#plus it’s way hotter this year for some reason????

[padfootastic]

an eye update bc i’m really feeling my makeup these days

[mangekyuou]

★ the new intern portgas d. ace, my beloved.

cw: nsfw. f!reader. afab!reader. ace is from the south idk. takes place in the states for some reason again idk. i was just writing lmaoo. reader wears a skirt. not proofread. hear me out. MINORS DNI.

── intern!ace who has recently started his internship at your company you have only been at for almost a year. mentoring him is somehow pushed onto you despite any of your colleagues being here longer than you and having much more experience in mentoring. you’ve never done this before. you try your absolute damnedest to get out of it but no one seems interested in relieving you of the responsibility. so best of luck to you

── intern!ace who is unlike anything you’ve seen before. why would a rowdy man start an internship at an office where he’d just be behind his desk or in meetings all day?

── intern!ace who never went anywhere without that distractingly bright orange hat.

── intern!ace who has a southern drawl about him, you aren’t surprised to learn he comes from somewhere down south. he has a special way of speaking that you, born and raised up north, struggled with understanding his creative idioms.

── intern!ace who you could always hear before you could see whether it was his loud mouth or the loud clicking of those ostrich skin square toe boots he was so proud of covered by his long trousers. they were louder than your heels.

── intern!ace who has a load of questions and is at your office door every five minutes. you’ve even started to recognize him by his knock. he always greeted you with a wooden toothpick between his plump lips.

── intern!ace who is a very respectful man who cares a lot about honorifics. that’s how he was raised. you are his mentor, his senior. he can’t just call you by your name. what kind of man would he be? you have become, miss.

── intern!ace who is very friendly, very touchy, but sweet as candy. you chalked it up to southern hospitality that you have yet to experience. when you’re explaining something, he stands extra close, he’s almost touching you. when you’re coming in, he jogs in front of you to hold open the door. when you fix the problem he has, he compliments you. he always looks so amazed when in just a few clicks everything is fixed. you’re like his superhero.

── intern!ace who has made it a habit to eat with you. or wait to take his lunch until you’re done. you’re like his only friend in the office and he likes eating with you.

── intern!ace who gets onto you about forgetting your lunch and eating fast food all the time. a woman like you deserves a homecooked meal he’s made it a habit to bring you an extra lunch. he does it so much, he’s even got you your own lunchbox that’s your favorite color.

── intern!ace who doesn’t leave the office until you leave. he could be done for hours but he still wants to walk you to your car to make sure you get there safely. plus what if you get lonely being the only one in the office?

── intern!ace who worries that you overwork yourself only to never be recognized. he’s only been here a month and a half and he’s already noticed it. he is always ready to remind you that you’re too good for this job and that they don’t deserve you or your time.

── intern!ace who looks a little different. dressed in a tight white button-down that looked like he was going to pop out of any second. were his arms always that big? was his chest always that broad? what did he look like without the shirt on? was he hiding more freckles under there?

── intern!ace who isn’t a fool. he may have been born at night but it damn sure wasn’t last night. he sees how you’re eyeballing him, undressing him with your eyes. he’s flattered. he’s always thought you were a beauty too, pretty as a peach, hotter than a fire in july.

── intern!ace who once again doesn’t leave with everyone else, he stays to keep you company. though this time he is bold enough to stay with you in your office until you’re ready to go. he’s distracting you with his presence alone. how are you supposed to finish when he’s sitting there with the top buttons of his shirt undone because it’s a little warm in here? he sprawled out on the chair, his legs open and his hat resting over his face because he wanted to 'rest his eyes'. you never noticed how built he was…how nice and lonely his lap looked. maybe it was kinda warm in here.

── intern!ace who hears you shuffle in your seat and hears you call out to him. he sits back up, taking his hat off of your face. you ask for his help, something you’ve never done before. he’s honored. he steps behind your desk to see the problem, to see exactly what you’re stuck on. it’s something simple, something you’ve helped him with before. why were you struggling now? maybe you wanted to test his knowledge, maybe you wanted to have him closer.

── intern!ace who stands behind your chair, reaching over the side of you to grab the mouse while his other strong hand rests on the back of your chair. you take on his warm, heavenly scent. it was intoxicating, you could hardly focus, and you hadn't heard a word he uttered.

── intern!ace who must come even closer, to actually finish your report so he can use the keyboard. he is particularly towering over you as he types so slowly. the tension in the room was so high. you cross your legs making your skirt ride up your thighs a little. with your eyes stuck on your monitor, you fail to watch him bite down on his lip.

── intern!ace who steps back to let you send your report to the boss before spinning your chair around to face him. there is one more work-related question he needs to ask you before you go home for the night.

── intern!ace who is a liar. it’s not work-related at all. he just wanted to be dramatic.

── “can i kiss you? i’ve been wanting to for a while now. it’s been killing me not to”

── intern!ace who barely lets the word yes fade into the air before he’s captured your lips on his in a passionate kiss. he kissed you like a desperate man, like a man who has waited god knows how long.

── intern!ace whose hands fiddle with your top, unbuttoning it just enough to reveal your bra and remove the tie you wore to work today.

── “i love me a businesswoman in a tie. you’re the boss here tonight, miss”

── intern!ace who wants you to take the reins, to take charge, to take what you want from him tonight. anything you wanted you could have.

── intern!ace who followed your every command with “yes ma’am” that sent shivers down your spine.

── intern!ace who finds his face place to be is in between your legs, with your tie tied tightly around his wrists behind his back. your fingers locked into his hair as you pushed him as far as he could go into your sopping wet cunt that has already drenched the lower half of his face.

── “like this, miss?”

── intern!ace with a praise kink. he loves hearing you tell him how good he’s treating you. looking up at you through hooded eyes as he waits for your praise. it sends chills down his spine and makes his cock twitch and leak in his pants.

── intern!ace who doesn’t know how you got even hotter with his hat on top of your head, your face contorted in pleasure, your shirt unbuttoned and your little skirt pulled up to your waist. it was a picture that was never going to leave his mind. from now on, you had to wear his hat more often.

── intern!ace who has an oral fixation. he’s attached his plump lips to your throbbing bundle of nerves yet again like a starved man with his eyes closed in delight. he moaned and hummed against you. he loved how your body trembled underneath his tongue as you came for him yet again. he lapped up all of your juices without fail like you were his favorite meal.

── intern!ace who whines when you pull him off your cunt.

── intern!ace who loves it when you take ownership over him. he’s your intern. he's your boy. he’s your baby, only yours and he’ll do whatever it takes to please you. he wants to hear you say it. he needs to hear you say it when he’s got you over your desk, balls deep into your pussy, fucking you like he’s in heat as you hold onto your tie that’s wrapped around his neck. say he’s your baby when he’s fucking this rough, this deep. say you own all of him, as his balls slap against your tight, creamy cunt.

── intern!ace who only cums after you because your pleasure is first. he only cums when you tell him to. he needs to kiss you when he does, emptying his load deep into your pussy, something he wasn’t supposed to do. he lets you pull on the tie one more time for good measure since he couldn’t behave.

── intern!ace whose oral fixation comes back to bite you in the ass when he’s already back on his knees to lap up all of his cum out of your sensitive cunt.

MANGEKYOU 2024 ── do not copy, repost, or translate my works onto this platform or any other !

[figgrrr0]

Hey! can i request some fluff where tighnari has a significant other who is deathly afraid of bees. reader tries to hide it and play it off, but eventually tighnari figures it out somehow? thank you so much, i love your writing!

-cherry sprite anon

Sorry for the wait, getting Ayaka's materials has been keeping me busy 🙏

Tighnari's S/O is scared of bees

Reader: Gn // Genre: Fluff // No CWs

Over your time dating Tighnari, you'd come to learn that he was surprisingly in tune with your feelings; or, more so that he knew the signs that something was wrong. As your time together grew longer, certain things started to add up.

For instance, Tighnari had always wondered why you seemed hesitant to go outside during the hotter, more humid days of the year, particularly during the summer. At first, he just thought that you struggled to endure the heat. But when the excuses and soft letdowns became more common, he figured that it was something more. It disappointed him when you rejected his offers of coming out for the day with him, whether it be to join him on his surveys of the area, or even for a date that he'd planned. If it meant that you'd be out in the forest for longer than an hour or two, you weren't likely to go – especially when it involved a picnic.

Tighnari couldn't bring himself to be annoyed, though. There was obviously some kind of reason for you to be so cautious, and although he wanted to be able to relieve you of your anxiety, he could only do that if you told him the cause of your worrying. However, everytime he tried bringing up the mysterious topic, hoping to get some clarity to your thoughts, you'd gradually become more nervous as you thought about it. Things like biting your nails or scratching certain areas of your skin, the tensing of your body or the facial expressions you'd make; he'd catch onto them all, and when your difficulty to share the problem became obvious, Tighnari let it go.

Thinking about the topic was obviously uncomfortable for you, and while it wasn't causing a major issue with your relationship (maybe a few minor setbacks), he didn't want to put you under too much pressure. Plus, the nervous laugh and appreciative look you'd send his way when he dropped the topic let him know that he was making the right choice. You'd tell him when you were ready; he was sure of it.

Unfortunately, you wouldn't get the chance...

...

Tighnari runs through the forest, desperate to get to you as fast as possible. You'd screamed, a shrill sound full of terror, and he couldn't get to you fast enough – even though he was there within the minute. But the scene that he was met with wasn't as easy to discern as he'd expected, nor was it as dangerous...

You were standing there, breathing a bit faster than usual, and your eyes wide. But apart from that, nothing was wrong, visually. You were even trying to play it off as a near fall over a stray root and over-reaction. But you'd screamed for a different reason; and Tighnari needed to know what it was.

He'd hush your excuses, insisting on giving you a quick check over as you explained the situation. As sarcastic as he could usually be, Tighnari was far too worried to react in that way in the moment, even going so far as to use his "puppy eyes" against you when you tried to pull away and save face. It was super effective.

Once he understood, he'd click his tongue in annoyance. Of course, he's not annoyed at you; he understands that irrational fears can be... irrational, and that you can't really control what you're scared of. But he is upset that you couldn't trust him with this information outright. It's not like he'd make fun of you, right?

Wrong. Tighnari would absolutely tease you for this once everything is over and done with, even making little jokes at your expense about it. But it would always be light hearted. Tighnari's sass may be a bit much at times, but he'd never make you feel bad or cross the line, even doing a quick check in a minute or two later to make sure he hadn't gone too far.

During the big moment where everything had come to a head, though, Tighnari would automatically turn on his mentor mode: attempting to soothe your fears and trying to come to an understanding with you that bees are more beneficial than they are harmful to people and the environment. In short, Tighnari would try his best to convince you into a calmer mindset when it comes to these creatures.

Of course, he knew that he couldn't just cure you of your phobia by explaining things to you, but he hoped that giving you a more detailed understanding of the bees would be able to open a pathway in which there was a future that you weren't so paranoid in their presence. But even if that didn't happen, he'd always be there to play the hero.

(Tighnari wouldn't admit it, but he secretly likes being able to "save" you from the bees when you get scared. Now that he knows the problem you were having isn't as big a deal as he'd thought, he can appreciate how cute you are when you're scared before swooping in to save the day).

Want to send a request/brainrot with me? Check my rules!

Thank you for reading! 🩷

[allmightfan1234567890123awesome]

Hey Mikumo I'm also an aspiring hero!! But it's pretty tough tbh. How do you keep so motivated? I get the vibe that you're a pretty determined guy. The kind to smile and keep going no matter what!!!

HELLO!!!! Another hero in the making!! I've always heard that a future as a hero really depends on your quirk. That's true, but don't let it get you down if people say "you're not suited for hero work." A hero's job is to keep smiling no matter what, right? All Might is the perfect poster hero. Strong, brave, kind, the whole deal, y'know? But there are other heroes you could look at and think "how could someone with a quirk like that ever be a hero?" It's going to be a weird example: but take Wash and Endeavor. Wash just looks like a laundry machine! So he can shoot bubbles, big deal. But he didn't quit, right? I think the less conventionally cool your quirk is, it just makes your braver to be a hero. Someone who looks like they don't have what it takes should inspire others. Not Wash hate, I think he's really cool! Not only that-, but it's the fact how he uses it. He's smart, he uses his power strategically. Cleaner Bubbler seems like a mainly healing-based quirk, with the ability to disinfect and clean things. "So lame!" WRONG! He uses it to capture and knock out villains. His bubbles are so strong he can hold something in it. He's got some serious proficiency with it! He's a real inspiration. It's not that heroes have strong quirks; they're strong people that know how to use a weak quirk. Endeavor is another good example of this. (Hear me out, I know it sounds strange.) Fire and water quirks are a dime a dozen, the most common type of quirk is emitter type, and the most common emitter quirks are fire/ice/water control. Endeavor seems like he has a fire quirk that's hotter, stronger, or better than other people's. The reason he became a pro hero superficially is because his Hellfire is a more potent version of a regular fire quirk. But I don't think that's the case. I mean, have you seen the guy? He's freaking ripped?!?!??! You don't get that strong from a magical quirk that turns you from skinny to a muscular brickhouse in a puff of smoke. He's worked hard! He's trained! He knows how to use his power for good, and he's been fine-tuning his work for years. But of course, he's got a long way to go before he'll surpass All Might, LOL. I've been through my fair share of being told to give up. It's okay to give up. But not completely. Giving up is a break. A reprieve, but not a failure. Giving up means you're ready to try again. Giving up means you're biding your time, training to be a better person. So give up, but don't fair. Take a break, but don't slack! It's corny, but All Might has inspired me to be so determined.

If he can do it, I can.

If I can't do it, I'll work hard.

If I can't work hard, I'll do my best.

If I can't do my best, I don't deserve to get a prize.

Stay strong!

Plus... ULTRA!

[tetrakys]

MCL Alternate Life review

Now that the three 4-episodes routes have been fully released, I’m ready to spend some final words on AL in general and the three boys specifically.

Plot

The plot is quite simple: AL was created to mostly address the break up, it is the canonical ending to Lysander, Kentin and Armin’s routes (while UL and LL are the canon continuation of Cas’ and Nath’s routes). The general plot is meeting your old boyfriend again, reconnect, solidify the relationship and resolve the long-distance issue. Quite simple, it’s the con of having only 4 episodes, but it does its job well, for years we asked for something that would fix the break up and we got it. Also I liked that the main structure was the same for all three boys, it provides a sense of continuity and a main theme for the season.

System

Same as the other seasons, 2AP x line of dialogue, however there is one main difference. Episodes 2 and 3 have choices which lead to different illustrations and scenes, meaning that they should be replayed twice if all illus with the crush want to be obtained. I personally quite like this system because the episodes are short and cheap, rarely over 1000 AP and this gives me a reason to play twice and extend my gaming experience. Plus replaying doesn’t bore me since the scenes are different as well so it’s almost like having two episodes in one.

The Art

I’m generally always happy about the quality of MCL’s illustrations, and I think AL keeps up with the high standard. As a con, I’d say that the poses might be a bit repetitive, hugging and kissing tend to be quite similar among the three routes, but other than that I’m happy. Backgrounds and sprites are also very good imo, but I’ll get to that soon.

Now, a closer look at the three:

Lysander

My Victorian prince was perfect as a teen and remained perfect in adulthood. Personally I think he looks even more beautiful, if possible, and his personality didn’t change at all, only slightly more mature due to being an adult with adult responsibilities. If on one hand this means that we got exactly what we lost 4 years ago, it also means that he’s the crush that remained the most static, didn’t have a real evolution like all the others did. Like a fae prince who remained frozen in time. It might make his journey a bit less interesting that’s true, but on the other hand can you improve perfection? I don’t think so.

In fact he’s the only crush we didn’t break up with. At first I was a bit surprised “for sure it must be Kentin the one we don’t break up with, right?” but afterward it made so much sense. His AL is one of rediscovery of someone who we never really lost, and despite me not liking farm life it makes perfect sense for him and Candy to have ended up there. His story is soothing, and calm, just like him. Finding him again is like feeling you finally found your place and your home.

Kentin

Kentin grew up a lot since high school. Not only physically as he got taller and bulkier (and hotter) but also mentally. When we meet him again we find someone who has completed a personal journey, a new person who knows his worth and who they are. These years spent travelling the world alone made him grew up and now he’s able to love Candy in a healthy way because he can also love himself. 

His AL is one of getting to know the new mature person he’s become but also finding out that what really matters, his feelings and good heart, are always the same. Its route is full fluff with 5 minutes of drama which only serve to learn how different being with him is going to be now but also how his love didn’t change. His story is about personal growth and the work you have to put on yourself before being able to be in a relationship. 

Armin

Armin is still the same jokester as before, but he’s not a boy anymore, it’s clear that the break up made him grow up as well. His new looks are similar to what he used to wear before (without Alexy’s terrible involvement), I’m not a big fan of the yellow but it compensate with the haircut which imo makes so much more sense than that octopus-looking one he had before. I also love that he kept a smirking teasing expression which is so him. 

His route, while remains similar to the other two in its basic structure, is completely different in the sense that while he did grow up and became more mature, his story isn’t as much as getting to know him while getting to know who Candy and him are together and if they can build something solid and long-lasting. With Lys and Kentin we get a finished product, with Armin we get a work in progress, that makes his route more eventful and dynamic. We start with a fight in episode 1, get a whole journey and end with a final declaration which address all the issues and uncertainties. We see both Candy and Armin grow during the story. 

Personal considerations

I think all 3 routes are really well done so preference becomes a matter of personal taste. On my side, Armin’s is above the other two for the simple fact that I enjoy the drama and the enemies-to-lovers vibe. I also love Candy in this route, and the teasing relationship the both have. I loved following their journey, for me this route is pretty much perfect and I can only hope Beemoov keeps up this amazing writing. 

The other two routes are also really great. Kentin’s route is perfect for people who like fluff above all and just want to live a sweet love story. Lys’ is for people who want to play something soothing and with a more fairy tail vibe. 

I’m happy we finally got a happy ending with the three of them and these endings make so much sense: with Lys we could only join him in his farm life, not my thing as I said, but I never saw Lys as someone who could enjoy the rockstar lifestyle, his choices don’t have to work for me, they have to work for him and I’m happy they do. With Kentin it wouldn’t have felt right if he gave up his lifestyle and stayed in town for us, it would’ve been a complete step back from his personal journey to see him give up everything and chase Candy once again, so I’m happy it’s Candy the one joining him this time. And with Armin, with all the times Candy was the one to follow him in his passions and hobbies (plus the whole long-distance and Disney debacle) it had to end with him staying, and I’m so glad it did.

So now that we got our happy endings, what’s left?

I guess we’ll see 😏

[elixlozgamer]

Im probably gonna get a lot of hate. Im probably gonna get death threats in my ask box (again. Yes Im looking at you "kill the soldiers" anon. Speaking of which, anon will be OFF until this post stops getting notifs. Block me if you don't want to see any other opinions than you own, because I'm allowed to have them.)

Rest of PSA is below the cut. TW for mention of death threats and possible cussing.

But we do NOT need to send death threats, things with smutty themes, etc. Into a celebrities ask box all because they're gonna be on this site.

They're people just as much as we are. If you don't like them, theres a handy-dandy feature called "blocking and moving on". Not writing rude messages. Not saying "Blazing a post is a pvp attack". (Because god forbid an artist use a feature to be seen)

I understand not wanting big corps to make their way on Tumblr. Believe me, I do. However Tumblr's advertising (or at least on mobile) is easilly skippable/you can scroll past or actually look at the ad if its somewhat interesting.

Also, Tumblr sells shoelaces for 19 dollars. That should only be like three dollars, but it shows that it really does need the money. (@indigoartistqueen mentioned that, along with other various things in this article) Such as paying programmers to create new features. Paying artists to create new logos and themes. paying the employees that check out the reports. (which I am rlly sorry for them bc I just so happen to keep finding really rude comments or things shipping an 8 year old with an 1000 year old.)

So, if tumblr got a little more money, then merch will cost less. Features will cost less. You can crab someone for less for goodness sakes. (Speaking if which, if you REALLY hate a celeb that badly, run them off with crabs.) But tumblr, just like any other site and app, NEEDS money to keep it running.

Also, don't you think SOME form of algorithm will be good? Or at least better search results? Because artists do tend to use very different tags. (Like memes, funny, lmao, lol, etc.) All that could be grouped under "Funny" so that people can actually find and search for their content easier.

Not to mention that with the way the tumblr staff are, I highly doubt they're gonna be implementing things that will cause a riot from their supporters, like the algorithm, bc the blogs ARE the algorythm, reblogging stuff they like to spread it out.

But just a better tagging system! i myself have stopped posting art as much because I just DON'T get seen! People just don't like or reblog my work, but if I were to blaze it, I would suddenly have 1,000 notes full of threats and "this is a pvp attack. Everybody block on sight."

Now, getting back to the celebrity thing. So many people have said that they don't want any political opinions to divide this site. Well I'd hate to break it to you, but we have, in some form, a type of political dispute. Usually its over the type of view one should have on a fiction character. How you can interpret them. What headcanons are correct. Which fandoms better. Which characters hotter. I could go on over the disputes! Plus the political side of tumblr! Science side of tumblr! Religous site on tumblr!

It never ends! If you don't like a celebrity, DON'T SEND DEATH THREATS TO THEIR ASK BOX! Some will actually commit it! Instead, BLOCK. THEM. It's easy! Don't pay attention to it! Just block them. If you really don't like them, send a cursed image, like I don't know, Patrick Star in stripper heels! A perfect circle thats slightly off! Do NOT send threats, because they're humans just like you! (Or as a Fairy myself, xenogenders as well)

Point is, quit trying to run celebrities off this site all because you're afraid of contriversal opinions that you don't agree with! Just block them! It's there for a reason! It's not like roblox where you can only block 100 people total!

Use the block feature. Don't fight fire with fire. It will ONLY get worse. You don't see firemen using flamethrowers, do you??? No! Please for the LOVE OF WHOEVER OR WHATEVER YOU BELIEVE IN quit spreading hate! It only makes things worse! You're only making yourself worse! Just because tumblr is an anonymous site does not mean you can do whatever you want... Because guess what? There's other humans right behind that post you just saw! (Unless its a bot ofc, that's a different story for another time)

Respectfully, have a good day. If you don't like my opinion, block me. If you send me a threat, I'll block and report you.

[scarlet--wiccan]

Do you have any thoughts on the idea of a “new” ultimate universe that’s being explored? The og obviously had its fair share of issues (especially for maximoff fans) but also had its high points (miles, for one). If they’re going to sort of repeat the original conceit of the universe (completely new starting point for readers and characters) it could be a good way to give characters with questionable backstories etc new, less stereotypical life.

I’m not particularly optimistic for a number of reasons, but if you were to write the maximoffs with a modern introduction inspired by their og storyline (coerced teen villains into high profile heroes), how would you go about doing it/starting it? Even just explaining Wanda’s original powers obviously has caused others trouble

Personally, I would not choose to revisit the Ultimates world. There are some parts of it that are, like, fine, but on the whole, I think Ultimates is similar to the M C U, in that it betrays and most of things that I find compelling about Marvel Comics-- and most of my favorite characters are completely unrecognizable. Everyone fixates on the inc*st thing with Wanda and Pietro, but Ultimates totally ruined those characters, plus Erik and Magda, on several different levels. I'm glad that Miles has been extracted from the Ultimates world, and it seems like Hickman is going to leave him alone for now.

Reblog this post if you think the twins on the right are WAY HOTTER AND COOLER than the twins on the left.

Let's say, for argument's sake, that I'm adapting Wanda and Pietro for a new continuity and I can't make them mutants or connect them to Magneto. I would probably do something similar to Midnight Suns, and focus on their origins at Mount Wundagore. That location has a lot of interesting history, and I think that expanding on the Elder Gods mythology would be smart way to unify all of the magical and fantasy elements of the Marvel universe with cohesive world-building. Comics have never really succeeded at this, and the M C U honestly never even tried, so that's where I would start.

Starting Wanda and Pietro out as unwilling villains is a little tricky once you take the Brotherhood out of the picture. I think I would either use the High Evolutionary or the sorcerer Modred-- both were occupants of Mount Wundagore, and both have had a hand in manipulating and exploiting the twins. Modred is a stronger choice because of his connection to Chthon, but if I need to introduce the Evolutionary for my larger continuity, this would be a good time to do it.

This guy; not to be confused with the Arthurian Mordred, also a Marvel character.

So here's my plot--

Wanda and Pietro's childhood and adolescence would basically follow 616-canon-- raised by Django and Marya; separated from their family during a racist hate crime; and forced to live on the run for years due to their emerging powers and further discrimination.

They return to Mount Wundagore seeking answers about their powers and their birth mother. They are taken in by the Knights of Wundagore, who, as in Midnight Suns, are an ancient order tasked with safeguarding the mountain and its hidden magic. Little do they know, the Knights have been corrupted by the same villain-- be that Modred or the Evolutionary-- who killed their birth mother and experimented on them as babies.

Wanda is given pages from the Darkhold, which she believes are ancient magical texts that will help her master her abilities. In truth, of course, they are priming her to become Chthon's vessel. She performs spells from the Darkhold to bolster the Knight's powers. Pietro has joined the Knights, believing that they will help him protect his sister-- as in canon, Pietro protective to a fault, because he believes that people are always trying to take advantage of Wanda and her abilities. And he's not wrong!

Agatha Harkness infiltrates the Knights of Wundagore, disguised as an elderly healer. She is an ancient witch whose coven once worked alongside the true Knights to keep Chthon bound while studying the mountain's magic. She has known the Maximoff family for generations, and has been seeking out Natalya's children ever since receiving a premonition of the return of the Scarlet Witch.

Agatha doesn't have the power the stop Wanda now that she is under the Darkhold's influence, so she sends a warning to Doctor Strange that Chthon's return is eminent.

Strange gathers a team of heroes to prevent Chthon's return. This leads to a big fight wherein Wanda and Pietro are technically the "bad guys," which ends with Wanda fully succumbing to the Darkhold. She unleashes a devastating attack against the heroes and descends deep within the mountain.

Pietro find himself abandoned on the mountainside. Agatha reveals herself to him and explains the truth, not only about his family but also about the Modred/Evolutionary situation. Pietro joins the heroes, and Agatha urges him to seek out Django, who she has discovered living in a nearby Transian village.

Django's memories are distorted by trauma and a magical curse that was inflicted on him by the Knights to keep him away from Wanda. Upon reuniting Django with his son, Agatha is able to lift the curse, explaining that their family's legacy-- not their blood, but their love for each other and the gifts they have passed down through their generations-- is the true source of their magic.

Chthon emerges from the mountain, using Wanda as a vessel. There's another big fight, and the heroes are able to get Pietro and Django close enough to Wanda for them to exorcize and bind Chthon within a doll that Django had crafted as a gift for his pregnant sister, Natalya. Django tragically passes away after the battle, but the twins are able to properly mourn him and their mothers. Wanda witnesses the spirit of Natalya and awakens to her true power as the Scarlet Witch.

Wanda agrees to study under Agatha, Pietro joins the hero team, and they both both meet Victoria Montessi, who is going to help them track down the Darkhold pages that have now been scattered to the wind. VICKI + WANDA BESTFRIENDS REAL

And that's my first draft at a magic-focused, no-mutants adaption of Wanda and Pietro's origins that hopefully includes a lot of the same themes, and would hopefully enable more authentic representations of their Romani background while also doing some more cohesive worldbuilding. IT'S JUST A FIRST DRAFT... I might tweak it! Be kind.

Anyways, I've said it before, but I don't actually think Wanda's abilities are that difficult to understand. Her hex power is admittedly, not well-defined, but it's pretty easy to work with if you think of "manipulating probability" as "manipulating physics." Her ability to control matter and energy, then, would correlate to her knowledge and understanding of the particular forces she's working with, so you get a dynamic power that scales to different situations and works really well in a group setting where she can play off of other people's abilities.

[mcfiddlestan]

Ship it/Don't Ship it

Frostiron, WinterFrost, Winteriron, Pepperony. (The last I'm grinning evilly at because I will look forward to the angry discourse. LOL)

FrostIron

Ship It (I SHIP IT HARD.)

What made you ship it?

Around the time the first Avengers movie came out, I was just dipping my toe into Tumblr and Twitter fandom. I found and started following a ton of RP accounts on Twitter. And since RDJr is my favorite ever since Weird Science, there was a lot of Iron Man fanart on both of my dashboards. Shippy fanart started to slip in -- and while Stony was very prominent, so was FrostIron. My love for Loki had already started to bloom (plus, I was fascinated that IRL British Ginger Dork could, with a little hair dye, become My New Favorite Villain), and seeing him constantly paired with My Favorite New Hero -- and there was A LOT of very cool art --made me go Ooh. Plus, I befriended this awesome Tony RP writer who had an awesome RP thread with a Loki, and that, plus all the fics I started to read, just plunged me, heart eyes first, into SHIPPING IT HARD. I watched the movie 10x in the theatre, started watching all the interviews with RDJr and Hiddles, and eventually, I read a college au (that I loved) and decided I could totally write them even tho I hadn't written anything in a couple years. Thus, Dark Side.

What are your favorite things about the ship?

Besides the whole enemies-to-lovers thing? And besides the fact the ship was comprised of two of my favorite actors (at the time)? I mean, their whole dynamic is not so secretly my ideal relationship. The sarcastic barbs lobbied back and forth that rests comfortably atop the sexual tension the ability to keep up with each other is flamed on by. The intelligence that kind of quipping and humor requires -- and let's face it: someone is always hotter when they can stimulate your mind and your body. Add in the bonding that can happen over the shared Terrible Paternal Relationship and The Trauma That Makes Our Humor So Great and how they can heal each other, the debate between science vs. magic, and how they're much more alike than one would think. The fics that explore how discovering how much they have in common and how they learn to see each other in a different light (whether superhero and supervillain or not) are some of my faves and an element I often insert in my own fics. IDK, I just love them.

Is there an unpopular opinion you have on your ship?

Not really? Any gripes I have are more with authors' characterizations of them. I don't go telling anybody they can't write them the way they choose, tho. I just nope out of fics that have anything I don't want to read. And then I write my own. :D

WinterFrost

Ship It

What made you ship it?

Similar to FrostIron, I discovered WinterFrost through mostly RP. But probably what made me fall head over heels for this pair was dipping my toe into RP myself. The friend whose Tony Stark I loved mentioned in convos that they wanted to start RPing a Bucky but wanted him paired with a Loki. They asked me if I wanted to try my hand at RP, so I did. This was about 6-7 months before CA:TWS was released, so there wasn't much if any, WinterFrost content yet -- and it was actually still called Lucky at the time. Anyway, Bucky was post-CATFA, and my Loki was post-Avengers (we mutually decided to start there instead of post-The Dark World). They randomly met and organically began to fall in love. The truth is, this ship is special to me bc, as we wrote Bucky and Loki falling in love, we were falling in love. So, it's all kind of woven together with my own love story. Kind of bittersweet now.

What are your favorite things about the ship?

There is a bit of a dark element to WinterFrost that I'm kind of drawn to. The RP was the only place I ever really explored that (kind of) -- although I did have an idea to turn my PWP WinterFrost into a serial killer AU. I eventually abandoned that idea. For a lot of reasons. By dark element, I mean the darkness in both characters potentially being compatible and flourishing. Bucky as the Winter Soldier was almost devoid of emotion (except when he saw Steve, in the movie at least); Loki, in contrast, was highly motivated by his emotions but kind of let himself get battered and embittered by them. At least the way I wrote my Loki. Beyond that, there is a great capability for them to bond over their trauma (again, similar to FrostIron). There is no bigger troll than Bucky (c'mon, he grew up with Steve Rogers, ffs), and Loki would relish in the chaos Bucky would cause with his commentary. I feel like there's a mutual mending they can do for each other. Loki can help Bucky battle his demons -- as a demon slayer himself -- and Bucky can show Loki a love like he's never known.

Is there an unpopular opinion you have on your ship?

Nah. Similar to FrostIron, it's down to characterizations. I'll literally read anything about these two.

WinterIron

Ship It

What made you ship it?

I was already into FrostIron and WinterFrost -- and RPing both. So it was kind of like, "I ship Tony and Loki and Bucky and Loki, why not Tony and Bucky?" I RPd that for a bit, too. I haven't read or written a lot of this ship, so I'm not sure what I like beyond it being two actors I love, two characters I love, and liking that they could both find a little bit of happy with each other. Also, it's interesting to think about the internal crisis Tony would endure for falling in love with the man responsible for his parents' deaths.

What are your favorite things about the ship?

I honestly have no idea. Like I said, I haven't really dug deep into this one yet, like I have FrostIron and WinterFrost. It's definitely one of my smaller ships.

Is there an unpopular opinion you have on your ship?

No, but I wish people would leave WinterIron shippers alone. Way too much hate flung at this ship and the people who write it. It's annoying.

Pepperony

Don’t Ship It

Why don’t you ship it?

Honestly? It's because of Gwyneth Paltrow. I don't like her, as an actress, as a personality, as a hawker of vag candles -- whatever. I never liked her portrayal of Pepper. And don't come for me, y'all, bc believe me, I know how this sounds -- but I thought she looked too old to play Pepper. Yes, she was only 34, and RDJr was 43, and that's an age gap in itself (and coincidentally, Leslie Bibb was 35, which btw she does not look older than GP and...yeah). I think I felt the way they were portraying Tony Stark's womanizing ways it didn't make sense (to me!) that he'd go for someone closer to his age and stick to younger women. (Blame my brother. He's been dating girls my age and younger since high school. His first son's mother is my age. She was 4mo along when we graduated from hs. He dated a slew of girls near or around my age well into his 30s. His second son's mother was 6yrs younger than me. He's gross, I know. I tell him all the time.) Anyway, I love Tony and Pepper's dynamic in the comics (the few I've read), and when I RPd a Pepper (I did not use GP; I used my idea of a perfect Pepper: Jessica Chastain), I was told the way I wrote her was closer to comic!Pepper than MCU!Pepper, which I gathered was a good thing. People often misunderstand that my distaste for Pepper has nothing to do with the character herself. I LOVE the character. I think she's a badass, and I think she's the best working partner Tony could have -- which is why probably why I always writer her as Tony's closest confidant. But I also think they did Pepper a disservice by casting GP.

What would have made you like it?

A different actress, lol.

Despite not shipping it, do you have anything positive to say about it?

Like I said, I love the character of Pepper. She's a great foil to some of Tony's more grandiose ideas and she has a way of handling him without him realizing he's being handled. Maybe I'd ship it if she didn't start out as his secretary? There's something very creepy about a relationship between a boss and a secretary to me. Idk. As Besties, I love Tony and Pepper. Beyond that? No.

Don't come at me yall. @mischief-and-tea-by-the-sea made me say all these things. LOL (jk ily!)

Thanks for asking!

Ship It/Don't Ship It

[cozyaliensuperstar7]

Beautiful People 👑

essence:

Daddy’s COMING HOME

The thoughts we have running through our head, just take us all to the water. This is our confession, we licked the screen. Forgive us.

Want to jump in? This cover is available ONLY to subscribers. Click the subscribers link in the bio to grab your copy.

In case you thought we were letting up, we’re not! @Usher for #ESSENCE is the only thing on the internet today.

Now, please excuse us while we look for a straw. For some reason we just became indescribably thirsty.

Roll the Credits: Talent: @usher

Writer: @ghostwritervic

Photographer: @adrienneraquel

Stylist: @yashuasimmons

Barber/Groomer: @shizz215x

Makeup: @jennartist

Nails: @noirmensgrooming

SetDesign: @codycr

Location: @thebeverlyestate

Production: @themorrisongroup SpecialThanks: @lermitagebh @shortstorieshotels ESSENCE,SVP,Creative: @coreytstokes ESSENCE,SeniorContentDirector: @itsnandibby

ESSENCE,VisualDirector: @_mq______ ESSENCE,DesignDirector: @anthonybones_

essence:

Everybody Loves Usher Raymond We call him U-S-H-E-R-R-A-Y-M-O-N-D. Also known as ESSENCE Sexiest Man of the Moment! Usher Raymond has always been at the center of culture. So, let’s set the tone like a vocal coach — because we are currently screaming out falsettos. The quiet yet obvious giant fills the room with his calm, magnetic energy, and overwhelmingly good looks, but he’s not just a heartthrob; he’s an artist with the music catalog and acumen to back it up. After 30-plus years in the industry, the singer is busier—and hotter—than ever, solidifying his legacy as a family man and the R&B king. His resume is as long as CVS receipts. Just in the last year, he sold out his high-profile residency show in Las Vegas, released his acclaimed album ‘COMING HOME’ and curated the most-watched Super Bowl Halftime Show ever. And he doesn’t show signs of slowing up! Brimming with natural charisma and an ability to be authentically present in every role he takes on, our final ESSENCE Sexiest Man of the Moment cover star still has our hearts, and it’s his to keep! Read the full May/ June cover story at and buy our Men’s Issue on newsstands 4/23. Roll the Credits: Talent: Writer: Photographer: Stylist: Barber/Groomer: Makeup: Nails: SetDesign: Location: Production: SpecialThanks: ESSENCE,SVP,Creative: ESSENCE,SeniorContentDirector: ESSENCE,VisualDirector: ESSENCE,DesignDirector:

chloeadvocate:

chloe for @fendi ✨

#chloebailey #chloe #chloexhalle #explore #dreads #locs #chlovers #sirens #parkwoodentertainment #fendi

zillafatu:

🩸 👎🏽

alycia.parks:

@wta 😉🤳🏾📸

serenawilliams:

Nike On Air Event 2024 - Paris, France 🇫🇷 on my way! #NikeOnAir

biancabelairwwe:

wrESTleMania XL GEAR!\nGEAR: MADE BY ME!!!

This gear whooped me, because I didn’t really have a drawing or any idea of what I wanted to do. I just had fabric, scissors, needle, and thread. 2 weeks in and I had sewn and cut up everything I created just to start over… I was overthinking it. Once, I relaxed and let go I was able to create! I’m proud of this moment! I keep pushing myself more and more and more to try new things!#ESTofWWE

#wrESTleMania #wrESTleManiaXL

I’ll post the gear making video another day! Because the details on this thing are crazy.

Makeup: @beautybyjett

And shoutout to @beynevolence for helping me figure this futuristic look out. Your creations really helped get my mind rolling with the ideas to create this gear!

rihverce:

Rihanna for Vogue+ China April 2024 İssue 📸

[manesalex]

nothing starts without you (we become the stories we’ve always wanted): chapter 2/3

When Alex’s former bandmate, Rosa Ortecho, asks him to write a song to help kickstart her solo career, Alex finds himself struggling to write anything at all. Until, that is, he meets Michael Guerin. Or, a loose Music and Lyrics AU. for @alex-guerin @malexsanta​

Warnings for suggestive comments, references to past abuse, and references to addiction. Not Maria Deluca friendly.

***

Isobel is talking about her latest terrible date, but all Michael can think about is Alex Manes and that offer he had made.

It’s not a good idea, Michael knows that. It’s just that a part of him wants to take the opportunity to spend more time with Alex. To get to know this man who seems so very different from the guitarist he remembers Isobel having so much interest in a few years ago.

“And then she had the audacity to–” Isobel stops, turning her attention to him. “You know, usually you at least pretend to be interested in the horrors of dating in Roswell.”

“I’m sorry. I guess I’m just distracted. There’s this guy I’m working for and–”

Unsurprisingly, that’s all it takes to make Isobel focus all of her attention on him. “A guy? Please tell me he’s hot.”

“It’s not like that,” Michael objects instantly, well aware that he’s lying. He’s never seen anyone as gorgeous as Alex. He remembers thinking as much when his band had been a big deal years ago, even if their music wasn’t his type. And he’s somehow even hotter in person. But that isn’t a good idea. After all, there’s a good reason he’s been avoiding serious relationships for the past few years. And Michael is absolutely certain he’d never be able to just have something casual with someone like Alex.

Isobel frowns, looking disappointed. “Then what is it like?”

“He asked me to help him with lyrics to a song he’s trying to write for his old bandmate.”

“You’re not talking about– Michael, are you working for Alex Manes?!” Isobel is absolutely giddy at the prospect. Michael doesn’t answer, but the look on his face is enough to confirm it to her. “Okay, first of all, it most definitely is like that because I’ve seen the way you watched those music videos with me and Alex Manes is fucking gorgeous.”

“Okay, fine, he’s hot,” Michael admits. It’s not just that though. There’s something about Alex that makes Michael absolutely certain that his beauty isn’t just surface level.

Isobel is smiling like that cat that ate the proverbial canary, “Yeah, he is. And you’re going to say yes to him and tell me all about it.”

“It’s not a good idea, Isobel. You know what happened with–”

Isobel sounds positively murderous at the reminder, “Yeah, well she doesn’t have an ounce of integrity in her body.” She pauses for a moment before saying, “Alex is different. He may have written some fabulously bitchy lyrics, but– You remember when he was outed? All the things they said about him in the press?”

Michael nods.

“He never once went after anyone. Just disappeared. And, honestly, he should have at least ruined his brother’s life because what kind of person does that to their brother?”

Michael doesn’t have an answer. He can’t imagine hurting Isobel, Max, or Dallas like that. Or any of them doing that to him.

“Anyway, you should talk to him, Michael,” Isobel urges. “You were a really good writer. And I know it meant a lot to you. You shouldn’t let Maria ruin that for you forever. And I think Alex would understand. Plus,” she adds with a grin. “How fucking cool would it be to have Rosa Ortecho singing something you’ve written?”

***

When Michael arrives the next morning, Alex hasn’t gotten any further on the song he’s failing to write.

He expects Michael to get straight to work, but, instead, Michael stops directly in front of him. “You toured with Maria Deluca, right?”

It’s an odd question and seems entirely out of nowhere, but Alex just nods, “Our last tour as a band.” It hadn’t exactly gone well and Alex suspects that Maria had something to do with some of that, but he can’t exactly prove she had released those pictures of Rosa to the public.

“And what did you think of her?”

“Just between you and me?” Alex asks for confirmation. He’s not looking to poke that particular hornet’s nest. Michael just nods, so Alex takes a deep breath and says, “She seemed nice. At first. But then… I don’t trust her. Some stuff happened and, while some of it might just be a coincidence, I don’t think she’s as sweet as her public image would suggest.”

Michael sits down across from Alex before saying, “I dated her. Maybe about a year before she released her first album. Not that she’d admit it.

“I used to write music. All the time. She did too. So I wasn’t surprised when she got a record deal. I was excited for her. I didn’t even think it was weird that she didn’t want me to visit her in the studio or anything. After all, she never introduced me to her family.” He looks defensive, angry, like he’s expecting Alex to dismiss it. Or worse, agree with that decision. “She was ashamed of me. And it’s not like she didn’t have reasons to be.”

Alex wants to argue with that, but he thinks Michael just needs to tell this story without interruptions.

“Anyway, we broke up about a month before her first single came out. And, when it came out–” he takes a deep breath, looking Alex right in the eye. “I wrote it. Turns out I wrote most of the songs on her album.”

“She stole your songs,” Alex says softly.

“Not that I can prove it,” Michael shrugs.

Alex nods, “I wouldn’t be surprised.”

Michael, however, looks completely shocked. “You believe me?”

“Yeah,” Alex shrugs. “I was dating this guy when we were touring. I mean, I still wasn’t out, not to the general public, but… Everyone on the tour knew. And about halfway through the tour– He started dating her.” He pauses before saying, “I mean, that’s– I get it. I was a closeted, disabled queer man. Not exactly a prize. Maria didn’t have any of that baggage. But then Rosa made some shady comments about it onstage one night and– I, um, I think Maria released those pics of Rosa partying on our last tour. I can’t prove it, but she went out with her every night and… She wasn’t in a single one of them.” He takes a breath, “Anyway, I don’t think what she did to you would be out of character for her. But I’m sorry she did that to you. And, for the record, she shouldn’t have treated you like she was ashamed of you either.”

“Thanks,” Michael’s voice is surprisingly soft. And then he clears his throat before saying, “Anyway, Isobel suggested I tell you about it.” He pauses a moment, “I’d really like to try to write something with you. I just..” he shrugs, gets up. “I’ll get to work.”

“I could get my lawyer to write up a contract, if you’d like. I mean, Rosa wouldn’t steal your work. I wouldn’t do it either. But I could have Noah put something together so you’d have that security.” He’s angry on Michael’s behalf, that Maria stole his work. His songs were good. Far better than anything on Maria’s second album. And Michael deserves to have his talent recognized. If he wants it. If Alex can give this to him.

“I’d like that.”

***

Writing with Alex is easier than Michael could have imagined. It’s almost like it’s instinctive. He’ll write something and Alex will follow with a change to the tune that fits it perfectly. Or vice versa. He loses track of time and only realizes they’ve been working together for hours when his stomach growls loud enough for both of them to hear.

Not too long after that, they’re seated at the Crashdown and the owner, Arturo, is dropping off burgers, fries, and milkshakes at their table.

“You should go see Rosa,” Arturo says, seemingly out of nowhere.

“She’s in town?” Alex asks, sounding surprised.

“Just for the rest of the day. She’s getting ready for a hometown concert and said she wanted to tour the venue.”

Michael just listens as Alex continues to talk with Arturo, surprised by how Alex seems perfectly at ease with him.

Until, that is, Arturo walks away and Alex explains, “Arturo is Rosa’s dad. I met his younger daughter, Liz, in elementary school. She’s off in Denver doing some medical thing that is far too complicated for me to follow.” Michael very much doubts that. From what he’s seen of Alex, he’s far smarter than most people would probably expect. Alex continues, “Arturo was one of the few adults in Roswell who always gave me somewhere to stay when I was scared to go home.”

“Tell me about Rosa?” Michael asks, deciding to stick with the safer subject for now, to wait to ask about the painful past Alex had hinted at, even if he’s heard bits and pieces of it from the press and from Isobel’s commentary on the subject. “Might help with the song if I knew more about her.” He can see Alex getting ready to object, “I’m not talking personal stuff. Just– Tell me how you see her.”

Alex takes a sip of his milkshake before speaking, “Most people see her as tough. That’s this image that she projects. And she can be. If you hurt someone she loves, she won’t back down. But she’s also smart. Passionate about her art. And really caring.” He pauses, looks down before meeting Michael’s eyes. “She’s the first person I came out to. She was the person I went to when things were bad at home. She taught me how to use eyeliner and painted my nails and– everyone else thought I should be quiet, should hide.” Alex looks down, twirls his straw for a moment, “It’s not like I don’t understand why. They wanted me to be safe. Or some of them did. Some of them just wanted me to stay invisible.”

Michael wishes he could have known Alex back then, when he was a kid. He thinks he would have been amazed by the boy who was brave enough to be entirely himself, to raise a middle finger to the world who wanted him to be something different, something less than he is. He thinks his teenage self would have probably fallen head over heels for a teenaged Alex Manes.

“Rosa was the only person I really felt safe with back then. I wish I could have done the same for her when she needed me.” Michael is about to object when Alex says, “Thanks again for helping me with the song for her.”

“Alex,” Michael starts, “Addiction is– You know there’s nothing you could have done about that, right?”

“I could have been there,” Alex looks angry, but Michael knows that anger is entirely directed at himself. “She was struggling and I could have at least kept an eye on her. Might have kept her from being torn apart by the press.”

Michael wants to argue with him, but he can already see that Alex is his own harshest critic, that arguing with him right now won’t change his mind. So instead he says, “And what about you? What were you like growing up?”

“I was… struggling. And angry. My mom left when I was a kid and my dad hated me for who I was. For who I am. My brothers fell in line. I get it. They were trying to survive. But I was just so angry that the world wasn’t better, that people didn’t care. I’d show up to school with a black eye and people would just ignore it. Until my dad went to prison and then, all of a sudden, they acted like they always cared.”

“What happened?” Michael asks, taking the opening Alex offered. He’s heard bits and pieces of other people’s versions of what Alex’s father had done to him, but he knows Alex never commented on it publicly. Most of it had been overshadowed in the press by one of his brothers outing him anyway, as if Alex being gay was a scandal and not the fact that his father had tried to murder him for it. But he wants to hear Alex’s version. If he wants to tell it, of course. “I mean, you don’t have to–”

“The summer before my senior year of high school, my father caught me with a guy on the football team. I don’t remember a lot after that.” Alex pauses before saying, “I don’t remember what my dad did to me, only what the doctors and then the sheriff told me. And, after I was out of the hospital, the sheriff took me in.” He takes a deep breath before saying, “My mom showed up for a bit at first but– She didn’t really want to stick around. My brothers– Clay stuck by my dad’s side. He’s still defending him. He’s the one who…” Alex trails off, almost like he doesn’t want to say it.

So Michael offers, “Outed you?”

Alex nods, “It’s not like I don’t get it. Him defending my father, I mean. I know how trauma can fuck with your head.” Michael wants to argue, to say that what Clay did was unforgivable, but, at the same time, he’s amazed that Alex is so understanding toward someone who hurt him so much and so publicly. Alex continues, “Flint was with him for a while, but now both he and Gregory are working through things for themselves.”

Michael doesn’t know what to say. He wishes he would have been there when they were kids, knows he’d have put himself in harm’s way for Alex. He’s never met someone who is so kind to everyone, who sees the good in everyone, even when they don’t deserve it. Michael is absolutely certain that, even now, as an adult, he’d do anything to protect this man he barely knows. And that realization is terrifying. He’s never felt like that about anyone but his siblings. He has just met Alex Manes and already he’s certain that Alex could break his heart without even trying.

***

Thanks for reading! Chapter 3 will be posted later today!

[nyaagolor]

I just finished Adastra and I am about to make that everyone's problem

Tldr: it slams and (if you are over 18) you should play it

Disclaimer: Adastra is an 18+ VN. There will be no nsfw content in this post but like. If ur a minor get outta here

This isn't a liveblog, since I already finished the game, but it's a pretty similarly scattered collection of my thoughts while playing so there's no real narrative cohesion to this post. If u were looking for a detailed review just watch the video by Boringkeith

I think the biggest thing about the game to me is how insane the plot gets at Act 2. Act 1, while admittedly kind of dull, does a great job at setting up characterization and tension over time, introducing motivations and worldbuilding in a really natural way. The way the author handles the delivery of information is just. Fucking fantastic if I'm being honest, and the conversations-- ESPECIALLY arguments-- just feel so natural. There's a great tension and release that the game has, and it's a really gripping story. I think writers like this shine in this medium because God. GOD. the dialogue is good. Then Act 2 happens and shit hits the fan and does not STOP hitting the fan until the poor thing is bowled over and unplugged from the wall. Genuinely unhinged, the pacing is breakneck and it is GOOD

The protagonist actually being their own person was also fantastic, and honestly one of the only ways I can see this story going. Despite inevitably being a romance VN with intertwined political drama, I never really felt myself occupying the protagonist (Marco)'s role too much, and this is for the better. Ultimately, Amicus (the love interest) is perfect for Marco, but not for me. Neferu is hotter anyway. But Marco? Amicus??? Those two dumbasses are made for each other. Plus, the actual codified personality of the protagonist allowed for a great deal of information to be presented and withheld in ways that wouldn't be allowed by a blank slate protagonist. The dynamics wouldn't have worked as well either, and I think the story is all the more engaging for it. I, personally, would have been more lenient on Alexios but Marco? He wants that twink OBLITERATED

Cassius is the funniest character in this game I think. He just reeks of like. Loser redpilled 17 year old projecting all his insecurities into the incel takes imaginable. I'm going to wring him out like a wet paper towel. Yes he's a borderline space fascist but I can fix him I swear. When he hotboxes and trips so hard he sees God, only to have God call him a cringefail loser and he starts crying about it? Yeah that's babygirl material. Pathetic beast

It is very funny to me that the game has to spend 80% of its runtime trying to convince you that Amicus would make a good emperor and explicitly has rules in place to say that females can't rule because you KNOW within 15 seconds of her opening her mouth that Virginia is the un-debatable best choice. The fact that Amicus doesn't immediately give up his throne for her is his biggest flaw

Cato is kinda one note but he is supposed to represent heternormativity and the pitfalls of bigotry in this giant scifi queer allegory so he gets a pass. I'll admit I found him to be a lil too mustache twirling snarky towards the climax, but eh. Also I'm dead convinced that the parents meddled with him. He started freaking out when his visor got taken off and acted more erratically now that he lost his parental tech (hm) and also him crashing the parents' ship was totally out of line with his motives even as mentioned by other characters. The parents def manipulated him I can feel it

The Parents are sus as fuck I will stand by this. The game really makes you want to choose the option of trusting them (and I did bc I just want Marco and Amicus to be happy) but like. Fuck man. They mad shifty I don't trust like that they got some other shit going on. BoringKeith says more than I ever could about it just watch his video

For personal reasons I am furious about them not showing the ram civilization. We know about four of the civilizations (greek cats, roman wolves, egyptian jackals, and indian tigers) but like. What about the rest? Based on the little we've gotten it looks like the bears are norse and there are rams but I don't even remember the other two. What are they I want to see them

My only mark against this game is that both of the disabled characters are evil. I don't think there are any non-villainous disabled people which kinda blows. I heard Echo is better about it which is good? but even still it left a sour taste in my mouth

The art? is really good??????? I love the expressions and the way the CGs look especially. Fucking fantastic

The themes of homophobia in this game are ROUGH and really really raw. Again not gonna talk about it much here watch the boringkeith video but Woof. This game is so good I highly recommend

Go play Adastra

[bibliophileiz]

Ranking Keira Knightley movies I've seen

Found this ranking I made of Keira Knightley movies in one of my old notebooks and had to share with the world this new year's eve (worth noting that some of them like Imitation Game and Anna Karenina weren't originally on the list, so I added them tonight)

Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace - Keira Knightley is not in it enough. when she is, she's indistinguishable from Natalie Portman. 1/10

Princess of Thieves - baby Keira Knightley chops off all her hair and makes me bisexual. is a cutie with a reasonable amount of chemistry with the charming love interest. wins over grouchy dad by saving england and being good at archery. 8/10

King Arthur - Keira's acting is great but i don't think the writers knew what to do with her. i do love her costumes though. 5/10

Never Let Me Go - i barely remember anything about this movie. book was probably better. -1/10

Atonement - OMG!!! the PASSION. the YEARNING. this is the first tragic WWII romance i ever experienced and it DELIVERS. mostly though it's the green dress. the one she's wearing when she has sex with the faun from the narnia movies. that green dress belongs in Titanic or something illustrious. i don't think this movie's appreciated enough. i think it's time for a rewatch. 12/10

The Nutcracker and the Four Realms - little known (no one but my mom and i ever saw it) but holy SHIT is the world missing out. Keira puts on this high-pitched voice as the EVIL SUGAR PLUM FAIRY in a giant tuto. she is by far the best thing about the movie which unfortunately is lackluster in every way. 6/10 and all 6 are for her

Seeking a Friend for the End of the World - this movie should not be allowed to be so darn cute when it's about the literal apocalypse but it is and Keira is cute in it. she gets to go on a roadtrip with Steve Carrell in hopes of seeing her parents again before a giant meteor hits the earth and kills everyone. has a surprisingly touching ending. 8/10

Begin Again - i like anything where Keira sings. she's also a good role model for mark ruffalo's daughter in this. not my favorite John Carnye movie (that would be Sing Street which came out three years later) but definitely watchable. 7/10

Love Actually - why didn't they let Keira do anything in this movie? -2/10

Imitation Game - more tragic WWII stuff, though not as gutting as Atonement. Keira gets a turn playing the normal (albeit v. smart) person playing opposite Benedict Cumberbatch being weird. she does just as good a job as Martin Freeman while being way hotter. (also helps that the movie is better written than Sherlock.) her story isn't the tragic part and i'm not going to make jokes about Alan Turing who deserved much better than he got. 7/10

Anna Karenina - despite plalying the character whose name is the title, Keira was not in this enough. costumes were good but movie was approximately 1000 years long. still haven't forgiven my college boyfriend for making me watch it. -5/10

Pride & Prejudice - not my favorite Austen adaptation but you can't say Keira's not having the time of her life. she's a little giggly -- Elizabeth is more dry -- but she's definitely pretty and does a good job with the material given. Rosamund Pike may be the only person as good as her. 6/10

Bend It Like Beckham - the movie that launched a thousand lesbians. Keira gets put on the map as a tiny cute blond tomboyish lesbian soccer (ahem, *football*) player. she's a treat. 10/10

Pirates of the Caribbean - THE Keira Knightley movies. the dresses? check. the sword fighting? check. Pirate King with men falling at her feet? check, check, and check. best thing about the triology. got to kiss three dudes (sao feng doesn't count), gives a rousing third act speech, and gets to be the character who got the "keeps removing weapons from more and more illogical places on her person" trope. plus she sings! (a little.) disney did not deserve her and neither did any man in those movies. (orlando came closest though) 10 million/10

[downtoearthmarkets]

June is a joyfully colorful month in this region for several reasons! For starters, by the time June’s warmer temperatures seep into downstate New York, the growing season is entering full swing with a bright palette of fresh produce arcing through the farmstands in our markets. Plus, June is of course Pride Month – symbolized by the six-striped rainbow flag that cheerfully adorns flag poles, government buildings, store fronts and many other public spaces throughout the course of this month. Rainbows have risen to become a symbol of good fortune, positivity, diversity and inclusiveness in our popular culture, so it’s no coincidence that the phrase “eat the rainbow” is used by dieticians and other medical professionals to encourage people to put more fresh produce on their plates. In fact, consuming a variety of colorful fruits and veggies is the best way to introduce the most nutrients into your diet, without adding excessive calories. The naturally occurring pigments in these foods indicate different compounds with different properties that have been shown to provide a wide range of unique health benefits. So, to aid in the quest to taste and embrace the many seasonal colors of this month, here are some rainbow-hued items to look out for in the farmers market this weekend: Purple daikon Purple daikon radishes are at their peak during winter and spring months and are easily spotted at farmstands thanks to their bright violet skins offset by emerald leaves. This exotically hued root vegetable is native to Asia where daikon has been cultivated for thousands of years. Purple daikon is a specialty hybrid belonging to the same Brassicaceae family as the red radish. Their globular roots are oblong and cylindrical in shape with a thin tapered “tail.” The striking purple pigment is due to a type of flavonoid called anthocyanin -- the same antioxidant that gives blueberries their color, which will be entering the markets soon. If you don’t see purple daikon at the farmers market, look for watermelon radish, a round, green-white radish that reveals a dazzling hot pink interior when sliced open. Daikon radish can be enjoyed raw thanks to its crispy, crunchy texture and spicy, peppery profile that will add a splash of color and extra dimension to summer salads, grain bowls, pasta dishes and crudité platters. It can also be cooked using a variety of methods, including tossing the roots in olive oil, salt and pepper and roasting them at 375 °F for 10-15 minutes or until easily pierced with a fork. Don’t toss your leaves though! If they are still fresh and unblemished, radish greens of all kinds are delicious pan sautéed with thinly sliced garlic and olive oil then spritzed with a little freshly squeezed lemon juice. Red beets Beets grow in a rainbow of colors from gold to magenta to stunning candy cane-striped Chioggia beets. They derive their jewel-like hues from betalain, a type of natural plant pigment that has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The most common kind of beets you’ll find in the farmers market are the reddish/purple variety, but you can generally locate them in every color. Beets burst back into season this month so grab a big bunch of the spherical beauties this weekend and “get down to the beet”: * Beet salad with Goat Cheese and Balsamic * Balsamic and Fresh Thyme Roasted Beets * Easy, Homemade Pickled Beets Green peas Peas are cool weather-loving plants which means that June is a prime month for these exploratory climbers before they become sapped by the arrival of hotter temps. Peas contain a variety of minerals including magnesium, potassium and calcium and are also rich in antioxidant nutrients like vitamin C, carotenoids and flavanols. Snow, snap, and garden peas are all members of the legume family, but there are subtle differences between the three. Though they may look similar, each has a different texture and level of sweetness:

Garden (aka sweet or English) peas: Pods are firm and rounded and are shelled then discarded (toss them in your compost!) to retrieve the sweet peas inside which can be eaten raw or cooked. These are the common green peas that are sold shelled and frozen.

Snow peas: Snow peas are often used in stir-fries. The whole pod is edible and they are flat with very small peas inside. The tough “strings” along the seams are usually peeled back and removed before eating. Snow peas are mildly flavored and can be served raw or cooked.

Snap peas: A cross between snow peas and garden peas, the whole pod is eaten and has a crunchy texture and sweet flavor. Snap peas may be eaten raw or cooked. Stringless varieties are now available.

Of course, there are many more ways to shop the rainbow at the farmers market this week: orange carrots, canary yellow oyster mushrooms, blue potatoes, carmine red strawberries and the list goes on! And, if you want to eat your way to some extra credit, pick up a bunch of beautiful rainbow chard! The stalks come in an array of bright hues and pretty pastels from white, yellow, red, purple, pink and striped topped with vibrant, leafy greens.

[shreya11111]

To make it worse:

Joyce moves on from Will's death within second because Joyce has another son (Jonathan) after all so she moves on (As this plot point makes sense according to some Melvin's logic)

But also Vecna isnt the one that kills Will, it's El who does it because she has no other choice to left according to some Melvin's theories and logic, that's what the writers decide to pull.

Jonathan dies mid season and Stancy is endgame. Nancy realizes that Steve is hotter and better than Jonathan after all and despite that the series has spent all those time to show that Stancy aint working and aint compitable, they decide to make them and endgame couple.

Melvin marriage happens and they have 3 sons that they name them after Jonathan, Will and Eddie.

None of the lose plot points in the show ever explained. The way Will disappeared and the way it played out? Never explained. Why the UD looks like 6th of November? Never explained. How Will managed to survive the UD for a week, despite being just a 12 years old without (seemingly) having any powers or equipment to protect himself? Why the Demogorgon didn't kill him instantly and instead just decided to let him go for a week, why Will was found at the center of the gates aka library with a tube inside him? Never explained. All the other important plot points get ignored as well.

Max wakes up but forgets about everyone and everything else that happened on the show, she doesnt remember anyone. And her memories never come back. She's left to ''live a normal life''.

idm why some milkvans think that – joyce would never move on from will’s death that fast. it doesn’t matter that she has another son because losing either would equally hurt the same. plus, just look at how worried and distraught she was when will went missing in season 1. so, i don’t think that’s plausible at all.

making el kill will for no reason wouldn’t make sense and would be extremely difficult to watch. these two are siblings who love each other very dearly…it’s just horrible to even think that the writers would want that to happen.

i don’t think st*ncy could ever work, i’m sorry, but even if jonathan were to die it still wouldn’t work. like you said, they’re just incompatible and don’t work as a couple.

please eddie wheeler, will wheeler AND jonathan wheeler??? jeez-

again, one of the things i would hate the most (mostly bc i just find it personally frustrating). glossing over all those points and not giving any concrete answers would be so infuriating.

that’s one i’ve never heard before- i don’t rly like that. max mot remembering anyone or anything that happened would suck, though i suppose it would be nice for her not to remember any of the trauma?? idk😭

[tomorrowusa]

In the Arizona GOP : "Don't Say Heat Wave!"

Arizona is one of the states most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Despite this, the state's Republicans choose to ignore this summer's record breaking heat and spew bullshit instead.

When Arizona lawmakers returned to the state Capitol here earlier this month, they started their day with a prayer to ease the scorching heat. “We pray, Father, for solutions to end suffering and for our temperatures to trend downwards to provide relief for so many in harm’s way,” the legislative chaplain said as sweaty heads bowed in the state Senate.

Praying will do about as much for alleviating climate change this year as the 15 March 2020 Emergency National Day of Prayer did to stop the COVID-19 pandemic. As the saying goes: "God helps those who help themselves."

Every single day of July had reached 110 degrees or hotter, demolishing the previous record for the longest 110-plus-degree streak that Phoenix — nicknamed the Valley of the Sun for a reason — had ever seen. Most of those days were above 115 degrees, and most nights, the low stayed above 90 degrees, setting records on both fronts. All told, the average daily temperature — the average of the high and low — was 102 degrees, or more than 7 degrees above normal for July, which is also a record, according to the National Weather Service.

Even by GOP standards, Arizona Republicans immerse themselves deeply in a world of self-delusion and conspiracy theories.

But among some Arizona Republicans, saying this summer has been especially hot is akin to saying the 2020 election was especially free and fair or that Covid-19 is an especially deadly virus. With extreme and growing heat waves almost certainly fueled by climate change, Arizona might, in theory, be the kind of place where lawmakers grapple with this new reality. But the politics of climate change are just as paralyzed here as the rest of the country. Or perhaps it’s even worse, with the Arizona GOP taken over by its fringe elements in recent years and largely refusing to acknowledge the issue at all. Democrats, meanwhile, lament that their leaders aren’t doing nearly enough to address the heat — even as heat-related deaths are climbing.

Just a quick reminder that the Trumpist "QAnon Shaman" is from Arizona.

Heat-tolerant Republicans argue that the heat isn’t unusual — this is a desert city after all — or that even if this is an especially hot year, there are hot years and cold years. “This weather is normal,” Justine Wadsack, a hard-line Republican in the state Senate, tweeted recently. “If ya can’t stand the heat in Arizona, you’re welcome to leave.” Some conservatives suggest thermometers, like past vote counts, are rigged because they’re placed at the sun-scorched asphalt airport. Others say a national media frenzy is intended to promote the left’s climate change narrative and drive people to seek government solutions to a naturally occurring phenomenon.

So one of their excuses for the heat is essentially "fake thermometers".

One of Arizona’s most vocal heat-skeptical lawmakers is GOP state Rep. Justin Heap. He’s engaged in frequent online skirmishes in which he dismisses the “media narrative” of climate change and suggests it’s part of a push on behalf of “global elites” who stand to benefit from massive government subsidies on green technology. “Apparently the national media has decided we are all insufficiently frightened about climate change so it’s time to portray normal summer heat as the apocalypse,” he wrote recently.

Undoubtedly those "global elites" have a secret factory where they manufacture rigged thermometers just to make loony Arizona Republicans look bad.

Maybe all those heat-related deaths will also be blamed on the global elites.

The heat has killed at least 39 people just in Maricopa County since April, and that number is sure to grow: More than 300 other deaths are still under investigation as potentially heat-related.

Heat denialism is an offshoot of climate denialism.

Still, (Democratic state Rep. Analise) Ortiz’s deepest frustrations are with the “heat denialism” that she hears from some of her Republican colleagues at the Capitol — which she says is unnervingly similar to the kind of gaslighting they did about the 2020 presidential election, the state’s 2022 gubernatorial election and the Covid pandemic. “I see exactly the same kind of denialism when it comes to the climate crisis and it’s terrifying,” she says, adding she’s worried that Republicans’ irresponsible rhetoric will cost lives again. [ ... ] “I definitely feel as though it’s getting hotter,” she says. “But it’s not just my feelings, there are facts and data to back it up.”

Rep. Ortiz, it's probably a mistake to think that facts will cause Republicans to flock to scientific conscientiousness. Just look at the way Trump and Fox News dealt with the spread of COVID in 2020.

If Arizonans want pro-science legislators who will deal seriously with the climate emergency, the best thing is to elect Democratic majorities in both chambers of the legislature.

The first step for voters is to find out exactly who currently represents them in their state legislature. This site helps with that...

Find Your Legislators Look your legislators up by address or use your current location.

^^^ That can be used in any state – not just Arizona. Becoming more aware of state politics is essential.

[zumpietoo]

Racist 3rd/With 3 Stoopids!

Oh good lord, there never was a “promo department”, dumbass....they contract that out and, I’m quite sure, somebody, even if it’s the intern’s babysitter’s little brother’s cousin will piece together something. It doesn’t cost much to splice a trailer. 

Plus, again, I thought they HAD to restore the ratings in their final year or else????

You mean with Jabi being eternally and beautifully together and Barfie in love and engaged?

Umm....again, Barfies seem pefectly happy (plus it’s really interesting how THAT’S your big concern, here!) and, actually, the show has always been interested in the BAV triangle....what they never were “interested in” or wanted was Jizzy...

I actually think the trailer will be lots of pointless 50s vignettes, just like the season, with Jughead all horrified/some sort of hint of what Tabi tells him....

Crazy Ex wasn’t all that and it’s the CW, idiot...

OMG.....there will be nooooo Jizzy, you fucking idiot. Cole and PP barely ever film together, anyway....plus, I thought, again, it’s all make or break, noooo???

Okay, Racist, they’re a beautiful, grown up couple who love each other, look gorgeous together and are both played by fab actors. And you hate it/them because A) you’re a total racist and B) you can’t accept that Cole doesn’t want to film with his psychotic ex. 

And dude, again, bullshit, but they keep having to use the split screen for a reason with Jizzy scenes.....

Feel better?

You sure to comment and obsess a lot about something you don’t watch, kettle-bullshit. 

OMG.....jizzy-cartillage is even moar heelarious! Dude, Ted doesn’t have that much power and they don’t have to cast an entire new LI just to “have Jughead out of the way”. It’s all pretend, so they can write him however TF they please to have him “out of the way”. Good lord, you’re speshul stoopid, on a speshul stoopid DAY!

Again, RAS did not figure it out, RAS has always wanted that and the BAV triangle.....and RAS is the one who dictates this. 

Jizzy split up because SH split up and PP is fucking nuts. Do the math. Once and for all.

Umm....nooo....you just hate Jughead kissing a black lady. We all are fully aware. Can’t wait to see your head explode every week thru August...

Ummm....everybody knows that....but it’s because he’s played by a better, hotter actor. Very simple. And those of us who are Jughead (and Cole) fans, prefer him not with his cuntwipe ex. Either way.....

Ummm....beg to differ, Racist....we already know better based on leaks/interviews alone. 

Awww....another noobie sock haz teh sadzz...Dude, Erinn’s posted herself multiple times, she’s in the credits as a main and RAS has already teased her role as significant. Stop being an asshole....(and a fucking moron).

Once again, you guys sure devote a lot of time and energy to something you despise, that nobody bothers with, huh????