#madmen style

[yours-stevie]

My boy 💙

[migvintof]

Chicago Single Wall

Wet bar: a sizable contemporary single-wall wet bar idea with a beige floor, a flat-panel sink, and white cabinets.

[tossawary]

Thinking about two (three?) different "Rin Lives" AUs for "Naruto" in very different styles.

The first (Option 1A) is, of course, the classic where Rin survives having the Sanbi sealed inside her instead of having Kakashi kill her (while Obito watches). I can't exactly call Zetsu's sinister plan here unreasonable, but it does still rely heavily on a bunch of relatively unpredictable elements.

With Obito as a hostage, Zetsu has relatively intimate information on Rin, Kakashi, and Minato, but by that point, it's like a year out of date. What if Rin, Kakashi, and Minato have all been significantly changed by Obito's apparent death and have adjusted their techniques and procedures? The plan relies on 1) neither of Namikaze Minato's students (who also know Uzumaki Kushina and Jiraiya of the Sannin) having sufficient sealing knowledge to hold out long enough for help to arrive, 2) the YELLOW FLASH to be fully distracted and occupied while this is happening, and 3) Rin dying in such a way that it looks like Kakashi's fault. (Also, 4) no other Kiri nin catching on and having issues with all of this.)

Again, it's not exactly unreasonable that all of these elements came together in a tragedy, but also still too reliant for my liking on all of these different moving pieces who could potentially pull out skills and escape plans that Zetsu hasn't foreseen. I'll need to reread that part to figure out why clones / genjutsu weren't just used to fool Obito, who wasn't exactly in a good state to resist that kind of manipulation. (Itachi used Tsukuyomi on Kakashi at least once. Obito is under severe physical, mental, and emotional strain and only awakened his Sharingan directly before his kidnapping. He's so vulnerable.)

Option 1B for this AU, a twist on the classic, is that nothing about this mission was real. The Sanbi was never put inside Rin. Zetsu or Madara fooled a vulnerable Obito with a trick / gaslighting, and Zetsu has been desperately struggling to kill Nohara Rin for years to get her out of the way before a grieving / vengeful Obito notices that Rin isn't actually dead. This AU probably takes place before Minato's death. Kakashi and Minato have caught on to some attempted murder mystery going on here and they are SO overprotective.

OPTION 2 for a "Rin Lives" AU is actually a "Rin gets resurrected" AU. Obito catches on earlier that Madara and Zetsu are full of shit, but Obito still isn't exactly sane after everything, so while Obito has Rinnegan superpowers in the middle of the final fight, he throws Madara and Zetsu's plan out the window and somehow uses a stolen / modified version of Orochimaru's Edo Tensai technique to bring Nohara Rin fully back from the dead. Obito says a big "FUCK YOU" to all of those long conspiracies and wastes all of that ultimate power on fully resurrecting some random nobody girl he loved as a young teenager.

So, it's like: "Your name is Nohara Rin and you are no longer dead. You were turned into a bomb and killed yourself when you were 14 to save your village, and now you've been resurrected as though you never died; you're not exactly 14 anymore after the dreamy time you spent watching the world of the living, but you are definitely not actually 31. It's weird.

"The teammate you once thought was dead was actually kidnapped by two different madmen and has spent the past 15 years with them molding his body and whispering in his ears, only to betray them anyway. His hands are covered in so much blood and he's started a war and it was all apparently a trick to bring you back. So everyone is looking at you, shocked, and confused, because you're not special. All of that? For you? For some random dead girl? They were ready for the world to end. Obito is looking at you, satisfied, expectant, like you're supposed to have any answers or any kind of comfort for him.

"Minato-Sensei is here too, undead in a different way, not alive again like you are (at least, like you think you are), and so is Kakashi, all grown up the hard way. They are looking at you like a miracle and also like you're breaking their hearts all over again. And oh, no, Uchiha Madara and Zetsu are very, VERY mad right now, there's no time for any of this, is there? You died in one war and it's right back into another."

[concreteparasite]

WOAH WOAH, I WAS ON A GAMING BURN-OUT AND ENDED UP GIVING BINARY STAR HERO A TRY AND ENDED UP PLAYING IT THE WHOLE NIGHT AND IM IN LOVE???? Like, what an amazingly written game???? The art style and aesthetic of the game??? The way you wrote Ray's character is absolutely beautiful to me and just so interesting to see his views, personality, and mindset and how his experiences shaped him! IN ADDITION HIS CHARACTER DESIGN IS PEAK, I LOVE HIS NOSE, I LOVE HIS EARS I LOVE HIS EYEBAGS, AND I LOVE THE SEVERAL MOLES SCATTERED ACROSS HIS FACE. ALSO, I LOVE THE WORLD YOU MADE!! I ALSO LOOOVVVEEE The small details, the things I didn't realize until I replayed the game, such as his expression changing everso slightly when the MC thought about being selfish for themselves to get Ray's name. I COULD GUSH ABOUT THIS GAME FOREVER MAN, YOU DID SUCH AN MARVELLOUS JOB WITH EVERYTHING IN THIS GAME IM BLOWN AWAY ^-^ 💕

Now that I got my word gush and love out of the way first, I wanted to ask if it is okay to use Ray's cgi from the game as a pfp (with credit)? Also, does Ray watch any types of shows or movies, if he ever has the time too? What kind of movies/tv shows would he be into?

Thankyou so soo much for all of the kind words 😭😭💕💖 it really means more than you could know. I'm so glad you enjoyed it and were able to notice all of the love and effort I put into it 🥺💕.

YES you can use Ray's photo as your pfp, you don't have to give me credit either 😊 just if anyone asks point them towards the game.

Ray enjoys some movies and shows. He really likes cooking shows that are calming. He generally prefers documentaries or dramas. He isn't so much into action, and he would rather pull teeth than watch anything superhero related. Even though Ray enjoys watching movies & shows with MC, he tends to be really exhausted after a workday and will often accidentally fall asleep midway through.

Shows Ray Likes (in no order):

Anthony Bourdain's Parts unknown

The X-files

Madmen

Startrek

Downton Abbey

Great British bakeoff

Masterchef

Movies Ray likes (in no order):

Interstellar

The Green Knight

The Arrival

Annihilation

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

The shape of water

Blade Runner

The Menu

Alien

2001: A Space Odyssey

[serpentinesheldonserpentine]

An early endorsement, just for the men.

Guys, if you are some years removed from your college dorm, it’s time to develop your taste for interiors.

"I let my wife/girlfriend handle that department", you might say.

To which I reply, why?

Whether you're married or as the hipsters practice, “living together”, why have you delegated your environment ? Wait. You haven't retreated to a Man Cave in your dank basement have you?

Dude. You have an opinion on everything. Trust me, I have heard you talking trash about our teams and lustfully about that skinny pouty model when we're out. Emily?

So, learn a little about interior design. Go online. Go to your library and read a copy of The World of Interiors magazine. And if you’re still reading this post, spend some time reading the posts and links from our knowledgeable friend @antique-gloom

His recent link to artists and their mantelpiece has entertained me for the last 15 minutes. I bet you find something at his Tumblr that will inspire you. I do every day.

Now, @antique-gloom has a point of view; his enthusiasms may not be yours. Maybe you are an Eames Chair, Mid Century Modern (MCM), MadMen type. Great. Find your style is my point.

Fellas? You know what they call guys with an interest in style?

Yeah. Men.

Me? My place is a cheery mess of late 19th century furniture, most of which I had reupholstered; Hollywood Regency lamps draped with scarves, and piles of books and guitars that accumulate at a pace my PA valiantly battles. It resembles a down at the heels second tier Men’s Club circa 1930 crossed with a Bedouin encampment. I display 18th century botanical prints, avant-garde advertising posters, Vanity Fair caricatures, and photos I shot on the walls. In the corner, by my keys, is a book of numbers and my remedies.

Everything I have was either free or cheap.

Give it a try.

[elapsed-spiral]

Pre-season 2 OFMD fic list

It's less than two weeks till we get our ships wrecked, so here's my (presumably) final pre-season 2 fic list. Have a read if you wanna pass the improbably long days before the season premieres!

This list got out of control so I added some handy symbols: 🎧 = podfic available 💜 = personal favourite ⭐ = fics you may have heard about? I don’t know, I don’t have a sense for this stuff.

Cool collaboration(s) you should read immediately:

🎧💜Work Experience: what if Ed went to meet Stede when the Revenge ran aground? And what if Ed became a member of Stede’s crew? And what if things kept escalating and… Canon AU. Mature. Co-written with Shearwater.

Really no excuse for how stupid these ones are:

Watch Out, Here I Come: what if Stede had been intentionally seducing Ed? Teen

Once More, With Feeling: what if Frenchie just fixed the season 1 finale fiasco because he’s the most capable guy on the ship? Teen

Talent Show: what if Ed was crass about his sexual preferences? Explicit

Capsize on Your Thighs: what if Ed rebounded onto Calico Jack at the end of season 1? Ed/CJ and Ed/Stede (but Ed/Stede is endgame, natch). Explicit

🎧💜Your Feedback is Important to Us: what if Stede started holding open cabin hours to allow the crew to air their grievances (but was also very repressed and horny over Ed)? Explicit

Oh no Ed’s working through gender/class stuff (but make it funny):

Finery: Ed gets to wear a dress, Stede spontaneously combusts. Explicit

Tell More Tales: Stede isn’t the only writer aboard the Revenge. Explicit

🎧💜Lovers and Madmen: Ed is hellbent on marrying Stede. Explici

🎧 Save the Date: Ed 'attends' a wedding. Unfortunately, so does Stede. Short S2 alternative reunion fic. Teen

AUs no-one asked for:

Novel/novella length

🎧💜Restructuring: modern AU where Stede loses his fortune before meeting Ed, but Ed’s still got more money than you can shake a fucking stick at. Only problem is, Stede lies and says he’s wealthy and Ed lies and says he isn’t. Like the show, it’s a romcom about trauma. Explicit

🎧💜⭐Baddy Zaddy: Bridget Jones’s Diary style, former porn star turned sex shop owner!Ed/still unfortunately landed gentry!Stede. Novel length modern AU. Explicit

💜⭐Prize Every Time: You’ve Got Mail-y secret pen pals but also business rivals. Novel length modern AU. Explicit

Conflict of Interest: lawyer!Stede/businessman!Ed (read: gangster). Modern AU. Explicit

Shorter uns

Intergalactic Tango: Space Waltz AU. Mature

🎧💜Trade Descriptions Act: bailiff!Ed/estate agent!Stede. Identity theft but make it meet cute. Modern AU. Teen

Your Favourite Song: locksmith!Ed/museum curator!Stede. Kinktober fill that somehow isn’t E rated. Modern AU. Teen

⭐Draft Letter to Restaurant Downstairs: Google Docs AU with a (slightly) interactive element. Modern SMAU. Teen

Blind Date: Stede and Jeffrey Fettering go on a blind date at Ed’s restaurant. I think you know where this is going. Modern AU. Explicit

Different Dimension: ficlet that crams four and a bit AUs into 850 words. Modern AU. Teen

Stuck Still: British holiday resort AU feat. events manager!Stede and bartender turned fairy!Ed (it makes sense in the story I swear). Modern AU. Explicit

💜On the Job: “kidnapping” meet cute (but not actually. Again, I swear it makes sense in the story I swear). Modern AU. Explicit

Starring Jason Statham: another weird meet cute, courtesy of Jack and the Fast and Furious franchise. Stede/Jack, Ed/Jack and Ed/Stede (Ed/Stede is once again end game). Modern AU. Teen

West Ham Is for Lovers: Lucius has a new job. It’s going fine. Completely, totally fine. A meet cute fic about meet cutes. Ed/Stede but also Lucius/Pete, Lucius/Fang, Lucius/Izzy and Lucius/Olu/Jim. Modern AU. Teen

💜Conventional: back in the 00s, Ed was in a very famous movie franchise. Nowadays, he does the convention circuit. Modern AU. Explicit

🎧💜Proud: Ed attends Pride to get free mum hugs, Stede attends Pride to give free dad hugs. Modern AU. Teen

KrakenAir: Stede and the crew are heading to Benidorm to celebrate Stede coming out. That is, if Stede’s all expenses spared KrakenAir flight ever departs. Modern SMAU. Teen

Very Poor, Becoming Good: aspiring Gentleman Backpacker Stede Bonnet is adventure bound when he meets fellow traveller Ed Teach at an empty hostel. Now if they could just find the owner… Modern AU. Explicit

💜Stolen by the Gentleman Thief: Ed is a lonely gay guy in his late forties whose favourite book is historical softcore porn. Luckily, there’s a weird meet cute about to happen. Modern AU. Explicit

Live Sex Show: Columnist Ed Teach recommends that Stede Bonnet shake up his monotonous life by doing something weird. Modern AU. Teen

💜Continue Making Progress: Kraken Driving School has a terrible new student. Luckily, Ed and Stede both have a lot to offer one another. Modern AU. Explicit

Oh no there’s been a containment breach (aka non-Blackbonnet fics):

💜We Do What We Like (and We Like What We Do): a brief history of Ed and Jack. Explicit (Ed/CJ)

Fealty: Stede and Izzy make one another even more miserable. Mature (Stede/Izzy)

💜Contra Proferentem: Ed is a high powered lawyer and Professor of Law at the University of Cambridge. Lucius is not a high powered lawyer but he is a lecturer of English Lit at the University of Cambridge. Stede own a very nice cafe. Explicit (platonic Ed/Lucius, Ed/Stede, no cheating involved)

[guywrestlingaddiction]

That Wrestling Moment: Standing up to your Bully - Madman v Hammer (nrwrestling.com)

How do you take down a bully?  Perhaps you bide your time, let him get over confident, and wait for him to make a mistake before striking?  In this match we see the guy we love to hate, madman Mitch Styles get his own comeuppance.  

Madmen v Hammer (nrwrestling.com)

SPOILER ALERT: I highly recommend viewing this match in its entirety before reading this post.

The Backstory

Madman Mitch Styles was tearing a path through nrwrestling.  He took down everyone in his path.  Now the guy is a rotten bully no doubt but that tall, tanned, muscled body, and most of all, that attitude of his made it hard to peel my eyes away from watching him terrorize the other wrestlers.  

The Action

The wrestling begins as you would expect with the Madman living up to his reputation.  The guy has been terrorizing all the young bucks at NRW and the sexy, do-gooding Hammer might be the next to fall victim to his bullying.  Within a few minutes our hero is trapped in the corner and subjected to a barrage of blows from the bully.  

Madman is not only a heel but a true force to reckon with.  The guy is crazy but nonetheless absolutely captivating. 

I could go on in detail about the 'action' but really it's all just a one-sided slug-fest from a bully pounding away on poor Hammer.  The redeeming factor is that we the audience are treated with that golden sexy body relentlessly beating away at our hero.  You have to give it to Madman, he goes. all. in.

At some point you may question what is going on with Hammer?  The guy is a fit stud and needs to process whatever he's going through fast so he can fight back.  You can't take it from a bully forever.  Bully's are never satisfied. Bully's are never able to stop themselves; they need to be stopped.

The Moment 

It all seemed like the logical conclusion.  Bully's need someone to stand up to them and our moment is of course when Hammer does just that.  The final moments of our match is when Hammer has had enough of our bully.   Is it believable? Well, that's really up to you to decide.  But what we can all agree on is how gratifying it is to watch our obnoxious but deeply sexy bully receive all that payback.  

So what have we learned today?  We see that a match doesn't have to be too real to be satisfying.  This is wrestling after all, and gay wrestling means you never have to apologize, especially not to someone bullying you.

[endless-season]

Danmei Rec Meme!

How long have you been into danmei, how did you get into it / what was your first danmei?

I read MDZS in 2018 if that counts? But otherwise I saw Global Examination randomly mentioned in around September last year and thought it looked interesting. Read the manhua, enjoyed it, continued with the novel and have been randomly reading stuff since. (English Vol 1 is open for preorders btw!)

Favourite danmei?

Global Examination by Mu Su Li

Don't Pick Up Boyfriends From the Trash Bin by Qi Jing Nan Qu

Favourite couples / characters?

Don't have a particular answer so I'll go with the two MCs from my first two faves above :D You Huo and Chi XiaoChi. Competant, badass, rebellious, q_q puts themselves at risk to help others. JiuHuo and LouChi are both very soft and adorable and wholesome ships that fight their way to be together q_q.

Most recently read danmei?

I'm currently reading After The Tyrant Differentiated into an Omega?

Any favourite authors?

Meatbun Doesn't Eat Meat 肉包不吃肉 Her writing is just so intense! So much drama, so much angst, so many tears. For mature audiences only! If you've haven't read any of her stuff see content warnings beforehand.

Other authors I’ve eyed: Cyan Wings 青色羽翼, A Lifetime of Beautiful Clothes 一世华裳

Any popular danmei you aren't particularly a fan of?

Hmm. I haven't been able to get into any of Priest's works. Might be the writing style, I managed to finish Mo Du which was nice but somehow just don't feel satisfied :X

Also I liked MDZS and TGCF but didn't particularly enjoy SVSSS.

Anything you've been meaning to read but still haven't?

Ballad of Sword and Wine / Qiang Jin Jiu - tried a few times but finding it hard to get through the narration / heavy world building. Will try again at some point.

The Earth Is Online - struggling to keep interested in the beginning chapters

Choose a random (the weirder and baitier, the better) memorable scene/danmei to describe!

MC has a dream where ML is tied up. Has no idea why. Dreams materialise. Wakes up and finds Dream!ML tied up. ML also wakes up, and sees his Dream!MC glaring at them. *Awkward silence* Dream!ML starts flirting with MC. Everyone is horrified.

Are there any particular genres / tropes you enjoy / don't enjoy? Aka - any useful info for people to send you recs ;D?

I am a sucker for amnesia tropes and hidden identity tropes. Also tend to appreciate light hearted narration / comedic undertones. Which probably explains my two faves lmao. Mystery and angst keep me going.

Any recommendations to give? Badly describe them in 2 sentences. (Or however you like, your choice.)

Trying to avoid popular ones so here goes!!!

Global Examination - Infinite flow. 2 madmen on opposite sides bond over their mutual fondness for setting things on fire. They both have amnesia from a few years ago? How suspicious...

Don't Pick Up Boyfriends From the Trash Bin - My favourite Quick Transmigration. MC and his system break up toxic relationships in other worlds whilst MC still processing the grief of losing his belated childhood crush who passed away over 10 years ago and left him traumatised.

Any of Meatbun's novels (2ha/The Husky and his White Cat Shizun, Yu Wu/Remnants of Filth, bab/Case File Compendium) - Too much angst and too many plot twists.

Record of the Missing Sect Master - Fun shameless schemeing MC gets revenge by pissing off all the antagonists and uncovering conspiracies while ML fondly indulges him.

Mr Melancholy Wants To Live A Peaceful Life - Overpowered but retired MC who is hiding his superpowered identity wants to live a peaceful life, but ML who is also hiding his superpowered identity keeps getting forced to go to work (work = saving the world). In an attempt to get ML to work less, MC hires suspicious people to start a money laundering business.

Breaking Through the Clouds - More realistic/serious tone compared to others on this list. Modern urban crime solving.

Married Thrice to a Salted Fish

Devil Vernerable Also Wants To Know

Transmigration into the Heartthrob's cannon fodder childhood friend / Everyone Loves The Cannon Fodder - modern school life

The Disabled Tyrant's Beloved Pet Fish

How to Feed an Abyss - Similar to Little Mushroom

---

Tag with #danmeirecmeme for posterity! @ anyone you'd like to see answer this~

Tagging:

@incineraryperiphery @qserasera @unforth @izumisays @stuffedtoytiger

[pyrajanison]

Y’ALL! Psychonauts 1 & 2 are on Sale now on Steam!

Psy 1 is $3:19 and Psy 2 is $14.99!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3830/Psychonauts/

https://store.steampowered.com/app/607080/Psychonauts_2/

Treat yourself this Halloween!

[yours-stevie]

Julio 🖤

[alicesadventuresinffxiv]

FFxivWrite2024 Prompt #9 (Lend an Ear)

Title: Field Notes on Misija, Part III

Wordcount: 1028

Alternate Universe: WoL was out fishing

Spoilers through: Shadowbringers, specifically Bozja storyline

Relationships & Characters: Misija, Fordola

Summary: Even further handwritten notes on the history and character of the IVth's covert operative, Misija Votyasch.  Use to add to your field record.

(Experimenting with a new format this time! I’ve been wanting to try my hand at writing an “interrogation transcript” in the style of one of the Bozja Field Notes for a while. I just did DRN on my alt last weekend, so it seemed a good idea to write it while that was fresh in my mind!)

.

This document records a supervised visitation between Ala Mhigan Resistance conscript Fordola Lupis and covert operative Misija Votyasch, as facilitated by liaison officer Apella. 

.

M: Back again, I see. And you’ve brought a friend too. Is this another interrogation? I've already said my piece, and you yours.

A: This is Fordola Lupis, of the Ala Mhigan Resistance. She has requested permission to speak with you.

M: I don’t recognize that name. Her face and uniform seem familiar, though.

F: We crossed blades in Delubrum Reginae. 

M: So the noble Resistance has resorted to sacrificing the soldiers of its allies rather than risk being tempered themselves. Even now, I find new ways to be disappointed in the supposed “values” of the nation they seek to build.

F: Your eikon posed no threat to me.

M: If it hadn’t been for the Eorzean champion, I would have tempered you like the rest.

A: You have five minutes, starting now.

M: And just like that, she’s gone. Shame. She’s a gentle one at heart, it would not surprise me if she approved this visit herself. But who are you? What do you want with me?

F: I just needed to know: were you another dupe or another madman?

M: I don’t follow.

F: Seeing as you still don’t know the smell of your own shite even after it’s bitten you in the arse, I’m guessing it’s the first one. 

M: If you’re just here to insult me, you can leave.

F: Did you know tea works for the headaches? And that painkillers what put you to sleep don't? Or did they leave that part out too?

M: Who said I was having headaches? …Ah. I understand now. So you’re her. We thought test subject XXVIII had been executed by the rebels. 

F: Not yet, they haven’t.

M: I pity you. But your own sympathy is misplaced. The IVth isn't like the XIIth. I did not gamble my life in an unethical experiment the way you were made to.

F: Like hells you didn’t. There is no safe procedure.

M: I speak the truth. Van Galbranth cares about the well-being of his men. He would not trust Sicinius if he didn't have standards. 

F: Standards? You met that man and you thought he had standards? He's a snake like mal Asina was before him. Any assurances he gave you were worth less than bollocks.

M: And yet, I stand before you.

F: Aye, unlike the poor bastards we dug up underneath the Castrum. Dozens upon dozens of corpses for the one miracle that was you. No different than in Ala Mhigo.

M: You’re lying. There were no corpses. 

F: Mayhap not on the report you saw. You never stopped to wonder? If the Garleans could piss super soldiers like they were water, why wouldn't they? 

M: …

F: It's because they can't. Like I said: dupes or madmen. Those are the only lot what volunteers when the survival rate’s less than six sodding percent!

A: Two minutes left.

M: I cannot fathom what you hope to gain from this bizarre debate. Suppose your assessment is correct and not merely outdated. What does it matter? I will not give you the satisfaction of breaking my pride over the proof of a single deceiver amidst our ranks.

F: Keep your bloody pride, I don’t want it. But you’ll want to hear the rest I’ve got to say.

M: Out with it, then.

F: Don't worry about the dreams, those are normal. Not feeling your limbs, or feeling like your body's not your own, is not. Tell someone, though if you've got to that point it's probably too late anyhow.

M: …Fascinating. Undoubtedly concerning. But fascinating nonetheless. Are you describing a fatal mismatch between incorporeal and corporeal aether?

F: Do I sound like a scholar to you? I’m just repeating that what’s been told to me. 

M: As you so colorfully emphasized, I was not made aware of this danger by any Garlean scientists. What was your source of information?

F: One of the Students. My Mikoto, so to speak. She was… kinder to me than I deserved. Afterwards.

M: Krile Baldesion, if I am not mistaken.

F: The records had her name, but not mine? Hmph. Right - speaking of, check your blood type if you ever need a transfusion. Mine’s turned into the same rare Lalafell swill she has. You’ll likely get Au ra.

M: Why would trace aberrations in the soul alter the nature of corporeal aether? I am no expert in such fields, but what you are suggesting goes against even basic, foundational aetheric theory.

F: You ever stopped to watch a ceruleum refinery? 

M: I presume you are going somewhere with this. Yes, I have. They built one over the polluted slum where I grew up. Why?

F: Those flares they set off? That's you. Your soul’s now got more aether than your body knows what to do with, and it gets funny about it. …Or something to that tune. Feels great until it doesn't. By now you'll be hitting the pins and needles stage. Exercising makes it go away for a while. Feeling sorry for yourself doesn't.

M: You have a talent for memorable imagery, I won’t deny that. We may agree on very little else, but I can respect your advice, and the candor with which you have chosen to share it.

F: If you ever need some bugger to talk to about it all, I’ll lend you an ear. Least I can do, seeing as you’ve let me borrow yours all this time.

M: I see. So you’re another gentle soul, even if you have a markedly unpleasant way of expressing it. I will keep your offer in mind. Our minders permitting, of course. 

A: Your time is up. Please conclude your discussion.

M: It was interesting to meet you, Fordola. I’ll admit our conversation was stimulating, if nothing else. 

F: Don't kill yourself.  …Alright, I’m done. You can take me outside.

.

A copy of this report has been submitted to Commander Raubahn Aldynn as per the agreement between the Bozjan Resistance and Eorzean Alliance to flag anomalous behavior among conscripts and imperial defectors.

[nesiacha]

Very mediocre (and horrible) quote from Buzot about Pache , his family and especially some reflections of Pache's friendships and family

Here is what I found on a website in Buzot's memoirs that, for his honor, I hope he did not actually say. Warning: misogynistic language ahead that may make your eyes bleed:

"Pache's children, his daughters, ran like madmen to the places where murder and pillage were preached with the most impudence, and they were often seen in so-called fraternal embraces, warming themselves up for the disgusting orgies."

Anyway, let's move on from this point. Pache only had one daughter, Sylvie, but perhaps Buzot mentioned a stepdaughter. In any case, Sylvie was only 16 at the time of these events, so the insult is all the more serious (according to Mathilde Larrère, Sylvie Audouin was a fervent young Hébertist, born a year after Louise Gely, and we can say that she was an ultra-revolutionary, a sort of reverse Louise Gely which Danton had to marry her through a refractory priest) . Treating an adult this way is insulting even more so when it's a teenager who will have an even harder time taking this insult. We also know that she married François Xavier Audouin, an important Jacobin and Hébertist (with Santerre and Hébert as witnesses, it seems) who worked at the Ministry of War. She was only 16 when she married. It seems Sylvie may have suffered from xenophobia, like her father, because he was Swiss, and he often took his children there before 1792 (or was it 1789? I can't remember). Louis de Launay, in Monge's biography, mentions that she argued violently about the execution of the Hébertists with Carnot and Prieur Claude-Antoine in Monge's salon, but honestly, there is no proof of this. It’s more likely that the arrest of Pache and François Xavier Audouin was entirely political (Frankly, settling scores over a dispute by having people arrested was not in the style of the Committee of Public Safety or the Convention). One day, I should tell the story of Pache and his childrens. It would also be interesting to explore the Pache-Monge-Carnot friendship triangle that I’ve read about in some biographies. Or Audouin-Monge-Bonaparte (maybe that's why François Xavier Audouin, one of the "star" opponents of the Directory and Sieyès, was able to escape the deportation of the Jacobins, or why Bonaparte wanted Pache’s cooperation in vain because Audouin was initially on the deportation list ). I wonder if Sylvie was arrested by Bonaparte's police, like Marie-Anne Babeuf temporarily, Simone Evrard, or Albertine Marat, or if she was “only” monitored like the other wives of the Jacobins (for example Mrs. Dufour) . In any case, this would mark the end of Audouin's political career. He became a royalist in 1816, probably due to the oppressive laws, even though he did not renounce his revolutionary friendships like Pache did. I wonder if Sylvie's death four years later was linked to this disillusionment. The hardships she endured, the execution of the Hébertists, then the arrest of her father and her husband, the fact that her father was apparently persecuted by muscadins, the fights that her husband (and surely she was since Mathilde Larrère said that she was a fervent Hébertist) against the Directory, the fact that her husband narrowly escaped deportation (and possibly death) under Bonaparte, possibly having seen Jacobin friends deported or executed, having retired from political life, seeing her brother rally to Bonaparte, the restoration of the Bourbons and finally that her fervent Hébertist and Jacobin husband converted to royalism (due to the pressure of the laws of 1816) did not precipitate her into her grave by disappointments (it is possible that she simply died of illness or she approved the choice of her husband). For the moment I have difficulty getting more information on the Audouin couple. Too bad because historian Bernard Gainot claims that just like Victor Bach, Antonelle, Felix Le Peletier, René Vatar, the Babeuf couple, Jorry (maybe even Rossignol), Buonarotti, Topino-Lebrun, ,Bernard Metge they were the best known in the period of the neo-Jacobins against the Directory , Sieyes and until 1802, the date of the end of the political career of Xavier-François Audouin (plus historians like Mathilde Larrère concerning at least Sylvie Audouin despite her young age at the time and Bloche say that they were also well known during the French Revolution).

To summarize, I’d like to explore the Pache-Monge-Carnot friendship triangle, considering that Pache and Carnot did not get along at all from what I understand (and this doesn't surprise me; Pache was somewhat close to the Hébertists even if he did not take part in the insurrection, called for calm and did not testify in favor of Momoro, Hébert, Vincet, Ronsin and Chaumette , while Carnot was not at all close to the hébertists ,was opposed to them and vice versa ). And one day, I should write a post about Pache.

[psychobind]

//I've been mulling over adding a SaGa muse for a while but I love seeing your group's Seven Heroes dynamics play out & I had a series of headcanons on your Kzn-C Gamer World, if you'd indulge me a bit:

So basically the 7 Heroes form an interesting group of online personas alongside Kzinssie's Kzn-C gamer channel

Rocbouquet becoming an Idol V-Tuber, Noel having a bunch of her premium merch & being her bodyguard IRL anytime she's on tour

Noel, outside of Rocbouquet's touring, doing MMA showcases & sometimes enlisting Dantarg to help show off different fighting styles

Dantarg doing strongman lifting stunts, mukbangs, MRE taste testing, maybe possible NSFW on the side, given some things he says/does…

Wagnas & Subier doing travel blogs together, but also:

Subier going surfing & diving while talking about marine biology, maybe about climate change too because of how it affects marine ecosystems

Wagnas doing deep dives into historical places & religious sites, but after a while goes into beauty care because he keeps getting comments about it

But back to the Gamer Arc:

Bokhohn would take a big interest in technology & that would include gaming controllers (being a puppeteer & all). Like he'd start doing streams where he plays Zelda w/ the DK Bongos, or Fortnite w/ an arcade controller setup

Which then led me to think part of Kzinssie's rise to fame includes a rage compilation of the other Heroes dunking on him every so often in games they collab on, like how he keeps losing to them in Mario Party

One time Bokhohn snipes him in a multiplayer shooter by playing a recorder, notices him raging in chat, then proceeds to pull out another recorder & plays the John Cena theme as a taunt, causing further rage

//I know it's a lot, but I'm just excited to see other SaGa fans on here! Good to meet you!

Yes Dantarg Mukbang yes Noel wearing shirts with his sisters face on them.... ahaha.

Bok being one of those madmen playing dark souls on a banana....

yes all of this. Very good. Yes.

[the-skibidi-rizzler]

Wrote a kinda long thing

[insp from that writing prompts account]

I sat there in shock watching these cameras 

Four people twirling like madmen in haunting unison; freely and without a clear goal. It’s as if they were dancing around each other, able to feel the other's next step.

Except the fact that they are continents apart. 

This is how witnessing the dancing plague must’ve felt like, I thought to myself. Should I contact my superior about this? Would he force me to break them up? This has to have some significance right, it’s not coincidental? It couldn’t be coincidental they’re too in sync. Surely breaking it up would be difficult, how would we break them up anyways? Contact each country individually so we can hunt down these people and tell them to stop dancing? No, it’d be easier to just leave them be, people dance in public all the time, this one surely wouldn’t harm anyone. 

The first one was a man. The man in Dubai was dressed in a kandura. The long white fabric encasing his body and making interesting silhouettes whenever he moved. His red turban wrapped around the top of his bed had its ends swaying to and fro in the little breeze. He stood out sharply in the dark backdrop that was the very early hours of the morning. His dancing had a certain firmness to it; his moves were swift and quick and confident, a bit uptight and whatever he did he did with his head held high. 

I shifted my eyes over to the next camera.

The next one was a woman in Peru. Long black hair cascaded down her shoulders and fell onto a red manta. A festive one at that with pictures on it depicting people in engaged battle. It made her look one with the afternoon sky. She moved similar to the man; quick and striking but lacking the confidence that the man had. Her moves were stiff and co-ordinated but with a certain fiery gaze her unopened eyes somehow seem to emit. 

On to the next camera I went. 

The third one was a woman in South Africa. A woman with a big afro almost covering her eyes. Her skin reminded me of dark rocks in lakes; light  brown that looked like it’d be nice to touch, a smooth comforting feel to it. She was thin, terribly thin and was dressed in an inky flowy dress with white flowery patterns sparkled all over it. Her moves were slow and desperate, as if she were dancing underwater. Despite her face being closed there was a panic on her face, etched into the creasing of her eyebrows and the fold of her mouth. 

And then the last one. 

The last one was a man. The man in Italy was tall and lanky with rich brown hair. His skin was quite a rich peach, emphasised by the pale blazer and trousers he had on. His tie was a dark cobalt. Making it seem as if he had a hole in his chest where the night sky behind him was filling in. His dancing was the most mesmerising of them all. He somehow pulled off a combination of all 3, being elegant, flowy, slow and yet confident at the same time. He was not doing his own style, just doing a horrid yet cordial dance.

I sat there for minutes, hours, maybe even days watching them dance. Time was but a fluid flowing past me. I did not notice I was getting wet. I don’t remember how long I sat there, watching, staring. I remember them going still immediately as if being told by someone to stop. As I went to push the button to alert my boss of this they all turned to the camera, to me, slowly in unison and opened their eyes

[asprngdeductionist]

Essay on Patrick Jane

Im Reposting some of my Best entries. Heres my essay on Patrick Jane

Introduction.

Patrick Jane is the main protagonist in the 2000's American TV show "The Mentalist" portrayed by Simon Baker. Patrick Jane is the main  protagonist on the show, and with a surprisingly the least morals  on the team of protagonists. We'll get to these later. Patrick Jane works in the California Bureau of Investigation (CBI), but later works for the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI). Both as a consultant. Before that, he was a professional mentalist that faked psychic powers to get money out of people.

Powers and abilities.

Patrick Jane possesses a powerful mental prowess. He is a master of tactics and people, especially knowing them. His observational skills are absolutely exceptional. I myself, am a deductionist/mentalist, so I know about how this works. His observational skills are at the level of the legendary deductionist Sherlock Holmes. I'd even bother to say that Patrick Jane was a better Sherlock Holmes than the Benedict Cumberbatch incarnation in the 2010 BBC's " Sherlock ". All deductions are focusing on 4 different  ways of information. Attire, Physicality, Verbal and non-verbal sources. In the case of Patrick Jane there are five,because he is a master of using his intuition. This is mostly framed as guesswork. 

Painful past and story

The story of the show starts off with introducing us to Patrick's past. And how The notorious serial killer "Red John" killing his wife and daughter because of his profession of being a fake psychic (mentalist).The rest of the story revolves around his redemption and act of revenge. After 6 seasons/ years of a cat and mouse battle of Patrick and Red John, with Patrick trying to find out who he  is and kill him for good. He accomplishes his goal of vengeance and kills his nemesis after a long battle of unraveling a secret society of corrupt law enforment officials all throughout the state of California. There is though another 1.5 seasons of the show. What happens then? He finds Final peace in his new love interest. Then the final wedding, we get the final moments of a peculiar show that brought excitement to its watchers for years.

The character's moral compass

Patrick JAne is a very grey character. He is the perfect balance between the Good guys of his team at CBI and his nemesis in Red John. He said it himself, and I can't sum it up more. "I don't care about the law, I care about justice." Seeing this quote, something comes to mind. He doesn't care about the rules of the world. The rules that other people set for everyone. He cares about his own morals and rules. "An eye for an eye" as they say. That's why he's so grey. The cops represent the law and the boundaries and Red John, the crimes and unhinchedness of everything. Patrick represents justice. There is a problem though. Not even Patrick is sure if his quest of vengeance is even good when you look at the quote: "Revenge is for fools and madmen." 

His allies 

Patrick Jane has a team. Just like Gregory House from "House MD" and even Sherlock Holmes. The team consists of a pretty good dynamic. Teresa Lisbon played by Robin Tunney is the boss and the one who doesn't agree with Patrick and questions his morals Just like Cuddy with House. Then we have rigsby and Van Pelt (Owain Yeoman and Amanda Righetti). Rigsby is the big and dumb and Van pelt is the good-girl i guess. And their whole arc revolves around them being in love and the rules not letting that happen. I think I can reference this to Chase and Cameron. Then we get to the most bad-ass character in the history of the show. Kimball Cho portrayed by by Tim Kang the buff asian with a robot-like character. I would make a reference to Foreman, but I'm not sure if there are any simmilarities.

Conclusion

The Character of Patrick Jane is a deeper concept when you think about it. His mental abilities and unique deduction style is most intriguing. I try my best at adapting it into my own. The depth of his morals is a nice addition to the generic 2000's crime drama that is "The Mentalist".

Happy Deducing!

[elapsed-spiral]

Fic Delivery Service!

So, AO3 is still down and looks like it might be down for a while (boo, leave the poor website alone, ya weirdos).

In the meantime, if you're desperate for a fic, I've got the following fics of mine available as PDFs. As an added bonus, I can send them to the email address of your choosing using the burner email account I used to make my Google Docs SMAU. In other words, if you fancy reading any of the following fics as a PDF, Stede Bonnet can send them to you! DM me if you'd like any!

Cool collaboration(s) you should read immediately:

Work Experience: what if Ed went to meet Stede when the Revenge ran aground? And what if Ed became a member of Stede’s crew? And what if things kept escalating and… Canon AU. Mature. Co-written with Shearwater.

Really no excuse for how stupid these ones are:

Watch Out, Here I Come: what if Stede had been intentionally seducing Ed? Teen

Once More, With Feeling: what if Frenchie just fixed the season 1 finale fiasco because he’s the most capable guy on the ship? Teen

Talent Show: what if Ed was crass about his sexual preferences? Explicit

Capsize on Your Thighs: what if Ed rebounded onto Calico Jack at the end of season 1? Ed/CJ and Ed/Stede (but Ed/Stede is endgame, natch). Explicit

Your Feedback is Important to Us: what if Stede started holding open cabin hours to allow the crew to air their grievances (but was also very repressed and horny over Ed)? Explicit

Oh no Ed’s working through gender/class stuff (but make it funny):

Finery: Ed gets to wear a dress, Stede spontaneously combusts. Explicit

Tell More Tales: Stede isn’t the only writer aboard the Revenge. Explicit

Lovers and Madmen: Ed is hellbent on marrying Stede. Explicit

AUs no-one asked for:

Conflict of Interest: lawyer!Stede/businessman!Ed (read: gangster). Modern AU. Explicit

Intergalactic Tango: Space Waltz AU. Mature

Trade Descriptions Act: bailiff!Ed/estate agent!Stede. Identity theft but make it meet cute. Modern AU. Teen

Baddy Zaddy: Bridget Jones’s Diary style, former porn star turned sex shop owner!Ed/still unfortunately landed gentry!Stede. Novel length modern AU. Explicit

Prize Every Time: You’ve Got Mail-y secret pen pals but also business rivals. Novel length modern AU. Explicit

Your Favourite Song: locksmith!Ed/museum curator!Stede. Kinktober fill that somehow isn’t E rated. Modern AU. Teen

Draft Letter to Restaurant Downstairs: Google Docs AU with a (slightly) interactive element. Modern AU. Teen

Blind Date: Stede and Jeffrey Fettering go on a blind date at Ed’s restaurant. I think you know where this is going. Modern AU. Explicit

Different Dimension: ficlet that crams four and a bit AUs into 850 words. Modern AU. Teen

Stuck Still: British holiday resort AU feat. events manager!Stede and bartender turned fairy!Ed (it makes sense in the story I swear). Modern AU. Explicit

On the Job: “kidnapping” meet cute (but not actually. Again, I swear it makes sense in the story). Modern AU. Teen

Starring Jason Statham: another weird meet cute, courtesy of Jack and the Fast and Furious franchise. Stede/Jack, Ed/Jack and Ed/Stede (Ed/Stede is once again end game). Modern AU. Teen

West Ham Is for Lovers: Lucius has a new job. It’s going fine. Completely, totally fine. A meet cute fic about meet cutes. Ed/Stede but also Lucius/Pete, Lucius/Fang, Lucius/Izzy and Lucius/Olu/Jim. Modern AU. Teen

Proud: Ed attends Pride to get free mum hugs, Stede attends Pride to give free dad hugs. Modern AU. Teen

Conventional: back in the 00s, Ed was in a very famous movie franchise. Nowadays, he does the convention circuit. Modern AU. Explicit

KrakenAir: Stede and the crew are heading to Benidorm to celebrate Stede coming out. That is, if Stede's all expenses spared KrakenAir flight ever departs. Modern AU. Teen

Oh no there’s been a containment breach (aka non-Blackbonnet fics):

We Do What We Like (and We Like What We Do): A brief history of Ed and Jack. Explicit (Ed/CJ)

Fealty: Stede and Izzy make one another even more miserable. Mature (Stede/Izzy)

Contra Proferentem: Ed is a high powered lawyer and Professor of Law at the University of Cambridge. Lucius is not a high powered lawyer but he is a lecturer of English Lit at the University of Cambridge. Stede own a very nice cafe. Explicit (platonic Ed/Lucius, Ed/Stede, no cheating involved)