#so i'm of the firm belief that since the system is still in place the cycle will repeat again

[the-girl-with-too-many-ideas]

Does anyone else get the feeling that at their core, all of mxtx's works are about cycles of abuses.

[altdeldraw]

we can talk about the fanfiction when i hear about them damn auths (or any other character tbh) or like any more information you have about atla au that ur thinking in ur head… im so curious…

like any other good "author" (and by author I mean person who really enjoys literature and has tons of story ideas but never actually writes them most of the time) i create AUS constantly, but this is one of the few that actually bounced around in my head for a while so i did come up with a few ideas merging the two universes and its' characters!

currently i'm working on making commie, and when i'm done with both auths i'll likely make individual posts for each extremist talking about their stories more in depth, since i only put a quick summary of them besides their first artworks. While that doesn't happen, here's some of the story plus what the other characters are up to!

first of all, i should say this story is pretty achronic as far as ATLA is concerned, the avatar was missing at some point, and he came back, but the fire nation is still kind of an evil dictatorship, so, this doesn't follow the canon events in the show, especially because i didn't watch TLOK. sorry.

when the avatar went missing, a lot of people believed that it exposed a major flaw in their system, as they are heavily dependant on the presence of the avatar as a peacemaker and diplomat, and unable to keep balance by themselves. identifying that as a problem, a group of people from all corners and backgrounds decided to come together as a group to essentially be their own avatar, and use their skills for the well being of the world. these are our "extremists", or like, proto-extremists, since we haven't gotten there yet.

so, the avatar returns, and most people forget why those extremists exist in the first place, the status quo is restored, but some people in that group still remain, firm on their beliefs that some day, they will be needed again.

one day, the avatar, which i currently settled on being jreg for lore accurate purposes, goes kind of off the rails. oh no! chaos ensues, and now it's up for the extremists, with that i-told-you-so shit eating grin to restore peace, and hopefully in the process remind people why relying solely on one person for everything isn't a very cool idea.

i think this story kind of keeps the spirit of the original, of destroying the status quo and making change through your own hands, but it's modified enough to fit the universe it's in. the coalition functions sort of like a white lotus society of sorts, and to join, you cannot have any other affiliation, especially not with any governing bodies.

speaking of the white lotus, i think it would be cool if they were the centrists? mostly because of the lack of color, but i can see if this uprooted freemason-like society felt threatened by a new and upcoming group who wants to change the system they've carefully build over the course of years and years. they probably would also not like the avatar (since, centrists), but the avatar could easily trick them into thinking that he and the extremists are allied so that both groups that hate them could pick each other off. i also thought of centrists as non benders, and since it's often shown in the show how skilled fighters can go toe-to-toe with benders, i don't think this would be unbalanced or an issue. they are, after all, a secret society with the finest of what the world has to offer.

as for the wackies, i was thinkin that they could be sub-bending/sub-element masters, since i think this nicely channels their more niche ideals and funky personalities into their powers! this concept i'm still sort of expanding (after all, i only just started putting the regular extremists on paper) but i've already had plenty of fun with some ideas:

Nazbol, a young member from the sun warriors, discovered early on his prowess with lightning. His purple clothes come from the blue of the lightning with the red of the flames. it's also a nice nod to the dragons, who are red and blue.

Transhumanism is a metalbender who channels his power mainly into a sort of mecha suit he pilots/lives in. he refuses to leave it, much to other people's shegrin.

Anmon is a bloodbender. his ability is shunned by many, he is hated as much as he is feared. he wants to use his power for the greater good, of course, but his power trips sometimes get in the way, with him believing he knows what's best for everyone.

Posadist is a combustionbender. he does not have any real backstory or motives, he just likes dolphins and explosions. (/j, i'm still working on this one.)

Anprim is a sandbender, he lives in the desert because technology can't catch him there, will hunt anyone that has anything more sophysticated than a torch or a pointy rock. (also /j but he would probably be sort of a weird hermit guy)

i dont know if this counts, but if we would put any nature-inclined ideology (like ecofash) they would definetly be plantbenders.

anyways, it's getting a tad bit late for me (almost 3am) and i'm pretty sure that's all i came up with either way. so i'll be wrapping this up now. i'll make sure to make more posts later on if i get any new ideas though! toodles :3

[artdecosupernova-writing]

Zliyagi

The Hostile Rock

Origin planet of the eliyi

Prehistoric quakes birthed colossal mountain ranges and ravines

Acid rain and snow

Hasn't changed much since before the Rothna'polaris virus

Twenty-four moons

TOURNALTIS ARCHIVES Zliyagi, Entry 1 PERCEIVE THE ENEMY - Orthrive'poliea

I've sequestered myself behind my desk for a bit less than half of a full planetary rotation because I dread the idea of immortalizing what I know about this particular subject. However, for the sake of education—and to the best of my ability—I will remain impartial.

Prior to the spread of the Rothna'polaris virus, Zliyagi was not so different than it is to this day; a rocky, frozen wasteland that experienced short bursts of heat and flooding due to its highly eccentric orbit around its star. The introduction of the virus did not do anything to vary this pattern on its own. The eliyi evolution, forced and rapid as it was, coincided by happenstance with the changes in Zliyagan seasons. The hot periods cooled significantly. The cold periods lingered.

I have never been to Zliyagi, and I don't believe a single obhelian in my lifetime has, either. The mountains are grandiose and numerous, as are dangerous cave systems and crevasses, and I also cannot imagine that any attempts to land on the planet would be met with amiability or accommodation from the eliyi. Observation was always afar or reliant on our satellites and probes, most if not all of which were irretrievable on the chance they weren't destroyed on discovery.

[Not having that data now feels like a disadvantage. - C.] [You would be lucky to find any significant measure of uncolored data from Slodia, Corin. - O.] [Reminder to self: obhelians sucked. - C.]

The twenty-four moons had been determined to come partially from the turbulent formation of Zliyagi. Between its birth from the collision of several planetoids and its preceding extreme quakes, pieces had broken off and fallen into orbit along the way. I've heard from the few Watchers I trusted myself that some of the moons were going through increased natural orbital decay, and were predicted to collide with Zliyagi in the far future. They estimated four of them.

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...I've taken this information heavily. It still sits with me. Unsure if I hope this potential catastrophe has been avoided, or if I'm anxious that it's an inevitability they shouldn't.

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The Archmaster's base is not only the capital of Zliyagi, but the heartbeat of it as well. If a moon were to impact with the planet and the base out of all things was the only one to be destroyed, even then, the eliyi would be considered on the path to extinction.

[You're all over the place. - C.]

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As little respect as I have for my people, and as much as I try to tell myself that the eliyi deserve life as does anyone else in the universe, there is a part of me that will forever hope with all that I am that Zliyagi has perished by now. I watched the eliyi decimate Slodia with my own eyes. I smelled the blood of my fellow obhelians as it ran in rivers past me. I shielded those I could with my own abilities and felt the heat of their veteran rifle fire searing my skin.

There are innocents in every species. There are innocents in every species, and I stand firm by that belief. But it's become more and more difficult for me to remember that, to remember my core values as an obhelian Protector, to still my mind around the idea that there could be innocent eliyi on Zliyagi. Through eyes that watched landing pods rain down onto the soil and structures of my country of Tey, that watched bodies like mine explode into viscera, I cannot see Zliyagi as anything but a detriment to the galaxy of Ashva.

Though if the destruction of Zliyagi happens, it will not be by my hand.

I think it would ruin me if it were.

[theheadlessgroom]

"Ah, as far as I'm considered, lass, there's nothing funny about fate," Wilhelm replied with a little wave of his hand, as Randall returned from the kitchen with a glass of water in hand, taking a seat beside Emily as his father continued, "Some may call me superstitious for this, but I'm a firm believer in it: Things happen for a reason, even if we may not always understand why. I think that's why I wound up walkin' into Junie's hotel that day-somebody out there put me there, and I've been glad for it every day since then."

June smiled at this explanation between his belief system-it was very similar to one he'd given when their relationship took a turn for the serious; their feelings had deepened quite a bit since the day at the hotel, and although dreams of wedding bells were still far and away at that time, he confessed that he felt very drawn to her, that he felt as if there was a reason he stepped inside that hotel beyond him just being beat from the journey and needing a place to crash. To tell the truth, this confession struck a chord with her-in a way, she felt there was some reason as to why he stepped through that door, and whatever reason it was, she was glad for it.

"So if you feel that it was fate for you to walk into that store that night, then I don't think there's any reason for you to doubt it," Wilhelm finished, at which Randall smiled-honestly, he was sometimes prone to being something of a skeptic in regards to the idea of fate...

...but this time, he had a good feeling his father may be onto something.

@beatingheart-bride

"Sounds pretty familiar, don't it, Junie?" Wilhelm commented with a little grin as he took a seat in his rocking chair, Randall moving to sit beside Emily as June replied warmly, "That it does-I met my husband when I was working at the little hotel here in town." Another one of her many efforts to scrape together enough money to putting her through nursing school, but she remembered it fondly on account of how it brought her and her future husband together.

"I stopped here in town looking for a room, and found myself with a girlfriend instead!" Wilhelm grinned-he hadn't expected to put down roots in New Orleans, but between the lovely maid he got talking to outside of work and the beauty and culture of the city, he felt it was a wonderful place to settle down. And all because he walked into the first hotel he saw after getting off the bus!

"I'm sorry, where are my manners?" June laughed as she stood up and started towards the kitchen, saying, "I know you two had dinner already, but is there anything I can get you, anything to eat or drink?"

"Don't worry about it, Ma, I was just gonna grab myself a glass of water," Randall assured her as he too stood up, giving his mother a kiss on the cheek, encouraging her to sit back down as he looked back to Emily, asking, "Do you want one too?"

[system-of-a-feather]

Trauma Discussion Question: Gaslighting

[This is NOT a place for debate, there is NOT a correct answer and anyone trying to insist that there is one correct answer will be ignored or blocked. Try to keep this a discussion, because this is a nuanced topic.]

So a question that regularly occurs in our system as a not-necessary but thought and contemplation is "Does it still count as gaslighting if the individual in question has a medical memory issue of their own and their gaslighting-behavior stems from a genuine belief that they are correct"

In this question, we are assuing the person in question hits all the main gaslighting behaviors - making you sound crazy, poking "holes" in your own experiencing, calling to question your own mental health and conditions that might make you doubt your own experiences etc - but they are doing so because they genuinely think you are making it up / lying.

Additional follow up for those with memory issues / an unreliable memory of their own, how would you feel if someone had claimed your behavior - when defending your version of the memory - was "gaslighting"?

I mainly ask this to see how others approach the topic. Our family all has people with varying reasons for very poor memories and warped memories - primarily due to a long history of dissociation and dissociative amnesia on both ends as well as other brain/physiological issues.

This actually doesn't have too much personal weight to our trauma processing at this point since we have our own opinions that we are firm on - but that is how we have approached and processed it. I'm curious what others might think.

[spinningintheshadows]

I'm Gonna Love You Through It

Pairing: implied married JJ x Reader Words: 943 Warnings: uhh mentions of miscarriage. mentions of a car accident. sad jj which should be a crime punishable with death. also just jj being the support system i needed when I went through this a miscarriage at 19, so kind of self indulgent.

It was an unseasonably cool October morning, but yet here you were, sat in the wet sand wearing nothing but a pair of shorts and JJ’s t shirt. Your arms were wrapped around your knees and you were fighting back tears. The storm from the night before had the waves worked up, so you were surprised when a blanket wraps around your shoulders and there’s a soft thud in the sand beside as someone sits next to you.

“I thought I’d find you here. Figured I’d better come find you before you turned into an ice cube.” he said. You looked over to see JJ sitting beside you, legs crossed and definitely dressed for the weather in his hoodie and sweatpants. You didn’t say anything, turning to continue to stare at the water in front of you.

It was quiet for a while after that. Neither of you spoke. You didn’t have to because you both knew what was going through your head. Today would have been your due date with your first child. Not planned, but wanted and ripped from you by a drunk driver. Four months later, you were still blaming yourself even though you knew deep down that it wasn’t your fault. Slowly, JJ moved to clasp your hand in his, running his thumb over your knuckles.

“It wasn’t your fault.” He said. “I want to make sure you know that.”

“I do know that.” You whispered. “Doesn’t make today suck any less though.” He sighed, bringing your hand up to his mouth.

“We should go see her today.” he said. “I think it’ll help me. I think it’ll help you.” You hadn’t been to the cemetery since the day you guys buried your daughter's ashes, since the law said a miscarriage after twenty weeks had to be dealt with through a funeral home. You’d decided to bury her, so that you’d have a place to visit her, but you hadn’t been able to bring yourself to go back since the funeral. JJ had gone a couple times, like the day they had placed her headstone. He’d taken pictures of it for you, the tiny stone bordered with tiny flowers and her name Charlotte Rose Maybank with just the year on it. You’d named her after your grandmother. You had grown up in the tiny baptist church in the middle of town, and while neither of you were particularly religious, you held a firm belief that your grandma was on the other side taking care of your daughter.

“Okay.” you mumbled. “It’s time.”

“I just keep imagining what she would look like.” he said. “I bet she would have been gorgeous.” You let out a watery laugh.

“I know she would have been.” you told him. “Your eyes on any kid would be adorable. She’d probably have your ADHD too.”

“Maybe.” He said. “I want to try again, when you’re ready.” He’d been patient, a saint really. He’d made sure you’d eaten the first couple of weeks when all you wanted to do was stay in bed. He’d sat in the bathroom and washed your hair when it hadn’t been washed in over two weeks. He was always there to hold you when the emotions got to be too much and you just needed to be held. You were sure that he’d grieved too, but he never showed it to you. He’d switch off with Kie and Sarah, going over to the chateau for a couple hours and coming home smelling of coors light and weed. You knew he’d grieved during those trips where he could talk about his emotions with John B for a couple hours, because if anyone knew grief it was his best friend, even if it wasn’t the same type of grief.

In fact, the only time you’d seen him show his grief was the day of the accident. JJ had been at work, you had gone to the doctor for your 25 week appointment, but it was late in the evening, as you had other errands to run, when you got done and were driving home when you were hit head on by a man driving drunk. JJ remembers it from closing up the mechanics shop he worked at, Shoupe coming in looking for him and saying he needed to get in the car because you had been in an accident and were in bad shape. You remember it as the car being hit, then barely coming around in the hospital with him holding your hand praying for the first time you can remember because he couldn’t lose you both. As soon as he muttered the words you knew you’d lost your daughter, but were out again before he could even realize you were awake. You didn’t even have confirmation that you lost her until you really came around two days later.

“I want to try again, someday.” You said. “I’m just not ready yet.”

“I know. I’ll be here when you are, though. Until then though, I’m just gonna love you through it.” He said.

Truth be told, you didn’t feel ready when nearly two years later the test came back positive again. JJ kept his promise, he loved you through it. There were panic attacks and the fear that your body was permanently damaged from the trauma of the accident, but JJ was there to hold you, and assure you that everything was okay. He didn’t miss an appointment, talked you down from panic attacks, and you knew it was worth it when on yet another cold October morning you sat in another hospital room, holding your beautiful, healthy son in your arms.

[poisonnxkki]

Hi, i'm the same person that asked you about your experience as a beginner. Having just started my journey i have of course a lot of questions, i hope i'm not bothering you! So, I have read a lot on deity work, and many say that it's not for beginners, or as you said in your post, it's not of everyone. However i feel somehow very connected to it, deity work was the very first thing that i randomly discovered and that led me to research the rest of the witchcraft practices. My history with religion is similar to yours, i was born and raised christian but i don't fit into the christian community at all, while ever since i was as a child i am very into mythology and pagan cultures. I somehow feel like deity work is supposed to be my "starting place". So, do have any thoughts on this? I would really appreciate it if you could write other posts about deity work and offerings. Also if for some reason you prefer to answer me privately or anything else feel free to DM.

You are definitely NOT bothering me, please don't feel like you need to apologize for asking questions. I would love to help and answer them to the best of my ability. I will start writing up some more posts on deity work and offerings today (although they will be from a more hellenic POV) and try to get them out to you ASAP.

For my response to your question though, I would say yes and no. Let me explain, I believe you can start anywhere in witchcraft and I know a lot of people say "don't do deity work as a beginner" but I don't agree with that. If you feel compelled to look into deity work then you are probably on the right track, trust your intuition. I will say this though, I also believe that having a firm understanding of cleansing, protecting, warding and banishing is super important before working with spirits. I believe in trickster spirits (spirits that pretend to be deities/other entities) and so being able to protect yourself and control who is able to enter your space is super important. So I strongly recommend looking into those "basics", even if it's just as a precaution.

You mentioned coming from a Christian background so I'm going to provide you with some reflection questions that I hope you consider taking some time to think about. You can write them in your journal or answer them in your head, it's up to you.

Where does the desire to work with deities come from? Be honest and compassionate, there is no wrong answer here but understanding how your approaching deity work and what you want it to do for you is important.

What if the deity you want to work with turns you down? How will you react? Can you accept that kind of rejection?

Who are you considering working with and why? Do you relate to their aspects, their myths? What about them do you see in yourself?

How much time do you realistically have to dedicate to that relationship? It's okay if it's not a lot but a relationship takes time, you may have to make sacrifices and work for it.

What are your expectations for this relationship? Do you want a guide? A support system?

Are you approaching deity work from a Christian standpoint? Sometimes our understanding of deity work can be tainted by our religious upbringing. Reflect and see if that still is influencing you and how it may contribute to misinterpretations of your new spiritual beliefs.

I hope this helps answer your questions. Please be on the lookout for more deity work related posts because I will do my best to get them out there. Once again thank you so much for your question and your support!🖤

[geeky-politics-46]

The Asgardian Candidate

Loki/The West Wing FanFiction Crossover

Chapter 5 - “The Second Debate”

This time Loki was prepared. He wasn't about to make the same mistakes this time. While he still couldn't give a rat's ass about the finer points of policy & legislation, growing up as a prince of Asgard he had overheard enough to have a decent grip on how best to handle foreign affairs.

Once upon a time he had believed diplomacy to be the best path forward, but years of being ignored & undercut by Odin had changed him. Odin always prattled on about the power of being a diplomat first, but Loki knew that wasn't really how Asgard became the revered kingdom it was. Now he knew that in order for him to rule, as was his birth right, he had to take a shrewd & aggressive path.

The Midgardian political pundits had taken to referring to him as a bit of a war hawk. It was a title he didn't particularly mind, but some voters did seem put off by the title. Once he was president he would make them fall in line regardless. He was a god, they could hardly rebel successfully once he had power. He was destined to rule & they couldn’t stop. His army, his throne.

He checked the mirror one final time as everyone began to find their positions to begin the debate. He smoothed his waist coat, straightened his tie, & adjusted the gold clip holding it in place. Lastly he gripped the lapels on his suit jacket, shrugging & rolling his shoulders back & forth, allowing his neck to relax a little & his head to shift lightly side to side. His movement stilled as he exhaled deeply. He flashed his bright smile at himself in the mirror, that was his armor in this battle. Less extravagant than his Asgardian leathers, but much more fitting of his true personality & his opponent.

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

On the opposite side of the stage, in the adjacent wings, President Bartlet stood calm & stoic. Despite most of his staff running around like chickens with their heads cut off.

Prior to the presidency Jed had served 3 terms in the House Of Representatives, 2 terms as the governor of New Hampshire, won a Nobel Prize in economics, & raised 3 daughters. If debating or talking made him nervous he would have died of a heart attack long ago.

Loki was just another loud mouth narcissist on an ego trip, Jed was sure of it. His heart wasn't in it, or at least his heart wasn't in it for the right reasons. In Loki Jed saw the same lust for power that had always been present whenever democracy was threatened throughout history. He wasn't interested in leading the country to a better place, or improving the lives of everyday Americans. They were just a means to Loki's end. He was interested in the power of the job title.

Jed missed the days when no matter the differences between political parties & platforms, the goal was always a to make America better. Even though those days were long gone, & both parties decided long ago that it was always better to bring a gun to a knife fight, he wasn't about to let the spirit the founded the country go with it.

Leo came to stand next to Jed. He clasped his hands in front of him & stood in silence with his long time friend. Finally turning to him & saying "You know he's not gonna play clean sir. Not after what he pulled the other day. Are you sure you still want to have this debate? No one would fault you sir. He basically brainwashed & kidnapped the vice president for fucks sake!"

"It's not about how I feel Leo, & it's not about John Hoynes' Stockholm syndrome either. It's about doing the right thing to preserve the honor of the office of the presidency." Jed turned his head to look directly at his Chief of Staff. "As long as I am the President of The United States we will take the high road. Even if the rest of Congress has resorted to wrestling in the mud on the Capitol Hill. The founding fathers thought better of us."

"Cancelling this debate under these circumstances, & when we still have one more, hardly seems like the something the founding fathers would even blink about." Frustration becoming evident in Leo's voice.

"Leo, I said no." Jed said firmly. Leo knew when there was no changing his mind, even when it was the wrong decision. "Now, go peel Josh off of the ceiling & wrangle the rest of the kids. I want them ready to hit the spin room as soon as I'm off stage. Have Josh do the exit polls."

With that President Bartlet turned & stepped out onto the debate stage. The moderator had taken his seat & the countdown had begun. As they shook hands this time Jed's warm smile had been replaced by a firm authoritative stare. He was still the president, & at least for now the well-being of the county was in his hands.

Loki had the smile of a serpent, & a shimmer of ferocity in his eyes as they locked hands. His every mannerism reading as the antithesis to that of the elder statesman across from him. For Jed his act was getting a little old. As they turned to walk to their individual podiums he caught eyes with Leo & made an overexxaggerated eye roll.

The two candidates took their places & the moderator began to speak.

“Good evening, & welcome to the 2nd debate for this year’s U.S. Presidential election. The participants are President Josiah Bartlet, & Mr. Loki Laufeyson. I am Chris Wallace your moderator. The topics this evening will all be pertaining to foreign policy. The format for the debate is as follows, & has been agreed to by both campaigns. Each candidate will make a 2 minute opening statement. The debate will then be divided into 6 segments, each 14 minutes long. At the beginning of each segment I will ask both candidates the same lead-off question & they will each have up to 2 minutes to respond, we will then move into open discussion for the rest of the time allotted. At the end of the debate each candidate will be given 2 minutes to make a closing statement. President Bartlet, you won the coin toss, so you will be the 1st to offer your responses this evening. Your opening statement please.”

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

“In an ever changing & growing world, & with the recent discovery of the existence of worlds & species beyond our own, the topic of defense has seen a surge on lists of top voter concerns. As President, how would you address other countries & planets posing a potential threat to the safety of Earth & the United States?”

President Bartlet cleared his throat & began to speak. “The world of today is without a doubt very different than the world I grew up in, but shockingly some things always stay the same. Things are never really black or white, people are never really all bad or all good. In fact bad people cannot be recognized on site, trust me we’ve been trying to figure out how to do that for at least the last 70 years. So in the face of an someone who you don’t know is friend or foe, the best option is always to try to get them to take a seat at the table. Diplomacy is always the first job of a true statesman. While defending our country through a strong well funded military is an important necessity, a proper defense includes more than weapons. It includes funding for science, foreign aid, & open trade policy. You catch more flies with honey than vinegar, & you make more friends with a handshake than a weapon.”

Loki smiled. Of course Bartlet would try to take the high ground, he was just too easy to predict, & he had played right into Loki’s hand. “Growing up in Asgard, we knew the true power our mighty kingdom was capable of. The realms around us were well aware of this too. Not because of the fairness of our laws, or how dedicated we were to our education system. They knew what we were capable of because of the force we displayed for the universe to see. That is the answer. To display the might this country is capable of for the rest of the world & the universe to see. To use that force with ease & fearlessness when called upon to prove that this country is truly worthy. As has been done throughout the history of this great nation. It is rather adorable that you, dear Jed, believe a few kind words & gestures will sooth the anger of those bent on taking what they feel is owed to them. After all an ant has no quarrel with a boot, but nothing it says can change the outcome. Would you rather be positioned as the ant? Or the boot?”

Jed was now beginning to struggle to stay evenly keeled. “Ah well I must be terribly mistaken then, because I seem to remember President Teddy Roosevelt saying ‘Speak softly, & carry a big stick’ not ‘hit everything in a mile wide radius with a big stick then you wont have to bother with the talking’. Guess there must have been a different version on Asgard huh?… & by the way, it’s Mr. President to you.”

“The thing is, Mr. President , it’s the unspoken truth that species crave subjugation. They were made to be ruled. In the end, someone will always kneel. If I am leader we will never be the ones on bended knee.” Loki felt his adrenaline rush through him, as president they would all kneel before him even if by force. Midgardian & alien alike.

“America should never expect, nor should we invite confrontation with evil. A man who spent his life fighting for a cause far more just than superiority once said that ‘The ultimate weakness of violence is that it is a descending spiral. Returning violence with violence only multiples violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars.’ Do you know who said that?” Jed felt as if he was now pleading for people to see reason, to recognize the madness in Loki’s eyes & in his words.

“The words of the past hardly matter when the weight of the future is at your doorstep. On this issue it does seem that there are many people who disagree with your dated beliefs. How lucky for them to have me to vote for.” Loki let out a devious laugh at his own comment.

“The job is President of The United States. Not ‘President of The People Who Agree With Me’. Since I know we are just about out of time I’ll just go ahead & tell you, not that I expect you knew anyway. That quote, was by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.”

“Okay gentleman. That is time. We are now left we just our closing statements. Each of you will have 2 minutes, beginning with you President Bartlet. That will bring our evening to a close & put the 2nd debate of this presidential election in the books leaving just 1 left to go. Mr. President, your 2 minutes begins now.”

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Jed stood backstage angry & with his heart breaking. Not for himself or his candidacy, but for his country. He already knew what the exit polls from the debate would look like, he didn’t need to wait for a mid-meltdown Josh to come & tell him. As far as the voters would be concerned, he had lost that debate. They would say he looked weak & old next to Loki. Loki was blood thirsty & hellbent on power, but all the voters would see was the way he raged about defending America’s place in the world. Most of them wouldn’t see past the bravado & vitriol far enough to see the danger he posed beneath the surface.

His campaign was already behind coming into the debate thanks to the VP’s surprise announcement that he would now be running as Loki’s VP candidate instead. With Loki’s debate performance added on top of that they would hemorrhaging support if they couldn’t get a new VP candidate & quick. Jed quickly beckoned Leo over & had him call a meeting of all the campaign staff for first thing in the morning. They were now at campaign defcon 1.

After hearing Loki’s words tonight Jed could no longer fight the ominous sinking feeling that this was now about something far more important than re-election. This was about the survival of democracy.