#she's new to the party and coping badly

[vegasvictor]

words from the wasteland | three.

you were a looker once, a wonder of the wastes. now the world is your reflection — brush your hair out of your face and the hair tags along. why does it think it got an invite? a living warning. an undead reminder. daddy's got your nose and the man's got your noose. do you wonder if your friends would cut you loose? - g. h.

[jess-fae]

Starbite!!!

a small timeline :3 (little note all of the characters i made for Stars world are inspired by people I meet irl in someway. also her friend group was made with the thought of a group the afd (far right party) would hate so pretty much all the cool people :>)

Starbite was bitten at 14 (2019) with her friend Moonbite aka Malik Schäfer (made by plushjio_ over on insta) Also sort of tw: there is some sexual stuff mentioned bute never detail, mention of grooming and depression

being raised in Germany and still somewhat being naive kids they decided to join the police. Since Moons father was a cop and he teen boy was rather close to Sam a cop in training. This didnt last long however since through carelessness of the cops her aunt may died leaving her an orphan.

She moved in with Moon and his older brother Fabio. To said point Star realised just how corrupt the system is and radicalized going down the left pipeline. This resulted in the birth of Moonbite and Starbite or by the news Mondbiss und Sternenbiss.

(2020) But with Moon and Star running around that clearly had a distaste for the police they were quickly demonized by the Bild (a german newspaper which is known for their right leaning news) Sam who at that point reached the captain status felt personally hurt by them leaving and made it his mission to track them down. He did find out about about their personalities and nearly killed them. Luckly moon was able to "finish him off"

After that they were now seen in a even worse light. Yet distractions were great as Star got closer to a former villain aka Black cat (16 years old), to make it quick they have very homoeotic tendencies Which is also the start of Star learning how to cope badly but more to that later. (here is some art of her)

However star had to face a new Villain Doc Ock a 23 year old scientist who wanted to know more about Moon and hers biology. (He sort of represents the group of young poc guys who vote the afd aka her universes biggest hypocrite.)

(2021) Moon stopped working as much since unlike Star focused more on school. Which lead to a few horrible incidence with Doc Ock where Star only barley came out alive. He also realised that she is stronger than him and needs to find another way to experiment on her. So while she is over worked he would "help" her and slowly trying to win the girls trust. Troubled by how the right gained more popularity she was to stressed to actually learn for her final exams and failed them. Leaving her with a relatively bad graduation. That didnt stop her and Moon however from stealing a BMW E 30 for Moon which later on became his "work car" (dont ask me his creator is a car person) With the old motorbike from Black cat they would go to abandoned part of town and race. Which started the unhealthy coping for Star to get some control in her life. As at that point is very aware that she is a su~!ced bomb. In the summer of 2021 the two were also introduced to the Multiverse as they had a mysterio running around. From there they meet Hobie and later on gwen and quickly finding themself become friends. Hanging out more and more with him. Listen they might had smth going on cus who doesnt love hobie.

I must admit 2022 was defienlty the start of as plushjito put it their hoe era.

In said year Moon and Void (my other friends spidersona iust.numen on insta) were sent on a mission by Miguel which was nerve wrecking for star and moon since they always worked together and this was the first time they were separated. Which turned out it was since moon and void got captured and Moon was experimented on. As that universes Dr. Curtis used dino genes and cat genes (imma post about it later more info) which lead to him growing a tail and cat ears. (100% not cus i first designed him as a human and while plushjito is furry artist bahh naaa)

Anyways to the same time Star started mutating too seemingly on her own. (She was always suppose to mutate more through Doc Ock but that changed since the multiverse stuff blocked that from happing) Unlike moon she grew another set of arms and eyes.

It sort of turned her more into a spider? she got very good eyesight being able to use the lower once at night. her nails became stronger making great claws. Growing Fangs that produce poison that attacks the nervous system. (Also silly fact while ovulating after the deed gets the urge to eat her partners which lead in blood drinking)

After the mutaion Gwen, Hobie and Moons older brother helped take care of them. As moon rapidly grew depressed as he was a very extroverted person who liked to party which now seemed impossible. Star forced herself to come to terms with it as she felt like people needed her more. This is were her prioritizing work over her health started to get bad. As now she was even further removed for Sophia and only associated herself with Star leading her to forget who Sophia was or that it was once her.

There also go any job offers now! They already didnt get a Job other than small stuff.

(the art is iust.numen! check out their insta their art is amazing!!!!)) their so silly i love them!!!!

Anyways imma make another post soon. Again thank you sooo much for reading or just looking at the art<33

[drowning-in-cacophony]

dangerous

Written for @flashfictionfridayofficial Prompt 305: Divine Questioning

[Summary: a woman finds herself in a spot of danger]

It’s dangerous, what she’s gotten into.

Too late to do anything about it now. It’s probably been too late for much longer than she thinks, a small thing to comfort herself with. Even if she’d turned away from the ruins, she’d have been snagged. Caught, a fish in a fine net, cutting through scales. Caught, to be dragged back to a moonlit palm. It’s pointless thinking about what she should have done, when she’s got to concentrate on escaping the very frank danger basking around her hips.

It hurts, looking at them. All perched on a crumbling stone wall, toes pointing so delicately, teeth so sharp over the edge of a blood-red lip. It hurts looking, but it’s not like she can do anything but, commanded as she’s been. Such a soft voice, such a painful promise if she’d disobeyed. So she looks and tries not to wipe at her watering eyes. The liquid makes the looking easier.

“So you come through the realm frequently, then?” They tilt a head, send a ripple through their long hair. Curiosity, steeped in puddles through their chiming voice. It sends shockwaves down her spine. A low level electric shock that’s only going to get worse the more they talk. She pushes her fingers against the wall she’s leaning against, the roughness of it biting her fingertips, and reminds herself not to blink the water away.

“I just didn’t think mortals liked this place,” they add. “The forest, I mean. Isn’t it awfully dense for your sort?”

I think you’ve been asleep too long. The forest doesn’t really feel dense, hasn’t for the longest time. Industrialisation hits even these rare lands, spreading out among the roots. This patch is thicker – that’d been the point. Explore what was old, and now look what she’s gotten into. Her tongue sorts the words so careful in her mouth, finding the ones that bite and swallowing them back. Her throat can take the sting; it won’t if hands clutch about her neck.

“It’s an interesting place,” she says, neutral, controlled, vague.

“Many of your people think that?” They’re leaning forward now, still so elegant. Her words burn a small patch of ash – is it a good thing to be truthful now, when she has no idea what this being wants? Maybe they need confirmation that leaving these sleeping grounds will be worth it, to find many bodies to sample upon. Maybe they’re really just curious. There’s no way to tell for certain. It’d be terribly awkward to misjudge, invoke a new horror upon everyone else.

Of course, if it is a new horror, she might not be around to suffer the consequences. Strangely enough, that’s not a comforting thought.

“It’s attracted attention over the time,” is what she settles on. Truthful and distant enough not to bite her on the ass either way. Her cheek itches when a droplet of water escapes her eye, rolls down the mountain of her face. She resolves to ignore how their eye flickers to follow the path. No point freaking herself out any more.

“That sounds delightful.” Sparkles like moonlight off a river’s brook, and she wants to blink so bad. Her eyes are stinging. It’ll be worse straight on. “I never thought mortals might enjoy these depths. Isn’t it too confusing for you all? I hear that you have rather small minds.”

Rude. She traces her teeth to her bottom lip. “We cope.”

They perk up a bit, eyebrows moving in motion with the corner of their mouth. The very tip of their tooth catches flesh, maybe rips through. There’s the smallest hint of a tongue either way, swiping out; something about it is like a cattle prod in the column of her spine.

“Do you enjoy the parties? They still do the parties?”

“They still do the parties.” That, she’s sure, will never change about this place. “Some of us do.”

Their eyes give a glint. “Do you?”

She wants to swallow. It’s an automatic reflex, something instinctual in her nervous system, reacting badly to the shining flint to their face. Swallow, you’re in danger, yet she’s known that already so maybe her system should tell her something new already. She’s in danger.

The question could be a trap.

But fuck, if she doesn’t have another choice but to carefully, carefully play along. Until she finds her exit. Her way out of the danger.

Her mouth fills up with contenders to speak. She begins to sort her reply out from them, avoiding thinking about how this could be like walking into these trees to begin with. A danger she’s already stumbled into, the teeth snapped closed through her.

[kaviary-blog]

An Ache in the Depths of the Soul

Have a sad little drabble cause that’s all my brain is capable of right now

Unspecified MC, unspecified M!NPC. I leave it up to your interpretation.

Pure angst and sadness cause that’s all I got

Word Count- 1,057

—

Two years. It had been two years since they had seen each other. Two years since her heart had been brutally torn from her chest and ripped apart. Two years since the promises they had made were broken. Two years.

Two years but still heavy.

She wished that she could say that things ended amicably, and on some fronts it had. But they were young, neither handled the situation with much grace. She didn’t know how to let things go, and he didn’t know how to love her anymore.

This newly unrequited love was humiliating for her. He had told her that she was everything, the whole package, the best thing he could’ve hoped to had.

And then he let her go.

Utterly devastated and humiliated. She was forced to watch him be completely fine without her, which stirred up a million doubts in her mind. Had it been real? Why was she so completely crushed and he seemingly unscathed? Had he ever really loved her? Was it a lie?

He was joking around with his peers and she had a physical pain in her chest. Breathing was too much. Every blink brought her back to that moment; sitting together in silence as the inevitable dawned on her. Wailing all alone once he had closed the door behind him.

She knew that she was playing catch up. He had admitted that he had fallen out of love with her long before he broke her heart. Told her that he no longer knew how to love her. He knew her all too well, every dark and ugly part of her, and he didn’t know how to keep loving her now that he knew her.

Seeing him laugh and flirt with other girls further twisted the knife. But she remained cordial. He was her friend, he had been her best friend up until he broke things off. And she missed him.

They had ran in the same circle throughout their final year of school, when they officially began their relationship. They had rescued each other from the clutches of doom time and time again, shared the same scars and friends.

So when things ended, she felt completely alone. She didn’t have anyone else to go to that wasn’t also friends with him. In refusing to leave the comfort of her friends she had inadvertently drove him to seek comfort with another, a disarmingly pretty girl who she had always felt inferior to.

The witch he fawned over was everything she wasn’t. How could he like her if he ever loved me at all?

She’d be lying if she said she never villainized him. She wasn’t completely sure how to cope with all the grief. And it was easier to be angry than to be sad.

But at the same time, she couldn’t bring herself to hate him. He had hurt her so deeply, yet she loved him. Completely and irrevocably.

Seeing him happy churned her insides and burned her eyes. She didn’t understand how he didn’t miss her. He laughed and it felt like daggers. His voice haunting her dreams, every corner of the dorms held traces of him. Everywhere had a bittersweet memory of what they had.

She had put everything he had given her into a box. Every momento, every note, every flower. She cried as she put in the ring he had given her. Just a plain silver band with their initials carved into it. No matter how badly she may have wanted to or the logical part of her brain screamed, she couldn’t bring herself to throw it all away. So instead she hid it, closed the box, sealed it shut with a spell, and stashed it at the bottom of her trunk where she wouldn’t have to look at it. Where it could just sit and mock her silently out of view.

A few months later, and they had graduated from Hogwarts and were free to start their new adult lives.

She was aware that the boy had chosen and was planning to go abroad for a bit after school. They had discussed it before everything had come crumbling down.

She had attended his going away party, and that was the last time she had seen the boy who she once thought she was going to spend the rest of her life with.

Her sweetheart had left.

And she had watched him slip from her fingers. Though she had denied it at first, she knew that she had lost him long before he left. She had read and noticed the signs of his fleeting feelings, but she denied it. Told herself it was fear and anxiety, he loved her. Right? For at least part of it, she hoped.

And those thoughts haunted her for two years.

Then she got the news. He was coming home.

And she was expected to show up.

The bile rose in her throat and her chest tightened. She had finally stopped thinking about everything, and now here he was, about to saunter back.

She didn’t want to go see him. What if she felt everything all over again? What if she felt nothing at all? Which outcome was worse? She didn’t know what scared her more, seeing him again or never seeing him at all.

Before everything came apart at the seams, she had promised him that she would wait for him. And even after he was long gone she found herself subconsciously waiting. And she hated it.

Going out on dates and kissing other guys filled her with an overwhelming sense of guilt that she couldn’t pinpoint. Often times she would break down in tears after returning home from a date.

She wished to be free of him.

Now she was supposed to greet him home, without a clue of how to do it.

She didn’t want to go. The idea of facing him head on was too much. And for the first time in over a year, she cried over it. Pathetic blubbering as she tried to fall asleep. The all too familiar pit in her stomach that had made it impossible to eat. The emptiness that fills you up so completely. The kind of pain that is all consuming. A dull thrum in the back of the mind.

An ache in the depths of the soul.

[blackstarchanx3new]

Creations AU FNAF 4, But I obnoxiously over explain it 2

Pages 30-59

The sad story of Cody and his miserable life.

I know for a fact some of these pages were lined don't remember if they colored any by @akdrawsandwrites thanks AK. ^w^

More NPC dialogue.

In FNAF 4 game: There's an oddity with the NPC with a green shirt and brown hair, he has a STRIKING appearance to one of the "bullies" older brother's friends. But the one in the green shirt in the game has blonde hair. Idk if they're meant to be the same character and the sprite was just bonked up or what. FNAF color pallets being consistent is NOT something this series is known for lmfao.

I made these two characters brothers and modified his dialogue to suit that he knows Cody by "Josh's brother". Either way this character should know this kid's name lmfao.

The party coming up is apparently Cody's. The last NPC is debated to be the character "Susie" from the games....I color picked and this girl looks black to me. (Susie is white with styled blonde hair) Like they both have bows and wear pink so MAYBE it was meant to be her but idk. This was the design I went with. Retconning design and inconsistent colors in FNAF again: Is not new.

Susie is used as a character in another place in Creations anyway and it wouldn't line up timeline wise. (This makes an animatic with her as the Chica we meet in Mike's story outdated and incorrect but there's LOTS of ideas in the animatics that were abandoned going over all of them would take hours lmfao.)

Exposure therapy, I say as a joke.

You might have noticed an itty bitty detail of Josh getting set off every time Cody starts shouting. Bro does not handle that shit well.

Yeet the child again, damn it Josh you gotta kick that habit.

Josh's main response to dealing with Cody: Lock him somewhere where he doesn't have to deal wit him.

Oh dear. This looks familiar.

Creations readers and FNAF players alike know where this shit is going.

HI MIKE! ❤️ Yes that's Mike without his dyed hair lol.

Reasonably avoiding confrontation but uh, to the determent of others oof.

Dude proceeds to never stop throwing himself in danger later so I guess he decided to slam to the other side of the two extremes lmao.

HAH.

Well that explains Cody's creepy ass stalker crush on Mike.

He didn't really SPECIFY he recognized Mike verbally when talking to him in the main comic but here we get conformation he for sure did.

Again Cody/Golden Freddy doesn't consider himself a 1 to 1 with the original Cody. Rather just a robot with the kid's memories/soul.

They don't feel like his memories.

Lol. Cody and his Para-social relationship with Mike Schmidt.

We can tell this genuinely amuses him as his eyes aren't red.

Hah he says something to the same affect in thee FNAF 1 Arc...with a lot more body horror involved.

"It was just a prank bro"

Daddy's gonna make it all better.

Cody stop that. We've talked about how the faces you make are unsightly.

Also Puppet. She's here.

People didn't really GET Cody's reality bending abilities: So he explains it pretty plainly here.

He's powerful as hell. X'D

Basically the most OP character in Creations much like the cannon Golden Freddy.

So I'll give ya some writing advice: If you're gonna make an OP character, just make them lazy as fuck.

Easiest way to nerf them: Make them just not care about fighting. X'D

Cody's got a mixture of laziness, apathy and fear of daddy to keep him from being helpful much in the plot.

Because if he wasn't he'd clap Afton in 2 seconds and that'd be no fun. So he's a coward lmao.

He was gonna snap that bitches neck while he slept. And not a single one of us would have blamed him. UwU

Casually hides in his brother's closet XDDD

Also I pointed it out before but Josh's room is Michael's room in main story.

Cody's cowardess is on full display: He bent to NOT killing Josh when he realized how badly Josh was coping with his brother's death.

Just like his daddy!~

Jokes aside this is my fave page in FNAF 4. It was lined by AK. I drew the sketch

I like, never draw the nightmares but the ended up so good here. Props to Ak for translating the sketches real well.

This is another instance of what I mean when I say there's no real good "Starting" place for the Creations AU.

This is smth that happens in Sister Location, but I feel Josh's character is more interesting with this context.

Buuuut this scene makes no sense. Aaaaand FNAF 4 shows more chronological events.

Agh.

Honestly whenever I get around to doing "Spring Bonnie's friends" I'd argue that is the best place to start chronologically but we'll see.

Anyway Cody saving his dumbass brother is so funny to me.

It's also really sad to think that he saved Josh because he knew how much Josh HATED the idea of dying in a springlock suit. Cody shows empathy quite often, especially towards Mike but this extends to helping Josh too.

His little "Now who's the cry baby?" is just the icing on the cake. XD

So Josh IS dead...?

Kind of?

His "remnant" is just kinda all over the place.

Will pick up in part 3 since PAGE LIMITS.

[instructionsnotincluded]

The new chapter of Wild Winds? 😍 I love it! JJ suddenly getting squirmy and nervous when Logan asks about the party was hilarious lol Rafe also needs to get his shit together because we both know it wasn’t a one time thing. Also the scene where he corners her outside was HOT. Something about doing stuff in public with the chance of getting caught just reels me in 😂 But I really liked the scene where Logan goes out to smoke and Rafe was watching her about to do coke. It really plays that they’re both struggling and run to not so good habits when things get stressful. Love the parallels! You always bring everything together and I love it. Can’t wait for the next chapter 🫶🏻

JJ is SWEATING it out. He knows Logan's gonna hear about it, but I think he's trying to figure out how long it'll take and how mad she'll be when she finally hears it. Poor guy has no idea what's coming, hahahahaha.

NOT A ONE TIME THING, RAFE. DON'T BE DUMB.

Yes! I really wanted them to have that moment individually, but together. Like they're both coping and trying to get a grip on their feelings, but they are both struggling so badly.

Thank you for reading and enjoying!!

[cgi-heart-eyes]

dndads incorrect quotes

long post ahead

the teens:

Scary: I hate you sometimes.  Normal: Well according to this picture Link drew of us holding hands that's not true.  Scary: Normal, you drew that.  Normal: It doesn't matter

Scary: I just watched Normal jump off of a spinning chair. Luckily, they weren't hurt that badly. But the whole time, Link was screaming for help, which caused Taylor to run in to help Normal. Just note that all of this happened in the span of six minutes.

Scary: Self care is actually getting into fights with randoms in dark alleys.  Normal: No, self care is stuff like taking a bubble bath, or putting on a lot of makeup if you like it, or taking a nice warm nap!  Link: Self care is the burning heat when rage washes over you!! Self care is when you feel the bones crack under your powerful fists!! Self care is the fear in your enemies’ eyes!!!  Taylor: Lmao self care is taking your birthday cake just so I can eat the frosting.  Scary: If you touch my birthday cake I’ll make you eat your hands.

Scary: I think Taylor was right.  Normal: I'm surprised they haven't marched in here to say 'I told you so.'  Link: They wouldn't do that.  Taylor: You're right, Link. For once in your life, you're 100% right. I would never say that.  Taylor: *turns around, the shirt they're wearing says 'Taylor Told You So' on the back*

Scary: Normal, I'm sad. Normal: *Holds out arms for a hug* It’s going to be okay. Link: Taylor, I'm sad. Taylor, nodding: mood.

Cop: You’re receiving a ticket for having three people on one motorcycle.  Scary: Shit.  Normal: Wait, three?  Cop: Yeah?  Link: OH MY GOD TAYLOR FELL OFF!!

Scary: Why are your tongues purple? Link: We had slushies. I had a blue one. Taylor: I had a red one. Scary: oh Scary: Scary: OH Normal: Normal: You drank each other's slushies?

Scary: There is no future. there is no past. do you see? Time is simultaneous, an intricately structured jewel that humans insist on viewing one edge at a time, when the whole design is visible in every facet.  Normal:  Link:  Taylor:  Everyone Else At Scary’s Surprise Birthday Party:  Normal: All I asked was if you wanted to cut your birthday cake first.

dads:

Ron: Why are Henry and Darryl sitting with their backs to each other? Glenn: They had a fight. Ron: Then why are they holding hands? Glenn: They get sad when they fight.

Henry: How did none of you hear what I just said?  Darryl: I’ve been zoned out for the past two and a half hours.  Ron: I got distracted about halfway through.  Glenn: Ignoring you was a conscious decision.

Henry: Everyone, synchronize your watches.  Darryl: I don’t know how to do that.  Ron: I don’t wear a watch.  Glenn: Time is a construct.

Henry: So my therapist was talking to me and she said that I really just need to break down my walls and let people in.  Henry: So I’ve decided to break the fourth wall.  Henry: *looks at camera* Hi there. I use humor as a coping mechanism.

Henry: Physically, yes, I could fight a bird, but emotionally? Imagine the toll!

Henry: I’m this close to falling in love with Darryl. Glenn: Your fingertips are touching. Henry: Exactly.

Glenn: Bad news—Ron locked themself outside of their own house. Glenn: Good news—we didn’t have to wait around for a locksmith. Glenn: Bad news—Darryl finds it very concerning that I know how to pick locks, and tried to unlock my Tragic Backstory(TM). I was too embarrassed to admit that the reason I learned it was because, at thirteen, I figured that was the kind of skill that would impress cute guys/girls/enbies. Glenn: Good news—a cute guy/girl/enby saw me do it. Glenn: Bad news—it was Henry, and since they’ve already seen me fall out of several trees, cry because I saw a fawn that was just too damn small, and knows I can ride a unicycle, they’ll never think I’m cool no matter what I do. It’s too late. They know.

Glenn, explaining why they are not allowed to cook: I put the noodles in the pot and put the pot on the stove and turned the burner on high. Turns out you don't put noodles in marijuana and I almost burnt the whole house down.

kiddads:

Lark, to Grant: I mean, I get complimented all the time- Sparrow: starts cackling Lark: I do! Sparrow: laughs harder

Grant: Yesterday, I overheard Lark saying “Are you sure this is a good idea?” and Sparrow replying “Trust me,” and I have never moved from one room to another so quickly in my life.

Terry: Why don’t you go talk to them? Grant, sarcastically: Oh. Yeah, sure. Terry: What? So you go tell them they’re cute, what’s the worst that could happen? Grant: They could hear me.

Nicky: Sweet dog you got there. Police: Yes, this is our new drug sniffing dog. Nicky: Still training huh? Police: What do you mean? Nicky: Nicky: Never mind.

Nicky: "What are you into?" is such a broad question, like do I reply with a TV series or choking?

Grant: I am going to cry. I’m going to cry until I can no longer physically cry anymore because all the water in my body is gone and I die from dehydration. Terry: Are you okay? Lark: Did you actually just ask them that? Like, you need that to be answered otherwise you won’t know?

Lark: You've got to act tough, Sparrow! Show 'em you can't be pushed around! Show 'em they can't mess with you! Sparrow: Right. Yes. Tough. Got it. Sparrow, standing up on their stool and slamming their hands down on the bar: I'LL TAKE A CHOCOLATE MILK.

Terry: Watcha got there..? Sparrow: petting a ostrich A smoothie.

i’ll probably add more at some point, this was really fun to make!

[resist-the-oligarchs]

"After the bailiffs arrived at her rental flat, Heidi presented herself as homeless at the council’s offices. She says she was sent away with a list of private landlords, none of whom would accept a tenant on housing benefit."

Britain: a caring, civilised 'democracy'?

Or... a nation of corrupt and uncaring hypocrites that tells the world it is the home of "justice" and "fairness", but can't / won't look after its own citizens, and will happily let profiteering landlords line their pockets while thousands of people are homeless?

... a nation that will allow builders to make millions in profits for their CEOs and shareholders through ripoff housing prices, but where the Government won't create and enforce rules on building social, affordable homes for the millions of working people who need them.

What kind of country does that?

A shithole, capitalist, (now FORMER) Tory Party country that sold off its national, public, taxpayer-funded assets to rich private shareholders who get richer by making public services worse and worse until they fail.

Perhaps the new Labour Government from July 2024 can put these things right... but we'll have to see.

Our rivers and shores are polluted; our national health service is run down to the point of collapse; there is a national crisis in housing and homelessness; energy is unaffordable but oil companies make £billions; rail and transport is overpriced, inefficient and run for profit instead of being an essential public service for the whole community... and poverty across the country means that charity has to provide foodbanks for many thousands of working people...

...the police force is so badly run that it employs racists & rapists and can't afford to investigate theft & burglaries, but it can arrest and use brutal force on peaceful protestors or anyone who criticises the Government...

...the roads are full of damaging, unrepaired potholes, our once-vibrant town centres are soulless and empty because of high rents and the cost of parking, our essential broadband internet services are a ripoff and don't reach everyone...

...and the list goes on and on.

But... we have 'Princess' Kate, or 'King' Charles on the front pages every day, so everything's alright... isn't it?

[mariacallous]

On Oct. 25, U.S. President Joe Biden said something so extraordinary about the current Israeli-Hamas conflict that, had he really thought it through, he might have seriously reconsidered saying. “There’s no going back to the status quo as it stood on Oct. 6,” Biden said.

It was a simple line, but one with breathtaking scope.

Was it a throwaway talking point or a determined commitment for the ages? Did the president understand that, having tethered the United States to Israel’s war aims, when the dust settles, he’ll be expected to play a lead role in creating a new reality both in Gaza and on Israeli-Palestinian peace? Or does he believe that he can unload most of the post-conflict work to a group of regional and international actors that will somehow shoulder the responsibility for Gaza reconstruction and whatever performative peace process might follow? And does he fully grasp that the proverbial “day after” is likely to be more like the year (or years) after?

Every breakthrough in the Arab-Israeli conflict that occurred within the conflict zone has been preceded by violence, insurgency, and war. Indeed, severe crisis can produce opportunity because it breaks the status quo and injects pain that can produce urgency. But that pain must be married to the prospects of gain—usually but not always generated by an outside mediator. Whether the Biden administration is willing or able to play that role remains to be seen.

Serious challenges stand in the way of a more hopeful, let alone transformed, future. And much of what will confront any effort to alter the Oct. 6 status quo remains largely outside of the president’s capacity to control.

Biden will confront two badly traumatized societies that will each in their own way enter a period of prolonged political reckoning. When Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Michael Herzog said that Israel was one country on Oct. 6 and a different country on Oct. 8, he was not exaggerating.

The most severe terror attack in the nation’s history; the bloodiest single day for Jews since the Holocaust; the greatest intelligence failure since the 1973 Arab-Israeli War (and perhaps much worse given the civilian death toll of the Oct. 7 attack); and the taking of more than 200 hostages have stunned and shocked a country somewhat conditioned throughout its history to cope with terror and violence. The Hamas attack added to Israelis’ existing fear of incoming rockets the new fear of cross-border massacres—not just near Gaza but also along the Israeli-Lebanese border and in the West Bank, too.

The events of Oct. 7 also undermined the essence of the contract between the governed and those who govern—a government’s commitment to guarantee the safety and security of its citizenry. The average length of an Israeli government since independence is about 1.8 years; and the emergency coalition that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu formed after the attack will almost certainly be replaced. Whether that will be with a more right-wing or centrist coalition is hard to say.

In the wake of the 1973 war, a state committee of inquiry found the Israeli military and intelligence elites responsible for the failure and didn’t address then-Prime Minister Golda Meir’s role. In 1974, she resigned under public pressure. Yet the real earthquake would not come until three years later, when Menachem Begin’s right-wing Likud party came to power and reshaped Israeli politics for decades to come. In one of history’s great ironies, it would be the right—not the left, which had dominated Israeli politics since independence—that would benefit from Egyptian President Anwar Sadat’s war-then-peace strategy.

This time around, however, Israelis likely won’t be challenged by a charismatic, transformative Egyptian leader boldly seeking peace. And the Israeli public, still reeling from the events of Oct. 7—suspicious, worried, and embittered—will be in no mood for far-reaching concessions on a Palestinian state so close to their borders.

For Palestinians, the reckoning will be much harder. The death and destruction Israel is visiting on Gaza will leave Palestinians in Gaza angry, impoverished, and leaderless. Should Hamas or an Islamist successor survive and be able to mount an insurgency against either an Israeli occupying force or a multinational one in Gaza, then the Palestinian national movement will remain divided—split between Hamas or its successor in Gaza and the Fatah-controlled Palestinian Authority (PA) in the West Bank, with two different visions of where and what Palestine should be.

The PA—led by an aging Mahmoud Abbas, who is now in the 18th year of a four-year term—will be further tarnished by its inability to do anything but watch as Palestinians are killed by the thousands in Gaza or to protect Palestinians in the West Bank from attacks by Israeli soldiers and settlers. Armed groups of young Palestinians such as the Lions’ Den or Nablus Brigade—some independent, others influenced by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad—will carry on the struggle against the occupation as Israeli encroachment on Palestinian land continues. Having postponed elections in 2021, Abbas will be under immense pressure to hold them for both a new legislature and the presidency. But what about Gaza? Can elections be held there? And as happened in 2006, might Hamas again win a majority?

New leadership and reform of the PA’s authoritarian and corrupt practices are clearly required to replace the aging Abbas and the Fatah establishment. But from where will it come? Once again, there’s talk of the most popular Palestinian leader, Marwan Barghouti—who is currently serving five life sentences in an Israeli prison—coming to the rescue. A poll of Palestinians in Gaza taken shortly before the Oct. 7 attack on preferences for president should elections be held had Barghouti at 32 percent; Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas’s political head, at 24 percent; and Abbas at 12 percent.

Leaders need not be born to lead; often, they emerge in response to the direst of circumstances. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is one such leader who comes to mind. But if the Biden administration has any hope of trying to push for a credible process to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, it will need leaders on both sides with the capacity and desire to make and sustain very tough—even historic—decisions. Right now, it’s hard to see those kinds of leaders emerging quickly in the wake of this crisis.

Any postwar effort will need to prioritize rebuilding a destroyed and traumatized Gaza. Physically reconstructing and repairing homes and infrastructure; supporting a displaced population of what may eventually be almost half of Gaza’s residents; and psychologically rehabilitating a traumatized populace, especially children, will be a gargantuan task. Who or what will assume responsibility for this effort is an open question.

But it will be taking place in a post-conflict environment in which Israeli forces may still be present in Gaza until some transitional mechanism to ensure security and order has been worked out. And Netanyahu’s comment last week that Israel may have to stay in Gaza for an “indefinite period” suggests an even more complex situation. To prevent a Hamas resurgence, Israel is going to demand influence in the temporary governance of Gaza, which will make any reconstruction effort much more difficult—or, perhaps apart from tending to the immediate needs of the population, hard to begin at all. Israel will almost certainly want to inspect construction materials—any of which might be used for tunneling or manufacturing weapons. And Iran will be looking for opportunities to provide money and resources to feed an insurgency.

The question of who will ultimately govern Gaza further complicates the situation. Key Arab states such as Qatar, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia can play a critical role in this process by providing financial and political support, though it’s hard to imagine an Arab peacekeeping force patrolling Gaza and doing counterinsurgency against Palestinians or having much legitimacy with Israelis still occupying Gaza.

The most logical and feasible solution is Palestinian governance legitimized by elections. As evidenced by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s recent meeting with Abbas, the Biden administration is clearly thinking about the PA as a key ingredient in Gaza’s future governance. Indeed, the secretary called for an “effective and revitalized” PA. But this is far easier to describe than to actualize. Abbas and his Fatah colleagues have little legitimacy in the West Bank and none in Gaza. And after 16 years of absence, the PA cannot reenter Gaza on the back of an Israeli Merkava tank and expect to be welcomed by the people of Gaza.

Empowering the PA—if it can be done at all—will require linking reconstruction and governance in Gaza to a serious and credible process to address the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In short, legitimacy for the PA in addition to holding elections will need to be tied to a real effort to negotiate an end to Israel’s occupation, presumably based on two states. To make this credible, there would need to be front-loading with any number of steps to build up the PA, including restricting if not ending Israeli settlement activity in the West Bank. Right now—and certainly with this Israeli government—such a step seems far away.

The biggest question is whether Biden has the bandwidth to take on such a colossal endeavor—especially as he heads into what is likely to be a closely fought presidential election in 2024. Or is that more likely an assignment for a second Biden administration, if there is one? Either way, unless the administration plans to get serious this coming year about at least laying the foundations for new realities in Gaza and the West Bank, very little is going to move.

Governing is about making difficult choices, and it’s not as if there are no other foreign-policy challenges to absorb the U.S. president’s time. Competing priorities abound, each tied to complex domestic politics. Biden has tethered the United States to Ukraine’s fight with Russia, and the reality of what is likely to be a very long war resourced by his administration has begun to sink in amid growing Republican doubts about long-term support.

Biden has also committed the United States to defending Taiwan against China, even if what that defense would look like in the event of war remains ambiguous. If there is an inside-the-Beltway consensus on any foreign-policy issues in Washington, it’s on pursuing tough policies against China and Iran, especially as the Israel-Hamas war has brought the United States much closer to the possibility of a conflict with Tehran.

Pursuing Middle East peace isn’t for the fainthearted or those who aren’t prepared to spend the energy and time. Much of the effort can be offloaded to a secretary of state and a special envoy. But even with husbanding the White House’s time, it will require a good deal of presidential focus. Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter not only had to convene a presidential summit but also embarked on a shuttle diplomacy trip in 1979 to conclude the Egypt-Israel peace treaty. Former U.S. President Bill Clinton traveled extensively in the region and called at least four Middle East summits as part of his peacemaking efforts.

Nor can one ignore the domestic politics that can drain a president’s political currency—and those domestic politics on the Israeli-Palestinian issue are fraught indeed. With the Republican Party emerging as the Israel-can-do-no-wrong party and a divided Democratic Party with a progressive wing that’s pushing for Biden to impose accountability on Israel, Biden will need to navigate a perilous course. Invariably, pushing for Israeli-Palestinian peace will mean friction or worse with Israel. Will the president be up to it?

In tying the United States to both Israel’s trauma on Oct. 7 and its resulting campaign to eradicate Hamas in Gaza—and all the death and destruction that is causing—Biden now shares direct responsibility for the fate of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Biden has committed himself publicly to a fundamental change in the status quo. If that’s going to happen, first and foremost there will need to be Israeli and Palestinian leaders committed to that objective. But even with those kinds of leaders, Biden will need to own this, too.

And even if he does, the risks are great. If the past is prologue, as it’s been so many times when it comes to U.S. peacemaking efforts, the chances of success are small. Walking away or pursuing a performative policy in the wake of the horrors we’ve witnessed will undermine the president’s personal credibility—as well as America’s—in the region and the world. And it will cost him politically, particularly in a state such as Michigan, with Arab Americans as well as with progressives and younger Democrats. Biden may very well be remembered as the U.S. president who presided over the bloodiest phase of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and, most likely, the death of the only pathway that offers a hope of ending it: the much-maligned two-state solution.

The stakes are enormous, especially for a president who cares deeply about Israel, Palestinian suffering, and the United States’ leadership role in the world. But it remains to be seen whether his stunningly powerful pledge not to return to the status quo of Oct. 6 was merely a throwaway line and a performative talking point or a serious and determined commitment to finding a solution to an excruciatingly complex conflict that has eluded all of his predecessors.

[ellekhen]

Hand, Hearth, and Home

Chapter 52 - Lost in the Dark

Chapter Summary: We find ourselves back at the beginning where we first found Church and Astarion at the House of Healing. Church once again confronts his feelings of guilt and loss. Much to his horror, the other half of the party falls under attack. Church breaks the news to Arabella about her parents, and realizes quite a bit more as a result.

Pairing(s): Astarion x Male Tav (Main); Past OC x Male Tav Rating: Explicit Length: 272K+ words; Chapters 52/70 (Master Post)

Excerpt below:

While they wait, Church seeks out Gale, relieved to see his friend intact and well.

Or, rather, as well as he can be. Gale looks deep in thought as he stands by the river, eyeing Moonrise Towers in the distance.

“Doing alright?” Church asks him softly. The wizard turns around with a start, but smiles tightly at the tiefling.

“I would have asked you the same question,” Gale replies affably. “Karlach told me about that utterly horrifying scene you encountered within the House of Healing. That’s not something one can simply walk away from — least of all you.”

Church rubs the back of his neck, grimacing. “I’m coping. It’s not me I’m worrying about — it’s Arabella.”

Gale nods, grimly. “And you have every right to. How she survived this past week alone in the shadows… all thanks to strange magic, yes, but it still takes tremendous will not to give up entirely when alone with your thoughts.”

“I know the feeling well,” Church says dryly. 

Gale eyes him carefully. “Karlach also told me you were in a bit of a state before you all arrived on our side of town.”

“Yes, well,” Church clears his throat. “I’ve… got to be honest. When I heard — and saw — the explosion, I…” 

His voice catches unexpectedly, and Gale turns to him, taken aback with concern as the tiefling glances away with burning wet eyes.

“Gods, I thought I lost you,” Church admits softly, before sheepishly adding, “So yes. I… may have panicked a bit.”

“...oh! Whyever would you…?” Gale asks, puzzled.

“I thought it was the orb,” Church explains, gesturing vaguely at the wizard’s chest where the sigil of Netherese magic is barely visible beneath his shirt’s loosened collar. “I thought something happened and you… detonated.  

“I was… I was terrified I was too late. Again. So seeing you there, even getting wailed on by those githyanki?” he looks up to meet Gale’s eyes as he fights back the tears that he doesn’t have the strength to hide. “Gods, it’s just so good to see you just… here, you know?”

He huffs a helpless laugh and steps hesitantly forward to wrap his arms around the wizard, holding him tight.

“You…” Gale seems at a loss. “You truly were concerned for me?”

“That’s… basically what I said,” Church mumbles, still holding him. “It didn’t help that Astarion couldn’t link with your mind again, and neither could I. But like I said, I was afraid…”

Gale finally returns his embrace, resting his head down onto Church’s shoulder.

“Well, you needn’t fear,” the wizard says, clearing his throat as they finally part from each other. “That method of destruction is reserved for one thing only — the Absolute. I wouldn’t allow it to go to waste on a few zealous githyanki.”

“I mean, I didn’t think you’d do it intentionally, but I thought maybe a githyanki might’ve hurt you badly enough… to…” Church trails off, regarding Gale incredulously. “You… you still plan on doing that, then? Using the orb — yourself — to destroy wherever we find the Absolute?”

Gale smiles grimly at him and shrugs.

“Well, why not? It would all seem so straightforward,” the wizard says with forced levity. “Find whatever mausoleum that necromancer went off to, destroy the artifact, destroy Ketheric. And then we locate the heart of the Absolute and… destroy that too.”

He frowns, not meeting Church’s eyes as the tiefling ogles at him in disbelief.

“But… we don’t even know what any of that entails, right?” Church reminds him. “The mausoleum, or the artifact. Or whatever Ketheric has up his sleeve. Nor do we know what the hells this ‘heart of the Absolute’ is.”

“No, but I imagine that when we do find it, we won’t have time to ruminate on what to do next,” Gale replies evenly. “We will need to move quickly so that I may have the best advantage, and so that you all can clear out in time.”

“Oh. Gods, Gale…” Church balks. “I told you. We’ll find another way, and…”

“Well, have you found another way?” Gale snaps. “No. You have not. None of us have. I remain the one sure-fire way to destroy the Absolute. Are you telling me that I should forsake my duty to my goddess? To my friends? To…” his voice breaks, “...you?”

Church feels lightheaded. 

“There has to be another way,” he says numbly. “We just… haven’t found it.” 

Everyone you ever cared about… the voice reminds him. Doomed to die. Doomed to leave you behind too soon, because you were too slow…!

Church’s heart and mind race as his hand twitches up to reach towards his friend. “Gale. Please… I’m not… I’m not ready to lose you.”

The wizard closes his eyes and rubs the back of his neck, turning away from the tiefling. “This is bigger than you and me,” he says, and Church wonders if it’s just sheer coincidence that he’s quoting Tavi. 

“Don’t lie to yourself,” Gale scoffs. “I… know you. If it were your decision, you would give yourself up to save the world, wouldn’t you?”

Church stares after him, stricken.

“Well?” Gale demands.

“...yes,” Church whispers, defeatedly. “I would.”

Gale turns away, nodding. 

“Then do not pass judgment on me for preparing myself to do the one thing I know to be right,” he says, resigned to his fate. 

Start from the beginning!

[ultraericthered]

Anime Update V3 2

Vinland Saga S2 - Gardar didn't last too long against Snake (Gardar and Snake, ha ha) before he ended up getting taken out of there to be put back in chains. The rest of the episode was spent on Arnheid's backstory with Gardar and the son she lost, as well as the reveal that she is now pregnant with Master Ketil's child. Eeeeugh!

Hunter x Hunter - Leol's party got sent out by the King's Royal Guard to hunt down Killua, Cheetu is still on the move from Shoot and Knuckle, and Meleoron finally got found out by Gon in the desert, but he seems to want to defect from the army and reason with Gon, which I don't buy for a minute, he's up to something else here. But I have to mention that this was the 100th episode in this entire anime and it ends in a way that left me unable to stop laughing for a good while - the human-looking Chimera Ant sniper who was trying to pick off Killua gets exposed as a small octopus-looking Chimera Ant named Ikalgo, and when Killua brings up he resembles an octopus, Ikalgo shrieks "DON'T CALL ME AN OCTOPUS!" The screen freeze frames, and as the narrator caps it off he too describes Ikalgo as resembling an octopus, prompting a echoing repeat of Ikalgo's line. Just...after 100 episodes of anime, what a way to end this milestone!

SHUFFLE! - Rin is understandably having difficulties coping with the recent changes in his life, which includes different fan clubs for Sia, Nerine, and Kaede who all hate his guts for his closeness with the girls. We see more from Rin's friends and learn that Sia had met with Rin once when she was younger that Rin can't recall, and then one day while walking from school, Rin lets a mysterious new girl into his life, a Demon friend of Sia's named Primula. When she follows him home to Kaede's house, it's decided that she will live there too.

Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works - Reached the part where the big Emiya showdown has ended and then Archer is slain by Gilgamesh, who asserts himself as the final enemy who wants to use the Holy Grail to exterminate the majority of humanity so that the world can be made better by virtue of being inhabited by only the truly strong and worthy, which he'd rule over as their king. He's so infuriatingly high-and-mighty and contemptible, but he does one decent thing at the very end by turning Shinji into the body horror that will become the Grail's vessel. Shinji can never deserve it enough!

KonoSuba - Kazuma has continued to show us how out of his depth he is as a "hero" in this world, and Aqua, for a goddess, is so damn incompetent and useless that it becomes all too clear to Kazuma that they're not getting anywhere fast as they are, so they put out fliers to recruit another party member, which they get in the young dark mage Megumin. And the one thing that was kind of distracting me in the episode was Megumin's portrayal: Erica Mendez doesn't do badly as her voice, but she's such a clear Rikka Takanashi clone that I'm always expecting Margaret McDonald. This isn't a dub-exclusive problem either: Maaya Uchida (Rikka's seiyuu) did voice Megumin in the Drama CDs, but the anime cast Rie Takahashi in the role instead. Why? Anyway, she's going to be a handful with her insistence on using this one destructive darkness spell all the time, and at the very end there appears a new, different sort of "Darkness" to deal with...

Symphogear XV - At last I started the final season with its premiere, where our girls go to Antarctica (hello, Place Further Than The Universe!) and fight a new sort of enemy that's been unleashed by an offshoot of the Bravian Illuminati who diverged from Adam's plan and are under the employ of someone else. In between we flash back to how this got started, with some new cute HibiMiku to spare.

Eureka Seven - Renton's still got it good with Charles and Ray, but its contrasted not only by the disarray back on the Gekko, but with Renton acting out and trying to save a terminally ailing Voderac girl against the advice of Charles and the wishes of the people at the sanctuary he wants to bring her too, who only display hostility and prejudice against her for belonging to the same group of people who terrorized them, killing and injuring many. There are some very harsh life lessons Renton is forced to learn here and he understandably does not take well to it. His guilt over his own sins are paralleled with Holland, who hesitates to tell Eureka that Renton ran away and when he finally does, still can't bring himself to admit out loud that he's the one most to blame for it, leaving Eureka to blame herself instead.

Gintama - Keeping with the continuity of this crazy show, Odd Jobs receive two Amanto carpenters - a Red and Blue Oni looking pair - from Sakamoto as an apology for destroying their home just two episodes back. Shennanigans ensue with Gintoki marveling so much over how good the two are at their work that he cons them into working extra to improve and "restore" the place, even making up some bogus fable about an unshakably helpful, dedicated and skilled carpenter named Mokishi, and these cheap tricks somehow work on the two carpenters every time. It all ends in a perfect Brick Joke where all the extra handiwork on the Odd Jobs place literally goes flying off into orbit with just the push of a button. So brilliantly dumb!

AND

My Dress-Up Darling - I think this anime and March Comes In Like A Lion could work well as a set labeled "Your Lie In April, But Actually Healthy, Uplifting, and Competently Conveyed." Much like how Rei Kiriyama was like a Good Counterpart to Kosei, Marin Kitagawa is like a Good Counterpart to Kaori, a extroverted, perky, silly, beautiful blonde bombshell who transcends Manic Pixie Dream Girl as her own aggressively confident force of nature unto herself, but while Marin is every bit as pushy, naughty and teasing as Kaori could be, she is also more earnest and sincerely well-meaning towards the friends she interacts with. Already I find myself enjoying the shit out of Marin and Gojo's dynamic and want to see them push all the way with it. Really my only big point of critique would be with Gojo, not because of his character, but because of his backstory: it is comically rushed and just ridiculous in its very nature, yet the show tries to convince us that it left major mental and emotional damage on the guy? I could not buy it, I just think Gojo is oversensitive and lacks commitment to try to really achieve something meaningful, and he's been clinging to that one childhood experience as an excuse to keep himself that way. Here's hoping Marin helps him get the f**k over it!

[hxckedvxid]

Full Name: Ines Alvarez

Age & Birthday: 23 years old, September 27th

Occupation: Barista / Photographer

Current Location: New York City, NY

Birthplace: Sacramento, California

MORE

❖ CONNECTION TO THE DUPONTS

Ines has been in a relationship with Jakob for almost a year. She didn’t hesitate to come with him to New Orleans for Allegra’s funeral or to stay for the duration of the month after. Aside from Jakob, Ines only knows Felix and has never met any of the other cousins. She also isn’t aware of anything that happened in the family other than snapshots told to her by Felix and Jakob. She’s basically coming into this all with fresh eyes, and her own struggles.

❖ PERSONALITY

Mischievous, Playful, Self Reliant, Curious, Impulsive, Capricious, Relaxed, Observant, Instinctive, Stubborn, Irreverent.

People might assume that Ines is quiet, offbeat and a little reserved. This isn’t exactly wrong but she’s also confident and very self aware. She’s only quiet when she’s thinking or observing. Otherwise, she’s talkative, relaxed and can easily find ways to relate to other people. She commits to her vision or ideas and isn’t afraid of standing up for herself. 

Ines notices everything, primarily unspoken body language. She tends to observe the things other people might overlook and can sense shifts in rooms. When she overlooks something herself, it tends to be for self preservation. She can avoid heavier conversations for the sake of comfort and ease, or drop a well-timed or badly timed joke for a sense of levity.

Ines is a contradiction in many ways. She’s deeply curious and impulsive, meaning it isn’t unheard of for her to pray or poke her nose where it doesn’t always belong. That being said, she doesn’t always offer her opinion on something. She’ll keep the peace more often than not, keeping things she’s noticed or felt to herself. But even then, if a conversation arises that can’t be avoided, she doesn’t run away from it either.

❖ BRIEF BACKSTORY

Ines was born and raised in Sacramento to a single mother, Beatriz. She has an older brother, Ignacio who’s currently been in jail for 3 years, serving a 10 year sentence. Their upbringing was close knit and warm, but Ignacio struggled not only with addiction but breaking entirely away from a criminal lifestyle. Ines was often protected from this, as much as it was possible but she noticed everything from a young age.

Not long after Ignacio was sentenced, Beatriz’s illness was diagnosed and Ines watched the slow decline of their mother’s health. She had support from other family members, but a lot of them were spread far and wide throughout the states. It was during this time that Ines developed a love for photography. It started as just wanting to capture as many memories with Beatriz as possible before she passed, but developed into something of a coping mechanism. 

After Beatriz died 2 years ago, Ines couldn’t stand to stay in California anymore. She moved to NY to start over, picking up part time work while trying to figure out a career that allowed her to be a photographer. Almost a year ago, she met Jakob on a rooftop during a party. It was obvious what he was thinking about doing, or trying to do but the two never spoke about it outright. Their relationship wasn’t a slow burn in the slightest, and Ines knows for a fact that Jakob is the first time since her mother died that anything makes sense in her life.

She’s currently working on a project called Hands of the City, with hopes of gaining a fellowship or even publishing a book with the images. She started this in X but now that she’s joined Jakob in New Orleans, she’s restarting the project entirely and hoping a month will be enough to build a story. Her portfolio is a series of close ups of hands doing everyday work. Making beignets, playing instruments, painting shutters, trimming flowers, replacing door knobs. She’s obsessed with the way hands carry legacy without showing a face. It's a physical memory that started when she took a photo of her mother holding her hand just hours before she passed. 

❖ Plot Hooks & Desires

What kinds of stories do you want to explore?

Ines parallels the DuPonts in a lot of ways when it comes to grief, loss and absence and sense of belonging. We can explore how she ends up fitting among the cousins, moments she might overstep or not say something that could have helped or changed an entire conversation.

Ines is a perfect in for other supporting characters, people she photographs and their story keeps her returning to learn more. 

Also Ines isn’t intrusive with her photography but there might be a plot we can do where she sees a perfect moment between cousins, hand placements etc and just snap the picture. It can become tense if it was a vulnerable moment. Alternatively, some cousins can be happy to get photographed. 

Ines and Jakob’s anniversary is during the month they’re in the house, this could serve as a plot point where more cousins convene for dinner and can represent reconnection, support and obviously acceptance and love in a way that’s relevant for the characters.

And of course there can be cousins she vibes with instantly.

[apurikottotii]

march song recs

JESUS THIS MONTH WAS INSANE. A few things that happened: my competition group went to our state comp! We did pretty well for a team of complete newbies, and I won 1st in music :D! the party afterwards was really fun and I enjoyed getting to know my teammates (they’re all so quirky). I was sad abt my shitty sat score lmao. I had many art performances (on the same day as well???). I got into saihate station (I love tatsunami so much. He’s so relatable). I might have a crush, but i think it's more of an obsession. I’ve been obsessing over people too much lately, and it really affects my mood. My coach is treating me pretty badly, and though I’ve always thought “i want these days to last forever”, I’m starting to think it might be ok to let some things end. for that sport, it’s terrible seeing how things have turned out this way- especially when freshman me could love nothing else but it.  

---Esper Esper - Nayutalien

I LOVE nayutalien. Yes alien alien was my most listened to song 2 years ago. I don’t really have any justifications for liking it it’s just catchy lmao. i like the second half of the chorus where it goes like "esper, esper something something esper" lmao

---Mellomelloid - Kairiki Bear  

AHHHHH I suppose kairiki bear does deserve some of the hype he gets. He is really good. I love the little “my love!” And “I love!”. Using all the Pokemon moves in the lyrics is so cool and creates really cool particular diction. And well, I love songs about obsessive love lmao. The “suki de suki de” is so catchy too… The whole song feels fast- almost rushed. Falling too quickly into love… spiraling into obsession.

---Monitoring, Zombie, Telepathy - Deco*27 

When I first listened to monitoring, I thought it was honestly better than most of the recent deco releases- I could tell from the beginning it was “different” (no, this is not hindsight bias). And yeah, it blew up! I’m going to say it deserves it- it’s a pretty cool concept executed well, especially with the art style and all. Personally, it’s helping me cope. Seeing shion and ashe versions of it didn’t help lmao. I really like the “dissected heart” and the “XXX”-ing idea. I think the story might be that miku is normal, and the “speaker” is the one who’s out of their mind- which is pretty cool. Seeing it distort between normal/obsessed miku is awesome. 

Zombie is AWESOME. I really want mahiru to get a cover of it- it fits WAY too well lyrically. The bassline speaks to me, it’s so funky. The little “wa-ha!” Is so silly too. Though I really hate the giga remix, sorry.

Telepathy is honestly not that good of a song, but it’s one of the stronger recent deco releases. I think it blew up because it’s funny (I don’t particularly care for the humor), I just really like the chorus- it’s too catchy!? Especially when it drops down a half step or something. 

---Loro- TRI.BE 

Sorry, I did hear this on TikTok. I love latin-influenced music too much. The little “dolce vita!” is so cute. The fricking horns and “heys” on the off beat man.  

---Suki tte itte - titana 

Three words. Tatsunami shion relatable. 

“Ah… what a worthless fantasy”. SPEAK YO SHIT KING!!!! 

----------------------

Honorable mentions: help me erin (English version) (it’s almost been a year since I’ve become obsessed with this song, and THEY RELEASE AN ENGLISH COVER OUT OF NOWHERE??? It’s really hard to translate, but they did an impressive job- saved me the job of doing it. Though I’ve already memorized the chorus in Japanese), weak by ajr???, d/n/a (i love the intro computer synthesized bit too much), die with a smile (why is this song actually good??? and the lyrics actually deep and profound???), because you’re here/brand new day (I introduced my friend to because you’re here because she showed me brand new day, I find them to sound similar), Danza kuduro/pepas (I love latin music?), the way things go (I find her style so solemn, yet still catchy?)

[sideways-escape]

this is a completely empty blog right? okay cool

my lover texts me every night because she knows it's extremely variable whether I actually talk to or see another person all day- theoretically I can talk to internet or my few remaining long distance friends or call my dad but she knows my dad is also kind of consistently terrible for my mental health and internet sociality is not the same and the remaining long distance friends are kind of their own mess because depression has made me a shitty friend and some of them are really hard to talk to because the pandemic has left us in very different places

so since my boyfriend left me she texts every day. she's not always there for me for long and she often flags low wattage or whatever but frequently I talk to her about whatever's making me sad or we chat a bit about something else and some days a week she's there longer or even for a phone call, sometimes for several hours, but it's a big range where the low end is often me not responding because I am in a hole and the next step up is just some 'hey sorry you're tired, tell me something sweet' or if something bad happened me trying to be supportive and her getting off because she's low on cope and energy, and the high end is some hours of texting or talking

this has been a pretty consistent presence over the last year and actually more like the last year and a half since the suicidality went from 'most of the time' to all the time, which, her treatment of me was part of

we have had points where she would probably frame it as overextending herself because I was in crisis and failing to keep boundaries about her energy and kinds of communication that she can't deal with and I would frame anywhere from 'basically that' to 'actually you were stoking the problem and then because I was unsupported I had nobody to turn to' and in a couple of those she has dropped me for a few days to once two weeks when I was doing SUPER bad. like she used her boyfriend's surgery aftercare as an excuse / pretext- which was really wicked and unwise because that boyfriend has treated me like absolute dirt and for years his needs and security in the relationship were prioritised to such an extent that he was just being really exhibitionistic and unboundaried to the point of bullying and abuse at parties she threw and in shared work spaces and because I didn't have Relationship Seniority I couldn't stand up for myself and she didn't do anything while I wasn't allowed to be physically demonstrative or acknowledged as also a partner, so, don't heap resentment on a metamourship that's already fraught right? but that's something she did and. I hurt myself really badly a bunch that month and my nebulously-ex boyfriend totally stopped talking to me because he was so scared and triggered by my suicidality and it was really dangerous and. yeah, her dropping out is a thing she keeps promising not to do but she then just does and it usually ushers in a worse time for my mental health and objective life circumstances. and it's not fair to her to be carrying that much support but it's also, what the fuck else do we do and it's, like, I try to meet her where she is but she is really really bad at some of the basic 'don't be kind of cruel to your lover when they're in crisis and to can't handle it' shit

so I told her really explicitly Christmas through mid January was gonna be very fucking rough on me because of my boyfriend leaving me the week after New Year's and us having the horrible deathblow fight on New Year's and she made all kinds of promises- we had a lot of trouble seeing each other in December because I kept getting these one-day colds with horrible timing and her mom and mom's partner got an emergency fascism marriage and her sister (+ spouse + nibling) visited from Canada so I wasn't gonna see her in that and then. some horrible fucking fight landed a couple days before NYE, or I think something like that, because she talked about it as 'intense conversation' and 'I can't tell you the stuff because it concerns other people' which sounds like R code for, my boyfriend, having a meltdown about something. and I had had this great terror that her offer- which I had fished for but not asked for or especially expected- of spending NYE with *me* and not him, which has never happened before and based on his territorial behavior with her at their parties I expected might be a trigger but trusted she wouldn't offer anything that would be a problem for him, I asked is that going to be okay are you sure- was gonna set him off. and the way that poly shit between us has always worked out is punitive to me, you know? so I asked, unwisely: was this about me, and I was in crisis and she was spun out, and she said 'about my conduct in relation to you'. which put me from Defcon 3 to Defcon 1 right? so I was on drugs and crying and rambling and just barely keeping myself from hurting myself right there, she kept barking at me about this boundary of no processing and no ambiguity and. I have internalised this idea I cannot address his relationship with her or his treatment of me directly and sometimes had multi-day freakouts because the idea of even broaching it scared me. and I was suicidal and so drugged and she kept accusing me of prodding at the boundary and my brain just wasn't working and I was trying to not spiral out, and eventually I told her I was not able to filter, and she barked at me that that wasn't care for her and hung up. which she knows is a trigger, and she is usually really down on people deliberately triggering me, but whatever. and then she said 'oh I can't do NYE I'm sick and my brain is racing'. and I spent those two days having to take drugs and be nursed through my suicidality by half the internet.

so without getting into the rest of the last week. something is bad between her and her bf, I believe based on the ambiguous statements; she alluded to an intense conversation a few days ago that was why she didn't check in, and then was mostly unavailable the next day. she was there for me the anniversary of when Eugene walked out on me and that helped. but last night I was sad at her, it wasn't a huge long convo but I needed reassurance and she fumbled it and hurt me accidentally but landed there, I texted 'talk tomorrow?' and she didn't say yes or no but she didn't say no, y'know?

but she didn't text. and now I am starting to see a pattern.

and I'm really scared.

[sllverspccn]

Verses

verse 1 !

Gary's Hogwarts years, from him getting the letter to his graduation. He is doing pretty well in class, receiving mostly top grades and occasionally even teachers' praise, especially in the practical subjects like Charms, Herbology, Care for Magical Creatures and Potions, but doesn't like to study much. He is the life of the party, throwing parties in Ravenclaw's (or Hufflepuff's or Griffindor's, to be honest, he has friends there, so he knows how to get in... he also has some connections among Slytherin students and theoretically could get into their common room but that is not the crowd who would thrive at his parties and honestly he wouldn't want to see most of them at his parties, they are too stuck-up in his opinion) common room and from his fourth year onwards also in the Room of Requirement. He is also pretty willing to help others, especially those on lesser years, known for giving tours and explaining Hogwarts mythology and the way things work here, like ghosts and staircases that change direction etc, to first years

verse 2 !

The First Wizarding War and Gary's involvement in it, from his graduation to him being bitten by Fenrir; he's a member of the Order and the building he lives in has a lot of magically and not only magically hidden rooms, mostly on the basement levels but also some living quarters on the top floor, which are mainly used as a shelter for those in hiding because of the war, but also as an occasional headquarters type of thing for the Order and as a place for the Order's members and victims of the Death Eaters to be healed if they can't go to Saint Mungo's because even though healing magic is not his forte, his bestie has a talent and also roped into this some of the healers from Saint Mungo she knows from her undergoing training there

he also pursues career in fashion, designs clothes professionally and owns a shop which is situated on the first and second floor of the building he lives in

verse 3 !

Gary being bitten by Fenrir, turning him into werewolf, and coping very badly with it... basically, everything that happens between the bite and his bestie giving him a long heartfelt speech that makes him want to make an effort after he recovers from alcohol poisoning and OD that nearly killed him

verse 4 !

Gary trying to move on with his life in the light of his new affliction and his bestie's support; he is still depressed in this verse, which is part of the reason he lost inspiration to design clothes, and in all honesty the effort he makes at doing something with his life instead of speed-running to its end is mostly about him not wanting to let his bestie down and upset her rather than about him doing it for his own sake which is honestly... baby, you need therapy; but he's not getting it and he's not generally talking about his affliction or his feelings, pretending that he's moved on and fine now and there's nothing to talk about... so this should be fun *nervous laugh*

Since Gary lost his inspiration to design clothes, he pursues another career and I have three possibilities in mind so you get three verses:

verse 4.1 !

He becomes a bartender (technically, he is also the owner of the bar, but he likes mixing drinks and listening to patrons much more than doing owner's duties, so those mostly become his co-owner's - who is his bestie in the default verse but we can plot for your muse to become the co-owner - responsibility)

verse 4.2 !

He becomes a chef at some pricey but not overly pretentious restaurant

verse 4.3 !

He becomes a teacher at Hogwarts (after much deliberation and some heartfelt encouragement both from his bestie and Dumbledore), teaching Care for Magical Creatures

au 1 !

An age-shifted au where Gary is a year or two older than Harry and the gang.

[bllsbailey]

The Left Continues to Go Absolutely Insane Over Trump's Decisive 2024 Win😭

You knew this was going to be a multi-part story: liberal America is in absolute meltdown mode over Donald Trump’s remarkable comeback on Election Day. He won—he’s the 47th president of the United States. He’s the second president to serve two non-consecutive terms; that’s how badly Biden-Harris wrecked the country. 

The View was their usual illiberal mess of itself, with calls to censor social media because they did something this show seldom does: tell the truth about Kamala and the Democrats. Yet, one of the mainstays in the day after the election is progressives taking to TikTok to scream and bash America. One of the funniest narratives these clowns peddle is how democracy is threatened because Trump won even though we just had an election. It makes the democracy line look a bit stupid. 

On The View and MSNBC, you have Sunny Hostin and former Univision anchors denigrate and chastise Latino voters for not voting Democratic. There was a massive shift to the GOP among this voter bloc. They’re too stupid or something because right after losing an election, it’s best to insult the people who don’t vote for you. Maybe that’s part of the problem, ladies.

The best are the Never Trump/Neocon buffoons who know their time is up in any relevant political circles. The liberal media will whore them out to bash Trump, but that’s all they’re good for, and everyone knows it. This election was their shot to creep back into the discussion if Trump lost, but he didn’t. Cope and seethe with the libs who also hate you. 

But this whole week is going to be delicious:

WATCH: Liberal pundits' who confidently predicted a win for Harris in major media miss. pic.twitter.com/UMsgyoXMCI— Fox News (@FoxNews) November 6, 2024

The Best Media MELTDOWNS of Trump's 2024 Election Win pic.twitter.com/rxcZlay9KM— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) November 6, 2024

— Dissident Media (@DissidentMedia) November 6, 2024

Claire McCaskill is LITERALLY sobbing on MSNBC right now. pic.twitter.com/phV08yhuf7— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) November 6, 2024

CNN’s Dana Bash: So, Harris lost because she’s a woman, right? pic.twitter.com/ytE0wZ9Gv9— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) November 6, 2024

The leftist tiktokers are not coping well pic.twitter.com/p96lcdvhsr— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) November 6, 2024

AOC: "We are about to enter a period of fascism and authoritarianism" pic.twitter.com/VDkyeB99zz— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) November 7, 2024

— The🐰FOO (@PolitiBunny) November 6, 2024

— Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) November 6, 2024

The attention seeking meltdown videos from unhinged liberal women are amazing 😂 pic.twitter.com/nDZl8gnDJV— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) November 6, 2024

ACLU Deputy Director says “we need you in the streets” to block Trump’s agenda. pic.twitter.com/VWR6GdCpdR— Natalie Winters (@nataliegwinters) November 7, 2024

— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) November 6, 2024

Keith Olbermann claims Russia stole the election *again* pic.twitter.com/yfgZVseokl— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) November 6, 2024

— Defiant L’s (@DefiantLs) November 6, 2024

Harris would’ve won “if we could regulate social media.”pic.twitter.com/Xfm9537W1F— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) November 6, 2024

It was so much worse than you remember pic.twitter.com/mtVNOw9wlZ— Luke Zaleski (@ZaleskiLuke) November 5, 2024

— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) November 6, 2024

Ladies and gentlemen, the editor-in-chief of Scientific American pic.twitter.com/bBTTDtjA6s— Kevin Bass PhD MS (@kevinnbass) November 6, 2024

🍿 🍿 🍿 pic.twitter.com/gbCYOgpyh4— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) November 6, 2024

— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) November 6, 2024

Joy Reid: "We did this...It's the young people we've now condemned to mass deportation." pic.twitter.com/D8foYh0qGi— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) November 6, 2024

Whatever happens, one thing is clear: Trumpism is now the GOP permanently. There is no battle for the future of that party. It believes different things now and doesn’t think character matters—and Americans appear to have plenty of appetite for it. It has no incentive to change.— Heath Mayo (@HeathMayo) November 6, 2024

The justice system failed us.— Ally Sammarco (@Ally_Sammarco) November 6, 2024

— Heath Mayo (@HeathMayo) November 6, 2024

Big win for post-liberal politics and economics. Also for measles, mumps, polio, and tooth decay.— David Frum (@davidfrum) November 6, 2024

I tuned in to Allan Lichtman's livestream and immediately heard him say, "I don't get it." pic.twitter.com/HlCL86f0CO— Jose Pagliery (@Jose_Pagliery) November 6, 2024

It’s late. I can’t sleep. I’m sitting here thinking about the Capitol police officers who were beaten, tased and sprayed with chemicals defending the very building where the madman who unleashed a violent mob upon them, will be sworn into the office he was then trying to steal.— Jo (@JoJoFromJerz) November 7, 2024

Fuck everything. pic.twitter.com/XoLyUUNiw6— Jo (@JoJoFromJerz) November 6, 2024

The thought of watching another powerful female public servant concede to that racist, sexist, traitorous, melon-hued motherfucking moron, is making me sick.— Jo (@JoJoFromJerz) November 6, 2024

Trending on Townhall Videos