#reno trauma care

[renopsychotherapy]

Anger Management: Effective Solutions at Reno Psychotherapy

Anger is a natural emotion, but when left unmanaged, it can lead to destructive outcomes in personal relationships, work environments, and even physical health. Learning to control and express anger in a healthy way is crucial for maintaining balance and harmony in one’s life. At Reno Psychotherapy, we offer effective anger management techniques that help individuals navigate their emotions and regain control over their reactions.

Understanding Anger

Anger is a powerful emotional response to a perceived threat, frustration, or injustice. It can manifest in a variety of ways, ranging from mild irritation to intense rage. While anger itself is not inherently negative, how we express and manage it can have a profound impact on our mental and physical well-being.

Chronic anger can result in negative consequences such as:

Relationship difficulties: Anger can cause strain between partners, friends, family members, and colleagues.

Health problems: Persistent anger is linked to health issues such as high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, and weakened immune function.

Impaired decision-making: Reacting impulsively while angry often leads to poor judgment and regrettable actions.

Mental health concerns: Unresolved anger can contribute to anxiety, depression, and other mood disorders.

How Reno Psychotherapy Can Help

At Reno Psychotherapy, we recognize that managing anger is a learned skill. Our therapy sessions focus on empowering individuals with tools to process their anger healthily and constructively. Here are some of the key methods we use to help clients with anger management:

1. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a highly effective approach for anger management. Through CBT, individuals identify negative thought patterns that trigger anger and learn to challenge these thoughts. CBT helps clients reframe their thinking, enabling them to react to situations more calmly and rationally.

2. Mindfulness and Relaxation Techniques

Mindfulness practices, such as deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, and meditation, can significantly reduce anger by promoting a state of awareness and calm. Clients at Reno Psychotherapy are taught how to be present in the moment, helping them step back from the intense emotional reaction and regain control before acting impulsively.

3. Emotional Regulation Skills

Anger often arises from underlying emotions like frustration, fear, or sadness. In therapy, individuals learn to recognize these emotions early on, which can help prevent them from escalating into anger. Building emotional regulation skills involves becoming aware of triggers and practicing coping mechanisms to handle difficult situations constructively.

4. Communication Skills

Effective communication is essential to managing anger. People often become angry because they feel misunderstood or unable to express their needs. Through therapy, clients learn how to communicate more assertively—expressing themselves clearly and respectfully, which can lead to healthier interactions and less conflict.

5. Identifying and Addressing Underlying Issues

Anger often stems from deeper issues such as unresolved trauma, anxiety, or depression. Our therapists work with clients to identify the root causes of their anger, addressing these issues to prevent anger from becoming a defense mechanism. By understanding these underlying factors, individuals can take proactive steps toward healing and emotional well-being.

The Benefits of Anger Management Therapy

By working with a therapist at Reno Psychotherapy, individuals can expect to experience:

Improved relationships: Learning to manage anger can enhance communication and reduce conflicts in both personal and professional relationships.

Better decision-making: Managing anger helps clients make more rational decisions, preventing impulsive actions that could have negative consequences.

Stress reduction: Effective anger management reduces the physical and emotional toll that stress can take on the body, leading to better overall health.

Increased emotional intelligence: Individuals develop greater self-awareness and emotional control, fostering personal growth and resilience.

Conclusion

Anger is a normal human emotion, but without proper management, it can hinder personal happiness and well-being. Through tailored therapy sessions at Reno Psychotherapy, individuals can gain the tools and skills needed to navigate anger in a way that promotes healthier relationships and a more fulfilling life. Anger management is a journey that can lead to increased emotional resilience, improved mental health, and greater life satisfaction. If you or someone you know is struggling with anger, reach out to Reno Psychotherapy today and take the first step toward positive change.

[renosser]

This is radical self-care.

It's not potatoes or leeks or dill or green onions (we were out of shallots at work) or chicken stock or salt or pepper.

Nope.

It's me loving myself today.

After an emergency meeting with my therapist, a little while ago, I have to do something kind for myself every day for a month and document it. The long and short of it is that I've been feeling really worried about a thing, and last night, I ended up having a panic attack so severe that I blacked out, prompting my sister to drive 35 miles from her town to mine to check on me. Oops.

There's an individual who my therapist believes is jealous of a relationship that I have with another person, and they've created a competition out of said person's attention, bragging about any time they get a response and minimizing anything I get. She believes that, even though I do have some issues I'm working on (cptsd, recent trauma, learning to love myself), I'm not doing anything wrong and don't deserve to feel so guilty. And then she slammed the gavel down on this absolutely horrible "document your self-care so I can grade you on it" sentence. (that last bit was sarcasm, I do feel better after enjoying this bowl of soup that I made for myself, though I need to tell my therapist that I cried at first because I felt like I didn't deserve it).

Anyway, the soup came out perfect, just like back in the day. It's a mood lifter, frown turner, etc. So simple, and such a great taste. I could have added ham but I forgot. Oh and @frozen-fountain was correct - a bit of mustard went really well with it. I got all fancy and bought some stone-ground mustard and put a blob in the middle of the soup. I'm happy that I made this. It really does make a person feel better.

[iizuumi]

Why do you ship Gen and Reno? Genuine question, I don't mean to sound rude at all. Sorry if it comes off that way.

I recently caught up with the manga (haven't read B-side yet) and there weren't any interactions between them.. is it just that they look cute together?

Thank you if you answer, I love your art- am just wondering 🍪💕

It really did just start off with me thinking they're the most pretty characters so they should kiss LMAO

but since then I have spent a lot of time thinking about them so let me present to you some of my findings on why they would work so well together!!

that i will put under the cut because i'm shy

a lot of this will make me sound like i am this meme but hear me out okay i've thought about this B-Side spoiler for the first one! but i have to mention it bc it's like my favourite part of them and also probably the one that makes most sense lmao skdjfhs It touches on a part of narumi's backstory so skip it if you don't want the spoiler!

shared backstory/ trauma!! I think with both of them knowing what it's like to lose their family and grow up without anyone around who really cared for them they'd be able to understand each other better than anyone else understood them before. I feel like they both possibly never had a place in the world where they really belonged since losing their family (with narumi always being pushed from one person to the next and reno's grandmother seemingly unable to really give him a good home) so in my mind they finally find a place in the world by each other's side because they get each other! They've been through the same shit! They'll finally help each other heal after all these years of not dealing with it!! Also it's really interesting how they have the same/similar pasts but both deal with it so differently. Narumi being all childish because he never got to have a proper childhood and Leno being so mature & caring like he wishes someone cared for him ;;

We know that Narumi is all about strength, all about results so who better to catch his eye than Reno who is getting better and showing results so quickly!! starting at 8% release force and then getting up to 43% with a numbers weapon after not even that much time??? Pls there's no way Narumi doesn't see the potential!! Also just the fact that nobody has ever been able to use 6 before like I'm sure that's already enough to turn everyone's heads but tell me narumi wouldn't be curious about this little prodigy who got their strongest weapon!

I just think squishing humanity's strongest together with the strongest numbers weapon user is a very sexy combination like just the sound of that sounds correct to me yes

They can bring out a side in each other that they otherwise don't get to show much? I feel like Reno is always taking on the responsible adult role lmao he's always worrying about everyone and taking care of things and narumi is such a silly little childish goober if he can't help reno unwind and allow himself to be a bit of a kid again then who can!! Reno is just a little guy, sit him down and make him play video games like everyone else his age!!

Looking at how Reno deals with Kafka's Kaiju transformation shenanigans I believe Reno would be very good at putting up with Narumi's shenanigans as well lmao but also he is such a polite little guy!! I think the combination of Reno being very much polite towards Narumi but also not taking shit from him is just very much amusing to me.

Reno's whole character arc is built around him trying to get stronger and strong enough to stand by Kafka's side but like if he keeps getting stronger and stronger where will he end up?? As the strongest. Which currently is Narumi ofc. So i do like the idea of Reno maybe idolizing Narumi a little bit ,, seeing how strong he is and being like yeah that's where I need to be. and ofc it's all about being strong enough to protect his loved ones but who says narumi can't be included in that by the time he gets there!!

@acystreia told me about this one but apparently electrical currents move a lot better through air than through ice? and isn't Narumi's whole ability with 1 built on him seeing electrical impulses from the brain to tell what someone is going to do next?? And Reno's whole ability with 6 is centered around the ice thing? which means Reno is the worst possible matchup against narumi in a fight???? I think this alone is reason enough for them to make out immediately. I don't actually remember any physics so this might just be me talking out of my ass but if i'm wrong i don't want to know let me live in my delusions i'm happy here

that's all I can think about right now .... I'm sorry for the long post LMAO but i hope you see my vision at least a little bit 🙏 and if not that's okay too c: still thank you for being interested in them!! ♥

[lightshiningforth]

I watched Season 3 of Star Trek: Discovery, after putting it off for a while bc I didn’t love the first two seasons. My god. Season 3 is when the show finally, finally finds itself.

I had a litany of issues with the first two seasons, which have certainly been hashed out by fans before but which I will divide into two relevant categories for the sake of discussion:

Being a prequel, the show leaned on, altered, and got bogged down with preexisting Star Trek lore. They changed the Klingons’ iconic looks and made them the villains again. They brought in Section 31 in a role that was far too front facing for what that organization is supposed to be. They burdened Michael’s character with the baggage of being part of Spock’s family, and made the family even more dysfunctional and traumatic than it was in TOS to drive the plot forward. Now, there are plenty of things they did well. The integration of the mirror universe was clever. The uniforms, IMO, were a better pre-TOS imagining than those in Enterprise or AOS. Original content, like the Kelpiens, was beautifully done. Overall, however, the show felt stuck. They couldn’t cover new ground without altering pre-established ground, and those alterations were frustrating.

The show didn’t allow us to get to know and care for the crew. This was especially a problem in the first season, when we spent all of a few minutes with the Shenzhou crew before everything went to hell, and then the rest of the season on Discovery was war and trauma. How were the characters before the trauma? What changed, what was lost? We sure don’t know! And who are these characters now? Yes, we know Michael, Saru, Tilly, Stamets, Culber - they get individual moments, or moments with each other. But everyone else? The rest of the bridge crew? What are their names, what are they like, how do they interact with and feel about each other? We don’t know. It’s all a swirl of faces and bad situations. We don’t know these characters, but we’re expected to feel their pain as they’re pushed into the most extreme, traumatic situations possible. I didn’t even understand that Airiam was human until the episode in which she dies. Suddenly, then, we get a handful of sweet, everyday interactions between her and the rest of the crew. And boom! She’s gone.

But Season 3… what a breath of fresh air. Finally, the show is in the future and free to cover new ground. The Burn, a differently configured Federation, the couriers, the Emerald Chain, new planets, new peoples… finally, finally, finally. Yes, there is still the familiar here. We see the Trill, the Vulcans, the Romulans, the Orions, the Andorians. But the show can do new and interesting things with them in the far future, WITHOUT bucking the familiar lore of Star Trek’s past.

And now that Discovery made a journey alone and together, as just their crew? We KNOW them. There are still characters who get more focus, certainly. Michael, Saru, Tilly, Stamets, and Culber, still. But now I would count Owo and Detmer among them - we see more of their personalities, their relationship with each other and with others, and they become crucial support to the character dynamics and plot. Now Bryce, Rhys, and Nilsson are more to me than just faces in the background - they are finally familiar as fixtures on the bridge.

Characters who are more occasional, like Jett Reno, Lt. Linus, or Dr. Pollard, fall into a different category for me - they were always distinct presences, and I did know who they were. Even so, I feel that they get to stand out more now that the main cast feels solidified, as opposed to before, when we had a blur of the Enterprise crew and other rotating characters cycling in and out.

(Don’t think I’ve forgotten Nhan or Emperor Georgiou, who are both impactful, distinct characters. It’s just that Nhan always felt like Enterprise crew to me, even after her transfer to Discovery, and leaves early in Season 3. Georgiou, meanwhile, is both a not-quite-crew character and plentifully developed from her initial appearance. She was never a mystery to me.)

Also! Book? I ADORE him. I adore his relationship with Michael (FUCK Ash Tyler, this is the romance she deserves). I adore Grudge (she’s a queen!!) (just stop taking her on deadly missions ok it stresses me out).

Oh, and Adira? A treasure! A delight! Ready to join the Star Trek category of “local teen collectively parented by starship or space station crew.”

Anyway. After two whole seasons didn’t resonate with me, I’m so glad to finally be able to say that I like the show. It feels like Star Trek now.

[cwarscars]

" What the fuck was it all for? "

UNSEEN  WAR.

A  collection  of  angst  prompts  that  delve  into  the  struggles  of  soldiers  facing  PTSD,  survivor’s  guilt,  and  the  lingering  scars  of  war.  Themes  of  mental  health,  trauma,  substance  abuse,  suicidal  ideation,  hypervigilance,  combat,  loss,  identity,  and  alienation.  Feel  free  to  add  your  own  edits  as  wanted  or  needed

heidegger's immediate thought is of all of the speeches he's ever given. when he'd rallied troops, or hell, himself - he'd said that what they were fighting for was 'the greater good', the 'benefit of the company', honour in their homes, their loved ones.

why did any man go to war? because he was brave, noble? - or because a big shot suit sent him there?

heidegger had been on both sides.

fighting side by side with your brothers in arms would have one think that they were righteous - that they were fighting for their friends, comrades they'd consider their family. a man could comfort himself with the knowledge that the hand to have pulled that trigger did so to protect another. nightmares could be quelled with the soft suggestion that if it weren't them dead, it'd be us. the director could wax lyrical on the old mottos he'd dared to believe as a young soldier. he could lie; weave the web that would do its best to ensnare reno with the allure of a myth.

the redhead wouldn't be so stupid.

the truth is that they'd fought for shinra - the company, the man. a place on the board, a steady paycheque. an easier life, fuelled by the lifeblood of the planet. an easy trade when one doesn't care should the world burn.

heidegger had fought for power, strength - chased the dream of enough medals to gain the respect of somebody - but who? men long dead. men who'd not cared even when they were alive.

"what was promised to us-" that's what it had been for - that's how the others had seen it. scarlet, maybe reeve and palmer, too. follow the golden greats in the hope that things would get better. whether that was an upgrade from poverty or finer cut diamonds - as any person, they'd all longed for more. for heidegger - he's never known anything else. forever the loyal hound, forever shinra's faithful stamp.

even when he acknowledges the insanity of the promised land and the ancients, the twisted resurrection of sephiroth, the fall of meteor - even at the end of it all - the end of the world itself - he'd follow shinra as if possessed.

'what the fuck was it all for?'

for heidegger, it was for anything other than mediocrity. it was a chance to be loyal, to mean something to someone he could admire.

"whatever you told yourself would happen-" his voice is flat, his words becoming sharp with a bitter taste that's soon to linger on the tongue "need i remind you -" he turns to face the turk, fangs sharp and eyes pressed beneath narrowed brows "you chose to sign up. you knew your role."

and now they watch a world ending-

"were you ever proud of anything that you did-?" his question is an attempt to rile "ever had...anything to show for it?" a trophy, a medal - money or lovers?

"whatever your answer...that was it-"

[biancavargcs]

❝  i only give you pieces / pieces of me. ❞

𝐁𝐀𝐒𝐈𝐂𝐒.

full name. bianca anjelica vargas   gender & pronouns. female. she/her  age &. dob. thirty-two & 3rd of november 1992 zodiac sign. scorpio  traits. amiable, resourceful, adventurous & temperamental, vengeful, resentful time in reno. born & raised neighborhood. downtown occupation. underground high stakes poker game manager pinterest & character inspiration: elizabeth swann (pirates of the caribbean), fiona gallagher (shameless), gabrielle solis (desperate housewives), teresa mendoza (queen of the south), molly bloom (molly's game), katherine pierce (tvd)

𝐁𝐈𝐎𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐏𝐇𝐘.

TRIGGER WARNING: parental neglect, childhood trauma, abuse, drug addiction, pregnancy, blackmail 

A mistake. Those were the words that a young, bright eyed, Bianca Vargas grew up hearing repeatedly about herself. Cursed as the second daughter of Gina Lopez; the one who had shattered any last hope the self fulfilling woman held for a virtuous family with a loving, successful husband. Bianca had ruined everything, according to Gina. The world Gina created for her two daughters had been far too cruel, too toxic, for an innocent child to endure. Void of any tender motherly love and care. Bianca would never know her father, at least not more than drunken stories her mother would force her to endure, with the details altered during each retelling. A surgeon, an architect, an engineer, a motorcycle stuntman–she’d never known which version was the truth. 

What Bianca would know was a life where Gina would set her two daughters in opposition to one another. The only other human being that Bianca knew shared the same experiences and trauma, would be made to be her rival amidst an already lonely household. Both would take last place in their mothers eyes, with men and her own pursuits of joy reigning first constantly. Her daughters were treated more like secondary income supplementals to exploit and control. A cold atmosphere of neglect and disconnection hadn’t allowed the innocence of either girl to last long. And Bianca would learn early that no one would provide her with the protection and love that she needed.

Until someone finally had shown an ounce of that love Bianca had craved all her life. He’d been 24, she’d been 20. Having somehow made her way through high school and onto a college campus; delayed but still there. He’d said he was studying to be an engineer, just like she was, he was captain of the football team, but none of that held a torch to the mediocre love he had shown a young girl desperate for affection. Despite quickly coming to the realization he wouldn’t be much safer than her own mother, Bianca had still agreed to move in with him with the consideration that anything would be better than that house. 

Her new life wasn’t much different than her childhood. Rather than her mother controlling and belittling her every move; it was now a man who claimed to “love” her. It hadn’t been all bad, though. The rare moments of warmth and love he’d provided her reminded her of the man she’d met that first day on campus, the same one who had promised to protect and love her. And though he’d changed, rather quickly, it was still more than she’d received from her mother. But there would be no protection when the money she’d worked so desperately hard for would go to supplementing his drug addiction, or his other girlfriends. There would be no protection when an argument over nothing resulted in bruises and injuries over her body. There would be no love or support when she was struggling to complete her degree due to the jobs she worked during the nights that felt too long; from escorting, to bartending, to waitressing. 

Reality would hit with two lines on a pregnancy test. At 25, Bianca found herself upending her entire life. The decision was made; she would stop at nothing to map out the life that her child deserved. No matter how she would have to do it. Her child would never endure the life she had. Not a sliver of it. Except for the fact that her daughter would never know her father. But it was a small price to pay to rid them both of the toxicity. From that moment forward, Bianca’s entire life would be dedicated to her daughter. 

Bianca had envisioned a life outside of the nightlife industry she currently worked in. However, when she had attempted to quit the opportunity had been presented; the money, the rewards, the ability to make it in life on her own. All of it had been more than she’d foreseen for herself. She’d only waitressed at the high stakes poker games up until that moment. And she had hardly been reluctant to agree to manage the games despite the “underground” nature of the unregulated operation. It was meant to last only a few months-the first trimester of her pregnancy-where she could save enough money to provide for her daughter. But, Bianca’s life never seemed to align with her plans. 

Once again, she found herself controlled; the attempt to leave her position would be met with objection. For she’d seen too much. Known too much, in her short time of employment. More reluctant than ever, she’d stayed once again in a situation that would continue to cut from her ability to live life by her own accord. As her daughter grew, so would the urgency to leave the industry. She’d made and saved more than enough money to be able to complete her schooling all while providing a beautiful life for Gisele. Though it wouldn’t be so easy-with the threat of losing her daughter to an abusive ex as the highest consequence.

𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐍𝐒.

She never completed her degree properly, so she's currently looking into how to resume her studies for a final semester to get her engineering degree.

Her daughters name is Gisele and you will always find her wearing a little gold G initial necklace.

She has no idea who her father is but is getting a little curious to find out. Although she does not have high hopes bc of her bad luck with parental figures.

Her mother is currently attempting to get back into her daughters' lives and they're both highly opposed to this.

Barely sleeps, this woman runs on like 4 hours of sleep a week. Will live off of coffee and tequila when working though.

Holds a grudge forever!! Wrong her one time and she's never forgetting!

𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐍𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎��𝐒.

Found family / childhood friends / best friends — self explanatory but i think bianca will be extremely attached to people who have lasted a long time in her life bc she doesn't get that often!! so anything & everything is appreciated!!

Clientele from the casino or from when she was escorting

Met in college before bianca disappeared from classes — this would have been right around the time she got pregnant and left her abusive bf so your ch could have known or not known the full extent of the situation!

Co workers at the casino or past jobs (waitressing, bartending, escorting)

Friends through family / their kids — her sister is Anisa Torres and she helps take care of Gisele most of the time so anyone around would know of Bianca and her daughter

Past flings/hook ups/exes

Neighbors — either can’t stand eo bc her kid won’t stop blasting cartoons at 6:30am on a saturday or the sweet neighbors who will offer to babysit ???

[crownrots]

R, O, and/or V?

RENO STEELE — best caravan player that ever lived, small time swindler and all around trouble maker hailing from the fictional town of gecko springs. he’s quite a hit with anyone he hasn’t pissed off over years and is in a ‘sharing is caring’ relationship with his best friend, richard, and @queennymeria ‘s, soledad. And RICHARD STEELE — is the resident and community appointed sheriff of gecko springs. he only got the job because he and reno were successful in chasing the things off almost indefinitely.

RIAN MCCORMICK — the most useless and hottest dilf the apocalypse has ever seen. he constantly screws up and somehow always survives by the skin of his teeth (and by sheer dumb luck). he and @queennymeria ‘s, mari cross, had a FWB thing going on after she saves him from the brink of death but … feelings and egos got in the way and before they knew it she was hiding something from him and he had gone off on a suicide mission to see if jackson was a real. Fast forward nearly a year later and they’re reunited, he finds out he has a kid (they very quickly have another one 😑) AND gains a new enemy in tommy miller. he’s done well for himself, all things considered, but it hasn’t been without major, life altering obstacles.

OPHELIA COHEN — my midnight m** baby 💚 she’s an author, divorced three times, dog mom with major trauma and clairvoyant. during a depressive episode (and to get away from her third EX husband) in boston, she found a listing for a house for rent on crockett island and booked it for at least a month. in the midst of all THAT SHIT ™ she ends up meeting a priest, @queennymeria ‘s dana, and the two confide in one another and end up falling for each other 💞

VIANNA SALVATORE — she’s a socialite and former heiress to a cyberware company (mom used to be a pretty relevant pop sensation in NC) she’s very uninvolved with the actual game, if we’re being honest! she ends up going on the run after she gives the maelstroms off market and prototype cyberware in order to get her best friend out of debt with them. the guy (her late father’s bestie) who took over her the company finds out and he’s up snitching to their parent company and she’s forced to go on the run from both the gang and the corporate feds. she’s lucky enough to have crossed paths with jackie at one point or another as he helps her out and she ends up becoming misty’s roommate / new best friend while she tries to navigate being BROKE and a slow burning relationship with @queennymeria ‘s jamie valentino. she also learns that her dad isn’t actually dead and that sends her down a huge rabbit hole 💀

VANESSA LENNOX — my main ‘V’. her mother is a gang leader still operating in NC, her older sister works as hired muscle and she herself was an enforcer / hit woman for her before her departure several years before the game starts.

[doberbutts]

Anyway the question that always gets asked whenever I reveal that I'm not actually into the Cloud/Tifa thing is who do I ship them with if not each other.

The answer is a little more complicated than all that because from the start I considered their relationship something closer to a QPR before I even knew what that meant. I was calling them platonic life partners back then. People who don't feel any romantic love for each other but have chosen to stay regardless, or perhaps because.

I think, before, Cloud thought he wanted to be for Sephiroth what Zack wanted to be for Angeal. A puppy-like affection, a mentor/mentee comradery, and a close connection. I think Sephiroth would have hated it. He was cold and standoffish to Zack until circumstances forced them together, and even then he only really opened up due to Zack's connection to Angeal. I don't think having his own "puppy" would have been welcome at all. And I think Cloud would have been forced to come to terms with reconciling his hero worship with the reality of everything.

He and Zack were friends, but Zack was actively dating Aerith at the time, and Cloud didn't know Aerith existed back then. And within the narrative, Zack and Aerith are "parents"- with how often Aerith is referred to as a mother with Zack standing beside her, and Cloud is among those who repeatedly mistake Aerith for their mom. Zack does it once within the complilation, before he meets her for real, Cloud a few times, *after* he knows who she is. Clearly even when [redacted], Zack and Aerith are intended to be read as a couple, but then that once again removes an option for Cloud.**

The others... eh. I could be pursuded with the right argument but within canon itself it doesn't hold much water. Once we eliminate those four, he's got affectionate negging with Barrett, a quiet respect for Vincent, and a mutual back-scratching with Reeve. He's vaguely willing to play ball with Reno and Rude but not willing enough to let his guard down, while he treats the other Turks with some distain. He mostly tolerates Cid and Yuffie he both treats like and calls a child- she's the youngest so fair, but still removes her from the playing field. Anyone else connected to Shinra he actively dislikes, so Rufus and his flunkies are out.

We've got confirmation that he doesn't remember Kunzel and if Tseng remembers who Cloud is, he's being characteristically tight-lipped about it but Cloud certainly doesn't remember him. The OG Avalanche crew all died, even though Biggs lived in the Remake, and they weren't close. The Remnants of course mostly wanted to kill him the entire time. Deepground barely acknowledges his existence. Angeal died before Zack met Cloud and Genesis was too deep in his own shit to care.

So like. That doesn't really leave anyone.

Personally I think Cloud has way too much unresolved grief and trauma that he still has not worked through. It's years later in Advent Children when he's finally able to begin to move on from [redacted], and despite that even more years later in Dirge of Cerberus he's still notoriously distant and moody and prone to flaking. He's still questioning who he really is, can he actually trust his own memories and senses, and how much guilt is he willing to shrug off his shoulders for his actions while under someone else's control.

And I think being a distant moody asshole that pushes your friends away because you don't know if they're actually real or not is a difficult mindset to be in while also trying to be in love. So he doesn't try. His friends do love him anyway however exasperated they may be with him at times when he shuts them out while Going Through It. But it means he's not really building anything with any of them either.

Except Tifa, who keeps a room and a bed and a desk for him when he decides to come back, whose bar he calls home, who adopted a scared little boy with him, who watches their friend's adopted daughter with him. Who takes a family photo of the four of them together, which sits on that desk. Who quietly sorts the research papers as he hunts for a cure for an incurable disease affecting their son. Who yells and scolds him not because he left and stopped coming home, but because he gave up and shut her out when he contracted the same disease rather than letting her help.

"You don't answer the phone, but I don't see you throwing it away."

Out of all the voicemails on his phone, it was hers saying Reno had dropped by the bar looking for him and being vaguely threatening with the kids that got him to go see the Turks. He did not followup on Reeve's invite to the WRO. He didn't go chasing oil with Barrett. He didn't visit Yuffie in Wutai. But Tifa says "Reno was here being his usual weird self, I think something was wrong", and he went to investigate.

I don't ship it. I think he believes he's too broken for romance. And I think she's very patient to wait for him and give him the space he needs. Maybe they're FWB. Maybe it's entirely platonic. But the compliation has shown us that it's *something*, even if it's deliberately vague on what type of something.

**I do sort of like the "first this guy [redacted] my boyfriend, then he [redacted] my girlfriend, after trying to [redacted] my childhood best friend and succeeding in [redacted] my entire village and also my mom. This Sephiroth guy sucks" paired with Sephiroth's "tell me what you cherish most, give me the pleasure of taking it away" vibes of Cloud/Zack/Aerith don't get me wrong, but also as said Aerith and Zack were dating at the time but Cloud does not know who she is (or even that Zack has a girlfriend) and it is Very Important that Cloud not know the name Aerith until after Zack [redacted] which would imply sort of shadey behavior on Zack's part. And I don't really see him as the type to cheat, so.

[reno2005]

Reno I’m so glad you talked about Leon change being not black and white. Because when Ada told him he didn’t change, it irked me. I love Ada and I know what she meant by that, that he still is a good person that wants to do the right thing. But it also felt so disrespectful because Leon changed, he’s not that bright eyed rookie anymore.

It’s just that I’ll always mourn Leon’s self before the trauma, so when someone says he hasn’t changed it, it almost feels dismissive of all he’s been through.

Leon reminds me a lot of the Ship of Theseus. If you're unaware of what it is, it's a philosophical question of sorts that basically goes like: You have a ship made of wood. Over time you replace certain pieces/planks/etc so that the ship can continue to run well. After years of maintenance is the ship still the same?

I think about the question a lot here and there since I started playing the game. There isn't a right answer really(I suppose) but I personally believe that it is the same ship. The ship still has its own personal goal/service/etc that it commits to.(In the case of the ship of theseus, to commemorate the saving of the children of Athens) Sure you may change pieces of board over time or exchange one working part for maybe a more updated one but the ship still has the same purpose/goal/etc. and even what it stands for. I also count the build of the ship being part of its identity. Again, you may have changed boards to keep it in good shape but the same could be said of the body. Updating and maintaining it to stay in good order for its purpose and goals. Its all part of its core identity.

I think the people who tell Leon he hasn't changed perhaps focus on the parts of him that they maybe lack within themselves or don't like seeing having stayed the same within himself but not themselves.(Some people will also just always have their pride and will want to feel like they're on the top if that makes sense) The want to do good for no other reason than that it's the right thing to do and not for money's sake or a personal lie of independence and being unable to step away from doing questionably moral things because you think you can't turn away from the life you've made for yourself. Staying true to yourself and how you go about things in a true and honest manner and sticking with wanting to do good despite the bad that has happened to you and trying to move on from it despite the burning desire to focus on it and let it consume you whether from fear of weakness or losing the only life you've ever known. One is stuck(you can argue they do good things but does it come from a genuine place), the other changed for the worse.

The only person who asked him whether one can change and didn't tell him whether he did or not was also trying to change themselves and they at their core weren't all that different from before either. They wanted to do good and were simply blinded by their research and what they were accomplishing in an attempt to reach for some sort of redemption from their own past and what happened to them. They still had their personality but showed clear signs of guilt and moments of taking things seriously.

Maybe that's why I thought it was weird when the "Leon treats Ashley cold" thing was floating around. He's still the kind caring heart of justice person from before. If he wasn't he wouldn't be so concerned with "saving one person while a hundred others die". He wants to save everyone he can, just like he did back then. When I take pictures I'm surprised when I look back at some of my shots of scenes because I always forget/don't realize how often he smiles in the game, especially when he's able to help Ashley or sees that she's okay after a tense situation.

Did you know Leon always gives out a tense sigh of sorts after you do your first stealth kill? I interpret that as him not being a cold killing machine but only doing what he has to for goodness sake. He needs to save an innocent person and unfortunately it's him or the Ganados.

But yes I also think he's not naive anymore. He calls her out for just using him again(you may argue she helps him and etc but again the underlying motive is her obtaining the sample) and rejects her offer to join her. He immediately figures out Krauser kidnapped Ashley without a doubt despite trying to change his mind on the whole situation and their personal seemingly close history with each other. He's suspicious of Luis the whole time and doesn't give him his full name and takes most of the game to warm up to him just to be assured he's not bad either.

I'm going on and on here so I'll end it by saying I feel Leon has changed but not completely and despite what he's been through, it could have been for the worst but he tries his best to stick true to his morals and character even if he has to get his hands dirty and he needs to be more wary of others for the most part due to the kind of business he's in unfortunately. The ship is still the same, the parts are just updated.

[fiersbolt]

random info dump incoming

━ while reno was born in midgar, his mother actually originated from cosmo canyon. she had natural ginger hair and brown eyes and two scar-shaped tattoos on her cheekbones. yep, reno later gets the same tattoos in memory of his mom.

━ reno resembles his father to a tee, both have dark brown hair and the same eyes. that's why veld recognized him even though he had never met reno before. speaking of veld and his dad, the two were good friends and drinking buddies. after joining the turks, reno eventually decides to dye his hair a fiery red because he doesn't want to be remembered as 'just' his father's son, plus he's a little rebel and 'normal' is boring.

━ he wears his father's pilot goggles over his head like an accessory and never actually puts them on. to him it's both a memento and like a lucky charm, he wants to keep it safe but he also thinks he doesn't deserve to wear them, at least not yet. just like his dad, reno became an excellent pilot and loves being up in the sky in a helicopter or similiar.

━ in his backstory i talk a little about the orphanage and what reno did, like breaking some kid's nose. well, the poor child was actually biggs (known as X). according to the wiki, there's a three year age gap between the two, so it's actually highly possible that reno was around when biggs & wedge were at the sector 5 house / leaf house. however, reno left the orphanage months later and never even tried to befriend any of the kids. it's safe to say that reno doesn't even remember anyone from that time.

━ now let's talk about why reno acts like a damn teenager even though he's already 28. the short answer? trauma. the long answer? reno had to grow up real fast around the age of 9-10. his mom got sick and he took on the role of the caretaker/protector, when she died his brain went into full self-defense mode and only focused on surviving. he never got to actually process the pain and work through it. later he joins the turks and eventually his brain realizes that he is in a safe environment and the walls crumble. he can finally be himself, he can have fun. he is a professional but that won't stop him from playing around. he's an adult, who cares? he sure as hell don't.

━ his last name 'fiers' is another form of 'fers' which is middle english and can mean proud/arrogant or fierce (it's pronounced like the latter). i chose it because i wanted something that would match his fiery personality.

[the-bar-sinister]

Restructuring (5536 words) by VickytheSnake, thesavagesabretooth Chapters: 2/? Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Relationships: Rufus Shinra/Tseng, Reno/Rude (Compilation of FFVII), Elena/Tseng (Compilation of FFVII), Rufus Shinra/The TurksPolyturks - Relationship

Additional Tags: Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Fluff and Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Angst and Feels, During Canon, Missing Scene, Character Study, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Drama & Romance, Flirting, Romance, Trauma, Polyamorous Turks (Compilation of FFVII), POV Rufus Shinra, POV Reno (Compilation of FFVII), POV Rude (Compilation of FFVII), POV Elena (Compilation of FFVII)

Summary: In the aftermath of Sector 7's destruction and the death of president Shinra, things are changing. With enemies everywhere, Rufus and his turks have to rely on one another, watch each others backs, and gather their strength with new blood and old allies.

-

Elena's muscles were still sore from the workout she'd put herself through in her shitty slum apartment in the undercity. Working out was a good way to reduce stress, one of her military academy buddies always said. And now her body was jittery from the cups and cups of coffee she'd been tipping back in the Shinra building's lavish waiting room, and her mind was buzzing away.

After everything—the academy, her sister's rivalry and disappearance, her stint as a waitress in Wall Market, the incident with the Ravens when the Turks showed them just how amazing they really were. She'd applied herself, renewed her training and finally heard word back from the company—they were seriously thinking about taking her in as a Turk.

When the phone rang, she'd finished up her workout and practically fled to Plate 0 in a mad dash to show them just how responsible she could be. It was that very responsibility that left her sitting around and waiting to 'discuss' something with the top brass, way too early and sweating bullets. 

Elena was contemplating just how early she was when there was a sharp rap on the door, before it opened immediately and admitted a slim, professional man in a dark suit. She knew who he was.

She felt the sudden rush of heat to her face as she nearly choked on her latest sip of shockingly decent company coffee. Tseng. Handsome, ruthless, intelligent Tseng—one of the few Turks she respected even back during her waitressing days.

She snapped an awkward salute while trying not to cough. 

Tseng's breath sighed through his lips, and he nodded. "I hope I didn't keep you waiting, Elena."

She watched as he carefully tugged the hems of his gloves into place, his careful, scrutinizing eyes on her.

"Not at all, sir!" she wiped her lips with a napkin before sitting upright with a smile. "Just taking in the Shinra Building. I've been keeping myself occupied!" 

He glanced significantly at the cup and her napkin. There was the trace of a smile at the edge of his lips. "I see. Why don't we head to my office– give the secretary space to brew another pot of coffee."

Elene shot up with a nod, tossing the cup fluidly into the trashbin. "Honestly, sir, I'd gone through the entire pot. She's been glarin' daggers at me every time she passed by." 

"I thought that might be the case. Your hands are shaking– and I never noticed that before." There was a smug air to him as he offered her his hand to stand.

Her shaky hand took his as her eyes widened. 

"Shit, you could tell?" she blurted before she could stop herself. "Sorry, Tseng—sir, I'm just, I mean…" she stammered before she smiled awkwardly "I didn't think I'd actually get a call back so soon." 

His fingers grasped hers firmly as she stood and he shook his head. "Admittedly, we didn't think we'd be calling you this soon. But let's discuss it more privately."

From there, he led her through the halls, and up one of the long, smooth Shinra elevators. All the way up, though, she couldn't help but glance up at Tseng with a barely restrained smile. 

Her big sister—the golden child—she'd been a Turk. A damn good one too, from the stories everyone told. For a while, Elena had resented them, both for her sister's position, and the rowdy way they made her life at the bar hard. But all that changed when the Ravens kidnapped her.

She swallowed as she shifted from foot to foot. After that, her respect for the organization only grew—and her attraction to its most prominent agents alongside it. Not that it was the only reason she wanted to join up…

On the way up the handsome, rather icy, senior turk stood with his gloved hands behind his back and asked her banal trivialities– small talk that seemed especially small, and deliberate, in the face of all the turmoil that the city had faced in the last days and weeks.

It was like the whole world had gone mad. Reactors exploding and taking chunks of the city with them, killing innocent civilians above and below—the plate's sudden and horrific drop to the city below. The whole earth had shaken that night, she'd felt it in her apartment outside Wall Market, and she'd seen the terrified refugees flood the streets. A whole neighborhood full of people, gone in an instant.

And then a freak tornado, supposedly generated by Wutai-Avalanche weather magic of some sort, killed countless more. It felt like the world itself was turning against Midgar again. She tried to put the thought aside as the anger bubbled inside her. In times like these—the world needed the Turks. Someone who could step in and solve problems.

Fucking Avalanche.

When the door to the office slid open, he stood back and gestured for her to enter.

Elena gave him her best attempt at a charming smile before she slid into the office with her hands behind her back. 

He stepped in with her, and the door slid shut. The office was large, handsome and impressive– imposing, even, with its shades of black and slate grey. Most of it was dominated by a large meeting table with holo-VR inputs, and massive, high backed leather chairs that looked exceptionally comfortable.

Tseng pulled a chair out for her. "Please."

"Woah," Elena slid into the chair, brushing her pale hair from her eyes with a wide smile. "This is Turks headquarters, right? The place where the magic happens? THE meeting room?"

Either that or it was a fancy conference room and she was going to look like an idiot.

"This is the administrative research office, yes. The Turks' headquarters." Tseng chuckled lightly and sat down in the chair facing hers, his fingers laced together on the table. "I'm sure you have an idea why I called you."

Elena leaned forward with a deliberate cockiness to her grin. "You realized I'm the best candidate you're ever gonna find and you wanna hire me on as part of the organization, right?"

Whether it was true or not, she figured she'd come out swinging.

"We do want to hire you." The corner of his lip tugged slightly. "Effective, immediately, in fact."

Elena's breath caught in her throat. "...wait, immediately?"

She looked down at her long duster jacket and 'business casual' blouse and dress pants. She wasn't not dressed for the job, but she'd kind of set out for this probably-interview with the assumption that she'd be given a few weeks' notice.

Not that she minded! She'd been dreaming of this—if they wanted her right now? They GOT her right now!

"Woah." 

"Whoa," he repeated wryly. "And yes, immediately. One of our members is on medical leave, which puts us in need of support for a critical assignment."

That led her easily into the other reason she'd gotten so obsessed with joining up. She bit her lip lightly. 

"sounds like you're badly understaffed Tseng, if someone's on medical leave you can count on me! But—" Her sister, Emma, and the rest of the Turks. "I'm surprised you don't have the manpower to cover that kind of thing." 

"We've been critically short staffed for months. Once you sign the paperwork, I can fill you in on the situation." 

The paperwork was a stack almost as thick as a novel, which he pushed toward her with a pen sitting on top.

"So uh," Elena picked up the pen with a lopsided grin. "It looks like you want me to write the missing act of Loveless over here—or read it."It was a joke but—hot damn was that a lot of paperwork. No surprise, really. They were the top secret of the top secrets! The heart of Shinra's administrative division! And she'd sign as many papers as she had to! Even if it took all fucking day.

Which it might. 

"Only if the act is comprised entirely of your signature," he drawled. "Read it or don't is up to you."

Tseng clasped his hands over the table, watching her with his admittedly ever gaze.

"I'm gonna read it, Tseng," She glanced up at him before she quickly began to read. "You're not gonna find me lacking in loyalty, but I sure as hell wanna know what I'm signing up for." 

"And I won't fault you for that." He nodded, and stepped away, leaving her with the documents for a moment as he seemed to be doing something at a desk further to the front of the office.

Elena read quickly—but carefully. So damn carefully. The times she wasn't butting heads with Emma over her lack of faith in Elena's abilities—or so worked up with jealousy and frustration that it'd turn into an argument anyway— Emma told her about the legendary power of Shinra's NDA agreements. You had to be extra careful you didn't sign your way into all sorts of horrible shit.

From the way it sounded, they'd even take your firstborn when they snuck a line in there about it somewhere. Your soul too, if they found a way to harvest it. So you made sure you knew what you were signing your name on. Mostly so far it was standard stuff—top secret classifications, a vow to keep all classified information secret, repercussions for letting things slip—typical stuff.

She was signing away the old life of Elena, the Wall Market waitress, to become a real member of the Turks; shockingly high on the ladder for a newbie, too if the implication of these contracts were anything to go by.

Her father would be proud—if he was ever proud of her at all, that was. Which he wasn't. 

As she was finishing with signing she heard Tseng murmuring to someone on the phone at the other desk. Checking on someone, it sounded like, though she couldn't make out much of the conversation.

Her hand was starting to hurt—just a little, more than it did when she practiced at the range for sure. She was better suited for marksmanship than paper pushing, that was for sure.

As she made her way past the halfway point, she tilted her head to listen in a bit on her handsome future superior officer's conversation.

Old waitress habits died hard.

"Yes, I'm sure. … Yes, I know you're bored. … we can handle it. I know you already had this conversation with Rude. … Yes, as soon as you're off leave."

Seemed the guy they had on leave wasn't taking to it well—she couldn't blame him. She knew she'd be a mess if they ever put her on an extended vacation.

She signed her name again on yet another sheet of paper as she wondered exactly which Turk she was temporarily replacing, anyway. 

Tseng flipped his phone closed and turned to look at her with his narrow, piercing eyes. She could tell with just a glance that he knew she'd been listening.

"That was Reno," he said. "Have you finished signing the papers?"

"Sounds like he's not too happy about his vacation, sir," Elena said with a half smile as she flipped one of the last pages over—something about how the R&D department did not have the right to experiment on Turks operatives without consent from the head of the department and directorial or above authorization.

So that was nice, Elena got the sense that was a better deal than some of the rest of the company had. She flipped to the last page. "Just about. On the last page now." 

"Good," he nodded. "Reno isn't happy. He's the one you'll be filling in for. It wasn't easy to get him to take a medical leave. I expect you to be more willing to listen to reason when necessary."

Elena felt her face flush as she signed the last page, her smile a little lopsided as she nodded. "I won't letcha down, Tseng. You ask me to take a vacation, I'll take a vacation—though I'll admit I'll probably get just as bored and restless as Reno seems to be."

She looked up with a wink. "I've had enough of the boring civvie lifestyle." 

A smirk played at the edge of his mouth as he gathered up her papers. He took them to the side of the room and fed them into a large scanner machine. "I can't promise we won't make you waitress– but it shouldn't be very often."

Elena crossed her arms with a huff. "Waitressing for—what, you guys at company parties? Or undercover work. Because I'll tell you this, I'm real good at undercover shit. I'm subtle."

Her sister would lie and say she wasn't—that she was a loudmouth and a klutz. But Elena was gonna show her and everyone else that she was exactly the agent the Turks needed. 

"I was suggesting undercover work," Tseng replied smoothly. "Though I'm sure Reno would tell you you'd be a hit at parties. In any case, welcome to the department."

He had come back toward her and now offered her his black gloved hand.

Elena grabbed his hand firmly with both of hers, and shook it with a widening of her smile. "Sir, I'm NOT gonna letcha down. You made a good decision hiring me."

Maybe now that she was a Turk, she'd finally have the direction her time in Wall Market felt like it was lacking. 

Maybe now that she was a Turk she could prove herself to everyone, her father, her sister, herself—and maybe now that she was a Turk she could figure out exactly what happened to her sister, who'd gone completely radio silent.

This was her big chance to make sure nobody ever forgot Elena of the Turks. "I'll kick any ass you ask me to, covert any op, clear every mission!" 

"We could use your enthusiasm," Tseng nodded, squeezing her hand before he let go of it. "It's been a hard few months for the Turks. And I suspect it'll continue to be.'

"Not a lotta news on the outside, but I could kinda tell," she admitted with a nod of her head. "...less Turks were around after that whole incident with Avalanche, in the bars and in the news. You think things are gonna get worse, sir?" 

"It's a safer bet than assuming things are going to get better," he drawled. He crossed his arms, "As for that incident, yes, it was a political disaster for our department. I'm sure you know that your sister was reported dead– and you know that it's untrue."

Elena face screwed up in distaste. 

"Yeah. I was visiting my old man when the letter came in—I'd seen it on the news, too. But there's no way little miss perfect died that easy."

There was no way she'd just vanish like that, an aside story on the evening news one night. She wouldn't leave her behind that easy. "I know she's alive, somewhere." 

Tseng nodded. "All of the individuals involved with the incident, aside from myself, Reno, and Rude, are dead officially, and unofficially they've been living in exile. Dispersed."

Elena pushed her hand through her hair with a sharp hiss. "Exiled and dispersed huh? All to—to preserve the Shinra image in the face of that whole mess. So they didn't have to die."

Which meant her sister was somewhere out there, with all the rest of the Turks who'd saved her life. 

"Indeed. The three of us who remained were ready to die for such an outcome. Rufus, thankfully, made certain that wasn't necessary." Tseng straightened his tie, and it was clear to Elena that Tseng, along with Reno and Rude probably, had put themselves in harm's way to make sure the other Turks got clear of the situation.

Her heart skipped a beat. That was the dedication to their comrades these guys had. It was impressive—just like the time they'd all put themselves in harm's way for her. She nodded firmly. 

"Thankfully not, sir. But…" She put her hand on her hip. "You've got me on board now. Rufus saved you guys—maybe he can fix that whole mess now that he's president, right? And you've got the world's best rookie on your side to give it her all to makin' things right!" 

"The world's best rookie." Tseng almost smiled. "I like your confidence. You're not even wrong– you're the only candidate we consider bringing on. Don't disappoint me."

Elena snapped a salute with a broad grin "I wont letcha down, boss. I promise."

A swell of pride ran through her—the only candidate they considered. She'd been training since she was a kid—even with the brief attempt at distancing herself with a normal life—she knew she could do this.

Just as well as Emma could. Maybe even better.

Absolutely better. She had to—if she was going to impress Tseng.

"Give me a nice gun, and your enemies won't know what hit 'em." 

[skarletterambles]

Just got back from Twisters!

I know the first thing everyone does it compare it to the first film, but I honestly feel they're a little like apples and oranges. Both are juicy, sweet fruit that's good for you. One's red and had an odd shape, while one is orange and round. That is, they share a lot of qualities, and the differences between them aren't inherently bad or good.

Do I like the original better? Definitely. But that doesn't mean I didn't really enjoy the second one, too.

Spoilers below.

Pros:

Glen Powell is super easy on the eyes.

The words "suck zone" were uttered.

Chickens are the new cows.

The mention of the Fujiwara Effect warmed my weather geek heart.

Excellent CGI.

Romance was less a focus in this than it was in the original, which surprised me, considering the marketing. There's a difference between rekindling a dying relationship and sparking a new one, of course, but the second movie focused more on bonds forged through emotional support than romantic vibes.

I watch enough YouTube storm chasers to get a kick out of the way the movie lovingly roasted them and that culture.

El Reno: a name that will live in tornadic infamy, even if the storm it's most known for didn't hit the town itself (thank goodness). I'm glad they used that location instead of destroying Wakita again or some other random town.

They didn't take the cliché way out and make Javi a bad guy. It would have been so easy to turn him into a money-hungry bastard who saw the other guy was winning over the girl and went off the deep end. The fact that he swerved back into wholesomeness was definitely the better way to take the story.

The tornadoes didn't growl like lions.

The characters were likable enough that I cared if they lived or died. (Which may seem like a low bar, but in an action/disaster movie, it's far from a given.)

Kate's grief and trauma were portrayed realistically, not as a joke or something she should just toughen up and get over.

The wind turbines being wrecked by a twister must have seemed a bit over the top when the scenes were being shot, but after the ones that got knocked over, twisted, and even set aflame by the Greenfield, Iowa, tornado earlier this year, the ones in the movie actually fared better! Life imitates art, I guess!

Cons:

I'm not a fan of country music so the songs didn't appeal to me much. The background soundtrack was kind of forgettable, too. Nothing like the epic "We're on the hunt for a tornado" theme from the first movie (the d-duh-duh DUDDA DUH DUH" one).

Some parts were really predictable, especially the very beginning and the end.

Ben grew on me, but I think Melissa was a better example of "character from outside the storm chasing world who's terrified and confused and just wants to survive the craziness."

We learned all about Kate's past but very little about Tyler's. I would have liked more insight into what made him tick and how he got into his line of work. I know we got a little at the rodeo, but considering how much of the movie was spent going over Katie's history it felt a little unbalanced.

Kate and Tyler's banter was fine, but didn't approach the chemistry that Jo and Bill had.

Having said that, I also felt the movie was a tiny bit longer than it needed to be.

A movie theater is a terrible place to ride out a tornado. Any large room like that is. Without the support of walls, collapses are a huge risk. (Not to mention the way the Xenia F5 dropped a school bus on the stage in the high school auditorium.) You want as many walls between you and the tornado as you can get. I understand there wouldn't be room in the bathrooms and back hallways for everyone, but having Plan A be to hide between/under theater seats made me shake my head.

At least as far as I could see (and I did sit through the credits) Reed Timmer didn't get any kind of shoutout. As a significant inspiration for one of the main characters, I felt he deserved that.

Mixed:

The stormchasing sidekick characters were more diverse, ethnically, but I didn't feel they had the variety of characterization that the originals did. They all had the "grungy truck stop" aesthetic but not that much individual personality. That might be just an effect of a first viewing when it's hard to concentrate on details, though. I liked the guy usually riding shotgun with Tyler, and the drone pilot, but they're no Dusty. (Then again, who is?)

Decent humor. Not as prominent or quotable as in the first, but still worth some chuckles.

There weren't as many in-jokes and callbacks to the first movie or storm chasing culture in general as I had hoped. The ones that were there (like Kate using dandelions to do what Bill did with a handful of dirt) were nice, though.

Was the firenado realistic? No. Was it cool looking? Yeah. Was the cool factor worth stretching credulity that much? Meh. I guess.

They did point out that sheltering under an overpass is a horrible idea, which was good as that's a widespread myth that has gotten people killed, but at the same time...the characters still did it. And then proceeded to prove why it's a terrible idea by getting sucked out by the wind tunnel effect. I get that they were panicking, but if you know an underpass is a bad place to be, why not do what experts actually recommend and get down in a ditch? In a storm as strong as the one they faced, they were still screwed, I guess, but I still would have liked to see the characters act like they knew what they were "supposed" to do.

It was definitely less cheesy than the first film. As a Wisconsin girl, I like cheese, though.

I always find nitpicks to ramble about, but overall, I enjoyed it a lot. I had tried not to get my hopes up, and this movie exceeded my expectations. I don't know that I'll rewatch it every few years like I do Twister, but I wouldn't mind seeing it again at some point.

[disease-danger-darkness-silence]

I am.... Tired.

My ex-husband is slowly dying, and I'm actually really fucking sad and broken up about it. I sobbed when he signed his DNR. Kenny and I made our peace over the last year or so and while I still have some resentments and a LOT of trauma, I've let most of the resentments go because... Frankly, I don't think most of what he did was deliberately malicious. He's the DEFINITION of the Happy Squirrel card in the Alleyman's Tarot - he has a thought and he does it, zero thinking or planning involved. I just got caught up in his bad choices, unfortunately.

His body isn't evacuating CO2 like it should so he's slowly killing himself via gas poisoning. His kidneys are trying to keep up like champs, and their function is phenomenal right now so he has a minute before he goes. That's what'll get him in the end, most likely - kidney failure. So he has anywhere from four weeks to two years, but most likely four months. If we're lucky, he'll make it to August 31, his birthday.

He apologized, profusely and honestly, because he is dying and wanted to get that off his chest. I almost laughed because I didn't need it, but he did. I'd... Forgiven him already, I'll say, although that's not quite the right word, but it's what I used because it's the closest this whore language has. I thanked him for the apology, told him that, and then told him that that wasn't what I was there for.

I've been helping him with his paperwork and end-of-life preparations, and I've been helping my daughter. He lives with her and she refuses to let him go to a hospice facility - she wants him to die happy and peaceful at home. She's become his primary caretaker. She had to quit her job to do so. I'm her respite, so I take care of him when she needs a break or has to run errands.

Raven and I found an apartment complex in Red Rock, about 5 minutes from Adrienne's house, that's only a grand a month. I don't really WANT to move to Reno, for a lot of reasons, but I need to be nearer my kid while she deals with this. So while we have a gofundme going on for Adrienne to deal with shiz and buy things hospice can't provide, I'll probably need to do a lil' one for moving. *sigh* When I'm not up there, I'll be down here in Carson, throwing shit out, cleaning, and packing.

I'm gonna call them tomorrow and find out if they take HUD housing. Raven can qualify for HUD-VASH and that would help us a lot. Nation's Finest would help us move in by paying the deposit and first months rent. We just have to sign up with the Reno one.

It would be short-term. There's also a better job market in Reno, so I could work in a dispo again. I'd love that. I miss it.

I'm just so fucking tired. You know? So tired, all the time.

[bitterarcs]

RENO'S FIRST JOURNAL ENTRY AT AGE 8.

I don't know how I'm going to pay Shinji back for the stiches, but I owe him one regardless. I don't really need a reminder to pay him back what with the ugly thing itchy like a bitch. This is more of a way to keep track of things on the daily. I don't remember how I got hurt which is normal considering head trauma and all. This is a good place to write who owes me and if I've kicked up any dirt that needs to be settled. The last time I remember was the red bean and rice I ate on a Wednesday which is now three days ago. I'm fucked ain't I? I heard Daichi doesn't have his short term or his long term memory. Dunno what that makes him. Dummy's been fighting for longer than I have. So today I woke up before noon I think, ate some rice balls, went out with the Kamikaze boys, we hit two licks, got back to slurp up some stew, and now I'm back. The moon is bright enough that I can write. Errr... Alright. That's it. Pretty boring day but at least the painkillers kept my head from hurting and we didn't get jumped.

AN ENTRY REGARDING FEARS AND ANXIETIES.

One skilled shot or even a lucky shot and that's it, ain't that how it goes? One fuckin shot or a car bomb, maybe getting ganged up and stabbed more than a dozen times. Guess there are a lotta ways I can go down and that's the thing — I can go down. Got a good crew that would avenge me if I can use such a poetic fucking term. Eye for an eye until they just remember me by name if that. We're working together, but we're not that tight. Breaker would care the most. Shit. This is what I signed up for. I don't know what else there is. I either get killed now or in ten years maybe be lucky enough to make it to my 40s ruining my own crew. It is what I want. I want this. But I want more. Maybe more than one person to miss me. Fourteen years of life and I feel like it's been fifty still without my own crew and still slitting throats to make sure I get fed right. I don't mind dying, but when I wanna go out it better be fucking good, and I have to be at least rich by then. If I don't head at a pool in Gold Sacuer, then what's the whole fucking point of this. There's gotta be some other way to rack up some serious gil and get some loyal mother fuckers.

        first journal entry + entry regarding fears @hollowsparda         (   is this a love confession, rude ?  )

[spaced-out-of-space]

Spaced Out

(Spaced out of Space Blog)

What Is It?!?

Spaced out follows the story of a young man, Beckett, crossing between the world he lives in with his biggest allies, and a world where they guide him through life although they are deemed “not real” in this universe.

He and his party explore a high fantasy internal world exploring their goals and memories, trying to understand what they’re meant to do internally. Although it seems meaningless, what they complete internally suddenly begins to change how they interact with reality.

This game is a huge work in progress! It is in the writing and designing process, meaning early development.

This is meant to tell the story of a dissociative system in a way that everyone can understand.

Draft/Concept art below

The Characters

The characters have been made to incorporate what the traumatized mind needs and what it ends up creating, a protector, a persecutor, a memoryholder, a caretaker, an organizer, a found family.

The characters are all reflective of one mind, though completely different in personality.

Meet the characters of this fantasy world.

Nico (They/Them), Ren/Reno (He/Him), Freya (She/Her), Beckett (He/They), Gray (Any), Ansl/Hansel(He/Him), and Clover (Any)

The Creator

Hey!! It’s me Oakley! I’m working on the development of this with my awesome buddies, Val who’s helping with the art, and some others who are helping me learn about the game engine! I’m just your average young game developer who’s studying interactive design and programming! I’m open to any ideas or thoughts on the project, though it is in early development.

I’m not sure about the fine details of a release date, but a demo will begin being worked on in 2024! Yay!!

I’ve been inspired by creators like insertdisc5, toby fox, and omocat for years, and started slowly working on creating this project in 2021. It really began to kick off in 2023, when I finally collected the resources I needed!

I’m not going to go into my mental health and diagnoses, but I’m doing this project for myself mainly. Creating in this community has been a passion of mine for years.

Why

I’ve never seen good rep for most trauma based disorders, especially dissociative disorders, personality disorders, and disorders having to do with core parts of the identity. I think it’s important for people to be able to not only understand, but relate to people dealing with these things!

I’m also doing this for the characters that I really care about. I’ve worked hard creating the story, the plot, and the functionality. So I hope you enjoy the sillies I post here while working on it!

[ghoulsmuses]

💘👣

💘 Have you ever had a crush on a fictional character? Who was your first? Who is it now presently?

100% dsjkfjkdf i thiiiink my first like..real crush that i can remember was shego from kim possible LMAO

right now though? that's a tough one because i think i have a few from different fandoms sdfgdsfjk kojiro, kishibe, aki, gojo, dabi...the list is longer but i'll just go with those right now.

👣 How many OCs do you have? Which one is your favorite and why?

I have a lot more than is mentioned on this blog but for the sake of brevity, i'll just go with who's here. so, that number is thirty. 16 of those are d&d ocs, 14 of those are fandom ocs.

this gets long so i'll put my favourites under a cut.

of the fandom ocs, i think my favourites are:

naoyuki fujimura - he was the first OC i made for sk8 and i really adore him. i don't get to use him a whole lot but his personality and vibes are something i'm really proud of

hiromi tanaka - my chainsaw man OC. i still haven't finished her carrd yet but i put a lot of work into her so i'm excited to have her fully fleshed out eventually and hopefully get to use her more!

takashi shindo - my absolute BABY BOY i love the way he's developed and i think he's just a very neat character. there's so much about him that i still need to get out in headcanons posts but aaaaa my boy

kaede chinen - bastard boy. bastard. but god i love him sfdgdjsfjkdg he's so snarky and he toes the line of arrogance at times but he's just unapologetically himself and he doesn't allow anyone to change him drastically.

katsumi kyan - she's a menace but she's so cute and i love her so much. she's going to be the reason reki gets his grey hairs early fkjfdsjk but she's so fun and she's just a little spitfire

for d&d ocs:

mihai keove - my half elf light cleric of lathander. she's been through so so much in her backstory but she's kept her kindness and her heart. a lot of her can sort of be summed up by the saying "there's bravery in being soft". she's never lost that desire to wake up every day and be kind and take care of people. even with the loss she's experienced, she's never once let it turn her bitter. she's an incredibly strong woman and she's absolutely my favourite d&d character.

lark grey - lark is...so much fun fgjksfdjkg they're my exhausted enby human death warlock who can be summed up by "god won't let me die" except it's not god, it's death. basically, in the world lark is originally from, death works sort of like a corporation. you line up, meet death and he sends you through the big ol' doors to the afterlife unless you can bribe him to come back. lark, in life, worked for a coporation as well LMAO and so when he got his turn with death, death (aka harold) was like "ayo? i like your resume? how about you work for me instead?" and lark was like "if it means i don't have to die then yeah."

reno laedridal - screaming crying foaming at the mouth because i can never shut up about reno. reno is the first d&d character i ever made. my half elf brute fighter who can be summed up by "*smacks arm* this bad boy can fit so much trauma into him". he's morally grey, from the undercity and worked as a bouncer for a crime lord. he has some attachment issues and is a bit emotionally stunted but by god he's got a good heart under all the walls.

zikri suhaila - THE ULTIMATE BABY BOY. my half demon archfey warlock entertainer. he gets mistaken for a bard a lot because of his vibes and it absolutely frustrates him to no end but he can't be too mad about it because he definitely gets it. his mom is a former musician turned music teacher and his father is a retired adventurer which is where he got his desire to start adventuring from. he has a little brother named rahim. zikri is very charming and flirty.