#justified laboratories

[valyrra]

Shang Tsung is so real for all things he's done

[probablyasocialecologist]

The father of Zionism, Theodore Herzl, wrote in his seminal 1896 pamphlet, The Jewish State, “There [in Palestine] we shall be a sector of the wall of Europe against Asia, we shall serve as the outpost of civilization against barbarism.” Former Prime Minister Ehud Barak, who led the country between 1999 and 2001, used a metaphor with a similar meaning: Israel is a “villa in the middle of a jungle,” arguing that Israel was a civilized nation among Muslim savages in the Middle East. This language matters because it displays a contempt for non-Jews that is carried into its relations with outsiders. It was common for Jews to be taught at school or in religious education, as I was told at home by my liberal Jewish parents, that Jews are the chosen people and have a unique relationship with God and society. We could and should help others (though there were set limits to this sympathy, namely excluding Palestinians). It is a belief system that allows racial supremacy against non-Jews to thrive and justifies disregard for their lives.

Antony Loewenstein, The Palestine Laboratory: How Israel Exports the Technology of Occupation Around the World

[diodellet]

Sorry to bother you, but for your Valentine's Day event I wanted to ask Jamil and Leona with Prompt 15 please

💌Jamil Viper + Prompt #15 (Ranting about how insufferable they are, but your friend thinks knows otherwise. Bonus points if the subject of your conversation overhears Everything.) ++Reader is not Yuu, slight angst with a bit of comfort at the end

It was only something he said. Offhandedly, matter-of-factly, casually, all those similar words.

Aren’tcha happy to see your little fan?

…Not really. It’s annoying.

Then again, a sharp knife could still cut to the bone. Even in the hands of a careless wielder.

(Even if his cheeks warmed at the knowing glance that his clubmates gave him, seeing the flicker of hurt across your features sent a stab of guilt into his gut.)

Jamil scanned his surroundings. He last saw you duck into the hallway of the third year classrooms. Slowing to a walk, he considered your possible hiding spots. The ghosts kept staff rooms locked, laboratories and offices as well. In fifteen minutes, the doors to the classrooms would also be enchanted to keep from anyone entering. That meant—

…What was an empty coat rack doing here?

He walks past it, brow furrowing in confusion. Your—admittedly admirable—disappearance didn’t make any sense.

A potion? Your Unique Magic?

Just as he reaches the end of the hall, behind him, the telltale sound of a spell wearing off confirms his guess, revealing you in place of the coat rack. He half-expected you to turn and bolt.

Instead, your eyes turn glassy and tears slide down your cheeks.

At a quiet call of your name, you wave off the concern. “It’s true, I’m—I’m annoying, you don’t need to…to justify it.”

Your other palm is held out, stopping Jamil from approaching.

“I know, I should have talked to you properly and let it happen. I just… got scared.”

Jamil hated that, being scared. It led each careful and cautioned move of his. As much as he refused to let it step to the forefront of his mind, fear was a looming shadow. The calculated, sharp-tongued vice housewarden of Scarabia was born from a practiced skill in passing fear off as any other visceral emotion.

…Though you were annoying. Persistent. 

Always just a little out of reach.

His hand closes around your outstretched wrist.

The apology is worded perfectly in Jamil’s mind, but his throat refuses to cooperate. “...look, I didn’t…” When it’s just the two of you, he finds that he doesn’t mind being the sole recipient of your wholehearted attention. “As…as long as it isn’t in front of everyone, I’ll hear you out.”

Another tear rolls down your cheek, and your lips form into a shaky smile.

💌Leona Kingscholar + Prompt #15 ++Reader is not Yuu

“I don’t understand what’s his problem.” You wrench the locker open.

“Well, I am having a nice day, thanks for askin’,” Epel frowns, but doesn’t look up from folding up his training attire.

“Is everyone pretending they didn’t see me getting badgered on the field earlier?” Thank god, you still had band-aids. “Scoot over.” Epel makes space for you on the bench, winces when he sees the scrape on your leg.

“Yeah. This is what I get for trying to play and listen to the captain’s yelling at the same time.” You layer two band-aids. “I’m not even first-string, so why’s he on my case? He should be focusing on you and Ruggie more.”

“Hey!”

“In a good way! I just don’t get why he has to take his stress out on me.”

“I hear you.” He slings his gymbag over his shoulder. “I’d wanna stay and listen s’more but—” 

“Yeah, Vil would wring your neck or something. See you.” You’re focused on covering most of the scrape. Unsuccessfully.

Turns out you weren’t left completely alone.

Leona’s blocking your way out of the locker room. Leaning against the wall, arms crossed. Though he seems to always be frowning, you see a muscle in his jaw tense as you approach.

“...I’m guessing you heard that.” A part of you hoped that Epel would be forced to do penalties with you, he technically was a co-conspirator in your shittalking as the listener.

“Hmph, if you have such a problem with me running the team, then you might as well hand in your jersey right now.”

No way—is what you’d say if you had no shame. But you, mediocre as you are, fought tooth and nail for a spot on the Spelldrive team.

But he’s right. Your hand tightens around your bag strap, protecting its contents. The only marker of your effort. “I'm only…It won’t happen again.”

You’re burning. From shame, from frustration. Why would he take notice of you?

At that minute gesture, Leona steps aside. “Guess I was wrong to think that you could handle some tough encouragement.”

“Encouragement?” A satisfied grin stretches across Leona’s features. “No, no—training’s over. I don’t need to listen to y—this.”

“Now, hold on a second there.” It’s unfair how the authority in his voice is enough to pin you in place. “Next Monday, you’re running twice as many laps for warmups.”

a/n: ahaha this is sooo late... sorry 🙇‍♂️(girlie didn't think she'd struggle this much tryna figure out leona's character in a reader-insert way, this is my karma for making fun of housewarden stannies 🤧🤧) i hope it was an enjoyable read nontheless, i tried to spice up the interpretation of the prompt, make it a seat-grabber or sumn along those lines ahahaha NEways! have a (looks at scrawled writing on hand) happy summer! 💕💕

[freyito]

currently thinking about how Johnny was like. Never like this in past games. Past timelines would be too arrogant to just give away something that cost THAT much. Like even if his life was saved. Maybe Mk11 Johnny, but Mk9 & MkX? No fucking way would he give away a sword he dropped 3mil on.

But in Mk1, not only does Johnny have such a visceral reaction to Kenshi getting blinded, but his first thought when he wakes up in Shang Tsung's laboratory is Kenshi. Like the tension between Johnny and Kenshi fuckin dissipated in that moment. Sure, Kenshi like loosens up a bit to Johnny, and Johnny's just being his regular ol' "witty" self. But literally in that moment they switch from tip toeing around eachother to something more like. Intimate? Not in a romantic sense (yet), but. Suddenly Johnny doesn't care that he's broke, that he's a struggling actor, that he's going through a divorce, and to be honest I don't think he cares that this whole thing will bring him back up. He could care less that the sword he spent 3mil on that could very much save his wallet is going to a blind man. I don't even think Johnny is aware that Sento would've given Kenshi his sight or telepathy. NOT TO MENTION Johnny was the ONLY one who was against confronting Quan Chi!!! FOR Kenshi's sake. He was so goddamn worried about Kenshi it genuinely hurts.

ALSO! The scene in the Wastes, before the whole Tarkatten colony. Absolute tension. Kenshi's like so fed up with Johnny. That entire thing before he gets blinded, really. And then in the Living Forest they're just chatting away?? Like Kenshi hasn't been hounding and hounding Johnny for Sento for MONTHS. To be honest, I assume Kenshi was kind of resentful of Johnny since he refused to give up Sento, which to Kenshi, was kind of the key for true honor. Yet he still saves Johnny, which I think is just Kenshi's nature. And there is no mention of Sento before the whole Quan Chi sitch. Absolutely none. Johnny's talking all about how Kenshi saved his life and I am so sure he feels so truly guilty about Kenshi loosing his sight but I also think Johnny was trying to justify feeling something so strong for a guy who broke into his mansion RIGHT after his wife left him, in the middle of one of his worst moments in his life.

I really believe that in the instant Kenshi was blinded a switch clicked for both of them. I think Kenshi really only dealt with Johnny because he had to, but also because he thought there could've been a chance to actually get Sento back from this arrogant asshole. But after Mileena, you SEE that he's just given up on it. He's blind, he thinks he's useless, and he's better off dead. There suddenly is no need for Sento. He's failed his clan. Like the lowkey suicidal ideation in that. Ugh. But Johnny doesn't give up on Kenshi. He's so focused on getting him home and safe and you can tell he's thinking about all sorts of ways to repay Kenshi. Only AFTER the fact that the group still goes ahead to attack Quan Chi is when Johnny lands on giving Kenshi Sento.

Anyways. Johnshi is Canon and these two middle-aged bastards are in love with eachother and it is so definitely a lot more than "they're just best friends". THEY ARE GAY LOVERS

[nyrobnua8983]

An unexpected kiss [1/3]

gender neutral reader

Dr. Bright

You were sitting in the laboratory, absorbed in yet another experiment, when Dr. Bright entered the room without knocking. His energetic appearance and irrepressible smile always signaled that something unexpected was about to happen.

–How’s it going?-he cheerfully asked, coming closer. Your gaze met his, and you noticed the playful spark in his eyes. It was one of those moments when you knew something interesting was on the horizon. Before you could even blink, Bright was already by your side. He hugged you with one arm, seemingly casually, but in that casualness was all his usual cheerfulness. With his other hand, he gently touched the back of your neck, drawing you closer and pulling your attention away from the experiment.His lips touched yours in a kiss that was both tender and swift. It was a typical Bright kiss—spontaneous, full of energy, yet caring at the same time. The air was filled with a faint aroma, a blend of his signature scent and something slightly anomalous that always seemed to accompany him. This scent was like a small part of his unusual world. You responded to the kiss, feeling his energy transfer to you, filling you with a warm feeling. In these moments, Bright seemed to forget his reputation and left only sincerity and emotion. He allowed himself to be vulnerable, showing you a side of himself that few had the chance to see. The kiss lasted only a few seconds, but it was enough to create the sensation that everything around had stopped. When Bright pulled away, his smile was wide and genuine, and he seemed pleased to have made your day a little brighter.

–Remember, life is too short not to enjoy moments like these. he said, looking at you with warmth.

–Let’s make as many of them as possible.

You nodded, realizing that with him, every moment would be special, full of surprises and joy.

Dr. Alto Clef

The evening hours in the laboratory were quiet, with only the light from the desk lamp softly illuminating the workspace. Dr. Clef was immersed in his research, but you noticed that his gaze occasionally lingered on you, full of contemplation.You sat nearby, flipping through documents and trying not to disrupt his concentration. The evening seemed to promise nothing unusual, but there was an elusive tension in the air.Suddenly, Clef stood up, walked over to you, and stood directly in front of you. His eyes were focused and serious as usual, but today there was a special depth of emotion in them. He sighed softly and extended his hand, gently touching your face. His touch was light, almost imperceptible, but it carried the weight of his emotions.Clef did not rush. He pressed his lips to yours; his kiss was slow and cautious, as if every movement required careful consideration. His lips were cool and firm, just like him, but in that touch, there was a profound passion and struggle he struggled to conceal.He lingered over your lips before allowing himself this act of intimacy. Each kiss was filled with an inner conflict he was trying to control. It wasn’t just an expression of feelings but an entire world of emotions where he tried to balance his restraint with his desire to be closer.When the kiss ended, he pulled away a few centimeters. His gaze was still focused, but there was a noticeable new softness in his eyes.

–Sorry if that was unexpected

he said quietly, as if trying to justify his display of affection.You simply smiled, understanding that the kiss contained everything he couldn’t express in words.

–Don’t apologize- you replied.–It was important. And I appreciate it.

Clef nodded, and a barely perceptible smile appeared on his face, which seemed to be just for you. He returned to his work, but the room retained a new, warm atmosphere, a reminder that even the most reserved individuals could reveal their inner depth when they trust someone.

Simon Glass

You were sitting in your chair by the window, the dim evening light gently coloring the room. Simon, still lost in his thoughts, quietly entered and approached you. His steps were light, as if he was trying not to disturb the silence that hung between you.When he sat down beside you, his gaze was focused and attentive. He was silent, simply observing you, and this silence was filled with emotions that were hard to express in words. Then, softly and carefully, he touched your hand, his fingers warm and gentle.Glass slowly turned to you, his eyes meeting yours, and in them was a whole range of feelings. He carefully traced his finger along your face, his touch light as a feather. At that moment, he seemed to be preparing to do something important and delicate.When his lips touched yours, it was like a soft breeze brushing against your face. Glass's kiss was slow and deliberate, filled with tenderness and attentiveness. He tried to be as gentle as possible, as if afraid of breaking something fragile and precious. His touches were filled with care, every phrase and every movement precisely measured.You felt his kisses conveying his deep affection and respect for your personal space. He did not rush, and there was something soothing in that. This moment was filled with emotions that Glass could not always express in words, but through his gentle, thoughtful touches, he did so with complete sincerity.When he pulled away, his eyes still held a warm light.

–I hope this expresses what I can’t say in words

his voice quiet and soft.You responded with a tender smile, knowing that his kisses conveyed much more than just physical touch. It was Glass's way of showing his deep feelings and respect without intruding on your inner world, and that was what made his kisses truly special.

[m00nstorm]

I'm sorry but I need to rant quick, so if anything about my writing seems off about what I wrote I apologize for that as I wrote it in a rush

Honestly one of the things I hate about fandoms is when there is a gay ship, is how some people usually make the woman in the canon ship homophobic/transphobic (especially in fanfics, yes I know it's a fanfic. But there is no need to make them like that.) I can understand if it's canon that the character is like that/seems like they'd be like that if they have certain views in the media they are from, but it's just kind of sad and bothers me to see them do that to characters who don't seem like that at all. I just really don't like it when they do that to characters who wouldn't be like that.

Like Meg would never- would she be sad and upset about losing her relationship with Dan to Herbert of all people? Yes, she probably would, but I could never see her being homophobic/transphobic. She'd probably be heartbroken, especially with how Dan was to her when she was talking about her justified concerns about Herbert moving in and the whole situation with Rufus, as Dan didn't listen to her about it. It's literally this meme:

If anything I believe Meg would be very supportive of people coming out, I really think she'd be proud of them and supportive of someone she knows coming out to her.

[twstthing]

[A quick change of clothes(kin).]

Minecraft Single Player! Yuu AU

Summary: Yuu(rmom) has a really weird concept of clothing, Deuce and Professor Crewel figure that out the hard way and witness transmutation.

In NRC, every student gets uniforms. It’s only natural that they get enough from their ever so kind headmage.

Crowley, the said headmage, gets Crewel to tailor a uniform for Yuu as a thank you for doing unintended and unpaid repairs for the Ramshackle dorm. The event was bound to come up, having enrolled them as a half-student alongside Grim. 

Making a uniform for a student isn’t as intensive as creating fashion pieces, however both are pieces of art that require the utmost focus and precision. What kind of professor, let alone MAN, would Divus Crewel be if he let himself slack on providing basic needs for a pup? At the very minimum, he swears upon himself to never stoop down to a level of air-headedness that his boss, unfortunately, has. 

To be honest, Crewel has been itching to get Prefect Yuu a new set of clothing for a while now. Ever since that pup landed in NRC, they have been nothing but trouble with an outfit that gives him one of the strongest eye sores he’s ever felt. A plain, loose cyan blue t-shirt with an equally saturated pair of indigo trousers that have no pockets. Not only is it poorly colored, it lacks function.

Perhaps the lack of function could be explained away with how the pup has their own magic storage, pulling stacks of items in and out of thin air with no strain. But those colors? Crewel is a cunning, logical man, but not everything can be reasoned with nor justified.

Additionally, Yuu(rmom) is due for a good shaving and trim. He’s not sure how the teenaged pup has a fully grown (and very well-styled) goatee, but perhaps it’s just genetics. 

Naturally, there are procedural steps to making a set of clothing for someone, and the first and foremost is to gather measurements. It is one of the faster paced processes, but key to executing all other parts. 

Crewel really should have expected that anything dealing with the new prefect would never go normally.

“Yuu, you need that uniform! I promise it doesn’t hurt at all, it’s actually kind of fun!”

Deuce is on his tiptoes in the Alchemy Laboratory, shouting like he is cooing a cat to come down the tree it ran up. In a sense, he is doing exactly that but the cat is actually a person with extra-stiff limbs and reality-altering powers beyond magic.

Said person looks down from their oak wood block tower, doing several impossibly fast 120 degree hip bends while swinging their arm. Deuce knows this version of gestures, recalling Riddle’s presentation on Yuu’s mannerisms with the assistance of Rook and Iida. If Yuu individually does several hip bends first and arm swings second, it indicates “I am here.” and something along the lines of a declaration depending on the context. 

In this context, Yuu is currently on-guard and firmly standing their ground which means Yuu does not want to do measurements.

Inwardly, Deuce gives himself a pat on the back for remembering all of that and reaching a conclusion. But there’s a slightly more pressing matter at hand that he does not have a method or conclusion to, and that is how to convince Yuu to get down from their tower and get their measurements done.

He’s done everything he could, really! 

Deuce truly thought that his cauldron summoning spell would work in knocking Yuu down to ground level, but the moment the cauldron made contact with Yuu you wanna know what happened? The cauldron DID hit Yuu, eliciting a very manly, “OOF!” from them as their body flashed red, but it didn’t even knock them down. After making contact with Yuu, it shrank into one of the pixelated slabs that Yuu creates and fell to the ground with a light clack.

Magic coercion didn’t work, and his words don’t seem to reach the Prefect’s head either.. Sure;

Turning to Professor Crewel, Deuce bows a into a straight 90 degree angle and shouts, “Professor! I apologize in advance for the.. Un- Uh, seemingly display I am about to do!”

Casting aside his blazer and rolling up his dress shirt sleeves, Deuce takes a deep breath. The oak block tower was 5 blocks high, which means it wasn’t unreasonably tall. A lot of things can be overcome so long as you just try to do it, that’s how Deuce learned he was particularly skilled at hurdling during club practice. Just like how he warmed up at practice, Deuce gives two experimental hops, remembering the feeling of how to make himself spring up.

Professor Crewel is no stranger to the reckless activity of teenage boys having been one himself, so his eyes widen as he realizes what Deuce is about to do. 

Three steps backwards and an inhale is all he needs to sprint straight to the oak block tower, and when the moment is just right—not too close, but not too far from the wall—he leaps once. Deuce reaches to just about 3/5ths of the tower, but he closes the gap between him and the top as his left foot pushes off of the tower and launches himself higher. 

Being face-to-face with Yuu wasn’t necessary so long as he could just get them down, so in the moment that Deuce reached his highest point his arms would shoot out to grab onto Yuu’s legs. Deuce can only smirk in triumph as he shouts, “Gotcha!”

From that point on, gravity could do the rest of the work as it pulled him and Yuu downwards. Deuce is completely ready for the fall, but Yuu seems even more flustered than him as their arms flail around and make the fall much more uncertain.

Though, it was only in that moment that Deuce realized he couldn’t make a stable landing when there is another body of weight that he’s holding onto. He can already feel a sore backache or a rolled ankle coming into play as he falls, but the expected pain does not come even after he squeezes his eyes shut.

Instead, he feels a gentle gust of wind below him, lowering him and Yuu close enough to the ground before completely dissipating and letting him land on his butt. The relief of having no injuries sustained is completely overwritten when he feels the piercing gaze of a very furious Professor Crewel towering about him.

“Yuurmom and Deuce Spade.” Crewel practically seethes out, “Both of you pups. Reckless, unruly behavior that would have gotten you both a nice trip to the nurse’s office. Not only will this be reported to your Housewarden, but I also expect a two-pager reflecting on your actions. Deuce Spade, you will write about the dangers of acting before thinking. Yuu, you will be writing about why listening to authority and following instruction is necessary.”

With a heavy sigh, Professor Crewel settles himself down before declaring, “Now bark if you understand my instructions!”

Deuce spends no time in shouting back, “Yes Professor!”, but Yuu remains silent much to his panic. Yuu’s face is just about as neutral as ever, though the slight crease in their eyebrows is indicative of their immense dissatisfaction with the situation. While Deuce really does want to consider his friend’s feelings here, he would really rather not face any more paperwork and reprimanding from Housewarden Riddle, so he jabs Yuu(rmom) with his elbow. 

Two beats of silence afterwards, Yuu utters out, “Yes.” much to Deuce’s relief. 

Professor Crewel lightly massages the crease between his eyebrows, muttering something along the lines of “stressful pups”. Not too shortly, he turns to Yuu and gestures to them, “Now let’s get your measurements done. I don’t know why you have such an aversion to removing your current clothing, but rest assured that the process will not take long and you can put them back on right afterwards.”

To that, Yuu(rmom) launches out of their seated position to stand and rapidly shakes their head, body following behind their head movements. 

Deuce inwardly sighs, ‘Now we’re back at square one.’

“Pup, is there some kind of connection you have with your clothes? Start speaking, because I am not a mind reader.” 

Yuu takes a moment, eyes scanning Deuce and the professor. It’s a bit jarring to Deuce to see Yuu express this much discomfort at anything. Asides from their overall lack of expression, they typically march to their own beat regardless of the situation. If Yuu(rmom) was 100% human like he and Ace were, perhaps they would be breaking out into a sweat. 

“.. I can’t remove my skin.”

“I don’t think clothes are skin, Yuu.” Deuce states without missing a beat. 

Shaking their head, Yuu replies, “Everyone wears skins.” They wave an arm at Deuce, gesturing to his current outfit, “That’s your skin.” then look down and wave an arm, referring to themselves, “This is my skin.”

Professor Crewel is looking up at the ceiling, hoping to find an answer to why he must explain what clothing is. Pushing past the frustration, he thinks to himself. 

Every day, Yuu shows up with the same set of eye-straining blue clothes. Despite how much farming and tussling they do, their clothes do not appear tattered or even remotely affected by the things its been put through. Even when doused in water, Yuu appeared as dry as sand. 

It doesn’t seem like they have a whole closet of the same clothing either, because Ramshackle’s plumbing bill falls much further below average. While it would be possible that the Prefect could just do their laundry by hand or with one of their otherworldly gadgets, Crewel highly doubts that their arms have the.. articulation, to properly wash clothes by hand. 

If he’s on the right track, Yuu’s current clothing might actually be attached to them.

Looking back down, Professor Crewel gazes at Yuu, “Pup, if I give you a uniform—no, a skin—will you be able to put it on?”

Yuu stares back at him, many figurative cogs turning and churning in contrast to their ultra-still body. They slowly turn their head down and up, which seems to be the closest they can get to doing a hesitant nod, letting Deuce and Professor Crewel sigh in relief. 

Deuce leans into Yuu’s space and nudges them, “See? It wasn’t THAT bad.”

From his own spatial storage, Crewel spins out the reference uniform he would have used after acquiring Yuu’s measurements. It is a men’s size large uniform, based on the speculated height of Yuu(rmom) who appears to be around the same height as the especially loud aide of Draconia. The blazer, vest, tie, dress shirt, and pants are folded into a crisp, square-like shape much to the pleasure of Yuu who draws closer to the stack of clothing. 

Crewel hands the clothes to Yuu, who manages to hold it upright without using their fingers at all. He remains straight-faced for professionalism, but Crewel wonders to himself when his brain will stop trying to make sense of the illogic that is Yuu(rmom).

And for a moment, Yuu simply stares at the uniform. The next, Yuu’s silhouette dissolves into pure static along with the jarring din of buzzing noise emitting from them. Deuce lets out a shout of shock that is ultimately drowned out by the noise of static, and both he and Deuce plug their ears to block out the cacophony. 

Professor Crewel still subconsciously tries to make some sense of what he’s seeing, and he sees the shifting silhouette of Prefect Yuu. It goes from the average four-limbed human that he’s familiar with, then phasing into a two-dimensional figuration of various rectangular shapes, and then a three-dimensional cubic rendition of the human body. 

As suddenly as it began, the static ends, and Yuu has returned to a human figure. The uniform is perfectly fitted on them and worn correctly, however something more significant changed with the Prefect.

Deuce exclaims it first, “Yuu! Your hair! YOU SHRANK??!! What the heck just happened??”

While Deuce furiously pats Yuu down for changes while asking a barrage of questions, Professor Crewel notes the most obvious changes to Yuu’s appearance.

The awful clothes are gone in place of the NRC uniform, Yuu’s goatee is completely gone, and their short-cut brown hair has been replaced with longer, green shaggy strands. Not only that, they gained a pair of eyebrows and had their rectangular eye sockets replaced with ones that aligned more closely with a normal eyeball. Though, it appears that the square-ness didn’t completely disappear with their pupils still square-shaped.

What concerned Professor Crewel the most was the change in build and physical age. Yuu(rmom) was taller than the average student, but now they’ve been reduced to a height similar to Ruggie Bucchi. Their previous muscle mass has also been reduced to that of the average teenager's, and their face has regained the kind of residual baby fat that students would have.

It was already known that Yuu(rmom) was not human based on their behavior and supernatural abilities, but they have literally shape-shifted into a first year NRC student which brings into question just exactly how old they are. Were they actually a 16-17 year old masquerading as a more mature person or are they a mature person who can change their appearance at will?

Though, it seems like malicious intentions don’t seem to be on Yuu’s mind considering their previous behavior on demanding farmland and an extreme desire to build cubic buildings. Additionally, behind their unwavering behavior lies a familiar sense of immaturity that blends right into the NRC population. 

It might not be a worry for now, but Crewel decides to store this information for the upcoming staff meeting in two days. 

Crewel lets out a loud “Ahem!”, drawing the immediate attention of Deuce and the now more human-looking Prefect Yuu. 

“Continue your celebrations after you two finish writing your reflections. I expect them to be done by tomorrow afternoon and on my desk before I begin teaching the third year pups.”

The reminder visibly knocks into Deuce as he drops his head down in mild shame, and displeasure is now visible on Yuu’s face as their new eyebrows slightly furrow. 

[transingthoseformers]

What are megastar roleswap!Megatron's thoughts on the other decepticons?

I feel like he's not as close with Soundwave as he usually is. Soundwave is pretty much the embodiment of the decepticon cause, as the semi-literal face of the faction, Soundwave does what he thinks is best for the decepticons, which doesn't always match up with what Megatron thinks is best for the decepticons. (It's an interesting change in their dynamic to me, if they don't always get along since Soundwave's loyalty is directed elsewhere)

Practically nobody sees Shockwave, as the mech is most well known for working long hours in his laboratory on horrors not yet seen. I'm very torn on where Shockwave might go with his role in the decepticons, whether he becomes The Big Bad for a short while or remains a loyal decepticon throughout. But his loyalty to the decepticons is transactional— what they can do for him will determine what he can do for them. For now, it's a mutualistic relationship that works.

Look my third thought upon seeing this was "what if Damus is still involved but he never evolves into Tarn" (or does he?) and I just need you to know that

As is with the swap, Thundercracker and Skywarp are more loyal to Starscream as the leader of the decepticons in this scenario, and they co-lead the decepticon air force (because Starscream is busy being the leader of the decepticons). I think. Maybe. Possibly.

In general? I like to think this version of Megatron can see the decepticons slipping away from their initial reasons under Starscream's reign. He finds himself excusing, justifying Starscream's actions again and again. Justifying his own actions as the decepticon SIC again and again.

[ddarker-dreams]

Based on how you wrote some genshin yanderes i was really surprised to see Scaramouche being somewhat manageable! (Yandere standards, not normal ones) I expected him to be the opposite! He turned out to be the one who ‘looks like will be difficult, but is manageable’ in the end! (Which is really well written!)

Your Albedo…on the other hand… terrifying. Would never want him as a yandere, (this is a compliment to you, he’s really well written!) thank you for the painkiller tho i guess?? He’s definitely someone who looks manageable but is terrifying

scara's darling giving advice on how to manage him to a group of note taking fatui trainees: basically, want you need to do is give him three head pats a day and one kiss on the cheek minimum. i consider this the formula to success. 

how i've characterized yan scara has changed a lot overtime, he went from being the most bastard of bastards to this clingy feral creature who yearns for your attention 24/7 and has an attitude about it. albedo though... PHEW... what you said made me think who the least manageable yanderes would be. here are my two cents.

alhaitham has this way of getting under your skin without ever really trying. he never raises his voice, the intonation of his words are always steady, and he just gives this overall impression that he knows better than you. he never comes right out and says it, but he doesn’t need to. he doesn’t belittle your intelligence so much as he makes it feel inferior to his. there are no masterful plans or complex webs weaved by alhaitham to ensnare you, his methods are always simple, which serves to infuriate you further. if questioned on this, he’ll say he doesn’t see the point in putting in more effort than necessary if he can keep you where he wants using some well-placed coercion and threats. like... be more creative about it at least? damn. to make matters worse, him saying this isn’t even intended to rile you up. he just kinda responds to your question and then asks what you want for dinner. you can’t stand him. 

albedo knows you uncannily well, to a degree you did not expect. albedo is a well-known enigma in mondstadt, so, chances are you’ve heard of him in passing before getting scooped up. after the initial shock wears off and your scheming begins, you’ll have this preconceived notion in your head that albedo is this out-of-touch, emotionally stunted alchemist who prefers seclusion over interacting with the populace. you figure you can use this to your advantage. imagine your surprise (and disappointment) when you realize that oh, he’s very emotionally intelligent for a guy who shuts himself in his laboratory for days on end. you’ll discover this the hard way after a few attempts at manipulation. he kinda plays along, your confidence builds, then he unceremoniously pulls the rug from beneath you at the end. gives you an A for effort though. the man has multiple files about you, including your behavioral patterns, organized in alphabetical order. good luck trying to pull one over on him. 

cyno cognitive dissonance is genuinely impressive and could be subject to extensive study. he’s running through mental gymnastics to explain to you (and himself) how what he is doing is not at odds with his belief system. no, this is an exception, because... because it is! sometimes extreme measures need to be taken to achieve desirable results. cyno explains that he’s just keeping an eye on you because of how dangerous it is out there. why would he risk letting you be the victim of a crime when he can instead ensure no crime will ever take place? he seems oddly content with himself after voicing this line of reasoning, as if he’s given it extensive thought. and he has. he has to convince himself that what he’s doing isn’t wrong before he can go about convincing you. no argument on your behalf will ever chip away at his ironclad defenses, he’s spent months if not longer mentally justifying everything he was planning to do.  

diluc has this odd savior complex that nobody asked for and imposes it on you. requests that you remove the rude term ‘kidnapper’ from your lexicon when speaking about him. really though, you think the infantilization is the worst part about it. it’ll be time to eat a steak and the man gives you a spoon. who does that? your living quarters have essentially been childproofed, he’s taken precautions in ways you weren’t creative enough to dream up beforehand. want to take a walk? a servant must accompany you. want to take a bath? a servant must be present ‘just in case’ you’re in danger of drowning (you really didn’t know what to say when hearing this one). it’s so suffocating and the frustration of being constantly belittled builds. then he has the audacity to wonder why you glare at him the second he enters your peripherals. for shame. 

[ltsmoving]

Somewhere, in a secret lair, hidden away from prying eyes, a mad scientist toils away at their latest project. A weapon that would surely put a stop to the pesky hero stuck on their tail.

After days of work, they were finally done, and they gently lay that weeks' magnum opus down on the lab bench, stepping away and taking a breath.

They lean against a cabinet behind them and clutch their cramping stomach. They hadn't had a chance to eat since breakfast the previous day, and they're finally feeling the consequences of not eating or sleeping.

They turn on their heels to leave but stop themselves in their tracks. A curious thought passes them by, and in their starved delirium, they lose the will to suppress it. "Where would science be without curiosity?" they justify.

Without a second thought, they're scavenging through their cupboards until they eventually find exactly what they're looking for: a test tube, 8ml. They hold the glass in their hand, inspecting it, testing its weight.

Then they put it into their mouth and swallow.

Cold is the first thing they feel. Cold glass slipping down their warm throat. Then, as the tube slides into their stomach, they feel the way it rolls around the chamber, light and tickling. It's a strange sensation, yet they can't shake the urge to keep going.

So, they do it again with a smaller 5ml tube, resting their hand over their stomach when they feel it land on top of the other, hearing a quiet clinking sound that sends the smallest of vibrations surging through them.

It was addicting, and they dig their fingers deep into their soft abdomen, shifting the glass around as they search their lab for other inedible treats.

-

When the hero arrived at the mad scientist's lair after they had been alerted to its location, they had come ready for a fight. To say they were surprised would be an understatement.

Not only had they found a whole room filled with ideas and plans for destructive machines and bio weaponry, and not only did they find a very science fiction-esque gun of some kind in their laboratory, but they found the mad scientist in no shape to fight, instead curled up on the floor in the middle of the room, nursing a very misshapen belly, groaning to themselves.

Usually, seeing the mad scientist's plans backfire would mean they got a chance to take them in or otherwise confiscate their inventions, but they didn't even get a chance to fight here. The hero feels bad, but the sight before them is just pathetic.

Cautious, they approach the scientist, looking them over, making sure they're not bleeding. From the closer angle, they can see the way their stomach is bloated and angular.

"Are you okay?" they ask with genuine concern in their voice.

The scientist cracks an eye open and scrunches their brow upon realising who had come to their rescue.

"Piss off." They try to swat their hand at them, but upon letting go of their tummy, another cramp squeezes at their stomach, forcing them back into the tight ball formation.

The hero rolls their eyes and crouches down to them, firmly placing their hand on the apex of the scientist's gut. They hear the faint sound of glass on glass as they move their hand around the fleshy boulder.

"I said piss off, twat!" The hero continues to ignore them, frowning in confusion as they piece things together in their mind.

"Have you been eating glass?!" They finally blurt out.

For once, the scientist actually looks guilty, though they're clearly more embarrassed than anything.

"Why have you been eating glass?"

The scientist still refused to answer the hero's questions.

The hero huffed a sigh and stood up to full mast. As much as the scientist hated the hero, their ministrations made them melt - not that they'd admit that, of course. Sensing they were getting nowhere, the hero left. They'd be back eventually, but they weren't dealing with the scientist's glass-eating silence.

The scientist, on the other hand, regretted not saying anything, if only because the extra hands on their sensitive skin were really helping the indigestion.

[terrys-min-catl]

You know what. Let's talk about how we could have made the arc better

do not put it at the end of the season. this arc just seems to be asking for a long format, at least from the previous one with the university what it is. even longer. this arc holds the potential for revealing side characters, which we are already being told so little, but it was missed

Fillers. both plot and secondary ones. Fillers have always been an integral part of immersion in the world of fiction. After Cecil was knocked out of the narrative due to his brainwashing, it has a good effect on revealing others. but about them in more detail 2.1 filler about Carlos. Let's remember Carlos this is an indirect walking problem, it was from his laboratory that Mother Lauren got out, it was from his laboratory that Kevin came out, it was in his laboratory that the two Kevins met. Carlos feeds himself with false hopes to study dow, and bc of this hope, indirectly, the problems have acquired such a scale in such a short time. Show how Carlos reacts to this, maybe he feels guilty, or maybe he ignores it in every possible way. He cares about his brainwashed husband, or dow is more important again? Show this pls 2.2 filler about the boy. If he gave up his own beliefs so easily in the end, then show me why. For example, the first thought. After the victory over Kevin and a moment of euphoria, thinking again about his adult version, he didnt feel the very contentment he wanted, but only contradictory feelings that he does not want to accept. And then he starts to see everything Mother Lauren is doing from a different angle and doubt, "are these my beliefs too?" Show that he is beginning to change his mind about whom he despised. Children in Night Vale have the power to change reality, either their own or external. So show that the boy's altered reality he made doesnt meet his desires 2.3 filler about Kevin. even more than one. One is not enough here. Like, about Cecil's father, we know 10x times more, and about Kevin's father, only a statement about a 3rd degree burn, and about the fact that little attention was paid to little Kevin. Show their interactions a little deeper. For example, Kevin's father (we already understood that he was an asshole, but still) gaslighted his son, ignored him much more often than it was worth and belittled his own labors, justifying that he must try better. Show how Kevin goes from acceptance to contradiction and understatement, but in the end to the inevitable acceptance. Show that, for example, he resigned himself and began to take his father's habits out of desperation. Show their family relations deeper than just a superficial family abuse. And then Kevin's words in the end abt his father would have been perceived from a completely different angle

Go on and say what you could add to make this acr better

[satansapostle6]

X

Josh Futturman has always had a crush on his beautiful coworker, the sharp, sexy scientist he thought he could only dream of talking to.

Warnings: Mature themes/language. Sexual content.

Part Four

Part Five: My Balls, Your Court

Josh knew that he had to make a move with Brynne, and soon. He knew this partly because for the last few days, Ray had continuously been telling him, ‘You gotta make the first move’.

The ball was in his court, and he needed to act quickly. So, he was trying to work up the courage to do so. After all, he knew for a fact that Brynne was single, but he also knew that women like that didn’t tend to stay single for long if they didn’t want to.

He knew that the annual Kronish Ball, a formal office party before Christmas, was coming up that Friday. So, he figured, that would be the perfect opportunity to ask Brynne out on a date, or at least hang out with her at the hall if he couldn’t get his shit together and ask her out. Ray was heavily encouraging this, and so was Dr. Kronish, for that matter.

That afternoon, Josh Futturman had finally worked up the courage to head up to the lab a little while before leaving work that day, when he found that there might’ve been a slight problem with that plan. As he headed towards the lab, he saw a couple of scientists leaving in a hurrry, looking shell-shocked.

“Oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck,” the young woman breathed.

“It’s okay, it’s fine, we just have to fix it,” the young man told her.

“Hey,” Josh frowned as they looked at him, “What’s going on? Is Dr. Camillo in one of his moods again?”

The female lab assistant quickly shook her head, seeming terrified. “No. It’s Dr. Johansson,” she informed him in a hushed tone.

“Dr. Johansson?” Josh said in surprise.

“Yeah. Someone messed up a bunch of data, and now we have to start running the tests all over again. Set us back two months. She’s fucking livid,” the male lab assistant explained.

Josh said nothing, cautiously approaching the lab, half expecting a war zone. He walked in on Brynne scolding one of the underlings, presumably the one responsible for the mistake, sounding disturbingly like Dr. Kronish on the rare occasions where he would actually get angry.

“No, that’s not what I’m asking you,” Brynne stated, seething beneath her calm exterior. “Did you, or did you not, forget to check the input dates?” she demanded.

“I… Forgot to check the input dates,” the young man told her, barely able to look her in the eye.

“And how is that possible?” Brynne interrogated him. “Did the forms not specifically say to double check, triple check, fucking quadruple check, the input dates, because there might be some confusion on that?”

“Yeah,” he admitted, “They did.”

“And did Dr. Fernandez not specifically tell you to notify him before submitting the reports?” she concluded.

“Yeah,” the guy nodded. “He did.”

“Well then, why the fuck did you not do it?” she demanded.

Josh stood there awkwardly in silence, never having once seen her this angry before.

“I don’t know,” he murmured, avoiding her gaze.

“‘I don’t know’?!” Brynne repeated. “‘I don’t know’ is not an acceptable response for someone working in a laboratory! You’re curing disease, not making a fucking McChicken!”

Her voice had a terrifying echo throughout the empty room, and although Josh was paralyzed with fear, he now knew that Brynne’s rage was completely justified from what he heard.

“I’m gonna ask you again, because I hired you, and am therefore responsible if it turns out I hired someone completely incompetent. Now, why… in the hell… did you not have Dr. Fernandez check your work before you submitted it?” she prompted.

“I…” he paused, seemingly realizing how careless he sounded. “I thought it was good. So I just submitted it.”

“Unbelievable,” Brynne muttered, “That was careless, lazy, and above all, just arrogant. You cost us two months worth of testing, and thousands of dollars to restart the entire process, with one little careless mistake. You realize that, at a place like this, I can fire you for that?”

He was quiet for a moment, then responded.

“Yeah.”

“Now, I’m pissed, but you realize I could have you scrubbing the fucking toilets for Josh over there?!”

Josh gulped nervously, realizing he was now a part of the conversation.

“Josh. How would you like a day off, hmm?” Brynne asked, obviously a rhetorical question. “How would you like a nice day off, while Brennan here cleans up a whole building worth of shit?”

Josh just frowned awkwardly. “Uh… That sounds nice.”

“See, if I was an asshole like Dr. Camillo, you’d be scrubbing shit right now,” Brynne pointed out, “You’d be scrubbing shit for the rest of your career, and you’d still have to thank me, because working in Dr. Kronish’s lab is still a privilege. But I’m gonna be beyond fair, and have you personally run up to Dr. Kronish’s office and tell him why we can’t go public for another two months, if we’re lucky.”

“Alright,” he nodded, not having anything else to add.

Josh was suddenly pushed aside as Dr. Camillo barged into the room, fuming.

“Is this the jackass that fucked all the data to shit, and cost us another two months?!” he boomed.

“Stu… I swear to fucking God,” Brynne Johansson warned. “Get the fuck out!”

“I don’t work for you! I work for Dr. Kronish,” he argued.

“Oh yeah? Go and fucking tell Kronish you’re pissing me the fuck off right now, and see what he says!” she suggested. “Do it! I fucking dare you!”

Josh and Lucas Brennan were both equally terrified for their lives as they watched Dr. Camillo rush out of the room with his tail between his legs. Brynne turned back to her employee, about past her breaking point.

“Brennan. Go tell Dr. Kronish what happened, specifically your part in it, and then go work on restarting everything,” Brynne exhaled slowly. “If I hear you disregard anything you’re told again, you’re fired. If I talk to Dr. Kronish later today and he says you never told him the full story, you’re fired. Understood?”

“Yeah,” Brennan nodded quickly, “Understood.”

“Go,” she barked, not wanting him in her sight for any longer.

Josh quickly stepped aside for Brennan as he quickly rushed out of the room. He looked over at Brynne, who just stood in the middle of the empty room, one hand on her hip, and one hand squeezing her temples in an attempt to soothe her approaching stress migraine.

“Hey, Josh,” she sighed, sounding exhausted.

“Hey,” he said awkwardly.

“What’s up?” she asked him.

Suddenly, Josh no longer felt like asking her out on a date.

“Sorry, it’s nothing important, if this is a bad time, I can just leave you alone,” he offered.

“No, no, it’s fine,” she assured him. “Sorry. I didn’t want anyone else to have to see that.”

“It’s okay,” he promised her, “I get it.”

“You must think I’m an asshole,” she scoffed, a sad bitterness to her tone, “I felt like Dr. Camillo.”

“No,” Josh shook his head immediately, “Definitely not. I mean, you’re tough, and everything, but… You’re fair.”

Brynne just nodded appreciatively, genuinely comforted. “Thanks. I… I’m just pissed we have to start all over again.”

Josh realized that this was one of the first genuine conversations he’d ever had with her; no flirting, no banter, just talking.

“Yeah, who wouldn’t be?” Josh agreed sympathetically. “Weren’t you scheduled to go public with everything after New Year’s?”

“Yeah,” she nodded, frustrated by her current predicament, “We were. Now, everything has to be pushed back.”

“Jesus,” he murmured.

“Anyways. Enough of that for today. Did you wanna talk to me about something?” she wondered.

Josh gulped fearfully, having no idea how to segue.

“Uh…”

He only got more nervous as she looked at him, naturally expecting an answer.

“The Kronish Ball! On Friday!” Josh managed, realizing he wasn’t making any sense.

Brynne just nodded, not understanding the relevance. “Oh, yeah. I almost forgot about that.”

“You’re going, right?” he asked her.

“Yeah,” she nodded, “I’ll be there.”

“Great!” he laughed, horrified as he realized there was more to that sentence. “Did you, uh… have a date?” he croaked out.

She shook her head, and he nearly jumped for joy.

“No, I was just gonna come on my own.”

“Great!” he blurted out again, not knowing where to go from there. “…Me too!”

Josh cursed himself as he realized that was all he knew to say. She just stared at him blankly, equally unsure of how to continue the conversation.

“Cool.”

“Cool,” Josh forced a smile that was really more of an awkward grimace, slowly backing out of the room. “Cool…”

The word was about to lose its meaning. Frantic to say something, anything at all, he opened his mouth before his brain had actually planned out what to say to her.

“My balls…! Your court?!” he yelled out an invitation, alarming the both of them.

He was mortified as he realized what he’d actually said to this woman, a distinguished scientist with a PhD. She just blinked, completely dumbfounded by his words.

“…What exactly are you asking me, Futturman?” she questioned. “I’m not sure why, exactly, but should I be contacting HR?”

“No…! Sorry!” Josh laughed, close to tears, “I just… Uh…”

He quickly realized it would sound worse if he were to just stop there, so he figured he was forced to correct himself.

“I was just wondering… Since we were both planning on going alone…” he had no idea what she was thinking.

“Yeah?” Brynne prompted.

“I, uh… Did you, maybe, wanna… go to the party, together?” he slowly stumbled over the sentence. “As, like, a date?”

He was horrified as she paused for a moment, her beautiful features seeming completely blank.

“Yeah, Futturman,” she chuckled, lightly brushing back her coppery hair, “Yeah, I would.”

“Okay! Great!” Josh exclaimed, in awe of himself. “Cool!”

“Cool,” Brynne nodded.

She stood there, watching in amusement as he slowly backed out of the room before racing down the hallway to celebrate, silently screaming as he pumped his fists in the air

-

Part Six

[fatehbaz]

It's a big mess of hubris; the manipulative use of scientific language to legitimate/validate the status quo; Victorian/Gilded Age notions of resource extraction; the "rightness" of "land improvement"; and the inevitability of empire.

This was published in the United States one year before the massacre at Wounded Knee.

This was the final year-ish of the so-called "Indian Wars" when the US was "completing" its colonization of western North America; at the beginning of the Gilded Age and the zenith of power for industrial/corporate monopolies; when Britain, France, and the US were pursuing ambitious mega-projects across the planet like giant canals and dams; just as the US was about to begin its imperial occupations in Central America and Pacific islands; during the height of the "Scramble for Africa" when European powers were carving up that continent; with the British Empire at the ultimate peak of its power, after the Crown had taken direct control of India; in the years leading up to mass labor organizing and the industrialization of war precipitating the mass death of the two world wars.

This was also the time when new academic disciplines were formally professionalized (geology; anthropology; archaeology; ecology).

Classic example of Victorian-era (and emerging modernist and twentieth-century) imperial hubris which implies justification for its social hierarchies built on resource extraction and dispossession by invoking both emerging technical engineering prowess (trains, telegraphs, electricity) and the in-vogue scientific theories widely popularized at the time (Lyell's work, dinosaurs, and the geology discipline granting new understanding of the grand scale of deep time; Darwin's work and ideas of biological evolution; birth of anthropology as an academic discipline promoting the idea of "natural" linear progression from "savagery" to imperial civilization; the technical "efficiency" of monoculture/plantations; emerging systems ecology and new ideas of biogeographical regions).

While also simultaneously doing the work to, by implication, absolve them of ethical complicity/responsibility for the cruelty of their institutions by naturalizing those institutions (excusing the violence of wealth disparities, poverty, crowded factory laboring conditions, mass imprisonment, copper mines, South Asian famine, the industrialization of war eventually manifesting in the Great War, etc.) by claiming that "commerce is a science"; "pursuit of profit is Natural"; "empire is inevitable".

This tendency to invoke science as justification for imperial hegemony, whether in Britain in the 1880s or the United States in the 1920s and such, might be a continuation of earlier European ventures from the sixteenth to eighteenth centuries which included the use of cartography, surveying/geography, Linnaean taxonomy, botany, and natural history to map colonies/botanical resources and build/justify plantations and commercial empires in the Portuguese slave ports, Dutch East Indies, or the Spanish Americas.

Some of the issues at play:

-- Commerce is "A Science". Commerce is shown to be both an ecological system (by illustrating it as if it were a landscape, which is kinda technically true) and a physiological system (by equating infrastructure/extraction networks with veins) suggesting wealth accumulation is Natural.

-- If commerce/capitalism are Natural, then evolutionary theory and linear histories suggest it is also Inevitable (it was not mass violence of a privileged few humans who spent centuries beating the Earth into submission to impose the Victorian/Gilded Age state of things, it was in fact simply a natural evolutionary progression). And if wealth accumulation is Natural, then it is only Right to pursue "land improvement".

-- US/European hubris. They can claim to perceive the planet in its apparent totality (as a globe, within the bounds of extraterrestrial space as if it were a laboratory or plantation). The planet and all its lifeforms are an extension of their body, implying a justified dominion.

-- However, their anxiety and suspicions about the stability of empire are belied by their fear of collapse and the simultaneous US/European obsession at the time with ancient civilizations, the "fall of Rome", classical ruins, etc. At this time, the professionalization of the field of archaeology had helped popularize images and stories of Sumer, Egypt, the Bronze Age, the Aegean, Rome, etc. And there was what Ann Stoler has called an "imperialist nostalgia" and a fascination with ancient ruins, as if Britain/US were heirs to the legacy of Athens and Rome. You can see elements of this in the turn of the century popularity of Theosophy/spiritualism, or the 1920s revival of "classical" fashions. This historicism also popularized a sort of "linear narrative" of history/empires, reinforced by simultaneous professionalization of anthropology, which insinuated that humans advance from a "primitive" state towards modernity's empires.

-- Meanwhile, from the first decades of the nineteenth century when Megalosaurus and Iguanodon helped to popularize fascination with dinosaurs, Georgian and later Victorian Britain became familiar with deep time and extinction, which probably contributed to British anxiety about extinction, imperial collapse, lastness, and death.

-- Simultaneously, the massive expansion of printed periodicals allowed for sensationalist narrativizing of science.

-- The masking of the cruelty in a euphemism like "land improvement". Like sentencing someone to a de facto slow death and deprivation in a prison but calling it a "sanatorium" or "reformatory". Or calling the mass amounts of poor, disabled, women, etc. underclasses of London "unfortunates". Whether it's Victorian Britain or early twentieth century United States: "Our empire is doing this for the betterment and advancement of all mankind."

-- If an ecosystem is conceived as a machine, "land improvement" actually means monoculture, high-density production, resource extraction, concentration.

-- The image depicts the body is itself is also a mere machine (dehumanization, etc.). And if human bodies are shown to be also systems, networks, machines like an ecosystem, then human bodies can also be concentrated for efficiency and productivity (literal concentration camps, prisons, factories, company towns, slums, dosshouses, etc.). This is the thinking that reduces humans and other creatures to objects, resources, to be concentrated and converted into wealth.

And so after the rise of railroads and coal-power and industrial factories in the earlier nineteenth century, the fin de siecle and Edwardian era then saw the expansion of domestic electricity, easier photography, telephones, radio, and automobiles. But you also witness the spread of mass imprisonment, warplanes, and machine guns, etc. And in the midst of this, the Victorian/Gilded Age also saw the rise of magazines, newspapers, mass media, pop-sci stuff, etc. So this wider array of published material, including visual stuff like maps and infographics could "win over" popular perception. This is nearly a century after the Haitian Revolution, so more and more people would have been able to witness and call out the contradictions and hypocrisies of these "civilized" nations, so scientific validation was important to empire's public image. (Think: 100 years prior, everyone witnessed widespread revolutions and slave rebellions, but now the European empires are still using indentured labor, expanding prisons, and growing even more powerful in Africa, etc. An outrage.)

Illustrations like this ...

It's people with power (or people with a vested interest in these institutions, people who aspire to climbing the social ladder, people who defend the status quo) looking around at the general state of things, observing all of the cruelty and precarity, and then using scientific discourses to concede and say "this was inevitable, this was natural" and not only that, but also "and this is good".

Related reading:

Peoples on Parade: Exhibitions, Empire, and Anthropology in Nineteenth-Century Britain (Sadiah Qureshi, 2011); The Earth on Show: Fossils and the Poetics of Popular Science, 1802-1856 (Ralph O’Connor); "Science in the Nursery: the popularisation of science in Britain and France, 1761-1901" (Laurence Talairach-Vielmas, 2011); Citizens and Rulers of the World: The American Child and the Cartographic Pedagogies of Empire (Mashid Mayar); "Viewing Plantations at the Intersection of Political Ecologies and Multiple Space-Times" (Irene Peano, Marta Macedo, and Collette Le Petitcrops); “Paradise Discourse, Imperialism, and Globalization: Exploiting Eden" (Sharae Deckard); "Forgotten Paths of Empire: Ecology, Disease, and Commerce in the Making of Liberia's Plantation Economy" (Gregg Mitman, 2017); Imperial Debris: On Ruins and Ruination (Ann Laura Stoler, 2013)

Fairy Tales, Natural History and Victorian Culture (Laurence Talairach-Vielmas, 2014); Mining the Borderlands: Industry, Capital, and the Emergence of Engineers in the Southwest Territories, 1855-1910 (Sarah E.M. Grossman, 2018); Pasteur’s Empire: Bacteriology and Politics in France, Its Colonies, and the World (Aro Velmet, 2022); "Shaping the beast: the nineteenth-century poetics of palaeontology" (Talairach-Vielmas, 2013); In the Museum of Man: Race, Anthropology, and Empire in France, 1850-1960 (Alice Conklin, 2013); Inscriptions of Nature: Geology and the Naturalization of Antiquity (Pratik Chakrabarti, 2020)

[yellowocaballero]

ORV Characters Ranked by Least to Most Likely to Commit White Collar Crime

You guys said you wanted my ORV takes, and I try not to say things unsolicited, so I'll drop the good meta-analysis and literary criticism that I'm known for. For comedy purposes please pretend that ORV is American.

Omniscent Reader's Viewpoint characters broken down by likelihood to commit white collar crime, least to most:

Lee Hyeonseong: he's convinced that he's never committed a crime in his life. Intentionally, of course not. Unintentionally, he takes shopping for groceries extremely seriously, and is sometimes so wrapped up in the fruit inspection experience that he'll leave without paying. Due to his innocent face, bulk, and sheer confidence, he's never caught. In an economically thrifty maneuver, KDJ always sends him on snack runs for parties and texts him math problems while he's there. He insists it's like couponing. It's not couponing.

Jeong Huiwon: similarly, of course she would never choose to commit a crime. Also similarly, when KDJ says, 'Hey, wanna commit a crime?' she always participates. Since the crime is normally targeted at rich people, KDJ can usually morally justify it to her. She calls this harm reduction. It's not harm reduction.

Lee Jihye: would love to commit a crime in theory, almost never in practice. She has an idealized image in her mind of the ideal high school experience and it involves grand theft auto. However, the worst she ever gets is breaking & entering and trespassing, mostly because she didn't stop to wonder if the building was abandoned or not. She can't even shoplift from Claire's.

Shin Yuseung: the kind of kid who sets the dissection frogs in the school laboratory free. Looks up illegal exotic animal trading on the deepweb and sighs in longing. But exotic pet trading isn't very Animal Rights of her, so she just leaks information to the CIA and busts the rings. Lee Gilyeong convinces her to track down shady sellers on Craigslist and bust their kneecaps. Neither of them view this as significantly different from the dissection frog liberation. KDJ gets her a rescued exotic cat for her birthday as a reward.

Lee Gilyeong: self-explanatory.

Han Suyeong: she's been pirating media since she was eleven and has never stopped. World-class expert in pirating everything. She's the unsung hero who rips the CDs and games and puts them online. Runs the pirating websites. Has never paid for a webnovel or manwha or manga in her life. Despite this, she insists that pirating books is immoral and that people should support small authors. The FBI knows she exists and has been trying to catch her for years. She brags about this constantly.

Yoo Sangah: has committed tax fraud before, will commit tax fraud tomorrow, is currently committing tax fraud. Embezzles her company's embezzlement. Insists that she's only committing victimless crimes, mainly because she doesn't view business executives as people. Her ability to evade the IRS is mythological and it's how KDJ got a crush on her.

Yoo Junghyeok: does not understand adult life well enough to knowingly commit any sort of white collar crime. He is this high on the list because he enables and helps KDJ in literally everything he does, especially using his clout as an influencer. This is because KDJ has convinced him that these things aren't crimes, and he doesn't understand adult life well enough to figure it out.

Kim Dokja: has done every white collar crime under the sun. I can't emphasize enough how much crime he does. He's currently blackmailing SYS's college tuition out of a US Senator. HSY makes the shell companies and launders so much money with him. Alternates between running a pyramid scheme and a ponzi scheme depending on the month. Started a cult that one time but we don't like to talk about that. Runs the betting ring for YJH's esports games. Fixes the games. YJH does not know he does this, but KDJ splits the profits and Yoo Mia also needs a college tuition so he decides not to think about it too hard. Big into crypto and runs every crypto scam you can possibly think of, which is normally where the the ponzi schemes come in. Steals YJH's identity often. Somehow everything he does is technically legal. The only crime he does not commit is pirating. Exclusively targets the wealthy and ultra-wealthy and has never stolen money from a poor person. Sugar daddies all of his friends and pays all college tuitions. Anonymously yet obviously sponsors huge amounts of money to YJH's Twitch streams, mostly in apology for the ID theft. Would really rather be living a quiet life in a big house with all of his friends, but that big house ain't gonna pay for itself.

[yyyuyuyu]

LOOKS AND SMILES. || Albedo

⚘❞Tw: Yandere behavior, the reader has some obsessive thoughts.❞

To be honest, you didn't really like Albedo. If you were to say this to someone, they would think that the reason was that your alchemical merit pales in comparison to Albedo. That's probably why you kept your thoughts to yourself. Maybe they would be right? Or maybe your tension was justified?

˗ˏˋ♡ˎˊ˗

Albedo was undoubtedly a smart, polite, kind and talented guy, but his gaze sometimes strained you. Such a look was not directed only at you, of course, but it did not get any better. Something in his appearance, in his look and smile, made you think that he was not a man at all, but rather something artificial. And the more you caught yourself thinking that something was wrong with Albedo, the more uncomfortable you became. You felt wrong thinking about it. It's not his fault that he's better than you. But no matter how hard you try to forget it and switch to something else, it doesn't work. It doesn't help that you've started seeing Albedo more and more often. His calm, soft voice greets you, his lips curl in their usual light smile. You chat with him for a bit before he smiles at you and walks away again, leaving you with even more thoughts about him.

˗ˏˋ♡ˎˊ˗

You are not stupid, you understand that something is wrong: Albedo rarely appears in the city, preferring to sit in his laboratory on the Dragonspine. But if an explanation can be found for this, then there is no sudden appearance of it. Thinking about it, you remember how you returned to Mondstadt, walking along the snow-covered road of the Dragonspine. Turning your head to the side, you see the Albedo in the distance. He is standing and it seems that his gaze is fixed on you. Pretending that you didn't see him, you continue on your way to the city. Already walking through the streets, you meet Albedo there. How did he manage to get to Mondstadt so quickly if you literally saw him in the distance on the Dragonspine? In fact, you actually asked him about it. You don't remember what he said, his words seem like white noise in your head, but you remember his intense look, as if you said something you shouldn't have said. But there was still a smile on his face.

˗ˏˋ♡ˎˊ˗

Some time has passed, no matter what you do, your thoughts still return to Albedo, in addition, you are communicating with him more and more often. But if he used to ask questions about your success in alchemy, now they are becoming more personal. He asks you about your well-being, your thoughts about certain topics that do not relate to alchemy, your attitude to other people, your favorite things, dishes, and many other questions. Out of politeness, you answer all his questions, share your opinion, not forgetting to ask him. He answers in a detailed and clear manner, as if he is always ready for what you ask him. After one of those short conversations, he invited you to help him with an alchemical experiment, to which you nod in agreement. There is no tension in his gaze, a smile slips across his face. Perhaps this is your chance to get to know him more. Maybe this will help you get rid of obsessive thoughts about the wrongness of the Albedo.

˗ˏˋ♡ˎˊ˗

You still helped him with that experiment. Well, actually, most of the time you were just talking to him, serving certain ingredients and flasks. But it's not that important, you think. After that day, he increasingly invited you to help him. And by "help" he meant just sitting by the fire so as not to freeze, answering his questions about you while he was circling around, writing something down, mixing or making. You find it a little strange, but you don't attach any importance to it. Maybe he's just shy to say directly that he just wants to spend time with you? After all, he is the same person as you, and people tend to be shy, right? You push this thought aside, focusing on Albedo and his voice. You listen as he tells you about his younger sister, about his favorite food. Paying attention to his look and smile, you catch yourself thinking that you were wrong about him.

˗ˏˋ♡ˎˊ˗

Your thoughts are no longer occupied with Albedo. But you start seeing him more often than any of your friends and family. Together with him, you are on the Dragonspine, which you visit every day, spending several hours there until it gets dark. But even then you don't leave because Albedo assures you that it's dangerous. By agreeing with him, you stay. And this happens several times until you and Albedo decide it's time to return to the city. In fact, you wouldn't even notice how much time you spend there with him until one of your friends points it out to you. When you realize this, you decide to limit your time with him. When you meet Albedo in the city, you tell him that you will not be able to visit him as often as before. He nods to you, saying that he understands. A slightly strained smile plays on his face, his gaze is tense, as it seemed to you once. You don't pay attention to it, believing that it just seems to you.

˗ˏˋ♡ˎˊ˗

Life goes on as usual. Your thoughts return to Albedo from time to time. You can't help but think about him and how wrong you were about him. You feel bad for thinking that way about him. During the time that you spent together, you got to know him better. He no longer seems inhuman to you. Thinking about him, you realize that the people around you were right about his correctness. But you haven't seen him lately. Usually, you meet with him several times a week, but about two weeks have passed since your last meeting in the city. Perhaps he's busy, you think, trying to focus on your alchemical knowledge: you've even forgotten the last time you actually did alchemy.

˗ˏˋ♡ˎˊ˗

You have returned to your normal life, doing alchemy, as it was before you met Albedo. Recently, you have started to worry a little about him: you have not seen or visited him for almost a month, during all this time he has never been in town. He's probably busy, which is why he wasn't here, or maybe he just doesn't want to, because, as you remember, he prefers to be on Dragonspine. You think a little and decide to visit him, already wearing warm clothes for a cold climate. You take a look at your belongings before closing the door and heading to Dragonspine.

˗ˏˋ♡ˎˊ˗

Already sitting near the fire to warm up, you communicate with Albedo. He asks you about why you haven't visited him, what you've been doing all this time. You answer by asking him answering questions such as what he has been doing all this time, how he feels. It was a casual conversation, his smile seemed a little warmer than usual, but the gaze fixed on you is still full of tension. He's probably always like this, you think, smiling back at him. He gives you a cup of hot tea while continuing to talk to you. He seems happy.

˗ˏˋ♡ˎˊ˗

A cup of tea has been drunk for a long time and is on his table. You feel your strength leaving you, your vision becomes hazy, and your body weak. Albedo is closer to you, holding you so that you don't fall. You hear him asking you how you feel. The last thing you see before you plunge into darkness is Albedo's smile, which is wider than usual, and the inanimate look of his eyes filled with satisfaction.

[dr-futbol-blog]

Before I Sleep, Pt. 2

Sheppard and the team enter the Ancient laboratory that immediately springs to life the moment he walks in, recognizing him. This emphasizes the physical connection he has to the Ancients, and the tangible physical effect his body has on things on Atlantis.

Sheppard had told McKay to "Shut up for a moment" when Ford alerted him to something out of the ordinary, and while it's not precisely a command (but more of a confession that he's unable to concentrate fully on his surroundings when he's listening to McKay), McKay does stay quiet for a notably long time. For someone that experiences anxiety from 'not talking' (cf. Tao of Rodney, S03E14) and whose anxiety can only be increased by the sudden halt in their domestic conversation--not knowing what's going on and suspecting the worst given the previous experience he had down in the city in Hot Zone (S01E13)--he tries very much to be helpful by doing as he was told. But as soon as he hears a strange mechanical sound, he has to voice his agitation with "What-- what is it?"

In the lab, they find an elderly woman preserved in a state of metabolic stasis. They are joined by Weir, whereas McKay and Beckett seem to have joined them off-screen some time before this, discussion ensuing on what they should do with her. It's interesting that again we see the the entire scene with Weir whereas it's made clear by Sheppard's comment to McKay ("You said she was frozen") that he had said something before Weir's entrance that we never got to hear. Again there seem to be not insignificant chunks of dialogue that have happened between them that we, as the audience, are not privy to. It's not just interesting that this keeps happening. It's interesting that this is contrasted with it not happening between Weir and Sheppard. There's the text. And then there is definite subtext.

We get a reference back to the previous episode Sanctuary (S01E14) with McKay throwing shade Sheppard's way:

Beckett: She's so old I'm afraid the process of reviving her might actually kill her. McKay: We cannot let this chance to talk to a living, breathing Ancient slip through our fingers--again. Beckett: And who knows what state of mind she'll be in? Not to mention the fact that she might be carrying some horrifying contagion. McKay: And who knows what she knows about our city? More importantly, does she know about any ZPMs lying around? Sheppard: Ah, there's a thought.

He's still understandably salty about the whole affair and we never find out what, if anything, Sheppard told them about what happened on Proculus after he took on after her with the jumper. We do know how he described it in his mission report but that would likely be known by Weir only. And if this episode teaches us anything, it's that his mission report did nothing to change her view on there being some kind of monkey business going on between Sheppard and McKay.

But we are able to tell by their behaviour that Sheppard and McKay are on much better terms than we last saw them, and it's even possible that what ever melding took place between Sheppard and Chaya had some kind of a soul-purifying effect on him, easing the burden of his guilt--temporary though its effects may be. He still narrows his eyes at McKay, his expression once more difficult to read. A quick narrowing the eyes is thought to convey hurt, contempt, distaste, or anger - basically seeing something you would rather not see. The thing that he would rather not see here is McKay, of all people, openly mocking what was anything but an easy experience for him, albeit he is somewhat justified in doing so (and the physical, bodily words he uses to describe it, 'living, breathing', 'our fingers', might suggest that Sheppard had, in fact, told him everything). Especially due to the cold shoulder he had been giving McKay before they had even met her for reasons that he clearly did not understand at the time.

This is why he quickly shifts his eyes away from McKay while still squinting, looking contrite, as he's very much blaming himself for what took place. It's not even entirely clear whether he himself realizes that he was being mind-controlled during the ordeal, albeit the look he gave Chaya after she had caught them arguing in front of her door (and what he wrote in his mission report about himself having been at the receiving end of an attempted seduction) suggests that he did figure it out. At the very least, he feels as though he got played by an Ancient, and that despite all of his efforts, he had failed to provide safety for the people of this galaxy.

Not surprisingly, Sheppard sides with McKay on what should be done with her. Beckett objects but Weir makes the call based on McKay's recommendation as supported by Sheppard. McKay is talking very fast and sounds somewhat irritated, he even calls what he's doing with Beckett "arguing about it." Some of his irritation may be Sheppard related, and Sheppard knows this, but not all of it is.

McKay does not look at Sheppard as he exists the lab, and Sheppard doesn't turn to look at him as he goes. But it's not from not wanting to look, as the camera pans in a way that actually invites us to expect his gaze to follow McKay walking out and yet, he doesn't turn his head. The panning tells us that it's not because he's captivated by the sight of this would-be Ancient and can't look away, it's because by fixing his eyes on her he's fighting his natural inclination at this moment.

But McKay's comment also tells us that despite what he might have felt about Chaya and especially the hold she seemed to have on Sheppard, he does have a genuine desire to learn from and about the Ancients. It doesn't seem as though they've quite reached the "We'll laugh about it later" stage about it yet, and there's definite soreness there on both sides. While their discussion on the intercom was good-natured, it seems like they don't quite know how to be around the other here, especially with other people around. They are trying to find their footing around the other. But during this episode, we see them trying to get there.

And yet it isn't only McKay that's making Sheppard feel uneasy here. Looking at her, someone that has been alone for 10,000 years, has manifested to him both what he fears and what he thinks he deserves. When he met the 10,000 year-old wraith previously, he used the vastness of his loneliness in an attempt to hurt the thing because it's what most hurts himself. He can sympathize with the woman in stasis, just like he could sympathize with the wraith enough to turn it into a weapon against it. He doesn't confess to it out right, but we can hear an echo of this in his words:

Sheppard: The whole time we thought this city was abandoned. Teyla: Is it possible the Atlanteans left her behind when they abandoned the city for Earth? Sheppard: Maybe she wanted to stay behind.

Maybe she wanted to stay behind, he muses. The man who had chosen to fly helicopters in the most remote part of his world in a hope that shutting himself off where there are no people would keep him from getting too close to anyone to get hurt again. To get anyone hurt again. In a way he envies her. Though he has tried to escape into solitude, Sheppard does not yet know what it means to be truly alone. He does not yet know what it means to love someone so much that he would willingly choose inhumanly unbearable loneliness if it meant that this person could be happy for just one moment. One day, we will see him get to that point. But in this episode, we get to contrast where Sheppard and McKay are now with where they started, months ago. And it seems that the time they have spent around each other has changed them both.

Continued in Pt. 3