the haze of confusion and despair that surrounds her. His words are like a cold splash of water, jolting her out of her stupor and forcing her to confront the harsh reality of her situation. "I-I didn't..." Maya stammers, her voice barely above a whisper. "I never wanted any of this..."

But even as the words leave her lips, she knows they ring hollow. She had willingly offered herself up to Izana, believing his promises of protection and salvation. She had chosen to trust Mikey, to believe that he was different from the monsters that surrounded her. And now, faced with the consequences of her choices, Maya feels a crushing weight of guilt settle over her like a suffocating blanket. "I'm sorry..." she whispers, her voice trembling with emotion. "I'm so sorry..."

Kakucho sighs as he puts the last piece of medical tape on the gauze, securing it to the wound. He buttons Izana's red silk shirt she was wearing back up and says "It's not me you should be apologizing to... It's yourself"

Maya's heart clenches at Kakucho's words, his gentle admonishment piercing through the fog of her self-pity. She knows he's right. She had been too quick to trust, too eager to believe in the possibility of salvation amidst the darkness that surrounded her. "Listen to me, Maya" Kakucho says lowly, barely above a whisper as if fearing someone else would hear him

He cups her cheeks and forces her to look at him. "I know you feel really fucking helpless and I shouldn't even be helping you right now but..." He pauses again and sighs " I know someone who got away from Mikey long ago and hasn't been caught since"

Kakucho stares at her. Bright blue eyes, pale skin, faint freckles, curly hair. Fucking hell they were almost the same. Almost. "He was weak as hell, couldn't fight for shit but he didn't ever give up..." Kakucho then laughs a little "You got fucking waterboarded and continued to try and run despite the consequences... If it hadn't been for the drugs I think you would have succeeded"

He's encouraging her but Maya doesn't know if she wants to trust him or not. After that whole betrayal with Mikey she feels... Wrong. But then again, she should have expected it from the leader of Tokyo Manjio Gang. Kakucho had been nothing but kind to her this entire time, patching up her wounds, helping her through her withdrawal and other things but... She felt hesitant. This could possibly be a ploy. Izana could have put Kakucho up to this. "If he can get away from Mikey unscathed then you can get away from them both" Kakucho tells her, his thumbs rubbing against her cheekbones "Mikey and Izana..."

Right now, Maya had no reason to trust Kakucho.

Not after everything she'd been through. Kakucho wouldn't help her escape. He wasn't going to betray Izana like that. Right now, he was just giving her encouragement for some reason— just because she reminded him of someone. Maya had no reason to trust him and she wouldn't.

She wasn't a fucking disney princess and Kakucho was far from a prince or a knight in shining armour.

Kakucho was knight of course, but not for her, but for Izana. His armour is dented with the blood of people he's killed for Izana and Maya will not make the mistake of trusting anyone else affiliated with the Tokyo Manji Gang ever again.

She'll escape all on her own—

—even if it entails her demise along the way...

notes: okay so I got all my info for the drug withdrawal care from here. How accurate it is, idk but it's reddit so 🤷‍♀️ none of the stuff I write I say is accurate, this is all merely for fun. according to my research, no one recovers that fast from addiction(special cases maybe). But yeah, just for fun so don't take any of this seriously.

Gatored is banned in Japan so I searched for an alternate which is Pocari Sweat which is drunk widely in Japan for the same purpose.

I really couldn’t get myself to write the smut detailed for very obvious reasons.

title of this chapter is from the song: i don't smoke by mitski

But hope you guys enjoyed this chapter

likes, reblogs and asks are greatly appreciated

taglist: @highpri3stess @mysouleaten @yaya4thawin @piroporopo @reiners-milkbiddies @bontensbabygirl @tenjikusstuff4 @fairey555 @haikyuusboringassmanager @maraya-007

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bishopusa12 · 2 years ago

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The Power of Words: Motivating Education Quotes for Personal and Academic Success

Education is one of the most important tools we have for personal growth, development, and success. However, the journey towards achieving our educational goals can be challenging and requires motivation, perseverance, and dedication. Fortunately, throughout history, there have been many motivational education quotes that have inspired and encouraged individuals to pursue their educational dreams. These quotes provide valuable insights and perspectives on the importance of education and the qualities that are necessary for success.

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motivational education quotes provide valuable insights and perspectives on the importance of education and the qualities that are necessary for success. They inspire individuals to embrace the learning process and to see education as a means to creating a better future for themselves and their communities. However, it is important to recognize that not all individuals have equal access to quality education, and that systemic inequalities in education must be addressed in order to create a more just and equitable society.

motivational education quotes provide a powerful source of inspiration and encouragement for individuals pursuing their educational goals. They highlight the importance of perseverance, determination, and a commitment to learning, and encourage individuals to see education as a tool for personal growth and positive change. However, it is important to recognize that access to quality education and support is essential for individuals to achieve their full potential, and that systemic inequalities in education must be addressed in order to create a more just and equitable society. By investing in education and creating opportunities for all individuals to learn and succeed, we can build a brighter and more prosperous future for ourselves and for generations to come.

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#education #motivation

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