#the scene is not exactly like this. there's more cannibalism involved

[elnavegador]

"And it is unfair, Alastor thinks absently, in between his prey mindset and the blood loss, that she’s telling him this when he can’t charmingly talk his way out of it. When he can’t simply slither away, away, away."

-- for a fanfic I'm writing. It just keeps getting longer. Lol.

[bonearenaofmyskull]

Hi there! I need your thoughts on the Dolce head-sawing scene. I have read different analyses, and the most recent one I read was saying that the reason Hannibal wanted to eat Will was because Will rejected him and eating him is the only way they could be together. Also, some say that he decided to kill Will only after Will tried to stab him. Additionally, was he slowing the process and waiting for someone to show up and stop him? What are your thoughts on this theory?

My thoughts about this can be more or less represented as, Well, yes, kind of, but also not really, and also definitely not. All these pieces are disjointed from the development of the relationship in the context of the season itself, as well as the series as a whole.

First off, I don't think Hannibal was super excited about the decision to eat Will in the first place because the expression on his face when he's talking to Bedelia about it looks pretty sick to his stomach. In the scene itself he has kind of a mournful tone--tender sometimes, cruel others: a little angry, a little bitter, a lot regretful. He talks about it, how he's sorry to be leaving Italy because he would have liked to do some things for himself there, but mostly that he would have liked to show it to Will. So it's not a stretch to believe that Hannibal didn't really want to eat Will very much (except insofar as he's probably curious about eating most people just as a general rule of thumb, and ofc since this is Will eating him would probably be omg so much better than eating anyone, so there is that).

But the decision had been made. After all, he did have the location prepped with a bone saw all ready to go. He made the decision all the way back in "Secondo" when Bedelia helped him draw the connection between how his sister influenced him in ways he could not control to the way that Will influences him in ways he cannot control: from love, to betrayal, and thence into forgiveness. That Will, through his interactions with Chiyoh that reflected Hannibal's interactions with Bedelia, had come to his own version of the same conclusion that Hannibal came to--that each's influence on the other was so sufficiently out of control that the only way to end it was to kill (and in Hannibal's case, eat) the other--was of no particular consequence to Hannibal's choice, at least not in a cause-and-effect fashion.

Thus it is not a rejection on Will's side any more than it is for Hannibal: it is a gesture of their forgiveness. "You dropped your forgiveness, Will," remember? "You forgive how God forgives," he complains, in his usual hypocritical fashion (which Will turns around on him with the comment about God gloating, which of course Hannibal approves of, since they are each God in his mind). This is, God-like, forgiveness through retribution. Seeing it as rejection is far too sane and rational--and certainly far too conventional--for these two delicate creatures. Hannibal eating Will and keeping a part of him inside forever in the Hobbsean style of cannibalism, as he did with his sister, is an acceptance of how important Will is to him. On Will's side of things, choosing to kill Hannibal is the exact same gesture of acceptance: Will cannot reject Hannibal through the choice of killing, of all things, which is exactly what Hannibal influences him to do. As we see later in "Digestivo," Will can only reject Hannibal through choosing not to kill him. What happens in "Dolce" or any other point in time in S3 isn't ever a rejection (including the hug, I might point out)--not as long as Will is playing their zero-sum game. Not as long as violence is involved. Never forget that violence is love and sex and all things in between on Hannibal.

Thus they each must attempt to kill the other simultaneously because they are one, not in spite of it. Bedelia observes that "Will Graham is en route to kill you, while you lie in wait to kill him" as an extension of the conversation about the reciprocity inherent in Hannibal and Will's relationship. Everything they do, they do reciprocally, at least at this point. This is why they can have such a tender meeting below La Primavera before getting down to business: all the deceptions are gone, and they're both seeing each other with not just truly clear eyes, but truly appreciative eyes. They each can see how much they mean to the other just as much as each thinks the only path forward is to subsume the other in order to regain self-control. They each offer the other "understanding and acceptance," Jack explains to Pazzi, right as Hannibal and Will are coming to same conclusion to off each other. Will can no more reject Hannibal in this moment than Hannibal can reject Will because they are the same.

As for whether Hannibal was slowing the meal process to wait for someone to show up and stop him, we have to look at the evidence of both what Hannibal knows and whether what he knows observably influences his choices.

Hannibal may have been able to deduce that Bedelia would give him up to the Polizia just as he would count that she'd give his location to Jack, but he might not have--Bedelia's kind of a wild card in that fashion, and her choice to give him up seems to have been made specifically in exchange for the investigator telling her that he'd let her off the hook for her and Hannibal's crimes in Italy. If she had not been able to solicit that commitment for whatever reason, then there's no reason to think that she'd have betrayed their location. She wouldn't play her card without getting her win. So it seems unlikely to me that that could be something that Hannibal would be able to know confidently one way or another.

Even if he did, it's hard to see it in the scene itself. He does wait for Jack initially, but that's because Jack has an important role to play. Hannibal doesn't seem to be in any particular hurry in the scene even after Jack shows up, but then he never is, so that means nothing in itself. He doesn't really waste any time once Jack is there, either. He incapacitates Jack and drugs him (he needs to do that to ensure Jack will eat), finishes his mise en place while he waits for Jack to become coherent-ish, and then to be fair, it's pretty minimal conversation before breaking out the bone saw. Just a couple minutes. So there's no evidence in the scene itself to suggest delay, and a certain amount of evidence to suggest otherwise. If the show had wanted to demonstrate delay, it would have been prudent to write Jack getting to the table earlier in the episode, and then use their conversation to emphasize the delay, with more than one scene in the episode. They could cut the elevator scene without any significant bearing on the plot. God forbid they speed up a scene with Bedelia in it. xD

But I think the real reason I reject the notion that Hannibal was delaying is because Jack was there. Hannibal is the devil, his punishments are symbolic retribution, the three of them are literally there in Florence acting out their own version of the Inferno. Hannibal may have been eating Will's brain to try to regain his own peace of mind, but he was absolutely involving Jack in the action because Jack deserved it. He played: it's his time to pay. And it isn't like Hannibal to half-ass a murder dinner, especially if he has a guest. How rude that would be!

I think these analyses that you've read tend to fall apart in kind of the same places as a lot of analyses these days, wherein they seem to assume that because the Hannigram relationship is the heart and foremost hook of the show, the only things that are analyzed are the actions of the two men. Where their actions and words don't directly and explicitly explain something, then people fill in the gaps with their own imagination and values, when in fact the other characters' words and actions and the overall context of the show usually explain things pretty clearly. The other characters are important, as is the overall path of the relationship.

[cakerybakery]

I want to finish writing the devil’s bride. I have some rewrite ideas, points I want to go back and make stronger. Part of me wants to print the whole thing out and get out the sticky notes so I can go. “Oh I can adjust here.” And “the scene I’m thinking of would go well here.”

There are time skips so I feel like I’m missing some emotional connections being made. But I also can’t add scenes directly to the time skips. One part because of the humour involved, the skips have to be brief and can’t languish on emotional connection scenes. The other that the scenes provide plot points and for the passage of time necessary to drive the story forward.

Originally I wrote chapter two directly as the morning after. It’s a deleted scene now but I’ve cannibalized parts already. I’m hoping to work in this scene.

-

When Adam sat up he saw Lucifer bent over some papers, a small pair of glasses resting on is nose.

Had he always needed glasses or did even angels get old?

When Lucifer noticed Adam was awake he put down his pen, stretched, and pushed his chair back from the desk. He rested his head in one hand, smiled at Adam, and crossed his legs.

Adam’s heart jumped. He stared at the Lucifer’s sleeves, rolled up his forearms, the jacket draped from the back of his chair. He was reminded of last night, watching Lucifer undress and realizing he was about to get fucked. Realizing he might actually want to get fucked.

-

I like the imagery of it.

I also like this bit of Adam’s inner monologue

-

‘I miss being stabbed to death. Life was so much easier back then. I died. The end. Good times.’

-

There’s also a bit of Lucifer making modifications to their space. Due to Adam being traumatized by heaven in the first chapter he doesn’t exactly become clingy towards Lucifer but doesn’t feel safe outside of Lucifer’s private rooms. Which is very inconvenient over the passage of time.

It’s not good for Adam’s mental health to confine himself to a bedroom with a bathroom. Nor is it convenient for Lucifer’s life. He likes it when Charlie visits, and he’s not going to just have her visit in his bedroom.

Plus Adam needs to talk to someone other than Lucifer or they’ll both go nuts. Adam can trust that Charlie and Vaggie aren’t working for heaven.

So I think I’ll alter a line in chapter three I didn’t like as much to include how Lucifer will need to make some changes, since it’ll work there.

I’ve reread this story so many times I’m getting a little sick of it. Thus the break yesterday and writing The Best Mom (on AO3, same username). I got to use a bunch of story elements I’ve proposed before.

Adam knowing how to do braids because he had to make his own twine and ropes. Having lots of kids, daughters, so of course he’d done braids before. Being a parental figure to the exterminators without meaning to. Not really being a great dad, at least in his own mind. And I like the idea that a lot of Adam’s hang ups and attitude stem from being The First Man and heaven’s expectations of him as The Man.

It’s something I’d like to explore more in the Devil’s Bride as well. How much of his misogyny is due to his perception of his masculinity. The Best Mom I had to keep short, well, short for me it seems. But I wish I could have explored it more there. I know I already have elements to it in The Devil’s Bride I just want to do more with it.

[best-underrated-anime]

Best Underrated Anime Group C Round 3: #C8 vs #C2

#C8: Government employee and his white cat boss

#C2: High social anxiety girl has to befriend her whole class

Details and poll under the cut!

*Text in green indicates that something has been changed.

#C8: White Cat Legend 2020 (Dali si Rizhi)

Summary:

Chen Shi, a young man from the countryside, journeys to the capital in search of his missing older brother, whose existence he only knew about upon his mother’s death. He knows neither the name nor face of his brother, and after finally arriving at the capital, he runs out of money as well. One thing led to another, and he finds himself employed at Dali Court, where he works for Vice Minister Li Bing, a large white cat.

On the other hand, Li Bing is of royal blood who was imprisoned because of his family’s treason. Now, he has to work in the government to atone for the crime.

At Dali Court, they review court cases from all over the country. But when an incident involving the esteemed ministers of the royal court breaks out, Dali Court is called to help, only to find themselves entangled in political threads and hit heads with an eccentric demon.

Li Bing is determined to get to the bottom of this, but how far can he go when he could regress into a real cat at any time when left unchecked?

Propaganda:

I’m tired of writing new propaganda every round, so I’m begging you to just trust me that it’s GREAT.

Intriguing plot? Check. Complex and interesting characters? Check. Comedy? Check. Drama? Check. 

The blend of comedy and drama is just so good. I started the show because I love cats and supernatural stuff. Who would’ve thought it would pull me into an abyss of despair of political intrigue. The cat demons turned out to be just the icing on the cake. 

We have all these different characters brought up in different ways that their ideas of what is Right conflict with each other. None of them are exactly Wrong or inherently Evil (well, except for maybe one guy), and this makes it so much more difficult to choose who to root for. You’d think everyone against the protagonists are the Enemies, but turns out even the protagonists are limited by their biases and unintentionally harm others. Even the two protagonists themselves get into arguments because of their different standpoints.

And I just love this because it makes them realistic, you know? The characters don’t always agree with their friends, and their enemies are not completely hostile either. It really all boils down to what they believe in. Sometimes their beliefs align with existing comrades, and sometimes they find it on the other side.

Production-wise, this show also gets a check on everything. As an adaptation, it’s amazing. The original manhua has quite a simple style—kind of like comic book drawings, and panels are all rectangles in one straight line. Storytelling is also simple and straight to the point. 

But the 2020 donghua? God, it went far and beyond that.  The animation team does not cut corners at all, which is a feat considering the show has a low budget from what I’ve heard. 

A short, simple scene in the manhua becomes an emotionally-devastating experience in the donghua. The animation choices, angles, music, and just everything else blend so well to deliver a STORY. This adaptation does not just copy frames from the source (like Blue Lock) or cut/reorder some of the scenes (like Horimiya and Sasaki to Miyano). White Cat Legend 2020 understands the material so well that it can creatively use the advantages of the animation medium to deliver an experience that exceeds even that of the source. Think Mob Pyscho 100 or One Punch Man s1 level of creativity. It even has mini stories at the end of the ending song. For s1, the mini stories are in stop-motion, while for s2 it’s formatted like a video game. You gotta appreciate the effort.

Please just vote for this show. It deserves to be in the Finals.

Trigger Warnings:

Cannibalism - There’s a cat demon who appears in human form, and he eats humans (it’s not shown explicitly, though).

Animal Cruelty or Death - said cat demon also eats animals raw (again, not explicitly)

Graphic Depictions of Cruelty/Violence/Gore - There’s blood and fighting, and somebody also gets tortured in season 2. But again, nothing too graphic

#C2: Hitori Bocchi’s ○○ Lifestyle (HitoriBocchi no MaruMaru Seikatsu)

Summary:

Many of us know what it is like to transition to a new school with few to no friends in a new environment, going through the arduous process of getting to know people again. Bocchi Hitori knows this struggle all too well, having just graduated from elementary school and thrown into middle school. Unfortunately, she suffers from extreme social anxiety: she faints when overwhelmed, vomits when nervous, and draws up ridiculously convoluted plans to avoid social contact. It does not help that her only friend from elementary school, Kai Yawara, will not be attending the same middle school as Bocchi. However, wanting to help her, Kai severs ties with Bocchi and promises to reconcile with her when she befriends all of her classmates in her new middle school class.

Even though Bocchi has no faith in herself, she is determined to be friends with Kai again. Summoning all of her courage, Bocchi takes on the daunting challenge of making friends with her entire class, starting with the delinquent-looking girl sitting in front of her…

Propaganda:

This is a fun and lighthearted show. Watch it if you need something cute to chill out! The art is cute and colorful, the music lively, and the animation fine enough.

As it's adapted from a four-panel gag manga, the story is simple and focuses on the various characters. They all have pun-based names related to their main personality trait, so they're easy to remember if you know some basic Japanese (Hitori Bocchi means all alone, for example). The girls are all adorable and fun in their own quirky ways, and I loved seeing the heroine doing her utmost best to overcome her fears -and other challenges- to befriend them in the hope of fulfilling her promise. That's the power of the Do-Your-Best Fairy! They all care for each other (despite some teasing) and help Bocchi with her monumental task, never pulling her down for her struggles but gently pushing her in the back when needed.

But most importantly, Hitori Bocchi is a very relatable character. As someone suffering the same trouble, I related a lot with Bocchi, from her silliest worries to her escalating panic and weird schemes in an attempt to prevent anything wrong. Anxiety is faithfully represented, mixed with the right amount of laughing to how far Bocchi can get to avoid fearful situations in her very cute ways. It feels good to see a character like me in a such positive light! The struggles are real and acknowledged, and it’s really moving to see our heroine overcome them little by little in a very humanizing way.

This series has become one of my comfort materials, and I come back to it when I need hope and inspiration in everyday social interactions! If you need one last thing to be convinced, listen to that most adorable and silly song that will give you the Power of Motivation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGoGwlNmZUQ 

Trigger Warnings: None.

When reblogging and adding your own propaganda, please tag me @best-underrated-anime so that I’ll be sure to see it.

If you want to criticize one of the shows above to give the one you’re rooting for an advantage, then do so constructively. I do not tolerate groundless hate or slander on this blog. If I catch you doing such a thing in the notes, be it in the tags or reblogs, I will block you.

Know one of the shows above and not satisfied with how it’s presented in this tournament? Just fill up this form, where you can submit revisions for taglines, propaganda, trigger warnings, and/or video.

[christinescupofcoffee]

DAY 6 — Dead Characters — Yes, oftentimes people die in our works - but there are metaphorical deaths, too! Tell us about a character who dies, literally or figuratively; or, tell us about characters/things who were cut!

(I think you’d be hard-pressed to find a story from me that doesn’t include death in some aspect, either literal or in a metaphorical sense)

Quarter After Twelve

Everyone undergoes a major transformation of sorts, but especially the ones who have been sick (John and Jeremy). You don’t walk away from cancer/metastatic cancer without scars.

The threat living downstairs from Jeremy and Zero. Then their friend Spanakopita gets involved—

Allison gets shot in the chest and loses a lot of blood. Though he’s still alive, he describes himself as a former shell of himself.

Andy’s father. His whole arc is launched by that.

Mr. Graves, the banker in the marsh. How exactly did he die and how and why did he end up in an area where five boys could find him?

As the Seasons Grey series

Chris and Ann, Christine’s best friends (love of her life in the former sense). There are whole scenes dedicated to the graveyard where he’s buried.

Christine herself undergoes a few transformations, from her relationship to Alex to her uncovering her own broken memory.

Throughout the Dark Months of April and May

Richard’s mother. If you survive blood clots (and she does, just like how my mom survived hers), you’ll be eternally changed.

Richard himself. There’s also truth to that as Richard’s known for, among other things, his terrifying and near-fatal accidents.

I won’t give away too much but that weird smell from the forest is the smell of death, the smell of decomposition. And no, it’s not from Jeremy’s farm, either.

Midnight Oil

What exactly happened to Alex for the ghosts of relationships past to haunt him?

(This will come up in the next chapter) What exactly is going on in Christian/Falk Maria’s life for him to sleep in a literal coffin?

Love is Not Enough

Q’s illness and the scars she has to prove it.

Jay’s aunt and the fact that she can’t really talk about her lifestyle to her family.

“Tevye” exploring himself and his sexuality. Take this from me: that whole process will change you to the point you will not recognize yourself.

Blood & Chocolate

Eric exploring his kink. Alex exploring his kink.

Eric hit Elle with his car but I won’t say if she lives or croaks, though 😉

The Skeleton Key

The title itself implies death. Find the skeleton key to the man’s broken heart.

The Confectioner’s Tale

More of a parody of death as Hannah is often depicted as a cannibal and a Mrs. Lovett type of character.

Time is Coming

The Headless Boy.

Tilly.

The Jaguar. (It’s not a jaguar.)

Joey and the fact he nearly died. He’s still shooketh from it.

[nashiriel]

Carrion, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 12. :)

Haha, certainly some interesting ones there!

What was my inspiration for this fic? How did it come to me?

Honestly, reading the Cannibal’s description again after the first episode of the show, and really just thinking over what it would actually mean, plot-wise and thematically for someone to tame him.

He’s essentially the Dance itself in human form (black and Green, eating his own kind with particular focus on the young), and it really struck me of the potential link to bastardry - the confusion over his origins, the fact that he’s one of, but very much not among, the other wild dragon. And you’d really have to wonder if claiming him would be that much of a boost when he’s already so wild, vicious and headstrong - what would ‘claiming’ him actually look like, in practice?

Then I got traumatised by the end of episode 10, and things started falling into place very quickly when I started thinking about exactly how Luke would really react to surviving Storm’s End…

2. What’s my favorite part of the fic?

Weirdly enough, it’s split between two rather dissimilar aspects - getting to actually write loving family times between the various Blacks (after we were so cruelly robbed of this in canon), and those moments where Luke looses grip on his inner child (the one which sliced out an eye to protect his brother)

3. What’s the part of the fic I’m most proud of?

It’s actually a scene as yet unpublished, regarding the aftermath of a battle scene. It was one of the first sections I wrote for the fic, and I found it quite emblematic of the story as a whole…

4. What part of the fic was the hardest for me to write?

…Probably Aemond’s POV? I know exactly what that mess is thinking, but translating it to text proved a bit trickier than expected, which was definitely a contributive factor to the gap between 3 and 4.

For a completely different reason, I also found writing the sections focused more on grief to be difficult, but also very therapeutic. 

6. Who’s my favorite character in the fic?

Honestly, the Cannibal by far. He’s just so utterly amoral and murderous whilst still doting on his precious human…I find writing their interactions to be pretty entertaining, not least when it involves other people bearing the brunt! 

12. Did any thing about this fic’s reception surprise me?

Probably its reception as a whole? I hadn’t written in the ASOIAF fandom before, and wasn’t sure the fic would get much attention. Having so many engaged, thoughtful commentators from the first completely blew me away. I know that other Lucemond writers have sadly had some difficult times in the fandom, but I’ve really been blessed with the loveliest readers, and will always be grateful for that.

[stranded-labyrinth]

question or a prompt is up to you but what do you think would happen if jack didn't follow them to abigail's house near the end of 1x13?

i'm not sure, but i don't think Hannibal could talk his way out of things like he usually could.

Will doesn't trust him anymore. that's a fact that he is being faced with in that scene. Will knows what he is, knows what he's done, and they haven't even gotten onto the topic of Hannibal being the Ripper. Will's biggest point of contention thus far is what Hannibal did to him.

their conversation isn't even about the fact that Hannibal kills and eats people, Will is infuriated on a far more personal level.

it isn't until MUCH later, during Will's imprisonment, that he starts to see why Hannibal did what he did. that Hannibal wants to be his friend, and that's why he kept Will around. i imagine that if their conversation in Abigail's home went on, they would've gotten there.

which then puts Hannibal in a predicament. he's not ready to accept the level on which Will affects him, but he's also completely lost Will's trust and made him think he was just a toy for Hannibal to play with. how exactly would he get out of that rut without confessing the level of connection he'd hoped to achieve?

he would have to balance his own pride with the truth that is being demanded at gunpoint, and the gun that may go off if he enrages Will further. the last time Will was THIS furious, that Hannibal has seen, the cannibal killer involved got about 9 bullet wounds.

i don't know how it would end, but i know that Hannibal would really be struggling. because even if he elects to humiliate himself in a way he never anticipated nor fathomed before, what would that do? what would his desperation achieve? he can't reasonably expect that Will would put the gun down because of that. he'd be completely backed into a corner, and he would not take it well.

[greenerteacups]

I love your fic so much!!

Re pure blood bigotry, my boyfriend and I cooked up this theory that the reason wizards look down on Muggles is because of their wanton murder rate. I mean killing is practically taboo in the wizarding world because it tears the soul apart—maybe wizards think muggles are soulless since they can « get away » with murder?

Thank you very much!

I think this theory is certainly something that purebloods might think about muggles, and I can imagine the verifiable existence of wizards' souls being used to argue that muggles are somehow soulless, or not fully human. Of course, the things we see wizards do over the course of the books are as bad or worse than things that happen in the muggle world. I like the idea that wizards believe the murder/fatality rate is much higher for muggles, though, even if it's just because muggle medicine isn't as powerful as wizards' (a fact that wizards do absolutely nothing to change, naturally).

Another popular theory that seems to be circulated in the books is that muggles were, at one point, trying to hunt down wizards en masse. (I think Ron says this, at one point, which lends it a degree of credibility, but I'm not altogether convinced; Ron is not exactly the school historian.) Certainly most pureblood histories that we hear about seem to concentrate on the persecution of wizards as an outgrowth of the widespread religious persecution that began in the Dark Ages, which is plausible, but I also don't want to discount the possibility that it's propaganda. It just sounds way too much like the kind of thing you'd want people to believe, if you're trying to get them to hate and fear another group. It's too convenient for the purebloods. (My favorite conspiracy theory is that the Statute of Secrecy was a massive cover-up for a magical wizarding disaster, and it's just been so long that the world's forgotten.)

Another thread that jumps out to me is the idea that killing "tears the soul apart." If I'm wrong (I might be reading too much into it), this is a reference to the theory that murder is the principal act involved in making a Horcrux. Since we never learn how they're made, this is as fair a fan interpretation as any. Rowling once gave an interview where she said that she and her editor both balked at a draft where she did explain the process because it was "too horrible." Because Rowling seems comfortable writing scenes of murder, even child murder — e.g. Cedric — it seems implicit to me that making a horcrux requires something even more violent and perverse, like cannibalism or necrophilia. (Get it? Death "Eaters"?)

[weaselandfriends]

This may be a very bad idea but I'm thinking about writing an interactive fanfic about Somebody's Little Sister (for REASONS) and I was wondering, are there any deleted scenes involving this character or something. Do they have a fun and exciting hobby we never see on screen. What kind of erotic roleplaying do they do mostly. You know, normal character questions.

In 2020 I wrote a first draft of Cockatiel x Chameleon that I aborted at around 60,000 words. I had previously written Modern Cannibals in a similar [Draft 1, scrap, completely rewritten Draft 2] fashion, but the changes between Draft 1 and 2 for CxC were far more substantial. Many scenes, themes, and even characters exist in one draft but not the other. The entire structure of the story is different; instead of Draft 2's three-arc structure, Draft 1 only has two arcs.

Unfortunately for your question, Somebody's Little Sister has a significantly lessened presence in Draft 1. She appears only twice: During the introduction to the Consortium in which she converses with Cariscresco and Mimmy Wowzers (who was a Consortiumite in the first draft) and later during the Chateau du Diodati roleplay (which is one of the few elements that is very similar between drafts). In Draft 1, she isn't living with Gramme, doesn't speak to Harper one-on-one, and isn't involved in the attack on Mimmy's moral character, which itself is an arc with substantially less prominence.

Therefore, I unfortunately have little to give you. Most of what you seek you'll have to find in the published version of the story. Other than the obvious chapter involving the Diodati roleplay, I'd recommend you reread [8] Dignitas to get more of an idea about what they like to do when not ranting about media they dislike and harassing people online. [4] Piscivorus—fish devourer—cottonmouth contains Sister's glowing and sincere praise of the Chateau du Diodati OVA, which is possibly the only time across the story Sister talks about something they like rather than despise.

Side note, what exactly is an "interactive fanfic"? How does that work? Is it like a roleplay or is it more like Homestuck: readers submit prompts that propel the story forward?

[beautifulcinephile]

Timothée Chalamet Questions - Updated

I saw this tag game here and decided to update this. When did you become a Timothée Chalamet fan?

September 17th, 2020. It's been two years that this man changed my life and now I can't imagine my life without being a fan of his. I have never been in love with an actor like him.

What was the first movie of his that you watched?

A Rainy Day In New York. I know it's a bad movie (in my opinion) and I barely remember the story at this point. The only thing I remember is the "Everything Happens to Me" scene.

Favorite movies of his?

Dune, The King, The French Dispatch, Little Women and Miss Stevens, Call Me By Your Name (I love the movie, despite, you know who.)

What are your least favorite movies of his?

Hot Summer Nights, Don't Look Up and I didn't like Entergalactic that much ("What? You didn't like Entergalactic??"). To be honest about Entergalactic, it's good? Yeah, just not my favorite movie of his. I also don't like A Rainy Day In New York.

Favorite red carpet event in general?

Cannes 2021 was my first ever red carpet I've watched, so this one will always have a special place in my heart. Venice 2021 and 2022 were awesome, I remember them fondly, LFF was amazing and the Bones & All red carpet in Milan was exciting as heck.

I also have to mention Oscars 2022 and the 2021 Met Gala.

Have you watched his whole filmography so far?

No. I have to watch Bones and All ASAP.

Have you ever dreamed of him? If you remember the dream, tell about it below:

Many times, and dreaming about Timothée is the best thing ever. Here are some of my most cherished dreams:

1. Timothée was wearing a white shirt on a Zoom video call, playing “Quand tu M'aimes” by Charles Aznavour on his guitar.

2. Timothée and I were recreating the music video for “Shape of My Heart” by Backstreet Boys. The music video was exactly at the 2:37 mark of the song, and in this part, I stroked his hair while the camera panned down on his bare feet. We were dressed like the couple in the music video: I wore a gray shirt and blue jeans, with some black sneakers, while Timmy was entirely clad in black, barefoot.

3. Feeling extremely homesick, Timothée caught a bus and started writing a text message to his mom, telling her how much he missed her. Then, he looked out the window and tears streamed down his cheeks.

4. A channel was broadcasting an incomplete cut of Bones and All. The intro scene had nothing to do with the book (The movie wasn't out when I had this dream, so the only things I knew about were from the book), since it involved a man fighting against a woman with an explanation about how that man became the first person with the cannibal curse. The reason why he has become the first cannibal was because he lost the fight and went on a transformation that rendered his hair white and his eyes pink (My subconscious mixed Bones and All with Dune). The rest of the scenes were more faithful to the book. Maren as a kid, Lee and Maren going to sleep, Lee’s crying scene, it was nonsensical, yet awesome.

5. I met Timmy on a "secret mission" in which I had to interview him. I was wearing a black suit, and I couldn't go to the movie theater he was attending because I had no tickets. Then, Jennifer Aniston of all people helped me get them, then I entered the movie theater and I asked: "Have you seen a man with brown hair and green eyes?", to which people answered: "He's in the bathroom." Timmy came into the room, with his Oscars 2022 outfit and his LFF hair. I took a selfie with him, but when I took another one to show to my friends, I woke up.

What movie of his are you most excited to see?

Bones and All, which I'll be finally able to watch because I've found a link to it, followed by Wonka and Dune: Part Two.

Favorite outfits/pictures?

These:

Tagging: @softhecreator @soymilkmocha @visionsofsweettea @the-poets-might-disagree and whoever wants to do this.

[sito-rp]

Crimson Files Podcast

*intro music fades out – eerie tones with soft drums*

Emma

“Hey everyone, welcome back to Crimson Files, your favorite deep dive into the dark and unexplained. I’m Emma, your resident skeptic who believes most things can be explained with a little logic and a lot of police work.”

Jake

“And I’m Jake, the one who’s here to remind you that not everything is as it seems, and sometimes, Emma, things go bump in the night for real.”

Emma

“Oh boy, here we go.”

Jake

"I mean, come on, Emma, what we’re talking about today? This one’s got paranormal written all over it! We’re diving into the case of the Glen Bay Church Murders, where — get this — multiple bodies were found in a state that, in my humble opinion, points to something beyond our understanding.”

Emma

“Okay, Jake. Let’s start by laying out the facts before you go full ‘X-Files’ on us. Here’s what we know: Late last night, police in Glen Bay got a call from a woman walking her dog near an abandoned church in East River. She hears screaming from inside—blood-curdling, terrifying screams—and immediately calls 911.”

Jake

“Right. And then when the police show up, they find multiple bodies inside this old, creepy church. And here’s where it gets weird—”

Emma

“No, no, let’s stick to the real story. The bodies were discovered in what’s being described as a ‘disturbing state.’ That’s police-speak for violent injuries, probably linked to a drug deal gone wrong or some other crime that got out of hand. The victims were known to frequent the church—probably squatting there, using it as a hideout.”

Jake

“Or! Or maybe it wasn’t just your run-of-the-mill crime scene. Maybe we’re dealing with something more supernatural here. The bodies, Emma — some of the reports said they were ‘partially eaten.’ Now, unless we’ve got some weird new trend in crime scene clean-up, how do you explain that?”

Emma

“Jake, have you ever heard of wild animals? Stray dogs, maybe? This is an abandoned church. It’s not exactly sealed off from nature. If the bodies were there long enough, it’s possible some animals got to them.”

Jake

“Oh come on, Emma! These weren’t nibbles, these were chunks missing. This wasn’t a raccoon going through the garbage. This was more like — well, and hear me out — werewolves.”

Emma

“Werewolves? Seriously?”

Jake

“Think about it! Full moon was just a few days ago, the bodies were discovered right after and there’s a history of strange occurrences in that area, too. A couple years back, locals reported hearing weird howls late at night. There’s been unexplained livestock deaths on nearby farms.”

Emma

“So you’re really trying to connect this to werewolves? Jake, sometimes people just do terrible things. Maybe there was a fight, and in the chaos, someone bit someone else or worse. You know how violent some of these drug-fueled situations can get. There’s nothing paranormal about it.”

Jake

“I’m not saying it has to be werewolves, but the whole ‘eaten bodies’ thing isn’t exactly a standard crime scene. There’s something more here. And you know what else? Officer Jordan Delaney — she was first on the scene — said she’d never seen anything like it before. And she was involved in that crazy cult case last year. Even she was rattled by it.”

Emma

“Okay, I’ll give you that, the scene clearly disturbed the officers. But that doesn’t mean we have to leap to supernatural conclusions. There’s a lot we don’t know yet. It could be a serial killer. There could be some cult activity. But none of that requires the existence of werewolves.”

Jake

“I’m just saying, Emma, you can’t ignore the possibility. I mean, look at the way the victims were found. There’s a pattern of savagery here that feels... primal. Cannibalism doesn’t seem likely in this context, so what else could it be?”

Emma

“Jake, we’re only a few days into the investigation. The police are still gathering evidence. For all we know, there could be some logical explanation we haven’t heard about yet. Remember how freaked out everyone was when they found the bodies in that cult case last year? Turned out it was just a deranged leader making his followers do unthinkable things. No supernatural explanations required.”

Jake

“I hear you, but I’ve got a gut feeling this time. Look, if we’re seeing bodies being eaten in a city like Glen Bay, of all places, there’s more going on here than some average murder spree. Whether it’s werewolves, some kind of experiment gone wrong, or something we haven’t even thought of yet—this case is bigger than a simple crime scene.”

Emma

“Well, whatever it is, we’ll keep you all updated as the investigation unfolds. My bet’s still on some kind of psychotic breakdown or drug-related incident. But as always, Jake’s holding out hope for a paranormal headline.”

Jake

“When the truth comes out, don’t say I didn’t warn you! For now, we’ll keep digging into this one — and if any werewolves show up, you’ll hear it from me first.”

Emma

“Or maybe from the police, Jake. Probably from the police.”

*outro music fades in*

Jake

“Alright folks, stay tuned for next week’s episode—where we’ll be talking about disappearances in the national parks and, yep, you guessed it — whether Bigfoot might have something to do with it.”

Emma

“Oh boy…”

*outro music continues*

[therappundit]

****THE RAP PUNDIT'S PICKS: 150 Songs From 2023****

This year, it's just 150 songs that I love for different reasons (okay, well maybe 150 and a bunch of honorable mentions, but who's counting).

The genre is far too deep, far too diversified, and far too subjective to get into arguments about what's the definitive “best” 10, 50, 100, etc., now it's all about just sharing the music that we love, and hoping we don't forget too many of our personal favorites along the way.

I just tried to stick to two rules:

only one song per project, and unless multiple projects were released along with different collaborators, no solo artist could have songs included from multiple different albums that dropped this year

feature work does NOT count towards the above at all (hell I could have put 20 songs on here with multiple feature verses from the likes of Rome Streetz, Benny, Semiratruth, billy woods, Babytron, Certified Trapper, Earl and Lungs and called it pretty perfect)

As always, I hope you find at least one song on this list that you previously skipped over, but now realize that you love. Also, please feel free to send me some picks that I didn't mention anywhere on here, I would love to hear more takes from other fans and writers (especially from folks who I frequently connect with on Twitter). Enjoy - and have a safe, happy and healthy holiday season, all...

1. "27 Braids" - Earl Sweatshirt

The sound I wanted, from the album we have been waiting for. To me, this is the epitome of what I want to hear from Earl and The Alchemist. Alc's dusty loops backing Earl's stream of consciousness, his verse feeling like it rose from closing his eyes, leaving his pen hand on a notepad and just letting it flow. Voir Dire might not be for everyone, but for fans of both artists, it yielded some unforgettable moments of connection between the two underground icons. "27 Braids" is the audio version of a brief, marijuana-laced jolt of reflection that hits you somewhere between 2:30 and 4:30 a.m. during a woozy Saturday night trip home on the L Train...so perhaps it's just a personal favorite from 2023 because I miss those nights in NYC? Or, maybe I'm just grateful that there's music that perfectly sums up that feeling, since I'm too far removed from that scene to live it again. Whatever it is, I dig it.

2. "The Flexible Unreliability Of Time And Memory" - Armand Hammer

This album felt to me like "a moment" album. The vision that clearly went into crafting the sound of this album, will continue to resonate with every listen. The best word I would use to describe We Buy Diabetic Test Strips is layered. Every verse, every background vocal, every crudely clipped sound effect, every instrument, every Producer involved...all went into the same stew, forming a unified experience of an album that feels unlike anything I've heard since the confident, rebellious sensibilities of Cannibal Ox's The Cold Vein. billy woods and ELUCID are in peak form throughout the project, but I finally decided on this song off the strength of billy's verse paired with Child Actor's otherworldly production.

3. "fukumean" - Gunna

While Young Thug and YSL records were swallowed up by legal trouble this year, it would seem that an album drop from Thugga protege Gunna would have consisted mostly of some hastily thrown together tracks from the vaults in order to simultaneously capitalize on the negative publicity, as well as a strategic counter to the controversy that surrounded Gunna during the rollout of this album. Think again. A Gift & A Curse is stacked with catchy hooks, standout beats, and singles with high replay value, making it easily one of the strongest mainstream rap albums of the year. If you disagree, please let me know exactly when you stopped hearing this song everywhere.

4. "Mussel Beach" - MIKE feat. El Cousteau & Niontay

For an artist that presents himself as relatively chill, MIKE proved once and for all that he actually has no chill, because he dropped two of the year's best albums within a month of each other, and preceded to make most MCs out there sound mid by comparison. Burning Desire is an album where so many of his skills as a MC and a Producer really gel, and after a few listens I think it becomes increasingly clear how impactful of an artist he has been to a whole generation of MC's that are making waves right now.

5. "Baby Steps" - billy woods & Kenny Segal feat. ELUCID & Benjamin Booker

One of the strongest songs on one of the strongest albums of 2023. billy woods is simply not playing fair right now, the quality of his writing paired with his ubiquitous presence in the underground rap scene, simply doesn't make sense from a quantity AND quality standpoint. His chemistry with Kenny Segal is superb, and "Baby Steps" is another perfect example of how they kept rewind buttons busy this year.

6. "Johnny Dang" - That Mexican OT feat. Paul Wall & Drodi

The first of two Texan MC's that I *never* would have guessed would be here at the start of 2023. That Mexican OT oozes charisma, and he absolutely slays the hook on "Johnny Dang". The whole Lonestar Luchador tape is a banger, but as far as noise-making rap singles go, not many come close to the replay value of this head nodder.

7. "GOMD" - Veeze

I probably could have selected almost any song off Ganger. And I almost did - I narrowed the options down to six different Veeze tracks, but ultimately went with this firecracker of a single because to me, it screamed breakout record. There were a lot of great records that dropped in 2023, but not many artists kept fans waiting for years only to exceed all expectations. Veeze had himself a helluva year.

8. "Southside Story" - Hoodlum

This cut successfully stayed in my head for pretty much the entire year. Hailing from the Southside of San Antonio, Hoodlum shares something in common with many of my favorite MC's right now: a unique voice repping for an area that has yet to receive it's flowers. While San Antonio might not have the same deep well of rap stars that Flint, Milwaukee, and Buffalo became known for in recent years, it's clear to me that Hoodlum has "it", so I am looking forward to seeing what 2024 has in store for this prolific young Texan veteran.

9. "Play Dis!" - Maxo feat. ZelooperZ

Maxo had a prolific 2023, but it was his second project release of the year that colored outside the lines just a little bit more than it's predecessor, with great results. This collaboration with ZelooperZ wasn't just a standout off of Debbie's Son, it was one of the strongest songs of the year.

10. "OPEN LETTER" - dp0mmy feat. K9shmere

Of any talented artist in my top 10, dp0mmy is probably the name that remains the most under the radar - but I doubt that it will stay that way for much longer. I strongly urge everyone to check out this young Producer's catalogue to not only hear his own sensational work, but the work from some of the most talented underground artists bubbling up front the Atlanta area right now.

11. "Mayor's A Cop" - MIKE, Wiki & The Alchemist

12. "2MM" - Sideshow feat. Valee

13. "Buss Me A Script" - 03 Greedo feat. Maxo Kream

14. "RIP Hutch" - Babytron feat. Remble & Rico Nasty

15. "Amen" - Nappy Nina

16. "Each Smack" - Certified Trapper

17. "Captian Picard" - Another Planet (Phiik & Lungs/Lonesword)

18. "WFLD 32" - Open Mike Eagle feat. Eshu Tune, Video Dave & still rift

19. "Mama's Primetime" - Westside Gunn feat. JID & Conway The Machine

20. "No Wish" - Black Milk feat. Phonte & Raphael Saadiq

21. "Red Button" - Drake

22. "Beeper Buzz'n" - Jiles & Vinyl Villain feat.maari, Wahid & Felix!

23. "All Gone" - RxKNephew & Harry Fraud feat. Z Money

24. "Still (Stick 2 Ya Gunz)" - Papo2oo4

25. "Gamblin Souls" - Marco Plus & Smoker's Club feat. Smoke DZA & Chuck Strangers

26. "Y.B.P." - Danny Brown feat. Bruiser Wolf

27. "Jealousy" - Offset feat. Cardi B

28. "Veracruz" - Che Noir & Big Ghost Ltd feat. 7xvethegenius

29. "YATKAMAN3000" - Niontay

30. "Ron Artest" - Babyface Ray feat. 42 Dugg

31. "Down Down Bb" - H3IR feat. Quelle Chris

32. "Class" - Spectacular Diagnostics feat. Curly Castro, Illogic & Defcee

33. "Bent" - 41

34. "toxic" - Noname

35. "Swing!" - KING VISION ULTRA feat. Nakama.

36. "Lemme See" - Kodak Black

37. "Procall" - Rome Streetz

38. "Sunny Days" - Silky Southern

39. "Asteroids" - Rapsody

40. "Sunflowers and Gunpowder" - Stik Figa

41. "Ghetto & Ratchet" - Connie Diamond

42. "Auntie Crystal" - Jae Skeese feat. Kota Savia

43. “Gettin Fishy” - Luh Tyler feat. Scy Jimm & Wizz Havinn

44. "RIP Tracy" - The Alchemist feat. billy woods & Earl Sweatshirt

45. "Mama" - Rob49 feat. Skilla Baby & Tay B

46. "PBS Kids" - AJ Suede & Mr. Muthafuckin' eXquire

47. "THANK GOD" - Travis Scott

48. "Blunt Guts and Laundry Rooms" - Tokyo Cigar

49. "outtie" - QThree & Budamunk

50. "Yonce Freestyle" - Kevin Gates, Sexyy Red & B.G.

51. "Phoenix" - Lord Apex feat. Freddie Gibbs

52. "Diary of a Mad Black Man" - WAKAI feat. Fly Anakin & Marco Plus

53. "Running Late" - Karrahbooo

54. "RIOT (Rowdy Pipe'n)" - A$AP Rocky

55. "Venison" - Chuck Strangers feat. Navy Blue

56. "Climate" - BigXthaPlug feat. Offset

57. "Oh Dear" - Jadasea & Laron feat. Wiki

58. "Top Dog / Under Dog" - YUNGMORPHEUS

59. "American Expression" - A$AP Twelvyy feat. Rome Streetz

60. "About That" - Valee & Harry Fraud feat. 03 Greedo

61. "Scissors!" - Alexander Spit feat. Semiratruth

62. "Wasted Years" - ZekeUltra & Nephew Hesh

63. "Can't Go To Jail" - Finesse2tymes

64. "Kill Switch" - Navy Blue

65. "Sport Talk" - G.T. feat. Dej Loaf

66. “GRACE” - JUNE! feat. fresco., Anonymous Fred, freespottie & My Favorite Color

67. "Wind Parade" - Napolean Da Legend & J Scienide

68. "Loopholes" - Ty Thom & Whoa1.0 feat. WESTSIDE BOOGIE

69. "'86 TESTAROSSA" - Curren$y & Harry Fraud feat. Rome Streetz

70. "RIP Brittany Murphy" - Pink Siifu & Turich Benjy feat. Rich Park & Peso Gordon

71. "The Plug" - Jay Worthy & Roc Marciano feat. Kokane & Ab-Soul

72. "Jenn Jenn Jenn" - Jenn Carter

73. "Imported Goods" - Kadeem feat. Caliph, Avenue & Latrell James

74. "Transactions" - Gabe 'Nandez

75. "STONE" - J'Von feat. Roc Marciano

76. "Kia Boyz" - Trdee feat. Certified Trapper & Mariboy Mula Mar

77. "Hallelujah" - Pote Baby

78. "Big Dog" - Benny the Butcher feat. Lil Wayne

79. "Eastside" - Jay Rock feat. Kal Banx

80. "Get A Load of Me" - Wulf Morpheus feat. Gnarly Marley, Marco Plus & Sedona

81. "Rory Joint" - Drumwork feat. 7xvethegenius, Jae Skeese & Rory

82. "Wish Me Well" - Little Brother

83. "h.t.s. (Hit That Shit)" - Myaap

84. "Trackhawk" - VV$ Ken feat. PGF Nuk

85. "Summer Reign" - Larry June & The Alchemist feat. Ty Dolla $ign

86. "Book of Walter" - PublicHousingNYC feat. BA PACE

87. "Fruitsofyourlabor" - Yo OG & buddy.not.bud feat. Funky Notions

88. "Fall of Rome" - Real Bad Man & Blu feat. Cashus King, Donel Smokes & Definite

89. "How R You?" - DijahSB

90. "Hooptie" - Roper Williams feat. YL, Pootie & Fatboi Sharif

91. "AAU Tournaments" - Blockhead feat. billy woods & Navy Blue

92. "Chris Angel" - Roc Marciano

93. "Brussel Sprout" - Young Nudy

94. "MINIMANSIONBARTEL" - Estee Nack

95. "Bipperz Anthem" - KP Skywalka feat. Lil Dude

96. "Nat Turner" - Talib Kweli & Madlib feat. Seun Kuti & Cassper Nyovest

97. "Life Is Beautiful" - Grafh & 38 Spesh feat. Bun B

98. “Shame” - 2 Chainz & Lil Wayne

99. "Zill Parcells" - KNOWITALL & Zilly900 feat. Patty Honcho & Blaq Chidori

100. "Pill Form" - 2 Eleven & T.F feat. Rome Streetz

101. "Outside" - MoneySign Suede feat. 03 Greedo

102. "Globetrotters" - From, The 3

103. "The Hillbillies" - Baby Keem & Kendrick Lamar

104. "Smurk Carter" - Lil Durk

105. "Northface With The ACGs" - Your Old Droog feat. Rome Streetz

106. "H-Town" - Kari Faux

107. “Starting Lineup” - Murs & Wiardon feat. Larry June & ICECOLDBISHOP

108. "Really Him" - Mike Shabb

109. "Signed, Sealed, and Motorized" - S!LENCE & Lungs

110. "Deli" - Ice Spice

111. "Gerald's Flattop" - SickInTheHead

112. "Basket" - Daemoney feat. Babyface Ray

113. "I USUALLY SAY HOW I FEEL" - Tree

114. "LOST" - Bisk feat. YUNGMORPHEUS

115. "Clint Capella" - Bart Oatmeal feat. Da Bix God & Jay NiCE

116. “Look Closer” - The Legendary Traxster feat. Buk Of Psychodrama

117. "Living Curfew" - Aesop Rock feat. billy woods

118. "Ghetto To Meadow" - Oddisee feat. Freeway

119. "AAVE" - Jeph Early

120. "Oh U Went" - Young Thug feat. Drake

121. "Create A Player" - Sleep Sinatra & Televangel feat. Archibald Slim

122. "WASSUP" - Duke Deuce

123. "QT" - Ro$ama

124. "Adolf Hitler (mop mop mop)" - AyooLii

125. "Goat May Cry 5" - AKAI SOLO

126. "Pain & Leather" - Milc & Televangel feat. YL

127. "Not Today" - ctyzn feat. Mimz the Magnificent & IONOYOUTELLME

128. "East Side Summer" - SKECH185 feat. I.B. Fokuz, Collasoul Structure & Solar Five

129. "Sabado Night Live" - Eff Yoo & Deep feat. Homeboy Sandman & Spit Gemz

130. "No Statements" - ScarLip

131. "Michelin Star" - WateRR & Lupara feat. MIGHTYHEALTHY

132. "WhatItFeelsLike" - NappyHIGH feat. Your Old Droog & Blu

133. "Top Of The Morning" - Talibando feat. Samuel Shabazz

134. “Terpalation” - Zombie Juice feat. Curren$y

135. "Fresh" - Sada Baby & Skilla Baby

136. "The Reunion" - Ankhlejohn & Rahiem Supreme

137. "Put It On Da Floor Again" - Latto feat. Cardi B

138. "hue_man nature" - Saba & No ID

139. "WOP" - Baby Stone Gorillas

140. "RESET!" - overkast.

141. "Ghetto Princess" - Sexyy Red feat. Chief Keef

142. "Fair Oaks Drive" - Ace P feat. Righteous Emcee, Juice Lord & Knucky

143. "We Made It" - Osbe Chill feat. Benny the Butcher

144. "Fuck Mr. T" - RRB Lil Mel & RRB Lil Cheese feat. RRB Duck & SME Taxfree

145. “Still Hope” - Al-Doe & Spanish Ran

146. “Family Tithes” - Gnarly Marley feat. Martyy Jugg, Esoderic & The Abnorm

147. "Stakeouts" - Guilty Simpson & Uncommon Nasa feat. Quelle Chris

148. "8 Hour Drive" - Vic Spencer & Jamal Gasol

149. "New BMF" - MarijuanaXO feat. SME Taxfree feat. Funny $Money, MarijuanaXO & RRB Duck

150. "November" - Jay Cinema & Trill Walton

Bonus Cuts:

“STOOP” - Akhen feat. Roscoe P Coldchain & Lord Maskoff

"Cowby Bebop" - femdot.

"Something For Junkies" - Killer Mike feat. Fabo

“Hitman Synopsis” - Freddolo & Charlie Mayo feat. Blu

"Skraight Up" - BiC Fizzle feat. Big Scarr

"Talk" - Gucci Mane & B.G.

“Zoo” - Mr. Brady & Budamunk

"ANYCIA" - Anycia

“GODLOOKINDOWN” - Jameel Na’Im X & KINGIKEEM

“Family Tithes” - Gnarly Marley feat. Martyy Jugg, Esoderic & The Abnorm

"bad news bearz" - Mikem Nahmir feat. AB

"Foundation" - J. Stone feat. Nipsey Hussle & B.H.

"They Spit On Jesus" - ElCamino feat. Fuego Base

"Only Problem" - R3 Da Chilliman feat. 03 Greedo

"263" - Drego

"RealRichSlime" - Slimesito feat. Duwap Kaine

"Laugh To Keep From Crying" - Huey Briss

"Dandelion Root" - Rexx Life Raj

"Let's Do It" - DD Osama feat. NLE Choppa & Dee Play4Keeps

“Boys Gettin Quiet” - Dorrough Music

"Half Doin Dope" - BlakkBoyz feat. Lil Yachty, JID & BabyTron

“Stand On It” -  DaBoii feat. Philthy Rich, 4 rAx & Mac J

“Prosper In Peace” - Nasty C feat. Benny the Butcher

"Free Your Mind" - NV feat. Chuck Strangers

"Papoose's Floatation Device" - CISE GREENY feat. Aasir, S!LENCE & Jesse Rack$on

See ya in the New Year... 🍾

[hajiisonline]

She Screams

This story contains scenes that may depict, mention, or discuss assault, blood, cannibalism, child abuse, death, misogyny, physical abuse, rape, sexual assault.

A story I revised for my creative writing course. Heed the trigger warnings please!

Kismet remembered waking up before starting her day off, putting her bread in the toaster, and scrambling eggs. At her age, she wanted to be free. She tried to escape — or more like, to depart from the period of her life that troubled her.

To confront her father and move on from her pain.

That man now sits in front of her, old, unable to chase after her if she runs.

All he had left was his bark, like an old Pit Bull.

“Go to hell,” Kismet says, with a sip of her coffee.

The older, gray-haired man’s gaze snaps at her before quickly raising his cane and striking her face. The force causes her to bite down, tasting her blood as it pools into her mouth. The plate she holds full of streaming hot grits, sausage links, and sunny-side-up eggs, clatters to the floor.

Perhaps due to his anger, the aging man doesn’t take heed of the mess made.

“What did you say to me?”

She sucks her teeth.

“You heard me. Go to hell. I’m not going to be further docile. I have my life to live, which doesn’t involve you or this damn house.”

She decided long ago that anything was better than her own inferno, no matter where she ended up.

A cold grimace filled her father’s face as her confession poured from her like a faucet — he calmly questions,

“Skipping out on me just like your mother did, huh? What’s out there for you? A girl who ain’t got no skills? Huh? What are you gon’ find?”

Kismet’s dark eyes bore back the shell of a man in front of her at the dinner table.

It was a wonder why she spent thirty years afraid of him. Cowered at his feet, made herself smaller to satisfy his ego. Hid from home under beds, closets, and crawl spaces. Crying out for mercy as he stripped her bare, forcing her to recite bible verse.  The creeping feelings of her hands touching her while telling her she was born from a demon.

“Anything. The key is freedom.” she retorts, casually sipping her black coffee.

“Freedom? Ha. I didn’t raise you with nonsense in your mind.” Her father continues, glaring up at her with bloodshot hazel eyes.

“How exactly did you raise me? To be afraid of everything, including my father? You ’raised’ me just as you intended. Full of fear and contempt.”

“Now, that’s enough, Kismet.”

The young woman laughs, although humor is absent in her titter.

“Hold on now, this man’s got too much in his cup. Too much dip on his chip! Startin’ to sound like he’s had enough for the morning! Reginald Friday. Pastor Friday. What? Do you not like to hear the truth? The gospel? Do you think you’re some sort of God immune to criticism? Shit, you give one negro power, and he goes apeshit. What are you, really? A fool with a suit and bible? A pervert with a cross?”

“I--”

“I DON’T WANT TO HEAR YOUR BULLSHIT!”

An agonizing scream became the only sound she heard. Hot, black coffee drips onto her father’s face seeping into the chestnut floor. He hoots and hollers like a damned soul being torched and violated for all eternity.

While his cries sufficed for the moment, she wasn’t satisfied yet.

“Yes, I do know, Reginald. I had a devil for my father. I was never a compliant child, Reginald Friday! I remember that day very well; I begged and pleaded with that social worker to take me away and save me. Yet, she thought that a pastor, a ‘respectable member of the community’ couldn’t have done something so heinous — she turned her back on me without report. ‘That girl must be lying. She should be grateful Pastor Friday took her in after her mother ran away.’ Everyone the following Sunday thought I was some freakshow sitting in the church. I was a teenage girl trying to tarnish your reputation. Instead, you ruined my life.”

“Kismet baby stops, stop — I love you!”

“That cruel, sadistic love? Ion want nothing of it! NOTHING! STOP LYING TO ME! YA HEAR? YOU LOVE ME? DADDY, YOU WANT TO SEE ME SUFFER! ALL YOU DO IS HURT ME BECAUSE YOU LOVE MY PAIN! I DESPISE YOU DOWN WITH THE BLOOD IN YOUR VEINS AND MARROW IN YOUR BONES!”

Through her tears, Kismet screams the feelings she’s had for so many years. But it wasn’t enough. She wanted to see him, see him feeling her pain. Her eyes dart until she spots a large, imposing knife in the block. It was perfect, intimidating. Her palm itches for it, and when she receives it, it feels euphoric to have it in her hands. With the blade thrust, it slowly sinks in as she stares into her father’s agape, spooked eyes. Silence fills the room. Her cries died down.

There seems to be an almost suffocating stillness.

Her father stares at her with glassy eyes, opening his mouth.

“Do you have somethin’ to say to me, Daddy?”

The older man gargles blood in response, gasping for breath. She plunges the knife further, holding his gaze once more.

“When you beat me, and I tasted blood for the first time, I looked as terrified as you are right now.” Kismet muses.

“When you violated me under the full moon when I screamed for you to stop. Did you not ignore my cries?”

At the sight of the blood, her eyes grow wide in excitement.

What rises from her belly is a tormenting scream. An animalistic howl. One that ripples through her throat, out her bloodied mouth.

What she feels isn’t regret — no, she feels the encouragement to feast on the bastard before her. To tear him apart, to use him to feed her newfound urge. She yanks and chews, relishing the taste of warm flesh and thick blood rushing down her throat.

Her heart pounds as she claws at his face, disfiguring it. Recognition is lost, and only a mound of flesh and blood remains.

The taste of the rust fills her senses as she smiles with glee.

Then, fear kicks in. The weight of her actions brings Kismet to her knees.

He was gone, but now, his blood was painted all over her.

His body was ravaged as if a wild beast had its way with his worthless corpse.

No, not a wild beast, but the one who feasted on him with enthusiasm was her. The smell of dirty crimson fills the air and makes her belly turn weak. She falls to her knees, her deep dark. Perhaps pride?

Was it pride, knowing she killed the man who tormented her for so long?

Furthermore, wasn’t he at fault for his death?

She tried to leave — he resisted her wishes, so he died.

Simple as that.

Staring at his corpse for a minute, her eyes lock with his glossy, lifeless ones. Then, without a second thought, she spits at his body. The dribble landing dead center on his forehead, running down his eyes and cheek.

Kismet quietly walks to her bedroom and collapses to the floor, bloody and ridden with adrenaline.

Finally, what she had gone through, the man that taught her what evil is gone.

Now, she had a dead man and a lot of blood to take off.

And a fire was the thing that would do it.

Making her way from the bloody mess in the bedroom, one she stayed in since childhood. She walks down the stairs, to the home’s garage, spotting the spare gas canister on the shelf. The woman packed her luggage the night before, it nestled in the trunk of her car.

Circling back to where the morning began, she stood in the kitchen, dousing it with gasoline. She made her way home, up and down the stairs. Through the bedrooms and halls.

All the back down to the front porch, down the steps.

The matches in her pockets felt heavy as if she held the earth inside her calloused palms. Slowly, she takes a matchstick, drawing a small flame. Kismet torches the wet step, watching soon as the home catches ablaze in a somber inferno.

The amber flames danced through her eyes as they spread.

[thanatophobia-thoughts]

The Museum of Death is located in Hollywood, CA and New Orleans, LA. Both seem to be fitting locations. Right now, the Hollywood one is closed and is relocating, but the New Orleans one is open.

What, exactly, is the Museum of Death?

Well, I was curious about that, too. New Orleans is a bucket list item, but I’m not getting there anytime soon so I decided to look into it a bit to sate my current curiosities.

Based on the website, the museum is host to body bags, graphic pictures of car crashes, mortician’s tools, Manson Family photos, general crime scene photos, taxidermy, a recreation of the Heaven’s Gate suicide, cannibalism, and letters from serial killers, so it seems like a generally gory experience into death, showing the far more brutal side of it.

Honestly, I’m not too into the gore part, but the recreation of the suicide, as well as the Thanatron, and the costume contest for Black Dahlia they have annually are intriguing.  

However, the reason I’m pointing this out, is that the goal of the museum is: “To make people feel happy being alive”. You know what? I can respect that. Make people uncomfortable with brutal deaths so they can go live a more fulfilling life. Not exactly how I’d do things here, but if it works, it works, right?

I’d rather people want to live their best life, instead of wanting to die.

The museums were started by J. D. Healy and Catherine Shultz back in 1995, so they aren’t that old yet. They’ve continued to expand, and recently tried to obtain an electric chair, though that didn’t work out.

As I haven’t visited it, I can’t say how triggering this is, but I imagine it could be quite so.

However, I do love the idea of making people confront REAL deaths, even the brutal ones. What I wish would be involved, would still be an area about what happens after death – if they need to, they can include some afterlife nonsense, but focusing on the body, and physical options here for the bereaved, would be a good addition after going through something like that, to really get you on the path to prepare to enjoy your life, and have your affairs in order.

I’m just a dreamer, though.

So if this sounds up your alley, go check out the museum!

[caffeinatedseri]

The Significance of Sunsets

We’re introduced to the significance of twilight during the Cannibalism Arc via the Tripartite Tactic. 

The essence of the Tripartite Tactic supports 3 core themes of BSD: moral ambiguity, the cyclical nature of life, and the beauty of humanity. 

First, the Tripartite Tactic establishes the moral balance of the BSD universe through the government, PM, and ADA’s interactions with one another to ensure the balance of Yokohama.

Day and night are binary opposites, similar to how the government and mafia operate on opposite sides. That would imply that the government and mafia are always at war with one another, working to bring the other down, but the Tripartite Tactic suggests otherwise.

Both the government and mafia’s survival are necessary to secure the balance of the city, just like how day and night, good and evil have to coexist in a state of balance.

However, there is a middle ground that bridges these opposing concepts together: twilight — as represented with the agency. 

As the evening acts the neutral point from day to night, the agency acts as a morally neutral organization between the government and mafia. They don’t necessarily abide by the laws and rules of “justice,” but they still work to establish a semblance of “good” in this world. 

We’ve seen the government act in suspicious ways, we’ve seen the mafia act in good natured ways, and we’ve seen the agency do both of the sort. Even though the government and mafia are supposed to represent “good” and “evil”, the fact that they break these molds serves to once again prove the moral ambiguity within the BSD universe. 

Twilight also symbolizes another important idea — the cyclical nature of life. As the passing period between day and night, it represents the end of a day, which will always lead to the start of a new day.

This cyclical nature lends itself to a feeling of hope that drives the journey of redemption — the hope that the night will pass and a new day will begin encourages our characters to persevere and hope for something better. 

Cycles also show themselves through character interactions throughout the generations.

Mori abused Dazai → Dazai abused Akutagawa → Akutagawa abused Kyouka, In this case, the cycle of abuse is born (although it fortunately stops at Kyouka). 

In parallel, Oda helped Dazai → Dazai helped Atsushi → Atsushi helps Kyouka, For this, the cycle of redemption is born. 

As twilight is a time for sunsets, sunsets are an inevitable motif for these themes. The arrangement of colors in the sky, characteristic of a sunset, tends to evoke feelings of awe or admiration for the beauty of such sunset. The beauty of a sunset symbolizes an appreciation for the beauty of humanity, aligning with the theme of accepting human nature as is. (think Dazai)

Keeping in mind these 3 aspects: moral ambiguity, the cyclical nature of life, and the beauty of humanity, the significance of every scene with a sunset becomes more prominent. 

Sunsets in BSD always appear at important points of the narrative, with my favorite being:

This scene’s significance is primarily Dazai’s transition out of the mafia as represented through the light shining through the window — as if light is being shined on the darkness that had surrounded his life.

This scene happens to be one of my favorites because it touches upon all three themes that the twilight-esque light represents.

Moral ambiguity: Oda knows that Dazai doesn’t care about justice or evil, or defining aspects of morality, so Oda argues Dazai should work for justice. Oda doesn’t try to argue that justice is morally correct, but he simply says it is “better” in an extremely vague way. 

The idea of Dazai joining the side of justice with no strong moral conviction opens up the concept of moral ambiguity. Is it important for him to have a moral code if he wants to find the purpose of his life? Can he help others if he doesn’t believe it’s the “right” thing to do? Does it matter? 

Most importantly, does saving others whilst not believing in the standards of morality place you within the boundaries of justice or evil? Or are there no such defined boundaries? 

Cyclical nature: Oda pushes for Dazai to save people, instead of killing people, mirroring the actions of Natsume-sensei who helped Oda come to that same resolve. This starts the cycle of Dazai helping Atsushi, Atsushi helping Kyouka, and hopefully Atsushi getting to help Akutagawa as well. 

This scene also reflects the idea of the “end of the night”, or the start of a new day as Dazai abandons the PM, and starts anew in the Agency. 

Beauty of humanity: PM Dazai was arguably the most “inhumane” version of Dazai that we’ve seen, due to his heavily logic driven intellect and distrusting tendencies. 

However, in this interaction with Oda, we finally see his humanity shine through. Oda gives no reasonable, straight-forward explanation as to why Dazai should leave the mafia, but Dazai follows his advice regardless because of their trust. 

The ability to trust and love, an innate part of human nature, can be seen as foolish from the eyes of the logic-driven, but ultimately that’s what makes being human beautiful. 

I admit the last scene may have been a little vague with whether the setting was actually a sunset, but this one is more obvious!

This takes place after SSKK’s fight with Francis, and they regroup with Dazai, Fukuzawa, and Kyouka. 

Cyclical nature: As the finale of the Guild Arc, the sunset represents the end of a day and the start of another as they close this chapter of their lives. It also parallels Dazai’s “redemption” scene, as Kyouka finds her redemption in sacrificing herself for others and becoming part of the agency. 

Just as Oda was able to help Dazai in the previous scene, Dazai is the one who tells Kyouka exactly what she needed to hear in order for her to survive and find a home in the agency. 

Beauty of humanity: Being human means to be compassionate, and I’d argue that Kyouka was uncompassionate in the past, just because no one had shown her what compassion was like. However, Kyouka grows from that — with the help of Atsushi and Dazai showing her empathy and kindness, she’s able to reciprocate that feeling and be willing to give up her life for the sake of others.

Dazai also praises Akutagawa for a short moment in this scene, which is also an act of compassion from Dazai although Akutagawa deserves more than that.

This scene follows the party at the end of the Cannibalism Arc, as Dazai and Atsushi have a nice heart-to-heart.

Dazai’s toast here is technically an anime-only moment, but obviously all of the sunsets are anime-only. Regardless, I’ll be discussing his entire talk with Atsushi here, along with the toast. 

Moral ambiguity: Akutagawa’s promise to not kill anyone for 6 months mirrors that of Oda — a mafia member who doesn’t kill. By doing so, he directly challenges the morality involved with being a mafia member (what would be “bad”) and breaks away from the black and white labels of “good” and “evil.”

If we followed the code of justice, presumably the morally “right” way, then it would dictate that Akutagawa would need to be punished for the crimes he committed. However, Atsushi’s decision to form that promise with Akutagawa gives him an opportunity to grow and redeem himself, even if Akutagawa fits with the “evil” label. 

Akutagawa and Atsushi are obviously foils — they’re different in almost every way, which you could use to define Atsushi as the hero and Akutagawa as the villain, but it’s undeniable that they also share many similarities. As the line between “good” and “evil” blurs, moral ambiguity is developed. 

Cyclical nature: Once again, this scene closes out the Cannibalism Arc, with the sunset symbolizing both the end and beginning. 

Atsushi’s promise with Akutagawa parallels that of Oda’s dying wish to Dazai; they’re both founded on the basis of trust, and they push towards a brighter future for Akutagawa and Dazai respectively. Thus, the cycle of redemption repeats itself once more. 

Dazai’s “To the stray dogs” statement also parallels his toast with the Buraiha trio (Dazai, Ango, Oda). It could be just a callback to Oda, but it also expresses Dazai passing on the toast to Atsushi, from one stray dog to another. Nevertheless, this still represents a cycle of actions in which the previous generation affects the present. 

Beauty of humanity: Dazai toasting to Atsushi with the phrase “stray dogs” offers a sense of compassion and hope. Dazai and Atsushi have undoubtedly grown closer to one another throughout the entire series up to this point, so it makes perfect sense that Dazai shows that he cares by sharing a piece of his past with Atsushi.

Toasting directly to the stray dogs implies a celebration of sorts for these dogs, who are stray but ultimately not alone. The toast is indicative of a hope for a better future whilst also acknowledging how one can feel lost in life (and how that’s okay). 

Atsushi’s promise with Akutagawa also serves as an attempt to teach Akutagawa the beauty of humanity, since Atsushi believes that Akutagawa doesn’t see the value of life (which is preventing him from getting Dazai’s approval). I would argue that it should be the other way around, but Atsushi has good intentions here.

After Atsushi discovers the death of the Headmaster of his orphanage, Dazai gives some comforting advice.

Moral ambiguity: Atsushi struggles with his conflicted feelings towards the Headmaster’s death, which is perfectly understandable. 

The Headmaster can’t be defined as completely good or completely bad, because he did impact Atsushi’s life in a way that led him to where he is today (once again, no definitive black or white answer as to whether that’s good or not).

Atsushi struggles with the thought that he has to pick whether to feel glad or upset, in order to fit within the neat labels of black and white, happy and sad. In response, Dazai (the definition of a morally ambiguous man) simply says: 

Although Dazai says “There’s no one who can fully grasp the deepest feelings of another person,” in the anime, I think the meaning of that is better stated in the manga. Dazai reasons that he can be both glad or upset, his feelings can be mixed, and there is no clear cut answer for how to feel (as Dazai only gives a general piece of advice). 

Cyclical nature: Dazai’s statement, “when someone’s father dies, they tend to cry”, could honestly be interpreted in a multitude of ways. 

Dazai’s reference to a father figure suggests that this “father” is simply a person who impacted their life greatly and made them who they are today. (since both of their fathers are unknown).

Following this definition, Oda is the father figure to Dazai in the same way that the Headmaster was to Atsushi. Although their methods of “helping” Dazai and Atsushi differ very drastically, the same cycle of this “father” figure impacting the life of their metaphorical son repeats.

Oda giving advice to Dazai, and Dazai giving advice to Atsushi is also another cycle — the cycle of reaching a hand out to someone in need. (which is the more sensical of these two conclusions)

Beauty of humanity: Dazai’s ability to be compassionate truly shines in this scene and shows just how much he’s grown from his time in the PM.

In contrary to PM Dazai’s unfeeling self, Dazai is able to empathize with Atsushi on a personal basis; just as the Headmaster was a integral part of Atsushi’s past, Oda was the same for Dazai. 

Dazai’s growing ability to understand others demonstrates his willingness to grow more accustomed to human nature, and love it for what it is. 

Atsushi’s confusion in dictating what he should feel also speaks on the nature of humanity; his feelings don’t have to make sense for him to feel them. In fact, the more illogical his emotions are, the more human he is.

[aparticularbandit]

So - current projects I want to play around with once Finding Family is finished:

Bedelia & Wanda WandaVision rewrite - aka Wanda gets therapy from retired witness protection Bedelia (post-Hannibal) and ends up creating the Hex anyway (sort of) because a lot of times when you work through trauma it ends up making things worse initially because it can be like going through it again. I expect Agatha and America to both be in this eventually, as well as asshole dickhead SWORD guy (and Jack Crawford!) and also if Wanda curses Hannibal and/or Will, that would be cool (and also maybe Agatha gets therapy, too).

Noir Fic - aka this one fic I wrote almost a decade ago that I mostly want to edit and refresh before posting but I want to finish seeing the series again before going through all of that - aka what if Chloe instead of Kirika?

Dark Witch Aesthetic - aka a friend and I co-built an AHS: Coven-esque thing for Bedelia that involves harder, darker cannibalism and etc. type magic and it would be fun to play in that world with Wanda and Agatha. Where Agatha's powers are different because she's of a different descent - they come from her dad's side - and Bedelia as sole survivor after Agatha attacks her coven - that sort of thing. Not high up on this list.

JTV Soulmate Timer AU Book #4 - aka another thing that's already been written for other a year and I want to finish rereading book #3 before editing this one.

Agatha Backstory Fic - aka literally what it says on the tin; I have too many headcanon and too many images and I just want to put them out into something and this one's calling me almost as much as the Bedelia & Wanda fic is.

Earth-838 Avengers Compound fic - more one-shots than fic, otherwise exactly what it says on the tin. Honestly may do this as a sporadic one-shot thing idk.

Miscellaneous Finding Family spin-offs - not sequels, but deleted scenes and alternate ways things could have gone (looking at Wendy for a lot of this, but there's definitely a different way I was thinking about doing Illuminati stuff), etc. Probs going to do some of these anyway, but we'll see.

SO YEAH IF Y'ALL HAVE ANY PREFERENCES OR IDEAS OR WHATEVER LET ME KNOW I TAKE THESE THINGS INTO CONSIDERATION i just don't want to make a poll this time y'all.