#multi-layered defense

[jaijeijayjei]

I'm starting to realize people perceive Mel with the assumption that she has bad intentions, so that's all they see in her.

The writers have said Mel was written to seem as a one-dimensional manipulator, but in reality she is a multi-layered individual with complex motivations. Rewatching her earlier scenes with that in mind brings her into a completely new light.

(justification for these interpretations under the cut)

"Mel invested in Hextech for power and influence"

Or, she invested in them because she believed in Hextech's potential to change the world for the better?

"Mel pressured Jayce to reveal his new inventions so she can cash in on the profit"

Or, she understands Heimerdinger is stuck in the past and doesn't want him to hinder Jayce's progress?

"Mel sleeps with Jayce to make him more pliable"

Or, she genuinely admires Jayce and sees a way to be free of her family's bloody legacy by working alongside him.

"Mel turns Jayce into a corrupt politician for her own gain"

Or, Mel believes protecting Hextech's interest is more important than trade laws.

"Mel wanted Hextech weapons to make Piltover more powerful"

Or, she only wanted weapons as a last resort and for self-defense.

"Mel will do anything to prove herself to her family"

Or, Mel also wants to prove that ruling with diplomacy is superior to ruling with cold pragmatism and brute force.

Yes there are times Mel acts out of self-interest and a desire for power, but those aren't her only motivations. Mel subverts the "shady corrupt politician" trope, she is not defined by it.

I believe Mel is being genuine in her conversation with Jayce in S1 E5, about wanting to give back to the world. In her argument with Jayce in S2 E8, she explains why she invested in Hextech to begin with. She saw two brilliant scientists, capable of impossible things, rallying the hearts of a nation. Mel believed in Jayce and Viktor's potential to do good. Also, she has shown the wellbeing of Piltover (and in S2, the safety of Zaunites), are more important to her than personal gain.

Jayce specifically went to her for advice, and she gave it. Doesn't this imply Jayce views her as an ally or advisor as well as an investor? He clearly values her opinions.

During Mel's whole childhood, her family and homeland tried to shape her into someone she was not- a cold, pragmatic ruler willing to do anything to maintain power. Her way of ruling was scorned by her mother as "soft spined" and foolish, but with Jayce she found someone who believed in and appreciated her. Plus she was personally affronted when he left her in bed. It's more than likely she acted out of genuine attraction and admiration.

Side note: Jayce has already shown he's alright with breaking the rules for the greater good. He illegally experimented with magic, broke into Heimer's lab, and led an unsanctioned attack. Jayce and Mel are more aligned in this way than he realizes- Mel believes securing Hextech's future is more important than breaking a few trade laws. Jayce was in a vulnerable position, with a target on his back. She could have used that against him, but didn't.

Mel is a pragmatic pacifist, even from childhood. Mel is very much anti-war because she understands how destructive it is, having grown up in Noxus.

Mel's rift from her family is an ideological one- she values leading with diplomacy is disgusted by Noxus' brutality. If she can make Piltover successful, it proves that there are better ways to rule than what Noxus insists upon. Mel has also shown her morals are more important to her than power. She turns down opportunities to elevate her position tremendously by siding with her mother or advocating for an invasion because it goes against her moral compass.

[asidian]

Color symbolism in Dead Boy Detectives:

BLUE

In the context of Dead Boy Detectives, blue is emotional detachment.

It's also Edwin's color. Edwin wears blue throughout Dead Boy Detectives; it's part of his most common outfit, though in quite a few scenes his color scheme changes to reflect the narrative beat of the scene and his emotional state during it. (See brown, green, green (alt), and white.) I've talked at length here about the way Edwin distances himself from his emotions, likely learned as a defense mechanism during his time in hell.

Niko wears blue in the episode after Jenny's date goes horribly awry and she declares love to be a farce. She systematically rids her room of anything pink, symbolically purging herself of the emotions that led to the disaster in the previous episode, and attempts to address all of her problems with pure logic.

Monty wears blue in the episode when he puts his emotions for Edwin aside and plays along with Esther's scheme. Notably, the shirt that Monty hides with his blue jacket is a multi-colored striped shirt. It's a nod to all of the emotions he mentioned not having wanted, and he hides them all under the blue he layers on top.

The jocks in the Two Dead Dragons are in blue, not because they've chosen to distance themselves emotionally, but because they don't understand or care about how their actions affect the way other people feel.

Finally, Crystal's mental space is blue, because her neglectful parents have taught her not to trust people with her deeper emotions. Further inside her heart space, there are other colors (see pink and purple) but she's literally forgotten that they're there. This aspect of her personality, and the issues that stem from it, is what David the demon preys on, which is why he always appears in the blue space.

red | blue | pink | green | green (alt) | purple | orange | brown | black |white

[psychelis-new]

pick a pile: "What a beautiful flower you are"

take a breath and choose the photo or number that calls you the most to read a few words reminding you of how strong, worthy and important you are through every step of your journey. remind yourself of how flower can stand up in the rain and how they may grow through concrete. no matter what is going on, remember that at the end of the day you are always the best, strongest and most valuable flower around at any given time. you can't compare with anyone else, cause you're unique.

don’t take the reading too seriously. only take what resonates with you and leave the rest. if you're not called by any pile, let this reading slid as it may not hold messages for you. if you're called by more than one pile, there may be messages in each of those piles. remember that is a general reading and some things may not resonate with you. energies can change and readings are based on present ones (as you read); you're always in charge of your life. readings do not substitute real life experience nor professionals/doctors advices.

(photos found on unsplash)

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1 2 3 - ’ - ’ - ’ - ’ - ’ - ’ - ’ - ’ - ’ - ’ - ’ - ’ - ’ - ’ - ’ - ’ - ’ - - ’ - ’ - ’ - ’ - ’ - ’ - ’ - ’ - ’ - ’ - ’ - ’ - ’ - ’ - ’ - ’ - ’ -

pile 1

You make beautiful things grow around whatever negative may happen. You find the positive side in anything that happens and know how to start all over again from anything, trying to make it better. You welcome and nurture what hurts, you transform it in seeds that one day will give life to beautiful flowers just like you. I think you help a lot especially people around you in this process of seeing and finding a positive side, a different side from which to look at what happens and what has happened. You give new povs and new life to scraps and past (it could also be something you like to do creatively/practically, btw). I think those coming in touch with you are deeply changed and inspired by you. You probably forget to use this beautiful habit of yours for yourself too. Please, include yourself into this. You're as deserving of beautiful things as others. Nurture your own pain too, and do anything you can to make it grow into something beautiful and bright as you. And don't close off from others, don't hide your pain from those who'd love to help you. Let them do it for you. You deserve as much as you give away.

song: obsessed | mariah carey (don't be overly obsessed in helping others to the point of codependency, help yourself as well)

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pile 2

You may have experienced some difficult relationships (eg. family, love, friends, colleagues...) and now you kind of buildt a multi-layered wall around your heart so that people won't be able to make you suffer/betray you again. And yes it's hard for people to get in and hurt you but also to love you. And yes it may make you feel strong and in control but I think you may be also struggling a lot because of this. Being so overprotective of yourself, despite ofc understandable (it's a defense mechanism), is making you feel lonely too because it's blocking your connections from growing. You've been through a lot and you're still here but it's not because of your walls that you made it through. It's because of the love that pulse inside of you. Have a talk with your emotions, with your wounded ego, and realize that not everyone is here to hurt you. You're very much hurting yourself first by not letting others in in fear of something that may never happen. You can survive anything, you can defend yourself, you can call people out or ask for clarifications. It's not you the naive/"wrong" person if you trust others and they let you down or betray you. You cannot control what others do with what you give them, nor you're responsible of/guilty for that. Come back to you, master your emotions.

song: pure shores | all saints

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pile 3

I think at times you're confident and well but other times you let your self doubt come in between and make you fear you're saying or doing something bad? Ruining something or the day of someone else? Like you end up falling easily and fast into this negative mental pattern of being useless and inherently "bad" (guilty? unworthy?). I think it's a matter of growing acquainted with your boundaries, setting some healthy ones and not fear being judged (it may have happened a lot in your life) for them or not being appreciated anymore or abandoned if you stopped pleasing others. We need to respect ourselves too, not just others (and pleasing them is not the same as respecting them anyway: you can disagree/say no and still be respectful). It's like you forget about your worth (it doesn't depend on how good you perform) all of a sudden in fear of being left out. You may feel unsafe in setting your boundaries especially when stressed out (or it just may stress you as said), like you may fear being perceived as rude and left alone. It may be that you got manipulated or gaslighted into feeling always wrong, guilty or bad if you didn't acted as "expected of you". I'm sorry about this: remember you are inherently good and worthy, and you have the right to stand up for yourself. You won't end up alone. Find your inner balance and peace, go slow. You're already perfect.

song: underdog | you me at six

[mikuni14]

Our Youth - Ep 5

I love it when Japan makes this twist in the middle of the series and changes POV, showing the story so far from the perspective of another person, blowing viewers minds in the process. I LOVE IT. Utsukushii Kare did that, for example, but also many others. I also like it when the series is conducted with alternating POV from the beginning.

Watching Hirukawa breaks my heart. His POV was necessary, because so far he has been shown as such a brave, courageous, strong in his beliefs young man. But he is still just a kid in a situation that would overwhelm anyone. It's very good that his dark thoughts, his aggression boiling somewhere deep inside, were shown. I appreciate it, that domestic violence is not shown in this series as something that exists just somewhere in the back, as an aspect of ML's life that makes him "interesting and mysterious", so that he can be "nobly saved", as part of a romance. Meisenen clearly shows that violence always leaves traces and changes a person and this affects Hirukawa more than he thinks - because I get the impression that he thinks he has it all under control, he can even use it to get Minase back.

Another form of violence, invisible and in white gloves, is abandonment. And I also mean Hirukawa's mother. This whole situation made me frown from the beginning, but now I'm just disgusted with the "kind okasan". This 'inviting your own son home only when a new husband is absent' shit??? I'm sorry what??? The fact that she "doesn't know" about her son's situation is also far-fetched, somehow I doubt that her ex-husband started drinking and became violent on the day of the divorce. After all, she got divorced for a some reason, right? I won't even comment on leaving her child after the divorce to start building a new nest with a new guy and a new child. And how can she still believe that her son is covered in injuries from fights??? These aren't injuries from fighting with his peers, this is what a seriously beaten body looks like! So idk, is she dumb or is she pretending, because the situation right now is covenient for her?

I'm starting to wonder if Hirukawa telling himself that by allowing himself to be beaten he's protecting his mother isn't some desperate attempt to drown out the awareness that he was abandoned by his own mother.

How people have always been able to justify the violence that is done to them at home, this creation of incredibly complicated, multi-layered explanations and excuses for why they endure is so very, very sad.

Minase's parents are a separate story. From the outside, everything is beautiful, the boy has food, a nice house, no one even yells at him. But.. they don't talk to each other at all, like really talk, their phone conversations grow into big events, Minase calling his own dad is such a big deal. I understand parents busy with their careers, but why doesn't anyone call him every day to ask how his day was, if everything is okay, I mean he's still a kid! Minase's father didn't even find a moment for him to confirm that he noticed him at the event, to tell him that he was glad he was there? He invites his own child, his only child, to an important event for him and he doesn't care at all whether the child even got there. Like, it's your own event, you can ask the others to wait 5 minutes, it's not like they'll start anything without you! But for that, you would have to start prioritizing your child over other people and yourself, right?

It's unbelievable how abandoned Hirukawa and Minase are, left to their own devices, how they have to deal with their own reality and the reality of the adults in their lives, who should be managing their own shit and supporting their children. It's really no wonder that they found each other and are drawn to each other. No one has given them both even a semblance of a sense of security, they are so disconnected from what's going on around them, they have created so many defense mechanisms that it's a miracle that they can create this wonderful relationship together at all.

I'm moved by how Hirukawa still chooses kindness, honesty, how he is terrified by the darkness that lurks within him and demands an outlet from time to time. Likewise, that in all this bullshit reality created by the adults, they both try to communicate, slowly accept their relationship, lean on each other, try to create a normal relationship with taking selfies, writing normal, cute messages to each other. It's all very baeutiful and moving. I adore them so much and I'm so worried about them..

[soon-palestine]

So it turns out that Elons trip to Israel wasn't just for kosher theater and an IDF propaganda tour.

A secret meeting took place while he was there that went virtually unreported by any news media outlets.

In attendance was Netanyahu, Musk's tour organizer, investor Omri Casspi, Brigadier General Danny Gold, Head of the Israeli Directorate of Defense Research & Development and one of the developers of Iron Dome, Aleph venture capital funds partner Michael Eisenberg, and Israeli cybersecurity company CHEQ CEO Guy Tytunovich who is ex-israeli intelligence unit 8200.

The six men talked about technology in the service of Israel's defense, dealing with fake content and anti-Semitic and anti-Israeli comments, and the use by non-democratic countries of bots as part of campaigns to change perceptions, including on the X platform.

The solution Musk was presented was the Israeli unicorn CHEQ, a company founded by ex-Israeli intelligence unit 8200 CEO Guy Tytunovich that combats bots and fake users.

Following the meeting, Elon signed an agreement with cheQ, and apparently, the reason for the quick closing of the deal was Elons "direct involvement" with the company.

Now. What they won't tell you.

Israel is primarily responsible for the creation of bots. There currently exists dozens of ex-Israeli intelligence firms whose sole purpose is perception management, social media influencing/manipulation, disinformation campaigns, psychological operations, opposition research, and honey traps.

They create state of art, multi layer, AI avatars that are virtually indistinguishable from a real human online. They infiltrate target audiences with these elaborately crafted social-media personas and spread misleading information through websites meant to mimic news portals. They secretly manipulate public opinion across app social media platforms.

The applications of this technology are endless, and it has been used for character assassination, disruption of activism/protest, creating social upheaval/civil unrest, swaying elections, and toppling governments.

These companies are all founded by ex-Israeli intelligence and members of unit 8200. When they leave their service with the Israeli government, they are backed by hundreds of billions of dollars through Israeli venture capital groups tied to the Israeli government.

These companies utilize the technology and skills learned during their time served with Israeli intelligence and are an extension of the Israeli government that operates in the private sector.

In doing so, they operate with impunity across all geographical borders and outside the bounds of the law. The Israeli government is forbidden by law to spy on US citizens, but "ex" Israeli intelligence has no such limitations, and no laws currently exist to stop them.

Now back to X and Elon Musk.

Elon met with these people in secret to discuss how to use X in service of Israel's defense.

Elon hired an ex-Israeli intelligence firm to combat the bots…. that were created by another ex-israeli intelligence firm.

Elon hired an ex-israeli intelligence firm to verify your identity and collect your facial biometric data.

Do you see the problem yet?

Israel now has end to end control over X. Israel can conduct psychological operations and create social disinfo/influence campaigns on X with impunity. They now have facial biometric data from millions of people that can be used to create and populate these AI generated avatars.

They can manipulate public opinion, influence congressmen and senators, disrupt online movements, manipulate the algorithm to silence dissenting voices against Israel, and they can sway the US elections.

When the company that was hired to combat the bots is also Israeli intelligence…

Who is going to stop them?

Cyberspace is the wild.west. There are currently no laws on the books to regulate foreign influence on social media. There is nothing to stop them from conducting psychological operations and disinformation campaigns on unsuspecting US citizens. These companies operate with impunity across all geographical boundaries and there is nobody to stop them. But don't take my word for it.

For anyone wondering what the end game is for this, it was recently verbalized by Vivek Ramaswamy here on X. To narrow and completely eliminate the gap between what we say (think) in private and in public. In practice, the thought police of the future. And X is actively working on it.

[silverlullabies]

Harry Potter and the Coalition of Chaos (1)

Simon “Ghost” Riley remembers dying.

The bullet from Shepherd. The fire. The agony. The soul deep grief of failing Roach.

And then… a crib? A onesie?? A rattle???

What.

Or, in which ten elite special ops soldiers die, but wind up waking up as babies with the memories of their previous lives intact. And what the hell do you mean magic is real??

Or, in which:

- Puberty, Round Two: Electric Boogaloo

- A generous interpretation of “school rules”

- The Hogwarts staff reevaluating their careers, their life decisions, and whether mass resignation is a valid magical defense.

- The author wondering what Harry Potter would look like if it had anyone with an ounce of common sense

Featuring tactical cuddle piles, wand enhanced violence, emotional damage, weaponized childhood trauma, strategic snacks, and a Divination room that’s been converted into a legally gray war bunker.

Aka the Call of Duty/Harry Potter crossover crackfic nobody asked for but the author had fun writing anyway.

There was no glory in this death.

No last stand. No honorable sacrifice.

Just a blinding flash of pain, a lot of shouting, and then-

Crying.

A lot of crying.

Not from them, of course.

They were professionals.

They didn’t cry.

…Except maybe now they did.

***

Simon Riley opened his eyes to a light so offensively bright it felt like God had slapped him in the face with a flashlight and a grudge. His head lolled to the side with all the structural integrity of a half-cooked noodle. Alarm bells rang in his skull. His neck wasn’t working. His arms were flopping like overcooked sausages. His legs twitched with the violent impotence of a man used to drop kicking doors and now reduced to gently flailing in place like an angry rainbow trout.

No tactical control. No muscle memory. Not unless you counted the phantom echo of breaching a room with a flashbang, which had apparently been overwritten by the horrifying new experience of peeing himself mid-scream.

He was in a cot.

A cot.

Covered in pastel blankets. Wearing a onesie with a duck on it.

And someone-some deranged, cheerful someone-was cooing at him.

“There’s our little man, aren’t you strong!”

Strong?

STRONG??

He had killed men in the dark with nothing but a knife and poor impulse control. He had survived torture, betrayal, and a complete psychological collapse in a bathtub at 3am with only whiskey and spite to keep him company.

And now he was being called a “little man” by a man who thought peekaboo counted as a tactical maneuver.

Simon Riley, formerly known as Ghost, elite Tier One operator and human embodiment of ‘do not perceive me’, let out a shriek that could only be described as a multi-layered symphony of pure, unfiltered rage, the kind of existential horror you feel when you accidentally open your front camera, and a shrill, desperate “WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK” in B-flat.

From somewhere in the distance-possibly the kitchen, possibly hell- his new “mum” laughed.

“He’s so vocal!”

Vocal?

He was screaming for his life.

He tried to yell “WHERE THE BLOODY HELL AM I,” but what emerged from his mouth was “WaaAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!”

Which only confirmed it.

He wasn’t hallucinating. He wasn’t in a coma. He wasn’t being tortured in some weird MK-Ultra sleep regression chamber.

He was a baby.

A small, soft, baby.

In a duck-covered onesie.

Who had just pissed himself and couldn’t lift his own head.

“Christ,” he thought furiously, eyes wide with horror, “this is it. This is hell. This is divine punishment. This is purgatory, but with rattles.”

He flailed again. Useless. Tiny fists batting the air like a malfunctioning Roomba. He wanted a gun. He got a pacifier. He tried to sit up. He rolled. His body squeaked.

Unacceptable.

“Babies,” he thought, unblinking, “aren’t stupid. They’re just trapped.”

He stared at the fuzzy mobile above his crib, the soft tune of Twinkle Twinkle playing like a funeral dirge for his dignity. The spinning sheep mocked him. The pastel clouds laughed. One of the plush stars looked suspiciously judgmental.

“They remember,” he thought darkly. “They remember dying. They remember taxes. They remember the mission that went wrong in Kazakhstan. They remember crying, not because they’re helpless, but because they know they were once gods.”

And now?

Now he couldn’t even hold up his own fucking head.

But the worst part- the absolute cherry on this cursed sundae-

He was alone.

No comms. No backup. No squad. No Laswell barking orders. No Soap mouthing off. No Price.

Just him, his existential spiral, and a stuffed giraffe with dead eyes.

And so, Simon Riley-operator, monster, myth- lay back in his duck-patterned prison and let out a howl that shook the nursery.

Continue on my AO3

[randomguy0ntumbir]

Reasons the Tears of the Kingdom Zora Quest is hands down the best of the four "Regional Phenomena" quests (moderate spoilers):

-Sidon

-the Zora's domain is gorgeous

-the sludge is genuinely annoying and makes you want to get rid of it

-the whole quest is an multi-layered, befuddling puzzle that takes time and head-scratching to figure out

-the childrens' game is very funny

-the "missing" tablet piece being like four feet away from the rest is very funny

-the Sludge Like that appears at one point being titled "The Ambusher of Mipha's Court" is very funny

-Sidon

-swimming up a waterfall and flying out the top wheeeeeee

-the sky fish literally being just a regular island shaped like a fish is very funny

-Dorephan's hideout being behind a waterfall, the most cliche videogame trope, somehow works because

-A. the Zora domain having like 20 waterfalls makes you either not register to check them or get bored after the 5th one

-B. the Zora armour makes you not realise that there might be something behind waterfalls because you now expect their gameplay purpose to be wheeeeeee

-it's already funny how short Link is but seeing him next to Sidon is just that much more funny

-I swear the quest has a lot more cutscenes and setpieces than the other ones

-Sidon

-the water temple being in the sky makes no fucking sense and yet it does

-the journey to and the water temple being isolated in the sky makes it feel more like a Prominent Location and less like just another point of interest

-the trek to the water temple is long and complex and obtuse and has many enemies and is dramatic as fuck

-low gravity wheeeeeee

-the water temple is gorgeous

-the water temple's puzzles feel more like puzzles and less like "find seven things" (looking at you, fire and wind temples)

-the water temple's two left puzzles fking rock

-SIDON LITERALLY PROPOSES TO LINK

-Sidon's ability in combat is somewhat more nuanced than "big rock man go boom" or "big lightning lady go boom"

-Sidon's regular weapon is a spear, giving him both speed, range, defense, and utility

-Sidon's wink face is peak character design

-everyone in the kingdom coming to see Sidon's coronation and it's like 20 people is very funny

-Sidon actually figured out that Zelda is in to the past and the current one is an identity thief, unlike most other sages

-Sidon

[kiruamon]

Don't wake me up - AU Introduction

Cooking up another au idea. So first take these sketches and my info dump will follow further below. Also this feels like one of my more darker aus when I look at the amount of angst involved.

Sun

Moon

Y/N

Soooo... I was thinking of an au with dreams as a theme. Sun and Moon being an entity or guardian of dreams. While Sun stands for the good dreams Moon is in care of nightmares.

And into this setting I decided to throw a Y/N who has only very recently gone blind. They had always loved to create art. So to suddenly being unable to see was shattering their whole world. What's making it worse is that they always had been very independent and pride of what they achieved soley on their own. The thought to be dependent of others was something they never had liked.

But now even in their own home they don't feel any longer in control or autonomous. It's a struggle to navigate around. Bumping into furniture. Memorizing the distance from the bed to the door. Not knocking anything from the desk by accident or crawling under it if it does happen and feeling around for their keys without being able to use their vision to find them. It's frustrating and makes them feel like a stranger in their own place that should usually feel safe and familiar. But now it's all: Where did I put my phone? Was the grater in the drawer under the silverware or left from it? Did I grabbed a spoon or a fork? Which of my sweaters am I holding right now? Hopefully not the ugly christmas sweater I got four years ago? Does the shirt even match the rest or are the colors clashing with each other? Everything feels slowed down and like a big pain since things are still so fresh. Even worse that they have to let a stranger into their life to help them out that is supposed to teach them how to slowly cope with their new situation. It doesn't matter much to Y/N that said caretaker isn't human. They want their vision back so badly. And if that's not possible just to be left alone. Feeling overly emotional over the smallest things and then quickly burnt out. Every little thing is just too much. Being so stressed out and all... their only safe place for them is their dreams. It's where they feel the most normality and comfort. To sleep and to dream means for them to be free. To enjoy the colors and shapes of their dream environmental without any restricts that hold them back.

And that's where they meet Sun during one of their dreams. Not thinking too much of the strange encounter at the start. After all, it's just a dream. There could be much weirder things as a tall animatronic that claims himself to be a dream guardian. It's just odd how often they start to met since their first encounter. But Sun's nice. A very friendly and jolly fellow with an optimistic personallity that's kind of delightful. And Y/N finds himself quickly warming up to their new dream friend. Strolling through the dream realm with Sun and having some silly fun adventures without Y/N needing to worry that they could run into something by accident like in reality. But with time passing by Sun is starting to ask questions about Y/N. Questions that feel like hitting to close to home to them. That they don't want to answer. That they do not want to think about. After all they are hiding into their dreams to escape reality. Not to face their problems. Sun means well, but when he starts prying with his questions Y/N gets defensive and at some point snaps at him. And with the negative emotions flowing over their dream starts to shift. Bringing up more of their hidden fears and tinting it to become more of a nightmare.

Y/N finding themself suddenly alone in an eery nightmarish place. Full of dulled and muddled colors. Their surroundings looking close to a multi layer paper cutout full of symbols that represent their fears and worries which they had tried to desperately deny. The place gives them the shivers. Their shouting out for Sun. But he doesn't seem to be anywhere anymore. So they start running. Searching for him just to fall into a pitch-black pit that feels like it grows deeper and deeper with every second they are into it. Heart rate is going through the roof and panic is spiking up. That's when someone pulls them out. But before they can have a look at them the person they wake up from their nightmare. Next time when Y/N is back to sleep Sun is immediately there and telling them how worried he had been about them. Taking them in their arms and apologizing over and over for upsetting them. At the question where he had disappeared to last time he tells Y/N that he had been looking for them as soon as the dream had been shifting. Aside from that he seems a bit reluctant to tell them more about it. But from that day on Y/N finds themself a bit more often faced with nightmares and feeling as if someone was watching them during those times. Which turns out to be true as he spots a hooded figure at the edge of his vision a few times before finally being able to confront them. Feeling already unsettled and in fight or flight mode Y/N settles for the first option when catching Moon sneaking around them once more. Unbeknownst to them that Moon and Sun are practically one and the same entity. Just that Moon is in charge of their body in the realm of nightmares and Sun in the realm of good dreams.

Moon is more annoyed with Y/N's defensive and stubborn attitude as Sun is. But it might also not help that Moon himself is very tight-lipped instead of trying to explain things. So the two aren't off with the best start. And Sun has some explaining to do when he and Y/N meet the next time. Despite this rough start with Moon Y/N will find out that the more grumpy dream guardian is staying close to them whenever they find themself back in a nightmare instead of hiding like before. Giving them a bit closure with their presence and words and helping them to guide them slowly out of their nightmares back into more peaceful dreams where Sun will take over again.

As things progress there comes a time where Y/N will hardly want to get out of bed anymore. Just wanting to sleep. To go back into this world of dreams where they feel free instead of struggling all day without knowing what for. They are at a rough place. And they find themself wishing to stay longer and longer in their dreams with Sun and Moon. The world where they feel whole.

Of course Sun and Moon notice what is going on. The dreams after all depict the things that are going subconsciously and consciously on in Y/N's mind. It's hard for them if the two bring up their blindness. Or that they have to wake up instead of keep dreamig on forever. To start to live their life again. It's a messy time for them all and a lot of ups and downs. But with those confrontations and growing closer to the two guardians Y/N finds themself also becoming more vulnerable and slowly opening up to them. Admitting that they are scared. That they feel useless and like having lost so many things. Not knowing what to do. It takes a lot of time, patience and comfort from Sun and Moon as well as some firm words to slowly convince Y/N to start working on their fears in the real world. Y/N's dreams during this time are very unstable and easily shifting often between good and nightmarish during the course of one night. But they are slowly trying to work things out.

It takes a lot of them to ask the animatronic that had been assigned to take care of them for help. Not only because Y/N feels pretty shitty for having lashed out verbally in the past for a bunch of minor little things that had got them riled up during this time, but also because it's still hard for them to rely on someone this much. But all their conversations with Sun and Moon have teached them that's okay to ask for help. And so they do. Slowly finding their way back into life. Learning how to cope with their blindness. What tools to use to navigate better through their daily life. Learning that's okay to be vulnerable. It's a little surprise to Y/N when they find out that the name of their caretaker is Eclipse. A very patience and kindhearted animatronic. The round head plate with the triangular rays feels all so familiar under their fingers when he allows them to run their hands over them. Eclipse is the one helping Y/N out in their daily life. Cooking together and giving them all kinds of tips and tricks. Guiding them with his directions and gentle voice. He even brings up things like tactile art, sculpting and other things Y/N hadn't thought of before since they had believed they would have to give up on art completely. But slowly there is new hope found. And with each little achievement Y/N will find themself more independent over time. Finding joy in creation again and even some new things. While they always had liked music they also find a new interest in audiobooks. Even though they enjoy it even more when Eclipse will read for them while they sit together on the couch with a cup of hot chocolate in their hands and leant against him. Since Y/N grows more and more fond towards Eclipse to a point where they even found their more cheerful side back. It comes as a shock when Eclipse is telling them someday that he will soon quit his job as their caretaker. Since he feels that Y/N has grown independent enough again for not needing a full-time caretaker anymore. It leaves a bitter taste for Y/N as they had started to grow so used to having the other around and now feeling as if losing Eclipse again. Questioning the fact if they even had been friends or if they had been just another job for him. But at the same moment they start having those insecure thoughts they feel guilty about them. After all Eclipse had done so, so much for them and they don't want to taint their last time with him with acting like an upset or ungrateful child. So Y/N decides to just tell Eclipse how thankful they feel for everything he has done for them and that they wish him the best. Just for Eclipse to chuckle softly and telling them that he doesn't intend to make this their last meeting. He swiftly explains to Y/N that he only wants to quit the job in order to be able to be their friend without it feeling like he is paid to be nice to them.

Aaaalso some side notes to Sun and Moon. While they are like a dream entity or like I call them the guardians of dream it's not like they can do whatever they want in the dream realm. Besides their transformation they can not just wave their hand and change what happens in a dream. Their influence on the dreams is more subtle and depending if they are able to calm down the dreamer. So it's more like their interactions and words with the dreamer will affect the dreamers thoughts and subconcious and that will influence the dream. So if Sun for an example senses Y/N getting upset he will most of the time swiftly change topics and trying to use distraction as a method to keep the dream nice and peaceful. Asking about things Y/N likes and that feel safe to adress. Since Moon is just there when the dreamer is already in a nightmare his method is more about showing support. Staying close to them as some form of protection. He will take Y/N's hand or later on take them in his arms. Brushing over his back and keep talking with them in a calm voice. Letting them vent about their fears while giving some guidance if needed.

So it's all more about their skills in interacting and subtle manipulation via words (in a more healthy way) as having some magical superpowers.

Ooookay, that was a lot. And I hope it's not too confusing to follow my line of thoughts. There will be a second post entry that focuses more on some sketches that I did for this au and that will show some of the things mentioned here.

[aesethewitch]

Personal Protection: Surviving the Holidays

I'm of the opinion that far too many people around this time of year are fucking around, and it's high time they get to the finding out part. With major holidays right around the corner, many of us will be facing relatives we'd rather not see, parties we'd rather not go to, and conversations we'd rather avoid or exit as soon as possible. Political spats, unwanted opinions, snide remarks -- I believe that what you give out, you ought to receive back.

So, obviously, let's do some magic about it.

There are three main components to my method:

The Bubble;

The Quills; and

The Shake

The Bubble

Exactly what it sounds like, "the bubble" is the outermost layer of protection around you. It's the barrier between you and the unpleasantness you're trying to keep out.

The bubble can be one item carried or worn (such as a hat, crystal, or charm), or it can be multiple. I usually spring for two items, one to absorb/recycle and one to bounce/return to sender.

Absorb:

I've got a relative who is, at their essence, a fucking downer. That would be fine if not for the fact that if they're having a bad time or are mildly uncomfortable, it's about to be everyone's problem. This kind of negativity is something to absorb, not bounce. Sending it back would only double their misery, and that's no good for anyone.

So, instead, I have a special charm that I make for occasions when I know they're going to be around. It consists of a little piece of sponge that's sat in salt for a while atop a transformative sigil. The sponge, once fully charged and ready, will absorb the negative energy and recycle it into more positive feelings.

This means that their negativity won't impact me at all, and I actively improve the atmosphere. Their bad attitude can't do anything if everyone around us is only getting good vibes. The charm is powered by the exchange of negative to positive energy, so it requires no charging. However, it's smart to discard the sponge once it's done its job.

Bounce:

But sometimes, somebody's got to face real consequences. There are some things I don't want to deal with at all. Like gross political opinions from my conservative, religious family members. Or questions about having children.

The idea of the bounce is to reflect things before they reach me. It's a sort of glamor spell that projects an aura of "don't bother." It essentially lets me be passed over for conversations I want to leave or avoid entirely by bouncing attention away from me.

Negative energy, bad vibes, whatever you want to call it -- the goal is to return it to where it's coming from. Someone who's being an asshole will feel like an asshole. If it works right, they'll stop talking altogether because they're so irritated with what they're saying. I've had aggressive, vocal relatives go completely silent because they were receiving their own rancid energy back to themselves instead of the attention they were hoping for.

For me, this spell takes the form of a charm on my keys. It's a form of an evil eye charm -- not the blue-eyed stare you most likely think of, but another symbol meant to distract attention from me to it. It's a little pewter casting of the fig sign, an old and obscene gesture. It works on malevolent spirits best, but it does a great job of repelling unfortunate people, too. It bounces their nonsense back to themselves, often causing confusion, which forces them to reconsider what they're saying.

Again, this lives on my keys, which live in a key bowl when they're not clipped to my pocket or belt loop. The key bowl has a multi-purpose charging setup for the keys, my wallet, and other assorted charms I might wear when I go out.

The Quills

Sometimes, things get past our main line of defenses. That's fine, it happens. But under these circumstances, it happens because someone has deliberately crossed a line. So now, they get the quills.

When I say "the quills," you should be picturing something like a porcupine. Adorable, yes, but fuck with it at your own risk. Those quills aren't just for show, and neither should yours be. This is your second line of defense, and it's where we turn to offense.

Accordingly, the quills aren't passive spells like the bubble. These require conscious activation and direction to give you maximum control over their output. You can make your quills passive, but I often find that baneful workings work best when you're specifically choosing to use them.

Yes, baneful, and let me be perfectly clear: The goal is to harm whoever's crossed the line. You're not just returning to sender. You're catching what they've thrown at you, lighting it on fire, and pitching it back at full force.

To that end, there are two approaches I typically take (and are you sensing a pattern? I like to do things in twos). One spell to sharpen the tongue and give as good as I've gotten, and one to induce the smallest of lingering curses on the target.

Sharpen

The whole point of the quills is to make yourself an inconvenient, difficult target. Part of being difficult to swallow is not going down easily. Often, the answer is to avoid the conversation or problem altogether, but it isn't always possible. Or satisfying.

Sometimes, you gotta take a bitch down.

For me, this charm needs to do two things. It should boost my confidence in standing my ground and add some oomph to my argument. I have a pin with a particular design on it charmed for this purpose. The needle operates as the quill for stabbing (the oomph), and the design provides the confidence. Anointed with my Fuck Off Oil and laid in a dish of salt, garlic, and red chili flakes, the pin becomes extra spicy and effective.

This one has to be recharged each time it's used. It always lives on the same jacket, but I'll anoint it regularly to keep it fresh. If I use the charm on someone, I'll take the pin off at the end of the night and set it in the spicy salt mixture.

Linger

By far one of the most effective methods for reducing nonsense from unpleasant people I interact with regularly is lingering consequences. When someone associates bad luck with interacting with you, even on a subconscious level, they tend to avoid you.

Consider this the "slow poison" on the quills. The goal isn't to ruin their life by any means (although, I suppose you could...). It's just to make yourself unpalatable on an instinctive level. Think of how poisonous frogs are brightly colored to display that they're, you know, deadly. That's what we're doing here.

I prefer to use something kind of dangerous. Something you can hold onto and point with is best, in my experience. I've used a broken piece of glass, a rusty nail or screw, and various thorns. Right now, I'm using one half of a rusty pair of old cooking shears. The handle broke, but the blades are still sharp as hell. Waste not, and all that.

Anoint whatever the sharp, dangerous thing is in an oil infused with herbs and spices of your choice (again, the Fuck Off Oil is a good example). Or, if you prefer, coat it in something like hot sauce, urine, rust, or other corrosive and unpleasant things. Once prepared, stow it in your bag. Or your glove box, if you drive, since this makes a nice on-the-go curse to cast at shitty drivers.

You don't need to pull it out for it to work, but if you can get to a safe, secluded space (like a bathroom), it can help you focus. When you're creating it, you should set up an activation word, phrase, or motion. I prefer a motion -- something like tapping wherever the object is, a swirling movement with my hand, and then pointing at the target.

The curse you place is up to you. I tend to go for something like feeling nauseous or getting a headache. The spell should draw a connection between them being nasty to you and the unpleasant feeling, whether overt or subconscious. They'll be more cautious and reluctant to be a dick to you afterwards.

The Shake

Like a dog. Get that shit off of yourself.

No matter how thorough you are, there are always gaps and particularly stubborn people getting into them. Something they say just sticks to you like a burr, sharp and irritating. Or depressing, maybe.

The idea behind the shake is literal. You're forcibly removing the heavy weight or annoying itch someone else has placed on you. The shake isn't necessarily an item like with the bubble and quills. It can be, but it doesn't have to be.

Essentially, the steps to the shake are:

Identify what feels bad

Shake that shit

Resume normal activities

Maybe it's the neurodivergent in me, but physical movement is incredibly soothing. Self-regulation tactics are essential for survival. Transforming that into a little spell ritual at the same time is just two birds with one stone.

When things get overwhelming or I can feel my bubble failing to keep everything out at once (such as if a fight breaks out or someone decides to go in depth about one of my triggers), I remove myself from the situation. That's the first step. Retreat to a safe place, whether that's outside, in my car, in the bathroom, or elsewhere that's quiet. The second step is to figure out where in my body the anxiety or bad feeling is sitting. Often, it's in my shoulders and hands, but sometimes it's elsewhere.

Step three is to fucking shake. Shake those hands, roll my shoulders, jump up and down. Whatever it takes. As I do, I'm forcibly dislodging everything unpleasant out of myself and into the open air. And because I've got the negativity-absorbing bubble, it'll take the bad feeling and repurpose it into something more positive. Then, once I'm better, I can go back.

Again, you don't need an object for this, but you can certainly create one. Options would be comforting items, fidget toys, or even something like a joint. Sometimes, you just gotta blow smoke about it. You know?

Fun fact, though: You could also carry a vessel to contain the Bad Feelings for later use instead of letting your bubble absorb them. This comes in handy for people who are particularly abusive... as an example of what you want them to experience under the force of a more involved cursing.

If you like my work, consider throwing a tip my way! Supporters get early, exclusive, and extended access to my work for as low as $3.

[paperback-rascal]

Hi 👉👈

I love your "Kix the cf99 medic" and it made me think about writing a fic about Wrecker going to a casual medical checkup and the medic/doctor/Kix almost has an aneurysm because of how many untreated injuries he has that healed on their own, BUT

I don't have a lot of medical knowledge, so do you have any suggestions of what stuff could be wrong with him besides crudely healed bone breaks, almost ripped tendons or badly scarred/burned stiff skin?

First of all - I hope you're going to tag me once that fanfiction it's done! You have no idea how I crave The Bad Batch and Kix artworks/stories! It is a void!

Second of all - I'm not a medical professional nor I'm in any shape or form related by no means with medicine/medical science. My whole "medical knowledge" is bunch of Wikipedia articles, one book about plagues (that I still didn't finish) and one civil defense course book from my high school days... and maybe couple of youtube videos.

With that in mind... (rest of the answer is under the cut/read more)

I don't mind all of the "crudely healed bone breaks", "almost ripped tendons" and "badly burned flesh" stories. I know they seem like obvious, tried-and-true formulas but I can't say 'no' to a well written, entertaining story - it's almost the same feeling like drinking a good cup of coffee - it never gets old! So if you (or anyone, really) feel the premise is not good enough... well, it is good as any other starting point!

However if you ask me what would I consider an interesting approach to a scenario in which "a routine check-up goes wrong", I think that the most 'oomph!' would be a domino effect - starting with a minor complain that later turns out to be a symptom of a multi-layered issue of one neglected thing after the other that wasn't done properly the first time/was overlooked - because let's face it - that how most medical emergencies starts and it is now getting fixed because someone (either a patient or a health professional) just pressed further to find the root cause. With The Bad Batch it could be especially interesting since they most likely have to fend for themselves during/right after missions so a lot of shortcuts and misinterpretation of data could be part of the issue.

Positioning Kix as "outsider looking in" could also be interesting starting point - Is he a stubborn medic going against the grain despite Clone Force 99/other medics telling him "that's how it always has been" or because he is an "outsider' (and most likely took the SW!equivalent of Hippocratic Oath?) so The Bad Batch feel more comfortable to confide to him their issues?

Also we all assume the issues have to be... grand in nature but a LOT of them that later wreak havoc starts small - an untreated ear infection, bad/rotten tooth, crooked/uneven nasal septum, allergies, etc. in the Batch's case they can be overlooked simply because "oh look! A shrapnel! Let's put Bacta on it" or by a simple assumption e.g. "Wrecker is huge so his muscles have to hurt due to his accelerated growth" or "of course his blood tests are off the charts - he is a defective clone after all" or even the other way "of course he doesn't have XYZ, it's all in his head/he is faking it, he is a CLONE after all and none of the clone troopers have such issues".

There are countless possibilities! So all in all it all boils down to - how comfortable are you in writing medical situations?

---

The ask is in relation to this tag -> [LINK] <-

===

STAR WARS: The Clone Wars © George Lucas/ Dave Filoni/ LucasFilm/ Disney

[a-bottle-of-tyelenol]

~ EPIC modern beyblade au ~

odysseus — backstory & bey

- odysseus art by ximena natzel -

- bey design by me -

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧ ✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧ ✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧ ✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧ ✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

💜 - odysseus is a hobbiest bey mechanic and often challenges his opponents under the pretense of the loser giving up their bey. as such, he has a vast collect of beys at his disposal that he’s slowly mastered and experimented with over the years, including his trojan horse bey that he won nationals with. he often switches which one he’ll battle with, depending on the opponent, but striking cyclops is one that he tends to default to.

🩵 - cyclops was originally owned by poseidon, a member of ‘the jury’ (a title given to the twelve greatest bladers in the world) and it was used in a competition where it defeated, and actually destroyed, the bey belonging to polites. odysseus, in response, challenged poseidon to an unofficial match that poseidon lost, thus requiring him to hand over his striking cyclops to the victor. since then, poseidon has been vying for another, much more official, match trying to get his prized bey back.

💜 - odysseus was technically deemed apart of the jury after he defeated athena in a competitive match. however, he rejected the title and quit beyblading soon after so his being a member is in spirit alone. his fans see him as one, but the bey world and most of the jury members don’t, and it’s a constant feud between the communities, made worse by his disappearance from competitive blading. this is why his match against poseidon, which happened after he quit, was unofficial.

🩵 - very few people actually know why he quit, with athena being one of them after she tracked him down to ask why he refused her spot in the jury. basically, “the trojan war” equivalent here was a series of competitions (leading up to nationals), with the end goal being a chance to challenge a jury member of your choice for their spot. odysseus had obviously won and chose athena, but prior to that he had to battle alongside the greatest bladers of their time. one of them being hector, who lost in the finals despite being a fan favorite and, on his way out, said that he battled for his family but that the time and commitment required of him lead him missing a lot of milestones for his son, astyanax. odysseus, who had a son and wife of his own, was shaken by this encounter and opted to put down blading so he could raise his son.

💜 - the choice to reject his membership to the jury was seen as highly controversial, especially given how beloved hector was by everyone and how odysseus’ choice to deny the jury’s spot was essentially screwing him over. in odysseus’ defense, however, it wasn’t him who defeated hector. it was actually achilles, who knocked him out before odysseus could actually fight him. odysseus actually finds all the vitriol towards him to be wildly unjustified since he wasn’t the one who defeated achilles either! not that it really matters since odysseus doesn’t interact with that part of the community anymore and focuses far more on his personal life.

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧ ✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧ ✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧ ✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧ ✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

🩵 - with a thick multi-layer fusion wheel emulating a rocky terrain, striker cyclops is a heavy-weight defense type with a round performance tip that allows for a smoother glide across the stadium. with its weight, however, cyclops is not built for high maneuverability or drawn out endurance battles. still, cyclops is able to deter even the most determined of bey attacks with it’s clunky top.

💜 - despite being a defense type, cyclops is known for its incredible attack power as well. specifically, to cover its own weaknesses, cyclops’ energy layer comes with a flowering design that sticks up in the air, allowing it to hook on to its opponent and deal a mighty blow when launched at an extreme angle (further sacrificing endurance and control) or when beginning to wobble/lose stamina. this typically allows cyclops to take its opponents down with it, but the dual-ring forge disc with a round performance tip will often allow cyclops the ability to recover just enough for a survivor finish.

— bey art* design notes —

Disclaimer: this bey is based more on the burst generation of beys, but I just cram shit together until it looks cool so it has aspects of the metal saga generation of beys and, as such, I use a combination of terms from both generations. None of this is particularly accurate to IRL beys or anything you’d find competitively.

The fusion wheel (the metal part of the top layer—the grey) is based on Polyphemus’ cave. the energy layer (the plastic part of the top layer— the purple and red) is based on the lotus flower and I decided to go with purple because I thought it tied nicely with the red of the Cyclops Saga, the lotus eaters had purple/pink eyes, and I wanted it to be a reference to Odysseus’ purple cloak in the Odyssey.

The lotus flower “death blow” concept is based on Polyphemus’ club and how it’s used in both the Cyclops and Circe Saga as this final move it only uses as a last resort. At first, I was going to base this idea on Xcalius (Xander’s bey in beyblade burst) because it has a sword on its energy layer that sticks out to hit opponents.

But there wasn’t a great way to do that without basically making it shaped like a sword. So, then, I played with the idea of adding a spin track with lotus “petals” that would extend like the claws from Flame Sagittario (Kenta’s bey in the metal saga)—

(Not my picture.)

—which is why those purple layers are there beneath the fusion wheel. But I didn’t like that either because it didn’t make much sense for the lotus flower concept and I didn’t like the idea of having a bunch of small claws to represent the club strikes. It didn’t have the right feeling of a one-hit smash like i associate with the club.

In the end, I decided to turn those rings into a weighted section of the performance tip to balance the top heaviness of the upper half and put the lotus flower on top to represent both the club falling and the way Polyphemus wobbled and crashed when he ate the lotus fruit.

*please note that I am NOT very good at art and I know my proportions and perspectives are kind of wonky. these are mostly proof of concept, rather than anything super clean. if you combine my traditional sketch with the digital one, you’ll get something close to what I actually envision it looking like lolol

[covid-safer-hotties]

From 2022.

Altogether, the findings suggest that vaccination before infection confers only partial protection in the post-acute phase of the disease; hence, reliance on it as a sole mitigation strategy may not optimally reduce long-term health consequences of SARS-CoV-2 infection. The findings emphasize the need for continued optimization of strategies for primary prevention of BTI and will guide development of post-acute care pathways for people with BTI.

Vaccination is one layer in a multi-layered defense. Do as many as you can to stay the most safe.

[eluviannaa]

“Somewhat by chance, I...happened upon an interesting method or two Ethereals employ. Of course, most of it is what you would expect: history, value, properties, and such.”

As she leaned in, it was clear this held her fascination—even now. 

“What makes their cataloguing so unique,” she continued, “is their approach to containment”

“Multi-layered defense isn't new. But as it turns out, memory security in particular is surprisingly reliable. Admittedly, under very specific circumstances.”

[aretis]

📍Corfu Greece 🇬🇷

Corfu Town sits on a small peninsula about halfway down the east coast of the island, a site chosen for its natural port and the two peaks that lent themselves to fortress-building. The small mediaeval town that grew up during Angevin rule (1267-1368) was enclosed by thick defensive walls and guarded by two imposing castles that looked out to sea and the Greek mainland. But it was under the Venetians, who stayed for some 400 years (from 1386-1797) that Corfu Town really prospered.

Corfu's significant role in Mediterranean history was pre- destined thanks to its strategic position at the mouth of the Adriatic Sea. Whoever controlled Corfu had a good chance of controlling the most important trade and military routes between east and west and north and south. The Greeks knew this, as did the Romans, the Goths, the Byzantines, the Normans, the Neapolitan Angevins, the Venetians, the French and the British. All came and went, leaving behind them a multi- layered historical and cultural heritage that is still very much in evidence today.

The Venetians brought not only their great commercial know- how but also their architectural prowess and soon Corfu Town became a thriving economic centre with northern-Adriatic flair and impregnable defences (they significantly updated the Old Fortress and built the New Fortress).

Corfu Town was badly bombed by German forces during the Second World War, with almost a quarter of the town being reduced to rubble. Fortunately, much of the mediaeval quarter, known as the Campiello, survived and in 2007 UNESCO awarded Corfu Town the status World Heritage Site.

Καλημέρα Ελλάδα μου!!🇬🇷

[sterek-ao3feed]

BLOODLINE PROTOCOL

Read it on AO3 at https://archiveofourown.org/works/64788601

by knox_rivers

At Beacon Hills Preparatory, tradition is everything. For over a century, the elite boarding school has divided its student body into five historic houses where each one seemingly determined by a mix of academic performance, behavior, and an unspoken layer of socioeconomic legacy. Most students follow in the footsteps of their families; generation after generation they're sorted into the same houses. No one questions the system. It’s simply the way things are. Until now.

Midway through his freshman year, a “routine” blood test for school health records takes an unexpected turn. One sharp-witted yet grounded Stiles, recently appointed as House Prefect of the mid-tier House Flagstaff largely due to his father’s position as the town sheriff, is abruptly reassigned to House Redwood, the school’s most elite and secretive house.

He must now navigate secret traditions, political manipulation, and a slow-burning forbidden romance with someone he was never meant to meet: the enigmatic sophomore son of a ruthless defense attorney.

Words: 3595, Chapters: 1/12, Language: English

Fandoms: Teen Wolf (TV)

Rating: Mature

Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence

Categories: M/M, Multi

Characters: Derek Hale, Stiles Stilinski, Scott McCall (Teen Wolf), Sheriff Stilinski (Teen Wolf), Melissa McCall, Talia Hale, Laura Hale, Original Hale Character(s) (Teen Wolf), Original Female Character(s), Original Characters

Relationships: Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski, Scott McCall & Stiles Stilinski

Additional Tags: dark academia aesthetic, Alternate Universe - Boarding School, Secret Relationship, Druid Stiles Stilinski, Forbidden Love, Power Dynamics, Slow Burn

https://archiveofourown.org/works/64788601

[fans4wga]

'The Hollywood strike can and must win – for all of us, not just writers and actors'

Excerpt:

"The thousands of workers engaged in this enormous, multi-union Hollywood strike – something America hasn’t seen since 1960 – represent the frontline of two battles that matter to every single American. You might not naturally pick “writers and actors” to be the backbone of your national defense force, but hey, we go to war with the army we have. In this case, they are well suited to the fight at hand.

The first battle is between humanity and artificial intelligence. Just a year ago, it seemed like a remote issue, a vague and futuristic possibility, still tinged with a touch of sci-fi. Now, AI has advanced so fast that everyone has grasped that it has the potential to be to white-collar and creative work what industrial automation was to factory work. It is the sort of technology that you either put in a box, or it puts you in a box. And who is going to build the guardrails that prevent the worst abuses of AI?

Look around. Do you believe that the divided US government is going to rouse itself to concerted action in time to regulate this technology, which grows more potent by the month? They will not. Do you know, then, the only institutions with the power to enact binding rules about AI that protect working people from being destroyed by a bunch of impenetrable algorithms that can produce stilted, error-filled simulacrums of their work at a fraction of the cost?

Unions. When it comes to regulating AI now, before it gets so widely entrenched that it’s impossible to roll back, union contracts are the only game in town. And the WGA and Sag-Aftra contracts, which cover entire industries, will go down in history as some of the first major efforts to write reasonable rules governing this technology that is so new that even knowing what to ask for involves a lot of speculation.

What we know for sure is this: if we leave AI wholly in the hands of tech companies and their investors, it is absolutely certain that AI will be used in a way that takes the maximum amount of money out of the pockets of labor and deposits it in the accounts of executives and investment firms. These strikes are happening, in large part, to set the precedent that AI must benefit everyone rather than being a terrifying inequality accelerator that throws millions out of work to enrich a lucky few. Even if you have never been to Hollywood, you have a stake in this fight. AI will come for your own industry soon enough.

And that brings us to the second underlying battle here: the class war itself. When you scrape away the relatively small surface layer of glitz and glamor and wealthy stars, entertainment is just another industry, full of regular people doing regular work. The vast majority of those who write scripts or act in shows (or do carpentry, or catering, or chauffeuring, or the zillion other jobs that Hollywood produces) are not rich and famous. The CEOs that the entertainment unions are negotiating with make hundreds of millions of dollars, while most Sag-Aftra members don’t make the $26,000 a year necessary to qualify for the union’s health insurance plan."

Read more