#the humans will always use idioms and the other society will always have to have the meaning translated for them as they stare blankly

[asleepymonster]

I LOVE books that do this. As long as everything I need to know for the story I'm reading is there, and context can be understood for what I NEED even if not for what I don't, then by all means please reference and say things I won't understand. It makes your world, your society, feel so much more lived in and real. Ugh I love it.

Also, kinda silly maybe but I love when writers make culture/society/alien/whatever specific idioms and it's so friggin rare. More people should do it! The great thing about idioms is you never have to stop the story and explain them, they're so easy to clarify in context. Anyway that's just a sidebar for me because I love idioms.

"I have all this cool, complicated wordbuilding I want to use, but I don't want to slow the narrative to a crawl by constantly stopping to explain stuff" so just don't. Use made-up words without defining them. Let things pass without comment. Have the narrative voice remark on exceptions to the setting's norms without ever explicitly establishing what those norms are. Treat it like you're writing the fourth book in a series and the reader already knows all this shit, and if they can't figure it out from context, fuck 'em.

[madschiavelique]

Hi dear, how are you?, could you write an imagine onde reader mentioning offhand how much she would love a whole family. Four, maybe six children? Girls and boys split right down the middle, but the second Miguel hears this (maybe the reader is on the phone, or talking to lyla. or someone at HQ) and Miguel loses his mind

1) Miguel can't help himself and he would grab you and put you on the mattress for a very long time...... or

2) torture himself for two weeks before telling her why he was avoiding her please.

HIHIHI BREEDING BARK BARK (sorry this took so long to write anon zehfrfgh i pulled an all nighter to make this one so also forgive me if there are some mistakes in this gksffgjgbf)

summary : miguel learns you want kids, a lot of kids, so he breeds you

content warnings : SMUT (18+) minors dni, pnv sex - unprotected (be safe kids), breeding kink, soft!dom miguel, obsessive!miguel, no use of Y/N, fem!reader word count : 3,2k

tag list : @fandom-ash @haradasaya

Miguel was on his way to see you. He'd heard that you were back from your mission and that everything had gone well, so he'd come to get you to take you out for lunch.

He was taking advantage of the little free time he had to visit you, even though he would obviously pass this visit off as work-related in everyone's eyes. He had to always, always remain professional and keep everything under control so that everybody could do their bit.

"Six?!" asked Jess, the word choking in her throat.

Well, you were indeed back with Jess.

"Mhm, six," you affirmed as you both busied yourselves filing a report.

What were they talking about? He leaned against a wall. He knew it wasn't very polite to eavesdrop, but the word got around here. Most of society's building had cameras, and everything that was often said or done was recorded here.

He just wanted to listen to you, wondering if there were any topics of conversation that you weren't having with him and with the other spiders. Yes, he was manic, and probably a little too obsessive.

In any case, he wondered what you could have said to Jessica to make her exclaim like that.

"The more the merrier," you laughed softly.

"I hate this sentence so much," sighed Jess.

"Why so?" your voice was sincerely interrogative.

"In this context, it's really not my preferred idiom one might say," she replied as Miguel heard her tapping on a pad to enter more information.

What on earth could they be talking about? he wondered. What subject could suggest that six was far too high a number for Jess's judgement? He knew that Jess was an oragnised woman like himself, with a lot of tact and a fair amount of authority.

Was it perhaps a consecutive number of days doing an activity? Six days of marathon running might have been a bit much, but six days' holiday was never too much. He breathed in very softly, it had been years since he'd had time for such a thing. Did you want to take him on a holiday? If so, the number of days was inordinate. He would never be able to get away from his work for more than three days.

Maybe it was something else then. What was too much in Jess's mind with six?

Six empanadas perhaps? Miguel would obviously disagree. You can never have enough empanada for his taste. But Jess would probably disapprove.

Six... Six pets? It's true that having six pets might be a bit of an exaggeration, at least in Miguel's eyes of course.

Perhaps six books? No, that didn't make sense. Although Jess wasn't a huge reader, she did have a book in her hands from time to time.

So what was it? He was intrigued, that's for sure.

"You know, in my opinion, one kid is already way too much to handle," she sighed, "but six ? Nah, that's some good way of ending your life while still being alive."

But Miguel had barely heard the rest of the sentence, his mind having been caught by a single word: kid. He immediately froze, his heart skipping a beat.

Kid, like... children ? Like, actual human beings ? Small human beings ?

His eyes were wide, his mouth parted. No, he must not have heard correctly, although he dreamed that it was indeed that word that had been uttered.

"Why not? Surrounding ourselves with life is good," you said softly. "I'd love to see six little heads running around. I want three of each, three girls and three boys."

He wasn't mistaken: the discussion was really about the number of children you wanted. Six, he thought, six, six, the word echoing in his mind. He put both his hands on his hips, as if to hold on to something.

He pictured you, your rounded belly, stroking the hair of a child, your child, his child... both your children.

He swallowed, however, as another, immensely more tantalising vision took hold of his mind.

The vision of your cunt, glistening with your desire as from between its lips dripped little by little his own cum, his own seed leaking from you, your belly full of him...

It made his dick twitch for a hot second, and he couldn't remove that image, he didn't want to get rid of that image. The idea that your belly could be full of him, that he could breed you until he had no strength left was magnificent.

"What an egalitarian spirit," Jess noted wryly, "Well, it's all in order."

His thoughts were riveted on the image. He could almost hear in his own mind the sweet melody your moans would make as he came inside you again.

No, it was now impossible for him to think about anything else, he told himself that maybe he shouldn't be thinking about this. Except it's a well-known fact that if you tell someone not to think about something, they'll think about it.

He knew what breeding was, obviously, but what about you? Did you even have a clue what it was?

He tried to pull himself together, he had to either leave here or come towards you and pretend to come naturally. Would he be able to hold it together and act as if nothing had happened? Did he really have a choice in the matter after all? He breathed in, tightening his jaw as he decided to come towards you.

He walked purposefully, his usual grumpy face set surprisingly naturally as he advanced towards you.

"Ah, you're back," he sighed as if pleasantly surprised to see you both here, "how was the mission?"

"Excellent," Jess affirmed, "we've just finished the report, the anomaly has been taken care of as it should have been since we arrived."

He nodded, his serious face opening a control pad to check what she was saying and opening the file in question, pretending to read its contents. He had the impression that everywhere he looked the image came right back to him, on every tile, on every screen, everywhere in his mind.

"That's good work," he breathed.

"Damn right," nodded Jess. " Well, I'm off to join my own little demon, take care you two."

"See ya," you replied as she headed for the exit.

He wondered by what superhuman strength he managed to remain unwavering and stoic.

You moved closer to him, hugging his back and comforting yourself in the embrace.

"How was your day?" you asked, squeezing him in your arms.

Unwavering and stoic, Miguel, you have to remain unwavering and stoic.

You put your hands on his body, and with one touch his concentration was simply wiped out.

He turned to you, smiling a strange, uncertain smile as he stroked your hair, a little tense.

"You know how it is, just a lot of work," but his eyes were watching yours strangely, a flash of a vision where they were filled with desire looking back at him.

You studied him for a moment, noticing how distracted he seemed, his eyes looking at you in a strange way. You could feel a kind of desire there, a kind of longing, but you couldn't work out what it was.

"Is... everything alright?"

He shuddered, obviously his little show wasn't going to last much longer. He broke away from your embrace, he couldn't keep looking at you like that.

"Hey," you said softly, "you know you can tell me everything, right?"

Could I tell you this ? he wondered. He looked at you for a moment, another flash of you all moaning and covered in hickeys and marks on your body as you breathed his name. He looked away, closing his eyes in the hopes the flashes would stop.

"I'm afraid I cannot speak about this..."

But how he wanted to speak about this, to tell you how much he wanted to fuck you until you were full of him, until the only thing present in your mouth was his name and how much he wanted to see the sight of your round belly.

But you wouldn't listen to his silence. So you walked over to him and took his hand.

"Miguel, look at me. you asked, and he looked at you, his visions mingling with the reality where you were looking at him, worried. "Tell me."

He sighed. He couldn't run away from his ideas forever, run away from these images that he wanted to see in reality and not just in his mind. He wanted to raise his idea from the theoretical to the practical, and it was with an almost guilty breath that he admitted:

"I want to breed you."

There was a slight silence, his eyes plunged into yours, desperate to know what you were thinking. But above all he was met with confusion.

"What's breeding?" You had an idea of the term, usually used animalistically for the subject of... reproduction and maintenance of species. But just to be on the safe side with Miguel, you preferred to ask him anyway.

His lungs swelled like sails, did he really have to go through this?

"Why don't you ask Lyla what it is?" he suggested.

"Because I want to hear it from you, with your words" you assured him, your tone a mixture of strictness and curiosity.

He sighed, biting the inside of his cheek, slightly afraid of your reaction. You were practically hanging on his every word, waiting for him to explain.

"Breeding is... the act of a male and a female animal having sex, also known as mating, to reproduce..." he explained, pausing, "and procreate."

Your eyes widened slightly, and the possibility that he had overheard your previous conversation with Jess came to mind. All the same, you looked at him almost inscrutably, and he couldn't work out what you were thinking.

But now that the words had been said, he could no longer hide, no, he no longer had to hide. His thoughts were finally out, burning on his skin and lips.

He moved forward a little more, his gaze suddenly darkened by the desires he was no longer hiding.

"I want to fill you up with my cum and make sure you get pregnant."

Your lips were parted, your surprised eyes looking into his, black with desire and longing. A silence filled the air, both your hearts beating loudly in both your bodies. Miguel waited for an answer, unaware of the warm cloud that had settled in your lower belly.

He chuckled a little, an understanding smile gracing his lips as he said:

"See, your silence tells me enoug-"

"Breed me," you cut him off.

He stopped moving immediately, the statement immobilising him just like when he had understood what you and Jess were talking about.

Had his mind and his fantasies come together to play tricks on him? Or had you actually agreed with what he'd just said?

"What?" he said, his pronunciation almost slurred as he turned his attention to your next words.

"Breed me, Miguel" you repeated, determined as you swallowed in anticipation. "I want to carry you... in me."

The gleam in his eyes was almost predatory, but after all, wasn't that the very essence of breeding? The raw nature of it, the bestiality, the quenching of the oldest instinct that ever was.

You only had time to see his eyes turn red as he lunged for your lips, kissing you with his mouth wide open as your teeth almost clashed and he attacked your tongue.

The power with which he kissed you made you take a step backwards, but you weren't going anywhere, because Miguel immediately placed his hand in the small of your back to make sure he had you close to him.

He let out grunts between kisses, his hunger for your skin lengthening his canines as they brushed almost dangerously against your tongue.

Then he lifted you in one swift movement, placing you on his shoulder as he headed for the door leading to his quarters, his impatience growing faster than ever. You bit your lip, already swollen from his kisses, his hand gripping your thigh firmly as he led you to the bed.

He laid you down, following every movement of your body as he kissed you again. He stood back for a moment, watching your body.

"Do you have sentimental value for your suit?"

"What?" you asked, confused by the sudden question.

"Just answer," he asked through clenched teeth.

"I mean it's old but I can live withou-"

You hadn't even finished your sentence when he ripped off your suit with an ease that sent shivers down your spine, ripping the fabric covering your cunt, tearing your panties and throwing all the rags into the rest of the room.

"No questions about the sentimental value of my underwear?" you laugh lightly.

"I'll get you some new ones," he breathed, a carnivorous sneer inhabiting his lips, "I'll take great care in chosing them."

You swallowed as he kissed your neck, nestling in and marking your skin with thirst. He straightened to kiss your lips, and whispered against them:

"Turn over, get down on your elbows and knees".

You complied, his instructions increasing the size of the cloud of heat in your belly. You placed your folded arms flat on the sheets, your knees slightly apart.

"Lift your hips for me, nena," he commanded in a tone as soft as cotton.

You listened, arching your back as you lifted your hips, your ass gloriously up just for him to fuck. He swallowed, his hand coming to grip one of your buttocks and pulling it apart, pressing it between his fingers and gripping your skin full hand.

"Already so good and wet for me," he mused, one of his fingers passing between your folds.

Of course you were already wet, the way he had introduced the concept to you making you all fuzzy and warm in your belly. You'd never been against the idea of Miguel being a bit more violent, and to be honest you were excited by the idea of him being so from now on.

Once he'd coated himself sufficiently, he pushed one finger into you, soft moans falling from your lips filling the room. He added another one, and your lust was growing by the second. You were getting impatient too, but you couldn't help noticing that Miguel simply couldn't wait any longer.

Miguel was always very keen about taking his time, preparing you well apart from the few moments when one of you needed a quicky, but here eagerness was getting the better of him, and above all his most instinctive desires buried deep inside him had taken the reigns of all his actions.

The thought of him being in you through your core made him feel so drunk on you. These ideas had already been marinating in his mind for a while, it had only taken this conversation between you and Jess to flip the switch. And he observed in adoration, seeing you like this, underneath him with your much smaller frame, sitting up and ready to take him.

"Hands behind your back."

His orders became more and more urgent, his tone wavering with envy. It was impossible for him to formulate a whole sentence.

So you laid your face on the sheets, cheek pressed to your side as you brought your hands behind your back, joining your wrists together like you were imagining yourself handcuffed. You shivered as his hand, whose fingers had previously been inside you, reached out from between your folds and took both your wrists at the same time, locking them in this embrace. His hand was obviously big enough to hold both your wrists together and prevent you from breaking free from his grip.

He had locked you completely.

He had blocked out any possibility of you making a move other than squirming around him. Miguel would never tire of this control, this hold he had over you right now. You were his, nobody else's, and he would let eveybody know this by fucking his seed into you and get as many babies as you wanted.

That's when you felt the head of his dick coating itself with your juices, preparing to burry himself into you. You couldn't see Miguel like this, but you could hear him. Dark growls vibrated in his throat, deeper than you'd ever heard them before, and it felt intimidating.

He thrust, pushing his tip into you, and you let out a groan of relief that sank into the fabric of the sheets. You breathed softly, letting Miguel's thick, long cock sink into you. No matter how many times you had done it, taken him like that, you still couldn't get used to it.

His lower belly finally touched the skin of your ass, his dick deep inside you. And you felt him pressing against your stomach. You knew that if you brought one of your hands to your stomach, you'd feel the shape of his cock against your skin.

He was so deep in you, an almost bestial growl escaped him as he slowly began to pull back before thrusting in hard.

You let out a little cry of surprise and pleasure that echoed around the room, and he repeated the same gesture. He kept bearing down on you until he touched your slick on his lower belly and pulling away, pushing back in the next second until it'd touch his balls.

Your body was burning, unable to do anything but arch your back more and groan. Your hands were gripping the void, and the impossibility of finding a foothold in all this was making you feel out of control. But you were enjoying the sensations he was giving you, and so was he.

He listened to the symphony of your voice as he picked up the pace, the feeling of your gummy walls wrapping all tight and warm around him was absolute perfection to him.

He knew it wouldn't be long before his first cum would hit, but he needn't have worried. Miguel could go on for a long, long time, and he just hoped that you could keep up, although he had no doubt that his best girl would live up to his expectations.

He could no longer string a sentence together properly, the words he was trying to whisper as he sank deep inside you coming out as if chewed up by his long fangs.

He grunted, his rhythm and the tilt of your two bodies giving you both exceptional sensations. The knot in your stomach tightened, threatening to burst as Miguel came closer.

And the world stopped spinning for a second.

You came together, your walls closing spasmodically around him as you felt him spill into you. Because that's what you wanted, right ? That's the one thing you desired, and he was going to give it to you entirely.

He pulled out, just for the pleasure of seeing the work he had so long dreamed of seeing. And the satisfaction was superb, his white creamy cum slowly pouring out of your wet cunt, still pulsing with desire.

A dark laugh rose from his throat as he sank back into you and you let out a startled moan. He lowered himself, his lips pressing against your ear.

"I hope you thought of six names."

It would be a long, long night.

[literary-illuminati]

2024 Book Review #12 – What Moves The Dead by T. Kingfisher

I initially meant to read this back last year when it was up for a Hugo nomination, but well – honestly I forgot my copy in an airport waiting room and it’s presumably now living a good life somewhere in a New Jersey compose heap. But a friend had a copy and said they enjoyed it, so! Stole it for a few days, and very glad I did. It’s a quick, fun shot fungal gothic, great for stormy nights.

The basic plot is, well, it’s very explicitly Fall of the House of Usher with a slight admixture of Ruritanian Romance. The Ushers are a genteely impoverished family of minor aristocracy in Ruravia, a less than impressive principality in Eastern Europe. Alex Easton, Roderick Usher’s former commanding officer in some recent war (the Gallacian Army they served in having a habit of getting into these quite habitually) receives a letter from Roderick’s sister Madeline begging company and help, as she is deathly ill. Of course by the time Easton arrives the pair of them look like they’re one stiff wind away from dying, and the estate and the lands around it are both decaying and full of unnerving strangeness. The only person who seems happy to be there is Eugenia Potter, an Englishwoman and amateur mycologist studying the great variety of mushrooms and fungus to be found in the area.

So yes this is very much aiming to be Gothic Classic, at least in aesthetics and trappings. An overgrown and decaying estate several times too large for the last remnants of the family who now occupy it. Genteel madness and disease, hidden behind polite euphemisms and high walls. A deep, atavistic horror at parasitism and the desecration of the human (especially the well-bred, young and female) body by an alien presence. There’s even a cowboy for some reason. It definitely all works for me, but then my exposure to the genre is all a bit second hand.

Speaking of parasitism – mushrooms! The book expresses decay and desecration basically entirely through the idiom of fungal infections, both in terms of metaphor and imagery in descriptions and just in the actual source of the horror here. The lights in the tarn are fungal blooms, Madeline’s disease and her reanimation are both the result of almost drowning and inhaling that fungus into her lungs, and so on. There are two really effective horror beats in the book for me – the image of an infected hare which had just had its head shot off slowly jerking back to its feet as a dozen others placidly stood there and watched it be shot, and the moment of realization that Madeline’s oddly long and wispy body hair is in fact mycelia growing out of her skin – and both play off of this pretty directly.

I very awkwardly didn’t use any pronouns for Easton when giving the plot synopsis because the book actually plays around a bit with gender and pronouns in a way I’ve always loved and wish I saw more of. Easton is Gallacian (unrelated to the actually existing Galicia, I think), and the Gallacian language has a variety of pronoun sets beyond just he and she – one for children, one for God, and one (ka/kan) particularly for soldiers. Which, due to the exigencies of early modern warefare’s manpower requirements, eventually led to both men and women being perfectly eligible to become ‘sworn soldiers’. So y’know, Enlist today! Service guarantees citizen-transition!

(But actually I enjoy the thought and at least superficial sociological plausibility/consideration of what gender means in Gallacian society a lot more than how a lot of modern spec fic just kind of assues that every culture in the world has the perspective on gender of a well-educated 21st century progressive, material conditions be damned).

Anyway yeah, overall very entertaining read. Though Goodreads tells me it’s now the first in the series, which given how cleanly this one ended is not something that fills me with an abundance of faith.

[joannerowling]

predictions for her next strike book (or even the hinted "earthbound scifi" novel if you feel so inclined)?

Let's go!

Strike 8 aka The Hallmarked Man : So far we've had a few clues - a Freemason hall picture which served as Jo's header on twitter, a series of three emoji (the most mysterious of them being the symbol for DNA), and the title itself. Beyond the general idiom, a "hallmark" is specifically used in jewelry to mark an object's value (usually in silver). JKR's titles often have multiple meanings. On one hand, if Freemasons are involved i can't see her portraying them as the cultish, vaguely antisemitic "we rule the world" cliché, she'd probably subvert this trope hard. That being said, she has not done "secret society / deep state" yet. Jo's said in the past that she tries to do something different with each of the Strike books. So far, there's always been a murder, but it doesn't always happen at the start and isn't always the reason why Strike and Robin are hired. I think in THM : 1) the dead person will show up at the start and it'll be a man (just because we've had three murdered girls/women in a row, and TRG was a missing person's case first) ; 2) it'll be someone important but, for political reasons, the circumstances of his death will have to stay secret. Maybe for a reason tied with the DNA emoji choice. I don't know but i'm getting James Bond vibes from this one. My second theory is that the Hallmarked Man is actually a statue or some other kind of valueable art piece. Again, so far we haven't done the art world and it's RIPE with potential weird murder cases implicating very powerful and dangerous people, possible fakery, money embezzlement, etc.

Other future Strikes : No idea for book 9, but book 10 has GOT to be about solving Leda's murder. The cycle must be completed!!

Mystery sci-fi book : All we know is it's "earthbound" and "not a space opera". The thing is, all JKR's books so far (including The Ickabog! possibly not The Christmas Pig, i have not yet read this one) feature lots and lots of characters and that tends to be a trope of space operas! Whereas more grounded sci-fi is more likely to be more intimate, or even a solitary affair. Sci fi stories with many characters that are NOT space operas tend to be about humanity, survival and the construction of something… usually in space, or an "alien" environment (trapped in a space ship, trapped on a foreign planet, etc.). I don't have a more definitive theory but i'm curious about what she'll do!

[chocochipbiscuit]

Hey, Choco,

So, um,

Behemoths?

Like, if you are inclined to write fo4?

This has been sitting in my inbox, shamefully languishing, because I just haven't had time to do it the justice I felt it deserved (and am still juggling multiple other WIPs) but I just decided: justice be damned! The only way to exorcise this yelling is to actually yell about it!

FIRST OF ALL. What makes a behemoth vs a regular mutant? Considering that we only see behemoths on the East Coast, we can take the Watsonian approach (we only see behemoths on the East Coast because they come from a different strain of FEV) or the Doylist approach (Bethesda just wanted us to have huge enemies for fun boss fights).

Obviously, I write fanfic, so I'm gonna run with the Watsonian approach. :P

Per official Fallout 3 game guide:

Another unique trait of the super mutants is that they grow larger as they grow older, and can range from eight (2.44 m) to at least twenty feet (6 m) in height; the largest are known as "behemoths." These behemoths seem to be even less intelligent than their smaller brethren, communicating only in echoing roars and blindly destroying everything in their path, acting more like an unfettered beast than a warrior.

Which seems pretty fucking depressing if you're a mutant who actually values your reason and ability to keep a handle on your rage! (Ex: Fawkes, Virgil.)

In fact, per this possible dialogue with Virgil:

The Sole Survivor: "Do you remember Edgar Swann?" Brian Virgil: "Swann? ...Yes, I saw his file. He was one of our first test subjects, years ago. His mutations destabilized. Started turning into a Behemoth. You think that could happen to me? Maybe I'm fine for a few months, a few years, but... god. I couldn't live like that."

Except...again, we have multiple in-universe exceptions to the 'always hostile, always stupid' mutants. We also can also read against the canon as presented to us and consider that since super mutants are capable of forming their own societies, including shared resources and responsibilities for caring for disabled members (such as the fact that Dead Eye gets back up from other mutants if attacked).

I think there is some argument to be made for whether it's socialization vs the type of FEV each mutant is infected with; Fawkes mentions that it took him years of isolation with his computer before he could speak and reason more intelligently, and Strong can grow (through friendship with the SoSu) from literally believing in the milk of human kindness to using idioms like 'got your back' when switching out between companions. Virgil is one of the 'newest' mutants we get to see, freshly turned, so he might be unique due to the FEV strain used or because he's so new to being a mutant.

Swan and Grun are the only named behemoths of FO4, IIRC, so let's take a look at Swan!

Swan was a former Institute employee turned into an experimental test subject as 'probation' for stealing cigarettes. (I can gnash my teeth about the Institute, criminal justice, and their incredibly shaky ethics later.) We can read journal entries and notes about his fear of what the FEV is doing to him, as well as his fears of being discarded as another failed subject. The fact that he devolves to the point where he can only shout his own name and still wears the swan paddleboats as memories of his former self is incredibly depressing and make him more sympathetic to me!

That said...I'm also thinking about one of Magnolia's songs. Specifically, from "Good Neighbor:"

Took a dive with the swans Out in the Commons with nothing on The mutants stopped to savor All my bad behavior It's all in a day's work When you're a good, good neighbor

HEY. HEY. MAGNOLIA. DID YOU FUCK SWAN? DID YOU FUCK SWAN??? I NEED TO FUCKING KNOW, MAGNOLIA!!!!

Especially because of her line: "It's all in the songs. Everything I am."

THERE IT IS, FOLKS. SHE FUCKED THE BEHEMOTH.

(/tongue in cheek)

Or rather, it's all fair game for fanfic. :P

All of that said, it's fucking ripe for fanfic. Does Virgil try to make amends for his past by developing other cures for FEV, including for Swan? Does Magnolia actually have an odd friendship with the behemoth at the bottom of the pond? Do we simply need a few more behemoths smashing around until some brave human or ghoul attempts the first overture of friendship?

YES. YES TO ALL OF THIS.

[carissimipaixao]

Hello,

Can I ask for 'mistletoe' or 'surprise' with Shay Cormac for your Christmas Inbox?

─ SURPRISE

published on: february 19, 2023 requested by: anon pairing: shay cormac & reader word count: 1.1k+ note: submitted during the christmas inbox! additional note: i decided to follow along with @sunsetagain's "timeline", in her amazing comic "a ship without a rudder", which i had the pleasure to translate for years ago, where shay arrives in lisbon the day prior to the earthquake. i definitely suggest you check out her content, be it for assassin's creed or even detroit: become human, because, oh my goodness isn't she the most talented person i know 😭🥰

The last few years have been nothing but work, work, work and work. You hardly have time for distractions, nor do you allow yourself the luxury of having a break. You are not the highest-ranking Assassin in the Brotherhood, but your Mentor has always entrusted you to solve the most challenging mysteries. Your family has long been part of the Brotherhood and, along with your skills, you assume you earn that trust.

Lisbon has always been the untangling cobweb for the Templars, and, no matter how hard the Brotherhood pushes forward and undoes their business, someone comes from the shadows and destroys everything you have done. Yet, when His Magnanimous Majesty passed, your Mentor and other Master Assassins from the various corners of the city, as well as the countryside, believed that having his son on the throne might provide an opportunity to fight back.

But, just as before, something twisted all of your plans. In a matter of days, a new threat loomed on the horizon.

You are sitting on top of the rooftops, looking down at the city — as both commoners and nobles walk on the streets — when you hear the tiles move behind you. You turn swiftly, hand in your precious dagger. It is no one other than one of your friends, and you relax immediately, heaving a long sigh. ‘Haven’t I told you not to creep up behind me like that?’ 

‘Guilty as charged,’ the Assassin snickers, raising his hands. ‘But the Mentor has called for you. He said there is someone here who you might want to see.’ He gestures for you to follow him, and you do, almost reluctantly. You are not sure whoever it is that you would like to meet, considering everyone you have ever cared for lives within the city. But, perhaps you have nothing else in mind except getting rid of the Minister’s iron fist and liberating Lisbon.

It does shock you, however, when you enter the den and faintly recognize the face of the stranger in the middle of the hall, who has turned to stare at you. There is a glimpse of caution and, dare you say, betrayal in those eyes, but you cannot tell why. Your friend looks between the two of you curiously and disappears back onto the rooftops. The Mentor puts a hand on the stranger’s shoulder, smiling.

‘The Colonial Brotherhood has sent one of their Assassins to accomplish a mission here,’ he tells you, speaking in English for the sake of the stranger. ‘But, I’m still surprised to know that you are one of us now!’ He glances at the man, looking at him up and down.

‘Mentor,’ you begin, ‘who is he?’

His eyes glint in mischief. ‘I believe you knew this young man a long time ago. Anyway, this is Shay.’

You freeze, remembering younger days when you used to chase around a sailor’s son in the docks and downtown. You didn’t speak his language at the time and he couldn’t speak yours, either. Instead, if there is something that unites all children and remains a global idiom, it is mischief. You were very lonely back then, with your parents working nonstop for the Brotherhood. Besides, it’s not like you were part of a higher society and had a maid looking after you at home.

‘Shay Cormac,’ the man finishes for your Mentor, his face now morphing into a wide smile. ‘Nice to meet you, lass.’

‘I don’t—... you’re an Assassin,’ you shake your head. Trying to ignore the unsubtle way your Mentor is walking away, you cross your arms, narrowing your eyes. ‘I don’t remember you being one.’ You raise a hand, almost asking for permission for a second chance, to reform your words. ‘I’m sorry, I shouldn’t be talking about this right now. You want to see the city first, for your mission, right?’

Shay chuckles. ‘I see not much has changed.’ It sounds like it was just a note for himself. ‘No need, lass, I know where I need to go. It’s not too far from here, anyway.’ He walks up to you and, in that short distance, you take the chance to look over his face. Indeed, not much has changed; you can still recognize that devious gaze and that mischievous grin. He easily towers over you, which is amusing, considering it used to be the other way around when you two were mere children. ‘You sound like my friends back home, too. All serious.’

‘Things are difficult here,’ you murmur.

‘So I hear.’ He looks at you up and down, and you try not to do so much as a twitch. You have never liked being the center of attention. ‘I’ve been tasked by my own Mentor to get an artifact from the Carmo Convent, but I will follow through with the mission tomorrow. I’ve just arrived from a very long trip.’

You nod. The workaholic — and extremely stressed out — side of you wants to complain; a good Assassin continues through with their work, no matter what, but you don’t know for just how long he was at sea. Besides, something tells you that he is somewhat new in the Assassin Brotherhood. ‘I understand,’ you say. ‘Let me show you to the chambers. You can rest here for the night, unless you have anywhere else to stay.’

‘Much obliged,’ the Irishman grins. ‘Perhaps you will accompany me, and tell me what you have been up to since the last time we met.’

As you begin to lead the way to the chambers within the den, you snort. You are very quick to dodge intimacy or anything that may stray you from your path. You have placed your work in front of everything else, really. It has been an inside joke amongst your friends that, indeed, you would become like those grumpy old ladies that want nothing from gentlemen callers or from anyone that might cross their sight, preferring solitude, peace and quiet. You can now tell that being flirtatious is also a new trait to Shay, but it still aligns with the playful nature that you know to be uniquely his.

‘Perhaps tomorrow, after your mission?’ You suggest, however. Even though you want nothing from Shay — at least, you know you don’t seek what he had implied —, you cannot help the curiosity. It has been years, and you would not mind reconnecting with someone you used to consider your friend. Besides, if he is a fellow Assassin, you might be able to gain insight into the American colonies from him. You shake off the slight shame that has creeped into your bones.

As you hold the door open for him, you turn. Shay appears to be thinking about your offer. After a beat of silence, he sighs. ‘Well, if you say so. Even if I do reckon you should have a break, I understand if you have things to get back to.’ He gives you a wink as he passes, holding the door instead — and you ignore how your hands briefly brushed against one another, the spark that rushes up your arm. ‘Let us meet tomorrow, then, after my mission.’

‘Sounds like a promise,’ you smile.

[lithium-poet]

𝓵𝓲𝓼𝓽 𝓸𝓯 𝓼𝓸𝓷𝓰𝓼 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓻𝓮𝓶𝓲𝓷𝓭 𝓶𝓮 𝓸𝓯 𝓱𝓲𝓶 & 𝓌𝒽𝓎

𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐥𝐲𝐧 𝐛𝐚𝐛𝐲 - 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐚 𝐝𝐞𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐲

They say I'm too young to love you They say I'm too dumb to see They judge me like a picture book By the colors, like they forgot to read

Well, my boyfriend's in a band He plays guitar while I sing Lou Reed I've got feathers in my hair I get down to Beat poetry And my jazz collection's rare I can play most anything I'm a Brooklyn baby I'm a Brooklyn baby

D's a total jazz nerd and we sometimes play jazz together in band. Almost every lyric of this song fits so well!!

He has a collection of rare jazz vinyls just sitting in the music room and i'm the only one so far who is allowed to put them on whenever i want. I feel so special...!

On top of that, i'm a songwriter and the way i write is that i never actually sit down and type my lyrics up in a google doc, but i go outside and write free verses here and there, like poetry. We talk about this a lot <3

𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐥𝐲 - 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐚 𝐝𝐞𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐲

This song is one of my favourites, if not my absolute top lana del rey song, both sonically and lyrically. I have loved this song for a very long time, but upon befriending him, this song has been rebirthed into a new layer of meaning.

I just think the feeling is captured so well in the lyricism of this song - what's the worst that could happen to a girl who's already hurt? i just wanna dance with you.

He once told me that he is so glad that I, out of all people, is one of the people that talk to him the most, and that he always manages to leave our conversation feeling a little happier, or a little more enlightened, or a little mroe reflective. That is probably the greatest thing I have achieved to date.

So what if this ill-fated unrequited romance that is being documented in this blog is an ostentation of contempt concerning the romantic dogma that our society has laid out for us? What if our relationship is tightroping on the periphery of blatant favouritism and acceptable professionalism?

If this makes the both of us manage to forage some sense of peace and stillness in this ever-changing dumpster fire chaos of a world, then I don't care.

I don't care, I don't care, I don't care.

I just wanna dance with you.

𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫'𝐬 𝐩𝐞𝐭 - 𝐦𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐳

Just a classic tc community theme song ♡

𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐞 - 𝐩𝐡𝐨𝐞𝐛𝐞 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐬

We talk a lot about the meaning of life and how to make peace with the lack thereof, so that's part of the reason that this song reminds me of us.

However, these lines specifically relate to something else:

Drowning out the morning birds With the same three songs over and over I wish I wrote it, but I didn't, so I learn the words Hum along 'til the feeling's gone forever

I have recently come to the point in both my personal life and my education in which raw intelligence isn't enough to compete with concrete efforts anymore. The gifted kid burnout, as some may say. I've been talking to him about it.

He told me he thinks that i'm the smartest human to have ever existed (well, jokingly), and i eventually have to get over the unreasonable jealousy of others' creativity to reach my true potential.

"Hum along 'til the feeling's gone forever" also reminds me of an idiom he says a lot during band rehearsals: "we sing the blues because we have the blues". Relating back to the previous point about the insignificance of human existence, he thinks that jazz is a form of heroism - to make peace with this insignificance. I agree with him.

𝐦𝐞 & 𝐦𝐲 𝐝𝐨𝐠 - 𝐛𝐨𝐲𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐮𝐬

i played this song on the piano for him and he was really impressed with both my singing and my piano abilities, as it's not my main instrument.

It was also that same lunch period that I realised I've been getting special treatement from him. I was eating my lunch at the piano while browsing ultimate guitar tabs, and another student walked in. They were shocked that he just lets me eat my lunch there, as it's strictly prohibited for everyone else as far as I'm concerned. He laughed it off and just made some lame excuse about band. That was one of my favourite memories with him.

I didn't wanna be this guy I cried at your show with the teenagers Tell you friend I'll be alright In the morning it won't matter

This chorus reminds me of this other time he sang and played on the piano for me when it was just us in the music room and i almost cried. It was a very stressful time of my life and it was just such a beautiful moment. Just me, him, music, alone in a room, and spring was breaking loose outside the window.

𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 - 𝐭𝐚𝐲𝐥𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐰𝐢𝐟𝐭

He had wanted to lend me a book on finding stillness in the constant motion of this universe, but it was left in his old house in another city. How ironic, I said.

I want auroras and sad prose I want to watch wisteria grow right over my bare feet 'Cause I haven't moved in years And I want you right here

After he talked to me about it, I decided to go on a walk in the woods that weekend without music. Just me, my thoughts, and the delicate chorus of snow melting on the ground, crows whining from afar, and the rustle of early spring breeze, still young with the sharpness of adolescence, grazing against the skin on my exposed neck.

On Monday I went back to school and told him about my experience. He said he was happier about I felt genuine peace in those 30 minutes in the woods than our concert band winning the regionals competition which we had been preparing for months (this is not the band I usually refer to when I say we play in a band together, by the way). I didn't know what to say, but I felt positively elated in every single part of my body.

𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 - 𝐭𝐚𝐲𝐥𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐰𝐢𝐟𝐭

He gives me a lot of advice. Well, I do seek them from him quite often, since I am feeling a bit lost in life right now. As Sylvia Plath puts it, he is "some older, wiser being [I] cry to".

He had told me that I don't need to figure out what to do with the rest of my time in this pathetic little game known as existence, which is somehow simultaneously the most significant and most insignificant thing, but that's talk for another day. Even though society makes it seem like the decisions you make as a teenager - your course selections, your extracurriculars, which college you go to - dictates the course of the rest of your entire life, it's actually not that deep. I'm not "running out of time". I've got my whole life ahead of me, I'm bearly midway through being a teenager.

Dear reader, you don't have to answer Just 'cause they asked you

𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐲 𝐛𝐨𝐲 - 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥

He had reharmonised this song for a friend of his who absolutely hates it. I love it however. He sent me the audio file of him playing the version that he re-imagined on the piano with some drums in the background and I listen to it whenever I'm feeling anxious. It's really comforting. It reminds me of all the things we had talked about and how everything is really not that deep. It makes me re-ground myself in my current physical location. It's a gentle love letter to the present, a souvenir of the memories we have already created together, as well as a soft solace whispered into my ear when I get caught up in the unknown future.

𝓁𝑜𝓋𝑒,

𝒶𝓇𝒶𝒷𝑒𝓁𝓁𝒶

[reds-burrow]

I just want to express gratitude to you for how you handled your latest ask. The question of what our real self is, the version of us that we are when we are in crisis or the version of us when we are at our best is what I've been thinking about for years. And it caused me real harm. Let me explain. I belong to a 'tough' country where you are constantly probed for stress resistance, any personality trait is only considered 'yours' if you don't allow it to be changed by anxiety/stress/fear at all. People will say things like 'Yeah no, if you were logical/smart/ you'd perfectly logical during a *insert stressful situation here*. But the thing is, everyone is irrational during stress, it's human nature. Also, the factors of stress are often decided not by personality but by our role in society. That's why women/disabled people/minorities are considered overemotional - there are just more stress factors in their environment but more privileged people don't see them and dismiss them as 'emotion'. And it brought real harm to my understanding of self and other people too. Think of it that way - when all trees stand with cut branches, you no longer can tall the differences between trees. So don't type yourself by negatives - stress, depression and etc. Type yourself by what you do best. It's actually more logical too because the world only cares about you bring to the table, not living up to some kind of ideal. We all are cogs, in a good sense of word. A cog is defined by its function, not malfunction. And even if it's malfunction you should be determined what it is for and it's important for the whole mechanism.

(This is in response to this post.)

Thanks for sharing your take on this! You make some very good points.

In fact, you've reminded me of a conversation I recently had with someone who I had guided through the sorting process. They were having a very Burnt Secondary day, the type of day where they would say they don't feel like they have any function, a cog without spokes to follow your metaphor. They were trying to ask if I was sure that they were a Badger Secondary and not a Snake because of all the shortcuts they had been taking in their schoolwork, so I had to remind them that they were using up all their energy fighting their depression. Of course, they didn't have energy to do the hard work that they usually would have wanted to do. I pointed to what they did on good days and the activities they do for fun or for relaxation. And then I pointed to their regrets, to the way all these shortcuts stressed them out. It was understandable that they didn't feel like they were living up to a Badger Secondary, but when they're feeling healthy, it's clear that that is what they use.

Idioms that claim you see people's true natures when they're cornered have always sat wrong with me. The truth is, when you corner someone, all you get is cornered behavior. That is never the whole picture of who someone is.

[itsuki-minamy]

"AYAKA – SIDE STORIES 01" (Part 03/04)

BROTHERS 03: JINGI SAGAWA & AKA IBUKI

TRANSLATION: NARU-KUN

* List of Chapters

Human beings have certain qualities that they are born with, each has its own position and is designed to fit where they should.

"Mochi is a rice cake", "Society is a puzzle that compensates for unevenness", "Everyone is different, everyone is good". No matter who you ask, you'll probably come across one or two of those idioms.

Taihei Makita believes that there is some truth to this mediocre view of society.

But at the same time, there are people in this world who are truly extraordinary, people who cannot belong to the "professional", and there are tasks that only they can do. Makita also knows that such a person exists.

For example, Aka Ibuki, the head of "Ayaka Security", is one of them.

++++++++++

He still couldn't sense anything disturbing in the lights of the distant downtown area.

However, the reason why he seemed like this is because Makita has no spiritual qualities. A keen sense, due to a special practice or innate constitution, the possessor can see the flow of spiritual energy before it solidifies and manifests, what the local language calls "Ki".

How would you like this scene?

He wondered what the representative of "Ayaka Security", Aka Ibuki, sees.

Saying nothing, Ibuki took a chocolate bar from his pocket and chewed on it. It hasn't been long since he started waiting in that alley on the outskirts of town, but the garbage can next to him was already full of packing scraps.

Ibuki stuffed things into the spaces between work and daily errands. Since he was a child, he's always been a big eater, but lately he's been much hungrier than normal people.

He is not a giant like Makita. His physique wrapped in a suit is rather slender. As for where the food disappears, it probably becomes Ibuki's "abilities" and physical drive, in other words, the heat of the fight.

A strange scream was heard from the direction of the city center. A bestial roar was mixed with an unpleasant metallic sound.

"An Aramitama, it has materialized. Let's go there."

"I understand... Boss, I'm coming."

When Makita, who received the report, looked at him, Ibuki gave a slight nod and began to walk towards the light. His whole body began to feel strange. It was a high-pressure life force that glowed in the surrounding air like a mist of heat.

"Ayaka Security" is a security company whose service area is Ayaka and Ichinoshima Islands. That is their official position, but in reality they are a group of armed exorcists whose mission is to exterminate the materialized psychic disorder "Aramitama" and minimize the damage.

The distant screams began to mix with the shots, and then those driven to shoot appeared.

Hovering over a two-story building on the outskirts of the city, a huge "snake" with a thick body that looks like the trunk of a large tree, with two arms twisted like a rope. It has a mask-like head with a gigantic eye that splits vertically.

The members of "Ayaka Security" surround the squirming "snake" and chase after it. A team of about 10 people, focused on young people in their twenties. They are armed with large and small firearms such as pistols, rifles, and machine guns. It is a weapon that is sophistically approved for use under the guise of "a tool used in festivals held on the island". All bullets have undergone goryo exorcism and have a spiritual impact.

However, the anti-personnel firearms did not do much damage to the giant "snake". The "snake" rushed forward with increasing speed, as if it hated the hail bullets that were hitting its entire body. It was an impulse that tried to crush Ibuki who was standing in front of him.

Ibuki took out a large pistol from his pocket and fired casually.

The bullet landed on the "serpent's" forehead and its huge head was knocked off.

Ibuki's weapon, itself, was nothing compared to the firearms his subordinates possessed. However, the power of the bullets fired from there was incomparable. It is the difference in ability between the subordinates who use weapons imbued with the power of magic and Ibuki, who is a powerful magician.

In succession, two, three more bullets fired by Ibuki hit his torso, scraping the flesh of condensed vitality, and the "snake" soared into the sky as he raised an anguished voice, and then, eyes shining at Ibuki. He recognized Ibuki as his enemy.

A gigantic sickle head turned towards Ibuki, and his entire body was bent with terrifying power. In the next moment, it came out like a spring.

A fierce smile appeared at the corner of Ibuki's mouth. As he took a low stance and stomped his feet firmly on the ground, the vitality that enveloped his entire body began to emit a strange glow. In other words, he himself was a monster comparable to an Aramitama. The "snake" roared and jumped on another monster that appeared in front of him, opening his jaws. He was already too close for a gun. A poisonous fang like an iron spear would pierce through Ibuki's body at that moment. The pistol grip was hammered into the forehead of the "snake".

A strong blow like an iron hammer broke the mask of the "snake", the face of the exoskeleton with a single huge eye.

Ibuki uses a pistol to apply his own technique to the bullets and shoot them from a distance. If you are within range of realistic fists and legs, it is more effective to hit with meat.

Second shot, third shot and more. With each punch, Ibuki made a big swing and threw his grab, elbow, left fist, left and right knees with all his might. Furthermore, he plunged deep into the frightened

Aramitama, placed the pistol in his right hand on his chin in a boxing manner, and fired rapidly. When the magazine was empty, he dropped the pistol and hit the head and entire body of the "snake" with both fists. His rough appearance is exactly like a devil.

Makita gave instructions to the members who were chasing the "snake" and had them surround the demon and the "snake" from afar. If that happens, there is nothing they can do. Originally, the purpose of that mission was to drive the giant Aramitama away from the city and guide him to that place where his "boss" could wield all of his power.

An Aramitama up to a certain scale can be dealt with by members with the provided firearms. However, it's hard to deal with something that has grown to a monstrous size, like that, unless it's a real caster.

Although "Ayaka Security" prides itself on being Ikki Tousen, it is essentially a one-man team focused on and working to support the powerful magician Aka Ibuki. If you compare it to a Guso puzzle, Aka Ibuki is a gigantic distorted and sharp piece. He is irreplaceable.

"Oh, it's decided!"

One of the bloodthirsty members raised his voice.

A barrage of fists and feet strengthened by supernatural art finally shattered the "snake" mask. A gigantic eyeball the size of a melon, Aramitama's core was exposed and rolled out of the half-destroyed skull. If that is destroyed, the Aramitama will no longer be able to maintain his body, and it will become a stagnant life force and disperse.

But...

Another eyeball appeared behind the giant eyeball.

"There are two cores...!"

Makita and the members were amazed, and Ibuki also took a retreat stance as a precaution.

The first eyeball of the "snake" formed a new skull with a thick vitality in the air.

The torso, like the trunk of a large tree, fell apart. It was originally made of two "snakes" twisted together like a shimenawa.

(This is bad...!)

In a head-on fight, Ibuki never loses, but the separation of the Aramitama in front of him was completely unexpected.

He started a two-on-one battle against the two-headed "snake". Just as Makita feared, the two coordinated snakes played with Ibuki, who was superior in strength. As Ibuki's eyes warned against one of the "snake" heads, the other ate from the side.

A living fist struck one of his long torsos, and the other, unharmed, became entangled.

Makita ordered the members to take cover, but the firepower was insufficient, and moreover, the line of fire was limited so as not to hit Ibuki, who was fighting with the "snake". It could not be called a decent force. There was no place for ordinary people to enter the vast arena of spiritual warfare.

As the armed members struggled to get their hands on it, Ibuki was quickly outnumbered. Originally, it is a style that consumes a lot of physical strength and is not suitable for long duration battles. Even as he did that, Ibuki's attacks were muffled and his defenses were weakening. At some point, he would receive fatal damage.

Not that there was nothing they could do. It would not be impossible to forcefully intervene in this battle between the devil and the "snake" to break the deadlock. But that puts some members at risk of injury.

"You can go. I'll stay a while and become a decoy."

The member who spoke earlier, Furin, told Makita.

"There are many people who can replace us, but there is no one who can replace the boss. Make no mistake."

"No, no, you are irreplaceable human resources."

Makita smiled wryly as if to fool his inner thoughts, but he had to make a decision immediately.

Finally, the fangs of the "snake" grazed Ibuki's shoulder, it didn't seem like a fatal blow, but his stance collapsed and his next move was delayed. On the other hand, the "second snake" had already built up strength in preparation for the next blow.

"Come on!"

As Furin jumped, something flashed overhead with a sharp sound.

Next, the head of the ''snake'', which attacked Ibuki, was flipped over by a great force and fell backwards. Fine droplets smelling of alcohol fell on Furin's head.

"What is this... alcohol?"

"Alright."

A young man approached from the street. He raised one hand in a nonchalant tone and held a long can of commercially available chuhai in the other hand.

"Jingy...!"

"Hey, why are you here?"

Both Furin and the other members, looking somewhat relieved, called out to the man in the chuhai.

To Ibuki Aka's "younger disciples", Sagawa Jingi's face was familiar.

"When I was drinking in town, it seemed like there was some kind of chaos around here... so..."

As he spoke, Jingi climbed up on the wall next to him and sat cross-legged.

"Haha, I came to see you."

"Hey, if you're just kidding..."

Controlling the wind forest, Makita said:

"Please give your support to the boss."

"Well, it's alright. This brother will do his best~♪"

Jingi tipped the can over and spilled the contents on the ground in front of him.

No, the spilled liquid floated as if it had lost gravity just before hitting the ground, turning into a spongy transparent sphere. It is the effect of the moisture manipulation technique, which is Jingi's specialty.

As he did so, the two-headed "snake" regained its stance and attacked with a beast-like siren scream.

Responding to the simultaneous left and right attacks, Ibuki turned towards the head approaching from the left and punched out with his fist from the front. A blow that entered the center of the monocular, the impact shattered the "snake's" skull, and hard eyeballs protruded from the back of his head.

Another "snake" head attacked Ibuki's empty back. A fist-sized transparent mass hit the side of his head. It wasn't as fast as a bullet, and it wasn't as powerful as Ibuki's fist, but with just the right amount of power, it accurately hit the opponent's nose.

The time gained by Jingi was less than a second. That was enough for Ibuki to regain his balance.

Ibuki, who turned towards the remaining head, grabbed the center of the "snake's" head with his fist as before and pulled it out of the skull.

The life energy that made up the body of the "snake" that had lost its two cores quickly dispersed, and the yorishiro that was left in midair fell with a thud. It's probably something like the amulet you're dealing with in Ichinoshima Shrine It is a keyring with two bells attached to a small shimenawa.

"Well done, big brother. Congratulations!"

Jingi lightly clapped his hands and Ibuki loosened his grip as he undid the technique. His breathing was rough and his fatigue was dark, but his expression remained calm.

"But maybe you're trying too hard. Let's take it easy."

Jingi jumped off the wall, walked around after the fierce battle, picked up the Aramitama cores one by one from the ground, muttered something, and tossed them into empty chuhai cans. Then, for some reason, a handful of eyeballs were sucked into the small spout of the empty can. As if to check the contents, Jingi waved the can to his ear and heard the sound of small things rolling and a low moan.

"Wow, is this the same guy?"

Jingi picked up the "snake" yorishiro from his feet. A small shimenawa, wriggling like two entwined worms, jingling bells.

"Maybe it's because I used the shimenawa as a yorishiro... the veins of the two Aramitamas got entangled and their lives will be lost. Well, there's more than I can handle..."

"Jingi, I'll take care of that here."

As Ibuki extended his right hand, Jingi suddenly frowned and stared at his hand.

"No. I'll take this guy to Minoshima and make him calm down."

When Jingi mentioned the name of the place, the atmosphere of the place stiffened for a moment. The employees of "Ayaka Security" secretly looked at Ibuki's complexion.

After a short pause, Ibuki jerked his chin toward the path home.

"Do what you want."

Jingi smiled and nodded, then began to walk briskly. In contrast to Ibuki's behavior, which would intimidate even his direct subordinates, Jingi had nothing to defend. He is a unique respite from the sibling relationship.

"Well then, big brother and everyone, see you later."

Jingi slipped past the employees and walked toward the city. Just as he thought, he came running from a few steps away.

"Almost forgot! Big brother, pay for the chuhai you used in the technique just now, pay! 200 yen! 200 yen!"

"You're a child!"

Beside Furin, who reflexively retorted, Makita smiled wryly. Ibuki's expression also seemed to soften a bit.

"Makita."

Prompted by Ibuki, Makita took his wallet out.

"Here. Liquor fee plus attendance fee. Thank you very much."

"Oh, you have a million tickets! I love you, Maki-chan!"

Jingi waved the 10,000 yen bill he was holding between his fingers and literally danced away.

"Thanks big brother! Let's all play again!"

"It's not "Let's play again". We're working."

"Hahaha..."

As Jingi slipped past the employees, he stepped into the darkness, jumped, and disappeared.

"Damn... as usual, he's an iffy guy."

"He's hanging out anyway, so he should work at "Ayaka Security"."

"Ah, regardless of personality, he is reliable as a fighting force."

"What do you think? He can't be a team player, right?"

As the main members of "Ayaka Security" said, Makita warned them with a wry smile.

"Don't say that. He must have his own way of thinking."

So...

"No, that's not true, Makita-san."

"He only moves with immediate glue!"

"Haha, is that so?"

While laughing, Makita looked at Ibuki.

Ibuki stared thoughtfully into space as he rubbed his right hand, but after a while he pulled a chocolate bar from his chest and began to nibble on it.

Makita shrugged slightly and began to instruct the members to stand down.

++++++++++

Human society is a puzzle. While each other's distortions complement each other, they come together as one.

But Jingi Sagawa is not a piece by any means. Like water, like smoke, it seems to fit anywhere and doesn't fit anywhere. He slips through a small gap and drifts off again.

There are extraordinary people in this world, and there are duties that only these people can fulfill. Taihei Makita knows that such people exist.

Ibuki's "little brother", Sagawa Jingi, is probably one of those people.

Makita, who is an ordinary person, has no way of knowing what kind of duties he will carry on his shoulders.

[midwestherotrio]

(art by @AkaClara1 on Twitter) 

Let’s jump right in with the main Trio of Heroes! The namesake of the comic (title still kinda sorta pending). 

INTRODUCING...

Vivian Noelle - The Mindstress

Age: 26

Birthday: October 9th

Power: The ability to feel other people’s emotions as well as letting others feel hers. Also has the ability that, when a person touches her, the person doing the touching will feel that sensation too. 

Bio:  A woman from a busybody military family and was always on the move. After most of her life moving from place to place, she has finally settled down in the city of Westwood. With moving around so much, Vivian doesn’t have a knack for certain aspects of social interaction. This doesn’t stop her from being herself and letting her thoughts out whenever she pleases. She’s assertive and straight-forward, but also easy-going and dabbles in the occasional bong hit once in a while. 

After getting her powers, she’s certainly able to understand how others are feeling, and at times, tries to act as a negotiator and tries to reason with people, despite having no prior practice of doing so. She’s gotten a job as a self-defense trainer for children in Westwood, and is great with the kiddos. Coming from a family whose mom was in the navy, and her brother in the army, she wanted to learn how to fight and defend for herself. If she needs someone to experience an emotion she currently isn’t experiencing, she has to do some emotional recall in order to convey the emotions.

- Tells Bofa jokes.

- Has a sick three-wheeled motorcycle WITH matching helmet. 

- Says “slay” when someone uses their power.

--------

Chuck Anderson - The Bonding Agent

Age: 30

Birthday: April 30th

Power: The ability to stick anything together. He can also unstick anything he initially welds together too. 

Bio: After spending several years working at his family’s mill on the edge of town, he was given the reins to run the business, albeit begrudgingly. Chuck is a hands-on man who enjoys working, believing the work he does is for the good of the community and the business. Although he still carries this ideal behind a desk, he misses being on the metaphorical frontlines of the mill. 

Chuck is very humble and somewhat soft-spoken. Although he keeps a formal demeanor for his work, he doesn’t miss a beat to occasionally goof around, especially after acquiring his powers, such as sticking papers to his arms and flapping his papery wings, or creating “abstract” sculptures out of various things in the room. He also sometimes runs the Anderson Apples stand at the monthly farmer’s market in town.  

- Would ask what “bofa” means. 

- Just wants things to go well. 

- Right amount of dad jokes. 

--------

Tulac’Fan - Tulac’Fan

Age: ???

Birthday: ??? 

Power: Being an alien.

Bio: An alien from an insectoid race called the Ellrok. With his wings he has the ability to fly. He can zip around quickly and is quite agile in his movements. He has special goggles in order for him to see while on Earth’s surface. The Ellrok have five different subspecies, which is the basis for the particular society Tulac grew up in. Tulac is a Fan, which is part of the military caste. 

He and is Classmate Cisix, an Ellrok born of the same egg batch, found out the inner workings of their society are stricter and harsher than other clusters around the planet. Tulac, overwhelmed with the truth of his culture and caste being built on a lie, decided to flee to an off-limits world: Earth. Partially for reprieve, and because he is very inquisitive about how human society functions. After meeting Chuck and Vivian, he found out that he can do some good for people, even of another species, and wants to put his Fan training to use. But Tulac’Fan knows he cannot escape from his home-life forever. 

- Cannot handle spicy food.

- Relates to moths.

- Gets human idioms mixed up easily. 

--------

This is all just basic stuff, and there’ll definitely be more information about them and other characters, settings, and everything else soon! Thanks so much for reading! 

[heresiae]

this is a very dark page for my country, but no surprising. even if only the latest government is a self declared fascist one, fascism never left our parliament. it kept quite for the most part of the post war, but in the last three decades it creepily crawled back into society and politic, masquerading as paladin of the "oppressed" people (and then it turned out they were more crooked of all the others put together, but this is another topic).

what all these fascists have always failed to understand (besides human decency) is that at sea there's a different law: the international maritime code.

whoever notices people in difficulties (not just in deathly danger) or receive a distress signal of any kind, they are obliged to provide assistance.

also, the EU laws about rescuing refugees at sea, establish that they have to be taken to the nearest safe port.

"safe port" doesn't mean just any port with food and water, but safe for the people. if you know that bringing them to Libya will results in torture and death for the outrageous crime of not wanting to live there anymore, you just can't do it (also, this is the part that any fascists will never understand, which involves human decency).

unfortunately, Italy has some weight to pull around the Mediterranean and the EU, that's why some ports started to be less cooperating with the ONGs (Malta). plus, we're not the only fascist country, and if you google around you can easily find all the others that tried to pull away from their duty to take care of all these poor people along with us (or put out shameful rules for entering their borders).

at the process, they hope to demonstrate that the ONGs were working with the traffickers and not because they actually care about human beings (for one, they cannot understand that, and for two, they're still using that shameful tactic of making the immigrants the scapegoat of most of our country problems. because, you know, we do not have one of the most crooked politicians in EU, mafia infiltrated everywhere, rich people evading taxes, etc. it's all fault of these damn immigrants that came here to be pampered and sustained by our taxes! some of them were elected specifically because they promised to stop the migrants flux. the only thing they accomplished was to increase the death count. people are still landing on Lampedusa. they're just not telling it and instead advertise how hard they're making for the ONGs to do their job).

all this is bullshit, of course, but trying to speak to the mind of the people is way more difficult that their belly (it's an Italian way to say). the mind doesn't want to be put in the condition of realizing how wrong (and cruel) you have been, or just put the effort to understand and investigate things a bit (yes, 10 mins of googling and reading is too much for most people...). also, most of the people that tried to counter all that BS did it in a patronizing way and/or speaking the higher class language. you can't go and say half of Italy is stupid, of course they will not listen to you (I would have not either). also, speak as you eat (another Italian idiom).

if you say to the belly: you cannot have your tax cut because we have to feed all this immigrant that came here with the idea to be parasites, definitely not because we keep cutting taxes for the rich and speculating on everything we can put our hands on, the belly will react as predicted. brewing hate for people that they never met, see or even glanced at. and it will follow anybody that promise a quick solution: "everyone out! Italian first!".

also, our school system has been sistemically dismantled since the 90s, plus the constant increase of the cost of living not match

till now, all their alleged proofs already turned out to be BS so I'm not very worried. the backslash though will be a bloodbath.

“Let us put it generally: if a regime is immoral, its citizens are free from all obligations to it.” – Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, Gulag Archipelago.

[Pictured: Captain Pia Klemp sitting in a chair beside her controls.

@VivianAngrisani on Twitter wrote on 6/8/2019: “Pia Klemp, a German biologist & boat captain faces 20 yrs in prison for rescuing 1,000+ migrants at risk of drowning whilst crossing the Mediterranean. Seeking asylum is a human right. Only 1 in 100 sea captains are female. This woman is a humanitarian, not a criminal. #FreePia”

@Galactic_Rabbit quote-tweeted on 6/10/2019 and wrote: “Thinking about all those videos of people honored in their old age for hiding/protecting Jewish people.”]

[aglimpseofsomethingintimate]

Who is Xiang?

Background

Xiang has always been written as the representation of the wild, symbolized by the Tiger (thanks @archduke-enver-gortash for feeding this concept). Now I’m thinking of making Xiang an actual manifestation of that concept and not just a metaphor for all the complexities of what the South China tiger represents to China and its relationship to humans.

I’m usually a realistic fiction writer— as you could probably tell from my insane footnotes for historical accuracy lol— but I’ve been thinking of including some more folklore/not quite human aspects to his character and by extension, possibly his and 37’s story.

This folklore aspect is connected to his background/that era as a lot of cultural Chinese artifacts are destroyed as well as suppression of traditional Chinese religion and traditions during the Cultural Revolution in the 1960s and other fun stuff. 👍

-

Backstory

The South China tiger used to be very prominent all over China, although by the time it was recorded it had recessed to the south part, in provinces like Guangdong, hence its name.

During the 1950s, as part of the Four Pests campaign, there was a targeted campaign to hunt down animals perceived as enemies/predators of the people. One of the animals that was targeted was the South China Tiger, and this tiger-hunting campaign dramatically reduced the South China Tiger’s numbers within only a few years.

The Four Pests campaign was part of the political movement of the Great Leap Forward… that ended up causing the Great Famine due to manmade causes including imbalance of the ecosystem, especially the widespread killing of sparrows, which resulted in uncontrolled crowds of lotuses descending on fields. The official name in Chinese has this timer period lasting three years, and there is debate by scholars on whether it ended in 1961/1962. Either way, the following facts still stand.

Xiang is born in 1962– the year of the Water Tiger. That is also when the Great Leap and accompanying Great Famine end, the latter being one of the most devastating manmade famines ever.

Xiang is the Tiger— or at least an aspect of it. But what his birth represents is more ambiguous. What is it? A second chance? A rebirth? The symbol of the last wild tiger remaining? The South China tiger has been functionally extinct in the wild for decades in present day— and YES that is why I choose this subspecies of tiger to begin with. This ‘extinct in the wild’ category ties into Xiang’s anger, fear, disgust and violent repulsion at the idea of being trapped or tamed.

It should be noted, however, that even though the South China tiger now only exists in conservation habitats there is recognition of the importance that they not be tamed. They are still wild animals, and there have been active programs to teach captive cubs how to hunt that have been successful.

His birth is a miracle— as in an unnatural act— and whether it is good or not depends on your point of view… just like the complex relationship tigers have to Chinese culture.

The tiger is used to symbolize danger/consequences/something bigger and more powerful than yourself in many idioms and sayings— but because of this it is also often something to be compared to positively/aspire to. There is this simultaneous reverence and fear of Tigers, and even now Chinese culture and society struggles with these conflicting views of the importance of tigers in culture vs the commercialization of them by the industry.

And if you’re interested as to how this conflict is resolved/ends… that is explored in his and 37’s story. ♥️ coming soon

[translationwala]

Navigating Language Barriers: Your Guide to English to Tamil Translation

Language obstacles can seem like impenetrable walls in a world that is becoming more and more linked. It can be hard for Tamil people to find their way around in a world where English is the main language for conversation, information, and even pleasure. Don’t worry, though, fellow Tamils! This blog will show you how to use English to Tamil translation to get past language obstacles and connect with people all over the world.

From Bazaar to Boardroom: Everyday Needs for Translation

Translation is needed in a lot of places, not just schools and businesses. Imagine having to figure out how to read a doctor’s prescription, fill out a complicated government form, or follow the steps on how to use your new smartphone—all in English. These everyday events show how important translation is for giving Tamil learners the tools they need to fully participate in modern life.

Beyond Words: Capturing the Nuances of Language

Translation is more than just switching words around. It’s about getting to the heart of the message while taking into account the tone, cultural references, and background. A good tool for translating from English to Tamil should be able to:

Adapt to Register: Formal business papers need to be written in a different way than casual chat. The seriousness of the wording should be picked up by the tool and changed as needed.

Embrace Idioms and Proverbs: Sometimes, literal versions of words make no sense or are even insulting. The tool should be able to find words and translate them correctly while keeping their cultural meaning.

Navigate Cultural References: People from Tamil Nadu might not understand references that are special to Western society. The tool should think about who it’s meant for and change it to fit, using Tamil cultural themes when it makes sense to do so.

Tech to the Rescue: A Toolbox of Translation Solutions

Thankfully, technology has come to our aid! Here’s a look at some popular English to Tamil translation options:

Machine Translation (MT) Tools: These websites let you translate text right away, which is helpful for quick jobs like reading news stories or other basic online material. MT tools may have trouble with complicated words, subtle language, or cultural references, though.

Human Translation Services: Professional translators know a lot about different cultures and languages, so they can translate important papers, legal contracts, and artistic content in a way that is correct and of high quality.

Hybrid Approaches: When you need both speed and accuracy, combining the accuracy of human editing with the speed of machine editing can save you money.

Choosing the Right Tool for the Job:

The best translation tool depends on your specific needs:

Complexity of the Text: Machine translation (MT) tools might be able to handle simple words well, but court papers that are more complicated might need to be translated by a professional.

Accuracy Requirements: Prioritize human translation or mixed methods if accurate and detailed translation is very important.

Budget and Time Constraints: MT tools are usually cheap and give you results right away. Human translation, on the other hand, may be more expensive but is more accurate.

The Future of English to Tamil Translation: Building Bridges of Understanding

Machine translation is always changing. In the future, advances in AI and natural language processing should make texts even more accurate and sensitive to different cultures. This has the huge potential to break down language boundaries and give Tamil users more power to make a bigger impact on the world stage.

In Conclusion:

English to Tamil Translation is no longer a nice-to-have, it’s a must-have for getting around in the modern world. You can easily bridge the language gap, get knowledge, and connect with the people around you if you know what you need and what tools are out there. Fellow Tamils, use the power of translation to make your voice heard!

Source: https://translationwala.wordpress.com/2024/01/30/navigating-language-barriers-your-guide-to-english-to-tamil-translation/

[tc-doherty]

Dialogue is my absolute most favorite things to write! I'm a talkative person so I just sort of follow my gut. Whenever I think it's been too long and no one has said anything (at a point in time where I personally would say something) I will include dialogue if I didn't already have some planned. I also do a lot of character thoughts, which I guess you could say is dialogue's cousin.

In order to write dialogue I think it's important to know what's wrong with your characters. What kind of things will they not say, even if the situation calls for it? What kinds of things will they say, even (or especially) if the situation does not call for it? How much do they try to control any given interaction that they're in? Or do they only do that in certain situations? How helpful are they, or how petty are they? How much do they try to avoid conflict? How likely are they to lie? That kind of thing.

I think it's human nature – or at the very least, it's my nature – to say a lot of things without actually saying much at all. Call it small talk if you will, but I think people are too sparing with dialogue a lot of the time. Writing advice will probably tell you to not include pointless dialogue but I think all dialogue has a point! And it doesn't seem very realistic for me for characters to only talk when they're actually exchanging useful information or solving problems. Talking about pointless stuff can be a great way to build chemistry between your characters because it's very human, and humans are social animals, and talking to one another is one of the ways that we reinforce group belonging. Everyone has to pick their own place on the tight rope for that, I will generally lean more towards dialogue than efficiency because I just enjoy writing it.

As for actual advice, I highly recommend reading your dialogue out loud. If you read it out loud you'll be able to find places where it might be stiff or unnatural. Of course, that's my advice for writing in general!

As for character voices, admittedly it's something that I'm always working on, but I think it's a good thing to keep in mind your character's "education level" if you will. I choose my wording and sentence structure based on the relative formality that my characters would be used to given whatever society they are part of. I think changing sentence structure is a very underutilized way of differentiating your characters, most people think about it for narration but not necessarily for dialogue. Also when and where you use things like idioms and slang, and even contractions, can say a lot. If you've ever studied another language, think about other sentence structures or quirks that you can use too!

If you're writing characters speaking a different language than their own, there are very easy things that you can do. Do they use articles? Do they use them too often or not often enough, do they use them in the right places? Maybe they have problems with past tense, or plurals, there are any number of small things! One of my Italian teachers in college could never say just "this" or "that" (as in, "I'll do that tonight"), she always said "this thing" or "that thing" and I thought it was cute, so I ended up giving it to a character of mine.

Even if you haven't studied any other languages and can't fall back on something like that, you can always pay attention to the people around you! Listen to what people say when you're at the supermarket or the park or whatever. Find interviews or documentaries to listen to, anything that will give you a wider variety of dialogue styles to reference. And of course, practice, practice, practice.

Today let’s talk about…

Dialogue!

How do you go about writing speech between characters?  Do you like writing dialogue?  What do you consider important in a conversation between characters?  How do you work on making character voices distinct?  Any advice on writing dialogue to share?

Taglist (ask to be +/-): @rydykg, @elgringo300, @13shadesofanni, @faithfire, @pluvia-b, @theres-bees-in-my-head

Writer’s Round-Table

[ignitification]

Heian Period - The When and The Why

In my brief comment on the Culling Game, I again noticed how Getwo makes references to the Heian Period, as a new era to come - and in addition, apparently a golden age for curses, the era where Jujutsu shined and where Sukuna triumphed. However, it is also assumed that The Three Big Vengeful Spirits (the ancestors of the three Big Clan of Jujutsu: Kamo, Zen'in and Gojo) were powerful sorcerers who lived in that era. Which brings me to this post, and to a shallow documentation of these characteristics, to answer the question: why is the World of Heian so important?

I.) Heian Period

Funnily enough, the Heian Period is described as an Era of Peace (as Heian 平安 - means peace), of the Japanese History, and it takes place  between years 794 and 1185 - in honour of the capital being moved to Kyōto. Basically every event/legend/folklore tale in here has some sort of relevance toward this city, as weird as it sounds. Furthermore, the Heian Era is a Golden Age, influencing the unique Japanese culture and shaping its art, literature and architecture (imported from the Chinese culture). However, different events and legends take place during this time.

II.) The Hyakki Yakō

Japanese folklore is full of mysticism, and Hyakki Yagyo or Yako (百鬼夜行 - Night Parade of One Hundred Demons) is one of its idioms. It’s the break between the human and supernatural world. However adapted to the JJK conditions, it’s way more literal and it’s the rampage created by Getou (breaking the seal on his own stored curses) releasing curses all over Kyoto and Shinjuku. It is almost ‘impossible’ to survive a Hyakki Hagyo, unless you have an ‘exorcism scroll’ written by an Onmyouji (paragraph V overviews Onmyouji). Origins of such a legend are quite uncertain - however. The first tales reporting such an event are all dated back (yes, you guessed it) the Heian Period. In particular two of the sources which report two different versions of the happening are the Uji Shui Monogatari (which dates back to the 13th century) and the Konjaku Monogatarishu (in which son of the Fujiwaras - very important folk during the Heian era - met hundred demon walking down the road. However, due to the presence of a writing on his clothes he remained unharmed). This last legend is dates back to around 859-877 of course makes reference to the Onmyouji exorcism practices. 

III.) Sukuna and Getwo

Sukuna Ryomen is a blatant reference to the mythical (?) figure of the homonym Ryomen Sukuna, who is said to be a deity (or better, a villain for some while a saviour for others) with two faces, four arms and legs. Sukuna is also associated with a bow and arrow, and a sword in his hands. However, this paragraph is more focused on the literal Jujutsu incarnation of Sukuna. Is it a coincidence that both Sukuna and the one taking Getwo’s body in possession (who yes, is Kamo Noritoshi, but at the same time he was possessed by the sorcerer of the Golden Age - Heian Era whose technique permitted him to stay intact as brain) have been alive for so long and that they are putting plans in motion at the same time? Well, as far as speculation goes my guess is that no, it’s not possible. Getwo wants another Heian Era - which reminds me of the fact that maybe this sorcerer (Brain-san) has survived til now experimenting and doing evil deeds, not deteriorating and living like a parasite. Could it be that there is a specific event taking place in this era (The same Yuuji being born suitably as a vessel) the trigger for Getwo to finally get on the move to put his plan? Or has he always been stringing the pieces along, creating Yuuji as a suitable vessel for Sukuna to regenerate and give space for Sukuna to rule again?

IV.) Curses and Clan origin - Sugawara Michizane (and referral to history)

It is known that Gojo and Yuuta are both descendants of Sugawara no Michizane, a figure that in JJK is a powerful sorcerer, but in Japanese history is a real politician, scholar and poet, living in the Heian era (845-903) and originally from Kyoto. Legend says that he, after death, returned from his grave to seek vengeance upon those who did him wrong during life and did not recognise his hard work. This has earned him the entry into the Three Great Onryo of Japan (日本三大悪妖怪). 

Now does this same sound somehow familiar? Well, it should.

As mentioned in the introduction of this post, the Three Big Vengeful Spirits are the ancestors of the three big Jujutsu clans, and Sugawara no Michizane is one of them - from which we can safely assume that the Nihon San Dai Onryo is indeed, a reality in JJK. This makes it easy to assess who the other two ancestors of the clans Kamo and Zen’in are: Taira no Masakado (?- 940) and Emperor Sutoku (1119-1164) - as they are the missing duo completing the legend of the Three Japanese Onryo. In particular, I find it believable that Sutoku-tenno is the ancestor of the Kamo clan (as his legend is linked to blood curses and just generally he is told to have bit his tongue off and to have written a curse against Japan with his own blood), while Taira no Masakado should be the ancestor of the Zen’in clan. However, it is very interesting to note how all three rotate inside and around Kyoto, as after their death they are said to be cursing mainly their land, which is Kyoto for all three of them. It goes without saying that all three lived during the Heian period. 

V.) Onmyodo

While doing my research onto Japanese history, I stumbled upon the practice of Onmyodo, which I have never heard of before. While reading about it, I noticed that some things were eerily familiar and then I understood why. Well, for starters Onmyodo means literally The Way of Yin and Yang and is a ‘system’ involving science, astronomy, divination and magic among other. Those who practiced this system were called Onmyouji, and they used to be civil servants. Practically, they were specialists in usage of magic and divination and they were to execute different court responsibilities such as protection from evil spirits. Now, this is where it gets interesting: Onmyouji were said to be able to control shikigami (the belief of the shikigami in general derives from Onmyodo). And even more, it was during the Heian Period that nobility used to even organise their lives around practices which were recommended by onmyouji. This system had a particular relevance during the Heian period, but fell out of practice when the imperial court fell. These figures were later labelled as occultist and occult priests. Insignificant as it might be, the onmyouji might be a sort of inspiration for jujutsu sorcerers in general, and their abilities in modern society to fend off curses. 

[ziracona]

Can you elaborate on the whole the needs of the many spock philosophy like how it's wrong or not always correct and has influenced nerd culture I'm interested since you brought it up

I can do my best.

It’s a famous line from The Wrath of Khan, which is spoken several times, most memorably at the end when Spock sacrifices himself to save the crew. That line became wildly popular, though, people ignore in the sequel, the crew ruin their lives to bring him back, and the central message is “The needs of the one outweigh the needs of the many,” with even Spock later agreeing that, while not logical, it’s a deeply human sentiment, and not one that is incorrect either, and chooses it himself to save Chekov.

The only one that remained in popular conscious was the original (ironically the same fate many idioms suffer, such as the way people say “Blood is thicker than water” as a way to say family means more than other relationships, when in reality the full saying was “The blood of friendship is thicker than the water of the womb,” meaning the exact opposite of its common usage today).

Speaking on philosophy, I can’t say with cosmic approval that the whole ‘sacrificing the one for the many’ is wrong, exactly. That’s how morals and philosophy work. Humans create them to make them exist. We make justice and right and wrong and force them on the world, to be human. I know what I believe, and I thoroughly believe I am right, but I am sure so do people who wouldn’t agree, though that doesn’t make them right, or us both right, necessarily. But I do mean to acknowledge that, by nature, I can’t have the Word of God, in narrative terms, on what is and is not a correct moral stance. I might like to play Justice in a tarot deck, as it were, but I am not Judgement. It’s not good to blindly follow anyone’s opinions, and we have to do the best we can with life as we experience it, decisions as we reach them, and ethics without all the certainty we would like, based off of what we do know, and the best we can do.

That said, I stand firm that I am not wrong about this. While the films themselves and their reception probably factor in too, the big reason that quote was so wildly popular, and still is, especially in nerd culture, I postulate, is because of western culture as it has developed, and the intellectual superiority inherent in a lot of circles of nerd culture. At its core, the idea the many are worth more than the few or the one is a heartless and inhuman philosophy, and only can be. People have things like the trolley problem, questioning whether it’s right to change the outcome of an event so only one person who would otherwise have lived, dies, and three who would have died survive. At its heart, agreeing to those all circle you back to human sacrifice. If people are just numbers, there’s nothing ethically wrong with stabbing a virgin to death on an alter for good crops. It’s for the benefit of the whole to feed a few a year to the monster in the harbor, rather than have it attack and the whole town be in jeopardy. In modern life, that same philosophy translates pretty directly to stuff like the American approach to handling Covid, with so many companies, politicians, and people in power suggesting it’s just worth it to let our elders, disabled, and sickly die, for the economy to flourish, and the personal lives of the healthy to be not so diminished. Into things like eugenics, for the ‘betterment’ of the population in countable things like function in society, physical ability, health.

It translates into an individual being right to be sacrificed, so long as the outcome can be justified as the ‘greater good.’ Which is a murky and slidable concept at best, ‘greater good,’ and it becomes easy, if you try, to justify anything. To bomb innocent people on another country to avert chances of being bombed yourself, to shoot someone who could have been armed to drop the statistical chance of them opening fire on someone. That’s a big part of western culture and late-stage capitalism, and cultural self-righteousness, and a kind of cuthroat survival-of-the-fittest approach too. And it’s not very human. Basic morality, most would agree, begins at recognizing you’re not in the world alone, and we have a duty to try and respect that. Take no harm, do no harm. That’s not entirely possible, but it’s a worthy goal, and when you start considering people acceptable losses, in violence or negligence, you lose what made your community a community at all. Anthropologists consider the first sign of civilization having begun, to be a species using resources to keep elderly, sick, or injured alive past when nature would have taken them out. If, to borrow Sir Terry Pratchett’s phrasing, humans are this incredible wonder arising where the falling Angel meets the rising Ape, we are defined by humanity, or our lack of it. We need certain things to be human, and one of those has always been, even scientifically defined, empathy and community, even when illogical. Because we place value on the individual and on connections, not just productivity and net gains. If people become only numbers to a system, by definition that system has already become one not worth preserving, because it doesn’t protect or care for a single individual under its reign. It only protects numbers. And a system for the health of statistics first can’t be one that is used for the health of humans.

Nerd culture isn’t all bad, but a lot of facets are very self-important, and faux-intellectual. Especially since a lot of people move to nerd culture out of a sense of isolation, too many turn that loneliness into a sense of self-importance, not empathy for other people who are alone. And this idea that individuals should be sacrificed for the greater good makes sense looked at only as numbers, and if you can convince yourself you are too important to be the one being left behind, and there is some rightness in it, it feels powerful. And for a lot of people in power, that’s the way it really is. Throwing the weak to the wolves won’t ever really hurt you, or your own, if you are rich and powerful. It’s the people, who get hurt. While I absolutely believe we have a responsibility to other humans, even when it comes to putting ourselves in danger for them if they are in danger too, and self-sacrifice can be a noble thing, that’s a far cry from thinking it should be demanded people be ready to die or cut others lose, if it supports some bigger goal or bottom line. In truth, human life is a big complicated mess, and very few things can hold true every time.

I guess my bottom line being. If a world or a system considers everyone interchangeable, and none of individual value, secondary to the system and it’s goals itself, it has failed. If it goes too far the other way, and considers all individual freedoms, no matter how minute, more important than the collective good, it has also failed. A lot of western culture right now somehow manages to hit the bad side of both those ends of the spectrum at the same time. It’s a nice sounding line, and it’s true on some occasions, but so is the opposite. Unfortunately, you really only see much of it, in western media, anyway. Lots of stories have events like Life is Strange’s end basically trying to guilt the player into tossing Chloe in a volcano to placate a storm god before it destroys a town, as if it is fair to ask a teenager to die to stop something out of her control. It’s not that that’s a clear cut problem, or anything, but it’s really unfair to frame it as THE good/right thing to do, which it almost always is framed as, and it is so wildly rare to see something like the end of Last of Us, with the protagonist effectively screwing everyone in an apocalypse so his daughter won’t have to die.

I’m not sure how to phrase it quite right. I think a big part of it is, with human culture, we’ve had human sacrifice almost everywhere on the planet in some form, in our histories, and in ways we still do. But historically, there’s a massive difference in how that’s done. Some places killed slaves, or babies, or citizens selected at random, and took their lives to appease gods. And some cultures, there was an understood responsibility for the king or chief that if your people fell into ruin, you were expected to end your own life as a sacrifice. And those are such different concepts. One takes, often unwillingly, the most vulnerable members of society, and sacrifices them for the benefit of a machine they did not agree to participate in on such a level. And the other willingly extracts a price in times of need, from someone at the helm of a system, who signed on to such a responsibility. I think that distinction, who is asked to suffer and who gets to benefit from that sacrifice, is often lost in consideration, when it’s fundamental. And beyond that, humans are meant to be a little bit selfish. If we don’t love our mother or our spouse or best friend or child more than a stranger, if signing on to a connection with someone and sharing so much of your brief lifetime together doesn’t assign them more significance in your heart and life than everyone else, what’s the point? Damn right I’d save my sister before someone else. I should. You should pick yours if you have one over me.“I don’t think your girlfriend is more important than the whole world” “she is to me!” really was a line, back in the day. It’s hard, decisions and everything in life, but if it isn’t, you’re not doing it right. I don’t think any rule can really fit a situation like sacrifice every time as the right or wrong one, but it’s not supposed to. We are beings of connection, made up of memories and feelings and choices. Our lives are defined by our connections and our senses of self, and philosophy and society can’t be divorced from those things, without being divorced from humanity too. We all have a right to live. Not just when it’s more beneficial to everyone that we do.

Obviously I have my own ethical and social leanings, but I think it’s fair to say at least, and well outside of my more specific beliefs, if you cut people down to just numbers listed alongside everyone else’s, you lose humanity, and you shouldn’t make choices about or for people, that excludes considering them as individual humans. Almost all horrible things humans do to each other begin at dehumanizing the other person or people. If you’re the only one you give truly human significance to, or you and your own, it quickly becomes easy to justify almost anything.