#something something healed morale damaged health

[orangepajamas]

Kim got like 2 points in Physical Touch

[butts-bouncing-on-the-beltway]

I think it's very fun to talk about mental health in normalizing conversations because when I was little and I would tic so hard for so long that I started crying, my mom would hold my hands and tell me to stand on her toes and she would "dance me through it" and so I would and she would spin around and around, stepping carefully so my little feet never slipped off the top of her feet, but moving fast so I would get all giggly and dizzy, and by the end she was right! My ticcing wasn't as bad anymore.

And like. I know now that it's because I was actively stressing myself out trying to stop ticcing, and since my tics are stress-reactive that obviously made it worse, but at the time I was just a kindergartener living in a world where dancing made my body stop performing the compulsions and so sometimes I would "dance myself through it" if mom wasn't around and when people maxe fun of me for it, I couldn't do that around them anymore and so I would tic more often and get more overwhelmed and there were days I wouldn't stop ticcing for hours on end because no one but my mom was willing to just let me dance through them.

But until the first time that happened, I didn't know there was anything unusual or unfamiliar to others about what I was doing. My mom was just so matter of fact about it "when you can't stopticcing, that's your body asking you to move and dance amd get the stress out" so I believed her! Of course I did. And she was right even, at least for me.

I was an adult by the time I learned that my mom ticc'd too, because she'd been doing what she taught me for so long that it was rare it happened visibly anymore, and it made sense that she'd been able to move me through my own experience so gently after that. But what if it didn't take a parent sharing our experience to be able to exist in a context that doesn't pathologize or shame what's happening?

Anyway, I've been in and out of various inpatient and outpatient programs since I was 7yrs old, and nothing did more damage to me than the people who taught my mother that there were things about my brain and body that were Wrong TM and needed fixing when she had spent the entirety of my life up to that point accommodating my needs and helping me understand how to coexist in the world on my own terms. I've benefitted from having names for things, sure, and I've had great healing and community in peer groups based around sharing those experiences. But at the end of the day, it is when those same spaces allow me to decide how to talk about what my life feels like that they have meant the most to me. I will always be grateful to the mental health care providers in my life who have been supportive of this type of care for me, but ultimately I also understand that they were able to do that because they were actively breaking down my framework of "because I experience x, I must compensate with y" into a gentler version that goes more like "because I experience x, I may need to seek out y outcome in different or unexpected ways."

I don't know why that makes as much difference to me as it does, but it does.

Anyway, I want to do for someone else what my mom did for me. I want someone else to get to feel like they can ask themselves what they need to get through something and not set any particular moral or emotional meaning to that need.

I have, among others, symmetry tics. If I experience a sensation on one side of my body, I will often reflexively try to adequately mirror it on the other side of my body. One of the pitfalls I often fall into is "the symmetry tic was actuallya different sensation and now I have to mirror THAT on the original side" and off we go into a tic spiral. The trick, for me, has been learning how to hold myself safely in the stress of the tic compulsion until the original sensation passes or fades and that allows the compulsion to fade with it. That can be hard, but taking a cue from my mom, I've found that when I occupy my body with movement, especially goal oriented but indefinite movement like dance, I have a MUCH easier time waiting for the trigger sensation to fade. I think it's good for those of us with experiences we often feel compelled to hide from view to get time in the sun. It lets us remember that our existence is not inherently side-lined in favor of other existences, and we do have the right to ask people to work with us on creating space for our own version of living. That may not guarantee us the desired outcome, but I've found that feeling you have the right to ask in the first place and actively come to the conclusion TOGETHER that there is not a solution is what seems to allow me to make those compromises without feeling erased or ashamed when I do.

[real-british-empire]

How to completely fuck over your friends and turn a 5 wound model made mostly for buffing into a fucking powerhouse for your 9th edition crusade.

Step 1: grab an archon with an agoniser and blast pistol (agoniser may be unusual but you’ll see later)

Step 2: Upgrade them to a master archon for splintered genius (it’s ok), a soulhelm for defence and damage reduction

Step 3: pick up the warlord trait soul thirst for a little damage boost and health regen

Step 4: pick flayed skull Kabal for the extra attacks

Step 5: Replace the agoniser with the much better Triptych whip

Step 6: onto the crusade rules, grab proficient predator and lord of toxins battle traits for more damage and a re-roll

Step 7: boost the archon with the soul trap requisition for the attacks and toughness

Step 8: use more requisitions for combat drugs, this time giving the archon either painbringer for a toughness buff or adrenalight for more attacks on charge

Step 9: I have no clue if weapon enhancements can go on relics but if they can, with the triptych whip give it agonite for un-ignorable damage.

Step 10: get the insensate battle scar for half damage (the loss of power from pain is not that bad)

Step 11: pick up the master clone field for an invuln save plus bonus attacks and the mask of the first age because fuck your opponents moral tests

Step 12: pick up a court of the archon because that’s even funnier (sslyth and lhamean are the minimum for the buffs)

Step 13: pick up a croons because those guys can give even more healing

To summarise, your archon will have 6 wounds, -1 to hit, basically a 5+ feel-no-pain, healing from kills (minor bust still healing), 6’s on wounds dealing mortals and 1 re-roll on a hit wound damage or save, unignorable melee damage, halved damage, 4+ invuln after the 2+ fails and 2 attacks on all enemies that attack you, 9 inch movement, choosing moral test results within 6 inches, cannot be hit with ranged attacks, auto-wounds on 6s when hitting, healing (if the cronos can actually kill something), 13 attacks at damage 2 and ap3 on a charge with toughness 4 (5 with combat drugs but only 12 attacks with the toughness boost) and finally 11 leadership.

[odditycircus-2002]

Medusa!Reader and Shang Tsung MK 1 (Part 2)

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SPOILER ALERT FOR MK 1 STORY MODE

Shang Tsung and Syzoth rushed to rinse the elixirs and glass off your body. This was made difficult by how you continued to writhe around, blinded and sensitive to the point that running water felt like glass being rubbed against you. Eventually, your voice would become hoarse and bloody from your screaming, and then, finally and mercifully, exhaustion would take over. You were unaware of the claw marks you left on Shang and Syzoth in your blind panic.

You slept for the entire night and most of the next day. When you woke again, you were met with darkness and the feeling of something covering your body. You figured Shang must've bandaged you.

The Sorcerer confirms this and informs you that he's putting you on bed rest for the next few days, given the extensive damage that accident caused your body's nerves and muscles. While you may lose sight, he assured you it shouldn't be likely that it's permanent, much to your relief.

Shang Tsung was the one who primarily cared for your health. This included tending and disinfecting your wounds, changing your bandages, gently bathing you, having you drink a strong-smelling elixir to supposedly speed up the healing process daily, and even helping you relearn to use your muscles. Sometimes Syzoth would assist and talk with you, but these visits would often be cut short as Shang Tsung insisted that you needed rest.

Fortunately, you had Mileena and Kitana from time to time. You weren't surprised to hear from the sisters that Sindel couldn't come in person but sent condolences and flowers from the Hanging Gardens. This made you feel a little better, at least. It was better than the constant smell of disinfecting elixirs. However, your little ember of morale was smothered out when Shang took the bandages off you, Syzoth ready nearby with a mirror.

You were blinded by the light after days of nothing but darkness. When your eyes adjusted, you immediately gasped at the figure before you. Her skin was reddened and marred with rough patches that were a completely different color from the rest of her. She had no hair but a head full of hissing and writhing snakes with long fangs jutting from her mouth. Her eyes were snake-like with slit pupils that blinked with a second eyelid. As you touched yourself simultaneously as the stranger before you, you realized that the creature before you was… you!

"By the Elder Gods! What's happened to me?!"

You screamed before hiding your face in your hands with long claws at the ends before starting to weep. Shang Tsung attempted to comfort you as he held you close and petted your head, assuring you he didn't care what your form looked like. He knows it's still you. You both remained like that until you fell asleep from exhaustion.

For the next few days, you remained held up in your room to obsessively look in your mirror to try and imagine what you used to look like. You took up wearing a mask you purchased from the last festival you went to to retain some sense of your old beauty. You didn't allow Shang Tsung, Syzoth, or anyone to look at your face, refusing to look any of them in the eye. Yet, during those days, you had time to think without Shang whispering in your ear.

It's unbelievable to think that while you confronted Shang about the floor beneath, you'd happen to have your "accident" right in the middle of it. And how chivalrous the man you've been suspicious of would also nurse you back to health. You concluded that it couldn't be a coincidence; Shang Tsung purposefully caused your accident. Yet, seeing how your last confrontation with him alone went, you weren't going to approach him with your accusations immediately. For all you knew, you were infected with a new form of Tarkat.

It wouldn't stop you from doing your damn job, though. So you gathered the essentials, your belongings, and as many medical supplies as you could carry before slipping from the laboratory in the dead of night to head toward the nearby Tarkatan colony. Unbeknownst to you, Syzoth saw you leave but said nothing to Shang Tsung, silently wishing you well.

When you arrived, the colony appeared to be in better condition the last you looked at it. It isn't much, but it wasn't precisely the chaotic cesspool you remember. As you were "escorted" by other Tarkatans, you soon learned that the credit for the Colony's improvement goes to former tribune and merchant Baraka. Who now led the Tarkat Colony.

At first, the Tarkatan was wary when you claimed to have come out here on order from the Royal family, even when you presented the scroll stamped with the Royal House's seal that proves this claim true. At least, until you showed an ungloved arm with spikes forming where they shouldn't. You understood his paranoia and explained that you and your research partner, Shang Tsung, had a laboratory nearby to study Tarkat; however, you left to continue your research here because of your current affliction and possible infection. As a show of good faith, you present the supplies you took from the lab and offer to share them with the rest of the colony.

Baraka allowed you to stay within the camp and continue your work for a cure as long as you did your part within the colony. You accepted and soon set up shop within one makeshift adobe house. Wasting no time, you got to work. You soon set up a system to divide the work between you and any other Healers or anyone with extensive medical knowledge who can treat the sick as best as possible.

Often, you have to patch some of them up when bloodlust overtakes their minds, and others have to hold them down. Some days, you're mostly trying to find ways to ration the remaining medical supplies and treat your patients' symptoms. You even went as far as to set up regimens to help soothe the Tarkatans and keep morale up.

For months, you worked with Baraka to improve the colony's life to the best of your abilities. Eventually, because of this and your role as an Imperial Healer, you unofficially began to become a second figure of authority among the Tarkatans. It helped that you didn't take bullshit from any of your patients, no matter how difficult they can be(i.e., how strong and bloodthirsty they can be). Thanks to your mutations, you can match the strength of most of your patients. You're not above wrestling them into submission to take their medicine, including Baraka. Fortunately, you rarely had to with Baraka.

In fact, you and Baraka would come to appreciate each other because you can rely on each other for support. Especially since neither of you has anyone else to do so for the positions you found yourselves in. In fact, other colony residents couldn't help but notice the fondness and affection you both began to show one another as moons passed by.

You often could be seen conversing with Baraka, whether or not you are busy with your healing duties. Baraka usually would choose to share meals with you. You constantly check on each other's well-being. Once, Baraka gifted you a piece of jewelry from his merchant days that you now continuously wear. Anyone with eyes could see the herculean task for you to not instantly tackle hug Baraka.

Yet, an unspoken agreement prevented either of you from furthering your relationship. Baraka knew deep within his soul that he was fated to die from his illness long before you or anyone else could find a cure. He only wished to spare you the heartache of loving a dead man walking. You, on the other hand, were reluctant to love again.

You had seen each other at your lowest points. You when Baraka has a rare bout of feral bloodthirst that led you to have to sedate him with a crap ton of tranquilizers with a few minor wounds gained. He was there to just sit by you when you had to euthanize a Tarkatan that eventually lost its mind and asked before being put down when that happened. No one saw you leaving your adobe the next day except for Baraka.

That day, Baraka learned the true nature of your affliction as he caught you looking at your mirror without your mask. You were observing how your mutation was advancing when Baraka caught you, and you spun around in surprise before making direct eye contact with him. Baraka's face became frozen in surprise as he instantly turned into stone on the spot.

It took you hours before you could make a powder to reverse the petrification. You didn't know whether or not Baraka heard you, but that didn't stop you from fervently apologizing to him as you swiftly worked.

When Baraka was unstoned, he immediately asked about the exact nature of your condition. Which is when you gave the whole story about how this happened to you and how you confronted Shang Tsung before your accident occurred. You went as far as to show him your body without as much covering to demonstrate the full extent of your condition, including your newly grown wings.

"I never asked to become this! An- and- and yet, he took my body away from me."

That's when you collapsed to your knees and started to weep. The Tarkatan leader could only sit close to you as he spoke calming words. To your surprise, Baraka didn't kick you out of the colony after turning him to stone. In fact, he vowed to keep your true form a secret even from the colony. You were left speechless by his proclamation. This incident didn't cause him to treat you any differently than before.

However, given what you told him, Baraka was immediately on the defense when Shang Tsung came to the colony with an escort of armed Imperial soldiers more than he usually would be. Baraka doesn't trust Shang Tsung because his presence resembles a bad omen. A few Tarkatans seemed to "disappear" whenever he came by to gather genetic samples from his colony. However, Shang wasn't just here for blood or skin samples this time. No, this time, he was here for bone marrow, and it seemed he had his eye on Baraka in particular.

You were attending to some unfortunately afflicted tarkatan children when you were aroused from your workshop from Baraka's howling in pain. You immediately spot him forced to kneel in front of the man you've been hiding from for months, Shang Tsung. He also brought imperial soldiers, including some that held back the crowds of enraged Tarkatans. Despite the brief fear that gripped you, you were spurned into action when turning your attention to Baraka. You went down to confront the Sorcerer, demanding he release Baraka.

A/N: Sorry again folks that I have to cut it short, but I went over the word limit again. But I do hope you enjoyed this latest installment. Let me know about what y'all think about it and any ideas you have. Stay Weird, my fellow humans.

Taglist: @alastorhazbin, @slowlyfriedkingdom, @blackbunnymayw, @waryvoid, @redviper321, @lesbian-bambi, @evelud, @solareclipse166, @otako5811, @painimpact, @small-tophat-man, @holylonelyponyeatingmacaroni, @the-strange-unknown, @gname4, @aliceangel200981, @yaboicayde, @dumbhxeredrose, @tmoney-gay, @snowwhiteabyss, @geeky-trash01, @0000-lover-girl, @helixatomiclaws1799, @livia25leelover, @sarapaprikas-blog, @he-burnt-my-shake, @possibly-gleeful, @pikachupepito2, @miasubzero14, @keenduckzombie, @blackrose-2019, @nobod987, @antichristsbaby, @ariel2897, @iivenussleeping, @bloody546, @amara555555, @ya-sillydilly, @calviyv, @momoko-world, @ihatebitterthings, @sillypissyfroggy, @kpopobsessedellie-blog, @wickedspeak, @helloweebsofgenshin, @technonecromancerderaxus, @undertale-anomaly20, @khaotic-kris, @lonelycupcakelol, @duchessdaisybat, @generousrunawaystranger, @hufflepuff-ef, @ciphershadow, @night-stitch, @eclipsybunnyblogs, @ashleyinky, @corpse-nymph, @a-tiny-frog-with-a-hat, @porfiriea, @greciacat, @bobawitch13, @0000-lover-girl,@undertale-anomaly20, @illyannaaaa, @tired-ninfa, @rayneofthedead96, @queergeologist, @laxbloodstone

[odinsblog]

Micah Loewinger: In the first few weeks of the conflict, we heard of several instances of backlash against journalists who criticized the Israeli government or the IDF's actions. Government officials have also made threatening remarks against publications like Al Jazeera and Haaretz. What does retribution against journalists look like now?

Oren Persico: In the first few weeks, it meant that you really couldn't stand with a microphone in an Israeli city and report what's going on in Arabic. You would have been harassed and probably thrown out on the street. That happened several dozen times in the first few weeks.

The main two roles of TV journalism in Israel after October 7th was one to lift the morale of the army, lift the morale of the Israeli public. And the second is to not show anything damaging that's happening in Gaza because of the Israeli bombardment and invasion.

The logic here is that if you show civilians in Gaza getting hurt, then a lot of people in Israel will start questioning the legitimacy of the IDF attacks in Gaza. The result is that Israel is very much still on October 7th.

Micah: And I don't doubt that it would take any nation a long time to heal. I'm surprised though to hear that if you turn on Israeli TV, you would not see what we're seeing in the US media, which is brutal footage, a growing death toll and reports about starvation, disease. Are Israelis really not seeing that?

Oren: They do see soldiers collapsing buildings and cleaning out terror tunnels that were used by Hamas. They do see streets that are now rubble. What they don't see is humans in Gaza being killed or wounded, especially women and children.

They don't see that at all, nothing of the human cost. Even if you do mention the number of the casualties, you always say this is the numbers that we get from the Hamas controlled health ministry in Gaza and Hamas is a terrorist organization and you shouldn't trust their numbers. What they never mention is past conflicts in Gaza.

If you look at the numbers of Hamas and you look at the numbers of the IDF, they're roughly the same. There is a difference if you look at the male casualties, 16 to 50 or something like that, the age where you can be a militant. But if you look at the women and children, there's not such big a difference between the numbers that Hamas has and the number that the IDF releases after the war.

They just ignore that. And if you do see footage of shirtless men in Gaza, handcuffed, they would be regarded as terrorist surrendering. And that would be the headline.

Perhaps a day or two later, you could see maybe in Haaretz or in the bottom of an article that after interrogation, the IDF found out that most of them weren't terrorists. But most people would get the feeling that the only people still occupying northern Gaza where the invasion started are now terrorists. There's no citizens there.

And that's why you can bombard the area without hesitation.

Micah: Okay. But I see TikToks from Israeli soldiers. I see posts from Israelis on social media. Surely Israeli citizens are seeing footage of the suffering of Gazans. It's hard not to find it if you're online. So I find it hard to believe that maybe outside of the legacy media Israelis aren't exposed to this stuff.

Oren: Well, the power of denial is very strong. And if you don't want to know something, even though it pops out that TikTok or Telegram channel or whatever, it's very easy to go past it to a video of a fallen soldiers family or the Israeli victims. There's no lack of material that is pro-Israel and anti-Hamas. It's just a matter of your decision.

Micah: Ever since October 7th, you've said nearly all mainstream outlets have started to shift towards the right or at least have adopted more propaganda with channel 14, which is basically an arm of Netanyahu's propaganda machine, still being the most extremist. Can you give me some examples of this wider shift?

Oren: Right. If you look at the beginning of the war, you could see a lot of right-wing journalists saying, we should have bombarded the hell out of Gaza. It doesn't matter how many people would die.

So on October 7th, you could see the left-wing reporter calling for a genocide of Gaza, just like he was on the extreme right.

Shortly after, you could hear very similar voices in mainstream media, Channel 12, Channel 13. They started interviewing an expert on the Arab world called Eliyahu Yousian. He's an Iranian Jew who explained that in the Middle East, you have to act like you're in the Middle East.

And if that means killing 50, 000 people on the first day, regardless of who they are, that's how you should act because that would prove that you're serious about keeping your citizens alive. And then you could hear the same logic from Channel 13's head of the Arab Affairs Desk, Tzviya Khazkeli. What you saw, you had very extreme guests that you wouldn't see before on the mainstream media starting popping up on mainstream media, and also the journalists themselves getting more and more extreme, calling for harsh retaliation.

You could hear there is no innocent people in Gaza. Amit Segal, probably the most prominent journalist in Israel, he's the most popular journalist in Israel, he's the most popular journalist in Channel 12, which is the most popular channel in Israel, on his Telegram channel referred to the Hamas or Jihad terrorists as Nazis, and therefore the people who support them are also Nazis. And again and again you could hear the comparison to Dresden.

If you fight the Nazis, you have to fight like you're fighting the Nazis, and if the ally forces completely destroyed the city of Dresden, then we can completely destroy the city of Gaza, because it's 100% good against 100% evil.

It’s completely black and white.

Micah: It's not exactly like Dresden is celebrated today as a discriminant act of warfare, right?

Oren: No, it's exactly the opposite. This is the moment that there was no consideration of human life, much like Hiroshima and Nagasaki. That's mentioned also in Israel in the past few weeks.

Micah: Saying the Americans did it so we can do it too?

Oren: Yeah, I mean, who are you to cast doubt on our morality when you did the same, when you faced pure evil? That’s the logic.

Micah: You've made a strong case that Israelis don't understand what's taking place in Gaza, the damage that has been done by its militaries bombardment. Is there anything you think that American audiences don't understand about what's happening in Israel that you would like to communicate?

Oren: Well, basically that. Basically that the Israelis are inside a bubble and are unaware of, A, what's going on in Gaza, and B, how is it seen by the entire world. So when you speak with your Israeli friend or relative or whatever, you should remind yourself that you're speaking with someone who is in a parallel universe, who does not see what you see.

—Oren Persico, How Israeli TV News Sanitizes the Bombing of Gaza.

[ceasarslegion]

My advice regarding tattoos or any kind of body mods:

-don't shirk the expense. It's a labour intensive job, so what you're paying for is the effort and time and attention to detail. It's going to be on your body forever, so you want to make sure you have the best you can get.

-if your pain tolerance is very low, reconsider any tattoos that are super big or in bony places. I'm not trying to yuck your yum, but I am saying that if you can't handle the pain of it for multiple hours over multiple settings then you should reconsider redesigning it to something you can handle. You can build up your pain tolerance over time, but never push yourself past your limit for it or you run the risk of associating a permanent mark on your body with physical trauma.

-don't get tattoos from your kinda sketchy friend who bought a tattoo gun and says they want to practice on you for free. They aren't a licensed artist and they don't know proper sanitation and health and safety procedures. That is an infection waiting to happen, not to mention it's probably gonna look like shit

-tip the artist. Budget a few hundred for them, they do an extremely hard job where one fuck up is permanently embedded into people. A good tip will be greatly appreciated and they'll be more than happy to welcome you back for any future work and put even more effort into you if you show yourself to be a good client who treats them well. A good rapport makes for better art.

-its gonna be uncomfortable. It just is, that can't be avoided. Think of it on the same level of pain as a cat scratch but spread out for a really long time, so it won't like, kill you or make you regret being born, but it will hurt. If you get it all done at once, it'll be easier but you'll be pushing your body more than if you take breaks and come back. Talk to your artist about how you want it done and let them know what your plans are. That way if you like, wanna take a break to get coffee and lunch across the street and come back they both know you didn't like, dine and dash and they'll know what to tell you to do to take care not to damage it during your breaks. If you're getting a multi session tattoo, expect it to be spread out over a long time, so it's not gonna look great the first few times. But letting it heal and recover a few times will be essential for the final product. Make sure you're willing to go through that before you decide on like, a giant dragon with spread wings across your entire back.

-just... don't get face tattoos man. You're not Post Malone who has famous public figure status, you're some guy who has to be able to get and hold down a job. Every other part of your body can be covered in professional settings and piercings can be taken out, but unless you wear a face covering of some kind, your face is always on display. This isn't a moral or a judgemental statement, it's just the reality of the world we live in. Face tattoos make your life a lot harder than it has to be and you just dont have to go through that. Before anyone pisses on the poor about this one, I am obviously not talking about cultural face tattoos like the ones the moari people have

-do not get tattoos on an impulse, especially not tattoos of media properties. I'm not telling you NOT to altogether, I actually plan on getting tattoos of the truman show and back to the future at some point because those films really shaped me as a person in ways others haven't. That's what you have to think about though: do you just really like it right now, or has this media shaped you in some way regardless of your current enjoyment of it? Because the last thing you want to do to yourself is permanently draw something into your body that in a few months you just don't care about or even dislike anymore.

-do not get tattoos to make you feel better when you're sad. See above, but with an added dollop of regret. Get them in a completely sober and level-headed state of mind so you can be objective about them and if they will bring you joy for the rest of your life, not in the moment as a response to something negative.

-LISTEN TO YOUR ARTIST WHEN THEY TELL YOU WHAT YOUR RECOVERY WILL LOOK LIKE!!! If you throw out everything else on this list but one thing make this the one thing you keep. If they say you can't put it in water, don't put it in water, they'll tell you how to bathe. If they tell you it can't be exposed to sunlight, do not expose it to sunlight. If they tell you you have to apply a certain skin disinfectant or something to it every day, I don't care if it stings, you have to apply it. If they tell you not to scratch it, suck it up if it gets itchy. You have a massive open wound on your skin that is a breeding ground for bacteria and viruses and dirt and filth and is incredibly sensitive to everything. You can do everything from ruin your tattoo to contracting flesh-eating bacteria from shirking your recovery process, the latter of which is not that uncommon, but almost always happens to people who don't listen. Do not fucking do that.

[kits-ships]

kit, it feels like its been too long. can u give us some lore drop about your inserts/self ships?

HI DIAMOND!!!!!!!! sorry for my lack of presence on here. brain hasnt been working

edit: JESUS CHRIST IM SO SORRY. YOU ASKED ME FOR A LORE DROP AND I GAVE THE LONGEST INFODUMP EVER

i hate to do it, but i feel the need to talk about holly..... MCU HOLLY...

TRIGGER WARNINGS FOR MARVEL-TYPICAL VIOLENCE, HOLLY'S TERRIBLE MENTAL HEALTH AND SELF-HATRED, MESSY RELATIONSHIP DRAMA, MENTIONS OF BLOOD- its all jsut a mess

holly was all i thought about during 2022; mostly because i was still dealing with the after effects of quarantine + also college. she was also all i posted about for a while on my now-dead instagram!!! whether you ask my roommate, my old coworkers, my HUSBAND???- HOLLY AND HER BOYFRIENDS WERE SUCH A HUGE HYPERFIXATION THAT EVEN MY MOM KNOWS ABOUT HER

now. what about holly was so interesting to me?? yeah shes my spidersona and everything, but shes not like. spectacular when compared to other spider-people per say. id say she has a heightened healing factor when compared others i guess, and shes pretty op when it comes to her agility skills, but shes still just a gal!

the real thing that had me hooked on her character and her relationships was that they were MESSY. GOOD GOD THEY WERE MESSY.

most of her character development is meant to happen during the nmcu daredevil series, and BOY does she suffer. honestly, season one was great. she teams up with matt a few times, and eventually agrees to help him take down fisk. throughout the season, she falls for him, and is pretty satisfied by the intimate, yet non-romantic bond they share. she finds herself intentionally taking hits for him- knowing that she can handle a lot more bodily damage than matt can- and shes led to believe that he likes her too!! they bandage each other up, get lunch together now and again, and everything is great :3

until season two.

one night, both holly and matt are unintentionally caught by the punisher. and BOY does the punisher have some shit to say. here, holly hears him out and realizes that she may have been following matt a bit blindly. matt is very firm in his morals- no killing, he helps cops, and he seems to believe in salvation. maybe thats why holly likes him. shes always wanted a second chance. something that would make her feel like she isnt just a sad, pathetic teenager

she realizes that her and matt are different. that maybe matt isnt always right. it kinda kills the honeymoon phase that shed been stuck in for so long. this guy shes idolized in her head is kinda full of himself. hes hot and he knows it!! and he does kinda act holier than thou now and again! but holly? holly isnt religious. she hates cops. and, worst of all, she doesnt think second chances are always possible. (keep that in mind lads)

she also emphasizes with frank, and he knows it. the punisher comments on the relationship between her and matt, noticing how tense and quiet holly is being. "whats wrong, blue? he treat you the same? like he'll always be better than you?" she stays quiet and, when he finally frees them, holly leaves. she doesnt help matt fight the gang coming to kill him, nor does she just swing him to safety. her brain is short-circuiting.

enter elektra. matt begins cancelling hang outs with holly, stops talking to her as much, and is, overall, pulling away from her. understandably, holly asks if its about elektra or karen and- of course- matt denies this. after seeing him kiSS elektra, though, holly feels as if hes throwing out everything they had together. its like the 'you vs the girl he tells you not to worry about" except the other girl is a MURDERER?? holly is pissed. now, she knows she wasnt entitled to a relationship with him, but shes still hurt after all the blood, sweat, and tears she put into their friendship / partnership. matt finally calls her, trying to let her down gently, but they end up arguing and holly hangs up on his ass hjkgf. NEITHER of them can handle stress, clearly, and the elektra/frank one-two is TOO much for them

although matt expected holly to eventually cool down, that was not in the plans. to his horror, holly actually AIDS the punisher. she brings him food, gets information for him, and does whatever the fuck she wants until the defenders series

understandably, frank goes under the radar, and holly is left on her own. she watches whatever the fuck is happening in the defenders, and is trying to decide whether or not she wants to help when a BUILDING COLLPASES. AND FOGGY CALLS HER TO TELL HER MATT FUCKIN DIED.

JEEZ.

at this point, holly's mental health has been stretched thin. this girl had already gone through three mental crisis before her first 'canon' appearance, so all this stress has been weighing her HEAVILY on her. she misses having someone to work with. frank is gone. matt is gone. the sokovia accords make her a wanted criminal AND shit is getting worse with every month. theres also another spider person in the picture, and hes backed by stark technology!! how the hell is she supposed to compare to him? shes just holly! holly holly holly! and you know what holly is, besides inferior to this new guy on the scene? holly is alone! she doesnt have friends. she hates nyc. and everyone shes ever loved is GONE!!

one night, while out on patrol, she finds herself watching researchers moving their equipment into trucks and airplanes. theyre moving, apparently! luckily, no one attacks the scientists. one of them drops something, sure, but thats fine, right? no. holly goes to inspect the broken glass, and the green liquid that had spilled onto the asphalt comes to life, seeping into her skin and binding with her.

this is malice.

malice doesn't exactly explain what it is to holly; it just promises her power. now she'll be able to keep up with all these big name heroes, and can keep protecting her city no matter what comes her way. what the symbiote DOESNT explain, however, is the fact that shes both slowly killing holly AND manipulating her. malice uses her anger and loneliness and converts it into an indescribable rage. she stops pulling her punches. she blacks out as soon as the sun goes down, and wakes up the next morning with blood on her hands and suit.

after a few weeks, she looks at herself in the mirror and, despite her healing factor, she finds someone sickly looking back at her. holly's hair is thinning, her skin is turning yellow, her eyes are turning green, and there are huge, black splotches spreading across her body.

she is dying. malice is using everything holly has to satiate its hunger, and doesnt give a fuck about the effects its having on its host. worse case scenario, theyre in new york! malice can find some other sad vigilante once holly dies.

but holly doesnt lay down and die!!!!!! she goes through newspapers, searching for anything that can help her, and eventually lands on doctor stephen strange. surely he can help, right? he's a weird, magical doctor that does crazy, otherworldly shit. if anyone can do something, its him.

and so, she pulls herself up by her bootstraps, and limps her way to the sanctum sanctorum, where the sorcerer supreme exorcises the symbiote from her body using FIRE!!! this way, malice isn't just contained, malice is DEAD. and holly gets to live!!! yay!! she can go back to living her life and being happy, right?

NO!!!!!

MATT IS ALIVE AND THERES SOME GUY IMPERSONATING HIM!!!!!! YOU KNOW HIM, RIGHT HOLLY? THE GUY WHO BROKE YOUR HEART? THE GUY THAT THE ALIEN IN YOUR HEAD WOULDNT LET YOU FORGET? HAVE YOU GONE THROUGH ENOUGH TRAUMATIC EVENTS YET??? GET FUCKED!!!

cut to my dear, stubborn holly forcing herself to tolerate matt again. at this point, she finds him insufferable (and hot, still, but mostly insufferable), and is continuing to struggle with her emotions towards him. nonetheless, she keeps as much distance from him as possible, but helps him defeat fisk + dex. now, with them out of the way, she couldve gotten back with matt, right? that, or she could find frank and team-up with him. no. holly doesnt do any of that. she doesnt even flirt with her pen pal, eddie brock, who she's been talking to regarding their mutual symbiote experiences. holly just stays in new york. miserable, self-hating, and full of regret. despite being a hero, she still feels like shes fucked up her whole life.

then the snap happens. hollys only two friends seemingly die and the world feels terribly bleak. even after everyone is revived, nothing feels the same. how is she supposed to recover from all this shit? how does she pick everything back up and move on??? shes a mutate, sure, but shes also a reclusive, mentally ill mess. life is bad, and she's not contributing much to society anymore. how is she supposed to help people now? shes not captain america. shes not iron man. she feels miserable.

...

...

knock knock!

who's there?

it's the tva! we'd like your help with something, miss miller! ^w^

we've recently noticed just how pathetic you are, ma'am. it seems like a real waste of your powers! how would you like to team up with a particular red-suited superhero and help us protect the sacred timeline? it'll give you a sense of purpose!

oh, the other guy? yeah! he goes by deadpool! you'll like him. maybe.

understandably, holly is kinda confused. she knew aliens and shit existed, but what the fuck is the sacred timeline?? dimensions?! what the hell is going on?? desperate for anything that'll prove that shes not useless, she accepts the deal and eventually meets wade wilson. and good god is he annoying. imagine spideypool, spiderman has forgotten to take his lexapro for a few days. holly is pretty fuckin annoyed, but surprisingly takes his side when paradox announces that he's going to destroy wade's universe. yeah, she has no real stake in this conflict. but paradox is cocky and pisses holly off.

cut to her, wade, and logan stuck in the void. they look like a set of fingerpaints when they stand together. holly tries to prevent the two guys from fighting, but she can't separate them; her healing factor CANNOT deal with all these fucking blades. especially not after she had to deal with nobu and THIS thing

she has been filleted like a fish once, and respectfully sits out during any fighting between them. that, or she webs them up. unfortunately, she cant really protect herself when cassandra's gang pull out a huge magnet + both wade and logan pin her to it- smushing the trio.

back at their little headquarters, cassandra explores holly's mind, going through the layers of trauma this girl keeps folding up and hiding in the recesses of her brain. she mocks holly for letting a man hold so much power over her, and degrades her for being so useless in the grand scheme of things. she's fumbled every relationship she's tried to maintain, and, even though holly's powers were the only thing that kept her going, the other woman claims that they'll never be enough. wade, logan, and holly suddenly look AND feel like the biggest fucking losers in the world, and proceed to beat the fuck out of each other in a honda odyssey.

upon waking up in a random 'house', holly proceeds to watch logan drown his sorrows as she thinks about everything shes ever done wrong.

just as wade wakes up, GUESS WHO WALKS IN? ELEKTRA. Not HER elektra, BUT ITS STILL ELEKTRA. holly begins to spiral more than before, remaining quiet and shocked for the entirety of the conversation. the only thing that pulls her out of it for a moment is blade saying a slur + remy flustering her.

things pick up a bit from here. even though holly is losing it, the fact that shes part of a little team helps with her psyche. she also starts breaking the fourth wall a bit more + is a bit more sarcastic than she'd ever been (much how i expect a comic version of her would be.) theres a lot more spider-person typical quips coming from her!!

holly honestly expects to die during the big fight. she thinks that shes at the end of her story- she's run her course like elektra and blade- but a combination of her spider-sense and logan dont let her die.

cassandra tries to butter her up like she does to logan. like oh..... wades an annoying prick.. imagine the power we could have together....... but holly is sick of listening to other people and having them lead her. she'd been doing that for so fuckin long!!!!! even after trying to tell her she can erase the piles upon piles of trauma shes repressed, holly tells her to fuck off, and wade manages to finally subdue her.

theres not really much to say once they get to the time ripper scene. paradox tells them that whoever tries to stop it will die (no matter the healing factor) and holly sees this as her opportunity to make up for what she believes is her sad, little existence. after all, she thinks it makes sense for her to die. why have one of the immortal crime-fighters die when it could be her? of course, it doesnt turn out this way, and all three of them survive.

now holly happily lives with her two new friends in this new universe. hope this doesnt cause an incursion.

and they live happily ever after

maybe??

[ghostwise]

rinny dark urge run??? aya?/?? an introduction....blease... 👀👐also would love any of your thoughts on the dark urge run so far too <3 <3 <3

OH MAN Isa I'm going to take this as a sign that I need to liven up the place and post way more about my Durge playthrough. It's been a ton of fun.

Aya is my elven bard, a morally grey Dark Urge with a strong hedonist streak. She's a scholar and a poet and a compulsive liar who loves drama, but I feel she'll wind up resisting the urge because she cannot abide being told what to do. She laid it out pretty clearly when she first was reacquainted with Sceleritas Fel; if, when, and how she kills is up to her. If she chooses to indulge she deserves to at the very least remember it!

Yeah her memory loss is quite upsetting to her.

I think it's explicitly canon that Durge has some degree of TBI; the fainting, the lapses in memory and cognition, the headaches all point to it. I initially thought it was post-concussive syndrome, but Omeluum is able to reveal that Durge has lesions in their brain--akin to something burrowing through the brain matter. This girl has been functionally lobotomized, or nearly so, anyways. (I'm super curious as to whether we'll get clarification on when this damage happened.)

Aya starts act 1 in shambles. She's a mess, hardly able to fight. Shadowheart quickly latches onto her; she sees her deep wounds and uses her healing magic to coax Aya back to health, day by day. She relates to her memory loss, and she's also the first one who sees Aya's surgical scars. I think she's taking a bit of a liking to her; or at least, she enjoys trying to fix her up lol.

Aya holds a mutual respect for Lae'zel. Funny enough, they're both kind of out of their depth for different reasons (Lae'zel being unfamiliar with Faerûn and Aya being unfamiliar with everything), so they tend to defer to each other's judgments, even when these are not entirely accurate.

Karlach strikes me as showing a deep understanding of what Aya's experiencing. She notices her symptoms right away--such injuries are not uncommon in the Blood War--and she flat out asks, "Have you all noticed she's having seizures?" I think she regards her with deep compassion, which, oughhh. Will she be worthy of it? Who knows!!

She's romancing Astarion but it's shaping up to be a fiends with benefits type of situation so far. They share a sense of humor and are often in cahoots, but just as often they are on each other's nerves. Maybe it'll sort out into some genuine fondness. But the idea of two morally grey people just teaming up and continuing to be morally grey just in different ways is so compelling sdfghdfg

Her nickname pre-memory loss was Sabandija. She likes to sing to people as she kills them. 👍🏽 Her voice claim is Natasha Shneider.

[sendaidivision]

Kiya Kara Team Dynamics 🌲

Ryūzō, out of the three professors, is the only one who has seen actual combat and has spilled blood before, thus making him the most proficient in attack. He is also quite quick on his feet, due in no small part to his former training as a ninja. Despite being the leader, however, he is usually placed in the back row, or off on the sides, which is what he prefers, as it is allows him to ambush his opponents. Though he hasn't spilled blood in a long while, he has not forgotten his training, and can easily slip into his old ways at the flick of a wrist. His ability, which distorts his opponents' field of visions, can be used for both offense and defense, depending on the situation.

Takumi is the most brawny and athletic of the three teachers. His huge body and muscle mass makes him the most suitable candidate for defense, though with his skill at kendo, he can easily switch to offense if needed. Well-known for his boisterous voice and personality, he never fails to invigorate both himself and the crowd to get behind him and his team. His ability increases the morale and attack power of himself and his fellow teachers, making the team even more dangerous than they already are.

Kotono is usually placed in the back row by her fellow professors and teammates. The weakest in attack and defense, she functions as the group's support, strategist and health expert, able to minimize the amount of damage she and her teammates can take by observing her opponent's body languages and how she and her friends should move. Despite being the third member, she is the most knowledgeable about the Hypnosis Microphones and is the one who taught Ryūzō and Takumi how to use them. Her ability is similar to Jiro Yamada's, in that she can only use it once and it is extremely risky. Should the ability hit, however, it not only eliminates one of her opponents, but fully heals her.

— Ryūzō

Takumi to Ryūzō is his fellow teacher that he, unfortunately, must call his coworker. To this day, Ryūzō does not know which of the two of them approached the other first (he believes it was Takumi), and how exactly this started a sort of friendship between the two. Regardless, the two men became good acquaintances and now talk with each other whenever the both of them are free. However, there are times when Ryūzō becomes frustrated with the loud physical education teacher, wishing very much that he'd tone down his boisterous and unruly behavior. He also dislikes how Takumi frequently teases and pokes fun at him for his attitude and persona.

Besides that, he still gets on well with the physical education teacher, so long as it is in very small doses. In Rap Battles, the two men work together in unison, delivering hard-hitting blows to their opponents which they've developed from years of training as children.

Kotono to Ryūzō is his fellow professor that he admires in school, but not so much out of it. After he had found out about how she keeps her apartment, he began helping her to clean and cook, not content with seeing her live in filth. He doesn't know why he did that for her, but something compelled him to. In his free time, he also helps with her study plan, wanting to make sure she is on top when it comes to her teaching. As stated, it's unknown why Ryūzō goes out of his way to care for Kotono. Many rumors circulate that the two may be a couple, but some students (especially those who have a crush on either of the adult educators) pay such talk no mind.

Though Ryūzō can get frustrated with Kotono's laziness and her lifestyle, for all his griping, he still does it. In Rap Battles, Ryūzō does his best to defend Kotono, all the while listening to her advice and acting on it.

— Takumi

Ryūzō to Takumi is his friendly coworker that he loves to razzle up in an effort to get him out of his comfort zone. As stated, it's unknown who approached who first, though many believe it was Takumi. The two have a relationship akin to that of Hifumi and Doppo of Matenrou, with Takumi increasingly trying to get Ryūzō to open up more and be more sociable and outgoing. He is either unaware or doesn't care that the Languages Studies teacher has no interest in this and simply wishes to do his job and return home for the day.

Despite his friendly behavior, Takumi secretly harbors a bit of envy towards Ryūzō, believing that the Languages Studies professor is standing in the way of him being with their fellow teacher and teammate, Kotono. It's for this reason he has declared Ryūzō as his rival and seeks to beat him in whatever the two are doing. While this often creates a chaotic and volatile situation from time-to-time, Ryūzō does admire Takumi's competitiveness, even if he doesn't know the reason for it.

In Rap Battles, the two fight together on the frontlines, utilizing their skill at swordplay and fighting to decimate their opponents. Takumi also shields Ryūzō from blows, while Ryūzō helps Takumi to evade any hits coming his way.

Kotono to Takumi is his fellow coworker that he secretly admires and wishes to be with someday. He admires her for both her beauty and her intellect. He enjoys conversing with her and constantly goes out of his way to talk with her, or make her feel important. He hopes that by doing so, she will someday take notice of him. He constantly works up the nerve to admit his feelings for her, but is afraid to do so because he doesn't wish to ruin their friendship. It also doesn't help that Ryūzō is in the mix, even if isn't aware of either of his coworkers' feelings.

To that end, Takumi enjoys being and hanging around Kotono. The two often go out for drinks or chat with each other about their classes, students or their lives are. Although Kotono wishes Ryūzō would join them, Takumi is glad that he doesn't, as he enjoys it just being the two of them. In Rap Battles, Takumi defends Kotono just as much as he defends Ryūzō. And if someone hurts her, intentional or not, he goes berserk on them, hitting them with everything he's got.

— Kotono

Ryūzō to Kotono is her fellow coworker whom she describes as "too secretive for his own good." Like Takumi, she often tries to get the stern, stoic professor to open up more, not to only to his peers but to her. Truthfully, she admires Ryūzō very much. She doesn't know if this equates to love, or just liking a certain aspect of him, but she does enjoy Ryūzō, despite his reluctance to open up, and his bad habit of torturing his poor students.

This may be why Kotono allows Ryūzō to see her for who she is: a woman who doesn't fully have it all together. Despite how she may appear in public, her private life is a mess, and Ryūzō is the only person, aside from her family, who knows about it. She is thankful that he comes by once a week and makes sure her house is in order, and for helping her with her lesson plan. She wishes she could do better so Ryūzō wouldn't have to worry about her.

In Rap Battles, Kotono, as the strategist, is quick to relay plans to Ryūzō, who follows them. With his keen intellect and his cunning speed and agility, they are a force to be reckoned with.

Takumi to Kotono is her fellow teacher whom she enjoys going out and having a good time with. The two get along well since they have the same hobbies and likes. It's believed Takumi approached Kotono before Ryūzō did, which is why the two of them have a much better relationship. The two often tag team the Language Studies professor to get him to open up, but to no avail. Still, the duo refuse to let up.

Despite that, Kotono does often get annoyed with Takumi's boisterous personality and very loud voice. While she finds it funny at times, she can get annoyed when he is being a general nuisance or doesn't know the meaning of "inside voice". This get even worse when he is drunk. Still, she can't stay mad at the guy, finding his behavior enamoring most of the time. In Rap Battles, like Ryūzō, Kotono relays her plans to Takumi, who follows them without question.

[entomolog-t]

My personal favourite trope is giant finding hurt tiny and nursing back to health with initial fear from tiny and eventually trusting that the giant won't hurt them

Me logging into tumblr and seeing all you little stinkers sitting in my office waiting for a trope analysis.

Lets do this!!!

This trope is such a comfort trope for me as well.

Alright lets divide this into our two different Archetypes (Giant and Tiny)

Tiny

If you find yourself picturing yourself as the tiny there is a high chance you may be struggling/overwhelmed but have difficulties asking for help. Visualizing ones self as hurt tends to remove some level of freedom (freedom of movement, as well as it being more morally acceptable for someone to impose their will on you given its for your own safety) and thus the fantasy allows for you to get the help you want without having to ask for it. As with most G/t fantasies, there is likely a longing for deep connection and intimacy seen with the shared journey of building trust. The injury could be a symbolic manifestation of the subconscious mind in some cases, although I'm not too sure how common that would be. Even so, I would take the time to analyze the type of injury and what the giant does to both help the injury as well as build the trust.

For example; An injury that effects mobility might suggest a more dire yearning for help, as the imagery you're creating is physically stopping you from running away. The same could be said if you envision a more forceful giant who disregards your emotions for your own safety. The Giant forcing their help on you may be a projection from the subconscious, as a way of saying your fear of asking for help is less important than your need for help.

Our subconscious really does like projection and metaphores, but it is crucial you identify what certain symbols mean to you. Its easy to guess basic symbols for the general public. Almost everyone will see spiders symbolically as a threat or danger, but you need to take yourself into account. I personally love spiders, thus my subconscious imagery might not use them to portray a threat, and might pick something more true to my personal experience.

Giant

Finding an injured tiny has very obvious themes of a desire to help others, be seen as kind, and seeking for your intentions to be understood. I think this trope tends to project a lot of desiring for ones true self to be acknowledges, and a fixation on this trope might imply that that need is not being met in your day to day life.

A less obvious projections that may occur is how one visualizes the tiny. It is very likely that even if you imagine yourself as the giant there is some degree of projection of yourself in the injured tiny. In my opinion, the two most likely projections would be aspects of ones shadow, or parts of you that want to heal from some sort of damage.

The shadow is an interesting concept and although in previous sessions I haven't referred to it in name, some keen readers may have picked up on the implications. Essentially the shadow is a manifestation of repressed traits and desires. We tend to mask aspects of our own personal shadow, but simultaneously and subconsciously (mostly) project them onto others. Given that we are envisioning the tiny in a weak state, there is likely to be some form of projection of traits we may find weak in ourselves.

Healing desires are a little more obvious, where one may project a part of you that was hurt onto the tiny, and work through that emotional pain in the fantasy.

----

My secretary has informed me that my cliental have been avoiding paying their bills. Tsk tsk.

[darkx-the-dragon-kn1ght]

Chapter 21- Part 11

That Yanmega’s gonna be more of a problem than Anorith, so it’d be better to try and take it down first instead. I’ll heal Meteo with a Hyper Potion while Riptide uses Ice Fang on Yanmega.

Oh gosh, can you stop with the Struggle Bug spam!?

I can’t let Meteo faint, I need him for the rest of this fight! Okay, switch out Meteo and into Decibel while Riptide…tries to do something, if he can?

Welp- and here I had hope after Decibel survived Struggle Bug with more than half HP, but Rock Tomb dashed those hopes.

There’s no way Meteo outspeeds to set up Sunny Day, but even still, Crater’s Rock Slide should be able to do…something, here.

Okay! Okay, I’m…definitely gonna have to reset by now, there’s no way Crater can win by herself against the last three Pokémon when it’s like this. But still, as one last Hail Mary thing- what’s her next Pokémon?

I was right again, she does have a Volbeat too! And she named it after her brother, that’s also super cute! But okay, yeah, time to reset- 

So the moral of the story is to NOT allow Anorith and Yanmega to be on the field at the same time, so we cannot knock out Illumise and Masquerain at the same time again. But now I know Illumise is the Rain Dance-user, so now I know who to prioritize knocking out first. And I also know five out of her six Pokémon: Illumise, Volbeat, Masquerain, Yanmega, and Anorith. But what’s her sixth, I wonder…?

The stuff with Ravine is the same, but we’re leading with Decibel this time instead of Lake, because I might need Lake more later on and also I’m hoping Decibel can resist more of Masquerain’s moveset. 

First, I’m actually gonna try and hinder the Masquerain’s Speed with Rock Tomb- after all, since I’m 99% sure Illumise has Prankster, there’s no way we’re gonna stop Rain Dance from going up at all. But after slowing down Masquerain and doing some extra damage to both with Air Cutter, we’ll focus down Illumise on the next turn.

Wait, Masquerain knows Icy Wind??

Okay, so I guess we’re just going back to our lead from the first attempt anyways, great-

I greatly dislike that Masquerain, actually, too many threatening moves! It might be more advantageous to knock it out before Illumise, actually- not like Illumise’s gonna use Rain Dance a second time right now. I’ll have Ravine use Rock Slide while Lake uses Air Slash on the Masquerain to hopefully bring it down.

There’s that Anorith again…so we have to knock it out first too before Yanmega comes back in. Let’s Screech its Defense down first while Lake just vibes and uses Roost.

Oh wait, Illumise is still using Struggle Bug, hey hold on-

Nevermind, the Illumise was more threatening all along! And that Anorith is as annoying as ever! Hmm…well, if I bring out Meteo and Crater, they should be able to take care of at least the Anorith.

Rock Slide and Weather Ball, what’s that gonna do?

Oh you’re kidding me, come on now-

Well, the good news is that Anorith’s dead, the bad news is Illumise survived those rocks, bulky fool that it is. Hm- I wonder…I’m not actually getting a lot of exp. points for these, so maybe it wouldn’t be risky to get my whole team to Lv. 34? Something to consider if I end up resetting again.

But when Illumise’s at such low health, another Weather Ball should seal the deal regardless. In fact, I’ll take the chance to heal Crater with a Hyper Potion as well.

Oh, it looks like Shelly had the same idea, cool-

But still, Rock Slide and another Weather Ball should be good here, yeah?

And Illumise’s using Confuse Ray again, cool-

AND YANMEGA KNOWS GIGA DRAIN, COOL-

Sure, the Rock Slide kills Illumise, but at what cost??

Oh, that’s her sixth Pokémon. Okay, I was expecting her to have an Araquanid, but…no Scizor? Huh.

Well, chances are I’ll have to reset yet again, but- no, no, I don’t just wanna give up right now. We’ve still got Crater and Riptide, and the rain should be dying down any minute now! I’m going to have Crater try to get a Rock Slide off while Riptide uses Ice Fang on the Araquanid, just to see if this can be salvaged in any way…

OH! The Quick Claw comes in yet again! And she attacks through the confusion, too!

AND YANMEGA’S DOWN!! And Araquanid flinched, too! And now I’m realizing I should have used Crunch on Araquanid instead but it still does good damage!

And yeah, that just leaves the Volbeat! There’s…wait. What was Shelly’s team, again? Illumise, Masquerain, Yanmega, Anorith, Volbeat, and Araquanid. And…I knocked out the Masquerain, and the Anorith, and Illumise and Yanmega just now…

These- These are Shelly’s last two Pokémon. It took me a second to register it because of how stressed I’ve been with all my plans falling apart, but Shelly’s on her last two Pokémon! And one of them is at red HP! Oh my gosh, wait, this is completely possible! I can still win this! I just need to have Crater use Rock Slide again and Riptide can use Crunch, and-

Okay, Shelly used another Hyper Potion, but that’s fine! It means- with the flinch last turn and the healing on this one, Araquanid hasn’t gotten to do anything yet! One more Rock Slide and Crunch combo, c’mon- 

YES! Now it’s just the Volbeat, and all it’s doing is spamming Struggle Bug! And even with the Tail Glow boost, Crater and Riptide live!

WHAT DO YOU MEAN FAILING!? I’M ONLY WINNING THIS FIGHT BY THE SKIN OF MY TEETH!

Previous

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[squapejuice]

Character Overview

For linking in my pinned.

Xavier Hayward (Current Main)

Ishgardian Hyur, noble birth, 27 years old, lives on Mateus. (Non-binary; She/they)

A dour dark knight, haunted by their past and the path they now have to walk.

But beneath that lies a gregarious and social person with a snarky sense of humour and a true love of good conversation, good food, and good drinks. She'll be the first to admit to being a bit of a hedonist and play(tom)boy, living for the moment (and for their duty to the ones they've vowed to protect).

They value chivalry, loyalty, and determination, the last of which can occasionally make them a bit hard to get along with as once they set their mind to something, nothing short of a nuke is going to change their mind.

Vanille Brune

Ishgardian raised, Gridanian and Ishgardian by birth though. Peasant who married into nobility (above, also they're both polyamorous). 25 years old, lives on Kraken. (She/her)

She always wished to be a conjurer, but after learning the secret of her grandmother (a padjal who abandoned her duty to raise a family), took up the custom class Green Witch as an alternate offshoot of conjurer.

Generally she has a saccharine disposition and a gentle countenance that allows her to get along with practically anyone well - and reign back some of her wifehusband's more intense traits.

Her eardrum was damaged during her deployment with the Garlemald Contingent and she's worn a hearing aid ever since.

Gwyn Mahina

Traditional Keeper of the Moon, early 30's. Priestess of Menphina. Lives on Seraph (Any pronouns accepted, most default to she/her)

Gwyn has been arrested in Ul'dah for public indecency (what? getting naked when it's hot is natural?) and has a reputation for being just a bit weird. She's not really well adjusted to city life, but is determined to use her time away from the shroud to hone her knowledge in healing and the wider world.

Carefree to a fault.

Aranea Dusk

Another Ishgardian, though this time by adoption. 30's. She/her

She's bad news. She's evil. Interacting with her is probably bad for your health. She was abandoned by her Keeper clan as a baby and left for dead, and the matrons at the orphanage quickly found out why as strange things seemed to happen around her, bringing misfortune.

She was adopted by a kindly Ishgardian couple several years later and labors to keep her less-than-legal and less-than-moral activities from reaching their ears.

Originally created as a villain for another player's plot, I got kind of attached to her.

Lian Aman

Twilight Miqo'te; her father was a Keeper of the Moon and her mother was from the Zu tribe of Seekers. 29. She/her.

She holds both Ul'dahn and Thavnairian citizenship. Her life was one of struggle with poverty, sex work, and drugs after her mother's death. As a result, Lian became very politically active in Ul'dah, protecting the little folk from monetarist kidnappings and the slave trade that just seems to be tolerated for some reason. Eventually she chose to kick her somnus habit and travelled to Thavnair, where she joined a troupe of dancers.

Nowadays, she continues her political activities as a citizen of both nations, but she raises her children with her wife far from the dangers of the world in Shirogane.

[saintmeghanmarkle]

For Queen and Country by u/Apprehensive-Year513

For Queen and Country Scrambled eggs on faces. It should never be forgotten all the bullying and the harassment directed towards Catherine, Princess of Wales. This woman was not allowed the chance to process the news of her diagnosis or have time to tell her children without the onslaught of mocking and derision. Anyone who participated in that onslaught should be ashamed of themselves. Anyone paying attention knew where Catherine was because everyone was told where she was; at home on medical leave. Instead of admitting they were wrong, the very same people are now people saying she doesn’t look sick enough. Absolute ghouls. Harry and Meghan are people who like to bully the elderly and people battling cancer. It appears they get some sick enjoyment from doing so. They support that evil behavior belittling Catherine. They started this targeted, vindictive media war against his own family. The moral character of a person who does something like that is bankrupt at best. While the Royal Family would always have to be under scrutiny, Harry and Meghan certainly invited this level of toxicity. It should never be forgotten that they did the Oprah Interview while Prince Phillip was dying. It should never be forgotten that a week before her late Majesty's passing, Meghan was threatening the Queen and the Royals in The Cut magazine. They had the gall to insincerely wish Catherine health and healing as well as privacy for the family through a gossip magazine. These two who have done irreparable damage to their families. They have heaped so much stress onto others. They invade the privacy of others that they hypocritically demand for themselves. Omid Scobie didn’t magically put names into a copy of his book for no reason. If the Royal Family was so terrible to them, it makes no sense other than their pretentiousness, for them to use their titles. If they want to accuse others of racial issues, they should look at themselves. Meghan literally said she was never treated like a black woman until she met Harry. As if that's supposed to be impressive. Not to mention her generous helping of weaponized bronzer spackle she dons. Harry's past racial insensitivity speaks for itself. So while they spend time throwing mud at everyone else, they neglect to look at themselves. Harry and Meghan have done and continue to do everything they can to diminish the Monarchy. All because they can't be the bosses of it. They wanted to make it seem like the Monarchy is on its last leg and they are the saviors of it. Harry and Meghan will continue to hustle in Hollywood. Catherine will be Queen. Catherine doesn't even need to be seen to make the front page. But according to Meghan, everyone was jealous of Meghan because she was so popular. The Monarchy doesn't need two miserable, non astute failures to be successful. With the reception of Catherine's diagnosis, Catherine is more loved than she ever has been. Catherine doesn’t victimize herself or complain, she keeps her dignity. With the statements she has made, there is not one ounce of self pity, but concern for others.  From royalty to grifting jam, they continue to outdo how low they can stoop. They had every chance to make themselves into the world leaders they seem to think they are. Harry is complicit in portraying his own country as cold, unfeeling racists whose biggest crime is seeing through his wife. The same country he is fighting to pay for his security. Their repugnancy is reviled. With Catherine, she is loved in abundance. Hundreds of years from now, she will continue to be. Grifters may be a dime a dozen. But earning the love of country is not.  post link: https://ift.tt/yThd8rJ author: Apprehensive-Year513 submitted: June 20, 2024 at 03:29PM via SaintMeghanMarkle on Reddit disclaimer: all views + opinions expressed by the author of this post, as well as any comments and reblogs, are solely the author's own; they do not necessarily reflect the views of the administrator of this Tumblr blog. For entertainment only.

[arrivingonthescene]

something to be said about how taking anything that isn't hypnogamma (morale boost) or drouamine (health boost) is seen as addict behavior like anything unregulated by an institution is a Bad Moral Choice to everyone around you but you're still expected to cram prescription medication down your gullet due to how frequent you encounter damage in the game. all these chemicals do the same thing in boosting your stats and aiding you in choices (can i survive this conversation w.o drouamine, can i muster enough physique w.o a drink) except obviously one is more panned by the game's dialogue. i think giving a consequence (verbal or game mechanics wise) to taking too many heals would have made the game far more difficult but the fact that no one really minds if you take a ton of painkillers since this is expected and you are a cop! and purchased them legally! compared to the pyrholidon which is a drug crows nest roy took to cope with the horrors of being in nuclear waste clean up which is handed to you under the counter. which when you look it up is inspired by a soviet era drug used for similar reasons and became illegal due to recreational use. a chemical does the same thing regardless if authority demands it's beneficial or harmful to you

[arcsin27]

genshin x persona

ive mentioned it before but i wanna go real in depth this time. still not certain on every detail so some have multiple options

this post will be updated as i get more ideas i swear ill remember to update it lol

Naoya - anemo sword/bow/catalyst (sword because he has a sword, bow because he has a gun, catalyst because only spells can hit any enemy in the grid system of the game)

Skill: yeah ive got nothin lmfao. maybe something about summoning the monkeys seimen kongou holds?

Burst: ?????

Tatsuya - pyro sword

Skill: uhhh maybe he summons a motorcycle made of fire and rushes around running enemies over?

Burst: nova kaiser. he creates a shockwave of AoE pyro damage. enemies caught in the blast will be in a state of stasis for a short duration

Maya - cryo bow (bow because guns also make projectiles)

Skill: diamond dust. it creates a field in which characters and enemies are applied cryo, and characters are healed (because she also knows dia)

Burst: omni dimension. similar to venti, she creates an orb of cryo in the air and draws enemies into it, dealing cryo damage

Makoto - pyro sword

Skill: dark hour. during its duration, a burning moon appears above all characters, boosting attack damage

Burst: great seal. while makoto is on the field, he will periodically take damage, restoring the health of all characters. also triggers the dark hour moon (im not really sure about the balancing here... maybe it should still take effect even after switching him out? but then it feels op yknow?)

Kotone - pyro polearm

Skill: same as makoto?

Burst: same as makoto?

Narukami - electro claymore

Skill: midnight channel. similar to keqing, he can either press or hold the button to place two square portals beside himself and a short distance away (get it its shaped like a tv screen but purple because genshin mechanics). he will then jump into the square beside him and appear through the other one. maybe he deals AoE electro damage when he pops out?

Burst: idk i have a couple ideas. maybe he creates a field of fog that deals electro damage until he cuts through it dealing massive damage? maybe he summons an other self made of electro that also attacks with him?

Ren - hydro polearm (hydro because it seems to relate to morality and justice and tbh eiha looks blobby and liquid, polearm because its a dagger on a stick)

Skill: beneath the mask. ren rushes forward and performs AoE hyrdo damage, placing enemies in the range under the mask effect. this lowers their defense

Burst: sinful shell. just kinda makes a giant hydro explosion around him lol

---

edit: someone in a discord server proposed that ren (but i think maya could be considered too) is actually a catalyst and their method of casting the spells is gun. i imagined they like summon an elemental construct in the shape of a gun and use it to shoot snowballs and water balls lol

[disco-elysium-via-polls]

3. "Funny that you're worried about this and not your ruthless exploitation of the entire *human race*."

KIM KITSURAGI - "You're right, ma'am, that donations are permitted under the Emergency Act, unseemly as it may be, as long as they're properly logged with the precinct..."

JOYCE MESSIER - "Which he most certainly will do." She bows, and then raises a single eyebrow in your direction: "Now, how else can I help the RCM today, besides supplementing its salaries?"

7. "Thank you. That's all for now." [Leave.]

JOYCE MESSIER - "Of course, detective -- take care."

We are beset by notifications.

THOUGHT COMPLETE: RIGOROUS SELF-CRITIQUE

SOLUTION: Here it is. Hard facts from the man you are. You once jerked off in the locker room and were caught. You held a young woman by the arm and kept her in your apartment for 20 minutes against her will. That's right, these are not flights of fancy. These are *real deeds*, Harry, emerging from the darkness of your past. You tried shooting a fleeing suspect in the foot but hit him in the pelvis, crippling him for life. And above all, you let life defeat you. All the gifts your parents gave you, all the love and patience of your friends, you drowned in a neurotoxin. You let misery win. And it will keep on winning till you die -- or overcome it.

BONUSES: INT and PSY failures heal +1 Morale FYS and MOT failures heal +1 Health Learning cap for Pain Threshold raised to 6

These are some really good bonuses. We're not done with Thoughts yet, though:

Revachol Special Administrative Region, Le Caillou, the Insulindian Ocean, Coalition Government, Insulindian Mission Command... Name after name and none of them is familiar. They seem real, but something is wrong. You feel like a kid looking at stickers on the fridge: Truvant, The Apricot Company, World Games '34. You can almost see your hand reaching out for them. Scratch at the corners, see if they peel loose... This feels like the *most* important of all the thoughts; the one you truly must complete.

We've been prompted on the importance of completing this Thought a couple of times now. Which we will, but we don't have space for it right now.

Kim also wants to talk to us.

KIM KITSURAGI - "We should think about calling it a day, maybe? The nights are still miserably cold this time of year."

"I haven't paid the cafeteria manager for damages yet."

KIM KITSURAGI - "You should take care of that, then."

"I think I have the money now. This is money, right?" (Show him reál bills.)

KIM KITSURAGI - He nods. "I'll also take a room at the Whirling. One cannot get much closer to the crime scene."

EMPATHY [Medium: Success] - He's proud of you for getting your act together and finding a way to pay back what you owe.