#post sponsored by amber

[housewifebuck]

Hour 1 of playing Minecraft i have died like 14 times and also poisoned myself and now I dug a bunch of tunnels under ground and got lost

[kiwinatorwaffles]

the hate towards amber in the invincible tv show is wild honestly because other than that one line (the one where she reveals she knew mark was a superhero) that was a slight fumble on the part of the show runners, she’s actually really excellent and excels at her narrative role compared to her comic counterpart who is just kind of there to be a placeholder date before mark gets with eve.

i admit that line was kinda poorly set up and could’ve been written better (like maybe her instead saying “ugh i expected it but that doesn’t excuse the way you treat me”) but like. Really? did that negate every single thing her character stood for prior to this point? how amber is actually really good for putting up with his bullshit for so long even after he flaked out on dinner with her parents? how she put mark in his place for thinking he could get away with neglecting his relationships just because he’s a hero? how it showed that he’s acting just like how nolan treats debbie? did One single line, said during a moment of anger and frustration, change all of that?

her character is a great parallel between mark and his dad in s1 and is even better in s2 at showing how mark physically can’t live a normal life no matter how much he wants to. like we know amber isn’t endgame and that’s what hurts a lot. they want to be normal college kids going through their awkward teen years together but i guess that one slightly weak line of dialogue made her character “terrible” and “ruin mark.” also even setting aside the myriad of… Other biases, a lot of people just seem to forget the fact that she’s a teenage girl sooooooooooo

(also i’m thinking about this one comment i saw on youtube where someone was like “i didn’t watch that scene initially so i didn’t understand the hate but after i watched it i hate her as well” and. seriously. are you being so serious right now.)

anyway i’m an amber defender to my death she’s amazing in the show and deserves nice things. if you are a video analyst who actually sees her as a normal character instead of calling her “the other woman” you immediately gain my respect

[thelyricthepoetthedreamer]

relistening to this podcast episode it’s sooo good i love kat and i love matt their commentary is incredible and always makes me look inwards i love it

[iamhowiseeit]

#joselinehernandez #CollegeHill #celebgossips #celebgossip #ad

Echoes of Tomorrow: A Race Against Time to Save Humanity's Future

By Marvin Merritt ll

"Echoes of Tomorrow: A Race Against Time to Save Humanity's Future" is an enthralling sci-fi novel that transports readers through time and space. As strange objects appear in the sky, a self-loading internet app spreads worldwide, sparking wonder and mystery among the population. Noah, a brilliant scientist specializing in Computational Linguistics, leads a team that discovers the true nature of the network - a connection to humans 1,000 years in the future. Deciphering encrypted messages, the team learns of an impending disaster that threatens the Earth, putting the fate of humanity in their hands. As the countdown to the disaster begins, governments worldwide race to protect their citizens while people come together to show extraordinary displays of compassion and generosity. Meanwhile, Noah, Aria, Dr. Toliver, and their team race against the clock to prevent the catastrophe, navigating through dangerous obstacles and evading powerful organizations seeking to exploit their discoveries for their gain.

[heaven4lostgirls]

promises and dreams

pairing: finnick odair x reader

warning: angst, mentions of throwing up and blood, canon typical death and violence included!

summary: finnick odair is your best friend, but somehow you cant find it within yourself to be aanything more. Now that the 75th Hunger Games calls for Victors to be reaped you make it your plan to bring Finnick back home to Annie or you will die trying

word count: 1.3k

a/n: sorry ive been gone for so long! i have just finished uni so i am working on getting some more content out as soon as i can! have this to tide you over in the mean time but i can't wait to get back to posting! part 2?

part 1, part 2, part 3

You were sitting in the victors village of district 4 as you turned on the television to listen to the reaping news for the 75th Hunger Games. Your glass on the table in front of you was filled with amber liquid to quell the anxiety you felt as you hear Snow’s grating voice flood your home. Your hands are shaking as you’re forced to relive the memories of your own hunger games, which you had won at only 16.  

The victors that came after you were mentored by either you, or Finnick Odair, the Capitol’s prince. You had a harder time disassociating from  being a mentor when your tributes were in the games, Finnick always seemed so determined to get them sponsors and help them  in any way he could but for you, it was almost as worse as being in the games yourself.

Finnick and you had always been close, only drifting apart when his womanly companions found it necessary, he spend more time with them rather than you. You couldn’t blame them, if Finnick was yours you too would probably be uncomfortable but that never meant it hurt any less to see your best friend discard you as though you were nothing.

The only person you could never find it in yourself to dislike was ironically the only one of his  partner’s that  never dismissed  you, Annie Cresta. She was the epitome of beauty to you, there was no question about why Finnick fell in love with her. She had  been dealt just as bad of a hand in her own games and the both of you had found solace in one another. She could  not have been a better fit for Finnick and although your heart felt as though it was shattering each time you were forced to watch him look at her the way you longed, he would  look at you, you stayed strong.

That was how you found a paternal comfort in Haymitch Abernathy, Katniss Everdeen’s mentor, he was one of the only people who understood how easy it was for you to turn to drinking in favour of trying to find your tributes sponsors because of your own trauma. He knew just as well as you did just how  hard your games were for you; you had fought tooth and nail to make it back to your family only for them to turn you away in disgust for the atrocities you had committed in the games.

One of them always haunting you, You and 12-year-old George were the last tributes standing in the arena and you knew straight away that there was no way you would  be going home, you couldn’t kill him. That was until he ran to attack you and in a strike of defence you had pushed him, he had landed on one of the spears of the dead tributes. His lifeless eyes have haunted your nightmares to  this day.

As you tune back into the Capitol TV, you hear Snow’s voice state, “…the third quarter quell games, the male and female tributes are to be reaped from the existing pool of victors from each district”. Your heart thuds inn your chest as bile rises in your throat. You can feel your eyes burning with unshed tears as you disconnect from reality.  The only thing that brings you back is the realisation that the other victors may  just as well be in the same predicament.

You get up to go to Finnick’s house, the light is on, so you know he must be at home so as you knock on the door, shaking on the front step in either coldness or fear, you’re no longer sure, you’re greeted with Finnick’s hard gaze as he opens the door to let you in. You whisper a small greeting as your eyes travel to the couch in front of the TV where Annie sits, she’s a mess of tears and you can only hold off for so long before you make your way towards her to comfort her.  

Finnick watches the both of you in pain and worry as you try and keep yourself composed to focus on Annie, you know just how hard it must  be for her, she had never truly been okay after her games so right then you had made the decision. If Annie’s name was ever called, you would volunteer for her, you could not sit at home and watch one of your best friends relive their pain on national television as you sat back and did nothing.

“I can’t believe this; how can they  do this?  After our games we were supposed to live! I can’t go back there” Annie says, and you softly rock the both of you as you rub her back, you look over her shoulder to where Finnick is standing and watching you both as his features tighten in anger.

“It’s going to be okay, I promise, you’re not going into that arena, okay?” Annie pulls away and looks  up at you in shock and she’s shaking her head as she lifts her hand to her mouth to stifle her sobs. “You can’t” She says, and you smile back at her as you tuck her long hair behind her ear as you move to hug her, whispering in her ear, “I will make sure he comes back to you” and Annie  squeezes you tighter.

You realise then that whatever happens in the reaping and the games, that  its much bigger than you. Since Finnick had a high chance of volunteering for any of the younger and older victors you  knew that it was up to you to bring him back home. He had a reason to come back, Annie needed him more than you did, and you acknowledge that even if he had never loved you the same way you may love him, that with you dying breath you would make sure he came back to Annie.

The day of the reaping, you stood in the middle of Annie and Mags as they took out  the name for the female tribute, “The female tribute from District 4 is, Annie Cresta-“ Before the announcer is done speaking your mouth moves without thinking, “I volunteer as tribute.” You state with confidence and hear Annie flinch as tears rise in her eyes. You let go of her hand and walk to the front of the podium, the announcer looks at you in shock and sympathy before she announces, “Our Volunteer in place of Annie Cresta, Y/N Y/LN!” she states.

You feel Finnick’s hard gaze on you as they wait for the announcement of the male tribute. When Finnick’s name is called, your heart clenches in pain at the thought of your best friend having to see you die in the arena. His demeanour instantly  switches to play the part of the Capitol’s  prince as he makes his way to stand next to you.  You both smile at the crowd as you make your way towards the train to say goodbye  to your loved ones.

As Finnick and Annie say heartfelt goodbye’s you realise that nobody has come to see you, you wipe the tears pooling in your eyes as Annie turns to you after saying bye to Finnick, she runs and hugs you and thanks you softly in your ear. You squeeze her tightly and reiterate your previous promise before you’re met with the solemn gaze of Finnick.

You nudge him with your arm and playfully tease him, “That looks isn’t very Capitol Prince of you Finn”, his strained smile does not go unnoticed, but you attest it to the pain of having to relive the games however the only thought running through Finnick’s  mind is how he plans on keeping you safe.

Somehow you both think that trying to save the other might just be your own downfall.

[i-luv-p0tat0es]

Glassheart Modern Prep School AU!!

This is just an idea I’ve had, it probably doesn’t make much sense without context but I’m posting this anyway!

Chloe has always had one goal. Be perfect. She knows it’s unrealistic, her therapist tells her it’s not the best goal to have. But it’s the standard that she sets for herself, and for the past 16 years she’s been doing a damn good job.

It’s funny how her entire world is flipped on its head when a new girl comes to town and shows her that her flaws are what make her perfect.

⁺˚⋆｡°✩ ︶꒦꒷♡꒷꒦︶ ✩°｡⋆˚⁺

Chloe suddenly regretted not accepting her father’s help with her bags. She had to haul her copious amount of luggage down the long and familiar halls of Auradon Prep. Eventually, she got to her dorm and set them down, she pulls out a small keycard and slides it into the lock. She waits for the green light to flash as she hears a click. She opens the door and starts to put all of her stuff down as she breathes in the familiar smell of her room.

With a content sigh she took in the space around her. It was mostly the same as when she left it, the walls were still that same off-white color, the beams still had the intricate wooden texture, and the windows had the same view she loved looking out at in the morning. She made sure to check the kitchenette first, looking for any faults, making sure the sink was running and the fridge was cold.

Chloe remembers her parents telling her about someone sponsoring the school, their child would be attending this year, and they had paid to put new equipment in all around the building. It showed when Chloe opened the cabinets expecting a loud squeak, but was met with silence instead.

Heading up to the loft she looked at the plain beds sitting up there and the door that leads to the balcony between them. She jumped onto the one she had claimed when she first moved in, sinking into the memory foam she reminisced on the past few years.

She remembered how happy she was to have no one sharing this space with her. It got lonely sometimes, but it made her cherish being on her own. So what she only had 2 real friends, one of them being her cousin, she was fine by herself. She talked to a lot of people, and people loved talking to her. Her last name had irony to it and it was not lost on her. But the conversations she had were only ever surface level with them. No one ever really stuck around.

And Chloe was perfectly fine with that.

She got up and walked into the bathroom, making sure everything was in good shape. Once her small check was done Chloe pulled out her phone and took a picture in the mirror smiling. She sends it to her family group chat, and grins as replies start flooding in.

Papa 👑: Theres my pretty girl!!

Brobear 🧸: nerd

Mommy💙: Hi darling! How’s move-in day going?

She’s about to reply to her mother when she hears the door click from downstairs. She goes out to check who entered when she’s met with a head she’d never seen on campus. She knew everyone on campus.

“Excuse me? Who are you?” Chloe called as she walked down the stairs to talk to the girl.

The girl whips her head around and Chloe freezes for a moment. When the girl’s fiery red hair falls to frame her face Chloe knows. She knows this must be the new student because she would have remembered that face. Chloe can’t help it when her eyes start to look over the girl, her amber eyes are glowing as the window lets the sunlight peak through the blinds, her nose ring standing out against her skin. And, God, the lips that start turning upward into a smirk. Chloe’s gaze flicks back up to the girl’s eyes when the lips start moving.

“W-What?”

“I said my name is Red,” Chloe blushes as she chided herself for not paying attention.

“You’re the new student?” She asks the obvious question because her mind is still trying to catch up after seeing the girl. She already knows the answer as Red nods. “And you’re staying here?”

[masha-nikita]

The Desert Eden

Neither this post nor Rommel is sponsored by Estee Lauder, I swear. This digital drawing is my attempt to capture the scent within this tiny bottle.

Some time ago, my friend mustered some money to get me this incredible perfume sample-- it must be known that this Esteee Lauder perfume series is mad expensive, and we are both very broke. Immediately, its name intrigues me-- DESERT EDEN.

At least based on its Chinese namesake 檀沙玫瑰, DESERT EDEN's notes are built upon very heavy rose-- which might lead many perfume lovers to believe it as mainly for women, and be shocked when it comes out too strong, unwearable even.

On Fragrantica, this perfume is marked as for MEN and for women. It is not one of those nondescript unisex type deal, with notes like fresh citrus, sweet amber, harmless vanilla or neutral musk— something any gender could wear and no one is offended. If the perfumer manufactured this bottle the inoffensive way, it could only end up purely feminine. It's a bouquet of roses after all.

Somehow, Estee Lauder made rose incredibly masculine. There's leather and iron, anger and strength in it. It's a bottle of roses in harsh climate adorn in thorns, ready to hurt, maybe be hurt, unique and brutal-- uniquely brutal. If your body odor/temperature cannot handle aldehydic types like Chanel no.5, I highly do not recommend. Not for the faint of heart. Except if you are born a man, maybe try out.

IDK, the DESERT EDEN just reminds me of Rommel, regardless of its name. I wear it with caution or else my colleagues are going to water-hose me down. I know shipping Montrommel (Montgomery x Rommel) too hard is part of my obsession with it, but what the heck.

This desert is their garden of Eden, where enemies could just be enemies, no intrigues, conspiracy, ideologies and politics, where surrender rather than needless massacres is the ultimate prize.

[the-masked-ram]

Never Late, Never On Time- Togame x GN!Reader drabble

A/N: this is the sfw festival drabble for @ficsforgaza sponsored by @sophiawhite0066 thanks so much for the sponsor and sorry for the slow post!

@interstellar-inn

Reminder I still have a lot of fics for gaza to available, tons of drabbles multichaps, and a couple drabble series. If you are interested in seeing a specific fandom I write for let me know and I might add a drabble to donation pile (this is not a request invitation)

CW: sfw, literally this is rare pure fluff from me(not even a kiss)

---

The warmth of the night was unusual for fall, the humidity not necessarily as uncommon. However, neither was necessarily unwelcome. It was easy to slip into the festival mood with the heat and the sparkling lanterns and lights strung through the stalls. The smell of sweetened soy sauce for dango mixed wonderfully with the salt of the more savory offerings like meat skewers and dried squid. It was hard not to let your senses pull you into the wonderland waiting just in front of you.

But you forced yourself to hang back, forced yourself to wait. You balanced carefully on the geta you were not used to, and for a moment you were jealous of Togame who would be used to this atmosphere and the clothing that came with it. Jo, the man you were meeting here, and just the thought had your fingers tightening in the light silk of your yukata. You were honestly glad you had forgone the under-robes you would normally wear for fall because tonight was too hot, and you were too nervous. You’d have sweated through the layers within moments.

You frowned as you checked the time and realized Togame was making you wait again. He was only five minutes late, but it was just so him. He would show up with one minute to spare before it rolled into fifteen minutes, spouting some bullshit about how he couldn’t be truly late until that minute hand ticked into the fifteen zone. You rolled your eyes even as you smirked, because though this was your first date together, nothing had truly changed.

You were looking at some masks when you felt the presence at your back, when a hand that had begun to grow familiar with the subtle brushes you'd been experiencing the last few weeks, settled into yours. His fingers tangled with yours, and you took a steadying breath as your lungs seized and heart thrashed.

“Hello, Jo,” you whispered.

“Hey, darling,” he responded, the smirk audible in his lazy voice. “Wait long?”

His words were barely a sentence, all slurred in his usual way that showed he had hardly any energy for anything that wasn’t fighting. Yet here he was, looking at you with those sleepy and adoring eyes as he slowly blinked life back into them. He’d found time in his napping schedule to spend on you yet again. Like always.

The thought did anything but calm your rebellious chest. Instead, everything inside it seemed to shudder as you looked at him back and felt a swooping pleasure take over your gut.

“Think it was ten minutes this time,” you said with a pout that was fighting to unfurl into a grin.

“Not late,” he responded as if he knew the thoughts you were entertaining just moments before.

That smile you’d been holding back finally took hold, turning your puffy lower lip smoother as your mouth curled. He returned the expression, though his was relaxed and half-assed that look in his eyes, however, was anything but. The one that both pinned you down and raised you higher. You breathed, taking in his scent of amber musk and the sugary bubbles of Ramune that always seemed to cling to him.

“If that’s what you say,” you answered with a laugh.

Those calloused fingers that you had grown to recognize grew tighter as he drew you closer. This was a first date, but so many things were unknown were Togame. Would he rush this? Would you be the reason he quickened his pace? You looked at him with wide and affectionate eyes and his gaze flickered down to your smiling lips.

No, he wouldn’t, but not because of his relaxed nature. There was plenty of heated desire festering beneath the surface of his green eyes. He wouldn’t hurry it along because he wanted the ache growing so sweetly in his chest to bloom until he couldn’t stand it. He wanted to own everything about you and, if that meant stringing those things he wanted to do for you, to do to you, out just a bit longer then he would. He was used to taking it slow and though everything in him screamed to take your soft waist in his wide grip and kiss you senseless now, he would make you need him with your heart and mind long before he claimed your body. Since you’d already stolen all of him.

“C’mon, I saw some dango over there,” he tilted his chin toward a stall.

“Shouldn’t we have something more like dinner,” you chided but followed him with a laugh that lit up your entire face.

It was a laugh that would rival the fireworks the two of you watched later on in the night, chomping away at taiyaki as you sat on the edge of the river and pointed out your favorites. Even though your hand was busy the one clasped in his never left it the entirety of the night. Neither of you spoke about why, neither of you told each other that you were desperate for every scrap of a second to last a little longer in each other’s company. And for once, as Togame stood on your doorstep with his hands finally deep in his old Shishitoren jacket, he wished he hadn’t been ten minutes late. Those ten minutes now felt like an eternity. Maybe you could break his habit of never being on time. You and your firework eyes.

[reasoningdaily]

Black students being “bused” to integrated schools, circa 1970. Photo: Denver Post

Friday was the 70th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Brown v. Board of Education that formally struck down state-enforced racial segregation of public schools as violating the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. An assessment of Brown’s legacy in the Washington Post, based on new public opinion research, made three salient points on how people view its impact today: (1) Retroactive support for the basic holding in this decision is at an all-time high; but (2) many Black Americans are disappointed by the educational benefits of desegregation; and (3) “large segments of the White population oppose strategies that would help make [integration] a reality.” Anyone with a good memory of the fraught history of conflict over desegregation knows that Black disappointment owes a lot to white resistance.

In reality, the full implementation of Brown has been hampered by wave after wave of what came to be known as “white flight”: first from integrated schools and then from public education itself. But even before that happened, the impact of Brown was frustrated by a proviso in the decision itself that desegregation should be dismantled “with all deliberate speed.” This was an amber light that gave southern proprietors of the “separate but equal” school systems Brown theoretically condemned abundant time to challenge more specific measures in the courts and in general drag their feet. This is why over a decade after the decision, I was attending an all-white public high school in majority-Black Atlanta, Georgia.

Eventually, desegregation occurred even in the Jim Crow South, but that didn’t mean actual integration. Even in multiracial jurisdictions, “neighborhood schools” tracking segregated-housing patterns provided one way of escape for white students whose parents didn’t want them in classes with Black peers. But as urban areas outstripped the boundaries of core cities, the ability to reconstruct majority- or even all-white schools in suburbs was a significant factor in “white flight” that perpetuated both residential and school segregation. The controversy over “busing” to overcome “white flight” by overriding school-district boundaries, as federal courts dictated in many urban areas around the country, dominated the politics of education in the 1970s and 1980s. A whole generation of white politicians in both parties — including, famously, the current president of the United States — cut their teeth on “anti-busing” movements, and by the end of the 1990s, the very federal courts that created “busing” threw in the towel and put an end to it.

But long before busing rose and fell, a second and more invidious strategy for fighting school integration was born in mostly rural southern counties with unitary public-school systems that couldn’t be resegregated by school-district or political boundaries: “white flight” from public education altogether. Born in the 1950s when segregationist pols flirted with closing public schools altogether rather than integrating them, white communities and their churches sponsored pop-up private schools, often quite inexpensive, that were universally and accurately known as “segregation academies.” In 1976 in a landmark decision nearly as important as Brown, SCOTUS ruled that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 banned racial discrimination in private-school admissions. It was so heated a controversy that most historians now believe the threat to segregated church-sponsored schools (including colleges and universities) rather than legalized abortion was the genesis of what came to be known as the Christian right.

Though overtly racist public or private schools became unavailable by the end of the 1970s, white flight from public schools continued, usually accompanied by efforts to give private (and again, often church-sponsored) schools tax subsidies that in effect made them publicly sponsored private schools following religious doctrines and serving a select (and usually majority-white and middle-to-upper-class) clientele. Various and increasingly widespread experiments with private-school “vouchers” have been embraced by Republicans (and, to a more limited extent, by some Democrats) in the 21st century. Most recently, individualizing school subsidies has been a frequent by-product of the conservative “parental rights” movement in education, in which the very idea of public schools as a means of promoting racial, economic, or social equality is under attack. And while some school-voucher programs are marketed as a boon to Black students “trapped” in underfunded public schools, the historical record is that they ultimately produce racially and economically stratified instruction by taking the “public” out of public schools altogether.

The bottom line is that realization of the dream of an integrated public-school system has been frustrated by decades of delays, evasions, and outright opposition stemming from white political resistance — a resistance increasingly championed by today’s Republican Party as part of its pervasive Trump-driven mission of bringing back the “greatness” of America as it existed before the 1960s came along and spoiled everything. Perhaps the vision represented by Brown was always naïve, and the strategies adopted by courts and schools to implement it were sometimes ham-handed or even counterproductive. But just accepting segregated schools is inimical to civic and religious values much older than a 70-year-old Supreme Court decision. Marking 70 Years of White Flight From School Integration

[theglamclosetsl]

.009

This post is sponsored by BETRAYAL.

HAIR| Unorthodox Slay Curls

EARRINGS| [Betrayal] Aria Earrings - Silver

BAG| [Betrayal] Meela Raffia Bag - NUDE

TOP| MOGUL (Aicha Cross Top) - Dove

SKIRT| [Betrayal] Amber Pants - GREEN

SHOES| Marchese - Betina Heels

[kingofthegophers]

★ Genshin Star Stream AU: Mondstadt Arc ★

Hi hi I'm back with that Genshin x ORV AU I've been working on on-and-off, and I spent an entire night plotting out the Mondstadt arc??? I need help LMAO

Overall premise - An apocalyptic modern AU that borrows the mechanics of the Star Stream from ORV (so like scenarios and constellations, none of the novel-come-to-life stuff). Aether and Paimon are siblings looking for their sister Lumine, who has gone missing since the scenarios began. What they don’t realize is that Lumine has already gone through the scenarios and is now constellation.

CONTEXT (link to the original post with the initial concept)

Anyways, a lot of it still needs to be fleshed out but Mondstadt arc details are below the cut!

Start of the scenarios:

Star siblings are not Mondstadt locals (only recently moved there)

Aether is picking up Paimon from school, they’re heading home via public transit

For whatever reason, Lumine is in another part of town or in a completely different city running some errands

Amber is the first to make small talk with Aether and Paimon on the bus/subway <3

SCENARIOS BEGIN

Main Scenario #1 - Kill one or more living beings to survive

Aether, Paimon, and starter characters (Amber, Kaeya, Lisa) survive bc of Paimon’s ant farm from her school’s show-and-tell

Cell service isn’t working, Aether can’t reach Lumine

Middle scenarios, meeting other parties:

Aether’s party meets up with Jean’s party at the station

Jean’s party consists of Barbara, Eula, Mika, Noelle, Klee

Jean is the incarnation of Lady Vennessa (historical-grade), JHW vibes

Aether’s party encounters Diluc who has taken in Diona after her dad died

Aether’s party encounters Rosaria and her party of teens that she took in (Razor, Bennett, Fischl, Mona)

Decarabian is a constellation that wishes for Mondstadt’s destruction and incarnations’ failure

(Idk what scenarios they should go through here, but they just need to somehow meet all the characters before the disaster scenario)

MAIN SCENARIO: DEFEAT THE DISASTERS TERRORIZING THE CITY

The disasters are Dvalin, Durin, Andrius

Dvalin and Andrius are former constellations in Barbatos’ nebula that have “fallen”

Split into smaller parties to fight them

Fight through sub-scenarios on the way to the bosses

During this time, Barbara gains Nameless Bard’s sponsorship (historical-grade) after encountering his statue, obtains his lyre

Dvalin - Aether, Paimon, Jean, Diluc

Durin - Kaeya, Amber, Eula, Mika

Andrius - Rosaria, Lisa, Razor, Bennett, Fischl

On standby taking refuge under Nameless Bard’s statue, holding down the fort - Barbara, Noelle, Klee, Diona, Mona

DVALIN:

Located in Decarabian’s tower

BOUNTY SCENARIO - Barbatos wants Aether to save Dvalin instead of slaying him

Decarabian is goading other incarnations into slaying Dvalin by bribing with coins

Barbatos attempts to help by descending but gets stopped by probability

Aether succeeds in freeing Dvalin, obtains Barbatos’ stigma as a reward, Dvalin becomes an ally

Party returns to standby team to wait for others to return

Barbatos blesses/upgrades Barbara’s lyre, can now be used to communicate with him or summon Dvalin

Aether tells Barbatos about his journey to find Lumine, Barbatos will try to locate her whereabouts

ANDRIUS:

Located in the forests of Wolvendom

Andrius doesn’t actually want to fight, tries to resist the Star Stream and the Abyss Order but fails

Razor MVP saves Andrius from the Abyss’ control, nullifying the scenario

As thanks, Andrius becomes an ally and Razor’s sponsor

OR Andrius does get killed but gets reborn as a wolf pup under Razor’s care

Party returns to standby team to wait for others to return (they are the first to return, before Aether’s party)

DURIN:

Located in the mountains of Dragonspine

Kaeya’s party finds Albedo’s party (Sucrose, Timaeus) already there trying to fight Durin, both parties join forces

Durin takes over Albedo's body which makes the situation much much worse (inspired by 4dango’s “Voices in Ice and Snow” series)

Aether and others are concerned about Kaeya’s party for taking a worryingly long time, fly over on Dvalin’s back to help

Klee reunites with corrupted Albedo

After new forces join and the wounded evacuate (via Dvalin), remaining party to fight Durin consists of Aether, Paimon, Kaeya, Jean, Diluc, Klee

Everyone wants to save Albedo/Durin like they did with Dvalin and Andrius, but Durin is far too corrupted by the Abyss

Durin is purged along with Albedo’s consciousness, his body is cursed and turns into chalk (maybe he does this to himself sacrifice to save everyone else?)

Aether obtains Durin’s blood, uses it to forge Festering Desire sword (dw he’ll still keep his dull blade as a backup)

Aftermath:

Barbatos informs Aether that he can’t find Lumine in Mondstadt, even among the deceased

Barbatos has exhausted all his probability during disaster scenario, all he can do now is open a portal to Liyue dome for Aether and Paimon, maybe his old friend the geo archon can help

Everyone else stays behind to defend Mondstadt from future threats, also to search for a way to cure Albedo (using the power of constellation Rhinedottir)

This is was originally supposed to be Aether and Paimon -centric but omg I'm so proud I managed to somehow include all the playable Mondstadt characters in this arc?? (Don’t expect this to happen in future arcs tho lmao)

Links:

CONTEXT (link to the original post with the initial concept)

#genshin star stream au tag

[lovesnapcats]

BLACK CAT FRIDAY!

Yesterday it was Bonnie, so of course today it’s Clyde. Clyde also celebrated his first birthday on August 15th, and is sponsored by Amber Wells. SNAP Cats rescued Clyde from Kings County (CA). If you read Bonnie’s post yesterday, when Clyde first arrived with Bonnie, they were very bonded. Since then, the two have gradually de-bonded (there’s that word again!), so, although we’d like to see the two adopted together, Clyde and Bonnie can go separately if needed. Clyde can be a bit skittish to begin with, but once he gets to know you, he’ll warm up quickly, especially if there’s food involved! Despite missing both back paws, Clyde gets around great. His legs stay sore-free, so they shouldn’t be an issue in the future. Clyde did have a hematoma on his ear, thus the crinkling, but it’s healed, and we think adds a bit of character.

If you’re interested in Clyde please fill out an adoption application at https://www.snapcats.org/category/adoption/catsforadoption/. Thanks. SNAP Cats uses Smart Cat, all natural cat litter.

[dylannitroblog]

NHRA Winternationals Recap

Welcome to race two of the 2024 Mission Foods Drag Racing Season, this race recap has been a bit delayed as the race began in Pamona California but as the final rounds were set to start hail began to fall from the sky and so the PRO final rounds were put on hold for two weeks until Saturday at the Arizona Nationals. Here are the highlights of the 2024 Winternationals.

Pro-Stock Motorcycle is on hiatus until race five at Charlotte for the 2nd 4-Wide Nationals of the season so the final rounds begin with Pro-Stock Car. This race saw the rivalry of Elite Motorsports and KB Titan come to a head as Erica Enders and Dallas Glenn staged up. In Pamona Erica seemed a bit off, not putting done a full powered race day run until the semi-finals while on the other side of the fence, Dallas Glenn had put down quick runs all day and seemed to be the car to beat, but now in Arizona, all of that data went out the window. They staged and went and Dallas Glenn beat the Gatornationals winner on a holeshot, his 6.537 beat her 6.531.

After some track-prep Nitro Funny Car was up to bat and the final between 16-time champ John Force and the 4-time and reigning champion Matt Hagen was sure to be a great race. The icon, John Force went winless in 2023 while Hagen made it to eight finals and won six of them. John Force left first but Hagen's horsepower seemed unmatched until about the 800-foot mark when the Dodge Direct Connection car broke the tires loose where in the last 200 feet John Force powered forward to his 156th career win.

After an intense final in Funny Car, Top Fuel had an insane matchup between the winningest driver in Top Fuel Tony Schumacher, and the winningest driver of 2023 with six wins, Justin Ashley. This matchup has always been one to watch in years past as Tony has not had a good car for some years and Justin is a new talent and has upset Schumacher a few times. But now there is extra drama, in 2023 Tony Schumacher brought SCAG power equipment as a sponsor to NHRA but in the off-season, they left Schumacher and bought Justin Ashley's operation giving him the sponsor. Both cars pre-staged, thoughts of victory to prove to their sponsors that they had made the right choice or wrong choice, they fully staged, when the ambers flashed Justin Ashley had an incredible reaction time of 0.023 seconds while Tony Schumacher had a shockingly late 0.081 light, Schumacher ran a 3.772 to Ashleys 3.802. The Sarge loses on a mega holeshot.

And that's the end of the 2024 Lucas Oil Winternationals. A bit of an odd race being mostly run in Pamona and finished up in Arizona potentially changing some outcomes with the radically different conditions but in any case an absolutely amazing race. Thank you for reading this post and look out for my upcoming Arizona Nationals Recap.

[billscheft]

With the actual "Frasier" reboot now come and gone, I feel compelled to re-post this "Totally Real Episode Guide" I wrote for Salon almost three years ago (March, 2021)....

[NOTE: This document is not to leave the Paramount+ virtual lot!!!!!!!]

Episode 12.1 ("Howdy Podner!"): Dr. Frasier Crane is back in Seattle after living for 14 years at a WH Smith in O'Hare Airport while trying to book a return flight from Chicago with a declined NBC corporate card. He is now in the third year of his daily living-room based podcast, "Freud Not." After ten minutes lambasting his listeners for never phoning in for advice, only a returned call from the Apple Store reveals to Frasier that, technically, he cannot have a podcast if he does not have a webops platform. Or if his laptop has an operating system less recent than Windows XP. His 2005 lifetime FCC ban from radio following an on-air incident with Robin Quivers (guest star Issa Rae) is briefly mentioned but not discussed.

Episode 12.2 ("You Might Feel a Little Prick"): Now up and running on Patreon, Frasier suddenly cuts off a podcast episode with a survivor of Stockholm Syndrome (Hope Hicks) when he gets an alert on his phone that there's an open slot available for the latest, most exclusive Covid vaccine, the Moderna Lisa. When the urgent care nurse (Billy Eichner) asks for an emergency family member contact, Frasier hastily scribbles "Lillith S." and a profile link from JDate.

Episode 12.3 ("Driver's Oedipus"): His thirty-second birthday approaching, Frasier's now grown, multi-issued son Frederick (Sean Hayes in a receding blond wig even though he is only heard on the phone) lets his dad know that he is motoring into town for an Oath Keepers 3K Fun Run and makes the old man promise to hook him up with courtside seats for a Sonics game, even though it's August and the NBA team left Seattle 13 years ago. Wounded, and still bitter over losing his medical license after a psychiatric journal published his meant-to-be satirical essay, "Transference in Inflatable Patients," Frasier feels compelled to tell Frederick, "Remember, you're an only child. Just like me…."

Episode 12.4 ("La-Z-Goy"): After finally selling his late father's pea-green recliner on eBay for $112.47 (local pick-up only), Frasier has second thoughts while waiting for the buyer (Riz Ahmed) to show up. He fondly reminisces about a trip to Howard Johnson's when his dad was an active duty cop and momentarily confused the Heimlich maneuver with a sleeper hold on a distressed diner (flashback with Artie Lange playing both parts). When the buyer (Daveed Diggs, after a scheduling conflict with Ahmed) finally arrives, he notices the side lever of the chair is inoperable. Frasier repays him the $112.47, plus $60 to cart the recliner away, plus two bottles of Febreze.  

Episode 12.5 ("All in the Fluidity"): Frasier's podcast is about to get its first revenue producing sponsor, the gender-neutral footwear company Matriarch. But Frasier blows the deal when he keeps insisting to the Matriarch marketing team (Alex Borstein, Dan Levy) that his pronoun should be who/whom. The sudden loss of a reliable income stream forces him to cancel his search for a new housekeeper, now down to six finalists (Busy Phillips, Amber Ruffin, Claire Foy, Justina Machado, Moses Ingram, William Zabka) who were to compete in a Wagner lip synch battle for the job.

Episode 12.6 ("Have a Tryst Kit"): His 90-day Tinder suspension suddenly lifted after only four days when the complainant (Amy Sedaris) blames the misunderstanding on a salt deficiency, Frasier renews his Quixotic search for companionship. Unfortunately, minutes into his triumphant return, he dislocates two fingers after swiping right too overzealously. When the urgent care nurse (Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan) asks for an emergency family contact, he writes down the number of the guy who carted off his dad's recliner. In the closing cliffhanger scene, Frasier is seen ringing an apartment buzzer with his free hand, a clutch of pansies and a bag of IV saline under his arm.

Episode 12.7 ("Star Bucks"): Frasier celebrates the ten-year anniversary of the closing of Café Nervosa by showing up with a thermos of Kona, a seat stick umbrella and a copy of "Alfred Adler: Sicko-phant" in front of the SmileDirect that now occupies the space. While the manager (Ken Jeong) calls the police, a well-dressed couple in their mid-forties (Vincent Kartheiser and Luke Kirby) approach. They recognize Frasier instantly and ask him to help get their daughter (a Fanning TBA) into Harvard. When the flattered celeb shrink asks what he can do, they hand him a bag with $250,000 in cash and make him open a Venmo account at gunpoint. Upon seeing the glint of the gun barrel, the assistant manager (Miles Brown) calls the police back and tells them not to bother.

Episode 12.8 ("Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time…"): Shot documentary style, Paramount+ execs and showrunners stop by Kelsey Grammer's trailer with a magnum of non-alcoholic champagne and news that they've been able to sign original cast member Dan Butler (Dan Butler) to reprise his role as Frasier's unapologetic, misogynistic co-worker Bob "Bulldog" Briscoe. The last 20 minutes is a montage of a Tesla pulling away and a mostly union crew breaking the set down to a looped medley of "There Used to be a Ballpark"/"Crazy"/"It's Raining Men" (BMI license fees pending).

[madisondaft]

SPONSORS HOLIK

holiK. - Amber Dress

Sizes: Legacy / Reborn / Kupra / Maitreya / Perky / Juicy Boobs

EXCLUSIVE AT THE LEVEL EVENT ♥ https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/LEVEL/144/200/4

OUTFIT : LeLUTKA Avalon Head 3.1 eBODY - REBORN - Wear to unpack e.marie // Dahlia Earrings - Golds MICHAN - Nola Rings - Gold add me ROSSI. Love Me Dermal Piercing- GOLD Pseudo- Nathan Boxers White HANZ - Veins

LINKS HOLIK:

MARKETPLACE: https://marketplace.secondlife.com/es-ES/stores/248163

LANDMARK: https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Hickory%20Hills/227/36/1502?fbclid=IwAR3x1ct1oRgo7NV0T5UTzpz2y3qjDHZHNd71m4IK3ZfMwbUeBBkQjpSLLd4

STORE SOCIAL NETWORKS HOLIK:

FLICKR: https://www.flickr.com/photos/holik_sl/

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/holik.sl/

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100081441957358

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/holiK.sl

★✩ Thanks for reading, don't forget to love the post ツ

MY SOCIAL NETWORKS

FLICKR : https://www.flickr.com/photos/196567685@N04/

FACEBOOK : https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100056900617765

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/madisonhdaft/

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/MadisonhDaft

[ortizselene]

'We should have a drink of something then,'

Selene's gaze snaps up. Kieran's hand reaching for the menu, his explanation that he kept a few bottles of his own in the office. So did her cousins, truthfully— Armagnac, deep amber, Boerl and Kroff for celebrations — Selene had seen it, and she knew her father had too.

But they had never received a talking-to about it. (The knowledge of which kept a coal of resentment glowing steadily in her stomach.) Even if she doesn't say it aloud. Even if it's burning a hole inside her chest.

"It's not a miserable lunch."

Selene straightens slightly. Even if this had been at his father's arrangement, even if there was all this uncertainty... well. Selene would much rather be doing this than sitting at her office, with nothing but the cold rings of her coffee to keep her company.

Even if Kieran hated her, and suddenly decided to not speak more than two words to her for the rest of lunch — she'd still rather be sitting at this table.

Even just the sight of him is better than anything.

Selene watches as his eyes scan over the drink menu, feeling instinct to strain against her leash. To do the exact opposite of her father's commands.

Kieran remarks on reconsidering this restaurant, if these were the kind of people they might run into, and then:

'I am kind of an influencer, too.'

The hell did that mean.

Confusion is clear on her face; brows knit together, puzzlement plain in the curl of her lips. Kieran wasn't ... an influencer. When did he ever care for engagement numbers, followers, sponsored hair vitamin posts?

The pause between them is purposeful on Kieran's end; weaving suspense.

He would only tell her if she had a drink as well.

But thinking about directly disobeying her father produces the same sensation as running into a wall; discomfort. A natural flinch away.

He, always, somehow, seemed to zero in on exactly which rebuke would sting the most.

A grown adult. Selene was a grown adult, and here was was pausing, running her tongue against the edge of her teeth as she considers a margarita. How childish she must appear to Kieran.

"Fuck it. Fine. You know, I'll have a Black Tie too."

There's always that first push of discomfort, and then relief, wild relief, when she did something like this.

And.

God. She wanted to know what the hell Kieran was talking about so fucking badly. What could she have possibly missed during their time apart to explain that comment? Curiosity bangs against her skull like an insistent drum. Was he just messing with her?

A ghost of a smile traces her lips. There was ... gratitude there, that he'd so strongly encouraged her to order a fucking drink. It loosens something within Selene. Makes her think of all those times, shoulders knocking against one another, reinforcing the other, reassuring, again and again after difficult phone calls.

Honestly? Fuck what your dad says. You have a ninety-five in that class, and we've been planning this trip for ages.

Your dad's wrong. You've always been good at this.

I think it's a good idea.

Selene drops her head, raises it with a challenging, curious grin.

"Explain what you just said."

When Selene mentioned her father throwing a fit for drinking during work hours, a bit of defiance flared inside of Kieran. He remembered the way Selene was treated by her father back in college and, sure, drinking during work hours was a little irresponsible, but who fucking cared?

Kieran shook his head.

“We should have a drink of something then,” Kieran suggested. He reached for the drink menu. “I keep a bottle of liquor in my office. A few bottles, actually, so. No one’s gonna be upset if you have a drink at the end of the day. Or during a miserable lunch with a difficult co-worker.”

In this situation, Kieran was referring to himself as the miserable co-worker. She probably had better things she wanted to do for lunch that day. Like, plans with Kane.

He scanned over the drink menu.

Fuck her father.

“Scandinavians, huh? Influencers? Maybe we should’ve just picked somewhere else to eat, if those are the type of people that might make an appearance here.”

But Kieran couldn’t talk too badly about influencers, though. His sister apparently had quite the following online. She still hadn’t found anything to really commit to, so when she was in between jobs, she posted videos – sometimes even dragging Kieran in to do a stupid challenge.

“I am kind of an influencer, too.”

Kieran said nothing for a few moments on purpose. The statement itself was ridiculous, and he was totally kidding. For the most part, Kieran was a private person across social media platforms.

“I’ll explain more if you’ll also have a Black Tie Margarita.”