#the pattern of memories for the two

[celestialiron]

@betherfly98 I need you to read this & tell me this isn’t them coded?! 😭🥹 seeing as you’re basically my beta reader 🤣

I’m legit crying, this was a great read after my rehearsal!

I’m obsessed, this is fantastic! You wrote Kira soooooo well, you’ve done her so much justice! 👏 My baby has grown & it definitely shows here, I love everything about it & more! 🥹🩵🩵🩵

Writing Request: OC x Donnie Past Mementos 🗝️

Choo-choo, I'm a chug-chug-chugging down this request train, next up we got @celestialiron with their OC, Kira, and Mr. Donatello himself.

From now until the poll closes, if you can prove to me that you voted Hassan/Mikey in this poll then I will do any short story writing request like the one below or draw you any doodle of your choosing!

ᴰᶦˢᶜˡᵃᶦᵐᵉʳ: ᴵ ᵃᵐ ⁿᵒᵗ ᶦⁿ ᵃⁿʸʷᵃʸ ᵃˢˢᵒᶜᶦᵃᵗᵉᵈ ᵒʳ ᵉⁿᵈᵒʳˢᵉᵈ ᵇʸ ᵗʰᵉ ᶜᵒᵐᵖᵉᵗᶦᵗᶦᵒⁿ ᵒʳ ᶦᵗˢ ᶜᵒⁿᵗᵉˢᵗᵃⁿᵗˢ.

Sweet, established all ages relationship doting below:

"Alrighty!" Donnie heaved another box out from an overstuffed closet and set it on the floor. "I believe with that, we have excavated all the fossils you have been storing."

"Thanks for your help." Kira responded where she was looking through a box.

"Give and take, my darling!" He chirped and danced around the plethora of boxes. "You helped me tidy my lab and I'm obliged to help with cleaning of your own."

"We're looking for photographs." She reminded him.

"Yes, of course." He was very clearly not convinced. "Totally not getting rid of some of these old and unnecessary artifacts."

She quieted and sent him a look as she held a letter to her chest.

A letter he had written.

One that was only a few lines when he had given her a wrench set after he found she only had one adjustable one.

It was a scrawl about how hers was unsuitable.

It was more.

Just like him, whenever he was cold, it was always calculated. He was both startlingly honest, but also self conscious to a fault. The two personality traits were often at odds with each other, but she had long seen through them. She had watched his tangible growth from meeting him to dating him and these mementos represented each step he had taken in loving her.

She cherished them as much as him.

"Shall I start on a box over here?" He prattled off as he sensed his mistake.

"Sure. Anything that looks like old family photos." She tucked the letter amongst other leaflets and continued her search.

"I hope to find some of your baby pictures before you do."

"Donnie!" She protested though her tail swayed with affection.

He caught the move and felt he had rectified the situation as he opened a container.

For a short time, they fell into a groove of shuffling articles.

Then Donnie snorted a single sharp time.

Kira was reading an old supplies list from The Fiery Troupe when he ear twitched in his direction.

He said nothing more, but she felt compelled to glance.

He sat there waiting with a key chain dangling from his fingers.

"You still have this?" He tried to keep his guffaw down.

"Of course!" She tried to snatch it from him, but he held it higher.

"This is junk! It's embarrassing! I bought this for you...!" His eyes darted. "Oh...!" He wilted with the memory. "Before we started dating. I don't know why I thought this would impress you. Some random bauble in comparison to your beauty!"

The word junk hit her swiftly.

His thoughts on the time being embarrassing struck her next.

Is that what he thought of their early years?

They had never really discussed it in that way.

For her those were precious memories.

She had finally began to emerge from her shell and learn that the world had joy once again. Where he was ashamed of this trinket, she had kept it safe in this box with the rest of her memories. The day he had given it to her was precious. She had friends prior, but Donatello had always held a special place in her heart. She had fumbled her friendship with him early on, but they had only grown stronger for it. Him buying her this gift, some key chain or not, was representative of that foundation.

She was worthy.

He would be there.

He was making light of her memories again.

The thought chilled to the the point that her tail came swishing around her folded legs.

He should have known.

He should have known that was all she had.

For everything she had suffered, each one of these items grounded her. They reminded her there was more. From the inside jokes coded into group messages to birthday cards, they were tangible forms of the times she had. In many ways, they were the final existence of happier times and knowing that not everything was doomed, that there had been pockets of joy, had helped keep her going more than once.

She stood straight up with her eyes on the floor.

"Kira...?" She felt Donnie shift where he was still on the ground.

She shot him a single look.

She refused to let the tears fall.

She saw it in his face.

They sharpened her icy glare.

In a single glance she sent him all her displeasure with his attitude before she turned and ran.

"Kira!"

He screamed out after her, but she was in motion.

He could catch her.

It was his trackers and goggles.

She also long knew enough to evade them.

When she needed to tuck into peace.

When she fell back on old habits that kept her safe.

She ran.

She needed that moment to herself.

That moment to breathe.

Twisting far from the apartment and doubling back to confuse his sensors, she broke through one empty building out out multiple hallways until she found an alcove that was easy to miss. This was it.

A dirty decrepit room that was perfect.

She slunk inside and curled up with her tailed tucked around her.

When she was young she would hold it if she could get a grip on it.

A soothing mechanism, just as this was.

Self isolation to keep one safe.

If she was alone then no one could leave her. If she was here then she couldn't know something else inevitably got hurt. If she stayed then she would never have to deal with that burden.

She would be shielded.

She sank into her own fur and her own scent.

There was Donnie there.

Her scent was not longer fully her own.

It hadn't been in years.

Cohabitation and trading products.

Sleeping in bed and early morning cuddles.

Long days hold one another.

Notes of flowers from her shop.

The bitter essence of medicinal herbs.

Donatello.

He was as much a part of her as those memories.

He was etched not into her fur, but her skin.

He was more than just that keychain.

He was more than her thoughts.

She carried him.

She hiccuped on the thought.

She carried him in her heart.

Just as she did all her loved ones.

She unfurled for a breath.

Time changed her too.

Long ago she used to disappear for weeks on end when she ran.

That shortened to days.

Which shortened to a few hours.

She wasn't sure how long it had been this time, but it as at least the same day.

She didn't feel better, but she did feel like going back.

Back to her home.

Back to her memories.

Back to her heart.

She wondered if she could get away with it, she wondered as she got onto her paws. She sort of hoped he might let her little outburst slide so she wouldn't have to burden him. They could quietly carry on in searching for the photos and he wouldn't bring up trashing her belongings again. They'd have a nice dinner and that would be good enough. They would move on and he would carry that this was not a territory she wanted trifled with.

That was progress and she crept long the hallway.

Etchings on the walls greeted her as she passed.

They were memories of their own of when this building was more.

Eviction notices and graffiti.

Tales of hiding away and trying to disappear.

They weren't healthy reminders.

There was a difference, she decided as she got out into the open air.

The mementos she kept were ones that brought about happy memories. She didn't keep the ones that brought about ilk. It might have been hard from someone outside the sphere of her head to notice that and she could acknowledge that was something she forgot. The two of them moved with such cohesion these days, she forgot Donnie couldn't read her mind.

He was being his usually dry, sarcastic self.

He had said that thing about being compared to her beauty.

Her cheeks were warm as she returned to their apartment.

It was a drop down and she expertly slipped through the window she had fled from.

It was still open.

It was her invitation.

Waiting for her to return.

Please come back; I'm here.

She only looked up from the dim bedroom to see something very obviously laying on the ground in the doorway. She padded over to it with a tilting head and found it to be an old Run of the Mill leaflet. She had grabbed it from her first trip to the restaurant with the brothers to remember the night they had all gone out.

She immediately spied something else.

Another memento, this time from a few months after the pizza place for a play Mikey had helped out in.

She had highlighted his name in the program so she would never forget who she had gone there for.

There was more.

A photo was next, one from one of those overpriced booths.

Everyone had piled it and most of pictures were blurry, but she adored them.

The trail continued.

It was a walk through her relationship with Donatello.

The memories conjured were a step wise process.

She was getting closer to him as she collected bits and soon found the keychain laying propped up with a new origami heart. When she turned it over, it had been stamped with the date along with a note that said 'the day Donnie apologized yet again.'

She puffed a watery laugh at that before continuing on.

She wound through their apartment and found all the boxes were cleaned and stowed.

She had a feeling who was at the end of it all, but she let herself move slowly through first dates and first kisses.

Their hearts drew closer and closer, until she was nearing the kitchen and Donnie ducked a little too obviously behind the counter.

There were only a few more pieces.

A cute napkin from a place that had crepes.

A program from a dine and watch movie.

Last week when she perfectly peeled a sticker off a package that Donnie had ordered.

It was innocuous, but it was cute.

It was stuck to her finger when she rounded the counter.

He didn't bother getting up and instead was bowed down in apology. "Kira."

"It's okay..." She moved to meet him.

"No." He cupped around her hand and mementos. "You've never made fun of what was important to me. I shouldn't have done that to you. I just... hate thinking about how I used to be. So dramatic."

She gave him a sly look that said he still was.

He gave a guilty grin before he softened. "What you've collected is amazing. Things I barely remember. Things I don't know if they mean anything, I don't think I even got everything that suitably represents us, but I did my best to construct our timeline. I'm glad we did it. Every second."

She nodded and the weepy nature was back, but she was trying to shake it free.

He pulled her close. "I'm sorry."

"Thank you."

"I found the photos too. They're on the counter."

Kira chuckled. "Good."

"Do you...?"

He didn't continue and she looked up at him.

"... still want to make more... with me, I mean?"

"Always." She told him with full certainty and leaned up to meet him in a kiss.

[daily-teki]

Day 154: DTIYS! ((Which is kinda a late day 150 but shhh))

Alts under the cut ^^

[tea-cat-arts]

I'm willing to at least hear out most of the "xyz plot point is heavily tied to abc cultural context" brands of posts but the "wwx isn't meant to be read as morally gray" and "the western fandom made up Sizhui being wangxian's son" brands of post make me feel like my cultural ignorance is being used to gaslight me

[itshomobirb]

2 memories i feel like sharing, & some backstory context: so my ass has been spayed, and healthy people take 6-8 weeks to fully recover from getting spayed. i, chronically ill, took longer. as with any abdominal surgery, they told me "no lifting over 10lb u could tear ur stitches." and for reference, my cats are 12 lb wonders.

so im chilling in bed. ~4 weeks after surgery. and my mother starts SCREAMING my name. like "OH MY GOD BORB COME IN HERE NOW QUICK QUICK HURRY OH GOD." so i do, albeit slowly because, you know, still recovering from major surgery. she's freaking out about one of my cats, who looks entirely normal. oh but he ~suddenly stopped~ and ~twisted his body~ i don't know if he's going to be ok. one mother panic attack and one emergency vet visit later (with my mother's help bc i couldn't lift my cat due to lifting restrictions) : he had flea dirt on his hind legs. he was twisting around to lick around his arse. cool 👍 (ofc my mother, on the ride back from the vet, tried to tell me NOT to give the kids flea meds, she doesn't know what kind of ~health ramifications~ flea meds can have if *gasp* the kids don't actually have fleas)

around the same time period, i get woken up by my mother screaming "HELP HELP HELP!!" the first day it happens, she stops within ~15 seconds, and i hear my parents talking before i fall back asleep. find out later the mechanism for moving the window panels up & down in the bathroom broke, so the top panel had trapped her fingers a la guillotine style. my parents joke "well borb if you hear your mother screaming... her fingers are probably trapped 😂." can you guess what happens next. my father was gone the next day, and guess who got her fingers trapped AGAIN by the bathroom window. so i get woken up by her screaming, and i have to help dislodge the window around her bare naked ass. and sure, i have sympathy because i bet it was really painful. but like. are you fucking stupid. my father had to literally childproof the window by installing a screw so the guillotine panel would catch against the other panel so fingers wouldn't get trapped. just so my mother wouldn't get her fingers trapped again. we all knew that if it wasn't there, she would 1000% get her fingers trapped again. but *im* supposedly the incompetent fuck up that NEEDS to be told exactly what to do just in case i, idk, have an independent thought.

[cultivating-wildflowers]

brought two projects to the knitting/crochet circle last night: the sweater I've been working on at church and a blanket I put down in February for some reason and have been too embarrassed to get back to.

friends.

I had nine rows left on the blanket.

[aria0fgold]

No more memories left to look through

A person with bright hair stood blankly in front of the shelves, they held an open book, one that they wanted to read through for a bit before deciding to buy. But somehow, like a lightbulb going out, its mind was plunge into the depths of an eternal darkness. It felt as though their entire identity was slipping, memories they knew was just there moments ago were fading far too fast for them to grasp. What was it doing here again?

“Hey…?”

Someone tapped its shoulder, causing them to flinch, the eye on its back opened just as they turned around to face the person beside them. It was a lady with silver hair.

“You okay? You've been standing there for awhile.”

It stared at her for a few moments and then looked back at the book it was holding, then back to the lady, its mind feels so empty but it can somewhat remember that they went to this store to buy a book. Right, they traveled to Ka Bue for a visit, then they went to this store to buy a book.

“Ah… yes! Thank you for asking, m'lady!” It made a small bow as they smiled at her. That's what Lord Joséphandre would do, right? But why did it think like that?

Something is missing… And that needs to be filled.

“M-m'lady huh…?” The lady chuckled, a bit awkwardly with a mixture of amusement too, “There's no need to be THAT polite. You can call me Odette! And you?”

“I'm—” . . .

. . .

What is… their name?

. . .

I can't… remember my name…

Why can't I… remember… my name…?

. . .

It looked around, to the shelves lined with books, to the book they held on its hands, and yet no matter what they do, they can't remember its own name. With furrowed eyebrows and a slight frown on their lips, they looked back to Odette who now wore a confused and concerned expression on her face.

“Ah… Apologies Lady Odette but I can't seem to remember my name after all…”

“Is… is that so? Are you really okay?” She seemed to be taken aback by the title again.

They closed their eyes, although the eyes on its chest and back stayed open. It was an action to mimic thinking deeply, something they used to be able to do before adding another pair of eyes to its body.

When was that however?

They can't remember.

“Hmm…” They opened their eyes again, they don't need to as the eyes on their face are blind, perhaps they wanted to appear as friendly as possible, or as polite as can be, or perhaps… something is wrong… It doesn't know what, it feels as though their identity is being rewritten the more the seconds pass. “I might still be sleepy after all… Well, nothing to be too concerned about Lady Odette!”

“Ahaha… You sure are polite, aren't you?”

“Thank you! Ah! Right, are you here for something by these shelves too? My sincerest apologies if I were on your way.”

“Oh no, it's just, I noticed you pick up that book. It's one of the best philosophy books there is, in fact, a certain friend of mine and I are still on opposing debates about its topics.” Odette spoke with a slight glimmer to her eyes before she paused, “…And also, your hair… somehow reminded me of something… I can't seem to remember what it is now though.”

The person with bright hair looked back to the book again, they remember reading this moment's ago, a philosophy book in regards to Craft, written in Ka Bue's language. They studied a bit of its language before coming here yet it seemed that there are still many unfamiliar words written on the book. Right… they remembered seeing such words and wanted to study some more of the language with the help of this book as motivation.

“This book… Truth be told, Lady Odette… I can't actually understand it!” They chuckled, “I was hoping to study more until I could, although it appears that you know quite a lot about it, if it isn't too much of a bother, may I borrow some more of your time for a chat about the topics of this book accompanied with some snacks and tea on the side perhaps? My treat of course!”

“Well, I can't possibly turn down a free meal! Although…” Odette smiled and turned to the shelves beside them, “How about I pick up some more books for you too, I know some interesting books here! As payment for the meal.”

“Hahaha! So long as I pay for it! It wouldn't be a free meal then if something of monetary value is exchanged!”

“Hah! That's fair. Alright, I'll just choose then.”

The person with bright hair smiled, they'd worry about its blank mind later. It'll be alright, the ________ leads, we follow... What was it that leads though...? Where did I get that saying from again...? . . . Well! Whatever! It'll be fine!

Soleil snippet during that time The Country disappeared ft. Odette by @gilfodile !

[cabeswaterdrowned]

so 😕 about how Tessa has all these moments in internal monologue about how deep down she’s always known Aunt Harriet making excuses for Nate wasn’t right and that he didn’t deserve all they both did to coddle him and that she always compartmentalized to see him as a good older brother, and how that’s all come to the surface now she knows he was willing to sell her out (though not the full scope of that) but then when Mortmain comes she still instinctively doesn’t tell Nate and goes instead ‘to protect him’ ugh. Like it feels so real as a depiction of a woman internalizing societal norms even though part of her is aware…

[nexus-nebulae]

love watching weather science videos but like. why am i 1000x more interested in tornadoes over hurricanes. they're both spinning air

[doctorwhoisadhd]

what is it with torchwood and "secret conspiracy to control the entire world blah blah anti semitism" plotlines .

[probablygayattorneys]

Actually, though, I am really excited about the new Layton game, not just because of the essence of the thing, but for a really stupid personal reason, and that being that it breaks from it's similarities with Ace Attorney.

I have not been secretive, in the slightest, about how much I hated AA 5&6. I think they were awful games and that the series is worse for their existence in the canon. And as I move into Layton, the structure of the games has terrified me, because I've seen the four DS games/two 3DS games with two different spinoff series structure before, and while I wouldn't say I'm superstitious, exactly, I'm aware of patterns and I have not been able to shake this almost paralyzing fear that the same thing was going to happen, that I was going to replay these four games that I used to love and then I was going to play the 3DS games and be left with nothing but a hollow mockery of what used to matter.

But that's not what's going to happen. Now there's going to be a seventh game. Will it be good? Maybe, maybe not. Without Akira Tago, it's possible it won't be. And I was hoping for more content with Kat and Alfendi, and from what little we've seen, it seems that's not the timeline that we're dealing with. BUT... it's going to exist. And that's what matters.

Maybe 5&6 will still disappoint me, when I get there. Maybe I will still feel the way I do about AA. But just the fact that there's going to be a 7... It's breaking that mold. I don't feel like it's cursed to be a disappointment. I'm not so scared anymore.

[itsalwaysdark]

i wish i had an exact copy of myself. sigh

[pceexistsinthevoid]

biannual* cyst in earlobe event is happening and even after having experienced enough of these i still haven't gotten over the strong desire to just take a sewing needle to it. and this time it's worse cause i have a drs appointment in a couple weeks so i can't even take my fingernails to it and get some of this energy out lest i have to deal with their fucking judgement at the scab. hell.

[gaypirate420]

Kaleidoscope // Viktor

S2!Viktor x gender neutral!reader.

Summary: You're staring at his eyes.

Fluff. Spoilers!!!!

Viktor stares at his hand, that purple flowing and metallic skin. He just healed? Cured? an addict from the undercity, his mismatched pupils look up.

At you.

You followed behind when he left Jayce's lab, you were too determined and he didn't fight as hard as he wanted, in other times he would tell you to stay with Jayce, stay safe. He didn't keep you away from the Hexcore without reason, but he couldn't fight, as much as his mind was screaming at him, he just nodded monotonously after a couple of pleas.

Your eyes meet his, you sit down in front of him, whimpering slightly, after the explosion of the Council left you with an injured leg.

His eyes dart back down, he could just reach out and you wouldn't be in pain anymore but he closes his fingers and lowers his hand to his lap. He needs to understand a little more about this new... identity of his before he even attempts to touch you in any sort of way, he doesn't want to risk it. Sky disappeared in front of him like dust in the wind, he can't do that to you.

You smiled softly. His furrowed eyebrows soften.

"How are you feeling?" You asked with a soft whisper. He sighs, his eyes don't leave yours, in one hand he isn't feeling pain, that ache, that little needle-like sensation that infested his leg and back since he had memory. But on the other hand, he doesn't feel much, he isn't scared but also not happy, he isn't completely aware of what is happening but he is not mindless.

You keep looking at him, that smile doesn't falter and that is comforting. You're not scared of him not even after what you just saw.

"I don't know." He answers, there's a small shiver down your back, his speech pattern has changed, it's slow and monotone but there's some sparkles of emotions in it, it's not like he has talked much for you to completely understand yet.

You nod at his words, God you were so patient with him, always have been.

Your eyes don't leave his, the amber eyes he held are nowhere to be found, now a duller color replaces them but there's this drop of cyan, maybe crimson at times that moves around the two irises.

"Is there something wrong?" He asks, you shake your head.

"Nothing wrong, Vitya. I'm just looking at your eyes." You speak softly, scooting a little closer towards him.

Vitya.

His lips twitch ever so slightly, yes he is your Vitya, at least he thinks he is and you don't seem to look at him any differently, there's still that deep affection in your eyes, of course there is worry in your gaze, but the devoted love remains.

"What's with them?" He speaks again.

"They're different..." You whispered as you leaned your face closer. He doesn't move, he remembers the feeling, after years of being with you his heart still went wild when you approached, but now it's dull, but it's there. He knows it is, it's just a little distant, just in the tip of his fingers.

"Like- copper...but...there's this- bleeding of color.." You whispered as your eyes fixated on his, you were so close. Your breath against his face, lips near that beauty mark you loved to kiss.

"Like a kaleidoscope." You whispered, you didn't pull away, you missed having him so close. Viktor nods at your words, he hasn't seen himself fully yet.

You two stare at each other for a couple of seconds. Your hand hesitantly reaches up and cups his face, muscle memory is a hell of a thing, he immediately nuzzles his face against your hand. It's familiar yet he feels like this is the first time touching you.

He feels you. Not just your gentle hand or soft skin, you. It's a different kind of touch, like he's touching your soul, your very being.

You contain your excitement. He is still there. You smiled softly. His eyes flutter as he feels a faint sensation of your lips against his beauty mark.

He stays silent. It was dull, like a ghost touched him yet like every star in the sky placed a kiss upon his face.

"Will you do that again, please?" He whispers, meeting your eyes once more.

A/N: (Divider) Hiiii, hope you like this, I wasn't sure about writing something so fast, but I needed to get rid of the feeling. I loved Act 1, it was worth staying up til 5 am, Viktor has bewitched my soul completely, I don't have a lot of opinions, just questions, I'm going to wait until the whole season is over to talk about it and the characters. Enjoy the fic! Send requests please.

[puppetmaster13u]

So Vlad turned out giving almost octopus or vampire squid vibes lol. Couldn't get the right effects properly but I feel like he lights up like a red nebula or supernova of sorts in warning. Goes from pitch black to a crimson galaxy.

Danny looks very regal but I will say the angle hides his mouth, akin to a blackhole. With teeth. Very sharp teeth. I also like to think asteroids, meteors, etc get caught in his movement and follow him like schools of fish. For fun.

@puppetmaster13u You called Danny a space whale in the tags of one of this post.

Now what if that was literal?

Hear me out, Danny outlives his friends, parents, sister. Danny becomes a literal whale.

Well, not a literal one because he's a ghost, but he takes the shape one of at the very least. He's just a giant, glowing white whale that looks pretty divine not going to lie.

Danny leaves earth. It wasn't safe for him anymore, what with the GIW and all that as even the ghosts found it not even worth anymore to visit the mortal world.

Except for Desiree and Spectra, but that's besides the point.

But Danny doesn't retreat to the zone, he's always longed for space, but because of his new half humanness he doesn't get believe he could've ever gone because, well. Yea.

But Danny goes fuck it and goes anyway. His form shifts from human to that of a giant whale, and he swims out into the vastness of space.

Years pass, and Danny does start getting bigger as he aged. He explored the vastness of space, marveling at many things, the different planets, the stars, the formations of rock and other things.

Then he encounters someone he never though he would've.

Vlad.

Well, he knew Vlad was left behind in space by his father but he didn't think he would find him again and Vlad seemed... different, from what he remembered.

For one thing, he didn't even know where Vlad began and space ended. He got only see those red eyes that even hinted at it being the man. His body was void black and filled with stars upon stars, all glittering from his body and Vlad barely even seemed to notice him, or if he did, he didn't seem to care at all.

So, Danny took him.

He was both curious and felt a bit bad about what happened to Vlad, even if he didn't know exactly what happened, and he couldn't just leave him there either.

So on his back Vlad went, and his travels continued.

It seemed to be the correct decision, really, because slowly overtime Vlad seemed to be regaining his awareness. Then slowly, tentatively, started to speak with him through ghost speak.

Vlad only seemed to vaguely remember what he was before space. He remembered hating a man, loving a woman, wanting a son, loneliness and a boy with white hair and toxic green eyes.

Even though Vlad was his former enemy, his nemesis, and someone who took the world hostage.

He couldn't help but feel pity for him.

Then their travels continued.

Years pass unnoticed, when in space, with Danny slowly getting bigger and bigger as the two travel throughout. They've come into contact with various civilizations, some hostile, some peaceful, some neutral.

The hostile ones never lasted long, even if Danny never lifted a flipper to do anything most of the time, Vlad made sure of it.

They came at went as they pleased, and Danny believes that they've gained a bit of a reputations over their adventures, but neither he nor Vlad knew exactly what they said. It did prove useful in some cases, however.

A few more years, and Danny feels that this system is vaguely familiar. Which happens sometimes, considering he's been travelling for so long. He then finds out why it was so familiar.

He came across Earth and, oh. When was the Earth so small?

Well, not small really, but when was he just only a bit smaller than it?

Did it shrink when he was away? Or did he just grow?

That doesn't matter though. What does, is the fact that currently seemed to be an invasion going on, on his home planet thank you very much. He did not like the fact that there was a massive fleet parked right outside his home.

So he spoke to Vlad, expressed his displeasure, Vlad responded back knowingly and went off to make the source of his displeasure disappear. That doesn't Danny was idle either, the fleet was big and, well.

It's been a while since he's stretched himself in a fight.

[astronomalyy]

Thinking about the lifespans of Dungeon Meshi elves... The fact that they're completely unnatural alters my brain chemistry, because you can tell just how haphazardly the demon implemented their wish. They live five times the length of tall-men, so they age at a fifth of their rate. It's simple maths and the implications are terrifying. No wonder their birth rate and population are declining - their early development is so slow that at the age of two, they're still unable to stand.

They don't reach adulthood until their eighties. What does the infant mortality look like? How many elves succumb to illness or injury before they're fully mature? It only takes one accident to lose the child you've been raising for decades - and could you bring yourself to care for another? Add to that the implication elf culture has no idea how to process grief... just look at the way the Canaries treat Rin after the death of her parents. They're callous and insensitive and detached - part of that's racism, but there's also an element of pure cold ignorance. They don't even recognise the emotion on her face.

And that's just scratching the surface... does elven memory accommodate their extended lifespan? Once you reach two hundred or so, do the years start blurring together? Kabru mentions that their temporal awareness is remarkably poor.

Two years feel like a few months. Their lives are longer but not fuller. They're older but not wiser than the short-lived races, and most refuse to understand this. Those that do grasp it are interesting - namely Otta, who's ostracised for pursuing half-foot women.

A 30-year old elf is a young child; a 30-year old half-foot has entered middle age. Otta is in the equivalent of her late twenties. She knows that her elven lifespan makes her no more mature than a half-foot - but she also acknowledges that it creates a rift between herself and her partners, and not just in the eyes of society. 'She dumps them as soon as they pass 30', but probably not for the reasons Lycion assumes. For this to be a pattern, decades must have passed - it's possible Otta doesn't want to watch them die as she herself barely ages. No doubt some of her previous lovers have already passed away. In the end, all living 400 years accomplishes is leaving them out of sync with the rest of humanity.

Marcille's perhaps the best example. As a half-elf, she's got 95% of her life ahead and the thought terrifies her. She's going to lose everyone she loves, over and over and over again, and this cycle has barely even started. She runs at a different pace. This context adds so much to her dynamic with Falin in earlier chapters.

Marcille loves her! She's scared for her! Maybe even of her! She's grown attached to a short-lived girl who she met as a kid when Marcille was a teaching assistant! Biologically and developmentally, they're the same age, but chronologically she's twice as old as Falin! Considering what happened to her mother, is history repeating itself? Her feelings towards Falin are tangled and messy and fascinating. They're also more than a little homoerotic, which makes Marcille's infantilization of her friend all the more interesting. It feels like her way of resolving their power imbalance, of remaining a responsible (former!) authority figure... but it's also a coping mechanism. She's frightened by the ways Falin is maturing and changing - aging - and keeping her mental image of her friend as young as possible is her way of denying the march of time that's destined to sever their bond.

Marcille's dream of lifespan extension would remove the need for this obfuscation, render them equal... only, they already are! This desire is imposed onto Falin, but it's primarily for Marcille's benefit. Watching her fight for a world nobody wants, for reasons both selfish and altruistic... it's as tragic as it is understandable. I love this manga.

[thoughtportal]

This is a developing news story and may be updated as more information is obtained. If you value such information, please support this Substack.

On Dec. 1, a woman immolated herself with a Palestinian flag outside the Israeli consulate in Atlanta.

Now, according to the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department, the woman — referred to in their report as “Jane Doe” — is alive and “in stable condition” at Grady Memorial Hospital, where she has been since the immolation.

After repeated requests for her name, the department stated to this reporter in an email that it “does not disclose the identities of victims”. Repeated inquiries to Grady, which is a public hospital, went unanswered. The hospital houses the Walter L. Ingram Burn Center.

“Jane Doe” is 27.

When asked if they had made any comment to tell the public that she was still alive this entire time, the official at Atlanta Fire Rescue Department said they “shared the last updated with local media via email on 12/21/23. The release stated: ‘The victim remains hospitalized in critical condition. The security guard, who attempted to assist the burn victim, has been released from the hospital.’” Several internet searches on that quote produce no results. This would also indicate that "Jane Doe" went from critical to stable condition without public notice. 

Aaron Bushnell immolated himself at the Israeli embassy in Washington, D.C. on Sunday, explaining “I will no longer be complicit in genocide” and shouting “Free Palestine!” repeatedly as he burned alive. So, his case — unlike many other self-immolations including Gregory Levey, Raymond Moules, Timothy T. Brown, Malachi Ritscher and others — has received some attention. Thus, “Jane Doe” being ignored fits with the usual pattern. Bushnell is the exception — probably because he livestreamed it. See “Ignoring Immolators Lulls the Society to Sleep.”

As Bushnell was burning himself alive, an officer pointed a gun at him, barking orders as if he constituted a threat. A security guard, Michael Harris, sustained injuries working to rescue “Jane Doe” — but there were similarities, where she was actually viewed as a potential threat.

At one point, the police report for “Jane Doe” refers to it as being a case of “arson”.

Much of the media coverage and general discussion of her self-immolation in December focused on if she had done damage. The Atlanta Police Chief said: “We believe this building remains safe, and we do not see any threat here.” The Israeli government released a statement: “It is tragic to see the hate and incitement toward Israel expressed in such a horrific way.”

Police records indicate that they obtained a search warrant and entered an apartment they believed to be associated with “Jane Doe” — initially using a drone:

The drone was able to relay information as to the layout and the belongings inside. After it was deemed "safe" entry was made with bomb technicians. While clearing the apartment no improvised explosive devices were located.

The police report also noted:

During the search a Quran was found in the bedroom along with a [sic] Arabic dictionary and a Hebrew dictionary. The bedroom bookshelf contained books related to fiction and fantasy. A "Drug use for grown ups" book was on the bookshelf as well. Two journals were seized from the bedroom. A thumbdrive was seized from the bedroom as well. A laptop computer was seized from the kitchen counter. A copy of the search warrant was left in the living room of the apartment. The front door [of] the apartment was secured before law enforcement left the premises.

When pressed for more information in compliance with an Open Records Request under Georgia law, Atlanta Fire Rescue Department claimed: “There is an ongoing and active investigation for the incident in question, which is why the only releasable information has been shared via the incident report. Investigative documentation is not available for release until the investigation is closed.”