#the definition of resilience

[leonsliga]

“No matter how many goals you save, some people will only remember the one you missed.”

~ Iker Casillas

[friesucker]

This chapter broke me. The fact that the wife turned out to be a good person, the fact that after loosing everything in the war, Martha has managed to continue with her life has resound in me. It wasn't easy of course, maybe it was the hardest thing she had to overcome in her life (and this woman has been in two wars), but we are discovering this through her flashbacks, she is telling this as a storytime to Becky at teatime. So what does that mean? She already got over it, she survived. And you may think 'well of course, its been years' but i wouldn't judge her, i would even consider other reactions normal, like staying stuck in the past, because loosing the things and people you loved most to an absurd war simply is not fair.

Martha, you're so strong, i love you so much. I chose the picture of her breaking down after her performance because I understand how her dancing, having the chance to have a little of what she really deserved to live, could have reminded her of what it felt like to be alive.

[starry-bi-sky]

i need to get this out of my head before i continue clone^2 but danny being the first batkid. Like, standard procedure stuff: his parents and sister die, danny ends up with Vlad Masters. He drags him along to stereotypical galas and stuff; Danny is not having a good time.

He ends up going to one of the Wayne Galas being hosted ever since elusive Bruce Wayne has returned to Gotham. Vlad is crowing about having this opportunity as he's been wanting to sink his claws into the company for a long while now. Danny is too busy grieving to care what he wants.

And like most Galas, once Vlad is done showing him off to the other socialites and the like, he disappears. Off to a dark corner, or to one of the many balconies; doesn't matter. There he runs into said star of the show, Bruce who is still young, has been Batman for at least a year at this point, but still getting used to all these damn people and socializing. He's stepped off to hide for a few minutes before stepping back into the shark tank.

And he runs into a kid with circles under his eyes and a dull gleam in them. Familiar, like looking into a mirror.

Danny tries to excuse himself, he hasn't stopped crying since his parents died and it's been months. He rubs his eyes and stands up, and stumbles over a half-hearted apology to Mister Wayne. Some of Vlad's etiquette lessons kicking in.

Bruce is awkward, but he softens. "That's alright, lad," he says, pulling up some of that Brucie Wayne confidence, "I was just coming out here to get some fresh air."

There's a little pressing; Bruce asks who he's here with, Danny says, voice quiet and grief-stricken, that he's with his godfather Vlad Masters. Bruce asks him if he knows where he is, and Danny tells him he does. Bruce offers to leave, Danny tells him to do whatever he wants.

It ends with Bruce staying, standing off to the side with Danny in silence. Neither of them say a word, and Danny eventually leaves first in that same silence.

Bruce looks into Vlad Masters after everything is over, his interest piqued. He finds news about him taking in Danny Fenton: he looks into Danny Fenton. He finds news articles about his parents' deaths, their occupations, everything he can get his hands on.

At the next gala, he sees Danny again. And he looks the same as ever: quiet like a ghost, just as pale, and full of grief. Bruce sits in silence with him again for nearly ten minutes before he strikes a conversation.

"Do you like to do anything?"

Nothing. Just silence.

Bruce isn't quite sure what to do: comfort is not his forte, and Danny doesn't know him. He's smart enough to know that. So he starts talking about other things; anything he can think of that Brucie Wayne might say, that also wasn't inappropriate for a kid to hear.

Danny says nothing the entire time, and is again the first to leave.

Bruce watches from a distance as he intercts with Vlad Masters; how Vlad Masters interacts with him. He doesn't like what he sees: Vlad Masters keeps a hand on Danny's shoulder like one would hold onto the collar of a dog. He parades him around like a trophy he won.

And there are moments, when someone gets too close or when someone tries to shake Danny's hand, of deep possessiveness that flints over Vlad Masters' eyes. Like a dragon guarding a horde.

He plays the act of doting godfather well: but Bruce knows a liar when he sees one. Like recognizes like.

Danny is dull-eyed and blank faced the entire time; he looks miserable.

So Bruce tries to host more parties; if only so that he can talk to Danny alone. Vlad seems all too happy to attend, toting Danny along like a ribbon, and on the dot every hour, Danny slips away to somewhere to hide. Bruce appears twenty minutes later.

"I was looking into your godfather's company," he says one night, trying to think of more things to say. Some nights all they do is sit in silence. "Some of my shareholders were thinking of partnering up--"

"Don't."

He stops. Danny hardly says a word to him, he doesn't even look at him -- he's sitting on the ground, his head in his knees. Like he's trying to hide from the world. But he's looking, blue eyes piercing up at Bruce.

Bruce tilts his head, practiced puppy-like. "Pardon?"

"Don't." Danny says, strongly. "Don't make any deals with Vlad."

It's the most words Danny's spoken to him, and there's a look in his eyes like a candle finding its spark. Something hard. Bruce presses further, "And why is that?"

The spark flutters, and flushes out. Danny blinks like he's coming out of a trance, and slumps back into himself. "Just don't."

Bruce stares at him, thoughtful, before looking away. "Alright. I won't."

And they fall back into silence.

Danny, when he leaves, turns to look at Bruce, "I mean it." He says; soft like he's telling a secret, "Don't make any deals with him. Don't be alone with him. Don't work with him."

He's scampered away before Bruce can question him further.

(He never planned on working with Vlad Masters and his company; he's done his research. He's seen the misfortune. But nothing ever leads back to him. There's no evidence of anything. But Danny knows something.)

At their next meeting, Danny starts the conversation. It's new, and it's welcomed. He says, cutting through their five minute quiet, that he likes stars. And he doesn't like that he can't see them in Gotham.

Bruce hums in interest, and Danny continues talking. It's as if floodgates had been opened, and as Bruce takes a sip of his wine, it tastes like victory.

("Tucker told me once--") ("Tucker?") ("Oh-- uh, one of my best friends. He's a tech geek. We haven't talked in a while.")

(Danny shut down in his grief -- his friends are worried, but can't reach him. When he goes back to the manor with Vlad, he fishes out his phone and sends them a message.)

(They are ecstatic to hear from him.)

It all culminates until one day, when Danny is leaving to go back inside, that Bruce speaks up. "You know," He says, leaning against the railing. "The manor has many rooms; plenty of space for a guest."

The implication there, hidden between the lines. And Danny is smart, he looks at Bruce with a sharp glean in his eyes, and he nods. "Good to know."

The next time they see each other, Danny has something in his hands. "Can you hold onto something for me?" He asks.

When Bruce agrees, Danny places a pearl into his palm. or, at least, it's something that looks like a pearl. Because it's cold to the touch; sinking into Bruce's white silk gloves with ease and shimmering like an opal. It moves a little as it settles into his hand, and the moves like its full of liquid.

Bruce has never seen anything like it before, but he does know this; it's not human. "What is it?" He asks, and Danny looks uncomfortable.

"I can't tell you that." He says, shifting on his foot like he's scared of someone seeing it. "But please be careful with it. Treat it like it's extremely fragile."

When Bruce gets home, he puts it in an empty ring box and hides the box in the cave. He tries researching into what it is. he can't find anything concrete.

Everything comes to a head one day when Danny appears at the manor's doorstep one evening, soaking wet in the rain, and bleeding from the side.

[thinwhitedoc]

WHISKEY TANGO FOXTROT | Martin Freeman as Iain MacKelpie

[trrenchertrash]

I was thinking about “I am the dirt under your nails” and first of all I don’t think it can be ignored that the title of e9 is derived from this line. Considering that, this line is evidently not meant to be a cutesy throwaway line between Cait and Vi, it has huge thematic weight and implications. If you think about the title “The Dirt Under Your Nails” in this context, it’s clear that it’s meant to refer to the fact that all of our characters have dirt under their nails. As in, their hands aren’t clean. They’ve all committed wrongs, because they’re all human, which is obviously a major theme of this season/show. The second part of this dialogue is “nothing’s gonna clean me out,” which fits with what Caitlyn says about how no amount of good deeds can undo those wrongs. This line is about accountability.

And there’s a reason why it’s Vi who says this line to Cait. The most obvious is that Caitlyn has wronged her, but it goes deeper than that. In e8, Vi asks Caitlyn who gets to decide who gets a second chance. There are multiple ways to interpret how this idea impacts the narrative. I’ve seen it said that Caitlyn allows Vi to free Jinx because in giving Jinx a second chance she also gives herself one, and that’s an important point for Caitlyn’s character, but I think Vi would’ve found a way to free Jinx no matter what. Cait just made it easy for her. What the narrative shows us is that Vi is the one who gets to decide who gets a second chance by having her decide to give one to both Jinx and Cait. I’ve seen people talk about how’s Vi’s role is that of the witness — to be the constant that observes all the change and corruption that happens around her, and to be burdened with the memory of all that has transpired. And that’s true, but there’s more to it as well. Remember this promotional poster? It has 3 different titles/captions associated with it (that I saw):

1) Horrors I’ve Seen

2) Everyone is Guilty, Vi

3) It’s Too Late to Point the Finger Now

The first one obviously reinforces Vi’s position as the witness. But the second two are about accountability. It always struck me that the second caption brings the collective guilt of our cast to Vi’s attention specifically. Now it makes sense: she is both witness and judge. The character with the “good heart,” the only one who remains largely uncorrupted/unchanged by the end. Who is motivated purely by her desire to protect while the vast majority of the characters around her are twisted by revenge and ambition. It’s absolutely intentional that she is the one who says that line.

[canisalbus]

@ the person who said Machete wouldn't have a cutie mark, I definitely see where you're coming from, but I disagree! Machete, against all the odds of his birth and existence, survived and excelled. His determination to continue would have earned him his mark.

In g4, at least, they're more than just a representation of a task you're good at. It's a reminder of who you are as a person, of a truth you hold.

I think Machete might have a fang or claw, a representation of the phrases 'with gritted teeth' or 'clawing your way up' or maybe a hoof reaching toward the sun

I also think a mark like that would seem strange and off-putting, and may have been a source of strife for him while in school. In MLP, it's not terribly uncommon for ponies with no cutie mark or a cutie mark they're ashamed of to cover it up with clothing, in the way canon Machete wears his outfit.

Idk just my two cents

[f1owermoon]

FUCK EUROVISION joost deserves all the happiness and good things in the world <3

[likesdoodling]

:)

[babacontainsmultitudes]

So I made this post a little while ago regarding dndads characters and the tma entities and didn't really include any explanations cause that would have been very very long for a somewhat niche post. But, if you'll humor me, I feel compelled to make the quickest case for Vast! Taylor cause I'm thinking about him lol, and specifically without even getting into personality traits, I just want to point to Taylor's track record and note that he (off the top of my head):

Climbed to the top of the tallest tree he could find and shot a clone of himself off of it

Had to be physically held back from jumping off the highest floor of a twelve story building

Did a high-dive into an ocean of paper and abandoned Normal in said ocean of paper.

Had the chance to at least partially spare Scary from the damage of a very high fall. Didn't.

Submitting this as evidence to the court, people of the jury thank you for your time.

[the-witchs-cafe]

The titular Sonic the Hedgehog would survive in Puella Magi Madoka Magica...

Reason: But, MAN, did he have a lot of close calls! Shadow's "death", getting killed by Mephiles, Shahra's sacrifice, Chip being sealed away, his falling out with Tails over him trusting Eggman, the Zeti almost managing to kill all his pals back on Earth, the Metal Virus in the IDW verse- and don't that's without us started with the series of bullshit he had to endure in the Archie comics! Indeed, we could go on all day discussing the close encounters Sonic had with despair-

But that's not how he rolls- that's the furthest thing from his life motto. Everything will come to an end, the clouds could choke out the last bits of sunlight, but that's ok; all that matters in the end is how one cherishes the little pockets of joy life provides for us. To him, the best way to live life is to experience it at its fullest.

[lightblueminecraftorchid]

My roommate and I had a conversation last night and I keep rotating it in my brain and I Don’t Like It

[leonsliga]

Manu the miracle 💫

[tntduo-vrc-series]

Tntduo VRC Disclaimer

‼️WE DO NOT SUPPORT WILLIAM GOLD OR DREAM TEAM‼️

Wilbur Soot, Dream, Sapnap, and George in our eyes has become a community OCs due to their acts and we fully support the people effected by them. I(Silver) have experienced similar issues with cis men with no care for others and hope they find that Karma is only hell if you are to others.

Now, our content on VRC TNTDuo may be slow as we are still not sure how well the internet will take it, it's something that makes us happy so if it ever becomes a chore, we will most likely not continue, I hope you understand that. If you are a supporter or apologist for any of the mentioned CCs, you are not welcome here.

[pynkhues]

dunno if you already saw, but here's the links yo Rolin and Mara's interviews for the gold derby panel. idk if it's only me but i love to hear Rolin talk about iwtv, he's do entertaining.

https://x.com/iwtv_updates/status/1856621918859808864?t=3uen93INoc2i7qs93FZN-A&s=19

https://x.com/iwtv_updates/status/1856588570879782944?t=gyDcR4pQGycbkvmt6a43uA&s=19

and I especially loved this part of Rolin's interview. that's a very solid advise imo.

Somebody sent me the link to the full interview on Wednesday, but I haven't had the chance to watch it yet (all of my jobs have been unexpectedly hectic this week!), so I really appreciate the little snippets, anon, thank you!

I love hearing Rolin talk about the show too - I actually really missed him on the little episode footnote videos with s2 - and you're right, that that is really good advice. As someone who semi-writes professionally, I lowkey think having a dumb, no stakes thing I can play around with creatively is why I write fanfic still, haha.

[turnipshepard]

When I was a kid, my parents made my little sister and I share a room for awhile because they thought it would make us closer and build character. But it was hard on both of us, my sister because I was so much older than her and I bossed her around a lot, and me because my sister was terribly scared at night and would wake me up constantly by crying or turning on the lights.

None of this is a big deal, and my mom would always emphasize that she shared a room with two sisters and they were fine! Absolutely if my sister and I had had no choice but to share a room, we both would have been fine. But we did have a choice - there was an empty bedroom that my parents designated the “play room”, and that was the room I was begging to move into.

I think it’s an example of how you just can’t recreate what you have in childhood by forcing it if the circumstances are entirely different. My mom wanted for her daughters what she had with her sisters - a tight kinship forged by growing up side by side. But she and her two sisters were all within a year in age (a baby followed 11 months later by twins); my sister and I are 5 years apart. They all had to share a room because the house was small; there was no other choice. I think the idea that “sharing a room” in and of itself builds character is just a misreading. It’s the difference between “I’m participating in the family activity of making the best of what we have” vs “my mom is forcing me to share a room and I don’t know why”.

[ruvviks]

gib all hearts asks for Tiberius, i dare you 🗡️

oc asks for tiberius!

❤️ RED HEART — what are three of your oc's positive traits?

tiberius is surprisingly charming, disciplined, and intuitive. he's part of the minutemen and handles his duties very professionally, he does a lot of routine gigs for settlers in need of help and does this without complaining and he works very efficiently and thorough

🤍 WHITE HEART — what are three of your oc's neutral/questionable traits?

tiberius is somewhat aloof, stubborn, and reserved. other people often think he's very distant and not interested in what's going on, which is not true but he just looks like that. their stubbornness can come in handy but sometimes it just makes them a pain in the ass, it really depends on the situation

💔 BROKEN HEART — what are three of your oc's negative traits?

tiberius is irresponsible, self-destructive, and vengeful. they're very unpredictable and don't think about the consequences of their actions a lot, at least not until after they've already made the mistake. he doesn't care what happens to himself and if you get on his bad side, he will hold a grudge that he will take with him to his grave

💘 HEART WITH ARROW — what and/or who do(es) your oc consider the most important to them?

answered here!

🧡 ORANGE HEART — does your oc tend to prioritize family or friends?

this is a difficult one because post-war, tiberius doesn't have any family left. generally speaking, friends and family just go hand in hand for him now because even if he does end up seeing certain friends as family, they're just as important to him as his other friends. he wouldn't quickly prioritize one person over another based on who they are to him, it mostly just depends on the situation they've all found themselves in

💛 YELLOW HEART — how many languages does your oc speak? what language(s) are they learning, if any?

tiberius knows english, spanish, and french! he was trying to learn more languages in school but then the bombs fell and he hasn't really been keeping up with any of it since

💚 GREEN HEART — does your oc prefer being inside or outside?

tiberius prefers being outside when the weather is nice, which kinda sucks since there's so many threats in the wasteland now. still, whenever they're staying in a settlement they love to just sit outside in the sun and not do anything for a while :] he also loves playing with dogmeat or going on long walks

💙 BLUE HEART — does your oc have any cool/special powers and/or abilities? how are they with magic, if it exists in their world?

tiberius doesn't necessarily have any cool powers but since the children of atom gave him their radiation cocktail he has become a lot more resilient in general. his pain tolerance is a lot higher than before and he can more easily power through injuries, and said injuries seem to heal faster than before as well. there's also negative side effects such as a lot more feverish nights of sleep (if they can get any sleep at all), the whole standing emoji appearance to other people, and even more trouble with focusing than before

💜 PURPLE HEART — what is your oc's ancestry/genetic background?

tiberius is from a mixed background, his mother is from argentina and his father is from a mixed mexican/usamerican background! his parents used to live in mexico but moved to the united states before he and his sister were born

🖤 BLACK HEART — has your oc killed or seriously wounded anyone before? have they broken someone's heart and/or broken someone's trust?

answered here!