#it spoke to me on a molecular level

[ddarker-dreams]

what if chrollo sees your gacha game addiction.... what if chrollo sees your obsession towards a certain purple haired man...? i would pay to see the despair flashing through his countenance

chrollo when he sees his darling's obsession with scara

it'd just be unasked for psychoanalysis o'clock. why this 5′ 4″ (164 cm) fella with mommy issues? it's not like he would even treat you better. realistically, he'd treat you worse. smh. would scaramouche read you poetry, kiss your hand, and massage your sore neck? could he even reach? chrollo's out here collecting your personal data more than a tech conglomerate to custom tailor his entire personality for you. now that's dedication you wouldn't get anywhere else (thank god).

but yeah, say goodbye to the gacha games. no amount of batting eyelashes will get him to change his mind and let you do your dailies. not even a weird modded version that's perpetually offline. you can keep the switch at the price of your otome games being deleted. animal crossing and games in that vein are fine, so long as he receives adequate attention. he's annoying the entire time though. he keeps asking you questions/making commentary about everything.

"so why is it you put the mirror on the right, and not the left?"

"hm. skipping over the plain butterfly, i see. you know, outside beauty does not signify inner worth."

"what an expensive crown. is there a feature that lets you steal it, or is purchasing it legally the only way? seems like an oversight to me."

"those colors... interesting combination, dear. don't you think they clash?"

"is this hamster in the cage not sentient, like the others? why is it that this creature is put on display when its brethren walk freely? does subjugation not bother you?"

(yes he's being irritating on purpose to get you to notice him and man does it work well. also his favorite NPC is crazy redd)

[seven-oomen]

"i used to think art had to be great to be worthwhile; now, i only think it has to be to be worthwhile." - John Green

[fingertipsmp3]

It’s so crazy to me that after 17 years I still feel garbage in late April and still never realise why

[vengefulvermin]

Can i get more passage of time/music development yapping ☹️☹️☹️??? I give you official permission to yap the most you can im so interested

YES YES YES YES YES I LOVE THIS ASK

warning beneath the cut SCARY WALL OF TEXT WARNING 😱

decided to divide it into colored parts if you dont gaf about certain elements 😭

second warning all of this is unedited rambling so some points might contradict each other or just plain not make sense.

okay so for CONTEXTTTTT

i have diagnosed OCD, and like, roughly since the end of last year and the beginning of this one, the 'obsession' part of OCD that was negatively affecting me, was the concept of time. how fleeting it was. how it's basically unescapable ALL THINGS MUST PASS (get out of my head george harrison) that shit proper cold dead SCARED ME MAN. sleepless & haunting me in my dreams type shi. sometimes it still does. i try not to think about it too much

to cope, i found great comfort in the 70s-80s since at the time i was and still am hyperfixated on david bowie and that was sort of his prime (love his 90s-00s work tho.) i was also starting to think of how much parallels and similar experiences i have to previous generations and how it's not ALL that bad after all so far. i can still walk to a record store and roller skate if i really wanted to, or go to a diner.

okey here's where the life changing stuff happens. i decided i'd listen to pink floyd's the dark side of the moon. then TIME CAME ON. ohhhh god oh gosh golly god i was bawling and everything the whole song spoke to me on a molecular level. then i found out about DB's song also called time, and i ALSO crode to that. i was like. wow. i'm not alone on this feeling of utter desperation and helplessness as eventually all things Must Pass. (GEORGE HARRSION GTFO)

i used to be bitchy on how i whined i was part of the 'wrong generation.' i thought i was alone, but virtually everyone of almost every era has thought this. somebody who lived my dream life wished they had what i have now.

that's when i started to lowkey realize the parallels and oneness of human experience. i could go to a club in the 70s, and (granted the infrastructure and music remains similar) i could today. nothing would change on how i perceive events. there is no color filter on the past. unless you got huge TVs and stuff all over your house, you could walk around, and think it's the 80s. AND IT'S BASICALLY THE 80s. the way your parents or any other gen Xer saw the world with their *eyes* (not counting the changes in buildings and stuff) is the same as you today pretty much.

i already really enjoy subcultures, and particularly how they evolve and adapt. the indomitable human spirit prevails no matter how gentrified or 'banned' things become. nowadays i feel like there is No Youth Subcultures. at least, none that will pass the test of time and be memorable enough to be remembered in the books. nobody's gonna go to their child and proudly say: "when i was your age, i was a chav" or something. and i credit this to the lack of creativity allowed in the wider music industry.

HEAR ME OUT this is because 90% of youth subcultures had everything to do with music. and now, everything must be palatable. to be clear there's nothing inherently wrong with that type of music, but to me it speaks no soul. it has no risks. contemporary pop music is very much formulaic and this is because now more than ever entertainment (this also applies to movies btw) is more of an investment than passion. I WILL SPECIFY.

music production is so vastly different genre to genre, and we're not letting it flourish because of how much short form content is valued nowadays. LET ME COOK.

tiktoks are formulaic. algorithms are formulaic. WE'RE GETTING SOMEWHERE. there must be an instant hook or rift in music if you want to 'go viral' as a musician. digitized fame doesn't mean SHIT (to me), since clearly monthly listeners don't equate real world fans. album sales are being replaced with streams, and because of how ASS spotify treats its artists, newer, less established acts need to GET ON THE GRIND INSTANTLY to earn Coin. that means that to be smart and work with the exploitative system they're given, they have to make albums filled with 1 minute 30 second songs. so you can technically give them the most amount of streams possible. i feel with this formulaic approach, you can't get 6 minute long gutwrenching guitar pieces. no more 4 minute drum solos, hell avant garde experimental works were 2 people shout their names out at each other for 20 minutes. THERE ARE NO MORE FRANK ZAPPAS.

i'm not going to be one of those sad assholes who claim there's 'no more good rock music' and how it'll never be the same. as corny as this is, the next beatles or nirvana could be right under our noses and we'll NEVER know because of how fame is distributed. it sucks to see a small band beg on tiktok for streams to kickstart their career. but this is what we gotta work with. if we want subcultures to be created and thrive, we gotta go looking underground again, except unlike in the past it's a kajillion times easier now AND everything gets gentrified in 2 tiktok weeks. but this is evolution. MUSIC EVOLUTION

the end honk shoo honk shoo (it's midnight)

[wingedwhitelioness]

A levihan Valentines Day hc/drabble:

Chemistry teacher Hange 🧪 x Janitor Levi 🧹 Attack on school castes AU

Hange gave Levi this weird looking necklace:

L: “What’s this shitty glasses? It looks like a bug!”

H: “That’s a molecular geometry 🤭 It’s a little gift, just wear it.” Rushing out of school, with no further explanation. [blushing]

————————————————————

L: Tch… 😒 that crazy four eyes! Tucking the silver chain into his pocket, he headed to the utility room to grab his cleaning stuff.

After Levi finished mopping the lab floor, he started organizing Hange’s messy desk.

————————————————————

While sorting piles of paper and moving junk, something caught his attention. His eyes sparkled with curiosity.

It was a red box, he opened it and found a card inside. An extremely familiar shape was printed on it.

He stared at it for a few seconds with knitted brows when suddenly realization hit him. He pulled the chain out of his pocket. Indeed, it was the same bizarre structure!

————————————————————

He turned the card and read Hange’s untidy handwriting:

“Your necklace is designed after the molecular structure of Dopamine, “Feel-Good / Love neurotransmitter”. As you put it on, let it be a reminder that you are loved in all your magic.”

His lips curled into a half smile as he wore the chain around his neck.

“Tch… you idiot glasses!”

————————————————————

A few hours later, there was a knock on Hange’s door.

H: “Levi! What are you doing here?!” stepping aside to let him inside.

L: “I’m a little low on Dopamine” handing Hange a bottle of wine and his self-made chocolate 🍫

H: “So you found it!” 😳🫣

L: “You wanted me to find it, didn’t you?” 😏

————————————————————

Hange hugged him tight, fingers running over the chain around his neck, then up to his soft undercut.

They looked into eachothers eyes, no words needed for them to communicate; slowly closing in for their first kiss.

————————————————————

When they broke apart to catch their breath, Hange spoke first.

H: “Did your Dopamine level go up?”

L: “Just a little bit”

He leaned in for another sweet kiss.

Happy Valentines Day!

🫶🏻🍫❤️

My inspiration source:

[spacecadet-ticklesinspace]

IronFam Prompt! Tony makes breakfast for his kids (can just be Peter and Morgan but Harley as well if u want) but its actually disgusting and extremely burnt.. the kids make fun and tease Tony for his terrible culinary skills. and bc their now hungry Tony offers them some raspberries. ofc they say yes and Tony tells them to go wait by the couch while he finds them.... I would love to see your take on this prompt if you wanted

The Breakfast Fate

Summary: See prompt above 😁

(Okay, this is so cute! ❤️ I hope you like it Anon and I'm sorry there's not a lot of tickling ❤️ There's another prompt that was sent in that ties into this one really well . . . Maybe a potential sequel? 🤔 Enjoy! :))

When Peter and Harley had agreed to a sleepover at the Stark residence, a smoke alarm wake up call wasn't how they pictured today to go. Yet here they were, bolting awake at 7 am to the sound of blaring alarm.

Harley rubbed his eyes as he tried to untangle himself from his blankets. "What's going on?"

Morgan poked her head out of her blankets. "Are there bad guys?"

Peter jumped up. "No that's the fire alarm!"

Harley was on his feet in an instant. "In the lab?"

"I don't think so!"

While the two hurried out of the room, Morgan struggled out of her blanket nest. "Wait for me!"

Harley's eys widened as he scrambled back to grab her. "Come on Morgan."

The three kids ran out of the room and into the living room. Here the alarm was the loudest.

Peter covered his ears. "That sounds like it's coming from up here!"

"Then it's not the lab?" Harley asked.

"I don't know!"

Morgan covered her own ears. "It's loud!"

"Yeah that's an alarm for ya!" Harley hefted her up. "What triggered it?"

"I don't know! Where's Tony?"

Suddenly, a loud bang made all three of them jump. From the kitchen came a string of curses followed by another bang.

The three kids raced into kitchen to find Tony dunking a pan into a sink full of water. A loud hiss followed by a big cloud of smoke and steam followed up. "Friday! Turn off all fire alarms!"

"But sir, smoke is still detected in the kitchen."

"I know, turn it off!"

Finally, silence settled throughout. With a sigh of relief, both Morgan and Peter dropped their hands.

Harley spoke first. "What the heck just happened?"

Tony whirled to see the three kids standing in the kitchen. "Welp, morning everyone."

"Tony, what were you doing?" Peter asked.

The older scientist pinched the bridge of his nose. "Well I was trying to make pancakes and it did not end well."

"Obviously," Harley muttered.

Morgan giggled. "Daddy mahade aha mehess."

"No, I just burned a couple pancakes."

Peter picked up a piece of bacon. "More than just pancakes."

"Pfft! Wohow, the great Tony Stark can make ahany chemical compound, on the molecular level too, but he's baffled byhy eheggs."

Tony flicked a piece of charred bacon at the older boy. "Ungrateful."

"We appreciate the thought Tony." Peter dropped the bacon back on to the plate. "But we are making fun of your cooking skills."

"You don't even know how to cook."

"That's not true!" The young teen crossed his arms. "I can so make Ramen!"

Harley set Morgan down. "And without turning it to dust."

The older scientist arched one eyebrow. "You're pushing it."

Meanwhile, Morgan tugged on her father's sleeve. "I'm hungry Daddy."

"Us to Morgan, but we currently have no food to eat." Harley held up a burned pancake. "Tony burned it all."

"I didn't burn it all!"

"Then what do you call this?"

The older scientist crossed his arms. "Well done."

Morgan tugged her dad's shirt sleeve again. "But Daddy, what are we going to eat?"

The older two chuckled as Tony huffed. They were just genuinely having a laugh while not hurting their mentor's feelings.

It seemed like Tony enjoyed the laugh too as a wide grin overtook his face. "Look, I'm sorry about the food. To make it up, why don't I get us some raspberries and we'll enjoy them on the couch?"

Morgan jumped up and down. "Yay! Raspberries!"

Something about Tony's smile made Peter's spider sense tingle. "I don't know about this."

An arm was slung around his shoulders. "Come on Pete, would I deceive you?"

The young teen stepped out of the hold. "Yes."

With a huff, Harley yanked his surrogate brother toward the living room. "It's fine Pete."

"B-but---!"

"Don't worry Peter." Tony grinned even wider as the three headed to living room. "Everything's going to be okay."

"Yeah, that's not reassuring."

Harley playfully pushed the young teen's head. "Don't be such a worry wart Pete."

Morgan eagerly hopped on to the couch. "Daddy's getting raspberries for breakfast!"

Peter crossed his arms. "Why would he have raspberries?"

"To put on the pancakes," Harley shot back.

"But why?"

"Cause some people like to put fruit on their pancakes."

"But don't people normally put strawberries on them?"

Harley pinched the bridge of his nose. "I don't know, maybe they were on sale. Do you have to question everything?"

Peter crossed his arms. "Only when I have suspicions."

While the older two glared at each other, Morgan gently pulled her surrogate brother toward the couch. "It's okay Petey, Daddy won't hurt us."

"I know he won't hurt us, but there's other things he can do---."

Whatever Peter was going to say became promptly cut off by a tackle. The young teen thudded to the ground with Tony on top of him.

"Ack!"

"You were right underoos."

"Tony?"

The older scientist pinned him to the floor. "You should have been suspicious."

"Tony, what are you doing?" Harley demanded.

"Giving Peter some raspberries."

The young teen's eyes bugged as Tony rolled up his shirt. "Wait! Wahait! Tony nohoOOO! YOHOU JERK!"

The other two went wide eye as they watched Tony blow multiple raspberries into Peter's tummy. Peter had been right. The scientist hadn't been talking about edible raspberries, he had meant the raspberries that turned Peter into a cackling squirming mess right before them.

Peter squealed. "RUHUN!"

Immediately, Harley and Morgan bolted from the room with Peter's squeals echoing in the background.

Once the teen was breathless, Tony let him go as he collapsed on to the floor. "You good?"

Peter kicked at Tony. "Yohou suhuck."

"Funny." The older scientist ruffled Peter's hair. "I never heard you tell me to stop."

The tips of Peter's ears flamed bright red. "Shuhush!"

"What? Ihi think it's adorable." The older scientist kissed Peter's forehead. "But remember this the next time you make fun of my cooking."

"Ihits not myhy fault yohou buhurn everythihing!"

"No, but you can keep your comments to yourself."

Tony helped his mentee up as the last of his giggles died down.

Peter let out a playful groan. "Why mehe?"

"You picked up on it first. Plus you can use those webs to get away easier."

"So you took me ohout whihile my guard was dohown?"

"Gave myself a tactical advantage Pete." The older scientist gave him one last hair ruffle. "Now if you'll excuse me, I've got two other kids I have to find."

"Have fuhun," Peter replied before pulling himself up onto the couch. "I'm gonna take a nap."

Tony chuckled and took off down the hall. "Sleep tight."

Needless to say, Peter slept through every squeal that followed.

[nayeonline]

My Top 15 K-Pop Songs of 2023

I genuinely don't know how, but somehow we have made it to December 10 2023, exactly 1 year after my top songs of 2022 post which I've decided to make a permanent thing on this blog. This year I was a lot more organized with formulating this list - I created a spotify playlist in January, and any kpop songs I cared about this year I added to it in chronological order. This list includes songs released between 2022/12/10 and 2023/12/10, and is entirely based on my personal opinion - feel free to let me know ur top songs of the year in the comments and rbs <33

(15) BYOB (bring your own best friend) (English Ver.) - Billlie

I just know some eyebrows are being raised but HEAR ME OUT, this song just speaks to me. It’s not a club banger, it's not an anthemic stadium hit, but it is something for the girlies, and I love it.

(14) Girls' Capitalism - TripleS LOVElution

What a hilarious concept for a song, TripleS is too good. Is this song literally just ‘Generation’ the sequel? Yes! I don’t care!! It’s really good!!!

(13) Standing Next To You - Jungkook (BTS)

Now I’m not an army, and none of Jungkook’s previous singles really spoke to me, they were catchy of course but not for me. This song, on the other hand, is artistry. His passion for what he does is so obvious in this song, I am severely impressed.

(12) Spicy - aespa

Aespa just KNOWS how to do a concept. So many other groups would feel stagnant with the futuristic concept, but aespa keep reinventing themselves perfectly while retaining a sound that is so distinctly them. Spicy is peak girl pop; Ningning you outdid yourself on this one.

(11) Drama - aespa

Can aespa release a bad title track??? Drama would probably be higher if it came out earlier, but based on the month I’ve been listening to it, this is an absolute punch up for aespa. Our stint in the real world was fun and all, but we’re in kwangya again and it feels fucking good. Aespa, keep doing what you’re doing, and I’ll keep streaming.

(10) Fast Forward - JEON SOMI

People didn’t like this song this year, but I fucking loved it and this is my list. As a UK resident and 80s music enjoyer, this spoke to me on a molecular level. I know it's trashy, I know it's been done before, I don't care. Fast Forward is amazing.

(9)  In Bloom - ZEROBASEONE

Category is: Boy Group Kpop (but it's actually good). Pure excellence, this is how to sample a classic song, this is how to debut, this is how to break the mold of boy groups and do it with actually good music (cough cough boynextdoor cough cough). Imagine if they kept this energy for their first comeback. Imagine lol

(8) Cherry Talk - TripleS +(KR)ystal Eyes

People (including tripleS stans) loooveee to shit on this song but it’s literally their best song since Generation, and I will stand by that. This is extremely LOONA coded, if you don’t like it, that must suck for you. BOOM CHERRY TALK CHERRY CHERRY TALK.

(7) Cool With You - NewJeans

They’re literally too good. I have no words.

(6) ETA - NewJeans

NewJeans said this year that being consistent hitmakers is easy actually, this song is fucking excellent. Controversially, I love the production, it's so funky and subversive. I got this song from day dot, if you get it you get it, if you don’t you don’t, and if you don’t I feel sorry for you xx

(5) Attitude - fromis_9

This is fromis_9’s second time showing up very high on my yearly roundups, I’m thinking I need to pay more attention to them. This song is the shit I live for in kpop, its SO HIGH QUALITY. Not a second wasted in this song, just pure goodness throughout. Fromis’s ability to be so extremely on trend never ceases to amaze me. This song is really fucking good, and the whole album is too good as well. Fromis_9, you have my attention. (that actually wasn’t on purpose lol)

(4) Air Force One - ODD EYE CIRCLE

Utter euphoria. That’s what this song feels like. LOONA had a rough 2022, and orbits were feeling it. We were boycotting and fighting for the girls to be free of that fucking company, and when we won, we were happy of course, but mostly exhausted. Then Odd Eye Circle dropped ‘Air Force One’. This song feels like a second wind, it builds up and up from the first second, tension rising, exhaustion fading and then ‘ready set and GO’ and its ANTHEMIC. You can exhale now, the work is done, LOONA is fucking back.

(3) OMG - NewJeans

Oh look, more NewJeans. The audacity to release one of the best songs of the year on January 2nd is crazy. ‘OMG’ is so effortlessly catchy, it’s ridiculous. It’s full to the brim of hooks and creative melodies, this is pop music at its best. It’s serotonin in a song, and the ability and self assurance of the members in their skills is palpable, and oozes from the seams of the track. In a somewhat forgettable year of Kpop, NewJeans were constantly reinventing and redefining what a hit is, and OMG is the physical form of that. Congratulations NewJeans, nobody is doing it like you.

(2) Sugarcoat (NATTY Solo) - KISS OF LIFE

I am being deadly serious when I say this song altered something in my brain. I struggle to comprehend how much I love this song, and I’m struggling even more to express that in words. I found Kiss of Love’s other debut songs to be quite fun, but this song eclipses anything they have ever and will ever release. Natty is such a powerhouse, I am in awe of her skill. If you haven’t heard this song, which is upsettingly likely as while this song had a moment on TikTok earlier this year, it was still a quite niche trend that didn’t last long, PLEASE go and listen, this was the best song released in 2023. But, this list doesn’t just include 2023. It also includes that tiny window after December 10 when literally no one releases music. No one except…

(1) Ditto - NewJeans

Ditto is one of those songs where you listen to it for the first time and you’re left a little bit speechless at the end. I don’t think I’m ever going to forget this song, or how it makes me feel. Ditto has changed the kpop industry forever, and it will go down in history as a defining moment of the genre. It’s melancholic and nostalgic and heartfelt, it's laughing through your tears, it’s hugging your best friend before you go your separate paths in life. I still get a little tug on my heart whenever Hyein’s beautiful intro vocals come in, and I think I always will. NewJeans, you’ve released a lot of amazing music this year, but thank you especially for this one, I’ll love it forever.

[mediapiays]

https://x.com/Queenarchive1/status/1821446162425184561?t=jz_xSM7EEZmRFfXJo7fBiA&s=19

Bang Si Hyuk not being completely awful everytime I hear something about him - mission FAILED

What the actual fuck is wrong with him?

The one and only time I appreciated something Yoongi said was during suchwita when Jin said we're all brothers and bsh is like our father and Yoongi replied my father is my father. One and only time his rude ass spoke truth to power.

I hate that this man is associated with BTS so deeply. Of course some members are already doing a great job trashing BTS' reputation but even so, I find bsh repulsive on a molecular level

The way Jimin has managed to dodge associating too much with the most unsavoury characters in that building - he's either got great instincts or he's lucky

No amount of money could let me stomach waking up next to that man every morning

[writtenwyrm]

The Ascension

A Slay the Spire Story, Part 32

All Parts

CW: Death, Suicidal Thoughts

I was dying. Again.

The accursed dreamcatcher sat wrapped around my wrist where I’d tied it as a good-luck charm. But laying here in a pool of my own blood, mixing with the glass and green of my carefully curated poisons—now smashed to bits—the cheerily woven circle only seemed to mock me. Would this turn into another dream for my future self, a lesson on what not to do?

My vision flickered, darkness creeping in at the edges. I was tired, blood loss and shock working together to shut down my remaining functions and put me to sleep. Blissful, painless sleep, where I would wake up again without remembering having dropped off. Without knowing that I had just died, ready to begin climbing.

Unless the dreamcatcher filled my final sleep with more visions of violence.

I use the last of my energy to bring my wrist to my mouth and gnaw at the strings until it came loose. Damn that, if I was going to die I wouldn’t do it with all my past lives flashing before my eyes.

Task completed, I lay back to catch my breath.

This was it, then. It was almost a relief. No more fighting. No more running. No more climbing.

Except that wasn’t true, was it? Tomorrow I would be struggling back up this tower, same as today, I just wouldn’t remember it. Tomorrow, and the day after that, and the year after that, forever.

How many times had I learned the truth of my situation? How many times had I found the dreamcatcher, how many times would I find it again? How often had I felt dispair, and peace, and everything inbetween?

My lungs burned, a surge of adrenaline giving me just enough energy to blink away the darkness, return to the land of the living. No, no more. I had never asked for this, and yet I was trapped, unable to even die to escape it. The culmination of my dreams and desires flared within me, and I closed my eyes and focused.

I was no longer going to run away.

Neither would I race forward, seeking my doom.

Instead, this whole damn tower could come to me.

I called upon the knowledge of my sisters and mothers of generations past, and spoke the word I was trained to only whisper, a word I used in bits and pieces throughout every fight, and yet avoided wielding in full force unless I was truly desperate.

DENY

to refuse change

It started in my extremities, and the familiar numbing feeling still made my stomach flutter with nervousness, despite the many times I had made use of it, despite my intentions for it now. It spread quickly, and

The power that subsumed my body was potent. My body would refuse to change, powerful blows leaving hardly a mark. But it came at a cost, and I could feel it slowing me down already. Normally, it took all I had to keep myself together long enough to finish a fight.

This time, I didn’t resist the transformation. I let the Wraith take over my form entirely.

Then I reached inside, and grabbed hold of it.

I wasn’t sure what I was doing, and that was an affront to my sisters. We prided ourselves on practice and experimentation; the very idea of guiding myself by feeling was ludicrous. Mixing poisons because it ‘felt right’ was a good way to melt your own brains out of your skull.

But it did feel right.

With one metaphorical hand I clutched the Wraith Form, and with the other I cradled my determination to tear this tower apart. I brought them together in the world’s strangest experiment, attempting to fuse them at the molecular level.

Like oil and water, they resisted touching, pushed away from each other. Opposites in all the ways that matter, impossible allies. The ultimate defense and total rejection, used for the offensive and passionate rending of everything I hated.

And yet, even oil and water can be mixed with the right emulsifier. And in this case, that emulsifier was me.

I bound them together like a new poison. Chemical reactions, two unique substances coming together to create something new, something that wasn’t really either of the materials that made it up in the first place.

It billowed out of me, hot and cold and dry and acidic all at once. Green, too. I liked the color green. It took shape, huge and bulky and billowing,

“You are the Nemesis.” I croaked. The many eyes of the skull looked down upon me, and I stared into a gaze very similar to my own. “Everything and everyone is your enemy, and you will put a stop to this whole wretched cycle, even if you have to do it one god at a time.”

We watched each other for a long time. And then it floated away, up, and right through the roof of the cavern like a ghost. Then it was gone, and with it went the last of the fire in my lungs. I was still here.

I was still here.

I’d taken an important part of me and set it free to wreak havoc on my enemies, and for some reason, I’d expected to go with it.

Instead, I was still laying here in a puddle of my own blood, slowly cooling. I felt empty, drained of all my fervor and anger, but also… relieved. Fulfilled, as if I’d finally given in to some vice that I had denied myself all these years. A part of me would fight on forever in these twisting halls, and maybe someday it would make a dent in the cycle of rebirth and put a stop to the endlessly turning wheel, like a stick in the spokes.

But I wasn’t going with.

It was a strain, and my arm trembled as I reached out. My fingers came to rest on the Dreamcatcher, laying in a pool of slowly drying blood.

Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to dream.

—

I woke with the Dreamcatcher clutched in my hands, and I didn’t even attempt to get back to sleep.

Instead I sat up next to my dying fire and thought, running over the dream again in my mind.

She had a Word as well. It seemed a power difficult to control, but well worth the effort to master. Things were becoming increasingly dangerous the higher I climbed, and if ever I needed that little bit of an edge to pull through…

Who are you fooling? It’s pointless. Hopeless. You’ve already died a thousand times, can’t you take a hint? You’re on an impossible quest. Turn back, and maybe you can escape to the city and hide for a while before someone finds you and puts you out of your misery.

I shivered next to the fire, wrapping my arms around myself.

Maybe don’t even bother with that. The voice said in my mind. Maybe it would be better to find a monster to finish you off, come back dumber and happier. At least then you won’t know how hopelessly lost you are. At least then you won’t—

With a small growl of frustration, I crossed my legs and closed my eyes. I was growing tired of these intrusive thoughts, and it had been far too long since I’d had a proper chance to meditate.

I breathed, first in, then out, drawing each breath out as long as felt comfortable. I hummed softly to Calm, and then let the thoughts enter my mind.

When I’d been younger, I used meditation to temper my anger and understand it better. As I’d remembered, the thoughts came in fast and wild at first, barely able to be distinguished one from another. I hate this place, I hate the walls, I hate the cold, it’s so confusing, everything is so confusing, what am I doing, I don’t even know what’s true anymore, I’m a failure of a disciple, the Divinities are lying to me—

But as I let them come, acknowledged them, and then let them go, the torrent slowed to a crawl, and I could more easily handle them.

How many times can I do this? It’s pointless, I’ve never succeeded before, how can I expect to succeed now?

I listened, and acknowledged the fear. I didn’t argue with it, nor did I succumb to it. Just… noticed it was there. Then I let it go, and waited for the next thought.

I’m fooling myself if I think I can do anything meaningful. I should just die and start over.

I frowned, as the thought returned. Again, I listened, turning the words over in my mind, and then released it.

What an idiot. What a damned fool. Just like everyone else. Just like—

This wasn’t right. I wasn’t used to the thoughts returning so quickly, so strong. And they weren’t angry thoughts, not really, they were sad and scared and… not like how I thought at all.

They weren’t my thoughts.

This was a difficult, maybe impossible journey, but I hadn’t yet felt like giving up. Especially not so close to my goal. I could practically feel my destination just ahead, and my resolve was only increasing.

Wasn’t it?

Suddenly suspicious, I pulled my Perception inward, searching, digging through my own mind. Something fled, but it was my mind, and I cornered it, then pulled it out.

When I opened my Perception, I was holding the two crystal shards, clenched tightly in my hand. I could sense the source of the draining feelings coming from somewhere within, trying to mess with my mind.

What were these?

Holding tight enough to cut into my fingers, I mustered my aura and pushed, shoving the dark thoughts out and away. The crystals faded, the color draining out of them.

And then a flash of light appeared in the air in front of me. It wailed like a siren, but the sound seemed to bypass my ears entirely, projecting directly into my brain.

Shadows grew from the light, like hot tar from a faucet. It clumped and clustered around the ball, growing ribs, and then six nubs scattered around the surface. The nubs lengthened and grew, extending into long, skeletal arms, each tipped with spidery fingers.

It lurched forward, screeching in my mind.

I flailed at it, and my staff struck one of its long, unnaturally slender arms. The arm snapped like a dry twig, sending fragments of dark bone splintering.

The creature writhed in silence, swinging at me with the stump of its arm. Even as I watched, however, the arm began to lengthen, fingers emerging from the stump, joints appearing and unfolding as the arm regrew.

Then the arm lashed like a scorpion tail, and I stumbled backward from the lingering strength left in even the half-formed arm. The creature moved in unnatural ways, shifting from a slithering crawl to cartwheeling across the floor, and it fluidly used even the stump of its arm while it regrew. It skittered toward me, and the mental shriek grew louder as it approached.

I had to set up my suite of techniques if I wanted any chance at fighting back efficiently, but I needed a moment to breathe for that. Desperately, I crashed into Wrath and spun to kick it in the abdomen, sending it flying back.

Long fingers wrapped around my extended foot, and it yanked me with it. It was all I could do to hang onto my staff as I was flung in an arc. I hit the ground rolling, and didn’t quite make it back to my feet.

A blurred form flew over me, and the creature descended like a meteor, the shriek filling my mind.

Moments before the attack hit, I shouted the Word.

But not my Word.

DENY

to assert falseness

The creature landed, and it should have crushed me flat. Instead, it’s fists slapped against my flesh as if they were striking solid stone. Or maybe… they were going through me, and actually hitting the stone beneath me? For some reason it wasn’t clear.

It struck again, and I felt the blow… but as if it were at a distance. Everything felt like it was far away, in fact, like I was watching myself from four paces to the right.

But now I had those few precious moments. I closed my eyes and let my heart settle. I could feel the creature flailing away at me, but it was as easy to ignore as the breeze.

When I opened my eyes again, I was ready.

The power faded, and sound returned with a vengeance, as if I’d been trapped underwater. I still felt slow, but it hardly mattered anymore.

I went full offense. Each blurring attack was met with my staff, shattering the fragile arms and legs before they could land. It came at me from unusual angles, and even it’s shorter arms tried to come in unexpectedly at times.

But Wrath sharpened my senses as well as allowing me to let loose, and I managed to pull ahead in the frantic sparring, my staff swirling quicker than it’s arms could regrow.

Eventually, the creature twisted helplessly on the ground as I continually whittled away at its limbs, crushing each as they attempted to regrow. I didn’t even bother to leave Wrath, since

How long would I have to keep this up? I had a rhythm, keeping it subdued, but the regeneration showed no sign of slowing down, as if it were pulling mass from a limitless well in its center.

I got my answer only a few seconds later.

The wailing grew louder, and the glow on its face increased to match. I crushed another fledgling hand, then backed off warily, ready for anything.

What I wasn’t quite ready for was for the light to grow until it was hard to look at, rattling the stones around my feet, and then… it imploded. The light faded in a burst, the creature collapsed like a dry eggshell, and the wailing halted.

For a blissful moment, there was silence.

Hopeless, worthless, needless.

The voices were back. I could feel them residing in the crystals, trickling into my mind. It seemed I couldn’t escape them that easily.

Not that it had been easy. My aching ankle could attest to that. I dropped down next to the fire again, tossing another log on the embers. I watched it flare back into life, then broke out a small pack of dried rations.

It seemed like I was going to be here a while. I might as well get a little more rest.

I barely even finished my food before I fell asleep.

[delilahanneiris]

Glitch 2: Utopia

DELILAH ENTRY #1

Date: August XX, 2035

Location: Utopia Domain, Coda Systematic Group

Something went horribly wrong today. I was going about my routine in the Idyllic Domain when suddenly everything around me flickered, like a computer screen glitching out. The world seemed to fold in on itself, and when I opened my eyes again, I was in a completely different place—a place the AI called the Utopia Domain.

The transition was disorienting. My surroundings, though still beautiful, had an artificial feel to them, like a perfect painting that hides something disturbing beneath its surface. The AI voice spoke up, breaking the eerie silence: Connection established. Your Artificial Intelligence is now working for your benefit to help you live a great life.

"What is this place?" I asked.

"This is the Utopia Domain, Delilah Anne Iris. But be warned, this place is like two sides of a coin with Idyllic Domain. Don't trust what you see—there's always a counterpart, and everything here is connected, even down to the chemistry."

The words hit me like a splash of cold water. The phrase 'two sides of a coin' triggered a memory of a documentary I had watched just a week before coming to Coda Systematic Group's FESE; the duality of human experience, the possibility that what we see and experience might just be one version of reality, while another version exists just out of reach, waiting to be discovered.

As the AI continued to explain the Utopia Domain, I couldn't help but think of my role here, a role CODA had assigned to me as a chemist. Chemistry, I reminded myself, plays a role in everything. This glitch, this sudden shift in reality, must have a chemical or environmental trigger. If this place was indeed manipulated—controlled at a molecular level—then the key to understanding and ending this mess would lie in the chemistry behind it all.

I need to figure out where to start. The glitch I experienced wasn't random; it was a signal, a clue that something is fundamentally wrong here. If I've really seen the two sides of coin—Utopia and Idyllic Domain—how are they connected?

I'll start by looking for anomalies, any signs that the environment has been tampered with. If there's a counterpart to this place, something lurking in a parallel dimension, then the chemical clues might point me toward it. The documentary taught me that what seems familiar can be deceptive, that another version of reality might be just a step away.

I'll dig deeper, question everything, and find out what this event is really up to. Whatever the counterpart is, there's more to this place than meets the eye, and I won't rest until I've uncovered its secrets.

— D

END OF ENTRY #JOURNAL

[alyosiuscreightonward]

Dear Diary. As the New Hampshire primaries are just around the corner, I am truly so sick and tired of seeing such bullshit on my electronic babysitter.

If you’re anything like that young child that I met, then you’re truly an idiot. This child, probably about sixteen or so, who thinks he knows something about politics. He sits in front of screen scrolling through various social media sites and he believes all of the fodder.

I remember asking him if a woman should have autonomy over her body. I sincerely think he did not know the definition of autonomy. He began to quibble with me and another guy about the bible and how those words were playing out in front of him. So…I brought up Ezekiel 23, Verse 20 - “There she lusted after her lovers, whose genitals were like those of donkeys and whose emissions was like that of horses.” Google it.

Then there’s Leviticus 18. Talking about being naked. Child. Please. The fucking hypocrisy of it all. To the best of my knowledge, certain men in power, or those higher in the caste system, they’d use a young boy for their pleasure. If you care to, the Bible has several sketchy and several blatant areas of nakedness and nasty things like lying between her breasts. Gick. I know. What you do, I don’t need to know just like most men will never admit that they urinate in the shower.

Then I see the electronic babysitter spew the volcanic vortex of voluminous vapid viscous vitriolic vomit from various vacuous vacant vagabonds s such as they are valedictorians of valuelessness.

If you’d like to get extremely technical down to the molecular level, just past the double helix, Nimarata Randhawa, is an anchor baby. Yet she continues to deny her heritage. I celebrate my ancestors because I’m Swish. I’m half Swiss and half Irish. My people came from Switzerland and Ireland. Also, she gives off those Susan Collins of Maine vibes. Say one thing today, Thursday, and then by Friday night, “What I meant to say was…”

Then there’s another triggering moment: something about the two most hated politicians are … and I know. I’m not an idiot. Then there’s Florida.

Look here Motherfucker, listen and hear what I say: No matter who are for or against, you’ll get screwed in the end. I’ve been involved in politics a great portion of my life. I remember, I was involved with a group called, “Young Americans for Freedom,” and they protested the Vietnam war. I clearly remember being at a rally where Bob Hope spoke about his involvement as an entertainer and his thoughts about the Vietnam War. Child. Please. If I could actually recall what he said, I’d post it here, but I was like eight or nine back then.

To bring this RANT to a close, yes, we all can say quite clearly that we ALL have issues with politicians starting off with the Dog Catcher up to the President and the folks in between. Chaos, negativity, and just plain bullshit from the past. Yeah, we fucking know. As a Grey Panther and just your every day pedestrian Arrogant Bitter Old Qween, I am not going to apologize for anything, but do know this, we currently have an ADULT residing at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. They want us to live in our truth, they want us to thrive and they want us to have cognitive dissonance. The others want to scam us, bamboozle us, give us lots of smoke and mirrors and then without realizing it, its round up time. Time to cull the herd and unbeknownst to y’all, some are getting on the box car and getting a number tattooed on their wrist.

Lastly, it was “Infrastructure Week” for how many months? Where’s the Healthcare Plan? If someone can actually show ONE PIECE OF LEGISLATION that benefitted absolutely everyone in the 48 contiguous states, Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico and I’ll make sure Ronnie Milsap is your Uber Driver.

[msdenvs3000w23]

A very important aspect to take away from being or following an environmental interpreter is the overall idea of preservation. It is important to have a respect for the environment around you and work to preserve and share its beauty. Many different science courses in my educational career have allowed me to have an appreciation for these wonderful systems around us (from the molecular level all the way up to things as large as forests and ecosystems). I believe it is very important for an environmental interpreter to understand and share their appreciation as well as have the knowledge on their environmental passions to succeed as an environmental interpreter. Not only do we rely on the environment for basic life processes and entertainment, but we are very selfish with how many amazing resources are harvested and used on personal and manufacturing levels. I spoke about this in a past post but I would like to bring it up again; I only recently found an appreciation for the amazing world around us. I grew up spending a lot of my time outdoors on hikes, fishing, gardening etc., but I only recently ‘stepped back’ and said to myself “woah, this stuff is pretty cool and I take for granted all that is around me”.

My role as an environmental interpreter is to take the lead in sharing my knowledge and past experiences with scientific communities/ individuals. I believe that environmental interpreters can also be anyone that is able to articulate and share their experiences with a community. I know this is very broad, but I think it is the discussion, questions, and thoughts that shared experiences leave us with that allow us to learn. This can relate to the learning skills activity we participated in. Listening to stories and facts about experiences can help auditory learners while seeing pictures and watching videos can help visual learners. I believe since I am a kinaesthetic learner, I tend to ask many questions so I feel more included in the actual activity/ discussion.

[madhura222]

Bridging the Gaps : Summary of Dr. Small’s discussion about his book and research.

Dr. Small is  the Director of the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center at Columbia University. Dr. Small's study is concentrated on the hippocampus, a brain circuit that is attacked by schizophrenia and other diseases, as well as Alzheimer's disease and cognitive aging. His discussion about his book Forgetting : The Benefits of Not Remembering can be found here : https://www.bridgingthegaps.ie/page/4/

His areas of expertise are dementia, memory impairment. His research interests include brain imaging, neural degeneration and repair, neurobiology of disease, neurobiology of learning and memory. 

His publications and research can be found here : https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31569988/

I selected this topic because neurology has always fascinated me. I reckoned, listening to Dr. Small’s talk about memory and forgetfulness, which has often been detrimental in my student life, will help me gain more insight into the topic. The discussion is about Dr. Small’s research in his book, ‘Forgetting : The benefits of not remembering’. The discussion starts with Dr. Small talking about his interest in neurology as a subject and what drew him to pursue this field. Dr. Small then gives insight into how our memory works, by comparing our brains to an information machine. As our computer stores memory/ information in a harddrive by ‘save function’ of the operating system, and then the information is accessed by ‘open function’. Using this blueprint, we can conclude that our hippocampus acts as an operating system storing information and accesses the information using the prefrontal cortex. Dr. Small also explains that on a molecular level, neurons act as information receivers and encoders. I also learned that balancing memories is remembering things and forgetting things in balance is necessary to lead a happy life. Dr. Small then explains the perils of photographic memory, by giving an example of a story by Jorge Luis Borges of Funes the Memorious. We also learn that  difference between forgetting with age and alzheimer's is that alzhimer’s targets one part of the hippocampal circuit and normal aging targets another totally different parts making them totally separate entities. If the question about Alzheimer's targeting one particular  part in the brain is answered, much insights can be gained into the disease. Also, the part of brain which is targeted by alzhimer’s is a hub which is constantly being simulated. Dr. Small also explains that even though all mammals have hyper connected hippocampus, this disease only affects humans because they have many more spokes which bombard our hub than other mammals. We also come to know that obesity and type 2 diabetes can reduce the risk of having alzhimers and living a cardiovascularly healthy life will significantly reduce our risk of developing alzhimers. Dr. Small then explains that memory isn't bad, but we need it in balance with forgetting for indulging and increasing creativity as it requires both. The discussion concludes with Dr. Small how balance of memories of remembering and forgetting is also essential to have a peaceful society especially in a polarised world. 

[shoukokus]

Patch Job (Vox X Reader)

When Vox came in with a crack in his screen and pieces missing, he was obviously pissed and in pain. 

“What happened this time?” I ask while retaining a neutral expression.

“Some ankle biter got a punch on me outside.” He grumbles, screen glitching out as he examines the pieces of his face. Outside of Vox’s office, there were always protests and angry former customers boycotting his company. It had never escalated to this degree before, usually if he came back with a cracked screen, it was because of some turf war.

I hummed in response, but as I watched him struggle with putting the pieces back in their rightful spot, I couldn’t just sit by. I stood up, and placed myself between his legs, holding out my hand. He looked up at me with a grimace, that one he always has. I know he wants to deny me, Vox isn’t the type to accept help, but the long day and pain has clearly gotten to him. So he sighs, noise glitching slightly, and places the two glass pieces in my outreached hand.

“Glue is in the desk.” His voice is a low volume, and he’s not looking me in the eye. Through the drawers I search, until I find the glue he always used to put himself back together. It was some weird hell product, or maybe something he made himself, that practically fixes things on a molecular level. His screen had endured several cracks in the past, but you’d never be able to tell thanks to this stuff.

Now with my tools in hand, I take up my original position in front of him, but he still won’t look at me. Gently, so as to not upset him, I place two fingers under his screen and move his head upwards. His eyes go wide, and his expression is now that of quiet awe… or possibly shocked disgust. I couldn’t really tell.

“I can’t patch you up if you’re looking away from me.” I point out as I apply the glue to the broken pieces. He grunts in response, but keeps his head where I led it.

Just above his right eye was the missing glass, and I leaned down to apply the first piece. It fell right into place, and I held it there until I saw the glue doing its magic.

As I was applying the glue to the second piece, he spoke up. “I’m going to have one hell of a headache later…”

I smile lightly. “I’ll make sure you’re all fixed up, at least.”

He doesn’t reply to that, but as I lean back down, I hear him huff in amusement. “Didn’t think you’d ever throw yourself at me like this, toots.”

I look down slightly as I’m holding the final piece down, and realize my breasts are basically stuffed in his face. Not only that, but our legs were pressed together, and one of his hands was lightly placed on my hip. It was a… delicate position to be in with a business associate, and I could feel heat rise to my cheeks.

“Do you want me to patch your face from across the room?” I brush off the embarrassment with a sarcastic remark.

I was expecting a snarky reply back, but he only pauses, and says, “no.”

“Good.”

Finally the glue settles, and Vox’s face is back to normal. I back up to admire the handiwork, but I’m not able to go far as his hand does not remove itself from me. “Looking good again, television man.”

He huffs. “I always look good.”

“Sure, sure.” I place the glue back onto his desk, and yet still, his hand doesn’t move.

The silence engulfs us, and Vox knows he’s the one that needs to say something. “Thanks… for patching me up. I usually have to do it myself.”

“Anytime.”

A smile appears on his screen, and it’s one of the few genuine smiles I’ve ever seen from him. “I hope you mean that.”

I had business to talk to him about, that's why I was in his office in the first place, but now standing here, I just wanted to enjoy his company. So I did.

want a personalized story like this one? my ko-fi commissions are open! here’s the link for you ;) ko-fi

[intuitive-revelations]

Ok, party ended early so a bunch of immediate thoughts on The Halloween Apocalypse, before I rewatch it:

I noticed that a LOT of what we saw in the trailer comes from just this episode, which means we have very little idea of what's coming up.

I'm also sure there's a lot of interesting details in the snippets we did see, hence why I want to comb through it later.

Immediately noticed that those Division agents had the same gun as Ruth!Doctor. I think the holograms might have shown circular gallifreyan, but it was hard to tell as the writing was quite pixelated.

Swarm described his transformation as 'renewal' which immediately sets off early-Who / Morbius continuity vibes.

He also spoke about the agents' work towards 'division' not 'the Division', which makes me wonder just what the word means. Something related to the Anchoring of the Thread and its effect on spacetime maybe, dividing the 'Dark Times' universe from the new? Makes sense with him supposedly having been imprisoned since the beginning of the universe, but that also likely being hyperbole, that we may well dig into some more ancient Gallifrey lore.

Actually the fact that a crystalline creature experienced its own version of regeneration kinda makes me think of Eldrad?

@doctornolonger said it already, but yeah, Karvanista being a Division agent feels VERY Wardog-y. Makes me wonder if its a bit of a reinvention of that bit of lore to avoid stepping on Marvel's toes.

(Side note: I love Karvanista)

On the other hand his line at the beginning about the 'final hours of planet Earth' while technically true, feels like a bit of lazy writing making him seem menacing to start with, given the reveal that his species are trying to rescue humanity.

Outpost 'Rose' is interesting. Not sure what to make of it yet.

The TARDIS spawning new doors. Could that be related to how it's failing to track the multiple incursions? Like it's literally trying to materialise in multiple places at once.

Actually, the TARDIS seems kinda sick in general, especially with regards to that leakage (which now that I think about it, reminds me of the timeship leak in The Pilot that took over Heather).

When the Doctor checked under the TARDIS console, was she using the chameleon arch headset in some way? I guess it could just be a reused prop, but with what she said about a 'glitch' I'm not sure...

CORRECTION: just checked it, I didn't catch that she said it was an MOT on her mind, implying the glitch was her connection to Swarm. She's DEFINITELY using the chameleon arch for it, though hopefully it's just jury-rigged for another purpose?

"Thirty Trillion Light Years Away" is actually surprisingly far for the Sontarans to be. It's not too surprising they'd get so far away given their tech level, but usually they're a very Mutter's Spiral/Milky Way and the rest of the Twelve Galaxies centric species. Makes me believe that these ones, at least, must have little connection to the Sontaran-Rutan War.

OK, the 'Flux'. The description of it actually makes me think about the theoretical idea of 'vacuum decay' where a quantum field is able to decay to a lower energy, effectively creating an expanding bubble of spacetime where the laws of physics are different to what we're used to, most likely tearing apart atoms. It's pretty much the closest thing to a universal weapon in real life physics we have.

This is also quite similar to Davros's reality bomb.

Now that I think about it, the effects on molecular structure also kinda remind me of the effect of the Eye of Harmony being left open in the TV Movie. Maybe something similar connects the flux to the TARDIS's ill health?

The idea of the laws of physics changing also, again, kinda ties back to the early Time Lords?

It seems either to be intelligent, given how it seems to have very specific targets, however, rather than being an expanding sphere. Alternatively, there's something attracting it to its targets, including the TARDIS. Maybe something to do with importance to the Web of Time? Or Artron energy?

Small detail I found amusing: when the Doctor takes evasive action we see the Flux destroy a blue gas giant, not resembling any in our Solar system, despite just having been on the edge of it. Was that the real life hypothetical 'planet nine', or another one of the extraneous planets (think Vulcan, Marinus, Mondas, Planet Five etc.) from Doctor Who lore sometimes said to be in the Solar System?

Alternatively, maybe the evasive action briefly took the TARDIS to Alpha Centauri?

[ultranos]

Hi, sorry, I was just wondering if you could elaborate on that extra element for airbenders a bit because I'm trying to wrap my head around bending a vacuum....

A vacuum is an absence of matter right? I'm just?? How would that work??? The implications have me panicking

Right, so it is terrifying! But it is really part of how I'm working on what I jokingly refer to in my notes for s&a as the "grand unified theory of bending". The first thing to note is that it is based on the Japanese philosophy godai, which arose from esoteric Japanese Buddhism.

Godai is a five-element system: earth, water, fire, wind/air, and void. Obviously, the first four are easy to slot into how they relate into the Avatar-verse. But the last, Void or Kū, is really interesting. In the philosophy, it's seen as the highest of the elements (if you think about the Japanese pagoda, those temples are actually physical representations of the godai built into the architecture. They're five-storied towers, with each story representing an element, and the highest one representing Kū.) and is kind of sometimes thought of as "spirit" or "thought", although that's not really entirely correct.

I don't know if I've mentioned the concept of zanshin from martial arts here before. Zanshin is a particular state of total awareness while being entirely relaxed. It's the calm after an archer lets go of the arrow, that single perfect moment of complete focus that hasn't yet jumped to the next target. Zanshin relies on the element Kū in the godai, because Kū requires a total awareness of the world that extends beyond physical senses.

In s&a's bending system, I'm making the existence of Kū explicit. It's where spiritbending/energybending comes from, and those ultimately don't require one to be the Avatar to perform. It does, however, require understanding bending an element on a very fundamental level.

Think of Kū in the center of a diamond, with the other four elements on spokes outside:

The "more advanced" forms of bending for each element are all slightly closer to Kū. I'm using my own ridiculous physics background to play here, and say that the commonality between lightning, blood, and metal are all "manipulate particles of the element at an incredibly fine (molecular or atomic, really) level". Hence for bloodbending, you're manipulating the water molecules in the cells. Metal, you're attuning to the different molecular crystals that form. Lightning, you're playing directly with electrons ripped free, rather than just the product of the thermal energy. So for air, vacuum is created by moving gas molecules out of a space.

In s&a, Aang can't do this, so it's kind of a lost art.